Digital Commons Network^™

Immunomodulatory Effect Of Host And Fungal Eicosanoids During Host-Pathogen Interactions With Candida Albicans, Gitanjali Kundu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, poses a significant clinical threat to immunocompromised patients. Diseases associated with this fungus ranges from superficial mucosal infection to life-threatening systemic candidiasis. The mechanisms by which Candida persists at mucosal surfaces in the face of an adaptive response are unclear. Candida produces immunomodulatory oxylipins that cross-react functionally with host eicosanoids, which are considered to play important role in regulating innate and adaptive immune responses. Our objective was to characterize the role of prostaglandins produced by the host and this fungus during host pathogen interactions, both in vitro with dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, and …

A Comparison Of Parental Self-Efficacy, Parenting Satisfaction, And Other Factors Between Single Mothers With And Without Children With Developmental Disabilities, Raymond Phillip Small

Wayne State University Dissertations

Depression and stress occur among single mothers and raising a child with a developmental disability can be a difficult burden. The purpose of this study was to determine if having a child with a developmental disability was a source of stress and depression among single mothers, and if this impinged on parental self-efficacy, parenting satisfaction, and social support. The moderating potential of having a child with a disability was examined on relationships between stress, depression, parental self-efficacy, parenting satisfaction, and social support. Understanding these relationships could be useful in the service delivery system to single mothers and families of children …

A Study Of Structure-Property Correlation In V2o5 And Tio2 Based Thin Films As Functional Materials, Chandra Thapa

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

A STUDY OF STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATION IN V2O5 AND TiO2 BASED THIN FILMS AS FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

by

CHANDRA THAPA

June 2010

Advisor: Dr. Ratna Naik

Co-Advisor: Dr. K. R. Padmanabhan

Major: Physics (Condensed Matter)

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The focus of this thesis is to study the structure-property correlation in thin films of V2O5 and TiO2 based transition metal oxides as functional materials. V2O5 is investigated as a cathode material for lithium ion battery and TiO2 as a high-K dielectric material.

We studied V2O5 thin films prepared by spin coating using three different types of precursors, MOD precursor, sol-gel organic …

The Civic Engagement Of Latino Immigrants In The United States, Cristina Michele Tucker

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study employs acculturation and civic engagement theories to explain the incorporation and engagement of Latino immigrants in American society by examining how demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and characteristics of the immigrant experience, as moderated by acculturation and trust in government influence their civic engagement.

The core component of the study is a secondary data analysis of the 2006 Latino National Survey (Fraga et al., 2008). The study shows that some of the strongest predictors of civic engagement in the Latino immigrant community are citizenship, length of residence in the United States, level of education, household income, age, country of …

Dechalcogenative Allylic Selenosulfide And Disulfide Rearrangements For Cysteine Modification And Glycoligation, Venkataraman Subramanian

Wayne State University Dissertations

This thesis describes investigations directed at the development of methods for the selenosulfide and disulfide rearrangements for the permanent functionalization of thiols, and in particular of cysteine and carbohydrate based thiols. Emphasis is placed on the newly invented silver mediated allylic desulfurative rearrangement for the primary modification of thiols and the synthesis of complex oligosaccharide mimics.

Chapter one introduces the concept of chemoselective ligations for the modification of macromolecules like carbohydrates and proteins. It overviews the native and non-native ligation techniques for their modification of such entities with a attention focusing on thiol based ligation techniques. The later part of …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Diversity Educational Program, Sonya Annette Berkley

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A DIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

by

SONYA A. BERKLEY

May 2010

Advisor: Mary Cay Sengstock

Major: Sociology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Administrators and educators have been given the responsibility of working towards improving racial and social interactions in their school settings. It is important to note that most of the literature on diversity programming suggests that the perception held by a school's administration of what constitutes an all encompassing racially and culturally diverse program plays an important role in its implementation and success.

