Digital Commons Network^™

Testing The Use Of Molluscs To Infer Climate With Special Reference To The Late Cenozoic Molluscs Of The Meade Basin, Southwest Kansas., Brian William Steffen 1975-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-six fossil assemblages of land and freshwater molluscs from the Pliocene to the present, were collected from locations near the town of Meade, Kansas, U.S.A. and were analyzed (along with the extant molluscan fauna of Meade County, Kansas) to look for changes in molluscan diversity through time. The fossil assemblages were analyzed for two reasons: I) to test the hypothesis that diversity (measured as taxonomic richness, dominance, turnover and habitat type) did not change through the five million years of this study (HOI); and 2) to test the hypothesis that there is no relationship between the taxonomic composition of a …

Signal Processing In The Tectothalamic Pathway., Haiyang Wei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pulvinar is the largest nucleus of the human dorsal thalamus and is affected in a variety of brain disorders, such as schizophrenia. The experiments described in this dissertation elucidate key features of tecto-pulvino-cortical pathways as a first step toward understanding their role in coding visual stimuli and coordinating appropriate responsive actions. The tree shrew is used as the animal model because the visual structures of the tree shrew brain display many of the features of the primate brain, and the tectopulvinar pathways are particularly enhanced in this species. The connections formed between the tectorecipient pulvinar nucleus and cortex were …

Adriamycin Nephrotoxicity Is Reduced By Metallothionein Over-Expression And Kidney Gene Expression Is Modified By Diabetes In The Ove26 Diabetic Model., Lu Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is divided into two parts below. Part I Adriamycin (ADR) can produce nephrotoxicity in rodents. The underlying mechanism may relate to ADR induced oxidative stress. In this study, we used transgenic mice (NMT3), which over-expressed the antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT) in podocytes, to study MT's protective potential on ADR nephrotoxicity. Urine and kidney samples were collected from control and transgenic mice at multiple time points after ADR injection, whose results showed that MT transgene alleviated ADR damage by reducing albuminuria, decreasing podocyte loss and protecting podocyte ultra-structure. Part II OVE26 mice are a good model of severe diabetic …

Inflammatory Cell Tumor Necrosis Factor Signaling Modulates Post-Infarction Left Ventricular Remodeling., Robert K. Lewis 1977-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fundamental question of the exact nature of the role played by TNF in the failing myocardium remains one of contention. Many preclinical studies have demonstrated beneficial effects with TNF antagonism and recently the dichotomous role played by the two TNF receptors in chronic ischemic injury has come to light. The failing heart has also been determined to have low levels of inflammatory cell infiltration. As these cells are known to be potent producers of inflammatory cytokines, we hypothesized that inflammatory cell localized TNF receptors play an important role in the progression of LV remodeling following ischemic injury. To isolate …

English Language Learners In Focus : Predictors Of English Proficiency And Academic Achievement., Yuliya Ardasheva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic achievement of English language learners (ELLs), the fastest growing population in the U.S. schools, deserves greater attention. This non-experimental study investigated the unique contributions-above and beyond other individual difference and school characteristics-of language learning strategies (LLS) to student academic outcomes in a second language (L2). The sample comprised 1,057 ELLs (651 elementary, 275 middle, and 131 high school) attending 38 schools in one urban school district. Descriptive analysis results indicated that ELLs used a large array ofLLS; yet, except for metacognitive strategies, most LLS were reportedly used only at a medium level of frequency. The results also indicated a …

Tobacco-Induced Changes To Porphyromonas Gingivalis Gene Expression, Phenotype And Host-Pathogen Interactions., Juhi Bagaitkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tobacco smoke is a strong and independent risk factor for several chronic systemic diseases and also increases susceptibility to a multitude of bacterial infections, including periodontal infections. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the periodontium caused by its chief etiological agent, Porphyromonas gingivalis . Smokers are more prone to persistent infections by P. gingivalis , and harbor higher numbers of P. gingivalis than non-smokers. However, smokers show reduced clinical signs of inflammation compared to non-smokers, making diagnosis of periodontal disease in smokers problematic. While several studies delineate the different mechanisms of how tobacco smoke alters …

Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Modulates Evoked-Gamma Power, Event-Related Potentials, And Behavior In Autism Spectrum Disorders., Joshua Matthias Baruth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence suggests that cortical minicolumns are reduced in size and increased in number in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). More specifically minicolumns in individuals with ASD are narrower and contain less peripheral, neuropil space; this may cause an increase in the ratio of cortical excitation to inhibition and adversely affect the functional distinctiveness of minicolumnar activation. A lack of cortical inhibition may cause signal/sensory amplification which can impair functioning, raise physiological stress, and adversely affect social interaction in patients with ASD. Additionally, the DLPFC forms a circuit interconnected with many areas of …

