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A Novel High Yield Process For Gold Sulfide Nanoparticle Synthesis Via Shifting Equilibrium Of Self-Assembly Reaction., Dhruvinkumar Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted enormous attention in the field of nanotechnology for applications such as, immunoassay, drug delivery, contrast enhancement and tumor therapy. The typical range of gold nanoparticles varies from 1– 150 nm; there are many different subtypes of AuNPs mainly based on size, shape, and optical properties including: gold nanospheres, nanorods, nanocages, and nanoshells. The main advantage of using gold nanoparticles is the large surface-to-volume ratio; this will allow the particles to be functionalized with drugs and/or targeting agents to create many novel applications. Many AuNPs have another advantage as well, they can be fabricated to either …

Biogenic Amine Levels Correlate With Time Of Day, Age, Light Cycle, And Aggressive State In The Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga Crassipalpis, Veronica L. Fregoso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The biogenic amines serotonin (5HT), dopamine (DA), and octopamine (OA) have been indicated in the regulation of behaviors, including aggression. The flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, was used to investigate ontogenetic and circadian changes in amines and aggression. Heads of male flies were analyzed for amine content using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) at 3 time points on each of 4 consecutive days in 2 light cycles, 12:12 LD and 15:9 LD. Both DA and OA levels decreased with age. Light-cycle dependent differences were observed for all amines in overall levels and patterns of change throughout the …

Further Assessment Of The Psychometric Properties Of The Sex Offender Attitude Scale, Brandon C. Bogle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex offenses in the United States are a major public health concern. Attitudes toward sex offenders are generally very negative and to be officially identified as a sex offender brings on collateral consequences that reduce incentives not to reoffend. The extent to which attitudes toward sex offenders affect discriminatory behaviors and collateral consequences is not fully understood. The Sex Offender Attitude Scale was developed in an attempt to reliably and accurately measure attitudes and stigma toward sex offenders. Initial analyses indicated the SOAS was a reliable and valid instrument. This study aimed to provide additional evidence of the psychometric properties …

Role Of Therapeutic Devices In Enhancing Speech Intelligibility And Vocal Intensity In An Individual With Parkinson’S Disease, Swetha Swaminathan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevailing speech therapy techniques for treating hypokinetic dysarthria in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) yields improvements within the clinical setting, however, maintenance and generalization of acquired behaviors continue to be a challenge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of portable therapeutic devices including Ambulatory Phonation Monitor with biofeedback (APM) and auditory masker in maintenance and carryover of improved speech. Our participant was an individual diagnosed with PD for the past 25 years who continued to display speech disturbances despite undergoing several behavioral speech therapy programs and neurosurgical procedures. Speech intelligibility and average intensity measures under …

Il-1Β Amplification Of Nitric Oxide Production And Its Inhibitory Effects On Glucose Induced Early Growth Response-1 Expression In Ins-1 Cells, Ada Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pathophysiology of cytokines released by infiltrating white blood cells upon pancreatic beta cells is not fully understood. Early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1) expression is specifically and transiently up regulated in pancreatic beta cells in response to glucose. We hypothesized that interleukin-1 beta (IL-1▀) induction of nitric oxide alters glucose induced Egr-1 transcription levels. Egr-1 levels were assessed via western blot, nitric oxide was measured with a Griess Reagent kit and insulin levels via ELISA. Glucose induced both insulin and Egr-1 production in INS-1 cells. IL-1▀ dose dependently increased nitric oxide production over time and significantly attenuated glucose induced Egr-1 …

Immobilized Bis-Indenyl Ligands For Stable And Cost-Effective Metallocene Catalysts Of Hydrogenation And Polymerization Reactions, Thomas Max Simerly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reactions of catalytic hydrogenations and polymerizations are widely used in industry for manufacture of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. Homogeneous catalysts for the processes that have low stability and their separation is difficult. Therefore, the development of new highly active and stable catalysts for hydrogenations and polymerizations is a necessity. The objective of this research was the development of a strategy for immobilization of heterogeneous metallocene catalysts. First, a methodology of immobilization of bis-indenyl ligands on the surface of mesoporous silica gel was designed. Four bis-indenyl ligands containing functionalized tethers of various lengths with terminal alkene groups were synthesized. All …