With the continual growth of minority populations in the United States, …

Synergistic Effects Of Garcinol And Gemcitabine In Enhancing Therapeutic Efficacy In Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cells And Its Effect On Microrna Profile, Mansi Anand Parasramka

Wayne State University Dissertations

SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF GARCINOL AND GEMCITABINE IN ENHANCING THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY IN PANCREATIC ADENOCARCINOMA CELLS AND ITS EFFECT ON MICRORNA PROFILE

By

MANSI PARASRAMKA

ADVISOR: DR. SMITI V. GUPTA

MAJOR: NUTRITION AND FOOD SCIENCE

DEGREE: DOCTOR OF PHILOSPHY

Human Pancreatic Cancer (PaCa) is one of the most hostile and fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Current standard chemotherapeutic agent for advanced PaCa is gemcitabine, a cytotoxic nucleoside analogue which results in modest response due to high degree of inherent and acquired chemo resistance. Forthcoming evidence strongly supports that non-nutritive food components have therapeutic benefits attributable to pleiotropic …

Raman Spectroscopic Modeling Of T- Lymphocyte Activation And Detection Of Acute Renal Allograft Rejection, Kristian L. Brown

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

RAMAN SPECTROSCOPIC MODELING OF T-LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION AND DETECTION OF ACUTE RENAL ALLOGRAFT REJECTION

By

KRISTIAN L. BROWN

2010

Advisor: Gregory Auner, PhD

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Despite the advances made in the area of kidney transplantation, the disparity between the demand and available donated organs remains a dominant and unresolved issue. Given the paucity of available renal allografts the preservation of existing grafts is vital. One factor that has negatively impacted renal allograft survival is acute rejection (AR). Traditionally, kidney transplant centers have used elevations in serum creatinine as a screening tool for detecting AR. However, …

The Cellular And Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Morphological Diversity Of Insects, Nataliya Turchyn

Wayne State University Dissertations

The vast diversity of insect appendages provides an excellent model for examining the cellular and molecular basis of phenotypic changes in nature. One of the hallmarks of evolution of insect appendages is the differential enlargement of hind (T3) legs compared to their fore (T1) and mid (T2) counterparts. While basic information regarding the genetic mechanisms that regulate the size of the T3 legs became available in the past several years, virtually nothing is known about cellular mechanisms involved. To address this issue, we measured the relative mitotic activity (RMA) in Acheta domesticus (house cricket) and Oncopeltus fasciatus (milkweed bug), two …

The Effect Of Word Sociality On Word Recognition, Sean Seaman

Wayne State University Dissertations

While research into the role of semantic structure in the recognition of written and spoken words has grown, it has not looked specifically at the role of conversational context on the recognition of isolated words. This study was a corpus-based and behavioral exploration of a new semantic variable - sociality - and used on-line behavioral testing to obtain new word recognition data using the visual and auditory lexical decision tasks. The results consistently demonstrated that sociality is one of the most robust predictors of lexical decision performance. Overall, it appears that the visual lexical decision task is quite sensitive to …

Children's Adaptive Psychological Functioning In The Face Of Adversity, Rebecca Wiersma

Wayne State University Dissertations

This explanatory research study is a secondary data analysis of the restricted release version of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) data. Only children from the CPS sample were used and included only children who were 48 months or younger at the time of the initial survey (N=1,582). At the time of the initial survey, only the caregivers of 406 children were able to complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/2-3 because of age restrictions for that particular measure. Therefore, a subsample of 406 children with CBCL scores at Wave 1 and Wave 4 was extracted from the …

Beyond The Dvh - Spatial And Biological Radiotherapy Treatment Planning, Bo Zhao

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: Both spatial and biological information are necessary in order to perform true optimization of a treatment plan and for predicting clinical outcome. The goal of this work is to develop an enhanced treatment plan evaluation tool which incorporates biological parameters and retains spatial dose information.

Methods: A software system named SABER (Spatial And Biological Evaluation for Radiotherapy) is developed which provides biological plan evaluation with a novel combination of features. It incorporates hyperradiosensitivity using the induced-repair model and applies the new concept of Dose Convolution Filter (DCF) to simulate dose wash-out …

Metal Chalcogenide Nanocrystal Assembly: From Synthesis To Applications, Qinghong Yao

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation study is focused on (1) the application of an oxidation-induced sol-gel assembly method to formation of CdTe aerogels; (2) extension of existing aerogel compositions and properties by an alternative synthetic approach: cation-exchange reactions; and (3) probing the functionality of CdSe aerogels as optical sensors of Lewis base analytes.

