Digital Commons Network^™

An Empirical Analysis Of The Mmpi-3 Suicidal/Death Ideation Scale, Brittany Barnes Rhodes

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is a significant concern in society and is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and around the world. Suicidality is particularly prevalent in outpatient psychological treatment centers, with some studies estimating a tenfold increase in prevalence in this setting compared to the population at large. Several measures have been developed to assess suicide risk potential based on symptom frequency and combinations of risk factors, and broadband personality measures have also incorporated suicidality scales into their tests. The current study was focused on assessing the effectiveness of the Suicidal/Death Ideation (SUI) scale on the third …

Automation, Improvement, And Sensitivity Analysis Of 3d Parameterized Maize Stalk Models, Joseph Steven Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Maize is the most grown crop in the world. Each year, 5% of maize is lost due to a phenomenon known as stalk lodging (breakage of the stalk below the ear). One of the most promising solutions to stalk lodging is to design stalks with superior geometry to increase stalk strength. Researchers have developed a 3D parameterized maize stalk model, but these models take a long time to structurally analyze and are missing important material properties. This thesis addressed these problems by developing an automated package for analyzing the 3D parameterized maize stalk model, and by measuring the longitudinal shear …

Preparation And Efficacy Evaluation Of Chicken Egg Yolk Sourced Igy Against The Venoms Of Cobra, Krait, Russell’S Viper, And Saw-Scaled Viper, Gayathri G

Theses and Dissertations

Envenomation resulting from snakebites is widely recognized as an alarming health risk in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The big four snakes including Naja naja, Bungarus caeruleus, Daboia russelli, Echis carinatus are responsible for most of the envenomation in India. The current therapy for snake envenomation is immunoglobulins, produced from serum or plasma of horses or sheep. To overcome the drawbacks of current antivenom, chicken egg yolk (IgY) antibodies have recently emerged as one of the most promising research avenues.

In this study, the efficacy of chicken egg yolk sourced antisnake venom (ASV) IgY against the big four venoms was evaluated …

Mental Illness Amongst Incarcerated Individuals And Its Effect On Gaining Employment, Tionna S. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

More than half the correctional population has a mental health disorder (NIH, 2022). Having a mental health disorder can severely interfere in one’s transition back into the community, specifically surrounding their access to employment. This dissertation analyzes the extent to which the mental health of previously incarcerated individuals affects their employment upon release. Results from this study concluded that having a mental health diagnosis did interfere with previously incarcerated individuals’ access to employment, especially if those individuals were black. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of the findings, limitations, contributions, as well as implications for practitioners, policy makers and researchers.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Ultrasound Fields For Visualization And Measurement Of Pressure Amplitudes, Paul-Emile Victor Passe-Carlus

Theses and Dissertations

In vivo pressure estimations for therapeutic ultrasound has the potential of rendering treatments using non-invasive ultrasound targeting safer and more reliable. By quantifying pressures and their respective spatial locations, better acoustic predictions and models can be made. In this thesis, we aim to measure a pressure field from a piezo-electric transducer through a ballistic gel medium by using an external gradient coil to encode the pressure field in a way that can be read and quantified using an MRI scanner. We describe the methods and the results pertaining to visualizing a pressure field. The setup was able to capture pressure …

Development Of Temperature Measurement And Control Of 3d Printed Microfluidic Devices Towards Biomolecular Analysis, Derek A. Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Microfluidics are devices with channels or reservoirs that have dimensions in the range of micrometers. They have an increasing role in biological analysis processes due to their ability to use very small sample volumes. Many microfluidic processes rely heavily on precise temperature measurement and control. Advances in 3D printing have led to high resolution digital light processing stereolithography (DLP-SLA) printers capable of using bio-compatible materials, available at BYU. This custom 3D printer has a resolution of 7.6 µm in the XY plane and 10 µm in the Z axis. Combined with a custom-made resin, we can produce microfluidic features as …

Design And Analysis Of Optimal Energy Efficient Routing Protocols For Lifetime Maximization And Qos Enhancement In Wireless Body Area Networks, Karthikeyan S

Theses and Dissertations

In recent times, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) a subsection of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) a promising technology for the future healthcare realm with cutting-edge technologies that can assist healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses and biomedical engineers which enables one-to-one care by implementing Tele-Medicine and Tele-Health solutions. Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) enabled medical big data is the future of the healthcare sector and Medical Technology-based industries leading to applications in other sectors such as fitness tracking for commercial purposes, Sportsperson health monitoring to track their day-to-day activities and wearable devices for critical and emergency care.

