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Long-Term Bald Eagle Monitoring: Assessing Emerging Risks To The Great Lakes Ecosystem By Evaluating Impacts To Tertiary Predators, Latice Fuentes

All Dissertations

Data from the Michigan Bald Eagle Biomonitoring Project (MBEBP) was used to provide ecological evaluations amidst concerns of emerging contaminants and environmental change. Samples and measurements were collected throughout the state of Michigan from 1998-2012. Nestling breast feathers and biometric measurements were used in analytical and statistical analyses which provided a broad assessment of the Great Lakes ecosystem and its resident bald eagles. Bald eagle nestling feathers were taken from Michigan breeding areas, and used to evaluate spatial and temporal trends of mercury (Hg). Overall, remediation has positively affected the Great Lakes region. However, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior …

Coccidia Of Gerbils From Mongolia, Ethan Thomas Jensen

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this study, gerbils collected in the Mongolia over the summers of 2009-2012 were examined for coccidia. In total, 171 gerbils of three species from 22 localities were examined for coccidia. Coccidian oocysts were identified from 21 gerbils, but those found in 1 of those gerbils were probably pseudoparasites of the host from which they were recovered. From the remaining 20 gerbils, 7 morphotypes of Eimeria and 1 morphotype of Isospora were identified. Four of the 7 morphotypes of Eimeria were attributed to new species which were described in this study. In addition, 10 previously described species of Eimeria were …

Analysis Of Human Papillomavirus Capsid Proteins: Insights Into Capsid Assembly, Willie A. Hughes

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are double stranded (ds)-DNA viruses (~8-kbp), which infect mucosal and cutaneous epithelial cells from various mammalian species, causing tumors in both epithelial cell-types. During the late-phase, the capsid proteins (L1 and L2), are expressed to encapsidate the viral genome generating infectious virion particles required for PV. Natural PV infections produce morphologically homogenous progeny virions 55-nm in diameter. Transient transfection systems allow individual expression of the capsid proteins, which are able to produce low-levels of infectious virion-like particles (VLPs) and non-infectious VLPs that have the capacity to resemble and function as wild-type virions.

Results: The research herein demonstrates …

The Origin And Molecular Evolution Of Two Multigene Families: G-Protein Coupled Receptors And Glycoside Hydrolase Families, Seong-Il Eyun

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multigene family is a group of genes that arose from a common ancestor by gene duplication. Gene duplications are a major driving force of new function acquisition. Multigene family thus has a fundamental role in adaptation. To elucidate their molecular evolutionary mechanisms, I chose two multigene families: chemosensory receptors and glycoside hydrolases. I have identified complete repertoires of trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a member of chemosensory receptors, from 38 metazoan genomes. An ancestral-type TAAR emerged before the divergence between gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates) and sea lamprey (jawless fish). Primary amine detecting TAARs (TAAR1-4) are found to be older and have evolved …

Synthesis Of Ester Derivatives Of Resveratrol As Potential Anti-Cancer Drugs, Parasmani Pageni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phytoalexin of the stilbene family produced by various plants in response to stress, UV radiation, and fungal attack. It is primarily found in peanuts, berries, grape skin, and red wine. Resveratrol has been found to exhibit anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and anti-oxidant properties. Research indicates that diets enriched with resveratrol containing substances result in less incidence of cancer. Unfortunately, the low bioavailability and solubility has been a huge setback for its potential prospects. As a result, efforts have been made to synthesize derivatives of resveratrol with increased solubility and bioavailability. Three triester novel resveratrol derivatives 3, …

August 2013 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Dynamical Behaviors Of Gonorrhea Strain Competition Model, Marisabel Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In the past decades, Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has become resistant to a wider range of antibiotics. We apply a phenomenological model that takes into account essential ideas such as the effects of different treatment levels, the transformation and conjugation rates of bacteria, and the response of the immune system. Qualitative analysis provides a more integral view of how model parameters affect the emergence of within-host resistance.

