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The Influence Of Strength In Load-Velocity Relationships In The Back Squat, Thaddeus Light

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Load-velocity relationships may vary between people of different strength levels and across different loads. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate how external loads influence the velocity characteristics of the back squat exercise, and the influence of strength on these variables. Healthy male students with a history of resistance training completed repetitions at specified intensities of their estimated one-repetition maximum (1RM) until they reached 1RM. Back squat 3D motion analysis was captured using four Vicon T010 cameras (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd.; Oxford, UK) and Vicon Nexus 1.8.5 software. Data were transported into R custom coding statistical analysis software (version …

Peroxide Sensing Using Nitrogen-Doped And Platinum Nanoparticle-Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes, Chidiebere Ogbu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen-doped carbon materials have garnered much interest due to their abilities to behave as electrocatalysts for reactions important in energy production (oxygen reduction) and biosensing (hydrogen peroxide reduction). Here, we demonstrate fabrication methods and determine electrocatalytic properties of nitrogen-doped screen-printed carbon (N-SPCE) electrodes. Nitrogen doping of graphite was achieved through a simple soft-nitriding technique which was then used in lab-formulated screen-printing inks to prepare N-SPCEs. N-SPCEs displayed good electrocatalytic activity, reproducibility and long term stability towards the electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide. N-SPCEs exhibited a wide linear range (20 µM to 5.3 mM), reasonable limit of detection of 2.5 µM, …

The Effects Of Urbanization On Avian Seed Dispersal Success Of Toxicodendron Radicans (Anacardiaceae), Aiden M. Stanley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization is increasing at a dramatic rate as the human population increases. While it is well-known that urbanization tends to decrease species diversity (i.e., biotic homogenization), it is not known how urbanization affects the frequency and efficiency of species interactions. Seed dispersal is a plant-animal interaction that depends on disperser feeding rate, disperser diversity, probability of seed dispersal and germination. How these factors are affected by urbanization however is unknown. In this study, we evaluate how urbanization alters these factors. Urban sites had 2x higher feeding rate and 3x higher number of disperser species. The probability of seed dispersal however …

The Distinct Expressions Of Integrins Αdβ2 And Αmβ2 Differently Regulate Macrophage Migration In 3d Matrix In Vitro And In Tissue During Inflammation, Kui Cui

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic inflammation is an essential mechanism during the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The outcome of diseases depends on the balance between the migration and accumulation of macrophages in damaged tissues. Macrophage motility is highly regulated by adhesive receptors, integrins. Namely, intermediate expression of integrin supports macrophage migration, while a high integrin density inhibits it. Our studies are focused on evaluation of the contribution of related integrins α_Dβ₂ and α_Mβ₂ to macrophage migration and development of chronic inflammation.

We found that integrin α_Dβ₂ is upregulated on M1-macrophages in vitro and …

Resilience Among Survivors Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In Appalachia, Bridget Jeter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical investigation of adverse childhood events (ACEs) and their relationship with health and well-being outcomes in later life is increasing. Less is known about factors that may promote resilience for those who have survived such challenges, such as how resilience may be facilitated for those with ACEs residing in a marginalized region such as South Central Appalachia. Multidimensional spirituality, social support, stigma related to ACEs, and Appalachian acculturation may serve as both valid cultural factors and potential indicators of resilience. Cross-sectional, simultaneous multiple regression analysis was performed on data collected from 272 adult patients of a South Central Appalachian …

The Effects Of Branched Chained Amino Acid Supplementation On Acute Markers Of Fatigue And Performance, Joseph Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to investigate the acute effects of branched-chain amino acids on psychological, physiological, and subsequent performance changes following high volume resistance training. The rationale for this study design was based on abrupt or contiguous training/ competitions that specific athletes encounter in a competitive season. This study design also sought to fill some gaps in the scientific literature concerning the efficacy of BCAAs for subjective fatigue in a resistance training paradigm. To address the purposes of this dissertation, a one-week study was conducted on resistance trained males, in which half of the subjects were randomly selected …

The Influence Of Chronic Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation On Measures Of Central And Peripheral Fatigue In Training Athletes, Tara K. Whiton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation may improve recovery from competitive endurance training by reducing symptoms of central and peripheral fatigue. The purpose of this dissertation was to provide evidence for the use of BCAAs as a training nutrition strategy in order to improve recovery from training and further drive adaptive processes to training by increasing readiness to train. Collegiate distance runners undergoing intense competitive endurance training were monitored for symptoms of muscular soreness and psychological stress through a rated soreness chart and the Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes Survey (DALDA) while taking either a BCAA supplement or a …

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions Of Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Lauren Fabrize

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics, assessment, and treatment of infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) as perceived by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) and whether it differed from those of other Neonatal Intensive Care Unit populations.

