Digital Commons Network^™

The East Africa Consortium For Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Cancer In Women Living With Hiv/Aids, Y. Tong, Elkanah Omenge, M. Nakalembe, P. Tonui, P. Itsura, K. Muthoka, M. Titus, S. Kiptoo, A. Mwangi, J. Ong’Echae

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The East Africa Consortium was formed to study the epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer and the influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on HPV and cervical cancer, and to encourage collaborations between researchers in North America and East African countries. To date, studies have led to a better understanding of the influence of HIV infection on the detection and persistence of oncogenic HPV, the effects of dietary aflatoxin on the persistence of HPV, the benefits of antiretroviral therapy on HPV persistence, and the differences in HPV detections among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women undergoing treatment for …

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-129_6, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-129_2, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Ncrna-Protein Interaction Prediction Using Language-Based Features, Krishna Shah

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a significant role in several fundamental biological processes by binding to RNA-binding proteins (RBPs); hence, it is necessary to study ncRNA-protein interaction (RPI). Several classic and deep-learning machine learning models have been pro-posed to predict RPI. These models first need to collect features of RNA and protein, such as physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structure, et cetera, before feeding them into the model. More recently, after the advancement of high throughput sequenc-ing and the improvement in Natural Language Processing (NLP), transformer models like BERT-RBP and Evolutionary Scaling Model (ESM) can be trained to automatically extract feature …

U.S. Hegemonic Control In Latin America: The 1973 Coup In Chile, Seth Wilbur

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

On September 11, 1973, the Chilean armed forces staged a coup d’état against their democratically elected and first socialist president, Salvador Allende. The coup ended in Allende’s death and seventeen years of military dictatorship under the auspices of General Augusto Pinochet. Although seemingly a domestic affair, the United States executive branch under the leadership of President Richard Nixon played a significant role in facilitating the coup and it is unlikely the coup would have occurred without U.S. support. While contemporary sources still point to American fears over communist incursion in the western hemisphere as the principal reason for U.S. involvement …

Analysis Of Forensic Artifacts In Database Memory Using Support Vector Machine, Mahfuzul I. Nissan

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Memory analysis allows forensic investigators to establish a more complete timeline of system activity using a snapshot of main memory (i.e., RAM). Investigators may rely on such analysis to detect malicious activity and understand the scope of what data was exfiltrated. This is of particular interest in the presence of incomplete or untrusted logs, where a privileged user (or an attacker with such capabilities) can altogether bypass or disable logging. In such instances, a forensic investigator can still rely on the fact that data must ultimately be processed in memory, regardless of the information that is recorded in audit logs. …

Photoproducts And Transformations Of Organic Pollutants In Aquatic Environments, Elizabeth Whisenhant

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The degradation of petroleum-derived organic pollutants in aquatic systems occurs through lengthened exposure to UV and visible light. In this thesis, organic pollutants include crude oil, refined fuels, and plastic particles or films. The photo-oxidation of these pollutants are monitored over natural waters. To characterize the molecular signatures of photo-oxidized petroleum, bench-scale spills of refined fuels and crude oil were irradiated over Alaskan waters. A 4-component fluorescence PARAFAC model revealed a unique feature associated with photo-oxidized refined fuel unlike traditional “microbial”- or “terrestrial-like” components. In contrast, crude oil photolytically decomposed into humic-like components and oxidized aliphatics. FT-ICR MS data corroborated …

Artificial Neural Network For Predicting Heat Transfer Rates In Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Vinusha Dasarla Giri Babu

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Supercritical carbon dioxide as a working fluid in a closed Brayton cycle is proving to be more efficient than a conventional steam-based Rankine engine. Understanding the heat transfer properties of supercritical fluids is important for the design of a working engine cycle. The thermophysical properties of supercritical fluids tend to vary non-linearly near the pseudo-critical region. Traditionally, empirical correlations are used to calculate the heat transfer coefficient. It has been shown in the literature and within our own studies that these correlations provide inaccurate predictions near the pseudo-critical line, where heat transfer may be deteriorated or enhanced, resulting from strong …

Ultra-Long-Haul Commercial Operations: An Assessment Of Current Health And Safety Standards, Aditya Rathi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The international and national authorities, manufacturers, and commercial airlines have invested extensively in-flight crew operational research and aircraft system development in preparation for ULH flights. Conversely, the progress on health and safety and its impact and standards has received limited attention in the industry. Though stringent medical certification requirements by international and national regulatory bodies ensure no deviance in operational safety, less emphasis has been put on other occupational factors that can impact the aircrew while operating these ULH routes.

