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All ETDs from UAB

Theses/Dissertations

2014

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Baseline Measures Associated With Subsequent Weight Loss In Overweight Girls, Alexandra French Jan 2014

Baseline Measures Associated With Subsequent Weight Loss In Overweight Girls, Alexandra French

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Purpose: To evaluate the relationships among baseline weight, resting energy expenditure (REE), and aerobic fitness (AF) with subsequent weight loss in pre-pubertal overweight girls (7-11) undergoing a dietary weight-loss program. Methods: Using data from a prior study (PRIMO Study, PI Krista Casazza, PhD, RD at UAB) baseline measures of baseline weight, REE, and AF of 22 participants were analyzed using SPSS statistical program. The purpose of the PRIMO Study was to compare two diets differing in carbohydrate and fat content in improving metabolic outcomes, and to achieve weight loss in overweight pre-pubertal girls aged 7-11. The inclusion criteria for the …


Unraveling The Mechanisms Of Skeletal Muscle Hyperplasia: Juxtaposing Divergent Growth Paradigms, Jacob Michael Froehlich Jan 2014

Unraveling The Mechanisms Of Skeletal Muscle Hyperplasia: Juxtaposing Divergent Growth Paradigms, Jacob Michael Froehlich

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During the course of vertebrate evolution, two major growth paradigms have appeared: determinate, one in which an animal's final size is largely governed by predisposed genetic potential; and indeterminate, a paradigm involving life-long, largely environmentally governed somatic growth. Of the tissues constituting an adult vertebrate, skeletal muscle comprises ≥60% of that organism's mass, making it an important factor in overall body growth. To better understand the process by which many teleost fishes grow throughout their natural lifespans, the clade Danioninae and the model rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were utilized in a comparative manner. Contrary to current hypotheses, fish with indeterminate …


The Relationship Between Emergency Department Wait Times And Inpatient Satisfaction, Polly Jean Davenport Jan 2014

The Relationship Between Emergency Department Wait Times And Inpatient Satisfaction, Polly Jean Davenport

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Examining The Role Of G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 (Gper) Activation In 17beta-Estradiol-Mediated Protection In Traumatic Brain Injury, Nicole Day Jan 2014

Examining The Role Of G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 (Gper) Activation In 17beta-Estradiol-Mediated Protection In Traumatic Brain Injury, Nicole Day

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of persons per year, potentially leading to permanent disability or death, and exacts a staggering financial toll. Despite the severity of this public health problem, there are no clinically proven pharmacotherapeutics available that effectively attenuate the secondary neurochemically-mediated damage that follows the initial biomechanical insult. In addition, the heterogeneous nature of TBI and complexity of secondary injury cascades suggest that a polytherapeutic approach could be a powerful strategy with which to simultaneously target more than one deleterious pathway. Recently, sex steroid hormones have sparked interest as possible neuroprotective agents after traumatic injury. One of …


Effects Of Biological, Environmental, And Nutritional Factors On Fecal Pellet Size And Morphology In The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus, Lacey Nicole Dennis Jan 2014

Effects Of Biological, Environmental, And Nutritional Factors On Fecal Pellet Size And Morphology In The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus, Lacey Nicole Dennis

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Sea urchins are an important economic resource for many international fisheries and are an important animal model in developmental biology. Currently, health of cultured sea urchins is evaluated by behavior or through invasive examination of internal tissues. Destructive sampling is not conducive to longitudinal studies and a non-invasive method of evaluating sea urchin health would have practical application. Evaluation of the egesta could provide a valuable predictor of physiological well-being. The size and morphology of fecal pellets produced by the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus under a variety of environmental and nutritional conditions were characterized in terms of 2-dimensional area, length, …


Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Response To Neurotoxins And The Role Of Mitophagy, Samantha Giordano Jan 2014

Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Response To Neurotoxins And The Role Of Mitophagy, Samantha Giordano

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Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Two major factors in both familial and sporadic PD are mitochondrial dysfunction and insufficient autophagy. My thesis research focuses on the interplay between these activities in PD. To investigate the common and differential effects of PD-inducing neurotoxins on mitochondrial bioenergetics and their relationships to cell survival, we used an in vitro culture system, differentiated dopaminergic SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We found that the neurotoxins rotenone, 1-methyl-4- phenylyridinium (MPP+) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), decreased mitochondrial respiration and induced cell death in these cells. The extent and characteristics of mitochondrial dysfunction in response to …


Assessing Patient Care Quality From Hospital Employed Physicians, Kerry Gil Gillihan Jan 2014

