Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Single Vs Accumulated Bouts Of Exercise On Body Composition, Fitness, And Resting Metabolic Rate, Alexander Alvara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity and physical inactivity are two factors that have been shown to be correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. As people have increasingly busier schedules, they have less time to commit to exercise. Accumulating exercise in small bouts is a schedule-friendly alternative to longer continuous bouts of exercise and may protect against CVD and diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of accumulated exercise compared to continuous exercise on body composition, fitness, and resting metabolic rate. Nine healthy male (n=4) and female (n = 5) volunteers were randomized into either an accumulated intervention group …

School Counseling In An Oppressed Society: Examining The Relationships Between Social Justice Advocacy Competence, Empowerment, And Social Justice Self-Efficacy, Michelle Tanner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current nature of oppression that exists in the United States can be seen in the structure and process of American schools, impacting students’ social/emotional, academic, and career development. The defined role of school counselors along with their educational background; strategic position within schools to make meaningful change; access to critical student, teacher, family, and community data; and their professional dispositions and experience make them the most logical choice to help remove systemic barriers and to create equitable opportunities for the marginalized students. School counselors must work as social justice advocates to lead these diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; however, …

Technology And Pleasure: A Qualitative Study On Using Mobile Applications For Online And Offline Sexual Purposes, Gabriella Locke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The internet has long been considered an accessible, anonymous, and affordable platform for sexuality and the emergence of smartphone applications has made facilitating online and offline sexual behaviors even easier for young adults. Despite the increase, there continues to be a lack of detailed research on the experiences of young adults who use these types of applications. This qualitative study explored how young adults use mobile applications to engage in online and offline sexual behaviors and the motivations and perceived benefits and risks of such behavior. This study, analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, completed eight semi-structed interviews with individuals between …

Natural Law And Latinx Social Ethics: A Narrative Approach, Mathew D. Scruggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will argue concepts rooted in Latinx social ethics provides a corrective to acontextual and ahistorical, Euroamerican natural law frameworks by positing natural law as a type of moral reasoning rooted in the contexts, histories, and narratives of particular communities. Rooting natural law in the narrative practices of Latinx communities not only reveals the need for justice for oppression against Latinx bodies from the wider community, but also offers a corrective to ahistorical and acontextual Euroamerican natural law frameworks. A Latinx natural law functions as a radical and prophetic critique against systems of oppression that destroy the lives of …

Subepidermal Moisture Measures And Their Relationship To Early Identification Of Pressure Injuries In Both Dark And Light Skin Tones In The Acute Care Setting, Cecilia Zamarripa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Pressure injuries are an important quality measure. Most are avoidable and can be prevented by implementing nursing care strategies early. Pressure injury prevention is significant to nursing practice. There is a gap in the ability to detect early skin damage through standard visual skin assessment in dark skin toned individuals. Subepidermal moisture (SEM) values have been shown to detect early tissue damage in people with dark skin, prior to it being detected through standard visual skin assessment.

Objectives: This study sought to explore the relationship between visual skin assessment and SEM as indicators of pressure injury and …

An Ethical Foundation For Genetic Therapy And Gene Editing (Crispr), Nikolija Lukich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many steps involved in the process of introducing CRISPR-Cas9 into the current health care system. This dissertation provides an ethical foundation for the uses of CRISPR-Cas9 genetic therapies and editing techniques, which organizations can utilize when implementing these new technologies. Multiple components must be examined, including the practical application of the concept of autonomy, which benefits from the inclusion of personalism and care ethics as it aims to provide a more effective method upholding the right to independent decision-making. In addition to individual considerations, population-based decisions and public health tools are explored, connecting the human right to health …

Sex-Based Differences In Microbiota Composition And Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Altered Macrophage Function And Protection From Lupus In Bwf1 Mice., James William Harder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and an insidious disease that is still not completely understood, and has very few treatment options. Those that are available are ineffective and/or have serious side effects. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the susceptibility and resistance to SLE, and understanding the environmental factors underlying this disease could lead to more effective prevention and/or treatment strategies. Like most autoimmune diseases, SLE is much more prevalent in females than males. While there are numerous factors that contribute to this lupus susceptibility, there is increasing evidence that the microbiota can strongly influence lupus progression, …

[Re]Fashioning A Means: Exploring And Adapting Anna Cora Mowatt's Fashion Through A Feminist Lens., Jordan Tudor Haggard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis explores gender representation in Anna Cora Mowatt’s Fashion (1845) and the adaptation [Re]Fashion presented by the University of Louisville’s Department of Theatre Arts in Spring 2021. Directed by Dr. J. Ariadne Calvano, University of Louisville faculty, staff, and students worked together to repurpose the script for a modern audience. Cast as the governess, Gertrude, I aimed to find truth in my character without ignoring the social prescriptions of mid-19^th-century America. Gertrude values purity and honesty, virtues considered innately feminine by the period’s cultural feminists. I argue that Fashion is a cultural feminist work and Gertrude …