Landmark Analysis Of Musteloid Carnassials Applied To Taxonomic Identification And Examination Of Sexual Dimorphism And Regional Morphotypes, Joel Alvin Christine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Guy Wilson Cave (GWC) in Sullivan County, Tennessee holds many late Pleistocene mammal fossils. Based on visual morphology, several partial mandibles with lower carnassial from GWC appeared to be musteloids. Geometric morphometrics has been successfully used to identify fragmentary fossils, so a landmark based, 2 dimensional technique was applied to identify the GWC musteloids using the lower carnassial. Digital images of several GWC fossils and of extant reference musteloids were combined using morphometric programs tpsDIG1, tpsUtil, and tpsSuper. Statistical data analysis was performed in PASW Statistics. Results successfully separated Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) from M. macroura (hooded skunk) and Martes …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Future Care Planning Among Older Adults: Exploring The Role Of Hope As A Moderator, Jodi L. Southerland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Older adults have an increased risk for illness and disease, factors that can lead to functional impairment and intensify the need for reliance on supportive services. Planning for long-term care needs is a vital component of healthy aging and continued autonomy. Yet, many older adults fail to make plans in advance, perhaps due to differences in personal characteristics.

The moderating effects of trait hope on the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and preparation for future care needs (PFCN) was studied in a sample of 65 older adult primary care patients (<65 years) in western New York. Participants completed a questionnaire on 5 dimensions of PFCN (awareness of risk, information gathering, decisions about care preferences, concrete planning, and active avoidance). In addition, data were collected on five HRQoL domains (physical function, physical role function, emotional role function, social function, and bodily pain) and trait hope. Moderated multiple regression was used to test the moderator hypothesis controlling for personal characteristics. Post-hoc probing was used to further examine significant interactions.

At the bivariate level, social functioning, physical …

"That's What Families Do": Rewards And Challenges Of Informal Kinship Care, Betsy Hay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Informal kinship caregivers take on the responsibility of raising a relative's children in situations where those children cannot remain with their parents and are not in the custody of child welfare. The phenomenon is increasing; however it is difficult to obtain information from these families because of the difficulty locating them. As a result, there is limited research on this specific group of kinship care families. The purpose of this study was exploratory, using qualitative methods to gather information from informal kinship caregivers about their experiences caring for a relative's children, with a focus on the rewards and challenges within …

Gender Depiction In Preschool Books: A Comparison Between Early Care And Education Classrooms In The United States And Norway, Cathrine Aasen Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preschool children's perceptions around gender identity and development can be influenced by their experiences. With many children spending a portion of their day in child care, the environmental factors of these programs are important. One aspect of the environment can impact preschool children is the books that are available to them. For over 40 years, children's literature in the United States has been studied and found to be biased in their portrayal of males and females. Males were more often found as main characters and depicted as capable leaders and thinkers. Female characters were shown as weaker, often appearing in …

Thermally Actuated Resonant Silicon Crystal Nanobalances, Arash Hajjam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the potential emerging technology for next generation integrated resonant sensors and frequency references as well as electronic filters, micro-electro-mechanical resonators have attracted a lot of attention over the past decade. As a result, a wide variety of high frequency micro/nanoscale electromechanical resonators have recently been presented. MEMS resonators, as low-cost highly integrated and ultra-sensitive mass sensors, can potentially provide new opportunities and unprecedented capabilities in the area of mass sensing. Such devices can provide orders of magnitude higher mass sensitivity and resolution compared to Film Bulk Acoustic resonators (FBAR) or the conventional quartz and Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) resonators …

Fenichel's Theorems With Applications In Dynamical Systems., Jeremy Warren Riley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three main theorems due to Fenichel are fundamental tools in the exploration of geometric singular perturbation theory. This expository paper attempts to provide an introduction to the concepts stated in Fenichel's theorems and provide illustrative examples. The goal is to provide enough insight to gain a basic understanding of the usefullness of these theorems.

