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Feed Comparison For Dietary Standardization Of The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus And Assessment Of Parental Dietary Copper Toxicity By Fertilization And Embryological Tests, Heath W. Garris Jan 2008

Feed Comparison For Dietary Standardization Of The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus And Assessment Of Parental Dietary Copper Toxicity By Fertilization And Embryological Tests, Heath W. Garris

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Toxicity tests monitoring the effects of anthropogenic substances on marine systems are considered an important part of environmental management. Sea urchin fertilization and embryological toxicity tests are successful in producing a graded response to toxicants, but standards for controlling the quality of parental urchins have not been developed. In Chapter 1, experimental populations of Lytechinus variegatus were fed either organic romaine lettuce and organic carrots, or a feed formulated for sea urchins for 13 weeks. Growth demographics were assessed and F1 progeny were compared for sensitivity to the toxicants copper sulfate, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, and sodium dodecyl sulfate by acute embryonic and …


Food Handling Practices Of High-Risk Populations, Bobby Babak Rasulnia Jan 2008

Food Handling Practices Of High-Risk Populations, Bobby Babak Rasulnia

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Populations such as the immuno-compromised (HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, and transplant patients) and those with chronic conditions (gastric illness, cirrhosis, on anti-microbial therapy, antacid medication and steroid medications) are more susceptible to food borne illness. Examining differences in food handling practices and personal characteristics of high-risk groups verses the general population is the focus of this research. This study is based on secondary data from an established quantitative survey instrument developed and administered by the 2001 FDA Food Safety Survey. Descriptive, chi square, and logistic regression methods were used in the analysis. A statistically significant relationship was not found between health status …


Expression And Function Of Aqua Porins In Malignant And Non-Malignant Astrocytes, Eric S. Mccoy Jan 2008

Expression And Function Of Aqua Porins In Malignant And Non-Malignant Astrocytes, Eric S. Mccoy

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No abstract provided.


Exercise Training Improves Premenopausal Women's Ability To Estimate Energy Expenditure After Weight Loss, Micah D. Greer Jan 2008

Exercise Training Improves Premenopausal Women's Ability To Estimate Energy Expenditure After Weight Loss, Micah D. Greer

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Objective: Previously we have shown that total free living energy expenditure (TEE) and greater fitness was associated with reduced long term weight gain and improved ability to estimate TEE from physical activity (PA) questionnaires. In the current study, it is hypothesized that women will overestimate questionnaire self reported energy expenditure (QEE). Furthermore, weight reduced women who exercise train will be better able to estimate TEE compared to weight reduced women who do not exercise train. Design: The participants consisted of 35 European American (EA) and 49 African American (AA) pre-menopausal women. These women were evaluated while overweight and when weight …


Geographic Differences In Accessibility To Renal Treatment Among Black And White Populations Within Network 6 Of The End Stage Renal Disease Networks, Shenee J. Reid Jan 2008

Geographic Differences In Accessibility To Renal Treatment Among Black And White Populations Within Network 6 Of The End Stage Renal Disease Networks, Shenee J. Reid

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Objective: This study examined relationships between racial composition of zip codes and the geographic accessibility to dialysis centers of Network 6 of the End Stage Renal Disease Networks. Study Design: Geographic accessibility to renal care (hemodialysis) was defined as the average distance between the centers of zip codes where dialysis patients reside and the dialysis centers that fall within a 30 mile buffer radius. Data Sources: This research studies the distribution of 33,536 patients, 1,798 zip codes, and 546 dialysis centers in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina as of December 31, 2007. Information and data concerning the dialysis centers …


Genetic And Psychiatric Treatment Related Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes In Schizophrenia And Schizoaffective Disorder Patients, Marguerite Mulryan Dickson Jan 2008

Genetic And Psychiatric Treatment Related Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes In Schizophrenia And Schizoaffective Disorder Patients, Marguerite Mulryan Dickson

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No abstract provided.


Recognition Of Environmental Hazards For Toddlers By Parents And Caregivers, Joanna Gaines Jan 2008

Recognition Of Environmental Hazards For Toddlers By Parents And Caregivers, Joanna Gaines

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No abstract provided.


Free -Knot Splines And Bootstrapping For Nonlinear Modeling In Complex Samples, Scott W. Keith Jan 2008

Free -Knot Splines And Bootstrapping For Nonlinear Modeling In Complex Samples, Scott W. Keith

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Studies on body mass index (BMI) as it relates to headache or mortality have noted considerable nonlinearity. Approaches to rigorously analyzing these relationships have been limited to generalized linear models and survival models using either categorizations or polynomials of BMI. I have designed, evaluated, and implemented a piecewise linear logistic regression framework for modeling nonlinearity between a binary outcome and a continuous predictor, such as BMI, adjusted for covariates in complex samples. Least squares and maximum likelihood estimation methods were used to numerically optimize free-knot splines. Inference methods utilized both parametric and nonparametric bootstrapping. Parameter estimates were structured for interpretability …


Depressive Symptoms, Depressive Symptom Types, And Coping Strategies Among Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants, Jennifer Jones Cameron Jan 2008

Depressive Symptoms, Depressive Symptom Types, And Coping Strategies Among Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants, Jennifer Jones Cameron

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No abstract provided.


