Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Of A Novel Heritable Rodent Model Of Drug Abuse Vulnerability In Psychosis And Investigation Of Therapeutic Targets, Loren D. Peeters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder of largely unknown etiology that is often accompanied by high rates of cigarette smoking, reduced quit success, and high relapse rates. Dysregulated dopamine signaling and aberrant synaptic plasticity in the mesocorticolimbic pathway are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and conferred substance abuse disorder and relapse vulnerability. Genetic factors are presumed to play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia, with a 40-50% concordance rate for monozygotic twins, although genetic markers are inconsistent. As such, epigenetic factors have instead been implicated. Specifically, there is strong evidence to suggest DNA methylation at several candidate …

Healthcare Providers’ Screening And Counseling For Tobacco Use Among Youth In The United States: Prevalence, Practices, And Providers’ Perspectives, Adeola Omolade Ayo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Youth tobacco use is a public health concern in the United States (U.S.) with about 2.8 million middle and high school youth reporting current tobacco use in 2023. Healthcare providers (HCPs) can play a crucial role in addressing youth tobacco use through screening and counseling, yet rates of these interventions are suboptimal. Tennessee has a high prevalence of youth tobacco use and not much is known about these interventions in Northeast Tennessee. This study has several objectives: 1) conduct a scoping review of available evidence on screening and counseling for youth tobacco use and identify related gaps; 2) assess youth …

Design And Validation Of A Test For Teachers: Measuring Knowledge Of Trauma, Jennifer B. Bilbrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research and interest in trauma-informed pedagogy have grown substantially. Trauma-informed pedagogy includes knowledge of trauma symptoms, associated behaviors, and environmental and instructional trauma-informed strategies. Various scales measure attitudes and experiences with trauma-informed practices; however, the literature suggests a lack of validated tests measuring teachers' knowledge of trauma. Reliable and valid tests measuring knowledge are critical when determining the professional development needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers. This multi-phase study aimed to fulfill this need by creating the Teachers’ Knowledge of Trauma (TKOT) test. With the guidance of literature and qualitative data from eight early childhood professional peers, a 50-item …

Familial Sex Trafficking In East Tennessee, Mary K. Brannock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was completed in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Public Health program at East Tennessee State University. The dissertation follows the Manuscript Format which includes three manuscripts, these manuscripts regard familial sex trafficking and are as follows, a scoping review, an empirical study on regional familial sex trafficking, and a policy implications paper on criminal record relief for survivors of familial sex trafficking.

The scoping review includes eight peer reviewed studies on familial sex trafficking and a summary of grey literature. Thematic analysis was used to map the existing literature onto the Three Ps of human trafficking: Prevention, …

Role Of Arabidopsis Ltp12 In Environmental Stress Response, Bikram Giri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) constitute a pervasive class of small proteins implicated in many biological and physiological processes, including seed development, germination, cuticle formation, and abiotic stress responses. In this study, we explored the role of Arabidopsis LTP12 protein in mitigating environmental stresses. To address this, we analyzed the T-DNA knockout mutant ltp12, focusing on its responses to salinity and osmotic stress. Utilizing antioxidant enzyme assays, phenotypic analyses (including water loss, chlorophyll content, seed germination rates, root length, and relative water content), and lipid profile analysis via Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), we found that ltp12 mutants showed reduced catalase and …

Characterization Of The Role Of Tobacco Deacetylase Enzyme Sip-428 In Mediating Environmental Stress, Zahra Barati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abiotic stress poses a significant threat to crop productivity and food security. In this study, we focused on understanding the role of SIP-428, a SABP2-interacting protein, in mediating plant responses to environmental stresses. Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing SIP-428 were subjected to salinity and drought stress. The overexpression of SIP-428 led to diminished growth under both stress conditions, indicating a negative impact on stress tolerance. Specifically, SIP-428 overexpression resulted in a reduction in catalase activity, while peroxidase activity remained unaffected. These findings suggest that SIP-428 plays a negative regulatory role on the catalase activity during abiotic stress, which may contribute to …

