Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Dopamine On Frequency Dependent Short Term Synaptic Plasticity: A Comparison Of Layer Contributions And Rhythmic Dynamics, Jonna Marie Jackson

Dissertations

Executive functions (e.g. working memory [WM]) are known to be mediated by prefrontal cortical areas of the human brain which share homology with mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Furthermore, it is well established that optimal dopaminergic input is required for proper WM function in the PFC. While it is well established that the mPFC receives inputs from several different brain areas, impinging on different compartmental regions of cells, it remains unknown how layer V pyramidal cells, the major output cells of the mPFC, integrate this information. Additionally, it remains unknown how dopamine modulates this integration by way of separate afferents …

Music To Our Eyes: Assessing The Role Of Experience For Multisensory Integration In Music Perception, Robert Edward Graham

Dissertations

Based on research on the “McGurk Effect” (McGurk & McDonald, 1976) in speech perception, some researchers (e.g. Liberman & Mattingly, 1985) have argued that humans uniquely interpret auditory and visual (motor) speech signals as a single intended audiovisual articulatory gesture, and that such multisensory integration is innate and specific to language. Our goal for the present study was to determine if a McGurk-like Effect holds true for music perception as well, as a domain for which innateness and experience can be disentangled more easily than in language. We sought to investigate the effects of visual musical information on auditory music …

A Hybrid Parallel Approach To High-Performance Compression Of Big Genomic Files And In Compresso Data Processing, Sandino N. Vargas Pérez

Dissertations

Due to the rapid development of high-throughput low cost Next-Generation Sequencing, genomic file transmission and storage is now one of the many Big Data challenges in computer science. Highly specialized compression techniques have been devised to tackle this issue, but sequential data compression has become increasingly inefficient and existing parallel algorithms suffer from poor scalability. Even the best available solutions can take hours to compress gigabytes of data, making the use of these techniques for large-scale genomics prohibitively expensive in terms of time and space complexity.

This dissertation responds to the aforementioned problem by presenting a novel hybrid parallel approach …

Bio-Socially Inspired Strategies In Support Of Dynamic Spectrum Access: An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective, Mohammad Ali Marzoug Abu Shattal

Dissertations

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) has been introduced to fulfill the expanded need for spectrum by different wireless networks and applications. Within the realm of spectrum access, the problem of "spectrum crunch" is present since some of the spectrum bands are overcrowded and others are underutilized. DSA aims to alleviate the problem of spectrum crunch. In DSA, Primary Users (PUs) allow Secondary Users (SUs) to access the spectrum as long as they do not interfere with PU transmissions beyond a pre-agreed acceptable level. In this work, a bio-socially inspired approach is proposed for SU interactions in support of better throughput for …

High Performance Computing Techniques For Analyzing Risky Decision Making, Vinay B. Gavirangaswamy

Dissertations

The process or activity of making choices when subject to gain or loss can be understood as risky decision making (RDM). Risky Decisions consists of outcomes of decisions that may probabilistically result in unfavorable results. Every organism that lives faces this challenge and recent research suggests that there is a computational process involved in making these decisions. This has led to new approaches in the study of RDM. My dissertation is towards contributing to expand on the existing knowledge of RDM processes.

The core contribution of my work is an analysis and development of high performance computing techniques that improves …

A Deep Learníng-Based Data Minimization Algorithm For Big Genomics Data In Support Of Lot And Secure Smart Health Services, Mohammed Aledhari

Dissertations

In the age of Big Genomics Data, institutes such as the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI),1000-Genomes project, and the international cancer sequencing consortium are faced with the challenge of sharing large volumes of data between internationallydispersed sample collectors, data analyzers, and researchers, a process that up until now has been plagued by unreliable transfers and slow connection speeds. These occur due to the inherent throughput bottlenecks of traditional transfer technologies. One suggested solution is using the cloud as an infrastructure to solve the store and analysis challenges. However, the transfer and share of the genomics datasets between biological laboratories …

