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Design And Synthesis Of Non-Xanthone Structural Analogs Of Α-Mangostin, Maryam Foroozmehr

Theses and Dissertations

α-Mangostin belongs to a class of polyphenolic compounds called xanthones. The potential pharmacological effects such as anti-bacterial and anti-cancer effects of α-mangostin have made it an important natural product for medicinal chemistry evaluation. During this thesis research, we have designed and synthesized a series of non-xanthone analogs of α-mangostin for medicinal chemistry evaluation. A commercially available starting material, methyl-4-methoxysalicylate was used to synthesize these non-xanthone analogs. The analogs were designed as more flexible derivatives compared to the tricyclic motif within α-mangostin yet retain the hydroxybenzoate scaffold. Through a one-pot chemical synthesis, with relatively high yield (70%), we prepared eight different …

Investigating Whether The Flipped Classroom Instructional Approach In Conjunction With Gender, Satisfy Students’ Basic Psychological Needs And Influence Their Chemistry Achievements In High School, Jordan Salhoobi

Theses and Dissertations

The current study aims to investigate whether the instructional approach (flipped or traditional) and gender (male or female) influence students’ sense of autonomy, relatedness, and competence, or influence their achievements in high school chemistry. Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction theory was used to design the flipped classroom (FC) implemented in this study as recommended by Lo, Lie, and Hew in 2018. The theoretical framework for the study is the self-determination theory (SDT) which posits that satisfaction of individuals’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, enhance their intrinsic motivation and performance (Deci & Ryan, 2002). Ninety participating students who enrolled …

The Impact Of Graphing Calculators On The Mathematics Achievement Of Black Females, Tonya Bates

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effect of the usage of graphing calculators on Black Females' mathematics achievement on the 12th grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This non-experimental research study will analyze the 2015 NAEP publicly available data set, using the twelfth-grade sample, examining their overall math achievement compared to graphing calculator usage, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

Four regressions will be used to analyze factors created from the twelfth-grade NAEP student surveys, with test results as the dependent variable. The regressions will use race, gender, socioeconomic status., and graphing calculator usage in the classroom as independent variables, and the …

Is Special Education A Life Sentence? Examining Disproportionality In The Declassification Rates Of Students Of Color In An Urban School District, Rasheed Bility

Theses and Dissertations

Federal law states that any student suspected of having a disability must meet initial eligibility requirements to qualify for special education services. Furthermore, an individual education program (IEP) team is required by federal law to re-evaluate each student with a qualified disability tri-annually to assess his or her ongoing need for such services. The pathway toward initial eligibility is explicitly outlined within federal legislation; however, the law does not explicate an avenue for declassification or exiting from special education. As a result, many students may remain in special education and are labeled as students with a disability when they may …

How Black Students Experience School In A Predominantly White Suburban High School: A Phenomenological Study To Examine Student Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy, Sense Of Belongingness, And Perceived Educational Opportunity, Kristen R. Andriaccio

Theses and Dissertations

This study used critical race theory to examine the lived experiences of Black students attending a predominantly White, high-performing, suburban high school. The researcher used a phenomenological approach to examine student perceptions of sense of belongingness, self-efficacy, and educational opportunity. Eight students participated in a focus study group, and seven students participated in semi-structured individual interviews. The data analysis showed the students did not experience a sense of belongingness in their schools, but they did exhibit high levels of self-efficacy and felt they were provided the same educational opportunities as other students. Six themes emerged from this study: (a) Social …

Evolution, Classification, And Biochemical Foundations Of Toll-Like Receptors (Tlrs) And Their Role In Chytridiomycosis Resistance, Joseph De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a major concern for Amphibian populations. Over the past thirty years, global declines related to Bd infection have been observed, particularly in neotropical amphibians. Although Bd is endemic to many amphibian species, a significant proportion of amphibian populations have shown evidence of resistance to the pathogen. The precise reasoning as to why there is resistance variation across amphibian taxa remains to be elucidated, but many hypotheses have been suggested. In particular, immunogenetic variations in the innate immune system among amphibians are potential indicators to this dilemma. Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs), …

An Analysis Of Education As A Moderator Of The Relationship Of Discrimination To Depression, Jeavonna M. Coble

Theses and Dissertations

Racism has been observed as a highly prevalent psychosocial stressor across minorities, and consistently associated with depression across racial/ethnic groups. However, existing evidence is unclear on effective buffers of discrimination to depression. Researchers have hypothesized that education may mitigate discrimination’s effects on negative mental health outcomes. Evidence evaluating education as a buffer on the relations of discrimination to depression is limited. The analysis is further complicated as the evidence linking education level to discrimination exposure is also mixed. Although some studies indicate lower education levels are associated with greater perceived racism, many studies indicate an association of higher education with …

