Digital Commons Network^™

Random Mutagenesis Of The Aspergillus Oryzae Genome Results In Fungal Antibacterial Activity, Cory A. Leonard, Stacy D. Brown, James Russell Hayman

ETSU Faculty Works

Multidrug-resistant bacteria cause severe infections in hospitals and communities. Development of new drugs to combat resistant microorganisms is needed. Natural products of microbial origin are the source of most currently available antibiotics. We hypothesized that random mutagenesis of Aspergillus oryzae would result in secretion of antibacterial compounds. To address this hypothesis, we developed a screen to identify individual A. oryzae mutants that inhibit the growth of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro. To randomly generate A. oryzae mutant strains, spores were treated with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Over 3000 EMS-treated A. oryzae cultures were tested in the screen, and one isolate, …

The Physical Theatre Of War: Language, Memory, And Gender In Black Watch And War Horse, Andrea M. Gunoe

Theses and Dissertations

The public's perception of war is influenced by every media story they see, every account they read, and every story they hear. News telecasts and newspapers tend to lean towards a focus of the grand narratives of war such as political involvement and overarching strategy. Media such as books and film can tell a more personal narrative of the events of war and attempt to display how war "really is" through the use of written and visual language that focuses more on how things happened as opposed to simply what happened. Theatre provides a unique perspective on war as the …

Regulation Of Cardiac Hypertrophy By Makap-Anchored Rsk3, Michael D. Kritzer-Cheren

Open Access Dissertations

ERK MAP-kinases regulate the concentric growth and survival of cardiac myocytes. Recently, we discovered that the ERK effector RSK3 binds to the scaffold protein mAKAP at the cardiac myocyte nuclear envelope. RSK3 activation was specifically regulated by ERK1/2/5, but not JNK and p38, in phenylephrine (PE), leukemia inhibitory factor and serum-treated neonatal cardiac myocytes. RSK3 siRNA inhibited PE-increased myocyte cross-section area 36 +/- 6%, while completely inhibiting ANF and BNP expression. To address the importance in RSK3 anchoring in its function, we expressed the RSK3 binding domain of mAKAP in myocytes. The peptide inhibited morphologic hypertrophy 63 +/- 16% and …

Gsu View, 2013-07-08, Office Of Marketing And Communications

GSU View

Newsletter published by Governors State University 2007-current.

The Proportions Of People Living With Hiv In Low And Middle-Income Countries Who Test Tuberculin Skin Test Positive Using Either A 5 Mm Or A 10 Mm Cut-Off: A Systematic Review, Andrew D. Kerkhoff, Ankur Gupta, Taraz Samandari, Stephen D. Lawn

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Synthetic Model Of Human Beta-Thalassemia Erythropoiesis Using Cd34+ Cells From Healthy Adult Donors, Y. Terry Lee, Ki-Soon Kim, Colleen Byrnes, Jaira F. De Vasconcellos, Seung-Jae Noh, Antoinette Rabel, Emily Riehm Meier, Jeffrey L. Meier

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Based upon the lack of clinical samples available for research in many laboratories worldwide, a significant gap exists between basic and clinical studies of beta-thalassemia major. To bridge this gap, we developed an artificially engineered model for human beta thalassemia by knocking down beta-globin gene and protein expression in cultured CD34+ cells obtained from healthy adults. Lentiviral-mediated transduction of beta-globin shRNA (beta-KD) caused imbalanced globin chain production. Beta-globin mRNA was reduced by 90% compared to controls, while alpha-globin mRNA levels were maintained. HPLC analyses revealed a 96% reduction in HbA with only a minor increase in HbF. During the terminal …

Reviewing Models Of Land Availability And Dynamics For Biofuel Crops In The United States And The European Union, Ruopu Li, Nicola Di Virgilio, Qingfeng Guan, Song Feng, Goetz M. Richter

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The biofuel-related land use in the USA and the EU has significantly expanded during the last decade; models have been used to estimate land availability and demand in these regions. This paper provides an overview of different land-use modeling practices applicable to first- and second-generation biofuels. We review the importance of different land categories for biofuels, modeling approaches (top-down/bottom-up) and their integration, data availability for calibration and validation, model scale, and uncertainty. Possible future changes of biofuel land use and research gaps and limitations are synthesized. Key issues are the lack of data for independent validation and the need for …

