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Bisexuality And Identity Formation, Jessica Fuoss Jan 2013

Bisexuality And Identity Formation, Jessica Fuoss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the identity development and psychological adjustment of bisexual individuals (n = 138) as compared to homosexual (n = 45) and heterosexual participants (n = 558). Undergraduate students recruited from psychology classes at a large metropolitan university in Florida (67% female, 65% Caucasian) took an online survey for course extra credit. Bisexual and homosexual participants scored higher in identity exploration than the heterosexual participants. Bisexual participants scored significantly higher in psychological symptom severity than heterosexual participants. The three groups were not significantly different in identity commitment nor in identity distress. Female bisexual participants scored more similar to the …

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An Examination Of The Relationship Between Marzano's Causal Teacher Evaluation Model And Student Achievement At Nine High Schools In A Large Suburban School District In Central Florida, Dana Jacobson Jan 2013

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Marzano's Causal Teacher Evaluation Model And Student Achievement At Nine High Schools In A Large Suburban School District In Central Florida, Dana Jacobson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the relationship between student achievement and teacher evaluation during the first year of implementation of the Marzano Causal Teacher Evaluation model in a large suburban school district in Central Florida. The population included high school level teachers and students. Teacher evaluation and performance data were collected and analyzed for relationships using Spearman Rho and Chi-Square Analysis. Variables reviewed included: (a) Marzano‟s Causal Teacher Evaluation Model iObservation© protocol, (b) categorized teacher years of experience, (c) student growth scores based on a teacher‟s student success on statewide assessments as calculated using VAM or an administered pre- and posttest, …

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A Study Of The Implementation Of The Executive Ed. D. In Educational Leadership At The University Of Central Florida 2010-2013: A Professional Practice Doctorate, Nicole Marsh Jan 2013

A Study Of The Implementation Of The Executive Ed. D. In Educational Leadership At The University Of Central Florida 2010-2013: A Professional Practice Doctorate, Nicole Marsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study conducted at the University of Central Florida was of two-fold importance. First, information gathered via this study has served to continually improve the rigor and relevancy of the curriculum and program requirements to issues in education. Second, the research findings from this study served to move forward the national and increasingly international efforts to improve the Ed. D. and other professional practice doctorate programs. The review of literature was organized to present an introduction for the conceptual framework of the efforts to distinguish between the Ph. D. and Ed. D. and strengthen the education doctorate overall. The review …

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Disturbance-Based Management And Plant Species Change In Massachusetts Sandplain Heathlands Over The Past Two Decades, Kirsten Martin Jan 2013

Disturbance-Based Management And Plant Species Change In Massachusetts Sandplain Heathlands Over The Past Two Decades, Kirsten Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Massachusetts sandplain heathlands are habitats of conservation concern, harboring many rare plant species and providing habitat for animals that depend on openlands. These heathlands are threatened by human development, shrub encroachment in the absence of disturbance, and potentially increasing soil nutrient levels. Sandplain heathlands are managed with prescribed fire, in order to maintain their open structure and maintain species diversity. In order to assess how past management was correlated with species change, I used a data set that spanned twenty years from three different heathlands in Massachusetts. I looked for correlations between management and species change. Correlations between species change …

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The Contribution Of Visceral Fat To Positive Insulin Signaling In Ames Dwarf Mice, Vinal Menon Jan 2013

The Contribution Of Visceral Fat To Positive Insulin Signaling In Ames Dwarf Mice, Vinal Menon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ames dwarf (df/df) mice are homozygous for a spontaneous mutation in the prop1 gene due to which there is no development of anterior pituitary cells – somatotrophs, lactotrophs and thyrotrophs, leading to a deficiency of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH). They tend to become obese as they age, but still live longer and healthier lives compared to their wild-type littermates, being very insulin sensitive, showing no signs of diabetes and cancer. These mutant mice also have high circulating levels of anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic adiponectin. Plasma levels of this adipokine usually decrease with an increase in accumulation of …

