Digital Commons Network^™

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Barriers To Providing Services To The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Children Ages 2–9, Irene S. García-Benavides

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the knowledge and experiences of 12 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding the culture and linguistic processes of the Deaf culture when assessing and treating deaf and hard of hearing children ages 2 to 9. Data analysis has resulted in identification of the following main themes: (a) The Scope of Practice, (b) Barriers Regarding Culturally and Linguistically Informed Practices, and (c) Awareness of Similarities and Differences in Language Acquisition and Structures in English and American Sign Language (ASL). The findings of this study underscored the importance of knowledge that SLPs have to acquire in order to provide …

Venous Leg Ulcers: An Analysis Of Nursing Knowledge, Shelia Moore-Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project evaluated the knowledge level of wound center nursing staff on venous leg ulcer etiology and treatments after an educational intervention. To determine the effectiveness of the educational intervention, participants completed a pretest and posttest evaluation. Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are chronic lower extremity ulcers affecting older Americans. VLUs are painful and negatively affect activities of daily living. Inadequate VLU treatment can become an infectious process that can ultimately threaten limb existence. A quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted over three weeks in a hospital-based wound care center in central Florida. The theoretical framework applied to this project is Lydia …

Building Resilience In Graduate Nurses Through Online Virtual Simulation, Robert Grant Harmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resilience has become a popular topic in nursing research. Nurses experience enormous stress throughout their training process that extends into their first employment as they transition into practice. Simulation training is a standard for training nurses and for continuing professional education within academia. Most simulation training for nurses is focused on building critical thinking skills. While critical thinking is an essential quality equipping nurses to meet professional demands, resilience is a crucial quality to overcome the stress of both training and practice. Resilience is believed to play an essential role in the retention of new graduate nurses and preventing burnout …

Pediatric Obesity In Primary Care, Lynne C. Liggins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this evidence-based quantitative quasi-experimental research was to compare if providing the parents with information on the health risk associated with childhood obesity would cause the parents to make healthier food choices and encourage their children to be involved in a full hour of physical activity a day. Participants included parents and pediatric and adolescent children 5 to 18 years of age at a solo practice primary care office in a large city in Southern, California, which specializes in treating pediatric and adolescent patients. A pre- and postquantitative intervention design were used and analyzed using the paired t …

A Comparison Of Microsatellites And Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms For The Assessment Of Population Structure In The Amblyomma Maculatum Koch, 1844 Species Complex, Henrey A. Deese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, 1844 is widespread throughout North and Central America and is the primary vector for the emerging pathogen Rickettsia parkeri. In the U.S., the population in the Southwest (A. maculatum morphotype III) is morphologically different from the population east of the Rocky Mountains (A. maculatum morphotype II). This research tests the hypothesis that A. maculatum morphotype II and morphotype III represent distinct species through the analysis and comparison of 6 microsatellite loci and suite of 135,221 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from ddRADseq. Population genetic analysis of both microsatellites and SNPs …

Neural And Behavioral Evolution In An Eavesdropper With A Rapidly Evolving Host, Aaron W. Wikle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diversification of animal communication systems is driven by many interacting factors. Unintended receivers play an important part in this process, yet little is known about their role in signal evolution. Flies of the genus Ormia are parasitoids of crickets and rely on acoustic cues to locate hosts. In Hawaii, selection imposed by Ormia ochracea has led to recent and rapid diversification in the songs of their host. Here, we compare neural and behavioral responses of Hawaiian flies to those of an ancestral population to understand the role of parasitoid sensory and behavioral variation in the evolution of host songs. …

Surviving The Serenade: How Conflicting Natural And Sexual Selection Drove Rapid Diversification Of Mating Signals In An Insect, James H. Gallagher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the early stages of sexual signal diversification proceed is of critical importance because the nature of these microevolutionary dynamics can directly shape species trajectories and macroevolutionary patterns. Unfortunately, studying signal diversification is challenging because signals involve complex interactions between behavioral, morphological, and physiological components, many of which can only be measured in real time. Here we had the opportunity to directly study this process with the recent increase in sexual signal variation in Hawaiian populations of the Pacific field cricket (Teleogryllus oceanicus). In Hawaii, male song attracts both female crickets and a deadly acoustically orienting parasitoid …

