Digital Commons Network^™

Reprogramming To Pluripotency Using Small Molecule Compounds, Brittany E. Greenberg

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) through the use of small molecule compounds has evolved as a potential cellular reprogramming strategy. Individually, specific small molecule compounds have previously been shown to replace reprogramming transcription factors or enhance the efficiency of cellular reprogramming. More recently, a combination of small molecule compounds can replace all of the reprogramming factors. In this review, we describe in detail the generation of chemically induced pluripotent stem cells using small molecule inhibitors and activators that target either downstream protein kinases or modify chromatin structure to promote somatic cell reprogramming. In addition, epigenetic modulating small …

Burden, Depressive Symptoms, And Perceived Health In Male Caregivers Of Persons With End Stage Renal Disease, Loretta Alexia Williams

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Men are increasingly assuming the role of caregiver to individuals with chronic illnesses. The debilitating effects of ESRD cause many of those diagnosed with the disease to require assistance from family caregivers. Caregiver literature well reports that caregivers experience mental and physical health effects related to this role. However, research involving the experiences of male caregivers of individuals with ESRD is understudied. These studies use the background and contextual as well as primary and secondary domains of the Stress Process Model to determine the levels of and explore the experiences associated with caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and perceived health …

Development Of Oral Vaccines Against Lyme Disease, Rita Raquel Dos Anjos De Carvalho E Melo

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Lyme Disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and Europe. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage to the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. In some cases, patients that receive the recommended antibiotic therapy develop a debilitating health condition associated with substantial health care costs. Despite current preventive measures, the incidence and the geographic distribution of Lyme Disease continues to increase. Recent estimates from CDC suggest that the true number of cases of Lyme Disease in the US is approximately 300,000 per year. Yet, there is currently no vaccine …

Optimization Of Lead Spectinamide Compounds As Novel Anti-Tuberculosis Agents With A Pharmacometric Approach, Ashit Rasendu Trivedi

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

In an effort to combat the global Tuberculosis pandemic, Dr.Richard E. Lee and his group at St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital designed a novel series of anti-tuberculosis agents, spectinamides – semi-synthetic analogs of spectinomycin. Spectinamides are a potent inhibitor of mycobacterial ribosomes and overcome efflux mediated drug resistance in M. tb. Spectinamides have shown an excellent in vitro activity, which makes them well suited for further lead optimization and preclinical development. We hypothesized that through pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) model-based dosing optimization studies, we could strategically guide the selection and refinement of more potent and effective anti-TB spectinamides. Biopharmaceutical in …

Medicaid Discontinuity Among Adults With Cardiovascular Disease Or High Risk Conditions: Associations With Medication Adherence And Health Care Utilization, Kiraat Divyang Munshi

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

BACKGROUND: Medicaid coverage among adults is often characterized by discontinuity – loss of Medicaid coverage, and churning, or entering and exiting Medicaid – over short durations. Little is known about the impact of having discontinuous Medicaid coverage on access to care, preventive care, pharmacotherapy, primary care, and hospitalizations, among non-elderly adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or high-risk conditions.

OBJECTIVES: This dissertation employed a three empirical research papers approach to pursue the following aims: (1) characterize the adult subpopulations with CVD or conditions placing them at high risk for CVD who lack continuous Medicaid coverage, and examine the characteristics associated with …

Functional Analysis Of Genomic Variation And Impact On Molecular And Higher Order Phenotypes, Ashutosh Kumar Pandey

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Reverse genetics methods, particularly the production of gene knockouts and knockins, have revolutionized the understanding of gene function. High throughput sequencing now makes it practical to exploit reverse genetics to simultaneously study functions of thousands of normal sequence variants and spontaneous mutations that segregate in intercross and backcross progeny generated by mating completely sequenced parental lines. To evaluate this new reverse genetic method we resequenced the genome of one of the oldest inbred strains of mice—DBA/2J—the father of the large family of BXD recombinant inbred strains. We analyzed ~100X wholegenome sequence data for the DBA/2J strain, relative to C57BL/6J, the …

Can The Quill Be Mightier Than The Uzi?: History "Lite," "Law Office," And Worse Meets The Second Amendment, Martin S. Flaherty

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Development And Evaluation Of Amphotericin B Loaded Iron Oxide Nanoparticles For Targeted Drug Delivery To Systemic Fungal Infections, Pavan Balabathula

