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Active Student Engagement By Using Cooperative Learning Strategies, Austin Martinez Jul 2009

Active Student Engagement By Using Cooperative Learning Strategies, Austin Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore possible solutions to student interaction and product quality in a ninth grade English class by using strategies in cooperative learning. Reciprocal learning, jigsaw, and skills practice were used to promote student interaction and cooperation during a lesson on William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." The data reveals that the three student participants have the skills necessary to succeed and excel in cooperative learning strategies, and previous student achievements may not necessarily indicate an ability or inability to master a cooperative learning activity. Implications for using cooperative learning strategies in the classroom are discussed.

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A Sequential Algorithm To Identify The Mixing Endpoints In Liquids In Pharmaceutical Applications, Akriti Saxena Jul 2009

A Sequential Algorithm To Identify The Mixing Endpoints In Liquids In Pharmaceutical Applications, Akriti Saxena

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to develop a sequential algorithm to determine accurately and quickly, at which point in time a product is well mixed or reaches a steady state plateau, in terms of the Refractive Index (RI). An algorithm using sequential non-linear model fitting and prediction is proposed. A simulation study representing typical scenarios in a liquid manufacturing process in pharmaceutical industries was performed to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The data simulated included autocorrelated normal errors and used the Gompertz model. A set of 27 different combinations of the parameters of the Gompertz function were considered. The results …

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The Potential Role For Capb In Pathogenesis Of Francisella Tularensis, Eric Fleming Jul 2009

The Potential Role For Capb In Pathogenesis Of Francisella Tularensis, Eric Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Francisella tularensis was a facultative intracellular pathogen and a gram-negative coccobacillus which has been categorized by the CDC as a potential class A select agent due to its highly infectious properties and high mortality rates. Francisella tularensis was also responsible for the zoonotic disease tularemia, which was usually transmitted by arthropod vectors or via contact with infected animals. Francisella tularensis subspecies novicida has been used by many researchers in genetic pathogenesis experiments to try to elucidate genes responsible for virulence factors. One of these virulence factors was a capsular material which has been thought to be involved in either increasing …

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Specific Levels Of Therapeutic Ultrasound Stimulate The Release Of Inflammatory And Angiogenic Mediators From Macrophages In Culture, Thomas Turner Jul 2009

Specific Levels Of Therapeutic Ultrasound Stimulate The Release Of Inflammatory And Angiogenic Mediators From Macrophages In Culture, Thomas Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is a treatment modality that is used to accelerate tissue healing. TUS is thought to affect cellular processes of tissue healing, especially those that occur in the inflammatory and early proliferative phases. TUS can be applied using various parameter selections including intensity, wavelength, duty cycle and treatment duration and no clear consensus exists on optimal parameters for healing enhancement. Macrophages are important mediators of inflammation and their actions are critical to normal progression into the proliferative phase of healing. They complete many functions during these periods of tissue healing, among those being release of cytokines and growth …

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The Regulation Of Platelet Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase By Oxidized Phospholipids, Rachael Griffiths Jul 2009

The Regulation Of Platelet Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase By Oxidized Phospholipids, Rachael Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAFAH) is elevated in atherosclerosis and may play a role in pathogenesis of this disease. Molecular mechanisms regulating the expression of this lipoprotein-associated PLA2 are indistinct. Mildy oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and monocytes (the primary source of PAFAH) are co-localized in early atheromas. Monocytes are activated by oxidized phospholipids (oxPL) in the oxLDL particle. We hypothesized that oxPL-activated monocytes are the source of increased levels of PAFAH in atherosclerosis. We found that PAFAH expression is significantly induced by OxPAPC and in particular long-chain fractions of oxPAPC in monocytes and cytokine-differentiated DC, but not cytokine-differentiated MO. Furthermore, …

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Assessment Of Pre-Pcr Whole Genome Amplification Of Single Pollen Grains Using Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida), Candace Dillon Jul 2009

Assessment Of Pre-Pcr Whole Genome Amplification Of Single Pollen Grains Using Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida), Candace Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

Studies of gene flow in natural plant populations often focus on either historical or abiotic dispersal methods (e.g. wind, water, gravity), but there is little information available on contemporary, animal-mediated pollen dispersal patterns. Emerging molecular laboratory techniques allow unprecedented insights into spatial patterns of pollen-mediated gene flow. However, to date, technical challenges have limited their widespread application. The genome of a pollen grain can be amplified via whole genome amplification (WGA) prior to traditional amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to prevent the stochastic effects associated with low copy number amplification. Even still, WGA can suffer from low success rates …

