Digital Commons Network^™

Mediterranean Diet And Breast Density In The Minnesota Breast Cancer Family Study, Marilyn Tseng, Thomas A. Sellers, Robert A. Vierkant, Lawrence H. Kushi, Celine M. Vachon

Kinesiology and Public Health

Mediterranean populations’ lower breast cancer incidence has been attributed to a traditional Mediterranean diet, but few studies have quantified Mediterranean dietary pattern intake in relation to breast cancer. We examined the association of a Mediterranean diet scale (MDS) with mammographic breast density as a surrogate marker for breast cancer risk. Participants completed a dietary questionnaire and provided screening mammograms for breast density assessment using a computer-assisted method. Among 1,286 women, MDS was not clearly associated with percent density in multivariate linear regression analyses. Because of previous work suggesting dietary effects limited to smokers, we conducted stratified analyses and found MDS …

The Parallax Of Landscape: Situating Celaque National Park, Honduras, Benjamin F. Timms

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Annual Summary Of Grant And Contract Activity Fiscal Year 2008, Grants Development Office

Grants Development Office Reports

No abstract provided.

Performance Comparison Of Thermal Insulated Packaging Boxes, Bags And Refrigerants For Single-Parcel Shipments, S. P. Singh, Gary J. Burgess, Jay Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

A range of packaging solutions exists for products that must be kept within a specific temperature range throughout the supply-and-distribution chain. This report summarizes the results of studies conducted over a span of 2 years by the Consortium for Distribution Packaging at Michigan State University. Thermal insulation packaging materials such as expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, corrugated fibreboard, ThermalCor® and other composite packaging such as thermal insulating bags were studied. Phase change materials such as gel packs were also evaluated. Properties such as R-value, melting point and heat absorption were examined and are reported.

Tertiary Climate Change And The Diversification Of The Amazonian Gecko Genus Gonatodes (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata), Tony Gamble, Andrew M. Simons, Guarino R. Colli, Laurie J. Vitt

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The genus Gonatodes is a monophyletic group of small-bodied, diurnal geckos distributed across northern South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. We used fragments of three nuclear genes (RAG2, ACM4, and c-mos) and one mitochondrial gene (16S) to estimate phylogenetic relationships among Amazonian species of Gonatodes. We used Penalized Likelihood to estimate timing of diversification in the genus. Most cladogenesis occurred in the Oligocene and early Miocene and coincided with a burst of diversification in other South American animal groups including mollusks, birds, and mammals. The Oligocene and early Miocene were periods dominated by …

Use Of Trees By The Texas Ratsnake (Elaphe Obsoleta) In Eastern Texas, Josh B. Pierce, Robert R. Fleet, Lance D. Mcbrayer, D. Craig Rudolph

Biology: Faculty Publications

We present information on the use of trees by Elaphe obsoleta (Texas Ratsnake) in a mesic pine-hardwood forest in eastern Texas. Using radiotelemetry, seven snakes (3 females, 4 males) were relocated a total of 363 times from April 2004 to May 2005, resulting in 201 unique locations. Snakes selected trees containing cavities and used hardwoods and snags for a combined 95% of arboreal locations. Texas Ratsnake arboreal activity peaked during July and August, well after the peak of avian breeding activity, suggesting arboreal activity involves factors other than avian predation.

The Construction Of Womanhood And Race In Novels By Caroline Lee Hentz And Augusta Jane Evans, Elizabeth L. Oliphant

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the development of racial and gender stereotypes in four novels: Caroline Lee Hentz’s Eoline and The Planter’s Northern Bride, and Augusta Jane Evans’s Beulah and Macaria. In identifying the formation of these stereotypes, this paper suggests that Hentz and Evans were contributing to the formation of Southern identity, and that their works were at the crux of the formation of a Southern social construct.

Characterization Of The Lipopolysaccharide Binding Site On The Plasma Protein High Molecular Weight Kininogen, Ryan Cory Perkins

Honors Theses

Bradykinin (BK) participates in the control of local blood flow and blood pressure by causing vascular hyperemia and vascular inflammation. The Bradykinin generating pathway of human plasma consists of prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP), prekallikrein (PK), and high molecular weight kininogen (HK). When the complex of HK-PK assembles on endothelial cells or an artificial negatively charged surface, PK is immediately converted to kallikrein by the enzyme PRCP. The formed kallikrein then autodigests HK to liberate BK. The BK that is formed then plays an important role in vascular permeability by stimulating constitutive Bradykinin B2 and inducible B1 receptors to release prostacyclin and nitric …

Asia Pacific Perspectives Vol. 8 No. 1, June 2008, University Of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco

Asia Pacific Perspectives

Contents:

Jack London Reporting from Tokyo and Manchuria: The Forgotten Role of an Influential Observer of Early Modern Asia by Daniel A. Métraux

ack London is regarded as one of America’s most popular writers for his novels and short stories. Less known today is the fact that he was also a first-rate observer of East Asian politics, societies, and peoples. Working as a journalist for several newspapers and magazines, he filed numerous articles and essays covering the Russo-Japanese war and even foresaw the rise of Japan and China as world powers. This paper provides an overview of his journalistic and …

Telemetric Assessment Of Stereotypical Motor Movements In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Matthew S. Goodwin

Open Access Dissertations

Stereotypical motor movements are one of the most common and least understood behaviors occurring in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). When severe, engagement in these behaviors can lead to social stigmatization and complicate social interaction. Moreover, if a stereotypical motor movement becomes a dominant behavior in an individual's repertoire, it can interfere with the performance of established skills and acquisition of new skills, and may lead to self-injurious behavior. Stereotypical motor movements are complex and thought to serve a multiplicity of functions. However, problems with traditional methods for measuring stereotypical motor movements have made it difficult to determine when …

Coping With Everyday Classism: Experiences Of Low-Income People In A Southeastern Rural Community, Susan Faye Ritz

Open Access Dissertations

The present research provided an in-depth look at experiencing and coping with everyday classism in a sample of low-income people in a mid-size southeastern rural United States community. The study employed a qualitative methodology consisting of semi-structured interviews and analyzing the collected data using Grounded Theory Method. Of 50 participants selected for an interview, 40 described experiences with classism, each discussing two incidents, for a total of 80 incidents shared. Seven of the remaining 10 participants felt that they had not experienced classism, but at the same time, they provided insight into one proactive coping strategy that they appeared to …

Applications Of Linear And Cyclic Peptides As Enzyme Inhibitors And Molecular Transporters, Guofeng Ye

Open Access Dissertations

The diversity of amino acids in peptides allows the design of different linear or cyclized compounds. Peptides can be designed to act as inhibitors, probes, or molecular transporters of other molecules. The objective of this dissertation research was to exploit the diversity of peptide structures and focused on developing linear and cyclic peptides as c-Src inhibitors and using the information derived from c-Src crystal structure to design novel peptide-based molecular transporters. A series of peptide analogues of Ac-CIYKYY were designed and synthesized to improve the inhibitory potency against active Src Linear peptide Ac-CIYKF(4-NO 2)Y (IC50 = 0.53 μM) and a …

In Supreme Judgment Of The Poor: The Role Of The United States Supreme Court In Welfare Law And Policy, Bridgette Baldwin

Faculty Scholarship

This Article examines the major Supreme Court rulings since the late 1960s that have directly addressed Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), commonly known as welfare. The Supreme Court decided cases, such as King v. Smith, Shapiro v. Thompson, and Goldberg v. Kelly, in favor of welfare recipients. The outcomes of these cases suggest that while the Supreme Court viewed welfare policy as a negotiation between federal and state governments, it reserved a special role for the judicial branch in protecting equal rights. The judicial understanding of the relationship between federal and state government power within welfare policy ranged …

(E)Racing Jennifer Harris: Sexuality And Race, Law And Discourse In Harris V. Portland, Kristine E. Newhall, Erin E. Buzuvis

Faculty Scholarship

In 2007 Penn State basketball coach Rene Portland retired shortly after a confidential settlement ended a discrimination lawsuit brought by former player Jennifer Harris against Portland and Penn State. Because of Portland's infamous policy of not allowing lesbians on her team, her departure was celebrated as a victory against homophobia in sports. Yet although Harris's claims of sexual orientation discrimination were validated in the media, her allegations of racial discrimination were ignored or dismissed as implausible. In this Article, the authors examine the omission of race from the discourse surrounding this case and suggest that both legal and cultural factors …

