Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Hiring Practices And Employee Retention Today Compared With Pre-Pandemic Characteristics In Orthodontics, Logan Passey

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Evaluate current hiring practices and employee retention characteristics in orthodontic private practices.

Methods: Orthodontists (n=1000) were surveyed regarding their hiring methods and outcomes. Responses were summarized with descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to compare hiring practices and perceptions. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were utilized in analysis of retention thresholds.

Results: Survey response rate was 7.2% (72 responses). When comparing thresholds previous to, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in open clinical positions compared with non-clinical and managerial positions (p=.0008). 68% of orthodontists reported a decrease in qualified applications for clinical positions compared with non-clinical and managerial …

A Retrospective Chart Review Of Avulsion Injuries Treated At Virginia Commonwealth University., Ryan Hediger

Theses and Dissertations

A RETROSPECTIVE CHART REVIEW OF AVULSION INJURIES TREATED AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY. By: Ryan Hediger, DMD

Objective: Outcomes related to healing following an avulsion injury are multifactorial. However, contemporary literature suggests that tooth survival can be enhanced after such injuries by promptly replanting the tooth and adhering to proper management guidelines. Despite the abundance of resources available, the actions taken immediately after the avulsion injury play a pivotal role in determining the fate of an avulsed tooth. The primary objective of the current investigation is to unveil prognostic factors associated with the survival of avulsed teeth.

Methods: A chart review …

Exploring Drivers Of Sex-Based Disparities In Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie K. Buxhoeveden

Theses and Dissertations

Females are three times more susceptible to relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and males typically have more severe disease, but the molecular underpinnings of these sex-based disease disparities are unknown and represent a critical knowledge gap.Subject Population: Blood samples from a demographically homogenous group of treatment naïve males and females with relapsing-MS and healthy controls. Research Design: Cross-sectional combinatorial omics pilot study. Instruments: Whole transcriptomic analysis with messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiling using next generation sequencing (RNA-seq) and micro-RNA (miRNA) expression using NanoString technology. Aim 1) Identify and compare the actively expressed mRNAs in the transcriptome of males and …

Investigating The Regulation Of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Through Fibronectin-Mediated Tgf-Β1 Mechanotransduction Using In Vitro Models Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Michael M. Sofroniou

Theses and Dissertations

TGF-β1 is a potent regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transtion (EMT), a cellular
transdifferentation process that promotes cellular motility and matrix remodeling, critical to tumorigenesis and metastasis. TGF-β1-induced EMT promotes the assembly of FN, which synergistically binds latent TGF-β1 to aid in its activation. The purpose of of this work is to further probe the effects of autocrine TGF-β1 signaling during EMT progression by utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of the TGFB1 gene in in vitro models of triple-negative breast cancer. The studies outlined in this work demonstrate that autocrine TGF-β1 maintains a baseline level of mesenchymal marker expression. It also functions to desensitize …

Elucidation Of The Optical Properties Of Si And Si-Ge Alloy Nanostructures With Visible To Near-Ir Photoluminescence, Griffin Spence

Theses and Dissertations

Silicon and silicon-germanium alloy nanostructures have garnered increasing attention in the past 25 years due to their favorable optical properties, visible to near-IR luminescence, and inherently low toxicity. While many synthetic routes have been discussed in the literature, the high-temperature, solid-state disproportionation of hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) has become the most popular way to produce highly crystalline, size-tunable Si and Si-based nanostructures (NCs). It has been shown in this work that maximum annealing temperature from 450°-1100°C and the addition of GeI₂or SnCl₄ precursors can be used to achieve different morphologies, alloying efficiency, and sizes. Directly annealing HSQ from …

Nano-Patterned Si Structures For Optical Filters And Electro-Mechanical Relays: Fabrication, Characterization, Prospects, And Limitations, Md Ataul Mamun

