Digital Commons Network^™

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Ligands Of The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Promote Adipocyte-Mediated Diabetes, Nicki A. Baker

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Numerous epidemiology studies suggest a correlation between exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the development and severity of type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, mechanisms remain largely unknown. Previous studies demonstrated that PCBs that are ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) promote the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), that are linked to insulin resistance in adipocytes. To explore potential mechanisms linking PCB exposures to diabetes, we developed a mouse model of glucose and insulin intolerance induced by acute and chronic exposures to PCB-77. We hypothesized that PCB ligands of AhR result in adipocyte-specific elevations in TNF-α …

Coplanar Pcb-Induced Inflammation And Dietary Interventions, Katryn Elizabeth Eske

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), are linked to chronic low levels of inflammation. This inflamed state is the product of risk factors including exposure to environmental pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are correlated with increased risk for CVD and diabetes. In response to this health risk, our research addresses the mechanisms by which coplanar PCBs elicit an inflammatory response and the mitigation of PCB-induced inflammation through dietary intervention using docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 lipid. Investigators from the University of Kentucky Engineering Department are developing remediation technologies that detoxify PCBs through dechlorination. We studied the cellular toxicity …

Novel Insights Into The Function And Regulation Of Group X Secretory Phospholipase A2, Joseph D. Layne Jr

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Group X secretory phospholipase A₂ (GX sPLA₂) hydrolyzes membrane phospholipids producing free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. Previous studies from our lab suggest that mice with targeted deletion of GX sPLA₂ (GX KO) have increased age-related weight gain due to an increase in overall adiposity. Paradoxically, this increased adiposity is associated with improved age-related glucose intolerance. GX KO mice also demonstrate a reduced inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide injection. In vitro studies indicate this phenotype may be attributable to blunted macrophage mediated inflammatory responses. Given the role of macrophages in promoting adipose tissue (AT) inflammation and metabolic dysfunction …

Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Annual Technical Report Fy 2012, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

KWRRI Annual Technical Reports (USGS’s 104b Grant Program)

The 2012 Annual Technical Report for Kentucky consolidates reporting requirements for the Section 104(b) base grant award into a single document that includes; 1) a synopsis of each research project that was conducted during the period, 2) citations for related publications, reports, and presentations, 3) a description of information transfer activities, 4) a summary of student support during the reporting period, and 5) notable awards and achievements during the year.

An Exploratory Study Of User-Centered Indexing Of Published Biomedical Images, Sujin Kim

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

User-centered image indexing—often reported in research on collaborative tagging, social classification, folksonomy, or personal tagging—has received a considerable amount of attention [1-7]. The general themes in more recent studies on this topic include user-centered tagging behavior by types of images, pros and cons of user-created tags as compared to controlled index terms; assessment of the value added by user-generated tags, and comparison of automatic indexing versus human indexing in the context of web digital image collections such as Flickr. For instance, Golbeck's finding restates the importance of indexer experience, order, and type of images [8]. Rorissa has found a significant …

Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma With Aberrant Expression Of Cd19, Cd20, And Cd79a: Case Report And Literature Review, Rahul G. Matnani, Rachel L. Stewart, Joseph Pulliam, Chester D. Jennings, Melissa Kesler

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

A case of lymphoma of T-cell derivation with aberrant expression of three B-cell lineage markers (CD19, CD20, and CD79a), which was diagnosed on a left axillary excision, is described. Immunohistochemical studies and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated neoplastic cells expressing CD3, CD19, CD20, and CD79a with absence of CD4, CD8, CD10, CD30, CD34, CD56, CD68, TDT, MPO, PAX-5, and surface immunoglobulin. Gene rearrangement studies performed on paraffin blocks demonstrated monoclonal T-cell receptor gamma chain rearrangement with no evidence of clonal heavy chain rearrangement. The neoplastic cells were negative for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV-8). At the time …

Optimal Size Of Gold Nanoparticles For Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Under Different Conditions, Seongmin Hong, Xiao Li

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Gold nanoparticles have been used as effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates for decades. However, the origin of the enhancement and the effect of the size of nanoparticles still need clarification. Here, gold nanoparticles with different sizes from 17 to 80 nm were synthesized and characterized, and their SERS enhancement toward both 4-aminothiophenol and 4-nitrothiophenol was examined. For the same number of nanoparticles, the enhancement factor generated from the gold nanoparticles increases as the size of nanoparticles increases. Interestingly, when the concentration of gold or the total surface area of gold nanoparticles was kept the same, the optimal size of …

