Digital Commons Network^™

Quality Of Life Among Caregivers Of Individuals With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome And Intellectual Disability, Sandra Garza Ochoa

Theses and Dissertations

Caregiving for a person with 22q11.2 chromosome deletion syndrome (22q) often entails dealing with medically life-threatening complications and is significantly compounded when the care recipient has comorbid 22q and intellectual disability (ID). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of support, spirituality, and resiliency on the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of individuals with comorbid 22q/ID to ascertain if these protective factors would reduce their caregiving burden. Study participants consisted of 469 caregivers of persons with 22q/ID who were recruited through 22q social advocacy groups. Correlational analyses, analyses of variance, and multiple regression analysis were used …

Understanding The Developmental Regulation Of Opa1 Processing In C2c12 Myoblasts, Harpreet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondria is an energy-producing organelle in the cell that accept electrons from the Krebs cycle to generate energy in the form of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. Two mitochondrial aspects, bioenergetics and dynamics are critical for energy balance and cellular stress responses. Mitochondrial dynamics refers to the balance between mitochondrial fusion (mitochondrial biogenesis) and mitochondrial fission (mitochondrial fragmentation). Cellular stress conditions that lead to dissipation of transmembrane potential (Δψm) trigger the activation of an IMM protein, OMA1, a metalloprotease that leads to processing of another IMM protein, optic atrophy-1 (OPA1) that mediates IMM fusion. Persistent stress primes the mitochondria to mitophagy …

Study Of Population Dynamics Of Sugarcane Aphid (Melanaphis Sacchari) In Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Neetu Khanal

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: This chapter incorporates detailed information about the biotype concept, aphids, their types and their biotypes, importance of studying insect biotypes and their role in mediating host plant defenses.

Chapter 2: This chapter explains in detail about the biology, biotypes, feeding behavior, damage, and economic loss caused due to sugarcane aphid infestation. This chapter further elaborates on the need for studying population level differences and justifies the objectives and significance of this research study.

Chapter 3: This chapter provides information about the comprehensive work done on three different populations of sugarcane aphid collected from three different locations in Rio …

Developing Executable Digital Models With Model-Based Systems Engineering – An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveillance Scenario Example, Viviana Guadalupe Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increase in complexity in modern systems that causes inconsistencies in the iterative exchange loops of the system design process and in turn, demands greater quality of system organization and optimization techniques. A recent transition from document-centric systems engineering to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is being documented in literature from various industries to address these issues. This study aims to investigate how MBSE can be used as a starting point in developing digital twins (DT). Specifically, the adoption of MBSE for realizing DT has been investigated, resulting in various literature reviews that indicate the most prevalent methodologies and …

Data Science For Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship, Saikou Jawla

Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial infections, but their misuse leads to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. Antimicrobial stewardship is an approach to measure and improve the appropriate use of antibiotics in healthcare settings. Data science has the potential to support these programs by providing insights into antibiotic prescribing patterns, identifying areas for improvement, and predicting patient outcomes. We explored the role of data science in hospital antibiotic stewardship programs, including statistical methods …

An Investigation Into Optimal Descent Trajectories For Multipurpose Long Range Space Vehicles Under Advanced Conditions, John M. Levis

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we investigate the problem of fuel-optimal control of space vehicle descent trajectories. The main tool we use to establish optimality is Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle. We present a variety of scenarios with increasing complexities, including drag, wind, and moving landing platforms in the context of differing atmospheric and gravitational conditions. Throughout the paper, we use a balance of analytical and numerical techniques. Finally, observations and conclusions drawn from the investigation form the basis for suggestions into additional areas of analysis.

Wave Excited Mass-Spring-Damper System For A Self-Recharging Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Mahmodul Hasan Maheen

Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous underwater vehicles' (AUVs) endurance is constrained by the lifetime of their batteries and the distance that tether wires can traverse. Solving the endurance problem of AUV using the enormous potential of ocean wave energy is the motivation behind this thesis. The objective of this research is to model a mass-spring-damper system to emulate the permanent magnet linear generator (PMLG) of a self-recharging AUV and identify its energy absorption capability through numerical simulation and experimental testing. The research activities started with modeling and fabricating a 1:5 scale model. The scaling was done by comparing the most common AUV size of …

Effects Of Missing Data Imputation Methods On Univariate Time Series Forecasting With Arima And Lstm, Nicholas Niako

Theses and Dissertations

Missing data are common in real-life studies and missing observations within the univariate time series cause analytical problems in the flow of the analysis. Imputation of missing values is an inevitable step in the analysis of every incomplete univariate time series data. The reviewed literature has shown that the focus of existing studies is on comparing the distribution of imputed data. There is a gap of knowledge on how different imputation methods for univariate time series data affect the fit and prediction performance of time series models. In this work, we evaluated the predictive performance of autoregressive integrated moving average …

