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Brain Bioavailability Of Polyphenols: Implications For Delivery Of Brain Health Benefits, Tzu-Ying Chen

Open Access Dissertations

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with neuroprotection and cognitive benefits throughout the life span. These associations have sparked interest in plant-derived polyphenols as biologically active agents with potential for targeting brain benefits. However, little is known regarding the ability of the polyphenols or their metabolites from polyphenol-rich products to cross the blood-brain-barrier, and be available for biological action. Furthermore, additional insight is needed on factors affecting the absorption and brain distribution of polyphenol metabolites in vivo. To fill gap in current knowledge, this thesis will focus on the effects of diabetogenic diet and diabetic state which have …

Support And Barriers To Help Seeking In Latina/O Migrant Workers, Rachel Becker

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation explored help seeking for mental health concerns in migrant workers using a community-based mixed-methods design. Specifically, the study asked two sets of questions; the first explored individual-level predictors of help seeking and the second focused on contextual-level factors related to mental health, well-being, and help seeking. Participants were 95 Latina/o migrant workers living in South Florida. A portion of these individuals participated in the qualitative phase. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to answer the first set of questions. Results indicated informal help seeking was predicted by gender, acculturation, coping strategy, depressive symptomology, and attitudes toward seeking professional help. …

Interactive Effects Of Ethnic Identity And A Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management Intervention On Subjective And Objective Stress In Low-Income Minority Women Living With Hiv, Corina Reyes Lopez

Open Access Dissertations

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is more prevalent among minority ethnic groups, with mortality rates highest among African-American women. Additionally, low-income minority women with a positive HIV diagnosis experience a variety of stressors that influence their psychological and physical well-being. Research has found that ethnic identity, an intrapersonal resiliency factor, is associated with lower perceived stress in low-income minority women living with HIV, in part through greater levels of coping self-efficacy and social support. Given the benefits of group-based interventions in reducing stress in HIV positive populations, it is important to understand whether ethnic identity influences the efficacy of these interventions in …

Optical Device Use: Exploring Its Impact On Participation In Daily Living Activities Of Older Adults With Amd, Lily Perete Orticio

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose was to explore the experiences of older adults with vision impairment from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in managing participation in daily living activities with the use of assistive low vision optical devices (LVODs) and arrive at a substantive theory that captured the essence of these phenomena. The sample consisted of 18 older adults, ages 75 to 96 years, 6 males and 12 females diagnosed with dry AMD and visual acuity between 20/50-20/200 in the better seeing-eye, English speaking, and acquired their LVODs not less than 6 months prior to the start of the study. Grounded Theory methodology was …

Improving Exercise Adherence And Physical Measures In Latina Women, Lorena Martin

Open Access Dissertations

Purpose. Epidemiological data have established that lack of physical activity increases risk factors for chronic diseases. Data also suggests that physical activity participation is lowest in women minorities particularly Latina women and that the nature of the exercise and attitudes toward the importance of exercise may influence exercise adherence. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypertrophy training (HT) or power training (PT) used concomitantly with evaluative conditioning (EC), or neutral conditioning (NC) as a control, on exercise adherence as well as changes in body composition, neuromuscular performance, functional capacity, and psychosocial variables in Latina women. …

The Influences Of Early Temperament And Emotion Regulation On Social Competence In Middle Childhood, Elizabeth Carmen Penela

Open Access Dissertations

Behaviorally inhibited children are predisposed toward social difficulties, but other environmental and within-child characteristics, such as emotion regulation, also influence social development. This study longitudinally examined: (1) independent influences of behavior inhibition and emotion regulation on future social competence, (2) associations between behavior inhibition and emotion regulation, and (3) the moderating role of emotion regulation on the relation between behavior inhibition and social competence. Participants (N = 257) were enrolled in a larger study of temperament and social development. Maternal-report questionnaires and behavioral observations (ages 2 and 3) were used to assess behavior inhibition. Children’s active and passive regulation strategy …

