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Correction Of Cystic Fibrosis-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Jacquelin Hanh Bui

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cystic Fibrosis (CF), affecting 1 in 3,500 live births in the US, is a disease caused by aberrant expression of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmemebrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR). While a multi-organ disease, CF-related complications and degradation of the lung is the leading cause of mortality. There are treatments to combat treatments but none that are curative. Recent advances in reprogramming and the ability to genetically modify the resulting induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have provided an alternative to conventional gene therapies thus far attempted for CF. Here we describe the in vitro generation of iPSCs starting from fibroblast cells obtained from …

Seeking Genomic Knowledge: The Case For Clinical Restraint, Ellen Wright Clayton, Wylie Burke, Susan Brown Trinidad

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Genome sequencing technology provides new and promising tests for clinical practice, including whole genome sequencing, which measures an individual's complete DNA sequence, and whole exome sequencing, which measures the DNA for all genes coding for proteins. These technologies make it possible to test for multiple genes in a single test, which increases the efficiency of genetic testing. However, they can also produce large amounts of information that cannot be interpreted or is of limited clinical utility. This additional information could be distracting for patients and clinicians, and contribute to unnecessary healthcare costs. The potential for genomic sequencing to improve care …

Biofabrication Of Scaffolds For Intervertebral Disc (Ivd) Tissue Regeneration, Benjamin Whatley

All Dissertations

The ultimate goal of tissue regeneration is to replace damaged or diseased tissue with a cell-based or biomaterial-based tissue that accurately mimics the functionality, biology, mechanics, and cellular and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition of the native tissue. Specifically, the ability to control the architecture of tissue engineered constructs plays a vital role in all of these issues as scaffold architecture has an affect on function, biomechanics, and cellular behavior. Many tissue engineered scaffolds focus on the ability to mimic natural tissue by simulating the ECM due to the fact that in each distinct tissue, the ECM serves as a structural …

Biochemical Investigation Into Initiation Of Fatty Acid Synthesis In The African Trypanosomes, Sunayan Ray

All Dissertations

My doctoral studies focused on studying FA metabolism in the deadly protozoan parasite T. brucei. In my dissertation, I will be addressing various aspects of the regulation of TbACC, which catalyzes the first committed step in FA synthesis. In the second chapter, I hypothesized that TbACC is regulated in response to environmental lipids. I examined changes in TbACC RNA, protein, and activity in response to different levels of environmental lipids in both BF and PF cells. I also delineated the mechanisms by which TbACC expression and activity is regulated by phosphorylation in response to altered lipid environments. In the third …

Long-Term Bald Eagle Monitoring: Assessing Emerging Risks To The Great Lakes Ecosystem By Evaluating Impacts To Tertiary Predators, Latice Fuentes

All Dissertations

Data from the Michigan Bald Eagle Biomonitoring Project (MBEBP) was used to provide ecological evaluations amidst concerns of emerging contaminants and environmental change. Samples and measurements were collected throughout the state of Michigan from 1998-2012. Nestling breast feathers and biometric measurements were used in analytical and statistical analyses which provided a broad assessment of the Great Lakes ecosystem and its resident bald eagles. Bald eagle nestling feathers were taken from Michigan breeding areas, and used to evaluate spatial and temporal trends of mercury (Hg). Overall, remediation has positively affected the Great Lakes region. However, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior …

The Origin And Molecular Evolution Of Two Multigene Families: G-Protein Coupled Receptors And Glycoside Hydrolase Families, Seong-Il Eyun

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multigene family is a group of genes that arose from a common ancestor by gene duplication. Gene duplications are a major driving force of new function acquisition. Multigene family thus has a fundamental role in adaptation. To elucidate their molecular evolutionary mechanisms, I chose two multigene families: chemosensory receptors and glycoside hydrolases. I have identified complete repertoires of trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a member of chemosensory receptors, from 38 metazoan genomes. An ancestral-type TAAR emerged before the divergence between gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates) and sea lamprey (jawless fish). Primary amine detecting TAARs (TAAR1-4) are found to be older and have evolved …

Synthesis Of Ester Derivatives Of Resveratrol As Potential Anti-Cancer Drugs, Parasmani Pageni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phytoalexin of the stilbene family produced by various plants in response to stress, UV radiation, and fungal attack. It is primarily found in peanuts, berries, grape skin, and red wine. Resveratrol has been found to exhibit anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and anti-oxidant properties. Research indicates that diets enriched with resveratrol containing substances result in less incidence of cancer. Unfortunately, the low bioavailability and solubility has been a huge setback for its potential prospects. As a result, efforts have been made to synthesize derivatives of resveratrol with increased solubility and bioavailability. Three triester novel resveratrol derivatives 3, …

