Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Gc-Ms Database Of Essential Oil Components By The Analysis Of Natural Essential Oils And Synthetic Compounds And Discovery Of Biologically Active Novel Chemotypes In Essential Oils, Prabodh Satyal

Dissertations

Based on the numerous side effects of synthetically-derived medicines, many people are trying to transform their lifestyles through naturopathy. Unfortunately, due to a lack of complete instrumental techniques and strict government regulation, adulteration of natural products is rampant all over the world. About 80% of commercially available, so-called “natural” essential oils are adulterated for economic profit. So to track adulteration, the Sat-Set Gas Chromatography-Linear Retention Index-Mass Spectrometry (GC-LRI-MS) library has been created. This extensive library contains 2,700 pure, complete mass spectra, including retention index, molecular weight, and formula information. Those mass spectra were collected from 590 different essential oil samples …

Simplified Population Growth Modeling For Low Earth Orbit, Thomas Percy

Dissertations

The accumulation of 50 years’ worth of man-made space objects has increased the risk of catastrophic collisions. Continuing to operate in a business-as-usual manner will one day render regions of LEO unusable. The landscape of future LEO satellite operations is complicated by the evolving nature of space policy and the emergence of the CubeSat which has the potential to radically shift the current LEO satellite market. Long-term population modeling is required to predict population growth, support policy decisions, and inform industry best practices. Many space agencies around the world have high-fidelity analysis codes to serve this function but they are …

Educator's Implementation Of The Connecticut Guidelines For The Identification And Education Of Children And Youth With Autism, Linda K. Grimm

Dissertations

The Problem

As the number of children with autism needing educational support continues to increase, combined with the limited availability of resources, this study aims to examine how educators responsible for teaching children with autism have experienced implementation of the Connecticut Guidelines for the Identification and Education of Children and Youth with Autism (2005), (Guidelines). At this time there have been no studies done in the State of Connecticut to assess the implementation of the components for effective education of children with autism, as set forth in the Connecticut Guidelines.

Method

The Connecticut Autism Needs Survey, an on-line self-report survey …

L30a Mutation Of Phospholemman Mimics Effects Of Cardiac Glycosides On Isolated Cardiomyocytes, Ryan David Himes

Dissertations

In order to determine if mutations made to phospholemman (PLM) could increase PLM binding to the Na/K-ATPase (NKA) and cause positive inotropy we performed scanning mutagenesis of the transmembrane domain of PLM and measured FRET between each mutant and NKA. We observed increased binding to NKA for several PLM mutants compared to WT, including L27A, L30A, and I32A. In isolated cardiomyocytes, overexpression of WT PLM increased the amplitude of the Ca2+ transient compared to GFP control. Ca2+ transient amplitude was further increased by L30A PLM overexpression. L30A mutation also delayed Ca2+ extrusion and increased the duration of the cardiomyocyte contraction. …

The Mir-17-92 Cluster Contributes To Mll Leukemia Development Through The Repression Of The Meis1 Competitor Pknox1, Yousaf Anwar Mian

Dissertations

Mixed lineage leukemias have a relatively poor prognosis and arise as a result of translocations between the MLL gene and one of multiple partner genes. Downstream targets of MLL are aberrantly upregulated and include the developmentally important HOX genes and MEIS1, as well as multiple miRNAs, including the miR-17-92 cluster and miR-196b. Here I utilize custom anti-miRNA oligonucleotides to examine the contribution of specific miRNAs to MLL leukemias both as individual miRNAs and in cooperation with other miRNAs. Combinatorial treatment with antagomirs against miR-17 and miR-19a of the miR-17-92 cluster dramatically reduces colony forming ability of MLL-fusion containing cell lines …

The Endosomal Sorting Complex Required For Transport Pathway Mediates Chemokine Receptor Cxcr4 Akt Signaling By Promoting Lysosomal Degradation Of Mtor Antagonist Deptor, Rita Ramkaran Verma

