Digital Commons Network^™

Coal Ash And Children's Sleep : A Community-Based Study., Clara G. Sears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kentucky is the fifth largest producer of coal ash, a by-product of coal combustion. The small spherical coal ash particles contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium. Coal ash is currently classified as nonhazardous by the EPA, which allows it to be stored in open-air impoundments near low-income communities. The primary object of the study is to determine the prevalence of sleep disruptive behaviors in children exposed to coal ash, compared to a group of demographically similar non-exposed children. Parents or guardians from five neighborhoods surrounding a coal ash storage facility, and one non-exposed community, participated in a …

Functional Implications Of Demyelination And The Molecular Control Of Remyelination In The Adult Mouse., Nicholas John Kuypers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oligodendrocyte (OL) loss contributes to the functional deficits underlying diseases with a demyelinating component (Gajjar et al., 1997; Miller et al., 2002). Remyelination can restore these deficits (Duncan et al., 2009). Chapter 1 is an introduction to de- and re-myelination thus providing the necessary background information for consideration in subsequent chapters. Ethidium bromide (EB) has been extensively used in the rat and cat as a model of spinal cord demyelination. However, this lesion has not been addressed in the adult mouse. Therefore, Chapters 2 and 3 characterize a model of chronic EB-induced spinal cord demyelination in the mouse which can …

Effect Of Metallic Restoration Artifacts On Maxillofacial Cone Beam Computed Tomography Images., Mitali Binani 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Artifacts due to high-density objects (HDO) such as metallic dental restorations on maxillofacial cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images can render certain areas unsuitable for diagnosis. It was hypothesized that image quality due to HDO artifacts was affected by CBCT acquisition parameters and the number and configuration of HDO. Simulated complete maxillary and mandibular dental arches were constructed using dental stone and extracted teeth. Conservative coronal dental amalgam (MOD) restorations on premolar and molar teeth were used as HDOs. Gray values (GV) measured on uniform dental stone test cylinders at specific levels from the occlusal plane at three tooth locations …

Prevalence Of Knowledge In Forensic Anthropological Field Methods Within Traditional Forensic Investigation., Cassandra Christina Rausch 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As forensic evidence has come to be of increasing importance in the courtroom, standards and practices regarding documentation, collection, and preservation of evidence have also become increasingly necessary. This study examines forensic anthropological field methods and their incorporation into crime scene investigation. Prior research suggests that incorporation could increase evidence recovery, result in better preservation of evidence, and enhance chain of custody. Examination of baseline survey data and a specific cross-regional analysis seeks to discover how/if these methods are being utilized within crime scene investigation. Baseline results are compared with follow-up interviews from a small sample of agencies to examine …

Cognitive Decline And Polypharmacy In An Elderly Population., Ximena A. Oyarzun Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is associated with increased risk of chronic disease, comorbidities, and greater medication use. Polypharmacy, the concomitant use of 5 or more medications, has been associated with adverse health effects, and potentially cognitive decline. The proposed hypothesis is that polypharmacy increases the risk of cognitive decline in elderly people. Using longitudinal data from 572 participants from the New Mexico Aging Process Study cohort, the impact of polypharmacy on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) was studied. The statistical analyses were performed using mixed linear regression multivariable models and generalized estimating equations, adjusting for important …

Employee Work And Health Behaviors : The Role Of Leadership Support For Health Promotion And Organizational Health Climate., Jennifer Woloszyk Hoert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Worksite wellness programs have historically focused on the modification of individual employee behavior (e.g., Shepard, 1981). Scholars have recently engaged in a discussion about the role the workplace environment plays in employee health behavior (e.g., Golaszewski, Allen, & Edington, 2008). The present correlational study contributes to this conversation by defining the relationship between employees’ perceptions of leadership support for health promotion and employees’ perceptions of organizational health climate and its impact on employee health and work behaviors and attitudes; and by examining the extent to which variance in work and health behaviors may be accounted for by employees’ perceptions of …

Crosslinking Albumin For Drug Release From Spray Dried Particles., Ishita Jain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In space, astronauts are exposed to a large doses of ionizing radiation which can cause various health problems. The drug delivery of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances is a promising countermeasure for the harmful cellular effects of radiation exposure. Curcumin is a polyphenol derived from the rhizome of the turmeric plant that has strong antioxidant capabilities. The therapeutic potential of this radical scavenging drug is limited by poor uptake in the body due to its insolubility in water, rapid metabolism by the intestinal mucosa and liver, and quick excretion. Drug delivery vehicles can be used to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin. …

