Digital Commons Network^™

Bias Response On Campus, Joseph W. Yockey

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

How To Search For Life In Martian Chemical Sediments And Their Fluid And Solid Inclusions Using Petrographic And Spectroscopic Methods, Kathleen C. Benison

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Abundant resources and efforts have been employed in the search for life on Mars. Satellites, landers, and rovers have tested atmospheric gases, general sediment and rock compositions, and images of Mars surface in an effort to detect biosignatures left by any possible modern or ancient life. Chloride and sulfate minerals suggestive of past acid saline lakes have been found on Mars. In terrestrial acid brine environments, these minerals trap microorganisms and organic compounds and preserve them within fluid inclusions and as solid inclusions for long geologic time periods. Some cells remain viable, especially in the isolated, microscopic aqueous environments of …

Comparing Abundance Estimates From Closed Population Mark-Recapture Models Of Endangered Adult Atlantic Sturgeon, J E. Kahn, C Hager, J C. Watterson, N Mathies, K J. Hartman

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus were listed as 5 distinct population segments under the US Endangered Species Act in 2012. At that time, only 2 abundance estimates of the Atlantic sturgeon population were available: one from commercial fisheries landings in the Hudson River ending in 1995 and one from mark-recapture research in the Altamaha River, Georgia, in 2004 and 2005. In 2013, we verified spawning in the York River, Virginia, system and initiated a multiple-year mark-recapture study focusing on spawning-run abundance. We used a Schumacher-Eschmeyer model and Program CAPTURE to produce estimates of annual spawning abundances from 2013 to 2018. …

Antennas And Wave Propagation In Wireless Body Area Networks: Design And Evaluation Techniques, Ala Alemaryeen

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, fabrication of miniature electronic devices that can be used for wireless connectivity becomes of great interest in many applications. This has resulted in many small and compact wireless devices that are either implantable or wearable. As these devices are small, the space for the antenna is limited. An antenna is the part of the wireless device that receives and transmits a wireless signal. Implantable and wearable antennas are very susceptible to harmful performance degradation caused by the human body and very difficult to integrate, if not designed properly. A designer need to minimize unwanted radiation absorption by the human …

Sparc, A Matricellular Protein, In A Cell Culture Model Of Heavy Metal Cadmium Induced Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma, Emily Rae Biggane

Theses and Dissertations

Bladder cancer, the most common urinary tract malignancy, has environmental toxicant exposure as one of its biggest risk factors. This lab examines potential biomarkers employing an in vitro model of urothelial carcinoma using a normal bladder cell line and its malignantly transformed cells transformed counterpart, transformed by exposure to long term, low doses of cadmium (Cd2+). Initial microarray analysis determined that Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) was the most repressed gene across all transformed cell lines compared to its normal counterpart (Garrett et al., 2014, Larson et al., 2010).

SPARC, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, functions by regulating …

Temporal Trends In The Grip Strength Of Children And Adolescents, Faith Lavoy Dooley

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national and international temporal trends in the handgrip strength of children and adolescents, and to examine relationships between trends in handgrip strength and trends in health-related and sociodemographic indicators.

Methods: Data were obtained in two ways: (a) through a systematic electronic database search for studies reporting on temporal trends in the handgrip strength of apparently healthy 9–17-year-olds, (b) pearling reference lists, topical systematic reviews and personal libraries, and (c) by examining large national fitness datasets suitable to temporal trends analysis. Sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean handgrip …

Integrating Best Practice Into Fieldwork: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Level Ii Experiences Of Occupational Therapy Students, Cherie Graves

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapy student’s experiences with integrating best practice professional ideals during Level II fieldwork. Occupational therapy students in the United States complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork prior to graduation. Students transition from the classroom setting where they are prepared with knowledge about the professions best practice ideals, to the fieldwork setting where many factors impact the learning experience. Using qualitative research, a narrative inquiry was undertaken to explore the experiences of four occupational therapy students during their Level II fieldwork experiences. I interviewed each student on five occasions throughout the …