Social-Cognitive Predictors Of Physical Activity Initiation In Type 2 Diabetes Following Diabetes Self-Management Education : Application Of The Health Action Process Approach., Jason E. Bonner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes presents a public health crisis and a global pandemic. Successful management of diabetes requires engagement in a daily regimen of self-care behaviors to achieve optimal glycemic control and to reduce the severity of diabetes-related complications. Regular engagement in physical activity has been demonstrated to improve glycemic control and overall quality of life among patients with diabetes. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) has become the hallmark for instructing patients with diabetes to engage in physical activity, yet physical activity patterns of DSME patients remains largely unknown. Further, it is unclear what factors could account for such behavior change in …

The Trickster, The Griot, And The Goddess : Optimal Consciousness In The Works Of Ntozake Shange, Kara Walker And India. Arie., Tiffany D. Caesar 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The creative expressions of three black women artists--Ntozake Shange, Kara Walker, and India. Arie--are explored using optimal consciousness-an Afrocentric framework by Linda James Myers. This concept advocates that the role of the artist is to provide art that raises the consciousness of the people. An illustration of optimal consciousness will be demonstrated in their works by using the following criteria presented in the theory: authenticity, the fusion of sacred and secular, and positive interpersonal relationships. The creative works utilized for this analysis are Shange's choreopoem For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf, Walker's silhouette narrative …

How Fares The Selective Tradition? : Racial Representation Of Characters In Second Grade Classroom Libraries., Nancy Franklin Hulan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated teachers' inclusion of racially diverse literature within their classroom libraries, how the representations within the literature compared with the students in the classrooms, the inclusivity of students' book selections, and teacher thoughts concerning selection of literature. Individual classrooms were found to fall within categories of challenging, progressing against, or continuing the selective tradition, the tendency of teachers to favor literature that primarily features White, middle-class, male authors and subjects over works by and about women and other ethnicities or social classes (Luke, Cooke, & Luke, 1986). Of 22 classroom libraries, three were challenging, three were progressing against, …

The Role Of Muc1 Splice Variants In Dry Eye And Inflammation., Yoannis Imbert-Fernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a plasma membrane-bound glycoprotein that plays a protective role in corneal epithelial cells. Two full-length splice variants of MUCl: MUCl/B and MUCl/A, that differ by the inclusion of 27 bp from intron 1 and a SNP in MUCl/A, but have identical C-terminal cytoplasmic domain (CD) sequences, were identified in human conjunctival tissue. I tested the hypothesis that MUC1 splice variants are key immunoregulators that act on the ocular surface to protect the ocular surface from inflammation and that their expression correlates with dry eye status. The expression of MUC1/A and MUCl/B splice variant was examined in …

Size And Composition Dependent Electrochemical Oxidation And Deposition Of Metal Nanostructures., Olga S. Ivanova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes (1) size-dependent electrochemical oxidation/stripping of gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs), (2) alloying of copper with gold nanoparticles at underpotential deposition potentials, (3) electrochemical characterization of Au/Ag core-shell structures, (4) characterization of metal nanoparticle alloys by stripping voltammetry, and (5) layer-by-layer assembly of metal nanoparticle/polymer structures. The motivation of this work is to better understand fundamental properties of metal nanostructures as a function of size, shape, and composition. We synthesized Au and Ag NPs with different size by electrochemical reduction of the metal salt directly on the electrode surface and by seed-mediated growth in solution followed by chemisorption …

Role Of Eukaryotic Sel-1 Like Repeat Containing Genes In Helicobacter Pylori Evolution And Pathogenesis., Kalyani Putty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Helicobacter pylori (Hp) establishes life-long gastric infection in billions of humans, and is often responsible for diseases such as peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Cumulative actions of genetic drift and natural selection over several millennia sculpted the present Hp population structure, which is characterized by extreme genetic diversity and striking geographic clustering of genotypes. Natural selection is more commonly imprinted in DNA sequences of Hp proteins that interact with host components; however, in most instances biological relevance of selection during Hp infection remains unknown. Here, I attempted to elucidate the consequence of natural selection in two different contexts: (1) …

Direct Binding Of Parotid Secretory Protein To Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates., Dipti Goyal 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Regulated secretion of protein by salivary and other exocrine glands requires correct trafficking of soluble cargo proteins into secretory vesicles. However, the molecular mechanism of sorting in the parotid salivary gland is unknown. Phosphatidylinositol phospholipids, such as PtdIns(3,4)P2, are present in the membrane of secretory granules. We have shown that crude preparations of native Parotid Secretory Protein (PSP) bind PtdIns(3,4)P2; however, it is unclear whether this is due to a direct interaction. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesize that PSP directly binds PtdIns(3,4)P2 with high affinity. METHODS: Rat PSP cDNA with a C-terminal V5 tag was cloned into a glutathione-Stransferase (GST) expression …

