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- Title
- Characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa NQR Complex, a Novel Form of Bacterial Proton Pump, and the Ubiquinone Binding Site
- Creator
- Raba, Daniel Alexander
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
The proton/sodium pumping NADH:Ubiquinone oxidoreductase enzyme complex (NQR) plays a key role in the energy metabolism of a diverse range of...
Show moreThe proton/sodium pumping NADH:Ubiquinone oxidoreductase enzyme complex (NQR) plays a key role in the energy metabolism of a diverse range of bacteria, including pathogenic species such as Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as others. Residing in the cytoplasmic membrane of these bacteria, the enzyme couples the transfer of electrons to the pumping of cations across the cell membrane. In all previously studied homologues, the enzyme generates a sodium gradient through its pumping activity that can be utilized by the cell to power essential homeostatic processes. Furthermore, the electrochemical gradient generated by this enzyme has been shown to regulate the production of virulent factors and the efficacy of antibiotic extrusion and elimination. Although certain homologues have been investigated, particularly that of V. cholerae (Vc-NQR), the NQR homologues belonging to important pathogenic species have not been well studied. In the research detailed in this thesis, the first characterization of the NQR of P. aeruginosa (Pa-NQR) is described which identified this homologue as a new form of bacterial proton pump, differentiating it from all other studied homologues of NQR. Additionally, as part of this study our research group characterized the mechanism of inhibition of Pa-NQR by the molecule HQNO which is produced by P. aeruginosa and is known to be a strong inhibitor of Vc-NQR. Our results show that Pa-NQR possesses resistance to inhibition by this molecule compared to Vc-NQR, pinpointing residue F155 of subunit D as being important to resistance and the type of inhibition to be partial-mixed. Moreover, in further developing the understanding of the NQR of V. cholerae, we investigated the binding site of ubiquinone, the final electron acceptor of NQR’s electron transfer process, determining residues P185, L190, and F193 to be important for maintaining the structural composition of the ubiquinone pocket, ensuring efficient substrate binding and catalysis.
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- Title
- Momentum, Volatility, and Risk-based Allocation
- Creator
- Qian, Junkai
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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This study introduces a coherent framework that links together various momentum measures, market beta, and idiosyncratic risk (IRISK)....
Show moreThis study introduces a coherent framework that links together various momentum measures, market beta, and idiosyncratic risk (IRISK). Momentum is measured as lagged 12-month price momentum (MOM) and volatility adjusted momentum (MOMV). The interaction effect of the three factors is tested. It is found that for 70.64% of the time, a high beta high IRISK stock is more likely to be a top 30% MOM stock than a mid 40% MOM stock. Top MOM exhibits significant bias, 30.81% on average, on high beta high IRISK stocks. Such bias tends to be weaker late in an economy recession. In contrast, top MOMV is less sensitive to high beta and high IRISK. Further, for both MOM and MOMV, it is shown that equally weighted momentum portfolios are driven by high beta high IRISK stocks, especially during a momentum crash. To enhance momentum strategies, risk-based weighting schemes, minimum variance (minVar) and risk parity (ERC), are implemented. In the long run, ERC shows a slight improvement compared to equally weighting, while minVar is able to significantly reduce total risk and tail loss at a cost of sacrifice in performance. A dynamic risk weighting scheme based on changes in market dispersion is proposed to balance the benefit and cost of miVar. Such approach is shown to significantly reduce tail loss and improve Sharpe ratio.
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- Title
- Improving Methods to Measure the Transport of Outdoor Pollutants into Residential Indoor Environments
- Creator
- Zhao, Haoran
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
Human exposure to ambient pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, and oxides of nitrogen are associated with a variety of adverse health...
