Digital Commons Network^™

Movement Patterns, Survival, And Sightability Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) In Eastern South Dakota, Kevin A. Robling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Limited information is available on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) movements, survival, density, and resource selection in the Prairie Pothole Region of South Dakota where semi-permanent wetland densities are relatively high. Primary objectives of this study were to develop a sightability model for aerial surveying and document seasonal movement patterns and survival rates for white-tailed deer in this region. Secondary objectives were to calculate seasonal home ranges, daily and seasonal movements relative to management unit boundaries, determine cause specific mortality, and evaluate summer and winter resource use and selection. From February 2009 – February 2010, 43 adult female white-tailed deer along …

Design And Synthesis Of Novel Agrofungicides Based On Naturally Occurring Pbdes, Robert Alexander Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacterial symbionts of Indo Pacific marine sponges, e.g. Dysidea sp., produce hydroxylated (OH-) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDBEs) which likely function as chemical deterrents owing to their antifungal and antibacterial properties. Limiting the therapeutic potential and agricultural use of these antimicrobial natural products are the negative connotations associated with non hydroxylated anthropogenic PBDEs. Anthropogenic PBDEs are pervasive global pollutants used as flame retardant additives in many household goods, e.g. furniture, textiles, and electronics. These molecules have a propensity to bioaccumulate in living organisms, they easily traverse the trophic food chains, they are readily passed from mother to offspring, and many of …

In Vitro And In Vivo Pharmacodynamic Characterization Of The Novel Plasma Kallikrein Inhibitor Pf-04886847, Dhaval Sanjeev Kolte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plasma kallikrein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and thrombosis. Kallikrein cleaves high molecular weight kininogen (HK) to liberate the potent pro-inflammatory peptide bradykinin (BK). BK upon activation of its constitutive B2 receptors on endothelial cells leads to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ level and subsequent production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2), ultimately leading to vasodilation, hypotension, increased vascular permeability and vascular leakage. Further, kallikrein activates the complement system and stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis, aggregation and elastase release. Furthermore, kallikrein mediates the conversion of factor XII (FXII) to activated factor XII (FXIIa) thereby potentiating the intrinsic …

The Gay Of The Land: Queer Ecology And The Literature Of The 1960s, Jill Elizabeth Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I argue not only that queer ecology is a legitimate and important next step for ecocritics and queer theorists but also that its literary application does a great amount of good in exploring and dismantling the natural/unnatural binary and exposing the ecological impact of the choices humans make everyday. I take as my method a combination of queer and environmental theory and literary criticism, as well as the foundational queer ecocritical works and include important historical and political perspectives influencing the emergence of the environmental and gay and lesbian movements. Through this dissertation, I legitimize more recent …

Food And Identity: A Case Study Of Roman Soldiers And Native Civilians In Roman Britain, Aaron Michael Bobik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food is a universal medium through which identity is expressed. In cultures both past and present, food represents a direct way to communicate many aspects of identity such as ethnicity, nationality, status, age, and gender. In archaeology, while the nutritional and economic roles of food have been a topic of study for decades, the relationship between food and identity is a research area largely in its infancy. In my thesis, I explore general aspects of identity in the past, and in particular, I utilize a case study of four archaeological sites (Segontium (Caernarfon), Portchester Castle, Wavendon Gate, and Dragonby) to …

Starved: Food Deserts In The Mississippi Delta, Novelette L. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the impact of food deserts on obesity, and builds a case for additional research on rural food deserts independent from urban ones. The Mississippi Delta consistently presents the highest obesity rates within the state, yet both the third unhealthiest county (Quitman) and the healthiest (DeSoto) are located in that region. One of the reasons there is such a large discrepancy between the health rankings of DeSoto and Quitman counties is that DeSoto is contained within the Greater Memphis Metropolitan Area, but Quitman is entirely rural. Previous research has focused on the prevalence of urban food deserts and …

A Field Validation Of Dam Indexing Methods In Mississippi, Steven Thomas Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Indexing methods are applied to dam inventories throughout the United States to assist in prioritizing resources to maintain aging dam structures. Three published indexing methods and one proposed method were applied to 24 dams through Mississippi. The majority of dams in Mississippi have little to no information concerning the performance records or design specifics of a given dam. Field assessments were conducted to determine the physical condition of each dam, identify potentially deficiencies at dams, and calculate a consequence in the event of a dam failure. The results of the four indexing methods will be compared and advantages and disadvantages …

The French Chef And The Cold War: Julia Child And The Mask Of Contained Domesticity, Hillary Ann Hamblen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most scholarly studies and even general personal reflections about Julia Child portray her as a figure that changed the face of cooking, cookbooks, and cooking television for audiences of the late twentieth and twenty first centuries. While this is true, many of these studies and reflections do not acknowledge Child's ability to change mainstream ideas by conforming to some of them. While Child radicalized perceptions toward food and those who cook, she also represented a domestic woman and a wife. While Child's politics were indeed liberal, for the most part, her lifestyle was actually quite moderate. This project is an …

