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Nucleus Pulposus Of The Intervertebral Disc: The Effect Of Environmental Factors On Metabolic Activity, Lukas M. Jaworski

Open Access Dissertations

Lower back pain is a major socioeconomic concern in developed nations. Moreover, it is a condition which a majority of people will experience an episode within their lifetime, with a portion becoming chronically afflicted. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) is believed to play a critical role in initiating lower back pain. Poor nutrient supplies are implicated as a one of the root causes of this degeneration and much effort has been spent to better elucidate the behavior of IVD cells. The IVD is the largest avascular structure within the body, relying on diffusion to migrate nutrients in and clear …

Exploring Myosin Rlc Phosphorylation As A Potential Novel Therapeutic Target For Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Sunil Yadav

Open Access Dissertations

Background: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most prevalent heart diseases characterized by ventricular and septal hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis and myofibrillar disarray. Genetic forms of HCM are mainly caused by mutations in major sarcomeric proteins such as β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), myosin protein binding C (MyBP-C), regulatory and essential light chains (RLC/ELC), troponin, tropomyosin and actin. My Ph.D. proposal focuses on myosin RLC and two RLC mutations: Arginine-to-Glutamine, R58Q, and Aspartic acid-to-Valine, D166V, that cause HCM and strives to provide insight into the importance of human cardiac myosin RLC phosphorylation site at Ser-15 for normal heart function and its …

Functional Significance Of The Hexosamine Biosynthesis Pathway In Pancreatic Cancer, Nikita Satish Sharma

Open Access Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is a notoriously lethal disease. Late detection, lack of effective biomarkers, presence of a treatment refractory population of cells, an impermeable stroma, metastasis and tumor recurrence are some of the factors contributing to the dismissal 5-year survival rate of 8% for this disease. Hexosamine Biosynthesis Pathway (HBP) is a unique node in cancer metabolism. Its end product, UDP-GlcNAc is used by both tumor cells and the extracellular matrix component Hyaluronan for signaling, proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. While there have been reports examining the significance of HBP in individual factors contributing to tumor aggressiveness, a comprehensive …

Modeling Relationships Among Psychological Distress, Eating Styles, And Hunger, Jennifer Ann Schmaus

Open Access Theses

Hunger is an essential human process and develops through both physiological and neurological mechanisms. Hunger is driven by secretion of molecules and hypothalamic neural circuits that stimulate appetite and promote food intake. Pathways to hunger may also be influenced by higher-order cognitive and emotional processes to ultimately impact food intake and eating behavior. For example, increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, and hostility (hereby referred to as “hostile negative affect”) are suggested to increase hunger and food intake. Additionally, perceived stress has been shown to both decrease and increase hunger and food intake. The stress-induced eating hypothesis posits that, when …

Perception Of Management Success In The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: A Comparative Analysis Between Residents And Visitors, Charline Tina Quenée

Open Access Theses

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a multiple-use marine protected area with a history of tension between management entities and local stakeholders. At the root of the issues are differences in the definition of “successful management” between these two stakeholder groups and recent administrative vacancies within the Sanctuary’s management staff have made it difficult for the Sanctuary to update its management plan. This study surveyed two primary stakeholder groups in the Florida Keys in order to gain understanding of their perceptions of successful management. A comprehensive intercept survey detailing various management objectives was presented to participants in person using …

On The Current State Of Invertebrates In The Systematics Of The Animal World, Saydulla Dadayev

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

This article presents a thorough analysis of works published by foreign scientists and scientists of the CIS, who studied the modern systematics of the animal world. It is noted that Ural zoologists are still working on the development and improvement of the systematics of the animal world. As a result, new systematic categories (species, genera, family, orders, classes, subtypes, types, etc.) appear.

Influence Of Irrigation Technology On Grain Yield In Winter Wheat Cultivationand Water Economy, Abdurashid Zoirovich Artikov

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article considers the influence of irrigation methods on the yield of winter wheat and saving vegetation irrigation. The procedure and timing of irrigation of winter cereal crops are determined depending on the amount of irrigation, irrigation standard, climate of the region, soil and hydrogeological conditions, as well as biological characteristics of the cultivated variety and applied agrotechnical measures. Application of terms, norms and energy-saving technologies of irrigation of winter wheat in the period when there is a shortage of water is of great importance in prevention of water consumption, washing of arable soil, understatement of used mineral fertilizers and …

On The Current State Of Invertebrates In The Systematics Of The Animal World, Saydulla Dadayev

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

This article presents a thorough analysis of works published by foreign scientists and scientists of the CIS, who studied the modern systematics of the animal world. It is noted that Ural zoologists are still working on the development and improvement of the systematics of the animal world. As a result, new systematic categories (species, genera, family, orders, classes, subtypes, types, etc.) appear.

