Digital Commons Network^™

Forest Glen Savanna, Vermilion County Conservation District

Project Descriptions, Collection Site Summaries, and other Supplementary Material

Print out of the Prairies/Native Plants page from the Vermilion County Conservation District website. Printed 8/10/2016.

Genetic Differentiation Among Florida Populations Of Diadema Antillarum, Luke M. Chandler

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This project used molecular genetic markers (microsatellites) to determine the amount of genetic diversity within populations and whether significant differentiation exists among Florida populations of the long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum. Specifically, this project aimed to (1) compare genetic diversity of D. antillarum from six populations in south Florida ranging from Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas, and (2) determine whether two broodstock populations of D. antillarum contain variation indicative of native Florida populations. Together, these questions can address whether broodstock populations contain the genetic variation necessary to meet the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC’s) genetic …

Effect Of P38 Kinase And Cell Cycle Position On The Expression Of The Pro-Apoptotic Bcl2 Family Member Puma In Skeletal Myoblasts, Victoria Bensimon, Briana Boslett

Undergraduate Research Posters 2016

Skeletal muscle regeneration relies on myoblast stem cell differentiation and is a crucial response to muscle injury caused by trauma and numerous diseases. In skeletal myoblasts, cell death and differentiation are mutually exclusive biological endpoints that are both induced by culture in differentiation media. MyoD, the master muscle- specific transcription factor, is well-known to regulate the expression of muscle specific genes such as myogenin and the ensuing differentiation. However, we have previously reported that MyoD also plays a critical role in the expression of PUMA and apoptosis, rather than myogenin and differentiation, in a subset of myoblasts, thus diminishing the …

Optimization And Validation Of The Protocol Used To Analyze The Taste Of Traditional Chinese Medicines Using An Electronic Tongue, Xuelin Li, Xiaojie Gao, Ruixin Liu, Junming Wang, Zidan Wu, Lu Zhang, Huiling Li, Xinjing Gui, Bingya Kang, Junhan Shi

Computer Science and Statistics Faculty Publications

Tools to define the active ingredients and flavors of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) are limited by long analysis times, complex sample preparation and a lack of multiplexed analysis. The aim of the present study was to optimize and validate an electronic tongue (E‑tongue) methodology to analyze the bitterness of TCMs. To test the protocol, 35 different TCM concoctions were measured using an E‑tongue, and seven replicate measurements of each sample were taken to evaluate reproducibility and precision. E‑tongue sensor information was identified and classified using analysis approaches including least squares support vector machine (LS‑SVM), support vector machine (SVM), discriminant analysis …

Evidence For Bombus Occidentalis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Populations In The Olympic Peninsula, The Palouse Prairie, And Forests Of Northern Idaho, Paul R. Rhoades, Jonathan B. Koch, Lisette P. Waits, James P. Strange, Sanford D. Eigenbrode

All PIRU Publications

Since the mid-1990s, Bombus occidentalis (Green) has declined from being one of the most common to one of the rarest bumble bee species in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Although its conservation status is unresolved, a petition to list this species as endangered or threatened was recently submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To shed light on the conservation situation and inform the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision, we report on the detection and abundance of B. occidentalis following bumble bee collection between 2012 and 2014 across the Pacific Northwest. Collection occurred from the San …

Allosteric Inhibition Of Factor Xiiia. Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics, But Not Glycosaminoglycans, Exhibit Promising Inhibition Profile, Rami A. Al-Horani, Rajesh Karuturi, Michael Lee, Daniel K. Afosa, Umesh R. Desai

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Factor XIIIa (FXIIIa) is a transglutaminase that catalyzes the last step in the coagulation process. Orthostery is the only approach that has been exploited to design FXIIIa inhibitors. Yet, allosteric inhibition of FXIIIa is a paradigm that may offer a key advantage of controlled inhibition over orthosteric inhibition. Such an approach is likely to lead to novel FXIIIa inhibitors that do not carry bleeding risks. We reasoned that targeting a collection of basic amino acid residues distant from FXIIIa’s active site by using sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) or non-saccharide GAG mimetics (NSGMs) would lead to the discovery of the first allosteric …

