Digital Commons Network^™

Taking Stock: The Magnuson-Stevens Act Revisited:Have The Managers Finally Gotten It Right?: Federal Groundfish Management In New England, Peter Shelley

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Emergency Incisional Hernia Repair: A Difficult Problem Waiting For A Solution, Hasnain Zafar, Masooma Zaidi, Irfan Qadir, Ayaz Ahmed Memon

Department of Surgery Docs

Background

Emergency repair of incarcerated incisional hernia with associated bowel obstruction in potentially or contaminated field is technically challenging due to edematous, inflamed and friable tissues with occasional need for concurrent bowel resection and carries high rates of post-operative infectious complications. The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the wound related morbidity of use of permanent prosthetic mesh in emergency repair of incarcerated incisional hernia with associated bowel obstruction. We also describe a new technique of leaving the mesh exposed to heal by secondary intention with granulation tissue.

Methods

Between 2000 and 2010 a total of 60 patients …

Brainstorm: What Humans Can Learn From Monkeys, John J. Medina Ph.D.

Brainstorm

We are exploring the sometimes frustrating, always fascinating distance between genes and behaviors. In this entry, I wish to illustrate a dramatic example of how nature and nurture interact, not by examining humans, but by looking at some genetic next­door neighbors of ours — vervet monkeys.

Mobilizing The Public Trust Doctrine In Support Of Publicly Owned Forests As Carbon Dioxide Sinks In India And The United States, Paul A. Barresi

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Brainstorm: A Tale Of Two Video Clips, John J. Medina Ph.D.

Brainstorm

I have spent a lifetime trying to understand the distance between a gene and a behavior. Using the lens of psychiatric disorders, I’ve spent most of my professional life as a private research consultant, primarily to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, on issues related to mental health. Despite great strides made in the field by literally thousands of colleagues, I am here to report that the rocky terrain between behaviors and genes lies mostly unmapped. For that I blame two video clips, both featuring legendary golfer and famously troubled ex­husband, Tiger Woods.

"Fine-Tuning" Of Ribosomal Structure And Functions By Pseudouridylation And Rna-Protein Interactions, Jun Jiang

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

"Fine-tuning" of ribosomal structure and functions by pseudouridylation and RNA-protein interactions

by

JUN JIANG

AUGUST 2012

Advisor: Prof. John SantaLucia Jr.

Major: Chemistry (Biochemistry)

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Ribosomal structure and functions appear to be "fine-tuned" by pseudouridylation and RNA-protein interactions. Pseudouridylation may promote base stacking interactions by mediating the base stacking between residues on both sides. In the RNA duplex region, this enhanced stacking interaction contributes to stabilization of duplex folding. In the loop region, enhanced stacking in one structural motif may destabilize the conformation of adjacent structural residues. This hypothesis is supported by both UV-melting experiments, where …

January 3, 2012 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Microcavity Enhanced Surface Acoustic Wave Devices, Stefan Cular, Venkat R. Bhethanabotla

USF Patents

Shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave sensors with micro-cavities in the delay paths were studied using finite element methods. The microcavity devices are SAW delay path devices that have the delay path etched with square patterns at various wavelength dimensions and varying depths to increase the dispersion and bulk to surface wave conversion. Additionally the microcavities are filed with polystyrene to act as an inhomogeneous waveguide for further entrapment of wave energy near the device surface. The effects of micro-cavities and grooves on SAW propagation show significantly greater energy transmission than the other structures presented traditional sensors.

Stable Coexpression Of Vitamin C Enhancing Genes For Improved Production Of A Recombinant Therapeutic Protein, Hil-12, In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Jessica Patricia Yactayo-Chang

Student Theses and Dissertations

Human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) has been studied as a potential therapeutic factor in the immune response against viral disease and cancer. Plants are a promising platform for the production of complex mammalian proteins, as they can produce large amounts of functional polypeptides free of animal pathogens, and protein production can be increased to agricultural scale in a relatively short period of time. The presence of vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AsA) has been reported to have a positive effect on recombinant protein recovery. In a previous study we have demonstrated the favorable impact of the exogenous addition of AsA on the accumulation …

