Digital Commons Network^™

Trauma At Akhetaten (Tell El-Amarna): Interpersonal Violence Or Occupational Hazard, Rebecca Marie Hodgin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The New Kingdom individuals excavated from the site of Akhetaten, modern day Tell el-Amarna in Middle Egypt, exhibit traumatic injuries relating to construction of the new city. This site is important for Egyptological and bioarchaeological interpretations because the city was only occupied for approximately 15 years. The cemetery provides an archaeological instant in history providing information on the individuals who lived, worked, and died at Akhetaten. A total of 233 individuals have been excavated and analyzed to date. The incidence of forearm fractures as chronic ulnae stress fractures instead of parry fractures are indicated by the presence of Schmorl's nodes, …

Effect Of Water-Deficit Stress On Cotton During Reproductive Development, Dimitra Loka

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water deficit is a major abiotic factor limiting plant growth and crop productivity around the world. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is considered to be relatively tolerant to drought and the effects of water stress on leaf physiology and metabolism have been extensively documented. However, information is lacking on the effect of water-deficit stress on the cotton flower. It was hypothesized that water-deficit stress would impair gas exchange functions which consequently would result in perturbation of carbohydrates of cotton reproductive units. To investigate this hypothesis growth room studies and field studies were conducted with the objectives being to document the physiological …

Characterization Of The Vasotocin Receptor Subtype 4 (Vt4r) In The Brain And Pituitary Gland Of The Chicken, Gallus Gallus, Rajamani Selvam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the distribution of the vasotocin subtype four receptor (VT4R) in brain and pituitary gland of the chicken, Gallus gallus. The anterior pituitary cell types associated with the VT4R were also determined. Two polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbit against a cocktail of peptides, 15 amino acids from the amino terminal region and 17 amino acids from the carboxy terminal region of VT4R receptor. The antibody was validated utilizing the Western blot and immunocytochemistry. A single band at 47KDa utilizing membrane protein extracts of chicken brain and pituitary tissues was shown for the VT4R antibody. A peptide …

The Androgynous Tomboy: Adolescent Liminality In The Contemporary Southern Bildungsroman, Brooke Alexandra Shippee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Androgynous Tomboy: Adolescent Liminality in the Contemporary Southern Bildungsroman is an analysis of the adolescent, specifically, of the young tomboy characters central to three Bildungsroman texts set in the American South during the twentieth century: Carson McCullers' The Member of the Wedding (1946), Bobbie Ann Mason's In Country (1985) and Dorothy Allison's Bastard Out of Carolina (1993). I seek to challenge the very notion of the conventional tomboy within the coming of age literary genre by defining these youths as androgynous, rather than as young individuals who assume a singular gender opposite of their biological sex. Throughout my work, …

Recombinant Protein Production In Bacillus Species, Isolation And Methionine Production In Methionine-Producing Microorganisms, Suwat Saengkerdsub

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Linoleic acid isomerase (LAI) is the enzyme that converts linoleic acid to conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) which appear to be capable of lowering cancer risk and enhancing immunity. There is an interest in developing commercial processes for the production of single isomers of CLA by biotransformation of LA using microbial cells and enzymes. However, the evaluation of these strains suggest that growth and LA isomerase production levels by these anaerobes are insufficient to support economic commercial production of single CLA isomers. A better alternative is to clone the isomerase gene and to generate new production strains using recombinant technology. Bifidobacterium …

Foster Parents' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities In Relation To The Behavioral Challenges Of Foster Youth, Melissa Hall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complex, long-term, and prevalent behavioral problems and needs of foster children and youth continue to be documented (Farmer et al., 2010; United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2005). However, research indicates that foster parents are not adequately prepared or trained to address these challenging behaviors (e.g. Dorsey et al., 2008; Lee & Holland, 1991; Puddy & Jackson, 2003). Foster parent perspectives and the inclusion of their input concerning foster parenting and the behavioral problems of foster youth are needed to examine this crucial problem area (Park & Helton, 2010). The intent of this multi-case study was …

Photocatalytic Reactor Using Tio2 Thin Film On Quartz Tubes, Ram Mahipal Kouda

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Photocatalysis process, as an environmental application is an advanced oxidation process with tremendous potential in the near future. Previously many researchers, have conducted photocatalysis in different reactor configuration using TiO2 slurry and thin film, using a UV light source, the constraints for these reactors are the need for the removal of TiO2 particles at the outlet stream in a slurry reactor and poor environment for the efficient use of TiO2 film using UV light, as the UV light penetration depth in water is about an inch.

Taking all this into consideration, we propose a design for reactor with efficient contact …

Whores & More: Selected Stories By Hernán Migoya, Nikki Noreen Settelmeyer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is a collection of short stories written by Hernán Migoya from the books, Todas putas and Putas es poco. The stories have been translated from the original Spanish to English. The selected stories demonstrate the humor, style, and neurosis typical of Migoya's writing.

