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Exploring The Mechanisms Of Racial Disparity In Infant Mortality: A Grounded Theory Approach, Barry Chukwugekwu Eneh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Infant mortality (IM) is a critical health-disparity problem in the United States. Of the 23000 infants who die each year, the highest number occurs among African Americans. Previous studies implicated a mix of health determinants and risk factors, but no study has explored the mechanisms by which IM predictably persists among African Americans. This study uncovers the complex network of risk factors that underlies racial death disparities in infants. Two theoretical lenses chosen for this study were social systems theory (SST) and critical race theory (CRT). SST explains human behavior as an intersection of interrelated systems. CRT interrogates inherent social …

Exploring Prayer Functions And Posttraumatic Growth Among Informal Caregivers In Hospice Settings, Nicole Beth Fortin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Posttraumatic growth is a positive psychological transformation resulting from the struggle to cope with a challenging life event. There is a significant association between prayer coping functions and posttraumatic growth, but its process remains unclear and studies on informal hospice caregivers are scarce. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between prayer functions and posttraumatic growth among informal caregivers while considering differences due to the caregiving environment and prayer practices. The shattered assumptions theory and model of growth in grief were used as a theoretical framework to evaluate the relationship between prayer functions, using …

Patient Awareness And Knowledge Of Medically Induced Radiation Exposure, Travis L. Mann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The level of knowledge and awareness among patients about the concepts and implications of medical radiation is unknown. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore patients' awareness and knowledge of information regarding this topic from their perspectives. The health belief model provided the framework for the study. A total of 20 individuals were recruited using purposive sampling. All participants were above the age of 18 in central North Carolina and had undergone or are currently undergoing medical radiation exams. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin's 5-phased cycle, which involved compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, …

Lived Experiences Of African Students With Microaggressions In U.S.-Based Higher Education Institutions, Amevi Molley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of microaggressions in higher education institutions in the United States is a major issue for individuals of color and international background. Microaggressions can interfere with international students' smooth transition into their new academic system and social environment. The purpose of this qualitative study with a transcendental phenomenological approach was to explore the lived experiences of Sub-Saharan international graduate students who have experienced microaggressions in a higher education institution in the United States. The racial microaggression theory and the theory of neo-racism served as a guiding conceptual framework for this study. The research question was to examine the lived …

Timing Of Substance Use Initiation: Assessing The Role Of Trauma And Race, Rebecca Petrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the strength of the association between race, trauma, and the age of initiation for substance use, specifically tobacco, marijuana, alcohol among high school students aged 13-18 in the United States. This research is critical because prior research has shown that trauma and race led to higher rates of substance use in adulthood. Still, limited research has shown how these factors affect the age of substance use initiation. The theoretical foundation for this study was the general strain theory since the theory posits that exposure to stresses or strain leads to delinquency, which …

Assessment Of Adaptability Of A Supply Chain Trading Agent’S Strategy: Evolutionary Game Theory Approach, Yoon Sang Lee, Riyaz T. Sikora

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

With the increase in the complexity of supply chain management, the use of intelligent agents for automated trading has gained popularity (Collins, Arunachalam, B, et al. 2006). The performance of supply-chain agents depends on not just the market environment (supply and demand patterns) but also on what types of other agents they are competing with. For designers of such agents it is important to ascertain that their agents are robust and can adapt to changing market and competitive environments. However, to date there has not been any work done that assesses the adaptability of a trading agent’s strategy in the …

Structural Characterization Of Black Widow Spider Dragline Silk Proteins Crp1 And Crp4, Mikayla Shanafelt

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Spider dragline silk is a biomaterial with outstanding material properties, possessing high-tensile strength and toughness. In nature, dragline silk serves a central role during spider locomotion and web construction. Today, scientists are racing to elucidate the molecular machinery governing silk extrusion, attempting to translate this knowledge into a mimicry process in the laboratory to create synthetic fibers for a wide range of different applications. During extrusion, it has been established that biochemical and mechanical forces govern spidroin folding, aggregation, and assembly. In black widow spiders, at least 7 different proteins have been identified as constituents of dragline silk fibers. These …