Theses and Dissertations

Nanofabrication technology, especially nanopatterning, is a rapidly advancing field that has already resulted in creating novel devices and holds promise for producing even more with unmatched performance. These techniques also allow us to gain insight into physical phenomena at the micro- and nanoscale. The ultimate performance of nanofabricated devices and their compatibility with existing Si-based CMOS technology hinge upon the careful selection of materials and precise design, coordinated with meticulous pattern transfer. In this work, we applied nanopatterning techniques on silicon to create optical filters for the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region and nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) relay-based logic gates. Additionally, these …

The Splice Index As A Prognostic Biomarker Of Strength And Function In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Marina Provenzano

Theses and Dissertations

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a slowly progressive, multisystem disorder caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK 3’UTR that leads to global dysregulation of alternative splicing. The resulting decline in physical function is slow, and no reliable biomarkers exist for predicting disease progression; however, an RNA mis-splicing biomarker associated with weakness may have utility in predicting functional outcomes. Here we validate the Splice Index (SI) as a potential biomarker of DM1-associated strength and function. Muscle biopsies of the tibialis anterior were collected from DM1-affected individuals at baseline (n = 46) and 3-months (n = 34), along with …

Adaptable And Trustworthy Machine Learning For Human Activity Recognition From Bioelectric Signals, Morgan S. Stuart

Theses and Dissertations

Enabling machines to learn measures of human activity from bioelectric signals has many applications in human-machine interaction and healthcare. However, labeled activity recognition datasets are costly to collect and highly varied, which challenges machine learning techniques that rely on large datasets. Furthermore, activity recognition in practice needs to account for user trust - models are motivated to enable interpretability, usability, and information privacy. The objective of this dissertation is to improve adaptability and trustworthiness of machine learning models for human activity recognition from bioelectric signals. We improve adaptability by developing pretraining techniques that initialize models for later specialization to unseen …

The Role Of Notch1 Signaling In Regulating Neurogenesis In The Olfactory Bulb Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Sarah A. Baig

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, more than 20.5 million adults over the age of 40 suffer from olfactory dysfunction, with TBI attributing to 5-17% of all olfactory dysfunction cases. Although often initially undetected and less conspicuous than other cognitive and behavioral impairments, olfactory dysfunction may have a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life and ability to accomplish activities of daily living, therefore the pathophysiology of these disorders should be understood. The production of neural stem cells enhances the repair and regeneration of the injured brain following a TBI. One of the primary endogenous neural stem cell generation sites in …

Large Language Models, Prompting, And Synthetic Data Generation For Continual Named Entity Recognition, Charles I. Cutler

Theses and Dissertations

With the ever-growing amount of textual data, the task of Named Entity Recognition (NER) is vital to Natural Language Processing (NLP), a field which focuses on enabling computers to understand and manipulate human language. NER enables the extraction of information from unstructured text. Accurate information extraction is crucial for applications ranging from information retrieval to systems for question-answering. To ensure that NER models are robust to changes in data distributions and capable of recognizing new entity types, one may consider expanding the capabilities of an existing model. Continual learning is a paradigm within machine learning. It studies the objective of …

Examining The Relationship Between Racism-Related Stress And Coping Among Black Adolescents: A Linked Lives Perspective, Kenna Yadeta

Theses and Dissertations

As Murry and colleagues (2018) note, racism serves as a family-level stressor, impacting both Black adolescents and their parents. As Black teens continue to experience frequent and varied racism experiences (English et al., 2020), their Black parents are facing a double challenge: bearing the weight of their own experiences with racism, while also parenting a Black adolescent through the same. Recent frameworks (e.g., Gilligan et al., 2018) highlight the linked experiences of Black families, in dealing with their stress and coping. As such, the current study aimed to explore the ways that both adolescent and parental experiences with racism related …

Insights Into The Characterization And Degradation Of Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Caleb B. Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Electrospun polymeric biodegradable scaffolds are essential in tissue engineering, particularly for Engineered Tissue Vascular Grafts (ETVGs), which promise advancements in treating coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital cardiovascular defects, and renal disease. These scaffolds present a solution to issues with autologous graft availability and durability. While large-diameter grafts in low-pressure environments have seen success, small-diameter grafts in high-flow scenarios remain challenging. Understanding polymeric scaffold degradation and behavior during incubation, especially under dynamic mechanical loading, is vital for clinical translation of small-caliber ETVGs.

