Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Analyses Of Proteins And Genes Obtained From Cancer Patients, Murat Demi̇r, Ali̇ Karci

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

bioinformatics and computational molecular biology, since these studies may result in important results in the case of diseases. Due to this, in this study, bioinformatics data were analyzed based on nucleotides and motifs. Bioinformatics data for proteins were obtained from two different databases. The obtained data belonged to cancer patients, and the genes in these DNA and protein sequences, the proteins synthesized by these sequences, and motifs in these data were analyzed. In the analysis, the ABCB1, ALOX5AP, AKT1, BRCA1, BRCA2, TNF, TNFSF13B, TP53, TP63, TP73, and WT1 genes were used. The proteins synthesized by genes belonging to similar classes …

Basis For Calculating Cross Sections For Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spin-Modulated Polarized Neutron Scattering, Michael Kotlarchyk, George M. Thurston

Articles

In this work we study the potential for utilizing the scattering of polarized neutrons from nuclei whose spin has been modulated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). From first principles, we present an in-depth development of the differential scattering cross sections that would arise in such measurements from a hypothetical target system containing nuclei with non-zero spins. In particular, we investigate the modulation of the polarized scattering cross sections following the application of radio frequency pulses that impart initial transverse rotations to selected sets of spin-1/2 nuclei. The long-term aim is to provide a foundational treatment of the scattering cross section …

The Use Of Cross-Company Fault Data For The Software Fault Prediction Problem, Çağatay Çatal

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

We investigated how to use cross-company (CC) data in software fault prediction and in predicting the fault labels of software modules when there are not enough fault data. This paper involves case studies of NASA projects that can be accessed from the PROMISE repository. Case studies show that CC data help build high-performance fault predictors in the absence of fault labels and remarkable results are achieved. We suggest that companies use CC data if they do not have any historical fault data when they decide to build their fault prediction models.

The Utilization Of Flavonoids As Inhibitors Of Urease And As Antimalarial Agents And The Discovery Of Bacterial Methionine Aminopeptidase Inhibitors, Travis Robert Helgren

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the inhibition of prominent enzymatic pathways important for both medicinal and agricultural applications. The research involved three distinct projects: First, an enzymatic urease inhibitory assay was optimized for plate-based screening of tree bark extracts to compare with ex vivo results from simulated-barn floor manure slurry assays performed by Dr. Wayne Zeller (USDA, Madison, WI). It wafs discovered that the measured ammonia abatement activities of each extract exhibited a correlation in both the enzymatic and ex vivo assays. Second, aminoalkylated quercetin analogs were synthesized and screened for antimalarial activity. The most potent species were found to exhibit sub-micromolar …

Subglacial Sediment Transport, Ice Stream Dynamics, And Chemical Weathering Of The Whillans Ice Stream Inferred From Particle Surface Texture, Form, And Composition, Rebecca A. Puttkammer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Subglacial sediment from the Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica was studied in order to investigate the primary subglacial sediment transportation agent, ice stream dynamics, and chemical weathering under Whillans Ice Stream (WIS). Scanning electron microscopy on quartz sand grains, gravel form, roundness, and textural and compositional analyses were performed on sediment samples from cores recovered from three subglacial sites including Upstream Whillans (UpB) from 1988-93, Subglacial Lake Whillans (SLW) in 2012-13, and Whillans Grounding Zone (WGZ) in 2014-15. This study is part of the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling (WISSARD) project that uses in situ samples to document …

Teen Mothers' Management Of Stigma, Christine Buckner

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Teenage pregnancy in the United States is the highest among developed countries. This study examines how women who were once teenage mothers managed their stigma. I conducted 16 in-depth face-to-face interviews. After analyzing the data collected it is suggested that teenage mother manage their stigma by using accounts: excuses and justifications. This study also has policy implications.

Core Competencies And Role Development Of Nursing Faculty In Associate Degree Programs, Marsha Hawk

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what is known about induction, competency, and role development of nursing faculty at the associate degree level. Specifically, the study assessed how nurses with clinical backgrounds --- many of whom have been working for years as practitioners --- are transitioned from nurse clinicians and inducted into the community college setting as faculty and clinical instructors. Associate degree nursing faculty (n=573) working for one of the 44 programs in Illinois awarding the Associate of Applied Science or the Associate Degree of Nursing completed a self-administered online questionnaire. Surveys (n=188, 33%) were returned over …

Cpsa Regulates Mycotoxin Production, Morphogenesis And Cell Wall Biosynthesis In The Fungus Aspergillus Nidulans, Xuehuan Feng

