Digital Commons Network^™

Fbg Αc 389 – 402 Modulates Factor Xiii Crosslinking In The Fibrinogen Αc Region., Francis Dean Orlina Ablan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fibrinogen (Fbg) is a coagulation protein critical for clot formation. Coagulation Factor XIII (FXIII) is a calcium-dependent transglutaminase that crosslinks reactive glutamines (Q) and lysines (K) between fibrin and other anti-fibrinolytic proteins. In the presence of Ca²⁺, FXIII could be activated non-proteolytically (FXIII-A°), or proteolytically by thrombin (FXIII-A*). Significant increases in clot stability and red blood cell retention are linked to FXIII activity in the fibrinogen αC region (Fbg Aα 221 – 610). This region contains several FXIII-reactive glutamines and lysines, as well as a binding site for FXIII-A* (Fbg αC 389 – 402) that includes a key …

The Influence Of Power On Racial Identity And Social Power: Learning While A Minority In A Bullitt County High School In Kentucky., Michele Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the influence of power on racial identity and social awareness of minority high schools’ students in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The research will come from the student perspective of those attending high school with students predominantly from another racial background. Using purposeful sampling, 12 students participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding racial identity, social power, and social awareness. Student participants used their voice to share their lived educational experiences attending school with students from another racial background. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed using In Vivo and …

Development And Applications Of Novel And Practical Fluorination Reagents., Yuhao Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fluorine (F) atom has distinctive properties such as the highest electronegativity, small size, low polarizability, and strong C–F bond strength. Not surprisingly, fluorinated organic compounds have garnered significant attention in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material fields. Since organofluorides are very rare in nature, we need fluorination reagents to help us transfer fluorine into the organic molecules. In past decades, a vast number of fluorination reagents have been developed and many of them are commercially available now. However, there is still much room for the improvement of these reagents. Our target is to develop novel and practical fluorination reagents to …

Tropical Understory And Canopy Twig Ants (Pseudomyrmex): Natural History, Sensory Homing, And Neuroecology., Daniella Prince

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examined the behavior of foraging twig ants, explored the sensory profile of their homing behavior, and investigated the role of habitat use in shaping the sensory neurobiology of species within the genus Pseudomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In chapter one, I reviewed the ecology of Pseudomyrmex, and introduced the focal species, P. boopis, a neotropical understory-dwelling twig ant. In chapter two, I described the natural history of P. boopis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama—specifically, their nesting habits, activity rhythm, and foraging behavior on understory surfaces. Pseudomyrmex boopis colonies were diurnal and nested in dead twigs in …

Penalized Bayesian Exponential Random Graph Models., Vicki Modisette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Networks have the critical ability to represent the complex interconnectedness of social relationships, biological processes, and the spread of diseases and information. Exponential random graph models (ERGM) are one of the popular statistical methods for analyzing network data. ERGM, however, struggle with computational challenges and degeneracy issues, further exacerbated by their inability to handle high-dimensional network data. Bayesian techniques provide a promising avenue to overcome these two problems. This paper considers penalized Bayesian exponential random graph models with adaptive lasso and adaptive ridge penalties to perform variable selection and reduce multicollinearity on a variety of networks. The experimental results demonstrate …

Exploring The Experiences Of Underrepresented Students Pursuing Health-Related Graduate Or Professional Programs, Alison Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, these professions remain largely White and female. Previous researchers have sought to identify the reasons that racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in healthcare, and the barriers to persistence and success. Little research exists explaining why men are underrepresented in the …

Met Alterations In Glioblastoma: Characterization Of Patient-Derived Xenografts And Therapeutic Strategies, Anna Musket

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma is the most commonly diagnosed central nervous system primary malignancy and it is considered a terminal diagnosis with few treatment options available. Glioblastoma tumors frequently develop treatment resistance due in part to their highly heterogenic nature. The heterogeneity of glioblastoma is partially attributed to the presence of glioma stem-like cells (GSC), which are highly invasive and resistant to chemotherapy and irradiation treatments. Signaling of the receptor tyrosine kinase MET is a known regulator of GSC. Glioblastoma patients have an increasingly poor prognosis that corresponds with increasing MET expression. Both GSC and MET are known to contribute to treatment resistance …

Femoral Osteohistology In American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis) Reveals High Variation In Growth And Facilitates Interpretation Of An Early Pliocene Alligator, Davis Gunnin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Histological analysis of long bone thin sections is commonly used to infer growth rates and ecology of extinct vertebrates, particularly within Archosauria. However, most comparative neontological studies have used small samples of captive individuals, limiting the scope of variation. To fill this gap, 44 femoral thin sections of wild Alligator mississippiensis were prepared and analyzed. Comparison of slides revealed that larger individuals from cooler climates tend to show more LAGs compared to southerly A. mississippiensis of similar size, however, there is considerable variation. This pronounced variation in wild specimens emphasizes the need to use caution when interpreting paleohistological data with …

