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2013

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Risk Factors For Injection Versus Non-Injection Drug Use Among Men In Kermanshah City, Iran In 2005 : An Observational Study, Kamiar Alaei Jan 2013

Risk Factors For Injection Versus Non-Injection Drug Use Among Men In Kermanshah City, Iran In 2005 : An Observational Study, Kamiar Alaei

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT


Ecology Of Earthworms In Riparian Habitats, Rebecca Annette Pinder Jan 2013

Ecology Of Earthworms In Riparian Habitats, Rebecca Annette Pinder

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research on earthworm ecology in North America has shifted from a focus on agricultural systems to investigations of their impacts on forested ecosystems. Many of the earthworms (family Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, and Sparganophilidae) found so far appear to be groups of exotic species, many recently arrived from Eurasia. My preliminary research established their presence along forested headwater stream banks, previously assumed to be earthworm-free zones. These riparian areas are integral landscape elements that influence many downstream processes. This dissertation is the first to examine four aspects of earthworm ecology in riparian zones: species composition and distributions; community structure of earthworm assemblages; …


Alternative Vaccination Schedules (Avs) : Detection Of Avs In New York State Using Immunization Registry Data, Jessica A. Nadeau Jan 2013

Alternative Vaccination Schedules (Avs) : Detection Of Avs In New York State Using Immunization Registry Data, Jessica A. Nadeau

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Intentional deviation from the recommended childhood vaccine schedule (RVS), referred to as an alternative vaccination schedule (AVS) is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States. Physicians may accommodate vaccine-hesitant parents with an AVS as a compromise position to allow some vaccinations to be given, but in doing so children remain vulnerable to vaccine-preventable disease for a longer period of time. This research expands upon the nascent literature by proposing a unified definition of AVS, quantifying the prevalence of infants following an AVS in New York State (NYS) (exclusive of New York City) by geographic area and community and medical practice …


Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Late Woodland Triangle Point Types From The Mohawk Valley, New York, Amy Nicole Marie Fox Jan 2013

Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Late Woodland Triangle Point Types From The Mohawk Valley, New York, Amy Nicole Marie Fox

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Borrowed from the field of biology, geometric morphometric analysis has been recently applied to lithic assemblages with great success. This paper discusses the results of a 2D morphometric analysis of triangle points from the Mohawk Valley, New York, the staple point form of the late pre-contact period. This morphometric approach, which uses outline data extracted from high-resolution photos of the projectile points, leverages multivariate statistical analysis to visualize intra-type variation present in the collection. Change in shape (via length-width ratios) has been previously documented for this collection, but this new application of morphometrics results is a more nuanced look into …


From Whole-Cell To Compartment- And Class-Specific Analysis Of Rna Post-Transcriptional Modifications, Ryan Quinn Jan 2013

From Whole-Cell To Compartment- And Class-Specific Analysis Of Rna Post-Transcriptional Modifications, Ryan Quinn

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The genomic structure of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has proven difficult to examine by traditional high-resolution techniques. Structural probing and in silico modeling have been turned to the task instead. Computer models are only as robust as the data used to create them. A number of techniques were explored in this investigation to expand the utility of in silico modeling as it relates to HIV-1: the study of nucleoside modifications, and the probing of in vivo conformations of the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) by cross-linking and affinity capture.


Molecular Biochemical Study Of The Cataract-Associated Mutants In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Cindy Yeung Jan 2013

Molecular Biochemical Study Of The Cataract-Associated Mutants In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Cindy Yeung

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Cataract is a vision impairment disease that leads to light scattering and opacity of the eye lens. It is recognized as the most prevalent cause of blindness. Most cataracts occur due to aging, but those that occur in childhood or in young adults are typically of genetic origin. In the young (developing) eye, post–surgical complications such as glaucoma are common after cataract surgery. Hence there is a great need to develop non-surgical intervention strategies for the treatment of cataract. Here, two cataract-associated mutants of human γD-crystallin (HGD): i) Arg76 to Ser (R76S) and ii) a truncation mutation at Trp156 (W156X …


