Digital Commons Network^™

Low Reynolds Number Locomotion Near Interfaces In Two-Fluid Media, Avriel Rowena Mae Cartwright

Theses and Dissertations

Microorganisms often swim within complex fluid environments composed of multiple materials with very different properties. Biological locomotion, including swimming speed, is significantly impacted by the physical composition and rheology of the surrounding fluid environment, as well as the presence of phase boundaries and free interfaces, across which physical properties of the fluid media may vary greatly. Through computational simulations, we first investigate the classical Taylor’s swimming sheet problem near interfaces within multi-fluid environments using a two-fluid immersed boundary method. The accuracy of the methodology is illustrated through comparisons with analytical solutions. Our simulation results indicate that the interface dynamics and …

Effects Of Perforations On Internal Cathodic Protection And Recruitment Of Marine Organisms To Steel Pipes, Alexander John Paluzzi

Theses and Dissertations

Steel monopile support structures for offshore wind turbines require protection from corrosion on their external and internal surfaces. Cathodic protection (CP) works effectively to protect the external surfaces of monopiles, but internally, byproducts from aluminum sacrificial anode CP (SACP) and impressed current CP (ICCP) induce acidification that accelerates steel corrosion. This project investigated the effects of perforations on the performance of aluminum SACP and ICCP when used inside of steel pipes. Additionally, marine growth on the external and internal surfaces of the pipes was assessed to determine if CP byproducts affect marine organism development.

Two sealed and two perforated steel …

Deep Learning And Generative Ai Approaches For Automated Diagnosis And Personalized Treatment: Bridging Machine Learning, Medicine, And Biomechanics In Predicting Tissue Mechanics And Biomaterial Properties., Yasin Shokrollahi

Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning, particularly deep neural networks, has demonstrated significant potential in predicting high-dimensional tasks across various domains. This work encompasses a detailed review of Generative AI in healthcare and three studies integrating machine learning with finite element analysis for predicting biomechanical behaviors and properties. Initially, we provide a comprehensive overview of Generative AI applications in healthcare, focusing on Transformers and Denoising Diffusion models and suggesting potential research avenues to address existing challenges.

Subsequently, we addressed soccer-related ocular injuries by combining finite element analysis and machine learning to predict retinal mechanics following a soccer ball hit rapidly. The prediction errors are …

The Lived Experiences Of Esl Nontraditional Rrts While Preparing To Challenge The National Board For Respiratory Care Clinical Simulation Exam, Jose A. Lammoglia

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide information to respiratory therapy graduates from two-year associate in science programs, faculty, and administrators about

the cognitive and noncognitive strategies employed by graduates to prepare and pass the CSE. To date, no available information on the role played by the lived experiences of RT graduates while preparing to challenge the CSE. The researcher developed a questionnaire to conduct a qualitative phenomenological descriptive lived experience survey of ESL Hispanic nontraditional graduates from associate of science programs in South Florida who took the NBRC national board examinations between January 2015 and March 2022.

An analysis …

Rage In Chronic Pulmonary Inflammation And Obstetric Complications, Katrina Lynn Curtis

Theses and Dissertations

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a transmembrane cell surface protein of the immunoglobulin superfamily that acts as part of both the innate and adaptive immune system. RAGE is highly expressed in lung tissue and is therefore of interest in the pulmonary immune response. Specifically, RAGE mediates several cell-signaling responses such as inflammation and apoptosis. This work sought to elucidate the role of RAGE in the setting of chronic pulmonary irritation such as that found in long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). This irritation has several shared characteristics with lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) …

Prosodic Pitch And Intensity In Autistic Individuals, Cassidy Gooch

Theses and Dissertations

This study is an examination of how prosodic pitch and intensity compare in autistic individuals and neurotypical individuals. Ten-minute recordings of casual conversation were taken and analyzed. Participants included 11 autistic individuals and 11 neurotypical individuals with six males and five females in each group. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2; Lord et al., 2012) prosody rating scale was used to collect a perceptual evaluation of each participan's prosody, and Praat acoustic analysis software was used to collect measures of pitch and intensity over the 10-minute period to investigate how speech characteristics change with conversation partner familiarity. Results …

