Digital Commons Network^™

Heritability Of Risk-Taking In Adolescence: A Longitudinal Twin Study, Andrey P. Anokhin, Simon Golosheykin, Julia Grant, Andrew C. Heath

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Study Quality Assessment In Systematic Reviews Of Research On Intervention Effects, Kathleen Wells, Julia H. Littell

Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Faculty Research and Scholarship

Objective

The goal of this study is to advance an approach to the assessment of the quality of studies considered for inclusion in systematic reviews of the effects of social-care interventions.

Method

To achieve this objective, quality is defined in relation to the widely accepted validity typology; prominent approaches to study quality assessment are evaluated as to their adequacy.

Results

Problems with these approaches are identified.

Conclusion

A formal, yet explicit, multidimensional approach to assessment grounded in substantive issues relevant to the intervention and the broader context in which it is embedded is promoted. Uncritical and exclusive use of indicators …

Pyrilamine In The Horse: Detection And Pharmacokinetics Of Pyrilamine And Its Major Urinary Metabolite O-Desmethylpyrilamine, L. Dirikolu, A. F. Lehner, J Daniel Harkins, W. E. Woods, W. Karpiesiuk, R. S. Gates, M. Fisher, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Pyrilamine is an antihistamine used in human and veterinary medicine. As antihistamines produce central nervous system effects in horses, pyrilamine has the potential to affect the performance of racehorses. In the present study, O-desmethylpyrilamine (O-DMP) was observed to be the predominant equine urinary metabolite of pyrilamine. After intravenous (i.v.) administration of pyrilamine (300 mg/horse), serum pyrilamine concentrations declined from about 280 ng/mL at 5 min postdose to about 2.5 ng/mL at 8 h postdose. After oral administration of pyrilamine (300 mg/horse), serum concentrations peaked at about 33 ng/mL at 30 min, falling to <2 ng/mL at 8 h postdose. Pyrilamine was not detected in serum samples at 24 h postdosing by either route. After i.v. injection of pyrilamine (300 mg/horse) O-DMP was recovered at a level of about 20 ̄g/mL at 2 h postdose thereafter declining to about 2 ng/mL at 168 h postdose. After oral administration, the O-DMP recovery peaked at about 12 ̄g/mL at 8 h postdose and declined to <2 ng/mL at 168 h postdose. These results show that pyrilamine is poorly bioavailable orally (18%), and can be detected by sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests in urine for up to 1 week after a single administration. Care should be taken as the data suggest that the withdrawal time for pyrilamine after repeated oral administrations is likely to be at least 1 week or longer.

The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin Fall 2009 Course Schedule, The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin

Course Schedules

No abstract provided.

From Yuck To Wow And Back Again, Dena S. Davis

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This review essay discusses three recent books on the problem of "directed evolution," or genetic engineering, written from differing philosophical perspectives. The books are Babies by Design, by Ronald M. Green, Enhancing Evolution, by John Harris, and The Case against Perfection, by Michael J. Sandel.

Dead Men Reproducing: Responding To The Existence Of Afterdeath Children, Browne C. Lewis

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

The statutory mandates are a step in the right direction, but there is still work that needs to be done. The statutes should be amended to close certain loop holes and to ensure that the physician-facilitated suicide option is available to all of the patients who need it. Persons suffering from physical conditions that will lead to death within six months should not be the only persons permitted to exit gracefully. As long as the safeguards included in the statutes are followed, there is no good reason to prohibit persons suffering from irreversible and incurable physical diseases that lead to …

On Account Of Race Or Color: Race As Corporation And The Original Understanding Of Race, Reginald Oh

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

Oh describes this essay as a critique of constitutional and political discourse on "race" and argues that current equal protection doctrine operates under a conception of race that undermines rather than moves forward the goal of achieving racial equality. That understanding defines race solely or primarily as a physical trait or characteristic, and unjustifiably rejects other, more robust notions of race. He argues that the notion of race as physical trait is inconsistent with the historical understanding of race that served as the basis for the Reconstruction Amendments. A careful examination of nineteenth and early twentieth century court decisions, decisions …

The Effectiveness Of Multicultural Based Social Stories To Increase Appropriate Behaviors Of Children With Developmental Delay, Ning Hsu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse background have become a growing concern in America. It is a great challenge for educators to provide appropriate education for culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities. Although there are some researchers that espouse effective principles of multicultural special education, there have been few empirical on the effectiveness.

