Digital Commons Network^™

Nutrinews, Volume 8, August, 2015, Department Of Nutrition And Dietetics, University Of North Florida

NutriNews

This issue features Dementia or B Vitamin Deficiency?, Food Science News, Fruit of the Month Club: Featuring Guava

Increasing The Sensitivity Of The Michelson Interferometer Through Multiple Reflection, Woonghee Youn

Graduate Theses - Physics and Optical Engineering

Michelson interferometry has been one of the most famous and popular optical interference system for analyzing optical components and measuring optical metrology properties. Typical Michelson interferometer can measure object displacement with wavefront shapes to one half of the laser wavelength. As testing components and devices size reduce to micro and nano dimension, Michelson interferometer sensitivity is not suitable. The purpose of this study is to design and develop the Michelson interferometer using the concept of multiple reflections. This thesis proposes a new and novel design for a multiple reflection interferometer, where the number of reflections does not affect the quality …

Oxidized Phospholipids Regulation Of The Monocyte Recruitment Parthway In Human Aortic Endothelial Cells, Piao Jian Tan

Masters Theses

Low-density lipoprotein particles in blood plasma invade the endothelium and become oxidized, creating risk of CHD associated with atherosclerosis, the main underlying condition in coronary heart disease. Oxidation products of the phospholipid 1-palmitoyl- 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine (PAPC) are bioactive components of minimally oxidized LDL that stimulate endothelial cells that line the artery, leading to monocyte binding and atherosclerosis. It is hypothesized that the regulation of the monocyte recruitment pathway by these oxidized phospholipids is mediated by the binding of OxPAPC to one or more mediating proteins. Human recombinant VEGFR2, GRP78, and EP2bind to OxPNB, a biotinylated analog of OxPAPC, demonstrated using Western …

Academics: The Newsletter Of The Swosu College Of Arts And Sciences, Peter Grant

aCAdemicS: The Newsletter of the SWOSU College of Arts & Sciences

No abstract provided.

Exploring An Act Preparation Course As An Intervention Method For African American Students, Theresa Linette Harris Badgett

Dissertations

In recent years, there has been an interest in the effectiveness of college assessment preparation, which has prompted many studies. The majority of these studies researched instruction/coaching on the Scholastic Assessment Tool (SAT). Notably, the college entrance exam has become a growing concern for minorities, particularly African American students. Prior research by ACT, Inc. (2012, p. 2) has shown African American students rank the lowest in American College Test (ACT) scores of all racial groups. Between 2006 and 2011 the average ACT composite scores increased for White, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and American/Pacific Islanders. Hispanic scores remained unchanged and the …

A Study Of Change From Draft To All Volunteer Military: Analyzing Patriotism, Sensation Seeking, Value Of Money, Use Of Force And Intention To Join The Military, Selcuk Sami

All Theses

The current study has explored some incentives for young people to enlist in the military in the context of a national transformation into all-volunteer force from draft system. Specifically, in this study, I examined how strongly patriotism, sensation seeking, value of money for people, use of force in military interventions and intentions to join the military affect young people's behavior to enlist in the military. The Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) was used as a part of the model in this study. This study also looked for differences on intentions to enlist in the military among young people who …

Fitness Of Alternaria Alternata Field Isolates With Multiple Fungicides Resistance, Zhen Fan

All Theses

Field isolates of Alternaria alternata from peach were previously characterized for their sensitivity to succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibitor fungicides and the underlying molecular basis of resistance was determined. In the present study we report that isolates resistant to the SDHI fungicide, boscalid, regardless of genotype, were also resistant to pyraclostrobin and thiophanate-methyl. Resistance to pyraclostrobin was due to the G143A mutation in the cytb gene and resistance to thiophanate-methyl was due to a mutation of 167Y in the β-tubulin gene. Representatives of the two most commonly-isolated, SDHI resistance genotypes H277Y in sdh subunit B and H134R in sdh subunit C, …

Uncertainty Quantification For Electromagnetic Systems Using Asgc And Dgtd Method, Ping Li, Li (Lijun) Jun Jiang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, an adaptive hierarchical sparse grid collocation (ASGC) method combined with the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain method is leveraged to quantify the impacts of random parameters on the electromagnetics systems. The ASGC method approximates the stochastic observables of interest using interpolation functions over a set of collocation points determined by the Smolyak's algorithm integrated with an adaptive strategy. Instead of resorting to a full-tensor product sense, the Smolyak's algorithm constructs the collocation points in a hierarchical scheme with the interpolation level. Enhanced by an adaptive strategy, the Smolyak's algorithm will sample more points along important dimensions with sharp variations …