Stability, Longevity, And Regulatory Bionetworks, Christian N. K. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Genome-wide studies of diseases and chronic conditions frequently fail to uncover marked or consistent differences in RNA or protein concentrations. However, the developing field of kinetic proteomics has made promising discoveries in differences in the turnover rate of these same proteins, even when concentrations were not necessarily different. The situation can theoretically be modeled mathematically using bifurcation equations, but uncovering the proper form of these is difficult. To this end, we developed TWIG, a method for characterizing bifurcations that leverages information geometry to identify drivers of complex systems. Using this, we characterized the bifurcation and stability properties of all 132 …

Mechanisms, Evolution, And Rapid Diagnosis Of Carbapenem Resistance, Taalin Shale Hoj

Theses and Dissertations

An estimated 70% of bacterial infections in the United States are resistant to first-line antibiotics. Of these, among the most difficult to treat are highly resistant to carbapenems, an antibiotic class used as a last resort. Septicemia, particularly when caused by a carbapenem-resistant organism, is among the most challenging clinical scenarios to treat, with an overall mortality rate of carbapenem-resistant septicemias 63.8%. Encouragingly, if effective antimicrobial treatment begins within 1-3 hours of septic shock onset, patient survival rates are around 80%. The first section of this work describes a real-time PCR-based assay that when coupled with existing bacteria-blood separation technology, …

Elucidating The Architecture Of The Tclijn Complex That Converts Cysteine To Thiazoles In The Biosynthesis Of Micrococcin, Diana G. Calvopina Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

Thiopeptides are a family of antimicrobial peptides that are characterized for having sulfur-containing heterocycles, and for being highly post-translationally modified. Numerous thiopeptides have been identified; almost all of which inhibit protein synthesis in gram-positive bacteria. These intrinsic antimicrobial properties make thiopeptides promising candidates for the development of new antibiotics. The antimicrobial peptide micrococcin is a thiopeptide that is synthesized by the ribosome and undergoes several post-translational modifications (PTMs). Micrococcin is formed from a precursor peptide, TclE. TclE comprises an N-terminal leader (35-AA) that is crucial for recognition of the PTM machinery, alongside a C-terminal core sequence (14-AA) that undergoes multiple …

Evolutionary Conservation And Times Of Action Of Heterochronic Genes, Maria Ivanova

Theses and Dissertations

The heterochronic pathway of C. elegans is the most well-characterized system to date for controlling the sequence and timing of developmental events. However, we still have critical unanswered questions to address. First, little is known about the evolution of the heterochronic pathway, and of developmental timing in general. To determine if the roles of major heterochronic genes are conserved, I made mutants in orthologs of these genes in C. briggsae, using CRISPR/Cas9. My studies revealed a significant drift in the roles of some of the genes, although all of them are still involved in the developmental timing regulation, and several …

Manipulating And Assaying Chromatin Architecture Around Enhancer Elements In Vivo, John Lawrence Carter

Theses and Dissertations

There are about 20,000 genes in the human genome. The lowly nematode worm, C. elegans, has about the same number of genes. How could two organisms that are so different arise from a similar number of genes? The answer is epigenetics, or the factors that help control when and where genes are expressed. There are many layers that comprise the epigenetic control of genes. One of which is the structure or architecture of chromatin. Chromatin is a complex of DNA and proteins. Histone proteins with DNA wrapped around them form the fundamental component of chromatin, the nucleosome. Chromatin exists in …

Monitoring Brain Region-Specific Control Of Protein Turnover And Concentration Using Proteomics, Rebecca Suzanne Burlett

Theses and Dissertations

Regulation of metabolism is vital to health and lies at the core of many different diseases. The breakdown of metabolisms' regulation within the brain can lead to neurological disease like Alzheimer's Disease (AD). AD is known to affect brain regions responsible for memory and memory processing like the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. The regulation of these regions' protein quality, synthesis, and degradation deviate from 'normal' or 'healthy' levels when AD is happening. It is known there is a breakdown of regulation in those regions; however, little is known about the specifics of regulation in healthy brains regions or how it …

Cell Of Origin Identification Using Methylation Signatures From Seminal Cell-Free Dna And Heterogenous Cellular Mixtures, Ryan Barney

Theses and Dissertations

Infertility is an issue for approximately 12% of couples attempting to have a child. Of this group, 50% of the cases are due to male factor infertility. There are many reasons for decreased fecundity in men, but there remains 10% to 15% of infertile men that are diagnosed with the most severe form of infertility, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). A diagnosis of NOA implies the lack of sperm cells in the ejaculate with no physiological reason. The current diagnostic test and treatment consist of microscopic examination of seminal fluid and a biopsy to extract any viable sperm from the testis. This …

