Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Effects Of Eating Behaviors On Mental Health And Internalization Of Weight-Based Messaging, Avery E. Bollinger

Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to explore the effects of eating behaviors on mental health and the internalization of attitudes toward one's appearance. This was performed through a survey distributed through a global online market research firm, Dynata, and gathered 495 eligible participants. Of those, 78 represented the plant-based group, and 417 represented the non-plant-based group. Each completed the survey containing sections with the Mizes Anorectic Cognitions Scale (MACS) to assess if they were at low or high risk for having/developing an eating disorder, a section determining if participants were plant-based (defined as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and …

The Impact Of Appearance On Transgender Victimization, Tabrina M. Bratton

Theses and Dissertations

Trans people experience disproportionate rates of victimization compared to cisgender people. This disparity persists despite the finding that many of the same predictors of cisgender victimization have been identified for transgender victimization (e.g., age, race, income, employment, sex work participation, homelessness), which suggest transgender-specific factors may be at play. Some scholars have proposed that transgender victimization is due to their non-conforming appearance. The purpose of this dissertation was to expand our understanding of anti-trans violence by concentrating on the relationship between appearance and sexual and recent physical victimization. This dissertation builds upon the existing transgender victimization literature by focusing on …

Air Quality Impacts From Mineral Dust, Fireworks, And Urban Pollution Revealed By Trace Element Chemistry And Strontium Isotopes Ratios In The Wasatch Front, Utah, Usa, Micah J. Marcy

Theses and Dissertations

Airborne particulate matter (PM) in urban areas is derived from a combination of natural and anthropogenic sources. To identify PM sources and their effects on air quality, we collected PM using active filter samplers over a two-year period in the urban Wasatch Front, northern Utah, an area affected by multiple pollution sources. Filters from active samplers and other PM samples were analyzed for major and trace element concentrations and 87Sr/86Sr ratios. We identified wind-blown mineral dust from dry lake beds, winter inversions, and fireworks as primary PM sources affecting air quality in the Wasatch Front. Dust contributes Al, Be, Ca, …

Still No Crystal Ball: Toward An Application For Broad Evaluation Of Student Understanding, Piper Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Evaluation of student understanding of learning material is critical to effective teaching. Current computer-aided evaluation tools exist, such as Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT); however, they require expert knowledge to implement and update. We propose a novel task, to create an evaluation tool that can predict student performance (knowledge) based on general performance on test questions without expert curation of the questions or expert understanding of the evaluation tool. We implement two methods for creating such a tool, find both methods lacking, and urge further investigation.

Daily Survey Of Negative Affect And Social Interactions In Young Adults With High Levels Of Social Stress, Danica L. Limon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Few studies have focused on the contextual influences that impact negative affect (NA) and risk for mood disorders in young adults. Research using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods has shown that neurotypical adults with elevated social anxiety may be more sensitive to their social environment. To date, little is known about how types of social interactions impact autistic adults, who may show varying levels of social anxiety and social motivation. Aim: Our goal was to examine the heterogeneity in daily social experiences for autistic and socially anxious adults. Method: Using EMA surveys, we tracked daily self-reported face-to-face interactions and …

An Exploration Of Factors That Impact Uptake Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccines, David Samuel Redd

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction The discovery and continued development of vaccines is arguably one of the most important innovations in human history. Vaccination greatly reduces the worldwide incidence and transmission of diseases, preventing permanent injury and premature death. Mass vaccination campaigns have led to the eradication or partial eradication of severe infectious such as smallpox and polio, have reduced childhood mortality, and has led to an overall increase in average health in the human population globally. Despite the documented benefits of vaccination, vaccine hesitancy is increasing, and the uptake of some vaccines is low. Vaccines have been so successful at preventing disease that …

Big Data Meta-Analyses Of Transcriptional Responses Of Human Samples To Orthohantavirus Infection And Shotgun Metagenomics From Crohn's Disease Patients., John L. Krapohl

