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Evolving Family Technology, Alvin Sallee, Angelo P. Giardino, Robert D. Sanborn

Journal of Family Strengths

Alvin Sallee, Angelo Giardino, and Robert Sanborn discuss the latest issue of Journal of Family Strengths.

Microbicidal Effects Of Α- And Θ-Defensins Against Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus And Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Kenneth P. Tai, Karishma Kamdar, Jason Yamaki, Valerie V. Le, Dat Tran, Patti Tran, Michael E. Selsted, Andre J. Ouelette, Annie Wong-Beringer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens threaten public health. Because many antibiotics target specific bacterial enzymes or reactions, corresponding genes may mutate under selection and lead to antibiotic resistance. Accordingly, antimicrobials that selectively target overall microbial cell integrity may offer alternative approaches to therapeutic design. Naturally occurring mammalian α- and θ-defensins are potent, non-toxic microbicides that may be useful for treating infections by antibiotic-resistant pathogens because certain defensin peptides disrupt bacterial, but not mammalian, cell membranes. To test this concept, clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), including vancomycin heteroresistant strains, and ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Cip^R-PA) were tested for sensitivity to …

Reductions In Serum Igf-1 During Aging Impair Health Span, Zhenwei Gong, Oran Kennedy, Hui Sun, Yingjie Wu, Garry A. Williams, Laura Klein, Luis Cardoso, Ronald W. Matheny Jr, Gene B. Hubbard, Yuji Ikeno, Roger P. Farrar, Mitchell B. Schaffler, Martin L. Adamo, Radhika H. Muzumdar, Shoshana Yakar

Publications and Research

In lower or simple species, such as worms and flies, disruption of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and the insulin signaling pathways has been shown to increase lifespan. In rodents, however, growth hormone (GH) regulates IGF-1 levels in serum and tissues and can modulate lifespan via/or independent of IGF- 1. Rodent models, where the GH/IGF-1 axis was ablated congenitally, show increased lifespan. However, in contrast to rodents where serum IGF-1 levels are high throughout life, in humans, serum IGF-1 peaks during puberty and declines thereafter during aging. Thus, animal models with congenital disruption of the GH/ IGF-1 axis are unable …

Counting Threshold Graphs And Finding Inertia Sets, Christopher Abraham Guzman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is separated into two parts: threshold graphs and inertia sets. First we present an algorithmic approach to finding the minimum rank of threshold graphs and then progress to counting the number of threshold graphs with a specific minimum rank. Second, we find an algorithmic and more automated way of determining the inertia set of graphs with seven or fewer vertices using theorems and lemmata found in previous papers. Inertia sets are a relaxation of the inverse eigenvalue problem. Instead of determining all the possible eigenvalues that can be obtained by matrices with a specific zero/nonzero pattern we restrict …

Decline Curve Analysis And Enhanced Shale Oil Recovery Based On Eagle Ford Shale Data, Dieudonne K. Delaihdem

Engineering

Transient and fracture dominated flow regimes in tight permeability shale reservoirs with hydraulically fractured horizontal wells impose many unconventional challenges. These include execution of appropriate shale decline curve analysis and the optimization of hydrocarbons recovery. Additionally, short production profiles available are inadequate for accurate production decline analysis. This research assessed the effectiveness of Arps' decline curve analysis and recently established methods--power law exponential analysis, logistic growth analysis, Duong's method and the author's approach--to predict future production of horizontal wells in the Eagle Ford Shale. Simulation models investigated history matching, enhanced shale oil recovery, and drainage area beyond stimulated reservoir volume. …

Performance Analysis Of Three Nanofluids In Liquid To Gas And Liquid To Liquid Heat Exchangers, Dustin R. Ray

Engineering

One purpose of this research was to analyze the thermal and fluid dynamic performance of nanofluids in an automotive radiator (liquid to gas). Detailed computations were performed on an automotive radiator using three different nanofluids containing aluminum oxide, copper oxide and silicon dioxide nanoparticles dispersed in the base fluid, 60:40 ethylene glycol and water (EG/W) by mass. The computational scheme adopted was the effectiveness-Number of Transfer Unit (� -- NTU) method encoded in Matlab. The computational scheme was validated by comparing the predicted results with that of the base fluid reported by other researchers. Then, the scheme was adapted to …

Online Social Media As A Social-Ecological Systems Research Tool: Facebook And Two Rural Alaskan Communities, Richard E. Hum

