Digital Commons Network^™

Linking Classroom Learning And Research To Advance Ideas About Social-Ecological Resilience, Natalie C. Ban, Emily Boyd, Michael Cox, Chanda L. Meek, Michael Schoon, Sergio Villamayor-Tomas

Dartmouth Scholarship

There is an increasing demand in higher education institutions for training in complex environmental problems. Such training requires a careful mix of conventional methods and innovative solutions, a task not always easy to accomplish. In this paper we review literature on this theme, highlight relevant advances in the pedagogical literature, and report on some examples resulting from our recent efforts to teach complex environmental issues. The examples range from full credit courses in sustainable development and research methods to project-based and in-class activity units. A consensus from the literature is that lectures are not sufficient to fully engage students in …

Directed Evolution Of Genetic Regulatory Elements Using Crispr/Cas Genome Engineering, Candice J. Coppola

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolutionary Strategy Optimization Of Patch Antenna For Wireless Communication, Ali Al-Azza, Frances J. Harackiewicz, Hemachandra Reddy Gorla

Articles

Covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy algorithm is applied to optimize a dielectric loaded microstrip patch antenna. The optimization process performance is enhanced by not considering the symmetrical factor of the antenna structure. The antenna is optimized to work for IEEE 802.11a WLAN 5-6 GHz band. Experimental measurements have also been performed to validate the performance of the proposed antenna.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins And Their (Disordered) Proteomes In Neurodegenerative Disorders, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Excluded Volume Effects: Mechanistic Complexity Of The Crowded Milieu, Irina M. Kuznetsova, Boris Y. Zaslavsky, Leonid Breydo, Konstantin K. Turoverov, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Macromolecular crowding is known to affect protein folding, binding of small molecules, interaction with nucleic acids, enzymatic activity, protein-protein interactions, and protein aggregation. Although for a long time it was believed that the major mechanism of the action of crowded environments on structure, folding, thermodynamics, and function of a protein can be described in terms of the excluded volume effects, it is getting clear now that other factors originating from the presence of high concentrations of “inert” macromolecules in crowded solution should definitely be taken into account to draw a more complete picture of a protein in a crowded milieu. …

Structure And Stability Of Recombinant Bovine Odorant-Binding Protein: Ii. Unfolding Of The Monomeric Forms, Olga V. Stepanenko, Denis O. Roginskii, Olesya V. Stepanenko, Irina M. Kuznetsova, Vladimir N. Uversky, Konstantin K. Turoverov

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

In a family of monomeric odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), bovine OBP (bOBP), that lacks conserved disulfide bond found in other OBPs, occupies unique niche because of its ability to form domain-swapped dimers. In this study, we analyzed conformational stabilities of the recombinant bOBP and its monomeric variants, the bOBP-Gly121+ mutant containing an additional glycine residue after the residue 121 of the bOBP, and the GCC-bOBP mutant obtained from the bOBP-Gly121+ form by introduction of the Trp64Cys/His155Cys double mutation to restore the canonical disulfide bond. We also analyzed the effect of the natural ligand binding on the conformational stabilities of these bOBP …

Please Turn Your Lights Off, The Turtles Are Nesting: Ensuring That Federal, State, And Local Laws Help Guide Endangered Marine Turtle Hatchlings In Florida To The Right Source Of Light, Cameryn Justice Rivera

St. Thomas Law Review

Part I of this paper provides background information on sea turtle behavioral patterns in nesting and hatching, while also highlighting the problems of disorientation and nesting deterrence. Part II examines federal and state laws that authorize and delegate sea turtle oversight protections, administer legal and practical protection, and attempt to enforce the laws to prevent sea turtle disturbances or deaths. Part III discusses local ordinance regulations on artificial lighting and comments on the Model Lighting Ordinance in Florida. Part IV analyzes sea turtle law coordination and conservation at the federal, state law, and local ordinance level, while commenting on a …

Intrinsically Disordered Caldesmon Binds Calmodulin Via The “Buttons On A String” Mechanism, Sergei E. Permyakov, Eugene A. Permyakov, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

We show here that chicken gizzard caldesmon (CaD) and its C-terminal domain (residues 636–771, CaD136) are intrinsically disordered proteins. The computational and experimental analyses of the wild type CaD136 and series of its single tryptophan mutants (W674A, W707A, and W737A) and a double tryptophan mutant (W674A/W707A) suggested that although the interaction of CaD136 with calmodulin (CaM) can be driven by the non-specific electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged molecules, the specificity of CaD136-CaM binding is likely to be determined by the specific packing of important CaD136 tryptophan residues at the CaD136-CaM interface. It is suggested that this interaction can be …

