Digital Commons Network^™

Do Psychologists Help? Assessment And Evaluation Of An Integrative Care Approach To Cancer Treatment, Miryam Yusufov

Open Access Dissertations

Psychosocial care has been shown to improve psychological and physiological functioning in cancer patients. However, as few as five percent of cancer patients engage in psychosocial care. Therefore, Study 1 of this dissertation developed measures of core TTM constructs (Stage of Change, Decisional Balance, Self- Efficacy) relevant for increasing engagement in psychosocial care among individuals diagnosed with cancer.

Measure development entailed qualitative methods for item development and refinement followed by a series of quantitative analyses. The Stage of Change measure was validated against external constructs such as subjective present and future well-being. As expected, a chi-square test indicated that individuals …

Healthcare Costs And Impact Of Medication Adherence On Outcomes In Patients On Novel Anticoagulant Therapy, Chinmay Deshpande

Open Access Dissertations

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a very common condition that causes cardiac rhythm disturbance and affects 2.7 to 6.1 million individuals in the United States (US). Warfarin, which is considered as a gold standard anticoagulant for the last 50 years to treat AF has limitations pertaining to the risk of bleeding, interaction with drugs and requires frequent monitoring. Novel Oral Anti-Coagulants (NOAC including dabigatran and rivaroxaban) are new promising drugs which have shown better or similar efficacy to lower stroke risk and fewer side effects compared to warfarin in the clinical trials. To compete with warfarin, NOACs may need …

An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Sigma-1 And Sigma-2 Receptors And The Endocannabinoid System, Jenn Miller

Honors Theses

Within the past two decades, sigma receptors have become a popular area for research. Although much has been learned about their structure, subtypes, and functions; there is still much to be learned. Consisting of two receptor subtypes (sigma-1 and sigma-2), it has been discovered that sigma receptor ligands potentiate the analgesic effects of both opiates and cannabinoids, though the exact mechanism and sigma subtype on which this occurs is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine if potentiation of opiates and cannabinoids occurs through sigma-1 or sigma-2 receptor signaling. Tetrad assays were performed for: 1. Morphine, an …

An Examination Of The College Major Decisions Of Students At The University Of Mississippi, Jonathan P. Evans

Honors Theses

Factors such as socio-economic status affect students' level of educational aspiration. Furthermore, major (and thus career choice) may be influenced by race or gender. This study demonstrates the effects of academic aptitude, race, gender, first generation status, and importance of expected future earnings on undergraduate students' college major decision. More specifically, this study examines if these factors lead to an increase or decrease in the probability of students choosing a major in a specific field. The likelihood of choosing a major in a specific field is relative a baseline category, which can be changed.

Christian Faith And Evolution: One Person's Journey In Science And In Faith, Logan Wilson

Honors Theses

Evolution has always proved to be controversial to many people of faith, but it has been specifically problematic to many Christians including myself. This thesis explores the history and substance of the controversy between different expressions of Christianity and evolution by providing a relatable rendition of the theory of evolution. It breaks down the contributions of Charles Darwin and explains them in a manner than can be understood by a non-biologist. It also explores the stances of certain authors such as Richard Dawkins and Michael Ruse on the matter. This thesis is an independent study comprised of input from articles, …

Indolizine-Squaraine Nir Emissive Materials, Tana A. Rill

Honors Theses

Near-infrared (NIR) emissive organic materials are an emerging area of study with an array of applications for both military and civilian purposes including night vision technologies, secure communications, surveillance, homing, fluoresence imaging, secure displays as NIR OLED materials, heat-blocking coatings, in vivo fluoresence biological imagaing, and additional optoelectronics device applications. We have developed a series of organic NIR emissive materials based on an indolizine donor and squaraine acceptor. The novel-to-squaraine donor, indolizine, exhibits a remarkable increase in absorption maximum wavelength when compared with benchmark indoline-based squaraine dyes (700 nm vs. 625 nm) with molar absorptivities ranging from 100,000-262,000 M-1cm-1. Emission …

The Digital Revolution And The Future Of Law Reviews, Thomas W. Merrill

Faculty Scholarship

Let me begin by congratulating the Marquette Law Review on reaching the threshold of its 100th anniversary. As you may know, Harvard established the first student-edited law review in 1887. Once the Harvard experiment was seen to be a success, other schools followed suit. Marquette was an early adopter, establishing its law review in 1916. By comparison, the school I attended, the University of Chicago, did not start a law review until 1933.