Influence Of Irrigation Technology On Grain Yield In Winter Wheat Cultivationand Water Economy, Abdurashid Zoirovich Artikov

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article considers the influence of irrigation methods on the yield of winter wheat and saving vegetation irrigation. The procedure and timing of irrigation of winter cereal crops are determined depending on the amount of irrigation, irrigation standard, climate of the region, soil and hydrogeological conditions, as well as biological characteristics of the cultivated variety and applied agrotechnical measures. Application of terms, norms and energy-saving technologies of irrigation of winter wheat in the period when there is a shortage of water is of great importance in prevention of water consumption, washing of arable soil, understatement of used mineral fertilizers and …

Performance In First Year Mathematics And Science Subjects In Australian Universities: Does Senior Secondary Mathematics Background Matter? Final Report, Julie Mcmillan, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

This study explores the extent to which study of mathematics in senior secondary school is a predictor of success in core mathematics and science subjects in the first year of university. The study looked at 16,436 first year students in biology chemistry mathematics and physics from twelve universities covering a range of types. It looked at their pass rates against the level of mathematics that they studied in year 12, including whether they had studied any mathematics of significance to a science degree. The study findings show that, in general, those who study higher levels of mathematics at year 12 …

[2019-12-12] Meeting Of The Academic And Health Affairs Policy Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

[2019-12-12] Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

Faculty Senate Minutes - Academic Program Review Committee, December 12, 2019, Academic Program Review Committee

Faculty Senate Minutes

Minutes for the Academic Program Review Committee meeting held December 12, 2019.

The Demography And Practice Of Australians Caring For Native Wildlife And The Psychological, Physical And Financial Effects Of Rescue, Rehabilitation And Release Of Wildlife On The Welfare Of Carers, Bruce Englefield, Steve Candy, Melissa J. Starling, Paul Mcgreevy

Human-Animal Bonds Collection

The rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned Australian wildlife is managed by over 20,000 carers, mostly voluntarily. These volunteers experience mental, physical and financial challenges that have not been researched adequately. This study collated the responses (n = 316) to a survey conducted among Australian wildlife carers who actively foster orphaned joeys for hand-raising and injured adult mammals for rehabilitation and release. It confirmed 86% of rehabilitators are female, 70% are over the age of 46 years and their prime motivation is an affinity with animals. The average time spent in the sector is 11.5 years, and the …

Bridging The Gaps In Elementary Life Science Lessons, Kaitlin Cook

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The United States is experiencing a rise in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers while facing a shortage of STEM workers. This could partly be due to a decline in the amount of time allowed for science in elementary schools or possibly because many life science lessons in elementary school lack originality and may not stimulate an interest in science. Lack of captivating STEM education prior to college may be contributing to the decline of students graduating with STEM based degrees. My thesis focuses on getting out of the routine of using monotonous life science lesson plans. I identify …

"Between Two Fires": Gender And American Socialism In The Progressive Era, Elisia Harder

Senior Theses

The Progressive Era (1890-1920) in the United States was a time of immense change in both the political and private spheres. Movements which sought to fundamentally upend the political status quo gained in popularity, including that of socialism. Socialism promised equality for workers regardless of gender, something that appealed to many American women at the time. A myriad of upper/middle-class and working-class women were thus initially drawn to the socialist movement. These women, however, would not find the salvation they were promised. Instead, they would confront the very same misogyny they experienced in mainstream political parties, as their struggle was …

Modeling Cardiac Physiology, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

Participants will focus on integrating physiology applications by using biomedical engineering to visualize the relationships between structure and function of the cardiovascular system. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm and plan how to prepare working models of the heart. Once the models have been approved, designed, engineered, and built, participants will be able to model different pathological conditions in their models such as atherosclerosis. Participants will reflect upon the biophysical and biochemical basis of their creations. Through model-building and testing, participants will trouble shoot their inventions, later reflecting upon what changes were made to their original design and how …

Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Outcomes Associated With Student Engagement In A Novel Brain Chemoarchitecture Mapping Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience., D'Arcy, Anais Martinez, Arshad Khan, Jeffrey Olimpo

Departmental Papers (Biology)

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In Opioid Prescribing Patterns Among Adults In The Us, Salena Marie Preciado

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

This project aims to evaluate gender differences in opioid prescribing in ambulatory care and emergency department settings. The retrospective analysis of opioid prescribing rates in the US included all adult medical visits from 2006-2016. Data was collected from two nationally representative surveys, The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Eligible patients were at least 18 years old on the date of the visit. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify factors associated with opioid prescribing.

Rates of opioid prescribing increased for both men and women over the study period. …

Treadmill Speed Coordination Control For Lower Limb Rehabilitation Training Robot, Li Feng, Zhizheng Wu, Hou Wei, Xiaofei Qin

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In the course of active exercise training for patients with lower limb rehabilitation robots, a treadmill speed coordinated control method based on acceleration suppression is proposed to prevent secondary damage to patients caused by muscle spasms. The mathematical model of treadmill is established by means of system identification. Based on the H₂ optimal design method and the continuous time system switching theory, the treadmill speed PI controller with acceleration suppression is designed. The simulation results show that the controller can not only reduce the acceleration of the treadmill, but also keep the speed of the treadmill …

The Smart-Dumb Question, A Key To Writing About - And Understanding - Immunology, Jeff Hansen

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Gardner-Webb Hosts Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students From Cleveland County (N.C.) Schools, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

A group of 14 deaf and hard of hearing students from Cleveland County (N.C.) Schools—ranging in age from 4 years to teens—visited Gardner-Webb University recently for a preview of college life. Hosted by the Noel Center for Disability Resources, the event was called “Christmas B.A.S.H.—Bringing Academic Scholarship Here.” Susan Randolph, GWU interpreter and captioning provider, was contacted about hosting the event by Josh Trivett, a teacher for the Deaf in the school system.

Gender Roles In The United States, Robert Bush

Student Works

Can men and women be separate but equal? In our modern society, equality of the sexes is generally accepted as a fact. However, according to Separate Spheres Ideology, women and men have different spaces in society where they fit best. This ideology traditionally says that women belong in the home and in situations involving child care, while men are better suited for the workplace (Miller & Borgida, 2016). Can men and women be expected to fulfill separate roles in society and still be treated as equals? What positive or negative effects do gender roles have on individuals and organizations? Are …

Extreme Image Compression With Deep Learning Autoencoder, Licheng Xiao

Computer Science and Engineering Master's Theses

Image compression can save billions of dollars in the industry by reducing the bits needed to store and transfer an image without significantly losing visual quality. Traditional image compression methods use transform, quantization, predictive coding and entropy coding to tackle the problem, represented by international standards like JPEG (joint photographic experts group), JPEG 2000, BPG (better portable graphics), and HEIC (high efficiency image file format). Recently, there are deep learning based image compression approaches that achieved similar or better performance compared with traditional methods, represented by autoencoder, GAN (generative adversarial networks) and super-resolution based approaches.

In this paper, we built …

Leadership Theories And United States Demographic Shifts: Responsiveness In The Workplace, Sherry H. Latten, Jonathan Perez

Journal of Research Initiatives

As the United States becomes increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that organizations consider the implications of their leadership pipeline. Given the differences that can exist by social identity groups in experiences, values, interests, and communications, it raises a question about the responsiveness of current leadership theories to the changing demographics. This article explores the responsiveness of transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and leader-member exchange (LMX) theory to the demographic changes as a means of helping organizations consider how existing leadership norms and theories need to be expanded to encompass the future population of leaders across race, sex, and age.

Synthesis And Preclinical Validation Of Novel P2y1 Receptor Ligands As A Potent Anti-Prostate Cancer Agent., Hien Thi Thu Le, Tatu Rimpilainen, Saravanan Konda Mani, Akshaya Murugesan, Olli Yli-Harja, Nuno R Candeias, Meenakshisundaram Kandhavelu

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Purinergic receptor is a potential drug target for neuropathic pain, Alzheimer disease, and prostate cancer. Focusing on the structure-based ligand discovery, docking analysis on the crystal structure of P2Y

Alumnus Discovered His Passion For Teaching As An Assistant In Biology Lab At Gwu, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Alex Suptela, ’16, chose to study biology and psychology at Gardner-Webb University, because both subjects fascinated him. He enjoyed research, but hadn’t thought about teaching. Then, he became a teaching assistant for Dr. Meredith Rowe and the Department of Natural Sciences.

Addressing Childhood Obesity In A Rural Community Using Motivational Interviewing, Chituru Uwaoma

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Purpose: Childhood obesity is a significant health problem associated with increased adult morbidity and mortality. Rural areas like Central Valley California demonstrate disproportionate rates of obesity. Children in rural and underserved populations are at a higher risk of developing obesity. Data suggest that obesity is often under-addressed during routine health care visits. Primary care practitioners are the first point of health care contact and have a unique opportunity to prevent and address obesity through health monitoring and education.

In response to escalating rates of obesity, clinical recommendations have been established for primary care providers including the use of patient-centered …

Bridge To Neuroscience Workshop: An Effective Educational Tool To Introduce Principles Of Neuroscience To Hispanics Students, Alexandra Colon-Rodriguez, Chelsea T. Tiernan, Eileen S. Rodriguez-Tapia, William D. Atchison

Peer Reviewed Articles

Neuroscience as a discipline is rarely covered in educational institutions in Puerto Rico. In an effort to overcome this deficit we developed the Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop (BNW), a full-day hands-on workshop in neuroscience education. BNW was conceived as an auxiliary component of a parent recruitment program called Bridge to the PhD in Neuroscience Program (BPNP). The objectives of BNW are to identify promising students for BPNP, and to increase awareness of neuroscience as a discipline and a career option. BNW introduces basic concepts in neuroscience using a variety of educational techniques, including mini-lectures, interactive discussions, case studies, experimentation, and …

Curriculum Minutes 12/12/2019, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.