Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Endocannabinoids In Atherosclerosis, Anberitha Tyiona Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease leads in morbidity and mortality in Western societies with no known cure. NADPH oxidase (Nox) contributes to atherosclerosis through the indirect activation of macrophages leading to the internalization of oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDL). Chronic inflammation in activated macrophages contributes to atherosclerosis. Because macrophages are positioned at the cross-roads of lipid metabolism in vessel walls, they are important in the cellular pathology of atherosclerosis. Components of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system are vital to atherosclerotic development, since the eCB system has been found to play an important role in the amelioration of atherosclerosis. The eCB system has several components, …

Thermodynamic Studies Of Zn2+ Binding To Glutathione, Madhubhashini Lakdusinghe

Theses and Dissertations

Glutathione is one of the most abundant organic compounds found in many biological systems. It is a non-protein tripeptide of Glutamic acid, Cysteine and Glycine. Due to its stability, high cellular concentrations and structural features like gammaglutamyl linkage and sulfhydryl group, glutathione involves with many biological pathways including: cellular defense against xenobiotics and naturally occurring deleterious compounds, like free radicals, metal sequestering, and maintaining cellular sulfhydryl status. Glutathione has been broadly studied however the literature associated with Zn2+ coordination is not clear. This study is focused on collecting thermodynamic data of glutathione binding to Zn2+ metal ions using calorimetric technique. …

Towards A Genome Sequence Of The Brown Spot Needle Blight Pathogen (Mycosphaerella Dearnessii) Infecting Longleaf Pine, Benjamin Douglas Bartlett

Theses and Dissertations

A major disease damaging seedlings of Pinus palustris is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella dearnessii. Population structure of this pathogen was studied in a population in Mississippi. High genetic diversity (0.65) was measured using microsatellite markers and coincides with the high number of vegetative compatibly groups observed. A 30 Mb genome sequence for a single isolate of M. dearnessii was assembled, representing 65% of the estimated genome size. Nearly all (93%) of the core set of genes present in eukaryotes were detected from a total of 10,996 predicted genes. A total of 853 enzymatic associations were identified along with several …

Utilization Of Bioscreen To Calculate Retardation Factor Of Petroleum Contaminants, And Biodegradation Rate For A Site In Montpelier, Indiana, Brittany M. Garner

Theses and Dissertations

In March 1994, a report was issued to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management after Jim Allen Maintenance, Inc. found levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) exceeding the level appropriate for action (100 parts per million) during an underground storage tank closure report assessment. Creek Run L.L.C Environmental Engineering was contracted by Jay Petroleum to complete an initial site characterization. Through quarterly monitoring of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and methyl tert-butyl ether for 11 years, Creek Run L.L.C determined that biodegradation was occurring. Upon using BIOSCREEN, a contaminant transport modeling software that simulates natural attenuation over time, it was determined …

Verticillium Dahliae Causes The Fungal Wilting Disease Of Cotton Plants Grown On The Mississippi State North Farm, Fahad Mohammedsaleh Albukhari

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence and spread of Verticillium wilt were observed in cotton plants at the R.R. Foil Plant Science Research Center at Mississippi State during the late summer in 2013 and 2014. Several fungi with different morphology and growth characteristics were isolated from diseased cotton plants. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolated fungal species and used in molecular typing via PCR amplification and DNA sequencing analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. A total of five fungal genera were identified, and Verticillium sp. was the most frequently isolated genus. The isolated Verticillium strains could be Verticillium dahliae, Verticillium …

Willingness Of Mississippi's Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners To Manage Forests For Ecosystem Services, Edward Mutandwa

Theses and Dissertations

Private forest land in Mississippi provides a wide range of ecosystem services. This study examined nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowner familiarity with ecosystem services and conservation programs and quantified the proportion of forest land they were interested in managing for ecosystem services as well as determined compensation levels required for implementing forest management strategies featuring management restriction to facilitate production of multiple ecosystem services. The data collection process was based on a structured questionnaire administered to 2,025 NIPF landowners in Mississippi. Findings indicated that landowner familiarity with conservation programs was low. However, they were familiar with ecosystem services found in …

Recovery Of Phytophthora Ramorum And Other Phytophthora Spp. In A Forest Adjacent To A Mississippi Ornamental Plant Nursery, Devin Sterling Bily

Theses and Dissertations

The movement of the exotic and destructive plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum into unquarantined areas via the plant nursery trade provides a potential outlet for transmission into eastern United States forests. A two-year survey of Phytophthora species in a forest adjacent to an ornamental plant nursery in Mississippi isolated P. ramorum 20 times from water and once from vegetation, with an additional detection of 14 Phytophthora species and one provisional species. Isolates were recovered from soil, water, and vegetation using baiting and filtering techniques, and verified by their DNA through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) followed by genomic sequencing. This study confirms …

