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Family Communication About Sex Between Black Mothers And Daughters, Chasisty Gilder

Theses (Pre-2016)

N/A

Commencement Program 2014 May: School Of Architecture; College Of Science, The University Of Texas At Arlington

Commencement Programs, Photos, and Video

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program 2014 May: College Of Liberal Arts, The University Of Texas At Arlington

Commencement Programs, Photos, and Video

No abstract provided.

Investigating Gender Differences In Student Views Of Nature Of Science, Understanding Of Evolution, Religious Beliefs And Acceptance Of Evolution, Danielle Carlton

2014 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Evolution is a unifying theory in biology and provides foundational knowledge needed for future learning in the subject. However, acceptance of evolution may be challenging for students due to differing views of nature of science, understanding of evolution, and/or extent of separating evolution from religious beliefs. Further, males and females may vary in their views of the nature of science, understanding of evolution, religious beliefs, and/or acceptance of evolution; and such potential differences should be considered for all students to successfully learn this important scientific theory. Therefore, the research questions of this study were: 1) What are descriptive patterns and …

Women In Leadership Positions In The Workplace, Vanessa West

2014 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Women in leadership positions in the workplace is on the rise, so, understanding how women are perceived as leaders is critical to the success of both employers and employees of organizations. The research helped assess various aspects of the perceived effectiveness of women as leaders in the workplace. A field survey was distributed to a variety of organizations where anonymous, voluntary participants offered their opinions on women as leaders in the workplace. The survey questions were designed with an interdisciplinary approach in order to obtain a holistic view of respondents’ perceptions. The findings indicate that men are not as hard …

Dissociation Of The Effects Of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Fluoxetine In Prelimbic Cortex On Disruption Of Timing And Working Memory For Time By Neutral And Negative Emotional Events, Chance Christensen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Learning and memory abilities are altered in disorders of the serotonergic system, in disorders such as such as depression, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the processes impaired by emotional distracters, and whose dysregulation is documented in affective disorders, is the ability to time in the seconds-to-minutes range, i.e., interval timing. Presentation of distracters during timing tasks result in delays in responding suggesting a failure to maintain subjective time in working memory, as proposed by the Relative Time-Sharing (RTS) model. We investigated the role of the prelimbic cortex in the detrimental effect of anxiety-inducing distracters on the cognitive ability …

Evaluation Of Pro-Inflammatory Biomarkers As Potential Early Indicators Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (Ards), Makda Solomon Gebre

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Infections with the 2009 pandemic influenza A(HlNl) virus often leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in high-risk patients. In these patients, ARDS has a mortality rate of 40-50 % [1]. Patients may die before any intervention is possible since there are few if any early biomarkers that are indicative of ARDS and can be used for diagnosis. In a search for biomarkers that signal early disease progression in mice, multiple acute phase proteins involved with inflammatory responses to infectious stimuli were proposed. Three biomarkers were evaluated for this project. These included C-reactive protein (CRP), Serum Amyloid A (SAA) and …

An Evaluation Of An Auditory Neurophysiological Model, Alysha Nicole Waters

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Individuals with normal hearing are adept at understanding speech in the presence of noise, such as other speakers or environmental sounds. In contrast, individuals with hearing loss struggle to understand speech in the same adverse conditions. Neural processing in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the brainstem appears to contribute to the ability to separate simultaneous competing sounds. A computational model developed in the Sinex lab reproduces the responses of IC neurons to complex sound mixtures. It seems likely that the model can be applied to improve the processing of speech in noise. The computational model's effectiveness at improving the processing …

Contextual Differences In Reinforcement Affect Self-Control In Shr And Wky Subjects, Jonathan C. Rich

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is the outcome of selectively breeding its progenitor the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) for hypertension. In the present experiment, the context of reinforcement was manipulated to determine its effect on impulsivity across the SHR and WKY strains of rat. An additional block of delays was added onto the end of a standard delay discounting procedure to vary the context of reinforcement from one condition (0 sec.) to the next (60 sec.). Results indicate that both SHR and WKY subjects made fewer impulsive decisions when a shorter delay followed the longest delay in the task - although …

Trophic Status, Energetic Demands, And Factors Affecting Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Distribution In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Nicholas A. Heredia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The progression of human development across the landscape has caused declines to both terrestrial and aquatic fauna. Many fishes, specifically native salmonids, have seen reductions in both population size and geographic distribution resulting from reduced habitat, overharvest, and the introduction of non-native predators and competitors. A native North American fish particularly hard hit by these types of actions, Lahontan cutthroat trout, are now limited to less than 10% of their historical habitat, and currently occupy only half of the lakes that they once occupied.

