Digital Commons Network^™

Nutrient Return To Soil In The Santa Monica Mountains After Combustion, Taylor Brooke Shapiro, Antonia Freund, Megan Chou

Featured Research

In this study, levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and PH from eight uniform soil samples from the Santa Monica Mountain swere assessed. Our first testing group contained four uniform samples of soil, which were tested under regular drought conditions. Our second testing group contained four identical samples, which we tested under regular drought conditions and also exposed to fire. Our hypothesis was that soil after wildfire will have different amounts of phosphorous, nitrogen, and Ph. Our research found that average phosphorus uptake in unburned samples vs. burned samples were significantly different at a P<0.0001. Nitrogen and pH levels however, were not found significantly different between burned and unburned samples.

Experimental Tools To Study Molecular Recognition Within The Nanoparticle Corona, Markita P. Landry, Sebastian Kruss, Justin T. Nelson, Gili Bisker, Nicole M. Iverson, Nigel F. Reuel, Michael S. Strano

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Advancements in optical nanosensor development have enabled the design of sensors using synthetic molecular recognition elements through a recently developed method called Corona Phase Molecular Recognition (CoPhMoRe). The synthetic sensors resulting from these design principles are highly selective for specific analytes, and demonstrate remarkable stability for use under a variety of conditions. An essential element of nanosensor development hinges on the ability to understand the interface between nanoparticles and the associated corona phase surrounding the nanosensor, an environment outside of the range of traditional characterization tools, such as NMR. This review discusses the need for new strategies and instrumentation to …

The Helminthological Society Of Washington 2013 Anniversary Award: Larry S. Roberts, Sherman S. Hendrix

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Dr. Roberts was born in the great state of Texas, and much of his early life is murky, but snakes are often mentioned. Larry received his Bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University; his Master of Science at the University of Illinois; and his Doctorate in the Department of Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Larry’s doctoral research, published in Experimental Parasitology, documented the early development and crowding effect of the tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, in the rat small intestine. His publication on this subject opened the door to the golden age of cestode physiology and biochemistry …

Frequency-Modulated Orocutaneous Stimulation Promotes Non-Nutritive Suck Development In Preterm Infants With Respiratory Distress Syndrome Or Chronic Lung Disease, Steven M. Barlow, Jaehoon Lee, Jingyan Wang, Austin Oder, Sue Hall, Kendi Knox, Kathleen Weatherstone, Diane Thompson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background—For the premature infant, extrauterine life is a pathological condition which greatly amplifies the challenges to the brain in establishing functional oromotor behaviors. The extent to which suck can be entrained using a synthetically patterned orocutaneous input to promote its development in preterm infants who manifest chronic lung disease is unknown.

Objective—To evaluate the effects of a frequency-modulated orocutaneous pulse train delivered through a pneumatically-charged pacifier capable of enhancing non-nutritive suck (NNS) activity in tube-fed premature infants.

Methods—A randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of pneumatic orocutaneous stimulation 3x/day on NNS development and length of stay (LOS) in the NICU …

Unprecedented Heterogeneity In The Synonymous Substitution Rate Within A Plant Genome, Andan Zhu, Wenhu Guo, Kanika Jain, Jeffrey P. Mower

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The synonymous substitution rate varies widely among species, but it is generally quite stable within a genome due to the absence of strong selective pressures. In plants, plastid genes tend to evolve faster than mitochondrial genes, rate variation among species generally correlates between the mitochondrial and plastid genomes, and few examples of intragenomic rate heterogeneity exist. To study the extent of substitution rate variation between and within plant organellar genomes, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial and plastid genomes from the bugleweed, Ajuga reptans, which was previously shown to exhibit rate heterogeneity for several mitochondrial genes. Substitution rates were accelerated specifically …

Evaluation Of Constitutive Iron Reductase (Atfro2) Expression On Mineral Accumulation And Distribution In Soybean (Glycine Max. L), Marta W. Vasconcelos, Thomas E. Clemente, Michael A. Grusak

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Iron is an important micronutrient in human and plant nutrition. Adequate iron nutrition during crop production is central for assuring appropriate iron concentrations in the harvestable organs, for human food or animal feed. The whole-plant movement of iron involves several processes, including the reduction of ferric to ferrous iron at several locations throughout the plant, prior to transmembrane trafficking of ferrous iron. In this study, soybean plants that constitutively expressed the AtFRO2 iron reductase gene were analyzed for leaf iron reductase activity, as well as the effect of this transgene's expression on root, leaf, pod wall, and seed mineral concentrations. …

Second Life Librarianship And The Gendered Work Of Care In Technology, Scout Calvert

