Digital Commons Network^™

Diet At Medieval Alytus, Lithuania: Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Bone And Dentin Collagen, Katie Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Baltic region was a vibrant center of power and economic prosperity in medieval Europe; Lithuania in particular. Until now, little stable isotopic analysis has been utilized to assess diet in this region during this time period. The aim of this study was to undertake a preliminary assessment of the composition of diet at late medieval Alytus (late 14th to early 18th centuries) from bone (N=35) and dentin (N=38) collagen samples. The stable carbon isotopic data suggest a diet primarily comprised of C3 plants such as barley, rye, wheat, and flax, and animals consuming C3 plants. The stable nitrogen isotopic …

To Better Understand The Theater Of The Middle Ages By An In-Depth Study Of The Old Testament Plays Of The York Cycle Of Corpus Christi Plays, Carole Casey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholastic texts on theater move from the Greeks and Romans to the theater of Shakespeare's time with little or no acknowledgment of the Middle Ages. From the late thirteenth century until the reformation an active community theater known as the mystery plays existed throughout much of Europe. The York Corpus Christi Cycle was part of that movement. The play was produced by the guilds of York under the supervision of the chamber of commerce with the Church monitoring the theology and morals. Performed yearly on the Feast Day of Corpus Christi, the subject of the play was the salvation of …

Depredation Of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys Terrapin) Nests In North Inlet, Sc: Nest Predator Community And The Cues Used By Raccoons To Locate Nests, Samuel Al Buzuleciu Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Predation on diamondback terrapin eggs has been studied in several terrapin populations across their broad geographic range; however, nest predators have not been studied in South Carolina. Objectives of this project were two-fold: first, identify predators of diamondback terrapin eggs in North Inlet, SC; and second, determine the source of olfactory cue(s) used by raccoons to locate terrapin nests. Terrapin nest predators were identified using a combination of camera traps, visual surveys and trackboards. Raccoons were dominant nest predators and depredated 347 of 349 (combined natural and simulated) terrapin nests during the 2013 nesting season. We identified the source of …

Assessment Of Bryophyte Communities Along The Waccamaw River, Sc, Christine Elizabeth Raczka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to determine the bryophyte communities present along the Waccamaw River, South Carolina and determine if there are any environmental constraints affecting bryophyte diversity. Another aspect of this study was to determine if bryophyte communities are bioindicators for dissolved inorganic nutrients in the Waccamaw River. A total of 1050 bryophyte specimens were collected over the course of the study. Twelve genera were identified and consisted of thirteen moss species and one liverwort species. The bryophyte species were collected at seven sites along the Waccamw River in a nested sampling design which assessed the bryophytes growing …

The Reproductive Ecology Of Two Sympatric Demersal Fishes: The Naked Goby Gobiosoma Bosc And Striped Blenny Chasmodes Bosquianus, Rachel M. Tremont

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The naked goby (Gobiosoma bosc) and striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) are sympatric oyster reef fishes within temperate estuaries. The reproductive biology and early life history of these fishes were described during two consecutive spawning seasons from 2012-2013 in North Inlet, SC. The naked goby and striped blenny spawning seasons lasted for 21 weeks and 30 weeks, respectively, for 2012 and 2013. The naked goby spawning season began 3 weeks later than the striped blenny spawning season for both years. The temporal offset in the start of their spawning seasons may reduce competition for nest habitat between the two species. Naked …

Blivits!, Charles Sutter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blivits! is a feature-length documentary produced, written, and directed by Charles Sutter in pursuit of the Master of Fine Arts in Film & Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. This thesis examines the ethical questions of making a documentary in the digital era. In accordance with the restrictions of the program's guidelines, this film was completed a budget of less than $50,000. The film was shot over 18 days, in various locations up and down the east coast of the United States. This thesis is the record of Blivits!'s journey through development until completion of picture lock.

