Estimating Connecticut Stream Temperatures Using Predictive Models

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) seeks to better classify their streams into thermal regimes (cold, cold transitional, warm transitional, and warm water). A prediction model was created based upon physical characteristics such that CT DEEP could classify streams into thermal regimes based upon the parameters described in Lyons et al. 2009 and compare them to their own classification system. Accurately classifying these thermal regimes determines the environmental protection provided to a stream as well as the potential for establishing fisheries

Never Again Is Now Use Of Cultural Frames In A Social Movement Organization

The immigrant rights movement is a social movement that has been active in the United States for many decades and adopted as well as changed focus over time. There are many social movement organizations working within this social movement but one of great interest to my research is Never Again Action (NAA). NAA is a national Jewish protest group, which has called for the end to all deportations and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). NAA is primarily working from a position of an ally to migrants in a social movement with the aim to further rights for this group. What is unique about this case is NAA’s use of cultural frames to mobilize their social movement organization which juxtaposes the plight of immigrants in the United States with that of Jews in the Holocaust. Cultural frames are a theoretical understanding of social movement mobilization which focuses on how organizations utilize cultural frames, or broadly belief systems, to mobilize individuals into action to support a social movement (Snow and Benford 1986). From my initial research I see NAA heavily utilizing a specific culture frame called the Holocaust Framework, which is a frame that uses the Holocaust as a metaphor, usually juxtaposing current events with that of the Holocaust (Stein 1998). NAA’s own rhetoric points to use of the a Holocaust Frame, specifically their use of metaphor creating, calling ICE ‘detention centers’ concentration camps, and the use of Never Again as their name, which is a common phrase in American Jewish communities. My research asks the following questions: what are the motivating factor for individuals to join NAA, how does NAA use cultural frames to motivate individuals to join their organization, How does NAA and individuals negotiate their roles as allies to a wider immigration rights movement, and how is NAA participating in social movement action in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis? I plan on answering these questions through a qualitative study, which will utilize participant observation, interviews, and analysis of materials, specifically their social media accounts. My research is in the beginning phase however, there seems to be evidence which shows significant use of a Holocaust frame from NAA’s rhetoric. This research will further the study of social movement and understanding of how and why individuals mobilize into action.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/urs2021socant/1000/thumbnail.jp

Seasonal Offshore/Inshore Migration of Round Gobies

Since the invasion of round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) in Lake Michigan, they have become integrated into both the nearshore and offshore food webs. Round gobies can be found in shallower water (\u3c20 m) during the summer, but they disappear from these depths in early fall. They have been collected, occasionally, offshore in depths greater than 70 m during fall and early spring. These observations and other anecdotal evidence indicate that round goby migrate offshore during the fall and return in the spring. To study this, a large remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to conduct video transects offshore at various depths. The offshore sampling showed that round gobies migrated away from nearshore habitat in early October and were almost exclusively found deeper than 20 m by November. The round gobies remained offshore (\u3e30 m) until mid-May, when they began the return to nearshore habitat. The cues to start the offshore and return migrations were not the focus of this project, but the fall offshore migrations coincided with decreasing temperatures nearshore in the fall, and in spring, the offshore movement of the thermal bar. The offshore migration in fall provide an increase in forage opportunity for deep, cold-water predators such as lake trout, that cannot access nearshore habitat when the lake is stratified because of temperature barriers

Metabolic Activation and DNA-Damaging Properties of Carcinogenic N-Nitrosamines

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May 2019. Major: Pharmacology. Advisor: Stephen Hecht. 1 computer file (PDF); xix, 160 pages.Upon entry into a host, carcinogens are subjected to a variety of Phase I and Phase II metabolic pathways that result in bioactivation or detoxification. The bioactivation pathways are of particular importance because they often generate DNA-damaging compounds. It would stand to reason that fully understanding these activation pathways, their outcomes, and their differences amongst individuals would aid in combating cancer. This dissertation focuses on the metabolic activation of two tobacco carcinogens: 4- (methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). Concepts pertinent to this work such as tobacco carcinogenesis, chemistry of N-nitroso compounds, cytochrome P450 metabolism, and tobacco-specific nitrosamines are reviewed. The first study of this dissertation evaluates a hypothesized metabolic pathway for N-nitrosamines: processive P450 oxidation of NNK and NNN to N-nitrosamides. In this study, the three corresponding N-nitrosamides were synthesized, tested for stability, and monitored for formation in vitro. This study shows for the first time that N-nitrosamides are direct products of N-nitrosamine metabolism by cytochrome P450s. While these compounds were minor metabolites, their relative stability and DNA-damaging properties could impart biological relevance. Determining the generality of this metabolic pathway requires future work. The second study sought after the structures and abundance of stable 2'- deoxyadenosine (dAdo) damage (DNA adducts) induced by NNK bioactivation. This was accomplished by synthesizing hypothetical dAdo-adduct structures based on known reactivity and applying them to in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro data indicates that N6- and N1-adducts are formed, however, in vivo data only shows N6-adduct formation, indicating extensive repair of N1-adducts. The relative abundance of these adducts were determined in rat liver and lung for three different treatment groups. The biological activity of these adducts requires future study. The last study measured direct biomarkers for human NNN metabolic activation for the first time by using [pyridine-D4]NNN-enriched tobacco. The deuterium-labelling allows NNN metabolites to be selectively measured by mass spectrometry and removes all interference by competing nicotine metabolites. This study is ongoing but current data suggests metabolic activation of NNN varies among individuals and is at least partially due to the activity of P450 2A6, the dominant enzyme for NNN bioactivation

