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Neuromuscular Control Of The Calling Apparatus In The Túngara Frog (Engystomops Pustulosus), Kiran Kaur Grewal

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Male túngara frogs can add a distinctive note ("chuck”) to their mating call. Production of the chuck involves vibrating a pair of laryngeal fibrous masses that is attached to the vocal cords. The muscular control of this mechanism remains unknown. Recent studies revealed a split in the laryngeal dilator muscle, which unveiled the deep dilator as a novel laryngeal muscle with unique attachments, innervation, and (likely) function. The deep dilator may position the fibrous masses for chuck production. The goals of this study were 1) to confirm the innervation of the novel muscle through electrophysiology; and 2) to determine the …

Behavioral Patterns Of Blinded Vs. Mock-Blinded Male Individuals In The Presence Of Females: Analysis Of The Role Of Eyes In Euphilomedes Carcharodonta Mating, Alexis Arenz

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Sexual dimorphism is exhibited throughout various organisms and takes an extensive variety of forms, although rarely does it take the form of eye-reduction within a population. This poses the question of whether this dimorphism arises due to sexual selection in order to increase reproductive success or rather from ecological selection as a result of sex-specific niche partitioning. In this case, we study an organism that displays a drastic form of sexual dimorphism, in that the males have large complex lateral eyes whereas the females lack eyes and merely have rudimentary lateral eye-spots. Euphilomedes carcharodonta is a small crustacean native to …

Urban Scrawl: Satire As Subversion In Banksy's Graphic Discourse, Joshua Carlisle Harzman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the ways in which Banksy’s street art installations are used to critique sociopolitical injustices. The street has long existed as a platform for social and political movements. In particular, street art offers unique opportunities for voicing criticisms in pioneering ways that have been proven successful in upsetting normative power structures. Anne Theresa Demo’s analysis on the Guerilla Girls’ comic politics of subversion offers an appropriate conceptual lens to analyze Banksy’s employment of perspectives by incongruity as strategies for subversion. Therefore, this thesis analyzes how Banksy’s subversive satire is rhetorical by examining three techniques that have successfully exposed …

Foodways Of The Visually-Impaired: Traversing The Blind Kitchen, Jason Chaw Jay

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, the number of visually impaired and blind Americans will rise drastically as the population continues to age; and, yet little is known about how the impact of blindness affects an individual when it comes to the experience of food provisioning and preparation. This thesis presents the study of how the blind and the visually impaired experience food provisioning and preparation. It explores how modern technology and sensory training help these groups of people traverse kitchen and grocery store environments. In thematically organized chapters, this thesis examines sensory education, nutrition and food related obstacles. This is the …

Development Of Novel Phenanthroline And Thiazole Orange Derived G-Quadruplex Ligands And Telomerase Inhibitors, Siwen Wang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The end of the human chromosome is protected by telomeres which contain a special tandem guanine-rich DNA sequence, 5’-TTAGGG. The length of telomeres is shortened during cell replications, and its length limits the replication capacity of cells. Telomerase is over-expressed in 85–90% of cancer cells, responsible for extending the telomere length in cancer cells. Guanine-rich DNA sequence can self-assemble into unique G-quadruplex structures that interfere with the extension of telomeres by telomerase. Therefore, DNA G-quadruplex has recently received much attention because of its important regulatory functions in telomerase-mediated cancerization. The formation of G-quadruplex requires monovalent cations (Na+ and K+) or …

Vector Competence Of Northern California Mosquitoes For Dirofilaria Immitis (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), Rebekah Lynn Dian

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Dirofilaria immitis, commonly known as dog heartworm, is a dangerous filarial nematode that is transmitted by a mosquito vector. Although this parasite is historically localized to regions closer to the equator, the last few decades have experienced an increase in the amount of dog heartworm cases in Northern California, most notably in Lake and San Joaquin Counties. The primary vector of D. immitis in Northern California is Aedes sierrensis, but it is not prevalent enough in some counties to explain the increase in infections. Because of this, more prevalent and abundant species should be assessed for their ability to transmit …

Determining The Role Played By Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (Ahr) In The Colon Carcinoma Tumor Model, Poonam Yakkundi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), commonly known as an environmental sensor involved in the metabolism and elimination of xenobiotic substances, is also an important modulator in the development and functioning of the immune system. AHR expression is varied in the T cell subsets with the highest expression in T-helper 17 and T regulatory cells. Work from many researchers has suggested that AHR can act as a tumor promoter or a tumor suppressor depending on the tumor type. Our goal is to understand the role played by AHR in MC38 syngeneic colon carcinoma tumor model. In the absence of AHR, MC38 tumor …

The Impact Of Pilgrimage Upon The Faith And Faith-Based Practice Of Catholic Educators, Rachel Capets

Theses

A pilgrimage of Catholic educators from Sydney Catholic Schools served as a phenomenographic case study for an investigation into the impact of pilgrimage upon the faith and faith-based practice of Catholic educators. Forty-five Catholic educators embarked on a pilgrimage for the Canonisation of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in April 2014. The pilgrimage itinerary led the educators through Italy, whereby the pilgrims visited the holy sites of Saints significant in the life of the Church.

