Digital Commons Network^™

Medication Use And Adherence In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Jennifer Marie Toth Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background/Objectives

Adherence can impact the effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) in treating rheumatoid arthritis. If rheumatoid arthritis reaches the end-stage, joint replacement may be needed. Unplanned readmissions after joint replacement is a Medicare quality measure. The first objective of this study was to determine the optimal adherence threshold for TNFis in rheumatoid arthritis. Using that threshold and the traditional 0.8 threshold, the second objective was to find the relationship between adherence to TNFis and opioid use in rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, prediction of unplanned readmissions in patients who had a knee or hip arthroplasty was the final objective.

Methods …

Navigating To The Top: Career Success Experiences Of Black Women Senior Leaders In Higher Education, Gladys R. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The career advancement for Black women in higher education is not the same as their counterparts. Gender equity practices fail to challenge homogenous professional communities limiting how race and gender influence leadership advancement for Black women career trajectories. Black women who occupy positions of institutional influence and authority as senior leaders have largely been overlooked in in higher education research. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, this multiple case study explored the lived experiences of 10 Black women presently working in senior leadership roles in four-year public institutions of higher learning. This study sought to contribute to a deeper understanding of …

The Presence And Prevalence Of Underqualified High School Science Teachers In Mississippi, Shelby Ann Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With growth in STEM postsecondary programs and careers positioned as a national priority, ensuring that K-12 science classrooms are staffed with highly qualified teachers is an important step towards building student interest in STEM and preparing students for STEM careers. However, previous studies of out-of-field teaching have indicated that schools and districts across the country are hiring large numbers of underqualified teachers to fill high-needs positions, such as secondary science and mathematics. Complicating the issue is the fact that data regarding teacher shortages, vacancies, and underqualified teaching are often incomplete or inaccessible. Prior studies have found that underqualified teaching is …

Development Of Metformin Hydrochloride Oral Taste-Masked Sprinkle Formulation For Pediatric Use, Hawra Alhusaini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to develop a child-centered metformin hydrochloride (HCL) oral formulation by successfully masking its bitter taste and facilitating ease of administration. Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME) technology was used to extrude filaments containing metformin HCL with varying ratios of Eudragit® Polymers. Eudragit® E PO was used as a main excipient for its pH-dependency. Since it is only soluble in acidic pH up to pH 5.0, it would not release the drug in the saliva environment, which has a pH of approximately 6.8. Eudragit® RL PO and RS PO were added later on in order to further control …

Mechanisms And Consequences Of Competition Between Microstegium Vimineum And Native Plants And Their Relevance To Invasion Theory And Oak Woodland Restoration, Griffin L. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous work has shown that ecological communities with high species diversity are resistant to invasion, but evidence is lacking in woodland restoration conditions with native groundcover and oak species for the competitively superior invader: Microstegium vimineum. I addressed the following questions: (1) Does diversity-mediated competitive resistance resist invasion by M. vimineum, and what is the competitive effect of M. vimineum on resident plant diversity? (2) How do aboveground and soil-mediated competitive effects of M. vimineum influence survival of two perennial forbs at two sites of different M. vimineum productivity? (3) Are there species differences in acorn supply and seed removal, …

Research News, Publications, 2023, Volume 2, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of April 1 through June 30, 2023

Research News, Publications, 2023, Volume 3, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of July 1 through September 30, 2023

Research News, Publications, 2023, Volume 4, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of October 1 through December 31, 2023

Investigating Novel Applications Of Hot Melt Extrusion Technology For Improving Solubility Of Poorly Soluble Drug Substances, Preethi Mandati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In today’s world, with an increasing patient population, the demand for pharmaceutical medications is increasing enormously. Poor solubility of the drug substances is the major issue being faced by scientists across various avenues of pharmaceutical sectors for improving oral bioavailability and delivering cost-effective medication to the patient population. To date, various approaches have been investigated for solubility enhancement. Despite improving the solubility, the limitations of batch manufacturing are another major roadblock affecting late-stage manufacturing. In addition, the traditional batch manufacturing techniques involve multiple manufacturing steps and lack the capability to manufacture complex and patient-centric medications. The current research aims to …