Development Of A Biomarker Panel For Identifying Stressed Marine Mammals, Laura Pujade

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Increasing anthropogenic disturbance in marine ecosystems such as fishing, oil-drilling, and noise pollution can have detrimental effects on the reproduction and survival of apex predators such as marine mammals. Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in increased circulating glucocorticoid (GCs) hormones, which alter expression of target genes encoding metabolic enzymes and other mediators of stress. Prolonged HPA axis stimulation may increase catabolism of nutrient stores and suppress immune and reproductive functions, impacting the fitness of marine mammals. GCs measurements are used to identify wild animals experiencing stress. However, these measurements may not be sensitive enough to distinguish between an …

An Autoethnographic Study: An Identity Lost And A Passage Discovered, Simone Shonte Martinez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The professional careers of teachers with a chronic illness can sometimes be devastating. This study addresses the insufficient understanding of the identity crisis a teacher goes through when one is suddenly diagnosed with a chronic illness. While researching different types of theories, identity theory best fit this topic and my interest. Within identity theory, there are four perspectives to view identity. The four perspectives are Nature, Institution, Discourse, and Affinity identities. In order to understand identity, one must understand how identity is formed. Chronic illness identity is a change from all other identities that have been constructed. This study uses …

The Potency Of Ag10 In Stabilizing Transthyretin Is Driven By Interactions Mimicking The Disease-Suppressing T119m Variant, Dengpan Liang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Transthyretin (TTR) amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a fatal disease with no available disease-modifying therapies. While destabilizing TTR mutations increase the risk of developing ATTR-CM, the naturally occurring Thr119Met (T119M) variant stabilizes TTR and prevent disease. The two Serine 117 and Serine 117’ (S117/S117’) side chain hydroxyl groups of monomers A and B in T119M variant TTR form direct hydrogen bonds with each other. AG10 is an orally available, small molecule TTR stabilizer in Phase 3 clinical development for ATTR-CM. Structural features that infer high potency of AG10 for stabilizing TTR remains incompletely characterized.

In order to investigate the contribution of …

Evaluating Methods Of Obtaining Male Pheromone From Hymenochirus Sp. Using Analytical Chemistry, Vincent Wing-Kun Leung

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Male Hymenochirus sp. frogs are known to release pheromone that attracts females of the same species. Four methods for collecting secretions containing pheromone in Hymenochirus sp. were tested: norepinephrine injection, gonadotropin-releasing hormone injection, homogenization of gland tissue, and electrostimulation of the skin over the breeding gland area. The samples collected were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. The HPLC chromatograph for the male norepinephrine sample contained a peak at 6.4 min that was not in the female norepinephrine sample HPLC chromatograph. The male norepinephrine sample mass spectrum had a peak of m/z 292.0 not in the female …

Phylogenomic Analyses Clarify Butterfly Species Within The Genus Speyeria Despite Evidence Of A Recent Adaptive Radiation, Erin Thompson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The North American genus Speyeria is an especially challenging radiation of butterflies due to ongoing hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting, and similar morphological characters among species. Adaptive radiations often require considerable evidence in order to resolve the evolutionary relationships of closely related individuals. Previous studies of this genus have found paraphyly among species and have been unable to disentangle these taxa due to a lack of data and/or incomplete sampling of the genus. As a result, the interspecific relationships among Speyeria remain unresolved. In an attempt to achieve phylogenetic resolution of the genus, we conducted population genomic and phylogenomic analyses of …

Exercise And Patient Populations: A Community-Based Exercise Intervention On Cancer And Type 2 Diabetes, Cynthia Villalobos

