Digital Commons Network^™

Intracranial Mast Cell Activation And Central Histaminergic Dysregulation In Food Allergy-Associated Neuropathology And Behavioral Changes, Danielle Germundson-Hermanson

Theses and Dissertations

Food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts inappropriately to an otherwise harmless food. The hypersensitivity response is known to cause physical symptoms ranging from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Curiously, there is growing evidence that some food-allergic individuals experience changes in mood and behavior after consuming an offending food despite not experiencing severe physical symptoms. However, the mechanism(s) through which food allergy may affect the brain and behavior has yet to be elucidated. Previously, we found that inducing non-anaphylactic cow’s milk allergy (CMA) in mice resulted in abnormal behavior, neuroinflammation, and an increased the number of brain mast …

A Measure Predicting Treatment Outcome For Sexual Offenders, Kaitlin Alyssa Guston

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers generally agree that treatment reduces the likelihood of sexual offender recidivism. However, studies show attrition rates of up to 85% in some treatment programs for sex offenders. Because many risk factors for recidivism and treatment attrition are the same, the present study used gold-standard risk assessments to predict which sex offenders would not complete a community treatment program. The Static-99r, Stable-2007, and URICA assessed static risk factors, dynamic needs, and responsivity to treatment for 289 sex offenders. Pre-treatment scores from the sex offenders in the sample indicated that these assessment instruments could predict treatment attrition for sex offenders in …

Examining Faculty Autonomous And Controlled Motivation For Learning Analytics, Michael James Herbert

Theses and Dissertations

Learning Analytics (LA) is the collection and analysis of data about learners and their environments. University faculty are among some of the most important stakeholders in the successful implementation of LA initiatives, whose participation can influence the success or failure of innovative educational changes. However, limited research exists surrounding university faculty members’ perceptions and motivation to adopt LA practices in their courses. The purpose of this study was to examine faculty institutional trust, course data control, and motivation for LA practices in their courses. Examining survey data from 250 university faculty, this quantitative study employed structural equation modeling to analyze …

Graduates’ Perceptions Of Horizontal Mismatch: A Case Study Of A Marketing Program At A Regional Research University, Michael William Mills

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study utilizes the human capital theory to examine the influence of high impact career exploration and career-focused practices in a public, regional four-year institution. Literature shows that graduates who enter well-matched careers earn approximately 30 percent more than graduates who are not closely matched. In addition, well-matched employees lower recruitment and training costs for employers. The guiding notion of the paper is that students should not only be well-rounded but also be prepared to enter a career that is related to their field of study. Most students attend college to advance their career and economic outlook. This …

Kinesio Tape Effect On Vertical Jump, Jalen L. Morrison

Theses and Dissertations

KinesioTape is used throughout sports at all levels of competition. This study aims at augmenting vertical jump performance with the use of KinesioTape. Vertical jumping ability is a crucial skill and advantage in various sports, as it impacts an individual’s ability to achieve height, power, and efficiency during the jumping phase. Though training methods have proven to improve vertical jump, the potential of a Kinesiotape design remains somewhat unanswered in this context. This test aims to determine whether our tape design is significantly effective in countermovement and squat jumps. The research includes a comprehensive literature review to understand today's KinesioTape …

The Impact Of Training Disruption On Commercial Certificate Attainment In Collegiate Aviation Programs, Jonathan Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The aviation industry is currently recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and is forecast to continue to grow after returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity. As a result of retirements and growth, airlines are experiencing a large demand for qualified pilots. Collegiate aviation programs serve as a major source of training and recruitment, but it is unknown to what degree students in these programs were affected by the cessation of flight training during the pandemic. This study examined the impact of different variables, including training disruption, on commercial pilot certificate attainment and flight training hours in collegiate aviation flight training programs. …

Teachers' Perspectives On Transformational Leadership, Kelsey Rae Peltier

Theses and Dissertations

School leaders aim for steady progress and yearly gains. In most cases, this means modifications must be made throughout the school, particularly within the classroom. If teachers are unprepared or disengaged in the planning process, a program’s success might be at risk. Consideration of teacher needs will be influential in instructional performance and will also have a favorable impact on student achievement. With transformational leadership and its eagerness to include teacher input, reform will surely flourish. Its presence has been reviewed in a quantitative study with participants who currently have a general education position in the same school. An online …

