Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Utility Of A Brief Abstinence Test For Initiating Caffeine Abstinence, Bradley T. Joachim

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Caffeine is the most commonly consumed drug in the world. Although its effects are relatively mild when consumed in moderate amounts, there exist cases where caffeine use is problematic. Currently no behavioral intervention for problematic caffeine consumption exists in which caffeine use is verified beyond self-reports. No measures of caffeine dependence and withdrawal exist either. The current study examined the viability of contingency management, an empirically supported behavioral intervention for reducing drug use, for initiating abstinence from caffeine consumption among college students of varying levels of use, as well as validity evidence for novel measures of caffeine dependence and withdrawal. …

Interaction Between Source And Filter In Vowel Identification, Christopher James Becker

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Speech sounds can be modeled as a product of two components: the source and the filter. The effects of filter manipulations on speech perception have been studied extensively, while the effects of source manipulations have been largely overlooked. This study was an attempt to assess the impact of source manipulations on vowel identification. To this end, two source manipulations were conducted prior to filtering. First, several harmonics of the source sawtooth wave that were located near formant peaks were mistuned, either towards or away from the peaks. Mistuning towards formant peaks was expected to facilitate vowel identification by helping to …

Examining The Efficacy Of The Same Sky Sharing Program On Worry And Academic Performance In Military Children Experiencing Parental Deployment, Francine E. Torres

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of the Same Sky Sharing Program on decreasing anxiety and academic difficulties in students experiencing parental deployment. Student participants completed the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale, Second Edition prior to participation in the Same Sky Sharing program, and then completed it once again following completion of the program. Teachers of participating students provided information regarding student performance in the classroom, including any academic strengths or difficulties. An analysis of pre and post RCMAS-2 scores indicated that the mean student anxiety scores remained in the average range after participation in the Same Sky Sharing …

The Emergence Of Language As A Function Of Brain-Hemispheric Feedback, Eric Alexander La Freniere

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This text posits the emergence of language as a function of brain-hemispheric feedback, where “emergence” refers to the generation of complex patterns from relatively simple interactions, “language” refers to an abstraction-based and representational-recombinatorial-recursive mapping-signaling system, “function” refers to an input-output relationship described by fractal algorithms, “brain-hemispheric” refers to complementary (approach-abstraction / avoidance-gestalt) cognitive modules, and “feedback” refers to self-regulation driven by neural inhibition and recruitment. The origin of language marks the dawn of human self-awareness and culture, and is thus a matter of fundamental and cross-disciplinary interest. This text is a synthesized research essay that constructs its argument by drawing …

Food Web Subsidies In Intermittent Streams: Implications For Small Isolated Populations Of Native Brook Trout, Jennifer Lauren Courtwright

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Recent studies in perennial streams have shown that reduction of stream-side vegetation can reduce terrestrial invertebrate inputs to streams and can cause trophic cascades throughout aquatic and terrestrial food webs; however, aquatic-terrestrial food web linkages have not been studied in intermittent streams. Food webs in intermittent streams may be even more dependent on terrestrial invertebrate fluxes because of limited aquatic invertebrate resources; thus intermittent streams may represent unique systems that warrant special attention. The objective of this research was first to quantify the abundance, biomass, and energetic content of available brook trout and insectivorous stream-side predator invertebrate resources in two …

Floristic Survey Of The Vascular Plants Of Shenandoah County, Virginia, Brinton Evan Domangue

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The objective of this study was to create a comprehensive record of the vascular plants of Shenandoah County, Virginia. Specimens were collected from the field during the 2011 growing season (March 21 – October 27), and for part of the 2012 growing season (March 22 – May 30). Local herbaria of James Madison University (JMUH), Bridgewater College (BDWR), Eastern Mennonite University (HAVI) and Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) were also searched for pre-existing specimens. The results of the study were compared to records of the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (2012), which currently maps the distribution of vascular plants …

Advantages And Challenges Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Autonomy In The Postheroic Age, Nathan Richards Fields

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Over the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized how the U.S. engages elusive militants in low-intensity conflicts by allowing the U.S. to project continuous military power without risking combat casualties. While UAV usage promises additional tactical advantages in future conflicts, little agreement exists regarding a strategic vision for UAV research and development, necessary for the U.S. to allocate limited resources among UAV development programs that address national security objectives. The present research makes the case for a future UAV technology evolutionary path leading to fully autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike UAV systems for the United States Air …

