Digital Commons Network^™

Cigarette Smoke, Dna Damage And Repair In Human Cervical And Vaginal Cells In Vitro And Ex Vivo., Afsoon Moktar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among gynecological malignancies, carcinoma of the cervix is the leading cancer type worldwide. Conversely, vaginal tumors account for an incidence of approximately 1-2% of lower genital tract malignancies. Interestingly, the major shared risk factor among women with cervical and vaginal tumors is infection with cancer-associated human papillomaviruses (HPVs). In fact, HPV infection is the necessary causative factor in the development and progression of cervical and vaginal neoplasia in the majority of cases. Epidemiological studies support that cervical and vaginal pre-cancerous lesions that are initiated by HPV infection generally regress in the absence of known risk factors such as cigarette smoking. …

Testing The Use Of Molluscs To Infer Climate With Special Reference To The Late Cenozoic Molluscs Of The Meade Basin, Southwest Kansas., Brian William Steffen 1975-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-six fossil assemblages of land and freshwater molluscs from the Pliocene to the present, were collected from locations near the town of Meade, Kansas, U.S.A. and were analyzed (along with the extant molluscan fauna of Meade County, Kansas) to look for changes in molluscan diversity through time. The fossil assemblages were analyzed for two reasons: I) to test the hypothesis that diversity (measured as taxonomic richness, dominance, turnover and habitat type) did not change through the five million years of this study (HOI); and 2) to test the hypothesis that there is no relationship between the taxonomic composition of a …

'Complementary' Immune Evasion By Oral Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Jennifer Lynn Krauss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Complement, an early recognition system of innate immunity that senses local tissue damage and infection, cross-talks with and regulates other signaling systems, including Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. In the context of periodontitis, destructive inflammation and disease promotion are associated with extensive and synergistic activation of TLRs and complement within the chronically inflamed periodontium. The virulence of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is dependent, at least in part, upon its ability to use sophisticated stealth and sabotage tactics to undermine innate immunity. Intriguingly, although this pathogen can modulate TLR2 signaling and suppress specific aspects of complement activation (126), it proactively generates …

Reverse Transfer Students : Characteristics, Motivations, And Implications., Kathryn Elizabeth Lowrey 1957-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The reverse transfer literature contains studies investigating the demographic characteristics of postsecondary students that attended a community college after attending a four-year institution, and their proportion in the community college student population. A few researchers have investigated reverse transfer student motives for enrolling in the two-year college. However, the literature is lacking studies exploring the intentions of reverse transfer students to complete their programs of study at the community college, and how these intentions impact retention and completion measures of effectiveness at the community college. The purpose of this study was to examine reverse transfer student demographic characteristics, education background, …

The Social And Cultural Constructions Of The Self-Identity Of White American Corporate Businesswomen In Historiography, Literature, And Popular Culture (1963-1985)., Qin Ma 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this cross-disciplinary dissertation is to explore how the epistemic ruptures, such as WWII and the Second Wave Feminism, change the American society between 1963 and 1985. From a humanistic and historical point of view, it focuses on (l) the "self-identity" of modern white American corporate businesswomen (WACB) between 1963 and 1985, (2) the change of their self-identity in comparison with the historical period between 1920 and 1963, and (3) how their self-identity is socially and culturally constructed by analyzing evidence from 3 disciplines-historiography, literature, and popular culture. The major theories used for the hermeneutic interpretation of the …

Effects Of Short-Term, High-Force Resistance Training On High-Intensity Exercise Capacity., Patrick Abi Nader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of short-term high-intensity resistance training on time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic output. It was hypothesized that 2 weeks of training will induce improvements in performance at maximal aerobic output. Eighteen subjects participated in this study. Subjects were assigned to a control (n=8) or resistance training (n=10) groups. The resistance training group participated in 5 sessions of strength training over a period of 2 weeks on the leg press device. Both groups participated in pre and post intervention testing. After the intervention strength in the training group significantly increased (p=.00). …

Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Modulates Evoked-Gamma Power, Event-Related Potentials, And Behavior In Autism Spectrum Disorders., Joshua Matthias Baruth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence suggests that cortical minicolumns are reduced in size and increased in number in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). More specifically minicolumns in individuals with ASD are narrower and contain less peripheral, neuropil space; this may cause an increase in the ratio of cortical excitation to inhibition and adversely affect the functional distinctiveness of minicolumnar activation. A lack of cortical inhibition may cause signal/sensory amplification which can impair functioning, raise physiological stress, and adversely affect social interaction in patients with ASD. Additionally, the DLPFC forms a circuit interconnected with many areas of …

Topology And Function Of Nyctalopin In Yeast And In-Vitro Translation Systems., Pasano Pasano Bojang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Congenital stationary night blindness 1 (CSNBl) is a genetic disorder characterized in humans by night blindness, low visual acuity and myopia. CSNB 1 is caused by defects in genes that are involved in signaling between photoreceptors and depolarizing bipolar cells (DBCs). DBCs utilize a metabotropic glutamate receptor-6 (Grm6) cascade that modulates the activity of a non-specific cation channel. CSNBI is diagnosed by a reduced b-wave in the electroretinogram (ERG). A b-wave indicates that DBCs are depolarized in response to a flash of light. In the dark, there is a tonic release of glutamate from the photoreceptors into the synaptic cleft. …

Social-Cognitive Predictors Of Physical Activity Initiation In Type 2 Diabetes Following Diabetes Self-Management Education : Application Of The Health Action Process Approach., Jason E. Bonner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes presents a public health crisis and a global pandemic. Successful management of diabetes requires engagement in a daily regimen of self-care behaviors to achieve optimal glycemic control and to reduce the severity of diabetes-related complications. Regular engagement in physical activity has been demonstrated to improve glycemic control and overall quality of life among patients with diabetes. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) has become the hallmark for instructing patients with diabetes to engage in physical activity, yet physical activity patterns of DSME patients remains largely unknown. Further, it is unclear what factors could account for such behavior change in …

Comparing Pre And Post-Surgical Self-Efficacy Behavior Changes By Introducing Prehabilitation Exercise., Anthony Kent Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a clinical condition affecting over 27 million Americans. There is no known cure for OA other than replacing the diseased joint with a joint prosthesis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Purpose: This study compared pre and post-surgical functional ability, exercise self efficacy and outcome expectations among total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients who did and did not receive a prehabilitation exercise program. Methods: 67 participants were eligible to participate in the study. Twenty-five participants indicated that they were not interested in participating in the study. As a result forty-two OA participants (31 female, 11 male) of the 42, …

Does Health Hoops Kentucky Improve The Health Of Children With Asthma?, Yu-Ting Chen 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children aged 7 to 17 years of age in the United States. An average, one of every ten school-aged children has asthma, and 13 million school days are missed each year due to asthma. Interventions to prevent or reduce the severity of asthma and to improve the quality of life among children and their families include the implementation of clinical practice guidelines, asthma care quality improvement programs, community preventive services, and other community-based approaches. The Healthy Hoops platform was used to evaluate the quality of life of children with asthma. This was …

Dimensional Relationships Between The Sphenoid Sinus, Maxillary Sinuses And Other Craniomaxillofacial Structures Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis., Richard Michael Halpern

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The study investigated dimensional relationships between the sphenoid and maxillary sinuses and other selected craniomaxillofacial structures by using traditional cephalometric and volumetric procedures based on cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) data. Methods and Materials: A retrospective three-dimensional (volumetric) and two-dimensional (conventional cephalometric) analyses were conducted on CBCT datasets of 27 subjects who met the inclusional criteria from a sampled database of 2,290 individuals. Subjects were divided into 3 groups: (1) pre- fused spheno-occipital synchondrosis < 18 years (n=8), (2) fused spheno-occipital synchondrosis < 18 years (n=9), and (3) = 18 years with fused spheno-occipital synchondosis (n= 10). Results: Differences between studied groups were found for linear and angular measurement. Specific correlations were found between certain topographic and internal measurements, and some sinus dimensions and other selected craniomaxillofacial structures. Conclusion: Dimensional correlations exist between the sphenoid and maxillary sinuses and development of other selected craniomaxillofacial structures.

Postwar Sierra Leone : Are Programs Of Reconstruction Addressing The Causes Of War?, Lovetta Anita Thompson 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This multilayered study is an appraisal of some of the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Sierra Leone in light of the causes of the conflict, which lasted from 1991-2002. It begins by providing a critical examination of the historical antecedents leading up to the war. The problems of colonialism which brought together different nationalities under one political umbrella by force of arm, along with other motley of issues such as corrupt leadership and inter-ethnic violence led to the outbreak of war in 1991. Although different studies have discussed these factors, very few, if any, have tried to make a connection …

Leadership, Curriculum, Instruction, And Accountability Scores : Evidence From Kentucky Scholastic Audits., Rebecca Curry Todd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1983 the National Commission on Excellence in Education released A Nation at Risk, which triggered an extended era of school reform culminating in today's accountability movement. In Kentucky the school improvement process, in which principals play an integral part, is based on the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement (SISI--with nine standards and 88 indicators overall) and the Scholastic Audit, a measurement tool based thereon. Murphy's (2004) mediated model of instructional leadership recognizes that complex school reform necessitates both direct and indirect skills. The central research question captures the purpose of this study, testing Murphy's model: Based on Scholastic …

More Real Than Real : An Anthropological And Phenomenological Exploration Of Imagistic Sacred Space In The Contemporary Elegy And Fine Art Photograph., Amy Liann Tudor 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The creation of liminal spaces has been used for centuries cross-culturally to create sacred or taboo meanings in rituals, people, places, or objects. Liminality is constructed by the overlapping of cultural categories and "ruptures" an object or event's connotations, imbuing it with new and often transcendent or spiritually charged meaning. The photograph is an example of liminal space, since it freezes even the living in a state of corpse-like stasis. With the invention of this new medium, as well as its application to memorializing the dead, previous forms of commemorating death such as the eulogy and the poetic elegy were …

Longitudinal Predictors Of Disciplinary Alternative School Placement And The Risk Of Subsequent Juvenile Detention In A Cohort Of Third Grade Children., Judi Elisa Vanderhaar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alternative school settings for students who are identified as "disruptive or dangerous" are playing an increasingly prominent role in the world of public education, yet many gaps in the research literature are abound. This dissertation study is an effort to contribute to an understanding of the students placed in these alternative schools, identify longitudinal predictors of placement, and assess the risk of subsequent involvement of the juvenile justice system. The study sample consisted of an entire cohort of third grade children in a large metropolitan school district. Through the use of the methodological technique of discrete-time hazard analysis, time-constant and …

Signal Processing In The Tectothalamic Pathway., Haiyang Wei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pulvinar is the largest nucleus of the human dorsal thalamus and is affected in a variety of brain disorders, such as schizophrenia. The experiments described in this dissertation elucidate key features of tecto-pulvino-cortical pathways as a first step toward understanding their role in coding visual stimuli and coordinating appropriate responsive actions. The tree shrew is used as the animal model because the visual structures of the tree shrew brain display many of the features of the primate brain, and the tectopulvinar pathways are particularly enhanced in this species. The connections formed between the tectorecipient pulvinar nucleus and cortex were …

Daily Emotional Experiences, Stress, And Ptsd Symptoms Among Midlife Women Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence : An Experience Sampling Study., Rebecca Ann Weigel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Described as important long-term consequences of trauma exposure, disruptions in emotional processes are regarded as central features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, the nature of these posttraumatic emotional disruptions remains poorly understood. The present study attempted to further understanding of these emotional disruptions by using experience sampling methodologies and electronic diaries to assess experiences of emotion, stress, and PTSD symptoms as they occurred in the day-to-day lives of midlife women exposed to intimate partner violence. Three sets of hypotheses were advanced and were tested using multilevel modeling approaches, with results demonstrating partial support for hypotheses overall. First, although past-month …

Adriamycin Nephrotoxicity Is Reduced By Metallothionein Over-Expression And Kidney Gene Expression Is Modified By Diabetes In The Ove26 Diabetic Model., Lu Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is divided into two parts below. Part I Adriamycin (ADR) can produce nephrotoxicity in rodents. The underlying mechanism may relate to ADR induced oxidative stress. In this study, we used transgenic mice (NMT3), which over-expressed the antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT) in podocytes, to study MT's protective potential on ADR nephrotoxicity. Urine and kidney samples were collected from control and transgenic mice at multiple time points after ADR injection, whose results showed that MT transgene alleviated ADR damage by reducing albuminuria, decreasing podocyte loss and protecting podocyte ultra-structure. Part II OVE26 mice are a good model of severe diabetic …

Simulation Analysis Of Resident And Attending Physician Teaching Methods At Kosair Children's Hospital., Scott R. Hoover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Kosair Children's Hospital, located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the only children's hospital in the state. Recently, the hospital's emergency department has developed concerns with patient satisfaction. Patients have experienced excessive amounts of time to get through the emergency department resulting in low satisfaction. Hence, this research assesses the patient's time in the emergency department through the use of a computer simulation. Specifically, a study on the teaching methods for the resident physicians was examined to determine if there were different approaches that could be implemented to improve a patient's time in the emergency department. Findings showed that the teaching …

From The Sacred Canopy To The Civic Canopy: Social Transformation Through Dialogue, Collaboration, And Civil Society, William K. Fulton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American creed of e pluribus unum--out of many, one--has proven to be an elusive aspiration for societies throughout history. Research suggests that as the diversity of a community increases, its stores of social capital decline. Yet, there exists a growing body of evidence that suggests under certain conditions, patterns of inclusion and collaboration are not only possible but predictable. This project explores theory on effective communication practices, grounded in Habermas's Theory of Communicative Action, as well as research on effective group interaction to suggest that certain communicative capacities and collaborative processes that successfully face the challenge of e …

Critiquing The Soul Of White Supremacy And The Spiritualities Of Whiteness: Narrative And Everyday Praxis, Dean J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that whiteness and the oppressive structures it creates are maintained, managed, and justified by the religio-cultural tools of white Christians in greater Fort Wayne, IN. This dissertation studies the relationship among the repertoires of white Christians, racism, and white privilege by analyzing the life narratives of selfidentified white Christians. I have divided this work into two parts. Part one, comprising Chapters One and Two, outlines the frameworks, theories, and methods I use to analyze the life narratives of the white Christians that I interviewed. In Chapter One I focus on how my research builds on and contributes …

Scripting The Docufiction: Combining The Narrative And Documentary Modes In A Social Issue Film, Joseph V. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis combines creative and academic efforts in an examination of the "hybrid" film. The question asked: in what ways can fiction be combined with non-fiction to engage with issues of social importance, is answered in analysis, and through practice. Traditional analysis is focused on films that blur the line between the documentary and the narrative-- the "hybrid film" or "docufiction." Analysis through practice is presented in an original feature length script that moves back and forth between the documentary and fiction film. This feature length script-- entitled Rigged, develops a fictional story while examining the issue of …

Navigating The Paradox Of Fear: Collaborative Research Exploring Resettlement And Vulnerability With Displaced Women In Colombia, Emily E. R. Braucher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In April of 2008, the Colombian Constitutional Court issued a report based on women's testimonials that identified gender-specific risks associated with forced displacement as result of armed conflict. This study explores the coping strategies employed by Colombian women to address socio-economic vulnerability and improve living conditions during resettlement in Bogotá. Specifically, the research tracks the process of adaptation during the struggle to achieve economic stability. The findings suggest that a prevailing culture of fear influences multiple aspects of adjusting to the city and constricts the participants' access to new social networks. Lessons gathered from the participants using collaborative anthropological methods …

Student Engagement Differences By Ethnicity And Scale For Ninth Grade Students, Melissa Mcfarland Fattor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Differences on three subscales of student engagement were compared across ethnic groups and by subscale. The ninth grade is often considered a vital juncture that indicates success or failure to graduate high school. When a student goes through a transition he or she often experiences some type of change in student engagement levels and may experience adverse effects in the form of academic, social, and psychological challenges. Researchers of the National Research Council (2004) believe that the engagement process (the successful interaction between the individual and the educational context) is considered a means toward alleviating unsuccessful student outcomes. Therefore, this …

The Resource Curse: The Cases Of Botswana And Zambia, Audria Crain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A puzzling correlation has been observed over the last thirty years between slow or negative economic growth and countries with large export dependence on natural resources. This correlation has been dubbed "the resource curse." It has been argued that resource wealth has an inherently negative effect on the economic growth of developing countries. Zambia is such a country in which resource-dependence has been coupled with poor economic performance; Botswana, however, is an important exception to this phenomenon. The question is: Why or how has Botswana surmounted the effects of the resource curse while Zambia has not? A comparative case analysis …

Our Health Matters: Promoting The Health Of Sexual Minority Women In The New Media Landscape, Brenda Kane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The shifts occurring in the mediascape and the field of public health offer new opportunities for promoting the health and wellness of sexual minority women. As a population that has historically been underserved by the healthcare system, sexual minority women face multiple barriers to achieving positive health outcomes. They are often less likely to access preventive healthcare services and more likely to engage in risky behaviors that are detrimental to health than heterosexual women. Despite the significant health disparities among sexual minority women, studying this population has not been a priority in health research and there is little research-based evidence …

Family Income, Maternal Marital Status, Maternal Employment, And The Development Of Overweight And Obesity During Childhood., Shaoqing Gong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the longitudinal associations of family income level, maternal marital status, and maternal employment with body mass measurements and the development of overweight and obesity. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to assess the effects of the exposure variables on weight status with simultaneous adjustment for the exposure variables and the covariates. Key findings include: Children in families with incomes below the poverty line at child's 24 or 54 months of age were at a higher risk of becoming overweight and obese at child's third grade than children in families with incomes above the poverty line; longer …

East Tennessee State University Faculty Attitudes And Student Perceptions In Providing Accommodations To Students With Disabilities., Terre D.M. Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine ETSU faculty attitudes and student perceptions in providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities.

Participants of the study were ETSU students with disabilities who are registered with the Disabilities Services office and faculty members of ETSU. Students with disabilities were interviewed. An online survey was sent to faculty members via the ETSU email system. Disability law and disability compliance year books served as the primary documents that were reviewed for pertinent information.

Grounded theory using a constant-comparison methodology served as the conceptual framework for the study. The grounded-theory approach allowed for the …

Rural Versus Urban: Tennessee Health Administrators' Strategies On Recruitment And Retention For Allied Health Professionals., Derek Ray Slagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing interest in understanding recruitment, retention, and turnover of allied health professionals considering employment trends and workforce mobility, an increased need to understand the healthcare delivery system, and the dynamic nature of the allied health workforce especially for rural areas. A survey was sent to allied health administrators across a variety of allied health disciplines from the state of Tennessee hospitals in order to gauge opinions on retention and recruitment strategies. Overall successful strategies for recruitment and retention of allied health professionals were reported as well as differences between urban and rural areas, differences among allied health …