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Studying The Atp Cosubstrate Promiscuity Of Nucleotide And Lipid Kinases, Thilani Murium Anthony

Wayne State University Dissertations

The kinase family consist of a large assortment of enzymes that phosphorylate a variety of substrates, including proteins, nucleosides, polynucleotides, lipids, sugars, and other small molecules. The Pflum lab recently found that protein kinases promiscuously accept an ATP analog containing a biotin at the γ-phosphate (ATP-biotin) as a cosubstrate to label the hydroxyl side chains of Ser, Thr and Tyr residues with biotin. The main goal of this new project is to extend the use of kinase-catalyzed biotinylation towards polynucleotides. Crystallographic studies of T4 polynucleotide kinase (T4 PNK) that phosphorylates the 5’-hydroxyl termini of DNA and RNA show a solvent …

Principal Component Analysis-Based Anatomical Motion Models For Use In Adaptive Radiation Therapy Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients, Mikhail Aleksandrovich Chetvertkov

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: To develop standard and regularized principal component analysis (PCA) models of anatomical changes from daily cone beam CTs (CBCTs) of head and neck (H&N) patients, assess their potential use in adaptive radiation therapy (ART), and to extract quantitative information for treatment response assessment.

Methods: Planning CT (pCT) images of H&N patients were artificially deformed to create “digital phantom” images, which modeled systematic anatomical changes during Radiation Therapy (RT). Artificial deformations closely mirrored patients’ actual deformations, and were interpolated to generate 35 synthetic CBCTs, representing evolving anatomy over 35 fractions. Deformation vector fields (DVFs) were acquired between pCT and synthetic …

The Effects Of A Life-Stress Interview For Women With Chronic Urogenital Pain: A Randomized Trial, Jennifer Carty

Wayne State University Dissertations

Chronic urogenital pain, pressure, and dysfunction are common, affecting nearly one in seven women in the U.S., who are commonly diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction, painful bladder syndrome, or interstitial cystitis. Women with these symptoms tend to have co-morbid anxiety and depression, relatively high rates of lifetime trauma and abuse, and conflicts or stress from key relationships. There is theory and evidence indicating that unresolved abuse or emotional conflicts can trigger or exacerbate urogenital pain and other symptoms (Abbass, 2009), but assessment of the presence and role of psychological stress is rarely done in women’s health care settings. When mental …

The Impact Of Age On Workplace Motivation: A Person-Centered Perspective, Keith Lynn Zabel

Wayne State University Dissertations

The present study used the person-centered approach to examine how profiles based upon six different age conceptualizations differentially impact workplace motivation. In the first known study to examine all conceptualizations of age simultaneously, results suggested the age conceptualizations of subjective age and health significantly impact growth motives for older workers, but not social or security motives. Results suggest social motives are influenced more by chronological age as opposed to other conceptualizations of age. Implications for practitioners in designing and implementing HR activities (e.g., succession planning) and researchers in utilizing all the conceptualizations of age and studying workplace interventions are discussed.

Urban African American Youths' Academic Performance As Related To Fathers' Involvement During Development, Travis A. Goldwire

Wayne State University Dissertations

Father involvement in the context of urban African American youth was examined using a subsample (n = 556) of a large cohort of participants followed longitudinally through development. Data was collected at regular intervals (e.g., Age 7, 14, 19 and young adult). Young adults (n = 93) were surveyed for retrospective accounts of their fathers’ involvement in their lives before age 18. In the young adult data collection phase (the main subject of this project), most participants reported varying levels and frequency of involvement from their fathers while growing up, including helping at school, providing social support, and encouraging academic …

Identification Of Lipolysis-Derived Lipid Mediators And The Activation Of A Pro-Inflammatory Cyclooxygenase Pathway, Via Cyclooxygenase-2, In Adipose Tissue, Allison Christine Gartung