Night Bites: The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Binge Eating, And Night Eating, Mccall Schruff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a chronic disease and classified as a global epidemic. Its incidence has rapidly increased worldwide, particularly within the United States where associated adverse health consequences have led to substantial increases in premature mortality, health-care utilization, and spending. Given the biopsychosocial nature of obesity, it can be considered a preventable health-risk that is a major public health concern. Associated risk factors, such as insufficient quality and quantity of sleep, binge eating, and night eating, could worsen health outcomes, as research suggests these symptoms rarely occur in isolation and are more frequent in individuals with higher body mass index. In …

Acute Countermovement Jump Performance In Collegiate Distance Runners, Kristel Tessa Van Den Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Running is the most popular form of physical activity worldwide and it has a positive effect on the overall health. However, (competitive) running is also associated with stress injuries. Stress injuries can be caused by overtraining. Countermovement jumps (CMJ) have previously been used to monitor training load and neuromuscular fatigue in athletes of multiple sports. However, this has not been explored in distance runners yet. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess if countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in collegiate distance athletes has a relationship to neuromuscular fatigue.

Methods: In total 12 female and 15 male distance runners …

Who, What, And How Much: Understanding The Profiles, Preferences, And Valuations Of Individuals Likely To Participate In Food As Medicine Programs, Austin Dean Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Initial research on food as medicine programs has shown encouraging evidence, but more evidence is needed to identify the most effective models, services, delivery methods, and funding mechanisms. Previously studied programs were designed by the researchers, providers, and public health advocates without input from patients on their preferences. Patient engagement is essential to develop successful programs.

Study Aims: 1) To explore the presence latent classes among individuals with diet-related chronic diseases likely to participate in food as medicine programs; 2) To explore preferences for attributes of food as medicine programs among individuals with diet-related chronic diseases likely to participate; …

The University Of Mississippi’S First-Year Experience Course: A Quantitative Analysis, Rachael Durham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-year seminar courses have become increasingly popular for colleges and universities as they are expected to help aid in the transition to college and help students persist to graduation (Culver & Bowman, 2020).

Utilizing pre-existing data from the Office of Institutional Research Effectiveness and Planning (IREP), the scholar-practitioner evaluated EDHE 105, the freshman academic orientation course, at the University of Mississippi. The anonymized data file included demographic information of residency, gender, and ethnicity, high school grade point average, ACT composite scores, enrollment in EDHE 105, athlete and honors designations, first-semester grade point average, fourth-semester grade point average, fourth-semester hours attempted, …

Voices From Below: The Politics Of Leprosy Control In Southeastern Nigeria, 1926-1960, Odinakachukwu Kingsley Eze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leprosy was an endemic disease in colonial Southeastern Nigeria but became an epidemic between the 1920s and 1940s. Unlike malaria and sleeping sickness, its endemicity did not impede European penetration at the dawn of the twentieth century. However, its spread across Nigeria intensified during colonial rule, with acute prevalence in regions hitherto prone to the disease. Therefore, from the 1920s to 1960, Southeastern Nigeria became the epicenter of British policies tailored towards preventing, curing, and eradicating leprosy disease in Nigeria. Existing research has established the involvement of different actors in this course–including Christian missionaries, colonial officials, specialized agencies, and international …

Molecular Dynamics Simulations For The Mechanical Behavior Of Alpha Quartz With Void Defects Under Tension, Yu Jia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The structural and mechanical properties of void-free and single-void α-quartz were investigated using MD simulations with three different interatomic potentials (BKS, Vashishta and Tersoff). Two distinct ensembles, NVT and NPT, were separately applied to investigate the tensile response of α-quartz under uniaxial strain and uniaxial stress states. A comprehensive comparison among different potentials, as well as comparison with currently available experiments, has been made. The BKS and Vashishta potentials accurately predicted the structural properties of void-free α-quartz, while the Tersoff potential was deviated significantly from the experimental data. Under tension, the BKS did a better description for the mechanical performance …

Gender Differences And Directionality Of Intimate Partner Violence, Nate Juda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The academic discipline of intimate partner violence (IPV) is currently divided into two prevailing perspectives: the feminist perspective, which asserts IPV is a product of the long history of acceptance and encouragement of wife-beating, stemming from patriarchal values; and the gender-inclusive model, that finds IPV reflects multifunctional etiologies, across the types and severities of IPV, with both men and women as perpetrators and victims at similar rates. However, a review of the extant literature does not support either of these conclusions. There is a growing body of research evidence that suggest women are more likely than men to commit IPV. …

Bio-Inspired Memory Device Based Physical Reservoir Computing System To Solve Temporal And Classification Problems, Md Razuan Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, technological advancements in the field of computing have been limited by the slowing down of Moore’s law, which predicts the doubling of the number of transistors on a microchip every two years. The limitations of traditional solid-state electronics have become increasingly evident, as it is becoming difficult to increase the number of transistors while maintaining their reliability and performance. The breakdown of Dennard Scaling, which describes the power-density relationship in CMOS transistors, and the von Neumann bottleneck, which refers to the limited bandwidth between the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, have further exacerbated the situation. Moreover, …

Classic Maya Subadult Age Estimates From Ambergris Caye, Belize, Nikki Anne Wicox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maya of the Classic period (300-900 AD) were inhabitants of the coastal island of Ambergris Caye, Belize (Guderjan, 2007). The individuals of this island have been explored through other research, however, one sub-population on the island that has yet to be explored in depth is that of childhood. Children play an integral role in society but are often overlooked as active members based upon the modern cultural norms of childhood, as well as the perceived difficulty of identifying children´s activities in the archaeological record (Ardren, 2015; Ardren & Hutson, 2006; Danforth, 1989; Storey, 1992; Wright, 1997). My research aims to …

How Does The Creation Of Temporary Wetland Habitat On Agricultural Fields In The Mississippi Alluvial Valley Affect The Abundance Of Migratory Shorebirds?, Emma Mccarley Counce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the causes of broad population declines of migratory shorebirds are not well understood, it is likely that loss of migratory stopover habitat is a contributing factor. In the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), much of the historical stopover sites have been converted to agricultural land. To combat this dearth, we have incentivized farmers to create temporary wetland habitat on shallowly flooded corn and soybean cropland in the LMAV during the fall after harvest. In a two-year study, shorebird surveys were completed bi-weekly on employed farm sites to determine the abundances of shorebirds present on five different temporal flood treatments …

Successful Aging And Turnover Intention Among Older Hospitality Frontline Employees, Thamsanqa Jongile

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This two-part dissertation delves into the intertwined precursors of successful aging and turnover intent in the hospitality sector. The first part applies a structural equation model to examine the link between perceived narcissistic leadership, successful aging, and turnover intentions. The author posits that work engagement, employee cynicism, and emotional fatigue are the mechanisms through which perceived narcissistic leadership affects successful aging and turnover intent. The findings affirm these conjectures, revealing that narcissistic leadership serves as a predictor of successful aging and turnover intent.

The second manuscript probes further into the antecedents of successful aging, evaluating a theoretical model in which …

Outdoorsman Culture In The Deep South: Understanding Cultural Capital And Social Capital Formation, Kolbe Verdun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the topic of harvesting wild game or “being a hunter” and the culture surrounding this practice and how it is personified. The terms “outdoorsman,” “game harvesting,” "hunter " and several others were used universally to describe those who take part in such practices being researched in this thesis despite the person's gender. The following research will include how culture surrounding the life of an outdoorsman plays an impactful role on the socio environmental, economic, cultural, historical, and even economic aspects of Mississippi and the surrounding Deep South. A close look will be taken on what it means …

Development Of Gelucire-Based Ophthalmic Nanoformulations Of Cannabidiol, Muna Abdelrahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of cannabidiol (CBD) for treating ocular disorders has gained increasing interest. There are several published investigations on the promising therapeutic potential of CBD for the treatment of glaucoma and retinal disorders. Epidiolex® is an oily solution of CBD in sesame oil, approved for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. However, extensive first-pass metabolism as well as poor aqueous solubility prevents the achievement of therapeutic concentrations in ocular tissues following oral administration. In contrast, topical ocular formulations could provide a high concentration of CBD to tissues within the eye. Nevertheless, there is no currently marketed CBD formulation …

Formulation And Evaluation Of Oral Film Loaded With Cannabidiol Using Solvent Casting Technique, Sujith Raj Bashetty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CBD has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic effects for epilepsy, which is approved by the FDA, and it has also been studied for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic properties. CBD-loaded oral films are a novel drug delivery system designed to improve the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. In this study, CBD-loaded oral films were developed using a combination of anti-solvent precipitation and solvent-casting techniques. These oral films were designed to be thin, flexible, and rapidly disintegrating films. Different grades of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose were used as a film former. …

