Digital Commons Network^™

Developing Novel Topical Formulations For Azole Drugs, Praveen Kolimi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Itraconazole is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent used to prevent and treat fungal infections. Itraconazole is commercially available as an oral and intravenous formulation; however, its administration via these routes is associated with various side effects, such as hepatotoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, cardiac dysrhythmia, and hearing loss. Therefore, in this research, stable non-aqueous topical creams and gels loaded with itraconazole were investigated with the intent to prolong drug contact, improve drug permeation and penetration into skin layers, and overcome the side effects associated with other routes of administration for improved therapeutic outcomes. Chapter 1 discusses the development and characterization strategies during …

Accepting New Clients And The Downstream Effects Of Auditor Due Diligence, Garrison Laduca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The auditor-client relationship begins during the client acceptance process. Before formal audit procedures occur, audit firms perform due diligence adding clients to their portfolio. Prior literature defines this due diligence phase as the auditor search period. Auditors utilize this time to increase the likelihood of a successful audit and continued relationship. The literature finds longer search periods are associated with higher engagement risks, which may be a precursor for more tumultuous relationships. However, I posit that auditors who spend more time, and thus expend more effort, engaged in this due diligence period will be more likely to identify and subsequently …

Immulina® As An Immunostimulatory Supplement: Dissolution And Pharmacodynamic Studies, Yusheng Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As one of popular dietary supplements, the health benefits of Arthrospira platensis (commonly known as spirulina) have been broadly reported. Immulina is a commercially available extract of Arthrospira platensis that is enriched with bacterial lipoproteins and acts as a Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonist. However, the immunostimulatory effect of Immulina in vivo has not been well understood. In this work, we explored the nanoformulation of Immulina to improve the dissolution rate in aqueous media. Building upon a standardized cell-based assay that measures the bioactivity of Immulina as a TLR2 agonist, we developed a quantitative methodology to determine the Immulina concentration …

Through The Media's Eyes: The Media Coverage Of The 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike And The Assassination Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ashton Brooks Logan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this professional project, the researcher aims to uncover media bias presented in two publications, The New York Times and The Commercial Appeal in the coverage of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike and the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. The researcher gathered fifteen articles spanning a date range from February 13, 1968 to June 9, 1968 in order to successfully gain perspective on the various events that took place. Five research questions were presented to investigate the diversity of direct quotes, writing style, story placement and length of stories. Three individuals assisted in interpreting the articles using …

Mothers And Daughters: A Reflection On The Cyclical Nature Of Life, Greta Rose Koshenina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I use nontraditional documentary methods to explore the dynamic relationship between mothers and daughters. This work is an amalgamation of autobiography, memoir, autoethnography, oral history, and photography. While autoethnography inspires me, this is not a traditional sociological study, and I do not seek to come to any ubiquitous conclusions. Rather, I present an artistic approach to the field of documentary. I diverge from traditional oral histories, constructing a cohesive narrative using transcripts from recordings of my mom and me. I sequence experimental Van Dyke Brown prints and more traditional documentary photography with poetic musings on stories of …

Transitioning From Military To Civilian Life: An Examination Of Acculturation In Veterans Previously Deployed To Warzones, Katherine Anne Lucas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The transition of veterans from military to civilian life may be conceptualized as a cultural transition (i.e., acculturation). This is based on the idea that the military contains its own culture quite distinct from that of the U.S. civilian population. For veterans, this transition presents psychological and social challenges and potential difficulties consistent with those seen in immigrants transitioning to a new country from their respective countries of origin. These psychosocial difficulties are especially pronounced in combat veterans, who experience higher rates of psychopathology compared to veterans who have not experienced combat. The current study examines the impact of warzone …

Analysis Of Dietary Micronutrient Intake Of Ncaa Track And Field Athletes, Haley Noelle Melton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vitamins and minerals play an important role in many functions within the body and contribute to maintenance of health and well-being of all individuals, including athletes. An athlete’s performance could be negatively impacted if micronutrient recommendations are not met consistently. The purpose of this study was to analyze the dietary micronutrient consumption of NCAA Division I Collegiate Track and Field athletes. Thirty-seven track and field athletes, 15 females and 22 males, participated in the study. Multiple 24-hr recalls were collected, including weekdays and weekends, and analyzed using NSDR to obtain average dietary micronutrient intakes, which could then be compared to …

