Digital Commons Network^™

Dark Side Of Shinzo Abe’S Legacy, Yeomin Yoon

KAUPA Letters

No abstract provided.

Preparation And Characterization Of 3d Printed Bioadhesive Delivery Systems, Mohammed Yahya Alyahya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drug delivery systems are evolving as pharmaceutical excipients and the manufacturing technologies evolve. Recently, 3D printing was introduced as a promising and versatile manufacturing technology of solid dosage forms from liquid, semi-solid, and solid intermediates. This work presents two examples of employing hot melt extrusion and fused deposition 3D printing technology to fabricate bioadhesive delivery systems loaded with miconazole. The first project shows a successful fabrication of four intraoral mucoadhesive film formulations, the formulations consist of different ratios of Eudragit RS, Hydroxypropyl cellulose EF (HPC EF), and Hypromellose HME 15LV. After the HME and 3DP fabrication of the films, the …

An Investigation Into The Feasibility Of Coupling Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology With Fused Deposition Modeling 3d Printing In Different Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Abdullah Ahmed Alzahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coupling hot-melt extrusion (HME) with fused deposition modeling (FDM) three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a cutting-edge manufacturing technique that allows the exact deposition of materials in consecutive layers to create bespoke objects. HME technology has piqued academic research and the pharmaceutical industry's attention as a solvent-free continuous process for several pharmaceutical applications. It is possible to employ this technology alone/alongside other current technologies to produce new pharmaceuticals for various applications. The FDA has approved several HME commercial products for different pharmaceutical applications. HME and FDM 3D printing could open the door to a new era of pharmaceutical manufacturing. 3D printing has …

The Hollidays In Mississippi: A Documentary Project About Queer Family, Legacy, And Community Struggle, Christina Alison Huff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis accompanies a short documentary film encompassing a “passing of the torch” story between Eric White (GoDiva Holliday) and his drag daughter, Justin Tyler (DeePression Holliday.) After twenty years of performing and directing drag shows in Tupelo, MS, White makes the decision to let go of his passion and focus on himself. He ensures that his drag daughter, Holbrook, carries on the legacy of creating LGTBQ spaces in the conservative South. This story will also touch on the familial relationship between the two drag performers who both grew up in small-town Mississippi but in different eras. The work …

Testing Emotion Regulation As A Functional Transdiagnostic Construct, Enoch Sackey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The polythetic criteria of the DSM and ICD generate high amount of symptom heterogeneity as there are clusters of symptoms within various diagnostic category that are heuristically similar, resulting in multiple, often confusing, ways of describing sequelae of symptoms presentation. This is because the DSM and ICD classification systems were developed based on the neo-Kraepelinian framework for classifying physical illnesses, which assumes that the underlying architecture of psychopathology, which manifest in disorder symptoms, are distinct and specific. Based on this, the categorical approach to describing psychopathology has been described as purely conceptual artefact with no empirical basis in research or …

Effect Of Excipients/Solvents On The Barrier Integrity And Topical Drug Delivery Across Micropores, Abhishek Shettar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topical and transdermal drug delivery system offers several advantages over conventional drug delivery; non-invasive, patient compliance, avoidance of first-pass metabolism, and sustaining therapeutic drug levels for several days. As a route for drug administration, skin presents a large surface area and can be used for both local and systemic drug delivery. However, the skin forms a formidable barrier protecting the human body from external environmental rigors and excessive water loss, maintaining equilibrium. The skin's barrier properties can be attributed to its unique macromolecular organization and morphology. However, the organized structure of the skin, since intended to prevent the entry …

Estimating Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis) Population Size And Survival Rates In South Luangwa Valley, Zambia, Samantha Phillips