Processing And Performance Of Polymeric Transparent Conductive Composites, Parul Jain, Ranjani Muralidharan, Jennifer Sedloff, Xiao Li, Norma A. Alcantar, Julie P. Harmon

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Recent advances in microelectronic and optoelectronic industries have spurred interest in the development of reticulate doped polymer films containing “metallic” charge transfer complexes. In this study, such reticulate doped polymer films were prepared by exposing solid solutions of bis(ethylenedioxy) tetrathiafulvalene (BEDO-TTF) in polycarbonate (PC) to iodine, forming conductive charge transfer complexes. The resulting films exhibited room temperature conductivities ranging from 6.33 to  S    cm−1. The colored iodine complexes in the film were reduced by cyclic voltammetry yielding conductive, colorless, transparent films. We were intrigued to examine the dielectric properties of BEDO-TTF in solid solution in PC prior to formation of …

Reviving The Federal Crime Of Gratuities, Sarah N. Welling

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

The federal crime of gratuities prohibits people from giving gifts to federal public officials if the gift is tied to an official act. Both the donor and the donee are liable. The gratuities crime is dysfunctional in two main ways. It is overinclusive in that it covers conduct indistinguishable from bribery. It is underinclusive in that it does not cover conduct that is clearly dangerous: gifts to public officials because of their positions that are not tied to a particular official act.

This Article argues that Congress should extend the crime of gratuities to cover gifts because of an official’s …

The First 50 Years Of The Delmarva Ornithological Society, Ian Stewart, Sally O’Byrne, Bob Rufe, Joe Sebastiani, Jean Woods

Delaware Ornithologist

No abstract provided.

Notes On Berry Foraging And Vocal Behavior Of A Male Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus Pileatus), Alan H. Kneidel, Matthew R. Halley

Delaware Ornithologist

No abstract provided.

On Membership, Humility, And Pedagogical Responsibilities: A Correspondence On The Work Of Wendell Berry, Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, Richard Kahn

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Wendell Berry is a novelist, essayist, conservation activist and farmer who has had a lot to say over the last half century about the impact of modern industrial society on small farm communities and the land especially since WWII. In this three-way conversation, the authors take up central aspects of Berry’s work to think about how it has influenced their thinking as teacher educators focused on the intersections between social and ecological crises challenging our world. Themes of responsibility, leadership, community membership, friendship, “settler colonialism,” racism, land use, and ecological sustainability are brought to bear on education for just and …

"Why Isn’T There A Cure?" Emerging Empathy And Prosocial Behaviors Among Middle Childhood Children Responding To Real-World Issue Lessons, Hyeyoung Bang

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The purpose of this study was to explore empathy and prosocial behaviors within real-world issues among Korean middle-childhood children living in Australia. Using a qualitative approach, seven students were engaged in six sessions of group or individual activities including five sessions of responding to video vignettes which demonstrated real-world issues related to children’s rights (poverty, war, child labor, environment, or disease) and one session for reflection. Analysis of data revealed emotional empathy including empathetic distress, empathetic anger, and emotional dissonance. Cognitive empathy was expressed through role-taking, comparison, and identification. Expressions of emotional and cognitive empathy, and prosocial intentions were linked …

Archaeal Assemblages Inhabiting Temperate Mixed Forest Soil Fluctuate In Taxon Composition And Spatial Distribution Over Time, Colby A. Swanson, Marek K. Sliwinski

Faculty Work

This study explored the persistence and spatial distribution of a diverse Archaeal assemblage inhabiting a temperate mixed forest ecosystem. Persistence under native conditions was measured from 2001 to 2010, 2011, and 2012 by comparison of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The Archaeal assemblages at each of these time points were found to be significantly different (AMOVA, P < 0.01), and the nature of this difference was dependent on taxonomic rank. For example, the cosmopolitan genus g_Ca. Nitrososphaera (I.1b) was detected at all time points, but within this taxon the abundance of s_SCA1145, s_SCA1170, and s_Ca. N. gargensis fluctuated over time. In addition, spatial heterogeneity (patchiness) was measured at these time points using 1D TRFLP-SSCP fingerprinting to screen soil samples covering multiple spatial scales. This included soil collected from small volumes of 3 cubic centimeters to larger scales—over a surface area of 50 m², plots located 1.3 km apart, and a separate locality 23 km away. The spatial distribution of Archaea in these samples changed over time, and while g_Ca. Nitrososphaera (I.1b) was dominant over larger scales, patches were found at smaller scales that were …

Zombies And The Post-Colonial Italian Unconscious, Simone Brioni

Department of English Faculty Publications

This article analyses the relationship between the horror genre and colonialism by focusing on Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2 (1979) and discusses how and to what extent the colonial overtones of this film provide a fictional representation of the Italian collective unconscious fear of African immigration, which resurrected the memory of forgotten colonial crimes in Africa. Drawing on postcolonial theory and psychoanalysis, this article also underlines how xenophobe political propaganda has employed horror imagery – and especially that provided by zombie movies – in order to discriminate against immigrants.