Assessing The Accuracy Of Dental Age Estimation Methods In A Native American Pediatric Sample, Cal Matthew Mcgehee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dental age estimation is a common method used to determine the age of juvenile individuals in forensics, medicine, and bio-archaeology. This thesis examines how accurate three dental development methods are in estimating the ages of two Native American sample groups. Further, it will explore how different variables like sex, age, secular (temporal) change, and an individual’s body mass index (BMI) affect dental development rates in the two groups of individuals. The first group consists of 60 Native Americans between the ages of 7 and 21 years of age who received dental work between 1970-1990 by Dr. James Economides of Albuquerque, …

The Effects Of Social Status, Expertise, And Previous Experience On Auditor Advice Reliance, Kyle W. Outlaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Auditors often seek the advice of coworkers and others when they encounter unfamiliar areas of the audit. The quality of this advice is important, since it can determine the quality of auditor decision making. However, the quality of advice auditors receive varies as a result of varied expertise within audit firms, and it is therefore important that auditors recognize advice and source quality when making advice reliance decisions. Source quality is commonly determined by observing the characteristics of an advisor. Extant research has yet to explore how advisor characteristics, such as expertise and social status, impact an auditor’s reliance on …

Fabrication And Evaluation Of A Dual-Drug Loaded Immediate And Sustained Release Ophthalmic Inserts For The Management Of Keratitis; Moxifloxacin And Voriconazole, Jui Pendse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbial keratitis, if not treated in time, can exacerbate critical conditions and ultimately lead to loss of vision. Incidences of bacterial and fungal keratitis in developing countries are far more compared to developed nations due to socioeconomic and environmental factors. Many regions of these developing countries might have limited resources to identify the causative agent in time, and accurately, before choosing appropriate treatment. In cases of such infections, empiric therapy is typically commenced with topical antibacterial for bacterial infections and antifungal for fungal keratitis. Moxifloxacin (MOX) is a fourth-generation antibacterial drug effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Voriconazole (VORI), …

Lack Of Institutional Control: An Analysis Of Ncaa Football Bowl Subdivision Public Infractions Case Decisions, Julie K. Owen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Division I college athletics is a billion-dollar industry where success or scandal can impact the entire university. This research endeavored to identify the characteristics of infractions cases at the Division I, Football Bowl Subdivision level resulting in lack of institutional control violations and how those have changed over time. Lack of institutional control is the most serious NCAA violation for an institution; therefore this finding can have the most detrimental impact on a university. Despite that, lack of institutional control is not defined and there is no safe harbor for universities seeking to demonstrate sufficient control over their athletics programs. …

Person First Workplaces: How An Ethic Of Care Can Help To Improve Workplace Conditions And Promote Workplace Relations, John Jacob Ratliff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the poor workplace conditions which most people have to deal with every day. In combination with the prolonged unstable economy, working class people are having to deal with stressful conditions at home and work, resulting in a situation where employees are facing workplaces which only seem to get worse and worse, leaving working class people with no choice but to find employment in an adverse environment. This paper offers an ethics of care based approach in which workplace conditions are directly addressed by implementing practices and policies centered around ethical caring, making …

Formulation And Evaluation Of Fenofibrate-Hpꞵcd Tablets Using The Freeze-Drying Method, Krishna Soni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fenofibrate (FNB) is a lipid-lowering medication used to treat hyperlipidemia that is practically insoluble in Water, leading to reduced absorption gastrointestinal tract. Complexation and lyophilization are performed and studied to enhance the solubility of the FNB in gastric fluid and increase its dissolution rate. The present study was intended to enhance the dissolution rate of Fenofibrate using complexation with hydroxy propyl β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD). Complexes of Fenofibrate with HPβCD were prepared in a 1:1 ratio by lyophilization. Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy, are used to characterize the solid state of a complex. Investigations of the physical properties of tablets …

