Digital Commons Network^™

Interactions Of Amyloid Peptides With Lipid Membranes, Yanxing Yang

Dissertations

The aggregation of amyloid proteins into fibrils is a hallmark of several diseases including Alzheimer’s (AD), Parkinson’s, and Type II diabetes. This aggregation process involves the formation of small size oligomers preceding the formation of insoluble fibrils. Recent studies have shown that these oligomers are more likely to be responsible for cell toxicity than fibrils. A possible mechanism of toxicity involves the interaction of oligomers with the cell membrane compromising its integrity. In particular, oligomers may form pore-like structures in the cell membrane affecting its permeability or they may induce lipid loss via a detergent-like effect. This dissertation aims to …

Amphiphilic Block Copolymers And The Applications In Therapeutics Delivery, Jie Dou

Dissertations

Well-defined thermo-responsive triblock copolymers containing polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) PNIPAM are synthesized by a type of living controlled polymerization, named iniferter polymerization. The polymers are amphiphilic in nature and are self-assembled into a micelle. Their properties and application are characterized and investigated in this work.

Foremost, the initiator of the polymerization (iniferter) is designed and synthesized by condensation polymerization, where PEO is incorporated into the structure to improve biocompatibility, which has great potential for biological application. Moreover, this iniferter reagent could be applied to more than 70 percent of vinyl monomers.

NIPAM, a commercial vinyl monomer, is chosen …

Biotransformation And Biodefluorination Of Fluorotelomer Carboxylic Acids, Chen Wu

Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a class of emerging contaminants of concern, have attacked unprecedented attention given their prevalent detection and adverse health effects. Primary regulatory attention has been focused on PFOA, PFOS, and other perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). Recent investigations revealed that fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (FTCAs), particularly 5:3 FTCA and 6:2 FTCA, were dominant in landfill leachates and other environmental matrixes. FTCAs are also found as common intermediates during the biotransformation of PFAA precursors. Unfortunately, FTCAs have higher bioaccumulating potential and are at least two orders more toxic than their corresponding PFCAs. However, information regarding the potentials and mechanisms of …

A Novel Biomaterial Platform For Cardiac Tissue Engineering, Andrew House

Dissertations

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. With a growing demand for in vitro cardiac models that can recapitulate the complex physiology of the cardiac tissue, there is a desire to create novel therapies and treatments. However, due to a lack of fundamental understanding of the heart's inflammatory response to myocardial infarction, the development of new therapies is both time consuming and costly. In this work, a novel approach to fabricating a dynamic hydrogel cardiac platform is reported. This platform better mimics the dynamic changes occurring in the native cardiac tissue microenvironment during cardiac …

Angiogenic Supports For Microvascular Engineering, Zain Siddiqui

Dissertations

Ischemic tissue disease is caused by a lack of circulation / blood supply to tissue. This can be treated by introducing a number of angiogenic (pro-blood vessel forming) factors into the tissue. This work presents strategies for ischemic tissue treatment utilizing a novel proangiogenic self-assembling peptide hydrogel platform. To demonstrate the utility of this platform, its use alone as an angiogenic therapeutic (both alone as a self-assembling hydrogel and with two-component systems), and its ability to vascularize implants is explored. Due to these angiogenic scaffolds demonstrating efficacy to regenerate microvasculature, this work evaluates diseases that can be treated by the …

Implementation Of The Family Help Protocol: A Feasibility Project For A West Texas Icu, Rebecca Mcclay

Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine if there is sufficient bedside ICU nurse buy-in to the Family HELP protocol to make implementation feasible at one county hospital in West Texas.

Educators’ And Parents’ Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Students With Emotional And Behavior Disorders, Shannon L. Howze

Dissertations

Educating students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) has historically been a difficult task for educators (McKenna et al., 2021). The general education setting comes with many barriers when attempting to include students with EBD to the equation. Parents are instrumental to the success of their students with EBD regardless to the setting. Educators may lack in the skills needed to communicate, educate, and understand students with EBD. Without educators and parents collectively communicating and collaborating, students with EBD will not have the opportunity to have the positive experiences and outcomes to be successful. Applying the theoretical frameworks of Bandura’s …

Using The Social-Ecological Model To Better Understand Sexual Assertiveness Among Undergraduate Women At An Institution Of Higher Education In The Southeastern United States, Lisa Wright

Dissertations

This study examined sexual assertiveness among female undergraduate students at an institution of higher education in the southeastern United States from the context of the social-ecological model. An online survey instrument examined sexual assertiveness, sexual communication self-efficacy, campus climate, and sexual scripts. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between these variables and all variables significantly predicted sexual assertiveness individually, but when examining the relationships collectively, only sexual communication self-efficacy and campus climate remained significant predictors of sexual assertiveness.