Analog Artificial Neurons And Digital Amplifiers: Challenging The Roles Of Analog And Digital Circuit Architectures In Modern Cmos Processes, Taylor S. Barton

Theses and Dissertations

As complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies scale and field-effect transistor (FET) architectures change, the factors in deciding to utilize analog or digital transistor behaviors evolve. This thesis examines three case studies where traditionally analog or digital circuitry has dominated published works but I show that the opposite regime has significant benefits in scaled CMOS technologies. I present a highly digital operational amplifier (traditionally analog) and two artificial neurons (traditionally digital). In Chapters 2 and 3 I present a highly-digital five-stage zero-crossing-based amplifier which breaks the trade-off between slew rate and settling accuracy. I investigate the optimal charge pump design by …

The Social & Economic Impact Of Two-Year And Community Colleges On African Americans In The Central Mississippi Region, Bryan Winfred Massey Sr

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the social and economic impact of two-year and community colleges on minorities particularly African Americans who are earning a certificate, transfer credits to a four-year institution, or an Associate of Arts or Science Degree. The proposed research is a qualitative case study investigating the social and economic impact of two-year junior institutions that award certificates of learning and community colleges that award Associated Degrees to African Americans in the Southern Mississippi Delta Region. The primary focus of this case study will be the alumni for community colleges in the central part of …

Dynamic Regulation Of Store-Operated Calcium Entry By Protein S-Acylation, Goutham Kodakandla

Theses and Dissertations

Calcium plays a pivotal role in many physiological functions in cells. Cytosolic calcium levels are finely tuned by calcium ion channels, pumps, and intracellular organelles. Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is when depletion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium stores activates a calcium sensor known as stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). Activation of STIM1 leads to a conformational change from a compact state to an extended state. This extended state of STIM1 allows it to bind to a calcium channel in the plasma membrane (PM) known as Orai1. The binding of Orai1 and STIM1 leads to opening of Orai1 channels and calcium …

Developing 3d Printed Integrated Microfluidic Devices For Microchip Electrophoresis Separation Of Preterm Birth Biomarkers, Joule E. Esene

Theses and Dissertations

Preterm birth is a global health challenge and the leading cause of neonatal mortality. Each year, about 15 million babies are born preterm globally. Traditional tools that have been exploited for the detection of preterm birth biomarkers are expensive, time consuming, or lack multiplexing capabilities. The work described in this dissertation highlights techniques developed to detect preterm birth biomarkers rapidly and accurately in the effort to mitigate preterm birth risk. In this dissertation, I first demonstrated the use of stereolithography digital light processing-based 3D printing and microfluidics for the development of microfluidic devices that had microvalves for fluid control. I …

Towards Critical Reflexivity In Gifted Education Teacher Preparation, Inna Kruvi

Theses and Dissertations

Ever since the emergence of gifted education in the United States in the beginning of the twentieth century, the concept of giftedness has been used to marginalize, segregate, and exclude students of particular backgrounds from specialized academic programs. Among the factors that contribute to unequal access to gifted education for ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (ECLED) students, teacher bias, deficit thinking, and insufficient teacher preparation have been identified as especially significant (Coleman et al., 2015; DeWet & Gubbins, 2011; Mansfield, 2015). Among various approaches to mitigate underrepresentation of ECLED students, the concept of cultural humility (Tervalon and Murray-Garcia, 1998) …

Development Of Optimal Cut Scores For Within-Normal-Limits Mmpi-2-Rf Profiles Of Sex Offenders, Ilona Iikhtman

Theses and Dissertations

Alleged and convicted sex offenders are generally required to undergo forensic evaluations that frequently include a psychological assessment to answer a wide range of psycho-legal questions. A critical component of the psychological assessment of sex offenders is the evaluation of personality and psychopathology. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and its subsequent editions have been the most widely used personality assessment measures in forensic evaluations, including sex offender evaluations, and in research conducted with sex offenders. The previous literature demonstrates that a subgroup of sex offenders often produce test scores reflective of the general population, which is referred to as …

Synthesis And Biological Assessment Of Alkyl Pyridine Antimicrobials, Juan Canchola

