Digital Commons Network^™

Progressive Neurochemical, Neuroinflammatory And Cognitive Deficits In An Experimental Model Of Gulf War Illness, Hannah Elizabeth Burzynski

Theses and Dissertations

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multi-symptom illness that presents with cognitive disturbances and immune dysregulation and continues to affect over 25% of Gulf War veterans. While soldiers were exposed to several hazards in the Gulf, the prophylactic use of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and war-related stress have been identified as chief factors in GWI pathology. As both PB and stress alter acetylcholine (ACh), a critical mediator of cognition and inflammation, the focus of my dissertation work was investigating the lasting effects of PB and stress on peripheral and central cholinergic signaling. Specifically, I assessed hippocampal-dependent learning and …

No More Loosies: A Mixed-Methods Study On The Implementation And Enforcement Of The Loose Cigarette And Bidi Sale Ban In India, Mayank Sakhuja

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Sale of loose cigarettes and bidis (loosies) is widely accepted as a key factor in promoting the tobacco epidemic in India. This mixed-methods study aimed to broaden understanding around the sale and purchase of loosies addressed three aims: 1) To determine the prevalence and correlates of loosies purchase in India; 2) To examine the association between purchase behavior and health warning labels (HWLs) exposure and responses, and 3) To conduct a stakeholder analysis regarding the ban on the sale of loosies in India. Methods: Data from the 2018-19 Tobacco Control Policy (TCP) India survey (643 current cigarette users and …

Acoustic-Emission Monitoring Of Lap Joint Fatigue Cracks, Siddharth Kannan

Theses and Dissertations

Structural integrity is a pivotal consideration in the field of engineering applications, and understanding the behavior of materials and joints under various loading conditions is critical. This thesis presents a novel approach to detect and analyze fatigue induced cracks in various test specimens using Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors. This approach is widely used in Structural Health Monitoring applications involving acoustic emissions that can be captured using PWAS which in turn gives the surface response to applied stresses. The ultimate goal of the research is to identify the length of a fatigue crack originating from lap joints and to develop a …

The Association Between Symptoms Of Adhd And Alcohol Use And Related Consequences In College Students: Social And Environmental Protective And Risk Factors As Moderators Of This Relation, Cameron Shepard Massey

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use, while common in college student populations, can bring about significant mental health and educational problems that have negative consequences (Harris et al., 2017; White & Hingson, 2013). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can also result in significant impairment in academic settings (Kuriyan et al., 2012; Blase et al., 2009, Barbaresi et al., 2007), and those with ADHD often show increased rates of alcohol consumption and related problems, which can greatly increase the risk for students to struggle in college (Barbaresi et al., 2013; Baker et al., 2012). Examining the impact that specific risk and protective factors play in this relation …

Uav-Deployable Sensing Network For Rapid Structural Health Monitoring, Joud Satme

Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters and extreme weather events pose significant threats to the structural integrity and safety of civil and environmental infrastructure. In this context, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) emerges as a pivotal discipline, intersecting engineering, technology, and disaster resilience. SHM's mission is to provide real-time, data-driven insights into the condition of critical infrastructure, encompassing bridges, buildings, dams, and transportation networks. These systems not only expedite assessment, but also wield substantial influence in mitigating catastrophic disasters. As the frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions escalate due to climate change, the need for robust and proactive SHM strategies becomes increasingly apparent. Moreover, …

Digital Health Design For Improving Treatment Decisions, Akanksha Singh

Theses and Dissertations

In the age of artificial intelligence and large datasets, information retrieval by querying large databases is an impossible task for the common user due to the information overload. Recommender Systems (RS) for commercial applications like YouTube, Amazon and Netflix were designed to support users by finding items of interest based on their user profiles and various filtering techniques. Health Recommender Systems (HRS) is a category of RSs that provides immense opportunities for application across several healthcare domains and contexts including treatment decision support. Unlike RS applications that focus on analyzing consumer choices, a key differentiator for HRS applications is the …

An Investigation Into Transcription Fidelity And Its Effects On C. Elegans And S. Cerevisiae Health And Longevity, Olivia S. Dinep-Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

mRNA molecules form an intermediate in the transfer of sequences from DNA to ribosomes in order to guide protein production. Errors can be introduced into mRNA, producing aberrant proteins which place a strain on cellular regulatory machinery, causing increased risks of apoptosis, cancer, and decreased fitness. These errors may be introduced due to decreased transcriptional proofreading capabilities, exposure to chemicals, or mistakes in RNA editing machinery. It is important to investigate these causes of transcription errors to better understand the long-neglected area of mRNA fidelity which has such significant impacts on our cellular functions. In this paper, it was determined …

Impact Of Daily Sweet Potato Ingestion On Alterations To The Gut Microbiome, Cholesterol, And Exercise Performance, Johneric William Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of the gut microbiome is being explored in relation to multiple facets of health and performance. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of frequent sweet potato ingestion on alterations of the gut microbiome which might in turn alter cholesterol levels and exercise performance. Thirteen recreationally trained males had fecal and blood samples collected and exercised to fatigue with and without exogenous carbohydrate ingestion prior to and following 42 days of daily sweet potato ingestion. Bacterial communities were extracted from fecal samples and bacterial DNA were sequence. Blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, low-density …

Not In This House, Satan! An Integrative Framing Analysis Of Body-Positive Posts On Instagram, Gladys Mana Momade

Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have associated the portrayal of idealized images of the body on social media with the negative body image of users, which manifests as several mental health problems such as eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, and anxiety in users. To tackle this issue, body-positive (BoPo) influencers on Instagram, having achieved a state of positive body image, post verbal and visual messages to advocate against normative ideologies that foster the negative body image of social media users. These messages have some implications for health communication and body image research. This study analyzes body-positive influencers’ self-assertion and self-expression in …

Food Insecurity In Youth And Young Adults With Diabetes: Prevalence And Association With Health Behaviors, Lauren Helene Martini

Theses and Dissertations

Given the life-long impact of diabetes(1-5), it is important to engage in behaviors that promote health and wellness to delay or prevent negative health outcomes(3, 6-10). Despite this, youth and young adults with diabetes generally do not adhere to nutritional(11-17) or physical activity(18, 19) recommendations. In households experiencing financial difficulties, especially those who are having difficulty providing sufficient food to all of its members, adhering to recommendations may be even more difficult.

The purpose of this dissertation is to better understand and contextualize food insecurity among youth and young adults (YYA) with youth-onset T1DM and T2DM. The first aim addresses …

Memorable Health Messages And Their Influence On Health Behavior, Benjamin Brew Sam-Paintsil

Theses and Dissertations

Students encounter a lot of the health messages they perceive to be relevant. Some of health messages may stick with them for a long period of time and may be easily recalled than others, thus becoming memorable messages to them. Yet, little is known about the content and the source of college students’ memorable health messages. Thus, this study explored the features, the impact, and sources of college students’ memorable health message and whether students view their sources as credible. In addition, the present study examined health issues that students deem as salient in their memorable messages. The study found …

Attitudes Towards Breastfeeding Among College Students At Mississippi State University, Kristin F. Williford

Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding rates in America are lower than other high-income countries, with Mississippi having one of the lowest rates. A survey using the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was distributed twice to Mississippi State University students to understand their breastfeeding attitudes. Attitudes were determined by calculating a composite score and conducting statistical tests for significance. Knowledge between health and non-health related majors were explored by using five statements, and attitudes towards the statement “Breastmilk is the ideal food for babies” were compared across demographics. Of 642 respondents, the composite score was 57.3 out of 85, and all demographics had a …

To What Degree Does Martial Quality Predict Longevity? A Meta-Analysis Of Prospective Studies, Rachel E. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Strong social relationships consistently predict the quality of both physical and mental health. Society commonly recognizes the marriage relationship as one of the most committed, enduring relationships. While marital status alone can strongly predict health, it appears that moderating factors exist in this association. The quality of one's marriage can have a greater effect on health than marital status alone. We conducted a meta-analysis examining the strength of the influence that marital quality has on physical health, specifically indicated by mortality rates. To identify relevant articles, we searched multiple online databases (Embase, Psycinfo, Family and Society Studies Worldwide, and Academic …

Masculinity And Men’S Health Attitudes Toward Consideration Of Weight-Loss Surgery, Karaline Fusco

Theses and Dissertations

The rise in obesity across the United States has led to greater educational outreach, considerable research, and medical interventions aimed at decreasing the rate of obesity-related health diseases. But are these interventions reaching everyone? Despite men and women having equivalent rates of obesity, only 20% of weight-loss surgery patients are men. While men have an average life expectancy that is 5 years less than women and are twice as likely than women to have heart disease, men also underutilize healthcare services. Given these factors, this research explored men’s health beliefs, conformity to male norms, and receptivity to weight-loss surgery. This …

Molecular Architecture Of Cardiometabolic Responses To Regular Exercise, Jacob L. Barber

Theses and Dissertations

Background: To investigate the molecular mechanisms, determinants, and predictors of cardiometabolic responses to regular exercise, this dissertation had two primary aims: 1) Examine the molecular architecture of cardiometabolic responses to exercise training (unsupervised approach) and 2) Identify molecular signatures of responsiveness to regular exercise within clinically relevant lipoprotein traits (supervised approach).