Herbicide Resistance Mechanism(S) In Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne Ssp. Multiflorum) Populations In The Southern United States, Reiofeli Algodon Salas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Italian ryegrass is a principal weed problem in wheat production fields in the Southern US. Resistance to herbicides diclofop, mesosulfuron, and pinoxaden among ryegrass populations has been reported. Glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass populations were identified in Desha County, Arkansas. This research aimed to 1) determine resistance patterns to ACCase (diclofop and pinoxaden) and ALS (imazamox, mesosulfuron, and pyroxsulam) herbicides among Italian ryegrass populations from the southern US; 2) determine if cytochrome P450-mediated enhanced herbicide metabolism contributed to resistance; and 3) elucidate the resistance mechanism to glyphosate in four Arkansas populations (Des03, Des05, Des14, and D8). For objective 1, 30 accessions from …

Nutrient Dynamics In Stormwater Runoff From Green Roofs With Varying Substrate, John Michael Fohner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One major concern with urban development is the increasing amount of stormwater runoff from large expanses of impervious surfaces. These impervious surfaces reduce the ability of stormwater to infiltrate into the soil and eventually groundwater, which leads to greater amounts of surface runoff. Green technology serves as a viable solution to many of the environmental problems presented by modern development. Fifteen mock, extensive green roofs were built in the fall of 2008 at the Watershed Research and Education Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The goals of this project were to (1) measure the amount of stormwater runoff from varying treatments and …

Chinese International Students' Cross-Cultural Adaptation And Online Communication, Chen Wei Wu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored Chinese international students' computer mediated communication with both Americans and Chinese during their studying in the U.S. based on a Cross-Cultural Adaptation theory. The specific purpose of this study was to test five theorems of the theory with a sample of Chinese international students and to explore how Chinese international students' intercultural transformation, adaptive personality, host communication competence, and their interpersonal and mass communication with both host and ethnic groups associate together.

Effects Of Respiratory Vaccination Timing And Hormonal Growth Implant On Health, Performance, And Immunity Of Newly Received Stocker Calves, Kimberly Denise Poe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stress alters the immune system and vaccination during this time may reduce vaccine response; whereas, growth implants may shift metabolism to enhance tissue deposition in exchange for energy required for immune response during bovine respiratory disease (BRD) challenge. This study was conducted to determine the effects of pentavalent respiratory vaccination timing with or without a hormonal growth implant on arrival (d 0) on health, performance, complete blood count, and vaccine response in high&ndashrisk, newly received stocker calves during a 42&ndashd receiving period. Crossbred bull and steer calves (n = 385) were weighed (initial BW = 202 ± 4.1 kg), stratified …

Role Of Lactic Acid Bacteria As A Bio-Sanitizer To Prevent Attachment Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Deli Slicer Contact Surfaces, And The Influence Of Listeria Innocua On The Attachment Of L. Monocytogenes On Selected Materials Located In The Food-Processing Environment, Jean Baptiste Ndahetuye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes an important foodborne pathogen that continues to be a serious problem for the food industry. This pathogen contaminates food primarily during post-harvest in the food-processing environment. Its ecology in the food-processing environment is not well understood but previous research has demonstrated the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive on food contact surfaces after cleaning and disinfection. The current study explored the attachment of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactobacillus animalis , Lb. amylovorus and Pediococcus acidilactici , their combination in a cocktail, and their influence to prevent the attachment of L. monocytogenes at room temperature by examining …

Multifunctionality In U.S. Rice Production: A Logit Analysis In Farmers Participation, Juan Tur Cardona

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multifunctional agriculture is particularly fundamental to some working lands conservation policies and programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Conservation Security Program (CSP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP). Farmers can also be engaged in providing recreational and agri-tourism services such as hunting, fishing, bird-watching, farm tours, petting zoos and hospitality services. Using the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) we analyze factors associated with participation in conservation, recreation and agri-tourism activities as a function of farm structure, farm financial measures, production practices, and socio-demographic characteristics of the farm operator. To estimate the functional relationships we estimate a binary …

Faculty And Staff Perceptions Of Sustainability Initiatives On Three Arkansas Two-Year College Campuses, Kenneth Ray Warden Iii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore higher education faculty and staff perspectives on sustainability initiatives within their respective institutions. Subjects of this study were faculty and staff members from three rural two year institutions of higher education in Arkansas. Data was gathered using an electronically delivered survey instrument. The survey organized sustainability initiatives into three categories which are management, academic, and operations. The organization of the survey was based upon the National Wildlife Federation's study, Campus Environment 2008; A National Report Card on Sustainability in Higher Education. In effort to determine the relationship if any between the …