Show moreHuman exposure to ambient pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, and oxides of nitrogen are associated with a variety of adverse health effects in epidemiology studies. However, much of human exposure to outdoor pollutants occurs inside residential buildings where people spend the majority of their time. One important determinant of indoor exposures to pollutants of outdoor origin is the “penetration factor” of the building envelope, which characterizes the ability of the building enclosure assembly to filter outdoor air as it infiltrates indoors. To date, measurements of envelope penetration factors for various outdoor pollutants in real indoor environments remain extremely limited, in part because current methods suffer from high costs, high uncertainty, and high levels of invasiveness presented to building occupants. Therefore, the research objectives in this dissertation aims to (1) develop and/or refine (as applicable) methods to measure the penetration of outdoor particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen oxides in buildings and (2) apply them to characterize a diverse sample of residential buildings in Chicago, IL, including single-family homes, multi-family homes, and homes before and after they undergo energy efficiency retrofits. Results from this research will provide refined methods that others can use in field measurements and novel data for modelers to better assess indoor exposures to outdoor pollutants, which can then be used to improve exposure assessments for epidemiology studies.
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- Title
- Characterization of the role of His257 of vibrio cholerae ApbE in the flavin transfer reaction
- Creator
- Yuan, Ming
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
ApbE is a novel enzyme that transfers flavin cofactors into subunits NqrB and NqrC of the sodium-dependent NADH dehydrogenase (Na+-NQR). As...
Show moreApbE is a novel enzyme that transfers flavin cofactors into subunits NqrB and NqrC of the sodium-dependent NADH dehydrogenase (Na+-NQR). As the first enzyme of the bacterial respiratory chain, the function of Na+-NQR affects the survival and development of pathogenicity in many disease-causing bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae. Our preliminary studies indicate that His257 plays a key role in the catalytic activity of ApbE, and that it is an essential component in the transfer of FMN to NqrC. In order to further study how His257 is specifically involved in the catalytic reaction of ApbE, we produced and characterized four mutants: H257G, H257E, H257K, and H257T; in the presence of the activator, K+. Our data showed that mutants H257E and H257K present minimal flavin transfer activity. Interestingly, the mutants H257G and H257T showed activity several times higher compared to the other mutants, however, their activities were still smaller when compared to wild-type. The data suggests that His257 has a very important role for ApbE activity, but that it is not essential. Furthermore, steady-state kinetics showed that the mutants have similar substrate KM values with the wild-type. In addition, double reciprocal plots from bi-substrate titrations showed that ApbE follows a sequential kinetic mechanism where a ternary complex is formed during the reaction.
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- Title
- Witnesses with Disabilities in Court: Differences in Mock Jurors' Perceptions of Credibility Between Disability Groups and Juror Factors Associated with Credibility Perceptions
- Creator
- Stevenson, Rebekah
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
Individuals with disabilities face multiple barriers and vulnerabilities in society, including violent crime victimization at a rate nearly 2...
Show moreIndividuals with disabilities face multiple barriers and vulnerabilities in society, including violent crime victimization at a rate nearly 2-3 higher than that of the general population. Despite these disproportionately higher rates of victimization, crimes committed against individuals with disabilities rarely result in criminal prosecution and conviction. One possible explanation for such a discrepancy is that jurors perceive individuals with disabilities as less credible witnesses than witnesses from the general population.The present study used a modified Credibility Comparisons Questionnaire to identify differences in potential juror perceptions of credibility between specific disability groups, including witnesses with intellectual disability and witnesses with deafness. Additionally, the study aimed to identify juror characteristics that may be associated with credibility perceptions. The survey was administered to 114 potential jurors recruited through SurveyMonkey Audience. The data were analyzed using a one-way within-subjects ANOVA and multiple regression analyses.The results of the study suggest that potential jurors may perceive witnesses with intellectual disability as less credible overall than witnesses with deafness and typical adult witnesses. Additionally, potential jurors may perceive witnesses with deafness as more accurate and less suggestible than witnesses with intellectual disability and typical adult witnesses. These findings highlight the important role rehabilitation psychologists may play in providing education to legal professionals and jurors regarding a witness’ abilities and limitations, as well as providing techniques to help witnesses compensate for specific deficits so that they are not precluded from testifying in court.
