Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Repairing Through Storage Of Gamma Irradiated Seeds In Inbred Maize (Zea Mays L.), Girjesh Kumar, Prashant Kumar Rai

Turkish Journal of Biology

Gamma irradiation can induce beneficial as well as deleterious impacts on chromosome behavior in crop plants. The cytogenetic changes occurring due to the storage of inbred seeds after gamma irradiation in the somatic and gametic cells of Zea mays L. were investigated in this study. A wide spectrum of chromosomal anomalies was encountered in somatic and gametic cells of maize that are gamma irradiated, stored (aged), and treated with a combination of both of these treatments. Gamma rays and ageing treatments induced a number of chromosomal anomalies independently, but a combination of the 2 treatments suppressed the frequency of chromosomal …

The Effect Of The Interaction Between Genotypes And Drought Stress On The Superoxide Dismutase And Chlorophyll Content In Durum Wheat Landraces, Mohammad Zaefyzadeh, Rauf Alakbar Quliyev, Sevda Mashalla Babayeva, Mehraj Ali̇ Abbasov

Turkish Journal of Biology

Free radicals and other active derivatives of oxygen inactivate enzymes and important plant cellular components. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) have been identified as essential components in an organism´s defence mechanism. This study was devoted to the investigation of SOD activity in 13 durum wheat landraces from Iran and Azerbaijan under 2 (drought and normal) conditions. The effect of drought stress on SOD, chlorophyll content index (CCI), and chlorophyll degradation were studied. Significant differences between genotypes and the genotype × environment interaction among SOD and CCI content were identified. The mean comparison showed that the contents of SOD and CCI decreased in …

An Investigation Of The Perceptions Of Clergy And Laity On Race-Based Organizational Segregation In The Southern Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, David K. Penno

Dissertations

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United States maintains a racially segregated organization in a society that has intentionally dismantled segregation in most of its organizations. The church needs to evaluate its current conference organization in light of this reality. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of Seventh-day Adventist clergy and members in two conferences in the Southern Union concerning race-based organizational segregation in the church.

Method

This study used a mixed method and was descriptive in design. Four focus groups were conducted to explore the dimensions of the research problem. This step was followed …

Inside Front Cover, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

37_1_Masthead.Pdf, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Inside Back Cover, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

37_2_Masthead.Pdf, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Intradermal Delivery Of Plasmid Vegf(165) By Electroporation Promotes Wound Healing, Bernadette Ferraro, Yolmari Cruz, Domenico Coppola, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

Skin flaps are extensively used in reconstructive surgeries to repair large defects and deep wounds, but severe ischemia and necrosis often results in loss of the transplanted tissue. Thus, skin flap models are often used to study the biology of healing and necrosis of acute ischemic wounds. Delivery of exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to areas of ischemia has shown promise for promoting therapeutic angiogenesis, but its expression must be tightly regulated to avoid adverse effects. In this study, plasmid DNA encoding VEGF₁₆₅ (pVEGF) was delivered to the ischemic skin of a rat skin flap model by intradermal …

37_3_Masthead.Pdf, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Contents, Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Sex Differences In Symptom Presentation Of Schizotypal Personality Disorder In First-Degree Family Members Of Individuals With Schizophrenia, Alexandra Duncan-Ramos

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a devastating illness, with clinical symptoms generally characterized as positive or negative. The reach of SCZ is broad, significantly impacting economic, social and familial facets of life. Current literature suggested optimal treatment for individuals with SCZ must include medication management and family psychological interventions to achieve patient stabilization. Literature has identified a likely familial and genetic link between individuals with SCZ and schizotypal personality disorder (STPD) in first-degree family members (FDFM), and has proposed a similar sex distinction with regard to symptomatology in STPD often noted in SCZ. The results of this investigation yielded clinically significant information; …

