Digital Commons Network^™

Ccl2 Suppression In Lewis Lung Carcinoma Model Enhances Host Survival And Immune Response In The Tumor Microenvironment, Nivedita Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

CCL2, a chemokine also referred to as monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and small inducible cytokine A, is chemotactic for monocytes. CCL2-induced recruitment of CCR2+Ly6C(hi) monocytes increases vascular permeability CCR2+ endothelium aiding the escape and migration of tumor cells. CCL2 is produced by cancers of varied immunogenicity and augments tumor proliferation and metastasis. Elevated CCL2 expression by tumor cells is linked to poor prognosis.We have previously shown that two bacterially derived superantigens, Staphylococcal enterotoxin G and I (SEG/SEI) stimulate large numbers of T cells in an antigen-independent fashion and promote enhanced survival in the poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma model. Conversely, …

Acaricidal Activity Of The Orally Administered Isoxazoline Drugs (Lotilaner, Fluralaner, And Afoxolaner) In White-Footed Mice Against Larval Ticks, Emily Marie Gisi

Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, is currently the most prevalent vector borne disease in North America. With the CDC estimating almost 500,000 new cases every year, methods are needed to control the vector, the black legged tick (Ixodes scapularis). Like other tick-borne diseases, Lyme disease is zoonotic and involves tick parasitism on rodent reservoirs in the wild. The main reservoir host of Lyme disease is the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a reservoir targeted control approach by the treatment of white-footed mice with oral isoxazoline class drugs. …

Assessing Neuropsychological Changes Post Covid-19 Infection Using The Global Neuropsychological Assessment, Jeremy M. Raines

Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 is characterized by a respiratory syndrome with severity ranging from mild upper respiratory tract illness to severe interstitial pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although physical symptoms are most common in those infected with COVID-19, patients may present with several neuropsychiatric sequelae caused by direct central nervous system infection, neuroinflammation, and/or prolonged hypoxia encephalitis. Though extent literature on COVID-19 related cognitive decline is still in its infancy, it has been suggested neurological impairment is most common in those with severe symptom presentation, requiring hospitalization and among those who have experienced hypoxic events. In the current study, sixty-two healthy controls …

Exploration Of Early Career Teachers’ Perspectives On Preservice Training, Classroom Experiences, And Retention, Ashley Smalley

Theses and Dissertations

To promote the advancement of teacher recruitment, retention, and reduce attrition, K-12 teachers need to be fully prepared for the complex nature of being in a classroom, a classroom filled with students of all types. There is a unique nature to education and one must recognize the complexity of each individual student. The context of this study explores early career teachers’ perspectives on their preparedness for teaching. This research examines teachers’ perspectives in their first to fifth years of teaching who graduated from a North Dakota college. Each participant answered 13 questions regarding their perspectives on the preparation they received …

Black Midwives For Black Mothers: Ameliorating Racial Disparities In The Quality Of Maternal Healthcare, Kimberly Navarro

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, maternal mortality represents a dire health crisis with a stark racial imbalance. Black women are two and a half to three times more likely to die from pregnancy and birth-related complications than their White counterparts. Racial disparities in maternal health can be explained by variations in the quality of maternal healthcare services that women tend to receive. Racial and ethnic minority women are more likely to receive inferior quality prenatal care (PNC), which brings to question the care model of traditional PNC and its adequacy in serving the healthcare needs of Black women. Since Black women …

Childless African American Women Over 50 In The Usa: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Robbie Roshyl Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

In modern society, some African American women are choosing a career before accepting the traditional role of birthing a child or children at an early age and marriage is not always part of the equation. Women’s freedoms (i.e., equality, personal choice, sexuality) have increased since their early struggles for their rights as citizens and as women. Some are viewed as agents against the norm by some conservative-minded people by not having a child or children well into their adulthood, especially if they are over the age of 50. Research suggests that women without children are perceived negatively by others and …

