Theoretical analysis of DNA bridge-mediated electron transfer (ET) led to the proposal that photoinduced ET might occur via either superexchange or hopping mechanisms. Electron transfer has been proposed to occur via a superexchange mechanism at short distances and via a hopping mechanism at longer distances. However, a crossover in mechanism...
In recent years, moral and political philosophers have begun to focus upon the impact of pluralism on conceptions of civic obligation, legitimacy, and justice. According to the political liberalism of John Rawls, citizens should justify their political views in terms of values that are neutral among divergent worldviews; they should...
In this dissertation, we explore modeling and solution methods for intermodal drayage operations. This research is motivated by the need to provide operational choices in drayage operations to increase efficiency; however, as shown in our work, the introduction of this flexibility in modeling and solution methods is challenging.
Intermodal freight...
Early-life seizures increase susceptibility to seizures in adulthood. However, mechanisms by which seizures in the developing brain lead to increased vulnerability to seizures and exacerbation of neurological injury in adulthood remain unknown. We test the hypothesis that upregulation of proinflammatory cytokine levels and chronic glial activation following early-life seizures result...
For bone regeneration, there is need for biodegradable, synthetic scaffolds that direct the formation of <em>de novo</em> mineralized tissue. Orthopaedic implants additionally require mechanical function. The work described herein attempts to address both of these needs. The general strategy involves integrating molecularly designed tissue engineering scaffolds with porous metallic foams...
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play a fundamental role in cell growth, metabolism and survival. Altered cell surface expression of RTKs has profound effects on organismal physiology and is associated with both metabolic disease and neoplasia. The insulin receptor (IR) is a prototypical RTK that regulates metabolism and lifespan and as...
Many ion channels are localized in specific subcellular domain of the neurons, and the proper localization is critical for the function of ion channels. Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels (h channels) are asymmetrically distributed in the CA1 pyramidal neurons, enriched in the distal apical dendrites. H current, generated by h...
This study explores the history of Bugwere, Busoga and Buganda, societies in present-day east-central Uganda, from the late first millennium and it does so through a focus on motherhood. Motherhood - as ideology and biology - impacted on almost every aspect of life in these societies, but did so in...
This dissertation describes the use of alkanethiols and polymers for the development of lithographic affinity and resist array templates that can be utilized for directing the assembly of biological molecules, for building up multilayered polyelectrolyte thin films, and for fabricating metal solid-state nanostructures. The first two chapters of the work...
Sensing is a fundamental operation for almost any motion-based system. We have chosen electrosensory systems as a platform to explore sensing and control in both artificial and biological systems. Electrosense is a convenient sensing modality because artificial electrosensory systems are relatively simple to implement, and weakly electric fish have some...