The Impact Of A Five-Day Number Sense Intervention On High School Student's Quantitative Reasoning Skills And Self-Efficacy, Rebecca Steele-Mackey

Dissertations

Understanding numerical quantities and applying this knowledge in practical applications is essential throughout life. A well-developed number sense comes from learning foundational skills and continuing to rely on these skills and concepts in higher mathematical education as well as in adulthood. Prior research shows that K-8 students lack a conceptual understanding of fraction, decimal, and percentage concepts (NCTM, 2009). While there is literature that identifies a deficit in these mathematical areas, there is a need to examine possible activities and interventions that can be performed throughout secondary education courses that support growth in students' conceptual understanding of rational number concepts. …

Investigating The Involvement Of The Tick Vector In The Induction Of Alpha-Galactose Hypersensitivity (Alpha-Gal Syndrome, Red Meat Allergy) In The United States., Gary Crispell

Dissertations

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS or sometimes called red meat allergy) is a result of the development of specific IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) after a person has had exposure to tick bites. This dissertation investigates four common tick species found in North America: the lone-star tick (Amblyomma americanum), the Gulf-Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), and the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) for the presence of α-gal by utilizing a combination of immunoproteomic approaches and carbohydrate analysis techniques.

Anti-α-gal IgM antibodies (M86) were used in immunoblotting to detect …

Policy Implications Of Managing Biodiversity And Natural Resources Across International Boundaries, Dillon Brown

Dissertations

Fisheries Management under the best of scenarios is a complex action. It requires thoughtful consideration of resources that tend to be out of sight, widely distributed, highly variable both spatially and temporally, and present dramatic variation in life history and ecology. No one management approach has been developed which can effectively incorporate all these variables. Add to this the issue of transnational boundary movements of these resources, and one discovers that this complex issue needs to be addressed by multiple entities, agencies, and nations to have any chance of success.

This research set out to discover ways in which fisheries …

Characterization Of Innate Immune Responses In Mouse Trophoblast Stem Cells And Their Differentiated Cells, Mona Fendereski

Dissertations

The blastocyst is the preimplantation stage embryo consisting of two major components: the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE). The ICM forms the fetus, whereas the TE contributes to the placenta development. Previous studies have demonstrated that human and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived from the ICM are deficient in expressing type I IFNs in response to viral infection. This study investigated the innate immune responses in mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) and their in vitro differentiated trophoblasts (TSC-TBs). I report that, unlike ESCs, TSCs have a functional IFN system. They can express and respond to type …

The Expanding Marine Built Environment And Biofilm Formation Processes, Rachel Mugge

Dissertations

The marine built environment (i.e., places or things made or modified by humans) in the northern Gulf of Mexico is rapidly expanding and includes over 2,000 known historic shipwrecks, nearly 4,100 artificial reefs, and other built structures for natural resource extraction, marine aquaculture, renewable energy generation, munitions dumping areas, and commercial and recreational activities. While these structures have the potential to develop into artificial reefs, acting as biodiversity hotspots that provide food and shelter and facilitate organism transport, it is unclear how they affect biodiversity and ecosystem function in the marine environment. The success of artificial reefs to become ecosystems …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation And Validation Of Lung Cancer Screening Health Belief Scale, Fang Lei

Dissertations

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the third prevalent disease among Chinese Americans. Lung cancer screening with low dose computed tomography is an effective method to detect lung cancer. Compared to chest X-ray, low dose computed tomography can reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer by 20% in the high-risk smokers. Since 2013, lung cancer screening has been recommended by most health organizations and covered both by private and public insurances. However, the uptake rate of lung cancer screening is still low in the US, and there are few studies on lung cancer screening among Chinese …

Biomarker, Treatment, And Socio-Demographic Factors Affecting Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Retention, Fernand A. De Los Reyes

Dissertations

Increasing mortality from opioid overdose and low treatment engagement are significant public health concerns. Along with increasing health care and criminal justice enforcement costs, there is an urgent need to study the factors associated with treatment retention in opioid use disorder. The study investigated the relative impact of the biomarker cholesterol on treatment retention in an opioid treatment program (OTP) clinic. Further, it examined the medical comorbidities, treatment, and socio-demographic variables that impact opioid use disorder treatment retention. This study was a secondary analysis of patient health records (n=267) in an opioid treatment program clinic. The study employed a hierarchical …

A Look At The Effectiveness Of High School Chemistry Curriculum In Preparing Students For Act, Shanna Nesser

