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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Evaluating The Intra-Variability And Inter-Variability Of Fibers In Cotton T-Shirts Using Microspectrophotometry, Brianne Miller May 2013

Evaluating The Intra-Variability And Inter-Variability Of Fibers In Cotton T-Shirts Using Microspectrophotometry, Brianne Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the differentiation of cotton fibers by the means of intra-garment and inter-garment comparison while utilizing Microspectrophotometry. Five different colors of cotton fibers were used: gold, kelly green, orange, red and royal. Ten t-shirts of each color were used in this study. Phase I of this study involved using the CRAICRTM QDI QDS II(TM) Stereomicrospectrophotometer to produce a spectrum of the front, back, sleeve and armpit of the t-shirt. These sections were then compared to the color chips in the Munsell Book of Color by observing them with the naked eye. …

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The Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein-1 (Scl1) Is A Multifunctional Adhesin In Extracellular Matrix Interactions, Biofilm Formation, And Host Colonization By Group A Streptococcus, Heaven A. Oliver-Kozup May 2013

The Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein-1 (Scl1) Is A Multifunctional Adhesin In Extracellular Matrix Interactions, Biofilm Formation, And Host Colonization By Group A Streptococcus, Heaven A. Oliver-Kozup

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is responsible for over 100 million skin infections annually that may lead to invasive episodes and autoimmune sequelaes. Wounds and unapparent skin infringements are susceptible to the introduction of GAS and serve as a portal of entry. The nutritional nature of a wound and the accessibility to exposed host cell surfaces and extracellular matrix components create a model milieu for successful host colonization and potential biofilm formation. The initiation of biofilm is often mediated by bacterial surface adhesins and has been shown to interfere with wound healing by blocking critical host cellular interactions. However, the underlying …

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Korean Violinist Min Kim: His Devotion To And Achievements In Chamber Music, Seung Hee Yeo May 2013

Korean Violinist Min Kim: His Devotion To And Achievements In Chamber Music, Seung Hee Yeo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Western music in Korea has barely a one hundred-year history, and it developed particularly rapidly after the Korean War (1950-1953) as the economy began to grow. In the present day, many Koreans have been trained as professional musicians. Despite the individual successes of Korean musicians, there have been few Korean ensembles that have gained international renown.;The purpose of this study is to provide a complete overview of the Korean violinist Min Kim, including his biography, teaching, and especially his great influence on and achievements in chamber music in Korea. The main sources of material for this study are interviews with …

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Embodied Revelation: The Threat Of Sudden Cardiac Death For Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Candidates, Vera Barton-Caro May 2013

Embodied Revelation: The Threat Of Sudden Cardiac Death For Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Candidates, Vera Barton-Caro

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a severe, chronic condition characterized by high mortality and high morbidity. Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death for people with heart failure as well as the primary cause of death in the United States. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) represent the standard of care as the only effective therapy for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. However, a significant proportion of qualifying heart failure patients declines this life-saving device. Nurses are charged with advocating for well-informed patient decisions. Yet, there is little extant literature that addresses the decision-making process for patients considering an ICD. …

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An Analysis Of Recreation User Perceptions: Crowding, Conflict, And Satisfaction At Diamond Lake, Oregon, Christoper D. Caplinger May 2013

An Analysis Of Recreation User Perceptions: Crowding, Conflict, And Satisfaction At Diamond Lake, Oregon, Christoper D. Caplinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This purpose of this study was to investigate visitor perceptions, particularly those related to crowding, conflict and satisfaction, within the context of Diamond Lake, while the relationship between these variables was also compared. The lake was analyzed both as a whole and across four separate zones which surround the lake. A thorough examination of visitor demographics and characteristics was included as well, in order to gain a clear understanding of the visitors who come to lake and provide additional insights into their perceptions.;This study was conducted over the summer of 2012 between May and August at Diamond Lake within the …

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Early And Late Stage Mechanisms For Vocalization Processing In The Human Auditory System, William James Talkington May 2013