No Tolerance For Zero Tolerance: Teacher Perceptions Of Restorative Practices, Meghann Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The original design of zero-tolerance policies was meant to support school safety through an anti-drug and violence campaign but in the years following their implementation, school districts have employed them repeatedly without merit. Exclusionary practices have become controversial, leading to high rates of recidivism, imbalanced implementation toward minority groups, and the loss of learning while suspended or expelled. Just as effective educators respond and intervene to instructional practices that are not proving successful, an overhaul of disciplinary practices was necessary for academic and emotional health. Restorative practices have emerged in recent years as an alternative process to the antiquated system …

The Beast In The Beauty: An Analysis Of Cultural Gender Biases And Stereotypes In The Classic Fairy Tale “Beauty And The Beast” And Implications In Modern Retellings, Lauren Lefler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis looks at the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast to examine the way that this tale has been used throughout history to address the concerns of young women, as well as reinforce the culturally accepted gender roles of the time of their publication. The first chapter defines the fairy tale genre and features some of the most common criticism on the genre, it will then define and offer critical perspectives on the monster bridegroom motif which Beauty and the Beast is a part of. The second chapter will look at the first two publications of the text, the …

An Exploratory Study Of The Southern Subculture Of Honor In East Tennessee, Rachel Cohen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The culture of honor theory proposed by Nisbett and Cohen (1996) addresses the historically higher rates of violent crime in the Southern United States, as well as the disparities that can be observed in the laws, beliefs, and social expectations between the South and other regions. Previous research has reported significant differences between the beliefs of acceptable violence among Southerners compared to non-Southerners; however, no research has been conducted comparing different demographic groups of Southerners. The current study sought to evaluate whether there were observable differences between various demographic attributes such as gender, race, age, educational attainment, political affiliation, prior …

Changes In Young Adults’ Perspective On Ageism After Participating In A Virtual Nutrition Education Program With Older Adults, Julianne Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growing older adult population has led to increased ageist tendencies among younger generations. Previous research suggests that ageism is associated with cognitive and physical decline among older adults. This mixed-methods research project examined changes in ageist perceptions among graduate student facilitators and undergraduate nutrition ambassadors after participating in a training that included information about healthy aging, addressing ageism, and communicating with older adults. Results from a secondary data analysis of pre-test/post-test data and thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with facilitators of Socially Nutritious, a virtual nutrition education program for older adults, indicate that ageist perceptions decreased after the …

An Investigation Into The Structural Features That Control Factor Xiii Stability And Substrate Specificity., Rameesa Darul Amne Syed Mohammed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factor XIII (FXIII) is a transglutaminase enzyme with multiple physiological roles that is found in plasma and cells of bone marrow origin. The catalytic A subunit (FXIII-A) is made of an N-terminal activation peptide (AP), β-sandwich, catalytic core, and two β-barrel domains. FXIII crosslinks the sidechains of glutamine (Q) and lysine (K) residues across plasmatic and cellular substrates. Because of its involvement in clot stabilization and determining fibrin clot size, FXIII-A is regarded as a target for developing new anticoagulants with minimal bleeding risks. However, the FXIII-A structural features that control its stability and substrate specificity largely remain unknown. Plasma …

Preventing The Violent (Re)Victimization Of Sexual Minority Populations: The Role Of Social Support Networks., Bryan Charles Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, interpersonal violence affects an important segment of the world population, having deleterious effects on the victims, their families, and societies. Recent scholarship indicates that sexual and gender minority population groups are overrepresented among those who experience or have experienced verbal, psychological, physical, and/or sexual violence. Using an integrative approach, the current study links the past and the present to identify the contextual factors that may increase or decrease the sexual minorities’ risk of violent victimization during adulthood. This dissertation uses as a theoretical framework Bronfenbrenner’s (1977, 1979, 1994) social ecological model of human development as well as its …