Dissertations

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. The cognate ligand for CXCR4 is the C-X-C chemokine known as CXCL12. The CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis is essential for a number of developmental processes including organogenesis, vascularization of the GI tract and hematopoiesis. Dysregulated CXCR4 signaling is also implicated in a variety of pathological conditions such as WHIM (Warts, Hypogammaglobunemia, Infections and myelokathexis) syndrome, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Despite its role in several pathologies, the molecular mechanisms mediating CXCR4 signaling are not completely understood. Upon CXCL12 binding to CXCR4, several signaling pathways are activated including the …

Self-Perceived Stress Of Undergraduate Students Before And After Participation In A Breathing Meditation Intervention: A Mixed Methods Study, Cindy Oneida Sloan

Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the effects of an eight-week breathing meditation intervention on the self-perceived stress of undergraduate students. Previous research suggests meditation is an effective strategy to alleviate stress and stress-related symptomatology (Baer, 2003; Conley, Travers, & Bryant, 2013; Shapiro, Brown & Astin, 2011). Forty-one undergraduate student volunteers participated in the study and were randomized into either an intervention group or control group. The intervention group met once per week for eight weeks and participated in a nine minute guided breathing meditation. At the conclusion of eight weeks participants, when compared with the control group, reported significantly lower …

An Analysis Of Evapotranspiration In The Southeastern United States : Its Role In The Climatology And Hydrology Of The Region, Walter Lee Ellenburg Ii

Dissertations

As a major term in both the energy and water budgets, evapotranspiration (ET) has the potential to exert significant impacts on both climate and hydrology, from the basin, regional and global scales. This dissertation will examine of the impacts of ET on climatology and hydrology in the Southeastern (SE) region of the United States. It is presented in two complementary narratives throughout this document; an analysis of climatological impacts of ET due to land use change and a hydrological analysis, examining the spatial and temporal roles of ET with respect to streamflow. The climatological analysis investigates a regional climate anomaly …

Isolation And Identification Of Bioactive Compounds From Conradina Canescens Gray, Noura S. Dosoky

Dissertations

Natural products have been used in traditional medicine throughout history. All drugs and medicinal agents were derived from natural substances or inspired by a natural product. The major source of these remedies is higher plants which are great sources for new compounds that have a wide variety of activity. Conradina canescens Gray (false rosemary) is a common evergreen shrub, endemic to a small area of west Florida and adjacent Alabama and southern parts of Mississippi, USA. There are very limited studies on the chemical composition of this plant species. According to the available literature, this species has not been tested …

Allosteric Regulation Of The Ribosome By L-Tryptophan, Emily R. Gordon

Dissertations

Ribosomes often times work in unison with both nascent peptides and accessory molecules to regulate expression of genes by controlling protein synthesis. This allows for fine regulation of gene activity based on current cellular physiology. In prokaryotes, there are numerous differences among regulatory nascent peptides that induce ribosome arrest, thus allowing for specificity in regulation. In the tna operon the amino acid L-tryptophan, L-Trp, can selectively interact with the ribosome translating tnaC mRNA, and thereby control the expression of the enzyme tryptophanase and an L-Trp transporter. It has been suggested that the combined action of L-Trp and the regulatory TnaC …

Miniature Electron Microscope Beam Column Optics, Jody Stuart Loyd

Dissertations

This investigation is in the area of electrostatic lens design with the overarching goal of contributing to the creation of a miniaturized scanning electron microscope (SEM) for use in mineralogical analysis or detection of signs of life on the surface of Mars. Such an instrument could also have application in the exploration of Earth's moon, planetary moons, asteroids, or comets. Other embodiments could include tabletop or field portable SEMs for use on Earth. The scope of this research is in the design of a beam column that attains focusing, demagnification, and aberration control within the smallest achievable package. The goals …

A Biblical And Missiological Framework For Cross-Cultural Mission: A Case Study Of The Lobi Funeral Rites In Burkina Faso, Boubakar Sanou

Dissertations

Problem

Converts to Christianity in traditional contexts often face pressure to continue traditional rituals and practices which sometimes contain unbiblical elements. Non-selective performance of traditional practices can produce dual allegiance and syncretism. Such is the case with Lobi Seventh-day Adventists concerning their traditional funeral rites of passage. Some core elements of these traditional funeral rites, in which all community members are expected to fully participate, conflict with biblical teachings on the human condition after death.