Silver Nanoparticle Coated Bioactive Glasses - Composites With Dex/Cmc Hydrogels: Characterization, Solubility, And In Vitro Biological Studies, Anthony W. Wren, Pegah Hassanzadeh, Lana M. Placek, Timothy J. Keenan, Aisling Coughlan, Lydia R. Boutelle, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Silver (Ag) coated bioactive glass particles (Ag-BG) were formulated and compared to uncoated controls (BG) in relation to glass characterization, solubility and microbiology. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed a crystalline AgNP surface coating while ion release studies determined low Ag release (/L). Cell culture studies presented increased cell viability (127 and 102%) with lower liquid extract (50 and 100 ml/ml) concentrations. Antibacterial testing of Ag-BG in E. coli, S. epidermidis and S. aureus significantly reduced bacterial cell viability by 60-90%. Composites of Ag-BG/CMC-Dex Hydrogels were formulated and characterized. Agar diffusion testing was conducted where Ag-BG/hydrogel composites produced the largest inhibition zones …

Legacy Specimens In The Ohio State Collection, James Hine, Bill Whan

Ohio Cardinal

No abstract provided.

Building A Better Infarct: Modulation Of Collagen Cross-Linking To Increase Infarct Stiffness And Reduce Left Ventricular Dilation Post-Myocardial Infarction, Andrew P. Voorhees, Kristine Y. Deleon-Pennell, Yonggang Ma, Ganesh V. Halade, Andriy Yabluchanskiy, Rugmani Padmanabhan Iyer, Elizabeth Flynn, Courtney A. Cates, Merry L. Lindsey, Hai Chao Han

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) deletion attenuates collagen accumulation and dilation of the left ventricle (LV) post-myocardial infarction (MI); however the biomechanical mechanisms underlying the improved outcome are poorly understood.The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms whereby MMP-9 deletion alters collagen network composition and assembly in the LV post-MI to modulate the mechanical properties of myocardial scar tissue. Adult C57BL/6J wild-type (WT; n = 88) and MMP-9 null (MMP-9-/-; n = 92) mice of both sexes underwent permanent coronary artery ligation and were compared to day 0 controls (n = 42). At day 7 post-MI, WT LVs displayed a …

Development Of High Efficiency Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cell And Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Cheng Pan

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

With the urgency to conserve finite fossil fuels and control the carbon release within the framework of Kyoto agreement regarding global warming effect, the society shows great interest for the renewable energy. Varieties of energy generation devices using renewable energy sources are then created. However, most of the technologies are still at early stage and the applications of these devices are limited due to their relatively low efficiency and high cost. For bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell, the disordered morphology within the active layer for conventional BHJ solar cell construction significantly prevents the free movement of charge carriers, leading to …

Tuftsin And Its Receptor Neuropilin-1 In The Attenuation Of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Jillian Cypser Nissen

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

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by progressive demyelination and degeneration of neurons. As MS progresses, T cells that are normally excluded from the CNS cross the compromised blood-brain barrier due to recruitment by the resident CNS immune cells, microglia. Both microglia and T cells can promote either disease progression or disease resolution through polarization into pro- and anti-inflammatory subsets, respectively. Therapeutic approaches in MS focus on diminishing inflammation and promoting expansion of anti-inflammatory immune cell populations. Tuftsin, a stimulator of macrophage/microglial activation, is a naturally occurring tetrapeptide with the sequence T-K-P-R. …

Plasticity Of Cortical Circuit Activation Within The Monocular Region Of Primary Visual Cortex Of The Rat, Trevor Charles Griffen

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

After eye opening, rodent visual cortex undergoes a period of rapid changes in cellular and synaptic properties that coincides with the maturation of visual receptive fields. During this developmental window, cortex is particularly sensitive to manipulations in sensory experience. Here, I used voltage sensitive dye imaging in acute cortical slices to show that the maturation of visual cortex is accompanied by changes in the spatio-temporal propagation of activity through the cortical circuit. The developmental alteration in the voltage signal is mediated in part by changes in the components of the signal mediated by NMDA, AMPA and GABAA receptors. Next, I …

