Digital Commons Network^™

Fostering An Inclusive Stem Workforce, Cary A. Supalo Dr.

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The following keynote address was delivered by Dr. Cary A. Supalo at the 2015 Training Workforce and Development and diversity conference which is one of the divisions that is part of NIH’s general medical sciences. This conference was attended by over 500 program directors from all of the T32 sponsored projects in 2015. This presentation discussed the importance of a full inclusive STEM workforce that includes persons with disabilities

Gardner-Webb Outstanding Female Graduate Prepared For Next Challenge, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

At times during her Gardner-Webb University career, Katie Elizabeth Faith Loftin (’15) questioned her choice to major in biology and minor in chemistry. But with the help of a supportive faculty, she excelled academically and learned more than scientific concepts, laws and theories. “My experience at Gardner-Webb prepared me for a career in a variety of ways. Most tangibly, it taught me how to be confident and more outgoing,” shared Loftin, who plans to pursue a career in photography while working as a veterinary technician.

European Land Co2 Sink Influenced By Nao And East-Atlantic Pattern Coupling, Ana Bastos, Ivan A. Janssens, Célia M. Gouveia, Ricardo M. Trigo, Philippe Ciais, Frédéric Chevallier, Josep Peñuelas, Christian Rodenbeck, Shilong Piao, Pierre Friedlingstein, Steven W. Running

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Large-scale climate patterns control variability in the global carbon sink. In Europe, the North-Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) influences vegetation activity, however the East-Atlantic (EA) pattern is known to modulate NAO strength and location. Using observation-driven and modelled data set, we show that multi-annual variability patterns of European Net Biome Productivity (NBP) are linked to anomalies in heat and water transport controlled by the NAO-EA interplay. Enhanced NBP occurs when NAO and EA are both in negative phase, associated with cool summers with wet soils which enhance photosynthesis. During anti-phase periods, NBP is reduced through distinct impacts of climate anomalies in photosynthesis …

Are Stem Syllabi Gendered? A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis, Laura Parson

The Qualitative Report

This study explored the gendered nature of STEM higher education institution through a feminist critical discourse analysis of STEM course syllabi from a Midwest research university. I explored STEM syllabi to understand how linguistic features such as stance and interdiscursivity are used in the syllabus and how language and discourses used in the syllabus replicate the masculine nature of STEM education. Findings suggest that the discourses identified in the syllabi reinforce traditional STEM academic roles, and that power and gender in the STEM syllabi are revealed through exploration of the themes of knowledge, learning, and the teaching and learning environment …

Bioinformatics Resources For Microrna Discovery, Alyssa C. Moore, Jonathan S. Winkjer, Tsai-Tien Tseng

Faculty Articles

Biomarker identification is often associated with the diagnosis and evaluation of various diseases. Recently, the role of microRNA (miRNA) has been implicated in the development of diseases, particularly cancer. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, the amount of data on miRNA has increased tremendously in the last decade, requiring new bioinformatics approaches for processing and storing new information. New strategies have been developed in mining these sequencing datasets to allow better understanding toward the actions of miRNAs. As a result, many databases have also been established to disseminate these findings. This review focuses on several curated databases of miRNAs and …

Micrornas Expressed During Viral Infection: Biomarker Potential And Therapeutic Considerations, Jennifer Louten, Michael Beach, Kristina Palermino, Maria Weeks, Gabrielle Holenstein

Faculty Articles

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short sequences of noncoding single-stranded RNAs that exhibit inhibitory effects on complementary target mRNAs. Recently, it has been discovered that certain viruses express their own miRNAs, while other viruses activate the transcription of cellular miRNAs for their own benefit. This review summarizes the viral and/or cellular miRNAs that are transcribed during infection, with a focus on the biomarker and therapeutic potential of miRNAs (or their antagomirs). Several human viruses of clinical importance are discussed, namely, herpesviruses, polyomaviruses, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human papillomavirus, and human immunodeficiency virus.