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- Title
- SEARCH FOR STERILE NEUTRINO OSCILLATIONS WITH THE PROSPECT EXPERIMENT
- Creator
- Surukuchi, Pranava Teja
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
Neutrinos have been one of the most interesting particles to study for the best part of the last century. Ever since the first discovery of...
Show moreNeutrinos have been one of the most interesting particles to study for the best part of the last century. Ever since the first discovery of neutrinos, various experiments using both natural and artificial neutrino sources have helped in determining the nature of neutrinos. In particular, experiments in the last two decades helped determine the neutrino oscillation parameters. Although three neutrino picture is well established, discrepancies have been observed in some recent reactor, accelerator, and source neutrino experiments hinting at the existence of a fourth weakly non-interacting neutrino called a sterile neutrino. Additional experimental investigation is needed to test the sterile neutrino hypothesis and identify the source of discrepancies. PROSPECT is a short-baseline reactor antineutrino experiment designed to search for sterile neutrinos and make a precise measurement of 235U reactor antineutrino spectrum from the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory located in Tennessee. The PROSPECT detector is segmented with 6Li-loaded liquid scintillator as the target. The design and development of the PROSPECT detector started in 2014 and the assembly and installation have finished by early 2018. PROSPECT detector has been collecting data since March 2018. The design, development, and installation of the detector is discussed with a particular emphasis on the components designed and developed at Illinois Institute of Technology. The detector calibration, event reconstruction, and data quality are also discussed. Finally, the sterile neutrino search using 33 days of reactor on data and 29 days of reactor off data is presented.
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- Title
- DOES SYSTEMATIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELLS) MEET THEIR PROFESSIONAL NEEDS AND WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEPTIONS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-EFFICACY TO TEACH SCIENCE TO ELLS?
- Creator
- Degand, Lillian H
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
ABSTRACTProfessional learning is essential for science teacher preparation to teach science and part of a national movement to prepare...
Show moreABSTRACTProfessional learning is essential for science teacher preparation to teach science and part of a national movement to prepare students, including English Language Learners, (ELLs) for the demands of a 21st century workforce. The purpose of this research was to explore a) what science teachers feel they need in professional development to meet the needs of teaching science to ELL students; b) if science teachers demonstrate best practices learned in PD when teaching ELLs; and c) if there is a relationship between perceptions of professional development and self-efficacy in teaching science to ELLs.. Little is known about what science teachers need in their professional learning to effectively teach science to ELLs. Four data collection phases were used to ascertain teacher needs, preparedness, self-efficacy, and their ability to teach science to ELLs. The data were collected through two surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and case studies. The data were analyzed using a correlation analysis of the two surveys or coding interviews and observations into themes in relation to each research question. Findings in this study revealed no correlation between perceptions of PD and self-efficacy when teaching science to ELLs. Professional learning needs for science teachers with 50%> ELLs included sustained PD in science and ESOL, language development strategies, technology and material resources, and support for teaching from additional personnel and administrators. Most teachers were utilizing best practices when teaching science to ELLs but to varying degrees and had high scores in self-efficacy though they believed they were not prepared to meet the needs of ELL’s. Consequently, discovering science teachers’ needs by engaging them, as stakeholders in a process to include their needs, will create a structure that can design PD which can promote science among ELLs and today’s cultural and diverse classrooms.Keywords: professional development, self-efficacy, ELLs.
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- Title
- ROLES OF RESPIRATORY CHAIN ENZYMES IN BIOFILM FORMATION OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA
- Creator
- DING, JIE
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, resistant to many antibiotics. It can cause several chronic infections such...
