Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Role Of Arsenic Exposure And Mirna-186 In Skin Tumorigenesis And Chromosomal Instability., Angeliki Lykoudi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic arsenic exposure through drinking water is a global health issue, affecting more than 200 million people. Arsenic is a group I human carcinogen and causes chromosomal instability (CIN). Arsenic exposure is the second most cause of skin cancer after UV radiation. MiR-186 is overexpressed in arsenic-induced squamous cell carcinoma relative to premalignant hyperkeratosis. Predicted targets of miR-186 are cell cycle regulators. Thus, we hypothesize that miR-186 overexpression drives malignant transformation of HaCaT cells by induction of CIN. Stable clones of HaCaT transfected with pEP-miR-186 expression vector or empty vector were maintained under puromycin selection were exposed to 0 or …

Characterizing The Role Of Macrophages In Cisplatin-Induced Kidney Injury And Progression To Chronic Kidney Disease., Sophia M. Sears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic for treatment of many solid-organ cancers. Unfortunately, 30% of patients treated with cisplatin develop acute kidney injury (AKI), and even patients who do not develop AKI are at risk for long term declines in kidney function and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). While traditional rodent toxicity studies have utilized a single, lethal dose of cisplatin, new models of cisplatin-induced kidney injury have revealed that repeated, low doses of cisplatin lead to development of kidney fibrosis. This model can be used to examine AKI-to-CKD transition processes. C57BL/6 mice are one of the most used …

The Role Of Sphingolipids In Aki And The Progression To Ckd: Potential Therapuetic Targets., Nicholas A. Hoffman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is most simply defined as a rapid decline in kidney function over a period of hours to days. There is currently a lack of effective treatment options for patients with AKI, highlighting the need to identify new therapeutic targets. Sphingolipids play a number of roles in different models of AKI, suggesting they could be promising future targets for treating kidney injury. Specifically, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptors (S1PRs) have been implicated in numerous inflammatory disorders and models of AKI. The purpose of this review is to better characterize the role of S1P receptors in models of …

Social Cognition, Impulsivity, And Emotion Regulation Factors In Aggressive Behavior Among Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder., Kelly E. Slaughter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit greater levels of aggressive behavior than their typically developing peers, often resulting in impairment in social and family functioning. Aggressive behavior is often differentiated into two functions: reactive, or “hot-blooded” and proactive, or “cold-blooded” aggression. Prior research has identified several factors contributing to aggressive behavior within a general population, including emotion dysregulation, negative urgency, social information processing (SIP), and parenting behaviors. A paucity of research has examined these factors within an ADHD population. Thus, the present study aimed to examine social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive factors associated with aggression among children with ADHD. Specifically, …

Parent And Teacher's Perceptions Of Employment Outcomes For Youth With Intellectual Disabilities Transitioning From The Public School Setting., Rachel Leann Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1990, and with subsequent amendments in 1997 and 2004, the secondary transition provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have required special educators to plan, coordinate, and deliver transition services for secondary-aged students with disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). The experiences, social impacts and economic opportunities for employment continue to be monitored at both a federal and state level as part of expected outcomes for public secondary schools. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the alignment of current research with current practice of transition planning for students with intellectual disabilities. The study …

Understanding Wellbeing In Refugee Youth From The African Great Lakes Region., Victory Osezua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young refugees are a vital and growing population in the United States that experience health inequities that make them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes. The health inequities that are evident between refugees and the general population elucidate the disparate power relations between the outcomes of the colonial past and postcolonial present. Although research shows that colonialism and their more recent experience of racism may have adverse long-term impacts on young people's health, it is essential to understand the contexts that shape their wellbeing. While the westernized model of wellbeing focuses on the individual, this study prioritizes the prevention of illness …

An Analysis Of Taste Neuron Morphological Variability: Influences Of Neuron Type And Plasticity., Lisa Christina Ohman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Taste neurons are functionally and molecularly diverse, but their morphological diversity was, until recently, completely unexplored. Taste neurons were considered relay cells, communicating information from taste-transducing cells to the brain without variation in morphology. Instead, individual taste neurons are tremendously morphologically variable. To determine how differences in branching relate to the number and types of taste-transducing cells providing neuronal input, I combined sparse cell genetic labeling with a whole-mount immunohistochemistry and analysis workflow. I found that the maximum number of taste-transducing cells capable of providing convergent input onto individual gustatory neurons varied with a range of 1-22 taste-transducing cells. Consistently, …

Social And Academic Experiences Of Black, First-Generation, College Graduates While Attending Predominantly White Institutions, James Edward Stukes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students represent a significant percentage of all college students and comprise various sub-identities and unique backgrounds. Compared to continuing generation college students, many first-generation students arrive on college campuses without complete understanding of how to navigate college life. Factors, such as family support, finding a sense of belonging, and the availability of resources and campus support, play key roles in the overall success of first-generation college students. The current study sought understanding of these aspects of college life and their relationship to the success of Black, first-generation, graduates of predominantly White institutions.