Institutional Labels: A Language-Based Approach To Decreasing Stigma Associated With Schizophrenia And Psychiatric Hospitalization, Jaime Taylor Grabow

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with schizophrenia that have experienced psychiatric hospitalization are one of the most stigmatized populations of the mental health field. The language that is utilized to describe this population is linked with the perpetuation of stigmatizing attitudes associated with schizophrenia and psychiatric hospitalization. Altering the type of language that is used to describe these individuals can decrease stigma. Participants (N=79) were asked to read a description of a character where the language used reflected either a strength-based approach or a deficit-based approach to schizophrenia and psychiatric hospitalization. The characters are individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia that have recently been discharged from …

Togetherness For Mission In Catholic Secondary Schools, Jonathan Mangar

Theses and Dissertations

Relationships are central to education, especially in Catholic schools, where love for others is espoused as a core value. Most studies of professional relationships among educators are focused on routines, processes, and classroom standards. The present study aims to expand this discussion into the human, social, and spiritual dynamics of working together toward mission fulfillment. The purpose of this qualitative work was to explore and describe the professional relationships among teachers and administrators in private Catholic high schools in a large metropolitan diocese and to investigate how these relationships led to mission fulfillment. The study incorporated the theoretical frameworks of …

Impact Of A Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Students In Grades 3–5, Cornelius P. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the impact of the Mindful Schools curriculum on students’ academic performance, stress management, and academic and social self-perception. Comparisons of fall-spring academic growth measures and other data gathered over 2 years—before and after implementation of the curriculum—revealed academic, stress management, and self-perception impacts of the intervention. Student test scores from the reading (n = 322) and mathematics (n = 321) sections of the Northwest Evaluation Association were evaluated and found that the Mindfulness-Based Intervention led to significant growth from pre-intervention and post-intervention years. A repeated measures ANOVA found a …

A Timecourse Based Dermatotoxicity Evaluation Of Mechlorethamine On Damage And Repair Related Protein Expression In The Mouse Ear Vesicant Model, Ganming Mao

Theses and Dissertations

Mechlorethamine (HN2) is a type of nitrogen mustard alkylating agent that has been widely applied as an anticancer drug. HN2 is an analog of the corrosive reagent sulfur mustard, which is highly reactive with skin and organisms exposed to HN2 develop significant skin irritation, edema, erythema, and disruption of the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). These pathological affects lead to tissue damage, activate wound repair mechanisms and, if unresolved, result in necrosis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the time-dependent effects of HN2 on the expression of three different proteins using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and previously prepared and preserved formalin-fixed …

Adaptation And Translation Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Rating Scales For School-Age Children: Evaluating Adherence To The International Test Commission Guidelines, Tamanna Chhabra

Theses and Dissertations

he current review examines adaptations and translations of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) rating scales for school-aged children around the world. ASD rating scales are a quick and efficient way to diagnosing ASD, and adaptations of ASD scales offer low-cost methods to make tools available around the world. The International Test Commission guidelines (ITC, 2017) provide a rigorous framework for researchers to adapt and translate psychological tests. This review used the X-CAGAM (Duke, 2019) a tool developed to operationalize the guidelines to examine how well the selected ASD measures adhere to the ITC guidelines. Fourteen adaptations and translations were included in …

Protective Role Of The Flanking Domains And Membrane Selectivity In The Alpha-Synuclein, Noriyo Onishi

Theses and Dissertations

Alpha-synuclein protein is associated with Parkinson's disease and is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) in solution. The protein consists of three domains: N-terminal domain, NAC domain, and C-terminal domain. In this research, I used the Gaussian accelerated Molecular Dynamics (GaMD) simulations to examine the role of the flanking domains of the protein. My data show that removing one or more flanking domains increases the exposed hydrophobic regions in the NAC domain, contributing to protein aggregation. From this, we are proposing a model of flanking domain protection. Within this model, the C-terminal domain imposes an elongated structure on the N-terminal domain, …

The Impact Of A Brief Gratitude Journaling Intervention On Third Grade Students Attending An Orthodox Jewish Elementary School In New York, Tamar Gassner

Theses and Dissertations

Research in the field of positive psychology has focused on the beneficial effects of gratitude on overall wellbeing. Recent studies have demonstrated that anxiety and depressive disorders are increasingly common among youth in the United States. Further, both anxiety and depression have been linked to other comorbid mental health conditions, such as dysthymia, disruptive disorder, and substance abuse disorder. Moreover, anxiety and depression are associated with negative social and academic outcomes. Considering the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among youth and the associated comorbidities, it is vital to direct efforts towards prevention and early intervention. The literature supports a …

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Anxiety In Youth With Autism: Paving The Way To Evidence-Based Practice, Michelle M. Kirkland

