Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Into Toll Like Receptor Mechanisms Of Action, In Relation To Porphyromonas Gingivalis In Periodontitis, Jonathan Lane

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by bacterial invasion of the gingival epithelial cells within the oral cavity (Bostanci and Belibasakis, 2012). A key bacterium responsible for this is Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a gram negative bacterium that evades the host immune system by cell infection. The chronic inflammation shown in periodontitis can cause tissue damage and bone degradation; this can lead to tooth loss (Hajishengallis et al 2011). Within this review P.gingivalis mechanisms of infection are outlined, along with its mediation of the immune system. Recognition by Toll like receptors is also investigated, and the literature on the …

What Factors Structure Anthozoan Microbial Communities?, Joanna Warwick-Dugdale

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The coral holobiont is a complex and diverse composition of organisms including algae, bacteria and viruses. A number of factors suggested as vital in shaping these communities are considered here. The anthozoan host generates great diversity within its microbiota via spatial and metabolic structuring at both macro- and micro-scales; coral communities appear to be somewhat species-specific, yet spatial and temporal variation in coral microbiota suggests the significance of environmental agents. Increasing sea temperatures may cause fatal dissolution of the coral-algal partnership (coral bleaching), and although some adaptation to elevated temperature appears possible, anthropogenic stressors such as reduced pH and sedimentation …

The Medicinal And Pharmacological Screening Of Wheatgrass Juice (Triticum Aestivum L.): An Investigation Into Chlorophyll Content And Antimicrobial Activity, Patrick Wakeham

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Plant products are of increasing interest in the search for new drugs and medicines in the treatment of disease; and the discovery of new alternatives to existing antibiotics is an important area of this research due to pathogen resistance. One example of a plant product currently under pharmacological investigation is wheatgrass juice; a dietary supplement derived from Triticum aestivum L. There is both anecdotal and scientific evidence to suggest that the medicinal efficacy of this plant may be due to its high chlorophyll concentrations. In this study chlorophyll fresh weight was determined in mg/100g for organic field grown wheatgrass juice …

The Effect Of Copper-Induced Oxidative Stress On Regeneration In Anemonia Viridis (Forskäl, 1775), Katharine Childs

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The release of pollutants such as metals into the aquatic environment has raised concerns over the health of coral reefs, as elevated concentrations of metals are known to cause oxidative stress and bleaching. This is an important issue to address as metals are continuously released into the environment and there is evidence that metals such as copper can still be prevalent after historical mining activities, particularly in estuaries around the Plymouth Sound, UK. Anemonia viridis is commonly found around this area and is used in the literature as a model organism for coral species. A.viridis harbours symbiotic zooxanthellae and is …

Heat Stress In Captive Endothermic Animals, Samantha Ward

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Approximately 26 billion captive animals, spanning over 10, 000 species (Mason 2010) are housed in artificial habitats and face a wide range of potential environmental challenges. These include abiotic sources of stress, for instance, artificial lighting, exposure to loud or aversive sound, arousing odours and uncomfortable temperatures or substrates. In addition, confinement-specific stressors such as restricted movement, forced proximity to humans or conspecifics, reduced feeding opportunities and other behavioural restrictions (Morgan & Tromborg 2007). There is enormous variation between species in how they react to captivity, even among close taxonomic relatives (Mason 2010). Captive wild animals are often healthier, live …

An Investigation Of The Bioavailability Of Heavy Metals In Tailing Run-Off Sediment At Devon Great Consols, Chan Yin Chi

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This project focuses on the environmental geochemistry of the Devon Great Consols by determination of the concentrations of chromium, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, manganese and iron. BCR®701 is a certified reference material (CRM) which was treated by Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction to determine the accuracy and precision of the experiment. Moreover, the CRM was also employed to compare performance of instruments, namely ICP-AES and ICP-MS. The T-test was used to determine any significance of difference between experimental values and certified values. The F- test was used to determine any significance of difference between ICP-AES and …

A Study Into The Impacts Of Water Table And Nitrogen Pulse On Cellulose Decomposition Rates And Carbon Release In Active Peatland, Matthew Culf