Development of organocatalyzed, intramolecular heteroatom Michael addition and application towards alkaloid synthesis

Effective methods for the enantiopure formation of substituted piperidine rings are significantly important due to their presence in alkaloid products. A valuable method to form these ring systems would be via an intramolecular heteroatom Michael addition from the corresponding enone or enal. Described herein is a methodolgy that has been developed in order to form piperidine, pyrrolidine and indoline ring systems using organocatalysis. These ring systems have been prepared with yields of 50-87% and ee as high as 95%. This methodology has been utilized in the synthesis of three natural products: homopipecolic acid, homoproline, and pelletierine. Homopipecolic acid was synthesized in 7 steps and 28% yield from commercially available 1-bromo-5-hexene. Homoproline was synthesized in 7 steps and 10% overall yield from commercially available 1-bromo-4-heptene. Pelletierine was synthesized in 8 steps and 26% overall yield from commercially available 1-bromo-5-hexene. Synthetic efforts toward cermizine D are also disclosed. This synthesis involves the use of our organocatalytic methodology in order to form the initial piperidine ring. Using the Boc protected amine for this reaction gave the desired piperidine ring in 86% yield and 92% ee. One key step is the Ti(O-iPr)₄ mediated coupling to produce the core carbon structure in 68% yield and 1:1 dr. This reaction has not yet been optimized. Another key step is the use of RCM in order to form the second ring in the system with a 94% yield

Sample Manipulation System for Sample Analysis at Mars

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument will analyze Martian samples collected by the Mars Science Laboratory Rover with a suite of spectrometers. This paper discusses the driving requirements, design, and lessons learned in the development of the Sample Manipulation System (SMS) within SAM. The SMS stores and manipulates 74 sample cups to be used for solid sample pyrolysis experiments. Focus is given to the unique mechanism architecture developed to deliver a high packing density of sample cups in a reliable, fault tolerant manner while minimizing system mass and control complexity. Lessons learned are presented on contamination control, launch restraint mechanisms for fragile sample cups, and mechanism test data

Hamiltonian Paths in Non-Hamiltonian Graphs

A graph $G$ with $n$ vertices is \emph{Hamiltonian} if it admits an embedded cycle containing all vertices of $G$. In any Hamiltonian graph, each vertex is the starting point of a Hamiltonian path. In this paper we explore the converse. We show that for $2<n<9$, if $G$ admits Hamiltonian paths starting at every vertex then $G$ is Hamiltonian. We also show that this is not true for $n>9$. We then investigate the number of \emph{pairs} of vertices in a non-Hamiltonian graph $G$ which can be connected by Hamiltonian paths. In particular we construct a family of non-Hamiltonian graphs with approximately 4/5 of the pairs of vertices connected by Hamiltonian paths.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Overview and breeding strategies of table potato production in Sweden and the Fennoscandian region

Recent reductions in the public commitment to potato breeding in Sweden, Norway and Finland call for an evaluation of the current situation regarding the commercial basis for, and structure of, potato breeding in these countries. We here review the extent of cultivation, processing and consumption of table potato in Sweden, as well as provide an overview of the potato breeding tools and programmes in the three countries. We then discuss various strategies to provide long-term stability and increase the impact of public potato breeding, based on the similar overall conditions for potato cultivation across the Fennoscandian region. The conclusions are twofold; first, an increased long-term funding of the public potato breeding programmes is necessary to maintain a minimum level of material, and second, a coordination of the breeding activities in the Fennoscandian region would be of great benefit to all involved stakeholders and allow an enhancement of the current national breeding programmes. In addition, we propose a minimum first field year population size for potato breeding