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Of the persistent images of librarians, one in particular caricatures them as stubbornly refusing to adopt new information technologies. From outside the field of library and information science, this perception is unsurprising, given the pop-cultural image of the librarian as a joyless and sexless spinster, hell-bent on protecting books from the hands of the unwashed—the literally heathen—patron. From within the field, though, the stereotype smarts all the more because the visage of the technophobic librarian appears to be empirically unfounded, and it would seem, therefore, counterproductive for those working within the discipline to perpetuate this view. As I will argue, …

Identification Of Rna Silencing Components In Soybean And Sorghum, Xiang Liu, Tao Lu, Yongchao Dou, Bin Yu, Chi Zhang

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Background: RNA silencing is a process triggered by 21–24 small RNAs to repress gene expression. Many organisms including plants use RNA silencing to regulate development and physiology, and to maintain genome stability. Plants possess two classes of small RNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The frameworks of miRNA and siRNA pathways have been established in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis).

Results: Here we report the identification of putative genes that are required for the generation and function of miRNAs and siRNAs in soybean and sorghum, based on knowledge obtained from Arabidopsis. The gene families, including …

Prl1, An Rna-Binding Protein, Positively Regulates The Accumulation Of Mirnas And Sirnas In Arabidopsis, Shuxin Zhang, Yuhui Liu, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The evolutionary conserved WD-40 protein PRL1 plays important roles in immunity and development. Here we show that PRL1 is required for the accumulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). PRL1 positively influences the processing of miRNA primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs) and double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). Furthermore, PRL1 interacts with the pri-miRNA processor, DCL1, and the dsRNA processors (DCL3 and DCL4). These results suggest that PRL1 may function as a general factor to promote the production of miRNAs and siRNAs. We also show that PRL1 is an RNA-binding protein and associates with pri-miRNAs in vivo. In addition, prl1 reduces pri-miRNA levels …

Methylation Protects Micrornas From An Ago1- Associated Activity That Uridylates 5′ Rna Fragments Generated By Ago1 Cleavage, Guodong Ren, Meng Xie, Shuxin Zhang, Carissa Vinovskis, Xuemei Chen, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

In plants, methylation catalyzed by HEN1 (small RNA methyl transferase) prevents microRNAs (miRNAs) from degradation triggered by uridylation. Howmethylation antagonizes uridylation of miRNAs in vivo is not well understood. In addition, 5′ RNA fragments (5′ fragments) produced by miRNA-mediated RNA cleavage can be uridylated in plants and animals. However, the biological significance of this modification is unknown, and enzymes uridylating 5′ fragments remain to be identified. Here, we report that in Arabidopsis, HEN1 suppressor 1 (HESO1, a miRNA nucleotidyl transferase) uridylates 5′ fragments to trigger their degradation.We also show that Argonaute 1 (AGO1), the effector protein of miRNAs, interacts …

Small Rnas Meet Their Targets: When Methylation Defends Mirnas From Uridylation, Guodong Ren, Xuemei Chen, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Small RNAs are incorporated into Argonaute protein-containing complexes to guide the silencing of target RNAs in both animals and plants. The abundance of endogenous small RNAs is precisely controlled at multiple levels including transcription, processing and Argonaute loading. In addition to these processes, 3' end modification of small RNAs, the topic of a research area that has rapidly evolved over the last several years, adds another layer of regulation of their abundance, diversity and function. Here, we review our recent understanding of small RNA 3' end methylation and tailing.

Introduction To Special Topic Section: Toward A Transpersonal Medicine, Randy Fauver

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

NA

Spontaneous/Radical Remission Of Cancer: Transpersonal Results From A Grounded Theory Study, Kelly A. Turner

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This grounded theory study aimed to collect hypotheses for spontaneous or radical remission (RR) of cancer, which is a remission that occurs without medical treatment, or with medical treatment considered inadequate to produce the remission. Interviews were conducted with 20 RR survivors and 50 non-conventional healers from 11 countries. Results showed that three underlying beliefs emerged: 1. Cancer thrives under certain conditions; 2. Illness represents blockage; and 3. A body-mind-spirit interaction exists. Six factors believed to be possible causes of RR also emerged: 1. Diet change; 2. Deepening spirituality; 3. Increasing happiness; 4. Releasing suppressed emotions; 5. Taking supplements; and …

Transpersonal Healing: Assessing The Evidence From Laboratory And Clinical Trials, Marilyn Schlitz

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Transpersonal or distant healing intention (DHI) is one of the most commonly used forms of complementary and alternative healing. While it is popular, its efficacy is uncertain and the mechanism of action unclear. This article provides an overview of both the laboratory research and clinical trials of DHI, summarizing the state of the field. There appears to be support, based on controlled laboratory studies, for a transpersonal dimension to DHI. Results of randomized, controlled clinical trials are more equivocal. While results do not offer clear evidence to support DHI as an evidence-based modality, this provocative field reveals important epistemological and …

Infinitely Many Rotationally Symmetric Solutions To A Class Of Semilinear Laplace-Beltrami Equations On The Unit Sphere, Emily M. Fischer

HMC Senior Theses

I show that a class of semilinear Laplace-Beltrami equations has infinitely many solutions on the unit sphere which are symmetric with respect to rotations around some axis. This equation corresponds to a singular ordinary differential equation, which we solve using energy analysis. We obtain a Pohozaev-type identity to prove that the energy is continuously increasing with the initial condition and then use phase plane analysis to prove the existence of infinitely many solutions.

