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What Is The Environmental Impact Of Cultivating Agave As A Biofuel? (May 15, 2015), University Communications And Marketing

OHIO News Articles Archive

No abstract provided.

Functional Analysis Of Gambling, Mack S. Costello

Dissertations

Given high rates of gambling and the growing population of disordered gamblers, there is a need to develop assessment strategies with improved treatment validity. More specifically, assessment strategies are needed that identify the controlling variables for disordered gambling and, thus, provide guidance in the selection of treatment and prevention strategies. This study sought to develop a functional analysis for gambling by utilizing a simulated gambling environment in which contextual variables hypothesized to be causally linked to disordered gambling could be systematically manipulated. Seven experienced gamblers participated in the multi-element, single-subject experimental study. Participants who endorsed at least some problems from …

Systematic Review And Mixed Treatment Comparison Of Intravitreal Aflibercept With Other Therapies For Diabetic Macular Edema (Dme)., Jean-Francois Korobelnik, Jos Kleijnen, Shona H. Lang, Richard Birnie, Regina M. Leadley, Kate Misso, Gill Worthy, Dominic Muston, Diana V. Do

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

BACKGROUND: This was an indirect comparison of the effectiveness of intravitreal aflibercept (IVT-AFL) 2 mg every 8 weeks after 5 initial monthly doses (or if different periods, after an initial monthly dosing period) (2q8) and other diabetic macular edema (DME) therapies at doses licensed outside the USA.

METHODS: A comprehensive search was undertaken to source relevant studies. Feasibility networks were prepared to identify viable comparisons of 12-month outcomes between IVT-AFL 2q8 and therapies licensed outside the USA, which were assessed for clinical and statistical homogeneity. Pooled effect sizes (mean difference [MD] and relative risk/risk ratio [RR]) were calculated using fixed- …

The Endogenous Cell-Fate Factor Dachshund Restrains Prostate Epithelial Cell Migration Via Repression Of Cytokine Secretion Via A Cxcl Signaling Module., Ke Chen, Kongming Wu, Xuanmao Jiao, Liping Wang, Xiaoming Ju, Min Wang, Gabriele Disante, Shaohua Xu, Qiong Wang, Kevin Li, Xin Sun, Chongwen Xu, Zhiping Li, Mathew C. Casimiro, Adam Ertel, Sankar Addya, Peter Mccue, Michael P. Lisanti, Chenguang Wang, Richard J. Davis, Graeme Mardon, Richard Pestell

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Prostate cancer is the second leading form of cancer-related death in men. In a subset of prostate cancer patients, increased chemokine signaling IL8 and IL6 correlates with castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). IL8 and IL6 are produced by prostate epithelial cells and promote prostate cancer cell invasion; however, the mechanisms restraining prostate epithelial cell cytokine secretion are poorly understood. Herein, the cell-fate determinant factor DACH1 inhibited CRPC tumor growth in mice. Using Dach1(fl/fl)/Probasin-Cre bitransgenic mice, we show IL8 and IL6 secretion was altered by approximately 1,000-fold by endogenous Dach1. Endogenous Dach1 is shown to serve as a key endogenous restraint to …

Using The Sulfur Cycle To Constrain Changes In Seawater Chemistry During The Paleogene, Kara Elizabeth Dennis

Theses - ALL

The sulfur isotopic composition of seawater sulfate (δ34S) has varied significantly throughout the Phanerozoic and is related to variability in Earth’s sulfur and carbon cycles. During the Early Eocene (~55 Ma to 45 Ma) the δ34S composition of seawater sulfate increased from +18‰ to +22‰ and has remained largely invariant over the last 34 Ma. The two principal hypotheses invoked to explain this positive excursion are: (1) a rapid increase in the flux of weathering-derived sulfate and an increase in sulfate concentrations, coupled with a compensatory increase in pyrite burial, or (2) an increase in the pyrite burial flux due …

Impacts Of Ship Noise On The Nighttime Foraging Behaviors Of The North Atlantic Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Hannah Blair

Theses - ALL

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is an endangered baleen whale species with a cosmopolitan distribution. The coastal habitat of this species result in significant exposure to anthropogenic noise from human activities. Previous research in the well-studied Pacific populations has demonstrated changes in calling behavior in response to noise, but noise impacts on other critical behaviors such as foraging have not yet been investigated. This study examines the impacts of ship noise on the nighttime bottom foraging behavior of humpback whales in the North Atlantic – a region with substantial human activity including high levels of noise from commercial shipping traffic. …

Discrimination Of Age, Sex, And Individual Identity Using The Upcall Of The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena Glacialis), Jessica Mccordic

