Digital Commons Network^™

Isolation Of A Siderophore Produced By Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strain H372., Rachel Elizabeth Presswood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is necessary for many cellular processes such as the electron transport chain and gene regulation. However, most iron on earth is found in insoluble iron-hydroxide complexes. In addition, iron is tightly sequestered in the human body by proteins such as transferrin, making it unavailable for pathogens. In order to overcome these limitations bacteria have evolved siderophores. Siderophores are low molecular weight compounds that bind ferric iron with a high affinity. Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that is known to produce at least four siderophores, and these siderophores contribute to its virulence. S. aureus strain H372 was found …

Synthesis Of A Water Soluble Resveratrol Derivative As A Potential Anti-Cancer Drug., Augustine Essel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on development of water soluble anti-cancer drugs is one of the great challenges of modern medicinal chemistry. Resveratrol (Res) is one of the many phytoalexins producing stilbenoids present in several medicinal plants, grape skin, peanuts, and red wine. It has been found to exhibit anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties. Water solubility and bioavailability are some of the setbacks of this interesting compound. In view of this, effort has been made to synthesize amino acid derivative of resveratrol to improve its bioavailability and solubility in water. Methyl 4-{-[(1E)-2-(3, 5-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethenyl] - phenoxy} butyrate (7), a novel ester intermediate, has been synthesized …

Narcissism And Binge Drinking: Exploring The Role Of Overconfidence And Confidence-Based Risk-Taking., Alicia M. Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Binge drinking (BD) entails excessive alcohol intake in a short time period. Despite numerous negative outcomes associated with BD and efforts to curtail it, rates remain steady. Thus, it is important to identify "who" binge drinks and "why" it occurs. Drawing from past research, I sought to replicate the link between trait narcissism and BD; moreover, I examined if overconfidence and confidence-based risk-taking assessed via the Georgia Gambling Task (GGT), explained why they did so. The results generally supported my hypotheses. As expected, narcissism related to poor GGT performance and high levels of BD; likewise, poor GGT performance related to …

Associations Between Mindfulness And Symptoms Of Anxiety., Leisa L. Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional exploratory study considered the associations between mindfulness and symptoms of anxiety. The participants in this study were 183 undergraduate students at a regional university in the southeastern United States. The general hypothesis was that higher levels of mindfulness would be associated with lower levels of anxiety. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine the association between a variety of aspects of mindfulness and symptoms of anxiety while controlling for a variety of demographic and historical variables, including previous experience with meditation. Results suggest that not all aspects of mindfulness were related to anxiety. Of the 12 specific …

A Comparative Study Between The Standards Of Learning And In-Class Grades., Randetta Lynn Fuller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We examined the Standards of Learning mathematics scores and in-class grades for a rural Virginia county public school system. We looked at third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades as well as Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry classes. The purpose of this was to determine whether or not there is a strong correlation between the Standards of Learning and the students' in-class grades. Had a strong enough correlation between the Standards of Learning and in-class grades been found we would have used only the in-class grades to predict the Standard of Learning test scores. However, we found that the …

"Knowing Where I Am At": The Experience Of Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose For People With Non-Insulin-Requiring Type 2 Diabetes., Dana Elisabeth Brackney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eleven participants living with non-insulin-requiring Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) discussed their self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) experience. All had been recently diagnosed (< 2 years) and treated for diabetes with a self-regulating SMBG guideline for primary care practice. Their digitally-recorded interviews and photographed logbooks were analyzed thematically and interpreted through the lens of numeracy literature to answer 2 questions: 1. What is the meaning of SMBG among people with non-insulinrequiring T2DM? 2. How do people with non-insulin-requiring T2DM perceive the function of SMBG in diabetes self-management? The meanings of SMBG were patient competence, "It is easy, just a little pin prick"; patient control, "I can control it. It doesn't control me"; and patient security, "It is not that way anymore." Three periods of lived time were observed: Diagnosis "The numbers say I have diabetes"; "I just can't figure out why it does that"; and Routine "I make my numbers." Prominent numeracy functions emerged by time period. During Diagnosis primary numeracy functions included comparing SMBG results to target values. Participants expressed this experience as, "I am some kind of O.K." During applied numeracy functions included taking medication correctly. SMBG readings were experienced as a clue to the diabetes mystery, sometimes confusing the participants, "I just don't …

Middle School Student Records As Dropout Indicators, William Sherman Gregg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dropping out of school is associated with a wide array of negative outcomes and the extraordinarily high United States dropout rate has brought the issue to the forefront of American education.

