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Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes In Hippocampal Stratum Oriens Interneurons, Ryan Williamson, Dr. Jeff Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The hippocampus is thought to mediate learning and memory by altering the strength of synapses within its circuitry [1]. The plastic nature of these synapses allows the brain to alter the sensitivity of neurons to excitatory input. Improper regulation of synaptic plasticity may cause memory loss associated with neurodegenerative disease [2].

Isolation Of A Novel Francisella Sp. In Environmental Samples Using A Modified Selective Medium, David Drake, Dr. Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our initial goal was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a new selective medium for isolating Francisella species from environmental samples, including those from soil, feces, and ponds. We successfully developed the medium, CHAB-PACCVI, and used it to isolate a novel Francisella species from hot springs samples obtained in Salt Lake.

Effects Of Tlr-4 Blockers On The Severity Of Oa In Rage Knockout Mice, Jeffrey Kartchner, Dr. David Kooyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the population in the US continues to age, osteoarthritis (OA) is becoming a larger issue, currently effecting over 27 million people1. Presently, pharmaceutical options aim to lessen the effects of the disease, while no preventative treatment is currently available. Much of the current arthritis research is targeted at the effects of inflammation on the progression of OA. Our lab has shown in previous research that mice lacking the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) are protected from OA2. Other labs have shown the possibility of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) involvement in the progression of the disease as well3. …

An Automated And User-Friendly Optical Tweezers For Biomolecular Investigations, Pranav Rahti

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Optical tweezers are not new to biological applications but building a tweezers which is versatile, automated, precise, stable and user-friendly is quite challenging. Such a tweezers usually require not only a hefty budget but vast understanding of engineer- ing of optomechanical systems. I describe in this dissertation a versatile, automated, precise, stable and user-friendly optical tweezers that we developed for biomolecular investigations under limited budget. I describe automation and control improvements along with newly-developed surface detection software. I also describe cost-e ective optomechanical devices used in tweezers with potential for broader application. Fi- nally, I present new results of single-molecule …

Azúcar Negra: (Re) Envisioning Race, Representation, And Resistance In The Afrofeminista Imaginary, Kiley Jeanelle Guyton Acosta

Spanish and Portuguese ETDs

In this dissertation, I locate contemporary articulations of afrofeminismo in manifold modes of cultural production including literature, music, visual displays of the body, and digital media. As a point of departure, I examine the development of afrofeminismo in relation to colonial sexual violence in sugar-based economies to explain how colonial dynamics inflect ideologies of blanqueamiento/embranquecimento (racial whitening) and pseudo-scientific racial determinism. In this context, I address representations of the mujer negra (black woman) and the mulata (mulatto woman) in Caribbean and Brazilian cultural discourse. Specifically, I analyze how the discourses around, as well as by, these figures contribute(d) to the …

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Novel Etch Studies And Passivation Techniques On Inas/Gasb Superlattice Based Infrared Detectors, Maya Narayanan Kutty

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Infrared (IR) detectors today are being utilized for a variety of imaging applications such as medical diagnostics, navigation instruments of automobiles and aircrafts, meteorological imaging, night-vision and fog/smoke imaging, surveillance, target acquisition and astronomical/space imaging. These wide ranging implementations have given rise to varied design requirements for these devices such as the required sensitivity, operating temperature, spectral sensitivity, peak wavelength and cost. Type-II band aligned InAs/Ga(In)Sb strained layer superlattice (SLS) material system proposed for the IR detection in the 1970s has been considered in recent years as an interesting alternative to the present day IR detection technologies. Type-II SLS technology …

Endothelial Cell Stimulation Overcomes Restriction And Promotes Productive And Latent Hiv-1 Infection Of Resting Cd4+ T Cells, Anding Shen, Jacob J. Baker, Geoffrey L. Scott, Yelena P. Davis

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is able to suppress human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to undetectable levels in the majority of patients, but eradication has not been achieved because latent viral reservoirs persist, particularly in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes. It is generally understood that HIV-1 does not efficiently infect resting CD4+ T cells, and latent infection in those cells may arise when infected CD4+ T lymphoblasts return to resting state. In this study, we found that stimulation by endothelial cells can render resting CD4+ T cells permissible for direct HIV infection, includingboth productive and latent infection. These stimulated T …