Phenomenographic data collection and analysis are used to investigate the range of ways educators’ perceive the impact of pilgrimage on faith. Pilgrimage is …

Psychometric Testing Of The Endotracheal Suction Assessment Tool© (Esat©): An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Kylie Davies

Theses

Background: Endotracheal tube (ETT) suction is a common nursing procedure performed in paediatric intensive care settings. Significant side effects of this procedure can dramatically affect the stability of the critically ill ventilated paediatric patient. The lack of clear standards for determining when the procedure is warranted, especially in paediatrics, can present challenges for the inexperienced paediatric intensive care nurse when assessing a patient’s need for ETT suction. Previous research underpinned the development of an Endotracheal Suction Assessment Tool© (ESAT©) to guide inexperienced nurses through the decision making process to determine suction requirements. The aim of the ESAT© is to improve …

Investigating The Molecular Pathology Of Dupuytren’S Disease, Robert Pearce

Theses

The eponymous progressive palmar fibromatosis described by Guillaume Dupuytren in 1831 is a common and debilitating disease with limited treatment options and high rates of recurrence after intervention. Dupuytren’s disease has been generally accepted as predominantly affecting Northern European individuals; Dupuytren’s disease is sometimes referred to as “Vikings Disease” as an attribution to this ethnic origin. Its familial occurrence in all communities is suggestive of Mendelian inheritance as an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance. The genetic and molecular basis of Dupuytren’s disease (DD) has been the focus of many studies, with increasingly sophisticated approaches since the sequencing of the …

The Christian Concept Of The Nature Of Motherhood And Its Implications In A Contemporary Context, Christine Fisk

Theses

The contemporary context presents countless ideologies and conflicting views about what femininity is and what it is not. In particular, the modern pursuit of equality and autonomy has resulted in the perception of motherhood as inconvenient in some quarters or, worse yet, inconsequential. This thesis considers the question as whether or not motherhood is separable from womanhood, and if there is indeed any inherent value to motherhood. The intent of this thesis was to go beyond the variety of views of what motherhood is to the two primary female figures in Scripture – Eve and Mary - to discern what …

Ontologia Ad Theologia: An Intellectual History Of Contemporary English Language Rahner Scholarship, Maddison Reddie-Clifford

Theses

This thesis develops the methodology of the practice of the History of Ideas for the study of English language Rahnerian literature. Drawing primarily on the Cambridge School and techniques of French analysis, it endeavours to recover the intended consequence of particular writings of Karl Rahner and to examine how this intended consequence conforms with the current English language understanding. It facilitates this with a study of several questions that arise in the current dominant hermeneutics of English language Rahner study. By deploying a rigorous intellectual history of Rahner’s theological development, it tests the extent to which the non-foundationalist approach to …

The Emergence & Evolution Of The Concepts Of “The Author”, “The Work” And “Literary Property” With Specific Reference To Enlightenment England 1450-1769: The Role And Influence Of John Locke In The Case Of Millar V Taylor (1769), Mark Doepel

Theses

This thesis argues that the political philosophy of John Locke, as mostly contained in his Two Treatises of Government, but also in a number of other of his works, and especially in relation to his theory on how property rights might be acquired, had a direct influence on the emergence of the modern notions of the author, the literary work and copyright as witnessed through a series of legal cases brought before the courts of England and Scotland over the period of 1700 to 1780. It is specifically shown that Locke’s philosophy had a direct influence on the acknowledgment of …

A Dialogue Of Traditions On The Reality Of Mind: Thomas Nagel And Bernard Lonergan, Robert Van Gend

Theses

The scientific picture of the world is one of invisible particles and empty space, but this is not the world of our everyday experience. How can we reconcile the scientific view of the world with the view from our ordinary perspective? This thesis puts Thomas Nagel and Bernard Lonergan into dialogue on the question of the mind’s place in the world. Coming from different philosophical traditions, both thinkers provide a bigger picture in which to place materialism and to assess its errors. Thomas Nagel criticises modern forms of materialism because they try to explain away the reality of our perspective …

Aboriginal Women Yarning About Experiences As Undergraduate Nursing Students In Western Australian Universities, Melanie Robinson

Theses

The inequities and poor health outcomes experience by Aboriginal people in Western Australia are well documented. It has been suggested that such issues could be better addressed if more Aboriginal nurses are employed, as there appears to be a link between improved health outcomes and the inclusion of Aboriginal health professionals in practice. In recent years the number Aboriginal nursing students undertaking tertiary studies has increased, but their completion rates could be improved. Aboriginal nursing students continue to struggle to achieve success.

