Digital Commons Network^™

Alpha, Beta-Unsaturated Aldehydes: The Underrepresented Markers Of Disease., Saurin Sutaria

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids is a widely recognized metabolic process that creates a complex mixture of volatile organic compounds including aldehydes. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species in cancer cells promote random lipid peroxidation, which leads to an increase in a variety of aldehydes. Many of these volatile aldehydes are exhaled and are of interest as potential markers of disease. Chapter 1 presents a review of reported aldehydes in the exhaled breath of lung cancer patients. alpha,beta-Unsaturated aldehydes, detected primarily when derivatized during exhaled breath preconcentration, are underreported in the reviewed articles. Chapter 1 concludes with our hypothesis …

The Mechanisms Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction In T Cell Aging During Chronic Viral Infection, Madison B. Schank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections induce a myriad of disturbances to CD4 T cell functions, including mitochondrial compromise, excessive inflammation, increased telomeric DNA damage and attrition, cellular exhaustion and senescence, and accelerated aging. In this dissertation, the mechanisms underlying metabolic failure, accelerated aging, and cellular dysfunctions were evaluated in CD4 T cells from healthy subjects (HS) treated with a telomere-targeting drug (KML001) or HCV-infected individuals or people living with HIV (PLHIV) compared to HS. We observed that KML001-induced telomere injury resulted in mitochondrial swelling and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, cellular respiration, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy …

Understanding Racial Disparate Treatment Of Juvenile Interpersonal Violent Offenders In The Juvenile Justice System Using Focal Concerns Theory., Suzanne Overstreet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is a salient issue that has been found at every stage of the decision-making process in the juvenile justice system (Hawkins & Kempf-Leonard, 2005; Kempf-Leonard, 2007; Bishop, 2005; Leiber, Bishop, & Chamlin, 2010; Leiber & Stairs, 1999). Existing research indicates that DMC influences adjudication for drug, property, and personal crimes (Fergusson, Horwood, & Swain-Campbell, 2003; Frazier, Bishop, & Henretta, 1992; Leiber & Jamieson, 1995; Leiber & Mack, 2003; Hawkins & Kempf-Leonard, 2005; Leiber, 2015). Because intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem and global concern (Djamba & Kimuna, 2008; Goo & Harlow, 2012; …

Examining The Effects Of Npra Antagonist Anantin On Sci-Induced Ployuria., Lindsey Zipperer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polyuria, or the over production of urine, is a prevalent condition that significantly impacts the quality of life in individuals suffering from a spinal cord injury (SCI). Post-SCI induced polyuria is thought to have been associated with altered levels of vasopressin (AVP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA). In the present study, the function of NPRA was analyzed in the rat contusion model using anantin, an NPRA antagonist. A daily dose of either 100 µg of anantin or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally immediately following the SCI surgery and continued until termination, 4 weeks post injury (wpi). …

Academic Achievement And Degree Attainment Among College Students With Children., Katrina Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) (National Center for Education Statistics, n.d.) from 2012 to 2017 acquired by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey program, this study addresses the research questions of whether there is a difference in degree attainment of earning a bachelor’s degree in the time period from 2012 through 2017 and whether there is a difference in academic achievement as defined by students’ grade point average between students who have dependent children and those who do not have dependent children between the ages 18 to 29 attending a four-year institution after …

Foreign Policy In Media: An Examination Of The Captain America Films., Kat Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Popular culture and media are consumed daily by billions around the world, media which can contain meaningful and politically relevant material. The three Captain America films from the 2010s represent this phenomenon in the presentation of Captain America as a nationalist superhero with geopolitically relevant storylines. The direction and production of these films illustrate significant parallels to foreign policy choices of the United States. Through an interpretive analysis of the Captain America films: Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Captain America: Civil War, this project seeks to analyze Captain America’s image and …

The Effect Of Volatile Organic Compounds On Endothelial Function And Atherogenesis., Samantha Mcfall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of pervasive air pollutants that are released into the atmosphere from both anthropogenic and environmental sources. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to various VOCs is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between VOCs and cardiovascular disease is not well-studied. Using animal models and three select VOCs, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene, we studied the effects of VOCs on endothelial injury and benzene-induced atherogenesis. We found that exposure to benzene and xylene increased circulating endothelial microparticles, depleted progenitor cells, and increased platelet activation. Following the exposure to the representative …