In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, where Lahontan cutthroat trout were once locally extinct, due to overfishing, water …

The Impact Of Social Support, Psychosocial Characteristics, And Contextual Factors On Racial Disparities In Hypertension, E. Miranda Reiter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hypertension is a serious medical condition. Although men and women of all racial groups in the US suffer from high blood pressure, black women have the highest rates of hypertension. For instance, the age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension among black women ages 20 and over is 44.3, compared to 28.1 among white women, 40.5 among black men, and 31.1 among white men.

Past research has focused on SES and behavioral factors as potential explanations for blood pressure disparities between black and white women. But, even after controlling for such factors, considerable disparities remain. The goal of this research is to examine …

The Effects Of Laser Etching On Biocompatability And Mechanical Properties Of Polyetheretherketone, Andrew I. Deceuster

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a Federal and Drug Administration (FDA) approved biomaterial that has been used as an orthopedic implant material due to its inherent properties. Laser etching has become a popular means to create identification markers on the individual implants as required by the FDA. The interaction of laser energy with polymeric materials could potentially cause changes in the material's biocompatibility and mechanical properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of laser energy on the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of implantable PEEK by measuring contact angle, micro-tensile testing, nite-element modeling (FEM), and biocompatibility testing according to …

American Bison Ecology And Bison-Cattle Interactions In An Isolated Montane Environment, Dustin H. Ranglack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As bison are considered to be ecologically extinct, and negative interactions between bison and cattle are perceived to limit bison restoration and cattle production, I designed a series of studies to test for potential competition between bison (Bison bison) and cattle (Bos taurus) for forage on the Henry Mountains in southern Utah. These studies provide insight into key information gaps previously identified by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), Bureau of Land Management, and the local grazing association. The results indicate that bison and cattle are not strong competitors for forage on the Henry Mountains. …

Evaluating Process- And Constraint-Based Approaches For Modeling Macroecological Patterns, Xiao Xiao

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Macroecological patterns, such as the highly uneven distribution of individuals among species and the monotonic increase of species richness with area, exist across ecological systems despite major differences in the biology of different species and locations. These patterns capture the general structure of ecological communities, and allow relatively accurate predictions to be made with limited information for under-studied systems. This is particularly important given ongoing climate change and loss of biodiversity. Understanding the mechanisms behind these patterns has both scientific and practical merits.

I explore two conceptually different approaches that have been proposed as explanations for ecological patterns – the …

Synthesizing Research And Education: Ecology And Genetics Of Independent Fern Gametophytes And Teaching Science Inquiry And Content Through Simulations, Aaron M. Duffy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mission statements of Utah State University and the Department of Biology, as well as the requirements of funding agencies like the National Science Foundation encourage an integration of teaching and research. I have attempted to achieve that in my dissertation work by using tools I originally created to support and inform my biological research projects to teach science content and inquiry to middle school and undergraduate students.

Chapter 2 of this dissertation reports the results of surveys for Hymenophyllum wrightii, a fern with independent gametophyte populations in the Pacific Northwest, which improved our understanding of the range, distribution, …

Ringtail Distribution, Dermatoglyphics, And Diet In Zion National Park, Utah, Adrian Argie Roadman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current scientific knowledge of the ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is limited, thus impeding appropriate management decisions. Ringtails in Zion National Park, Utah, are rarely seen, but are involved in increasing occurrences of negative interactions with park visitors and employees such as food theft and denning in buildings, interactions which are harmful to both parties. To manage this conflict, an update to the general knowledge about the status of the population is required as the only previous study on ringtails in this area was conducted in the 1960s. Using noninvasive techniques provides dependable large-scale population information. I used two noninvasive detection methods …

