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Hydrogen Peroxide And Antioxidant Enzymes Moderate Interaction Of The Carbon And Oxygen Cycles At The Redoxcline, Fan Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen peroxide is a reduced form of dioxygen produced in natural waters from a manifold of abiotic and biological processes. Hydrogen peroxide is highly redox active and it often serves to initiate the formation of reactive oxygen species in the environment. It typically exists in natural waters at concentrations ranging from as low as ~ 1 nanomolar in “blue water” marine environments to as high as 10 micromolar near actively effluxing sediments. It has the potential to cause significant toxicity in aquatic organisms, which have evolved a collection of antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Work in this …

17 Β-Estradiol And Phytoestrogens Attenuate Apoptotic Cell Death In Hiv-1 Tat Exposed Primary Cortical Cultures, Sheila Marie Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), neurological disorders develop in most people infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The poor CNS delivery of anti-retrovirals allows continued virus production and renders neurons susceptible to the toxic effects of released viral proteins. The neurotoxic potential of HIV-1 viral protein Tat has been shown to include excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to subsequent cell death. Thus, Tat is thought to have a key role in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurodegeneration. Estrogens are universally considered to be neuroprotective, as such; estrogens have positive implications in the treatment …

The Deconstruction Of Patriarchal War Narratives In Svetlana Alexievich’S The Unwomanly Face Of War, Liubov Kartashova

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how the Soviet construction of womanhood resulted first in females’ active participation in World War II and then in the silencing of women’s war experiences by fabricating a reality in which women’s trauma did not exist. Such a deprivation of women’s agency led to female soldiers’ confusion of identity, experience of shame and consequential self-censorship. In The Unwomanly Face of War (У войны не женское лицо, 1985), Svetlana Alexievich acknowledges these neglected experiences and traumas, and creates a space in which women’s stories have a right to exist. Applying Jean Elshtain’s theory on the lack of attention …

Does Marriage, Employment And Having Children Matter? A Secondary Analysis On Physical Activity Levels, Leisure Time Physical Activity, And Social Roles Among Women In The United States, Tramaine Paul Mcmullen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Social roles, such as being married, employed, or having children, have been shown to have independent negative relationships with moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels among women. Increasing the number of women with children that meets physical activity guidelines is critical to reduce chronic disease and early mortality in this population. However, few studies have examined the relationship between holding multiple social roles, MVPA, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among women with children. The study had two aims: 1) to determine the relationship between objectively measured MVPA by social roles and 2) to examine the frequency of specific …

The Role Of Chromatin Remodeling Protein And Transcriptional Repressor, Ing4, In Hematopoiesis Regulation, Melanie Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The hematopoietic compartment is tasked with the establishment and maintenance of the entire blood program. Key to this process are hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which possess the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate to replenish blood cells throughout an organism’s lifetime. In a screen for epigenetic regulators of hematopoiesis in zebrafish, we identified chromatin remodeling protein and transcription repressor, Ing4, as a requirement for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) specification. Ing4, a member of the inhibitor of growth (ING) family, is a subunit of the HB01-JADE-hEAF6 histone acetyltransferase complex responsible for most nucleosomal histone H4 acetylation in eukaryotes. Ing4 …

Adhd Symptoms And Alcohol Expectancies: The Moderating Roles Of Parenting And School Climate, Melanie Morse

Theses and Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood behavioral disorder that often extends into adulthood and is associated with negative health outcomes, including alcohol use. Alcohol expectancies are a widely studied predictor of alcohol use, and have been shown to predict alcohol use among individuals with ADHD. Positive alcohol expectancies appear to be particularly related to alcohol use as well as ADHD. However, a number of broad social factors including parent, peer, and school/environmental influence likely impact the relation between ADHD and alcohol expectancies. The current study examined positive parenting, parental monitoring, parental involvement, and school climate as moderators of the …

Temporal Differences In The Emission And Atmospheric Dispersion Of Particulate Matter From Waste And Drinking Water Treatment Facilities, Abdulmalik Alsaif

Theses and Dissertations

Many countries encounter a growing shortage of water, and the reuse of treated or untreated wastewater is their main source. Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are mainly designed to remove organic nutrients, large solids, and chemical substances. There are some possible issues regarding WWTPs that are close to residential areas around the world. One of the environmental effects from WWTP that might cause air pollution would be the emission of toxic chemical gases and microorganisms via aerosols that transport bacteria as well as viruses and fungal spores which can be harmful to human health. Therefore, particulate matters (PM) and metrological parameters …