Impacts Of Rdx Soil Contamination Across An Age Gradient For The Native Shrub Morella Cerifera., Stephen Via

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the impacts of explosive contamination on vegetation is key to understanding explosives behavior in the environment. I quantified shrub growth responses to 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,35-triazine (RDX) soil contamination across three life stages and I hypothesized that RDX would have the greatest impact on seed germination. Morella cerifera seeds were germinated on soils amended with RDX up to 1500 mg RDX kg-1 dry soil. Juvenile and adult individuals were exposed for 6 weeks to soil amended with RDX up to 750 and 1500 mg RDX kg-1 dry soil, respectively. Morphological responses were quantified for juveniles while physiological measurements were quantified for adults. …

Virulence Markers Of Helicobacter Pylori In Patients With Diarrhoea-Dominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome., Javed Yakoob, Zaigham Abbas, S. Naz, M. Islam, Waseem Jafri

Department of Medicine

Recent studies suggest that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with low-grade inflammation. This study aims to determine the distribution of Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin A (vacA) alleles (e.g., s1 and s2) in Patients with diarrhoea-dominant IBS (IBS-D) as the latter causes vacuolation in colonic epithelial cells in vitro. One hundred and seventy Patients meeting Rome III criteria for IBS-D (mean age: 40 +/- 15 years) were enrolled. Gastric biopsy was assessed histologically and DNA extraction was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for H. pylori genus 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA), cagA and vacA …

On Algorithmic Fractional Packings Of Hypergraphs, Jill Dizona

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Let F₀ be a fixed k-uniform hypergraph, and let H be a given k-uniform hypergraph on n vertices. An F₀-packing of H is a family F of edge-disjoint copies of F₀ which are subhypergraphs in H. Let n_F0(H) denote the maximum size |F| of an F₀-packing F of H. It is well-known that computing n_F0(H) is NP-hard for nearly any choice of F₀.

In this thesis, we consider the special case when F₀ is a linear hypergraph, that is, when no two edges …

Statutes Of Repose--The Design Professional's Defense To Perpetual Liability, Michael J. Vardaro, Jennifer E. Waggoner

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

No abstract provided.

Gulf War Syndrome--Is Litigation The Answer?: Learning Lessons From In Re Agent Orange, Joseph M. Guzzardo, Jennifer L. Monachino

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

No abstract provided.

Preserving Peremptories: A Practitioner's Prerogative, Judith H. Germano

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

No abstract provided.

Working For A Safer America, Sarah Brady

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Pathogen And Moral Disgust On Implicit And Explicit Attitudes Regarding Male Homosexuality, Adam R. Smith

Open Access Theses

Recent research has shown that heightened sensitivity to disgust predicts an increased level of bias against homosexuals. However, this research has some methodological issues. First, it confounds attitudes toward male and female homosexuality by studying attitudes toward “homosexuals” despite an accumulating body of evidence showing that attitudes toward gay men and lesbians differ. Second, past research has focused on a single domain of disgust, pathogen disgust. According to recent evolutionary models, there are at least three subtypes of disgust—pathogen, sexual, and moral disgust—each with different functional domains. It is currently unknown what types of disgust beyond pathogen disgust might underlie …

Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using A Modified Decellularized Porcine Cartilage Scaffold And A Novel Centrifugation Cell Seeding Technique, Christopher M. Scanlon

Open Access Theses

Cartilage tissue engineering remains a top priority due to the limited intrinsic capacity of articular cartilage for self-repair. In this study, the tissue engineering potential of a decellularized porcine cartilage scaffold, in which the proteoglycans (PG) had also been removed, was evaluated. To improve cell distribution within the scaffold, a novel cell seeding technique using centrifugation and a cell seeding device designed for this technique was developed. The modified porcine cartilage scaffolds were seeded with chondrocytes using the novel cell seeding technique and left in static culture for up to 21 days. A previously described bioreactor was used to measure …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Transition Metal Complexes With Bulky Tin Ligands For Application In Small Molecule Activation, Veeranna Yempally

Open Access Dissertations

The role of bulky tin ligands in the stabilization of transition metal complexes with electronic unsaturation has been studied to understand the mode of binding of small molecules at an unsaturated metal center. We were able to isolate electronically unsaturated Pt-Sn bimetallic complexes effective in the reversible activation of small molecules including CO, H2, C2H4, and NH3 at room temperature. We have examined the effect of the modification of ligands in Pt-Sn bimetallic complexes for the activation of small molecules and have observed that the Pt(SnBut3)2(CNBut)2 bimetallic complex reversibly activates hydrogen at room temperature both in the solid state and …

The Daily Egyptian, May 03, 2012, Daily Egyptian Staff

May 2012

No abstract provided.

Sr-11-12-(25) 63 Cc, Marshall University

Recommendations

No abstract provided.

Gsu View, 2012-05-03, Office Of Marketing And Communications

GSU View

Newsletter published by Governors State University 2007-current.

Synaptic And Intrinsic Activation Of Gabaergic Neurons In The Cardiorespiratory Brainstem Network, Julie G. Frank, David Mendelowitz

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

GABAergic pathways in the brainstem play an essential role in respiratory rhythmogenesis and interactions between the respiratory and cardiovascular neuronal control networks. However, little is known about the identity and function of these GABAergic inhibitory neurons and what determines their activity. In this study we have identified a population of GABAergic neurons in the ventrolateral medulla that receive increased excitatory post-synaptic potentials during inspiration, but also have spontaneous firing in the absence of synaptic input. Using transgenic mice that express GFP under the control of the Gad1 (GAD67) gene promoter, we determined that this population of GABAergic neurons is in …

The Setonian, May 3, 2012, Seton Hall University

2012

No abstract provided.

Uab Professor Louise Chow Elected To National Academy Of Sciences, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Doing It The Hard Way: My Life As A Story Of Hope, Joshua Adam Lovelace

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

In order to understand everything that follows I think it's important to understand why I joined the Army in the first place. I didn't do it for glory or recognition. I didn't do it because I felt I was a troubled youth in search of some modicum of structure (though, as it turns out, I was to some extent). I didn't do it because I felt an overwhelming sense of patriotism (although I do now). I joined because late in my high school career I learned that I was going to be a father. I'm not sure I can fully …

Advanced Protein Modeling Method: Benchmarking And Applications In Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Sharangdhar S. Phatak

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Development of homology modeling methods will remain an area of active research. These methods aim to develop and model increasingly accurate three-dimensional structures of yet uncrystallized therapeutically relevant proteins e.g. Class A G-Protein Coupled Receptors. Incorporating protein flexibility is one way to achieve this goal. Here, I will discuss the enhancement and validation of the ligand-steered modeling, originally developed by Dr. Claudio Cavasotto, via cross modeling of the newly crystallized GPCR structures. This method uses known ligands and known experimental information to optimize relevant protein binding sites by incorporating protein flexibility. The ligand-steered models were able to model, reasonably reproduce …

Design, Fabrication, And Testing Of A Pdms Micropump With Moving Membranes, Charles Cartin

Theses and Dissertations

This paper will discuss the design, fabrication, and testing of a Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic pump. PDMS is commonly described as a soft polymer with very appealing chemical and physical properties such as optical transparency, low permeability to water, elasticity, low electrical conductivity, and flexible surface chemistry. PDMS microfluidic device fabrication is done easily with the use of soft lithography and rapid prototyping. PDMS microfluidic devices make it easier to integrate components and interface devices with particular users, than using typically harder materials such as glass and silicon. Fabrication and design of single and multilayer PDMS microfluidic devices is much easier …

Comparison Of Root Canal Irrigation Systems In Reducing Intracanal Microorganisms Using Saline-An In Vitro Study, Pranav Desai

Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical and chemical debridement plays an important role in reducing intracanal microorganisms. Effective root canal irrigation depends on both the root canal irrigant and irrigation system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the debridement efficiency of four root canal irrigation systems, Endovac®, PiezoFlow™, EndoActivator® and traditional needle irrigation using saline as an irrigant. Seventy-five, single canal, extracted, mature teeth were selected. Teeth were standardized to canal lengths of 15 mm and instrumented to Master Apical File size #40 with 4% taper. Teeth were mounted in a centrifuge tube using PVS impression material. Teeth were randomly divided into four …

Illinois Wesleyan Announces Candidates For Graduation 2012, Kathy Thilmany

Press Releases 2010-2019

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Life History Theory On Host Compentence Through The Selection Of Divergent Immunological Strategies, Alessandra Araujo

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Useful Roadmap Through The World Of Algae, Protozoa, And Fungi, Jerry H. Kavouras

Biology Department Faculty Articles

Review of: Eukaryotic Microbes; Moselio Schaechter; (2012). Academic Press, San Diego, CA. 479 pages.