A Consensual Qualitative Review Exploring Mental Health Stigma And Its Impact On Psychological Help-Seeking Among Fundamentally Religious Individuals, Teresa Huff-Pomstra

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the wide range and availability of mental health (MH) treatment and resources, individuals with MH concerns often do not seek out treatment, with stigma presenting as a significant barrier to help-seeking. Various multicultural factors may interact with stigma, such as race or gender, and together may impact the HS process. One factor in particular, one’s religious beliefs, may be influential in how someone goes about addressing their MH. Religious faith holds an important place for many Americans, with 77% professing identification with some religion (Pew Research Center, 2014). The goal of this Consensual Qualitative Research project was to explore …

Melnet: A Deep Learning Based Model For Melanoma Detection, Shudipto Sekhar Roy

Theses and Dissertations

Melanoma is identified as the deadliest in the skin cancer category. However, early-stage detection may enhance the treatment result. In this research, a deep learning-based model, named “melNET”, has been developed to detect melanoma in both dermoscopic and digital images. melNET uses the Inception-v3 architecture to handle the deep learning part. To ensure quality optimization, the architectural aspects of Inception-v3 were designed using the Hebbian principle as well as taking the intuition of multi-scale processing. This architecture takes advantage of parallel computing across multiple GPUs to employ RMSprop as the optimizer. While going through the training phase, melNET uses the …

2019 Faculty Summer Seminar - Ethics & Our Disciplines, Center For Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University

Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Core Curriculum Seminars

Beth Bloom - The Ethics of Teaching Ethics to Undergraduates: A Librarian Perspective p.7

Maureen Byrnes - A Consideration of Ethics in Nursing Education and Healthcare p.10

Josephine DeVito - The Code of Ethics in the Nursing Profession p.13

Robert Faraci - Lonergan’s Saving Grace p.17

Anthony L. Haynor - The Ethics of Discernment, The Scale of Values and the Human Sciences p.21

Kathleen Nagel - Applying the Ethics of Discernment to Clinical Education p.24

Anthony Nicotera - Byrne’s Ethics of Discernment and Nicotera’s Circle of Insight: Inviting Personal and Institutional Movement toward More Ethical Decision-making p.27

Melinda D. Papaccio …

Pilot Gwas Of Caries In African-Americans Shows Genetic Heterogeneity, E. Orlova, J. C. Carlson, M. K. Lee, E. Feingold, D. W. Mcneil, R. J. Crout, R. J. Weyant, M. L. Marazita, J. R. Shaffer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in the US and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities. Caries is heritable, and though genetic heterogeneity exists between ancestries for a substantial portion of loci associated with complex disease, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of caries specifically in African Americans has not been performed previously.

Methods

We performed exploratory GWAS of dental caries in 109 African American adults (age > 18) and 96 children (age 3–12) from the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA1 cohort). Caries phenotypes (DMFS, DMFT, dft, and dfs indices) assessed by dental exams were tested for association …

Colostrum Immunoglobulins And Oxidative Capacity May Be Affected By Infant Sex And Maternal Age And Parity, Davut Si̇nan Kaplan, Cahi̇t Bağci, Mustafa Örkmez, Özge Kömürcü Karuserci̇, Seyhun Sucu, Haki̇m Çeli̇k, Seyi̇than Taysi

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The aims of this study were to determine the levels of the total antioxidant status (TAS), the total oxidant status (TOS), the oxidative stress index (OSI), and the concentration of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and M (IgM) in colostrum, and evaluate relationships between these parameters and maternal age, maternal parity, and infant sex. Materials and methods: The analysis was performed in serum samples of colostrum which were collected from 90 mothers on the first day of lactation between 10:00 and 12:00 AM.Results: The measurements established that no significant association existed between the TAS level of colostrum and parity, maternal age, or …