Recent …

"If Someone Had Stopped The First World Racist, There Would Be No Racism Today": Empowering African American Muslim Elementary Students Through A Critical Literacy(Critlit) Project, Faten Baroudi

Theses and Dissertations

The Critical Literacy (CritLit) project promotes using critical texts to engage readers in examining their lived experiences and understanding of social justice issues. This study used a qualitative participatory approach with a narrative design to research the students’ engagement in a book club using critical texts. Participants were fourth- and fifth-grade African American students who participated in a 4-week project at a weekend Islamic school in Philadelphia. I organized my study into four sessions. Three book club sessions were audio-recorded and observed. Field notes were taken; pre and post-interviews were conducted; student/teacher reflections were collected with students’ notes and handouts; …

Development Of Brain Tumor Detection And Feature Extraction Through Deep Learning Approach, Sivapathi A

Theses and Dissertations

As the body's central control system, the human brain is susceptible to a wide variety of disorders, including tumors characterized by abnormal cell growth. It is imperative to detect these tumors as early as possible to plan effective treatment and improve patient outcomes. By using contemporary medical imaging methods, this research seeks to improve the accuracy and efficiency of brain tumor detection through the careful preprocessing and analysis of images, particularly Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) [1]. To provide context for the subsequent research efforts, the challenges inherent in brain tumor detection are discussed comprehensively, including segmentation accuracy, small lesion detection, …

Regulation And Function Of The Rna-Binding Protein Khsrp During Neuronal Development, Regeneration And Axonal Injury Response, Courtney Nicole Buchanan

Theses and Dissertations

Axons, which extend long distances from neuronal cell bodies, rely on localized mRNA translation to swiftly respond to extracellular stimuli and physiological states. This work investigates the mechanism underlying the RNA-binding protein KHSRP’s, axonal mRNA translation and regulatory pathways involved in neuronal growth and regeneration. Our results indicate that KHSRP deletion in mice leads to upregulation of growth-associated mRNAs linked to neuronal morphology and function, resulting in increased axon growth and altered memory consolidation. Indicating a critical role for KHSRP in neuronal development and function through post-transcriptional regulation (Chapter 2). Additionally, we show there is a rapid increase in axonal …

Systemic Inflammation And Neurocognitive Deficits In School-Age Children With Sickle Cell Disease., Elizabeth A. Gillooly

Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) causes inflammation that contributes to poor clinical outcomes, including cerebrovascular disease (CVD). CVD can take several forms in SCD, including neurocognitive deficits without visible cerebral infarction. The role of chronic inflammation in cognitive development in SCD has received little attention to-date. We aimed to study novel markers of systemic inflammation: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the systemic inflammation index (SII) to describe developmental trends and relationships to cognitive outcomes in SCD at early elementary school-age. Sixty-one children with SCD and no history of stroke were identified who completed an early elementary school age cognitive …

Bioluminesence-Induced Photoredox Catalysis And Its Mechanisms, Dominic Jeffrey Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The bioluminescence-induced photoredox reaction (BIPR) is a novel methodology developed to overcome the limitations of photo-induced chemistry by initiating chemical work using bioluminescent Escherichia coli as a photon source. In industry, photochemistry is superseded by thermochemical reaction processes. Despite its massive potential, there are very few applications in industry for photochemistry. Unlike thermochemistry, reaction scale-ups are not as easy as simple dimensional increases in a reaction vessel due to the nature of light. This deficiency is seemingly overcome through the development of flow technologies; however, the overall yield of such methods remains incomparable with those utilizing thermochemistry. This thesis focuses …

Vascular Calcification In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Kidney Disease And In Human Peripheral Arterial Disease, Breanna Pederson

Theses and Dissertations

Vascular calcification is a process in which calcium and phosphate crystallize to form hydroxyapatite in the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. There are two forms of arterial calcification: intimal and medial, which occur via different etiologies. Intimal calcification is associated with atherosclerosis and occurs in the layer of endothelial cells adjacent to the artery lumen. Medial arterial calcification (MAC) is independent of atherosclerosis and occurs in the middle, muscular layer of the artery. MAC is strongly associated with aging, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). MAC is frequently in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Most studies to date …

Childhood Adversity's Impact On Criminal Behavior, Isobel Marie Avento

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and family criminal history, have been identified as potential risk factors for negative physical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes. Emerging literature suggests that ACEs are also among the primary factors leading to delinquency and adult criminal behavior. However, there is limited applied research that provides practitioners with appropriate insight to intervene when ACEs are identified among juvenile delinquents to reduce recidivism risk. This study adds to the existing literature by examining how cumulative ACEs shape criminal behavior of individuals from the onset until its desistance over the span of twenty years. Using …

Effect Of Storage Time And Temperature On Aggregation Of Alzheimer's Disease Amyloid-Β Protein, Amy Veihdeffer

Theses and Dissertations

Amyloid-β protein (Aβ) is widely studied due to its key role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. One characteristic of patients suffering from AD is the deposition of amyloid plaques comprised of Aβ aggregates, which are associated with synapse damage. Thus, studying Aβ aggregation and aggregation inhibition may provide pathological and therapeutic insights. Aggregation of Aβ is a nucleation dependent process that may be influenced by the presence of pre-formed Aβ aggregate seeds that can facilitate formation of protein aggregates. These seeds may appear during preparation or storage of monomer, posing impact on experiments that study the aggregation process and the …

Bayesian Nonparametric Models For Pooled Data, Yizeng Li

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines two applications of pooling: group testing and pooled biomonitoring. Group testing, introduced by Dorfman in the early 1940s, was initially developed to screen for syphilis among U.S. inductees during World War II. Since then, the approach has demonstrated cost-saving benefits in diverse fields, including drug discovery, genetics, and infectious disease testing. While various regression methods—parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric—have been proposed to analyze group testing data, they fall short in addressing age-related disparities in disease presence if such variations exist. In Chapter 2, we address this gap by expanding varying coefficient regression within a Bayesian framework to accommodate …

Why He Sings: An Action Research Study Using Counternarratives To Affect The Deficit Narratives Attributed To Students Of Color, Tiffany Jones Early

Theses and Dissertations

There is ample research that shows that students of color are less likely to graduate from college than their White peers. Meanwhile, the demographics of students who enroll in college continue to be more diverse than previous generations. As universities struggle to understand retention disparities, the voices of the students are often eliminated from the discussion. Many university staff members, instead, opt for a deficit narrative to blame what they believe students of color lack that inhibits them from persisting in college until graduation. The purpose of this study is to use narrative inquiry to better understand the educational experiences …

Sex Differences In Active Avoidance And Neural Circuit Mechanisms In Contextual Fear Generalization, Carly Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

The current studies were aimed to investigate two behavioral hallmarks of anxiety and stress-related disorders, avoidance responses and the over-generalization of fear. In the first set of studies, active avoidance and extinction learning, that parallels exposure therapy in preclinical rodent models, were used. It is known that stress can influence aversive learning and extinction training, which can result in poor extinction retention. However, it is not well understood how the stress response is facilitating extinction resistance in active avoidance learning across sexes. Therefore, the first set of studies aimed to investigate the role of biological sex and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) …

Data-Driven Discovery Of Extreme Thermal Materials By High-Throughput Computation And Machine Learning, Joshua Ojih

Theses and Dissertations

The quest for materials with extraordinary properties has been a longstanding endeavor in material science and engineering, driving future technological advancement. However, the discovery of such materials is non-trivial. Recent advancements in computational methods, particularly the integration of machine learning (ML) techniques with density functional theory (DFT), have opened new avenues for accelerating the discovery of materials with exceptional and extreme properties. This dissertation focuses on developing a synergistic approach and workflow combining ML and DFT to identify materials with properties that are pushed beyond current limits, using lattice thermal conductivity (LTC) as a case study of the workflow.

We …

Discovering Therapeutic Strategies In Colorectal Cancer Via Synthetic Lethal Genetic Screens On Patient-Derived Organoid Models, Sana Khalili

Theses and Dissertations

Precision medicine is a revolutionary approach of targeting genetic alterations that are present only in tumor cells to find vulnerabilities that can be targeted with therapy. Identifying genetic dependencies in human colon cancer could help identify effective treatment strategies. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 dropout screens can reveal all genetic dependencies, some of which could be exploited as therapeutic targets using existing drugs.

In this dissertation, I comprehensively characterized genetic dependencies present in a colon cancer organoid avatar, and validated tumor-specific selectivity of select pharmacologic agents. I identified all somatic mutations, all expressed genes, and conducted a genome-wide CRISPR dropout screen to elucidate …

Impacts Of Ing4-Deficiency On Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells & Characterizing The Concerns Of Novice Stem Graduate Teaching Assistant, Georgina Alice Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The hematopoietic compartment is tasked with the establishment and maintenance of the entire blood program in steady-state and in response to stress. Key to this process are hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which possess the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate to replenish blood cells throughout an organism’s lifetime. Recent work has illustrated the vast mechanisms involved in regulating stress-induced hematopoiesis, including cytokine-mediated lineage bias, gene signature changes in aged HSCs associated with chronic inflammation, the impact of clonal hematopoiesis and stress tolerance. Inhibitor of Growth 4 (Ing4) has been identified as a critical regulator of HSC homeostasis. We show that …

Intention Or Perception? Signaling Theory In The Online World, Mohona Mandal

Theses and Dissertations

Backlash on social media in response to online behaviors is swift and often decisive with significant consequences. One possible reason for this is that online actions are perceived as reflective of a person’s true self. Signaling theory provides support for this argument and suggests that people intentionally display information about themselves to communicate their beliefs to others. While existing work suggests that social media posts are intentional, social media interactions such as likes, comments, and reposts might also function similarly (i.e., as a signal of beliefs). Two studies were conducted to explore whether interacting with online content is perceived as …