Peri-Operative Regional Nerve Blocks (Pnb) In The Treatment Of Pain In Patients Undergoing Operative Fixation Of Lower Extremity Fractures, Joshua K. Radi

Dissertations

This research explores current approaches to managing pain control in patients undergoing operative fixation of lower extremity fractures. As opioid use in the U.S. and abroad increases, alternative methods of treating and preventing opioid requirements are being examined. Patients with lower extremity fractures are susceptible to nonunion when anti-inflammatories are consumed, so alternative approaches are warranted. One such alternative, a peri-operative regional nerve block (PNB), is accomplished by injecting local anesthetic adjacent to one or more peripheral nerves supplying the area of the fracture to decrease pain (Fowler, Symons, Sabato, & Myles, 2008). The goal of this research was to …

Race And Sexual Orientation Lssues In Graduate Classrooms: How Faculty In Psychology Experience Them Emerging Alongside One Another, Raymond L. Sheets Jr.

Dissertations

The inclusion of sexual orientation and race-related issues into mainstream psychology has gained much needed momentum in recent years. The field of counseling psychology, in particular, has helped fuel this momentum with its appreciation for, and commitment to, developing academic and applied psychologists who attend to an evolving multicultural society. Within the academic environment, faculty members have the responsibility of facilitating student learning in their respective classrooms; this facilitation becomes challenging in the face of emotionally charged topics such as race and sexual orientation. How then do graduate faculty who teach these courses experience race and sexual orientation comingling within …

The Diversity, Costs, And Benefits Of Shelters Built By Lepidopteran Caterpillars In A Costa Rican Dry Forest, Christina Baer

Dissertations

Thousands of Lepidoptera species build shelters as caterpillars using plant material and their own silk. Although these caterpillars and their shelters are recognized as playing important ecological roles, the structural diversity of shelters and the costs and benefits of different shelters to their builders are still poorly understood. In this dissertation, I use natural history observations, observational and manipulative field projects, and molecular and phylogenetic tools to investigate these questions for a diverse and abundant shelter-building caterpillar community within the dry forest of Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica. In Chapter 1, I develop a system for categorizing and describing …

Predictors Of Cognitive Function Among Cognitively Impaired Older African Americans Living In Congregate Residential Settings, Zyra Daffodil Apugan

Dissertations

The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to identify potential psychosocial predictors of cognition, including social support, depression, and functional activity, among older African Americans, ≥ 65 years, with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and living in congregate residential settings. Guided by the main effect model of social support, this study used existing data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set, an NIH-funded multicenter study. Results showed that on average, the participants (n=56) were 81.7 years of age with 13.8 years of education. All, but six, were married. Bivariate Pearson correlations indicate a moderately strong negative relationship …

Achilles Is A Circadian Clock-Controlled Gene That Regulates The Immune System And Its Rhythmicity In Drosophila, Jiajia Li

Dissertations

Circadian clock is a transcriptional/translational feedback loop that drives the rhythmic expression of downstream mRNAs. Termed “clock-controlled genes,” these molecular outputs of the circadian clock orchestrate cellular, metabolic, and behavioral rhythms. As part of our on-going work to characterize key upstream regulators of circadian mRNA expression, we have identified a novel clock-controlled gene in Drosophila melanogaster, Achilles (Achl), which is rhythmic at the mRNA level in the brain and represses expression of immune response genes, especially anti-microbial peptides in the immune system. Achl knock-down in the brain dramatically elevates expression of crucial immune response genes, including IM1 …

Interactions Between Amyloid-Beta And Microglial Cells, Lisa Gouwens

Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by loss of memory and intellectual abilities. Intracellular plaques of aggregated amyloid-beta (Ab) protein are a well-known pathology associated with AD. Although symptoms usually appear late in life, the accumulation of Ab begins decades earlier and causes activation of microglia, the brain’s immune cells. The ensuing inflammation contributes significantly to neurodegeneration. Determination of the particular form of Ab that causes the most damage in the brain is one of the major questions in the AD field. My research focused on the interactions of microglia with monomers, …

