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Study Of Surface Modification Of Tungsten Nanostructures For Superhydrophobic Applications, Richard Alletru

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we studied the impact of the modification of the structure of tungsten surfaces through physical vapor deposition (magnetron sputtering), electrochemical (anodization and electropolishing), and thermal (annealing) processes on the wettability of the designed surfaces. We observed static contact angle values ranging from around 10° to above 150° showing the importance of the techniques used to produce the surfaces. We noticed that the annealing process tends to increase the wettability, transforming hydrophobic surfaces into hydrophilic surfaces. We also observed that electropolishing affects the wettability in such a way that the contact angles of pre-chemically treated tungsten foils tend …

The Osh Family Of Proteins And Their Role In Caloric Restriction-Mediated Lifespan Extension In The Budding Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, William Douglas Craft

Theses and Dissertations

Oxysterol-binding protein homolouges (OSH) have been implicated in mediating non-vesicular sterol transport. Caloric restriction (CR) down-regulates sterol synthesis in a variety of organisms, including the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. OSH6, when up-regulated, extends replicative lifespan. In contrast, OSH5 up-regulation shortens replicative lifespan. In this thesis I obtained evidence to show that the deletion of OSH5 extends replicative lifespan in normal media. Deletion of OSH5 in the presence of caloric restriction blocks the lifespan-extending properties of the CR media. My data demonstrate that the total cellular sterol levels of the longevity mutants are indistinguishable from that of wild type. This suggests …

Transport, Deposition, And Hygroscopic Growth Of Diverse-Regime Aerosols In Human Respiratory Airways Of Varying Ages, Jongwon Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Determining how many inhaled aerosols deposit in human respiratory airways and where they deposit (i.e., respiratory dosimetry) are of critical importance in a number of fields. Applications of respiratory dosimetry modeling include evaluating health effects of inhaled pollutants, establishing environmental exposure standards, and developing effective techniques for delivering pharmaceutical aerosols to the lung. However, the manifold characteristics of aerosols coupled with the complexity of respiratory tract make such analysis a challenging task as well as a highly multidisciplinary effort, entailing expertise from medicine, engineering, and physiology. In this study, three major factors that affect particle transport and depositions were systematically …

Novel And Predominant Pathogen Responsible For The Enterovirus-Associated Encephalitis In Eastern China, Lei Zhang, Jie Yan, David M. Ojcius, Huakun Lv, Ziping Miao, Yin Chen, Yanjun Zhang, Jvying Yan

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Enteroviruses (EV) have been increasingly identified as the causative agent for unknown etiological encephalitis in many parts of the world, but the long period surveillance for enterovirus-associated encephalitis (EAE) was not reported in China. From 2002-2012 in Zhejiang, Coxsackieviruses A9, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5; and echoviruses 3, 4, 6, 9, 14, 25, 30 were detected from the unknown etiological encephalitis cases, with coxsackievirus B4 been identified here for the first time. From 2002-2004 and 2010-2012, echovirus 30 was found to be the periodically predominant serotype for in the EAE. The molecular typing results showed that all the EV isolates …

Nicotine Exploits A Copi-Mediated Process For Chaperone-Mediated Up-Regulation Of Its Receptors, Brandon J. Henderson, Rahul Srinivasan, Weston A. Nichols, Crystal N. Dilworth, Diana F. Gutierrez, Elisha D. W. Mackey, Sheri Mckinney, Ryan M. Drenan, Christopher I. Richards, Henry A. Lester

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Chronic exposure to nicotine up-regulates high sensitivity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain. This up-regulation partially underlies addiction and may also contribute to protection against Parkinson's disease. nAChRs containing the α6 subunit (α6* nAChRs) are expressed in neurons in several brain regions, but comparatively little is known about the effect of chronic nicotine on these nAChRs. We report here that nicotine up-regulates α6* nAChRs in several mouse brain regions (substantia nigra pars compacta, ventral tegmental area, medial habenula, and superior colliculus) and in neuroblastoma 2a cells. We present evidence that a coat protein complex I (COPI)-mediated process mediates this …

A Multifaceted Analysis Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer With High-Throughput Technologies, Aleksandra A. Markovets

Theses and Dissertations

As a subtype of breast cancer, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a unique molecular profile, distinct patterns of metastasis and a very aggressive phenotype. Without viable, confirmed therapeutic targets, treatment of TNBC remains one of the most pressing clinical challenges. Hypothesis-driven research on TNBC has focused on a handful of molecules suspected of playing a role in the disease etiology and has yielded limited success. The mechanisms underlying the origin and development of this disease still remain unknown. This gap in understanding the molecular mechanisms in TNBC was critical for undertaking the following analysis of this disease. …

Interactive Virtual Suturing Simulations: Enhancement Of Student Learning In Veterinary Medicine, Charles B. Boyd, Amy J. Staton

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Christine B. Boyd and Amy J. Staton on December 29, 2013.