Transnational Writing Program Administration: Mobility, Entanglement, Work., Joseph Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation advances the global turn in writing studies by examining academic mobilities through an ethnographic study of transnational writing program administrative (TWPA) work outside of the United States. The literature review reads global writing studies scholarship through a critical-transnational lens to locate the gap for new knowledge in TWPA work. Influenced by Dorothy Smith’s Institutional Ethnography, this dissertation grounds the findings of its interview-based study in the terms of everyday lived experiences by internationally mobile scholars currently doing WPA work in order to construct more nuanced narratives of navigation and sensemaking. Participants discussed the consequences and limitations of us/them …

Dual Enrollment’S Impact On Completion, Randy Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between dual enrollment engagement and the completion of a certificate or diploma at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology. Other factors such as demographics of race and age was considered as well. This study is useful in providing further information on the transition from secondary to postsecondary education. Information was gathered to determine the relationship between high school dual enrollment students who attend a Tennessee College of Applied Technology and the likelihood of graduating with a diploma. The participants consist of high school dual enrollment students from …

Design For Metal Fused Filament Fabrication (Dfmf3) Of Ti-6al-4v Alloy., Mohammad Qasim Shaikh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers unmatchable freedom of design with the ability to manufacture parts from a wide range of materials. The technology of producing three-dimensional parts by adding material layer-by-layer has become relevant in several areas for numerous industries not only for building visual and functional prototypes but also for small and medium series production. Among others, while metal AM technologies have been established as production method, their adoption has been limited by expensive equipment, anisotropy in part properties and safety concerns related to working with loose reactive metal powder. To address this challenge, the dissertation aims at developing the …

The Rivers Of Life: A Portraiture Study Of Three Black Female Educational Leaders In A Large Urban School District., Cassandra G. Woods

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a qualitative portraiture study that explores Black female educational leaders’ lived experiences and the way those experiences cultivate knowledge formation. This study uses Black feminist thought as a theoretical framework. Black feminist thought grounds this research study in advancing intellectual traditions, equal educational opportunities, and the ethic of personal accountability. Black feminist thought serves as an ideal theoretical framework to ground this research study because its utility in clarifying the unique way Black female educational leaders translate theory into action (Loder, 2005; Lomotey, 1993; Tillman, 2008; Renix, 2016). The findings of this research study position Black female …

-Rhiza., Katherine E. Watts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

-rhiza is a collection of work that focuses on an immersive experience of local ecology and the dichotomous relationship of humanity and nature, presented through the artist's eyes, ecophilosophy, mycology, ecofeminism, and metaphor. An installation of experiential work, -rhiza consists of videography, printmaking, photography, musical elements, both found object and natural item sculptures, and poetry. This compendium of work addresses humanity's apathy towards the ecological imbalance and how this affects our fundamental interconnectedness with all life. Based on explorations of local waterways and the recognition of human consumerism's pressing issues, -rhiza attempts to present the urgent matter of rising …

Pde4 Inhibition: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy In Liver Fibrosis., Mohamed Elnagdy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Liver fibrosis is accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins due to chronic liver injury. Chronic hepatic damage can occur due to multiple causes including, alcohol, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis. Liver fibrosis is a critical problem worldwide due to the extremely high incidence of alcohol associated liver damage and chronic viral hepatitis. Moreover, there is no FDA approved therapy for liver fibrosis. Activation and transdifferentiation of quiecent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to myofibroblasts (MFBs) is the main event contributing to liver fibrosis. This process involves two phases, the initiation and the perpetuation phases. Hepatocyte injury and inflammatory response …

A Case Study In The Use Of Mentorships In Academic Instructional Coach Development., Matt Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic instructional coaches have long been used to support teacher development and student learning. As a recent position in the education field, there is little information regarding the development of staff in this role. This study sought to better understand how academic instructional coaches are mentored and developed within challenging school contexts. The theoretical framework for this research is guided by the social constructivism epistemology. In alignment with this framework, a collective case study was utilized to better understand the relationship between the principal and the academic instructional coach. Exploring this relationship emphasized how principals support academic instructional coach growth. …