Life History And Convervation Of Elliptio Crassidens From The Blue River, Indiana., Cassandra L. Hauswald 1975-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed life history components for the elephantear freshwater mussel, Elliptio crassidens (Lamarck, 1819). The main focus of this study was to determine the suitability of various fish species as a host for E. crassidens and to determine the population status in terms of age structure, recruitment and reproduction of E. crassidens from the Blue River drainage of south-central Indiana. General observations on the life history of E. crassidens were made: brooding conditions for release of larvae, larval behavior, and larval shell dimensions. Ages of E. crassidens shells from the Blue River were also determined. A Geographic Information System …

Cultivating Our Mosaic : Understanding The Language Choices Of Canadian Immigrant Students., Julia E. Kiernan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the competing views of multilingualism that shape U.S. and Canadian post-secondary literacy education. Drawing on education, English studies, globalization theory, applied linguistics, translation studies, multiculturalism, and second-language studies, this project engages in a study of multilingual students from writing courses at a Canadian university. The analysis focuses on the relationships between Canadian multilingualism and current U.S. scholarship surrounding English monolingualism in terms of eradicationism, language segregation, and language interaction. The findings challenge previous research and popular opinion, as well as Canadian government policy, all of which tend to designate Canadian classrooms and society as definitively accepting of …

Assessment And Performance Of Vsn-Inv Normalization On The Nci-60 Microrna Expression Profiles., Martin T. Disibio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multiple normalization methods have been proposed for the analysis of microRNA microarray expression profiles but there is no consensus method. One of the more robust methods, quantile normalization, is commonly used in transcript (mRNA) studies and was therefore used for normalizing the first microRNA expression profiles of the NCI-60 cell panel, published in 2007. In this study the appropriateness of VSN-Inv, a recently proposed alternative normalization method, to the NCI-60 dataset is verified. VSN-Inv normalization results in much increased inter-sample correlations among control groups, and significantly higher intra-chip correlations of duplicate probes, versus quantile and no normalization. Furthermore, VSN-Inv normalization …

Evaluate Experiences Necessary To Achieve Proficiency In Advanced Fiberoptic Intubation Skills : Can We Accelerate The Learning Curve With Simulator Training?, Xinyuan Duan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fiberoptic intubation skills (FOI) are critical in reducing the anesthesia related morbidity and mortality in clinical settings. The purpose of the study was to prove that the simulator can train a novice to achieve the expert level in a relatively short time. The performance of the pre- and post-training of novice group and expert group was computer or video recorded. Three statistical methods were applied for data analysis. The number of airway collisions and the number of passes for oral and nasal were analyzed by a newly proposed maximum likelihood method. The development of this model is based on the …

'Complementary' Immune Evasion By Oral Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Jennifer Lynn Krauss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Complement, an early recognition system of innate immunity that senses local tissue damage and infection, cross-talks with and regulates other signaling systems, including Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. In the context of periodontitis, destructive inflammation and disease promotion are associated with extensive and synergistic activation of TLRs and complement within the chronically inflamed periodontium. The virulence of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is dependent, at least in part, upon its ability to use sophisticated stealth and sabotage tactics to undermine innate immunity. Intriguingly, although this pathogen can modulate TLR2 signaling and suppress specific aspects of complement activation (126), it proactively generates …

The Role Of Genetic And Environmental Oxidative Stress Factors In Prostate Cancer., Nicole A. Lavender

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer (PCA) development may be influenced by genetic variations within oxidative stress response (OSR) related mechanisms, such as antioxidation (e.g., carcinogen metabolism/detoxification), DNA repair, and apoptotic regulation. Excessive oxidative stress can produce DNA base changes, damage tumor suppressors, enhance proto-oncogene expression, and induce malignant transformation of cells. Persistent oxidative stress may even trigger apoptosis. Environmental reactive oxygen species (ROS) exposure attributable to lifestyle factors may exacerbate this situation by increasing oxidative stress. Therefore, it is likely that genetic variation resulting in compromised ROS capacity combined with increased environmental ROS exposure may increase PCA risk and disease aggressiveness. Consequently, this …

Sex Education Decision Making At The Independent School District Of Boise, Annabeth D. Elliott

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A needs assessment was conducted in Boise in 2008 to address pregnancy, abortion. and sexually transmitted diseases in teens. Key informants indicated students lacked knowledge about sexuality and agreed that comprehensive sex education was the best strategy for improving teen sexual health (Elliott, 2008). Because the Independent School District of Boise (ISDB) had an abstinence-only policy, the strategy could not be implemented until the policy was changed.

