Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Insuficiencia Pancreática Exocrina En Caninos Domésticos De Bogotá, Alejandra Escallón Azuero

Medicina Veterinaria

El páncreas exocrino cumple un papel esencial en la digestión de proteínas, carbohidratos y grasas mediante la secreción de enzimas proteolíticas, amilolíticas y lipolíticas hacia el lumen del intestino delgado. La principal causa de la disfunción del páncreas exocrino es la pérdida de masa funcional del páncreas, debido a una atrofia acinar pancreática o pancreatitis crónica. La pérdida del tejido acinar puede llevar al deterioro de la digestión por producción inadecuada de enzimas, sin embargo, la reserva funcional del páncreas es considerable y los signos de insuficiencia pancreática exocrina (IPE) no se manifiestan hasta que una gran porción de la …

Signal-To-Noise Ratio Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices Across Educational Settings, Hope Elizabeth Lorenz

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Toxicity Of Acetaminophen, Caffeine And Carbendazim In Earthworms (Eisenia Fetida), Matthew M. Bulman

Masters Theses

There has been a need for the assessment of ground water contamination risk on terrestrial organisms. One terrestrial organism, Eisenia fetida, was chosen as a test species and exposed to three common pharmaceutical and/or pesticide related contaminants: acetaminophen (CAS#103-90-2), caffeine (CAS#58-08-2) and carbendazim (CAS#10605-21-7), respectively. Levels of contamination varied from grams per liter to micrograms per liter (ppb) using distilled water as the solvent. Eisenia fetida was examined through a 28 day range/index toxicity test. A Benchmark Dose (BMD) dichotomous probit analysis, using a 95% confidence interval, was calculated for all three contaminants. All three contaminants were found to have …

Development Of The Tagalog Version Of The Western Aphasia Battery-Revised, Carmina Ozaeta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been limited research done in the Philippines in the area of aphasia, a frequent concomitant symptom of strokes and presents as impairment in any area of the input and output of language. Diagnosis is generally conducted by clinicians based on sites of lesion of speakers with aphasia and clinical observations of language symptoms and unpublished translation of the WAB. The lack of relevant research and formal assessment tools in the Philippines motivated this current study. The development of this type of assessment battery for the Tagalog (pronounced /təˈɡɑːlɒɡ/ in English) speaking population will provide a means for differential …

Noncardiac Chest Pain: The Use Of High Resolution Manometry As A Diagnostic Tool, Iman Hilal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms responsible for emergency department and primary care office visits in the United States. Chest pain can be noncardiac and may be attributed to multiple causes. Esophageal disorders including reflux, motility and functional conditions, affect a large proportion of patients with NCCP and lead to significant morbidity. The use of HRM has changed the diagnostic approach to esophageal motility disorders. It is the most specific and sensitive test for diagnosing motor disorders and a promising procedure in detecting dysmotility disorders in patients with NCCP. Despite the increased sensitivity of HRM, the main …

Novel Mechanism Leading To Mismatch Repair Deficiency And Mutator Phenotype, Janice Ortega Rodríguez

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a critical genome-maintenance system. It ensures genome stability by correcting mismatches generated during DNA replication, suppressing homologous recombination, and inducing apoptosis in response to severe DNA damage. As a result, defects in MMR lead to genome-wide mutations and susceptibility to both hereditary and sporadic cancer syndromes. The hallmark of cancer cells defective in MMR is their ability to display frequent instability in simple repetitive DNA sequences, a phenomenon called microsatellite instability (MSI). However, only ~70% of the MSI-positive tumors have identifiable MMR gene mutations, indicating that additional factor(s) are responsible for the MSI phenotype in …

Factors Relating To Hpv Behaviors Of Female College Students, Nicole Rachael Peritore