August 2013 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Subacromial Space And Its Relationship With Scapular Upward Rotation In College Baseball Players., Stephen John Thomas, Charles Buz Swanik, Thomas W Kaminski, Jill S Higginson, Kathleen A Swanik, Levon N Nazarian

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

CONTEXT: Subacromial impingement is a common injury in baseball players and has been linked to a reduction in the subacromial space. In addition, it has been suggested that decreases in scapular upward rotation will lead to decreases in the subacromial space and ultimately impingement syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acromiohumeral distance and scapular upward rotation in healthy college baseball players.

DESIGN: Posttest-only study design.

SETTING: Controlled laboratory setting.

PARTICIPANTS: 24 healthy college baseball players. Intervention: Participants were measured for all dependent variables at preseason.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Acromiohumeral distance at rest and …

Metaphors Of Health And Disease In Nazi Film Propaganda, Melanie Wright

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

This study examines how propaganda imagery was used to reveal metaphors of health and disease in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. Specifically, it explores how German medical and political authorities of this period entrenched biological explanations for social ills through medico-political discourses of disease, criminality and deviancy, in their efforts to exterminate particular populations. This propaganda was conversed with the idealised and beautified German Volk who, in turn, were graphically elevated to the realms of a supreme master race. I use a methodology composed of compositional and discourse analysis, and a theoretical framework that develops the work of Erving …

Human Foraging In A Virtual World, Jose Luis Martinez

Research Papers

Methods for using the Torque® game engine to test the predictions of three optimal foraging models of human behavior are proposed. Traditional tests of Charnov’s marginal value theorem, the diet breadth model and the effect of energy Budget manipulation on risky choice are translated into a virtual world programmable through Torque®. Use of immersive environments allows participants to interact with experimental conditions that bear a greater functional resemblance to extra-laboratory environments, thereby increasing the ecological validity of the research.

The Effects Of Variation In Collagen D-Spacing On Compact Bone Viscoelasticity: A Finite Element Analysis, Miguel A. Mendoza

Master's Theses

The D-spacing that is characteristic of collagen and its structural arrangement was previously thought to be a constant value. Much research is revealing that it is actually a distribution of values in biological tissues. Recent ovine experimentation has also shown that the D-spacing distribution is significantly altered following estrogen depletion. While ewes contain some major biological differences between their human counterparts, they are an economical and robust large animal model for postmenopausal osteoporosis. So, the exploration of the possible implications that D-spacing has on the mechanical properties of the whole bone utilizing animal models and computational methods is warranted. Six …

The Role Of Gnrh-Ii And Its Receptor In Testicular Function, Amy T. Desaulniers

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The second mammalian isoform of GnRH (GnRH-II) has been linked to regulation of cell proliferation, feed intake, and the interaction between energy balance and reproductive behavior. In contrast to the native form of GnRH (GnRH-I), GnRH-II is an inefficient modulator of gonadotropin secretion. Unlike many species, a functional receptor (GnRHR-II) specific to this ligand has been discovered in the pig that may be directly involved in testosterone production. Therefore, our objective was to identify the role of GnRH-II and its receptor in testicular function. First, there was 6-fold more GnRHR-II protein in the testis than anterior pituitary gland of boars. …

Interventions For Common Perinatal Mental Disorders In Women In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Atif Rahman, Jane Fisher, Peter Bower, Stanley Luchters, Thach Tran, M. Taghi Yasamy, Shekhar Saxena, Waquas Waheed

Population Health, East Africa

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of interventions to improve the mental health of women in the perinatal period and to evaluate any effect on the health, growth and development of their offspring, in low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries.

Methods: Seven electronic bibliographic databases were systematically searched for papers published up to May 2012 describing controlled trials of interventions designed to improve mental health outcomes in women who were pregnant or had recently given birth. The main outcomes of interest were rates of common perinatal mental disorders (CPMDs), primarily postpartum depression or anxiety; measures of the quality of the mother-infant relationship; …

The Children Of Amarna: Disease And Famine In The Time Of Akhenaten, Kathleen Kuckens

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What is now known as Amarna, Egypt there once stood a grand city. Hastily built and quickly abandoned, this once capital city of Egypt was the brainchild of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. In 2002 the final resting place of the inhabitants who populated this ancient city were discovered. Since excavations began at the South Tombs Cemetery an unusual high number of individuals aged 3-25 have been excavated. Out of the 278 individuals excavated thus far, 45% of them fall to the adolescent and sub-adult category. Under normal circumstances this portion of the population tends to be the most robust and resilient, …

What Instructional Coaches Need From Principals To Impact Teacher Effectiveness: Developing A Grounded Theory, Diane L. Lauer

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of 4-H Participants And Their Psychosocial Development, Lauralee Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volunteerism is an important component in the 4-H program. It was initially used as a method to help agents reach the many youth interested in participating in 4-H. Community service has since become a required component for every club project. Research shows that volunteering can impact youth in many different ways. Other research shows that 4-H youth are more likely to contribute or do some type of community service.

