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Oc Washing And Checking: Examining The Selective Impairments In Evolved Disease Avoidance And Safety Management Mechanisms, Alison G. Aylward
Oc Washing And Checking: Examining The Selective Impairments In Evolved Disease Avoidance And Safety Management Mechanisms, Alison G. Aylward
Open Access Dissertations
Three studies were conducted to examine the possibility that the expression of obsessive-compulsive (OC) washing and checking symptoms reflect impairments in cognitive mechanisms underlying adaptations for disease avoidance and physical harm avoidance, respectively. Studies provided initial evidence that specialized attention, memory and reasoning processes exist depending on whether adaptations for disease avoidance or physical harm avoidance are activated. The data provided no support for the hypothesis that individuals expressing OC contamination and physical harm concerns evince concern-related attention, memory, and reasoning biases.
Study Of Interactions Between Dna And Gold Nanoparticles For Biosensor Applications, Jiaqi Zou
Study Of Interactions Between Dna And Gold Nanoparticles For Biosensor Applications, Jiaqi Zou
Open Access Dissertations
Optical biosensors that utilize unmodified Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and nucleic acid probes are one of the most popular biosensors, thanks to the unique colorimetric and fluorescent properties of GNPs. These biosensors are based on the interactions between GNPs, DNA probes, and target molecules. As a result, their performance is dependent on the relative binding strength between DNA probes, GNPs, and target molecules. However, there is no systematic study on the thermodynamics and kinetics of interactions between DNA and GNPs. Moreover, there is no accessible tool for biomedical researchers to quantitatively study the interactions between DNA probes and target molecules, which …
The Effects Of Nursery Habitat Loss On Juvenile Lemon Sharks, Negaprion Brevirostris, Kristine L. Stump
The Effects Of Nursery Habitat Loss On Juvenile Lemon Sharks, Negaprion Brevirostris, Kristine L. Stump
Open Access Dissertations
The lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, is a large coastal elasmobranch that relies on shallow nearshore nursery areas for increased juvenile survival throughout its range. Habitat loss due to anthropogenic development has occurred globally at large scales, particularly in the coastal zone. In Bimini, Bahamas, where lemon sharks use mangrove-fringed lagoons and creeks as nurseries, the construction of a large resort and marina complex has altered the natural environment through mangrove removal, seabed dredging and the filling of wetlands. The Bimini system is one of the most well-studied in all elasmobranch literature. Given the wealth of pre-disturbance data, this study was …
Vertical Connectivity In Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems, Daniel M. Holstein
Vertical Connectivity In Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems, Daniel M. Holstein
Open Access Dissertations
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCE) are defined as phototrophic coral habitats found deeper than 30 m. Despite being aware of these ecosystems for over 200 years, surprisingly little information is available on their ecology and biology. Recently, MCE have received renewed interest, as it appears that depth and distance from shore have the potential to buffer coral organisms from the detrimental effects of coastal development and climate change. The “deep reef refugia hypothesis” (DRRH) is an umbrella term for a collection of hypotheses concerning the role of MCE in the uncertain future of coral reefs, yet our predictions are limited by …
Parental Support Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth Following Disclosure: A Longitudinal, Cohort-Sequential Study, Hallie R. Bregman
Parental Support Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth Following Disclosure: A Longitudinal, Cohort-Sequential Study, Hallie R. Bregman
Open Access Dissertations
Parent support is believed to be important for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth, particularly in the context of parental acceptance in response to youth disclosure of their sexual identity. While preliminary research has examined the importance of parental acceptance at the time of disclosure using retrospective reports, few studies have examined if and how parental acceptance changes over time since disclosure, and no study has assessed paired youth and parent perspectives on parental acceptance. Furthermore, there is a limited understanding of the ways that family interaction patterns influence parent reactions to youth disclosure. The present study aimed to understand parental …