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans synthesizes a variety of secondary metabolites, including the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (ST). The production of this toxin is positively controlled by veA, a global regulatory gene that also governs sexual and asexual development in A. nidulans. In the absence of veA (ΔveA), ST biosynthesis is blocked. Previously we performed random mutagenesis in a [Delta]veA strain and identified several revertant mutants that are able to synthesize ST, among them RM1. Complementation of RM1 with a genomic library revealed that the mutation occurred in the coding region of a gene, putatively involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis, designated as …

Design And Synthesis Of Ispe Inhibitors As Potential Antibacterial Agents, Jeremy Ryan Troxell

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the inhibition of the IspE enzyme, found within the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, using a variety of molecular scaffolds for the development of potential antibacterial agents. This research involved two distinct projects: First, the design of an improved synthetic route for MEP. MEP is the substrate utilized in the IspD reaction and can be converted enzymatically to produce CDP-ME, the substrate for IspE. Therefore, MEP is a valuable compound that is necessary for our IspD and IspE inhibition assays. Second, the design and synthesis of two different scaffold series was implemented for the purpose of developing IspE …

Design And Synthesis Of Ispd, Ispe And Ispf Enzyme Inhibitors Of The Methylerythritol Phosphate Pathway, Gashaw Melkamu Goshu

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on four projects. In collaboration with Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID), FOL7185 was identified as a fragment hit that binds to IspD and IspE enzymes isolated from bacteria.1 The first project deals with the synthesis and biological activity of pyrazolopyrimidines that were synthesized based on FOL7185. The second project discusses the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of imidazole compounds. These compounds were designed and synthesized using template molecule FOL955, a fragment hit co-crystallized with Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) IspF (PDB code: 3QHD). 2 Moreover, this project also deals with the design and synthesis of a …

Restoration Age And Quality Effects On Dynamic Soil Properties At Nachusa Grasslands In Franklin Grove, Il, Sarah Smith

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Land use and management are key factors influencing the quality and function of soil as measured through dynamic soil properties. This study was conducted to quantify the differences in soil quality indicators across a chronosequence of prairie restorations of varying vegetative quality, as well as across different agricultural tillage systems including no-till, conservation, and conventional. Prairie restorations were chosen from a 3,100 acre Nature Conservancy site in Franklin Grove, IL known as Nachusa Grasslands, and agricultural fields were selected during a survey of farmers across north-central Illinois. The dynamic soil properties bulk density, aggregate stability, organic carbon, particulate organic matter …

Nanoporous Organosilicate Thin Films For Sensing Of Vapor - Phase Analytes And Comparison With Nanoporous Anodized Aluminum Oxide Sensors, Rashmi Asalla

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Chemical sensors have been used in many industries from process control, monitoring the amount of gases in industries to environmental protection. Recent work showed that Nanoporous Anodized Aluminum Oxide (AAO) sensors we used to distinguish and discriminate alcohols and volatile organic compounds. It was also demonstrated that the impedance spectrum of these adsorbed analytes showed a unique trend. In this study Nanoporous Organosilicate films have shown promise as sensor substrates in detection of various vapor phase analytes. We evaluated the properties of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic Nanoporous Organosilicate sensor using Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) to obtain the sensor response in time-domain …

Niche Differentiation Among Malagasy Carnivorans : An Analysis Of Evolution In A Spatiotemporally Isolated Carnivoran Clade (Eupleridae : Carnivora), Michael C. Taylor

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

To occupy an ecological niche, a carnivoran species must possess the necessary morphotype to consistently capture and process resources. In theory, two species would inevitably compete with one another if they occupied the same niche. Carnivoran diversity is related to niche differentiation, which can be facilitated spatially, temporally, or morphologically. Differences in diet preference and prey preference among carnivorans are effectively indicated by variations in craniodental morphology. Eupleridae is the sole carnivoran lineage in Madagascar and many of its species coexist in its eastern lowland rainforests and other ecoregions. This study described, in detail, the craniodental morphology of eight euplerid …

Hepatocyte Specific Gp73/Golm1 Knockout Mice And Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines Provide Insights Into The Potential Roles Of Gp73 Hcc Serum Biomarker, Gunisha Arora