73rd Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship -- Cruciformed: Living In Light Of The Jesus Story (2016), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 73rd Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, May 3-6, 2016. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Rick Gibson, Tami Williamson, and Joella Michael, Lectures Team

Characterization Of The Three Zebrafish Orthologs Of The Mitochondrial Gtpase Miro/Rhot, Brittany M. Hollister, Kelsey A. Oonk, Douglas C. Weiser, Susan Walsh

Faculty Publications

Mitochondria exhibit dynamic locomotion and spatial rearrangement. This movement is necessary for a cell to maintain basic metabolic functions, and disruption of motility often results in cell death. Miro is a mitochondrial outer membrane Rho GTPase essential for mitochondrial movement and distribution in diverse systems, including yeast, animals, and plants. We sought to study the previously uncharacterized Miro protein family in zebrafish. We confirmed that, like human Miro, the zebrafish Miro proteins (Rhot1a, Rhot1b, and Rhot2) localize to mitochondria in mammalian tissue culture cells by both biochemical fractionation and immunofluorescent colocalization. In addition, using whole mount in situ hybridization, we …

Imir: Identifying Mirna Regulation In Diseases: Bioinformatics Tool, Jeremy Yu, Bolade Ottola, Theo Contes

Capstone Design Expo Posters

Cancer mutations involves various biological factors and cellular mechanisms involving genes, miRNAs, transcription factors (TFs), chemicals etc. Hence, understanding the activity and role of all of these factors can be exploited for therapeutics. To aid this, iMir, a web portal with multi-tabbed design, analysis and user-guide has been developed to search, analyze and visualize the miRNA-disease, miRNA-TF-gene, miRNA-drug associations. Agile methodology was adopted for the software development of this tool. Weekly requirements and goals were discussed, drafted and accomplished and subject to review, testing and documentation. Code integrated upon approval. iMir has been developed using MySQL as a database and …

The Interactome Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae And Its Bacteriophages Show Highly Specific Patterns Of Interactions Among Bacteria And Their Phages, Rachelle Mariano, Stefan Wuchty, Maria G. Vizoso-Pinto, Roman Häuser, Peter Uetz

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Although an abundance of bacteriophages exists, little is known about interactions between their proteins and those of their bacterial hosts. Here, we experimentally determined the phage-host interactomes of the phages Dp-1 and Cp-1 and their underlying protein interaction network in the host Streptococcus pneumoniae. We compared our results to the interaction patterns of E. coli phages lambda and T7. Dp-1 and Cp-1 target highly connected host proteins, occupy central network positions, and reach many protein clusters through the interactions of their targets. In turn, lambda and T7 targets cluster to conserved and essential proteins in E. coli, while such …

Network Topology Analysis Of Post-Mortem Brain Microarrays Identifies More Alzheimer’S Related Genes And Micrornas And Points To Novel Routes For Fighting With The Disease, Sreedevi Chandrasekaran, Danail Bonchev

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Network-based approaches are powerful and beneficial tools to study complex systems in their entirety, elucidating the essential factors that turn the multitude of individual elements into a functional system. In this study we used critical network topology descriptors and guilt-by-association rule to explore and understand the significant molecular players, drug targets and underlying biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. Analyzing two post-mortem brain gene microarrays (GSE4757 and GSE28146) with Pathway Studio software package we constructed and analyzed a set of protein-protein interaction, as well as miRNA-target networks. In a 4-step procedure the expression datasets were normalized using Robust Multi-array Average approach, …

Synchronized Excitability In A Network Enables Generation Of Internal Neuronal Sequences, Yingxue Wang, Zachary Roth, Eva Pastakova

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Hippocampal place field sequences are supported by sensory cues and network internal mechanisms. In contrast, sharp-wave (SPW) sequences, theta sequences, and episode field sequences are internally generated. The relationship of these sequences to memory is unclear. SPW sequences have been shown to support learning and have been assumed to also support episodic memory. Conversely, we demonstrate these SPW sequences were present in trained rats even after episodic memory was impaired and after other internal sequences – episode field and theta sequences – were eliminated. SPW sequences did not support memory despite continuing to ‘replay’ all task-related sequences – place- field …

The Spatial Sensitivity Analysis Of Evapotranspiration Using Penman-Monteith Method At Grid Scale, Sivarajah Mylevaganam, Chittaranjan Ray