Dynamics Of Sea Temperature Variability On Florida's Reef Tract, Lewis J. Gramer
Dynamics Of Sea Temperature Variability On Florida's Reef Tract, Lewis J. Gramer
Open Access Dissertations
Variability in 5- to 25-year records of hourly mean in situ sea temperature, ocean currents, and meteorology at diverse shallow-water habitats in the Florida reef tract (FRT) is analyzed. Tidal, diurnal, and annual periodicities generally dominate sea temperature variability, with strong variability apparent in the "weather band" of 3-42 d at one reef-flat site, and at the local inertial period at one offshore site near the shelf break. A statistically significant interannual warming trend is also observed at this one offshore site only. Significant covariability between sea temperature and coincident air temperature, wind speed, sea-surface temperature (SST) gradients, and incident …
Cpsp As A Mediator Of Resiliency And Coping Among Military Healthcare Personnel, Christopher P. Weidlich
Cpsp As A Mediator Of Resiliency And Coping Among Military Healthcare Personnel, Christopher P. Weidlich
Open Access Dissertations
Military healthcare providers who were exposed to direct combat activity are shown to have an increased prevalence of depression and PTSD compared to healthcare providers reporting less frequent exposure. To address these issues, the Army leadership recognized the Care Provider Support Program (CPSP) as a way to improve the resiliency of healthcare providers. The purpose of this pilot longitudinal cohort study was to update what is currently known about the resiliency, coping, and compassion fatigue of Army and Civilian Nurses, LPNs, and Medics who treat wounded Soldiers and whether these factors can be improved over a sustained period of time. …
Lighting Molecules With Light: Fluorescence Activation With Photochromic Oxazines, Janet Cusido
Lighting Molecules With Light: Fluorescence Activation With Photochromic Oxazines, Janet Cusido
Open Access Dissertations
Photoactivatable fluorophores switch from a nonemissive to an emissive state upon illumination at an activating wavelength and then emit after irradiation at an exciting wavelength. The interplay of such activation and excitation events can be exploited to switch fluorescence on in a defined region of space at a given interval of time. In turn, the spatiotemporal control of fluorescence translates into the opportunity to implement imaging and spectroscopic schemes that are not possible with conventional fluorophores. Specifically, photoactivatable fluorophores permit the monitoring of dynamic processes in real time as well as the reconstruction of images with subdiffraction resolution. These promising …
Studies Of Molecular Encapsulation And Preparation Of Novel Cage Molecules, Yanhua Qiu
Studies Of Molecular Encapsulation And Preparation Of Novel Cage Molecules, Yanhua Qiu
Open Access Dissertations
This dissertation deals with studies of molecular encapsulation and preparation of novel molecular cages. The author begins in Chapter 1 with a short discussion of molecular encapsulation and some of the molecular hosts such as cavitands, carcerands, hemicarcerands, hexamericresorcinarene capsules and molecular cages and then presents more introductory material on a deep cavity cavitand and cucurbit[7]uril since the author’s research is majorly based on these two molecular hosts. The author is interested in the electrochemistry studies of redox-active guests and their electrochemical kinetic changes before and upon encapsulation in aqueous solution so as to mimick the behavior of redox proteins …
Improving Exercise Adherence And Physical Measures In Latina Women, Lorena Martin
Improving Exercise Adherence And Physical Measures In Latina Women, Lorena Martin
Open Access Dissertations
Purpose. Epidemiological data have established that lack of physical activity increases risk factors for chronic diseases. Data also suggests that physical activity participation is lowest in women minorities particularly Latina women and that the nature of the exercise and attitudes toward the importance of exercise may influence exercise adherence. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypertrophy training (HT) or power training (PT) used concomitantly with evaluative conditioning (EC), or neutral conditioning (NC) as a control, on exercise adherence as well as changes in body composition, neuromuscular performance, functional capacity, and psychosocial variables in Latina women. …
The Influences Of Early Temperament And Emotion Regulation On Social Competence In Middle Childhood, Elizabeth Carmen Penela
The Influences Of Early Temperament And Emotion Regulation On Social Competence In Middle Childhood, Elizabeth Carmen Penela