Fendiline Inhibits Proliferation And Invasion Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells By Interfering With Adam10 Activation And Β-Catenin Signaling, Neha Woods, Jose Trevino, Domenico Coppola, Srikumar Chellappan, Shengyu Yang, Jaya Padmanabhan

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

ADAM10 (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease Domain 10) affects the pathophysiology of various cancers, and we had shown that inhibition of ADAM10 sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine. ADAM10 is activated in response to calcium influx, and here we examined if calcium channel blockers (CCB) would impede ADAM10 activation and affect biology of pancreatic cancer cells. We find that the CCB, fendiline, significantly reduces proliferation, migration, invasion, and anchorage independent growth of pancreatic cancer cells. This was associated with ADAM10 inhibition and its localization at the actin-rich membrane protrusions. Further, fendiline-treated cells formed cadherin-catenin positive tight adherens junctions and elicited defective …

Structure And Stability Of Recombinant Bovine Odorant-Binding Protein: I. Design And Analysis Of Monomeric Mutants, Olga V. Stepanenko, Denis O. Roginskii, Olesya V. Stepanenko, Irina M. Kuznetsova, Vladimir N. Uversky, Konstantin K. Turoverov

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Bovine odorant-binding protein (bOBP) differs from other lipocalins by lacking the conserved disulfide bond and being able to form the domain-swapped dimers. To identify structural features responsible for the formation of the bOBP unique dimeric structure and to understand the role of the domain swapping on maintaining the native structure of the protein, structural properties of the recombinant wild type bOBP and its mutant that cannot dimerize via the domain swapping were analyzed. We also looked at the effect of the disulfide bond by designing a monomeric bOBPs with restored disulfide bond which is conserved in other lipocalins. Finally, to …

Intrinsic Disorder In Biomarkers Of Insulin Resistance, Hypoadiponectinemia, And Endothelial Dysfunction Among The Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Osama H. Jiffri, Fadwa M. Al-Sharif, Essam H. Jiffri, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic and progressive disease that is strongly associated with the all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The present study aimed to analyze the abundance and functionality of intrinsically disordered regions in several biomarkers of insulin resistance, adiponectin, and endothelial dysfunction found in the T2DM patients. In fact, in comparison to controls, obese T2DM patients are known to have significantly higher levels of inter-cellular adhesion molecule (iCAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule (vCAM-1), and E-selectin, whereas their adiponectin levels are relatively low. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these selected biomarkers (iCAM-1, vCAM-1, E-selectin, and adiponectin) are characterized by …

Intrinsic Disorder In Biomarkers Of Insulin Resistance, Hypoadiponectinemia, And Endothelial Dysfunction Among The Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Osama H. Jiffri, Fadwa M. Al-Sharif, Essam H. Jiffri, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic and progressive disease that is strongly associated with the all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The present study aimed to analyze the abundance and functionality of intrinsically disordered regions in several biomarkers of insulin resistance, adiponectin, and endothelial dysfunction found in the T2DM patients. In fact, in comparison to controls, obese T2DM patients are known to have significantly higher levels of inter-cellular adhesion molecule (iCAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule (vCAM-1), and E-selectin, whereas their adiponectin levels are relatively low. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these selected biomarkers (iCAM-1, vCAM-1, E-selectin, and adiponectin) are characterized by …

“In-Plant” Nmr: Analysis Of The Intact Plant Vesicularia Dubyana By High Resolution Nmr Spectroscopy, Viktor P. Kutyshenko, Peter Beskaravayny, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

We present here the concept of “in-plant” NMR and show that high-resolution NMR spectroscopy is suitable for the analysis of intact plants and can be used to follow the changes in the intraorganismal molecular composition over long time periods. The NMR-based analysis of the effect of different concentrations of heavy water on the aquatic plant Vesicularia dubyana revealed that due to the presence of specific adaptive mechanisms this plant can sustain the presence of up to 85% of D₂O. However, it dies in 100% heavy water.