Fluorescence Enhancement Using One-Dimensional Photonic Band Gap Multilayer Structure, Jian Gao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fluorescence enhancement using one-dimensional photonic band gap (1DPBG) multilayer structures is demonstrated in this dissertation. Designed with proper refractive indices and thicknesses, the alternating high and low index multilayer thin film structures combine photonic crystal resonance and omni-directional reflection together to enhance the excitation light irradiance and improve the collection efficiency of the fluorescent emission light with different polarizations. Gallium phosphide was chosen as the high index material and its fabrication process was optimized. The field enhancement effect was experimentally confirmed for two designs with achieved enhancement factors of 50̃69 folds corresponding to TE and TM waves. The omni-directional reflection …

Gene Expression And Physiological Analyses To Study Metabolic Shifts In Medicago Truncatula Subjected To Biotic Stresses, Michelle Ryan Martin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plants are frequently under attack from pests and deploy various defense mechanisms to fight off predators. Many plant defenses are induced following herbivory or pathogen infection. An investment in defense could potentially lead to a diversion of metabolic resources away from primary metabolism, including reduction in plant commitment to photosynthesis. In this thesis, changes in expression levels of representative genes for primary and secondary metabolism were studied using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Medicago truncatula Gaertner subjected to beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua H¨¹bner) damage or Phoma medicaginis Malbr. & Roum. infection. Photosynthetic yield was also measured using chlorophyll fluorescence …

Surface Wetting And Friction Studies Of Nano-Engineered Surfaces On Copper Substrate, Julius Sheldon Morehead

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nano-engineered-textures on a material surface can dramatically improve the wetting and non-wetting properties of a surface, and they also show promise to address friction issues that affect surfaces in contact. In this work, aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) of amorphous silicon (a-Si) was used to produce nano-textures on copper (Cu) substrates. A study was performed to examine the effects of changing the annealing conditions and a-Si thickness on nano-texture formation. The creation of various nano-topographies and chemically modifying them using octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8) was performed to control hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, and oil affinity of nano-textured surfaces. A video-based contact angle measurement system was used …

Perception Of Aquifer Depletion And The Effects Of Land Use Change Across The Madaba Plain, Jordan, Mohammad Salem

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In Jordan, demand for water for agricultural purposes has put a high strain on aquifer resources. Water mining, erosion, and desertification have all increased as global temperatures rise. This along with fragmentation of the landscape have altered the environment in a profound way. The Madaba Plain was chosen for this study due to the agricultural activities that take place there, as well as the proximity to a number of population centers. The purpose of the study is to examine how fragmentation of irrigated landscape has affected the aquifers underneath, while taking into account perceptions of risk of the local population. …

Removal Of Disinfection By-Product Precursors Using Magnetic Ion Exchange (Miex(R)): The Effects Of Ph And Source Water Variability, Sarah Cousins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) form as an unintended result of drinking water disinfection, from chemical reactions between disinfectants (e.g., free chlorine) and naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM). At present, 11 DBPs are regulated in treated drinking waters due to potential adverse health effects, including four trihalomethanes (THMs). Despite nearly 40 years of DBP research, compliance with DBP regulations remains a challenge for many drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), including the four DWTPs located on the Beaver Lake Reservoir in Northwest Arkansas. Due to the high net negative surface charge on DOM, anion exchange is one potentially viable method for removing …

The Incidence Of Plexiform Lesion Formation In Lines Divergently Selected For Ascites, James Grant Mason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Complex Vascular Lesions, (CVL) are a common vascular change associated with idiopathicpulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). CVL have been characterized in studies using animal models involving, but not limited to, Sprague-Dawley rats and poultry (Abe et al., 2010; Wideman et al., 2011).IPAH has been documented in poultry although no connection has been made with CVLs. The current study characterizes CVL in the lungs from broilers derived from lines divergently selected for 15 generations for ascites susceptibility under conditions of simulated high altitude. The ascites RES and SUS lines were sampled for CVL incidence over time. Both lines were reared in a …

Can Antioxidant-Rich Berries Improve Risk Factors Associated With Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Smokers?, Jordan Alaine Teeple

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and determine the efficacy of antioxidant-rich berries in ameliorating these risk factors in postmenopausal smokers. Menopause and cigarette smoking have been identified as major risk factors for CVD due to a decrease in antioxidant protection, increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, and adverse changes in serum lipids. Antioxidants, specifically flavonoid compounds found in blackberries and blueberries, have been shown to prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation and thus prevent downstream inflammation and oxidative stress. Healthy, postmenopausal nonsmokers (n=14) and smokers (n=31) …