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Golgi Protein -- 73kDa (GP73/GOLM1) is a resident cis-Golgi Type II membrane protein that is nearly undetectable in normal hepatocytes, but its expression increases in hepatocytes during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its serum levels increase in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection and HCC, yet its biological role in the liver and in the pathogenesis of HCC remains unclear. In order to investigate possible biological roles for GP73, hepatocyte-specific GOLM1 null mice (C57BL/6) were created using the Cre-loxP system, with "floxed" GOLM1 gene exon 3 and Cre recombinase driven by the albumin promoter. Mouse genotypes were confirmed by PCR analysis. …

Small Mammal Responses To Bison Reintroduction And Prescribed Fire In One Of The World's Most Threatened Ecosystems, Angela Marie Burke

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The restoration of tallgrass prairies is often centered on reestablishing the native vegetation structure with only minor efforts directed to the fauna that inhabit these areas. The reinstatement of traditional disturbance regimes of fire and grazing bison is a critical component to the active management of tallgrass prairies, and its subsequent effects on both flora and fauna in remnant prairies is well documented. Understanding the role of small mammal populations and how they are affected by varying grazing and fire management strategies can assist in the holistic evaluation of restoration efforts in sites currently undergoing active restoration. Peromyscus and Microtus …

Motivated For Action And Collaboration: The Abrahamic Religions And Climate Change, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

Leaders of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have publicly advocated action to mitigate the adverse effects of human-forced climate change. Particularly prominent prior to, during, and after the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change were Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Pope Francis, and Patriarch Bartholomew. Also prominent was a group of Islamic clerics, leaders of organizations, and scholars who collaborated in issuing a declaration on climate change three months prior to COP 21. Informed by the Earth sciences, these leaders shared their faith-based rationales for acting locally to internationally as indicated in the documents explored …

Catholic Moral Traditions And Energy Ethics For The Twenty-First Century, Erin Lothes Biviano, David Cloutier, Elaine Padilla, Christiana Z. Peppard, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Augustine's Trinitarian Sacramental Sensibilities, Influence, And Significance For Our Imperiled Planet, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Living With The Water - Too Much, And Too Little, Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

No abstract provided.

Towards An Understanding Of The Role Of Cation Packaging On Dna Protection From Oxidative Damage, Cody E. Gay

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

In sperm chromatin, DNA exists in a highly condensed state reaching a final volume roughly twenty times that of a somatic nucleus. For the vast majority (>90%) of sperm DNA in mammals, somatic-like histones are first replaced by transition proteins which in turn are replaced by arginine-rich protamines. This near crystalline organization of the DNA in mature sperm is thought crucial for both the transport and protection of genetic information since all DNA repair mechanisms are shut down. Recent studies show that increased DNA damage is linked to dysfunctions in replacing histones with protamines resulting in mispackaged DNA. This …

Towards An Understanding Of Pharmacologically Induced Intracellular Changes In Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: A Fluorescence Microscopy Approach, Ashley M. Loe

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Upregulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) is a well-documented response to chronic nicotine exposure. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels consisting of alpha (α2-10) and beta (β2-4) subunits. Nicotine, an agonist of nAChRs, alters trafficking and assembly of some subtypes of nAChRs, leading to an increase in expression of high sensitivity receptors on the plasma membrane. These physiological changes in nAChRs are believed to contribute to nicotine addiction, although the mechanism of these processes has not been resolved. Recently, many studies have converged on the idea that nicotine induces upregulation by an intracellular mechanism. In this dissertation, expression …

Organometallic Materials: Ferroceno[C]Thiophenes And 1,2-Bisthienylmetallocenes, Surya R. Banks

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Development of synthetic routes toward two general organometallic frameworks was undertaken. The first project involved synthetic attempts of substituted and unsubstituted ferroceno[c]thiophene while the second one was the synthesis of 1,2-dithienylmetallocenes. The long-term goal of this work is to lay the foundations for study of electronic, electrochromic, redox, and optical properties of thiophene-based materials integrated with organometallic systems such as ferrocene, ruthenocene and cymantrene. The synthetic pathway for the target molecule in the first project involved converting 1,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene to 1,2-bis(thiouroniummethyl)ferrocene with thiourea under acidic conditions. Refluxing the salt in base followed by acidification resulted in 1,2-bis(mercaptomethyl)ferrocene, which is …

Green Infrastructure In The Community Ratings System: A Proposed Path To National Flood Insurance Program Recognition, Kevin Macwhorter, Kathleen Zaratzian

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

No abstract provided.

