Digital Commons Network^™

Peptide Mediated Inhibition Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Dual And Three Species Biofilms., Naga Srinija Gummadi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The colonization of Porphyromonas gingivalis is the key phase in transformation of bacterial biofilm from a commensal plaque to pathogenic form observed in periodontitis. Objectives: The goals of this study are to establish optimum levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum to reproducibly generate dual and three species biofilms and examine inhibition of biofilm formation by BAR peptide and BAR analogs C1-24 R1182 I1185 BAR, R1182 I1185 BAR and C1-24 BAR. Methods: S. gordonii was grown in BHIY media; P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum were grown in TSBY and BHI media respectively supplemented with hemin and menadione. Labeled …

Microwave-Assisted Synthesized Sapo-56 As A Catalyst In The Conversion Of Co2 To Cyclic Carbonates., Zhenzhen Xie 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effective utilization of CO2 as a renewable raw material for the production of useful chemicals is an area of great interest. In particular, the catalytic conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates, which are useful chemical intermediates employed for the production of plastics and organic solvents, represents an attractive route for the efficient use of carbon dioxide. Microporous crystals, including zeolites and metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and mesoporous ordered oxides possess many desirable properties, which make them appealing for cycloaddition reactions. In general, these porous materials display chemical and thermal stability, moderate to high CO2 uptakes, an open porous structure …

A Multiple Objective Optimization Approach To The Decommissioning And Dismantling Of A Nuclear Power Plant., Sven Sudholt 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The complexity, relevance and critical nature of the decommissioning of nuclear power plants (NPP) are of great significance in today's society. Following the catastrophe in Fukushima a shift in the general public's perception of NPP took place throughout the world and in Europe in particular. In this dissertation interdisciplinary methods will be discussed to identify solutions which take into account the technological complexity and organizational issues involved in the dismantling and decommissioning process of NPP. Operations research, lean management, simultaneous engineering, cost analysis, multiple-objective optimization, project management, software tools are powerful concepts and methodologies when undertaking the dismantling and decommissioning …

Discursive Affordances : Police, Transfer, And The Performance Of Identity., Robert John Terry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an analysis of how the performance of identity affects the possibilities for the transfer of writing strategies. It begins with a literature review of the existing research on transfer within the field of composition and posits that an undertheorized understanding of identity may be leading to misunderstandings related to the transfer of knowledge. It then provides a framework for understanding the performance of identity developed through James Paul Gee's Discourse theory and provides a framework for understanding and identifying Discourse conflicts related to the performance of identity. After providing an overview of the research site, the Administrative …

Distinct Phenotypes In Zebrafish Models Of Human Startle Disease, Lisa R. Ganser, Qing Yan, Victoria M. James, Robert Kozol, Maya Topf, Robert J. Harvey, Julia E. Dallman

Faculty Articles

Startle disease is an inherited neurological disorder that causes affected individuals to suffer noise- or touch-induced non-epileptic seizures, excessive muscle stiffness and neonatal apnea episodes. Mutations known to cause startle disease have been identified in glycine receptor subunit (GLRA1 and GLRB) and glycine transporter (SLC6A5) genes, which serve essential functions at glycinergic synapses. Despite the significant successes in identifying startle disease mutations, many idiopathic cases remain unresolved. Exome sequencing in these individuals will identify new candidate genes. To validate these candidate disease genes, zebrafish is an ideal choice due to rapid knockdown strategies, accessible embryonic stages, and stereotyped behaviors. The …

X-Ray Fluorescence (Xrf) Analyzer - Theory, Utility, And Qa/Qc For Environmental And Commercial Product Samples In Cambodia, Sereyrath Lim

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses

Laboratory facilities in developed countries provide a variety of options for analysis of environmental samples and commercial commodities that could impact human health. The same is not true in developing countries and there is a great need to identify technologies that could be used to provide robust, accurate, cost-effective analysis that minimizes the need for extensive technical training. An X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer seems to be an analytical technique that could be such a tool for developing countries. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to assess the performance and utility of a handheld, portable XRF unit in analyzing different …

Successful Marketing Strategies For Promoting Event Destinations, Evease Iniece Tucker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Travel and tourism has been recognized as being an important driver of jobs, growth and economic recovery in the United States. Meetings, events and incentive travel contribute $98.7 billion of the direct spending, $15.0 billion in taxes and 859,000 jobs. As a result, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in the United States are taking advantage of this impact for growth in their destinations. As a destination marketing organization's main job responsibility is to promote their destination to attract visitors, which requires superior marketing strategies to achieve these goals.

