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Isolation of 32 Mycobacteriophages and Genomic Analysis of the Novel Mycobacteriophage, Roscoe
No full textThirty-two new mycobacteriophages were isolated from soil samples collected on or nearby Hope College in Holland, Michigan. All were capable of infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis and produced a variety of plaque morphologies based on size, shape, and clarity, consistent with the isolation of an assortment of different phages. Both lytic and temperate phages appear represented in this collection. Thirty-two purified phage stocks were used to prepare genomic DNA samples for restriction digest analysis. A comparison of those 32 digest results revealed few similarities among the group, further supporting our interpretation that most of the new phage isolates were distinct. One mycobacteriophage, Roscoe, was chosen for complete genome sequencing using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine platform and comparative genomic analysis. The predominant plaque produced by Roscoe was 2-4 mm in diameter and displayed a clear center surrounded by a wide turbid comet-tailed ring after 24 hours of growth at 37°C. Comparison of the restriction digest pattern for Roscoe with more than 200 known mycobacteriophage genomes did not yield an exact match, suggesting Roscoe was a novel mycobacteriophage. Genome sequence data for Roscoe supported that prediction but also revealed a relationship to a large group of mycobacteriophages in Cluster B1. The genome of Roscoe is 68 Kb, 66.5% GC, and contains 103 genes in agreement with the genome characteristics of closely related phage. A detailed analysis of the complete genome sequence and comparison with sequenced members of this small and unique group of mycobacteriophages is the subject of the second semester of this yearlong course and is presented
Transition Metal Scaffolds as MRI Contrast Agents
Get PDFMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important technique used throughout the medical field to gain improved clinical diagnostic ability. Often, different tissues can be weighted within the images if MRI contrast agents are used. Common clinical contrast agents use gadolinium to alter the T1 relaxation times of protons within surrounding tissues. Gadolinium(III), a lanthanide cation, has a grand seven unpaired electrons in its electronic configuration [Xe] 4f7. There are already a plethora of gadolinium chelate contrast agents available for medical use; however the sensitivity of these agents may be improved by increasing the rotational correlation time, tr. The goal of slower tumbling rates can be achieved by increasing their molecular weight. Thus, we propose attaching multiple gadolinium chelates to a central transition metal scaffold. The increase in molecular weight will alter the tr and improve the relaxation efficiency of the agent. These metal scaffolds will most likely include a Ru3O core
Family Matters: The Impact of Culture on Family Interactions, and of Family Interaction on Peer Relations
Get PDFInterpersonal relationships are inextricably linked to a person’s overall sense of well-being (Seligman, 2011). However, previous research has often neglected to examine variance in the quality of communication within these relationships. The purpose of this study is to compare communication patterns of American and Japanese students within their family and peer group, to see if Family Intimacy and Family Cohesion affect Peer Intimacy and Family Cohesion. Japan is traditionally a collectivistic culture, characterized by strong family ties and deep connections between friends, while America is characterized by individualism, an emphasis on personal accomplishment, and looser interpersonal ties. The hypotheses of this study are that (H1) there is a positive correlation between Family Intimacy and Peer Intimacy, and (H2) the quality of these relationships is positively correlated with overall Life Satisfaction. Data was collected via an online survey administered to American college students, and a translated survey administered to Japanese university students. The survey results were compiled into three different scales: Cohesion-Intimacy, Conflict Resolution, and overall Life Satisfaction. The last section of the survey measured respondents’ level of overall life satisfaction. The results suggest that positive family relationships are important in developing positive peer relationships
Design and Simulation of Tetrahedral Robotics
Get PDFTetrahedral robots come from a family of crawling and tumbling robots. They operate by changing their shape. This is a different way to move compared to a traditional rover because it can crawl or tumble over rough terrain and obstacles. The current tetrahedral robot, at Hope College, (8-TET) moves by tumbling or rolling. This becomes a limitation because it constantly is changing its orientation due to the fact that it is rolling and each part is upside down at some point. A new robot was to be designed that does not change its orientation. The idea of the Tetrahedral Worm (TET Worm) came about as an alternate for the current robot. The TET Worm moves by crawling rather than tumbling. By doing this movement, it holds a constant orientation. The new robot could be designed, tested, and controlled using a computer program called SimMechanics, which is a package of MATLAB. After the robot is designed and a control system is implemented on the program several Gaits (the way that the robot will move) must be considered for the TET Worm. The Gaits can then be compared to one another to test for controllability, force on the struts, and speed
The Lion, the Books and the Children
No full textThe books we read as children have a way of staying with us for the rest of our lives, unlike anything else we will ever read. Many books written for children have the ability to be immensely impactful to both adult and children readers. Because children’s literature can be extremely powerful, especially when read at a young age, it is important that the literature and its influence be given critical thought. In his writing, C. S. Lewis deals extensively with the writing and effective use of children’s literature. Lewis’ series of children’s books, The Chronicles of Narnia, is one of the many wonderful examples of children’s literature that becomes a part of its readers and stays with them long past childhood. In this research, I use the example of The Chronicles of Narnia to explore children’s literature, fairy tales, and their impact on young readers to determine what makes a piece of children’s literature effective, what well-written children’s literature can do, and who should be reading it. Many scholars have written about and analyzed the themes presented in The Chronicles of Narnia and these themes, such as forgiveness, reconciliation, and humility, are relevant and important to readers both young and old. I examine not only the themes themselves but their impact on readers and how communicating these themes through a children’s story can be extremely effective
