Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Tfec In Zebrafish Neural Crest Cell And Rpe Development., Samantha A. Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) show a unique pigmentation pattern comprised of three pigment cell types: melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores. Other pigmented cells include the retinal pigmented epithelium (rpe) which absorbs excess light in the eye and maintain the extracellular environment around the photoreceptors. While previous mutations in mitfa showed a role in regulating trunk melanophores, the rpe was not affected. TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9 systems were used to generate mutant zebrafish for tfec, a transcription factor expressed in both neural crest and rpe. Embryos with tfec mutations showed a loss of iridophore pigmentation, and delays in the pigmentation of …

Functional Characterization Of Rai1 In Zebrafish, Joshua S. Beach

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS; OMIM #182290) is a multiple congenital abnormality and intellectual disability (ID) disorder caused by either an interstitial deletion of the 17p11.2 region containing the retinoic acid induced-1 (RAI1) gene or a mutation of the RAI1 gene. Individuals diagnosed with SMS typically present characteristics such as ID, self-injurious behavior, sleep disturbance, ocular and otolaryngological abnormalities, craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities, neurological and behavioral abnormalities, as well as other systemic defects and manifestations. Previous work by Vyas in 2009 showed temporal expression of rai1 in zebrafish embryos as early as 9 hpf. We hypothesize that there is maternal …

Computer Hardware: Hardware Components And Internal Pc Connections, Jerome Casey

Instructional Guides

No abstract provided.

Opportunities To Create Active Learning Techniques In The Classroom, Danielle J. Camacho, Jill M. Legare

Publications

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on active learning techniques. Active learning techniques require students to consider a given set of information, analyze, process, and prepare to restate what has been learned--all strategies are confirmed to improve higher order thinking skills. Active learning techniques transform complacent and apprehensive learners into active participants in the process. Group assignments and peer review scenarios establish a setting fostering the notion that students who teach one another are essentially learning to teach themselves. Technology in the 21st century allows instructors to incorporate active learning …

Rhabdovirus-Based Vaccine Platforms Against Henipaviruses., Drishya Kurup, Christoph Wirblich, Heinz Feldmann, Andrea Marzi, Matthias J. Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

UNLABELLED: The emerging zoonotic pathogens Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are in the genus Henipavirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. HeV and NiV infections can be highly fatal to humans and livestock. The goal of this study was to develop candidate vaccines against henipaviruses utilizing two well-established rhabdoviral vaccine vector platforms, recombinant rabies virus (RABV) and recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), expressing either the codon-optimized or the wild-type (wt) HeV glycoprotein (G) gene. The RABV vector expressing the codon-optimized HeV G showed a 2- to 3-fold increase in incorporation compared to the RABV vector expressing wt HeV G. There …

Barriers To Facilitating An Existing Certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom, Shelley L. Easler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to social trends whereby children are spending less time outside, school administrators have developed certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classrooms (NEOCs) intentionally designed to support whole-child learning within a natural environment. Despite the documented benefits of nature-based education, the literature and NEOC sites report challenges in facilitating this type of space. The purpose of this study was to investigate what prevents teachers in a certified NEOC from facilitating student/teacher engagement with the natural outdoor environment. Kolb's, Piaget's, and Vygotsky's theories of constructivism served as the study's framework to explore the problem from the teachers' perspectives. A qualitative case study …

Skills Women Bring To The Position Of Chief Of Police, Jo-Ann Helen Savoie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders are unaware of the gender-specific leadership skillsets women possess to increase organizational effectiveness and how to address potential barriers for assuring these skillsets are recognized as effective. Of the estimated 69,000 police officers serving in Canada, approximately 14,000 are women. Of those 14,000, only 10% hold a senior rank, and less than 3% hold the position of Chief of Police. Technology speed, globalized crime, and shrinking budgets have created a need for a new style of leader in policing, and increasing the representation of women may address this need. This multiple case study used the concept of doing …

