Digital Commons Network^™

Galantamine-Induced Tremulous Jaw Movements In Rats: Reversal With Adenosine A2a Antagonists, Chelsea Elizabeth Leser

Honors Scholar Theses

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurdegenerative disorder, affecting millions of people worldwide. The underlying etiology of Alzheimer's disease, however, is such that treatment is difficult.

Researchers have linked a decrease in the transmission of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to the cognitive deficits seen in Alzheimer's disease. Recent drug therapies have focused on using drugs that block the action of the enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, that breaks down acetylcholine. However, these drugs, known as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, have been found to produce side effects that have the same characteristics as Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. In this study, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, …

Examining The Effect Of Childhood Animal Cruelty Motives On Recurrent Adult Violent Crimes Toward Humans, Joshua C. Overton

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Few researchers have studied the predictive ability of childhood animal cruelty motives as they are associated with later recurrent violence toward humans. Based on a sample of 180 inmates at one medium- and one maximum-security prison in a Southern state, the present study examines the relationship among several retrospectively identified motives (fun, out of anger, hate for the animal, and imitation) for childhood animal cruelty and the later commission of violent crimes (murder, rape, assault, and robbery) against humans. Almost two-thirds of the inmates reported engaging in childhood animal cruelty for fun, whereas almost one-fourth reported being motivated either out …

Aiding Conservation Of The Federally Threatened Scutellaria Montana (Lamiaceae, Large-Flowered Skullcap) Through Abundance Monitoring And Transplantation Studies, Heather Mae Kile

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Scutellaria montana Chapm. (large-flowered skullcap) is a federally threatened species endemic to Georgia and Tennessee. This thesis presents conservation work on this species through abundance monitoring at a single site in Catoosa County, Georgia, and transplantation experiments at two sites located in Hamilton County, Tennessee, and Catoosa County, Georgia. Plants naturally occurring in the fixed plots surveyed over seven years had an overall stable growth status, though relatively low floral induction and seedlings. Transplantation revealed influences of abiotic and biotic factors. One transplantation site was fenced to prevent human trampling and apparently discouraged vertebrate grazing, resulting in dramatic flower number …

The Relations Among Laterality, Cortisol, And Approach-Avoidance Behavior In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii), David Burton Hanbury

Dissertations

Many studies to date have demonstrated that approach and avoidance behaviors are processed asymmetrically in the brain and may be reflected in measures such as handedness. The purpose of this study was to extend work in primates on this topic to Garnett’s bushbaby, a prosimian species. Furthermore, to determine whether measures in addition to handedness relate to approach-avoidance behavior, lateralized differences in tympanic membrane temperature were assessed. Cortisol measures were also obtained to determine whether it was related approach-avoidance behavior and handedness. Eleven captive-born Garnett’s bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii) were evaluated for handedness and responsiveness to novelty. Moreover, the …

Is There A Relationship Between The Play Attention Program And Improved Student Achievement?, Jenny Ann Webber

Dissertations

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its effects on student academic achievement have been researched for many years. There have been many interventions that have been used in treating ADHD that have been found successful when implemented consistently. Some of the interventions that have been researched in the past are behavior modification, pharmacotherapy with stimulants, educational interventions, and a combination of these. Play Attention is an intervention that incorporates aspects of behavior modification through computerized cognitive-training, which utilizes feedback-based technology. Through Play Attention, students wear a helmet or armband embedded with sensors. These sensors read students’ brain activity in order …

Rip1-Dependent And Independent Effects Of Necrostatin-1 In Necrosis And T Cell Activation., Youngsik Cho, Thomas Mcquade, Haibing Zhang, Jianke Zhang, Francis Ka-Ming Chan

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Programmed necrosis/necroptosis is an emerging form of cell death that plays important roles in mammalian development and the immune system. The pro-necrotic kinases in the receptor interacting protein (RIP) family are crucial mediators of programmed necrosis. Recent advances in necrosis research have been greatly aided by the identification of chemical inhibitors that block programmed necrosis. Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) and its derivatives were previously shown to target the pro-necrotic kinase RIP1/RIPK1. The protective effect conferred by Nec-1 and its derivatives in many experimental model systems was often attributed to the inhibition of RIP1 function.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We compared the effect of …

Capturing The Lost Phosphorus, Bruce E. Rittmann, Brooke K. Mayer, Paul Westerhoff, Mark Edwards

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Minable phosphorus (P) reserves are being depleted and will need to be replaced by recovering P that currently is lost from the agricultural system, causing water-quality problems. The largest two flows of lost P are in agricultural runoff and erosion (∼46% of mined P globally) and animal wastes (∼40%). These flows are quite distinct. Runoff has a very high volumetric flow rate, but a low P concentration; animal wastes have low flow rates, but a high P concentration together with a high concentration of organic material. Recovering the lost P in animal wastes is technically and economically more tractable, and …

Youth In Revolt. How Suburban Youth Of The 1950s Rejected The Contradictions Of An Affluent Society In Favor Of Apocalyptic Zombies And Chicken Runs, Michele Leigh Goostree

Theses

The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, I will examine the influences shaping the choices of teenagers living in an affluent society during the early days of the Cold War, specifically 1950 - 1955. I will discuss the contradictions about society, the family unit, and gender roles teenagers attempted to sort out as they moved through adolescence. Secondly, I will focus on two forms of mass media, specifically comic books and movies of the 1950s. Media has always had the power to change and shape the opinion of the youth culture who consumed it. I will discuss the lengths …

G (Alpha) 12 Is Required For Thromboxane A2 To Regulate Tumor Cell Motility, Babar Malik

Theses

Thromboxane (TX) A₂ is a prostaglandin produced by metabolism of arachidonic acid through cyclooxygenases and thromboxane synthase. TXA₂ is biologically active, mainly through activating its cognate, seven transmembrane, G protein coupled receptor. It was previously reported that thromboxane A₂ receptor (TP) was expressed in prostate cancer, and further activation of this receptor elicited cell contraction and modulated tumor cell motility through regulating small GTPase RhoA[1]. This study aims to identify G alpha protein(s) involved in thromboxane A₂ signaling in tumor cell motility. Methods: The expression of G alpha proteins in the PC3MM cells was studied by …

Vol 56 #1, Judy Zelenski

MPLA Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Preparing For Storms In Louisiana, Kim Mosby, Juli Van Brunt, Pamela Jenkins, Hazel Spaulding Parker, Petrice Sams-Abiodun, Rachel Nicolosi, Maggie Olivier, Jeff Rinehart-Graphic Design

CHART Publications

Louisiana is at risk from natural and man-made disasters. Flooding, tropical storms, and hurricanes happen. To stay safe, sometimes you and your family will need to leave home before a storm comes.

People in Louisiana need to be ready for emergencies. This guide will help you get prepared.

An Analysis Of Fringed Myotis (Myotis Thysanodes), With A Focus On Colorado Distribution, Maternity Roost Selection, And Preliminary Modeling Of Population Dynamics, Mark Andrew Hayes

Dissertations

The purpose of my research was to describe the distribution and roosting ecology of Myotis thysanodes in Colorado, and to initiate preliminary population dynamics modeling of the potential impacts of a changing climate on forest dwelling Myotis in the Southern Rocky Mountains. Seven hundred and twenty-nine Colorado capture and occurrence records of M. thysanodes were documented. I used 546 M. thysanodes records that included information about sex and reproductive status in an analysis of variance comparing elevational distribution among sex and reproductive classes. There were significant differences among reproductive classes, but not between sex classes. Sixteen actual or probable M. …

Experimental Infection Of Jamaican Fruit Bats (Artibeus Jamaicensis) With Tacaribe Virus, Ann C. Hawkinson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Transcriptions Of Renaissance And Baroque Polyphony For High School Band, Laura E. Zamzow

