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A Descriptive Study Of The Use Of Neurofeedback In Counseling, Khwlah Jamil Al-Ansari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines neuro-counseling in the mental health field and the concept of neurofeedback training (NFB) as an intervention in the counseling profession. Numbers of studies have indicated that NFB may be effective in the field of counseling. The purpose of this survey study is to explore the use of neurofeedback in the field of counseling.

Additionally, the study used a quantitative descriptive survey research method and descriptive statistics. The survey was sent to members of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and 93 professionals participated. The majority of the sample was licensed professional counselors, professionals with a degree in counseling, …

Comparative Geomatic Analysis Of Historic Development, Trends, And Functions Of Green Space In Kuwait City From 1982-2014, Yousif Abdullah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research assessed green space morphology in Kuwait City, explaining its evolution from 1982 to 2014, through the use of geo-informatics, including remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and cartography. This research examined archival and contemporary satellite images that show the distribution, size, amount, and type of green spaces in Kuwait City, within the framework of its surrounding urban, exurban, and suburban expansion, and landuse change. Through this integrated analysis, it was found that green space growth passed through three main stages: Early Stage, Growth Stage, and Stable Stage.

This study also examined the effective use of public parks and …

The Role Of Stress: Low Birth Weight And Preterm Birth For African American Women, Tionna Latrice Jenkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This population-based study evaluates the impact that psychoSocial stress has on adverse birth outcomes of low birth weight (LBW) and pre-term birth (PTB) among African American mothers in Arkansas. The relationship between adverse birth outcomes in African American women and stress in comparison to non-Hispanic Caucasian women data was evaluated from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) quantitative survey. Data from 2005 through 2010 was reviewed to show the impact that psychoSocial stress has on adverse birth outcomes. The study sample was comprised of 14,196 participants.

Ethnic group status is the key maternal-level independent variable in this study. Of …

Management Of A Primordial Problem: Redox-Sensitive Transcriptional Regulation In Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Ryan Christopher Sheehan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primordial Earth which hosted the first forms of life was an environment free of oxygen. Early organisms utilized metabolisms dependent upon anaerobic conditions and incorporated systems to which oxygen is deleterious. As the content of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere increased, anaerobic organisms had to acquire methods to sense and combat oxygen and reactive oxygen species. Several mechanisms were advantageous to such anaerobic organisms which correlated transcriptional processes with the redox state of the cell so that energy may be conserved and oxygen stress recovery genes activated during periods of oxidative stress. Iron sulfur (Fe-S) cluster cofactors incorporated within RNA …

Defining Primary And Academic Discourse Through Instructional Methods In A Single Junior High Classroom, Ashley Nicole Gerhardson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I examine the use of academic discourse in the school setting and discuss the relation of the primary discourse to academic discourse. I focus on the verbal exchanges between a teacher and her students as these students acquire the academic discourse of the English classroom. The study focuses on the ideas of primary discourse and secondary or academic discourse as presented by Gee (1996) and focuses on his idea of Social languages.

Using a microethnographic study, I develop the idea of how the teacher related to her students and how a single educator felt about the purpose …

Impacts Of Micrornas On Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis And Mitochondrial Quality, David Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

microRNA (miRNA) post-transcriptional modification is becoming a well-established mechanism for controlling mRNA translation. microRNAs -1, -133, and -206 are under the control of skeletal muscle promoters and affect muscle plasticity and metabolic health. A detailed review on the generation and processing of miRNAs with a view to skeletal muscle brings up intriguing connections in the transcriptional connections between multiple miRNAs. Additionally, exciting new research has defined a role of miRNAs in skeletal muscle mitochondria showing an additional, direct link to metabolic function. Multiple investigations in models of exercise, aging, hypertrophy, and injury have shown how these interventions can affect miRNA …

