Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis, Characterization, And Catalytic Activity Of Functionalized Metal Bis(Thiosemicarbazones)., Caleb Aaron Calvary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bis-(thiosemicarbazones) are a class of ligands that have found a wide range of uses from electrocatalysts to medicinal and diagnostic reagents. These ligands contain a diimine backbone, N₂S₂ chelating core, and pendent amines. In order to further explore this class of ligands, the previously underreported transamination reaction, which exchanges one pendent amine group for another, was utilized to create several derivatives using aliphatic and aromatic amines. The transamination reaction is appealing alternative to making the desired thiosemicarbazide. Further appeals come from the fact that it is a one-pot reaction that gives highly pure products in good yields. …

Development And Validation Of Biosafety Climate Scale And Survey-Based Analyses Of Safety Perceptions In Biological Research And Teaching Laboratories At Public Universities In The Usa., Sivarchana Mareedu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biosafety plays a key role in ensuring safety of researchers’ as well as the public from unintentional exposures to infectious agents. However, the occurrence of lab acquired infections, exposures, and safety lapses in biological laboratories underscores challenges in biosafety program management. The raise in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic reiterates the need for biosafety and research community to work together. Literature recommends the application of safety climate in measuring safety culture. The goal of this dissertation is to quantify biosafety climate and examine associated factors to understand the gaps between research and biosafety professionals in …

Signal Fingerprinting And Machine Learning Framework For Uav Detection And Identification., Olusiji Oloruntobi Medaiyese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advancement in technology has led to creative and innovative inventions. One such invention includes unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs (also known as drones) are now an intrinsic part of our society because their application is becoming ubiquitous in every industry ranging from transportation and logistics to environmental monitoring among others. With the numerous benign applications of UAVs, their emergence has added a new dimension to privacy and security issues. There are little or no strict regulations on the people that can purchase or own a UAV. For this reason, nefarious actors can take advantage of these aircraft to intrude into …

Concurrent Reporting Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Perspectives Of Adolescents And Caregivers., Katie J. Berghuis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The consequences of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) events in youth have predominantly been studied through retrospective studies that assess adults’ first 18 years of life or caregiver report of ACEs in youth. Reliance on only caregiver report to discern ACEs is a limitation amongst prior studies as research has found that caregivers tend to underestimate ACEs among their children, and there is even a greater discrepancy of reporting between caregivers and youth 12 years and older. Therefore, this study investigated concurrent reporting of self-report ACE scores in adolescents – defined in this study as 12 to 20 years old – …

Metabolic-Epigenetic Regulation Of Macrophage Polarization., Jordan T. Noe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tumor-associated macrophages polarized to an M2 phenotype (M2-TAMs) promote neo-angiogenesis, tumor-stromal matrix remodeling, and immuno-evasion, which, collectively, contribute to immunotherapeutic resistance and reduced cancer patient survival. Highly glycolytic “Warburg” cancer cells produce lactate that independently drives naïve M0→immunosuppressive M2 (M0→M2) macrophage polarization, but the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The atypical cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a fundamental underlying requirement for immunosuppressive M2 macrophage polarization. Still, it is unknown whether a molecular link exists between lactate-supported and MIF-dependent M2 macrophage polarization. Using a combination of gene expression assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and metabolomic analyses, we identified that M2 …

Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomics And Lipidomics., Fang Yuan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metabolomics and lipidomics studies are important to understand living organisms at the molecular level. In this dissertation, I conducted various untargeted and targeted metabolomics and lipidomics studies using mass spectrometry based analytical platforms. Firstly, I investigated the androgen depletion effects on fecal metabolites in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus and metabolite biomarkers for colorectal cancer using two-dimensional gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Secondly, I investigated the relationship between gut microbiota-mediated resistance and susceptibility to malaria and the production of short-chain fatty acids using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thirdly, I developed a high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to profile long-chain …

A Study Of Arab And South Asian American Men With Immigrant-Family Origins In New-Immigrant Destinations., Jack Trey Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination of Arab and South Asian American men’s (1) experiences and perceptions of discrimination and belonging in two non-traditional immigrant destinations in the United States (U.S.) south, and (2) their performance of masculinities in response to Muslim women’s experiences with Islamophobia. I use intersectional theory, theories of race and racism, theories of gender, theories on belonging, and grounded theory to analyze 23 qualitative semi-structured interviews with Arab and South Asian men who live in one large city and one rural town in the U.S. south. I find that upper-, middle-, and working-class Arab and South Asian …