Effects Of Parental Deployment On Military-Connected High School Students And Strategies For Academic Success, Sean T. Lucas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The problem investigated in this study was unknown opportunities that exist for educators to meet the academic needs of students who are affected by combat parental deployment and how this challenge of combat deployment disrupts the family’s dynamic, thus challenging their children academically. The Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard made up about 1% of the total United States population in 2015. Most of these people were married, 42% had children, and 54% of their children were in kindergarten to 12th grade. The Department of Defense school system is comprised of 166 accredited schools across 11 foreign …

Hands-Only Cpr Education In Tarrant County, Courtnee C. Cross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to identify the impact of in-person, hands-only CPR education for community members on their confidence and ability in performing CPR. Bystander-initiated CPR is an important aspect in the survival and outcomes of those that experience a cardiac arrest in the community. The hands-only CPR method was developed to help increase bystander-initiated CPR and improve outcomes for those experiencing a cardiac arrest at home. This project was quasi-experimental, using pretest and posttest data. Community members took the Basic Resuscitation Skills Self-Efficacy Scale (BRS-SES) before and after the hands-only CPR education video to determine how the …

On-Campus Mental Health Service Use Among College Students With Autism: A Case Study Applying The Andersen Behavioral Model Of Health Services Use, Estella C. Lilyquist

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unique set of impairments and limitations presented by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make the accessing of campus-based nonacademic resources more difficult and complicated than their typically developed peers. Each year, the rate of students entering college with disabilities continues to grow, but their mental well-being is relatively poor. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to apply the conceptual framework of the Andersen behavioral model of health services use (ABMHSU) to the experiences of college students with ASD to understand and predict their utilization of campus-provided mental health resources. The participants were seven college students with …

An Exploration Of Palauan Fishing Methods And Fisheries: A Study For The Conservation Of Dugongs, Mia Glover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dugong (Dugong dugon) is an important marine mammal in Palau. However, current population dynamics are not well understood. This study aimed to connect scientific data with local knowledge by examining the social implications of changing fishing methods and their impact on dugong population dynamics in the face of climate change and fisheries commercialization. Through interviews with local fishers, it was found that destructive fishing methods like trawling and long lining have led to habitat loss and degradation for dugongs. These tactics, driven by economic factors, have disrupted the delicate balance between human activities and the preservation of dugong habitats, …

Something Wicked: Witches And Rhetorics Of Resistance, K. Scarlett Harrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project joins other academic conversations regarding the dynamics of power, modernity, witchcraft, and magic within the contexts of Western hegemony. Occasioned by kairotic cultural events and the reinforcement of ideologies like those found in the Dobbs decision, QAnon conspiracy, and rise of Christian Nationalism, this project contends that evaluating the potential political power residing in witchery is necessary in understanding some of the nuances of hegemonic control and resistance to oppressive authority. Predominantly following rhetorical evaluations of magic found in the works of Gunn and Covino, I maintain a non-universal methodological practice that works to understand the various instrumentality …

Vegetal Being: Dreamwork, Ritual, And Performance In Han Kang’S The Vegetarian, Briana Hanratty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I am writing towards an ecofeminist informed reading of the English version of The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated by Deborah Smith. My aim is to display how, like an ecosystem of complex interdependency, it is impossible to separate body from theory from text from ecological context. To engage with this form of ecofeminism, I center an autotheoretical methodology with voices from ritual theory and performance theory in order to examine how Yeong-hye, the titular vegetarian of Han Kang’s novel, operates as a narrative-level metaphor for the desire for erotic ecology as a mode of ecological and …

The Queer Ecology Of Clouds In Nineteenth-Century British Poetics, Lucien Darjeun Meadows

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the nineteenth century, British writers were interested in the emergent science of meteorology, and their lyrical writing (their “poetics”), from poetry to creative and scientific prose, often turns to clouds as both meteorological formations and as material metaphors for human-environment interactions. These writers frequently invoke clouds to disrupt or “queer” depictions of human-environment relationships built on human domination of environmental beings. Clouds, in poetic writing, help writers (and readers) instead experience subject-subject relationships of reciprocity—a collaborative, non-hierarchical way of existing with and learning from our ecological relatives.

