Gendering the Poetic Nation: Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda as Chilean Icons

Honors (Bachelor's)EnglishUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112159/1/spenceke.pd

The Role of FMRP in Ethanol-Induced Homeostatic Plasticity in the Hippocampus

Exposure to chronic ethanol induces homeostatic alterations in glutamatergic signaling and actin polymerization that may have an important role in the development of ethanol-seeking behaviors. Acute ethanol exposure promotes excitation and dampens inhibition while extended periods of exposure induce long-term adaptations in neuronal function that require new protein synthesis to maintain homeostasis. These adaptations include not only transcription and somatic protein synthesis, but also local dendritic protein translation. One of the major mediators of activity-dependent translation is the mTORC1 signaling pathway and its downstream substrates that include kinases and mRNA-binding proteins, such as p70 S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) and fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). FMRP is an mRNA-binding protein that interacts with mRNAs to suppress translation. FMRP also interacts with several different mRNAs that code for proteins that are necessary for synaptic plasticity, and it may also have an important role in regulating ethanol-induced alterations in homeostasis in dendrites and dendritic spines. This dissertation addresses the hypothesis that FMRP is necessary for activity-dependent homeostatic alterations in protein expression and spine morphology following chronic ethanol exposure. First, western blot analysis was used to investigate ethanol-induced alterations in expression of FMRP and proteins that are key mediators of dendritic excitability. These studies revealed an increase in FMRP phosphorylation as well as alterations in the A-type K+-channel Kv4.2, KChIP3 and NMDA receptor subunits. Further studies examining changes in FMRP interactions with Kv4.2, KChIP3, and NMDA mRNAs showed chronic ethanol-induced changes in FMRP-mRNA binding. Additionally, inhibition of FMRP phosphorylation prevented these alterations in protein expression and FMRP-mRNA interactions following chronic ethanol exposure. Studies included in this dissertation also addressed whether alterations in protein expression are accompanied by changes in actin polymerization and spine morphology. These experiments utilized two different sub-strains of C57BL/6 mice with different polymorphisms in cyfip2, a protein regulating actin polymerization that is also implicated in regulation of protein translation. A two-bottle choice/CIE exposure paradigm revealed alterations in ethanol consumption between the two strains as well as differences in ethanol-induced changes in protein expression and spine morphology. Taken together, this dissertation reveals an integral role for FMRP in mediating ethanol-induced alterations in homeostatic protein expression, and that these alterations may influence actin polymerization and drinking behaviors

Kennesaw State University and United Alloy Corporation Robotic Pick and Place Project

United Alloy Corporation (UAC), a company specializing in unique aluminum parts for aeronautics, needed a fix to their error prone, labor-intensive billet press operation. The process has a problem of adding the wrong size or wrong alloy billet to the induction oven, which results in a waste of raw materials. The billets range from ten to thirty-seven inches in length and weigh up to three hundred pounds. Currently, an operator uses a gantry crane to check and lift the billets from a rack onto the magazine of an induction oven. The magazine can hold up to three billets safely and the induction oven presses around five billets an hour. The process does not require more speed, but more safety and quality assurance in which billet goes in the oven. The company tasked Kennesaw State University (KSU) with a project to fix the issues presently in the process, using a FANUC robot to conduct a pick and place solution. The KSU team then fabricated a gripper to lift the billet, designed code to find the rack in space and complete the quality assurance process, and researched sensors and fencing to build a safety cell around the gripper and the robot

Early mortality, quality of life and cost-effectiveness of palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases in the English NHS

Introduction: Palliative radiotherapy is a standard of care for localised pain due to bone metastases. International guidance recommends single fraction treatment in preference to multiple fractions, but variation in practice exists. The cost-effectiveness of stereotactic radiotherapy in this setting is unclear. This study aimed to assess the quality of life benefits from response to treatment, cost-effectiveness and routine use of these treatments in the context of varying survival. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used: A systematic review; secondary use of trial data to assess an alternative trial end-point and support multi-level regression modelling of treatment related quality of life benefits; a qualitative interview study to understand patients values and experiences of treatment; time-driven activity-based costing to determine radiotherapy cost; cost-utility analysis, to balance the quality of life benefits and cost of treatment in the context of varying survival and identify levels of 30-day mortality which reflect cost-effective care; and an analysis of the national radiotherapy dataset to provide insight into current practice and outcomes in the English NHS. Results: With increasing proximity to death the quality of life benefits of palliative radiotherapy diminish markedly, to the extent that in the final months of life, treatment is unlikely to be cost-effective and may be associated with a net harm to the healthcare system. For those with longer survival, stereotactic radiotherapy may offer a cost-effective means to improve the quality and durability of pain control, once treatment costs have reduced beyond an initial learning-curve. Wide variation in fractionation pattern persists, with marked variation in 30-day mortality. Conclusions: A value-based approach to the use of palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases offers an opportunity for improved decisions that avoid futile treatment and improve the cost-effectiveness of care. These analyses can form the basis of a novel approach to the commissioning of stereotactic radiotherapy

