Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Atg7 In The Host Defense Against Bacterial Infection, Yan Ye

Theses and Dissertations

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious infections in humans. Autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) has been involved in certain bacterial infections; however, the role of Atg7 in macrophage-mediated immunity against Kp infection has not been elucidated. To gain a better understanding of Kp-host interaction which may provide insight into the design of novel and effective therapeutics for this infection, we set out to investigate the potential immune role for autophagy in Kp infection in vitro and in vivo. We found that Atg7 was significantly induced in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) upon Kp infection, indicating that Atg7 …

Disaggregating Tree And Grass Phenology In Tropical Savannas, Qiang Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Savannas are mixed tree-grass systems and as one of the world’s largest biomes represent an important component of the Earth system affecting water and energy balances, carbon sequestration and biodiversity as well as supporting large human populations. Savanna vegetation structure and its distribution, however, may change because of major anthropogenic disturbances from climate change, wildfire, agriculture, and livestock production. The overstory and understory may have different water use strategies, different nutrient requirements and have different responses to fire and climate variation. The accurate measurement of the spatial distribution and structure of the overstory and understory are essential for understanding the …

Prevalence, Statistical Trends And Phylogenetics Of Blood Parasites (Haemosporidia: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium And Leucocytozoon) In Songbird Passerines From Grasslands Of Northwest Minnesota, Danielle Kvasager

Theses and Dissertations

Passerine birds that primarily use grassland habitats are rarely the focus of a parasite study. With many rapidly declining bird populations that breed at even faster decreasing grassland habitat, it is important to know the potential risks to the birds posed by blood parasites. During the breeding seasons of 2009-2011, 150 samples from 148 individual birds (fourteen species) were collected from five grassland sites in northwest Minnesota, USA and surveyed for blood parasites using microscopy and molecular methods. Eighty-five (56.67%) of the 150 samples were infected with at least one of three haemosporidian genera: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon. Seventy (46.67%) …

Regulation Of Vectorial Active Transport In Human Proximal Tubule Cells By Mt-3: The Role Of The C-Terminal Domain On E-And N-Cadherin Expression And The Confirmation Of Protein-Protein Interactions, Andrea Marie Nore

Theses and Dissertations

The proximal tubule of the kidney is particularly susceptible to toxicant-induced damage and cell cultures of human proximal tubule cells are widely utilized to study the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal disease. Cadmium is a toxic metal ion that is known to produce renal tubular necrosis and accumulate in the proximal tubule. This metal binds to a family of cysteine rich metal binding proteins known as metallothioneins (MT) that are found in abundance in the kidney. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that the third isoform of metallothionein (MT-3) is expressed in the epithelial cells of the …

Survey Of Southern Amazonian Bird Helminths, Kaylyn Patitucci

Theses and Dissertations

Very little is known about the diversity, distribution, and host associations of avian helminths in southern Amazonia. The majority of avian species, families and even orders in the region have not been examined for parasitic worms so far. At the same time, the expected helminth diversity is high, given that Amazonian birds are extremely diverse and their fauna is characterized by a high level of endemism. In this work, we studied helminth fauna of birds from the westernmost region of endemism, Inambari and from the easternmost region, Belém. Two hundred and thirty-four birds belonging to 9 orders were examined for …

The Relationship Between A Series Of Vitamin D Levels And A Blood Glucose Level In Pregnant Women In The Upper Midwest, Jeanine Louise Senti

Theses and Dissertations

Hyperglycemia during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and offspring. In order to facilitate glucose delivery to the fetus, insulin resistance increases as gestation progresses which results in hyperglycemia if the mother’s body is unable to compensate by producing adequate insulin in response to these changes in glucose metabolism. Evidence suggests that calcidiol (vitamin D) influences insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in the non-pregnant population yet there are inconsistent findings on the effects of calcidiol on maternal glucose levels during pregnancy. A secondary analysis was completed on a de-identified data set. The original prospective study included a …

Critical Evaluations Of Modis And Misr Satellite Aerosol Products For Aerosol Modeling Applications, Yingxi Shi

Theses and Dissertations

The study of uncertainties in satellite aerosol products is essential to aerosol

data assimilation and modeling efforts. In this study, with the assistance of ground- based observations, uncertainties in Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection 5 Deep Blue (DB), Multi-Angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) version 22 aerosol products, and the newly released collection 6 Dark Target over-ocean and DB products were evaluated. For each product, systematic biases were analyzed against observing conditions. Empirical correction procedures and data filtering steps were generated to develop noise and bias reduced DA-quality aerosol products for modeling related applications.

