Digital Commons Network^™

Us, Abundantly: From Africa To The Americas, Karisma Jay

Theses and Dissertations

"Us, AbunDantly," a Live theatrical dance performance and film, delves into the African Diaspora and its influences. An artistic and academic project built upon the amplification of Black excellence and Black pride, this paper contextualizes a work within the oral histories and contemporary dance studies of a powerfully ancestral community.

Tenured Teacher Motivation For Self-Directed Professional Development In Literacy, Jennifer Lynn Brady

Theses and Dissertations

After receiving tenure, experienced teachers may choose to not participate in professional development opportunities. In fact, tenured teachers may only complete the minimum professional development hours required by their school districts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that motivated tenured elementary school teachers (grades 3-6) to participate in self-directed professional development (SD-PD) in literacy. This study consisted of six tenured teachers (grades 3-6) who were recruited from three different schools in a suburban elementary school district in Nassau County, New York. Data were collected through one-on-one online interviews, a collection of participants’ written …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Benefits And Barriers Of The Inclusion Of Coding In K-8 Curriculum: A Qualitative Study, Jennifer Lynn Dralle-Moreano,

Theses and Dissertations

The 21st century has seen a rapid growth in technological use in schools. Many schools now use computers and other digital devices in order to meet the academic needs of their students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the benefits and barriers that K-8 educators experienced when integrating or teaching coding curriculum in their classrooms. This qualitative phenomenological study, informed by the Zais model of curriculum design (1976), Johnson (1977), and Beauchamp’s curriculum theory (1968), involved data collection through semi-structured interviews with six K-8 teachers, one instructional leader, one middle school principal, one assistant superintendent, and one …

Home Is Where The Hatred Is, Richey Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

Taking inspiration from my own life and family history, this project is a fictionalized record of the type of struggles in the way of prosperity, kinship, and redemption. These themes are shown through the lives of three generations of Afro-Caribbean women as they attempt reconnection years later abroad. Rose, Grace, and Anansi Powell are the subjects in question, pressured to confront their past through the presence of one another in order to move forward with their respective futures. The grief and pain that surfaces in response to Rose’s unannounced arrival makes way for more than just a simple reunion.

Evolution, Classification, And Biochemical Foundations Of Toll-Like Receptors (Tlrs) And Their Role In Chytridiomycosis Resistance, Joseph De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a major concern for Amphibian populations. Over the past thirty years, global declines related to Bd infection have been observed, particularly in neotropical amphibians. Although Bd is endemic to many amphibian species, a significant proportion of amphibian populations have shown evidence of resistance to the pathogen. The precise reasoning as to why there is resistance variation across amphibian taxa remains to be elucidated, but many hypotheses have been suggested. In particular, immunogenetic variations in the innate immune system among amphibians are potential indicators to this dilemma. Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs), …

672 Years Of Plague: Reconquest, The Last Dream Of King Alfonso Xi Of Castile: Hermeneutics Of A Play, Jose Sarzi Amade

Theses and Dissertations

The proposed work here is a literary creation: a play accompanied by a critical study on it. The work (second part) introduces us to characters that thanks to the contest of the dream dimension - the invention of the last dream of the King of Castile, Alfonso XI - make a trip in the future. They flee from the medieval plague of 1348, sail to the unknown and meet, after crossing the Atlantic Ocean, in 2020, in dystopia. Things are deteriorating and navigators end up being expelled from this place. The framework of the play was built around stories of …

Impact Of A Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Students In Grades 3–5, Cornelius P. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the impact of the Mindful Schools curriculum on students’ academic performance, stress management, and academic and social self-perception. Comparisons of fall-spring academic growth measures and other data gathered over 2 years—before and after implementation of the curriculum—revealed academic, stress management, and self-perception impacts of the intervention. Student test scores from the reading (n = 322) and mathematics (n = 321) sections of the Northwest Evaluation Association were evaluated and found that the Mindfulness-Based Intervention led to significant growth from pre-intervention and post-intervention years. A repeated measures ANOVA found a …