Quantification Of Nuclear Dynamics During Epithelial Remodeling, Noah De Leeuw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The morphogenesis of developing tissues is contingent on an extensive array of rearrangements in cellular shape, position and identity at large and small scales. One commonly used process to reshape tissues is the cell intercalation-driven elongation of a tissue in a common axis, in which rows of epithelial cells undergo oriented intercalation in a directional fashion. In most models of intercalation, cells are treated as homogeneous objects directed in their shape changes by cortical forces localized along cell-cell interfaces or tricellular junctions. However, less attention has been paid to how inhomogeneities in mechanical resistance of their own internal structures affects …

A Phenomenological Study Of Science Teachers’ Lived Experience: Pedagogical Judgment During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Vo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March of 2020, education in the United States changed dramatically. Science teachers began to look at the implementation of ambitious and equitable science teaching practices differently. Employing the hermeneutic phenomenological framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experience of science teachers, specifically looking at their pedagogical judgment related to ambitious and equitable science teaching. Semi-structured interviews, artifacts and surveys were used to develop a rich description of the phenomenon. Data analysis of the science teachers’ narratives, Qualtrics surveys, and lesson plans illuminated six essential themes common to all …

Mechanistic Insights Into Mftr-Dependent Regulation Of The Redox Cofactor Mycofactocin, Aigera Mendauletova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organic redox cofactors are essential for life. While classic flavins and nicotinamides are widely distributed across all domains of life, nature has also evolved niche cofactors in subsets of life domains. For example, in Actinobacteria, coenzyme F420 is commonly used in place of flavin mononucleotide in enzymes associated with carbon fixation and oxidation of secondary alcohols. The importance of niche cofactors has long been recognized however, detailed understanding about their biosynthesis and physiological uses has been lagging. One class of niche cofactors is derived from ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs). To achieve their mature form, the genetically …

Artificial Emotional Intelligence In Socially Assistive Robots, Hojjat Abdollahi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Artificial Emotional Intelligence (AEI) bridges the gap between humans and machines by demonstrating empathy and affection towards each other. This is achieved by evaluating the emotional state of human users, adapting the machine’s behavior to them, and hence giving an appropriate response to those emotions. AEI is part of a larger field of studies called Affective Computing. Affective computing is the integration of artificial intelligence, psychology, robotics, biometrics, and many more fields of study. The main component in AEI and affective computing is emotion, and how we can utilize emotion to create a more natural and productive relationship between humans …

A Study Of The Cultural And Geological Environment Of The Magic Mountain Site In Golden, Colorado, Brianna K. Dalessandro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Magic Mountain site, located in Golden, Colorado, has been the subject of intensive academic studies since the 1950s because of its extensive artifact assemblage and long habitation periods. The aim of this thesis was to use ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, GIS models, and lithic analysis to further study when and how the Magic Mountain site was used during prehistoric times and contextualize a variety of hypotheses about site habitation and migratory patterns of prehistoric people in Colorado.

The results of these analyses indicate the habitation and migratory pattern of the Magic Mountain site was a periodic, but consistent, proximal visitation …

Plant Community Response To Control Of A Dominant Invader At Multiple Scales, Alexander R. B. Goetz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Control of invasive Tamarix spp. in riparian systems has long been a priority for management in western North America, but questions remain regarding the response of the broader plant community to different treatments. Here we summarize a series of approaches at different scales to quantify the effects of Tamarix control on characteristics of this ecosystem, including provisioning of wildlife habitat. In the first chapter we analyzed findings of the last 20 years using meta-analysis and found that although treatment has been successful in reducing Tamarix and promoting native vegetation to some extent, most literature reports very small effect sizes and …