Rural Development

The earth has transitioned into the anthropocene, which is defined by complex environmental change linked to human behavior and requires new tools of analysis in order to understand shifting social-ecological system (SES) dynamics. In this work, I explore taking advantage of widespread online social media participation to develop the tools for doing so. Spatially grounded public exchanges on Facebook are examined with three goals in mind: 1) examine the types of SES content being passed through this communication medium, 2) compare community observations to relevant scientific observations, and 3) define a flexible and reproducible research method for integrating these communications …

Teaching A Novel Using The Common Core State Standards, Danielle Holley

Education

The purpose of this project was to explore ways that teachers can use the newly adopted Common Core State Standards to drive their instruction while teaching a novel. I created lessons for teachers to apply to the teaching of any novel and also gave specific lessons to use while teaching the novel The Adventures of Ulysses, by Bernard Evslin. I created lessons that addressed the Common Core's English Language Arts standards in reading literature, reading informational texts, writing, speaking and listening. My goal for this project was to explore how teachers could incorporate the use of informational texts, multimedia tools, …

Emu Today, December 17, 2013, Eastern Michigan University

EMU Today

No abstract provided.

Stat3 Inhibitor Having Anti-Cancer Activity And Methods, James Turkson, Said Sebti, Richard Jove, Andrew D. Hamilton

USF Patents

A small-molecule Stat3 dimerization inhibitor, S3I-M2001, is described and the dynamics of intracellular processing of activated Stat3 within the context of the biochemical and biological effects of the Stat3 chemical probe inhibitor are elucidated. S3I-M2001 is a newly-identified oxazole-based peptidomimetic of the Stat3 Src Homology (SH) 2 domain-binding phosphotyrosine peptide that selectively disrupts active Stat3:Stat3 dimers. Stat3-dependent malignant transformation, survival, and migration and invasion of mouse and human cancer cells harboring persistently-activated Stat3 were inhibited by S3I-M2001. S3I-M2001 inhibited Stat3-dependent transcriptional regulation of tumor survival genes, such as Bcl-xL. The disclosed compound is useful as a new potential treatment for …

A Review Of Oil Spill History And Management On The North Slope Of Alaska, Amanda Davila

Engineering

Alaska has an abundance of natural resources including oil, natural gas and coal. It is critical to minimize the occurrence of oil spills to ensure protection of Alaska's people and the environment. The objective of this project is twofold. One is to provide a quantification of the number of spills on the North Slope (NS) as well as the number of contaminated sites that are generated, describe the regulatory requirements for the Arctic zone, and discuss cleanup methods. Second is to describe the ADEC regulations as they pertain to terrestrial oil spills. The region of study begins north of Alyeska's …

Use Of Family History To Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening Outreach Among Alaska Native People, Diana Redwood

Psychology

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality among Alaska Native people are the highest of any ethnic or racial group in the United States. First-degree relatives (FDRs), which include parents, siblings, and children of CRC patients, are at increased risk. There is a paucity of data on predictors of screening adherence among Alaska Native FDRs, and the extent to which screening outreach is occurring within the Alaska Tribal Health System (ATHS) for FDRs. There is also a lack of data available on barriers and facilitators to increasing screening outreach efforts in this population. This study assessed the prevalence of CRC screening …

Tobacco Use And Cessation: What Matters To Southeast Alaska Native Young Adults?, Kathryn Anderson

Psychology

Background: The smoking rate among young Alaska Native adults (ages 19-29) in Southeast Alaska is 70% as compared to the statewide adult smoking rate of 21%, the Alaska Native adult rate of 41%, and the overall young adult rate of 32%. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), the non-profit tribal health consortium serving Southeast Alaska, commissioned this research to inform development of a young adult-specific, social marketing-based smoking cessation intervention. Methods: Using purposive sampling, 23 individuals were recruited for five focus groups and four individual interviews in Juneau, Alaska. Following a social marketing framework, the research assessed participant beliefs about …

Garnet & Black Winter 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

Garnet & Black Magazine

No abstract provided.

Ms 179 Guide To Irvin A. Kraft Papers (1939-2010), Irvin A. Kraft (1921-2010)

Manuscript Finding Aids

Printed paper is the predominant format in the collection though there are numerous black and white and color photographic prints, some objects and other ephemera and an 8mm sound film. A large portion of the collection is comprised of various scrapbooks. See more at MS 179.

