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The Role Of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3-Beta In Interferon Beta Biology., Huizhi Wang 1975-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been shown that GSK3 ß plays a critical role in the inflammation response by differentially regulating MyD88-dependent pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines production in TLR4-stimulated innate immune cells. The work included in this dissertation demonstrates that (I) GSK3ß negatively regulates the production of the TLR4 dependent and MyD88-independent cytokine, IFN ß, by controlling the levels of total c-Jun and thereby modulating the amount of c-Jun /ATF2 complexes, and (II) that IFN ß induces IL-10 in dendritic cells by regulating GSK3 ß activity. Part I: TLR4 stimulation of macrophages has been shown to induce the production of interferon-ß (IFN-ß) via …

Preliminary Investigation Into Single Stage Enzyme Free Hydrolysis Of Hardwood Sawdust., Kyle William Dunaway 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enzymatic hydrolysis is the most common method of producing fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass. Limitations to this step include the high cost of enzymes, and the time required to process the biomass. To increase the throughput and decrease catalyst cost, the preliminary development of a continuous concentrated sulfuric acid process is explored. The process requires two distinct steps. The first step involves hydrolyzing lignocellulose to fermentable sugars, glucose and xylose. The second step consists of glucose and xylose removal from the concentrated acid stream. The separation of sugars decreases the production of reaction byproducts and allows for the recycle of …

An Analysis Pipeline For The Processing, Annotation, And Dissemination Of Expressed Sequence Tags., Joseph P. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the complex nature of interactions at the genomic level as well as the large number of proteins present in an organism, understanding the functions of various genes that are expressed is essential. Creating an analysis pipeline for Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) is one way to accomplish this, allowing a researcher to quickly take a set of sequences, perform all necessary analysis operations, and publish the data in a database with a graphical user interface (GUI). This pipeline falls into several steps. First, the data must be preprocessed to remove any extraneous sequence data, low-complexity regions, and regions that …

Design, Construction, And Experimentation Of A Heat Pipe Augmented Solar Wall., Nicholas E. Chmielewski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The heat pipe augmented solar wall operates much more efficiently for domestic air heating than alternative passive solar technologies. The thermal diode effect of heat pipes reduces the insulating losses of the unit during nighttime and adverse solar conditions. The exceptionally high conductivity of heat pipes allows for much greater heat gains, and significantly reduces the response time of the unit. The response time is also reduced by a smaller thermal mass of preheating components, which allows the system to passively alternate between insulating and heating conditions much more quickly. By separating the thermal mass of the system from external …

The Impact Of Social Capital On Youth Substance Use, Ali Unlu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use, such as alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana, is a threat to the health and well-being of the youth, their families, and society as well. Government supports and implements several programs to protect youth from substance use. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of social capital on youth behavior and to suggest evidence-based policy interventions. Social capital refers to individual embeddedness in web of social relations and their behaviors guided by social structure. Therefore, adolescents' social interactions with their peers, parents, and community were investigated. The substance use was measured by the usage of cigarettes, alcohol, …

Fabric Architecture: Body In Motion, Daniela Cosovic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Making a dress, creating an object for someone else is a simple act of giving to another person. I did not want to decide between an object to wear and one to hang on the wall, so I gave you both, and movement in between. Take a dress off of a wall. Wear it. Put it back on the wall. Repeat it, or not. There is balance in movement of an object between a person and the wall. It is this quietness of balance amongst the sound of movement that I am seeking in my work.

Perceptions Of Cuteness And Beauty, Danielle Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Upbringing and psychological make-up inspire individual norms for beauty and cuteness. The mannerist approach in my work is a product of the figural liberties found in cartooning, illustration and art history. By altering facial and bodily features, I relate the proportions of an infant to cuteness and innocence. However, I tailor the photographs to empower the subjects all the while mirroring trends in contemporary pop culture. I'm interested in themes of everyday life, vitality and emotion placed in obscure, imaginary or exaggerated venues. I fictionalize subjects of my reality to compel viewers to identify with and fancy emotions, circumstances, moods …

Microscopic Analysis Of Sympathetic And Parasympathetic Distribution, Terminal Morphology, And Interaction In Whole-Mount Atria, Scott Harden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PSNS) branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) innervate the heart, exerting excitatory and inhibitory influences (respectively) over cardiac functions (heart rate, AV conduction velocity, and contractility). However, the distribution and structure of SNS and PSNS innervation has not yet been well studied. Detailed characterization of the distributional organization and structural morphology of the SNS and PSNS in normal states is essential to the study of pathological autonomic remodeling. The present study utilized double immunohistochemical labeling techniques to examine tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive (IR) SNS and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) IR PSNS axons and terminal …