Dissertations

In the ever-changing world, students are challenged with cultivating the skills and knowledge needed to handle the pace and level of understanding required to excel in their future. The foundation for a student's future begins in their formative years, but high school is a prime environment for nurturing the applied, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills needed to move forward into independent, adult life. Mississippi schools are ranked by an accountability score, which is used to determine fund allocation and the development of improvement plans. This score is compiled by looking at various state-tested courses, College and Career Readiness Standards (MS …

Developing And Assessing The Psychometric Properties Of A Multidimensional College Mental Health Assessment Inventory: A Mixed-Methods Study, John Sylvester

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a multidimensional College Mental Health Assessment Inventory (CMHAI) specifically for the college student population. In the first phase, a conceptual and theoretical review of general existing scales was performed, followed by conducting exploratory semi-structured interviews with twelve participants. From the interviews, I identified themes/constructs (domains) comprised of 52 items to make up the initial inventory. Participants believed these themes to be worthy of note: (a) admission to college with pre-existing mental conditions; (b) students’ expectation about college versus the actual experience; (c) college as a new environment brings about feelings of loneliness; …

The Impact Of Intervention Programs For Teenagers At Risk Among Middle And High School Students In Southeast Missouri, Bryan Austin

Dissertations

At-risk students have been noted to be exposed to high cases of early school dropout, late graduation, poor academic performance, and engagement in risky behaviors, such as drug and substance abuse. While research has reported poor transition to future careers and adult life among at-risk students, little is known regarding intervention programs used in Missouri schools to motivate at-risk students. The objective of this study was to investigate intervention programs being used to retain and engage at-risk middle and high school teenagers in Missouri and identify effective intervention programs that might help promote their success in school and subsequent transition …

Integrating Media Literacy Into General Education Core Courses For Undergraduates, Christen Embry

Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the essential nature of media literacy, evaluate pre-developed higher education classes for existing media literacy context, and recommend best practices for incorporating media literacy into an undergraduate curriculum. This mixed-methods study of media literacy in undergraduate college courses explored the presence and absence of media literacy lessons within core classes by auditing 15 online course shells accessed through the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Specifically, all the courses surveyed included the first skill of media literacy, Access; 33% of the classes included Analyze; 27% included Creation; 20% included Reflection; and 20% included Action. Once the …

Faith-Based Counseling Versus Traditional Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Evaluation Of African American Protestant Experiences, Shannon Gray

Dissertations

This phenomenological study was designed to evaluate the experiences of African American Christian adult clients within traditional psychotherapy and faith-based counseling settings. Research has shown various therapist/counselor identities affect Christian African American clients, and that Christians as well as African Americans have historically been less likely to pursue traditional psychotherapy for a variety of reasons. Participants were six African American Christian adult participants (three traditional psychotherapy participants and three faith-based counseling participants). All participants were asked open-ended questions about their experiences in traditional psychotherapy or faith-based counseling. In addition, they were asked to evaluate several aspects of their therapy/counseling experience …

Lifestyle Choices Related To Food Consumption And Their Relationship To Depression, Steven L. Jennings Jr.

Dissertations

Dieting, or the act of restricting oneself to small amounts or particular kinds of foods on the basis of health, spirituality, lifestyle, and moral decisions, is a practice that dates to 1066 A.D. However, with social media being as influential as it is, one might believe dieting is a new obsession or at least an obsession to which popular culture is returning. Despite this, it is only in recent years that researchers have begun to focus on the health benefits of such behaviors. The present study was designed to take this focus a step further by exploring the potential risks …

The Graduate Record Examination And Graduate Admissions: Issues In Diversity, Lauren Rankin

Dissertations

Doctoral education is an expensive and difficult endeavor. Program faculty are interested in finding students who will be successful in completing their courses and obtaining employment. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is often used to assess a student’s readiness for the rigors of graduate education. A student’s readiness for doctoral education can be assessed through analyzing the predictive validity of the GRE with various outcomes such as grade point average, scholarly output, and time to completion. However, this measure may not predict success for all students with potential bias towards students who are international and linguistically diverse. A total of …

Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Gratitude, And Burnout: A Structural Equation Model, Allegra Rose Lyon

Dissertations

The present cross-sectional study examined the interrelationships between mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude, and burnout in a sample of Health Service Psychology doctoral trainees (n=234) using structural equation modeling. Results suggested that mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude may each function as important internal resources in mitigating burnout in HSP trainees. A priori models showed poor structural fit and were respecified according to modification indices. The respecified primary model was retained as it showed a good fit (χ2(df) = 347.497(99), p < .001; RMSEA = .074; CFI = .939; TLI = .914; SRMR = .054) and significantly better fit than the respecified alternative model (Δ χ 2(1) = 7.37, p < .01). Mindfulness showed direct positive effects on self-compassion (.643) and gratitude (.346), and direct negative effects on burnout (-.344). Self-compassion (-.271) and gratitude (-.220) each also showed direct negative effects on burnout. Mindfulness also showed significant specific indirect effects on burnout via self-compassion (-.174) and gratitude (-.076). Total indirect effects of mindfulness on burnout were medium negative effects (-.250). Total effect of mindfulness on burnout was a large negative effect (-.595). These results can be used to inform changes at the organizational level for doctoral training programs and can be used at an individual level as tools for empowering trainees to increase internal resources that may help them to engage in more sustainable practice. Theoretical, research, and practice implications for counseling psychologists and limitations are discussed.