A Systematic Review Of Movement-Oriented Mind-Body Interventions And Psychoneuroimmunological Outcomes For Psychological Stress And Trauma, Emma Wookey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The mind and body are inseparable and share bidirectional influences. Psychological stress and distress related to traumatic events are significant contributors to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs worldwide. Mind-body movement-oriented interventions have been found to benefit one's physical and mental health via down-regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize the research on movement-oriented mind-body interventions for trauma and stress as informed by psychoneuroimmunology. The review focused on exercise, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and dance movement therapy that target the physiological systems impacted by psychological stress/trauma. Methods. …

Activity Levels Of Different Cell Types In An Epileptogenic Model Of Cortical Microgyria: A Cfos Investigation, Peter F. Lamothe

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of individuals with intractable epilepsies have an accompanying cortical malformation, the underlying cellular mechanisms of which are not fully understood. In an animal model for one such malformation, polymicrogyria, epileptogenesis occurs most easily in a region of tissue just adjacent to the microgyria termed the paramicrogyral region (PMR). Previous studies implicate somatostatin containing interneurons (SOM) as a potential contributor to this pathology, and show increased excitation of SOM in the PMR. We hypothesis that SOM are more active in the PMR when compared to SOM within the homologous region of the control cortex. In addition to this …

Access To Hiv Prevention, Care, And Treatment Services In The Us: The Role Of Primary Care, Jessica S. Kiernan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of access to primary care in benefitting HIV outcomes through increased access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services, among populations disproportionately affected by HIV in the US. Over 30,000 individuals are newly diagnosed with HIV annually in the US and diagnoses are concentrated in specific populations. At an individual-level, ~ 70% of new diagnoses are among gay and bisexual men and of those diagnoses, 70% are among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic gay and bisexual men. At a community-level, over 50% of new HIV diagnoses occur in less than 2% of US counties (48), Washington, …

The Hepatic Immunological Pattern Shaped By Dominant-Subdominant Cellular Interactions Creates A Collective Function Beyond The Function Of Each Cellular Constituent To Orchestrate Progression Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Nicholas J. Koelsch

Theses and Dissertations

Abundance of data on the role of inflammatory immune responses in the progression or inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has failed to offer a curative immunotherapy for HCC. This is largely because of taking reductionist approaches and missing the collective function of the hepatic immune system by focusing on specific immune cell types. To this end, we propose that focusing on the dominant-subdominant patterns of the immune cells would allow understanding of the mechanism by which a collective immune function emerges. To identify the collective immune function through a systems immunology perspective, we performed high-throughput analysis of snRNAseq data collected …

The Impact Of Hiv-1 Tat And Morphine On Spatial Distribution Of Drugs In The Brain., Austin M. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Despite combination antiretroviral therapy effectively suppressing HIV within the periphery, the central nervous system (CNS) remains affected by the virus. Approximately half of people living with HIV will experience HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) or neuroHIV. Concurrent opioid use exacerbates neuroHIV by promoting neuroinflammation, viral replication, and potentially altering the antiretroviral concentrations within the brain.

Using a transgenic mouse that expresses the HIV-1 Tat protein, we examined the effects of Tat and morphine on antiretroviral accumulation and distribution and the effects of Tat on morphine accumulation within the brain using infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization with mass spectrometry imaging (IR-MALDESI-MSI). …

Studying Gene Function In Streptococcus Sanguinis Using Rna-Sequencing Analysis, Ahmed Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

The oral cavity hosts hundreds of bacterial species, amongst them are the Streptococci family. More specifically, S. sanguinis is a benign bacteria in the oral cavity to protect the tooth surface from S. mutans. which is a pathogen causing dental caries. While S. sanguinis is harmless in the oral cavity, it becomes pathogenic once entering the bloodstream and causing Infective Endocarditis (IE). To further study S. sanguinis and eventually develop an effective drug to treat IE caused by S. sanguinis, a gene expression study was conducted. In order to study gene expression, RNA-sequencing was conducted, and appropriate methods to remove …