Working With Cancer: Health Disparities Among Working Cancer Survivors, Tainya C. Clarke

Open Access Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the United States, affecting more than 13 million individuals it has impacted the lives of a significant proportion of the population. With improvements in detection and treatment there have been more early diagnoses and improved prognosis for many survivors. These positive changes have led to an increase in the number of survivors that continue to work through diagnosis and treatment and or return to work. There are an estimated 7.5 million working survivors in the US, though their proportions vary by occupational sectors. With occupational differences in workplace accommodations and perceived …

Mechanobiology Of The Intervertebral Disc: Influences Of Static And Dynamic Compressions On Energy Metabolism, Chong Wang

Open Access Dissertations

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading reason for people to miss work and chief complaint of 5% people who visit doctors. Although it has a high impact in society, the causes of LBP cannot always be clarified. However, intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration has been reported to be a possible leading source for LBP. Since IVD is the biggest avascular tissue in human body, nutrition supply plays very important role for IVD degeneration. IVDs are under mechanical load all the time in vivo, it is also been revealed by in vitro studies that mechanical loadings can alter cellular activities including …

The Development And Impact Of An Online Social Networking Community For Adolescents With Cystic Fibrosis, Sandy Liliana Romero

Open Access Dissertations

This is the first qualitative study to examine the social support functions of a social networking website for adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) over an academic year. Patients with CF are segregated and not allowed to meet face-to-face; this networking site was evaluated as an alternative for providing peer support. Age and gender differences in website usage were examined in participants enrolled in the CFfone study. Thematic analyses were used to examine the provision of four types of social support: companionship, emotional, informational, and instrumental, in relation to topics raised on the website. Results suggested that adolescents used the website …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Coping Skills Groups On Quality Of Life In Cancer Survivors And Co-Survivors, Erin Schweers Cornelius

Open Access Dissertations

A coping skills group intervention for cancer survivors and co-survivors was developed based upon the APPLES Indicators of Healing. The group was a six week intervention aimed at teaching specific coping skills hypothesized to improve the participants’ quality of life. Variables including illness-related distress, illness-related coping, and illness-related resilience were examined in their relation to quality of life prior to the start of the intervention, midway through the intervention, and after the intervention concluded. It was predicted that participation in the APPLES coping skills group intervention would significantly improve cancer survivors’ and co-survivors’ resiliency, quality of life, and use of …

Effects Of Ocean Acidification On The Early Life History Of Two Pelagic Tropical Fish Species, Cobia (Rachycentron Canadum) And Mahi-Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus), Sean G. T. Bignami

Open Access Dissertations

Ocean acidification is of particular concern for vulnerable larval stages or marine organisms that are critical to population replenishment and connectivity. In fishes, the existing body of ocean acidification research has focused mostly on small demersal species, which may be more resistant to acidification than less well-studied offshore pelagic species. A better understanding of the effects of ocean acidification on these understudied species requires examination of biological factors that influence larval ability to successfully survive, navigate, and recruit to adult populations. This dissertation reports a series of studies researching the impact of ocean acidification on the larval stages of two …

Responses Of Stress-Tolerant Corals To Ocean Acidification, Remy R. Okazaki

Open Access Dissertations

Increased atmospheric pCO2 is expected to reduce coral calcification through increased temperatures (global warming) and decreased pH (ocean acidification). Two species of corals found in Florida Bay, Solenastrea hyades and Siderastrea radians, exhibit high stress tolerance, persisting in an environment where seasonal swings in temperature and salinity often exceed tolerance limits for most other species of coral. The persistence of these two species in this marginal environment may provide insights into mechanisms of resilience to climate change stress. In other words, does tolerance to broad swings in physical environmental parameters also convey a tolerance to swings in the carbonate chemistry …

Study Of Glycation And Advanced Glycation On A Humanized Monoclonal Antibody, Hong Liu

Open Access Dissertations

In the presented work, we reviewed the protein glycation effect on recombinant monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), and demonstrated an in vitro glycation model on rhuMAb A was a successful tool to evaluate site-specific glycation. We also implemented this model to study MAb glycation in three aspects: the formation of glycation, the change of glycation adducts under thermal stress, and the control of glycation adducts stability by formulation compositions.