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

The need to allocate the existing water in a sustainable manner, even with the projected population growth, has made to assess the consumptive use or evapotranspiration (ET), which determines the irrigation demand. As underscored in the literature, Penman-Monteith method which is a combination of aerodynamic and energy balance method is widely used and accepted as the method of estimation of ET. However, the application of Penman-Monteith relies on many climate parameters such as relative humidity, solar radiation, temperature, and wind speed. Therefore, there exists a need to determine the parameters that are most sensitive and correlated with dependent variable ( …

Research And Creative Activity, July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016: Major Sponsored Programs And Faculty Awards For Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Office Of Research And Economic Development, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Office of Research and Economic Development: Publications

Foreword by Steve Goddard, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development

This “Major Sponsored Programs and Faculty Awards for Research and Creative Activity” booklet highlights the successes of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty during the fiscal year July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016. It lists funding sources, projects and investigators on major grants and sponsored program awards received during the year; fellowships and other recognitions and honors bestowed on our faculty; books published by faculty; performances, exhibitions and other creative activity in which our faculty have engaged; and intellectual property licenses and patents issued for the products of UNL research. …

2016 Nebraska Water Monitoring Programs Report, Marty Link, Ryan Chapman

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality: Reports

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is charged with monitoring, assessing, and to the extent possible, managing the state’s water resources. The purpose of this work is to protect and maintain high quality water and encourage or execute activities to improve poor water quality. Monitoring is done on nearly 17,000 miles of flowing rivers and streams, more than 134,000 acres of surface water in lakes and reservoirs, as well as the vast storage of groundwater in Nebraska’s aquifers.

Doctor Of Pharmacy-Philosophy Of Pharmacy 2016, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College Of Dental Medicine Overview, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

2016 Scholarly Productivity Report, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Scholarly Productivity Reports

No abstract provided.

Emergency Room Utilization Disparities Among Older Adults Treated By Rural Health Clinics, Matt Bagwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Examining the persistence of disparities over time is an important obligation in terms of rectifying, maintaining, and improving community health and social well-being for all. This study analyzed the individual factors of (a) race/ ethnicity and (b) dual eligibility, as a proxy measure of socioeconomic status, as well as the environmental factor of (c) place of residence, and the organizational factor of (d) Rural Health Clinic (RHC) type on emergency room (ER) utilization of older adult Medicare patients treated by RHCs within the Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) Region 4. A prospective, multi-level, longitudinal design was employed to …

Tobacco Prevention And Cessation Policies And Youth Tobacco Use In Florida Public Schools, Amanda Terry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in the United States. In 2014, an estimated 16.8% of adults were current cigarette smokers, and 9.2% of high school students smoked cigarettes. Nearly 90% of smokers developed their habit as teenagers, and students' tobacco use in high school influences their behaviors later in adulthood. Smoking behaviors appear to be inseparable from the social environment, physical environment, small social groups, and cognitive and affective processes. Preventive strategies, such as advertising bans, clean indoor air laws, education programs, increased taxes, labeling limitations, mass-media campaigns, and youth access regulations, have …

Review Of Fortey, Richard: Fossils: The Key To The Past, Judith B. Barnett

Technical Services Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Agent-Based Modeling Approach To Determine Winter Survival Rates Of American Robins And Eastern Bluebirds, Samuel Iselin, Shannon Segin, Alex Capaldi

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

American robins (Turdus migratorius) and Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) are two species of migratory thrushes that breed in Northwest Indiana, but historically are uncommon during the winter season. These trends have changed recently, and both species are seen more abundantly during the winter. Recently invaded non-native fruiting plants continue to provide nutrients for the birds throughout the winter and may contribute to the increased avian populations during that time. To measure the effect these food sources contribute to thrush wintering habits, we created an agent-based computer model to simulate the birds' movement in Northwest Indiana, along …

Probabilistic Analysis Of Polyovulation Frequencies, Tiffany N. Kolba, Kaylyn Banaszak, Anna Kaniewski

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Polyovulation is the production of more than one ovum, or egg, during a single menstrual cycle. This paper examines the probability of the human ovarian system ovulating k eggs during a single cycle, for k ≥ 0. In order to obtain precise estimates for the probability of polyovulation, we use U.S. birth data from the 1950s (before the introduction of artificial reproductive technologies). However, to utilize birth data, we model the various processes that eggs undergo in order to result in a live birth, including fertilization, possible division, implantation, and potential miscarriage. Our model produces novel estimates for the probability …

Annotated Checklist Of The Vascular Plant Species Observed At The Gordon Natural Area (West Chester University, Pa) - Version 10, Nur Ritter

Gordon Natural Area Baseline Plant Survey Documents

Information from previous versions of floral list are included in latest version.