Effects Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists In Assays Of Pain-Stimulated And Pain-Depressed Behavior In Rats, Kelen Freitas

Theses and Dissertations

Though a host of analgesics have been developed to alleviate pain, especially acute pain, significant side effects and a lack of long-term efficacy have encouraged research attempts to pursue novel targets that may be associated with fewer side effects or a more sustained efficacy. Among these new targets are members of the nicotinic family of acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The non-selective nAChR agonists nicotine and epibatidine have been shown to function as potent antinociceptive drugs in many acute and chronic preclinical pain models, while nicotine has produced analgesic effects in humans. However, these non-selective nAChRs agonists also produce various side effects, …

Synthetic Cannabinoids Versus Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol: Abuse-Related Consequences Of Enhanced Efficacy At The Cannabinoid 1 Receptor, Travis Grim

Theses and Dissertations

In the past ten years, synthetic cannabinoids (SC) have emerged as drugs of abuse. Unlike D⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), many SCs are associated with serious health complications and death. One way in which THC and SCs differ lies with their enhanced potency and efficacy at the CB₁ receptor. No current methods exist to measure efficacy at the CB₁ receptor in vivo, and the abuse-related properties of SC cannabinoids are not well explored. Here, we utilized CB₁ wild type (WT), heterozygous (HET), and knockout (KO) mice. By employing CB₁ ligands which differ in efficacy we have …

Functional Local Renin-Angiotensin System In Human And Rat Periodontal Tissue, Carlos Ferreira Santos, Ana Carolina Morandini, Thiago José Dionísio, Flávio A. Faria, Marta C. Lima, Caio M. Figueiredo, Bella L. Colombini-Ishikiriama, Carla Renata Sipert, Rubens P. Maciel, Ana P. Akashi, Gabriela P. Souza, Gustavo P. Garlet, Camila O. Rodini, Sandra L. Amaral, Christiane Becari, Maria C. Salgado, Eduardo B. Oliveira, Isaac Matus, Daniela N. Didier, Andrew S. Greene

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

The initiation or progression of periodontitis might involve a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in periodontal tissue. The aim of this study was to further characterize the local RAS in human and rat periodontal tissues between healthy and periodontally-affected tissue. Components of the RAS were investigated using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experiments involving both human and Wistar rat periodontium. Although not upregulated when challenged with P. gingivalis-lipopolysaccharide, human gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts expressed RAS components. Likewise, healthy and inflamed human gingiva expressed RAS components, some of which were shown to be functional, yet no differences in expression …

The Increasing Weight Of Regulation: Countries Combat The Global Obesity Epidemic, Emily Whelan Parento, Allyn L. Taylor, Laura A. Schmidt

McGeorge School of Law Scholarly Articles

Obesity is a global epidemic, exacting an enormous human and economic toll. In the absence of a comprehensive global governance strategy, states have increasingly employed a wide array of legal strategies targeting the drivers of obesity. This Article identifies recent global trends in obesity-related legislation and makes the normative case for an updated global governance strategy. National governments have responded to the epidemic both by strengthening traditional interventions and by developing novel legislative strategies. This response consists of nine important trends: (1) strengthened and tailored tax measures; (2) broadened use of counter-advertising and health campaigns; (3) expanded food labeling; (4) …

School Culture For The Mobile Digital Age, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

School culture is a nebulous blend of traditions, values, beliefs, and rituals built up over time. Recent mobile technologies are disrupting this culture in favor of learning that is personalized, on demand, ubiquitous knowledge. This paper provides a historical overview of the adoption of mobile technologies in school culture. An epistemological dissonance is uncovered regarding a slow rate of adoption and effective pedagogical practices. Finally, building from existing literature, a new framework is presented to elucidate a new school culture that involves students as curators of the web, creators of knowledge, and custodians of learning.

Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Vulvodynia is a chronic, heterogeneous, and multifactorial disease. This condition may affect up to 18 percent of the female population including Caucasians, African Americans, Africans and Hispanics particularly those sexually active at child bearing age. The etiology of this condition is complex and multifactorial and it is frequently accompanied by physical disabilities, psychological distress and sexual dysfunction. Clinically, vulvodynia can be generalized or localized and pain can be provoked or unprovoked. Patients may also describe vulvar paresthesias or dysesthesias that may last hours. The International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease (ISSVD) recognizes vulvar pain related to a specific …

Expression Of Aquaporins In Mouse Choroid Plexus And Ependymal Cells, Pankaj Patyal

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The choroid plexuses (CPs) are highly vascularized epithelial structures lying in the brain ventricles, forming the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. CPs are composed of a monolayer of cuboidal epithelial cells, derived from ependymal cells (EPCs), joined by tight junctions, and surrounding a core of fenestrated capillaries. Choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs) secrete most of the CSF through poorly understood mechanisms that involve aquaporins (AQPs) and various solute transport proteins like the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). It is thought that the concerted action of these membrane proteins directs the transepithelial movement of solutes and water across CPECs. Net water movement across …

Effect Of Progesterone, Terbutaline And Leptin On The Function Of Alveolar Type Ii Cells, Shamili Sammohi

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The "surfactant" produced by type II pneumonocytes is deficient in term and preterm infants born and diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone or betamethasone are clinically used as the primary line of treatment to stimulate the production of surfactant. The steroidal hormone, progesterone appears to play a role in the fetal lung development and also appears to increase the expression of inflammatory markers in both term and preterm infants. However, the impact of progesterone on surfactant production remains unknown. Like progesterone, the tocolytic drug terbutaline has also been implicated in phosphatidylcholine production in the pneumonocytes of …

Na+/K+ Pump And Cl--Coupled Na+ And K+ Co-Transporters In Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Lacking The Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Tsc1 And Tsc2 Genes., Jasser Ali S. Alzhrani

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The tuberous sclerosis complex 1 and 2 (TSC1 and TSC2) genes and their products hamartin and tuberin, respectively, are involved in several regulatory cellular mechanisms, including the mTOR pathway that is important for proliferation, cell migration, and protein synthesis. In addition, it has been suggested that this pathway plays a role in regulating Na+-K+-2Cl- and K+-Cl- cotransporters (NKCC and KCC, respectively) [41, 42, 43]. Therefore, the TSC1 and TSC2 genes are expected to play a significant role in regulating cell volume, and K+ and Cl- homeostasis. This study tests the hypothesis that the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, which control cell …

Role Of Angiotensin Ii Type 1a Receptors On Renal And Urinary Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In The Two-Kidney One-Clip (2k1c) Model Of Renovascular Hypertension, Laale F. Alawi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Activation of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and increased formation of angiotensin (Ang) II contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Ang II, the major biologically active peptide of RAS, acts mainly as a vasoconstrictor through binding to the Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), which leads to increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and aldosterone secretion. The actions of Ang II are antagonized by its conversion to the vasodilator Ang (1-7), partly generated by the action of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and/or neprilysin (NEP). The metalloprotease ADAM17 has a crucial role in the shedding of renal ACE2 …

The Inhibitory Effects Of Opioids On Voltage-Gated Calcium Influx In Neonatal Rat Carotid Body Type I Cells, Ellen M. Ricker

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It is known that opioids inhibit the hypoxic ventilatory response, but little is known about the mechanisms that underpin this. This study's objectives were to examine which opioid receptors are located on the oxygen-sensing carotid body type I cells and determine whether selective agonists inhibit cellular excitability.

Immunocytochemistry revealed the presence of μ and κ opioid receptors on type I cells. The μ-selective agonist DAMGO (10μM) and the κ-selective agonist U50-488 (10μM) significantly (p<0.0025 and p<0.0095 respectively, unpaired student's t-test) inhibited high K+ induced rises in intracellular Ca2+ compared with controls. After a three-hour incubation with pertussis toxin, a Gi protein-coupled inhibitor, DAMGO and U50-488 (10μM) has no significant effect on the responses to K+.