Above-Ground Biomass And Structure Of 260 African Tropical Forests, Simon L. Lewis, Bonaventure Sonké, Terry Sunderland, Serge K. Begne, Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez, Der Heijden Gmf Van, Oliver L. Phillips, Kofi Affum-Baffoe, Timothy R. Baker, Lindsay Banin, Jean François Bastin, Hans Beeckman, Pascal Boeckx, Jan Bogaert, Cannière C De, Eric Chezeaux, Connie J. Clark, Murray Collins, Gloria Djagbletey, Marie Noël K. Djuikouo, Vincent Droissart, Jean Louis Doucet, Cornielle E.N. Ewango, Sophie Fauset, Ted R. Feldpausch, Ernest G. Foli, Jean François Gillet, Alan C. Hamilton, David J. Harris, Terese B. Hart, Haulleville T De, Annette Hladik, Koen Hufkens, Dries Huygens, Philippe Jeanmart, Kathryn J. Jeffery, Elizabeth Kearsley, Miguel E. Leal, Jon Lloyd, Jon C. Lovett, Jean Remy Makana, Yadvinder Malhi, Andrew R. Marshall, Lucas Ojo, Kelvin S.H. Peh, Georgia Pickavance, John R. Poulsen, Jan M. Reitsma, Douglas Sheil, Murielle Simo, Kathy Steppe, Hermann E. Taedoumg, Joey Talbot, James R.D. Taplin, David Taylor, Sean C. Thomas, Benjamin Toirambe, Hans Verbeeck, Jason Vleminckx, Lee J.T. White, Simon Willcock, Hannsjorg Woell, Lise Zemagho

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

We report above-ground biomass (AGB), basal area, stem density and wood mass density estimates from 260 sample plots (mean size: 1.2 ha) in intact closed-canopy tropical forests across 12 African countries. Mean AGB is 395.7 Mg dry mass ha −1 (95% CI: 14.3), substantially higher than Amazonian values, with the Congo Basin and contiguous forest region attaining AGB values (429 Mg ha −1 ) similar to those of Bornean forests, and significantly greater than East or West African forests. AGB therefore appears generally higher in palaeo- compared with neotropical forests. However, mean stem density is low (426 ± 11 stems …

For Longwood President, Higher Ed Runs In Family, Karin Kapsidelis

Speeches, Interviews, and Communications

Originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch

"The portrait of his great-grandfather — the biology professor who courted his great-grandmother on horseback — leans against the wall of the president’s office at Longwood University."

State Of The College Of Health Sciences, 2013: Voyaging To The Waypoint, Shelley C. Mishoe

Ellmer College of Health Sciences Reports and Documents

PDF of powerpoint presentation for the State of the College of Health Sciences Address on September 4, 2013. Includes "New Faculty & Staff Introductions and Welcome."

Weekly News Digest 09/04/2013, Jenna Ray

Weekly Bulletin Archive

In this issue:

● Mike Super to Open Performing Arts Series

● Morris Excels in Effectiveness and Efficiency

● Morris Honored as a 2013 College of Distinction

● Work by Pete Wyckoff Featured in Senior Perspective

Cell Biology Conference Invites Students Postdocs | To Register For Free Event, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

09/04/2013 Obituary Records, Hawaii Obituaries

Obituaries

List of Obituaries for individuals who passed away on 09/04/2013. Scroll down to see the names and obituary description.

The Murray Ledger And Times, September 4, 2013, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Skin Lesions In European Hibernating Bats Associated With Geomyces Destructans, The Etiologic Agent Of White-Nose Syndrome, Gudrun Wibbelt, Sébastien J. Puechmaille, Bernd Ohlendorf, Kristin Mühldorfer, Thijs Bosch, Tamás Görföl, Karsten Passior, Andreas Kurth, Daniel Lacremans, Frédéric Forget

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

Independent - Sep. 4, 2013, Jacklyn Nowotnik

The Independent (1988-present)

No abstract provided.

Human-Swarm Interaction: Effects On Operator Workload, Scale, And Swarm Topology, Brian O. Pendleton

Theses and Dissertations

Robots, including UAVs, have found increasing use in helping humans with dangerous and difficult tasks. The number of robots in use is increasing and is likely to continue increasing in the future. As the number of robots increases, human operators will need to coordinate and control the actions of large teams of robots. While multi-robot supervisory control has been widely studied, it requires that an operator divide his or her attention between robots. Consequently, the use of multi-robot supervisory control is limited by the number of robots that a human or team of humans can reasonably control. Swarm robotics -- …

Ancient Lineage, Young Troglobites: Recent Colonization Of Caves By Nesticella Spiders, Yuanyuan Zhang, Shuqiang Li

KIP Articles

Background: The evolution and origin of cave organisms is a recurring issue in evolutionary studies, but analyses are often hindered by the inaccessibility of caves, morphological convergence, and complex colonization processes. Here we investigated the evolutionary history of Nesticella cave spiders, which are mainly distributed in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, China. With comprehensive sampling and phylogenetic and coalescent-based analyses, we investigated the tempo and mode of diversification and the origins of these troglobites. We also aimed to determine which factors have influenced the diversification of this little-known group. Results: Coalescent-based species delimitation validated the 18 species recognized by morphological inspection and …

September 4, 2013 General Faculty Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Scale-Sensitive Linear Analysis Of Granivorous Rodent Population Dynamics, Nikkala A. Pack, Dr. Brian A. Maurer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ecological systems undergo perturbations; populations grow, decline, or go extinct. If the effect of one population on another can be determined, when one population is perturbed, we can predict the response of the second population. This is important for conservation efforts, for example, in predicting the effects of species removal by forest fire.

