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Effectiveness Of Phosphorus Fertilizers In Hydroponics And Glasshouse Settings With Moderate And High Organic Matter Soils, Jeffrey Sean Christian Summerhays

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is poorly soluble in most soils and, thus, has poor plant uptake efficiency. AVAIL® and Carbond P (CBP) are new fertilizer products shown to increase P use efficiency (PUE) and increase crop yields when grown in P limiting soils. Carbond P has specifically been seen to increases P uptake and crop yields in soils low in P, although effectiveness in regards to soil organic matter is unknown. The objectives of these studies were to determine if the mode of action for these products is related to physiological response, to determine if Carbond P is toxic to plant roots …

Characterization And Variable Expression Of The Cslf6 Homologs In Oat (Avena Sp.), Melissa A. Coon

Theses and Dissertations

(1,3;1,4)-β- D-glucan (β-glucan) is a plant cell wall hemicellulose and a main component of endosperm cell walls. The Cellulose Synthase F family of genes is involved in the synthesis of β-glucan. In this study full-length genomic sequences of CslF6 were obtained from multiple Avena species. Three unique alleles were found in each A. sativa line. Comparisons of these alleles to diploid Avena species allowed for identification of the genomic origin of each allele. The A and D genome alleles had identical amino acid sequences while the C-genome had 13 different amino acids. Global expression of CslF6 was completed at three …

A Confidence-Prioritization Approach To Data Processing In Noisy Data Sets And Resulting Estimation Models For Predicting Streamflow Diel Signals In The Pacific Northwest, Nathaniel Lee Gustafson

Theses and Dissertations

Streams in small watersheds are often known to exhibit diel fluctuations, in which streamflow oscillates on a 24-hour cycle. Streamflow diel fluctuations, which we investigate in this study, are an informative indicator of environmental processes. However, in Environmental Data sets, as well as many others, there is a range of noise associated with individual data points. Some points are extracted under relatively clear and defined conditions, while others may include a range of known or unknown confounding factors, which may decrease those points' validity. These points may or may not remain useful for training, depending on how much uncertainty they …

Schmidtea Mediterranea Planaris As A Novel Animal Model For Investigating The Dynamics Of Nervous System Development In Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Jesse Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a prevalent developmental disease that is caused by excess in utero exposure to ethanol. The importance of timing and dosage of ethanol has been elucidated by previous investigations conducted with humans, rodents, and other model organisms, but challenges associated with determining functional deficiencies have necessitated the introduction of a novel animal model for investigating the dynamics of FASD. In this thesis, we propose that the freshwater flatworm planarian species, Schmidtea mediterranea, has the capability to fulfill this need. Planaria have the ability to completely regenerate fragments into intact, functional animals, and in these studies, …

Investigating Synergy Between Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitors And Cmv Antivirals, Sukhada Bhave

Theses and Dissertations

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections remain a significant problem in congenitally infected infants and immunocompromised individuals. Modest antiviral activities of currently approved drugs coupled with dose-limiting toxicities restrict effectiveness and promote development of resistance. The potential for ribonucleotide reductase (RR) inhibitors hydroxyurea (HU), Didox, and Trimidox to synergize, through reduction of nucleotide pools, with the deoxynucleotide analog Ganciclovir (GCV) was examined. A yield reduction assay that utilizes luciferase expressed by a recombinant virus as a surrogate measure of viral infectious units was developed and used to determine effective dose ranges for each drug. RR inhibitors exhibited intrinsic anti-CMV activities on their own …

Α2-Adrenoceptor And 5-Ht3 Serotonin Receptor Ligands As Potential Analgesic Adjuvants, Genevieve Alley

Theses and Dissertations

There continues to be a need for more effective analgesics. The α2-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist clonidine is an analgesic whose use is severely limited by undesirable side effects. meta-Chlorophenylguanidine (MD-354), an agent developed in our laboratory, selectively potentiates the antinociceptive effects of clonidine in a biphasic manner. Mechanistic studies suggest that both 5-HT3 receptor and α2-AR mechanisms are involved. To further evaluate mechanisms underlying the analgesia-potentiating effect of clonidine by MD-354, pharmacological studies using more established 5-HT3 receptor agonists: meta-chlorophenylbiguanide (mCPBG) and centrally-acting SR57227A, and non-selective α2-adrenoceptor ligand TDIQ, administered alone and in combination with clonidine, were conducted in mouse antinociceptive …