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cancer and diabetes are the second and seventh leading causes of death in the United States, respectively (Kochanek et al., 2017). When including prediabetes and the entire cancer continuum, both diseases affect over 150 million individuals in the United States each year (Bullard et al., 2018; Siegel et al., 2019). Furthermore, there exists an alarming rise in patients presenting with both type 2 diabetes and obesity-related cancers concurrently, as both diseases share similar risk factors (Vigneri et al., 2009). An aging adult population, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits are continuing to rise, and the prevalence of individuals with obesity-related …

Expression, Purification, And Characterization Of Recombinant Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor In Pichia Pastoris, Henry Hieu Minh Le

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Wounds in the mouth, occurring after oral surgery, take time to heal. No ointment can be added to help with the healing process because mouth saliva will constantly wash it away. In order to combat this problem, we propose engineering a normal flora microbe to grow at the site of injury and secrete a recombinant growth factor to promote healing of the damaged tissue. Our goal is to have the yeast Pichia pastoris produce human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which aids in cellular proliferation. P. pastoris is a good choice for this application because not only is it considered …

Characterization Of The Blood-Feeding Patterns Of Culex Quinquefasciatus In San Bernadino County, California, Aelish Ann Guinn

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Culex quinquefasciatus has been identified as one of the most prominent vectors of West Nile virus (WNV) in Southern California. WNV is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in North America and is known to primarily cause flu-like symptoms in humans, and in rare cases, life-threatening conditions. The goal of this study was to identify which animal species are most frequently fed upon by these mosquitoes in this region. To examine the relationship between blood-feeding patterns and West Nile virus activity in San Bernardino County, the feeding patterns of Cx. quinquefasciatus are determined in a variety of habitat types, which …

A Trio Of Sigma Factors Control Hormogonium Development In Nostoc Punctiforme, Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, and for many species, nitrogen fixation, giving cyanobacteria an important role in global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Furthermore, multicellular filamentous cyanobacteria are developmentally complex, capable of differentiation into different cell types, including cells capable of nitrogen fixation and cells for motility, making them an ideal platform for studying development, as well as for practical use in biotechnology. Understanding how developmental programmes are activated require an understanding of the role of alternative sigma factors, which are required for transcriptional activation in bacteria. In order to investigate the gene regulatory network and to determine the …

Development And Characterization Of Ldv Peptide Targeted Nanocarriers For Paclitaxel Delivery: A Comparative Study Of Micelles, Liposomes And Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Poonam Dattani

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Nanocarriers have been established as delivery vehicles to target cancer tumors. However, premature drug leakage is one of the major reasons for inefficient drug delivery of nanocarriers to the tumor. Drug diffusion out of the nanocarriers or destabilization of drug loaded nanocarriers by physiological interactions with blood cells, serum proteins, and cell membranes upon systemic administration contribute to premature drug release. In this study, targeted micelles, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of similar composition were prepared and characterized to compare physicochemical characteristics, in vitro stability, in vitro release rates in release media and in vivo performance. Peptide Amphiphiles (PAs) …

The Impact Of Social And Cognitive Variables On Communication Competence, Griffin Cheek

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

College students are increasingly engaged in watching online videos and using social media. Therefore, researchers should attempt to better understand how these variables as well as other social and cognitive variables, affect the communication competence of students. The researcher administered a questionnaire to 392 college students from a private medium-sized West Coast university using various modified scales examining student-to-student confirmation, social support through social media, online video viewing, self-esteem, personal reports of public speaking anxiety, and communication competence. Student-to-student confirmation and online video viewing were measured using new sets of scales developed by the researcher. The data from the surveys …

Lipid-Coated Magnesium Phosphate Nanoparticles For Intrapulmonary Protein Delivery In Mice, Mallika Vadlamudi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Proteins are a diverse category of biomolecules with great therapeutic potential. Intracellular delivery of proteins can augment the deficient activities of dysfunctional or poorly expressed innate proteins and therefore represents a promising strategy to treat the associated diseases. One major barrier to intracellular protein delivery is the translocation of the protein across the cellular membrane. Endocytosis provides an important pathway for protein nanocarriers to enter cells across the plasma membrane. However, the cargo protein must then promptly escape from the endosomes to avoid degradation in the lysosome and to exert its cellular function.

Previously, we reported a cationic lipid-coated magnesium …

Development Of A New Class Of Ligand-Targeted Chemotherapeutics With Enhanced Safety And Efficacy Profile, Arindom Pal

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The hydrophobicity of many chemotherapeutic agents usually results in their nonselective passive distribution into healthy cells and organs causing collateral toxicity. Ligand-targeted drugs (LTDs) are a promising class of targeted anticancer agents. The hydrophilicity of the targeting ligands in LTDs limits its nonselective passive tissue distribution and toxicity to healthy cells. In addition, the small size of LTDs allows for better tumor penetration, especially in the case of solid tumors. However, the short circulation half-life of LTDs, due to their hydrophilicity and small size, remains a significant challenge for achieving their full therapeutic potential. Therefore, extending the circulation half-life of …

Investigating The Effect Of Rutaecarpine On The Benzo[A]Pyrene-Induced Dna Damage In Vitro, You Li

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), is one of the most potent mutagens and carcinogens known. It requires metabolic activation through cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1 to yield the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite, benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). BPDE can bind to DNA and form predominantly covalent (+) trans adducts at the N2 position of guanine causing DNA damage. Rutaecarpine (RTC) is an herbal medicine that has been used to treat several diseases such as headache, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, amenorrhea, and anti-inflammation. It has also been reported as a potent inducer of CYP enzymes, including CYP1A1, and CYP1A2. The mechanisms underlying up-regulation of CYP1A1 by RTC is dependent on aryl …

Dialogue During Team Problem Solving Using Visual Representation Boundary Objects: A Case Study, Julie Marie Webb

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Organizations benefit from the knowledge held by individual members as well as knowledge that is shared among those members. In order for knowledge to co-develop between members, and to spread, organizations must provide opportunities for members to collaborate. Organizational teams sometimes require assistance with interpersonal communication, establishing consensus, and sharing knowledge when collaborating. Group facilitators can offer guidance and intervene when teams need support. In addition, teams can find support through the use of visual representation boundary objects (VRBOs) to build trust, improve communication, increase cooperation, and share ideas. This study explores how knowledge is shared between team members and …

Kindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives On And Usage Of Picture Books In Efl Classrooms In Shanghai, Yuan Shi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In Shanghai, an increasing number of parents believe that learning English at an early age will bring their children an advantage in future competition. As a result, kindergarten English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes have become popular in recent years. Although previous studies revealed that picture books are frequently used as teaching materials in kindergarten EFL classes, what is happening in these kindergarten EFL classes and the ways teachers use picture books to teach children English still remain largely unknown. To have a better understanding of the kindergarten EFL classes in Shanghai, this study aimed to explore kindergarten EFL …

The Effects Of Listening To Motivational Music On Performance Of Knee Extension And Flexion In Healthy Adults, Alexander Lesser

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether listening to motivational music prior to performing leg extensions and flexions effected peak torque performance. Participants included 23 adults between the ages 18 and 48 years. Participants engaged in three sets of leg extensions and flexions utilizing a Cybex Humac NORM system following a warm-up period consisting of listening to either researcher-selected music, self-selected music, and in silence. Two one-way ANOVAs comparing participants’ data showed significant results in leg flexions performed following warm-up while listening to self-selected music. Significant results were not achieved for leg extensions yet a similar trend was …

The Influences Of Early Mother-Child Attachment Nd Teacher-Child Relationships On Children’S Emotion Regulation In Third Grade, Haijuan Huang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Attachment theory states that emotion regulation is one of the central features of attachment system. The current study adopted an attachment perspective to investigate how mother-child attachment at 36 months and teacher-child relationships at 54 months influence children’s emotion regulation in 3rd grade, and whether teacher-child relationships moderate the associations between mother-child attachment and children’s emotion regulation. Longitudinal data from the first three phases of the National Institute of Child Health and Human development Early Child Care Research Network of Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD) were used in the study.

The results showed that the …

Disrupting The Prison-To-Prison Pipeline: Doing Restorative Identity Work With Offender-Labeled Youth, Jahmon Londre Gibbs

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to addresses how the existence of counterspaces influences the psychological well-being of offender-labeled youth transitioning back into society. A counterspace has been defined as a social setting where two or more individuals come together to challenge deficit notions. No longer is recidivism solely being placed on offender-labeled youth that reside within juvenile correctional facilities, therefore the need for innovative programs that help develop resistance narratives and promote reengagement with the educational system are needed. In this 12-week qualitative ethnographic study the two concepts of restorative practices and narrative identity work are blended …

Predictors Of School Weapon Carrying Among Adolescents, Jonathan Adams

All ETDs from UAB

The presence of weapons threatens the safety of all individuals on school grounds. Emergent research suggests factors linked to school weapon carrying may stem from both within and outside the school environment; however, few efforts have been made to identify a comprehensive set of risk and protective factors associated with school weapon carrying. To address this gap, the first manuscript serves as a comprehensive, systematic review of variables associated with higher or lower likelihood an adolescent will carry weapons to school. Results indicated higher rates of weapon carrying among individuals who are male, sexual minority, children of single parents; exhibit …

Identifying Associated Risk With Exposure Ti Weapon Carrying Among Emerging Adults Living In Disadvantaged Urban Areas In Birmingham, Tolulope Aduroja

All ETDs from UAB

IDENTIFYING ASSOCIATED RISK WITH EXPOSURE TO WEAPON CARRYING AMONG EMERGING ADULTS LIVING IN DISADVANTAGED URBAN AREAS IN BIRMINGHAM TOLULOPE ADUROJA HEALTH EDUCATION/HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Weapon carrying is a public health concern due to its association with a serious injury, disability or death, and adverse health-related outcomes. Weapon carrying among youth is associated with both intrinsic or internalizing and extrinsic or externalizing factors (Stayton, 2011). Violence in youth and young adults is the 2nd leading cause of death (homicide) in Alabama. Health behavior theories posit that health-relevant attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral skills drive subsequent actions people take to protect themselves from …

Identification And Application Of Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells For Dental Tissue Regenration, Yousuf Al-Aboosi

All ETDs from UAB

Mesenchymal stem cells have been very attractive treatment modality in regenerative medicine, but not so much in regenerative dentistry. This can be attributed to the difficulty in obtaining dental origin stem cells without extracting a tooth or other invasive procedures. Autogenous gingival graft harvested from palatal tissue is used as the gold standard for treating single tooth recession. The healing of the gingival graft has been shown to be mostly depended on the recipient side more than the graft itself. This study is aiming to find if the palatal tissue has cells with mesenchymal characteristics that are helping in the …

Assessment Of A Bdnf Mimetic To Improve Behavioral Deficits In Female Mecp2 Heterozygous Mice, A Model Of Rett Syndrome, Karen Nataly Ayala Baylon

All ETDs from UAB

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder representing the second most common cause of intellectual disability in women. Most RTT cases are caused by mutations in the gene coding for the transcriptional regulator Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 (MeCP2). The neurotrophin BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) has therapeutic potential for RTT because BDNF levels are lower in RTT autopsy brains and in Mecp2 deficient mice, while conditional Bdnf deletion results in phenotypes similar to those of Mecp2 knockout (KO) mice. In addition, Bdnf overexpression in forebrain excitatory neurons in Mecp2 KO mice significantly improved their lifespan, locomotor function, and brain weight. However, BDNF …