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Mechanistic Insights Into The Radical S-Adenosyl L-Methionine Enzyme Mftc, Bulat Khaliullin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mycofactocin is a putative peptide-derived redox cofactor in Mycobacterium family. Its putative biosynthetic pathway is encoded by the operon mftABCDEF. The initial step of this pathway is a posttranslational modification of a peptide precursor MftA, which is catalyzed by MftC enzyme. This modification only occurs in the presence of chaperone MftB. Here, we demonstrate that MftC is a radical S-adenosyl L-methionine (SAM) enzyme and we examine its catalytic mechanism. We show that the modification of MftA requires two equivalents of SAM and is implemented in two steps: (i) the decarboxylation of a C-terminal tyrosine, resulting in formation of an …

The Effects Of Microaggressions On Probationers' Psychological Well-Being, Whitney Fujii-Doe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies examining microaggressions and individuals in the correctional system are limited. Previous studies have found experiences of perceived microaggressions have a negative impact on an individuals psychological well-being (Nadal, Griffin, Wong, Hamit, and Rasmus, 2014). The current study looked at the effects of microggressions on probationers' psychological well-being. The current study aimed to examine among probationers: hypothesis 1A, the level of microaggressions is significantly negatively associated with self-esteem; 1B, self-esteem will negatively be associated with probationers' psychological well-being; 2A, the experience of microaggressions would significantly predict levels of psychological distress; and hypothesis 2B, self-esteem would be negatively predicted probationers' psychological …

Exploring Historical Coffee And Climate Relations In Southern Guatemala: An Integration Of Tree Ring Analysis And Remote Sensing Data, Diego Pons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation makes use of a physical geography perspective to examine the relationship between agriculture and climate in Guatemala using dendrochronology. I examined the potential of high-resolution climate proxy data from dendrochronology to help fill in the gaps of past climate information to better understand the natural and anthropogenic variability of precipitation which, in turn, can inform Guatemala’s agriculture sector. This research has demonstrated successful cross-dating and climate sensitivity of Abies guatemalensis in the Pacific slope of Guatemala. Based on this, I have produced a 124-year record of mean precipitation from June-July-August. The mean precipitation from June-July-August at this site …

Characterization Of The Atcc Α-Tc1-6 Pancreatic Alpha Cell Line To Study Glucagon Secretion, Larissa M. Ikenouye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The endocrine pancreas is responsible for maintaining glycemic equilibrium in the body. Given the importance of this blood-glucose homeostasis and the implication an unbalance has on Diabetes mellitus, the study of the glucose-sensing alpha and beta cells in the pancreas is a popular field for scientific researchers. In this study, we use immunofluorescence, qPCR analysis, intracellular calcium experiments, and biochemical glucagon secretion assays to determine if the commercially available tumor cell line clone, α-TC1-6 obtained from American Type Culture Collection, is an appropriate model system for glucagon secretion in pancreatic alpha cells. We confirm the production of the hormone peptide …

Black, Queer, And Blessed: Toward A Biblically Based Black, Queer Narrative Of Leadership, Arthur Leon Tredwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the evolution of traditional African-American religious leadership as it evolved during the first half of the twentieth century. It traces the two primary models of Black religious leadership that emerged from White, cis, benevolent and dominating models of patriarchy. This task is accomplished primarily through a survey of the ministries of Adam Clayton Powell Sr. and Jr. (1908-1970) and their consecutive sixty years of ministry at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, Harlem, New York. It intentionally engages the issue of homophobia, demonstrating how it operates in Black churches generationally.

Determining these historical patriarchal models of leadership to …

Looking Through A Trauma Lens: A Caregiver's Perspective Of Child Welfare Involvement, Erin Ruth Boyce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The majority of maltreatment perpetrated against children is at the hand of their primary caregiver, most often their mother. The reasons why caregivers maltreat their children are still being investigated. However, the caregiver's history of trauma, in particular cumulative trauma that leads to trauma symptomology is emerging as an explanation for maltreatment. Popular theory describes the coercive and oppressive nature of child welfare system policy and practices, as a source of re-traumatization for caregivers with a trauma history (Harris & Fallot, 2001). Currently, the field of child welfare practice is largely guided by the use of trauma-informed practices, which are …

Effects Of Collaborative Problem Solving Training For Parents Of Children With Challenging Behavior In A Public School Setting, Tyra B. Vickers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of the Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) Parent Group Therapy curriculum is to help parents recognize the underlying skill deficits contributing to their child's challenging behavior, identify pathways leading to the behavior, and make environmental changes to prevent problem behavior. This quasi-experimental study assessed the effects of implementing a 6-week, 12-hour Think:Kids CPS parent curriculum in a public school setting with an intervention group compared to a non-random waitlist group. Data was collected for both groups at pre-, post-and one-month follow-up on the following measures: the Parent Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI); the Parenting Stress Index, 4th edition, Short …

