5 Abstract Tobacco mature pollen rehydrates in vivo on a stigma tissue, and develops into the rapidly-growing pollen tube. This rehydration process is accompanied by the de-repression of stored mRNA transcripts, resulting in the synthesis of novel proteins. Furthermore, such metabolic switch is also likely to be regulated on the level of post-translational modifications of the already-present proteins, namely via phosphorylation, since it was shown to play a significant regulatory role in numerous cellular processes. Since only a minor part of proteins is phosphorylated in a cell at a time, the employment of various enrichment techniques is usually of key importance. In this diploma project, metal oxide/hydroxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) with aluminium hydroxide matrix was applied in order to enrich phosphoproteins from the mature pollen and the 30-minute in vitro activated pollen crude protein extracts. The enriched fraction was separated by both 2D-GE and gel-free liquid chromatography (LC) approaches with subsequent mass spectrometric analyses. Collectively, 139 phosphoprotein candidates were identified. Additionally, to broaden the number of phosphorylation sites identified, titanium dioxide phosphopeptide enrichment of trypsin-digested mature pollen crude extract was performed. Thanks to the...

本文探討1940年代地方文學書寫，藉由台灣與朝鮮對照呈現當時地方書寫產生的特殊背景：不同立場對地方書寫的期待、作家1940年代書寫時如何表現。藉上述的角度，試圖呈現殖民地地方書寫的意義。 殖民地文學中，捕捉在地特色、獨有風物的題材向來備受關注。1940年代更受日本帝國面臨發展困境，走向動員戰爭之路策略影響。使得文藝因應總力戰策動各層面投入戰爭，而背負增進帝國認同的任務。「新體制」與「大政翼贊會」的推行與成立，顯示當時精神統制擴大、也反映東亞協同、對抗西方文明的框架，將殖民地作為帝國外緣／前線的策略。地方特色的突顯與應用即受到這些政策與思維籠罩。 此時，殖民地文藝創作環境面對權力集中一元化，不僅創作語言受限、言論出版高壓管制；官方更積極介入文藝團體、舉辦獎項，加強國策宣傳。文藝創作空間、資源侷限下，新體制與大政翼贊會為殖民地文化界帶來發揮的機會。在地方書寫蘊含國民認同基礎、傳統根源等元素，既呼應政策對於國民文化，殖民地文化人亦可爭取活動機會。這一類書寫，最初以地方色、鄉土色展現地方特殊性的書寫為普遍認同，後隨戰爭國策要求提高，強調服膺日本精神、支援戰爭的內容。 殖民地這一波的地方書寫當中，題材、作品氛圍、敘事型態皆與以往略有不同。題材上，應和國策創作增加、探索傳統價值與批判西方、塑造道德模範反省文化的進程。作品氛圍與敘事型態上，揮去不見希望的氛圍，轉為明朗、健康、動人，更以人物或藉由回歸自然、致力生產、甚至參與戰爭找到生命的意義與希望。 本文即選取兩組作家作品為代表。呂赫若、俞鎮午運用風俗習慣、傳統禮節，表現殖民地特殊風貌，並以倫理、全體性角度肯定傳統價值。張文環、金史良以鄉土為基底，在堅毅樸實的生活中獲得力量。他們在地方書寫框架中，迴避國策密切相關的題材，書寫熟悉事物表現地方特殊性，運用風俗習慣、神話傳說、禮儀、信仰等表現殖民地的人文風景，並一改先前啟蒙的批判角度。這些書寫策略具有保存殖民地文化甚而是民族精神的可能，卻也在時空限制下與戰爭動員的政策意識有所呼應。在兩地的同中有異的書寫成果裡，也見證地方書寫的政治策略、多種意涵，在殖民地的空間裡延伸出更多迂迴與曖昧。 / This article tries to analyze local literature in Taiwan and Chosen, Japan’s colonies in 1940’s. First of all, by analyzing the form of mobilization under the Total War System in 1940, it shows the influence on Japan’s military operation and manipulation. On one hand, the authority made use of centralized management on politics; on the other hand, ideas such as Overcoming Modernity and East Asia Alliance Leader were offered to let people acknowledge the war and sacrifice for it. Through these concepts, the authority reached to the notion which based on the native for people to possess. Secondly, after the foundation of Konoe shintaisei(新體制) and Taisei Yokusankai(大政翼贊會), literature was asked to proclaim the war more strategically. At that time, under the limitation of the amount of paper, local literature in colonies was requested to write in Japanese and scrutinized by the government. In addition, the authority even established literature and art organizations and set up literary prizes to advertise the war. In this way, local literature not only answered the policy but also gave the chance of displaying colonial features to those authors. In the beginning, both the authority and most of the writers accepted the method of using local color to exhibit the colony, however, this method was applied to announce the Japanese spirit and support the war little by little. Under this circumstance, colonies changed the way of literary expression. There were more subjects which conformed the national policy, explored the value of tradition, and criticized the Western to reflect the advancement of culture and then create moral standards. It was the atmosphere of the literature that turned to be bright and cheerful. Moreover, narrative patterns were performed on the characters, such as returning to nature, devoting to production, finding meanings and hopes by participating in the war. This article represents local literature in colonies in 1940 by taking examples of two groups of writers. One of the groups ,which is represented by Lü He-ruo (呂赫若) and You Jin-Oh (유진오), utilized traditional customs and manners as distinguishing features in colony. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ethic and totalitarianism, they tried to approve the value of tradition. Yet, on the other hand, Chang wen-Huan(張文環) and Kim Saryan(김사량) gained power from difficulty and arduousness in life through the background of rural places. Both of them avoided responding to the national policy in this kind of writing pattern. As previously stated, these writers portrayed what they were familiar with to show the feature in local places. Ranging from customs, practices, folklore, manners to religions were what the writers employed to illustrate the cultural characteristics in colonies. Besides, the viewpoint changed from the criticism of enlightenment. These kinds of writing devices with the hope of preserving local culture and even national integrity. However, it was the restriction on politics and the times made literary works echo with the authority’s ideology at the same time. In the view of Compare Taiwan with Chosen, difference in literary works were testified to show the various meanings from colonial strategies in politics and writers characters in the meantime.