Theses and Dissertations

Hantavirus is a dangerous zoonotic viral pathogen that is found across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. This virus causes a range of symptoms from flu-like malaise to heart failure and death. It is normally transmitted to humans via the aerosolized feces or urine of infected rodents. Currently, there are no known treatments for the disease, and it continues to threaten human health in endemic areas. In order to identify possible future therapeutic targets, we ran a meta-analysis of existing transcriptomic data collected from infected human tissue. Several genes and cellular pathways were identified, in addition to several potential therapeutics that …

Defining Cheating Using Multiple Models, Krista Joy Dowdle

Theses and Dissertations

Extradyadic romantic behavior in committed relationships, referred to here as "cheating," is a common occurrence. For the purposes of this study, we define cheating as romantic or sexual behaviors that occur outside of a committed romantic relationship and that violate the expectations of the relationship. This definition can be broken down into two parts: the behavior that occurred and the judgment of whether that behavior constitutes cheating. Using a large sample (N = 1,020), we tested a measure that conceptualized cheating as composing explicit behaviors, categorical judgment of behaviors, and dimensional judgment of behaviors. Fit statistics were mixed and we …

Synthesis And Anticancer Evaluation Of Novel Pyrazolo[1,5-A]Pyrimidines: Discovery Of A Novel Lead Compound With Selective Activities Against Vps34 And Jak1-Jh2 Pseudokinase, Reuben Dass

Theses and Dissertations

A library of 25 novel 3,6-disubstituted and 3-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines were synthesized using a microwave chemical reactor in 3 steps with a total reaction time of 1 hour. The products were obtained in good to excellent yields (20-93%, ave. = 62%). The synthesis began with the reaction of aryl acetonitriles with dimethylformamide-dimethylacetal (120C, 20 min), followed by treatment of the resulting 2-arylacrylonitrile with H2NNH2 • HBr (120C, 20 min). The intermediate 4-arylpyrazol-5-amine obtained was finally reacted with either 2-aryl-substituted malondialdehydes or 1,1,3,3-tetramethoxypropane (120C, 20 min) to give the final products. The products were either collected directly on a Buchner funnel or …

Regulation Of T Cell Activation By The Cd5 Co-Receptor And Altered Peptides, Characterization Of Thymidine Kinase-Specific Antibodies, And Integrating Genomics Education In Society, Kiara Vaden Whitley

Theses and Dissertations

Helper T cells (Th) are a vital component of the immune system responsible for directing other immune cells to eliminate pathogens and cancer. Specifically, Th cells facilitate B cell and cytotoxic T cell (Tc) activation and recruitment and enhance their function against cancer and infectious diseases. Th cells are a valuable resource for improving Tc responses in cancer treatment and have become a focus of immunotherapeutic research. While it is increasingly clear that helper T cells serve an important role, the details about which entities produce an effective Th cell response remain unclear. CD5 is a T cell co-receptor that …

Examination Of 14-3-3 Interactors Identifies A Novel Mechanism Of Regulation For The Ubiquitin Binding Kinase Tnk1 That Can Be Targeted To Block Tumor Growth, Christina Marie Egbert

Theses and Dissertations

Decades of research have begun to identify oncogenic mut-drivers that are responsible for driving a large percentage of cancers. These high frequency mut-drivers have therapeutics in the clinic for patient treatment. However, there is another group of low frequency mut-drivers that fail to rise above the noise of the high frequently drivers. These low frequency drivers represent a group of genes with untapped potential for new targeted therapies. However, identifying these drivers can be difficult. This study focuses on identifying new functional phosphorylations using the phospho-docking protein 14-3-3. The family of 14-3-3 proteins have been linked to many oncogenic pathways …

Natural Capital Value Of Fisheries Under Environmental Stressor: A Case Of Blue Crab Under Hypoxia In The Gulf Of Mexico, Shelby Leigh Brewer

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental threats to fisheries are a rising concern for fishery managers. Gulf of Mexico hypoxia is particularly concerning. In order to properly manage Gulf fisheries, the sustainability of species stock and its natural capital values should be analyzed. As an empirical effort, I use blue crab in Louisiana waters as a case study to build a bioeconomic model of blue crab under hypoxia. I apply the natural capital valuation approach to estimate the blue crab value function under hypoxia in order to assess blue crab sustainability. I find that blue crab management in Louisiana under hypoxia is not sustainable, being …