Heavy Drinking Behaviors And Parental Influence Among Greek Affiliated College Students, Melodie Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy drinking behaviors have been observed in relation to fraternity and sorority membership. Some have argued that this relationship persists as a result of the drinking-conducive social environments of Greek organizations, but others have suggested that this relationship may be spurious. Using data from The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (n = 10,904) the link between Greek affiliation, alcohol consumption, and parental influence was examined through the lens of social learning theory. It was hypothesized that members of Greek organizations would report higher levels of drinking compared to others and that the inclusion of the variable of …

Inclusion And Autism: General Education Teachers’ Perceptions, Deborah B. Hayes Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate general education teachers’ perceptions of being prepared to work with students identified with autism, grade level assignments, time concerns, and the presence of an ancillary attendant in their classrooms. Participants in this study were located in one city school system in North East Tennessee. All data were collected through an online survey distributed to 230 teachers, of whom 79 responded. Four research questions were analyzed, 3 with single sample t tests and 1 with a one-way ANOVA. Results indicated no statistical significance regarding grade level assignments and general education teachers’ perceptions …

Year Of The Adopted Family: Selected Folktales For The Seasons Of Adoptee Personal And Cultural Identity, Rachel R. Hedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a study of the application of storytelling to adoptive family bonding, sensemaking, and cultural adjustment, I selected 12 world folktales for adoptive families to use as oral storytelling activities. I designed and facilitated a workshop for 7 adoptive families focusing on how to select, to learn, and to tell stories as well as how to play story-based games with their children. Each adult told 1 of the 12 folktales, played 1 or 2 of 37 games (12 traditional games, 25 storybased games), and shared reactions and interactions of family members. Using the term “story talk” to describe conversational byplay …

Teacher Attitudes And Practices That Support Student Learning, Charles T. Sutton Mr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generally in today’s classrooms educators have the responsibility to develop teaching practices that are best suited for a particular group of learners. Since the early days of 1-room schools, various teaching styles have been developed to accommodate a changing world. As the curriculum has broadened through the years, individual student needs have remained the focus as teachers have become more and more accountable for student learning.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate or identify how successful teachers manage their classrooms. It defines key student behavior issues that most teachers experience daily. The study further investigates the hypothesis …

Role Of The Ventral Tegmental Area And Ventral Tegmental Area Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Incentive Amplifying Effect Of Nicotine, Ashley B. Sheppard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nicotine has multiple behavioral effects as a result of its action in the central nervous system. Nicotine strengthens the behaviors that lead to nicotine administration (primary reinforcement), and this effect of nicotine depends on mesotelencephalic systems of the brain that are critical to goal directed behavior, reward, and reinforcement. Nicotine also serves as a ‘reinforcement enhancer’ – drug administration enhances behaviors that lead to other drug and nondrug reinforcers. Although the reinforcement enhancing effects of nicotine may promote tobacco use in the face of associated negative health outcomes, the neuroanatomical systems that mediate this effect of nicotine have never been …

Femininity, Pinterest, And The Appropriation Of Jane Austen, Jordan S. Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This analysis is an examination of the use of Jane Austen quotes on the social networking site Pinterest in order to explore the messages disseminated by the dismantling of Austen’s works. Austen’s novels contain subtle feminist ideals that empower women to find their own unique paths. Pinterest has a large female following and the messages created and shared by women hold importance because they highlight salient values and ideas. The quotes collected were analyzed using a feminist rhetorical method. Questions of whether women were empowered outside the private sphere and encouraged to engage in independent thought guided the analysis. Findings …

Factors That Contribute To Teacher Retention In High-Poverty Middle Schools, Tracy Marston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much research has been conducted on what can be done to retain teachers in education. This study is an examination of what keeps teachers in high-poverty middle schools. The purpose of the study was to examine why teachers choose to stay in high poverty schools. According to Ed. Gov.(1999) high poverty schools are defined as schools that have 75% to 100% of students on free or reduced lunch.

Eight teachers were interviewed from 2 high poverty schools located in the southeastern region of the United States. These teachers had been employed by their school for at least 5 years. Data …

Sa-4-1bbl As A Platform To Develop Adjuvant Systems For Prophylactic And Therapeutic Vaccines., Gunes Dinc 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vaccines against infectious diseases are one of the most critical accomplishments in modern medicine. Despite significant progress in vaccinology, there is still a dire need for developing vaccines against various acute and chronic infections and cancer. In general, vaccines are categorized as prophylactic, given to healthy individuals to prevent disease, and therapeutic, administered to people who already have disease. As such, the nature, quality, and quantity of immune responses required for the efficacy of these two types vaccines are different. Prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases primarily rely on the generation of neutralizing high titers of antibody for their efficacy. These …