Method

This dissertation starts by laying the theoretical and theological basis for addressing the problem. The dissertation then uses ethnographic research of funeral rites among …

Detention Center To Home School: The Path Of Transition, Sarah Hogeveen

Dissertations

This study examined the way a juvenile detention center and local feeder high schools worked in conjunction with each other to educate students that are incarcerated and then transition back to their home school. The goal of this study was to determine the adequacy of the transition/re-entry plan and then develop a template to assist high schools in the transition process. The transition/re-entry process into the home high school can be difficult and often involves several agencies. The evidence has suggested that there is not a solid transition plan available or in place for this process. This evidence allowed for …

Science Teaching And Learning As Transformation: Making Meaning With My Students, Megan Marie Leider

Dissertations

As a classroom science teacher, I have experienced firsthand the disengagement and disinterest students have with science. Students often struggle to retain information from year to year, feel comfortable in the science classroom, and see the connections between the science taught in the classroom and their lived experiences. It is obvious to me that we could do more for our students. One way in which to assist students with science learning is through the incorporation of Sci-YAR (Science Youth Action Research). Sci-YAR is a curricular framework and instructional strategy that places the student at the center of their learning. It …

A Historical Analysis Of The Pioneers And Advocates Of Autism Spectrum Disorder (1980-2013): Examining The Evolution Of The Diagnosis And The Influences That Have Shaped What The Diagnosis Is Today, Cynthia Marie Sikora

Dissertations

During the 1980's, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was categorized as a developmental disorder separate from other developmental disorders, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III (DSM-III). There were various pioneers and advocates who have helped the evolution of the ASD diagnosis from the time period of 1980-2013. Based on this evolution, schools, institutions and society as a whole, needed additional information and professional preparation in order to educate and create awareness regarding the treatment and education of individuals with ASD.

The central research questions are: During the time period from 1980-2013, who were the pioneers and advocates …

Regulation Of Micrornas By 17Β-Estradiol In The Aging Female Brain, Yathindar Satya Giffin-Rao

Dissertations

Hormone Therapy (HT) is used to increase the 17β-estradiol (E2) levels in women who are going through the menopausal transition to alleviate the negative symptoms associated with menopause and decrease the risk of chronic diseases. Clinical and basic science research had previously shown that HT provided protection from cognitive decline and reduced the risk of dementia. However the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial demonstrated that HT had no beneficial effects for cognitive decline and, in some cases increased the risk of dementia in post-menopausal women. However, further analysis of WHI data showed that when HT was given to women …

Somos Familia: Family As An Organizing Trope In 20th-21st Century Latina/O Literature, Victoria Anne Bolf

Dissertations

This dissertation examines various ways that family has been employed as a model of both oppression and liberation in Latina/o literature. Working from an interdisciplinary standpoint at the crossroads of literary and cultural studies, women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, Chicano/a studies, and Latino/a studies, this project seeks to uncover how representations of familia in U.S. Latino/a literary texts accomplish their discursive work, as well as complicating conventional formulations of kinship and family.

I examine Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas, in Chapter One, in terms of queer family and the counter-domestic logic of “the streets.” In Chapter Two, I …

Predictors And Profiles Of Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among African-American Adolescents And Young Adult Males Behaviorally-Infected With Hiv: A Classification Tree Analysis Approach, Israel Moses Gross

Dissertations

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is crucial for thwarting disease progression and reducing secondary transmission, yet HIV+ youth struggle with adherence. The highest rates of new HIV infections occur in young African American men (YAAM), thus understanding reasons for non-adherence in this group is critical. Reasons for non-adherence can be complex and multifactorial, and innovative methods of exploration are needed for advancing prevention and treatment efforts. A sample of 387 HIV+ YAAM who reported currently taking HIV medications were selected from a cross-sectional assessment of 2,226 HIV+ youth from sites within the Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) from 2009-2012 …