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Effect Of Posture On Acromiohumeral Distance With Arm Elevation In Subjects With And Without Rotator Cuff Disease Using Ultrasonography, Nitin Kalra Jul 2009

Effect Of Posture On Acromiohumeral Distance With Arm Elevation In Subjects With And Without Rotator Cuff Disease Using Ultrasonography, Nitin Kalra

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: To examine the effects of posture on subacromial (SA) space with arm elevation in patients with rotator cuff disease (RCD) and healthy subjects. Background: Poor posture has been linked to altered scapular mechanics, theorized to lead to excessive SA space narrowing. However, no study has examined the direct effects of posture on SA space using ultrasonography. We hypothesize that when compared to a neutral posture, upright posture will increase SA space and slouched posture will decrease SA space. Methods: Subjects with painful RCD (n=31) and healthy (n=29) shoulders participated. SA space was measured on ultrasound generated images using the …

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Behavioral And Molecular Analysis Of Individual Variation In Ethanol Drinking, Jennifer Wolstenholme Jul 2009

Behavioral And Molecular Analysis Of Individual Variation In Ethanol Drinking, Jennifer Wolstenholme

Theses and Dissertations

A majority of Americans regularly consume alcohol, but the risk factors leading to excessive drinking and alcohol abuse are unevenly distributed throughout the population. Genetic differences can account for only 40-60% of this variability. While variations in ethanol preference drinking in rodent models have been reported, the neurobiological factors underlying these behaviors are still not completely understood. Thus, these studies were designed to determine behavioral and molecular factors associated with the initiation of ethanol drinking preference in an inbred mouse model. We harnessed the power of inter-individual variation of ethanol drinking within an inbred mouse strain to essentially eliminate genetic …

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The Genome Scale Metabolic Model Of Cryptosporidium Hominis: Inv209, Niti Vanee Jul 2009

The Genome Scale Metabolic Model Of Cryptosporidium Hominis: Inv209, Niti Vanee

Theses and Dissertations

The apicomplexan Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite of humans and other mammals. Cryptosporidium species cause acute gastro-enteritis and diarrheal disease in healthy humans and animals, and cause life-threatening infection in immuno-compromised individuals such as people with AIDS. It has a one-host life cycle and invades intestinal epithelial cells causing diarrhea, or more rarely the pulmonary epithelium. Cryptosporidium carries out all the asexual reproductive stages like several other apicomplexans. Current annotation of this organism predicts it to contain 3884 genes of which only 1581 genes have predicted functions. By using a combination of bioinformatics analysis, biochemical evidence, and high-throughput data, a …

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Adaptation At A Shortened Length In Rabbit Femoral Artery, Melissa Bednarek Jul 2009

Adaptation At A Shortened Length In Rabbit Femoral Artery, Melissa Bednarek

Theses and Dissertations

It is well known that the overlap between the thick and thin filaments in striated muscle is responsible for the single active length-tension (L-T) curve. With the lack of visible striations, a sarcomeric unit has not been identified in smooth muscle. Though once thought to function like striated muscle via a sliding filament mechanism of contraction, recent studies on length-adaptation (L-adaptation) in airway smooth muscle (ASM), in which increased tension is generated with repeated contraction, have led to the hypothesis of a dynamic L-T curve in smooth muscle. Although more established in ASM, two studies have shown L-adaptation in vascular …

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Exploring The Methylation Status Of Rai1 And The Rai1 Consensus Binding Sequence, Eri Kamura Jul 2009

Exploring The Methylation Status Of Rai1 And The Rai1 Consensus Binding Sequence, Eri Kamura

Theses and Dissertations

Smith Magenis Syndrome (SMS) is a multiple congenital anomalies/ mental retardation disorder caused by deletion or mutation of the RAI1 gene on chromosome 17p11.2. The majority of patients with SMS phenotypes have a deletion or mutation of RAI1. However, some patients have been observed with SMS-like phenotypes and yet have no deletions or mutations in the RAI1 gene. One possible explanation could be aberrant methylation of RAI1 since RAI1 is present and yet may be silenced. In order to study this possibility, patient cell lines were treated with 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine. RNA was extracted and real-time PCR was used to check the …

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Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja Jul 2009

Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja

Theses and Dissertations

Musculoskeletal diseases, in particular osteoporosis, are increasingly becoming more prevalent in the U.S. due to the ageing population (Figure1). It is estimated that one-sixth of 300 million people in U.S. suffer from bone disorders or loss. About 10 million of those people above age 50 suffer from osteoporosis. Patients that suffer from osteoporosis have high morbidity and mortality rates. For instance, patients have decreased bone mineral density (BMD), a measurement of bone density that reflects the strength of bone as represented by calcium content. A decrease in BMD typically leads to an increased risk of bone fractures. In particular, hip …