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The Impact Of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten On The Academic Achievement And Kindergarten Readiness Of Students In A Large Suburban School District, Jordan Rodriguez Jan 2013

The Impact Of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten On The Academic Achievement And Kindergarten Readiness Of Students In A Large Suburban School District, Jordan Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the United States, state governments are allocating millions of dollars to support Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) programs. Recent research has indicated that students that participate in VPK demonstrate higher academic achievement scores across a number of subject areas. Moreover, VPK participants are more likely to enter primary school on grade level, which in turn leads to a reduction in grade retention. Studies have indicated that although all students that participate in VPK programs benefit from such programs, minority students and students that come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds benefit at an even higher level. The intent of this study was to determine …

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An Examination Of Inclusive Education In Schools Operated By The Jordan Field Of The United Nations Relief And Works Agency For Palestine Refugees In The Near East, Jacqueline Rodriguez Jan 2013

An Examination Of Inclusive Education In Schools Operated By The Jordan Field Of The United Nations Relief And Works Agency For Palestine Refugees In The Near East, Jacqueline Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For refugee children with disabilities, international agencies largely provide humanitarian assistance, including education. However, the obstacles associated with refugee existence can impede progress in the movement towards educating children with disabilities in inclusive settings. Perceptions of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were explored through multiple embedded case studies. Each of the three schools examined included a student with a special educational need. The researcher also investigated strategies and supports provided by education stakeholders to students with special educational needs in inclusive …

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Fetal-Pelvic Disproportion And Pelvic Asymmetry As A Potential Cause For High Maternal Mortality In Archaeological Populations, Sarah Stansfield Jan 2013

Fetal-Pelvic Disproportion And Pelvic Asymmetry As A Potential Cause For High Maternal Mortality In Archaeological Populations, Sarah Stansfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Females of childbearing age are overrepresented in the population of the Kellis 2 cemetery (100-450 AD) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt (Wheeler 2009). The demographic overrepresentation found here may be the result of complications related to childbirth. Clinical literature demonstrates that fetal size is rarely an explanation for failed labor (Cunningham et al. 2001) and the fetuses buried in the Kellis 2 Cemetery at the Dakhleh Oasis were not larger than average (Tocheri et al. 2005), directing the focus to dimensions of the maternal pelvis for evidence of obstetrical issues, such as abnormally compressed pelvises. To formulate a test for …

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Wavelength Scale Resonant Structures For Integrated Photonic Applications, Matthew Weed Jan 2013

Wavelength Scale Resonant Structures For Integrated Photonic Applications, Matthew Weed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An approach to integrated frequency-comb filtering is presented, building from a background in photonic crystal cavity design and fabrication. Previous work in the development of quantum information processing devices through integrated photonic crystals consists of photonic band gap engineering and methods of on-chip photon transfer. This work leads directly to research into coupled-resonator optical waveguides which stands as a basis for the primary line of investigation. These coupled cavity systems offer the designer slow light propagation which increases photon lifetime, reduces size limitations toward on-chip integration, and offers enhanced light-matter interaction. A unique resonant structure explained by various numerical models …

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Investigation Of A Novel Magnesium And Acidified Ethanol System For The Degradation Of Persistent Organic Pollutants, Phillip Maloney Jan 2013

Investigation Of A Novel Magnesium And Acidified Ethanol System For The Degradation Of Persistent Organic Pollutants, Phillip Maloney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For centuries chemists have sought to improve humankind’s quality of life and address many of society’s most pressing needs through the development of chemical processes and synthesis of new compounds, often with phenomenal results. Unfortunately, there also are many examples where these chemicals have had unintended, detrimental consequences that are not apparent until years or decades after their initial use. There are numerous halogenated molecules in this category that are globally dispersed, resistant to natural degradation processes, bioaccumulative, and toxic to living organisms. Chemicals such as these are classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and due to their negative environmental …