The purpose of this case study was to cultivate an in-depth understanding of the influences on sex education policy decisions at the ISDB and to add to the body of knowledge, which may …

Wireless Sensing Of Epileptiform Activity, Wade Barnes

Electrical Engineering

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Diversity In Evolutionary Algorithms, Jayakanth Jayachandran, Steven Corns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

For many evolutionary algorithms a key obstacle to finding the global optima is insufficient solution diversity, causing the algorithm to become mired in a local optimum. Solution diversity can be influenced by algorithm parameters including population size, mutation operator and diversity preservation techniques. This study examines the combined effect of population size, mutation value and the geography imposed by the combinatorial graphs on a set of five standard evolutionary algorithm problems. a tradeoff can be seen between the initial diversity of the population size, introduction of new diversity from mutation, and the preservation of diversity from combinatorial graph. with an …

December 2010 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Mechanism Of N-Methylation By The Trna M1g37 Methyltransferase Trm5., Thomas Christian, Georges Lahoud, Cuiping Liu, Katherine Hoffmann, John J Perona, Ya-Ming Hou

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Trm5 is a eukaryal and archaeal tRNA methyltransferase that catalyzes methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to the N(1) position of G37 directly 3' to the anticodon. While the biological role of m(1)G37 in enhancing translational fidelity is well established, the catalytic mechanism of Trm5 has remained obscure. To address the mechanism of Trm5 and more broadly the mechanism of N-methylation to nucleobases, we examined the pH-activity profile of an archaeal Trm5 enzyme, and performed structure-guided mutational analysis. The data reveal a marked dependence of enzyme-catalyzed methyl transfer on hydrogen ion equilibria: the single-turnover rate constant for methylation increases by one …

The Fish Doctor: Autobiography Of A World Fish Parasitologist, Glenn L. Hoffman

Zea E-Books Collection

Described in 1986 as “a living legend,” Glenn Hoffman was one of the world’s foremost authorities on the parasites of fishes. This book narrates his life and 65-year professional career as a scientist, researcher, ambassador, colleague, and family man.
Born in 1918 to “hard working Iowa farm folks,” Dr. Hoffman grew up trapping and fishing for fun and profit. At the University of Iowa, he majored in zoology and worked for the Iowa State Conservation Department. From 1942 through 1946, he served in the U.S. Army as a lab technician, bacteriologist, and parasitologist in France, England, Germany, and Belgium. He …

Integrative Health And Healing: An Appraisal Of Research For An Evidence-Based Public Health Nursing Practice, Raeann E. Mayer

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development And Validation Of A Light Weight, Energy Dense, Ready To Eat (Rte) Bar, Jacob Wilhelm-Maria Heick

Master's Theses

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A LIGHT WEIGHT, ENERGY DENSE, READY TO EAT (RTE) BAR

Jacob Wilhelm-Maria Heick

Providing additional calories in the form of an RTE bar to endurance athletes will increase performance and muscle re-synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown, and shorten recovery time. An RTE bar containing a blend of dairy proteins and carbohydrates will create a product with superior functionality, including bioactive and immunity enhancing properties from dairy derived ingredients. The protein will provide benefits in the form of easily digestible calories, essential amino acids and physical satiate.

A formulation was developed and optimized, resulting in a final product …

Structure And Expression Of Two Nuclear Receptor Genes In Marsupials: Insights Into The Evolution Of The Antisense Overlap Between The Α-Thyroid Hormone Receptor And Rev-Erbα, Brandon C. Rindfleisch, M. Scott Brown, John L. Vandeberg, Stephen Munroe

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Alternative processing of α-thyroid hormone receptor (TRα, NR1A1) mRNAs gives rise to two functionally antagonistic nuclear receptors: TRα1, the α-type receptor, and TRα2, a non-hormone binding variant that is found only in mammals. TRα2 shares an unusual antisense coding overlap with mRNA for Rev-erbα (NR1D1), another nuclear receptor protein. In this study we examine the structure and expression of these genes in the gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica, in comparison with that of eutherian mammals and three other marsupial species, Didelphis virginiana, Potorous tridactylus and Macropus eugenii, in order to understand the evolution and regulatory …

Number Line Estimation: The Use Of Number Line Magnitudes Estimation To Detect The Presence Of Math Disability In Postsecondary Students, Steven A. Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study arose from an interest in the possible presence of mathematics disabilities among students enrolled in the developmental math program at a large university in the Mid-Atlantic region. Research in mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) has included a focus on the construct of working memory and number sense. A component of number sense is the formation of a mental number line. This study looked at the mental representations of the number line in postsecondary developmental math students. It was found that the overall representation was linear, linear for three of four academic levels, and there were linear representations based upon …