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Endogenous Lipids In Glaucoma, Genea Edwards
Endogenous Lipids In Glaucoma, Genea Edwards
Open Access Dissertations
Glaucoma refers to a group of late onset, except for juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG), irreversible blinding diseases that are frequently associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and affects about 60.5 million people worldwide. The elevation of IOP in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) occurs due to impeded aqueous humor (AH) outflow. There are two routes of AH outflow: conventional through trabecular meshwork (TM) and uveoscleral. The outflow is reduced in glaucoma due to increased resistance to outflow at TM. Lowering IOP is the only proven strategy for protecting the optic nerve from glaucomatous optic neuropathy even in a group of …
The Role Of Mtfmt In Mammalian Mitochondria, Tania D. Arguello
The Role Of Mtfmt In Mammalian Mitochondria, Tania D. Arguello
Open Access Dissertations
The Mitochondrial Methionyl-tRNA Formyltransferase (Mtfmt) is a nuclear gene encoding for a protein with exclusive function in mitochondria. During initiation of mitochondrial protein synthesis, the MTFMT enzyme N-formylates the first methionine that appears to be required for the synthesis of the 13 polypeptides encoded by the mitochondrial DNA. In humans, mutations in the MTFMT gene are associated with Leigh syndrome. Studies in fibroblasts from patients sharing the most frequent disease allele (c.626 C>T in exon 4), showed mitochondrial protein synthesis. Biochemical studies into the mutation suggest that protein synthesis depend upon residual levels of the mutated MTFMT protein. My …
Evolution Of Two Genomes: Impact Of Sequence Divergence On Mitochondrial Function, Tara Zeynep Baris
Evolution Of Two Genomes: Impact Of Sequence Divergence On Mitochondrial Function, Tara Zeynep Baris
Open Access Dissertations
The oxidative phosphorylation pathway (OxPhos) is the only pathway where proteins are encoded by both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. It is also responsible for creating the majority of ATP used by animal cells. The critical role this pathway plays in animal cells, and it’s reliance on two genomes makes it a perfect system to study the co-evolution of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Using Fundulus heteroclitus, an ectotherm inhabiting a steep thermal cline along the eastern coast of the United States, I explore the effect of temperature on the evolution of this important pathway, as well as the associations …
Application Of Finger Gymnastics For Retraining And Refining Piano Technique, P. David Encalada Leon
Application Of Finger Gymnastics For Retraining And Refining Piano Technique, P. David Encalada Leon
Open Access Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to offer a conceptual basis and physical actions to retrain specific physiological settings, which are: 1) excessive and/or permanent stress of fingers at the flexor/extensor muscles, and 2) under development and thumb’s functionality and coordination, both common causes of rigidity and stagnation of fingers while playing the piano. Exercises and actions selected to fulfill this purpose belong to several authors that have designed gymnastic exercises and routines for hand and fingers, as well as those created by myself and this research’s advisor Dr. Naoko Takao. The exercises are sequenced following specific targeted outcomes, complemented …
Spectroscopy Based Approaches For Detection Of Ions, Alpha-L-Fucosidase, And Singlet Oxygen, Eric Waidely
Spectroscopy Based Approaches For Detection Of Ions, Alpha-L-Fucosidase, And Singlet Oxygen, Eric Waidely
Open Access Dissertations
The detection of unknown analytes is a staple of analytical chemistry. Whether it be contaminants, biomarkers, or potential medicine, quantifying the presence of analytes can lead to great benefits. Toxic contaminants in food and water cause many health complications and can often be fatal. Due to industrialization, water contamination has become a more common problem of modern society. Poor environmental awareness in mining practices can yield toxic metal contamination into water supplies. Water containing heavy metals can lead to a regional health crisis, as the local water can no longer be used for drinking or farming practices. One way in …
The Ontogeny Of Duets In A Neotropical Bird, The Canebrake Wren, Karla D. Rivera Cáceres
The Ontogeny Of Duets In A Neotropical Bird, The Canebrake Wren, Karla D. Rivera Cáceres
Open Access Dissertations
