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Index to Nineteenth Century Buildings of Lawrence by Ben Wearing
Get PDFThis index for Ben Wearing's 1955 thesis titled Nineteenth Century Buildings of Lawrence was transcribed from the card catalog entries at the Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. The thesis is available online at http://hdl.handle.net/1808/2569
Production of the cylinder head and crankcase of a small internal combustion engine using metal laser powder bed fusion
Get PDFThis effort investigates the use of metal additive manufacturing, specifically laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for the automotive and defense industries by demonstrating its feasibility to produce working internal combustion (IC) engine components. Through reverse engineering, model modifications, parameter selection, build layout optimization, and support structure design, the production of a titanium crankcase and aluminum cylinder head for a small IC engine was made possible. Computed tomography (CT) scans were subsequently used to quantify whether defects such as cracks, geometric deviations, and porosity were present or critical. Once viability of the parts was established, machining and other post-possessing were completed to create functional parts. Final X-ray CT and micro-CT results showed all critical features fell within ±0.127 mm of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. This allowed reassembly of the engine without any issues hindering later successful operation. Furthermore, the LPBF parts had significantly reduced porosity percentages, potentially making them more robust than their cast counterparts
Dietary overlap and selectivity among mountain steppe river fish in the United States and Mongolia
Get PDFLotic systems in mountain regions have historically provided secure habitat for native fish populations because of their relative isolation from human settlement and lack of upstream disturbances. However, rivers of mountain ecoregions are currently experiencing heightened levels of disturbance due to the introduction of nonnative species impacting endemic fishes in these areas. We compared the fish assemblages and diets of mountain steppe fishes of the stocked rivers in Wyoming with rivers in northern Mongolia where stocking is absent. Using gut content analysis, we quantified the selectivity and diets of fishes collected in these systems. Nonnative species had more generalist diets with lower levels of selectivity than most native species and native species had high levels of dietary specificity and selectivity. High abundances of nonnative species and high levels of dietary overlaps in our Wyoming sites is a cause of concern for native Cutthroat Trout and overall system stability. In contrast, fish assemblages characterizing Mongolia mountain steppe rivers were composed of only native species with diverse diets and higher selectivity values, suggesting low probability for interspecific competition
Off-target piRNA gene silencing in Drosophila melanogaster rescued by a transposable element insertion
Get PDFTransposable elements (TE) are selfish genetic elements that can cause harmful mutations. In Drosophila, it has been estimated that half of all spontaneous visible marker phenotypes are mutations caused by TE insertions. Several factors likely limit the accumulation of exponentially amplifying TEs within genomes. First, synergistic interactions between TEs that amplify their harm with increasing copy number are proposed to limit TE copy number. However, the nature of this synergy is poorly understood. Second, because of the harm posed by TEs, eukaryotes have evolved systems of small RNA-based genome defense to limit transposition. However, as in all immune systems, there is a cost of autoimmunity and small RNA-based systems that silence TEs can inadvertently silence genes flanking TE insertions. In a screen for essential meiotic genes in Drosophila melanogaster, a truncated Doc retrotransposon within a neighboring gene was found to trigger the germline silencing of ald, the Drosophila Mps1 homolog, a gene essential for proper chromosome segregation in meiosis. A subsequent screen for suppressors of this silencing identified a new insertion of a Hobo DNA transposon in the same neighboring gene. Here we describe how the original Doc insertion triggers flanking piRNA biogenesis and local gene silencing. We show that this local gene silencing occurs in cis and is dependent on deadlock, a component of the Rhino-Deadlock-Cutoff (RDC) complex, to trigger dual-strand piRNA biogenesis at TE insertions. We further show how the additional Hobo insertion leads to de-silencing by reducing flanking piRNA biogenesis triggered by the original Doc insertion. These results support a model of TE-mediated gene silencing by piRNA biogenesis in cis that depends on local determinants of transcription. This may explain complex patterns of off-target gene silencing triggered by TEs within populations and in the laboratory. It also provides a mechanism of sign epistasis among TE insertions, illuminates the complex nature of their interactions and supports a model in which off-target gene silencing shapes the evolution of the RDC complex
Cations on Board, Ready for Takeoff: Using Vanadyl and Its Terminal Oxo to Probe Ligand Donor Strength in Heterobimetallic Complexes
Get PDFSubmitted to the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Departmental Honors in Chemistry.The coordination chemistry of heterobimetallic complexes has become a highly studied research topic in the broader field of inorganic chemistry. This can be attributed in part to the appealing opportunities that are afforded by assembly of well-defined complexes containing two (or more) different metals. In particular, it has been shown that the properties of a core metal center can be systematically varied by incorporation of secondary metal cations in close proximity. In this thesis, a possible origin of these tuning effects has been explored though use of the vanadyl moiety as a spectroscopic and structural probe. Vanadyl, or oxovanadium(IV), is a dicationic, paramagnetic species bearing a terminal oxo ligand that is quite chemically robust, making it ideal for use as a probe moiety. The studies presented in this thesis represent an extended examination of the origin of such tuning effects, with a particular attention paid to adapting synthesis and characterization methods to complexities that arise due to inclusion of vanadyl. Chapter 1 describes structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical studies conducted with heterobimetallic vanadyl complexes containing a series of mono-valent cations (i.e., potassium) and a di-valent cation (calcium). This chapter mentions the synthesis of a heterobimetallic complex incorporating the lithium cation, but this compound and its speciation profile are described in detail in Chapter 2. The complex containing lithium appears to behave differently than the other heterobimetallic complexes reported here and thus it is described separately. Chapter 3 describes spectroscopic experimentation on heterobimetallic complexes based on the same ligand framework as those in Chapters 1 and 2 but presents expansion of our previous series of complexes to analogues containing trivalent cations. Taken together, the results assembled in this thesis paint a comprehensive picture of the tuning effects that Lewis acidic metal cations can exert on the vanadyl ion
