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Function Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (Igfbp7) In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Dong Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Title of Dissertation: FUNCTION OF INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN 7(IGFBP7) IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA By Dong Chen. Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly virulent malignancy with no effective treatment, thus requiring the development of innovative and effective targeted therapies. The oncogene Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 (AEG-1) plays a seminal role in hepatocarcinogenesis and profoundly downregulates Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-7 (IGFBP7). The present study focuses on analyzing potential tumor suppressor functions of IGFBP7 in HCC and the relevance of IGFBP7 downregulation in mediating AEG-1 function. Experimental Design: IGFBP7 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in HCC tissue microarrays by real-time PCR …

Population Based Model Of Gonorrhea And Interventions Against Increased Antibiotic Resistance, Courtney Henry

Theses and Dissertations

Gonnorrhea is an infectious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae that commonly reproduces in the reproductive tract.The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 700,000 individuals in the U.S. contract new gonorrheal infections per year. During recent years, there has been a progressive global increase of drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea. Therefore, there exists the necessity for health organizations to encourage the monitoring, research and development of innovative treatment regimens. We have developed multiple mathematical models to explore the gonorrheal disease state. The first objective of model formulation was to fit the model …

Combining Electrospun Polydioxanone Scaffolds, Schwann Cells, And Matrigel To Improve Functional Recovery After A Complete Spinal Cord Transection In Rats, Ashok Kannan

Theses and Dissertations

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has presented itself as a multifaceted pathology that is largely inhibitory to regeneration, and therefore to functional recovery, even though spinal cord neurons have been found to be innately regenerative. Thus, having identified the key players in the inhibition of this innate regeneration, SCI researchers have focused on two major types of approaches: (1) blocking inhibitory cues and (2) promoting innate regeneration. Schwann cells (SCs) have long been shown to promote and enhance functional recovery after SCI through providing supplemental myelination and trophic and tropic factors to regenerating axons, though singular approaches rarely address the complex …

Blurring The Lines Of Traditional Gender Roles: Beliefs Of African American Women, Jasmine Abrams

Theses and Dissertations

Gender role beliefs of African American women in the United States should be investigated in a manner that considers their unique experiences and the distinct background of her cultural sharing group. In this study, gender role beliefs of African American women were examined by addressing the research question: What are the gender role beliefs of African American women for African American men and women? Eight focus groups comprising 44 African American women were conducted. Women were diverse in terms of age, religion, and socio-economic status. An ethnographic phenomenological approach was used to explore views related to gender roles among African …

Impacts Of Rdx Soil Contamination Across An Age Gradient For The Native Shrub Morella Cerifera., Stephen Via

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the impacts of explosive contamination on vegetation is key to understanding explosives behavior in the environment. I quantified shrub growth responses to 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,35-triazine (RDX) soil contamination across three life stages and I hypothesized that RDX would have the greatest impact on seed germination. Morella cerifera seeds were germinated on soils amended with RDX up to 1500 mg RDX kg-1 dry soil. Juvenile and adult individuals were exposed for 6 weeks to soil amended with RDX up to 750 and 1500 mg RDX kg-1 dry soil, respectively. Morphological responses were quantified for juveniles while physiological measurements were quantified for adults. …

Expression Of Foreign Genes In The Pseudomonas Bacteriophage Pf3, Krystin Weathers

Theses and Dissertations

Filamentous bacteriophages were engineered to express foreign genes with the ultimate purpose of displaying transmission control anti-malarial peptides as in phage display. It was hypothesized that expression of foreign genes would be possible using the phage’s promoters. This hypothesis was tested by assuming that promoters for the phage major coat protein (MCP) gene would also promote the expression of any foreign gene inserted downstream of the MCP gene. As proof of principle, the bacteriophages Pf3, Pf1, and M13 were engineered in this way to successfully synthesize Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP). Type 88 phage display on the EGFP recombinant Pf3 …

Stepping Into The World Of The Vocal Coach: Assessing Vocal Coaching Needs, Renina Hoblitz

Theses and Dissertations

There are many excellent books detailing methods to help actors develop their voices, but not much has been published about vocal coaching itself, apart from the definitive guide to Vocal Coaching Nan-Withers Wilson’s book Vocal Direction for the Theatre, and the highly informative publication How to Use a Vocal Coach: A Practical Guide for Directors prepared by Nancy Houfek, for the Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association (VASTA). This thesis documents my personal journey into the world of vocal coaching in five productions. Specifically, I explore the differences between vocal coaching in the university setting versus the professional theatre setting. I …