Interactions in which individuals exchange vocal signals are an important aspect of communication in many species. Human conversation provides one familiar example. Other examples drawn from songbirds are countersinging between territorial males and duetting between mated males and females. The development of vocal signals such as human speech and the song of songbirds has been amply studied, but, we know significantly less about the development of the rules that mediate vocal interactions in these groups. Because of the interactive nature of duets, duetting species provide an ideal model system to study the development of vocal interaction rules. Duets involve specific …
Observations And Modeling Of Turbulent Air-Sea Coupling In Coastal And Strongly Forced Conditions, David G. Ortiz-Suslow
Observations And Modeling Of Turbulent Air-Sea Coupling In Coastal And Strongly Forced Conditions, David G. Ortiz-Suslow
Open Access Dissertations
The turbulent fluxes of momentum, mass, and energy across the ocean-atmosphere boundary are fundamental to our understanding of a myriad of geophysical processes, such as wind-wave generation, oceanic circulation, and air-sea gas transfer. In order to better understand these fluxes, empirical relationships were developed to quantify the interfacial exchange rates in terms of easily observed parameters (e.g., wind speed). However, mounting evidence suggests that these empirical formulae are only valid over the relatively narrow parametric space, i.e. open ocean conditions in light to moderate winds. Several near-surface processes have been observed to cause significant variance in the air-sea fluxes not …
The Combined Effects Of Increased Temperature And Ocean Acidification On The Early Life History Stages Of Caribbean Coral And Its Implication For The Recovery Potential Of Florida Reefs, Jay Fisch
Open Access Dissertations
The early life history stages of coral are an essential component determining the recovery potential of coral reefs through sexual reproduction and recruitment. The pelagic larval phase is inherent in all coral species regardless of differing reproductive strategies and is the only time in coral life history where large scale movement is possible allowing for the repopulation of reef areas both within and outside the natal reef habitat. In the face of climate change, the larval dispersal and recruitment phase will take place in a warmer more acidic ocean if we continue on the path of unabated fossil fuel emissions. …
Extended Charge Carrier Lifetimes In Hierarchical Donor-Acceptor Supramolecular Polymer Films, Carmen Xenia Guzman
Extended Charge Carrier Lifetimes In Hierarchical Donor-Acceptor Supramolecular Polymer Films, Carmen Xenia Guzman
Open Access Dissertations
With an impending surge in the global demand for energy, there is a need for disruptive solar energy harvesting approaches. Supramolecular donor-acceptor polymers that undergo long-distance, photo-induced charge separation, are one solution to this challenge. We report that supramolecular polymer films composed of a 2:1 mixture of mono-diamidopyridine diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) electron donors and perylene derived bisdiimide (PDI) electron acceptors, undergo photo-induced charge transfer in the solid-state. The two monomers form 2:1 helical heteroaggregate supramolecular polymers as a result of triple H-bonding and π •••π stacking orthogonal to the H-bonding axis. Using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, we demonstrate that recombination lifetimes …
Cdx4 Regulates The Onset Of Spinal Cord Neurogenesis., Piyush Kumar Joshi
Cdx4 Regulates The Onset Of Spinal Cord Neurogenesis., Piyush Kumar Joshi
Open Access Dissertations
Deciphering the mechanisms involved in regulating cell fate decisions is crucial to understanding the development of living organisms. Cells transition from one cellular state to another during the process of differentiation, ultimately acquiring specialized functions. At each step in the differentiation pathway the next state is prescribed by the regulatory state of the cell, as defined by the totality of the active transcription factors. The activity of these transcription factors determines the response of the cell to the signaling information it may encounter in its immediate surroundings, thus dictating the path taken by the cell in response to the environmental …
Attachment Security Differs By Later Autism Spectrum Disorder Outcome: A Prospective Study, Katherine Blair Martin
Attachment Security Differs By Later Autism Spectrum Disorder Outcome: A Prospective Study, Katherine Blair Martin
Open Access Dissertations