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Since the 1980s overstocking of sheep has become an increasing problem on UK uplands. This study examined the effect of livestock urination, and also water table depth, on active peatland on cellulose decomposition and fluvial carbon release. Urination was simulated using synthetic sheep urine (SSU) and applied to quadrats of active peatland at Redlake Mire on South Dartmoor and compared to quadrats without SSU treatment. Cellulose decomposition was measured using the cotton strip assay (CSA) method as a measure of microbial activity by examining a loss in tensile strength of cotton strips buried for 45 days from September 20th to …

Cold Pressor: Acceptance, Control And Expectations, Emily Williams

The Plymouth Student Scientist

To begin to examine how non-specific therapy factors, in particular expectations, may impact on treatment outcomes for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the treatment of chronic pain, an investigative analogue study was conducted; completed by Psychology undergraduates from the University of Plymouth (N=52). This study re-examined the effectiveness of Acceptance and Control-based instructions on cold pressor pain; but extended this to explore whether high or low expectations of these strategies impacts their effectiveness. Participants were exposed to a cold pressor task to determine baseline tolerance, followed by a Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). Control or Acceptance-based instructions, with an embedded …

The Wutc Threshold Test: A New Perspective In Olfactory Assessment, William A. Tewalt

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The WUTC Threshold Test is a new test of olfactory ability that focuses on the idea that deficits in olfactory ability are not necessarily generalizable to all odors. Though numerous diseases and disorders have been shown to lead to a loss of olfaction, tests of olfactory sensitivity have been limited to performance detecting a single odor. The WUTC is comprised of five odors that were selected based on differences in how they interact with the olfactory system and the chemical properties they possess. By utilizing a diverse odor profile, relationships between olfactory deficits to certain odors and specific diseases can …

Acquisition Of Medication For Short-Term Medical Mission Trips, Christine R. Birnie

Pharmacy Faculty/Staff Publications

In lieu of an abstract, here is the article's first paragraph:

Each year, increasing numbers of pharmacists and pharmacy students participate in medical mission trips around the world. The Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International (CPFI) partners with Global Health Outreach (GHO) to ensure that one or two pharmacists are included on each of their multi-disciplinary medical trips. Over the past years, the number of pharmacists participating on these trips has increased from 20 pharmacists in 2002 to 78 pharmacists in 2012.¹ In recent years, pharmacy students have also become active team members, and several schools are now organizing medical mission …

The Conceptions And Practices Of Motherhood Among Indo-Caribbean Immigrant Mothers In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Darshini T. Roopnarine

Dissertations - ALL

No abstract provided.

Silence Is Golden: Older Women's Voices And The Analysis Of Meaning Among Survivor's Of Domestic Violence, Virginia Lee Cronin

Dissertations - ALL

Current estimates indicate that upwards of 3,000,000 women a year are physically abused by an intimate partner, however, it is important to note that serious limitations associated with these estimates exist. Despite media campaigns, educational efforts, community outreach, and legislation, the majority of intimate partner violence that occurs in the United States continues to go unreported. While there is a vast literature on domestic violence, the focus has been on the experiences and outcomes of younger women. Very few studies have investigated the experiences of older women as survivors of domestic violence who came of age in an era of …

The Gating Charge Should Not Be Estimated By Fitting A Two-State Model To A Q-V Curve, Francisco Bezanilla, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

The voltage dependence of charges in voltage-sensitive proteins, typically displayed as charge versus voltage (Q-V) curves, is often quantified by fitting it to a simple two-state Boltzmann function. This procedure overlooks the fact that the fitted parameters, including the total charge, may be incorrect if the charge is moving in multiple steps. We present here the derivation of a general formulation for Q-V curves from multistate sequential models, including the case of infinite number of states. We demonstrate that the commonly used method to estimate the charge per molecule using a simple Boltzmann fit is not only inadequate, but in …

A Synthesis Of International School-Based Bullying Interventions, Jennifer Goodman, Jessica Medaris, Kimberley Verity, Brittany Hott

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Bullying is a prevalent problem in school systems in the United States and abroad. This literature review focuses on elementary school-based bullying interventions for students published between 2005-2012. Ten studies reviewed included students from the first grade through the eighth grade from five countries. There were many common themes among successful bullying interventions including: (a) teacher training, (b) school-wide interventions, (c) social skills training in the classroom, (d) homework as a follow up to instruction, and (e) the incorporation of storybooks. Implications for practice and future research directions are shared.

The Effects Of 8 Weeks Of Low Dose Supplementation Of Creatine And Sodium Bicarbonate On Exercise Performance, Amanda Jessica Morris

Master's Theses

Short-term (3-7 days), high doses of creatine (20g/d) and/or sodium bicarbonate (0.5g/kg body weight) supplementation increase exercise performance during short term high intensity activities; however, it remains unclear whether long-term, low doses of these supplements have a positive impact on exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of long-term (8 weeks), low dose creatine supplementation on exercise performance, and whether combining creatine and sodium bicarbonate supplementation has an additive effect. Sixty-three healthy, habitually active, adults (28 M, 35 W; 22+2 years; 23+ 3 BMI) were randomly assigned by sex to one of three supplement groups: …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2013, David L. Kreider, Paul Beck

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Quality Assurance Plan At East Tennessee State University’S Dental Hygiene Program, Jennifer E. Fielden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quality assurance in healthcare is fundamental in ensuring the achievement of desired outcomes for patients. In 2011 a quality assurance plan was created at the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) dental hygiene program in order to meet accreditation standards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this plan in order to determine its effectiveness in improving the quality of patient care indicators. One hundred fifty patient charts were selected and audited. Deficiencies were counted in the categories of assessment, treatment, documentation, referral, caries management, perio management, patient education, and follow-up. Research findings were varied; however, external variables with the …

Retention Strategies For Medical Technologists: Addressing The Shortages And Vacancies In The Clinical Laboratory, Kathy S. Small

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is important to have well-trained and qualified laboratory professionals. Seventy percent of patient care is based on decisions made from laboratory results, yet there is a growing shortage of medical technologists. Although some baby boomers are delaying retirement, worsening of the shortage crisis is inevitable. Retention of medical technologists has become more important than recruitment. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate innovative retention strategies used by clinical laboratory managers throughout the United States.

A significant finding of this study was the lack of qualified medical technologists entering the ranks of laboratory managers. This study identified …

Ebbing Winds: Life Rituals At Home And Abroad, Asya Fergiani

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis was to write a memoir of my five month trip to Libya that explores cultural differences through my experiences as an American with Western ideals. This memoir is focused on the cultural norms of marriage in the rural town of Msalata, in the central rural farming belt north of the ever expanding Sahara Desert of North Africa. My goal was to produce a work that is informational while showing the humanity of the local people through my perceptions as an outsider with different expectations. It was a time of discovery for me about the value …

Ownership Without Citizenship: The Creation Of Noncitizen Property Rights, Allison Brownell Tirres

Michigan Journal of Race and Law

At the nation’s founding, the common law of property defined ownership as an incident of citizenship. Noncitizens were unable lawfully to hold, devise, or inherit property. This doctrine eroded during the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but few scholars have examined its demise or the concommittant rise of property rights for foreigners. This Article is the first sustained treatment of the creation of property rights for noncitizens in American law. It uncovers two key sources for the rights that emerged during the nineteenth century: federal territorial law, which allowed for alien property ownership and alien suffrage, and state …

An Examination Of Delay Discounting In Sex Offenders With Dual Diagnoses, Chad A. Poncinie

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF CHAD A. PONCINIE. For the Master of Science degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy, presented on 21 June 2013. TITLE: AN EXAMINATION OF DELAY DISCOUNTING IN SEX OFFENDERS WITH DUAL DIAGNOSES MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark R. Dixon Discounting of delayed rewards by sex offenders with dual diagnoses was compared to discounting of delayed rewards by matched control non-offenders with dual diagnoses. All participants completed a hypothetical choice task in which they made repeated choices between 10 dollars/servings after a delay and an equal or lesser amount available immediately. The delay to the large reward …

Contesting The Mainstream? Citizen News Platforms, The Alternative Paradigm, And The Bp Oil Spill, Benjamin A. Lyons

Theses

With emerging content forums blurring the distinctions between journalistic paradigms, this study helps illuminate those which best promote alternative practice. A content analysis of Deepwater Horizon oil spill coverage compared three platforms for online citizen journalism: corporate (CNN iReport), alternative (Indymedia), and independent blogs. News stories were coded for sources, links, author-reader interaction, mobilizing information, tone for the liable parties' ability and intent in handling the disaster, and contestation of official information. Results show that Indymedia was the most alternative in inclusion of mobilizing information, critical tone, contestation of mainstream versions, ratio of alternative links to mainstream, and total usage …

Inferring Desire, Jessica A. Clarke

Duke Law Journal

In the course of debates over same-sex marriage, many scholars have proposed new legal definitions of sexual orientation to better account for the role of relationships in constituting identities. But these discussions have overlooked a large body of case law in which courts are already applying this model of sexual orientation, with inequitable results.

This Article examines a set of fifteen years of sexual harassment decisions in which courts have endeavored to determine the sexual orientations of alleged harassers. Under federal law, sexual harassment is actionable because it is a subspecies of sex discrimination. A man who makes unwanted sexual …

Mutiny Against The Mmpa: A Look At Alaska Sb 60, Garrett Boyle

Alaska Law Review

In an attempt to curb the detrimental effects of a ballooning sea otter population, a new bill proposed in the Alaska State Senate seeks to amend the Alaska fish and game statutes by placing a bounty of $100 on sea otters lawfully taken by Alaska Natives. This Note studies the conflicting nature of the proposed bill, SB 60, with the current version of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, examining the enforceability of the provision in light of precedent from the Alaska Supreme Court and a liberal interpretation of the MMPA. The Note ultimately concludes that SB 60, as written, is …

The “Middle Place”: The Npr-A Impact Mitigation Program And Alaska’S North Slope, Shauna Woods

Alaska Law Review

The communities of Alaska's North Slope increasingly find themselves in a "middle place," stuck between a past to which they cannot return and a future that is fraught with uncertainty. Oil and gas development on Alaska's North Slope has resulted in environmental, cultural, and social changes that have adversely affected the communities in the area. At the same time, oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, located on the North Slope, has created an important revenue source for helping those communities mitigate the impacts of development and augment their capacities for addressing future changes. In particular, …

Metropolitan Report - December 2013, Division Of Business And Economic Research, College Of Business Administration, University Of New Orleans

UNO Metropolitan Report (1986-2017)

No abstract provided.

Vol 58 #3, Judy Zelenski

MPLA Newsletter

No abstract provided.

A Report On The New Orleans Center For Creative Arts, Justin Shiels

Arts Administration Master's Reports (1984-2016)

In order to maintain relevance, arts organizations must continuously evolve to fulfill the needs of an ever--‐changing consumer landscape. The following paper documents Justin Shiels’ internship with the New Orleans Center of Creative Art (NOCCA), in furtherance of the degree requirements for the Master of Arts in Arts Administration. NOCCA is a regional, pre--‐professional arts training center that offers students intensive arts and academic instruction. Through analysis of current operations, SWOT analysis, and best practices model, this report will explore the core competencies for established arts organizations and the methods of shifting from a good organization to a great organization.

The Mediating Effect Of Homework Between Self-Regulated Learning And Science Achievement., Matthew D. Kingsley 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homework has been shown to have a significant, positive effect on student achievement and grades, particularly at the secondary level (Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006). However, homework completion and its effect on grades is controlled within the realm of the student and its success as a learning strategy depends on many things including the students’ interest in the subject, their confidence, the time they have to complete it, gender and other factors within the home such as parent education level and parent involvement (Trautwein & Ludtke, 2007; J. Xu, 2007; J. Xu, Corno, Lyn, 2006). Through the work of Eccles …

The Nature Of Arabic Mothers' Involvement In Their Children's Mathematics Education, Wafa Yacoub

Dissertations

In this qualitative study, the researcher explored the nature of Arabic mothers', who live in the United States involvement in their children's mathematics education. There is no data about this minority population as related to mathematics educational involvement since Arabic and Muslim women are scarcely represented in the educational research. Eighteen mothers participated in four focus groups, all agreed on the importance of mathematics and their involvement in their children's math education despite the fact that many of them had negative experiences learning mathematics, and were not familiar with the new teaching methods. These mothers became involved at home by …