Enhancing Single And Two-Phase Heat Transfer Of Microgap Heat Sinks Using Nano-Structure Coatings, Yueyang Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the shrinking size and increasing power of electronics, the heat flux generated by electronic devices has greatly increased and imposed challenges to thermal management technologies. Numerous cooling technologies have been developed to cool high-power electronics. Among them, flow boiling in microchannels or a microgap has been one of the most efficient ways to remove high heat flux, which requires less coolant compared with single-phase cooling techniques. However, the flow boiling instability is the one of the most challenging issues, which lead to the premature critical heat flux (CHF) conditions and deteriorate heat transfer rate. The capillary force generated …

Social And Emotional Learning: An Analysis Of The Understandings And Needs For Teacher Professional Development In A Rural South Carolina High School, Tyler Crede Hook

Theses and Dissertations

This paper outlines a mixed methods action research study designed to evaluate current teacher competencies and practices at Central Midlands High School (pseudonym) to convey social and emotional learning (SEL) concepts, determine the social and emotional skills which students believe are most critical for their long-term success, and access the resources and professional development needs of teachers in order to better incorporate social and emotional learning elements into their curriculum. The study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from both teacher and student surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The focus of this study is to evaluate current teacher practices …

Dialogue Sessions On Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Topics: A Phenomenological Action Research Study In An Independent School Setting, Erica Forniss Wiltshire

Theses and Dissertations

Administrators and teachers play an integral role in creating educational spaces where all students can feel safe, welcome, and appreciated. Inspired by the unique responsibility of educators and guided by the work of noted proponents of cultural competence, this exploration is approached through a triplicate lens including phenomenological philosophy, critical race theory, and social reconstructionism. This critical social reconstructionist-hermeneutic phenomenological action research study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of early elementary, independent school teachers’ views on cultural competence before and after three targeted dialogue sessions.

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Benthic Microalgae In South Carolina Shelf Sediments, Sarah N. Zaunbrecher

Theses and Dissertations

Benthic microalgae (BMA) play essential roles in food webs and regulating nutrient exchange at the sediment-water interface in continental shelf ecosystems. However, shelf BMA are not widely studied due to the difficulties sampling the upper few millimeters of shelf sediments. A few published studies have highlighted the high spatiotemporal distribution of BMA, but detailed explanations for this known variability are limited. The objectives of this study were to quantify BMA biomass variability on scales of cm to km and relate these measurements to in situ nutrient concentrations, sediment grain size, in situ irradiance, depth, and other environmental factors. Water and …

The Association Of Exercise Training Modalities With Circulating Branched Chain Amino Acid And Ketone Body Levels In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Ryan Andrew Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Elevated levels of circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and ketone bodies are recognized as biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other pathological conditions in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Aerobic exercise interventions have been shown to decrease the levels of these markers, suggesting improved metabolic status and reduced risk of CVD. However, the efficacy of resistance training and concurrent programs in reducing BCAA and ketone body levels has not been well researched.

Methods: The current study was performed as a secondary analysis of the HART-D trial, a 9-month randomized, controlled exercise-training trial of 262 participants with T2DM. Participants were randomized …

Teacher Beliefs In Sex-Specific Neuromyths And Gender-Specific Instructional Strategies: Prevalence, Predictors, And Implications, Marriah Schwallier

Theses and Dissertations

Neuromyths are misconceptions or overgeneralizations about brain research and its relevance to education. A number of recent studies have demonstrated that teachers endorse neuromyths at high rates, but none have examined neuromyths related to sex-specific learning differences. This study is the first to create and utilize a neuromyth inventory designed to measure misconceptions about sex learning differences. The overarching goal of the study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of both sex-specific neuromyths and gender-specific instructional strategies. The study was conducted in three large South Carolina school districts that offered single-gender classes at some point between 2007–2016. An electronic …

Understanding The Role Of Political Commitment And Coherence Across Sectors And Across National And Sub-National Levels In Enabling Improvements In Nutrition In Rwanda, Elyse Iruhiriye

Theses and Dissertations

Reducing undernutrition is on the political agendas of many low- and middle-income countries. There is general consensus that to improve nutritional outcomes involves actions across the different sectors that influence both the immediate and underlying determinants of optimal nutrition and an enabling environment to support the political and policy processes. Despite renewed attention over the last 15 years, addressing nutrition in a multisectoral way was previously promoted in the 1970’s but failed to have sustained political commitment due to its organizational complexities to plan and implement strategies across sectors.

