Digital Commons Network^™

Three Novel Rrna Methyltransferases In Mammalian Mitochondria, Ken Lee

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Mammalian mitochondria maintain their double-stranded circular genome in DNA-protein complexes known as nucleoids, similar to bacteria. While bacterial and yeast mitochondrial nucleoids have been studied more extensively, much is unknown about the protein composition and events that occur at mammalian mitochondrial nucleoids. Recent work has identified many novel mitochondrial nucleoid proteins by mass spectrometry, however the functions of many of these proteins are not well understood. One of the interesting proteins identified by mass spectrometry is RNMTL1, a putative RNA methyltransferase. A search for related mitochondrial proteins in proteomic databases revealed MRM1 and MRM2 as potential RNA methyltransferases as well. …

The Role Of Tolc In Francisella Tularensis Virulence, Christopher Richard Doyle

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen and the causative agent of tularemia. F. tularensis is a Tier 1 agent of bioterrorism that is highly lethal via the pulmonary route of infection. F. tularensis invades host cells, escapes the phagosome, and replicates in the cytosol prior to being released upon host cell death. The molecular mechanisms behind the virulence of F. tularensis are largely unknown. Among the described virulence factors of F. tularensis is a functional type I secretion system (T1SS). The T1SS is important for the secretion of virulence factors from the bacterial cytoplasm to the extracellular environment. …

Thalamocortical Input To The Primary Visual Cortex, Michelle Kloc

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is the region of the thalamus that innervates and relays sensory information to the primary visual cortex (V1). Thalamocortical (TC) input from the LGN drives the activity of V1, and underlies the health and function of the visual system. However, little is known about the synaptic properties of this input. LGN inputs innervate two layers, layer 4 (L4) and layer 6 (L6). This input has been examined functionally and anatomically, but the synaptic mechanisms of this input are poorly understood. The anatomy of the projection from the LGN to V1 encumbers the preparation of an …

Conflict And Cooperation As Social Responses To Ecological Change, Nicholas A. Seltzer

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation examines ways the environment conditions individual incentives to participate in collective action. I hypothesize that as resources become scarce, individuals are more willing to participate in individually-costly collective action, including intragroup cooperation and intergroup hostility. The first and second of three studies establish a unit-of-selection based, game-theoretic foundation for intergroup conflict. The final study explores macro-level implications for the relationship between climate change and violence in Africa. For human beings and other highly social creatures, cooperation is the key adaptation with which we respond to environmental challenges. Faced with resource scarcity, group living becomes increasingly vital for individual …

Attachment's Role In Social Support And Mentoring: An Investigation Among Collegiate Women, Alberto Herrera-Alcazar

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Recent years have seen a concerted effort to increase the number of women pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Although one approach to retention of undergraduates in STEM fields has been formal mentoring programs, other channels, such as naturally occurring mentor relationships, have served to retain students in science and other disciplines as well. The current project investigated the interplay between attachment representations of close relationships, social support and mentor relationships. The first aim was to examine the relationship between attachment and general facets of social support. The second aim was to assess benefits of mentor relationships on …

The Gendered City: The Politics Of Violence Against Women In Mexico City's Public Transportation System, Amy Dunckel

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

According to the World Health Organization as of 2010 more people live in cities than ever before. And yet, also according to them, women are one of the least likely groups to control the wealth and power that is produced in these metropolises. How are women excluded from equal right to the city? Why is gender inequality in cities so persistent and difficult for women to overcome? This research looks at the case of Mexico City -one of the largest cities in the world, hailed as an economic hub for Latin America- to answer these questions. In the last decade …

Visual Association Mining Of Multivariate Data, Zhiyuan Zhang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The rapid development of information technology produces vast amounts of data with numerous attributes. These multi-dimensional datasets offer tremendous opportunities for studying existing behavioral patterns and for predicting future developments. However, the high-dimensional space exceeds human comprehension. More sophisticated visualization techniques than the arsenal of standard plots are needed. First, we introduce an interactive navigation technique to help the analysts explore within the multi-dimensional data spaces. We employ a network-based interface and pair it with a parallel coordinates plot. In the network interface, the dimensions form nodes that are connected by edges representing the strength of association between dimensions. The …