Open Access Dissertations
Behaviorally inhibited children are predisposed toward social difficulties, but other environmental and within-child characteristics, such as emotion regulation, also influence social development. This study longitudinally examined: (1) independent influences of behavior inhibition and emotion regulation on future social competence, (2) associations between behavior inhibition and emotion regulation, and (3) the moderating role of emotion regulation on the relation between behavior inhibition and social competence. Participants (N = 257) were enrolled in a larger study of temperament and social development. Maternal-report questionnaires and behavioral observations (ages 2 and 3) were used to assess behavior inhibition. Children’s active and passive regulation strategy …
The Heterogeneity And Metastability Of Multipotent Hematopoietic Cells, Wendy W. Weston
The Heterogeneity And Metastability Of Multipotent Hematopoietic Cells, Wendy W. Weston
Open Access Dissertations
Increasing numbers of studies are reporting phenotypic and functional heterogeneity within a variety of stem cell types as well as the existence of inter-convertible subsets within hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), suggesting that these cells are alternating between several metastable states. The extent of heterogeneity and metastability in HSCs remains to be explored in depth. The metastability of HSCs is most likely positively and negatively regulated by currently unknown cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms emanating from HSC niches. But the regulation of HSC metastability by bone marrow (BM) niche cells is not currently understood. Numerous studies have shown that phenotypic, functional …
Potentiating Anti-Tumor Immunity Using Aptamer-Sirna Conjugates, Randall J. Brenneman
Potentiating Anti-Tumor Immunity Using Aptamer-Sirna Conjugates, Randall J. Brenneman
Open Access Dissertations
The host immune system plays an important role in the development and control of cancer, yet cancer cells often elaborate mechanisms to evade this regulation. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is a pleiotropic cytokine often overexpressed by cancers due to TGFβ’s growth-promoting effect on tumor cells and suppressive function on multiple cell types of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Genetic ablation of TGFβ signaling induces significant and toxic immune responses against host tissues, but when signaling is selectively ablated in cells of the adaptive immune system, such as CD8+ T cells, they become capable of mediating protection against various …
Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention For Primary Prevention Of Renal Decline In Type 2 Diabetics, Ashley E. Moncrieft
Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention For Primary Prevention Of Renal Decline In Type 2 Diabetics, Ashley E. Moncrieft
Open Access Dissertations
Reduced glomerular filtration rate and increased albuminuria often develop in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and are predictive of chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease. Risk for renal disease in T2DM has been associated with cardiometabolic risk factors including, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Weight loss is associated with improved outcomes in T2DM patients with existing renal disease and may also reduce risk in patients without renal disease via reduction of cardiometabolic risk factors. The aims of this study were (1) to examine the effects of a behavioral weight loss intervention on renal outcomes in T2DM patients without evidence of renal disease, …
Articular Cartilage Response Following Impact Injury, Lauren L. Vernon
Articular Cartilage Response Following Impact Injury, Lauren L. Vernon
Open Access Dissertations
Articular cartilage is a connective tissue that distributes mechanical loads within the knee. When injured, cartilage has a limited ability to heal. If left untreated, cartilage injuries can lead to chondrocyte death, which leads to cartilage deterioration (osteoarthritis), pain, and disability. Mechanical factors, such as impact injuries, are considered a major cause of the resulting cartilage degeneration. However, therapies that focus on early intervention have not been developed. Furthermore, high and low weight bearing regions exist within the knee. Differences in cartilage mechanical conditioning in these regions result in regional properties differences such as thickness, proteoglycan content, metabolism, and chondrocyte …
Buscando El Moro: A Constructivist Approach To Health Decision-Making In A Dominican Batey, Hilary Harrison Cook
Buscando El Moro: A Constructivist Approach To Health Decision-Making In A Dominican Batey, Hilary Harrison Cook