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This study examined the knowledge, sources of information, reasons for and against Gardasil® uptake, and possible relationships between unhealthy behaviors and vaccination for undergraduate college females at a public university. Utilizing an online survey, 2400 random students were emailed as well as recruited through online classes. The final sample size was 516 females. The study determined how many participants had been vaccinated and their rationale for or against vaccination. The majority of study participants were knowledgeable about HPV and Gardasil®. The primary sources of information about HPV and Gardasil® were doctors and television; however parents and friends were also common …

Relationships Between Telomeric Sequences And Structures, Dna Replication, And The Function Of The Werner Syndrome Protein, Deanna Edwards

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

All human chromosomes end with protective structures called telomeres, which consist of thousands of double-stranded TTAGGG repeats and end in a 3’ guanine-rich overhang. These structures shorten normally during each round of replication, and extremely short telomeres along with telomere dysfunction are thought to contribute to the development of aging and cancer. Although many proteins have roles in telomere maintenance, WRN, which is a 3’ to 5’ helicase that is deficient in the premature aging disorder Werner’s syndrome, has been proposed to play multiple roles at telomeres. In this study, I focus on the effect of telomeric sequences and/or structures …

Physiological And Toxicological Roles Of Abc Transporters In Cellular Efflux Of Substrates, Donna J. Coy

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are transmembrane proteins that transport a wide variety of substrates across intra and extra-cellular membranes. A few examples of endo and xenobiotic substrates are metabolic products, lipids, sterols, and drugs. An important function of ABC transporters involved in export is to prevent intracellular the buildup of toxic products. Several ABC transporters have also been associated with drug resistance upon treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. P-glycoprotein (P-GP) and the multidrug resistant (MRP) transporters of the ABC C family are examples of transporters that confer chemo-resistance.

We have studied two unique roles of ABC transporters in the liver and …

Mnsod And Autophagy In Prevention Of Oxidative Mitochondrial Injuries Induced By Uvb In Murine Skin, Vasudevan Bakthavatchalu

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

UVB radiation is a known environmental carcinogen that causes DNA damage and increase ROS generation in mitochondria. Accumulating evidence suggests that mtDNA damage and increased ROS generation trigger mitochondrial translocation of p53. Within mitochondria, p53 interacts with nucleoid macromolecular complexes such as mitochondrial antioxidant MnSOD, mitochondrial DNA polymerase Polγ, and mtDNA. Mitochondria are considered to be a potential source for damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as mtDNA, cytochrome C, ATP, and formyl peptides. Intracytoplasmic release of DAMPs can trigger inflammasome formation and programmed cell death processes. Autophagic clearance of mitochondria with compromised integrity can inhibit inflammatory and cell death processes. …

Effects Of Methoprene On The Survivorship Of Adult Aedes Mosquitoes: A Strategy Or Inactivating Released Mosquitoes, Peter J. Brabant Iii

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Methoprene is a Juvenile Hormone (JH) analogue commonly used for the control of mosquito larvae. When applied to a mosquito breeding site, methoprene enters the haemolymph, where it mimics the function of JH and interferes with normal metamorphosis, resulting in larval mortality. Methoprene is commonly used for the control of larvae and has not been used as an adulticide, due to an absence of acute effects. This study evaluated possible chronic effects caused by the exposure of adult Aedes mosquitoes to methoprene. Methoprene was applied, in both technical grade and the commercially available Altosid®, topically to adults through droplet application …

Physical Activity, Sleep Patterns, And Health Outcomes In University Law Enforcement Officers, Nicole C. Koebke

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research indicates that law enforcement officers (LEOs) have a higher prevalence of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to the general population. Sleep deprivation and physical inactivity have been found to be related to many risk factors for CAD. This cross-sectional study examined the health status and the relationship between sleep and physical activity outcomes versus CAD risk factors among 27 University LEOs. The subjects’ health behaviors, and CAD and metabolic syndrome risk factors were described using basic statistics. Accelerometer derived sleep and physical activity outcomes were correlated to measures of health to identify potential relationships. 33% of LEOs were …