Gayme: The Development, Design And Testing Of An Auto-Ethnographic, Documentary Game About Quarely Wandering Urban/Suburban Spaces In Central Florida., David Moran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

GAYME is a transmedia story-telling world that I have created to conceptually explore the dynamics of queering game design through the development of varying game prototypes. The final iteration of GAYME is @deadquarewalking'. It is a documentary game and a performance art installation that documents a carless, gay/queer/quare man's journey on Halloween to get to and from one of Orlando's most well-known gay clubs - the Parliament House Resort. "The art of cruising" city streets to seek out queer/quare companionship particularly amongst gay, male culture(s) is well-documented in densely, populated cities like New York, San Francisco and London, but not …

Modulation Of Immunity Via Antibodies Displayed On In Situ Forming Peptide Co-Assemblies, Yi Wen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many diseases are associated with disruption of immune homeostasis. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeting soluble antigens or immune cell surface molecules have been developed to modulate immunity. However, systemic administration can lead to severe immune related side effects. This dissertation investigated a versatile platform to display antibodies locally in diseased tissues to minimize unwanted systemic exposure. This system is a stimuli-responsive and injectable formulation utilizing in situ forming peptide co-assemblies and two linker proteins. The self-assembling peptides EAK16-II and EAKIIH6 co-assemble into fibrous structures with accessible His-tags when exposed to salts. Anti-His-tag antibodies (αH6-IgG) bind to these His-tags and provide fragment …

The Philosophers' Stone: Alchemical Imagination And The Soul's Logical Life, Stanton Marlan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alchemy has been viewed within the context of the history of natural science as a precursor to and a primitive form of chemistry. The enigmatic goal of the alchemical process, the Philosophers' Stone, is the focus of this dissertation. A natural scientific approach has shed little light on the mythical, esoteric and symbolic attributes of the Stone, which are intrinsic parts of the alchemical imagination. From the larger perspective of the history of the human spirit, these neglected aspects of the Philosophers' Stone can be seen as vital dimensions of an ancient religious and spiritual philosophy, the goal of which …

The Effects Of Elevated Total Dissolved Solids On The Behavior And Survival Of The Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander, Desmognathus Ochrophaeus, Megan M. Morrissey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) have been found in streams in Pennsylvania primarily due to unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) and mine drainage. TDS is the concentration of dissolved salts in water. To understand the effects of TDS on amphibians, a semi-aquatic salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus exposed to synthetic solutions containing TDS up to 5,000 ppm. In an initial study, animals exposed to a solution of approximately 2,000 ppm TDS containing elevated sulfate experienced reduced survival and decreased locomotory activity. Follow-up studies were consistent with the hypothesis that elevated TDS had adverse effects on survival, but effects were not seen unless …

Semantically-Based Therapeutic Approach Through Aided Language Stimulation In A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Annemarie Rozier Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of aided language stimulation in the context of a semantically-based therapeutic approach was studied using a single-subject design with a 7-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder who was minimally verbal. Techniques for increasing word retrieval (e.g., the repeated modeling of a small number of target words/symbols) were used in theme-based sessions in conjunction with modeling the use of picture symbols. Overall, the intervention had a small effect on the child's production of single spoken words, but had a large effect on her production of picture symbol combinations and spoken word + picture symbol combinations. No specific effect for …

Constructing The Rod Bipolar Cell Signalplex Using Animal Models Of Retinal Dysfunction., Thomas Andrew Ray 1986-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glutamate mediated neurotransmission from the rod photoreceptors to rod bipolar cells is critical for vision under low light levels. Disruption of this pathway results in the blinding disorder Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB), which is hallmarked by the inability to see under dim light. Mouse models of CSNB have been critical to identifying proteins required for glutamate signaling and understanding the mechanism of signaling. Currently, our understanding of rod bipolar signaling is incompletely understood because not all of the protein components of the signalplex have been identified. It was known that the glutamate receptor mGluR6 is coupled to the TRPM1 …

