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Design And Synthesis Of Hiv-1 Integrase Inhibitors, Sarah Chajkowski Scarry Jan 2012

Design And Synthesis Of Hiv-1 Integrase Inhibitors, Sarah Chajkowski Scarry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, HIV-1 integrase (IN) has emerged as an attractive target for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the causative pathogen of acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Several classes of IN inhibitors are known but many of these compounds are toxic, do not show antiviral activity or display decreased potency. Therefore, new classes of potent IN inhibitors are desperately needed. The b-diketo (b-DK) class of compounds has emerged as one of the most successful classes of IN inhibitors. Although several b-DK inhibitors with potent antiviral activity are known, compounds containing b-DK motifs have limitations in drug development. …

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How Do The Perceived Barriers, Attitudes, And Knowledge Of Grocery Store Personnel Affect Availability Of Organic Food Products?, Rachel Adams Jan 2012

How Do The Perceived Barriers, Attitudes, And Knowledge Of Grocery Store Personnel Affect Availability Of Organic Food Products?, Rachel Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organic food is one of the fastest-growing segments of food production and consumption in the U.S. Even though organic foods are becoming more widely available, some studies suggest they may not be equally available to all populations because people in some areas are being excluded from the organics market either geographically or financially. The purpose of this study was to examine how individual and local characteristics affect the attitudes of grocery store personnel toward organic food products and how these attitudes affect availability. Grocery store personnel were surveyed about their attitudes toward organic foods, their perceptions of the barriers to …

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An Analysis Of Down Syndrome Children And The Importance Of Their Cognitive And Communicative Development, Maria Elisa Campana Jan 2012

An Analysis Of Down Syndrome Children And The Importance Of Their Cognitive And Communicative Development, Maria Elisa Campana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper will look at the issues of cognitive and communication development in children with Down Syndrome. With recent advances in neuroscience, educators need to understand brain development in order to utilize methods in dealing with education problems that occur with this population. Therefore this paper will look at the Down Syndrome child in both a physiological and educational context, to better understand appropriate methods of intervention. Moreover, brain development and learning involves not only genetic content specific to each individual, but also the many paths laid out by the family, environment, social and educational needs. As they move through …

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Placing Birds On A Dynamic Evolutionary Map: Using Digital Tools To Update The Evolutionary Metaphor Of The "Tree Of Life", Sonia Stephens Jan 2012

Placing Birds On A Dynamic Evolutionary Map: Using Digital Tools To Update The Evolutionary Metaphor Of The "Tree Of Life", Sonia Stephens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes and presents a new type of interactive visualization for communicating about evolutionary biology, the dynamic evolutionary map. This web-based tool utilizes a novel map-based metaphor to visualize evolution, rather than the traditional "tree of life." The dissertation begins with an analysis of the conceptual affordances of the traditional tree of life as the dominant metaphor for evolution. Next, theories from digital media, visualization, and cognitive science research are synthesized to support the assertion that digital media tools can extend the types of visual metaphors we use in science communication in order to overcome conceptual limitations of traditional …

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The Effect Of Visualized Student's Self-Set Learning Progress Goals On East Asian Chinese Student's Motivation And Self Confidence In Learning, Yu Ao Jan 2012

The Effect Of Visualized Student's Self-Set Learning Progress Goals On East Asian Chinese Student's Motivation And Self Confidence In Learning, Yu Ao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine if visualized goal achievement can help enhance East Asian Chinese students‟ motivation in learning and elevate their confidence in reaching their goals thus improving their performance. The goal achievement was visualized on a goal achievement progress chart that was self-created and self-managed by the East Asian Chinese students and the goal creating was under the supervision of their instructor. In this study, literature reviews on the theories, previous research studies in the perspectives of East Asian students‟ motivation in learning, goal setting on motivation, self-determination, self-efficacy, and expectancy theories are conducted to provide theoretical …

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Design Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Non-Peptide Neuropeptide Ff Ligands, Jessica Valentinas Mankus Jan 2012