Undecided Students: A Study Of Decision-Making Styles And Choosing A College Major At Rowan University, Kathleen Pasquarella

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were (a) to investigate the decision-making styles of undecided students who are in the process of choosing a major at Rowan University, (b) to investigate students' reactions to making a real-life decision such as choosing a major, and (c) to determine if there is a significant relationship between students' decision-making styles and the characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and class level. The subjects in this study were undecided, full-time, freshman and sophomore students in the Exploratory Studies Program (ESP) at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, during the 2012-2013 academic year. A survey consisting of 59 Likert …

Archaeological Field School Students Uncover Prehistoric Artifacts, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

The Rate And Effects Of Spontaneous Mutation On Fitness Traits In The Social Amoeba, Dictyostelium Discoideum, David W. Hall, Sara Fox, Jennie J. Kuzdzal-Fick, Joan E. Strassmann, David C. Queller

Biology Faculty Research

We performed a mutation accumulation (MA) experiment in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum to estimate the rate and distribution of effects of spontaneous mutations affecting eight putative fitness traits. We found that the per-generation mutation rate for most fitness components is 0.0019 mutations per haploid genome per generation or larger. This rate is an order of magnitude higher than estimates for fitness components in the unicellular eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae, even though the base-pair substitution rate is two orders of magnitude lower. The high rate of fitness-altering mutations observed in this species may be partially explained by a large mutational target …

The Politics Of The "New North": Putting History And Geography At Stake In Arctic Futures, Andrew T. Stuhl

Faculty Journal Articles

References to a “New North” have snowballed across popular media in the past

10 years. By invoking the phrase, scientists, policy analysts, journalists and others

draw attention to the collision of global warming and global investment in

the Arctic today and project a variety of futures for the region and the planet.

While changes are apparent, the trope of a “New North” is not new. Discourses

that appraised unfamiliar situations at the top of the world have recurred

throughout the twentieth century. They have also accompanied attempts to

cajole, conquer, civilize, consume, conserve and capitalize upon the far north.

This …

Adam10 Overexpression Dysregulates Notch Signaling In Favor Of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cell (Mdsc) Accumulation That Deferentially Modulates The Host Response Depending On Immune Stimuli And Interaction With Mast Cells., Sheinei Saleem

Theses and Dissertations

Although the physiological consequences of Notch signaling in hematopoiesis have been extensively studied, the differential effects of individual notch cleavage products remain to be elucidated. Given that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) is a critical regulator of Notch and that its deletion is embryonically lethal, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress ADAM10 at early stages of lymphoid and myeloid development (A10Tg). ADAM10 transgene expression alters hematopoiesis post-hematopoietic Lineage-Sca-1+c-kit+ (LSK) subset differentiation but prior to lineage commitment of progenitor populations. This results in delayed T cell development, abrogated B2 cell development, and dramatic expansion of functionally active myeloid derived suppressor …

Nuclear Bmp2 And The Immune Response, Daniel S. Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear bone morphogenetic protein 2 (nBMP2) is a nuclear variant of the secreted growth factor BMP2. Experiments in nBmp2NLStm mutant mice, which lack nBMP2 in the nucleus, have shown that nBMP2 affects intracellular calcium transport in skeletal muscle and hippocampal neurons. The objective of this study was to determine whether nBMP2 affects the immune system, since activation of lymphocytes and other immune cells depends on intracellular calcium transport. We found that spleens in nBmp2NLStm mutant mice were 24% smaller than in wild type mice. The white pulp of the spleen contains many immune cells, particularly B and T lymphocytes and …

Factors Underlying Invasive Grass Fire Regimes In The Mojave Desert And Its Consequences On Plant And Animal Communities, Kevin J. Horn

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and exotic plant invasions are significant anthropogenic threats to desert community structure and resilience . In the Mojave Desert, the invasive grass red brome (Bromusrubens L) is increasing fire frequency and extent in response to climatic factors. The resilience of this ecosystem will be affected by how plant and animal communities respond to fire. To better understand these dynamics, we studied the environmental factors underlying changes in invasive grass fire regimes in the Mojave Desert and its structural and functional effects on plant and animal communities. Following fire, reestablishment of native vegetation can be preempted by repeated burning …

Alignment Between Secondary Biology Textbooks And Standards For Teaching English Learners: A Content Analysis, Joseph H. Hanks