The Social Problem-Solving Approach Of Adolescent Females Diagnosed With An Eating Disorder :Toward A Greater Understanding Of Control, Roger K. Mcfillin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined social information processing variables, social problem solving skills, and interpersonal assertiveness in adolescent females diagnosed with an eating disorder. A total of 114 adolescent females between the ages of 14-17 participated in the study. Fifty girls currently in treatment for a diagnosed eating disorder were compared to 64 healthy nonclinical controls. When presented with vignettes depicting ambiguous social dilemmas, the eating disorder group demonstrated a more hostile attributional bias, experienced a significantly greater intensity of negative emotions, and relied upon more avoidant coping strategies when compared to the nonclinical control group. Specifically, the eating disorder group …

An Exploratory Study Of The Perceptions And Associated Coping Skills Of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Rayna Ruth Mckinnon

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects between 3% and 5% of school-age children. In addition to hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention, and impulsivity, children with ADHD have been found to have lower self-perceptions than their peers who do not have ADHD. Researchers have attempted to explain why children with ADHD have lower self-perceptions. Despite these studies, little research has explored how these children perceive themselves, others, and their world from their perspective. In addition, even fewer researchers have studied how these children cope. The purpose of this study was to delve into the lives of six children with ADHD as a means of …

A Study Of The Cognitive Profiles Of Medicated And Nonmedicated Children Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Amy E. Mclaughlin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is among the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders, with symptoms that can cause significant difficulties in the educational setting. Deficits related to working memory and processing speed are thought to be a core feature of ADHD. As such, research using traditional measures of cognitive functioning has shown that children diagnosed with ADHD tend to perform poorly on measures of processing speed and working memory, relative to non-ADHD individuals and relative to measures of other cognitive abilities. Psychostimulant medication is a common treatment for ADHD and research overwhelmingly supports its positive impact on behavior and concentration; however, …

Graph Theoretical Problems Computable By Networks Of Finite Automata., Cameron Taylor Byrum

Honors Theses

Graphs are a popular model in mathematics, and automata, or abstract models of machines, are a useful tool in computer science. Our research looks at combining these two powerful fields. We will begin by looking at some pre liminaries of graph theory and automata theory. We also discuss other meth ods for recognizing graph properties such as algebras, grammars, and monadic second-order logic. We will then explore the concept of “intelligent graphs,” or networks of finite automata operating at each vertex of a graph, and we will show implementations for using such networks to solve labryinth problems and to compute …

The Emergence Of Biotechnology In The State Of Mississippi: A Review, Whitman Scott Dowlen

Honors Theses

This publication was written with the intention of performing an analysis of the present in-state bioscience initiative and subsequent Mississippi industry incumbents. Hopefully, this publication will be employed as an informative tool to Mississippi residents, universities, policy makers and private corporations considering investment in research and development in the state of Mississippi.

The University Of Mississippi's Role In The Presidential Election, Sara Ann Ralph

Honors Theses

There are many ways to survey a population and analyze the data. Our research applies these techniques to a real world situation, specifically the out come of the 2008 Presidential Election. We will examine current sampling techniques, as well as look at past presidential predictions. Then we will con duct our own survey on the Oxford Campus of the University of Mississippi in an attempt to see what will have an effect on the voting patterns of the population.

After The Revolution: Global Health Politics In A Time Of Economic Crisis And Threatening Future Trends, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

In 2008, global health’s political revolution, which unfolded over the preceding 10-15 years, ended when four global crises damaged global health and altered the political, diplomatic, and governance contexts in which global health activities operate. The climate change, energy, food, and economic crises revealed limitations in global health’s ability to shape large-scale political, economic, and environmental problems that adversely affect health or harm underlying determinants of health. In addition, projected trends in world affairs potentially threaten health and the ability of countries to craft effective collective action responses to global problems damaging health directly and indirectly. In the post-revolution period, …

Insights Into Expression, Cellular Localization, And Regulation Of Supernatant Protein Factor, A Putative Regulator Of Cholesterol Biosynthesis, Elzbieta Ilona Stolarczyk

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

SPF (Supernatant Protein Factor) is a cytosolic protein that stimulates at least two enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway: squalene monooxygenase and HMGCoA reductase. The mechanism of action has not been established but may be related to lipid transfer between intracellular membranes.

