Digital Commons Network^™

Interpregnancy Weight Change And Adverse Maternal Outcomes, Chelsea Lynes

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity during pregnancy is associated with a high risk of adverse maternal outcomes. Little is known about how weight change between consecutive pregnancies impacts subsequent pregnancy complications and newborn outcomes. This study aimed to explore the association between interpregnancy BMI change and adverse maternal outcomes, specifically, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, non-repeat cesarean delivery (C-section), and vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC). The study sample was derived from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Consecutive Pregnancy Study, which collected data from 20 hospitals in Utah utilizing electronic medical records and International Classification …

Modeling And Computations Of Cellular Dynamics Using Complex-Fluid Models, Jia Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Cells are fundamental units in all living organisms as all living organisms are made up of cells of different varieties. The study of cells is therefore an essential part of research in life science. Cells can be classified into two basic types: prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. One typical organisms of prokaryotes is bacterium. And eukaryotes mainly consist of animal cells. In this thesis, we focus on developing predictive models mathematically to study bacteria colonies and animal cell mitotic dynamics.

Instead of living alone, bacteria usually survive in a biofilm, which is a microorganism where bacteria stick together by extracellular …

A Comparison Of The Factor Structure Of The Short Form Liberal Feminist Attitude And Ideology Scale (Lfais) For Women And Men In A University Survey, V. Diane Woodbrown

Theses and Dissertations

The current study compares the factor structure of the short form Liberal Feminist Attitude and Ideology Scale (LFAIS; Morgan, 1996) for males and females in a University survey. We first provide a discussion of feminism, a brief narrative review summarizing previous and co-existing measures of the construct “feminist attitudes” for males and females, and then conduct confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to test Morgan’s own theory that there may exist a single general factor underlying the Liberal Feminist Attitudes Ideology Scale for males and for females, and that the latent construct/s underlying this scale are …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy In Mediating The Effect Of Physical Activity On Adolescent Depression, Nevelyn N. Trumpeter

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a common psychiatric problem experienced in adolescence with nearly a quarter of all adolescents experiencing a major depressive episode before adulthood. Previous evidence indicates that physical activity (PA) is a known protective factor for depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder in adolescents and that PA self-efficacy (i.e., self-confidence) improves self-esteem, which in turn reduces depressive symptoms. Furthermore, PA self-efficacy may be more protective against depression for individuals who value or consider PA to be highly important. The proposed study aimed to determine the cross-sectional and longitudinal PA-depressive symptoms relation in adolescents. The study was designed specifically to test …

Tipping The Balance Of Double-Strand Break Repair In Cells Modeling Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, Andrew Robert Patrick

Theses and Dissertations

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome is disease of highly accelerated aging. In addition to appearing physically old mere months after birth, patients suffer from maladies typical of the elderly, including heart attack and stroke, two factors which contribute to an average life expectancy of 14 years. The source of progeria has been identified as progerin, a defective variant of nuclear lamina protein lamin A. Progerin has also been found natively in healthy cells (concentration increasing with age), and is known to adversely affect nuclear morphology and chromosomal integrity. This thesis sought to investigate the effect of progerin upon which pathways were favored …

Characterization Of The Sufc Atpase During Fe-S Cluster Assembly By The Suf Pathway In Escherichia Coli, Khaleh Mykel Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The gram-negative bacterium E. coli encodes the Suf pathway to assemble iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters under iron starvation and oxidative stress conditions. The ATPase activity of SufC is critical for in vivo Fe-S cluster assembly by the Suf pathway. SufC shares homology with the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and belongs to the AAA+ (ATPases Associated with diverse cellular Activities) ATPase superfamily, a family of proteins that utilizes energy from ATP hydrolysis to perform a variety of cellular functions. SufC forms a stable SufBC2D complex with partner proteins SufB and SufD. The SufBC2D complex serves as a …

The Fancy Trade And The Commodification Of Rape In The Sexual Economy Of 19th Century U.S. Slavery, Tiye A. Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine the Fancy Trade—the buying and selling of mixed-race enslaved women for the primary purpose of prostitution and concubinage—through an intersectionality lens. Therefore, I will explore a culture of rape through the lived experiences of fancy maids, the women who were sold as sex commodities in the 19th century domestic slave trade. Who was she? Using an intersectionality framework to answer the proposed questions will achieve the following. First, it will highlight the social constructions of race, gender, and sexuality within the 19th century southern context. Secondly, an intersectional methodology will explore the …