The title of my remarks could be “Will the Marquette Law Review Survive Another Hundred Years?” Or, perhaps, “Will the Marquette Law Review Survive Another Hundred Years, …

Conservative Tests Under Satisficing Models Of Publication Bias, Justin Mccrary, Garret Christensen, Daniel Finelli

Faculty Scholarship

Publication bias leads consumers of research to observe a selected sample of statistical estimates calculated by producers of research. We calculate critical values for statistical significance that could help to adjust after the fact for the distortions created by this selection effect, assuming that the only source of publication bias is file drawer bias. These adjusted critical values are easy to calculate and differ from unadjusted critical values by approximately 50% – rather than rejecting a null hypothesis when the t-ratio exceeds 2, the analysis suggests rejecting a null hypothesis when the t-ratio exceeds 3. Samples of published social science …

Attachment, Coping Style, And Perceived Stress In University Students, Erin L. Higgenbotham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Attachment theory suggests that previous experiences direct one's interpretations of potentially stressful events and one's reaction to these events. As university students interact with a novel environment and face new demands, they may experience elevated levels of stress. Dependent on what resources they feel are available to them, they might feel confident in addressing these challenges, or they may believe they cannot meet the demands of the college environment. This perception of ability or inability can affect personal and academic success. Using attachment theory as a foundation, this study investigated the relationships among students' attachment dynamics, coping styles, and perceived …

Effects Of Anti-Viral Acute Phase Response On Hippocampal Glutamate Regulation, Holly C. Hunsberger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A large body of clinical evidence suggests that viral infections in the periphery can exacerbate neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's, disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and seizures. The underlying mechanisms of these conditions involve the activation of the acute phase response (APR), part of the innate immune system, which recognizes viral molecular patterns. As neighboring cells become infected, inflammatory mediators are released into the bloodstream and relayed to the central nervous system where they produce a "mirror" inflammatory response. To induce the APR, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC), a viral mimetic, is commonly used. PIC produces a robust and transient …

Immunological Response To Haemonchus Contortus Antigen In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Of Parasite Resistant And Susceptible Sheep, Jesica Rae Jacobs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parasitism by Haemonchus contortus is the greatest concern of sheep producers and results in billions of dollars in economic loss each year. St. Croix hair sheep are naturally resistant to H. contortus infection, but have body characteristics which are unfavorable for production. Resistance to H. contortus is immune mediated; characterized by a T helper type 2 (Th2) response, however the mechanism of the development of immune response is not known. In these studies, immunological responses of parasite resistant St. Croix sheep and Suffolk sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are evaluated in response to H. contortus antigens. Three uninfected H. …

Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors: An Examination Of The Co-Occurrence Of Risk Behaviors In A National Sample Of U.S. High School Adolescents, Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Research on the health status of United States' youths has shown that the main adolescent health threats result from behavioral choices (health risk behaviors) that place boys and girls at risk for leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The aims of this study were to examine the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors and determine patterns of the co-occurrence of risk behaviors that may differ based on sex (aim 1); the association of health risk behaviors with weight status (aim 2); and the association of tobacco use, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, and sedentary behavior among adolescents using nationally representative …

Diamond Bur Cutting Efficiency Of Dental Zirconia, Shelby Allison Alexander

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To monitor the rate of diamond bur cutting through sintered yttria stabilized zirconia. Through this observation, we intend to determine which bur(s) exhibit the greatest cutting efficiency and if a decline exists over time.;Methods: Seven dental diamond burs were used in an air-turbine hand piece to cut sintered Yttria Stabilized Zirconia blocks (3Y-TZP) at a constant 0.9N force for five minutes. The distance traveled was measured by a Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and recorded per time by a data acquisition device. Time was divided into 100-second intervals for comparison. Individual effects of bur, time periods, and depth on …

Rna-Protein Interaction Prediction: String-Based Versus Feature-Based Models, Maen Allaga

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cellular processes are significantly influenced by the interactions between different RNAs and proteins within cells. This interaction is crucial in understanding gene expressions and gene regulations, and their role in various diseases. Empirical and experimental methods to study this interaction are hampered by the high cost and combinatorial nature of the problem. Consequently, computer science and machine learning methods were applied to predict the interaction between RNAs and proteins.;RNAs are sequences of nucleotides, while proteins are sequences of amino acids. The protein secondary structure describes how amino acids are positioned in three dimensional space. Early methods predicted the interaction between …

The Challenges Faced By New Science Teachers In Saudi Arabia, Salman Alsharari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions as teachers to educating children in a science classroom. Nevertheless, teachers, over their early years of practice, encounter numerous challenges to provide the most effective science instruction. Therefore, the current study was aimed to identify academic and behavioral classroom challenges faced by science teachers in their first three years of …

Well-Defined Lagrangian Flows For Absolutely Continuous Curves Of Probabilities On The Line, Mohamed H. Amsaad