Design Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Non-Peptide Neuropeptide Ff Ligands, Jessica Valentinas Mankus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neuropeptide FF is an endogenous RF-amide with two receptor subtypes originally described as having anti-opioid characteristics. While peptide work helped to elucidate key features for targeting the subtypes of the neuropeptide FF receptor, non-peptide small molecules offer a more refined tool to discover features that affect selectivity and affinity. Improvements in small molecule ligands for neuropeptide FF support lead development and offer a clearer understanding of the binding pocket of each receptor subtype. Previous work on the lead 4–anilindopiperidine structure clarified a key feature between agonist and antagonist behavior. Early modifications of substituents of the piperidine nitrogen were tolerated and …

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Discovery, Isolation, And Identification Of Antimalarials From Fungal Endophytes, Andrekeus Lee Jan 2012

Discovery, Isolation, And Identification Of Antimalarials From Fungal Endophytes, Andrekeus Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We examined fungal endophytes for their ability to inhibit bacterial, fungal and protozoal pathogens. Once antimalarial activity was discovered and confirmed, we sought to isolate and identify the active constituent(s) of our extracts. Bioassay-guided fractionation techniques were used to isolate our active compound, the structure of which was elucidated using 1H- and 13C-NMR. 2D-NMR and LC-MS analyses helped confirm that our endophytes were indeed producing artemisinin. Growth versus production studies were conducted to optimize our growth and extraction conditions while several other variables, like temperature and culture medium, were evaluated in an effort to improve our yields. Artemisinin production under …

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Discovery Of Small-Molecule Natural Products That Target Cellular Bioenergetics, Sandipan Datta Jan 2012

Discovery Of Small-Molecule Natural Products That Target Cellular Bioenergetics, Sandipan Datta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Molecular-targeted antitumor therapy has found favor in antitumor drug discovery programs. Hypoxia (< 5% oxygen) is a comfeature of solid tumors and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) represents an important antitumor target. Bioenergetic homeostasis is typically altered in tumor cells and HIF-1 plays an important role to produce a glycolytic phenotype. Glycolysis inhibitors are an emerging class of potential tumor-selective adjuvant therapeutic agents. Natural product aerobic glycolysis inhibitors may enhance the effectiveness of current therapies. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors in botanical dietary supplements (BDS) possess a potential health hazard which should be identified and appropriately regulated. Chapter one briefly reviews the molecular-targeted natural product antitumor drug discovery process. Descriptions of tumor hypoxia, HIF-1, HIF-1 regulatory pathways and the effect of HIF-1 on tumor cell bioenergetics are presented. Cellular bioenergetic pathways and natural products that inhibit HIF-1 by interfering with cellular bioenergetics are discussed. Mitochondriotoxic small-molecule natural products reported previously are further reviewed. Chapter two discusses the effect of chromatographic media on molecular-targeted antitumor drug discovery. A panel of crude extracts was eluted through columns of various chromatographic media using a step gradient method. Total recoveries from the various columns and various elution protocols were compared and statistically analyzed. The crude extracts and column eluates were evaluated for HIF-1 inhibitory activity. Chapter three discusses the development of a bioenergetics-based screening method to screen crude extracts for glycolysis inhibitors. Crude extracts (10,648) were screened and seven hits (hit rate 0.72%) were identified. Bioassay-guided isolation of Moronobea coccinea crude extract resulted in isolation of a protonophoric compound moronone (1) (false positive). The structure of 1 was determined by a combination of spectroscopic and spectrometric means. The protonophoric compounds must be rapidly dereplicated for successful discovery of glycolysis inhibitors. Chapter four discusses the screening of BDS products and pure compounds for mitochondrial uncouplers or electron transport chain inhibitors. The blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract and three saponins cauloside A (3), saponin PE (4) and cauloside C (5) permeabilize the mitochondrial membrane. Sesamin (6) and guggulsterol III (7) and guggul (Commiphora wightii) extract inhibit mitochondrial complex I. These extracts and compounds are cytotoxic in nature.