Via-Is-M And Latinx Cultural Strengths: A Study Validation & Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Caroline Perez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study, and its focus on Latinx adults is two-fold: to validate the VIA-IS-M in a US-Latinx sample, and to explore whether Latinx cultural values of personalismo, familismo, and religiosity converge conceptually with the virtues within the VIA-IS-M. The proposed survey uses positive psychology as the theoretical basis (Parks & Biswas-Diener, 2013). A pull within the positive psychological research is addressed, specifically the merits of cultural transcendence or cultural integration (Jeglic, Miranda, & Polanco-Roman, 2016). For many years now, a flagship survey tool by Peterson and Seligman (2004) called the Values-in-Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) has been …

Assessing Neuropsychological Changes Post Covid-19 Infection Using The Global Neuropsychological Assessment, Jeremy M. Raines

Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 is characterized by a respiratory syndrome with severity ranging from mild upper respiratory tract illness to severe interstitial pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although physical symptoms are most common in those infected with COVID-19, patients may present with several neuropsychiatric sequelae caused by direct central nervous system infection, neuroinflammation, and/or prolonged hypoxia encephalitis. Though extent literature on COVID-19 related cognitive decline is still in its infancy, it has been suggested neurological impairment is most common in those with severe symptom presentation, requiring hospitalization and among those who have experienced hypoxic events. In the current study, sixty-two healthy controls …

Cognitive Decay And Memory Recall During Long Duration Spaceflight, Terry E. Rector

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to advance the efficacy of Long-Duration Space Flight (LDSF) pre-flight and in-flight training programs, acknowledging existing knowledge gaps in NASA's methodologies. The research's objective is to optimize the cognitive workload of LDSF crew members, enhance their neurocognitive functionality, and provide more meaningful work experiences, particularly for Mars missions.The study addresses identified shortcomings in current training and learning strategies and simulation-based training systems, focusing on areas requiring quantitative measures for astronaut proficiency and training effectiveness assessment. The project centers on understanding cognitive decay and memory loss under LDSF-related stressors, seeking to establish when such cognitive decline exceeds acceptable …

The Effects Of Demographic And Nutritional Variables On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In Usa And Non-Usa Adults, Jonathan Santiago

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of demographic variables (e.g. country of residence and socioeconomic status) and nutritional variables (e.g. dietary diversity and micronutrient content) on anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as subjective health self-rating. Prior research suggests that a variety of demographic and nutritional factors influence chronic stress, which can cause systemic inflammation and lead to various cardiovascular-related diseases. Participants (USA=41; Non-USA= 58) were recruited via an online platform and completed demographic questionnaires and a 24-hour dietary recall. Results indicated that food accessibility emerged as the strongest predictor, and was associated with anxiety, depression, and combined mood symptoms. …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Advanced Materials, Mackenzie E. Short

Theses and Dissertations

In vivo bone tissue engineering is a highly complex process that involves the diffusion of osteoprogenitor cells throughout the scaffold, requiring that the scaffolds have interconnected pores of ~100 μm in diameter to allow for proper diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. For cell adhesion to occur, the scaffold must be made of a bioactive material and have strength that can support the growth and movement of tissue. This study continued the development and characterization of using solvent casting as a synthesis process for the manufacturing of porous scaffolds. The engineered scaffolds using NaCl as the pore former showed excellent porosity …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Multi-Omics To Understand The Effect Of Heavy Metals Exposure On Human Health, Sonalika Singhal

Theses and Dissertations

IARC classified arsenic (iAs) as “carcinogenic to humans”, but despite the health consequences, there is no molecular signature available yet to predict when exposure may lead to the disease development. In this study, a three-step analysis was employed: (1) the gene expression profiles obtained from diverse arsenic-exposed populations were utilized to identify differentially expressed genes associated with arsenic exposure in human subjects, (2) the gene expression profiles induced by arsenic exposure in different myeloma cancer cell lines were used to define common genes and pathways altered by arsenic exposure,(3) the genetic profiles of human bladder cancer studies were used to …

