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Studies Into The Allosteric Regulation Of Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylases, Benjamin Luke Hill

Dissertations

The synthesis of glycogen in bacteria and starch in plants is allosterically controlled by the production of ADP-glucose by ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Using computational studies, site directed mutagenesis, and kinetic characterization, and protein crystallography we found a critical region for transmitting the allosteric signal in the Escherichia coli and A. tumefaciens ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Molecular dynamics simulations and structural comparisons with other ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylases provided information to hypothesize communication pathways that link allosteric and active sites, and this was tested by site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic characterization of the mutant enzymes. In addition, the application of x-ray crystallography enabled the pinpointing of the …

Heart And Sole: The Functional Role Of Fast-Skeletal Myosin Binding Protein-C In Cardiac And Skeletal Muscle, Brian Leei Lin

Dissertations

The goal of my dissertation was to compare and contrast the function of all three major isoforms of Myosin Binding Protein-C (MyBP-C): slow-skeletal, fast-skeletal, and cardiac (ssMyBP-C, fsMyBP-C, and cMyBP-C, respectively), with a focus on the least characterized isoform, fsMyBP-C. Using a variety of ex vivo, in vitro, and in silico methods, my research demonstrated that the N-terminal region of all MyBP-C isoforms bind to actin and shift tropomyosin, thus activating the thin filament during contraction. Furthermore, each isoform differentially activated the thin filament over isoform-specific ranges of Ca2+: slow-skeletal activates at low Ca2+, fast-skeletal activates at higher Ca2+, and …

Coping With Trauma: Reflections From Angolan Refugee Returnees, Michael Robert Milco

Dissertations

Millions of refugee families experience multiple migrations resulting in various degrees of trauma and stress. Each reacts to these challenges and hardships in unique ways. This dissertation research was designed to investigate the various coping strategies Angolan refugee returnees used in dealing with the traumas they experienced as a result of their various migrations. Through the lens of an ecosystem theory, the author developed research questions designed to learn “How Angolan Refugee Returnees Cope with Trauma?” Sixteen Angolan refugee returnees were interviewed in this qualitative phenomenological study. The results of the study narrowed down the most specific themes refugees used …

The Impact Of Altered T Cell Receptor—Peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex Interactions On Antigen Recognition And T Cell Function, Timothy T. Spear

Dissertations

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) using T cell receptor (TCR) gene-modified T cells is an exciting and rapidly evolving field. Numerous basic science and clinical studies have demonstrated various levels of feasibility, safety, and efficacy using TCR-engineered T cells to treat cancer and viral infections. Genomic instability of targeted diseases, however, requires effective and safe TCRs to cross-recognize mutated antigens while minimizing on- or off-target toxicities. Thus, improvements to T cell-based therapeutics mandate a broader understanding of the principles governing antigen recognition. This dissertation addresses critical biologic questions evaluating which parameters are most important in facilitating antigen recognition, and how alterations …

No Taxation Without Discrimination: The Racial Politics Of American Property Taxes, Kasey Henricks

Dissertations

No longer is it acceptable to rationalize racial hierarchy in explicit terms. Today’s ideology substitutes these explanations for cultural ones that diminish racial oppression. Though recent studies uncover the slippery, covert, and seemingly nonracial discourse of colorblindness, claims of ideological progression are offered without empirical verification. Examining debate surrounding the three-fifths clause of the U.S Constitution, I complete a “historical ethnographic content analysis” that transplants colorblind ideology into historical soil some presume it does not belong. The data derive from “A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation” and consist of 1,493 pages of congressional record. My findings reveal how …

A Concurrent And Longitudinal Examination Of A Bio-Neuropsychosocial Model For Predicting Medical Adherence And Responsibility In Youth With Spina Bifida, Alexandra Psihogios

Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this multi-source, multi-method study was to examine biological, neuropsychological, and social (i.e., family dynamics and social adjustment) predictors of medical adherence and responsibility in a pediatric spina bifida (SB) sample.