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation Of A Novel Compound, Sn79, A Putative Sigma-2 Receptor Antagonist, By Intravenous And Oral Administration In Rats, Harsha Vinnakota

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Considering the alarming rates at which substance drug abuse, especially cocaine, is increasing in today's society, there is a lot of impetus on the development of medications that can effectively help alleviate its toxicity and addiction. The affinity of cocaine to sigma receptors (sigma-1 and sigma-2) rendered the hypothesis that blocking sigma receptors could be a possible mechanism to attenuate cocaine-induced toxicity and addiction. In this view, SN79, a synthetic compound with selectivity to both sigma-1 and sigma-2 receptors garnered our attraction for its use as an antagonist. This dissertation encompasses detailed investigation of SN79 from drug discovery and development …

Reforming Tastes: Taste As A Print Aesthetic In American Cookery Writing, Sarah Wurgler Walden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many eighteenth-century philosophers such as Kant and Hume worked to develop discourses of taste as a means of standardizing cultural behaviors. Using physical taste as a metaphor for aesthetic perception and judgment, these writers could both define and abstract group boundaries. As American writers worked to distinguish their nation from their British forebears, many recognized the utility of taste-based discourse and worked to develop cultural tastes around shared principles of egalitarianism and democracy. Cookbooks and domestic writing soon engaged these discourses, as it was the task of women to cultivate a virtuous citizenry, and—through domestic print culture—to demonstrate the deleterious …

Natural Products Chemistry Of Leads Acting On Mrsa, Hcv, Malaria, And Depression Disorders, Mohamed Ali Mohamed Ali Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nature has proven to be an endless source of abundant diversity of chemical entities with varying biological activities. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of the world's population depends on traditional medicine for treating their everyday health problems. According to Gordon Cragg, former director of the natural products branch of the NCI, ″Nature has produced wonderfully complex molecules that no synthetic chemist could ever dream up.″ Moreover, he emphasized that over 60% of cancer therapeutics have been derived from nature whether directly through isolation or indirectly through semi-synthesis. Various examples have been reported such as extracts from Catharanthus …

Impact Of Imagine Learning English In Two Northern Mississippi Schools, Dawn M. Waddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study, Impact of Imagine Learning English in Two Northern Mississippi Schools, describes an effectiveness study of the impact that the computer program Imagine Learning English (ILE) has on English language learning. The study sought to determine the impact of ILE on the annual yearly progress and reading skills of mid-level English language learners (ELL). The objective of the study was to see if ILE was successful in raising the reading comprehension skill scores of English Language Learners (ELL) who worked the program as a language training tool. This study is the result of data that was collected from students …

The Fev Frontend: A Terrain And Water Simulation Client, Donald Brent Sharrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The FEV (Flood Emergency Visualizer) Frontend is a Java and OpenGL-based 3D vi- sualizer of flood simulation results in real-time. Simulations can be recomputed based on user-defined terrain edits made directly on the rendering surface. The frontend is the client software of the FEV system that includes a backend for solving water flow equations using CUDA. To render large datasets, level-of-detail and other optimizations are needed to render terrain and water surfaces with interactive frame rates.

Quantification Of An Ultrasound Test Apparatus And Its Potential Use To Control Nuisance Species In Commercial Aquaculture Settings, Bradley T. Goodwiller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As one step in the investigation of using acoustics to improve aquaculture production, work was pursued on the possible use of ultrasound to control the Bolbophorus trematode in commercial catfish ponds. The trematode population can be controlled by eliminating the host ram's horn snail via exposure to high amplitude ultrasound. Initial laboratory tests indicated that a commercially available sonicator (operating at 20 kHz) is capable of killing individual snails in fish tanks. More thorough testing indicated efficiency rates of approximately 35% on batches of 10 snails. In addition to the snails killed immediately, there was evidence that the sonication technique …

Exploring Patterns Of Genetic Diversity Of A Malagasy Ant Species: Anochetus Madagascarensis, Nicole Annette Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Madagascar is extremely diverse and imperiled. Close to 90% of all land dwelling species are endemic to Madagascar (plants, reptiles, mammals and amphibians). Understanding patterns of genetic diversity for species can aid in better conservation efforts. In this study, I focus on the endemic Malagasy ant species, Anochetus madagascarensis. By employing a broad geographic sample of this species from throughout its distribution and a multilocus genetic data set, I explored population structure and historical factors that affected these patterns. I tested hypotheses proposed to be responsible for generating population structure, and by extension the process of speciation in Madagascar, including …

