Digital Commons Network^™

Neogene Dinoflagellate Cysts From The Tropical Americas, Damian Cardenas

Doctoral Dissertations

"Marine palynomorphs, mainly dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs, constitute excellent proxies for biostratigraphic and paleoceanographic studies in neritic sequences. Neogene marine palynological studies have mostly focused on the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in the scarcity of dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from tropical latitudes. Forty samples encompassing the late Chattian-late Burgidalian time interval (~24.1- 17.3 Ma) in the Southern Caribbean were analyzed for their marine palynological contents. A biostratigraphic scheme for the region is proposed and includes the upper Chattian-lower Aquitanian Minisphaeridium latirictum Interval Zone (~23.9-22.0 Ma), the upper Aquitanian Achomosphaera alcicornu Interval Zone (~22.0-20.3 Ma), and the Burdigalian Cribroperidinium tenuitabulatum Interval Zone …

Theoretical Study Of Magnetic Particles In A Shear Flow Subjected To A Uniform Magnetic Field, Christopher A. Sobecki

Doctoral Dissertations

"Magnetic manipulation of non-spherical magnetic microparticles is important for applications in shape-based and magnetic-based separations such as waste management, disease diagnostics, drug delivery, and mining. Manipulations of magnetic microparticles also include chain formation to assemble compositions for electronics, drug loading designs, and magnetorheological fluids for smart armor, hydraulic brakes, and dampers. In microfluidic devices, separation-formation-effectiveness depends on the shape of the channel, the shear rate, and the magnetic field strength and direction.

Particle separation and chain formation involved highly complex and computational expense-demanding studies in microfluidic devices, magnetic fields, and particle- particle/wall interactions. This research took complex experimental studies and …

Does The Emigration Of Skilled Labor From Hungary Merit Being Called A Brain Drain?, Alexa Marie Mayo

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of The Sensitivity Of Human Arm To Small Interaction Forces During Physical Human-Robot Interaction (Phri), Fazlur Rashid

Masters Theses

“Understanding the human motor control strategy during physical interaction tasks is crucial for developing future robots for physical human-robot interaction (pHRI). Effective pHRI depends on humans communicating their intentions for movement with robots. In physical human-human interaction (pHHI), small interaction forces are known to convey their intent between the partners. It is speculated that small interaction forces contain significant information to convey the movement intention of pHHI. However, the mechanism underlying this interaction strategy is largely unknown. Hence, the aim of this work was to investigate what affects humans’ sensitivity to the interaction forces. The hypothesis was that small interaction …

Numerical Behavior Of Steel H-Plies Repaired Using Layered Concrete Jacket, Fareh Waleed Abudawaba

Masters Theses

“This study developed finite element models (FEMs), using LS-Dyna software, to investigate the repair of corroded steel H-piles using concrete jacket. The concrete modeled as a layered material simulating 3D printed concrete. 3DPC is a new technology that can be used to repair or build structures without formwork by depositing concrete mixture layer by layer. For the 3DPC, this study investigated the feasibility of using alkali-activated concrete (AAC) synthesized using class C fly ash as the main binder. The fresh properties, extrudability, and buildability of the proposed concrete were investigated through open time and deformation tests, respectively. Hardened properties were …

Neural Network Supervised And Reinforcement Learning For Neurological, Diagnostic, And Modeling Problems, Donald Wunsch Iii

Masters Theses

“As the medical world becomes increasingly intertwined with the tech sphere, machine learning on medical datasets and mathematical models becomes an attractive application. This research looks at the predictive capabilities of neural networks and other machine learning algorithms, and assesses the validity of several feature selection strategies to reduce the negative effects of high dataset dimensionality. Our results indicate that several feature selection methods can maintain high validation and test accuracy on classification tasks, with neural networks performing best, for both single class and multi-class classification applications. This research also evaluates a proof-of-concept application of a deep-Q-learning network (DQN) to …

A Systematic Analysis Of Eye-Tracking Metrics For Sleepiness, Debasis Roy

Masters Theses

”Sleepiness or sleep deprivation is a serious hazard that can be life-threatening in carrying out certain tasks (e.g., when driving or executing attention-critical tasks). Eye movement can provide cues on sleepiness. Hence, eye-tracking metrics have the potential to detect sleepiness.