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Prediction Of Optical Properties Of Pi-Conjugated Organic Materials For Technological Innovations, Iffat Nayyar Jan 2013

Prediction Of Optical Properties Of Pi-Conjugated Organic Materials For Technological Innovations, Iffat Nayyar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organic π-conjugated solids are promising candidates for new optoelectronic materials. The large body of evidence points at their advantageous properties such as high charge-carrier mobility, large nonlinear polarizability, mechanical flexibility, simple and low cost fabrication and superior luminescence. They can be used as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials with large two-photon absorption (2PA) and as electronic components capable of generating nonlinear neutral (excitonic) and charged (polaronic) excitations. In this work, we investigate the appropriate theoretical methods used for the (a) prediction of 2PA properties for rational design of organic materials with improved NLO properties, and (b) understanding of the essential electronic …

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Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Sensitize Pancreatic Cancer Cells To Radiation By Promoting Acidic Ph, Ros, And Jnk Dependent Apoptosis, Melissa Wason Jan 2013

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Sensitize Pancreatic Cancer Cells To Radiation By Promoting Acidic Ph, Ros, And Jnk Dependent Apoptosis, Melissa Wason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Side effects of radiation therapy (RT) remain the most challenging issue for pancreatic cancer treatment. In this report we determined whether and how cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to RT. CONP pretreatment enhanced radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production preferentially in acidic cell-free solutions as well as acidic human pancreatic cancer cells. In acidic environments, CONPs favor the scavenging of superoxide radical over the hydroxyl peroxide resulting in accumulation of the latter whereas in neutral pH CONPs scavenge both. CONP treatment prior to RT markedly potentiated the cancer cell apoptosis both in culture and in tumors and …

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Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron Jan 2013

Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber’s conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell’s study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study’s goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal patterns employed by political elites in three real-life situations. These are the Malta Summit, the 1992 Virginia Presidential Debate, and the 2012 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The cases …

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Interpreting Diet And Nutritional Stress In Napoleon's Grand Army Using Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis, Sammantha Holder Jan 2013

Interpreting Diet And Nutritional Stress In Napoleon's Grand Army Using Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis, Sammantha Holder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A mass grave containing the remains of at least 3269 Napoleonic soldiers from 1812 was discovered in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2001. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses were performed on collagen from 78 femoral samples to explore dietary variation within the sample. Starvation and nutritional distress were also evaluated through the examination of nitrogen enrichment in bone collagen. Clinical studies have demonstrated that enriched nitrogen isotope values can indicate periods of nutritional stress and starvation; however, this is the first study to examine its use as a diagnostic indicator of starvation in a historical population using bone tissue. According to …

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Inverse Intuition: Repurposing As A Method To Create New Artifacts, To Invent New Practices, And To Produce New Knowledge, Warren Jones Jan 2013

Inverse Intuition: Repurposing As A Method To Create New Artifacts, To Invent New Practices, And To Produce New Knowledge, Warren Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that Digital Natives, rather than employing novel ways of thinking (such as those suggested by Walter Ong's concept of Second Orality), are in fact employing a way of thinking that has always existed: repurposing. Ruth Oldenziel discusses how, historically, women used "a kind of mental quality" enabling them to re-use objects in novel ways to accomplish more of life's tasks. My research led me to investigate how a wide variety of people, especially historically marginalized people, used this kind of mental quality. This dissertation explores repurposing's real world uses as well as its uses in narratives, specifically …

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Wetland Diversity In A Disturbance-Maintained Landscape: Effects Of Fire And A Fire Surrogate On Aquatic Amphibian Survival And Species Depauperateness., Joyce Klaus Jan 2013

