Digital Commons Network^™

Sperm Proteins And Chromatin Dynamics Associated With Male Fertility, Sule Dogan

Theses and Dissertations

The impacts of the paternal genome and proteins transferred to the oocyte through spermatozoa cannot be neglected during mammalian embryonic development. Studies over the past 40 years suggest that sperm chromatin alterations (such as DNA fragmentation induced by either chromatin condensation errors, apoptosis and/or oxidative stress) might be negatively associated with fertilization and early embryonic development [1, 2], [3] [4].However, precise molecular mechanisms by which sperm chromatin integrity and sperm proteins impact early embryonic development still remain unclear. Therefore, the objectives of this study were 1) determine DNA fragmentation induced by apoptosis its relationship with male fertility in spermatozoa from …

Implications For The Detection, Utilization, And Degradation Of Bark Beetle-Attacked Southern Pines By Subterranean Termites, Nathan S. Little

Theses and Dissertations

Bark beetles regulate forest succession by removing weakened or stressed trees and exposing understory species to light from canopy gaps. Subterranean termites are predominate decomposers of coarse woody debris in southern pine forests; however, little is known about their role in forest health and succession. Both groups of insects rely heavily on fungal symbioses to fill their respective ecological niches in southern pine forests. During recent inspections of southern pine timber, we observed that trees in the early stages of bark beetle attack often had subterranean termites in blue-stained portions of the trunk. The frequency of subterranean termite presence in …

Instructional Approaches In Social Studies: A Comparison Of The Impact On Student Achievement And Attitude, Carolyn Gaye Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

Many students feel that studying social studies is boring and not relevant to their lives. In social studies, the most common method of instruction is the transmission model in which the textbook becomes the curriculum and the teacher transmits knowledge through lecture. In the participatory model of instruction, the teacher facilitates student-led literature discussion groups utilizing narrative and expository trade books with the textbook as a resource. Previous research has indicated that instructional methods may affect student attitude and achievement; however, there is limited empirical research that is definitive on which instructional method is significantly better for students. The purpose …

Mechanisms And Variability Of Glyphosate Resistance In Amaranthus Palmeri And Ipomoea Lacunosa, Daniela Neves Ribeiro

Theses and Dissertations

The resistance of Palmer amaranth (PA) and the tolerance (natural resistance) of pitted morningglory (PM) to glyphosate have made these species among the most common and troublesome weeds in the southeastern U.S. since the adoption of glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops. Populations of GR PA (R1 and R2) were identified in Mississippi. The inheritance of glyphosate resistance was examined in reciprocal crosses (RC) between glyphosate-resistant (R) and -susceptible (S) parents (Female-S × Male-R, S/R, and Female-R × Male-S, R/S), and second reciprocal crosses (2RC) (Female-S/R × Male-S/R, S/R//S/R, and Female-R/S × Male-R/S, R/S//R/S). Dose-response assays resulted in 17- to 4old resistance to …

Microhabitat Use By Translocated Wild Turkeys In The Mississippi Delta, Matthew Ryan Mckinney

Theses and Dissertations

Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo silvestris) were extirpated from most of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) by 1980 by overharvest and habitat loss. Federal programs have restored areas of the MAV to hardwood forest, potentially warranting restoring wild turkeys to the MAV. As part of a pilot restoration study, I gathered data on resource use and nest sites from July 2010–August 2011. I observed intraspecific niche specialization and spatial niche separation between genders. Spatiotemporal variation in resource availability and intraspecific competition appear to be factors influencing intraspecific niche specialization. Mature hardwood forest was primary habitat selected by translocated wild turkeys. …

Forest Stand Preference Of Sirex Nigricornis, And Sirex Noctilio Hazard In The Southeastern United States, Kevin D. Chase