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological …

A Method For Identifying Ancient Introgression Between Caballine And Non-Caballine Equids Using Whole Genome High Throughput Data., Kalpani De Silva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introgression is one of the main mechanisms that transfer adapted alleles between species. The advantageous variants will get positively selected and retained in the recipient population while rest of the variants undergo negative selection. When analyzing horse genome, two alleles were found in CXCL16 gene, one associated with susceptibility and one with resistance to developing persistent shedding of the Equine Arteritis Virus. The two alleles differ by 4 non-synonymous variants in exon 1 of the gene. Comparison with 3 non-caballine equids (zebras, asses and hemiones) revealed that one haplotype was almost identical to the haplotype found in non-caballines while the …

Exploring The Contextual Factors And Decision-Making Process Of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Homeless Adults In Louisville, Kentucky., Sarah C. Van Heiden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is a complex public health issue; individuals who experience homelessness are said to engage in risky sexual behaviors at an increased rate and experience a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI). While the sexual behaviors of homeless adolescents are commonly studied, little is known about the sexual behaviors of the growing population of older adults, or how they make decisions to engage in sex. Three aims guided this research: 1) to describe the sexual behaviors and sexual decision-making process of homeless older adults, 2) to examine how homeless older adults evaluate the outcomes associated with engaging in risky …

How Do Cover Crops Change Soil Health In A No-Till System?, Aysha Kirsten Tapp Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient levels and aggregation measurements are currently the most accurate means to measure soil health. It has been suggested that bacterial and fungal communities may prove to be a more accurate measure of soil health. In this study soil microbe communities and nutrient levels were compared in rye cover cropped soils to measure for differences between treatments. Effects between the microbial communities and environmental measurements were also measured within those treatments to test for correlations between soil health measures and microbial communities. The plots were put in a biennial corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max …

Computational And Biochemical Characterizations Of Anhydrobiosis-Related Intrinsically Disordered Proteins., Brett R. Janis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anhydrobiosis is the remarkable phenomenon of “life without water”. It is a common technique found in plant seeds, and a rare technique utilized by some animals to temporarily stop the clock of life and enter a stasis for up to several millennia by removing all of their cellular water. If this phenomenon can be replicated, then biological and medical materials could be stored at ambient temperatures for centuries, which would address research challenges as well as enhance the availability of medicine in areas of the world where refrigeration, freezing, and cold-chain infrastructure are not developed or infeasible. Furthermore, modifying crop …

The Association Between Depression And Anxiety With Covid-19 Outcomes., Erica Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that mental disorders affect COVID-19 mortality. This study investigated the effect of depression and/or anxiety on COVID-19 outcomes. Depression/anxiety was defined by actively taking medication and/or diagnosis. The outcomes were ICU admission; ventilation; mortality; and time to mortality. Of 698 hospitalized patients, there were 204 (29%) defined to have either depression or anxiety. There were 109 deaths, and of those, 52 (48%) were diagnosed with depression/anxiety. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations. ICU admission and ventilation were not significantly associated with depression/anxiety. Depression/anxiety was associated with mortality (OR: 1.84, …

Hybrid Structural Health Monitoring Using Data-Driven Modal Analysis And Model-Based Bayesian Inference., Jice Zeng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Civil infrastructures that are valuable assets for the public and owners must be adequately and periodically maintained to guarantee safety, continuous service, and avoid economic losses. Vibration-based structural health monitoring (VBSHM) has been a significant tool to assess the structural performance of civil infrastructures over the last decades. Challenges in VBSHM exist in two aspects: operational modal analysis (OMA) and Finite element model updating (FEMU). The former aims to extract natural frequency, damping ratio, and mode shapes using vibrational data under normal operation; the latter focuses on minimizing the discrepancies between measurements and model prediction. The main impediments to real-world …

Evaluation Of Risk And Protective Factors Of Substance Use In The National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletics., Richard D Weaver Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The NCAA and NAIA have conducted prevalence studies of substance use in their organizations but little research into risk and protective factors that influence usage. Substance use is associated with an array of consequences including negative academic impacts, criminal charges, health risks, and mental health. As the most reported substances used by student-athletes the study focused on alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine. This study specifically examined several risk and protective factors impacting substance use. This study utilized a secondary data analysis of information gathered from the NAIA Substance Use and Abuse Study conducted in 2020 with student-athletes (N=2489). Descriptive statistics, parametric …