Fan Fiction, Fandoms, And Literature: Or, Why It’S Time To Pay Attention To Fan Fiction, Christina Yatrakis

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The internet has revolutionized how we interact with the world around us. We now have access to information, creations, and people on such a scale previously impossible. A direct result of the rise of the internet age is the growing popularity and visibility of fandoms and their creation and dissemination of derivative works, such as fan fiction. While fan fiction in its modern form can easily be traced back to the early days of Star Trek and fan made "zines," it is now perhaps the most visible and well known fan creation. Fan fiction has evolved from the expansions or …

Environmental Circadian Disruption Elevates The Il-6 Response To Lipopolysaccharide In Blood, Kandis L. Adams, Oscar Castanon-Cervantes, Jennifer A. Evans, Alec J. Davidson

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The immune system is regulated by circadian clocks within the brain and immune cells. Environmental circadian disruption (ECD), consisting of a 6-h phase advance of the light:dark cycle once a week for 4 weeks, elevates the inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) both in vivo and in vitro. This indicates that circadian disruption adversely affects immune function; however, it remains unclear how the circadian system regulates this response under ECD conditions. Here, we develop an assay using ex vivo whole-blood LPS challenge to investigate the circadian regulation of immune responses in mice and to determine the effects of ECD on these …

Institutional Data Book 2012-2013, University Of Minnesota, Morris Office Of Institutional Research

Institutional Effectiveness and Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Metaphors Of Health And Disease In Nazi Film Propaganda, Melanie Wright

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

This study examines how propaganda imagery was used to reveal metaphors of health and disease in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. Specifically, it explores how German medical and political authorities of this period entrenched biological explanations for social ills through medico-political discourses of disease, criminality and deviancy, in their efforts to exterminate particular populations. This propaganda was conversed with the idealised and beautified German Volk who, in turn, were graphically elevated to the realms of a supreme master race. I use a methodology composed of compositional and discourse analysis, and a theoretical framework that develops the work of Erving …

Human Foraging In A Virtual World, Jose Luis Martinez

Research Papers

Methods for using the Torque® game engine to test the predictions of three optimal foraging models of human behavior are proposed. Traditional tests of Charnov’s marginal value theorem, the diet breadth model and the effect of energy Budget manipulation on risky choice are translated into a virtual world programmable through Torque®. Use of immersive environments allows participants to interact with experimental conditions that bear a greater functional resemblance to extra-laboratory environments, thereby increasing the ecological validity of the research.

Mapping Functional Transcription Factor Networks From Gene Expression Data, Brian C. Haynes, Ezekiel J. Maier, Michael H. Kramer, Patricia I. Wang, Holly Brown, Michael R. Brent

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Variation In Collagen D-Spacing On Compact Bone Viscoelasticity: A Finite Element Analysis, Miguel A. Mendoza

Master's Theses

The D-spacing that is characteristic of collagen and its structural arrangement was previously thought to be a constant value. Much research is revealing that it is actually a distribution of values in biological tissues. Recent ovine experimentation has also shown that the D-spacing distribution is significantly altered following estrogen depletion. While ewes contain some major biological differences between their human counterparts, they are an economical and robust large animal model for postmenopausal osteoporosis. So, the exploration of the possible implications that D-spacing has on the mechanical properties of the whole bone utilizing animal models and computational methods is warranted. Six …

A Lateral Flow Smart Phone Image Analysis Diagnostic, Christina Holly Tyrrell

Master's Theses

A low cost compact diagnostic has many implications in today’s society. Smart phone technology has exponentially grown and with it the imaging capabilities associated with smart phones. The goals of this research are i) to determine the feasibility of combining in the field smart phone images with color dependent assay results, ii) to develop a MatLab® image analysis code to analyze these results, and iii) compare limits of detection between the un-aided eye and MatLab® image analysis software.