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Adaptive Tolerance To Ocean Acidification In The Marine Sponge: Chondrilla Nucula, Sylvester Lee Jan 2012

Adaptive Tolerance To Ocean Acidification In The Marine Sponge: Chondrilla Nucula, Sylvester Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dramatic increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution has led to a 30% increase in ocean acidification over pre-industrial levels. Although most ocean acidification research thus far has focused on calcifying organisms such as corals, the potential of this increase in acidity (H+ ions) to cause acid-base imbalances in soft-bodied animals such as sponges has been grossly overlooked. Furthermore, many studies on ocean acidification have not considered the elevated temperatures that are predicted to accompany future climate change conditions. Sponges are crucial components to coral reef systems, providing food, nutrients, structure, and support. The sponge Chondrilla nucula …

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Six Days Of Twenty-Four Hours: The Scopes Trial, Antievolutionism, And The Last Crusade Of William Jennings Bryan, Kari Lynn Edwards Jan 2012

Six Days Of Twenty-Four Hours: The Scopes Trial, Antievolutionism, And The Last Crusade Of William Jennings Bryan, Kari Lynn Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The academic study of the Scopes Trial has always been approached from a traditional legal interpretation. This project seeks to reframe the conventional arguments surrounding the trial, treating it instead as a significant religious event, one which not only altered the course of Christian Fundamentalism and the Creationist movement, but also perpetuated Southern religious stereotypes through the intense, and largely negative, nationwide publicity it attracted. Prosecutor William Jennings Bryan's crucial role is also redefined, with his denial of a strictly literal interpretation of Genesis during the trial serving as the impetus for the shift toward ultra-conservatism and young-earth Creationism within …

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Implementation Of Multiple-Instance Learning In Drug Activity Prediction, Gang Fu Jan 2012

Implementation Of Multiple-Instance Learning In Drug Activity Prediction, Gang Fu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the context of drug discovery and development, much effort has been exerted to determine which conformers of a given molecule are responsible for the observed biological activity. In this work we aimed to predict bioactive conformers using a variant of supervised learning, named multiple-instance learning. A single molecule, treated as a bag of conformers, is biologically active if and only if at least one of its conformers, treated as an instance, is responsible for the observed bioactivity; and a molecule is inactive if none of its conformers is responsible for the observed bioactivity. The implementation requires instance-based embedding, and …

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Development Of Novel Thermosensitive Polymers For Bioresponsive Drug Delivery, Vivek Kumar Garripelli Jan 2012

Development Of Novel Thermosensitive Polymers For Bioresponsive Drug Delivery, Vivek Kumar Garripelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stimuli-responsive polymers have already shotremendous promise in controlled and self-regulated drug delivery. Successful construction of responsive polymers requires amalgamation of chemical, physical and biological principles. For careful therapy, a great deal of advantages offered by stimuli-responsive polymers is essential. A small or modest change in the environmental condition (e.g. temperature, pH, light) brings a sharp change in the properties of the responsive polymers. 'Smart' drug delivery systems utilize these principles to mimic the biological response behavior to a certain extent. Synthetic polymers incorporated with stimuli-responsive behavior would be amenable to overcome some of the systemic and intracellular delivery barriers. Development …

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Functional Morphology Of The Sphyrnid Shark Cephalofoil: An Assessment Of The Hydrodynamic Lift Hypothesis Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Matthew K. Gaylord Jan 2012

Functional Morphology Of The Sphyrnid Shark Cephalofoil: An Assessment Of The Hydrodynamic Lift Hypothesis Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Matthew K. Gaylord

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The hammerhead sharks (Family: Sphyrnidae) are all characterized by a conspicuous lateral expansion and dorsoventral flattening of the head forming a structure known as a cephalofoil, however, there is substantial morphological variation within the clade. Many theories have been proposed regarding the functional aspects of this structure. One of these is that it may produce beneficial dynamic lift as the shark swims (in similar fashion to the cambered wings found on many modern-day aircraft). As sharks do not possess a swim bladder, part of their energy intake is expended on simply maintaining vertical station in the water column. If indeed …

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The Archaeology Of Mortuary Ritual As Rite Of Passage In Prehistoric Europe, Jacquelyn Mary Roberts Kyle Jan 2012

The Archaeology Of Mortuary Ritual As Rite Of Passage In Prehistoric Europe, Jacquelyn Mary Roberts Kyle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the ways in which mortuary ritual functioned as a rite of passage at three sites in prehistoric Europe: Wor Barrow on Cranborne Chase, Tumulus 17 in the Speckhau Mound Group at the Heuneburg, and the Hochdorf tomb in southwestern Germany. The sites were selected with diversity among the dimensions of mortuary practice, including the presence and types of grave goods, the structure of the grave, and the treatment of the corpse, as a priority. By examining the ways in which cemeteries functioned as spaces of personal and group separation and transformation, I seek to clarify the role …