A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Dictyostelium Purpureum Based On Nuclear Rdna Sequences, Mahmoud Suliman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dictyostelids (cellular slime molds) are eukaryotic microorganisms that have both unicellular and multicellular stages during their life cycle. In this study, a molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted for isolates of one species (Dictyostelium purpureum) based DNA sequences of the ITS, 5.8S and SSU regions of nuclear rDNA. Moreover, a detailed morphological study was carried out using images obtained with both dissecting and compound microscopes. Mating experiments were carried out to assess macrocysts formation between each pair of isolates. The constructed molecular phylogenetic trees indicate that (1) D. purpureum isolates are more closely related to each other than to other species …

Controls On Dissolution Rate Variation At A Pair Of Underflow-Overflow Springs At The Savoy Experimental Watershed, Kiefer Allen Vaughn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Physical dissolution experiments and numerical modeling have been used in the past to study limestone dissolution rates. Numerical models have typically used constant dissolution rates, whereas rates in nature vary in time. Limestone tablets allow natural estimation of rates over month time scales, but these rates cannot necessarily be extrapolated to geologic timescales and also do not aid our understanding of short term variability. This study characterizes natural variability in these rates and examines potential causes of that variability from first principles. This may enable more accurate projections of dissolution rates within models. This study combines measurement of physical and …

Mapping Ancient Baldcypress Forests For Conservation At Black River, North Carolina, Jordan Nichole Burns

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A few ancient baldcypress-bottomland hardwood forests survive across the southeastern United States in a mosaic of remnant old-growth stands left untouched by extensive logging during the early 20th century. Uncut stands in the Southeast that survived centuries of disturbance following European settlement tended to be too senescent and non-commercial to justify logging. Remnant ancient baldcypress forests at Black River, North Carolina, appear to contain the oldest living trees in eastern North America and The Nature Conservancy has protected several of these stands. However, the full extent of ancient bottomland forests along Black River is not known and many valuable tracts …

Application Of Essential Oil Compounds And Bacteriophage To Control Staphylococcus Aureus, Anisha Ghosh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens, causing various diseases in humans and animals. In addition, S. aureus is a common foodborne pathogen. As methicillin- resistant S. aureus (MRSA) becomes increasingly prevalent, controlling this pathogen in animals and humans with standard antibiotic treatment has become challenging. Combinations of different antimicrobial agents represent one of the most promising approaches for combating multidrug - resistant bacteria both for treatment of clinical disease as well as in food. Two such antimicrobials with potential application in the food industry include essential oils (EO) and host-specific bacteriophage (phage). The objectives of this study …

Use Of Fluridone For Control Of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) In Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum) And On Ditchbanks, Zachary Thornton Hill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since 2006, glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth has been considered the most problematic weed in agronomic crops across the Midsouth. As a result of glyphosate resistance, producers began to again utilize a diverse herbicide program for management of this weed, which consists of several soil-residual herbicides most notably diuron, fluometuron, fomesafen, and metolachlor. Fluridone inhibits phytoene desaturase in plants, and is unique in that its mechanism of action (MOA) is not currently registered for use in cotton. Studies were conducted to determine the length of residual that fluridone provides in controlling Palmer amaranth in Arkansas glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant cotton programs and along …

Inertial Force-Driven Synthesis Of Near-Infrared Plasmonic Nanosphere Composites: Physicochemical Characterizations, Joseph Noel Batta-Mpouma

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Near-infrared (NIR) responsive nanoparticles (NPs) like gold nanorods (GNRs) are important in biomedical fields because of their transparency for biological tissues. Although GNRs are sought after as contrast agents for theranostics in cancer studies, capping ligands like cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) for the GNR synthesis are toxic for biological tissues. The need for an alternative to toxic GNRs is of interest to alleviate the problem.