Beliefs And Intentions Of U.S. Registered Dietitians Toward Evaluating Psychological Factors Related To Food And Weight Concerns Of Weight Management Clients And Making Referrals, Donna Oliva Burnett Jan 2008

Beliefs And Intentions Of U.S. Registered Dietitians Toward Evaluating Psychological Factors Related To Food And Weight Concerns Of Weight Management Clients And Making Referrals, Donna Oliva Burnett

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No abstract provided.


Biomimetic Self -Assembled Nanomatrix For Bone Tissue Regeneration, Joel M. Anderson Jan 2008

Biomimetic Self -Assembled Nanomatrix For Bone Tissue Regeneration, Joel M. Anderson

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Bone is a dense, connective tissue with an extracellular matrix (ECM) comprised of biological and organic/inorganic biphasic matrices. For this study, novel peptide amphiphile (PA) nanomatrices were synthesized to mimic the native bone ECM and evaluated with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) isolated from bone marrow. The ability of this nanoscale, biomimetic scaffold composed of PAs that are inscribed with cellular adhesive ligands to direct hMSC osteogenic differentiation without supplements, along with other cellular behaviors, was investigated. Typical osteogenic supplements include dexamethasone, β-glycerol phosphate, and ascorbic acid. The synthesized PA sequences were evaluated as two-dimensional nanomatrix coatings without the inorganic …


Air Pollution And Preterm Births In Atlanta, Georgia, Corey Masuca Jan 2008

Air Pollution And Preterm Births In Atlanta, Georgia, Corey Masuca

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Exposure to ambient outdoor air pollution exposure is one of the many extraneous factors associated with preterm births. Many epidemiological studies involving preterm births and ambient air pollution have repeatedly indicated positive associations. However, for many such studies, results may be statistically significant but weakly associated or inconclusive. Such results may be primarily attributable to the fact that most studies include only single or multiple criteria air pollutants but not the total air pollution mixture of criteria air pollutants and air toxic pollutants (e.g., PAHs) to which people are actually exposed. This study assessed associations between pollutant classes, including criteria …


The Role Of Community-Based Programs In Addressing Health Disparities As It Relates To Breast And Cervical Cancer In African American Women: A Systematic Review Of Studies, Rashaan Anderson Jan 2008

The Role Of Community-Based Programs In Addressing Health Disparities As It Relates To Breast And Cervical Cancer In African American Women: A Systematic Review Of Studies, Rashaan Anderson

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In an effort to extrapolate the detail intricacies of how community-based programs impact public health a systematic review of the literature was performed. This research will examine ways in which community based programs reduce health disparities in breast and cervical cancer in African American women. The primary mechanism used to identify appropriate citations for systematic review and inclusion was performed using the PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CancerLit and PsychINFO online databases. Key-word searches to be included for were the terms community, community based participatory research, community-based organizations, community coalitions, non for profit organizations, action plan, action research, grassroots organizations, community …


The Effects Of Maternal Prenatal Insults On The Bmi Growth Trajectory Of Children Between The Ages Of 5-12 Years, Anthony Goudie Jan 2008

The Effects Of Maternal Prenatal Insults On The Bmi Growth Trajectory Of Children Between The Ages Of 5-12 Years, Anthony Goudie

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The level of childhood obesity in the United States is at epidemic proportions. Most population studies looking at the factors contributing to childhood obesity focus on obesity as a dichotomous outcome. The purpose of this study is to test for the effects of maternal prenatal insult behaviors on the growth trajectory of a sample of children 5-12 years of age in the United States. This is the first known study to use a latent growth curve model and a cohort-concurrent analytical design to test the association between maternal prenatal insult behaviors and the annual longitudinal increase in body mass index …


Awareness Of Functional Difficulties In Mild Cognitive Impairment: Relation To Cognitive Variables And Mood, Ozioma C. Okonkwo Jan 2008

Awareness Of Functional Difficulties In Mild Cognitive Impairment: Relation To Cognitive Variables And Mood, Ozioma C. Okonkwo

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No abstract provided.