Electrochemical Characterization Of Surface-Immobilized Metal Nanostructures: Stability, Atomic Level Doping, Catalysis, And Sensing Applications., Badri Prasad Mainali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation has two main themes. The first theme involves voltammetric analysis of the stability of Au nanoparticles (NPs) under electrochemical and thermal treatment as a function of size, ligand stabilizer, and atomic composition. The second theme involves the use of Au NPs, electrophoretic deposition (EPD), and anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) for electrochemical detection of analytes. The electrochemical size stability of 4.1, 15.1, and 50.3 nm average diameter Au NPs upon treatment with multiple electrochemical oxidation-reduction cycling in acidic electrolyte is monitored by observing changes in the peak oxidation potential (E_p) in ASV and the electrochemically measured surface …

Community Structure And Dynamics Of Benthic Macroinvertebrates In A Recreated Headwater Stream System On A Valley Fill In A Retrofitted Watershed Located In The Appalachian Coalfields Of Southeastern Kentucky (U.S.A.), Steven W. Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The extraction of coal from steep-gradient surface mining sites such as in the Appalachian Coalfields of the U.S. produces excess debris that is often placed in adjacent valleys resulting in the creation of valley fills. Not only are headwater streams buried in the process, but watershed functions are either destroyed outright, or become fragmented and disconnected from adjacent ecosystems resulting in adverse effects to downstream biological communities. In this dissertation, the dynamics of stream macroinvertebrate community structure, composition, diversity, and biotic integrity are assessed at a “proof of concept” stream system recreated on a retrofitted valley fill. For comparison, two …

Histone Deacetylases In Alcohol Associated Liver Disease., Srineil Bodduluri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse is endemic worldwide and there is no FDA approved treatment for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD). Many scholars have posited that targeting Histone Deacetylases (HDAC) may be therapeutic in ALD intervention. In this study, the changes in hepatic gene expression and immune phenotyping of mice undergoing chronic plus binge alcohol exposure was examined. The characterization of relative mRNA levels for all 18 HDAC were performed. Results showed decreased expression of the genes HDAC 1,7,9,10,11 and Sirtuin enzymes (SIRT) 3,4,5,7. Other pathways related to lipid metabolism as well as systemic inflammation and hepatic injury also exhibited significant changes. These altered …

Micellar Nanocatalysis For Efficient Reactions., Uyen T Duong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water is considered a green, sustainable, and inexpensive solvent for organic synthesis. However, performing organic reactions in water is especially challenging due to the inherent insolubility of substrates and catalysts. Inspired from Nature, where chemistry happens in water, micellar catalysis has recently gained much attention, especially for applications in pharmaceutical industry. Aqueous micelles are generally formed by amphiphile`s self-aggregation, a particular class of molecules possessing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components. The aqueous micelle contains a hydrophobic cavity, which allows the lipophilic substrates and catalyst to go inside micelles, allowing their much higher localized concentration that enhances the reaction rates and …

Recent Studies On The Synthesis Of Medicinal Molecules., Paige Monsen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medicinal chemistry interfaces synthetic organic chemistry, natural product chemistry and chemical biology, with a goal of yielding therapeutic agents. Natural products or compounds derived from natural sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, are often biologically active and render that compound a likely drug lead. For thousands of years humankind has utilized natural products for medicinal purposes and consequently scientists take advantage of both these compounds’ core structural characteristics and their modes of actions on selected targets as inspiration to develop therapeutics. Because the total synthesis of such complex molecules can be cumbersome and expensive, semi-synthetic methods on isolated natural …

Micelles And Lipid Nanoparticles: Catalysis And Biomedical Application., Faisal Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

RNA-based therapeutics is a rapidly expanding field due to its enormous potential for treatment of diseases through knockdown of genes or expression of therapeutic proteins. However, due to the overall negative-charge of an RNA molecule, RNA-based therapeutics must rely on delivery systems to overcome the various biological barriers for ultimate release of an RNA payload into the cytosol. Over the past three decades, the development of lipid-based RNA delivery systems, especially lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), have been comprehensively studied due to their unique properties. LNPs represent the most widely used delivery systems for RNA-based therapeutics, as evidenced by the clinical approvals …

Electrical Characterization Of Phytoplankton Suspensions Using Impedance Spectroscopy., Margaret R Jett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phytoplankton are closely monitored because of their important environmental role, and the impacts they have on their local ecosystems. Some phytoplankton respond to stress by producing lipids, which can be harvested for biofuels and other chemicals. Microfluidic devices have been important in improving the portability and throughput of phytoplankton characterization methods, increasing their potential for in situ use. This study utilized a small sample of phytoplankton suspended in a stagnant medium and measured the impedance response using a lab-on-chip and impedance analyzer. The individual cell characteristics were derived from the impedance response of the group. The goal was to characterize …

Room Temperature Alkali Treatment Of Rice Straw For Enhanced Enzymatic Hydrolysis., Seth Mains