Special attention was also directed at the …

Rehabilitation Following A Distal Fibular Fracture In A 16 Year Old Female Athlete: A Case Report., Brett Morlock

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Distal fibular fractures are an uncommon injury in athletes, they are produced by repetitive stress to the fibula often due to overuse. The purpose of this case report is to discuss the rehabilitation following a distal fibular fracture of a young, female athlete and how the rehabilitation prepared the patient to return to her sports.

Case Description: The patient is 16 year old Caucasian female who participated in both cheerleading and gymnastics. She sustained a left distal fibular fracture while performing a stunt in cheerleading. The patient was referred to physical therapy following six weeks …

Association Of Generalized Joint Hypermobility And Occurrence Of Musculoskeletal Injury In Physical And Occupational Therapy Students, Patricia Bisek, Hannah Owen, Maleeka Rozeboom, Leah Tunseth

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: A prior research study showed that the prevalence of hypermobility was higher among Physical and Occupational Therapy students as compared to the general population. The literature shows that certain injury rates are higher among those who are hypermobile. This has led to the question of whether or not hypermobility is directly related to injury and recurrence of injury.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) students for hypermobility as well as survey previous injury history. This study analyzed the prevalence of hypermobility with types of injuries in order …

Same-Sex Cynicism And The Self-Defeating Pursuit Of Social Acceptance Through Litigation, James Dwyer

SMU Law Review

Unrepresented in the literature on same-sex marriage is the perspective of a family law scholar who supports legal marriage for same-sex couples as a matter of policy and morality but denies that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to state-issued marriage certificates. This article exposes the disingenuous distortions and intentional omissions that advocates for same-sex marriage and their supporters in the judiciary and the academy deploy to secure the policy result they desire through the courts. It demonstrates that the same-sex marriage movement's past successes have actually undermined, rather than advanced, their case for court-mandated expansion of legal marriage. It …

Instrumentation And Development Of A Mass Spectrometry System For The Study Of Gas-Phase Biomolecular Ion Reactions, Ziqing Lin

Open Access Dissertations

Gas-phase reactions of biomolecular ions are highly relevant to the understanding of structures and functions of the biomolecules. Mass spectrometry is a powerful tool in investigating gas-phase ion chemistry. Various mass spectrometers have been developed to explore ion/molecule reactions, ion/ion reactions, ion/photon reactions, ion/radical reactions etc., both at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. In-vacuum reactions have an advantage of involving pre-selecting the ions for the reactions using a mass analyzer. Over the decades, a variety of mass analyzers have been employed in the research of ion chemistry. Hybrid configurations, such as quadrupole ion trap with a time-of-flight and or a …

Transcriptional Stress Response In Foodborne Pathogens, Aaron M. Pleitner

Open Access Dissertations

Novel molecular method use is leading to better identification and understanding of microbial presence in food and food processing environments. The application of molecular methods targeting foodborne pathogens provides genetic profiling and targeted intervention methods. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides information on the genomic uniqueness of specific pathogens and is being implemented in epidemiological investigations. Transcriptomic profiling allows for tracking the differential expression of genes and elucidating stress responses. Effective methods and treatments require an understanding of intervention (e.g. sanitizers) and treatment (e.g. antibiotics) mechanisms and efficacies. Accurate novel molecular method use requires proper learning of theory and data management. ^ …

Modeling, Optimization, And Sensitivity Analysis Of A Continuous Multi-Segment Crystallizer For Production Of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Bradley James Ridder

Open Access Dissertations

We have investigated the simulation-based, steady-state optimization of a new type of crystallizer for the production of pharmaceuticals. The multi-segment, multi-addition plug-flow crystallizer (MSMA-PFC) offers better control over supersaturation in one dimension compared to a batch or stirred-tank crystallizer. Through use of a population balance framework, we have written the governing model equations of population balance and mass balance on the crystallizer segments. The solution of these equations was accomplished through either the method of moments or the finite volume method. The goal was to optimize the performance of the crystallizer with respect to certain quantities, such as maximizing the …

Mach: A Model For Explaining Molecular And Cellular Mechanisms, Caleb M. Trujillo

Open Access Dissertations

Biologists use mechanistic explanations to understand behaviors of the immense complexity of molecular and cellular systems. In undergraduate biology courses, students are expected to explain molecular and cellular mechanisms, but teaching this skill presents many challenges due to the highly abstract, intangible nature of the cellular world, the influence of everyday language, and the tendency of students to overestimate how much they can explain. Therefore, across three studies this dissertation addresses these obstacles to teach undergraduate biology students to explain molecular and cellular mechanisms. ^ The first step was to model how biology experts explain molecular and cellular mechanisms, and …