Wayne State University Dissertations

Adipose lipolysis triggers pro-inflammatory responses that play critical roles in insulin resistance and associated metabolic syndrome. However, pro-inflammatory mediators generated by adipose lipolysis, particularly in the context of lipid mediators, are poorly defined. In this study, the activation of the beta-3 adrenergic receptor (ADRB3)/hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) pathway, a well-employed model system, was utilized to characterize the pro-inflammatory lipid mediators generated by adipose lipolysis. Cultured adipocytes were treated with an ADRB3 agonist and the media was analyzed for eicosanoids using the LC-MS/MS lipidomic method. Among the characterized eicosanoids, I found that approximately 43 metabolites generated by cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase, and …

Synthesis Of Dinucleating Ligands And Their Dinuclear Metal Complxes:Applications In Sensing And Small Molecule Activation, Jeffrey William Beattie

Wayne State University Dissertations

Dinuclear metal complexes provide a route to interesting structure and reactivity. Two common uses of dinuclear metal complexes are sensing and activation of small molecules. Herein we describe a series of dinuclear metal complexes capable of sensing of oxalate and activation of carbon disulfide.

Sensing of oxalate is of great interest because high oxalate concentration (hypooxaluria) is a major cause of kidney stones. Dinuclear metal complexes can act as sensors for oxalate because the oxalate can bridge between the metal centers. Herein we describe a colorimetric oxalate sensor capable of regeneration. Upon addition of oxalate to a pink solution of …

Teen Perceptions Of Cell Phone And Internet Sexual Messaging: Trends And Predictors, David Gregg

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to propose and test a predictive model for high school sexting in order to better understand influences and characteristics that contribute most to one’s decision to sext. Sexting was defined as either sending or receiving photos, videos, or text messages that contained full nudity, partial nudity, sexual requests, or comments of a sexual nature. Rates and typical recipients of sexual content were also examined in this study. A sample of 314 high school students in an urban area of Southeast Michigan were surveyed. Males were found to more frequently report engaging in nearly …

Examining Level Of Differentation And Conflict Resolution Styles Used In Romantic Relationships And Implications For Romantic Relationship Satisfaction, Amanda Kerbawy

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined the effect of level of differentiation on the conflict resolution styles utilized in romantic relationships, and implications for romantic relationship satisfaction. This study’s sample was composed of 189 participants, with 100 females and 89 males. The average participant age was 30.29. The setting for this study was a large Midwestern urban University. Findings suggested that there is an effect of level of differentiation on the conflict resolution styles used in romantic relationships, with a high level of differentiation being associated with the utilization of the integrating style. Implications for therapy are outlined.

Development Of Gamma-Modified Atp Analogs To Study Kinase-Catalyzed Phosphorylations, Ahmed Eid Fouda

Wayne State University Dissertations

Kinase-catalyzed protein phosphorylation is one of the most important post-translational modifications that controls cascades of biochemical reactions. Irregularities in phosphorylation result in many diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, Parkinsons, and cancer. The development of new methods to monitor kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation is needed to decipher details of normal and diseased cell signaling. The Pflum lab recently developed several -modified ATP analogs to study kinase catalyzed phosphorylation reactions. The -modified ATP analogs have different tags, such as biotin for substrate labeling or aryl-azide for kinase substrates identification. Unfortunately, use of -modified ATP analogs was limited to in vitro studies due to the …

Youth-Led School Health Initiatives: Perceptions And Processes, Lila Murphy Gutuskey

Wayne State University Dissertations

Disparities in obesity prevalence, based on a child’s race and income, establish that health interventions should prioritize these target populations. Additionally, children who are from low-income families in urban neighborhoods and of ethnic minorities have unequal access to environmental determinants of healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA). Schools might be the best setting for health interventions, given the understanding that a school’s mission should be to educate the whole child and the substantial amount of time that a child spends in school. The purpose of this study was to examine student-led, school-health interventions in four elementary schools. The Fuel …

Ergodicity Of Stochastic Switching Diffusions And Stochastic Delay Systems, Hongwei Mei

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation contains two main parts. The first part focuses on numerical algorithms for approximating the ergodic means of suitable functions of solutions to stochastic differential equations with Markov regime switching. Our main effort is devoted to obtaining the convergence and rates of convergence of the approximation algorithms. The study is carried out by obtaining laws of large numbers and laws of iterated logarithms for numerical approximation to long-run averages of suitable functions of solutions to switching diffusions.