You Don’T Look Sick: Epistemic Injustice, Ethos, And Embodied Expertise In Narratives Of Chronic Illness., Caitlin Burns Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project emerges at a cultural moment when diagnoses of chronic illness are increasing, and heightened attention is being paid to gendered medical bias and chronically ill women’s negative experiences both within and outside of the medical system. Analysis of personal narratives written by women and nonbinary people with chronic illnesses revealed deeply entrenched cultural logics related to health and gender and the significant affective and material consequences for the mobilization of those logics. Chapter One of the dissertation describes the exigence of the project in more detail, provides a robust overview of the dissertation’s methods, and reviews related …

Development And Evaluation Of A Modeling Platform For Evaluating Immunotherapeutic Efficacy In The Tumor Microenvironment., Dylan Andrew Goodin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents the complex outcome of numerous tumor, stromal, and immune interactions, and whose composition can significantly affect treatment response. Particularly, immunotherapeutic efficacy is subject to multiple tumor-specific TME interactions that may be difficult to evaluate/predict clinically. Mathematical modelling has been formulated to evaluate specific aspects of the TME, including vasculature, ECM deposition, and immune-tumor interactions. However, the computational challenge of simulating multiple TME interactions has led to sacrificing varying degrees of model generalizability and clinical relevance. This work describes increased computational performance of a 3D continuum model that simulates tumor tissue, ECM, and vasculature using a …

Novel Designs Of Soft Tactile Sensor And Robot Finger Manipulator Based On Optical Fibers., Seokyoung Han

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotic manipulation is one of the main types of automated labor that humans want to achieve in order to free ourselves from mundane and hazardous tasks. The range of realizations could be very broad, from massive industrial robots to highly advanced medical devices for human healthcare. Given the critical nature of these application spaces, they require robust, safe, and most of all versatile designs. In that direction, one of the most interesting topics is the anthropomorphic robotic manipulator. Since it is inspired by human hands’ function and structure, it is able to achieve the aforementioned system requirements. However, the perfect …

Tongue-Tie: Impact On Oropharyngeal Function During Swallow., Kolbie A. Vincent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Swallowing is an intricate process involving over 50 muscle pairs and numerous nerves, with dysphagia resulting from deficits in various stages (Hennessy & Goldenberg, 2016). Lingual restriction may adversely impact swallowing function, affecting bolus preparation, size, and overall efficiency. Tongue-tie can pose challenges to speech, chewing, and swallowing (Becker & Mendez, 2022; Chaubal et al, 2011; García-Pola, M. J., et al., 2002). This pilot study seeks to determine how tongue-tie affects swallowing function in an adult male, and whether surgical revision of a submucosal lingual tether leads to measurable changes in oropharyngeal swallow function. Results showed inconsistent changes in diameter …

Porphyromonas Gingivalis Inactivates Anti-Viral Immunity At The Oral And Respiratory Epithelium., Carlos J. Rodriguez Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The host microbiome plays an important role in fine-tuning host immune responses in a manner that ultimately impacts outcomes in viral infection. Symbiotic relationships between commensal bacteria and host epithelial and immune cells prime interferon (IFN) signaling, modulating the nature and intensity of the immune response to viral infections at mucosal barrier surfaces. In this doctoral thesis, I explore how dysbiotic shifts in the oral microbial communities modulate antiviral responses at the oral and oro-respiratory mucosal barriers. I identified that in response to a viral challenge, gingival epithelial cells (GECs) preferentially induced type III IFNs (IFN-λ), a newly described family …

Electrokinetic Particle Trapping Performance Of Conductive Nanofiber Mats In Microfluidic Wells., Jacob Hunter West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The frequency dependence of electrokinetic particle trapping using large-area (>mm²) conductive carbon nanofiber (CNF) mat electrodes is investigated. The fibers provide nanoscale geometric features for the generation of high electric field gradients, which is necessary for particle trapping via dielectrophoresis (DEP). A device was fabricated with an array of microfluidic wells for repeated experiments; each well included a CNF mat electrode opposing an aluminum electrode. Fluorescent microspheres (1 µm) were trapped at various electric field frequencies between 30 kHz – 1 MHz. Digital images of each well were analyzed to quantify particle trapping. DEP trapping by the …

The Utilization Of Grassroots Organizing By Black Women Pioneers To Achieve Reproductive Justice., Madison Ruth Ellsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since enslavement in the United States Black women have cultivated different ways to fight for their Reproductive Justice. After emancipation Black women have continued to utilize the practices learned from our ancestors to obtain Reproductive Justice. Despite the women’s movement becoming mainstream in the 1960s many Black women continued to grassroots organize to adequately address the issues that were unique to them. The efforts of various Black women organizers tend to go unacknowledged because the mainstream women’s movement attracts the attention of most. In my research I focused on Byllye Avery, Loretta Ross, and Toni Bond to explore and showcase …

Modifiers Of The Effects Of Different Dimensions Of Social Support On Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence., Melissa Amraotkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is a Class I, level A indication for treatment and prevention further complications of CVD. The attendance rate for CR in the U.S. is very low, especially among female patients. Dimensions of social support, sex of the support provider, and the quality of primary intimate relationship are associated with health-promoting behavior and may influence CR adherence in patients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dimensions of social support and CR adherence, and whether these relationships were moderated by factors such …

Anthropogenic Litter In Urban Waterways: An Analysis Of Litter, Urbanization, And The Emerging Role Of Citizen Science In Beargrass Creek, Louisville, Ky., Ella Swigler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addressed the ever growing presence and persistence of anthropogenic litter (AL) in urban waterways. AL has been studied in marine environments, but research gaps exist in riverine ecosystems. Most of the AL that reaches the Earth’s oceans is carried by urban rivers, so understanding the relationship between these waterways and AL is critical in effectively fighting AL accumulation, especially for legacy plastic pollutants. The study explored fifteen sites throughout Beargrass Creek and recorded the quantity and type of AL present throughout the summer and fall of 2023. The National Geographic Marine Debris Tracker App was employed to successfully …

Are The Good Times Really Over For Good? American Political Nostalgia's Relationship With Rurality, Authoritarianism, And Victimhood., Chancellor R. Peterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many discussions about why rural and urban Americans exhibit different attitudes about politics, partisan loyalties, and ideologies. Some of these differences can be explained by psychological processes and traits. People act differently and influence (or are influenced by) political processes differently based on their perceptions of and emotions regarding the past, present, and future states of the world. The same is true with rural and urban Americans. This research will investigate the effects of one potent emotion on political attitudes: nostalgia. Prior research has indicated that political nostalgia can be harnessed as a strong political tool. This thesis …

Do American Bison Practice Democracy? Group Consensus Decision Making Drives Bison Herd Movements And Cohesion., Matthew Sapien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American bison is an iconic mammal that lives in large social herds and is considered a threatened species. Little is known about how bison make decisions as a group, whether through despotic individuals or group consensus. In this dissertation, I researched the mechanisms bison use to make herd movement decisions in 3 herds in the United States. In chapter one I examined the number of bison that participated in voting events for herd movement decisions and whether the final movement decision matched the direction with the most votes. Bison herd movements did match the direction with the most adult …

W.E. B. Du Bois And Audre Lorde's Pan-African Development: Remedies For The Problem Of Othering., J.E. Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

W.E.B. Du Bois and Audre Lorde’s Pan-African Development: Remedies for the Problem of Othering is an Afrocentric reading of Black U.S intellectual traditions of self-definition from the late 19th to early 21st century. I argue that W.E.B. Du Bois and Audre Lorde adhered to two major Afrocentric principles: balance and justice. At the root of these principles is the understanding that binaries constructed as oppositions create unjust hierarchies. My theoretical approach is attuned to the distinct ways that Du Bois and Lorde communicated the importance of self-definition and Africana spirituality in relationship to other Black intellectual thought. Placing them in …