Highly porous CdTe aerogels were successfully synthesized by sol-gel assembly of CdTe nanocrystals with thiolate or nonthiolate (phosphine oxide) ligated surfaces by treatment with tetranitromethane. Both phosphine oxide-capped and the thiolate-capped aerogels exhibit similar structure, morphology and porosimetry properties, suggesting that precursor ligation does not have a no major effect …

Defensins In Ocular Immunity, Minhao Wu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Corneal infection with P. aeruginosa results in corneal perforation in susceptible

B6, but not resistant BALB/c mice. This study explored their role mBD 1-4 in corneal

infection, and their potential synergy. Immunostaining and real-time RT-PCR data

demonstrated that their expression was either constitutive (mBD1 and mBD2) or

inducible (mBD3 and mBD4) in normal BALB/c and B6 corneas, and disparately

regulated in BALB/c vs B6 corneas after infection. Knock down studies using siRNA

treatment indicated that mBD2 and mBD3, but neither mBD1 nor mBD4, is required in

ocular defense. Moreover, in vivo studies demonstrated individual and combined effects

of mBD2 and …

Perceptions Of Sexuality By African American Patients On Hemodialysis, Merry Ann Stewart

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PERCEPTIONS OF SEXUALITY BY AFRICAN AMERCIAN PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS

by

MERRY STEWART

May 2010

Advisor: Dr. Ramona Benkert

Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Sexuality is central to who we are as sentient beings and transcends physical sex acts. Sexuality concerns are reported as common for individuals receiving hemodialysis; yet, sexuality-related research for this population has been limited to a focus on altered physical sexuality. Little is known about the effects of hemodialysis on perceptions of personal identity, family-social roles as men or women, and intimate relationships. African Americans make up a disproportionate percentage of chronic hemodialysis patients and …

A Role For Lipid Rafts In Egfr Tki Resistance In Breast Cancer, Mary Elizabeth Irwin

Wayne State University Dissertations

Breast cancer can be divided into genetic sub-types including luminal, HER2+, and basal-type. With the introduction of targeted therapies against estrogen receptor and HER2 receptor mortality rates of American women with breast cancer have declined. Unfortunately, basal-type breast cancers, which have the worst clinical outcome, do not express estrogen receptor or HER2, and as such, have no targeted therapeutic option. The epidermal growth factor receptor is an attractive target for therapeutics in basal-type breast cancer, as it is over-expressed in 60% of these cases. Also, over-expression of EGFR correlates with poor patient prognosis. Unfortunately, inhibitors of EGFR have shown little …

Guy Time: The Effects Of Men's Male Friends On Their Heavy Drinking, Consensual Sexual Behaviors, And Sexual Assault Perpetration, Angela Judith Jacques-Tiura

Wayne State University Dissertations

Risky, reckless, and potentially harmful behaviors reach their peak during the adolescent and emerging adulthood years. Past research demonstrates that a variety of social influences, including descriptive and injunctive norms, overt pressure, and modeling affect adolescents' and college students' heavy drinking, consensual sexual experiences, and sexual assaults. The construct of peer influence has been measured in many different ways, and little research has simultaneously considered peer influence on even two of the three outcomes in the current study. Further, much of the research with emerging adults is conducted with college students. To address these gaps in the literature, this study …

Jordanian Adolescent Cannabis Use: Patterns, Risks, And Protective Factors, Sukaina A. Alzyoud

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

JORDANIAN ADOLESCENT CANNABIS USE:

PATTERNS, RISKS, AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS

by

SUKAINA ALZYOUD

Month, 2010

Advisor: Dr. Stephanie Schim

Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Background: Cannabis is considered to be the most commonly used substances worldwide. Its use is not only common among adolescents but is increasing in developing countries such as Jordan. Cannabis use among adolescents has been linked to unintentional injuries, physical fights, academic problems, and illegal behavior such as driving under the influence. Studies of cannabis use patterns, risks, and protective factors are limited in developing countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Metal Complexes Containing Tetrazolate, Poly(Tetrazolyl)Borate, And Aryl Pentazole Ligands As High Energy Density Materials, Dongmei Lu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Heavier alkaline earth metal tetrazolates have been prepared as cryatals contain aqua ligands and as anhydrous powders, and were characterized by spectral and analytical methods. Potassium bis(tetrazolyl)borate complexes K(BH₂(RCN₄)₂)(H₂O)_n (R = H, Me, NMe₂, and NiPr₂) and their 18-crown-6 adducts have been synthesized. In the solid state, complexes where R = H and Me have B-N bonds to the nitrogen atoms proximal to the carbon atom, whereas those with R = NMe₂ and NiPr₂ possess isomeric B-N bonds to the nitrogen atoms distal to the …

Detecting Phenotype-Specific Interactions Between Biological Processes From Microarray Data And Annotations, Nadeem Ahmed Ansari

Wayne State University Dissertations

The development of high throughput technologies such as DNA microarrays has enabled researchers to measure expression levels on a genomic scale. Correct and efficient biological interpretation of the voluminous data generated by these technologies, however, remains a challenging problem. A commonly used approach in interpreting the results of such high throughput experiments is to map the list of differentially expressed (DE) genes to gene ontology (GO) terms, which provides a list of biological processes, biochemical functions, and cellular locations associated with the DE genes. A previously unexplored aspect is the identifications of unusual associations between biological processes. Such associations may …

Patients Safety Culture: A Baseline Assessment Of Nurses' Perceptions In A Saudi Arabia Hospital, Ahmad E. Aboshaiqah

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PATIENT SAFETY CULTURE: A BASELINE ASSESSMENT OF NURSES' PERCEPTIONS IN A SAUDI ARABIA HOSPITAL

by

AHMAD E. ABOSHAIQAH

May 2010

Advisor: Dr. Stephen J. Cavanagh

Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Patient safety (the avoidance and prevention of patient injuries or adverse events resulting from the processes of health care delivery) has become a major academic and public concern in healthcare. In order to promote and sustain a culture of safety in a healthcare organization, healthcare professionals stress the need to understand both individual and system contributions to error events. However, in Saudi Arabia, little is known about nurses' …

The Relationship Between Formal Education In Arabic And Students'attitudes Towards Langauges And English And Mathematic Proficiency, Alfadley A. Anam

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the following the relationships between: 1) formal education (adequate and limited) in the Arabic language and English language proficiency and academic achievement in mathematics of Arabic-speaking students and 2) their attitudes towards L1 (Arabic) and L2 (English) and English language proficiency and academic achievement in mathematics. Eighty-six Arabic speaking third graders through eighth graders in the Midwestern state were selected on non-random sampling to participate in this study. Four main measures were used to collected data: (1) Parent Demographic Survey, (2) students' attitudes survey, (3) Math component of the Michigan Educational Assessment …

A Social Ecological Perspective On Diabetes Care: Supporting Adolescents And Caregivers, April Marie Idalski Carcone

Wayne State University Dissertations

The diabetes illness management regimen is complex and demanding, requiring daily motivation and self-control. Adolescents with diabetes face unique risks for which social support may be one protective factor. The importance of social support from family and friends is well documented in the literature. Support for the caregiver and support from the health care provider, conversely, are understudied. These four sources of social support, considered together, span the adolescent's micro-, meso-, and exosystems constituting a social ecological model of social support for diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to test this model. The hypotheses were that each source …

The Intersection Of Image, Rhetoric, And Witnessing: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse Scandal, Elizabeth Jane Durham Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

This project looks at the Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse Scandal and the ways those figured in the notorious images were named as "bad apples" to explain the shocking scenes to a mainstream American collective as well as expands more traditional understandings of witnessing through the examination of this complex moment. Beyond the narrowly legal and political issues, the photographs from Abu Ghraib also raise questions about how images of atrocities are received, interpreted, and contested with this project rephrasing the question "what do we see when we look at the images from Abu Ghraib?" to that of "what did we …

C-Reactive Protein, Homocysteine, And Cognitive Performance In Healthy Adults, Cheryl Dahle

Wayne State University Dissertations

Elevated blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) have received a great deal of attention as biomarkers for the development of cardiovascular disease. Their utility in predicting cognitive function has also been assessed, though the findings are equivocal. The current study examined the relationship between elevated blood levels of CRP and Hcy and their effect on cognition across several cognitive domains. As baseline blood levels of CRP and Hcy and cognition are in part regulated by genetic factors, the impact of T carrier status for variants in the CRP -286 C>T>A and the MTHFR 677C>T …

Metabolic Targeting Of Malignant Glioma: Modulation Of Glycolytic Flux By Erythropoietic Factors, Todd Brendon Francis

Wayne State University Dissertations

Introduction: Malignant glioma display a highly glycolytic phenotype where the tumors flux glucose to lactic acid independent of oxygen concentration ("aerobic glycolysis"). This altered phenotype is facilitated by expression of primarily fetal enzyme isoforms in these malignant tumors. The end-product lactic acid is rapidly expelled from the cytosol by selective monocarboxylate transporters expressed on the plasma membrane. GATA response element islands are present on the promoter of glioma lactate transporter genes, and GATA-1 has been shown to be over-expressed in glioblastoma. Our long-term goal is to inhibit glioma proliferation by indirectly down-regulating GATA-1 to inhibit glycolysis. (Colen et al., 2006; …

Skewed Bridge Behaviors: Experimental, Analytical, And Numerical Analysis, Bang-Jo Chun

Wayne State University Dissertations

In the US, nearly 33.5% of highway bridges are skewed. In the past, these skewed bridges have been analyzed as straight bridges. Nevertheless, there exists an extensive literature indicating the mechanical behavior of skewed bridges being quite different from their straight counterparts. In this thesis, to better understand the behavior of skewed bridges, experimental, numerical, and analytical researches have been conducted. The analytical method proposed here is the first of its kind in the skewed bridge research, and is expected to aid the bridge engineers with their design.

First, a three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed and …

Bridging Social Capital Formation In A Faith-Based Organization, Angela Kaiser

Wayne State University Dissertations

Previous research on faith-based organizations suggest that these organizations are highly effective at forging relationships between individuals from different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, known as bridging social capital. This study examines the process of bridging social capital formation within MOSES, a faith-based organization located in Detroit, Michigan. Through the use of in-depth interviews, participant observation, archival research, and a member survey, I documented the forms of social capital present within the organization. I also explored whether bridging relationships were forming within the organization and the strategies that facilitated their formation. Diversity within the organization, recognition of member differences, and …

The Rise Of Public Sector Unionism In Detroit, 1947-1967, Louis Eugene Jones

Wayne State University Dissertations

In 1947, the Michigan Legislature passed into law the Hutchinson Act banning strikes of state and local workers. The law provided for the termination of striking public sector workers but did not require state and local agencies to bargain with public employees or their representatives. It even allowed for fines and prison sentences for non public sector workers who influenced public sector workers to strike. The law forced public sector unions into an untenable state of "collective begging." Indeed, it was often referred to as punitive and draconian. 18 years later, the Michigan Legislature passed and the governor signed into …

Values And Problem Behaviors In Hong Kong Adolescents, Phebe Karen Lam

Wayne State University Dissertations

The present study examined sensation seeking, psychological problem behaviors, values orientation, and problem behaviors of smoking, alcohol use, and delinquency among Hong Kong adolescents studying in high school of two different ability levels. Adolescents (N = 1385) from a band one and band three level high school in Hong Kong were assessed using the Sensation Seeking Scale Form-V (SSS-V), Youth Self Report (YSR), Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ), and the Adolescent Health and Development Questionnaire (AHDQ), along with several demographic variables (e.g., age, gender, grade level, employment).

Regression analyses were employed to determine the contribution of the significantly correlated variables in …