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the most recent science education reform movement in the U.S. is science literacy for all Americans. Science literacy among U.S. students remains low, however, as compared with students in other industrialized countries, and is lowest among English Language Learner (ELL) students. Although there are barriers to developing science literacy for all adolescent students, ELL students often experience additional barriers that make developing science literacy even more challenging without support. Because textbooks are often heavily relied upon by secondary science teachers, the opportunity for many ELLs to develop science literacy may depend upon the support for these students …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Integrating Science And Engineering Content And Pedagogy In An Elementary School Classroom, Katie Nicole Barth

Theses and Dissertations

Fewer students in the United States are choosing to study and enter careers in the STEM disciplines-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This problem is being addressed through current educational reforms focusing on Integrated STEM curriculum and instructional design. This mixed-method quasi-experimental study researched the effects of science-engineering integration on student learning, student attitudes, and student interests in science within an elementary setting through the creation and implementation of an integrated science and engineering unit of instruction focused on the water cycle. Comparisons of student performance on end-of-unit science assessments revealed no significant differences in student learning between students who experienced …

Pouring Salt On A Wound: Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Virulence Factors Alter Na+ And Cl− Flux In The Lung, Alicia E. Ballok, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen with multiple niches in the human body, including the lung. P. aeruginosa infections are particularly damaging or fatal for patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis (CF). To establish an infection, P. aeruginosa relies on a suite of virulence factors, including lipopolysaccharide, phospholipases, exoproteases, phenazines, outer membrane vesicles, type III secreted effectors, flagella, and pili. These factors not only damage the epithelial cell lining but also induce changes in cell physiology and function such as cell shape, membrane permeability, and protein synthesis. While such virulence factors are important in …

On Multivariate Rank And Generalized Rank Regression, Majeda Salman, Joseph W. Mckean

Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability

Multivariate regression estimates based on ranks and generalized ranks are proposed. These estimates are based on a transformation and retransformation technique that uses Tyler’s (1987) M-estimator of scatter. The proposed estimates are obtained by retransforming the componentwise rank-based estimate due to Davis and McKean (1993) and a componentwise generalized rank estimate. Asymptotic properties of the estimates are established under some regularity conditions. It is shown that both estimates have a multivariate normal limiting distribution. The influence function of the retransformed generalized rank estimate has a bounded influence in both factor and response spaces. It is shown through a simulation study …

A Test Of Homogeneity Against Umbrella Scale Alternative Based On Gini’S Mean Difference, Anil Gaur

Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability

In this paper, a test procedure based on Gini’s mean difference for testing homogeneity of scale parameters against umbrella ordered alternative with at least one strict inequality, when peak of the umbrella is known, is proposed. The exact critical points through simulation are computed for the proposed test in case of standard exponential, standard logistic and standard uniform distributions; however the proposed test can be applied even in case of other distributions like Laplace, Pareto, Weibull, etc. Construction of Simultaneous one-sided confidence intervals (SOCIs) is proposed along with an illustration. Power of the proposed test is computed and some power …

An Approximation Method To Calculate Complicated Expectations, Mohammad Moradi, Jennifer Brown

Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability

In some adaptive sampling designs, expectations need to be calculated as sampling progresses. For situations when these calculations need to be done in the field where there is no access to computers, or for very complicated and computer intensive calculations, we introduce an approximation method. The method to approximate the expectation is based on conditioning on small set of points. An application of the approximation method is described for a sample design with a complicated estimator.

New Web Of Knowledge Databases, Georgia Southern University, Zach S. Henderson Library

Library Publications (1999-2023)

• New Web of Knowledge Databases

Aesthetic Experience And Design Expertise, Anders Haug

Experiential Knowledge (EKSIG) Conference Series

An important part of design expertise is the ability to design objects that produce aesthetic affection. To shed light on the relationship between design expertise and aesthetic experience, this paper proposes a model of how aesthetic preferences are developed and understood. The model is derived by using a distinction between conscious and subconscious mental processes, which produces the four processes of "affection," "attention," "reflection" and "internalization." These processes can be seen as occurring in cycles, during which aesthetic preferences and understandings of such develop. Since the cycle of four processes only represents an idealized perspective of reality, possible deviations and …

Experiences On Developing Intuitive Thinking Among University-Level Teachers, Asta Raami