The Reproductive Cycle Of Lytechinus Variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) From The Florida Panhandle, Adele Cunningham Jan 2008

The Reproductive Cycle Of Lytechinus Variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) From The Florida Panhandle, Adele Cunningham

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The range of the regular echinoid Lytechinus variegatus extends from the Carolinas along the US Atlantic coast to Brazil. To our knowledge, the present study is the northernmost study to examine histology of the reproductive cycle of Lytechinus variegatus. From April 2001 to September 2003, at intervals of about 4-6 weeks, L. variegatus with an average diameter of 45 mm were collected at Eagle Harbor in St. Joseph’s Bay, Florida.. A staging system for gamete development and maturation based on histology of the gonad was devised for female and male L. variegatus. Histology indicated a period of nutrient storage and …


Microbial Biofilm Attachment To Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kevin Drace Jan 2008

Microbial Biofilm Attachment To Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kevin Drace

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The closely related bacterial species Xenorhabdus nematophila, Yersinia pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis make biofilms capable of adhering to the head of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Y. pestis uses biofilms to block the digestive tract of its vector, the flea, in order to enhance its efficiency of transmission. I investigated the role of biofilms in X. nematophila and found that, like its Yersinia sp. counterparts, production of biofilm requires a four-gene operon: hmsHFRS. X. nematophila is an insect pathogen and an obligate symbiont of the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. However, an X. nematophila hmsH mutant that failed to make biofilms on …


Phenomenological Study: What Are Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Lived Experiences With Children Identified With Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, And Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In The Southeastern United States?, Danna Benefield Jones Jan 2008

Phenomenological Study: What Are Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Lived Experiences With Children Identified With Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, And Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In The Southeastern United States?, Danna Benefield Jones

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To date, a vast amount of research has been conducted on disruptive behavior dis-orders such as conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiance disorder (ODD), and atten-tion deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. However, a paucity of research exists in spe-cific areas such as how teachers’ handle students diagnosed with these disorders. The cur-rent situation in pre-kindergarten may undermine the ability of these students to succeed in the school system. This is seen in the fact that a large number of these students are removed from pre-kindergarten programs across the United States (Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Hammond, 2004). Understanding pre-kindergarten teachers’ lived experiences in handling …


Relationships Among Anger, Patterns Of Anger Expression And Blood Pressure, Glucose, And Cortisol In Overweight School-Aged Children, Kimberly Nichols Jan 2008

Relationships Among Anger, Patterns Of Anger Expression And Blood Pressure, Glucose, And Cortisol In Overweight School-Aged Children, Kimberly Nichols

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Overweight and obesity in school-aged children have become a major health issue. With overweight and obesity, children have increased risk of developing elevated blood pressure readings, glucose levels, and cortisol. Trait anger and patterns of anger expression have been shown to contribute to the elevations of blood pressure, glucose and cortisol in normoweight children and overweight adolescents. However, little research has been done with overweight school-aged children. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among trait anger and each of the patterns of anger expression (anger-suppression, anger-out, and anger-reflection/control) and blood pressure, glucose, and cortisol in overweight …


An Exploration Of Factors Related To Hypertension Control In African American And Caucasian Municipal Employees, Sunun Sinsuesatkul Jan 2008

An Exploration Of Factors Related To Hypertension Control In African American And Caucasian Municipal Employees, Sunun Sinsuesatkul

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Hypertension is a major contributor to morbidity, mortality, and medical costs in the United States. African Americans (AAs) have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world, exhibiting at least twice the rate for Caucasians in almost every age and sex group. AAs are also at higher risk for complications from hypertension than Caucasians. While several factors have been proposed as accounting for those differences, there is no consensus on which factors may be responsible; the reasons for disparities in hypertension control in AAs are complex, and need further investigation. This study explored relationships between multiple factors to identify how …


Staff Nurses' Level Of Diabetes And Diabetes Management Knowledge After A Diabetes Lecture-Based And Computer-Based Educational Intervention, Mary Annette Hess Wright Jan 2008

Staff Nurses' Level Of Diabetes And Diabetes Management Knowledge After A Diabetes Lecture-Based And Computer-Based Educational Intervention, Mary Annette Hess Wright

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Nurses’ knowledge of diabetes and diabetes management and the identification of differences in knowledge gains after completion of a lecture-based or a computer-based diabetes educational intervention in 175 participants from a variety of health care settings, shifts, and specialties in a large acute-care facility in the Southeastern United States was studied. This was a randomized experimental design with a pretest (Time 1), an immediate post test (Time 2), and a 3-week-post test (Time 3) utilizing the conceptual framework of M. S. Knowles’ adult-learning theory. Nurses’ knowledge was assessed by a 45-item Diabetes Basic Knowledge Test (DBKT) with a 21-item demographic/diabetes …


The Effect Of Malaria And Intestinal Helminth Coinfection On Birth Outcomes In Ghana, Nelly J. Yatich Jan 2008