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the pollution of fossil fuels due to greenhouse emissions, researchers continue to search for alternative methods that allow for the clean production of energy, fuels, and polymer fibers. A method currently under investigation is the use of lignocellulosic biomass as a solution to current problems with energy and polymer fiber production. Through the process of pretreatment, possibilities for lignocellulosic biomass expand due to improved accessibility of the cellulose and hemicellulose which can be broken down via enzymatic hydrolysis into C5 and C6 sugars such as xylose and glucose. This study investigated the fermentation of the rice straw into …

Conversion Of Multicellds Digital Snapshots To Isa-Tab Format., Corey P. Chitwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The MultiCellular Data Standard (MultiCellDS) is an interdisciplinary effort to create a data standard for sharing multicellular experimental, simulation, and clinical data. The ultimate goal of the overall project is to allow for data sharing that will lead to better analyses and simulations for multicellular biology and predictive medicine in association with the PhysiCell, a software that allows for simulations of large numbers of cells in 3D tissues. Digital cell lines are files that contain a standardized representation of a biological cell line and include phenotypic parameters as well as microenvironmental conditions for use in simulations. A Digital Cell Line …

Wetting And Drying Dynamics For Tio2 With Pbs Quantum Dots., Kelly M. Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Initial solar cells utilized silicon and alloys for their economic viability. Photoelectrochemical photovoltaic cells were discovered with technological advancement which increased solar efficiency and further improved economic feasibility leading to quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Lead sulfide quantum dots and titanium dioxide were studied for wetting and drying effects. Zeta potential, pH values, SEM, and optical microscopes quantified or observed the colloidal suspension and dried sample behavior. Combined mixtures of lead sulfide and titania were dried at 3.6 pH and 12.56 pH values. This due to the observed zeta potential isoelectric point of titania, and behavior showed increased stability occurring …

The Study Of Copper Corrosion Mechanisms Using Electrochemical Experimental Techniques., Evan Grimm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and thoroughly explain the corrosion mechanisms of copper in saltwater, tap water and deionized water, and to apply these methods and findings when testing the corrosion mechanisms of other materials. The experimental procedure consisted of measuring the open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, and Tafel analysis.

The copper was found to corrode at a greater rate in saltwater, followed by tap water then deionized water, with a larger difference between saltwater and tap water than between tap water and deionized water. Each reaction was found to be both kinetically …

Leadership Qualities Of Female Presidents Serving The Tennessee Colleges Of Applied Technology System, Kelli Kea-Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to examine the leadership styles and characteristics of leadership of 11 female presidents in the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology system. The administrators’ perceptions of successful leadership, desirable outcomes of institutional leadership, and improvements resulting from perceived successful leadership styles that guided each participant’s work as a technical college president were examined. Using the research questions guiding this study, data were collected from individual, in-depth interviews with each female, technical college president. The analysis of the interviews identified the leadership styles of democratic, situational and participative as being the most common among …

Spatial Analyses Of Gray Fossil Site Vertebrate Remains: Implications For Depositional Setting And Site Formation Processes, David Carney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project uses exploratory 3D geospatial analyses to assess the taphonomy of the Gray Fossil Site (GFS). During the Pliocene, the GFS was a forested, inundated sinkhole that accumulated biological materials between 4.9-4.5 mya. This deposit contains fossils exhibiting different preservation modes: from low energy lacustrine settings to high energy colluvial deposits. All macro-paleontological materials have been mapped in situ using survey-grade instrumentation. Vertebrate skeletal material from the site is well-preserved, but the degree of skeletal articulation varies spatially within the deposit. This analysis uses geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze the distribution of mapped specimens at different spatial scales. …

Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces): Assessing Their Impact On Mental Health Outcomes Among Us Children And The Mitigating Role Of Resilience, Glory Okwori

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ACEs are traumatic life events occurring during childhood that can have negative effects. Common mental disorders that are diagnosed in childhood are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavior disorders, anxiety and depression. The associations between ACEs and such problems in children have not been significantly examined. There are protective factors that can help reduce the effects of exposure to ACEs that have not been fully explored.

The purpose of this research study was to examine: 1) the prevalence of mental health outcomes in children; 2) the associations between ACEs, resilience and mental health outcomes; and 3) the role of resiliency as a …

Examining Predictors Of Attitudes And Knowledge Of Registered Nurses And Nursing Students In Tennessee Toward Pregnant And Perinatal Women With A Substance Use Disorder, Jessica Patrylo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use disorders (SUDs) among pregnant and perinatal women continue to be a national public health crisis. Furthermore, nursing students and perinatal nurses have historically negative and punitive attitudes toward this vulnerable population of women. As nurses are primary care providers for pregnant and perinatal women, this is troublesome as perinatal patients express feeling stigmatized by nurses whom they should be able to trust. This contributes to the reluctance of women to seek needed medical and prenatal care. Tennessee was the first state to criminalize drug use in pregnancy and has higher neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) rates, which were more …