In Vivo Immunotoxicological Evaluation Of Electrospun Polycaprolactone (Epcl) And Investigation Of Epcl As A Drug Delivery System For Immunomodulatory Compounds, Colleen Mcloughlin

Theses and Dissertations

Electrospun materials have potential use in many biomedical applications such as soft tissue replacements or as scaffolds to target drug delivery to local sites. Electrospinning is a polymer processing technique that can be used to create materials composed of fibers with diameters ranging from the micron to the nanoscale. We investigated the effects of microfibrous and nanofibrous electrospun polycaprolactone (EPCL) on innate, cell-mediated, and humoral components of the immune system. Results demonstrated that in both young (12 week) and old (6 month) mice, EPCL had no effect on various immune parameters. With its lack of immunotoxicity, EPCL presents an excellent …

Interspecific Hybridization Among Black Basses (Micropterus Spp.) In The Chattahoochee River, Columbus Georgia, Kimberly S. Holley

Theses and Dissertations

Interspecific hybridization can lead to the evolution of a new hybrid species or extinction of parental species due to competition or excessive backcrossing, When parental populations differ in abundance, hybrids tend to backcross more frequently with the more abundant parent, resulting in asymmetrical introgression. The objective of this study was to determine the extent and apparent direction of hybridization between shoal bass {Micropterus cataractae), a rare endemic species to the Apalachicola drainage, and spotted bass (M. punctulatus), an introduced and more abundant species. Pelvic fin tissue (N = 130) was taken from bass species in the Chattahoochee River between Columbus, …

Pre-Hospital Induced Therapeutic Hypothermia Improves Neurological Outcomes, Mark S. Kosten

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Road Beyond Suffrage: Female Activism In Richmond, Virginia, Denise Gammon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the continued activism in the YWCA, the Equal Suffrage League and the League of Women Voters after 1920. The work examines the uses of motherhood, social religion, race and traditions as tools for activism and compares the YWCA to the Equal Suffrage League and League of Women Voters after 1920. The date range is roughly from 1915 to 1925.

Comparing The Environmental Attitudes And Behaviors Of Native Americans And Non-Native Americans, Franklin Sage

Theses and Dissertations

Are Native Americans different from non-Native Americans when it comes to environmental attitudes and behaviors? Historically and traditionally, Native American preservation of the environment has been interwoven into cultural practice, which led to a special relationship between the environment and Native people. This thesis presents results from a comparative, quantitative study that focuses on Native Americans’ environmental attitudes and behaviors using data from the 1993, 1994, 2000, and 2010 waves of the General Social Survey. The study is framed using multicultural theory, which values the unique standpoint and perspectives of traditionally marginalized groups. This thesis focuses on the standpoints of …

Childhood Obesity: Intervening In Utero, Mary Lee Beck

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of childhood obesity has risen to epidemic proportions in this country. American Indian youth are disproportionately affected by this epidemic and its comorbidities, like diabetes, when compared to whites, and even other minorities. There is no single determinant of cause. Currently interventions are focused at the individual, family, community and environmental levels. Perhaps the most important component in this epidemic, however, is being overlooked: the health status of the mother during pregnancy. There is strong evidence that obesity and diabetes are perpetually cycled from mother to baby during pregnancy, and maternal obesity and diabetes play a significant role …

Persuasion And Manipulation: Relevance Across Multiple Audiences, Kevin Sparks

Theses and Dissertations

A speaker who is addressing multiple audiences has split intentions. In order to derive the optimal benefit toward accomplishing her intentions, the speaker crafts her utterance to be relevant to her various audiences in different ways and to differing degrees. Similarly, the hearer will infer meaning based largely on how much he thinks that the speaker intended her utterance to be relevant to him, while also considering how the utterance may have been intended to be relevant to others. The goal of this paper is to describe how the presence of multiple audiences affects both the speaker's formation of an …

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, Martha Jo Mccart

Theses and Dissertations

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion is a serious health problem. Brain injuries can occur due to a variety of impacts and can occur at any age. While concussions are currently in the news, information regarding recognition, response, and management are frequently out of date

Literature was reviewed in relation to current research in the pathophysiology of mTBI and focused in the area of cerebral blood flow, metabolic demands, and neuronal damage. Additionally, current recommendations relating to identification and response were reviewed in relation to athletics and in the military setting. Nursing knowledge was also addressed by a review …

