Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Estrogen And Phytoestrogens On Focal Infarct, Pten, And P-Akt Expression In Aged Rats., Karen Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Premenopausal women have fewer and less severe strokes when compared to postmenopausal females and aged matched males. The most obvious factor that could account for the observed difference is the physiological activity of Estrogen. Numerous studies over the past two decades have investigated estrogen's role as a neuroprotective agent against stroke damage. Many physiological mechanisms have been identified supporting neuroprotection; however, data also exist to suggest that estrogen may be harmful in certain situations such as those that produce high blood levels of estrogen or use estrogen in older models. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a large epidemiological study, found …

Presence/Absence Of An Endodontic Specialty Program During Dental Education Compared To General Dentist Attitudes Toward Treating Or Referring Patients Requiring Endodontic Therapy., Gregory A. Carman 1967-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The decision by a general dentist to treat or refer a patient needing endodontic therapy may be based on multiple variables. Students attending dental schools with endodontic specialty programs could be exposed to a referral system with endodontic residents managing difficult cases and they could have patients transferred to residents for completion of treatment if complications occur. Whereas, students at schools without endodontic programs may have to treat more difficult cases due to a more limited ability to refer cases. The primary aim of this study was to compare the opinion of general dentist graduates trained with and without endodontic …

De-Differentiation Of Parotid Acinar Cells In Vitro., Andrew Scott Currie 1983-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: When rat salivary gland cells are cultured in vitro, they dedifferentiate within 24 h. Hypothesis: Growth factors will prevent de-differentiation of primary cultures of parotid gland cells, and they will induce differentiation of ParC5 cells. DNA methylation drives de-differentiation and the loss of expression in cultured parotid cells. Methods: Rat parotid glands were collected and cultured in media using different combinations of growth factors. DNA was evaluated for methylation at various time points. Results: No media tested prevented the de-differentiation of parotid cells, and none induced differentiation of ParC5 cells. Limited variation in methylation of CpG sites was seen. …

The Effects Of Coauthoring On Student Writing, Stacey E. Spector

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Teaching student writing can be a very frustrating yet rewarding experience. Because there are so many ways to approach writing instruction and the writing process, there is often a disconnect between teachers’ expectations and students’ performances. A plethora of research has been done on teaching the writing process: peer editing, revising, and other areas of writing instruction. However, not much has been explored in terms of how writing can improve if we ask students to write together.

The goal of having students write together, or coauthor, is to allow them the chance to learn from each other and explore the …

Structural Bioinformatics Based Method For Predicting The Initial Adsorbed Protein Orientation On A Surface, Aby Thyparambil

All Theses

In any molecular simulation of protein-surface interaction, the selection of the initial orientation with which the protein would interact with the surface must be first made and is found to be critical in the determination of the bioactive state of the adsorbed protein. While various molecular simulation methods have been developed to identify the preferred orientation, these methods are generally computationally expensive and time consuming, especially for large molecules thereby motivating the current study.
The computational implementation for identifying a preferred orientation was done in MATLAB¨ and directly addresses the current research problem by assuming the protein to be rigid …

Seed Removal By The Red-Rumped Agouti, Dasyprocta Leporina, On A Caribbean Island, Benton Taylor

All Theses

Agoutis are important seed dispersers as well as predators of numerous plant species in Neotropical continental rainforests, but little is known about their role as seed removers (dispersers and predators) on islands. We investigated seed removal of seven rain forest species on the island of Dominica in the Lesser Antilles by the entire seed-remover community and specifically by the Red-rumped Agouti, Dasyprocta leporina, a scatterhoarding rodent introduced to the island approximately 2500 years ago. We recorded removal rates in three regions of Dominica from 168 experimentally placed seed groups containing a total of 1356 seeds. Seed groups were either accessible …

Discrimination And Health: A Longitudinal Study, Jun Xu

All Theses

This study examines several questions about discrimination using a longitudinal survey from the 2006 and 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Results show that whites are least likely to experience discrimination as we expected. In addition, the data provides support for the hypothesis that people with higher total household assets and higher household total number of members are less likely to experience discrimination. However, contrary to my hypothesis, females have smaller odds of experiencing discrimination compared to males. People with higher education levels are more likely to report major discrimination events compared to those with lower education …

The Icj And The Future Of Transboundary Harm Disputes: A Preliminary Analysis Of The Case Concerning Aerial Herbicide Spraying (Ecuador V. Colombia), Robert Esposito

Pace International Law Review Online Companion

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Behavioral Temperaments On The Ecology Of The Caribbean Reef Octopus, Octopus Briareus, Timothy Jordan