Novel Drug 2-Benzoyl-3-Phenyl 6,7-Dichloroquinoxaline 1,4-Dioxide Induces Colon Cancer Cell Apoptosis Through Hif-1Α Pathway, Alexander-Jacques Theodore Sougiannis

Theses and Dissertations

Recent developments in the field of cancer genomics have shown transcription factor HIF-1α as a major player in the survival and proliferation of colorectal tumors. Hypoxia targeted drug engineering has led to significant advancements in cancer treatments as a method of directly utilizing the hypoxic regions against the tumor. Novel drug DCQ (2-benzoyl-3-phenyl 6,7-dichloroquinoxaline 1,4-dioxide) has shown promising anti-tumor results in-vitro and in-vivo. The purpose of this study was to utilize a tumor xenograft and genetic mouse model of colorectal cancer to investigate the safety, clinical effectiveness, and mechanism of action of DCQ. Methods: 10 week old Balb/c mice were …

Engineered 3d Microenvironments To Direct Osteogenic Differentiation And Modulate Inflammation, Katherine Elizabeth Rutledge

Theses and Dissertations

Current methods of treating critical size bone defects (CSDs) include autografts and allografts, however both present major limitations including donor-site morbidity, risk of disease transmission, and immune-rejection. Tissue engineering provides a promising alternative to circumvent these shortcomings through the use of stem cells, three dimensional (3D) scaffolds, and growth factors. Cells receive signals from their microenvironment that determine cell phenotype, and a combination of physical cues and chemical factors is thought to have the most profound influence on stem cell behavior. A major focus of tissue engineering strategies is scaffold design to recapitulate in vivo microenvironmental architecture to direct stem …

The Effects Of Environmental Consciousness And Menu Information On Consumers’ Perceptions Of Restaurant Image And Purchase Behavior Related To Local Foods, Daniel A.G. Remar

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability initiatives have become increasingly important and relevant to the foodservice industry. Despite the fact that consumer demand for sustainable restaurant practices has grown substantially over the last 10 years, consumers’ pro-environmental attitudes and behavioral intentions are not always turned into concordant behavior. Though foodservice operators continue to make progress in developing new methods and strategies for implementing sustainable practices into operations, getting consumers to behave in accordance with their demand is a major challenge.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to determine if consumers’ attitudes towards local food, widely considered a sustainable restaurant practice, are congruous with their …

Psycholinguistics In Fluency Disorders: Prearticulatory Speech Planning In Stuttering And Cluttering, Emily O’Dell Garnett

Theses and Dissertations

The Covert Repair Hypothesis (CRH) is an account for speech errors in normally fluent speakers, and also hypothesizes errors in the phonological encoding stage in people who stutter (PWS). Previous research has shown that PWS exhibit poorer performance compared to typically fluent adults (TFA) on linguistic tasks designed to tap into the level of phonological encoding, such as phoneme monitoring. Stuttering and cluttering often co-occur, thus the field can benefit from extending this methodology to study people who clutter (PWC). Experiment 1 in Chapter 2 used phoneme monitoring to study phonological encoding in PWS and PWC, with three conclusions: (1) …

The Meaning Of Place Recovery On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ronald L. Schumann, Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Recovery is a post-disaster period of adjustment when individuals, households, neighborhoods, and communities work to overcome the effects of a disaster and regain functionality. Recovery is a multi-scalar process whose outcomes are manifested in the physical landscape; however, assessments of the meaning, progress, and outcomes of recovery are specific to individuals who view the landscape from an embodied perspective within the local social hierarchy. Common recovery measurement techniques used by emergency managers, planners, local leaders, and hazards scholars approximate recovery with reconstruction of physical infrastructure or repopulation of residences. These longitudinal quantitative proxies may claim to represent the status of …

Ethnic Discrimination: Measurement And Associations With Smoking-Related Outcomes Among Arab Male Current And Former Smokers In Israel, Amira Osman

