Digital Commons Network^™

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Aaron Mcneilan

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The following poster presentation provides a brief overview of the disease process of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide, and its incidence does not appear to be declining. The most common factor causing COPD is cigarette smoking, which is modifiable. Other contributors are environmental air pollutants which some people may encounter depending on where they live or their occupation. This presentation is a culmination of information from different scholarly sources which discuss the symptoms, pathophysiology, causes, management, and prevention of COPD.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Pathophysiology And Chronic Health Implications, Makilah Witt

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. If untreated, women suffer a myriad of secondary sequala and chronic diseases. The prevalence of PCOS is rising and greatly impacts patients' physical, mental, and emotional health, diminishes community health, and increases healthcare costs. However, many providers fail to properly diagnose patients, understand how this disease impacts women, or provide appropriate interventions to prevent chronic health problems. This paper outlines the pathophysiology of PCOS, identifies signs and symptoms, and provides recommendations for treatment and holistic patient care for the role of the Advance Practice Nurse.

Facing Fears When Fearing Faces: Binocular Rivalry Perceptual Alternation And Approach-Avoidance In College-Aged Women With Autistic Traits And A History Of Adverse Experiences, Sarah Kamhout

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs) may be more likely to experience symptoms of trauma exposure due to greater likelihood of facing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). In order to gain a better understanding of the neural mechanisms involved with ASC and PTSD in women who experience difficulty with social interactions, I examined the ability of two vision tasks-- Binocular Rivalry Perceptual Alternation (BR) and Visual Approach/Avoidance by the Self Task (VAAST)-- to predict symptoms of both conditions as well as differentiate between them. I also examined differences in response to neutral or emotional (angry or fearful) faces under both paradigms. …

Spring Commencement Program, August 6, 2021, Coastal Carolina University

Commencement Programs

Program of Commencement Exercises at Coastal Carolina University.

Expanding The Mecp2 Network Using Comparative Genomics Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets For Rett Syndrome, Irene Unterman, Idit Bloch, Simona Cazacu, Gila Kazimirsky, Bruria Ben-Zeev, Benjamin P. Berman, Chaya Brodie, Yuval Tabach

Neurosurgery Articles

Inactivating mutations in the Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MECP2) gene are the main cause of Rett syndrome (RTT). Despite extensive research into MECP2 function, no treatments for RTT are currently available. Here, we used an evolutionary genomics approach to construct an unbiased MECP2 gene network, using 1028 eukaryotic genomes to prioritize proteins with strong co-evolutionary signatures with MECP2. Focusing on proteins targeted by FDA-approved drugs led to three promising targets, two of which were previously linked to MECP2 function (IRAK, KEAP1) and one that was not (EPOR). The drugs targeting these three proteins (Pacritinib, DMF, and EPO) were able to …

An Analysis Of Human Gait Under Slippery Conditions Using Opensim's Musculoskeletal Simulations, Phong K. Phan

Theses and Dissertations

Computational simulations of gait under abnormal conditions provide insights into the actions of muscles, its relationships with external reaction forces and motions of the body during slips, trips, and falls - the leading causes of occupational injuries worldwide. OpenSimTM, an open-source motion simulation software, was utilized to construct musculoskeletal structures and create dynamic simulations of body movements. Gaits of eighteen subjects were studied to extract experimentally difficult-to-obtained variables under slippery conditions. The joint angles and moments of hip, knee, ankle and the forces of four prime muscle groups were analyzed for body corrective movements during slip events. Besides, the connections …

Impact And Mechanism Of Sulphur-Deficiency On Modern Wheat Farming Nitrogen-Related Sustainability And Gliadin Content, Zitong Yu, Maoyun She, Ting Zheng, Dean A. Diepeveen, Shahidul Islam, Yun Zhao, Yingquan Zhang, Guixiang Tang, Yujuan Zhang, Jingjuan Zhang, Christopher L. Blanchard, Wujun Ma

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Two challenges that the global wheat industry is facing are a lowering nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and an increase in the reporting of wheat-protein related health issues. Sulphur deficiencies in soil has also been reported as a global issue. The current study used large-scale field and glasshouse experiments to investigate the sulphur fertilization impacts on sulphur deficient soil. Here we show that sulphur addition increased NUE by more than 20% through regulating glutamine synthetase. Alleviating the soil sulphur deficiency highly significantly reduced the amount of gliadin proteins indicating that soil sulphur levels may be related to the biosynthesis of proteins involved …

