Digital Commons Network^™

Motivation And Social Withdrawal In Schizophrenia: Factors Related To Passive Social Withdrawal And Active Social Avoidance, Emily Anne Peters

Master's Theses

Schizophrenia is a disabling disorder and social withdrawal in schizophrenia is related to particularly adverse outcomes. Social withdrawal may be a result of “passive” motivation (disinterest or lack of drive to engage with others) or “active” motivation (fear, hostility, or distrust of others). The purpose of this study was to better understand passive social withdrawal and active social avoidance, by exploring their relationships with social abilities and social functioning outcomes. In addition, we explored whether the EEG frontal alpha asymmetry hypothesis, which has been previously linked to shyness and sociability, might contribute to our understanding of social withdrawal motivation.

This …

A Regional Vulnerability Assessment For The Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus Magister) To Changing Ocean Conditions: Insights From Model Projections And Empirical Experiments, Halle Berger

Master's Theses

Among global coastal regions, the Northern California Current System (N-CCS) is already experiencing effects from ocean acidification and hypoxia during the summer, primarily due to the region’s seasonal upwelling, current systems, and high productivity. Oxygen, pH, and temperature conditions are expected to become more stressful with continued fossil fuel emissions under global climate change, posing a serious threat to the region’s fisheries. N-CCS fishing communities rely heavily on the economically and culturally important Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister). The fishery is currently sustainably managed, but potential negative impacts from changing ocean conditions on Dungeness crab life stages and populations …

Hepatic Stellate Cells And Hepatocarcinogenesis, Anna E Barry, Rajkumar Baldeosingh, Ryan Lamm, Keyur Patel, Kai Zhang, Dana A Dominguez, Kayla J Kirton, Ashesh P. Shah, Hien Dang

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a significant component of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor microenvironment (TME). Activated HSCs transform into myofibroblast-like cells to promote fibrosis in response to liver injury or chronic inflammation, leading to cirrhosis and HCC. The hepatic TME is comprised of cellular components, including activated HSCs, tumor-associated macrophages, endothelial cells, immune cells, and non-cellular components, such as growth factors, proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors, and other extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Interactions between HCC cells and their microenvironment have become topics under active investigation. These interactions within the hepatic TME have the potential to drive carcinogenesis and create …

Dairy Milk And Plant-Based Alternative Beverage Purchasing Factors: Consumer Insights, Jeffrey Alan Rime

Theses and Dissertations

From 2000 to 2019, total volume of fluid milk consumption in the USA has steadily fallen. Many factors have played a role in this trend, including competition with plant-based alternative beverages (PBABs). Comparably, sales of PBABs such as almond “milk” have increased over the same duration. Consumer research has identified key beverage characteristics as purchase drivers for both beverage types. This study sought to evaluate the relative importance of these characteristics, investigate the effect of label statements on ratings of their acceptability, and analyze the settings in which and occasions during which consumption of dairy milk and PBABs occurs. This …

Considerations For Studying Sex As A Biological Variable In Spinal Cord Injury, Andrew N. Stewart, Steven M. Maclean, Arnold J. Stromberg, Jessica P. Whelan, William M. Bailey, John C. Gensel, Melinda E. Wilson

Physiology Faculty Publications

In response to NIH initiatives to investigate sex as a biological variable in preclinical animal studies, researchers have increased their focus on male and female differences in neurotrauma. Inclusion of both sexes when modeling neurotrauma is leading to the identification of novel areas for therapeutic and scientific exploitation. Here, we review the organizational and activational effects of sex hormones on recovery from injury and how these changes impact the long-term health of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. When determining how sex affects SCI it remains imperative to expand outcomes beyond locomotor recovery and consider other complications plaguing the quality of …

Assessment Of Holographic Microscopy For Quantifying Marine Particle Size And Concentration, Noah L. Walcutt, Benjamin Knorlein, Ivona Cetinic, Zrinka Ljubesic, Suncica Bosak, Tom Sgouros, Amanda L. Montalbano, Aimee Neeley, Susanne Menden-Deuer, Melissa M. Omand

