Digital Commons Network^™

Oxygen Toxicity And Mitochondrial Metabolism., Jian Li 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oxygen is critical to aerobic metabolism, but hyperoxia is cytostatic and cytocidal. The precise mechanisms involved in hyperoxic cell injury remain incompletely understood although there is substantial support for the possibility that hyperoxia increases the 'leak' of electrons from the mitochondrial electron transport chain and the resulting increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) might explain the toxic effects of high oxygen. To evaluate the possible role of mitochondria in oxygen toxicity, we used cloned HeLa cells having no functional mitochondria (?° cells) as a model. In contrast to wild-type HeLa cells, ?° cells survive and grow in 80% O2 …

An Exploration Of The Influence Of Demographic Factors On Individual And Aggregate Student Achievement Measurements In The Kentucky Accountability System., Beverly Lee Derrington Moore 1938-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the progress of standards-based accountability in eliminating the effects of student background and school composition factors on student achievement and school performance in a large, urban district in Kentucky. The factors included gender, socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, mobility, family structure, giftedness, and disability. The school composition variables were the percentages of those factors in the school populations. Each grade and level--elementary, middle, and high school--was analyzed by multiple regression. At the student level, SES, giftedness, and disability predicted 15 to 36% of the variance in scores. SES, family structure, and mobility rate accounted for 56 to 91% …

Studies Of The Effects Of Pancreatic Beta Cell Antioxidant Transgenes On Experimental Models Of Diabetes., Hainan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic beta cells are extremely vulnerable to the destruction of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes ROS are involved in the loss of U+000DF-cells. We hypothesized that the deficiency in ROS detoxifying system of U+000DF-cells resulted in U+000DF-cell vulnerability and enhanced ROS protection would protect from diabetes. To test this hypothesis, transgenic mice with overexpression of U+000DF-cell antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase were produced on an FVB background. Initial studies demonstrated that these transgenes did not affect U+000DF-cell normal function and morphology. But those transgenes significantly protected pancreatic islets …

Survey Of Health Effects Among Residents Adjacent To A National Priority List Site In Ssouthwest Virginia., Danette Haywood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville …

Breaking The Bonds Of Silence: The Immigrant Experience In Magical Realist Novels Of Katherine Vaz And Chitra Divakaruni., Hillary Dawn Hester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The genre of Magical Realism is normally explored on the sole basis of its identification with and fantastic expression of Latin-American cultural identity. However, the genre, when employed by non-American immigrant women, takes on new characteristics. It not only highlights the mystical underpinnings of everyday life but instructs in a subliminally didactic manner by opening the reader to new possibilities through delightful imagery and a plot woven around transposed myth and folklore.

In examining how two female Magical Realists translate their narratives of immigrant life in twentieth-century United States, the instructive nature of the genre is laid bare. Both use …

Perceptions Of Cosmetic Alteration In Different Sized Attractive Women., Deborah Suzanne White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two experimental phases examined the characteristics impacting the physical attractiveness stereotype and a potential stereotype shift. From reading a description of a hypothetical target, Phase 1 of this study revealed that participants considered an overweight attractive woman significantly more likely to help a friend in need and significantly more likely to become a friend than an underweight attractive woman. These findings provide understanding of how particular stereotypes may provide social benefits. In Phase 2, knowledge of the woman's plans for liposuction, which was disclosed in a second description of the target, dramatically lowered the participants' evaluations of her physical attractiveness, …

Perceptions Of Seventh- And Eighth-Grade Girls Toward Coeducational Physical Education Classes In Five Middle Schools In East Tennessee., Shannon Clabo Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation, perceptions, and preferences of seventh- and eighth-grade girls in coeducational and gender-separated physical education classes in five schools in East Tennessee. The participants in this study were seventh- and eighth-grade girls attending public schools in two East Tennessee counties. Participants completed a questionnaire pertaining to their physical education classes. Although 465 students were invited to participate in this study, only 241 students returned the permission form. This resulted in a 50% response rate. The findings were descriptive in nature, although basic analyses were calculated to identify any relationships among the …

Comparisons Of Reading Scores In Two Tennessee Elementary Schools Between Students Receiving And Not Receiving Specialized Training In Phonemic Awareness., Raymond Lee Hatfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phonemic awareness has been identified as an essential precursor to reading. Many children suffer from a condition called central auditory processing disorder. Students suffering from this disorder have difficulty distinguishing between phonemes. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness for developing phonemic awareness skills in early readers by using a computer program designed to enhance the phonemic awareness skills of students. During the 2001-2002 school year, students located at two Kingsport elementary schools were administered the Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills pretest and posttest. Based on the results of the pretest and posttest data, it was determined that …