All Theses

Traditional studies of predator-prey interactions have primarily focused on direct consumption as the most important effect on prey. Recent studies, however, have illustrated that nonlethal, risk effects may have an even greater impact. In this study, I evaluated the role of direct consumption and risk effects of the Caribbean reef octopus, Octopus briareus, on multiple species of crab and spiny lobster prey in Florida Bay, Florida. I conducted 13 monthly censuses of 8 nearshore field sites and observed the density and distribution of octopuses, crabs and lobsters. I found a significant negative correlation between the density of octopus predators and …

Effects Of Common Culinary Cooking Techniques On The Antioxidants In Collard Greens, Alexander Clifford

All Theses

This thesis explores the effects of different cooking techniques on the antioxidant activity in collard greens. Chapter 1 is a literature review covering the topics of antioxidants, nutrition, cooking techniques and the effect of thermal treatment on antioxidants. Chapter 2 is a research manuscript evaluating collard greens from a local South Carolina farm exposed to seven different thermal treatments along with an untreated raw group. The thermal treatments utilized were sautŽ, both long and short simmer, the sautŽ treatment applied to both a long and short simmer treated group and the reserved cooking water from both a long and short …

Notes On Fungal Infestations In Germinating Corn (Zea Mays L.) Seed Used For Rearing Spotted Cucumber Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), D. E. Fleming, J. T. Reed

Midsouth Entomologist

Inability to manage fungal growth (Aspergillus, Fusarium and Rhizopus spp.) in germinating corn seed used as larval medium in a laboratory colony of spotted cucumber beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]) stimulated experimentation to evaluate the efficacy of laboratory fungicide seed treatment and its components with and without agitation, and to determine whether the incidence of fungus in germinating seed differed between seed lots or varieties. The possibility of fungi residing in cracks in corn seed, within the corn seed beyond the reach of fungicidal solutions, and in pits in the exochorion of beetle eggs is discussed. Fungicides reduced …

Review Of Preplant-Incorporated Pesticide Evaluations In Mississippi Sweetpotatoes, J. T. Reed, D. Bao, D. Cook, C. S. Jackson

Midsouth Entomologist

The use of insecticides incorporated into the soil prior to planting (preplant incorporated, or PPI, application) and approximately 30 days post planting (layby-incorporated, or LBI, application) is a recognized control regimen to reduce insect damage to sweetpotato roots in Mississippi. Seventeen compounds with potential for use as soil-incorporated insecticides were tested in small-plot research trials from 2001 to 2009. Efficacy was evaluated by counting insect feeding scars on marketable roots at harvest. Results within each trial were converted to percent control values based on the water-treated check plots. Results ranged from negative percent control values (more damage than found in …

Description Of Damage By Larvae Of The Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Diabrotica Undecimpunctata Howardi (Coleptera: Chrysomelidae) To Sweetpotato, Ipomoea Batatas (L.) (Solanales: Convolvulaceae), Roots, D. E. Fleming, J. T. Reed

Midsouth Entomologist

The larvae of the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]) are damaging pests of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] [Solanales: Convolvulaceae]) roots. Because this assumption was not documented, laboratory trials were conducted to determine if spotted cucumber beetle larvae can feed and develop on sweetpotato roots. Results showed that all stages of spotted cucumber beetle larvae could survive on sweetpotato roots when given no other food choice, and that root damage resembled that described for larvae of other coleopteran sweetpotato pests.

Odontomachus Clarus Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Reported In Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana, B. J. Adams, X. Chen, L. M. Hooper-Bùi

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Checklist Of The Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) Of Costa Rica, Ian P. Swift, Larry G. Bezark, Eugenio H. Nearns, Ángel Solís, Frank T. Hovore

Insecta Mundi

An updated checklist of the Cerambycidae of Costa Rica is presented. This new version includes 1,071 species and subspecies in 429 genera, 69 tribes, and six subfamilies. Of these, 181 are new country records and 136 species are known only from Costa Rica. In addition, provincial distribution data are provided for each species. The checklist supports a wealth of scientific literature in many other groups of flora and fauna indicating Costa Rica has high species richness of cerambycid beetles.

