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Lipid Ii-Independent Trans Editing Of Mischarged Trnas By The Penicillin Resistance Factor Murm, Jennifer Shepherd, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a causative agent of nosocomial infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, and septicemia. Penicillin resistance in S. pneumoniae depends in part upon MurM, an aminoacyl-tRNA ligase that attaches l-serine or l-alanine to the stem peptide lysine of Lipid II in cell wall peptidoglycan. To investigate the exact substrates the translation machinery provides MurM, quality control by alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AlaRS) was investigated. AlaRS mischarged serine and glycine to tRNAAla, as observed in other bacteria, and also transferred alanine, serine, and glycine to tRNA^Phe. S. pneumoniae tRNA^Phe has an unusual U4:C69 mismatch in its acceptor stem that …

Boaler Fairchild's 21st Annual International Mango Festival, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into Teacher Support Of Science Explanation In High School Science Inquiry Units, Rebecca Sue Hoffenberg

Dissertations and Theses

The Framework for K-12 Science Education, the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards, identifies scientific explanation as one of the eight practices "essential for learning science." In order to design professional development to help teachers implement these new standards, we need to assess students' current skill level in explanation construction, characterize current teacher practice surrounding it, and identify best practices for supporting students in explanation construction. This multiple-case study investigated teacher practice in eight high school science inquiry units in the Portland metro area and the scientific explanations the students produced in their work samples.

Teacher Instructional Portfolios (TIPs) …

Identification And Characterization Of Ethanol Responsive Genes In Acute Ethanol Behaviors In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Joseph Alaimo

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse and dependence are complex disorders that are influenced by many genetic and environmental factors. Acute behavioral responses to ethanol have predictive value for determining an individual’s long-term susceptibility to alcohol abuse and dependence. These behavioral responses are strongly influenced by genetics. Here, we have explored the role of genetic influences on acute behavioral responses to ethanol using the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. First, we explored the role of ethanol metabolism in acute behavior responses to ethanol. Natural variation in human ethanol metabolism machinery is one of the most reported and reproducible associations found to alter drinking behavior. Ethanol …

Completing College: A Longitudinal Examination Of Potential Antecedents Of Success In Post-Secondary Education For Students With Disabilities, Edwin Achola

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the antecedent conditions that contribute to post-secondary education (PSE) completion for students with disabilities, taking into account institutional experiences associated with social integration. A prospective longitudinal design was used to analyze data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. The study sample consisted of youth who were currently enrolled in vocational schools, two-year community colleges, and four-year universities six years after high school exit. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between pre-entry variables and PSE completion. To test the hypothesis of mediation, the causal step approach (Baron & Kenny, 1986) was …

The Effectiveness Of Periodontal Therapy On Renal Patients With Chronic Periodontitis, Philip L. Fava Ii

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne, Georgia Southern University

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Effects Of Nest And Nest Site Characteristics On Humboldt Penguins’ Breeding Success At Punta San Juan, Peru: Implications For Conservation, Alonso Joaquin Bussalleu

Theses

Populations of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) in Peru began declining significantly in the 19th century because of industrial guano mining and a later increase in fishing. Guano mining changed the features of the penguins’ breeding habitat by eliminating the substrate where this species excavated their burrows. We analyzed the effects of nest and nest site characteristics and monitoring methodologies on Humboldt penguins’ breeding performance at Punta San Juan, Peru. We used a binomial generalized linear mixed model with random intercept to tests for differences in the probability of successfully raising at least one fledgling and also tested for differences in …

Physiological Mechanisms Of Shrub Encroachment: Linking Enhanced Hydraulic Capacity To Efficient Light Capture And Processing, Sheri Shiflett

Theses and Dissertations

Woody plant expansion has been documented for decades in many different ecosystems, often due to anthropogenic disturbances to the environment and yielding vast changes in ecosystem functioning. While causes and consequences of woody expansion have been well documented, few studies have investigated functional traits of woody species that promote rapid expansion in range. My objective was to determine if hydraulic efficiency confers enhanced photosynthetic efficiency so that functional traits representing light and water use may be possible mechanisms facilitating woody encroachment into grasslands and forest understories. I quantified leaf-level light environment, photosynthetic activity, and hydraulic characteristics of three sympatric broadleaf …

Studies Toward The Synthesis Of Lyconadin A And Cranomycin, Brad M. Loertscher

Theses and Dissertations

Lyconadin A is a pentacyclic Lycopodium alkaloid isolated from the club moss Lycopodium companatum with anticancer activity. Our approach sought to incorporate a 7-exo–6-exo acyl radical cyclization cascade to access the bicyclo[5.4.0]undecane framework of lyconadin A. Our studies created methodology for the synthesis of 5-alkyl and 3,5-dialkyl-6-carbomethoxy-2-pyridones and sterically demanding epoxide substrates. These epoxide substrates underwent an unanticipated Payne rearrangement.Cranomycin is a potent antibiotic with antiprotozoal activity. Structurally it is a cyclopentane ring system with substitution at each carbon in the ring. Another interesting structural aspect is the existence of three contiguous quaternary stereocenters including two tertiary alcohols and a …

Hybrid System For Enhancing Algal Growth Using Vertical Membranes, David J. Bayless, Ben J. Stuart

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A method for enhancing gas-to-liquid transfer rate and algal growth using vertical membranes suspended over a pond, wherein the membranes are formed of fibers. An aqueous solution is applied to the top edges of the membranes through a series of headers. The membranes are exposed to a stream of gas containing soluble gas species as the aqueous solution migrates downwardly through the membranes by virtue of gravity-assisted capillary action. The aqueous solution collects the soluble gases from the gas stream, thus promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms on the membranes and in the pond. The membranes facilitate a gradual introduction …

African American Muslim Women: Navigating Racial And Religious Identities, Margaret Ann Parrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Since the events of 9/11, a large amount of scholarship has been dedicated to uncovering information regarding the experiences of foreign Muslims living in the United States, while very little attention has been paid to the experiences of African American Muslims. This study seeks to remedy that gap by focusing on the experiences of African American Muslim women who wear a hijab throughout their day-to-day lives. Four women were chosen for this study and interview questions were developed with a specific focus on how they navigate both their religious and racial identities on a daily basis. Beginning research from the …

Interactions Between Nanospheres And Lipid Membranes, Sudhir Upreti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Potential applications of nanoparticles in various field including medicine and industries demand careful investigations of the interaction between nanoparticles and the plasma membrane and the resulting effect this has on the structural, mechanical and thermal properties of the plasma membrane. Furthermore, understanding the interactions between nanoparticles and bio membranes will allow us to design nanoparticles for optimal transmembrane transport. Using large-scaleLangevin molecular dynamics simulations, we systematically investigated the adsorption of spherical nanoparticles on lipid membranes, their effect on the morphological changes of the membrane, and the clustering of the nanoparticles. Our study is performed with changing the parameters such as …

A Lover And A Fighter: The Genome Sequence Of An Entomopathogenic Nematode Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora, Xiaodong Bai, Byron J. Adams, Todd A. Ciche, Sandra Clifton, Randy Gaugler, Kwi-Suk Kim, Parwinder Grewal

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora are entomopathogenic nematodes that have evolved a mutualism with Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria to function as highly virulent insect pathogens. The nematode provides a safe harbor for intestinal symbionts in soil and delivers the symbiotic bacteria into the insect blood. The symbiont provides virulence and toxins, metabolites essential for nematode reproduction, and antibiotic preservation of the insect cadaver. Approximately half of the 21,250 putative protein coding genes identified in the 77 Mbp high quality draft H. bacteriophora genome sequence were novel proteins of unknown function lacking homologs in Caenorhabditis elegans or any other sequenced organisms. Similarly, 317 of the …

Cosmology Research In India: A Scientometric Study, Bidyarthi Dutta Dr., Durga Sankar Rath Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The scientometric study of 1198 articles on Cosmology research in Indiaspanning over the years 1999 to 2012 downloaded from Web of Science has been executed in this paper. The study analyses literature growth trends, which reveals a uniform growth of literature over the said time span with a little droop in the year 2010. It also examines collaborations with different countries worldwide. The authorship pattern, document types involved and active Indian institutions co-coordinating research in this subject area have also been studied.Bradford law of scattering was employed to identify the core journals and Lotka’s law was employed to study the …

The Best Things In Museums Are The Windows, Harrell Fletcher

The Best Things in Museums are the Windows

"As an Exploratorium Artist-in-Residence I created a project that involved traveling for four days with a group of participants from the end of the museum’s building across the Bay in a sail boat and then walking from Emeryville to the top of Mt Diablo. The trip covered about forty miles. In the group of participants were Exploratorium staff, scientists and members of the public. Each participant and various invited people along the way did presentations on topics related to the areas we were traveling through. Additional members of the public connected with the core group at more than a dozen …

