Life Sciences Commons^™

A Profile Of Strength And Conditioning Coaches At National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Ii And Iii Member Institutions., Leonard Haggerty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to compile demographic characteristics, educational backgrounds, coaching experiences, and duties of strength and conditioning (STC) coaches at NCAA Division II and III institutions, and compare the profile of Division II and III STC coaches to the Martinez (2004) study of Division I-A STC coaches. NCAA Division II and Division III athletic personnel (N=578) received an electronic survey for this study. The return rate from Division II and Division III STC coaches were as follows: Division II, 23 responses (n=175), Division III, 34 responses (n=403). Descriptive statistics were used …

Ranging Patterns And Habitat Utilization Of Northern River Otters, Lontra Canadensis, In Missouri: Implications For The Conservation Of A Reintroduced Species, Deborah Dorothy Boege-Tobin

Dissertations

I studied the spacing patterns and habitat utilization by reintroduced northern river otters, Lontra canadensis, at two sites in Missouri because previous studies of otters indicate, plasticity of a species social structure will likely be due to the tactics employed in acquiring resources in any given area. Seven hypotheses were tested by employing radio-tracking, habitat assessment and geographic information system approaches: (1) home range (HR) and core area (CA) size differ by sex; (2) HR and CA size differ in breeding vs. non-breeding seasons; (3) percent range overlap differs by sex; (4) habitat utilization, as indicated by latrine use, …

The Use Of Antibiotic Resistance Profiles To Access The Source Of Fecal Contamination In The Rowan County, Kentucky Watershed, Logan Harrison Burns

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Logan Harrison Burns on December 15, 2005.

Exposure To Methamphetamine And Phencyclidine During Development And Subsequent Behavioral Change, Takehiro Minamoto

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Takehiro Minamoto on December 2, 2005.

The Role Of Viruses In Fe Recycling In The World's Oceans, Leo Poorvin

Doctoral Dissertations

Viral lysis is responsible for a significant fraction of bacterioplankton mortality in marine systems. This work shows that viral lysis of both heterotrophic bacterial and autotrophic cyanobacterial plankton releases iron (Fe) at a greater rate than is released from unlysed cells. These studies also show that the Fe released is bound to organic ligands, these ligands are not siderophores, and that these ligands have Fe binding stability constants similar to organic ligands found in seawater. Further, these studies have shown Fe released via viral lysis to be highly bioavailable to a range of model marine plankton and may potentially satisfy …

Understanding Immune Response In Mycobacterium Ulcerans Infection, Sarojini Adusumilli

Doctoral Dissertations

Buruli ulcer is a necrotizing skin infection and is the third most important mycobacterial disease in immune competent individuals after tuberculosis and leprosy in humid tropical countries. The causative agent Mycobacterium ulcerans is unlike other mycobacterial pathogens in that it appears to maintain an extracellular location during infection. Another unusual feature of the bacterium is that it is the only mycobacterium known to produce a dermo-necrotic polyketide toxin called mycolactone. A single Buruli ulcer, which can cover 15% of a person's skin surface, contains huge numbers of extracellular bacteria. The infection is characterized by massive necrosis at the site of …

Studies On The Role Of Specific Residues Of The Saccharomyces Α-Factor Pheromone Receptor (Ste2p) In The Inactive And Active State, Yong-Hun Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a class of integral membrane receptor proteins that are characterized by seven-transmembrane (7TM) domains connected by intracellular and extracellular loops, an extracellular N-terminus, and an intracellular C-terminus. To date more than 1000 GPCRs have been identified, and these proteins recognize neurotransmitters, sensory molecules and chemotactic agents. These receptors are involved in the control of many aspects of metabolism and play important roles in diverse processes such as pain perception, growth and blood pressure regulation, and viral pathogenesis. Therefore, these proteins became important target for therapeutic agents and recent reports indicate that nearly 40% of drugs …

Examining Consumer Pre-Purchase Deliberation Process In An Online Marketplace, Hyung Chul Park

Doctoral Dissertations

The research objective of this study was to examine the consumer pre-purchase deliberation process in an online marketplace. Especially, examining the role of extrinsic quality (website-related quality), intrinsic quality (business operation-related quality), reputation of the retailer (other consumers’ opinions), attitude toward the retailer, and intention to transact with the retailer in an online marketplace context was main purpose of this study.

To collect the data, extensive online survey was performed. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling test.

