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Articles 15061 - 15090 of 19641

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Coupling Of Autotrophic And Heterotrophic Plankton Food Web Components In The Tidal-Freshwater James River, Usa, Matthew Beckwith Apr 2009

Coupling Of Autotrophic And Heterotrophic Plankton Food Web Components In The Tidal-Freshwater James River, Usa, Matthew Beckwith

Theses and Dissertations

Empirical studies have shown that algal- and detrital-based food web components are coupled in many pelagic systems as algal carbon enhances bacterioplankton production and growth efficiencies. Such phyto-bacterioplankton coupling impacts carbon flow through plankton food webs, yet the extent of coupling is poorly understood in systems receiving large amounts of allochthonous carbon. To investigate this issue, bacterioplankton abundance (BA) and community composition were compared to chlorophyll a concentrations and phytoplankton production in the tidal-freshwater James River (VA). BA averaged 107 cells mL-1 and was significantly related to chlorophyll a, phytoplankton production, and DOC concentrations. Analysis of DOC quality using fluorescence …

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Therapeutic Drugs In Cancer, Teneille Walker Apr 2009

Therapeutic Drugs In Cancer, Teneille Walker

Theses and Dissertations

The first study examined the interaction between low doses of the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib and the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in colon cancer cells. Sorafenib and vorinostat synergized to kill HCT116 and SW480 cells. In SW480 cells, sorafenib+vorinostat toxicity correlated with CD95 activation and CD95-stimulated autophagy. Drug lethality in SW480 cells was blocked by knock down of CD95. In SW620 cells that are patient matched to SW480 cells, sorafenib+vorinostat toxicity was significantly reduced that correlated with a lack of CD95 activation and lower expression of ceramide synthase 6 (LASS6). Overexpression of LASS6 in SW620 cells enhanced drug-induced CD95 activation and …

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Effects Of Mentoring On The Development Of Leadership Self-Efficacy And Political Skill, Suzzette Chopin Apr 2009

Effects Of Mentoring On The Development Of Leadership Self-Efficacy And Political Skill, Suzzette Chopin

Theses and Dissertations

This study considered the effects of mentoring on protégés’ beliefs in their abilities to be leaders and on their development of interpersonal skills. This study explored, in 260 business graduate students, the relationship between (a) mentoring and leadership self-efficacy and (b) mentoring and political skill. Participants completed surveys including the Self-Efficacy for Leadership Scale, the Political Skill Inventory, and the Mentoring Functions Questionnaire. Comparisons between non-mentored and mentored individuals showed that having a mentor is associated with increased political skill (p < .05) but not increased leadership self-efficacy (p > .05). Among mentored individuals, higher quality mentoring relationships are associated with significantly higher leadership-self efficacy (p < .01) but not with significantly higher political skill (p > .05). The presence …

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Novel Mechanisms Regulating Cytokine-Induced Gene Expression In Astrocytes And Glioblastoma Cells, Lauren Bryan Apr 2009

Novel Mechanisms Regulating Cytokine-Induced Gene Expression In Astrocytes And Glioblastoma Cells, Lauren Bryan

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic inflammation in the brain results in the development of several CNS diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, and tumors. IL-1, a pro-inflammatory cytokine released by activated microglia and astrocytes, instigates the expression of factors promoting the progression of these CNS disorders, including cytokines, chemokines, and components of matrix remodeling systems, such as the plasminogen activator system. IL-1 also increases the mRNA expression and activity of SphK, the enzyme that phosphorylates Sph to form S1P, a bio-active sphingolipid. This thesis demonstrates that IL-1 and S1P enhance the mRNA and protein expression of PAI-1 and uPAR, two key components …

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Identification Of Binding Partners Of A Novel P. Falciparum Exported Protein, Monica Zapata Apr 2009

Identification Of Binding Partners Of A Novel P. Falciparum Exported Protein, Monica Zapata

Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of the most severe form of malaria. This parasite drastically modifies its host cell, the erythrocyte, to create a hospitable environment for its growth and reproduction. In order for these modifications to occur, the parasite secretes proteins into the erythrocyte. While the secretion machinery is still unknown, many secreted proteins have been found to have a hydrophobic signal sequence and a novel host-targeting signal downstream of the hydrophobic sequence. A novel P. falciparum protein has been shown to be secreted from the parasitophorous vacuole, yet it lacks both a hydrophobic signal sequence and a …

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Molecular Mechanisms For Regulation Of Gene Expression By Lysophosphatidic Acid In Ovarian Carcinoma Cells, Regina Oyesanya Apr 2009

Molecular Mechanisms For Regulation Of Gene Expression By Lysophosphatidic Acid In Ovarian Carcinoma Cells, Regina Oyesanya

Theses and Dissertations

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a potent bioactive phospholipid mediator that functions through multiple G protein couple receptors (GPCRs). LPA is elevated in ascites of ovarian cancer patients and is involved in growth, survival and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells. Gene promoter analyses revealed that some LPA-target genes share similar sets of binding sites for prominent transcription factors posing the possibility of a general mechanism for activation of their expression by LPA. Detailed investigation of the mechanisms of regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2), a paradigm of LPA-regulated genes, showed that LPA robustly upregulated the expression of Cox-2 in ovarian cancer cells …

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The Effects Of Motivational Interviewing In Pregnancy On Infant Oral Health Knowledge And Behavior, Patricia Arteaga Apr 2009

The Effects Of Motivational Interviewing In Pregnancy On Infant Oral Health Knowledge And Behavior, Patricia Arteaga

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine infant oral health knowledge and readiness of expectant mothers to incorporate preventive oral health behaviors for their infants. Methods: The study used a prospective cohort design to examine the effect of prenatal education and motivational counseling with expectant mothers about infant oral health care readiness. Participants were all enrolled in a prenatal care program called Centering Pregnancy offered by VCU’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. They all completed a pre-survey questionnaire, followed by a motivational counseling intervention, and then completed a post-survey questionnaire. Results: A sample of 30 pregnant women completed …

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Genetic Variations Of Cyp2b6 Enzyme And The Response To Meperidine In Oral Sedation, Sally Hua Apr 2009

Genetic Variations Of Cyp2b6 Enzyme And The Response To Meperidine In Oral Sedation, Sally Hua

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of CYP2B6 genotype to the clinical response to meperidine in pediatric dental patients. Methods: Twenty-five patients, ASA I/ II, 45–92 months old, received an oral sedative regimen containing meperidine for dental treatment. The North Carolina Behavior Rating Scale (NCBRS) and Overall Effectiveness of Sedation Scale (OESS) were used to assess their behavior and sedation outcome. Saliva DNA samples were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Results: We found the following genotype distributions: homozygous wild-type 1*1 (n = 8, 32%), heterozygous 1*6 (n = 13, 52%), and homozygous variant 6*6 (n = 4, …

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The Role Of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases In The Regulation Of Plant Development, Erica Satterfield Apr 2009

The Role Of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases In The Regulation Of Plant Development, Erica Satterfield

Theses and Dissertations

Mitogen-activated protein kinases are part of an evolutionarily conserved protein phosphorylation cascade which serves essential regulatory functions in eukaryotic organisms. Although the role of MAPKs in the regulation of a plant’s response to environmental stress and plant defense has been well established, very little is known about their role in the regulation of plant developmental processes. In order to examine the role of MAPKs in plant growth and development, a strong mammalian MAPK phosphatase (MKP-1), which is known to inactivate MAPKs in plants, was introduced into tobacco plants. In tobacco plants, MKP-1 overexpression altered plant responses to the phytohormones, ethylene …

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Cannabinoid Effects On Nfkappab Function In Microglial-Like Cells: Dual Mode Of Action, Latoya Griffin-Thomas Apr 2009

Cannabinoid Effects On Nfkappab Function In Microglial-Like Cells: Dual Mode Of Action, Latoya Griffin-Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Cannabinoids have been shown to modulate the immune system in vitro and in animal models. A major area of interest is how cannabinoids impact the brain. A whole variety of neuropathies or brain disorders, such as AIDS dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, are associated with a hyperinflammatory response within the brain. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, are the major cell type responsible for the persistent elicitation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-6, TNFa) and other mediators. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that the partial exogenous cannabinoid agonist delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC) and the potent synthetic exogenous cannabinoid …