Mother-Infant Relationships In The Nicu: A Multiple Case Study Approach, Ilona Helin

Dissertations

Parent-child relationships consist of both external and internal components. The external component is the behavioral interaction between mother and child, while the internal components are expectations each member of the dyad has for the both the relationship and of the other partner. These expectations are called internal working models (IWMs) and are blueprints that have been developed from an individual’s childhood experience of sensitive or insensitive parenting. A mother’s IWMs influence how she perceives her child, her relationship with her child and herself as a mother, the sensitivity of her caregiving, and ultimately her child’s IWM of him or her …

Study Of Escherichia Coli Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Catalysis: Investigating Critical Roles Of Conserved Arg32 And Lys42 Residues, Angela Lynn Mahaffey

Dissertations

Carbohydrates have been most notable as energy sources for mammals, bacteria (glycogen) and plants (starch) – and in many other species. As such the biosynthesis of carbohydrates is essential to the sustainability of many forms of life, on earth. Adenosine-‘5-diphosphate glucose pyrophosphate (ADP-Glc pyrophosphorylase; ADP-Glc PPase) is the allosterically controlled “first committed step” in both the biosynthetic pathways of starch (~25% amylose and ~75% amylopectin, in plants and algae) and glycogen (in bacteria), preceding the starch/glycogen synthase reaction. By catalyzing the following reaction, ATP + α –D-Glc-1P ADP-Glc + PPi , ADP-Glc PPase functions as the primary enzyme in the …

Shifting Narratives In Doctoral Admissions: Faculty Of Color Understandings Of Diversity, Equity, And Justice In A Neoliberal Context, Dian Drew Squire

Dissertations

Little is known about how faculty make decisions in the doctoral admissions process or how they conceptualize diversity, equity, and justice in those same processes. As the United States continues to diversify, understanding how students are selected into graduate programs and how faculty understand diversity, equity, and justice is increasingly important to supporting diverse leadership bodies and shaping an inclusive campus cultural context. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and critical discourse analysis to explore how faculty of color understand diversity, equity, and justice norms, values, and behaviors in the doctoral admissions process in Higher Education and Student …

Synthesis And Testing Of Photosensitizer-Folate Conjugates And Potential Photosensitizers For Photodynamic Therapy, Jeffrey A. Trautmann

Dissertations

Dissertation Proposal for Jeffrey Trautmann

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a technique that destroys oncogenic (cancerous) cells. It has been used in several countries since the 1980’s. Molecules that contain chromophores can function as photosensitizers, and will absorb light at various wavelengths (that being dependent upon the extent of their conjugation). Certain functional groups, upon absorption of light, can be used to convert O2 to singlet oxygens which are destructive to the cellular environment. Once an in-vitro cell contains a high enough concentration of photosensitizer material and light is able to reach the photosensitizer material, PDT can be used effectively to …

Daddy Is Involved: How Do African American Fathers Participate In The Education Experiences Of Their High School Children?, Gregory Pierre Baker

Dissertations

Parents have tremendous influence in the lives of their children. As a result, it is valuable to investigate how high school parents participate in their children's high school education experiences. African American fathers in particular, have been placed under scrutiny by the media and general population for not being involved in the education experiences of their children, while the research literature dispels this generalization.

This study investigates how African American fathers, in a suburban community, participate in the education experiences of their high school children. This research study took place at a Du Page County, Illinois, high school under the …

Social Justice And Ecological Responsibility: A Moral Case For International Collaborative Action On Environmental Degradation And Climate-Induced Displacement, James Stephen Mastaler

Dissertations

The contemporary ecological crisis, manifest in human-induced climate change, is a powerful form of structural violence against the poorest communities on the planet. As such, my research resides at the nexus of structural poverty, gender disparity, ecological degradation, and climate-induced displacement. The social justice implications emerging from this nexus require responsible moral deliberation and discernment over the international community's role in minimizing the human tragedies accompanying forced displacement and migration. While asserting the interconnectedness and dependency of all life upon mutual flourishing, responsible decision-making expands the range of felt moral concern to include ecological flourishing. Social justice is only possible …