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

A targeted nanotheronostic drug delivery system to diagnose and treat life threatening invasive fungal infections (IFIs) such as cryptococcal meningitis was designed, developed, characterized, and evaluated. To address the development processes, first, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) (34-40 nm) coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), loaded and targeted with amphotericin B (AMB) (AMB-IONP) was formulated by applying a layer by layer approach. Several designs (A, B, C, D, & E) of AMB-IONP were developed and their physicochemical properties such as drug loading with HPLC method, particle size, poly dispersity index (PDI), and ζ-potential using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique, morphology with …

Genetic Control Of Survival And Weight Loss During Pneumonic Burkholderia Pseudomallei (Bp) Infection, Felicia D. Emery

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is a saprophytic, gram-negative aerobe and the causative agent of the disease melioidosis. Melioidosis is an infectious disease that occurs in humans and animals and is prevalent in Southeast Asia, northern Australia and other tropical areas. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the organism via ingestion, inhalation, or through open wounds and skin abrasions. Clinical presentation is extremely variable and can range from acute septicemia with bacterial dissemination to distant sites, to an isolated pulmonary infection. Treatment of melioidosis can be problematic because it is often difficult to diagnose and Bp is resistant to a diverse group …

Gold, Iron, And Stone: The Urban And Architectural History Of Denver, Colorado, Caitlin A. Milligan

Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design Theses & Dissertations

The state of Colorado and its capital city of Denver conjure up mental images of swift skiers flying down snowy slopes, hikers making their way through dense forests, and enormous mountain ranges penetrating the skyline with their jagged peaks. The image of Colorado is one of the scenic beauty of the outdoors that awaits any tourist, and its capital city is at the center of it all. Since its founding in 1858, Denver has gone from a small pioneering village to a large metropolis with a spot on the global map. The history and development of this city is a …

Applying Molecular And Phenotypic Tools To Characterize Flesh Texture And Acidity Traits In The Arkansas Peach Breeding Program And Understanding The Crispy Texture In The Arkansas Blackberry Breeding Program, Alejandra Andrea Salgado Rojas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) utilizing a pedigree-based analysis (PBA) approach was performed in the peach breeding program for the first time. The pedigree consisted of seven-F1 populations, their parents, ancestors, and cultivars. Flesh firmness and titratable acidity (TA) were examined in 2011, 2012, and 2013. For TA, a consistent and strong QTL was identified on the proximal end of linkage group (LG) 5 of the peach genome. For flesh firmness, two QTLs were located on LG 4. The first QTL was located on the chromosomal region where the slow-melting flesh (SMF) DNA test was identified, and the second QTL was …

Contribution To T He Onboard Context Sensitive Information System ( Of Commercial Aircraft, Wei Tan

Theses and Dissertations

Pilots currently use paper-based documentation and electronic systems (e.g., Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) for Airbus, and Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) for Boeing) to help them perform procedures to ensure safety, efficiency and comfort on commercial aircrafts. Management of interconnections among paper-based operational documents can be a challenge for pilots, especially when time pressure is high in normal, abnormal, and emergency situations. This dissertation is a contribution to the design of an Onboard Context-Sensitive Information System (OCSIS). The claim is that the use of contextual information facilitates access to appropriate operational content at the right time either …

The Psychological And Post-Colonial Approaches In Interpreting The Self And The Other In Heart Of Darkness And Things Fall Apart., Soumaya Ferchichi

Theses (Pre-2016)

To some critics, Things FallApart by Chinua Achebe, first published in 1958, comes to be the antithesis of Heart ofDarkness by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1899. In fact, this thesis will highlight Achebe's enthusiasm and nationalism that lead him to create a vivid picture of the African individual who is presented as belonging to a rich heritage of unique and complex African tradition. Achebe's characterization and representation of Africans in his novel is thought to be an ardent response to Conrad's assumed or perceived "racism." Yet, this thesis will discuss this dispute by giving new evidence to support Conrad's …

Detection Of Trace Metals (Ai, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, U, Ba, Zn,As, Mo, Cd) In The Houston Ship Channel Water By Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (Icp-Ms), Boingoc Thi Dang

Theses (Pre-2016)