Methods: One hundred forty youth with SB (53.6% female; M age = 11.40 at Time 1) and their caregivers participated in two study time points (Time 2 occurred two years after Time 1). Youth and their caregivers completed several questionnaires regarding medical self-management, family functioning, child social adjustment, and child executive functioning. Teachers completed a parallel measure of child executive functioning. Children completed a brief battery …

Consequences Of Estrogen Receptor Beta Phosphorylation In The Aged Female Brain And Heart, Elena Pinceti

Dissertations

Female life expectancy in the United States has steadily increased and now averages 81 years. Meanwhile, the age at which women reach menopause remains constant at 51 years. Both neurological and cardiovascular disorders increase following menopause, affecting women’s quality of life and leading to large health care costs. Estrogens are neuroprotective and cardioprotective for women, however when administered long after menopause, they fail to improve their health.

The effects of estrogen are mediated by Estrogen Receptor α (ERα) and Estrogen Receptor β (ERβ). Evidence supports that ERβ plays an important role in neuroprotection and cardioprotection, but aspects of ERβ molecular …

Mechanistic Variations Of The Bronsted Linear Free Energy Relationships For Nonezymatic Nucleotidyl Transfer Reactions, Zheng Zhang

Dissertations

As the essential enzymes in human bodies, DNA polymerases play a significant role in DNA replication, repair, genetic recombination, and reverse transcription. In 1956, the enzyme of DNA polymerase I, also named as Pol I, was discovered by Arthur Kornberg and colleagues. Subsequently, the Noble Committee had decided that the Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 1959 was to be awarded to Kornberg for his excellent original work that describes the DNA replication process whereby the DNA polymerase copies the nucleotide sequence of a DNA template strand. Because of the complex enzyme structure in the DNA polymerase, it is …

What Is Mortal Shall Be Swallowed Up By Life (2 Cor 5:4): A Critical And Constructive Engagement With John Hick's Theology Of Death In Death And Eternal Life (1976), Hongmei Zhao

Dissertations

The springboard for my investigation is John Hick’s theology of death or “par-eschatology” in Death and Eternal Life (1976), a postmortem soteriology rooted in Irenaeus’ teleological framework of person-making. I organize my project around the two constitutive aspects of human existence: time and space, or temporality and embodiment.

Regarding postmortem temporality, I present: 1) new scholarships in the New Testament, early Christianity, and Reformation studies, and 2) recent developments in ecumenical dialogues and the Justification-Sanctification Debate. Through this, I demonstrate a widely emerging emphasis–the centrality of sanctification in the Christian understanding of salvation. I argue that this crystalizing consensus lends …

The Psychological Impact Of Smartphones: The Effect Of Access To One's Smartphone On Psychological Power, Risk Taking, Cheating, And Moral Orientation., Amanda Christine Egan

Dissertations

Egan and Larson (2015) found that access to one’s smartphone resulted in an increase in one’s sense of psychological power. Psychological power is associated with a variety of behavioral outcomes, many of them moral in nature (Keltner, Gruenfeld, & Anderson, 2003). This dissertation attempted to conceptually replicate the findings obtained by Egan and Larson (2015) and to extend them by testing whether smartphone-induced power had moral implications. Specifically, Study 1 tested whether access to one’s smartphone increased psychological power, and in turn promoted risk taking and a shift in moral orientation. Study 2 tested whether access to one’s smartphone increased …

The Role Of Microrna In Cardioprotection: Ischemic Preconditioning And Mesenchymal Stem Cell Paracrine Effects, Kristin Luther

Dissertations

Changes in gene expression and protein levels are an important aspect of cardioprotection in which short non-coding RNA known as miRNA may play a key regulatory role. We investigated the functions of several miRNAs in the context of two cardioprotective stimuli, ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) paracrine effects. We hypothesized that downregulation of a set of miRNAs (miR-148a/b, miR-30b, and let-7a*) augments expression of protective heat shock proteins during IPC, and that MSC exosomes transfer miR-21 to cardiomyocytes, resulting in downregulation of pro-apoptotic genes and reduction of infarct size.