The present study uses the Modified Extended Version of the Object Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS), the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation (CASE) inventory, and an instrument specifically designed to study …

Jack London: Landscape, Love, And Place, Kristin Yoshiko Ladd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Jack London: Landscape, Love, and Place, American Studies theories and methods formed the prime basis for analysis of London's biography, historical context, and literary significance. Particularly, the ideas of agrarianism, the Turner Thesis moment, Western literature, American masculinity, Victorian ideals, and sustainable farm practices in America were used to understand London's motivations for writing and creating his farm, his influence on American literature, and his texts' abilities to open avenues between literature and place-based education. Key concepts that influenced how London's works could be incorporated into and applied to didactic theory included David Sobel's seminal works in place-based education. …

Assessment Of Consumer Motivations To Attend Farmers' Markets, Their Preferences, And Their Willingness To Pay For Differentiated Fresh Produce: Three Essays, Jean Dominique Gumirakiza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this public abstract is to present research objectives, societal benefits, and costs associated with this dissertation. This dissertation is one the outcomes of a three-year $155,450.86 project whose number is UTA01008. Kynda Curtis, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Economics proposed the project to assess consumer demand and purchase motivations for differentiated produce across direct marketing outlets. In general, this dissertation seeks to analyze consumer primary motivations for attending farmers’ markets, their preferences, and their willingness to pay for differentiated fresh produce. To accomplish this task, we develop three essays.

Specific objectives for the first essay are to …

Improving The Effectiveness Of An Online Fitness Program: The Walk Georgia Experience, Warren Kriesel, Connie C. Crawley, Maria Bowie

Journal of Extension

Many Extension programs are addressing the obesity issue through on-line physical activity programs. Using data from the Walk Georgia program at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, two regression analyses were conducted to determine the characteristics of those who under-utilize the program and what factors influence how effectively a county recruits participants. The results of the data analysis show that Extension must develop incentives to motivate those who participate less, such as women, minorities, and those with lower incomes and less education and enlist volunteers and other community leaders to recruit more participants.

Human-Relevant Levels Of Added Sugar Consumption Increase Female Mortality And Lower Male Fitness In Mice, James Ruff, Amanda Suchy, Sara Hugentobler, Mirtha Sosa, Bradley Schwartz, Linda Morrison, Sin Gieng, Mark Shigenaga, Wayne Potts

Faculty Publications

Consumption of added sugar has increased over recent decades and is correlated with numerous diseases. Rodent models have elucidated mechanisms of toxicity, but only at concentrations beyond typical human exposure. Here we show that comparatively low levels of added sugar consumption have substantial negative effects on mouse survival, competitive ability, and reproduction. Using Organismal Performance Assays—in which mice fed human-relevant concentrations of added sugar (25% kcal from a mixture of fructose and glucose, modeling high fructose corn syrup) and control mice compete in seminatural enclosures for territories, resources and mates—we demonstrate that fructose/glucose-fed females experience a twofold increase in mortality …

Economic And Environmental Impacts Of Harmful Non-Indigenous Species In Southeast Asia, Le Nghiem, Tarek Soliman, Darren Yeo, Hugh Tan, Theodore A. Evans, John D. Mumford, Reuben P. Keller

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Harmful non-indigenous species (NIS) impose great economic and environmental impacts globally, but little is known about their impacts in Southeast Asia. Lack of knowledge of the magnitude of the problem hinders the allocation of appropriate resources for NIS prevention and management. We used benefit-cost analysis embedded in a Monte-Carlo simulation model and analysed economic and environmental impacts of NIS in the region to estimate the total burden of NIS in Southeast Asia. The total annual loss caused by NIS to agriculture, human health and the environment in Southeast Asia is estimated to be US$33.5 billion (5th and 95th percentile US$25.8–39.8 …

An Examination Of The Long Term Effects Of Exposure To Prescription Drugs On Infant Growth And Development, Annalisa Maurer

