Digital Commons Network^™

The Epidemiology Of Snakebite Injury In The Amazonian Regions Of Ecuador, Sarah Stuppy

Theses and Dissertations

The epidemiology of snakebite injury in the Amazonian regions of Ecuador Introduction: Morbidity and mortality from snakebite envenomations is a major public health issue in remote areas of under-developed countries. Several attempts have been made to approximate the impact of snakebites worldwide, however these are assumed to be underestimations due to the lack of documentation on the local level. Ecuador's Amazonian region lacks a comprehensive community-based surveillance system, however it is unique in that an aero-medical transport system is in place to transfer the patients requiring hospitalization to one of the five urban medical centers. Beginning in 1998, Servicio Aéreo …

A Novel Role Of Sirt1 In Sildenafil Induced Cardioprotection In Mice, Mona Shalwala

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, sildenafil (SIL) protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I-R) injury. We hypothesized that SIL-induced protection may be mediated through activation of SIRT1, an enzyme which deacetylates proteins involved in cellular stress response. Adult male ICR mice were treated with SIL (0.7mg/kg ip), Resveratrol (RSV) (5mg/kg ip) (positive control), or saline (0.2 ml ip). The hearts were harvested 24 h later and homogenized for SIRT1 activity analysis. Both SIL and RSV increased cardiac SIRT1 activity (P<0.001) as compared to Saline. Adult mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes pre-treated with either SIL or RSV (1µM) in vitro also upregulated SIRT1 activity (P<0.05). SIL also reduced infarct size following 30 min. ischemia and 24 h reperfusion in vivo. Sirtinol (5mg/kg in 10% DMSO, ip), a SIRT1 inhibitor abolished the infarct-limiting effect of SIL and RSV (P<0.001). In conclusion, activation of SIRT1 by SIL plays an essential role in cardioprotection against I-R injury.

Rem: Relational Entropy-Based Measure Of Saliency, Kester Duncan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The incredible ability of human beings to quickly detect the prominent or salient regions in an image is often taken for granted. To be able to reproduce this intelligent ability in computer vision systems remains quite a challenge. This ability is of paramount importance to perception and image understanding since it accelerates the image analysis process, thereby allowing higher vision processes such as recognition to have a focus of attention. In addition to this, human eye fixation points occurring during the early stages of visual processing, often correspond to the loci of salient image regions. These regions provide us with …

Illinois State University Board Of Trustees Meeting Materials, May 7, 2010, Board Of Trustees

Illinois State University Board of Trustees (1995-2013)

Minutes, reports, and action items relating to the May 7, 2010 meeting of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees.

Faculty Newsnotes 2010 No. 416, Office Of The Provost

Faculty Newsnotes (1972-2010)

No abstract provided.

A Descriptive Study Of The Achievement Gap In A Florida County, Harriet Davis-Waller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the perspectives of five participants representing the school district and community regarding the achievement gap between Black and White students. This study attempted to answer two major questions:

1. What are the components of their perspectives and how they are formed?

2. What beliefs support or hinder that perspective? In this study social conflict theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study, harnessing the concept of resiliency as a new paradigm shift looking at Black students and community not as "deficient" or "deficits" but implementing their unique cultural …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Fifty-First Annual Commencement, May 7, 2010, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
One Hundred and Fifty-First Annual Commencement
May 7 and 8, 2010

Stochastic Modeling And Simulation Of Gene Networks, Zhouyi Xu

Open Access Dissertations

Recent research in experimental and computational biology has revealed the necessity of using stochastic modeling and simulation to investigate the functionality and dynamics of gene networks. However, there is no sophisticated stochastic modeling techniques and efficient stochastic simulation algorithms (SSA) for analyzing and simulating gene networks. Therefore, the objective of this research is to design highly efficient and accurate SSAs, to develop stochastic models for certain real gene networks and to apply stochastic simulation to investigate such gene networks. To achieve this objective, we developed several novel efficient and accurate SSAs. We also proposed two stochastic models for the circadian …

The Use Of A Metacognitive Tool In An Online Social Supportive Learning Environment: An Activity Theory Analysis, Ray Earl Martinez

Dissertations

This investigation is an exploratory study of the use of a metacognitive software tool in a social supportive learning environment. The tool combined metacognitive knowledge and regulation functionality embedded within the content of an eight week online graduate education course. Twenty-three learners, who were practicing teachers, used the tool. Prior knowledge of metacognition, including responses to the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (Schraw & Dennison, 1994), was obtained. Prior knowledge of community instructional approaches was also obtained. Learner interviews focused on the mediational aspects of the metacognitive tool and the social supportive learning environment, as well as an evaluation of the tool. …

2009 Northwest Arkansas Report Card, Gary Ritter

Education Report Card

Each year, the Office for Education Policy creates a state report card that highlights recent test scores, achievement gaps, graduation rates, teacher salary, and so on. In an attempt to provide more detailed information, we have created an edition of the report card specific to the Northwest Arkansas region. Here, we compare the most recent information for Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, and the “Big 5” districts in Northwest Arkansas. For the purpose of this report, the following districts were used for calculating the Northwest Arkansas (NWA) average: Bentonville, Decatur, Elkins, Farmington, Fayetteville, Gentry, Gravette, Greenland, Lincoln, Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Rogers, …

Cal Poly Students Succeed At Statewide Competition, Public Affairs Office

Press Releases

No abstract provided.

