Digital Commons Network^™

Perceptions Of Therapy Dog Programs Among K-4 Teachers In Northeast Arkansas Public School Districts., Lauren Grace Belt

Student Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored the perceptions of therapy dog programs among K-4 teachers in Northeast Arkansas public school districts. The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of therapy dog programs among K-4 educators in Northeast Arkansas public school districts. This study also reviewed literature associated with certification, training of handlers, and policy changes to bring to light the preventative measures available to administrators, faculty, and staff to eliminate negative perceptions toward therapy dog programs. The design method chosen for this was a regional survey of K-4 teachers in Northeast Arkansas whose districts were members of Crowley’s Ridge or …

Exploring The Effects Of Geographic And Landscape Variation On Avian Communities And Species, Joseph Youtz

Student Theses and Dissertations

Ongoing and intensive anthropogenic change has modified the globe across multiple scales, yet the influence of these modifications on wildlife communities and individuals remain region and species specific. Here I explored the influence of a biogeographical pattern as it relates to climate and geography, and the effects of historic habitat loss and fragmentation on a diverse avian community. I first explored the adherence to Bergmann’s rule within a migratory songbird, the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), across all life stages and time. The pattern was present from the young nestling stage through adulthood, although contemporary eggs followed a reverse relationship with …

Antioxidant Characterization Of Peanut Hairy Root Extracts Enriched With Prenylated Stilbenoids, Patrick Roberto

Student Theses and Dissertations

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a prolific producer of prenylated stilbenoids that may confer health benefits in humans by their antioxidant activity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use peanut hairy roots as a bioproduction system of extracts enriched with prenylated stilbenoids and evaluate their antioxidant activity in vitro. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay suggested that the whole extract and pure prenylated stilbenoids exhibit antioxidant activity. High-performance liquid chromatography combined with DPPH identified arachidin-1, arachidin-3, and arachidin-5 as the principle antioxidants in the extract. The DPPH assay revealed that the arachidin portion of the extract contains greater antioxidant capacity than …

Nonnative Insect Invasions In Natural Ecosystems: Impacts, Policy, And Evaluation Of Drivers Using Underutilized Biocontrol Datasets, Ashley N. Schulz

Student Theses and Dissertations

The fundamental goal in invasion ecology is to understand what drives the success of nonnative species. To assess mechanisms of invasion, invasion ecologists traditionally study populations of nonnative species that have already established and spread within an environment. A less common method is to use data from classical biocontrol agents, which are also nonnative and have variable impacts with respect to efficacy and non-target effects. Further elucidation of mechanisms of invasion can help researchers develop better methods for detection, prevention, and control of nonnative species. To make progress in the battle against nonnative species, focus should be placed on both …

The Daily Gamecock, Pieces Of Home, August 2020, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

August

No abstract provided.

Shaker Collections In Manuscripts & Folklife Archives At Western Kentucky University, Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

This is a list of collections in the Manuscripts & Folklife Archives holdings of WKU’s Department of Library Special Collections that relate primarily to the United Believers in the Second Coming of Christ, commonly known as the Shakers. Most of the collections relate to the Shaker society at South Union in Logan County, Kentucky, but materials relating to other societies are also included.

Brave New World - Reslience, Rhonda S. Binda

Open Educational Resources

The trifecta of globalization, urbanization and digitization have created new opportunities and challenges across our nation, cities, boroughs and urban centers. Cities are in a unique position at the center of commerce and technology becoming hubs for innovation and practical application of emerging technology. In this rapidly changing 24/7 digitized world, city governments worldwide are leveraging innovation and technology to become more effective, efficient, transparent and to be able to better plan for and anticipate the needs of its citizens, businesses and community organizations. This class will provide the framework for how cities and communities can become smarter and more …

A Comparison Between The Wolves Of Brandenburg, Germany And Minnesota, Usa: History, Technology, And Culture, Jacob W. Depper

Honors College Theses

The conservation of the wolf as a species depends on a good understanding of its history. The wolves of Minnesota, USA were almost completely extirpated from the state by the mid 20^th century. In Brandenburg, Germany wolves were completely extirpated from the state by the end of the 19^th century. This paper looks at the history of these two wolf populations during two different time periods; between 1965 and 2000 in Minnesota and between 1990 and 2020 in Brandenburg. Through a comparative approach this paper also looks at the almost complete eradication of the wolves in the respective …