Attachment in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has typically been assessed retrospectively after diagnosis (> 30 months), primarily using non-standardized protocols, making it difficult to interpret and compare across studies in normative and atypical samples. We assessed attachment security prospectively at 15 months in high-risk infants with later (3 year) ASD (High-Risk/ASD, n=16), and high- (High-Risk/No-ASD, n=40) and low-risk (Low-Risk/No-ASD, n=39) infants without later ASD- using the standard Strange Situation Procedure. High-Risk/ASD infants were disproportionately more likely to be classified as insecure (vs. secure, 2-way) and insecure-resistant (vs. secure vs. avoidant, 3-way) than High-Risk/No-ASD and Low-Risk/No-ASD (2-way, 56.3%, 15.0%, …
The Female Percussionist: Social And Cultural Perspectives, Ksenija Komljenović
The Female Percussionist: Social And Cultural Perspectives, Ksenija Komljenović
Open Access Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of and perceptions about professional female percussionists. The history of female participation in music in Western society reveals patterns of bias and segregation, in addition to progress made by those who fought for equality. Although a significant body of research has focused on gender instrument bias, the topic of female percussionists has been largely untended. Previous literature reveals several themes underlying this topic, including sex stereotyping of roles in music, instrument choice, childhood gender roles and their social context, role modeling in higher educational institutions, work-life balance, and reported issues …
Parameterization Of An Ecosystem Model And Application For Assessing The Utility Of Gulf Of Mexico Pelagic Longline Spatial Closures, Holly A. Perryman
Parameterization Of An Ecosystem Model And Application For Assessing The Utility Of Gulf Of Mexico Pelagic Longline Spatial Closures, Holly A. Perryman
Open Access Dissertations
Many highly migratory predator stocks that occupy the Gulf of Mexico are at risk, and the collapse of stocks could harm fisheries and ecosystems. Two pelagic longline spatial closures within the pelagic waters of the Gulf of Mexico have been established to protect pelagic species. In 2000, a permanent closure was established around DeSoto Canyon, with the management objectives of reducing catch and rebuilding biomass of bycatch and incidental catch species while minimizing impact to catch of target species. In 2015, a seasonal closure was established off the Louisiana shelf (Spring Closure), with the management objectives of reducing catch and …
Targeting Of Rage-Ligand Signaling Impairs Breast Cancer Cell Invasion And Metastasis, Taekyoung Kwak
Targeting Of Rage-Ligand Signaling Impairs Breast Cancer Cell Invasion And Metastasis, Taekyoung Kwak
Open Access Dissertations
The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE) is pattern recognition receptor for multiple ligands including AGEs, DNA, HMGB1, and various S100 proteins. Studies have shown that RAGE is involved in numerous pathologic states including Diabetes, Atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and various cancers. RAGE expression and activation have been shown to be associated with various cancer models including breast cancer. However, little is known of the mechanistic role of RAGE signaling in breast cancer progression and metastasis, and the therapeutic potential of RAGE inhibition. We therefore hypothesized that RAGE-ligand signaling in both the tumor and tumor microenvironment drives breast cancer invasion and …
Photoactivatable Bodipys For Bioimaging Applications, Yang Zhang
Photoactivatable Bodipys For Bioimaging Applications, Yang Zhang
Open Access Dissertations
Self-assembling nanoparticles of amphiphilic polymers can transport hydrophobic molecules across hydrophilic media and, as a result, can be valuable delivery vehicles for a diversity of biomedical applications. We designed molecular guests with photoactivatable fluorescence for these supramolecular hosts and demonstrated that the activation of the fluorescent cargo, under optical control, permits the tracking of the nanocarrier translocation across hard and soft matrices with the sequential acquisition of fluorescence images. In addition, the supramolecular delivery of these photoactivatable probes into the cellular blastoderm of Drosophila melanogaster embryos allows the real-time visualization of translocating molecules with no detrimental effects on the developing …
Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors In Aplysia Californica And Molecular Changes In The Aging Nervous System, Justin B. Greer
Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors In Aplysia Californica And Molecular Changes In The Aging Nervous System, Justin B. Greer
Open Access Dissertations
