Digital Commons Network^™

Identification Of Xpa And Xpc Gene Mutations In Patients With Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Eman Abdelalim Sidky Rabie

Theses and Dissertations

The human body employs different DNA repair pathways to protect itself against cancers induced by DNA damage. The nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway comprises different synchronously working DNA repair proteins; two of which are XPA and XPC. Mutations of any of the genes encoding the NER proteins cause an autosomal recessive genetic disorder called Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP). XP patients present with characteristic dry atrophic freckle-like pigmentation of the skin, photosensitivity and photophobia. Some patients develop neurodegenerative symptoms early in life, including mental retardation. Patients have a 10,000-fold increased risk for UV-induced skin cancers, moreover, a higher risk for ocular, oral …

Effects Of Abscisic Acid (Aba) On Germination Rate Of Three Rangeland Species, Turmandakh Badrakh

Theses and Dissertations

Seeds sown in the fall to restore sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe plant communities could experience high mortality when they germinate and seedlings freeze during the winter. Delaying germination until the risk of frost is past could increase seedling survival. We evaluated the use of abscisic acid (ABA) to delay germination of Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Linum perenne. The following treatments were applied: uncoated seed, seed coated with ABA at 2.2, 4.4, 8.8, 13.2, and 17.6 g of active ingredient kg-1 of seed, and seed coated with no ABA. The influence of seed treatments on germination were tested at five …

Role For Reactive Oxygen Species In Methamphetamine Modulation Of Dopamine Release In The Striatum, David Matthew Hedges

Theses and Dissertations

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive substance that is highly prevalent in today’s society, with over 1 in 20 adults over 26 having taken it at least once. While it is known that METH, a common psychostimulant, acts on both the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) and nigrostriatal DA systems by affecting proteins involved in DA reuptake and vesicular packaging, the specific mechanism of what is known as METH neurotoxicity remains obscure, but has been shown to involve oxidative stress. Studies have shown that reactive oxygen species act on the same proteins that METH affects. Oxidative species have also been known to …

Disruptive Behavior Disorders In Childhood And Criminal Justice System Involvement In Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood: Pilot Results Among Puerto Rican Youth, Marjorine Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) in childhood and arrest during adolescence and emerging adulthood was explored in a community sample of 162 Puerto Rican children who lived in the South Bronx, NYC when first recruited. Results indicate a significant link between having DBD in childhood and later arrest.

Developing Modeling, Optimization, And Advanced Process Control Frameworks For Improving The Performance Of Transient Energy-Intensive Applications, Seyed Mostafa Safdarnejad

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing trend of world-wide energy consumption emphasizes the importance of ongoing optimization of new and existing technologies. In this dissertation, two energy–intensive systems are simulated and optimized. Advanced estimation, optimization, and control techniques such as a moving horizon estimator and a model predictive controller are developed to enhance the profitability, product quality, and reliability of the systems. An enabling development is presented for the solution of complex dynamic optimization problems. The strategy involves an initialization approach to large–scale system models that both enhance the computational performance as well as the ability of the solver to converge to an optimal …

Estrogen's Effects On Oxidative Stress Levels In Glial Cells, Jacob J. Dirkman

Theses and Dissertations

A decrease in astrocyte function and viability has been linked to many neurodegenerative diseases, including schizophrenia, major depressive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Previous research indicates that some estrogens may have a positive effect on neuron and astrocyte viability. Estrogens’ effects on the brain are of interest as estrogens are commonly prescribed as hormone replacement therapy to reduce the symptoms of menopause in women. Unfortunately, these effects on are not completely understood. The goal of the project was to discover if estrogen has any protective effect on astrocytes exposed to oxidative stress. We measured the oxidative stress …

An Exploration Of Rule Clustering In Cellular Automata Rule Spaces, Jordon Huffman