Sustainable Access To Education For Southern Sudanese Refugee Children Living In Uganda: A Case Of A Refugee Settlement In Arua District, Amuge Edith

Master of Education

Education is considered obligatory and indispensable for the central development of all individuals in spite of their political, economic, religious and social affiliations. Yet for the Southern Sudanese refugee children living in Uganda, opportunities to education seem to narrow from one level to another withstanding the fact that the Southern Sudanese Refugee Children consider education their number one priority. The notion that education is a right seems more of a theoretical documentation than a practical execution. This paper explores sustainable access to education for the Southern Sudanese Children living in Uganda. The argument on this paper is that predictions are …

University Of Dayton Magazine, Winter 2014-15, University Of Dayton Magazine

University of Dayton Alumni Publications

This issue includes information about work UD students are doing in Africa, stories long told on campus, and the death penalty.

New Biography Chronicles The Life Of Teacher-Doctor Tinsley Harrison, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Annie Humphers-Ginther Honors Portfolio, Anastasia June Humphers-Ginther

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Anastasia (Annie) Humphers-Ginther's honors portfolio captured in December 2014.

Correlational Study Between Psychological Birth Trauma And Prenatal Care Among Adolescent Mothers, Brittani Rahndevu

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Research findings to be discussed are from a larger, quantitative study exploring psychological birth trauma (PBT) among adolescents. My study examines prenatal care (PNC) and its effect as a contributing factor in PBT, defined as subjective distress. Research was conducted at John Peter Smith County Hospital (JPS). IRB approval was initially approved by the University of Texas at Arlington and is now held by JPS. The sample included 256 multiethnic adolescents, ages 13-19 years. The Impact of Event Scale was used to measure subjective distress. Little research among adolescents shows the influence of PNC upon PBT. This identified problem statement …

Perceived Stress And Coping Strategies In Nurse Managers Attending The Online Academic Partnership (Ap) Nursing Administration Program, Ngozi Ilondior

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This quantitative study examines perceived stress and coping strategies in nurse managers in the online nursing administration program. Not only do nurse managers have to deal with the stress accompanied by the position, but also the stressful condensed master's program. It is crucial they can cope with different stressors ensuring a healthy and safe work environment for staff nurses. The relationship between perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale [α=.859]) and coping (COPE scale [α=.889]) was investigated using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. A positive correlation was observed between stress and maladaptive coping p=.031 (r=.416). There was a negative correlation between number of …

Tracking The Movement Of Pseudomonas Syringae Strains- On The Adaxial Leaf Surface Of Arabidopsis Thaliana, Vincent Nguyen

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Detection of population density is a form of communication for certain phytobacteria that usually involves the association of small diffusible chemical signals, particularly N-acyl homoserine lactones. It is pondered whether or not this molecule and the phytotoxin, coronatine, play a significant role in the directional motility of the wild type (Pst DC3000) and mutant strains (Pst DC3118, Pst DB29, and Pst psy/IR-) of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato on the adaxial surface of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. A leaf assay and in vivo experimentation by spotting a set of leaves for each bacteria and making an imprint on an agar plate following …

Interactions Of Protist And Bacteria: A Mathematical Model, Matthew Le

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Relationships between interacting organisms generally have several key variables that describe the dynamics of their specific relationship. And the results from those symbiotic relationships are important in that both species are affected in a significant, observable way. With this in mind, it is found that the characteristic actions of each of the two species affect the population size of both species. This effect, caused by the species' actions and interactions is qualitatively noted and is further interpreted and quantized. The complicated relationship between a predator and its prey is broken down and analyzed to give better insight to the projected …

The Impact Sex Trafficking Education Has On Reported Cases, Ivette Cervantes

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether educating the public on the issue of sex trafficking has an impact on cases being reported. Several non-profit organizations located across Texas were interviewed. The organizations' mission is to provide services to sex trafficking victims and raise public awareness. Interviews were conducted with organizations located in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston. A major finding is that failure to properly identify victims is a core issue. Public awareness has increased. The public is aware that sex trafficking is a current issue, but their awareness does not impact cases being reported. …

Have You Volunteered To Arbitrate Today, Lynne Canning

New Mexico Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Warning Labels On Media Advertisements And The Influence On Women's Body Satisfaction, Kaysha Herd

