Thymosin Beta-4: A Novel Treatment For Acanthamoeba Keratitis, Victoria A. Murphey

All Theses

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a severe corneal infection caused by the free-living amoeba, Acanthamoeba. Both stages of its life cycle (trophozoite and cyst) cause infection, primarily in contact lens wearers. It is often misdiagnosed, leading to delayed treatment and poor clinical outcomes. Current treatment options for AK rely on anti-amoebic agents that are toxic to corneal epithelial cells. Further, no single drug can eliminate both forms of the amoeba. Approximately 30% of all AK infections require a corneal transplant.

Thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) is a G-actin binding protein synthesized in almost all human cells, including corneal epithelial cells. Tβ4 exhibits …

African Sleeping Sickness: From Basic Biology To Future Directions, Riddhi R. Patel

All Theses

African Sleeping Sickness is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) which poses a significant health risk to impoverished populations in 36 Sub-Saharan African countries. It is a devastating disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted to mammals via the bite of infected tsetse flies. The disease manifests in two stages: the hemolymphatic stage and the meningoencephalitic stage. In the latter stage, it invades the Central Nervous System (CNS) and can be fatal if left untreated. It is caused by morphologically indistinguishable species of Trypanosoma brucei in both humans and animals, where in humans it is known as …

Graph Based Deep Reinforcement Learning Aided By Transformers For Multi-Agent Cooperation, Michael S. Elrod

All Theses

Mission planning for a fleet of cooperative autonomous drones in applications that involve serving distributed target points, such as disaster response, environmental monitoring, and surveil- lance, is challenging, especially under partial observability, limited communication range, and uncertain environments. Traditional path-planning algorithms struggle in these scenarios, particu- larly when prior information is not available. To address these challenges, I propose an innovative framework that integrates Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), and transformer-based mechanisms for enhanced multi-agent coordination and collective task ex- ecution. My approach leverages GNNs to model agent-agent and agent-goal interactions through adaptive graph construction, enabling efficient …

Investigating The Influence Of Animation And Conversational Virtual Agent Features On The Usability And User Experience Of The Smartphone Mental Health Application “Airheart”, Victoria Hill

All Theses

Rates of depression in college students have skyrocketed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a need for effective, accessible mental health interventions. One potential intervention includes mental health (MHealth) apps. Virtual agents within MHealth apps may represent one way to provide human-like connection and therapeutic benefits. Despite the abundance of MHealth apps currently available for public use, few include virtual agents. Moreover, it is unclear which virtual agent features within mental health apps may be particularly beneficial in providing a positive user experience. The current study sought to evaluate how features of virtual agents, such as animation and …

"All The Songs I Stole": Ballad Collection And The Conditions Of Collective-Making In Johnny Cash's Prison Concert-Albums, Camryn J. Bruce

All Theses

In the mid-to-late twentieth century, singer-songwriter Johnny Cash recorded and released three live prison concert-albums composed of many ballads and songs drawing upon a ballad tradition. I question the degree to which these albums, as performed and commercialized ballad collections, create realities of unity between Cash and his audiences. Reviewing three ballads for their aspects of balladry and performance, this thesis finds that Cash’s albums echo and make echoes of isolating conditions and possible collectivities, demonstrating a fragility of “folk” in the shifting scenes of music and prison.

Gene Editing Combined With Apap Diet-Mediated Selection In A Ldlr-/- Mouse Model Of Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Pramita Suresh

All Theses

Cell-based gene therapy has garnered significant interest in treating familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an autosomal co-dominant disorder characterized by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. However, achieving a therapeutic threshold level of engraftment of gene-modified cells is a significant hurdle. In FH, as in most liver diseases, the transplantation of healthy gene-modified hepatocytes does not result in a selective advantage for the healthy hepatocytes over native hepatocytes for clonal expansion in the liver. In FH, as in most liver diseases, the transplantation of healthy gene-modified hepatocytes does not provide a selective advantage for the healthy hepatocytes over native hepatocytes regarding clonal …

Divergence-Free Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics In A Stream Digital Twin, Austin Hartley

All Theses

Digital Twins (DT) are being explored by the South Carolina (SC) water community to simulate how SC streams will flow at various water levels. Currently, a DT called Gilligan simulates these streams utilizing weakly-incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). This method does not strictly enforce incompressibility, which leads to unrealistic water flows and unwanted visual artifacts that require post-processing effects to hide. To address these problems and simulate more realistic water flows, the Gilligan stream logic is updated and a state-of-the-art SPH method that enforces incompressibility—Divergence-Free SPH (DFSPH)—is implemented within the Gilligan framework. DFSPH is able to make use of two …