12/28/2013 Obituary Records, Hawaii Obituaries

Obituaries

List of Obituaries for individuals who passed away on 12/28/2013. Scroll down to see the names and obituary description.

Role Of Defensins In The Pathogenesis Of Chronic Lung Allograft Rejection, Venkataswarup Tiriveedhi, Babak Banan, Saini Deepti, Angaswamy Nataraju, Ramsey Hachem, Elbert Trulock, Patterson G. Alexander, Thalachallour Mohanakumar

Biology Faculty Research

Chronic rejection predominantly manifested as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), still remains a major problem affecting long-term outcomes in human lung transplantation (LTx). Donor specific antibodies (DSA) and infiltration of neutrophils in the graft have been associated with the development of BOS. This study determines the role of defensins, produced by neutrophils, and its interaction with α-1-antitrypsin (AAT) towards induction of airway inflammation and fibrosis which are characteristic hallmarks of BOS. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum from LTx recipients, BOS+ (n=28), BOS− (n=26) and normal healthy controls (n=24) were analyzed. Our results show that BOS+ LTx recipients had higher α-defensins (HNP1–3) …

Serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone (Amh) In Prediction Of Oocyte Quality And In Vitro Fertilization (Ivf) Outcome, Aseel N. Kamil, Basil Om Saleh, Nada F Hassan

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Growing evidence indicates that serum Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels could be of great importance for understanding the relationship with oocyte quality for IVF. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of serum level of AMH in differentiation of infertile female patients with good quality oocytes, who are good responder and ready to enter the IVF cycles. OBJECTIVE: This study included 25 infertile females classified into two groups: (15) females with Tubal obstruction and 10 females with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Also, nineteen fertile females were served as controls. METHODS: Investigation included serum measurements of …

Spatial Analysis Of Factors Influencing Long-Term Stress In The Grizzly Bear (Ursus Arctos) Population Of Alberta, Canada, Mathieu Bourbonnais, Trisalyn Nelson, Mark Cattet, Chris T. Darimont, Gordon Stenhouse

Physiology Collection

Non-invasive measures for assessing long-term stress in free ranging mammals are an increasingly important approach for understanding physiological responses to landscape conditions. Using a spatially and temporally expansive dataset of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) generated from a threatened grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Alberta, Canada, we quantified how variables representing habitat conditions and anthropogenic disturbance impact long-term stress in grizzly bears. We characterized spatial variability in male and female HCC point data using kernel density estimation and quantified variable influence on spatial patterns of male and female HCC stress surfaces using random forests. Separate models were developed for regions …

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 27, 2013, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Understory Vegetation And Litter On Plant Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), N∶P Ratio And Their Relationships With Growth Rate Of Indigenous Seedlings In Subtropical Plantations, Jun Wang, Dafeng Hui, Hai Ren, Zhanfeng Liu, Long Yang

Biology Faculty Research

Establishing seedlings in subtropical plantations is very important for forest health, succession and management. Information on seedling nutrient concentrations is essential for both the selection of suitable indigenous tree species to accelerate succession of the established plantation and sustainable forest management. In this study, we investigated the concentrations of nitrogen ([N]), phosphorus ([P]), and N∶P ratio in leaves, stems and roots of seedlings of three indigenous tree species (Castanopsis chinensis, Michelia chapensis and Psychotria rubra) transplanted with removing or retaining understory vegetation and litter at two typical subtropical forest plantations (Eucalyptus plantation and native species plantation). We also measured the …

Amino Acid Region 1000–1008 Of Factor V Is A Dynamic Regulator For The Emergence Of Procoagulant Activity, Joesph R. Wiencek, Mahesheema Na, Jamila Hirbawi, Michael Kalafatis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Single chain factor V (fV) circulates as an Mr 330,000 quiescent pro-cofactor. Removal of the B domain and generation of factor Va (fVa) are vital for procoagulant activity. We investigated the role of the basic amino acid region 1000-1008 within the B domain of fV by constructing a recombinant mutant fV molecule with all activation cleavage sites (Arg(709)/Arg(1018)/Arg(1545)) mutated to glutamine (fV(Q3)), a mutant fV molecule with region 1000-1008 deleted (fV(ΔB9)), and a mutant fV molecule containing the same deletion with activation cleavage sites changed to glutamine (fV(ΔB9/Q3)). The recombinant molecules along with wild type fV (fV(WT)) were transiently expressed …

The Jikitou Biomedical Question Answering System: Facilitating The Next Stage In The Evolution Of Information Retrieval, Michael Anton Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