Aplysia californica is a marine snail with well-defined neural circuits and a relatively short life span of one year, making it a useful model for studies of neural function and aging. Many of these neural circuits likely use L-Glutamate as the excitatory neurotransmitter. The goal of this dissertation was to molecularly characterize ionotropic L-Glutamate receptors in A. californica, and describe molecular changes in these receptors during aging in well-defined neural circuits. The evolutionary relationship between ionotropic L-Glutamate receptors of A. californica and vertebrates was first studied to evaluate the relevance of A. californica as a model of ionotropic L-Glutamate receptor …
Body Weight, Nutrition, And The Classical Singer: A Review Of The Existing Literature, Rebekah Kaye Smeltzer
Body Weight, Nutrition, And The Classical Singer: A Review Of The Existing Literature, Rebekah Kaye Smeltzer
Open Access Dissertations
The discussion of body weight and the classical singer is not new, but recent events, such as HD broadcasts of opera productions, along with rising obesity rates across the general populace, have led to increased debate surrounding the stereotype of the overweight opera singer. As overweight singers face increased pressure to lose weight, a variety of suggestions have traveled through the vocal community, but little evidence-based research or health care advice has been readily available. Research has been conducted which seeks to answer how obesity affects vocal function, as well as how bariatric surgery may affect the voice; however, this …
The Investigation On Natural Assembly For Biomedical Application, Xu Han
The Investigation On Natural Assembly For Biomedical Application, Xu Han
Open Access Dissertations
Nature materials achieve structural complexity by inducing a network of molecules into forming elaborate hierarchical nanostructures. The efficiency of organizing these assembly processes in respond to the structure changes demonstrates certain cellular functions. However, attempts to explore the assembly of natural or non-biological materials to help design a better system in the application of drug discovery and biosensing nanotechnology still remain a major challenge. The aims of the research are to develop new class of materials, examine their role on inducing biomaterials assembly to form hierarchical structures, and to utilized their emergent properties for the new design of a biocompatible …
Distance-Based Behaviors For Low-Complexity Control In Multiagent Robotics, Pietro Pierpaoli
Distance-Based Behaviors For Low-Complexity Control In Multiagent Robotics, Pietro Pierpaoli
Open Access Dissertations
Several biological examples show that living organisms cooperate to collectively accomplish tasks impossible for single individuals. More importantly, this coordination is often achieved with a very limited set of information. Inspired by these observations, research on autonomous systems has focused on the development of distributed control techniques for control and guidance of groups of autonomous mobile agents, or robots. From an engineering perspective, when coordination and cooperation is sought in large ensembles of robotic vehicles, a reduction in hardware and algorithms’ complexity becomes mandatory from the very early stages of the project design. The research for solutions capable of lowering …
Mechanisms To Photoactivate Fluorescence And Strategies For Supramolecular Delivery In Bioimaging Applications, Ek Raj Thapaliya
Mechanisms To Photoactivate Fluorescence And Strategies For Supramolecular Delivery In Bioimaging Applications, Ek Raj Thapaliya
Open Access Dissertations
Fluorescence microscopy in combination with photoactivatable fluorophores offers the opportunity to image noninvasively the biological samples in real time with subdiffraction resolution. Photoactivatable fluorophores switch from nonemissive state to emissive state upon irradiation with activation wavelength and then emit light after excitation of product at suitable excitation wavelength. The concatenation of a photochemical reaction (activation) with a photophysical process (fluorescence) is therefore responsible for the operating principles of these photoresponsive compounds to switch fluorescence on within a defined region of space at a particular interval of time. In turn, such a spatiotemporal control permits the monitoring of dynamic events in …
The Embodied Experience Of Pain: A Phenomenological Study Of Pain In Adults Diagnosed With And Treated For Cancer, Liza Hayes Mathias
The Embodied Experience Of Pain: A Phenomenological Study Of Pain In Adults Diagnosed With And Treated For Cancer, Liza Hayes Mathias
Open Access Dissertations