Mutational Analysis Of An Rna Aptamer, Deblina Biswas Jan 2013

Mutational Analysis Of An Rna Aptamer, Deblina Biswas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Aptamers are oligonucleotide molecules (DNA or RNA) that are selected against specific target proteins, nucleic acids or small molecules by using the well established technique of SELEX (Systemic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment). Their ability to bind with high affinity and specificity has opened up a wide arena of scientific applications. Aptamers have been shown to have many potential therapeutic and bioanalytical contributions such as in the treatment of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular and other major ailments. The aim of this dissertation is to study and analyze double transversion involving 4 bases in a RNA aptamer molecule: MinB4-au-flipS clamp …


Social Interaction And Youth Smoking, Min Chen Jan 2013

Social Interaction And Youth Smoking, Min Chen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Young people are psychologically immature, and are easy to be influenced by others to engage in risky behaviors. Based on the data from the NLSY79, this dissertation examines how maternal smoking, sibling smoking, and living in urban and rural areas impact on youth smoking decisions.


Developing A Typology Of Juvenile Sex Offenders, Creaig Anthony Dunton Jan 2013

Developing A Typology Of Juvenile Sex Offenders, Creaig Anthony Dunton

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Understanding juvenile sex offenders is of the utmost importance in order to ensure effective treatment and reduce recidivism. A more thorough recognition of this population is the best option in preventing future offending, because most adult sex offenders began their criminal careers in adolescence. Extant typologies of this population have been limited to be only descriptive or not empirically verified and thus of limited use. Hierarchical cluster analysis is used to develop a taxonomy based upon the content of case files from two juvenile treatment programs, based upon demographic information, offense details, psychological and behavioral issues, and participation in treatment. …


Structural Biology Of The Receptor For Advanced Glycation End Products (Rage), Jing Xue Jan 2013

Structural Biology Of The Receptor For Advanced Glycation End Products (Rage), Jing Xue

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The receptor for advanced glycated end products (RAGE), due to its location in the major histocompatibility complex class III (MHC III) region, suggests its involvement in immune responses. Because RAGE has been linked to complications of diabetes and chronic inflammation, the severity of Alzheimer's disease and cancer, it's significant to understanding the biological mechanism of signal transduction of RAGE.


Illusion In The Commonplace : Reinterpreting Ernst Gombrich's Concept Of Illusion, Jonathan Auyer Jan 2013

Illusion In The Commonplace : Reinterpreting Ernst Gombrich's Concept Of Illusion, Jonathan Auyer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In the dissertation I analyze and interpret Ernst Gombrich's book Art and Illusion, focusing on his view that illusion is involved in pictorial representation. Since Gombrich never gave a concise, systematic account of illusion, my goal will be to fill this void by using the text of Art and Illusion as well as Gombrich's subsequent writings in order to present a coherent account of how illusion might play a role in a picture's representing an object.


Writing From Life : Women And Economics In The Short Fiction Of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Nicole Ranieri Jan 2013

Writing From Life : Women And Economics In The Short Fiction Of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Nicole Ranieri

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The American author Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) believed that women's economic independence from their husbands ultimately benefitted the entire family. In her short stories, Gilman reached out to women and empowered them to make choices in their lives that did not pertain solely to the domestic sphere. This thesis discloses that Gilman expertly and practically incorporated into her fictional writings an expanded version of the ideas she set forth in her non-fiction Women and Economics to instruct women on the alternative choices at their disposal for work and an independent life outside of the home and the means to effect …


Exposure To Persistent Organic Pollutants And Metabolic Diseases, Zafar Zayirovich Aminov Jan 2013

Exposure To Persistent Organic Pollutants And Metabolic Diseases, Zafar Zayirovich Aminov

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of diseases that tend to occur together, including diabetes, hypertension, central obesity, cardiovascular disease and hyperlipidemia. Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been associated with increased risk of development of several of the components of the MetS.