IPC increased the level of Hsp70, Hsp90, and …

Using Tops For Identification Of Gifted Hispanic Students, Barbara Martin

Dissertations

USING TOPS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF GIFTED HISPANIC STUDENTS

Researchers have noted an underrepresentation of Hispanic ELL students in gifted education. A literature review revealed several problems encountered when assessing and identifying gifted Hispanics and have also suggested a variety of solutions including use of non-standardized alternative assessments. In this project, the researcher explored the attitudes of educators regarding the addition of a non-standardized tool. The TOPS is a non-standardized tool used to systematically gather and document qualitative observational data within the context of instruction (Harradine, Coleman, & Winn, 2014). The researcher used both a survey questionnaire and a semi-structured interview …

Mcnair Challenger, April 2016, Mcnair Scholars Program

EMU McNair Challenger

No abstract provided.

The Resource Page (2016) 52 Page 52

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

The unseen forces that make our criminal-justice system less fair than we would like is the topic of the debut book by law professor Adam Benforado. As an introductory backdrop, Professor Benforado compares 12th-century ordeals of water and fire to our current justice system. Will our ancestors 900 years from now look back on our current system with similar shock? Benforado thinks they will. Interweaving real cases and events with research findings from psychology and neuroscience, this book examines the underlying—often unconscious—unfairness throughout the criminal-justice system.

Forensics And Fallibility: Comparing The Views Of Lawyers And Jurors, Brandon L. Garrett, Gregory Mitchell

Faculty Scholarship

Forensic evidence plays an increasingly prominent role in criminal practice, leading some to worry that depictions in popular media might make jurors over-reliant on forensics — a so-called CSI effect. There is little empirical evidence of such a CSI effect among jury-eligible laypersons; any such influence also depends upon a case proceeding to a trial. As the Supreme Court has put it: “criminal justice today is for the most part a system of pleas, not a system of trials.” However, a CSI effect could be more consequential if it affects how criminal lawyers assess forensic evidence when they negotiate pleas …

Exploring Deviant Hacker Networks (Dhm) On Social Media Platforms, Samer Al-Khateeb, Kevin J. Conlan, Nitin Agarwal, Ibrahim Baggili, Frank Breitinger

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Online Social Networks (OSNs) have grown exponentially over the past decade. The initial use of social media for benign purposes (e.g., to socialize with friends, browse pictures and photographs, and communicate with family members overseas) has now transitioned to include malicious activities (e.g., cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and cyberwarfare). These nefarious uses of OSNs poses a significant threat to society, and thus requires research attention. In this exploratory work, we study activities of one deviant groups: hacker groups on social media, which we term Deviant Hacker Networks (DHN). We investigated the connection between different DHNs on Twitter: how they are connected, identified …

Winter Distribution And Size Structure Of Antarctic Krill Euphausia Superba Populations In-Shore Along The West Antarctic Peninsula, Alison C. Cleary, Edward G. Durbin, Maria C. Casas, Meng Zhou

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba are a key component of food webs in the maritime West Antarctic Peninsula, and their life history is tied to the seasonal cycles of sea ice and primary production in the region. Previous work has shown a general in-shore migration of krill in winter in this region; however, the very near-shore has not often been sampled as part of these surveys. We investigated distribution, abundance, and size structure of krill in 3 fjordic bays along the peninsula, and in the adjacent Gerlache Strait area using vertically stratified MOCNESS net tows and ADCP acoustic biomass estimates. Krill …

Temporal Variation Of Skeletonema Community Composition From A Long-Term Time Series In Narragansett Bay Identified Using High-Throughput Dna Sequencing, Kelly L. Canesi, Tatiana A. Rynearson

