The incorporation of 3- C-,B-hydroxy-, B-methylglutaric acid (HMG) vii into carotenoids of excised etiolated maize shoots, crude cell free extracts and soluble extracts (20, 000 x g) of maize was investigated. HMG was effectively incorporated into carotenoids of excised shoots, crude extracts and soluble extracts. The excised shoots, crude extracts and soluble extracts incorporated 2- 14 C-mevalonic acid (MVA) into carotenoids as well. The results indicated the presence of HMG-CoA reductase in the plant as well as an HMG activating enzyme. The soluble extract showed a pH optimum of 7. 0 for incorporation of HMG into carotenoids. Endogenous metabolites such as MVA in the soluble enzyme preparation decreased the amount of 3- 14 C-HMG incorporated into carotenoids. The conversion of HMG to MVA may be a regulatory site in carotenoid biosynthesis in the plant. Telone (a mixture of cis-1, 3-dichloropropene, trans-I, 3-dichloropropene and other halogenated hydrocarbons), 3-chloroallyl alcohol, viii 3-chloropropionic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, 3-chloro-1-propanol and 14 malonic acid significantly reduced the amount of 3- C-HMG incorporated into carotenoids of maize. Activity of lipoxidase from tomato extracts was significantly inhibited by Telone, cis-1, 3-dichloropropene, trans-1, 3-dichloropropene, 3-chloroallyl alcohol, 3-chloropropionic acid, 3-hydroxy-propionic acid, 3-chloro-1-propanol and malonic acid.

Changes in cognitive status occur with aging and significant attention has been placed on developing interventions to possibly delay cognitive decline and identifying risk factors that exacerbate cognitive deficits. One issue that arises when studying interventions is that they do not always effectively translate from animal models to human subjects. When testing potentially modifiable risk factors related to cognitive impairment, more sensitive metrics could help in identifying targets for intervention at earlier time-points. Therefore, the aims of the current dissertation were twofold. The first study examined the ability to translate between species using a common behavioral paradigm, the Morris water maze (MWM). The second study evaluated human MWM performance and commonly used neuropsychological test performance in relation to a marker of glucose regulation, HbA1c. The first study tested translation between rats and humans using the MWM paradigm. Using secondary data sources from a study of nutrition, inflammation, and aging among rats and the Czech Brain Aging Study among humans, differences in average performance and across trial learning were examined between young (3 months; n=10) and aged (20 months; n=13) rats as well age young-old (age 53-70; n=47) and old-old (age 71-85; n=30) human subjects. The cumulative distance was measured in rats and distance error to the hidden goal was measured in human subjects. Results indicated that age-related deficits in performance are greater in magnitude for rats than human subjects. Further, the across trial learning data is more sensitive to change in performance than average performance metrics. Across learning trials indicated poorer performance for aged rats than young rats. Significant effects of age were also observed for human subjects using with the allocentric and egocentric subtests. The second study examined the influence of a measure of glucose regulation (HbA1c) on commonly used neuropsychological tests and a test of spatial navigation abilities among human subjects. Participants classified as cognitively normal, subjective cognitive decline, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were evaluated on verbal memory, nonverbal memory, working memory, visuospatial skills, and executive function in addition to the virtual and real space versions of a human MWM paradigm. A total of 116 participants were included in the complete data sample and 133 participants were included in the multiple imputation sample. Results indicated that HbA1c influenced executive function but not any other measures of cognition. Higher HbA1c levels were associated with poorer performance. A significant interaction was observed between cognitive status and HbA1c. Those with cognitive impairment and higher HbA1c levels had poorer executive function performance. This effect, however, was not observed with the imputation sample. Results of the first study indicated that the MWM paradigm serves as a good tool to assess translation between rats and human subjects. This would be helpful in examining interventions designed to improve normal age-related changes in cognition. It is important to note, however, that the differences observed among animals tend to be greater than human subjects. Therefore, the margin of improvement may be greater following treatment with studies utilizing animals rather than human subjects. The second study indicated that glucose levels may have an impact on cognitive abilities, particularly those related to executive function. Targeting blood glucose levels may be one effective way to keep executive function abilities more intact with age. Taken together, these studies will better inform future work related to delaying cognitive decline among older adults.

