Digital Commons Network^™

Regression For Pooled Testing Data With Biomedical Applications, Juexin Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Since first introduced by Dorfman in 1943, pooled testing has been widely used as a cost and time effective testing protocol in the variety of applications. This dis- sertation consists of three projects that reveal the use of pooling techniques in the disease prevention from the perspective of regression. For disease monitoring and control, individual covariates information are often of practical interest and yield meaningful interpretations. It is natural to model the outcome of interest, which can be either a disease status (binary) or a biomarker concentration index (continuous), with individual-specific covariates through a regression analysis. Chapter 2 focuses on …

Localization And Functional Analysis Of Raby Gtpase In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Lisa Rene' Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Localization and functional analysis of the small monomeric GTPase RabY in the unicellular amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum was investigated. I constructed 2 cell lines that overexpressed GFP tagged RabY (OE) and expressed a dominant negative form of GFP-RabY (T25N). Sequence analysis revealed homology to Rab1a genes in several organisms (ER/Golgi localized in humans). Therefore, I hypothesize the GFP tagged RabY protein is within the Golgi and/or Endoplasmic Reticulum. Analysis using immunofluorescence, quantitative and other techniques revealed GFP-RabY (OE) is localized at the Dictyostelium Golgi apparatus and within the endosomes. However, the GFP-RabY (T25N) protein was found to be dispersed intracellularly. Thus, …

Toxicological Life Cycle Impact Analysis Of Short And Long Chain Perfluorinated Compounds Compared To Impacts Of Treatment Techniques, Joshua R. Glass

Theses and Dissertations

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made substances that are used as surfactants in industrial processes and commercial products most notably for the Air Force in aqueous film-forming foam. These compounds were introduced in the 1950s and have since become pervasive throughout industrial and consumer products such as carpet, leather, and paper as well as textiles that repel water, grease, and oils. As the presence of PFAS continues to grow, so do concerns for the toxicological impacts of exposure to these chemicals. Although there is much research into the toxicological impacts of PFAS, there are no regulatory treatment levels within the United …

The Effects Of Highlighting Healthy Options On Consumer Food Choices In A Food Bank Setting, Kaitlin Nicole Grabow

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of highlighting healthy food options on consumer food choices in a food bank setting.

Methods: Two community food banks participated in this study. One food bank served as the control, while a second food bank was rearranged so that fresh produce and other healthy products were the first options that shoppers encountered upon entering. After shopping, carts were inventoried for healthy vs non-healthy products. Composition of the carts from the control food bank were then compared to the contents of the carts from the intervention food bank.

Results: A …

Ice Cream Substitute For Patients With End Stage Renal Disease, Abby Iocca

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Quality of life for patients with end stage renal disease is less than similar-aged, general population counterparts. A large part of the decrease in quality of life is change of diet and nutritional restrictions, oral nutrition supplements are a way to combat this decrease in quality of life.

Methods: An ice cream substitute product was developed for patients with end stage renal disease and that are on dialysis. The product consisted of rice milk, egg whites, evaporated coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla bean paste. There were two flavors: cinnamon and lemon. These flavors were both tested subjectively and objectively. …

Fiber Intake In Hemodialysis Patients And Its Effects On Symptoms, Jennifer Langner

Theses and Dissertations

On average 30 million adults are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States (National Kidney Foundation, 2017). Patients in late stage kidney disease and on dialysis are placed on a restrictive diet to aid in the treatment of their disease. There are adverse symptoms associated with dialysis including nausea, constipation, diarrhea and fatigue. Fiber has been shown to decrease gastrointestinal symptoms such as reducing constipation and inflammation in the body in healthy populations. This study examined 19 hemodialysis dialysis patients and their fiber intake in relation to a variety of symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, …

Hydration Knowledge And Intake In High School Student Athletes, Erin Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Heat related illness is one of the leading causes of death in high school athletes.