The aim of this study was to investigate factors that enabled (supported) or inhibited (prevented) the progress of …

Open Versus Endovascular Thoracic Aneurysm Repairs In Australia, Timothy Shiraev

Theses

Objectives: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) affect 10 per 100,000 people, and are responsible for significant mortality. Open surgical repair carries substantial risks of both morbidity and mortality. Endovascular TAA repair is a relatively new technology, with numerous proposed benefits over open repair. However, data is yet to demonstrate whether endovascular TAA repairs outperform open repair. We sought to observe trends and outcomes of TAA repairs over the previous decade in order to identify the optimal method of management of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repairs, as well as predictors of poor outcome.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients …

Evaluation Of An E-Learning Training Package By Nurses For Various Designations For Developing Clinical Skills And Knowledge., Nitasha A. Narayan

Theses

An essential component of nurses delivering good healthcare is continuous education. However, nurses’ [participation in continuing education can be hampered by lack of time, limited access to educational resources and cost concerns. Globally, electronic learning has emerged in the last decade as a flexible mechanism to provide education for nurses.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate an e-learning training package used by nurses of various designations for developing clinical skills and knowledge at a private hospital in Perth, Western Australia (‘The Hospital’). This study employs descriptive correlational design – a non-experimental quantitative approach. Data was collected via a …

Polar Gigantism And Sea Spiders: A Study Of Respiratory Scaling, Steven Joseph Lane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

All animals must breathe to survive. The types of primary respiratory structures vary across the metazoa, and the overall size and components of these structures scale with body size. The scaling of respiratory structures has been well studied in vertebrate lungs and gills, but very few, if any studies, have looked at it in terms of cutaneous gas exchange, the process where oxygen moves across the outer integument via diffusion. My dissertation has sought to fill this gap in knowledge by studying animals that use cutaneous respiration, and my work has determined both how the components of their respiratory surfaces …

On The Evolution Of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns Of Cost And Benefit In Sexually Selected Weapons, Devin Mackenzie O'Brien

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Sexually selected weapons represent some of the most spectacular morphologies in the animal world. They grow out of proportion with body size or other, more typically proportioned structures, and are some of the largest traits in both absolute and relative size. It is therefore unsurprising that animal weapons are some of the most intensely studied structures in biology. Yet, despite this interest, surprisingly little is known about the expression and evolution of these traits. In particular, four questions remain unanswered: How does selection act on weapons in the wild? Do the costs of large weapons ever outweigh the benefits? How …

Post-Accountability Accountability, Nicole Stelle Garnett

Journal Articles

Over the past few decades, parental choice has exploded in the United States. Yet, despite early proponents’ hopes that parental choice would eliminate the need to regulate school quality—since parents’ choices would serve an accountability function—demands to use the law to hold chosen schools accountable for their academic performance are central features of education-reform debates today. This is an opportune time to consider the issue of academic accountability and parental choice. Parental choice has gained a firm foothold in the American educational landscape. As it continues to expand, debates about accountability for chosen schools will only intensify. The questions of …

Noradrenergic Tuning, Not Simple Rate Effects, Produces Temperature-Sensitivity Of The Respiratory Network In Bullfrogs, Mauricio Vallejo

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Animals match ventilation to metabolic and acid-base regulatory demands during changes in body temperature. Across vertebrates ventilation increases at warmer temperatures and decreases at cooler temperatures. At the organismal level this is attributed to metabolic feedback and/or alpha-stat pH regulation; however, the cellular mechanisms that produce ventilatory output in response to brain temperature changes remain unclear. To identify mechanisms underlying temperature-sensitivity of the respiratory control network, I used brainstem-spinal cord preparations producing spontaneously active, rhythmic motor output similar to breathing in vivo of adult bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus. In vitro brainstem-spinal cords were superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) equilibrated at …

The Pattern Of Sensory Axonal Endings Together With Synaptic Transmission Influence The Development Of Proprioceptive Circuits In The Spinal Cord, Yiyun Dai

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Proprioceptive circuits provide information regarding limb position and movement status, and are essential to producing correctly executed motor behaviors. Exploring the mechanisms underlying the formation of proprioceptive circuits is therefore critical for understanding neurological disorders with altered motor coordination and for restoring circuits damaged by injury. One important proprioceptive circuit, the stretch reflex circuit, is formed between proprioceptive sensory neurons (PSNs) and motor neurons (MNs) that innervate the same muscle. Progress has been made in understanding the spatial organization of MNs based on their muscle-specific subpopulation identities, which contributes to the specificity of stretch reflex circuit formation. However, whether PSNs …

Electroceutical Therapy In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Novel Preliminary Study, Morgan Michelle Highlander

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the death of motoneurons. Life expectancy is only 3-5 years from diagnosis and current treatments only extend survival by 2-3 months. The mechanism of motoneuron death in ALS is still largely unknown, but abnormal motoneuron excitability has been extensively documented. Because the intrinsic excitability of a motoneuron is a defining measure of its normal function, characterizing and regulating motoneuron excitability has become one of the primary aims of ALS research. Although not previously explored in ALS, other clinical applications show the ability of certain electroceutical techniques to …

Regulation Of The Motor Output Of The Spinal Cord: Burst Firing Generation And Sensorimotor Integration, Amr A. Mahrous

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Spinal motoneurons are the final common path for motor signals. Thus, the firing activity recorded from spinal motoneurons or their axons in the ventral roots represents the motor output of the nervous system. This dissertation investigates two major phenomena that help generate and shape the neuronal motor output. Specialized groups of spinal neurons called central pattern generators (CPGs) are capable of orchestrating rhythmic bursting activity without involvement of the brain. This activity underlies stereotyped movements such as locomotion. If known, the ionic mechanisms responsible for generating this activity can offer new pharmacological interventions to restore walking in paralyzed patients with …

Consequences Of Trpm7 Kinase Inactivation In Immune Cells, Pavani Beesetty

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The characteristic feature of ubiquitously expressed transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) protein is the presence of a C-terminal atypical kinase domain fused to a cation channel domain. Even though this protein has been implicated in a number of physiological and pathological processes, the mechanisms regulating TRPM7 channel activity are poorly understood. In the present study, regulation of TRPM7 channel by its kinase activity was investigated using the TRPM7 kinase-dead knock-in mouse (KD mouse). These mice have a point mutation Lys1646Arg in the kinase region abrogating the kinase activity. Examining TRPM7 channel activity in KD peritoneal macrophages revealed that TRPM7 …

Characterization Of The Effect Of Optineurin On Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation And Toxicity In Yeast, Md Moydul Islam

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Optineurin, an autophagy adaptor protein genetically linked to Normal Tension Glaucoma and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, has been found in the pathological inclusions of various other neurodegenerative disorders, supporting an important role of optineurin in neurodegeneration. Using yeast as a model, we found that overexpression of optineurin drastically enhances the toxicity of the Parkinson's disease-causing protein, alpha-synuclein. Considering the conserved protein-protein interaction between optineurin and Ypt1, a yeast suppressor of the toxicity of both optineurin and alpha-synuclein, we hypothesize that cellular targets of optineurin underlie in the cytotoxicity and the enhancer effect. Using genome-wide yeast two-hybrid screens, we identified 97 yeast …

Hypnotic White Silk Skylights, Anthony Borruso

Graduate Thesis Collection

A poetic examination of the self as well as cycles of trauma and recovery. This manuscript explores poetry's ability to transform one's experiences by re-engaging with them in the realm of the imagination.

Girl-Junk, Sugar-Funk, Natalie Tombasco

Graduate Thesis Collection

A poetic look into the life of a girl which centers around food, alcoholism, mommy issues, sexuality, identity and mortality.

Exploring Gender Differences Throughout Normal Rat Aging - A Role For Estrogen Signaling In The Brain, Christopher Mark Evola

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Females are more protected than males from neurodegenerative diseases until they go through menopause when this protection drops dramatically. It has been hypothesized that this neuroprotection is hormone-dependent. The current study characterized cell signaling molecules downstream of estrogen receptor beta that are known to play a role in memory, PKC, ERK, and connexin-43, in regions of the brain associated with memory decline in an attempt to elucidate significant changes that occur post-estrus. Total whole cell lysates were compared to isolated mitochondrial protein because mitochondrial function is known to be altered during aging. As hypothesized, protein concentrations differed depending on age, …

Front Matter And Faculty Notes, Transactions: The Tennessee Journal Of Business Law

Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law

No abstract provided.