This research investigates the marketing strategies of DMOs in the United States. The …

The Role Of Histone H3 And H4 In Centromere Function And Genome Integrity, Payel Chaudhuri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histone H2A plays an important role in chromosomal segregation among parent and daughter cells during mitosis. While it is established that this histone is important in maintaining chromosome number in cell, further work is carried out to explore the role of other histones like H3 and H4 for similar effects. A systematic study is initiated by screening a library based on mutation of different amino acid residues in these histones. This detailed screening identified specific regions within H3 and H4, which are critically important for centromeric function. These histones residing near the DNA entry/exit region of nucleosome effects the functionality …

Molecular And Biochemical Mechanisms Of Pathogenesis In The Maize Foliar Pathogen Cercospora Zeae-Maydis, Winfred-Peck Dorleku

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

GLS is a serious foliar disease of maize, a major staple crop grown commercially in the USA for both human and animal feed production, and increasingly, for ethanol production. The disease is caused by two Cercospora species, C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina, both of which infect maize in the USA and in other parts of the world, with yield losses potentially greater than 50%, depending on local conditions. In culture, C. zeae-maydis produces a phytotoxic, host non-specific perylenequinone, cercosporin, and abscisic acid (ABA), for which there is no known pathological or physiological function in the fungus. Experimental evidence indicates …

Consumer Adoption Of Health Information Systems, Sankara Subramanian Srinivasan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At nearly 18 percent of the country's GDP, the U.S. healthcare industry continues to wrestle with growing cost and a quality of care that does not match the increased spending. The dominant focus to date has been on promoting Health IT (HIT) system implementation and digitizing health records at the provider's end, with scant attention to the role of the patient in the healthcare process. The source of inefficiency in the healthcare system is not only on account of shortcomings at the provider's end but also due to non-compliance (such as failing to adhere to medication advice and follow-up visits) …

Museum And P-12 School Collaborations And The Role Of A Third-Party Facilitator, Katherine Somerville

Museum Studies Theses

This paper will trace a brief history of museum and P-12 school collaborations in the United States including recent reforms in formal education and the marketization of museums. It will explore different models of collaboration exemplified by national and local programming in a variety of school and museum settings. Details about collaborations between Western New York museums and schools were gleaned through personal interviews with museum personnel, mainly museum educators. This paper will also include criteria for successful collaborations and challenges to overcome in creating and sustaining collaborations between two structurally different organizations.

Finally, this paper will explore the role …

The Effect Of Service Dog Partnership On The Mental Health Status Of United States Veterans: A Quantitative Analysis Using The Sf-36v2 Mental Health Survey, Colleen Mclaughlin

Education Doctoral

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a historically significant problem for soldiers and Marines in the United States military. A host of recent research supports this claim, and lends itself to the question of why more is not being done to help those who suffer from combat related stress (Friedman, 2011; Kuehn, 2012; Marlantes, 2011; Sher, Braquehais, & Casas, 2012). When considering what effect service dogs might have on the mental health status of United States veterans, this study focused on the following research questions based on the SF-36v2 Mental Health Survey: What effect does partnership with a service dog …

Remediation Of Copper(Ii) And Lead(Ii) From Aqueous Solution Using Engineered Iron Oxide And Manganese Oxide Nanomaterials, Carlos Tamez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Nano-sized Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Mn3O4, and MnO2 were synthesized by titration/precipitation and characterized using powder XRD. pH assays determined that optimum binding occurred at pH 4 for Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 and pH 3 for Mn3O4 and MnO2. Maximum adsorption of Cu(II) and Pb(II) occurred within 20 min or less of contact with the nanomaterials. The synthesized nanomaterials showed a binding preference for Pb(II) over Cu(II) at concentrations above 50 ppm. Batch studies also showed no significant reduction in the binding of copper and lead to either Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Mn3O4, or MnO2 in the presence of Na+ , K+ , Mg2+ or …

Biological Compatibility And Cytotoxicity Studies Of Hepa-1c1c7, Hepg2, And Mcf-7 Cancer Cell Lines Upon Exposure To Silver, Palladium, And Gold Nanoparticles, M. Esther Salinas

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The field of nanomedicine has recently explored potential applications for cancer treatment ranging from drug delivery methods to cancer imaging techniques. Due to potential risks of nanomaterials affecting non-cancerous cells in the body, in vitro toxicity studies are being conducted. The nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from potassium tetrachloroaurate (III) hydrate, potassium tetrabromoaurate (III) dihydrate, potassium tetrachloropalladate (II), and silver nitrate. NPs were synthesized using the Turkevich method or through the sodium borohydride reduction. Particles synthesized using sodium borohydride were stabilized with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The NPs under investigation were used to treat three cancer cell lines. The treated cells were …

A Survey Of Heavy Metals In Water, Soil And The Surrounding Plants In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Erving W. Morelius

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Heavy metal pollution of the environment in recent years has become a major issue of importance for both human and environmental health. Samples were investigated for the potential pollution of the area as it is a vital produce producing area. During the study plant, soil and water samples were collected from the Donna Reservoir and Canal System to test the concentration of various heavy metals. The heavy metals tested included both potentially toxic and micronutrients in the samples which included arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel and sulfur. During the study, a sixty day sampling period was used to …