The importance of spirituality in relation to mental well-being and physical health is currently well regarded in the academic literature. Therefore spiritual care is now considered an important aspect of holistic healing practices. However, research is showing that most health care providers do not feel competent or confident in this area of care. In this thesis I explore how spiritual care is understood and experienced by practitioners in aged and palliative care in a regional area on the coast of New South Wales. The 26 participants, whose insights and experiences are depicted in this thesis, were very happy to be involved in this qualitative research project, because they felt that they now had the opportunity to explore spirituality and spiritual care.The participants in this research describe spiritual care as involving doing in the form of religious practices, such as praying or bible readings and non-religious activities that were seen as spiritual such as talking about dying, touching people or reminiscing. Additionally, they also commented about spiritual care as a special way of being with clients, which involved qualities and attitudes that were clearly felt or recognized by the participants as special. Not necessarily labeled as spiritual care, this special way of being was described as not being separate, but being an integral part of the daily acts of caring such as feeding a patient or preparing them for a bath. Participants found it often difficult to elaborate on what made such an interaction spiritual or how to describe the quality of these interactions as there seemed to be no familiar language to share the experiences of spirituality and spiritual care. Additionally, participants commented quite regularly that, although spiritual care was seen as important, there were many factors that inhibited these practices. In reflecting on these issues I put forward that, although the practitioners in this research are familiar with spiritual care, the most important contribution to encouraging health care providers to feel more confident is to continue conversations about spiritual care to increase competency in a non-denominational spiritual discourse in aged and palliative care.

This Reflective Topical Autobiography (RTA) aimed to reflect on and recount my own actual life stories and the life lessons learned, in order to identify patterns, trends and insights from my life and to offer these insights to others. My objectives were to promote personal empowerment as a tool for fulfilling individual potential, and to heal and be healed, by taking personal responsibility and making choices that enhance the individual and thus the collective consciousness.The research questions I posed to myself to assist in reflecting on and recounting my life stories were: What are the key stories of my life? What life lessons have I learned from my experiences? What are the patterns, trends and insights from my life? How can I offer these insights to other people? The RTA activities included writing personal stories, reflecting on my life patterns, trends and insights, and using photographs and a DVD production, to illustrate the main ideas and events.The research process allowed me to move from being reactive to reflective and to answer the research questions. Some of my life lessons learned from my experiences are that: one person can make a difference; lack of money is not lack of personal power; and nothing is impossible. My life patterns and trends include having a high-energy lifestyle, living without fear, learning to deal with disappointments, keeping life records, taking responsibility for action, and creating a morphic field. This RTA also offers insights to other people, with whom they resonate.It became apparent to me, in the process of documenting my personal journey in this RTA, that by suspending judgement and keeping an open mind and open heart, I am able to attune to what I call ‘Divine Intelligence’. It is a deep cellular knowing, that we are all connected. In 32 years of my own development, I have witnessed quantum leaps in the disciplines of science, spirit, ancient wisdom and health, which are acknowledged in the academies of the world. There is a new way of seeing and thinking, which is about a future based on these holistic principles of interconnectedness. It is the contention of this RTA that thoughts and intentions are the tools for personal and global change.

Contact between human beings and dogs may allow sharing of antimicrobial resistant and virulent bacteria. Objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of cross-species sharing of fecal E. coli based on pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profile similarity, to compare antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and virulence factor patterns between dog-owner pairs, and to analyze the epidemiology of cross-species sharing using a questionnaire. A cross-sectional study comparing fecal E. coli isolates from dogs and their owners was conducted. A questionnaire and fecal sample was collected from 61 dogowner pairs and 30 controls. Three E. coli colonies were isolated from each participant and confirmed biochemically. Antimicrobial susceptibility of each isolate was determined via disc diffusion for 17 antimicrobial agents routinely monitored by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. PFGE profiles were used to establish relatedness among bacterial isolates. A multiplex PCR was developed to determine presence or absence of 4 urovirulence factor genes: cnf, hlyD, sfa, and papGIII. The questionnaire asked about medical history, antimicrobial therapy, hygiene, and relationship with dog. A wide array of PFGE profiles was observed in E. coli isolates from all participants. Within-household sharing occurred with 9.8% prevalence, and acrosshousehold sharing occurred with 0.26% prevalence. No specific behaviors were associated with increased clonal sharing between dog and owner. No differences were found in susceptibility results or virulence factor patterns between dog-owner pairs. Control isolates were more resistant than canine isolates, and human beings carried more multiple-drug resistant E. coli than dogs. Isolates from owners who did not wash their hands after petting their dogs had increased resistance to ampicillin. An association was found in women between history of UTI and presence of each virulence factor in their dog’s fecal E. coli. Antimicrobial resistance was associated with reduction of virulence factors. Within-household sharing of E. coli occurred more commonly than acrosshousehold sharing, but both direct contact and environmental reservoirs may be important routes for cross-species sharing of bacteria and genes for resistance and virulence. Cross-species bacterial sharing is a potential public health concern, and good hygiene is recommended.

