Digital Commons Network^™

Dna Deamination Repair Enzymes In Bacterial And Human Systems, Rongjuan Mi

All Dissertations

DNA repair enzymes and pathways are diverse and critical for living cells to maintain correct genetic information. Single-strand-selective monofunctional uracil DNA glycosylase (SMUG1) belongs to Family 3 of the uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily. We report that a bacterial SMUG1 ortholog in Geobacter metallireducens (Gme) and the human SMUG1 enzyme are not only uracil DNA glycosylases (UDG), but also xanthine DNA glycosylases (XDG). Mutations at M57 (M57L) and H210 (H210G, H210M, H210N) can cause substantial reductions in XDG and UDG activities. Increased selectivity is achieved in the A214R mutant of Gme SMUG1 and G60Y completely abolishes XDG and UDG activity. Most …

Vascular Tissue Engineering: The Creation Of Living, Non-Thrombogenic, Functional Blood Vessels Based On Elastin Scaffolds, Aditee Kurane

All Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Blood vessel replacement is a common treatment for vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, restenosis and aneurysm, with over 300,000 bypass procedures performed each year. However, vein grafts are limited due to their availability. Although synthetic vascular replacements have been successful for large diameter arteries, they have shown minimal success in arteries with diameters <6mm. This is because most synthetic materials induce thrombus formation which, within a few months of implantation, causes failure of the vascular graft due to occlusion. Tissue engineering is a promising approach to the fabrication of non-thrombogenic vascular grafts, but a reliable and expandable cell source for tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) has not been established.
The work presented here is motivated by the current unavailability of an ideal tissue engineered blood vessel replacement. Our overall goal is to create a living tissue engineered vascular graft that is biodegradable, non-thromobogenic, presents low antigenicity and …

Experimental And Modeling Studies For Optimizing Flocculant-Aided Sediment Retention Ponds, Byung Joon Lee

All Dissertations

Attempts to control sediment-containing runoff and associated water quality problems have involved the establishment of many small to medium sediment retention ponds and the injection of nonionic and anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculants to enhance colloid removal. However, to date use has been driven more by practicing engineers and trial-and-error approaches than by logical and consistent design approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to optimize colloidal clay removal in PAM-aided sediment retention ponds by applying experimental and theoretical methodologies.
Initially, simple measurement techniques for the molecular weight (MW) and charge density (CD) of various PAMs were tested and their …

Topographic Analysis And Predictive Modeling Using Geographic Information Systems, Steven Hall

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes three GIS models developed to better model topographic features and the occurrence of mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The first study presented 'A LiDAR based GIS model to calculate Terrain Shape Index on a landscape scale', attempts to develop a GIS based model to calculate the Terrain Shape Index (TSI). TSI is typically collected in the field using a series of elevation measurements to determine the average elevation change within the study plot. In this study, a GIS model is developed and TSI values compared to those collected using conventional methods. The second …

Two Categories Of Refutation Decision Procedures For Classical And Intuitionistic Propositional Logic, Edward Doyle

All Dissertations

An automatic theorem prover is a computer program that proves theorems without the assistance of a human being. Theorem proving is an important basic tool in proving theorems in mathematics, establishing the correctness of computer programs, proving the correctness of communication protocols, and verifying integrated circuit designs.
This dissertation introduces two new categories of theorem provers, one for classical propositional logic and another for intuitionistic propositional logic. For each logic a container property and generalized algorithm are introduced.
Many methods have been developed over the years to prove theorems in propositional logic. This dissertation describes and presents example proofs for …

Effective Vr: Interplay Of Presence, Perception, Fidelity And Transfer Effects In The Development Of Inspection Training Simulators, Sajay Sadasivan

All Dissertations

Increased emphasis on aircraft inspection to ensure aviation safety has resulted in the need for a better trained workforce of aircraft maintenance personnel. Aircraft inspection is mostly visual in nature. Thus it has led to the development of computer simulators to train human inspectors performing the inspection task. However, the lack of immersion and interaction in such simulators has led to limited effectiveness and adoption. Using advances in graphics and virtual reality technology, there is an increase the sense of involvement in using these simulators. Though technology is available to provide higher levels of immersion, it is expensive. It is …

Estimation Of Emergency Room Visits: Implications For Uninsured In South Carolina, Anusha Pokuri