Territoriality And Landscape Of Aggression., Piyumika Sureshni Suriyampola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Behavioral adjustments in response to the presence of landmarks can exert strong effects on population dynamics of territorial species as well as the evolution of behavior and social systems. Hence, an understanding of the role of landmarks in animal contests provides a link between behavioral decision-making and population dynamics, which has been viewed as a major goal in ecology. This dissertation investigates the effects of landmarks on territory defense, focusing on how landmarks affect differences in sex roles, the landscape of aggression and fundamental territory properties. To investigate these ideas, I used three different cichlid fish species as model systems. …

A Microreactor Approach For Chemoselective Capture And Analysis Of Carbonyl Compounds In Air And Exhaled Breath., Mingxiao Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at trace level (parts per billion volume (ppbv) to parts per trillion (pptv)) has become an important research area because of demanding applications in homeland security, environmental monitoring, and noninvasive diagnosis of diseases. The analysis of trace VOCs challenges existing analytical instruments because their concentrations are beyond current instrument limits of detection. In this dissertation, we have investigated an innovative microreactor that is suitable for quantitative analysis of volatile carbonyl compounds in ambient air as well as in human exhaled breath. The approach is based on microreactor chips fabricated from four inch silicon wafers. …

Repair Of The Airway Epithelium After Chlorine-Induced Injury., Sadiatu Musah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlorine is a widely used toxic chemical that is considered a chemical threat agent. Chlorine inhalation injures airway epithelium, and efficient epithelial repair is necessary to restore normal lung structure and function. Regeneration of injured tissues typically proceeds through the proliferation and differentiation of stem or progenitor cells. Knowledge of underlying mechanisms that regulate these processes during airway epithelial repair is lacking. This dissertation characterizes respiratory epithelial repair after chlorine injury to investigate potential signaling pathways that could be manipulated to regulate stem/progenitor cells in airway repair. Repair of the pseudostratified tracheal epithelium after chlorine-induced injury was characterized in C57BL/6 …

The Sea Empress's Garden., Brandon Dyer 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The thesis project is projected to be a grand storybook of handmade intaglio prints in a large format. I have created an original fable telling the story of a flawed hero who must face his fears in order to not only save his love and her empire from an evil warlock but to save himself. Through these hand painted prints, the story of The Sea Empress’s Garden is told and the choices these characters must make and experience the consequences. The work is motivated by the inspiration I draw from German Expressionism, illuminated manuscripts, popular culture, and literature both modern …

Southern Honor, Confederate Warfare : Southern Antebellum Cultural Values In Confederate Military Operations, 1861-1865., Matthew D. Goldberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role antebellum southern cultural paradigms played in Confederate military operations during the American Civil War. The prewar honor culture of the white southern male elite was intensely focused on chivalric values of courage, masculinity, piety, pride, contempt for cowardice, and loyalty. When war broke out between the United States and Confederacy, the southern elite moved from their prewar position as economic, political, and social leaders to military commanders. The violent and militaristic culture that characterized the prewar southern elite guided their actions as the military leadership of the Confederacy. Using the written record of the Confederate …

Xbp1 And Mist1 Are Not Sufficient To Induce The Regulated Secretory Pathway In Parotid Cell Lines., Ian S. Pyle 1986-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Xerostomia causes oral infections, tooth decay, and hindered digestion. Crucial to oral homeostasis is the salivary proteome. How these proteins are trafficked through secretory cells into secretory pathways is unknown. Abundant in the saliva is Parotid Secretory Protein (PSP), secreted through the regulated secretory pathway. HYPOTHESIS: The addition of XBP-1 and Mist1, known for differentiation marker regulation, to ParC10 cells will improve stimulated secretion of PSP. METHODS: Fusion clones were transiently or stably transfected into ParC10 cells. Media from non-stimulated and stimulated cells was harvested and luciferase activity was assayed. RESULTS: Stimulated secretion of cypridina-PSP was not significantly higher …

