Digital Commons Network^™

Expert Elicitation On The Uncertainties Associated With Chronic Wasting Disease, Michael G. Tyshenko, Tamer Oraby, Shalu Darshan, Margit Westphal, Maxine C. Croteau, Willy Aspinall, Susie Elsaadany, Daniel Krewski, Neil Cashman

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

A high degree of uncertainty exists for chronic wasting disease (CWD) transmission factors in farmed and wild cervids. Evaluating the factors is important as it helps to inform future risk management strategies. Expert opinion is often used to assist decision making in a number of health, science, and technology domains where data may be sparse or missing. Using the "Classical Model" of elicitation, a group of experts was asked to estimate the most likely values for several risk factors affecting CWD transmission. The formalized expert elicitation helped structure the issues and hence provide a rational basis for estimating some transmission …

Transition Metal Catalyzed Transformations Of Strained Heterocycles, Christian A. Malapit

Doctoral Dissertations

Heterocycles are present in more than half of organic compounds. For organic chemists, they are valued as synthetic targets or scaffolds to construct valuable products. For the past two decades, the Howell group has made contributions towards the synthesis and applications of 4-membered heterocyclic compounds, such as oxetanes and beta-lactones. Most of the previously reported transformations that involve strained heterocyclic compounds rely on traditional methods in which rendering the reaction with good and predictable selectivity (regio-, chemo- and stereoselectivity) is challenging.

The works described took advantage of the intrinsic reactivity of strained heterocycles and combined that with the highly selective …

The Role Of N-Methyl D-Aspartate Receptors In The Development Of The Human Cerebral Cortex, Inseyah Bagasrawala

Doctoral Dissertations

N-Methyl D-Aspartate receptors (NMDARs), a subtype of glutamate receptors, are important in neural development. The distribution and function of these receptors are well-studied in rodent and adult human brains, but far less is known about NMDARs in the human fetal cerebral cortex. The human cerebral cortex develops from multipotent neural progenitors called the radial glia cells (RGCs) that give rise to intermediate and interneuron progenitors, neurons, and glial cells. In my thesis, I studied the distribution of NMDAR subunits, NR1, NR2A and NR2B, in the human cerebral cortex from 10 to 24 gestational weeks (gw), a period of intense neurogenesis …

New Titans Welcomed At Convocation, University Communications

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

An Ultrasensitive Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence-Based Immunoassay For Specific Detection Of Zika Virus, Amber M. Paul, Dhiraj Acharya, Pradip Bastola, Linda Le, Estenfani Fernandez, Michael S. Diamond, Wujian Miao, Fengwei Bai

Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a globally emerging mosquito-transmitted flavivirus that can cause severe fetal abnormalities, including microcephaly. As such, highly sensitive, specific, and cost-effective diagnostic methods are urgently needed. Here, we report a novel electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL)-based immunoassay for ultrasensitive and specific detection of ZIKV in human biological fluids. We loaded polystyrene beads (PSB) with a large number of ECL labels and conjugated them with anti-ZIKV monoclonal antibodies to generate anti-ZIKV-PSBs. These anti-ZIKV-PSBs efficiently captured ZIKV in solution forming ZIKV-anti-ZIKV-PSB complexes, which were subjected to measurement of ECL intensity after further magnetic beads separation. Our results show that the anti-ZIKV-PSBs …

The Impact Of Infant Sleep On Maternal Health Behaviors, Megan M. Clarke

Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity continues to impact the majority of American adults. Women are especially vulnerable during their childbearing years; while weight gain is appropriate during pregnancy, the postpartum period is a potential teachable moment to prevent excess weight retention long term. This study sought to explore the relationships between infant sleep training, maternal physical activity levels, and weight loss during the first postpartum year by comparing mothers who successfully sleep trained their infants with those who did not. Researchers sought to evaluate the presence of between group differences in 1) quality and quantity of maternal sleep, 2) quality and quantity of infant …

Alzheimer-Related Protein Apl-1 Modulates Lifespan Through Heterochronic Gene Regulation In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Collin Y. Ewald, Vanessa Marfil, Chris Li

Publications and Research

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-associated disease. Mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) may be causative or protective of AD. The presence of two functionally redundant APP-like genes (APLP1/2) has made it difficult to unravel the biological function of APP during aging. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains a single APP family member, apl-1. Here, we assessed the function of APL-1 on C. elegans’ lifespan and found tissue-specific effects on lifespan by overexpression of APL-1. Overexpression of APL-1 in neurons causes lifespan reduction, whereas overexpression of APL-1 in the hypodermis causes lifespan extension by repressing the function of the heterochronic …