Social Stories are a practical behavioral intervention which has been regarded as an individualized intervention since the student's needs, background and learning style should be took into consideration. This present research used an ABA design to compare the modified social story with and …

The Effect Of Facial Resemblance On Alibi Credibility And Final Verdicts, Claudia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine an extra-legal variable that may affect the credibility of a defendant and the alibi corroborator's testimonies. In this study, the facial appearance of the alibi corroborator was manipulated to resemble the defendant or the trial judge to different degrees using facial morphing software. Participants serving as mock jurors provided verdicts for a trial summary and rated the credibility of an alibi corroborator. It was hypothesized that as the facial resemblance shared between an alibi corroborator and a defendant increased, the less credible the alibi corroborator's testimony would be perceived, resulting in an …

Lipid Uptake And Metabolism In The Parasitic Protozoan Giardia Lamblia., Mayte Yichoy

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Giardia lamblia is a protozoan parasite that causes various intestinal syndromes, and it is a common cause of water-borne illness worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. Giardia attaches to the mucosal epithelia of the duodenum below the bile duct, where it is exposed to bile salts and dietary lipids. G. lamblia is unable to synthesize lipids de novo and must therefore scavenge necessary lipids from its extracellular environment and remodel them as needed. However, the current lipidomic analysis (presented in this Dissertation) has revealed that while the Giardia lipidome is rich in phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), …

Silica Removal From Brine By Using Ion Exchange, Carlos R. Acevedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Local governments have been forced to look for additional water sources to satisfy the ever increasing demand for fresh water. Very often, the new water sources such as the underground water in continental territories have high salt content. Currently, reverse osmosis technology (RO) is one of the most common processes for water desalination. However, this process is limited by high silica and salt concentrations in water. At high concentrations silica clogs the membranes used in the RO process, reducing their life and increasing operational costs. In this study, quaternary ammonium resins and sulfonic acid resins were used to remove silica …

Effect Of Air Addition On Plasma-Based Reforming Of Methane And Propane, Atul Vitthalrao Ambhore

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Real-Time Image-Based Motion Detection Using Color And Structure, Manali Chakraborty

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Motion detection is an important problem in computer vision and has multiple applications in the real world, including surveillance-related activities, gaming, and human-robot interactions. These systems need to be robust enough to handle fluctuations in light intensity and other external factors like noise and compression artifacts. In this thesis a method is proposed for detecting the regions of motion from a video sequence in real time. The main idea of this work is to detect motion based on both structure and color. Structure-based detection is carried out using information from the Census Transform computed on gradient images obtained with Sobel …

An Integrated Software Package For Model-Based Neuro-Fuzzy Classification Of Small Airway Dysfunction, Nazila Hafezi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Respiratory disorders can be difficult to differentiate, as their symptoms are sometimes similar to one another. Concerning asthma which is the major interest in this research, early detection of small airway impairment could greatly help with timely diagnosis. In this research, an integrated software package (ISP) has been developed to help clinicians in classification of asthma severities using Impulse Oscillation data.

The ISP has been developed based on object-oriented methodology. In this package, IOS "diagnostic" parameters such as AX and frequency-dependence of resistance as well as parameter estimates of extended RIC (eRIC) and augmented RIC (aRIC) models (simplified cases of …

Salt Separation Processes In Salt Cedar, Rudy Sookbirsingh

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Salt cedar (genus Tamarix, Family Tamaricaceae) is an exotic, invasive plant in southwestern North America; it has a poor reputation as a heavy-consumer of water and a threat to the landscape and ecology of the region. This study focuses upon saltseparation mechanisms in the salt cedar species Tamarix ramossissima (Ledeb.) which were investigated with a variety of microscopic techniques. The results indicate that this species can produce different salt crystal aggregates morphologies from its vesiculated trichomes, and may use variable mechanisms for separating anions and cations of various salts. It was additionally found that salt crystals aggregates in this species …

Amendment (2009)

Amendment, 2004-

Amendment is a VCU student-produced progressive literature and art journal that provides a platform for students to promote equality, tolerance, and social progression through artistic expression.