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Holographic microscopy has emerged as a tool for in situ imaging of microscopic organisms and other particles in the marine environment: appealing because of the relatively larger sampling volume and simpler optical configuration compared to other imaging systems. However, its quantitative capabilities have so far remained uncertain, in part because hologram reconstruction and image recognition have required manual operation. Here, we assess the quantitative skill of our automated hologram processing pipeline (CCV Pipeline), to evaluate the size and concentration measurements of environmental and cultured assemblages of marine plankton particles, and microspheres. Over 1 million particles, ranging from 10 to 200 …

Herbivores At The Highest Risk Of Extinction Among Mammals, Birds, And Reptiles, Trisha B. Atwood, Shaley A. Valentine, Edd Hammill, Douglas J. Mccauley, Elizabeth M. P. Madin, Karen H. Beard, William D. Pearse

Ecology Center Publications

As a result of their extensive home ranges and slow population growth rates, predators have often been perceived to suffer higher risks of extinction than other trophic groups. Our study challenges this extinction-risk paradigm by quantitatively comparing patterns of extinction risk across different trophic groups of mammals, birds, and reptiles. We found that trophic level and body size were significant factors that influenced extinction risk in all taxa. At multiple spatial and temporal scales, herbivores, especially herbivorous reptiles and large-bodied herbivores, consistently have the highest proportions of threatened species. This observed elevated extinction risk for herbivores is ecologically consequential, given …

Osterix-Cre Marks Distinct Subsets Of Cd45- And Cd45+ Stromal Populations In Extra-Skeletal Tumors With Pro-Tumorigenic Characteristics, Biancamaria Ricci, Eric Tycksen, Hamza Celik, Jad I. Belle, Francesca Fontana, Roberto Civitelli, Roberta Faccio

Open Access Publications

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous population of mesenchymal cells supporting tumor progression, whose origin remains to be fully elucidated. Osterix (Osx) is a marker of osteogenic differentiation, expressed in skeletal progenitor stem cells and bone-forming osteoblasts. We report

The Influence Of Environmental Variables On The Height Growth Of Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda) In The Western Gulf, Osakpamwan Edo-Iyasere

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effects of environmental factors on stand growth is important in optimizing forest management plans. This study investigated the effects of soil and climate factors on the height growth (site index) of loblolly pine (Pinus Taeda L.) using data collected from permanent plots established in intensively-managed plantations across East Texas and Western Louisiana. The Chapman-Richards model was selected as the base model to describe the height-age relationships and important soil and climate variables were incorporated into the models as model parameter coefficient adjustors. Our results showed that the most important factors for predicting site index were nitrogen …

Model Granularity Control Oriented Multi-Resolution Modeling, Huachao Mao, Gongzhuang Peng, Heming Zhang, Jiaxin Zhao, Minghui Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Multi-resolution modeling and simulation has been widely applied in various fields, but the current multi-resolution modeling and simulation methods cannot effectively, systematically and comprehensively address four key issues: resolution control, model consistency, information loss and cross resolution interaction. Addressing these four issues, Model Granularity Control Oriented Multi-Resolution Modeling was proposed. This modeling approach has two core modeling components: resolution state chart and resolution connecting bridge, the former is to use UML state diagram to control granularity changes triggered by cross-resolution interaction, human-computer interaction and resource optimization model, and the latter is to model the relationship between different resolution …

Motion Planning Algorithm Based On Overall Trajectory For Locomotion Of 6-Legged Robot, Zuhua Guo, Shenjiang Wang, Shijie Zhao

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: A traditional motion planning method based on gaits is difficult to adopt to complicate nature terrain. In order to solve the problem, a planning algorithm based on overall trajectory was proposed. The basic unit of robot maneuver was a walking step. The proposed method was to estimate position of robot in the next moment along a given overall trajectory, and then to plan the joints’ trajectory of robot. In this algorithm, the motion of a single step was decomposed into two parts, the motion of moving robot body with support of legs and the motion of swinging legs forward, …

Letters From An Ai Poet To Its Creator: Ai Ethics And Aesthetics Through The Lens Of Computer-Generated Poetry, Ginger Yifan Chen

SURF Posters and Papers

The field of artificial intelligence is continuously evolving, and the emergence of Strong AI is just around the corner - a machine that can learn and adapt the same way a human can. A consciousness with self-awareness and a deep understanding of language, as well as the capacity for wisdom and creativity. This entity poses an existential risk: the possibility that it could completely replace humans. "Letters" is a work of fiction set in 2049, and a collection of files, emails, articles, academic papers, and chatlogs. It follows the relationship between Dr. Aida Fukuhara and 'emily', the AI she creates …