Articular Cartilage Response Following Impact Injury, Lauren L. Vernon

Open Access Dissertations

Articular cartilage is a connective tissue that distributes mechanical loads within the knee. When injured, cartilage has a limited ability to heal. If left untreated, cartilage injuries can lead to chondrocyte death, which leads to cartilage deterioration (osteoarthritis), pain, and disability. Mechanical factors, such as impact injuries, are considered a major cause of the resulting cartilage degeneration. However, therapies that focus on early intervention have not been developed. Furthermore, high and low weight bearing regions exist within the knee. Differences in cartilage mechanical conditioning in these regions result in regional properties differences such as thickness, proteoglycan content, metabolism, and chondrocyte …

Translating Dosage Compensation To Trisomy 21, Jun Jiang, Yuanchun Jing, Gregory J. Cost, Jen-Chieh Chiang, Heather J. Kolpa, Allison M. Cotton, Dawn M. Carone, Benjamin R. Carone, David A. Shivak, Dmitry Y. Guschin, Jocelynn R. Pearl, Edward J. Rebar, Meg Byron, Philip D. Gregory, Carolyn J. Brown, Fyodor D. Urnov, Lisa L. Hall, Jeanne B. Lawrence

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Down syndrome (DS) is a common disorder with enormous medical and social costs, caused by trisomy for chromosome 21 (Chr21). We tested the concept that gene imbalance across an extra chromosome can be de facto corrected by manipulating a single gene, XIST. Using genome editing with zinc finger nucleases, we targeted a large, inducible XIST transgene into the Chr21 DYRK1A locus, in DS pluripotent stem cells. XIST RNA coats Chr21 and triggers stable heterochromatin modifications, chromosome-wide transcriptional silencing and DNA methylation to form a “Chr21 Barr Body.” This provides a model to study human chromosome inactivation and creates a system …

Selecting Surrogate Endpoints For Estimating Pesticide Effects On Avian Reproductive Success, Richard S. Bennett, Matthew A. Etterson

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

A Markov chain nest productivity model (MCnest) has been developed for projecting the effects of a specific pesticide‐use scenario on the annual reproductive success of avian species of concern. A critical element in MCnest is the use of surrogate endpoints, defined as measured endpoints from avian toxicity tests that represent specific types of effects possible in field populations at specific phases of a nesting attempt. In this article, we discuss the attributes of surrogate endpoints and provide guidance for selecting surrogates from existing avian laboratory tests as well as other possible sources.We also discuss some of the assumptions and uncertainties …

Tethered Domains And Flexible Regions In Trnase Zl, The Long Form Of Trnase Z, Christopher Wilson, Daryl Ramai, Dmitri Serjanov, Neema Lama, Louis Levinger, Emmanuel J. Chang

Publications and Research

tRNase Z, a member of the metallo-β-lactamase family, endonucleolytically removes the pre-tRNA 3′ trailer in a step central to tRNA maturation. The short form (tRNase ZS) is the only one found in bacteria and archaebacteria and is also present in some eukaryotes. The homologous long form (tRNase ZL), exclusively found in eukaryotes, consists of related amino- and carboxy-domains, suggesting that tRNase ZL arose from a tandem duplication of tRNase ZS followed by interdependent divergence of the domains. X-ray crystallographic structures of tRNase ZS reveal a flexible arm (FA) extruded from the body of tRNase Z remote from the active site …

Initial Interest, Goals, And Changes In Class Scores In Introductory Physics For Life Sciences, Catherine Hirshfeld Crouch, Panchompoo Wisittanawat , '13, K. Ann Renninger

Educational Studies Faculty Works

To examine the effect of extensive life science applications on student attitudes to learning physics, we analyzed CLASS data from life science students in introductory physics. We compare the same students' responses from the first semester, taught with a standard syllabus, to the second semester, taught with extensive life science applications (IPLS). Although first semester responses become less favorable (pre to post), IPLS responses show an increase in favorable and a decrease in unfavorable responses. This is noteworthy because improvement is rarely observed without direct attention to attitudes/beliefs, and suggests IPLS courses are one possible approach to improving attitudes. Finally, …

Determination Of Valuable Areas For Migratory Songbirds Along The East-Asian Australasian Flyway (Eeaf), And An Approach For Strategic Conservation Planning, Maria Beiring

Faculty

Having valuable high-quality stopover sites available for migratory birds is one of the key factors for the success of migration. However, beside the conservation of breeding and wintering grounds, the actual protection of valuable stopover sites has often been somewhat neglected. Overall 93 of 315 passerine species along the East-Asian Australasian Flyway (EEAF) are declining. That’s the highest overall number of threatened passerines on any known flyway. Additionally, the high human density in South-East Asia and the ongoing degradation of natural resources further poses a serious problem and threat to migratory songbirds and necessitates urgent action. This study aims to …

