Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Nifm Dependence Of Nifh In Azotobacter Vinelandii: Functional Substitution Of Nifh By A Nifh-Chll Chimeric Construct In A Nifm- Strain, Kelvin Harris Jr

Theses and Dissertations

The enzyme nitrogenase catalyzes the energy-dependent reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia via biological nitrogen fixation. Nitrogenase is composed of two metalloproteins known as the molybdenum-iron (MoFe) protein and the iron (Fe) protein. The Fe protein, a 60-kDa dimer of the product of the nifH gene, contains a single 4Fe-4S cluster and two Mg-ATP-binding sites, one at each subunit. The Fe protein is the obligate electron donor to the MoFe protein. To date, no other mutual protein has shown to substitute Fe protein in biological fixation, and the NifH is functional only in the presence of the nifessory protein NifM. Interestingly, …

An Adaptive Bayesian Approach To Bernoulli-Response Clinical Trials, Andrew W. Stacey

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional clinical trials have been inefficient in their methods of dose finding and dose allocation. In this paper a four-parameter logistic equation is used to model the outcome of Bernoulli-response clinical trials. A Bayesian adaptive design is used to fit the logistic equation to the dose-response curve of Phase II and Phase III clinical trials. Because of inherent restrictions in the logistic model, symmetric candidate densities cannot be used, thereby creating asymmetric jumping rules inside the Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. An order restricted Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is implemented to account for these limitations. Modeling clinical trials in a Bayesian framework …

Maternal High-Salt Diet During Pregnancy In Sprague Dawley Rats Programs Exaggerated Stress-Induced Blood Pressure And Heart Rate Responses In Adult Female Offspring, Summer Hayes King

Theses and Dissertations

The prenatal environment has been shown to have lasting effects on cardiovascular health. In the present study, pregnant rats were fed a 0.7% NaCl normal salt (NS) diet or an 8% NaCl high salt (HS) diet throughout pregnancy. Adult offspring were fitted with radiotelemetry probes to continuously measure blood pressure and heart rate. Rats were placed in restraining cages to test for a programmed acute stress hyperresponsiveness. Offspring were challenged with HS diet for one week to determine if blood pressure salt sensitivity had been programmed by the prenatal HS diet. Animals were killed following resting and acute stress conditions, …

Compartmentalization Of Hiv-1 In The Secondary Lymphoid Tissues, James Peter Gregson

Theses and Dissertations

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) reside in the lymphoid follicles of the secondary lymphoid tissues (sLTs). Following the infection of an individual with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), viral particles are trapped in massive quantities on the surfaces of FDCs. HIV-1 viral compartments are cell types or tissues between which there is a restriction of virus flow. Compartmentalization of HIV-1 creates numerous sites within the body in which the virus can undergo independent evolution, giving rise to a more diverse total viral population. Given the sessile nature of the FDC, I hypothesized that contrary to common assumptions, FDC-trapped HIV-1 is …

The Impact Of Business Students' Diversity Experiences Within The Business Curriculum And Co-Curriculum On Their Openness To Diversity, Marcia R. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Globalization along with demographic changes in American society has made diversity a crucial theme of discussion in higher education. The programs, curriculum, and learning that students encounter in their higher education experiences must prepare them for a world that is comprised of diverse individuals with different perspectives and point of views. However, a review of literature suggested the extent to which the diversity experiences within the business curriculum and co-curriculum impact students' racial, cultural, and diversity understanding remains uncertain. Therefore, the purpose of this survey study was to determine the relationship between business students' diversity experiences within business curriculum and …

Risk And Protective Factors Related To Female/Male Use Of Alcohol In Grades 7-12, Christie L. B. Rood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate risk and protective factors related to the use of alcohol during a 30-day time frame for 7th-12 th grade females/males. The comparisons were male non-users to male users, female non-users to female users, and male users to female users. Data were collected from the spring 2003 Grand Forks (North Dakota) Public Schools Youth Risk and Protective Factor Survey (YRPFS). The study was conducted with 666 students: 375 were in grades 7-9 and 291 were in grades 10-12. There were 340 females and 326 males. MANOVA was used to investigate the differences between …