This work aimed to optimize the synthesis of NIR responsive nanosphere composites (NSCs) by inertial force (g-force) using colloidal gold NPs as model, elucidate the mechanism for the NSC formation, and study their detailed physicochemical characteristics. …

Effects Of Chemical And Enzymatic Modifications On The Starch-Inclusion Complex Formation, Emily Arijaje

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Starch-inclusion complexes have been proposed as delivery tools for bioactive molecules; however complexation yield is generally low with low solubility, which may limit the bioavailability of the included molecule. It was proposed that chemical (acetylation) and/or enzymatic (isoamylase and beta-amylase) modifications of starches prior to complex formation with fatty acids of different structures, including stearic, oleic and linoleic acid, may help increase complexation yield and solubility of the resulting starch complexes. Potato starch had a significantly higher complexation yield than common corn and high amylose (~70%) corn starches after debranching combined with a beta-amylase treatment. Debranched waxy maize starch and …

An Examination Of Psychoeducation And Its Potential Modifying Influence On Alcohol Use Patterns Among Adults Reporting Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Hazardous Alcohol Consumption, Sarah Jo Bujarski

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that consumption of alcohol in the presence of elevated posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) may serve an avoidant function to cope with negative emotions. These coping-related motives for use are theorized to both maintain PTSS and relate to poorer prognoses in treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Treatments utilizing coping skills training, which typically also involves educating clients about the negative consequences of drinking alcohol to cope, suggest the utility of targeting coping behaviors to reduce alcohol use. These studies, however, have not attempted to isolate the effects of psychoeducation on alcohol-related factors. The current study investigated the …

Novel [3,3]- And [1,3]- Rearrangements Of Azole-Derived N,X-Ketene Acetals, Sefat A. Alwarsh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The formation of carbon-carbon bonds in organic chemistry is fundamentally important. One of the major reactions that chemists have widely investigated is the Claisen rearrangement. Based on the fundamental features of this rearrangement, chemists exploited the capability of the transformation and invented their own variations of Claisen-type rearrangements. Our goal in this project is to develop a novel variation of the Claisen rearrangement using azole compounds, which are common heteroaromatic ring systems that are present extensively in the biomedically important natural products. We propose here novel methodologies of preparing 2-substitution azole derivatives using aza-based Claisen rearrangement, N,X-ketene acetals that requires …

The Paleoepidemiology Of Malaria In The Ancient Near East, Nicole Elizabeth Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The end of the Late Bronze Age in the Near East (1300 - 1200 BCE) saw the widespread collapse of several large cultural centers, the reasons for which are a subject of continued debate. Evidence from events leading up to this cultural collapse suggest epidemic disease may have factored into the eventual downfall of these early civilizations. Recent DNA analysis from Egyptian mummies who lived during the period leading up to the Late Bronze Age collapse identified malaria in several elite individuals, suggesting the widespread prevalence of this infectious disease in Egypt. However, the exact prevalence, antiquity, and dynamics of …

Nutrient Management For Growing Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale L.) In Nutrient Film And Deep Flow Hydroponics, Reetinder Gill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study was conducted to determine an optimal nutrient strategy for dandelion production in nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep flow technique (DFT) systems of hydroponics. It was achieved by growing dandelion at varying levels of nutrient solution concentration and pH in both NFT and DFT systems. Additionally, an optimal nutrient solution concentration and timing of application for dandelion seedling production was also determined.

Interface Property Of Collagen And Hydroxyapatite In Bone, Clint D. Paul

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

When looking at bone at the nanoscale, it consists of a matrix of type I collagen and hydroxyapatite (HAP). Type I collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and together with the mineral HAP [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] is responsible for most of the structural integrity of bone. Collagen fibrils in bone contain HAP platelets of varying size dispersed between the collagen. The composition of the type I collagen is predicted to play a role in the mechanical properties of the interface. Our research looks at healthy heterotrimeric collagen and mutated homotrimeric collagen containing three identical chains. Both types of collagen …

Inducing And Characterizing M2c Macrophages At A Non-Degradable Implant In Vivo, Geoffrey David Keeler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The implantation of biomaterials in the body leads to a reaction known as the foreign body response (FBR) which leads to the eventual encapsulation of the biomaterial. This encapsulation proves to be detrimental to certain biomaterials, such as implanted glucose sensors, which rely on interacting with the extracellular space for proper function. Altering the FBR has become of interest in an effort to increase the longevity and integration of biomaterials. One strategy for altering the FBR is by targeting the macrophage, shown to play an important role in the FBR. In this work, the microdialysis sampling technique was used to …