2010-05-06 Unm News Minute, University Of New Mexico Communication And Marketing Department

UNM News Minute 2010

No abstract provided.

Strategic Information Systems Alignment: A Longitudinal Investigation, Chowa Kachaka Charles

Dissertations

The alignment between business and information systems’ strategies (strategic IS alignment) has occupied researchers’ and practitioners’ interest over the past two decades. This is due to the belief that strategic IS alignment positively affects business performance. However, despite the concerted effort in seeking to understand the alignment phenomenon, executives in organizations continue to complain of the difficulty in achieving and sustaining alignment. This may be due to a lack of a comprehensive model of alignment that takes into account its dynamic nature and the factors that affect it over time. Therefore, this study seeks to add to our accumulated knowledge …

Data Accuracy In Medical Record Abstraction, Meredith Nahm

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Clinical Research Data Quality Literature Review and Pooled Analysis

We present a literature review and secondary analysis of data accuracy in clinical research and related secondary data uses. A total of 93 papers meeting our inclusion criteria were categorized according to the data processing methods. Quantitative data accuracy information was abstracted from the articles and pooled. Our analysis demonstrates that the accuracy associated with data processing methods varies widely, with error rates ranging from 2 errors per 10,000 files to 5019 errors per 10,000 fields. Medical record abstraction was associated with the highest error rates (70–5019 errors per 10,000 fields). …

The Effect Of Proximity, Explicitness, And Representation Of Basic Science Information On Student Clinical Problem-Solving, Kimberly Ann Smith

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Problem: Medical and veterinary students memorize facts but then have difficulty applying those facts in clinical problem solving. Cognitive engineering research suggests that the inability of medical and veterinary students to infer concepts from facts may be due in part to specific features of how information is represented and organized in educational materials. First, physical separation of pieces of information may increase the cognitive load on the student. Second, information that is necessary but not explicitly stated may also contribute to the student’s cognitive load. Finally, the types of representations – textual or graphical – may also support or hinder …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Messages Conveyed In Parent-Adolescent Communication About Substance Use: Variations Along Dimensions Of Maternal And Familial History Of Substance Abuse, Nikola Zaharakis

Theses and Dissertations

Little research has examined the content of parent-adolescent communication about substance use and variables that may influence it. Using a grounded theory approach for secondary data analysis, qualitative data were drawn from a longitudinal study of coping and substance use in a sample of urban African American adolescents (N=132; M= 13.77 years) and their mothers in Richmond, VA. Transcripts of interviews with participants’ mothers regarding their conversations with their adolescent about alcohol, tobacco or other drugs were microanalyzed by two coders in three sets according to the youth participant’s maternal and familial history of substance abuse. Findings revealed considerable similarity …

May 6, 2010, University Of North Dakota

University Senate Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the May 6, 2010, meeting of the University Senate. 53 pages

The Grizzly, May 6, 2010, Caitlin Dalik, Katie Callahan, Michael Delaney, Ryan Collins, Jessica Neuman, Lisa Jobe, James Kilduff, Cory Kram, Elizabeth Mahoney, Zach Shamberg, Carly Siegler, Helen Ann Coin, Nick Pane, Shane Eachus

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Students in Free Enterprise Wins Regional Competition • Ursinus Celebrates Student Artwork with Annual Exhibit • Students Volunteer with UCARE's Community Week • Gala to Benefit Education in Haiti • Ursinus Bike Share Goes National • Seniors Reflect on UC Memories • Senior Spotlight: UC Softball's Lauren Davis-Macedonia; Track and Field's Travis Youngs

Faculty Senate Chronicle For May 6, 2010, Robert Huff

The University of Akron Faculty Senate Chronicle

Minutes of the regular meeting of The University of Akron Faculty Senate on May 6, 2010.