Re-Reading, Re-Writing, And Re-Imagining Texts: Critical Literacy In A Kindergarten Classroom, Meredith Labadie

Dissertations

This qualitative action research study focuses on the integration of critical literacy practices in a kindergarten classroom. Critical literacy recognizes that no texts are neutral, and that authors position their readers in particular ways. Thus critical literacy practices are those concerned with positioning readers to inquire into issues of language and power, and to disrupt, critique, and challenge texts. In this study, critical literacy was brought to life through a curriculum of rereading and revisiting texts over time. The study took place in the researcher’s kindergarten classroom, and follows students’ discussion, written responses, and dramatizations around texts read aloud in …

Processing Motion: Using Code To Teach Newtonian Physics, M. Ryan Massey

Dissertations

Prior to instruction, students often possess a common-sense view of motion, which is inconsistent with Newtonian physics. Effective physics lessons therefore involve conceptual change. To provide a theoretical explanation for concepts and how they change, the triangulation model brings together key attributes of prototypes, exemplars, theories, Bayesian learning, ontological categories, and the causal model theory. The triangulation model provides a theoretical rationale for why coding is a viable method for physics instruction. As an experiment, thirty-two adolescent students participated in summer coding academies to learn how to design Newtonian simulations. Conceptual and attitudinal data was collected using the Force Concept …

Inclusive Education For Preschool Learners With Autism: A Program Evaluation, Rachel C. Morgan

Dissertations

This is an exploration of the perceptions and perspectives of early childhood leaders and practitioners with regards to preschool learners with autism engaged in inclusive educational settings. At a time when inclusive education is acknowledged as best practice, there is still a concern that many preschool learners with disabilities are receiving most of their supports in a segregated setting. Additional concerns noted in the current research relate directly to the beliefs, values, and attitudes towards inclusive education for learners with disabilities. No distinct study has been done with regards to this age group, nor to pinpoint the perceptions and perspectives …

The Experiences Of African American Pastors Treating Mental Health Issues Among Parishioners In The State Of Texas, Rosalind S. Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to learn the practices, attitudes, and self-described competency of a sample of 12 African American pastors, with churches located in Texas, as they counsel their parishioners with mental health issues. Pastoral counseling formed the theoretical framework for the study. The researcher asked each pastor eight open-ended questions, inquiring about the pastor's experiences, practices, attitudes, and training in regard to dealing with their parishioners' mental health issues. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and qualitative methods were used to analyze the responses to determine themes in the pastors' responses.

A total of 10 themes …

The Educational Experiences Of Biracial Students As Seen Through The Eyes Of Their Parents, Sandra Washington

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of the issues and challenges biracial children and their parents face as they navigate through the U.S. K–12 school system while developing a firm sense of self and racial identity. This issue is important because of the growing number of biracial children in the U.S. today. “Among American children, the multiracial population has increased almost 50 percent, to 4.2 million, since 2000, making it the fastest growing youth group in the country” (Saulny, 2011, p. A3). Three couples, one single father, and one mother were interviewed about their experiences …

Influence Of Gender And Age On The Performance Of A Pbis Program: Quantitative Analysis Of Secondary Data From A Midwestern Suburban Public Middle School, Ibrahima Coulibaly

Dissertations

The Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support, or PBIS, represented the new trend in dealing with problem behavior in educational settings. The concepts of Gender and Age intertwined with many social, ethnic, and cultural attributes, which affected students’ behaviors in group settings such as school. The resolve of this study resided in the investigation of the effects of gender and age (grade level) on the effectiveness of a PBIS program. In addition, the study reviewed the relative quality of validity among the components used in the PBIS program. The data used in this study originated from a PBIS program implemented at …

Gender Identity Work: Oppression And Agency As Described In Lifespan Narratives Of Transgender And Other Gender Non-Conforming Identified People In The U. S., Kathryn O'Brien