Theses and Dissertations

In previous work, my research group and I reported on the synthesis of Anaephenes A and B and confirmed their biological activities. We also found that these compounds were active against drug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This finding lead to a series of structure activity relationship studies (SAR) to develop analogs with improved biological activities. Near the start of my graduate studies, my team and I reported an SAR where we generated eighteen analogs. Among the series of analogs, we made were a few that displayed high potency and shared a similar amphipathic structure. One of …

Characterization Of The Autoinhibition Mechanism Of The Heterotrimeric Kinesin-2 Motor Protein Kif3a / Kif3 B, Caleb Ayooluwa Sawe

Theses and Dissertations

Autoinhibition is a conserved mechanism regulating the motor proteins of the kinesin superfamily, which allows active motors to switch into an inactive state after cargo unloading. This regulation is generally believed to be an ATP conservation mechanism. Autoinhibition occurs when the motor molecule assumes a folded conformation in which the non-motor portions interact with, and thereby inhibit the activity of, the motor domains. This process is incompletely characterized in the heterotrimeric kinesin-2 motor (KIF3A/KIF3B), which is essential for mammalian anterograde intraflagellar transport and ciliogenesis. Furthermore, the physiological role that kinesin autoinhibition plays in cellular processes has only recently started to …

Changes In Rna Expression Of Hut78 Cells Resulting From The Hiv-1 Viral Protein R R77q Mutation, Joshua S. Ramsey

Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the causative virus for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is characterized by chronic inflammation and reduction of CD4+ T-cells in the blood. This leads to the patient becoming immunocompromised and much more susceptible to disease in general. Different phenotypes in the progression of AIDS have been observed in patients in either progressing to AIDS faster as a Rapid Progressor (RP), or slower as a Long-Term Non-Progressor (LTNP). Researching elements that result in the LTNP phenotype is of interest as it has the potential to offer alternative treatments and therapies to those suffering from …

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Host Immunity In The Drosophila-Parasitoid System And Its Application In A Course-Based Research Experience, Ashley Waring-Sparks

Theses and Dissertations

A functional immune response is essential for the survival of all living organisms. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a well-established model for studying host immunity as well as metabolic regulation during an immune response. Fruit fly larvae, in nature, are commonly infected by parasitoid wasps whose survival is dependent on the successful parasitization of their host. The immune response that the fly elicits toward the wasp egg is a primitive yet effective process. I characterized the genes induced by a host during infection, identified metabolites present in a host during infection, investigated the role of Ab in the cellular …

Criminalization Of Environmental Harms In Bangladesh And The United States, Md Lokman Hussain

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores and compares the nature, features, and measures of criminalization of environmental harms in Bangladesh and United States. The exploration is based on the descriptive and analytical comparison of the legal frameworks addressing the environmental harms in these two countries. To explore how are environmental harms criminalized in Bangladesh and United States, following aspects were described and compared: the criminalizing power of the state, criminalization of environmental harms regarding air pollution, water pollution, protection of biodiversity, waste management, and use of pesticide, theoretical frameworks in explaining criminalization, role of constitution and international law.

Numeracy, Consistency, And The Allais Paradox, Sean J. Mcginity

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the relations between mathematical abilities and preferences, preferences for consistency, and the Allais paradox. To answer this question, 144 participants completed a survey which measured objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, preference for consistency, and consistency of probabilistic choices. The results did not show the predicted relations where consistency would moderate the relations where subjective numeracy mediates the relations between objective numeracy and the consistency of probabilistic choices. The previously indicated relations where subjective numeracy simply mediated the relations between objective numeracy and probabilistic reasoning were also not replicated.While the hypotheses were not supported overall one interesting finding was …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Kills Staphylococcus Aureus In A Polyphosphate-Dependent Manner, Ritika Sujit Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Due to their frequent coexistence in many polymicrobial infections, including in patients with wounds and cystic fibrosis, recent studies have started to investigate how the opportunistic pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus interact with each other. P. aeruginosa rapidly outcompetes S. aureus under in vitro co-cultivation conditions, which is mediated by several of P. aeruginosa’s virulence factors. Here, we report that polyphosphate (polyP), an efficient stress defense system and virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, plays a role for the pathogen’s ability to inhibit and kill S. aureus in a contact-independent manner. We show that P. aeruginosa cells characterized by low …

Facial Motion Augmented Identity Verification With Deep Neural Networks, Zheng Sun

Theses and Dissertations

Identity verification is ubiquitous in our daily life. By verifying the user's identity, the authorization process grants the privilege to access resources or facilities or perform certain tasks. The traditional and most prevalent authentication method is the personal identification number (PIN) or password. While these knowledge-based credentials could be lost or stolen, human biometric-based verification technologies have become popular alternatives in recent years. Nowadays, more people are used to unlocking their smartphones using their fingerprint or face instead of the conventional passcode. However, these biometric approaches have their weaknesses. For example, fingerprints could be easily fabricated, and a photo or …

The Effects Of A High-Carbohydrate Versus A High-Fat Shake On Biomarkers Of Metabolism And Glycemic Control When Used To Interrupt A 38-Hour Fast: A Randomized Crossover Study, Landon S. Deru

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to determine the impact of various fast-interrupting shakes on markers of glycemic control including glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), insulin, glucagon, GLP-1, and GIP. Methods: Twenty-seven adults (12 female, 15 male) completed all three conditions of this study. One condition consisted of a 38-hour water-only fast, and the other two conditions were similar but the fasts were interrupted at 24 hours by either a high carbohydrate/low fat (HC/LF) or a low carbohydrate/high fat (LC/HF) shake. Results: The water only fast resulted in 135.3% more BHB compared to the HC/LF condition (t = 7.77, p < 0.0001) and 69.6% more compared to the LC/HF condition (t = 5.12, p < 0.0001). Conversely, the LC/HF condition exhibited a 38.8% higher BHB level than the HC/LF condition (t = 2.70, p = 0.0086). Additionally, the area under the curve (AUC) for glucose was 14.2% higher in the HC/LF condition than in the water condition (t = 6.23, p < 0.0001) and 6.9% higher compared to the LC/HF condition (t = 3.14, p = 0.0024), with the LC/HF condition yielding 7.8% more glucose than the water condition (t = 3.21, p = 0.0020). At the 25-hour mark, insulin and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) were significantly elevated in the HC/LF condition compared to the LC/HF condition (F = 3.84, p = 0.0002 and F = 2.27, p = 0.0244, respectively) and compared to the water condition (F = 7.00, p < 0.0001 and F = 9.96, p < 0.0001, respectively). Furthermore, insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and GIP were increased in the LC/HF condition compared to the water condition at 25 hours (F = 3.19, p = 0.0016, F = 2.43, p = 0.0158, and F = 12.13, p < 0.0001, respectively). Notably, glucagon concentrations at the 25-hour mark decreased in the HC/LF group compared to the LC/HF condition (F = 3.37, p = 0.0009). However, by the 38-hour time point, no statistically significant differences were observed among the conditions for any of the analyzed hormones. Conclusions: While a LC/HF shake does not mimic a fast completely, it does preserve some of the metabolic changes including elevated BHB and glucagon, and decreased glucose and insulin compared to a HC/LF shake.

Application Of Computational Tools To Identify Variations Associated With Peromyscus Dominant Spot, Zhenhua Shang

Theses and Dissertations

Peromyscus are the most prevalent mammalian species in North America, and they're employed extensively in both laboratory and field studies. P. maniculatus and P. polionotus, the deer mouse and the old-field mouse, are closely related and can produce viable and fertile hybrid offspring. However, a comprehensive database of polymorphisms, particularly in those kept as living stocks and supplied to university researchers, is lacking. In chapter 2, we performed comparative genomic study on P. maniculatus and P. polionotus and used the polymorphic data to identify the range of genetic complexity that underlies physiological and behavioral differences between two species. We also …

Revolting Motherhood: [De]Generative Breast Stories Transmuting Medical/Moral Paradigms In Britain During The Long Nineteenth Century, Leslie Rene Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

Eric Plemons writes in *The Look of A Woman* that “biological stories do more than describe biologies” (54). This dissertation explores what breast cancer stories do and how society creates meaning around the experience of breast cancer. I argue that, in the long nineteenth century in Britain, breast cancer was part of a two-sided medical/moral paradigm where medical diagnosis became enmeshed with morality. Health, then, became a result of proper domestic behavior, disease a result of straying from societal norms. Following the introductory chapter, chapter two traces the development of this paradigm as an outgrowth of the emergence of middle-class …