Silver Nanoparticles In Ammonia Sensing And Photovoltaics, Madhuka Liyanage

All Dissertations

Nanocomposite films (NCF) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), separated by thin layers of silica/poly-4-vinylpyridine/polyvinylpyrrolidone, were fabricated via drop casting, spin coating, dip coating on glass substrate and drop casting on nylon filter membranes. The more uniform films were produced by drop casting on nylon filter membranes due to their solvent wicking properties. The films demonstrate electrical conductivity that varies in response to moist ammonia and water vapors. The changes in conductivity are attributed to hydrogen bonding between ammonia and water molecules with the silica/polymer layers, as well as the direct adsorption of ammonia onto the silver surface. Notably, NCFs with polyvinylpyrrolidone …

Development Of Rolipram Loaded Pgp Nanoparticles For Spinal Cord Injury Repair, Zhen Liao

All Dissertations

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to devastating neurological deficits due to primary mechanical damage and secondary injury mechanisms, including inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and inhibitory scarring, which collectively impede neural regeneration. One key aspect of SCI pathology is a significant reduction in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, primarily due to increased phosphodiesterase (PDE 4) activity. As a ubiquitous second messenger, cAMP regulates key signaling pathways, including protein kinase A (PKA) / cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and exchange protein activated by cAMP 2 (EPAC2). Therefore, restoring/increasing cAMP level is one of the major therapeutic strategies to reduce neurotrauma and restore …

Rhetorics Of Vigilance: Refracting Discourses In Technologies Of Self-Managed Health & Wellness, Haley Swartz

All Dissertations

Rhetorics of Vigilance explores the limits of feminist health rhetorics by examining technologies that promote women’s self-managed health and wellness practices. By establishing a corpus of personal health technologies and associated texts including mobile health applications, pelvic floor training devices, and perimenopause information shared on social media, this dissertation analyzes how discourses refract––redirected and often distorted––to implicate women in persistent self-monitoring. Drawing from interdisciplinary scholarship on women’s health from feminist rhetorical studies, rhetorics of health and medicine, science and technology studies, and digital studies, I theorize rhetorics of vigilance as a framework through which women understand and interpret issues …

Development Of Translational Microscale Systems To Interrogate How Biophysical And Biochemical Cues Alter The Phenotype Of Hormone Positive Breast Cancer, Braulio Ortega Quesada

All Dissertations

Cancer is a complicated disease and one in every three diagnoses are women with breast cancer. Recent research shows that the progression of cancer depends strongly on interactions with other non-cancerous cells and non-cellular components. Metastasis, the spread of cancer to other parts of the body, is a key step in cancer progression and makes treatment harder, leading to poor response to treatments culminating in death in ~90% of patients. This dissertation focused on creating a series of microdevices as novel pre-clinical models of breast cancer. Two different devices were fabricated to (1) study how exposing cancer cells to the …

Understanding How To Cultivate Culturally Relevant Dispositions Among District Science Coordinators And Science Teachers, Meredith L. Schwendemann

All Dissertations

At the center of the discussions about equity in science education is the importance of defining and articulating what is meant by equity, diversity, and social justice. Despite recent efforts to improve equity in science education, inequities in science education persist. District science coordinators, science teachers, and science teacher educators are key players in the movement toward more equitable science learning and instruction. The purpose of this three manuscript dissertation was to explore the ways in which science teacher educators are working to promote culturally relevant dispositions within science teachers (Paper 1/Chapter 2), examine how district science coordinators are approaching …

Ex Vivo Multiplex Knockdown Of Angptl3 And Cypor In Hepatocytes As A Novel Cell Therapy For Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Callie D. Clark

All Dissertations

Inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) affect approximately 1 in 800 individuals. The only curative treatment for IMDs is liver transplantation. However, transplantation carries significant risks, including organ rejection and a lifelong need for immunosuppression. Therefore, gene editing has emerged as a promising alternative to liver transplantation for treating IMDs.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is and IMD characterized by elevated LDL-C levels resulting in premature cardiovascular disease. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing to disrupt the gene encoding angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) in the liver represents a novel therapeutic approach for FH. Nonviral delivery performed ex vivo is safer than systemic delivery because gene editing is in …

Perspectives On Clinical Oncogenomics: Secondary Germline Variants Associated With Tumor Genomic Profiling In Community Cancer Care And Advanced Practitioner Oncogenomic Proficiency, Sarah Moncado

All Dissertations

Precision medicine in oncology is defined by the sequencing of tumor genomic variants that can be used to identify targeted treatment for patients. Secondary pathogenic and likely pathogenic germline variants (P/LPGVs) can incidentally be detected on tumor genomic profiling (TGP). With the rise in precision medicine over the past 15 years, secondary P/LPGVs on TGP have been an increasingly important clinical issue. However, there are factors that can lead to misidentification and underreporting of P/LPGVs. Germane to this clinical practice issue is healthcare provider oncogenomic literacy and proficiency.