Developing Red Fluorescent Zn2+ Sensors And Characterizing Zn2+ Homeostasis In Mucolipidosis Type Iv Disease, Anna M. Dischler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Zinc (Zn²⁺) is a divalent, redox-inert metal that plays a vital role in many cellular processes either by acting as a catalytic cofactor or a labile signaling molecule in the cytoplasm. Cytosolic Zn²⁺ levels are tightly regulated to stay within a narrow window of concentrations, but fluctuations in Zn²⁺ signals have been detected in a variety of cells. We developed a genetically encoded, single red fluorescent protein (RFP) based Zn²⁺ sensor, RZnP1, that can be used alongside green-wavelength sensors for the simultaneous detection of different signaling molecules within the same cells or among different subcellular …

The Evolutionary Causes And Consequences Of Mammalian Hybridization, Kelsie E. Hunnicutt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The natural recombination of divergent genomes within hybrid offspring provides windows through which we can study evolutionary processes and the dynamics of speciation. In this work, I use a combination of comparative and population genomics on both laboratory crosses of divergent rodent lineages and a hybrid zone of cottontail rabbits in the wild to study the causes and consequences of hybridization in mammals. Hybrid sterility is a common reproductive barrier between species that tends to preferentially manifest in the heterogametic sex and frequently genetically maps to the sex chromosomes. Thus, the sex chromosomes appear to play a special role in …

Let It Go: Cognitive Strategy Use Selectively Changes Temporal Context Effects In Risky Monetary Decision-Making, Hayley R. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Some of the most influential modern theories of risky monetary decision-making assume that choices result from stable, trait-like preferences, invariant to contextual influences such as recent events. Recent research has challenged this assumption, demonstrating that decisions under risk, even when values and their probabilities are explicit and known, are contextually sensitive, affected by recent events on multiple timescales, including immediate (previous monetary outcomes), neighborhood (recently encountered values), and global (cumulative earnings relative to dynamic expectations) events. Such temporal context-dependencies are perplexing, because relying on recent events at any timescale is inconsistent with the assumed goal of risky monetary decision-making: to …

Post-Translational Modification Of Proteins Via Ambient Air Pollutants And Endogenous Reactive Species, Rachel Lauren Davey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proteins can react with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) to form post-translational modifications (PTMs), which can affect protein structure and function. The formation of 3-nitrotyrosine (NTyr) and dityrosine (DiTyr) upon reaction of proteins with ROS/RNS are two common PTMs studied due to their stability and irreversibility, as well as their ability to enhance the allergenicity of pollen allergens upon formation. Many common techniques used to study the formation of these PTMs can reliably detect the PTMs but can only provide semi-quantitative information due to many assumptions and limitations. In Chapter 2 we present an analysis of …

Identifying The Role Of Phospholipase D1 And Phosphatidic Acid In Exocytosis, Broderick L. Bills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exocytosis is an essential process for intercellular communication in eukaryotic cells. This process involves significant changes in membrane curvature, and lipids and curvature-sensing proteins can assist these processes. One protein in particular, phospholipase D1 (PLD1), and its product, the lipid phosphatidic acid (PA), are involved in multiple exocytic processes. However, PLD1 and PA’s role in this process has remained unclear. In this work, PLD1 and the production of PA were visualized during exocytosis, and PA localization to regions of membrane curvature was established. Together, these results support the hypothesis that PLD1 production of PA stabilizes negative curvature during membrane fusion. …

