Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Loneliness, Stress, And Alcohol Consumption Among College Students, I'Esha Baber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the misuse of alcohol among college students remains a public health concern in the United States, students are participating in problematic drinking for various reasons. Loneliness and stress have both been associated with the reasoning behind why some college students participate in heavy drinking. Studies show that students who perceive themselves as under a lot of stress tend to drink more and that students who feel they need to overcome structural and emotional barriers such as loneliness and shyness, use alcohol as a resource. This paper examines the relationship between alcohol consumption, loneliness, and stress. Sixteen students, who attended …

Postwar Churches Of Christ Mission Work: The Philippines As A Case Study, Brady Kal Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There was a large increase in the number of Churches of Christ missionaries and missionary efforts following World War II (WWII). There were also significant changes and developments in American religious culture following WWII—Churches of Christ were not exempt from these changes. This study examines the question of how postwar developments in American religion influenced missionary efforts of American Churches of Christ by looking at examples of American missionaries in the Philippines.

The study relies heavily on primary sources, including letters and news reports from archival collections, Churches of Christ periodicals, and email correspondence with people familiar with the main …

Differences In Perceived Stress, Locus Of Control, And Coping Styles Used By Male And Female Stem And Human Service Majors, Dawn M. Lowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to determine if program type along with gender could predict the type of coping styles students are more likely to use. Secondly, it endeavored to uncover whether a college student’s gender and program type might affect their locus of control and the amount of perceived stress reported. It was hypothesized that female students in Human Service programs would exhibit the most adaptive coping styles, while males in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs utilize the most maladaptive coping styles. Moreover, it was postulated that females in Human Service programs would report a more internalized locus …

Confidence In The Police Among Caribbean Countries., Hyunin Baek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation identifies public confidence in the police in contemporary policing, in particular among Caribbean countries. Law enforcement agencies in Caribbean countries have failed to earn confidence from the public. Citizens with a lower level of confidence in the police are unwilling to cooperate and support policing activities, making initiatives of law enforcement agencies difficult to achieve. In order to improve the public-police relationship in Caribbean countries, examinations of public confidence in the police are required. Researchers have developed two theoretical frameworks, the instrumental and expressive models, to explain key factors associated with public confidence in the police. In order …

Loss Of The Na+/H+ Exchange Regulatory Factor 1 Results In Increased Susceptibility To Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury., Adrienne M. Bushau-Sprinkle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI), an abrupt loss of kidney function which carries a high mortality and confers an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, develops in 30% of patients who receive cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent [1], [2], [3]. The sodium hydrogen exchange regulatory factor isoform 1 (NHERF1) is a scaffolding protein that anchors multiple membrane proteins, in renal proximal tubules [4]. NHERF-1 deficient mice have aberrant localization of BBM proteins in intracellular compartments [5]. The investigators have recently demonstrated NHERF1 deficient proximal tubule cells have an underlying …

The Effect Of Alcohol Consumption On Adipokine Secretion, Ashley Degroat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD) is caused by excessive alcohol consumption and is a leading cause of liver related mortalities, with currently no treatments available. The goal of this project was to establish the effect of alcohol consumption on adipose tissue-derived secreted factors, adiponectin and C1q TNF Related Proteins 1-3 (CTRP1-3). We propose that excessive alcohol consumption will reduce circulating levels of adiponectin and CTRPs 1-3. Mice were fed a Lieber-Decarli control or alcohol diet for 10-days with a gavage (NIAAA model) or 6-weeks with no gavage (chronic model). Serum and adipose tissue were collected and CTRPs 1-3 and adiponectin …

Long-Range Electrostatic Interactions In Gold Catalysis And Fluorinating Reagent Development., Zhichao Lu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our research focus is on applying two long range electrostatic interactions--coulombic interaction between ion pairs and hydrogen bonding—to two tasks: exploring counterion effects in gold catalysis and utilizing hydrogen bonding for fluorinating reagent development. Cationic gold catalysis is considered one of the most important breakthroughs in organic synthesis over the past two decades. A wealth of empirical information on counterion effects is now available regarding homogeneous gold catalysis. However, the rational understanding of the counterion effect on reactivity is still elusive. We proposed a widely applicable model to rationalize the kinetic effect in gold catalyzed reaction. We first solved the …

Characterization Of Type Ii Toxin Anti-Toxin Systems In Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans., Blair W. Schneider

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbes express many protective mechanisms in response to environmental stress. Toxin/anti-toxin systems encode a biologically active toxin and a labile anti-toxin that inhibits the toxin’s activity. These systems are known to contribute to persister cell and biofilm formation. A. actinomycetemcomitans thrives in the complex oral microbial community and is subjected to continual environmental flux. Little is known regarding the presence and function of TA systems in this organism or their contribution survival in the oral environment. Using BLAST searches and other informatics tools, we identified 11 intact TA systems that are conserved across all seven serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans and …