Detection Of Flavobacterium Columnare In Tissues And Pond Water Using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Gordon Derek Gibbs

Theses and Dissertations

Flavobacterium columnare, a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, is the causative agent of columnaris disease in a variety of fish hosts but is of particular significance to the catfish industry located in the southeastern United States. Columnaris infections are a leading cause of mortalities in catfish ponds, occurring alone or in conjunction with other diseases. Typical diagnostic methods for columnaris infections involve the use of selective media following the observation of gross signs of disease. A real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to estimate the quantity of bacteria present in environmental and tissue samples was developed and validated. The genetic variability seen in …

Malaria Parasitemia And Prevalence In The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus Bicolor), Kayla Marie Fast

Theses and Dissertations

Haemosporidians, including the avian malaria parasites, are a diverse group of blood parasites that infect terrestrial vertebrates worldwide. There is variability in parasite prevalence (presence) and parasitemia (infection intensity); infections range from virtually inconsequential to lethal. Prevalence and parasitemia of avian malaria in the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) were determined (n=81). The genera Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus were detected and quantified from bird blood using microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Thirteen lineages of malaria parasites were found. Sequence data from the parasite’s mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicate that prevalence is 69.1% (Plasmodium-89.3%; Parahaemoprotues-7.1%; double infection-3.6%). Parasitemia was …

A Review Of The Genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, With Descriptions Of Seven New Species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

The genus Heterometrus is revised and a key is presented to all species except H. tristis. Subgenera Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, Gigantometrus Couzijn, 1978, Javanimetrus Couzijn, 1981 and Srilankametrus Couzijn, 1981 are synonymized with the subgenus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828. Seven new species of Heterometrus are described: H. beccaloniae sp. n., H. mysorensis sp. n., H. rolciki sp. n., and H. ubicki sp. n. from India, H. nepalensis sp. n., from Nepal, H. sejnai sp. n. from Thailand, and H. cimrmani sp. n. from Thailand and Vietnam. The following species and subspecies are synonymized: H. ( …

A Note On The Scorpions From The Pirin Mountains, Southwestern Bulgaria (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Euscorpiidae), Rolando Teruel, Victor Fet, Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

In the present note, four scorpion species are recorded from the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, including the first records for Bulgaria of both Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brullé, 1832) (Buthidae) and the “mingrelicus complex” of the genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) (the latter based upon an undetermined species). Also, E. hadzii Caporiacco, 1950 and another undetermined species of Euscorpius belonging to the “carpathicus complex” are recorded from Pirin. The taxonomic affinities of the taxa are discussed, as well as some biogeographical considerations about the scorpions of this poorly studied mountainous area.

A Scorpion From A Peatbog: The First Arthropod Fossil From The Late Viséan Of The Moscow Coal Basin, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Yulia V. Mosseichik, Dmitry E. Shcherbakov

Euscorpius

This note describes a fossil fragment from the Upper Viséan (ca. 330 Ma), of the Moscow Coal Basin (Novgorod Region, Russia). The fossil is identified as the cuticle of a single leg segment (left femur) of a scorpion (Arachnida: Scorpiones), without any further taxonomic placement. The anatomical details of the fragment are given, along with ecological considerations. It is the first fossil scorpion record from Russia.

Alloscorpiops Wongpromi Sp. N. From Thailand And Laos (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae), František Kovařík, Michael E. Soleglad, Ondřej Košulič

Euscorpius

Alloscorpiops wongpromi sp. n. from Thailand and Laos is described and compared with all other species of the genus Alloscorpiops Vachon, 1980. A key is presented to all species of the genus. A. wongpromi sp. n. is characterized mainly by a higher number of trichobothria on the patella, which has 33–37 external and 21–22 ventral trichobothria, and a dark-colored telson. The subgenus Laoscorpiops Lourenço, 2013 is synonymized with the nominotypical subgenus, because it was based on misinterpretation of the trichobothrial pattern, with two ventral accessory trichobothria on the chela regarded as part of the external Eb series.

