Digital Commons Network^™

Medication Mismanagement Among Elderly In Starr County, Romeo Garcia Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Given the current and projected rises in prescription drug use among the elderly in the United States and the current and projected rises in prescription drug costs, this research attempts to examine this national trend within the specific context of poverty and rurality manifested in Starr County, Texas. Starr County offers an ideal naturalistic laboratory for examining demographic predictors for improper medication use in the United States, poverty and rural residence. Hence within this context of poverty and rural location, the following questions are posited for investigation in Starr County. To what extent do high drug costs and low incomes …

Revising Seed Purity Laws To Account For The Adventitious Presence Of Genetically Modified Varieties: A First Step Towards Coexistence, A. Bryan Endres

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Adoption of genetically modified (GM) seed varieties in the United States, Canada, and South America continues to expand, with GM crops comprising almost 76 million hectares and over 93 percent of the total biotech cropland worldwide. As an increasing number of farmers plant GM varieties, the potential for adventitious mixture of genetically modified DNA with products produced via organic and conventional (non-GM) methods also increases. Many consumers of organic and identity-preserved products, however, object to the adventitious presence of genetically modified DNA at even low levels. Accordingly, the ability of farmers to choose between conventional, organic, or GM crop production …

The Effect Of Teaching With Acoustical Guidance (Tag) On The Mastery Of A Grand Rond De Jambe (En Dehors) And A Ballotte, Heidi Dutch Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Teaching with Acoustical Guidance (TAG) on the mastery of two ballet skills, the Grand Rond de Jambe (en dehors) and a Ballotte'. Dance technique classes still follow traditional methods of teaching and mastering skills without much integration of motor learning concepts. TAG Teach is a method that uses positive reinforcement, shaping, and a hand held device that produces an acoustic sound to mark correct behaviors at the moment they occur. The purpose of this study was to determine if TAG was a faster and more effective technique to aid in the mastery of two …

Inside Unlv, Erin O'Donnell, Diane Russell, Carol C. Harter

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Field Evaluation Of Herbicides On Vegetables And Small Fruits 2004, Ronald E. Talbert, Colleen M. Thomas, Brian V. Ottis, Andrew T. Ellis

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Herbicide evaluation studies on vegetables and small fruits were conducted in 2004 at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at Fayetteville, AR, in an effort to evaluate new herbicides, herbicide mixtures, and their application timings for weed control efficacy and crop tolerance. Results of these studies, in part, provide useful information to producers, fellow researchers, the Crop Protection Industry, and the IR-4 Minor Crop Pest Management Program in the development of potential new herbicide uses in vegetable, and fruit.

Modulation Of L-Type (Cav1.3) Calcium Channels, Brian Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

L-type Ca_V1.3 calcium channels perform critical functions in auditory hair cells, cardiac pacemaker cells, and pancreatic β-cells, but little is currently known about how these channels are modulated by cell signaling mechanisms. To begin to address this issue, we have tested the ability of various G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to modulate Ca_V1.3 expressed in a mammalian cell line. Expression plasmids encoding Ca_V1.3 and auxiliary calcium channel subunits α2-δb and β3 were transiently coexpressed in HEK293 cells along with plasmids encoding a single type of GPCR. As a control for functional expression of the GPCR, …

Interspecific Divergence In Foliar Nutrient Dynamics And Stem Growth In A Temperate Forest In Response To Chronic Nitrogen Inputs, Jeffrey D. May, Sarah Beth Burdette, Frank S. Gilliam, Mary Beth Adams

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

We studied the effects of excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization on foliar nutrient dynamics and stem growth in three important tree species in a mixed-deciduous forest. Stem diameter growth, foliar N concentrations, nitrogen–phosphorus (N/P) ratios, and nutrient resorption were determined for Acer rubrum L. (ACRU), Liriodendron tulipifera L. (LITU), and Prunus serotina Ehrh. (PRSE) on two 30-year-old watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, USA: WS3, fertilized annually with 35 kg ammonium sulfate ha–1 since 1989, and WS7, an untreated control watershed. In an earlier (1992) study, foliar N concentrations of all three species averaged 11% higher in WS3 than …

Acute Physiological Responses And Psychological Perceptions Of Various Resistance Training Regimens, William J. Vincent

Student Work

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of four different resistance training protocols associated with periodization of resistance training on the biological signals that are associated with exercise regimens to increase muscle hypertrophy. A secondary purpose was to compare the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) in the four weight training regimens.

