This dissertation describes galvanic exchange of silver (Ag) nanostructures with PdCl42- in 1) various PdCl42- concentrations, 2) the presence of 0.1 M cetyitrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and 3) the presence of 0.1 M potassium bromide (KBr). It...
This dissertation describes new procedures for synthesizing and purifying Au and Au/Ag nanoplates directly on surfaces as well as controlled binding of proteins to their surface. It also describes fundamental changes in the optical properties of Au...
Within the Appalachian hills of eastern Kentucky, large-scale coal mining operations are directly altering the headwater landscape through the construction of hollow fills. These man-made landforms and their associated in-stream structures alter a...
This dissertation describes (1) size-dependent electrochemical oxidation/stripping of gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs), (2) alloying of copper with gold nanoparticles at underpotential deposition potentials, (3) electrochemical characterization...
c-Myc dysregulation is one of the most common abnormalities found in human cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are functionally intertwined with the c-Myc network as multiple miRNAs are regulated by c-Myc, while others directly suppress c-Myc expression. In...
The purpose of this dissertation was to demonstrate that a new method of direct intracellular energy delivery was effective in maintaining viability of in vitro Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) when exposed to chemical ischemia for...
Mosquitoes as carriers of disease; Dengue viruses; Mosquitoes--Physiology
In the course of their life cycle, mosquitoes undergo an ontogenetic niche shift; immature larval development occurs within an aquatic habitat from which adult mosquitoes subsequently disperse into the terrestrial environment. While adult female...
High dynamic range imaging involves imaging at a bit depth higher than the typical 8-12 bits offered by standard video equipment. We propose a method of imaging a scene at high dynamic range, 14+ bits, to detect motion correlated with changes in...
Unrepaired DNA damage poses a serious threat to the genetic stability of a replicating cell. One mechanism of tolerating this damage is translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), in which an accessory polymerase synthesizes DNA directly across from a damaged...
Emergency management--Kentucky; Assistance in emergencies--Kentucky; Disaster relief--Kentucky; Transportation--Planning
Large-scale emergencies caused by earthquake, tornado, pandemic flu, terrorism attacks and so on can wreak havoc to communities. In order to mitigate the impact of the events, emergency stockpiles of food, water, medicine and other materials have...
Indians of North America--British Columbia; Literacy--British Columbia--Case studies
This dissertation examines the literacy practices of a group of First Nations women who live in British Columbia and whose jobs entail the production and dissemination of texts which reflect the local, Carrier, culture. In this qualitative study of...
Gay rights; Gays--Employment; Bullying in the workplace
Employee retention continues to be a major drain on the resources of organizations, especially in terms of personnel, productivity, and financial resources. One of the primary motivators of employee turnovers established by research is the issue of...
Congenital stationary night blindness 1 (CSNBl) is a genetic disorder characterized in humans by night blindness, low visual acuity and myopia. CSNB 1 is caused by defects in genes that are involved in signaling between photoreceptors and...
The topic of this dissertation is the automation of the process of extracting understandable patterns and rules from data. An unprecedented amount of data is available to anyone with a computer connected to the Internet. The disciplines of Data...
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a C-19 adrenal steroid and the most abundant circulating hormone in humans. Since circulating levels decline in late adulthood, treatment of humans with DHEA has been suggested to have beneficial health effects....
Identity theft; College students--Crimes against; Victims of crimes--Psychology
This thesis examines the link between routine activity theory and identity theft victimization using college students. Using data collected from 308 undergraduate students attending a southeastern university, this study seeks to present the...
Educational tests and measurements--Kentucky; Educational accountability--Kentucky; School improvement programs--Kentucky
High-stakes accountability, standards for improvement, global perspectives, and social considerations are re-defining the educational process. These powerful forces shake foundations and traditions, restructure organizational expectations, and...
Phenomenology and art; Art--Philosophy; Philosophy of mind; Husserl, Edmund, 1859-1938; Merleau-Ponty, Maurice, 1908-1961
This dissertation presents the philosophical concepts of Edmund Husserl on phenomenology and image-consciousness and explores the phenomenological project of Maurice Merleau-Ponty as I have sought to render them in my creative artwork. By building...
Blood flow--Measurement; Spinal cord--Wounds and injuries
Traumatic injury destroys blood vessels at the injury epicenter and is followed by local
angiogenesis and regional inflammation. Healing from injury depends on vascular health because
blood supply is directly responsible for the health and function...