Digital Commons Network^™

Six Feet Apart: Relational Turbulence Theory And Coping With Covid-19 Within Long-Distance Relationships, Mia Waymack

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Among research that currently exists, no studies thus far combine elements of COVID-19, long-distance relationships, and Relational Turbulence Theory to explain how each of these elements impacts the others, if at all. Previous research does exist on each of these elements individually, although research regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19 on relationships is minimal considering the pandemic is ongoing. Long-distance relationships have been studied using Relational Turbulence Theory in previous studies within military relationships but have not been studied in connection with either COVID-19 or among college students. This study was conducted by way of qualitative, one-on-one interviews to determine …

Free Cholesterol Bioavailability And Atherosclerosis, Rei J Abe, Jun-Ichi Abe, Minh T H Nguyen, Elizabeth A Olmsted-Davis, Abrar Mamun, Priyanka Banerjee, John P Cooke, Longhou Fang, Henry Pownall, Nhat-Tu Le

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose of review: As both a cholesterol acceptor and carrier in the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) pathway, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is putatively atheroprotective. However, current pharmacological therapies to increase plasma HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) concentration have paradoxically failed to prevent or reduce atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given that free cholesterol (FC) transfer between surfaces of lipoproteins and cells is reversible, excess plasma FC can be transferred to the cells of peripheral tissue sites resulting in atherosclerosis. Here, we summarize potential mechanisms contributing to this paradox and highlight the role of excess free cholesterol (FC) bioavailability in atherosclerosis vs. atheroprotection.

Recent …

Investigating Molecular Mechanisms Behind Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis (Bco) Pathogenesis In Modern Broilers, Alison Ramser

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), a leading cause of lameness in broiler chickens, is characterized by infection, inflammation, and bone attrition. There are currently no effective treatments and positive diagnosis is only possible through necropsy evaluations. Lameness is also a rising animal welfare and economic concern, making prevention and detection of BCO all the more critical. These challenges are exacerbated by a lack of mechanistic understanding of BCO’s etiology. The question I asked during my dissertation was how bacteria induce bone attrition in BCO pathology. My research has shown that mitochondrial dysfunction is characteristic of BCO conditions along with autophagy …

2022-04-18_Michiganoverview_Covidschooloutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The School Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173_102480---,00.html.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

K-12 School-Related Outbreak Reporting: In accordance with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists' outbreak definition, a K-12 school-associated COVID-19 case (confirmed or probable) is defined as a student, teacher, or staff member physically present in the school setting or participated in a school sanctioned extracurricular activity within 14 days prior to illness onset (or a positive test result) OR …

2022-04-11_Michiganoverview_Covidschooloutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The School Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173_102480---,00.html.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

K-12 School-Related Outbreak Reporting: In accordance with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists' outbreak definition, a K-12 school-associated COVID-19 case (confirmed or probable) is defined as a student, teacher, or staff member physically present in the school setting or participated in a school sanctioned extracurricular activity within 14 days prior to illness onset (or a positive test result) OR …

Erratum To: Teachers’ Views On Preparation For Employment Of Young Autistic People, Biranavan Thavapalan, Emanuele Maria Merlo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Background. Contemporary literature indicates that there is significant support and assistance provided by schools for young autistic people, with a positive impact on the accessibility of jobs. Nevertheless, the employment rate of autistic people is unacceptably low in the UK. The current study investigated teachers’ views on the preparation for employment of young autistic people in the UK. Methods. Interviews were conducted with individuals from the educational field and thematic analysis was used to explore the teachers’ views regarding the factors that could have an impact on the preparation for employment of young autistic people. Results. Four main themes emerged …

The Vespa Project: Virtual Reality Interventions For Neurocognitive And Developmental Disorders, Emanuele Maria Merlo, Liam Alexander Mackenzie Myles, Salvatore Marco Pappalardo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