The Expression Of Mkrn1, An E3 Ubiquitin Ligase For Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase, Is Induced With Differentiation Therapy In Leukemia, Jose Salvatico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telomeres are important structural and functional components of chromosomes, serving to provide stability and enabling full replication of the chromosomes. However, a shortening of the telomeres occurs with each cell division that can be fixed by a polymerase activity provided by telomerase, preventing this loss which would otherwise eventually lead to chromosome end-to-end fusions, senescence and cell death. The telomerase activity is present in stem cells and germ line cells, but absent or barely noticeable in adult somatic cells. However, in approximately 80-90% of transformed somatic cells the telomerase activity is recovered, resulting in a "telomerase positive phenotype". This phenotype …

Integration Of Computer-Based Virtual Check Ride System - Pre-Trip Inspection In Commercial Driver License Training Program, Alpesh Makwana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pre-Trip Inspection of the truck and trailer is one of the components of the current Commercial Driver's License (CDL) test. This part of the CDL test checks the ability of the student to identify the important parts of the commercial vehicle and their potential defects. The Virtual Check Ride System (VCRS), a computer-based application, is an assessment and feedback tool that mirrors the inspection component of the actual CDL. The VCRS has provided an after action review (AAR) via a feedback session that helps in identifying and correcting drivers' skill in inspecting parts and for overall safety. The purpose of …

A Burkean Method For Analyzing Environmental Rhetoric, John Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work of Kenneth Burke provides a method of rhetorical analysis that is useful in terms of bringing features of texts to the surface that are not readily apparent, such as how they produce identification in their audiences, and in revealing rhetorical factors related to but outside the text, for example the authors' motives. Burke's work is wide-ranging and open to many interpretations, so it can be difficult to apply. This study condenses some of his more important concepts into a simplified method which has several practical applications; it focuses on how Burke's theories can be applied to analyzing environmental …

Quantifying Soil And Groundwater Chemistry In Areas Invaded By Tamarix Spp. Along The Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, Michelle Kelly Ohrtman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tamarix spp. (a.k.a. saltcedar, tamarisk) invasion is considered a major ecological threat at both national and global levels, with supposed impacts on soil and water chemistry. One of the most often cited mechanisms of ecosystem change by Tamarix is through its ability to deposit salty exudates and salt-rich leaf litter. The degree to which Tamarix relates to elevated soil and groundwater salinity, however, has not been adequately quantified, especially in the context of environmental factors that may also influence salinity. If Tamarix does elevate localized salinity by means of uptake, concentration and exudation by plant tissues, then we might expect …

Japan's Preventive Strategy: Secure The World—The National Defense Program Guidelines In And After Fy 2010, Tadashi Watanabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Japanese government is now reviewing the National Defense Program Guidelines in and after FY 2005 (NDPG 04), and this review will be completed by the end of this year. Even though NDPG 04 provides Japan's security and defense policy vision to FY 2014, the government nevertheless has decided to change it completely. The purpose of this thesis is to know the reason why the Japanese government has decided to change NDPG 04 completely, the likely contents of NDPG 09, and NDPG 09's effect on the US-Japan alliance.

The globalizing international society and threats have been increasingly diversified and multi-polarized …

Even In The Face Of History: The Experiences Of Gifted African-American Students, Rivian Segal Bass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While schools are experiencing unparalleled racial, linguistic, and ethnic diversity, gifted programs do not reflect these changing demographics. In fact, African-American students are less than half as likely to be in gifted classes and programs than are their European-American counterparts. In addition, little is known about the impact of gifted programs on students.

This qualitative study incorporated oral history interviews to examine the experiences of four gifted African-American students who attended full time programs or schools designed for gifted students. In telling their stories through narratives, participants constructed past events with a focus on the personal meanings ascribed to their …

Sibling Relationships During The Young Adult Years: An Analysis Of Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, Everyday Talk, And Turning Points, Jennifer Kellie Corti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the sibling relationship during the young adult years. Specifically, this study explored how turning points and everyday talk related to closeness and relational satisfaction among college age siblings. One-hundred and ninety-nine young adult participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their relationship with a sibling. Results indicated that (a) geographic distance does not have a significant effect on the closeness among siblings, (b) everyday talk was expressed in terms of three categories: expressions of intimacy, maintenance talk, and relationally risky talk, (c) all three categories of everyday talk related to closeness, while only …

Peer And Maternal Relationship Predictors Of Adolescent Romantic Conflict Resolution, Pallavi Visvanathan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the current study was to examine whether change in adolescent conflict resolution in romantic relationships is predicted by adolescents' prior interactions with mothers and friends. A community sample of 191 adolescents (96 female), representative of the U.S. population, their mothers and close friends participated in this study. Data collection began when adolescents were in 10th grade (¬Average age = 15.9, SD = .52) and continued for the next five and a half years. Results indicated that teens engaged in positive problem solving, withdrawal, and compliance far more frequently than in aggressive conflict resolution strategies. Hierarchical linear modeling …