The second part is devoted to stochastic functional differential equations (SFDEs) with infinite delay. This part consists of two main themes. First, …

Motor Skills Among Preschool-Aged Children Born Prematurely, Brittany Nicole Peters

Wayne State University Dissertations

It has been documented that children who are born prematurely are at risk of experiencing motor skills deficits early in life; however, little is known about the relationships between early perinatal risk factors and later motor abilities. The current investigation attempted to gain better understanding regarding the influence of gestational age and sex on early motor development among a cohort of preschool-aged children born prior to 34 weeks gestation (N = 104). Additionally, relationships between motor performance and other abilities, namely cognitive and language, were examined. As hypothesized, degree of gestational immaturity was significantly associated with poorer performance on specific …

Self-Efficacy, Health Promotion, And Rehabilitation In Acquired Brain Injury, Hillary Antoinette Parker

Wayne State University Dissertations

Health self-efficacy is important to health behaviors and self-management of chronic conditions. It has been associated with positive health and rehabilitation outcomes generally but has been understudied in acquired brain injury (ABI). Given the high rates of disability and long-term impairments associated with ABI, health self-efficacy and health behaviors are promising factors to evaluate in the assessment and management of ABI. This study examined the relationships among health self-efficacy, health behaviors, and functional independence in ABI rehabilitation, and the extent to which cognitive impairment and trait affectivity affected these relationships. This study also examined the unique role of rehabilitation self-efficacy …

The Moderating Effects Of Protective And Risk Factors On Outcomes For Behavioral Smoking Cessation Treatment, Holly Reid

Wayne State University Dissertations

The rate of cigarette smoking is three-fold higher among adults living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) than in the general population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Relative to non-smoking HIV-positive adults, HIV-positive cigarette smokers have even higher mortality rates, more physical health problems, greater tobacco-related health disparities, lower quality of life, and more barriers to treatment. These barriers are often interrelated with the significantly higher rate of trauma and violence exposure reported in both cigarette smokers and persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA; CDC). Violence exposure not only predicts emotional distress and substance use, but also …

Synthesis Of Apramycin And Paromomycin Derivatives As Potential Next Generation Aminoglycoside Antibiotics And Chemistry Of Isothiocyanato Sialyl Donors, Appi Reddy Mandhapati

Wayne State University Dissertations

AGAs are clinically important antibacterials for human therapy and have long been used as highly potent antibiotics for treating several bacterial infections. The fidelity of protein synthesis is affected by AGAs in the course of binding to specific sites of the bacterial rRNA. The clinical use of AGAs and their applications as therapeutics is restricted by toxicity (irreversible ototoxicity and reversible nephrotoxicity) and by the resistance of pathogens. The objective of this research was the development of proficient AGAs that are less toxic (i.e., more selective) and that evade resistance. The first three chapters of this thesis are aimed towards …

Fe3o4 Nanoparticles For Magnetic Hyperthermia And Drug Delivery: Synthesis, Characterization And Cellular Studies, Maheshika Palihawadana Arachchige

Wayne State University Dissertations

In recent years, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), especially superparamagnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles, have attracted a great deal of attention because of their potential applications in biomedicine. Among the other applications, Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT), where localized heating is generated by means of relaxation processes in MNPs when subjected to a radio frequency magnetic field, has a great potential as a non-invasive cancer therapy treatment. Specific absorption rate (SAR), which measures the efficiency of heat generation, depends on magnetic properties of the particles such as saturation magnetization (Ms), magnetic anisotropy (K), particle size distribution, magnetic dipolar interactions, and the rheological properties of the target medium.We …