Short-Term Second-Hand Smoke Exposure Predisposes The Lung To Inflammation, Elastic Fiber Injury, And Pulmonary Emphysema, George Gu

Theses and Dissertations

To determine whether cigarette smoke exposure predisposes lungs to secondary injury, our laboratory developed a hamster model using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce pulmonary inflammation following exposure to second-hand smoke. With this model, inflammatory effects of LPS on smoke-exposed hamsters was measured by various morphological and biochemical parameters. Additional experiments studied the effects of exogenous ET-1 and BQ123, which modulate the adherence of inflammatory cells to lung capillary endothelium. Total bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) leukocytes, percent BALF neutrophils, and elastin-specific desmosine and isodesmosine (DID) crosslinks (free and peptide-bound) in BALF and whole lungs were measured 24 hours (hrs) after LPS treatment. …

A Timecourse Based Dermatotoxicity Evaluation Of Mechlorethamine On Damage And Repair Related Protein Expression In The Mouse Ear Vesicant Model, Ganming Mao

Theses and Dissertations

Mechlorethamine (HN2) is a type of nitrogen mustard alkylating agent that has been widely applied as an anticancer drug. HN2 is an analog of the corrosive reagent sulfur mustard, which is highly reactive with skin and organisms exposed to HN2 develop significant skin irritation, edema, erythema, and disruption of the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). These pathological affects lead to tissue damage, activate wound repair mechanisms and, if unresolved, result in necrosis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the time-dependent effects of HN2 on the expression of three different proteins using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and previously prepared and preserved formalin-fixed …

Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: The Relationship Between Risk Factors And Symptom Severity, Danielle Horrigan Millen

Theses and Dissertations

While violent crimes have been on a decline since 2005, domestic violence has been increasing steadily over the past decade (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005, 2013, and 2014). A number of adult and childhood risk factors are associated with the increased likelihood of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Witnessing interparental violence and experiencing abuse as a child are both linked to increased likelihood of experiencing IPV as an adult. (Ehrenstaft et al., 2003; Magdol, Moffitt, Caspi, & Silva, 1998; Stith et al., 2000; Stith, Smith, Penn, Ward, & Tritt, 2004; Widom et al., 2014). Additionally, relationship factors, including length of …

The Roles Of Cardiovascular Disease And Depression In The Relationship Between Respiratory Disease And Neuropsychological Functioning In Older Adults, Alexander J. Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

The pathophysiology of severe respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), supports the theory that oxygen deprivation to the brain may impact the brain’s execution of cognitive functions. Imaging studies also suggest that neuroanatomical changes in areas of the brain responsible for cognitive processes may be associated with respiratory diseases. Research in this area has failed to conclude definitively, especially in an older adult population, which is more likely to experience comorbid depression and cardiovascular disease, universally acknowledged predictors of poorer cognitive performance, the extent of the relationship between respiratory illness and cognitive functioning. The current …

Reading Builds Empathy: Piloting A Literacy Tool To Measure Reading's Impact On Kids' Empathy Development, Valerie Lorene Williams-Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Culturally Relevant Pedagogical (CRP; Ladson-Billings, 1995) and textual strategic approaches to reading development are gaining acceptance and broader usage among students of all ages and walks of life. With this shift, quantitative measures of efficacy can confirm, bolster, and source new policies and strategies for implementation in new and existing learning frontiers that engage at-home reading and family literacy practices. To this end, the Reading Builds Empathy literacy study seeks to develop and pilot a new instrument to be used in future intervention studies. Focusing on the active ingredient of culturally relevant pedagogy, empathy, and its three dimensions (affective, cognitive, …

“I Have Gone Beyond My Sphere”: Network Analysis And Rhetorical Feminism In Women’S Writing 1650-1750, Donna P. Downing