Experiential Knowledge (EKSIG) Conference Series

This study investigates the impact from two courses focusing on the development of intuition. Intuition is an integral part of human thinking, and its role is essential in all creative processes. Yet the potential of intuition is completely ignored in school education. The data consists of 20 University level teachers who joined a course in intuition development. The teachers represent domains varying from design to architecture, engineering and economics, and the major research goals shared in these domains are production of creative ideas, innovation and complex problem solving skills. The focus of the study is to research how the course …

Developing Intuitive Thinking In Designers: Creative Process And Criticism In Tertiary Foundation Studies, Mari Lecanides-Arnott

Experiential Knowledge (EKSIG) Conference Series

Self-awareness and confidence have been identified as necessary attributes for “design thinking” and “creative design action”. In order to communicate within a global “networked knowledge society”, designers need to possess breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and understanding that can be adapted for use in different situations. In design, outcomes are purpose driven and practical, and as the complex field of design bridges art and science, it is argued that “designers create culture”, and as such theory and practice should be integrated. Gaining knowledge of the visual language of art and design, and a critical awareness of “core ideas” in …

Emotion Regulation In Depression: Investigating Mechanisms Underlying Reappraisal, Catherine M. D'Avanzato

Open Access Dissertations

Sustained negative affect is a hallmark feature of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and much evidence indicates that depression is associated with difficulties regulating negative emotions. Whereas many studies have demonstrated an association between rumination and depression, few studies have examined depressed individuals’ ability to utilize adaptive strategies, such as reappraisal. The present study was the first to investigate whether individuals with depression have difficulty effectively using reappraisal in response to a laboratory mood induction. Further, we examined whether interpretive biases and cognitive control deficits underlie individual differences in the ability to reappraise. Consistent with hypotheses, results demonstrated that reappraisal was …

Climate Regulation As If The Planet Matters: The Earth Jurisprudence Approach To Climate Change, Glenn Wright

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

It is now beyond doubt that humans are having an enormously detrimental impact on the natural world. In the face of the incredible environmental challenges we face, new and radical ideas have emerged about how we should regulate human behavior. This paper briefly focuses on the failure of current legal regimes to address climate change, and considers how climate governance would look under the Earth Jurisprudence approach: setting our laws within the context of fundamental principles of ecology and planetary boundaries. Consideration is given to how existing legal concepts could be used to achieve this vision. The paper concludes that …

Permitting Problems: Environmental Justice And The Miccosukee Indian Tribe, Charles Prior

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians is a federally recognized tribe that works and resides in the Everglades region of the State of Florida. The Miccosukee have been battling lax water quality standards through lawsuits since the 1990’s. Recent rulings in federal court held that the State of Florida has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act and ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to set nutrient criteria for the water bodies in the state of Florida until the Florida Department of Environmental Protection complies with the Clean Water Act.

This article uses the principles of environmental justice to analyze ways …

Mapping The Terrain Of Earth Jurisprudence: Landscape, Thresholds And Horizons, Anne Louise Schillmoller, Alessandro Pelizzon

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

This paper investigates central ideas in the emergent field of Earth Jurisprudence. It suggests that development of conceptual and practical frameworks for an earth justice system predicated on rights of nature is currently at a nascent stage, but such ‘creative uncertainty’ provides scholars and practitioners with opportunities to identify and articulate new conceptual frameworks which avoid some of the hazards of human exceptionalism.

Part I suggests that the concept of ‘rights of nature’ rests upon contestable epistemological and ontological claims and that an effective Earth Jurisprudence will require a continual negotiation of interpretative disagreements and frameworks for action.

Part II …

State Conservation As Settler Colonial Governance At Ka‘Ena Point, Hawai‘I, Bianca Isaki

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

This paper argues, by illustrating, that liberal multiculturalism and natural resources are interlinked strategies of settler colonial governance in political debates surrounding the construction of a “predator-proof” fence for conservation purposes across Native Hawaiian lands of deep cultural and historical significance at Ka`ena Point, a state wilderness park in Hawai`i. First, this paper shifts debates framed in terms of the seeming recalcitrance of Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners to recognize the necessity of natural resource management. Second, it considers how these political debates are repeated in the context of legal questions over the forms through which Native Hawaiian cultural claims may …

Kniola: Cave Adventures At Bernheim, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.