VESPA is a financed project supported by the Sicilian Regional Research and Development funds, and it is structured by the development, research and validation of Virtual Reality (VR) based application for the diagnosis and treatment of neurocognitive conditions. In particular, this article presents its characteristics, referred to as the first (2013-2015) and second (2021-ongoing) generations of VESPA, with particular reference to literature regarding the VR technology application and development, the VR treatment of neurocognitive conditions and prior versions of this intervention. Through a comprehensive review of the research conducted over the last 5 years, evidence has emerged supporting VESPA’s aim …

2022-04-04_Michiganoverview_Covidschooloutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The School Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173_102480---,00.html.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

K-12 School-Related Outbreak Reporting: In accordance with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists' outbreak definition, a K-12 school-associated COVID-19 case (confirmed or probable) is defined as a student, teacher, or staff member physically present in the school setting or participated in a school sanctioned extracurricular activity within 14 days prior to illness onset (or a positive test result) OR …

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Regulation Of Induction Of Inflammatory Mediators By Organic Dust Extract In Lung Epithelial Cells, Maxine Stenhouse

Biotechnology Theses

Previous studies have indicated a link between respiratory symptoms and diseases and organic dust exposure in agricultural workers. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor activated by a wide variety of exogenous and endogenous compounds, is known to be involved in the metabolism of toxic chemicals and recently in the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. To better understand mechanisms of pathogenesis of respiratory symptoms and diseases, the role of AhR in the regulation of induction of inflammatory mediators by poultry organic dust extract in airway epithelial cells was studied. The role of AhR was studied by investigating the …

Exploring Relationships Between Depression Self-Stigma And Trust In Primary Care Provider On Willingness To Seek Help, Tana Karenke

Dissertations (1934 -)

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and/or loss of interest that effects an individual’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Depression can diminish one’s social functioning, interpersonal relationships, personal care, and work productivity. Despite the availability of various treatments for depression, roughly 34% of people suffering from depression symptoms do not seek treatment. Significant barriers for seeking help for depression symptoms include the stigma of mental illness and a lack of trust in healthcare providers; however, there is a paucity of research exploring the relationship between mental illness stigma and the role of trust in …

Alterations Of The Mdm2 C-Terminus Differentially Impact Its Function In Vivo, Vinod Pant, Neeraj K Aryal, Shunbin Xiong, Gilda P Chau, Natalie W Fowlkes, Guillermina Lozano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Murine double minute 2 (Mdm2) is the principal E3-ubiquitin ligase for p53 and contains a C2H2C4 type RING domain wherein the last cysteine residue is followed by an evolutionarily conserved 13 amino acid C-terminal tail. Previous studies have indicated that integrity of the C-terminal tail is critical for Mdm2 function. Recently, a mutation extending the MDM2 length by five amino acids was identified and associated with enhanced p53 response in fibroblasts and premature aging in a human patient. To investigate the importance of the conserved Mdm2 C-terminal length on p53 regulatory function in vivo, we engineered three novel mouse alleles …

Investigation Of Athletes' Health Disorders Risk Models, Fikrat Azizovich Kerimov, Davronbek Zikrullaevich Narzullaev, Alisher Tulkunovich Tursunov, Gaffor Bobosharipovich Yomgirov, Bekzod Boyqobilovich Karimov

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: Development and theoretical-experimental substantiation of the risk model for the health impairment of athletes in order to further automation of the process of training highly qualified athletes, as well as optimizing the construction of the training process based on the use of innovative technologies that increase its efficiency with optimal expenditure of time and energy of athletes.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of applied automation and modeling methods, questionnaires of athletes and coaches, sports testing, applied pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics.

Results: Students of physical culture universities (athletes) are more likely to encounter syndromes that characterize a violation of the …

Vedantic Basis And Praxis Of The Integral Advaita Of Sri Aurobindo, Debashish Banerji

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The integral nondualism of Sri Aurobindo can be traced to the great pronouncements (mahāvākya) of the Upanishads and later commentaries. This study examines teachings on the Supermind (vijñāna) and the other four kinds of consciousness that define human reality: Matter (annaṃ), Life (prāṇaḥ), Mind (manaḥ), and Bliss (ānanda). Through Yoga and Tantra, one learns and embodies the pathway to the divine.