These results indicate that opioids acting at μ and κ receptors inhibit voltage-gated Ca2+ influx in carotid body type I cells. This mechanism may explain, in …

The Organization Of Kv2.1 Channel Proteins In The Membrane Of Spinal Motoneurons: Regulation By Injury And Cellular Activity, Shannon Hunt Romer

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The intrinsic membrane properties of neurons in the central nervous system are controlled by the tight regulation of membrane-bound ion channels. Rather than existing as static entities operating only in opened or closed states in fixed locations, ion channels are dynamic molecules with the capacity to adopt multiple functional states through conformational changes and/or post-translational modification - enabling flexibility in their activity. Furthermore, the location of ion channels within certain membrane compartments and/or signaling ensembles is critical to synaptic integration and shaping of firing properties, and can also be dynamically modified by changes in neuronal activity and pathology. In mammalian …

Silver Nanoparticles Inhibit The Binding And Replication Of Dengue Virus, Kelley J. Williams

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Dengue is an emerging hemorrhagic fever virus and widely considered the most important arbovirus in the world. The CDC and the World Health Organization estimates Dengue virus (DENV) infects 50-400 million people annually in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. More than 500 thousand of these will develop severe infection and approximately 22 thousand will lead to death. Dengue virus (DENV) is a positive-sense RNA virus that exists in 4 antigenic serotypes. An immunological phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) leaves a DENV victim vulnerable to increased risk of subsequent infections. Secondary infections with DENV are known to increase …

Cavalry In Xenophon, Katie M. Luckenbill

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Recent scholarship concerning Xenophon's works has focused on his ideas of leadership. A very few, if any, scholars have examined his portrayal of the cavalry and the cavalry commander. With so many of Xenophon's writings involving cavalry, it is possible to draw a comparison between Xenophon's idealized portrayals of cavalry operations in the Cyropaedia and Cavalry Commander, and his historical accounts of the cavalry, especially with regards to its training and effectiveness in battle. In comparing these works, their similarities and differences, a cohesive portrait of Xenophon's ideal cavalry and its commander emerges.

Logging Debris Protects Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) Seedlings From White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Herbivory In Wolf-Occupied Forest, Ari Erin Sullivan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

White-tailed deer are a species of great economic and ecological concern. Foresters sometimes leave logging debris known as slash on the forest floor with the intent to protect seedlings from deer herbivory and promote forest regeneration. I examined the effects of slash on rates of deer browsing on sugar maple seedlings in a forest of northern Wisconsin and measured deer foraging behavior using giving-up density and vigilance rates by employing trail cameras. Rates of browsed stems were almost twice as high in the open as within and adjacent to slash. These findings underscore the usefulness of slash for mitigating the …

The Inconsistencies Of The Replaceability Argument, Caitlin M. Bauer

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In this paper, I will argue against Peter Singer's replaceability argument. I start by showing how Singer's ethical theory of preference-utilitarianism leads to his assertion that everyone should be vegetarian, and later his conclusion that some animals are replaceable. To refute Singer, I argue that death deprives sentient beings of pleasure, and any other good they are capable of experiencing, so death is harmful to animals. Next, I discuss one last claim central to Singer's replaceability argument, that merely sentient animals are not the same individual between periods of consciousness because they have no memory or psychological connections. I refute …

Identification And Quantification Of The Collagen Type I, Iii And V In Rabbit Patellar Tendons, Mahesh Chandra Kodali

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Tendon injuries pose a great clinical challenge to orthopedic surgeons. Over 200,000 patients undergo tendon repair every year in the United States alone. The role of progression of a tendon injury is multifactorial as a lot of factors come into play during and after the injury at various phases of healing process. There is a still a vast requirement for thorough elucidation and understanding of the pathophysiology and the factors involved in the progression of tendon injury. Although the degenerative role of several MMPs and ADAMTs have been reported, yet there is very less information on the actual role and …

Angiotensin-Ii Receptor Blocker And Its Effects On Depressive-Like Behavior During Maternal Separation, Evan D. Xanthos