This study investigated normally collected middle school data from a suburban Colorado school district to determine the predictive value toward students dropping out or graduating from high school. Accessed was a longitudinal data set of first year in middle school records, 7^th grade, from 1999-2003 for students that graduated or dropped out from a Colorado suburban high school from 2003-2007. Discriminate function analysis was utilized on 2,195 student …

Overexpression Of Amyloid Precursor Protein Induces Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress And Activates The Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathway, Matthew G. Bartley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic form of cognitive disability and is caused by trisomy of chromosome 21. Within chromosome 21 is the gene, amyloid precursor protein (APP). Proteolysis of APP into toxic and aggregate-prone, beta-amyloid fragments underlies the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals with DS develop the neuropathology that can be diagnosed as AD; however, the role of APP overexpression in this comorbidity is presently unclear. Here, we elucidated the mechanism of cell death induced by overexpression of wild type APP. Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with a DsRed-APP fusion construct displayed caspase-3 activation and nuclear …

Relationship Education For Low Income Couples And Individuals: New Research Directions, Lindsey Einhorn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study implemented and evaluated an adapted version of the Within Our Reach program called FRAME. Participants were 173 low-income couples in committed relationships and caring for at least one child together. Participating couples were randomly assigned to one of the four study conditions (couples group, female group, male group, or control group). The impact of the program was investigated on a range of relationship and mental health outcomes. The present findings suggest that the FRAME workshop was helpful in reducing negative communication and improving positive bonding for our sample. Couples were able to benefit in some areas when …

Filmmaker, Lawyer, Indian Chief: The Negotiation Of Identity In An Indigenous Film Festival, William Lempert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since colonial contact, indigenous peoples have been predominantly represented by community outsiders. As a result, native peoples have rarely had a primary, or even collaborative role, in the production of these representations. However, in the last two decades, there has been an unprecedented proliferation of indigenous created films and the festivals that feature them. The Denver Indigenous Arts and Film Festival is an annual festival that exclusively showcases films made by and with indigenous peoples. The festival’s 2009 theme of “Telling Our Stories” emphasized cultural control of representation and the transmission of traditional knowledge.

In this thesis, I show that …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Factors That Influence Support For An Adequacy Model Of School Funding, Nancy L. Alex

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine teacher perceptions about the factors that influence support for an adequacy model of school funding and what relationships exist between specific demographic variables and those perceptions.

Using the instrument created for the study, one hundred thirty-nine teachers from the Montrose RE-1J School District where surveyed. Data was tabulated using standard descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages). As a general data analysis approach, bivariate comparisons were performed using Pearson correlations and t-tests for independent means. Multiple regression prediction equations were used to examine the relationships between specific demographics and teacher perceptions of the factors …

Neuropsychological Aspects Of Fetal Transplant Surgery For The Treatment Of Parkinson's Disease: A Longitudinal Study, Gina M. Signoracci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease often characterized at the time of diagnosis by resting tremor, rigidity, and/or bradykinesia. Over the course of the disease, motor functioning, cognitive functioning, and quality of life typically decline as the effectiveness of drug therapies diminishes. This study utilized medical, neuropsychological and quality of life data that were collected as part of a double-blind placebo surgery trial in which 40 patients were randomly assigned to receive bilateral transplantation of embryonic mesencephalic dopamine cells into the putamen or sham surgery. Nineteen women and 21 men participated in the study. Analyses focused on relationships between …

Neuroprotective Effects Of Anthocyanins On Neuronal Death Induced By Inhibition Of Bcl-2 And Oxidative Stress, Natalie A. Kelsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have devastating consequences to the afflicted patients. A major cellular pathophysiology underlying these diseases is mitochondrial oxidative stress (MOS) leading to neuronal death. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of a novel class of nutraceuticals, anthocyanins, against MOS-induced death in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Anthocyanins are natural antioxidants whose neuroprotective potential has yet to be examined in detail. Kuromanin and callistephin are anthocyanins derived from black rice and strawberries, respectively. Glutathione (GSH)-sensitive MOS and intrinsic apoptosis were induced in CGNs by the Bcl-2 inhibitor, HA14-1. Callistephin and …

Risk And Protective Factors Associated With Academic Achievement Among Ghanaian Youth, Ziblim Abukari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young people in Ghana who grow up in poverty and to families with little or no education endure limited early learning opportunities, underfunded educational systems, and more health and mental health problems compared to their peers from more privileged backgrounds. A significant body of literature addressing the relationship among risk, protection, resilience and academic achievement is based on youth populations in North America and Western Europe. Relatively little is known about the applicability of ecological and risk and resilience frameworks in non-Western countries. Consequently, educational outcomes of young people in Ghana are often characterized by similarities in low achievement, lack …