The Present Past - A Middle Swabian Dialect In The 21st Century, Stefanie Hirscher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dialects throughout the Federal Republic of Germany not only vary greatly among themselves, but also tend to show internal variations with regard to dialect speaker groups, due to the influence of Standard German along with other regional factors. Medium-sized towns seem to be at the center of this dialect-standard continuum, as speakers from both rural and more urban areas come together in these towns. This study sought to investigate the state of the Middle Swabian dialect as spoken in Schwäbisch Gmünd, a medium-sized town in Southwestern Germany. Previous studies of this dialect have focused on rural areas and found only …

The Relationships Among Rapid Automatized Naming (Ran), Processing Speed And Reading Fluency In Clinic Referred Children, John Demann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Converging evidence suggests that phonological awareness is at the core of reading ability. Rapid automatized naming (RAN), defined as how quickly individuals can name continuously presented familiar visual stimuli, is also known to be a strong predictor of reading performance, and reading fluency in particular. The double deficit hypothesis suggests RAN deficits represent an additional core deficit associated with the reading process. Although there are many ways to measure RAN (e.g., using letters, numbers, pictures, objects), not well established is which RAN task is most predictive of the reading fluency skills of clinic referred children. Further research is also needed …

Direct Incremental Costs In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd) And Asthma In United States - An Analysis Of 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Data, Bhavini Srivastava

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national prevalence and direct incremental expenditures in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma using 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data.

Methods: COPD and asthma were identified using ICD-9 codes and were the main independent variables. Covariates included age, gender, race, income, region, insurance and marital status. Dependent variables were total health care, office-based, outpatient, inpatient, emergency room and prescription expenditures. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to fulfill the study objectives.

Results: Prevalence of COPD and asthma was 1.3 million and 28.3 million, respectively. Total direct incremental health care expenditures per person for COPD …

Neurosis Or Perversion? A Lacanian Psychoanalytic Diagnostic And Clinical Approach To The Treatment Of Paraphilia At A Forensic Outpatient Setting: A Case Study And Exegetical Method, Stephanie Swales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work of Jacques Lacan (1901-1981) provided clinicians with three main diagnostic ontological structures: neurosis, psychosis, and perversion. All three diagnostic structures indicate fundamentally different ways of solving the problems of alienation, separation from the primary caregiver, and of castration, or having limits set by the law on one's jouissance. Of the three, perversion remains by far the least understood and least discussed. To date, Lacan's diagnostic system--not to mention his corpus in general--has been largely ignored by psychotherapists in the United States. Where Lacan has been taken up within psychotherapeutic discourse, discussions are often restricted to the field of …

Theological And Ecological Foundations For Youth Ministry In Relation To The Archdiocese Of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa, Leo Tinkatumire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is titled: Theological and Ecological Foundations for Youth Ministry in Relation to the Archdiocese of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa. The Archdiocese of Mbarara, located in the traditional kingdom of Nkore in southwestern Uganda, is undergoing societal shift. Due to the pervading influences of Western civilization and technology, the conservative and often static culture of native tribal communities with their adherence to informal education, traditional customs and worship and a predominantly agrarian economy, is undergoing steady but dramatic transformation. Amidst this process of transition, the Church is struggling with the immediate need to adjust the message and methods …

Development And Bioavailability/Bioequivalence Of A Fixed-Dose Combination Antiretroviral Reconstitutable Suspension Intended For Pediatrics, Fredrick Esseku

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to develop and assess bioavailability/ bioequivalence of age-appropriate fixed-dose combination granules of lamivudine/zidovudine/nevirapine as reconstitutable suspension for pediatrics for use in pediatric patients. The granules were developed via roller compaction process to improve granule flow characteristics, minimize segregation of the multi-component active pharmaceutical ingredients, and avoid introducing moisture into the formulation and thereby improve the stability of the product. Optimization of the roller compaction process for the roll pressure and the ratio of the horizontal feed screw speed to the roll speed showed that these parameters had minimal effect on granule quality. Subsequently, a replicated 32 …

Application Of Speciated Isotopes Dilution Mass Spectronmetry To The Assessment Of Human Health And Toxic Exposure, Timothy Fahrenholz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous work by our research group demonstrated that quantitative chemical analysis of analytes, such as mercury and chromium species, in environmental matrices could be successfully carried out without using calibration curves and with correction for species interconversion by using EPA Method 6800A. This method encompasses isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) and speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS), both of which are described in detail in chapter 1. Research described in this dissertation expands upon our earlier work by applying the method to the speciation of mercury in biological matrices, the speciation of glutathione in red blood cells and whole blood, …

Three States Of The Mind's Eye, Lindsay Huddleston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three States of the Mind's Eye is a multimedia work composed of music, poetry, and video. The purpose of the work is to examine attributes of three different abstract states of mind: the dream, paranoia, and courage. The musical score both tells its own story as well as enhances the visuals and poetry as they are presented. This document will discuss the ideas behind the work, how the composer went about creating each section and combining them, and will provide musical excerpts, the poetry itself and other visual examples. All sounds for the project are synthetic or sampled and the …