Wetland Diversity In A Disturbance-Maintained Landscape: Effects Of Fire And A Fire Surrogate On Aquatic Amphibian Survival And Species Depauperateness., Joyce Klaus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disturbance is one of the central concepts explaining how diversity arises and is perpetuated in ecological time. A good model system for testing hypotheses related to disturbance is the longleaf pine ecosystem in the southeastern U.S. because in this ecosystem frequent, low-severity fires acts as a disturbance that maintains a unique vegetation structure and high species richness. Vegetation structure influences animal distributions; in fire-dependent ecosystems many animals rely on open-structured, fire-maintained vegetation but shrubs and trees encroach into fire-dependent ecosystems where fire has been excluded. Prescribed burning and mechanical removal are commonly used as restoration tools to control encroachment. To …

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Gender Differences And Fast Food Preferences Among U.S. College Students, Donald Persaud Jan 2013

Gender Differences And Fast Food Preferences Among U.S. College Students, Donald Persaud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this research is to examine the relationship of corporate fast food and health within the context of gender. It tests the hypothesis that Western perceptions of masculinity and femininity inform a differentiated pattern of food preference, which will correlate with health as measured by Body Mass Index (BMI). The targeted sample population for the study is the undergraduate community of the University of Central Florida, and fast food is a chosen dietary medium because it is an increasingly ubiquitous source of caloric energy in the American foodscape, representative of the mass production model applied to cuisine in …

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Road Networks, Social Disorganization And Lethality, An Exploration Of Theory And An Examination Of Covariates, Aaron Poole Jan 2013

Road Networks, Social Disorganization And Lethality, An Exploration Of Theory And An Examination Of Covariates, Aaron Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing a Criminal Event Perspective, the analyses of this dissertation test a variety of relationships to the dependent variable: the Criminal Lethality Index. Data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, the Census and American Community Survey, the American Trauma Society, and data derived from the Census’s mapping TIGER files are combined to create a database of 190 cities. This database is used to test road network connectivity (Gama Index), medical resources, criminal covariates and Social Disorganization variables in relation to a city’s Criminal Lethality Index. OLS regression demonstrates a significant and negative relationship between a city’s Gama Index and its …

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Inverse Problems In Multiple Light Scattering, John Broky Jan 2013

Inverse Problems In Multiple Light Scattering, John Broky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The interaction between coherent waves and material systems with complex optical properties is a complicated, deterministic process. Light that scatters from such media gives rise to random fields with intricate properties. It is common perception that the randomness of these complex fields is undesired and therefore is to be removed, usually through a process of ensemble averaging. However, random fields emerging from light matter interaction contain information about the properties of the medium and a thorough analysis of the scattered light allows solving specific inverse problems. Traditional attempts to solve these kinds of inverse problems tend to rely on statistical …

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Reduced Susceptibility Of Deformation Due To Vibrational And Gravitational Effects On A Focus Variable Adaptive Lens, Victoriya Relina Jan 2013

Reduced Susceptibility Of Deformation Due To Vibrational And Gravitational Effects On A Focus Variable Adaptive Lens, Victoriya Relina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Orthodox optical devices, such as lenses, mirrors, and prisms, are composed of solidstate materials, which although well studied and implemented ubiquitously are severely limited in their adaptable properties. An arguably new field of adaptive optics has emerged to further expand photonic manipulation competences of optical components. Fluid-based adaptive optical components were introduced as early as 1968 [1]; such components have the ability to change the shape of their interface surface, thus allowing for a variable curvature profile. The method of manipulation varies greatly, as does the range of surface deformations. A solid-state optical component is affected by system vibration variation …

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Biogeography And Systematics Of The Nerodia Clarkii/Nerodia Fasciata Clade In Florida, Gregory Territo Jan 2013

Biogeography And Systematics Of The Nerodia Clarkii/Nerodia Fasciata Clade In Florida, Gregory Territo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biogeography provides a window into the evolutionary history of populations, and helps explain the diversity and distribution of life through time. Viewed from a systematic perspective, biogeographic studies generate convincing arguments to explain the relationships among organisms and categorize them into useful taxonomies. When taxonomies do not reflect evolutionary histories, inaccurate representations of biodiversity confound future studies and conservation efforts. Two thamnophiine snakes, Nerodia clarkii and Nerodia fasciata, harbor unique morphological and ecological adaptations that obscured natural groupings, leading to controversial taxonomic delimitations. Additionally, population declines documented in N. clarkii compressicauda and N. clarkii taeniata led managers to list N. …

