Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Gender Roles On Adolescent Personality Development In The Workplace, Karlie Fuoss

A with Honors Projects

A paper about how gender roles and societal norms effect adolescents development of personality through their first time job experiences.

Advanced Optical Biosensing Using Ratiometric Fluorescent Polymer Dots And Nanozyme, Shuyi He

Dissertations and Theses

Biosensors have been deeply valued and widely used in fermentation technology, environmental monitoring, food engineering, clinical medicine, and the military. However, current biosensors still face many technical challenges, such as miniaturization, convenience, high precision, and low power consumption which restrict the popularization and development of biosensors. Meeting these challenges require the development of advanced materials and technologies. Optical biosensors offer distinct advantages such as high sensitivity, rapid response time, and the potential for miniaturization, making them ideal for overcoming the existing limitations. My research in this dissertation explores the development and application of advanced functional nanomaterials in optical biosensing, focusing …

Addressing Spirituality In The Counselor Supervision Relationship, Andrew H. Gerodias

Dissertations and Theses

A qualitative, phenomenological study was implemented to investigate the experiences of independently licensed supervisors who oversee counselors who utilize the 12 steps in the work done with those dealing with substance use disorders. Seven participants from the Midwest completed an initial semi-structured interview, journaling activity, and follow-up interview. Data was subjected to member checks and an external audit to ensure themes were trustworthy. Two overall textural-structural themes were found through the integration of the initial nine themes developed; five textual themes describing what was experienced (acknowledging resistance and consideration, using spirituality as a tool, acknowledging differences and diversity, observed growth …

Exploring The Role Of Nonmuscle Myosin Ii In Renal Thick Ascending Limb Epithelial Cell Protein Trafficking And Organelle Architecture, Brook Busselman

Dissertations and Theses

The traditional functional roles of the actin associated motor protein nonmuscle myosin II (NM2) have been thoroughly studied. However, the nontraditional roles for NM2 in the context of membrane remodeling and protein trafficking events in cells have just recently been unraveled. Our work has found that genetic inactivation of NM2 protein isoforms MYH9 and MYH10 in the renal epithelium of adult mice leads to progressive kidney disease. Aberrant protein transport and localization in cells of the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the kidney nephron is accompanied by upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. …

Exploring Online Feminist Communities And The Male Allyship Experience, Josephine Saighoe

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a growing involvement of men in the feminist cause. Nonetheless, their own experiences as self-identified feminist allies have received inadequate attention within the academic research. Just like female activists, men who identify as feminist activists also make use of such digital platforms to support the activism and make significant contributions to the feminist discourse. In view of this, this study explores the experiences of Ghanaian male feminist allies in addition to delving into their experiences as feminist activists in the digital world and how they navigate the challenges that come with aligning themselves with this cause. Through …

Regional And Landscape Scale Examination And Attribution Of Vegetation Changes To Social-Environmental System Drivers In Kazakhstan, Venkatesh Kolluru

Dissertations and Theses

Kazakhstan (KZ) experienced widespread changes in ecosystem structure and function. The country is a climate and land cover/use change “hotspot” owing to political reforms, intensified grazing, and extreme climatic events. Despite their importance, there is a lack of consensus about vegetation changes, trends, and drivers in KZ. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial for effectively managing and restoring grassland ecosystems. However, a pressing challenge is discerning anthropogenic-driven vegetation changes from climate variability and decomposing the responses to the complex human-environmental forcings. Motivated by these challenges, I employed statistical and machine learning algorithms to detect and attribute vegetation changes to social-environmental …

Assessing The Utility Of Breast Cancer Polygenic Risk Scores And Association With Clinical Factors In A Population Of Breast Cancer Patients, John L. Slunecka

Dissertations and Theses

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women and is classified as a complex disease. Advances in population genomics have led to the development of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) with the potential to enhance current risk models, but replication is often limited. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the predictive capabilities of two high-powered BC PRSs in a sample population selected for breast cancer. In addition, the capacity of the PRSs to predict clinical variables that could improve BC screening and treatments was explored. METHODS: Two published PRS algorithms (313 vs 3820) were used to score female subjects …

Development Of A Modular Lab Automation System With Applications To Animal And Bacteria Cell Culture, Timothy William Hartman

Dissertations and Theses

The challenges faced while executing wet lab protocols encourage the development of automation systems to come alongside human scientists. Today’s cutting-edge experiments involve complex protocols with precise measurements usually performed manually. Even simpler biological protocols can be tedious and prone to error, as was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and society’s demand for high-volume, rapid sample analysis. Moreover, reproducibility suffers when there is excessive variability and insufficient data. Here, we leveraged the Stanford Biodesign process to develop a modular lab automation system and image analysis workflow to address challenges like these. This flagship automation platform at The University of South …

Strategic Enforcement: A Shift From Analytic To Systemic Thinking And Strategy, Raul Virella

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

In 2021, the State of New Jersey mandated a shift from nearly seventy years of linear, complaint-based enforcement of labor laws to a strategic enforcement approach that recognizes the complex and dynamic nature of the workplace. This dissertation explores how members of the New Jersey Division of Wage and Hour Compliance transitioned their thinking and practices to align with this new approach. A 15-item survey was distributed via email to a sample of 94 members from the Division of Wage and Hour Compliance and the Office of Strategic Enforcement and Compliance, focusing on two research questions.