Effects Of Sublethal Fungicides On Mutation Rates And Genomic Variation In Fungal Plant Pathogen, Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum, B. Sajeewa Amaradasa, Sydney E. Everhart

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Pathogen exposure to sublethal doses of fungicides may result in mutations that may represent an important and largely overlooked mechanism of introducing new genetic variation into strictly clonal populations, including acquisition of fungicide resistance. We tested this hypothesis using the clonal plant pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Nine susceptible isolates were exposed independently to five commercial fungicides with different modes of action: boscalid (respiration inhibitor), iprodione (unclear mode of action), thiophanate methyl (inhibition of microtubulin synthesis) and azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin (quinone outside inhibitors). Mycelium of each isolate was inoculated onto a fungicide gradient and sub-cultured from the 50±100% inhibition zone for 12 …

University Update - November 18, 2016, Academic Affairs

University Updates & Communications from the University President

Included in this update are:

• Academic Affairs
• Athletic Achievements
• Technology Updates
• 'Where We Stand Matters' Campaign Update
• Business Affairs

Megaphone Winter/Spring 2016, Macalester College

Megaphone Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Having Two X Chromosomes, Jenny Link, Arthur P. Arnold, Karen Reue, Mansoureh Eghbali, Eric Vilain, Xuqi Chen, Negar Ghahramani, Yuichiro Itoh, Jingyuan Li, Tuck Ngun, Shayna M. Williams-Burris

Biology

Historically, it was thought that the number of X chromosomes plays little role in causing sex differences in traits. Recently, selected mouse models have been used increasingly to compare mice with the same type of gonad but with one versus two copies of the X chromosome. Study of these models demonstrates that mice with one X chromosome can be strikingly different from those with two X chromosomes, when the differences are not attributable to confounding group differences in gonadal hormones. The number of X chromosomes affects adiposity and metabolic disease, cardiovascular ischaemia/reperfusion injury and behaviour. The effects of X chromosome …

Role Of Soil Texture, Clay Mineralogy, Location, And Temperature In Coarse Wood Decomposition—A Mesocosm Experiment, Cinzia Fissore, Martin F. Jurgensen, James Pickens, Chris Miller, Deborah Page-Dumroese, Christian P. Giardina

Environmental Science

Of all the major pools of terrestrial carbon (C), the dynamics of coarse woody debris (CWD) are the least understood. In contrast to soils and living vegetation, the study of CWD has rarely relied on ex situ methods for elaborating controls on decomposition rates. In this study, we report on a mesocosm incubation experiment examining how clay amount (8%, 16%, and 24% clay), clay type (soil reconstructed with kaolinite vs. montmorillonite), wood placement (on litter layer surface, at the litter layer–soil interface, buried in the mineral soil), and laboratory incubation temperature (10°, 20°, or 30°C) control decomposition rates of highly …

Lead Selenide Nanostructures Self-Assembled Across Multiple Length Scales And Dimensions, Evan K. Wujcik, Stephanie R. Aceto, Radha Narayanan, Arijit Bose

Chemistry Faculty Publications

A self-assembly approach to lead selenide (PbSe) structures that have organized across multiple length scales and multiple dimensions has been achieved. These structures consist of angstrom-scale 0D PbSe crystals, synthesized via a hot solution process, which have stacked into 1D nanorods via aligned dipoles. These 1D nanorods have arranged into nanoscale 2D sheets via directional short-ranged attraction. The nanoscale 2D sheets then further aligned into larger 2D microscale planes. In this study, the authors have characterized the PbSe structures via normal and cryo-TEM and EDX showing that this multiscale multidimensional self-assembled alignment is not due to drying effects. These PbSe …