Theses and Dissertations

The study of complex systems examines the global behavior of a system and how the individual parts of the system affect that behavior [1]. The study of complex systems spans across many fields of science like biology, physics, engineering, and computer science. One area of complex systems that has not been fully explored is cellular automata. Since its discovery by John von Neumann, there have been no consistent ways of categorizing similarities between cellular automata rules or collecting similar rules for observation. This thesis introduces an approach to identifying clusters of similar rules and extracting rules from that cluster. Several …

Development Of Arginyl-Trna Synthetase From Pseudomonas Aeruginosa As A Platform To Screen For Inhibitors Of Protein Synthesis, Daniel Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram- negative bacteria that is the leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. Arginyl-tRNA synthetase (ArgRS) is an enzyme that catalyzes the covalent attachment of arginine to the cognate tRNAArg during protein synthesis. Scintillation proximity assays (SPA) were adapted to the aminoacylation assay and used to screen, one natural compound library (800) and one synthetic compound library (890) to identify inhibitors of the activity of ArgRS. Five compounds were identified which inhibited greater than 50% of enzymatic activity, two of these compounds (BT04F10 and BT11F03) exhibited promising MICs against Gram+ bacteria and moderate activity against Gram- …

Opinion Formation About Childhood Immunization And Disease Spread On Networks, Shan Shan Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

People are physically and socially connected with each other. Those connections between people represent two, probably overlapping, networks: biological networks, through which physical contacts occur, or social network, through which information diffuse. In my thesis research, I am trying to answer that question in the context of pediatric disease spread on the biological network between households as well as within them and its relationship with information sharing on the social network of households (parents in that case) via "Information Cascades." I mainly focus on the Erdos-Renyi network model. In particular, I use two different but overlapping Erdos-Renyi networks for the …

The Indelible Power Of The Intraverbal: Expanding The Intraverbal Repertoire And Utilizing Conditioned Praise Words To Decrease Problem Behaviors Of Typically Developing Students In Schools, Jose A. Zamudio

Theses and Dissertations

This study tested a disciplinary strategy that aimed at teaching students positive behaviors to decrease (or eliminate) problem behavior at school. In this study, data of five disruptive students from a middle school in South Texas were analyzed to evaluate the outcomes of the disciplinary strategy implemented by a disciplinary program facilitator at the campus. Students were conditioned to be more receptive to particular praise words related to positive thinking, and ten teachers at the campus were trained to deliver the conditioned praise words when the students expressed positive behaviors that corresponded with the conditioned praise words. Positive thinking celerated …

Towards The Enhancement Of A Critical Cultural Paradigm In Health Communication: An Examination Of The Impact Of Paradigmatic Structures, Laura Elizabeth Arneson

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of Communication there are a wide variety of ways in which scholars can utilize theories to serve as epistemological frameworks in order to examine sociological structures. In this thesis, the subfield of Health Communication will be examined through a positivistic and critical cultural studies paradigm. This work will then examine underlying assumptions related to theoretical approaches in health communication.

With the primary argument of this work being that the dominant approaches in Healthcare Communication have been primarily rooted in positivism, this research study will attempt to show how this assumption continues to extend even into new digital …

Placental ‘€˜Omics’€™ Study To Understand The Pathogenesis Of Preeclampsia, Komal Kedia

Theses and Dissertations

Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially fatal complication of pregnancy characterized by an increase in blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg) and proteinuria (>300 mg/24 hrs), often accompanied by edema. Symptoms of PE start after 20 weeks of gestation. If PE remains untreated, it can lead to eclampsia, grand-mal seizures responsible for most fatalities. PE is believed to affect 2-10% of pregnancies worldwide, and claims the lives of over 75,000 mothers and 500,000 newborns yearly. No therapeutic agents have been developed to prevent or cure PE. Part of the reason for this is the absence of a complete understanding of the …

A Comparative Approach To Question Answering Systems, Josue Balandrano Coronel

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I will analyze three different algorithms and approaches to implement Question Answering Systems (QA-Systems). I will analyze the efficiency, strengths, and weaknesses of multiple algorithms by explaining them in detail and comparing them with each other. The overarching aim of this thesis is to explore ideas that can be used to create a truly open context QA-System. Open context QA-Systems remain an open problem.