In clinical and biomedical settings researchers often use specialized search engines to acquire answers to technical questions or to verify experimental results through the use of peer reviewed scientific literature. The outcome of such queries typically results in the reading and scanning of multiple Web pages and documents. Information retrieval is the science of retrieving relevant items, question answering (QA) is a specialized type of information retrieval with the aim of returning precise short answers to queries posed as natural language questions. In this dissertation I describe and discuss a QA system named Jikitou (www.jikitou.com), which creates a dialog with …

The Role Of Astrocyte And Purinergic Signaling In Rtn Chemoreception, Ian C. Wenker

Doctoral Dissertations

Central chemoreception is the mechanism by which the brain regulates breathing in response to changes in tissue pH/CO2. It is particularly important during sleep and its disruption has been associated with certain pathologies, including central sleep apnea and central congenital hypoventilation syndrome. A region of the brainstem called the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) is thought to be an important site of central chemoreception. Recent evidence suggests that RTN chemoreception involves two mechanisms. The first appears to be H+-mediated activation of neurons via inhibition of pH-sensitive potassium channels. More recently, a second sensing mechanism has been identified; paracrine release of ATP in …

Obit - June Marie Krutza, Journal Gazette-Times Courier

EIU in the News

Dr. Krutza joined the art faculty at Eastern Illinois State College in 1952. Hired to teach Art education and high school art at Buzzard Lab School, she later taught undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of media including jewelry and textiles, but ceramics was her love. She was honored with a Distinguished Faculty Award in 1987. Professor Krutza retired from Eastern Illinois University in 1989.

Real-Time, Multiple Pan/Tilt/Zoom Computer Vision Tracking And 3d Positioning System For Unmanned Aerial System Metrology, Daniel D. Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

The study of structural characteristics of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) continues to be an important field of research for developing state of the art nano/micro systems. Development of a metrology system using computer vision (CV) tracking and 3D point extraction would provide an avenue for making these theoretical developments. This work provides a portable, scalable system capable of real-time tracking, zooming, and 3D position estimation of a UAS using multiple cameras. Current state-of-the-art photogrammetry systems use retro-reflective markers or single point lasers to obtain object poses and/or positions over time. Using a CV pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) system has the potential to …

The Toxoplasma Gondii Cyst Wall Protein Cst1 Is Critical For Cyst Wall Integrity And Promotes Bradyzoite Persistence, Tadakimi Tomita, David J. Bzik, Yan Fen Ma, Barbara A. Fox

Dartmouth Scholarship

Toxoplasma gondii infects up to one third of the world's population. A key to the success of T. gondii as a parasite is its ability to persist for the life of its host as bradyzoites within tissue cysts. The glycosylated cyst wall is the key structural feature that facilitates persistence and oral transmission of this parasite. Because most of the antibodies and reagents that recognize the cyst wall recognize carbohydrates, identification of the components of the cyst wall has been technically challenging. We have identified CST1 (TGME49_064660) as a 250 kDa SRS (SAG1 related sequence) domain protein with a large …

Inflammatory Cytokine Gene Expression In Mesenteric Adipose Tissue During Acute Experimental Colitis, William Conan Mustain, Marlene E. Starr, Joseph Daniel Valentino, Donald A. Cohen, Daiki Okamura, Chi Wang, B. Mark Evers, Hiroshi Saito

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Production of inflammatory cytokines by mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Animal models of colitis have demonstrated inflammatory changes within MAT, but it is unclear if these changes occur in isolation or as part of a systemic adipose tissue response. It is also unknown what cell types are responsible for cytokine production within MAT. The present study was designed to determine whether cytokine production by MAT during experimental colitis is depot-specific, and also to identify the source of cytokine production within MAT.

METHODS: Experimental colitis was induced in 6-month-old C57BL/6 …

Systems Metabolic Engineering Of Microbial Cell Factories For The Synthesis Of Value-Added Chemicals, Arul Mozhy Varman

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Microbial cell factories offer us an excellent opportunity for the conversion of many different cheaply available raw materials into valuable chemicals. Systems metabolic engineering aims at developing rational strategies for the engineering of microbial hosts by providing global level information of a cell. This dissertation focuses on metabolic engineering, bioprocess modeling and pathway analysis, to develop robust microbial cell factories for the synthesis of value-added chemicals. The following research tasks were completed in this regard.