Monitoring Convergence Of Temporal Features In Spontaneous Dialogue Speech, Spyros Kousidis, David Dorran

Conference papers

This paper presents ongoing research on convergence of speech features in human dialogues, in view of simulating this behaviour in spoken dialogue systems. The TAMA method (time-aligned moving average), previously used on monitoring convergence of acoustic prosodic (a/p) features, is applied to temporal properties of speech (between-turn pauses and overlaps). The results are compared to those of an older study on the same features.

Therapeutic Ultrasound Angioplasty: The Risk Of Arterial Perforation. An In Vitro Study, Mark Wylie, Garrett Mcguinness, Graham Gavin

Conference Papers

The use of therapeutic ultrasound delivered via small diameter wire waveguides may represent an emerging minimally invasive approach in the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs), calcified and fibrous plaques. The distal-tip mechanical vibrations (typically 0-210 μm peak-to-peak) have been reported to debulk rigid calcified and fibrous tissues while healthy elastic arterial tissue remains largely unaffected. The risk of arterial (healthy tissue) perforation with energized waveguides is not fully understood. An ultrasonic apparatus capable of delivering a range of wire waveguide distal-tip displacements, up to 80 μm peak-to-peak (p-p), at an operational frequency of 22.5 KHz (+/- 6%) has been …

Identity Management To Support Access Control In E-Health Systems, Xu Chen, Damon Berry, William Grimson

Conference Papers

The related and often challenging topics of identity management and access control form an essential foundation for e-health infrastructure. Several approaches and supporting specifications for electronic healthcare record system (EHR-S) communication have been proposed by research projects and standards development organizations in recent years. For instance, part four of the CEN TC251 EN13606 EHRcom standard and the HL7 Role Based Access Control Draft Standard for Trial Use have helped to specify the nature of access control behaviour in relation to EHR communication within and between healthcare organisations. Access control services are a core component not only of the integrated care …

Silver Doped Perfluoropolyether-Urethane Coatings: Antibacterial Activity And Surface Analysis, Niall Stobie, Brendan Duffy, Steven Hinder, Patrick Mchale, Declan Mccormack

Articles

The colonisation of clinical and industrial surfaces with pathogenic microorganisms has prompted increased research into the development of effective antibacterial and antifouling coatings. There is evidence that implanted biomedical surfaces coated with metallic silver can be inactivated by hysiological fluids, thus reducing the bioactivity of the coating. In this work, we report the biofilm inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis using a roomtemperatureprocessedsilver dopedperfluoropolyether-urethane coating. The release of silver ions from these fluoropolymers over a six-day period inhibited bacterial encrustation – as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated differences in carbon, fluorine and sodium surface composition …

Factors Associated With Breastfeeding Among A Sample Of Chinese Mothers Who Gave Birth In Ireland, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: The factors influencing breastfeeding rates are complex, and the socio-cultural environment has an important influence on how women choose to feed their infants. The present study sought to determine factors affecting breastfeeding practices of Chinese mothers who gave birth in Ireland. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey (written in Chinese). Questionnaires were distributed to Chinese mothers in Chinese markets and language schools in Ireland. Results & Findings: Analyses was conducted on 236 completed questionnaires from Chinese mothers who had given birth in Ireland. Breastfeeding prevalence among the participants was 71%. Univariate analyses indicated that mothers who lived …

Perception Of Dietary Change And Attitudes Towards The Irish Diet Among Non-Nationals In Ireland., Qianling Zhou, Phensiri Asawasirisap, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: Cross-cultural attitudes to diet differ significantly. This study examined attitudes towards the Irish diet and their perceived dietary change among a random sample of non-nationals living in Ireland. Materials & Methods: A self-administered cross-sectional survey was distributed to a randomly selected sample of English language students in Dublin. Results & Findings: 473 students from four geographical regions (Asia, Africa, South & Central American, and Europe) (response rate: 84%) completed the survey. Marked cultural differences between geographical regions were found with South & Central Americans being the most likely to indicate a decrease in fruit and vegetable intakes …

Breastfeeding Practices In China And Ireland: The Chinese Mothers In Ireland Survey., Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: Migration to another country may contribute to some changes in breastfeeding practices. This study explored the breastfeeding practices of immigrant Chinese mothers in China and following migration to Ireland, where breastfeeding is far less prevalent (43% initiation).

Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving Chinese mothers who had given birth in Ireland (CMI) or in China (CMC).