A total of eight male resistance trainers within the ages of 23-35 served as subjects for this study. On the first visit all had a baseline blood assay drawn to measure human growth hormone (hGH) and testosterone (T) and their 5 repetition maximum (RM) strength …

W Is For Women: An Analysis Of The Use Of Feminine Style In The 2004 Democratic And Republican National Conventions, Michelle L. Gauchat

Student Work

This study examines Laura Bush, Elizabeth Dole, Teresa Heinz Kerry, and Jennifer Granholm's 2004 national convention speeches to explore the rhetorical strategies employed and determine how their remarks promoted the presidential candidates, Senator John Kerry and President George W. Bush. Using Karlyn Kohrs Campbell’s feminine style as a rhetorical lens, this analysis examines the women’s discourse and draws implications about their role in conventions and political parties. From the analysis, I conclude that Heinz Kerry, Granholm, Bush, and Dole constructed different identities, not only for themselves but for their political parties, through their convention remarks. Although the women used many …

The Adverse Health Effects Of Trans Fatty Acids, And Implications For Public Policy, Jonathan D. Atkin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Subject: Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are produced either by the process of bacterial hydrogenation in the stomachs of ruminant animals, or the commercial method called industrial hydrogenation. The latter began early in the 20^th century based on purported health benefits and lowered costs. Alarming results from scientific studies in the early 1990's began to raise questions about whether TFAs should be regulated in our food supply.

Findings/Statistics: Scientific research initially discovered that TFAs raise the LDL/HDL ratio, thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Recent large, prospective, population-based studies have indicated a 25% increased risk of ischemic …

Cardiac Protein Rgs2: Structural And Functional Determinants, Stephanie Jan Chambers

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In this study, I explored the structure-function relationships of a cardiac RGS (regulator of G-protein signaling) protein, RGS2.

Contractions of the heart are triggered by calcium ions (Ca) entering heart cells through L-type Ca channels (1a). The activity of L-type channels (and thereby Ca influx) is modulated by cell surface receptors that couple to intracellular G proteins. G proteins in turn, are regulated by a newly-discovered family of proteins called RGS. RGS proteins speed the hydrolysis of GTP by G proteins, and thereby control the strength and duration of G protein-mediated signals. Stimulation of G proteins, which are coupled to …

A Study Of Social Carrying Capacity In Motorized Recreation Settings, Rachel Lyn Turk

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In the summer of 2004, I served as a recreation planning intern with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), at the Ely Nevada Field Office. I was responsible for the preparation of the "Recreation Project Plan for the Chief Mountain Motorized Trailheads" (Appendix 1), which was a tremendous learning opportunity for me, since I had little experience with planning and designing for motorized use. The project piqued my interest into learning more about motorized recreation on public lands, which in turn led to this thesis on social carrying capacity of motorized users. This is a new area of research that …

The Macrobiotic Diet May Have Benefits In Cancer Prevention, Brittany Lewis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Macrobiotics is one of the most popular alternative or complementary approaches to fighting cancer. The diet is primarily plant-based, is centered on the idea of an all encompassing "yin-yang" concept in life, mind, environment and food. The dietary components of the macrobiotic diet, along with the many lifestyle implications are shown to have beneficial effects in cancer prevention and therapy. The diet has many anti-carcinogenic compounds, as well as a decrease in foods thought to promote cancer. A cause for concern is the vitamin deficiencies that may ensue in following a strict macrobiotic diet, which typically results from an all …

May 2005 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Simulations Of Transient Membrane Behavior In Cells Subjected To A High-Intensity Ultrashort Electric Pulse, Q. Hu, S. Viswanadham, R. P. Joshi, Karl H. Schoenbach, Stephen J. Beebe, P. F. Blackmore

Bioelectrics Publications

A molecular dynamics (MD) scheme is combined with a distributed circuit model for a self-consistent analysis of the transient membrane response for cells subjected to an ultrashort (nanosecond) high-intensity (approximately 0.01-V/nm spatially averaged field) voltage pulse. The dynamical, stochastic, many-body aspects are treated at the molecular level by resorting to a course-grained representation of the membrane lipid molecules. Coupling the Smoluchowski equation to the distributed electrical model for current flow provides the time-dependent transmembrane fields for the MD simulations. A good match between the simulation results and available experimental data is obtained. Predictions include pore formation times of about 5-6 …

Trade-Related Environmental Measures And Gatt: The Conflict Between Trade Libralization And Environmental Protection, Fang Zheng

LLM Theses and Essays

GATT/WTO firmly establishes a global free trade regime, which is dedicated to free and freer global trade, to the benefit of all nations. However, trade liberalization poses great risk to the environment, which has been in a process of deterioration. Thus, many countries, especially developed ones, have begun to enact TREMs, with an eye to force, or induce other countries, especially developing ones, to strengthen their commitment to environmental protection. Developing countries feel they are targeted by developed ones mala fide. Thus, disputes and debates arise. This thesis is an attempted effort made to point out that TREMs reflect a …

Cart: An Hrs/Actinin-4/Berp/Myosin V Protein Complex Required For Efficient Receptor Recycling, Qing Yan, Wei Sun, Pekka Kujala, Yasmin Lotfi, Thomas A Vida, Andrew J Bean

