Digital Commons Network^™

Ecology Of Viruses In Marine And Coastal Oxygen-Depleted Waters, Sophie Jurgensen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deoxygenation of marine and coastal waters, both caused and exacerbated by a suite of abiotic and biotic factors, has been documented for more than sixty years. The incidence and severity of low-oxygen areas is predicted to expand globally in the coming decades. Despite their colloquial moniker “dead zones,” low-oxygen areas contain thriving and diverse microorganisms that have significant impacts on global biogeochemical cycles including contributing to positive feedback loops that further expand low-oxygen areas. While the diversity and activity of these microorganisms is beginning to be elucidated, the ecology of their viruses is particularly understudied. In this dissertation, I present …

Lead Immobilization For Environmentally Sustainable Perovskite Solar Cells, Hui Zhang, Jin Wook Lee, Giuseppe Nasti, Richard Handy, Antonio Abate, Michael Grätzel, Nam Gyu Park

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Lead halide perovskites are promising semiconducting materials for solar energy harvesting. However, the presence of heavy-metal lead ions is problematic when considering potential harmful leakage into the environment from broken cells and also from a public acceptance point of view. Moreover, strict legislation on the use of lead around the world has driven innovation in the development of strategies for recycling end-of-life products by means of environmentally friendly and cost-effective routes. Lead immobilization is a strategy to transform water-soluble lead ions into insoluble, nonbioavailable and nontransportable forms over large pH and temperature ranges and to suppress lead leakage if the …

Promoting Mental Treatment In The Arab World, Aya Emam Hassanein

Masters Theses

This study investigates why mental health has been neglected in the Arab world and what strategies could be used to promote it and break the stigma associated with mental disorders. The literature review reveals that the most prominent barriers preventing mental treatment in the Arab world are cultural stigma, poverty, illiteracy, false beliefs regarding the causation of the illness, conflicts in countries, and a scarcity of mental health services and research. The review also discusses the most common mental illnesses in the Arab world and how the culture affects the process of treatment. Additionally, it discusses the possible solutions proposed …

Community Role Models And Their Influence On At-Risk-Youth, Eliab Charles Caudio

Masters Theses

The youth in our communities are easily influenced. For this reason, they should not be left to govern themselves. More often than not, they have a few peers steering them in the wrong directions, enabling poor decisions, mostly to fit in, stand out, or some form of protection. Also, there are those who simply have no direction, wanting to live fast, grow up before their time and engage in high risk behaviors they consider having fun. The focus of my research aims to drive home the point that “consistent mentorship from successful adults” is an often overlooked solution in helping …

Induction Of A Torpor-Like Hypothermic And Hypometabolic State In Rodents By Ultrasound, Yaoheng Yang, Jinyun Yuan, Rachael L Field, Dezhuang Ye, Zhongtao Hu, Kevin Xu, Lu Xu, Yan Gong, Yimei Yue, Alexxai V Kravitz, Michael R Bruchas, Jianmin Cui, Jonathan R Brestoff, Hong Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Torpor is an energy-conserving state in which animals dramatically decrease their metabolic rate and body temperature to survive harsh environmental conditions. Here, we report the noninvasive, precise and safe induction of a torpor-like hypothermic and hypometabolic state in rodents by remote transcranial ultrasound stimulation at the hypothalamus preoptic area (POA). We achieve a long-lasting (>24 h) torpor-like state in mice via closed-loop feedback control of ultrasound stimulation with automated detection of body temperature. Ultrasound-induced hypothermia and hypometabolism (UIH) is triggered by activation of POA neurons, involves the dorsomedial hypothalamus as a downstream brain region and subsequent inhibition of thermogenic …

Multi-Omic Assessment Shows Dysregulation Of Pulmonary And Systemic Immunity To E-Cigarette Exposure, David P. Scieszka, Devon Garland, Russell Hunter, Guy Herbert, Selita Lucas, Yan Jin, Haiwei Gu, Matthew J. Campen, Judy L. Cannon

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Electronic cigarette (Ecig) use has become more common, gaining increasing acceptance as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking. However, the 2019 outbreak of Ecig and Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) alerted the community to the potential for incorporation of deleterious ingredients such as vitamin E acetate into products without adequate safety testing. Understanding Ecig induced molecular changes in the lung and systemically can provide a path to safety assessment and protect consumers from unsafe formulations. While vitamin E acetate has been largely removed from commercial and illicit products, many Ecig products contain additives that remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we …

How Lifestyle Worship Develops The Qualities Of Effective Leadership In Sacred And Secular Leaders, Pervis Omar Blake

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study will examine how lifestyle worship develops the qualities of effective leadership in sacred and secular leaders. The study will use descriptive research regarding leaders from the sacred and secular fields. This study will prove the benefit of the approach of developing leaders through the lifestyle worship model to be impactful in both. The study shows there are common themes and qualities of leaders in different levels of leadership and varying years of leadership. Although there are separate studies on the qualities of effective leadership in both the sacred and secular worlds, there is currently little to no …

Self-Determination And Student Persistence: A Case Study Of A Higher Education Institution Exclusive To Students With Disabilities, Nachole Marie Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative embedded single case study was to understand how the unique experience of attending a post-secondary school exclusive to students diagnosed with LD and ADHD affects student success in developing and using self-determination skills to increase persistence to graduation. Guiding this study is the theory of self-determination while seeking to explain the reasoning for student persistence to degree completion and the execution of self-determination skills autonomously. This study uses a qualitative embedded single case study design to examine a post-secondary educational institution that exclusively services students with learning disabilities from different perspectives. The research setting is …

Organizational Preparedness Required For System Implementation, Kaitlyn Marie Mccollum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are currently in high demand as organizations seek to streamline, synchronize, and synthesis operational information, efforts, and resources to make decisions swifter and operate more efficiently and effectively. As the results and benefits of system output are realized within the market, organizations seek to implement ERP systems but are not successful because their organizations are not prepared prior to implementing the system. As a result, organizations search for a roadmap or collection of best practices as a guide for organizational preparation prior to system adoption and implementation. But these materials are lacking within the industry. …

Saint Columba: Rhythm, Sacred Time, And His Mission To Northern Scotland, Michelle Kay Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the rhythm and sacred time in the life of Saint Columba of Iona and his mission to Northern Scotland. It begins by establishing the existence of rhythm and sacred time in the Pentateuch, the life of Jesus as recorded in the four Gospels, and Paul and the early Church in the book of Acts. Rhythm and sacred time of early Christian monasticism in general and then specifically in the Celtic church are explored to provide context into which Columba and his monasticism and ministry are situated. The study concludes by demonstrating that Columba’s influence was felt well …

"My Dog Is In Teletherapy With Me": The Impact Of A Pet Dog On Their Owner's Teletherapy Session, Carlette Anne Layne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The connection between humans and animals has led to practices such as animal-assisted therapy, equine therapy, service animals, and pet ownership. Strong bonds and attachments can form between pet owners and their pets. It is no wonder that owning a pet is commonplace in the United States. Many pet owners identify their pet as a member of their family. In addition to companionship, research has indicated that pet ownership can have health benefits, reduce stress, increase empathy, and facilitate openness. In a therapeutic setting, the presence of a pet may comfort its owner simply by being near them. The ease …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Student Satisfaction On Student Outcomes Among Undergraduate Students In A Blended Learning Environment In University A, Andrea Michelle Marshall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of student satisfaction on student outcomes among undergraduate students in a blended learning environment in University A. It was a quantitative predictive correlational design, with predictor variables satisfaction with course, sex, age and race/ethnicity, and criterion variable end-of-course score. The Corona Virus pandemic highlighted the central role of blended and online learning in educational processes globally. The technological revolution in education characterized by the infusion of digital technologies in classrooms, indicates that blended learning will continue to feature prominently in educational settings. Student satisfaction in blended learning redounds to the …

A Phenomenological Study Of The High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry In A Digital Age, Shirley Groce

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore how high-tech, high-touch senior pastors who practice servant leadership establish and maintain personal contact with their church members and lead them using digital technology. This research was particularly relevant in an era of social distancing required by the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for this study was Greenleaf's servant leadership theory. Ten experienced pastors were interviewed to determine how they balanced the impersonal nature of streaming worship services while maintaining personal contact with their congregations. These interviews were transcribed, and important themes were identified to determine best practices for using technology while maintaining …

Analysis Of General Nutritional Knowledge Of High School Students, Tiffany Wheat

Masters Theses

Background: High school student nutritional knowledge is an under-researched demographic in the U.S. The present study aimed to explore the general nutritional knowledge of high school students and examine if there are any differences between sex, grade level, and BMI. Methods: The General Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire-Revised (GNKQ-R) was employed to measure the nutritional knowledge level of a sample of local high school students enrolled in a food sciences/culinary arts class. Data were analyzed using GNU PSPP and Microsoft Excel 2016. Results: The results indicated although differences existed between the groups there were no statistical differences between gender, BMI, and grade …