The current studies on the topic are sparse and have only focused on factors such as fatigue, sleep loss, circadian …

December 2022 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Trauma-Informed Care In Nursing Curricula: Development Of A Simulation-Based Educational Framework To Guide Health Professions, Heather Guest

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Individuals of all ages, genders, social and ethnic backgrounds, and cultures suffer traumatic experiences. Trauma does not discriminate. The immense number of individuals struggling with trauma requires that health care providers approach patient care through a trauma-informed lens. Trauma-informed care is an evidence-based approach to patient-centered care and is vital to the healthcare provider-patient relationship. The increased responsibility of healthcare providers to provide trauma-informed care to all individuals demands a scientifically-based framework to guide the development of a trauma-informed health care professions education program. Healthcare simulation allows health professions’ students to experience real-life scenarios in a safe setting before transitioning …

The Living Breakwaters Pdr Efforts Econcrete Resource Analysis, Guianina Ferrari, Shervon Stephens, Calvin O. Walters Jr.

Publications and Research

On October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy impacted 443,000 people and caused nearly $19 billion (about $58 per person in the US) worth of damage within New York City. As part of the New York City infrastructure reparation plan, the Living Breakwaters project in Tottenville addressed coastal resilience, allocating $100M of public funds to a series of artificial breakwaters by the southwest coast of Staten Island. Each breakwater is constructed and designed to mitigate water flow in storm events. ECOncrete, a primary element of the breakwater, is a specialty cast cementitious product that is marine organism-friendly that encourages biocalcification and photosynthesis. …

Computer Ethics In Curriculum, Tiya Williams

Publications and Research

Ethics specifically in Computer Curriculum is a growing problem that has yet to be widely addressed. Although, start of computer ethics being taught has been traced back to the early 1940’s it has not been standardized or implemented in all computer curriculum. The objective of this research is to diagnose the reasons why ethics is so crucial in computer curriculum at all levels. I used surveys to investigate whether students were taught ethics in their computer curriculum. I also conducted surveys for professors at universities and colleges if they were taught ethics while obtaining their degree, as well as if …

Three Essays On Financial Economics, Megersa Daksa

Dissertations

This study presents three essays on financial economics. In the first essay, we examine how monetary policy shocks affect risk aversion and uncertainty, as well as how risk aversion and uncertainty spread across financial markets. Although a recent study shows that monetary policy influences risk aversion and uncertainty in global stock markets, there are no studies on risk aversion and uncertainty spillover across stock, currency, and commodity markets. Following the method of Bekaert et al. (2013), we decompose the implied volatility indexes (VIX's) for the SP500, U.S. exchange rate, gold and crude oil into risk aversion and uncertainty. The decomposition …

An Exploration Of Stressors And Perceptions Of Wellness Among Christian Church Ministry Wives, Laura Ann Kellicut

Dissertations

Ministerial families are in the unique situation of a two-person career, where although the husband is the only one employed by the church, the wife is also expected to perform church specific demands and responsibilities (Frame & Shehan, 1994; Lifeway, 2017). Unique variables and factors of stress among ministry wives have been identified along with how their role affects certain domains of life (Douglas, 1961; Frame & Shehan, 1994; Lee, 2007; Zoba, 1997; Luedtke & Sneed, 2018). Lifeway Research (2017) found that 78% of ministers' spouses experienced some level of burnout with 22% at the highest levels. In the literature, …

Anxiety, Depression, And Suicidal Ideation Among Transgender Individuals With Gender Receiving Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, Rosa E. Diaz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: Gender may align with one’s sex but doesn’t always and sometimes leads to Gender Dysphoria (GD). Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is often one of the first medical treatments used for GD yet few studies have examined the effects of GAHT on mental health (depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation).Methods: Participants were 18 years or older and self-reported as being diagnosed with GD and recruited across the United States using snowball and convenience sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to measure depression scores, General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) was used to measure anxiety scores, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) was …

Transformative Tourism Experience: Openness To Thriving, Solbi Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over the last two decades, there has been growing academic rhetoric regarding the concept of transformation. Furthermore, the discussion of transformative experiences extends to the tourism industry and literature, reflecting the changing tourists' profiles and demands that challenge Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to deliver tourist experiences that incorporate self-reflection and personal transformation. Transformative tourism experiences (TTE) (Soulard et al., 2021) refer to extraordinary encounters and episodes that prompt high emotional reactions that bring an opportunity to explore the self and significant inner personal changes. Despite the emerging academic and practical attention on TTE, research empirically testing the antecedents and outcomes …