The first research question …

A Systems Informed Approach To The Complex Challenges Of The Industrial Hemp Industry In Pennsylvania, John Ervin

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

Utilizing systems thinking methodologies and tools, this dissertation explores the complex growth and development challenges faced by the industrial hemp industry in Pennsylvania. Identified were key stakeholders, regulatory barriers, and market forces influencing the industry revealing a misalignment of goals and a lack of stakeholder collaboration as significant impediments. Legal and regulatory frameworks, supply-demand imbalances, and ineffective partnerships emerged as critical factors impacting the industry's future. Recommendations to address misalignments include fostering stakeholder collaboration, improving public-private partnerships, and utilizing interactive planning to address systemic issues to enhance the industry's growth potential.

Osteohistological Assessment Of Edmontosaurus Radii From The Liscomb Bonebed, Prince Creek Formation, North Slope, Alaska, Emma Griffin

Student Research Poster Presentations 2024

Hadrosaurs were one of the most diverse dinosaur groups in the Late Cretaceous period and are known for their numerous articulated skeletons and monodominant bonebeds (Wosik et al., 2020). They are more commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs and are found globally including latitudinal extremes such as the artic and Antarctica. Edmontosaurus, a genus of hadrosaur, are herbivores and are very large growing up to 8,000 pounds. Edmontosaurus were known to travel in herds as a defense mechanism and were one of the last non-avian dinosaurs living during the late Campanian stage through the end of the Maastrichtian stage, right up …

Science Teachers’ Initial Use Of Ngss Science Practices In Diverse Classrooms, Amy Tankersley, Elizabeth Hasseler, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Lyrica Lucas, Brandon Helding

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In the landscape of U.S. education, the widespread adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offers a unique vantage point for researchers to better understand teacher-, school- and classroom-level factors that advance reform initiatives in science classrooms. Addressing a gap in current knowledge, our study probes how secondary science teachers implement one dimension of NGSS - the science practices (SPs). Our data collection encompasses teacher interviews and meticulous observations of science lessons, coded for NGSS science practices (SPs) and inquiry-based teaching. Embracing a methodologically rich approach, our study employs both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Quantitatively, we …

State Discretion Is Not Enough: The Case For A Constitutional Right To Fetal Personhood, Mary Clare Walters

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

8th Cauthen Seminar (2024) Program, Cauthen-Seminar

Veterinary Science Presentations

Contained here is the complete program for the 8th Annual Cauthen Seminar held at the Gluck Equine Research Center.

The Cauthen seminar series was started in 2017 as a tribute and memorial to respected and beloved farrier and teacher, “Tex” Cauthen, developed to encourage the sharing of best practices, technology, research, experience, and insight among all communities in the equine industry, from owners, farriers, track managers, veterinarians, and jockeys.

The annual series has been hosted at the Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY along with a live broadcast as a Zoom webinar, offered free …

Navigating Religious Attitudes Towards Assisted Reproductive Technology, Gretchen Ruschman

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

As global infertility rates increase, the growing utilization of assisted reproductive technology (ART), specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF), has introduced a range of ethical concerns. Religious beliefs play a crucial role in shaping societal norms and guiding individual ethical deliberation, which is also true in navigating the ethical framework surrounding ART. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the role of religion in shaping perspectives on ART and explore the role of religion in ethical decision-making on an individual and a community scale. This study explored different religious perspectives on ethical issues surrounding the current state and potential future advancements of …

Personal Narratives As Mechanisms To Explore The Stem Undergraduate Research Experience, Isha Chauhan

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has popularly been labeled as reliant on objective analysis, while, conversely, humanities are rooted in engaging human virtue and creating connections between people. A particularly interesting piece of the humanities is storytelling, which allows people of unique backgrounds to develop creative connections to their work. In this way, STEM and the humanities are united by personal experience and the ability to convey such. This connection can be demonstrated through the STEM undergraduate experience, which has been greatly underrepresented in the form of personal narratives. With the format of personal narratives being conducive to discussion …

A Closer Look At The Humanistic Aspects Of The Opioid Epidemic And Its Implications For Pharmaceutical Ethics And Law, Eriel Burns

