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Alvin Plantinga And Michael Tooley, Knowledge Of God, Paul Copan

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Pharmacy Matters - July 2011, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Pharmacy Matters Newsletters

Featured stories: "Natural Products Center, Cancer Institute form new drug-discovery core," "Fortune 500 company provides pharmacy with scholarship endowment," "New distinguished alumni award goes to NIH official", "Pharmacy dean receives career achievement award"

Mechanical Test Methods For Assessing Porcine Carotid And Uterine Artery Burst Pressure Following Ex Vivo Ultrasonic Ligature Seal And Transection, Carissa M. Krane, Margaret Pinnell, Courtney Gardner, Mercedes Thompson, James Coleman, Robert Wilkens

Biology Faculty Publications

A test method was developed to identify those variables important for assessing the performance of ultrasonic surgical devices in ex vivo ligature sealing of porcine carotid and uterine arteries. Ruggedness testing using a small sample size in pilot experiments was conducted using a newly developed test method in an effort to assess the usefulness of this methodology and to identify test variables that might warrant further testing. The development of this test method included the use of a custom-designed prototypic tension device for load-controlled ex vivo vessel stretching during saline perfusion and subsequent seal and transection of porcine arteries with …

Ocd As A Dynamical Disease And The Familial Context Of Ritual Rigidity: A Nonlinear Dynamics Perspective, Robert W. Bond

Dissertations (1934 -)

Comparatively few studies of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have addressed the interpersonal dynamical patterns within families that could exacerbate or quell symptom severity in the ill relatives or hypothesize other roles for familial variables. Furthermore, the extant studies have relied primarily upon linear models. Methodological limitations of linear models, such as assuming that change occurs as the result of unidirectional influences and that the scores obtained for each variable are independent of each other are at variance with temporal, dynamic phenomena and have restricted the empirical investigations of the dynamics of OCD.

The current study investigated whether OCD could be …

Detection Of Specific Biological Antigens Using Ac Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Darrel Angelo Mazzari

Dissertations (1934 -)

When certain antigens are present in our environment, a rapid, on-site, accurate, selective, and repeatable detection method can be invaluable in preventing illness or saving lives. Rapid detection of these antigens is important to avert spreading infections.

Currently, capturing a sample and sending it to a laboratory can take weeks to get results, which can be much too long. Conventional sensing methodologies include various electrical measurements as capacitive, potentiometric, piezoelectric, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Of particular power and interest is Alternating Current (AC) Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) which provides for the characterization of the electrical …

The Mitospecific Region Of Mrp20 And Its Importance For The Assembly Of Mitochondrial Ribosomes In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Jasvinder Kaur

Dissertations (1934 -)

Yeast mitochondrial ribosomes are composed of an rRNA scaffold, encoded by the mitochondrial genome and many different proteins, which, with the exception of one, are encoded by nuclear genes. These ribosomal proteins are imported into the mitochondrial matrix following their synthesis in the cytosol, however, little is known about the subsequent events which result in an assembled, translationally-competent ribosome. Many of the mitochondrial ribosomal proteins bear homology to bacterial ancestors. In addition to the acquisition of mitochondrial targeting signals, a number of these nuclearly-encoded ribosomal proteins have acquired additional domains, often at their C-termini, which are termed "mitochondrial-specific domains". The …

Development And Applications Of Ionic Liquids And Near-Infrared Multispectral Imaging Techniques, Irena Mejac

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this work, we explore novel analytical applications of Ionic Liquids and Near-infrared multispectral imaging microscopy.

Ionic liquids (ILs) belong to a group of organic salts that are liquid at room temperature and can be, due to their unique chemical and physical properties, successfully used for a variety of applications. The main goal of this study was to explore the synergistic use of ILs in chemical separations. Specifically, chiral ILs were used as novel chiral selectors for Capillary Electrophoresis and as solvents for stationary phase in Gas Chromatography. As chiral selectors IL provides baseline-separation as well as enantiomeric separation of …

Mathematical Modeling And Dynamical Analysis Of The Operation Of The Hypothalamus - Pituitary - Thyroid (Hpt) Axis In Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) Thyroiditis, Balamurugan Pandiyan

Dissertations (1934 -)