In this research, we used a systematic analysis approach to identify eye-tracking metrics for sleepiness. We used several databases to identify independent experimental studies that have used eye-tracking metrics to assess sleepiness. We identified 25 studies that included 674 participants where the participants’ data were captured both in an alert state and in a sleep-deprived state. In the analysis, we …

A Meta-Analysis: Gamification In Education, Yalin Wang

Masters Theses

“Gamification has been used in a variety of contexts including education. In order to understand the effects of gamification in education, a meta-analysis was conducted. A bottom-up approach was used to analyze the effects of game design elements on learning outcomes found in the literature search. The result suggests that gamification can enhance student learning outcomes. Elements such as points, leaderboards, competitions, progress bars, feedback, and collaboration have medium to large effect sizes. Gamification also has larger effects on young children in elementary education than learners at other education levels. The study offers suggestions and guidelines for educators on the …

The Lived Experience Of Quality Of Life Of Older Adults In Rural Ghana, Benjamin Arthur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The quality of life (QOL) of older adults in rural Ghana is of growing concern, locally and throughout the country. In Ghana, it is the tradition for family members to take care of older adults without any government support, but research has shown that changing economic and social structures make this tradition less optimal, so older adults suffer physically and emotionally. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of QOL for older adults in rural Ghana. The ecological systems theory was used to explore the integral role of family support and QOL in the microsystem, …

Gender Mainstreaming In Male-Dominated Nigerian Industries, Benedicta Ifeyinwa Oyiana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The objective of Gender mainstreaming (GM) is to foster equal opportunities by applying a gender perspective to all policies and practices within organizations, thus influencing decisions and traditional structures of organizations. GM strategies redirect focus from increasing participation and representation to ensuring structure in organizational practices that address inequalities. The strain between women’s work experience and traditional role expectations contributes to the issues career women experience, especially those in male-dominated industries. Interviews with ten senior executives were conducted over Zoom, data were analyzed using a five-phased approach: compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding. This study buttresses how in spite of …

Amazon Tree Dominance Across Forest Strata, Frederick C. Draper, Flavia R.C. Costa, Gabriel Arellano, Oliver L. Phillips, Alvaro Duque, Manuel J. Macía, Steege H Ter, Gregory P. Asner, Erika Berenguer, Juliana Schietti, Jacob B. Socolar, Souza Fc De, Kyle G. Dexter, Peter M. Jørgensen, J. Sebastian Tello, William E. Magnusson, Timothy R. Baker, Carolina V. Castilho, Abel Monteagudo-Mendoza, Paul V.A. Fine, Kalle Ruokolainen, Euridice N.Honorio Coronado, Gerardo Aymard, Nállarett Dávila, Mauricio Sánchez Sáenz, Marcos A.Rios Paredes, Julien Engel, Claire Fortunel, C. E.Timothy Paine, Jean Yves Goret, Aurelie Dourdain, Pascal Petronelli, Elodie Allie, Juan E.Guevara Andino, Roel J.W. Brienen, Leslie Cayola Pérez, Ângelo G. Manzatto, Narel Y.Paniagua Zambrana, Jean François Molino, Daniel Sabatier, Jerôme Chave, Sophie Fauset, Roosevelt Garcia Villacorta, Maxime Réjou-Méchain, Paul E. Berry, Karina Melgaço, Ted R. Feldpausch, Elvis Valderamma Sandoval, Rodolfo Vasquez Martinez, Italo Mesones, André B. Junqueira, Katherine H. Roucoux, Toledo Jj De, Ana C. Andrade, José Luís Camargo, Aguila Pasquel J Del, Flávia D. Santana, Wf Laurance, Sg Laurance, Thomas E. Lovejoy, James A. Comiskey, David R. Galbraith, Michelle Kalamandeen, Gilberto E.Navarro Aguilar, Jim Vega Arenas, Carlos A.Amasifuen Guerra, Manuel Flores, Gerardo Flores Llampazo, Luis A.Torres Montenegro, Ricardo Zarate Gomez, Marcelo P. Pansonato, Victor Chama Moscoso, Jason Vleminckx, Oscar J.Valverde Barrantes, Joost F. Duivenvoorden, Sousa Sa De, Luzmila Arroyo, Ricardo O. Perdiz, Jessica Soares Cravo, Beatriz S. Marimon, N/A Junio