The Role Of Mmp-3 In Copper Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation And Fibrosis., Yuanbao Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Copper oxide nanoparticles (Nano-CuO) are wildly used in medical and industrial fields and our daily necessities. However, the biosafety assessment of Nano-CuO is far behind their rapid development. This study was to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying Nano-CuO-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis, especially to determine whether Nano-CuO exposure could dysregulate MMP-3, an important mediator in pulmonary fibrosis, and its roles in Nano-CuO-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Aim 1 was to investigate whether exposure to Nano-CuO caused MMP-3 dysregulation in lung epithelial cells and the role of MMP-3 in Nano-CuO-induced alteration of cell junction-associated proteins. The potential mechanisms that might be …

Hgf-Mediated C-Met Signaling In Human Corneal Epithelial Cells., Kate Tarvestad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vision is often regarded as the primary sense of humans. The cornea is the main refractive tissue that permits light through to the retina, allowing a clear image. When the cornea sustains damage, it opens a pathway for infection and blindness through fibrotic processes. Healing the corneal tissue is critical for vision restoration and pain alleviation. Growth factors and their cognate receptors are currently under investigation as tools to restore proper corneal physiology. We hypothesize that manipulating the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/ c-Met signaling pathway is one route to promote quality corneal healing. This thesis investigates the signaling, trafficking, and …

The Role Of Generative Adversarial Networks In Bioimage Analysis And Computational Diagnostics., Ahmed Naglah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational technologies can contribute to the modeling and simulation of the biological environments and activities towards achieving better interpretations, analysis, and understanding. With the emergence of digital pathology, we can observe an increasing demand for more innovative, effective, and efficient computational models. Under the umbrella of artificial intelligence, deep learning mimics the brain’s way in learn complex relationships through data and experiences. In the field of bioimage analysis, models usually comprise discriminative approaches such as classification and segmentation tasks. In this thesis, we study how we can use generative AI models to improve bioimage analysis tasks using Generative Adversarial Networks …

Models And Algorithms For Trauma Network Design., Sagarkumar Dhirubhai Hirpara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trauma continues to be the leading cause of death and disability in the US for people aged 44 and under, making it a major public health problem. The geographical maldistribution of Trauma Centers (TCs), and the resulting higher access time to the nearest TC, has been shown to impact trauma patient safety and increase disability or mortality. State governments often design a trauma network to provide prompt and definitive care to their citizens. However, this process is mainly manual and experience-based and often leads to a suboptimal network in terms of patient safety and resource utilization. This dissertation fills important …

Increasing Self-Determination Skill Through Behavioral Skills Training For Individuals With Extensive Support Needs To Examine Reversible Contraceptive Choices., Jennifer Pollard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a long history of individuals with extensive support needs (ESN) being sterilized without their knowledge and consent. Students with ESN are defined as individuals who need continuous and widespread supports necessary for academic, communication, and/or daily living skills. These individuals typically have more than one diagnosis including a developmental disability (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and/or traumatic brain injury (Kurth et al., 2019; Taub et al., 2017). Part of the reason this is able to occur is due to a lack of education about sexual development and a lack of interventions to build skills related to self-determination or informed …

Establishing The Efficacy Of Non-Cellular Components Of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction In Promoting Angiogenesis., Daniel Benson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microvascular disease is hallmarked by pathophysiological conditions such as endothelial senescence, intimal thickening which impairs vasodilation, and regression of the capillary beds causing tissue ischemia in the myocardium or in peripheral vascular networks. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) has previously demonstrated the ability to revascularize tissue. Increasing evidence shows that regenerative cells elicit their therapeutic benefit by paracrine mechanisms, leaving open extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a potential crux of the cell therapy paradigm. To test this idea, three types of gelatin methacrylate hydrogels were employed: SVF gels, EV gels derived from SVF, and blank control gels, which were used in-vitro …

Physician Quality Scores And The Presentation And Delivery Method Of Data In A Residency Program, Monaco Briggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States health care expenditures are higher than any other developed country. Due to this, physician payment reform is moving from fee-for-service (FFS) to a value-based model, with a focus on prevention and quality. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure the effect of a series of data delivery interventions associated with the quality scorecards and which method increased the quality scores at a medical teaching practice in Tennessee.

Data were gathered via the Physician Quality Scorecard, an internally developed instrument. Each quarter, a different data delivery intervention was performed, and scorecard data were analyzed …

Validating An Internet Gaming Disorder Measure During Covid-19: Video Game Use, Distance Learning, And Impacts Of Covid-19 On Gaming Behavior, Christin Collie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For most students, playing video games is a popular, enjoyable activity to do in their leisure time. While many people play video games for fun, some do develop problems associated with their play. Excessive engagement in video game play can lead to significant impairment and clinically significant levels of harm. However, there are several important gaps in the research literature which limit understanding of potential harm. First, little is known about the gaming behavior of students, ranging from middle-school to graduate school, specifically as it relates to their reasons for playing video games and their time spent playing. Second, concerns …

An Evaluation Of Media Messaging By African Fashion Designers And Marketing Message Strategies, Esther Oyindamola Oyanibi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent times, African brands have been featured heavily in global landscape fashion events, with brands from Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya leading the way. Although such recognition could be traced to their expertise, the unique approach of African brands involves putting out unique designs that easily stand out in the global fashion market. However, their uniqueness goes beyond the designs they put out, as it is also strongly expressed in their media messaging and, consequentially, their marketing strategy.

