Digital Commons Network^™

Apparent Prevalence Of Swine Brucellosis In Feral Swine In The United States, Kerri Pedersen, Sarah N. Bevins, Brandon S. Schmit, Mark W. Lutman, Michael P. Milleson, Clint T. Turnage, Troy T. Bigelow, Thomas J. Deliberto

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Samples were collected in 35 states as part of a national monitoring system to detect multiple diseases in feral swine (Sus scrofa). During March 2009 through December 2010, we collected serum samples from 4,479 feral swine from 13 states, and 159 animals tested were seropositive for brucellosis. No difference in likelihood of infection was found between males and females, but adults were more likely than sub-adults or juveniles to be exposed to brucellosis. Feral swine sampled during winter months also were more likely to be seropositive than animals sampled during other seasons. Apparent prevalence varied among states, and …

Interpreting Material Cooperation As A Function Of Moral Development To Guide Ministry Formation, Steven Squires

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While not exactly back room political bargaining, the traditional use of cooperation has been by moral theologians attempting to define the level of cooperation for a particular situation. This chosen definition, in turn, may help focus the range of appropriate actions in response to the situation's circumstances. In this customary usage, an organization's associates (employees) may assist the implementation of relevant responses to a cooperation analysis, whether the issue is clinical or organizational in nature. They have not been integral to the decision-making process - until now. Cooperation has been the proverbial candle under the bushel (Matthew 5:15). This paper …

Evaluation Of Age-Related Changes In Translocator Protein (Tspo) In Human Brain Using 11C-[R]-Pk11195 Pet, Ajay Kumar, Otto Muzik, Varun Shandal, Diane Chugani, Pulak Chakraborty, Harry T. Chugani

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

We studied the distribution and expression of translocator protein in the human brain using ¹¹C-[R]-PK-11195 positron emission tomography (PK11195 PET) and evaluated age-related changes.

Methods

A dynamic PK11195 PET scan was performed in 15 normal healthy adults (mean age: 29 ±8.5 years (range: 20 to 49); 7 males) and 10 children (mean age: 8.8 ±5.2 years (range: 1.2 to 17); 5 males), who were studied for potential neuroinflammation but showed no focally increased PK11195 binding. The PET images were evaluated by calculating standard uptake values and regional binding potential, based on a simplified reference region model, as …

Levamisole-Induced Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis And Neutropenia In A Patient With Cocaine Use: An Extensive Case With Necrosis Of Skin, Soft Tissue, And Cartilage, Natasha Arora, Tania Jain, Ravinder Bhanot, Suganthini Natesan

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Levamisole-induced vasculitis is a relatively new entity in people who use cocaine. We describe a 44-year-old woman with a history of cocaine use who presented with a complaint of a painful rash of 2-3 month’s duration on her extremities, cheeks, nose, and earlobes. She had not experienced fever, weight loss, alopecia, dry eyes, oral ulcers, photosensitivity, or arthralgia. Examination revealed tender purpuric eruptions with central necrosis on her nose, cheeks, earlobes, and extremities. Laboratory investigations revealed neutropenia, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), presence of lupus anticoagulant, low complement component 3 (C3), and presence of perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody …

Vitamin D Mitigates Age-Related Cognitive Decline Through The Modulation Of Pro-Inflammatory State And Decrease In Amyloid Burden, Teresita L. Briones, Hala Darwish

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Increasing evidence shows an association between the use of vitamin D and improvement in age-related cognitive decline. In this study, we investigated the possible mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective effects of vitamin D on age-related brain changes and cognitive function.