Habitat Characteristics That Drive Habitat Selection In Hyla Chrysoscelis (Southern Gray Treefrog) And Aquatic Insects, Ruric Bowman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organisms must navigate complex landscapes selecting suitable habitats that will minimize costs to themselves or their offspring and maximize fitness. Habitat characteristics influence a patch’s quality and organisms may prioritize certain characteristics when selecting among patches. Canopy cover and patch size are two important habitat characteristics that organisms use to evaluate a patch’s quality. To understand whether canopy cover or patch size are a better determinant of patch quality for southern gray treefrogs, Hyla chrysoscelis and aquatic insects I implemented a compromise design that provided two suboptimal patch types (large, closed canopy and small, open canopy patches) for colonization. A …

The Mississippi School Funding Formula: A Study Of Adequacy, Marcus E. Cheeks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this was to examine the relationship between Mississippi public school district per pupil funding disaggregated by funding source (total, federal, state, and local) and student academic achievement gaps within districts based on poverty and race. Pearson's correlational coefficient was used to assess the relationship across 139 Mississippi school districts during fiscal year 2019. State Special Schools, Charter Schools, and Agriculture Schools were excluded from the analysis. School districts lacking a sufficient number of African American and Economically Disadvantaged children to calculate a school proficiency score in ELA and Math were also removed. Thus, the analysis consisted of …

Formulation And In-Vitro Evaluation Of Fenofibrate Capsules Using Hot Melt Extrusion Technology, Shrishti Dubey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to prepare an improved solubility, and stability. Hot-melt extrusion technology was used to prepare the filaments of insoluble model drug Fenofibrate (FBR). Eudragit® E PO® was used as a immediate release, moisture content control polymer for the formulation. Soluplus was used as a solubility enhancement polymer. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that the binary mixtures were miscible under the employed extrusion temperatures. The binary mixtures (10% FBR /Eudragit® E PO and Soluplus) were blended and extruded with a 6-mm mini extruder and were milled by using a mortar …

Effect Of Inclusion Complexes Of Ferrocene On Catalytic Activity Of Fenton’S Reaction, Lakshmi Priyanka Gudipati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ferrocene is an orange solid with a camphor-like odor and is soluble in almost all organic solvents. It is known for its remarkable stability, as it is unaffected by air, water, and strong bases. Ferrocene derivatives also have great potential as anticancer and antimalarial agents, but their practical insolubility in water can limit their utility as a pharmaceutical active ingredient. In this study, the main aim is to form inclusion complexes between different ferrocene derivatives and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) to enhance their water solubility and use the resulting complexes to test for cleavage of methylene blue ethanolamine (MB-EA) through Fenton's reaction …

Sociocultural Determinants Of Exclusive Breastfeeding And Infant Feeding Practices In Niger, Maimouna Issoufou Kapran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Niger is one of the countries with the lowest exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the barriers to EBF in Niger and to determine the types of feedings that are most commonly practiced in Niger. Participants (n=31) were mothers with children aged 0 to 24 months, recruited on-site at a healthcare facility in Niamey, the capital of Niger. They completed a 20-item questionnaire on socio-demographics, breastfeeding support and knowledge, a short food security survey, and a 24-hour diet recall. All mothers interviewed breastfed at some point, and a majority of the …

"Sealed With A Kiss On Your Artery": An Archive Of Southern Lesbian Desire, Sarah Margaret Heying

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines southern lesbian feminist print culture of the 1970s-2000s, which produced some of the most intersectional work to come out of second-wave feminism— especially in terms of creative and critical challenges to anti-Blackness, classism, metrocentrism, and regional exceptionalism. A central contribution of “Sealed with a Kiss on Your Artery” is its reimagination of archival reading practices from a queer-feminist literary studies perspective. Each chapter examines the archive of a particular lesbian feminist figure and demonstrates a corresponding interpretive practice; I seek to encounter these historical figures in a manner befitting not only the facts of their contributions to …

Immulina® As An Immunostimulatory Supplement: Dissolution And Pharmacodynamic Studies, Yusheng Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As one of popular dietary supplements, the health benefits of Arthrospira platensis (commonly known as spirulina) have been broadly reported. Immulina is a commercially available extract of Arthrospira platensis that is enriched with bacterial lipoproteins and acts as a Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonist. However, the immunostimulatory effect of Immulina in vivo has not been well understood. In this work, we explored the nanoformulation of Immulina to improve the dissolution rate in aqueous media. Building upon a standardized cell-based assay that measures the bioactivity of Immulina as a TLR2 agonist, we developed a quantitative methodology to determine the Immulina concentration …