Digital Commons Network^™

The Kinetic Modulation Of Α - Synuclein Fibrillation And Toxicity By 4-Phenylbutyric Acid, Kristos Awuah Baffour

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The Protein misfolding and aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) into neurotoxic amyloids underlies the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). 4-Phenylbutyrate (PBA), an FDA drug approved for treating urea cycle disorders, has garnered significant attention as a potential chemical chaperone for targeting alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation. Using in vitro assays, we demonstrated that PBA treatment alters the pattern of α-syn aggregation, as evidenced by reduced formation of oligomeric species and its increased susceptibility to proteolytic cleavage under the influence of PBA. Proteinase K assay, surface plasmon resonance, and Nile red studies indicate that PBA interacts with the extensive …

Enhancing Workplace Climate And Learning Outcomes In Aba Services: Prosocial Approaches And Peak Instruction With Autistic Learners, Stephanie Vickroy

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) heavily relies on the relationship between high quality client services and the direct care staff who implement these services. This thesis combines two manuscripts which discuss the field of behavior analysis in terms of clinical approaches. The first chapter evaluated intervention outcomes of 55 autistic learners undergoing language and cognitive training guided by PEAK (Promoting Emergence of Advanced Knowledge System; Dixon, 2014) within ABA services. Pre-post analyses of performance on the PCA revealed significant increases in PCA scores following 6-months of intervention and consistent gains in scores occurred across all four …

Evaluating The Normative Development And Efficacy Of The Life Functional Module, Kaitlyn A. Hui

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Life Functional Module (Dixon, 2020) is an all-encompassing assessment and curriculum designed to promote learner’s independence and well-being by teaching daily living, social, leisure, and other functional or meaningful skills. There is a wide variety of curricula that is currently used in applied-behavior analysis services and programming, including the Essentials for Living, Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS), and the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP). However, there is a lack of research in empirical evidence in regards to the efficacy of these curricula (Ackley et. al, 2019; Padilla et. al, 2023). The first manuscript of this …

Evaluating The Maintenance Of Verbal Relational Operants Following Peak Programming, Jenna Huskey

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK) Relational Training System is an assessment and curriculum tool developed for basic and advanced language skills using behavior analytic approaches (Dixon, 2016). Maintenance describes the retention of performance following the progression of time. In the present study, the purpose was to determine if maintenance was achieved on previously mastered PEAK programs, both in terms of the content and the verbal relational operant (i.e., generalization to new, untrained content). De-identified data were analyzed for five autistic learners (six to fourteen years old) receiving ABA services at a Midwestern clinic. Programs were selected from …

Co-Evolving Multi-Agent Transfer Reinforcement Learning Via Scenario Independent Representation, Ayesha Siddiqua

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) addresses complex tasks involving cooperation and competition among agents, training them to develop optimal policies for collective goals. However, facilitating simultaneous learning for multiple agents is challenging because the complexity increases rapidly with the number of agents. Current methods encompass a variety of centralized, decentralized, semi-centralized, and hybrid approaches to balance the trade-offs between computational efficiency, scalability, and coordination in MARL. In this study, I employed a centralized training with semi-centralized execution (CTSCE) framework, utilize both local observations from agents and abstracted global observations to effectively train agents in cooperative environments. Additionally, earning complex, domain-specific tasks …

Effects Of Subchronic Oral Pfos Exposure Via Drinking Water On Gut Microbiota Composition, Emma Ann Loder

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) has been phased out of production in the United States, but because of its resistance to degradation and its persistence in the environment, PFOS can be found in drinking water across America. Oral exposure to PFOS has been linked to adverse developmental, immunological, hepatic, and endocrine health. Oral PFOS exposure may alter the gut microbiota and cause dysbiosis, which is implicated in the pathology of inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and ulcerative colitis. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of subchronic oral PFOS exposure on the composition of the gut microbiota. Adult …

Microvascular Endothelial Permeability Coefficient Regulated By Purinergic P2y2 Receptor, Dana S. James

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Inflammatory mediators profoundly affect endothelial permeability by disrupting its barrier function, resulting in increased permeability (hyperpermeability). Interestingly, hyperpermeability is involved in a wide range of disorders and diseases, and can pose significant risks to life in diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and systemic capillary leak syndrome. Though vascular leakage, a hallmark of inflammation, profoundly exacerbates the pathogenesis of diseases, the direct mechanism is not fully understood. In vivo study has shown that activation of nucleotide P2Y₂ receptor (P2Y₂R) increases permeability in murine venule. The goal of this study was to determine the molecular mechanism of …

Sptbn1 Involvement In Reverse Transcription Of Hiv-1 Infection In Chme3 Cells, Jeanette Drecker

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) is a lentivirus that infects CD4+ cells, causing a

weakened immune system that leads to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency

Syndrome (AIDS). HIV utilizes host proteins to replicate. A genome wide screen by Brass has

shown that the molecular scaffolding protein, SPTBN1, is essential for HIV-1 infection.