2014 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Research shows one probable source of body dissatisfaction is the thin ideal prevalent in media images (Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2004). This bombardment of thin images can lead individuals to internalize the thin ideal, possibly leading to body dissatisfaction, poorer life satisfaction, and/or irregular eating behaviors. The focal hypothesis investigated if women's internalization of the thin ideal affects their body satisfaction, even when warning labels were present on advertisements. Secondly, it examined if body satisfaction varies among different ethnicities. Participants were 150 female undergraduates randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) control, (2) thin ideal, (3) thin ideal with subtle …

Reconstructing The Taiwanese Rule On Pure Economic Loss: Establishing A General Standard For Recovery For Pure Economic Loss In Unintentional Torts, Wen-Hsuan Yang

Maurer Theses and Dissertations

An important issue in Taiwan today is whether pure economic loss can be recovered as a right under the former part of first paragraph of Article 184 in Civil Code of Taiwan, thereby making it recoverable in unintentional torts. Contrary to most scholars in Taiwan, this Thesis argues that 1) pure economic loss should be a recognizable harm under the former part of first paragraph of Article 184; and 2) economic loss should be considered on a category-by-category basis, rather than the traditional all-or-none basis presently used in Taiwan.

Traditionally, two arguments are made against recovery for pure economic loss …

A Fish Farmer’S Role In Sustainable Aquaculture: An Overview Of Philippine Aquaculture, Janice A. Ragaza, Jonni Fay C. Teves

Biology Faculty Publications

The expansion of Philippine aquaculture is essential to addressing poverty and food insecurity in the midst of a seemingly irreversible decline in national capture fisheries. Concomitant with its rise, however, are compounding environmental problems caused by climate change, lackluster governance and irresponsible farming practices. It is equally important to ensure aquaculture sustainability so that fish demand from a rapidly growing population is continually met and that fish farmers’ socioeconomic well-being is secured. As such, programs have been developed that aim to enjoin the government and private sectors with fishing communities to realize this goal.

Shape/Image Registration For Medical Imaging : Novel Algorithms And Applications., Ahmed Magdy Shalaby 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation looks at two different categories of the registration approaches: Shape registration, and Image registration. It also considers the applications of these approaches into the medical imaging field. Shape registration is an important problem in computer vision, computer graphics and medical imaging. It has been handled in different manners in many applications like shapebased segmentation, shape recognition, and tracking. Image registration is the process of overlaying two or more images of the same scene taken at different times, from different viewpoints, and/or by different sensors. Many image processing applications like remote sensing, fusion of medical images, and computer-aided surgery …

Development Of Models For The Study Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Host Restriction And Adaptation Of Hantaviruses., Ryan Carroll Mcallister 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hantaviruses, family Bunyaviridae, are present throughout the globe in a variety of mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, or bat species. Hantaviruses persist for the lifetime of the animal reservoir, while causing no signs or symptoms of disease. Only the rodent-borne hantaviruses cause disease in humans. In contrast, a “spillover” infection of a hantavirus into a nonreservoir rodent species results in an asymptomatic acute infection. We and others in the field are interested in understanding the biology of these virus-host interactions and mechanisms that underlie these three very different outcomes. The second chapter of my thesis focused on probing the intrahost …

Surviving The Death Of A Sibling : A Phenomenological Study Of Childhood Bereavement., Edith Crumb Gunter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The loss of a sibling can be devastating to children, especially for children ages 7-12, who are at a critical juncture in their development. The loss can impede their development if their bereavement is not effectively addressed. For this reason, this dissertation evaluated four theoretical frameworks to provide a foundation for bereavement support for children: Assumptive World Theory, Dual Process Model, Meaning Reconstruction Theory, and Tasks of Mourning. Developmental theories and considerations were explored to gain knowledge of children’s levels of understanding, processing, and coping. Method: This study utilized a sample of five children ages 7-12 who had survived the …

Retinal Synaptic Function In The Absence Of The On Pathway., Kathryn Marie Heath Fransen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Complete Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (cCSNB) is a rare hereditary retinal disorder characterized by abnormal night vision. cCSNB is caused by postsynaptic defects in On bipolar cells (BCs) and is identified by the presence of an electroretinogram (ERG) with a normal a-wave, corresponding to photoreceptor function, and the absence of a b-wave, corresponding to a failure of On BC function. Through the study of genetic mutations in mouse that result in no b-wave ERG phenotypes, several proteins have been identified that play crucial roles in On BC signal transmission. I focused on four mouse models of cCSNB; Nyxnob (Nyctalopin mutant), …