A Polyglot Approach To Bioinformatics Data Integration: A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Hiv-1, Steven Reisman, Thomas Hatzopoulous, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal, Catherine Putonti

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

As sequencing technologies continue to drop in price and increase in throughput, new challenges emerge for the management and accessibility of genomic sequence data. We have developed a pipeline for facilitating the storage, retrieval, and subsequent analysis of molecular data, integrating both sequence and metadata. Taking a polyglot approach involving multiple languages, libraries, and persistence mechanisms, sequence data can be aggregated from publicly available and local repositories. Data are exposed in the form of a RESTful web service, formatted for easy querying, and retrieved for downstream analyses. As a proof of concept, we have developed a resource for annotated HIV-1 …

The Eastern Echo, January 18, 2016, Eastern Michigan University

EMU Student Newspaper: The Normal News & The Eastern Echo

No abstract provided.

Visualization Of Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, Tim Fitzgerald

Theses

It is widely known that human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) can cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), but treatments to prevent the virus from escalating to that severity have come a long way since the virus was first described in the 1980s. The medications, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), keep the virus from replicating, thus stopping its progression to AIDS. However, this treatment does not seem to ultimately benefit the brain, in part because cART does not uniformly penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and in part because HIV-1 seems to permanently turn on the part of the immune system that causes …

A Review Of The Ecology, Palaeontology And Distribution Of Atlantid Heteropods (Caenogastropoda: Pterotracheoidea: Atlantidae), Deborah Wall-Palmer, Christopher W. Smart, Richard Kirby, Malcolm B. Hart, Katja T.C.A. Peijnenburg, Arie W. Janssen

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Branching Topology: The Aesthetics And Symbolism Of Glass Trees, Michael Lyn Tracy

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses my glass artwork which I make to help me understand the world. Trees, specifically bonsai trees, are used as inspirational imagery. The work explores the physical and symbolic aspects of the trees and the relationships that develop between the maker, the object, and the viewer. The series of work split into two distinct styles and the relationships of the styles as they relate to aspects of my personality are explored.

The Rider (2016-01-18), Jesus Sanchez

The Rider Archives

Vol.1 No.15

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - January 17, 2016, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the January 17, 2016 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• 9th Annual COM Research Forum Winners Announced
• USA Radiologist Provides Insight on Updated Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening
• Students, Residents and Faculty Named to USA Chapter of Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society
• Jan. 21 DSS to Feature Dr. Mary Jane Thomassen

01/17/2016 Obituary Records, Hawaii Obituaries

Obituaries

List of Obituaries for individuals who passed away on 01/17/2016. Scroll down to see the names and obituary description.

Gardner-Webb Graduate Working To Refine Treatments For Cancer Patients, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

A unique combination of degrees allows Gardner-Webb University alum William Payne (‘14) to work extensively in designing targeted therapy for cancer patients. With support from the Gardner-Webb faculty, Payne, who is from Pendleton, Ind., completed majors in chemistry and computer science with minors in mathematics and biology. His doctoral research in biomedical engineering at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., gives doctors more tools to treat breast and pancreatic cancers.

Sexual Differences In Prevalence Of A New Species Of Trypanosome Infecting TúNgara Frogs, Ximena Bernal, C Miguel Pinto

Department of Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Trypanosomes are a diverse group of protozoan parasites of vertebrates transmitted by a variety of hematophagous invertebrate vectors. Anuran trypanosomes and their vectors have received relatively little attention even though these parasites have been reported from frog and toad species worldwide. Blood samples collected from túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), a Neotropical anuran species heavily preyed upon by eavesdropping frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.), were examined for try- panosomes. Our results revealed sexual differences in trypanosome prevalence with female frogs being rarely infected (< 1%). This finding suggests this protozoan parasite may be transmitted by frog-biting midges that find their host using the mating calls produced by male frogs. Following previous anuran trypanosome studies, we examined 18S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize and establish the phylo- genetic relationship of the trypanosome species found in túngara frogs. A new species of giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma tungarae n. sp., is described in this study. Overall the morphometric data revealed that the trypomastigotes of T. tungarae n. sp. are similar to other giant trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma rotatorium and Trypanosoma ranarum. Despite its slender and long cell shape, however, 18S rRNA gene sequences revealed that T. tungarae n. sp. is sister to the rounded-bodied giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma chattoni. Therefore, morphological convergence explains similar morphology among members of two non-closely related groups of trypanosomes infecting frogs. The results from this study underscore the value of coupling morphological identification with molecular characterization of anuran trypanosomes.