Process Depletion In Emotion Regulation, Christian Capistrano Boeckner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to regulate emotions via reappraisal is considered an important skill that is associated with greater well-being. However, the effectiveness of emotion regulation is impacted by individual differences, and its adaptiveness may vary depending on context. For example individuals from vulnerable populations such as children and mothers in the context of poverty often demonstrate less optimal reappraisal, that is in turn associated with maladaptive behaviors. Given its consequence on mental health, it is critical to understand mechanisms that influence reappraisal to maximize its adaptive consequences. The current study explored conditions that could either facilitate or impair reappraisal success. We …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Amlodipine Besylate Based Sub-Cutaneous Implants: Fabricated With The Help Of Hot Melt Extrusion, Kshitij Chitnis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension (HTN) can lead to heart attack, cardiac arrest, or coronary heart disease, and eventually death without proper treatment. Amlodipine Besylate (AMB) was approved by, US Food and Drug Administration in 1987, as a monotherapy for the management of HTN. AMB is commercially available in tablet (2.5, 5, and 10 mg) and solution (1mg/mL) dosage forms. However, adherence to the properly prescribed dosage form is critical and difficult for patients with chronic diseases such as HTN to prevent illness progression and death. The objective of the study was to develop AMB-loaded subcutaneous implants to reduce the frequency of administration, thus, …

Formulation And Evaluation Of Prochlorperazine Maleate Sustained Release Mucoadhesive Buccal Films Using Hot Melt Extrusion, Umesh Chandra Chowdary Devineni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many patients find it difficult to swallow tablets or hard gelatin capsules and fail to comply with prescriptions, resulting in a high incidence of noncompliance and ineffective treatment. Well, in recent years, buccal drug delivery has gained significant attention as a potential alternative to traditional drug delivery systems. Prochlorperazine Maleate is a widely used antiemetic drug for treating nausea and vomiting caused by various medical conditions. However, its oral administration is associated with poor bioavailability and inconsistent therapeutic effects. To overcome these limitations this study aims to develop sustained release mucoadhesive buccal films of Prochlorperazine Maleate using the Hot Melt …

Leveling Up: Implementing Supportive Practices To Address The Needs Of Students Impacted By Trauma In An Urban Charter School, Altovise Boyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood trauma is a worldwide issue impacting children as young as toddlers and infants. Children exposed to traumatic events are at a greater risk of having cognitive and academic concerns. Additionally, children impacted by trauma are more likely to exhibit internalizing and externalizing behaviors than their peers who have not been exposed to a traumatic event. The purpose of this mixed-methods applied research study was to support the social-emotional needs of students impacted by trauma by implementing trauma-informed practices. An action plan was developed and implemented to address the three elements of the action plan. The first element was the …

The Enduring Tradition Of Toxic Masculinity In French Literature, Hailey Caroline Kaim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Toxic masculinity, the modern definition has given a concise explanation to what French literature has been relaying to audiences for centuries. This thesis will explore how toxic masculinity is seen in French literature through five time periods: the Medieval era, 17th, 18th, 20th, and 21st century. Introducing toxic masculinity is provided by a modern definition, biological evidence, and evaluation with society’s definition of masculinity. The Medieval era will investigate two short stories of courtly love that provide readers with classical examples of toxic masculinity that both men and women displayed. Venturing into the 17th and 18th centuries, plays brought the …

Photophysical Characterization Of Small Organic Molecules Via Time-Resolved And Steady-State Spectroscopic Techniques, Cameron Luke Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes in detail the photophysical characterization of novel organic dyes in the infrared region for bioimaging purposes in a rapidly evolving field which originates from the need for more efficient and bright systems that are capable of replacing current commercial options and functioning in biologically relevant media. Biological tissue, whether it be muscle, adipose, or epithelium, has a higher scattering efficiency, greater light attenuation, and stronger autofluorescence at shorter wavelengths, thus limiting the biological window to longer wavelengths. The goal of this dissertation was the comparison of novel organic dyes for commercial development as bioimaging dye candidates with …