Feline immunodeficiency virus is a retrovirus of domestic cats causing significant lifelong infection. Infection has also been detected in nondomestic species, including African lions. It is endemic in certain populations in east and southern Africa. Infection leads to immunologic dysfunction and immunosuppressive disease in domestic cats; however, little research exists about the pathogenic effects of infection in lions and its epidemiological impact on free-ranging and captive populations. Little is known about the lentivirus in these populations at the molecular and host level. Analysis of the virus from these populations is necessary for development of detection assays that are both sensitive and specific. Whole-blood and serum samples were collected opportunistically from free ranging lions in Kruger National Park, South Africa, and from Hlane Royal National Park, Swaziland. Whole-blood and serum samples were also collected from captive exotic felids in RSA andUS and domestic cats in RSA. A nested polymerase chain reaction assay was performed on all whole-blood samples, and all positive products were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Serum samples were tested for cross-reactive antibodies to domestic feline lentivirus antigens and cross-reactive antibodies to puma lentivirus synthetic envelope peptide antigen. Serum samples were tested for feline haptoglobins and feline alpha-one acid glycoproteins by radial immunodiffusion. This research represents the first epidemiological study of the lion lentivirus among free-ranging lions of Kruger National Park and the first epidemiological study comparing genetic material to antibody-based methods of lentivirus detection on lions in RSA. The polymerase chain reaction assay was successful in amplifying the lion lentivirus from African lions. The conservation management of free-ranging lions must consider the infectious agents to which they are susceptible. No conclusions can be drawn from this investigation with respect to the potential virulence or pathogenic distinctions between viral subtypes, as little is known about the definitive consequences of lion lentivirus infection in African lions. Immunologic studies may uncover potential differences in immune expression among lentivirus-positive and -negative individuals with regard to increased resistance or increased susceptibility to infection or pathogenicity. To this end, lion lentivirus infection status could also be compared to the infection status of bovine tuberculosis.

Each year, the United States is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse and creating many challenges for healthcare professionals. Extensive literature has documented a gap between minority and majority populations’ health outcomes. According to the Institute of Medicine, one way to eliminate health disparities is by providing cross-cultural training to future and current healthcare professionals. A few models in healthcare delivery systems have assessed their own organizational cultural competence. However, due to the unique differences between health care delivery systems and post-secondary health-related academic units, there exists a need to develop and validate a model for organizational cultural competence of post-secondary health-related academic units. This literature review builds the foundation for this research project, which is to provide initial construct validity of a model for organizational cultural competence of postsecondary health related academic units.