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An Event-Related Potential Investigation Of Error Monitoring In Adults With A History Of Psychosis, Chi Chan Jan 2013

An Event-Related Potential Investigation Of Error Monitoring In Adults With A History Of Psychosis, Chi Chan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metacognition, which involves monitoring and controlling of one’s thoughts and actions, is essential for guiding behavior and organization of information. Deficits in self-monitoring have been suggested to lead to psychosis and poor functional outcome. Abnormalities in eventrelated potentials originating from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region associated with error detection, have been consistently reported in individuals with schizophrenia during error monitoring tasks. This study sought to examine whether these abnormalities are present in individuals with a history of psychosis across diagnostic categories and whether they are associated with subjective appraisal of self-performance and personality traits related to psychosis. …

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Theoretical Studies Of Nanostructure Formation And Transport On Surfaces, Maral Aminpour Jan 2013

Theoretical Studies Of Nanostructure Formation And Transport On Surfaces, Maral Aminpour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation undertakes theoretical and computational research to characterize and understand in detail atomic configurations and electronic structural properties of surfaces and interfaces at the nano-scale, with particular emphasis on identifying the factors that control atomic-scale diffusion and transport properties. The overarching goal is to outline, with examples, a predictive modeling procedure of stable structures of novel materials that, on the one hand, facilitates a better understanding of experimental results, and on the other hand, provide guidelines for future experimental work. The results of this dissertation are useful in future miniaturization of electronic devices, predicting and engineering functional novel nanostructures. …

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Estimated Diets, Diet Overlap, And Winter Habitat Associations Of Four Grassland Sparrows In Florida Dry Prairie, Marianne Korosy Jan 2013

Estimated Diets, Diet Overlap, And Winter Habitat Associations Of Four Grassland Sparrows In Florida Dry Prairie, Marianne Korosy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American grassland birds show long-term population declines that generally exceed the declines of other bird groups. Efforts to conserve grassland birds require knowledge of diet and habitat requirements during both the breeding and nonbreeding periods of annual life cycles. This dissertation investigated sparrow habitat associations within two defined plant communities of the dry prairie ecosystem, the dry-mesic and wet-mesic prairie, for four prescribed fire treatments over two consecutive winters. Grasshopper and Henslow’s sparrows showed higher relative abundance in wet-mesic prairie and Bachman’s Sparrows were more abundant in dry-mesic prairie across all fire treatments. Abundances of Grasshopper and Bachman’s sparrows …

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The Role Of Mitochondrial Omi/Htra2 Protease In Protein Quality Control And Mitophagy, Camilla Ambivero Jan 2013

The Role Of Mitochondrial Omi/Htra2 Protease In Protein Quality Control And Mitophagy, Camilla Ambivero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Omi/HtrA2 is a mitochondrial serine protease with a dual and opposite function depending on its subcellular localization. Most of the previous studies focused on Omi/HtrA2’s pro-apoptotic function when the protein is released to the cytoplasm. It is becoming apparent that the main function of Omi/HtrA2 is within the mitochondria, where it has a pro-survival role. However, its mechanism is still poorly understood. To this end, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to dissect the Omi/HtrA2 pathway by identifying novel interactors and substrates. Our studies revealed a novel function of Omi/HtrA2 in the regulation of a deubiquitinating (DUB) complex. In addition …

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The Cytopathic Activity Of Cholera Toxin Requires A Threshold Quantity Of Cytosolic Toxin., Carly Bader Jan 2013