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The forests of Amazonia are among the most biodiverse plant communities on Earth. Given the immediate threats posed by climate and land-use change, an improved understanding of how this extraordinary biodiversity is spatially organized is urgently required to develop effective conservation strategies. Most Amazonian tree species are extremely rare but a few are common across the region. Indeed, just 227 ‘hyperdominant’ species account for >50% of all individuals >10 cm diameter at 1.3 m in height. Yet, the degree to which the phenomenon of hyperdominance is sensitive to tree size, the extent to which the composition of dominant species changes …

Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence From The Longitudinal Parenting Across Cultures Project, Jennifer E. Lansford, W. Andrew Rothenberg, Sombat Tapanya, Liliana Maria Uribe Tirado, Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, Liane Peña Alampay, Suha M. Al-Hassan, Dario Bacchini, Marc H. Bornstein, Lei Chang, Kirby Deater-Deckard, Laura Di Giunta, Kenneth A. Dodge, Sevtap Gurdal, Qin Liu, Qian Long, Patrick S. Malone, Paul Oburu, Concetta Pastorelli, Ann T. Skinner, Emma Sorbring, Laurence Steinberg

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Human Anatomy And Physiology I, North Carolina Agricultural And Technical State University

Open Educational Resources Syllabus Review

This course, which provides a comprehensive study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body with an emphasis on health and medical issues, is designed for biology majors and/or students preparing for careers in the health professions. It will include an overview of organ systems, basic chemical organization, cell structure and function, and tissues; followed by the study of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. The laboratory includes studies of histology, physiology experiments, model studies, computer simulations, and multimedia presentations. Open to biology majors or permission of the instructor.

Tsai Today (2021), Southern Methodist University, Dedman School Of Law, Tsai Center For Law, Science And Innovation

Tsai Today

No abstract provided.

Habitat Variation And Vulnerability Of Quercus Brantii Woodlands In The Zagrosmountains, Iran, Roghayeh Zolfaghari, Payam Fayyaz, Esfandiar Jahantab, Erwin Bergmeier

Turkish Journal of Botany

During the past decades, extensive parts of the Quercus brantii woodlands in the Zagros Mountains declined in size and habitat quality. We aimed to explore the variation of oak woodlands in the southern Zagros Mountains and to assess the vulnerability. The following questions were addressed in the study: Which edaphic and physiographic parameters are most important in differentiating woodland vegetation? Which plant species express certain habitat quality and vulnerability characteristics? We examined 49 plots at different altitudes and aspects, recorded the vascular plant species for tree and herb-layer composition, and collected data on topographic and edaphic factors. TWINSPAN was applied …

Videoconference Fatigue? Exploring Changes In Fatigue After Videoconference Meetings During Covid-19, Andrew A. Bennett, Emily D. Campion, Kathleen R. Keeler, Sheila K. Keener

Management Faculty Publications

In response to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, many employees transitioned to remote work, which included remote meetings. With this sudden shift, workers and the media began discussing videoconference fatigue, a potentially new phenomenon of feeling tired and exhausted attributed to a videoconference. In the present study, we examine the nature of videoconference fatigue, when this phenomenon occurs, and what videoconference characteristics are associated with fatigue using a mixed methods approach. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses indicates that videoconference fatigue exists, often in near temporal proximity to the videoconference, and is affected by various videoconference characteristics. Quantitative data was collected …

The Art And Science Of Drug Titration, Aisling R. Caffrey, P. Borrelli

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

A “one-size-fits-all” approach has been the standard for drug dosing, in particular for agents with a wide therapeutic index. The scientific principles of drug titration, most commonly used for medications with a narrow therapeutic index, are to give the patient adequate and effective treatment, at the lowest dose possible, with the aim of minimizing unnecessary medication use and side effects. The art of drug titration involves the interplay of scientific drug titration principles with the clinical expertise of the healthcare provider, and an individualized, patient-centered partnership between the provider and the patient to review the delicate balance of perceived benefits …

A Systematic Review Of Integrative Medicine For Opioid Withdrawal, Caroline Kruszecki, Courtney R. Cameron, Anne L. Hume, Kristina E. Ward

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Introduction: The United States has been battling an opioid epidemic for decades. As substance use disorders have grown, so too has investigation into treatment options, including integrative medicine approaches, for managing opioid withdrawal symptoms (OWS).

Objectives: This systematic review sought to assess the use of integrative medicine approaches for the alleviation of OWS in patients dependent on opioids and to summarize the available data.

