Digital Commons Network^™

Three Essays Employing Cultural Value Theories To Explain Individual And National Differences In Ict Use/Adoption And Media Utilization Among Multiple Nations, Khendum Choden

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of values on Information Communication Use/ adoption at an individual level and at the national level among advanced and emerging economies. We employ the use of Schwartz's individual values, Schwartz's cultural values and Hofstede's cultural values to empirically demonstrate its impact on multiple information communication technologies across advanced economies while controlling for demographics, GDP, income, and pronoun drop. We also study the moderating effects of culture on a variety of task characteristics and media use.

Examining Articulatory Kinematics Using Diadochokinesis In Concussed And Non-Concussed Individuals, Lindsay Deann Dolan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Cognitive and communicative deficits associated with traumatic brain injury are an active area of research. However, no research to date has reported on the functionality of motor speech following a concussion. A common tool used to evaluate the motor speech status of potentially impaired individuals is the measurement of the diadochokinetic speech rate. The purpose of this study is to investigate diadochokinetic speech rates in individuals who experience a sports-related concussion. Determining the nature and extent of motor speech involvement post concussion will contribute to the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of recovery. The present investigation will determine; (i) if …

Behavioral Markers Of Chronic Low-Level Lead Exposure In Young Mice, Mayra Gisel Flores Montoya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Behavioral markers of chronic low-level lead exposure in young mice were examined in the present study. Three groups of C57BL/6J mice (N = 35) were exposed from birth to PND 28 to one of three lead acetate levels: 0 ppm (control), 30 ppm (low-dose), or 330 ppm (high-dose). On PND 28, and immediately prior to sacrifice, mice were tested on the novel odor recognition task [(NODR) (memory task)], on the open field task [(OF) (exploratory behavior, habituation, and anxiety behavior task)], and on the nose poke task [(NP) (exploratory behavior task)]. Blood lead levels were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma …

The Impact Of Baby Sign On Motor Development In Typically Developing Infants And Toddlers, Melissa Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

"Baby Sign is an augmentative communication approach that teaches babies keyword signing that they can use to communicate before they talk." (Sneddon 2003). Baby sign has become popular among parents of infants as a means to communicate before the child can verbally express wants and needs. Programs and classes are now becoming available in many areas of the country to help teach parents basic signs to use with their children. This study aimed to assess the impact of baby

sign on motor development in typically developing infants. The study found that the impact of baby sign language on motor development …

The Effect Of Exogenous Leptin On Dendritic Cell Migration And Interactions With T Cells, Amanda L. Gonzales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and shows no indication of receding. It is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is initiated by morphological changes in large accumulations of adipose tissue. Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone secreted by adipose tissue, presenting a possible link between obesity and inflammation. In this study, we assessed the effect of leptin on bone marrow-derived (BM) dendritic cells (DC) (BM-DC) function, antigen presenting cells vital for the activation of naí¯ve T cells. Previous data produced in our laboratory established that the addition of leptin to …

Shadows On The Wall, Daniel Bruce Greenhalgh

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Thom Roth has spent his entire life in the Refuge, a secure and fundamentally hierarchical facility which protects the remnants of human civilization. Under the tutelage of Minister Trask, Thom has risen to become a primary contender for an administrative appointment, as well as secured the affections of Dee McKay, Trask's granddaughter. However, when Thom's best friends, Geoff and Scott, discover a small, secret tunnel underneath the Refuge, the three friends' learn that the foundation of their home was decidedly messier than they had been taught. On the other side of the tunnel they find another, smaller Refuge, with fewer …

Ruthenium-Azole Complexes As Chemotherapeutic Agents Against Leishmaniasis, Eva Iniguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Poor efficacy and high toxicity of the limited treatment options demonstrate the need for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents to treat this disease. In order to respond this concern, the development of novel Ru-azole complexes as chemotherapeutic agents by inhibiting the cytochrome P-450 dependent C14-α-demethylation of lanosterol to ergosterol which is essential for the parasite survival. In addition, Ruthenium would enhance the activity of the parental drug, by helping ketoconazole/clotrimazole to cross the parasite membrane, together presenting low toxicity. The viability and citotoxicity of the Ru-azole compunds was …