Theses - ALL

According to the source-filter theory proposed for human speech, physical attributes of the mammalian vocal production mechanism combine independently to result in individually distinctive vocalizations. In the case of stereotyped calls with all individuals producing a similar frequency contour, formants resulting from the shape and size of the vocal tract may be more likely to contain individually distinctive information than the fundamental frequency resulting from the vibrating source. However, the formant structure resulting from such filtering has been historically undervalued in the majority of studies addressing individual distinctiveness in non-human species. The upcall of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena …

The Logic Of Collective Action And Beyond, Roger D. Congleton

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

This article provides an overview of Mancur Olson’s Logic of Collective Action and its impact on Olson’s subsequent work. It also suggests that the implications of his simple, elegant, theory have not yet been fully worked out. To illustrate this point, the second half of the essay demonstrates that the number of privileged and latent groups and their costs in a given society are not entirely determined by economic factors or group size alone. Politics, technology, and culture also matter.

A Kazal-Type Serine Protease Inhibitor From The Defense Gland Secretion Of The Subterranean Termite Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki, Horia Negulescu, Youzhong Guo, Thomas P. Garner, Octavia Y. Goodwin, Gregg Henderson, Roger A. Laine, Megan A. Macnaughtan

Faculty Publications

© 2015 Negulescu et al. Coptotermes formosanus is an imported, subterranean termite species with the largest economic impact in the United States. The frontal glands of the soldier caste termites comprising one third of the body mass, contain a secretion expelled through a foramen in defense. The small molecule composition of the frontal gland secretion is well-characterized, but the proteins remain to be identified. Herein is reported the structure and function of one of several proteins found in the termite defense gland secretion. TFP4 is a 6.9 kDa, non-classical group 1 Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor with activity towards chymotrypsin and …

A Kazal-Type Serine Protease Inhibitor From The Defense Gland Secretion Of The Subterranean Termite Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki, Horia Negulescu, Youzhong Guo, Thomas P. Garner, Octavia Y. Goodwin, Gregg Henderson, Roger A. Laine, Megan A. Macnaughtan

Faculty Publications

© 2015 Negulescu et al. Coptotermes formosanus is an imported, subterranean termite species with the largest economic impact in the United States. The frontal glands of the soldier caste termites comprising one third of the body mass, contain a secretion expelled through a foramen in defense. The small molecule composition of the frontal gland secretion is well-characterized, but the proteins remain to be identified. Herein is reported the structure and function of one of several proteins found in the termite defense gland secretion. TFP4 is a 6.9 kDa, non-classical group 1 Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor with activity towards chymotrypsin and …

Commencement Convocation Exercises May 2015, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

Portland Spectrum, May 2015, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

Portland Spectrum

Editor: Corinne Hutfilz

Articles in this issue include: California Water Crisis; Put a Bird on It; Religious Freedom Restoration Act; Patriot Act's Upcoming Renewal; Vinyl: a Dynamic Resurgence; PSU Tuition Increase; and A Primer to David Lynch

Histone Deacetylase 6 (Hdac6) Promotes The Pro-Survival Activity Of 14-3-3Ζ Via Deacetylation Of Lysines Within The 14-3-3Ζ Binding Pocket, Jeffrey B. Mortenson, Lisa N. Heppler, Courtney J. Banks, Vajira K. Weerasekara, Matthew D. Whited, Stephen R. Piccolo, William E. Johnson, J. Will Thompson, Joshua L. Andersen

Faculty Publications

The phospho-binding protein 14-3-3ζ acts as a signaling hub controlling a network of interacting partners and oncogenic pathways. We show here that lysines within the 14-3-3ζ binding pocket and protein-protein interface can be modified by acetylation. The positive charge on two of these lysines, Lys49 and Lys120, is critical for coordinating 14-3-3ζ-phosphoprotein interactions. Through screening, we identified HDAC6 as the Lys49/Lys120 deacetylase. Inhibition of HDAC6 blocks 14-3-3ζ interactions with two well described interacting partners, Bad and AS160, which triggers their dephosphorylation at Ser112 and Thr642, respectively. Expression of an acetylation-refractory K49R/K120R mutant of 14-3-3ζ rescues both the HDAC6 inhibitor-induced loss …

Development Of 13c Fingerprint Tool And Its Application For Exploring Carbon And Energy Metabolism In Cyanobacterium Synechocystis Sp. Pcc 6803, Le You