Influence Of A Potentially Destabilizing Central Tryptophan On Transmembrane Helix Domains, Vasupradha Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

The vital role that membrane proteins play in cell mechanisms and the inner workings of disease in our bodies has been universally accepted. Thus, the study of protein-membrane and transmembrane interactions has become increasingly significant in understanding these membrane proteins. Synthetic model peptides, such as GWALP23 (acetyl-GGALW5LALALALALALALW19LAGA-amide)—designed at the University of Arkansas and composed of the amino acid residues of glycine (G), alanine (A), leucine (L) and tryptophan (W) —provide a favorable “host” framework for investigations of the influence of chosen “guest” amino acids. For example, it is of interest to know the consequences of having a third, centrally located, …

Chymotrypsin Digestion Analysis To Characterize Site-Specific Incorporation Of An Extrinsic Fluorescent Probe On A Ras-Related Protein., Akash D. Patel

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ras Homolog Enriched in Brain (RHEB) is a member of Ras GTPase family and plays an important role in regulation of cell growth and cell cycle proliferation. RHEB is regulated by cycling between active (GTP-bound) and inactive (GDP-bound) state. Guanidine Nucleotide Exchange Factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activationg proteins (GAPs) are the key regulators of RHEB, and it is of interest to closely study their interactions with RHEB. Towards that end, this project was designed to label RHEB with an environmentally sensitive extrinsic fluorophore, succinimidyl 6-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1.3-diazol-4-yl)amino)hexanoate (sNBD), to be used to monitor RHEB-protein interactions. Due to its extreme sensitivity to the surrounding …

Increased Microdialysis Recovery Of Large Molecular Weight Analytes Via Ultrafiltration, Michael C. Elkins

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Microdialysis is a sampling method based on the passive diffusion of solutes across a semi-permeable hollow-fiber membrane that is driven by a concentration gradient. The membrane has a defined molecular weight cutoff, which causes larger molecular solutes such as proteins with molecular weights of approximately 8-80 kDa to have low recoveries. The purpose of this research is to utilize ultrafiltration across the membrane through push-pull and vacuum ultrafiltration methods as a means to increase recovery of large molecular weight analyte. These experiments were carried out using Methyl Orange (MO), Fluorescein Isothiocyanate 4 kDa (FITC-4), and Fluorescein Isothiocyanate 40 kDa (FITC-40). …

Developing Graphene-Based Supercapacitors For High Temperature Applications, Lea Rachel Rogers

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Supercapacitors are ideal tools for energy storage due to their wide range of operation temperatures, long cycle-lives, high power densities of up to 13,000 W/kg, and fast rates of charge-discharge thereby having a high specific capacitance. This research reports synthesis of grapheme-based materials using a modified Hummer’s method. Graphene oxide synthesized first and then converted to reduced graphene oxide sheets and graphene-powder, which both increase the ionic conductivity due to sp2 bonding and a high surface area. These materials were then constructed into a button-cell supercapacitor for testing. For the first supercapacitors, a porous polypropylene membrane (Celgard) that acted as …

Design Of Antimicrobial Peptide Based On The Heparin Binding Segment Of Fgf-1, Alice Margaret Power

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) are heparin-binding proteins known for their involvement in various biological processes such as cell differentiation and wound healing.1 The heparin binding site of FGF-1 displays a unique stretch of positive amino acid sequence and facilitates a very strong binding to negatively charged heparin due to the formation of electrostatic interaction. The aim of this study is to analyze and modify the novel antimicrobial peptide sequence (GST-HB) designed based on the heparin-binding region of FGF-1 as well as other polycationic microbial sequences. These aspects will be examined using various experimental techniques including overexpression of GST-HB, purification using …