Cognitive Style, Laterality, And Executive Functioning, Leia Cherie Vos

Wayne State University Dissertations

Researchers have long linked creativity to psychopathology. In particular, everyday creativity is positively associated with schizotypy, a personality style with a possible relationship with schizophrenia that is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Genetic, biological, cognitive, and behavioral studies show connections between schizotypy and creativity, but the strength and mechanisms of these connections remain inconsistent or unclear. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relationship between these constructs from a neuropsychological perspective. In part one, a large non-clinical sample completed several questionnaires to consider the relationship between the constructs and related aspects of personality. A small indirect relationship was found …

Exploring Crossover Effects Among Working Spouses Through The Lens Of Social Cognitive Theory: Soc And Work-Family Conflict, Kevin Thomas Wynne

Wayne State University Dissertations

Managing competing demands from multiple life domains poses a significant challenge for today's workforce. In particular, employees who also have an active role at home often experience work-family conflict (WFC), which is associated with a number of negative outcomes. Research has shown that the selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) set of coping strategies includes behaviors that tend to reduce WFC. However, it remains unknown how working spouses' use of these effective strategies "crossover" to influence the partner’s outcomes. Do individuals' use of SOC coping strategies reduce their spouse's experience of WFC? Using an emergent data analytic method—the actor-partner interdependence model …

A Mouse Model Of Toluene Abstinence-Induced Pathology, Sean Callan

Wayne State University Dissertations

The intentional misuse of volatile solvents is a persistent public health concern. Limited self-report data suggests that chronic inhalant abusers experience withdrawal symptoms including anxiety and seizure symptoms. However, these symptoms have never been explored in a preclinical model and are not considered part of the DSM-V criteria for an Inhalant Use Disorder. For this experiment, 76 young adult male Swiss Webster mice were exposed to either 5,000 ppm toluene vapor or air (0 ppm) for 24 consecutive hours beginning on postnatal day (PND) 30. Following the 24 hour exposure, mice were allowed to recover for 3 hours before behavioral …

“I Can See My Values In Places”: Relationships, Place, And Growing Old In Detroit Neighborhoods, Wendy Daniel Bartlo

Wayne State University Dissertations

The central focus of this dissertation is to examine the inextricable link between persons, their social worlds, and their environments. I do this through an ethnographic study of senior members of non-biologically based kinship groups with an affiliation to place. Critical to this examination is the city of Detroit itself, as members of these groups ultimately collectively identify as Detroiters through space and time. It is this collective identity, strengthened mostly through their defense of an outsider deemed unsuccessful city that renders Detroit a good place for the older person to maintain connections, participate socially and civically, and to organize …

Rethinking The Mulatto Character And National Identity: 1865 And Beyond In African American And Brazilian Literature, Theresa Lindsey

Wayne State University Dissertations

The presence of the mulatto challenged the definition of a pure national identity. The period following emancipation for the once enslaved African, particularly in the United States and Brazil, provided the landscape for the ex-slave to be ‘experimentally’ re-crafted into the national fabric of the Brazil and the U.S. through treatment in the literary landscape of both nations. As the country grappled with the language to affix a national identity to whiteness, the reality of the mulatto complicated these efforts. The emergence of the mulatto jeopardized the ability to form a coherent national identity, given national identity at this point …

Novel Approaches For Assessment Of Copper Toxicity: Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry And Optical Bioassays, Annette R. Tremonti

Wayne State University Dissertations

Anthropogenic activities negatively impact fresh water ecosystems through toxic contaminants that are released into the environment. Copper (Cu) is a water contaminant that is fundamentally persistent once introduced into the environment that has the potential for bioaccumulation. Although Cu toxicity has been studied for decades, there is still a continuing problem with new sources and pathways. New approaches are needed to understand distribution and transport of Cu and its potential for complex biological impacts beyond the simple assessment of lethality. Several novel approaches were used in this research project to advance our understanding of Cu toxicity, including fast scan cyclic …

"A Barrier With Roses Growing Out Of It”: An Interrogation Of The Relationship Between A Service-Based Nonprofit Organization And Its Clients, Deborah Dee Sellnow-Richmond