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

This paper elucidates the humanistic elements of this crisis, that is, the ethical challenges it poses and the role of culture in it. The opioid crisis disturbs several bioethics principles as indicated by the fact that it burgeoned out of the health care system as opposed to the illicit environments of the underground market. The book Dreamland by investigative journalist and storyteller, Sam Quinones encapsulates the complexity of the opioid epidemic through research and interviews with important figures related to the crisis such as physicians, people with opioid use disorder, and pharmaceutical sales representatives, among others. Quinones details that the …

Acceptability And Feasibility Of Screening With A Pediatric Care Provider-Led Social Determinants Of Health Identification Tool, Alison Eyre, Janice Cohen, Sarah Funnell, Lynsey James, Sheena Guglani, Hounaida Abi Haidar, Lindy Samson, Michelle Ward, Radha Jetty, Megan Harrison, John Lyons Dr., Leigh Fraser-Roberts, Susan Bennet, Douglas Archibald, Soha Khorsand, Tobey Audcent

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

Background Complex social determinants of health may not be easily recognized by health care providers and pose a unique challenge in the vulnerable pediatric population where patients may not be able to advocate for themselves. The goal of this study was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of health care providers using an integrated brief pediatric screening tool in primary care and hospital settings.

Methods The framework of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) and Pediatric Intermed tools was used to inform the selection of items for the 9-item Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Pediatric Complexity Indicator (CANS-PCI). …

Diapause Induction In Eastern North American Populations Of Propylea Quatuordecimpunctata And Hippodamia Variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), John J. Obrycki

Lady Beetle Research Data

Experiments examined the effect of photoperiod on the expression of adult diapause in North American populations of two Palearctic ladybird beetle species, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata and Hippodamia variegata.

Comparative data for the reproductive responses to different photoperiod conditions for H. variegata were taken from Obrycki (2018). Additionally, comparisons of responses to the four photoperiods between P. quatuordecimpunctata from Jefferson County, NY, USA to P. quatuordecimpunctata from Montreal, Quebec, Canada were also conducted. Data for the Montreal, Quebec, Canada population are from Obrycki et al., (1993).

Two Data sets are included:

(1) Pre-oviposition period (days) as a measure of induction and …

Students Participating As Ambassadors For Research In Kentucky (Spark): A Health Equity Undergraduate Research Training Program, Ariel A. Arthur, Rebecca L. Delacerda Allen, Fidelis Y. Sesenu, Maxwell Groznik, Carrie B. Oser, Justin X. Moore, Jessica R. Thompson, Alexis N. James, Madeline Dunfee, Philip A. Kern, Nancy Schoenberg

Center for Health Equity Transformation Faculty Publications

The Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky (SPARK) program provides novel health equity research training and targeted mentorship for undergraduates, particularly those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral research and workforce. SPARK aims to address inadequate diversity in the medical and scientific research fields by providing comprehensive research mentorship and skill-building. Unlike most existing research training programs that are brief, focus on laboratory research, or are limited to graduate students and junior faculty, SPARK delivers a 16-month intensive behavioral and population health science training, equipping students with needed tools to conceptualize, plan, execute, and analyze their …

Glioblastoma Standard Of Care: Effects On Tumor Evolution And Reverse Translation In Preclinical Models, Louis Rodgers, John L. Villano, Anika M. S. Hartz, Björn Bauer

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM) presents a significant public health challenge as the deadliest and most common malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite standard-of-care treatment, which includes surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, mortality rates are high, underscoring the critical need for advancing GBM therapy. Over the past two decades, numerous clinical trials have been performed, yet only a small fraction demonstrated a benefit, raising concerns about the predictability of current preclinical models. Traditionally, preclinical studies utilize treatment-naïve tumors, failing to model the clinical scenario where patients undergo standard-of-care treatment prior to recurrence. Recurrent GBM generally exhibits distinct molecular alterations influenced by treatment selection pressures. …

Cancer Research Provides A Model For Advancing Clinical Trials In Dementia In The Era Of Disease-Modifying Alzheimer’S-Type Dementia Therapies, Gregory Jicha, Thomas Tucker, Susanne Arnold, Peter T. Nelson

Neurology Faculty Publications

Dementia and cancer are multifactorial, widely-feared, age-associated clinical syndromes that are increasing in prevalence. There have been major breakthroughs in clinical cancer research leading to some effective treatments, whereas the field of dementia has achieved comparatively limited success in clinical research. The lessons of cancer research may help those in the dementia research field in confronting some of the dilemmas faced when the clinical care regimen is not entirely safe or efficacious. Cancer clinical trials have assumed that untreated individuals with cancer are at high risk for morbidity and mortality after primary diagnoses. Thus, patients deserve a choice of clinical …

Multiomics Analysis To Explore Blood Metabolite Biomarkers In An Alzheimer’S Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Cohort, Takaki Oka, Yuki Matsuzawa, Momoka Tsuneyoshi, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Ken Aoshima, Hiroshi Tsugawa, Alzheimer’S Disease Metabolomics Consortium

Neurology Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that commonly causes dementia. Identifying biomarkers for the early detection of AD is an emerging need, as brain dysfunction begins two decades before the onset of clinical symptoms. To this end, we reanalyzed untargeted metabolomic mass spectrometry data from 905 patients enrolled in the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort using MS-DIAL, with 1,304,633 spectra of 39,108 unique biomolecules. Metabolic profiles of 93 hydrophilic metabolites were determined. Additionally, we integrated targeted lipidomic data (4873 samples from 1524 patients) to explore candidate biomarkers for predicting progressive mild cognitive impairment (pMCI) in patients diagnosed with AD …

Evaluating A Rapid Coaching Intervention Delivered Remotely: Teaching Naturalistic Language Strategies To A Parent Of Child With Down Syndrome, Pallie Gullett

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Parents of young children play a significant role in their child’s communication development during early childhood. Many parents of children with or at risk for disabilities could benefit from learning ways to promote their child’s communication. This study implemented a rapid coaching intervention to teach a parent of a child with Down syndrome how to implement naturalistic language strategies such as expanding on their child’s play, providing linguistic input during play, and arranging the environment to create an opportunity for their child to communicate.

Do The Sexually Dimorphic Biofluorescent Glands Of Plethodon Cinereus Function In Mate Choice And Are They Seasonally Regulated By Photoperiod?, Sam C. Moody-Wynn

Masters Theses

The novel biofluorescent glands of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus), have been shown to be sexually dimorphic where males have larger and greater numbers of glands than females. Interestingly, a seasonal pattern of increased numbers of fluorescent glands, which mirrors the peak in testosterone levels, has been described. Currently, the function and regulation of the fluorescent glands is unknown. I predicted that the glands function as a form of male ornamentation used in intersexual communication, and perhaps act as an honest signal of male quality. Even though the fluorescent glands are located on the underside of the tail, there …

Building Rural Resilience: A Rural And Farm Youth Safety And Well-Being Curriculum, Kelly Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Mental health is a growing concern in today’s youth (CDC, 2023). The suicide rates in youth have been on a rise, increasing the need for mental health literacy (CDC, 2023). Mental health is often neglected in people’s lives, especially in rural areas (Boyd et al., 2008). This study answers four research questions: 1) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress factors among rural communities and farmers? 2) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress …

Nalfurafine Promotes Myelination In Vitro And Facilitates Recovery From Cuprizone + Rapamycin-Induced Demyelination In Mice, Ross Van De Wetering, Rabia Bibi, Andy Biggerstaff, Sheein Hong, Bria Pengelly, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Anne C. La Flamme, Bronwyn M. Kivell

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The kappa opioid receptor has been identified as a promising therapeutic target for promoting remyelination. In the current study, we evaluated the ability of nalfurafine to promote oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) differentiation and myelination in vitro, and its efficacy in an extended, cuprizone-induced demyelination model. Primary mouse (C57BL/6J) OPC-containing cultures were treated with nalfurafine (0.6–200 nM), clemastine (0.01–100 μM), T3 (30 ng/mL), or vehicle for 5 days. Using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy, we found that nalfurafine treatment increased OPC differentiation, oligodendrocyte (OL) morphological complexity, and myelination of nanofibers in vitro. Adult male mice (C57BL/6J) were given a diet con- taining …

Ezh2 Inhibition Promotes Tumor Immunogenicity In Lung Squamous Cell Carcinomas, Tanner Ducote, Xiulong Song, Kassandra J. Naughton, Fan Chen, Daniel Plaugher, Avery R. Childress, Abigail R. Gellert, Erika M. Skaggs, Xufeng Qu, Jinze Liu, Jinpeng Liu, Fei Li, Kwok-Kin Wong, Christine F. Brainson

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Two important factors that contribute to resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are an immune-suppressive microenvironment and limited antigen presentation by tumor cells. In this study, we examine whether in- hibition of the methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) can increase ICI response in lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). Our in vitro experiments using two-dimensional human cancer cell lines as well as three-dimensional murine and patient-derived organoids treated with two inhibitors of the EZH2 plus IFNγ showed that EZH2 inhibition leads to expression of both MHC class I and II (MHCI/II) expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. …

A Campus At War: The Impact Of World War Ii On Humboldt State College, Adam Casas

Charles R. Barnum History Award Papers

No abstract provided.

Dreams As Inspiration For Music Composition In American And European Musicians, Kai Parlett

Spectrum

No abstract provided.