Open Access Dissertations
The field of public health has long sought to improve health and well-being. Originally incorporating socially embedded views of health, the field of epidemiology has largely abandoned this perspective in exchange for statistics-based approximations in population health research. However, a new movement in public health has been gaining momentum slowly that legitimizes other ways of approaching this research. In particular, value has been placed on lived health experiences, and supporting both social justice and community-based health research. By challenging the epistemological grounds of traditional epidemiological research, an argument is put forth for a constructivist epistemology in health research. Simply put, …
Thermodynamic, Kinetic And Mechanistic Investigations Of Binding And Activation Of Molecular Oxygen And Mesityl Nitrile Oxide, Xiaochen Cai
Thermodynamic, Kinetic And Mechanistic Investigations Of Binding And Activation Of Molecular Oxygen And Mesityl Nitrile Oxide, Xiaochen Cai
Open Access Dissertations
Oxygen activation and binding to two transition-metal systems: late transition-metal system Pd(L1)(L2) (L1= NHC, L2= NHC or PR3) and early transition-metal system V(N(tBu)Ar)3 (Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3) was explored in order to gain information about the thermodynamics, kinetics and mechanism of O2 binding to metal complexes. In this work, a novel oxygen binding mode was discovered and the resulting complex Pd(IPr)2(η1-O2)2 was reported as the first η1 oxygenation palladium complex. This reaction was further studied and a plausible mechanism of O2 binding to Pd(L1)(L2) system was proposed, in which the effect of ligands bulkiness and an equilibrium between η1-Pd and η2-Pd …
Regulation Of Cardiac Hypertrophy By Makap-Anchored Rsk3, Michael D. Kritzer-Cheren
Regulation Of Cardiac Hypertrophy By Makap-Anchored Rsk3, Michael D. Kritzer-Cheren
Open Access Dissertations
ERK MAP-kinases regulate the concentric growth and survival of cardiac myocytes. Recently, we discovered that the ERK effector RSK3 binds to the scaffold protein mAKAP at the cardiac myocyte nuclear envelope. RSK3 activation was specifically regulated by ERK1/2/5, but not JNK and p38, in phenylephrine (PE), leukemia inhibitory factor and serum-treated neonatal cardiac myocytes. RSK3 siRNA inhibited PE-increased myocyte cross-section area 36 +/- 6%, while completely inhibiting ANF and BNP expression. To address the importance in RSK3 anchoring in its function, we expressed the RSK3 binding domain of mAKAP in myocytes. The peptide inhibited morphologic hypertrophy 63 +/- 16% and …
Emotion Regulation In Depression: Investigating Mechanisms Underlying Reappraisal, Catherine M. D'Avanzato
Emotion Regulation In Depression: Investigating Mechanisms Underlying Reappraisal, Catherine M. D'Avanzato
Open Access Dissertations
Sustained negative affect is a hallmark feature of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and much evidence indicates that depression is associated with difficulties regulating negative emotions. Whereas many studies have demonstrated an association between rumination and depression, few studies have examined depressed individuals’ ability to utilize adaptive strategies, such as reappraisal. The present study was the first to investigate whether individuals with depression have difficulty effectively using reappraisal in response to a laboratory mood induction. Further, we examined whether interpretive biases and cognitive control deficits underlie individual differences in the ability to reappraise. Consistent with hypotheses, results demonstrated that reappraisal was …
Cross-Domain Latent Growth Modeling Of Sexuality, Social Support, And Quality Of Life In Men After Treatment For Prostate Cancer, Catherine Benedict
Cross-Domain Latent Growth Modeling Of Sexuality, Social Support, And Quality Of Life In Men After Treatment For Prostate Cancer, Catherine Benedict
Open Access Dissertations
Treatment for prostate cancer (PC) often leads to sexual side effects that impact patients, partners, and relationship functioning. Research has focused on the direct effects of sexual dysfunction (i.e., physiologic impairment) on quality of life (QOL); empirical evaluation of psychological and relational domains of sexuality is limited. Psychosocial adjustment to sexual dysfunction (i.e., sexual adjustment) may be one mechanism by which post-treatment sexual side effects impact QOL. Furthermore, the extent to which men perceive their partners as being (un)supportive may affect sexual adjustment processes and QOL. It is unknown how changes in sexual adjustment, partner-specific social support, and QOL are …
Spectroscopic Investigation Of Intra- And Intermolecular Interactions Of Donor-Acceptor Pi-Systems, Edward Adjaye-Mensah
Spectroscopic Investigation Of Intra- And Intermolecular Interactions Of Donor-Acceptor Pi-Systems, Edward Adjaye-Mensah
Open Access Dissertations
The use of fluorophores for specific applications is determined to a large extent by their optical and electronic properties. These properties, however, are controlled by their sensitivity to microenvironment as well as their intra- and intermolecular interactions. This research effort explores how molecular interactions affect the optoelectronic properties of selected fluorophores and, thus, guides their use as fluorescent probes or photoactive materials in organic electronic applications. A combined spectroscopic and computational approaches was utilized in the first part to examine the photophysical properties of two different classes of probes: the highly responsive multisensing 4,6-diphenylpyrimidones and 4-[2-(6-hydroxy-2-naphthalenyl)-ethenyl]-1-methyl-pyridinium (HNEP+) and its deprotonated …
Love In A Time Of Trauma: Imagining Queer Female Sexualities In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Stephanie M. Selvick
Love In A Time Of Trauma: Imagining Queer Female Sexualities In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Stephanie M. Selvick
Open Access Dissertations
My dissertation analyzes competing discourses of sexuality in contemporary South Africa, and contributes to a much-needed nascent critical conversation engaging postcolonial studies, African studies, and sexuality studies. South Africa’s 1996 constitution is celebrated as the most progressive in the world in terms of gender and sexuality, but this legal achievement is belied by the on-going, much-publicized rape crisis -- including the “corrective” rape of lesbians. This crisis has occurred in the context of an AIDS epidemic and government denial of the increase of both rape and AIDS. I argue that authors and artists respond to this crisis by representing stigmatized …
A Series Of Meta-Analytic Tests Of The Depletion Effect, Evan C. Carter
A Series Of Meta-Analytic Tests Of The Depletion Effect, Evan C. Carter
Open Access Dissertations
Few models of self-control have generated as much scientific interest as the limited strength model. The basic pattern of results predicted by this model is that acts of self-control that follow previous acts of self-control will be less likely to succeed (i.e., the so-called depletion effect). Based on results from a recent meta-analysis, researchers have concluded that the depletion effect is robust across experimental contexts and consistently medium in magnitude. Here, I detail three reasons to think that these estimates are inflated. To correct these estimates, I updated the earlier meta-analytic dataset and applied a set of statistical analyses to …
Role Of Mitochondria In Hiv Infection, Gaofei Lu
Role Of Mitochondria In Hiv Infection, Gaofei Lu
Open Access Dissertations
HIV-1 hijacks our cellular machinery to complete its life cycle. A better understanding of the interactions between cellular proteins and viral components will certainly lead to the discovery of new ways to inhibit viral replication. My primary research goals are directed toward understanding the basis of molecular interactions between viral and host factors (proteins or organelles) during infection of human cells. In my thesis, the role of mitochondria in the early stage of HIV infection has been evaluated by using a VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-based lentiviral vector. I have observed that cells lacking mitochondrial DNA (ρ0 cells), isolated from an established …
Sociodemographic And Clinical Factors Associated With The Diagnosis, Initial Treatment Selection And Survival Of Prostate Cancer In Florida, Donald L. Parris Jr
Sociodemographic And Clinical Factors Associated With The Diagnosis, Initial Treatment Selection And Survival Of Prostate Cancer In Florida, Donald L. Parris Jr
Open Access Dissertations
Prostate cancer is the most common solid malignancy diagnosed in American men. One in six men in the US is expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Despite the large number of men diagnosed every year with prostate cancer, there is no consensus concerning the best and most appropriate treatment. Moreover, most men with early stage prostate cancer have a life expectancy comparable to similarly aged men without prostate cancer and will die with prostate cancer rather than from prostate cancer. Without evidence supporting one treatment over another, it is important to understand the factors that inform …
The Mutant Factor. Transformations And Mutations Of The Monstrous In Contemporary Ibero-American Texts, Salvador Luis Raggio