Predicting Career Success In Classically Trained Musicians, Vanessa R. Rempel

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined several factors (performance anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, vocational decidedness, and amount of time in the profession) that are believed to contribute to success in music performance professions. Existing literature highlights the unique role that some of these variables play in career success, however no research has examined the combined impact of these four factors or has attempted to identify the relative weight each predictor holds.

The present study recruited participants through various professional music organizations that require a minimum and standardized level of music training. Participants were invited to complete an on-line survey that consisted of measures …

Consequences Of Normative Body Image Dissatisfaction: The Development Of Two Scales, Grace Y. Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Body image dissatisfaction is often seen as a predictor variable for the development of eating disorders; however, this study contends that the consequences of body dissatisfaction itself are problematic. Body image dissatisfaction of both men and women can have negative effects on psychological health and well being. This study examined the literature on body image and body image dissatisfaction, specifically emphasizing various mental health consequences as well as the influence of sex and sexual orientation. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to investigate the consequences of normative body image dissatisfaction among non-clinical adult populations, and to offer initial validation …

Therapists' Experience Of Secondary Trauma: Influence Of Trauma Type And Social Support, Rachel E. Darrow

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals who have been traumatized need to gain comfort from others, and they often seek this from mental health care providers. As providers are exposed to traumatic material, they are at risk for becoming victimized themselves. This phenomenon is explained as secondary trauma, and includes Figley’s model of compassion fatigue (CF), and McCann, Pearlman, and Saakvitne’s model of vicarious trauma (VT). The first purpose of this study was to explore factors related to the development of CF and VT in mental health professionals. While many factors have been implicated as moderators of CF and VT, two factors were chosen for …

Identification Of Psychological Stressors For Long Duration Space Missions: Psychological Stressors Among Five Astronauts And Cosmonauts, Melinda S. Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

As humans continue to experience space missions of longer and longer duration, more and more high intensity stressors are going to be experienced. Although physiological stressors have been studied, there have been few studies on the psychological stressors. Those that are present primarily focused on the polar environment as a space analogue. In order to answer the question of how stressors may affect future astronauts and cosmonauts, the evolutoinary reasons behind stress must be considered not only the type and intensity of the stressors.

Five astronauts and cosmonauts representing three space agencies were surveyed regarding their experiences with ten types …

The Relationship Of Epidural Labor Analgesia And Apgar Scores, Nikki J. Eckman

Theses and Dissertations

Childbirth can be a very painful process. Pain that accompanies labor induces the stress response which is a very dynamic process and can cause maternal and fetal complications. Maternal responses to the stress of labor and delivery include hyperventilation, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. These effects can adversely impact the fetus by inducing abnormal fetal heart rates and rhythms, fetal acidosis, and low placental blood flow. Epidural labor analgesia is a pain relieving modality that reduces the stress response in the laboring woman.

The purpose of this study was to discover if relationships between epidural labor analgesia and …

A Single-Subject Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Transitional Objects In Reducing Self-Injurious Behavior, Christen G. Herrick

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of transitional objects, in reducing self- injurious behaviors (SIB) from a psychodynamic theoretical perspective through two single-ease designs with middle-aged women. Participants received treatment as usual (TAU) from their on-going individual psychologists during an 8-10 week baseline phase, received a transitional object, and then continued TAU during a 22-23 week treatment phase. Participants completed the Self-Injury Survey (SIS) at weekly administrations during the baseline and treatment phases. Participants completed the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA-27). Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-fl). Symptom Checklist 90, Revised (SCL-90-R), and Reciprocal Attachment Questionnaire (RAQ) periodically throughout the baseline and treatment …