Narrative Of Modern Chinese Masculinity In Ha Jin's Fiction., Lezhou Su

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of readings of three selected novels by Ha Jin-Waiting, The Crazed, and A Free Life. These novels cover three historical periods of Contemporary China under the rule of the Communist Party in sequence-the Mao's era (1949-1976), post-Mao era (1976-1989) and post-Tiananmen Square Incident era (1989 onwards). The readings are predominated with gender issues in the literary works, particularly with the construction and representation of contemporary Chinese masculinity. Drawing mainly on the Kam Louie's theory which pins down traditional Chinese masculinity in terms of wen (literary power) and wu (physical power)-the two concepts deeply entrenched in Confucianism, the …

The Patient's View Of Orthodontic Training Requirements And The Influence Of Board Certification Or A Master's Degree On Their Choice For An Orthodontist., Justin Trisler 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Competition for orthodontic patients is at an all time high. Ways to differentially market an orthodontic practice are essential in attracting patients. It is hypothesized that the patients don't understand the extra training that an orthodontist must complete and that being board certified by the ABO or completing a Master's degree does not make an orthodontic practice more attractive. A sample of 204 perspective patients was surveyed. 4 participants were resurveyed. Participants were asked to quantify the education of a general dentist and an orthodontist and use a VAS scale to measure their perception of differently qualified orthodontists and a …

Biophysical And Bioanalytical Studies Of Hyaluronan And Lipids., Kristen Ann Magness 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hyaluronan (HA) is a major structural component of the ocular vitreous humor (VH) and lipids are essential building blocks of cell membranes. However, little is known about their possible interactions. The VH is known to undergo liquefaction throughout the lifetime that may result in complications such as posterior vitreous detachment. The possible roles of lipids in the age-dependent liquefaction of the VH are unknown. As a first step in this new area of research in our group, model studies of the repeating unit of polymeric HA were performed. This unit contains glucuronate (GlcU) linked to N-acetylglucosamine (G1cNAc) via a 1-3 …

Blockade Of Cxcr4 Inhibits Porphyromonas Gingivalis Colonization In Vivo And Subsequent Periodontal Bone Loss., Megan L. Mc Intosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic periodontitis is strongly associated with composition of the oral biofilm occupying the gingival crevicular aspect of the tooth and its associated root. Some gram-negative, "red complex" bacteria instigate periodontal bone loss in patients, principal among these Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. gingivalis is a "late colonizer", indicating not only its physical location within the oral biofilm, but also the pathogenic dynamic of the interaction between P. gingivalis and the host innate immunity. Among several other subversive tactics, P. gingivalis has been shown to compel receptors vital to the orchestration of an appropriate immune response to co-associate and consequently signal in a …

A Systems-Based Approach For Detecting Molecular Interactions Across Tissues., Fahim Mohammad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current high-throughput gene expression experiments have a straightforward design of examining the gene expression of one group or condition relative to that of another. The data is typically analyzed as if they represent strictly intracellular events, and often treats genes as coming from a homogeneous population. Although intracellular events are crucial to nearly all biological processes, cell-cell interactions are often just as important, especially when gene expression data is generated from heterogeneous cell populations, such as from whole tissues. Cell-cell molecular interactions are generally lost in the available analytical procedures and as a result, are not examined experimentally, at least …

A Holistic Examination Of The Impact Of Child Maltreatment On Child Behavioral Outcomes : A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis., April L. Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Child maltreatment touches almost 700,000 children annually. The effects of child maltreatment range from micro-level consequences, such as behavior problems and mental health issues, to mezzo-level consequences, such as increased child welfare worker caseloads and overcrowding residential facilities, to macro-level consequences, such as increased costs and policy implications. Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) were analyzed to examine the factors that impact child behavior in children who have been reported to child protective services (CPS) as a result of child maltreatment. The model investigated the influence of child, caregiver, and environmental factors on child behavior …