An Investigation Of The Mechanisms Promoting Toxic Dinoflagellate Blooms In Estuarine Ecosystems, Theresa K. Hattenrath

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

Dinoflagellates can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs) associated with human health syndromes such as paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) and these HABs are a growing concern in many coastal regions. My dissertation explored the factors promoting toxic dinoflagellate blooms in estuarine ecosystems. Northport Bay, NY, which has experienced chronic PSP-induced shellfish closures due to the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense and blooms of the DSP-producer, Dinophysis acuminata, was used as a natural system to explore these factors while multiple strains of A. fundyense and a newly established D. acuminata culture isolated from North America were investigated in …

The Role Of Type Iii-Nrg1 Signaling In Excitatory Transmission In The Nucleus Accumbens, Ifeanyi Vincent Obiorah

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

Nrg1-ErbB4 signaling is important for the maintenance of synaptic plasticity, and the fine-tuning of GABAergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission. The Type III-isoforms of Nrg1 are predominantly targeted to dendrites and axons, and are expressed by the principal neurons of the hippocampus, cortex and amygdala. These neurons all send glutamatergic inputs into the nucleus accumbens, which expresses the Nrg1 receptor ErbB4. Integration of the information encoded by these Nrg1-expressing inputs, together with midbrain dopamine inputs is crucial for normal functioning of the accumbens. Based on the expression pattern of Type III-Nrg1 and its receptor, ErbB4, I propose that presynaptic Type …

The Evolution Of Pigmentation Traits In Natural Populations Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Rocio Siu Ng

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

Research on insect melanism has been informative in understanding how evolutionary mechanisms can produce phenotypic diversity. My dissertation examines how genes contributing to the pigment biosynthesis pathway may be contributing to natural variation of pigmentation traits in Drosophila melanogaster. I uncovered significant variation in abdominal and thoracic pigmentation both within and among populations of D. melanogaster in the eastern United States. I closely examined how polymorphisms within the pigmentation genes, ebony, pale, Ddc, and tan are associated with pigmentation traits. I also looked for patterns of nucleotide diversity in each gene as well as evidence for selection. Each of the …

Links Between Foraging Strategies, Feeding Competition, And Female Agonistic Relationships In Wild Western Gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla), Jessica Lee Lodwick

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

In wild primates, feeding competition is believed to influence female social relationships, patterns of dispersal, energy gain, and reproductive success. When high– quality foods are distributed in monopolizable patches, high– ranking females can use aggression to exclude low– ranking females from patches, thereby consistently gaining more food. Rank– related differences in female energy gain are expected to arise, and selection for aggression is thought to lead to unidirectional female agonistic relationships and a linear dominance hierarchy. The social and energetic effects of within– group contest competition have been extensively documented in small– bodied monkeys living in cohesive groups. However, the …

The Chromatin Remodeler Chd5 Orchestrates Repackaging Of The Sperm Genome, Wangzhi Li

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

One of the most remarkable chromatin remodeling processes occurs during the post- meiotic phase of sperm development, namely spermiogenesis. In mammals, this process results in the majority of the somatic histones being replaced with sperm-specific basic proteins called protamines, which repackage the genome into the distinctive and highly compact chromatin structure characteristic of mature sperm. This poorly understood process is not only crucial for male fertility, but also offers a unique experimental system to elucidate mechanisms of chromatin remodeling. Here I identified a critical role of Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 5 (Chd5) in the histone-to-protamine chromatin remodeling process. I …

Graphene Based High Performance Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent, Shruti Kanakia

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

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CA) are increasingly being used to enhance the contrast between normal and diseased tissues, and to help detect various anatomical and functional abnormalities in MRI scans. Today, 40-50% of the MRI procedures worldwide are performed with CAs, majority of them being gadolinium chelate based agents (GBCA). Theory suggests that the relaxivity (a quantitative measure of CA efficacy) of current clinical CAs is sub-optimal, and predicts the possibility of developing new contrast agents with relaxivities up to one to two orders of magnitude greater (depending on the magnetic field), that can allow the same clinical …

Recovering The Historicity Of The Ideological Production Of Sor Juana Inã©S De La Cruz | Recovering The Historicity Of The Ideological Production Of Sor Juana Inés De La Cruz, Megan Leanne Hughes