The Houston Ship Channel is one of the nation busiest seaports. The channel has been transporting goods to the sea since 1836. The oil and gas industry has started to emerge in Texas, leading to the building and construction of numerous refineries around the ship channel (Port of Houston, 2012). The basis of this research was to investigate the concentration of trace metals in the Ship Channel of Houston. Houston is known for its oil and gas refineries and also the heavy metals that might be discharged through waste associated with surrounding industries. The Ship Channel has a large amount …

The Relationship Between Radio Ktsu And Hd Radio Programming Preferences Among Adults 18 To 64, Deborah R. Chambers

Theses (Pre-2016)

The aim of this study was to investigated the programming choices and content desires among adults aged 18-64 that listen to KTSU 90.9FM. Many FM radio stations in Houston, Texas and across the country have embraced the digital technology of lID Radio broadcasting. These stations are using niche programs to attract and maintain its listening audiences. Radio listening habits are rapidly changing due to such new listening choices as satellite radio, Internet streaming, mobile devices, and MP3 players. KTSU airs music, news, sports, and talk programs on its lID1 channel. Currently, there are no programs on KTSU's lID2 and HD3 …

In Your Region December 2015, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Effects Of 12-Month, 2000iu/Day Vitamin D Supplementation On Treatment Naïve And Vitamin D Deficient Saudi Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Abdulaziz M. Al-Othman, Nasser M. Al-Daghri, Shaun B. Sabico

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine whether 12-month, 2000IU/day vitamin D supplementation cardiometabolically improves treatment naïve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) Saudi patients with vitamin D deficiency. Methods: This 12-month interventional study was conducted at primary health centers in 5 different residential areas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between January 2013 and January 2014. Forty-five Saudi T2DM patients were enrolled. Baseline anthropometrics, glycemic, and lipid profiles were measured and repeated after 6 and 12 months. All subjects were provided with 2000IU vitamin D supplements for one year. Results: Vitamin D deficiency at baseline was 46.7%, 31.8% after 6 months, and 35.6% after 12 months, …

Torsion Of A Wandering Spleen: A Rare Cause Of Acute Abdomen, Nwashilli N. Jude, Nwajei C. Onochie

Saudi Medical Journal

Wandering spleen is a rare condition that accounts for less than 0.25% of all indications for splenectomy. It is characterized by ectopic localization of the spleen owing to the lack or weakening of its ligaments. Torsion is the most common complication due to its long pedicle and high mobility, which may result in acute abdomen. We report a case of torsion in a wandering spleen in a 28-year-old male presenting with an acute abdomen that was treated by splenectomy.

In This Issuesystematic Revieworiginal Articlescase Report

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Determining False-Positives Requires Considering The Totality Of Evidence, Andrew Healy, Neil Malhotra, Cecilia Hyunjung Mo

Economics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

What’S Wrong With Peg?, Charles J. Higgins

Finance Faculty Works

PEG is a newer investment ratio measure of a security’s PE ratio divided by the firm’s growth rate as a percentage. It is examined and contrasted with other investment valuation measures. PEG is shown to be problematic in terms of its units of measure, in what it purports to appropriately determine, and it is non monotonic for relatively profitable firms and is only slightly indicative of correct security selection for relatively unprofitable firms.

Evaluation Of Equivalence Relations: Models Of Assessment And Best Practice, Dawn Amber Seefeldt

Dissertations

Due to changing age demographics in the United States, by 2050, an estimated 62.1 Americans will be over the age of 65 and the number of Americans with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s disease, will increase drastically as well (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014; Ortman, Velkoff, & Hogan, 2014). Once a diagnosis or behavioral indicators of cognitive impairment are present, it would be beneficial to apply a treatment package that promotes the maintenance or re-establishment of stimulus control in the environment. From a behavioral perspective, stimulus control aids in learning and memory through both respondent and operant conditioning. In the current study, …

Praise Defenders, Not Just Prosecutors, Stephen Henderson

Other Faculty Publications

In this letter to the editor, I discuss the problems when a district court judge becomes a graduate and class spokesperson for a Citizens' Police Academy.See article here.See letter here.

The Application And Adaptation Of Psychological First Aid: The Filipino Psychologists' Experience After Typhoon Haiyan, Ma. Regina Hechanova, Bernice Vania Navarro Landoy, Pia Anna P. Ramos, Niel Steve M. Kintanar

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

This study examined the experiences, adaptations, observations, and insights on the use of Psychological First Aid (PFA) in the Philippines. Nineteen PFA providers who were trained in the basics of PFA from three major cities in the Philippines took part in this study. Respondents' knowledge about PFA was consistent with the core principles of promoting a sense of safety, calm, self-and community efficacy, connectedness, and instilling a sense of hope. The delivery of PFA was adapted to the Filipino culture through the use of local counseling models, a group-based setup , and the use of mindfulness and relaxation techniques. The …

A Social Cognitive Approach To Disaster Preparedness, Ervina Espina, Mendiola Teng-Calleja

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Using the social cognitive perspective, the study sought to determine the individual and environmental factors that predict disaster preparedness. Specifically, the research determined the relationships between risk perception, disaster experience, community disaster preparedness, and disaster preparedness behaviors. Data were collected from 401 participants from areas affected by recent typhoons and heavy monsoon rains: Tacloban and Metro Manila. Risk perception, severity of disaster experience, and community disaster preparedness were found to significantly predict the participants’ disaster preparedness behaviors. Severity of previous disaster experience seems to be the strongest determinant of individual disaster preparedness. Implications to future research and development and improvement …

Vicarious Trauma And Natural Disasters: A Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis Of The Experiences Of Families Of Typhoon Haiyan Survivors, Arvin Jeremy N. Tan, Andrew O. Jardeleza, Florian Antoinette P. Sta Maria, Mendiola Teng-Calleja

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Using transcendental phenomenology, we examined the experience of vicarious trauma in the context of natural disasters. We specifically looked at the narratives of domestic migrants whose family members were Typhoon Haiyan survivors. Findings show that the survivors’ families experienced painful and intrusive psychological distress. The gravity of the pain and loss experienced by the participants was relative to the amount of pain, loss, or damage sustained by the subject of their attachment. Vicarious trauma was experienced as a void-filling phenomenon occupying the emotional space created by the physical distance of the participants from their families experiencing the disaster. This phenomenon …

A Quantified Approach To The Functional Longevity Of Geosynthetic Rolled Erosion Control Products (Grecps), Drew A. Loizeaux

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Geosynthetic Rolled Erosion Control Products (GRECPs) have been utilized for decades in a multitude of applications to mitigate erosion resulting from land disturbance in civil construction projects. GRECPs vary from one type to another, ranging in performance and design life due to their composition and intended purpose. The coverage and durability of the GRECP are fundamental properties that can predict performance and fitness for use. Both coverage and durability will degrade over the design life of the GRECP to the point that fitness for use is unacceptable for the intended application. A standard approach is needed to quantify this material …

Effects Of Gic Neutral Blocking Devices (Nbds) On Transmission Lines Protection Performance And Potential For Resonance, Haytham A. Saeed

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) is a quasi-DC current that may have adverse effects on power system reliability. Several GIC blocking device (NBDs) designs are available, but the majority is capacitive. Concerns have arisen about the effects of NBDs on distance-protection relays. To investigate their impact, real-time simulation (of IEEE-39 bus system) with actual hardware-in-the-loop testing is utilized. The study showed that these relays are not affected by the insertion of NBDs regardless of the polarizing quantity used. However, during close-by fault, the energy through NBDs’ MOV is excessive. Also, the potential for resonance between NBDs and the system was investigated. …

Problem Solving And Tool Use In Three Species Of Otter, Robert F. Gormley

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Sea otters are well known tool users, yet the cognitive capacities of other otter species have been sparsely studied. Precedent exists for non-tool using species closely related to native tool users to display comparable abilities under experimental conditions. The social intelligence hypothesis predicts complex cognitive capacities in socially complex species. Using the Aesop’s Fable paradigm – wherein subjects drop stones into a cylinder half-filled with water to acquire floating out-of-reach food items – I assessed North American river otters’, Asian small-clawed otters, and giant river otters abilities to solve a novel tool-mediated problem. Sticks and water were presented with the …

Blade Resolved Simulation Of Wind Farms, Walied E. Hassan

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines the feasibility of reducing the time to solution for a high-fidelity, blade-resolved CFD simulation of a wind farm using Tenasi. The intent is to reduce the overall cost by initializing the flow fields of the individual turbines in the wind farm using a steady state or an unsteady simulation of a single turbine. This is achieved by replicating the mesh and the solution corresponding to a single turbine repeatedly, thus initializing the solution for the entire wind farm. The wind farm consists of the DTU 10 MW Reference Wind Turbines. Results compared to the “from scratch” solutions …