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of a contrasting public sphere and private sphere is both enduring and contested. The model of the eighteenth century public sphere offered by Jürgen Habermas offers a rational-critical approach to public discourse, while bracketing difference. Interlocutors of Habermas see such exclusion as problematic, particularly from a feminist standpoint. In contrast to Habermas’ static model, this project offers a networked, motile vision of public and private spheres that allows for interconnections and relationships, and which not only incorporates conceptual differences, but in fact relies on them. In this flexible model, rhetorical feminism, where the ideology of feminism is brought …

Pharmacological Effects Of Ebselen And Other Novel Organoselenium Compounds In Vitro And In The Mouse Model Of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis, Suvidha M. Menon

Theses and Dissertations

The current era is witnessing the emergence of virulent and resistant Candida and other pathogenic strains that has led to high morbidity and mortality rates on a global scale. Drug resistance has rendered once proven potent and commonly used antifungal drugs ineffective, especially in immunocompromised patients. These reasons justify the need for identifying novel antifungal targets and thereby building the antifungal armamentarium.

Our lab has previously investigated and studied Ebselen (EB), an organoselenium compound for its antifungal mechanism and activity against Candida strains. In vitro studies have shown the growth inhibitory activity (IC50 ˜ 15 µM) for various C. albicans …

The Role Of Transcription Factor Nrf2 In The Toxicity Of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos) And Perfluorooctanoic Acid (Pfoa) In Vitro And In Vivo In Wild-Type And Nrf2 Deficient C57bl/6 Mice, Saif A. Alharthy

Theses and Dissertations

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are members of a family of compounds known as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This study aimed to determine the protective role of Nrf2 against the toxicity of these agents. Nrf2-/- and wild-type astrocytes from C57BL/6 mice were exposed to PFOS (75-600µM) and PFOA (400-1000µM) for 24 hours. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Neutral Red (NR) uptake assays showed cytotoxicity being significantly greater in nrf2-/- than in the wild-type astrocytes. Concentrations of 600µM PFOS and 800µM PFOA showed significant increases in reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and TUNEL positive cells in both cells types with significantly …

Self-Emulsified Nanoemulsion As Permeation Enhancer And Its Application For Intranasal Delivery Of Insulin, Kanyaphat Bunchongprasert

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the permeation enhancing property and safety of self-emulsified nanoemulsion (SEN) and use these findings to enhance insulin absorption through the nasal route.

The first part of the project was to identify the factors affecting cytotoxicity and permeation enhancement of SEN on Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, a widely used paracellular model. Twenty-six fatty acid esters (FAEs) commonly used in SEN were investigated. Among the FAEs (mono-, di-, and triesters), fatty acid monoesters (FAME) are the main excipient causing cytotoxicity and opening tight junction. The cytotoxicity of FAME in SEN was reduced with the presence of …

Rna Splicing In Neuron Physiology And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Md Faruk Hossain

Theses and Dissertations

Gene expression is regulated at multiple levels, including transcription, RNA editing, pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA export, translation, and posttranslational modifications. Alternative splicing is a process by which exons can be included or excluded, giving rise to multiple mRNA isoforms from the same transcript. Alternative splicing is an important mechanism in developmental, tissue- and cell-specific control of gene expression, and it is key for expanding proteomic diversity and complexity from a limited number of genes. Moreover, more than 95% of multiexon genes undergo alternative splicing in humans, and about half of all disease-causing point mutations in humans affect pre-mRNA splicing, including neurological …

Anticancer Effect Of Indanone-Based Thiazolyl Hydrazone Derivative On P53 Mutant Colon Cancer Cell Lines: In Vitro And In Vivo Study, Silpa Narayanan

Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. Currently, irinotecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is an important anticancer drug approved for patients with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer. Considering the low response rate and the events of high toxicity caused by irinotecan, we evaluated a series of thirteen thiazolyl hydrazone derivatives of 1-indanone for their potential antineoplastic activity and four compounds showed promising anticancer activity against most of the tested colon cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.41 ± 0.19 to 6.85 ± 1.44 μM. It is noteworthy that the compound, …

The Effectiveness Of The I-Ready And Word Generation Interventions On Middle School Students, Christina M. Vagenas-Bischoff