Study Of Novel Nanoparticle Transport And Drug Release For Cancer Treatment., Christopher Gene England 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nano-scale particles sized 10—400 nm administered systemically preferentially extravasate from tumor vasculature due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Therapeutic success remains elusive, however, because of inhomogeneous particle distribution within tumor tissue. Insufficient tumor vascularization limits particle transport and also results in avascular hypoxic regions with non-proliferating cells, which can regenerate tissue after nanoparticle-delivered cytotoxicity or thermal ablation. In this study, gold nanoparticles were functionalized with phosphatidylcholine (two-layer) or phosphatidylcholine and HDL (three-layer) in the formation of “layered” nanoparticles. The diffusivity of both two- and three layered colloidal gold nanoparticles and silica gold nanoshells were examined in 3D cell …

Avatar Captcha : Telling Computers And Humans Apart Via Face Classification And Mouse Dynamics., Darryl Felix D’Souza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bots are malicious, automated computer programs that execute malicious scripts and predefined functions on an affected computer. They pose cybersecurity threats and are one of the most sophisticated and common types of cybercrime tools today. They spread viruses, generate spam, steal personal sensitive information, rig online polls and commit other types of online crime and fraud. They sneak into unprotected systems through the Internet by seeking vulnerable entry points. They access the system’s resources like a human user does. Now the question arises how do we counter this? How do we prevent bots and on the other hand allow human …

Avoidance In Disordered Eating : The Roles Of Overvaluation Of Weight And Shape And Repetitive Thinking., Anne Christine Bjerg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disordered eating is associated with several negative outcomes and often lead to diagnosable eating disorders. The coping strategies used by those with disordered eating may contribute to such consequences. Past research has found experiential avoidance to be common among those with disordered eating to escape uncomfortable internal experiences. The current study suggested that repetitive thinking and overvaluation of weight and shape are two such mechanisms by which avoidance of negative core beliefs, in particular, is achieved. It was hypothesized that eating disorder symptoms, negative core beliefs, experiential avoidance, overvaluation of weight and shape and repetitive thinking would all be positively …

Graduate Students Who Are Part-Time Workers : How Does Occupational Stress And Gender Role Affect Job Satisfaction?, Megan Church-Nally

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Job satisfaction and occupational stress have consistently been examined in professionals for decades due to its link to turnover and reduced productivity. Similar concepts have been investigated in undergraduate students, but there is paucity of research of attrition in graduate students. This gap persists despite estimates that 50% of graduate students fail to graduate (Cassuto, 2013). Such attrition is not due to deficiency in academic skills, as Carroll, Ng, and Birch (2009) reported that personal reasons were cited more than academic concerns for attrition. The purpose of this dissertation was to address this job satisfaction and occupational stress gap with …

Classification Of Clinical Outcomes Using High-Throughput And Clinical Informatics., Alexander Carswell Cambon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is widely recognized that many cancer therapies are effective only for a subset of patients. However clinical studies are most often powered to detect an overall treatment effect. To address this issue, classification methods are increasingly being used to predict a subset of patients which respond differently to treatment. This study begins with a brief history of classification methods with an emphasis on applications involving melanoma. Nonparametric methods suitable for predicting subsets of patients responding differently to treatment are then reviewed. Each method has different ways of incorporating continuous, categorical, clinical and high-throughput covariates. For nonparametric and parametric methods, …

Evaluating The Effects Of Aroclor 1260 In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease : The Role Of Xenobiotic Receptors., Banrida Wahlang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental toxicants, present in 100% of US adults and dose-dependently associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in epidemiologic studies. PCBs are predicted to interact with receptors previously implicated in xenobiotic/energy metabolism and NAFLD. These receptors include the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), liver-X-receptor and farnesoid-X-receptor. This study evaluated the hepatic effects of the PCB mixture, Aroclor 1260, whose composition mimics human bioaccumulation patterns, in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Male C57Bl/6J mice were fed a control or 42% high fat diet (HFD) …