Peptide Drug Discovery: Innovative Technologies And Transformational Medicines, David J. Diller, Mark Jarosinski, Tomi K. Sawyer, Joseph Audie

Chemistry & Physics Faculty Publications

Interest in peptide drug discovery is surging. In the past several years,numerous pharmaceutical and biotech companies have committed considerable resources to peptide-based drug discovery. In part,this is being fueled by an increasing recognition that peptide drugs combine many of the virtues of small molecules and proteins, while minimizing several of their drawbacks, and that peptides can potentially expand the druggable space to include intracellular, extracellular and membrane associated protein–protein interactions. Moreover, powerful new in vitro and in silico technologies and breakthroughs in our understanding of natural peptides have emerged that provide peptide chemists with the toolsand insights they need to …

Project-Based Learning Versus Textbook/Lecture Learning In Middle School Science, Sindy Main

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

As schools continue to become more diverse, it is important to look at science teaching methods that will meet the needs of all students. In this study, 172 students in a middle school in Northwestern Illinois were taught using two methods of teaching science. Half of the students were taught using project-based science (PBS) and the other half of the students were taught using textbook/lecture science (TLS). Students were given pre, post, and delayed posttests on disease. This quasi-experiment found statistically significant difference between PBS and TLS, with PBS students having a higher mean score for all three tests than …

Loss Of Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 1 (Mrp1/Abcc1) Potentiates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity In Mice, Wei Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a broad-spectrum and effective chemotherapeutic agent, but its use in oncologic practice is limited by dose-dependent cumulative cardiotoxicity. DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is in large part due to its ability to cause oxidative stress. Multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily. By effluxing a wide variety of endogenous and exogenous substrates, Mrp1 plays important physiological roles in multiple tissues and also protects normal tissues against toxicants. However, the role of MRP1 in heart is largely unknown.

The role of Mrp1 in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity was investigated in Mrp1 null (Mrp1-/-) and …

Vcu Professor Researches Early Intervention Programs For Preschools, Ties To Rtr Program, Sterling Giles

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

The Institute for Education Sciences, IES, a branch of the US Department of Education, awarded a grant to VCU professors Bryce McLeod, Ph.D and Kevin Sutherland, Ph.D to research behavioral problems in local preschool children. The four-year grant totaled up to $1.6 million.

Is Black Motherhood A Marker Of Oppression Or Empowerment? Hip-Hop And R&B Lessons About "Mama", Cassandra Chaney, Arielle Brown

Journal of Hip Hop Studies

A qualitative content analysis was conducted on the lyrics of 59 songs (40 Hip Hop songs; 17 R&B songs; 2 songs that represented the Hip Hop and R&B genre) from 1961-2013 to identify the ways that Black male and Black female artists described motherhood. The songs were determined by Billboard Chart Research Services, and Black Feminist Theory provided the theoretical foundation on which the themes were identified. Qualitative analysis of the lyrics revealed Black motherhood in R&B and Hip Hop to be based on the following four typologies: (1) Motherhood as Source of Emotional Comfort and Support; (2) Motherhood as …

Impact Of A Science Methods Course On Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Knowledge And Confidence Of Teaching With Scientific Inquiry And Problem-Based Learning, L. Y. Whiteman, T. M. Walker, T. L. Spencer

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of an elementary science methods course on pre-service teachers' knowledge and confidence of teaching with inquiry and problem-based instructional strategies. Changes in pre-service teachers' knowledge and confidence were measured before and after completing the course activities using a pilot survey entitled "Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge & Confidence (PCKC) Survey." An integrated lecture/laboratory elementary science methods course engaged participants with hands-on activities designed to increase their pedagogical content knowledge: including theory, planning and implementation of inquiry, and problem-based learning. The results indicated that pre-service teachers' knowledge and confidence improved as a …

Analysis Of Humira, Electro-Acupuncture, And Pulsatile Dry Cupping On Reducing Joint Inflammation In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Natalie Noll

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Humira, an anti-TNF drug aimed at decreasing inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, can cause skin diseases from rashes to skin cancer. Humira works by blocking the chemical receptor RANKL which inhibits the production of osteoclasts. Osteoclasts are cells that attack and eat bone and cartilage therefore an inhibitory mechanism would cause inflammation.. By analyzing Humira’s effect on the human body, Humira can be compared to other treatments such as electro-acupuncture and pulsatile dry cupping to determine the viability of these alternative treatment methods in regards to their abilities to decrease inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients through blocking RANKL. An analysis …

Hannah Huddle: Visually Comparing Art And Science, Mark Hardison

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Hannah Huddle, a junior at VCU majoring in communications arts with a concentration in scientific illustration, has been working on a research project with VCU biology professor Dr. Lesley Bulluck, and a group of six students, researching the Prothonotary Warbler. Unlike most researchers, Huddle is both studying the biology of the bird and making illustrations of the bird and the research involving the Warbler.