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Altering the number of surface receptors can rapidly modulate cellular responses to extracellular signals. Some receptors, like the transferrin receptor (TfR), are constitutively internalized and recycled to the plasma membrane. Other receptors, like the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), are internalized after ligand binding and then ultimately degraded in the lysosome. Routing internalized receptors to different destinations suggests that distinct molecular mechanisms may direct their movement. Here, we report that the endosome-associated protein hrs is a subunit of a protein complex containing actinin-4, BERP, and myosin V that is necessary for efficient TfR recycling but not for EGFR degradation. The …

A Study On Leadership Development For Effectivess: The Effects Of Implementing Four Leadership Development Activities With Tribal College Administrators At The Branch Campus Level As A Strategy To Articulate A College Mission, Paul Willeto

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This portfolio contains the Table of Contents, the Educational Platform, Leadership Educational Administration Plan (LEAP) I and II, Professional Commitment, Significant Leadership experience, Assessment and External Judgment, and the Integrative Capstone. The Table of Contents lists the sections for each area in sequential order in the portfolio. The Educational Platform discusses my perspective on education. In the LEAP sections, LEAP I describes m y initial attempt at how I envisioned my first Leadership Educational Administration Plan. LEAP I describes what I wanted to do at the beginning o f my study in relation to my first capstone study proposal. LEAP …

Pathogenicity Of Beauveria Bassiana And Metarhizium Anisopliae To The Tobacco Spider Mite Tetranychus Evansi, Vitalis W. Wekesa, Nguya K. Maniania, Markus Knapp, Hamadi I. Boga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Seventeen isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin and two isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin were evaluated for their pathogenicity against the tobacco spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard. In the laboratory all the fungal isolates were pathogenic to the adult female mites, causing mortality between 22.1 and 82.6%. Isolates causing more than 70% mortality were subjected to dose-response mortality bioassays. The lethal concentration causing 50% mortality (LC50) values ranged between 0.7×107 and 2.5×107 conidia ml -1. The lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50) values of the most active isolates of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae strains varied between …

Interplanetary Contamination: The Ultimate Challenge For Environmental And Constitutional Lawyers?, George S. Robinson

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Diaspora, A Large Family Of Ty3-Gypsy Retrotransposons In Glycine Max, Is An Envelope-Less Member Of An Endogenous Plant Retrovirus Lineage, Sho T. Yano, Bahman Panbehi, Arpita Das, Howard M. Laten

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background

The chromosomes of higher plants are littered with retrotransposons that, in many cases, constitute as much as 80% of plant genomes. Long terminal repeat retrotransposons have been especially successful colonizers of the chromosomes of higher plants and examinations of their function, evolution, and dispersal are essential to understanding the evolution of eukaryotic genomes. In soybean, several families of retrotransposons have been identified, including at least two that, by virtue of the presence of an envelope-like gene, may constitute endogenous retroviruses. However, most elements are highly degenerate and are often sequestered in regions of the genome that sequencing projects initially …

Observed Omnivory In The Herbivorous Blue Tilapia (Oreochromis Aureus), Stephen M. Oliveira Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Gila seminuda, a native endangered species, and Oreochromis aureus, a nonnative invasive species, share the same habitat in the form of the Reid Gardner Power Plant intake ponds. The purpose of this study is to characterize the feeding habits of Oreochromis aureus within the Reid Gardner Power Plant intake ponds and address the potential predation habits of Oreochromis aureus. Stomach contents of O. aureus were identified and analyzed using chi-square and log-likelihood ratio techniques, with respect to mass, length, girth, gender, or spatial distribution of samples. Results showed omnivorous behavior with a 7.00% predatory/prey relationship, and no difference of feeding …

Cattle Utilization Of Forage Kochia (Kochia Prostrata) And Its Relation To Forage Quality And Plant Morphological Characteristics, Burke W. Davenport

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several experimental lines of forage kochia [Kochia prostrata (L. Shrad.)] have potential to provide taller forage on fall and winter rangelands than the only released variety of forage kochia, Immigrant. This study was conducted to determine differences in cattle utilization among experimental lines of forage kochia and relate them to forage quality and morphological attributes. The utilization of forage kochia was also compared to 'Ladak ' alfalfa [Medicago saliva (L.)] and two entries of winterfat [Krashnennikovia species (Guldenstaedt)]. Cattle utilization was determined by calculating a biomass consumed value and a percent biomass consumed value. Dry weights for …

Seasonal Changes In Composition Of Lipid Stores In Migratory Birds: Causes And Consequences, Barbara J. Pierce, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Biology Faculty Publications

It is well established that birds use fat stores to primarily fuel migration; however, few studies have focused on the causes and consequences of observed seasonal changes in fatty acid composition of fat stores in birds. We propose and test two hypotheses that address the causes of these seasonal changes in composition of fat stores: (1) diet composition determines fatty acid composition of fat stores, and (2) birds selectively metabolize and store certain fatty acids during migration in lieu of changing their diet. When we offered Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceous) choices between diets that differed only in fatty acid composition, …

The Operational Validity Of A Video-Based Situational Judgment Test For Medical College Admissions: Illustrating The Importance Of Matching Predictor And Criterion Construct Domains, Filip Lievens, Tine Buyse, Paul R. Sackett

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study is part of a trend of examining noncognitive predictors, for example, a situational judgment test (SJT), as supplements to cognitive predictors for making college admission decisions. The authors examined criterion data over multiple academic years and universities. The criterion domain was broadly conceptualized, including both cognitive and interpersonal domains. The sample consisted of 7,197 candidates of the Medical and Dental Studies Admission Exam in Belgium. Results confirmed the importance of cognitive predictors. A video-based SJT was differentially valid for predicting overall grade point average for different curricula. The SJT showed incremental validity over cognitively oriented measures for curricula …

Rhabditis (Oscheius) Colombiana N. Sp. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae), A Necromenic Associate Of The Subterranean Burrower Bug Cyrtomenus Bergi (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) From The Cauca Valley, Colombia, S. Patricia Stock, Ana M. Caicedo, Paul A. Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Rhabditis (Oscheius) colombiana n. sp. is described as a necromenic associate of the burrower bug Cyrtomenus bergi (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) collected in the Cauca Valley, Colombia. The new species resembles others of the insectivora-group, viz, Rhabditis (O.) insectivora Körner, 1954 and Rhabditis (O.) lucianii Maupas, 1919, in a number of morphological and life history traits, but can be separated by a combination of morphological and morphometric characters. The most distinctive morphological features that separate R. (O.) colombiana n. sp. from these two Rhabditis species are the total size of both males and females, which are much shorter and slimmer in the …

Periplasmic Flagella Of The Spirochetes Borrelia Burgdorferi And Brachyspira Hyodysenteriae, Melanie S. Sal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spirochetes are unique bacteria that cause a variety of diseases. Motility, provided by periplasmic flagella (PFs), is a virulence factor for spirochetes. This work focuses on PFs from Borrelia burgdorferi and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. PFs consist of three main parts: basal body, hook, and filament. Monoclonal antibodies were developed to attempt identification of individual FlaB filament proteins in B. hyodysenteriae .;The PF filament of B. burgdorferi consists of a major flagellin, FlaB, and a minor flagellin, FlaA. FlaB constitutes 10-14%, whereas FlaA contributes less than 0.5%, of total cellular protein. Although these flagellins co-precipitate, the location of FlaA on a PF …

Classroom Justice As A Predictor Of Students' Perceptions Of Empowerment And Emotional Response, Michelle L. Paulsel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One purpose of this dissertation was to examine the emotional response theory in the instructional context. A second purpose of this dissertation was to determine the predictive power of classroom justice. The effects of distributive, procedural, and instructional justice on students' emotional response and perceptions of empowerment were examined. Students ( N = 511) completed questionnaires about the class they had immediately before the class in which data were collected. Results indicated that classroom justice positively predicted students' emotional response and perceptions of empowerment. This dissertation also examined the relationships between students' emotional response and their perceptions of empowerment. Results …

Somatostatin Regulates Intracellular Signaling In Human Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells, Michael J. Alfonzo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Somatostatin (somatotropin release inhibitory factor; SRIF), is an endogenous peptide family that controls cellular secretion and proliferation. While SRIF's cognate receptors and associated actions have been clearly identified in a range of tissues, such as the endocrine, gastrointestinal and immune systems, a role in human lung physiology remains unknown. Using primary human bronchial smooth muscle cells (hBSMC) as a model for studying SRIF's actions, we have investigated whether SRIF receptors are present and functional in human bronchial smooth muscle. Reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis ofhBSMC total mRNA demonstrated the presence of the sst, receptor subtype, providing a molecular …

Phosphotyrosine Phosphatases Of The Att-20 Murine Corticotroph Cell Line, Kari A. Belin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Somatostatin (somatotropin release inhibitory factor; SRIF) is a peptide-signaling molecule that activates a family of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein (G­ protein) coupled receptors (sst.-sst-). SRIF receptors control essential intracellular signaling events and, by reducing cyclic nucleotide levels, ion concentrations and protein phosphorylation, ultimately controlling cell proliferation and secretion. In the current study, we investigated the intracellular phosphatase activity present in the AtT-20 cell, as well as whether these enzymes were under direct SRIF receptor control. AtT-20 cells retain many of the properties of anterior pituitary corticotrophs, yet are an established cell line that expresses at least two SRIF receptor …