Nuclear receptors play significant roles in the regulation of transporters and enzymes to balance the level of endogenous molecules and to protect the body from foreign molecules. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its natural ligand, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], was shown to upregulate rat ileal apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (Asbt) to increase the reclamation of bile acids, ligands of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). FXR is considered to be an important, negative regulator of the cholesterol metabolizing enzyme, Cyp7a1, which metabolizes cholesterol to bile acids in the liver. In rats, decreased Cyp7a1 and increased P-glycoprotein/multidrug resistance protein 1 (P-gp/Mdr1) expressions pursuant to 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment was viewed as FXR effects in which hepatic VDR protein is poorly expressed. In contrast, changes in rat intestinal and renal transporters such as multidrug resistance associated proteins (Mrp2, Mrp3, and Mrp4), Asbt, and P-gp after administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 were attributed directly as VDR effects due to higher VDR levels expressed in these tissues. Higher VDR expressions were found among mouse hepatocytes compared to those in rats. Hence, fxr(-/-) and fxr(+/+) mouse models were used to discriminate between VDR vs. FXR effects in murine livers. Hepatic Cyp7a1 in mice was found to be upregulated with 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment, via the derepression of the short heterodimer partner (SHP). Putative VDREs, identified in mouse and human SHP promoters, were responsible for the inhibitory effect on SHP. The increase in hepatic Cyp7a1 expression and decreased plasma and liver cholesterol were observed in mice prefed with a Western diet. A strong correlation was found between tissue Cyp7a1 and P-gp changes and 1,25(OH)2D3 plasma and tissue concentrations, confirming that VDR plays an important role in the disposition of xenobiotics and cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, renal and brain Mdr1a/P-gp were found to be directly upregulated by the VDR in mice, and concomitantly, increased renal and brain secretion of digoxin, a P-gp substrate, in vivo. The important observations: the cholesterol lowering and increased brain P-gp efflux activity properties suggest that VDR is a therapeutic target for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and Alzheimer’s diseases, since beta amyloid, precursors of plague, are P-gp substrates.

