Digital Commons Network^™

Hopelessness The ‘Active Ingredient’? : Associations Of Hopelessness And Depressive Symptoms With Interleukin-6., Amanda M. Mitchell, Patrick Pössel, Elaine Sjögren, Margareta Kristenson

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Objective: Previous research has revealed a relationship of depressive symptoms and hopelessness with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) which are associated with elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The objective of this study was to explore whether depressive symptoms and hopelessness are independent predictors of IL-6 levels. Method: Hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and IL-6 were measured in 45 Swedish adults (26 women and 19 men; age range: 31-65 years). Two separated linear regressions were conducted with hopelessness and depressive symptoms serving as individual predictors of IL-6. Another regression analysis examined whether the two predictors predict IL-6 when controlling for each other. The regression coefficients …

Predictors Of Dental Care Use: Findings From The National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent Health, Christopher Okunseri, Elaye Okunseri, Raul I. Garcia, Alexis D. Visotcky, Aniko Szabo

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

To examine longitudinal trends and associated factors in dental service utilization by adolescents progressing to early adulthood in the United States.

Methods

The data source was the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health from Waves I (1994–1995), II (1996), III (2001–2002), and IV (2007–2008). This was a retrospective, observational study of adolescents' transition to early adulthood. We obtained descriptive statistics and performed logistic regression analyses to identify the effects of baseline and concurrent covariates on dental service utilization from adolescence to early adulthood over time.

Results

Dental service utilization within the prior 12 months peaked at age 16 (72%), …

Males Show Improved Perspective-Taking Performance When Females Images Occupy Locations In The Spatial Array: Preliminary Evidence Consistent With Sexual Selection Of Spatial Skills?, Bradley R. Sturz, Karen Z. Naufel

Psychology: Faculty Presentations (2009-2022)

One tenet of sexual selection theory posits that females select males on the basis of physical attributes because these attributes serve as indicators of fitness. Relatively recently, evolutionary psychologists have suggested that females also select males on the basis of cognitive attributes because such attributes also serve as indicators of fitness. Spatial abilities are hypothesized to be one such cognitive attribute, but evidence supporting this hypothesis is lacking. We tested this hypothesis by having human male participants engage in a perspective-taking task (imagine standing at object A, facing object B, point to object C). We manipulated the content of the …

Disruption Of Drosophila Melanogaster Lipid Metabolism Genes Causes Tissue Overgrowth Associated With Altered Developmental Signaling., Takeshi Sasamura, Kenji Matsuno, Mark E Fortini

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Developmental patterning requires the precise interplay of numerous intercellular signaling pathways to ensure that cells are properly specified during tissue formation and organogenesis. The spatiotemporal function of many developmental pathways is strongly influenced by the biosynthesis and intracellular trafficking of signaling components. Receptors and ligands must be trafficked to the cell surface where they interact, and their subsequent endocytic internalization and endosomal trafficking is critical for both signal propagation and its down-modulation. In a forward genetic screen for mutations that alter intracellular Notch receptor trafficking in Drosophila melanogaster, we recovered mutants that disrupt genes encoding serine palmitoyltransferase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. …

Guide De Prévention Pour Une Utilisation Sécuritaire Des Isocyanates : Démarche D’Hygiène Du Travail, Brigitte Roberge, Simon Aubin, Claude Ostiguy, Jacques Lesage

Guides

Click here for the English version of this report

Guide For Safe Use Of Isocyanates: An Industrial Hygiene Approach, Brigitte Roberge, Simon Aubin, Claude Ostiguy, Jacques Lesage

Guides

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

Academic Affairs Division Newsletter, November 2013, San Jose State University

Academic Affairs Division Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Biologically Enhanced Cathode Design For Improved Capacity And Cycle Life For Lithium-Oxygen Batteries, Dahyun Oh, Jifa Qi, Yi-Chun Lu, Yong Zhang, Yang Shao-Horn, Angela Belcher

Faculty Publications

Lithium-oxygen batteries have a great potential to enhance the gravimetric energy density of fully packaged batteries by two to three times that of lithium ion cells. Recent studies have focused on finding stable electrolytes to address poor cycling capability and improve practical limitations of current lithium-oxygen batteries. In this study, the catalyst electrode, where discharge products are deposited and decomposed, was investigated as it has a critical role in the operation of rechargeable lithium-oxygen batteries. Here we report the electrode design principle to improve specific capacity and cycling performance of lithium-oxygen batteries by utilizing high-efficiency nanocatalysts assembled by M13 virus …