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Preprocessing Of Biomass Using Mechanical, Chemical And Microbial Techniques, Swetha Mahalaxmi Jan 2012

Preprocessing Of Biomass Using Mechanical, Chemical And Microbial Techniques, Swetha Mahalaxmi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomass-derived fuels have acquired a lot of attention recently due to increasing emphasis on energy independence, efforts to utilize abundance of green resources and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Grasses, agricultural residues, animal residues and waste, used oils, etc., can be used as starting materials in the production of biofuels. Various preprocessing techniques used in the preprocessing of biomass, such as microbial preprocessing, mechanical preprocessing and chemical pretreatment, are used for enhancing the digestibility of biomass to sugars for ethanol production. In this work, studies were conducted to improve the microbial, chemical and mechanical preprocessing of switch grass by decreasing …

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Virethics And The Problem Of Aging, Robert Edward Mongue Jan 2012

Virethics And The Problem Of Aging, Robert Edward Mongue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It seems wrong that a theory of a good life, well-being, or flourishing would be unable to accommodate those normal changes that distinguish natural aging and dying processes from external forces which truly do impede life. I argue in this paper that several versions of contemporary virethics, which depend heavily on a theory of the good life, suffer from this very defect. I examine the difficulties experienced by contemporary Aristotelian-based virethics in accommodating natural aging into well-being and flourishing lives, and ask whether those difficulties are intrinsic to Aristotle's theory itself. I examine Aristotle's theory in the context of its …

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Admicellar Polymerization To Compatibilize Calcium Carbonate With Oil-Based Drilling Mud, Olugbenga Samuel Ojo Jan 2012

Admicellar Polymerization To Compatibilize Calcium Carbonate With Oil-Based Drilling Mud, Olugbenga Samuel Ojo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weighting agents like calcium carbonate (CC) are added to drilling mud to improve mud properties and performance during oil and gas drilling operations. Oil-based mud (OBM), a more preferred drilling mud, being hydrophobic is particularly non-compatible with hydrophilic CC. This work explored an economically viable admicellar polymerization technique to surface-modify the high energy hydrophilic CC surface to a low energy hydrophobic surface by polymerizing organic styrene monomer within an admicelle of nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 adsorbed on the CC surface. BET N2 particle size analysis, Soxhlet extraction of the coated polymer, Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectra analysis, and …

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Effects Of Hydrologic Connection On Physicochemical Conditions And Algal Properties In Backwaters Of The Lower Mississippi River, Orathai Pongruktham Jan 2012

Effects Of Hydrologic Connection On Physicochemical Conditions And Algal Properties In Backwaters Of The Lower Mississippi River, Orathai Pongruktham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last 50-100 years, the Mississippi River has been extensively engineered for flood control and navigation purposes. These modifications have substantially decreased the frequency of flooding and degree of contact of the river with its historical floodplain. However, in many areas within the current levee system there remain numerous secondary channels and other backwater sites with which the river is hydrologically connected on a seasonal basis. In this study, the relationships of surface hydrologic connection with the main channel of the Lower Mississippi River to limnological properties and development of phytoplankton biomass in three backwater sites having different patterns …

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Valproic Acid-Induced Teratogenesis In Japanese Rice Fish (Oryzias Latipes) Embryogenesis, Mengmeng Wu Jan 2012

Valproic Acid-Induced Teratogenesis In Japanese Rice Fish (Oryzias Latipes) Embryogenesis, Mengmeng Wu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Valproic acid (VPA) was introduced as an antiepileptic in 1967 in France and it has become the most prescribed anticonvulsive drug therapy worldwide since then. In the clinic, valproic acid is selected to treat absence seizures, myoclonic seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, atonic attacks and partial seizures. Epilepsy is the second most comneurologic disorder that affects pregnant women (0.5%–1%). Approximately 1 out of 250 pregnant women are taking antiepileptic drugs. Valproic acid is designated as a human teratogen, which induces major congenital anomalies, facial dysmorphic features, and autistic-like behaviors, which affect verbal, cognitive, communicative, and social abilities of affected children. We …

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Stochastic Models For Evolutionary Genetic Problems, Wei Liao Jan 2012