Perinatal Mental Health For Indigenous Women And Birthing People, Amy Lynn Stiffarm

Theses and Dissertations

Before for the impacts of colonization, Indigenous women and birthing people were deeply cared for by their communities during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.There is a serious lack of literature on perinatal mental health (PMH) for Indigenous Peoples in the US. Based on what limited data does exist, high rates of PMH complications are consistently reported for Indigenous birthing people. Exploring the unique circumstances experienced by Indigenous birthing people is crucial to addressing the PMH disparity gap. A concept map illustrating the systematic, community, and individual levels of PMH complications for Indigenous Peoples was used to organize and guide …

Hmong Parent Engagement: The Need To Provide Basic Needs Services In Hmong Charter Schools To Increase Parent Engagement, Kevin Xiong

Theses and Dissertations

The Hmong diaspora and settlement in the United States have a direct impact on how Hmong parents engage in their children’s academic journey. With the viewpoint of traditional Westernized parent engagement, Hmong parents may be perceived as engaging too little. However, in order for Hmong parents to be involved in their children’s educational journey as part of this Westernized concept, it is imperative that the families’ basic needs are met. Otherwise, they will primarily focus on meeting their fundamental basic needs rather than being engaged in their children’s academic progress. This research explored two Hmong charter schools in the Twin …

Supporting Positive Mental Health Well Being In Indigenous Youth And Young Adults, Mona Zuffante

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) youth and young adults are the hope for Tribal Nations. In order to decrease the suicidal related behaviors among youth, age 12-24, engagement of this population is required. Historical trauma has impacted this generation, reducing Elders ability to share knowledge, which has resulted in a mental health crisis that is having a devastating effect on youth and young adults. The need to create prevention programs, informed by the youth, that increase positive mental health is needed. This dissertation in practice utilizes a framework grounded in Indigenous teachings and from the Social Ecological Model to …

Supply Chain Insights From Social Media Users’ Responses To Panic Buying During Covid-19: The Herd Mentality, Violetta Wilk, Saiyidi Mat Roni, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

This study applied the herd mentality theory to explore local and global social media users’ responses to panic buying across the USA, UK and Australia during the COVID-19 crisis to understand the implications on operations and supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach:

A total of 208,806 social media user-generated content (UGC) pieces were collected from Twitter in three countries – the USA, UK and Australia. The analysis of this big qualitative data was performed using machine learning–based software – Leximancer.

Findings:

Positive and negative sentiment towards panic buying during the COVID-19 crisis was observed in the UGC. No significant differences in social …

Goal Concordance In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients With Depression – What Do Patients Prioritize?, Allison Schue, Md

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

2023-2024 PGY3

Determinants Of Retention In Care Of Newborns Diagnosed With Sickle Cell Disease In Liberia: Results From A Mixed-Methods Study Of Caregivers, Kanagasabai Udhayashankar, Patience D Franklin, Cecelia J Nuta, Adolphus K Cherue, Heather Haq, Debbe Thompson, Venée N Tubman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

High-income nations have established that early diagnosis and preventive treatment reduces early deaths in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, in low-/middle-income countries where SCD is common, attrition from clinical care is common. Reasons for poor retention in care are multi-factorial and poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify factors that influence caregiver decision-making around chronic health care needs of a child with SCD. We conducted an exploratory sequential mixed methods study of caregivers of children diagnosed with SCD during a newborn screening program in Liberia. Caregivers completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews designed to identify drivers of health …

Sustainable Transportation Planning During An Era Of Technological Evolution, Derek John Hungness

Transportation Logistics and Finance

“Sustainable Transportation Planning During an Era of Technological Evolution” provides an in-depth analysis spanning three pivotal chapters, each focusing on the nexus of climate change, transportation, and metropolitan planning. Chapter 2 delves into climate change's role in transportation plans. The literature reviews transportation’s effects on climate change and the significance of Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) transportation planning. After identifying research gaps and ethical considerations, the chapter outlines a methodology employing Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model construction, text preprocessing, and evaluation metrics. Python’s Natural Language Processing (NLP) toolbox is utilized to analyze the contents of 42 long-range transportation plans. Semantic interpretations …