The Role Of Neighborhood And Parenting In The Development Of Effortful Control And Subsequent Social Competence During Early Childhood, Edna Y. Romero

Dissertations

The current study examined ecological predictors of the trajectory of effortful control (EC) across ages 4, 5, and 6 in a community sample of young children (N = 796). The specific goals of the study were to examine poor neighborhood quality as a predictor of EC development, to evaluate the moderating role of supportive and hostile parenting in relation to poor neighborhood quality and EC development, and to determine if the interaction between poor neighborhood quality and parenting predicted change in children’s social competence through the mediating role of EC. Data were analyzed using latent growth curve modeling (LGM). Results …

Amyloid Precursor Protein (App) Regulates G0/G1 Transition And Cell Growth, Anna Sobol

Dissertations

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) originates in the epithelia of the lung and persists as the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Many studies have shown that hypoxia is prevalent in NSCLC tissue and negatively influences treatment outcome.

In previous studies, we investigated the efficacy of gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI) treatment in an orthotopic mouse NSCLC model. Analysis of hypoxic areas of tumors from GSI treated animals showed reappearance of 4E-BP1 phosphorylation at threonine 37/46 residues (T37/46). 4E-BP1 phosphorylation is primarily mediated by mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC-1), a major cell integrator of growth factors stimulation, …

Structure And Molecular Mechanism Of A Plp/Gaba Dependent Transcription Regulator Gabr, Rui Wu

Dissertations

GabR is a member of the MocR/GabR subfamily of the GntR family of bacterial transcription regulators. It regulates the metabolism of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an important nitrogen and carbon source in many bacteria. The crystal structures reported here show that this protein has evolved from the fusion of a type I aminotransferase and a winged helix-turn-helix (wHTH) DNA binding protein to form a chimeric protein that adopts a dimeric head-to-tail configuration. The pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-binding regulatory domain of GabR is therefore an example of a coenzyme playing a role in transcription regulation rather than in enzymatic catalysis. Our structural and …

Moral Development And Public Health Nursing, Margaret Avila

Dissertations

Public health nurses (PHNs) have the opportunity and professional obligation to be at the forefront of the fight to eliminate health disparities based on the practice principle of social justice. The overall purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the stage of the moral development in a convenience sample of practicing public health nurses (PHNs) and the differences in moral development stage across selected demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, level of entry into professional nursing, highest level of education, years practicing as an RN, years practicing in a public health department, self-identified political views, primary language, and region of …

Motivation For Seeking A Nurse Manager Position: A Qualitative Study, Judy L. Jarnigan White

Dissertations

By the year 2020, it is estimated there will be a need for 3.45 million bedside nurses – at least 1.2 million more than the projected supply (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2011). In addition to the lack of bedside nurses, nurse manager vacancy rates are estimated to be as high as 8.3% nationwide. There is limited empirical data available on a nurse’s motivation to choose a nurse manager role. This qualitative research study’s purpose was to explore the factors influencing nurses’ motivation to seek a nurse manager role and to articulate a grounded theory of decision-making. The …

The Expression Pattern Of Death Associated Protein Kinase1 In Normal Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons And Following Peripheral Nerve Injury, Maryam Sulaiman Mohammed Al Saadi

Dissertations

Death-associated protein kinase1 (DAPK1) is a calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) regulated serine/threonine kinase. An increasing body of evidence supports the significance of DAPK1 protein in cancer and CNS diseases. The role of DAPK in peripheral nerve regeneration and neuropathic pain remains completely unexplored. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression pattern of DAPK1 along with key proand anti-apoptotic cell signaling molecules (p53, Bax, Akt, ERK5, p38) and to verify the possibilities of DAPK1-NMDA NR2B relationship in dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) after 2 hours, 7 days and 14 days following a sciatic nerve injury. Gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry …