Digital Commons Network^™

Emodel-Bdb: A Database Of Comparative Structure Models Of Drug-Target Interactions From The Binding Database, Misagh Naderi, Rajiv Gandhi Govindaraj, Michal Brylinski

Faculty Publications

Background: The structural information on proteins in their ligand-bound conformational state is invaluable for protein function studies and rational drug design. Compared to the number of available sequences, not only is the repertoire of the experimentally determined structures of holo-proteins limited, these structures do not always include pharmacologically relevant compounds at their binding sites. In addition, binding affinity databases provide vast quantities of information on interactions between drug-like molecules and their targets, however, often lacking structural data. On that account, there is a need for computational methods to complement existing repositories by constructing the atomic-level models of drug-protein assemblies that …

A Triple Comparison Between Anticipating Stochastic Integrals In Financial Modeling, Joan Bastons, Carlos Escudero

Communications on Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

The Dual Role Of Amazonian Rivers In The Generation And Maintenance Of Avian Diversity, Luciano N. Naka, Robb T. Brumfield

Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2018 The Authors. The Amazon River and its major tributaries delimit the distributions of hundreds of terrestrial taxa. It remains unclear whether river-bounded distributions and taxon replacements reflect the historical role of rivers in generating species diversity as vicariant forces, or are the result of their role as secondary barriers, maintaining current levels of species diversity by inhibiting gene flow and population introgression. We use a community-wide comparative phylogeographic and phylogenetic approach to address the roles that the Rio Negro and the Rio Branco play in the avian speciation process in the Guiana Shield. Examining 74 pairs of …

Dissolved Carbon In A Large Variety Of Lakes Across Five Limnetic Regions In China, Kaishan Song, Zhidan Wen, Yijun Xu, Hong Yang, Lili Lyu, Ying Zhao, Chong Fang, Yingxin Shang, Jia Du

Faculty Publications

Dissolved carbon in lakes play a vital role in the global carbon cycling. The concentration and dynamics of lake dissolved carbon can be influenced by both the surrounding landscape and a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes within the lakes themselves. From 2009 to 2016, we conducted a large-scale assessment of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in 249 lakes across a diverse range of climatic, geopedologic, topographical and hydrological conditions in five Chinese limnetic regions: the East Limnetic Region (ELR), the Northeast Limnetic Region (NLR), the Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang Limnetic Region (MXR), the Yungui Limnetic Region …

Evaluation Of Commercial-Scale Approaches For Cryopreservation Of White Crappie, Pomoxis Annularis, Sperm, Charlie M. Culpepper, Amy M. Guitreau, Shay Allred, Terrence R. Tiersch, Peter J. Allen

Faculty Publications

Crappie, Pomoxis spp., are popular game fish throughout North America and are produced by public and private hatcheries. However, production is limited by a lack of information on tank culture and induced spawning methods. Development of techniques for storage of sperm and in vitro fertilization would increase flexibility in spawning. Therefore, techniques for sperm cryopreservation were examined in white crappie, Pomoxis annularis. Sperm from adult wild white crappie were used to evaluate sperm extender, cryoprotectant agent and concentration, and cooling technique based on post-thaw sperm motility. Percent egg fertilization was also compared between sperm stored in the two best cryopreservation …

Addressing Reproducibility In Cryopreservation, And Considerations Necessary For Commercialization And Community Development In Support Of Genetic Resources Of Aquatic Species, Leticia Torres, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

For the past six decades a repeated cycle of developing new cryopreservation protocols or simply reinventing them to counteract a lack of reproducibility has led to hundreds of published studies that have offered little to the establishment of a genetic resources community for aquatic species. This has hampered repository development and inhibited industrial application. Most protocols were developed without standardized approaches, leading to irreproducible studies and questionable or meaningless comparisons. Thus cryopreservation of germplasm in aquatic species would greatly benefit from strategies to facilitate reproducibility. Our objectives were to: (1) identify major sources of irreproducibility across research, small-scale, repository, and …

Biochar Produced From Mineral Salt-Impregnated Chicken Manure: Fertility Properties And Potential For Carbon Sequestration, Ran Xiao, Jim J. Wang, Lewis A. Gaston, Baoyue Zhou, Jong Hwan Park, Ronghua Li, Syam K. Dodla, Zengqiang Zhang

Faculty Publications

In this study, nutrient properties and carbon sequestration potential of biochars derived from chicken manure (CM) impregnated with mineral salts (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, ferric chloride) were evaluated. Pretreatment with mineral salts reduced phosphorus (P) availability via the formation of insoluble metal phosphate minerals. Less carbon was lost during the pyrolysis of pretreated CM, and the produced biochars (BCCa, BCMg, and BCFe) were more stable (i.e., reduced C loss during chemical oxidation and less CO2 release during incubation) than pristine biochars. Spectroscopic evidence indicated that enhanced biochar stability via metal salt pretreatment before pyrolysis was related to increased aromatization and …

Und Today: August 2018, University Of North Dakota

UND Today Archive

No abstract provided.