Proteins In High Electric Fields, David Michael Landry

Theses and Dissertations

Being able to control protein function directly and in real time is attractive. In this thesis, I discuss controlling protein activity using alternating current electric fields on the order of 1 MV/m. Since protein structures result in localized and/or protein-wide charge gradients, it is expected that a sufficiently high electric field applied across a protein should result in structural distortions which can temporarily alter or halt protein function. The field is set to oscillate above the influences of the electrochemical double layer effects (1 kHz) and below the level needed for hydrodynamic rotation of proteins (10 MHz). A device is …

Canadian Family Leisure, Family Functioning, And Family Satisfaction: A Family Perspective, Shaun C. Nua

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between family leisure variables and the dependent variables of family functioning and satisfaction with family life among a broad, national sample of Canadian families using the Core and Balance framework. Specifically, this study examined how both family leisure involvement (core and balance) and family leisure satisfaction contributed to the explanation of variance in family functioning and satisfaction with family life. Because the data were nested in families, this study accounted for family-level variance by incorporating mixed modeling. The sample consisted of 943 families across Canada including one parent and …

Lipid Exchange Between Borrelia Burgdorferi And Host Cells, Jameson Thatcher Crowley

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation examines the mechanism of transfer of B. burgdorferi-derived antigenic lipids to non-phagocytic eukaryotic cells and how the mechanism of transfer of foreign antigenic bacterial lipids could contribute to the pathogenesis of Lyme disease. Lipid rafts are structural subdomains of the plasma membrane that are primarily found in eukaryotic cells due to the presence of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids. Interestingly, the presence of these membrane subdomains is also shared with the spirochetal prokaryote B. burgdorferi. The presence of free cholesterol and cholesterol-glycolipids in B. burgdorferi creates an opportunity for lipid-lipid interactions with constituents of the lipid rafts in eukaryotic cells. …

Doctor Of Philosophy, Ha Youn Shin

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 5 (STAT5) is a transcription factor that is critical for various biological processes including hematopoiesis, liver metabolism and mammary gland development. However, persistent activation of STAT5 has been causally linked to human leukemia and solid tumor formation. Since STAT5 is important for normal physiological functions and aberrant activity can promote cancer, accurate regulation of STAT5 is essential. As a transcription factor, STAT5 must gain entry into the nucleus to act, and one means of controlling its activity is to regulate its cellular localization. This study explores the nuclear trafficking mechanisms of STAT5a that may …

Real Attitudes, Fictional Crime: How Crime Dramas Impact Policy Attitudes, Kathleen Donovan

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Previous research shows that citizens' primary source of information about crime is through the media. These empirical investigations have generally focused on the link between news – particularly the content of local television news – and perceptions of and attitudes about crime. Local television news programming, however, comprises a small and diminishing proportion of all televised media consumed by Americans. And while scholars have long suspected violence on television affects viewers' perceptions of the world, only recently have political scientists turned their attention to the role non-news media might play in political attitudes. The present study expands on this nascent …

The Legitimacy Of Elected And Appointed Institutions And Their Roles In A Political System, Benjamin Woodson

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation presents a study showing that the perceived legitimacy for elected and appointed institutions are two fundamentally different forms of legitimacy. They are derived from different sources and interact with the public in different ways. The legitimacy of appointed institutions is derived from perceptions of a principled decision-making process and the legitimacy of elected institutions is derived from elections. These two forms of legitimacy vary on three different properties. The first property is magnitude: the amount of legitimacy attributed to an institution. The second is effectiveness: the degree to which legitimacy is converted into acceptance of an institution's decision. …

Prey Plasticity Responses To A Native And Nonnative Predator, Alexandra Hooks

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stimuli is exceedingly common across systems and taxa. For instance, predation risk in many gastropods can induce a variety of defenses including growing thicker shells, growing shells of different shapes, and developing apertural teeth. However, the role of coevolution between species that produce these defense responses and their consumers is not well known. This thesis examines the responses of an ovoviviparous gastropod (Littorina saxatilis) with low dispersal from three different habitats (marsh habitat, rocky habitat, and cobble stone habitat) to the presence of chemical cues from a native (Dyspanopeus sayi) and nonnative (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) …

Vitamin B12 Distribution Patterns In Marine Sediments Revealed By A New Elisa Method, Meichen Liu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Vitamin B₁₂ is an organic micronutrient in the ocean, and it is required for the growth of majority of phytoplankton. Because of the ultra-low concentrations of vitamin B₁₂ in the ocean and the lack of suitable analytical methods, the distribution, transport and biogeochemical cycling of vitamin B₁₂ in marine ecosystem have not been essentially documented. In this thesis, vitamin B₁₂ distribution and reaction patterns in water column and marine sediments were preliminary studied by using newly developed immunoassay methods. Two new sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods have been developed and compared in Chapter …