Transforming Colombia's Conflict: A Case For Re-Prioritizing U.S.-Colombia's Militaristic Approach, N. Brooke Breazeale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United State's influence on Colombia's militaristic approach to the conflict has deprived the nation's children of quality education and socio-economic opportunities, and created a culture of violence that has provided an expansive breeding ground from which armed groups and criminal networks continue to recruit. Colombian citizens have developed and implemented various approaches that have proven effective in transforming Colombia's classrooms and largest cities into collaborative, socially responsible and accomplished communities. Yet these initiatives continue to fall short of their full potential, as the democratic security approach remains the focus of Colombia's policy and programming. In keeping with the theoretical …

Toward Using Games To Teach Fundamental Computer Science Concepts, Jeffrey Michael Edgington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video and computer games have become an important area of study in the field of education. Games have been designed to teach mathematics, physics, raise social awareness, teach history and geography, and train soldiers in the military. Recent work has created computer games for teaching computer programming and understanding basic algorithms.

We present an investigation where computer games are used to teach two fundamental computer science concepts: boolean expressions and recursion. The games are intended to teach the concepts and not how to implement them in a programming language.

For this investigation, two computer games were created. One is designed …

The Production And Migration Of Educational Capital : Some States Win And Others Lose., Patrick J. Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As state policymakers draw clearer connections between the college-level attainment of their residents and the corresponding economic and social benefits, there is great need for more data and information regarding the production and migration of educational capital. The purpose of this study is to address the following research questions: Which states in the U.S. are producing relatively large numbers of college graduates and which benefit (or not) from the production of other states by importing large numbers of college graduates? What are predictors of interstate migration of college graduates at the person and state levels? What are the most useful …

Substance P And The Tectothalamic Pathway., Sean Phillip Masterson 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cortical and tectal inputs to the caudal LPN in the rat were examined using anatomical and physiological techniques. Pyramidal cells in layer 6 of the visual cortex and wide-field vertical cells in the stratum opticum of the superior colliculus (SC) project to the caudal LPN. Ultrastructural examination revealed that cortical terminals within the caudal LPN were small, contacted small dendrites, and could be identified through vGLUT1 immunohistochemistry. In contrast, tectal terminals were much larger, contacted large dendrites, and could be identified through vGLUT2 immunohistochemistry. In whole cell current clamp recording, stimulation of corticothalmic fibers elicited EPSPs that showed a frequency …

Emotional Distress As A Key Construct In The Personal Model Of Diabetes Management : Associations Of Fatigue, Diabetes-Specific Distress, And Depressive Symptomatology With Quality Of Life In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus., Chelsea L. Rothschild

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of maximizing self-management and quality of life is well documented in the diabetes literature. Although maintaining self-care is known to be important for individuals with type 2 diabetes, this is often difficult to maintain over time. Emotional distress has also been shown to impact self-care behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes. Glasgow et al (1997) introduced a model of key variables influencing diabetes self-management. This study examined specific emotional Personal Model constructs of diabetes management. Independent and converging lines of research have implicated several potentially overlapping constructs that may reflect emotional distress in persons living with diabetes …

Inference For Time To Event And Sojourn Time Data Under Right Censoring Using Reweighting Approaches., Jie Fan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation research, we aim to solve problems of two types of survival data, clustered survival data with potentially informative cluster size and sojourn time data. The methods for these two types of data are different. However, both data have right censored observations, and we use reweighting approaches to deal with the censoring issue. In the first part of the dissertation research, we consider marginal AFT models for correlated survival data with potentially informative cluster size. Informative cluster size means that the size of the correlated groups may be predictive of their survival characteristics. Two competing proposals, cluster-weighted AFT …

Shape-Based Detection Of Cortex Variability For More Accurate Discrimination Between Autistic And Normal Brains., Matthew Joseph Nitzken 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life, and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2009, about 1 in 110 American children will fall somewhere in the autistic spectrum. Although the cause of autism is still largely not clear, researchers have suggested that genetic, developmental, and environmental factors may be the cause or the predisposing effects towards developing autism. While …

Systemic And Strength Effects : Experimental Concentrations Of Topical Menthol., Lee Jordan Winchester 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Menthol has been regularly utilized as a treatment in sports related injuries for many years, yet little is known about its physiological interactions or its effect on performance. Our previous study indicates that topically applied menthol may cause an acute decrease in blood flow and may improve strength capabilities. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of two different concentrations of menthol (3.5% and 10%) on systemic blood flow and strength. 16 subjects participated in this 4 week study examining blood flow and strength effects after menthol or control treatment. Results indicate that the 3.5% menthol causes …

Comparison Of Different Methods For Longitudinal Data With Missing Observations., Lin Sun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Longitudinal studies occupy an important role in scientific researches and clinical trials. When taking the analysis of longitudinal data, investigators are often confronted with missing data which will produce potential biases, even in well-controlled condition. In the literature, missing data could be classified as missing completely at random (MCAR), missing at random (MAR) and missing not at random (MNAR). Generalized estimating equations (GEE), Linear mixed effects model (LME) and Pattern-mixture effect model (PME) are the commonly used analysis methods for longitudinal data. In the current work, we carried out simulations on evaluating the performances of the different methods on analyzing …