Next Generation Aryl Hydantoins As Antischistosomal Agents, Derek A. Leas

Theses & Dissertations

Schistosomiasis, also known as “snail fever,” is both an acute and chronic disease spread by trematode flukes from the tropical parasitic worm genus Schistosoma. The flukes are spread via diseased freshwater snails, which release the parasites into the water column where they find a new human host. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99 million people were treated for schistosomiasis in 2017. The primary treatment used to combat schistosomiasis is the drug praziquantel (PZQ), but due to high drug pressure and widespread administration, its effectiveness has eroded because of rising drug resistance. Furthermore, PZQ is active against adult but …

Urinary Bile Acid Indices As Diagnostic And Prognosic Biomarkers For Liver Diseases, Jawaher Alamoudi

Theses & Dissertations

Hepatobiliary diseases result in the accumulation of toxic bile acids (BA) in the liver, blood, and other tissues which may contribute to an unfavorable prognosis. We compared the urinary BA profile between 300 patients with hepatobiliary diseases vs. 103 healthy controls. Also, we investigated the use of the urinary BA profile to develop survival models to predict the prognosis of hepatobiliary diseases. The urinary BA profile, a set of non-BA parameters, and the adverse events of liver transplant and/or death were monitored in patients with cholestatic liver diseases for up to 7 years. The BA profile was characterized by calculating …

Therapeutic Trem2 Activation Ameliorates Amyloid-Beta Deposition And Improves Cognition In The 5xfad Model Of Amyloid Deposition, Brittani R. Price, Tiffany L. Sudduth, Erica M. Weekman, Sherika Johnson, Danielle Hawthorne, Abigail E. Woolums, Donna M. Wilcock

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-2 (TREM2) is a lipid and lipoprotein binding receptor expressed by cells of myeloid origin. Homozygous TREM2 mutations cause early onset progressive presenile dementia while heterozygous, point mutations triple the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although human genetic findings support the notion that loss of TREM2 function exacerbates neurodegeneration, it is not clear whether activation of TREM2 in a disease state would result in therapeutic benefits. To determine the viability of TREM2 activation as a therapeutic strategy, we sought to characterize an agonistic Trem2 antibody (AL002a) and test its efficacy and mechanism of action …

Ligand-Installed Polymeric Nanocarriers For Combination Chemotherapy, Xinyuan Xi

Theses & Dissertations

Combination chemotherapy remains the mainstay of cancer treatment because such strategy targets different cell signaling pathways to decrease the likelihood of developing protective mechanisms by cancer cells, thereby delaying the onset of recurrence and prolonging the survival. The co-delivery of binary drug combination via a single nanocarrier provides benefits in reducing dose-limiting toxicities, improving the pharmacokinetic properties of the cargo, spatial-temporal synchronization of drug exposure, and synergistic therapeutic effects. Rational design of such regimen is crucial for maximizing the therapeutic effects since only certain drug ratios exposed to the target might be synergistic while other ratios exert additive or even …

Development Of Cxcr4-Inhibiting Rna Delivery Vectors For The Treatment Of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer, Yu Hang

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a growing medical problem associated with extensive metastasis and high mortality. Late diagnosis and complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) with severe hypoxia, desmoplasia, and hypovascular nature contributes to poor effectiveness of conventional chemotherapies. RNA interference (RNAi) holds great potential in the treatment of multiple genetic and acquired diseases, including PDAC. CXCR4/CXCL12 chemokine axis plays a pivotal role in PDAC TME remodeling to promote tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. This project developed polymeric AMD3100 (PAMD) derivatives as dual-function vectors capable of simultaneously delivering small RNAs and blocking CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling.

Administration route plays pivotal role …

Exercise And Nrf2 In Chronic Heart Failure, Ahmed Wafi

Theses & Dissertations

Increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases such as chronic heart failure (CHF) and hypertension. Oxidative stress in key brain regions that are involved in maintenance and regulation of sympathetic vasomotor tone has been implicated in mediating this sympathoexcitation. One particular mechanism of oxidative stress-mediated increases in SNS is a reduction of antioxidant enzymes in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) neurons. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator of cellular redox homeostasis that impacts the expression of antioxidant gene expression. Recent studies have demonstrated that …

Cooperativity Of Ccne1 And Foxm1 In High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer, Lucy Elge

Theses & Dissertations

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) ranks as the fifth leading cause of female cancer related deaths. A greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HGSC will elucidate better detection methods and identify potential treatment targets.

Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1) is a key player in HGSC, as data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that its activation is the second most frequent molecular alteration in HGSC. Similarly, cyclin E1 (CCNE1) is also important in HGSC, as the gene is amplified in 20% of HGSC cases. Both genes and proteins have been studied extensively, but the potential interaction between the two …

Multicourse Comparative Study Of The Core Aspects For Flipped Learning: Investigating In-Class Structure And Student Use Of Video Resources, Nicole Naibert, Emryse Geye, Michael M. Phillips, Jack Barbera

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since 2013, the number of publications on flipped learning within chemistry have steadily increased. However, most of these studies focus on flipped course reforms within individual institutions, while the outcomes of any learning environment are dependent on how the environment is structured and the degree to which students interact with its elements. In this study, we apply a coordinated set of assessment practices to investigate similarities among flipped chemistry courses at five institutions in the United States. All courses in the study followed the two basic tenets of flipped learning: (1) foundational information was delivered through preclass materials (PCMs), and …

Is It Safe To Perform Lung Surgery During The Coronavirus Pandemic?, Max Jackson, Thomas Genuit

All Publications

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients are rapidly growing in our community. Patients with compromised lungs and older age are supposedly at high risk of poor outcomes with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 impact on lung surgery during this pandemic at our hospital.

Methodology: This is a retrospective study of all lung surgery patients at our hospital in Boca Raton over three months (February to April 2020). All patients who remained for at least one-day inpatient post-lung surgery were assessed to see if they had an increased incidence of coronavirus infection during the hospital stay or at the follow-up …

Modulation Of Lymphocyte Potassium Channel Kv13 By Membrane-Penetrating, Joint-Targeting Immunomodulatory Plant Defensin, Seow Theng Ong, Saumya Bajaj, Mark R Tanner, Shih Chieh Chang, Bankala Krishnarjuna, Xuan Rui Ng, Rodrigo A V Morales, Ming Wei Chen, Dahai Luo, Dharmeshkumar Patel, Sabina Yasmin, Jeremy Jun Heng Ng, Zhong Zhuang, Hai M Nguyen, Abbas El Sahili, Julien Lescar, Rahul Patil, Susan A Charman, Edward G Robins, Julian L Goggi, Peng Wen Tan, Pragalath Sadasivam, Boominathan Ramasamy, Siddana V Hartimath, Vikas Dhawan, Janna Bednenko, Paul Colussi, Heike Wulff, Michael W Pennington, Serdar Kuyucak, Raymond S Norton, Christine Beeton, K George Chandy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We describe a cysteine-rich, membrane-penetrating, joint-targeting, and remarkably stable peptide, EgK5, that modulates voltage-gated KV1.3 potassium channels in T lymphocytes by a distinctive mechanism. EgK5 enters plasma membranes and binds to KV1.3, causing current run-down by a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-dependent mechanism. EgK5 exhibits selectivity for KV1.3 over other channels, receptors, transporters, and enzymes. EgK5 suppresses antigen-triggered proliferation of effector memory T cells, a subset enriched among pathogenic autoreactive T cells in autoimmune disease. PET-CT imaging with 18F-labeled EgK5 shows accumulation of the peptide in large and small joints of rodents. In keeping with its arthrotropism, EgK5 treats disease in a rat …

Localization Of Gli1+ Expressing Cells In Adult Mouse Molars, Divya Puri

Master's Theses

Identification of the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) population capable of giving rise to odontoblasts secreting dentin during growth (primary dentinogenesis)and repair (reparative dentinogenesis) is critical for the development of improved pulp therapy, regeneration of dentin and ultimately, the bioengineering of functional teeth. Recent lineage tracing studies have led to the identification of several new MSCs and their associated niche referred to as the neurovascular bundle, located at the apical end of the incisor. This newly identified niche contains several populations of MSCs including Gli1⁺(glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1), cells that are activated by Shh secreted by sensory nerves. Furthermore, …

Cerulean Warbler Habitat Selection, Breeding Biology, Survival, And Space Use In The Ozark Region, Jacob Louis Wessels

Student Theses and Dissertations

For many declining migratory birds, gaps in information on their ecology can impede conservation efforts. Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea; hereinafter ceruleans) are one such rapidly declining species and have regional ecological variation, so more comprehensive information may benefit their effective conservation. We studied ceruleans in the Ozark region of Arkansas to increase the scientific knowledge of this species in an understudied region that likely supports a ‘natural population’ of ceruleans. We assessed habitat selection, breeding biology, survival, and space use of ceruleans. Consistent with other regions, ceruleans at our study sites selected areas with large trees across spatial scales. Males …

Understanding Covid-19: From Origin To Potential Therapeutics, Muhammad Moazzam, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Hamza Shahid, Jahanzaib Butt, Irfan Bashir, Muhammad Jamshaid, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Currently, a global pandemic era of public health concerns is going on with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case of COVID-19 was reported from Wuhan’s Huanan seafood market in China late December 2019. Bats, pangolins, and snakes have been nominated as salient carriers of the virus. Thanks to its high pathogenicity, it can cause severe respiratory infections. Fever, dry cough, sore throat, pneumonia, septic shock, and ground-glass opacities are the foremost clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Immunocompromised patients are at high risk for COVID-19 infection and may lead to …

Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Potential Indicator Of A Negative Affective State In Forelimb-Amputated Rats, Carey Daniel Womack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Most amputees experience phantom limb pain (PLP) post-amputation, the mechanisms of which are not fully understood. Rat amputees may serve as a practical model for studying PLP, as rats process pain similarly to primates. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of acclimated, formalin-injected rats and acclimated, forelimb-amputated rats were recorded to investigate the potential for measuring USVs as an indicator of a negative affective state. Subcutaneous injections of 10% formalin in the hindpaw elicited increased USV emission, primarily in the 22 kHz-AFR. Unoperated rats and forelimb-amputated rats were monitored for seven weeks following acclimation and surgery. Amputees emitted a greater quantity of 22 …

Auxora Versus Standard Of Care For The Treatment Of Severe Or Critical Covid-19 Pneumonia: Results From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Joseph B. Miller Md, Charles Bruen, Michael Schnaus, Jeffrey Zhang, Sadia Ali, April Lind, Zachary Stoecker, Kenneth Stauderman, Sudarshan Hebbar

Emergency Medicine Articles

BACKGROUND: Calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channel inhibitors stabilize the pulmonary endothelium and block proinflammatory cytokine release, potentially mitigating respiratory complications observed in patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of Auxora, a novel, intravenously administered CRAC channel inhibitor, in adults with severe or critical COVID-19 pneumonia.

METHODS: A randomized, controlled, open-label study of Auxora was conducted in adults with severe or critical COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive three doses of once-daily Auxora versus standard of care (SOC) alone. The primary objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of Auxora. Following FDA …

Safety, Tolerability, And Immunogenicity Of Plasmodium Falciparum Sporozoite Vaccine Administered By Direct Venous Inoculation To Infants And Young Children: Findings From An Age De-Escalation, Dose-Escalation, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Study In Western Kenya, Laura C Steinhardt, Ginnie Abarbanell, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The whole Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite (PfSPZ) vaccine is being evaluated for malaria prevention. The vaccine is administered intravenously for maximal efficacy. Direct venous inoculation (DVI) with PfSPZ vaccine has been safe, tolerable, and feasible in adults, but safety data for children and infants are limited.

METHODS: We conducted an age de-escalation, dose-escalation randomized controlled trial in Siaya County, western Kenya. Children and infants (aged 5-9 years, 13-59 months, and 5-12 months) were enrolled into 13 age-dose cohorts of 12 participants and randomized 2:1 to vaccine or normal saline placebo in escalating doses: 1.35 × 105, 2.7 × 105, 4.5 …

Diarrhea As A Potential Cause And Consequence Of Reduced Gut Microbial Diversity Among Undernourished Children In Peru, Saba Rouhani, Nicholas W Griffin, Pablo Peñataro Yori, Jeanette L Gehrig, Maribel Paredes Olortegui, Mery Siguas Salas, Dixner Rengifo Trigoso, Lawrence H Moulton, Eric R Houpt, Michael J Barratt, Margaret N Kosek, Jeffrey I Gordon

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Detrimental effects of diarrhea on child growth and survival are well documented, but details of the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent evidence demonstrates that perturbations to normal development of the gut microbiota in early life may contribute to growth faltering and susceptibility to related childhood diseases. We assessed associations between diarrhea, gut microbiota configuration, and childhood growth in the Peruvian Amazon.

METHODS: Growth, diarrhea incidence, illness, pathogen infection, and antibiotic exposure were assessed monthly in a birth cohort of 271 children aged 0-24 months. Gut bacterial diversity and abundances of specific bacterial taxa were quantified by sequencing 16S …

Comparison Of Repeated Doses Of Ivermectin Versus Ivermectin Plus Albendazole For The Treatment Of Onchocerciasis: A Randomized, Open-Label, Clinical Trial, Linda Batsa Debrah, Kerstin Fischer, Gary Weil, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Improved treatment for onchocerciasis is needed to accelerate onchocerciasis elimination in Africa. Aiming to better exploit registered drugs, this study was undertaken to determine whether annual or semiannual treatment with ivermectin (IVM; 200 µg/kg) plus albendazole (ALB; 800 mg single dose) is superior to IVM alone.

METHODS: This trial was performed in Ghana and included 272 participants with microfilariae (MF), who were randomly assigned to 4 treatment arms: (1) IVM annually at 0, 12, and 24 months; (2) IVM semiannually at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months; (3) IVM+ALB annually; or (4) IVM+ALB semiannually. Microfiladermia was determined pretreatment …

Aligned Fingolimod-Releasing Electrospun Fibers Increase Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurite Extension And Decrease Schwann Cell Expression Of Promyelinating Factors, Devan L. Puhl, Jessica L. Funnell, Anthony R. D'Amato, Jonathan Bao, Dmitri V. Zagorevski, Yelena Pressman, Daniel Morone, Agnes E. Haggerty, Martin Oudega, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Researchers are investigating the use of biomaterials with aligned guidance cues, like those provided by aligned electro spun fibers, to facilitate axonal growth across critical-length peripheral nerve defects. To enhance the regenerative outcomes further, these aligned fibers can be designed to provide local, sustained release of therapeutics. The drug fingolimod improved peripheral nerve regeneration in preclinical rodent models by stimulating a pro-regenerative Schwann cell phenotype and axonal growth. However, the systemic delivery of fingolimod for nerve repair can lead to adverse effects, so it is necessary to develop a means of providing sustained delivery of fingolimod local to the injury. …

Development Of Cholesterol Modified Rnai Polyplexes For Breast Cancer Therapy, Zhen Ye

Theses & Dissertations

Not available.

Multiquantal Glutamate Release From Rod Photoreceptors, Cassandra L. Hays

Theses & Dissertations

Neurons communicate via Ca²⁺-dependent release of neurotransmitters packaged into vesicles (quanta). Some CNS neurons, especially sensory synapses, can release multiple vesicles at a time, increasing information transmission and overcoming the unreliability of a stochastic process. Ribbon-bearing neurons, including retinal photoreceptors, face the challenge of encoding sensory receptor potentials into an ever-changing train of vesicle release events. We studied release of glutamate using voltage clamp to measure anion currents activated during glutamate reuptake into presynaptic terminals (I_A(glu)) of salamander and mouse rods, finding that each employ distinct mechanisms for multiquantal release. In amphibian rods, we found that …

Reducing Adverse Outcomes In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Hepatectomies, Yongyue Qi

Theses & Dissertations

The incidence and mortality of liver cancers are increasing in the United States. In addition to the classic risk factors of hepatic viral infection and high alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), has emerged as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The most effective curative treatment for HCC is liver resection (hepatectomy), however, hepatectomy is a major operation with potential risks of mortality, hospital readmission and other adverse outcomes such as postoperative complications and longer hospital stay. The reported 90-day mortality and 30-day readmission rates following a hepatectomy vary widely across studies, most of which have limitations due …