Findings revealed that there are significant positive relationships among extrinsic quality, intrinsic quality, reputation of the retailer, attitude toward the retailer, …

Analysis Of Vehicle Use Patterns During Military Field Exercises To Identify Potential Roads, Chunxia Wu

Doctoral Dissertations

Military training is an intensive land use and can cause negative environmental effects. Many studies conducted under Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) for quantifying the impact resulted from the military training exercise found that off-road vehicular activities during training exercises cause the major impact to the training land. Vehicle land use patterns at a certain location affect the impact severity: concentrated and repeated traffic create more serious damage to the land compared to the dispersed offroad vehicle movements. Those areas heavily disturbed by off-road traffic may require a longer period of time or special treatments for the land to return …

High Resolution X-Ray And Neutron Crystallographic Studies Of Escherichia Coli Dihydrofolate Reductase, Brad C. Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations

Dihydrofolate Reductases (DHFRs) have been identified in nearly every proteome and are essential for most biosynthetic pathways involving one-carbon transfer reactions due to their recycling of tetrahydrofolate (THF). They catalyze the NADPH-dependent reduction of dihydrofolate (DHF), producing THF. Inhibition of DHFR ultimately depletes cellular pools of THF; causing a reduced supply of thymine nucleotides for DNA synthesis, resulting in genomic instability and cell death. Therefore, DHFRs remain important drug targets in antimicrobial and chemotherapeutic treatments. Despite exhaustive investigation of E. coli chromosomal DHFR, controversy persists over the dynamics of regulatory loops (the Met20, the βF-βG, and the βG-βH) and the …

Physical Activity Of Older Adults Residing In Different Levels Of Care, Randall Joseph Bergman

Doctoral Dissertations

This study compared the physical activity and functional levels of older adults residing in retirement (RH), assisted-living (AL) and nursing homes (NH). The StepWatch Step Activity Monitor3 (SW) pedometer was used to collect the number of steps taken during one day of activity. Activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) surveys were completed to measure functional status in terms of ADL problems and impairments. The sample consisted of thirty-seven older adults (17 RH, 8 AL, 12 NH, 71 – 94 years old) who wore the SW on the right ankle during a full day of …

Father Perspectives On The Relationship Between Family-Centered Practices And Empowerment Outcomes In Early Intervention, William Bryan Higgins

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the present investigation was to explore fathers’ perceptions of family-centered practices in early intervention services and to examine how these practices influence fathers’ feelings of empowerment. Literature reviewed examined the family-centered approach to service delivery and empowerment outcomes, especially in early intervention programs. In addition, a brief discussion of fatherhood research was presented in an effort to inform potential hypotheses and discussion.

The current study was conducted as part of the Pathways to Family Empowerment Project whose purpose is to evaluate the family-centered model of service delivery in Tennessee’s Early Intervention System (TEIS). The data collected were …

Ligand Binding Studies In R67 Dihydrofolate Reductase And The Evaluation Of The Anion-Quadrupole Interaction At A Quantum Mechanical Level, Michael Robert Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations

Dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) are important, ubiquitous enzymes catalyzing the hydride transfer from NADPH to dihydrofolate and producing the tetrahydrofolate intermediate that is essential for many metabolic processes, particularly for its role in DNA synthesis. R67 DHFR is a plasmid encoded enzyme that confers resistance to the antibiotic drug trimethoprim. This enzyme is active as a homotetramer. The active site pore possesses 222 symmetry as a result. This symmetry gives rise to a different mechanism by which it binds its ligands. There are potentially four symmetry related binding sites, but various studies have indicated only three possible combinations that include: two …

Limits Of Temperature Tolerance Of Leishmania Enriettii And Leishmania Hertigi In A Real-Time Pcr Assay, Christina Salinas

Theses & Dissertations

Protozoans of the genus Leishmania are intracellular parasites found across five continents. They cycle between a promastigote form inside the digestive tracts of blood-feeding female sand flies and an amastigote form within mammalian host macrophages. Temperature is an important factor that must be defeated in order for the parasites' survival and continuance. This paper studies the limits of temperature tolerance by Leishmania enriettii and Leishmania hertigi. It was hypothesized that a correlation would exist between the limits of temperature tolerance to body temperature of their host. I explored growth characteristics at 21,27,29, 33, 35, 37, and 39° C. It was …

Mechanisms Of Hbo-Induced Neuroprotection In A Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Model, John Winter Calvert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With an incidence approaching 1/4000 live births and as high as 60% in low birth weight infants, cerebral hypoxia-ischemia during the perinatal period is the single most important cause of acute mortality and chronic disability in newborns. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that following a hypoxic-ischemic insult hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment can restore high energy metabolite levels in the affected regions of the brain and through this increase in energy levels ameliorate the spread of cell death following the insult. We also investigated if an additional mechanism by which HBO affords its neuroprotection is by altering the expression of the …

