Digital Commons Network^™

An Implementation Of Embedded Software For Real Time Monitoring Of Bioimpedance, Amirahmad Ramezani

Theses

Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) is a convenient and highly accurate method for assessment of the internal composition of the body. It can be particularly used for evaluating the hydration level of an individual based on the amount of intracellular water (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW) in total body water (TBW). Complex impedance of the body is a function of frequency and amount of ICW and ECW. By injecting small currents at different frequency and measurement of complex impedance, we can assess the amount of ICW, ECW, and TBW. This method can be applied to Internet of Things (IoT), fitness, and clinical …

Positive And Negative Affect And Their Influences On Pain Belief, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Chronic Pain Patients Undergoing Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Savannah Michelle Kaye

Theses

The current study aimed to evaluate the influences of affectivity on pain belief, coping and quality of life in chronic pain patients. These relationships were tested using six separate Structural Equation Models. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to determine positive and negative affect from the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Millon Behavioral Diagnostic. EFA was also used to identify adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies from the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory. Pain attitudes were measured using the Survey of Pain Attitudes measure, and quality of life was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF instrument. Results …

Toward Effective Molecular Catalysts For The Biomimetic Remediation Of Methane And Carbon Dioxide, Thomas Michael Jones

Theses

Interest in the development of new technologies for the remediation of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide has increased in response to concerns of a changing climate. However, methane and carbon dioxide are not only greenhouse gasses but also play interesting roles in biology, being used as sources of both energy and carbon. The study of enzymes that utilize these small molecules for biological function may provide valuable insight into developing practical solutions for carbon sequestration and utilizing them as alternative sources of energy. Learning from these enzymes, synthetic systems may be developed to address this challenging issue. …

The Effects Of Gill Parasitization By An Undescribed Species Of Genus Aethycteron On The Reproductive Capabilities Of Etheostoma Kennicotti, The Stripetail Darter, Joy Garcia

Theses

The aim of this experiment was to determine what effect gill parasites have on reproduction in stripetail darters. Nearly 450 stripetail darters were collected from Estill Fork stream in Jackson County, Alabama. Their gonads were excised and the oocytes were photographed, counted, and then classified into one of four developmental stages. Their gill parasites, flatworms belonging to genus Aethycteron, were also removed and counted. Sexual dimorphism in size was discovered in the stripetails, as well as a high gonadosomatic index and large (2.0 mm) size of clutch oocytes. Reproductive maturity was observed in females as small as 19.3 mm in …

Remodeling Recovery : Understanding Social Conditioning And Communication During Adolescent Stages Of Development And How They Correlate With Substance Use Disorders, Douglas Stogner

Theses

This thesis uses a mix method research design to collect data from entry assessments and a survey administered to current residents of the His Way recovery center. The survey was also administered to a control group of participants that did not have substance use disorders (SUD). This study addresses the potential determinants that may be associated with SUD. The data from the entry assessment shows that the preference or drug of choice for clients in His Way recovery is consistent with compatible data collected in the United states. The results of the survey data suggest that people who suffer from …

Application Of Metaheuristics To A Subset Selection Graph Problem, Michael Volz

Theses

A graph problem is presented in which the objective is to remove links from a graph while maintaining path length and redundancy requirements. A branch-and-bound solution is presented, which is able to deterministically solve the problem for smaller inputs but fails to scale with graph size. An ant colony optimization approach is then presented, which is able to solve the problem stochastically with high probability and low runtime.

Addressing Sexual Assault: How Architectural Design Can Promote Life Long Healing, Diana Heliotis

Theses

The Trauma of any origin can forever alter the way individuals live their everyday lives. Relationships with people, places, and the self are compromised and may never fully heal. Generally, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is a globally accepted condition, with many great strides being made to provide centers of continual healing to those who suffer from it. The two most common demographics that are clinically diagnosed with PTSD are military Veterans and survivors of sexual assault. Where there is a lot of research and active development towards establishing treatments in combination with spacial and architectural design for Veterans, there is virtually …

Exploring 4th Year Medical Students’ Learning And Understanding In Mental Health And Psychiatry, Kimberly Smith

Theses

The stigmatisation and disempowerment of mental health consumers led to the consumer recovery movement, which now underpins the reform of Western Australia’s (WA’s) mental health system. As medical professionals are one of the first lines of care for consumers, it is necessary to understand whether future doctors’ training aligns with the direction of the reform. This research explored a group of WA-based fourth-year medical students’ learning in mental health and psychiatry to understand how their knowledge and training prepared them for working with people experiencing mental or emotional distress. Conducted under a qualitative research paradigm using critical theory and underpinned …

Help-Seeking Behaviour For Fatigue In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Doireann Ní Dhálaigh

