Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Emotion-Related Processes In Selective Mutism; Autonomic, Behavioral And Parental Factors, Rachel B. Tenenbaum

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Selective mutism (SM) is associated with considerable individual and family burdens, significant long-term functional impairment, and risk for later psychopathology. However, literature examining the phenomenology of SM has been scant, and it remains unclear which mechanisms are related to the development or maintenance of SM. Multiple theoretical perspectives have been proposed, and it appears that several pathways may be involved and interact to lead to the development of SM. Emotionrelated processes, such as negative emotion reactivity, disruptions in emotion regulation, and parental behavior and emotionality have been proposed to be involved in the etiology and/or maintenance of SM. The present …

Individual Level Factors Associated With Hiv Care Continuum Metrics Among Mash Cohort Participants From 2009-2014, Kristopher Myers

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation assessed the following: 1) the individual-level factors’ individual, syndemic, and interactive associations with retention in HIV care; 2) the individual-level factors’ individual, syndemic, and interactive associations with adherence among retained persons; and 3) the individual-level factors’ individual, syndemic, and interactive associations with viral suppression among retained persons. In the first study, Non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity was associated with improved retention (OR=2.44, 95%CI: 1.06–5.75, p≤0.05). “Black-Hispanic” and “Other” racial/ethnic identities were associated with increased retention among participants (OR=4.84, 95%CI: 1.16–25.79, p≤0.05 and OR=7.24, 95%CI: 1.54–54.05p≤0.05, respectively). The interaction between depressive symptoms and alcohol use disorder was significantly and negatively associated …

The Role Of Inositol Polyphosphate-4-Phosphatase Type Ii B (Inpp4b) In Obese Models And Endocrine Cancers, Manqi Zhang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

INPP4B is a dual-specificity phosphatase and a tumor suppressor in prostate and breast cancers. Progression of the prostate and breast cancers depends on the androgen receptor (AR) or estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling, respectively. In this work we demonstrated that INPP4B reprograms ERα transcriptional activity in breast cancer. INPP4B maintains expression and protein levels of progesterone receptor (PR), an ERα direct target gene required for mammary gland development. Consistently we demonstrated that Inpp4b knockout severely impairs lateral branching in the mammary gland of maturing virgin females. In advanced prostate cancer, activation and transcriptional reprogramming of AR frequently coincides with the …

Effectiveness Of A 6-Month Nutrition Intervention Targeting Prediabetes In People Living With Hiv (Plwh) And Prediabetes, Alicia Sneij

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 6-month randomized, controlled nutrition intervention targeting prediabetes in people living with HIV (PLWH) and have prediabetes. Participants (n=38) were randomized into the intervention group (n=20) or the control group (n=18). Participants randomized into the intervention group met once a month for approximately 1 hour to receive medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling and nutrition education; participants randomized into the control group received educational material at baseline. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) for the 6-month follow-up for the intervention group was significantly reduced compared to baseline (p=0.03). No significant difference was …

Swiping Right And Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Std): Examining Venue Selection, Risky Sexual Behaviors, And Std Among Persons Living With Hiv, Florida, 2014-2017, Isabel S. Griffin

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise, nationwide (World Health Organization, 2015). In Florida, the incidence of bacterial STDs has increased from 425.3 per 100,000 persons per year in 2006 to 684.7 per 100,000 persons per year in 2017 (Florida Charts, 2018). This rise in STDs has gone hand-in-hand with the recent advancement of technology, beginning with at-home internet in the early 1990s to the introduction of social networking smartphone applications (SNSA) on mobile Smartphones in the late 2000s (Grov et al., 2011; Klausner et al., 2011; Winetrobe et al., 2014). In fact, some STDs, such …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Factors On Food Insecurity Among Syrian Refugees In Florida, Racha Sankar

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Syrian refugees settled in the United States may experience food insecurity due to different socioeconomic factors that may include nutrition knowledge, language proficiency, women’s education, and perceived stress. The structure and the type of households may also contribute to food insecurity in this population.

The objective of this study was to measure food security among Syrian refugees residing in Florida. It also aimed to determine the socioeconomic factors that may attribute to food insecurity at household level.