This research focuses on characterizing the mechanical and microstructural properties of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds and their …

Effectiveness Of Social Media Marketing In Healthcare, Juliana Jepkogei

Theses and Dissertations

Social media channels are essential for promoting networking and patient education in the healthcare sector. They include YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, where each platform has its unique benefits and demerits. Therefore, this thesis explores the effectiveness of these channels in marketing in the United States healthcare sector. It has been discovered that social media marketing enhances engagement, and increases the reach of target consumers, and healthcare delivery. However, challenges like the spread of propaganda, low-quality information, and cyber attacks compromise their effectiveness. The researcher had to use theories like the elaboration likelihood model, uses and gratification theory, and social influence …

Youth Literacy And Social Practices In A Gaming Club, Abdul R. Siddiqui

Theses and Dissertations

One of the growing phenomena of our digital age is the proliferation of digital fan spaces (Gee, 2018). Dedicated to a specific fandom or activity, these spaces have allowed participants to play competitively, share videos with each other, create fanfiction, provide feedback to one another and engage in a host of literacies around something they share an affinity for (Black, 2009; Gee, 2017a). Through advances in technology, access to multiple tools and highly specialized knowledge of specific subjects, youth can now create communities in online spaces where they can engage in complex activities with their friends and fellow gamers without …

Persistence Of Wastewater-Associated Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria In River Microcosms, Aoife P. Mahaney

Theses and Dissertations

The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) associated with wastewater is a significant environmental concern, but little is known about the persistence and proliferation of these organisms in receiving water bodies after discharge. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a series of microcosm experiments in which river water was amended with either untreated or treated wastewater, and the abundance of viable ciprofloxacin-, Bactrim-, and erythromycin-resistant bacteria was monitored for 72 hours.

Both types of wastewater amendments increased the initial abundance of ARB compared to microcosms containing only river water. The increase was greatest with untreated wastewater, but that effect decreased …

"I Call Them Supermoms": Therapists' Reflections On The Impact Of Youth Sexual Offending On Latina Mothers, Mauricio P. Yabar

Theses and Dissertations

Families of youth who have sexually offended often suffer significant collateral consequences following the discovery of the sexual offense. Samples in research with these families disproportionately consist of mothers and other female parental figures. This is rarely acknowledged in the literature, and the experiences of these mothers have not been explicitly examined. In addition, research on the experiences of these families has largely ignored factors related to race and ethnicity. This is a significant oversight considering the prevalence of systemic racism and discrimination in the United States, particularly in the systems with which these families must interact (e.g., juvenile justice …

Cardiometabolic Genomics And Pharmacogenomics In Filipino Americans: A Cross-Sectional Study, Khalifa Y. Alrajeh

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Heart disease remains a leading cause of death in the country, with significant ethnic disparities. Filipino Americans (FAs), the third-largest Asian subgroup in U.S., face an elevated burden of dyslipidemia, a primary modifiable risk factor for heart disease. Objectives: This community-based study addresses critical knowledge gaps by characterizing the cardiometabolic and genetic factors contributing to dyslipidemia among FAs and implications for personalized cardiovascular drug therapies, particularly statin pharmacogenomics (PGx). Methods: We characterized dyslipidemia prevalence in FAs and major ethnic subgroups using nationally representative NHANES data. We examined associations between uric acid (UA) levels and lipid profiles, …

Covid-19 Vaccine And Infection And The Relationship To Lichen Planus Flare-Ups: A Self-Reported Survey Study, Sara Kube

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if there is an increased occurrence of oral lichen planus flare-ups after COVID-19 vaccination or infection.