Nuclear receptors play significant roles in the regulation of transporters and enzymes to balance the level of endogenous molecules and to protect the body from foreign molecules. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its natural ligand, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], was shown to upregulate rat ileal apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (Asbt) to increase the reclamation of bile acids, ligands of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). FXR is considered to be an important, negative regulator of the cholesterol metabolizing enzyme, Cyp7a1, which metabolizes cholesterol to bile acids in the liver. In rats, decreased Cyp7a1 and increased P-glycoprotein/multidrug resistance protein 1 (P-gp/Mdr1) expressions pursuant to 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment was viewed as FXR effects in which hepatic VDR protein is poorly expressed. In contrast, changes in rat intestinal and renal transporters such as multidrug resistance associated proteins (Mrp2, Mrp3, and Mrp4), Asbt, and P-gp after administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 were attributed directly as VDR effects due to higher VDR levels expressed in these tissues. Higher VDR expressions were found among mouse hepatocytes compared to those in rats. Hence, fxr(-/-) and fxr(+/+) mouse models were used to discriminate between VDR vs. FXR effects in murine livers. Hepatic Cyp7a1 in mice was found to be upregulated with 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment, via the derepression of the short heterodimer partner (SHP). Putative VDREs, identified in mouse and human SHP promoters, were responsible for the inhibitory effect on SHP. The increase in hepatic Cyp7a1 expression and decreased plasma and liver cholesterol were observed in mice prefed with a Western diet. A strong correlation was found between tissue Cyp7a1 and P-gp changes and 1,25(OH)2D3 plasma and tissue concentrations, confirming that VDR plays an important role in the disposition of xenobiotics and cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, renal and brain Mdr1a/P-gp were found to be directly upregulated by the VDR in mice, and concomitantly, increased renal and brain secretion of digoxin, a P-gp substrate, in vivo. The important observations: the cholesterol lowering and increased brain P-gp efflux activity properties suggest that VDR is a therapeutic target for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and Alzheimer’s diseases, since beta amyloid, precursors of plague, are P-gp substrates.

Study of biosensors has become an essential part of research in biotechnology. Biosensors as fast, portable, highly sensitive, and low-cost bioanalytical detection devices have been utilized in many fields of human activity. The first part of the presented work focuses on electrochemical biosensors for rapid environmental screening of herbicides as water pollutants. A sol-gel immobilization method for a photosystem II (PSII) complex is studied in order to enhance the sensitivity and the signal strength and stability of a PSII-based biosensor. Computer simulations of a PSII biosensor are employed with the aim to find out how the immobilization membrane properties influence the biosensor parameters. Newly developed immobilization by a thin-layer membrane based on the results of computer simulations and revised measurement protocols are presented. The second part of the work is devoted to synthesis and electrochemical detection of newly developed metal labels for electrochemical immunosensors. The synthesis of dendrimer-encapsulated silver nanoparticles and biorecognition properties of biotin-nanocomposite conjugates are discussed. For detection of synthesized labels, a microfluidic detector was manufactured and tested and different approaches to packing of a microfluidic chip employing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were investigated. Newly designed microstructures for a microfluidic separator of magnetic beads (MBs) were studied by computer simulations. The separator was made and trapping of MBs for the further employment in MBs-based immunoassays are presented

This thesis is concerned with the development and application of laser induced thermal grating spectroscopy (LITGS) as a tool for thermometry in reacting and non-reacting flows. LITGS signals, which require resonant excitation of an absorbing species in the measurement region to produce a thermal grating, are acquired for systematic measurements of temperature in high pressure flames using OH and NO as target absorbing species in the burned gas. The signal obtained in LITGS measurements appears in the form of a time-based signal with a characteristic frequency proportional to the value or the sound speed of the local medium. With knowledge of the gas composition, the temperature can be derived from the speed of sound measurement. LITGS thermometry using resonant excitation of OH in the burned gas region of in oxygen enriched CH4/O2/N2 and CH4/air laminar flames was performed at elevated pressure (0.5 MPa) for a range of conditions. Measurements were acquired in oxygen enriched flames to provide an environment in which to demonstrate LITGS thermometry under high temperature conditions (up to 2900 K). The primary parameters that influence the quality of LITGS signal were also investigated. The signal contrast, which acts as a marker for the strength of the frequency oscillations, is shown to increase with an increase in the burnt gas density at the measurement point. LITGS employing resonant excitation of NO is also demonstrated for quantitative measurements of temperature in three environments – a static pressure cell at ambient temperature, a non-reacting heated jet at ambient pressure and a laminar premixed CH4/NH3/air flame operating at 0.5 MPa. Flame temperature measurements were acquired at various locations in the burned gas close to a water-cooled stagnation plate, demonstrating the capability of NO-LITGS thermometry for measuring the spatial distribution of temperature in combustion environments. In addition, the parameters that in influence the local temperature rise due to LITGS were also investigated in continuous vapour flows of acetone/air and toluene/air mixtures at atmospheric conditions. Acetone and toluene are commonly targeted species in previous LITGS measurements due to their favourable absorption characteristics. Results indicate that LITGS has the potential to produce accurate and precise measurements of temperature in non-reacting flows, but that the product of the pump intensity at the probe volume and the absorber concentration must remain relatively low to avoid significant localised heating of the measurement region.

