As antibiotic resistance has become a major global threat, the World Health Organization has urgently called scientists for alternative strategies for control of bacterial infections. Endolysin, a protein encoded by a phage gene, can degrade bacterial peptidoglycan (PG). Currently, there are three endolysin products in the clinical phase. We, thus, are interested in exploring novel endolysins from Streptomyces phages as only a few of them have been experimentally characterized. Using bioinformatics tools, we identified nine functional domain groups from 250 Streptomyces phages putative endolysins. NootNoot gp34 (transglycosylase; Nt34lys), Nabi gp26 (amidase; Nb26lys), Tribute gp42 (PGRP; Tb42lys), and LazerLemon gp35 (CHAP; LL35lys) were selected for experimental studies. We hypothesized that (1) the proteins of interest will have the ability to degrade PG, and (2) the proteins will be potential antimicrobial agents against ESKAPE safe relatives. The results showed that LL35lys, Nb26lys and Tb42lys exhibit PG-degrading activity on zymography and hydrolysis assay. The enzymes (400 µg/mL) can reduce PG turbidity to 32-40%. The killing assay suggested that Tb42lys possess a boarder range (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, Acinetobacter baylyi and Klebsiella aerogenes). While Nb26lys can attack Gram-negative bacteria, LL35lys can only reduce the growth of the Gram-positive strains with an MIC90 of 2 …

Due to an increasingly aging population and long-term care available, the number of older adults seeking long-term care facilities is growing. Resident satisfaction indicators have become essential measurements of service quality. However, few studies have investigated the evidence on prevalent resident satisfaction indicators and associated factors. In order to understand what are the types of resident satisfaction measurements utilized in long-term care facilities in the United States and how these types of care services influence resident satisfaction, the researcher conducted the first study, which consists of a systematic scoping review by summarizing the evidence on the types of resident satisfaction indicators utilized in long-term care settings in the United States. The second study completed a further systematic review to summarize how nursing assistants impact resident satisfaction in long-term care settings.The third study aims to translate and validate a Chinese version of the resident satisfaction assessment based on the Ohio Long-term Care Resident Satisfaction Survey (OLCRSS). The fourth study will apply hierarchical regression to predict older adults' satisfaction with individual factors and care services factors in long-term care settings. The dissertation provided a holistic solution to measure resident satisfaction in long-term care settings, assist health providers in meeting the resident`s needs …

In Medicago truncatula, the MtNPF1.7 transporter has been shown to be essential for root morphology and nodulation development. The allelic MtNPF1.7 mutants, Mtnip-1 (A497V), Mtnip-3 (E171K), and Mtlatd (W341STOP), show altered lateral root growth and compromised legume-rhizobium symbiosis. To assess the role of a series of distinct amino acids in the transporter's function, in silico structural predictions were combined with in planta complementation of the severely defective Mtnip-1 mutant plants. The findings support hypotheses about the functional importance of the ExxE(R/K) motif including an essential role for the first glutamic acid of the motif in proton(s) and possibly substrate transport. The results also question the existence of a putative TMH4-TMH10 salt bridge, which may not form in MtNPF1.7. Results reveal that a motif conserved among MFS proteins, Motif A, is essential for function. Hypothetically, the Motif A participates in intradomain packing of transmembrane helices and stabilizing one conformation during transport. The mutated valine (A497V) in Mtnip-1 may interfere with the lateral helix. Mutating a residue (L253) on the lateral helix with reduced side chain restored Mtnip-1 function. The predicted residue (Q351) for substrate binding is not essential for protein function. To probe the possibility that MtNPF1.7 transports auxin, two heterologous …

The Texas High Plains produces the most substantial amount of cotton in Texas. The region is a semi-arid area with limited precipitation, and it is, therefore, susceptible to climate change. Cotton production in the Texas High Plains is mostly dependent on irrigation to increase yield. The overall goal of this research was to study the interrelationships between climate change and cotton yield using correlation analysis and also to study how climate has changed in the region using trend analysis. A three-decade data (1987-2017) was analyzed to establish the relationship between climate change and cotton and also to determine how climate has changed in the area over the last 30 years. The research used precipitation and temperature data to assess climate change.The results of this research showed that annual mean temperature has lesser impacts on cotton yield, and the correlation between annual precipitation and cotton yield is insignificant. It also found out that high rates of temperature at the boll opening stage of cotton growth results in decreased cotton yield and that at the boll development and boll opening stages, precipitation is needed. Again, the research indicated that, on average, there had been a significant increase in temperature, but precipitation trends …