Genetic Variation In The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System : Associations With Blood Pressure Dipping In The Jackson Heart Study., Jersy L. Napoleon 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, are the leading causes of death in the United States. African-Americans carry the highest burden of disease with 32% of adults with hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) dipping, defined as a drop of> 10% in blood pressure from daytime to nighttime, occurs less often in African-Americans and is a risk factor for CVD. BP dipping has a significant genetic component. This study focuses on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that may influence BP dipping in this population. A total of 928 participants (266 dippers and 664 non-dippers) from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) …

Individual And Developmental Differences In Susceptibility To The Irrelevant Speech Effect., Amanda Frances O'Bryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Irrelevant Speech Effect (ISE) is a phenomenon in which the presentation of auditory materials (typically speech) impairs the serial recall of visually presented materials, either digits or letters. Although this effect has been replicated in a large number of studies, a wide range of individual differences in susceptibility to the auditory distracters has been found. The current study investigates four possible determinants of individual differences of the ISE: (1) The sequence length of the short-term memory (STM) task, (2) the content of the STM task and auditory distracter, (3) the STM capacity of the individual, and (4) developmental differences. …

Grief And Lost Potential In The Parents Of Adult Children With Severe Mental Illness., Karen Eisenmenger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an investigation into the intensity, nature, predictors, and time course of grief that parents of adult children with a severe mental illness experience. This is an area of research that has not been fully understood or addressed by the mental health community. Parents were recruited through National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI-KY) family support group meetings. Each participant completed a package of anonymous surveys measuring grief due to the mental illness of their child, parental burden, and vocational lost potential, as well as completing demographic information. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that parental grief begins …

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis : Diagnosis, Management, And The Search For A Cure., Daniel Fioret

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic lung disease with poor prognosis. To address this disease broadly, the candidate engaged in clinical work, literature analysis, database analysis, and laboratory work. The clinical work culminated in a case report that highlights the controversies inherent in the diagnosis and treatment of IPF. The literature analysis discusses ongoing clinical trials and challenges inherent in the management of IPF. Evaluation of a national database unveiled information about the burden of IPF on the healthcare system. Finally, the laboratory work examined the role of oxidant stress and the interaction of lung fibroblasts and lung cancer …

The Influence Of Social Contextual Conditions And Basic Psychological Need Fulfillment On Self-Management And Emotional Distress Among Urban African American Adults With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus : A Mixed Methods Study., Sula Marie Hood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: African Americans are disproportionally diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, and have been observed to have poor self-management, which increases risk of complications. Social influences are commonly associated with diabetes-related outcomes. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess whether and how socio-contextual factors influence self-management and emotional distress in urban African American adults living with type-2 diabetes, as well as to assess whether social support facilitate relatedness need fulfillment within this population. The study also sought to gain an understanding of the psychosocial support needs and preferences of urban African American adults living with type-2 diabetes. Methods: The descriptive …

The Effect Of Implant Placement And Simultaneous Soft Tissue Augmentation In The Esthetic Zone Using Either Connective Tissue Autograft Or Acellular Dermal Matrix Allograft., Thomas L. Peterson 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aims. The primary aims of this randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial were to compare the hard and soft tissue response following either a connective tissue (CT) or acellular dermal matrix (ADM) graft placed simultaneously with a laser-grooved implant. Methods. Twenty-four patients received a single tooth implant in the maxillary anterior that was bordered by two teeth. Twelve patients were randomly selected, using to coin toss, to receive either an ADM (test) or a CT (control) graft. At the 2-month uncovering appointment a lab constructed provisional was placed. At 4 months, following 2 months of tissue shaping, a fixture level impression …