Job Satisfaction Determinants Of Certificated Staff In The Xyz School District, Grant Edward Schmidt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Job satisfaction is closely related to motivation theory. Many factors influence human motivation. For example, employee performance is greatly influenced by the expectancy of what the job will provide, the employees attitude toward personal achievement and advancement, and their wish for harmony in the workplace (Bittel, 1990). The amount of opportunity people see in their jobs also has a direct relationship to their job performance (Hill, 1979). Motivation can be provided by allowing employees to participate in the goal-setting activities (Catt, 1989). Motivators, such as sick leave, medical/ dental plans, and holiday pay are best enjoyed by the employees when …

Structure-Function Analysis Of Endoproteolytic Cleavage: Site-Directed Mutagenesis Studies Of The Α-Msh Cleavage Site In Silurana Tropicalis Pomc, Quinn Kun Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The maturation process of many prohormone molecules typically requires endoproteolytic cleavage C-terminal of dibasic residues, such as the K¹⁴¹R¹⁴²↓ site N-terminal of the α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) sequence in Silurana tropicalis proopiomelanocortin (POMC). In order to determine the absolute requirement of basic amino acid residues in the cleavage process, site-directed mutagenesis was employed to substitute alanine for the wild-type residues in the frog POMC open reading frame. Specifically, the following underlined residues were individually targeted for alanine substitution: R ¹³⁷ Q ¹³⁸ E ¹³⁹ N ¹⁴⁰ K ¹⁴¹ R ¹⁴²↓. The mouse pancreatic αTC1.9 cell …

Communicating Queer Identities Through Personal Narrative And Intersectional Reflexivity, Richard G. Jones, Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is currently a lack of intersubjective research involving human participants and conceptual frameworks that include queer theory. Queer theory's poststructuralist epistemology tends toward desubjectification, problematizing research that relies on participants' self-reports of lived experience. The author proposes that the interdisciplinary nature of Communication Studies, which is situated within the humanities and social sciences, leaves communication scholars well poised to contribute to ongoing metatheoretical and metamethodological conversations regarding queer theory and intersubjective research, particularly in relation to cultures and identities. To contribute to this scholarly conversation, the author utilizes the deconstructionist lens of queer theory to contextualize communication, employs personal …

Alpha-Msh Regulated Cell Signaling In Pancreatic Alpha Cells, Liang Liang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peripheral injection of α-MSH promotes glucagon secretion in POMC knockout mice, suggesting the role of α-MSH in regulation of pancreatic α cells. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study investigated the stimulatory effect of α-MSH on mice pancreatic α cell line αTC1-6 cells in cell signaling pathway as well as glucagon secretion. In normal level of glucose, application of α-MSH stimulated Ltype Ca2+ current induced Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release (CICR) and membrane hyperpolarization. Increase of [cAMP]c was also observed when α-MSH was applied with IBMX. Acute hypoglycemia-induced CICR via N- and L-type Ca2+ channels was overridden by typical α-MSH …

A Computer Science Approach To Identify And Classify Hyperactivated Spermatozoa, Norbert Kaula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) relies in part upon accurate but easily conducted measurements of sperm motion parameters. Several established methods are widely used to assess possible reasons for male infertility, in human and veterinary Andrology clinics. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) devices quantitatively assess sperm motion parameters, which have been defined by the World Health Organization, and include the percentage of motile cells in a sample and the motion characteristics of individual cells, such as curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP) and straight line velocity (VSL). However, CASA analyses fail to define hyperactive sperm motility or determine the prevalence …

Role Of Pro-Apoptotic Bcl2-Homology-3 Domain (Bh3)-Only Proteins In The Mutant Sod1 Mouse Model Of Als, Anna George Andrianakos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease involving rapid degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord and retraction of their axonal projections to the neuromuscular junctions. Several known mutations linked to some familial cases of ALS have been linked to mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), resulting in mitochondrial oxidative stress and intrinsic apoptosis. Transgenic mice expressing a G93A mutant of SOD1 provide an in vivo model to investigate motor neuron death during disease progression. The principal regulators of intrinsic apoptosis are the Bcl-2 family proteins. While some members of this family are pro-survival, the Bcl-2 homology-3 …

Assessing Crosstalk Between Calcium And Camp In Pancreatic Alpha Cells, Julianne Michelle Imseis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blood glucose levels are regulated by the interactions between insulin and glucagon. Pancreatic alpha cells release glucagon in response to a drop in blood sugar. Pancreatic alpha cells appear to be regulated through multiple signaling pathways. One potential method of regulation occurs from α-MSH or epinephrine stimulated production of the intracellular messenger cyclic AMP. Exocytosis of dense core vesicles containing glucagon ultimately requires an increase in cytosolic calcium. This study focused on the link between cyclic AMP and calcium in pancreatic alpha cells which allows alpha cell regulation. Interactions between calcium and cyclic AMP in pancreatic alpha cells consists of …