Constructing Veterans : Women Military Veterans, Va And Society, Cecilia Ferradino Jan 2013

Constructing Veterans : Women Military Veterans, Va And Society, Cecilia Ferradino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite having honorably served in the U.S. military, many women do not see themselves as veterans. In so doing, they may miss out on much-needed benefits to which they have rightfully earned and deserve. But, the question goes beyond benefit claiming. If women who served in the military do not see themselves as veterans they are also relinquishing power that comes with membership in a politically and socially esteemed group. If women who served in the armed forces do not see themselves as veteran, then what is a veteran? Therefore, this research centers on the question: who, or what entity, …


Exploring U.S. Imperialist Influences On Bicultural Koreans' Identity Negotiation : A Critical Theory Study, Minsun Lee Jan 2013

Exploring U.S. Imperialist Influences On Bicultural Koreans' Identity Negotiation : A Critical Theory Study, Minsun Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Bicultural identity has traditionally been studied in a contextual vacuum, with little attention to how asymmetrical power dynamics between two cultures influence the negotiation of a bicultural identity. This critical theory study used a focus group and follow-up individual interviews to illuminate how five adult bicultural Koreans residing in the U.S. negotiate their sociocultural identities within the context of U.S. imperialist influences. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2008) and methods drawn from feminist research (Anderson & Jack, 1991) were employed to analyze the data.


Microfluidic-Assisted Atomic Force Microscopy For The Mechanical Characterization Of Soft Biological Materials, Aaron Peter Mosier Jan 2013

Microfluidic-Assisted Atomic Force Microscopy For The Mechanical Characterization Of Soft Biological Materials, Aaron Peter Mosier

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Viable methods for bacterial biofilm remediation require a fundamental understanding of biofilm mechanical properties and their dependence on dynamic environmental conditions. Mechanical test data, quantifying elasticity or adhesion, may be used to perform physical modeling of biofilm behavior, thus enabling the development of novel remediation strategies. To achieve real-time, dynamic measurements of these properties, a novel analysis platform consisting of a microfluidic flowcell device has been designed and fabricated for in situ analysis using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The flowcell consists of microfluidic channels for biofilm establishment that are then converted into an open …


Development And Assessment Of Analytical Methods For Monitoring Current And Historical Exposures To Manganese : Blood, Urine, And Teeth, Meredith Lyn Praamsma Jan 2013

Development And Assessment Of Analytical Methods For Monitoring Current And Historical Exposures To Manganese : Blood, Urine, And Teeth, Meredith Lyn Praamsma

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Manganese, as an essential trace element, is a cofactor in numerous enzymes that aid in bone growth, cholesterol synthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism. Manganese can become toxic with overexposure, potentially leading to neurodegenerative effects and the disease manganism. Manganese concentrations in blood and urine have been widely used in monitoring current exposure and now there is interest in using manganese concentrations in teeth for monitoring historical exposure, especially in utero and in early childhood.


The Acquired Preparedness Model And Impulsivity Moderated Expectancies : Examining Predictors Of Marijuana Use, Jamie Rae Bolles Jan 2013

The Acquired Preparedness Model And Impulsivity Moderated Expectancies : Examining Predictors Of Marijuana Use, Jamie Rae Bolles

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Acquired Preparedness Model suggests that links between personality and substance use are mediated by expectancies. Expectancy-moderated links between personality and substance use also have support in previous research. The current study sought to extend the Acquired Preparedness Model to a diverse sample of frequent marijuana users. Tension-reduction expectancies, impulsivity, and ounces of marijuana used per month were assessed in 5,996 participants recruited from a marijuana policy listserv. Tension-reduction expectancies partially mediated the relation between impulsivity and marijuana use. Additionally, expectancies and impulsivity interacted to predict marijuana use, with impulsivity showing a stronger link to use when expectancies increased. These …


Student Affairs As Formal Educators : When Rhetoric Meets Reality, Annie J. Virkus Jan 2013

Student Affairs As Formal Educators : When Rhetoric Meets Reality, Annie J. Virkus

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Student Affairs literature contains numerous approaches and strategies for bridging the gap between Student and Academic Affairs on college campuses. The use of student affairs professionals as instructors of credit-bearing courses is one example of such collaborative efforts. The student affairs literature identifies student affairs professionals as educators. While most college campuses use student affairs to teach courses, few student affairs professionals teach credit-bearing courses. As a phenomenological study, this research examines the culture, structure and politics of Departments of Student Affairs as seen through the experiences of Chief Student Affairs Officers. An electronic survey was administered and determined …