Challenging Pre-Service Students' Teaching Perspectives In An Inquiry-Focused Program, J. L. Pecore, A. Shelton

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Inquiry teaching based on constructivist learning theory has been an emphasis in pre-service education for over a decade. In general, a developmental teaching perspective supports inquiry-based instruction where teachers view learners as constructors of knowledge and teaching as providing questions, problems, and challenges that form a bridge from the learners' prior knowledge to a new, more sophisticated form of reasoning. Since teaching perspectives influence student learning, teacher effectiveness, and teacher attrition, challenging pre-service teachers to overcome experience-based convictions of a transmission perspective is necessary in teacher education. In this study, we examined the teaching perspectives of secondary, pre-service methods students …

Nyls Loan Report: 3q2013, New York Law School

Center Projects

No abstract provided.

Nyls Loan Report: 2h2013, New York Law School

Center Projects

No abstract provided.

The Significance Of The Distinction Between Children And Adults For Consumer Protection, M. Neil Browne, Lauren Biksacky

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Empirical Analysis Of The Use Of The Intent Test To Determine Parentage In Assisted Reproductive Technology Cases, Mary P. Byrn, Lisa Giddings

Faculty Scholarship

States have been slow to adopt model acts regarding assisted reproductive technology (ART), or to draft ART legislation of their own, leaving most parents of ART children without a clear path to obtain legal parentage. As a result, when a child conceived via ART is born, the adults involved must turn to the courts to make a determination as to legal parentage. These courts have used a variety of approaches to determine legal parentage in ART cases, which along with the inherent discretion involved in judicial decisions absent clear precedent or statute has led to unpredictable, and sometimes inequitable, findings …

Revisiting The Meaning Of Marriage: Immigration For Same-Sex Spouses In A Post-Windsor World, Scott Titshaw

Articles

As U.S. states and foreign nations began recognizing same-sex marriages over the last dozen years, the anti-gay definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" in Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA'') rendered those marriages invisible for immigration purposes. Thousands of U.S. citizens were left with a cruel choice between country and family: Remain alone in the United States or start anew with spouses and stepchildren abroad. Other couples did not qualify to emigrate anywhere together, leaving them no choice at all. DOMA also devastated children. Not only might they be separated from one parent, but their own immigration or …

Diurnal And Nocturnal Avian Antipredator Behavior In Thermally Challenging Conditions, Jennie M. Carr

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diurnal avian antipredator behavior has been the focus of much past research, yet the influence of the thermal environment on such behaviors is often overlooked. Far less is known about nocturnal avian antipredator behavior, including how these behaviors are influenced by challenging thermal environments. The first portion of my research focused on how the thermal environment influences the diurnal antipredator behavior of wintering birds while (i) exposed to high wind speeds, (ii) foraging in sunlit and shaded microhabitats, and (iii) when using thermoregulatory postures to conserve body heat. In addition to increasing convective heat loss, high wind speeds increase the …

Evaluation Of An Avian Radar System, Michael B. Gerringer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of bird strikes in aviation is becoming an increasing threat, both to aircraft and to human safety. Management efforts have reduced wildlife hazards below 500 feet and within the immediate airport environment, but traditional methods of monitoring bird activity are limited to an observer's field of view. Avian radar systems could potentially be useful in monitoring bird activity at great distances from the airport, at higher altitudes, and at night (Dolbeer 2006), but little work has been done to validate the tracking capabilities of avian radar systems. Thus, the goal of this research is to evaluate the detection …