Dissertations

Ten vocal and instrumental pieces from the Renaissance and early Baroque have been selected and transcribed to provide a unique opportunity for high school band students. Through these transcriptions, students will gain historical perspective, including information about period instruments, composers and genres. Elements of music theory, style, and musicianship can be explored. The polyphonic quality of the Renaissance transcriptions will teach students to hear and perform independent melodic lines. Each transcription has been edited for modern instruments and concert band instrumentation. Musical elements (such as dynamics, bar-lines, and articulations) that are absent in the original pieces have been added so …

A Qualitative Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Victims And School Authorities On Early Adolescent Female Bullying, Chaitra Elizabeth Wirta-Leiker

Dissertations

This qualitative study compared the perceptions of self-identified victims and school authority figures in regards to adolescent relational aggression among female middle school students. Six significant aspects of this issue were explored, including causal conditions; contextual factors; definitions and descriptions of relationally aggressive interactions; intervening conditions, such as recognition of the victims and their decision to report; intervention and prevention strategies within the school setting; and the negative consequences of relational aggression upon the victims. The data were developed into a grounded theory with the purpose of discovering effective aspects of anti-bullying intervention and prevention programs in U.S. schools. Findings …

An Exploration Of Concise Redundancy In Online Multimedia Learning, Yu-Feng Wu

Dissertations

With the rapid growth of multimedia in education, the importance of investigating the effect of redundancy, repeating instructional messages to enhance conceptualization in instructional material design, is becoming more important. Various studies have been conducted recently regarding the effects of different forms of redundancy. A multimedia lesson presenting concurrent on-screen text, still graphics or animations, and narration is a typical setting in redundancy research. Concise redundancy is the revision of the on-screen text into a concise form which is presented to the learners concurrently with visualizations and narration. The purpose of this study was to investigate, while controlling for spatial …

Effects Of High-Density, Short-Duration Planned Livestock Grazing On Soil Carbon Sequestration Potentials In A Coastal California Mixed Grassland, Kristina Michelle Wolf, Marc Horney, Brent Hallock, Robert T. Rutherford, Anthony T. O'Geen, Royce Larsen, William Plummer

Master's Theses

Planned grazing management in rangelands may improve carbon sequestration potential of soils by increasing plant biomass and the rate of nutrient cycling, which might mitigate global warming. The effects of high-intensity, short-duration planned grazing of sheep on several soil and ecosystem properties were investigated on a mixed grassland in San Luis Obispo, CA. The objectives of this study were to (a) identify soil properties related to soil C sequestration in rangelands; (b) determine if planned grazing improved soil carbon sequestration; (c) quantify changes in identified variables in grazed and rested plots; and (d) analyze any changes in plant species composition …

Repression Of Multiple Cyp2d Genes In Mouse Using A Single Sirna Construct, Omaima Elraghy

All Theses

The CYP2D subfamily is the second most important subfamily of hepatic drug metabolizing CYPs. In mouse, there are nine CYP2D subfamily members, while humans have only one highly polymorphic CYP2D member, CYP2D6. siRNA was used to repress the expression of multiple isoforms of mouse CYP2D in primary mouse hepatocytes with one siRNA construct. Successful knockdown of CYP function by RNAi may allow for further study of CYP2D function. Q-PCR demonstrated that male CD-1 mouse primary hepatocytes express Cyp2d10, Cyp2d11, Cyp2d22, and Cyp2d26; however the male specific and growth hormone-dependent, Cyp2d9, was not detected. Four different siRNAs were designed; Cyp2d-KD1 and …

Glutaredoxin 2 Prevents H2o2-Induced Cell Apoptosis By Protecting Complex I Activity In The Mitochondria, Hongli Wu, Kuiyi Xing, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) belongs to the oxidoreductase family and is an isozyme of glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1) present in the mitochondria, however its function is not well understood. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential anti-apoptotic function of Grx2 by examining its ability to protect complex I in the mitochondrial electron transport system using human lens epithelial cells as a model. We found that cells treated with 200 μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 24 h exhibited decreased viability and became apoptotic with corresponding Bax up-regulation, Bcl-2 down-regulation, caspase 3 activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c leakage. Grx2 over-expression (OE) …

Strategic Discussions For Nebraska - Opportunities For Nebraska: Energy, Climate And Sustainability, College Of Journalism And Mass Communications, Robert And Ardis James Family Foundation, Unl Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Innovation

Soil: Techniques and Production Methods and How They Conserve Resources • Mark Kuzila

Soil Productivity Vital for Economical Crop Production • Richard Ferguson

Leading Through Sustainable Management of Natural Resources • Charles Wortmann

Scientific Trait Development • P. Stephen Baenziger

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Developing Better Foods and Fuels • Edgar Cahoon

Crops Innovations Overview • Mark Lagrimini

Grapes and Wine: Adding Value to Nebraska’s Economy • Paul Read

UNL Plant Trait Research Saves Water, Grows More Food • James Specht

Feeding the World from Nebraska’s Research Technology • Larry Berger

Research Means Better Ag Productivity, Better Marketing …

Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor Inhibits High Glucose Induced Oxidative Stress And Fibrosis Of Cultured Human Glomerular Mesangial Cells., Tuohua Mao, Ling Gao, Huiqin Li, Jing Li

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) could prevent human mesangial cells (HMCs) from elevated glucose-induced oxidative stress and fibrosis. METHODS: The study took place in the Endocrinology Laboratory of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China from December 2009 to June 2010. The HMCs were treated with different concentrations of dextroglucose (5.6, 15, and 30 mmol/l), and 5.6 mmol/l D-glucose+24.4 mmol/l D-mannitol (osmotic control) for 24 and 48 hours. To examine the beneficial effect of PEDF, HMCs were also incubated with high glucose (30 mmol/L) in the presence of different concentrations of PEDF (5, 10, 40, 100, and …

An Extract From Date Seeds Having A Hypoglycemic Effect. Is It Safe To Use?, Aly M. Ahmed, Hasem H. Darwish, Muhammad Atteya, Ali H. Al-Roalle

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the safety of date seed extract administration, and to compare between toxic effects of diabetes on rats treated with insulin versus rats treated with insulin-seed extract. METHODS: This study was performed in the Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from August to December 2010. One hundred rats were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection, and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 …

Effects Of Intra-Abdominal Pressure Increase On Intestinal Ischemia And Bacterial Translocation In Experimental Sepsis Model., Ugur Kesici, Sevgi Kesici, Erdal Polat, Birol Agca, Ulku A. Turkmen, Deniz Ozcan, Musa K. Sari

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the safety of laparoscopic intervention for diagnosis and treatment at 8 mm Hg pressure in one-hour period on acute peritonitis related intra-abdominal sepsis model. METHODS: In this study, we included 32 female Wistar-Albino rats, weighing 250 ± 20 g, and divided them into 4 groups. This study was conducted in Istanbul University Experimental Medical Research Institution (DETAE) laboratory from April to May 2009. Intra-abdominal sepsis was created with intraperitoneal (i.p.) one mL (109 CFU/mL) Escherichia coli (E. coli) injection, and pneumoperitoneum was formed with CO2 insufflation at 8 mm Hg pressure for one hour i.p. The rats …

Skin Color. Could It Be A New Fingerprint?, Omer A. Musa, Aamir A. Magzoub

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To prove that the difference in human skin color can be used as a new fingerprint. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan between January and June 2010. The study consists of 139 subjects, which includes 41 Sudanese identical twins (82 subjects), 50 subjects from the general population, and 7 Chinese. All subjects were free of skin lesions. Based on reflectance spectrophotometry, the skin color has been read for all subjects from the inner upper arm using the Medisun skin check. Visual judgment on color differences was carried …

Soft Tissue Facial Profile Of Adult Saudis. Lateral Cephalometric Analysis., Sahar F. Albarakati

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To develop cephalometric measurements of soft tissue facial profile for a sample of adult Saudi males and females and compare it with European-Americans’ norms for any significant differences. METHODS: Sixty-one lateral cephalometric radiographs (31 males and 30 females; mean age 23 years) were selected from the archives of cephalometric radiograph files at College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between June 2009 and June 2010. Thirteen cephalometric parameters were analyzed electronically using the Dolphin version 10 software according to Legan and Burstone analysis. Descriptive statistics and p-values were calculated for the group comparisons using SPSS …

The Viral Fingerprint: A Content Analysis Of Popular Viral Advertisements, Thomas Grant Broadus Ii

Master's Theses

This paper presents an analysis of 280 online videos that appeared on the Advertising Age weekly chart of the top ten viral videos of the week; the videos appeared on the chart from March 23rd 2009 to March 9th 2011. The videos were analyzed along four areas of observation including the advertiser characteristics, the formatting characteristics of the video, the messaging strategies of each video, and the level of involvement the product would require for a consumer to make a purchase. Through examining the components of each video, a thread of commonality was revealed. Cumulatively, the dominant themes and characteristics …

Individual Differences In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Behavior: Implications For Personality, Christina Nicole Toms

Master's Theses

Individual differences (IDs) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) behavior were examined across time and contexts in order to investigate personality traits. Zebrafish (N = 30) were exposed to six behavioral tasks that were collectively expected to capture (a) aggression, (b) boldness/shyness, and (c) fear. The tasks included a small open field, mirror exposure, emergence, large open field, novel object, and predator exposure tasks. IDs in behavior were found to be consistent across time for a majority of behaviors and consistent across contexts for all but two behaviors. Convergent and discriminate evidence was examined for the three constructs. There was …

Mycorrhizal Colonization Of Native Salt Marsh Plants On Mississippi's Gulf Coast And The Effects Of Commercial Mycorrhizal Inoculants On Nursery-Grown Plants, Kathryn Rondot Mcbride

Master's Theses

Salt marshes are important economically and ecologically to the Gulf Coast and other coasts worldwide. Due to human activities, many coastal salt marshes have been degraded or destroyed. Restoration efforts, through the replacement or addition of naturally occurring salt marsh plants, are taking place worldwide. Most restoration plants are raised in nurseries and are not ready for transfer to restoration sites for eight or nine months. Once the plants are at the restoration site many die due to transplant stress. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) may be able to shorten the time the restoration plants need to stay in the nursery …

Feeding Selectivity And Habitat Usage Of Esox Americanus, Scott Richard Clark

Master's Theses

Patterns of piscine prey selection and habitat usage of Esox americanus were assessed through a series of field and experimental studies. Although few detailed studies exist on the foraging behavior and habitat usage of E. americanus, throughout its range it may be an important trophic component in maintaining fish assemblage structure in many lower order streams. Across 17 sampled streams, the presence of E. americanus among reaches within streams was found to be strongly correlated with increasing levels of habitat complexity. Reaches occupied by E. americanus featured increased amounts of in-stream physical structure, increased variability in stream width and …

Ornamentation, Behavior, And Maternal Effects In The Female Northern Cardinal, Caitlin Winters

Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the relationship between ornamentation, maternal effects, and behavior in the female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Female birds possess ornaments that indicate a number of important known aspects of quality and are usually costly to maintain. However, the extent to which female specific traits, such as maternal effects, are indicated is less clear. It is predicted by the Good Parent Hypothesis that this information should be displayed through intraspecific signal communication. Specifically, androgens and carotenoids are of interest in this study because both are linked to ornamentation, and are also important egg components that …