Exploration Of Chemical Transformations Of Pentafluoro-Gem-Diols And Their Utility In Drug Discovery, Baharul Islam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Methods for creating fluorinated organic molecules are highly valuable in drug discovery and synthetic organic chemistry. Fluorine has been found to enhance desirable properties of organic molecules, leading to an increasing number of pharmaceuticals containing fluorine. The research studies in this dissertation center around the synthetic utility of pentafluoro-gem-diols, which are precursors of fluorinated building blocks. Using pentafluoro-gem-diols, we have discovered new synthetic methods to create valuable fluorinated molecules such as difluoro-β-amino ketones, difluoroethanols, pentafluorohemiketals, and pentafluoroisopropanols. Prior methods for making α,α-difluoro-β-amino ketones required multiple steps and the use of an unstable starting material. We have developed a one-step method …

Development And Characterization Of An Intravenous Formulation Containing Paclitaxel-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles And Doxycycline, Navya Nalajala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the fifth-most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. It is often difficult to detect in its early stages, leading to a higher mortality rate. There are several types of ovarian cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer, germ cell ovarian cancer, and stromal ovarian cancer, which is the most common type among all of them. The exact causes of ovarian cancer are not fully understood. Paclitaxel (PTX), a chemotherapeutic agent, is currently used as the first-line agent in combined therapy for epithelial OC. Doxycycline (DOX) is a Tetracycline class of antibiotics, currently emerging as a chemotherapeutic agent …

Social Anxiety And Engagement In Risky Behaviors: Exploring The Role Of Emotion Regulation, Carey J. Sevier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a chronic, prevalent disorder that is characterized by persistent and marked fear of social situations when there is potential for negative evaluation from others. Although SAD is typically characterized by inhibition and escape behaviors, some research suggests some individuals with SAD display approach-oriented behaviors wherein individuals engage in greater risky behaviors (e.g., aggression, sexual impulsivity, substance use). This approach-oriented presentation appears to have an earlier onset, greater symptoms severity and greater functional impairment. Emotion regulation (ER) is the ability to use strategies to engage in goal directed behavior. ER difficulties have been shown to be …

Sustained And Improved Ophthalmic Formulations Of Gatifloxacin For Better Therapeutic Outcomes During Topical Ocular Applications, Poorva Hemant Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gatifloxacin (GTX) is a broad-spectrum 4th generation antimicrobial fluroquinolone used in the treatment of ocular infections such as conjunctivitis, keratitis and keratoconjuctivitis. GTX (as a sesquihydrate) is commercially available as aqueous eyedrops for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis (BC) which requires frequent administration due to low residence time on the conjunctival surface. The eye is a highly specialized photoreceptive organ, which is protected by a continuous tear flow containing antibacterial components. However, inflammation or scarring of the eye may be difficult to resolve once having occurred. Furthermore, initial infections if ignored are likely to invade the inner portions of the …

Determining Background Deep-Time Critical Zone Conditions In Mississippi Preceding The Onset Of Paleocene-Eocene Hyperthermals, Savannah Reese Rathbun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hyperthermals are periods of extremely rapid global warming. In order to understand the magnitude of hyperthermals, a more complete understanding of background conditions must be established. My goal is to study the paleoclimatic conditions that existed prior to the onset of Paleocene- Eocene hyperthermal events in order to establish background conditions. Relatively thick Paleocene and Eocene sedimentary units ideal for this study are present in the Mississippi Embayment (MSE), a major southwest- dipping sedimentary basin in the Gulf of Mexico coastal region of North America. The MSE contains an extensive record of Paleocene strata that were deposited prior to the …

Entrepreneurs Want More Than Just Money: The Role Of Subjective Entrepreneurial Success In Predicting Entrepreneur’S Grief Following Venture Failure, Joseph Richard Schaefer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focal topics of this dissertation are subjective entrepreneurial success (SES) and grief. Over the past three decades, the budding SES literature has seen accelerating growth since its conceptual inception in 1987, with 2016 marking a key event in the literature – the formal naming and definition of the SES construct. Research on the SES construct is of interest to scholars because it complements the objective economic conceptualizations of success often seen in the entrepreneurship literature, highlighting the idiosyncratic ways that entrepreneurs conceptualize and evaluate their success.

To contribute to the SES literature, Essay One of my three-essay dissertation, I …