First, statistical models were developed for the prediction of product yields in engineered microbial cell factories - Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli: Chapter 2). A …

Isolation And Identification Of Airborne Bacteria Inside Swiftlet Houses In Sarawak, Malaysia, Leong Sui Sien, Chia Hwa Chuan, Samuel Lihan, Ling Teck Yee

Makara Journal of Science

Air consists of such microorganisms as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Exposure to these airborne bacteria indoors may cause infectious and noninfectious adverse health effects. However, the sources and origins of bacteria are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the bacteria present in the air inside swiftlet houses located in Kota Samarahan, Saratok, Betong, Maludam, Miri, Kuching, Semarang, Sepinang, Sarikei, and Sibu in Sarawak, Malaysia. A total of 100 bacterial isolates from 20 samples were collected from swiftlet houses. The bacteria present in the air were collected using Plate Count Agar. Two plates were …

The Use Of Lactic Acid Bacteria And Cellulolytic Bacteria To Improve The Chemical Properties Of Corn Flour, Elly Rosyidah, Anja Meryandini, Titi Candra Sunarti

Makara Journal of Science

Corn has the potential to be converted into flour, but its hard endosperm causies it to have a coarse particle size, and consequently, corn flour has high crude fiber, low protein, and high moisture. To overcome these problems, the milling of corn grain can be done by steeping it in water. The steeping process causes spontaneous growth of microbes, such as lactid acid bacteria and cellulolytic bacteria. The use of lactid acid bacteria and cellulolytic bacteria in the steeping process can soften the horny endosperm, which can enable corn grits to be ground into fine flours and which can improve …

Isolation, Purification, And Characterization Of Antimicrobial Substances From Endophytic Actinomycetes, Rofiq Sunaryanto, Anis Herliyani Mahsunah

Makara Journal of Science

Antimicrobial active substances produced by endophytic actinomycetes were isolated and purified. Plant samples were obtained from four different medicinal plants namely Curcuma domestica, Phaleria macrocarpa, Isotoma longiflora, and Symplocos cocchinensis. Isolation of actinomycetes was conducted using HV agar with the addition of cycloheximide, nystatin, nalidixic acid, and rifamycin. A total of 21 actinomycete isolates were obtained and tested for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 66923. Among the isolates, isolate KY01 was the most active to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Morphological observation and identification using 16S rRNA gene sequence …

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 24, 2013, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Pnmt As A Novel Marker For Progenitor Cells, Steven Ebert, Karl Pfeifer

UCF Patents

In certain aspects, the present invention provides methods and compositions relating to a Pnmt-positive progenitor cell. In certain aspects, the present invention relates to methods for isolating and transplanting the subject progenitor cells, and methods for treating diseases such as myocardiac injuries and neurodegenerative disorders.

Rna-Based System And Method To Differentiate Seafood, John H. Paul, David E. John

USF Patents

Substituting fish of lesser value for high priced fish such as grouper has become a major problem for restaurants, wholelsalers, and the general public. A method based upon nucleic acid amplification enables clear differentiation between grouper and potential substitutes. The nucleic acid is incubated with a molecular beacon probe thereby allowing detection of the hybridized molecular beacon probe. All grouper, including the fresh market sample, were successfully confirmed as grouper. Several non-grouper samples obtained fresh and frozen from the market were also tested; none were detected as grouper.

3d Conductive Nanocomposite Scaffold For Bone Tissue Engineering, Aref Shahini, Mostafa Yazdimamaghani, Kenneth J. Walker, Margaret A. Eastman, Hamed Hatami-Marbini, Brenda J. Smith, John L. Ricci, Sundar V. Madihally, Daryoosh Vashaee, Lobat Tayebi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bone healing can be significantly expedited by applying electrical stimuli in the injured region. Therefore, a three-dimensional (3D) ceramic conductive tissue engineering scaffold for large bone defects that can locally deliver the electrical stimuli is highly desired. In the present study, 3D conductive scaffolds were prepared by employing a biocompatible conductive polymer, ie, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly (4-styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), in the optimized nanocomposite of gelatin and bioactive glass. For in vitro analysis, adult human mesenchymal stem cells were seeded in the scaffolds. Material characterizations using hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance, in vitro degradation, as well as thermal and mechanical analysis showed that …

Libya's Implosion And Its Impacts On Children, Lere Amusan

Journal of International Women's Studies

The Arab Spring’s ripple effects on Libya led to the overthrow of Muammar Al-Qaddafi’s government of over four decades. The regime change in Libya was not a smooth adventure. It led to a civil war, which impacted negatively on Libyan children. The seeds of discord that this war sowed in the once considered stable state shall be the focus of this discussion through the employment of descriptive and analytical methods. The contention of this study is that every actor in the civil war disregarded various international treaties that protect children and indigenous peoples during the war. This paper argues that …

Lessons Gleaned From The Political Participation Of Children In Bahrain Uprising, Hae Won Jeong

Journal of International Women's Studies

Reflecting the tension between state sovereignty and human rights, this paper discusses the moral and ethical implications of the political participation and detention of Bahraini children against the backdrop of sectarian geopolitics. Drawing methodological insights from postmodernism, this paper argues that reading of Bahraini children as political subjects are objectified and reified with truth claims, which ascribes them a minoritized status based on age and sect. This paper is interdisciplinary in its approach and is three-pronged: First, it begins by providing a contextual analysis of sectarian politics and dichotomous discourses of national sovereignty and human rights. Secondly, this paper juxtaposes …