Improvised Power: Finding An Authentic Acting Aesthetic In An Adaption Of Mowatt's Fashion., Alexander Louis Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis elaborates on how my process, which I call Mindsets, was developed and utilized to play Count Jolimaitre in the Spring 2021 UofL Department of Theatre Arts online production of [Re]Fashion, an adaptation of Anna Cora Mowatt’s Fashion by Dr. J. Ariadne Calvano, Dr. Janna Segal, and Blair Potter. I used improvisatory acting techniques to develop this character from Mowatt’s mid-19th-century play, as crafted and produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this thesis, I explore how continuous physical exploration enabled me to navigate a new rehearsal process. I will explain how I attempted to create a character that was …

Heterocyclic Amines And Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2 Polymorphism In Pathogenesis Of Insulin Resistance., Kennedy M. Walls

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are formed when cooking meats at high temperatures or for long periods of time, and their major metabolic pathway includes hepatic N‑hydroxylation by CYP1A2 followed by O-acetylation by N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2). NAT2 is a highly polymorphic gene involved in metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics, and its single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) produce phenotypes characterized as slow, intermediate, or rapid acetylator. Recent studies have documented associations between HCAs and insulin resistance and between certain NAT2 phenotypes and insulin resistance. In this study, we demonstrated that NAT2 activity and exposure to certain HCAs may alter cellular glucose …

The Neural Architecture Of Emotional Intelligence., Teodora Stoica

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a nebulous concept that permeates daily interpersonal communication. Despite prolific research into its benefits, EI subjective measurement is difficult, contributing to an enigmatic definition of its core constructs. However, neuroimaging research probing socioaffective brain mechanisms underlying putative EI constructs can add an objective perspective to existing models, thereby illuminating the nature of EI. Therefore, the primary aim of this dissertation is to identify brain networks underlying EI and examine how EI arises from the brain’s functional and structural neuroarchitecture. EI is first defined according to behavioral data, which suggests EI is made up of two core …

Defending Judge Roy Moore: A Case Study Of Persuasion Resistance Strategies., Stephen F. Brockman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored what kind of persuasive resistance strategies people used when faced with information that was contrary to their existing belief system. A typology of resistance strategies as articulated by Fransen, Smit, & Verlegh (2015), was used to guide the development of a coding system. I coded the public quotes of supporters of a political candidate after sexual misconduct allegations came to light. The first research question investigated was: What kinds of persuasion resistance strategies were Roy Moore supporters most likely to use? The second was: What kinds of persuasion resistance strategies used tended to co-occur? The most important …

Conceptualizing The Psychosocial Elements That Should Be Assessed In Candidates For Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Social Workers' And Psychologists' Perspectives., Jill Randall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: In the United States, approximately 23,000 hematopoietic cell transplantations (HCT), also known as a bone marrow transplant, are performed annually. Patients who undergo HCT are among the most acutely ill and medically vulnerable oncology populations. Given the arduous nature of HCT, patients undergo an extensive pre-transplant evaluation that typically includes psychosocial assessment. The literature lacks a well-defined conceptual framework of the psychosocial elements that should be assessed in HCT candidates. This has led to practice variation, which has in turn inhibited high quality psychosocial research. Method: Social workers and psychologists in HCT were recruited to participate in a concept …

Prageru As A Parasite Public., Ryan A Corso-Gonzales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the media corporation PragerU as a parasite public, using the framework provided by Larson and McHendry (2019). Parasitic publics are “reactionary discursive spaces formed residual and institutionalized affectively through the invention, circulation and uptake of demagogic rhetorics” (Larson & McHendry, 2019, p. 517). The purpose of this thesis is to identify and analyze the argumentative tactics used by PragerU in the public sphere. I argue that PragerU utilizes its extensive network to resist counterpublicity and influence the dominant public sphere. This thesis demonstrates the ways in which this PragerU utilizes its unique position in the public sphere …

Focal Concerns And Case Advancement In Sexual Assault Cases: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., David Stuart Lapsey Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have frequently used focal concerns to explain case advancement – suspect identification, case clearance, and arrest and charge decisions – in sexual assault cases. Indeed, focal concerns has been popularly used to explain prosecutor decision-making and, more recently, it has increasingly been used to explain police decision-making in sexual assault cases. As such, a systematic review and meta-analysis is needed to synthesize and evaluate existing literature. In this study, meta-analysis is used to estimate the overall size, strength, and direction of focal concerns variables on case advancement in sexual assault cases by using police officers’ decision to arrest and …

Estimating Cumulative Incidence Rate On Interval Censored Data In An Illness-Death Model., Chen Qian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phase IV clinical trials are designed to monitor long-term side effects caused overtime by the medical treatment. For instance, in advanced primary cancer treatment, childhood cancer survivors are often at risk of developing undesired events, such as cardiotoxicity, during their adulthood. Such problems could be due to their cancer or the treatment they received for their cancer such as radiation or intensive chemotherapy. Cardiotoxicity can be diagnosed with electrophysiology with measurements of fraction shortening, afterload, etc. Often the primary focus of a study could be on estimating the cumulative incidence of a particular outcome of interest such as cardiotoxicity. However, …