The Cytopathic Activity Of Cholera Toxin Requires A Threshold Quantity Of Cytosolic Toxin., Carly Bader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cholera toxin (CT), secreted from Vibrio cholerae, causes a massive fluid and electrolyte efflux in the small intestine that results in life-threatening diarrhea and dehydration which impacts 3-5 million people per year. CT is secreted into the intestinal lumen but acts within the cytosol of intestinal epithelial cells. CT is an AB5 toxin that has a catalytic A1 subunit and a cell binding B subunit. CT moves from the cell surface to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by retrograde transport. Much of the toxin is transported to the lysosomes for degradation, but a secondary pool of toxin is diverted to the …

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Characterization Of Motility Alterations Caused By The Impairment Of Dynein/Dynactin Motor Protein Complex, Swaran Nandini Jan 2013

Characterization Of Motility Alterations Caused By The Impairment Of Dynein/Dynactin Motor Protein Complex, Swaran Nandini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transport of intracellular cargo is an important and dynamic process required for cell maintenance and survival. Dynein is the motor protein that carries organelles and vesicles from the cell periphery to the cell center along the microtubule network. Dynactin is a protein that activates dynein for this transport process. Together, dynein and dynactin forms a motor protein complex that is essential for transport processes in all the vertebrate cells. Using fluorescent microscope based live cell imaging techniques and kymograph analyses, I studied dynein/dynactin disruptions on the intracellular transport in two different cell systems. In one set of experiments, effects of …

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Solid Phase Extraction Room Temperature Fluorescence Spectroscopy For The Direct Quantification Of Monohydroxy Metabolites Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Urine Samples, Korina Jesusa Calimag Jan 2013

Solid Phase Extraction Room Temperature Fluorescence Spectroscopy For The Direct Quantification Of Monohydroxy Metabolites Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Urine Samples, Korina Jesusa Calimag

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are important environmental pollutants generally formed during incomplete combustion of organic matter containing carbon and hydrogen. Introduced into the human body by adsorption through the skin, ingestion or inhalation, the biotransformation processes of PAH lead to the formation of multiple metabolites. Due to the short elimination lifetime from the body, the quantitative determination of monohydroxy-PAH (OH-PAH) in urine samples provides accurate information on recent exposure to environmental PAH. Urine analysis of OH-PAH with established methodology relies on sample clean-up and pre-concentration followed by chromatographic separation and quantification. Although chromatographic techniques provide reliable results in the analysis …

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Enhanced Two-Photon Absorption In A Squaraine-Fluorene-Squaraine Dye: Design, Synthesis, Photophysical Properties, And Solvatochromic Behavior, William Moreshead Jan 2013

Enhanced Two-Photon Absorption In A Squaraine-Fluorene-Squaraine Dye: Design, Synthesis, Photophysical Properties, And Solvatochromic Behavior, William Moreshead

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of any new technology is usually accompanied by a need for new or improved materials which make that technology useful in practical applications. In the case of two-photon absorption (2PA) this has truly been the case. Since its first demonstration in 1961, there has been an ever increasing quest to understand the relationships between two-photon absorption and the structure of two-photon absorbing materials. This quest has been motivated by the many applications for 2PA which have been reported, including fluorescence bioimaging, 3D microfabrication, 3D optical data storage, upconverted lasing, and photodynamic therapy. The work presented in this dissertation …

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Development Of Micro Volume Dna And Rna Profiling Assays To Identify The Donor And Tissue Source Of Origin Of Trace Forensic Biological Evidence, Brittany Morgan Jan 2013

Development Of Micro Volume Dna And Rna Profiling Assays To Identify The Donor And Tissue Source Of Origin Of Trace Forensic Biological Evidence, Brittany Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In forensic casework analysis it is necessary to obtain genetic profiles from increasingly smaller amounts of biological material left behind by perpetrators of crime. The ability to obtain profiles from trace biological evidence is demonstrated with so-called ‘touch DNA evidence’ which is perceived to be the result of DNA obtained from shed skin cells transferred from donor to an object or person during physical contact. However, the current method of recovery of trace DNA involves cotton swabs or adhesive tape to sample an area of interest. This "blindswabbing" approach may result in the recovery of biological material from different individuals …

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