Theses and Dissertations

We evaluated the psychometric properties of two instruments used to assess ethnic discrimination among Arabs in Israel. The “Experiences of Discrimination” (EOD) scale was adapted to assess interpersonal ethnic discrimination (EOD-A) and a new measure was developed to assess perceptions of institutional group discrimination (IGD) against Arabs as an ethnic group. Then, we examined the association between each form of ethnic discrimination (interpersonal and institutional) and smoking outcomes among Arab men from Israel, and whether social support and coping efficacy moderate these associations. Data were analyzed from a cross-sectional study of Arab male current and former smokers, aged 18-64. A …

Low-Dose Stimulant Treatment During Periadolescence In A Fasd Model: Interactions Among The Catecholamines, Victoria Macht

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most common of deficits observed in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is difficulties with attention. Because attention deficits are commonly treated with stimulants, the impact of d-amphetamine (AMPH) treatment during the juvenile period in an animal model of FASD was examined. A dose-response study first assessed the appropriate dose of AMPH to use. In the dose-response study, therapeutic doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg/day of AMPH were chronically administered to female rats between postnatal days (PD) 26-40. Rats were subjected to an open field test on the first and last day of treatment. The dose of …

Profiles Of African American College Students’ Risky Behaviors: General And Culturally-Specific Stress And Social Support As Factors Of Risk And Resilience?, Isha Walwina Metzger

Theses and Dissertations

Studies show that, while alcohol use and risky sexual activities increase during emerging adulthood, college students are more likely to engage in these behaviors than their non-student counterparts (Slutske et al., 2004). Researchers should explore risk behavior participation among African American youth, as they often face health disparities and more severe consequences of engaging in these acts than their White American counterparts (Sharma & Atri, 2006; Jackson, Hodge, & Vaughn, 2010). Although epidemiological and variable-centered studies often examine the drinking and sexual behavior of African American college students, there is a need for research utilizing a profile-oriented approach to explore …

Best Practice For A Standardized And Safe Registered Nurse Shift Handoff, Nancy Rankin Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important times for the delivery of patient care occurs during the change of shift handoff between professional nurses. This complex interchange of information and responsibility carries with it distinct possibilities for error that can adversely affect a patient’s hospitalization, safety, and the quality of patient care outcomes (Blouin, 2011; Hilligoss & Cohen, 2011). Communication errors, including errors during shift handoff, account for more than 70% of sentinel events that occur in the provision of healthcare in the acute care setting (Federwisch, 2007; Streeter, 2010). Poorly conducted and unstructured shift handoffs are known to result in delayed …

Bacterial Communication And Its Role As A Target For Nanoparticle-Based Antimicrobial Therapy, Kristen Publicover Miller

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation is to establish the environmental and public health importance of alternative forms of antimicrobial therapy, specifically those that utilize nanotechnology to combat quorum sensing-controlled bacterial infections. Quorum sensing (i.e. chemical communication) is an inherent characteristic that is essential to bacterial pathogenesis and biofilm formation (where most infections occur). A thorough review of the literature has been conducted to establish an understanding of the state of nanotechnology research as it relates to combatting bacterial infections. This synthesis, provided in Chapter 1, demonstrates how the chemical and structural designs of nanoparticles can be manipulated to specifically target …

An Investigation Of A Culturally Responsive Approach To Science Education In A Summer Program For Marginalized Youth, Brittany A. Garvin

Theses and Dissertations

The demographics of today’s schools are becoming more and more ethnically and linguistically diverse, as culturally diverse students comprise approximately one third of school populations (Ladson-Billings, 2005). However, the educational experiences of students of Color demonstrate a history of marginalization and inequity (Williamson et al., 2007) as far too many students of Color have maintained poor educational achievement outcomes. The effects of such disproportionally high levels of low academic achievement are extensive and can be witnessed across subject content areas, particularly in math, science, and literacy. To improve the academic performance of students who are culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically …

Illuminating The Interactions And Functions Of Glutaredoxins, Bola Proteins, And Erv1 In Iron Homeostasis, Adrian Colleen Dlouhy