Shifting narratives of the Self – students’ experiences of chronicity and multiplicity in the management of chronic illness at university

Drawing on the chronic illness scholarship and identity theories, this article aims to deepen the understanding of the biographical disruptions experienced by undergraduate students living with a long-term health condition. Data are drawn from in-depth interviews with six undergraduate (female) students attending university in England. The analysis highlights the ways chronicity and multiplicity come together to shape students’ health and social identities. The findings reveal three narratives of the Self: the ill Self, the determined Self, and the authentic Self. These distinct, yet interconnected, narratives highlight the complex shifts in the Self as students sought ways to ‘push through’ multiple (academic, health, social) pressures. Maintaining academic and social engagement met with significant challenge, ultimately shaping the emotional and social lives of these students. The article offers a novel contribution to how undergraduate students navigate multiple identities in the face of ongoing illness

Public perceptions of drinking water: A postal survey of residents with private water supplies

Background: In Canada, the legal responsibility for the condition of private water supplies, including private wells and cisterns, rests with their owners. However, there are reports that Canadians test these water supplies intermittently and that treatment of such water is uncommon. An estimated 45% of all waterborne outbreaks in Canada involve non-municipal systems. An understanding of the perceptions and needs of Canadians served by private water supplies is essential, as it would enable public health professionals to better target public education and drinking water policy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the public perceptions of private water supplies in the City of Hamilton, Ontario (Canada), with the intent of informing public education and outreach strategies within the population. Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey of 246 residences with private water supplies was conducted in May 2004. Questions pertained to the perceptions of water quality and alternative water sources, water testing behaviours and the self-identified need for further information. Results: Private wells, cisterns or both, were the source of household water for 71%, 16% and 13% of respondents, respectively. Although respondents rated their water quality highly, 80% also had concerns with its safety. The most common concerns pertained to bacterial and chemical contamination of their water supply and its potential negative effect on health. Approximately 56% and 61% of respondents used in-home treatment devices and bottled water within their homes, respectively, mainly due to perceived improvements in the safety and aesthetic qualities compared to regular tap water. Testing of private water supplies was performed infrequently: 8% of respondents tested at a frequency that meets current provincial guidelines. Two-thirds of respondents wanted more information on various topics related to private water supplies. Flyers and newspapers were the two media reported most likely to be used. Conclusion: Although respondents rated their water quality highly, the majority had concerns regarding the water from their private supply, and the use of bottled water and water treatment devices was extensive. The results of this study suggest important lines of inquiry and provide support and input for public education programs, particularly those related to private water testing, in this population

Education Deans: Challenges and Stress

Abstract: This study explored issues facing deans within higher education, specifically deans of doctoral granting schools/colleges of education. The study explored key challenges/issues and related stress education deans experience at research universities

Background synaptic activity in rat entorhinal cortex shows a progressively greater dominance of inhibition over excitation from deep to superficial layers

The entorhinal cortex (EC) controls hippocampal input and output, playing major roles in memory and spatial navigation. Different layers of the EC subserve different functions and a number of studies have compared properties of neurones across layers. We have studied synaptic inhibition and excitation in EC neurones, and we have previously compared spontaneous synaptic release of glutamate and GABA using patch clamp recordings of synaptic currents in principal neurones of layers II (L2) and V (L5). Here, we add comparative studies in layer III (L3). Such studies essentially look at neuronal activity from a presynaptic viewpoint. To correlate this with the postsynaptic consequences of spontaneous transmitter release, we have determined global postsynaptic conductances mediated by the two transmitters, using a method to estimate conductances from membrane potential fluctuations. We have previously presented some of this data for L3 and now extend to L2 and L5. Inhibition dominates excitation in all layers but the ratio follows a clear rank order (highest to lowest) of L2>L3>L5. The variance of the background conductances was markedly higher for excitation and inhibition in L2 compared to L3 or L5. We also show that induction of synchronized network epileptiform activity by blockade of GABA inhibition reveals a relative reluctance of L2 to participate in such activity. This was associated with maintenance of a dominant background inhibition in L2, whereas in L3 and L5 the absolute level of inhibition fell below that of excitation, coincident with the appearance of synchronized discharges. Further experiments identified potential roles for competition for bicuculline by ambient GABA at the GABAA receptor, and strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors in residual inhibition in L2. We discuss our results in terms of control of excitability in neuronal subpopulations of EC neurones and what these may suggest for their functional roles. © 2014 Greenhill et al