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Why Covid-19 Transmission Is More Efficient And Aggressive Than Viral Transmission In Previous Coronavirus Epidemics?, Fatma Elrashdy, Elrashdy M. Redwan, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The worldwide transmission of COVID-19 from human to human is spreading like wildfire, affecting almost every country in the world. In the past 100 years, the globe did not face a microbial pandemic similar in scale to COVID-19. Taken together, both previous outbreaks of other members of the coronavirus family (severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV)) did not produce even 1% of the global harm already inflicted by COVID-19. There are also four other CoVs capable of infecting humans …

Granulins Modulate Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation And Aggregation Of The Prion-Like C-Terminal Domain Of The Neurodegeneration-Associated Protein Tdp-43, Anukool A. Bhopatkar, Vladimir N. Uversky, Vijayaraghavan Rangachari

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has emerged as a key player in many neurodegenerative pathologies, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Hallmarks of both FTLD and ALS are the toxic cytoplasmic inclusions of the prion-like C-terminal fragments of TDP-43 CTD (TDP-43 C-terminal domain), formed upon proteolytic cleavage of full-length TDP-43 in the nucleus and subsequent transport to the cytoplasm. Both full-length TDP-43 and its CTD are also known to form stress granules by coacervating with RNA in the cytoplasm during stress and may be involved in these pathologies. Furthermore, mutations in the PGRN gene, leading to …

New Technologies To Analyse Protein Function: An Intrinsic Disorder Perspective, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Functions of intrinsically disordered proteins do not require structure. Such structure-independent functionality has melted away the classic rigid “lock and key” representation of structure–function relationships in proteins, opening a new page in protein science, where molten keys operate on melted locks and where conformational flexibility and intrinsic disorder, structural plasticity and extreme malleability, multifunctionality and binding promiscuity represent a new-fangled reality. Analysis and understanding of this new reality require novel tools, and some of the techniques elaborated for the examination of intrinsically disordered protein functions are outlined in this review.

Lung Cancer Cells Survive Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Exposure Through Upregulation Of Cholesterol Synthesis, Mark C. Howell, Ryan Green, Roukiah Khalil, Elspeth Foran, Waise Quarni, Rajesh Nair, Stanley Stevens, Aleksandr Grinchuk, Andrew Hanna, Shyam Mohapatra, Subhra Mohapatra

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) provide clinical benefits over chemotherapy for lung cancer patients with EGFR activating mutations. Despite initial clinical responses, long-term efficacy is not possible because of acquired resistance to these therapies. We have developed EGFR TKI drug-tolerant (DT) human lung cancer cell lines as a model for de novo resistance. Mass spectroscopic analysis revealed that the cytochrome P450 protein, CYP51A1 (Lanosterol 14α-demethylase), which is directly involved with cholesterol synthesis, was significantly upregulated in the DT cells. Total cellular cholesterol, and more specifically, mitochondrial cholesterol, were found to be upregulated in DT cells. We …

The Dual Pi3kδ/Ck1Ε Inhibitor Umbralisib Exhibits Unique Immunomodulatory Effects On Cll T Cells, Kamira Maharaj, John J. Powers, Alex Achille, Melanie Mediavilla-Varela, Wael Gamal, Karen L. Burger, Renee Fonseca, Kun Jiang, Hari P. Miskin, Dave Maryanski, Andrii Monastyrskyi, Derek R. Duckett, William R. Roush, John L. Cleveland, Eva Sahakian, Javier Pinilla-Ibarz

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

The in-clinic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors idelalisib (CAL-101) and duvelisib (IPI-145) have demonstrated high rates of response and progression-free survival in clinical trials of B-cell malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, a high incidence of adverse events has led to frequent discontinuations, limiting the clinical development of these inhibitors. By contrast, the dual PI3Kδ/casein kinase-1-ε (CK1ε) inhibitor umbralisib (TGR-1202) also shows high rates of response in clinical trials but has an improved safety profile with fewer severe adverse events. Toxicities typical of this class of PI3K inhibitors are largely thought to be immune mediated, but they are poorly …

Critical Media Literacy And Cultural Autonomy In A Mediated World, Bill Yousman, Lori Bindig Yousman