Theses and Dissertations

Iron is a redox-active protein cofactor required for essential cellular functions such as respiration, however excess intracellular iron can generate damaging reactive oxygen species. Understanding how cells regulate iron levels is critical for treatment of human diseases that span from anemia to iron overload disorders. Glutaredoxins (Grxs) with a CGFS active site are highly conserved proteins shown to have roles in iron homeostasis and iron-sulfur cluster assembly, thus earning them the title “the Iron Whores”. They can exist either as a [2Fe-2S] cluster-bound dimer or an apo monomer, suggesting conservation of structure and function. In addition, Grxs interact with the …

Geographic Accessibility To Health Services And Neonatal Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants In South Carolina, Portavia Featherstone

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Infant mortality is commonly denoted as a marker of population health with more than half of all infant deaths occurring during the neonatal period (0-27 days) of infancy. Mortality for infants born very low birthweight (<1500 grams) is markedly higher than the babies born with normal birthweight (2500-4000 grams). The purpose of this research project was to assess geographic access to perinatal health services and the risk of neonatal death among infants born with very low birth weight. Data and methods: The linked birth and death records of a retrospective cohort of very low birthweight (<1500 grams) infants born in South Carolina between the years 2010 and 2012 were used (n=3191). We assessed the impact of travel time from maternal residence to delivery hospital and travel time from maternal residence to the nearest prenatal care provider (obstetricians/gynecologists, community health center, or rural health clinic). Logistic regression modeling was performed with adjustments for maternal characteristics (race, age, chronic/gestational hypertension, chronic/gestational diabetes mellitus, smoking, prenatal care), newborn characteristics (gestational age, birthweight, gender, NICU admission at birth), and the birth in a level III hospital. Results: There were a total of 563 neonatal deaths in this population and the neonatal mortality rate was 17.64 neonatal deaths per 100 live births. We did not find significant associations of travel time from maternal residence to delivery hospital and to a closest prenatal care provider with neonatal death after adjusting for confounders. However, we found that a one-week increase in gestational age (OR: 0.61 [95% CI: 0.57-0.65]) and non-Hispanic Black mothers (versus non-Hispanic White mothers) (OR: 0.65 [95% CI: 0.45-0.94]), were associated with the lower odds of neonatal death, while non-NICU admission at birth (OR: 5.99 [95% CI: 4.05-8.84]) was associated with an increased odds of neonatal death. Conclusion: Although we did not find that travel time was associated with neonatal mortality among very low birthweight infants, our study identified a few significant correlates for neonatal deaths in this birthweight group. Future studies should investigate the role of geographic access to care on mortality during other periods of infancy and among other birthweight groups.

Decision-Making Processes Of Judges In Family Court: An Investigation Of Salient Features Relating To Termination Of Parental Rights Hearings, Jennifer G. May

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study uses Corbin and Strauss’ approach to the Grounded Theory method of analysis to determine the salient features of decision-making in termination of parental rights (TPR) hearings. Specifically this study addresses: what information is used to make decisions in a TPR case; what training or systemic improvements are needed; the role of intuition, prior experience or other stores of knowledge; how judges prioritize sources of information; and how “best interest of the child” is interpreted by family court judges. A theory of judicial decision-making relating specifically to TPR hearings is proposed.

Patterns Of Selection Amongst Dengue Virus Serotypes And Efficacy Of Computational Epitope Prediction Applications, April Christina Hall South

Theses and Dissertations

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne virus of global concern that leads to infections with symptoms ranging from high fevers and headaches to death. Current estimates place almost half the world’s population living in areas that are at-risk for infection by dengue and that area continues to expand over time. There are four distinct serotypes of dengue (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4). Disease severity from dengue infection is significantly worse if there is a secondary infection by a heterotypic serotype. The problems of increased severity with secondary infection as well as host immune response evasion by the virus itself have …

Historical Violence And Modernist Form In Zoe Wicomb's David's Story, Kaelie Rianne Giffel

Theses and Dissertations

The essay brings together Zoe Wicomb’s David’s Story with Walter Benjamin’s “Theses on the Philosophy of History” and (less centrally) Julia Kristeva’s work on “Women’s Time.” I argue that, while Derek Attridge claims that the novel’s modernism emerges from its interrogation of historical crisis, David’s Story is modernist because of its experimentation with nonlinear narrative and an engagement with modern intertexts such as Heart of Darkness and Ulysses. Benjamin’s “Theses on the Philosophy of History” illuminates the structure of Wicomb’s novel, which creates what Benjamin calls a “constellation” of stories that are non-causally yet historically related to each other. …