All Dissertations

This study assesses the relationships between the percentage of emergency room visits, the percentage of uninsured population, and socio-demographic characteristics. This is accomplished by developing linear models of the relationships among these variables for the 46 counties of South Carolina for the year 2000. The results showed that the percentage of non-White population and percentage of business establishments that employ fewer than 50 workers had significant positive influence on the percentage of uninsured population. The median household income and high percentage of population with educational attainment beyond high school had a significant negative influence on the percentage of uninsured population. …

Theoretical And Practical Implications Of A Hedonic Pricing Model: Empirical Observations From Wholesale Automobile Auctions, Jeffrey Roach

All Dissertations

Wholesale auto auctions are convenient structures for economists as they attempt to observe the marginal effects of quality changes on the market-clearing price. However, what may be categorized as a quality change might rather be a market signal of an environment with adverse selection. This dissertation analyzes the effects of seller type and tests their sensitivity to econometric model specification.
General hedonic attributes and their various applications are reviewed. This dissertation explores the basic auto auction environment and dispels inaccurate notions about the auction structure. Following Bartik's (1987) analysis, multi-market data are used to produce hedonic estimates for seller, mileage …

Measurement Of Short-Wavelength Electrostatic Fluctuations In A Helicon Plasma Source, Robert Aaron Hardin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The principle objective of this work is to determine if short wavelength fluctuations capable of heating ions are excited in helicon sources at the same plasma parameters for which anomalous ion heating has been observed in helicon sources. A portable 300 GHz based, coherent Thomson scattering (CTS) diagnostic, employing both quasioptical propagation and a homodyne detection scheme, was designed and installed on the HELIX source to measure fluctuations with wavelengths on the order of 1 mm. While testing a new antenna designed to directly excite finite k⊥ electrostatic waves in conjunction with a new electrostatic double probe, spontaneously occurring excited …

Design And Implementation Of Dual Database Server And Clients, Asia Ali, Intisar Shaded Chleib, Khalid Tourky Atah

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

The aim of this article is to find an efficient method to keep the database of critical tasks correct and update for performing the work of real time processing (such as power or water distributed environment), design and implement dual database server to control access to the database so the client read from one of dual server and update, write to both of them, if one of them fail then the other one must be capable of control and access all the client to its database. When the other server return to work the worked server would be responsible for …

Hybrid Bond-Order Potential For Silicon, Suleiman Oloriegbe

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
A new hybrid bond-order potential for silicon is developed. The functional form of the potential is derived from hybrid of expressions from empirical bond-order formalism and first principles approximations. The total energy is expressed as the sum of attractive, repulsive and promotion energies. By introducing a screening function derived from approximations to first principles expressions, the potential is made long-ranged by allowing covalent interactions beyond the first nearest neighbor shell of atoms in agreement with quantum mechanical descriptions of the bonding in silicon. Environment-dependent promotion energy is introduced that accurately accounts for energetic interactions due to changes in hybridization …

The Eastern Echo, December 1, 2008, Eastern Michigan University

EMU Student Newspaper: The Normal News & The Eastern Echo

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Mandibular Alveolar Bone With Facial Type Using Cbct, Jason M. Loop

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between facial type and cortical bone thickness (mm), cortical bone density (rHU) and trabecular bone density (rHU) in the mandibular alveolar bone. Twenty-five consecutive dolichofacial, 25 consecutive mesiofacial, and 25 consecutive brachyfacial patients with T1 lateral cephalograms and CBCT scans were used in this study. A Ricketts analysis was used to compute the VERT index for each patient. All statistical analyses were performed at the significance level of α = 0.05. The one-way ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests indicated there was a statistically significant relationship between facial type and …

Buccal Bone Changes Following Rapid Maxillary Expansion (Rmf), Long-Term Results, Elena S. Iacob

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to use Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images to quantitatively evaluate buccal bone changes of maxillary first premolar (P1), second premolar (P2) and first molar (M1) shortly after Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) and at the end of orthodontic treatment, as well as to evaluate the variables that may be associated with the short-term and long-term changes. Forty-seven consecutive patients (25 males and 22 females) with a mean age of 14.5years and who required RME as part of their orthodontic treatment and had pre-RME (T1) and post-RME (T2) CBCT images available were used for the …

Reluctant Gatekeepers: Influencing Factors In A Small Business Owner's Decision To Not Sponsor A Retirement Plan For Employees, Jill Mccullough