A Study Towards Development Of An Automated Haptic User Interface (Ahui) For Individuals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired, Ravi Rastogi

Theses and Dissertations

An increasing amount of information content used in schools, work and everyday living is being presented in graphical form, creating accessibility challenges for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, especially in dynamic environments, such as over the internet. Refreshable haptic displays that can interact with computers can be used to access such information tactually. Main focus of this study was the development of specialized computer applications allowing users to actively compensate for the inherent issues of haptics when exploring visual diagrams as compared to vision, which we hypothesized, would improve the usability of such devices. An intuitive zooming algorithm …

Translocation Mortality And Local, Regional, And Continental Diet Of The Northern River Otter (Lontra Canadensis), Casey Craig Day

Theses and Dissertations

The northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semi-aquatic carnivore whose range extends throughout most of the United States and Canada. The northern river otter experienced a severe range contraction post-European settlement, but due to widespread management has in recent decades begun to recover much of its former range and habitat. We translocated 27 river otters from Utah and Idaho to the Provo River, Utah from November 2009 through January 2012 in a reintroduction effort to restore the northern river otter to its native range. Of these 27 otters, 6 died as a result of effects related to the translocation. …

Mass Spectroscopic Identification And Quantification Of Protein Carbonyls, Zafer Ugur

Theses and Dissertations

It is well established that free radical mediated oxidative stress plays a critical role in aging and age-related diseases. Among the post-translational protein modifications, carbonylation has attracted a great deal of attention due to its irreversible and irreparable nature. Despite the fact that protein carbonylation is associated with a series of physiological and pathological processes, there are still issues to be clarified such as why certain proteins are more vulnerable to modification, what are the locations of the protein modifications, and how does the nature of the oxidant affect the preferred site of modification. In this study, we will seek …

Characterization Of The Cellular And Organellar Dynamics That Occur With A Partial Depletion Of Mitochondrial Dna When Arabidopsis Organellar Dna Polymerase Ib Is Mutated, John D. Cupp

Theses and Dissertations

Plant mitochondrial genomes are large and complex, and the mechanisms for maintaining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) remain unclear. Arabidopsis thaliana has two DNA polymerase genes, polIA and polIB, that have been shown to be dual localized to mitochondria and chloroplasts but are unequally expressed within primary plant tissues involved in cell division or cell expansion. PolIB expression is observed at higher levels in both shoot and root apexes, suggesting a possible role in organelle DNA replication in rapidly dividing or expanding cells. It is proposed that both polIA and polIB are required for mtDNA replication under wild type conditions. An Arabidopsis …

The Forgotten Medium: The Impact Of Reading Violent Literature On Aggressive Thoughts, Mckay Robert Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Media violence in television, film, video games, and music has been linked to increased aggression. Only in recent years have researchers begun to investigate the impact that reading violent literature can have on individuals. The present study exposed individuals to either a violent or nonviolent story and measured aggressive cognitions. No significant effect was found for story type on aggressive cognitions but a gender effect for aggressive word completions was found. Discussion centers on possible differences between media types as well as future suggestions for investigations into violent literature.

Purification And Reconstitution Into Planar Bilayers Of The Human Dopamine Transporter, Yoori Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The human dopamine transporter (hDAT) provides the primary mechanism for dopamine clearance in synapses and thus facilitates the regulation of dopaminergic functions in cognition and reward. It is the molecular target of many centrally-active agents including amphetamines and cocaine. Therefore, an understanding of hDAT function and its modulation by these therapeutic drugs and drugs of abuse can provide insight into the mechanisms of abuse and addiction. In the presented studies, hDAT is tagged with a hexahistidine construct and heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The plasma membranes are isolated, solubilized, and applied to a Nickel affinity column to obtain purified …