Testing Location Memory For Threatening And Nonthreatening Stimuli : Implications For Evolutionary Psychological Theorizing., Ryan Patrick Hacklander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Humans respond to the presence of threatening stimuli more rapidly than nonthreatening stimuli, a trait that some authors believe humans have been selected for. Based on this finding, it has been proposed that humans should also have superior location memory for threatening stimuli, possibly depending on whether stimuli have ancestral (e.g., snakes) or modern (e.g., guns) ecological relevance. This is herein called the Superior Location Memory for Threatening Stimuli (SLMTS) hypothesis. Some authors believe that humans possess a domain-specific adaptation that gives rise to the hypothesized memory advantage for threatening stimuli. The primary aim of this dissertation is to test …

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Regulation Of Myeloid Antigen Presenting Cell Activity., Kelly Casey Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammatory and metabolic processes are critical to the survival of multicellular organisms. Inflammation and metabolism are closely linked, and many pathologies are associated with dysregulation of both of these processes, including obesity, cancer, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Understanding the mechanistic links of inflammation and metabolism are critical for the development of treatments of metabolic and inflammatory diseases. AMP-activated protein kinase, AMPK, is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates energy homeostasis and metabolic stress in eukaryotes. When cellular ATP is low, AMPK is activated and turns off ATP-consuming anabolic pathways and turns on ATP-generating catabolic pathways. Previous work from our laboratory, as well …

Zif-8 : Novel Catalytic Material For The Conversion Of Co2 To Cyclic Carbonates., Minqi Zhu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effective utilization of CO2 as a renewable raw material for the production of useful chemicals is an area of great interest. There are several motivations for producing chemicals from CO2 whenever possible: (1) CO2 is a cheap, non-toxic and nonflammable feedstock that can frequently replace toxic chemicals such as phosgene or isocyanates; (2) CO2 is a totally renewable feedstock compared to oil or coal; (3) the production of chemicals from CO2 can lead to totally new materials such as polymers; (4) new routes to existing chemical intermediates and products could be more efficient and economical than current methods; and …

Face Recognition Using Statistical Adapted Local Binary Patterns., Abdallah Abd-Elghafar Mohamed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biometrics is the study of methods of recognizing humans based on their behavioral and physical characteristics or traits. Face recognition is one of the biometric modalities that received a great amount of attention from many researchers during the past few decades because of its potential applications in a variety of security domains. Face recognition however is not only concerned with recognizing human faces, but also with recognizing faces of non-biological entities or avatars. Fortunately, the need for secure and affordable virtual worlds is attracting the attention of many researchers who seek to find fast, automatic and reliable ways to identify …

Identification Of Carbon Black Removed From Elastomeric Components In Contact With Potable Water., William Calvin Hunter 1989-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Monochloramine is primarily used as a disinfectant in the drinking water distribution industry. The degradation of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), natural rubber (NR), and ethylene propylene diene monomer-peroxide cured (EPDM-P) by monochloramine was first reported in a study published by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in 2007. The study exposed samples of various types of rubber, including SBR, NR, and EPDM-P, to monochloramine solutions at varying concentrations and temperatures for 30 days. This study provided the basis for the present research, as at the medium temperatures and concentrations used in the study, 45 °C and 30 parts per million …

Pulsatile Flow Does Not Improve Efficacy In Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion., Keith A. Zoeller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has the potential to increase the donor pool for lung transplantation by facilitating extended evaluation of marginal organs. Current methodology employs continuous flow pumps for perfusion. In vivo, continuous flow has been shown to increase pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Thus, pulsatile flow EVLP may reduce PVR and improve organ preservation by providing physiologic flow morphology. Methods Lung blocks harvested from male, Yorkshire pigs were allocated into continuous (CF, n=3) and pulsatile flow (PF, n=4) groups. Lungs were ventilated at 4-5 mL/kg, 30% FiO2 and perfused with an acellular, albumin-based solution corrected for osmolarity, acid/base …

