Digital Commons Network^™

Complex Formation By Alpha-Lactalbumin And Polysaccharide Copolymers, Juan Du

Open Access Dissertations

Colloidal delivery systems, such as surfactant micelles, emulsions, liposomes, and nanoparticles, are widely used in food and pharmaceuticals to improve the dispersion of poorly-soluble ingredients or modify their bioaccessibility within the body. As a delivery system for medical- and health-relevant bioactive components, surfactant micelles have potential toxicity due to the disruption of cell membranes and interference with cell membrane transporters. Complexes formed among proteins and polysaccharides, as renewable biopolymers, are drawing attention for their potential application in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries due to their non-toxicity and higher potential for rapid biodegradation.

Structural Studies On Cell Entry Of Respiratory Enteroviruses, Yue Liu

Open Access Dissertations

Enteroviruses (EVs) represent a group of non-enveloped, positive strand RNA

Cell Type-Specific Analysis Of Human Interactome And Transcriptome, Shahin Mohammadi

Open Access Dissertations

Cells are the fundamental building block of complex tissues in higher-order organisms. These cells take different forms and shapes to perform a broad range of functions. What makes a cell uniquely eligible to perform a task, however, is not well-understood; neither is the defining characteristic that groups similar cells together to constitute a cell type. Even for known cell types, underlying pathways that mediate cell type-specific functionality are not readily available. These functions, in turn, contribute to cell type-specific susceptibility in various disorders.

Three Dimensional Unsteady Flow And Active Morphing Effect In Flapping Wings, Yun Liu

Open Access Dissertations

Bumble b ee cannot fly, if we ignore the significant differences b etween flapping

Modeling And Fundamental Design Considerations For Portable, Wearable And Implantable Electronic Biosensors, Piyush Dak

Open Access Dissertations

Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), etc. are leading causes of mortality all over the world. Portable, wearable and implantable biosensors can go a long way in preventing these premature deaths by frequent or continuous self-monitoring of vital health parameters.

Fabrication And Characterization Of Active Nanostructures, Noah Felix Ochieng Opondo

Open Access Dissertations

Three different nanostructure active devices have been designed, fabricated and characterized. Junctionless transistors based on highly-doped silicon nanowires fabricated using a bottom-up fabrication approach are first discussed. The fabrication avoids the ion implantation step since silicon nanowires are doped in-situ during growth. Germanium junctionless transistors fabricated with a top down approach starting from a germanium on insulator substrate and using a gate stack of high-k dielectrics and GeO2 are also presented. The levels and origin of low-frequency noise in junctionless transistor devices fabricated from silicon nanowires and also from GeOI devices are reported. Low-frequency noise is an indicator of the …

Physics Based Supervised And Unsupervised Learning Of Graph Structure, Ayan Sinha

Open Access Dissertations

Graphs are central tools to aid our understanding of biological, physical, and social systems. Graphs also play a key role in representing and understanding the visual world around us, 3D-shapes and 2D-images alike. In this dissertation, I propose the use of physical or natural phenomenon to understand graph structure. I investigate four phenomenon or laws in nature: (1) Brownian motion, (2) Gauss's law, (3) feedback loops, and (3) neural synapses, to discover patterns in graphs.

Defining The Regulatory Determinants In Substrate Catalysis By Biochemical, Biophysical, And Kinetic Studies For The Development Of Specific Small-Molecule Inhibitors Of Ubiquitin Specific Proteases 7 And 17, Nicole M. Hjortland

Open Access Dissertations

Ubiquitination is an important post-translational modification involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating many delicate cellular processes, including the cell-cycle, membrane protein trafficking, endocytosis and apoptosis. Ubiquitin Specific Proteases (USPs) remove ubiquitin modifications from protein substrates to reverse the signal imposed by the ubiquitination. Perturbations in the expression levels of USPs has been implicated in many types of cancers where patients show significant elevation in cellular levels of specific USPs. This suggests that targeting specific upregulated members of the USP family in specific disease states would be ideal for the development of personalized anti-cancer therapeutics.