However, the viral replication steps that SPTBN1 impacts are not known. Previous work in the

Hulme Lab has shown that SPTBN1 knockdown delays HIV capsid uncoating but does not

impact viral fusion kinetics. Uncoating and reverse transcription of HIV-1 occur simultaneously.

Therefore, the goal for this study was …

Beyond Nil, William W. Berry, Iii

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The name, image, and likeness (NIL) changes and shifting landscape obscure more existential threats to the student-athlete model on the horizon. The television money that Power Five conference teams receive still comprises much of the budget of athletic departments. The football and basketball players—-the revenue sport athletes-—may have a claim to a greater share of this revenue.

Some athletes argue that they are employees of their universities, which would entitle them not only to additional benefits but also to other tools, such as collective bargaining. All of these advantages could make universities responsible for increasing the amount of remuneration available …

Forget About Ferpa: How Foia Protects Student-Athlete Privacy In The Nil Era, Kamron Cox

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The start of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era stirred public fervor about the new earning potential of high-profile student-athletes. Since institutional policies and state laws governing NIL require student-athletes to broadly disclose information about their NIL activities to their respective institutions, the several state laws that follow the approach of the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can jeopardize the privacy of student-athlete NIL information. Major universities have repeatedly resorted to the unreliable defense of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act as well as sporadic state legislation to protect student-athlete privacy in the new NIL space. However, …

Tackling Bias In Sport: Recognizing The Impact Of Identities, Meg Hancock --Assoc. Prof.

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Studies suggest participation in organized sports--from childhood to adulthood--promotes positive physical, social, emotional, and intellectual benefits that impact individuals and their communities over a lifetime. Sports participation in early childhood and adolescence also leads to higher self-esteem, greater wage-earning potential, lower health costs, reduced chronic disease, and lower levels of depression. In adulthood, participating in sports provides social connection, personal enjoyment, and improved health. In US society, sports are often viewed as a popular, viable, and sustainable avenue for social mobility. While the benefits of sports participation are unequivocal, the visibility and influence of star athletes, along with the way …

A Scientometric Study On Research Characteristics And Trends Of Amyloidosis Involving The Oral Cavity, Wei Liu, Cheng Jiang, Xuemin Shen, Yunteng Wu, Jie Wei

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose Oral involvement often constitutes the first sign of amyloidosis as a life-threatening disease that can lead to multiple organ impairment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of amyloidosis involving the oral cavity. Materials and methods All the papers on oral involvement of amyloidosis were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. The years of publication were divided into before 2015 and 2015–2024 in the analysis of research trends. Results There were 2540 relevant papers on amyloidosis involving the oral cavity, with total citations of 73,896 and the h index of 119. …

Importance And Interpretive Questions, Ilan Wurman

Articles

In its October 2021 Term, the Supreme Court formalized what it calls the major questions doctrine. The doctrine, as currently formulated, appears to require a clear and specific statement from Congress if Congress intends to delegate questions of major political or economic significance to agencies. The doctrine has been almost universally assailed on the right by scholars who argue that the doctrine is inconsistent with textualism and on the left by those who claim it is a recently invented, functionalist tool devised to reach antiadministrativist results. One can explain at least some of the cases, however, in a way that …

Ot '22 And The Path Of Administrative Law, Ilan Wurman

Articles

This symposium piece reflects on the Supreme Court’s October 2022 term and what it reveals for the direction of administrative law. It argues first that the nondelegation doctrine is dead but not for the reason functionalists have been arguing for so long. It is dead rather because the causes of its revival have been effectively removed. Nondelegation concerns are most felt when there is significant executive unilateralism; in the past such unilateralism was encouraged by the Chevron doctrine, which allows the executive branch to interpret statutes creatively and, so long as those interpretations are plausible, requires courts to defer to …

The Effects Of Language-Related Misunderstanding At Work, John Fiset, Devasheesh P. Bhave, Nilotpal Jha

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Demographic, technological, and global trends have brought the language used at the workplace to the forefront. A growing body of research reveals that language could result in misunderstanding at work, and influence employees' performance and attitudinal outcomes. Language at work encompasses standard language (e.g., English) as well as several hybrid forms of language (non-native accents, code-switching, and jargon). We delineate how these forms of language could result in misunderstanding. We then identify relational, affective, and informational mechanisms that underlie the relationship between language-related misunderstanding and employees' performance and attitudinal outcomes, and highlight key boundary conditions. In doing so, we uncover …

Investigation Of Information-Seeking Behavior Of Secondary School English Teachers In Batam City, Indonesia For Lesson Plan Preparation, Rayhan Musa Novian

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines the information sources chosen by secondary school English teachers for lesson planning, alongside their information awareness and the constraints encountered. A lesson plan acts as a teacher's guide, detailing student learning objectives, associated resources and activities, and ensuring compliance with local and national curricula. This qualitative research employed semi-structured interviews with 15 English teachers from secondary schools in Batam City, Indonesia, using the Zoom platform. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data. Results reveal a three-stage pattern in teachers' selection and use of information sources: primary, secondary, and tertiary stages. Initially, teachers rely on formal internal …

The Influence Of Intellectual Property Mergers And Acquisitions On Long- Term Financial Performance: Insights From Chinese Companies, Mingyue Fang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study examines the long-term financial effects of intellectual property-related M&As (IP M&As) in China, using ROIC as the main performance metric. Based on a panel of listed firms from 2000–2020, it first applies a DID model to compare IP M&As with regular deals, then extends to a DDD framework to assess directional heterogeneity (North-to-South, South-to-North, intra-regional). Results show IP M&As improve ROIC, especially in North-to-South transactions. Mechanism analysis confirms enhanced innovation output, though its financial conversion may face institutional or integration frictions. The study highlights the strategic value of IP M&As and the importance of regional context in post-deal …

Development Of Porous Poly(Methylmethacrylate) Beads For Toxic Cytokine Removal Application, Nutchanon Putthabucha

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Sepsis is a vital cause of death globally, primarily due to the uncontrolled secretion of cytokines that disrupt homeostasis. Hemoperfusion is an extracorporeal blood purification technique to treat sepsis that is uncomplicated and effective. The adsorbent material is the essence part of this technique. Since it has to direct contact with blood, the material requires necessary properties, including hemocompatibility, biocompatibility, mechanical stability, etc. Here in this thesis, we developed a new adsorbent material for hemoperfusion using PMMA beads suspension polymerization. Five different porogens, including ethyl acetate, tributyrin (short-chain triglycerides), MCT oil (medium-chain triglyceride), soybean oil (long-chain triglyceride), and toluene were …

Leveraging Gpt-4 For Thai Land And Building Tax Calculation In The Bangkok Area, Sadanan Arsaibun

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This paper explores the application of large language models (LLMs), particularly GPT-4, in the context of Thai land and building tax computation. We address challenges arising from the complexity of Thai tax regulations, the scarcity of Thai-language training data, and the structured, multi-variable nature of tax computation tasks. To enhance model performance, we employ few-shot prompting, decomposition-based reasoning, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). We further introduce a JSON-style output format to support structured conversational interactions, allowing the model to identify missing user inputs and guide data collection. A secondary o3-mini pass is used as an answer verifier, helping to assess the …

An Attention-Guided Image Super-Resolution For Scene Text, Tithnorakneath Em

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Scene Text Image Super-Resolution (STISR) is crucial in enhancing text recognition for low-resolution images, often degraded due to environmental and device limitations. While many existing STISR approaches leverage super-resolution techniques to refine image quality, they frequently need specialized mechanisms to extract text-specific features. Most existing methods were based on feature extraction methods that missed critical details, such as edges and text-background contrasts, that are usually important for recognition. In this work, we propose a new feature extraction method that uses Channel Attention and Spatial Attention mechanisms to emphasize features related to text, namely edges, contours, and spatial alignment. We add …

Incidence, Risk Factors, And Outcome Of Anti-Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity In People With And Without Hiv In Thailand And The Philippines, Ryan Christopher Atuel

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH) is a common complication among people living with HIV (PLWH), potentially leading to treatment interruptions. Objective: To determine the incidence of DIH and identify risk factors in Thai and Filipino PLWH on tuberculosis (TB) treatment, compared with those with TB mono-infection. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cohort study of Thai and Filipino adults with active TB using retrospective data from Thailand (2000–2024) and prospective data from the Philippines (2024). Eligible participants had AST/ALT results at TB treatment initiation and follow-up. DIH was defined as AST or ALT ≥3 times the upper limit of normal. …

Demographic Profile And Clinical Characteristics Of Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy In Thai Patients: A Retrospective Cohort In A Tertiary Referral Center, Trakanta Wannapanich

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective: This study aimed to describe the demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and the 5-year clinical course of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) in Thai patients. Secondary objectives included identifying the risk factors associated with corneal transplantation and evaluating surgical trends, particularly the types of corneal transplantation performed. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical data from 900 Thai patients (1,743 eyes) diagnosed with FECD. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and follow-up data over five years were collected. Statistical methods, including logistic regression, were used to identify factors predicting corneal transplantation. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 63.84 ± 11.89 …