Effects Of Patellofemoral Pain On Central Activation And Function Of The Gluteus Medius Muscle In Physically Active Females, Michelle Samuel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the most common knee injury among runners, military personnel, adolescents and recreationally active persons. PFP commonly presents as diffuse pain across the anterior knee that increases with activities such as running, squatting, and walking up and down stairs. Nearly 75% of patients with PFP either alter or completely stop physical activity as a result of the pain. There are numerous mechanisms that contribute to PFP symptoms; such as muscle weakness, abnormal joint mechanics and abnormal joint stress, which make it difficult to successfully treat. In addition, PFP may lead to patellofemoral joint (PFJ) osteoarthritis, a debilitating …

A Nationwide Study Of Maternal Exposure To Ambient Ozone And Term Birth Weight In The United States, Shengzhi Sun, Jiajia Wang, Wangnan Cao, Lizhi Wu, Yu Tian, Feng Sun, Zhenyu Zhang, Yang Ge, Jianqiang Du, Xiaobo Li, Rui Chen

Faculty Publications

Background: Maternal exposure to ozone (O₃) may cause systemic inflammation and oxidative stress and contribute to fetal growth restriction. We sought to estimate the association between maternal exposure to O₃ and term birth weight and term small for gestational age (SGA) in the United States (US).

Methods: We conducted a nationwide study including 2,179,040 live term singleton births that occurred across 453 populous counties in the contiguous US in 2002. Daily county-level concentrations of O₃ data were estimated using a Bayesian fusion model. We used linear regression to estimate the association between O_{3 …}

Improved Computational Prediction Of Function And Structural Representation Of Self-Cleaving Ribozymes With Enhanced Parameter Selection And Library Design, James D. Beck

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Biomolecules could be engineered to solve many societal challenges, including disease diagnosis and treatment, environmental sustainability, and food security. However, our limited understanding of how mutational variants alter molecular structures and functional performance has constrained the potential of important technological advances, such as high-throughput sequencing and gene editing. Ribonuleic Acid (RNA) sequences are thought to play a central role within many of these challenges. Their continual discovery throughout all domains of life is evidence of their significant biological importance (Weinreb et al., 2016). The self-cleaving ribozyme is a class of noncoding Ribonuleic Acid (ncRNA) that has been useful for …

Heteroepitaxy Of Gasb On Gaas (111)A For Electron Transport Studies, Madison Drake

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

III-V semiconductors grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on (111) surfaces have some interesting electronic properties. For certain materials with a (111)-orientation, the Γ- and L-valleys are reasonably close in energy. This means that it may be possible to take advantage of electron conduction in the L- and Γ-valleys at the same time, allowing us to overcome the so-called “density-of-states bottleneck,” and enable transistors with large drive currents.¹ We have investigated this phenomenon in GaSb- and InAs-based 2D electron gases for which the electron effective masses are low.

However, growth of materials with a (111) orientation is typically more …

The Exoskeleton Of Environmental Law: Why The Breadth, Depth, And Longevity Of Environmental Law Matters For Judicial Review, Sanne H. Knudsen

Utah Law Review

Environmental law is pragmatic, inevitable, and intentional. In the aggregate, the numerous federal environmental statutes are not simply a patchwork of ad hoc responses or momentary political breakthroughs to isolated public health problems and resource concerns. Together, they are a group of repeated, legislatively-backed commitments to embrace selfrestraint for self-preservation.

Self-restraint and discipline are the essence of environmental law. Indeed, if one studies the patterns and repeated choices in environmental law’s many statutory texts, one can start to appreciate environmental law’s indispensable role in society: it serves as an enduring “exoskeleton,” a sort of protective armor created over time to …

Evaluating The Returns Of Emerging Market Mutual Funds, Constantinos (Dean) Athanailos

Business/Business Administration

In this paper, the returns of mutual funds invested in emerging markets and the returns of emerging market ETFs are measured. The rates of returns of 133 emerging market mutual funds are taken from the PSN network and the return, risk, and diversification are evaluated for the emerging market mutual funds. The findings are that Southeast Asian countries dominate the proportion of investments for emerging markets. Of the countries invested in, China is the primary country invested in by a large margin. The highest rate of returns was for funds who had invested in India primarily followed by Taiwan and …

Communicating Multiplicative Reasoning Through Semiotic Resources, Emilie N. Eisenberger

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The importance of fostering in students the requisite language to understand what is being communicated and how to communicate their understanding requires educators to conceptualize themselves as teachers of language and content. It is possible to engage in activities of the mathematics classroom and through that participation engage in language practices and mathematical practices simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of semiotic resources, and modality, with a student-generated tool on students’ communication of multiplicative reasoning.

The study design was a qualitative case study that included a single third-grade class with an in-depth look at six …

Anticipating The Impacts Of The Social, Political, And Biophysical Landscape On Long-Term Connectivity For Reintroduced Plains Bison, Jamie Ann Faselt

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Intense anthropogenic pressures on the natural environment have created the need for implementing strategies that promote or restore habitat connectivity. The ability for animals to move between habitat patches allows animals to find mates, access resources, and shift their range in response to the changing climate and ensures that ecological and evolutionary processes persist. Connectivity conservation typically focuses on biophysical barriers to animal movement, but for many species reintroductions, establishing and maintaining connectivity often requires overcoming both ecological and socio-political barriers. Despite the need to navigate complex socio-political landscapes to implement connectivity conservation plans, datasets depicting those conditions are rarely …

The Effects Of Mental Training On Acute Psychophysiological Stress Responses In Endurance Athletes, Shelanda Antonia Maria Kujala

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: In sports, pre-competition stress responses can influence performance. Mental skills training is a strategy used to successfully mitigate stress responses and positively impact performance. Psychological (e.g., anxiety) and physiological (e.g., cortisol) stress responses are not often measured in a single study, providing an incomplete picture of athlete experiences. When researchers have measured these constructs together, studies have excluded endurance athletes and ways to effectively buffer stress responses. Purpose: The current study had two aims. 1. How will athlete’s perceptions of stress and physiological markers of stress be related to each other? 2. How will athlete’s perceptions of stress and …

Tinkering Towards Theories: The Role Of Tinkering In Building Scientific Models, Shakayla Moran

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Tinkering and modeling have increasingly gained traction within science education. For this study, I adopt the construct of tinkering, which is usually applied to the development of tangible artifacts and consider how this activity might apply to the development of novel models and theoretical objects in science. Data was collected from student artifacts and coding of transcripts was performed to identify how students design models in science, with a focus on how students engage in tinkering when doing so. Using a multiple case study approach, I examined two cases of undergraduate pre-service science teachers’ development of models of light and …

Evaluation Of The Legal And Historical Perspectives On Piracy In The Gulf Of Aden, Diana Slobodian

Public Administration & Policy

This paper will consider piracy in Somalia, focusing on the two emerging perspectives that define the way that research and counter-piracy efforts are planned and executed. Through an examination of Somalia’s political and legal history, the violence which has occurred in the Gulf of Aden will be deconstructed and understood using socio-economic reasoning. The piracy for protection narrative will provide the groundwork for understanding the causes for piracy. The piracy for profit narrative will distinctly show why some researchers believe that piracy in the Gulf of Aden persisted for so many years. This paper will review certain counter-piracy measures, which …

Primate Olfaction: A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Cribriform Plate Morphology, Amber Cooper

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Decreased olfaction, or smell, is a diagnostic characteristic of primates. Despite this, olfaction remains important for diet and social behaviors in primates. To assess how morphological changes impact olfactory-based behaviors between the two major clades of primates, Strepsirrhini and Haplorrhini, this study examined the surface area of the cribriform plate, the bony interface between the brain and nasal cavity. Previous work has found several functional associations between cribriform plate morphology and species diet/ ecology, making this structure possibly more reflective of a species reliance on olfaction in its environment. Primate social structure, such as average group size, mating system, and …

Study Of Sustainable Development In Paper, Printing And Packaging Material Applications To Support Circular Economy, Prashant Ramesh Kotkar

Dissertations

To support circular economy and sustainability, the use of suitable material in paper, printing, and packaging industries, for several types of industrial printing material and printed product applications, plays a significant role for end user applications. Several types of packaging printing materials, specifically those finished with different printing technologies and exposed to different environmental conditions are targeted.

The purpose of this research study is to improve design and evaluation for paper, printing, and packaging material sustainability in end-user applications, to deal with the addressed sustainability issues brought by the paper, printing and packaging products end user groups. As the impacts …