Interpreting American Indian Cultural Heritage: Visitor's Educational Experience At Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, Kara Lynn Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following research and analysis explore the various methods in which American Indian heritage is interpreted at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site in Colorado Springs, CO. Attention was given to the distinctive ways this space acts as an educational institution that displays and interprets Colorado's cultural heritage through object-centered learning and participatory education. The goal for this research was to discuss ahistorical biases that have existed in museums for centuries, while encouraging dialogue and discourse about the appropriate methods for interpreting American Indian cultural heritage. Through the presentation and examination of visitors' educational experiences using observations, questionnaires, and informal interviews …

Health-Seeking Behaviors In Rural West Ghana, Cathryn Lynn Perreira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is the result of an exploratory project that included a six-week period of fieldwork in the rural farming village of Humjibre in the Western Region of Ghana. It examines the health-seeking behaviors I witnessed in this village, and discusses the barriers and facilitators that control those behaviors. It is my intention to demonstrate that there are many factors that influence concepts of health that lead to health behaviors. To fully understand how an individual functions within a medical culture, all the social, cultural, political, historical, and economic factors must be considered. Extensive background research was conducted prior to …

Uncertainty, Interference, And Communication In Bereaved Parent-Child Relationships, Veronica Anne Droser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on familial loss has centered individualized experiences with grief, constructing a disconnect between family members that works to weaken interdependence and create additional coping challenges. Through a family systems lens, the current study explored family loss from a relational perspective, centering the parent-child experience as a unique and conflictual one. Drawing from the Relational Turbulence Model (RTM) and the Theory of Motivated Information Management (TMIM), this work used actor partner interdependence models (APIM) to test a dyadic and integrated model that centered relational experiences with uncertainty, interference, and information management for 29 bereaved parent-child dyads. Further, to understand more …

Total Knee Arthroplasty Rehabilitation: Case Report, Allen Kennedy

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common problem in the world population and total knee replacement has become the gold standard for repair when the OA becomes severe enough. Total knee replacement, however, is not the complete answer to knee OA. Without rehabilitation these patients may struggle to be fully functional. The purpose of this case study was to describe the rehabilitation of a geriatric patient who underwent TKA and benefited from the use of hydrotherapy in his recovery.

Case Description: This report will look at the rehabilitation of one 73-year-old male patient and interventions …

Household Food Vulnerability Under An Extreme Weather Event In Sta. Cruz Subwatershed, Laguna, Philippines, Karen P. Quilloy, Agnes C. Rola

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

This study is an assessment of the vulnerability of households to food insecurity under an extreme weather event. A subjective-qualitative technique primarily based on the perceived food security status of the households and their food insecurity coping strategies was used to examine household food vulnerability. Key findings reveal that households living in the vulnerable areas of Sta. Cruz subwatershed were generally resilient to extreme weather events and only suffered from slight to moderate form of food security problems. Impacts of extreme weather events on them were generally moderate but the highest impact was observed in their income sources, logistics, and …

Using Decision Analysis To Support Proactive Management Of Emerging Infectious Wildlife Diseases, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Erin Muths, Rachel A. Katz, Stefano Canessa, Michael J. Adams, Jennifer R. Ballard, Lee Berger, Cheryl J. Briggs, Jeremy Th Coleman, Matthew J. Gray, M Camille Harris, Reid N. Harris, Blake Hossack, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Jonathan Kolby, Karen R. Lips, Robert E. Lovich, Hamish I. Mccallum, Joseph R. Mendelson Iii, Priya Nanjappa, Deanna H. Olson, Jenny G. Powers, Katherine Ld Richgels, Robin E. Russell, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Annemarieke Spitzen-Van Der Sluijs, Mary Kay Watry, Douglas C. Woodhams, C Leann White

United States Navy: Publications

Despite calls for improved responses to emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, management is seldom considered until a disease has been detected in affected populations. Reactive approaches may limit the potential for control and increase total response costs. An alternative, proactive management framework can identify immediate actions that reduce future impacts even before a disease is detected, and plan subsequent actions that are conditional on disease emergence. We identify four main obstacles to developing proactive management strategies for the newly discovered salamander pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). Given that uncertainty is a hallmark of wildlife disease management and that associated decisions are …