Paleozoic Seed Bank And Their Ecological Significance, Petra Seka Yehnjong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil seed banks are a reservoir of viable seeds present in the soil in plant communities. They have been studied and characterized in various ways in different habitats. However, these studies are limited to modern seed banks. This study extends seed bank studies to the Paleozoic Era. It was hypothesized that size distribution and seed density in Paleozoic seed banks exhibit similar patterns as in modern seed banks. Seed sizes and seed density of fossil seed from Wise Virginia were estimated. Modern seed bank information was obtained from published data. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. The …

Hand Function Evaluation For Dental Hygiene Students, Sara Taft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dental hygiene students may struggle in dental hygiene curriculum in regards to hand function. Currently, this is not an aspect dental hygiene programs screen for or have protocol in place to help students. The research in the study examined if hand function could improve with hand function exercises and if exercises improved instrumentation scores. During a 6-week pilot study, an occupational therapist tested the hand function of a cohort of dental hygiene students. The results were recorded and the students began a 6-week hand function exercise regimen. After 6 weeks the same evaluations were preformed and the pre- and posttest …

Diel Patterns Of Foraging Aggression And Antipredator Behavior In The Trashline Orb-Weaving Spider, Cyclosa Turbinata, James C. Watts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have rigorously assessed the adaptive value of diel rhythms in animals. We laid the groundwork for assessing the adaptive rhythm hypothesis by assaying diel rhythms of foraging and antipredator behavior in the orb-weaving spider Cyclosa turbinata. When confronted with a predator stimulus in experimental arenas, C. turbinata exhibited thanatosis behavior more frequently and for longer durations during the day. However, assays of antipredator response within webs revealed more complex diel patterns of avoidance behaviors and no pattern of avoidance behavior duration. Assays of prey capture behavior found that the likelihood of exhibiting prey capture behavior varied significantly …

Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model For Ertapenem, Whitney Forbes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ertapenem is a carbapenem used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. What sets ertapenem apart from other carbapenems is its longer half-life which implies it need only be administered once daily. We developed a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for the distribution of ertapenem within the body. In the model, parameters such as human body weight and height, age, organ volumes, blood flow rates, and partition coefficients of particular tissues are used to examine the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of ertapenem. The total and free blood concentrations found were then compared to experimental data. We then examined the sensitivity …

Neogene Climate Change In Eastern North America: A Quantitative Reconstruction, Kyrie A. Baumgartner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though much is known of the global paleoclimate during the Neogene, little is understood about eastern North America at that time. During the Neogene the global paleoclimate was transitioning from the warm temperatures and higher levels of precipitation of the Paleogene to the cooler temperatures and lower levels of precipitation during the Pleistocene. Eleven fossil sites from Neogene eastern North America were analyzed using the Coexistence Approach: Pollack Farm, Brandon Lignite, Legler Lignite, Alum Bluff, Bryn Mawr, Big Creek on Sicily Island, Brandywine, Gray Fossil Site, Citronelle, Peace Creek, and Ohoopee River Dune Field. Analyses showed a general trend that …

Characterization Of Tonb In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479, Brian D. Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhizobium leguminosarum is a gram-negative soil bacterium that requires iron for survival. However, iron becomes insoluble in the presence of oxygen at physiological pH. In response, Rhizobia species have used siderophore mediated iron transport systems to meet their iron requirements. R. leguminosarum ATCC 14479 produces the trihydroxymate siderophore vicibactin and we hypothesize that the import of the ferric iron-vicibactin complex is energized by the TonB-ExbB-ExbD system. Here, we have identified a putative tonB gene. A tonB mutant was created and compared with wild type in its ability to transport ⁵⁵Fe-vicibactin. Also, the putative TonB of R. leguminosarum ATCC …

Late Pleistocene And Holocene Bison Of Grand Canyon And Colorado Plateau: Implications From The Use Of Paleobiology For Natural Resource Management Policy, Jeffrey M. Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bison spp. (bison) fossils are scarce on the Colorado Plateau, especially within the greater Grand Canyon region. Because of the poor fossil record for bison on the plateau and in Grand Canyon National Park, various resource managers have surreptitiously designated bison a nonnative and human-introduced species. The lack of evidence for bison seems to be the result of collection bias rather than a true lack of bison remains. Today, Grand Canyon National Park has a neighboring herd of 350 bison that have meandered unwantedly onto National Park lands from neighboring Forest Service and State of Arizona lands. This study spatiotemporally …

Kinetics Of Formation And Oxidation Of 8-Oxo-7,8-Dihydroguanine (8oxog), Derrick Ampadu Boateng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8oxoG) is one of the most important base lesions formed during oxidative damage of DNA. The aim of the present research was to investigate the effects of DNA concentration, G content, and the nature of oxidizing species on the kinetics of 8oxoG in model DNA solutions by using HPLC. The experimentally obtained yields of 8oxoG were typically in the range of 2-2.5% of total concentration of guanine. The ratios of the rate constant of hole diffusion in DNA to the rate constant of conversion of the hole into 8oxoG (k_d/k_r) were calculated from the experimental …