A protein characterization study demonstrated that the in vitro forced glycation model generated seven glycated amino acid sites on rhuMAb A. The lysine residue K49 was the preferably site, while others sites were …

The Role Of Rumination, Negative Affect, And Fitness On Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Outcomes Following A Discrete Cardiac Event, Nathaniel Jay Deyoung

Open Access Dissertations

Individuals with cardiovascular disease are at an increased risk for anxiety, depression, stress, and other negative cognitive processes. Following a cardiovascular event such as a myocardial infarction or open heart surgery, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can have large physical and psychological benefits. This study investigates the role of depression, anxiety, and rumination on CR outcomes including program completion and fitness improvements. Fifty-one patients with cardiovascular disease who were enrolled in CR were tracked over the course of their treatment. Objective fitness testing was completed prior to and after CR program completion. Self-reported psychological, health, and fitness data were gathered at weeks …

Maternal Hydration And Infant Weight: A Case-Control Study In Breastfeeding Infants Delivered By Cesarean Section, Diane J. Thulier

Open Access Dissertations

Growing evidence suggests that infants may experience increased weight loss due to maternal medical interventions during labor such as intravenous fluid hydration. When breast fed infants lose ≥ 7% of their birth weight, formula supplementation is often initiated. Formula supplementation is a variable unequivocally associated with shorter breastfeeding duration. Supplementation should not be initiated if the cause of infant weight loss is unrelated to breastfeeding adequacy. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of intrapartum maternal hydration and regional anesthesia on infant weight.

A retrospective, case-control research study was designed. Data was collected from maternal and infant …

The Impact Of Predator-Prey Relationships On The Formation Of Harmful Algal Blooms In Heterosigma Akashiwo, Elizabeth L. Harvey

Open Access Dissertations

Heterotrophic protists are the primary grazers of phytoplankton in the marine environment, and changes in the rates of consumption will influence phytoplankton abundance, community composition, and ecological function. The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of predators on the formation and promotion of harmful algal blooms (HABs), specifically blooms of the toxic raphidophyte alga, Heterosigma akashiwo. To observe microscopic predator-prey interactions and their macroscopic distributions, video and image analysis were used to simultaneously quantify population distributions and individual 3D movements of both protistan predators and prey cells in laboratory tanks with realistic salinity structures. In behavioral experiments, …

Exploring The Health Of Women Who Experienced Homelessness During Adolescence, Claire M. Creamer

Open Access Dissertations

Homelessness remains a significant global issue with substantial health consequences related to the experiences of homelessness. The consequences for people who experience homelessness are typically associated with high levels of risk, violence, and negative health outcomes. Developmental levels and gender contribute significantly to outcomes. As a developmental stage, adolescence is a time of establishing healthy practices for adulthood. Adolescent experiences with homelessness have negative consequences for future health as well as some economic status. Homeless youth have been identified as a medically underserved and vulnerable population.

A significant body of literature has explored the outcomes of mental health, sexual practices, …

Role Of Nuclear Factor E2 Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) In Development Of Steatosis And Drug Transporter Alterations, Vijay Rs More

Open Access Dissertations

Steatosis is fat deposition in liver arising from conditions like obesity, diabetes, and/or alcohol consumption. It is a benign condition with normal liver function, and can often be reversed. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver steatosis can further progress to irreversible steatohepatitis to cirrhosis and substantial loss of liver function. Nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor known to combat oxidative stress in the cell. The contribution of Nrf2 to other cellular functions, such as lipid homeostasis is emerging. The work herein assessed how enhanced Nrf2 activity impacts progression of hepatic steatosis with long-term high fat diet …

Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms Of Tolfenamic Acid Induced Sp1 Degradation Relative To Alzheimer's Disease Pathology, Lina I. Adwan

Open Access Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) continues to disrupt the lives of millions of patients and caregivers around the world. The few drugs currently used for AD have modest effects on the symptoms and do not prevent the progression of the disease into total memory loss and death. With the increase in the number of AD cases and the high social and economical costs of the disease, there is a great need to find disease-modifying therapeutics that target the core pathology of the disease as well as improve the symptoms and the patients’ everyday quality of life. Two types of pathological aggregates are …

Exploring Nurse Case Managers' Language Describing Health Needs And Interventions With Populations, Kathleen I. Gremel

Open Access Dissertations

Major advances in health information technologies, safety and quality initiatives, and health policy changes have fueled the development and implementation of the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Any discipline’s work and contribution to patient care exist in the EHR only as they are coded. Thus, coding nursing’s knowledge, work and contribution to patient care in meaningful ways requires nurses to have a language that defines nursing concepts and works consistently and reliably. Currently the American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes twelve (12) nursing languages being used in the EHR. Over the last forty years many research efforts have validated these nursing languages …

Asleep Behind The Wheel: Experiences Of Night Shift Nurses On The Commute Home, Shirley A. Sargent

Open Access Dissertations

Aim: The aim of this study was to obtain descriptions of nurses’ perceptions and experiences of falling asleep behind the wheel on the drive home after a worked night shift.

Background: While the evidence suggests that the problem of drowsy driving and fall asleep driving is a strong contributor to vehicular accidents, little is known about nursing perceptions of the issue.

Methods: The design of the study is qualitative and descriptive. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 registered nurses who had experienced falling asleep behind the wheel on the drive home from work after a worked night shift. The interviews …

An In Vitro Study On The Non-Enzymatic Glycation Of Melamine And Serum Albumin By Reducing Sugars, Weixi Liu

Open Access Dissertations

Glycation is a non-enzymatic reaction with reactants including a reducing sugar and a free amino containing molecule such as protein, amino acids, DNA, RNA and lipids. In the initial phase of glycation, the carbonyl group of the reducing carbohydrate condenses with the free amino groups on the target biomolecule to form reversible glycosylamines, which are then converted to more stable Amadori products. Once formed, these Amadori products can with time undergo dehydration, cyclization, oxidation, and rearrangement to form a polymorphic group of compounds collectively referred to as Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The accumulation of AGEs in vivo has been implicated …

Effect Of Metabolic Disease And Xenobiotic Exposure On Hepatic Atp-Binding Cassette (Abc) Drug Transporter Expression, Ajay Chowdary Donepudi

Open Access Dissertations

Drug transporters are membrane bound proteins, which are involved in facilitating both uptake and efflux of xenobiotics, endogenous compounds and their metabolites in various tissues such as liver, kidney, testis, and brain. Alteration in drug transporters may cause imbalances in endogenous compounds such as bile acids, hormones, and bilirubin. Xenobiotic metabolism is inefficient without drug transporters, and drug transporters are recognized as vital mediators for moving polar compounds across membranes. ATP binding cassette (Abc) transporters are a kind of drug transporters, which are ATP-dependent membrane bound proteins involved in transport of wide variety of compounds. Multiple hepatic conditions can alter …

Positive Nurse-Resident Relationships A Focused Ethnography In A Nursing Home, Rosemary A. Costigan

Open Access Dissertations

More than 1.4 million Americans reside in long term care facilities across the United States. Social and professional relationships are an integral component of everyday life within these environments. Few studies have systematically examined positive relationships that exist between residents and nursing assistants in long term care. A focused ethnography of a nursing home, one known for the quality of life experienced by its residents and located in the northeastern United States, was used to examine the nature of (1) interactions (2) positive relationships (their development and maintenance) between residents and nursing assistants, and (3) supportive environmental factors. Peace House …