Response Of Male Centruroides Vittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) To Aerial And Substrate-Borne Chemical Signals, Steffany B. Steinmetz, Karen C. Bost, Douglas D. Gaffin

Euscorpius

Chemical signaling promotes mate location throughout numerous animal taxa. In this study we investigated the possibility that striped scorpions, Centruroides vittatus, use chemical signaling in the form of odor plumes or substrate-borne deposits as communication channels. A Y-shaped arena was constructed to test scorpions’ use of air-borne chemical cues in the detection of potential mates. A second, circular behavioral choice chamber was used to test male scorpions’ responses to female deposits by direct substrate contact. Male scorpions showed no tendency to move toward the female in tests of air-borne chemical transmission but they did demonstrate behavior associated with chemical …

Scorpiofauna Of Kashan (Esfahan Province, Iran) (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Valerio Vignoli, František Kovařík, Pierangelo Crucitti

Euscorpius

This work contains the results of the zoological expedition of the Società Romana di Scienze Naturali to Kashan, in Iran. Four days of intensive field research provided interesting data on the community structure of scorpions of Kashan. Thirty-two scorpion specimens, all belonging to the family Buthidae, are listed and ecological notes are included. Iranobuthus krali Kovařík, 1997, Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903) and Polisius persicus Fet, Capes & Sissom, 2001 were found for the first time in the examined localities. The species collected belong to different ecomorpho-types, characteristic for the particular geographic position of Kashan. We report presence of two species …

A Powerful New Light Source For Ultraviolet Detection Of Scorpions In The Field, Graeme Lowe, Steven R. Kutcher, Doug Edwards

Euscorpius

We describe a new portable solid-state ultraviolet (UV) light that should greatly improve the ease and effectiveness of fluorescent detection of scorpions in the field. The design is based on an array of InGaN light emitting diodes (LEDs). It is in-expensive, lightweight, simple to implement, energetically efficient and mechanically rugged. Scorpion cuticular fluorescence excited by an LED array is 13-fold brighter than excitation by previously available fluorescent tube lamps drawing the same current from the battery.

Health Perceptions And Practices Of Burmese Refugee Families: A Participatory Mixed Method Study, Suneeta Kercood, Trish Morita-Mullaney

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

Healthcare providers in the United States often view the lifestyle choices made by refugees from Burma through the lenses of America’s norms for healthy living. Although healthcare providers often recognize the role that language plays in the refugees’ ability to communicate their healthcare needs, they often ignore the role of culture. This lack of understanding of cultural difference contributes to the marginalization of refugees in the healthcare system. Using a transformative mixed method methodology, this study employed the East Asian Acculturation Scale (EAAM) to identify participants’ perceived level of acculturation within health care contexts. The researchers then engaged participants in …

Role Of Maternal Dietary Peanut Exposure In Development Of Food Allergy And Oral Tolerance, Magdia De Jesus

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Background The impact of maternal ingestion of peanut during pregnancy and lactation on an offspring’s risk for peanut allergy is under debate. Objective To investigate the influence of maternal dietary peanut exposure and breast milk on an offspring’s allergy risk. Methods Preconceptionally peanut-exposed C3H/HeJ females were either fed or not fed peanut during pregnancy and lactation. The offsprings’ responses to peanut sensitization or oral tolerance induction by feeding antigen prior to immunization were assessed. We also assessed the impact of immune murine milk on tolerance induction pre- or post-weaning. For antigen uptake studies, mice were gavaged with fluorescent peanut in …

A Body-Based Program Development Project To Prevent Burnout Among Mental Healthcare Professionals, Amanda J. Abeling

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

Using the Delphi Method as a guide, a self-care program for staff members was developed out of one dance/movement therapy intern’s experiences at a suburban mental healthcare facility. Designed to increase one’s connection to self, personal observations were gathered, professionals in the field were consulted and the program was created and implemented. Themes of stress, fatigue, and burnout among the mental health care profession are discussed. Previous research on body awareness, dance/movement therapy theories, and self-care are also discussed in order to provide a framework with which to understand the development of the program. 72 pages.

Jack Blanco: World War Ii Survivor, Rosalba Valera

World War II

Jack Blanco was born in Chicago in 1929 from immigrant parents Frederick Ross, from Austria, and Katherine Kiessling, from Germany. During the planning of the wedding, Jack Blanco’s father left his mother Katherine, she was already pregnant. Due to this circumstance, he was raised by his single mother, who worked in sweatshops and he was the only child growing up. He was left with various babysitters who he claims abused him during his mother’s absence. His life changed forever at the age of ten when he and his mother decided to visit his grandparents in Germany.

Jack Blanco’s experience during …

Oral History Report, Ryan A. Ramirez

Vietnam

No abstract provided.

College Senate Minutes December 10, 2015, Bronx Community College Senate

BCC Governance Archives

Minutes for the meeting of the College Senate on December 10, 2015.

The Setonian, December 10, 2015, Seton Hall University

2015

No abstract provided.