Theses and Dissertations

The Eurasian wood wasp, Sirex noctilio, is considered a secondary pest in its native range; however, it has caused significant economic damage when introduced to pine plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. Sirex noctilio was recently introduced to the northeastern U.S., which has raised concerns about its potential impact on Southeastern pine plantations. This research was conducted to understand how silvicultural management affects populations of a native wood wasp, Sirex nigricornis, a wood wasp with similar ecosystem functions as S. noctilio. Sirex nigricornis abundance was higher in un-managed pine plantations than in managed plantations, mixed, and old growth forests. Additionally, geospatial …

Genetic Insight Into The Function Of Pcp1p, A Mitochondrial Rhomboid Protease, Ningyu Xiao

Theses and Dissertations

Rhomboid peptidases are conserved intramembrane serine proteases with mitochondrial family members being involved in mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial rhomboid, Pcp1p, catalyzes the cleavage of two substrates: Ccp1p, which breaks down reactive oxygen species, and Mgm1p, a GTPase mediating mitochondrial fusion events. As an initial approach to determine the structural basis of Pcp1p activity, a screen to identify temperature sensitive alleles of PCP1 was performed using hydroxylamine mutagenesis. Eight mutants were identified from a pool of 30,000 colonies that exhibited either temperature sensitive growth or respiratory defects. These mutants also exhibited defects in Mgm1p and Ccp1p processing …

Identification Of Virulence Factors In Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Jingjun Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Edwardsiella ictaluri is the causative agent of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), which is one of the most important diseases impacting the US catfish industry. Though this disease has been very common, progress has been slow to find an economical and practical treatment method. Our long-term goal is to determine the mechanisms of E. ictaluri virulence in ESC. The overall objective of this study was to identify E. ictaluri genes required for host encounter and serum resistance and to determine their roles in pathogenesis. The central hypothesis is that E. ictaluri must differentially regulate its genes to invade fish and …

Impact Of Water Management And Agronomic Practices On The Performance Of Insecticide Seed Treatments Against Rice Water Weevil, Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus Kuschel, In Mississippi Rice, Charles Andrew Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Two field trials were conducted to determine the impact of water management on the efficacy of insecticide seed treatments against rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, in rice at the Delta Research and Extension Center during 2011 and 2012. The performance of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin was evaluated when the permanent flood was established at different timings (6 and 8 weeks after planting) and the effect of flush number (0, 1, or 2) on seed treatment performance was evaluated. Seed treatment efficacy was not impacted by delayed flooding, but 2 flushes reduced efficacy of some seed treatments. Experiments were also …

Explicit Finite Element Comparison Of The Lower Human Extremity Under Blast Load, Onyema Oyeka

Theses and Dissertations

Most studies on blast explosion focus on a single technique or software. This Thesis directly compares several methods of simulating blast loads using LS-DYNA, ABAQUS and CTH software. The techniques appraised in this thesis include; Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) equation of state (EOS), spherical incident wave formulation, and a direct planar blast load application. In the first section of this study, we analyzed a free air-blast generated by detonating 100 g of composition-4 (C-4). Next, we placed and examined the lower extremity model under the same blast parameters in different coupled and uncoupled scenarios. In the free air-blast study, all three codes …

Expression Of Dna-Damage Response Genes In Cells Affected By Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Andrea Rodgers Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Proper regulation of apoptosis during pneumococcal pneumonia is essential for resolution of infection. We hypothesized that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during infection causes sufficient DNA damage to alter expression of pro-apoptotic proteins. Despite inducing DNA damage, challenge with pneumococci did not cause alterations the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Puma (p53 up-modulated regulator of apoptosis) at early (4 and 6 hour) and late (16 and 24 hour) time points tested in this study. Puma-dependent global expression patterns were assessed, and the data demonstrated significant changes in expression of various genes (Prdx2, Ripk1, Api5 and IL-10) involved in cell death …

Fairgrounds Or Community: A Cabin Owners' Perception Of Place, Christopher Derek Nause