Developing Adaptive Islamic Law Business Processes Models For Islamic Finance And Banking By Text Mining The Holy Quran And Hadith., Munir Majdalawieh, Farhi Marir, Issam Tiemsani

Working papers

Global Islamic finance assets grew from $200 billion to $1.8 trillion (IMF 2015) and is growing faster than the conventional banking sector. A large number of conventional financial institutions, especially banks are moving to an Islamic financial model that's comply with the Shari'a Law with little change to current conventional practices (reverse eningineer current business processes) to accommodate the new situation. In this study we will design and develop the business processes for the Islamic financial institutions' (IFIs) products by investigating and collecting information through Islamic literature, surveys and interviews of experts in Islamic jurisprudence, regulators, academic and Islamic finance …

Emirati Women's Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Menopause And Hormone Replacement Therapy: Implications For Health-Care Policy, Qasim Al-Shboul1, Linda Smail1, Ghufran Jassim2

Working papers

Menopause is a natural biological process referring to the end of women's reproductive state due to ovarian failure and occurs at the ages between 45 and 55 years with an average onset of 51 years. Menopausal women usually experience common symptoms that include sleep disorder, mood alteration, hot flashes, depression, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, increased health risks for osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases that can be treated effectively by the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). A community – based study of a random sample of 408 Emirati women aged 30 – 64 years attending primary health care centers in the Emirate …

Western Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog 2017-2018, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Course Catalogs (1904-present)

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A Bioinspired And Biocompatible Ortho-Sulfiliminyl Phenol Synthesis, Feng Xiong, Liang Lu, Tian-Yu Sun, Qian Wu, Dingyuan Yan, Ying Chen, Xinhao Zhang, Wei Wei, Yi Lu, Wei-Yin Sun, Jie Jack Li, Jing Zhao

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Synthetic methods inspired by Nature often offer unique advantages including mild conditions and biocompatibility with aqueous media. Inspired by an ergothioneine biosynthesis protein EgtB, a mononuclear non-haem iron enzyme capable of catalysing the C–S bond formation and sulfoxidation, herein, we discovered a mild and metal-free C–H sulfenylation/intramolecular rearrangement cascade reaction employing an internally oxidizing O–N bond as a directing group. Our strategy accommodates a variety of oxyamines with good site selectivity and intrinsic oxidative properties. Combining an O–N bond with an X–S bond generates a C–S bond and an S¼N bond rapidly. The newly discovered cascade reaction showed excellent chemoselectivity …

Effect Of Human Cytomegalovirus (Hcmv) Us27 On Cxcr4 Receptor Internalization Measured By Fluorogen-Activating Protein (Fap) Biosensors, J. M. Boeck, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen and a member of the Herpesviridae family. HCMV has a large genome that encodes many genes that are non-essential for virus replication but instead play roles in manipulation of the host immune environment. One of these is the US27 gene, which encodes a protein with homology to the chemokine receptor family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The US27 protein has no known chemokine ligands but can modulate the signaling activity of host receptor CXCR4. We investigated the mechanism for enhanced CXCR4 signaling in the presence of US27 using a novel biosensor system comprised …

Human Cytomegalovirus Interleukin-10 Enhances Matrigel Invasion Of Mda-Mb-231 Breast Cancer Cells, Cendy Valle Oseguera, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: While some risk factors for breast cancer are well-known, the influence of other factors, particularly virus infection, remains unclear. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is widespread in the general population, and both molecular and epidemiological evidence has indicated links between HCMV and breast cancer. The HCMV protein cmvIL-10 is a potent suppressor of immune function that has also been shown to promote proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. In this study, the impact of cmvIL-10 on tumor cell invasion through a simulated basement membrane was investigated.

Results: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells exhibited invasion through a matrigel layer that was significantly …

Whose Preferences Matter? A Patient-Centered Approach For Eliciting Treatment Goals, Nananda F. Col, Andrew J. Solomon, Vicky Springman, Calvin P. Garbin, Carolina Ionete, Lori Pbert, Enrique Alvarez, Brenda Tierman, Ashli Hopson, Christen Kutz, Idanis Berrios Morales, Carolyn Griffin, Glenn Phillips, Long H. Ngo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background. Patients facing a high-stakes clinical decision are often confronted with an overwhelming array of options. High-quality decisions about treatment should reflect patients’ preferences as well as their clinical characteristics. Preference-assessment instruments typically focus on pre-selected clinical outcomes and attributes chosen by the investigator. Objective. We sought to develop a patient-centered approach to elicit and compare the treatment goals of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthcare providers (HCPs). Methods. We conducted five nominal group technique (NGT) meetings to elicit and prioritize treatment goals from patients and HCPs. Five to nine participants in each group responded silently to one question …

Swimming Against The Tide: Gender Bias In The Physics Classroom, Amy Lisa Graves, E. Hoshino-Browne, K. Lui

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

This study examines physics students’ evaluations of identical, video-recorded lectures performed by female and male actors playing the role of professors. The results indicate that evaluations by male students show statistically significant overall biases with male professors rated more positively than female ones. Female students tended to be egalitarian, except in two areas. Female students evaluated female professors’ interpersonal/communicative skills more positively than male professors’. And they evaluated female professors’ scientific knowledge and skills less positively than that of male professors just as male students did. These findings might be considered based on two notions: rater-ratee similarity bias and stereotype …

Deconstructing Hypermasculinity: Combatting The War On Black Men, Aliyah Abu-Hazeem

Honors Papers

This research project aims to interrogate the rationale behind Black men’s disproportionate engagement in crime and violent behaviors. To do this, I aim to debunk hypermasculinity as the media and Police’s predominate rationale for Black men’s participation in violence and crime. Although narratives of hypermasculinity have become more insidious across time and space since the slavery era, they still contribute to the pervasive perception of Black men as savage hoodlums who are undeserving of success outcomes. The concept of hypermasculinity asserts that Black men have a biological, innate disposition to incite harm. To deracialize and demystify current stigmas of hypermasculinity …

Investigating Lip Protrusion Aesthetics By Comparing The Facial Profile View With An Oblique View, Barak Jones

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Orthodontists strive to enhance facial esthetics. Notable orthodontists including Holdaway, Ricketts, Merrifield and more each made contributions to help diagnose facial disharmonies and improve treatment outcomes. Numerous studies have evaluated the face from two perspectives, frontal and profile. Orthodontic treatment can significantly transform a facial profile. Orthodontic literature has time and again compared photos, line drawings and silhouettes in order to define a harmonious profile. Some have concluded that a more protrusive lip profile than what had been outlined traditionally is now preferred. However, while this debate continues, in this dynamic world the profile perspective is not the most …

Aberrantly Activated Cox-2 And Wnt Signaling Interact To Maintain Cancer Stem Cells In Glioblastoma, Megan Wu, Jennifer Guan, Chris Li, Simon Gunter, Labeeba Nusrat, Sheena Ng, Karan Dhand, Cindi Morshead, Albert Kim, Sunit Das

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Cell-Free Measurements Of Brightness Of Fluorescently Labeled Antibodies, Haiying Zhou, George Tourkakis, Dennis Shi, David M. Kim, Hairong Zhang, Tommy Du, William C. Eades, Mikhail Y. Berezin

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Targeting Dendritic Cells To Accelerate T-Cell Activation Overcomes A Bottleneck In Tuberculosis Vaccine Efficacy, Kristin L. Griffiths, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shibali Das, Radha Gopal, William Horne, Terry D. Connell, Kelly D. Moynihan, Jay K. Kolls, Darrell J. Irvine, Maxim N. Artyomov, Javier Rangel-Moreno, Shabaana A. Khader

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Cis-Regulatory Circuits Regulating Nek6 Kinase Overexpression In Transformed B Cells Are Super-Enhancer Independent, Yue Huang, Olivia I. Koues, Jiang-Yang Zhao, Regina Liu, Sarah C. Pyfrom, Jacqueline E. Payton, Eugene M. Oltz

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

The Retina Visual Cycle Is Driven By Cis Retinol Oxidation In The Outer Segments Of Cones, Shinya Sato, Rikard Frederiksen, M. Carter Cornwall, Vladimir J. Kefalov

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors Containing A Single Tyrosine In Their C-Terminal Tail Bind Different Effector Molecules And Are Signaling-Competent, Kamaldeep Gill, Jennifer L. Macdonald-Obermann, Linda J. Pike

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Microshear Bond Strength Of Light-Cured Composite For Cementation Of Ceramic Veneer, Khalid Motlaq

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Brief background and goal/ research question: Ceramic restorations were introduced as indirect restorative materials that combine high esthetics with superior mechanical properties. However, an important requirement for successful function of these restorations is adequate adhesion between the restoration material and tooth structure. The use of CAD/CAM restorations is steadily increasing, proper function and longevity of these restorations depends on good adhesion to the underlying substrate as well as operator technique. Preheated composite has been recommended by some clinicians and investigators for the adhesive luting of porcelain laminate veneers based on its good marginal adaptation and perceived superior mechanical durability when …