The Systematic Literature Review Of The Relationship Between Preoperative Anxiety And Postoperative Pain, Timothy R. Schmiedeberg

Theses and Dissertations

With all of the advancements in the medical field, patients are still having anxiety in the preoperative and pain in the postoperative setting. Anxiety and pain are known to cause a stress response that impedes the healing process of the body. However, does a relationship between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain exist? This independent project investigated in-depth, the physiologic stress response caused by anxiety, whether or not this stress response could be linked as one of the many causes of postoperative pain, and if decreasing anxiety preoperatively could theoretically decrease the analgesic requirements of the patient postoperatively. Although it is …

Executive Function Differences In Medicated Depressed, Non-Medicated Depressed, And Non-Medicated Non-Depressed Individuals, Michael T. Ransom

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to assess the performance of depressed young adults on tests of executive function, while addressing the variables of age and medication status, which have been inconsistently measured in previous research. It was hypothesized that statistically significant group differences would occur on tests of executive functions in three distinct groups: medicated depressed, non-medicated depressed, and non-medicated non-depressed individuals.

Participants included 53 adults who were medicated depressed ( n = 15), non-medicated depressed (n = 16), and non-medicated non-depressed (n = 22) and were between the ages of 19 and 40 years. Participants completed measures …

Questioning The Consumer Culture: A Qualitative Study On Voluntary Simplicity, Timothy S. Beecher

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study documents an understanding of the experiences of people who have adopted a voluntary simple lifestyle. Included in this analysis is the meaning of voluntary simplicity to those who have chosen this lifestyle and their values motivating them to adopt such a lifestyle. Specifically, questions were asked regarding participants’ meaning of voluntary simplicity, values and beliefs that motivate living such a lifestyle, how the participants maintain this lifestyle, and the role their possessions play in their life. Twelve participants were interviewed through telephone correspondence. Participants were recruited through online voluntary simple networks namely, A Center for a New …

Longitudinal Course Of Body Dissatisfaction In Undergraduate Females At Brigham Young University, Joy Wiechmann

Theses and Dissertations

This research project examined the longitudinal course of body dissatisfaction among undergraduate females at Brigham Young University (BYU) using the Body Satisfaction Questionnaire (BSQ).The research also examined what percentage of undergraduate females have BSQ ratings in the clinically significant range and whether body dissatisfaction ratings varied based on the environment in which the student lived. Results indicate that no significant change in body dissatisfaction occurred over time, nor did living environment appear to play a role in BSQ scores. Results also showed that at any given time over 34% of women on BYU campus have BSQ scores in the clinically …

Thomas Carlyle, Fascism, And Frederick: From Victorian Prophet To Fascist Ideologue, Jonathon C. Mccollum

Theses and Dissertations

The Victorian Author Thomas Carlyle was in his day a meteoric voice but his popularity and reputation declined significantly due in part to his link to fascism. In the politically polarized era of the Second World War, academics and propagandists dubbed him a fascist or Nazi in both defamation and approval. Fascist scholars pressed Carlyle into service as a progenitor and prophet of their respective totalitarian regimes. Adolf Hitler, in his final days, assuaged his fears of his imminent fall with readings from Carlyle's History of Frederick the Great. This fascist connection to the once esteemed “Sage of Chelsea” marks …

The Relationship Between Family Composition And Social Behavior For Students With Mild Disabilities In Schools, Amanda Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research identifies significant differences in children's problem behavior across various family structures, particularly noting more challenging behaviors in children from single parent families. Utilizing a pre-existing data set of Behavioral Objective Sequence (BOS) scores, this study investigated teacher ratings of social behavioral skills in students with mild disabilities, focusing on differences between groups of students from a variety of family compositions. Results indicated no significant difference in social behavioral skills among children from different family groups, taking into account the student's age. The covariate of age was significant on each of six BOS subscales, suggesting that children develop and …