Communication, Media & The Arts Faculty Publications

We live in mediated worlds. Every waking hour of our lives finds us close, physically and mentally, to some sort of media content: Television, radio, movies, magazines, billboards, blogs, YouTube videos, websites, and social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, and Pinterest. Media scholars have been researching the ubiquitous role that media play in our lives for decades, but the current media environment is unlike any seen in history, as developments in digital technologies have produced a veritable onslaught of words, images, and sounds that can be accessed anywhere, at any time; all from a device that most of …

The Substantiality Of The Neuroplasticity Hypothesis Of Major Depressive Disorder: The Prospective Use Of Ketamine-Like Drugs As Antidepressants, Roma Kankaria

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately 17.3 million adults in the United States each year. For more than 50 years, the serotonin hypothesis of MDD, which hypothesizes that a deficiency of monoaminergic neurotransmitters results in depression, has been the foundation for neuropsychological research. However, studies reveal that only an estimated 50% of MDD patients respond to traditional, biogenic-amine-based antidepressants (ADs), like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Research has noted that the neuroplasticity hypothesis, which posits that weakened excitatory synaptic transmission results in depression, offers an alternative mechanism by which ketamine-like drugs lacking the abuse liability and psychoactive effects of …

Ecolinguistically Informed Critical Discourse Analysis Of Political Speech On Climate Change Policies In The United States Of America, Othman Khalid Al Shboul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study uses a mixed-methods approach to explore how climate change is conceptualized in the politics of the United States from the perspective of Ecolinguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis. I analyzed all the statements and letters issued by the governors and mayors who opposed the American president, Donald Trump, when he announced that he would withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement that 195 countries around the world signed. The qualitative analysis employs Critical Metaphor Analysis to investigate politicians metaphorical choices made to influence public opinion and influence policies about climate change in the U.S. These types of metaphors …

Multivariate Modeling Of Cognitive Performance And Categorical Perception From Neuroimaging Data, Rakib Al-Fahad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

State-of-the-art cognitive-neuroscience mainly uses hypothesis-driven statistical testing to characterize and model neural disorders and diseases. While such techniques have proven to be powerful in understanding diseases and disorders, they are inadequate in explaining causal relationships as well as individuality and variations. In this study, we proposed multivariate data-driven approaches for predictive modeling of cognitive events and disorders. We developed network descriptions of both structural and functional connectivities that are critical in multivariate modeling of cognitive performance (i.e., fluency, attention, and working memory) and categorical perceptions (i.e., emotion, speech perception). We also performed dynamic network analysis on brain connectivity measures to …

Self-Reactive Influences On Simulation Anxiety In Graduate Occupational Therapy Students, Kendal Lee Booker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This pragmatic multiple case, single site research explored the sources and manifestations of simulation anxiety in Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students at a health sciences institution in the Southeastern United States. The study involved five, second-year MOT students who reported experiencing very much simulation anxiety following their first year within their occupational therapy program. Self-reactive influences of challenge, feedback, and self-efficacy were examined. The challenge levels of simulations, the provision of feedback, and the levels of self-efficacy were perceived as acceptable. Sources of simulation anxiety were identified; internal sources included having high personal expectations and external sources involved experiencing …

A Closer Look At Eighth Grade Special Education Students Performance On High Stakes Testing: Examining The Compounding Effects Of Socioeconomic Status And Mobility Rate On Test Scores, Mary Brewer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Despite the fact that the US spends millions of dollars on testing and instructional resources for students with exceptionalities (SWE) to participate on state tests, performance continues to be significantly below their general education peers. In an effort to determine if any additional factors may play a role in the performance discrepancy, two other factors, socio-economic status (SES) and mobility rate, were analyzed. Data from the Florida State Department of Education was used because of the public availability, the proposed generalizability of such a diverse state, and Florida being one of three states with the largest population of public education …

Vanishing Relaxation Time Dynamics Of The Jordan Moore-Gibson-Thompson (Jmgt) Equation Arising In High Frequency Ultrasound (Hfu), Sutthirut Charoenphon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The (third-order in time) JMGT equation is a nonlinear (quasilinear) Partial Differential Equation (PDE) model introduced to describe the acoustic velocity potential in ultrasound wave propagation. One begins with the parabolic Westervelt equation governing the dynamics of the pressure in nonlinear acoustic waves. In its derivation from constitutive laws, one then replaces the Fourier law with the Maxwell-Cattaneo law, to avoid the paradox of the infinite speed of propagation. This process then gives rise to a new third time derivative term, with a small constant coefficient $\tau$, referred to as relaxation time. As a consequence, the mathematical structure of the …

Counselor Trainee Empathy, Exposure And Attitudes Towards Offenders With Mental Illness, Frances I. Ellmo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

There is a large and growing population of individuals within the United States Criminal Justice system suffering from both diagnosed and undiagnosed mental health issues. The stigma associated with their offender status and mental illness can prevent sufficient quality of mental health services from being provided to this population. Even individuals that work closely with offenders have been shown to exhibit negative perceptions of offenders with mental illness and little research exists in this area related to counselors. Further, the offender population is one that requires specialized training and consideration and it is unclear how much training or exposure counselors …

Paradigms For Creating Activities That Integrate Mathematics And Science Topics, Janet Bowers, Kathy Williams, Antoni Luque, Devon Quick, Mary Beisiegel, Jody Sorensen, Joan Kunz, Diane Smith, Lori Kayes

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Research has shown that undergraduate students benefit from seeing examples of mathematics applied to real-world situations. This article describes three different paradigms for how math and discipline partner faculty worked together to create mathematical activities that illustrate applications of the topics being studied in precalculus and calculus. All three examples are discussed within the framework of PDSA cycles to describe the process by which the teams collaborated to plan, enact, study, and refine their lessons. Findings discuss both the difficulties of creating integrated activities (differences in terms and definitions between math and science faculty, different foregrounding of math versus science …

Curricular Change In Institutional Context: A Profile Of The Summit-P Institutions, Mary D.R. Beisiegel, Suzanne I. Dorée

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

There is a national call to improve the mathematics curricula in the first two undergraduate years to improve student success and engagement. But curricular change happens in an institutional context: Who are the students, and what do they need to succeed? What is the climate for change? Does the department regularly revise its courses and curriculum? Is it common for different departments to collaborate on curricular change? What supports or obstacles does the department, college, or university have for changing the curriculum? Who are the institutional stakeholders, and what practices build their buy-in? In the SUMMIT-P project, nine different institutions …

A Comparison Of Conducting Effectiveness, Instrumentalists Performances, And The Underlying Biomechanics Of A Conductor While Performing Exaggerated And Understated Variations Of Staccato And Legato Gestures, Jonathan Herbert Schallert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purposes of this study were to compare the biomechanical characteristics, musicians performances, and ratings of perceived conducting effectiveness of exaggerated and understated staccato and legato conducting gestures using motion capture data, clarinet and saxophone audio recordings, and a researcher created conducting effectiveness scale. Participants included one professional conductor, clarinet and saxophone players (n = 11), and university level large ensemble instrumentalists (n = 41) and vocalists (n = 34) from one large urban university in the Mid-South region of the United States. Results revealed that staccato gestures had higher vertical ranges of motion than horizontal, while legato gestures had …

Epigenetic Regulation Of Rel Expression By Map3k4, Cbp, And Hdac6 During Phenotypic Switching, Noha Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Shendy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Phenotypic switching occurs during normal development, and these processes are reactivated in several disease states. We have previously demonstrated the critical role of the MAP3K4 regulated chromatin modifiers CBP and HDAC6 in controlling this switching in trophoblast stem (TS) cells. We hypothesized that genes co-regulated by CBP and HDAC6 represent critical regulators of phenotypic switching. Bioinformatic analyses identify 183 co-regulated genes of which 12% are DNA binding proteins. The highest-ranking gene is the NF-B family member Rel. Both CBP and HDAC6 bind the regulatory regions of Rel, controlling histone H2BK5 and H3K27 acetylation on both promoter and predicted enhancer regions. …

Computational Investigation Of Plasmonic Properties Of Metal Nanoparticle Assemblies, James Wade Barr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Nobel metal nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit an optical-plasmonic response when perturbed by incident radiation. Gold (Au) is particularly useful as it has a strong surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) response and is chemically stable and suitable for biological applications. Often, magnetic properties are also desired, and iron-oxide NPs are utilized for the sake of magnetic separation or delivery and these types of materials are often used with inert plasmonic shells to obtain the desired optical and magnetic features. This provides much more flexibility when designing a detection scheme. Functionalizing these NPs with Raman reporter molecules allows for use in imaging and …

Transnational Family Language Policy And Religious Identity: An Autoethnographic Study, Muhammad Ahmad Alasmari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

A growing trend in the field of family language policy (FLP) is to examine the interplay between language ideologies and practices and to explore the complex links between linguistic and non-linguistic forces in shaping language ideologies and meaning-making processes in multilingual families (Curdt-Christiansen, 2016; King & Lanza, 2017). The current study extends this discussion on the interplay between family external and internal factors, the processes parents experience, and their connection to dynamicity in the FLP to show how family members draw on their linguistic resources and experiences with multilingualism to define themselves within the family and wider community (King & …

How Do Market And Organizational Factors Affect Quality Of Care: Mammography Follow-Up Rate, Jessica Marie Escareno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

A mammogram follow-up rate investigates the rate of initial mammograms that require a follow-up visit to confirm breast cancer. The ideal mammogram follow-up rate for an organization is 10%. Rates below mean organizations are underperforming the scan and missing possible cancer cases; above means that hospitals are overdoing mammograms. Previous research examined the problem in a micro-level approach focusing on patient and provider level factors. Open systems theory views the problem from a macro-level approach showing the components and how they interact with each other and their environments. The objectives of this study include reviewing how open systems theory can …

Presence And Function Of Intermediate Filament Protein Synemin In Proliferative Tissues, Sheila Criswell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Synemin intermediate filament (IF) protein is unlike other members of the IF protein family due to its size, structure, and pattern of expression. Synemin polymerizes with Type III IF proteins and is found in a wide variety of tissues, most of which are mesenchymal in origin. However, the presence of synemin in tumors of mesenchymal origin is unknown. Because IF proteins are widely used to identify tumor types as well as to predict the clinical outcomes of tumors, we have evaluated by immunoperoxidase the presence of synemin in fifty-three tumors of mesenchymal origin (sarcomas). The majority (62%) of the sarcomas …

Impact Of The Geier Consent Decree: Medical School Admissions For African American Students, Dustin Fulton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The United States has a storied history in terms of race, equality, and acceptance of minority populations. Racial constructs have caused division in America since its inception and there has been a long journey in terms of equal opportunity in education for minority populations. From the establishment of higher education in America until current time, race has had a great impact on access for African Americans. Even beyond undergraduate education, there are potential obstacles for African American student success. Obstacles related to the matriculation and success of African American students extends to graduate education such as medical school. As a …

The Spatial Ecology And Genetics Of Copperhead Snakes (Agkistrodon Contortrix) In An Urban Forest, Malle F. Carrasco-Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

As global population increases and metropolitan areas grow, natural habitats are progressively fragmented, isolated, and modified. Species residing in urban areas face novel challenges compared to conspecifics in undisturbed habitats. Animals in and around urban areas often modify behavior and space use to reduce anthropogenic disturbance. Further, populations may be isolated from other suitable habitats, potentially reducing opportunities to mate with non-related individuals. Although the consequences of urbanization have been extensively studied in birds and mammals, less is known about limited mobility animals, such as reptiles. Reptiles, specifically snakes are particularly vulnerable in urban areas because of their decreasing populations, …

Acoustic Interactions: Pitch Coordination During Parent-Infant Interaction, Valerie Frances Mcdaniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation investigates the development of pitch coordination between infants and mothers during the first year. The study contributes a longitudinal aspect to the small literature on this topic and introduces a new approach to understanding parent-infant interaction through the use of fine-grained acoustic analysis. Focusing exclusively on mutually-coordinated segments of interaction, acoustic measures examined pitch matching and other harmonic relationships between temporally contiguous utterances of the primary caregiver and infant. Fundamental frequency (fo) measurements were taken at turn exchanges, both at response boundaries and within overlapping vocalizations. Data was collected from 12 mother-infant dyads across two ages 3 months …

Saudi Efl Learners Knowledge And Use Of English Prepositional Verbs In Academic Writing, Hatim Abdulhadi Masoudi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Prepositional verbs are essential for English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) learners in academic writing. However, most learners, regardless of their proficiency, encounter difficulties using these verbs, and there is a lack of research on these difficulties. This study sought to describe, analyze, and understand Saudi EFL learners knowledge and use of English prepositional verbs in academic writing. The study also assesses the relevant teaching contexts and reasons behind common errors.The study utilized a mixed-methods approach with data collected from a cloze test, multiple-choice test, and semi-structured interview. The two tests were administered …

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Hierarchical Speech-In-Noise Processing, Caitlin Elise Nelms Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

One of the most commonly reported complaints related to hearing is difficulty understanding speech-in-noise (SIN). Numerous individuals struggle to effectively communicate in adverse listening conditions, even those with normal hearing. These difficulties are exacerbated due to age and hearing-related deficits such as hearing loss and auditory processing disorders. Despite the high prevalence of SIN deficits in individuals across the lifespan, the neural mechanisms underlying successful speech comprehension in noise are not well understood. Communication in noise is an incredibly complex process that requires efficient processing throughout the entire auditory pathway as well as contributions from higher-order cognitive processes including working …

Algorithmic Methods For Large-Scale Genomic And Metagenomic Data Analysis, Quang Tran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

DNA sequencing technologies have advanced into the realm of big data due to frequent and rapid developments in biologic medicine. This has caused a surge in the necessity of efficient and highly scalable algorithms.This dissertation focuses on central work in read-to-reference alignments, resequencing studies, and metagenomics that were designed with these principles as the guiding reason for their construction.First, consider the computing intensive task of read-to-reference alignments, where the difficulty of aligning reads to a genome is directly related their complexity. We investigated three different formulations of sequence complexity as viable tools for measuring genome complexity along with how they …

Collaborative Writing In An Online Synchronous Mode: Comparing L2 Learners Interactions, Texts, And Co-Authoring Experiences In Pairs And Groups, Emil Fermin Ubaldo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The writing-to-learn the language (WLL) dimension in L2 writing argues for the language learning potential of written language production (cf. Manchn, 2011). This perspective has been supported by empirical research demonstrating that collaborative writing in peer groups can be an effective way to help language learners build both linguistic knowledge and writing skills (Storch, 2013; Swain, 2001). These studies generally investigated dyads collaborating in face-to-face environments. Limited research suggests, however, that the benefits of collaborative writing may be greater in small groups (e.g., Fernndez Dobao, 2012). Despite growing imperative for the use of technology in collaborative writing (Li & Storch, …

Electro- And Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production By Molecular Cobalt Complexes With Pentadentate Ligands In Aqueous Solutions, Ping Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Solar hydrogen production via artificial photosynthesis has the potential to provide clean and renewable fuel for the worlds increasing energy demands. The availability of efficient, robust, and low-cost catalysts capable of splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen is critical for future applications. There has been significant progress in designing molecular catalysts for hydrogen production based on earth-abundant metals such as Ni, Co, and Fe. Hydrogen production based on metalorganic-framework (MOF) templates has also received great interest over the past few years. Among the reported catalysts for H2 production, cobalt complexes with polypyridyl groups have gained much attention because of their …

Never Silence My Sexy: A Narrative Inquiry Study With Young Black Women Who Have Engaged In Sexy Selfies, Crystal Lashell White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Hip Hop feminist research seeks to combat oppressive experiences of Black women by encouraging them to share their stories through its main tenets: fuck with the grays (Morgan, 2017), bring wreck (Pough, 2015), and pleasure politics (Morgan, 2015). Previous research on sexy selfies has mainly investigated the trends, motivations, and dangers of these practices, but only a few include the lived experiences and voices of Black women. Building on research surrounding identity and sexy selfie engagement within 21st century Hip Hop (HH) and social media cultures, this HH feminist narrative inquiry study investigated the following research questions: (1) How is …