Early And Late Stage Mechanisms For Vocalization Processing In The Human Auditory System, William James Talkington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The human auditory system is able to rapidly process incoming acoustic information, actively filtering, categorizing, or suppressing different elements of the incoming acoustic stream. Vocalizations produced by other humans (conspecifics) likely represent the most ethologically-relevant sounds encountered by hearing individuals. Subtle acoustic characteristics of these vocalizations aid in determining the identity, emotional state, health, intent, etc. of the producer. The ability to assess vocalizations is likely subserved by a specialized network of structures and functional connections that are optimized for this stimulus class. Early elements of this network would show sensitivity to the most basic acoustic features of these sounds; …

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Phosphorus Retention And Transformation In Floodplain Forests Of The Southeastern United States, John A. Navaratnam May 2013

Phosphorus Retention And Transformation In Floodplain Forests Of The Southeastern United States, John A. Navaratnam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Phosphorus (P) commonly limits productivity in freshwater ecosystems; thus, increased P loading, either in dissolved (DP) or particulate (PP) form, can lead to eutrophication. The central goal of my dissertation research is to understand these biogeochemical mechanisms of P retention and transformation in rivers and streams and their associated FFs in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the southeastern US (VA, NC, SC, GA).;To assess the nature of P removal during flooding events, I conducted a detailed study of DP and PP forms (inorganic, Pi and organic, Po) in waters from alluvial (AL) and blackwater (BW) FFs. At each FF site, …

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Evaluation Of The Newburg Sandstone Of The Appalachian Basin As A Co2 Geologic Storage Resource, Jack Eric Lewis May 2013

Evaluation Of The Newburg Sandstone Of The Appalachian Basin As A Co2 Geologic Storage Resource, Jack Eric Lewis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Division of Energy is currently evaluating several deep saline formations in the Appalachian basin of West Virginia, which may be potential carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration targets. The Silurian Newburg Sandstone play, developed in the 1970's, primarily involves natural gas production from reservoir rock with welldeveloped porosity and permeability. High initial pressures encountered in early wells in the Newburg indicate that the overlying Silurian Salina Formation provides a competent seal. Due to the large number of CO2 point sources in the region and the favorable reservoir properties of the formation; including an estimated 300 billion cubic feet (bcf) …

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Regional Stratigraphic Framework Of The Tuscarora Sandstone: A Model For Geologic Co2 Storage In West Virginia, Christian T. Kramer May 2013

Regional Stratigraphic Framework Of The Tuscarora Sandstone: A Model For Geologic Co2 Storage In West Virginia, Christian T. Kramer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evaluation of the regional resource potential for geologic storage of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, primarily CO2, is an essential first step in developing policies for carbon management. Within the central Appalachian basin the Lower Silurian Tuscarora Sandstone, a gas producing anticlinal play, has been identified as a potential CO2 storage target. The Tuscarora extends from New York to Tennessee and is dominantly a white to light-gray, silicacemented orthoquartzite deposited in a fluvial and/or littoral environment. The objective of this study is to analyze the Tuscarora Sandstone in West Virginia to determine its potential for geologic storage of CO2, as well as …

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Project Knowledge Of 4-H Members Who Participated In The Equine Skillathon At The West Virginia State Fair, Kolby Denae Wyant May 2013

Project Knowledge Of 4-H Members Who Participated In The Equine Skillathon At The West Virginia State Fair, Kolby Denae Wyant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An Equine Skillathon is conducted annually at the West Virginia State Fair in Department F that is open to 4-H and FFA members. At the 2012 West Virginia State Fair, a descriptive research study was done utilizing the Equine Skillathon as the method of instrumentation. The study was conducted to assess the fundamental equine knowledge of junior and senior 4-H members who participated in the 2012 State Fair Equine Skillathon in the five categories of breed identification, conformation, body and hoof parts, as well as feed identification. The data was collected from the participating 4-H members' score sheets and used …

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Abelson Kinase Based Regulation Of Tumor Cell Invasion In Hnscc, Karen E. Hayes May 2013