Theses and Dissertations

This case study focused on the Neshoba County Fair, located outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi, to investigate the role of design elements that foster a sense of community within the built environment. The fairground is unique because it exhibits two developed areas that portray different approaches to design: one that is sensitive to the landscape and one that is less respectful of original development practices. This research utilized a mailed survey, distributed to cabin owners within the fairground boundary. The survey examined whether cabin owners of the fair relate the sense of community with the elements in their built environment, as …

Fiber Separation From Milled Corn And Sorghum Using The Elusieve Processfor Value Addition To Feed And Biofuel Production, Tejas S. Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

Corn is widely used as animal feed as well as for fuel ethanol production. Fiber present in corn is not digested well by non-ruminants such as chicken and swine. Also, this fiber does not participate in conversion of starch to ethanol. Fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process, a combination of sieving and air classification, would result in high starch animal feed and increase ethanol productivity. The objective of the first part of this dissertation was to understand the effect of retention screen size in the hammer mill on fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process. …

There Is No Dome?, Mike Phillips

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Fulldome is slowly emerging from its planetarium shaped incubator into a brave new world of digital projectors, real-time visualisation software, independent content producers and transdisciplinary collaborations. This article takes a slow zoom through the evolution of fulldome. It reflects on the technologies and institutions that have shaped the fulldome orthodoxy and the recent emergence of a digital framework where all the different kinds of technologies, disciplines and media forms fit together. The fulldome may no longer be full of stars, but the emptiness that lies beyond its domed surface offers new imaginings of a ‘future in space’.

Former Men's Soccer Team Captain Wins Ncaa Walter Byers Scholarship, Winthrop University

Winthrop News 2013

• Matt Horn '12 and the University of South Dakota's Alexa Duling are the 2013 Walter Byers Scholars.
• They will each receive a renewable $24,000 post-graduate scholarship.

Cultivation Effects Of Media On Perceptions Of Ideal Masculinity And Identity, Christopher F. Clemens

Doctoral Dissertations

The current study utilized a survey approach using a convenience. Participants were asked to answer a battery of questions about media use, masculine ideal perceptions, and identification with masculine norms. Results showed that general media use positively predicted the perceptions of the ideal man’s drive for success, power, and competition. Contrary to cultivation research, television use found no significant relationships. Results also indicated that the ideal man’s conformity to masculine norms significantly predicted one’s own conformity to masculine norms. Many gender differences were present for media use, ideal perceptions, and identification with masculine norms. A structural equation model is presented …

Using Partial Differential Equations To Model And Analyze The Treatment Of A Chronic Wound With Oxygen Therapy Techniques, Brandon C. Russell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Chronic wounds plague approximately 1.3-3 million Americans. The treatment of these wounds requires knowledge of the complex healing process of typical wounds. With a system of partial differential equations, this project attempts to model the intricate biological process and to describe oxygen levels, neutrophil and bacteria concentrations, and other biological parameters with respect to time and space. Analytical solutions for the model will be derived for various frames of time in the wound-healing process. The system of equations will be numerically solved using Matlab. Numerical simulations are performed to determine optimal treatment strategies for a chronic wound.

Exploring Freshmen College Students' Self-Efficacy, Attitudes, And Intentions Toward Chemistry, Amanda F. Cook

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study examined the self-efficacy beliefs, attitudes towards general chemistry, and intentions to take future chemistry courses in a sample of (n = 1,126) first-time, first-year freshmen from a large comprehensive university in the Mid-South. The main purpose of the study was to determine the amount of variance in students’ intentions which could be predicted by self-efficacy, attitudes, and other known influences (past performance, past experience and choice of major). Findings from a standard multiple regression indicate that self-efficacy (β = 0.07, p < .05) and attitude (β = 0.50, p < .001) are both significant and predict 29.3% of the variance in intentions, with attitudes making a larger unique contribution. Using a hierarchical regression to control for other known factors, self-efficacy and attitudes were still able to predict 23.5% of the variance in intentions. Overall, the five independent variables were able to predict 31.7% of the variance in intentions. Implications for secondary and postsecondary science educators and STEM administrators are discussed.