Attentional Bias And Alcohol Abuse, Jessica Jane Weafer

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Selective attention towards alcohol-related cues (i.e., “attentional bias”) is thought to reflect increased incentive motivational value of alcohol and alcohol cues acquired through a history of heavy alcohol use, and as such attentional bias is considered to be a clinically relevant factor contributing to alcohol use disorders. This dissertation consists of two studies that investigated specific mechanisms through which attentional bias might serve to promote alcohol abuse. Study 1 compared magnitude of attentional bias in heavy (n = 20) and light (n = 20) drinkers following placebo and two doses of alcohol (0.45 g/kg and 0.65 g/kg). Heavy drinkers displayed …

Relationship Between Physical Fitness Measures And Occupational Physical Ability In University Law Enforcement Officers, Annie Q. Beck

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Law enforcement on academic campuses can be a physically demanding profession. Law enforcement officers (LEOs) may be required to perform a variety of physical tasks. Identifying which physical fitness characteristics are associated with these tasks will guide the development of appropriate and effective exercise programs. Therefore the purpose of this study was to identify physical fitness and demographic characteristics associated with the occupational physical ability of university LEOs. Sixteen male LEOs (age: 33.1±8.7 yr.; body mass: 87.2±11.2 kg; height: 178.9±7.9 cm) performed an officer physical ability test (OPAT) that simulated a foot chase of a suspect. In addition, the officers …

Using The Scrambled Sentences Test To Examine Relationships Between Cognitive Bias, Thought Suppression And Borderline Personality Features, Paul Jefferson Geiger

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Cognitive bias and thought suppression are two maladaptive patterns of thinking that have been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Negative cognitive biases related to BPD include thoughts that they are bad, powerless, or vulnerable and that the world is dangerous. Thought suppression is a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy where unwanted thoughts are intentionally pushed out of one’s consciousness. However, previous research has connected thought suppression and cognitive biases to BPD only via self-report measures. The present study examined whether a laboratory task meant to measure cognitive bias and thought suppression (Scrambled Sentences Test) would predict BPD features over and …

The Identification And Reduction Of Energy Streams Within The Pharmaceutical Sector Using Software Algorithms, Raymond Corbett

Theses

Pharmaceutical companies are under increasing financial pressure to optimise production costs, due to a growing number of products coming off patent, research and development costs increasing exponentially and the difficulty of bringing genuinely innovative products to market. Generic drug manufacturers are not exempt from these pressures; costs must be driven down by all drug manufacturers due to the increasingly competitive healthcare market.

The operating costs of a modern Pharmaceutical Plant run to several Million Euros per annum. Complex process’s involving the consumption of large amounts of energy, and hence costs, are a necessity. Any increase in the efficiency of a …

The Relationship Between Children's Nonmainstream English Dialect Density And Their Emergfent Reading Achievement, Katelyn Danielle Rodrigue

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between children’s use of nonmainstream dialect and their emerging reading ability. The data were from 79 kindergarteners; 39 were AA and 40 were non-AA; 38 were male and 41 were female. All children presented with varying language abilities and dialect densities, as measured by the DELV-ST. Dialect densities ranged from Mainstream American English (MAE), some variation of MAE, and strong variations of MAE. The children’s reading abilities were measured by the DIBELS, which was administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Preliminary results showed that children’s …

Structural And Molecular Pathology Of The Atrium In Boxer Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy, Jorge Luis Vila

LSU Master's Theses

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC), also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), is a disease characterized by fatty or fibro-fatty myocardial replacement, predominantly in the right ventricle and to a lower extent the left ventricle. It is recognized as a disease affecting the cardiac intercalated disc. Clinically, it is associated with ventricular arrhythmias, although atrial arrhythmias and atrial histopathological changes characteristic of AC have occasionally been reported. The full extent of atrial involvement in AC has not been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to apply histopathology, immunochemical detection, immunolocalization and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to characterize the distribution of desmosomal and …

Role Of Intraocular Leptospira Infections In The Pathogenesis Of Equine Recurrent Uveitis In The Southern United States, Florence Polle