A Qualitative Approach To Examining The Rules Of A Community College And Industry Partnership., Cara Dimattina-Ryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the governance structure of a successful community college and industry advisory board that collaborate to improve regional workforce development initiatives. The institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework was used as a lens to describe the partnership. The results determined that there were many informal rules that governed the relationship between the community college and industry partners, which led to successful implementation of decisions. The community college leaders created the informal rules with the purpose of encouraging involvement among industry stakeholders, sharing power among all the participants, and facilitating communication. The findings …

"Triggers": Systematic And Social Cues For Black College Student Racial Self-Consciousness And Rejection Sensitivity, Race-Based., Leanna T. Luney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have examined black student well-being in varying ways including through the framing of race-based rejection sensitivity (Downey & Feldman, 1996; Mendoza-Denton, Downey, Purdie, Davis, & Pietrzak, 2002) and racial self-consciousness (Clark & Clark, 1939). Research shows that black students perform worse academically when they display high levels of race-based rejection sensitivity and racial self-conscious levels (Brannon & Taylor, 2015; Clark & Clark, 1939; Koehler & Skvoretz, 2010), and feelings of racial self-consciousness or rejection sensitivity stem from discriminatory and prejudicial experiences. However, research has not fully connected the broader context surrounding black students in college to their high levels …

Perceptions Of Pediatric Nurses And Parents Of Hospitalized Children Engaged In Shared Decision Making., Lisa English Long

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Achievement of optimal quality in today’s healthcare environment practices means that clinical practices must be based on evidence. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the integration of research findings, clinician expertise, and patient-centeredness that includes a focus on preferences and values (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2015). An area within EBP needing increased attention is the aspect of patient preferences and values. The process of Shared Decision Making (SDM) incorporates assessment of preferences and values within a process in which where patients, families and healthcare professionals collaborate to make decisions regarding patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of parents …

Biophysical Exploration Of Conformational Environments In Zymogen Prothrombin And Blood Coagulant Thrombin., Ramya Billur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The serine protease thrombin plays important roles in coagulation, anticoagulation, and platelet activation. Thrombin is initially expressed as the inactive zymogen prothrombin (ProT). The final cleaved and activated form of thrombin has mature anion binding exosites (ABEs) and several regulatory loops. Engagement with these exosites helps define the fate of thrombin as a procoagulant or an anticoagulant. Researchers previously reported that zymogen ProT may already bind exosite ligands. Little is known about conformational changes associated with ProT maturation, resultant ligand binding affinities, individual ligand-protein contacts, and long-range communication between thrombin exosites. Protease Activated Receptors (PARs) play critical roles in controlling …

Maturation Of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Engineered Cardiac Tissues Using Chief Transfection And Chronic Optical Pacing., Marc M. Dwenger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The immaturity of engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs) limits their ability to regenerate damaged myocardium and to serve as in vitro disease models and surrogates for drug toxicity testing. Several chronic biomimetic conditioning protocols, including mechanical stretch, perfusion, and electrical stimulation promote ECT maturation but have significant technical limitations. Non-contacting chronic light stimulation using heterologously expressed light-sensitive ChIEF ion channels, termed optogenetics, may be an advantageous alternative to chronic electrical stimulation. As a proof of principle, we transfected ECTs using an AAV packaged ChIEF and then verified acute optical pacing (OP) by patch clamp. We then chronically OP ECTs for 7 …

A Case Study Of Teacher And Principal Perceptions Of A School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention And Supports Framework In An Urban Elementary School., Cassaundra Lynn Watkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This single site case study examined the perceptions of teachers and the principal of a persistently low achieving elementary school in a large urban school district. Using the Concern-Based-Adoption-Model (CBAM), which originated in Fuller’s (1969) study of perceptions of pre-service and practicing teachers and used by Roach, Kratochwill and Frank (2009) as a tool to ascertain support for the implementation of research-based practices, teacher and principal perceptions of the effectiveness of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) framework were examined. Interviews and document analysis were utilized to collect data and triangulate teacher and principal perceptions of obstacles and supports …

T Socio-Ecology Of Managed Honeybees (Apis Mellifera) In The Louisville Metro Area., Haileigh M. Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Humans have a long history of the practice of beekeeping to harness the power of pollination. This managed pollinator system consists of beekeepers, honeybees, and their environment. However, recent disease, pesticide use, and land use factors honeybee threaten this relationship. In the face of such concerns it is important to examine the factors that impact and can help sustain our managed pollinator systems. In this thesis, the national and Kentucky state-level policies that affect managed pollinator systems were examined and socio-ecological factors that may contribute to honeybee hive growth and losses were assessed along an urban development gradient in Louisville, …

Implementation Of Emergency Preparedness In Long Term Care And Rogers' Diffusion Of Innovation Theory., Elizabeth M. Shiels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kentucky is one of the top ten states in the U.S. in the number of Presidential Declarations of Disaster (PDD) over the past ten years. This is due to its geology and weather patterns. The far western portion of Kentucky lies on the New Madrid Seismic Zone, one of the most dangerous fault lines in the United States; and natural hazards such as tornadoes, earthquakes, flash floods, severe storms offer only minutes or even seconds of advance notice. These “no-notice” emergencies with no timely warnings are the most common hazards experienced in Kentucky. In these events, individual long term care …

Jumping Over The Hurdle : Examining And Overcoming The Barriers For Women In Intercollegiate Athletics Through Mentorship., Emma Mary Cohen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the evident underrepresentation of females working intercollegiate athletics at all levels, there is a growing need to understand the types of barriers that limit women and cause these disproportionate representation(Acosta & Carpenter, 2014; Staurowsky & Smith, 2016). There is also a need to explore the impact of meaningful mentorship to combat these apparent obstacles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers women currently face as they enter the intercollegiate athletics workplace in entry-level positions and explore the role of mentors in their career success. Entry-level sport administrators are a demographic of the industry that has not …

Challenges In Flexible Microsystem Manufacturing : Fabrication, Robotic Assembly, Control, And Packaging., Danming Wei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microsystems have been investigated with renewed interest for the last three decades because of the emerging development of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology and the advancement of nanotechnology. The applications of microrobots and distributed sensors have the potential to revolutionize micro and nano manufacturing and have other important health applications for drug delivery and minimal invasive surgery. A class of microrobots studied in this thesis, such as the Solid Articulated Four Axis Microrobot (sAFAM) are driven by MEMS actuators, transmissions, and end-effectors realized by 3-Dimensional MEMS assembly. Another class of microrobots studied here, like those competing in the annual IEEE Mobile …

Long-Term Dental Outcomes Of The Professional Education Preparation Program., Samuel D. Petersen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) is a health careers pipeline program for Kentucky pre-health students from Health Professional Shortage Area counties and/or racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in the health professions. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographics of the dental PEPP participants and if, post dental school graduation, they were providing care for underserved patient populations Methods: PEPP dental graduates (n=114) had been previously identified. Participants were contacted by phone, asked to participate and then mailed a survey. Survey questions covered personal, practice and patient characteristics, procedures performed, insurance accepted and community outreach. Logistic regression analysis …

Intraoral Imaging At Insertion Of Implant Supported Restorations At An Academic Institution : Conformity To Established Guidelines., J. Alec Power

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to establish the frequency of intraoral imaging at the time of insertion of implant supported restorations at University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD). After IRB approval (14.1215), patients on whom an implant-supported single unit fixed restoration was placed were identified from the electronic health record over a 4-year period. Type of prosthesis retention (cement vs. screw) and discipline responsible for crown placement was recorded. Bitewing (BWx) or periapical (pa) images taken at the time of prosthesis placement were accessed and reviewed. Overall radiographic frequency according to modality was tallied and compared using Chi-square …

Asylum For Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, & Chamber Orchestra., Cullyn D. Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1884, Daniel Paul Schreber was admitted into an asylum in an attempt to help treat his paranoid schizophrenia. He documented his time in the asylum through a memoir titled Memoirs of My Nervous Illness. His memoir noted the extremely poor living conditions and treatment of patients, while also illustrating Schreber’s slowly deteriorating mental state. Prior to his admittance, Schreber was a well respected judge in Germany and the son of a renown child psychologist. This societal decline contributed to the acceptance of these memoirs as a serious account of the events that transpired on a daily basis for mental …

Principal Professional Development And Principal Self-Efficacy In An Urban School District., Brian Thomas Garrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educator professional development (PD) is a heavily relied upon method for school improvement, and administrator professional development (APD) is a key element to nearly all school reform efforts. District-wide APD in large school districts can carry a heavy cost in financial and human resources. Moreover, PD is frequently too inadequately planned and/or implemented to bring about lasting positive change in educator practice, school reform, and student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between principal PD focused on culture/climate or instruction and principal self-efficacy in an urban school district. Through hierarchical linear multiple regression (HLMR), this …

Feeding Behaviors And The Child With Posterior Tongue-Tie : Comparison To Norms., Mckenzie Sexton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tongue is an important muscle used in speech, mastication, swallowing, and breastfeeding. It plays an important role in facial development, dentition, and periodontal status. Posterior ankyloglossia, also known as posterior tongue-tie (PTT), is characterized by a tether beneath the lingual mucosa. Upon visual inspection, the frenulum is non-prominent but with the use of a grooved director it may appear abnormally prominent, short, thick, or cord-like. Palpation of the frenulum may reveal tightness. There is a lack of empirical data about PTT and the impact on feeding beyond early infancy. PTT is not well recognized and can be missed resulting …