Methods

Male F344 rats aged 20 months (old) and 6 months (young) were used and randomly assigned to either vitamin D supplementation or no supplementation (control). A total of n = 39 rats were used in the study. Rats were individually housed and the supplementation group received a subcutaneous injection of vitamin D (1, α25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) 42 I.U./Kg …

Augmented Annotation And Orthologue Analysis For Oryctolagus Cuniculus: Better Bunny, Douglas B. Craig, Sujatha Kannan, Alan A. Dombkowski

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

The rabbit is an important model organism used in a wide range of biomedical research. However, the rabbit genome is still sparsely annotated, thus prohibiting extensive functional analysis of gene sets derived from whole-genome experiments. We developed a web-based application that provides augmented annotation and orthologue analysis for rabbit genes. Importantly, the application allows comprehensive functional analysis through the use of orthologous relationships.

Results

Using data extracted from several public bioinformatics repositories we created Better Bunny, a database and query tool that extensively augments the available functional annotation for rabbit genes. Using the complete set of target genes …

International Investment And Development, Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile, Hisham A. Kassim, Terry A. Selzer, Sarita Schroder, Kimmo Mettälä, Erika Douglas, Mark Katz, Antonia Tzinova, Ronald A. Oleynik, Alexia Rosenthal, Richard A. Andrews

The International Lawyer

No abstract provided.

Isolation And Purification Of An Organophosphate Degrading Enzyme, Shannon W. Landvater

Theses

Organophosphates (OP) are a class of pesticide widely used in agriculture and are found in a number of insecticides and chemical warfare agents. OPs are extremely dangerous in that they inhibit cholinesterase function, which disrupts proper activity of the nervous system. . OPs are also harmful due to their broad target range and toxicity for nontarget species (Horne, Qiu, Ollis, Russell, & Oakeshott, 2006) . Furthermore, following the introduction and wide spread use of pesticides, great environmental concerns have arisen. Some of the methods used for removing OP residues are impractical and costly, or are themselves environmentally hazardous (Horne et …

An Assessment Of Animal Agricultural Producers Within North Carolina In Relation To Their Perceptions Regarding The Animal Agricultural Industry, Jessica Gowins

Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina animal agricultural producers relative to the sociological, biological, and economic aspects of the animal agricultural industry. A survey instrument was used in this study to obtain perceptions as well as demographic information. The survey was distributed to producers at the producer meetings and randomly throughout the state. A one-week interval, three round data collection method was used. Convenient sampling was used to collect 88 surveys. Producers agreed or strongly agreed that: people’s perceptions of animal agricultural industry are affected by animal rights groups; the prevention and control …

Palaeoflora And Climate Of Lignite-Bearing Lower−Middle Miocene Sediments In The Seyitömer And Tunçbilek Sub-Basins, Kütahya Province, Northwest Turkey, Mehmet Serkan Akki̇raz, Funda Akgün, Torsten Utescher, Volker Wilde, Angela Anneliese Bruch, Volker Mosbrugger, Sari̇ye Duygu Üçbaş

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

Lower-Middle Miocene successions from Kütahya province (Seyitömer and Tunçbilek sub-basins) were analyzed to reconstruct the palaeoclimate and vegetation of the period. A rich coniferous forest formed the dominant components among sporomorphs and consisted mainly of undeterminable Pinaceae, Pinus haploxylon type, Pinus diploxylon type, Picea, Cedrus, Cathaya, Keteleeria and Podocarpus. Pollen data also indicate the presence of some fern taxa (Osmunda, Polypodiaceae, Schizeaceae) Selaginella and Lycopodium. Cupressaceae frequently occur in all samples from both sub-basins, and form part of the mixed forest assemblage. Two woody plants Castanea-Castanopsis and evergreen Quercus predominate in the assemblages as well. The reconstruction of palaeoclimate is …

Uracil Accumulation In Folate Depleted Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts, Eneida Doko

Wayne State University Theses

Folate is a water-soluble vitamin B that plays a critical co-enzyme in the de novo nucleotide synthesis and other biochemical processes including DNA metabolism, DNA repair, DNA methylation, and cellular growth. Folate deficiency has been associated to increase the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) and cancers of the lung, breast, colon, cervix, esposphagus and brain. Most importantly, folate deficiency has been shown to increase uracil misincorporation into DNA and therefore induce DNA damage repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. In response to folate depletion, levels of thmidylate decrease in the deoxyribonucelotide pool, resulting in uracil being misincorporation …