Running On Fumes: The Destabilization Of The World's Interconnected Systems As A Result Of Unsustainable Human Proliferation On A Finite Planet, Eduardo Fradin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the global interconnectivity of critical and complex societal systems. Today, if consumption patterns continue to rise to unsustainable levels in concert with a soaring global population, these social and technological systems may begin to buckle, which will threaten the advancement of modern human civilization in the 21st century and beyond. The first globally-stressed system that is addressed in this paper is the global economic system. The second system I discuss is the global energy system and how it directly impacts the global economy. The following chapter looks at unsustainable population growth, freshwater scarcity, and food stresses. In …

The Correspondence Of Attachment Dimensions To Prayer Styles Among Undergraduate Students, Nathaniel Lamkin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that prayer is a daily practice for many Americans, and is considered by some the heart and soul of spirituality, relatively little research has been conducted to understand the individual differences of people's prayer styles. A previous study found that people who have higher levels of avoidance attachment are less likely to engage in prayers that are designed to facilitate a closer relationship with God (e.g., Meditative and Colloquial). It also found that people who have higher levels of anxious attachment are more likely to engage in help seeking types of prayers (e.g., Petitionary). Since the study, …

Chinese College Students'gender Self-Esteem And Transprejudice, Bing Chen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine transprejudice of college students from mainland China. Moreover, this study allowed us to determine if gender self-esteem, which may contribute to transprejudice in Western countries or individualistic societies, is also a significant contributor to transprejudice in mainland China, or a collectivistic society. We explored possible gender differences in transprejudice, and possible differences in prejudice towards transwomen and transmen. Additionally, we used Social Identity Theory to examine the possible relationship between gender self-esteem and transprejudice. Hypotheses were as follows: 1) heterosexual men would endorse more transprejudice than heterosexual women; 2) heterosexual men and …

Processing Research Snd Development Of A 'Green' Polymer Nanoclay Composites Containing A Polyhydroxybutyrate, Vinyl Acetates, And Modified Montmorillonite Clay, James N. Mckirahan

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of direct melt-blending (intercalation) montmorillonite nanoclay to polyhydroxybutyrate along with vinyl acetate, at different weight percentages, to enhance plasticization using typical plastic processing equipment and typical processing methodology. The purpose was to determine and compare the specific mechanical properties of tensile strength and flexural strength developed as a result from this processing. Single screw and twin screw extrusion, Banbury mixer compounding, and compression molding were used to intercalate montmorillonite, and for sample preparation purposes, to test tensile and flexural strength of the resultant polymer clay nanocomposites (PCN). Results indicate Polyhydroxybutyrate …

Molecular And Cellular Signatures Of Phytol Derivatives And The Small Intestinal Submucosa In Shaping Immune Responses To Staphylococcus Aureus, Chowdhury Roshni Roy

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vaccines represent the most outstanding success story of modern medicine. In addition to pathogen-derived antigen(s), immune adjuvants are crucial for the development of efficacious new generation vaccines. Most modern vaccines are comprised of purified recombinant proteins, peptides or polysaccharides, which are weakly immunogenic. The incorporation of adjuvants in vaccine formulations not only enhances the immunogenicity of the antigen but also activates various innate and adaptive immune parameters. New-age adjuvants become particularly important in the development of vaccines against some challenging pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, for which vaccines are not yet available or are inadequate. S. aureus has proven exceptionally …

Characterization Of Hypothetical Proteins Sas0760 And Sas1738 From "Community Associated Staphylococcus Aureus" Mssa476., Ramalinga Anupama Byrappa

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is known to cause a wide range of infections from simple, curable skin infections like carbuncles, furuncles, and impetigo to deadly infections such as bacteremia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and post-operative infections. Recently, the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistances has posed a great challenge to therapeutics and infection management. Very early in therapeutics of Staphylococcus aureus infections, it acquired resistance to the penicillin, including methicillin, that was designed specifically for the penicillin resistant strains. These strains were designated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Originally, MRSA was only seen in hospital-associated infections (HA MRSA). but recently, MRSA found in community settings …

Effects Of Low Oxygen On Cytokine And Nitric Oxide Release Of Activated N9 Microglia, Henry Owegi

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every 16 seconds in the United States, a person suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The major problems in TBI patients are increased intracranial pressure (ICP), and diffuse global ischemia, which leads to cerebral hypoxia. Cerebral ischemia occurs in 65% of patients due to microvascular spasms and brain swelling. Subsequently, cerebral ischemia is exacerbated by the inflammatory processes initiated by microglia. Although therapeutic ICP control has resulted in mortality reduction, cerebral ischemia is still the major contributor to poor neurological outcome. To address this problem, an oxygen-guided therapy was introduced and has resulted in a reduction of both mortality and …