Health Problems And Risk Factors Associated With Long Haul Transport Of Horses In Australia, Barbara Padalino, Evelyn Hall, Sharanne Raidal, Pietro Celi, Andrew Knight, Peter Knight, Leo Jeffcott, Gary Muscatello

Transport of Farm Animals Collection

Equine transportation is associated with a variety of serious health disorders causing economic losses. However; statistics on horse transport are limited and epidemiological data on transport related diseases are available only for horses transported to abattoirs for slaughter. This study analysed reports of transport related health problems identified by drivers and horse owners for 180 journeys of an Australian horse transport company transporting horses between Perth and Sydney (~4000 km) in 2013–2015. Records showed that 97.2% (1604/1650) of the horses arrived at their destination with no clinical signs of disease or injury. Based on the veterinary reports of the affected …

Direct Phenotypic Screening In Mice: Identification Of Individual, Novel Antinociceptive Compounds From A Library Of 734 821 Pyrrolidine Bis-Piperazines, Richard A. Houghten, Michelle L. Ganno, Jay P. Mclaughlin, Colette T. Dooley, Shainnel O. Eans Torrey Pines Institute For Molecular Studies, Radleigh Santos, Travis Lavoi, Adel Nefzi, Greg Welmaker, Marc A. Giulianotti, Lawrence Toll

Mathematics Faculty Articles

The hypothesis in the current study is that the simultaneous direct in vivo testing of thousands to millions of systematically arranged mixture-based libraries will facilitate the identification of enhanced individual compounds. Individual compounds identified from such libraries may have increased specificity and decreased side effects early in the discovery phase. Testing began by screening ten diverse scaffolds as single mixtures (ranging from 17 340 to 4 879 681 compounds) for analgesia directly in the mouse tail withdrawal model. The “all X” mixture representing the library TPI-1954 was found to produce significant antinociception and lacked respiratory depression and hyperlocomotor effects using …

"Pitiful Creature Of Darkness": The Subhuman And The Superhuman In The Phantom Of The Opera, Jessica Sternfeld

Music Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"This chapter focuses on The Phantom of the Opera, the megamusical that perhaps most boldly faces the idea of disability head-on, as it stars a character whose face, as one journalist described it, looks 'like melted cheese' (Smith, 1995). The musical's approach to the Phantom's disability is remarkably layered and inconsistent; the Phantom is portrayed in numerous ways (monster, criminal, genius, god, ghost) and his physical disability blurs regularly with his 'soul;' which is where numerous characters locate the origin of his problems. His face and its famous mask covering are both feared and thrilled over, but with a reassuring …

Multiplayer Sound-Oriented Game Design: An Ios Brain And Hearing Training Game, Liwei Yu

Theses

Hearing (auditory perception) is one of the most important senses in our human bodies. There are millions of different sounds in our world; humans perceive the sounds from the outside world to get information, and respond to them.

It is beneficial to enhance hearing abilities and hand-ear coordination to boost brain fitness, engage in better communication with others, and enhance concentration abilities.

With the fast development of smart mobile devices and mobile internet, it is easy to get people connected no matter where they are. Some people usually play games during short fragments time.

Considering these factors, it is a …

The Cowl - V.80 - N.12 - Dec 10, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 12 - December 10, 2015. 28 pages.

Selection Of Reference Genes For Rt-Qpcr Analysis In A Predatory Biological Control Agent, Coleomegilla Maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Chunxiao Yang, Huipeng Pan, Jeffrey Edward Noland, Deyong Zhang, Zhanhong Zhang, Yong Liu, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a reliable technique for quantifying gene expression across various biological processes, of which requires a set of suited reference genes to normalize the expression data. Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is one of the most extensively used biological control agents in the field to manage arthropod pest species. In this study, expression profiles of 16 housekeeping genes selected from C. maculata were cloned and investigated. The performance of these candidates as endogenous controls under specific experimental conditions was evaluated by dedicated algorithms, including geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt method. In addition, …

Possible Synergistic Effects Of Thymol And Nicotine Against Crithidia Bombi Parasitism In Bumble Bees, Olivia Masi Biller, Lynn S. Adler, Rebecca E. Irwin, Caitlin Mcallister, Evan C. Palmer-Young

Dartmouth Scholarship

Floral nectar contains secondary compounds with antimicrobial properties that can affect not only plant-pollinator interactions, but also interactions between pollinators and their parasites. Although recent work has shown that consumption of plant secondary compounds can reduce pollinator parasite loads, little is known about the effects of dosage or compound combinations. We used the generalist pollinator Bombus impatiens and its obligate gut parasite Crithidia bombi to study the effects of nectar chemistry on host-parasite interactions. In two experiments we tested (1) whether the secondary compounds thymol and nicotine act synergistically to reduce parasitism, and (2) whether dietary thymol concentration affects parasite …