Football Helmet Fitment And Its Effect On Helmet Performance, Ron Jadischke

Wayne State University Theses

A method and system to objectively quantify helmet fitment was designed and developed. It measures the pressure between the energy-absorbing material in the helmet and the athlete's head. This system is also capable of measuring surface pressure during impact events. A volunteer-based field study was conducted to quantify how helmets were fitting athletes in a real-life setting. The helmets fit athletes in varying degrees of tightness and evenness. Most athletes (59%) had the highest pressures in the frontal area and 29% had the highest pressure in the occipital area. A large-sized helmet on the Hybrid III headform represented how most …

Novel Inhibitors Of The Bacterial De Novo Purine Biosynthesis Enzymes, N5-Carboxyaminoimidazole Ribonucleotide Synthetase And Mutase, Maria V. Fawaz

Wayne State University Theses

Antibiotic resistance has seen a significant increase during the past decade. The increasing frequency of the drug-resistant bacterial infections has amplified the need for novel antimicrobial agents. De novo purine biosynthesis is one area that has great potential for antibacterial drug development because this pathway is different in microorganisms versus humans. The difference in the pathway is centered on the synthesis and utilization of the purine intermediate N⁵-carboxy-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (N⁵-CAIR). Previous studies have shown that N⁵-CAIR is a key intermediate in purine biosynthesis in bacteria, yeast and fungi, but not in humans. N^{5 …}

Medical Data Analysis Method For Epilepsy, Ameen Eetemadi

Wayne State University Theses

Applying data mining techniques on medical databases which contain un-structured and semi-structured data is a challenging task. It is not only due to the complexity of such databases but also due to the characteristics of the medical domain. This thesis describes how multiple layers of data mining techniques have been applied to a Human Brain Image Database system. It starts with data preparation which paves the way for conventional data analysis techniques to be applied to the data. A similarity based patient retrieval tool has been designed and developed to assist in treatment planning and outcome estimation for epileptic patients. …

The Use Of Metabolomics To Investigate Biomarker Profiles As Potential Early Risk Factors For Development Of Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Jennelle Lynn Arnew (Getty)

Wayne State University Theses

ABSTRACT

THE USE OF METABOLOMICS TO INVESTIGATE BIOMARKERS PROFILES AS POTENTIAL EARLY RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TYPE II DIABETES

by

JENNELLE ARNEW

MAY 2012

Advisor: Dr. Smiti Gupta

Major: Nutrition and Food Science

Degree: Masters of Science

Type 2 Diabetes affects an estimated 17.5 million individuals in the United States and is considered to be one of the most pressing public health issues of our time. To date, the exact cause of type 2 diabetes remains unclear, however, it is considered to be an interplay between environmental and genetic factors. Emerging technologies for metabolomics analysis increases the capacity to …

Traumatic Brain Injury Induced Cerebral Blood Flow Changes - A Potential Role For Caffeine, Sharath Chandra Reddy Bandaru

Wayne State University Theses

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health problem with significant socio-economic costs. Closed head TBIs are one of the major causes of physical disability and cognitive disorder in young adults and a leading cause of death in children.

Alteration in cerebral blood flow due to an impaired autoregulation is one of the most common consequences of TBI. However, studies related to understanding the temporal changes in CBF following TBI in experimental models are limited. The few available studies report acute reduction in CBF following TBI; knowledge related to CBF changes at sub-acute periods extending to 7 days after TBI …

The Prdm Gene Apoptix Antagonizes Programmed Cell Death In Tribolium, Zahabiya Husain