Effects Of Extended Time Accommodation For Those With Adhd, Jacqueline Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. There is a great deal of published literature that supports the effect of interventions for students at the elementary and secondary levels, however there is limited research that analyzes interventions for college students with ADHD. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of extended time accommodations for college students with and without ADHD. It was hypothesized that students with ADHD would perform better when given extended time to complete assignments. A mixed ANOVA used to investigate the differences in test scores of …

Bacteria And The Cellular Basis Of Consciousness, Michael L. Woodruff

Animal Sentience

According to Reber’s theory, the Cellular Basis of Consciousness (CBC), sentience originates as bio-sensitivity in unicellular organisms. For this reason, Reber regards sentience as evolutionarily foundational. Many bacteria show chemotaxis and, thus, according to CBC, they are sentient. Analysis of the genetic mechanisms underlying bacterial chemotaxis indicates that sentience has no explanatory power in this case. Genetic analysis also fails to show species continuity underlying bio-sensitivity in bacteria and bio-sensitivity in species with nervous systems, so it does not seem that sentience is evolutionary foundational. CBC is rejected on these grounds.

Unity Of Consciousness In Animals, Bernard E. Rollin

Animal Sentience

Both Descartes the rationalist and Hume the empiricist, polar opposites philosophically, denied the unity and continuity of animal mind. Kant pointed out that the presence of retrievable memories entails unity of consciousness. Rowlands now argues that animals too have unity of consciousness.

Butheoloides Grosseri Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Uganda, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Butheoloides grosseri sp. n. is described and fully complemented with color photos of female holotype, as well as its habitat. This is the first species assigned to this genus from Uganda and represents southern limits of genus Butheoloides distribution.

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Viii. Pandinops Birula, 1913 (Scorpionidae), With Description Of Two New Species, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Complete Pandinops trichobothrial pattern and spiniform formula of tarsomeres of legs are published for the first time. P. friedrichi sp. n. from Somalia and P. turieli sp. n. from Ethiopia and Kenya are described. Information is provided about all Pandinops species, their taxonomy, and distribution, and P. turieli sp. n. discovered during scorpiological expeditions in 2011–2016 is fully complemented with color photos of live and preserved specimens, as well as its habitat.

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Vii. Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 (Buthidae), With Description Of P. Hamar Sp. N. And P. Kajibu Sp. N. From Ethiopia, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Jana Plíšková, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

All Parabuthus species from Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somaliland were newly collected and are revised for the first time. The complex of Parabuthus liosoma is split into three sibling species with separate areas of distribution: P. abyssinicus Pocock, 1901 (Eritrea, Djibouti, central and north-eastern parts of Ethiopia), P. liosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) (Yemen and Saudi Arabia), and P. maximus Werner, 1913 (Tanzania and Kenya). P. hamar sp. n. and P. kajibu sp. n., discovered during scorpiological expeditions in 2011–2016, are described. Information is provided about all Parabuthus species from the Horn of Africa, their taxonomy, distribution, and ecology, fully complemented with …

Does The Seal Licensing System In Scotland Have A Negative Impact On Seal Welfare?, Laetitia Nunny, Fritha Langford, Mark P. Simmonds

Wildlife Population Management Collection

This study examined the licensing system that permits seal shooting in Scotland, which was established under Part 6 Conservation of Seals of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Four approaches were used: data were collated and analyzed from both the Scottish Government and Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme; a survey was sent to current license holders and informal interviews were conducted with key stakeholder types. Between February 2011 and the end of October 2015, 1229 gray seals, and 275 common seals were reported shot under license to the Scottish Government. The numbers of seals reported as shot has reduced year-on-year since …

Does The Seal Licensing System In Scotland Have A Negative Impact On Seal Welfare?, Laetitia Nunny, Fritha Langford, Mark P. Simmonds

Aquaculture and Fisheries Collection

This study examined the licensing system that permits seal shooting in Scotland, which was established under Part 6 Conservation of Seals of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Four approaches were used: data were collated and analyzed from both the Scottish Government and Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme; a survey was sent to current license holders and informal interviews were conducted with key stakeholder types. Between February 2011 and the end of October 2015, 1229 gray seals, and 275 common seals were reported shot under license to the Scottish Government. The numbers of seals reported as shot has reduced year-on-year since …