Bones, Frogs, And Killers: The Corporeal Oppression Of Women In The Patriarchal, Christian South, Shawna F. Felkins

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Both Alice Walker and Dorothy Allison create female protagonists who face corporeal oppression in their works The Color Purple and Bastard out of Carolina, respectively. It these protagonist’s feminine gender that allows the men in their lives to control them. Connecting these two authors and validating there assertions of the power of patriarchy to oppress women through the physical body, is author Lillian Smith and her work Killers of the Dream. There is a connecting thread running through these works that explains the reign of patriarchal oppression in the South: Christianity. Women, especially those in the Christian culture of the …

Truth, Subjectivity, And The Aesthetic Experience: A Study Of Michel Foucault's History Of Madness, Clay Graham

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

One of the fundamental issues in 20^th century philosophy is of the nature of individual subjective experience. I seek to show how this “nature” is revealed and hidden by a historical process outlined in History of Madness by Michel Foucault. Foucault’s philosophical and anthropological engagement with the experience of madness in The Modern Age functions as a useful tool towards this end. The psychologisation and medicalization of madness in the 19^th century allowed for an endless discourse on madness. This in turn permitted the language of the mad to burst open from its silence, historically present since the …

Rainwater Harvesting: Examining The Potential Of Rainfall Collection As A Stormwater Best Management Practice And A Supplement To Municipal Water At Wku, Ashley C. Mccloughan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study seeks to quantify the potential amount of rainwater that could be harvested from Western Kentucky University’s main campus roof spaces and to evaluate the potential environmental and economic value of such an initiative in light of the global water crisis. Roof areas and historic rainfall data were used to enumerate the potential quantity of water averted by the selected buildings. Limited literature exists on the potential for rainwater harvesting in reducing quantity of surface runoff and what that means for stormwater management, so an evaluation was performed on the implications these installations could have specifically for WKU’s stormwater …

Can Persuasion Research Increase Commitment To Breastfeeding? A Test Of Women's Resistance To Pro Infant-Formula Messages, Jessica M. Parks

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

William McGuire’s Attitude Inoculation Theory (AIT) predicts that the act of warning women that they may be exposed to attempts to change their attitudes can “inoculate” them against persuasion. The warning can be compared to a weakened virus when it enters the body. In response to the threat or “virus” people will strengthen their attitudes. After a short delay the participant is introduced to the message and their resistance to this message is evaluated. The purpose of this study was to analyze women’s attitudes towards infant feeding by utilizing the inoculation theory. Overall, we found that the inoculation had no …

Using The Stroop Test To Indicate Levels Of Muscle Dysmorphia In Men, Molly White

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Muscle dysmorphia a disorder in which a person obsesses over not being muscular enough. The purpose of the current study is to discover whether the Stroop Test can be used to find symptoms of muscle dysmorphia. Participants first fill out a demographics questionnaire. Then they completed a task using E-Prime computer software. Participants are presented with a group of neutral and bodyrelated words in blue, green, yellow, or orange. They indicated the color of the word by pressing the first letter of the color on the keyboard. The reaction time, as well as the number of errors, is measured. Muscle …

Prophylactic Effect If Growth Hormone On Zebrafish Auditory Hair Cell Damage, Mackenzie C. Perkins

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Growth hormone (GH) has been shown to play a role in and improve hair cell regeneration when injected intraperitoneally in zebrafish post-sound exposure. The purpose of this study was to examine whether exogenous GH has a prophylactic effect on auditory hair cell damage when injected prior to acoustic trauma. Groups of zebrafish were injected with either GH or buffer. Immediately following the injection, auditory hair cell damage was induced through exposure to acoustic overstimulation. Hearing tests were then performed on the fish by measuring auditory evoked potentials. Then, the fish ears were dissected either immediately post-trauma or at one, two, …

Trends In Avian Populations Of Kentucky And Implications In Conservation, Sara K. Wigginton