Characterization Of 3d Printed Polyester Scaffolds Modified By Nano-Hydroxyapatite For Bone Tissue Engineering, Weitong Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Characterization of 3D printed polyester scaffolds modified by nano-hydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering

Fathers As Stay-At-Home Dads: Fathers' And Mothers' Perspectives On Children's School Experiences, Taylor Hubbert Michelsen

Theses and Dissertations

As traditional family roles change and circumstances at home become increasingly varied in contemporary society, the experiences of children also undergo change. For instance, when fathers take on primary caregiving responsibilities, those differing circumstances also impact their children. Therefore, it is important for researchers to study how changing parental roles affect children in the home. Through the use of qualitative research design, this research focuses on how the experiences of children within the home may be impacted when fathers are the primary caregiver. Although previous research has examined several aspects of family dynamics with so-called stay-at-home fathers, research has not …

The Beneficial Effects Of The Gut-Derived Metabolite Trimethylamine N-Oxide On Functional Β-Cell Mass, Emily Suzanne Krueger

Theses and Dissertations

Elevated serum levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) were first associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) 10 years ago. Research has since defined that serum TMAO accumulation is controlled by the diet-microbiome-liver-kidney axis. Choline related nutrients are consumed in excess during over-nutrition from a Western diet. The resultant elevated serum TMAO is investigated across various chronic metabolic diseases and many tissue types. While TMAO is most clearly linked to CVD mechanisms in vascular tissue, its molecular effects on metabolic tissues are unclear. Here we report the current standing of TMAO research in metabolic disease context across relevant metabolic tissues …

Designing Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Systems For Improved Biocatalysis And On-Demand, Cost-Effective Biosensors, Mehran Soltani Najafabadi

Theses and Dissertations

The open nature of Cell-Free Protein Synthesis (CFPS) systems has enabled flexible design, easy manipulation, and novel applications of protein engineering in therapeutic production, biocatalysis, and biosensors. This dissertation reports on three advances in the application of CFPS systems for 1) improving biocatalysis performance in industrial applications by site-specific covalent enzyme immobilization, 2) expressing and optimizing a difficult to express a mammalian protein in bacterial-based CFPS systems and its application for cost-effective, on-demand biosensors compatible with human body fluids, and 3) streamlining the procedure of an E. coli extract with built-in compatibility with human body fluid biosensors. Site-specific covalent immobilization …

Steroidogenic Enzyme And Steroid Receptor Expression In The Equine Accessory Sex Glands, Robyn E. Ellerbrock, Giorgia Podico, Kirsten E. Scoggin, Barry A. Ball, Mariano Carossino, Igor F. Canisso

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

The expression pattern and distribution of sex steroid receptors and steroidogenic enzymes during development of the equine accessory sex glands has not previously been described. We hypothesized that equine steroidogenic enzyme and sex steroid receptor expression is dependent on reproductive status. Accessory sex glands were harvested from mature stallions, pre-pubertal colts, geldings, and fetuses. Expression of mRNA for estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2), androgen receptor (AR), 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5-4 isomerase (3βHSD), P450,17α hydroxylase, 17–20 lyase (CYP17), and aromatase (CYP19) were quantified by RT-PCR, and protein localization of AR, ER-α, ER-β, and 3βHSD were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Expression of …

Immunoaffinity Monoliths For Multiplexed Extraction Of Preterm Birth Biomarkers From Human Blood Serum In 3d Printed Microfluidic Devices, Haifa Mohammad Almughamsi

Theses and Dissertations

Preterm birth (PTB) results in over 15 million early births annually and is the leading cause of neonatal deaths. There are no clinical methods currently available to evaluate risk of PTB at early stages in pregnancy; thus, a rapid diagnostic to analyze PTB risk would be beneficial. Microfluidic immunoaffinity extraction is a promising platform for preparing complex samples, such as maternal serum with PTB risk biomarkers. 3D printed microfluidic devices have advantages over conventional microfluidic systems including simple fabrication and potential for iterative optimization to improve designs. In this work, I developed immunoaffinity monoliths in 3D printed microfluidic devices modified …

Annealing Enabled Immune System Algorithm For Multi-Waypoint Navigation Of Autonomous Robots, Elakiya Jayaraman

Theses and Dissertations

In real world applications such as rescue robots, service robots, mobile mining robots, and mine searching robots, an autonomous mobile robot needs to reach multiple goals with the shortest path while avoiding obstacles. In this thesis, we propose Artificial Immune System (AIS) based algorithms and two hybrids based on AIS associated with the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm and Voronoi Diagram (VD) for real-time map building and path planning for multi-goal applications. A global route is initially planned by the Immune System Algorithm (ISA). Then the created path is used to guide the robot to multiple waypoints following the foraging trail. …