The Distribution, Occupancy, And Habitat Affinities Of Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes Bewickii Bewickii) In Arkansas, Sarah Grace Thompson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Eastern populations of Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii) have declined dramatically within the last century. The cause of the decline is unknown, though loss of early-successional habitat and interspecific interference by House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) are commonly cited hypotheses. In this study, I used broadcast and citizen science surveys to determine the status of Bewick's Wrens in Arkansas. My results combined with those found by the 59 citizen scientists registered for the Arkansas Wren Survey suggest that Bewick's Wrens are functionally extirpated in Arkansas. I determined that Bewick's Wrens occupy open habitat characterized by scattered tall trees with a grassy understory. …

Taking Stock: The Magnuson-Stevens Act Revisited: The Magnuson Act Thirty-Five Years Later, Eric Schwaab

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome And Novel Gene Arrangement Of The Unique-Headed Bug Stenopirates Sp. (Hemiptera: Enicocephalidae), Hu Li, Hui Liu, Aimin Shi, Pavel Stys, Xuguo Zhou, Wanzhi Cai

Entomology Faculty Publications

Many of true bugs are important insect pests to cultivated crops and some are important vectors of human diseases, but few cladistic analyses have addressed relationships among the seven infraorders of Heteroptera. The Enicocephalomorpha and Nepomorpha are consider the basal groups of Heteroptera, but the basal-most lineage remains unresolved. Here we report the mitochondrial genome of the unique-headed bug Stenopirates sp., the first mitochondrial genome sequenced from Enicocephalomorpha. The Stenopirates sp. mitochondrial genome is a typical circular DNA molecule of 15, 384 bp in length, and contains 37 genes and a large non-coding fragment. The gene order differs substantially from …

Mapping Migratory Bird Prevalence Using Remote Sensing Data Fusion, Anu Swatantran, Ralph Dubayah, Scott Goetz, Michelle Hofton, Matthew G. Betts, Mindy Sun, Marc Simard, Richard Holmes

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Improved maps of species distributions are important for effective management of wildlife under increasing anthropogenic pressures. Recent advances in lidar and radar remote sensing have shown considerable potential for mapping forest structure and habitat characteristics across landscapes. However, their relative efficacies and integrated use in habitat mapping remain largely unexplored. We evaluated the use of lidar, radar and multispectral remote sensing data in predicting multi-year bird detections or prevalence for 8 migratory songbird species in the unfragmented temperate deciduous forests of New Hampshire, USA.

Methodology and Principal Findings: A set of 104 predictor variables describing vegetation vertical structure and …

Conformational Properties Of Cardiolipin-Bound Cytochrome C, Jonas Hanske, Jason R. Toffey, Anna M. Morenz, Amber J. Bonilla, Katherine H. Schiavoni;, Ekaterina V. Pletneva

Dartmouth Scholarship

Interactions of cytochrome c (cyt c) with cardiolipin (CL) are important for both electron transfer and apoptotic functions of this protein. A sluggish peroxidase in its native state, when bound to CL, cyt c catalyzes CL peroxidation, which contributes to the protein apoptotic release. The heterogeneous CL-bound cyt c ensemble is difficult to characterize with traditional structural methods and ensemble-averaged probes. We have employed time-resolved FRET measurements to evaluate structural properties of the CL-bound protein in four dansyl (Dns)-labeled variants of horse heart cyt c. The Dns decay curves and extracted Dns-to-heme distance distributions P(r) …

Recombinant Probiotic Expressing Listeria Adhesion Protein Attenuates Listeria Monocytogenes Virulence In Vitro., Ok Kyung Koo, Mary Anne Roshni Amalaradjou, Arun K. Bhunia

Department of Food Science Faculty Publications

Background

Listeria monocytogenes, an intracellular foodborne pathogen, infects immunocompromised hosts. The primary route of transmission is through contaminated food. In the gastrointestinal tract, it traverses the epithelial barrier through intracellular or paracellular routes. Strategies to prevent L. monocytogenes entry can potentially minimize infection in high-risk populations.Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) aids L. monocytogenes in crossing epithelial barriers via the paracellular route. The use of recombinant probiotic bacteria expressing LAP would aid targeted clearance of Listeria from the gut and protect high-risk populations from infection.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The objective was to investigate the ability of probiotic bacteria or LAP-expressing recombinant …

Numerical Simulations Of Dense Water Cascading On A Steep Slope, Fred Wobus, Georgy I. Shapiro, Miguel A.M. Maqueda, John M. Huthnance