Student Scholarship

In a nation with the lowest savings rate in the industrialized world, nearly 60% of U.S. small business owners do not provide retirement plans for their more than 40 million workers. There is a dearth of formal inquiry about small business owners' perspectives of and attitudes toward retirement and the factors that motivate behavior related to it. Interviews with small business owners revealed that most are not concerned about their own retirements and are ambivalent about the retirement security of their employees. Those who have attempted to implement a plan find the process complex, intimidating and require the assistance of …

Strategizing Routines On The Cusp Of Multiple And Competing Institutional Logics Of Foreign Aid, Jaime Chua

Student Scholarship

Using critical realist research, we sought to understand how nonprofit organizations blend deliberate and emergent strategizing to cope with neoinstitutional dilemmas posed by donors' competing logics. To gain organizational legitimacy and access to resources, international nonprofits must conform to donors' normative processes and practices which tend to be ineffectual. An international nonprofit operating in the highly complex international development field provided an ideal setting for investigating how routines blend and moderate deliberate and emergent strategies. Consistent with the view that strategic insights come from different organizational levels, we examined key patterns of interactions and routines between middle and top-level managers. …

Ostensive And Performative Routines And Strategies For Institutional Adaptation And Innovation, Jaime Chua

Student Scholarship

Using critical realist research, we sought to understand how nonprofit organizations blend deliberate and emergent strategizing to cope with neoinstitutional dilemmas posed by donors’ competing logics. To gain organizational legitimacy and access to resources, international nonprofits must conform to donors’ normative processes and practices which tend to be ineffectual. An international nonprofit operating in the highly complex international development field provided an ideal setting for investigating how routines blend and moderate deliberate and emergent strategies. Consistent with the view that strategic insights come from different organizational levels, we examined key patterns of interactions and routines between middle and top-level managers. …

Outsider To Insider: Contrasting Routes And Transition Experiences Of New Nonprofit Leaders, Anotinette E. La Belle

Student Scholarship

A leadership crisis in the nonprofit sector is portended by sector growth, turnover at the top and a smaller cohort of leaders coming up from behind. Crossovers from the corporate sector present an alternative source of CEO talent, but a dearth of empirical research about top executives who cross the boundaries of sector, organization, and, at times role, stymies our understanding of the transition process of for-profit to non-profit leaders. In depth interviews with U.S. nonprofit leaders – both crossover CEOs and CEOs hired from within the nonprofit sector − compared and contrasted transition experiences. Rather than significant differences between …

The Private Sector And The Questionable Role Of Social Responsibility In Securing The Nation's Infrastructure, James K. Hayes

Student Scholarship

Society faces many common challenges that the corporate sector can play a large role to help address. Security against terrorism is one such challenge and is an important pre-condition to sustainable development. Moreover, since terrorism often operates outside of the jurisdiction of state authorities, it is becoming clear that governments cannot address this issue alone. In the United States, for example, there is a large portion of the nation's infrastructure that owned by the private sector. Using data obtained from 158 survey responses from security professionals in the public and private sector, our structural equation model determined that while prior …

The Relation Between Management's Perception Of Causal Ambiguity In Firm Competencies And Firm Performance: An Empirical Examination In Chile, Richard I. Araya

Student Scholarship

Ambiguity about firm and competitor competencies and resources challenges managerial decision making − especially in developing countries where asymmetric information is higher than in the developed ones. Although a number of scholars have addressed “causal ambiguity” and its relationship with firm resources and competencies, and theorists have suggested a positive relationship between it and organizational performance, these links remain unclear. On one hand, ambiguity may protect a firm because competitors cannot easily imitate it (Alvarez & Antolin, 2005). On the other hand, causal ambiguity may impede imitation of valuable resources within the firm, limiting management ́s ability to manage resources …

Survey On The Virgin Mary And Mary Magdalene, Larimee Cortnik

Student Scholarship

Twenty diverse responses to a survey on the beliefs about the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. The survey was completed by Larimee Cortnik for Women in the Bible: Ethnographic Approaches to Rite and Ritual, Story, Song and Art (JDST - RLGN 268, Prof. J. Neulander) in Fall 2008.

Using Sport Science To Improve Coaching: A Case Study Of The American Record Holder In The Women’S Hammer Throw, Iain Hunter, Erin Gilreath, Larry W. Judge

Faculty Publications

Conclusions from biomechanical data can make a significant difference in the performance of athletes in the hammer throw if properly understood by coaches. By utilizing this scientific approach to the hammer throw event, the throws coach will be able to determine more accurate adjustments and devise training stimuli to better accommodate the athlete. In this case study, we have attempted to bridge the gap between the researcher and the coach in our approach to teaching the hammer throw, by integrating biomechanical analysis. We have employed the use of video analysis as an essential part of our coaching/teaching system. This USATF …

At Issue: Certification Of Postsecondary Career And Technical Instructors: Issues For Debate, Stanley A. Bazile, Richard A. Walter

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Momitochondrial Dysfunction And Dna Damage Post Exposure To Low Dose Radiation And "Bystander" Factor (S), Sharon Nugent

Doctoral

The 'bystander effect' describes radiation-like damage in un irradiated cells, either in the vicinity of irradiated cells or exposed to medium from irradiated cells. This study aimed to further characterize the, as yet poorly understood, mitochondrial response to both direct irradiation and bystander factor(s). Human keratinocyte epithelial and Chinese hamster ovarian cells were exposed to either y radiation or bystander factor(s) at doses of 5mOy, O.50y and 50y and examined 4-96 hours later. DNA damage was determined using deletion analysis, single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, long range PCR, semi-quantitative PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Mitochondrial mass was determined using MitoTrackelM …

The Link, Vol 2, No. 12, December 2008, Illinois State University, Center For Teaching, Learning, And Technology

The Link

Newsletter for the Illinois State University Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology

A Simple, Anatomically Based Correction To The Conventional Ankle Joint Center, Dustin A. Bruening, Ashlie N. Crewe, Frank L. Buczek

Faculty Publications

Background

Conventional motion analysis studies define the ankle joint center as the midpoint between the most medial and lateral aspects of the malleoli, yet research points toward a more distal joint center location. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an anatomically based correction that would move the conventional ankle joint center to a more accurate location.

Methods

Lower extremity radiographs from 30 pediatric patients were analyzed retrospectively. An offset between the conventional and more accurate ankle joint centers was measured and correlated to other common anatomical measures based on conventional skin mounted marker positions. The best …

Explaining The Deadlock Of Military Modernization In Taiwan During 2001 To 2007: A Political-Economic Analysis, Pei-Shiue Hsieh

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tries to explain why the Taiwanese have postponed several critical defense plans for seven years while China's threat toward Taiwan is increasing year by year. Many observers and scholars relate the deadlock over arms procurement in Taiwan to domestic political struggles since the DPP is not the majority party in the Legislative Yuan and opposition parties, such as the Kuomintang (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP), have repeatedly boycotted President Chen Shui-bian's policies. However, I found that domestic politics is insufficient for explaining such a deadlock. Rather, the U.S.China- Taiwan triangular relationship, including the variation of the …

Chapter 1. What Is Meritocracy?, Richard T. Longoria

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Plan Of Preventive Maintenance And Its Simulation Based On Reliability Engineering Standards: A Case Study Of Plant No. 7 At The General Company For Leather Industries, Sabah M. Al-Najjar, Yousif Abdulelah Al-Taie

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research is an attempt to study and evaluate the maintenance function at Factory 7 - The State General Company for Leather Industries, and to design a computerized preventive maintenance system to design and to analyze preventive maintenance. To accomplish the objectives of this research, data were gathered and analyzed according to the reliability engineering criteria for the period 2/1– 30/6/2005, then a preventive maintenance plan was designed for each machine of the sample study using the computerized system designed in this research. A Monte Carlo Simulation methodology was used for the purpose of evaluating the performance of the preventive …

Compared To What? A Comment On "A Robust Transformation Procedure For Interpreting Political Text" By Martin And Vanberg, Kenneth Benoit, Michael Laver

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In “A Robust Transformation Procedure,” Martin and Vanberg (2007, hereafter MV) propose a new method for rescaling the raw virgin text scores produced by the “Wordscores” procedure of Laver, Benoit, and Garry (2003, hereafter LBG). Their alternative method addresses two deficiencies they argue exist with the transformation of virgin text scores proposed by LBG: First, that the LBG transformation is sensitive to the selection of virgin texts, and second, that it distorts the reference metric by failing to recover the original reference scores when reference texts are scored and transformed as if they were virgin texts. Their proposed alternative is …