Show Horse Welfare, Melissa A. Voigt

Open Access Dissertations

In recent years there has been an increase in the public's attention to situations where trainers, owners, and handlers have compromised the well-being of show horses for the sake of winning. These situations may be due to training negligence or naivety of individuals working with the horse. Either way, due to these incidents, increasing pressure has been placed on the horse industry to address show horse welfare. The purpose of this research was to expound on the welfare of stock-type show horses through the perspective of those directly involved; considering the understanding of welfare, the value placed on welfare, and …

The Epidemiology Of Coxiella Burnetii In Goats In Indiana, Amy E. Bauer

Open Access Dissertations

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate, intracellular bacterium and the etiologic agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever. Through the presence of an environmentally resilient small cell variant, C. burnetii can persist outside of a host in the face of extremes in temperature, humidity, and pressure. C. burnetii is considered to be ubiquitous in the environment and endemic in cattle, sheep and goat populations. These same species are the main reservoirs for human infection with C. burnetii. The overall goal of this project was to develop a baseline understanding of the epidemiology of C. burnetii in goats in Indiana. Specific areas …

Discovery Of Molecules That Modulate Protein-Protein Interactions In The Context Of Human Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen-Associated Processes Of Dna Replication And Damage Repair, Matthew David Bartolowits

Open Access Dissertations

Integral to cell viability is the homotrimeric protein complex Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) that encircles chromatin-bound DNA and functionally acts as a DNA clamp that provides topological sites for recruitment of proteins necessary for DNA replication and damage repair. PCNA has critical roles in the survival and proliferation of cells, as disease-associated dysregulation of associated functions can have dire effects on genome stability, leading to the formation of various malignancies ranging from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma to skin, laryngeal, ocular, prostate and breast cancers. Here, a strategy was explored with PCNA as a drug target that may have wider implications for …

Design Of An Embedded Fluorescence Imaging System For Implantable Optical Neural Recording, Giovanni Barbera

Open Access Dissertations

The brain is the most complex and least understood biological system known to man. New imaging techniques are providing scientists with an entirely new perspec- tive on the study of the functional brain at a neural circuit level, enabling in-depth understanding of both physiological processes and animal models of neurological and psychiatric diseases which currently lack e↵ective treatments. These new tools come at the cost of meeting the challenges associated with the miniaturization of the hard- ware for in vivo recordings

Control Of Bovine Pyruvate Carboxylase Expression By Saturated And Unsaturated Fatty Acids And Impact On Fatty Acid Metabolism, Katherine Elizabeth Boesche

Open Access Dissertations

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC; EC 6.4.1.1) ostensibly links carbohydrate and lipid metabolism by supplying oxaloacetate (OAA) from the carboxylation of pyruvate. The OAA pool is necessary in maintaining the anaplerotic supply of carbons to the TCA cycle, and to promote the complete oxidation, to CO2, of acetyl-CoA. The actions of PC in supplying OAA are critical during periods of increased cellular lipid load, including the negative energy balance experienced by periparturient dairy cows. The bovine PC gene contains three promoter sequences, with products of the proximal promoter (PCP1) being specific to glucogenic and lipogenic tissues. Previous work links control of bovine …

Non-Fouling Affinity Platforms For Protein Immobilization In Electron Microscopy, Christopher Jerome Benjamin

Open Access Dissertations

Single-particle reconstruction has grown significantly with the improvements in various data collection and computational strategies including CTF fitting, the use of vitrified samples and the utilization of ultra-sensitive direct electron detectors. Although these improvements have contributed significantly to the recent evolution of 3D reconstruction analysis, the way samples are prepared for electron microscopy has remained largely unchanged. We report the development of TEM grids that are modified with non-fouling coatings bearing surface grafted nitrilotriacetic acid substituents that promotes specific capture of protein targets for high resolution TEM analysis. The utilization of these grids for specific adsorption of the targeted protein …

On New Approaches For Variable Selection Under Single Index Model And Dna Methylation Status Calling, Longjie Cheng

Open Access Dissertations

This thesis consists of two main components: a regularization based variable selection method for the single index model and a novel classification based method for DNA methylation status calling for bisulphite-sequencing data.