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and other avian monitoring projects have been used as evidence that many bird species are declining. Two guilds which have seen major declines are the grassland obligate and woodland species (Wentworth et al 2010; Peterjohn and Sauer 1994). Some species have been experiencing an increase, including the Brown-headed Cowbird; a brood-parasite which can cause decreased fitness in host species (Brittingham and Temple 1983). BBS data collected in Kentucky from 1998-2011 was used for statistical analysis for this project. This data was used to answer 4 questions. The first was did the Kentucky Upper …

Molecular Mechanics Of Oxaliplatin And An Oxaliplatin Derivative With Their Relevant Biological Targets, Daniel C. Jackson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Molecular mechanics and dynamics calculations were used to simulate reactions of oxaliplatin and Pt(Me₂dach)(oxalate) with methionine and guanine, where Me₂dach is N,N-dimethyl-1,2-diaminocyclohexane. The results were consistent with steric effects that resulted in chelation when Pt(Me₂dach)(oxalate) reacted with N-acetylmethionine experimentally (Williams et al., 2013). The energy difference due to ligand bulk that was predicted using molecular mechanics was also consistent with experimental results: oxaliplatin’s ligand bulk did not prevent the formation of bis products with 9-ethylguanine and N-acetylmethionine, but the ligand bulk of Pt(Me₂dach)(oxalate) did prevent bis product formation with N-acetylmethionine, resulting in …

Phlip-Mediated Delivery Of Pegylated Liposomes To Cancer Cells, Lan Yao, Jennifer Daniels, Dayanjali Wijesinghe, Oleg A. Andreev, Yana K. Reshetnyak

Physics Faculty Publications

We develop a method for pH-dependent fusion between liposomes and cellular membranes using pHLIP (pH Low Insertion Peptide), which inserts into lipid bilayer of membrane only at low pH. Previously we establish the molecular mechanism of peptide action and show that pHLIP can target acidic diseased tissue. Here we investigate how coating of PEGylated liposomes with pHLIP might affect liposomal uptake by cells. The presence of pHLIP on the surface of PEGylated-liposomes enhanced membrane fusion and lipid exchange in a pH dependent fashion, leading to increase of cellular uptake and payload release, and inhibition of cell proliferation by liposomes containing …

2013 Spring Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Spring 2013 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, May 10, 2013.

Proceedings Of The Thirteenth Multidisciplinary Conference On Sinkholes And The Engineering And Environmental Impacts Of Karst Multidisciplinary Conference On Sinkholes And The Engineering And Environmental Impacts Of Karst Nckri Symposia 2, Lewis Land, Daniel H. Doctor, J. Brad Stephenson

KIP Talks and Conferences

Open Access - Permission by Publisher See Extended description for more information.

Blood-Brain Barrier Alterations Provide Evidence Of Subacute Diaschisis In An Ischemic Stroke Rat Model, Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis, Maria C. O. Rodrigues, Diana G. Hernandez-Ontiveros, Naoki Tajiri, Aric Frisna-Deyo, Sean M. Boffeli, Jerry V. Abraham, Mibel Pabon, Andrew Wagner, Hiroto Ishikawa, Kazutaka Shinozuka, Edward M. Haller, Paul Sanberg, Yuji Kaneko, Cesario Borlongan

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Comprehensive stroke studies reveal diaschisis, a loss of function due to pathological deficits in brain areas remote from initial ischemic lesion. However, blood-brain barrier (BBB) competence in subacute diaschisis is uncertain. The present study investigated subacute diaschisis in a focal ischemic stroke rat model. Specific focuses were BBB integrity and related pathogenic processes in contralateral brain areas.

Methodology/Principal Findings: In ipsilateral hemisphere 7 days after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), significant BBB alterations characterized by large Evans Blue (EB) parenchymal extravasation, autophagosome accumulation, increased reactive astrocytes and activated microglia, demyelinization, and neuronal damage were detected in the striatum, …