Genetic Comparison Of Bear Lake Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Yellowstone Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Bouveri), And Bonneville Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Jared Tadje, R. Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Geologic evidence indicates that there was a volcano about 30,000 years ago in Southern Idaho. Before the volcano, Bear Lake was connected to the Snake River, but lava flow from this volcano separated them. Currently, a river connects Bear Lake to the Lake Bonneville region surrounding the Great Salt Lake (Fig. 1). Many people believe that the Bear Lake cutthroat trout evolved from other cutthroat subspecies in the Lake Bonneville Region. My hypothesis is that they are more closely related to the cutthroat subspecies in the Snake River system, and that they evolved together before the volcano separated them. I …

Assay For Protective Malaria Antibody, Rachel L. Robison, Dr. James B. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Investigations have determined that people living in areas where malaria is widespread have developed an acquired immune response that resists the malaria parasite. Normally, the malaria parasite enters the cell and takes over certain cellular functions. This cellular invasion provides nutrients to the parasite which perpetuates its life cycle. In cases where an immune response has been developed, the immune system produces antibodies which prevent the malaria parasite from invading the erythrocyte. This type of immune response is effective through two possible mechanisms. The first mechanism prevents parasite attachment to the erythrocyte plasma membrane. The second mechanism restricts the parasite …

Translational Control Of Poly(A)-Binding Protein Expression, Eliott Spencer, Dr. Roger Kaspar

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Poly(A)-binding protein or PABP is found in high concentrations in all eukaryotic cells. Cell biologists have speculated for a long time that PABP plays an important role in stabilizing the fragile MRNA molecule so that it can be more effectively translated into its final gene product. PABP does this by binding to the Poly(A) tail at the 3′ end of the MRNA. 1,2

Analyzation Of The Cellular Mrna Content For 6 And Cyclooxygenase In Rat Adrenal Cells, Sean David Paulsen, Dr. Allen M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent neuroimmunoendocrine research has focused on points of convergence between what have traditionally been labeled the “nervous,” “immune,” and “endocrine” systems. We are beginning to realize that the walls marking the boundaries of these systems are not as exclusive as once thought. Certain commonalities or areas of overlap exist. One such point of convergence between the endocrine and immune systems is the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Isolation Of Molecular Markers Linked To Sw-5 Using Genetically Directed Representational Difference Analysis (Gdrda), Rachel E. Raphael, Dr. Mikel R. Stevens

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Tospoviruses, including tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), infect over 550 plant species worldwide. In the commercially grown tomato (Lycopersicon 1 esculentum) TSWV decreases fruit yields and quality in up to 80-90% of the crop in South Africa2 with similar losses in Hawaii3 and other areas around the world.

Scientific Teaching Targeting Faculty From Diverse Institutions, Christopher S. Gregg, Jo Dale Ales, Steven M. Pomarico, E. William Wischusen, Joseph F. Siebenaller

Faculty Publications

We offered four annual professional development workshops called STAR (for Scientific Teaching, Assessment, and Resources) modeled after the National Academies Summer Institute (SI) on Undergraduate Education in Biology. In contrast to the SI focus on training faculty from research universities, STAR's target was faculty from community colleges, 2-yr campuses, and public and private research universities. Because of the importance of community colleges and 2-yr institutions as entries to higher education, we wanted to determine whether the SI model can be successfully extended to this broader range of institutions. We surveyed the four cohorts; 47 STAR alumni responded to the online …

President's Convocation (2013 Program), Illinois Wesleyan University

President’s Convocation

No abstract provided.

Dismantling The Dominant Narrative Of The Irreversibility Of Schizophrenia : Three Meaning Making Approaches To Psychosis, Sarah K. Alpern

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The dominant discourse of schizophrenia as an incurable and biologically determined disease was interrogated through the lenses of race, culture, postmodern philosophy as well as quantitative and qualitative data suggesting a causal relationship between trauma and psychosis (Ensink, 1992; Read, J., van Os, J., Morrison, A.P. and Ross, C. A., 2005; Romme and Escher, 1989, 1996, 2000). The superior outcomes of those treatment models that privileged psychosocial support over pharmaceutical interventions also called into question the primacy of the medical model, as did the longitudinal studies of the World Health Organization (WHO) and over-representation in diagnosis among African Americans (Osiezagha, …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Molecular Biology Initiative Named a STEM Education Awards Finalist