Orange G dye is used to create a stock solution and subsequent titers for analysis. Autocad is used to design an assay …

The Role Of Gnrh-Ii And Its Receptor In Testicular Function, Amy T. Desaulniers

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The second mammalian isoform of GnRH (GnRH-II) has been linked to regulation of cell proliferation, feed intake, and the interaction between energy balance and reproductive behavior. In contrast to the native form of GnRH (GnRH-I), GnRH-II is an inefficient modulator of gonadotropin secretion. Unlike many species, a functional receptor (GnRHR-II) specific to this ligand has been discovered in the pig that may be directly involved in testosterone production. Therefore, our objective was to identify the role of GnRH-II and its receptor in testicular function. First, there was 6-fold more GnRHR-II protein in the testis than anterior pituitary gland of boars. …

Novel Roles Of Replication Protein A Phosphorylation In Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Moises A. Serrano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human replication protein A (RPA) is an eukaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein directly involved in a variety of DNA metabolic pathways including replication, recombination, DNA damage checkpoints and signaling, as well as all DNA repair pathways. This project presents 2 novel roles of RPA in the cellular response to DNA damage. The first elucidates the regulation of RPA and p53 interaction by DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR) in homologous recombination (HR). HR and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) are 2 distinct DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair pathways. Here, we report that DNA-PK, the …

Proteomic And Biochemical Studies Of Estrogen-Mediated Signaling And Novel Estrogen Receptor-Interacting Proteins In Breast Cancer Cells, Zhenqi Zhou

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Estrogen plays essential roles in the growth, development, and homeostasis of a number of tissues, and can also be linked to the growth of breast cancer. The biological activities of estrogen are mediated by estrogen receptors (ERs) ERá and ERâ, and also orphan G-protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30). In order to identify novel proteins that are involved in ER-mediated actions of estrogen, we used mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic methods to systematically profile global protein expression in responses to E2 (17â-estradiol) stimulation in human breast cancer cell, and identify and characterize cellular novel proteins that are associated with ERs in breast cancer …

The Children Of Amarna: Disease And Famine In The Time Of Akhenaten, Kathleen Kuckens

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What is now known as Amarna, Egypt there once stood a grand city. Hastily built and quickly abandoned, this once capital city of Egypt was the brainchild of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. In 2002 the final resting place of the inhabitants who populated this ancient city were discovered. Since excavations began at the South Tombs Cemetery an unusual high number of individuals aged 3-25 have been excavated. Out of the 278 individuals excavated thus far, 45% of them fall to the adolescent and sub-adult category. Under normal circumstances this portion of the population tends to be the most robust and resilient, …

Animal Science E-Newsletter, August 2013, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Department Of Animal Sciences

Animal Science e-Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Failure Patterns In Resected Pancreas Adenocarcinoma: Lack Of Predicted Benefit To Smad4 Expression., Jordan M. Winter, Laura H. Tang, David S. Klimstra, Weiguo Liu, Irena Linkov, Murray F. Brennan, Michael I. DʼAngelica, Ronald P. Dematteo, Yuman Fong, William R. Jarnagin, Eileen M. OʼReilly, Peter J. Allen

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether SMAD4 expression is associated with recurrence pattern after resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

BACKGROUND: SMAD4 expression status has been reported to be associated with patterns of failure in PDA, but studies have not examined recurrence patterns after resection.

METHODS: A tissue microarray was constructed including 127 patients with resected PDA and either short-term (<12 >months) or long-term (>30 months) survival. SMAD4 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and categorized as present or lost in tumor cells. Conventional pathologic features (lymph node metastases, positive resection margin, poor grade, and tumor size) were recorded, and disease-specific outcomes …

Malaria Kinase Inhibition: A Tool For Antimalarial Drug Discovery And Elucidation Of Cell Cycle Protein Expression Patterns, Kristen M. Bullard

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Bayesian Estimation Of The Fractal Dimension Index Of Fractional Brownian Motion, Chen-Yueh Chen

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assessing Sensitivity Of Early Head Start Study Findings To Manipulated Randomization Threats, Sheridan Green

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Single-Gender Education On The Reading Achievement Of Third Through Fifth Grade Boys, Michael Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is said repeatedly, boys can't read. However, the statement should be boys can read they just don't. Understanding there is a need for action is the first step educators must take in helping boys emerge as confident and successful readers. Single-gender classrooms can be successful tools when seeking new ways in which to engage boys in reading. This is a step towards creating atmospheres where boys are encouraged to read and where reading is tailored to their interests. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) reading achievement scores of third …

Reducing Radiation Dose To The Female Breast During Ct Coronary Angiography: A Simulation Study Comparing Breast Shielding, Angular Tube Current Modulation, Reduced Kv, And Partial Angle Protocols Using An Unknown-Location Signal-Detectability Metric, Franco Rupcich, Andreu Badal, Lucretiu M. Popescu, Iacovos Kyprianou, Taly Gilat Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

The authors compared the performance of five protocols intended to reduce dose to the breast during computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography scans using a model observer unknown-location signal-detectability metric.

Methods:

The authors simulated CT images of an anthropomorphic female thorax phantom for a 120 kV reference protocol and five “dose reduction” protocols intended to reduce dose to the breast: 120 kV partial angle (posteriorly centered), 120 kV tube-current modulated (TCM), 120 kV with shielded breasts, 80 kV, and 80 kV partial angle (posteriorly centered). Two image quality tasks were investigated: the detection and localization of 4-mm, 3.25 mg/ml and …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents, Michelle R. Woidneck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of exposure to traumatic events among youth in the United States is alarmingly high. Trauma exposure has been linked to numerous negative outcomes, including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problematic posttraumatic stress symptomology. Effective trauma-focused treatments for children and adolescents have been identified; however, these treatments also possess various limitations, including a substantial number of individuals who do not respond, show minimal responsiveness, or drop out before completing treatment. Such limitations indicate that investigation into alternative treatment modalities is warranted.

In collaboration with Utah State University (USU), a psychology professor, Dr. Michael Twohig, and a …

The Ecology And Genetics Of Schoenoplectus Maritimus, An Important Emergent Macrophyte, Across Diverse Hydrologic Conditions—Implications For Restoration, Amanda Clare Sweetman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wetlands in the Intermountain West are typically dominated by large monotypic stands of emergent wetland plants, are highly productive, and support millions of migratory birds as important stops along the Pacific Flyway. In systems with low species diversity, such as these, diversity within a species (intraspecific diversity) can play an important role in population fitness and ecosystem functioning and can impact restoration success. Our research was designed to inform future restoration and management activities by studying the pattern of diversity within and among natural plant populations, and by studying how hydrology and plant materials used in restoration (source and diversity …

Nutrient And Carbon-Dioxide Requirements For Large-Scale Microalgae Biofuel Production, Benjamin K. Shurtz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ever-increasing fuel prices and a limited supply of oil worldwide are threatening our economy and way of life in both the near and distant future. In order to reduce oil
dependence, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has established a goal that by the year 2030, 30% of the US transportation fuel will be renewable. The goal equates to
approximately 60 billion gallons per year of renewable fuel.

In an effort to reach the DOE renewable fuel goal, numerous types of plants are being studied, whose oil can be harvested and refined to serve as replacement fuel.
Among the various …

Utilizing Remote Sensing And Geospatial Techniques To Determine Detection Probabilities Of Large Mammals, Patricia A. Terletzky-Gese

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Whether a species is rare and requires protection or is overabundant and needs control, an accurate estimate of population size is essential for the development of conservation plans and management goals. Wildlife science has traditionally relied on human observers in airplanes, helicopter, or ground vehicles to count the number of individuals seen during wildlife surveys. However, these traditional surveys of wildlife require significant resources, are difficult to conduct quickly and safely over remote and/or extensive locations, are disruptive to the studied species, and are prone to significant error due to unobserved or missed animals and multiple counts of single animals. …