Analysis And Suppression Of Engine Hood Vibrations Under Random Road Excitations, Hooman Farrokhzadeh

Wayne State University Theses

Vehicle designs and developments must meet safety legislations along with market demands. Safety regulations are mainly concerned with how a vehicle body performs in crashes, during which pedestrian collision is the one of the most important issues. When a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, its engine hood will most likely hit the head of the pedestrian, causing serious injuries. To reduce the severity of the injuries, along with market demands to improve vehicle fuel economy and performance, engineers have considered the design solution of reduction of the vehicle hood thickness (and hence its weight) and the use of advanced light materials. …

Fda Industry Guidance Targeting Antibiotics Used In Livestock Will Not Result In Judicious Use Or Reduction In Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Sarah Haag

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Professional Product Review Vol. 10 No. 2, American Dental Association, Council On Scientific Affairs

Professional Product Review

A user-friendly newsletter from the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs offering scientifically sound, unbiased, and clinically relevant information to member dentists about professional dental products tested by the ADA. This collection is historical and may not reflect current standards. For up-to-date information contact the ADA.

Professional Product Review Vol. 10 No. 4, American Dental Association, Council On Scientific Affairs

Professional Product Review

A user-friendly newsletter from the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs offering scientifically sound, unbiased, and clinically relevant information to member dentists about professional dental products tested by the ADA. This collection is historical and may not reflect current standards. For up-to-date information contact the ADA.

Professional Product Review Vol. 10 No. 5, American Dental Association, Council On Scientific Affairs

Professional Product Review

A user-friendly newsletter from the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs offering scientifically sound, unbiased, and clinically relevant information to member dentists about professional dental products tested by the ADA. This collection is historical and may not reflect current standards. For up-to-date information contact the ADA.

Synthesis, Characterization, And Rna Reactivity Of Amino-Acid-Linked Cisplatin Analogues, Xun Bao

Wayne State University Dissertations

The essential role of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in the cell life cycle is highlighted by protein synthesis; therefore, the ribosome is considered to be an ideal drug target. Ribosomal RNAs exhibit a high level of structural diversity. The well-known anticancer drug cisplatin was previously applied as a chemical probe of rRNA structure to determine solvent accessible purines (guanosine) in vivo and in vitro. Cisplatin accumulates faster on RNA than DNA, with less chance of repair. As such, designing new RNA-targeting Pt compounds is not only a promising direction for chemical-probing applications, but also for the design of anticancer drugs that …

The Therapeutic Targeting Of Folate Receptor Alpha Positive Tumors Via Folate Receptor Selective Novel 5- And 6- Substituted Pyrrolo [2,3-D]Pyrimidine Antifolates", Shermaine Kimberly Mitchell-Ryan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Ovarian Cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death of women in the United States. Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) constitutes 85-90% of malignancies within the ovary, with an alarming majority of these cases diagnosed at advanced stage. While most patients are initially highly responsive to the current treatment standard, there is a very high probability that they will recur with a drug resistant fatal disease. Currently there is no validated comprehensive model of disease progression for ovarian cancer, although tremendous progress has been made in understanding the origin of this disease and a putative precursor lesion has been identified …

Investigation Of New Ligand Architechtures Towards Proton And Water Reduction Catalysis By Cobalt Complexes, Debashis Basu

Wayne State University Dissertations

We designed several redox-active ligand architectures to optimize and understand the redox, electronic, and catalytic properties of their respective cobalt complexes. Ligand design was varied from pentadentate donor phenolate to tetradentate acceptor oxime in order to reduce the overpotential of hydrogen generation in organic solvents. We altered the substitution, axial ligands and axial ligand substitutions to vary electronic and catalytic properties for such tetra- or pentadentate ligand systems. Knowledge of the nature of the active species for catalysis enabled us to design the pentadentate oxime ligand which exhibited rich reaction chemistry along with suitable catalytic property in organic solvent. Presence …

Photodynamic Therapy As An Effective Therapeutic Approach In Mame Models Of Triple Negative And Inflammatory Breast Cancers, Neha Aggarwal

Wayne State University Dissertations

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive, FDA approved therapy for

treatment of several indications including endobronchial and esophageal cancers that are

accessible to light. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)

are aggressive and lethal subtypes of breast cancer that spread to chest wall and dermal

lymphatics, respectively, sites that would be accessible to light. Both TNBC and IBC patients

have a relatively poor survival rate due to lack of targeted therapies. Use of PDT is

underexplored for breast cancers but has been proposed for treatment of subtypes for which a

targeted therapy is unavailable. …