Methods: A secure web-based questionnaire with 62 questions collected information on NAS, caseloads, treatment environment, and demographics. Twenty-six respondents initiated the survey; 42% completed most or all questions. Response analyses included descriptive and nonparametric inferential statistics.

Results: Infants with NAS were on the caseloads of 73% of respondents. The majority (79%) only saw infants with NAS and feeding problems. Primary …

The Value Of Inspection Stations For Detecting Nonindigenous Species Lacking Agricultural Significance: The Mexican Treefrog, Smilisca Baudinii Complex (Duméril And Bibron 1841) (Hylidae), Interdicted In Florida, Usa, From A Shipment Of Peppers, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

A Mexican Treefrog, Smilisca baudinii, a nonindigenous species, was interdicted for the first time from an imported shipment of peppers. The value of agriculture inspection stations used to make these interdictions is discussed. This is a single cargo interception (Stage 1: Colautti and MacIsaac 2004) and the first record for S. baudinii intercepted in Florida. Currently no evidence suggests that S. baudinii has been successfully introduced into and established in Florida, although this species could survive climatic conditions in the southern part of the state and at the scheduled destination of this shipment.

Cargo transport of alien species is a …

Prognostic Role Of Secreted Protein Acidic And Rich In Cysteine In Patients With Solid Tumors, Yongchen Ma, Hongbo Chen, Huiying Ma, Zihao Yao, Jianwen Hu, Ju Ma, Xiaoqian Zhang, Guowei Chen, Yucun Liu

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To analyze the heterogeneous functions of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) from different origins and in different tumor microenvironments with the purpose of determining its clinical significance. Methods: The PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of Science and Embase databases were utilized. Studies that focused on the effects of SPARC expression on solid tumor progression and clinical implications were used. The different outcomes including overall survival and disease-free survival were analyzed to evaluate their relations with tumor- and stroma-derived SPARC expression. Results: A total of 26 studies including 5,939 patients were enrolled in the present meta-analysis. Tumor-derived SPARC …

Aristocratic Women’S Kinship Ties In Twelfth- And Thirteenth-Century Flanders And Champagne, Sydne Reid Johnson

Masters Theses

Georges Duby pioneered the study of family and marriage in medieval France, but his models for family and marriage have since either been accepted or rejected. I take a middle approach in that some models still are applicable to describing marriage and family, while others require reevaluation. Duby argued that during this period women were treated with suspicion in their husband’s households, marriage was essential for the future of both families, and that family connections were deteriorating. In this thesis, I will explore family ties within the kinship network of the aristocracy of Flanders and Champagne in the twelfth and …

Effects Of Light And Macroinvertebrate Consumers On Detrital Microbial Biofilms In Streams, Cheyenne M. Brady

Master's Theses

In lotic freshwater systems, aquatic macroinvertebrates are key processors of biofilms that grow upon organic matter. Although macroinvertebrate effects on biofilms may depend on light availability, the combined effects of consumers and light remain unexplored. Here, I conducted experiments to test effects of presence/absence of the omnivorous shrimp Macrobrachium ohione and the shredding caddisfly Pycnopsyche sp. on Liriodendron tulipifera litter biofilms in experimental streams under light or darkness. I measured litter-associated algal, fungal and bacterial biomasses and production rates, as well as litter decomposition, over 49 days. Both experiments exhibited significant positive effects of light on algal productivity and interactions …

The Evolutionary Diversity And Biological Function Of Phenazine Metabolite Biosynthesis In Burkholderia Spp, Samuel Hendry

