Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

The Experiences Of Microaggressions Among Latiné Health Service Graduate Students And The Supervisory Relationship, Mackenzie Callahan

Theses and Dissertations

Although data has shown that psychology graduate programs are actively recruiting more Students of Color every year, there is not as much evidence that these programs are able to adequately support these students once they arrive. The purpose of the current study is to examine how Latiné graduate students’ experiences of microaggressions from their supervisor affects their supervisory relationship, as well as their perceptions of their graduate program climate. I collected survey data from 80 Latiné psychology graduate students from across the United States and conducted small focus groups with five participants. I found that exposure to microaggressions within supervision …

Analysis Of Benefits Of Udot's Expanded Incident Management Team Program, Joel Clegg Hyer

Theses and Dissertations

In 2019, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) funded a research study evaluating the performance measures of UDOT's expanded Incident Management Team (IMT) program. The number of IMTs patrolling Utah roadways increased from 13 to 25 between 2018 and 2020. Crash data were collected from the Utah Highway Patrol's Computer Aided Dispatch database and from the UDOT TransSuite database to compare IMT performance measures between the two years and to evaluate the benefits of the expanded IMT program. However, these data were compromised due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study collected data for 2022 using the same …

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 …

Dispensing With Humans In Human-Computer Interaction Research, Courtni L. Byun

Theses and Dissertations

Machine Learning models have become more advanced than could have been supposed even a few years ago, often surpassing human performance on many tasks. Large language models (LLM) can produce text indistinguishable from human-produced text. This begs the question, how necessary are humans - even for tasks where humans appear indispensable? Qualitative Analysis (QA) is integral to human-computer interaction research, requiring both human-produced data and human analysis of that data to illuminate human opinions about and experiences with technology. We use GPT-3 and ChatGPT to replace human analysis and then to dispense with human-produced text altogether. We find GPT-3 is …

Inconsistent Correlation And Momenta: A New Approach To Portfolio Allocation, David Kercher

Theses and Dissertations

Correlated stocks should, in equilibrium, have correlated momenta, but in practice momenta do not always correlate. We use short-term inconsistencies between correlations and momenta to predict price corrections, produce more meaningful investment indicators, and improve upon accepted investing strategies. In particular, our approaches integrate inconsistencies within an entire security class rather than relying only on individual or pairwise security data. We use this theory to improve upon not only the standard momentum portfolio but also Pair Trading and Momentum Reversion methods. This results in three strategies for portfolio allocation that outperforms overlying indices and market benchmarks by 5%-10% in annual …

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 …

The Influence Of The “Hayah Karima” Initiative On The Standard Of Living Of Egyptian Citizens: Evidence From The Menofia Governorate, Merihan Sharara

Theses and Dissertations

Social protection programs have been used in several developing countries in order to aid in their development efforts. In Egypt, “Hayah Karima”, an initiative which represents a developmental initiative endorsed by Egypt’s President Al-Sisi, aims to minimize the developmental gaps among citizens in terms of standards of living. “Hayah Karima” is based on governmental finance in partnership with the private sector. This paper covers this initiative and its different aspects as well as their possible impact on the standards of living for citizens in El- Menofia Governorate. The paper also includes 71 surveys conducted with different partners and beneficiaries of …

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 …

Using Severity Weighted Risk Scores To Prioritize Safety Funding In Utah, Tomas Barriga Aristizabal

Theses and Dissertations

Budgets for transportation improvements are limited so it is important for governments to focus on improving locations most in need of safety funding. The objective of the Two-Output Model for Safety (TOMS) is to provide the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) a reliable method to prioritize safety improvements on state-owned roadways among the different regions. This research will improve the existing Crash Analysis Methodology for Segments (CAMS) and Intersection Safety Analysis Methodology (ISAM) being used to analyze crashes on Utah roadways. The scope of this project is improving on the existing CAMS and ISAM to work together within R, to …

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 …

A Definition Of Reliable Water Supply For Public Water Systems, Easton Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

"Reliable water supply" does not have a universal definition in Utah, or the Western United States, where water resources are limited and such a definition would be especially useful. Utah's three water agencies and 500 public water systems have no consistent method to define, evaluate, and report it, potentially leading to an inability to meet regulatory water demands. We propose a unified definition of reliable water supply for Utah's public water suppliers that can also be used elsewhere. The qualitative definition we propose is necessary to precede quantitative evaluations, set policy, and provide consistency to water resources management in Utah. …

Is Coping Enough? Examining Coping And Burnout Among Educators In A Pandemic, Caitlyn Jezowit

Theses and Dissertations

Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) intensified workplace stressors for educators worldwide. A teacher’s job demands and resources contribute to workplace stress, which can lead to burnout and can have negative effects on the school environment, student outcomes, and turnover intentions. Coping strategies and one’s coping self-efficacy are critical to stress management. This study examined how teachers perceive their coping strategies and abilities, and their job characteristics during the pandemic. The current study also explored the associations among the perceived impact of COVID-19, job demands and resources, coping, burnout symptoms, and turnover intentions. In this study, 198 teachers completed a survey about their perceptions …

Student Learning And Literacy Practices When Video Games Are Incorporated Into A Secondary Classroom, Amy Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored high school students’ engagement with a unit where video games and video game materials were incorporated into an English Language Arts classroom. Over several weeks, students engaged with video game content and composed their own video games using the free online platform, Scratch. The purpose of the study was to examine students’ learning during the unit, focusing on students’ products, individual interviews, and whole class and small group discussions. The research questions were: 1. What can be learned about secondary students' learning and literacy practices when video games as a text are incorporated into the secondary …

Nano Composite Piezo-Responsive Foam Enabled Pressure Mapping, Jake Duane Sundet

Theses and Dissertations

Pressure injuries cause pain both physically and financially. By creating a comfortable pressure mapping system, pressure injuries can more easily be prevented, and a large expenditure avoided. Nano composite piezo-responsive foam (NCPF) is an inexpensive foam that can be used to measure a static load while still providing a comfortable interface. As NCPF compresses, the impedance changes, correlating to a change in pressure. Optimizing electrode geometry is needed to take full advantage of the impedance change NCPF incurs upon deformation. To optimize electrode geometry, a design of experiment was performed which concluded that a one square inch area of interlaced …

Getting Straight To The Point: A Bystander Training For College Students To Address Sexuality-And Gender-Specific Microaggressions In Schools, Caroline Signa

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that school climate is a critical component in a student’s sense of safety within a school and is the foundation for student-staff relationships. Despite this recognition, school staff demonstrate an insufficient intention to intervene on witnessed acts of gender- and sexuality-based inequity and grapple with discerning what these inequities look like (Kitzinger, 2005; Thapa et al., 2013). Some research has begun to target this gap in what intervention looks like, showing signs of positive effects on microaggression workshops increasing participant intention to intervene (Ackerman-Barger et al., 2021; Moors et al., 2022). I recruited 31 undergraduate students to participate …

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) …

Sun Protection Behaviors And Skin Cancer Risk Among Children Of Color, Williana Magloire

Theses and Dissertations

Sun protection is beneficial for children of color as it decreases the risk for sunburns, hyperpigmentation, and most importantly, skin cancer. Invasive melanoma is commonly seen in children of color due to inadequate sun protection. Parental and caregiver modeling of sun protection behaviors may decrease the likelihood of skin cancer among children of color. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, 2011) has suggested that pediatricians adopt the role of informing parents about the benefits of using sun protection products for their young children. They recommended that providers discuss sun protection behaviors with both the parent/child beginning at the age of …

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 …

A Comparison Of Defensiveness In Mmpi-2-Rf Profiles Of Male Sex Offenders And Child Custody Litigants, Kyla M. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical evaluations have had a long-standing role in criminal and civil legal proceedings due to the intersection between various legal criteria and aspects of psychological functioning. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI; Hathaway & McKinley, 1943) and its subsequent versions have been among the most commonly utilized and empirically supported measures of personality and psychopathology in assessing forensic populations. One application for which MMPI instruments have been particularly useful is in the evaluation of sex offenders. This is in part due to the tests’ built-in validity scales, as MMPI underreporting scales are found to be effective in assessing sex offenders’ …

The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History And Perceptions Regarding Their Child’S Healthcare And Utilization Of Healthcare Services, Krishna Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

TITLE: The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History and Perceptions Regarding Their Child’s Healthcare and Utilization of Healthcare Services

Adverse child events (ACEs) have been associated with a number of physical and mental health problems and have also been linked to increased health care utilization. While parents who have an ACE history may tend to seek healthcare services for themselves, limited studies have examined the impact of their trauma history on seeking healthcare services for their child. Healthcare utilization may also depend on the parents’ level of health anxiety, as well as their anxiety about their child’s health status. This …

The Moderating Effect Of Volunteer Motives On The Relation Between Job Demands And Exhaustion, Aaron Whitely

Theses and Dissertations

Developments in the burnout literature have shown that concepts such as a personality can function as job resources in a framework where resources buffer the relation between job demands and burnout. The present study looked at the concept of volunteer motivation as a job resource used to buffer the relation between job demands and exhaustion. With a sample of 338 volunteers from various volunteer organizations, this research examined the relation of motivation, broken into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and exhaustion. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were negatively associated with exhaustion. Intrinsic motivation was found to interact with job demands such …

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

Measurement Of Ankle Joint Kinematics Using Imus During Countermovement Jumps And Lateral Skater Jumps, Ifeoluwa Olawore

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Optical Motion Capture (OMC) systems in measuring peak ankle angles and Range of Motion (ROM) during Countermovement Jumps (CMJ) and Lateral Skater Jumps (LSJ). Ankle angles in pitch, roll, and yaw were determined by integrating gyroscope data, aligning with foot flat reference, and fusing with accelerometer-derived inclination angles using a complementary filter. We hypothesized that IMU-based methods would parallel OMC in capturing peak angles and ROM during CMJ and LSJ landings, with accuracy and reliability assessed via Root Mean Square (RMSE) and Intraclass Correlation (ICC) statistics. For CMJ, high accuracy and reliability …

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 …