Factors Influencing Political Self-Efficacy And Political Astuteness In Undergraduate Nurse Educators, Mark William Longshore

Dissertations

The profession of nursing, 3.9 million strong, continues to lag in taking an active role in the development of health policy. Reasons for that include lack of time, a lack of knowledge, and perceived competence of political action. The factors of knowledge and the related perceived competence, or in the case of this study, self-efficacy, could be improved through education. To that end, it was important to identify if nurse educators had the political astuteness, or knowledge, and self-efficacy. If not, how would nurses learn the necessary skills and gain confidence to be more active politically? The purpose of this …

Person-Oriented And Variable-Oriented Statistical Approaches To Understanding At-Risk, Online High School Students: Predictions Of Academic Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Protective Factors, Amanda Renee Atwater Jacobs

Dissertations

Many students come to school with risk factors that negatively impact their educational attainment and overall well-being. These risk factors may include but are not limited to abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, and learning disabilities. Other types of factors have been shown to provide a protective aspect against risk, and examples include social emotional skills such as grit, flexibility, and social-awareness. There is benefit in individualizing educational experiences for at-risk adolescents based on their specific risks and available protective factors, but knowing how these factors influence and interact with one another to predict academic outcomes is the first …

Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching As Decision-Making For The University Mathematician Developing Coherence In Review Of Discrete Mathematics, Julie Lang

Dissertations

Mathematicians teaching at the university level have a deep understanding and appreciation for the mathematics that they teach. However, they rarely receive much formal training in teaching. Thus, university mathematicians must rely on their mathematical understandings and personally developed ideas of teaching to guide their decision-making. Relatively little research exists on mathematicians’ teaching practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) of a university mathematician teaching discrete mathematics and how he leveraged his knowledge to make decisions and develop coherence among mathematical ideas during a semester review. An enactivist perspective examining a mathematician’s …

College Students’ Perceptions Of The Desert Canyons Of The Colorado Plateau, Jeremy Roger Deem

Dissertations

This study investigates eight college students’ perceptions of their experiences during an accredited outdoor education course entitled Technical Canyoneering. The course took place in four separate desert canyons of the Colorado Plateau, two in Arches National Park, and two on nearby Bureau of Land Management public space. Utilizing the data collection process of photo-elicitation, the participants’ time spent in the canyon settings was described in order to gain an understanding of their experiences, with particular attention paid to analyzing what perceptions those students ascribed to those experiences. The intent was threefold. First, the study makes understanding at how college students …

Animal-Assisted Interventions In Supervision: A Collective Case Study, Connie Elizabeth Couch

Dissertations

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) have been discussed in recent conceptual literature as having potential for positive implications when applied in supervision (Chandler, 2017; Jackson, 2020; Owenby, 2017; Stewart et al., 2015). However, there was limited empirical foundation or guidance for the integration of two distinct specializations (AAIs and supervision). The purpose of this qualitative collective case study (Stake, 2006) was to explore and understand the experiences of supervisors who have been implementing AAIs within the context of supervision. Specifically, this study addressed the following overarching research question and two sub-questions were addressed: Q1 Why are supervisors integrating AAIs into supervision? Q1a …

Middle School Students’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Behaviors Towards Using A Virtual Reality Application To Build Molecules, Dalal Za'al Ali Alrmuny

Dissertations

To deliver successful integration of virtual reality (VR) technology into chemistry education, it is essential that students have clear and positive perceptions about the purpose and the value of such integration. An important part of establishing a plan for integrating virtual reality technology into chemistry education is to explore the current perceptions, experiences, and behaviors of students towards the use of VR technology to establish an initial baseline of skills and areas in need of development. The purpose of this exploratory mixed methods study was to explore the perceptions, experiences, and behaviors of 62 middle school students in the state …

Prenatal Opioid Use And Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Review Of The Neurophysiological, Neuropsychological, And Behavioral/Emotional/Social Impacts In The Pediatric Population, Candice Gore

Dissertations

The opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing …