Supergay: A Queer Analysis of the CW’s Supergirl

An analysis of queer representation and allusions in superhero narratives has been a subject for debate in the both the queer and feminist fields. Throughout history, many scholars have focused on the storyline of superheroes who have “come out” as part of the LGBTQA+ community in comics and in media. However, my paper addresses how a presumed heterosexual character’s introduction into the community as a superhero can be seen as a direct retelling of a queer “coming out” experience in the CW’s show Supergirl (2015). I will discuss Kara Zor-El Danvers’ “coming out” story as Supergirl, as well as how she interacts in society as an alien in a human dominated world, in order to reveal how this can be seen as a direct parallel of a queer narrative. I will also compare how Supergirl portrays a canon homosexual relationship with how the show specifically depicts Supergirl’s interactions with Lena Luthor through camera angles and acting cues that alludes to a veiled homosexual relationship. I will apply Tom Boellstorf’s essay, The Gay Archipelago, to address Supergirl’s narrative as queer. As well as Susan Bordo’s novel Unbearable Weight, to describe Supergirl not only as a feminist icon, but also how society views her as an ‘other’ figure that confirms her queerness. In conclusion, by closely examining how Kara is portrayed in the show, both as a superhero as well as her interactions with other characters, we can conclude that Kara’s transformation into Supergirl is a queer depiction of the superhero narrative

The Evaluation of Paper by Means of the Densichron Instrument

An Evaluation of the Universal Magnephot Densichron as a Reflectometer, Opacimeter and Color Analyzing Device This paper is a report on the evaluation of the Universal Magnephot Densichron, an electronic photocell instrument developed for the photographic industry, for use in the paper industry. This instrument has been found to have several errors which make its use impractical for research work in the laboratory, but it can be used in paper mills for control purposes. If this used for this type of work certain precautions have to be taken as outlined. The major portion of this paper deals with the possibility of this instrument being used as a device for the study and control of color in the paper industry using the Tristimulus Method of Colorimetry. It has been found that this instrument does not give as good a result as other instruments that are being used today for this type of work. Though the Densichron can not be used in the study and analysis of color, it could be used for mill control work with papers white, near white and light pastels provided standardization of the instrument is watched and checked at certain intervals. With refinements by the manufacturer this instrument can find a place in the paper industry for Brightness testing, reflectance testing and opacity testing as well as color analyzing testing and study

Comparison of methods for incorporating a radioiodinated residualizing cholesteryl ester analog into low density lipoprotein

Two different methods were evaluated for incorporating [125I]cholesteryl iopanoate ([125I]CI), a non-hydrolyzable cholesteryl ester analog, into LDL. The first procedure was an organic solvent delipidation-reconstitution procedure (R[125I-CI]LDL) while the second involved incubation of detergent (Tween-20)-solubilized [125I]CI with whole plasma (D[125I-CI]LDL). R[125I-CI]LDL behaved similar to native LDL in vitro, but was markedly different in vivo, apparently due to a heterogeneity in particle size. D[125I-CI]LDL, however, was metabolized normally both in vitro and in vivo. These results, combined with the residualizing nature of [125I]CI, demonstrate that D[125I-CI]LDL is appropriate for tracing LDL uptake in vivo.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29830/1/0000177.pd

Assessment of Anti-Atherogenic Drugs in Vivo and Reconstitution of Lipoproteins Using Radioiodinated Cholesteryl Iopanoate.

The goal of this thesis was to develop an animal model which would provide a means of assessing the severity of atherosclerosis in vivo. A nonhydrolyzable radioiodinated cholesteryl ester, 125I-cholesteryl iopanoate (125I-CI), was found to accumulate in high concentrations in atherosclerotic aortas of cholesterol-fed rabbits after intravenous administration. Aortas from normal chow-fed rabbits did not exhibit significant 125I-CI accumulation. When cholesterol-fed rabbits were intravenously administered Tween-solubilized 125I-CI and simultaneously treated with either of two anti-atherogenic compounds, estradiol 17(beta)-cypionate or colestipol, the extent of aortic atherosclerosis was found to dramatically decrease as determined by measurement of either aortic total cholesterol or aortic surface area covered by atheroma. Measurement of aortic radioactivity (from accumulated 125I-CI) was found to strongly correlate with the severity of atherosclerosis. Although the specificity of 125I-CI for atheromatous lesions was very good, gamma-camera scintigraphy of the abdomens of these rabbits 6 days after cessation of 125I-CI administration was not able to consistently predict the severity of atherosclerosis. Tissue distribution studies suggested that high blood and spinal column bone marrow radioactivity produced aorta:nontarget radioactivity ratios unfavorable with respect to imaging. To improve this ratio so as to permit noninvasive imaging, attempts were made to incorporate 125I-CI into serum lipoproteins. Labelling of either rabbit LDL by in vivo incorporation or human LDL by transfer of 125I-CI from liposomes using cholesteryl ester transfer protein resulted in lipoproteins with low specific activity. Higher specific activity was achieved by reconstituting delipidated human LDL with a mixture of 125I-CI and unlabelled cholesteryl oleate. These particles were taken up in high amounts by monolayers of human fibroblasts but not by fibroblasts deficient in LDL receptors or by normal fibroblasts during competition with unlabelled native LDL. However, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), SDS-PAGE, and agarose column chromatography showed this procedure to form at least two populations of labelled particles having apolipoprotein B subspecies different from each other and from native LDL. Fibroblast uptake studies with these two preparations showed differences in their rate of uptake by human fibroblasts. Further studies are required to determine if the influx of LDL reconstituted with 125I-CI correlates with the influx of serum lipoproteins into the rabbit arterial wall in vivo.Ph.D.PharmacologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/161376/1/8712093.pd

Noninvasive Assessment of Lipid Disposition in Treated and Untreated Atherosclerotic Rabbits

In an effort to visualize whole body cholesteryl ester (CE) deposition using the nuclear medicine imaging technique of gamma camera scintigraphy, 125 I-cholesteryl iopanoate ( 125 I-CI), a nonhydrolyzable CE analogue, was used as a marker for CE deposition in atherosclerotic New Zealand white rabbits. Groups of animals were fed either a cholesterol-enriched diet (2%, w/w) or the same diet supplemented with the hypolipidemic drugs colestipol (1%, w/w) and/or clofibrate (0.3%, w/w). Injections of 125 I-CI were administered biweekly. At the end of 15 weeks, animals were scintigraphically scanned and sacrificed for tissue analysis. The results demonstrated that while drug treatment had no significant effect on plasma lipid levels, it substantially lessened atherosclerotic involvement in the thoracic-abdominal aorta. These differences in aortic lipid accumulation were reflected in the whole-body scans which showed a reduction in tissue accumulation of 125 I-CI in the drug-treated groups. Gamma camera scintigraphy thus represents a rapid means of visualizing tissue CE accumulation which could facilitate the evaluation of lipid-lowering drug efficacy and possible antiatherosclerotic effect.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41532/1/11095_2004_Article_306114.pd