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Phytoplankton species cannot always be identified by their morphology using light microscopy, which makes inferring the ecological and biogeochemical importance of individual species a difficult task. Here, a combination of microscopy and high-throughput DNA sequencing was used to examine morphologically cryptic and pseudo-cryptic species in the diatom genus Skeletonema from the Long-Term Plankton Time Series in Narragansett Bay (NBay), where Skeletonema is ecologically important, comprising up to 99% of microplankton cells in surface waters. The 28S rDNA from mock phytoplankton communities comprising known species was amplified and sequenced using newly developed Skeletonema-specific primers. The relative abundances of species in …

Hydrothermal Venting And Mineralization In The Crater Of Kick'em Jenny Submarine Volcano, Grenada (Lesser Antilles), Steven Carey, Rene Olsen, Katherine L.C. Bell, Robert Ballard, Frederic Dondin, Chris Roman, Clara Smart, Marvin Lilley, John Lupton, Brad Seibel, Winton Cornell, Craig Moyer

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Kick'em Jenny is a frequently erupting, shallow submarine volcano located 7.5 km off the northern coast of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone. Focused and diffuse hydrothermal venting is taking place mainly within a small (∼70 × 110 m) depression within the 300 m diameter crater of the volcano at depths of about 265 m. Much of the crater is blanketed with a layer of fine-grained tephra that has undergone hydrothermal alteration. Clear fluids and gas are being discharged near the center of the depression from mound-like vents at a maximum temperature of 180°C. The gas consists of 93–96% …

A New Eupromerini Galileo And Martins, 1995, From French Guiana (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), Pierre-Henri Dalens

Insecta Mundi

Eupromera pascali sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Lamiinae) is described from French Guiana. The species is illustrated and compared to close species. A key for species of Eupromera is updated.

A New Record Of The Armored Scale Genus Carulaspis Macgillivray (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) From Korea And Its Aphelinid Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Soo-Jung Suh, Gregory A. Evans

Insecta Mundi

Carulaspis juniperi (Bouché) is newly documented as occurring in the Korean fauna of armored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). The characters of this genus and species are redescribed based on specimens collected in Korea. In addition, four species of aphelinids (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) associated with C. juniperi were collected in Korea during the survey. Of these, Aphytis japonicus DeBach and Azim and Encarsia explorata (Silvestri) are recorded for the fi rst time from C. juniperi.

Pyroghatsiana: A New Genus Of Fire-Colored Beetles (Coleoptera: Pyrochroidae: Pyrochroinae) From The Southern Ghats, India, Daniel K. Young

Insecta Mundi

Pyroghatsiana, a new genus of pyrochroine Pyrochroidae is described from the Southern Ghats of the Indian continental southern tip. The only known specimen is a female, Pyroghatsiana madurensis (Pic), new combination, originally placed in Dendroides Latreille, and subsequently transferred to Pseudodendroides Blair. Several striking differences including the dorsal interocular width between the compound eyes, shape and length of the third antennal segment, and shape of the pronotum preclude placement of Pyroghatsiana in either Dendroides, Pseudodendroides, or any other existing pyrochroine genus.

Notes On Some Species Of Myzomorphus Sallé, 1850 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Anacolini), Amoret Spooner, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Notes on the type of Myzomorphus quadripunctatus (Gray, 1831) are provided, and a lectotype is designated for the species. The holotype male of M. poultoni Lameere, 1912, along with a second male, are figured for the first time, and compared with M. gounellei Lameere, 1912. Notes on Myzomorphus amabilis (Tippmann, 1960) and a key to known males of Myzomorphus are also provided.

Nuevo Género Y Especie De Rutelini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) De Los Andes Peruanos, José Mondaca, Gorky Valencia

Insecta Mundi

Peruquime nov. gen., is established for P. arequipensis nov. sp., a peculiar Scarabaeidae species discovered at high altitude in the Andes Mountains of southern Peru. The new genus and species is externally similar to some representatives of the subfamily Melolonthinae; however, important morphological characters place it within Rutelinae. Diagnostic characters, observations on the habitat, natural history and distribution of the new species are given. A distribution map, adult photographs and illustrations of some diagnostic features are included.