Proper hydration strategies have been shown to decrease heat related illness in college and

professional athletes. However, limited research has been conducted on the hydration habits of

high school athletes. The increase in high school sports participation has put more athletes at

risk for dehydration. The purpose of the study is to investigate the hydration status and impact of

an educational intervention on hydration habits of high school student athletes, by assessing their

current understanding of hydration and monitoring their fluid intake, during practice. …

Annual Survival And Harvest Vulnerability Of Elk (Cervus Canadensis), Maksim Sergeyev

Theses and Dissertations

Across the western United States, most populations of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis) are managed through hunter harvest (Sandrey 1983). In hunted populations, human harvest is the leading source of mortality (Ballard 2000). With the exception of elk in national parks, populations are primarily managed through hunter harvest. Other sources of mortality include disease, automobile collisions, and predation from mountain lions, coyotes, wolves, and black bears (Childress 2003, Hornocker 1970). As a species of management concern and high economic value (Pickton 2008), hunted populations of elk are carefully managed to target population sizes to guarantee a sustainable supply and ensure …

Pas Kinase And Tor, Controllers Of Cell Growth And Proliferation, Brooke Jasmyn Cozzens

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient sensing kinases lie at the heart of cellular health and homeostasis, allowing cells to quickly adapt to changing environments. Target of Rapamycin (TOR) and PAS kinase (PASK, or PASKIN) are two such nutrient kinases, conserved from yeast to man. In yeast, these kinases each have paralogs. The two TOR paralogs in yeast mimic the mammalian TORC1 and TORC2 complexes, except both Tor1 and Tor2 may contribute to TORC1 or TORC2 function. The two PAS kinase paralogs are paired with the TOR paralogs, meaning that both Psk1 and Psk2 regulate TORC1, while Psk2 suppresses a temperature-sensitive allele of Tor2. Herein …

Impact Of A Single Injury Prevention Instructional Session On The Incidence Of Injury Among U.S. Army Rotc Cadets, Joshua Wooldridge

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries are the leading health concern for the United States Army. These injuries are the third leading cause of hospitalizations for Army service members and the primary cause for the majority of service-connect disability discharges. Over 80% of musculoskeletal injuries are overuse injuries caused by physical training. The Joint Services Physical Training Injury Prevention Work Group considers education to be a mandatory component of all injury prevention efforts; however, little military research has investigated the impact of education as a primary intervention. Objective: To examine the effect of an injury prevention education class on the incidence of injuries …

Sustainable Utilization Of Desalination Concentrate, Amira Hesham Elbarmelgy

Theses and Dissertations

Lack of water availability is a global crisis. Many arid countries are turning to desalination technologies in order to fulfill their water needs. Hypersaline water, brine, is the byproduct of desalination and can be dangerous to the environment if disposed of in an unsustainable manner. Research surrounding brine management focuses on improved methods of direct disposal, strategies of volume minimization, and reuse strategies. However, the mentioned brine management methods revolve around chemical and mechanical techniques requiring high technological skills, know-how and energy. This thesis aims to find biological solutions that use brine, with minimum resources, in low-cost, low-energy conditions to …

Phylogenetic History Of The Amy Gene Cluster In Catarrhines, Christian M. Gagnon

Theses and Dissertations

This study phylogenetically analyzed 30 AMY-related genes from 11 primates. The results show the gradual expansion of the AMY gene family which could have allowed primates to adapt to various ecological landscapes and maximize energy intake from starch-rich foods in periods of food scarcity.

Climatic Variables Are Strong Predictors Of Allonursing And Communal Nesting In Primates, Alexandra Louppova

Theses and Dissertations

Allomaternal care (AMC) is widespread throughout the primate order, previous studies have focused on benefits and costs to individuals. However, our understanding of environmental impacts on AMC behaviors in primates is still limited. Our study examines how ecology and environmental factors can predict certain AMC behaviors more than others.

A Bite Of The Big Apple: The Anthropology Of Pesticide Use In New York City, Faye O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

Pesticide exposure in the developing world is well described in anthropology. How pesticide use and exposure is ordered and experienced socially, economically and culturally in Western urban communities is less well studied. The long-term consequences of synergistic pesticide exposure is not easily measurable, which this research addresses through social inquiry.

Culture As Sustainability: The Case Study Of Govardhan Ecovillage And Vedic Culture In India, Danielle Lella Bartolone

Theses and Dissertations

This project investigates the relationship between sustainability and Vedic culture of India. The ethnographic research at Govardhan Ecovillage seeks to understand how sustainability is embedded in culture. I employ grounded theory for my research methodology which reveals three key themes explaining fundamental and interrelated dimensions of Vedic culture as sustainability.

Object Permanence In Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus), Dalia Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated object permanence in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) using visible and invisible test paradigms with single and multiple object displacements. Elephants were predicted to succeed, demonstrating a capacity for object permanence and for using vision in a cognitive task. Study outcomes supported these predictions.