The Application Of Origami To The Design Of Lamina Emergent Mechanisms (Lems) With Extensions To Collapsible, Compliant And Flat-Folding Mechanisms, Holly Greenberg

Theses and Dissertations

Lamina emergent mechanisms (LEMs) are a subset of compliant mechanisms which are fabricated from planar materials; use compliance, or flexibility of the material, to transfer energy; and have motion that emerges out of the fabrication plane. LEMs provide potential design advantages by reducing the number of parts, reducing cost, reducing weight, improving recyclability, increasing precision, and eliminating assembly, to name a few. However, there are inherent design and modeling challenges including complexities in large, non-linear deflections, singularities that exist when leaving the planar state, and the coupling of material properties and geometry in predicting mechanism behavior. This thesis examines the …

Understanding Experience: Reflections On The Empowering Nature Of Story, Sarah Provencal

Theses and Dissertations

Technological growth has changed our relationships and interactions within society and theatre artists are calling into question the future of our art form. Are we still essential? And if so, how do we renovate our form in order to relate to our changing society? In my experience, I’ve found that all renovations of our art have one thing in common: the empowering nature of story. Story helps us to understand our experiences in life. It is not the self, the cause, or the goal that is behind the wheel, but the story itself. This thesis explores three instances of the …

A Pedagogical Perspective On Storytelling Through Movement And Dance, Penny Maas

Theses and Dissertations

Dance in most musical theatre is an assumed visual element and something that is often taken for granted in production. What is its purpose is the question being pondered in this paper. Since Agnes de Mille first presented her legendary dream ballet in Oklahoma! in 1943, theatrical dance has never been the same. She revolutionized the function of dance in theatre forever. No longer would dance merely be used as interludes or divertissements. Though a seemingly simple theatrical concept, to use movement and choreography to either further the plot or to communicate a character’s journey, it is not only much …

Molecular Analysis And Localization Of A Novel Dictyostelium Discoideum Rab Protein, Rabs, Katherine V. Maringer

Theses and Dissertations

Functional analysis and localization of the small GTPase RabS in the slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, was explored using cell lines that over-express a GFP tagged RabS protein. Based on homology to Rab1, Golgi association was explored. Immunofluoresence analysis of the intracellular localization of this GFP tagged protein revealed that this GFP-Rab had a partial co-localization with the contractile vacuole organelle system. Additionally, when the over-expressed RabS cell lines were exposed to selective biochemical inhibitors, the GFP-Tagged Rab localized with what can be assumed is the Golgi network. This dual localization of Golgi and CV may support a previously proposed connection …

Inhibition Of Injury-Induced Cell Proliferation In The Dentate Gyrus Impairs Cognitive Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Teresa Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces a robust cellular proliferative response among neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/NPCs) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. This proliferative effect is thought to contribute to the innate cognitive recovery observed following TBI. Inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis impairs cognitive function. Furthermore, enhancement of injury-induced hippocampal neurogenesis via intraventricular administration of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) improves cognitive function in animals following TBI. In this experiment, we investigated the direct association between injury-induced hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive recovery utilizing an antimitotic agent, arabinofuranosyl cytidine (Ara-C). In this study, adult rats received a moderate lateral fluid percussion injury …

Broad To Marshall Bridge | A City Block Interior That Separates And Connects Place, Emily Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This is a project about an old city block. It once housed confectioners, jewelers, restaurateurs, pharmacists, and retailers in street-level parcels with residents in the apartments above. Now, it is home to a barber, a few restaurateurs, and street vendors. Over 200 years of building and development have shaped what is now the north 100 block of E Broad Street and although most of it still stands, it shows the effects of renovations, time, and neglect. This is also a project about paths. As sidewalks move pedestrians along streets they provide paths to retailers, employers, homes, and places to gather …

Composing 'An Experience': Experiential Aesthetics In First-Year Writing, Aimee E. Blau

Theses and Dissertations

Students often struggle to understand why the required writing course is important in their academic and non academic life. My project seeks to bring these two parts of students' lives together by urging writing teachers and students to consider a richer concept of the term "composition," one that includes the fundamental work of composing meaningful knowledge by assembling and reflecting on raw experiences. Dewey's term "an experience" clarifies how students constitute knowledge from their experiences, and Burke's methodological concept of form offers students a model for writing that accommodates that Deweyian sort of learning. Building off of these aesthetic …