A Spatial Long-Term Trend Analysis Of Estimated Chlorophyll-A Concentrations In Utah Lake Using Earth Observation Data, Kaylee Brook Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

We analyzed chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations in shallow, turbid Utah Lake using Landsat data from 1984 to 2021. Utah Lake is ~40 km by 21 km, has a surface area of ~390 km2, an average depth of ~3 m, and loses ~50% of inflow to evaporation. This limits spatial mixing, allowing us to evaluate impacts to smaller lake regions. We evaluated long-term trends at the pixel level and for areas related to boundary conditions. We created 17 study areas based on differences in shoreline development and nutrient inflows. We expected impacted areas to exhibit increasing chl-a trends, as population growth and …

Effects Of Localized Irrigation And Fertilizer On Woody Plant Establishment In Degraded Semi-Arid Environments, Holley M. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Semi-arid native plant communities worldwide are often disturbed either intentionally or incidentally by human activity. In order to restore ecological function after human activities cease, native plant communities need to be restored. Woody plants are important to ecological function for many reasons including reducing erosion and providing food and shelter for wildlife. Unfortunately, woody plant establishment in these areas has proven to be challenging. Direct seeding efforts can be hindered by poor germination and low seedling emergence. To overcome this, seedling transplants are often used in harsh sites. However, transplanted woody seedlings often experience high mortality during the first year, …

Design And Characterization Of A Miniaturized Spectrometer For Wearable Applications, Tyler Richard Westover

Theses and Dissertations

As individual health monitors continue to become more widely adopted in helping individuals make informed decisions, new technologies need to be developed to obtain more biometric data. Spectroscopy is a well-known tool to gain biological information. Traditionally spectrometers are large and expensive making personal or wearable health monitors difficult. Here we present the development and characterization of a miniaturized short wavelength infrared spectrometer for wearable applications. We present a carbon nanotube parallel hole collimator can effectively select a narrow set of allowed angles of light to be separated by a linear variable filter and detected at a photodiode array making …

Multiscale Modeling And Analysis Of X-Ray Windows, Microcantilevers, And Bioimpedance Microelectrodes, Kyle Grant Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

X-ray detector windows must be thin enough to transmit sufficient low-energy x-rays, yet strong enough to withstand up to an atmosphere of differential pressure. Traditional low-energy x-ray windows consist of a support layer and pressure membrane spanning that support. Numerical modeling of several x-ray windows was used to show that both low- and high-energy x-ray transmission can be improved by adding a secondary support structure. Finite element analysis of the x-ray window models showed that the stress from a typical applied load does not exceed the ultimate strength or yield strength of the respective materials. The specific x-ray window models …

The Level Of Burnout And Job Satisfaction Among Mississippi Agriculture Educators And The Potential Level Of Impact From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anna Hollis

Theses and Dissertations

Many states across the country have felt the impact of a nationwide teacher shortage. Specifically, the state of Mississippi has experienced a shortage of certified agricultural education teachers. Unfortunately, during a time, a novel virus (Coronavirus or COVID-19) swept the entire world and shook the academic world to its core. Like the majority, educators were encouraged to adopt a variety of approaches to better flow with the changes in their “normal” routines. Many researchers have suggested that teachers are leaving education due to little resources, recognition, and high job demands, which correlates to poor job satisfaction and symptoms of burnout. …

Effects Of Anthropogenic Global Change On A Grassland Prairie Community, Carter Wolff

Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic global change is altering food web dynamics. Global change comprises factors, like temperature, sound, light and more. In this dissertation, I evaluate how two factors, sound and temperature, alter prairie communities. In Chapter 1, I test if sound influences grasshopper respiration rate, thereby altering diet. Some sound frequencies increased grasshopper respiration rate while others decreased respiration rate. Frequencies that elevated respiration rate led to grasshoppers consuming more carbohydrate-rich foods compared to protein-rich foods. This diet change stems from a carbon deficit due to increased respiration rate and could act as a mechanism by which sound pollution indirectly alters plant …

