Analysis of Uncharacterized mKiaa1211 Expression during Mouse Development and Cardiovascular Morphogenesis

Mammalian Kiaa1211 and Kiaa1211-like are a homologous pair of uncharacterized, highly conserved genes cloned from fetal and adult brain cDNA libraries. Herein we map the in utero spatiotemporal expression of mKiaa1211 and mKiaa1211L mRNA and their expression patterns in postnatal testis, skin, gastrointestinal, and adipose progenitor tissues. Significantly, mKiaa1211 is present throughout the early stages of mouse heart development, particularly in the second heart field (SHF) lineage as it differentiates from mesenchymal cells into cardiomyocytes. We also show that mKiaa1211 is expressed within several early neuronal tissues destined to give rise to central, peripheral, and sympathetic nervous system structures. Expression profiling revealed that the paralog mKiaa1211L is not expressed during the normal developmental process and that mKiaa1211 expression was noticeably absent from most adult terminally differentiated tissues. Finally, we confirm that a previously uncharacterized CRISPR/CAS-generated mKiaa1211 mouse mutant allele is hypomorphic

Diagnostic Alleles From Electrophoresis Distinguish Two Noctuid Pest Species, \u3ci\u3eHydraecia Immanis\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eH. Micacea\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Native hop vine borer (Hydraecia immanis) and introduced potato stem borer (H. micacea) populations in Midwest corn have reached noticeable levels near the Great Lakes plant community ecotone between boreal forests and temperate deciduous forests. The hop vine borer is more specialized in its diet and occurs in corn generally south of the plant community ecotone, whereas the potato stem borer is polyphagous and occurs in corn mostly north of the Great Lakes plant transition zone. We analyzed the genetic composition of each species using cellulose acetate electrophoresis and resolved 19 loci of which 6 exhibited fixed or nearly fixed allelic differences. We expect that this will be useful in determining the degree of hybridization where the two species become sympatric due to expected continued range expansions in Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York State

Optimal random search for a single hidden target

A single target is hidden at a location chosen from a predetermined probability distribution. Then, a searcher must find a second probability distribution from which random search points are sampled such that the target is found in the minimum number of trials. Here it will be shown that if the searcher must get very close to the target to find it, then the best search distribution is proportional to the square root of the target distribution. For a Gaussian target distribution, the optimum search distribution is approximately a Gaussian with a standard deviation that varies inversely with how close the searcher must be to the target to find it. For a network, where the searcher randomly samples nodes and looks for the fixed target along edges, the optimum is to either sample a node with probability proportional to the square root of the out degree plus one or not at all.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Flexible electrical conductors for high-temperature switchgear

Arch-shaped conductors fabricated from flat strips of beryllium oxide dispersion-strengthened copper alloy serve as flexible electrical connectors capable of operating in 1000 deg F temperature range, under vacuum conditions for periods of 10,000 hours or more without failure

Fish Community Composition and Structure Near a Freshwater River Diversion in Southeastern Louisiana

Gulf of Mexico estuaries, particularly in Louisiana, are among the world’s most productive, with landings of commercially- and recreationally-important species exceeding all other contiguous US states. Coastal wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate because they have been impounded from Mississippi River water and sediment. Although controversial, one proposed solution is to re-route the Mississippi River through diversions and siphons to supply the freshwater and sediments necessary to rebuild vanishing wetlands, particularly in Barataria Bay and Breton Sound, LA. This strategy is one approach outlined in the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan. This project aimed to describe the composition and structure of the fish community associated with the Caernarvon freshwater diversion in three microhabitats within Big Mar pond. These three habitats included Bayou Bonjour (shallow, slow-moving, protected habitat), Center Big Mar (shallow, slow-moving, submerged aquatic vegetation dominated habitat), and SW Big Mar (open water habitat). The fish community was dominated by a few ubiquitous species, and no differences were detected between the three sites. A single-species approach was adopted to determine how the three locations support the common species. Though the community did not vary, four of the five common species show evidence of an ontogenetic shift in habitat within Big Mar Pond. This work will inform fishers and policymakers on the impacts of the Mississippi River diversions and siphons on fish communities, especially as new diversion projects are proposed to restore eroding coastal wetlands and marshes

Christ in the Margins: Confronting Racism through the (Written) Word in Post-Civil War America

This dissertation examines fictional texts of the late nineteenth century in order to recover the response of progressive Christian writers facing a growing tide of racial violence, injustice, and segregation in the postbellum decades. By investigating the works of Mark Twain, Charles Sheldon, Frances Harper, and Sutton Griggs, I argue that we gain access to a cadre of writers who sought to translate emerging strains of New Theology into practical means of race reform. They regarded their novels as sermons to the masses and saw writing as a sacred practice of communicating the Word to fellow believers; and their brand of Christian Liberalism was rooted in Incarnational theology, prized the humanity of Christ, insisted on a social gospel, and exhorted others to adopt a self-sacrificial and costly form of discipleship.;Throughout the late nineteenth century both white and black ministers turned toward storytelling in the pulpit, and so the era\u27s prolific writers paralleled this movement by embracing homiletic realism in literature. The resulting narratives were often bestsellers that captivated wide audiences even while exposing the false process of racial categorization, revealing race as a social construct, and depicting tangible acts of social Christianity among disenfranchised and violently oppressed African-American communities. By returning to these narratives, then, we are able to reconstruct the period of race reform in the postbellum years---one that bridges Protestant abolitionist zeal with progressive Civil Rights activism---and we draw closer to a more complex and accurate understanding of America\u27s racial and theological past

STATCOM power frequency model with VSC charging dynamics and its application in the power system stability analysis

In this paper the STATCOM power frequency model is derived with voltage source converter charging dynamics. The main control and supplementary control are then added for voltage regulation and damping power oscillation. The integrated STATCOM system model is used in power system transient stability analysis. Computer program is developed based on Power System Toolbox of MATLAB. Computer test results show clearly the effects of the STATCOM on system dynamic behavior and transfer limit.published_or_final_versio

Development of tissue based biomaterials for articular cartilage injuries

Multiple biomaterials have been developed in this work. Decellularized porcine diaphragm extracellular matrix was homogenized and supplemented with various biomodulatory agents. It was developed as an injectable material with possible applications in mitigation of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Optimizing polycaprolactone and lecithin electrospun nanofibers for increased reproducibility was studied. A neutral pH liquid porcine collagen type I solution was developed for two separate projects including development of collagen microspheres (CMs) and 3D printed scaffolds. The main focus of this dissertation is on the development of CMs. The CMs were fabricated by emulsifying the liquid collagen solution in a water-in-oil emulsion. Characterization of the CMs through electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and biocompatibility analysis were conducted. The CMs were then investigated as a potential targeted PTOA mitigating agents by conjugating targeting antibodies on CMs to bind to damaged articular cartilage. CMs were also laden with mesenchymal stem cell and studied in culture over 2 weeks. The targeted CMs successfully bound to damaged cartilage and were able to mitigate reactive oxygen species production from interleukin-1beta stimulated human chondrocyte cells with addition of anti-inflammatory agent, curcumin. Finally, use of the developed liquid collagen as a potential bioink for 3D printing was investigated.Includes bibliographical references