Transcriptional Coregulation Among Diabetes-Associated Pathways By Genome Organization, Musaddiq K. Lodi

Theses and Dissertations

There are currently 96 million individuals affected by diabetes in the United States alone. Crucial information such as biomarkers, regulatory networks, and metabolic pathways in diabetes still remain an active area of research. The primary focus of this study is on a phenomena known as transcription factor co-regulation. Transcription factors (TFs) are DNA-binding proteins that can control the rate of transcription of genetic information from DNA to mRNA, hence misregulation of one of them can lead to misregulation of many of its target genes and associated pathways. In this study I propose a framework to quantify transcriptional coherence in co-regulated …

Factors Associated With Turnover Intention Of Medical Laboratory Professionals During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Approach, Keandra Walthall

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted and strained healthcare systems worldwide. Frontline healthcare workers have experienced increased rates of psychological distress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have led to high turnover intention and workforce shortages. Medical Laboratory Professionals have endured similar experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, there has been limited research exploring these factors for this group of professionals. This study utilized a convergent mixed methods approach to investigate the impact of psychological distress and burnout on the turnover intentions of Medical Laboratory Professionals in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to explore motivational factors …

Perceptions Of Florida Victim Advocates During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katarina Renee Hamburg

Theses and Dissertations

In December of 2019, a new virus known as COVID-19 emerged out of Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus which is highly contagious and, in some cases, lethal. By January 20th, 2020, the United States reported its first case of COVID-19. Between January and December of 2020 there were 18.7 million cases and 329,000 deaths in the United States alone. Globally, during that time frame, there were 79.8 million cases and 1.75 million deaths. Due to the highly contagious and dangerous nature of COVID-19, countries across the world have attempted to promote public health by enacting social distancing measures. …

Human Trafficking: The Impact Of Covid-19 On Labor Trafficking In The Us, Anthony A. Mottola

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is a global phenomenon where traffickers prey upon their victims without discriminating against age, gender, ethnic background, or nationality. The United States (US) is not immune to the human rights violations of human trafficking. The victims of human trafficking are coerced into a life of exploitation through forced labor or sexual exploitation. Many victims are migrants from disadvantaged countries that travel to the US seeking employment but end up the victims of abuse, both physically and mentally, at the hands of traffickers. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the global economy, forcing quarantines, travel bans, and social distancing. …

A Mixed-Method Study On Social Media’S Role In The Health Decision-Making Practices Of Black Millennial Women In South Florida, Sashah Damier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine health care decision-making practices of Black millennial women in South Florida, based on their social media use. The study contributed to understanding of how cultural components contribute to health care disparities for people of color because health care providers lacked information on how to reach Black millennial women with accurate and helpful information through social media.

The design for the study included a convergent parallel mixed-methods design using a web-based quantitative cross-sectional survey along with embedded qualitative telephone interviews and NVivo software. This mixed-methods methodology provided rich data and new understandings …

Teachers’ Experiences In Implementing Primary School Physical Education Curriculum In Ghana And The United States, Patrick Collins Frempong

Theses and Dissertations

Barriers to implementing a full physical education curriculum presented challenges to teaching students about healthy lifestyles and supporting them through effective lessons. This mixed-methods study aimed to explore and compare primary school teachers’ experiences in rural Ghana and the United States in implementing the physical education curriculum. The present study addresses gaps in the literature by connecting teacher concerns when implementing a curriculum with fidelity. The mixed-methods study helped explore and compare primary school teachers’ experiences in rural (town populations of less than 5,000) Ghana and rural towns of the southern United States in implementing the physical education curriculum.