Stochastic Models For Evolutionary Genetic Problems, Wei Liao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two stochastic models are designed for answering evolutionary genetic problems. The first study shows that inbreeding-environment interactions increase extinction risk. The second research demonstrates that 1) the carrying capacity and initial population growth rate is critical to determine the population persistence time; 2) increasing the advantageous mutation rate reduces the extinction risk although its effects are usually shadoby population size and fitness; 3) the new mutation correlation among environments rises during the evolution process, but it has compromised effects on population fate. Being able to accurately estimate the persistence time of populations of endangered plants and animals is central to …

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Age As A Factor In Inter-Tissue Spacing Of Stable Carbon Isotope Values In Juvenile Human Remains From The Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Annie Laurie Norris Jan 2012

Age As A Factor In Inter-Tissue Spacing Of Stable Carbon Isotope Values In Juvenile Human Remains From The Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Annie Laurie Norris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although stable isotope analysis is routinely utilized in bioarchaeology and relies on principles that are well-understood, there are still fundamental issues that have not been thoroughly investigated. This thesis examines the relationship between inter-tissue spacing of carbon stable isotope values (δ13C) and age in juvenile human remains. Analyses of tissues within the same individual reveal disparate isotopic values for a variety of physiological and biological reasons discussed herein. This project examines the distance between the δ13C values in bone collagen, skin, hair, and nail, and examines how these distances vary between different age groups, utilizing data collected from 52 well-preserved …

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Prescription Drug Misuse Among College Students: An Examination Of Sociological Risk Factors, William C. Watkins Jan 2012

Prescription Drug Misuse Among College Students: An Examination Of Sociological Risk Factors, William C. Watkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prescription drug misuse (PDM), defined as use without a prescription or solely for the feeling or experience caused by the drug, has become a popular topic among substance use researchers. While the vast majority of studies on the topic tackle epidemiological questions surrounding PDM, there is a notable lack of studies that look specifically at risk factors rooted in sociological/criminological theories. The current research seeks to bridge this gap in the literature by examining theoretically based explanations for PDM among college students utilizing three criminological theories commonly applied to other forms of substance use: Social Learning Theory, Social Bonding/Control theory, …

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Biochemical Studies Of Abce1, Lynn Sims Jan 2012

Biochemical Studies Of Abce1, Lynn Sims

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growth and survival of all cells require functional ribosomes that are capable of protein synthesis. The disruption of the steps required for the function of ribosomes represents a potential future target for pharmacological anti-cancer therapy. ABCE1 is an essential Fe-S protein involved in ribosomal function and is vital for protein synthesis and cell survival. Thus, ABCE1 is potentially a great therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Previously, cell biological, genetic, and structural studies uncovered the general importance of ABCE1, although the exact function of the Fe-S clusters was previously unclear, only a simple structural role was suggested. Additionally, due to …

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Match Between Parent And Child Temperament: Implications For Parenting Behaviors And Children's Behavior Problems, Melissa Middleton Jan 2012

Match Between Parent And Child Temperament: Implications For Parenting Behaviors And Children's Behavior Problems, Melissa Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To examine the relationships among the match between parent and child temperament, parenting behaviors, parenting stress, and young children's behavior problems, the current study investigated the responses of mothers who are raising children between the ages of 3- and 5-years. Mothers completed the Dimensions of Temperament Scale-Revised for Children (Windle & Learner, 1986), the Dimensions of Temperament Scale-Revised for Adults (Windle & Learner, 1986), the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-Preschool Revision (Clerkin, Marks, Policaro, & Halperin, 2007), the Maternal Emotional Styles Questionnaire (Lagace-Seguin & Coplan, 2005), the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (Abidin, 1995), and the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000, …

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Effect Of Predation Risk And Food Availability On Parental Care And Nest Survival In Suburban And Wildland Florida Scrub-Jays, Joseph M. Niederhauser Jan 2012

Effect Of Predation Risk And Food Availability On Parental Care And Nest Survival In Suburban And Wildland Florida Scrub-Jays, Joseph M. Niederhauser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individual organisms often use cues from their natural environments to determine many behavioral and life-history "decisions." These "decisions" are usually adaptive, i.e. a response to selection, because the environmental cues on which they are based reliably correlate with increased fitness over time. When the selected behavioral response to a natural cue no longer provides a fitness benefit, then selection for a new response may occur but individuals maintaining the previously selected response may suffer reduced survival and reproduction. Especially in human-modified landscapes individuals making a maladaptive behavioral or life-history choice based on those formerly reliable environmental cues may be faced …