A Behaviour Sequence Analysis Of Goal Generation Processes In A Psychosis Rehabilitation Sample, Esmira Ropaj, David A. Keatley, Joanne M. Dickson, Corinna J. Milroyd, Peter J. Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

It is suggested that goals are hierarchically organised, with goals at the highest level representing fundamental values and motivations. These abstract goals are said to have a series of sub-goals which represent a means of reaching higher-level goals. While a number of studies have explored goals in the context of psychosis, little is known about idiographic goal generation processes in those experiencing psychosis.

Methods:

Using a Behaviour Sequence Analysis approach, the aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of the goal task for use with individuals experiencing psychosis. A total of 73 adults receiving care from …

Incidence And Mortality Of Uveal Melanoma In Australia (1982–2014), Aaron B. Beasley, David B. Preen, Samuel Mclenachan, Elin S. Gray, Fred K. Chen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims:

We aimed to estimate the incidence and mortality of uveal melanoma (UM) in Australia from 1982 to 2014.

Methods:

Deidentified unit data for all cases of ocular melanoma were extracted from the Australian Cancer Database from 1 January 1982 to 31 December 2014. UM cases were extracted and trends in incidence and disease-specific mortality were calculated. Incidence rates were age-standardised against the 2001 Australian Standard Population. Mortality was assessed using Cox regression.

Results:

From 1982 to 2014, there were 5087 cases of ocular melanoma in Australia, of which 4617 were classified as UM. The average age-standardised incidence rate of …

Fresh Takes On Five Health Data Sharing Domains: Quality, Privacy, Equity, Incentives, And Sustainability, Christi J Guerrini, Mary A Majumder, Jill O Robinson, Robert Cook-Deegan, Matthew Blank, Juli Bollinger, Janis Geary, Amanda M Gutierrez, Maya Shrikant, Amy L Mcguire

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

As entities around the world invest in repositories and other infrastructure to facilitate health data sharing, scalable solutions to data sharing challenges are needed. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 experts to explore views on potential issues and policy options related to health data sharing. In this Perspective, we describe and contextualize unconventional insights shared by our interviewees relevant to issues in five domains: data quality, privacy, equity, incentives, and sustainability. These insights question a focus on granular quality metrics for gatekeeping; challenge enthusiasm for maximalist risk disclosure practices; call attention to power dynamics that potentially compromise the patient's voice; …

Biofilm Formation On The Surface Of Monazite And Xenotime During Bioleaching, Arya Van Alin, Melissa K. Corbett, Homayoun Fathollahzadeh, M. Christian Tjiam, William D. A. Rickard, Xiao Sun, Andrew Putnis, Jacques Eksteen, Anna H. Kaksonen, Elizabeth Watkin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Microbial attachment and biofilm formation is a ubiquitous behaviour of microorganisms and is the most crucial prerequisite of contact bioleaching. Monazite and xenotime are two commercially exploitable minerals containing rare earth elements (REEs). Bioleaching using phosphate solubilizing microorganisms is a green biotechnological approach for the extraction of REEs. In this study, microbial attachment and biofilm formation of Klebsiella aerogenes ATCC 13048 on the surface of these minerals were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In a batch culture system, K. aerogenes was able to attach and form biofilms on the surface of three phosphate …

Considerations For The Consumption Of Vitamin And Mineral Supplements In Athlete Populations, Peter Peeling, Marc Sim, Alannah K. A. Mckay

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Vitamins and minerals are of fundamental importance to numerous human functions that are essential to optimise athlete performance. Athletes incur a high turnover of key vitamins and minerals and are therefore dependent on sufficient energy intake to replenish nutrient stores. However, many athletes are poor at servicing their energy replenishment needs, especially female athletes, and although a ‘food first approach’ to meeting nutrient requirements is the primary goal, it may be important for some athletes to consider a vitamin and/or mineral supplement to meet their daily needs. When working to determine if an athlete requires vitamin or mineral supplements, practitioners …

Covid-19 Lessons To Protect Populations Against Future Pandemics By Implementing Pppm Principles In Healthcare, Cuihong Tian, Lois Balmer, Xuerui Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continued for more than 3 years, placing a huge burden on society worldwide. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an end to COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), it is still considered a global threat. Previously, there has been a long debate as to whether the COVID-19 emergency will eventually end or transform into a more common infectious disease from a PHEIC, and how should countries respond to similar pandemics in the future more time-efficiently and cost-effectively. We reviewed the past, middle and current situation of COVID-19 …

Effects Of Submaximal And Supramaximal Accentuated Eccentric Loading On Mass And Function, Sergio Maroto-Izquierdo, Fernando Martín-Rivera, Kazunori Nosaka, Marco Beato, Javier González-Gallego, José A. De Paz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Eccentric-overload (EO) resistance training emerges as an alternative to more optimally prescribe intensity relative to the force generation capabilities of the eccentric muscle contraction. Given the difficulties to individually prescribe absolute eccentric loads relative to each person’s eccentric ability, setting the load relative to the concentric one-repetition maximum (1-RM) is the most used EO training approach. Therefore, we investigated the effects of submaximal and supramaximal (i.e., eccentric loads above 100% of 1-RM) accentuated eccentric training on changes in lean mass, anabolic hormonal responses and muscle function. Methods: Physically active university students (n = 27) were randomly assigned to two …

Lepidium Meyenii Walp (Maca)-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorate Depression By Promoting 5-Ht Synthesis Via The Modulation Of Gut–Brain Axis, Rui Hong, Lan Luo, Liang Wang, Zhao-Li Hu, Qi-Rong Yin, Ming Li, Bin Gu, Bin Wang, Tao Zhuang, Xin-Yue Zhang, Yuan Zhou, Wan Wang, Lin-Yan Huang, Bing Gu, Su-Hua Qi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Depression is a common and debilitating condition for which effective treatments are needed. Lepidium meyenii Walp (Maca) is a plant with potential medicinal effects in treating depression. Recently, there has been growing interest in plant-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) due to their low toxicity and ability to transport to human cells. Targeting the gut–brain axis, a novel strategy for depression management, may be achieved through the use of Maca-derived EVs (Maca-EVs). In this study, we successfully isolated Maca-EVs using gradient ultracentrifugation and characterized their shape, size, and markers (CD63 and TSG101). The in vivo imaging showed that the Dil-labeled Maca-EVs crossed …

Lipidomic Features Of Honey Bee And Colony Health During Limited Supplementary Feeding, Clara E. Castaños, Mary C. Boyce, Tiffane Bates, A. Harvey Millar, Gavin Flematti, Nathan G. Lawler, Julia Grassl

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Honey bee nutritional health depends on nectar and pollen, which provide the main source of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids to individual bees. During malnutrition, insect metabolism accesses fat body reserves. However, this process in bees and its repercussions at the colony level are poorly understood. Using untargeted lipidomics and gene expression analysis, we examined the effects of different feeding treatments (starvation, sugar feeding and sugar + pollen feeding) on bees and correlated them with colony health indicators. We found that nutritional stress led to an increase in unsaturated triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols, as well as a decrease in free fatty acids …

Patient Navigation Across The Cancer Care Continuum: An Overview Of Systematic Reviews And Emerging Literature, Raymond J. Chan, Vivienne E. Milch, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Oluwaseyifunmi A. Agbejule, Ria Joseph, Jolyn Johal, Narayanee Dick, Matthew P. Wallen, Julie Ratcliffe, Anupriya Agarwal, Larissa Nekhlyudov, Matthew Tieu, Manaf Al-Momani, Scott Turnbull, Rahul Sathiaraj, Dorothy Keefe, Nicolas H. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Patient navigation is a strategy for overcoming barriers to reduce disparities and to improve access and outcomes. The aim of this umbrella review was to identify, critically appraise, synthesize, and present the best available evidence to inform policy and planning regarding patient navigation across the cancer continuum. Systematic reviews examining navigation in cancer care were identified in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Epistemonikos, and Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) databases and in the gray literature from January 1, 2012, to April 19, 2022. Data were screened, …