The Effects Of Tactile And Visual Deterrents On Honey Badger Predation Of Beehives, Abigail S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

As human and elephant populations grow in Kenya so does human-elephant conflict. One of the most substantial contributors to this conflict, the crop-raiding behavior of elephants (Loxodonta africana), is alleviated through the use of Elephants and Bee Project's beehive fences. A threat to these beehives are the honey badgers (Mellivora capensis) who try to obtain honey, causing damage to the hive and the hive to abscond. The objective of this study was to improve the effectiveness of these beehive fences through identifying and testing novel honey badger deterrent methods. On-farm experiments in Taita Taveta County, Kenya …

Utilizing Wastewater As Nutrition Source For The Cultivation Of Chlorella Vulgaris, Ali Mohamed Roshdy

Theses and Dissertations

Investigating alternatives for fossil fuels have always been an area of interest for scientist around the globe. The decline in the oil & gas stock along with the increasing demand for energy that accompanies the increase in population has created the need for an alternative energy solution. From the renewable energy solution, microalgae stand out as a very promising source for biofuel production due to its high lipid content. However, the production of biofuel from microalgae is still of a high cost compared to production of the same amount from fossil fuels. The unfeasibility commercial production for biofuel from microalgae …

The "Second Sex" Vs. The Forgotten Sex: Exploring The Missing Masculinity Component And The Involvement Of Men In Gender And Development In Egypt, Heba Wanis

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the masculinity component of gender and development (GAD) interventions in Egypt. Women's empowerment has been the center of interventions in most developing countries, including Egypt. Men's engagement has been peripheral and limited to certain issues. The objective of this research was to gain insights about missing aspects regarding the involvement of men in developmental interventions, including suggestions for enhancing male engagement in communities. The research employed qualitative research methodology for data collection through focus groups with men in four villages in Assiut, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders of GAD. Analysis and coding of data was carried out …

Electroactive Nanomaterials For Environmental And Pharmaceutical Sensing, Ibrahim Hassan Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

Sensing is an important emerging technology in the current industrial era. It covers a plethora of applications from medical personalized devices to aerospace oxygen level detectors. Of those applications, environmental and pharmaceutical sensors are significantly important. Specifically, electrochemical sensors are easy to use and develop besides being cost-effective and accurate. The work in this thesis concerns the development of two sensing platforms for the detection of Hg(II) as a water pollutant, and the detection of Lornoxicam (LOR) as a pharmaceutical compound. The materials fabricated were morphologically, structurally, and electrochemically characterized. They were also tested against their analytical targets in spiked …

Fabrication Of Electrospun Nanofibers Made Of Watermelon Peel Extract And Pva And Investigating Their Antioxidant And Antibacterial Activities, Wafaa Soliman

Theses and Dissertations

Food waste has become a huge problem globally since thousands of different food items are wasted all over the world which affects our environment severely due to the emissions of greenhouse gas due to anaerobic decomposition and leakage at the garbage. Fruit wastes like the peels and seeds are a major contribution to the waste products thrown everyday especially in juice industries. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of food wastes have been of great interest nowadays due to oxidative stress and antibiotic resistance problems. However the stability of the fruits or vegetables wastes was a challenge to perform these activities …

Effects Of Type I Diabetes On Labor Force Participation: A Propensity Score Match, Ore Aina-Badejo

Theses and Dissertations

Type I Diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune mediated form of insulin resistance that has lasting socioeconomic effects from childhood through old age that may impact labor force participation. Examining this relationship will enhance our understanding of life-long chronic illness beyond individual medical/financial impact by establishing broader socioeconomic implications. This study utilized data from the 2008-2015 data set of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), to explore the effects of T1D on labor force participation. It was hypothesized that having T1D would decrease both employability and contribution to the labor force. Utilizing methods of propensity score matching and entropy balancing, …

Family Environment And Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Patterns Of Health Care Utilization And Academic Achievement, Joanna Tsikis

Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common group of genetic, chronic hematologic disorders, and is characterized by chronic pain resulting from vaso-occlusive episodes. As such, youth with SCD utilize a disproportionately high amount of health care resources. Youth with frequent health care utilization (HCU) are at increased risk for psychosocial consequences, including disruptions in family functioning and decreased academic performance. While studies have separately examined HCU, family functioning, and academic achievement in this population, there is a dearth of research examining the association between these variables. The present study aimed to: (1) examine associations between family environment and patterns …