Investigating The Transcriptional Regulation By Oxyr In Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Anuya R. Paranjape

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal diseases are bacterially induced, inflammatory diseases which are responsible for loss of alveolar bone and connective tissue supporting the teeth which results in loss of teeth. Gram negative anaerobic bacteria are highly associated with these diseases. One of them is Porphyromonas gingivalis belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes. Infection by P. gingivalis is recurrent after physical removal of the bacteria from the oral cavity and even after antibiotic treatment as development of resistance is not rare. Hence complete understanding the biology of this bacterium is of significance. This gram negative obligate anaerobe, being aerotolerant, manages to survive inside the oral …

Modeling The Resistance To Hydrostatic Pressures For Superhydrophobic Coatings With Random Roughness, Thomas Michael Bucher Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

A superhydrophobic coating can be produced using a hydrophobic material textured with surface roughness on the micro-/nano-scale. Such a coating on the outside of a submersible body may result in reduced skin-friction drag due to a trapped layer of air in the coating. However, this layer may become unstable when subjected to elevated hydrostatic pressures, and a coating’s performance is compromised beyond a certain threshold (critical pressure). This thesis presents a numerical model for predicting the pressure tolerances of superhydrophobic coatings comprised of randomly deposited hydrophobic particles or fibers. We have also derived a set of force-balance-based analytical equations for …

Essential Spawning Habitat For Atlantic Sturgeon In The James River, Virginia., Geoffrey Austin

Theses and Dissertations

Substrate composition plays a critical role in determining the spawning success of Atlantic sturgeon. A benthic analysis of the tidal freshwater portion of the James River, Virginia, was performed to locate and protect remaining sturgeon spawning habitat within the James River system. I modeled structural habitat, substrate distribution, and river bathymetry from Richmond, Virginia to the Appomattox River confluence. A classification model was developed to describe the dominant substrate type (mud/silt, sand, gravel, bedrock) using side scan sonar data collected from August 2011-Febuary 2012. River depth, bottom imagery, substrate density (hardness), and ground truth substrate samples were interpolated into a …

The Severity Of Stages Estimation During Hemorrhage Using Error Correcting Output Codes Method, Yurong Luo

Theses and Dissertations

As a beneficial component with critical impact, computer-aided decision making systems have infiltrated many fields, such as economics, medicine, architecture and agriculture. The latent capabilities for facilitating human work propel high-speed development of such systems. Effective decisions provided by such systems greatly reduce the expense of labor, energy, budget, etc. The computer-aided decision making system for traumatic injuries is one type of such systems that supplies suggestive opinions when dealing with the injuries resulted from accidents, battle, or illness. The functions may involve judging the type of illness, allocating the wounded according to battle injuries, deciding the severity of symptoms …

I Am Error, Nathan Altice

Theses and Dissertations

I Am Error is a platform study of the Nintendo Family Computer (or Famicom), a videogame console first released in Japan in July 1983 and later exported to the rest of the world as the Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES). The book investigates the underlying computational architecture of the console and its effects on the creative works (e.g. videogames) produced for the platform. I Am Error advances the concept of platform as a shifting configuration of hardware and software that extends even beyond its ‘native’ material construction. The book provides a deep technical understanding of how the platform was programmed …

Teacher Definitions Of Integration In Primary Grades, Jeanne Sperry Prestwich

Theses and Dissertations

One obstacle that challenges the implementation of effective curriculum integration practices is the confusion caused by the existence of numerous definitions of this construct in the literature. This concern is further compounded by the potential disconnect between the varied definitions proposed by scholars and classroom teachers' acceptance and use of curriculum integration. The purpose of this study was to analyze K-3 grade teachers' self-reported definitions of curriculum integration. Teachers responded to an Internet survey in which they provided their personal definition of curriculum integration, described integrated teaching examples from their own classroom, and rated six teaching scenarios for quality of …