Molecular Mechanism Of Lusianthridin On Platelet Aggregation Inhibition And Endothelial Cell Protection, Fozia -

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Lusianthridin (LST), a bioactive compound isolated from Dendrobium venustum, exhibits notable vasoprotective properties. This study aimed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of LST by evaluating its effects on platelet function and endothelial cell activation in vitro. In human platelets, LST significantly inhibited collagen-induced aggregation, an effect associated with elevated phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and suppression of Akt phosphorylation. In EA.hy926 endothelial cells, LST attenuated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced endothelial dysfunction by reducing nitric oxide (NO) production and suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Mechanistic investigations revealed that LST inhibited key inflammatory signaling …

Effect Of An Mrna Vaccine On Liver-Associated Macrophages And The Immunogenicity Of Ag85b-Mrna Vaccine Against Tuberculosis, Chitsuda Pongma

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

A new vaccine technology based on the delivery of mRNA has gained widespread acceptance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The delivery of mRNA formulated with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) elicits a robust immune response, activating both humoral and cell-mediated response. Depending on the LNP formula, mRNA encoding proteins can be detected in the liver upon intramuscular (IM) administration in mice. Thus, an mRNA vaccine present novel platform for new vaccines for infection diseases, including tuberculosis (TB). This study proposed two major goals to investigate the impact of an mRNA vaccine on innate immune cells in the liver and the use of …

2024 4-H Horse Quiz Bowl Packet, Nh 4h Unh Cooperative Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Decision-Making In The Era Of Mohammad Bin Salman, Andrew Brown

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Strategic culture plays a crucial role in shaping countries’ decision-making in regard to security and foreign policy. In the context of nuclear proliferation, strategic culture can significantly impact a country’s willingness to pursue nuclear weapons and how it calculates the risks and benefits of such a decision. This thesis examines Saudi Arabia’s decision-making under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who has brought about significant changes in the country's strategic culture through aggressive top-down reform. While much of Saudi Arabia's traditional strategic culture has remained intact under MBS and his father, King Salman, some elements have shifted …

Russian Chemical And Biological Weapons: Limiting The Effects Of Russian Cbw Programs On Nato Security Through 2035, Jason Gregory Porter

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis uses qualitative research methods to: (1) assess the extent and capabilities of Russia’s modern chemical and biological weapons programs, (2) assess Russian compliance with arms control agreements, (3) determine the threats Russian chemical and biological weapons pose to NATO security, (4) assess NATO’s existing strategy against the modern chemical and biological threat, and (5) provide recommendations for U.S. and NATO policies and programs to mitigate the threat of these programs in the short and medium term. This project demonstrates that Russian chemical and biological weapons programs have remained consistently in violation of international arms control agreements since the …

Strategic Implications Caused By Hypersonic Strike Weapons, Marc D. Johnson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Emerging technology is having a substantial impact on strategic stability. This thesis will analyze the impact of developing hypersonic weapon systems globally on strategic stability. Hypersonic weapons are defined as weapons that travel at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). Hypersonic Strike Weapons (HSW) are hypersonic weapons capable of maneuvering at hypersonic speeds that makes them much more difficult to engage when traveling at such high speeds. They are a relatively new technology that is currently being pursued by multiple nations throughout the world.

The United States is currently the only country that has officially declared all …

Women In Religious Leadership Roles, Amanda Wadkins

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The experiences of women in leadership have been well studied in academia, but there remains a gap in the literature regarding and understanding of the experiences of women who are in religious leadership roles. I examined what challenges these women experience in their roles, and how they make sense of those challenges, using the constant comparative method of data analysis to analyze interviews with 12 women who have leadership roles within their protestant church or nonprofit organization. The results indicate that these individuals experience challenges that are consistent with past research on women in leadership. However, the results also illustrate …

Quantitative Trait Loci Influencing Elemental Content In Grapevine Leaves, Jesse L. Krokower

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

In grapevine, the influence of the plant’s elemental composition (the ionome) on fruit and wine quality is well established, but its genetic underpinnings have received limited scientific attention. In this study, I analyzed the leaf ionome of 131 interspecific F1 hybrid progeny plants from a cross between a Vitis rupestris Scheele (♀) and a Vitis riparia Michx (♂) parents, which were replicated in four different environments: Southwest Missouri, Central Missouri, South Dakota, and New York. I sampled leaves at three different times during the growing season at all four locations and had the concentration of 20 elements measured using ICP-MS. …