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is one of the most common and debilitating conditions co-occurring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as it occurs in up to 84% of individuals and can influence poor psychosocial adjustment, disruptions in individual, familial and school functioning, increased emotional and behavioral problems, self-injurious behavior(s), and an overall reduced quality of life (Meyer, Mundy, Van Hecke, & Durocher, 2006; Nadeau et al., 2011; Farrugia & Hudson, 2006; Kerns et al., 2015). To date, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment for anxiety in neurotypical youth, has seen modest, yet limited, promise in treating anxiety in youth with ASD. With extant research …

Ophelia, The Monster: Representations Of Female Madness In The Western Horror Film, Alexandra Fitzpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

Horror, as a whole, is preoccupied with madness. How else can one characterize a genre largely based in ambiguity and potential hallucination? So it should come with no surprise that horror is also preoccupied with gender. Mental instability has been associated with femininity from the dawn of Western civilization. The Ancient Greeks coined the term hysteria from their word for uterus, subscribing to the theory that the womb could move about a woman’s body and cause her to behave irrationally. Up until the nineteenth century, hysteria was believed to be an exclusively feminine condition. With potential symptoms comprising a seventy-five …

A Latinx Critical Race Theoretical Approach To Testimonios Of Latinx School Psychologists, Karen Yulieann Ramírez

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

As a Latina school psychologist, I use Latinx Critical Race framework with testimonios as methodology to document the individual and collective experiences and perspectives of six Latinx school psychologists in urban and suburban school settings regarding the role that race plays in the special education process. Their testimonios reveal how they are racialized in their profession through their intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, culture, and language. In particular, they testify to their everyday experiences of racial microaggressions, in which they are viewed through a deficit lens by supervisors, colleagues, and the parents of the students they serve. In addition, their …

Birth To Three Language Acquisition: Influences Of Ambient Language In The Montessori Setting, Claudine Jean Campanelli

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

BIRTH TO THREE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: INFLUENCES OF AMBIENT LANGUAGE IN THE MONTESSORI SETTING Claudine Campanelli Long Island University, New York, 2021 Dissertation Chair: Lynn Cohen, PhD There is an expanse of literature looking at various topics supporting Montessori education, especially in preschool; however, there is a lack of research in infant and toddler Montessori classrooms. Most of the empirical data regarding language acquisition has focused on the child’s acquisition of vocabulary through direct instruction, rather than the learning capability from overhearing a third party in a naturalistic setting. The purpose of this intervention study was to add to the limited …

In Vitro And In Silico Approaches To Evaluate The Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Of Combination Antibiotic Therapy Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Sharmistha Das

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

This thesis focuses on combating antibacterial resistance by developing novel in vitro and in silico techniques. In vitro techniques such as in vitro pharmacodynamic (IVPD) modeling are powerful tools for investigating pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic response of antibiotics against bacteria. The standard IVPD model in the literature works for simulating monotherapy and combination therapy of drugs having similar half live. But it does not work for combination therapy of drugs having different half live. The method present in the literature for combination therapy of drugs with different half live was described by Blaser. By utilizing Blaser’s method, it was observed that …

Multivariate Pharmametric Approach As A Solution To The Challenges Associated With In-Situ Uv Fiber-Optic Dissolution Testing, Rushaben Maulik Sardhara

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

The advancement and automation in analytical techniques is a current thrust of the pharmaceutical industry. It has been over 30 years since unconventional semi or fully automatic methods have begun to be developed to achieve the measurement in-situ in the dissolution test apparatus. The current study focuses on the fiber optic dissolution system (FODS), its challenges, and solutions to the challenges. The inaccuracy in dissolution profile predictions due to some limitations associated with the FODS makes it difficult to adopt this advanced automated technology for various purposes. The traditional dissolution methods are still widely used even though they are time-consuming …

Ex Vivo Dermis Microdialysis: A Tool For Bioequivalence Testing Of Topical Dermatological Drug Product (Demonstration Of Proof Of Concept And Testing), Mohammad Asif Ali

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Clinical response to most topical dermatological drug products (TDDP) depends on the availability of the drug in the dermis. Dermal Microdialysis (dMD) is a sampling technique that permits measuring the concentration of a drug over time, in vivo, directly into the target tissue, the dermis. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained from such studies may help to optimize the development of TDDP and potentially can be applied to the assessment of TDDP bioequivalence. However, these studies require several hours or even days of continuous sampling that makes it often stressful and unpractical for human subjects as well as animals. The goal of …

Investigation Of Dermal Bioavailability And Bioequivalence Of Topical Dermatological Drug Products Via Microdialysis In Rabbits, Sharareh Iran Senemar