Contributions Of Family Leisure To Family Functioning Among Single-Parent Families, Laurel Beth Hornberger

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of family leisure involvement to the family functioning of single-parent families among a large national representative sample. Two samples were gathered. The single-parent sample consisted of 384 families (384 parents and 384 youth). The dual-parent sample consisted of 495 families (495 parents and 495 youth). Data were analyzed from the parent, youth, and family perspective using two instruments. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES II) was used to measure family functioning and the Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP) was used to measure family leisure involvement. Blocked multiple regression analysis …

An 828 Year Streamflow Reconstruction For The Jordan River Drainage Basin Of Northern Utah, Bryan P. Tikalsky

Theses and Dissertations

Bryan Tikalsky Department of Geography Master of Science Mountain water resources are essential to those living along the Salt Lake City urban corridor. Water resource planners base their policy on twentieth century climate conditions and streamflow records. Often these records only account for a small amount of the natural variability in streamflow and climate. By utilizing dendrochronology this study seeks to better understand variability of streamflow in the Jordan River Drainage Basin over the last 828 years. A GIS model was used to identify potential sampling sites where tree growth would be sensitive to climate and factors affecting stream run-off. …

Handling And Analysis Of Public Comments In Natural Resource Planning, Lisette Borchert Thurgood

Theses and Dissertations

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970 required public input in any federal planning process or action. Consequently, natural resource planning can be characterized as more of a complex situation in recent years due to the increasing involvement of the number of constituents who want to be heard. Likewise, the public wants to know their ideas have been heard and considered. Unfortunately, there is very little information available which identifies how the BLM handles and analyzes public scoping comments that are required under NEPA. The purpose of this research is to identify the handling and analysis methodology used by …

Holmes, Alice, And Ezeulu: Western Rationality In The Context Of British Colonialism And Western Modernity, Andrew B. Schultz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Western rationality, contextualizing that subject in British colonialism and Western modernity. Using Scott Lash's description of academic characterizations of modernity, I explore the “high" modernity of the social sciences represented in the books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. I then explore the cultural studies critique of that characterization of modernity in the book Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe. Using the theory of Jean Francois Lyotard, Martin Heidegger, and Theodor Adorno, I look at Western rationality through its manifestation in British colonialism. I argue that …

Development Of Informative Priors In Microarray Studies, Kassandra M. Fronczyk

Theses and Dissertations

Microarrays measure the abundance of DNA transcripts for thousands of gene sequences, simultaneously facilitating genomic comparisons across tissue types or disease status. These experiments are used to understand fundamental aspects of growth and development and to explore the underlying genetic causes of many diseases. The data from most microarray studies are found in open-access online databases. Bayesian models are ideal for the analysis of microarray data because of their ability to integrate prior information; however, most current Bayesian analyses use empirical or flat priors. We present a Perl script to build an informative prior by mining online databases for similar …

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Activity And Phosphorylation Of Amp-Activated Protein Kinase In Contracting Muscle Of Sedentary And Endurance Trained Rats, Denise Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to examine activity of AMP-activated protein kinase kinase (AMPKK) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in muscles from control (C) and endurance trained (T) rats. Rats were trained 5 days/wk, 2 hr/d for 8 wks at a final intensity of 32 m/min up a 15% grade with 30 second sprints at 52 m/min every 10 min. Gastrocnemius muscles were stimulated in situ in T and C rats for 5 min at frequencies of 0.4/sec and 1/sec. Gastrocnemius LKB1 protein, a putative component of the AMPKK complex (LKB1, STRAD, and MO25), increased approximately 2-fold in response to training. …