Transformative Engagement In Deliberative Democracies: Exploring A Framework For Engagement Using A Creative, Braided Approach, Janell C. Walther

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Policymakers, scientists, academics, and organizational leaders have long been interested in the best way to engage, persuade, and educate stakeholders, no matter the topic (e.g., Mazer, 2013; Bell et al, 2013). While exploration of information dissemination and presentation is growing (Jones, 2013; Gutkind, 2005), particularly within highly mediatized networked societies (Castells, 2008), the necessity for engaging, persuading, and educating citizens in the public sphere through diverse approaches is increasingly obvious. In particular, it is important and relevant to creatively engage stakeholders and decision-makers in an interactive dialogue to allow for fuller understanding about complex topics, especially in the realm of …

Analyzing The Functions Of Human Polynucleotide Phosphorylase (Hpnpaseold-35), Upneet K. Sokhi

Theses and Dissertations

RNA degradation plays a fundamental role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, along with being a part of normal regulatory mechanisms, whether it occurs as a surveillance mechanism eliminating aberrant mRNAs or during RNA processing to generate mature transcripts. 3’-5’ exoribonucleases are essential mediators of RNA decay pathways, and one such evolutionarily conserved enzyme is polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). The human homologue of this fascinating enzymatic protein (hPNPaseold-35) was cloned a decade ago in the context of terminal differentiation and senescence through a novel ‘overlapping pathway screening’ approach. Since then, significant insights have been garnered about this exoribonuclease and its repertoire of expanding …

Between The Man And Beast: Reactions To Evolutionary Science In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls Of The King And T. H. White's The Once And Future King, Mary Feldman

Masters Theses

The development and popular acceptance of evolutionary theory in the nineteenth century, of which Charles Darwin was perhaps the leading voice, produced perhaps the greatest cultural cataclysm of the Modern age. It held theological and philosophical implications beyond the scientific realm, profoundly impacting the humanities as well as science. The Arthurian legend, a story that has been told and retold for centuries before and after Darwin, offers us a unique opportunity to examine how a preexisting story was radically altered in the light of evolution. Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King and T. H. White's The Once and Future …

Suprachiasmatic Astrocytes Modulate The Circadian Clock In Response To Tnf-Α, José M. Duhart, María Juliana Leone, Natalia Paladino, Jennifer A. Evans, Oscar Castanon-Cervantes, Alec J. Davidson, Diego A. Golombek

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The immune and the circadian systems interact in a bidirectional fashion. The master circadian oscillator, located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus, responds to peripheral and local immune stimuli, such as proinflammatory cytokines and bacterial endotoxin. Astrocytes exert several immune functions in the CNS, and there is growing evidence that points toward a role of these cells in the regulation of circadian rhythms. The aim of this work was to assess the response of SCN astrocytes to immune stimuli, particularly to the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. TNF-α applied to cultures of SCN astrocytes from Per2^luc knockin mice altered …

Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplements That Reduce Brain Serotonin During Exercise In Rats Also Lower Brain Catecholamines, Sujean Choi, Briana Disilvio, Madelyn H. Fernstrom, John D. Fernstrom

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Exercise raises brain serotonin release and is postulated to cause fatigue in athletes; ingestion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), by competitively inhibiting tryptophan transport into brain, lowers brain tryptophan uptake and serotonin synthesis and release in rats, and reputedly in humans prevents exercise-induced increases in serotonin and fatigue. This latter effect in humans is disputed. But BCAA also competitively inhibit tyrosine uptake into brain, and thus catecholamine synthesis and release. Since increasing brain catecholamines enhances physical performance, BCAA ingestion could lower catecholamines, reduce performance and thus negate any serotonin-linked benefit. We therefore examined in rats whether BCAA would reduce both …

Adolescent Male Perpetrators Of Rape In The General Population And Their Young Adult Outcomes, Karen Matta Oshima

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

The Centers for Disease Control: CDC) estimated that 10.6 % of adult women and 2.1% of adult men were sexually assaulted in their lifetimes: Basile, Chen, Black, & Saltzman, 2007). Approximately 16% of single offender sexual assaults and rapes and nearly 32% of multiple offender sexual assault and rapes were perpetrated by adolescents and young adults in 2007: Maston & Klaus, 2010). Researchers estimated sexually violent behavior among adolescent males in the general population at rates of 2.2 to 10%: Ageton, 1983; Banyard, Cross, & Modecki, 2006; Borowsky, Hogan, & Ireland, 1997).

Despite the scope of the problem, there is …

Ucc Minutes, November 19, 2013, University Curriculum Council

UCC Agendas/Minutes

No abstract provided.