All NMU Master's Theses

Giraffe populations across their range have declined significantly over the past 40 years. Recent studies of these declines noted that conservation efforts often lack basic population estimates and descriptions of demographic parameters such as sex- and age-specific survival rates. I addressed those research needs for a geographically-isolated population of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in South Luangwa Valley, Zambia. During 2016 to 2018, collaborators opportunistically photographed giraffes throughout South Luangwa National Park and adjacent Lupande and Lumimba Game Management Areas. Given that each giraffe has a unique spotting pattern, I created a photo inventory of the population and developed an …

Management Of Youth Sport-Related Concussion By Urban And Rural Practitioners: A Pilot Study, Brett R. Fox

All NMU Master's Theses

Sport-related concussions (SRC) occur at alarming rates among high school athletes (ages 13-18), which made the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies classify it as an “epidemic”. If improperly managed, physical, mental, and emotional consequences can occur for SRC patients. Due to these consequences all 50 states in the US have passed legislation requiring medical release from a practitioner before a student-athlete can return to athletics following an SRC, yet there is no universally accepted consensus on how to medically manage this common injury. A 22-item, validated survey was distributed to Michigan practitioners who sign off on …

Investigating Conserved Mechanisms For Embryonic Eye Regrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Cindy Kha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Regeneration is a complex process to replace or restore tissue after damage. However, animals vary in their ability to regenerate tissue, and humans are limited in their abilities. Understanding how regeneration occurs in highly regenerative vertebrates, such as in Xenopus laevis frogs will lead to defining common regeneration mechanisms. In recent years, eye regeneration research in Xenopus laevis tadpoles provided new promising insight into the mechanisms necessary for repair of damaged eye tissue. Much progress has been made towards understanding the regenerative capability of the complex eye since Xenopus tadpoles can regenerate mature eye tissues, including: the optic nerve, retina, …

An In-Depth Examination Of The Literature On Early Pubertal Timing And Disordered Eating In Women And Girls: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Megan Marie Shope

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objective: Extant data indicate that earlier onset of puberty increases risk for disordered eating symptoms in girls and women. However, whether earlier pubertal timing is predictive of all disordered eating symptoms, or whether it exerts differential effects across distinct symptoms (e.g., body dissatisfaction versus binge eating), remains unclear given inconsistencies in the literature and the lack of a systematic analysis. A meta-analytic approach can overcome these limitations by providing pooled estimates of early pubertal timing on disordered eating symptoms and testing for methodological moderators (i.e., disordered eating outcome/symptom type, measurement of pubertal timing, age of sample, type of sample, study …

Going Viral: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Anti-Vaccine Movement & Social Media, Corinn Evancho Schumacher

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In the recent years of the rise of Web 2.0, health information has become more accessible. With this shift has come a reliance on social media to inform and educate the masses on vaccines. With the introduction of the Covid-19 vaccine, the conversation surrounding vaccines moved to the forefront of the United States’ zeitgeist from late 2021 to early 2022. In this research, I conducted a case study on the communication surrounding vaccines on social media while examining specific Facebook groups that advance the misinformation surrounding vaccines. I examined over 300 posts from four public Facebook groups in order to …

Drought Tolerance Of Artemisia Tridentata In Response To Herbivory And Mycorrhizal Colonization, Mathew Geisler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Interactions with other organisms can affect a plant’s ability to cope with drought. The re-establishment of Artemisia tridentata, a keystone species of the sagebrush steppe, is often limited by summer drought. This study investigated the effect of two biotic factors, herbivory and symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), on the drought tolerance of Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) seedlings. For this purpose, I conducted two separate but concurrent field experiments. The herbivory experiment had three treatments: seedlings without tree protectors and seedlings within Vexar or metal-mesh tree protectors. In the mycorrhizal experiment, all seedlings were within metal-mesh …