Bayesian Network Development For Depots Location Selection With Biomass Supply System Excellence, Alaa Ashraf Abulhamail

Theses and Dissertations

The renewable energy of the wood pellet market has taken great attention over the last few periods. However, the returns from the pellet business depend largely on how well the quality of biomass. The objective is to economically harvest pellets matching pellet standards set forward by the U.S. markets. The single-mindedness of this study is to develop a Bayesian network model to ensure a high-quality flow through the supply chain of the pallet industry in the top ten counties in Mississippi state. Multiple critical decisions (harvesting, storage, transportation, and quality control) of a biomass-to-pellet supply system could potentially affect the …

A Mechanical And Finite Element Analysis Of Bone Screw Thread Design, Timothy H. Cook

Theses and Dissertations

This paper will seek to evaluate results obtained from mechanical testing and computational analysis to determine the efficacy of new thread designs for bone screws in their various applications and uses in surgical treatments. These new thread designs will be tested against the market standard buttress thread and any resulting trends will be analyzed.

Four different thread designs were tested in 90 degree cyclic loading and then subsequently an axial pullout test. The parameters of interest from these tests such as peak to peak displacement over cycle and axial load versus axial displacement were recorded. These four designs were the …

Travel Behavior And Subjective Well-Being: Effects Of Travel, Activity, And Personal Factors, Jacquelyn O. Erinne

Theses and Dissertations

The overarching goal of this dissertation is to examine the complex trip-, activity-, and personal-level factors impacting individuals’ well-being. This is achieved through fulfilling three research objectives. The first objective examines the fluctuation of happiness induced by the influences of daily trip and activity factors. The second objective examines the sensitivity of affective well-being to trip and activity duration. The third objective evaluates the gender differences in trip- and activity-induced well-being. Three notable findings are discerned using trip and activity episodes as well as self-reported well-being of 357 participants collected by the Daynamica smartphone application in Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area …

Identifying Pneumococcal Proteins That Elicit An Iga Response, Amber Travis

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an asymptomatic colonizer of the upper respiratory tract as well as an opportunistic pathogen. Colonization is prerequisite to causing disease in a host, and it often involves formation of biofilms. There are currently two vaccines available against pneumococcus, both of which focus on preventing invasive disease by targeting the polysaccharide capsule of the most invasive serotypes. We hypothesized that by using membrane proteins expressed during the biofilm state, we can formulate an effective vaccine against colonization which would lead to an overall decrease in disease incidence. To do this, we selected protein candidates expressed during biofilm growth …

Novel 3d Bench Top Model For Vascular Calcification Research, Ursla-Marie K. Offiah

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of non-communicable disease in the whole world killing 17 million people in 2012. Among the many vascular diseases is vascular calcification (VC) which is the mineral build up in the walls of blood vessels. Medial calcification is the plaque buildup in the medial layer of the blood vesicle that is characterized by arterial stiffness and high blood pressure. Current calcification research involves two dimensional (2D) lab methods such as flat petri dishes to investigate the mechanism that causes and inhibits vascular calcification. Research has shown that the use of three-dimensional (3D) models can be …

Evaluating Non-Invasive Environmental Methods For Detecting Tropical African Pangolin Species To Inform Conservation Actions, Ichu Godwill Ichu

Theses and Dissertations

Tropical African pangolin species are threatened throughout their range due to habitat loss and illegal take. Limited knowledge on distribution has rendered conservation efforts challenging. Methods commonly used for other wildlife species need to be tested for each pangolin species as each has variable ecologies requiring specific detection and monitoring techniques. This thesis evaluates the efficacy of two non-invasive environmental methods for detecting tropical African pangolin species, and consists of two complementary studies; a proof of concept study using soil sourced eDNA from a white-bellied pangolin enclosure in the Columbus Zoo, Ohio, to detect the species, and a field study …