Parental Engagement On Student Academic Self-Efficacy And Educational Attainment Expectation For Immigrant Youth., Casey N. Griffith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increase of immigration to the United States, immigrant children have a unique position in the education system. Immigrant parents influence their children through different academic engagement practices. It is important to understand how parents impact students' academic experiences. Employing the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, statistical analyses evaluated a sample of 2,514 high school sophomore immigrant students. The impact of parental engagement on the dependent variables were also compared between native language groups to learn whether or not specific cultural engagement practices impact student self-efficacy and attainment expectation differently. Findings revealed that parental engagement impacts academic self-efficacy and …

Child Behavioral Inhibition, Parental Overcontrol, And Parental Anxiety As Predictors Of Adolescent Anxiety., Benjamin M. Keizer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the prediction of anxiety symptoms over time during developmentally significant periods - the transition to middle school (12 years old) and the transition to high school (15 years old). Specifically, relationships between child behavioral inhibition, paternal anxiety, maternal anxiety, and parental control and concurrent levels of adolescent anxiety at each time point were analyzed. Despite a strong research base supporting individual connections between child behavioral inhibition, levels of parental control, parental anxiety symptoms and adolescent anxiety, the joint longitudinal associations have received scant attention in the literature. The current study also compared two different models of adolescent …

Effectiveness Of Fluoride Containing Bonding Resins In Preventing Demineralization Of Enamel During Orthodontic Treatment., Robin J. Choi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Although orthodontics can correct a variety of dental and skeletal malocclusions, research has shown an increased risk of enamel demineralization leading to white spot lesions (WSLs). The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Pro Seal and Opal Seal, two fluoridated bonding agents, to Assure, a nonfluoridated bonding agent, in preventing demineralization during orthodontic treatment. Methods: 26 patients beginning comprehensive orthodontic treatment were divided into 3 groups. 9 patients were bonded with Assure (control), 9 patients were bonded with Pro Seal, and 8 patients were bonded with Opal Seal. Pretreatment and six-month progress photographs were used …

Preparing Students For Post-Secondary Success : Exploring The Efficacy Of An Information Technology Certification Program., John Lawless Lanham 1967-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has a long and rich history of achievement among diverse populations. Two recent events have added to the complexity of CTE. First, the accountability movement forces traditional programs to show growth and achievement with students. Accountability trends affect the content and delivery of almost all programs. Perhaps more significantly, measureable performance is increasingly becoming tied into program funding with CTE programs. Second, while CTE in general has enjoyed a long history in secondary education, an emerging subcomponent is gaining attention. Information Technology (IT) classes have been present in secondary institutions for over 30 years. Business, …

Teacher Motivation As An Enhancement To The First Step To Success Early Intervention Program For Children With Tertiary Level Behavioral Challenges., Jon Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The First Step to Success early intervention program (Walker, 1998) is a secondary prevention intervention that targets primary grade children with moderate or emerging behavior disorders. While the effectiveness of the First Step to Success early intervention program has been documented repeatedly (see Loman, Rodriguez, & Homer, 2010; Walker et aI., 2009), it has also been shown to be less effective with more severely disordered children and has a less dramatic impact on behavior in the home than in the school setting. Efforts to enhance the program's effectiveness with even the most severely behaviorally disordered children have been undertaken, and …

Rethinking Human And Nonhuman Animal Relations In J. M. Coetzee's Elizabeth Costello (2003)., Rodrigo Martini Paula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the past four decades, scholarship on the relationship between human and nonhuman animals has been growing inside the academy and sprouting ontological and epistemological concerns about the status of the Humanities as an institution. Between 1997 and 2003, South-African author and Nobel Laureate J. M. Coetzee created Elizabeth Costello, an Australian writer that delivers lectures at certain universities and causes controversy when addressing the nature of animal rights movements. This work aims at analyzing the situations in which Coetzee uses Costello to speak about the cruelty to nonhuman animals. What I argue is that in entering the conversation through …