Long-Term Spatial And Temporal Assessment Of Criteria Air Pollutants Concentration Trends In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Region Of Texas, Usa, Md Salahuddin Majumder

Theses and Dissertations

Air pollution is a substantial environmental challenge all over the world. This study investigated the long-term air pollution levels in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region, by utilizing data collected from five continuous ambient monitoring stations in two counties over 23 years, from January 2000 to December 2022, to analyze daily, monthly, and seasonal variations of different pollutants, including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide. This study also identified distinct daily and seasonal patterns for O3, PM2.5, PM10, and CO at each monitoring site, influenced by factors such as traffic emissions, temperature, solar radiation, indoor heating, and weather conditions. …

Perspectives Of Esl Teachers On Translanguaging Pedagogy In Supporting The Literacy Engagement Of Emergent Bilingual Students In A Texas Charter School, Gemma Olson

Theses and Dissertations

The interconnectedness of the world today through advanced technology and travel allows students exposure to a diverse cultural landscape. Combined with a fast-changing computer technology-driven education, and culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms, there cannot be just one way to teach and learn. This study explored the perspective of ESL teachers on translanguaging pedagogy in supporting the literacy engagement of emergent bilingual (EB) students in an urban elementary charter school in Texas. Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), data was collected from three ESL teacher participants using the spiral-action cycle. Findings that emerged included (a) intrinsic motivation that translanguaging pedagogy support emergent …

Disaster Risk Perception, Climate Change Awareness, And Disaster Preparedness Among University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley Students, Anandita Roy

Theses and Dissertations

University students are usually young and have low-income resources, live in dormitories or low-rent housing near the university, and have little to no disaster experience. Therefore, they are vulnerable to disasters due to a lack of resources for preparation. To better understand the vulnerability of students to disasters, the study aims to assess the perceptions of disaster risk, climate change awareness, and the level of disaster preparedness of students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). In this study, we collected data from 320 students who participated in an online survey. The study’s findings provide an understanding of …

Biological Optimization Of Polymer-Based Antiretroviral Drug Towards The Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (Galt), Arkajyoti Paul

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly decreased the disease mortality associated with HIV-1 but does not efficiently reach the HIV reservoir organs such as GALT. In this regard, the present study determined the efficacy of the polymer-based nanoformulations using F127 alone and in combination with L61 to encapsulate three clinically available cART drugs such as Emtricitabine (FTC), Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), and Dolutegravir (DTG) in in vitro and in vivo system. Methods: The selected formulations were studied for their biological and chemical characterization towards human cell line viz. Caco-2 and Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and in vivo …

The Witch In The Woods: An Exploration Of Female Representation In Mexican American And Japanese Folklore, Sydni D. Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

An exploration of female archetypes that examines their display and representation in Mexican American and Japanese folklore. The study ties the two cultures together for the purpose of juxtaposing an older and younger culture utilizing folklore in similar ways of control over women’s narratives. It examines how a patriarchal culture’s folklore provides punishments through the medium of storytelling for transgressive or deviant women. When women act outside of their preferred archetypes or behavior in folklore, they are met with severe narrative consequences. The archetypes discussed in this thesis, “La Virgen Armada and the Final Girl,” “The Bride,” “The Sacrilegious …

Problems In Algorithmic Self-Assembly And A Genetic Approach To Patterns, Andrew Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

As it becomes increasingly harder to make transistors smaller, replacements for traditional silicon computers become sought after. To study the computing power of these potential computers, various theoretical models have been proposed, such as the abstract Tile Assembly Model (aTAM) and chemical reaction networks (CRNs). This thesis compiles research in various models such as the aTAM, Tile Automata, and CRNs. This work shows an investigation of covert computation in the aTAM and an evolutionary algorithm to approximate solutions to the pattern self-assembly tile set synthesis (PATS) problem. Next, optimal state complexity for building squares in Tile Automata is shown along …

Road Mitigation Structure And Road Effect Zone Impacts On Rodent Community Composition, Activity, And Predator-Prey Dynamics In South Texas, Adam F. Sanjar

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of road mortality mitigation structures on rodent activity and rodent community composition are not fully understood, both on the regional scale of south Texas and in the broader field of road ecology. This is primarily due to the low conservation priority of most rodent species and the difficulty of noninvasively surveying for rodents effectively. This thesis focused on characterizing how rodents were impacted by both roads and mitigation structures in south Texas, and if rodents are a significant factor to consider when studying the road ecology of rodent predators in south Texas, particularly ocelots, bobcats (Lynx rufus …

The Effects Of Carbon Coating On The Electrochemical Performance Of Metal-Oxide Short Fiber Anodes For Lithium-Ion Batteries, David A. Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the process of oxidizing centrifugally spun precursor fibers and the subsequent process of carbon coating via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for use as anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Metal oxides have been studied as a potential replacement for graphite as they have been shown to have high theoretical capacities, good electronic conductivity, and can be synthesized using low-cost, scalable methods. However, metal oxides with high theoretical capacities also have low cycle life. To avoid this, metal oxides have been integrated with carbon to expand their life cycle. The work in this thesis shows the synthesis …

A Machine Learning Approach To Obese-Inflammatory Phenotyping, Tania Mayleth Vargas

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is the accumulation of an abnormal, or excessive, amount of fat in the body, which can have negative effects on overall health. This excess accumulation of macronutrients in adipose tissue can cause the release of inflammatory mediators, leading to a proinflammatory state. Inflammation is a known risk factor for various health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. This study sought to examine the use of data mining methods, particularly clustering algorithms, to identify inflammatory biomarker phenotypes and their association with obesity in a local adolescent population. The algorithms evaluated in this study included: k-means, Ward's hierarchical …

Structural And Functional Insight Of Helicobacter Pylori Translation Initiation Factor If1 (Hpif1) In Protein Biosynthesis And Rational Design Of New Antimicrobial Candidates, Asif Shahriar

Theses and Dissertations

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the human gastric mucosa and is associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Bacterial protein synthesis is a fundamental metabolic process occurring in all bacteria and is a validated target of antibiotics; however, the precise structural mechanism of H. pylori protein biosynthesis remains unknown. Protein synthesis contains four stages, and translational initiation is the most important and highly regulated critical step, involving three initiation factors (IF1, IF2, IF3) and other key components. IF1 plays a vital role in regulating this step by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit cooperatively …

Red Snapper Abundance, Growth, And Movement At Different Structural Configurations In The Rio Grande Valley Artificial Reef, Marybeth J. Weihbrecht

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) artificial reef was built with the goal of providing habitat for reef fish at various life stages. This study used fish trapping to analyze red snapper and grey triggerfish size and abundance in the RGV reef. Mark-recapture of red snapper was utilized to determine growth, movement, and site fidelity within the reef. Nine configurations of patches consisting of varying combinations and densities of concrete pyramids and low-profile modules were surveyed, as well as additional sites of cinder block palettes and concrete railroad ties. Red snapper and triggerfish abundance per trap hour varied significantly by site …

Identifying Direct Foxo Targets Through Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assays With Sequencing, Alma Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and basal-like breast cancer (BBC) are aggressive cancers associated with poor prognoses. Basal-like breast cancer (BBC) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are poor prognosis cancers that lack effective targeted therapies. A deregulation of FOXOs has been linked to cancer, as they regulate the expression of genes involved in multiple cellular processes. Canonically, the FOXO family of proteins is generally considered tumor suppressors, but evidence suggests that they may be involved in cancer metabolism as well as angiogenesis. Research in our lab has found that these factors play a role in glycolysis and the developmental WNT pathway. Here we …

Cfis’ Safety Behaviors At Flight Training Schools: Understanding The Effects Of Personality Traits, Self-Efficacy, Risk Perception, And Safety Climate, Vivek Sharma

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between personality traits, affective domain variables, safety climate, and safety behaviors of certified flight instructors (CFIs). Personality traits consisted of the five dimensions of the Big Five personality model, including Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Openness, and Conscientiousness. Affective domain variables included self-efficacy and risk perception. The study used an explanatory correlational design to determine the relationship between the targeted factors and safety behaviors. The dependent variable was CFIs’ safety behaviors. The sample consisted of 134 CFIs who completed all of the study’s protocols. Participants were obtained from a professional flight …

Design And Synthesis Of Novel Peptide-Metal Organic Frameworks, Moustafa Mahmoud Abdel Wahid Hamaad

Theses and Dissertations

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of crystalline porous materials with extended network structures formed through the reticular assembly of inorganic and organic molecular building blocks through strong coordination bonds. Compared to other porous materials, MOFs offer a high degree of structural diversity as their shape and pore size as well as functionality can tuned by the precise selection and design of their metal centers and organic struts. Due to their high surface areas, pore volumes, and the possibility of introduction of a myriad of chemical functionalities in their structures, MOFs have gained popularity for applications in many fields such …

Improving The Learning Efficiency Of Adaptive Optimal Control In Information-Limited Environments, Omar Ghassan Qasem

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the adaptive optimal control problems for continuous-time linear and nonlinear systems. A novel adaptive dynamic programming method, namely hybrid iteration (HI) is presented. Different from the existing adaptive dynamic programming methods, i.e., policy iteration (PI) and value iteration (VI), the HI does not require an initial admissible control policy compared to the PI. On the other hand, the HI converges to the optimal control policy in much less learning iterations and CPU time compared to the VI due to the ensured quadratic rate of convergence of the HI method, which is much faster than the sub-linear convergence …