Methods: The authors searched using synonyms for opioids, substance use disorder, and integrative medicine and standardized searches in Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. We also hand searched references for systematic reviews. This review …

The Probiotic Effect Of Clostridium Cochlearium Is Associated With Significant Change In Short-Chain Fatty Acid Metabolism And Gut Microbiota, Qing Ai

Wayne State University Dissertations

The prevalence of obesity is rising steadily across the world, which increases the risk of many metabolic diseases and life-threatening illnesses. A specific strain, Clostridium cochlearium (C. cochlearium), reported as a butyrate producer, could have potential probiotic effects against obesity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of C. cochlearium on a high-fat diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model. The 16S rRNA sequencing of mice gut microbiome was performed at the end of the experimental period to identify the changes in gut microbial composition, investigate possible functional genes, and elucidate potential mechanisms. Thirty-six C57BL/6 6-8 …

Clinical Significance, Functional Role And Molecular Mechanism Of 2’-O-Methyltransferase Ftsj3 In Promoting Cancer Progression, Morenci Manning-Powell

Wayne State University Dissertations

2’-O-methylation (2’-O-Me), one of the most common modifications within RNA, has multiple roles in modulating RNA structure, stability, and interactions, as well as gene transcription and translation. We previously performed integrative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of 58 RNA methyltransferases, and identified FTSJ3 (FtsJ RNA 2ʹ-O-methyltransferase 3) as significantly amplified/overexpressed in breast cancer. Knockdown of FTSJ3 inhibits breast cancer cell growth in vitro. However, the clinical significance, functional role, and molecular mechanism of FTSJ3 in human cancer remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first analyzed the differential mRNA and protein expression of FTSJ3 between tumor and normal tissues …

Removing The Mask Of Comedy To Reveal The Person Beneath: A Rhetorical Analysis Of How Three Comedians Engage In, And Go Beyond, The Post-Comedy Turn, Steve Ingham

Wayne State University Dissertations

From court jesters to lounge performers, the ‘Chitlin’ Circuit’ to vaudeville, radio to Netflix, the goal of comedy has been the same: use a comic frame to make the audience laugh. However, some modern comedians have altered that paradigm, including purposefully non-comedic material in their stand-up specials. While other comedians have done this before, they did so as an addendum to the narrative of their special, not as an integral part of that narrative. In this project, I engaged in a rhetorical analysis of three modern comedians, through the lens of humor theory, as they included purposefully non-comedic material, engaging …

Functional Characterization Of Threonine 49 Phosphorylation Of Cytochrome C, Antoine Khobeir

Wayne State University Theses

Cytochrome c (Cytc) is a pivotal multifunctional mitochondrial protein that serves as a single electron carrier between complexes III and IV of the electron transport chain. It has important roles in both cellular respiration and apoptosis. The novel Thr49 (T49) phosphorylation of Cytc likely affects mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, ROS production, ATP production, and apoptosis. Based on the functional characterization of previously mapped phosphorylation sites (Tyr97, Tyr48, Thr28, Ser47, Thr58) of the lab, we hypothesize that T49 phosphorylation will lead to controlled respiration, optimal intermediate mitochondrial membrane potential, lower ROS production, and inhibition of apoptosis compared to unphosphorylated Cytc. Here …

Novel Role Of Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation In The Regulation Of Ceruloplasmin, Stephen William Hippleheuser

Wayne State University Theses

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a secreted ferroxidase produced by the hepatocytes that assists in the transport of iron throughout the human body. In human aceruloplasminemia patients, due to Cp deficiency excess intracellular iron buildup leads to ailments like liver cirrhosis, neurodegeneration, and blindness. We recently found that the biogenesis of Cp in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is regulated by a principal ER quality-control process, ER-associated degradation (ERAD). ERAD clears misfolded ER proteins for cytosolic proteasomal degradation, with the Sel-1 suppressor of lin-12-like (Sel1L)-HMG-CoA reductase degradation 1 (Hrd1) protein complex representing the most conserved branch in mammals. Interestingly, we found that Sel1L-Hrd1 …

Isolation And Characterization Of A Novel Bacteriophage Wo From Allonemobius Socius Crickets In Missouri, Jonah Kupritz, John Martin, Kerstin Fischer, Kurt C. Curtis, Joseph R. Fauver, Yuefang Huang, Young-Jun Choi, Wandy L. Beatty, Makedonka Mitreva, Peter U. Fischer

