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C.H. Sisson in Exile, or, Versions and Perversions of Ovid’s \u3ci\u3eTristia\u3c/i\u3e
No full textC.H. Sisson strongly identifies with Augustan poets such as Horace, Vergil, and Ovid in his translations of their works, and certain poems reflect their profound influence on him (e.g. “Horace”, “Eclogue”) (As he says in the preface to his Collected Translations [Manchester: Carcanet Press, 1996], xi: “My own verse has been profoundly affected by the interests and aspirations indicated by my choice of matter to translate, and what I have been able to do, and such understanding as I have been able to achieve of the nature of poetry, has depended in no small degree on my non-resistance, over the decades, to the temptations of translation”). While Sisson comments on the importance “for the contemporary poet to dip into” Ovid’s Metamorphoses (See his commentary on lines 401–11 of his translation of Horace’s Ars Poetica in C. H. Sisson, Collected Translations [Manchester: Carcanet Press, 1996], 359), Ovid’s exile figures in multiple poems and becomes a trope that links Sisson’s conception of poetry, politics, aging, and death
The Standing History of Afro-Diasporic Traditions In Trinidad & Tobago
No full textThrough Afrocentrism and Creolization, this project examines redefinitions of the narratives of Caribbean people. As a pannist of Trinidadian descent, I bridge gaps between practitioners, scholars, and intellectuals outside of the academy and explore Caribbean narratives through a more nuanced perspective. In the African Diaspora, many forms of music and physical expression embody liberation, emancipation, and resistance. In Trinidad, these forms manifest in rich traditions such as carnival, spiritual shouter practices, stick fighting, and the creation of steel pans. These forms make it possible to see the effects and consequences of Afro-Trinidadians negotiating communal and private space under British colonial rule. Analyzing African Diasporic traditions enables the understanding of effects of power, privilege, and oppression in the continuum of slavery and settler colonialism. My research uses textual, musicological, and ethnographic analysis of the development of African Diasporic traditions in Trinidad & Tobago. Investigating the roots of the mentioned traditions from enslavement onwards allows for a detailed mapping of anti-colonial and revolutionary efforts in Trinidad & Tobago in a way that uplifts and respects the intellectualism of diverse populations and forms of expression
Computational Investigation of Significant Agostic Interactions in Metal-Assisted C-H Cleavage
No full textC-H activation reactions, with their ability to cleave stable carbon hydrogen bonds, has revolutionized the world of synthetic chemistry. Directed C-H activation that can cleave specific C-H bonds have allowed functionalization of these molecules from abundant materials enabling synthesis of complex products. By establishing a better understanding of the mechanism, we can devise better strategies for optimizing these C-H activation reactions. C-H bond cleavage typically constitutes the rate- and selectivity-determining step in C-H activation and can occur through a variety of different mechanisms. In this study, we used density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate metal-assisted C-H cleavage with an emphasis on characterizing the agostic complex interaction in this process. While overall mechanism for agostic interactions observed in C-H cleavage processes has been well established, detailed investigation of the mechanism and possible impacts of ligands on these agostic interactions are not well studied. We analyzed Gibbs free energies, Hirshfeld charges, and geometric data to characterize the effects of various ligands on the agostic interaction. Through these studies, we were able to establish a better understanding of the effects of ligands that directly or indirectly participate in the C-H activation process. Moreover, this elucidated possible nuances in the mechanisms which may possibly be applied to improve the efficiency of C-H activation reactions
Influence of RpoH and RpoF overexpression on quinolone, macrolide, and glycopeptide antibiotic tolerance and biofilm growth in E. coli
No full textAntibiotics are used to combat the ever-present threat of infectious diseases, but bacteria are continually evolving an assortment of defenses that allow for survival against even the most potent treatments. Biofilm is a collection of microorganisms that live within an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix adhered to other surfaces. The EPS serves as a protective barrier between a group of microorganisms and their environment, providing a mechanism for the bacteria to withstand increasing concentrations of antibiotics. Using PHL628 E. coli, which readily form robust biofilms in the laboratory, we exogenously overexpressed two transcription factors, RpoH and RpoF, and measured their influence on bacterial survival and biofilm formation during antibiotic treatment. We hypothesized that activation of these pathways, which upregulate genes that respond to thermal stress and nutrient deprivation, respectively, could sensitize bacteria to antibiotic treatment. We considered several classes of antibiotics, including macrolides, glycopeptides, and quinolones. We measured minimum inhibitory concentration of the antibiotic and its impact on biofilm formation using UV-visible spectroscopy. For cells treated with erythromycin and vancomycin, preliminary results suggest that RpoH overexpression promotes an increased antibiotic tolerance at 28℃. These experiments will elucidate the relationship between RpoH and RpoF signaling pathways and antibiotic mechanisms, and could be further explored for the development of adjuvants for existing antibiotics