Digital And Spatial Humanities Mapping: Eurasia-Pacific Early Trade And Belief Linkages, Igor Sitnikov, David Blundell

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The Eurasia-Pacific is a dynamic region of rapid economic growth, cultural awareness, natural resource exploration, and military buildup. The concept of the region is relatively new, featuring contested vast areas of geo-resource space of numerous cultures and languages. The current findings in anthropology and archaeology and even its more specific subfields such as folklore are important contribution to the understanding of periodic environmental changes and technical innovations were the main forces of transformations in social structures that have determined the mechanisms and levels of cross-cultural trade activity across the region. We have traced early trade and belief linkages across Eurasia-Pacific …

Tusha Hiti: The Origin And Significance Of The Name, Deepak Shimkhada

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

In this article, the author examines the royal bath called Tushā Hiti located in Sūndari Chowk (Beautiful Courtyard) of Pātan Durbar Square, using six different methods of investigation. The question: What is in a name? started the ball of investigation rolling and along the way were added more supporting blocks such as history, iconography, function and purpose, notion of purity and impurity, and finally the hiti in popular culture to get a complete picture of the subject in question.

Ganges In Indian Sculpture And Literature: Mythology And Personification, Nalini Rao

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The river Ganges is a symbol of wealth, purity and eternity, and its sacred waters have inspired sages, philosophers, and artists in India who have immortalized its divine imagery. However, it has rarely been understood from a historical point of view, as to how it became so sacred and to view it from a multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary perspective with an accumulation of layers of historical thought and practices, provides a rationale for the living practices around the river. The paper explores the evolution of the concept of sacredness and eternity of River Ganges through art- historical and archaeological evidence. It …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: Perspectives From Contemporary India And 6th Century Jain Yoga, Christopher Key Chapple

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Times New Roman

The Institutional Effect On Leisure Time And Competitive Sports At Higher Education Colleges And Universities In The Carpathian Basin, Klára Kovács, Marianna Moravecz, Zsuzsa Nagy, Dávid Rábai, Dániel Szabó

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The objective of our study is to reveal the resources within colleges and universities that may influence the leisure-time and competitive sports done in the respective institutions. For the theoretical background of our research, the models examining the institutional effects were used. Strange [1] arranged the models into four categories. Material and methods: In the course of our research, structured dialogues were carried out with PE teachers, sports leaders in the institutions of Eastern Hungary, in the Highlands, Voivodina, Transylvania and Partium. ATLAS.ti text analyzing software was used to analyze and process our findings. Results: In accordance with our …

How Does History Of Sport Rank In Sciences – A Discussion Of The Paradigm Of The History Of Sport, Piotr Godlewski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

No science can be a province of itself without its theories, neither can history of sport be. Hence a question arises of how it is possible for specific research programmes to have been pursued for more than half a century without their own theories and the paradigm [1], understood here as a collection of concepts and theories composing the methodological basis. What is more, a group of researchers with considerable achievements in historiography of sport, physical education and tourism have not produced anything that could be called a methodology. Retrospective insight into sport may take two forms: research into historic …

Outdoor Vs Indoor Physical Education Lessons As An Opportunity To Shape Environmental Attitudes, Marcin Pasek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Systematic contact with the natural environment seems to increase the level of human sensitivity to ecological problems. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of physical activity outdoors in nature as part of school physical education on the level of environmental attitudes. Method: 220 students participated in an experimental study. The experimental group, which did exercise usually in open spaces, included 103 students. The control group, which exercised inside school, consisted of 117 students. The study period lasted two years and involved the fifth and sixth form of primary school. The authors used the part relating …