Eating Behavior And Obesity Risk Of Youth Living In The City Of San Bernardino, California, Carolyn A. Corder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Adolescents living in the City of San Bernardino, California, are susceptible to health risks due to high rates of violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, and poverty, which place them among the most vulnerable in the Nation to disability, early death, unhealthy offspring, illiteracy, economic disadvantage, and chronic disease. This study analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior (YRBS) and local surveys conducted in the City’s Unified School District from 1999 through 2001. The investigators focused on the relationship, if any, of dietary and anthropometric factors to the priority adolescent behaviors targeted for intervention by the Healthy People 2010 objectives: accidental injuries …

Paper Substrates For Electronic Printing, Laura K. Wood

Masters Theses

Printed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) labels utilize conductive inks to provide the means for wireless flow of electronic signals. An RFID label is an identification label with an integrated circuit and antenna that transmits data via radio waves to a reader, which sends the data to a computer for processing. RFID labels allow manufacturers and retailers to accurately track their inventory more efficiently than previously possible with bar codes. However, etched metal RFID labels are too expensive for widespread implementation. The key to reducing the cost of RFID technology is replacing etched metal tags with tags printed with conducting ink. …

Ruffed Grouse Habitat Use, Reproductive Ecology, And Survival In Western North Carolina, Benjamin Colter Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

Ruffed grouse populations are lower in the Appalachians compared to the Great Lakes states, the geographic core of grouse distribution. Theories to explain lower numbers in the Appalachians include inadequate foods, lower reproduction, lower survival, and loss of habitat. To provide insight into ruffed grouse ecology in the Appalachians, habitat use, reproduction, and survival were studied on Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina. Radiotagged grouse (n = 276) were monitored through the year. Seasonal 75% kernel home ranges (n = 172) averaged 15–59 ha across sexes, ages, and seasons. Home range size was related to habitat with …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of Small, Man-Made Impoundments On Stream Macroinvertebrate Communities And Water Quality In Eastern Tennessee, Larry Eugene Everett Jr.

Masters Theses

Semi-quantitative benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected from riffles above and below four small impoundments in eastern Tennessee. Watershed and habitat surveys and a variety of field measurements were performed for each sample site and each sampling event when appropriate. Samples were collected quarterly (seasonally) during a one-year period. The goal of the study was twofold: (1) to determine whether or not differences in stream macroinvertebrate communities above and below impoundments existed and if so, (2) to attempt to evaluate the possible effects of the impoundments on the downstream benthic community and water quality.

One-hundred and fifty-four distinct macroinvertebrate taxa in …

Tennessee Hay Supply And Demand Response To Prices And Other Factors, Jon Edwin Travis

Masters Theses

The hay industry in Tennessee closely resembles a perfectly competitive market. There are no substantial barriers to market entry and farmers can freely exit if they so choose. A large number of firms and consumers (livestock producers and equine operators) exist. Hay is a fairly homogeneous product; although hay varieties are not identical, in many livestock production situations they are close substitutes. Producers are price takers in the market.

Currently, more information is needed regarding Tennessee hay supply and price response. The objectives of this study were: 1) to determine the factors that influence Tennessee hay acreage and yield, 2) …

Bankfull Hydraulic Geometry Of Streams Draining The Southwestern Appalachians Of Tennessee, Gregory Scott Babbit

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the bankfull recurrence interval for streams draining the Southwestern Appalachians Level III Ecoregion 68 of Tennessee, develop bankfull discharge and hydraulic geometry relationships for streams within the ecoregion and compare those relationships to the Ridge and Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland (Keaton et al., 2005) and the Piedmont and Blue Ridge of North Carolina (Harman et al., 1999; Harman et al., 2000). For this investigation, a repeatable, systematic process was developed to locate bankfull stage within the Southwestern Appalachians during the spring and summer of 2005. The intent was to …

Brassica Mulches And Meal Control Fungal Wheat Pathogens In Vitro And Take-All Disease In Soil, Thomas Samuel Breeden

Masters Theses

Soilborne pathogens have an economic impact on crops throughout the world. Many survive saprophytically and therefore are difficult to control. Soil fumigation and seed treatments are sometimes effective. However, they are economically impractical for many crops. Crop rotation/alternative crops are often a practical, economical, and successful means of controlling soilborne pathogens. Recent studies have revealed that Brassica spp. Inhibit a wide array of plant pathogens. Decomposing species of Brassica release glucosinolates, which are converted to isothiocyanates (ITC) by the enzyme myrosinase. The ITC compounds inhibit microorganisms. The present study had three objectives. The first was to evaluate the effect of …

Stability Of The Miniscrew-Bone Interface: Reverse Torque Values In Rabbits, Daniel John Drye

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Miniscrews are used in orthodontics as practical temporary anchorage devices (TAD's). The purpose of this animal study was to measure reverse torque values for Absoanchor 1.2 mm and Micerium 1.5mm miniscrews at 0, 2, and 12 weeks under loaded and unloaded conditions.