Se presenta una lista actualizada de los Cerambycidae de Costa Rica. Esta nueva versión incluye 1.071 especies y subespecies en 429 …

Cloning And Characterization Of Sas1738, A Hypothetical Exported Protein From Community-Associated Strain Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Deepak Kumar Vijaya Kumar

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a group of S. aureus strains that has acquired resistance to a class of beta lactam antibiotics and is the major cause of hospital associated infections. Their discovery goes back to 1960 when the first cases were identified. Recently community associated MRSA infections have emerged and are caused by strains that are independent of those from the hospital environment, related only because they carry some of the same antibiotic resistance genes. Community associated infections (CA) are more severe, producing pus filled lesions that are painful and capable of invasion of deep tissues. Virulence factors …

Application Of Strategic Institutional-Information Technology Alignment Model In Four-Year Institutions Of Higher Education, Barbara Lach-Smith

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined an existing corporate model of business-information technology alignment for application in higher education and tested the findings by surveying executive and technology leaders in higher education. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the factors that impact alignment between institutional strategic planning and information technology strategy in higher education. The existing alignment model was examined in the context of mid-size four-year colleges and universities. This study used a combination of Delphi technique and a survey process. The sequence followed was to examine an existing theoretical model for its applicability to higher education …

Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 3 Blocks Breast Tumor Kinase Activation Of Stat3 Transcription Factor, Yiwei Gao

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) are a family of transcription factors that play important roles in cytokine signaling. Following cytokine stimulation they are tyrosine phosphorylated by receptor-associated Janus kinases (JAKs). Phosphorylation promotes their dimerization and this confers their ability to bind DNA consensus sequences and stimulate gene expression. STAT3 is a member of this family and can be activated by a large number of cytokines, growth factors and hormones. It is also a target of oncogenic tyrosine kinases that commonly link STAT3 closely with cancer. One of these tyrosine kinases is called breast tumor kinase (Brk). Brk …

Extending The Quandt-Ramsey Modeling To Survival Analysis, Paichuan Chen

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The mixture of two regression regimes has been extensively studied in economics. A switching regression is often used to model a system that changes depending on some variables. The test of a mixture of regimes in hazard modeling would be seen to have fundamental importance in biostatistical research but has not been studied. A two-regime parametric mixture is proposed to model the effect of a single covariate on the event time. Typically, the Cox proportional hazards model is applied to estimate a single regime survival regression function. The mixture of two regimes model contains five parameters to be estimated; namely, …

Strong Field Control Of Multilevel Quantum Systems, Stephen Daniel Clow

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In this thesis, we present work on coherent control of multilevelquantum systems in the strong field limit using shaped ultrafastlaser pulses. In recent years there have been numerous multiphotonabsorption experiments in two,three, and four-level atomic/molecularsystems and many are performed in the limit of weak fields whereperturbation theory is valid. Here, we describe a series ofexperiments aimed at exploring and understanding multiphotontransitions when the exciting field is strong and perturbationtheory breaks down. Our approach to strong field control utilizesboth parameterized scans of various pulse shapes and closed-looplearning control to identify a pulse shape that is optimal forpopulating a target quantum state. …

Mechanisms Of Growth And Sex Determination In The Atlantic Silverside, Menidia Menidia, And The Spatial Scale Of Local Adaptation, Tara Duffy

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Local adaptation in widely-dispersed marine species may result from strong selection on multiple life history traits that differ among populations. This results in unique sets of traits that maximize fitness of individuals within populations along the species' range. The Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia, is a fish that exhibits high gene flow potential, but differences in growth and sexual differentiation among populations demonstrate strong local adaptation. To better understand the spatial pattern of local adaptation in this species, I compared the form of sex determination, which shifts from genetic to environmental sex determination, across this species' range and quantified the rate …

Water And Ion Transport In Lacrimal Gland: Models And Experiment, Wei Chieh Huang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Tear secretion is a complicated process that involves two different cell types. The lacrimal acinar cell is thought to secrete a hypertonic primary fluid with a high K+ concentration. This fluid is then modified by the ductal epithelia and transported to the avascular ocular surface. It is known that both sympathetic and parasympathetic input trigger protein release, but the role of adrenergic stimulation on water secretion in lacrimal gland remains unclear. Therefore, the first goal of this dissertation is to examine the influence ofΑ- andΒ-adrenergic activation on tear fluid production.Tear secretion requires coordination of different membrane channels and transporters. Walcott …

The Tropical Atlantic Response To Abrupt Climate Change During Interstadial 12, Jennifer Eve Hertzberg

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The critical gaps in our understanding of the Earth's climate system lie in the patterns and forcing mechanisms of climate variability on decadal to submillennial time scales. Equally important and also not clearly understood is the response of low-latitude climate variability to abrupt climate change. most studies of abrupt change come from high-latitude sites. Dansgaard-Oeschger events such as Interstadial 12 are excellent examples of abrupt climate change, and provide an ideal opportunity to examine how the tropics and submillennial-scale variability respond to rapid changes in the global climate system. The Cariaco Basin's (Venezuela) high sedimentation rates, abundant microfossils, and excellent …

The Roles Of Mek1 And Cohesins In Suppressing Meiotic Intersister Double-Strand Break Repair, Tracy Liane Callender