Observational Studies In Group Testing And Potential Applications., Alexander Christopher Noll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of group testing to identify individuals with targeted outcomes in a population can greatly improve the efficiency, speed, and cost effectiveness of testing a population for an outcome, or at least for identifying the prevalence of an outcome in a population. The implementation of causal inference techniques can provide the basis for an observational study that would allow an investigator to gather estimates for treatment effectiveness if group testing was conducted on the population in a certain way. This thesis examines a simulation of the above outlined principles in order to demonstrate a potential application for determining treatment …

Parents' Perceptions Of Leisure Constraints And Facilitators In Elite Youth Soccer: A Phenomenological Approach., Chelsea C. Police

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived constraints and facilitators among parents and guardians as key stakeholders in elite youth soccer clubs. Specifically, this study identified constraints and facilitators affecting continued participation, negotiation strategies employed to help overcome constraints, demonstrated the role of parents and guardians play in organizational success, and illustrated their stakeholder salience. The present study utilized leisure constraint and stakeholder theories as the theoretical foundation. Leisure constraint theory outlined the three categories of constraints (and facilitators), which are intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural. Stakeholder theory described how constituent groups affect organizational success by examining their specific …

Acting On What We Hear: The Impact Of A Listening Methodology In A Community Literacy Program., Megen Farrow Boyett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Calls for better listening, especially to racially and linguistically marginalized populations, are popular and necessary in community literacy studies. However, while scholarship has clarified the need for attending to a range of voices across the life of a community program and demonstrated clear results of good listening, it has not sufficiently outlined a methodology for listening, especially as it applies to community-engaged action. Even less scholarship has focused on attending to current listening practices, so that scholars and community partners hoping to practice active listening interpret participants’ input through a soundtrack of other, unnoticed, “voices,” and have no way of …

Presence Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 In Urban Streams Receiving Sewer Overflow, Louisville, Kentucky, Usa., Cullen Hunter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pathogens may enter surface waters as they are shed in human feces and potentially delivered to surface waters via sewer overflows, particularly in the eastern United States. This study examined of the presence of fecal indicators in two forks of Beargrass Creek in Louisville, Kentucky. Surface water grab samples (N=30), sediment samples, water quality, and a paired wastewater surveillance study were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a single stream sample despite ubiquitous presence of the virus within the area in wastewater and consistent evidence of a human fecal indicator. These findings demonstrate the need for more green and gray infrastructure …

The High School Choral Classroom As A Platform For Cross-Cultural Education: A Content Evaluation Of The 2020 Tnmea Satb All-State Repertoire., Michael Ian Colavita

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, there is a push toward culturally responsive music education in response to a rapidly changing student demographic. However, teaching music from unfamiliar traditions presents a unique set of challenges for the music educator. The 2020 Tennessee SATB All-State repertoire provides one example of music selected with the goal of teaching a wide array of cultural traditions. This thesis analyzes these seven pieces from a musical and pedagogical perspective to demonstrate this collection’s utility for culturally responsive music education. Evaluation of the pieces demonstrated that while most of these works come from distinct cultural traditions, few present …

Particulate Matter Exposure And Community-Acquired Pneumonia Mortality Among Hospitalized Adults With Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Incidence Study (Happi) Participants., Jack Anthony Pfeiffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of air pollution as an agent of elevated morbidity and mortality has come under increasingly intense scrutiny in recent years. As the body of literature grows, so too does our understanding of how extensive the harm of such pollutants can be. Particulate matter (PM) particularly harmful due to its small size, ability to travel great distance while airborne, and capacity to infiltrate numerous bodily systems, often to the detriment of those exposed. Besides being associated with increased mortality risk in more heavily exposed populations, PM exposure has also been associated with complications in the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous …

A Spatial Analysis Of Supply-Demand Of Public Transportation In Jefferson County, Kentucky., Nastaran Abdoli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public transportation is important as it serves individuals, especially the transit-dependent population, by providing a basic mobility service to these people and all others who rely on public transportation. This research utilized estimating public transportation demand and supply to analyze the spatial patterns of public transportation in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The study focuses on the transit-dependent population, and it considers indicators of age, poverty status, vehicle ownership, and foreign-born population with less than five years residency in the United States. This study conducted a public transit supply-demand analysis to identify areas with imbalanced supply and demand in Jefferson County at …