In Silico Design And In Vitro Development Of A Highly Accurate Test To Detect Brucella Species, Hosein Safari, Setareh Shahnazari, Maysam Mard-Soltani, Somayeh Tavakoli, Bahman Khalesi

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: Conventionalmethods of detecting Brucella spp. suffer from technical and biological complications. Besides, newly characterized species of the genus Brucella could be neglected by previously designed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Therefore, a more accurate PCR-based test seems to be imminently needed. Materials and methods: Blood samples were collected from 39 patients diagnosed with brucellosis and 25 healthy controls. Multiple sequence alignments (MSA) were performed on 500 Omp2-related protein and gene sequences. Thereafter, specific primers were designed and synthesized for the regions with highest conservancy. The collected samples were assessed by PCR test. To overcome the cross-reactivity issue, PCR thermal …

Alterations In Serum Levels Of Copper, Zinc, And Selenium Among Children With Sickle Cell Anemia, Rana Hasanato

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Oxidative stress contributes to pathophysiological dysfunction in sickle cell anemia (SCA). Copper (Cu) is a prooxidant, whereas zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) are antioxidant trace elements. This study investigates the serum levels of Cu, Zn, and Se among children with SCA.Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was performed at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. Thirty-three children with SCA in steady state and 33 age- and sex-matched normal healthy children were included in the study. Cu, Zn, and Se levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument.Results: The median serum Cu levels among SCA patients (1.3 -g/mL) were …

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: Epidemiological, Clinical And Biological Profile, Hanane Zahir, Jihane Belkhir, Hanane Mouhib, Mustapha Ait Ameur, Mohammed Chakour

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a clinical, biological, and pathological entity that is rare but has certain morbidity that may be life-threatening. This work aims to establish a focus on the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and analyze different aspects of diagnosis while emphasizing the biological data.Materials and methods: We report the results of a retrospective study conducted in the hematology department of Avicenna Hospital in Marrakesh. Thirty-one patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis were enrolled.Results: The clinical presentation was dominated by fever and deterioration of the general state for almost all our patients. Splenomegaly was objectified in 90% of the patients. Hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and …

Neutrophil To Lymphocyte Ratio As A Predictor Of Treatment Response And Mortality In Septic Shock Patients In The Intensive Care Unit, Rabi̇a Sari, Zühal Karakurt, Mustafa Ay, Muhammed Emi̇n Çeli̇k, Ülgen Yalaz Tekan, Fulya Çi̇yi̇ltepe, Feyza Kargin, Cüneyt Saltürk, Özlem Yazicioğlu Moçi̇n, Gökay Güngör, Nalan Adigüzel

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: While C-reactive protein (CRP) is a well-studied marker for predicting treatment response and mortality in sepsis, it was aimed to assess the efficacy of the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a predictor of mortality and treatment response in sepsis patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, sepsis patients were divided according to the presence of septic shock on the 1st day of ICU stay, and then subgrouped according to mortality. Patient demographics, acute physiologic and chronic health evaluation II and sequential organ failure assessment scores, NLR and CRP (on the 1st, …

Serum Prolidase Level In Patients With Brucellosis And Its Possible Relationship With Pathogenesis Of The Disease: A Prospective Observational Study, Oğuzhan Sitki Di̇zdar, Ayşe Turunç Özdemi̇r, Osman Başpinar, Derya Koçer, Yavuz Katircilar, İlhami̇ Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Changes in collagen metabolism and fibroblastic activity may play a role in the pathogenesis of brucellosis. The prolidase enzyme plays an important role in collagen synthesis. We aimed to investigate the association of prolidase levels with brucellosis.Materials and methods: Serum prolidase levels in 20 patients newly diagnosed with brucellosis were compared with levels in 30 healthy control subjects. Patients with brucellosis were reassessed 3 months later for prolidase, other laboratory measurements, and response to treatment. Results: The levels of serum prolidase were significantly higher in brucellosis patients compared with those of healthy controls. Prolidase, sedimentation, and C-reactive protein levels …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Does Transrectal Ultrasonography-Guided Biopsy Of The Prostate Lead To Possible Further Metastasis Via Circulating Tumor Cells?, Mustafa Kemal Ati̇lla, Bahatti̇n Avci, Lokman İrkilata, Mustafa Aydin, Alper Bi̇tki̇n, Mevlüt Keleş, İnci̇ Yücel, Mahmut Ulubay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We evaluate whether transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy might lead to spillage of tumor cells into peripheral blood as a result of disruption of the epithelial barrier and ultimately result in metastasis. Materials and methods: Eighty-eight patients underwent TRUS-guided prostate needle biopsy due to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) increase or abnormal digital rectal examination at the Samsun Research and Training Hospital (Samsun, Turkey) between April 2016 and September 2018. Approximately 10 mL of whole blood was collected from patients before, 1 week after, and 1 month after biopsy. Samples were analyzed for CD117 positivity and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) levels …

Is The Asymmetry Between The Vertebral Arteries Related To Cerebral Dominance?, Ahmet Vural, Esma Esi̇n Deri̇n Çi̇çek

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The two vertebral arteries (VAs) are usually unequal in size; the left one is generally larger than the right one. It was hypothesized that the asymmetry results from the need of the dominant cerebral hemisphere for more glucose and oxygen, i.e. more blood supply. In this study, we aimed to test this hypothesis in patients by evaluating their arterial diameter and hand preference, as it is the most common criterion to determine the dominance of the hemisphere. Materials and methods: The study was performed with 844 participants who consented to participate in the study. We identified the dominant cerebral …

Inhibitory Effect Of Canine Amniotic Membrane Against Common Bacterial Pathogens Associated With Ulcerative Keratitis, Rajit Lohajaroensub

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Infectious ulcerative keratitis is one of the significant ocular diseases in dogs leading to aggressive damage of the cornea and possibly loss of vision. Canine amniotic membrane (CAM) transplant revealed satisfactory result in canine complicated ulcers. However, antimicrobial activity of CAM has not yet been elucidated. This study is to assess antimicrobial activities of fresh CAM on bacteria associated with ulcerative keratitis and to investigate antimicrobial peptide genes expression. A total of twenty-three CAMs from healthy puppies were collected. Nineteen CAMs were tested for antimicrobial activity by modified disk diffusion test. Four CAMS were tested for mRNA expression of antimicrobial …

Detection Of Human Plasma Glucose Using A Self-Powered Glucose Biosensor, Gymama Slaughter, Tanmay Kulkarni

Bioelectrics Publications

This work presents the characterization of a self-powered glucose biosensor using individual sequential assays of human plasma glucose obtained from diabetic patients. The self-powered glucose biosensor is exploited to optimize the assay parameters for sensing plasma glucose levels. In particular, the biofuel cell component of the system at pH 7.4, 37 °C generates a power density directly proportional to plasma glucose and exhibited a maximum power density of 0.462 mW·cm⁻² at a cell voltage of 0.213 V in 5 mM plasma glucose. Plasma glucose is further sensed by monitoring the charge/discharge frequency (Hz) of the integrated capacitor functioning as …

Ant 3258 : The Anthropology Of Violence & Warfare, Sociology, Anthropology, & Criminology

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Alpha1a-Adrenergic Receptor Modulation Of Epileptiform Activity And Seizures, Joseph Patrick Biggane

Theses and Dissertations

The research herein aimed to increase our understanding about potential roles of adrenergic receptor subtypes in epileptic seizures and seizure-like (epileptiform) phenomena. Previous observations in our laboratory led us to hypothesize that the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor is a critical component of the modulatory role of the alpha1-adrenergic receptor, and more broadly, norepinephrine, on epileptiform and seizure activity. We utilized a combination of genetic and pharmacological manipulation to elucidate specific effects of the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor subtype on altering hyperactivity in models of epilepsy, both in slice and in vivo. This research sought to address three main research questions: (1) What are the …