Effect Of Poultry Litter Biochar On Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Growth And Ethanol Production From Steam-Exploded Poplar And Corn Stover, Oumou Diallo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of ethanol produced from lignocellulosic biomass for transportation fuel offers solutions in reducing environmental emission and the use of non-renewable fuels. However, lignocellulosic ethanol production is still hampered by economic and technical obstacles. For instance, the inhibitory effect of toxic compounds produced during biomass pretreatment was reported to inhibit the fermenting microorganisms, hence there was a decrease in ethanol yield and productivity. Thus, there is a need to improve the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol in order to promote its commercialization. The research reported here investigated the use of poultry litter biochar to improve the ethanol production …

Effects Of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Colorectal Cancer And The Development Of The Total Western Diet-2, Sara Kellen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Western diet is commonly consumed by industrialized societies and characterized by an increased consumption of vegetable oils rich in omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids. This results in a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in the diet. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are believed to induce a pro-inflammatory response in the body. Therefore, this change in PUFA concentration and/or ratio of n-6:n-3 in the Western diet may contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Five identical diets, varying only in PUFA concentration and n-6:n-3 ratio, were fed to mice dosed with a carcinogen and an inflammatory accent (AOM+DSS). …

Assessing Changes In Waterfowl Population And Community Dynamics, Beth E. Ross

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Studying long-term ecological studies can help ecologists understand what causes populations and communities of wildlife to change. Understanding these causes can help guide conservation efforts. Additionally, results from long-term datasets allow ecologists to predict how populations may shift with global change. Ecologists can then determine necessary management action to maintain sustainable populations in the future. However, there can be a large amount of “noise” in a long-term dataset. If ecologists fail to account for this noise, they may make incorrect management decisions. For example, samples taken in two nearby locations will likely be more similar than samples taken from two …

The Role Of Trpm5 In Dietary Fat Preference, Intake, And Body Composition, Dulce M. Minaya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We recently showed a critical role of Trpm5 in the transduction pathway for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the present study, I have begun to investigate dietary fat preference and the propensity to develop dietary-induced obesity in Trpm5^-/- mice. My preliminary data shows that in male mice placed on a high fat diet, Trpm5^-/- mice did not enhance their caloric intake as observed in wild type mice. Most surprisingly, however, was that I did not observe the same differences in between female mice, which posits a potential gender effect of this pathway on dietary fat intake. Also, …

Control Of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems Using Fractional Order Operators, Hadi Malek

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work presents a new peak seeking strategy for maximum power point operation using fractional order operators in the three-phase grid-connected photovoltaic systems. Moreover, fractional order controllers have been implemented in the voltage and current control loops. The simulation results and theoretical analysis indicate that the proposed fractional order control strategy improves the efficiency of the system by reducing the total harmonic distortion of the injected current to the grid and increases the robustness of the system against uncertainties. Additionally, the proposed maximum power point tracking algorithms provide more robustness and faster convergence speed under environmental variations than other maximum …

A Qualitative Study Of Women High School Principals' Career Life Histories, Jan Bradshaw Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Gender inequalities in the workplace continue to plague aspiring career-directed women. In public education, it is established that there are fewer women high school principals than there are men. In a profession predominantly employing women, the question remains, “Where are the women high school administrators”? This study examines the sociopolitical genders systems and psychological dynamics that perpetuate gender inequality. It then discusses the encumbered or constrained choices women make that are burdened or made more complicated by gendered sociopolitical or psychological dynamics. This study explored the unintentional career journeys of seven women high school principals and analyzed their career life …

Early Detection And Control Of Potential Pandemics., Shengpeng Jin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the centuries, human beings have been inflicted with a variety of contagious diseases, resulting in tens of millions of respiratory illnesses and deaths worldwide. Early detection of disease spread facilitates timely responses that can greatly reduce its impact on a population. Therefore, this early information is a major public health objective and is crucial for policy makers and public health officials responsible for protecting the public from the spread of contagious diseases. Current indicators of the spread of contagious outbreaks lag behind its actual spread, leaving no time for a planned response. The studies of Christakis et al. in …

