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Pulmonary Response To Silica: Role Of Apoptosis., Fernando Antonio Suarez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Occupational exposure to crystalline silica has been associated with lung damage and fibrosis. Although previous studies have demonstrated that silica induces apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo, its role in the pathogenesis of silicosis remains unknown. The purpose of the present study was to: 1) characterize silica-induced apoptosis in vitro; 2) establish a temporal relationship between silica exposure, the induction of apoptosis, and lung inflammation/damage; and 3) investigate the role of apoptosis in the differential susceptibilities of two mouse strains to silica. First, experiments were undertaken to characterize the apoptotic response of rat alveolar macrophages in vitro. Primary alveolar …

Microstructure And Electron Emission Characterization Of The Initial Stages Of Diamond Growth On Silicon(100)., Vikram Lilo Tolani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopes have been used to characterize the microstructure and electron emission properties of diamond films grown on Si(100). In particular, we have focussed on the evolution of these film characteristics as diamond and SiC nucleate on Si(100) at 800°C by reaction with C2H4 gas under 5x10-5torr pressure. Under these conditions, there is possibly a brief period of 2-D layer-by-layer growth, but there is a tendency for the film to rapidly convert to a 3-D growth mode marked by the persistence of small primary nuclei ~400-600Å wide and ~5-6 lattice steps high. The in-air electron emission …

A Biological Comparison Of Discula Destructiva Isolates From Four Geographic Areas., Patricia Gwen Gundrum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A series of biological tests were conducted to ascertain whether differences among isolates of the dogwood anthracnose fungus (Discula destructiva ) could be measured. Discula destructiva isolates were recovered from forty symptomatic eastern flowering dogwood trees growing at four locations in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Before sampling, each tree was rated for percent foliage infected. Symptomatic leaf and twigs were collected in the summer of 1994 and D. destructiva was isolated from each leaf and twig sample. Isolates were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Subcultures onto the same medium were made in order to evaluate growth and colony …

Comparing Moral Values In Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's "Miss Sara Sampson" And Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"., Karsten Dieter Kleine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the impact of rigid moral codes on women by comparing two works, Lessing’s Miss Sara Sampson, (1775), and Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, (1850). Although the works were written in different centuries and continents, they share a common theme: the clash between patriarchal control and women’s quest for self-determination. In each work, a beautiful young woman violates the social code by becoming involved in an illicit love affair, and because of this transgression and her refusal to renounce her love, is severely punished. Also in each work, the father-daughter relationship is highlighted and can be seen to symbolize …

Developing Critical Consciousness: Representations Of Race And Gender In Two Afro-German Works., Maren Knebel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eva Demski and Ika Hügel-Marshall are two contemporary women writers whose works contribute significantly to the Afro-German culture. Demski is a “white” German author who depicts in her novel the life of an Afro-German woman, Afra, as well as the life of her “white” daughter, Nivea. Hügel-Marshall, who was born in 1947 as the daughter of a German mother and an African-American father, depicts in her autobiography her own development from object to subject. This thesis demonstrates that both authors encourage a development of critical consciousness by creating written evidence of a shared Afro-German identity and by expressing the problems …

The Effects Of Aluminum And Nitrogen On Mycorrhizal And Non-Mycorrhizal Tulip Poplar., Heidi Brauer Lux

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Elevated levels of acidic deposition are leading to higher concentrations of aluminum (Al) in the soil solutions of some forest ecosystems. For this thesis, I performed a suite of experiments to investigate the effects of four interconnected factors on the growth and nutrition of Liriodendron tulipifera L. (tulip poplar): 1. Al exposure in solution; 2. mycorrhizal presence and percent colonization; 3. N source ratio; and 4. N level. My studies of L. tulipifera demonstrate a sensitivity to Al at concentrations as low as 100 µM, ranking it among the most Al sensitive tree species ever studied. Selected Al tolerant species …

Effect Of Maturity And Divalent Salts On Quality Of Low-Fat, Low-Sodium Restructured Beef., Sharon L. Pojedinec

