Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Stressors In The Behavioral Responses Of Lesser Sirens To Chemical Cues, Mackenzie Hanna Nichols

Student Theses and Dissertations

Organisms must make choices to improve their survival, and often perform behaviors in response to stimuli in the environment. I examined behavioral responses under conditions of stress in a species of fully aquatic salamander, Western Lesser Sirens (Siren intermedia nettingi Goin 1942). First, I presented individuals with chemical cues from a variety of known prey items to determine a potential prey preference. Sirens did not exhibit a preference by prey type. I then exposed individuals to chemical cues from prey, predator, and insecticide sources and evaluated behavioral responses, while also administering a nonlethal physical injury to a subset of subjects …

Building A College-Going Culture For Middle School Eighth Grade Students In A Historically Low Number College-Bound Area, Silvia Elizondo

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative research study aimed to address the problem of students’ low enrollment numbers in a historically low number of college-bound areas in South Texas. The theoretical frameworks utilized to explore this topic were self-efficacy and social capital. The proposed theories explored students’ level of self-efficacy, social capital networks, and teachers’ perceptions of creating and sustaining a college-going culture. The findings indicated a need for early college advisement and establishing college-going cultures in elementary and middle school, teacher professional development, college awareness and knowledge for parents, and college preparatory programs at the middle school level. This research study provided …

Pediatric Chronic Pain And Anxiety And Depression Symptoms: The Association With Parenting Stress, Alison Vrabec

Theses - ALL

As many as 38% of children experience chronic pain, and of these children about 26% have a comorbid mental health diagnosis. Parents of children with a chronic health condition demonstrate elevations in stress when compared to parents with healthy children. It is likely that when chronic pain is comorbid with mental health disorders, parents may experience greater stress. Social isolation and financial burdens may be associated with parenting stress, which may be even higher in parents of children with chronic pain compared to parents of children without chronic pain. While most pediatric chronic pain literature focuses on how parenting behaviors …

Dynamics Of Post-Mating Responses In Drosophila, Gagneet Kaur

Theses - ALL

Mating induces crucial changes in Drosophila females, influencing vital aspects of behavior and physiology essential for reproductive success. These changes primarily result from gene expression shifts in the female reproductive tract. DNA sequencing and bioinformatics advances have deepened our understanding of postmating responses in Drosophila at the transcriptional level. However, the majority of these studies are confined to D. melanogaster, lack tissue-specific investigations, and are extensively focused on the composition of the ejaculate and the role of male reproductive proteins transferred during mating. This study delves into the dynamic lower reproductive tract of D. virilis subgroup species, exploring the postmating …

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) Signaling Mechanisms That Regulate Learning And Memory In Rats, Clementine Faye Harvey

Theses - ALL

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a widespread neurotrophin implicated in cellular processes underlying memory, socialization, and emotion; however, little is known about how genetic modification of BDNF interacts with BDNF modulators (e.g., hormones) to regulate BDNF-TrkB signaling. BDNF binds to the TrkB receptor and triggers signaling cascades underlying neuroplasticity, learning, and memory. Inhibitory phosphorylation of one downstream target of the BDNF cascade - GSK3β – is also linked to memory improvements. The Val66Met allele – a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the Bdnf gene - produces impairments in regulated BDNF release from the cell, as well as deficits in spatial …

Literature Review Nature-Based Art Therapy Exploring Connections And Relationships, Janell Lopez-Curtis

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Art therapy is a modality used in clinical psychotherapy. It is supported through both quantitative and qualitative research. Branching out from art therapy is nature-based art therapy. This branch of expressive therapies holds the potential to be beneficial as art therapy due to the interconnected access to the scientific fields of ecology, ecopsychology, art therapy, expressive therapies, and other nature-based therapeutic activities; this includes intersectionality in ecological theories such as ecofeminism and deep ecology as well. Through an exploration of literature, this paper will provide definitions and theory-based support through reviewing clinical psychotherapy, evidence-based practices, and art therapy theories. The …

Social Determinants Of Health, Comorbidities, And Covid-19 Among Adults Aged 18 And Older In Indiana, Kandeh Kamara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Scrutinizing Along With Visual Persuasion Of Movie Billboards In Egypt From The 1930s To The 2010s/ Qualitative Content Analysis Study, Sara Ali Almaleki

Dissertations - ALL

In this study, I will use qualitative content analysis to analyze the Cultural, social, and political aspects of film billboard, and the usage persuasion techniques in Egyptian film posters from the 1930s to the 2010s. Two posters from each political era—equaling a total of ten samples— are analyzed regarding how the persuasion techniques related to the politics of the time. This study shows the relationship between politics and cinema, as well as how film posters utilize visual persuasion techniques in images throughout time. Furthermore, information about the beginnings of Egyptian cinema and its success in the Arab world will be …

Three Papers On Intergenerational Relationships In China, Wencheng Zhang

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation examines the changes in China's social and demographic landscape and their effects on adult children's relationships with their elderly parents. It focuses on how modernization, urban migration, lower birth rates, and an aging population have transformed traditional filial piety norms and intergenerational expectations in Chinese society. The first paper aims to investigate the association between children’s economic status and parents’ self-rated health and examine the potential mediating mechanisms for this relationship. Utilizing the 2014 wave of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study predicted parent’s self-rated health from children’s economic status using inverse probability of treatment …

Growing Pains: An Arkansas Case Study On Adolescent Autonomy And Access To Puberty Blockers For Gender-Affirming Care, Katherine T. Litaker

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Arkansas Act 626 outlaws any gender-affirming medical treatment for persons under eighteen years of age. This Note focuses on the evolving litigation surrounding Arkansas Act 626, the potential repercussions of the issues facing transgender adolescents, and the legal protections that may be implemented whether or not Arkansas Act 626 is upheld as a constitutional piece of legislation. It begins by examining the standard bases for administering puberty blocker treatments and addressing many of the misconceptions in medical treatment that have influenced the shaping of legislation on transgender healthcare. The Note discusses the current legal barricades for adolescents trying to access …

The Imperative Of Rejecting "Gender-Critical" Feminism In The Law, Henry F. Fradella

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Roughly a half-century ago at the height of the second-wave feminist movement, some feminist scholars and activists found themselves arguing with transgender people about who is a woman. While much of contemporary feminist thought has moved past biological essentialism’s outdated embrace of a sex binary to embrace trans-equality, a relatively small but vocal group of self-proclaimed “gender-critical feminists” (who are sometimes called trans-exclusionary radical feminists, or “TERFs” for short) eschew transgender legal rights that they perceive as potentially threatening to the rights of cisgender women. Most gender-critical arguments in that regard are fallacious; they are based on myths and false …

Filling The Agronomic Data Gap Through A Minimum Data Collection Approach, Fatima A. Tenorio, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Juan Pablo Monzon, Fernando Aramburu-Merlos, Achim Dobermann, Armelle Gruere, Juan Martin Brihet, Sofia Gayo, Shawn Conley, Spyridon Mourtzinis, Nester Mashingaidze, Alex Sananka, Stephen Aston, Jonathan J. Ojeda, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Context: Agronomic data such as applied inputs, management practices, and crop yields are needed for assessing productivity, nutrient balances, resource use efficiency, as well as other aspects of environmental and economic performance of cropping systems. In many instances, however, these data are only available at a coarse level of aggregation or simply do not exist.

Objectives: Here we developed an approach that identifies sites for agronomic data collection for a given crop and country, seeking a balance between minimizing data collection efforts and proper representation of the main crop producing areas.

Methods: The developed approach followed a …

Bullying Involvement And Depression Among Youth With Adhd: Is Positive Parenting Protective?, Jessica A. Simmons

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Background: Youth with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased independent risk for bullying involvement or depression yet the topic of bullying involvement and depression in ADHD is poorly understood and largely considered without a guiding theoretical framework. Research on the relation between ADHD and bullying is still in its early stages and less is known about the risk and protective factors that may contribute to the development or buffering of depression in these youth. Family factors such as positive parenting promote resilience in children with ADHD, help reduce the risk for youth depression and help to …

Nur77 Mitigates Endothelial Dysfunction Through Activation Of Both Nitric Oxide Production And Anti-Oxidant Pathways, Lin Lu, Soohwa Jang, Jiaqi Zhu, Qing Qin, Lijun Sun, Jianxin Sun

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Nur77 belongs to the member of orphan nuclear receptor 4A family that plays critical roles in maintaining vascular homeostasis. This study aims to determine whether Nur77 plays a role in attenuating vascular dysfunction, and if so, to determine the molecular mechanisms involved.

METHODS: Both Nur77 knockout (Nur77 KO) and Nur77 endothelial specific transgenic mice (Nur77-Tg) were employed to examine the functional significance of Nur77 in vascular endothelium in vivo. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to acetylcholine (Ach) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was determined under inflammatory and high glucose conditions. Expression of genes was determined by real-time PCR and western blot …

The Use Of Fecal Microbiota Transplant In Overcoming And Modulating Resistance To Anti-Pd-1 Therapy In Patients With Skin Cancer, Tahne Vongsavath, Rodd Rohmani, Kyaw Min Tun, Vignan Manne

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Research

While immune checkpoint inhibitors have evolved into the standard of care for advanced melanoma, 40–50% of melanoma cases progress while on therapies. The relationship between bacterium and carcinogenesis is well founded, such as in H. pylori in gastric cancers, and Fusobacterium in colorectal cancers. This interplay between dysbiosis and carcinogenesis questions whether changes in the microbiome could affect treatment. Thus, FMT may find utility in modifying the efficacy of anti-PD-1. This review aims to examine the use of FMT in treatment-resistant melanoma. A literature search was performed using the keywords “fecal microbiota transplant” and “skin cancer”. Studies were reviewed for …

Determining Best Diet And Temperature Regime Of Monkeyface Pricklebacks (Cebidichthys Violaceus) For Aquaculture, Luke C. Townsend

Master's Theses

Wild freshwater eel populations are threatened due to overfishing and habitat degradation. Attempts to use aquaculture to close the eel life cycle have yet to be commercially adapted, owing largely to their complex lifecycle. Monkeyface pricklebacks (Cebidichthys violaceus) are intertidal fish that may serve as an alternative species for freshwater eels in aquaculture, as they possess several beneficial characteristics. This study aimed to optimize diet and culture temperatures to maximize monkeyface prickleback cultures by measuring growth, condition, metabolic rates, fillet composition, and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of juvenile fish that were reared in two separate experiments: (1) on four different …

Association Between Marital Status, Family Size, And Diabetes Among Asian-American Women, Rhea Ann Reyes Mcbride

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Educative Instincts And Assessment In A Self-Determined Learning Community, Kelly Woodard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Human Services Professionals’ Perceptions Of Messaging From Administration About Serving Diverse Clients, Tina Cheree Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Genetic Background Of Juniper (Juniperus Spp.) Consumption Predicted By Fecal Near-Infrared Spectroscopy In Divergently Selected Goats Raised In Harsh Rangeland Environments, Henrique A. Mulim, John W. Walker, Daniel F. Waldron, Danilo G. Quadros, Lorena F. Benfica, Felipe E. De Carvalho, Luiz F. Brito

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) are woody native, invasive plants that have caused encroachment problems in the U.S. western rangelands, decreasing forage productivity and biodiversity. A potential solution to this issue is using goats in targeted grazing programs. However, junipers, which grow in dry and harsh environmental conditions, use chemical defense mechanisms to deter herbivores. Therefore, genetically selecting goats for increased juniper consumption is of great interest for regenerative rangeland management. In this context, the primary objectives of this study were to: 1) estimate variance components and genetic parameters for predicted juniper consumption in divergently selected Angora (ANG) and composite Boer …

Antimicrobial And Synergistic Effects Of Syzygium Cumini, Moringa Oleifera, And Tinospora Cordifolia Against Different Candida Infections, Adedayo O. Adelakun, Ayoola Awosika, Uzochukwu Adabanya, Adekunle E. Omole, Akinyode I. Olopoda, Emmanuel T. Bello

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction The burden of multiple drug resistance in human pathogens has necessitated the search for and development of antimicrobial agents with a wide range of structural classes and potentials to selectively act on the several mechanisms of actions exhibited by the pathogens. However, most synthetic antimicrobial agents have been linked with adverse side effects and high costs, furthering the need to explore more options. Syzygium cumini, Moringa oleifera, and Tinospora cordifolia are three medicinal plants used in traditional medicine systems for various infectious diseases. They contain various phytochemicals that exhibit antimicrobial activities against various bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The mechanisms …

To Touch Time: U.S. Black Feminist Modernist Sculpture In The 1970s And 1980s, Sarah Louise Cowan

Art and Art History Faculty Publications

Modernist propositions long have been understood as atemporal—somehow outside of time—or insistently hailing the future. This temporal framework suppresses the contributions of those excluded from modernist canons, particularly Black women. In this article, visual and material analysis of sculptural works produced in the 1970s and 1980s by U.S. Black women artists Beverly Buchanan, Senga Nengudi, and Betye Saar reveal how Black feminists have engaged with modernist protocols in order to redress cultural erasures of Black women. These practices exemplify Black feminist modernisms, or creative practices that unsettle the racist and sexist logics of dominant cultural institutions. Each of these artists …

Relationship Of Weekly Rest To Bsn Appraisal Of Stress And Hardiness, Everly Batuik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Moderating Effect Of Ethnicity On The Relationship Between Type Of Healthcare Professional And Antihypertensive Medication Adherence, Oluwaseyi Oluwadamilola Adebayo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The April Dunn Act To Support The High School Graduation Rates Of Students With Disabilities, Decarlas Marie O'Neal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Public Perceptions About Police With Beards, Dennis F. Hale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Grit, Resilience, Well-Being, And Family Structure’S Relationship With College Attendance, Joshua Ireland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between South Texas Latino High School Graduation And Acculturative Stressors, Selmo Cristo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Biogenic Mnox Produced By Pseudomonas Putida Mnb1 And Its Catalytic Activity Towards Water Oxidation, Elisa Morales, Lauren N. Formankski, Sarah E. Shaner, Kari Stone

Chemistry Department Faculty Articles

Mn-oxidizing microorganisms oxidize environmental Mn(II), producing Mn(IV) oxides. Pseudomonas putida MnB1 is a widely studied organism for the oxidation of manganese(II) to manganese( IV) by a multi-copper oxidase. The biogenic manganese oxides (BMOs) produced by MnB1 and similar organisms have unique properties compared to non-biological manganese oxides. Along with an amorphous, poorly crystalline structure, previous studies have indicated that BMOs have high surface areas and high reactivities. It is also known that abiotic Mn oxides promote oxidation of organics and have been studied for their water oxidation catalytic function. MnB1 was grown and maintained and subsequently transferred to culturing media …