New Tools To Study Amyloid Fibrils And Intrinsically Disordered Proteins In Vitro And In Vivo, Jacqueline D. Washington Jan 2013

New Tools To Study Amyloid Fibrils And Intrinsically Disordered Proteins In Vitro And In Vivo, Jacqueline D. Washington

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Amyloid fibrils are β-sheet-rich protein aggregates commonly found in the organs and tissues of patients with various amyloid-associated diseases. The structure of insulin fibrils was characterized by deep ultraviolet resonance Raman and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy combined with hydrogen-deuterium exchange. Our new approach of combining NMR and Raman spectroscopy with molecular dynamic simulations for characterizing amyloid fibrils provided exclusive knowledge about fibril structure at amino acid residue resolution.


The Relationship Between Self-Determination, Achievement Goal Orientation And Satisfaction With The Learning Experience : Working With Adult Lifelong Learners, Jane Rodd Jan 2013

The Relationship Between Self-Determination, Achievement Goal Orientation And Satisfaction With The Learning Experience : Working With Adult Lifelong Learners, Jane Rodd

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This exploratory study investigated how self-perceptions of self-determination and of achievement goal orientation were related to self-perceptions of satisfaction with the learning experience in a population of 495 adults engaged in non-formal lifelong learning through participation as amateur members of the United States Dressage Association. Multivariate statistics were utilized to investigate the effects of self-determination (autonomy, competence and relatedness) and achievement goal orientation (mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance) on self-reported satisfaction with the learning experience; the six satisfaction sub-constructs were opportunities to improve (knowledge and skill), release and diversion (from everyday life), social aspects (interaction with others), (attitudes of) people …


The Effect Of Environmental And Psychological Coping Resources On Unemployed Adults' Well-Being, Robert Paul Carnicella Jan 2013

The Effect Of Environmental And Psychological Coping Resources On Unemployed Adults' Well-Being, Robert Paul Carnicella

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gowan and Gatewood's (1997) theory of coping with job loss provided a framework for studying how individuals cope with the stress of unemployment. Previous empirical evidence identified social support and financial resources as predictors of unemployed adults' coping outcomes. McKee-Ryan, Song, Wanberg, and Kinicki (2005), however, noted the need for further research to better understand the environmental and psychological coping resources used by unemployed adults. Savickas (2005) hypothesized that individuals who endorse greater amounts of adaptable thinking about their careers will also report a greater sense of well-being during career transitions. Thus, the present study examined how environmental and psychological …


Y-Family Dna Polymerases : Mechanism Of Single-Base Deletion And Effect Of Pcna Interaction, Yifeng Wu Jan 2013

Y-Family Dna Polymerases : Mechanism Of Single-Base Deletion And Effect Of Pcna Interaction, Yifeng Wu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Translesional synthesis (TLS) by specialized Y-family DNA polymerases is a DNA damage tolerance pathway to bypass DNA lesions that have not been repaired by other DNA repair mechanisms. Despite their valuable lesion bypass ability, the Y-family DNA polymerases display a much lower fidelity upon replicating undamaged DNA. Their activity therefore needs to be well regulated in the cell. In our first project, we examined how an archaeal Y-family DNA polymerase, Dpo4, makes single-base deletions during replication. Dpo4 belongs to the DinB subfamily which is known to make single-base deletions. Although previous studies suggested that it uses a dNTP-stabilized misalignment mechanism, …


Characterizing The Effects Of Glutaraldehyde On The Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel, Joshua Dov Strauss Jan 2013

Characterizing The Effects Of Glutaraldehyde On The Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel, Joshua Dov Strauss

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ryanodine receptors (RyR) are large intracellular calcium release channels, which