The various algorithms and approaches presented in this work will be focused on complex questions. Complex questions are usually verbose and the context of the question is equally important to answer the query …

Relationships Between Texas Tortoise Carapace Length, Home Range Size, And Habitat Selection At Sites With Invasive Grass, Kiley V. Briggs

Theses and Dissertations

Invasive grasses in south Texas have the potential to negatively impact the threatened Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) by reducing the availability of preferred foods (forbs) and may cause tortoises to travel farther, lead to reduced carapace length, and reduce the availability of refugia from heat stress. I used compositional analysis, regression, and ANOVA to explore relationships between invasive grasses and habitat use, home range size, and carapace length, as well as compared daily maximum temperatures between tussocks of an invasive and native grass. Forbs were ranked higher in use over invasive grasses in compositional analysis, but not strongly so (p …

Apoptotic And Necrotizing Mechanisms Of Recombinant Panton-Valentine Leukocidin In Thp1 Monocytes., Heriberto Deleon Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) is a highly specialized bacterial exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. The increased degree of invasiveness of community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CAMRSA) has been attributed to the relatively high rates of PVL produced by the pathogen, thus increasing pathogenicity and virulence. The increased rates of PVL encoding CAMRSA infections have been correlated with increased rates of necrotizing fasciitis, invasive osteomyelitis and invasive necrotizing pneumococcal infections. Previous research as revealed that PVL has the ability to induce apoptosis at low concentration (5nM-10nM) and necrosis (50-100nM) at high concentrations, with little detail on the mechanism of initiation. …

Elementary Educators' Perspective Of Physical Education And The Physical Education Teacher, Jennifer M. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Physical education continues to have the reputation it has had for years of being a subject of marginalization and of least importance in the school curriculum. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the perceptions of educators of physical education and the physical education teacher in the Rio Grande Valley. The researcher attempts to find, understand, and describe the perceptions of the educator’s view of this subject matter. Statistical significance was set at the .05 level for both tests of analyses. The researcher offers the null hypothesis of no difference between educator’s perception of PE …

Nonlinear Dynamics Of Electrostatically Actuated Nanotweezers, Bin Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Bin Liu, Nonlinear Dynamics of Electrostatically Actuated Nanotweezers. Master of Science (MS), May 2016, 77 pp, 6 tables, 59 figures, references, 25 titles. The amplitude-frequency response of electrostatic nanotube nanotweezer device system is investigated; soft alter current was setting at near half natural frequency impulse on nanotubes which are referred to as two arms, parametric and primary resonances will be shown in the results, respectively. Firstly we are using the Method of Multiple Scales (MMS) analytical model; results will be compared with Reduced Order Model (ROM). By variation and comparison of multiple parameters including van der wall molecular forces, electrostatic …

Jatropha Curcas Protoplast Isolation And Inhibitory Effects Of Culture, Christopher S. Lukaszewski

Theses and Dissertations

Improvement on the sub-tropical plant Jatropha curcas may increase the use of this drought tolerant oilseed crop for the production of biodiesel. One of the methods for enhancing a species is through genetic manipulation of the protoplast. Isolating protoplasts is challenging and culturing has many obstacles similar to those seen in tissue culture, such as oxidative browning. Successful isolation of J. curcas leaf protoplasts resulted in an average of 3.23 x 106 viable protoplasts/mL. However, protoplasts diminished within 2 days after culturing. A review of the potential solutions used for overcoming the inhibitory effects of culture may reveal further insight …