Prenatal Development: Annotated Bibliography, Victoria J. Molfese, Amanda Prokasky, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Ibrahim H. Acar, Xiaoqing Tu, Kate Sirota, Brian Keiser

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

For decades, researchers have investigated how events in the prenatal period impact women and their infants. These studies, particularly by researchers in the medical, neuroscience, and behavioral science fields, led to discoveries of important information regarding the prenatal events that were strongly associated with mortality (or death) and morbidity (or incidences of injury, pathology and abnormalities/anomalies, and neurobehavioral sequelae) in the neonatal and infancy periods. Among the many common findings from early research studies, two are particularly noteworthy. First, maternal and fetal risk conditions arising in the prenatal period do not do so in isolation. Sameroff and Chandler characterized this …

Insights Into The Carboxyltransferase Reaction Of Pyruvate Carboxylase From The Structures Of Bound Product And Intermediate Analogs, Adam D. Lietzan, Martin St. Maurice

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) is a biotin-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the MgATP- and bicarbonate-dependent carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate, an important anaplerotic reaction in central metabolism. The carboxyltransferase (CT) domain of PC catalyzes the transfer of a carboxyl group from carboxybiotin to the accepting substrate, pyruvate. It has been hypothesized that the reactive enolpyruvate intermediate is stabilized through a bidentate interaction with the metal ion in the CT domain active site. Whereas bidentate ligands are commonly observed in enzymes catalyzing reactions proceeding through an enolpyruvate intermediate, no bidentate interaction has yet been observed in the CT domain of PC. Here, we …

Multiple C-Terminal Tails Within A Single E. Coli Ssb Homotetramer Coordinate Dna Replication And Repair, Edwin Antony, Elizabeth Weiland, Quan Yuan, Carol M. Manhart, Binh Nguyen, Alexander G. Kozlov, Charles S. Mchenry, Timothy M. Lohman

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) plays essential roles in DNA replication, recombination and repair. SSB functions as a homotetramer with each subunit possessing a DNA binding domain (OB-fold) and an intrinsically disordered C-terminus, of which the last nine amino acids provide the site for interaction with at least a dozen other proteins that function in DNA metabolism. To examine how many C-termini are needed for SSB function, we engineered covalently linked forms of SSB that possess only one or two C-termini within a four-OB-fold “tetramer”. Whereas E. coli expressing SSB with only two tails can survive, expression …

Liana Impacts On Carbon Cycling, Storage And Sequestration In Tropical Forests, Geertje M. Van Der Heijden, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Jennifer S. Powers, Oliver L. Phillips

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Mature tropical forests sequester large quantities of atmospheric CO2, which they store as plant biomass. These forests are changing however, including an increase in liana abundance and biomass over recent decades in Neotropical forests. We ask here how this increase in lianas might impact the tropical forest carbon cycle and their capacity for carbon storage and sequestration. Lianas reduce tree growth, survival, and leaf productivity; however, lianas also invest significantly in leaf production, and the increase in lianas could conceivably offset liana‐induced reductions in tree canopy productivity with no adverse effects to the forest‐level canopy productivity. By contrast, lianas decrease …

The Association Between Dairy Consumption And Insulin Resistance, Andrea Rose Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: A cross-sectional design was employed to ascertain the relationship between dairy consumption and insulin resistance (IR) in 272 middle-aged, nondiabetic women. Methods: Participants kept a seven-day weighed food record to report their diets, including consumption of dairy foods. IR was assessed using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA), using the following formula: fasting plasma insulin (µU/ml) x fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/405. The Bod Pod was used to examine body fat percentage, and accelerometry over a seven-day period was used to assess physical activity. HOMA values were log-transformed and regression analysis and the General Linear Model procedure were used to determine …

Dynamic Nanochannels For Biosensing Applications, Joseph B. Oxborrow

Theses and Dissertations

Inexpensive label-free detection of biomarker panels in serum could revolutionize earlycancer diagnosis and treatment. Such detection capabilities may be possible with dynamicnanochannels in conjunction with electrical impedance measurement. In Dr. Greg Nordin's lab I designed, fabricated and tested several iterations of these sensors with polydimethyl-siloxane microfluidics. The final design yielded a dynamic nanochannel array sensor thatshowed a 140% impedance change when exposed to 14µM bovine serum albumin in phos-phate buffered saline. For the geometry and noise limits of the tested device, simulationsindicated that a minimum detectable concentration of 20pM with specifically bound strep-tavidin should be possible. However, the polydimethylsiloxane approach …