Master's Theses

Burkholderia encompass a group of ubiquitous Gram-negative bacteria that include numerous saprophytes, as well as several species that cause infections in animals, immunocompromised patients, and plants. Some species of Burkholderia produce colored redox-active secondary metabolites called phenazines (Phz). In the model opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, phenazines strongly contribute to the competitiveness, formation of biofilms, and virulence in multiple models of infection. Similar depth of knowledge on the diversity, biosynthesis, and biological functions of phenazines in Burkholderiais missing. This project aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge by focusing on phenazine pathways of B. lata and closely related …

A Framework For The Development, Design And Implementation Of A Sustained Arctic Ocean Observing System, Craig M. Lee, Sandy Starkweather, Hajo Eicken, Mary-Louise Timmermans, Jeremy Wilkinson, Stein Sandven, Dmitry Dukhovskoy, Sebastian Gerland, Jacqueline Grebmeier, Janet M. Intrieri, Sung-Ho Kang, Molly Mccammon, An T. Nguyen, Igor Polyakov, Benjamin Rabe, Hanne Sagen, Sophie Seeyave, Denis Volkov, Agnieszka Beszczynska-Möller, Léon Chafik, Matthew Dzieciuch, Gustavo Goni, Torill Hamre, Andrew Luke King, Are Olsen, Roshin P. Raj, Thomas Rossby, Øystein Skagseth, Henrik Søiland, Kai Sørensen

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Rapid Arctic warming drives profound change in the marine environment that have significant socio-economic impacts within the Arctic and beyond, including climate and weather hazards, food security, transportation, infrastructure planning and resource extraction. These concerns drive efforts to understand and predict Arctic environmental change and motivate development of an Arctic Region Component of the Global Ocean Observing System (ARCGOOS) capable of collecting the broad, sustained observations needed to support these endeavors. This paper provides a roadmap for establishing the ARCGOOS. ARCGOOS development must be underpinned by a broadly endorsed framework grounded in high-level policy drivers and the scientific and operational …

The Effects Of Aqueous Atorvastatin On Steroidogenesis Of Xenopus Laevis At Environmentally Relevant Concentrations, Jeremy Johnson

Master's Theses

Statin drugs are a class of drug that work to reduce endogenous production of cholesterol by competitively inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (Hmgcr) thus inhibiting production of mevalonic acid in the mevalonate pathway. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is one of the most widely prescribed statin drugs and contamination of wastewater effluent is a growing environmental concern because of the potential to interfere with steroidogenesis in wildlife. Amphibians may be particularly susceptible to the effects of atorvastatin contamination because of their highly permeable integument. I used an amphibian model, Xenopus laevis to test the hypothesis that chronic exposure to low concentrations of atorvastatin …

The Ecology And Evolution Of The Freshwater Turtles Of Southern Mississippi, Gabrielle Berry

Master's Theses

Turtles are one of the most threatened group of animals in existence today. The Southeastern United States is one of two global biodiversity hotspots for turtle species, including the state of Mississippi, where over 30 species can be found. However, very few studies have occurred within the state. This lack of research is even more startling given the ongoing decline, or even extirpation, of numerous turtle species across the world, due to a number of factors, including habitat degradation, and harvest for food or the pet trade.

The overarching goal of this project was to perform a species inclusive freshwater …

Emotion Reactivity, Emotion Dysregulation, And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among At-Risk Adolescents: A Multiple Mediation Analysis, Paula N. Floyd

Master's Theses

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as deliberate self-inflicted damage to bodily tissue without the intent to die. NSSI has been identified as a major health concern, as it is related to both poor psychosocial outcomes and increased suicide risk. NSSI is especially important to understand among adolescents, as age of onset is typically during adolescence and prevalence rates are highest among this age group. One of the most well-established correlates of NSSI is emotion dysregulation. While many studies have examined emotion dysregulation and its subcomponents in relation to self-injury, there has been far less work devoted to factors that may …

Influence Of Varying Inorganic Nutrients Supply On Ergosterol And Glucosamine Concentrations And Biomass Nutrient Stoichiometry In Ectomycorrhizal Fungi, Stephanie S. Koury