Show morePseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, resistant to many antibiotics. It can cause several chronic infections such as lung, bloodstream, urinary tract, and surgical wound infections. This bacterium produces biofilms which confer resistance to hazardous environments. P. aeruginosa contains five stages of colony development, which are planktonic attachment, cell to cell adhesion, proliferation, maturation, and dispersion. After five stages, biofilms of P. aeruginosa are matured. The biofilm structure produced by P. aeruginosa is important for cell survival, providing protection and resistance to harsh environment and antibiotics. In this research, the biofilms formed by wildtype strain PA01 and mutated strains of PA14, including NDH-2, NQR F, and NUO I, were developed in LB medium and Artificial Urine Medium separately for 96 hours. After washing, collecting, and staining the biofilms, the analyses of measurement of OD562 showed that in LB medium, PA01 formed more biofilms than mutants while NUO I and NDH2 had less biofilms, although not significantly. In AUM the situation was different. PA01 formed least biofilms while NQR F formed largest biofilms than any other strains. Also, the NDH-2 formed more biofilms than NUO I in AUM. The deficiencies of enzymes loss in those strains result in growing biofilm concentrations. Because the difference was not significant, we can only say that the NQR and NADH dehydrogenases have important roles in biofilm formation.
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- Title
- Emotion Regulation Flexibility and Eating Pathology
- Creator
- Dougherty, Elizabeth
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Research suggests that individuals with eating disorders use more maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in response to emotional distress....
Show moreResearch suggests that individuals with eating disorders use more maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in response to emotional distress. However, these studies do not consider that the efficacy of emotion regulation strategies vary across situations. Recent evidence suggests that healthy emotion regulation is characterized by an ability to flexibly choose between emotion regulation strategies across changing contexts. Despite evidence supporting this conceptualization of healthy emotion regulation, no research has investigated it in relation to eating pathology. This study examined whether eating pathology and difficulties in emotion regulation were associated with emotion regulation choice patterns and flexibility. Female college students (N = 50) completed self-report questionnaires and a laboratory-based emotion regulation choice task to assess emotion regulation flexibility. Generalized estimating equations indicated that individuals with higher levels of eating pathology displayed similar emotion regulation choice patterns and flexibility as those with low levels of eating pathology. Individuals who displayed specific types of emotion regulation difficulties (i.e., emotional clarity, emotional awareness and impulse control difficulties) displayed different emotion regulation choice patterns and flexibility compared to individuals without such difficulties. These results suggest that specific difficulties in emotion regulation have a greater influence on emotion regulation choice patterns and flexibility than eating pathology.
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- Title
- Franczyk, Brian, Oral History Interview, 2011
- Date
- 2011-05-01
- Description
-
Video interview with Brian Franczyk, who received an BS in Design from the Institute of Design in 1979. Franczyk recounts his experience as an...
Show moreVideo interview with Brian Franczyk, who received an BS in Design from the Institute of Design in 1979. Franczyk recounts his experience as an undergraduate student under Arthur Siegel. Running time is 9:40 minutes.
Show less - Collection
- Institute of Design Photography Oral History Project, 2011
- Title
- A Longitudinal Study of the Progression of Preservice and In-service Science Teachers' Abilities to Teach Inquiry-based Science
- Creator
- Bartley, Jeanette
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
All teachers are expected to teach inquiry-based science by the National Science Education Standards, the National Association of Science...
Show moreAll teachers are expected to teach inquiry-based science by the National Science Education Standards, the National Association of Science Teachers, and the Next Generation Science Standards (NRC, 1996; NSTA, 2012; NGSS Lead States, 2013). If this is the mandate for teachers of science, what does this look like over time for teachers? The current study was a longitudinal study focused on tracking the development of four science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional practices over time. The key research question was How do beginning science teachers from a preservice teacher education program that focuses specifically on inquiry-based science instruction conceptualize teaching science as inquiry as they move through preservice education, induction, and in-service?Four science teachers (one middle school and three high school) from the same preservice teacher education program were followed during their student teaching practicum and first four years as beginning science teachers. Findings from this study suggest that beginning science teachers’ abilities to teach inquiry-based science over time are situational. It is heavily rooted in their values, beliefs, and the contexts in which they teach. The findings also suggest that regardless of a science teacher’s attitudes, values and beliefs about science teaching, the context in which they teach is important and can positively or negatively impact their abilities and willingness to teach inquiry-based science.
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- Title
- Optimal Execution Strategy with Time-varying Intraday Patterns of Liquidity Parameters
- Creator
- Ge, Xinyi
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
ABSTRACTThis paper suggests an optimal execution strategy to minimize expectedcost of a large size order within a fixed time period. Based on ...
Show moreABSTRACTThis paper suggests an optimal execution strategy to minimize expectedcost of a large size order within a fixed time period. Based on [42]’s price impactmodel, I include time varying bid-ask spread, a measure of market width as aparameter into the problem, and let not only width, but also depth (order booksize) and resiliency time dependent in a trading day. In addition, I utilize meanreversion regression models to estimate mean resiliency ratio as a parameter inthe execution strategy, with S&P 500 stock data in year 2012. U-shaped intradaypatterns of resiliency are presented when measured by bid-ask spreads, whileCotangent-shaped patterns are shown measured by market depths. Resiliencymovement is then predicted using machine learning techniques. In the end, Iconduct empirical experiments with all three time dependent liquidity parametersand obtain same conclusions with numeric examples. I find out higher expectednet cost savings comparing to costs from model with constant liquidity parameters.Market depth is the primary parameter to the strategy while width and resiliencyare not ignorable. When resiliency is low, cost saving is substantial.
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- Title
- Development of multirate data-driven models for chemical and biological processes
- Creator
- Gan, Jingwei
- Date
- 2019
- Description
-
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have extensive biomedical application and are produced in mammalian cell bioreactor at a variety of scales, with...
Show moreMonoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have extensive biomedical application and are produced in mammalian cell bioreactor at a variety of scales, with glucose and glutamine being the principle carbon and nitrogen sources required for cellular metabolism. Fed-batch operation has certain inherent advantage over batch culture for MAbs production. Design, optimization, scale-up, and control of bioreactor used for MAbs production requires reliable predictive empirical or mechanistic models for key cellular activity. The models used in prior studies have largely been the first principle based models (FPMs), although data-driven models are receiving increasing attention due to their certain inherent benefits and increasing information available about biological processes. The simpler and much less rigid structure of data-driven models facilitates frequent updating of parameters and prediction of process trajectories, increasing their utility in representation, monitoring and control of these processes.Multi-sampling rate recursive time series models are developed for representation of a mammalian cell culture, with process variables that are determinants of the performance of the culture being measured at different sampling frequencies. For this reason, a composite of an adaptive autoregressive moving average with exogenous input (ARMAX) model, a dual-rate adaptive autoregressive exogenous input (DR-ARX) model and a irregular-rate adaptive autoregressive exogenous input (IR-ARX) model is used. Appropriate parameter constraints have been imposed in parameter estimation algorithms and stability of these has been examined and is ensured. The data required of estimation of parameters are generated from simulation experiments using a well tested first principle-based kinetic model (FPM) considering random variations in manipulated inputs, kinetic parameters in the FPM, and measurement error for outputs. Glucose and glutamine being determinants of mammalian cell metabolism, their supply rates are considered to be inputs. The predictive ability of the data-driven model is examined and demonstrated over a broad range of prediction horizon.
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- Title
- Porett, Thomas, Oral History, 2011
- Date
- 2011
- Description
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Thomas Porett, who received an MS in Photography from the Institute of design, provides an audio-recorded account of his experience at the...
Show moreThomas Porett, who received an MS in Photography from the Institute of design, provides an audio-recorded account of his experience at the school and as a student under Aaron Siskind; Porett also describes his own photography with the interviewer. The identity of the interviewer in this recording is unknown.
Show less - Collection
- Institute of Design Photography Oral History Project, 2011
- Title
- Kappa Phi Delta bake sale, Lewis Institute, Chicago, Illinois, ca. 1937
- Date
- 1937
- Description
-
Photograph of students at a Kappa Phi Delta bake sale in the Lewis Institute building. Date of photograph is unknown. Date listed is approximate.
- Collection
- Lewis Institute records, 1827-1984
- Title
- They Aren't Like Me, They are Bad, and They are to Blame: A Theoretically-Informed Study of Stigma of Hoarding Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Date
- 2018, 2018
- Publisher
- Elsevier