Population Dynamics And Genetic Differentiation Of The Threatened Freshwater Mussel Species Fusconaia Askewi, Fusconaia Lananensis, And Pleurobema Riddellii, Edith D. Plants-Paris

Biology Theses

North America has the most diverse freshwater mussel fauna in the world with approximately 300 species; unfortunately, extinction rates for freshwater mussels rivals the rates of many other groups of organisms. Population-level natural life history data is essential in the management of species of conservation concern, yet basic information about freshwater mussel life-history and demographic traits are unknown for many species. To further complicate matters, taxonomic uncertainty exists among some members of the group. The work detailed herein had two goals: to gain further understanding of the taxonomic relationship between Fusconaia lananensis and F. askewi by sequencing genes that had …

Nanosecond Dynamics Of Gαi1 Bound To Nucleotides Or Ric-8a, A Gα Chaperone With Gef Activity, Labe A. Black, Celestine J. Thomas, Gwendolyn N. Nix, Michelle C. Terwilliger, Stephen R. Sprang, J B. Ross

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Resistance to Inhibitors of Cholinesterase A (Ric-8A) is a 60-kDa cytosolic protein that has chaperone and guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) activity toward heterotrimeric G protein α subunits of the i, q, and 12/13 classes, catalyzing the release of GDP from Gα and subsequent binding of GTP. In the absence of GTP or GTP analogs, and subsequent to GDP release, Gα forms a stable nucleotide-free complex with Ric-8A. In this study, time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements were employed to detect local motions of Gαi1 labeled at selected sites with Alexa 488 (C5) fluorescent dye (Ax) in the GDP, GTPγS (collectively, GXP), and …

Sixteen Years Of Change In The Global Terrestrial Human Footprint And Implications For Biodiversity Conservation, Oscar Venter, Eric W. Sanderson, Ainhoa Magrach, James R. Allan, Jutta Beher, Kendall R. Jones, Hugh P. Possingham, William F. Laurance, Peter Wood, Balázs M. Fekete, Marc A. Levy, James E. M. Watson

Publications and Research

Human pressures on the environment are changing spatially and temporally, with profound implications for the planet’s biodiversity and human economies. Here we use recently available data on infrastructure, land cover and human access into natural areas to construct a globally standardized measure of the cumulative human footprint on the terrestrial environment at 1 km2 resolution from 1993 to 2009. We note that while the human population has increased by 23% and the world economy has grown 153%, the human footprint has increased by just 9%. Still, 75% the planet’s land surface is experiencing measurable human pressures. Moreover, pressures are perversely …

The Current Volume 27 : Issue 2, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Belowground Rhizomes In Paleosols: The Hidden Half Of An Early Devonian Vascular Plant, Jinzhuang Xue, Zhenzhen Deng, Pu Huang, Kangjun Huang, Michael J. Benton, Ying Cui, Deming Wang, Jianbo Liu, Bing Shen, James F. Basinger, Shougang Hao

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The colonization of terrestrial environments by rooted vascular plants had far-reaching impacts on the Earth system. However, the belowground structures of early vascular plants are rarely documented, and thus the plant-soil interactions in early terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood. Here we report the earliest rooted paleosols (fossil soils) in Asia from Early Devonian deposits of Yunnan, China. Plant traces are extensive within the soil and occur as complex network-like structures, which are interpreted as representing long-lived, belowground rhizomes of the basal lycopsid Drepanophycus. The rhizomes produced large clones and helped the plant survive frequent sediment burial in well-drained soils within …

Crystal Structure Of Carboxyltransferase From Staphylococcus Aureus Bound To The Antibacterial Agent Moiramide B, Molly A. Silvers, Svetlana Pakhomova, David B. Neau, William C. Silvers, Nicholas Anzalone, Carol M. Taylor, Grover L. Waldrop

Faculty Publications

© 2016 American Chemical Society. The dramatic increase in the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has necessitated a search for new antibacterial agents against novel targets. Moiramide B is a natural product, broad-spectrum antibiotic that inhibits the carboxyltransferase component of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the first committed step in fatty acid synthesis. Herein, we report the 2.6 Å resolution crystal structure of moiramide B bound to carboxyltransferase. An unanticipated but significant finding was that moiramide B bound as the enol/enolate. Crystallographic studies demonstrate that the (4S)-methyl succinimide moiety interacts with the oxyanion holes of the enzyme, supporting the notion that an …