Microrna Function In Human Diseases, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Mary A. Smith, Cody J. Wehrkamp, Ashley M. Mohr, Justin L. Mott

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

MicroRNAs are emerging as a hot topic in research, and rightfully so. They show great promise as targets of treatment and as markers for common human diseases, such as cancer and metabolic diseases. In this review, we address some of the basic questions regarding micro- RNA function in human disease and the clinical significance of microRNAs. Specifically, micro- RNAs in epigenetics, cancer, and metabolic diseases are discussed, with examples taken from cholangiocarcinoma and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Heterogeneity Of Functional Properties Of Clone 66 Murine Breast Cancer Cells Expressing Various Stem Cell Phenotypes, Partha Mukhopadhyay, Tracy Farrell, Gayatri Sharma, Timothy R. Mcguire, Barbara O'Kane, J. Graham Sharp

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

INTRODUCTION:

Breast cancer grows, metastasizes and relapses from rare, therapy resistant cells with a stem cell phenotype (cancer stem cells/CSCs). However, there is a lack of studies comparing the functions of CSCs isolated using different phenotypes in order to determine if CSCs are homogeneous or heterogeneous.

METHODS:

Cells with various stem cell phenotypes were isolated by sorting from Clone 66 murine breast cancer cells that grow orthotopically in immune intact syngeneic mice. These populations were compared by in vitro functional assays for proliferation, growth, sphere and colony formation; and in vivo limiting dilution analysis of tumorigenesis.

RESULTS:

The proportion of …

Chimes: November 1, 2013, Calvin College

Chimes

'Coming Out Day' chalk message erased by building services by Ben Rietema

ESPN founder, former senator headline 2014 January Series by Matthew Schanck

Race Card Project seeks to gauge student thoughts on race by Jeronica Andrews

Website allows students to buy and sell textbooks by Sierra Savela

Study finds a purpose for sleep: clearing toxins from brain by Jonathan Hielkema

Rock band plays Calvin by Alden Hartopo

Knights stay atop MIAA by Brian Exner

Tackling ‘Wicked’ Food Issues, Grand Valley State University

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

No abstract provided.

Apple Maggot, Diane Alston, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

Apple maggot is not currently a pest of commercial orchards in Utah, but it is regulated as a quarantine insect in the state. If it becomes established in commercial fruit production areas, its presence can inflict substantial economic harm through loss of export markets. Infestations cause fruit damage, may increase insecticide use, and can result in subsequent disruption of integrated pest management programs.

Deployed Communications In An Austere Environment: A Delphi Study, Andrew Soine, James Harker, Alan R. Heminger

Faculty Publications

The information and communications technology (ICT) field is undergoing a period of tremendous change. The exponential growth rate of ICT capability in recent decades, which has had an undeniable effect on every aspect of our society, will likely have ramifications for military operations in austere environments. 1 The Air Force’s 689th Combat Communications Wing commissioned a study to forecast the future of mobile ICT in such environments. Researchers at the Air Force Institute of Technology chose to employ the Delphi technique as the methodology for executing this task. The following scenario, based on the results of that study, demonstrates how …

Barrier-Repair Prescription Moisturizers: Do We Really Need Them? Facts And Controversies., Ronni Wolf, Lawrence Parish

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

There is now scientific evidence of genetically driven skin-barrier anomalies in atopic patients. These barrier anomalies facilitate sustained antigen ingress through the defective barrier, which can bring about a Th2-dominant response. It enhances the transepidermal water loss, resulting in dry skin and leading to the release of preformed proinflammatory cytokines and to a cascade of events ending up in inflammation.

Clinical Phenotypes And Abcc6 Gene Mutations In Brazilian Families With Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum., Caroline Silvério Faria, Qiaoli Li, Haitao Guo, Jouni Uitto, Sylvia Satomi Takeno, Marilia De Arruda Cardoso Smith, Dertia Villalba Freire-Maia

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE; OMIM 264800) manifests with characteristic skin lesions of yellowish papules which coalesce into plaques of inelastic and leathery skin on the predilection sites (1). The ocular findings consist of angioid streaks, choroidal neovascularization and subretinal hemorrhages resulting in loss of visual acuity and occasional blindness. Cardiovascular problems include hypertension, intermittent claudication, and occasional myocardial infarcts and stroke. The prevalence of PXE is estimated to be in the range of 1:50,000-70,000 and to be more frequent in females than in males. The diagnosis can be challenging to clinicians due to late-onset of clinical manifestations and considerable heterogeneity. PXE …

Botrytis Neck Rot Of Onion, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.