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Physiological Assessment Of Chenopodium Quinoa To Salt Stress, Arturo Jason Morales Jul 2009

Physiological Assessment Of Chenopodium Quinoa To Salt Stress, Arturo Jason Morales

Theses and Dissertations

The physiological responses to salt stress were measured in Chenopodium quinoa. In a greenhouse experiment, salt water was applied to the quinoa varieties, Chipaya and KU-2, and to the model halophyte Thellungiella halophila to assess their relative responses to salt stress. Height and weight data from a seven-week time course demonstrated that both cultivars exhibited greater tolerance to salt than T. halophila. In a growth chamber experiment, three quinoa cultivars, Chipaya, Ollague, and CICA 17 were hydroponically grown and physiological responses were measured with four salt treatments. Tissues collected from the growth chamber treatments were used to obtain …

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Beyond The Walls: The Easter Processional On The Exterior Frescos Of Moldavian Monastery Churches, Mollie Elizabeth Mcvey Jul 2009

Beyond The Walls: The Easter Processional On The Exterior Frescos Of Moldavian Monastery Churches, Mollie Elizabeth Mcvey

Theses and Dissertations

During the sixteenth century, the princes of Moldavia, a region of modern Romania, built many churches and monasteries. These churches followed the typical Byzantine style by placing detailed frescos on the interior walls, but some of the Moldavian churches took that tradition even further and expanded the frescos to the façade. This thesis argues that these exterior images were used to enhance the Easter processionals that occurred around the churches. While most scholars explain this phenomenon as propaganda or a cry for help against the Ottoman Empire, a new interpretation is offered here. It discusses how the exterior scenes on …

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Interpreting The Sacred In As You Like It: Reading The "Book Of Nature" From A Christian, Ecocritical Perspective, Candice Dee Wendt Jul 2009

Interpreting The Sacred In As You Like It: Reading The "Book Of Nature" From A Christian, Ecocritical Perspective, Candice Dee Wendt

Theses and Dissertations

Since the advent of the environmental crisis, some writers have raised concerns with the moral influence of Christian scripture and interpretive traditions, such as the medieval book of nature, a hermeneutic in which nature and scripture are "read" in reference to one another. Scripture, they argue, has tended to stifle sacred relationships with nature as a non-human other. This thesis argues that such perspectives are reductive of the sacred quality of scripture. Environmental perspectives should be concerned with the desacralization of religious texts in addition to nature. Chapter one suggests that two questions surrounding the medieval book of nature's history …

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Retinoic Acid Induced 1 Gene Analysis In Humans And Zebrafish, Bijal Vyas Jul 2009

Retinoic Acid Induced 1 Gene Analysis In Humans And Zebrafish, Bijal Vyas

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex mental retardation syndrome caused by deletion of 17p11.2 region or mutation of the RAI1 gene (retinoic acid induced 1). Individuals with SMS typically exhibit speech and motor delays, mental retardation, characteristic craniofacial and skeletal anomalies, and a distinct neurobehavioral phenotype that includes sleep disturbances, stereotypes, and maladaptive and self-injurious behaviors. RAI1 is thought to be a transcription factor modulating the expression of genes involved in a variety of cellular functions. Previous studies have shown the RAI1 gene being induced by retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A. RA plays a significant role in …

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The Design And Development Of A Statistics Performance Support System: An Application Of Behavioral Modeling And Case Based Reasoning, Isaku Tateishi Jul 2009

The Design And Development Of A Statistics Performance Support System: An Application Of Behavioral Modeling And Case Based Reasoning, Isaku Tateishi

Theses and Dissertations

The following report is a description of the design, development, and evaluation of an online statistics performance support system. The target audience for the support system is students of Instructional Psychology and Technology (IP&T), especially those who have taken the IP&T 550 "Empirical Inquiry and Statistics" course. The product is designed to be used as a supplemental reference tool. The main purpose of the online performance support system is to help IP&T students select appropriate statistical procedures for their research and learn how to perform the necessary calculations using a statistics analysis software package called SPSS. This report summarizes the …

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Structural Interactions Between The Α3Β1 Integrin And Mmp-2: A Potential Functional Role In Cell Adhesion, James Bowman Jul 2009

Structural Interactions Between The Α3Β1 Integrin And Mmp-2: A Potential Functional Role In Cell Adhesion, James Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