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Reciprocal exchange between homologs, in combination with sister chromatid cohesion, promotes proper segregation of homologs at Meiosis I. Missegregation of chromosomes during meiosis causes abnormal chromosome numbers in gametes. Errors in meiotic chromosome segregation can lead to infertility and, in humans, are responsible for genetic disorders like Trisomy 21. Meiotic recombination is initiated by double-strand breaks (DSBs). Repair of these breaks is biased to occur by invasion of homologs, not sister chromatids. This bias is mediated both by a meiosis-specific recombinase, Dmc1 and by the suppression of Rad51/Rad54 mediated recombination between sister chromatids. In dmc1 mutants, DSBs fail to get …

Historical Recount Of The Great South Bay Ecosystem, Long Island, New York And A Quantitative Assessment Of The Ecosystem Structure Of Great South Bay Using Ecopath, Matthew Andrew Nuttall

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The Great South Bay (GSB) ecosystem has provided marine resources to Long Island residents for well over 300 years. However, various external stressors have threatened this system, marked with declines in multiple stocks and ecosystem indices. A historical review was conducted, indicating GSB has shifted to an dominated by lower trophic groups. Of the twelve stocks with identifiable temporal abundance trends, eight are currently declining. These stock declines have been met with drops in recent harvests of GSB fisheries. In addition to monetary losses to local fishermen, the lack of a commercially dominant shellfish stock may leave GSB without a …

Determining The Role Of Natural Selection In Plant Invasion: A Study Of Introduced Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia Japonica) And A Native Relative, Woodland Knotweed (Persicaria Virginiana), Kelly L. O'Donnell

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The ecological and evolutionary study of plant invasion processes is of exceeding importance in today's changing environment. However, few studies have addressed the impact of natural selection on invasive plant species. While scientists have been able to detect selection in natural populations, most studies are not replicated in space or time leading to unreliable statistical estimates and tentative causal analyses. My objective was to further our knowledge of selection dynamics in the wild by working in the area of invasion biology through studies that combine both field and controlled settings. It has been suggested that plant invasion affords us the …

Exploring A Role For Pld3 During In Vitro Myogenesis, Mary Osisami

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Phospholipase D 3 (PLD3) is an atypical and uncharacterized member of the phospholipase D (PLD) superfamily. First discovered as the mammalian homologue of the vaccinia virus K4L protein, PLD3 is a type II glycoprotein associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. PLD3 is expressed in a wide range of tissues and cells, including neural and skeletal especially during differentiation events. To date, there are no published reports describing a cellular function or biochemical activity for PLD3. Very little information can be deciphered from vK4L because it is not essential to the viral life cycle. The closest homologue of mammalian PLD3 with a …

Regulatory Mechanisms Of The Non-Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Ack1, Victoria Prieto

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Ack1 is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that participates in tumorigenesis, cell survival and migration. Relatively little is known about mechanisms that regulate Ack1 activity. First, this dissertation will address the effect of naturally occurring somatic mutations on Ack1 function and activity and the use of these mutations to gain insight into the regulation of Ack1. Second, I will describe the study of the role of the N-terminal domain on Ack1 regulation.As my first aim, I studied four somatic missense mutations of Ack1 that were recently identified in cancer tissue samples. The effects of these cancer-associated mutations on Ack1 activity and …

Benthic-Pelagic Coupling In Eutrophic Estuaries From The Temperate And Sub-Tropical Zones: The Contrasting Roles Of Benthic Suspension-Feeding And Nutrient Loading, Charles C. Wall

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Coastal waters have suffered from multiple stressors that have diminished habitat value and living marine resources in estuaries. Excess nutrient loading, leading to eutrophication, has been identified as a primary driver of these changes. Some level of nutrient loading is necessary to sustain production in marine systems, but the level of appropriate nutrient loading for a given estuary or resource species is unknown. Benthic suspension feeders, such as bivalves and sponges, have the potential to buffer or mediate eutrophication through their filtration activities. Many eutrophic systems have lost suspension feeders due to overharvesting, disease, and harmful algal blooms. In a …

Genetic Analysis Of The Gaba Synthetic Enzymes: From Synapse Development To Activity Dependent Transcription, Xiaoyun Wu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

GABA mediates inhibitory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain. GABA is synthesized through two glutamate decarboxylases, GAD67 and GAD65. My thesis addresses two questions of GABA signaling through the genetic manipulation of the GABA synthetic enzymes.First, I examined the role of GABA transmission in inhibitory synapse development in the mouse neocortex. I used a genetic strategy to specifically block GABA synthesis or release in single neurons and examined the impact on axon and synapse development. Such cell autonomous manipulation of GABA signaling without disturbing circuitactivity level is critical to reveal its precise function in synapse formation. Chronic blockade of transmission …