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is known from Fluid Mechanics that, the time-evolution of a probability measure describing some physical quantity (such as the density of a fluid) is related to the velocity of the fluid by the continuity equation. This is known as the Eulerian description of fluid flow. Dually, the Lagrangian description uses the flow of the velocity field to look at the individual trajectories of particles. In the case of flows on the real line, only recently has it been discovered that "some sort'' of dual Lagrangian flow consisting of monotone maps is always available to match an Eulerian flow. The …

Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein 1, Scl1, Modulates Group A Streptococcus Adhesion, Biofilm Formation And Virulence, Beth Alexandra Bachert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The collagens comprise a large family of versatile proteins found in all three domains of life. The streptococcal collagen-like protein 1, scl1, of group A Streptococcus (GAS) binds extracellular matrix components (ECM), cellular fibronectin and laminin, via the surface-exposed globular domain. GAS strains express scl1 and form biofilm in vitro, except for M3-type strains that are particularly invasive to humans. Hypothesis: Lack of scl1 adhesin in M3 GAS results in decreased adherence and biofilm formation, and increased virulence. Results and Discussion : First crystal structure of the globular domain revealed a unique six-helical bundle fold, consisting of three pairs …

Applying Psychological Reactance Theory To Communication Between Adult Child Caregivers And Their Older Adult Parents, Hannah Ball

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Given the rapid growth of the older adult population in the US and the number of adult children providing informal care to their older adult parents, there is a need for a better understanding of how communication can be used to negotiate the tension between dependence and autonomy in these caregiving relationships (Egbert, 2014; Morgan & Hummert, 2000). Guided by psychological reactance theory (Brehm, 1966; Brehm & Brehm, 1981), which posits that individuals value their autonomy and are motivated to restore it when they perceive that it is being threatened, the purpose of this dissertation was twofold: (a) to explore …

Determination Of Strain Patterns Across The Root-Stem Transition Zone In Trees, Kenneth Edward Beezley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trees are subjected to mechanical stressors, induced via dynamic (wind) and static (gravitational) forces, and must properly acclimate during their lifespan or face premature mortality. Resource allocation as a stress response is vital for tree survival, and can include the shedding of woody parts, adaptive growth, hormonal signaling cascades, and the initiation of energy transfer mechanisms. The strain resulting from stress intercepted by the canopy and transferred throughout the tree is of significant importance, not only for tree survival, but for the safety and well-being of the human population found in close proximity. As trees age and adapt to stressors …

Perceptions Of Urban Forestry Employers, Andrew Benjamin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban forestry is still a relatively new area of science and is still trying to establish itself as a legitimate scientific field and profession. Often urban forestry and arboriculture are conflated, and urban forestry has yet to achieve much of what arboriculture has in terms of recognition its and establishment. Landscape architects, traditional foresters, environmental scientists, horticulturalists all may find themselves in positions that can be classified in the urban forestry profession, which shows this lack of a standard definition for what is an urban forester. While there are many significant, potential benefits to a properly managed urban forest resource …

The Effect Of Polymer Coatings On The Pulmonary Toxicity Of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Lindsey M. Bishop

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanotechnology is the science of developing and manipulating molecular structures smaller than one hundred nanometers in at least one dimension. These structures are collectively called engineered nanomaterials. A subgroup of these engineered nanomaterials are multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). They are of great interest to industry because of their small size, large surface area, strength, and conductivity in comparison to materials currently used. Practical applications of MWCNT include improvements for water filtration systems, composites, and drug delivery. The same properties that make them advantageous for industry may also confer adverse health effects. For workers in the U.S. handling CNTs, the process …

Interleukin-15 Overexpression Attenuates Muscle Fatigue Associated With Murine Eo771 Mammary Tumors, Joseph F. Bohlen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Severe muscle wasting and muscle dysfunction (cachexia) are considered incurable complications associated with a wide variety of chronic diseases. This loss of function and severe wasting causes an increase in fatigue in cancer patients, leading to reduced motivation for daily activities, further reducing prognosis for recovery in these patients leading to a severe increase in morbidity. Recent work from our lab suggests Interleukin-15 (IL-15) induces a pro-oxidative state in the muscle, reducing fatigue and promoting a more oxidative phenotype. One proposed mechanism behind this is the observation that IL-15 promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, lending more mitochondria for oxidative metabolic processes. Therefore, …

Survival, Movement And Growth Of Juvenile Chinook ( Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Salmon Over-Wintering In Twitter Creek, South-Central, Alaska, James Keith Boersma