This study provides a content analysis of the most important characteristics of eight brands from different regions of the African continent. …

“It’S About The Two Selves”: Experiences In Code-Switching Between Home And Academic Environments, Travis Wolven

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study is an exploration of how college students navigate code-switching between their home and academic environments. Data were collected from five participants using interview and small group methods. Through the lenses of Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) and Memorable Messages (MM) frameworks, the researcher explores how key MMs affect how participants coordinate and manage meaning in communications with others in their home and college environments. Findings were fourfold: 1) participants chose between following established and creating new rules when code-switching; 2) participants shared experiences and strategies regarding knowing when and how to code-switch; 3) preparing audiences for …

A Frayed Edge: A Qualitative And Poetic Inquiry Analysis Of White Antiracist Protest In 2020, Emily Katt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This multiphasic study explored the narratives of five first-time Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating during the historic confluence of conflicts in 2020 America. After positioning the liminal 2020 circumstances within an antiracist research lens, the author analyzed, first through grounded theory and then secondarily through poetic inquiry, how these five participants described their protest experiences. The grounded theory phase yielded an overarching theory that first-time protestors experienced a dual process of unsuturing and of calling-out, with three subthemes categorized within each of these two processes. The author moved into analysis with the poetic inquiry phase, crafting poems guided by six …

Folic Acid – Carbon Dots – Doxorubicin Nanoparticles As Cancer Theranostic, Michael Tetteh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work focused on engineering bi-functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) based on carbon dots (CDs) to improve early cancer detection and treatment. Therefore, using folic acid (FA) as a targeting agent, the CDs were prepared to deliver high concentrations (HC) of doxorubicin (DOX) and gemcitabine (GEM) covalently and non-covalently to cancer cells. The prepared FA-CDs-DOX/GEM-HC NPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Assessment of the drug loading capacity (DLC) and drug loading efficiency (DLE) indicated that the non-covalent NPs have low DLC but high DLE compared to the relatively low DLE and high DLC of covalent …

Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel Dependent Mechanisms Of Cardiovascular Adaptation To Chronic Exercise., Sean Raph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exercise increases cardiac workload, escalating the demand for oxygen. The myocardial vasculature responds to the greater demand for oxygen by increasing blood flow to match the needs of the heart during augmented work. Increasing blood flow requires the coronary arteries dilate (a.k.a. vasodilation); this is mediated predominantly by vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation. Vasodilation is driven through inhibition of calcium influx into vascular smooth muscle cells. The prevention of calcium influx is largely mediated by efflux of potassium via potassium channels causing membrane hyperpolarization, which in turn closes voltage-dependent (or gated) calcium channels (VDCC). Changes in vascular smooth muscle cell …

Coping Strategies And Self-Compassion As Protective Factors In The Infant And Early Childhood Mental Health Workforce, Megan Wolff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mental health field experiences high levels of stress, resulting in a greater risk of poor professional quality of life, likely exacerbated by the additional stress associated with COVID-19. The present study examined the effect COVID-19 stress had on the professional quality of life of the infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) workforce and whether coping strategies and self-compassion acted as protective factors. Results indicated that higher COVID-19 stress was associated with higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) and lower compassion satisfaction (CS). The results also showed that the pathway from COVID-19 stress to burnout was moderated by …

The Lived Experiences Of Students Who Are Single Parents And Attending Community College: A Phenomenological Study, Debbie Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study used phenomenological research methods to explore the lived experiences of single parents attending community college. The phenomenological research design was used to better understand participant experiences by examining the participant’s view of their situation. Thirteen single-parent students in community colleges in the United States were selected using purposeful sampling techniques. The participants included ten female participants and three male participants. Of these participants, nine students attended full-time, and four attended part-time. Each student participated in one-on-one interviews using Zoom technology.