Volume 51, Number 20: January 01, 2014, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

A Sociogenomic Perspective On Neuroscience In Organizational Behavior, Seth M. Spain, Peter D. Harms

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

We critically examine the current biological models of individual organizational behavior, with particular emphasis on the roles of genetics and the brain. We demonstrate how approaches to biology in the organizational sciences assume that biological systems are simultaneously causal and essentially static; that genotypes exert constant effects. In contrast, we present a sociogenomic approach to organizational research, which could provide a meta-theoretical framework for understanding organizational behavior. Sociogenomics is an interactionist approach that derives power from its ability to explain how genes and environment operate. The key insight is that both genes and the environment operate by modifying gene expression. …

Redefining Family: An Analysis Of Adult Donor-Conceived Offspring's Discursive Meaning-Making, Meredith Marko Harrigan, Sarah Dieter, Jenna Leinwohl, Laura Marrin

Iowa Journal of Communication

The purpose of this study was to understand the cultural discourses that adult children conceived via anonymous sperm donation draw upon in their meaning-making processes. In-depth interviews with fourteen adult donor-conceived offspring were inductively analyzed for the presence and interplay of discourses. The findings capture the complexity of meaning-making for donor-conceived offspring by detailing the interpenetration of two discourses: nature and nurture. Theoretical implications regarding discourse-dependency and definitions of family are discussed with the goal of providing insight to future researchers.

A Brief History Of Mind-Body Medicine, Elliot S. Dacher

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

From its earliest sources the medical tradition has recognized the causal role of the interface of mind and body in health and disease. Cultural and historical circumstances have determined the degree to which each of these two key factors are emphasized. In modern times we are emerging from an exclusive materialistic emphasis on biology to a renewed acceptance and understanding of the role of the mind and consciousness in health and disease. This re-balancing of the two great forces of healing can be traced to a progressive expansion of knowledge in the fields of stress, past-traumatic stress, biofeedback, cognitive and …

Functional Evolution Of Plp-Dependent Enzymes Based On Active-Site Structural Similarities, Jonathan Catazaro, Adam Caprez, Ashu Guru, David Swanson, Robert Powers

Holland Computing Center: Faculty Publications

Families of distantly related proteins typically have very low sequence identity, which hinders evolutionary analysis and functional annotation. Slowly evolving features of proteins, such as an active site, are therefore valuable for annotating putative and distantly related proteins. To date, a complete evolutionary analysis of the functional relationship of an entire enzyme family based on active-site structural similarities has not yet been undertaken. Pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes are primordial enzymes that diversified in the last universal ancestor. Using the Comparison of Protein Active Site Structures (CPASS) software and database, we show that the active site structures of PLP-dependent enzymes can …

A Rare View Of Coding Mutations And Plasma Lipid Levels, Aniruddh Pradip Patel

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

A RARE VIEW OF CODING MUTATIONS AND PLASMA LIPID LEVELS. Aniruddh P. Patel, Sekar Kathiresan. Center for Human Genetics Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and Program in Medical and Population Genetics, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA (Sponsored by Richard P. Lifton, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT).

Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) are quantitative, heritable risk factors for coronary heart disease. Genome-wide association screens (GWAS) of common DNA sequence variants have identified many loci associated with plasma lipid levels. Targeted …

National Drought Management Policy Guidelines: A Template For Action, Donald A. Wilhite, World Meteorological Organization, Global Water Partnership, National Drought Mitigation Center

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

The implementation of a drought policy based on the philosophy of risk reduction can alter a nation’s approach to drought management by reducing the associated impacts (risk). This was the idea that motivated the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with a number of UN agencies, international and regional organizations, and key national agencies, to organize the Highlevel Meeting on National Drought Policy (HMNDP), which was held in Geneva from 11 to 15 March 2013. The theme of …

The Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorders And Secondhand Tobacco Exposure, Bhupinder Kaur

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Second hand tobacco smoke exposure has been associated with neurobehavioral disorders among children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between second hand smoking and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children in the United States. Parent-reported postnatal tobacco exposure inside and outside the house and ASD diagnosis was examined in children younger than 12 years using the 2011-2012 National Survey on Children's Health. The physician diagnosis of current ASD as reported by the parents was used as the outcome variable. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to assess the associations. Of …

Intrinsically Water-Stable Electrospun Threedimensional Ultrafine Fibrous Soy Protein Scaffolds For Soft Tissue Engineering Using Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Helan Xu, Shaobo Cai, Alexander Sellers, Yiqi Yang

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Faculty Publications

Soy protein, the plant protein from soybean, was electrospun into intrinsically water-stable scaffolds with large volume and ultrafine fibers oriented randomly and evenly in three dimensions (3D) to simulate native extracellular matrices of soft tissues. The 3D ultrafine fibrous scaffolds from proteins could be favored in soft tissue engineering. However, protein-based biomaterials usually suffered from poor water stability, while the highly cross-linked proteins which had water stability were usually difficult to be fabricated into fibers. Soy protein was a typical protein with intrinsic water stability, attributed to its 1.2% cysteine content. Soy protein has been developed into 3D non-fibrous structures, …

Measuring Undergraduate Students’ Engineering Self-Efficacy: A Scale Validation Study, Natasha Johanna A. Mamaril

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate engineering self-efficacy measures for undergraduate students (N = 321) and to examine whether students' engineering self-efficacy differed by gender, year level, and major. The relationships between engineering self-efficacy and academic achievement and intent to persist in engineering were also investigated. Data from engineering students from two southeastern universities were collected in spring 2013. Exploratory factor analyses resulted in a unidimensional general engineering self-efficacy scale and a three-factor (i.e., research skills, tinkering skills, and engineering design) engineering skills self-efficacy scale. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that self-efficacy did not differ by …

Characterization Of Molecular Functions Of Polyamines In Fruit Development And Ripening In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Raheel Anwar

Open Access Dissertations

Putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) are three major polyamines (PAs) present in all living organisms. These biogenic amines have been implicated in diverse plant growth and development processes, including seed germination, tissue lignification, organogenesis, flowering, pollination, embryogenesis, fruit development, ripening, abscission, senescence, and stress responses. To elucidate molecular roles of PAs in fruit development and ripening, I characterized transgenic tomato plants ectopically expressing yeast spermidine synthase (ySpdSyn) or S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (ySAMdc) under constitutive CaMV 35S and/or fruit-specific SlE8 promoters. The ySpdSyn-expression enhanced PUT, SPD and SPM level in floral buds and fertilized developing ovaries by 2- to 3-fold …

Pressure And Temperature Response Of A Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Probed With Raman Microscopy, Coleman Cariker

HIM 1990-2015

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a thermo-responsive hydrogel; that is, it is a macromolecule which exists in a hydrated state beneath its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Polymers such as PNIPAM undergo a phase transition in response to changes in temperature, pressure, pH, salt concentration, and the addition of co-solvents. Previously, visible-light microscopic measurements of the pressure-induced phase transition have been hindered by the lack of a pressurization apparatus with the short working distance and optical transmission properties necessary for high resolution microscopy. We employ a high pressure setup which uses a fused silica micro-capillary to contain the sample. Our experiment reveals …

Interaction Between Climatic, Environmental, And Demographic Factors On Cholera Outbreaks In Kenya, James D. Stoltzfus, Jane Y. Carter, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Martin Matu, Victoria Kimotho, Mark J. Giganti, Daniel Langat, Omur C. Elsi

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background:

Cholera remains an important public health concern in developing countries including Kenya where 11,769 cases and 274 deaths were reported in 2009 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This ecological study investigates the impact of various climatic, environmental, and demographic variables on the spatial distribution of cholera cases in Kenya.

Methods:

District-level data was gathered from Kenya’s Division of Disease Surveillance and Response, the Meteorological Department, and the National Bureau of Statistics. The data included the entire population of Kenya from 1999 to 2009.

Results:

Multivariate analyses showed that districts had an increased risk of cholera outbreaks when …

A Spatial Risk Assessment Of Bighorn Sheep Extirpation Bygrazing Domestic Sheep On Public Lands, Tim E. Carpenter, Victor L. Coggins, Clinton Mccarthy, Chans S. O'Brien, Joshua M. O'Brien, Timothy J. Schommer

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Bighorn sheep currently occupy just 30% of their historic distribution, and persist in popula-tions less than 5% as abundant overall as their early 19th century counterparts. Present-dayrecovery of bighorn sheep populations is in large part limited by periodic outbreaks of respi-ratory disease, which can be transmitted to bighorn sheep via contact with domestic sheepgrazing in their vicinity. In order to assess the viability of bighorn sheep populations onthe Payette National Forest (PNF) under several alternative proposals for domestic sheepgrazing, we developed a series of interlinked models. Using telemetry and habitat data,we characterized herd home ranges and foray movements of bighorn …

Marine Mammal Science And Conservation Priorities For The National Marine Fisheries Service

United States Marine Mammal Commission

No abstract provided.