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Role Of Molecular Chaperones In G Protein B5-Regulator Of G Protein Signaling Dimer Assembly And G Protein By Dimer Specificity, Alyson Cerny Howlett Apr 2009

Role Of Molecular Chaperones In G Protein B5-Regulator Of G Protein Signaling Dimer Assembly And G Protein By Dimer Specificity, Alyson Cerny Howlett

Theses and Dissertations

In order for G protein signaling to occur, the G protein heterotrimer must be assembled from its nascent polypeptides. The most difficult step in this process is the formation of the Gβγ dimer from the free subunits since both are unstable in the absence of the other. Recent studies have shown that phosducin-like protein (PhLP1) works as a co-chaperone with the cytosolic chaperonin complex (CCT) to fold Gβ and mediate its interaction with Gγ. However, these studies did not address questions concerning the scope of PhLP1 and CCT-mediated Gβγ assembly, which are important questions given that there are four Gβs …

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Therapeutic Drugs In Cancer And Resistance., Aditi Pandya Martin Apr 2009

Therapeutic Drugs In Cancer And Resistance., Aditi Pandya Martin

Theses and Dissertations

We investigated the mechanism of toxicity and resistance development of small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib in HCT 116 colon cancer cells. Lapatinib mediated cell death in HCT 116 cells was caspase independent and involved cytosolic release of apoptosis inducing factor. Treatment of HCT 116 cells with 10µM Lapatinib lead to the outgrowth of lapatinib resistant HCT 116 cells. Our studies show that alterations in the expression and activation of Bcl-2 family proteins allow lapatinib resistant HCT 116 cells to resist cytotoxic effects of lapatinib as well as of other commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. In hepatoma and pancreatic cancer cells, …

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Comparative Ecology And Conservation Status Of Procambarus (Pennides) Gibbus And Procambarus (Pennides) Versutus In Marion County, Georgia, Joann Chadwick Apr 2009

Comparative Ecology And Conservation Status Of Procambarus (Pennides) Gibbus And Procambarus (Pennides) Versutus In Marion County, Georgia, Joann Chadwick

Theses and Dissertations

Two crayfish species, whose conservation status was of concern, Procambarus (Pennides) gibbus Hobbs and Procambarus (Pennides) versutus Hagen, and one relatively common crayfish, Procambarus (Pennides) spiculifer LeConte were studied at nine creek sites in Marion County, Georgia. Major objectives of the yearlong study were to 1) compare the habitats of these species, looking for environmental differences that might account for their isolated distributions within the county and 2) assess the current conservation status of P. gibbus and P. versutus. Each study site was characterized by a one-time assessment of floodplain width, stream width, water velocity, stream depth and assessment of …

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Neurotensin Regulates Gabaergic Activity In The Ca1 Region Of Rat Hippocampus, Shanshan Li Mar 2009

Neurotensin Regulates Gabaergic Activity In The Ca1 Region Of Rat Hippocampus, Shanshan Li

Theses and Dissertations

Neurotensin (NT) is a tridecapeptide that interacts with three NT receptors, NTS1, NTS2 and NTS3. NT has been reported to modulate GABA release in various brain regions under both physiological and pathological conditions. A beneficial role for NT in correcting GABA dysfunction/deficiency has been implied. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying NT-induced increases in GABAergic function remain ill-defined. Here, we first examined the effects of NT on GABAergic transmission and the underlying cellular and signaling mechanisms in the hippocampus of juvenile rats. We found that NT dose-dependently increased sIPSC frequency in CA1 pyramidal neurons without affecting the amplitude of …

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New Strategies For The Release Of Acids And Carbonyl Compounds From Photoremovable Protecting Groups, Promise K. Yong Mar 2009

New Strategies For The Release Of Acids And Carbonyl Compounds From Photoremovable Protecting Groups, Promise K. Yong