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to critically examine the gender identity work of white transgender and other gender non-conforming identified (TgNCi) people through their stories and the meanings they attach to important artifacts across the lifespan. A single question directed the investigation: How do TgNCi individuals describe gender identity work through lifespan narratives? Thirteen volunteers participated in two interviews: the first, a narration of their life stories and in the second, descriptions of the significance of personal artifacts selected by the participants and photographed by the investigator. Participants’ ages ranged from 22 to 66, according to four pre-determined age …

Regulation Of Voltage-Gated K+ Currents In Motor Neurons: Activity-Dependence And Neuromodulation, Dalia Salloum

Dissertations

Neuronal output is shaped by extrinsic modulation as well as modulation of intrinsic properties of individual neurons, mediated by activity-dependent changes in the expression levels of voltage-gated ionic currents. Activity-dependent regulation of ionic currents is a mechanism by which electrical output of a neuron feeds back onto the expression of its own ion channels to alter cellular excitability in response to stimuli. Neurons alter their intrinsic properties to achieve long lasting changes involved in development, learning and memory formation and vital functions of organ systems such as locomotion and digestion. At the same time, plasticity of neuronal excitability driven by …

An Artificial Neural Network Model For Predicting Freeway Work Zone Delays With Big Data, Bo Du

Dissertations

Lane closures due to road reconstruction and maintenance have resulted in a major source of non-recurring congestion on freeways. It is extremely important to accurately quantify the associated mobility impact so that a cost-effective work zone schedule and an efficient traffic management plan can be developed. Therefore, the development of a sound model for predicting delays or road users is desirable.

A comprehensive literature review on existing work zone delay prediction models (i.e., deterministic queuing model and shock wave model) is conducted in this study, which explores the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of different modeling approaches. The performance of those …

Public Perceptions Of The Functions Of Natural And Engineered Infrastructure In Coastal Hazards Mitigation: The Cases Of Two Communities In The Raritan Bayshore, New Jersey, Jaime D. Ewalt Gray

Dissertations

Emerging United States (U.S.) federal policies call for more comprehensive integration of both engineered and natural infrastructure in mitigating coastal hazards. For such policies to be effectively implemented, the mitigation functions of and relationship between natural infrastructure and engineered infrastructure must be understood and their integrated use accepted by affected actors, especially residents living in at-risk coastal communities. Little is known about public perceptions of the functions of engineered and natural infrastructure in coastal hazard mitigation and the interactions between these two types of infrastructure. This study analyzes perceptions based on semi-structured interviews of 14 residents in Laurence Harbor, Middlesex …

Formulation And Dissolution Of Polymer Strip Films For The Delivery Of Poorly Water-Soluble Drug Nanoparticles, Scott Matthew Krull

Dissertations

Polymer films have emerged as a promising platform for delivery of pharmaceutical products in recent years due to simplified processing, greater flexibility, and improved patient compliance over traditional solid dosage forms. However, the large majority of efforts have focused on incorporation of water-soluble drugs. The objective of this dissertation is to explore the robustness and versatility of the strip film platform for delivery of poorly water-soluble drug nanoparticles to ultimately develop a predictive model for drug release from such films.

The robustness of the polymer strip film platform to successfully deliver a variety of poorly water-soluble drug nanoparticles without the …

Field Induced Assembly Of Particulate Systems, Kinnari Shah

Dissertations

The primary focus of the first part of this dissertation is to study the AC field-driven assembly of monodisperse silica and glass particles on liquid - liquid interface and forming a liquid film of uniform thickness having arrangement of particles on it. This liquid film with arrangement of regular particles can be converted into a solid film by curing top UV curable liquid. Here, electric field is used as a tool to facilitate AC field-driven assembly. The work describes the assembly of different size of regular particles and effective development of solid film.