The main goal of this dissertation project was to understand and explain the meaning of pain for adults who are diagnosed with and treated for cancer. Cancer diagnoses generate different responses and multiple life disturbances in most participants. In this context, the search for meaning of these experiences is fundamental, particularly understanding both physical and emotional pain. In order to comprehend how people diagnosed with and treated for cancer experience their pain, I used a phenomenological approach to interview 15 adults (13 women and 2 men) with a variety of cancer diagnoses. Although I approached these interviews as conversations, I …
Functional Nanomaterials For Environmental Applications And Bioassemblies, Michelle Anne Nguyen
Functional Nanomaterials For Environmental Applications And Bioassemblies, Michelle Anne Nguyen
Open Access Dissertations
The rational design of nanomaterials has yielded new technologies that have revolutionized numerous diverse fields. The work detailed herein first describes the application of photocatalytic nanomaterials towards the environmental remediation of harmful toxins. Specifically, a low-temperature solution-phase synthetic route for size- controlled Cu2O octahedra particles was developed, and these materials were evaluated as catalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of aromatic organic compounds. Moreover, cubic Cu2O/Pd composite structures were fabricated and demonstrated to be effective photocatalysts for the generation of H2 and the reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls, well-known carcinogens present at many contaminated sites around the world. This photocatalytic approach …
Voices At The Intersection: Exploring The Roles Of Race And Gender In The Pedagogies Of Black Male Special Educators, Patrice Elizabeth Fenton
Voices At The Intersection: Exploring The Roles Of Race And Gender In The Pedagogies Of Black Male Special Educators, Patrice Elizabeth Fenton
Open Access Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore some of the questions that arise as one probes the call for more Black men to enter the teaching profession, particularly as these questions relate to their racial and gendered identities. Further, the focus was on Black male special educators, as the literature demonstrated that there was very little research that captured the experiences of this group. To this end, the following research question was posed: What roles do race and gender play in the pedagogies of Black male special educators? Using intersectionality as a conceptual framework, this qualitative study included, 12 …
Engineering Sibs For Biomedical Applications: Effects Of Composition, Processing Parameters, And Lipid-Induced Degradation, Mauro Fittipaldi
Engineering Sibs For Biomedical Applications: Effects Of Composition, Processing Parameters, And Lipid-Induced Degradation, Mauro Fittipaldi
Open Access Dissertations
Poly(Styrene-block-Isobutylene-block-Styrene)(SIBS) is a biocompatible thermoplastic elastomer used extensively in the biomedical field. The outstanding biocompatibility and tailorability of this material make it an ideal candidate for a wide range applications. From coating applications in coronary stents to ophthalmic devices for glaucoma treatment, SIBS has shown great potential in many devices. In this work, the use of SIBS in prosthetic applications is investigated, along with the requisite analysis of material relaxation to better understand long-term performance. An efficient, low-cost, automated, novel method to fabricate orbital prosthesis based on non-contact facial topography mapping and 3-D printing is proposed and validated. The virtual …
Cartographies Of Social Death: Abjection And The American Dispossessed, Allison N. Harris
Cartographies Of Social Death: Abjection And The American Dispossessed, Allison N. Harris
Open Access Dissertations
Cartographies of Social Death: Abjection and the American Dispossessed argues that property violence acts as a nexus for social death and abjection in the United States. The project considers how nineteenth- and early-twentieth century dispossessory U.S. legislation haunts late-twentieth- and twenty-first-century novels. Attending to the particularity of space and borders, Cartographies maps the legal, socio-cultural, and psycho-linguistic constructions of personhood in novels framed by these legislations. I propose an intersectional collective “American dispossessed” concatenated by their experience of property vulnerability as subjects formed in relation to death. I develop a theory of intersubjective abjection to posit an optimistic but not …
Structural And Functional Studies On Animals Models Of Hypertrophic, Dilated And Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Caused By Myosin Light Chain Mutations, Chen-Ching Yuan