A scoping review was conducted to evaluate the variability of the prevalence …

A System And Method For Measuring Spatially Varying Surface Appearances With A Study Of Feathers, Jessica Baron-Lis

All Dissertations

Real-world materials, particularly biological structures such as feathers exhibit complex appearances that vary spatially across their surfaces. The field of computer graphics provides a means of understanding such surfaces through material modeling which uses both analytical models and data acquired from light-surface interactions. There are many efforts within the past decade in measuring materials for graphics, but common limitations in these works include not accounting for spatially varying properties and reliance on neural networks and synthetic datasets.

Feathers from modern birds present diverse appearances due to how light interacts with their unique hierarchical microstructures. Variations in those structures lead to …

An Examination Of The Role Of Recreational Therapy In Forensic And Correctional Settings, Sarah R. Fischer

All Dissertations

The estimated prevalence of adults, age 18 and older, with serious mental illness (SMI) in the United States is approximately 6% (NIMH, 2022a). Having a mental illness places individuals at higher risk for arrest and incarceration (NAMI, n.d.b) where they receive treatment, including recreational therapy (RT) in state hospitals, jails or prisons. The purpose of this multi-method study was to gain a better understanding of the role of RT in treating adults with SMI in forensic and correctional settings. A non-standardized 122-item cross-sectional survey (n=49) was used to identify what interventions recreational therapists are using, for what intended outcomes; and …

Investigate The Use Of Nucleic Acids As Pesticides To Manage Major Pests And Pathogens Of Crops In South Carolina, Prasanna Valavanur Shekar

All Dissertations

The sugarcane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sorghi), first discovered on grain sorghum in late 2013, has gradually become a major insect pest of sorghum. It inflicts significant damage to the crop year after year, causing millions of dollars in losses throughout the sorghum-producing regions of the United States. Similarly, Armillaria root rot—also referred to as oak root rot—is a major cause of decline in peach (Prunus persica) production in the southeastern United States. This disease is caused by Armillaria mellea and Armillaria tabescens. Current management practices for controlling M. sorghi include the use of synthetic pesticides, resistant varieties, and regular scouting. …

Understanding Conversion Of Long Chain Fatty Acids In Anaerobic Digestion Systems, Julia Ann Funk

All Dissertations

Anaerobic co-digestion with fats, oils, and grease (FOG) waste can increase energy production due to the high methane potential of lipids. However, adding FOG can lead to operational issues caused by accumulating saturated long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). My research explored why saturated LCFAs are often the primary intermediate that accumulates and the microbial sensitives of the populations responsible for their degradation. In each batch or semi-continuous experiment, all intermediates of FOG degradation, including LCFAs, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), Hydrogen gas (H₂), and endpoint methane production, were paired with temporal quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of the Syntrophomonas genus …

The Effects Of Cigarette Smoke Extract On Osteoarthritis In A Primary Joint Tissue Explant Model, Emily Sawvell

All Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease in the world with an economic burden of nearly $140 billion annually. Factors identified to increase the risk of developing OA include age, obesity, sex, race, genetics, and previous joint injury. However, one risk factor that has been scarcely studied in OA etiology is cigarette smoking. While some studies have reported smoking to protect against OA, increasing evidence suggests that cigarette smoking results in more severe and painful OA, increases the rate of developing OA, and reduces the efficacy of pain medications and arthritis-targeting therapies. Despite this, the impact of cigarette …

Exploring The Pedagogical Impact Of Software Development Live Streams: Informal Learning Opportunities For Software And Game Developers, Ella Kokinda

All Dissertations

Live streaming is an increasingly popular medium for throwing back the curtain on software development where streamers and viewers share their knowledge and experiences. Popular platforms like Twitch and YouTube enable developers to stream live coding sessions where people around the world can engage in real-time collaboration, feedback, knowledge sharing, and skill development. This work investigates the pedagogical implications and learning opportunities present in software and game development live streaming while focusing on the role of streaming as a learning environment and collaborative community. We begin by exploring summer camps as an informal learning opportunity for STEM education, highlighting the …

Understanding Dimensional Stability Of Polymer Surgical Mesh, Simeon J. Mckelvey

All Dissertations

Polymer surgical mesh is a biomedical implant that has revolutionized the repair of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor. Each year, over 1.6 million Americans undergo surgical procedures using polymer surgical mesh to treat conditions where internal organs protrude through weakened tissues. This material is used in approximately 90% of hernia repairs, 80% of stress urinary incontinence procedures, and 30% of pelvic organ prolapse surgeries.

Despite this widespread use of polymer surgical mesh, post-implantation complications have prompted regulatory investigation and scrutiny. These complications stem from the mesh's behavior within the human body, including wrinkling, contraction, and loss of fixation, which …

Identification And Characterization Of Intermediate Phenotypes To Decipher Genetic Architecture Of Stalk Lodging Resistance In Maize (Zea Mays L.), Bharath Kunduru

All Dissertations

Maize is a key contributor to global food security and incurs severe yield losses due to stalk lodging, the permanent displacement of plants from an upright growth habit due to mechanical damage to the stem (stalk). Stalk lodging resistance, an indicator of the stalk ability to resist lodging, is a complex trait and determined by several structural, geometric, and material properties of stalks, collectively referred to as intermediate phenotypes, whose identity and genetic framework are poorly understood. Therefore, progress in resolving the genetic architecture of stalk lodging resistance was impeded by a lack of standardized phenotyping methodologies and a poor …

Spatial Variaiton In Host-Associated Microbiota, Daniel Malagon

All Dissertations

Many organisms rely upon the internal and/or external microbial communities they harbor. Microbial communities which depend upon other organisms for survival are known as host-associated (HA) microbial communities. HA microbial communities differ in diversity and composition from surrounding environmental microbiota and are generally less diverse than surrounding soil microbiomes. Although distinct bacterial profiles exist between host and environment, microbial scale dispersal often links the two. For this reason, host and environmental microbial communities can be correlated (e.g., dominant taxa in HA microbiota are dominant in the host microenvironment or vice versa). Eukaryotic hosts act as islands for HA microbiota. Unlike …

Strengthening The Bonds Between Us: An Empirical Investigation Of Morale In Human-Ai Teams And The Socially Supportive Ai Teammates Who Empower It, Rohit Mallick

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) can be designed to improve the collective emotion within a team. A team's collective emotion, or morale, describes how motivated, optimistic, and enthusiastic the group is in accomplishing its goals. We conducted four studies that compared different social support strategies that AI teammates can provide to the team. Study 1A found that AI teammates who communicate with emotions can better motivate human team members and promote awareness of team dynamics and environmental changes. Study 1B found that human teammates become more motivated and happier when their AI teammates express joy and are close …

An Investigation Of Design Processes And Their Effects On Accessibility In Narrative Themed Environments, Arielle Spencer

All Dissertations

Accessibility matters, and not merely in meeting minimum codes or limited to basic necessities. Access and inclusion matter still more in places of recreation and leisure which have too often been overlooked or considered low priority, however it is precisely these places that merit special attention. Narrative Themed Environments occupy a unique position relative to the general built environment, often acting as utopic ‘other-spaces’ for enjoyment, freedom, and escape. However, for guests with disabilities, current themed experiences can often lack true inclusivity and instead create inequality, segregation, diminished experiences, and feelings of isolation and exclusion. The peculiar idiosyncratic design process …

How A College Course Benefits Under-Resourced High Schoolers Interested In Veterinary Medicine, Gwendolyn R. Svenson, Olivia Arnold, Patricia Vigil, Naomi Nishi, Christianne Magee

Journal of Youth Development

The Veterinary Perspectives Institute (VPI) was designed to address the challenges faced by underrepresented youth who are interested in veterinary medicine. This study examines the VPI, a tuition-free program that introduces students from under-resourced high schools to veterinary medicine and One Health through a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach. The VPI integrates One Health concepts by linking human, animal, and environmental health in the context of veterinary medicine. The program’s aim is to foster college readiness and career exploration in veterinary and biomedical fields, while also addressing barriers to diversity in veterinary medicine. Through hands-on learning and case studies in One Health, …

The Immobile Nobility Of “Life Herself ”: Silence And Stillness In “The Irish Dramatic Movement,” The Bounty Of Sweden, And New Poems, Wit Pietrzak

International Yeats Studies

No abstract provided.

Yeats And Heaney’S Noble Words, Geraldine Higgins

International Yeats Studies

No abstract provided.

Yeats, Tagore, And The Nobel Prize In Literature: Imprimaturs In Modernist Cultural Conversations, Ragini Mohite

International Yeats Studies

No abstract provided.

“Such Friends”: The Fay Brothers, Allgood Sisters, And Yeats’S Nobel Lecture, Matthew Fay

International Yeats Studies

No abstract provided.