An Evaluation Of Remote Sensing Methods For Ecological Management In Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Jenna Folluo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of four chapters that examine various aspects of remote sensing for ecological management in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Chapter one reviews the use of remote sensing as a management tool and discusses its applications in TRNP. Chapter two describes the application of multiple remote sensing methods and how well they can detect and map invasive vegetation, particularly leafy spurge. Chapter three provides a study on defining and mapping vegetation communities in TRNP at varying spatial scales. Chapter four explores the use of remote sensing techniques to detect prairie dog mounds and map colonies.

A Framework For Understanding The Role Of Psychological Processes In Disease Development, Maintenance, And Treatment: The 3p-Disease Model, Casey D. Wright, Alaina Tiani, Amber Lynn Billingsley, Shari Alaina Steinman, Kevin T. Larkin, Daniel W. Mcneil

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Health psychology is multidisciplinary, with researchers, practitioners, and policy makers finding themselves needing at least some level of competency in a variety of areas from psychology to physiology, public health, and others. Given this multidisciplinary ontology, prior attempts have been made to establish a framework for understanding the role of biological, psychological, and socio-environmental constructs in disease development, maintenance, and treatment. Other models, however, do not explain how factors may interact and develop over time. The aim here was to apply and adapt the 3P model, originally developed and used in the treatment of insomnia, to couch the biopsychosocial model …

Shaping Sexual Identity In Weimar Republic Germany, Megan Caldwell

Undergraduate Research Awards

The Weimar Republic, existing from 1919 to 1933, has conventionally been seen by scholars as a time of sexual discovery. In general, the late 19th and early 20th century saw an increase in the formalized study of sexuality, called sexology. This was nowhere more prominent than in Germany where notable sexologists like Magnus Hirschfeld and Richard von Krafft-Ebing carved out their professions. In addition to providing terms and medical explanations for forms of attractions outside of the understood norm, the works of sexologists that emerged and gained distinction during this time featured progressive – albeit limited – ideas that worked …

The Body Ecstatic: The Masochism Of Devotion As Seen In Ritual Possession, Dean Symmonds

Undergraduate Research Awards

Religious studies, insofar as it is a Western endeavor, largely suffers from separating body from mind. When adherents to this Enlightenment Era thinking focus only on theology or psychology as distinct from ritual studies, or consider ritual as merely tangentially or symbolically related to theology rather than an enactment of theology, it’s clear to me that religious studies struggles with an ignorance about bodies. Philip Mellor and Chris Shilling in their article “Reflexive Modernity and the Religious Body” attribute religious scholars’ ignorance in the past and present to a “new Protestant attitude” in the early modern period wherein “the Protestant …

Secreted Protein Acidic And Rich In Cysteine In The Periodontal Ligament: Mechanisms Of Collagen Assembly And Cross-Linking In Health And Disease, Emilie Ann Rosset

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The collagen fibers that span the periodontal ligament (PDL) connect teeth to the bone socket by weaving through the cementum of each tooth as well as into the alveolar bone. Collagen type I is the main structural component of the PDL. High rates of extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover are characteristic of PDL tissue. Periodontal disease (PD) afflicts approximately 50% of the population in the United States. PD is marked by chronic inflammation of the periodontium leading to PDL degradation, alveolar bone loss, and eventual tooth loss. There are currently no accepted methodologies to regenerate this collagenous PDL tissue. Thus PDL …

Trauma-Informed Care: Needs Assessment In A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Christine Young

DNP Projects

It is estimated that over 60 percent of children and adolescents in the United States have experienced one or more traumatic event (Saunders & Adams, 2014) resulting in increased psychosocial needs. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) involves recognizing and validating the effects of trauma and promotes for effective treatment. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to describe the frequency of neglect and trauma, including abuse and accidental events, among patients admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit and identify types of interventions and referrals documented by providers in the medical record. This project was based on a …