Carbon Cycling Along The James River Continuum, Timothy B. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Fluvial systems act as conduits for terrestrial carbon transport to coastal oceans. However, riverine systems not only transport allochthonous carbon, they transform and store carbon in many different ways. The different mechanisms of transformation and storage need to be considered for fluvial systems in order to accurately account for modifications to the carbon pool when developing carbon budgets. Of interest was to investigate the carbon dynamics in the James River, in Virginia, from headwaters to the tidal fresh estuary to gain a better understanding of carbon dynamics along the continuum. Sites along the river continuum were sampled for dissolved organic …

The Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Adhesin Asp14 Directs Pdi-Mediated Disulfide Reduction To Promote Infection, Ryan S. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Obligate intracellular pathogens must invade host cells to survive and pose a global health risk. As such, internalization is a critical life stage and represents an excellent therapeutic target. Oxidoreductase exploitation is a thematic invasion strategy among obligate intracellular pathogens. Delineating the mechanisms and proteins mediating this exploitation could identify novel therapeutic targets for many important pathogens. Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects neutrophils by an incompletely defined mechanism, resulting in the emerging potentially fatal disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The bacterial adhesin, Asp14, contributes to invasion by virtue of its C-terminus engaging an unknown receptor. Yeast two-hybrid analysis identified protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) …

Pharmacologic Profiling Of Novel Compounds Via Fluorometric Analyses Of Monoamine Transporter Responses, Ashkhan Hojati

Theses and Dissertations

In humans and other organisms, monoaminergic systems are crucial in neuronal function and behavior. The monoamine transporters (MATs), which can be found on the presynaptic plasma membrane of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), are crucial in the regulation of neurotransmitter concentration in the synaptic cleft. As the duration and concentration of neurotransmitters in the cleft affect further downstream signaling responses, these proteins are important targets for both understanding neuronal physiology and compounds of interest. Multiple theories exist proponing the contribution of MATs to a variety of mental and neurological disorders, including depression. This theory establishes that depression is …

Factors Influencing Parental Care And Home Range Size Of A Monomorphic Species, The Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus), L. Abigail Walter

Theses and Dissertations

Parental care in animals can be costly and is shared between both parents in many bird species. Not surprisingly, most studies of how parental care is shared between the sexes are in sexually dimorphic species, and much less in known about sexually monomorphic species where sex cannot be determined in the field. This has prevented a full understanding of parental care behaviors – which are intrinsically linked to fitness – in species such as the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) that is experiencing population declines throughout much of its range. In this study we assessed whether Redheaded Woodpecker brooding time, nestling …

The Role Of Psychosocial And Health Behavioral Factors In Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, Sylvia Sreeparna Rozario

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality and a major contributor to preterm birth and neonatal mortality. Literature suggests that several modifiable psychosocial and health behavioral factors may play significant roles in the development of PIH. However, interrelationships among these factors and their collective impact on PIH are not well understood.

Objectives: This study aims to: 1) Examine the relationship between pre-pregnancy physical activity and risk of PIH, 2) Determine the association between prepregnancy depression and PIH and the role of race/ethnicity in this association, 3) Evaluate the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) in …

Incidence And Predictor Variables Of Pressure Injuries In Patients Undergoing Ventricular Assist Device And Total Artificial Heart Surgeries: An Eight-Year Retrospective Review, Christopher T. Brindle

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

Cardiac surgery patients have some of the highest reported incidence and prevalence of pressure injuries (PI). A growing subset of cardiac surgery include patients with end-stage heart failure who undergo ventricular assist device (VAD) or total artificial heart (TAH) surgery. The risk of PI and their natural history of development in this population are unknown and the specific risk factors for PI development remain unexplored.

OBJECTIVES

To perform a systematic review of the literature to identify the incidence and risk factors of PI development in patients undergoing VAD-TAH surgery and thereby inform study design and variables in an eight-year …

Chemical Characterization Of Pseudognaphalium Obtusifolium By Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (Gc-Ms) To Assess Potential Therapeutic Phytochemicals And Toxicological Concerns Using Simulated Use Conditions, Regina Ballentine

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical Characterization of Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to Assess Potential Therapeutic Phytochemicals and Toxicological Concerns Using Simulated Use Conditions

By Regina Ballentine

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Director: Sarah C. Rutan, Professor, Department of Chemistry

Currently, there is an increasing demand for natural therapies and herbal products to treat various ailments. It is generally believed that natural therapies have fewer side-effects than traditional western medicine; however, they are often used in different strengths and formulations without consistency of the levels of target compounds or knowledge about toxicity. Due to this growing trend, a comprehensive chemical evaluation …