Wayne State University Dissertations

Service-based nonprofit organizations exist to meet needs otherwise unmet within the for-profit sector. This study investigates women’s decision to visit a specific healthcare site and the relationship they develop with their reproductive healthcare organizations. Focusing on women’s decision to choose a healthcare organization that focuses solely on reproductive healthcare and access to care, regardless of socioeconomic status, emphasizes the unique relationship women, particularly women of marginalized status, have with reproductive care in the United States. Importantly, these experiences provide the means to examine the broader context of women’s reproductive healthcare access among marginalized communities and the role of nonprofit organizations. …

Identification Of Metabolite Biomarkers In Epilepsy Using 1h Mrs, Helen Wu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder that affects 1% percent of the global population. Despite its status as one of the oldest neurological disorders known to man, its mechanisms remain poorly understood. Available medications are not curative but provide symptomatic management and do not work for well for more than 30 percent of patients. Because it is nearly impossible to predict on an individual level who will eventually develop epilepsy, it is also a disorder that can only be diagnosed after the patient has experienced established seizure activity, eliminating any possibility of stopping the disorder in its prodromal phase, before …

Between Coloniality And Transmodernity:Latino/A Fictional Responses To U.S. Interventionism In Latin America, Dolly Reina Tittle

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract: This work focuses on four novels: The Americano (1963) by Enrique G. Matta, América’s Dream (1996) by Esmeralda Santiago, Caramelo or Puro Cuento: A novel (2002) by Sandra Cisneros, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) by Junot Díaz. These novels share a history of U.S. interventionism, which has not only affected the inhabitants of Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, still a colony of the U.S., but also the lives of their population that now reside in the U.S. mainland. As Latino Studies Scholar Juan Flores has explained, many Latinos/as in the U.S. “migrated here …

A Novel, Ultra-Fast Electrochemical Tool To Study Speciation Of Trace Metals In Aqueous Solution, Pavithra Pathirathna

Wayne State University Dissertations

Trace metals play important roles in biological and ecological systems. In biology, trace metals act as catalytic or structural cofactors and regulate biochemical processes. In the environment, natural and anthropogenic sources of trace metals mobilized into natural waters where they can create harmful and persistent pollution. Trace metal chemistry in physiological and environmental systems can fluctuate rapidly which makes it difficult to clearly define trace metals’ roles in these systems with traditional analytical methods. Furthermore, these systems are often chemically harsh and physically delicate (e.g. the brain), factors that add to the challenge of analysis in real systems. Fast scan …

Identification Of The Metabolic Enzyme Involved Morusin Metabolism And Characterization Of Its Metabolites By Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatogaphy Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (Uplc/Q-Tof-Ms/Ms), Xianbao Shi, Brianna Mackie, Gang Zhang, Shuman Yang, Yonggui Song, Dan Su, Yali Liu, Lina Shan

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Morusin, the important active component of a traditional Chinese medicine, Morus alba L., has been shown to exhibit many vital pharmacological activities. In this study, six recombinant CYP450 supersomes and liver microsomes were used to perform metabolic studies. Chemical inhibition studies and screening assays with recombinant human cytochrome P450s were also used to characterize the CYP450 isoforms involved in morusin metabolism. The morusin metabolites identified varied greatly among different species. Eight metabolites of morusin were detected in the liver microsomes from pigs (PLMs), rats (RLMs), and monkeys (MLMs) by LC-MS/MS and six metabolites were detected in the liver microsomes from …

The Interplay Between Traditional And Modern Values And Interpersonal Variables In Mental Disorders And Mental Health, Andreas Maercker

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Our research focuses on values and mental health, and possible mediating factors. Based on two value-related theories – Schwartz’s and Inglehart’s - we suggest a complex prediction model: It hypothesises that social support mediates the relationship between traditional values and mental health, whereas the relationship between modern values and mental health is mediated by resilience. We tested our model with three large student samples from China, Russia, and Germany. By and large, our hypotheses were confirmed: Particularly traditional values were relevant for mental health by predicting social support and thence mental health. With regard to modern values, the value of …

Anty 413.01: Forensic And Mortuary Archaeology, Corey Ragsdale

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.