Assessing Patient Care Quality From Hospital Employed Physicians, Kerry Gil Gillihan

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ASSESSING PATIENT CARE QUALITY FROM HOSPITAL EMPLOYED PHYSICIANS KERRY GILLIHAN ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT Background: Physician employment by hospitals and healthcare systems has become a growing phenomenon in America. Also the emphasis on improving patient care quality is receiving increasing attention. Moreover, recent changes in federal regulation and reimbursement have made improving patient care quality an imperative for hospitals and their medical staffs. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a demonstrable relationship between hospital employed physicians and the quality of their patient care. Methods: Physician quality measurements were obtained from a prominent community hospital with roughly …


Three Studies On Family Meals: Examining The Predictors Of Family Meals And Its Impact On Adolescent Health, Samantha Sittig Goldfarb Jan 2014

Three Studies On Family Meals: Examining The Predictors Of Family Meals And Its Impact On Adolescent Health, Samantha Sittig Goldfarb

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This three-manuscript dissertation addresses gaps in the literature related to the predictors of family meals and its impact on adolescent health behavior. Sharing dinner as a family has been promoted by the media and many researchers as an ideal environment to enrich the parent-child bond and subsequently reduce adolescent risk behaviors such as substance use and delinquency. This dissertation centers on three topics, in particular: (1) the nature of the family meal literature given the multiple adolescent health behavior outcomes, study designs, and model types investigated and used by researchers, (2) the impact of family dinners on adolescent school problems, …


Construction Of 3d Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Emergency Scenarios For First Responder Pre-Nursing Training On Stereoscopic Display Systems, Alanzo Deon Granville Jan 2014

Construction Of 3d Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Emergency Scenarios For First Responder Pre-Nursing Training On Stereoscopic Display Systems, Alanzo Deon Granville

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In today's society there is a need to have well prepared medical staff, especially in cases of cardiac arrest, and nurses are one of the first lines of defenses against cardiac arrest. They play a crucial role as first responders to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to patients in need of resuscitation, but CPR history has demonstrated CPR as a difficult process to learn for both medical professionals and laypersons. There are consistent recurring changes in guidelines to improve CPR practice which may promote changes within CPR knowledge, and the administration of CPR may also differ in complexity depending on the …


Anatomical And Neurochemical Investigation Of The Brain In Autism, Lauren E. Libero Jan 2014

Anatomical And Neurochemical Investigation Of The Brain In Autism, Lauren E. Libero

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with widespread behavioral symptoms and a strong neurobiological origin. Neuroimaging studies of ASD have uncovered evidence for widespread abnormalities in brain anatomy and functioning. Abnormalities reported by structural brain imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies have aided in characterizing ASD as a complex, systems-wide disorder. The overarching goal of this project was to use multiple modalities of neuroimaging to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms of ASD. The following techniques were used to collect and analyze multimodal neuroimaging data from a relatively large number of participants …


Cutting Effectiveness Of Diamond Burs On Dental Zirconia., Ching-Kai Lin Jan 2014

Cutting Effectiveness Of Diamond Burs On Dental Zirconia., Ching-Kai Lin

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Monolithic zirconia restorations are popular but removing these crowns is difficult. The purpose of the study is to measure and compare the cutting effectiveness of 10 types of diamond burs through monolithic sintered zirconia. Ten types of diamond burs (n=8) were compared for the cutting effectiveness in Zirconia (CERCON; DeguDent) using a high speed computer controlled cutting device with water spray (5.45L/min). The turbine used to cut the blocks rotated at 150,000 rpm and with the burs at a depth of 2mm into the zirconia during cutting. A 100 gm load was applied during cutting for each bur which made …


Ksrp Ablation Enhances Lipolysis In White Adipose Tissue Through Reduced Mir-145 Expression, Yi-Yu Lin Jan 2014

Ksrp Ablation Enhances Lipolysis In White Adipose Tissue Through Reduced Mir-145 Expression, Yi-Yu Lin

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White adipose tissue (WAT) releases fatty acids from stored triacylglycerol (TAG) for energy source. Here, we report that null mice for KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KSRP), an RNA-binding protein, resisted high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity. Target of deletion of KSRP regulates gene expression at multiple levels and enhances lipolysis in epididymal WAT (eWAT) due to up-regulation of genes promoting lipolytic activity. Expression of miR-145 is decreased due to impaired pri-miR-145 processing in Ksrp-/- eWAT. We show that miR-145 directly targets and represses Foxo1 and Cgi58, activators of lipolytic activity, and forced expression of miR-145 attenuates lipolysis. This study reveals …