Theses

Background: Fatigue is a common and burdensome symptom of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although many symptoms of IBD can be debilitating, fatigue is reported to be the most burdensome. It is experienced by up to 86% of people in active disease and 41-48% in remission and impacts greatly on all aspects of people’s lives. Fatigue is an invisible symptom and can often be overlooked by healthcare professionals. Since it is invisible, it can only be made known to healthcare professionals if patients seek help for it. This study aims to explore the determinants of help-seeking behaviour for fatigue in IBD …

The Use Of Mycobacteriophages As A Novel Therapeutic Option To Control And Treat Johne's Disease, Gillian Catherine Crowley

Theses

The incidences of Johne’s disease (JD) in farms worldwide have increased significantly over the last 80 years. The increase in JD is owing to the lack of diagnostic tests available and the long incubation period of the disease causing pathogen, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP). In addition, treatment of JD with antibiotics has proven difficult due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance MAP strains and the presence of the thick lipid rich mycobacterial cell wall. An alternative diagnostic and treatment method for JD involves the use of mycobacteriophages. As part of this research, individual mycobacteriophages (TM4) and a mycobacteriophage cocktail (LE1 …

Role Of Sodium And Potassium In The Diet Of School-Aged Children In Ireland: Findings From The National Children’S Food Survey Ii, Eoin James Morrissey

Theses

A high sodium to potassium intake ratio (Na:K) resulting from a diet high in sodium and low in potassium can increase the risk of elevated blood pressure or hypertension in children, potentially leading to increased CVD in adulthood. The objective of this thesis was to estimate sodium and potassium intakes and Na:K in school-aged children (5-12y) in Ireland using data from the nationally representative National Children’s Food Survey II (NCFS II) (2017-18). The thesis study collected detailed dietary intake data for 600 children using 4-d food records and also collected spot urine samples from 95% of these participants. Sodium and …

Physical Activity In Aging: Biological Outcomes, Functional Autonomy, And Policy Implications, Nathan Albert Schuler

Theses

A 2016 study concluded that the elderly spend 2.5 times the national average on health services (De Nardi 2016). Despite consisting of only 14 percent of the United States population, the elderly accounted for 34 percent of all medical spending, and accounted for 73 percent of all deaths (De Nardi 2016). In addition, current projections estimate that with the aging of the baby boomer generation, the percentage of the population that is older than 65 will swell to approximately 20 percent of the population by 2030 (Ortman 2014). If the medical spending holds, this will coincide with massive increases in …

Wearable Antennas Backed By Artificial Magnetic Conductor For Enhanced Gain And Reduced Back Radiation, Steven Jacobson

Theses

A Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a system of wireless sensors and devices attached to a person’s body for continuous monitoring of physiological data. These measurements can be used for a variety of purposes such as fitness tracking, personal health management or as medical diagnostic tools. In many cases, WBANs need to communicate with an off-body device to send information to healthcare providers. Wireless Medical Telemetry provides numerous benefits but has a few challenges that need to be overcome. One of the key components in this system is the antenna, which is worn on the body and typically has …

Investigating The Effects Of Blood Flow On Muscle Fatigue And Recovery In The First Dorsal Interosseous Muscle, Nicole Nugent

Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the physiological principles driving blood flow and fatigue both during and following different levels of intermittent exertion. Utilizing diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) allowed microvascular blood flow (BF) to be observed continuously, providing new insight into the behaviors of BF within the exerting muscle. This experiment was conducted with 11 healthy, adult participants, (5 male, 6 female), fatiguing the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) muscle through the abduction of the index finger. The study monitored BF and fatigue in response to 3 levels of intermittent exertion (20%, 30%, and 40% MVC) under …

Impact Of Lifestyle Factors On Group B Streptococcus Colonization During Pregnancy, Myra Joy Quilatan

Theses

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in the genital tract of pregnant women is a known contributory factor for infection in the neonate, having an impact on morbidity and mortality especially if unrecognized and untreated prior to vaginal delivery. An understanding on how certain lifestyle factors contribute to the development of GBS colonization during pregnancy will assist in aiding a modification of behavior to promote prevention and improve general health.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various lifestyle factors in isolation or combination on GBS colonization during pregnancy.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design …

Population Pharmacokinetics Of Ribavirin In Lung Transplant Recipients And Examination Of Current And Alternative Dosing Regimens, Eliza Milliken

Theses

Ribavirin is used in the treatment of respiratory paramyxovirus infection in lung transplant recipients; however, its pharmacokinetic profile in the transplant population is unknown despite the potential for alterations due to underlying pathology. Furthermore, the ability of current regimens to meet exposure targets has not been established. This study examined the pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in a lung transplant population from which current and alternate dosing regimens were assessed. Population pharmacokinetic modelling was conducted in NONMEM using concentrationtime data from 24 lung transplant recipients and 6 healthy volunteers. Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the ability of dosing regimens to …

Using Digital Health Technology To Optimise Older People’S Pain Self-Management Capabilities: A Mixed Methods Study (The Digitech Pain Project), Priyanka Bhattarai

Theses

Background

Arthritic pain is a major cause of illness and disability among older people. As the use of smartphones and apps increases in the lives of older people, there is an opportunity to explore the role of these apps in helping older people better manage their arthritic pain.