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are important microbial cell factories that are widely used in the biotechnology filed nowadays. They can use light as the sole energy source to fix CO2, accumulate biomass, and produce various valuable bio-products. Engineered cyanobacterial species can uptake nutrients from wastes to further reduce the cost. Recently, it is reported that cyanobacteria will provide much higher carbon yield than heterotrophs by co-utilizing organic carbons and CO2. However, the quantitative information of such `photo-fermentation' process is still limited. Decoding the carbon metabolism of cyanobacteria during the photo-fermentation process can reveal the functional pathways, carbon distribution, and the energy requirement, all …

Sociobot: Twitter For Command And Control Of A Botnet, Ismeet Kaur Makkar

Master's Projects

A botnet is a collection of computers controlled by a botmaster, often used for malicious activity. Social network provides an ideal medium for botnets to spread their reach. In this research, we develop and analyze a botnet that uses Twitter for its command and control channel. We use this botnet to perform a distributed denial of service attack on a web server, and we utilize the biological epidemic models to analyze the spread of the botnet using Twitter.

Preventing Farnesylation Of The Dynein Adaptor Spindly Contributes To The Mitotic Defects Caused By Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors, Andrew J. Holland, Rita M. Reis, Sherry Niessen, Cláudia Pereira, Douglas A. Andres, H. Peter Spielmann, Don W. Cleveland, Arshad Desai, Reto Gassmann

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The clinical interest in farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) makes it important to understand how these compounds affect cellular processes involving farnesylated proteins. Mitotic abnormalities observed after treatment with FTIs have so far been attributed to defects in the farnesylation of the outer kinetochore proteins CENP-E and CENP-F, which are involved in chromosome congression and spindle assembly checkpoint signaling. Here we identify the cytoplasmic dynein adaptor Spindly as an additional component of the outer kinetochore that is modified by farnesyltransferase (FTase). We show that farnesylation of Spindly is essential for its localization, and thus for the proper localization of dynein and its …

Why Summer Camp Matters: The Benefits Of Working At Summer Camp On Future Employment, Alec Michael Jacobson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

After the school year ends, many students have the freedom to choose how they would like to spend their summer. Internships have become an increasingly popular option for students who seek to improve their resumes and boost their chances of landing a job out of college. This project, however, takes a look at one of the major alternatives to an internship, the summer camp counselor job, in order to demonstrate what it is exactly that camp counselors do and why this job has been critical to the success of so many individuals. Although this project does attempt to place value …

Measurement Of The Membrane Electric Field And The Swimming Behavior Of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii: Experiments And Analytical Modeling, Gulmammad Mammadov

Dissertations - ALL

The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has evolutionarily developed a range of receptors to detect light, chemical, or mechanical stimuli for its survival. It employs its two cilia, identified as cis and trans with respect to its photoreceptor-containing eye, to achieve appropriate behavioral responses. The sensory signals are relayed to the dynein motors in the cilia through complex networks of signal transduction pathways that have yet to be fully characterized. The first part of this work is an experimental study of one such signal transduction pathways, the membrane electric field. In the study, an experimental method is developed to monitor the …

Analysis Of Sedimentation Characteristics Of Dredge Sediment Used In Coastal Restoration And Marsh Creation Projects, Christine M. Mebust

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

There is a demand to reestablish a healthy coastal ecosystem by rebuilding wetlands with river diversion or dredged sediments in coastal Louisiana. Land building projects using dredged sediments from adjacent canals and river beds, can be used to protect the coastal properties and infrastructure systems from flood and storm surges. To predict the sediment’s long term behavior, math models require input parameters based on sediment engineering properties and material characteristics. Proper characterization is critical for accurate design of coastal restoration projects. The dredge material sedimentation characteristics and their effects on the settlement rate of suspended solid particles and underlying foundation …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Reporting Experience For Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Candace N. Park

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological design was used to explore the lived experiences of college women who reported sexual assault to law enforcement officials. Utilizing a feminist conceptual framework, the purpose of the present study was to identify the essence of the reporting experience for college women who experienced a sexual assault. Six college women agreed to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open-ended questions to better understand the experience of the phenomenon under investigation. The Modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method of Analysis of Phenomenological Data (Moustakas, 1994) was utilized for analysis of the data collected in order to …

A Fire Stronger Than God: Myth-Making And The Novella Form In Denis Johnson's Train Dreams, Chinh Ngo

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Using concepts of cognitive evolutionary theory, the author explores how narrative storytelling manifests itself in Denis Johnson's novella Train Dreams. The novella form is also discussed, focusing on its manipulation of linear time, its naturalization of supernatural elements, and its deconstruction of dichotomous relationships. Utilizing the novella's distinct structural and thematic elements, Johnson's text shows the myth of American expansionism and industrial progress and that of Kootenai holism in collision, resulting in a narrative renegotiation that seeks to affirm coexistence and complexity.