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

There is no standard technique to measure skin pharmacokinetics (PK) and therefore to evaluate bioequivalence (BE) for topical dermatological drug products (TDDPs). Generic companies are required to conduct costly clinical endpoint studies to evaluate BE. For this reason, regulatory agencies are looking for more efficient methods to measure the drug bioavailability of TDDPs. It is about 40 years since microdialysis was developed as a tool to study tissue biochemistry in animals, specifically, neurotransmitter release in the rodent brain, and 30 years since it was applied to study skin PK. However, improvements in the dermal microdialysis (dMD) technique are required to …

Experimental Use Of Drosophila To Model Proliferation Of Sars-Cov-2 Infected Cells, Valerie Wicks

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

Drosophila have been vectors for scientific research since the beginning of the 20th century. Their successful use within experiments that investigated mendelian genetics inspired their continuous application to biological research. This includes topics that detailed what is now known as innate immunity. The innate immune system of Drosophila is a first line of defense against pathogens. Innate immunity has been extensively researched and has reserved responses between Drosophila and mammals. Specifically, Drosophila have been experimentally targeted to draw conclusions on human infecting viruses such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-Cov-1). Such experiments modeled viral …

A Forensic Analysis Of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Gianna Bove

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

Synthetic cannabinoids are a drug produced in a laboratory designed to imitate the physiological and psychological effects of a specific controlled substance. They are designed to bind to receptors in the body that recognize THC and CBD metabolites from the cannabis plant. The synthetic cannabinoid was originally created to study these receptors and neurotransmitters in hopes to find a viable alternative to traditional medicine. Forensic scientists often encounter an issue of detection when dealing with synthetic cannabinoids due to the inconsistencies in the chemical formulas of their derivatives. This leads to difficulty in identifying the drug in biological matrices as …

The Analytical, Technical Processes Behind The Evaluation Of Forensic Evidence Through Questioned Document Examination, Cassidy Shankar

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

A will is found next to a dead body. A suicide letter is left at a crime scene. A ransom note is near a kidnapped individual. Questioned document examiners are of utmost importance within the forensic science community to identify perpetrators and provide closure for cases. Handwriting, paper and ink analysis embody areas studied by forensic scientists to determine authorship, reliability and authenticity. Each person is unique and specific features are showcased within an individual’s writing. Since the emergence of letters, people have created, developed and immersed themselves into the community process of writing. Features have advanced from childhood learning …

The Methodological Issues Of The C.S.I Effect And It’S Controversial Impact On Criminal Investigation, Emily Ruben

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

With the rising success of crime-scene related television shows in recent years, and forensic science as a new hot topic in multiple settings, the world of criminal justice faces new complications as this phenomenon continues to grow. This is popularly known as “The C.S.I Effect.” Contrary to belief, much of what the public perceives, or think they know about the operations of law enforcement and the legal system, comes from television. Consequently, as these television programs appeal to greater audiences around the world, increasingly unreasonable expectations are established in the forensic world, both inside and out of the courtroom. In …

Cultural Protest Music From The Early Twentieth Century And Beyond, Sarah Kadtke

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

My undergraduate thesis inspects the intersection that occurs when social advocacy and music combine to create protest music. It looks in depth towards three distinct cultures - that of the Aboriginal Australian, native Irish, and Japanese - to see how the nuanced issues present in those societies shapes the protest music that comes out of them. My thesis also examines the consequences brought about by this music, and how it goes on to shape the resolutions to these issues.

Forensic Genealogy: A Tool In Dna Analysis, Samantha Olsen

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

DNA is the basic unit of which differentiates one individual to the next. Short Tandem Repeats and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms are two locations of DNA that have been the most successful in DNA analysis. Unique DNA profiles can be created so that interpretations can be made about the individual who contributed to the DNA sample. Systems like STRmix are currently being employed to give unbiased assumptions about the DNA profiles. There are several different statistical approaches in assigning probabilities to DNA evidence, likelihood ratio and random match probability are two common approaches. After assumptions are made, comparisons can be made …

Implementation And Standardization Of Evidence Based Practice For Reprocessing Of Flexible Endoscopes, Patricia Dumonceaux, Jenna Rooda, Dena Walz

Nursing Posters

To improve patient safety and quality of care by implementing a standardized process for high level disinfection (HLD) of flexible endoscopes

Factors Contributing To The Gender Gap In Stem Education, Sarah James Wachter

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. In 2018, women made up 50% of the college-educated workforce, while making up only 28% of those working in science and engineering fields. This is of interest as women at the postsecondary level and girls in first through 12th grade currently achieve grades equal to or above their male counterparts in math and science education. This literature review explores many factors found to contribute to the gender gap in STEM education. These factors include girls’ lack of belief in their ability, the lower level of interest and utility value …