Sclerostin As A Potential Therapy For Medial Vascular Calcification Through The Inhibition Of The Wnt/Beta-Catenin Pathway, Jada S. Boone

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is among the leading causes of death in the US. It stems from the pathological buildup of plaque within the vasculature known as vascular calcification. Medial calcification, or arteriosclerosis is the buildup of plaque within the medial layer of the arteries resulting in artery wall stiffening and reduction of blood flow. Evidence suggests that the vascular smooth muscles cells (VSMCs) that line the medial layer of the arteries, undergo a phenotypic switch to osteoblast-like cells to deposit calcium while in this pathological state. The Wnt/BETA-catenin pathway could potentially play a role in the phenotypic modulation. Inhibition of the …

The Effects Of Engineering Discipline Depth And Specificity On Occupational Alignment, Graduate School Decisions, And Engineering Identity, Jenna Lynn Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Retention of engineering students to graduation and career is important business for both United States (U.S.) industries and engineering education institutions alike. Industries need competent engineers dedicated to working in the field of engineering beyond graduation in order to achieve business success and national economic growth, while engineering education institutions need retention to graduation to achieve their own business goals. This dissertation took a three-pronged approach to identifying relationships between depth and specificity of engineering and response factors related to graduation and career retention of engineers. Occupational alignment, graduate school decisions, and engineering identity were evaluated for relationships with specificity …

August 6, 2021 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Having A High-Activity Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Allele Is Associated With Elevated Anxiety And Lower Salivary Dehydroepiandrosterone But Also Lower Alpha Amylase In Children With Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome., Jessie Beebe

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) results from a hemizygous deletion located on the long arm of chromosome 22. The most common deletion sizes affect between 30 and 90 genes. Individuals with 22q11.2DS may develop serious developmental and psychiatric disorders. The phenotype is highly variable, however, and may be influenced by allelic variation of the retained copies of genes covered by the deletion. I set out to examine the effects of two genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and proline dehydrogenase (PRODH), in relation to anxiety in children and adolescents with 22q11.2DS. Individuals with the major COMT allele (higher activity) have significantly higher anxiety …

Collaborative Research: L Treb: Predicting The Success Of Montane Species In An Era Of Climatic Upheaval, Zachariah Gompert

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Secularism: A Measure Of Explicit Agreement With Assumptions Of Secularism (Meaas), Conner Douglas Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Values are inherent within cultures, relationships, and many other systems, however, little study has been done on the extent to which individuals may explicitly agree with the metaphysical assumptions that much of psychological science relies upon. Psychological science, which uses scientific methodology, is a trusted source of knowledge for many students. Scientific methodology is conceptually linked to assumptions of naturalism, which makes claims about the truth of reality. These naturalistic assumptions pertain to ideas of disenchantment, which describe the world as free from any transcendent quality. These same ideas have become popular among people of the Western world and are …

Understanding Public K-12 Building Principals' Perspectives On The Greatest Successes And Challenges In American Education, Buck Ekstrom

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted in a suburban intermountain school district. The research purpose was to (a) solicit narratives from principals about the greatest successes and challenges in American education; (b) conduct deep insightful analysis to find emerging themes from the interviews with principals; and (c) to provide important information for policy and law makers. The findings focused on data collected from interviews asking 25 principals to share perspectives and examples from their work in schools and education in general. The principals were asked about educational successes. Those cited regularly highlighted positive cultures, doing tremendous work with minimal funding, and …

The Role Of A Sickled Microenvironment In Cardiac Dysfunction, Allison Nicole Healey

Theses and Dissertations

This study helps to fill a remaining knowledge gap surrounding the mechanisms and pathways that contribute to cardiomyopathies in SCD. A better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms could lead to more accurate therapeutic targets to improve quality of life as well as life expectancy. In this study I recapitulate cardiac dysfunction in vitro by exposing engineered mouse cardiac tissues to ANG II or the sickled microenvironment. Experimental results include gene expression profiles and oxidative stress generation. Gene expression profiles in the ANG II treated tissues indicated a pathological state with upregulation in biomarkers for inflammation, cell adhesion, wall stress and …

Exploring The Use Of Neural Network-Based Band Selection On Hyperspectral Imagery To Identify Informative Wavelengths For Improving Classifier Task Performance, Preston Chandler Darling

Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral imagery is a highly dimensional type of data resulting in high computational costs during analysis. Band selection aims to reduce the original hyperspectral image to a smaller subset that reduces these costs while preserving the maximum amount of spectral information within the data. This thesis explores various types of band selection techniques used in hyperspectral image processing. Modifying Neural network-based techniques and observing the effects on the band selection process due to the change in network architecture or objective are of particular focus in this thesis. Herein, a generalized neural network-based band selection technique is developed and compared to …

Assessment And Optimization Of Marsh Terracing For Wetland Restoration In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Using Remote Sensing And A Wave Model Approach, Raúl Jefferson Osorio Morillo

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal Louisiana U.S. is facing wetland loss caused mainly by geologic subsidence and sea-level rise. These losses are accelerated by human activities such as the creation of canals and waterways for gas and oil extraction. Wetland loss in coastal Louisiana has encouraged to the implementation of various wetland restoration techniques. Marsh terraces are a one restoration technique consisting of segmented berms of soil that are built in inland coastal ponds. They are designed to increase marsh area, dissipate wind driven waves, encourage marsh expansion, and possibly reduce shoreline erosion. Marsh terraces have been implemented for almost 30 years; however, little …

Capturing Structure-Property Relationships Of Complex Gels With Physical And Chemical Crosslinking, Rosa Maria Badani Prado

Theses and Dissertations

Gels are used in many applications ranging from bioengineering and pharmaceuticals to food technology and soft-robotics because of their tunable physical and mechanical properties. In many of these applications, the materials need to sustain large deformation. The microstructure of gels changes significantly at large strain values, causing a deviation in the stress responses from that at low strain. The desired mechanical responses of gels can be obtained by tuning their microstructure, therefore, the structure-property relationship for gels is required to be understood for their practical applications. This dissertation discusses two types of gels, one consists of chemical crosslinking and hydrophobic …

Neutrosophic Statistics Applied In Social Science, Adrián Alejandro Alvaracín Jarrín, David Santiago Proaño Tamayo, Salomón Alejandro Montecé Giler, Juan Carlos Arandia Zambrano, Dante Manuel Macazana

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

"Obesity is a chronic, non-contagious disease to which attention has been paid worldwide at all times, but current studies are focused on childhood and adolescent obesity after the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason lies in the fact that the younger the child, the greater the risk of developing complications during his life. That is why it is established as a problem to be analyzed from various points of view. Consequently, this study aims to develop a causal analysis of the determinants of childhood and adolescent obesity in post-COVID-19 Ecuador using Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps from a hermeneutical point of view. The authors …

Plant Dna Repair And Agrobacterium T−Dna Integration, Stanton B. Gelvin

Department of Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Agrobacterium species transfer DNA (T−DNA) to plant cells where it may integrate into plant chromosomes. The process of integration is thought to involve invasion and ligation of T-DNA, or its copying, into nicks or breaks in the host genome. Integrated T−DNA often contains, at its junctions with plant DNA, deletions of T−DNA or plant DNA, filler DNA, and/or microhomology between T-DNA and plant DNA pre-integration sites. T−DNA integration is also often associated with major plant genome rearrangements, including inversions and translocations. These characteristics are similar to those often found after repair of DNA breaks, and thus DNA repair mechanisms have …

Pain In African Americans: Optimizing Pain Management In The African American Patient Population Using A Health Policy Development Study Method, Shjuan Crockett, Deon Scott, Emily Worthy

Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to optimize pain management in the African American patient population using a health policy development study method.

Confronting Space Debris Through The Regime Evolution Approach, Gershon Hasin

International Law Studies

This article examines the complex policy problem of space debris and elaborates a proposal for a bottom-up cooperative regime for its mitigation. While debris proliferation generates costs and threatens the safety of personnel and equipment, this policy problem is compounded by the realization that debris constitutes a by-product of desirable space activities which facilitate national progress and domestic increases in values. It is further complicated by increased private participation, conflicting interests of participants, and a global order susceptible to outlier behavior.

Scholars attempting to tackle this policy problem have failed to appreciate the complex legislative process through which international rules …

Decision Based Learning Course Design & Implementation For Introductory Statistics, Austin Heath

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Researchers in multiple industries (biomedicine, engineering, etc.) cite the selection of an appropriate statistical test as a common problem. Experts draw on a framework of conceptual and procedural knowledge to navigate when to use statistical methods. Students also struggle determining the correct statistical method to use for a given research question. This is because they lack the opportunity to practice recognizing a host of features in each research question that provide clues for experts as to which method is most appropriate. “Decision Based Learning” (DBL) is a teaching method designed to help teachers and students address this struggle. In this …