During cardiac development and in cardiac disease changes in hemodynamic load initiate events leading to remodeling of the ECM. This study addresses the hypothesis that interactions between Integrins and Metalloprotienases function to modulate cell adhesion in the cultured cardiac fibroblast. The fibroblast is positioned to detect and respond to changes in the mechanical load on the heart. Functionally the cardiac fibroblast is the primary cell type responsible for the production, maintenance, and remodeling of the cardiac interstitium. Matrix Metalloproteinases, specifically the Gelatinases, are expressed in concert during development and in disease with changes in the hemodynamic loading of the heart. …

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Synthesis And Biochemical Studies On Sulfated Monomers Of Low Molecular Weight Lignins, Jenson Verghese Jul 2009

Synthesis And Biochemical Studies On Sulfated Monomers Of Low Molecular Weight Lignins, Jenson Verghese

Theses and Dissertations

Anticoagulants are used as the first line therapy for management and prevention of thrombotic disorders. Thrombin and factor Xa have been the prime targets for regulation of the coagulation cascade. In this work, a small library of 17 benzofuran derivatives were synthesized and screened against thrombin and factor Xa. The derivatives that displayed inhibitory potential were docked on the exosite-II of factor Xa using a docking protocol that was developed in our research group. These compounds were based on the β-5 structural unit found in the oligomer -'CDSO3‘, which was prepared in our lab and was found to inhibit both …

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Examining The Effects Of Explicit Teaching Of Context Clues In Content Area Texts, Jessie Ruth Jensen Jul 2009

Examining The Effects Of Explicit Teaching Of Context Clues In Content Area Texts, Jessie Ruth Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of explicitly teaching students how to recognize and use context clues in content-area texts through a six-week instructional program. Quantitative analyses were performed to reveal any difference between a control and treatment group. Results indicated that students in the treatment group abilities to determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary words were increased significantly more than students in the control group. Students who received the six weeks of instruction more effectively used context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words than students who did not receive the instruction. Recommendations for …

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Using Web-Based Tools To Mentor Novice Teachers In Literacy Instruction, Teresa Moore Jordan Jul 2009

Using Web-Based Tools To Mentor Novice Teachers In Literacy Instruction, Teresa Moore Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the virtual interactions between novice teachers and their mentor using web-based tools such as blogging and instant messaging. The purpose of the study was to determine the nature of online communication and how web-based tools function in the mentoring process. The mentor/researcher created an online website where novice teachers and their mentor interacted by blogging, instant messaging, and virtually sharing digital resources and ideas for teaching literacy. As the novice teachers interacted on the website, the mentor/researcher conducted an online survey and kept digital records of all blogs and instant message sessions. Later, participants were interviewed and …

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Portrayal Of Older People In Disney Live Action Films From The 1990s And 2000s, Jennifer Gail Martin Jul 2009

Portrayal Of Older People In Disney Live Action Films From The 1990s And 2000s, Jennifer Gail Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Children as young as three years old are scared of the idea of growing old, and negative stereotypes about older people have started to develop by the time children enter elementary school. Negative stereotyping of older characters has been found to be prevalent in all forms of media. Because children use media to figure out who they are and what the world is like, this study looks at some of the most popular films of the past two decades aimed toward children. This study is a content analysis of older major and minor characters from the 60 top grossing Disney …

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The Effects Of Obesity And Surgically-Induced Weight Loss On Exercise Ventilation: Influence Of Central Adiposity And Serum Leptin, Jeffrey Herrick Jul 2009

The Effects Of Obesity And Surgically-Induced Weight Loss On Exercise Ventilation: Influence Of Central Adiposity And Serum Leptin, Jeffrey Herrick

Theses and Dissertations

Truncal adiposity impairs ventilation in obese adults by altering normal ventilatory mechanics. Leptin, an inflammatory adipocytokine, is elevated in obesity and has been shown to alter ventilatory responses to exercise. Leptin’s bioavailability appears to be regulated by its soluble receptor (LRe), which is reduced in obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGBS) is a weight loss intervention that reduces total fat mass and improves several obesity related co-morbidities including pulmonary dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to first evaluate the differences between ventilatory responses to carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2 slope) during progressive treadmill walking in morbidly obese and normal weight females. …

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The Effects Of Antidepressants On Driving And Cognitive Tasks, Holly J. Dannewitz Jul 2009

The Effects Of Antidepressants On Driving And Cognitive Tasks, Holly J. Dannewitz