Development Of Chemomechanical Functionalization And Nanografting On Silicon Surfaces, Michael Vernon Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Progress in chemomechanical functionalization was made by investigating the binding of molecules and surface coverage on the silicon surface, demonstrating functionalization of silicon with gases by chemomechanical means, analyzing atomic force microscopy probe tip wear in atomic force microscopy (AFM) chemomechanical nanografting, combining chemomechanical functionalization and nanografting to pattern silicon with an atomic force microscope, and extending chemomechanical nanografting to silicon dioxide. Molecular mechanics of alkenes and alkynes bound to Si(001)-2x1 as a model of chemomechanically functionalized surfaces indicated that complete coverage is energetically favorable and becomes more favorable for longer chain species. Scribing a silicon surface in the presence …

Palmitoylation And Oxidation Of The Cysteine Rich Region Of Snap-25 And Their Effects On Protein Interactions, Derek Luberli Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Neurons depend upon neurotransmitter release through regulated exocytosis to accomplish the immense processing performed within the central nervous system. The SNARE hypothesis points to a family of proteins that are thought to enable the membrane fusion that leads to exocytosis. The secondary structure of SNAP-25 is unique among SNARE proteins in that it has two alpha helical SNARE motifs and a cysteine rich (C85, C88, C90, C92) membrane interacting region but notransmembrane domain. The cysteines may be modified by palmitoylation or oxidation but the role of these modifications in vivo is not well understood. Our goal is to elucidate possible …

Cloning And Characterization Of The Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (Sos1) Gene In Chenopodium Quinoa Willd., Taylor Brian Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Salt tolerance is a commercially important trait that affects plant species around the globe. Cellular response to saline environments is a well studied but complex system that is far from being completely understood. The SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE 1 (SOS1) gene is a critical component of salt tolerance in many species, encoding a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter that plays an important role in germination and growth in saline environments. Here we report a preliminary investigation of salt tolerance in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Quinoa is a halophytic grain crop of the Chenopodiaceae family with impressive nutritional content and an increasing world-wide …

Synthesis Of Resveratrol And Its Analogs, Phase-Transfer Catalyzed Asymmetric Glycolate Aldol Reaction, And Total Synthesis Of 8,9-Methylamido-Geldanamycin, Jing Liu

Theses and Dissertations

The phytoalexin resveratrol and its acetyl analogs have been made using a decarbonylative Heck reaction. The acid chloride derived from 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid was coupled with suitable protected 4-hydroxystyrene in the presence of palladium acetate and N,N-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro imidazolium chloride to give the substituted stilbene in good yield as the key step. Human HL-60 cell assays showed the 4'-acetyl resveratrol variant improved activity (ED50 17 μM) relative to resveratrol (24 μM). Cinchona phase-transfer catalysts (PTC) were developed for glycolate aldol reactions to give differentially protected 1,2-diol products. Silyl enol ether of diphenylmethoxy-2,5-dimethoxyacetophenone reacted to generate benzhydryl-protected products. O-Allyl trifluorobenzyl cinchonium hydrodifluoride (20 …

Statistical Considerations In Designing For Biomarker Detection, Trenton C. Pulsipher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to develop a statistical method for use in rapid detection of biological agents using portable gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) devices. Of particular interest is 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (dipicolinic acid, or DPA), a molecule that is present at high concentrations in spores of Clostridium and Bacillus, the latter of which includes the threat organism Bacillus anthracis, or anthrax. Dipicolinic acid may be useful as a first-step discriminator of the biological warfare agent B. anthracis. The results of experiments with B. anthracis Sterne strain and Bacillus thuringiensis spores lead to a conceptual model for the chemical …

Learning Russian Case Endings Through Model Sentences, Sara Lyn Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines aspects of the Russian language that are particularly challenging for English-speaking students. It focuses on the complexity of Russian's grammatical morphology, specifically Russian case endings. In this study, methods and theories from the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) are reviewed to support a study aide designed by the author to help students with the acquisition of Russian case endings. The proposed study aide consists of 24 sentences composed of high-frequency Russian words. The 24 sentences contain all regular (approximately 75) Russian case endings. The purpose of the model sentences is to teach case forms using …