Impact Of L-Arginine Transportation On Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Function, Cansu Cimen Bozkus

Open Access Dissertations

Inflammatory chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome has been linked to autoimmune inflammation. Likewise, prostatitis has been linked to prostate cancer development and progression. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which inflammation is regulated may provide the foundation for novel approaches to controlling inflammation. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immature cells that expand during benign and cancer-associated inflammation. MDSC are characterized by their ability to potently inhibit T cell responses. Therefore, by dampening inflammation, MDSC benefit autoimmune diseases. Instead, they aggravate cancer by blocking antitumor immune responses. Identification of mechanisms underlying MDSC activities can enable the …

Assessing Inter-Rater Agreement For Compositional Data, Ningning Chen

Open Access Dissertations

Compositional data are non-negative vectors whose elements sum to one (e.g., [0.1, 0.5, 0.4]). This type of data occurs in many research areas where the relative magnitudes between the vector’s elements are of primary interest. In this dissertation we propose novel methodology for assessing inter-rate agreement based on compositional data. This is needed because existing agreement measures either involve converting the vector to a univariate value, thereby losing information, or they fail to account for the sum-to-one restriction. We propose a novel Bayesian approach, enabled by Markov chain Monte Carlo, to investigate differences in the pattern of compositional vector scores. …

Signal Enhancement And Data Mining For Biological And Chemical Samples Using Mass Spectrometry, Yuezhi Du

Open Access Dissertations

Mass spectrometry has been actively involved in the areas of healthcare, pharmaceutics, environmental analysis, food industry and forensics due to its ability to provide molecular information at trace levels. Recently, because of the complexity of chemical and biological samples, computer-assisted mass spectra analysis, including signal enhancement, statistics and machine learning, has been drawn more and more attention especially for researches in biomarker identification, sample classification and omics-related areas where high volume of data is generated.

The Organization Of Mitochondrial Quality Control And Life Cycle In The Nervous System In Vivo In The Absence Of Pink1, Swathi Devireddy

Open Access Dissertations

Maintenance of healthy mitochondria is crucial in cells, such as neurons, with high

Detailed Investigations Of Capillary And Van Der Waals Forces In The Adhesion Between Solids, Aaron Harrison

Open Access Dissertations

The primary focus of this dissertation is on characterizing two fundamental forces common to adhesion between solids: capillary and van der Waals forces. These two forces have a significant impact on how solids flow, stick to surfaces, agglomerate and break; therefore, understanding their behavior can lead to better processing techniques.

Phage Therapy Applications: Efficacy And Impact On The Animal Intestinal Microbiome, Yingying Hong

Open Access Dissertations

Phage therapy is a promising antibacterial intervention that has received renewed interest in recent years. In this study, the antibacterial efficacy of phage treatments was tested in different food matrices, under different conditions, as well as in both phage cocktail and single phage forms. Additionally, this study also examined phage genome sequences, bacterial phage resistance, and the impact of orally administered phages on acute immune response and gut microbiome of the host in effort to more clearly assess the safety and long-lasting efficacy of phage-based treatments.

The Role Of Gut Metabolites On Regulation Of Intestinal Immunity, Myunghoo Kim

Open Access Dissertations

The gastrointestinal tract contains multiple types of immune cells that induce various immune responses to dietary antigens, commensal bacteria, and pathogens. Maintaining homeostasis at this mucosal barrier requires stringent regulation of the immune responses, including mechanisms to convey information about environmental conditions. Dietary nutrients can be converted into gut metabolites through either host or microbial enzymatic activities. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that these gut metabolites have a significant impact on the regulation of intestinal immune responses; however, the underlying mechanisms by which gut metabolites regulate the intestinal immune system are incompletely understood. Thus, we have studied the role of gut metabolites, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Sorghum And Maize As Bioenergy Feedstock For The Us Midwest: Compositional Attributes And System Nitrogen Dynamics, Monique K. Long

Open Access Dissertations

The comparative production potential among annual cropping systems grown as bioenergy feedstock in the Eastern Cornbelt of the US Midwest is generally unknown. Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the compositional attributes, agronomic and economic efficiencies, and environmental impacts of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor M.) and maize (Zea mays L.) as they relate to bioethanol production and nitrogen (N). A 3 site-year fertilizer rate study (0, 67, 135 and 202 kg N ha-1) comparing five distinct sorghum hybrids/lines and a maize hybrid, was conducted to evaluate yields, carbohydrate pools, and associated theoretical ethanol (EtOH) yields. Post-harvest, dried stover was analyzed …

Incorporating A Small-Group Affective Curriculum Model Into A Diverse, Summer Program For Talented Youth: A Design Based Research Study, Enyi Jen

Open Access Dissertations

In this study, I used Design-Based Research (DBR), as a methodological framework, to guide the development and implementation of the GERI Affective Model into a diverse, university-based, summer enrichment residential program for talented youth. The purposes of this study were to build an evidence-based affective intervention, to explore how participation in the affective curriculum influenced high-ability students' social and emotional development and to use the results to refine the GERI Affective Model before dissemination. This research included two phases, an initial design phase in 2012 to 2013 and an outcome study in 2014. In the initial design phase, I designed …