Theses and Dissertations

Antidepressants are a common form of treatment for individuals with depression. Research has found that impaired cognitive performance is correlated with individuals taking anti-depressants. Specifically, driving performance may be impaired by the use of antidepressants. The current study recruited 60 individuals to participate in a driving simulator and a divided attention task requiring tracking. A total of 31 participants were taking at least one type of antidepressant, while the 29 control participants were taking no medications with the exception of oral contraceptives. Analyses found that the group taking antidepressants performed significantly worse than the control group on several of the …

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Characterization Of The Novel 7a5 And Bog25 Death Domain In Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, Eric D. Koppelman Jul 2009

Characterization Of The Novel 7a5 And Bog25 Death Domain In Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, Eric D. Koppelman

Theses and Dissertations

BOG25 contains multiple protein-protein interaction domains at the N-terminus that are characteristic of the EH (Eps15 Homology) network family of proteins involved in endocytosis and a C-terminal death domain characteristic of proteins involved in apoptosis. This combination of protein-protein interaction domains had not been identified in other known proteins until a National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) human genome BLAST search using the BOG25 amino acid sequence identified a novel gene, 7a5. The current study hypothesized that: (1) BOG25 and 7a5 are related proteins; and (2) the BOG25 death domain is biologically active and has a functional role in apoptosis …

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Age -Related Behavioral Change In Ames Dwarf Mice, David P. Austin Jul 2009

Age -Related Behavioral Change In Ames Dwarf Mice, David P. Austin

Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of the Ames dwarf mouse in the early 1960s has given researchers an exciting opportunity to study the hormonal effects of aging. The Ames dwarf mice have a recessive mutation of the PROP-1 gene that causes hereditary dwarfism. The abnormality produced an anterior pituitary deficiency which resulted in the lack of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and prolactin. Researchers noticed that these mice were smaller than their normal siblings but lived approximately twice as long. The purpose of the present research was to determine if the reduced hormones in the Ames dwarf mouse delay the loss of memory and …

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Needs Assessment For The Greenway Grand Forks -East Grand Forks Development And Public Education, Laura Munski Jul 2009

Needs Assessment For The Greenway Grand Forks -East Grand Forks Development And Public Education, Laura Munski

Theses and Dissertations

Following the flood of 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included the Greenway Grand Forks—East Grand Forks (the Greenway) as a flood control measure for Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. It extends along both the Red River of the North and the Red Lake River, encompassing 2200 acres of land. The cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks hired consultants to assist with the postflood planning process. The planning process culminated with the Red River of the North Greenway Final Report (Flink, 1998). The purpose of this study was to determine if the development …

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Adjusting The Rearview Mirror: Higher Level Reflection Strategies In First-Year Composition, Jessica Ann Green Jul 2009

Adjusting The Rearview Mirror: Higher Level Reflection Strategies In First-Year Composition, Jessica Ann Green

Theses and Dissertations

Part of the curriculum in many composition classrooms contains a reflection component where students are required to think back over their writing and discuss strengths and weaknesses. Yet many of the reflections that students write fall short of the purpose of reflection when students fail to analyze their writing practices or to make future goals for themselves, a problem that occurs when higher level reflection strategies are not taught and practiced in the classroom. When students are taught to use reflection as a way to critically evaluate their writing, to make connections between class assignments and course objectives, and to …

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Enzymatic Regulation Of Opioid Antinociception And Tolerance, Lynn Hull Jul 2009

Enzymatic Regulation Of Opioid Antinociception And Tolerance, Lynn Hull

Theses and Dissertations

ENZYMATIC REGULATION OF OPIOID ANTINOCICEPTION AND TOLERANCE By Lynn C. Hull, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Director: William L. Dewey, Ph.D. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology The involvement of kinases in opioid actions has long been established. The acute actions of opioids, through the Gi/Go G-proteins, cause the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and therefore a decrease in protein kinase A (PKA) activation. Additionally, acute opioid administration may cause the G-protein to activate the phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated cascade leading to the …

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Intracellular Targets Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate, Graham Michael Strub Jul 2009

Intracellular Targets Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate, Graham Michael Strub

Theses and Dissertations

The bioactive lipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has emerged as a key regulator of a variety of important physiological functions, including cell growth, cell survival, cell motility, angiogenesis, lymphocyte trafficking, and mast cell function. S1P is formed by two different sphingosine kinases (SphKs) and binds to a family of 5 differentially expressed G-protein coupled receptors (S1PRs). The majority of research to date has focused on the activation of these receptors, but there is compelling evidence to suggest that S1P exerts intracellular functions independent of S1PRs. However no bona fide intracellular targets of S1P have been identified. In my dissertation, I have …

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