Human Capital Advantage From Fortitude, Resilience, And Perseverance Of Minority Ceos In Stem Organizations: A Phenomenological Study, Torin Mordel Malone

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored how the inherent lived experiences of minorities can foster the attributes of strength and stamina, collectively referred to as the fortitude, resilience, and perseverance (FRP) of minority executive-level leadership. Specifically, this research considered the lived experiences of ten minority CEOs and assessed the influence of how they lead and communicate within their organizations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover if and how the attributes of FRP could distinctively serve as a human capital advantage for organizations to consider with regard to utilizing minority executive-level leadership. The implication is that the greater understanding …

Anti-Doping Crisis In Sports, What's Next? Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry For The Study Of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids, Diana Constanza Velosa

Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this work is to augment both qualitative and quantitative measures of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) with ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS), laying the foundation for implementation into analytical drug testing laboratories. AAS testing requires high sensitivity and specificity. IM-MS is presented as an emerging technology workflow capable of targeted quantification of AAS and structural elucidation for potential unknowns, allowing ions to be separated and characterized based on their rotationally averaged collision cross section (CCS). Chapter 1 provides a background of the basic principles of IMS and the different types of analytical methods used for doping analysis currently …

Xeno-Free Biomimetic Ecm Model For Investigation Of Matrix Properties On Astrocyte Cell Response, Bayan Saleh

Theses and Dissertations

Astrocytes are crucial in preserving the structural and functional integrity of the central nervous system (CNS). They participate in several physiological processes, such as the uptake of neurotransmitters, control of extracellular ion concentration, and preservation of the blood-brain barrier. Recent research has raised the possibility that astrocytes are also involved in the onset and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the precise mechanisms underlying the development and progression of AD are not fully understood, recent research has suggested that age-related changes in the brain extracellular matrix (ECM) properties may play a critical role in the progression of the disease. Investigating …

Analysis Of Steroid Hormone Isomers Using Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry, Shon Paul Neal

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive study on the analysis of steroid hormone isomers using liquid chromatography-ion mobility-mass spectrometry (LC-IM-MS). The dissertation is divided into three main parts: the first part focuses on research using different drift gases and ion adducts to modify the mobility separations allowing for resolution between the isomers. The second part focuses on research exploring derivatization reactions that target structural differences between the steroid hormone isomers to amplify the differences and resolve the isomers in the ion mobility region. The final part covers a proposal on future study directions to include simultaneous derivatization reactions, mass spectrometry fragmentation, …

An Investigation Of Emotional Intelligence Among African American College Students Enrolled In A State College In Florida, Wayne Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the small number of research studies that have explored emotional intelligence (EI) in African-American (AA) samples (i.e., twelve studies, with six involving college students), the first purpose of this study was to describe conceptual and empirical dimensions of EI within a sample of AA college students (Research Question 1). To date, only one EI measure has been developed for use with AA samples, the African American Emotional Intelligence Survey or AAEIS (Funderburk, 2007), so the second purpose was to further explore the validity and reliability of the AAEIS (Research Question 2). The third purpose was to explore the …

1. Influence Of Metal Ions And Solvents On The Photo-Generation Of Reactive Oxygen Species In Mesoporous Silicate Embedded Porphyrins 2.Water-Soluble Rhodium(Iii) Porphyrin Complex For The Biological Inactivation Of Fentanyl, Hemant Pal

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are differentiated π-conjugated compounds with unique photochemical and redox properties. The tetrapyrrole macrocycle core of porphyrins is extremely favorable for the complexation of metal ions, resulting in hybrid metal-organic molecules with good catalytic properties. Porphyrin-based systems are known for their oxidative properties and are frequently utilized as bio-mimicking catalysts and environmental remediation agents. My current research aims at both of these aspects. One of the most efficient methods to create photocatalytic systems with outstanding features and applicability is the use of porphyrins on supported solid materials. A series of novel mesoporous silicate-embedded metalloporphyrins were prepared via conjugation of novel …

Effect Of Brain Injury On Demand Of Alcohol, Whitney Michele Chaney

Theses and Dissertations

Brain injury, or damage to the brain and/or surrounding structures, is listed by the CDC as the leading cause of disability and death in the United States. This kind of injury can result in symptoms that physical, cognitive, and behavioral functioning in those affected. Despite this, current literature reflects a significant deficiency in the understanding and management of behavioral symptoms, that present after the injury, in most neurorehabilitative treatments. This study aimed to investigate whether sustaining a brain injury can effect an individual’s demand intensity for alcohol, if their demand was inelastic, and their probability for misuse of alcohol. To …