This …

Effects Of Microcystin-Lr On Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Susceptibility To Microbial Pathogens (Aeromonas Hydrophila And Edwardsiella Piscicida), Alison Marchant

Theses and Dissertations

Microcystin-LR is a hepatotoxin produced by cyanobacteria. Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella piscicida infections are leading causes of losses in market-sized channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). These older fish should have natural immunity in place and a predisposing factor is likely a prerequisite for these disease outbreaks. While microcystin-LR rarely causes mortality in warm-water aquaculture, we believe it may be a predisposing factor that leads to bacterial disease outbreaks during the summer months due to its ability to damage the liver. Our study investigated microcystin-LR’s effects on channel catfish susceptibility to these pathogens. We found that a sublethal dose of microcystin-LR induced …

Molecular And Phenotypic Characterization Of Escherichia Coli Isolated From Broiler Chicken Flocks In Mississippi, Priyanka Devkota

Theses and Dissertations

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the causative agent of colibacillosis. APEC causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry. In this study, 66 E. coli isolates were collected from broiler flocks across Mississippi and categorized as clinical and non-clinical isolates. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance profiles of these E. coli were examined. The data disclosed a higher prevalence of virulence genes in clinical isolates than in non-clinical isolates. High differences on the genotypic and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance among clinical and non-clinical isolates were observed. Whole genome sequences of avian E. coli elaborated a diverse …

A Multi-Method Exploration Of Health Disparities And Covid-19 Incidence And Mortality In The United States, S M Asger Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The 21^st century experienced several health crises, especially in the form of infectious disease outbreaks such as the SARS outbreak in 2003, the H1N1 in 2009, and Ebola outbreaks in 2013. However, none has produced a worldwide socio-economic and health impact compared to the recent pandemic, known as COVID-19. As of October 4, 2022, more than 614 million cases with 6 million deaths have been reported worldwide. The United States is currently in the leading position with more than 98 million cases and 1 million deaths. The pandemic, however, did not impact the entire region similarly, and the infections …

Development Of A Novel Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp) Assay For The Rapid Detection Of Clostridium Perfringens, Deepa Chaudhary

Theses and Dissertations

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) causes diseases such as necrotic enteritis in poultry. Current methods for early detection of C. perfringens, including culture, and molecular techniques (PCR and qPCR), have logistical limitations in detecting pathogens on-site because they require specialized equipment and long sample preparation time. This study describes developing a highly sensitive on-site LAMP assay combined with a simple DNA extraction method to detect C. perfringens. Results showed that the LAMP assay was highly specific and sensitive with the optimal reaction conditions: 63°C for 30 mins with primer concentration of 1.2 mM FIP/BIP and 0.2 mM F3/B3. The HotSHOT method …

Survival, Regrowth And Morphotype Formation Of Salmonella Strains After Exposure To High Or Low Concentrations Of First Generation Qac In Water, Grace Umutesi

Theses and Dissertations

This study determines the differences in survival of eight Salmonella strains concentration of BAC in water, followed by regrowth in high and low nutrition conditions containing sublethal concentration of BAC. Our results show strain difference in survival, persistence of Salmonella in BAC at different concentrations. All eight strains of Salmonella were non-recoverable when exposed to 40 to 48 µg/ml BAC for 1h in water. When exposed to 24 µg/ml of BAC for 1 h in water, S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and S. Heidelberg ATCC 8326 cells were non-detectable from the initial 7 log CFU/ml. S. Blockley 7175, S. Virchow 7207, …

Combined Effects Of Cyclosporine And Prednisone On T-Cell Cytokine Production In Healthy Dogs, Brittany Moore-Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclosporine and prednisone are immunosuppressive drugs that are commonly used in combination for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases, and have been shown to individually cause significant suppression of IL-2. Currently, no studies have been performed to determine how a combination of the two drugs would impact suppression of IL-2, and if an additive or synergistic effect on cytokine production could be demonstrated, as in studies of other species. An additive effect of immunosuppression associated with this drug combination could allow clinicians to decrease dosages of drugs, thereby reducing drug costs and minimizing adverse drug side effects. In a cross-over study …