Dwelling in the confluence of literary studies, queer studies, and ecology, The …

Fully Coupled Fluid Structure Interaction Simulation Of Bioprosthetic Heart Valves: A Numerical And Experimental Analysis, Masod Sadipour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aortic stenosis impacts approximately 7% of the global population. In the past decade, the role of computational modeling has been becoming considerably important in the design of BHVs. To obtain reliable solutions in computational modeling, it is essential to consider accurate properties of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs), such as density and mechanical properties. Previous computational studies assumed (bovine pericardium) BP used in BHVs density was comparable to water or blood. Yet, BP is subjected to multiple treatments like fixation and anti-calcification. In Chapter 2, I measured BP density and its effect on BHV leaflet stress and strain. In the second …

Thermal, Magnetic, And Electrical Properties Of Thin Films And Nanostructures: From Magnetic Insulators To Organic Thermoelectrics, Michael J. M. Roos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modern fabrication and growth techniques allow for the development of increasingly smaller and more complex solid state structures, the characterization of which require highly specialized measurement platforms. In this dissertation I present the development of techniques and instrumentation used in magnetic, thermal, and electrical property measurements of thin films and nanostructures. The understanding of trapped-flux induced artifacts in SQUID magnetometry of large paramagnetic substrates allows for the resolution of increasingly small moments. Using these methods, the antiferromagnetic coupling of the interface between a Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ film and Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂substrate is quantitatively …

It’S Not What You (Don’T) Eat, It’S What Eats You: Countering The U.S. Eating Disorder Master Narrative, Kelsea V. Schoenbauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, affect approximately 20 million women in the United States (National Eating Disorders Association, 2022d). The dominant approach to studying eating disorders is based on the master narrative of biomedicine. The present dissertation examines the existing master narrative by investigating the meaning that women themselves ascribe to their eating disorder experiences. Drawing upon notions of embodiment, the present dissertation proposes narrative theorizing as an appropriate lens through which to view women’s narrative sense-making processes and employs narrative research methods. Using a modified version of McAdams’ (2008b) life story interview protocol, I …

What’S Good: Sharing Food And Meaning-Making Among Commensals, Lucor Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To explore how systems of meaning are formed and reformed over an individual’s lifetime in the context of food, meals, and commensality, this research applies a critical phenomenological lens to food-centered life histories centered on the life experiences of childhood, adulthood and the diffusion of food knowledge within a food centric community between individuals within age cohorts and across generations. Through reflective interviewing community members within Denver metropolitan area anti-hunger organization, this research is able to provide insight into several secondary questions, including: Is childhood a formative space for the cementation of these systems of meaning and value and do …

The Vigor Of Creative Materialism: Making The Hidden Stories Of Underrepresented Engineering Students Visible, Katherine A. Robert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of initiatives, engineering education continues to lack diversity. The proportion of women, BIPOC, LGBTQA+, low-income, first-generation, and disabled students in engineering education remains below national population levels. The culture of engineering is a barrier to increasing participation in engineering for students from these communities. The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the experiences of underrepresented engineering students as they are socialized into the culture of engineering. I theorized a novel conceptual framework called creative materialism that combines culturally responsive methodologies, new materialist theory, and arts-based research methods. Two research questions were used to guide the study. …

Characterization Of Molecular Content, Cytotoxicity, And Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Extractions From Eupatorium Serotinum, Jordy Sloan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation is a complex and varied immune response which can be expressed chronically or as a temporary reaction to foreign invaders. Symptoms of inflammation include swelling, pain, soreness, and difficulty of motion. Recently, the effect of sesquiterpene lactones such as Helenalin from Arnica montana have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we identified and harvested samples of Eupatorium serotinum, a plant historically used by Native Americans to treat a variety of medical illnesses. Crude extracts of the leaves, flowers, roots, and stems were prepared by ethanol extraction. The cytotoxicity of the different extracts on HEK293 cells …

Perception Of Alumni Of The Department Of Agriculture At Stephen F. Austin State University, Sherifat Rufai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

University alumni surveys have served various purposes since they were introduced in the 1930s in the United States. The Department of Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) aimed to evaluate alumni perceptions between the Fall of 2010 and the Spring of 2022 to provide an opportunity to examine the relationship between degree fields and occupations and the agriculture curriculum, salaries, and demographic data for college graduates. This study's web-based survey was designed to include closed-ended and open-ended questions to collect individual opinions using Qualtrics Survey Software. The survey materials were made available on the alumni's social media accounts. …

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Perceived Competence Regarding Concussion Management In Schools, Braelyn Tracy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can have a serious effect on a young, developing brain. Following a concussion, it is common for children and adolescents to experience difficulties in the school setting. Schools may be the ideal setting to address some of the problems children experience as schools employ some personnel with expertise and experience in assessment and intervention. If return to learn is put to the side, students experiencing concussion signs and symptoms could potentially have long-term cognitive problems. School psychologists play a key role in the prevention and assessment of, and intervention for …