Employment With The Northwest Territories Aquatics Program: A Significant Life Event?, Sebastien Denize, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

For over 60 years, the Northwest Territories Aquatics Program (NWTAP) has employed university students from southern Canada with little to no exposure to northern Canada to run seasonal swimming pools and waterfronts in isolated northern communities. In this article, we examine the impact that working for this program had on nine former employees’ lives and whether or not working for the NWTAP could be categorized as a significant life experience. We used thematic analysis of the data from retrospective semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires and identified four themes: (1) employment by the NWTAP enhanced the employees’ self-confidence, independence, and self-efficacy; …

A Look At The Bright Side Of Dance: Analysis Of The Relationship Between Dance Experience, Experience Quality, Satisfaction And Word Of Mouth, Metin Argan, Sabri Kaya, Caner Özgen, Gozde Yetim, Alikhan Guseynov

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Leisure experience, including dance motivation, is one of the key factors for participation in dance events or festivals. Therefore, the experience quality that facilitates individual relationships is likely to influence the dancers’ participation. The purpose of this study is to determine and to analyze dance experience motivations, experience quality, satisfaction and word-of-mouth. Material and methods: The sample of this study consisted of 201 persons who attended the Turkey Dance Festival and who were selected by the convenience sampling method. In this study, the theoretical principles of structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied with the Amos 20 program to analyze …

Ecopsychologists' Vital Importance In The Time Of Climate Crises, Nicole B. Auckerman Psyd

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Ecopsychology is a systems-based philosophy that expands the therapeutic lens to include client interactions with and perceptions of the natural environment as an integral element of well-being or pathology. Ecopsychology, known forward as EP, also looks at the pathology of our culture and what kind of diagnoses lead to practices that put our planet at risk. In recent decades, the field has amassed a substantial amount of empirical evidence supporting its effectiveness but remains largely underutilized. First generation EP suggested a cultural reordering shifting away from consumer culture and reordering our way of life. Second generation posits working within the …

An Application Of The Two Routes In Counseling Philosophy, Lance Kair

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This is a case study of a session with a subject. The subject’s name is philosophy. Philosophy needs a counseling intervention due to the development of an epistemological rupture revealing two routes into or upon knowledge. This problem that philosophy faces arises along two epistemological routes, called truth and reality. The significant issue of philosophy is how to reconcile a true reality. The proposal at hand for this consideration by philosophy is that a reconciliation is most effective though argumentative validation in orientation over argumentative proof in ideological reduction. Our effort here works toward the truth of reality found through …

Stat6 Blockade Abrogates Aspergillus-Induced Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis And Asthma, A Model Of Unified Airway Disease, Hua Sun, Ashish Damania, Megan L Mair, Eniola Otukoya, Yi-Dong Li, Katherine Polsky, Yuying Zeng, Jeremiah A Alt, Martin J Citardi, David B Corry, Amber U Luong, John Morgan Knight

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Unified airway disease, including concurrent asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), is a common, but poorly understood disorder with no curative treatment options. To establish a murine model of chronic unified eosinophilic airway inflammation, mice were challenged with Aspergillus niger, and sinonasal mucosa and lung tissue were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and gene expression. Inhalation of A niger conidia resulted in a Th2-biased lung and sinus inflammation that typifies allergic asthma and CRS. Gene network and pathway analysis correlated with human disease with upregulation of not only the JAK-STAT and helper T-cell pathways, but also less expected pathways governing …

Fungal Mycobiome Drives Il-33 Secretion And Type 2 Immunity In Pancreatic Cancer, Aftab Alam, Eric Levanduski, Parker Denz, Helena Solleiro Villavicencio, Maulasri Bhatta, Lamees Alhorebi, Yali Zhang, Eduardo Cortes Gomez, Brian Morreale, Sharon Senchanthisai, Jun Li, Steven G Turowski, Sandra Sexton, Sheila Jani Sait, Prashant K Singh, Jianmin Wang, Anirban Maitra, Pawel Kalinski, Ronald A Depinho, Huamin Wang, Wenting Liao, Scott I Abrams, Brahm H Segal, Prasenjit Dey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