Methods: An 11-item questionnaire was dispersed to patients with a diagnosis of oral lichen planus. The survey contained questions regarding the patient’s history of COVID-19 vaccination and infection as it relates subjective oral lichen planus flare-ups (i.e. oral redness, oral ulcerations, and/or oral pain/discomfort).

Results: Self-reported flares were significantly associated with whether or not vaccine side effects were also reported (p-value=0.0053). For those who reported experiencing side effects (tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea), …

Family Rejection And Affirmation Experiences Among Racially And Ethnically Marginalized Youth Who Identify As Transgender And/Or Gender Diverse, Angela Matijczak

Theses and Dissertations

Relationships with family members can be a vital source of support, and significant stressor, that contributes to mental health outcomes among transgender and gender diverse young adults who are racially and ethnically marginalized (TGD REMY). Guided by a life history narrative approach, this qualitative study explored family affirmation and rejection among TGD REMY across three aims: (a) how TGD REMY define their experiences of family rejection and/or affirmation, (b) whether and how experiences of rejection/affirmation change throughout the lifetime, and (c) whether and how experiences of rejection/affirmation differ by each family member. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 TGD REMY …

Identifying Mechanistic Pathways To Rigidity Associated With Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Traits Using A Novel Decision-Making Paradigm, Hannah L. Heintz

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive and behavioral rigidity is observed across several mental disorders and is a defining characteristic of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), a highly prevalent and debilitating, yet understudied, disorder. In particular, treatments for OCPD are underdeveloped due to our poor understanding of the mechanisms leading to the disorder’s key feature of rigidity. Two related disorders, anorexia nervosa (AN) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), have shown distinct mechanistic pathways leading to symptoms of rigidity, indicating that this trait can arise as a result of a number of differentially impaired cognitive processes, each requiring unique interventions. To examine the relationship between symptoms of OCPD …

A Bioarchaeological Overview Of The Late Woodland Period Gooden Mound Group, Fulton County, Illinois, Aaron M. Durchholz

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research in paleopathology has documented adverse effects accompanying a shift in subsistence strategy from largely nomadic, hunting and gathering lifestyles to those of more sedentary, agrarian systems. Comparative assessment of the human skeletal remains of early foragers and later farmers recovered from archaeological sites around the world have consistently demonstrated a decrease in average age at death in the latter.

Across the pre-Columbian North American Midwest, the transitional period between the Late Woodland and Mississippian periods, sometimes referred to as the terminal or Mississippian Acculturated Late Woodland, portended establishment of semi-permanent to permanent hamlets, increasingly reliant upon the adoption …

Pressing Toward Progress: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Perceptions Of Wellness Among Black Female Non-Traditional Students, Stacey Wiggins

Theses and Dissertations

Black female nontraditional student enrollment is increasing. Black women have higher rates of preventable stress related health issues than their white counterparts. While they have shown endurance and resilience to pursue their degree, it can jeopardize their wellness. This study provides an understanding of how this population perceives their wellness and what can be done to help them matriculate higher education without violating their wellness.

Applications Of Physics-Informed Graph Neural Networks In Wind Farm Layout Optimization, Emma R. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Rapid advancements in data-driven deep learning models have led to their increased usage in recent years. Highly-effective models for conducting complex decision-making tasks have been developed. Given their success, data-driven deep learning models are being developed and improved in a variety of areas, one of which is renewable energy. In this thesis, we discuss the development of data-driven, deep learning models for optimizing wind farm layouts for maximum power output. We include a background for wind energy, the physics of fluid flow and power production, and two types of neural networks: graph neural networks and physics-informed neural networks. Additionally, we …

An Exploration Of Menopause: Young People's Perceptions Of Women In Menopause (Study 1) And Menopausal Women's Self-Reports Of Their Experiences (Study 2), Fiona Therese Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Menopause is a transitional phase in a woman’s life, and society is filled with negative stereotypes of women in menopause. Menopause is a difficult period for many women due to hormonal fluctuations, changes in their bodies, and various other health effects. The negative stereotypes of menopause in the media can cause the general public to hold negative perceptions regarding menopausal women (Gannon and Stevens 1998). The purpose of my two-part study was to extend prior research surrounding perceptions of menopause and look specifically at young people’s perceptions of women in menopause, as well as women’s experiences with menopause.

Study 1 …

Microaggressions And Their Impact On The Neurodiverse College Experience, Audre J. Knecht

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature indicates that people with invisible disabilities (including neurodiversity) are at an increased risk of ableist microaggressions, especially on college campuses. Neurodivergent college students (N=13) were interviewed about their college experiences at a midwestern university in the United States. While only a few students reported experiencing microaggressions, there were overall themes of mistreatment from their instructors, watching other students experience microaggressions, feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, and the desire to mask neurodivergent traits to feel accepted at their university.

A Systematic Review Of The Benefits Of Integrating Therapeutic Animals Into Trauma-Focused Treatments For Child And Adolescent Survivors Of Sexual Abuse, Zoe Thorne

Theses and Dissertations

An integrative systematic review with a narrative synthesis was conducted to explore and identify the benefits of integrating a therapy animal into trauma-informed treatment for children and adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. This review detailed various ways therapy animals were incorporated into treatment and when the integration of therapy animals is most and least beneficial. Methods. Eight electronic databases were searched for relevant articles. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in the English-language. Articles published in and out of the United States were included, without a limit on date published, in order to capture any cultural differences and …

Examining The Role Of Cultural Capital In Access And Equity For Female C-Stem Learners Of Color, Tiffany L. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine the impact of cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1973; Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977) on the access and equity of C-STEM learners of color under the following four tenets of Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth model: aspirational, familial, social, and navigational capital. A theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT; Crenshaw, 1988) was utilized to frame the study. Research questions explore the impacts of cultural capital upon the perceived access and equity of female C-STEM learners. Qualitative methodology guided the study under the integrated approach of Quantitative Ethnography (QE) which examines qualitative data with the support of statistical …

Success Factors And Challenges Faced By First And Second-Year Undergraduate Female Students In Computer Science-Related Majors, Oscar Navarro

Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant gap in the number of women who go into college as computer science majors and decide to pursue the field in the workforce. There are challenges present for female students since the start of their education that their male counterparts do not face, which ultimately contributes to this gender gap. Such challenges include a lack of mentorship, a feeling of not belonging, and a dearth of resources to engage students in computer science. Research and studies that explore the first two years of college for female students who are majoring in computer science or computer science-related …

A Systematic Review Of Adolescent Girls’ Perception Of Body Image And Self-Esteem Through Participatory Digital Storytelling Groups, Alecia R. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent girls face increased pressure to conform to societal standards. As social beings, adolescent girls gravitate to social media as an outlet for peer interaction, community, and validation. Research has found that at the critical age of adolescence, 12-18, girls experience appearance comparison on social media, which can lead to internalizing unrealistic beauty standards and negative self-appraisal. Digital storytelling emerges as a source of encouragement, providing a platform for empowerment, self-expression, community engagement, and a safe space for adolescent girls to share their body image and self-esteem experiences. This Systematic Review sought to synthesize findings of qualitative and mixed-methods studies …

The Intergenerational Transmission Of Culture Through Attachment-Based Parenting Practices And Their Effect On Child Neurology: A Systematic Review, Elvina Chow

Theses and Dissertations

The process of intergenerational transmission process is complex and involves a dynamic exchange of explicit teachings, implicit cues, and lived experiences within the parent-child relationship. This systematic review examined the intricate relationship between the intergenerational transmission of cultural values, attachment-based parenting, and child neurology through a mixed-methods approach. Findings suggest that culture is transmitted via intergenerational transmission in the parent-child dyad through parental security and trust, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and cultural influences on parenting practices. Moreover, the literature suggests that attachment-based parenting affects the intergenerational transmission of culture, values, and beliefs through the parent-child relationship quality, open communication, and …