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing number of children who struggle with reading and writing has become a significant challenge for the nation’s public schools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between which intervention a student gets and ELA scores of the online reading program i-Ready compared to the Word Generation program in regards to the reading and writing levels of New York City middle school students. The researcher compared New York City state test scores to determine how student reading levels measured with the i-Ready program vs the Word Generation program. This showed which program had a greater …

Exploring First Year Students’ Interest In Reading Academic Texts In An Urban Community College Composition Classroom, Adele J. Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how the construct of interest may influence first-year community college students’ willingness to engage with academic text assignments. Research on interest theory as presented by Renninger (2009) suggests that students, even those with low self-efficacy or regulation, are more likely to make gains in engagement and/or academic progress, dependent upon how interested those students are in the texts assigned by their teacher. Students from two 2020 spring semester first-year composition courses at a Northeast metropolitan community college were provided with 6 potential academic reading assignments on diverse topics. Students were asked to select one assignment, read it, …

Exploring How Faculty Motivations And Professional Development Strategies Influence Digital Literacy Practices In A Study Abroad Program In Italy: A Case Study, Paolo Bartolini

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore the multifaceted motivations, perceptions and attitudes that influence digital literacy practices in a small group of study abroad faculty and how professional development can help inspire them to act to innovate their digital literacy practices within a study abroad context. The role of study abroad programs in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent decades. As the number of students participating in these programs continues to increase, so have questions about the role of digital literacy practices in foreign education. Digital literacy embodies a way of learning that focuses …

Exploring Efficacy Of An Anti-Malarial Nanomedicine In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment, Vineela Parvathaneni

Theses and Dissertations

New drug and dosage form development faces significant challenges, especially in oncology, due to longer development cycle and associated scale-up complexities. Repurposing of existing drugs with potential anti-cancer activity into new therapeutic regimens provides a feasible alternative. In this project, amodiaquine (AQ), an anti-malarial drug, has been explored for its anti-cancer efficacy through formulating inhalable nanoparticulate systems using high-pressure homogenization (HPH) with scale-up feasibility and high reproducibility. A 32 multifactorial design was employed to better understand critical processes and formulation parameters so as to ensure product quality with improved anticancer efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Optimized AQ loaded …

The Perceptions Of English Language Learners On Their Level Of Preparedness To Complete College Courses Taught In English: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Drawing Upon Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, John Blicharz

Theses and Dissertations

As the English language learner (ELL) population in the United States continues to grow and the number of non-native speakers entering institutes of higher education increases, there is a growing need to shift the paradigm on how universities serve ELLs. While there is a body of literature to support K-12 literacy, there is little to support college ELLs. As if the lack of research was not enough, ELLs are suffering on standardized tests, college placement tests are waning, and ELLs are not receiving proper advisement, thus suffering in standard English composition courses and failing out. Drawing upon the framework of …

The Emerging Science Of Wellness In The College Writing Curriculum, Peggy Suzuki

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that the college writing curriculum – and indeed any educational program---would benefit from an emphasis on human wellness and the arts. Wellness consists of one’s emotional, social, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and vocational well-being. Additionally, students’ environmental circumstances, like home life, finances, diet, exercise, and work obligations play a huge role in balancing personal health, especially in marginalized communities. Since one’s physiological and psychological connection impacts one’s identity and health, improving writing in the classroom requires holistic and creative approaches for rewiring individual thinking. I draw from positive psychology, where concepts like complex optimism and positive emotions nurture …

Qbd Approach For Development Of Ivermectin-Loaded Gastro Retentive Sustained Release Tablets As Mass Drug Administration For Malaria Transmission Control, Zhangjie Xi

Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a life-threatening disease with a high prevalence worldwide. Mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin have been shown to prevent the transmission of malaria. The objective of this investigation is to develop ivermectin-loaded gastro retentive sustained release tablets (GRSRTs), which have the potential to avoid not only frequent administration of MDA but also fluctuation of ivermectin in systemic circulation. Based on the outcomes from screening various materials to be the suitable matrix forming polymer and bio-adhesive polymer mixture of GRSRTs, HPMC K100M, Carbopol 934p and sodium alginate:chitosan (1:1) were selected as formulation variables. Eight formulations of ivermectin-loaded GRSRTs were …