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Manipulation of product formulation protocols and ingredients to optimize texture development and processing yields provides opportunity to produce high quality, low sodium, low-fat restructured beef. The objective of this experiment was to determine effect of preblending with MgCl2 and/or CaCl2 on functionality of A- and C-maturity, in low-sodium, low-fat restructured beef. Addition of CaCl2 decreased (p< 0.001) raw and cooked pH. For both maturities, raw products with CaCl2 had more soluble protein (p< 0.05) than products without CaCl2. C-maturity products contained more soluble myosin (p< 0.10) than A-maturity products. In C-maturity treatments, MgCl2 increased (p< 0.005) myosin solubility. Products with CaCl2 decreased (p< 0.01) actin solubility. In A-maturity products, MgCl2 had less (p< 0.05) soluble actin than treatments without MgCl2. In C-maturity products, MgCl2 contained more (p< 0.05) soluble actin than treatments without MgCl2. Addition of CaCl2 decreased (p< 0.005) cook yield and addition of MgCl2 increased (p< 0.005) cook yield. In C-maturity products, treatments without CaCl2 had a higher (p< 0.0005) peak force than treatments without CaCl2 in A maturity products. In A-maturity products, treatments without MgCl2 had lower (p< 0.005) peak force than the same treatment in C-maturity products and lower (p< 0.05) than MgCl2 containing treatments. C-maturity products were more cohesive (p< 0.08) than A-maturity. Addition of CaCl2 increased (p< 0.05) cohesiveness and added MgCl2 decreased (p< 0.05) cohesiveness. Addition of MgCl2 and CaCl2 and beef maturity affect protein-water interactions and texture development of low-sodium, low-fat restructured beef.

The Effect Of Diet Dilution With Lactose On The Performance Of Turkeys., Melvin Fungayi Simoyi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An experiment involving 96 turkeys was carried out in conventional battery cages. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of lactose on the productive performance of turkeys. Another objective was to establish the optimum level of inclusion in the diet. Birds were housed two per cage from day-old to six weeks old. Diets, containing 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8% lactose, and water were offered ad libitum throughout the trial. The highest average weight gain per cage (3.79Kg) was recorded in birds on the 4% lactose diet. There was significant difference (p < 0.01) in weight gain per cage between birds on the 4% and those on the 0% lactose diet (control). All birds on lactose diets were more feed efficient than those on the control diet. Diet did not affect fecal DM but caused high fecal DAPA content (p < 0.05) in 4% lactose birds.

The Effects Of Small Population Size, Breeding System, And Gene Flow On Fruit And Seed Production In American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L., Araliaceae)., Erin Elizabeth Hackney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Harvesting of wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) has lowered natural population sizes. Accurate assessment of extinction risks necessitates an understanding of the demographic consequences of small populations. I experimentally tested for reproductive limitation of plants in small populations (a form of the Allee effect). I found that fruit production per plant significantly declines in small populations, suggesting mate-limitation of seed set despite the ability of ginseng to self-pollinate. A detailed breeding system study was then carried out, demonstrating that both selfing and outcrossing contribute to seed production. A third study examined the spatial extent of pollen flow in an …

Field Testing The Accuracy And Generality Of Selected Wildlife-Habitat Models, Thomas R. Baumeister

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Mechanisms Limiting A Vertebrate Invasion: Brook Trout In Mountain Streams Of The Northwestern United States Of America, Susan B. Adams

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Virus Occurrence And Transport In A Cold-Water Sand And Gravel Aquifer Frenchtown Montana, Bruce Charles Lauerman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Multiple Drugs In Human Hair From Seven Drug Classes Using One Digestion/Extraction Protocol, Sarah Kristine Slanger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Riparian Vegetation Along Satus Creek On The Yakama Indian Reservation, Kathryn Gellenbeck

All Master's Theses

Satus Creek provides critical habitat for the Yakima River Basin steelhead. A diverse community of riparian vegetation is important for healthy fish habitat; vegetation changes can affect shade, cover, channel structure, water quality, and food availability. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and illustrate riparian vegetation change, both temporally and spatially, along three separate reaches of Satus Creek. A Geographic Information Systems approach was applied to assess the vegetation change by comparing plant species composition and density on 1949 and 1995 aerial photographs. The GIS approach allowed patterns and trends in the vegetation to be identified. In less …

The Role Of Relative Cohort Size And Relative Income In The Demographic Transition, Diane J. Macunovich

Center for Policy Research

This paper summarizes the results of other analyses by the author with regard to the importance of relative cohort size (RCS) in determining male relative income (the income of young adults relative to prime-age workers) and general patterns of economic growth, and in turn influencing fertility in the currently more-developed nations. It then goes on to demonstrate that these same effects appear to have been operating in all of the 100-odd nations which have experienced the fertility transition since 1950. Parameter estimates based on the experience of all 189 countries identified by the United Nations between 1950 and 1995 are …

Testing The Stability Of A Production Function With Urbanization As A Shift Factor: An Application Of Non-Stationary Panel Data Techniques, Suzanne Mccoskey, Chihwa Kao

Center for Policy Research

Urban economists have long sought to explain the relationship between urbanization levels and output. In this paper we revisit this question and test the long-run stability of a production function with urbanization using non-stationary panel data techniques. Our results show that a long-run relationship between urbanization output per worker and capital per worker cannot be rejected for either our sample of 30 developing countries or our sample of 22 developed countries. In addition, we estimate the long-run average effects on GDPW of urbanization and capital. These results offer newer insights and potential for dynamic urban models than the simple cross-section …

A Monte Carlo Comparison Of Tests For Cointegration In Panel Data, Chihwa Kao

Center for Policy Research

This paper surveys recent developments and provides Monte Carlo comparison on various tests proposed for cointegration in panel data. In particular, tests for two panel models, varying intercepts and varying slopes, and varying intercepts and common slopes are presented from the literature with a total of seven tests being simulated. In all cases, results on empirical size and size-adjusted power are given.

On The Estimation And Inference Of A Cointegrated Regression In Panel Data, Chihwa Kao

Center for Policy Research

The main contribution of this paper is to add to the literature by suggesting a dynamic OLS (DOLS) estimator and providing a serious comparison of the finite sample properties of the OLS, fully modified OLS (FMOLS), and DOLS estimators in panel cointegrated regression models. Monte Carlo results illustrate the sampling behavior of the proposed estimators and show that (1) the OLS estimator has a non-negligible bias in finite samples, (2) the FMOLS estimator does not improve over the OLS estimator in general, and (3) the DOLS outperforms both the OLS and FMOLS estimators.

Dietary Intake And Gallbladder Disease: A Review, Marilyn Tseng, James E. Everhart, Robert S. Sandler

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective: Dietary intake has long been looked upon as a potentially modifiable risk factor for gallbladder disease (GBD), here defined as either having gallstones or having had surgery for gallstones. This paper reviews the epidemiological evidence for an association between dietary intake and GBD, focusing on six dietary factors that have received the most attention in studies in this area: energy intake, fatty acids, cholesterol, carbohydrates and fibre, calcium and alcohol. The objectives of this review are to evaluate the potential usefulness of altering the diet to prevent GBD and to consider future research in this area. Design: We reviewed …

In Harm's Way: The Continued Relevance Of The U.S. Navy's Forward Presence Mission In The Post-Cold War World, Christopher B. Earls

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the United States Navy has seen the fleet shrink from nearly 600 ships in 1988 to 320 ships in 1999, with a planned reduction to 305 ships by 2004. While the fleet has been reduced by nearly 50 percent over the last decade, the deployment of U.S. naval forces has continued at near-Cold War levels. The result is a mismatch between the national security requirements that naval forces are called on to support, and the forces available to meet those requirements. Some have suggested that the traditional forward presence mission of the Navy-Marine …

The Behavioral And Neurochemical Effects Of Prenatal Stress On Stress Responsive Systems In Rats., David Albert White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research points to a combination of genetic, physiological, and environmental factors in the origin of anxiety and depressive disorders. These factors are adversely impacted by stress and can be influenced by both the prenatal and postnatal environments. Our research shows that offspring of mothers stressed during the last week of gestation appear to be normal in basal behavioral states. However, upon the presentation of stressful stimuli in the forms of anxiogenic drugs (e.g. yohimbine and idazoxan), prenatally stressed offspring respond differentially in comparison with control (normal) offspring. Doses of yohimbine and idazoxan that increased acoustic startle in control animals were …

The Effect Of Plant Uv-B Absorbing Compounds On Life History Traits And Reproductive Performance In Variable Uv-B Environments., Susan Jill Cooke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Plants often respond to elevated UV-B by increasing the concentration of UV-B absorbing compounds in their tissues. However, evidence that UV-B absorbing compounds confer an adaptive advantage to plants in elevated UV-B environments has not been produced. Three of four experiments utilized an Arabidopsis mutant deficient in the ability to produce flavonoids (a set of UV-B absorbing compounds) to address this question. Results from a life history experiment showed that the wild type out-performed the mutant plants under both UV-B environments, indicating that flavonoids may confer an adaptive advantage across UV-B environments. Germination results were the exception with UV-B initially …

Imsa 1999 Profile, Office Of College And Academic Counseling

IMSA Profile

"IMSA transforms mathematics and science education through an integrative approach to teaching and learning. Advanced courses in mathematics, science, the arts and humanities emphasize connections within and across the disciplines. Students learn to integrate content and skills, demonstrating broad knowledge of important concepts. As apprentice investigators, students engage in individual and group research in all curricular areas. The Academy offered three program pathways for the classes of 2000 and 2001; the Core Program, Integrative Learning Experience (ILE), and Perspectives. Each pathway was designed to provide the same essential content and rigor but varied the instructional approach. The Core Program offered …

Drug Policy Prioritiesi N The Wake Of The June 1998 Drug Summit, Tally M. Weiner

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Natives And Academics: Researching And Writing About American Indians (Book Review), David E. Wilkins

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Review of the book, Natives and Academics: Researching and Writing About American Indians by Devon Mihesuah. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998.

The Chondrocranium Of The Mexican Burrowing Toad, Rhinophrynus Dorsalis, Charles C. Swart, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The chondrocranium of Rhinophrynus dorsalis is described and illustrated. Autapomorphies of R. dorsalis are the presence of the symplectic cartilage and a cartilaginous process on the ascending process of the palatoquadrate. Synapomorphies of Rhinophrynus shared with the Pipidae are: (1) early formation of the lower jaw and (2) presence of a suprarostral plate. Alternative developmental pathways for the formation of the suprarostral plate are considered. Histological data indicates that the suprarostral plate forms from: (1) the early fusion of the cornua trabeculae with the suprarostral cartilages, (2) an anterior growth of the ethmold plate, and (3) subsequent fusion …

Unidad De Los Anfibios Modernos Como Grupo Natural, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

RESUMEN

La monofilia de la infraclase Lissamphibia ha sido cuestionada. Algunos autores sugieren un origen independiente del Orden Gymnophiona basados en la condición compacta (= estegocrotafía) del cráneo de la cecilias. La presente revisión indica la irrelevancia del estegocrotafismo para establecer las relaciones filogenéticas del grupo. Los datos disponibles sugieren: 1) el estegocrotafismo es secundariamente derivado en cecilias, y 2) Lissamphibia representa un grupo monofilético.

SUMMARY

Unity of modern Amphibians as a natural group

The monophyly of Lissamphibia has been previously questioned. Some authors suggested an independent origin of Gymnophiona based on the solid condition (= stegokrotaphy) of the caecilian …

Investigating The Allosteric Behavior Of Malate Dehydrogenase From Escherichia Coli, Eman M. Ghanem

Masters Theses

Regulatory mechanisms of malate dehydrogenase from E.coli (eMDH) involving NADH as an allosteric effector were investigated. The reaction was studied in both directions: malate oxidation and oxaloacetate reduction. When malate was the variable substrate, a plot of rate against substrate concentration was sigmoidal in the presence of 0.065 mM NADH, which indicates the presence of an allosteric site for NADH on the enzyme. Binding of NADH at the allosteric site causes conformational changes in the active site and, thereby, changes the catalytic activity of the enzyme. An increase in K_m value, from 1.3 to 3.9 mM malate was observed, …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Personality Type And Emotional Response To Athletic Injury, Jasmin C. R. Hutchinson

Masters Theses

This investigation was designed to examine emotional response to athletic injury using personality constructs within reversal theory. Twenty-five (male = 19, female = 6) collegiate athletes, ranging in age from 18 to 22 years (mean = 19.95, SD = 1.11) who sustained a minimal criteria injury during a six-week data collection period participated in this study. Each athlete's total mood disturbance (TMD) was measured pre-injury and post-injury using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Athlete's personality orientation was measured using the Paratelic Dominance Scale (PDS). A dependent t-test indicated a significant increase in TMD scores following injury (p < 0.05), thus indicating overall mood disturbance in injured athletes. An independent t-test comparing paratelic and telic dominant athletes on TMD difference scores revealed non-significant results (p = 0.40). Methodological and theoretical reasons for this are examined and implications for further study of reversal theory and athletic injury are discussed.

The Lanham Act: Keeping Pace With Technology, Marguerite S. Dougherty

Journal of Law and Policy

No abstract provided.