Abelson Kinase Based Regulation Of Tumor Cell Invasion In Hnscc, Karen E. Hayes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nearly 40,000 new cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are annually diagnosed in the United States. The current standard of care for HNSCC patients consists of chemoradiation often combined with targeted therapeutic agents. However, the five-year survival rate for patients that relapse is < 50%. Patients with recurrent or metastatic disease have a very poor prognosis and typical survive < 12 months due to therapeutic resistance and loco-regional invasive spread. HNSCC invasion is mediated in part by lamellipodia and invadopodia, two actin-based structures responsible for facilitating invasive movement. Key signaling pathways that govern lamellipodia and invadopodia production are hyperactivated or overexpressed in HNSCC, including EGFR, Src, Erk 1/2, and cortactin. The overall goal of this dissertation is to determine how these signaling components regulate lamellipodia and invadopodia production and function in HNSCC. Three studies were completed that address these issues. Study One reveals an anti-invasive function for Abl in invadopodia regulation in HNSCC, results that are contrary to the pro-invasive influence Abl has in breast and other cancer types. Study Two establishes a fundamental role for Src has in HNSCC invasion and metastasis through the use of the dual Src/Abl inhibitor saracatinib. In Study Three we determine the expression and activation levels of Erk 1/2 in HNSCC patient samples and the role of Erk 1/2 cortactin phosphorylation in HNSCC adhesion, migration and lamellipodia persistence. Collectively these studies shed new light into the fundamental mechanisms utilized during various steps in HNSCC invasion, providing the potential for refinement and development of new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

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Characterization Of Coconut Oil And Cla Induced Lipolysis, Siri Manasa Ippagunta May 2013

Characterization Of Coconut Oil And Cla Induced Lipolysis, Siri Manasa Ippagunta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obesity is a main health concern and leads to many other health complications. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to cause a reduction in obesity in several species. CLAinduced body fat loss is enhanced when mice are fed coconut oil (CO). The objectives were to determine if the CLA-induced lipolysis in different oil source-fed mice was time-dependent and to determine the effect of cell signaling inhibitors on CO+CLA-induced lipolysis. Study 1: Male mice (ICR; n=80; 3wk) were fed 7% soybean oil (SO) or CO diets for 6wk and then supplemented with 0 or 0.5% CLA for 3, 7, 10 …

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Modeling Water Temperatures And Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Growth Potential Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Michael Tincher May 2013

Modeling Water Temperatures And Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Growth Potential Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Michael Tincher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climate change is expected to cause air temperatures to increase 2-5°C in the Appalachians throughout the 21st century. These air temperature increases will cause water temperatures to increase, and may negatively effect cold and cool water fish species. Brook trout are an important game fish and highly vulnerable species in West Virginia. The primary objectives of this study were to (1) construct and validate models relating stream water temperature to long6term climate data for 18 sites and (2) determine brook trout growth potential within sites of the upper Shavers Fork watershed that differ in water temperature regimes. Multiple linear regression …

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Parent Civic Behavior And Observed Civic Messages: Associations With Adolescent Civic Behavior And Prioritization, Benjamin J. Oosterhoff May 2013

Parent Civic Behavior And Observed Civic Messages: Associations With Adolescent Civic Behavior And Prioritization, Benjamin J. Oosterhoff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study employed observational and multi-informant survey methodology to explore associations among parents' civic behaviors, observed parent and adolescent messages about civic obligation, and adolescents' civic behavior and prioritization (should) judgments. A sample of 160 adolescents (Mage = 14.42, range = 12-18) and their parents (144 mothers and 52 fathers), participated in video-recorded, structured, dyadic interaction tasks in which they discussed citizenship and civic duty. Parents and adolescents also completed questionnaires assessing civic behavior and civic prioritization judgments. Within distinct civic activities, parents' report of civic behavior was positively associated with adolescents' report of civic behavior and prioritization judgments. …

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A Multidimensional Investigation Of Sexuality In Older Adults Within A Successful Aging Model, Allyson S. Graf May 2013

A Multidimensional Investigation Of Sexuality In Older Adults Within A Successful Aging Model, Allyson S. Graf