The Mutant Factor. Transformations And Mutations Of The Monstrous In Contemporary Ibero-American Texts, Salvador Luis Raggio
Open Access Dissertations
This dissertation explores recent changes in the category of the monstrous by extrapolating the biological notion of mutation into the context of Ibero-American novels, comic books, and films. By analyzing late twentieth century and early twenty-first century textual and visual narratives from Spain and Latin America, this study proposes a reformulation of the monster paradigm and signals specific contemporary representations that move away from a monolithic and fixed category to a more relative one. Consequently, this dissertation suggests a new sensibility towards grand narratives in the figure of the mutant, a symptom of imminent change, heterogeneity, and variety. Conceived as …
Genetic And Environmental Predictors Of Empathy In Children At Risk For An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nicole Marie Mcdonald
Genetic And Environmental Predictors Of Empathy In Children At Risk For An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nicole Marie Mcdonald
Open Access Dissertations
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulty empathizing with others. These empathy deficits are apparent from as early as 12 months of age and predict later ASD diagnosis and symptom severity; however, the factors that influence empathy development in children at risk for an ASD are not clear. In typically developing samples, genetic factors, such as the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), and environmental factors, such as early parent-child interactions, contribute to individual differences in empathy. In this study, I investigated the influence of OXTR variants and characteristics of early parent-child interactions on later empathic behavior in toddlers at high- …
Biophysical Insights Into The Oligomerization Of Bclxl Apoptotic Repressor, Vikas Bhat
Biophysical Insights Into The Oligomerization Of Bclxl Apoptotic Repressor, Vikas Bhat
Open Access Dissertations
The BclXL apoptotic repressor, a member of the B-cell lymphoma 2 family of proteins, plays a central role in determining the fate of cells to live or die during physiological processes such as embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Herein, using a wide array of biophysical methods, I investigate the molecular basis of action of BclXL. Briefly, I provide evidence that BclXL bears intrinsic propensity to oligomerize in solution. Importantly, such oligomerization of BclXL is driven by the intermolecular binding of its C-terminal transmembrane (TM) domain to the canonical hydrophobic groove in a domain-swapped trans fashion, whereby the TM domain of …
The Relationship Between Carbonate Chemistry And Calcification On The Florida Reef Tract, And In The Symbiotic Reef Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Nancy Muehllehner
The Relationship Between Carbonate Chemistry And Calcification On The Florida Reef Tract, And In The Symbiotic Reef Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Nancy Muehllehner
Open Access Dissertations
Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2) dissolves in the ocean, decreasing the calcium carbonate saturation state (Ωaragonite) and creating conditions unfavorable for calcification (G) in reef-building corals. Understanding the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs requires a robust description of the relationship between Ω and calcification (Ω-G) at both the reef scale and at the organismal scale. To evaluate the Ω-G relationship on the reef, we conducted repeat surveys across 200 km of the Florida Reef Tract over a 2 year period. Results showed that net community calcification switches from positive in the summer to negative in the winter, indicating …
Characterization Of Perforin-2, A Novel Anti-Bacterial, Pore-Forming Protein Of The Innate Immune System, Lesley R. De Armas
Characterization Of Perforin-2, A Novel Anti-Bacterial, Pore-Forming Protein Of The Innate Immune System, Lesley R. De Armas
Open Access Dissertations
Pore-forming proteins such as the membrane attack complex (MAC) of the complement system and Perforin of cytotoxic lymphocytes are potent host defense effectors employed by the immune system. These proteins share a structurally conserved domain, MACPF that is responsible for ring formation and membrane insertion of these toxic molecules. The objective of the current study was to identify the function of a third MACPF-containing pore-former of the immune system, Macrophage expressed gene 1 (Mpeg1). Mpeg1 encodes a highly conserved, membrane-bound protein which we have designated Perforin-2 (P-2). P-2 is induced upon monocyte maturation, is constitutively expressed by macrophages and upregulated …