P,P' Dde Regulated Gene Expression And Possible Mechanisms Of Action In Breast Tumor, Nakpangi Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: The synthetic insecticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) has been speculated to increase breast cancer risk due to its environmental persistence, levels of bioaccumulation in breast adipose tissue, and endocrine disrupting actions. Epidemiological studies have had inconsistent findings, however a study in MMTV-neu mice determined that localized, developmental exposure to the reported anti-androgen p,p' DDE accelerated mammary tumor development. This study tested the potential cancer-promoting actions of p,p' DDE, the most prevalent and persistent DDT metabolite.

Objectives: To identify and characterize the expression of p,p' DDE -regulated genes to determine how developmental exposure may influence mammary tissue to promote tumor formation. Methods: …

Daily Nocturnal Melatonin Supplementation In Perimenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study Examining The Effects Of Melatonin On Bone Health And Quality Of Life, Mary Kotlarczyk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effects of nightly melatonin supplementation on primary endpoints of bone health and secondary endpoints of quality of life in perimenopausal women.

Methods: A total of 18 perimenopausal women were randomized to receive melatonin, 3 mg p.o., (n=13) or placebo (n=5) nightly for six months. Bone density was measured by calcaneal ultrasound. Osteocalcin (OC), a bone formation marker, and amino-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX), a bone resorption marker, were measured in serum samples taken bimonthly to assess changes in bone turnover. Participants completed the Menopause-Specific Quality of …

Development Of Topical Ophthalmic In Situ Gel-Forming Estradiol Delivery System Intended For The Prevention Of Age-Related Cataracts, Udaya Kanth Kotreka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increased risk of cataracts in aging women versus men, the reduced risk in women on hormone replacement therapy, and studies in animal models suggest that estrogen may protect lens transparency. To use estrogen for cataract prevention, we hypothesized that an ophthalmic estradiol in situ gel-forming formulation would be more effective for inducing lenticular estrogen responses without undesired uterine stimulation associated with systemic delivery. The following aims tested this hypothesis: 1) to develop an ophthalmic in situ gel-forming estradiol delivery system that is stable and safe; 2) to determine if ocular estrogen formulation was more effective than systemic therapy in …

Structural Determinants For Inhibitor Recognition By The Dopamine Transporter, Yi Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation will give an introduction, background and our research progress in the areas of dopamine transporter (DAT). A 3-D DAT computer model was generated in our laboratory based on the X-ray crystal structure of the bacterial leucine transporter LeuT, a distant homolog of DAT. The ability of this LeuTAa-based 3-D DAT computer model to identify specific DAT residues involved in inhibitor recognition was assessed through site-directed mutagenesis and subsequent pharmacologic characterization in the present study. Feedback from these experiments confirmed some of the suggestion from the DAT model, which is encouraging that the comparative DAT model is valid to …

The Contribution Of Foundational New Testament Theological Themes To The Meaning Of Basic Bioethics Principles, R. Dennis Macaleer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beauchamp and Childress' Principles of Biomedical Ethics is a well accepted approach to contemporary bioethics. Those principles are based on what Beauchamp and Childress call the common morality. This dissertation employs New Testament theological themes to enhance the meaning of contemporary principles of bioethics. Beginning with the incarnation in the New Testament, the invitation-response hermeneutic is developed as a hermeneutic to use in studying the New Testament. The primary New Testament text for this study is the twin commands from Jesus to love God and love one's neighbor. Three theological themes are developed from this study and these three themes …

Cyanate Formation Following 2-Chloroacrylonitrile Exposure And The Role Of Cytochrome P-450, Paul Malichky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

2-Chloroacrylonitrile (2-CAN) is a volatile, toxic chemical used as a raw material to manufacture pesticides. Although the toxic mechanism is not fully understood, the hypothesis in the literature is that 2-CAN may be metabolized to cyanide. An understanding of the mechanism of 2-CAN toxicity will permit more appropriate treatments in the event of an accidental exposure.

Four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections. Group 1 was a control that received only saline. Group 2 received 40 mg/kg of 2-CAN. Group 3 received 100 mg/kg of 5-phenyl-1-pentyne (5P1P) an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450. Group 4 received 100 …

Worktime In The United States Steel Industry, 1870-1939, Jared Mansfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The iron and steel industry was rapidly changing between 1870 and 1939. The decline of iron and the rise of steel, coupled with technological developments and new immigration trends, brought about a new industry at the end of the nineteenth century that was starkly different from just a few decades earlier. The industry was much more mechanized and a larger part of it consisted of continuous production. Its workers were much less skilled and tended to work longer. This thesis follows the changing nature of worktime in this period, as more workers remained on the job longer with the growing …