LSU Master's Theses

To investigate the role of intraocular leptospiral infections in horses with Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), ocular fluid samples were collected from donated and client-owned horses with a history and ocular findings consistent with chronic ERU. Additionally, eyes were harvested from horses with normal ophthalmic examinations as a control group. Blood samples were obtained for Leptospira serology using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Aqueous and vitreous humor samples were aseptically obtained and submitted for aerobic culture and Leptospira culture, PCR and MAT. Twenty-one control horses (40 eyes) and 31 ERU horses (46 eyes) were available for study. Serology results were available for …

Dynamic Herbal Monographs For A Digital World, Niamh O'Brien

Theses

Post analysis of a worldwide survey of Medical Herbalists, 93% of respondents were in favour of an online system which could update monographs dynamically. 63% of respondents suggested that some current monographs are out of date and lack certain practicalities in areas such as : Interactions, Dosage and Safety. Research into gaining optimal responses from surveys led to a 78% response rate. Survey analysis resulted in a modem up-to-date monograph template being created and each of the aforementioned information systems tested against same. Testing involved the generation of XML, HTML, PHP and OWL languages for encoding documents to allow for …

The Effects Of 17Α-Ethynylestradiol (Ee2) On Gonadal Development And Differentiation In The Estuarine Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus, Ibrahim Chehade

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Endocrine disrupting substances (EDSs) comprise a wide variety of chemicals that perturb normal endocrine function including developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates. The synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE₂) is a commonly-used model EDS because of its environmental relevance and its effects on the reproductive endocrine system. Early life-stage exposure of fish to estrogenic EDSs causes effects such as intersex (ovotestes in males) and feminization. This study aims to confirm the period of gonadal differentiation in the estuarine killifish or mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and to determine the sensitivity of gonadal development to EE₂. Artificially-regressed mummichog were spawned, and …

Characterisation Of Crataegus Monogyna Fractions And Assessment Of Their Functional Properties, Eilish Shortle

Theses

Hawthorn {Crataegus monogyna) is a herb that has been used medicinally since ancient times. In modern medicine it is known for its cardiotonic properties and is used as a cardiovascular protective, hypotensive and hypocholesterolemic agent. In recent years supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) has become more popular as an extraction method for botanical material as it is an environmentally-friendly method that can produce toxic-free extracts. The optimal SFE extraction conditions for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from both, hawthorn leaf & dower and hawthorn berries, using carbon dioxide, were determined in this study. The optimized extracts were then compared to pre-prepared …

Immunization Of West Nile Recombinant Envelope Domain Iii With Equine Cd40 Ligand Protein Vaccine Induced Specific Immune Response In Rabbits And Horses, Shiliang Anthony Liu

LSU Master's Theses

West Nile virus (WNV) is one of several flaviruses known to infect mammalian species, including humans. There were 15,257 horse cases reported in 2002 and 1,086 in 2006 in United States. Recently, significant increases in equine and human cases have been reported in United States. Domain III of the WNV envelope protein binds to cellular receptors, and induces a significant portion of the neutralizing antibody response against the virus. CD40 Ligand (CD40L, CD154) enhances productive interactions between T cells and APC and has been shown to function as a potential adjuvant. In this study, we constructed and expressed a fusion …

The Effects Of Iodixanol Present During Equine Semen Cryopreservation, David Paul Beehan

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were to determine what effects iodixanol would have on total and progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity (viability), acrosome integrity and DNA structure when present during cryopreservation of equine spermatozoa,. We hypothesized that the addition of iodixanol would improve post-thaw values for measured parameters. Ejaculates from six stallions were collected, centrifuged at 900 x g for ten minutes to remove supernatant, and suspended to 200 x 106 cells/ml with 0%, 2.5% and 5% iodixanol in an egg-yolk based extender and cryopreserved. Before and after cryopreservation sperm motility was assessed by computer assisted semen analysis, and samples …

Acute Effects Of Whole Body Vibration And Vertical Jump Height, Patrick Mckee

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.