Complex Resistivity Spectra In Relation To Multiscale Pore Geometry In Carbonates And Mixed-Siliciclastic Rocks, Jan Henrik Norbisrath

Open Access Dissertations

Carbonate rocks are known to have complex and heterogeneous pore structures, which result from their biogenic origin and strong affinity for diagenetic processes that change their pore structure after burial. The combination of sheer endless variations of precursor biogenic material, depositional environments, and diagenetic effects results in rocks that are interesting to study but intricate to understand. Many schemes to categorize the diversity of carbonate rocks are in use today; most are based on the macropore structure and qualitative thin-section analysis. Many studies, however, acknowledge that micropores have a significant influence on the macroscopic petrophysical rock properties, which are essential …

Lfda: A Probabilistic Graphical Model For The Study Of Excitation Emission Matrices, Oscar Luis Martinez

Open Access Dissertations

Traditional classification techniques assume samples are described by vectors of features. However, in some domains samples are gathered by measuring a variable with respect to two or more other variables: for a given value of x and y measure z. In such domains, samples are more naturally described by matrices or by higher dimensional arrays. We present a novel latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based approach for modeling and analyzing fluorescent spectroscopy excitation-emission Matrices (EEMs) and other three way datasets. We introduce parallels between topic modeling and three-way arrays which allow us to create adaptations to use LDA-based methods in latent fluorophore …

U.S. Biological Quarantine: A Look At The Legal Framework, Katherine T. Rooney

Journal of Legislation

Biological terrorism is a growing problem. Search and seizure protections have an on-going balancing relationship with national security that is balanced by a least restrictive means test. The Kaci Hickox case exposed the difficulty of maintaining the civil rights protections of search and seizure while combating a potentially catastrophic danger.

19. Zoology, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Group-Based Exercise And Cognitive-Physical Training In Older Adults With Self-Reported Cognitive Complaints: The Multiple-Modality, Mind-Motor (M4) Study Protocol, Michael A. Gregory, Dawn P. Gill, Erin M. Shellington, Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Ryosuke Shigematsu, Guangyong Zou, Kevin Shoemaker, Adrian M. Owen, Vladimir Hachinski, Melanie Stuckey, Robert J. Petrella

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Background: Dementia is associated with cognitive and functional deficits, and poses a significant personal, societal, and economic burden. Directing interventions towards older adults with self-reported cognitive complaints may provide the greatest impact on dementia incidence and prevalence. Risk factors for cognitive and functional deficits are multifactorial in nature; many are cardiovascular disease risk factors and are lifestyle-mediated. Evidence suggests that multiple-modality exercise programs can provide cognitive and functional benefits that extend beyond what can be achieved from cognitive, aerobic, or resistance training alone, and preliminary evidence suggests that novel mind-motor interventions (i.e., Square Stepping Exercise; SSE) can benefit cognition and …

Defeating Huntington’S Disease Starts With Taking Care Of Yourself And Joining Enroll-Hd, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Direct Analysis In Real Time (Dart) Of An Organothiophosphate At Ultrahigh Resolution By Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry And Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Laszlo Prokai, Stanley M. Stevens Jr.

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Direct analysis in real time (DART) is a recently developed ambient ionization technique for mass spectrometry to enable rapid and sensitive analyses with little or no sample preparation. After swab-based field sampling, the organothiophosphate malathion was analyzed using DART-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Mass resolution was documented to be over 800,000 in full-scan MS mode and over 1,000,000 for an MS/MS product ion produced by collision-induced dissociation of the protonated analyte. Mass measurement accuracy below 1 ppm was obtained for all DART-generated ions that belonged to the test compound in the …

Leukocyte Subset Changes In Response To A 164-Km Road Cycle Ride In A Hot Environment, Hui Ying Luk, Amy L. Mckenzie, Anthony A. Duplanty, Ronald G. Budnar, Danielle Levitt, Alex Fernandez, Elaine C. Lee, Lawrence E. Armstrong, Jakob L. Vingren