Senior Bio Major Runs For N.H. State Representative, Katie Seraikas

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Data Descriptor: Global Terrestrial Human Footprint Maps For 1993 And 2009, Oscar Venter, Eric W. Sanderson, Ainhoa Magrach, James R. Allan, Jutta Beher, Kendall R. Jones, Hugh P. Possingham, William F. Laurance, Peter Wood, Balázs M. Fekete, Marc A. Levy, James E. M. Watson

Publications and Research

Remotely-sensed and bottom-up survey information were compiled on eight variables measuring the direct and indirect human pressures on the environment globally in 1993 and 2009. This represents not only the most current information of its type, but also the first temporally-consistent set of Human Footprint maps. Data on human pressures were acquired or developed for: 1) built environments, 2) population density, 3) electric infrastructure, 4) crop lands, 5) pasture lands, 6) roads, 7) railways, and 8) navigable waterways. Pressures were then overlaid to create the standardized Human Footprint maps for all non-Antarctic land areas. A validation analysis using scored pressures …

August 23, 2016, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Ecological Risks And Benefits From The Novel Crop Camelina Sativa (L.) Crantz (Camelina), Richard C. Rizzitello

Master's Theses

It is important to fully understand the ecological implications of introducing new crop species and genetic traits because of potential hazards such as changes in native plant populations or the establishment of aggressive weeds. Conversely, the introduction of new crops and traits could provide ecological benefits such as providing pollen and nectar forage for pollinators. Camelina sativa (camelina or false flax) is an oilseed crop that is being genetically engineered (GE) for the production of biofuel, bioplastics, and dietary supplements for humans and animals. Relatively little scientific information exists about camelina cultivation, reproductive biology, and ecology. The primary research goals …

Association Of The Dietary Inflammatory Index With Metabolic Syndrome In The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2006), Genevieve C. Caron

Master's Theses

Metabolic syndrome currently affects one third of adults in the U.S. and has been associated with a variety of chronic diseases that pose a burden to the nation. ^1,2 In the nationally representative NHANES dataset (2001-2006), dietary inflammatory index scores were found to significantly predict metabolic syndrome outcome among individuals above the age of 50 (OR=1.088; 95% CI=1.014-1.167; p=0.0184). Individuals older than 50 years of age who consume diets very high inflammatory properties were found to be 2.14 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome than those who consume a diet with very low inflammatory properties. This study supports the …

Characterizing Headwater Stream Hydrology And Nitrogen Export During Storms Across A Gradient Of Watershed Development, Jason Sauer

Master's Theses

Nitrogen (N) is a critical element for aquatic ecosystem function that can degrade water quality and cause eutrophication if in excess of natural levels. Anthropogenic nonpoint sources contribute more than 90% of total N added to major watersheds in the U.S, in excess of natural levels, and they are increasing with land development. Storms mobilize N from anthropogenic sources and generate periods of high N export to aquatic ecosystems. In this thesis, I explore how a gradient of watershed development affects the volume-weighted load, composition, and timing of N exported from first-order streams in New England during storms. I find …

The Bg News August 23, 2016, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. August 23, 2016. Volume 96-Issue 2.

Belowground Rhizomes In Paleosols: The Hidden Half Of An Early Devonian Vascular Plant, Jinzhuang Xue, Zhenzhen Deng, Pu Huang, Kangjun Huang, Michael J. Benton, Ying Cui

Dartmouth Scholarship

The colonization of terrestrial environments by rooted vascular plants had far-reaching impacts on the Earth system. However, the belowground structures of early vascular plants are rarely documented, and thus the plant−soil interactions in early terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood. Here we report the earliest rooted paleosols (fossil soils) in Asia from Early Devonian deposits of Yunnan, China. Plant traces are extensive within the soil and occur as complex network-like structures, which are interpreted as representing long-lived, belowground rhizomes of the basal lycopsid Drepanophycus. The rhizomes produced large clones and helped the plant survive frequent sediment burial in well-drained soils …

Individual Differences In Evaluating The Credibility Of Online Information In Science: Contributions Of Prior Knowledge, Gender, Socioeconomic Status, And Offline Reading Ability, Elena Forzani

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated how seventh grade students performed on a measure of online critical evaluation in science (the ORCA). The analysis included evaluating the extent to which critical evaluation also appeared to be an aspect of other elements of online research and comprehension, including reading to locate information, reading to synthesize information, and reading and writing to communicate information. Additionally, this study examined the extent to which several important individual difference variables affected students’ ability to critically evaluate information during online reading in science. The individual difference variables evaluated in this study included prior knowledge, gender, socioeconomic status, and offline …