The participants provided their perceptions of their experiences as single parents attending community college. These participants described …

Analyzing Emerging Adulthood Narratives And The Role Of Anxiety In Developmental Functioning, Daryl Parungao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is a developmental period characterized by the themes of identity exploration, instability, feeling in-between, being self-focused, and exploring possibilities (Arnett, 2006). Emerging adults are at higher risk for anxiety as they navigate novel developmental experiences and responsibilities (Kranszler et al., 2019). This study explores whether these themes map on to the experiences of modern-day emerging adults, and whether developmental functioning corresponds to anxiety. College students completed standard questionnaires and provided free-text responses about adjusting to adulthood. Identity exploration and instability were perceived as the most positive and negative aspects of aging, respectively, though response-type varied by participant demographics. …

Investigating The Pi3k/Akt/Atm Pathway, Telomeric Dna Damage, T Cell Death, And Crispr/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing During Acute And Chronic Hiv Infection, Sushant Khanal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection initiates major metabolic and cell- survival complications. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is the current approach to suppress active HIV replication to a level of undetected viral load, but it is not a curative approach. Newer and sophisticated gene editing technologies could indeed be a potent antiviral therapy to achieve a clinical sterilization/cure of HIV infection. Chronic HIV patients, even under a successful ART regimen, exhibit a low-grade inflammation, immune senescence, premature aging, telomeric DNA attrition, T cell apoptosis, and cellular homeostasis. In this dissertation, we investigated CD4 T cell homeostasis, degree of T cell apoptosis, an …

Correctional Career Pathways: A Reentry Program For Incarceration, Taylor M. Dula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the past several decades, the United States led the world in incarceration rates. With nearly 2.3 million people being held in state or federal prisons or local jails in 2019, incarceration rates in the United States are over four times higher than in other developed countries. Disparities exist by gender, race, ethnicity, and other special populations. Males are 13 times more likely to be incarcerated than females. Additionally, black males are 5.7 times and Hispanic males are 2.8 times more likely to be incarcerated than white males. Individuals who experience incarceration have poorer mental and physical health outcomes. People …

An Acute Sense Of Place: The Songs Of Norman Blake, Thomas Jutz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

American flat-picking guitarist, singer and songwriter Norman Blake holds legendary status among guitar players, bluegrass, and folk musicians.

The aim of this research is to analyze the interaction of sense of place in Norman Blake’s songwriting. This research will explore the techniques Blake uses to create that acute sense of place. Elements of literary criticism, cultural geography, ethnomusicology, and sense of place studies, as well as historical background information on Northern Alabama and North Georgia will be employed to show how this particular region of Southeastern Appalachia has informed Blake’s songwriting.

The research questions that I aim to answer are …

Community College Faculty’S Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Sarah Tolbert-Hurysz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study sought to understand community college faculty’s perceptions of and experiences with culturally responsive teaching. Participants were full- and part-time faculty currently employed at community colleges in the Southeastern United States and purposefully selected to provide information-rich data. Data collected from the semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the participants were coded and thematically analyzed. Emerging themes included faculty’s inclusion of varied categories of cultural diversity when describing students; limited knowledge related to culturally responsive teaching; perception that culturally responsive teaching is centered on connecting and building relationships with students; belief in the value of providing students exposure to different …

A Functional Study Of Topological Dna Problem In Human T Cells During Chronic Viral Infection, Xindi Dang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

T cells play an important role in adaptive immune system against viral infections, while premature aging and dysfunction of T cells induced by unrepaired DNA damages are always non-negligible snags during the long-term of fighting with chronic viral infections, such as Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. In this dissertation, we investigated the role of topological DNA damage in reprogramming telomeric DNA damage responses (DDR), mitochondrial metabolisms, and T cell functions using CD4+ T cells derived from individuals with chronic viral infections or healthy subjects treated with topoisomerase inhibitors. The healthy human …

Opinion Mining Of Bird Preference In Wildlife Parks, Isiwat Adenopo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Opinion Mining is becoming the fastest growing area to extract useful and insightful information to support decision making. In the age of social media, user’s opinions and discussions have become a highly valuable source to look for users preferences, likes, and dislikes.

The industry of wildlife parks (or zoos) is a competitive domain that requires careful analysis of visitor’s opinions to understand and cater for their preferences when it comes to wildlife. In this thesis, an opinion mining approach was proposed and applied on textual posts on the social media platform, Twitter, to extract the popularity, polarity (sentiment), and emotions …

A Phenomenological Study Of Tenure-Track Faculty Serving In Dual Roles As Administrators, Keri L. Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of tenure-track faculty serving in dual roles as administrators at Carnegie classified R2 and R3 higher education institutions within the United States. Fourteen participants completed one-on-one, semi-structured interviews about their lived experiences as tenure-track faculty members serving in dual roles. Participants discussed rewards and motivations as well as challenges. Additionally, participants discussed perceptions of their academic identities. Key themes emerged during data analysis. Rewards and motivations included the following: Community change agent and student advocate, a “seat at the table,” collegiality, flexibility, confidence from prior experience and clear tenure procedures, and job …