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(1): 34-46, 2016. The purpose of this observational study was to determine the circulating leukocyte subset response to completing the 2013 Hotter’N Hell Hundred recreational 164-km road cycle event in a hot and humid environmental condition. Twenty-eight men and four women were included in this study. Whole blood samples were obtained 1-2 hours before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) the event. Electronic sizing/sorting and cytometry were used to determine complete blood counts (CBC) including neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte subsets. The concentration of circulating total leukocytes (10³·µL^-1) increased 134% from PRE to …

Effects Of A Supportive Audience On A Handgrip Squeezing Task In Adults, Brianna N. Leitzelar, Selen Razon, Umit Tokac, Shannon Dieringer, Cindy Book, Lawrence A. Judge

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(1): 4-15, 2016. The role of social facilitation by way of audience effect in select exercise-related variables during an isometric handgrip task was assessed using a mixed design. Fifty three moderately active participants (M_age= 21.76 + 5.27) were recruited from the Midwestern United States. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: supportive audience or control. Audience members provided positive verbal encouragement to participants in the experimental condition throughout the task performance. Participants in the control group performed the task in the absence of an audience and did not receive any …

Early Afternoon Concurrent Panel Sessions: Commercial Space Industry Snapshot: Presentation: 2015 Commercial Space Industry Snapshot As Seen Through The Eyes Of The International Symposium For Personal And Commercial Spaceflight (Ispcs), Sarah J. Nilsson Esq.

Aviation / Aeronautics / Aerospace International Research Conference

The International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) is a nonprofit independently run annual event, that has taken place these past 11 years, whose speakers capture the growth and diversification of the global commercial space industry in the form of short powerful talks. Hence, it was appropriate that a 2015 snapshot of the commercial space industry should look at this body of experience and knowledge. The key developments, the key players and an accurate state of the industry are hereby presented through the eyes of the ISPCS from this past eleventh symposium that spanned two days and was held …

Gar22Β Regulates Cell Migration, Sperm Motility, And Axoneme Structure, Ivonne Gamper, David Fleck, Meltem Barlin, Marc Spehr, Sara El Sayad, Henning Kleine, Sebastian Maxeiner, Carmen Schalla, Gülcan Aydin, Mareike Hoss, David W. Litchfield, Bernhard Lüscher, Martin Zenke, Antonio Sechi

Biochemistry Publications

© 2016 Gamper et al. Spatiotemporal cytoskeleton remodeling is pivotal for cell adhesion and migration. Here we investigated the function of Gas2-related protein on chromosome 22 (GAR22β), a poorly characterized protein that interacts with actin and microtubules. Primary and immortalized GAR22β-/- Sertoli cells moved faster than wild-type cells. In addition, GAR22β-/- cells showed a more prominent focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β overexpression or its reexpression in GAR22β-/- cells reduced cell motility and focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β-actin interaction was stronger than GAR22β-microtubule interaction, resulting in GAR22β localization and dynamics that mirrored those of the actin cytoskeleton. Mechanistically, GAR22β interacted with the regulator …

University At Albany Stars Report, Mary Ellen Mallia

STARS reports

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS®) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to gauge relative progress toward sustainability. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. STARS is designed to:

• Provide a framework for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher education.

• Enable meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

• Create incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability.

• Facilitate information sharing about higher education sustainability practices and performance.

• Build a stronger, …

Stem Stories, January 2016, #3, Daniel Vorwerk

STEM Stories

Program Spotlight - Panther Plot

Orally Active And Selective Tubulin Inhibitors As Anti-Trypanosome Agents, Vishal Nanavaty, Rati Lama, Ranjodh Sandhu, Bo Zhong, Daniel Kulman, Viharika Bobba, Anran Zhao, Bibo Li, Bin Su

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Objectives: There is an urgent need to develop a safe, effective, orally active, and inexpensive therapy for African trypanosomiasis due to the drawbacks of current drugs. Selective tubulin inhibitors have the potential to be promising drug candidates for the treatment of this disease, which is based on the tubulin protein structural difference between mammalian and trypanosome cells. We propose to identify novel tubulin inhibitors from a compound library developed based on the lead compounds that selectively target trypanosomiasis. Methods: We used Trypanosoma brucei brucei as the parasite model, and human normal kidney cells and mouse microphage cells as the host …