Aim

To explore the feasibility and acceptability of older people using an arthritic pain selfmanagement app to improve their pain symptoms.

Methods

A parallel convergent, mixed methods design underpinned by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model 2; comprising of the following five studies:

(i) Study 1a: an integrative review;

(ii) …

Causes Of Variable Jarrah (Eucalyptus Marginata) And Marri (Corymbia Calophylla) Seedling Density At Establishment Following Bauxite Mining In The Northern Jarrah Forest Of Western Australia, Tai White-Toney

Theses

Seedling densities at establishment of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata D. Don ex Sm.) and marri (Corymbia calophylla (Lindl). K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson) following bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest of south-western Australia are variable and few factors explored during 40 years of field studies have explained this variability. This study explored establishment within the framework of limitation due to amount of seed supply and number of suitable microsites for establishment. First, relationships were identified between seedling establishment densities on 654 mine sites restored between 1998 and 2017 and restoration practices (seed and fertiliser application rates), climate …

Safety And Effectiveness Of Stoss Therapy In Children With Vitamin D Deficiency, Paul Tannous

Theses

Objectives: Paediatric vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D - 25OHD) deficiency can lead to nutritional rickets and extra-skeletal complications. Compliance with daily therapy can be difficult, making high dose, short-term vitamin D (stoss) therapy attractive to correct vitamin D deficiency. We compared the effectiveness and safety of standard versus stoss therapy in treating childhood 25OHD deficiency.

Study Design: Children aged 2 - 16 years with 25OHD <50nmol/L were randomized to either standard (5,000IU daily for 80 days) or stoss (100,000 IU weekly for 4 weeks) cholecalciferol. Participants underwent evaluation of effectiveness and safety. 25OHD, random spot calcium: creatinine ratio (Ca:Cr) and compliance were measured at 12 weeks.

Results: 151 children were enrolled in the study (68 standard and 83 stoss), median age 9 years (IQR: 6 - 12 years). Baseline 25OHD levels were 26 nmol/L (IQR: 19 - 35 nmol/L) and 32 nmol/L …

Hysterical Women: Moral Treatment Of Female Patients In The Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, 1858 – 1908, Alexandra Wallis

Theses

From 1858 to 1908, at least 452 women were admitted to the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum. Through an exploration of nineteenth-century theories of moral treatment, new insights into female patient experiences will allow for greater understanding of Fremantle’s working-class women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including those behaviours that were considered insane. The appraisal of moral treatment techniques also allows for a new investigation into the enforcement of nineteenth-century, socially-accepted ideas of womanhood.

In its three parts, using patient records, case books, and other sources, this thesis examines understandings of women’s insanity as they evolved in nineteenth-century Britain. It …

The Barren Bear Fruit: Towards A Theology Of Marital Fruitfulness For Sterile Catholic Couples In Light Of Hans Urs Von Balthasar’S Theology Of Fruitfulness, Briony Mowbray

Theses

It is estimated that between 4.0% and 11.2% of married Catholic couples remain undesirably childless after exhausting licit medical treatments for their infertility. Yet, a critical appraisal of the documents of the Magisterium highlights an absence of substantial and constructive dialogue about fruitfulness for sterile Catholic couples. This thesis draws upon the insights of Hans Urs von Balthasar in order to construct a preliminary theology of marital fruitfulness that is specifically applicable to Christian couples unable to have biological children. Following the aforementioned appraisal of relevant Magisterial documents, this thesis is divided into two further sections. In the first section, …

The Importance Of Environmental Interventions In Eliminating Trachoma Infection In Africa: The Case Of Gashoho Health District, Burundi, Desire Ndisabiye

Theses

Gashoho Health District, Burundi, has not achieved the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of elimination of the blinding infectious disease, trachoma, by 2020. The work in this thesis addresses this problem using three different approaches.