There are three human genes for SPF: SEC14L2 (SPF1), SEC14L3 (SPF2) and SEC14L4 (SPF3). The present study differentiates these closely related genes by evaluating their tissue-specific and relative expression levels. SPF1 mRNA was found to be most abundant in liver, mammary gland and stomach. SPF2 showed negligible expression in all tissues tested; SPF3 expression pattern was similar to …

Utilizing Mixed Surfactants For Simultaneous Pore Templating And Active Site Formation In Metal Oxides, Mohammed Shahidur Rahman

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Self-assembled nonionic alkyl glycoside surfactants are of interest for creating functional adsorption and catalytic sites at the surface of mesoporous metal oxides, but they typically impart poor long-range order when used as pore templates. Improved order and control over the functional site density may be achieved by mixing them with a cationic surfactant. To confirm this hypothesis, we investigate the lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) phase behavior of aqueous solutions of the functional nonionic surfactant n-dodecyl β-D-maltoside (C₁₂G₂) and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C₁₆TAB). A ternary phase diagram of the C₁₆TAB-C₁₂G_{2 …}

Hymenopteran Molecular Phylogenetics: From Apocrita To Braconidae (Ichneumonoidea), Barbara J. Sharanowski

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Two separate phylogenetic studies were performed for two different taxonomic levels within Hymenoptera. The first study examined the utility of expressed sequence tags for resolving relationships among hymenopteran superfamilies. Transcripts were assembled from 14,000 sequenced clones for 6 disparate Hymenopteran taxa, averaging over 660 unique contigs per species. Orthology and gene determination were performed using modifications to a previously developed computerized pipeline and compared against annotated insect genomes. Sequences from additional taxa were added from public databases with a final dataset of 24 genes for 16 taxa.

The concatenated dataset recovered a robust and well-supported topology; however, there was extreme …

The Culture Connection: Testing A Model Of African American Attitudes Toward Mental Health Service Utilization, Andrea Michelle Smith

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to combine the factors previously determined to be related to African American help seeking into a single path model and, using structural equation modeling (SEM), determine the relative influence of each factor in the attitudes toward seeking mental health services (see Figure 2.2) among a community sample of African American adults from several metropolitan areas in the US. As such, SEM was utilized to compare the relative fit of two opposing models within this sample, one where a path from economic barriers to help-seeking attitudes was estimated freely and one where that path …

Investigation Of Surface Fine Grained Laminae, Streambed, And Streambank Processes Using A Watershed Scale Hydrologic And Sediment Transport Model, Joseph Paul Russo

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Sediment transport at the watershed scale in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky is dominated by surface fine grained laminae, streambed, and streambank erosion; high instream sediment storage; and surface erosion processes. All these processes can be impacted by agricultural, urban, and suburban land-uses as well as hydrologic forcing. Understanding sediment transport processes at the watershed scale is a need for budgeting and controlling sediment pollution, and watershed modeling enables investigation of the cumulative effect of sediment processes and the parameters controlling these processes upon the entire sediment budget for a watershed. Sediment transport is being modeled by coupling the hydrologic …

Pattern Recognition Integrated Sensing Methodologies (Prisms) In Pharmaceutical Process Validation, Remote Sensing And Astrobiology, Thaddaeus S. Hannel

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Modern analytical instrumentation is capable of creating enormous and complex volumes of data. Analysis of large data volumes are complicated by lengthy analysis time and high computational demand. Incorporating real-time analysis methods that are computationally efficient are desirable for modern analytical methods to be fully utilized. The use of modern instrumentation in on-line pharmaceutical process validation, remote sensing, and astrobiology applications requires real-time analysis methods that are computationally efficient.