Development Of A Light-Powered Microstructure : Enhancing Thermal Actuation With Near-Infrared Absorbent Gold Nanoparticles., Thomas Matthew Lucas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Development of microscale actuating technologies has considerably added to the toolset for interacting with natural components at the cellular level. Small-scale actuators and switches have potential in areas such as microscale pumping and particle manipulation. Thermal actuation has been used with asymmetric geometry to create large deflections with high force relative to electrostatically driven systems. However, many thermally based techniques require a physical connection for power and operate outside the temperature range conducive for biological studies and medical applications. The work presented here describes the design of an out-of-plane bistable switch that responds to near-infrared light with wavelength-specific response. In …

Pavement Deterioration Modeling And Design Of A Composite Pavement Distress Index For Kentucky Interstate Highways And Parkways., Chenglong Luo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pavement deterioration is one of the most important driver for prioritizing pavement management and preservation (PMP) projects. The primary goal of this thesis is to provide reasonable predictive functions from multiple linear regression (MLR) models and artificial neural networks (ANN) that can be adopted by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). Furthermore, we use analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to design a composite pavement distress index in order to help Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) prioritizing PMP projects based on 11 different distress indices. Numerical results show that the MLR models provide relatively high R square values of approximately 0.8. Both MLR and ANN …

Expanding The Frontier Of Gold-Catalyzed Cyclizations And Rational Ligand Design., Deepika Malhotra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of my dissertation work is to study the gold-catalyzed intramolecular and intermolecular cyclizations involving oxonium intermediates towards the application of synthetically interesting frameworks under ambient conditions and developing a rational approach for the effective catalyst design in gold catalysis. We explored the goldcatalyzed oxygen-transfer reactions of 2-alkynyl-1,5-diketones or 2-alkynyl-5-ketoesters to furnish five-membered rings bearing a quaternary carbon tethered to a carbonyl group. The detailed mechanistic investigation on the newly proposed intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition mechanism was performed by means of isotopic experiments and quantum chemical calculations. The reactivity of alkynylenolate was investigated in the reactions of allenic ketones and …

Invasive Plants As Drivers And Passengers Of Community Change In A Disturbed Urban Forest., Jeffery A. Masters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species can impact local ecosystems by decreasing biodiversity and local abundances of native species. Invasive species also frequently establish in disturbed habitats. An invasive species may dominate a habitat because the introduced species is a superior competitor (driver model) for resources or because the introduced species is more tolerant of noncompetitive processes such as anthropogenic disturbance that reduces the diversity and abundance of native species (passenger model). Ranunculus ficaria (Ranunculaceae) is an invasive plant species in the northeastern United States, and can be especially dense in urban riparian habitats. It emerges early and forms thick mats of vegetation that …

Epigenetic Modifications Associated With Aortic Remodeling In Hyperhomocysteinemia., Nithya Narayanan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is prevalent in hypertensive patients and is an independent risk factor for aortic pathologies. HHcy is known to cause an imbalance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) leading to accumulation of collagen in the aorta resulting in stiffness and development of hypertension. Although the exact mechanism of extracellular matrix remodeling (ECM) is unclear, emerging evidence implicates epigenetic regulation involving DNA methylation. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether inhibition of DNA methylation reduces high blood pressure by regulating aortic ECM remodeling in HHcy. Methods: In the first set of experiments, we …

Reclaiming My Body : Black Women And The Fight For Reproductive Justice., Shelby Ray Pumphrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My paper explores the unique forms of reproductive inequality experienced by poor women of color during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By analyzing the experiences of eight African-American women, I will illuminate their struggles and triumphs in the fight for reproductive justice. I focus on the impact of the breeding system of enslavement, inhumane medical experimentation and forced and coercive sterilization. In this work I argue that Black women’s subordinate status across multiple racial, gendered, and socioeconomic systems allows them invaluable insight into said systems and especially how they work in tandem to recreate oppression. Finally I explore the holes …

The Anti-Obesogenic Effects Of Nitric Oxide., Brian Edward Sansbury 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a strong risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and has quickly reached epidemic proportions with few tangible and safe treatment options. While it is generally accepted that the primary cause of obesity is energy imbalance, i.e., more calories are consumed than are utilized, understanding how caloric balance is regulated has proven a challenge. Molecular processes and pathways that directly regulate energy metabolism represent promising targets for therapy. In particular, nitric oxide (NO) is emerging as a central regulator of energy metabolism and body composition. NO bioavailability is decreased in animal models of obesity and …