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Wolbachia are endosymbionts of numerous arthropod and some nematode species, are important for their development and if present can cause distinct phenotypes of their hosts. Prophage DNA has been frequently detected in Wolbachia, but particles of Wolbachia bacteriophages (phage WO) have been only occasionally isolated. Here, we report the characterization and isolation of a phage WO of the southern ground cricket, Allonemobius socius, and provided the first whole-genome sequence of phage WO from this arthropod family outside of Asia. We screened A. socius abdomen DNA extracts from a cricket population in eastern Missouri by quantitative PCR for Wolbachia surface protein …

Les Opérations D’Influence Chinoises: Un Moment Machiavélien Paul Charon And Jean-Babtiste Jeangéne Vilmer Paris: Institut De Recherche Stratégique De L’École Militaire (Irsem), 2021., Edward M. Roche Phd, Jd

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

The Rainbow Nation Vision: (Re)Constructing & (Re)Imagining South Africanness, Riley Crouthamel

Capstone Showcase

“Rainbowism” or the new form of nationalism inspired by Mandela’s “Rainbow Nation vision” emphasizes unity, equality, and non-racialism, and has become the dominant myth and metaphor by which South Africa is recognized in the post-apartheid era. Through an application of a theoretical framework that emphasizes the mythological and imaginative aspects of constructive nationalism and an analysis of Rainbowism’s rise to mythical dominance and evolution in the South African imaginary over the span of the past three decades of democracy using ANC “Rainbowist” discourses in both explicit and inexplicit ways, this thesis argues that Rainbowism arose as a counter myth in …

The Mothers Of The Plaza De Mayo Of Argentina: An Unconventional Success Story, Logan Johansen

Undergraduate Research Journal

In 1976, a military junta overthrew Isabelita Peron from power in Argentina. Shortly after, it began to kidnap, torture, and murder thousands of political enemies and dissidents – many of whom were college students or other educated people. These victims, often called “the disappeared” or desaparecidos, were drugged and thrown out of airplanes and were never seen again. Many of their mothers, desperate for answers, united and formed the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo group and began protesting publicly. This paper argues that despite never receiving official answers from the junta nor from the succeeding Argentine government, these powerful …

Brca1 And Brd4: Regulation Of Chromatin Signaling In Dna Repair And Transcription, John Kaiser Barrows

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The eggs of Xenopus laevis frogs have been used extensively to study various aspects of chromatin biology. In this document, we characterize two novel systems to study transcription (Chapter 2) and DNA double strand break repair (Chapter 4) utilizing different egg extracts. Notably, we show that nucleoplasmic extract is the first established Xenopus egg extract to support RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription of plasmid-borne gene constructs. Using this cell-free transcription system, we provide the first evidence of a molecular connection between the tumor suppressor, BRCA1, and the major epigenetic regulator, BRD4 (Chapter 3). We show BRCA1, along with its constitutive binding …

Selective Targeting Of Cd38 Cyclase And Hydrolase Activity For Immune Cell Modulation, Thomas Zachary Benton

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

With the advent of checkpoint inhibitors (CIs), immunotherapies have revolutionized the field of oncology and the ways in which malignancies are treated. Many of the CIs on the market today function by preventing the ligation of immunosuppressive receptors on a subset of lymphocytes known as T cells. As such, T cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) are able to elicit cytotoxic effects, resulting in a rapid reduction in tumor burden. Patients responding to CI therapies experience increased survival rates, however, the number of non-responding patients, or patients who develop resistance, is unacceptably high. One mechanism contributing to the lack …

Incident Tuberculosis Diagnoses In Children At High Risk For Disease, Milagros Wong, Julia M. Coit, Milagros Mendoza, Silvia S. Chiang, Helen Marin, Jerome T. Galea, Leonid Lecca, Molly F. Franke

Social Work Faculty Publications

We followed 35 children meeting a research definition for unconfirmed tuberculosis (TB) but in whom a pediatric pulmonologist did not diagnose or treat TB. After a median follow-up of 16.4 months, most children were not diagnosed with TB following a comprehensive evaluation. However, 2 were diagnosed with TB, demonstrating high TB risk (6%; exact 95% CI, 1%–19%). In some contexts, researchers may wish to supplement these research definitions with clinical decision data and longitudinal follow-up in order to improve specificity.