Expression Of The Influenza Protein M2 During Viral Infection Inhibits Cftr Activity, James David Londino Jan 2014

Expression Of The Influenza Protein M2 During Viral Infection Inhibits Cftr Activity, James David Londino

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The purpose of these dissertation studies was to 1) determine whether influenza infection alters CFTR activity in polarized epithelium; 2) measure CFTR expression and activity in cells co-expressing influenza M2 protein; and 3) examine the role of M2 on the alteration of CFTR during viral infection. We determined that infection of polarized primary epithelial cells with influenza decreases CFTR expression and activity. In addition, individual cells infected with influenza had decreased CFTR conductance as measured by whole-cell patch clamp. We also found that the influenza ion channel, matrix protein 2 (M2), alone reduced CFTR expression and activity. M2 is expressed …


Detection Of Scardovia Genus From Oral Samples In Children Using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Jungyi Alexis Liu Jan 2014

Detection Of Scardovia Genus From Oral Samples In Children Using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Jungyi Alexis Liu

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Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Streptococcus sobrinus (Ss) , are considered the major bacterium associated with dental caries. However, recent findings identify Scardovia species (Sc) is associated with early childhood caries, with or without the presence of Sm or Ss. This IRB approved study quantified the presence of Sm and Sc in saliva by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in relation to caries. Saliva samples were collected from 72 preschool children in a high-caries risk community in rural Alabama. SYBR Green-based qPCR using extracted DNA and primers specific for Sm, Ss, Sc and total bacteria determined the copy number (CN/ml). Twenty two …


Differences In How Bmi And Body Fat Distribution Influence Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Esteem In Caucasian And African American Early Pubertal Girls, Danielle Marie Lorch Jan 2014

Differences In How Bmi And Body Fat Distribution Influence Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Esteem In Caucasian And African American Early Pubertal Girls, Danielle Marie Lorch

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Body dissatisfaction is among many psychological concerns related to obesity, particularly among pre-adolescent females. Though obesity prevalence estimates are higher among African American (AA) adolescent females, the limited data available suggests that they are less susceptible to weight-related body dissatisfaction than Caucasians. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the relationship between BMI and body dissatisfaction and the relationship between BMI and self-esteem in obese AA and Caucasian girls, aged 7-11 years, and determine if these relationships are moderated by race. Furthermore, an examination of how total body fat and body fat distribution before and after a dietary …


Transmitted/Founder Siv In The Rhesus Macaque Model Of Hiv-1 Infection, Mike Lopker Jan 2014

Transmitted/Founder Siv In The Rhesus Macaque Model Of Hiv-1 Infection, Mike Lopker

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Vitally important to HIV-1 vaccine and prevention studies is a well-characterized animal model that recapitulates the salient features of HIV infection in humans. SIVmac and SIVsmm infection of rhesus macaques share key virological and pathological parallels with HIV-1 infection of humans including target cell entry via CD4 and CCR5 (Edinger et al., 1997), progressive T cell loss (Swanstrom & Coffin, 2012), generalized immune activation and preferential loss of mucosal Th17 cells (Brenchley et al., 2008; Klatt & Brenchley, 2010), and a vigorous but ultimately ineffective adaptive immune response. Though commonly used as a vaccine challenge strain in the macaque model, …


Exploring Intrinsic Biomarkers For Optical Assessment Of Outer Retina, Rongwen Lu Jan 2014

Exploring Intrinsic Biomarkers For Optical Assessment Of Outer Retina, Rongwen Lu

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The retina suffers pathological changes after attacked by eye diseases. The objective of my PhD dissertation is to explore intrinsic biomarkers for noninvasive assessment of retinal morphological structure and physiological function. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF), optical coherence tomography (OCT), etc. have provided indispensable information for eye disease detection. However, better understanding of the intrinsic biomarkers in FAF and OCT is desirable for quantitative interpretation of clinical outcomes. The first specific aim of the dissertation research was to characterize FAF signals across the whole retinal depth using two-photon excitation. FAF signals are usually attributable to fluorophores from the choroidal vessel and the …


The Role Of The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In In Vitro Models Of Neurodegeneration, Burton Mader Jan 2014

The Role Of The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In In Vitro Models Of Neurodegeneration, Burton Mader

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Recent studies have provided strong evidence that alterations in protein degradation pathways, such as the autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP), may contribute to neuronal dysfunction and death which lead to clinical symptoms diagnosed with various neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by neuromuscular abnormalities resulting from the pathological loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons and widespread detection of Lewy bodies, intracellular protein inclusions composed primarily of α-synuclein. Additionally, altered gene function regulating the expression of α-synuclein has been directly linked to the PD pathogenesis. Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that when altered can lead to the accumulation neurotoxic proteins such …


Sak Yant: The Transition From Indic Yantras To Thai "Magical" Buddhist Tattoos, Angela May Jan 2014

Sak Yant: The Transition From Indic Yantras To Thai "Magical" Buddhist Tattoos, Angela May

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Officially, Thailand is dominated by the state-sponsored Theravada Buddhist tradition, which has essentially been practiced in Thailand since 1902 when the sangha bureaucracy was established. However, within the last couple of decades a hybrid form of Thai Buddhism has emerged. The contemporary, hybridic Thai religion emphasizes Buddhism--placing it at the top of its hierarchal pyramid--even while it includes elements of Animism and Hinduism. This thesis explores the hybridization of popular religions in contemporary Thailand as reflected in the art form of Sak Yant. Thai Buddhist magical tattoos called Sak Yant are based on ancient Indic yantras that are considered powerful …


Terror On Campus: Analyzing Macro Level Factors Of Colleges That Contribute To Forcible Rape, Lakesha Martin Jan 2014

Terror On Campus: Analyzing Macro Level Factors Of Colleges That Contribute To Forcible Rape, Lakesha Martin

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Rapes on college campuses have been a major problem in the United States and alarming numbers of this crime occurring in our colleges and universities call for attention in this matter to provide solutions to reduce or prevent the incident of rape on campus. Institutions possess certain characteristics that may contribute to rape on campuses. This explanatory study analyzes different factors of institutions on a macro level basis to understand which factors significantly contribute to the likelihood of forcible rapes. Two hundred U.S. colleges and universities are used in this data sample to analyze their institutional demographic factors and situational …


Enhancing The Social Interactions Of Preschool Children With Autism: The Effectiveness Of A Peer-Mediated Intervention, Marjorie Katherine Mccalla Jan 2014

Enhancing The Social Interactions Of Preschool Children With Autism: The Effectiveness Of A Peer-Mediated Intervention, Marjorie Katherine Mccalla

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Deficits in social interactions are considered the defining feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and are a powerful predictor of individual outcomes. Although a wide variety of methods for improving social skills in individuals with ASD have been examined, it is still unclear what approaches are most effective. This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of a new manualized social skills intervention package for preschoolers with ASD that integrated methods with demonstrated efficacy (i.e., ABA, peer training, and video modeling). Approximately two thirds of the intervention were delivered during free play in the classroom and on the playground, allowing children to …


Cd5 Regulation Of T Helper Cell Differentiation And Cytokine Signaling, Donald Mcguire Jan 2014

Cd5 Regulation Of T Helper Cell Differentiation And Cytokine Signaling, Donald Mcguire

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CD5 is expressed on T and B1a cells and is an important regulator of cell survival and activation. Engagement of CD5 promotes cell survival through the activation of the serine threonine kinase CK2. Mice with genetic abrogation of CD5 binding to CK2 (CD5∆CK2bd) exhibited reduced severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis that was associated with increased activation induced cell death. In addition to inhibiting cell death, CD5 activation of CK2 significantly enhances Th17 differentiation. Loss of CD5-CK2 signaling reduces the generation of Th17 cells despite an unexpected increase in pSTAT3 levels. The mechanisms of CD5's enhancement of Th17 differentiation have not …


Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein And Gliosis: Is Gfap More Than A Marker?, Heather Renee Minkel Jan 2014

Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein And Gliosis: Is Gfap More Than A Marker?, Heather Renee Minkel

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Alexander Disease (AxD) is a `gliopathy' caused by toxic, dominant gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Two distinct types of AxD exist. Type I AxD affected individuals develop cerebral symptoms by four years of age and generally suffer from macrocephaly, seizures, and physical and mental delays. As detection and diagnosis have improved, a larger portion, now about half of all AxD patients diagnosed, have onset >4 years and brainstem/spinal cord involvement. These type II AxD patients typically experience ataxia, palatal myoclonus, dysphagia and dysphonia. To date no study has examined a mechanistic link between the …


Relationship Between Diabetes And Indoor Air Pollution: An Exploratory Analysis, Sandeep Mishra Jan 2014

Relationship Between Diabetes And Indoor Air Pollution: An Exploratory Analysis, Sandeep Mishra

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India has the second highest number of people with diabetes. The high prevalence of diabetes in India cannot be explained on the basis of established risk factors like obesity. The role of air pollution in diabetes has recently received attention. Studies have indicated the possibility that air pollution generated by traffic might be associated with increased risk of diabetes. Published literature lacks studies that assess the relationship between indoor air pollution and diabetes, although indoor air pollution can lead to higher levels of pollutants in house compared to traffic pollution. The current study determined the relationship between indoor air pollution …


The Role Of Primary Cilia In Mammary Gland And Skeletal Development, Elizabeth Mitchell Jan 2014

The Role Of Primary Cilia In Mammary Gland And Skeletal Development, Elizabeth Mitchell

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Primary cilia (PC) extend from the cell body into the microenvironment detecting chemical and mechanical signals, and are required for proper development. To evaluate loss of primary cilia in mammary gland development, we developed mouse models with deletion of PC in mammary epithelial compartments. No discernable alterations to mammary development were observed in MMTV-Cre- or K14-Cre; Ift88Del lines. PC were expressed at high levels on cells in mammosphere culture; however, PC were not required for mammosphere renewal. The inability to find a significant mammary developmental phenotype in our mouse models suggested primary cilia don't have a significant function in differentiated …


Hormonal Contraceptives Alter The Immune Function And Structural Integrity Of The Female Genital Tract: Implications For Hiv-1 Infection, Katherine Gisella Michel Jan 2014

Hormonal Contraceptives Alter The Immune Function And Structural Integrity Of The Female Genital Tract: Implications For Hiv-1 Infection, Katherine Gisella Michel

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The potential effect of hormonal contraception on HIV-1 acquisition and transmission represents an important public health issue. Several observational studies have suggested an association between the use of hormonal contraception, in particular injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), and an increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition and transmission. To delineate the biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon, we have recruited healthy, HIV-negative women using either DMPA, NuvaRing, or combined oral contraceptives for a vaginal biopsy and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL). Analysis of the functional capacity of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), distribution of vaginal immune cell populations, and systemic and genital levels of immune …


Night Comes Early To The Valley, Caitlin Murphree Miller Jan 2014

Night Comes Early To The Valley, Caitlin Murphree Miller

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Night Comes Early to the Valley is a collection of short stories about vulnerable, flawed people trying to discover the best way to live their lives. They are well-meaning mothers, fathers, children, and lovers, yet all struggle to balance the fulfillment of their personal responsibilities with the realization of their deepest individual desires. The collection highlights characters who are desperate to atone for their mistakes, build brighter futures, and live up to the expectations of their loved ones--only to realize, over time, that the most formidable judge they'll ever face is their own conscience.


Compression, Bethany Anne Mitchell Jan 2014

Compression, Bethany Anne Mitchell

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Compression , a nonfiction novel-in-progress, examines the author's twisting relationship with her father in the context of her exploration into the traditional archery world. A proud new owner of a 72-inch English longbow, the author's dependence on archery increases as her father's sudden onset of paranoid schizophrenia pushes the two of them widely off target. This novel-in-progress incorporates humor into the real story of a teen coming of age just as her father begins to drift away, a period of years swirling with doubt, confusion, anger, and loss as the author attempts to find a new normal and establish her …


Modeling Of Pollutant Transport In The Nile Delta, Egypt, Mohamed Khaled Elsayed Mostafa Jan 2014

Modeling Of Pollutant Transport In The Nile Delta, Egypt, Mohamed Khaled Elsayed Mostafa

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Poor water quality is one of the biggest problems faced by most countries and especially by developing countries such as Egypt. The mismanagement of potable water resources constitutes one of the main reasons for the depletion of water. This research was carried out in the Nile River delta, a region in which toxic dumping and water quality degradation exist. The Nile delta receives pollution loads from industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities located along its path leading to the spread of water-related diseases such as hepatitis, typhoid, cholera, and kidney failure [Safe Drinking Water Foundation, 2009]. The main objective of this …


American Options And Semilinear Parabolic Partial Differential Equations In Weighted Sobolev Spaces., Terrence K. Muthoka Jan 2014

American Options And Semilinear Parabolic Partial Differential Equations In Weighted Sobolev Spaces., Terrence K. Muthoka

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To value an American option as a function of time t and price of the underlying asset S is currently a major research problem in both Financial Markets and for academic purposes. Options and more general financial derivatives (also known as contingent claims) are now an important tool in risk management. One of the earliest models used in pricing derivatives is the Black-Scholes model, for which the movement in the price of the underlying asset on which the claim is based is modeled by geometric Brownian motion. Other models used for theoretical and numerical analysis of American options include the …