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

Many of Sor Juana's recent critics don't hesitate to categorize her work as early feminist writing, depicting her as a subversive visionary, a woman truly ahead of her time. Critical analyses of her work have often tended to emphasize Sor Juana's marginality highlighting her status as an illegitimate child, an unmarried woman dedicated to her studies, a defender of secular notions in a dangerously religious context, and a defender of women in a patriarchal world. The present discussion, however, represents an effort to resist the temptation to overly modernize Sor Juana; instead of understanding her life as an anomaly, this …

Sonorous Bodies: Representations Of Female Sexuality In Fin-De-Siã¨Cle Austro-German Opera, From The Wiener Moderne Toward The Weimar Republic | Sonorous Bodies: Representations Of Female Sexuality In Fin-De-Siècle Austro-German Opera, From The Wiener Moderne Toward The Weimar Republic, Kathleen Hulley

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

This dissertation examines shifting musical and visual representations of female sexuality in fin-de-siècle Austro-German opera, and demonstrates the ways in which these operatic representations attest to the changing conceptions of women during this era. From theatrical, visual, and literary representations, to legal and medical writings, numerous discourses proliferated regarding " normal" and " abnormal" femininity, often in relation to the health of society. Moreover, with the era's widespread belief that theater and opera fulfilled a social and often didactic role, the stage was understood as a place that could not only shape and regulate society, but also offer new social …

Prometheus & Atlas: An Inquiry Into The Spectral Essence Of Technoscience, Jason Reza Jorjani

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

Technological science has shattered the worldviews of all traditional cultures subjected to it, at times provoking reactionary religious responses that only underscore the traumatic force of this worldwide development. Yet, as I argue, this world-colonizing force is not neutral. The anticipatory projection and world-building characteristic of scientific theorization are grounded in a practical comportment, so that the essence of technology or Craft is ontologically prior to theoretical science. In other words, science is always already Technoscience. Moreover the theoretical concepts and methodologies involved in predictive calculation and in crafting frameworks that model and mold the world are derived from pre-conceptual …

Rat's Orofacial Activity Recognition And Its Applications, Le Hou

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

A major problem in neuroscience is determining the perceived value of rewarding and aversive stimuli in animal subjects. Orofacial activity, such as licking and gaping in response to tastes, has been shown to be well correlated with the perceived palatability of tastes sampled by an animal. The current standard for determining these orofacial reactions is frame-to-frame labeling by trained scientists, a very time consuming process. Here we introduce a supervised classifier that can automatically recognize nine distinct yet subtle orofacial activities with an accuracy of 82.00% (chances are 21.16%). The classifier implements data from both videos of rats receiving taste …

Inch By Inch, Joanna Marie Bavero

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

spread out and staring off wanderlust in chipping paint piece by piece, inch by inch each splinters, fractures, peels away severing each and every part, hour by hour, day by day,41 pages

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Malathion On Adaptive Plasticity Of Pseudacris Sierra, Michael Jonathan Maples

Master's Theses

This thesis is composed of two chapters. Chapter one reviews what is known about adaptive plasticity in response to predators, describes the physiological systems involved in such plasticity, and outlines the evolutionary consequences of adaptive plasticity. Chapter two describes a scientific experiment that investigates how malathion may impact adaptive plasticity in the Sierran Treefrog, Pseudacris sierra. Anuran tadpoles suffer high mortality rates due to predation. In response to strong selective forces relating to these high predation rates, tadpoles evolved the ability to adaptively respond to predators through morphological and behavioral plasticity. The morphological and behavioral responses are varied and depend …

Uah Humanities Center, 2015, University Of Alabama In Huntsville

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Abused, Neglected, And Abandoned By State Juvenile Courts: The Call For Reform In Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Sha'na Harris

Valparaiso University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Land Management On Mammalian Species Abundance And Richness Among Four Sites In West-Central Georgia, Kelsey A. Champagne

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Stability Of Isometric Strength Asymmetry And Its Relationship To Sprint And Change-Of-Direction Performance Asymmetry In Division-I Collegiate Athletes, Benjamin H. Gleason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the stability of strength asymmetry over a long-term period (1 year) and investigate the relationship of strength asymmetry to field test performance asymmetry in NCAA division-1 athletes. Isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) peak force asymmetry, ground contact time and finish time asymmetries on 10m sprint and 505 agility test performances were also observed. The impact of strength was also investigated in these studies to determine its effect on the magnitude of asymmetry.

In the second study, peak force asymmetry over a one-year period was observed to be a rather volatile quality, with ranges …