Transgene Delivery Via Microelectromechanical Systems, Aubrey Marie Mueller Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The invention of pronuclear microinjection initiated the field of transgenic research. Over 30 years later microinjection remains the most straight-forward and most commonly used transgene delivery option. In this work we address the current progress of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) used as transgenic delivery mechanisms. The nanoinjector is a specially designed MEMS device which uses electrostatic charge to manipulate transgene molecules. The process of nanoinjection was designed as an alternative to microinjection which causes less damage to developing embryos, improves embryo survival, birth rates, and overall efficiency of injections. In vivo testing of nanoinjection demonstrates it is both safe and effective. …

Podcasting In Educational Settings: What Works Best?, Tzuhan Chen

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examined three major instructional technologies, generally associated with Web 2.0: wikis, blogs and podcasting. The main focus of the study is to explore the application, characteristics, advantages, disadvantages of podcasting, and in particular, its influence on teaching and learning. The study provided a comprehensive literature review, a report of the findings from interviews of three educators, and is followed by a discussion of the emergent themes and their relevance to literature review. The purpose of the study is to identify how to make best use of podcasts in educational settings. The findings of the study suggested that in …

Reference In Udi Narrative Discourse, Catherine Macleod

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines concepts of reference assignment as seen in a written collection of narrative texts from Udi, a Caucasian language from the Lezgian family. This study explores the linguistic factors that affect reference assignment in Udi narrative in terms of participants, props and time and locative phrases.

Reference assignment incorporates reference forms such as nouns, noun phrases, proper names and pronouns. All of these features aid in building the mental representation of the texts in the mind of the reader. Surface-level linguistic factors, such as cohesion, coherence, backgrounding, foregrounding and focus also interact with reference forms.

This paper incorporates …

Design And Testing Of A Biological Microelectromechanical System For The Injection Of Thousands Of Cells Simultaneously, Gregory Herlin Teichert

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to inject DNA and other foreign particles into cells, both germ cells (e.g. to produce transgenic animals) and somatic cells (e.g. for gene therapy), is a powerful tool in genetic research. Nanoinjection is a method of DNA delivery that combines mechanical and electrical methods. It has proven to have higher cell viability than traditional microinjection, resulting in higher integration per injected embryo. The nanoinjection process can be performed on thousands of cells simultaneously using an array of microneedles that is inserted into a monolayer of cells. This thesis describes the needle array design requirements and the fabrication process …

Spag16 Is A Bifunctional Gene Regulating Male Fertility, David R. Nagarkatti-Gude

Theses and Dissertations

SPAG16 is the murine orthologue of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii PF20, a protein known to be essential to the structure and function of the “9 + 2” axoneme. The “9 + 2” axoneme provides the cytoskeletal core of all eukaryotic motile cilia and flagella. In Chlamydomonas, the Pf20 gene encodes a single protein present in the central pair of the axoneme. Loss of Pf20 prevents central pair assembly and results in flagellar paralysis. The murine Spag16 gene encodes two proteins. While 71 kDa SPAG16L is found in all murine cells with motile cilia or flagella, 35 kDa SPAG16S transcript and protein are …

Effects Of Leaf Litter Diversity On Nutrients And Mosquito Communities In Neotropical Artificial Tree Holes, Rachel Komosinski

Theses and Dissertations

Inputs from terrestrial habitats to aquatic habitats are important for structuring aquatic communities. Terrestrial producer diversity in the tropics may decline due to anthropogenic causes. I investigated how tree diversity affects aquatic communities. We used leaves from three timber-producing species (Dalbergia retusa, Pachira quinata, and Tectona grandis) to test the effects of leaf litter species composition and richness on invertebrate aquatic communities in Gamboa, Panama. We quantified macroinvertbrate species richness and abundances, leaf litter mass loss, and dissolved carbon to nitrogen ratios (C:N) after 4 weeks. We found that litter types differed in breakdown and C:N. Tectona grandis had lower …

The Effect Of A Navigational Aid On Training Of A Minimally Invasive Surgery Camera Task, Ketan Vidwans