2018-2019 Graduate Catalog, The University Of Alabama In Huntsville

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

An Inventory And Mapping Of Cliffs Within The South Cumberland Plateau Region Of Tennessee, Kyle Jones

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The high concentration of cliffs that permeate Tennessee’s South Cumberland Plateau (SCP) significantly influence the development, economy, and ecology of the region, yet little effort has been made to quantify these geophysical features. This study examined the use of LiDAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) to (1) create an exhaustive dataset of cliffs throughout a two-county study area within the SCP region and (2) better understand the implications of this quantification on conservation and rock climbing within the region. An impressive 428 km of total cliff line was modeled. Cliffs were GPS verified to an average error of ±13.9 m and …

Dept. Of Enviromental Quality V. Gibson Clerk's Record Dckt. 46217

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Physicians’ Beliefs On Propensity To Include Religion/Spirituality In Patient Interactions, Aaron B. Franzen

Faculty Publications

This study examines physicians’ beliefs, their perceptions of whether religion impacts health outcomes, and their propensity to discuss religion/spirituality with patients. It is not uncommon for patients to want religious/spiritual conversations, but the occurrence is infrequent. This study adds to knowledge regarding which physicians include these topics. Using a nationally representative sample of physicians and a mediated bi-factor structural equation model, the author finds that “religious and spiritual” physicians connect religion and patient health more than other religious/spiritual orientations. As a result, “religious and spiritual” physicians include religion/spirituality most often (indirect path). After this variation is accounted for, “spiritual but …

Synthesis Of Stable Open-Shell Moieties And Polymers For Charge Transfer Applications, Varad Vinayak Agarkar

Open Access Theses

Open-shell small molecules and non-conjugated polymers containing open-shell moieties as pendant groups have been of significant interest lately with regards to liquid crystalline materials, polymerization initiators, and in electrical conductivity applications. The research presented in this thesis focuses on the latter application and especially on tuning the optoelectronic properties of a novel class of small molecules viz. the 6-oxoverdazyl radicals and, as a result, is broadly divided into two parts.

The former part consists of designing a low glass transition temperature polymer for attainment of high electrical conductivity values not reported previously for non-conjugated pendant radical polymers. The high conductivity …

Changes In Audiovisual Word Perception During Mid-Childhood: An Erp Study, Elizabeth Ancel

Open Access Theses

Throughout school-age years, speech perception is an important skill that often relies on the child’s ability to combine both auditory and visual information from the speaker. In order to better understand the development of multisensory speech perception during mid-childhood, we analyzed audiovisual word perception in three groups of participants: 8-9-year olds, 11-12-year olds, and adults. Participants matched visually-perceived articulatory movements with corresponding auditory words. In “congruent” trials, the auditory word matched the subsequently presented silent visual articulation. In “incongruent” trials, the words presented differed on the initial phoneme. From this task, we evaluated specific neural components —the N400 and the …

Mr-Compatible Electrophysiology Recording System For Multimodal Imaging, Nishant B. Barbaria

Open Access Theses

Simultaneous acquisition of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electrophysiological recordings is an emerging multimodal neuroimaging strategy for studying brain functions. However, the strong magnetic field generated during fMRI greatly degrades the electrophysiological signal quality during simultaneous acquisition. Here, I developed a low powered, miniaturized, system – “ECHO” which delivers a hardware and software solution to overcome the challenges presented by multimodal imaging. The device monitors fluctuations in electromagnetic field during fMRI and synchronizes amplification and sampling of electrophysiological signals to minimize effects of gradient and RF artifacts (electromagnetic artifacts). Furthermore, I introduced a concept of wirelessly transmitting recorded data …

High Resolution Temperature Measurement Using Ters, Qian Cao

Open Access Theses

Heat is a functional importance in nanoscale devices. It will affect the function and performance of the device if not distributed properly. Since the development of nano-science, various studies have been issued on nanoscale temperature mapping utilizing a variety of techniques. Among them, optical methods are preferred due to its noninvasive characteristic. Especially, Tip Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) performs as a tool with high spatial resolution in temperature mapping.