A Prescription For Racial Equality In Medicine, Barbara A. Noah

Faculty Scholarship

A significant body of evidence suggests that minority race adversely affects the quantity and quality of health care provided to minority patients. Although no one has documented systemic overt racism among health care providers, persistent inequities in the delivery of health care services pose serious problems for patients of color. Ultimately, the medical establishment must confront the reality that African Americans and other racial minorities often do not receive equal treatment in the health care system.

The continued implementation of affirmative action programs as part of the medical school admissions process plays a key role in improving health care delivery …

Ankyrin-G In Renal Epithelia: Identification Of Novel Isoforms And The Interaction Between Ankyrin-G And H+/K+-Atpase Alpha 2 Subunit, Jun Li

All ETDs from UAB

Ankyrins are multifunctional membrane adaptors which link diverse membrane proteins to the spectrin-based membrane cytoskeleton. Ankyrin-G (Ank-G, encoded by the Ank-3 gene) is broadly expressed and exhibits alternative splicing in different tissues, giving rise to isoforms ranging in Mr from 100-480 kDa. However, little is known about the alternative promoter usage and alternative splicing patterns of the Ank-3 gene in kidney, particularly at the N-terminus. In the first study, a novel full-length Ank-G cDNA and two novel Ank-G amino termini were isolated from mouse kidney by cDNA library screening and RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE). Their distinct …

Genetic And Psychiatric Treatment Related Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes In Schizophrenia And Schizoaffective Disorder Patients, Marguerite Mulryan Dickson

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Toll-Like Receptor Stimulation Can Lead To Differential Production Of Il-23 And Il-12, Christopher H. Dodd

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Assessing And Correcting The Effects Of Measurement Error Among Correlated Covariates In A Proportional Hazards Setting, Tina Juliet Thandeka Dube

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Oxidative Post-Translational Modification Of The Brain Isoform Of Creatine Kinase: Structural And Functional Consequences, Shannon M. Eliuk

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Educational Practices Of Elementary Educators With Culturally Diverse Students: A Case Study, Danielle Rae Waldrep

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Dec1 In P53-Dependent Cellular Senescence, Yingjuan Qian

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Azaindoles, Diazaindoles, And Advanced Carbazole Alkaloid Intermediates Via Palladium-Catalyzed Reductive N-Heteroannulation, Grissell M. Carrero-Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the years, azaindoles and diazaindoles have generated an increased interest due to their structural similarities with indoles and their potential as pharmacologically active compounds. A mild and efficient methodology has been developed for the synthesis of azaindoles and diazaindoles. This novel procedure includes a palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation as the key step. This methodology was successfully applied to the synthesis of 4-azaindole, 2-phenyl-5-azaindole, 2-phenyl-6-azaindole, and 7-azaindole. In addition, this method was efficiently utilized to synthesize 2-phenyl-4,6-diazaindole and 2-phenyl-4,5-diazaindole. The reductive N-heteroannulation was carried out in the presence of Pd(dba)2, 1,10-phenanthroline, and carbon monoxide (6 atm) in DMF at 120°C.;A number …

Molecular Prediction Of Drug Response Using Machine Learning Methods, Zhenyu Ding

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of chemotherapy will rely on the ability to accurately predict an individual cancer patient's chemosensitivity to certain drugs. One approach to this issue has focused on genomic and proteomic profiling. While previous work has focused on genomic profiling, few studies have explored the correlation of proteomic profiles with drug sensitivity. Meanwhile, a novel algorithm is needed to integrate both protein and gene expression, which is important to systematically understand fundamental chemosensitivity mechanisms. In this study, we sought to explore whether proteomic signatures of untreated cancer cell lines could accurately predict their chemosensitivity. Furthermore, we developed …