Quantitative Analysis Of Multiple Charged Large Molecules In Human Or Rat Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Matthew Halquist

Theses and Dissertations

Immunoassays have traditionally been employed for the determination of plasma concentration-time profiles for pharmacokinetic studies of therapeutic proteins and peptides. These ligand binding assays have high sensitivity but require significant time for antibody generation (1 to 2 years) for assay development. Despite high sensitivity, these assays suffer from cross-reactivity that can lead to inaccurate results. As an alternative to immunoassays, this dissertation was focused on the development and validation of assays that can be used for quantitative analysis of peptides or proteins in plasma using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Two approaches were considered for measurement of proteins and …

The Effect Of Minocycline Treatment On Cell Proliferation And Neurogenesis In The Hippocampus In Young And Aged Brains Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Ashley Harvin

Theses and Dissertations

Following traumatic brain injury, there is an enhanced cell proliferative and neurogenic response in the young adult hippocampus, which may be associated with innate cognitive recovery. However, in the aged brain, an increased level of inflammatory cell responses was observed following injury concomitant to decreased hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive recovery in the aging population. This suggests that excessive inflammation produced in the injured aging brain has a detrimental effect on neurogenesis and cognitive function. In this study, we examined the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment with minocycline on cell proliferation and generation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Doxorubicin Carrying Cetuximab-Pamam Dendrimer Bioconjugates, Gunjan Saxena

Theses and Dissertations

A tumor targeted dendrimer based drug delivery system was designed and synthesized to carry chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer G4.5 was chosen as the underlying carrier. Anionic G4.5 is a good option for drug delivery as it consists of 128 surface groups, is less cytotoxic and favorably biodistributed. The delivery system was synthesized using a layer-by layer arrangement of three functional entities: chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, monoclonal antibody Cetuximab against EGF receptor, and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Doxorubicin was attached via an acid-sensitive hydrazon linkage to the dendrimer. Macromolecules are taken in by cells through endocytosis. pH inside the early endosomes …

Perceived Social Attributes Of College Students With Ideal Versus Non-Ideal Dental Esthetics Judged By Peers., David Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dentofacial appearance on perceived social attributes of college-aged adult males and females as judged by their peers. Specifically, the objective was to determine if ideal smile esthetics positively influenced this age group’s perception of opposite-sex peers based on ratings of the following psychosocial characteristics: attractiveness, desire to spend time with, desire to date, and desire for a long-term relationship. Evaluators were shown digital photographs of subjects with ideal and nonideal smiles and asked to rate those 4 attributes using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjects’ photographs with ideal …

Sex Differences In The Oxygen Uptake Kinetic Response To Moderate Intensity Exercise In Obese Adolescents, Mary Bowen

Theses and Dissertations

The oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetic response to exercise provides insight into aerobic performance and the efficiency of the body to maintain oxygen demand during the initiation of exercise. Previous research in normal weight children reports insignificant differences in gender VO2 on-kinetic responses to moderate exercise. No study has evaluated the impact obesity may have on gender VO2 on-kinetics. PURPOSE: To determine if sex differences exist in the VO2 kinetic response to moderate exercise in obese adolescents. METHODS: Male (n=16) and female (n=39) adolescents completed a graded exercise test to exhaustion on a treadmill. Data from initial 4-min treadmill walking was …

Between Nothingness And Spectacle, Mayme Donsker

Theses and Dissertations

Looking closely at anonymous subjects in found photographs to jog collective memories and point at gestures, bodily traces of complexity, connectedness or just a quiet moment where nothing monumental is really happening; a pause for distance, a pause for discernment, there is no real difference between nothingness and spectacle.

Associations Between Binge Eating And Executive Functioning Among Young Women, Nichole Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Binge eating is a pervasive disordered eating behavior associated with numerous psychological and physical comorbidities. Preliminary research indicates that emotion regulation difficulties, behavioral impulsivity, and executive dysfunction may contribute to the onset and/or maintenance of these behaviors. However, few studies have utilized neuropsychological measures to examine this link, and the assessment of behavioral and cognitive emotion regulation strategies are limited in scope. The purpose of the current study was to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, behavioral and cognitive processes associated with binge eating behavior. Greater clarity regarding how these factors relate to binge eating is critical to the …

Teller Machine, Reid Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

This document examines the work in my MFA thesis exhibition. The objects in that installation address specific socio-aesthetic sites of class and power. The personal and cultural narratives examined here further explain the objects’ symbolic potential.