(Re)Constructing Homescapes: “Archaeological Remote Sensing” And Ground-Truthing Of The Walker Place Homestead At Spirit Hill Farm, Tate County, Mississippi, Gabriel Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on an early nineteenth-century homestead known as the Walker Place homestead at Spirit Hill Farm in northern Mississippi. The goal of this thesis is to conduct a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and shovel test survey to explore how changing landscapes simultaneously (re)create and destroy senses of place or Homescapes. Homescapes have received little attention in the field of archaeology and have not been applied to Euro-American Homescapes. I apply this theoretical construct in a novel way as a venture to further develop an avenue in archaeology to be collaborative and understand the past in a way that accurately …

Ex Vivo Biomechanical Comparison Of A Novel Compression Screw Fastener And Traditional Ao Cortical Bone Screw For Fixation Of A Simulated Slab Fracture In The Equine Third Carpal Bone, Allison Salinger

Theses and Dissertations

Frontal plane slab fractures account for the majority of third carpal bone (C3) fractures in performance horses. Treatment is stabilization with an AO cortical screw. Complications are fragment splitting, fragment spinning, and irritation of dorsal soft tissue structures. A novel, headless, cannulated screw with interlocking threads (the Headless Compression Screw Fastener, HCSF) has been developed to resist multidirectional forces. Simulated C3 slab fractures were created in nine paired equine carpi. HCSF or AO cortical screws were loaded in shear to failure. Stiffness, maximum load to failure, and yield load was assessed in linear mixed models. No significant difference was detected …

Methods And Tools To Improve Performance Of Plant Genome Analysis, Drew Ferrell

Theses and Dissertations

Multi -omics data analysis and integration facilitates hypothesis building toward an understanding of genes and pathway responses driven by environments. Methods designed to estimate and analyze gene expression, with regard to treatments or conditions, can be leveraged to understand gene-level responses in the cell. However, genes often interact and signal within larger structures such as pathways and networks. Complex studies guided toward describing dynamic genetic pathways and networks require algorithms or methods designed for inference based on gene interactions and related topologies. Classes of algorithms and methods may be integrated into generalized workflows for comparative genomics studies, as multi -omics …

Effect Of Cover Crops, Grazing And Tillage Practices On Soil Microbial Community Composition, Function, And Soil Health In East Central Mississippi Soybean Production System., Namita Sinha

Theses and Dissertations

Integrating crop and livestock is being considered to improve soil health by carbon sequestration. A two-year study (2019-2021) at CPBES in Newton, MS was aimed to evaluate soil microbial diversity in the warm, humid regions, specifically southeastern USA. Amplicons targeting bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS2 regions were sequenced. Taxonomic assignment and microbial diversity characterization were performed using QIIME2^®. Soil fungal diversity showed significant differences (alpha diversity, p = 0.031 in yr. 2020 and beta diversity, p = 0.037 in yr. 2021). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Mantel test showed significant influence on fungal diversity due to …

The Effect Of Maternal Melatonin Supplementation During Mid To Late Gestation On Offspring Muscle Growth And Development In Swine, Thomas Warren Dobbins

Theses and Dissertations

Melatonin is a neuroendocrine hormone most often associated with circadian rhythms, but also has antioxidant and vasodilative properties. Through these properties, exogenous melatonin supplementation has been shown to increase both fetal and postnatal parameters in livestock species, however no research has been performed in swine. This project was split into a prenatal and postnatal study, wherein sows were supplemented from approximately gestational day 38 to 100 before undergoing a terminal hysterectomy for the prenatal portion, and from gestational day 60 to farrowing. Melatonin increased fetal morphometrics in a seasonal dependent manner, where fetuses from melatonin supplemented sows had increased measurements …

Assessing Virtual Free-Choice Agricultural Learning: A Mixed Methods Approach, Richard John Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

Since the mid-19th century, agricultural museums and living history sites, first in Scandinavia and then in the United States and Canada, have provided historical, cultural, and, sometimes, scientific information about farming to visitors. Many of these visitors have been school children on field trips. Assessment of this learning, however, has been scant, particularly within the free-choice style inherent in these types of educational venues. At the same time, assessment of free-choice learning, often analyzed through the Contextual Model of Learning (Falk & Dierking 2000), has taken place at educational sites like zoos, natural history museums, and science centers. This study, …