Methodology: Multi-omics data (17,945 muscle transcripts, 4,979 proteins, 411 metabolites) from participants (n=647) who completed 20 weeks of endurance training as part of the HERITAGE Family Study was collected before and after training. We employed an unsupervised machine learning approach (Aim 1) to identify patterns of molecular responses to …

Self Reported Cardiovascular Health And Health Behaviors In Women Veterans, Seth Byland

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe self-reported cardiovascular health (CVH) and health behaviors in women veterans (WV). A cardiovascular score will be adapted from the existing American Heart Association CVH score. This score will be used to describe CVH in WV.

Methods: Data was collected from WV using an anonymous online survey. This survey asked questions about CVH, CVH behavior, and military specific questions. CVH scoring was determined by asking 6 questions that scored individuals for a total score from 0 to 12, with 12 being most ideal for CVH health. Scores were tallied and mean scores …

Life In The Time Of Covid-19: The Everyday Impacts Of The Pandemic In Amman, Jordan, Patrick Mckenzie

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and the responses taken to combat it caused enormous changes to the everyday lives of people around the world. Jordan, in its early success against the virus and with its large refugee population, represents a unique country in which to study these everyday impacts. From May to August of 2021, I conducted ethnographic fieldwork in the Jordanian capital city of Amman while working with the refugee nongovernmental organization the Collateral Repair Project. In this thesis, I explore the COVID-19 Spectacle, examining the ways in which policies and discourses at the national and international scales bled into the …

Three Essays In Behavioral Economics, Foteini Tzachrista

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes three essays on behavioral economics with applications in health, strategic thinking, and labor.In the first essay titled ``The Effect of Nudging on the Utilization of Counseling Services and the Implications on College Student Involvement'', I examine the effect of nudging on the utilization of mental health services and the impact on college student involvement. To improve the utilization of mental health services for college students I designed and implemented an intervention promoting a pro-counseling social norm on campus. More specifically I sent campus-wide emails to inform students of the mental health services offered on campus. Randomly selected …

Assessing The Effectiveness And Efficacy Of Wireless Onboard Condition Monitoring Modules In Identifying Defects In Railroad Rolling Stock, Lee R. Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

Many industries have begun shifting into the Internet of Things (IoT) in the 21st century. To help ease this transition for the rail industry, The University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) has partnered with Hum Industrial Technology, Inc. (HUM) to help complete the development of a Wireless Onboard Condition Monitoring system named the ‘Boomerang™’. This product allows customers to schedule proactive maintenance on their railcars to replace defective wheels and/or bearings, saving them time, money and potentially preventing costly catastrophic derailments. The UTCRS research team has established thresholds to determine defective bearings utilizing thermal and mechanical sensors.

The effectiveness …

“Before The World Gets Them”: The Impact Of Racialized Parenting On Black Mothers, Mia Brantley

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the distinct practices Black women implement to protect their children from both actualized and anticipatory experiences of racism, as well as its effects on their mothering experiences, health and well-being, as well as how they manage the emotional and mental toll of their children’s experiences. Race plays an integral role in shaping mothering practices. More specifically, motherwork examines how Black mothers ensure the physical, mental, and emotional survival of their children in the face of micro-and macro-level structures that perpetuate racism and inequality. However, much is left to explore regarding the interconnectedness between Black women’s motherwork, linked …

Pen Size And Brd: Impacts On Antimicrobial Use, Antimicrobial Resistance, Performance, And Profitability, Kirsten Midkiff

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of number of stocker cattle in receiving pens (large: n=150 cattle; small: n=50 cattle) on 1) BRD morbidity/mortality, and performance, 2) antimicrobial use and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Mannheimia haemolytica, and 3) profitability of stocker operations. No differences were found for morbidity (p=0.5041). Mortality tended (p=0.0744) to be higher in large groups. BW increased (p LESS THAN 0.0001) over time. A treatment*day interaction (p=0.00592) was found for ADG, with largest gains for both groups from day 14-28. M. haemolytica recovery decreased (p=0.0002) over time. Antimicrobial resistance (p=0.0179) and MDR …

Assessing The Level Of Perception Of Knowledge About Ticks And Tick-Borne Diseases Among The Residents Of Several Cities In The Transboundary Region Of U.S.-Mexico, Consuelo Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

The transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico possesses similar weather conditions and habitats favoring insects (vectors) like ticks. Several tick species found in the transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico can transmit pathogens. In the last three years, a total of 40 cases of Rickettsial infections, 28 in Tamaulipas and 12 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, have been reported. A low level of knowledge about diseases that ticks can transmit along with a lack of appropriate protection practices can severely affect human health. Limited surveys on ticks and tick-borne disease are available. Our goal was to (1) assess the perception of knowledge of …

Perceptions Of Residents Living In A Food Desert On The Impact Of A Community-Supported Agriculture Pilot Program, Jessica Thome