High levels of quality father involvement in childhood are associated with children's socio-emotional, cognitive, and behavioral wellbeing. However, fathers can experience difficulty in building positive relationships with their kids due to work-life balance, lack of relational experience, and other life stressors. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of child-parent relationship therapy (CPRT) on fathers' parental empathy, parental stress, and child behavior problems. Though an abundance of literature exists to support the efficacy of CPRT, this was the first study to include a randomized controlled design with an all-male sample. This was also the first CPRT study to include both English and Spanish speaking fathers with intervention offered in both languages. Participants were 30 fathers (22 English, 8 Spanish; 53% Latino, 40% Caucasian, 7% Asian) with children between the ages of 3 and 10 (60% male, 40% female; 57% Latino/a, 37% Caucasian, 6% Asian). Fathers were randomly assigned to the experimental group (CPRT) (n = 14) or waitlist control group (n = 16). Results from 2 (Group) by 2 (Time) repeated measures ANOVAs did not yield statistically significant interaction effects on the dependent variables. However, results indicated a statistically significant main effect for time on each dependent …

The aim of the study was to identify the factors that have an influence on the completion rates of undergraduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Using Tinto's retention rate theory as the theoretical foundation, data were collected from freshman who were enrolled in the years 2005 to 2008. Results showed gender and first-generation status were significant predictors of STEM completion and time taken to complete the degree. Institutional bias played a role in race/ethnicity not being a factor affecting completion rates, as this study was conducted at a Predominantly White Institution. SAT scores and first and second-year college GPA showed to have the most prominent influence on both STEM completion rate and time taken to complete the degree. Females with higher first-year college GPA and higher high school rank finished faster. Similar results were found with first-generation students as well. Students belonging to ethnic minority groups with higher SAT scores and college GPA had greater success in STEM fields as well. The study results can be used to increase completion rates of underrepresented students in the STEM fields, given what we know about the interactions between underrepresented student groups and the most important predictors.

The problem of investigating the possibilities of direct design transfer from plant to fabric and paper was divided into two parts. The first part is concerned with the exploration of the mechanics of the transfer. Invloved in this process are the technique of manipulating tools, of selecting suitable fabrics and paper, of determining chemicals that would facilitate the printing process and of experimenting with ways to preserve the finished design. The evaluation of the usability and durability of the finished print was based on a series of color fastness tests. The second part of this problem is concerned with the exploration of the design possibilities of the medium. The plants were tested and rated according to their visual attributes relative to the elements of design. Combinations of the successful plant prints were used to produce variations of pattern and texture. The results of the investigation were evaluated to determine the versatility of the medium as a design tool and the usefulness of the technique as a practical printing method

The American junior colleges of today are historical accidents, some having begun originally with elementary and secondary divisions or as adjuncts of local high schools. Wesley College in Greenville, Texas, began on a two acre campus as North Texas University Training School in Terrell, Texas, in 1905. Chartered by the North Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the school initially provided elementary and high school and two years of college. At this time the name was changed to Wesley College, but the school closed in the spring of 1911. It reopened on a twenty acre campus in the fall of 1912 in Greenville, Texas, and maintained a close relationship with that city until mounting financial problems forced closure in 1938. Many records of the school were transferred to Southern Methodist University at Dallas, and in 1939, Wesley College alumni were invited to become associate members of the S.M.U. Ex-Students Association. Many associated with Wesley College continue to meet annually in Greenville to keep alive their memories of the once prestigious college. This study employs primary and secondary documentary data, as well as interviews with fifty-six individuals, to provide a chronological descriptive history of the origin, growth, development, and …

The miniature furniture cataloged is considered to be of the second size, i.e., miniatures which could have been used as traveler's samples, cabinetmaker's models, or toys. The entries are selected from collections of Louisiana and Texas museums and historical societies. They were located through use of a questionnaire sent to the institutions listed in the Official Museum Directory as having furniture and decorative arts collections. Responses showed five institutions owning miniatures of the second size, as follows: Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans; Anglo-American Art Museum, Baton Rouge; Harris County Heritage Society, Houston; Witte Memorial Museum, San Antonio; and Dallas Historical Society.

The purpose of this study is to catalogue the chairs and sofas of Old City Park that reflects the American Victorian style and to provide a brief historical account of the style's development. Old City Park in Dallas, Texas is the first major restoration of its kind in the Dallas area. Its aim is to provide an educational as well as historical center for the city. The restoration project began when Millermore, a Southern Colonial house built in 1862, was moved to Old City Park and an agreement was made between the Dallas Park Department and the Dallas County Heritage Society for its erection and restoration. the Society and the Park Department agreed ti create a heritage center in the Old City Park that will illustrate the growth and development of Dallas from 1841 to 1910. This catalogue was done to help justify the historical significance of the furnishing collections destined for use in the restoration of Old City Park. Organized according to substyles, the catalogue contains data collected on each entry and is illustrated by color slides. A brief account of the American Victorian Period precedes these entries.

Magnesium and its alloys have been considered for load-bearing implant materials due to their similar mechanical properties to the natural bone, excellent biocompatibility, good bioactivity, and biodegradation. Nevertheless, the uncontrollable corrosion rate in biological environment restrains their application. Hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is a widely used bio-ceramic which has bone-like mineral structure for bone fixation. Poor fracture toughness of HA makes it not suitable for load-bearing application as a bulk. Thus, HA is introduced into metallic surface in various forms for improving biocompatibility. Recently friction stir processing (FSP) has emerged as a surface modification tool for surface/substrate grain refinement and homogenization of microstructure in biomaterial. In the pressent efforts, Mg-nHA composite surface on with 5-20 wt% HA on Mg substrate were fabricated by FSP for biodegradation and bioactivity study. The results of electrochemical measurement indicated that lower amount (~5% wt%) of Ca in Mg matrix can enhance surface localized corrosion resistance. The effects of microstructure,the presence of HA particle and Mg-Ca intermetallic phase precipitates on in vitro behavior of Mg alloy were investigated by TEM, SEM, EDX,XRD ,and XPS. The detailed observations will be discussed during presentation.

Foreign-born providers make up over a quarter of the physician workforce nationally. Patients in south central Pennsylvania are primarily white with limited interaction with foreigners which can produce barriers to communication and trust. This study proposes practical steps for building positive relationships between patients and their foreign-born providers. Ethnographic methods were used to interview and survey patients and providers about the relationships between foreign-born providers and patients, primarily in the Summit Health system. The results of the study provide a framework of how trust is built between patients and providers in general, suggest additional actions for foreign-born providers, and propose ways patients can do their part to achieve a positive relationship with their provider. While much of the literature on cultural competence is in the context of patients who are from minority ethnicities, this study adds to the body of research by also considering the providers as part of minority groups.

The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive study was to identify the self-perceived leadership styles of college academic advisors and to explore the variance in the perceived leadership styles based on demographic information such as academic advising approaches, institutional type, age, years of experience, and gender. Participants were 225 college advisors from among 5,066 members of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) during the 2013-2014 academic year who met study criteria and whose email invitation to complete an online survey was presumably delivered, rendering a 4.44% response rate. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Version 5X (MLQ 5X) with five supplemental questions was used for data collection The composite score for leadership style served as the dependent variable, and advising approach, institutional type, age, years of experience, and gender served as the independent variables for the study. Descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, and a factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for data analysis. The descriptive statistics for this study revealed that college academic advisors represent all points along the entire spectrum of the Full Range Model of Leadership continuum employing different leadership behaviors based on the situation. The descriptive data were supported by the frequency distributions per case which identified transformational leadership as …

This is a work of local history examining the course of Reconstruction in Collin County, Texas. National and state level surveys of Reconstruction often overlook the experiences of communities in favor of simpler, broader narratives. The work proceeds chronologically, beginning with the close of the Civil War, and tells the story of Collin County as national Reconstruction progressed and relies on works of professional and non-academic historians, oral histories, census data, and newspapers to present a coherent picture of local life, work, and politics. The results exemplify the value of local history, as local conditions influenced the course of events in Collin County as much as those in Austin and Washington D.C. The story of Reconstruction in Collin County is one of anomalous political views resulting from geographical exclusion from the cotton culture of Texas followed by a steady convergence. As Reconstruction progressed, Collin County began to show solidarity with more solidly conservative Texas Counties. The arrival of railroads allowed farmers to move from subsistence agriculture to cash crop production. This further altered local attitudes toward government, labor, voting rights, and education for Freedmen. By the end of Reconstruction, Collin County had all but abandoned their contrarian social and political …

The problem of this study was to ascertain the effects of selected color phenomena upon the identification and comparison of color by college students. Instruments used for this study were the Snellen Visual Acuity Chart, which measures crudely the the binocular visual activity of an individual; Pseudo-Isochromatic Plates for Testing Color Perception, which roughly determine red-green color deficiency; and the "Isoline Color Phenomena Perception Presentation," which determines how an individual identifies or compares selected color phenomena.