Theses and Dissertations

Photoremovable protecting groups (PRPGs) have found extensive applications in chemical synthesis, biology/biomedicine, and photoacid-based lithography. For most applications in biomedical settings, the use of visible wavelengths is desirable in order to avoid damage from UV-radiation. To meet the demands of the numerous applications, there is continued interest in the development of PRPGs, as the current pool is limited. 1-[2-(2-Hydroxyalkyl)phenyl]ethanone (HAPE), a new photoremovable protecting group for carboxylic acids is introduced. It was synthesized from commercially available 2'-bromoacetophenone and used to protect carboxylic acids as HAPE esters in good yields. Photolysis of HAPE esters was performed with 320 nm light and …

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The Role Of Src Suppressed C-Kinase Substrate In Primary Sensory Neurons, Christopher P. Irmen Mar 2009

The Role Of Src Suppressed C-Kinase Substrate In Primary Sensory Neurons, Christopher P. Irmen

Theses and Dissertations

SSeCKS (src suppressed C kinase substrate) is an A kinase anchoring protein that has been localized in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Previous studies have suggested that SSeCKS is restricted to a population of small-diameter neurons in the dorsal root ganglia whose central axons terminate in superficial laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn. This SSeCKS containing population displayed labeling characteristics consistent with non-peptidergic C-fibers and occasionally contained nerve growth factor receptors. The present study investigated the hypothesis that SSeCKS is found in a subgroup of primary sensory neurons that are involved in transmission of nociceptive stimuli. This was …

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Stakeholder Perceptions Of Strategic Planning In Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Institutions, Eric S. Burgess Mar 2009

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Strategic Planning In Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Institutions, Eric S. Burgess

Theses and Dissertations

This research study assesses the effectiveness of the strategic planning initiatives at two small public institutions of higher education in the Midwestern United States that have similar histories, demographics, and missions. It is a comparative case study that reviews, analyzes, and compares stakeholder perceptions of the strategic planning processes at the selected institutions. Following a thorough literature review, qualitative methods of observation, interviewing, and grounded theory development are utilized to answer the following research question: What are the faculty and administrator perceptions of strategic planning as it occurred at the selected institutions? The study provides significant evidence verifying how stakeholders …

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Facilitating Higher Education For Poor Single Mothers, Marsha R. Miskin Mar 2009

Facilitating Higher Education For Poor Single Mothers, Marsha R. Miskin

Theses and Dissertations

Data for this study comes from the Single Mom Initiative conducted by BYU Self-reliance Center. This study uses the Life Course perspective to examine how getting at least a bachelor's degree before or after becoming a single mother affects income levels. There was no significant difference in getting a degree before or after becoming a single mother on income levels. The study also shows how families, institutions, and governments can help single mothers. The results indicate that the number of children, employment status, and government educational assistance positively affect single mother's current enrollment in college, while receiving food stamps negatively …

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Evaluating The Influence Of Past Gaming Experience On Learner Preferences And Motivation To Learn In A Military Training Environment, Steven D. Yelverton Mar 2009

Evaluating The Influence Of Past Gaming Experience On Learner Preferences And Motivation To Learn In A Military Training Environment, Steven D. Yelverton

Theses and Dissertations

Millennial generation recruits are entering the Air Force and with them come their new attitudes and expectations. As a result, the leadership of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) expressed a need for information on how to effectively train this new generation of recruits in their 2008 whitepaper. The purpose of this thesis was to begin to address this requirement by investigating the influence video gaming has on the learning preferences of trainees undergoing initial skills training at the 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. A survey was administered and data was collected from 866 trainees. The …

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The Design Of A Blended Approach For Teaching The Tpck Framework In A Technology Integrated Course, Andrea Velasquez Mar 2009

The Design Of A Blended Approach For Teaching The Tpck Framework In A Technology Integrated Course, Andrea Velasquez

Theses and Dissertations

This report describes the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based unit that was designed to enable blended learning in a course for pre-service teachers learning about technology integration. The unit aims to teach students about the TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and how to incorporate it in their teaching designs to make their instruction more effective. The report describes the process of design and development using the rapid prototyping technique. The evaluation section describes the results of the implementation of the design. Finally, the conclusion provides a critique of the project's strengths and weaknesses.

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Functionalization, Characterization, And Applications Of Diamond Particles, Modification Of Planar Silicon, And Chemoetrics Analysis Of Ms Data, Li Yang Mar 2009

Functionalization, Characterization, And Applications Of Diamond Particles, Modification Of Planar Silicon, And Chemoetrics Analysis Of Ms Data, Li Yang

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of the stablility (lack of reactivity) of diamond powder, I have developed a method for tethering alkyl chains and polymers to deuterium/hydrogen-terminated diamond. One method is through ether linkages via thermolysis of di-tert-amyl peroxide (DTAP). This reaction with DTAP has also been applied to grow polymers on the diamond surface. The other method is atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), which was applied to grow polystyrene at the surface of diamond. Both polystyrene-modified diamond and sulfonated polystyrene-modified diamond can be prepared by either method, and can be used for solid phase extraction. Diamond stationary phases are stable under basic …

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Laser Levitation Of Solid Particles For Combustion And Gasification Applications, Skigh E. Lewis Mar 2009

Laser Levitation Of Solid Particles For Combustion And Gasification Applications, Skigh E. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation details theoretical and experimental work in the development of a novel combustion diagnostic: laser levitation of solid particles. Theoretical analyses of the forces involved in the suspension of solid particles in a laser beam provide a comprehensive description of the levitation mechanism. Experimental work provides extensive observations and data that describe each of the forces involved, including results from detailed models. Theoretical models establish that a free-convective drag force, light scattering, photon momentum, and other minor forces contribute to the trapping mechanism. The theory quantitatively predicts particle temperature and magnitudes of each of the forces involved. Experimental measurements …

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The First Attachment And Post-Functionalization Of Polybutadiene And Thio-Click Functionalized Polybutadiene On H-Terminated Si(111), Todd Devere Wickard Mar 2009

The First Attachment And Post-Functionalization Of Polybutadiene And Thio-Click Functionalized Polybutadiene On H-Terminated Si(111), Todd Devere Wickard

Theses and Dissertations

I report the attachment of polymers with pendant vinyl groups to hydrogen-terminated silicon(111) (Si(111)-H) under mild conditions. 1,2-addition polybutadiene (Mw 3200-3500) was attached to Si(111)-H at room temperature with visible light. I also report the partial functionalization, in solution, of 1,2-addition polybutadiene with various thiols using thiol-click chemistry. These compounds bind to Si(111)-H via visible light activation. The partially functionalized polybutadienes allow further functionalization at the surface through unreacted carbon-carbon double bonds. Surfaces were characterized with contact angle goniometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

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A Framework For Analyzing Biometric Template Aging And Renewal Prediction, John W. Carls Mar 2009

A Framework For Analyzing Biometric Template Aging And Renewal Prediction, John W. Carls

Theses and Dissertations

Biometric technology and systems are modernizing identity capabilities. With maturing biometrics in full, rapid development, a higher accuracy of identity verification is required. An improvement to the security of biometric-based verification systems is provided through higher accuracy; ultimately reducing fraud, theft, and loss of resources from unauthorized personnel. With trivial biometric systems, a higher acceptance threshold to obtain higher accuracy rates increase false rejection rates and user unacceptability. However, maintaining the higher accuracy rate enhances the security of the system. An area of biometrics with a paucity of research is template aging and renewal prediction, specifically in regards to facial …

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Shelter-In-Place: Indoor Exposure Assessment During An Airborne Chemical, Biological, Radiological, And Nuclear (Cbrn) Event, Robert D. Schmidtgoessling Mar 2009

Shelter-In-Place: Indoor Exposure Assessment During An Airborne Chemical, Biological, Radiological, And Nuclear (Cbrn) Event, Robert D. Schmidtgoessling

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of Shelter-In-Place (SIP) is to reduce human exposure to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents in the event of an accidental or intentional airborne release into the outdoor environment. The Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) career field is responsible for providing hazard identification, evaluation, and control capabilities as well as executing health risk assessments to recommend appropriate courses of action to commanders pre-, trans-, and post-incident. Specifically, BE is responsible for providing sampling, identification, and quantification input to hazard prediction models and supporting evacuation plan development to provide risk-based control recommendations. This also includes providing exposure and …

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The Design And Verification Of A Mems Combustor Chamber, Constance Yvonne Meadors Mar 2009

The Design And Verification Of A Mems Combustor Chamber, Constance Yvonne Meadors

Theses and Dissertations

A pre-combustion micro-mixing chamber has been designed as a component of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's (UALR) proposed complete microelectromechanical (MEMS) hybrid rocket on a silicon chip. A MEMS pre-combustion mixer allows identification of pressures and flow rates for stochiometric mixing of combustion gases. The pre-combustion mixer has been designed to interface with a mass spectrometer for detection and characterization of combustion reactants and products as the first stage of a UALR hybrid micro-thruster. This research focuses on the design, fabrication, and validation of a pre-combustion micro-mixer that satisfies the requirements of MEMS micro-spacecraft and operates in space …

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Predicting Protein Secondary Structure Using Markov Chain Monte-Carlo Simulation, Inessa G. Im Mar 2009

Predicting Protein Secondary Structure Using Markov Chain Monte-Carlo Simulation, Inessa G. Im

Theses and Dissertations

Protein structure prediction is one of the most important problems in molecular biology. Secondary structure prediction is the initial starting point in determining three-dimensional structure of a protein. This work presents a novel approach to predict protein secondary structure using Markov chain Monte-Carlo simulation. The transition probabilities are first data-mined from the Dictionary of Protein Secondary Structure which contains over 46,000 known proteins. Monte-Carlo simulation uses these transition probabilities to generate thousands of secondary structure sequences for a given sequence of amino acids. Among these simulated secondary structure sequences, the one with the highest probability is chosen as the prediction. …

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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Theory Of An Efficacious Treatment Plan., Valerie Jeanette Johnston Mar 2009

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Theory Of An Efficacious Treatment Plan., Valerie Jeanette Johnston

Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous commonalities and similarities in the symptoms presented in those individuals suffering from Korsakoff's Syndrome, Vascular Dementia, B vitamin deficiencies and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. These similarities include physiological, neurological and psychological findings. B vitamin supplementation is being used effectively to treat several of these disorders. Because of these similarities and commonalities in both symptomology and physiology, it is my hypothesis that PTSD may be partially or totally a consequence of a B vitamin deficiency. Narrative re-exposure therapy is already in use to treat those with PTSD. Using the Biopsychosocial Model of health psychology, I propose an empirical study …

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Nonlinear Decomposition Analysis And Phase Transition Characterization Of Uterine Contractions, Kemal Aydin Mar 2009

Nonlinear Decomposition Analysis And Phase Transition Characterization Of Uterine Contractions, Kemal Aydin

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States 12.5% of babies are born prematurely. The premature birth rate has increased 27% over the past 20 years. The three principal components of the preterm-birth syndrome are: premature rupture of membranes, myometrial activity causing preterm labor, and premature cervical ripening. We investigated myometrial activities which are noninvasively collected multi-channel magnetomyographic (MMG) data from patients' uterus. On the temporal data mining side, we have developed an advanced signal processing technique to further investigate this data beyond Fourier and Wavelet analysis. On the spatial data mining side, we have developed a method to further explore the interactions between …

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Structural Clustering Algorithms For Networks, Nurcan Yuruk Mar 2009

Structural Clustering Algorithms For Networks, Nurcan Yuruk

Theses and Dissertations

The tightly connected groups of entities, so-called modules or clusters, are usually good indicators of structural or functional units of the underlying network. While those units are communities of people in a social network, they refer to web pages of similar topic on WWW, group of molecules that work together to achieve certain biological function in a biological network and etc. Modular structure is one of the most important and ubiquitous features observed in most complex networks and we mainly target the problem of network clustering which has, among other network analysis tasks, particular role of detecting modules in given …

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