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine perspectives on food access among a low-income, food desert community through participation in a grant funded CSA program.Design: Healthy Eating Program is a pilot program assessing the effect of a CSA intervention on health among residents living in a food desert. Participants were surveyed through an initial survey and final survey with questions regarding perceived health status and daily food stressors. Data was collected through Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS. Setting: Low-income, food desert community residing in the Westside of Bloomington, Illinois. Participants: Forty participants 18 years or older, low-income and …

Metabolomics Of Acid Whey Derived From Greek Yogurt, Muriel Mercedes Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Acid whey, a byproduct of Greek yogurt production, has little commercial value due to its low protein content and is also environmentally harmful when disposed of as waste. However, as a product of microbial fermentation, acid whey could be a rich source of beneficial metabolites associated with fermented foods. This study increases understanding of acid whey composition by providing a complete metabolomic profile of acid whey. Commercial and lab-made Greek yogurts, prepared with three different bacterial culture combinations, were evaluated. Samples of unfermented yogurt mix and cultured whey from each batch were analyzed. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry metabolomics were …

The Effect Of Hurricane Sandy On Mental Health Outcomes Of New Yorkers, Kacper Perkowski

Theses and Dissertations

This study’s objective is to evaluate the effect of Hurricane Sandy on the long-term mental health of New Yorkers. Health data spanning from 2010-2014 was obtained through the Community Health Survey. Difference-in-differences regressions were employed to evaluate the relationship. The results show Hurricane Sandy had no statistically significant effect on any key mental health variables.

The Effects Of Instagram User Weight And Health Orientation On Perceptions Of Food Posts, Alese M. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Past research has shown that social factors, such as social facilitation, influence what and how much people eat (Zajonc, 1965). One key factor seems to be others’ weights; people have a tendency to dissociate themselves with obese eaters (Barthomeuf, Rousset, & Droit-Volet, 2012; McFerran, Dahl, Fitzsimons, & Morales, 2010). A pilot study was completed to assess how people viewed food photos posted to Instagram, as well as their social media habits. These findings were used in the design of the present study; the purpose of the present study is to determine whether social factors involved in eating, like others’ weight, …

We Are All Going Through Recovery: College Students And Their Family Members Navigate The Recovery Process, Leah Bethany Poole Pylate

Theses and Dissertations

A strong social support network can be important to an individual’s recovery from addiction of alcohol, drugs, or another addictive behavior. A Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) can provide college students an opportunity to attend college with a network that supports the choice to remain free from addictive substances and other addictive behaviors. While research has established a CRP can serve a purpose on the college campus, less is known about the connection of a CRP and the role of family in recovery. The following study reviews the role of family from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model of Human Development …

Explaining Individual And Contextual-Level Determinants Of Social Tolerance And The Emotional Burden Of Social Intolerance, Ismail Hakki Yigit

Theses and Dissertations

Diversity is an inevitable condition of modern societies, in which individuals come into contact with one another with various backgrounds; such as, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, and ideology. My dissertation answers three questions: what are the individual characteristics that influence social tolerance of people?’ What are the important things (education level, economic condition, gender, religiosity, etc.) that hold people in a society together as well as influence them positively or negatively to report social tolerance toward religiously different, racially different, sexually different (homosexuals), and nationally (immigrants) different people? From there, I am also trying to answer, if any, …

An Examination Between Neighborhood Characteristics And Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias And Caregiver Mental Health In South Carolina, Dana Mahmoud Alhasan

Theses and Dissertations

Research has examined the relationship between neighborhood environments and cognitive decline, yet few have investigated the role of neighborhood characteristics specifically on incident Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), on severity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) including neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), and on caregiver mental health including depressive symptoms. This dissertation aimed to 1) ecologically examine the geographic distribution of ADRD and investigate ecologic associations between census-tract neighborhood characteristics and diagnosed ADRD case incidence from 2010-2014 in the South Carolina (SC) Alzheimer’s Disease Registry; 2) estimate the cross-sectional association between neighborhood characteristics and NPS among those with AD in 2010 in SC; …

Did Medicaid Expansion Under The Affordable Care Act Reduce The Likelihood That People Report Employment Status Changes Due To Health, U.S., 2009-2017, Songyuan Deng

Theses and Dissertations

Medicaid expansion of Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended coverage to low-income working adults. While Medicaid expansion led to increased healthcare use and national healthcare expenditures, current studies do not examine the effects of Medicaid expansion on health status from the perspective of social roles, for example, changes in employment status. This study use data from the Current Population Survey to examine the association between Medicaid expansion and the probability to attribute part-time work or not-in-labor- force to health issues among people with family annual income no more than 138 of Federal Poverty Level, with a difference-in-differences study design. We found …