Volume 50, Number 48: July 17, 2013, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Proteolytic Cleavage Of Apolipoprotein E4 As The Keystone For The Heightened Risk Associated With Alzheimer’S Disease, Troy T. Rohn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by microscopic lesions consisting of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The majority of cases are defined as sporadic and are likely caused by a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. Of the genetic risk factors identified, the 34 kDa protein, apolipoprotein (apo) E4, is of significant importance as APOE4 carriers account for 65%–80% of all AD cases. Although apoE4 plays a normal role in lipoprotein transport, how it contributes to AD pathogenesis is currently unknown. One potential mechanism by which apoE4 contributes to disease risk is its propensity to …

Non-Invasive Nocturnal Surveys Of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches At La Flor (Pacific) Nicaragua, And Pacuare Reserve And Tortuguero (Caribbean) Costa Rica, July 2013, Falk Huettmann

Faculty

Marine turtles on the nesting beaches of La Flor public beach (latitude11.14282, longitude 11.14282, geographic datum WGS84), Pacific Nicaragua, and Pacuare Reserve public beach (latitude 10.20123, longitude 83.25925) and Tortuguero (latitude 10.59583, longitude 83.52520) , Caribbean, Costa Rica were observed during late hours after sunset. Observations where noninvasive, geo-referenced and observers stayed three meters away from the sea turtles, according to the national requirements (no light, and some limited red light was used for field clarifications). Many surrounding attributes were taken into consideration and measured including date, time, species, location, observed cysts present in the facial region, visually estimated carapace …

Micro-Habitat Description Of Sea Turtle Nests On Three Public Nesting Beaches In Laflor (Pacific) Southeast Nicaragua, And Pacuare Reserve And Tortuguero (Caribbean) Costa Rica During July 2013, Falk Huettmann

Faculty

Descriptions of the micro habitat of sea turtle nests were recorded on three public beaches: La Flor (latitude 11.14282, longitude 85.79418, Pacific) in southwest Nicaragua, and Pacuar Reserve (latitude10.20123 longitude 83.25925), and Tourtuguero (latitude 10.59583, longitude 83.52520) at the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Species covered are the Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 173840), Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea TSN 173843), and presumably Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata TSN 208666) and the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas TSN 173833). After a nest was identified during night and the turtle left successfully, next day the following micro-habitat attributes were …

Marine Turtle Nesting Track Survey On Playa De Coco, Nicaragua, And Playa Vigilada (Pacuare) And Tortuguero, Costa Rica, July 2013, Falk Huettmann

Faculty

Marine turtle tracks were observed on the beaches of Playa de Coco (Pacific, southwest Nicaragua; latitude 11.15382 , longitude 85.80051; WGS 84 ), Playa Vigilada (Pacuare; latitude 10.20123, longitude 83.25925) and Tortuguero (Caribbean, Costa Rica; latitude 10.59583, longitude 83.52520) during the early morning hours. Number of sea turtle tracks were counted along a transect. This was done by walking along the shore every morning to look for specific tracks that matched the tracks of sea turtle species. Maximum number of tracks observed was 8, while the minimum number obsereved was 0. Tracks had distinct features with flipper tracks visible on …

Marine Boat Surveys For The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea) Off Of The Coast Of La Flor Playa De Coco, Nicaragua, 9th And 13th July 2013, Falk Huettmann

Faculty

Two marine monitoring boat surveys were conducted off the coasts of La Flor and Playa de Coco, southwest Nicaragua. Single and mating pairs of Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea, TSN 1738400), were observed and activity and geo-referencing recorded with a GPS (decial latitude and longitude, geographic datum WGS84). Single turtles were seen basking and breathing at the surface of the water and subsequently would dive into the water. Mating pairs were also observed. Males held onto the females via a hook on the front flippers, scars were observed but no tumors were detected. Some photos were taken for visualisation.

Knowledge Extraction From Survey Data Using Neural Networks, Imran Ahmed Khan

Computer Science Theses

Surveys are an important tool for researchers. Survey attributes are typically discrete data measured on a Likert scale. Collected responses from the survey contain an enormous amount of data. It is increasingly important to develop powerful means for clustering such data and knowledge extraction that could help in decision-making. The process of clustering becomes complex if the number of survey attributes is large. Another major issue in Likert-Scale data is the uniqueness of tuples. A large number of unique tuples may result in a large number of patterns and that may increase the complexity of the knowledge extraction process. Also, …

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

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. July 17, 2013. Volume 92-Issue 106.