Research In Onondaga Music: Challenges And Opportunities, Kristi Eve Adams

Masters Theses

The main topic of focus is the resistance by indigenous people to communicate their cultural practices to researchers and those who are not part of their immediate community, especially in a post-COVID-19 world. The topic will be explored through the music and ceremonies of the Haudenosaunee people, also known as the Iroquois, consisting of members of Native American heritage that are still in existence today and recognized by the United States federal government as an official tribe. Onondaga Nation is one of the few remaining self-governing sovereign Native American nations in the United States. The music of the Onondaga people …

The Influence Of Childhood Familial Dysfunction On Emotional Well-Being And Substance Use Behaviors In Young Adults, Margaret Bullerjahn

Dissertations

Problematic substance use in young adulthood can lead to a variety of societal and individual consequences; therefore, it is important to understand risk factors contributing to its development. Although several individual and environmental factors can contribute to the development of substance misuse, the relationship between family dysfunction and emotional functioning in the prediction of substance use has been relatively understudied within this developmental period. The current study aimed to further understand how childhood family dysfunction, emotion regulation, and emotion reactivity aid in the development of young adult substance misuse. 405 young adults were surveyed about their childhood family experiences, current …

Yeast Cell Wall Extracts From Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Varying In Structure And Composition Differentially Shape The Innate Immunity And Mucosal Tissue Responses Of The Intestine Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Mark Rawling, Marion Schiavone, Emmanuelle Apper, Daniel L. Merrifield, Mathieu Castex, Eric Leclercq, Andrew Foey

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

With the rising awareness of antimicrobial resistance, the development and use of functional feed additives (FFAs) as an alternative prophylactic approach to improve animal health and performance is increasing. Although the FFAs from yeasts are widely used in animal and human pharma applications already, the success of future candidates resides in linking their structural functional properties to their efficacy in vivo. Herein, this study aimed to characterise the biochemical and molecular properties of four proprietary yeast cell wall extracts from S. cerevisiae in relation to their potential effect on the intestinal immune responses when given orally. Dietary supplementation of the …

Energy Efficiency And Material Cost Savings By Evolution Of Solar Panels Used In Photovoltaic Systems Under Neutrosophic Model, Ahmed Sleem, Ibrahim Elhenawy

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Traditional applications of solar panels have been limited to smaller-scale energy production, such as that required by single houses or apartment complexes. Researchers from all around the globe have been working together to develop creative, efficient goods, increase the energy efficiency of solar panels, and build new, ground-breaking practices using photovoltaic system design. Solar photovoltaic (PV) system planning demands a strategic decision-making approach to socioeconomic growth in many nations due to the rising understanding of the financial, social, and ecological aspects. The primary goal of this study is to provide a novel, adaptable method of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) for …

Iñupiaq Culture And Wind Band: An Analysis Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy And Access To Music Education On Alaska's North Slope, Christian Eugene Roseboro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Iñupiaq Culture and Wind Band: An Analysis of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Access to Music Education on Alaska’s North Slope is an observational ethnography examining implications for incorporating the Iñupiaq culture into the instrumental music education curriculum for the North Slope Borough School District. The North Slope Borough School District is the geographically largest and northernmost school district in the United States. The majority of the student population it serves are Iñupiaq Native Alaskans. The research interprets the Iñupiaq Iłitqusiat (cultural values), the North Slope Borough School District pedagogical frameworks, and the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools to answer …

The Perception Of K-12 Instrumental Directors In Low-Income Areas On Virtual Learning With Skill Development And Retention, Anthony Lewis Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Due to the extreme measures taken to protect students from COVID-19 during the pandemic, schools closed their doors, and educators struggled to continue teaching through virtual learning platforms. Performance-based classrooms were encouraged to discover new methods and strategies to motivate students to thrive even though face-to-face rehearsals were restricted. This study examined the experiences secondary music education instrumentalists faced while attempting to utilize synchronous and asynchronous instruction in a 100 percent virtual performance-based environment. This study aimed to understand the negative and positive effects placed on secondary instrumentalists’ performance abilities, fundamental development, and participation/retention since the introduction of virtual learning …