Theses and Dissertations

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) differs from Open Surgery as surgeons view the surgical site indirectly on a monitor. The view shown is typically from an angled endoscope off to one side of the surgery (i.e., uncollocated with the view of the hands). This makes camera navigation a challenging ability to learn. MIS thus requires longer training periods, more practice and mental effort to achieve proficiency. Current training setups and Operating Room (OR) environments lack appropriate real-time visual cues for navigation and other perception related information that could help with learning and performance in the OR. The purpose of this research …

Establishing The Discriminative Stimulus Properties Of The Atypical Antipsychotic Amisulpride In C57bl/6 Mice, Timothy J. Donahue

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract ESTABLISHING THE DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULUS PROPERTIES OF THE ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC AMISULPRIDE IN C57BL/6 MICE Antipsychotic medications are used to treat schizophrenia. The present study used the drug discrimination paradigm to measure the subjective effects of the atypical antipsychotic amisulpride and to examine the underlying neuropharmacological mechanisms responsible for the discriminative stimulus property of the drug. Male C57BL/6 mice were trained to discriminate 10 mg/kg (-)S amisulpride from vehicle in a two-lever drug discrimination task. A dose effect curve for (-)S amisulpride yielded an ED50 = 1.77 mg/kg 95% CI [1.28, 2.45 mg/kg]. Substitution testing was conducted for the isomer (+)R …

Prediction Of Human Systemic, Biologically Relevant Pharmacokinetic Properties Based On Physicochemical Properties Of Calcium Channel Blockers, Tafif Abdullah Al

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored quantitative relationships (QSPKR) between different molecular descriptors and pertinent, systemic PK properties for 14 calcium channel blockers (CCB). Physicochemical properties (PC) such as molecular weight (MW), molar volume (MV), calculated logP (clogP), pKa, calculated logD7.4 (clogD), % ionized at pH 6.3 and pH 7.4, hydrogen bond donors (HBD), hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA), and number of rotatable bonds (nRot) were chosen as possible predictor variables for systemic PK properties for CCB, obtained from pertinent literature, assessing the PK of CCB after intravenous administration to healthy humans. All PC properties and molecular descriptors were computed using ACD-solubility/DB 12.01. Total …

The “Man Walks Outside Time Now”: Verbal Representations Of Photographic Images In The Poems Of Larry Levis, Lauren Miner

Theses and Dissertations

The poet Larry Levis often employed ekphrasis as an elegiac device—particularly with his verbal descriptions of photographic images—to explore human suffering and reconcile feelings of loss. Through the ekphrastic mode, Levis could juxtapose otherwise disparate images, manipulating their temporal and spatial relationships, to achieve what he conceived an authentic portrait of the human experience. The poet, through his verbal descriptions of photographic images, does not try to evade the pain or joy of being human; instead, he confronts his grief directly and, in so doing, transcends that suffering to better understand himself and his own human position. This thesis analyzes …

Towards Understanding The Mechanism Of Action Of Abused Cathinones, Rakesh Vekariya

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) mediates reuptake of dopamine from the synaptic cleft into the presynaptic terminus and plays a critical role in maintaining the normal function of dopaminergic neurons. DAT is the major target of widely abused psychostimulant drugs, including cocaine and amphetamine. DAT also figures into disease states, and it is a target for therapeutic drugs. It is known that cathinone and methcathinone, β-keto analogs of amphetamine and methamphetamine, respectively, produce pharmacological actions similar to amphetamine. Cathinone and methcathinone analogs are recently gaining in popularity on the clandestine market (e.g. ‘bath salts’). Cathinone and methcathinone analogs as well as …

Development Of Magnetic Fabrics With Tunable Hydrophobicity, Thu Ho

Theses and Dissertations

Polystyrene (PS) fiber mats incorporating iron (Fe) particles were fabricated by electrospinning and the hydrophobicity of the resulting magnetic fabrics was investigated with and without an applied magnetic field. The results show that the hydrophobicity (as measured using water droplet contact angle) increases in the presence of a magnetic field and the hysterisis in the advancing/receding contact angle (a measure of the stickiness of the surface) decreases in the presence of a magnetic field. It is also shown that the contact angle and hysterises increase with decreasing fiber diameter and mat thickness.