Mitochondrial Function In The Maternal Brain: A New Perspective On Gestational Stress And Pathology Of Postpartum Depression, Erin Rene Gorman-Sandler

Theses and Dissertations

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major psychiatric complication of childbirth, affecting up to 20% of mothers, yet remains understudied. Mitochondria, dynamic organelles crucial for cell homeostasis and energy production, share links with many of the proposed mechanisms underlying PPD pathology. Brain mitochondrial function is affected by stress, a major risk factor for development of PPD, and is linked to avoidance and social behaviors. Considering the importance of mitochondria in regulating brain function and behavior, we hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with behavioral alterations in a chronic stress-induced rat model of PPD. Chronic mild unpredictable (CMUS) stress during late gestation …

Plankton Dynamics In A Temperate Estuary:Size Structure And Trophic Implications, Nayan Mallick

Theses and Dissertations

Estuarine ecosystems provide goods and services to around 45% of the entire human population. In recent times, these ecosystems have been severely affected by multiple stressors such as pollution, eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, sea level rise, and, most importantly, climate change. Increasing temperature associated with climate change can have pervasive impacts throughout the ecosystem’s functions and processes. Plankton, a conspicuous member of estuarine food web, are among the first to respond to the changes in temperature due to their high sensitivity to changing environmental conditions.

In this dissertation, I investigated the plankton dynamics in an estuarine ecosystem through a combination …

Multi-Scale Ai-Assisted Gene Expression Decoding, Fengyao Yan

Theses and Dissertations

Genes can be treated as a graph that can be mapped. Tremendous information is coded in genes to ensure a complex functioning organism. Decoding this information is critical to understanding our biology and developing treatments for various diseases including cancer. Deep learning, a new branch of computer science, has gained traction over the past decade. It offers more insight into the data that is processed by the deeplearning models. Our study has shown that deep-learning models can be an effective tool in decoding genetic data such as gene tissue-deconvolution, gene graph mapping and genomic imputation. In tasks such as tissue …

The Role Of The Physical Therapist In Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic And Qualitative Perspectives, Garrett Matthew Hainline

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is an effective tool in the management of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). PA recommendations for people with T2D are to achieve at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity PA. This assists to maintain blood glucose control and reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. Unfortunately, people with T2D are less likely than their normoglycemic peers to meet PA recommendations.

Veterans of the armed forces experience T2D at even greater levels than the general population, with prevalence at about 20%. In addition, T2D and pre-diabetes are elevated among younger veterans, including those of recent conflicts. Reducing rates …

Assessing The Accuracy, Validity, And Application Of A New Method For Sex Estimation Using Isotopic Ratios Of Fe, Cu, And Zn In Human Bone, Elizabeth Anne Wakefield

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation evaluates the accuracy, validity, and application of a novel sex determination method based on isotopic variations in copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) within human bone, initially developed by Jaouen et al. (2012). The primary aim of this research was to test the reproducibility of the method, expand the sample to include a broader age range and ethnically diverse groups, and assess its applicability in forensic contexts using contemporary skeletal samples. Bone samples were collected from 60 individuals across two curated skeletal collections: the George S. Huntington Skeletal Collection and the Texas State Forensic Anthropology Donated Skeletal Collection. The …

Creating A Quality Feedback System Between School Administrators And Teachers, Gerald Keith Price

Theses and Dissertations

After moving to a new school district as superintendent, I recognized early on that student achievement was low and intentional work needed to be done to bring about academic improvement. As the district leadership team began to explore causes and discuss possible solutions, we decided we needed to focus on changing the perception around instructional leadership. School administrators are much more likely to have mutual dialogue with their teachers when they assume the role of a coach rather than a superior. With open lines of communication, teachers and administrators are able to discuss ways to maximize learning time with students …

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

Exploring The Impact Of Teacher Curiosity On Job Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy: A Quantitative Study In Stem Education, Christopher Jeffcoat

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a quantitative study involving 96 teachers of STEM subjects, aimed at investigating the relationship between teacher curiosity, job satisfaction, and teacher self-efficacy. The primary objective was to examine the significance of teacher curiosity in the context of educators' job satisfaction. The research findings indicate a moderate positive correlation between teacher curiosity and job satisfaction (r=0.57), suggesting that educators with higher curiosity tend to experience greater job satisfaction. Also, a moderate positive correlation (r=0.51) was identified between teacher curiosity and teacher self-efficacy, emphasizing the connection between curiosity and educators' belief in their ability to positively impact student learning. …