Flooding, Forest Management, And Scale Related To Habitat Characteristics Of Swainson's Warblers, Maria Carolina Roa

Student Theses and Dissertations

Swainson's warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii; SWWA) is an inhabitant of dense and a species of high conservation priority in the Southeast. A flood in 2008 inundated my study areas, the White River National Wildlife Refuge (WRNWR) and Saint Francis National Forest (SFNF). I selected 27 stands at SFNF and 8 at WRNW and compared my data and previous data (2005 - 2007) to assess flood effects on SWWAs occupancy and vegetation characteristics. After the flood, SWWA occupancy was 59% at WRNWR compared to 87% at SFNF Also, the mean leaf litter volume decreased at both study sites in historically occupied SWWA …

A Preliminary Study In Probing Rapid Method Of Isotope 87sr/86sr Analysis By Electrospray Ionization -Quadrupole Ion Trap - Mass Spectrometry, Sheng Song

Student Theses and Dissertations

The isotope ratio 87Sr/86Sr, typically reported in geologic investigations, is obtained by direct electrospray ionization of aqueous sample containing Sr(II), Rb(I) and 18c6. At relatively high concentrations, we observed favorable formation of Sr2+(18c6)₂ and Rb+(18c6) over Sr2+(18c6) complexes. Physical separation of Sr2+(18c6)₂ and Rb+(18c6) as well as separation of Sr2+(18c6)₂ is observed by simply injecting the sample solution to ESI source using simple PEEK tubing in neutral pH. These phenomena are caused by the difference in mobility of the complexes and masked by the gas phase association reactions. ESI-QITMS successfully obtained the expected isotope distribution of Sr(II) …

Viral Vaccines And Ctl Response, Uday Kumaraguru, Stacie N. Woolard

ETSU Faculty Works

Immune induction by successful vaccine formulations seems to involve stimulation of both humoral and cellular arms of immunity. Nevertheless, CD8+ CTLs are of critical relevance in the context of intracellular infection and tumor for many reasons. The task of exerting antipathogen activity by CD8+ T cells, which principally function to control and eradicate intracellular pathogens, is enabled by constitutive expression of MHC class-I molecules on all tissue types. CTL induction offers hope for vaccines against pathogens that are resistant to neutralizing activity. This review discusses the mechanism of immune induction by some successful vaccines and based on the accrued evidence …

The Beacon - Vol 8 No. 13 - May 6, 2010, Merrimack College

The Beacon

The Beacon - the student newspaper of Merrimack College. Volume 8, Number 13 - May 6, 2010. 12 pages

Brain-Based Learning And Classroom Practice: A Study Investigating Instructional Methodologies Of Urban School Teachers, Lajuana Trezette Morris

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of brain-based instructional strategies by teachers serving at Title I elementary, middle, and high schools within the Memphis City School District. This study was designed to determine: (a) the extent to which Title I teachers applied brain-based strategies, (b) the differences in application of brain-based strategies among Title I teachers, (c) the differences among the use of brain-based strategies and years of teaching experiences, and (d) the difference in the use of brain-based strategies among teachers with and without National Board Certification. The areas addressed in the literature review included: …

Minutes From The May 6, 2010 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Faculty, University Of Montana--Missoula. Faculty

University of Montana Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes from the May 6, 2010 meeting of the University of Montana faculty.

Long-Term Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities: Implications For Bioassessment Of Lotic Systems, Eve O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

The structure and composition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities can vary spatially and over time. Spatial and temporal variation along a stream has many implications for population and community dynamics, which may influence bioassessment programs. I examined variability in the benthic community of eight streams within the Polecat Creek, Virginia watershed. These streams vary in size from 1st to 4th order. The streams were sampled once every season for eleven years using standard bioassessment protocols. Macroinvertebrates were sampled from both sediment and submerged wood habitats at each site. The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to quantify among season, among year …

Kenyon Collegian - May 6, 2010

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

A Net-Present Value Analysis For A Wind Turbine Purchase At A Small Us College, Nicholas H. Johnson, Barry D. Solomon

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Wind power is becoming an increasingly attractive method of electric power generation due to concerns with global climate change, increasing uncertainty of future oil supplies, and energy security. While most large-scale wind turbines are part of wind farms, which help states meet state renewable energy standards, several colleges and universities in the United States have purchased wind turbines for financial and educational purposes. This paper gives details of a cost-benefit analysis completed for a small liberal arts college in Illinois, Principia College, which is considering buying a single large-scale turbine. The process set forth here can easily be adapted to …

Effect Of Visual Input On Vowel Production In English Speakers, Amanda C. Richardson

Linguistics Honors Projects

This study analyzes whether there should be a visual component to a model of speech perception and production by comparing the jaw opening, advancement, and rounding of American English and non-English vowels in the presence and absence of a visual stimulus. Surprisingly, jaw opening did not change production, but the presence of the visual stimulus was found to be a significant factor in participants’ vowel advancement for non-English vowels. This may be explained by lip rounding, but requires further research in order to develop a full understanding of the impact of visual input on vowel production to be used in …

Minutes Of The Faculty Senate Meeting, May 5, 2010, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.