Innovative Foundation Alternative Inspired From Tree Roots, Macie Larranaga

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

It is not easy to find a more efficient foundation system than the roots of a tree. Trees create a vast three-dimensional network of roots to support and anchor the critical above-ground trunks, leaves, and limbs. In this work, investigations are made for the feasibility of imitating such a technique and creating similar networks to support civil infrastructure, particularly those subjected to moment loads such as traffic signal posts. Some of the raised questions were: Is it feasible to have a shallow tree root-based foundation system to provide the same capacities as conventional foundation alternatives? If this is feasible: What …

Multi-Method Investigation Of Factors Influencing Amyloid Onset And Impairment In Three Cohorts, Tobey J. Betthauser, Murat Bilgel, Rebecca L. Koscik, Bruno Jedynak, Yang An, Kristina A. Kellett, Abhay Moghekar, Erin M. Jonaitis, Charles K. Stone, Multiple Additional Authors

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for characterizing the longitudinal course of disease, predicting the timing of clinical and cognitive symptoms, and for recruitment and treatment monitoring in clinical trials. In this work, we develop and evaluate three methods for modelling the longitudinal course of amyloid accumulation in three cohorts using amyloid PET imaging. We then use these novel approaches to investigate factors that influence the timing of amyloid onset and the timing from amyloid onset to impairment onset in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum.

Data were acquired from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of …

Ranchers' And Federal Land Managers' Perceptions Of Rangeland Management Across An Environmental Gradient, Calandria Puntenney

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Managing semi-arid rangelands to meet social-ecological goals requires monitoring of key ecological indicators that will inform management responses. These goals and monitoring objectives are in turn grounded in land managers’ understandings, or “mental models,” of how the rangeland system operates. Rangeland managers’ mental models are often highly place-specific, which can enable management actions to be matched to local conditions. In the western United States, ranchers and federal agency resource specialists, like those in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are two of the primary groups involved in rangeland management. We compared ranchers’ and BLM agency specialists’ rangeland mental models in …

Measuring Engineering Students' Engagement In Sustainability Design Concepts, Karen Aide Perez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Within industries, governments, and accreditation organizations, there has been a push to incorporate sustainability concepts into their models. Universities like Boise State University (BSU) have already begun to place greater emphasis in inclusion of sustainability concepts in different engineering department curricula. As part of this effort, BSU plans to redesign courses to integrate sustainability concepts using active learning modules (ALMs) suited for each grade level and discipline. The effectiveness of these modules will be evaluated across disciplines. In support of this larger goal, the work in this study will specifically focus on mechanical engineering students.

A survey instrument was developed …

Improving The Ribozyme Toolbox: From Structure-Function Insights To Synthetic Biology Applications, Jessica Michelle Roberts

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Self-cleaving ribozymes are a naturally occurring class of catalytically active RNA molecules which cleave their own phosphate backbone. In nature, self-cleaving ribozymes are best known for their role in processing concatamers of viral genomes into monomers during viral replication in some RNA viruses, but to a lesser degree have also been implicated in mRNA regulation and processing in bacteria and eukaryotes. In addition to their biological relevance, these RNA enzymes have been harnessed as important biomolecular tools with a variety of applications in fields such as bioengineering. Self-cleaving ribozymes are relatively small and easy to generate in the lab using …

Study As Form-Of-Life: Meditations On Schooling, Enjoyment, And The Inoperative Life, Bryan K. Weeks

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is to explore what potential that the concept of 'inoperativity' has in the philosophy and theory of education. I will discuss the method of critique used which aims to think through the problems in existing theory rather than discard good thinking when problems are found. The strengths and weaknesses of deschooling and democratic approaches will be at the center of this critique. As a response to the weaknesses of both, the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, focusing on the way that interiority and enjoyment are essential concepts for the philosophy of education, as well as Giorgio …