Vitamin B12 Distribution Patterns In Marine Sediments Revealed By A New Elisa Method, Meichen Liu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Vitamin B₁₂ is an organic micronutrient in the ocean, and it is required for the growth of majority of phytoplankton. Because of the ultra-low concentrations of vitamin B₁₂ in the ocean and the lack of suitable analytical methods, the distribution, transport and biogeochemical cycling of vitamin B₁₂ in marine ecosystem have not been essentially documented. In this thesis, vitamin B₁₂ distribution and reaction patterns in water column and marine sediments were preliminary studied by using newly developed immunoassay methods. Two new sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods have been developed and compared in Chapter …

The Medicalization Of Gender And Sexuality: Women's Responses To " Female Sexual Dysfunction", Amy Braksmajer

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Scholarly interest in the social construction of female sexual dysfunction has tended to focus on the medicalization of women's sexual desires and behaviors, which can be traced back to the early 1970's with the publication of Masters and Johnson's Human Sexual Inadequacy. Not much is known, however, in regards to the ways in which women make sense of sexual problems as " dysfunctions" , or the ways in which medical interpretations of these problems affect the ways in which women experience gender, sexuality, and their bodies. In this qualitative study, I am interested in understanding: a) how, and to what …

Reproduction, Sexual Swellings And Mating Behavior In Sanje Mangabeys (Cercocebus Sanjei), David Fernandez Sobrado

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Inter-sexual conflict, or the opposing reproductive strategies of males and females, has become a primary structural factor in current models of social organization as it drives an evolutionary arms-race between the sexes. In many primates living in polygynandrous groups, the mating strategy of dominant males is to guard fertile females, while females develop sexual swellings that provide males with information regarding the approximate, but not exact, timing of ovulation. This allows females to mate promiscuously, confusing paternity, while concentrating paternity on males with the best competitive ability, i.e. | those that are able to mate guard during the peak swelling …

Does Lunatic Fringe Modify Itself?, Usman Aslam

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Notch signaling plays an essential role in metazoan development, and dysregulation of its activity has been recognized as a cause for many diseases. The extracellular domain of the Notch receptor has numerous tandem epidermal growth factor-like repeats modified with O-fucose and O-glucose glycans that play important roles in Notch function. Elongation of O-fucose by β 3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases of the Fringe family is known to modulate Notch activity. In addition, preliminary data from the Haltiwanger laboratory suggests that one of the Fringe enzymes, Lunatic Fringe, may modify itself. Lunatic Fringe does not contain any epidermal growth factor-like repeats and is not known …

Identification Of Specific Residues Necessary For The Eviction Of H2a.Z-Containing Nucleosomes, Karole Nicole D'Orazio

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In this study, I investigated how the well-conserved histone variant H2A.Z is removed from promoters to prepare genes for transcription. H2A.Z is found at the majority of nucleosomes near promoters in place of the canonical histone H2A. Why H2A.Z is localized to gene promoters in all eukaryotes is unclear. One hypothesis is that H2A.Z marks nucleosomes for disassembly, thereby opening up promoters to give room for the transcription machinery to assemble. How H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes are removed from promoter sites is also unknown, but the Luk laboratory has recently found that ATP is necessary for this process. We propose that there …

Circulating Complexes Of The Vitamin D Binding Protein With G-Actin Induce Lung Injury By Targeting Endothelial Cells, Lingyin Ge

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Actin is the most abundant and highly conserved intracellular protein in all eukaryotic cells. Cell necrosis can release actin into the extracellular environment where conditions favor spontaneous generation of F-actin filaments. A robust extracellular actin scavenger system consisting of gelsolin and the vitamin D binding protein (DBP) has evolved to sever F-actin filaments (gelsolin) then bind G-actin monomers (DBP) for subsequent clearance. This study investigated the role of DBP in this process using the DBP null mouse that has a systemic deficiency of DBP. Intravenous injection of G-actin into wild-type (DBP+/+) and DBP null (DBP-/-) mice showed that, contrary to …

Structure And Assembly Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Outer Spore Wall, Pei-Chen Coney Lin

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In Saccharomycs cerevisiae, spores are a quiescent, stress-resistant cell type, which can survive for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions until nutrient conditions are suitable. The outer layers of the spore wall contain chitosan and dityrosine, which are macromolecules specific for the spore. These layers are critical for resistance of the spores to adverse environmental stresses. The dityrosine layer is an unique polymer component of cross-linked N, N'-bisformyl dityrosine. This layer provides a shield from protein-sized attack such as lytic enzymes. For structural studies, we took advantage of the insolubility of the spore wall materials by using solid-state NMR …