A comprehensive 228-item questionnaire was administered to N=80 households (n=43 in rural areas, n=37 in urban areas). Families with and without children were …

A Nutrition Education Intervention With Maternal Support Among Children Participating In Summer Camps To Prevent Overweight And Obesity In Kuwait, Mashael Huwaikem

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kuwait has the highest prevalence of obesity within Arab countries at 37.8%. The prevalence of childhood obesity, believed to be a reliable measure of future obesity, is increasing in there year after year. However, the potential effect of any type of preventive measures has not been adequately studied. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to increase awareness of long-term risks of childhood obesity among children and their mothers. Additionally, to assess the impact of the Healthy Habits (HH) program on changing eating behaviors among 6 to10 year-old children participating in summer camps.

Seventy-nine children participated in two summer camps for 8 weeks …

The Effect Of Collective Efficacy And Neighborhood Structural Disadvantage On Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents In The United States, Christyl Teres Dawson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine (1) the moderating role of parental neighborhood perceptions on the relationship between neighborhood structural disadvantage and adolescent depressive symptoms, (2) if adolescent neighborhood perceptions moderated the association between neighborhood structural disadvantage and adolescent depressive symptoms, and (3) the effects of neighborhood structural disadvantage on depressive symptom trajectories as well as the moderating role of neighborhood perceptions on the relationship from adolescence to young adulthood. Data came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) (N=12,105), and random effects multilevel modeling along with growth curve modeling were used.

Results …

Adaptive Closed-Loop Neuromorphic Controller For Use In Respiratory Pacing, Ricardo Siu

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Respiratory pacing can treat ventilatory insufficiency through electrical stimulation of the respiratory muscles, or the respective innervating nerves, to induce ventilation. It avoids some of the adverse effects associated with mechanical ventilation such as risk of diaphragm atrophy and lung damage. However, current respiratory pacing systems provide stimulation in an open-loop manner. This often requires users to undergo frequent tuning sessions with trained clinicians if the specified stimulation parameters are unable to induce sufficient ventilation in the presence of time-varying changes in muscle properties, chest biomechanics, and metabolic demand. Lack of adaptation to these changes may lead to complications arising …

Towards Stable Electrochemical Sensing For Wearable Wound Monitoring, Sohini Roychoudhury

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wearable biosensing has the tremendous advantage of providing point-of-care diagnosis and convenient therapy. In this research, methods to stabilize the electrochemical sensing response from detection of target biomolecules, Uric Acid (UA) and Xanthine, closely linked to wound healing, have been investigated. Different kinds of materials have been explored to address such detection from a wearable, healing platform. Electrochemical sensing modalities have been implemented in the detection of purine metabolites, UA and Xanthine, in the physiologically relevant ranges of the respective biomarkers. A correlation can be drawn between the concentrations of these bio-analytes and wound severity, thus offering probable quantitative insights …

Nucleoside Analogues For Positron Emission Tomography Imaging And To Study Radiation Mediated Generation Of Radicals From Azides, Maria E. De Cabrera

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gemcitabine is a potent anticancer cytidine analogue used to treat solid tumors. Its efficacy is diminished by rapid deamination to a toxic uridine derivative by cytidine deaminase. To overcome this limitation and add radioactive nuclei (¹⁸F or ⁶⁸Ga) for PET imaging, I synthesized two 4-N­-alkylgemcitabine analogues i) bearing β-keto tosylate moiety for subsequent ¹⁸F-fluorination and ii) having SCN-Bn-NOTA chelator to complex ⁶⁸Ga. The first was synthesized by replacement of tosylamide in 4-N­-tosylgemcitabine with 1-amino-10-undecene, followed by elaboration of terminal alkene through dihydroxylation, regioselective tosylation and oxidation. Subsequent fluorination using KF in …

Identifying Gay Neighborhoods And Estimation Of The Size Of The Men Who Have Sex With Men Population In Florida Who Would Benefit From Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Daniel Mauck

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the potential benefit of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), it would be useful to assess the size of the at-risk population and their geographic distribution to target PrEP and other prevention programs efficiently. In 2017, Florida ranked third for HIV diagnosis rates in the US, and 63% of those who received a new HIV diagnosis in Florida were MSM. The purpose of this dissertation was to 1) summarize population-based methods to estimate the size of the population of MSM, 2) identify gay neighborhoods using latent class …

Topoisomerase And Tyrosyl-Dna-Phosphodiesterase Ratio As An Indicator For The Response Of Glioblastoma Cancer To Topoisomerase Targeting Anticancer Drugs, Wenjie Wang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GBM) patients have an estimated survival of ~15 months, with the standard of care (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) that has only modestly enhanced patient survival. Identifying biomarkers representing vulnerabilities in GBM biology may allow for the selection of effective and safe chemotherapy options. Irinotecan (IRT), a genotoxic compound currently in clinical trials for GBM, targets topoisomerase I (TOP1) by forming an irreversible ternary DNA-TOP1 cleavage complex (TOP1cc) and leads to apoptosis. Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) is a crucial repair enzyme that rescues TOP1cc and reduces the effectiveness of IRT. In the current study, we evaluate the value of the …