Structural And Functional Studies On Animals Models Of Hypertrophic, Dilated And Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Caused By Myosin Light Chain Mutations, Chen-Ching Yuan
Open Access Dissertations
We report here on the three phenotypes of cardiomyopathy: hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM) and restrictive (RCM) cardiomyopathy, linked to mutations in myosin regulatory (RLC) and essential (ELC) light chains. The D166V (Aspartic acid to Valine)-HCM, D94A (Aspartic acid to Alanine)-DCM mutations were found in the RLC protein (MYL2 gene), and E143K (Glutamic acid to Lysine)-RCM mutation, in the myosin ELC protein (MYL3 gene). The hearts of D166V mice, expressing human ventricular D166V-HCM mutant of RLC, present with a severe hypertrophic phenotype with increased left ventricular wall thickness and decreased inner ventricular diameter in systole and diastole. Abnormalities of diastolic and …
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Ocular Photosensitivity Test: A Novel Quantification Of Symptoms And Light Sensitivity Threshold, Jennifer Dayana Verriotto
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Ocular Photosensitivity Test: A Novel Quantification Of Symptoms And Light Sensitivity Threshold, Jennifer Dayana Verriotto
Open Access Dissertations
Visual light sensitivity (VLS) is a common subjective symptom found in many conditions including retinal disorders such as achromatopsia, retinitis pigmentosa, and stargardt’s macular dystrophy as well as neurologic disorders such as migraines and traumatic brain injuries. The pathophysiologic basis of VLS is poorly understood and treatment is often difficult. Associated features of VLS may include light-induced glare or dazzle, involuntary blinking squeezing or closure of the eyelid, and discomfort or pain in the eyes or/and head. Afferent light inputs arise from the rod, cone, and melanopsin photoreceptors in the retina and light stimulation may lead to pain from stimulation …
Reflectometry And Optical Coherence Tomography For Non-Invasive High Resolution Tear Film Thickness Evaluation And Ophthalmic Imaging, Hui Lu
Open Access Dissertations
Dry eye debilitates the patients physically, limit their ability to perform daily tasks, cause clinical depression, and compromise quality of life. Accurate diagnosis of the dry eye and the research on the pathological mechanism and treatment both depend largely on the available measurement techniques. The development of new measurement techniques helps better understanding of the disease and paves the way for accurate early diagnosis and better treatment. The purpose of this study was to develop additional tools in ophthalmic study for non-invasive high resolution tear film thickness evaluation and eye imaging. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technology …
Novel Signaling Mechanisms Implicated In Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition And Metastasis Of Human Cancers, Minsoon Kim
Novel Signaling Mechanisms Implicated In Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition And Metastasis Of Human Cancers, Minsoon Kim
Open Access Dissertations
Distant metastases are the leading cause of breast cancer related death. It is important to understand how the metastatic process is regulated in order to develop new therapies that would oppose metastasis and improve cancer outcome. Initiation of metastasis requires cell invasion and escape from the primary tumor into the vasculature followed by colonization of secondary sites. Tumor invasion and intravasation are enabled by the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process in which epithelial cells lose polarity and intracellular adhesion and acquire motility and invasiveness. This thesis work has revealed novel mechanisms whereby cancer metastasis is regulated via induction of …
Exploring Mechanisms Linking Signal Transduction And Cancer Stem Cell Expansion, Kibeom Jang
Exploring Mechanisms Linking Signal Transduction And Cancer Stem Cell Expansion, Kibeom Jang
Open Access Dissertations
Increasing evidence indicates that cancer stem cells (CSCs) comprise a distinct self-renewing sub-population that can generate cancerous progeny with reduced replicative potency. CSCs are important therapeutic targets: they may not only initiate tumors but also mediate recurrence and metastasis. Most anti-cancer drugs kill the bulk cancer population. CSCs either proliferate too slowly for targeting by cycle active drugs, or escape chemotherapy by drug expulsion or greater DNA repair, leading to recurrence. The work in this thesis was undertaken to identify novel mechanisms leading to CSCs expansion. My first project identified a novel mechanism whereby vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) …