Civic Engagement Amid Civil Unrest: Haitian Social Scientists Working At Home, Nadège Nau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unlike many of the autoethnographic accounts in world anthropologies discourse, this study employs critical educational ethnography to both address the geopolitics of Haitian anthropology while also spotlighting an understudied group: university faculty. This study addresses: What are the conditions of academic labor for anthropology professors working in Haiti? Moreover, what is the price of being an anthropology professor at the School of Ethnology at the State University of Haiti (UEH), and how do professors add meaningful value to their labor through sacrifice, ingenuity, and civic engagement? Despite professors’ work-related challenges and Haiti’s severe “brain drain” levels, for many professors, their …

A Shark Conservationists Toolbox: Current Dna Methods And Techniques Aiding In The Conservation Of Sharks, Arianna N. Nixon

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Elasmobranchs are important members of their community. Many sharks are important apex predators that help maintain the health of their ecosystem. However, shark populations are globally declining. This is partially due to the fact that sharks are highly targeted for their fins, meat, liver oil, teeth, and skin. However, they are also killed from anthropogenic effects such as habitat destruction and pollution. Most shark species have life history characteristics that also make them more vulnerable to overfishing. Sharks are also difficult to study due to their elusive nature and identification issues. That is why molecular tools are increasingly becoming important …

Linking Crude Oil And Dispersant Effects To Gene Expression Of Marine Sponge Cinachyrella, Yvain Desplat

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Because of their filter-feeding lifestyle, sponges (Phylum Porifera) have shown to be bio-accumulators of heavy metals, and bio-monitors for polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) contaminants. Furthermore, marine sponges have been shown to be regulators of reef ecosystems by fulfilling many ecological functions. However, very little is known about their behavior in the face of environmental changes. Consequently, our lab has developed the reef sponge Cinachyrella spp. as novel experimental model. We have designed an experiment to study the effects of WAF (Water Accommodated Fraction), Corexit 9500 dispersant, and CE-WAF (Chemically Enhanced Water Accommodated Fraction)mixtures, in an effort to mimic the conditions of the …

An Evaluation Of Police Officer's Attitudes And Labels Toward People With Mental Illness, Ashley Irene Stolbom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The objective of this research was to determine whether the type of adjective used to describe a person with mental illness will change based on the label provided. A MANOVA was utilized to determine if these labels were significant between 17 different sets of adjectives. A post hoc test was utilized to determine if there was a significant difference between the labels for each adjective provided The outcome of the analysis determined that 7 adjectives were significantly impacted by the labels utilized to describe a person with mental illness. Overall, the label utilized to describe a person with mental illness …

Cytokine Storm In Covid-19: An Overview, Mechanism, Treatment Strategies, And Stem Cell Therapy Perspective, Nuriza Ulul Azmi, Meidi Utami Puteri, Donny Lukmanto

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the disease caused by the highly transmittable novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections. The disease was found at the end of December 2019, in Wuhan, China, and quickly spread worldwide with a higher mortality rate compared to the previous coronavirus disease. Cytokine plays an important role in the inflammatory response against coronavirus infection. However, in severely ill patients with COVID-19, an excessive amount of cytokine serum level (cytokine storm) has been associated with the aggravation of coronavirus disease leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Thus, the management of the cytokine storm could be the key to …

Remdesivir: Mechanism And Effectiveness For Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), Vina Neldi, Suharjono Suharjono

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a very serious health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) has characterized this disease as a pandemic. Recommendations related to vaccines and drugs are not available yet because they are still in the clinical trial phase, and one of the superior drugs is remdesivir which has an antiviral activity. Several clinical trials of this drug are being carried out with the aim of evaluating its safety and efficacy in COVID-19 patients. There are two clinical trials with completed recruitment status, which are NCT04257656 and NCT04280705. NCT04257656 showed that remdesivir had faster time for clinical …

Enantiomerically Pure Quinoline-Based Κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis And Pharmacological Evaluation, Benedikt Martin, Dirk Schepmann, Freddy A Bernal, Thomas J Schmidt, Tao Che, Karin Loser, Bernhard Wünsch

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Racemic

Effect Of Molybdenum And Boron On Increasing Alfalfa Seed Yield, Ke Li, Jinzhong Zhu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

No3- Uptake And Its Partitioning In Drought Stressed Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.), B. R. Lee, Y. L. Jin, M. Li, W. J. Jung, T. H. Kim

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Aggregates Content And Carbon Proportion Of Top Soil In Perennial Forage, Lu Chen, Yuying Shen, Jing Yang, Yining Niu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Liming And Nitrogen Application On The Cu, Mn, And Zn Concentrations In Herbage From Extensively Managed Pastures, Harald Laser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

My Six-Word Story: Power To Reconnect And Connect, Alexie Puran

Patient Experience Journal

The COVID-19 global pandemic is a threat to the well-being of our healthcare professionals. Recent studies on the mental health effects of healthcare professionals from China and Italy have revealed higher levels of depression, anxiety and psychological distress. As a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician working on the frontline and a H3 (Helping Healers Heal) Peer Champion, I sought to support my staff’s well-being and emotional resilience. My Six-Word Story, a simple and meaningful activity was designed to support the psycho-social well-being of those on the frontline providing care. This new project was implemented in the Pediatric Emergency Department at NYC …

Leadership Matters: A Conversation With Dr. James Hildreth, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

I was extremely honored at this moment in the midst of our current health crisis to have a conversation with Dr. James Hildreth, president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College. The focus and commitment expressed by Dr. Hildreth reflects the very mission statement of Meharry Medical College itself, to advance health equity through innovative research, transformative education, exceptional and compassionate health services and policy-influencing thought leadership. As equally important is the alignment of Meharry’s purpose with our very own at the Institute, as Meharry’s mission continues to empower diverse populations to improve the well-being of humankind. Dr. Hildreth …

Hand Input Gesture Recognition Using Ml-Based Pose Estimation And Optical Flow Processing, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

Current techniques for detection of hand pose have high computational cost, and have accuracy and speed limitations which make them less than satisfactory for use in some high precision and time-sensitive applications. This disclosure describes the use of a combination of machine learning based pose estimation and optical flow processing techniques for hand gesture recognition, e.g., in AR and VR applications. Machine learning (ML) based pose estimation is utilized to identify hand pose and identify areas of interest that are processed further using optical flow processing. The use of optical flow processing enables higher precision in the detection of small …

Response Of Natural And Cultivated Hay Meadows To Fertilizer Applied By Small Scale Livestock Farmers In The Mountainous Sandzak Region Of Serbia, Ian R. Lane, M. V. Stosic, G. Topisirovic, S. Reynolds

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of The Chemical Composition And Carbohydrate/Protein Fractions Along With The Growth Of Alkali‐Grass (Puccinellia Tenuiflora) As Feed For Ruminants, M. Kato, N. Ishikawa, K. Shimizu, W. Cao, M. Amari, O. Enishi, X. Yu, A. Xu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Eradicating Anti-Black Racism In U.S. Schools: A Call-To-Action For School Leaders, Altheria L. Caldera

Diversity, Social Justice, and the Educational Leader

This manuscript is a theoretical treatise that examines anti-Blackness in the nation’s schools and contributes to the ongoing discussion about how schools can better serve Black students. It is a three-pronged call-to-action for social justice-oriented school leaders. I urge school leaders to 1) examine anti-Black racism as a distinct form of racial discrimination, 2) imagine ways educators can fully humanize Black children in U.S. schools through a disposition characterized by Black cultural reverence, and 3) connect with existing efforts to counter anti-Black racism in schools. To accomplish these goals, I investigated the historical socio-political context that has shaped the educational …

Evaluation Of Benthic Fish Communities In The Clinch And Duck Rivers As Habitat Indicators For The Endangered Pygmy Madtom, Noturus Stanauli, William G. Wells, Hayden T. Mattingly

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

Identifying which species are associated with a specific endangered species can inform conservation managers about potential community associations and novel localities. The benthic fish community associated with the Pygmy Madtom (Noturus stanauli) in the Duck River has been documented through Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) work at sites where the Pygmy Madtom has occurred by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). To complement the Duck River data, we gathered benthic fish community data associated with the Pygmy Madtom in the Clinch River. We used Pflieger’s metrics of constancy and fidelity to evaluate fish associations with the Pygmy Madtom. We …