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sexual well-being in later life has traditionally been evaluated in relation to age-related physical limitations and sexual dysfunction. This study developed a multidimensional model of sexual well-being by investigating sexual interest, sexual attitudes (general and age-specific), and age-specific sexual knowledge in relation to more commonly-used indicators of sexual well-being (e.g., frequency and sexual satisfaction). Using a racially-diverse, U.S. sample of adults (N = 367, Mage = 54.40), structural equation modeling was used to test these associations (AGFI = .967; TLI = .994; and RMSEA = .031). Sexual interest (beta = .53), attitudes (beta = -.11 and .17), and knowledge (beta …

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A Systematic Study Of Enzyme-Nanomaterial Interactions For Application In Active Surface Decontamination, Alan Steven Campbell May 2013

A Systematic Study Of Enzyme-Nanomaterial Interactions For Application In Active Surface Decontamination, Alan Steven Campbell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Enzymes are a catalytic class of proteins that possess high specificity, selectivity and biocompatibility, which makes them ideal for multiple applications in industrial production and biotechnology. However, the use of enzymes in such applications is limited due to their low operational stability and increased cost attributed to difficulty of purification and reuse. Immobilization of enzymes onto nano-sized solid supports has emerged as a potential solution to these shortcomings with a trade-off of a percentage of activity loss upon immobilization. Herein, a comprehensive study of enzyme immobilization techniques with emphasis on active-surface decontamination applications is presented.;In Chapter 1, an overview of …

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Characterization Of The Composition And Toxicity Of Particulate Matter Emissions From Advanced Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engines, Arvind Thiruvengadam Padmavathy May 2013

Characterization Of The Composition And Toxicity Of Particulate Matter Emissions From Advanced Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engines, Arvind Thiruvengadam Padmavathy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Heavy-duty natural gas engines compliant with the 2010 EPA emissions standards have a clear advantage over diesel engines in meeting regulations with minimal after-treatment configuration. Heavy-duty natural gas engines are largely promoted as a cleaner burning engine with respect to low PM mass emissions. However, lack of sufficient data and literature on the exhaust emissions from advanced natural gas engines and the potential adverse health effects has raised concern amongst regulatory agencies. Also, the ammonia emissions from three-way catalyst equipped heavy-duty natural gas engines could be a major contributor to the formation of secondary PM in the atmosphere.;This CARB funded …

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Captive Propagation, Reproductive Biology, And Early Life History Of Crystallaria Cincotta (Diamond Darter), Etheostoma Wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. Vulneratum (Wounded Darter), And E. Maculatum (Spotted Darter), Crystal Ruble May 2013

Captive Propagation, Reproductive Biology, And Early Life History Of Crystallaria Cincotta (Diamond Darter), Etheostoma Wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. Vulneratum (Wounded Darter), And E. Maculatum (Spotted Darter), Crystal Ruble

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reproductive biology and early life history data are important for understanding the ecology of fishes, and can be used for the management and conservation of rare species. During 2008--2012, a captive propagation study was conducted on Crystallaria cincotta (Diamond Darter), a rare species with a single extant population in the lower Elk River, WV. Also, captive propagation studies were conducting during 2008 on three species of darters of the subgenus Nothonotus: Etheostoma wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. vulneratum (Wounded Darter), and E. maculatum (Spotted Darter). Water temperatures during Diamond Darter spawning ranged from 11.1--23.3°C. Females and males spawned with quick vibrations …

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Spatial Relationship Between The Trichloroethylene Degrading Bacteria Dehalococcoides Sp., Sulfate Reducers And Archaea During Reductive Dechlorination, Pujya Wagle Gautam May 2013

Spatial Relationship Between The Trichloroethylene Degrading Bacteria Dehalococcoides Sp., Sulfate Reducers And Archaea During Reductive Dechlorination, Pujya Wagle Gautam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trichloroethylene (TCE) released to the environment is of great concern due to its toxicity and carcinogencity. The microorganisms involved in bioremediation of TCE such as methanogens (organisms within the domain Archaea), sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and Dehalococcoides sp. (DHC) are of particular interest in this study. Three different types of bench scale reactors were constructed to model different aquifer types such as sandy, silty and fractured bedrock aquifers (hereafter type 1, 2 or 3 reactors, respectively). This study evaluated the effect of TCE concentration in different types of reactors on the distribution of selected microorganisms with distance from the source …

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Adult Characteristics Associated With Gender-Typed Toy Ratings, Rachel R. Stoiko May 2013