Clinical concerns exist regarding the delivered tidal volume (Vt) during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). HFOV is increasingly being used as a lung protective mode of ventilation for patients with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), but caution must be utilized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of airway compliance on Vt delivered by HFOV to the adult patient. Method: An in vitro model was used to simulate an adult passive patient with ARDS, using a high fidelity breathing simulator (ASL 5000, IngMar Medical). The simulation included independent lung ventilation with a fixed resistance and adjustable compliance for each lung. Compliances of 10, 15, 20 and 25 ml/cmH2O were used and resistance (Raw) was fixed at 15 cm H2O/L/s. The ventilator SensorMedics 3100B (Cardinal Health, Dublin, Ohio) was set to a fixed power setting of 6.0, insp-% of 33%, bias flow =30 L/min, and 50% oxygen and Hz of 5.0 (n=5) for each compliance setting. Mean airway pressure (mPaw) and amplitude (AMP) varied as the compliance changes were made. Approximately 250 breaths were recorded at each compliance setting and the data was collected via the host computer and transferred to a log to be analyzed by SPSS v. 10. Data Analysis: The data analysis was performed using SPSS v. 10 to determine the statistical significance of the delivered Vt with different compliances, different AMP and a fixed power setting. A probability of (p < 0.05) was accepted as statistically significant. Results: The average delivered Vt with each compliance was 124.181 mL (range of 116.4276 mL and 132.6637 mL) and average AMP of 84.85 cm/H2O (range 82.0 cm/H2O and 88.0801 cm/H2O) n=5. There was an inverse relationship between Vt and AMP at a fixed power of 6.0. As compliance improved Vt increased and there was a corresponding decrease in AMP. The one-way ANOVA test showed that there were significant differences between the delivered tidal volume and AMP at a fixed power setting. When the post hoc Bonferroni test was used the data showed significant differences between AMP achieved with each compliance change and a fixed power of 6.0. When the post hoc Bonferroni test was used the data showed significant differences between Vt delivered with each compliance change and a fixed power setting of 6.0. Conclusion: Vt is not constant during HFOV. Compliance is one determinant of Vt in adults with ARDS during HFOV. AMP and Vt are inversely related during HFOV at a fixed power setting and improving compliance.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing different regions of PrP are potential tools in the study of prion diseases and immunotherapy. We used shuffled recombinant prion protein containing elk and mouse PrP as antigen to produce monoclonal antibodies in mice. We found that mAb 5C6 mapped to a discontinuous epitope comprised of amino acid 132 and 158 (mouse numbering). Monoclonal anibody 9E9 which maps to a unique N-terminal epitope at amino acid preferentially recognized cervid PrP. In contrast, the epitope of mAb 9H9 is located in the C-terminus and only reacted with mouse and hamster. The epitope for mAb 7H11 appears to be affected by the glycosylation of PrP and by the presence or absence of the disulfide bond. To confirm the epitopes of these mAbs, we constructed elk and mouse mutants both with and without reactivity to 5C6 and 9E9. We then used these mutants to investigate the effect of each epitope on the conversion of PrPC to PrPsc. In one approach to map the epitopes of newly-generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we generated a series of contiguous ten amino acids deletion constructs spanning amino acids 107 to 230 and expressed these recombinant proteins in mammalian cells (RK13) or bacteria. Using Western blotting, all deletion constructs could be recognized with antibodies to the extreme C-terminus of PrP, or the N-terminal region upstream of the structured globular domain of PrP. However, mAb 5C6 failed to react with all internally deleted PrP constructs expressed in mammalian cells, and to a lesser extent bacterially produced mutant recombinant proteins. We confirmed the surprising result using the well-defined antibodies 6H4 and D18, which recognize epitopes in the same internal region as 5C6. Our results suggest the formation of an ultra-stable, SDS-resistant conformation in PrP harboring deletions mutations in the globular domain of PrP. We hypothesize that epitope burying within this stable conformation(s) precludes mAb recognition by 5C6, 6H4 and D18. It will be of extreme interest to determine the relationship of this previously undefined PrP conformation to the pathogenic process of PrP conformational change.

This Reflective Topical Autobiography (RTA) aimed to reflect on and recount my own actual life stories and the life lessons learned, in order to identify patterns, trends and insights from my life and to offer these insights to others. My objectives were to promote personal empowerment as a tool for fulfilling individual potential, and to heal and be healed, by taking personal responsibility and making choices that enhance the individual and thus the collective consciousness.The research questions I posed to myself to assist in reflecting on and recounting my life stories were: What are the key stories of my life? What life lessons have I learned from my experiences? What are the patterns, trends and insights from my life? How can I offer these insights to other people? The RTA activities included writing personal stories, reflecting on my life patterns, trends and insights, and using photographs and a DVD production, to illustrate the main ideas and events.The research process allowed me to move from being reactive to reflective and to answer the research questions. Some of my life lessons learned from my experiences are that: one person can make a difference; lack of money is not lack of personal power; and nothing is impossible. My life patterns and trends include having a high-energy lifestyle, living without fear, learning to deal with disappointments, keeping life records, taking responsibility for action, and creating a morphic field. This RTA also offers insights to other people, with whom they resonate.It became apparent to me, in the process of documenting my personal journey in this RTA, that by suspending judgement and keeping an open mind and open heart, I am able to attune to what I call ‘Divine Intelligence’. It is a deep cellular knowing, that we are all connected. In 32 years of my own development, I have witnessed quantum leaps in the disciplines of science, spirit, ancient wisdom and health, which are acknowledged in the academies of the world. There is a new way of seeing and thinking, which is about a future based on these holistic principles of interconnectedness. It is the contention of this RTA that thoughts and intentions are the tools for personal and global change.