A Clash Of Worldviews: The Impact Of Modern Western Notion Of Progress On Indigenous Naga Culture, Tezenlo Thong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The term "progress" is a modern Western notion that life is always improving and advancing toward an ideal state. It is a vital modern concept which underlies geographic explorations and scientific and technological inventions as well as the desire to harness nature in order to increase human beings' ease and comfort. With the advent of Western colonization and to the great detriment of the colonized, the notion of progress began to perniciously and pervasively permeate across cultures.

During the classical colonial period, Western anthropologists, sociologists and others had hypothesized, or at least ardently bought into the notion, that human beings, …

Creating An Indian Space In The City: Development, Maintenance, And Evolution Of Cultural Identity And Cultural Connectedness Among Multiple Generations Of Urban American Indians, Nancy Marie Lucero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the cultural identity and cultural connectedness of multiple generations of American Indians whose families had been living continuously in an urban area for 40 to 50 years. The intent of the current study was to better understand how members of this group developed and maintained their cultural identities while living away from a tribal community and as a small percentage of the population of a large and culturally diverse metropolitan area. The study also sought to identify what constituted cultural connectedness--a term used frequently amongst urban Indians that appears to encompass factors of importance to being American …

Impacts Of Tamarisk Biocontrol (Diorhabda Elongata) On The Trophic Dynamics Of Terrestrial Insects In Monotypic Tamarisk Stands, Stephanie Michelle Carroll Strudley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Combating tamarisk (Tamarix spp.), an exotic tree species that has invaded 1-1.6 million hectares of riparian land in the Midwestern United States, with the introduced leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata provides an opportunity to evaluate how the trophic spectra of terrestrial insects respond to a herbivorous biocontrol. To evaluate this restoration approach and the interaction biocontrol may have with terrestrial insect populations, I quantified trophic unit richness and abundance and common family abundance of resident insect populations while also measuring biocontrol abundance and status during the previous season (present or not present). These measurements were taken four times throughout one …

Performance-Based Quality Specifications: The Link Between Product Development And Clinical Outcomes, Steven Short

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The design of drug delivery systems and their corresponding dosing guidelines are critical product development functions supported by clinical pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data. Largely, the importance of variance and covariance in product and patient attributes is poorly understood. The existence of PK/PD diversity among myriad patient sub-populations further complicates efforts to gauge the importance of product quality variation. Nevertheless, a platform capable of evaluating the effects of product and patient variability on clinical performance was constructed. This dissertation was predicated on requests to re-define pharmaceutical quality in terms of risk by relating clinical attributes to production characteristics.

To …

The Lived Experience Of The African American Pregnancy That Ends In Preterm Birth, Clarise Hairston Ottley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research study was undertaken to help fill the gap in understanding the disparity between the current preterm birth rates of African American women and White women. A phenomenological methodology was used with a sample of seven African American women who had experienced preterm birth. The findings provide insight into experience of a pregnancy that ends in preterm birth.

An in-depth understanding of the contextual factors associated with preterm birth in African American women was provided through a description of experiences as voiced by the participants themselves. Their stories provided rich, detailed data and insight into their lived experiences, revealing …

On Whether Or Not Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology Of Lived Body Experience Can Enrich St. Thomas Aquinas's Integral Anthropology, Joshua Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I argue that Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of lived body experience can be used to enrich Aquinas's integral anthropology. In Chapter One I lay out the possibilities of such an enrichment by examining contemporary philosophers of mind who draw on Aquinas and Merleau-Ponty in strikingly similar ways. Analytical Thomists, as represented by Eric LaRock, and thinkers seeking to integrate neuropsychology and phenomenology, like Ralph Ellis, argue that that the concept of form (taken from Aquinas and Merleau-Ponty respectively) is necessary for properly understanding the human being as an integral unity of intellectual principle and body. I then pose potential objections to my …

Oil And Paper: Ownership, Economic Development, And Iraq's 2007 Draft Oil And Gas Law, Peter Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 2007 Draft Oil Law's parliamentary collapse demonstrates that Iraqi legislation must settle the issue of ownership prior to determining foreign investment rules. The draft law has been criticized by western academics for its economic benefits to international oil companies, but in Iraq the law has been rejected more for its ambiguities and its lack of specific ownership language, apart from four disputed, classified annexes listing classifications of oil fields. Rather than pass empty legislation and fill it up at a later point, Iraq must draft its oil revenue sharing laws, model contracts, and an oil ownership law in tandem …