Evaluation of scheduling techniques for payload activity planning

Two tasks related to payload activity planning and scheduling were performed. The first task involved making a comparison of space mission activity scheduling problems with production scheduling problems. The second task consisted of a statistical analysis of the output of runs of the Experiment Scheduling Program (ESP). Details of the work which was performed on these two tasks are presented

Genetic suppressor screen in search of novel Sec6 interacting proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Polarized protein secretion is a fundamental process for all eukaryotic cells involving many steps mediated by hundreds of proteins. The eight-subunit-complex, named Exocyst, is essential for the proper delivery of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane, and our interest lies specifically on the Sec6 subunit. Earlier work showed temperature sensitive mutants of SEC6, which have altered amino acid clusters on the protein surface, resulted in severe growth and secretion defects at 37°C (Songer and Munson, 2009). Interestingly, analyses of exocyst assembly in these mutant backgrounds revealed that the complex was fully assembled with all eight subunits at 37°C, yet the whole complex mislocalized from the expected sites of secretion. We currently hypothesize that Sec6 has an important anchoring function for Exocyst, and that the mislocalization of the complex stems from disruption of Sec6’s surface interaction with unknown factor(s) on the plasma membrane. In order to identify the potential anchoring factors, we employed a genetic screen using a genomic library. The screen design allows us to identify genes that compensate the growth defect of sec6-49 cells at 37°C, suppressing the mutation and allowing mutant cells to grow. We successfully isolated approximately 30 plasmids that allowed sec6-49 cells to survive the temperature shift, and DNA sequencing of these plasmids was initiated to identify candidate genes. We found several putative suppressor candidates and are currently validating the suppression of individual candidate genes. Once we confirm the true suppressors, we plan to explore the functional relationship with Sec6 further. Overall, the isolation and characterization of novel anchoring proteins will shed light on mechanistic details of Sec6 and Exocyst function, which is critical for understanding mechanistic details of quality control in the secretory pathway in higher eukaryotes

Kirk Bullington in a Senior Composition Recital

This is the program for the senior composition recital of Kirk Bullington. This recital took place on April 30, 1982, in the Mabee Fine Arts Center Recital Hall

Breanna Bullington in a Senior Soprano Recital

This is the senior soprano recital of Breanna Bullington. Ms. Bullington was accompanied on the piano by Louis Menendez. This recital took place on November 30, 2012, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

African-American Art History: Reflections on Expanding Pedagogy in 21st Century Liberal Arts Contexts

An undergraduate seminar on African-American Art History was used as a case study to explore how critical perception skills may be developed through the implementation of interactive exercises. Active looking, creative connections, and experiential learning were among the pedagogical approaches embedded into the content. The goal was not to write a revisionist history of the subject matter but to utilize existing resources to reconfigure how the historical narrative may be discussed and articulated through diverse vantage points. Examples of assignments are provided as models and SoTL thought experiments. Reflections upon the definition of ‘critical perception’ versus ‘critical thinking’ and ‘visual thinking’ are also included in the article. Consideration is given to ways of using critical perception to cultivate a sense of empathy and flexible reasoning. Critical perception is regarded as a cornerstone of art historical practice presenting educators with an opportunity to teach a skill set which could be leveraged to raise awareness about the relevancy of a discipline that is all too often relegated to the edge environment of academic curricula

Portable direct-reading x-ray intensity meter

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, 1937.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ENGINEERING.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 16).by Robert Kenneth Bullington.M.S

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY OF FOLIAR FUNGAL ENDOPHYTES IN RELATION TO DEFENSE STRATEGIES AND DISEASE IN WHITEBARK PINE

An invasive fungal pathogen, Cronartium ribicola (the causative agent of white pine blister rust) infects and kills whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) throughout the western US. Blister rust has decreased whitebark pine populations by over 90% in some areas. Whitebark pine, a keystone species, has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the U.S., and the loss of this conifer is predicted to have severe impacts on forest composition and function in high elevations. Hundreds of asymptomatic fungal species live inside whitebark pine tissue, and recent studies suggest that these fungi can influence the frequency and severity of pathogens such C. ribicola. I used molecular methods to characterize the fungal community in whitebark pine seedlings from 21 half-sibling seed families, sourced throughout the Pacific Northwest, and grown in a common garden. I characterized endophyte communities before and after experimental inoculation with blister rust and compared community composition in susceptible vs. resistant seedlings. I also explored the defensive chemistry of these same seedlings in relation to the fungal community and overall disease severity. Seed family was the biggest driver of endophyte community composition in our common garden, but I also observed shifts in fungal communities in response to blister rust infection. Seed family identity also influenced defensive chemistry, with terpene concentration differing in resistant and susceptible seedlings. In addition, both defensive chemistry and endophyte community were correlated with characteristics of disease severity. Endophyte communities and defensive chemistry in whitebark pine that can predict disease severity may act as biomarkers of disease resistance for future breeding programs. These results suggest that the resistance to white pine blister rust observed in natural whitebark pine populations may be a combination of genetics, endophytes, and terpene composition in needle tissue, where initial interactions between the pathogen endophytes, the host take place