Compounds From A. Platanoides Bark, V. Corymbosum Roots & Topical Formulations Using Maple Syrup, Raed Omar

Open Access Dissertations

The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries and the world’s second largest producer of maple syrup. Maine is the nation’s leading producer of wild blueberries, harvesting 82.6 million pounds of wild blueberries. Similarly, the New England region represents roughly 75% of the total U.S. production of maple syrup. These plants play a vital role in New England’s economy and are commonly consumed; however, these plants benefit more than the economy. The secondary metabolites of these plants are both antioxidants, and also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-viral agents. Blueberries are commonly consumed and have been investigated exhaustively. On the …

Use And Unintended Consequences Of Antidepressant Medications By Depressed Older Adults, Eun Sun Noh

Open Access Dissertations

Background

National guidelines suggest 12-18 months of antidepressant treatment for depressed patients to maximize the benefits of treatment; however, patterns of medication use according to the guidelines are less well understood, especially in older adults who are at higher risk of adverse drug events. In addition, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are recommended as a first-line therapy for older adults because of their favorable adverse event profile; however, several observational studies have suggested an association between SSRI use and an increased risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. While this link remains controversial, it is important to evaluate the risk of GI …

Shrimp Aquaculture And Aguadulce: A Broken Partnership., Sylvia M. Bolanos

Open Access Dissertations

A socio-economic impact study was conducted in Aguadulce, Panama to analyze the viability of the shrimp aquaculture industry. Two visits in 2004 and 2010 document the changes the industry underwent through the use of a survey and interviews of knowledgeable informants. Interviews were conducted among field and processing plant employees, managers and owners, government officials, and local artisanal fishermen. It was of relevance to understand the viability of this industry at both the town and country level. Changes are evident when comparing the data. The industry has undergone drastic changes resulting from the spread of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) …

Depression And Anxiety As Predictors Of Obesity In Children, Cortney J. Taylor

Open Access Dissertations

Objectives: Prior research indicates that minority youth are more at risk for developing obesity, and that obesity is associated with several health complications as well as significant healthcare costs. The current study addressed the role of symptoms of internalizing disorders with regards to obesity in primarily ethnic minority fourth and fifth graders. In addition, this study was the first to expand upon prior research by determining whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety were associated with BMI at six month follow up in this age group, and whether gender moderated the relationship of internalizing symptoms and BMI. Finally, the …

Bacterial Virulence Factor And Host Stress-Response Kinase, Niraj Shrestha

Open Access Dissertations

Animals possess several different defense mechanisms to resist microbial infection. These defense mechanisms have different signaling pathway and receptors. Pathogens have also evolved different mechanisms to act against such defense mechanisms of the host. Previously we observed that in a yeast-based model, the activities of the Yersinia protein-kinase A (YpkA) and outer- protein J (YopJ) virulence factors converge on the eIF2α kinase Hri2. This pathway, eIF2α signaling, has been well characterized for regulation of global protein synthesis and to facilitate this function, in case of stress, four kinases are present in mammalian cells (GCN2, PERK, PKR and HRI). Out of …

The Role Of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling In The Regulation Of Muscle Wasting And Cancer Cachexia, Rui Zhan

Open Access Dissertations

Cancer cachexia, defined by severe weight loss with inflammation, is responsible for one third of all cancer deaths. Inflammatory cytokines have been linked to muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling is known to regulate embryonic muscle development and muscle regeneration. We show here, in vitro and in vivo, that cancer and cancer-related cytokines functionally activated Shh signaling in muscle cells. Activation or inhibition of Shh signaling led to muscle atrophy or muscle hypertrophy, respectively. Mechanistically, Shh signaling promoted self-renewal of selected myogenic progenitors in atrophied muscle, preventing …