The purpose of this study was to collect and compile data on the principal climatic factors of the Denton area which affect one's personal comfort and health, in order to show how a maximum of these commodities could be secured through manipulation and control of the climate of individual building sites. In the Denton County area the naturally breezy climate of summer, excluding areas near heat-collecting surfaces of pavement and masonry, is not usually uncomfortable out of doors unless one is directly exposed to the sun; but, as a result of improper orientation of houses, indoors one often feels a pressing still heat and a general discomfort. The writer's interest in the field of architecture led to a desire to find out how this condition could be alleviated; therefore, this study was undertaken.

This study is a report of the results of a series of experiments, the purposes of which were to determine: (1) what natural pigments are available in Denton County, Texas, (2) the variety, quality, and quantity of the native pigments as compared with standard commercial pigments, and (3) the suitability of these native pigments for use in the preparation of artists' colors. Since the chief interest was in the specific hues, their quality and variety, the factor of commercial possibilities was not investigated.

A leukemia Differentiation Factor (DF), that induced differentiation of rat leukemia MIA C51 cells, was isolated from endotoxin-stimulated rat lung conditioned media.

Developed in the study is the thesis that the lighting effects about us in nature can be adapted by the designer for use in interior environments. Because of an overemphasis in lighting practice on engineering techniques required in the design of luminous environments, there has been a neglect of much of the aesthetic requirements of such environments. While interior designers, as artists, may be sensitive to the aesthetic qualities of lighting, many of them have felt insecure in designing in a medium which can be very technical from an engineering standpoint; hence, many have defaulted in shaping or designing a very important segment of man's environment. In light of this situation, the objective of the study is to provide the designer with tools, both aesthetic and technical, with which to communicate with the engineer in achieving a luminous environment that not only is a functional environment for optimal seeing, but is an art experience as well. Lighting as an art experience has its own set of design principles: these are defined in this study as silhouette, focus, uniformity, variety, and glitter. They are common to lighting effects as found in nature and as found in the artificial environments of building …

This study is a report of the results of an investigation into the extent to which native materials were used in the antebellum buildings of Harrison County, Texas; the way in which they were used; and the aesthetic implications of their use. It was hoped that this research might fill a gap in the art and architectural history of Texas, since nothing has been written on this specific subject except a few articles and unpublished papers dealing with certain houses individually or with log construction in general.

"This study was conducted primarily to determine how relevant the interior design curriculum at North Texas State University is from the viewpoint of the practitioners of interior design in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area."--2.

This study is concerned with describing the changing concepts of space utilization in Japanese house design and the cultural forces producing the changes. Sources of information include literature spanning approximately one hundred years, a Japanese student of interior design, and-the Japanese Trade Commission in Dallas, Texas. A description of concepts of space design that were very stable for centuries in the Japanese house. The changes in architecture following World War II, and a contemporary house design by a noted Japanese architect are related to concurrent religious, philosophical, and economic forces. The influence of western culture upon Japanese life-style and design solutions to space problems is either indicated or inferred.

The central thesis is classical Marxian views concerning the peasant masses have been adopted regarding India; two causal factors are the Hindu Caste system and parliamentary democracy. Descriptive and analytical methodology is utilized to study classical and Indian Marxian theory and its relationship to "Marxist" practice in India. Four major elements involved are: wealthy landowners, poor and landless peasants, the Indian government, and Indian communists. Nonimplemented land reforms and recent capitalist farming compounded the problem. Attacks were launched on the Congress government by three communist parties. Government coalition has included the CPI, and has implemented agrarian reforms advocated by the CPI(M), thereby postponing possible militant communist success.

This study was undertaken to determine whether the Mini-Mult is able to function as well as the MMPI for a limited clinical purpose, the discrimination of psychosis and neurosis by Goldberg's rule. The smaller size of the Mini-Mult (71 items) allows conservation of time .and energy by subjects and professionals. Thirty male residents of the Austin State Hospital completed two standard MMPIs and one oral Mini-Mult. A fourth set of scores was obtained by extracting Mini-Mult from the first MMPI. Correlations and tests of significance were computed for raw scores and Goldberg's index scores. Results indicate no significant differences in the discrimination of psychosis and neurosis between the MMPI and the Mini-Mult.