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Fine-Scale Geographic Variation Of Stable Isotope And Fatty Acid Signatures Of Three Fish Species In The Indian River Lagoon, Fl, Jennifer Fletcher Odom Jan 2012

Fine-Scale Geographic Variation Of Stable Isotope And Fatty Acid Signatures Of Three Fish Species In The Indian River Lagoon, Fl, Jennifer Fletcher Odom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, is a unique closed “bar built” estuary system that has little interchange with the Atlantic Ocean and which is home to many resident species. Three fish species were investigated to see if their isotopic and fatty acid signatures differed based on geographic location. The goal was to assess the degree of resolution of spatial variation that is possible when using stable isotope and fatty acid signature analysis to interpret feeding habits and potential linkages between feeding habits and health status. Spotted seatrout (n=40), pinfish (n=60) and white mullet (n=60) were collected over a 4 week …

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Optical Fluid-Based Photonic And Display Devices, Su Xu Jan 2012

Optical Fluid-Based Photonic And Display Devices, Su Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conventional solid-state photonic devices exhibit an ultra-high optical performance and durability, but minimal adaptability. Recently, optical fluid-based photonic and display devices are emerging. By dynamically manipulating the optical interface formed by liquids, the optical output can be reconfigured or adaptively tuned in real time. Such devices exhibit some unique characteristics that are not achievable in conventional solid-state photonic devices. Therefore, they open a gateway for new applications, such as image and signal processing, optical communication, sensing, and lab-on-a-chip, etc. Different operation principles of optical fluidbased photonic devices have been proposed, for instance fluidic pressure, electrochemistry, thermal effect, environmentally adaptive hydrogel, …

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Nonlinear Dynamic Modeling, Simulation And Characterization Of The Mesoscale Neuron-Electrode Interface, Vaibhav Thakore Jan 2012

Nonlinear Dynamic Modeling, Simulation And Characterization Of The Mesoscale Neuron-Electrode Interface, Vaibhav Thakore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extracellular neuroelectronic interfacing has important applications in the fields of neural prosthetics, biological computation and whole-cell biosensing for drug screening and toxin detection. While the field of neuroelectronic interfacing holds great promise, the recording of high-fidelity signals from extracellular devices has long suffered from the problem of low signal-to-noise ratios and changes in signal shapes due to the presence of highly dispersive dielectric medium in the neuron-microelectrode cleft. This has made it difficult to correlate the extracellularly recorded signals with the intracellular signals recorded using conventional patch-clamp electrophysiology. For bringing about an improvement in the signalto-noise ratio of the signals …

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An Exploratory Study Of Physiologic Responses To A Passive Exercise Intervention In Mechanically-Ventilated Critically Ill Adults, Christina M. Amidei Jan 2012

An Exploratory Study Of Physiologic Responses To A Passive Exercise Intervention In Mechanically-Ventilated Critically Ill Adults, Christina M. Amidei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Muscle weakness is the most common and persistent problem after a critical illness. Early mobilization of the critically ill patient, beginning with passive exercise and progressing to ambulation, may mitigate muscle effects of the critical illness. However, mobilization may produce adverse effects, especially early in the illness when risk for physiologic deterioration is common. If safe, introducing a mobility intervention early in the illness may facilitate ventilator weaning, shorten intensive care unit and hospitals stays, and improve functional status and quality of life for mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. The aim of this study was assess the cardiopulmonary and inflammatory …

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Signals Delivered By Interleukin-7 Regulate The Activities Of Bim And Jund In T Lymphocytes, Shannon Moore Ruppert Jan 2012

Signals Delivered By Interleukin-7 Regulate The Activities Of Bim And Jund In T Lymphocytes, Shannon Moore Ruppert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is an essential cytokine for lymphocyte growth that has the potential for promoting proliferation and survival. While the survival and proliferative functions of IL-7 are well established, the identities of IL-7 signaling components in pathways other than JAK/STAT, that accomplish these tasks remain poorly defined. To this end, we used IL-7 dependent T-cells to examine those components necessary for cell growth and survival. Our studies revealed two novel signal transducers of the IL-7 growth signal: BimL and JunD. IL-7 promoted the activity of JNK (Jun N-terminal Kinase), and that JNK, in turn, drove the expression of JunD, a …

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