Visualizing The Spatial Localization Of Active Matrix Metalloproteinases (Mmps) Using Maldi Imaging Ms, Sasirekha Muruganantham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biomaterial implantation induces the foreign body response (FBR). Development of longer-term implants relies on the thorough understanding of the FBR. The progression of the FBR is regulated by a number of biomolecules including cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The nature of the FBR requires the spatial and temporal regulation of these mediators. MMPs are an extremely large and diverse group of enzymes that play key roles in regulating the FBR. Precise spatiotemporal regulation of MMPs defines their proteolytic activities. The aim of this project is to develop a new bioanalytical method to visualize the localization of active MMPs at …

A Nietzschean Account Of Human Flourishing: Affirming The Will To Power Inside The Contours Of Friendship, Christian Joshua Roos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine Friedrich Nietzsche's notion of the will to power, his account of friendship and his understanding of human flourishing. Through textual analysis, I offer a new way of interpreting the will to power, as the achieving of self-realization. The process of achieving self-realization is undergirded by the satisfaction of seven existential needs that are rooted in the paradoxical human conflict between instincts and consciousness. The existential needs are the need for a frame of orientation, the need for devotion, the need for unity, the need for rootedness, the need for stimulation, the need for effectiveness and …

In Vitro Selection Of Aptamers Against Avian Influenza Virus H5n1, Jingjing Zhao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over $10 billion losses in the poultry industry were caused by avian influenza (AI) so far. Rapid and specific detection of avian influenza virus is urgently needed with the concerns over the outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus and cases of animal and human infection. Aptamers are oligonucleic acid or peptide molecules that bind a specific target molecule with good affinity. They show better thermal stability than antibodies. The goal of this research was to select DNA-aptamers as the specific recognition element of AI H5N1virus to be used in detection assays specific for field application. In this study, Systematic …

Fabrication Of Composite Nanomaterials For Thin Film Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Benjamin Seth Newton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A material with the precise combination of amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon would be able to take advantage of the high absorption capabilities of amorphous silicon and the electron transport capabilities of polycrystalline silicon. Polycrystalline nanostructures in the form of wires can also take advantage of other properties of light absorption, trapping and scattering inherent in nanowire structures. These properties of high absorption and electron transport in one device would lead to advances in the search for highly efficient low cost solar cells and sensors. In this work a thin film material composed of an array of polycrystalline silicon nanostructures …

Characterization And Molecular Analysis Of University Of Arkansas Peach, Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch, Flesh Types And Development Of A Post-Harvest Evaluation Protocol For Arkansas Peach And Nectarine Genotypes, Paul James Sandefur

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study determined the effect of pre-cold storage treatment on P. persica genotypes, developed a protocol for the evaluation of breeding selection and cultivar storage performance, and provided information on post-harvest performance of these individuals. Additionally, characterization of the peach and nectarine flesh types, validation of endopolygalacturonase (endoPG) DNA markers, and investigation of endoPG marker allele combinations associated with the slow-melting-flesh (SMF) trait were done.

Fruit from 30 individuals were harvested at minimum- and well-mature states. After conditioning for 24 h at 20 ◦C, all 2010 fruit were exposed to 2 min of 1 ◦C 100 ppm chlorinated hydro-cooling, a …

Effect Of Nutrient Supplements On Cucumber Fermentation By Lactic Acid Bacteria, Shruti Tripuraneni

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are important industrial microorganisms involved in fermentation of food and beverage products. The strict fermentative growth of LAB has complex requirements of various nutrients including amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Information about the effect of these nutrients on the growth of LAB in cucumber fermentation is not readily available. It is evident, from previous research that certain nutrients like; leucine, isoleucine, tryptophan, valine, biotin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, manganese and magnesium are beneficial for LAB growth, but are not provided in sufficient quantities by the cucumber in the brine. The objective of this study was …

Subcritical Water Hydrolysis Of Whey Proteins, Ashley Dawn Espinoza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydrolyzing food by-products is a unique approach to potentially increase by-product value and reduce waste. An abundant by-product of cheese production, whey, contains all essential amino acids and some distinctive peptides with functional and nutraceutical properties. Typically, proteins from whey are tailored for specific uses by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis; however, subcritical water hydrolysis is a novel alternative used successfully to hydrolyze various substrates. Nevertheless, minimal research exists on: (1) the hydrolysis of whey protein; (2) the incorporation of additives; (3) the hydrolysis of whole whey; and (4) the production of volatiles when using subcritical water hydrolysis.

Therefore, whey protein …

Synthesis Of Zinc Oxide Nanorods And Use In Biosensor Applications, Anishkumar Manoharan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main aim of this research was to develop a nanorod based biosensor for biomedical applications. In this project I use zinc oxide nanorods as the bio-material for biosensor. I fabricated these nanorods using a solution-based technique. Initially I coated a zinc oxide seed layer as the base. This seed layer was then annealed at 350 degrees for almost 1 hour. As a next step, interdigitated electrodes were fabricated on the top of the seed layer using a lift off process. The zinc oxide nanorods were then grown at 90 degrees for almost 4 hours along the electrodes. In this …