Digital Commons Network^™

Discovery And Optimization Of Novel Small-Molecular Inhibitors Suppressing Stat3-Dependent Tumor Process, Xiaolei Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the critical role of aberrantly active Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (Stat) 3 protein in many human cancers, selective small-molecule inhibitors targeting the dimerization event which is required for stat3 activation, would be valuable as therapeutic agents. And the inhibitors will be useful chemical probes to clarify the complex biological functions of Stat3. By computational and structural analyses of the interaction between Stat3 and the lead dimerization disruptor, S3I-201, we have designed a diverse set of analogs. One of the most active analogs, S3I-201.1066 is derived to contain a cyclo-hexyl benzyl moiety on the amide nitrogen, which increases …

Organizational Apologies: Bp As A Case Study, Erin O'Connor

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

This Article examines the conduct of BP executives in the weeks following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to illuminate the use of apology by organizations. After briefly describing the value of apology and its nuances from an evolutionary perspective, the Article describes how apology and other responsibility-accepting behaviors can be mobilized by organizations to avoid the costs of its apparently careless conduct. In particular, organizations can designate particular agents as spokespersons who possess the ability to portray a sense of sincerity and regret. Moreover, reconciliation by ingroup members appears to be more common than is reconciliation by outgroup members, likely …

Ant Colony Optimization Approach For Stacking Configurations, Yijun Chen

Lingnan Theses

In data mining, classifiers are generated to predict the class labels of the instances. An ensemble is a decision making system which applies certain strategies to combine the predictions of different classifiers and generate a collective decision. Previous research has empirically and theoretically demonstrated that an ensemble classifier can be more accurate and stable than its component classifiers in most cases. Stacking is a well-known ensemble which adopts a two-level structure: the base-level classifiers to generate predictions and the meta-level classifier to make collective decisions. A consequential problem is: what learning algorithms should be used to generate the base-level and …

Symbionts As An Epigenetic Source Of Heritable Variation, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Evolutionary Developmental Biology And Intelligent Design, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Land Management On House Mice And Red Imported Fire Ants, Jesse R. Abelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding of mechanisms that limit the abundance and distribution of species is central to ecology. The failure of mechanisms to regulate populations can result in population outbreaks. There have been two outbreaks of house mice in the past decade in central Florida. In my study, I examine the efficacy of landscape management in the form of mowing and plowed soil barriers to limit or prevent outbreaks of house mice in a former agricultural area. House mouse populations were highly variable, but were unaffected by mowing or plowed soil barriers. Red imported fire ants were ubiquitous in the study area regardless …

The Application Of Two-Photon Absorbing Probes In Lysosomal, Zinc Ion Sensing And Folate Receptor-Targeted Bioimaging, Xuhua Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PFM) has become a powerful technique for bioimaging in non-invasive cancer diagnosis and also investigating the mechanization and original of a variety of diseases by tracking various biological processes. Because the fluorescence emission by two photon absorbing (2PA) is directly proportional to the square of the intensity of excitation light, this intrinsic property of 2PA provides 2PFM great advantages over traditional one-photon fluorescence microscopy (1PFM), including high 3D spatial localization, less photodamage and interference from biological tissue because of using longer wavelength excitation (700-1300 nm). However, most 2PA probes are hydrophobic and their photostabilities are questionable, severely …

The Unsuspected Pathway Of The Allosteric Transition In Hemoglobin, Stefan Fischer, Kenneth W. Olsen, Kwangho Nam, Martin Karplus

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Large conformational transitions play an essential role in the function of many proteins, but experiments do not provide the atomic details of the path followed in going from one end structure to the other. For the hemoglobin tetramer, the transition path between the unliganded (T) and tetraoxygenated (R) structures is not known, which limits our understanding of the cooperative mechanism in this classic allosteric system, where both tertiary and quaternary changes are involved. The conjugate peak refinement algorithm is used to compute an unbiased minimum energy path at atomic detail between the two end states. Although the results confirm some …

Parenting Foster Children With Chronic Illness And Complex Medical Needs, Lori S. Lauver Phd

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Conclusions: Parenting foster children with complex health care needs is a life changing experience for the foster families as well as foster children. A multifaceted experience, it has implications not only for nursing but multiple disciplines.

Article: http://jdc.jefferson.edu/nursfp/17/

Reinventing Richard Goldschmidt: Reputation, Memory, And Biography, Michael Dietrich

Dartmouth Scholarship

Richard Goldschmidt was one of the most controversial biologists of the mid-twentieth century. Rather than fade from view, Goldschmidts work and reputation has persisted in the biological community long after he has. Goldschmidts longevity is due in large part to how he was represented by Stephen J. Gould. When viewed from the perspective of the biographer, Goulds revival of Goldschmidt as an evolutionary heretic in the 1970s and 1980s represents a selective reinvention of Goldschmidt that provides a contrast to other kinds of biographical commemorations by scientists.\r\n\r\nKeywords: Richard Goldschmidt, hopeful monsters, evolutionary synthesis, Stephen J. Gould, punctuated equilibrium, biography

Detecting Specific Saccharides Via A Single Indicator, Soojin Lim, Jorge O. Escobedo, Mark Lowry, Robert M. Strongin

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

An improved synthesis of a rhodamine boronic acid indicator is reported. This compound is used in an optimized data collection protocol for wavelength- and time-dependent selectivity of sugars such as fructose and ribose derivatives. One indicator is thus used to selectively distinguish structurally related sugar analytes.

Colorism In The Spanish Caribbean: Legacies Of Race And Racism In Dominican And Puerto Rican Literature, Malinda Marie Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of colorism on Spanish Caribbean literature--more specifically, works of fiction and memoir by both island and diaspora writers from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Colorism, or discrimination based on the shading of skin, manifests itself in Spanish Caribbean literature in a variety of ways. It is often used as a marker of class and/or class difference; it may reflect and/or play a part in shaping cultural standards of beauty or attractiveness; and it signifies the entrenched complexities of the Spanish Caribbean's history of conquest and colonization. Colorism appears in these texts as both a …

Low Noise And Low Repetition Rate Semiconductor-Based Mode-Locked Lasers, Dimitrios Mandridis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic of this dissertation is the development of low repetition rate and low noise semiconductor-based laser sources with a focus on linearly chirped pulse laser sources. In the past decade chirped optical pulses have found a plethora of applications such as photonic analogto-digital conversion, optical coherence tomography, laser ranging, etc. This dissertation analyzes the aforementioned applications of linearly chirped pulses and their technical requirements, as well as the performance of previously demonstrated chirped pulse laser sources. Moreover, the focus is shifted to a specific application of the linearly chirped pulses, timestretched photonic analog-to-digital conversion (TS ADC). The challenges of …

Metal Blacks As Scattering Centers To Increase The Efficiency Of Thin Film Solar Cells, Deep R. Panjwani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metal nano particles are investigated as scattering centers on front surface of thin-film solar cells to improve efficiency. The principle is that scattering, which is enhanced near the plasmon resonance frequency of the particle and depends on particle size, increases the effective optical path length of incident light, leading to more light absorption in active layer of thin film solar cell. The particular types of particles investigated here are known as "metal-black", well known as an IR absorber for bolometric infrared detectors. Gold-black was deposited on commercial thin-film solar cells using a thermal evaporator in a nitrogen ambient at pressures …

Genetically Modified Es Cells Enhance Cardiac Repair And Regeneration In The Infarcted Heart, Carley E. Glass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transplanted embryonic stem (ES) cells following myocardial infarction (MI) contribute to limited cardiac repair and regeneration with improved function. Therefore novel strategies are still needed to enhance the efficacy by which ES cells differentiate into cardiac cell types and inhibit adverse remodeling in the infarcted myocardium. Our studies evaluate whether genetic manipulation of transplanted ES cells employing miR- 1, a pro-cardiac microRNA, and TIMP-1, an anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic protein, will enhance cardiac myocyte differentiation, inhibit native cardiac apoptosis, and reduce fibrosis in the infarcted myocardium. Furthermore, we assess levels of associated pro- (caspase-3, PTEN) and anti-(Akt) apoptotic proteins as well …

The Relative Recoverability Of Dna And Rna Profiles From Forensically Relevant Body Fluid Stains, Charly Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biological material (fluids or tissues) whether from the victim or suspect is often collected as forensic evidence, and methods to obtain and analyze the DNA found in that material have been well established. The type of body fluid (i.e. blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, and menstrual blood) from which the DNA originated is also of interest, and messenger RNA typing provides a specific and sensitive means of body fluid identification. In order for mRNA profiling to be utilized in routine forensic casework, RNA of sufficient quantity and quality must be obtained from biological fluid stains and the methods used for …

Modeling Carbon Allocation, Growth And Recovery In Scrub Oaks Experiencing Aboveground Disturbance, Troy J. Seiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Allocation of assimilated carbon amongst plant metabolic processes and tissues is important to understanding ecosystem carbon cycles. Due to the range of spatio-temporal scales and complex process interactions involved, direct measurements of allocation in natural environments are logistically difficult. Modeling approaches provide tools to examine these patterns by integrating finer scale process measurements. One such method is root:shoot balance, where plant growth is limited by either shoot activity (i.e. photosynthesis) or root activity (i.e. water and nutrient uptake). This method shows promise for application on frequently disturbed systems which perturb aboveground biomass and thus create imbalances in root and shoot …

Variational Embedded Solitons, And Traveling Wavetrains Generated By Generalized Hopf Bifurcations, In Some Nlpde Systems, Todd Blanton Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this Ph.D. thesis, we study regular and embedded solitons and generalized and degenerate Hopf bifurcations. These two areas of work are seperate and independent from each other. First, variational methods are employed to generate families of both regular and embedded solitary wave solutions for a generalized Pochhammer PDE and a generalized microstructure PDE that are currently of great interest. The technique for obtaining the embedded solitons incorporates several recent generalizations of the usual variational technique and is thus topical in itself. One unusual feature of the solitary waves derived here is that we are able to obtain them in …

Translocation Of The Cholera Toxin A1 Subunit From The Endoplasmic Reticulum To The Cytosol, Michael Prentice Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

AB-type protein toxins such as cholera toxin (CT) consist of a catalytic A subunit and a cell-binding B subunit. CT proceeds through the secretory pathway in reverse, termed retrograde trafficking, and is delivered to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In order for the catalytic A1 subunit to become active it must separate from the rest of the holotoxin, and this dissociation event occurs in the ER lumen. CTA1 assumes an unfolded conformation upon dissociation from the holotoxin and is recognized by ERassociated degradation (ERAD), a quality control system that recognizes and exports misfolded proteins to the cytosol for degradation by the …

Graduated Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Their Parents Lived Experiences In Public High School, Karen F. Uhle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a dramatic increase in the prevalence of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including those with high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome, educators are challenged to meet the educational needs of a complex and widely diverse group of exceptional learners. The focus of this research was to gain insight into the experiences of the graduated student with autism and his/her parent(s) during the student's time in public school. This study had three research questions: 1) What were the lived experiences of students with ASD who graduated from an urban public high school in the southeast United States?; 2) What were …

The Study Of Three Different Layered Structures As Model Systems For Hydrogen Storage Materials, Muzaffer Tonguç Öztek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The strength and success of the hydrogen economy relies heavily on the storage of hydrogen. Storage systems in which hydrogen is sequestered in a solid material have been shown to be advantageous over storage of hydrogen as a liquid or compressed gas. Many different types of materials have been investigated, yet the desired capacity and uptake/release characteristics required for implementation have not been reached. In this work, porphyrin aggregates were investigated as a new type of material for hydrogen storage. The building blocks of the aggregates are porphyrin molecules that are planar and can assume a face to face arrangement …

College Science Teachers' Inquiry Beliefs And Practices In The Science Classroom, Janet L. Bisogno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine college science professors’ beliefs regarding the use of inquiry in the college science classroom, how these beliefs impacted their instructional choices and how these beliefs were enacted in the classroom. Additional questions were how teachers’ beliefs vary across institution types (community college, private, four year college, and large research institution), and how beliefs vary across disciplines (life sciences and physical sciences). A case study design was required for this study due to the complexity of the topic and different data sources needed to answer the fore stated research questions. These data sources …

The Relationship Between Principal Reported Instructional And Organizational Practices Of Title I Elementary Schools And Adequate Yearly Progress, Marsha Bur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the practices of Title I elementary school principals in the state of Florida for the school year 2009 - 2010. Elementary school principals in six Florida school districts responded to a survey to determine the extent of implementation of instructional and organizational practices identified by research to improve instruction and learning. The practices (sub-constructs) examined were identified as curriculum, instruction, assessment, educational agenda (vision, mission, beliefs, goals), leadership for school improvement, community building, and culture of continuous improvement. The results of this study indicated that participating Florida Title I principals believed that they were implementing effective instructional …

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy For Detection Of Organic Residues Impact Of Ambient Atmosphere And Laser Parameters, Christopher G. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is showing great potential as an atomic analytical technique. With its ability to rapidly analyze all forms of matter, with little-to-no sample preparation, LIBS has many advantages over conventional atomic emission spectroscopy techniques. With the maturation of the technologies that make LIBS possible, there has been a growing movement to implement LIBS in portable analyzers for field applications. In particular, LIBS has long been considered the front-runner in the drive for stand-off detection of trace deposits of explosives. Thus there is a need for a better understanding of the relevant processes that are responsible for …

The Effects Of Age On Reproduction In A Citrus Root Weevil Diaprepes Abbreviatus, Heather R. Chasez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the factors influencing mate choice is a major focus of sexual selection. Many factors are potentially involved, including age of the individual. The good genes model and the youth advantage model both make predictions about the effect of age on mate choice. Under the good genes model older mates would be the more preferable due to their proven high survivability. The “youth advantage” model, predicts that young to intermediate age males would be more advantageous as mates because of a decrease in sperm quality and the possibility of increased germ-line mutations in older animals. I examined the effects of …

Glial Differentiation Of Human Umbilical Stem Cells In 2d And 3d Environments, Hedvika Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During differentiation stem cells are exposed to a range of microenvironmental chemical and physical cues. In this study, human multipotent progenitor cells (hMLPCs) were differentiated from umbilical cord into oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Chemical cues were represented by a novel defined differentiation medium containing the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE). In traditional 2 dimensional (2D) conditions, the hMLPCs differentiated into oligodendrocyte precursors, but did not progress further. However, in a constructed 3 dimensional (3D) environment, the hMLPCs differentiated into committed oligodendrocytes that expressed MBP. When co-cultured with rat embryonic hippocampal neurons (EHNs), hMLPCs developed in astrocytes or oligodendrocytes, based on presence of growth …

The Origins Of Lactase Persistence And Ongoing Convergent Evolution, Beth A. Keller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a primary factor in human evolution, natural selection is an important component of genetic research. Studies of lactase persistence suggest that positive selection has played a powerful role in the adaptation to a lifelong consumption of fresh milk. Using multiple research studies of lactase persistence and suspected corresponding single nucleotide genetic polymorphisms, this study combines data sources to determine whether evidence exists for natural selection of a specific cytosine-to-thymine genetic mutation located 13,910 base pairs (T-13910) upstream from the lactase gene. This polymorphism has potential to be a causal element for lactase persistence, and data suggest that natural selection …

The Portrayal Of Teen Pregnancy In The Tv Series "The Secret Life Of The American Teenager", Erin Lovell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to investigate the way teen pregnancy is portrayed in Seasons 1 and 2 of the television drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Framing theory and social cognitive theory were used as guiding frameworks for exploring the way the main character’s pregnancy was presented and the way this presentation may influence the ideas and behaviors of viewers. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to examine portrayals in the first 23 episodes. Results indicated that teen pregnancy was portrayed in five major ways: as Dramatic, as Identity, as Manageable, as Transformative, and as …

The Effectiveness Of Teaching Methods Designed To Improve Student Engagement And Retention Of Physics Subject Matter For Both Science And Non-Science Majors, Dan Maronde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The necessity of students’ engagement with the subject matter for successful learning is welldocumented in education research in general, and in physics education research in particular. This study examines the merits of two different programs designed to improve student learning through enhanced student engagement with the material. The target populations of the two programs are different: One is the group of students taking a physical science class as part of the general curriculum required of non-science, non-engineering majors; the other is the group of students, mostly in engineering disciplines, who must take the calculus-based introductory physics sequence as part of …

Understanding The Invasion Of Florida's Intertidal Crassostrea Virginica Reefs By Non-Native Marine Invertebrate Species, Ethan Fletcher Nash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Predicting the locations of new biological invasions has become a high priority for biologists as well as trying to predict if newly introduced species will become damaging to native ecosystems. Reefs of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida have been highly disturbed in recent years resulting in dead reefs (piles of dead, disarticulated shells) some of which have been restored. I conducted oyster reef surveys for non-native invertebrates to determine if disturbance on these oyster reefs might assist invasion by two species, Mytella charruana and Perna viridis, recently introduced to the southeastern coast of the United States. …