The Impact Of Statin Use On Outcomes Of Diabetic Adult Patients Hospitalized For Community Acquired Pneumonia., Joel Lanceta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Statins, a class of drugs that treat hyperlipidemia, may have an immunosuppressive effect for patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Retrospective and in vitro studies have suggested an immunomodulatory, antioxidative and anticoagulant effects from statin use in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) hospitalized for CAP. Prospective studies that have tested any effect of statin therapy on patients with T2DM and CAP have not been found literature. To date, prospective studies showing of the effects statin therapy may have on T2DM patients hospitalized for CAP are not available. METHODS: This dissertation is a secondary analysis using deidentified data …

Estimating Treatment Effect On Medical Cost And Examining Medical Cost Trajectory Using Splines And Change Point Techniques., Indranil Ghosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the world of growing medical needs, other than the clinical outcomes, the cost of healthcare is one of the important aspects to evaluate. The cost of treatment could act as a decisive factor on which one to choose from two equally likely effective treatment options. In literature, the most used quantity for the cost of treatment is cumulative lifetime cost since the diagnosis of a disease. While it provides a bird' eye view of the treatment cost, it fails to capture the underlying pattern of the treatment cost trajectory. We developed a marginal structural functional model (MSFM) using an …

Role Of Meibum And Tear Phospholipids In The Evaporative Water Loss Associated With Dry Eye., Samiyyah M. Sledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is generally believed that the tear film lipid surface film inhibits the rate of evaporation (Revap) of the underlying tear aqueous. It is also generally believed that changes in the composition of the tear film lipid layer is responsible for an increase in Revap in patients with dry eye. Both of these ideas have never been proven. The purpose of the current studies was to test these ideas. Revap was measured in vitro gravimetrically. Lipid spreading was measured using Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. The influence of the following surface films on the Revap of the sub phase of physiologically …

Perceived Social Support, Family Relationships, And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Women With Breast Cancer In Jordan., Hedaya Rateb Hina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Jordanian women. Perceived social support (PSS) and family relationships are strongly associated with positive psychosocial outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This area was widely explored in Western countries, but little attention was devoted to investigate this area in Middle East region. Purpose: to investigate the interrelationships among PSS, family relationships, and HRQoL of women with breast cancer in Jordan using an exploratory cross-sectional design. Method: The contextual model of HRQoL designed by Ashing-Giwa (2005) provided the foundation for this study. A total of 140 women were …

Sustainable Urban Groundwater Governance In Faisalabad, Pakistan: Challenges And Possibilities., Shahbaz Altaf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Groundwater use is high in developing countries, especially in places where municipal water authorities struggle to meet the water demand of their residents. To analyze the interactions between groundwater and piped water in the Global South context, Faisalabad, Pakistan was taken as the case study area. Using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework and Elinor Ostrom’s design principles as analysis tools, formal and informal institutions governing the piped water and groundwater, including their congruence with the social and ecological factors, were explored. The results showed that scarcity of piped water pushed people towards groundwater and the absence of informal and …

Computational Investigations Of The Photochemical Properties Of B12-Dependent Systems: From Solution To Enzymes., Megan Toda Mackintosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The photochemical properties of the B₁₂ family of molecules (cobalamins = Cbls) have been known for many years yet only until the 21^st century have applications for the light-sensitivity of Cbls come to the surface. Photolabile Cbls can be used for the delivery of therapeutics with spatial and temporal control, in the generation of hydroxyl radicals, and in nature, as demonstrated in the catalytic cycle of coenzyme B₁₂-dependent photoreceptors. This dissertation describes the use of computational methods to explore the photochemical properties of Cbl systems including antivitamins B₁₂, a thiolato-cobalamin, and the coenzyme B …

Coal Fly Ash Beneficiation For Reuse And Removal Of Boron, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, And Selenium In Wastewater Treatment., Joseph E. Cahill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New regulations on coal-fired power plants make previously used wastewater treatment methods aimed to remove heavy metals obsolete. Therefore, there has been increased interest and investment into new technologies to treat coal-fired power plants effluent in the past few years. Traditionally, heavy metal removal technologies have been broken into three categories: physical, chemical or biological. However, with new regulations, each category by itself does not offer an ideal solution to removing acceptable concentrations of heavy metals found in the effluents at the coal-fired power plants. Here we report a novel proof-of-concept utilizing adsorption through ion-exchange/co-precipitation - chemical and physical - …