Experimental Studies On Developing And Characterising Vaginal Films Using Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology, Kirti Pradeep Sawant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vaginal Candidiasis (VC) is one of the most common health problems in women. Indeed, one of the most convenient approaches for its treatment is an appropriate mucoadhesive vaginal film. This approach provides a local treatment modality, which inevitably decreases the dosing frequency and improves patient compliance. Clotrimazole is one of the drugs that are extensively used to treat Vaginal candidiasis and therefore, it is used in this research. The current study aimed to produce a novel extended-release film using Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME). Two different polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer grades (PEO N10, PEO N750) were utilized to optimize the drug release …

Exploring Structure-Activity Relationships In Molecular Catalysts For C-H Bond Oxidation And Co2 Reduction, Zane Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Value-added chemicals can be generated by the functionalization of hydrocarbon substrates by C-H bond oxidation and by the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2), where each of these processes require long-lived catalysts that are selective and efficient. Chemical feedstocks such as petroleum-derived hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide are inexpensive and readily accessible but are challenging to transform into more valuable compounds. The oxidative functionalization of unactivated C-H bonds is a difficult task because they are, in general, thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert. Bioinspired iron-oxo catalysts have shown great promise in this area, but often have limited activity, selectivity, and/or stability. In this …

Gold Nanomolecules: Nanomolecular Metallurgy, Crystal Structures, And Stability, Kalpani Eshangi Hirunika Wijesinghe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gold nanomolecules are atomically monodisperse nano-particles having a precise number of gold atoms and thiolate ligands. The 1–3 nm size range exhibit size-dependent molecule-like properties and have gained broad interest due to their applications in imaging, catalytic activity, biosensing, and drug delivery. The capping ligand governs the physio-chemical properties of an AuNM. Based on the C-S bonding, there are three groups of thiols. Aliphatic thiol, such as phenyl ethane thiol, has a sulfur atom directly bonded to an aliphatic group. 4-tert-Butylbenzene thiol is an aromatic ligand as the sulfur atom is directly bonded to an aromatic carbon. The next group …

The Influence Of Isometric Handgrip Exercise And Blood Flow Restriction On The Changes In Muscle Size, Strength, And Resting Limb Blood Flow In Trained And Untrained Limbs, Vickie Wong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Baseline vascular networks or significant changes in vascular network due to resistance training may induce greater muscle growth. Evidence doesn't support a causal relationship between changes in muscle size and strength. Cross-education is observed with high-intensity/loads and adding blood flow restriction to low-intensity exercises results in greater muscle growth, strength, and resting limb blood flow.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of exercise intensity and blood flow restriction on muscle size, strength, and resting limb blood flow in both trained and untrained arms.

Methods: A total of 179 participants were randomized into: low-intensity isometric handgrip exercise (LI), low-intensity isometric handgrip …

Embracing Green Chile: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Community Cultural Wealth, Lynda Duran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education trends marginalize Students of Color by promoting assimilation into a dominant culture. Faculty and practitioners in higher education deepen cultural dissociation by dismissing the cultural knowledge that many Students of Color hold from family and community. Following in the footsteps of settler colonialism, these practices uphold a deficit framing of Students of Color as inferior to their white peers. This dissertation blends the power of the Community Cultural Wealth model (Yosso, 2005) and QuantCrit (García et al, 2018; Gillborn et al., 2018) to define a Green Chile Epistemology that weaves cultural capital into the higher education experience. In …

“We All Fly Together, We All Fall Together”: A Fourth Generation Evaluation Of The Experiences Of Students Of Color In A Strengths-Based Postsecondary Access Program, Allyson Gunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most persistent barriers within the education system preventing students of color from accessing and persisting in higher education is the deficit lens that the education system uses to judge college-worthy students. To combat this deficit lens, strengths-based programming has shown promise in validating the strengths and students bring to their postsecondary journey. This fourth-generation program evaluation amplifies the experiences of students of color within a strength-based postsecondary access program in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. Through interviews and focus groups, students, and alums of color in the Cornerstone program shared the experience that was most meaningful to them, and …

Novel Delivery Systems Of Curcumin And Resveratrol, Mohamed Salem Elfaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of Probiotic Whipped Cream And Butter Using Whey Protein Hydrolysate-Encapsulated Probiotic Organisms, Kritika Gaba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Impact Of Increased Cycling On Thermal Power Plants Due To Wind Energy Penetration In The Midwest: A Case Study, Joscelyne Larson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most significant shifts in the mix of U.S. electricity generation over the past few years has been the rapid expansion of renewable energy resources, especially solar and wind. However, fossil fuels are still necessary to fulfill the world’s energy requirements. Despite efforts to increase the use of renewable energy sources, these sources can be at times unreliable, causing countries around the world to continue to rely on base load units such as coal and natural gas. This decrease in fossil fuels and increase in renewable energy sources presents many complex issues in terms of power system planning, …