Online Support Communication Among Military Spouses, Larissa Krenzer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Communal Coping is characterized by the use of a shared support system to collectively manage stressors faced by individuals within a group sharing a common bond. I will argue that Communal Coping is present in the written communication between military spouses through the use of groups on Facebook during times of separation from service members. I will determine how these communities are formed within Facebook and how identities are formed within these support groups online through the use of language. I will examine unofficial military spouse support groups and FRG (Family Readiness Group) pages on Facebook and how group members …

The Threat Of Domestic Bioterrorism: Fact Or Fiction, Stacy M. Langston

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The threat of a domestic bioterrorist attack can be a daunting issue to cover. Using the analytic technique What If? Analysis a scenario was created for a domestic bioterrorism attack in Houston, TX. Indicators were developed to determine how to mitigate and respond to the attack. Recommendations were provided following the attack that can be used to prevent future attacks that were conducted in the scenario. Having a hindsight view of an attack is the best way to prevent and respond to the attack.

Comparison Of Ectoparasitic Mite Loads Between Gonochoristic (Aspidoscelis Marmorata) And Parthenogenic (A. Tesselata) Syntopic Whiptail Lizards (Teiidae) From The Northern Chihuahuan Desert Of Trans-Pecos, Texas, William Dawson Lukefahr

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to compare the ectoparasitic loads between two syntopic whiptail lizard species (Teiidae) that differ in their reproductive modes; Aspidoscelis marmorata (bisexual) and A. tesselata (unisexual). The study site was located on Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) in a Chihuahuan Desert Scrub landscape in Hudspeth County, Texas. Previous studies conducted at IMRS showed the two species having similar diets, morphology, and reproductive characteristics, but fluctuated in nematode loads. No comparative study of ecotoparasitic mites (Eutrombicula alfreddugesi) between the two species has ever been done.

Aspidoscelis marmorata (n = 141) and A. tesselata (n = 144) …

Impact Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles On Cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum), Maria Isabel Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Studies have shown that plants exposed to ENPs suffer different types of stress. Other studies have revealed that plants can take up and accumulate CeO2 NPs without modification. Thus, these NPs could enter the food chain through edible plants, posing a threat for human health. Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is a worldwide culinary and medicinal plant consumed either as a fresh herb or a spice. In this research, cilantro plants were germinated and cultivated for 30 days in organic soil treated with CeO2 NPs at concentrations varying from 0 to 500 mg kg!1. Subsequently, plant organs were analyzed by using spectroscopic …

Todas Las Muertes De Lázaro, Diego Murcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

TODAS LAS MUERTES DE LÁZARO es una novela negra que habla de corrupción, ansias de poder, ambición y decepción. En este libro, el tema de la muerte es una excusa para hablar de todo un paí­s, El Salvador, y sus contradicciones a través del cinismo, el humor y el escepticismo. Su personaje principal, El Pí­tbul, es una representación del desamparo generalizado que el ciudadano común tiene de las instituciones del Estado. Este detective se embarca -por orden presidencial- en una búsqueda misteriosa que le requiere dar con un amo del disfraz. A medida que el investigador se interna en los …

Carbon Emissions From Soil Respiration In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert Shrubland, Anna Cristina Ortiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The United States Department of Agriculture's Jornada Experimental Range (JER), is located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico and historically functioned as an experimental rangeland for cattle grazing. Historical grazing in the US Southwest has been identified as a leading, but not the sole, factor that has led to the conversion of pristine grasslands to shrublands, such has been the case on the JER. The estimated increased variability in precipitation intensity and frequency that is predicted to occur with climate warming will likely affect ecosystem responses from ecological processes including primary productivity, microbial decomposition, and thus respiration. …

Development Of A Thermal Imaging Feedback Control System In Electron Beam Melting, Emmanuel Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Electron Beam Melting (EBM) process is a promising technology in the rapid manufacturing of metal components. EBM has the potential to reduce the cost of metal parts by minimizing the use of raw materials and machining time. The EBM technology has several advantages over other additive manufacturing (AM) technologies of metal, such as manufacturing speed and mechanical properties of the finished parts. For the process to be accepted in the aerospace industry as a flight-ready manufacturing technology, however, improved control and feedback must be implemented in the building process for better part quality and uniform production in manufacturing. As …