Scalable Synthesis Of Alumina Nanowires By Wet Chemical Method., Luis N Moreno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To satisfy an increasing demand for large-scale processes for producing alumina nanomaterials, a wet chemical method was evaluated. A potassium salt precursor was combined with aluminum to produce alumina – based nanowires. Compared with current methods such as thermal oxidation, sol-gel, and laser ablation, this method is highly scalable due to relatively low energy requirements and the ability to carry out the primary reaction under ambient conditions. The nanowire samples were evaluated using SEM, XRD, BET, and TEM to confirm morphology, phases present, and surface area. A porous nanowire structure was confirmed which has a BET surface area of 324.6 …

Computational Modeling Of 3d-Printed Lactobacillus-Antibiotic Scaffolds For Bacterial Vaginosis., Veeresh P. Rai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The standard treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV) is currently antibiotics, such as metronidazole, clindamycin, or tinidazole. These antibiotics are highly effective in getting rid of bacteria in the female reproductive tract (FRT); however, there are some bacteria that provide benefits to the FRT which also get expunged. While there are many strains of bacteria that play a beneficial role in the FRT, lactobacilli are among the most important. These bacteria are responsible for maintaining a healthy environment in the FRT via pH regulation by lactic acid metabolism. Antibiotics eliminate all bacteria from an environment, including lactobacilli, and as a result, …

Trained Immunity Enhances The Immune Response And Maintains Microbiome Diversity In Aging And Sepsis, P. Spencer Gill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global population is rapidly aging. It is estimated that over the next thirty years, the number of individuals >60 years of age will increase by over a billion, and the number of individuals over age 80 may increase by 300 million. As humans age, our immune system becomes progressively weaker through a process called immune senescence. This age-related decrease in immune function increases susceptibility to infection and chronic diseases. Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Over the past two decades, there has been an increased incidence of sepsis which is due, in part, to our aging population …

Correctional Career Pathways: A Jail Reentry Program Evaluation, Grace Gass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous types of reentry programs available to inmates to help avoid the cycle of recidivism. There is little research on the impacts of reentry programs in jail populations. This current study sought to provide more research in this area by evaluating a local jail reentry program’s effect on recidivism. A quasi-experimental design was used to estimate the program’s effectiveness by comparing the recidivism statistics of inmates that have participated in the reentry program to a control group of inmates that did not. Inmates in the control group were matched according to their gender, age, race, and current offense …

Role Of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase In Western-Type Diet-Induced Cardiac Outcomes Under Basal And Ischemic Conditions, Mary Wingard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), a serine/threonine kinase, plays a role in DNA damage repair, redox sensing, and metabolism. In the heart, ATM contributes significantly in the myocardial infarction (MI)-induced cardiac remodeling with effects on fibrosis, hypertrophy, apoptosis and inflammation. This study investigates the role of ATM deficiency in 14 weeks Western-type diet (WD)-induced cardiac outcomes prior to and 1-day post-MI in a sex-specific manner using wild-type (WT) and ATM heterozygous knockout (hKO) mice. In male mice, ATM deficiency induced rapid body weight gain and preload-associated dysfunction, while WT mice displayed afterload-associated dysfunction 14 weeks post-WD. Myocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy were …

Peer Recovery Support Specialists: Role Clarification And Fit Within The Recovery Ecosystems Of Central Appalachia, Angela Hagaman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS), a certified professional who self-identifies as being in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD), mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, plays a key role in the ongoing transformation of SUD treatment from one of acute clinical service provision with documented short-term outcomes including symptom reduction, to a more holistic and comprehensive approach to long-term recovery. Empirical evidence specific to outcomes of PRSS working in the addiction treatment realm is sparse and equivocal, indicating the need for additional research and improved methods designed to explore the nature of the PRSS role and fit within the …

Genital Chlamydia Infection Is Influenced By The Female Sex Hormones Estrogen And Progesterone In Vivo, Amy Gail Gravitte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States and worldwide. It often goes unnoticed due to lack of symptoms and left untreated it can ascend the female genital tract to cause sequelae like pelvic inflammatory disease and irreversible tubal infertility. In reproductive-aged women, female sex hormones estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and are influenced by hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. E2 and P4 influence genital Chlamydia infection in women and mice, but these multifactorial interactions are not entirely mapped out. The complex interplay of E2 and P4 with …

The Impact Of The United States Army Nurses Corps On The United States Army Fatality Rate In The Mediterranean And European Theater Of Operations During World War Ii, Joshua Benjamin Groomes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

World War II was the most devastating war in human history in terms of loss of life. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, plunged the United States into war. Less than seven thousand military nurses were on active duty at the time of the attack. By the end of the war, there were over fifty-thousand active-duty nurses. The army nurses performed under fire in field and evacuation hospitals, on hospital trains and ships, and as flight nurses on medical evacuation transport aircraft. The skill and dedication of the Army Nurses Corps insured a 95% survival rate …