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The sinking of dense shelfwaters down the continental slope (or “cascading”) contributes to oceanic water mass formation and carbon cycling. Cascading over steep bottom topography is studied here in numerical experiments using POLCOMS, a 3-D ocean circulation model using a terrain-following s-coordinate system. The model setup is based on a laboratory experiment of a continuous dense water flow from a central source on a conical slope in a rotating tank. The governing parameters of the experiments are the density difference between plume and ambient water, the flow rate, the speed of rotation and (in the model) diffusivity and viscosity. The …

South Sudan & The “Global Land Grab”: Implications For The Future Of Food Security, Sarah Falltrick

Master's Theses

Abstract

More than 870 million people across the world do not have enough to eat, 98 percent of them live in developing countries. While researchers disagree on the causes of hunger, they all agree that it is a pressing concern. South Sudan occupies some of the most fertile land with access to several major water sources -- all the ingredients for a thriving agriculture sector -- and yet, it is a net food importer. Worse, 60 percent of the population does not consume enough food to provide a nutritious diet. Why does a country with all the best natural endowments …

Volume 5, Chapter 5: Construction, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Subchapters

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Membrane-Bound Variant Of Metalloendopeptidase Neurolysin (Ec 3.4.24.16) As The Non-Angiotensin Type 1 (Non-At1), Non-At2 Angiotensin Binding Site, Naomi J. Wangler, Kira L. Santos, Ines Schadock, Fred K. Hagen, Emanuel Escher, Michael Bader, Robert C. Speth, Vardan T. Karamyan

HPD Articles

Recently, we discovered a novel non-angiotensin type 1 (non-AT1), non-AT2 angiotensin binding site in rodent and human brain membranes, which is distinctly different from angiotensin receptors and key proteases processing angiotensins. It is hypothesized to be a new member of the renin-angiotensin system. This study was designed to isolate and identify this novel angiotensin binding site. An angiotensin analog, photoaffinity probe 125I-SBpa-Ang II, was used to specifically label the non-AT1, non-AT2 angiotensin binding site in mouse forebrain membranes, followed by a two-step purification procedure based on the molecular size and isoelectric point of the photoradiolabeled binding protein. Purified samples were …

The Limits Of International Environmental Law: Military Necessity V. Conservation, Alexander Gillespie

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Striving For Brave New Brains, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Uncoupling Of Inflammation And Insulin Resistance By Nf-Κb In Transgenic Mice Through Elevated Energy Expenditure (Journal Of Biological Chemistry (2010) 285, (4637-4644)), Tianyi Tang, Jin Zhang, Jun Yin, Jaroslaw Staszkiewicz, Barbara Gawronska-Kozak, Dae Young Jung, Hwi Jin Ko, Helena Ong, Jason K. Kim, Randy Mynatt, Roy J. Martin, Michael Keenan, Zhanguo Gao, Jianping Ye

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Domain Architecture Of A Calcium-Permeable Ampa Receptor In A Ligand-Free Conformation, Charles R. Midgett, Avinash Gill, Dean R. Madden

Dartmouth Scholarship

Ligand-gated ion channels couple the free energy of agonist binding to the gating of selective transmembrane ion pores, permitting cells to regulate ion flux in response to external chemical stimuli. However, the stereochemical mechanisms responsible for this coupling remain obscure. In the case of the ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the modular nature of receptor subunits has facilitated structural analysis of the N-terminal domain (NTD), and of multiple conformations of the ligand-binding domain (LBD). Recently, the crystallographic structure of an antagonist-bound form of the receptor was determined. However, disulfide trapping of this conformation blocks channel opening, suggesting that channel activation involves …

Simple Optimization Method To Determine Best Management Practices To Reduce Phosphorus Loading In Echo Reservoir, Utah, Omar Alminagorta, Bereket Tesfatsion, David E. Rosenberg, Bethany T. Neilson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This study develops and applies a simple linear optimization program to identify cost effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce phosphorus loading to Echo Reservoir, Utah. The optimization program tests the feasibility of proposed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocations based on potential BMP options and provides information regarding the spatial redistribution of loads among sub-watersheds. The current version of the TMDL for Echo reservoir allocates phosphorus loads to existing non-point phosphorus sources in different sub-watersheds to meet a specified total load. Optimization results show that it is feasible to implement BMPs for non-point sources in each sub-watershed to meet …

Is Adding The E Enough?: Investigating The Impact Of K-12 Engineering Standards On The Implementation Of Stem Integration., Gillian H. Roehrig, Tamara J. Moore, Hui-Hui Wang, Mi Sun Park

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

The problems that we face in our ever-changing, increasingly global society are multidisciplinary, and many require the integration of multiple science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts to solve them. National calls for improvement of STEM education in the United States are driving changes in policy, particularly in academic standards. Research on STEM integration in K-12 classrooms has not kept pace with the sweeping policy changes in STEM education. This study addresses the need for research to explore the translation of broad, national-level policy statements regarding STEM education and integration to state-level policies and implementation in K-12 classrooms. An interpretive …

Responses To Varroa Destructor And Nosema Ceranae By Several Commercial Strains Of Australian And North American Honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Thomas E. Rinderer, Benjamin P. Oldroyd, Amanda M. Frake, Lilia I. De Guzman, Lelania Bourgeois

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

The potential impact of varroa (Varroa destructor, Anderson & Trueman) on Australian beekeeping and agriculture depends in part on the levels of resistance to this parasite expressed by Australian commercial honeybees (Apis mellifera). The responses of seven lines of Australian honeybees to V. destructor were compared with the responses of a stock of Italian honeybees from the United States known for its susceptibility to V. destructor and two stocks known for their resistance to V. destructor, Russian honeybees (RHB) and a stock expressing the varroa sensitive hygiene trait (VSH). The experiment began in May with …

Evidence That The Autoimmune Regulator Gene Influences Thymic Production Of Ovarian Antigens And Prevents Autoimmune-Mediated Premature Reproductive Senescence, R. A. Cushman

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

The importance of the ovarian reserve, defined as the supply of primordial follicles in the mammalian ovary, to women’s health [1, 2], mammalian fertility [3, 4], and mammalian assisted reproductive technologies [5, 6] has been the subject of much research. Depletion of the ovarian reserve is considered to be a major factor influencing reproductive senescence in female mammals, and menopause is associated with a number of health risks in women [2, 7]. Premature ovarian failure (POF; also known as premature ovarian dysfunction or primary ovarian insufficiency) causes premature menopause (also known as premature reproductive senescence), defined as menopause before age …

Unusual Activities Of The Thioesterase Domain For The Biosynthesis Of The Polycyclic Tetramate Macrolactam Hsaf In Lysobacter Enzymogenes C3, Lili Lou, Haotong Chen, Ronald Cerny, Yaoyao Li, Yuemao Shen, Liangcheng Du

Ronald Cerny Publications

HSAF is an antifungal natural product with a new mode of action. A rare bacterial iterative PKSNRPS assembles the HSAF skeleton. The biochemical characterization of the NRPS revealed that the thioesterase (TE) domain possesses the activities of both a protease and a peptide ligase. Active site mutagenesis, circular dichroism spectra and homology modeling of the TE structure suggested that the TE may possess uncommon features that may lead to the unusual activities. The iterative PKS-NRPS is found in all polycyclic tetramate macrolactam gene clusters, and the unusual activities of the TE may be common to this type of hybrid PKS-NRPS.

In Vitro And In Vivo Activity Of 3-Alkoxy-1,2- Dioxolanes Against Schistosoma Mansoni, Katrin Ingram, Charles E. Schiaffo, Wantanee Sittiwong, Evan Benner, Patrick Dussault, Jennifer Keiser

Patrick Dussault Publications

Objectives: Compounds characterized by a peroxidic skeleton are an interesting starting point for antischistosomal drug discovery. Previously a series of 3-alkoxy-1,2-dioxolanes, which are chemically stable cyclic peroxides, demonstrated significant in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum. We aimed to evaluate the potential of these compounds against Schistosoma mansoni and elucidate the roles of iron and peroxidic groups in activity.

Methods: Drugs were tested against juvenile and adult stages of S. mansoni in vitro and in vivo. Selected structures were assessed in vitro against schistosomes in the presence of additional iron sources. In addition, drugs were tested in vitro and …

Birth And Weaning Traits In Crossbred Cattle From Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red And White, Wagyu, And Friesian Sires, E. Casas, R. M. Thallman, L. V. Cundiff

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for birth and weaning traits in crossbred cattle (Bos taurus). Gestation length, calving diffi culty, percentage of unassisted calving, percentage of perinatal survival, percentage of survival from birth to weaning, birth weight, weaning weight, BW at 205 d, and ADG was measured in 1,370 calves born and 1,285 calves weaned. Calves were obtained by mating Hereford, Angus, and U.S. Meat Animal Research Center III (1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Angus, 1/4 Pinzgauer, and 1/4 Red Poll) mature cows to Hereford or Angus (British breeds), Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and …