Assessment Of Red Blood Cell Membrane Fatty Acid Composition In Relation To Dietary Intake In Patients Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization, Nicole S. Litwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Red blood cells (RBC) have been shown to mediate plaque development seen in coronary artery disease (CAD). This study determined whether differences in RBC fatty acid (FA) composition were related to CAD risk. FAs were extracted from RBCs of 38 individuals who have undergone cardiac catheterization, 9 of whom had obstructive CAD, and analyzed via gas chromatography. Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was used to determine oxidative stress. Food frequency questionnaires were used to correlate RBC omega-3 FA to daily intake of omega-3 FA. No correlation was found between RBC content and intake of omega-3 FA. FRAP values …

Adaptive Strategies For Foraging And Their Implications For Flower Constancy, Or: Do Honey Bees Multitask?, Ashley E. Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classical experiments on honey bee time-memory showed that foragers trained to collect food at a fixed time of day return the following day with remarkable time-accuracy. Previous field experiments revealed that not all foragers return to a food source on unrewarded test days. Rather, there exist 2 subgroups: “persistent” foragers reconnoiter the source; “reticent” foragers wait in the hive for confirmation of source availability. To examine how these foragers contribute to a colony’s ability to reallocate foragers across sources with rapidly changing availabilities, foragers were trained to collect sucrose during a restricted window for several days and observed over 3 …

The Effectiveness Of The Implementation Of The Kids Eat Right Rd Parent Empowerment Program At Johnson City Head Start Centers, Emily M. Stern

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity among children is a public health concern. Preschool-­‐aged children, especially those from low-­‐income families, are no exception to the obesity epidemic. During the RD Parent Empowerment Program, parents of Head Start children in Johnson City, TN completed a structured education program over the course of 4 workshops related to healthy habits of families. The goal was to empower parents to shop smart, cook healthy, and eat right. The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool was used as an assessment tool to evaluate behavior change over the course of the program. Improvement in overall FNPA score was …

Functionalization Of Silica Surface Using Chan-Lam Coupling, George Appiah Kubi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The reaction of base-free Chan-Lam coupling was successfully used for functionalization of surface of mesoporous silica gel. Various aromatic, aliphatic, and heterocyclic compounds were immobilized by a copper-catalyzed reaction of corresponding boronic acids with surface amino groups at mild conditions. Obtained functionalized materials were mesoporous although their surface area decreased after immobilization. The reactivity of some surface functional groups was tested in their characteristic reactions.

Extracellular Ubiquitin: Role In Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis And Myocardial Remodeling, Christopher Ray Daniels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Activation of sympathetic nervous system is a key component of myocardial remodeling that generally occurs following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and myocardial infarction. It induces cardiac myocyte apoptosis and myocardial fibrosis, leading to myocardial dysfunction. Intracellular ubiquitin (UB) regulates protein turnover by the UB-proteosome pathway. The biological functions of extracellular UB in the heart remain largely unexplored. Previously, our lab has shown that β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation increases extracellular UB levels, and extracellular UB inhibits β-AR-stimulated apoptosis in adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVMs). This study explores the role of extracellular UB in myocyte apoptosis, fibroblast phenotype and function, and myocardial remodeling …

Novel Therapeutic Approaches For Ischemic Heart And Brain Injury: Modulation Of Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways And Pi3k/Akt Signaling, Chen Lu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Innate immune and inflammatory responses contribute to myocardial and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in the induction of innate immune and inflammatory responses via activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). We have shown that activation of NF-κB contributes to myocardial and cerebral I/R injury. Indeed, inhibition of TLR4-mediated NF-κB activation significantly decreased myocardial and cerebral I/R injury via activation of PI3K/Akt signaling. PI3K/Akt signaling is an important pathway in regulating cellular survival and inflammatory responses. Therefore, an important question is how to differentially modulate PI3K/Akt signaling and TLR/NF-κB-mediated signaling pathway during I/R injury? …

Subcloning, Expression And Purification Of Functional E. Coli Nucleotide Excision Repair Protein Uvra Using Impact-Cn System, Cathy W. Lin Mrs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

DNA in cells is constantly damaged by both endogenous and exogenous genotoxic agents. DNA repair is a cellular machinery that counters DNA damage and thus preserve genome integrity. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) in Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the DNA repair systems that recognizes and removes a variety of DNA damage such as pyrimidine dimers, bulky chemical adducts, DNA intrastrand cross-links, etc. The genes responsible for E. coli NER incisions are UvrA, UvrB, and UvrC. As the first step of E. coli NER, DNA damage recognition is achieved through the UvrA₂B …