Witch 54 Flight, Marcy Atwood

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

An Air Force colonel pilot faces an emergency on her refueling plane and saves the day.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Validity Of Whole And Regional Body Composition Testing Devices, Alexa R. Suida

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Obesity has been established as a risk factor for multiple diseases and is an increasing problem throughout the world. Advances in technology have enabled health professionals to use many devices to diagnose individuals as healthy, overweight, or obese. However, there are discrepancies between the validity of the devices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to validate InBody 520 and InBody S10 against the Hologic dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) system. METHODS: 50 male and female subjects performed body composition testing on an InBody 520, InBody S10, and a Hologic DXA, followed by repeat measurements on the InBody 520 and S10. …

You Can't Sit With Us...Just Kidding! : An Investigation Into The Association Between Empathy And Playful Relational Behavior, Michelle Platt

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Rough and tumble play, the playful form of physical aggression, has been shown to be related to a number of positive skills, abilities, and outcomes. As relational aggression is kin to physical aggression, it follows that there would be a playful version of relational aggression. This construct has been deemed playful relational behavior and is an area ripe for exploration. The current study focused on the role that empathy plays in students' perception of, and engagement in, playful and aggressive forms of relational behaviors. Twenty teachers and 389 fifth grade students from two school districts in the Midwest completed the …

Climate Modifies Response Of Non-Native And Native Species Richness To Nutrient Enrichment, Habacuc Flores-Moreno, Peter B. Reich, Eric M. Lind, Lauren L. Sullivan, Eric W. Seabloom, Laura Yahdjian, Andrew S. Macdougall, Lara G. Reichmann, Juan Alberti, Selene Baez, Jonathan D. Bakker, Marc W. Cadotte, Maria C. Caldeira, Enrique J. Chaneton, Carla M. D'Antonio, Philip A. Fay, Jennifer Firn, Nicole Hagenah, W. Stanley Harpole, Oscar Iribarne, Kevin P. Kirkman, Johannes M.H. Knops, Kimberly J. La Pierre, Ramesh Laungani, Andrew D.B. Leakey, Rebecca L. Mcculley, Joslin L. Moore, Jesus Pascual, Elizabeth T. Borer

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Ecosystem eutrophication often increases domination by non-natives and causes displacement of native taxa. However, variation in environmental conditions may affect the outcome of interactions between native and non-native taxa in environments where nutrient supply is elevated. We examined the interactive effects of eutrophication, climate variability and climate average conditions on the success of native and non-native plant species using experimental nutrient manipulations replicated at 32 grassland sites on four continents. We hypothesized that effects of nutrient addition would be greatest where climate was stable and benign, owing to reduced niche partitioning. We found that the abundance of non-native species increased …

Bioactive Poly(Beta-Amino Ester) Biomaterials For Treatment Of Infection And Oxidative Stress, Andrew L. Lakes

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Polymers have deep roots as drug delivery tools, and are widely used in clinical to private settings. Currently, however, numerous traditional therapies exist which may be improved through use of polymeric biomaterials. Through our work with infectious and oxidative stress disease prevention and treatment, we aimed to develop application driven, enhanced therapies utilizing new classes of polymers synthesized in-house. Applying biodegradable poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) polymers, covalent-addition of bioactive substrates to these PBAEs avoided certain pitfalls of free-loaded and non-degradable drug delivery systems. Further, through variation of polymer ingredients and conditions, we were able to tune degradation rates, release profiles, cellular …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Antioxidant Conjugated Poly(Βeta-Amino Ester) Micro/Nanogels For The Suppression Of Oxidative Stress, Prachi Gupta

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Oxidative stress is a pathophysiological condition defined by an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can result in the growth arrest of cells followed by cell disintegration or necrosis. A number of small molecule antioxidants (e.g. curcumin, quercetin and resveratrol) are capable of directly scavenging ROS, thereby short-circuiting the self-propagating oxidative stress state. However, poor solubility and rapid 1^st pass metabolism results in overall low bioavailability and acts as a barrier for its use as a drug to suppress oxidative stress efficiently.

To overcome this limitation, these small molecule antioxidants were covalently conjugated into poly(β-amino ester) (PβAE) …

Peptide-Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles For Cancer Therapy Applications, Anastasia K. Hauser

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the United States. Radiation and chemotherapy are conventional treatments, but they result in serious side effects and the probability of tumor recurrence remains high. Therefore, there is an increasing need to enhance the efficacy of conventional treatments. Magnetic nanoparticles have been previously studied for a variety of applications such as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, anemia treatment, magnetic cell sorting and magnetically mediated hyperthermia (MMH). In this work, dextran coated iron oxide nanoparticles were developed and functionalized with peptides to target the nanoparticles to either the extracellular matrix …