Phronesis After Situationism, Edward C. Dubois Jan 2013

Phronesis After Situationism, Edward C. Dubois

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Situationism, as put forward by John Doris' Lack of Character (2002) and several short articles by Gilbert Harman (2003, 2000, 1999), is the philosophical position that is skeptical of the existence of robust character traits of the kind that Aristotle described. Situationism posits that human beings lack robust character traits and are too easily made overconfident in their own behavioral abilities. Reams of social psychological data suggest that such 'thick' character traits do not exist. Doris and Harman suggest that subtle and potentially irrelevant situational cues may easily influence behavior. Moreover, situational pressures may cause people to deviate from expected …


A Study Of Habitat Selection By Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Dutchess County, New York, Shannon Rauch Jan 2013

A Study Of Habitat Selection By Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Dutchess County, New York, Shannon Rauch

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a New York State-listed threatened species with several disjunct populations located throughout the state. Blanding's turtles require a variety of habitat types including ponds, wetlands, vernal pools, and the surrounding uplands. Preserving these habitat complexes is necessary to ensure the persistence of Blanding's turtle populations, but this is becoming increasingly challenging in some locations due to significant development pressure. Key components of habitat protection are identifying preferred habitat types and gaining a better understanding of the variables that influence habitat selection. Previous landscape-level studies of turtles have found that land cover type, wetland type, …


Structure-Activity Relationship Of 2,3-Benzodiazepin-4-Ones As Noncompetitive Ampa Receptor Antagonists, Mohammad Shaban Qneibi Jan 2013

Structure-Activity Relationship Of 2,3-Benzodiazepin-4-Ones As Noncompetitive Ampa Receptor Antagonists, Mohammad Shaban Qneibi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

2,3-Benzodiazepin-4-one (BDZ-11) derivatives are a special group of 2,3-benzodiazepine compounds. These compounds have been previously synthesized as AMPA receptor inhibitors, and they are also potential drugs for the treatment of various neurological diseases involving excessive AMPA receptor activity. AMPA receptors are a subtype of glutamate ion channel proteins and are responsible for the majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system. Specifically, they are critically involved in neuronal development and brain activities, including learning and memory. Overstimulation of AMPA receptors is associated with some neurological diseases such as ALS, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Despite the fact that hundreds …


Influences On Social Workers' Approach To Informed Consent Regarding Antidepressant Medications, Janet Acker Jan 2013

Influences On Social Workers' Approach To Informed Consent Regarding Antidepressant Medications, Janet Acker

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Psychotropic medications have become an increasingly frequent aspect of mental health treatment, and social workers are uniquely poised to have insight to a client's experience of medication treatment as well as to observe and process with the client the way that medications are working or not working. They are also obligated to support clients with a meaningful informed consent process. This study adopts the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1988) as a lens through which to better understand the factors related to clinical behavior around informed consent when social workers are working with those who are using or considering antidepressant …


Humoral Immunity To Ehrlichial Infection : Identification And Characterization Of An Igm+ Memory B Cell Population, Jennifer Lynne Yates Jan 2013

Humoral Immunity To Ehrlichial Infection : Identification And Characterization Of An Igm+ Memory B Cell Population, Jennifer Lynne Yates

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Immunological memory is a fundamental concept that is key to generating and maintaining immunity to pathogens. Humoral memory resides in part in antigen-specific memory B cells, which are classically defined as class-switched, somatically mutated, long-lived cells that are highly responsive to specific antigen challenge. Despite the focus on class-switched memory B cells, several studies have validated the existence of IgM memory B cells, and have demonstrated distinct functions of IgM and IgG memory B cell subsets. Based on the expression of CD11c, we have identified a large population of IgM memory B cells using a natural model of infection by …


Post-Translational Modification Regulates Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Function During Axon Outgrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Erica J. Hutchins Jan 2013

Post-Translational Modification Regulates Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Function During Axon Outgrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Erica J. Hutchins

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The RNA-binding protein, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), is required for axon outgrowth. Its suppression in Xenopus embryos causes defects in the translation of mRNAs of multiple cytoskeletal genes. Studies in cell lines have established that hnRNP K shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm to bind and regulate the fates of its target RNAs, from splicing to export and translation. At each step, hnRNP K is regulated through post-translational modifications that alter its nucleic acid and protein interactions, and subcellular localization. Precisely how this happens in developing neurons to coordinate cytoskeletal gene expression with the extracellular signals directing …