Adult Characteristics Associated With Gender-Typed Toy Ratings, Rachel R. Stoiko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The toys with which children play shape their development in several domains (Trawick-Smith, Russell, & Swaminathan, 2011). Exclusive or primary play with gender-typed toys may limit children's development, because toys considered appropriate for boys, girls, or both have different characteristics (Blakemore & Centers, 2005; Serbin & Connor, 1979). Especially in infancy and early childhood, children's toy play is affected by adults (parent and nonparent), who may differentially provide access to and/or reinforce play with different toys (Kane, 2006). The variability in adults' attitudes regarding the gender-appropriateness of toys is not well-understood.;The purpose of this study was to examine the relations …

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Mechanisms Of Cadmium Tolerance In Populus, Brahma Reddy Induri May 2013

Mechanisms Of Cadmium Tolerance In Populus, Brahma Reddy Induri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cadmium (Cd), a known carcinogen and one of the leading heavy metal pollutants on a global scale, is released to the atmosphere through various industrial processes such as smelting and mining and other applications including manufacture of batteries and phosphate fertilizers. It causes many deleterious effects in plants, and is harmful to humans through its entry into the food chain. Traditional methods of remediating Cd-contaminated soils, such as excavation and land-filling, are expensive and disturb the natural topography. The emerging method of phytoremediation in which plants are employed to remediate contaminated soils has become increasingly popular because of its cost …

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The Explosion Of Ethnic Retributive Violence In Czechoslovakia At The End Of The Second World War, Bryson David Taylor May 2013

The Explosion Of Ethnic Retributive Violence In Czechoslovakia At The End Of The Second World War, Bryson David Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The end of the Second World War was not the end of the explosion of human rights abuses from the Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe. In Czechoslovakia as well as Poland, there were outbreaks of retributive violence driven toward the German ethnic minorities present within their liberated boundaries. In both cases, the governments of Poland and Czechoslovakia began a state sponsored, and Potsdam Conference approved program, of "orderly and humane" expulsions. While most twentieth and twenty first century historians have attributed these actions in Czechoslovakia as a continuation of the historical relationship between the Czechs and Germans of Bohemia and …

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Disulfide Bridging The Gap Between Src And Cortactin: A New Paradigm In Sh2 Domain-Mediated Signaling, Jason Vanburen Evans May 2013

Disulfide Bridging The Gap Between Src And Cortactin: A New Paradigm In Sh2 Domain-Mediated Signaling, Jason Vanburen Evans

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Src and cortactin are cytoplasmic proteins that are implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that also regulates normal cell homeostasis through phosphorylation of multiple downstream substrates. Cortactin is an actin binding protein and nucleation promoting factor that promotes the formation of stable branching networks within the actin cytoskeleton. Together, these proteins work in concert to promote the invasive and metastatic potential of tumor cells due to tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin by Src. However, the mechanistic details of the interaction between Src and cortactin have never been elucidated. Collectively, this work aims to define how …

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Comparing U.S. And International Medical Graduates' Treatment Of Chronic Diseases: Utilization Of Psychosocial Interventions., Susan E. Jarquin Jan 2013

Comparing U.S. And International Medical Graduates' Treatment Of Chronic Diseases: Utilization Of Psychosocial Interventions., Susan E. Jarquin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic disease care places significant pressure on healthcare provider resources, often requiring the hiring of physicians trained abroad to meet these demands. International medical graduates are on trend to become the primary suppliers of chronic disease care in the U.S. Consequently, there is a need to assess how physicians trained abroad care for patients with chronic diseases. The purpose of this exploratory survey study was to determine whether international and U.S. medical graduates differ in their use of three specific psychosocial interventions when caring for patients suffering from chronic diseases. Medical residents in U.S. allopathic family medicine and internal medicine …

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Ion Transport Across Nano-Microchannel Interfaces., William Albert Booth Jan 2013