Syngas consisting mainly of a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and other diluents, is an important fuel for power generation applications since it can be obtained from both biomass and coal gasification. Clean coal technologies require stable and efficient operation of syngas-fired gas turbines. The trapped vortex combustor (TVC) is a relatively new gas turbine combustor concept which shows tremendous potential in achieving stable combustion under wide operating conditions with low emissions. In the present work, combustion of low calorific value syngas in a TVC has been studied using in-situ laser diagnostic techniques and numerical modeling. Specifically, this work reports in-situ measurements of mixture fraction, OH radical concentration and velocity in a single cavity TVC, using state-of-the art laser diagnostic techniques such as Planar Laser-induced Fluorescence (PLIF) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Numerical simulations using the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approaches have also been carried out to complement the experimental measurements. The fuel-air momentum flux ratio (MFR), where the air momentum corresponds to that entering the cavity through a specially-incorporated flow guide vane, is used to characterize the mixing. Acetone PLIF experiments show that at high MFRs, the fuel-air mixing in the cavity is very minimal and is enhanced as the MFR reduces, due to a favourable vortex formation in the cavity, which is corroborated by PIV measurements. Reacting flow PIV measurements which differ substantially from the non-reacting cases primarily because of the gas expansion due to heat release show that the vortex is displaced from the centre of the cavity towards the guide vane. The MFR was hence identified as the controlling parameter for mixing in the cavity. Quantitative OH concentration contours showed that at higher MFRs 4.5, the fuel jet and the air jet stream are separated and a flame front is formed at the interface. As the MFR is lowered to 0.3, the fuel air mixing increases and a flame front is formed at the bottom and downstream edge of the cavity where a stratified charge is present. A flame stabilization mechanism has been proposed which accounts for the wide MFRs and premixing in the mainstream as well. LES simulations using a flamelet-based combustion model were conducted to predict mean OH radical concentration and velocity along with URANS simulations using a modified Eddy dissipation concept model. The LES predictions were observed to agree closely with experimental data, and were clearly superior to the URANS predictions as expected. Performance characteristics in the form of exhaust temperature pattern factor and pollutant emissions were also measured. The NOx emissions were found to be less than 2 ppm, CO emissions below 0.2% and HC emissions below 700 ppm across various conditions. Overall, the in-situ experimental data coupled with insight from simulations and the exhaust measurements have confirmed the advantages of using the TVC as a gas turbine combustor and provided guidelines for stable and efficient operation of the combustor with syngas fuel.

Radio astronomy is the science of observing the heavens at radio frequencies, from a few kHz to approximately 300 GHz. In recent years, radio astronomy has faced a growing interference problem as radio frequency (RF) bandwidth has become an increasingly scarce commodity. A programmable real-time DSP least-mean-square interference canceller was developed and demonstrated as a successful method of excising satellite down-link signals from both an experimental platform at BYU, and the Green Bank Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in West Virginia. A performance analysis of this cancellation system in the radio astronomy radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation regime constitutes the main contribution of this thesis. The real-time BYU test platform consists of small radio telescopes, low noise RF receivers, and a state-of-the-art DSP platform. This programmable real-time radio astronomy RFI mitigation tool is the first of its kind. Basic tools needed for radio astronomy observations and the analysis and implementation of interference mitigation algorithms were also implemented in the DSP platform, including a power spectral density estimator, a beamformer, and an array signal correlator.

No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disabling disease that afflicts an estimated two million people worldwide. The disease is characterized by degradation of the myelin sheath that insulates neurons of the central nervous system manifesting as a heterogeneous collection of symptoms. Two enzymes, protein arginine deaminases type 2 and 4 (PAD2 and PAD4) have been implicated to play an etiologic role in demyelination and neurodegeneration by catalyzing a post-translational modification of arginine peptide residues to citrulline. The pathogenesis of MS is poorly understood, though vitamin D deficiency is a well-associated risk factor for developing the disorder. Using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS we demonstrate vitamin D treatment to attenuate over-expression of PAD 2 and 4 in the brain and spine during EAE. In addition, we identify two molecules produced by peripheral immune cells, IFNɣ and IL-6, as candidate signaling molecules that induce PAD expression in the brain. We demonstrate vitamin D treatment to inhibit IFNɣ mediated up regulation of PAD2 and PAD4 both directly within the brain and by modulating PAD-inducing cytokine production by infiltrating immune cells. These results provide neuroprotective rational for the supplementation of vitamin D in MS patients. More importantly, these results imply an epigenetic link between vitamin D deficiency and the pathogenesis of MS that merits further investigation.