Additional Sex Combs-Like 2 (Asxl2): A Psychological Stress-Related Gene In A Chicken Stress Model, Emily Sandra Jacobson

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic stress is a problem not only in terms of its psychological effects but also due to the harmful physiological changes induced in the individual. Although chronic stress is recognized as detrimental and rampant throughout society, the stress system itself remains poorly understood in terms of comprehending which genes are involved in regulating and carrying out stress-induced signals. In a previous study, 57 candidate genes in the stress pathway had been identified based on the presence of stress-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and differential expression from microarray data. The objective of this study was to investigate Additional Sex Combs-Like 2 …

Devlopment Toward Fluorescence Imaging Of Microdialysis Sampling Diffusion Profiles, Nicholas Edward Baioni

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Microdialysis is a diffusion-based method used to collect analytes from specific locations in the body. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important enzymes located throughout the body that play a role in the breakdown of extracellular matrix. Microdialysis sampling in conjunction with appropriate analysis methods can be used to observe the reactions of MMPs in real time. This project is aimed at determining the activity of porcine pancreatic enzyme, a known substitute for MMP-12, using nanodrop spectroscopy. This is a necessary pre-requisite toward using microdialysis in an in vivo imaging setup. These experiments were performed using Succinyl(Ala)_3-p-nitroanilide (suc(Ala)3-p-NA), 4-nitroaniline, and porcine pancreatic …

Derivatives Of 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene (Edot) For Enzyme-Immobilized Conducting Polymer: Toward Development Of Biofuel Cells And Biosensors, Corinne Songer

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Biofuel cells are electrochemical cells that use biological processes to generate a current, and when paired with a biosensor, they can be used to power electronics within the human body.1 Monomers, such as hydroxymethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (HM-EDOT), can be electropolymerized into a conducting polymer that is capable of a high rate of electron transfer, and can increase the flow of current on the electrode surface. HM-EDOT is a suitable monomer for this project because it has a hydroxyl functional group, which allows for increased solubility in aqueous environments. The monomer HM-EDOT can be functionalized and synthesized into carboxylic acid-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (COOH-EDOT)2, which gives …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Tandem Cbd Of Clostridium Histolyticum, Dawn Weir

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

In order to spread infections, bacterial collagenases methodically unravel collagen fibril in tissues. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and can be found in the skin, bone and cartilage [1]. Two collagenases, ColG and ColH, synergistically dismantle collagen fibrils by seeking different weak links in the collagen structure. The collagen-binding domain (CBD) of these collagenases binds to most vulnerable regions in collagen [8]. Without CBDs, collagen fibril cannot be degraded. Cells express collagen receptors in order to anchor themselves, which is a critical step in cell proliferation. Binding sites for some collagen receptors, such as integrin and …

Separation Of Emulsified Oil From A Brackish Water Stream Using Ultrafiltration And Coalescence, Casey W. Polk

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the past 40 years, a variety of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods have been developed and applied to mature, mostly depleted, and shale formation oil reservoirs. Chemical and sonic stimulation are two enhanced oil recovery methods in which emulsions are created either as a primary or secondary effect. The resulting viscosity of the oil in water emulsion is considerably lower than that of dry crude, thus increasing recovery from pay zones. During chemical enhanced oil recovery, caustic or surfactants are injected into oil reservoirs, which results in the creation of stable oil-water emulsions. The emulsions from chemical enhanced oil …

Radiative Cooling To The Night Sky, Alexander R. Enderlin

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Silicon wafer fabrication facilities require a significant amount of temperate cooling water to meet high internal cooling loads. The tertiary chilled water systems operate year round to fulfil the constant cooling load needed for production. Conventional chillers require a large amount of electricity to cool the water by the vapor compression cycle. As energy costs increase and environmental stewardship becomes the norm in industry, sustainable technologies are needed to chill process cooling water without the significant energy consumption of today’s chillers. Night sky radiation cools a medium by radiating heat from a warm medium to the colder night sky. The …