Unraveling The Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms And Efficacy Of Cannabidiol On The Progression Of A Murine Model Of Multiple Sclerosis From The Innate To The Adaptive Immune System To Clinical Symptoms, Christa Marie Frodella

Theses and Dissertations

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid with structural similarity to Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is currently being investigated as a therapeutic for its immunosuppressive effects. One disease for which CBD is extensively researched is multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating, autoimmune disorder, and its murine model counterpart, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The focus of this dissertation aimed to analyze the transcriptomic brain pathways in EAE and its comparison to MS in addition to CBD’s immunosuppressive mechanisms in the innate and adaptive immune systems. Evidence presented here showed that transcriptomic signaling pathways in the EAE brain of mice with clinical symptoms were similar …

Evaluation Of Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr.] Cultivar Response To Prophylactic Fungicide Application, Steven B. Stoker

Theses and Dissertations

Soybean growers in the southern United States commonly deal with disease issues that can limit yield potential. As a result, growers have adopted prophylactic fungicide application targeted at specific growth stages as a standard management practice. However, yield responses to prophylactic applications have become sporadic over time. One major change that has occurred is adoption of cultivars with improved disease tolerances. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate yield response of cultivars representing multiple genetic backgrounds to fungicides applied prophylactically at the R4 soybean growth stage. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 to determine the yield impact …

Indigenizing The Outbreak Narrative: How Lee Maracle, Richard Van Camp, And Cherie Dimaline Critique Settler Colonialism And Medical Racism, Deanne Michelle Sparks

Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation analyzes how Lee Maracle's Ravensong, Richard Van Camp's "I Am Filled with a Trembling Heart", and Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves critique the traditional outbreak narrative structures identified by Charles Rosenberg and Priscilla Wald. Specifically, these Indigenous texts decenter the microbe for a more miasmic perspective that takes into consideration how settler colonialism and medical racism complicates the disease experience and its social epidemic.

Special Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy During The Times Of A Global Pandemic, Vanessa G. Leal

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation aims to describe and compare the perception of special education teachers' self-efficacy amid the COVID-19 pandemic using the practice of distance and their self-efficacy pre-pandemic using face-to-face instruction and describe the perceived valuable supports teachers received from educational leaders during the pandemic and considered valuable. The study population includes special education teachers teaching in inclusive settings before and during the pandemic in grades 6–12 in districts located in South Texas. The current study's data was analyzed using a two-way factorial analysis of variance, with both factors including repeated measures within subjects (2 x 3). A descriptive statistical …

Healthcare In A Time Of Crisis: An Investigation Of The Association Between Socioeconomic Status, Counties, And Covid-19, Jorge F. Contreras

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed social structural institutions such as hospitals, schools, the economy, and governmental bodies (local, state, and federal), exacerbating existing health inequality. Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT) provides a framework for understanding which factors drive such inequality, but its primary focus is on within-group variation. By highlighting the role of fundamental causes as systems of exposure, the Systems-of-Exposure (SOE) approach expands on FCT to account for variation more directly between populations. I performed a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of county-level data from Texas and California to test the utility of SOE in assessing the impact of a pandemic …

Call The Doctor! A Study Of Parental Medical Nonadherence Within Child Custody Proceedings, Karissa Lynn Cummons

Theses and Dissertations

Medical nonadherence is a common and formidable problem that many pediatric healthcare providers face when treating children with acute and chronic medical conditions because adhering to a physicians’ treatment recommendations is beneficial for successful treatment, disease prevention, and healthy promotion (Dawood et al., 2010). It was estimated that at least one third of patients are unable to complete or adhere to relatively short treatment regimens (Dawood et al., 2010). Reasons for nonadherence to a physicians’ recommendations range from extended duration of treatment, multiple prescribed medications, and periods of symptom remission (Dawood et al., 2010). Despite a parent’s or family’s reason …