The Disjointed Moment : Marking, Mapping, And Making The Real In William Eggleston's Election Eve (1976)., Joel Darland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the photographic book Election Eve (1976) produced by photographer William Eggleston. Eggleston’s photographs represent a complex network of connections between material objects and the potential truth of depiction. The often-nondescript locations that Eggleston photographed in Sumter County, GA in October 1976 appear specific at the outset, but quickly lose their adherence to the supposed realities that they depict. Since his first major exhibition in the mid 1970s, Eggleston’s photographs have presented difficulty because they from often-disparate material sources. Despite of the complexity of Eggleston’s engagement with both art and non-art photography, scholarship continues describe Eggleston’s “snapshot aesthetic” …

Malaria In The Prehistoric Caribbean : The Hunt For Hemozoin., Mallory D. Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increase in resistance to anti-malarials and global warming trends expanding the habitation range of the mosquito vector, research highlighting the biogeographical contexts of infected populations is critical to understanding epidemiological patterns. A bioarchaeological approach to epidemiology can shed light on previous disease patterns and aid in the prediction of future outbreaks of diseases like malaria. Currently, there is no direct evidence of malaria in the Americas prior to European contact; however, skeletal, archaeological, paleoenvironmental, historic, and ethnohistorical evidence strongly suggest the presence of Plasmodium spp. malaria in indigenous Caribbean skeletal remains held in the Yale Peabody Museum of …

Maintainability Analysis Of Mining Trucks With Data Analytics., Abdulgani Kahraman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mining industry is one of the biggest industries in need of a large budget, and current changes in global economic challenges force the industry to reduce its production expenses. One of the biggest expenditures is maintenance. Thanks to the data mining techniques, available historical records of machines’ alarms and signals might be used to predict machine failures. This is crucial because repairing machines after failures is not as efficient as utilizing predictive maintenance. In this case study, the reasons for failures seem to be related to the order of signals or alarms, called events, which come from trucks. The …

Development Of Blended Polymeric Fibers To Alter The Release Of Peptide Targeting Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Sonali Suresh Sapare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that infects the tissues of the periodontium. It is estimated that 47.2% or 67.2 million American adults suffer from mild, moderate and severe periodontitis. Globally, 30-50% of the adult population is afflicted with periodontal disease, making it one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world. Therapeutics targeting P. gingivalis may be effective to alter periodontitis progression. However, the current treatment modalities that target critical pathogens to maintain host-biofilm homeostasis are limited, urging the development of specifically targeted therapeutics to limit P. gingivalis recolonization of the oral cavity after periodontal treatment and healing. …

Killing Martin County : Resiliency In A Central Appalachian Community., David Adam Sizemore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental stressors, anything that poses a threat to human and environmental health, are disproportionately located in marginalized communities. Coal extraction companies produce and concentrate environmental stressors in Central Appalachia, a sub-region of Appalachia with high poverty rates and economic hardship. Through destructive coal extraction methods, the coal industry has jeopardized Central Appalachian health and environmental quality. The coal industry’s power to cause destruction in Central Appalachia is a product of historical strategic initiatives. Since the late 1800s, the coal industry has forcefully altered the culture and ideology of Central Appalachians and developed relationships with local, state, and federal policymakers to …

Igniting The Imagination : Tenaciously Building A Character., Lois Abdelmalek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As an actor, my goal is to achieve full transformation to perform any character. During my final year of graduate school, I auditioned and received the roles of Liz Morden and Lieutenant Faddy in Our Country’s Good. I had been exposed to several acting methods in graduate school; however, I questioned if I had a solid technique to rely on. My thesis role was an opportunity to become self-aware of my process. Through imagination, I explored the historical circumstances, the text, and physical and voice work. I became conscious as never before how my creation of a character demands trusting …

Therapeutic Potential Of A Plant-Made Cholera Toxin B Subunit Variant For The Treatment Of Ulcerative Colitis., Joshua Mark Royal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) is a mucosal immunomodulatory protein that induces robust mucosal and systemic antibody responses. This well-known biological activity has been exploited in cholera prevention (as a component of Dukoral® vaccine) and vaccine development for decades. On the other hand, several studies have investigated CTB’s immunotherapeutic potential in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and asthma. Furthermore, we recently found that a plant-made variant of CTB (CTBp) could induce colon epithelial wound healing in mouse colitis models. In this thesis, it is revealed that the wound healing effects are unique to the plant-made variant, …