Characterizing striatum-dopamine interactions in freely-moving mice
No full textChoosing what to do at any given moment is a key brain function largely accomplished by a deep brain region called the striatum. The striatum is a major target of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates reward learning and goal-directed behaviors. Interestingly, the striatum contains specialized regions called ‘patches’ (or striosomes), which simultaneously project to dopamine neurons and suppress dopamine release, acting as a negative feedback loop. Recent studies have demonstrated an important role of striatal patches in action selection, making them well-suited as a putative candidate for sculpting dopamine output in the striatum. Furthermore, previous work from our lab suggests that activation of patches is sufficient to suppress dopamine release in anesthetized mice. However, no studies have fully characterized striatum-dopamine or patch-dopamine interactions during behavior. To examine this, we utilize a novel technique called fiber photometry to detect subsecond fluctuations in striatal signaling via calcium indicators (GCaMP6s/GCaMP8m) and extracellular dopamine levels via dopamine sensors (GRAB-DAr) in freely-moving mice. We first ask how activity in these regions change with locomotor activity in mice, and will nextly assess their effect on reward-related behavioral tasks. Early results suggest that dopamine release may upregulate striatal activity and that striatal activity is linked to locomotor behaviors. In addition, we expect increases in patch activity to be associated with dopamine decreases, or smaller amplitude dopamine signals, to reflect its inhibitory function on dopamine neurons. Together, this work will provide novel insight into how the striatum and dopamine systems coordinate their activity to modify ongoing actions
Course-Based Research: Examining the Neuroprotective Effects of Caffeine in Multiple Systems Atrophy
No full textMultiple Systems Atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cell shrinkage in areas of the brain involved in motor and body function. Our experiments aim to test the effects of caffeine. the cells based on existing research which suggests that caffeine protects against mutant versions of the ��-synuclein protein (Luan et. al 2018). In MSA oligodendrocytes take in these mutated alpha-synuclein proteins, leading to damaged statutory conduction. We thus experimented on oligodendrocyte-93 cells (OLN-93) introduced to alpha-synuclein proteins to identify if caffeine has potential neuroprotective effects in relation to the MSA phenotype. We experimented on OLN-93 cells exposed to three different types of alpha-synuclein: wild-type, A53E, G51D (the latter two are mutations) and empty plasmid cells as a positive control. Following an initial dose-response curve test we looked at cell viability, mitochondrial function, and free radical production following administration of caffeine. The dose response curve determined that the ideal range of caffeine concentrations for OLN-93 cells for potential neuroprotective effects was between 100-200µM.Using an MTT and Sytox assay we concluded that cell viability increased as the concentration of Caffeine increased. Our analysis additionally concluded that mitochondrial membrane potential increased for the two mutations of ∝-synuclein, while ATP production decreased for all OLN-93 models. In future experiments we will look into the effects of caffeine on oxidative stress and free radical production. So far our data yields promising results for further research on the neuroprotective effects of caffeine on MSA phenotypes
Unhand Me: Misogynoir in the Digital Sphere
No full textIn 2010, Black feminist Moya Bailey coined the term misogynoir to give language to the specific strain of oppression that Black women experience. Often especially cruel and sexually charged, this oppression sits at the intersection of antiblackness and misogyny. Misogynoir, though a new term, has existed for centuries prior to Bailey’s coinage. Black women have been enduring its abuses within every fold of life—popular culture, politics, interpersonal interactions—whether Black women are present or not. As technology advanced within the last ten to twenty years, a new, digital sphere of life has emerged and etched itself deeply into the fabric of our society. The digital absorption of life, evidenced by the ever-present nature of social media, inevitably yielded to the digital expansion of misogynoir. This research investigates the existence of misogynoir as an unchecked, unflinching force across the digital sphere, irrespective of the platforms within it. This paper analyzes a wide scope of social media platforms. Inevitably, this project centers observations of white men, white women, and Black men—the three demographics perpetuating this digital harm more than any other. Each group, consciously or not, shares the same harmful perceptions of Black womanhood, allowing digital misogynoir to run rampant, changing forms to suit each platform. Notably, misogynoir is increasingly elusive as it moves from the outskirts to the center of the digital sphere. It is of the utmost importance to investigate and understand these violences, in every form they take. In doing this, the digital will become a safer place for Black women—and, in turn, so will reality