Firstly, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to establish the current trachoma prevalence in Gashoho and whether poor sanitation was a risk factor for infection. 468 individuals from 117 households across four villages were clinically examined for signs of trachoma infection, and completed a questionnaire about environmental risk factors. The current prevalence of trachoma in Gashoho was 7.9% (95 % CI 5.0 - 10.6%). Children under …

The Efficacy Of Lactic Acid And Steam Vacuum Applications In Reducing Microbial Load And Prolonging The Shelf Life Of Beer Carcases, Rachel Smith

Theses

Many foodborne outbreaks occur globally each year compromising consumer confidence and highlighting the need for continued improvements with regards to product safety. Therefore, intervention decontamination applications are currently gaining a lot of attention within the beef industry as an additional measure to improve the microbiological condition of finished products. Many studies have shown decontamination methods to be effective, however variations within the published literature makes scientific comparison difficult. This aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of a 2-3% lactic acid solution and steam vacuum technologies as intervention methods in reducing the microbial load and extending the shelf …

Comparison Of Allergen Legislation Between India And Ireland, Naresh Machha

Theses

2 Abstract Food allergen is one of the major issues in countries like Ireland and India. In Ireland, allergen and ingredients labelling are considered as the topmost problems in the Irish food business. The problems can be solved under a strict framework guided by strong regulations. The problem is bigger in India than Ireland as in India, there is no proper legalized standard in the context of food allergens so the people who are allergic to certain food products are on high risk. Labelling is a major issue in India due to pluralism and diverse linguistic barriers. Ireland operated FSAI …

A Study Of Consumer Perception Of Antibiotic Resistance And Antibiotic Use In Ireland, Andrea Todea

Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of Irish consumers regarding antibiotic use in Ireland. Data was obtained on antibiotic use, frequency, associated source and general awareness regarding antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. A cross-sectional survey was designed to analyse consumer’s perception and knowledge of antibiotic and antibiotic resistance. A total of 763 completed questionnaires were collected. The questionnaire was targeted for general public, based in Ireland. Fifty-seven percent of respondents are trying to completely avoid antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary. Half of respondents (50%) took antibiotics in the last 12 months. The majority of respondents obtained antibiotics through …

Food Proteins: Sustainable Sources Of Proteins Responsible For Emulsions Stability In Food Products, Gleicy Kelly Oliveira Nogueria

Theses

One of the major challenges manufactures are facing is the fact that consumer’s personal health standards are changing constantly, modern consumers are willing to know more about the ingredients used in their food. The relationship with ethics and sustainability is leading to changes in the food industry. Seen this, manufactures are opting for other sources of ingredients, such as plant-based alternatives. However, the use of these sort of products need to be developed due to of their unknown properties. The use of sustainable plant proteins provides a variety of benefits to the product, such as added nutritional value as fiber, …

Information Discovery In Coronagraph Images, Jeren Suzuki

Theses

Three areas of research for information discovery in solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are presented. These include CME leading front detection, clustering approaches on CME catalog data, and neural network-based classification of CMEs into speed categories. In addition to describing explored methodologies, the experimental results and analyses are presented.

Reclaiming The R-Word : Romanization As A Framework For Culture Change In The Roman Provinces, Mary Lauryn Davis

Theses

The concept of Romanization, or Rome’s process of making its newly conquered provinces more like Rome, has fallen out of favor in recent decades and has been replaced by a succession of postcolonial frameworks that progressively decenter Rome from the transformation process. I argue, against this new orthodoxy, that Rome was actively responsible for imposing profound social changes on its provincial populations that resulted in a shift toward Roman culture in the interest of Roman imperialism. This affected every segment of every conquered population, though the details of individual experiences varied widely, as can be seen in analysis along geographical, …

Mcnp Design Of Radiation Shielding For Pulsed Fusion Propulsion, David Jason Hewitt

Theses

Pulsed fusion, fission and fission-fusion hybrid systems are currently being studied for advanced propulsion to enable rapid interplanetary space travel. A testbed for evaluating these technologies at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, called Charger-1, utilizes a form of Magneto-Inertial Fusion to implode small plasma loads with z-pinch that will produce thrust when coupled with a magnetic nozzle. Like all forms of nuclear propulsion, this experiment will also be able to produce significant amounts of ionizing radiation in the form of high energy neutrons and photons that need mitigation to protect personnel and equipment. The laboratory housing this testbed has …

Lew.1wr1 Rats Have Altered Hepatic Metabolism During Their Type 1 Diabetes Susceptibility Window, Madushika Wimalarathne

Theses

LEW.1WR1 (1WR1) rats have increased type 1 diabetes (T1D) onset with the administration of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC). The objective of this study was to compare the insulitis status and liver gene expression in both control and treated 1WR1 rats during disease induction with a T1D-resistant strain of rat, the LEW/SsNHsd (SsNHsd). Using immunohistochemistry we observed higher T cell infiltration in the 1WR1 treated rats compared to the control strain, the SsNHsd PIC-treated rat. Yet we confirmed that the 1WR1 rats were not undergoing significant insulitis at the time point we selected. Interestingly the 1WR1 treated rat had significantly increased insulin …