The Effects Of Adult Interaction On Toddler Behavior In The Classroom., Sarah Webb Hackney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of positive adult-to-child physical interactions and negative toddler behaviors in the classroom. Twenty-one licensed childcare centers participated in this study. One center was used to field-test the researcher-created tally instruments. The 20 centers remaining were observed to identify the number of positive adult-to-child physical interactions. They were then ranked from the classroom having the highest amount of adult-to-child interactions to that having the lowest. Three classrooms were then randomly selected from both the top and bottom thirds, providing six classrooms for the final study. Negative toddler behaviors were then observed …

Increasing Diabetes Awareness In Adolescents Through Educational Programs., Sandra J. Reese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of diabetes and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors to reduce diabetes onset in a community with a relatively high incidence of type 2 diabetes. Three hundred eighty seven students grades 7 – 12 participated in the program and taste test. Changes in knowledge before and after an educational program focusing on diabetes prevention were measured by comparison of identical pre, post, and retention tests. Students were also asked to name specific behaviors they could use to decrease the risk of diabetes. Responses were analyzed using Chi square analysis and content analysis. Overall, …

Health Practices Of Homeless Women, Margaret Chaney Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homeless women and female-headed families represent the fastest growing subgroups of homeless individuals. To expand the body of knowledge and provide further insight into the complex area of homelessness and health, health practices of homeless women were investigated using a cross-sectional, descriptive, and non-experimental design using Pender's Health Promotion Model as the theoretical framework. Homeless women (N=137) were recruited from five shelters in northeastern Indiana. Homeless women in this study were found to be highly educated, mostly unemployed, and primarily single. A greater number of African Americans than represented in the local population were found to be shelter residents. Health …

Pheromonal Mediation Of Sex Change In The Bridled Goby, Coryphopterus Glaucofraenum, A Protogynously Hermaphroditic Reef Fish, Kristen Erica Marsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Sensitivity Of Glochidia Of Freshwater Mussel Ligumia Subrostrata To Arsenic And Suspended Sediments, Tomoko Kikuchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Uncoiling The Gut Of Eleutherodactylus Coqui: Characterization Of The Anatomical Development And Proliferation Pattern, Carrie Elizabeth Langer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among the frogs there are two forms of development: biphasic and direct. Xenopus laevis, a biphasic developer, develops from an embryo into a tadpole, and then metamorphoses into an adult frog. Eleutherodactylus coqui is a direct developer, meaning that it lacks a tadpole stage. The embryo develops directly into the adult form. Comparing development between these two frogs provides insight on the evolution of these groups. I present an anatomical description of the gut development of E. coqui, and compare my findings to the development of X. laevis. E. coqui does not have a highly coiled gut like that of …

Enrichments Of Microbial Consortia, Mathematical Modeling And Statistical Analysis For Methane Production Form Acetate, Sulabh Madhusudan Koolwal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Organizational Structural And Cultural Variables As Predictors Of Quality In Federally Approved Nursing Homes., Lorraine V. Desormeaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which nursing home organizational structure and cultural variables were related to the outcomes reported by the Health Care Finance Administration public use data set (HCFA-NHCD). A second purpose was to examine the effects of a new style of nursing home management called the Eden Alternative™ concept. A related purpose was to test the usefulness of the HCFA-NHCD in predicting the quality of care for residents in federally approved nursing homes. Secondary data analysis was conducted on the HCFA-NHCD, as published in December 2001. Descriptive statistics and measures of association …

Unconventional Therapies : Individual Factors Associated With Use, Perceptions Of Function And Efficacy., Kenneth George Lombart 1954-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been an increasing use of Unconventional Therapies in the past decade. These refer to healthcare interventions representing either a compliment or alternative to traditional medicine to which many people have turned in hope of attaining a fuller, more healthy life. Previous research has focused on overall use, or use of general types, of these therapies. Research has also started delving into mechanisms of change and physical and psychological effects of some specific therapies. The present study examined individual factors of personality, locus of control, health values, desirable responding, age, medical conditions, and transformational events to determine associations with …

Proteomics And Morphology Demonstrate Mitochondrial Changes In Diabetic Cardiomyopathy., Xia Shen 1976-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common complication leading to accelerated cardiovascular failure in diabetic patients. Even though the exact mechanism(s) behind this disease still remain unclear, research from several laboratories including our own suggests that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a very important role in the development of DCM. In our lab, we have developed and characterized a diabetic transgenic mice line, designated OVE26, which clearly develops diabetic cardiomyopathy. Comparison of protein expression patterns in the hearts of 120-day-old control and diabetic mice reveals 22 proteins that are differentially expressed in OVE26 mice hearts, most of which are involved in …

Integrated Software System For The Collection And Evaluation Of Wellness Information., Rebecca Elizabeth Sweeney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an absence of a complete, easy to use, software system that can evaluate all areas of wellness. Although there are software programs and equipment available to examine certain aspects of wellness, they are incomplete. The solution to the difficulties of assessing wellness is the design and development of a software system that can be used to collect and evaluate wellness information. The system allows for complete reporting as it entails the six major components to wellness: demographics, body composition, lab work, nutritional intake, physical activity, and body measures. The system allows for ease of use by providing a …

A Comparative Study Of Vocal Dysfunction Of Kindergarten Through Sixth Grade Music And Non-Music Teachers Of Selected Northern Mississippi Schools, Thelma Lorraine Rozukalns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Difference Of Body Exposure: Images Of Females And Males In Three Top Teen Magazines., Angie Lovette Blank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined differences of how females and males were represented in three top teen magazines. Depiction of female and male bodies in the magazines was explored by the cropping of the photographs. The images were examined to determine if emphasis was placed on the face or the body. The researcher used the Body Index Scale coding instrument. A simple random sample of 1200 images in the three top teen magazines was analyzed.

The study did not show any statistical significance on hypotheses one, which stated that photographic images of females will be cropped lower on the body than images …

Role Of Police, Prosecutors And Defense Attorneys In Traffic Accident Investigation And Adjudication In Chattanooga, Tennessee., Karen L. Beisel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides, via personal interviews, a qualitative examination of police, district attorneys, public defenders and private attorneys who were involved in traffic accident investigation and criminal court adjudication in Chattanooga, Tennessee. These data were compiled to develop a profile of the actors and their involvement in the process of a criminal charge stemming from a traffic accident. The literature suggests that the actors work as a team to process a case from investigation to adjudication; however, the actors in Chattanooga, Tennessee were fragmented in their handling of a case. This study collectively examines police and attorneys in relation to …

Production Of Indole-3-Acetic Acid By Plant Growth-Promoting Assemblages Of The Fresh Water Macrophyte Juncus Effusus L / By Rama Krishna Subgani, Rama Krishna Subgani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Motor Speech Complications Of Infection With Human Immonuodeficiency Virus, Tammy Marie Collier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Latin American Baseball Players And The Process Of Acculturation In The United States, Juan M. Garcia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Bioactivity Of Erythromycin Derivatives, Mingwei Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Potlikker Papers : An Explication And Rumination On The Potlikker And Cornpone Debate Of 1931 With Illustrative Asides, John T. Edge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Seca-Sod Operon In Borrellia Burgdorferi., Tonya Lynn Nichols

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, has been characterized as a microaerophilic spirochete. O2 consumption and utilization potentially yield reactive oxygen intermediates, such as superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, and hydrogen peroxide. This study investigated the expression of the sod gene, which encodes the only, identified oxidative defense mechanism in B. burgdorferi. Using primer extension analysis and RT-PCR, it was found that sod and secA are organized as a single transcriptional unit under the control of σ70-like promoter upstream of the secA open reading frame. Generally, gene expression decreases with increased distance from the promoter; however, secA expression was observed …

A Meta-Analysis And Risk Assessment Of Heavy Metal Uptake In Common Garden Vegetables., Trent David Lecoultre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peer reviewed literature was searched to identify research pertaining to the uptake of heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb and Zn) by vegetables (cabbage, carrot, lettuce, and radish). The objectives of this research were to 1) determine the relationship between heavy metal concentrations in the soil and heavy metal concentrations in vegetables, and 2) determine the level of risk associated with exposure to heavy metals through ingestion of contaminated vegetables. Highly variable estimates and biologically implausible regression equations resulted from this meta-analysis. Exposure to arsenic through the ingestion of lettuce grown on contaminated soil significantly increases cancer risk, especially in children. …

Examining The Effects Of Deer Antler Velvet Supplementation On Muscular Strength, Performance, And Markers Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness., Robyn Suzanne Percival

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To examine the effects of deer antler velvet on muscular strength, performance, and markers of delayed onset muscle soreness following a 10-week resistance training period.

Participants: 16 resistance-trained males (18-35) volunteered.

Measures: DEXA, 1-RM, a power test, and a 70% performance trial were measured. Creatine kinase and self-reported soreness levels were measured following an eccentric trial.

Results: No pre-experimental significant differences existed between the groups for any of the variables measured. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding body composition, strength, muscular performance, or improvements in creatine kinase and soreness levels from pre to post-intervention. Both groups …