Master's Theses

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are critical for the health of forest ecosystems where they can sequester large amounts of carbon in the form of soil organic matter, a matter of growing interest due to anthropogenic climate change. A clear understanding of their growth dynamics and responses to environmental changes is imperative for future work in forest management and the possible mitigation of increased atmospheric CO₂. Six ECM fungal species were grown in liquid culture under varying nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and ratios to assess how exogenous nutrient supplies affect fungal biomass stoichiometry and the degree of elemental homeostasis. Additional …

Experimental Nitrogen Addition Alters Structure And Function Of A Boreal Bog: Critical Load And Thresholds Revealed, R. Kelman Wieder, Dale H. Vitt, Melanie A. Vile, Jeremy A. Graham, Jeremy A. Hartsock, Hope Fillingim, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Bogs and fens cover 6% and 21%, respectively, of the 140,329 km² Oil Sands Administrative Area in northern Alberta. Development of the oil sands has led to increasing atmospheric N deposition, with values as high as 17 kg N^.ha^-1yr^-1; regional background deposition is N^.ha^-1yr^-1. Bogs, being ombrotrophic, may be especially susceptible to increasing N deposition. To examine responses to N deposition, over five years, we experimentally applied N (as NH₄NO₃) to a bog near Mariana Lake, Alberta, unaffected by oil sands activities, at …

Rcrab: An R Analytics Tool To Visualize And Analyze The Movement Of Horseshoe Crabs In Long Island Sound, Ismael Youssef, Samah Senbel, Jo-Marie Kasinak, Jennifer Mattei

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

Mark-recapture programs are important for studying the ecology and population dynamics of wildlife. An R shiny analytics tool was developed to track the movement of horseshoe crabs in Long Island Sound based on tag and resight data. The crabs were tagged and recaptured by volunteers of Project Limulus, a community-based research program. The dataset contains tag and recapture location information for 14,065 horseshoe crabs over 18 years. The dataset was initially cleaned by removing records with missing, duplicate or incorrect data. A new data structure was developed to save the data and simplify processing: Three dimensions were used, one for …

Self-Healing Concrete Using Encapsulated Bacterial Spores In A Simulated Hot Subtropical Climate, Marwa Hassan, Jose Milla, Tyson Rupnow, Ahsennur Soysal

Publications

Bacterial concrete has become one of the most promising self-healing alternatives due to its capability to seal crack widths through microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). In this study, two bacterial strains were embedded at varying dosages (by weight of cement) in concrete. Beam specimens were used to identify the maximum crack-sealing efficiency, while cylinder samples were used to determine their effects on the intrinsic mechanical properties, as well as its stiffness recovery over time after inducing damage. The concrete specimens were cured in wet-dry cycles to determine their feasibility in Region 6. The results showed that the specimen groups with …

Decision-Making Tool For Road Preventive Maintenance Using Vehicle Vibration Data, Changbum Ahn, Chao Wang, Jing Du

Publications

Automated and timely road pavement damage inspection is critical to the preventive maintenance and the long-term sustainability and resilience of roads in Region 6. Current road inspection practices rely heavily on a manual process. Sensor-based methods (e.g., LiDAR scanning) are promising but can be too expensive for a wider adoption. This study employs a crowdsourcing approach of using the vibration patterns of regular vehicles in inferring specific types of road damages. A cloud-based smart phone app and system was developed to collect real-time vehicle vibrations, location data, and road damage images for training the detection model. However, there is a …

August 2019 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Ethical Implications Of Codis, Lucy Grogan

Masters Theses

CODIS stores and maintains numerous DNA profiles, and is used as a tool by the criminal justice system in order to help solve crime. Deoxyribonucleic Acid, or DNA for short, is the genetic material that an individual inherits from one’s parents (NIH, 2019). Certain portions of this genetic material are selected for use within the CODIS database due to their lack of medically relevant information. There is an immense amount of power associated with DNA and the CODIS database that it is held within, which allows for many ethical issues to arise. In order to create a usable and safe …

Exploring Neighborhood Level Variation In Incidence And Secondary Transmission Of Seasonal Influenza, Melissa Freeland

Masters Theses

Influenza epidemics in the United States, are major causes of morbidity and mortality, and cause serious economic disruption on an annual basis. Evidence has begun to accumulate linking neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality related to influenza (Cordoba & Aiello, 2016; Jung, Lin, & Viswanath, 2013). Some studies suggest that this may be due to lower rates of vaccination, higher rates of comorbidities in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities (Cordoba & Aiello, 2016; Jung, Lin, & Viswanath, 2013; Ross & Mirowsky, 2001). However, few studies have evaluated the effects of neighborhood level socioeconomic disadvantage and structural features on …

Influence Of Child Feeding Practices And Selected Basic Conditioning Factors On Stunting In Children Between 6 And 24 Months Of Age In Myanmar, Khine-Wai-Wai Phu, Jariya Wittayasooporn, Chuanruedee Kongsaktrakul

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: A cross-sectional predictive study was carried out to examine the influence of child feeding practices on stunting status of children between 6–24 months in Yangon Children Hospital, Myanmar. This study aimed to assess if dependent-care can influence stunting. Methods: Data were collected by anthropometric measurement from a total of 216 children between 6 and 24 months of age. For mothers, structured interview, demographic form, and infant child feeding index were used. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression were carried out. Results: One-fourth of participants exhibited a low score of infant child-feeding practices, whereas median and high score practice accounted …

Effect Of Coral Goniopora Sp Scaffold Application On Human Osteoblast-Like Mg-63 Cell Activity In Vitro, Vera Julia, Basril Abbas, Endang W. Bachtiar, Benny S. Latief, Anne M. Kuijpers-Jagtman

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Coral is an osteo-conductive biomaterial that can act as an alternative scaffold for osteogenesis. In this in vitro study we analyzed the activity of osteoblast-like cells after treatment with the coral Goniopora. Methods: Human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells were incubated in α-minimal essential medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 300 ng/mL amphotericin B plus 1% penicillin-streptomycin and stored in a 5% CO2 incubator at 37°C. The Goniopora were smashed into size A (20 mesh), B (1–2 mm), and C (200 mesh) particles, sterilized using gamma radiation and applied to cells. Protein and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations were evaluated …

Gene Expression Of Selected Apoptotic Markers In Human Oral Squamous Carcinoma Hsc-3 Cell Line Treated With Myrmecodia Pendans Plant Extract, Widya Lestari, Wan N A W Yusry, Siti H. Iskandar, Solachuddin J A Ichwan, Nining I. Irfan, Wastuti H. Suriyah

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Myrmecodia pendans (M. pendans), or Sarang Semut, is an epiphyte with anticancer potential. It was recently reported that it induces apoptotic activity in the human oral squamous carcinoma (HSC-3) cell line. This study aimed to investigate the effect of M. pendans treated samples on the expression of apoptotic markers, Bax and Bcl-2. Methods: M. pendans was purchased from West Papua, Indonesia. The hypocotyl was dried thoroughly and then extracted aqueously. The apoptotic activity was detected via flow cytometry. Bax and Bcl-2 expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Results of our cell cycle analysis reveal that …

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Mothers’ Experiences Of Psychosocial Care And Communication By Midwives During Childbirth In Nairobi, Kenya, Jane Kabo, Eleanor Holroyd, Grace Edwards, Ahmed Sarki

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Purpose: To clarify sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors associated with mothers’ experiences of psychosocial care and communication by midwives during childbirth in Nairobi, Kenya.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in a government national referral hospital. Respondents were 109 systematically sampled mothers who delivered in the study hospital. Mothers’ experiences of intrapartum care were assessed using three subscales from the Experience of Psychosocial Care and Communication during Childbirth Questionnaire (effective communication; emotional support; and respect, care and dignity). Simple and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between sociodemographic factors, socioeconomic factors and mothers’ experiences of intrapartum care.

Findings: …

Biological Pathway Involvement In Melanoma Heterogeneity And Drug-Induced Resistance, Sarah V. Pack

STAR Program Research Presentations

Tumors develop resistance to numerous drug therapies, and this remains a major obstacle in treating many types of non-surgical cancers. Melanoma provides a good model system for studying drug resistance in cancer due to its high propensity to incur resistance after a significant initial response to a drug. Genes that are highly expressed in melanoma cancer cells have been studied, but in order to further understand the collective function of these highly expressed genes we must analyze gene sets, or pathways. A single gene’s function is rarely independent of other genes, and pathway analysis takes this into account.

Our objective …