This thesis is a mathematical modeling study of the operation of the negative feedback control through the hypothalamus-pituitary- thyroid (HPT) axis in autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis. Negative feedback control through the HPT axis is a mechanism in which the high levels of thyroid hormone; free thyroxine (FT4) in the blood inhibits the secretion of the pituitary hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Similarly, the low levels of free thyroxine (FT4) sensed by the pituitary gland and then it secretes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis is a disease in which the immune system turns against …

Relating Methanogen Community Structure To Function In Anaerobic Wastewater Digesters, Rachel Morris

Dissertations (1934 -)

Anaerobic wastewater treatment is an environmentally and economically beneficial biotechnology in which the degradation of organic compounds in industrial and municipal wastewaters results in the production of methane, an alternative energy source. The degradation of organic waste is carried out by an interdependent microbial community; and the Archaea known as the methanogens complete one of the final steps, producing methane. However, the contribution of methanogens and the community ecology of anaerobic digesters are just beginning to be understood. Specifically, links between methanogen community structure and the successful transformation of organic pollutants to methane have not been clearly defined. In order …

Generation Of Diverse Molecular Complexity From Simple Hydrocarbons, Anobick Sar

Dissertations (1934 -)

In an effort to make diverse molecular complexity from simple hydrocarbons, tricarbonyl(cyclohexadienyl)iron(+1) cation was prepared in two steps from 1, 3-cycloxehadiene. Reactivity of the symmetric iron cation with heteroatom nucleophiles and stabilized carbon nucleophiles was studied. Nucleophilic attack of potassium phthalimide at the dienyl terminus of the cation followed by oxidative decomplexation with Ce4+ provided the ligand N-(2,4-cyclohexadiene-1-yl)phthalimide. A series of stereochemically diverse polyhydroxyl aminocyclohexane "aminocyclitols" derivatives and a number of racemic and optically active hydroxy-and polyhydroxy 1,3-diaminocyclohexane derivatives have been synthesized from N-(2,4-cyclohexadiene-1-yl)phthalimide. The relative stereochemistries of the compounds ware assigned on the basis of the 1H NMR data …

Spectroelectrochemistry And Voltammetry Of Metalloporphinones, Florentina Tutunea

Dissertations (1934 -)

Metalloporphinones have been found in a number of enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism. The emphasis of this research project has been to develop spectroscopic markers in order to identify metal versus porphinone reduction. The carbonyl group in the porphinone has a very strong signal which is quite sensitive to the extent of reduction of the porphinone macrocycle.

The spectral change makes IR an important tool in the process of structure determination of metalloporphyrins because the carbonyl group shift can be correlated with the metal oxidation state. It was observed from previously published studies that a higher metal oxidation state moves …

To Lynch A Child: Bullying And Gender Nonconformity In Our Nation's Schools, Michael J. Higdon

Indiana Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Allometric Scaling And Metabolic Ecology Of Microorganisms And Major Evolutionary Transitions, Jordan G. Okie

Biology ETDs

My dissertation centers around investigating big-picture questions related to understanding the consequences of metabolism and energetics on the evolution, ecology, and physiology of life. The evolutionary transitions from prokaryotes to unicellular eukaryotes to multicellular organisms were accompanied by major innovations in metabolic design. In my first chapter, I show that the scaling of metabolic rate, population growth rate, and production efficiency with body size have changed across these transitions. Metabolic rate scales with body mass superlinearly in prokaryotes, linearly in protists, and sublinearly in metazoans, so Kleibers 3/4 power scaling law does not apply universally across organisms. This means that …

Elementary Teachers’ Comprehension Of Flooding Through Inquiry-Based Professional Development And Use Of Self-Regulation Strategies, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Katrien J. Van Der Hoeven Kraft, Nievita Bueno Watts, Dale R. Baker, Meredith J. Wilson, Michael Lang

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This study focuses on elementary teachers’ comprehension of flooding before and after inquiry-based professional development (PD). There was an improvement in teachers’ understanding toward a normative view from pre- to post-test (n = 17, mean gain = 4.3, SD = 3.27). Several misunderstandings and a general lack of knowledge about flooding emerged from the geoscience content two-tier pre-test, some of which persisted throughout the PD seminar while other responses provided evidence of teachers’ improved understanding. The concepts that teachers struggled with were also apparent upon examining teachers’ reflections upon their learning and teaching practices throughout the seminar. Teachers were challenged …

Focus, 2011, Summer, Andrews University

Focus

FOCUS (ISSN 1077-9345) is published quarterly, free of charge, for alumni and friends of Andrews University, an institution owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Summer 2011: Good Things, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2007-2012

The grace of life’s simple pleasures

Chief among the things that make summers memorable are friendship, happiness and pleasant memories. In this issue we celebrate all three, along with many more of life’s simple pleasures.

On the cover: Summertime brings with it an easier pace. At St. Norbert, the semester-time schedule gives way to summer-session courses that leave half days free for solitary study, or simply time to find a tranquil spot on our tree-canopied campus.

Paratransgenic Control Of Vibriosis In Shrimp Aquaculture, Bobban Subhadra

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Infectious diseases are an increasing threat to shrimp farming industries worldwide and account for nearly $3 billion of annual economic loss. The need to devise novel approaches against these infectious agents is pressing, as traditional methods are insufficient to ward off infections. The main aim of this study was to apply paratransgenesis to control infectious agents mediating shrimp diseases. As proof-of-concept we showed that Artemia, a food source in shrimp aquaculture, internalized bacteria expressing recombinant proteins. Stable expression and retention of these marker molecules up to 10 hours after feeding with the transgenic bacteria were evident within the gut of …

Small Molecule Inhibition Of Staphylococcus Aureus Virulence, Erin Sully

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

The increasing emergence of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, particularly those caused by a single clone of methicillin resistant S. aureus (USA300 MRSA), coupled with the slowing of antibiotic discovery makes research into novel therapies a priority (Lowy, 2007). One strategy evolving is the development of drugs that target bacterial virulence factors as opposed to growth (Cegelski et al., 2008). Due to the lack of selective pressure, bacterial resistance to the drugs would be minimized while the infection, attenuated by the inhibition of virulence factor production, could be cleared by the innate immune factors of the host. Virulence factors identified …

C-Myb Alternative Splicing: A Novel Biomarker In Leukemia, Ye E. Zhou

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

c-myb encodes a transcription factor that is essential for hematopoiesis and for normal development of other tissues. There is ample evidence showing the activated alleles of c-myb gene can induce leukemias in several animal species. However, there was no clear evidence showing that c-myb could be oncogenic in human cancers until recent studies revealed that the human c-myb locus is subjected to chromosomal rearrangement in some pediatric T-ALL and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) patient samples. The c-myb gene contains 15 constant exons and 6 alternative exons and can undergo extensive alternative splicing. These alternatively spliced variants encode variant Myb proteins …

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase Plays A Protective Role In Β-Adrenergic Receptor-Stimulated Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis And Myocardial Remodeling, Cerrone R. Foster, Mahipal Singh, Venkateswaran Subramanian, Krishna Singh

ETSU Faculty Works

β-Adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation induces cardiac myocyte apoptosis and plays an important role in myocardial remodeling. Here we investigated expression of various apoptosis-related genes affected by β-AR stimulation, and examined first time the role of ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM) in cardiac myocyte apoptosis and myocardial remodeling following β-AR stimulation. cDNA array analysis of 96 apoptosis-related genes indicated that β-AR stimulation increases expression of ATM in the heart. In vitro, RT-PCR confirmed increased ATM expression in adult cardiac myocytes in response to β-AR stimulation. Analysis of left ventricular structural and functional remodeling of the heart in wild-type (WT) and ATM …

Theoretical And Empirical Guidance For A Chunk Valuation Mechanism In Act-R, Ion Juvina, Alessandro Oltamari, Christian Lebiere

Psychology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sfa Gardens Newsletter, Summer 2011, Sfa Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State University

SFA Gardens Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Can You Really Be A Good Role Model To Your Child If You Can't Braid Her Hair? The Unconstitutionality Of Factoring Gender And Sexuality Into Custody Determinations, Christina M. Tenuta

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

Report To The Commissioner Of Soil Conservation On The Condition Of The Western Australian Pastoral Resource Base 2011, Paul Novelly, Philip Thomas

Natural resources published reports

Western Australia's rangelands cover 87% of the state and include all but the south west. Pastoral leases, used for grazing livestock on native vegetation, cover 35% (874,000 km2) of the rangelands, with the balance consisting of Unallocated Crown Land (UCL) and land vested for conservation and Indigenous purposes. There are currently 459 registered pastoral stations (comprised of 51 O pastoral leases) in Western Australia; 159 stations are in the Northern Rangelands (Kimberley and Pilbara - 92 in the Kimberley and the remainder in the Pilbara), 291 stations in the Southern Rangelands, and nine stations in the South West Land Division. …

Techniques To Promote Garry Oak Seedling Growth And Survival In Areas With High Levels Of Herbivory And Competition, David R. Clements, Seth Luginbill, David A. Jordan, Randall Dragt

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Though regeneration of Garry oak (Quercus garryana) seedlings within Garry oak ecosystems is important to maintain this threatened habitat, seedling regeneration is often poor. Two independent studies were initiated in the early 2000s to examine questions surrounding Garry oak recruitment: one at the Crow's Nest Ecological Research Area (CNERA) on Salt Spring Island, BC, and another at the Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship (PRI) on Whidbey Island, WA. In both areas, Garry oak seedlings were caged and monitored for growth and relative health. Over 8 years at CNERA, growth of caged plants outpaced growth of controls, which was indicative …

The Evolutionary Ecology Of Human Infancy, Amanda Veile

Anthropology ETDs

Infancy is a time of profound energetic trade-offs, and in many South American native groups, infant growth is stunted and mortality by infectious disease is high. The goal of this dissertation was to explore the nature of human infancy from a life history theoretical perspective. Specifically, I investigated infant growth, feeding patterns, and thymic development in two South American native populations, the Tsimane of Bolivia and the Pumé of Venezuela. This broad goal is addressed through four specific goals: 1) to model the weaning transition using behavioral data collected in Tsimane communities where infants experience varying mortality rates, 2) to …

Patient-Provider Encounter: The Contemporary Cameroonian Story, Eudaline Patricia Hell

Communication ETDs

Most communication scholars recognize that cultural beliefs influence health and interactions about health. Within the African context, religious cultural beliefs constitute dynamic elements of the culture. My dissertation explains the influences of religion and culture on patient-provider interactions in Cameroon. My field research sought answers to the following questions: How do the assumptions of the Western medical model intersect with those of the native culture in patient-provider interactions? How do Cameroonian providers and patients conceptualize health and illness? How does Cameroonian culture, especially native and Christian religious beliefs influence the beliefs and practices of providers and patients? How do interactions …

Borders, Bridges, And Beer: Performances Of Cultural Identities In The Washington Birthday Celebration, Diana Carolina Ramos

Communication ETDs

In this study I describe how individuals living in Laredo, Texas, a city situated in the U.S.-Mexico border region, make sense of their identities through their experiences in the Washington Birthday Celebration (WBC). By focusing on communication as means for creating cultural identities, this study provides insight into how communication is used in the construction and performance of cultural identities. Specifically, I focus on The Society of Martha Washington, one of the several affiliate organizations that participates in the WBC, in order to answer the following research questions about the enactment of cultural identities in the WBC: (1) What cultural …

Forms And Fragments: Enactment Of Cultural Identification In An Online Community Of Chinese Living Overseas, Haibin Dong

Communication ETDs

This research is an interpretive study of the dynamics of cultural identification as enacted by Chinese individuals living overseas who participate in a virtual online community known as Wenxuecity.com. The study draws on intercultural communication theories of identity proposed by Carbaugh, Collier, and Hecht, as well as on my own integrative framework for the analysis of cultural identity, to explore the self-other interaction in identity enactment, the multidimensionality of identity, and the centrality of communication in processes of identification. Through the application of a qualitative analysis of online discourse, I found three primary forms of cultural identification-- perceptual, strategic, and …

Frequency Of Extended Diapause In Nebraska Populations Of Diabrotica Barberi Smith And Lawrence, Ryan W. Geisert

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study was conducted to measure the frequency of extended diapause in populations of the northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence from eastern Nebraska. Adult D. barberi collections were made during late summer 2008 and 2009 from eight sites each year (seven sites were consistent over years). Eggs were obtained from 12-20 females per site and were held on moist soil under appropriate temperature profiles to facilitate egg survival, diapause development, and diapause termination within and among years. Percentage egg hatch was recorded after the first and second year for the 2008 collection and after the first year …