Investigation Of Avaren-Fc's Therapeutic Potential Against Ovarian Cancer., Katarina Lee Mayer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the investigation of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin-based therapeutic fusion protein consisting of the recombinant Avaren lectin and the Fc region of human IgG1, against ovarian cancer. AvFc possesses selectivity toward tumor associated N-linked high-mannose-type glycans. The present study demonstrates AvFc’s in vitro activity against OVCA cell lines via antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and its ability to extend the survival of mice challenged with murine ID8 OVCA cells after repeated systemic administration. Furthermore, AvFc treatment in this model was found to increase the presence of peritoneal leukocytes, suggesting a shift toward an improved antitumor immune response. Another key …

Electrochemical Modulation Of Surface Plasmon Wave To Investigate Dna-Based Sensing Platforms And Detection Of Sars-Cov2., Anil Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study offers a thorough comparative analysis of optical and electrical signaling strategies for assessing the electrochemical properties of different redox-labeled DNA-based biosensing platforms. In addition, it illustrates the development of an optical interrogation technique with electrochemical modulation of surface plasmon waves (ECM-SPW) as a route for analyzing and implementing DNA-based hybridization sensors. For those quantitative analyses, we chose a model sensing platform composed of a methylene blue (MB)-modified single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) signaling probe and an unlabeled capture ssDNA probe that complements the signaling probe. Two types of signaling probes were employed in this work: one with MB attached to …

Preclinical Stability Assessment Of Epicertin, A Biotherapeutic Candidate For Ulcerative Colitis Mucosal Healing., Wendy Michelle Kittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

EPICERTIN is a biotherapeutic candidate for mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis (UC), a major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite the critical role of mucosal healing in achieving successful remission of UC, there are currently no targeted mucosal healing agents available. EPICERTIN has previously demonstrated epithelial repair and mucosal healing activity in colon epithelial cells, murine colitis models, and tissue explants from IBD patients, highlighting its therapeutic potential to meet this unmet need for UC patients. The development of appropriate chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) data will facilitate our ultimate goal to bring EPICERTIN to the clinic for a …

The Superhero Gothic: The Montrous Hero To The Heroic Monster In The Twentieth Century., John Darowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influence of Gothic literature and its adaptations on the superhero genre has been profound. Both genres have an ideological project of the restoration of normalcy and order after disruption and disorder, thereby reinforcing cultural norms. However, their themes and methodologies are diametrically opposed. The Gothic is an exploration of the negative aesthetics of terror and horror, which reveal human weaknesses. The superhero is a power fantasy that celebrates justice and morality. A synthesis of the two creates a paradox: the monstrous hero—a Hoppen stand hero who takes on the attributes of a monster—who evolves into the heroic monster—a monster …

Examining The Relationship Between Mass Incarceration, Gender Norms, And Hiv Vulnerability For Formerly-Incarcerated Black Men Who Have Sex With Men And Women., Adrienne B. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2018, Black Americans represented 42% of new HIV diagnoses, despite comprising only 13% of the population. Moreover, Black men accounted for three-quarters of new HIV cases in 2016, with Black gay/bisexual men contributing to the majority of incidence among Black Americans. Existing literature suggests that individual behavior alone cannot explain these racial inequities in HIV rates. This study aims to explore the role of the criminal legal system (CLS) as a structural determinant of health, given its historical racial implications that disproportionately affect Black Americans. Additionally, the study examines masculinity’s influence as a predictor of risky sexual behavior. This …

Assessing The Relationship Between Racism In Medicine, Medical Mistrust And Cardiovascular Disease Among Black American Adults., Osayande Agbonlahor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) persists as the leading preventable cause of death and disability among Black Americans in the United States. Structural and psychosocial factors such as racism have been highlighted as a fundamental cause of persistent cardiovascular health disparities in the U.S. This study examined the associations between racism in medicine, medical mistrust and CVD among Black Americans using the Minority Stress Theory as a theoretical framework. This study evaluates the sociodemographic differences in the quality of care received among Black Americans. Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2022 and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems …