Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Oligomerization Of The Sterile-2 G-Protein Coupled Receptor In Yeast Cells In The Presence And Absence Of Alpha-Factor Pheromone Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy And Forster Resonance Energy Transfer Analysis, Joel David Paprocki

Theses and Dissertations

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of receptors that respond to a wide variety of extracellular stimuli, including molecular ligands such as odorants, neurotransmitters, and hormones, as well as physical agents sigh as light and pressure. The stimulation event results in initiating conformational changes in the structure of the receptor, which further results in the release of the heterotrimeric G-protein; the latter has a variety of functions within signaling pathways in cellular biology. The GPCR explored in this investigation is the Sterile 2 α-factor receptor (Ste2), whose natural function is that of a yeast mating pheromone receptor. Its natural …

Part I: Synthesis And Biological Evaluations Of Potent Class L Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Part Ii: Aqueous Complexes For Efficient Sizebased Separation Of Americium From Curium Part Iii: Designing Strong Chiral Bronsted Acids And Their Application For Oxaxinanones Derivatization And The Aza-Henry Reaction, Joseph Steve Ulicki

Theses and Dissertations

PART I: SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF POTENT CLASS l SELECTIVE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have found a wide variety of medicinal uses and are most noted for their specific apoptotic action towards cancer cells1. Several hydroxamates and tetrapeptides HDACi have since been moved on to phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, with FK228 & SAHA having already been approved for treatment of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). FK228 & SAHA are pan-HDACi which d compounds describes the unselective inhibition for any of the 11 Zn2+-dependent HDAC isoforms. Research in the past five years, has shifted towards …

Mathematical Modeling Of Competition For Light And Nutrients Between Phytoplankton Species In A Poorly Mixed Water Column, Thomas George Stojsavljevic

Theses and Dissertations

Phytoplankton live in a complex environment with two essential resources forming various gradients. Light supplied from above is never homogeneously distributed in a body of water due to refraction and absorption from biomass present in the ecosystem and from other sources. Nutrients in turn are typically supplied from below. In poorly mixed water columns phytoplankton can be heterogeneously distributed forming various layering patterns. The relationship between the location and the thickness of the layers is an open problem of interest. Here we present three models which study how competition for light and resources can form common layering patterns seen in …

A Mathematical Model Of Moisture Movement And Bacterial Growth In Two-Dimensional Porous Medium, Rachel Elizabeth Tewinkel

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial growth in sand is of concern in regard to the health of beaches. A mathematical model is presented that represents the movement of moisture and the growth of bacteria through a beach. Simulations were run by numerically solving Richards Equation using a Finite Volume Method in order to track moisture movement. A model of moisture-dependent bacterial growth was then implemented. These simulations show that elevated bacteria counts following rain events do not necessarily result from bacteria in the body of water, but can also be sourced from the sand. Additionally, four different moisture-dependent bacterial growth models are compared to …

Using Deuterium And Garp To Estimate Geographic Extents Of Source Populations Of Hoary ( Lasiurus Cinereus ) And Eastern Red ( Lasiurus Borealis ) Bats Killed At A Central Illinois Wind Facility, Rachael Anne Van Essen

Theses and Dissertations

High bat mortality at wind energy facilities is a widely cited conservation issue, but the population-level impacts are not understood. In Illinois, the main species affected are migratory tree bats like the Hoary (Lasiurus cinereus) and Eastern Red (Lasiurus borealis).This research used deuterium isotope analysis of hair combined with ecological niche modeling (GARP: Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction) in a novel way to map the geographic extents of Hoary and Eastern Red bat specimens salvaged at a single central Illinois wind facility from 2008-2010. Hair was chosen after determining that the claw is currently a problematic tissue due to a …

Identification Of Transcriptionally Quiescent Regions In The Neurospora Crassa Genome, Katie Marie Groskreutz

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual reproduction and genetic exchange via meiosis are important and highly conserved processes in many living organisms. Occasionally, complications occur during meiosis that can result in chromosome abnormalities. In humans, improper chromosome development can cause life altering disorders such as Down Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, and Patau Syndrome. Unfortunately, despite its importance, gaps remain in our knowledge of how this process works. For instance, little is known about how homolog identification occurs and what proteins identify matching chromosomes during pairing. This fundamental process occurs early during meiosis and ensures proper development of gametes.

Understanding the proteins involved during homolog pairing may …

"Mining" For A Reference Condition In Southern West Virginia Streams, Matthew Rouch

Theses and Dissertations

Quarterly samples were used to estimate assemblage-level (all species combined) fish production within three minimally-impacted, southern West Virginia streams. The total annual fish production estimate was highest in Slaunch Fork (37.52 kg∙ha^-1∙y^-1), a tributary of the Tug Fork River, and lowest in Cabin Creek (10.59 kg∙ha^-1∙y^-1), a Guyandotte River tributary. Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus, Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii and Blacknose Dace Rhinicthys atratulus were the most abundant species among sites, accounting for >90% of all sampled individuals. Reference condition criteria were also selected and metrics calculated for each of the three …