TH2 cells and innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) can stimulate tumor growth by secreting pro-tumorigenic cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-13. However, the mechanisms by which type 2 immune cells traffic to the tumor microenvironment are unknown. Here, we show that oncogenic KrasG12D increases IL-33 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, which recruits and activates TH2 and ILC2 cells. Correspondingly, cancer-cell-specific deletion of IL-33 reduces TH2 and ILC2 recruitment and promotes tumor regression. Unexpectedly, IL-33 secretion is dependent on the intratumoral fungal mycobiome. Genetic deletion of IL-33 or anti-fungal treatment decreases TH2 and ILC2 infiltration and increases …

Developing Microbial Co-Culture System For Enhanced Polyhydroxyalkanoates (Pha) Production Using Acid Pretreated Lignocellulosic Biomass, Rijuta Ganesh Saratale, Si-Kyung Cho, Avinash Ashok Kadam, Gajanan Sampatrao Ghodake, Manu Kumar, Ram Naresh Bharagava, Sunita Varjani, Supriya Nair, Dong-Su Kim, Han-Seung Shin, Ganesh Dattatraya Saratale

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the growing polymer industry, the interest of researchers is captivated by bioplastics production with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This study examines the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production performance of individual Lysinibacillus sp. RGS and Ralstonia eutropha ATCC 17699 and their co-culture by utilizing sugarcane bagasse (SCB) hydrolysates. Initially, acidic (H2SO4) and acidified sodium chlorite pretreatment was employed for the hydrolysis of SCB. The effects of chemical pretreatment on the SCB biomass assembly and its chemical constituents were studied by employing numerous analytical methods. Acidic pretreatment under optimal conditions showed effective delignification (60%) of the SCB biomass, leading to a maximum hydrolysis …

Gap Junction-Dependent And -Independent Functions Of Connexin43 In Biology, Yi Zhu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Simple Summary

Connexin43 is one of the 21 members of a large protein family that forms intercellular gap junction complexes. It plays a critical role in development by allowing two adjacent cells to exchange cellular content. Mouse deletion studies have demonstrated its critical roles in many organs, including cardiac muscle, blood vessels, bone, adipose tissue and more. However, as the most expressed and most studied connexin in the family, Connexin43 surprisingly shows many gap-junction-independent roles, spanning from the forming of hemichannels, to regulating membrane trafficking, to regulating mitochondrial function. Connexin43 is also unique in the family by forming many smaller …

Self-Serving Bias In Performance Goal Achievement Appraisals: Evidence From Long-Distance Runners, Moonsup Hyun, Wonsok F. Jee, Christine Wegner, Jeremy S. Jordan, James Du, Taeyeon Oh

Faculty and Student Publications

While working with a long-distance running event organizer, the authors of this study observed considerable differences between event participants’ official finish time (i.e., bib time) and their self-reported finish time in the post-event survey. Drawing on the notion of self-serving bias, we aim to explore the source of this disparity and how such psychological bias influences participants’ event experience at long-distance running events. Using evidence of 1,320 marathon runners, we demonstrated how people are more likely to be subject to a biased self-assessment contingent upon achieving their best finish time at the event. The study samples were split into record-high-achieved …

Usability Of Health-Related Websites By Filipino-American Adults And Nursing Informatics Experts, Kathleen Begonia

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Filipino-Americans are an understudied minority group with high prevalence and mortality from chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Facing barriers to care and lack of culturally appropriate health resources, they frequently use the internet to obtain health information. It is unknown whether they perceive health-related websites to be useful or easy to use because there are no published usability studies involving this population. Using the Technology Acceptance Model as a theoretical framework, this study investigated the difference between website design ratings by experts and the perceptions of Filipino-American users to determine if usability guidelines influenced the perceived ease …