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I investigated aspects of winter ecology of juvenile stream-type Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Twitter Creek, a small tributary of the Anchor River, South-Central Alaska. A multistate modeling approach utilizing passive integrated transponder (PIT) technology to consider both live recaptures of individuals during discrete sampling occasions, and continuous data collected by monitoring movements of PIT-tagged fish was used to characterize both movement and survival. Juveniles emigrated from the stream throughout the winter peaking in the late fall and spring. Survival rates were eight times higher for juvenile Chinook that maintained stream fidelity during the entire winter period. The probability of …

An Exploration Of The Relationships Between Chronic Pain, Inflammation, And Herbal Medicine, Termeh Feinberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Inflammation is often a component of chronic pain, yet its potential role in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) remains inconclusive. FMS is a complex chronic pain condition affecting ~2% of the population; management is challenging and treatment options remain limited. Many herbs contain anti-inflammatory properties, and herbs indicated for analgesia and rheumatic conditions have traditionally been used in Appalachia. Despite the popularity of herbs in the US, determinants and patterns of herbal use with regard to pain management have not been well studied, particularly in Appalachia, where prevalence of chronic pain and related comorbid conditions is high and access to medical …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Completed And Averted School Shootings: Deciphering The Characteristics That Prevent School Shootings, Jonathan Page

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between completed school shootings and averted school shootings in order to gain a better understanding of ways to prevent school shootings. The following research question guided this study: What are the similarities and differences between schools in which a shooting occurred and schools in which a shooting was averted? To answer this question, this study compared school shootings and averted school shootings in K-12 schools between January 2007 and December 2013, searching for general themes to analyze in order to add to the literature on averted school shootings. This study …

Microbial Dynamics Within Shed Mucosal Secretions Of Hirudo Verbana, The European Medicinal Leech, Brittany Maree Ott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbes are widespread throughout our planet, residing in soils, oceans, and even beneath the arctic glaciers. Most interact with each other and other life forms, and there is no known complex organism that lacks an associated microbiome. These microbial symbionts are critical to the survival and proliferation of their host by assisting in nutrient provisioning, physiological development, immunological priming, providing protection from pathogens, contributing to predator evasion, etc. As such, the transmission of these symbionts is a crucial aspect of host biology. Despite a growing appreciation for the prevalence of mixed transmission (incorporating vertical, or from a parental route, and …

Effects Of Housing Condition And Acute Nicotine On Impulsive Choice In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Jenny E. Ozga

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Impulsive choice is defined as choice for a smaller, more immediate reinforcer relative to a larger, delayed reinforcer, and is commonly studied using delay-discounting procedures. There are many variables that contribute to impulsive choice, including biological and environmental determinants. The present study examined both of these variables by evaluating effects of housing condition (single versus paired) on impulsive choice in Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats, at baseline and following acute nicotine administration. A within-session procedure was used in which choice was between one food pellet delivered immediately and three food pellets delivered after a delay. The delay to …

An Evaluation Of Speed Monitoring Displays For School Travel Safety Improvement, David W. Palley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

School travel safety has been a concern for transportation and government officials for a long time. Traffic incidents are among the leading causes of child mortality, and many of these incidents can be related to school travel. While the school travel landscape has changed drastically over the past several decades, little has changed with regards to school zone traffic regulation, particularly in West Virginia. Speed trailers were installed at a rural high school located along a West Virginia highway to assess the effectiveness of these types of devices in lowering vehicle speeds near urban schools along high-speed roads. A student …

Role For Protein Prenylation And "Caax" Processing In Photoreceptor Neurons, Nachiket D. Pendse

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The efficient folding, assembly and trafficking of phototransduction proteins from site of synthesis in the inner segment (IS) to the site of action in the outer segment (OS) is crucial for photoreceptor cell survival and function. Defects in this process are known to cause blinding diseases in humans including retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA). The lack of a therapeutic approach for treatment of various retinal degenerations is likely due a knowledge gap in the mechanisms underlying the folding, assembly and transport of prenylated phototransduction proteins. Prenylation and " CAAX" processing is thought to be involved not only …

Errant Romanticism: Queering Gender And Sexuality In British Literature, 1790-1840, Teresa M. Pershing

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Error is both a purposeless wandering and a purposeful identification of a mistake. Each chapter analyzes texts from the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries which feature female characters and the epilogue turns to the autobiographical writing of a man in the 21st-century. Chapters on William Godwin's memoirs of Mary Wollstonecraft, Amelia Alderson Opie's Dangers of Coquetry , Anne Plumptre's Something New, Harriet Martineau's Illustrations of Political Economy, and Thomas Beatie's autography Labor of Love feature characters---both real and fictional--- who destabilize what Bourdieu calls "collective[ly] misrecogn[ized]" understandings of identity as truth/error and "either/or." Utilizing notions of error developed by Zachary Sng …