Meeting The Psychological Needs Of Astronauts In The Flourishing Human Spaceflight Frontier: The Case For Astronaut-Trained Psychologists, Skylar Jordan Laham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Space psychology (i.e., astronaut psychological counseling and support) has remained largely unchanged since the onset of long-duration low-Earth-orbit (LEO) human spaceflight missions, with teletherapy utilized as the primary means of psychotherapy delivery. However, with NASA’s plans to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, the suitability of teletherapy – as well as astronaut-trained psychologists, an alternative space psychology method suggested for human spaceflight beyond LEO – must be ascertained. The aim of this novel space psychology investigation was to identify and compare the effectiveness of three astronaut psychotherapy treatment conditions (i.e., teletherapy with a 2 second Earth to LEO …

Challenges Law Enforcement Faces In Utilizing Community Policing To Counter Violent Extremism, Steven Brett Beams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There has been a rise in violent extremist attacks throughout America since the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. However, law enforcement has been challenged in developing means and methods to combat the rise in terrorist activities. Using and enhancing community policing strategies have shown promising results in identifying terroristic individuals. A literature review shows that community policing strategies have been effective in combating and reducing violence and may be effective in mitigating terrorist activities. Community policing can be a necessary means for identifying radical individuals involved in terrorist activities. This research proposes to discover an effective and …

Commissioned: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Evangelism Beliefs, Practices, And Results, Shane Redding

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although Jesus clearly commanded His Church to spread His gospel to the world and make disciples of all nations, the modern American Church has struggled to evangelize effectively, resulting in declining church attendance. While many churches claim to value evangelism, the results indicate a need for churches to reevaluate their current evangelism approaches. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine if a relationship exists between the levels of importance that churches place on evangelism, the churches’ tangible evangelism practices, and their new believer baptisms. The target population for the study was lead pastors from non-denomination, baptistic, evangelistic, Christian …

Tsenacommacah’S Role In The Survival Of Jamestown, Brandon J. Hewitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

How was a small, unprepared, sick group of 105 English settlers in 1607 able to settle squarely in the middle of a native confederacy whose numbers surpassed 15,000 individuals? This work will attempt to answer this question. At the same time, it will explain how a small group of Englishmen could quickly expand and become the first thriving English colony in North America despite being in the middle of Tsenacommacah, home of the Chesapeake Algonquian chiefdom. This research will place the focus on the Powhatan chief's decision-making processes regarding economics and politics as the reasons the English were able to …

Computer-Aided Drug Design Of Bakuchiol-Inspired Lxrα Modulators Against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Dillon P. Cao

LSU Master's Theses

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer in children, accounting for approximately 25% of pediatric malignancies. Although glucocorticoids are commonly used to treat ALL, prolonged use can lead to steroid resistance, rendering the drug regimen ineffective. Therefore, alternative treatment avenues are needed for high- risk pediatric patients that do not respond well to traditional regimens.

Liver X Receptor α (LXRα) is presented as a potential alternative drug target for pediatric patients that exhibit suboptimal response to glucocorticoids. Limitations of the current LXRα modulators such as indiscriminate isoform selectivity between LXRα and LXRβ and consequent adverse effects …

Economics Over All: How Neoliberalism Affects Our Paradigms Of Identity And Relationships In The 21st Century, Richard R. Murphy

2023 Symposium

Not much is more heavily debated in the realm of social sciences than the phenomenon of Neoliberalism. Philosophers and academics alike, from the lectures by Michel Foucault in the latter half of the 20th century, to the publications of David Harvey and Wendy Brown today, the only constant is that Neoliberalism is a complex and nuanced system of internal governmentality. These fundamental changes to our paradigms trigger an evolved adaptively plastic mechanism that regulates our inclusive and exclusive moralities. By analyzing the mechanic structure of Neoliberalism and how it changes our paradigms of identity and relations, we may begin to …

The Movement To Prevent Child Abuse And Neglect, Kristen Jenkins

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

From The Editor: Cynthia George

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Notes On Mutual Aid: A Factor In Evolution, By P. Kropotkin, Earl Clement Davis

Manuscripts, Undated

Fairly extensive notes on Peter Kropotkin's 1902 book, Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution, a seminal text which argues that communistic or socialistic organization as more natural for human society.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

Improving Pubmed For The Novice At The Expense Of The Expert: Surveying Librarians 3 Years Post-New Pubmed, Tim Kenny, Heather Kemp

Journal of Maine Medical Center

No abstract provided.