Three-Dimensional Ideal Gas Reference State Based Energy Function, Avdesh Mishra

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Energy functions are found to be a key of protein structure prediction. In this work, we propose a novel 3-dimensional energy function based on hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of amino acid where we consider at least three different possible interaction of amino acid in a 3-dimensional sphere categorized as hydrophilic versus hydrophilic, hydrophobic versus hydrophobic and hydrophobic versus hydrophilic. Each of these interactions are governed by a 3-dimensional parameter alpha used to model the interaction and 3-dimensional parameter beta used to model weight of contribution. We use Genetic Algorithm (GA) to optimize the value of alpha, beta and Z-score. We obtain three …

Effectiveness Of Statin And Bisphosphonate Treatment In A 3np Model Of Huntington’S Disease, Leslie K. Kelley

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Balanced Secondary Structure Predictor, Md Nasrul Islam

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Secondary structure (SS) refers to the local spatial organization of the polypeptide backbone atoms of a protein. Accurate prediction of SS is a vital clue to resolve the 3D structure of protein. SS has three different components- helix (H), beta (E) and coil (C). Most SS predictors are imbalanced as their accuracy in predicting helix and coil are high, however significantly low in the beta. The objective of this thesis is to develop a balanced SS predictor which achieves good accuracies in all three SS components. We proposed a novel approach to solve this problem by combining a genetic algorithm …

Dante, Damnation, And The Undead: How The Conception Of Hell Has Changed In Western Literature From Dante's Inferno To The Zombie Apocalypse, Isabelle M. Whitman

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Dante's Inferno defined hell in Western literature for centuries; it was a physical place for sinners, they were subjected to physical torments, and it was in the afterlife. Dante’s depiction was firmly rooted in Christian theology. However, as fears and morals change, ideas of hell evolve as well. With the popularity of the zombie and other apocalypse narratives, these ideas return to the notion of physical torment and earthly places. In poetry, novels, theater, television, and film, writers examine different interpretations of hell, punishment, and redemption as metaphors for modern sins. In Sartre’s Huis clos, hell is a windowless …

"Pray For Me And My Kids": Correspondence Between Rural Black Women And White Northern Women During The Civil Rights Movement, Pamela N. Walker

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the experiences of rural black women in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement by examining correspondence of the grassroots anti-poverty organization the Box Project. The Box Project, founded in 1962 by white Vermont resident and radical activist Virginia Naeve, provided direct relief to black families living in Mississippi but also opened positive and clandestine lines of communication between southern black women and outsiders, most often white women. The efforts of the Box Project have been largely left out of the dialogue surrounding Civil Rights, which has often been dominated by leading figures, major events and national organizations. …

Photocatalytic Mineralization Of Phenol On Fluidized Titanium Oxide-Coated Silica Gel, Guillermo J. Rincon

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A bench-scale tubular reactor with recirculation was built in order to study the efficiency of the photocatalytic oxidation of phenol on fluidized titanium oxide-coated silica gel beads. A UV-C lamp placed along the central vertical axes of the reactor was used as source of photons. A bed of silica gel beads was fluidized by means of fluid recirculation and forced to follow upward helical flow around the lamp. Anatase was successfully synthetized on silica gel particles of average diameters 224, 357 and 461 µm, as confirmed by scanning electron micrographs, through a sol-gel technique using a titanium (iv)isopropoxide / hydrochloric …

Surface-Engineered Magnetic Nanoparticles For Sample Preparation And Analysis Of Proteins And Peptides, Parisa Pirani

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Sample preparation as an essential step in mass spectrometry-based analysis, plays a critical role in proteomics studies. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely used in protein and peptide sample preparation due to their magnetic properties, biocompatibility, easy synthesis and surface functionalization. MNPs loaded with analyte or analyte modification reagent can be easily separated from the reaction medium by an externally applied magnetic field. The small size of MNPs provides high analyte loading and extraction capacity. Additionally, MNP can be decorated with different functional groups to achieve selective modification or extraction of analyte. In this study we have utilized silica coated …

Characterization And Transplantation Of Felid Spermatogonial Stem Cells, Robin H. Powell

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) self-renew and differentiate into spermatozoa throughout the life of the male. SSC transplantation is a potential method for the propagation of genetically important males. These cells have been isolated in different mammalian species using specific cell surface markers, but not in felines.

The goal of this study was to explore a relevant strategy for conservation of endangered felids by characterizing domestic cat (Felis catus) SSCs and assessing their ability for self-renewal after transplantation. Firstly, SSC and pluripotent surface markers, identified in non-feline species, were tested for expression in mixed germ cells from adults by …

Commencement Program, May (2015), Minnesota State University Moorhead

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.