Double-Coated Biodegradable Poly (Butyl Cyanoacrylate) Nanoparticulate Delivery Systems For Brain Targeting Of Doxorubicin Via Oral Administration, Neeraj Kaushal

Theses and Dissertations

Primary brain cancer cells grow within the brain or cancer cells can metastasis from different site of the body into brain. The major hurdle in the treatment of brain cancer is the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, acquired multidrug-resistant (MDR) impedes the success of long-term chemotherapy. Therefore, the objective of this investigation is to evaluate the brain targeting potential of orally administered poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticulate delivery systems (PBCA-NPDS), double-coated with Tween 80 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 20000 for brain delivery of doxorubicin, that does not cross the BBB by itself. And, evaluate the MDR reversal potential of PBCA-NPDS. Doxorubicin-loaded …

Up-Regulation Of Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) 21 Via Ap-1 Activation Attenuates Cisplatin-Induced Hepatotoxicity, Yue Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf in rodents and FGF in human) 21 plays important roles in the maintenance of sugar, lipid and energy homeostasis. Fgf/FGF21 can be up-regulated via activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and activating transcription factor (ATF) 4. Recent studies also demonstrated that Fgf/FGF21 plays cytoprotective roles against chemical-induced toxicities, such as of dioxins, acetaminophen, and alcohols. Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, CDDP) is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug. However, numerous adverse effects have been noted during CDDP therapy, which largely limit its clinical applications. This study was designed to determine the regulation of …

Assembly And Function Of The Polycystin Receptor-Ion Channel Complexes And The Otop1 Proton Channel, Bin Li

Theses and Dissertations

Polycystin complexes, or TRPP/PKD complexes, made of transient receptor potential channel polycystin subfamily proteins (TRPP) and polycystic kidney disease (PKD) proteins, play key roles in coupling extracellular stimuli with intracellular Ca2+ signals. For example, the TRPP2/PKD1 complex has a crucial function in renal physiology, with mutations in either protein causing autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). In contrast, the TRPP3/PKD1L3 complex responds to low pH and plays a potential role in sour taste. It has been previously shown that the protein partners interact via association of the C-terminal or transmembrane segments, with consequences for the assembly, surface expression, and function …

Optimalizimi I Formës Së Dizajnit Duke Përdorur Cad/Cae Sistemet, Namik Tola

Theses and Dissertations

Computer Aided Design (CAD) dhe Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) janë mjetet më të rëndësishme teknologjike qe ingjinierët dhe dizajnerët i përdorin për të zhvilluar dhe përmirësuar produktet në përditshmëri (formën, dizajnin dhe procesin e optimizimit). Për këtë arsye, ky studim shfaq rendesinë e përdorimit te CAD-it për modelimin e pjesëve dhe veglave, si dhe pjesën e CAE-it për analiza të ndryshme ingjinierike si presionin në pika të ndryshme, apo aerodinamikën e makinerive të ndryshme, flow simulation dhe shumë analiza tjera.

Kjo temë prezanton përdorimin e CAD/CAE sistemeve për modelimin dhe analizimin e procesit stress dhe strain dhe rezultatet e kalkulimeve …

Opioid System's Involvement In Ketamine's Antidepressant-Like Effects, Fan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is one of the most debilitating disorders in the world. The currently available medications typically have a 2-4 week delay in their therapeutic effects and are ineffective for about 40% of patients. In 2000, a subanesthetic dose (0.5 mg/kg i.e.) of the dissociative anesthetic ketamine was reported to have both rapid and robust antidepressant effects in in treatment-resistant depressed patients. However, the mechanisms responsible for ketamine’s antidepressant effects remain unclear. In 2018, a clinical study reported that pretreatment with the nonselective opioid antagonist naltrexone attenuated the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine in depressed patients. The current study investigated the …