Results & Findings: Analyses was conducted on 285 completed questionnaires. 72 % of the sample breastfed their infants with no differences between CMI (71%) and CMC (78%) (P>0.05). However, breastfeeding rates at three months (62%) and six months (32%) …

Tril, A Functional Component Of The Tlr4 Signaling Complex, Highly Expressed In Brain, Susan Carpenter, Thaddeus Carlson, Jerome Dellacasagrande, Amaya Garcia, Sharon Gibbons, Paul J. Hertzog, Anthony Lyons, Lih-Ling Lin, Marina A Lynch, Tom P. Monie, Caroline Murphy, Katherine Seidl, Christine Anne Wells, Aisling Dunne, Luke O'Neill

Articles

TLR4 is the primary sensor of LPS. In this study, we describe for the first time TLR4 interactor with leucine-rich repeats (TRIL), which is a novel component of the TLR4 complex. TRIL is expressed in a number of tissues, most prominently in the brain but also in the spinal cord, lung, kidney, and ovary. TRIL is composed of a signal sequence, 13 leucine-rich repeats, a fibronectin domain, and a single transmembrane spanning region. TRIL is induced by LPS in the human astrocytoma cell line U373, in murine brain following i.p. injection, and in human PBMC. Endogenous TRIL interacts with TLR4 …

A Mobile Ecg Monitoring System With Context Collection, Jin Peng Li, Damon Berry, Richard Hayes

Conference Papers

Preventative health management represents a shift from the traditional approach of reactive treatment-based healthcare towards a proactive wellness-management approach where patients are encouraged to stay healthy with expert support when they need it, at any location and any time. This work represents a step along the road towards proactive, preventative healthcare for cardiac patients. It seeks to develop a smart mobile ECG monitoring system that requests and records context information about what is happening around the subject when an arrhythmia event occurs. Context information about the subject’s activities of daily living will, it is hoped, provide an enriched data set …

Dispersion Medium Modulates Oxidative Stress Response Of Human Lung Epithelial Cells Upon Exposure To Carbon Nanomaterial Samples, Eva Herzog, Hugh Byrne, Maria Davoren, Alan Casey, Albert Duschl, Gertie Janneke Oostingh

Articles

Due to their large specific surface area, the potential of nanoparticles to be highly reactive and to induce oxidative stress is particularly high. In addition, some types of nanoparticles contain transition metals as trace impurities which are known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems. This study investigates the potential of two types of single-walled carbon nanotube samples, nanoparticulate carbon black and crocidolite asbestos to induce ROS in lung epithelial cells in vitro. Carbon nanotube and carbon black samples were used as produced, without further purification or processing, in order to best mimic occupational exposure by inhalation of …

The Resilience Of Law, Joseph Vining

Book Chapters

One of the striking developments in academic law in the past half century is the reconception of law as one of the social sciences. The idea at work in this movement, as Joseph Vining says in this essay, is not that the law should use the findings of other disciplines for its own purposes and in its own way, but that in some deep way law itself - legal thinking, legal life - can and ought to proceed on the premises of social science, indeed of science itself. This is in one sense obviously impossible: a scientific rule is a …

Certification: Implications For Sustainable Forest Management And Timber Export Trade In Ghana, Abraham Baffoe

LSU Master's Theses

Forestry is a major contributor to the Ghanaian economy and has the potential to increase its contribution if a number of challenges are overcome. Over the past 15 years, Ghana has modified its forest policies, laws, and regulations, but still faces serious challenges with illegal logging and unsustainable forest management. At the same time, Ghana’s major wood product trading partner, the European Union (EU), is requesting that Ghana, under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), ensures that wood products from Ghana to the EU are legally produced. Additionally, several EU wood product importers have requested their suppliers in Ghana to meet …

2009-2010 Lynn University Academic Catalog, Lynn University

Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Sitka School District Kindergarten Literacy Curriculum Handbook, Jacqueline Elizabeth Hedrick

All Graduate Projects

The intent of this handbook is to provide support to a teacher and be used as a resource. This document is intended to guide a Baranof Elementary Kindergarten teacher, through the year, with the use of a theme document. However, the scope and sequence contains the skills and content that must be addressed by the end of the year. The literacy curriculum handbook was developed based on Froebel's kindergarten philosophy and Bruner's educational philosophy that early childhood education should be hands-on and developmentally appropriate. The handbook includes programs available to kindergarten teachers in Sitka, Alaska while continuing to be content-based, …