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) Infected Cell Protein 0 (ICP0) Targets of Ubiquitination during Productive Infection of Primary Adult Sensory Neurons
Get PDFHerpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) enters sensory neurons with the potential for productive or latent infection. For either outcome, HSV-1 must curtail the intrinsic immune response, regulate viral gene expression, and remove host proteins that could restrict viral processes. Infected cell protein 0 (ICP0), a virus-encoded E3 ubiquitin ligase, supports these processes by mediating the transfer of ubiquitin to target proteins to change their location, alter their function, or induce their degradation. To identify ubiquitination targets of ICP0 during productive infection in sensory neurons, we immunoprecipitated ubiquitinated proteins from primary adult sensory neurons infected with HSV-1 KOS (wild-type), HSV-1 n212 (expressing truncated, defective ICP0), and uninfected controls using anti-ubiquitin antibody FK2 (recognizing K29, K48, K63 and monoubiquitinated proteins), followed by LC-MS/MS and comparative analyses. We identified 40 unique proteins ubiquitinated by ICP0 and 17 ubiquitinated by both ICP0 and host mechanisms, of which High Mobility Group Protein I/Y (HMG I/Y) and TAR DNA Binding Protein 43 (TDP43) were selected for further analysis. We show that ICP0 ubiquitinates HMG I/Y and TDP43, altering protein expression at specific time points during productive HSV-1 infection, demonstrating that ICP0 manipulates the sensory neuronal environment in a time-dependent manner to regulate infection outcome in neurons
Discovering Themes in Deep Brain Stimulation Research Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence
Get PDFA grant from the One-University Open Access Fund at the University of Kansas was used to defray the author's publication fees in this Open Access journal. The Open Access Fund, administered by librarians from the KU, KU Law, and KUMC libraries, is made possible by contributions from the offices of KU Provost, KU Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and KUMC Vice Chancellor for Research. For more information about the Open Access Fund, please see http://library.kumc.edu/authors-fund.xml.Deep brain stimulation is a treatment that controls symptoms by changing brain activity. The complexity of how to best treat brain dysfunction with deep brain stimulation has spawned research into artificial intelligence approaches. Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that uses computers to learn patterns in data and has many healthcare applications, such as an aid in diagnosis, personalized medicine, and clinical decision support. Yet, how machine learning models make decisions is often opaque. The spirit of explainable artificial intelligence is to use machine learning models that produce interpretable solutions. Here, we use topic modeling to synthesize recent literature on explainable artificial intelligence approaches to extracting domain knowledge from machine learning models relevant to deep brain stimulation. The results show that patient classification (i.e., diagnostic models, precision medicine) is the most common problem in deep brain stimulation studies that employ explainable artificial intelligence. Other topics concern attempts to optimize stimulation strategies and the importance of explainable methods. Overall, this review supports the potential for artificial intelligence to revolutionize deep brain stimulation by personalizing stimulation protocols and adapting stimulation in real time
Proceedings of the 2023 Hawk Talks
Get PDFThis volume contains the proceedings of the 2023 Hawk Talk Conference held on April 28th at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus in Overland Park, Kansas.The 2023 Hawk Talks Conference Proceedings showcase works from students representing a diverse range of programs, including Applied Biological Sciences, American Sign Language and Deaf Studies, Psychology, and Biotechnology. Hawk Talks Conference are opportunities for students to present year-end capstone, honors, and independent research projects. The agenda of talks and poster presentations, abstracts, and short biographies appear for all presenters.
Hawk Talks provides a platform for student researchers to come together and share their latest findings and discoveries. This convention serves as a means to stay up-to-date with the latest research taking place on the University of Kansas’ Edwards Campus
The Influence of Climate on Flourishing and Motivational Outcomes for U.S. Masters Swimmers
Get PDFThe climate in which older adults exercise and participate in sport may play a role in promoting a lifetime commitment to exercising. However, little research has examined the relationship of caring (C) and task-involving (TI) climates, motivation, and well-being with respect to older adult athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Masters swimmers’ perceptions of the climate, effort, enjoyment, and flourishing as well as explore the mediating effects of effort and enjoyment on the relationship between climate and flourishing. U.S. Masters swimmers (n = 294; Mage = 63.57 years; 84.40% White) with 1–80 years of swimming experience (M = 34.54 years) participating in coach-led programs completed an online survey. The results of latent variable, multiple-mediator analyses via structural equation modeling revealed two important contributions to the literature: (1) when Masters swimmers perceived that they were in C and TI climates, they were more likely to report higher levels of effort and greater enjoyment and flourishing; (2) the Masters swimmers’ effort levels directly influenced their flourishing, mediating the relationship between climates and flourishing. This research has important implications for practice and policy, as U.S. Masters Swimming appears to be a fruitful avenue for promoting an enjoyable physical activity that can be experienced throughout a lifetime
Texas Senate Bill 8 significantly reduced travel to abortion clinics in Texas
Get PDFThe Dobbs v. Jackson decision by the United States Supreme Court has rescinded the constitutional guarantee of abortion across the United States. As a result, at least 13 states have banned abortion access with unknown effects. Using “Texas” SB8 law that similarly restricted abortions in Texas, we provide insight into how individuals respond to these restrictions using aggregated and anonymized human mobility data. We find that “Texas” SB 8 law reduced mobility near abortion clinics in Texas by people who live in Texas and those who live outside the state. We also find that mobility from Texas to abortion clinics in other states increased, with notable increases in Missouri and Arkansas, two states that subsequently enacted post-Dobbs bans. These results highlight the importance of out-of-state abortion services for women living in highly restrictive states