Assessing The Appropriateness Of Free-Roaming Cat Management Strategies Based On Resident Perspectives In A Small Pennsylvania Municipality, Brianna Marks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The popularity and mismanagement of free-roaming cats has resulted in invasive populations responsible for over-predation of birds and small mammals and increased disease transmission to humans and animals (Bies, 2014; Crowley et al., 2020). Management effectiveness fluctuates between communities due to varying opinions of free-roaming cats by governments and the public, which can influence management development and success (Deak et al., 2019). This research assesses the relationship between community perspectives of free-roaming cats and management. A survey of residents in a small Pennsylvania municipality was conducted with questions pertaining to free-roaming cats and management preferences in the community. Over 50% …

Evaluation Planning And Special Service Eligibility Decisions Of School Psychologists: Differences By Chronic Health Condition And Impairment Severity, Maria Tina Benno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists are expert practitioners who are well-versed in conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations to address a wide range of students’ needs in schools. The increasing prevalence of pediatric chronic illnesses (CIs) and the presence of students with CIs attending school requires school psychologists to be knowledgeable of the educational and social-emotional impacts of CIs on students’ functioning. Moreover, organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and National Association for School Psychologists (NASP) encourage school psychologists to demonstrate competency in understanding the influence of CIs on students’ function in the classroom (APA, 1998; Schmitt et al., 2019). Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations …

Evaluating Sex Differences In The Neuroimmune Response Following Neuroinflammation And Relief Due To Nanotheranostic Treatment, Brooke Deal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, the majority of preclinical neuroinflammatory studies were performed on males. Because of this, less is known about the female neuroinflammatory response to injury, formation of pain, or response to pain-relieving therapies. The neuroinflammatory response is multifaceted with neuronal, glial, and immune cells all contributing to the induction and resolution of neuroinflammation. During this response, macrophages typically undergo an upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) leading to the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is linked to neuronal sensitization and pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) attenuate PGE2 by the inhibition of COX-2. A limitation with NSAIDs is that due to the …

The Future Is Now In Twisted Coil Polymer Actuators (Tcpa), Ryan Ronquillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aimed to fabricate and test twisted coiled polymer actuators (TCPA) to understand the mechanical and thermal aspects of this artificial muscle fiber. The purpose of this thesis was to find a linear relationship using the LVDT sensor, fabricating TCPA fibers, and interpreting the data. The project tested whether nylon/polymer could be used as a better artificial muscle fiber.

This research accomplished three goals: (1) designing and fabricating a system capable of creating supercoiled muscle fibers consistently, (2) calibrating the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and Core, and (3) analyzing/interpreting the data of the Twisted Coiled Polymer Actuators (TCPA) …

Dolphin Behavioral Responses To Uncrewed Aerial Systems As A Function Of Exposure, Height, And Type, Savannah Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are becoming a standard tool in the study of cetaceans, however, a comparative assessment of animal responses to UAS has not been established to gauge the most effective systems for cetacean study. We utilized Dolphin Quest Bermuda’s eleven bottlenose dolphins as subjects for such an investigation taking place over five weeks in 2022 and five weeks in 2023. The dolphins were evaluated for investigative behavioral responses to six off-the-shelf UAS types and a custom fixed wing system. Each UAS was flown in decreasing height vertically above the main dolphin lagoon to evaluate dolphin behavioral responses in …

Goemai/Ankwei Religiosity: Understanding Indigenous Divinity In Relation To Christianity, Edward Muge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Postcolonial/decolonial thinking developed in response to modernity’s colonial logic that glorified and universalized the Western locus of enunciation, subjectivity, and history. The prioritization of Western epistemology, hierarchization of being based on race, gender, and religion, and the universalization of Western Christian religion relegated all other modes of being, knowing, and accessing the Divine to the periphery. For a long time, indigenous people have accepted the Western linear worldview that makes them the exemplars of the whites (Euro-Americans) in their primordial state of Western history and development. The goal of the Western colonial matrix of power is the subsumption of …

Restorative Playscape Design: A Phenomenological Approach To Designing Playscapes, Jennifer Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation outlines the development of a phenomenological and restorative approach to playscape design. Restorative Playscape (RPD) is a phenomenologically based approach to designing children’s play environments that involves a process of attending to, noticing, and uncovering natural affordances for play and development, and making enhancements to the environment so that the affordances can experienced in their full potential and capacity to support children’s growth and development. The restorative approach involves the application of three phenomenological methods to identify the affordances of the outdoor play environment: 1) Child Guided Walks- to explore the affective and relational dimension of children’s experience …