Molecular Mechanism(S) Of Zika Virus Infection And Associated Neuropathogenesis, Chet Raj Ojha

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is known to induce various neurodevelopmental disorders including microcephaly and growth retardation in newborns from infected mothers. However, the exact mechanism of ZIKV-associated neurodevelopmental disorders is still unknown. The study was aimed at identifying the molecular mechanism(s) of ZIKV infection using in-vitro and in vivo methods. Using three isolated strains of ZIKV (MR766, R103451, and PRVABC59), we show that the Asian strains of ZIKV are more infective and toxic to glial cells and neurons compared to the African strain. Infection by PRVABC59 induces markedly higher release of inflammatory molecules; IP10, RANTES, IL-6, and IFN-β. …

Poly-Tobacco Use Among Youth And Adults In The United States, Olatokunbo Osibogun

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation 1) described prevalence and correlates of poly-tobacco use among US youth and young adults; 2) addressed positive and negative transitions of e-cigarettes among US youth and adults and 3) examined the 2-year transition of dual e-cigarette/cigarette use among US adults in relation to nicotine dependence (ND) symptoms, interest in quitting, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors. Data from 2013-2016 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study were used. In the first study, 3.6% of youth (12-17years) and 18.3% of young adults (18-34years) were current poly-tobacco users between 2013-2014. Common poly-tobacco products combination was cigarettes and e-cigarettes for …

Organizational Factors In Patient-Centered Medical Home Implementation And Chronic Disease Management In Hrsa-Funded Community Health Centers, Willmarie Latorre

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model has attracted the attention of numerous health organizations in the United States for its potential to enhance quality of care and improve health outcomes among those living with chronic diseases. Community Health Centers (CHCs) funded by HRSA have been implementing this model for several years. Nevertheless, not all have achieved anticipated improvements. Several researchers have suggested that organizational factors may have a more determining role than the actual implementation of the PCMH model.

This qualitative case study explored organizational factors that distinguished or affected PCMH implementation at two CHCs with PCMH status recognized by …

The Immunosuppressive Role Of Edn3/Ednrb Signaling In The Melanoma Microenvironment, Juliano Tiburcio De Freitas

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothelins are cytokines ubiquitously expressed in the microenvironment of several tumors. In melanoma is not clear whether stromal cells respond to the endothelin present in the microenvironment. To address this question, I generated tumors derived from different murine melanoma cell lines (B16F10, YUMM1.7, YUMMER1.7) in a transgenic mouse that overexpresses endothelin 3 (Edn3) by keratinocytes in the skin (K5-Edn3). Tumors from all the cell lines grew larger and were more aggressive when Edn3 was overexpressed in the skin. In tumors derived from YUMM1.7-GFP cells, very few tumorigenic cells expressed the Edn3 receptor, Endothelin receptor b (Ednrb) suggesting an …

Heart Disease And Its Risk Factors Among Slum-Dwelling Women In Mysore, India, Karl Krupp

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the largest cause of premature mortality globally. Annually, about 18 million people die from all CVDs, and about 7.6 million, from coronary heart disease (CHD) [2, 3]. About three quarters of CHD-related mortality occurs in low- and-middle income countries (LMIC) with India having the greatest number of deaths worldwide. Risk for CHD in India is thought to be highest among residents of Indian slums since studies have found a high prevalence of CHD risk factors like hypertension and tobacco use among slum dwellers but no studies to date have assessed the prevalence of CHD in …

Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Acceptability Among Parents Of Adolescent Girls In Mysore, India, Abraham Degarege Mengist

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors that directly affect, mediate, and moderate parental intention-to-vaccinate adolescent daughters with HPV vaccine in Mysore district, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,609 parents of adolescent girls (778 urban and 831 rural) attending schools in Mysore between February 2010 and October 2011. A validated questionnaire in Kannada was used to assess parental attitudes and beliefs related with HPV infection, cervical cancer, HPV vaccine and general vaccinations. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate parameters and check if a proposed model based on the integrative behavior theory (IBT) could fit the current data.

More than two-thirds …