Ion Transport Across Nano-Microchannel Interfaces., William Albert Booth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Finite element numerical simulations are used to examine the effects of various parameters on synthetic charge-selective nanochannel systems in series with microchannels. In particular the origins of uidic ionic current rectification and the transient development of such systems in response to electric potential biases is explored. The origin of current rectification is these systems is found to be asymmetric concentration polarization. This leads to diffusion layers that form in response to an applied bias . The asymmetric diffusion layers may have 1D and higher dimensional origins. The systems are found to change over three time scales each associated with a …

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Characterization Of Immune Responses To Repeated Aspergillus Fumigatus Exposures, Amanda Dawn Buskirk Jan 2013

Characterization Of Immune Responses To Repeated Aspergillus Fumigatus Exposures, Amanda Dawn Buskirk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Personal exposures to A. fumigatus are associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, including invasive aspergillosis, allergic sensitization, and asthma. Due to the high rate of mortality associated with invasive disease in immunocompromised patients, most studies of A. fumigatus have aimed to characterize the immune responses in immunocompromised murine models. However, a larger portion of the population is affected by fungal-induced allergies and asthma and the immune mechanisms associated with exposure have rarely been studied in an immunocompetent model. These models do not accurately reflect the natural method of exposure to environmental sources of conidia, and may significantly impact …

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Network Dynamics, Synchronization, And Self-Propelled Particles In Chemical Systems, Hua Ke Jan 2013

Network Dynamics, Synchronization, And Self-Propelled Particles In Chemical Systems, Hua Ke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neural networks are a class of biological networks of great importance. They are a key component of the central nervous system that coordinates body functions. The exploration of the detailed mechanism of biological neural networks remains extremely active. Inspired by the structure of biological neural networks, artificial neural networks have been designed to solve a variety of problems in pattern recognition, prediction, optimization and control. However, few studies have been reported that explore the dynamics of biological neural networks using chemical systems. As part of this thesis, an experimentally trainable network based on the photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction is developed, where …

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Temporal Expression Of Key Angioregulatory Proteins In Response To Exercise And Detraining, Sara A. Olenich Jan 2013

Temporal Expression Of Key Angioregulatory Proteins In Response To Exercise And Detraining, Sara A. Olenich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Angiogenesis is an important adaptation to exercise, occurring in response to a multitude of different stimuli including: shear stress, mechanical stretch, ischemia, electrical stimulation, and exercise. Current thinking suggests skeletal muscle angiogenesis is a temporal process controlled by a balance between positive and negative angiogenic proteins. But there is limited information on what molecular mediators control skeletal muscle angiogenesis in this time line, creating a critical need to clarify how individual protein responses regulate physiologic skeletal muscle angiogenesis in response to exercise training and/or physical deconditioning. Our objective is to characterize the temporal expression of several key positive (VEGF, MMP-2, …

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Towards Direct Fabrication Of Functional Patterns On Large-Area Substrates For Flexible Devices, Sean D. Cronin Jan 2013

Towards Direct Fabrication Of Functional Patterns On Large-Area Substrates For Flexible Devices, Sean D. Cronin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nowadays there is a growing interest to develop flexible devices that can be used in applications spanning from displays to energy harvesting. This is due to the potential of such devices to be integrated onto various-shaped surfaces and also to be roll-to-roll processed. However, there are still a few challenges to be tackled before their full commercialization. In particular, the direct fabrication of micro/nano-scale functional features on a large-area flexible substrate remains a critical challenge. This is because it requires both low temperature processing and precise control of the feature size.;During this study an investigation of different fabrication methods, such …

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The Inhibition Of Splicing Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Mrna During Starvation By Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K, Travis Cyphert Jan 2013

The Inhibition Of Splicing Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Mrna During Starvation By Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K, Travis Cyphert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Splicing of nascent RNA transcripts is an essential step in gene expression and a target of nutrient regulation. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a lipogenic gene whose expression is regulated exclusively at this posttranscriptional stage. Expression of G6PD mRNA increases 15- to 17-fold during refeeding and is inhibited 80-90% by starvation and the addition of polyunsaturated fat to the diet. The large changes in the accumulation of G6PD mRNA are due to changes the rate of pre-mRNA splicing and not changes in its transcription. In this regard, dietary carbohydrate enhances intron removal, which increases the accumulation of G6PD mRNA. Starvation alters …

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