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Maternal separation has been shown to promote the onset of adult depression. This early life stressor produces a biphasic response marked by an active "protest" phase followed by a passive "despair" phase in humans and other species. In infant guinea pigs, active phase behaviors include increased locomotion and distress vocalizations, whereas the passive phase is marked by depressive-like behaviors including a crouch stance, eye closure and piloerection. Separation elicits physiological responses including increased core body temperature and proinflammatory cytokine expression suggesting fever. Angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARB's) inhibit inflammation both peripherally and centrally following peripheral administration. The goal of the present …

Profiling Fatty Acid Composition Of Brown Adipose Tissue, White Adipose Tissue And Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Of Healthy And Diet-Induced Obese Mice, Urszula Osinska Warncke

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Bone marrow adipose tissue (MAT) contains a fat depot of unknown function. Characterization of this tissue in healthy and pathophysiological conditions may be an important step in order to understand MAT contribution to development of osteoporosis and perhaps to develop means to improve bone health by manipulation with a phenotype of MAT. Here we demonstrate that MAT, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and white adipose tissue (WAT) derived from healthy mice differ in fatty acid and phospholipid composition. The profile of MAT changed to resemble a less-metabolically active tissue upon metabolic impairment as seen in diet-induced obesity. Additionally, PPARγ activation alters …

Is Polyvinylidene Diflouride (Pvdf) Film Biocompatible In The Murine Cochlea?, Robert Maxwell Jaggers

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Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film, a biomaterial that is an integral part of a Totally Implantable Sustainable Hearing Aide (TISHA) device, was examined to determine its biocompatibility within the murine cochlea. The biofilm was implanted in the ear using a round window cochleostomy in 7-9 week old male C57BL/6 mice. Three test groups containing seven mice each were implanted with PVDF film. Each mouse received a sham surgery on the non-implanted cochlea. Three test groups were examined at 48 hours, 3 weeks, and 3 months. At the end of this time the mouse was euthanized, the tissue containing the cochlea was …

The Ancient Magna Carta And The Modern Rule Of Law: 1215 To 2015, Vincent R. Johnson

Faculty Articles

This article argues the text of the Magna Carta, now 800 years old, and reflects many of the values that are at the center of the modern concept of the Rule of Law. A careful review of its provisions reveals the Magna Carta demonstrates a strong commitment to the resolution of disputes based on rules and procedures that are consistent, accessible, transparent, and fair; and to the development of a legal system characterized by official accountability and respect for human dignity.

The Role Of Leukocyte-Platelet Rich Fibrin In Human Alveolar Ridge Preservation: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Thomas F. Glazier, Thomas C. Waldrop, John C. Gunsolley, Robert Sabatini

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine the healing of intact extraction sockets grafted with leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin (L-PRF) as compared to sockets grafted with freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) and a resorbable collagen barrier membrane (RCM).

METHODS: This prospective randomized, examiner blinded pilot study included 17 subjects randomized to two treatment groups. Serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), 25-hydroxyvitamin-D₃, and platelet counts were determined preoperatively in all subjects. The experimental arm consisted of 8 posterior tooth-bounded intact extraction sites receiving L-PRF plugs. The control group consisted of 9 posterior tooth-bounded intact extraction sites receiving FDBA …

Retelling Ebola's "Outbreak Narrative" Through Media Coverage Of The 2014 West African Epidemic, Anoushka Millear

Geography Honors Projects

The 2014 Ebola Virus Disease epidemic, unprecedented in magnitude, has been the focus of worldwide media attention. How does media coverage of the epidemic seize on anxieties of an interconnected world to reinforce longstanding perceptions of Africa as dangerous and chaotic? I compare this media coverage to the model Ebola "outbreak narrative," using critical discourse analysis to contextualize representations of Africa within an increasingly interconnected world. I argue that media coverage reproduces a constructed Western understanding of Africa that will persist long after the epidemic is brought under control.