Lie Symmetry To Nonlinear Oscillator Systems And Applications, Xiaoyan Li

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, we apply the theory of Lie symmetry to study a generalized second-order nonlinear differential equation, which includes several physical nonlinear oscillators such as force-free Helmholtz oscillator, force-free Duffing and Duffing-van der Pol oscillators, modified Emden-type equation and its hierarchy etc, and investigate the dynamical properties of this rather general equation. We identify and classify several new integrable cases for arbitrary values of exponents, which determine the tangent vector as well as the infinitesimal generator. Using the Lie point symmetry, we find the useful infinitesimal generators and canonical coordinates, and obtain the first integrals of the second-order nonlinear …

The Fallen Female: A Testimony, Husney Farwa Naqvi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a collection of thematically related nonfiction works that offers a cultural critique of the author’s three cultures – Pakistani, American, and Muslim – through a feminist lens. The author attempts to offer an intersectional feminist’s insight based on her lived experiences as a Pakistani American woman – born in Karachi, raised in Louisiana and the Rio Grande Valley in Deep South Texas. It explores feminist theory, focusing heavily on rape culture (“Shame and Regrets,” “Bollywood’s Rape Fetish”) and religious influences (“Infallible,” “The Hijab”). It also details the author’s experience as a Muslim woman who chose to observe …

Identification Of Synthetic Chemical Compound Inhibitors Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Protein Synthesis And The Development Of Lead Series, Stephanie O. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous Gram-negative bacteria and a primary cause of nosocomial infections. An aminoacylation/translation (A/T) assay was developed using P. aeruginosa components to perform poly(U) mRNA directed protein synthesis. Using scintillation proximity assay (SPA) technology a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform was developed. A synthetic chemical compound library (>900) was screened, 36 hit compounds were identified and molecular targets were determined. Compounds were analyzed for enzymatic inhibition (IC50) and inhibition of bacterial cultures (MIC). Time-kill studies determined bacterial growth to be bacteriostatic or bactericidal in the presence of inhibitor. Mechanism of action, effects on eukaryotic cytosolic and mitochondrial …

Molecular Dynamic Simulation Studies Of The Androgen Receptor Complexed With 5Α-Dihydrotestosterone And An Allosteric Ligand, Everardo Villarreal Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Receptors are important drug targets for the pharmaceutical industry, since they are involved in many illnesses. Nuclear receptors are a subset of receptors that control a variety of physiological events, by expression of genes from DNA. One of the nuclear receptors, the androgen receptor, is a steroid binding receptor that controls a variety of regulatory and development functions in the body. It is also the cause of some types of cancer, so the inhibition of this receptor is crucial. One of the processes studied to inhibit the function of the receptor is to see if an allosteric ligand, TRIAC, can …

Hydrodesulfurization Of Dibenzothiophene Using Comos2, Jacob S. Sollner

Theses and Dissertations

The hydrodesulphurization (HDS) of crude oils is an important industrial process to remove sulfur from fuels. In this study, DBT was used as a model compound to study the removal of sulfur from a decahydronaphthalene solution. The catalyst was synthesized through low pressure pathways in the absence of H2S. All the synthesized catalyst were investigated using a combination of SEM, RAMAN spectroscopy, and XRD. The materials were studied for their ability to remove DBT from solution and the reaction products were analyzed. It was observed that the major reaction pathway was the direct desulphurization pathway and zero order reaction kinetics …

Ultra Short Mr Relaxometry And Histological Image Processing For Validation Of Diffusion Mri, Amin Nazaran

Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an imaging modality that acquires an image with little to no damage to the tissue. MRI does not introduce foreign particles or high energy radiation into the body, making it one of the least invasive medical imaging modalities. MRI can achieve excellent soft tissue contrast and is therefore useful for diagnosis of a wide variety of diseases. While there are a wide variety of available techniques for generating contrast in MRI, there are still many open areas for research. For example, many tissues in the human body exhibit such rapid signal decay that they are …

Microwire Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces With Wireless Recording And Stimulation Capabilities, Ali Ajam

Theses and Dissertations

A scalable microwire peripheral nerve interface was developed, which interacted with regenerated peripheral nerves in microchannel scaffolds. Neural interface technologies are envisioned to facilitate direct connections between the nervous system and external technologies such as limb prosthetics or data acquisition systems for further processing. Presented here is an animal study using a handcrafted microwire regenerative peripheral nerve interface, a novel neural interface device for communicating with peripheral nerves. The neural interface studies using animal models are crucial in the evaluation of efficacy and safety of implantable medical devices before their use in clinical studies.16-electrode microwire microchannel scaffolds were developed for …

Characterizing Benthic Invertebrate Communities At Five South Texas Banks, Maria T. Cooksey

Theses and Dissertations

On the continental shelf off the coast of South Texas lie a series of hardbottom structures known as the South Texas Banks, which provide critical habitat for benthic organisms and pelagic fish species. The depth of the banks, a persistent nepheloid layer, and strong currents have hindered efforts to collect quantitative data on what inhabits the rocky outcrops and relic coral-algal reefs. Using a remotely operated vehicle, video data from five of the banks were collected in order to characterize the benthic communities. Southern and North Hospital Banks were found to be the most diverse of the studied South Texas …

The Acute Effects Of Aerobic Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs On Arterial Compliance In Males And Females, Maria M. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

RESULTS: Significant condition*gender interactions found in in SBP (p<.05), PR (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), SpO2 (p<.05), PWV carotid to femoral (p<.03), and PWV femoral to distal (p<.02). Significant condition*time interactions were found in SBP (p<.01), DBP (p<.01), MAP (p<.01), SV (p<.01), CO (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), and SAE (p<.01). Significant condition main effects were found in SBP (p<.02), DBP (p<.03), PR (p<.03), SV (p<.01), CO (p=.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), and SAE (p<.03) as well as a condition trend in PWV femoral to distal (p=.06). Significant time main effects were found in SBP (p<.01), MAP (p<.04), PP (p<.01), PR (p<.01), CO (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), SpO2 (p<.01), LAE (p<.03), and PWV femoral to distal (p<.01).

CONCLUSION: The 60 min session at a moderate aerobic intensity might have the potential to improve arterial elasticity more than a 20 min BFR session.

The Path To Understanding Salt Tolerance: Global Profiling Of Genes Using Transcriptomics Of The Halophyte Suaeda Fruticosa, Joann Diray Arce

Theses and Dissertations

Salinity is a major abiotic stress in plants that causes significant reductions in crop yield. The need for improvement of food production has driven research to understand factors underlying plant responses to salt and mechanisms of salt tolerance. The aim of improving tolerance in traditional crops has been initiated but most crops can only tolerate a limited amount of salt in their systems to survive and produce biomass. Studies of naturally occurring high salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) are now being promoted for economic interests such as food, fodder or ecological reasons. Suaeda fruticosa, a member of the family Chenopodiaceae, belongs …

Neural Activation In Blood-Flow-Restricted Versus Non-Blood-Flow-Restricted Exercise: An Fmri Study, Tiffany Dawn Devries

Theses and Dissertations

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to track neural activation in the brain during functional activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate brain neural responses to blood flow restricted (BFR) versus control handgrip exercise. Using a randomized crossover design, 25 subjects (12 males, 13 females) completed handgrip exercises during two conditions: BFR vs. control. To familiarize participants with the exercise conditions, one week prior to MRI scanning participants completed each exercise condition once on separate days, with 72 hours between days. The following week fMRI scans were performed at the same time of day, separated by …

Computing Research In Academia: Classifications, Keywords, Perceptions, And Connections, Sung Han Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) recognizes five computing disciplines: Computer Science (CS), Computer Engineering (CE), Information Technology (IT), Information Systems (IS), and Software Engineering (SE). Founded in 1947 the ACM is the world's largest society for computing educators, researchers, and professionals. While Computer Science has been a degree program since 1962, the other four are relatively new. This research focuses on understanding the graduate research in four of the five ACM disciplines (CS, CE, IT, and IS) using a large body of thesis and dissertation metadata. SE is not found in the metadata and graduate work in SE is …