Methods: Ninety-six miniscrews were placed in the femora of twelve rabbits and allowed to heal for either two or twelve weeks. Half of the fixtures were loaded immediately with NiTi open coil springs producing a force of 150-200g and the other half served as unloaded controls. For each of the healing times, two and twelve weeks, …

Low-Dose Radiation Effects On Variation In Gene Expression, With Potential Application To Network Construction, Adam Tebbe

Masters Theses

The molecular responses to radiation exposure have been an avidly pursued research topic for many years now. Most of this effort has been focused on large doses of radiation, such as those experienced during a nuclear explosion or cancer treatment. Of equal importance though, are the effects of low doses of radiation, which have received much less attention. This study attempts to analyze the effects of low-dose radiation exposure on different inbred mice strains, each of which represents a unique genetic constitution. The genetic background was found to have a dramatic effect on the variability of gene expression of the …

Competing For Legitimacy: The Development And Evolution Of Forest Certification In Finland, Keith Wellington Mars

Masters Theses

Forest certification in Finland has developed and evolved in favor of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) and not the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The Finnish Forest Certification System (FFCS as endorsed by PEFC) certification of forests in Finland has been achieved at an unprecedented rate and scale. This event, both in process and outcome, was highly contentious and politicized. Finland represents a microcosm of the current issues in forest certification and is ripe for study. However, few attempts have been made to explain why and how forest certification develops and evolves. This thesis sheds light …

Human Equivalent Dose Modeling For Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation In C57bl/6j Mice, Laura Louise Jones

Masters Theses

The rodent model is often used to study the impact of dietary n-3 fatty acids on a variety of biological endpoints, and the results of these studies have been used to explain anticipated effects of n-3 fatty acid intake in humans. However, supplemental levels of n-3 fatty acids that are commonly used in rodent studies do not represent reasonable human intake, by comparison. Currently there is no standard method for the addition of n-3 fatty acids to rodent diets. We tested a mathematical model for dosing supplemental levels of α-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to rodent diets on …

Effect Of Long Term Resistance Training On A Senior Population With Trained Peer Leadership, Richard John Burke Iii

Masters Theses

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the physical effects of a two-year peer-led resistance training and aerobic program in a group of community dwelling older adults.

Methods: Nine community-dwelling older adults (Age = 81.2 ± 7.1 yrs; Males = 1, Females = 8) were trained for six weeks, monitored and corrected for one year, and then completed two years of peer-led weight training three days/week. Pre and post training physical function assessments included 6-minute walk distance (endurance, functional mobility and gait speed), 8 foot timed up-and-go (balance and agility), back scratch (shoulder flexibility), sit-and-reach (flexibility), number of …

The Subcellular Targeting And In Vivo Metal Binding Characteristics Of Agnt84 Using Transgenic Tobacco And By-2 Suspension Cell Cultures, Brook Kay Nelson

Masters Theses

AgNt84 is a nodulin protein expressed in Alnus glutinosa, an actinorhizal tree that participates with the actinomycete Frankia in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Expression of AgNt84 mRNA is exclusively found within Zone 2 of the nodules, which is the zone that contains cells in the process of being infected by Frankia. A truncated form of the protein was found to bind Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ in vitro. AgNt84 was predicted to be targeted extracellularly based on the presence of an N-terminal signal sequence. The purpose …

The Bovine Coronavirus 2'-O-Methyltransferase Binds Cis-Acting Stem-Loop Iv In The 5-Prime Untranslated Region Of The Viral Genome, Tara Beth Tucker

Masters Theses

The positive-stranded coronavirus genome, at 32 kilobases in length, is the largest known viral RNA genome, and internal cis-signaling elements directing its replication have been described only within the last ten years. The bovine coronavirus genome encodes 26 proteins in the region between the 5’-terminal 210-nt untranslated region and the 3’-terminal 298-nt untranslated region. Here, genes for 5 of the 26 proteins were cloned into bacterial expression plasmids for the long-term goals of characterizing enzymatic and RNA binding properties. These genes encode enzymes postulated to interact directly with the cis-acting RNA elements and carry out RNA synthesis, namely, the …

Validation Of Quantitative Trait Loci Conditioning Seed Phytate And Protein Concentration In Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merrill], Andrew M. Scaboo

Masters Theses

The concentration of phytate, a mixed cation salt of phytic acid (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate), is an important consideration when analyzing grain for livestock feed rations. A discovery that SSR marker Satt237 and Satt561 are associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL) for phytate content in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] has been made recently. The objectives of this study were to 1) confirm those QTL in independent segregating soybean populations, 2) compare the effectiveness of marker assisted selection (MAS) or dual MAS and phenotypic selection for seed phytate and protein concentration in soybean, and 3) assess the agronomic …