Investigating Cause-Specific Mortality Of Sheep To Determine The Impacts Of Carnivores On Domestic Livestock, Nathan Jacob Floyd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Livestock and carnivores interact in ways that are considered conflict throughout the world. In the western United States, livestock are often grazed on public lands in close proximity to predators in their natural habitat, and can be killed as prey. Livestock losses to predators can threaten rancher’s livelihoods. Sheep and lambs are especially vulnerable to predators due to their small size and lack of defensive abilities. To reduce the impacts that predators have on livestock, it is important for ranchers and wildlife biologists to have an accurate understanding of how many livestock die and are killed by predators when grazing …

The Personal Is Still Political: An Analysis Of Jessica Valenti's Contemporary Feminine Style, Michala M. Zilkey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2016, Jessica Valenti’s memoir, Sex Object, was published. Sex Object describes Valenti’s experiences of sexualization and objectification in a personal and anecdotal format. The feminine style, a rhetorical style that bridges the divide between norms of femininity and expectations of public oration, has been heralded as essential for advancing the feminist movement. This thesis asks the question, to what extent does contemporary feminists’ rhetoric mirror and diverge from earlier iterations of the feminine style? I argue that Valenti’s employs a feminine style that utilizes relational norms and self-disclosure to illustrate the personal as political and the political as …

High School Biology Teachers' Integration Of Argumention In The Context Of Disciplinary Literacy Coaching, Ashley Strong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Scientific argumentation is a core scientific practice. Although scientific argumentation has been linked to increased learning of scientific content, improved reading, writing, and critical thinking, traditional science classrooms have not included scientific argumentation. Teachers often have little experience learning or teaching science through argumentation and need support to integrate this complex practice of science into their classrooms. This study compared four high school biology teachers’ instruction of scientific argumentation as they worked with a literacy coach. Data were collected through interviews, audio recordings of classroom instruction and literacy coaching sessions, and artifacts. After analyzing the data, several key findings stood …

Patient With Multiple Genetically Distinct Thyroid Nodules Including Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Harboring Novel Ywhag-Braf Fusion, Ruihe Lin, Zi-Xuan Wang, Elizabeth Cottrill, Nitika Badjatia, Stacey Gargano

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of thyroid samples aids in risk stratification of cytologically indeterminate nodules and contributes to our understanding of molecular mechanisms in thyroid neoplasia. Several genes, including BRAF, RAS, and EIF1AX, are known to play a role in thyroid tumorigenesis. Here we report a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in which a single lesion harbored a novel YWHAG-BRAF fusion and EIF1AX mutation and displayed mixed morphological findings. The patient is a 74-year-old female with multiple incidentally discovered thyroid nodules, two of which were sampled by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA). Cytologic diagnosis for both nodules was suspicious …

Experiences With Menses In Transgender And Gender Nonbinary Adolescents., Beth I. Schwartz, Arielle Effron, Benjamin Bear, Vanessa L Short, Julia Eisenberg, Sarah Felleman, Anne E Kazak

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe menstrual history, associated dysphoria, and desire for menstrual management in transgender male and gender diverse adolescents who were assigned female at birth

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review

SETTING: Tertiary care children's hospital

PARTICIPANTS: All patients seen in a multidisciplinary pediatric gender program from March 2015 through December 2020 who were assigned female at birth, identified as transgender male or gender nonbinary, and had achieved menarche

INTERVENTION: None

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographics, menstrual history, interest in and prior experiences with menstrual management, parental support, and concerns about menstrual management

RESULTS: Of the 129 included patients, 116 (90%) …

Power, Privilege, And Permission: A Qualitative Study On The Perspectives Of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Who Serve Racially Diverse Clients, Cherrelle Singleton

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC) serving racially diverse clients and how VRCs are trained and educated to work with racially diverse clients. VRCs are typically employed by federally funded state or federal rehabilitation agencies. In their role, they aim to provide individualized tools and services that empower people with disabilities by alleviating barriers to being successful when preparing for and maintaining employment and being independent in their adult life (Donnell et al., 2013). Often tasked to work with clients who have marginalized identities including race and disability, VRCs must be able to understand and …

An Analysis Of Demographics And Risk Factors Associated With Increasing Syphilis Cases In Iowa, Eleanore H. Nelson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background:

Syphilis is easily detectable and treatable with the appropriate medical attention, yet national incidence rates have been on the rise since reaching an all-time low in 2000 (Shockman et al, 2014). Similar to HIV, men who have sex with other men (MSM), represent most syphilis transmission, yet in recent years, syphilis rates have concerningly increased among both genders and among all racial/ethnic groups (CDC, 2019).

Methods:

Surveillance data was collected on all syphilis cases reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding demographics and risk factors of cases. Variables were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, …

Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers: Genomics, Phylogenomics, And Methods To Detect Specific Pathogens During Outbreaks., Abdulkarim Abdulaziz A. Shwani

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lameness is a major issue in animal welfare and the broiler industry. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is one of the main causes of lameness. Many staphylococcal species, including Staphylococcus agnetis isolate 908, have been isolated from the bones and blood of lame broilers at the University of Arkansas. Staphylococcus agnetis is a coagulase-variable, Gram-positive bacterial species that has been previously associated with subclinical or mild clinical cases of mastitis in dairy cattle. The annotated complete genome of hypervirulent strain 908 was published at NCBI. In this study, it has been compared to nine genomes we assembled for hypervirulent isolates …

Role Of Membrane Contact Sites In The Neuropathogenesis Of Gm1-Gangliosidosis, Jason Andrew Weesner

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Background. GM1-ganglisidosis is a rare neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme β-GAL, resulting in the accumulation of its target substrate GM1. GM1, a glycosphingolipid found primarily in the PM of neurons, is known to modulate Ca2+ flux through its interactions with Ca2+ channels and Ca2+ binding proteins. GM1 is also known to promote neuritogenesis through the activation of phosphorylated TRKs, receptors for neurotrophic factors. Under disease conditions, GM1 accumulates not only in the PM but also in the intracellular membranes of organelles, altering their membrane composition and functions. Organelles are dynamic, constantly interacting with …

Associations Between Postpartum Depression And Child Overweight And Obesity: Mediating Effect Of Maternal Feeding Behaviors And Beliefs, Michelle Harrison

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental condition that significantly affects 10% to 25% of women within the first year after the birth of their child. The mother-infant relationship is key to child growth. Previous studies have shown that PPD has a detrimental effect on children’s physical and psychological well-being as it affects the child through the mother’s parenting behavior. Depressed mothers show a lack of engagement with their children, which could extend to feeding practices influencing weight gain. The prevalence and severity of childhood overweight and obesity is a global public health problem. An increase in weight gain in …

Crime Scene Behaviors Of Sexual Murderers With And Without A Criminal History Of Sexual Assault, Tirza Z. Ben Ari

Student Theses

This exploratory study is intended to serve as a gateway to future research about the differences between sexual murderers with (HSAO) and without (N-HSAO) a recorded criminal history of sexual assault, on which there is little to no comparative literature. This study aims to extend our understanding of these groups by comparing their crime scene (and crime-related) behaviors and exploring their underlying psychological functioning. The results suggest that N-HSAO have a significantly higher tendency to murder friends or strangers, initially attack or abduct their victims from the victim’s residence, use more than one killing method in the murder, attack their …

Consequences Of The Environment: Timing Of Litter Parturition And Offspring Survival In The Social Rodent Octodon Degus, Miles Matchinske

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Variation in the timing of offspring parturition determines the environmental factors they experience during early development and their likelihood for survival. I used an 11-year dataset on a natural, free-living population of degus (Octodon degus), a social rodent endemic to Chile, to test predictions that ecological, social, and maternal conditions during the breeding season are associated with the timing of litter parturition and intragroup litter synchrony and that early-life conditions and the time at which pups are born influence their survival. Measures of females’ food access during breeding predicted their parturition day. Furthermore, differences in food abundance and phenotypical masculinization …