We conducted an in-depth retrospective case study to understand how Rwanda, …

Expansion Microscopy: A New Approach To Microscopic Evaluation, Ashley Ferri

Theses and Dissertations

Optical microscopy resolution is limited by the wavelengths of light and the series of microscope lenses and other optical components used to create a magnified image of cell structures in a sample. Often the cell structures are smaller or closer together than the resolution limits of a light microscope. In 2015 the Boyden group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created a sample preparation technique, expansion microscopy which involves embedding biological samples in a crosslinked, swellable, hydrogel polymer that allows for uniform physical separation of cell components so that they can subsequently be resolved by light microscopy. Using the …

The Impact Of Race/Ethnicity On Sentencing: A Matching Approach, Travis Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to study the direct impact of race/ethnicity on sentencing of federal drug offenders. In order to accomplish this goal, an exact matching approach is utilized to generate strata containing white, black and Hispanic offenders who are matched based on relevant legal and extra-legal factors derived from focal concerns theory. The total sentences (i.e. fines, probation, incarceration, etc.) of matched offenders are then compared pairwise to determine which offender received the more severe sentence. The findings overall do not suggest that black and Hispanic offenders receive more severe sentences to comparable white offenders; however, drug …

Aesthetic Activisms: Language Politics And Inheritances In Recent Poetry From The U.S. South, Sunshine Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation, Aesthetic Activisms: Language Politics and Inheritances in Recent Poetry from the U.S. South, is to illustrate how four contemporary poets incorporate and adapt literary forms and linguistic structures to emphasize the exclusionary systems of language that undergird accepted southern cultural practices. Aesthetic Activismslooks at four poets, Natasha Trethewey, Fred Moten, Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, and C.D. Wright, who challenge concepts of regional literary inheritances that refuses to recognize a broad plurality of voices and histories.

Aesthetic Activisms focuses on poets whose work re-orients, or centralizes, marginalized experience through form and content, resisting essentialist …

21st Century Physics Homework: A Mixed-Methods Approach Evaluating How An Individualized Online Homework Platform Can Provide Quality Feedback And Help Physics Students Engage In Self-Regulated Learning, Scott Philip Buhr

Theses and Dissertations

American secondary students spend many hours each week working on homework. To get the most out of this homework, students need to receive quality feedback and engage in self-regulated learning when completing homework tasks. For teachers, traditional paper-and-pencil homework means extra time spent grading rather than giving good feedback. This study aims to answer the following questions: 1) How and to what extent does the implementation of individualized online homework and feedback impact self-regulated learning among Honors Physics high school students? and 2) How does the implementation of individualized online homework impact students’ perception of the feedback quality provided by …

Characterization And Analysis Of The Avian Epidermal Differentiation Complex And Implications In Feather Evolution, Anthony Chastine Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Since the most recent major mass-extinction event ~65 million years ago, birds have expanded to now occupy a wide range of habitats and exhibit diverse lifestyles. A major reason for this evolutionary success is the mechanical resilience and diversity of their epidermal appendages such as feathers, scales, and beaks. The diversity of these appendages, specifically feathers has played a critical role in their evolutionary success. The feathers of birds vary substantially across different species, as well as at different life stages and anatomical locations on an individual bird. Several of the genetic elements involved in the development and structure of …

The Struggle Is Real: Exploring Epistemological Change Through The Use Of The Next Generation Science Standards In A High School Chemistry Classroom, Nancy Nasr

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study examines my resistance to implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in my high school chemistry classroom, which is not uncommon among teachers. This resistance highlighted my conflicting epistemological beliefs, which, as a product of my own experiences as a student, among other factors, are deep-rooted and difficult to change. The dilemma for many science teachers, like me, is that the NGSS approaches the teaching of science in a constructivist manner, which attempts to move science instruction away from traditional pedagogies. Science teachers whose epistemological beliefs are rooted in traditional pedagogies may understand the inherent …

Antisaccade Performance As A Measure Of Executive Dysfunction In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation, Lyndsay Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

Women with the FMR1 premutation appear to be at increased risk for executive dysfunction. Findings in this regard have been mixed, leading to controversy surrounding the executive phenotype. Inhibitory deficits have been a more consistently documented component of this cognitive profile (Klusek et al., 2020; Shelton et al., 2014). This study aimed to clarify the executive phenotype through use of the antisaccade task, a well referenced eye-tracking paradigm that targets oculomotor inhibition and motor control and imposes time constraints that may increase sensitivity to executive deficits in women with the FMR1 premutation. The effects of aging were examined in both …

Protein Co-Assembly And Its Application In Enzyme Engineering, Libo Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Enzymes, as highly efficient biocatalysts, have been researched extensively in both academia and industry because of their distinct advantages including high substrate specificity, high regio- and stereoselectivity, environmentally benign process, etc. Though enzyme catalysis has been scaled up for commercial processes in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage and detergent industries, technical barriers associated with enzyme implementation persist, i.e., low catalytic efficiency at non-natural environment, exhausting product separations, high cost of certain enzymes, etc. Moreover, currently most industrial enzymes are used in single-step reactions; however, multistep and multienzyme catalysis with optimal efficiency could greatly expand its potential for synthetic applications to …

Fundamental Understanding Of Plasma Discharge Formation In Liquid And Multiphase Configurations Through Multiphysics Modeling, Ali Charchi Aghdam

Theses and Dissertations

During the last two decades, non-thermal plasma discharges in and in contact with liquids have received significant attention due to their wide range of applications including chemical analysis, medical, water treatment, fuel processing, etc. Despite the tremendous interest and advances attained in the experimental studies, modeling efforts providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physicochemical processes are limited. There is still no unified theory on plasma formation in dense medium and various theories have been proposed such as the presence of bubbles and tunneling which are topics of debate. In the first part of this study, a mathematical model is …

Evaluation Of Temporal Damage Progression In Concrete Structures Affected By Asr Using Data-Driven Methods, Vafa Soltangharaei

Theses and Dissertations

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a chemical reaction, which causes damage in concrete structures such as bridges, dams, and nuclear containments and powerplant structures. The ASR-induced damage may endanger the integrity and serviceability of structures. Several methods such as visual inspection, petrographic analysis, demountable mechanical strain gauges, and cracking index have been utilized for study the effect of ASR on structures, which are not always efficient in early damage detection and some are destructive and prohibited in nuclear structures. Nondestructive methods and structural health monitoring techniques can be alternatives for the condition assessment of structures. Among the nondestructive methods, acoustic emission …

Identification Of Users Via Ssh Timing Attack, Thomas J. Flucke

Master's Theses

Secure Shell, a tool to securely access and run programs on a remote machine, is an important tool for both system administrators and developers alike. The technology landscape is becoming increasingly distributed and reliant on tools such as Secure Shell to protect information as a user works on a system remotely. While Secure Shell accounts for the abuses the security of older tools such as telnet overlook, it still has fundamental vulnerabilities which leak information about both the user and their activities through timing attacks. The OpenSSH client, the implementation included in all Linux, Mac, and Windows computers, sends each …

Soft-Skill Development In Co-Curricular Programs: An Evaluation Of A Community College Student Leadership Program, Michael James Fischer

All Theses And Dissertations

Colleges are vital for the provision of a trained workforce. As of 2017, over 1,100 community colleges were serving about 41% of the undergraduates across the nation. The emphasis on preparing students to enter the labor market has led to colleges developing integrated academic and co-curricular programs. Many professionals in higher education believe that education happens best in a truly integrative learning environment, where both academic and student affairs programs are used to educate the student.

The New Hampshire Community College Student Leadership program was developed to help students gain soft-skills, as identified by the National Association of Colleges and …

How Can Citizen Science Be Used Effectively Within Environmental Education In Order To Foster Environmental Change?, Michelle Sagers

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Citizen Science, the crowdsourcing of scientific data collection, is becoming a valuable education tool for environmental educators and classroom teachers. Citizen Science has the capacity to teach students STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Math) and inquiry-based learning skills in a real-life setting, close to home, that matters to them personally. It provides participants with the skills to face future environmental problems and become civically engaged on environmental topics. This capstone project focuses on creating an education curriculum utilizing Citizen Science to answer the question: how can Citizen Science be used effectively within environmental education in order to foster environmental change? …

Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge To Support Critical Thinking In Environmental Education, Nicholas Koerbitz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was how can traditional ecological knowledge be implemented in environmental education? Research indicates that traditional ecological knowledge aids student understanding in environmental education, as it provides holistic viewpoints to problem solving. Available Indigenous teachings from cultures across North America explain the connectedness between all living and nonliving things, yet are very underused resources. This curriculum was created using the Understanding by Design framework consisting of four units including ecology, natural resources, climate change, and current environmental challenges. These lessons include a combination of a teacher centered and student centered classroom, along with provided …

Understanding Vermonters’ Perspectives Of The Eastern Coyote Population, Jenna Howard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This paper examines the ways in which Vermonters receive information about the state’s eastern coyote population and how this impacts behaviors and beliefs towards this animal. Coyotes often receive negative attention, not just in New England, but around the country due to their resiliency and ability to live in close proximity to humans. In Vermont, information about the eastern coyote is shared through several different avenues, including internet and print media, legislative bills, word of mouth, and sightings and hunting experiences in Vermont’s backwoods country. Educational resources written for community members and students are needed in order to transfer accurate …

Environmental Education Lessons Connecting Middle School Students To The Natural World, Kari Brant

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has repeatedly indicated that exposure to nature and the outdoors has a range of physical, mental, emotional, social, and educational benefits. The research question that is addressed in the work of this capstone is: Which middle school environmental education lessons aligned with science standards enable students to connect with the natural world? In reviewing causes of lack of exposure to nature, the benefits that being outside can offer, and closely reviewing both Minnesota standards as well as environmental education goals, the aim of this capstone is to incorporate environmental education into middle school. The curriculum includes units of study …