The Role Of Matrix Metalloproteinases Induced Angiogenesis During Transition From Compensatory Cardiac Hypertrophy To Cardiac Failure : Therapeutic Effects Of Hydrogen Sulfide., Srikanth Givvimani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Although matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) play a vital role in tumor angiogenesis and TIMP-3 causes apoptosis, their role in cardiac angiogenesis is unknown. Interestingly, a disruption of coordinated cardiac hypertrophy and angiogenesis contributes to the transition to heart failure, however, the proteolytic and anti-angiogenic mechanisms of transition from compensatory hypertrophy to decompensatory heart failure are unclear. Previous studies have shown the cardio protective role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in myocardial ischemia, infarction and heart failure, but its role during transition from compensatory cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure is yet to be unveiled. We hypothesize …

Rachel Carson And Nature As Resource, Object And Spirit : Identification, Consubstantiality, And Multiple Stakeholders In The Environmental Rhetoric Of The Conservation In Action Series., Cynthia E. Britt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the Conservation in Action series, twelve texts produced by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) from 1947-1957 and developed and written by Rachel Carson and other agency employees. She developed the series to publicize the refuge service and conservation work, and I specifically focus on the first two booklets in the series, Chincoteague: A National Wildlife Refuge and Parker River: A National Wildlife Refuge, which argue the need for waterfowl sanctuaries. I analyze the texts as early examples of government environmental rhetoric produced by Carson, author of Silent Spring. For the analysis I use four …

The Effects Of Estrogen And Phytoestrogens On Focal Infarct, Pten, And P-Akt Expression In Aged Rats., Karen Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Premenopausal women have fewer and less severe strokes when compared to postmenopausal females and aged matched males. The most obvious factor that could account for the observed difference is the physiological activity of Estrogen. Numerous studies over the past two decades have investigated estrogen's role as a neuroprotective agent against stroke damage. Many physiological mechanisms have been identified supporting neuroprotection; however, data also exist to suggest that estrogen may be harmful in certain situations such as those that produce high blood levels of estrogen or use estrogen in older models. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a large epidemiological study, found …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Two Suturing Techniques For The Coronally Positioned Tunnel Procedure With An Acellular Dermal Matrix Allograft., Courtney Tyler Shearer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aims. The primary aim of this randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial was to compare the percent root coverage obtained using a coronally positioned tunnel surgery plus an acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADM) with single tooth sling versus continuous sling sutures 6 months post-surgically. Methods. Twenty-four patients with 1 site of ~3 mm Miller Class I or II recession were treated and followed for 6 months. Twelve patients received a coronally positioned tunnel plus ADM and single tooth sling sutures (Single) and were considered the test group. The positive control group consisted of 12 patients treated with a coronally positioned tunnel …

Sa-4-1bbl As A Modulator Of T Effector To T Regulatory Cell Conversion., Shravan Madireddi 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The immune system is of profound importance for host survival due to its ability to clear many acquired diseases. In case of infections and cancer, disease arises due to under-performance of immune system. Whereas in autoimmunity and transplantation, deleterious immunity to normal self-antigens and allogeneic antigens arises due to enhanced immune responses. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in immune homeostasis in health and disease. Treg cells are important in the development and maintenance of immune tolerance towards self or transplantation antigens. However, Treg cells also play an obstructive role in cancer-related immunity by suppressing various effector cells. …

Presence/Absence Of An Endodontic Specialty Program During Dental Education Compared To General Dentist Attitudes Toward Treating Or Referring Patients Requiring Endodontic Therapy., Gregory A. Carman 1967-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The decision by a general dentist to treat or refer a patient needing endodontic therapy may be based on multiple variables. Students attending dental schools with endodontic specialty programs could be exposed to a referral system with endodontic residents managing difficult cases and they could have patients transferred to residents for completion of treatment if complications occur. Whereas, students at schools without endodontic programs may have to treat more difficult cases due to a more limited ability to refer cases. The primary aim of this study was to compare the opinion of general dentist graduates trained with and without endodontic …

Temporal Environmental Traffic Capacity For Urban Streets., Yu Xia 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a methodology to estimate the temporal Environmental Traffic Capacity (ETC) for urban streets. The approach constitutes the main procedure of ETC calculation and an experimental process of developing an emission inventory. The major contribution of this study includes results that support the development of traffic control policies to alleviate the negative impacts of on-road emission sources, and suggestions for future research to optimize road capacity with respect to air quality. A framework is proposed for the combination of the traffic volume model developed in this dissertation with the Danish OSPM (Operational Street …