Stat3 Inhibitor Having Anti-Cancer Activity And Methods (Us), James Turkson, Andrew Hamilton, Richard Jove, Said Sebti

UCF Patents

A small-molecule Stat3 dimerization inhibitor, S3I-M2001, is described and the dynamics of intracellular processing of activated Stat3 within the context of the biochemical and biological effects of the Stat3 chemical probe inhibitor are elucidated. S3I-M2001 is a newly-identified oxazole-based peptidomimetic of the Stat3 Src Homology (SH) 2 domain-binding phosphotyrosine peptide that selectively disrupts active Stat3:Stat3 dimers. Stat3-dependent malignant transformation, survival, and migration and invasion of mouse and human cancer cells harboring persistently-activated Stat3 were inhibited by S3I-M2001. S3I-M2001 inhibited Stat3-dependent transcriptional regulation of tumor survival genes, such as Bcl-xL. The disclosed compound is useful as a new potential treatment for …

The Governance Of Wolves In Transboundary Regions: A Triquetrous Study Of Ephemeral Agreements Transcending Sub-National And National Boundaries, Brett M. Parks

Natural Resources

Contradictory management objectives in adjacent jurisdictions can affect transboundary wolves and their associated socio-ecological systems. Elite interviews and case study methodology were used in this thesis to explore three transboundary wolf management agreements, their effectiveness, and their impacts on wolves, ecosystems and stakeholders. Separate agreements between the State of Alaska and: Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, and Denali National Park and Preserve, and an agreement between Italy and Switzerland show that despite a diversity of socio-ecological contexts, approaches, and hierarchical level of actors, transboundary wolf agreements are prone to ephemerality. The ephemerality of these agreements appears to be due primarily to …

Regulating The Ngo Sector, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

The Millennium Development Goal of poverty reduction has been achieved ahead of the 2015 deadline. Human development indicators have improved significantly in almost all countries with very few exceptions.

Developing countries now account for almost half the world’s income, and most of the growth in the global economy in the post-2007 period has been contributed by them. Technological revolution particularly in information and communications technology has been a major driver of economic growth.

Strategies of the past, however successful in boosting growth and alleviating poverty, have given rise to second-generation problems that have surfaced in the last decade or so. …

Condition Assessment Of Decommissioned Bridge Decks Treated With Waterproofing Membranes And Asphalt Overlays, Eric Scott Sumsion

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to assess the condition of four decommissioned bridge decks treated with waterproofing membranes and asphalt overlays following the completion of their service lives. Large samples were cut from each of the bridge decks immediately prior to demolition and taken to the Brigham Young University Highway Materials Laboratory, where extensive sampling and testing was performed. Methods used to evaluate the condition of the bridge deck samples included visual inspection, hammer sounding, Schmidt rebound hammer testing, resistivity testing, half-cell potential testing, linear polarization testing, cover depth measurement, and chloride concentration measurement. The samples were removed from …

The Bg News December 17, 2013, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. December 17, 2013. Volume 93-Issue 49.

Frost Susceptibility Of Base Materials Treated With Asphalt Emulsion, Noelle Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to investigate emulsion-treated base (ETB) frost susceptibility in terms of both freeze-thaw cycling and frost heave. The research performed in this study involved laboratory testing of ETB materials sampled from both the Redwood Road and 7800 South reconstruction projects in northern Utah. The effects of freeze-thaw cycling were evaluated by comparing the stiffness and strength of tested specimens to the same properties of control specimens not subjected to freeze-thaw cycling. Frost heave testing enabled evaluation of the effects of emulsion content and degree of curing on the volumetric stability of ETB materials during sustained …

Phylogeny Of Fomitopsis Pinicola: A Species Complex, John-Erich Haight

Biological Sciences

Fomitopsis pinicola sensu lato is a common, saprotrophic fungal species occurring over the large circumpolar region covering Eurasia and North America, and extending south along areas of high elevation. It colonizes hardwood and softwood substrates, causing brown rot decay of wood, and exhibits a wide variety of morphological types and colors. Since the late nineteenth century, attempts have been made to determine how many species were in the genus Fomitopsis. Early attempts described two to three species based on host specificity and morphology. By the mid twentieth century, extensive mating studies among single spore isolates had been completed revealing three …

Developing Guidelines For Including Mobility-Based Performance Specifications In Highway Construction Contracts, Shawn J. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Construction zones can greatly affect the traffic flow on roadways, especially when lane closures are required. Traditionally, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has used traffic management specifications that only allow lane closures and road work to be done during predetermined hours or specifications that require a certain number of lanes to be open at all times. Recently, mobility-based work-zone traffic flow maintenance has been considered. This method requires continuous monitoring of mobility-based performance data and a mechanism to send alerts to the contractors when the mobility data does not meet the standards set by the specifications. UDOT recently tested …

A Kinetic Study Of Aqueous Calcium Carbonate, Derek Daniel Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precipitation is modeled using particle nucleation, growth, and aggregation. The particles are tracked in terms of their radial size and particle density using direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOM). Four separate nucleation models are implemented and are compared to experimental data. In discord with a recent study, it is shown that classical nucleation, coupled with equilibrium chemistry, is in good agreement with experimental data. Novel nucleation mechanisms are presented which fit the experimental data with slightly greater accuracy. Using equilibrium chemistry it is shown that the equilibrium value of ACC is pKeq = 7.74 at 24C, …