An Examination Of The Inhibitory Effects Of Antibiotic Combinations On Ribosome Biosynthesis In Staphylococcus Aureus, Justin Beach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacteremia initiated by Staphylococcus aureus infections can be a serious medical problem. Although a number of different antibiotics are used to combat staphylococcal infections, resistance has continued to develop. Combination therapy for certain infections has been used to reduce the emergence of resistance when a single agent has become ineffective. We hypothesize that the use of rifampicin and ciprofloxacin in combination with azithromycin, known for its inhibitory effects on the bacterial ribosome, can create potential synergistic effects resulting from indirect effects on ribosomal subunit synthesis.

To determine this we measured the effects of single and multiple antibiotics on cell growth …

Methylphenidate Conditioned Place Preference In Juvenile And Adolescent Male And Female Rats, Elizabeth D. Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation was an analysis of the effects of methylphenidate (MPH; trade name: Ritalin) on drug reward using the conditioned place preference (CPP) behavioral paradigm in a rodent model and underlying mechanisms of this effect. Animals were conditioned in adolescence from postnatal day (P)33-39) or P44-49 with saline, 1 or 5 mg/kg MPH. Rats administered 5 mg/kg but not 1 mg/kg MPH, resulted in a significant preference that was more robust in younger male adolescent rats. The 5 mg/kg dose of MPH also resulted in a significant decrease of the dopamine transporter in both the nucleus accumbens and striatum, revealing …

Co2 Capture On Porous Adsorbents Containing Surface Amino Groups, Odette Amana Esam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The potential impact of carbon dioxide as a major source of global warming has led to extensive research in order to mitigate the greenhouse effect. In this work, four adsorbents were synthesized and studied. The adsorbents were obtained by grafting and sol-gel of amino-containing molecules such as bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine as monoamine and [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]- trimethoxysilane as diamine on the surface of silica gel. CO2 passed through adsorbents at room temperature for its capture, then desorbed at moderate heating, and stored in the form of insoluble BaCO3. The adsorbent synthesized by sol-gel synthesis was found to be more efficient due to its high …

“Between The Dream And Reality”: Divination In The Novels Of Cormac Mccarthy, Robert A. Kottage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Divination is a trope Cormac McCarthy employs time and again in his work. Augury, haruspicy, cartomancy, voodoo, sortition and oneiromancy all take their places in the texts, overtly or otherwise, as well as divination by bloodshed (a practice so ubiquitous as to have no formal name). But mantic practices which aim at an understanding of the divine mind prove problematic in a universe that often appears godless—or worse.

My thesis uses divination as the starting point for a close reading of each of McCarthy’s novels. Research into Babylonian, Greek, Roman and African soothsaying practices is included, as well as the …

Development Of In Vitro Chylomicron Assay Using Caco-2 Cells, Yuxi Sun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dietary fats are mainly transported by the intestine in lipoproteins: chylomicrons (CMs) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs). Unfortunately, studies of the intestinal absorption of dietary fat have been hampered by the lack of an adequate in vitro model system. As an in vitro model Caco-2 cells are able to secrete lipoproteins. We investigated the possible factors that may affect the secretion of CMs through the ultracentrifugation technique. The dose-dependent effects of oleic acid, mono-olein, egg lecithin, collagen matrix, and the effect of cell differentiation on CM secretion were then tested. We found that oleic acid, lecithin, and cell differentiation …

Fire On The Prisoners: An Autoethnographic Study Of Ethics In Historical Storytelling, A. Trae Mcmaken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During field experience as a storyteller constructing a performance based on the Battle of Kings Mountain on behalf of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association and the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, I encountered ethical and philosophical dilemmas. This challenge centered on ethical and spiritual convictions that put me in potential conflict with the task of creating a performance about war. This experience forms the basis of an autoethnographic approach to the art form, revealing the critical role played by personal ethics and a functioning engagement with historiography and narrative theory in producing effective performance stories. Historical performance storytelling has little …