Masters Theses

The effects of prenatal exposure to many prescription medications are well known. However, little is known about the long term side effects early exposure to medications used to treat pain and sedate have on growth and development. This paper explores the long-term effects of postnatal exposure to prescription medication. The potential effects are applied to physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development as well as the overall health of an infant. Additionally, the options of the use of commonly used analgesics and sedatives are compared to other pain management options. Research surrounding long-term effects of early exposure to pain and generalizations/recommendations are …

Nutrition Political Economy, Pakistan. Provincial Report: Balochistan., Shehla Zaidi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Suleman Qazi, Gul Nawaz, Noorya Hayat, Shandana Khan Mohmand, Andres Mejia Acosta

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Development Of Rapid Detection Methods And Novel Control Measures For Salmonella In Poultry, Si Hong Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three research parts: 1) development of rapid detection methods for foodborne pathogens; 2) immune response of chicken cells against Salmonella and bacteriophage P22; 3) evaluation of novel control measures for poultry productions. In order to develop rapid and accurate detection methods for foodborne pathogens, two types of PCR assays were utilized. Three foodborne pathogens included Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and Salmonella in watershed were qualitatively and quantitatively detected by multiplex PCR and qPCR (chapter 2). Since Salmonella species are commonly present in poultry and poultry products as well as most popular foodborne pathogen in …

Role Of Phosphoinositide-Based Signaling In Virulence In Entamoeba Histolytica, Amrita Koushik

All Dissertations

Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal protozoan parasite and is the causative agent of amoebiasis. Upon entering the human host, cellular processes such as adhesion, phagocytosis, motility and secretion play a vital role in its propagation and pathogenicity. In other systems, each of these cellular processes is preceded by activation of signal transduction pathways, which often involve membrane phosphoinositides such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂). Little is known about phosphoinositide signaling in E. histolytica pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrated that PI(4,5)P₂ is localized to cholesterol-rich microdomains, lipid rafts, of the E. histolytica membrane and to the trailing edge …

Antibacterial Effects Of Proteases On Different Strains Of Escherichia Coli And Listeria Monocytogenes, Hanan Eshamah

All Dissertations

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes are pathogens that have received special attention by federal agencies, food safety researchers and food industries due to their economic and human health impact. To reduce the presence of these pathogens, alternative interventions have been studied. However, increasing consumer's demand for natural ingredients has made the investigations of effectiveness of natural antimicrobials necessary. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity of bromelain and papain against E. coli JM109 and L. monocytogenes was investigated. Furthermore, actinidin and papain were evaluated to reduce populations of L. monocytogenes strain and three mixed strains of E. coli O157:H7 …

Effects Of A Gonadotropin Mixture On Reproductive Success In Progesterone- Treated Non-Lactating Anestrous Ewes, Kellie Nicole D'Souza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using exogenous gonadotropins as part of an estrous induction protocol can have beneficial effects on fertility in ewes bred out-of-season. Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of P.G. 600RTM, a mixture of gonadotropins with FSH-like and LH-like activity, to increase fertility in anestrous ewes and, in particular, following pre-treatment with progesterone delivered via controlled internal drug releasing (CIDR) devices. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of P.G. 600RTM on reproductive success in progesterone-treated non-lactating anestrous ewes. Ewes, which had been separated from rams for at least one month prior to the beginning of the experiment, received …

The Effect Of Melatonin Or Maternal Nutrient Restriction On Cell Proliferation In The Ovine Placenta, Adam Walter Eifert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Our objectives were to assess melatonin receptor dependent modulation of placental cell proliferation following treatment with either melatonin, luzindole (melatonin receptor 1 and 2 antagonist), or vehicle. In addition, a second study was conducted to assess placental cell proliferation following dietary melatonin treatment in a maternal nutrient restriction model. For the first experiment, 14 primiparous ewes were fitted with Alzet mini osmotic pumps attached to a catheter and infused with vehicle, melatonin, or luzindole from d 62 to 90 of gestation. Ewes were euthanized and placentomes collected for analysis at the end of the 4 week infusion. For the second …

Absorption Of Marine Vs Non-Marine Sources Of Epa And Dha, John S. Ketz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from algae oil has been incorporated into tissues at a lower level and has been less effective than fish oil (FO) at reducing body fat. Our objective was to determine fecal excretion of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA from different dietary sources. Male mice (n=100) were fed a 12% lipid diet containing soy oil (SO), FO, yeast oil (YO) algae oil (AO), or AO+YO. The AO diet was fed to contain amounts of DHA equal to the FO diet, and the YO diet was fed to contain amounts of EPA equal to the FO diet. To measure …