Ataam Taikina: Traditional Knowledge And Conservation Ethics In The Yukon River Delta, Alaska, Chad M. Cook

Arctic and Northern Studies

This research was conducted in collaboration with rural Yup'ik residents of the Yukon River delta region of Alaska. The thesis explores traditional knowledge and conservation ethics among rural Yup'ik residents who continue to maintain active subsistence lifestyles. From the end of July through August of 2012, ethnographic field research was conducted primarily through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, documenting Yup'ik subsistence hunting and fishing practices. Research participants invited me beluga whale hunting, seal hunting, moose hunting, commercial and subsistence fishing, gathering berries, and a variety of other activities that highlights local Yup'ik environmental knowledge, practices, and ethics. Through firsthand examples …

Re-Storing The Earth: A Phenomenological Study Of Living Sustainably, Jessica B. Buckley

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Living sustainably evokes ideas of lived, bodily engagement with and perception of the earth. Yet, modern ways of thinking and speaking have slowly alienated the earth from consciousness. Using phenomenological methods, the author examines the experience of living sustainably, exploring her own background and the idea of restoring the earth to consciousness, before examining the lives of two students dedicated to living sustainably. Components of upholding the earth, in-volving humanity, perceiving differences in studying and embodying sustainability, and engaging in choices fill the experience of living sustainably.

Growth-Increment Formation Using Otoliths And Scales Of Juvenile Chinook Salmon, Brian Michael Walker

Fisheries

Freshwater growth of juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha influences survival and recruitment to the adult population. Retrospective analysis is used to measure salmon growth at previous ages, with fish size and growth assumed to be accurately reflected by otolith increments and scale circuli. I conducted a 122-d laboratory experiment to validate the relationship among body size, growth, and width to daily otolith growth increments and scale circuli in juvenile stream-type Chinook salmon. Fish total length was found to be proportional to otolith axis length (r² = 0.209, p < 0.001), otolith diameter (r² = 0.667, p < 0.001), and scale radius (r² = 0.538, p < 0.001). Somatic growth was accurately reflected by growth in otolith axis length (r² 0.65, p < 0.001) and growth in scale radius (r² = 0.449, p < 0.001). My study validated the assumption that fish body size and growth are reflected by otolith and scale size and growth- increment formation. The findings of my study can be used to ascertain body size at previous ages, which will help managers detect threshold sizes, examine the strength of size-selective mortality, and determine how growth rate affects smolt migration, early marine survival, and duration of ocean residency.

A Conceptual Model Of The Pilgrim Hot Springs Geothermal System, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, Joshua Miller

Geosciences

This work has developed a conceptual geological model for the Pilgrim Hot Springs geothermal system supporting the exploration, assessment and potential development of this resource for direct use and electric power production. The development of this model involved the analysis of a variety of subsurface and geophysical data and the construction of a 3D lithostratigraphic block model. Interpretation of the data and block model aimed to establish the most likely scenario for subsurface geothermal fluid flow. As part of this work well cuttings were analyzed for permeability and correlated with geophysical logs from well to well to constrain the stratigraphic …

A Pil1–Sle1–Syj1–Tax4 Functional Pathway Links Eisosomes With Pi(4,5)P2 Regulation, Ruth Kabeche, Assen Roguev, Nevan J. Krogan, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

Stable compartments of the plasma membrane promote a wide range of cellular functions. In yeast cells, cytosolic structures called eisosomes generate prominent cortical invaginations of unknown function. Through a series of genetic screens in fission yeast, we found that the eisosome proteins Pil1 and Sle1 function with the synaptojanin-like lipid phosphatase Syj1 and its ligand Tax4. This genetic pathway connects eisosome function with the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] in cells. Defects in PI(4,5)P2 regulation led to eisosome defects, and we found that the core eisosome protein Pil1 can bind to and tubulate liposomes containing PI(4,5)P2. Mutations in components of …

Online Social Networks To The Rescue: Fulfilling The Ten Essential Public Health Services, Melanie D. Mason, Maureen P. Bezold

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Budget cuts and shortages in the public health workforce have contributed to the reduction of public health services in 91% of state health departments (SHDs). To adjust for these changes, health departments must discover novel ways to deliver essential public health services to their constituents. Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of the content published on SHDs’ Twitter pages to determine if online social networks were used to fulfill the ten essential public health services. While 42 SHDs had a Twitter page, the volume and content of tweets varied. Although tweets were posted that related to all ten of the essential …