In this work, a homemade TERS system based on AFM is utilized as the tool for nanoscale temperature mapping. Bismuth thin film is used as nanoscale thermometer due to the characteristic …

Modeling And Parameter Characterization Of A Betavoltaic Cell, Darrell S. Cheu

Open Access Theses

Betavoltaic cells are a type of nuclear battery where kinetic energy from beta particles are converted into electricity. The goal of this research is to evaluate betavoltaic cell electrical performance and predict its response to temperature changes for potential implementation. To achieve this goal, three tasks were performed: betavoltaic cells were electrically characterized under temperature, critical betavoltaic semiconductor parameters were experimentally determined, and the Shockley-Diode model was used to predict electrical performance and compared to experimental results.

Betavoltaic cells were evaluated from -30◦Cto70◦C. I-V curves were gathered at each temperature step in order to determine open circuit voltage and short …

Chocolate Almond Milk Consumption Changes Salivaryproline-Rich Protein Expression, Whichalterastringencyandbitterness, Ciera Crawford

Open Access Theses

In this work we analyze how humans experience sensations from polyphenols, focusing particularly on chocolate flavonoids. First, we investigated how people use terms to describe the “astringent” sensation of these compounds, determining that the words “dry, rough” may be a feasible alternative to the poorer understood term “astringent.” Next, we investigated how human salivary proteomes may influence the sensations of chocolate flavonoids, and whether those proteomes change after exposure to the compounds in chocolate milk for a week. In this larger six-week study design, subjects alternated each week between consuming a low polyphenol diet and consuming one of three different …

Hyperspectral Modeling Of Relative Water Content And Nitrogen Content In Sorghum And Maize, Valerie Cross

Open Access Theses

Sorghum and maize are two of the most important cereal grains worldwide. They are important industrially, and also serve as staple crops for millions of people across the world. With climate change, increasing frequencies of droughts, and crops being planted on more marginal land, it is important to breed sorghum and maize cultivars that are tolerant to drought and low fertility soils. However, one of the largest constraints to the breeding process is the cycle time between cultivar development and release. Early evaluation of cultivars with increased the ability to maintain water status under drought and increases nitrogen contents under …

Biodynamic Imaging System: A Novel, Noninvasive Method For Assessing Embryo Viability., Natalie Ehmke

Open Access Theses

In vitro embryo production is the foundation of most assisted reproductive technologies, yet efficiency of these technologies is relatively low due to the lack of a reliable method for measuring embryo viability. Current methods to evaluate the viability of in vitro derived embryos are invasive or expensive to perform. In order to create a reliable system to assess the developmental potential of the embryo, a novel optical approach known as BioDynamic Imaging (BDI) has been proposed for application. BDI is able to measure dynamic processes inside an embryo encompassing a broad range of motions that relate directly to functional developmental …

Electrostatic Regulation Of Phospholipase C Beta Enzymes, Candi Michelle Esquina

Open Access Theses

Phospholipase C (PLC) proteins cleave phosphatidylinositol lipids from cellular membranes to produce the second messengers inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). The PLCb subfamily is among the best characterized of the PLC enzymes and is crucial for normal cardiovascular function. Under basal conditions, PLCb has low activity and is partitioned between the plasma membrane and the cytoplasm. However, it is unclear how this low activity state is maintained from a molecular standpoint. One known autoinhibitory element is the X–Y linker, a loop within the catalytic domain that forms a lid over the active site and which is displaced through interfacial …

Parental Restrictive Feeding With Latino Adolescents: Examining The Role Of Adolescent Self-Regulation In Associations With Body Mass Index, Carly Danae Evich

Open Access Theses

Latino adolescents in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by obesity compared to adolescents of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Previous studies have suggested that parental restrictive feeding may serve as a modifiable risk factor. However, given that obesity in youth often develops as a function of a child’s susceptibility for weight gain interacting with their environment, the suggested negative effects of parental restrictive feeding may not generalize across all Latino adolescents. One marker of susceptibility for weight gain in youth is poor self-regulation, which can lead to reliance on others to help regulate eating behavior. However, the potential for self-regulation …

Genetics And Genomics Of Golden Eagle Populations With Contrasting Demographic Histories, Nadia B. Fernandez

Open Access Theses

Most species are constrained by geographic barriers to dispersal and geneflow, and such limitations have demographic and genetic consequences. We tested whether a highly vagile bird of prey, the golden eagle (GOEA; Aquila chrysaetos), exhibits disparate genetic signatures among island (Channel Islands, California, USA), peninsular (Baja California Peninsular region, USA) and mainland (California, USA) regions given the contrasting demography and phylogeography among regions. We utilized a SNP assay to estimate heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficients, and the effective population sizes (Ne) of GOEAs. In addition, we sequenced six GOEA genomes to obtain comprehensive measures of homozygosity (i.e., runs of homozygosity, ROHs) burden …

Understanding The Collaboration Difficulties Between Ux Designers And Developers In Agile Environments, Yun-Han Huang

Open Access Theses

With the growing number of UX designers in tech companies in the U.S., the collaboration between UX designers and developers in Agile environments has become a new challenge in the industry. This research study aims to understand the collaboration difficulties between UX designers and developers in Agile environments and further provides insights from the results. The research method was semi-structured interview. A total of five professional UX designers and five professional developers in the industry were interviewed about topics surrounding their collaboration difficulties. The results indicated that UX designers integrating in Agile environments and factors related of organizational context are …

Phosphorus Sorption In Drainage Channel-Floodplain Systems In Agricultural Watersheds, Alexander N. Johnson

Open Access Theses

The two-stage channel is an in-stream conservation practice that creates inset floodplains in agricultural drainage channels and stabilizes streambanks. Inset floodplains are excavated adjacent to the channel, hydrologically reconnecting it to the main channel and tripling the reactive surface area during high flow events. It is uncertain what effect these channel designs have on complex phosphorus (P) dynamics in the stream and in the floodplain, both during baseflow and when channels are flooded. In order to evaluate these practices as a P management strategy, we took soil and water samples from streambed sediments and floodplain soils in 10 two-stage channels …

Conditioned Medium From Dysfunctional Endothelial Cells Negatively Regulates Satellite Cell Expansion And Differentiation, Christopher Kargl

Open Access Theses

Dysfunction of the endothelial lining of the cardiovascular system is a hallmark symptom of both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The dysfunctional endothelial cell phenotype is characterized by an increase in production and release of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decrease in nitric oxide (NO) and growth factor secretion. Evidence has emerged showing a close relationship between endothelial cells and skeletal muscle satellite/progenitor cells. Skeletal muscle cell growth and differentiation are impaired in oxidative environments and many endothelial dysfunction-related diseases. The purpose of the current study is to determine the impact that …

Dielectrically-Accurate Tissue Simulating Materials For A Heterogeneous Breast Mri Phantom, Liesl A. Krause

Open Access Theses

Phantoms, which are non-biological test objects, are used to validate a variety of biomedical imaging modalities for accuracy and safety. In MRI, phantoms can be used, specifically, to test safety with regards to SAR and RF heating. This is of particular importance when developing new imaging protocols related to a specific anatomy, MRI use, or other software or hardware updates. Discussed in this thesis is the creation of an anatomically accurate breast phantom for safety testing before use of novel MRI protocols for breast cancer diagnostic imaging. Previous MRI breast phantoms are either homogeneous or have barriers between tissue types, …

Controlled Drainage: Assessment Of Yield Impacts And Education Effectiveness, Amanda Locker

Open Access Theses

Controlled drainage is the practice of using a water control structure to hold water in agricultural fields during periods when drainage is unnecessary. The use of this practice may increase crop yields compared to subsurface drainage because during the growing season controlled drainage can capture water from precipitation, and raise the water table for crop use. Results from published studies of controlled drainage impacts on crop yields have been mixed, and the effects of field characteristics and annual weather variation on these impacts are not well understood. For widespread adoption of controlled drainage, more information on how controlled drainage impacts …

Modeling, Simulation, And Design Of A Radial Piston Digital Displacement Unit, James R. Marschand

Open Access Theses

State of the art variable displacement pumps experience a reduction in efficiency when operating at low displacements. Digital pumps using high speed on/off valves to control fluid entering and leaving the displacement chamber can increase efficiency by eliminating the leakage and friction associated with the port plate and swash plate. Because the displacement chamber is only pressurized during a portion of the piston stroke, leakages scale with displacement which increases efficiency of these units. The largest increase in efficiency comes at low displacements creating a more efficient pump across the entire operating range. Partial displacement can be achieved using four …

Psychophysiological Correlates Of Childhood Maltreatment And Physical Aggression Perpetration, Andrea Massa

Open Access Theses

Objective: Trauma exposure and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been consistently linked with aggression perpetration in past research. One theory that has been used to help explain the association between trauma and aggression is the “survival mode” theory, which proposes that traumatized individuals develop an overactive threat detection system, which leads to a greater propensity for anger and aggression. The purpose of the current study was to empirically test the survival mode theory of aggression using a novel methodology. Method: Participants in the current study included 20 undergraduate students from a large university. Participants completed self-report measures of …