Would Ai Stocks Estimate Be As Surprised To Usda Stocks Reports As Private Market Analysts?, Asif Mahmud Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The USDA survey-based Quarterly Agriculture Stocks (QAS) reports are the primary source of information regarding the relative supply of U.S. corn, soybeans, and wheat for the last fifty years. Research has examined USDA stock reports and their relevancy to the market (e.g., Isengildina-Massa et al., 2021). In addition, private industry analysts estimate expected quarterly grain stock reports before USDA releases them. Market information firms such as Bloomberg and Reuters publish a subset of these estimates a few days before the USDA reports. Previous research has found that when industry analysts have significant differences in stock expectations compared to what the …

Developing A Natural Bio-Sanitizer For The Effective Removal Of Resilient Biofilms From Dairy Separation Membranes, Sheetal Jha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Class Of Regression Models For Pairwise Comparisons Of Forensic Handwriting Comparison Systems, Cami M. Fuglsby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Handwriting analysis is a complex field largely living in forensic science and the legal realm. One task of a forensic document examiner (FDE) may be to determine the writer(s) of handwritten documents. Automated identification systems (AIS) were built to aid FDEs in their examinations. Part of the uses of these AIS (such as FISH[5] [7],WANDA [6], CEDAR-FOX [17], and FLASHID®2) are tomeasure features about a handwriting sample and to provide the user with a numeric value of the evidence. These systems use their own algorithms and definitions of features to quantify the writing and can be considered a black-box. The …

Addressing Soil Carbon Sequestration Response From Multispecies Dairy Forage Systems And Modeling Rangeland Beef Cow Dry Matter Intake Using Precision Enteric Emissions Measurements, Lillian J. Mcfadden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regenerative agriculture is a pressing matter for the dairy industry to address cropland sustainability and carbon sequestration. One regenerative management practice that has been identified to help with row crop sustainability for key metrics like soil organic carbon (SOC) is complex covers. When producers use complex covers one of the main challenges is that it takes time to detect a change in SOC. However, simulation models are a tool that can be used to help determine if a regenerative practice is a strategy that gives the best results (i.e., increased SOC) while aligning with long-term production goals. Therefore, our objectives …

Improving The Utility Of Precision Agriculture Through Machine Learning And Climate-Smart Practices, Skye Brugler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate Smart Practices are management strategies that focus on increasing soil and crop productivity, utilize site-specific strategies to increase resiliency against the effects of climate change, and mitigate these negative effects by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Decision Support Systems (DSSs) using machine learning (ML) can adjust models based on new information and help farmers make climate smart decisions within their operation. The 4R nutrient management model of right source, rate, location, and time also demonstrates a framework that may be considered climate smart by improving soil and crop productivity. However, when initially conceptualized, the 4R model did not consider …

Multiscale Evaluation Of The Effect Of Deicing Agents And Environmental Conditions On The Performance Of Asphalt Pavements In Cold Regions, Maryam Mihandoust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Role Of Human Gut Microbiota In Shaping The Diet-Induced Metabolome, Samitinjaya Dhakal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Advanced Analytical Techniques For The Analysis Of Toxic Inhaled Agent Exposure And Pharmacokinetic Investigation, Sharmin Sultana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Toxic inhalation agents (TIAs) (i.e., chlorine (Cl2), cyanide (HCN), etc.) are highly poisonous. However, they have a variety of industrial uses, such as health, agro-food, building, textiles, transport, leisure activities, cosmetics, etc. In addition, TIAs can be used as chemical agents in terrorist events or conventional warfare. The ability to detect TIAs in biological and environmental samples is important for preparing use, determining individual exposure, limiting hazardous exposure, etc. Therefore, developing simple and sensitive analytical methods for TIAs, TIA metabolites, and antidotes for those toxic agents is very important. The focus of this study was chlorine and cyanide. Chlorine is …