Evaluation Of Alpha-D-Glucan Nanoparticle As A Vaccine Adjuvant, Fangjia Lu

Open Access Dissertations

The use of nanoparticles for delivery of vaccine antigens and as vaccine adjuvants is appealing because their size allows efficient uptake by dendritic cells and their biological properties can be tailored to the desired function. Here, we evaluated the potential of dendrimer-like α-D-glucan nanoparticles, derived from a variety of sweet corn, as a vaccine adjuvant. The nanoparticles, termed Nano-11, have an average diameter of 75-80 nm and were modified to give them a positive surface charge. Injection of antigens with Nano-11 significantly increased the amount of antigen-specific antibodies in the serum. Nano-11 increased the uptake of antigens, costimulatory expression and …

Ribozymes Of The Rna World: Investigating Ancient Enzymes Through Modern Self-Cleaving Ribozymes., Aamir Mir

Open Access Dissertations

Ribozymes are RNAs that can perform catalytic functions. The discovery of ribozymes was an important milestone in science because it not only opened new avenues of research but also provided insights into the origins of life on Earth. Early life most likely used RNA as catalysts for diverse functions, however, it is unclear how RNA could have performed such diverse catalytic functions. To answer this question, my work has focused on the most abundant natural class of ribozymes in the modern world, called the self-cleaving ribozymes. They catalyze the cleavage of a specific phosphodiester bond in RNA. We investigated the …

Antimicrobial Characterization And Therapeutic Applications Of Novel Synthetic Thiazole Compounds Against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococci And Enterococci, Haroon Mohammad

Open Access Dissertations

For more than a century, antibiotics have been valuable allies in combating an array of bacterial infections. However, each year nearly 23,000 people in the United States of America and 25,000 people in Europe die due to infections that are recalcitrant to currently available antimicrobials. The emergence of drug-resistant bacterial species, namely methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), has limited the efficacy of several classes of antibiotics. Compounding this problem further is that many large pharmaceutical companies have left the field of antibacterial drug discovery given the high cost of innovation and low return on investment. Collectively, this …

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase In Neurite Outgrowth And Zebrafish Neurodevelopment, Cory J. Weaver

Open Access Dissertations

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NOX) are a family of enzymes that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The first NOX enzyme was discovered in leukocytes and associated with host defense in the immune system. Subsequent findings of ROS production in non-immune cells led to the identification of six additional NOX isoforms, and opened new avenues for research into NOX-mediated cellular functions. Since then, NOX-derived ROS have been found to be involved in a tremendous number of cell signaling pathways. Of particular interest is the well-established function of NOX-derived ROS in signaling pathways that drive cytoskeletal rearrangements and motility in several …

Processes For Identifying Important Chemistry And Biochemistry Concepts And Representations And Their Qualitative Assessment In Undergraduate Biology Courses, Rethabile Reginalda Tekane

Open Access Dissertations

Biology has become increasingly more interdisciplinary in nature. Therefore, the Association of American Medical Colleges-Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the National Research Council have called for reform in biology curricula. In particular, the Vision and Change report emphasized the importance of integrating biology with physical sciences such as chemistry and biochemistry in order to help biology majors understand the importance of biochemistry and chemistry to biology. The report also stipulated the need to design assessments that are informed by learning objectives in order to assess if students have attained the targeted conceptual knowledge. Currently, meetings and workshops have, and are …

Nanoparticle Depot For Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Of Ovarian Cancer, Bo Sun

Open Access Dissertations

Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is a promising post-surgical therapy of ovarian cancer, with the full potential yet to be proven. To facilitate IP chemotherapy of ovarian cancer, we have developed a nanoparticle depot for IP chemotherapy consisted of paclitaxel (PTX) nanocrystals (PNC) and hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel (HA gel). PNC with a size of ~310 nm was produced by nonsolvent and temperature-induced crystallization. Dissolution kinetics of PNC could be determined by the light scattering method rather than the dialysis method due to drug reprecipitation caused by diffusion barrier. PTX release profiles from PNC-gel and PTX precipitate-gel (PPT-gel) were estimated in both sink- …

Studies Of Novel Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling Reactions, Jinmin Miao

Open Access Dissertations

Transition-metal-catalyzed oxidative coupling reactions are important tools for the construction of carbon-carbon (C-C) and carbon-heteroatom (C-X) bonds from simple starting materials. A series of novel and synthetically useful reactions have been developed and are herein described.

Size And Chemistry Selective Membranes From Block Polymer Templates, Ryan A. Mulvenna

Open Access Dissertations

The use of block polymers continues to gain attention with their myriad applications in industry for advanced applications in biology, medicine, electronics, and separations. The ability of block polymers to self assemble into ordered states on the nanometer level makes these materials suitable for applications that mandate structural order on this scale. By tuning the chemistry of these block domains, we may explore their utilization for advanced separations.

In this dossier, we detail the efforts into the controlled radical polymerization of polyisoprene-b-polystyrene-b-poly( N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PI-PS-PDMA) via. a facile reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mechanism. For this …

Worldwide Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Incidences Analyzed By Sex, Age, And Skin Type Over Time (1955–2007): Is Hpv Infection Of Androgenic Hair Follicular Melanocytes A Risk Factor For Developing Melanoma Exclusively In People Of European-Ancestry?, Stephen Merrill, Madhan Subramanian, Dianne E. Godar

Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

The cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) incidence has been increasing in an exponential manner in certain populations around the world for over 7 decades. To help illuminate the etiology, we performed worldwide temporal (1955–2007) CMM incidence analysis by sex, age (0–14, 15–29, 30–49, 50–69, 70–85+), and skin type on 6 continents using data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We observe an exponential increase in the CMM incidence over time and an increase of about 2 orders of magnitude between age groups 0–14 and 15–29 exclusively in European-ancestry populations around the world independent of skin type (I–III or III–IV). …

Killer-Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor (Kir) Gene Profiles Modify Hiv Disease Course, Not Hiv Acquisition In South African Women, V. Naranbhai, D. De Assis Rosa, L. Werner, R. Moodley, H. Hong, A. Kharsany, K. Mlisana, S. Sibeko, N. Garrett, D. Chopera, William H. Carr, Q. Abdool Karim, A. V. S. Hill, S. S. Abdool Karim, M. Altfeld, C. M. Gray, T. Ndung’U

Publications and Research

Background: Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors(KIR) interact with Human Leukocyte Antigen(HLA) to modify natural killer- and T-cell function. KIR are implicated in HIV acquisition by small studies that have not been widely replicated. A role for KIR in HIV disease progression is more widely replicated and supported by functional studies.

Methods: To assess the role of KIR and KIR ligands in HIV acquisition and disease course, we studied at-risk women in South Africa between 2004–2010. Logistic regression was used for nested case–control analysis of 154 women who acquired vs. 155 who did not acquire HIV, despite high exposure. Linear mixed-effects models were …

Effects Of Dietary Amino Acid Supplementation On Measures Of Whole-Body And Muscle Protein Metabolism In Aged Horses, Christine M. Latham

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Sarcopenia is a condition that is most common in aged animals, and is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and integrity, and can lead to physical disability and poor quality of life. Since skeletal muscle protein synthesis can be limited by the availability of amino acids, supplementation of limiting amino acids to ameliorate the progression of sarcopenia has become a topic of interest in companion animal research. Although there is some data to support the idea that amino acid supplementation improves maintenance of muscle mass in aged horses, the cellular mechanisms behind that improvement have yet to be …

Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between …

Specialty Poultry Production: Impact Of Genotype, Feed Strategies, Alternative Feedstuffs, And Dietary Enzymes On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Heritage Breed Chickens, Tatijana Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

There is a growing market for specialty poultry production using alternative genotypes and management systems. However, producers interested in specialty poultry production face several challenges. One challenge is that little published data exists regarding the growth and production parameters for alternative genotypes like slow-growing meat strains and heritage breeds. To address this challenge, research at the University of Kentucky examined the effect of feed strategies, alternative feedstuffs, and dietary enzymes on the growth and performance of heritage breeds of chicken used for either egg- or meat-production. The first trial documented the growth and nutrient intake of pullets from three heritage …

Incarnating The Feminine Genius In The Contemporary Catholic Church, L Westenberg

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

As Western society has seemingly become apathetic about faith and religion, many within the Catholic Church have simultaneously become concerned with issues of relevance. The call from Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis has been to examine the fruits of the Second Vatican Council, with a view to evangelisation, emphasising the role of the Church in modern society. Responses to this call on a pastoral level, however, often fail to recognise the specific needs of women in society and in the Church today. The goal of this article is to examine practical movements in the contemporary Church that are instigated …

St Therese Of Lisieux's Perception Of God, J Schneider

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

(i) The way her writing can inform us of how we come to view God

(ii) In this light, what might we learn from Thérèse today?

It is probably true to say that, at the level of 'popular' faith, Thérèse of Lisieux has been adopted by many as their 'go-to' person-in heaven. As such, she has been experienced as someone who bestowed special, even miraculous, favours—something she gave permission for in her lifetime. However, here we're not talking about a beyond-death Thérèse we might have personally experienced. The Thérèse I will speak about is from research, specifically with respect to …

Part 7: The Rise Of Single-Earner Households In Virginia: Why It Matters, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Forty-seven percent of all households in Virginia now are headed by one or more single individuals and these households include all adult age groups. Nevertheless, our current legal and regulatory structure continues to focus on “Ozzie and Harriet” households.

Composition As A Spiritual Discipline, Scott Wagar

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Analyzing a widely-read history of composition yields clear elements associated with the contemporary definition of spirituality.

Bioinnovation Enterprise: An Engine Driving Breakthrough Therapies., Scott A. Waldman, Andre Terzic

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Biological advances have radically expanded our insights into the underpinnings of health and disease. New knowledge has formed the substrate for translation-expedited in turn by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry into novel therapeutic solutions impacting the management of patients and populations. Indeed, this Bioinnovation Enterprise has become the dominant growth sector in drug development and the engine driving the translation of breakthrough therapies worldwide. This annual Therapeutic Innovations issue highlights recent exceptional advances by the Bioinnovation Enterprise in translating molecular insights in pathobiology into transformative therapies.

Cytokinin Acts Through The Auxin Influx Carrier Aux1 To Regulate Cell Elongation In The Root, Ian H. Street, Dennis Matthews, Maria Yamburkenko, Ali Sorooshzadeh

Dartmouth Scholarship

Hormonal interactions are crucial for plant development. In Arabidopsis, cytokinins inhibit root growth through effects on cell proliferation and cell elongation. Here, we define key mechanistic elements in a regulatory network by which cytokinin inhibits root cell elongation in concert with the hormones auxin and ethylene. The auxin importer AUX1 functions as a positive regulator of cytokinin responses in the root; mutation of AUX1 specifically affects the ability of cytokinin to inhibit cell elongation but not cell proliferation. AUX1 is required for cytokinin-dependent changes of auxin activity in the lateral root cap associated with the control of cell elongation. Cytokinin …

The Influence Of Balanced And Imbalanced Resource Supply On Biodiversity–Functioning Relationship Across Ecosystems, Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, Antje Biermann, Elizabeth T. Borer, Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras, Steven A.J. Declerck, Luc De Meester, Ellen Van Donk, Lars Ganfeldt, Daniel S. Gruner, Nicole Hagenah, W. Stanley Harpole, Kevin P. Kirkman, Christopher A. Klausmeier, Michael Kleyer, Johannes M. H. Knops, Pieter Lemmens, Eric M. Lind, Elena Litchman, Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, Koen Martens, Sandra Meier, Vanessa Minden, Joslin L. Moore, Harry Olde Venterink, Eric W. Seabloom, Ulrich Sommer, Maren Striebel, Anastasia Trenkamp, Juliane Trinogga, Jotaro Urabe, Wim Vyverman, Dedmer B. Van De Waal, Claire E. Widdicombe, Helmut Hillebrand

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Numerous studies show that increasing species richness leads to higher ecosystem productivity. This effect is often attributed to more efficient portioning of multiple resources in communities with higher numbers of competing species, indicating the role of resource supply and stoichiometry for biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. Here, we merged theory on ecological stoichiometry with a framework of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning to understand how resource use transfers into primary production. We applied a structural equation model to define patterns of diversity– productivity relationships with respect to available resources. Meta-analysis was used to summarize the findings across ecosystem types ranging from aquatic ecosystems to grasslands …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2015/2016, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Degrees Granted 2015/16
--- Degree Summary 2015/16
--- Program Certificates 2015/16
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

2016 Annual Governance Report On Salaries, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Gives the average salaries of faculty broken down by rank and college and the distribution of salaries of the professional and scientific category.