Siete Semanas Tardó En Llegar - Novela, Margarita Flora Ruiz-Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

"Siete semanas tardó en llegar" es ficción autobiográfica y como tal es un relato de aprendizaje y sanación en los dos mundos: el ficcional y el autobiográfico. En la ficción, su protagonista, Rebecca, atiende el llamado de su urgencia por comprender un dolor sin causa que la ha acompañado siempre y emprende una búsqueda por territorios desconocidos, donde halla los co-adyuvantes y recibe las herramientas que le permiten ver emerger las historias que dan razón de los orí­genes de dicho dolor y cerrar simbólica y efectivamente historias pasadas que habí­an quedado abiertas. Tras cumplir su tarea, regresa al mundo de …

Mucin Associated Surface Protein Synthetic Peptide As A Novel Vaccine Candidate Against Chagas Disease, Carylinda Serna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Trypanosoma cruzi is an intracellular protozoan parasite and the etiological agent for Chagas disease. Chagas is endemic in Latin America affecting 18-20 million people. However, currently worldwide increasing numbers of the disease are being seen due to migration and globalization. This neglected disease causes significant morbidity, mortality, and an economic burden. There are no known vaccines and the only currently available drug is Benznidazole, but its effects are controversial. Nonetheless, a therapeutic or prophylactic vaccine is of urgent need to alleviate this disease. In this study we present an experimental approach using a synthetic peptide-based vaccine against T. cruzi. The …

Heavy Metal Pollution In The Paso Del Norte Region:Historical Reconstruction And Source Interpretation, Eugenia G. Shekhter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A unique and complex situation of heavy metal pollution arose in the El Paso del Norte region, one of the largest and oldest metropolitan areas on the US-Mexican border. This region with its complex topography is home to more than 2.2 million people sharing the same environment. Although many studies have been conducted in the region to identify the sources of environmental contamination, the cumulative history of heavy metal pollution is still incomplete. In order to identify the patterns of heavy metal dispersion and to test the hypothesis that the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) was a considerable contributor …

A Novel Fkbp52/Β-Catenin Complex Specifically Regulates Androgen Receptor Activity, Cheryl Lynne Storer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The androgen receptor complex plays an essential role in prostate cancer progression due to exploitation of the androgen receptor (AR) as a transcription factor. The final stage of the receptor complex consists of a dimerized receptor, a dimeric heat shock protein (Hsp90), the cochaperone p23, and an immunophilin. Hormone-dependent prostate cancer progresses due to key interactions between the androgen receptor complex and its ligand α dihydrotestosterone (DHT). While current treatments focus on blocking the androgen receptor-ligand interactions, these therapies are no longer effective in advanced stage, hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

Therefore, we have been interested in targeting other members of …

The Impact Of Baby Sign On The Development Of Pragmatic Skills In Typically Developing Children, Lyna Marie Sullivan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Baby Sign on the pragmatic development of typically developing children. The participants for the study were 11 typically developing children. A one group pretest posttest case study design was used to evaluate the impact of baby sign. Prior to parents and caregivers attending a 5 week course on baby sign language, each child was administered the Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC). Although, measurements were taken of the child's social, cognitive, physical, adaptive, and communication skills, standard scores of only the social subtests from the pretest to the posttest …

Identification Of Chemotherapeutic Agents Against Leishmaniasis And Chagas' Disease, Miguel Abran Vasquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Patients with clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease rely on few drugs that have limited efficacy and considerable side effects. Expanding the diversity of available chemotherapeutic drugs for these diseases is of extreme medical importance. Enones or á,í¢-unsaturated ketones, initially developed as anti-cancer agents, are a worthy of class of compounds to test for activity against Leishmania major and Trypanosoma cruzi as these eukaryotic parasites share many of the characteristics exhibited by cancer cells. The anti-parasitic activity of a library of á,í¢-unsaturated ketones (136 derivatives) was screened against L. major as well as in mammalian cells. Three compounds (NC901, …

The Service-Learning Writing Classroom: A Safe Haven For Articulating Difficult Stories About Whiteness And Race, Adam Webb

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Service-learning is an educational method that is usually examined for its practical applications and outcomes, and can help instructors and students to realize the connective aspect of classroom discussions, assignments, activities and discourses that occur within the community. In this respect, "connective" refers to more than just bridging the distance between the classroom and community using service-learning. Instead, it acts like the "connective human tissue" that unites individuals together. Individuals as biological beings themselves are the connective tissue that unites them linguistically, physically and emotionally. In essence, the connective human tissue that unites individuals together creates an intertwined community through …

Printable Biodegradable Hydrogel For Skin Wound Dressing Using Inkjet Printing Technology, Maria G. Yanez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chronic wounds are becoming more frequent. Foot ulcers affect approximately 10% - 15% of patients with diabetes throughout their lifetimes, and by 2025, it is estimated the prevalence of diabetes will be 250 million people in the worldwide. There is increased potential for patients with peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease to suffer more foot injuries. These conditions reduce the normal pain sensations and healing of minor traumas, allowing the development of chronic non-healing ulcers, often preceding lower-extremity amputation. These types of wounds are very difficult to treat and sometimes take months or even years to heal because of many …

The Emergence Of Two Anti-Phase Oscillatory Neural Populations In A Computational Model Of The Parkinsonian Globus Pallidus, R Merrison-Hort, R Borisyuk

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Experiments in rodent models of Parkinson's disease have demonstrated a prominent increase of oscillatory firing patterns in neurons within the Parkinsonian globus pallidus (GP) which may underlie some of the motor symptoms of the disease. There are two main pathways from the cortex to GP: via the striatum and via the subthalamic nucleus (STN), but it is not known how these inputs sculpt the pathological pallidal firing patterns. To study this we developed a novel neural network model of conductance-based spiking pallidal neurons with cortex-modulated input from STN neurons. Our results support the hypothesis that entrainment occurs primarily via the …

Event-Driven Visual Attention For The Humanoid Robot Icub, F Rea, G Metta, C Bartolozzi

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Fast reaction to sudden and potentially interesting stimuli is a crucial feature for safe and reliable interaction with the environment. Here we present a biologically inspired attention system developed for the humanoid robot iCub. It is based on input from unconventional event-driven vision sensors and an efficient computational method. The resulting system shows low-latency and fast determination of the location of the focus of attention. The performance is benchmarked against an instance of the state of the art in robotics artificial attention system used in robotics. Results show that the proposed system is two orders of magnitude faster that the …

Identification Of Pleiotropic Genetic Effects On Obesity And Brain Anatomy, Joanne E. Curran, D Reese Mckay, Anderson M. Winkler, Rene L. Olvera, Thomas D. Dyer, Peter T. Fox, Laura Almasy, Ravi Duggirala, John Blangero, David C. Glahn

School of Medicine Publications

Background/aims: Obesity is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability, though current knowledge of causal biologic underpinnings is lacking. Through the regulation of energy homeostasis and interactions with adiposity and gut signals, the brain is thought to play a significant role in the development of this disorder. While neuroanatomical variation has been associated with obesity, it is unclear if this relationship is influenced by common genetic mechanisms. In this study, we sought genetic components that influence both brain anatomy and body mass index (BMI) to provide further insight into the role of the brain in …

Short-Term Exercise Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity But Does Not Inhibit Inflammatory Pathways In Immune Cells From Insulin-Resistant Subjects, Sara M. Reyna, Puntip Tantiwong, Eugenio Cersosimo, Ralph A. Defronzo, Apiradee Sriwijitkamol, Nicolas Musi

School of Medicine Publications

Background. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect against, and immune cells play critical roles in the development, of insulin resistance and atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVD). Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether exercise improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects by downregulating proinflammatory signaling in immune cells.

Methods. Seventeen lean, 8 obese nondiabetic, and 11 obese type 2 diabetic individuals underwent an aerobic exercise program for 15 days and an insulin clamp before and after exercise. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) were obtained for determination of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 protein content and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation.

Results. …

The Waldenses: Historical Perspectives From The Writings Of Ellen White, Ellen G. White, Kathleen Demsky

All Books

Featuring chapters and images from The Great Controversy and Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.