The Impact Of Natural Playscapes On Toddler Play, Laura J. Pearce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A distinct lack of data related to the impact of natural environments on children birth to age 3 was identified by a thematic review of the existing literature. With this in mind, the researcher designed a limited scope quantitative study to explore the potential for extending the existing body of research to include this younger age. The study used a time sampling method to code behaviors that occurred in videos collected of children from 12 to 35 month who were playing on the playground at their childcare facility. The playscapes were classified as naturalistic or manufactured. The data was then …

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Fiber Ultramicroelectrodes As Electrochemical Sensors For Detection Of Hydrogen Peroxide, Eric Wornyo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes (CF-UMEs) are commonly used as electrochemical probes and sensors due to their small size, fast response, and high signal-to-noise ratio. Surface modification strategies are often employed on CF-UMEs to improve their selectivity and sensitivity for desired applications. However, many modification methods are cumbersome and require expensive equipment. In this study, a simple approach known as soft nitriding is used to prepare nitrogen-doped CF-UMEs (N-CF-UMEs). Nitrogen groups introduced via soft nitriding act as electrocatalytic sites for the breakage of O-O bonds during the reduction of peroxides like H₂O₂, a common target of biosensing strategies. …

Bilateral Ground Reaction Force Jumping Asymmetry And Performance, Keith Painter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of asymmetry in performance research has increased in recent years with mixed results. Much of the performance research has focused on unilateral jumping activities attempting to show relationships to other performance variables. However, bilateral ground reaction forces (bGRF) from jumps are more frequently assessed in athlete monitoring programs and the asymmetry from those jumps could be a simple addition to data already being collected. Research into bGRF asymmetries is lacking and no studies have addressed longitudinal changes. Additionally, research into the relationship of asymmetries to performance have infrequently used athletes. For these reasons, this dissertation will focus on …

Interpersonal Needs And Suicide Risk: Examining Indirect Effects Of Internal Hostility And Feeling Forgiven, Kelley C. Berto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is a national public health concern, and unmet interpersonal needs (i.e., perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness) may contribute to enhanced risk. However, mechanisms of action and certain protective variables are not well understood. The present study examined simple mediation models, with internal hostility as a mechanism of action between interpersonal needs and suicide risk. Additionally, our study examined the moderating role of various aspects of receiving forgiveness on the association between interpersonal needs and internal hostility in these simple mediation models. A community-based convenience sample was surveyed (N=712). Our findings indicated that internal hostility partially mediated the association …

Self-Reported Health Among Sexual Minorities In The United States, Christopher Burton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature on LGBTQ+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual minorities) reports that this community experiences greater health problems than heterosexuals. LGBTQ+ people experience higher rates of chronic conditions, STIs, addiction, poor mental health, and cancer, which highlights the importance of capturing data regarding health. A growing concern is that social surveys fail to find meaningful ways to gather gender and sexuality data to understand possible health disparities for LGBTQ+ people. This study uses data from the General Social Survey to examine the physical and mental health outcomes of LGB people compared to straight people in a …

Isotopic Analysis And Mobility Mapping Of Mammuthus Columbi From The Mammoth Site In South Dakota, Matthew Harrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota preserves a unique death assemblage of sub-adult and adult male Columbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi). Extensive work on the site has led to a detailed understanding of the taphonomy of the assemblage; yet the life histories and ecology of these mammoths remain relatively unknown. Tooth enamel from four Mammoth Site mammoth individuals were bulk sampled with one of the individuals (MSL 742) also serially micro-sampled for 𝛿¹³C, 𝛿¹⁸O, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. Isotopic results indicate that MSL 742 remained within the southern and western Black Hills …

Evidence-Based Program Selection And Duration Of Implementation Of Social-Emotional Learning As Related To Student Growth And Non-Academic Outcomes, Colleen K. Weems

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, nonexperimental study addressed the gap between research-established benefits and outcomes of social-emotional learning implementation as compared to actual instances of implementation. It has been suggested that social-emotional learning as a systemic initiative is necessary for school health (Elias et al., 2013). Additionally, most educators relay some confidence in the importance of social-emotional learning; however, around half report actual implementation within their school (Atwell & Bridgeland, 2019).

Focusing on social-emotional learning as a whole as well as the specificity of use of CASEL SELect programs, the research questions of this study explored differences between implementation and usage, length of …

Educator Perceptions Of Generational Poverty, Adverse Childhood Experiences And Student Learning, Rachel Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine educators perceptions of the effects of generational poverty and adverse childhood experiences on student learning and to understand the factors that might facilitate breaking the cycle of generational poverty and adverse childhood experiences with respect to student learning.

Data collection strategies included individual interviews and document review. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: categorization of data, building the explanation in narrative form and reexamination of the data. The analysis of the data was based on Payne’s idea of generational poverty and the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences(ACE) study.

The credibility …