Effects Of Induced Acute Phase Response In Ewes On Early Embryo Survival, Tina Lynn Dow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early pregnant ewes, 5/6 day post coitus (dpc) were used as a model to study early embryonic loss via gram-positive bacterial infections, such as mastitis. Ewes 5/6 dpc were injected with a gram-positive bacteria cell wall component, peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PG-PS), to induce an innate immune system acute phase response (APR). The induction of the APR and its reactant molecules, such as cytokines and acute phase proteins (APP), were initiated to study their effects on embryonic loss. Twenty Suffolk ewes were synchronized for estrus and bred by fertile rams. At 4 dpc ewes were anesthetized and catheters were surgically placed in the …

Application Of Machine Vision In Uavs For Autonomous Target Tracking, Joshua Patrick Effland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research presents experimental results for the application of Machine Vision (MV) techniques to address the problem of target detection and tracking. The main objective is the design of a prototype "UAV" surveillance environment to emulate real-life conditions. The model environment for this experiment consists of a target simulated by a small electric train system, located at "ground" level, and a MV camera mounted on a motion-based apparatus located directly above the model setup. This system is meant to be a non-flying mockup of an aerial robot retrofitted with a MV sensor. Therefore, the final design is a two degree-of-freedom …

Thermal Rearrangement Of 4-Aryl-4-Hydroxy-2-Cyclobuten-1-Ones And Application Of The Methodology In The Formation Of Benzofuronaphthoquinones And Benzocarbazolequinones, Kimberly Denise Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cyclobutenediones have proven useful as starting materials for synthesis of highly functionalized biologically relevant molecules. The rearrangement of cyclobutendiones has a wide synthetic scope and can be utilized as a key step in the construction of quinones, benzo[o]isoxazoles, and 3-methylenoxoindoles having a variety of substitution patterns. Construction of these molecules involves thermolysis of 4-hydroxy-2,4-di-aryl-2-cyclobutenones derived from squaric acid ester. In each of the cases the mechanism proceeds through an initial ring opening of the cyclobutene to afford a ketene intermediate that subsequently undergoes a ring closure with various intermolecular nucleophiles. This methodology has been utilized in the construction of an …

Seasonal Changes In Diel Cycling Of Dissolved Iron Species In A Coal Mine Drainage Impacted Creek, Daniel B. Harris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diel fluctuations of pH, specific conductance and Fe species have been documented in Dillan Creek, a small coal mine-impacted tributary to Deckers Creek, WV. Samples were collected hourly over 16-20 hour periods and analyzed for dissolved Fe(II) and dissolved total Fe using a Hach DR2800 spectrophotometer. Fe(II) concentrations increased during the day and decreased at night during late winter sampling. Sampling conducted in the summer shows an opposite trend with Fe(II) increasing at night and decreasing during the day. Discrepancies between timing of cycles indicate a seasonal variation of controlling mechanisms. In winter, iron cycles are likely controlled by photoreduction …

Non-Apoptotic Roles Of Caspase-8 And Caspase-2, Brooke M. Helfer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Caspases are proteolytic enzymes involved in committing apoptosis, but through the studies of knockout phenotypes in mice and Drosophila , it has been speculated that caspases might possess additional non-apoptotic functions.;We have found non-apoptotic functions for caspase-8 in both normal and tumor cell lines. Specifically, we found that caspase-8 promotes cell migration, adhesion, and Rac activation. Subsequently, we also found that caspase-8 interacts with the p85 subunit of PI3K. Accompanying stimulation of motility with epidermal growth factor the phosphorylation of caspase-8 on tyrosine-380 is induced and this phosphorylation allows for p85 interaction, cell migration, adhesion, and Rac activation. Caspase-8 also …

Effects Of Aging And Gender On Vasoreactivity Of Coronary Arterioles, Amanda Jo Leblanc

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the first study was to determine how age and ovarian hormones affect flow-induced vasodilation in the coronary microcirculation. Coronary arterioles were isolated from young, middle-aged, and old control, ovariectomized (OVX) and ovariectomized + estrogen replaced (OVE) female Fischer-344 rats to assess vasodilation to increases in flow. L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, was used to assess NO contribution to flow-induced dilation (FID). FID of coronary arterioles was impaired with advancing age. Ovariectomy reduced FID in young females only; however, estrogen-replacement restored or improved FID in all age groups. FID was reduced after pretreatment with L-NAME in …