Eucnemid Larvae Of The Nearctic Region. Part Vi: Descriptions Of The Fi Fth Instar And Prepupal Larval Stages Of Stethon Pectorosus Leconte, 1866 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Eucneminae: Mesogenini), With Notes On Their Biology, Robert L. Otto, Jeffrey P. Gruber

Insecta Mundi

Descriptions and illustrations of the fifth instar and prepupal larval stages of Stethon pectorosus LeConte, 1866 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Eucneminae: Mesogenini) are provided. These are the first larval descriptions for the genus Stethon LeConte within the subfamily Eucneminae in the Nearctic region. Biological information is provided and comparison with larval morphology of other Eucnemidae is briefl y discussed.

A New Species Of Paradiscopus Schwarzer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthoderini) From Costa Rica, Josef Vlasak

Insecta Mundi

Paradiscopus monteverdensis Vlasak, new species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described from Costa Rica. The new species is illustrated and a key is provided to Paradiscopus species

First Record Of The Bermuda Grass Scale Odonaspis Ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) In Colombia, José Mauricio Montes Rodríguez, Takumasa Kondo

Insecta Mundi

The Bermuda grass scale Odonaspis ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) is reported for the first time in Colombia. The scale insect was collected in two localities, in northwestern and southwestern Colombia. This is the first record of the tribe Odonaspidini in Colombia. Aspects of the distribution and biology of the species are discussed. A key to separate the species of Odonaspis recorded in the Neotropical region is provided.

Se registra por primera vez la escama del pasto Bermuda Odonaspis ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) en Colombia. El insecto escama fue recolectado en dos localidades, una al noroccidente y …

New Records Of Chionaspis Armored Scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) In Korea, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Chionaspis acer (Takagi and Kawai) and Chionaspis wistariae Cooley, occurring respectively on Acer

and Wisteria plants, are newly reported in the Korean fauna of armored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). The characters

of these species are briefl y redescribed with illustrative photographs and information on distribution and

hosts. A dichotomous key to species of Chionaspis Signoret in Korea is provided for correct species identifi cation.

Revisión Taxonómica Del Género Hempelicoccus Kozár (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) Con Descripción De Una Especie Nueva, Diego J. Moreno, Patricia González, Lucía E. Claps

Insecta Mundi

Se describe e ilustra una especie nueva de Hempelicoccus Kozár. Se da una diagnosis del género. Se aportan datos de las ocho especies ya descritas, de hospederos, distribución y una clave dicotómica para las especies del género.

A new species of Hempelicoccus Kozár is described and illustrated. A genus diagnosis is given. Data of the eight species already described, hosts, distribution and a dichotomous key to the species of the genus are provided.

Nuevos Registros De Escarabajos Longicornios (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Para Venezuela, Carlos Taboada-Verona, Renato Mattei, Roberto Mattei, Carlos Aguilar Julio, Alfredo Lanuza-Garay

Insecta Mundi

Se reportan quince especies de escarabajos longicornios (Coleoptera; Cerambycidae) por primera vez

para Venezuela: Ambonus electus (Gaham, 1903), Eusapia guyanensis Huedepohl, 1988, Acyphoderes abdominalis

(Olivier, 1795), Isthmiade ichneumoniformis Bates, 1870, Drychateres bilineatus (Olivier, 1795), Polyschisis

rufi tarsalis Waterhouse, 1880, Carphina petulans (Kirsch, 1875), Lepturges zonula Monné, 1976, Oreodera albata

Villiers, 1971, Psapharochrus chrysopus (Bates, 1861), Estola fratercula Galileo y Martins, 1999, Oncideres cephalotes

Bates, 1865, Polyrhaphis spinosa (Drury, 1773), Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857) y Ialyssus tuberculatus

(Olivier, 1795). Se da la distribución previa conocida para cada especie, así como los métodos de colecta e información

adicional sobre los sitios de …