It is also shown that particles of …

Biophysical Mechanisms Of Frequency-Dependence And Its Neuromodulation In Neurons In Oscillatory Networks, David Michael Fox

Dissertations

In response to oscillatory input, many isolated neurons exhibit a preferred frequency response in their voltage amplitude and phase shift. Membrane potential resonance (MPR), a maximum amplitude in a neuron’s input impedance at a non-zero frequency, captures the essential subthreshold properties of a neuron, which may provide a coordinating mechanism for organizing the activity of oscillatory neuronal networks around a given frequency. In the pyloric central pattern generator network of the crab Cancer borealis, for example, the pacemaker group pyloric dilator neurons show MPR at a frequency that is correlated with the network frequency. This dissertation uses the crab …

Roles Of Cosolvents On Protein Stability, Zhaoqian Su

Dissertations

The function of a protein is determined by its three-dimensional structure which emerges from the delicate balance of forces involving atoms of the protein and the solvent. This balance can be perturbed by changing temperature, pressure, pH and by adding organic molecules known as cosolvents to the solution. Despite the wide use of cosolvents to perturb protein structures in the lab and in living systems, their molecular mechanisms are still not well established. Understanding these mechanisms is a problem of substantial interest, with potential application to the design of new drugs to target proteins. In this dissertation, we probe the …

Co2 Reduction Over Noble Metal/Carbon Nanotube Catalyst, Yuan Zhu

Dissertations

Carbon nanotube-based Pt/Pd and Ru catalysts, independently synthesized by a microwave reaction technique, show good catalytic activity for CO2 reduction in the contexts of dry reforming (DR) of methane (CH₄ + CO₂ -> 2CO + 2H₂) and reverse water gas shift (RWGS) (H2 + CO₂ -> CO + H₂O). Reaction temperatures range from 773 to 973 K, with system pressure at 30 psig. The feed molar ratios CH4/CO₂ and CO₂/H₂ are varied from 0.5 to 2.0. Reactant conversions in DR and RWGS are strongly influenced by temperature and feed …

Assessment Of Nanocomposites Vs. Amorphous Solid Dispersions For Dissolution Enhancement Of Bcs Class Ii Drugs, Meng Li

Dissertations

Nanoparticle-based formulations (nanocomposites) and amorphous solid dispersions, shortly ASDs, are two major pharmaceutical formulation platforms used for the bioavailability enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs. While they both have several advantages-disadvantages, a scientific comparative assessment of their drug release performance and dissolution mechanisms at different drug doses is not available. With the goal of addressing this issue, the dissertation aims to achieve three major objectives: (1) develop a processing-formulation understanding of wet media milling process for fast-efficient production of drug nanoparticles in stable nanosuspension form, (2) elucidate the impact of various classes dispersants on drug release rate and mechanisms during the …

Thermochemistry Of Fluorinated Aldehydes And Corresponding Radicals;Thermochemistry And Kinetics Of Diethyl Ether And Ethyl Oxirane Relative To Reactions Under Atmospheric And Combustion Conditions, Douglas Lee Purnell Jr.

Dissertations

Fundamental thermochemical properties including enthalpies (ΔH°f 298), entropies (S°(T)), heat capacities (Cp(T)), and bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for several common and complex hydrocarbon fuel species are determined using computational chemical methods. ΔH°f 298 values are calculated using isodesmic reactions with the CBS-APNO, CBS-4M, CBS-QB3, G2, G3, G4, Weizmann-1 (W1U) and M06-2X, ωB97X, B3-LYP with basis set 6-31G+ (d,p) and 6-31G++(d,p) calculation methods. Structures, moments of inertia, vibrational frequencies, and internal rotor potentials are calculated for contributions to entropies and heat capacities. Kinetic rate parameters are calculated for hydrogen abstraction and …

Characterization Of Microporous Ectfe Membranes Exposed To Different Liquid Media And ?-Radiation And Nanoparticle Microfiltration Through Such Membranes, Na Yao

Dissertations

Microporous polymeric membranes are used in a variety of applications for separations, purification as well as barrier function. A major application is for microfiltration (MF). Changes in the properties of MF membranes exposed to acids, bases and organic solvents are of interest in semiconductor processing as well as in membrane contactor applications. Microfiltration membranes used for sterilization in beverage, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are sterilized by gamma radiation among others. Irradiation-induced degradation in membrane properties should be known. A variety of fluoropolymer-based microporous membranes are available with varying properties. Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) membranes are a new addition and are of …