Integrated sensing and processing (ISP) is a method for minimizing the data burden and sensing time of a system. ISP is accomplished through implementation of chemometric calculations in the physics of …

The Distribution Of Unpaired During Drosophila Oogenesis, Travis Sexton

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Janus Kinase (JAK) activity specifies the cell fates of the follicular epithelium during Drosophila oogenesis by establishing a gradient of JAK activity with highest levels at the A/P poles. Unpaired (Upd), a ligand for the pathway, is expressed and secreted exclusively from the polar cells potentially establishing the JAK activity gradient. This project proposed that Upd acts as a morphogen to directly establish the JAK activity gradient, specifying the fates of the follicular epithelium. The aims of this work were to investigate the extracellular distribution of Upd and, in addition, factors that may be involved. Furthermore, upd3, a gene …

Analysis Of The Arabidopsis Polyadenylation Factors Pap1, Cstf64 And Cstf77 And Their Characteristic Inter-Relationship, Amrita Bandyopadhyay

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

3’-end modification by polyadenylation is a ubiquitous feature of almost all eukaryotic mRNA species and is catalyzed by a consortium of enzymes, the polyadenylation factors. Poly(A) polymerase (PAP), the enzyme catalyzing the addition of adenosine residues during the polyadenylation stage, exists in four isoforms within Arabidopsis. In silico and yeast two-hybrid studies showed that PAP1 has unique expression and interaction pattern in Arabidopsis, suggesting non-canonical functions of PAP1. Its exclusive interaction with PAP4 has not been reported in other living systems until now and hints at a difference in polyadenylation in plants with respect to mammals and yeast. …

Variation In C/P Ratios In Devonian-Mississippian Marine Shales: Testing The Productivity-Anoxia Feedback Model, Brian T. Scott

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Carbon/phosphorus ratios for late Devonian-early Mississippian marine black shales along a transect from the Illinois Basin, across the Cumberland Saddle, and into the Appalachian Basin were evaluated to assess the role of productivity in organic carbon accumulation. Phosphorus is a key limiting nutrient for biological productivity in marine environments and may be regenerated preferentially relative to organic carbon, the amount of regeneration possibly being related to bottom-water anoxia. A positive feed-back mechanism (more specifically, productivity-anoxia feedback or PAF) has been proposed between water-column anoxia, high benthic regeneration of phosphorus, and marine productivity. This regeneration of phosphorus under anoxic conditions and …

Florida Panther And Black Bear: A Road And Urban Avoidance/Utilization Analysis And Impacts Of Land Use And Climate Change On Large Carnivore Habitat In Florida, Andrew James Whittle

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Florida is expanding its urban borders into areas of the native habitat. Increased expansion is predicted through the next several decades. Several sections of the state are home to large carnivores, such as Florida panther and black bear, which are important to ecosystem function. Expansion of roads and urban centers will greatly reduce the quality and quantity of carnivore habitat. In this study, I used Euclidean distance analyses and very high frequency (VHF) telemetry points to produce distance categories in which carnivores either have a negative/neutral/positive association with roads and urban centers. The seven black bear populations followed four different …

Furthering Pharmacological And Physiological Assessment Of The Glutamatergic Receptors At The Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction, Junyoung Lee

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) serve as a model for synaptic physiology. The molecular sequence of the postsynaptic glutamate receptors has been described; however, the pharmacological profile has not been fully elucidated. Despite the postsynaptic molecular sequence used to classify the receptors as a kainate subtype, they do not respond pharmacologically as such. Kainate does not depolarize the muscle, but dampens evoked EPSP amplitudes. Quantal responses show a decreased amplitude and area under the voltage curve indicative of reduced postsynaptic receptor sensitivity to glutamate transmission. ATPA, a kainate receptor agonist, did not mimic kainate’s action. The metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist …

Human Ribosomal Rna Gene Clusters Are Recombinational Hotspots In Cancer, Dawn Michelle Stults

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The gene that produces the precursor RNA transcript to the three largest ribosomal RNA molecules (rDNA) is present in multiple copies and organized into gene clusters. They represent 0.5% of the diploid human genome but are critical for cellular viability. The individual genes possess very high levels of sequence identity and are present in high local concentration, making them ideal substrates for genomic rearrangement driven by dysregulated homologous recombination. Our laboratory has developed a sensitive physical assay capable of detecting recombination-mediated genomic restructuring in the rDNA by monitoring changes in lengths of the individual clusters. In order to determine whether …