Becoming Citizens: The British Women\u27s Suffrage Movement, 1918-1928
No full textPrior to the passage of the Representation of the People Act on February 6, 1918, the British law code stated that women were the legal equivalents of male infants, lunatics, idiots, paupers, and criminals. Since access to citizenship in the United Kingdom was determined by sex, every British man had the potential to become a citizen but this privilege was not extended to a single woman. Therefore, enfranchising women would threaten the nation’s sex-based political dichotomy of Man is to citizen, as Woman is to not citizen. However, the nation’s binary definition of citizenship disappeared when Parliament passed the 1918 Representation of the People Act. While approximately eight million British women age thirty years and above became the legal equivalents of British men age twenty-one and older, newly-enfranchised women remained greatly disadvantaged because they still had to learn how to act, think, and organize as citizens. Therefore, I argue that it is more accurate to state that enfranchised women started the process of becoming citizens on February 6, 1918. Because the 1918 Act restructured the boundaries that defined the United Kingdom’s traditional sex-based political dichotomy, enfranchised British women had to reconstruct their own identities and redefine their relationships with men and disfranchised women before they could navigate the political world as citizens and effectively lobby for an equal franchise a decade later
The Usefulness of Water: A Study of the Jordan Valley
No full textLong before the discovery of oil, the most valuable resource to the inhabitants of the Middle East was water. Cities were built around it, and trade routes ensured that desert traders had access to water. With the population growth in the Middle East, water scarcity is an issue of national security. Poor Arab countries such as Jordan have to import fresh water to supply their citizens with drinking water. Water shortages stem from the political, military and economic interactions of the previous one hundred years, beginning with the European colonization. The division of the former Ottoman Empire by the British and the French was done without the consent of Sharif Hussein or other Arab leaders. The creation of Israel, a state whose boundaries have been contested since their creation, further denied water resources to the Arabs living in the Golan Heights, Jordan, Lebanon, and the occupied West Bank. Water resources then served as a catalyst for the 1967 Arab - Israeli War as well as the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Jordan Valley water politics are divided into three categories: a realist approach focused on security, an idealist approach calling for cooperation, and an ambiguity approach where discussion of water is left ambiguous to allow each state to take whatever steps it deems to be necessary. This research suggests that fresh water resources serve as a point of conflict between Arabs and Israelis and pose a significant security threat to the Middle East
The Legacies of Holland, Michigan--A Study of Nine Influential People
Get PDFHolland, Michigan was founded in 1847 by Dr. Albertus Van Raalte, who also founded a Dutch Reformed Church congregation. Dr. Van Raalte and these immigrants came to the area in the hopes of securing religious freedom from the Dutch Reformed state church in the Netherlands. The community faced many hardships in the first fifty years of existence, including a devastating fire in 1871 and a split in the Dutch Reformed Church in 1882, but Holland prospered and thriving institutions, such as Hope College and Pillar Church, grew out of the population and continue to exist today. The prosperity of the community in the first fifty years would not have been accomplished without the help of nine influential leaders. This project focuses on the lasting influence of nine leaders from the first fifty years of Holland’s existence: Dr. Albertus Van Raalte, Philip Phelps Jr., Isaac Cappon, Edward J. Harrington, Teunis Keppel, Gerrit J. Diekema, Arend Visscher, Christina Van Raalte Gilmore, and Henry D. Post. Each one of these nine Holland community members had a lasting impact on the institutions and society of Holland that have continued to the current day
Management Techniques for Patellofemoral Pathologies
No full textPatellofemoral pain is the syndrome that is the most common cause of anterior knee pain. Patellofemoral pathologies are injuries to the patellofemoral articular surface which can be chronic or acute in nature. These pathologies are a result of overuse, malalignment, structural inefficiency, or trauma. In order to differentiate between these pathologies there are multiple special tests that can be done. History of what the patient has been experiencing day to day is also very important during the differentiating process. Most physicians will suggest conservative treatment before going through the different surgical options. The object of this presentation is to explain various patellofemoral pathologies, understand the importance of getting a thorough history, discuss conservative treatment options, and discuss surgical techniques
Determining Effectiveness of a Discipline Model: Does the Chip System Work?
No full textThe goal of conducting this study was to determine the effectiveness of “the chip method” on 7th-grade math students. The chip system is a classroom management technique designed to reward good behavior and penalize bad behavior (through the removal of chips). Loss of chips results in a call home. To determine the effectiveness of this discipline technique, a 7th-grade math class was observed once a week for 12 weeks. Students’ reactions to losing chips were noted. A survey was also given to the students in order to ascertain their feelings about the method. These students’ pre- and post-semester grades were analyzed to correlate chip loss and math content acquisition. Results showed that losing chips did not affect their grade. Surprisingly students liked the penal system although they reported that the chips did not help them focus or pay attention in class