Map Kinase Signaling In Plant Responses To Biotic Stress, Carlton James Bequette

Theses and Dissertations

Plants must be able to perceive and properly respond to a multitude of environmental conditions and produce appropriate cellular responses for optimal growth and reproduction. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation cascades are critical components of signal transduction networks that mediate cellular responses to a wide range of both biotic and abiotic extracellular stimuli. This thesis presents an investigation of three novel aspects of MAPK signaling, the role of MAPKs in the regulation of cell death, the organization of MAPKs in a multi-protein complex, and the negative regulation of MAPKs by MAPK phosphatases. In tomato, three MAPKs play an essential role …

Cluster Analysis With Batch Effect, Yifan Tang

Theses and Dissertations

Clustering, as a fundamental process in data science, is frequently used in preliminary data analysis. Batch effects are a powerful source of variation that can come from many sources in data collection, and influence data. We propose a method to simultaneously remove batch effects and perform cluster analysis. We see a batch effect as a fixed value added on to each batch, and do not make assumptions about the distribution of batch effects. We represent the data using a Gaussian mixture model, and use the EM algorithm to estimate the cluster means, the cluster covariance matrices, and the batch effects, …

Tp53 And Hras Influence On Hpv16 E7 Expression In Hpv16-Transformed Human Keratinocytes, Nella Christie Delva

Theses and Dissertations

Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. HNSCC affects regions of the upper aerodigestive tract such as the lip, tongue, nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. About 25% of all HNSCC cases and up to 65% of Oropharyngeal Carcinoma (OPC) cases are positive for HPV DNA. African American patients, especially males, present primarily with HPV-negative HNSCC. HNSCC’s that are HPV-positive tend to be HPV-active at initial presentation: these cancers contain HPV DNA and express HPV RNA. However, recurring HPV-positive cancers of the head and neck are more often inactive: these tumors contain HPV DNA, …

Exploring Birthparent’S Experiences Of Creating An Adoption Plan For Their Children With Special Needs, Sanjukta Tawde

Theses and Dissertations

Very little information is available regarding the experience and needs of families who create an adoption plan for their child with disability. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the experiences of birthparents who created an adoption plan after the diagnosis of Down syndrome so as to understand their needs during the process. Birthparents were invited to participate in the study through National Down Syndrome Adoption Network (NDSAN) by membership emails. Information about the study was made available on the organization’s website and social media pages. Potential participants also learned about the study from one of the …

Pathways Thinking As A Mediator Between Positive Emotions And General Life Satisfaction In Middle School Students, Kathleen B. Franke

Theses and Dissertations

Informed by the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, we tested a model of the origins of life satisfaction with a sample of 567 middle school students from the Southeastern United States. The pathways thinking domain of hope was proposed to mediate the relation between positive emotions and general life satisfaction at a single time point, as well as over one year. At Time 1, pathways thinking was a significant mediator of positive emotions and life satisfaction. In the longitudinal model, pathways thinking did not significantly mediate this relation between positive emotions and later life satisfaction. These findings have implications for …

Work-Life Balance Of Women Leaders In The Association Of Theological Schools, Kelly Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Although women make up more than 50% of the student population at a theological institution, they are significantly underrepresented in leadership as evidenced by Lowe's 2011 study, which found that women account for fewer than 10% of CEOs in theological education. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine work-life balance as it relates to organizational commitment for women leaders in Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited schools. The researcher used a qualitative methodology employing the life course theoretical framework, sometimes called the narrative life story framework, which is based on Giele's (2008) original study. The interview questions were …

Leadership Lessons From Entrepreneurial Failure: A Phenomenological Study, Yang Zou

Theses and Dissertations

Small businesses are the backbones of the American economy and contribute nearly 46% of the U.S. gross domestic product. However, the failure rate for small businesses is high. Only half of all small businesses will be able to survive for 5 years, and only 20% of small business can survive 10 years. Failure is a common phenomenon among entrepreneurs of small businesses. This qualitative phenomenological study involved examining entrepreneurs’ perceptions of their failure experiences. The study involved exploring the impacts of failure on entrepreneurs, the valuable lessons that entrepreneurs have taken from their failure experiences, and how they have applied …