The Effect Of Malaria And Intestinal Helminth Coinfection On Birth Outcomes In Ghana, Nelly J. Yatich

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Several studies have reported the relationship between malaria during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes including maternal anemia, low birthweight, as well as preterm delivery and small for gestational age infants. Some studies have also demonstrated the linkage between helminth infection and maternal anemia. Few studies have assessed the occurrence of coinfection of these infections in pregnancy and its effects on maternal anemia and birth outcomes. The objective of this dissertation was to assess the effect of malaria and intestinal helminth coinfection on birth outcomes in Ghana. A cross-sectional study of 785 women presenting for delivery in two hospitals in Kumasi, …


After Controlling For Other Risk Factors, To What Extent Does The Level Of Parity Account For The Differences In The Probability Of Developing Diabetes Mellitus?, Johnita Dobbs Jan 2008

After Controlling For Other Risk Factors, To What Extent Does The Level Of Parity Account For The Differences In The Probability Of Developing Diabetes Mellitus?, Johnita Dobbs

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No abstract provided.


Structural And Functional Studies Of Human Bile Acid Coa:Amino Acid N-Acyltransferase (Hbat), Erin Mary Shonsey Jan 2008

Structural And Functional Studies Of Human Bile Acid Coa:Amino Acid N-Acyltransferase (Hbat), Erin Mary Shonsey

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No abstract provided.


The Effects Of Catastrophizing And Acceptance On Functional Interference In Persons With Chronic Pain: Laboratory Findings, Subjective Reports, And The Moderating Role Of Acceptance, Elizabeth J. Richardson Jan 2008

The Effects Of Catastrophizing And Acceptance On Functional Interference In Persons With Chronic Pain: Laboratory Findings, Subjective Reports, And The Moderating Role Of Acceptance, Elizabeth J. Richardson

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No abstract provided.


The Relationship Of Adolescent Cognitive Ability To Adult Physical Health: Socioeconomic Status And Health Behavior As Mediating Variables, Timothy M. Hale Jan 2008

The Relationship Of Adolescent Cognitive Ability To Adult Physical Health: Socioeconomic Status And Health Behavior As Mediating Variables, Timothy M. Hale

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No abstract provided.


Diet -Induced Changes In Intra -Abdominal Adipose Tissue And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In African American And European American Women, Konstantina Katsoulis Jan 2008

Diet -Induced Changes In Intra -Abdominal Adipose Tissue And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In African American And European American Women, Konstantina Katsoulis

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No abstract provided.


Thrombospondin Type-1 Repeats And Their Potential Role In Inhibiting Glioblastoma Angiogenesis, Joshua C. Anderson Jan 2008

Thrombospondin Type-1 Repeats And Their Potential Role In Inhibiting Glioblastoma Angiogenesis, Joshua C. Anderson

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Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a 420 kilodalton homotrimeric protein; it is one of the first identified anti-angiogenic proteins found to be expressed in some normal tissues. Peptides derived from the type-1 repeat (TSR) domains of full length TSP-1 have been shown to have anti-angiogenic activity, and thus anti-tumor activity in some non-glioma tumor models. I hypothesized that peptides derived from the TSRs of TSP-1, such as ABT-510, could inhibit angiogenesis and thus malignant glioma tumor growth in vivo. I found that ABT-510 inhibited angiogenesis of the human brain microvascular endothelial cell (MvEC) in an in vitro tubulomorphogenesis assay. To determine the …


Occupational Stressors, Job Satisfaction, And Back Pain In Firefighters, Mantana Damrongsak Jan 2008

Occupational Stressors, Job Satisfaction, And Back Pain In Firefighters, Mantana Damrongsak

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Occupational back pain is a significant health and safety problem in many industrialized countries for persons who are required to perform work-related forceful movement and lifting. Firefighters, an occupational group at high risk for back injury, perform many job tasks under hazardous work conditions. One-third of firefighters retire due to job-related health and safety problems and 49.4% of this group retire as a result of back pain, the leading cause of early retirements in firefighters. Most studies have examined factors influencing back problems among other workers, especially nurses and hospital workers, but few studies have investigated factors that influence back …


Metabolism Of Neutrophil-Deprived Chlorinated Isoflavones, Tracy Lyn D'Alessandro Jan 2008

Metabolism Of Neutrophil-Deprived Chlorinated Isoflavones, Tracy Lyn D'Alessandro

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Despite medical advances in both drug therapy and surgical techniques, Americans mostly die from heart disease. Many belong to the low- and middle-class families who do not have sufficient access to medical care due to its high costs. An alternative is the development of healthier lifestyles such as diet which may play a positive role in chronic disease management. Epidemiological and migratory studies suggest that soy plays a pivotal role in the decreased incidence of heart disease in East Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea. The role of soy in cardiovascular disease progression has been the subject of …