Wayne State University Theses

Previous studies in holometabolous insects have shown that programmed and cell proliferation play important roles in insect metamorphosis. To elucidate the function of the newly identified Tribolium Prdm gene Apoptix (Apox) I performed a detailed analysis of Apox knockdown effects in the embryo, the pupa and the adult eye. My results revealed that Apox is required for the survival of retinal tissue after onset of differentiation and also generally in tissues which experience high amounts of proliferation and differentiation during pupal development. Further, combinatorial knockdown of Apox and initiator caspases produced evidence that Apox specifically protects from programmed cell death …

Veronese's "Martyrdom Of St. Justina": The Promotion Of A Local Martyr Saint, Jonathan David Salvati

Wayne State University Theses

The altarpiece for the high altar of the Benedictine basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua, painted by Paolo Veronese around 1575, depicts the martyrdom of Justina, an Early Christian saint. While art historians often discuss late sixteenth-century images of martyrdom within the general historical context of the Counter-Reformation, St. Justina's increased prominence during this period was also connected to a more specific historical event: the Battle of Lepanto of 1571. The naval victory of the Catholic Holy League alliance over the Ottoman Turks on the saint's feast day (October 7th) increased the popularity of the saint's cult within the Venetian …

Adolescent Characteristics And Peer Influence As Predictors Of Antisocial Behavior In Males, Benjamin D. Goodlett

Wayne State University Theses

Deviant peer influence during adolescence has been found to predict substance use, delinquency, and aggression. This study examined youth characteristics (prosociality, daring, and verbal ability) along with peer influence (deviant talk) as predictors of antisocial behavior. Peer influence, in the form of deviant talk, was also examined as a potential mediator between youth characteristics and antisocial behavior. The current study added to the literature by examining a slope measure of deviant talk as an organizing feature of peer discussions. Data were collected prospectively from a subsample of 178 youths participating in the Pitt Mother and Child Project. Findings supported daring, …

Neurophysiological Changes In Spinal Nerve Roots Subjected To Tensile Loading At Several Strain Rates, Gurjiwan Singh Virk

Wayne State University Theses

ABSTRACT:

Spinal nerve roots have been implicated in many types of traumatic injuries such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, and sports injury, causing damage to brachial plexus and lumbosacral plexus. They have also been involved in lower back pain, disc herniation or protrusions, sciatica, and traumatic birth delivers such as shoulder dystocia. These roots undergo tension, resulting in traumatic axonal injury (TAI), which is also one of the consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Every year about 2 million cases of TBI are reported nationwide with variable neurological deficits. Thus, it is important to understand the neurophysiological response and injury …

The Effects Of Oil Palm Phenolics On Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Relation To Amyloid Beta Plaques In Fad-Mutant And Wild Type B103 Cells, Lindsay Michelle Godsey

Wayne State University Theses

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects approximately 35.6 million people in the world today (35). It is expected that by year 2050, an individual will develop AD every 33 seconds (8). Unfortunately, the etiology is not well known. Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) occurs due to specific genetic mutations, making it possible to replicate them in cells. Using B103 rat neuroblastoma cells transfected with a cDNA construct, wild type cells and FAD mutant cells were used in this research.

Natural ingredients such as oil palm phenolics (OPP) contain antioxidants. After finding the optimal experimental parameters, OPP was found to aid in the destabilization …

Pax6 Is Required For The Development Of The Lateral Procephalon In Tribolium, Qing Luan

Wayne State University Theses

In Tribolium, combinatorial knockdown of the Pax6 orthologs eyeless (ey) and twin of eyeless (toy) affects the peripheral visual system but also other areas of the dorsal larval head capsule. To elucidate the role of Pax6 genes during Tribolium embryonic head development in detail, we performed an extensive analysis of cuticle

elements, brain anatomy, embryonic head morphogenesis and developmental marker gene expression. Our results reveal that Pax6 is required for the development of a large contiguous area of the lateral anterior head, morphologically addressed as the embryonic head lobes, which encompass the neuroectodermal precursor tissues of the visual system, parts …

Codice Verbale E Codice Iconico Nel Riadattamento Della Divina Commedia - Fumetto Di Seymour Chwast, Emirjona Molla

Wayne State University Theses

This thesis takes a critical look at the way the semiotic code is treated by the author Seymour Chwast in his comic book the Divine Comedy. In the introduction I focused on examining parts of the communication which is based on verbal and non-verbal speech. The symbolic code belongs to the verbal speech which is analytical, conventional and arbitrary. The interpretation of the symbolic code depends also on the cultural unit. The iconic code on the other hand could be motivated or conventional depending on the way the message is brought up to the reader. The iconic code could need …

Sex Differences In The Dopaminergic Regulation Of Courtship, But Not Pairing Behaviors In Zebra Finches, Erin Marie Lowrey

Wayne State University Theses

Dopamine is one of the key ingredients in the glue that cements social bonds in vertebrates. The D2 dopamine receptor has been implicated in the regulation of monogamous pair bonding in the prairie vole. While dopamine affects courtship behaviors in the male zebra finch, the behavioral role of dopamine acting at D2 receptors in both males and females deserves further attention. We hypothesized that the D2 receptor would regulate courtship and pairing behaviors in the male and female zebra finch. Sixteen males and females were tested using a repeated measures design. On day 1, the zebra finches were injected with …

Functional Correlates Of Verbal Working Memory In Healthy Aging And Early Alzheimer's Disease, Michael Adam Sugarman

Wayne State University Theses

Deficits in the working memory system are common in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known regarding the neurobiological basis of this impairment. The current study examined the neurobiological functional correlates of the working memory system in early AD patients and cognitively intact control participants using a word list repetition task performed during positron emission tomography (PET). Compared to a reading control task, both the AD and control groups utilized a network of parietal, frontal, and cerebellar regions while completing the word rehearsal task. However, control participants displayed greater activation in all regions, especially in the parietal …

"The Gift Of The Moment": Walter Benjamin And Comics History, Austin Lewis St Peter

Wayne State University Theses

This essay is a historiographical critique of the ways that the major historical narratives in the emerging field of Comics Studies are employed. I argue that scholars in the field utilize historical origin narratives and medium definitions with the intent to stake out a space of privilege for their privileged selections - thereby playing into a politics of legitimation. The major critic whose work I utilize to critique the major historical narratives of the medium, and ultimately the way that they are utilized, is the Frankfurt School critic Walter Benjamin. Not only do I employ Benjamin's work to interpret and …

Vip And Host Immunity, Xiaoyu Jiang

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the current dissertation was to examine how VIP regulates host immunity and corneal healing, specifically, its control of growth factors and TLR expression in the P. aeruginosa infected cornea. Firstly, VIP treatment increased growth factor expression (EGF, GHF, FGF and VEGF) in infected cornea. Notably, treatment with a mixture of EGF, FGF and HGF prevented corneal perforation, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial plate count, while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobials such as murine beta-defensin2 and 3.

We also investigated the expression of TLR-signaling pathways in P. aeruginosa infected corneas with or without VIP treatment. PCR array and …

Predicament Of China's Wto-Plus Obligation To Eliminate Export Duties: A Commentary On The China-Raw Materials Case, Julia Ya Qin

Law Faculty Research Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparing Single-Sex And Reformed Coeducation: A Constitutional Analysis, Nancy Chi Cantalupo

Law Faculty Research Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Violence Prevention Intervention On Prosocial Behavior And Perception Of School Safety, Cheon Carlon Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order for schools to be successful in providing students with developmentally appropriate instruction and social experiences, an atmosphere of safety and protection is required. The recent spike in school shootings over the past 15 years has created a sense of urgency to examine the dynamics of school violence in order to generate and implement effective security measures (Brooks, Schiraldi, & Ziedenberg, 2000). Unlike traditional problem-focused approaches, the positive approach to school violence is preventive, solution-driven, and systemic. The positive approach to violence prevention at school focuses on building a set of social and emotional strengths that are incompatible with …