Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 108541 - 108570 of 1335662

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

“You Said Burnout? Whew, Chile!” A Multigenerational Collaborative Autoethnography On The Complexities Of Burnout And Care Among Black Women Researching Substance Use, Natalie Malone, Kaylee A. Palomino, Valerie P.A. Verty, Mona K.M. Goggins, Jasmine K. Jester, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Paris Wheeler, Jardin Dogan-Dixon, Mekaila Keeling, Kendall A. Mccleod, India Mccray, Zoe A. Sigola, Jovonna D. Atkinson, Candice N. Hargons, Danelle Stevens-Watkins Jan 2024

“You Said Burnout? Whew, Chile!” A Multigenerational Collaborative Autoethnography On The Complexities Of Burnout And Care Among Black Women Researching Substance Use, Natalie Malone, Kaylee A. Palomino, Valerie P.A. Verty, Mona K.M. Goggins, Jasmine K. Jester, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Paris Wheeler, Jardin Dogan-Dixon, Mekaila Keeling, Kendall A. Mccleod, India Mccray, Zoe A. Sigola, Jovonna D. Atkinson, Candice N. Hargons, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Researchers and participants who are members of minoritized populations experience negative psychosocial and wellness outcomes like burnout. Burnout may manifest uniquely for Black women in academia conducting research with Black women participants navigating similar sociocultural contexts. Objectives: This article qualitatively interprets our experiences as 15 Black women scholar-practitioners at a midwestern university conducting community-engaged research. We discuss our experiences of care and burnout while working to reduce opioid use disparities among Black women community members as we simultaneously navigate multilevel challenges in academia. Design: We employ collaborative autoethnography, an autobiographical writing method, using a Black feminist framework and intersectionality …

Go to article

Photoluminescence Of Beryllium-Related Defects In Gallium Nitride, Mykhailo Vorobiov, Mykhailo Vorobiov Jan 2024

Photoluminescence Of Beryllium-Related Defects In Gallium Nitride, Mykhailo Vorobiov, Mykhailo Vorobiov

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the potential of beryllium (Be) as an alternative dopant to magnesium (Mg) for achieving higher hole concentrations in gallium nitride (GaN). Despite Mg prominence as an acceptor in optoelectronic and high-power devices, its deep acceptor level at 0.22 eV above the valence band limits its effectiveness. By examining Be, this research aims to pave the way to overcoming these limitations and extend the findings to aluminum nitride and aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) alloy. Key contributions of this work include. i)Identification of three Be-related luminescence bands in GaN through photoluminescence spectroscopy, improving the understanding needed for further material …

Go to article

Commencement Program, 2024, Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice Jan 2024

Commencement Program, 2024, Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice

Reports and Publications from John Jay College

Commencement Programs are handed out at each graduation. They include information on honorary degrees, awards and prizes and candidates for degree. However, they cannot be considered an official record of conferring of degrees.

Go to article

A Comparative Analysis Of Swabbing Solutions For Sexual Assault Evidence: Direct Impact On Spermatozoa And Dna Recovery, Olivia Q. Kassie Jan 2024

A Comparative Analysis Of Swabbing Solutions For Sexual Assault Evidence: Direct Impact On Spermatozoa And Dna Recovery, Olivia Q. Kassie

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Forensic laboratories struggle with a backlog of sexual assault cases, prompting the need for effective techniques to develop consistent protocols and address scientific gaps. Challenges in recovering optimal DNA from assault evidence stem from factors like collection timing and sampling variables. Variations in lab protocols can lead to differences in DNA yields and profile success. This was observed in a state lab when protocols were developed allowing the use of acetone to swab sexual assault evidence. The use of acetone originated due to their case-routing protocols in multi-section cases involving latent fingerprints. While not necessary for sexual assault and porous …

Go to article

Discrimination Of Blue Denim Fibers Utilizing Physical Characteristics, Optical Properties, Fluorescence Microscopy, Ultraviolet-Visible Microspectrophotometry, And Microchemical Testing, Elkin Howard Jan 2024

Discrimination Of Blue Denim Fibers Utilizing Physical Characteristics, Optical Properties, Fluorescence Microscopy, Ultraviolet-Visible Microspectrophotometry, And Microchemical Testing, Elkin Howard

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Cotton, the most common natural fiber, has numerous uses in the textile industry. This fiber type is ubiquitous in forensic casework due to its prevalence, particularly in blue jeans. The abundance of blue cotton in society and its limited variations in features can diminish the probative value of its presence on items of evidence. While a pair of blue jeans may be constructed with a combination of natural and manufactured fibers, the most likely fiber type to be transferred between sources is cotton. In this study, a comprehensive analytical approach to blue jean fiber analysis was explored to determine if …

Go to article

Cellular Autofluorescence Signatures For Determining Time Since Deposition Of Whole Blood, Hannah Lamer Jan 2024

Cellular Autofluorescence Signatures For Determining Time Since Deposition Of Whole Blood, Hannah Lamer

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Knowledge of the relative window of time that evidentiary biological material was deposited at a crime scene, referred to as the time since deposition (TSD), would help investigators determine which evidentiary items are most probative and assist with scene reconstruction. One commonly encountered body fluid at a crime scene is blood. Various methods for estimating TSD of bloodstains have been developed, but none to date have been validated for use in the forensic laboratory. Recently, flow cytometry measurements of cellular autofluorescence and size/structure have been investigated as a signature for TSD of saliva and touch epidermal cells. This study assessed …

Go to article

Persistent Relative Homology For Topological Data Analysis, Christian J. Lentz Jan 2024

Persistent Relative Homology For Topological Data Analysis, Christian J. Lentz

Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Honors Projects

A central problem in data-driven scientific inquiry is how to interpret structure in noisy, high-dimensional data. Topological data analysis (TDA) provides a solution via the language of persistent homology, which encodes features of interest as holes within a filtration of the data. The recently presented U-Match Decomposition places the standard persistence computation in a flexible form, allowing for straight-forward extensions of the algorithm to variations of persistent homology. We describe U-Match Decomposition in the context of persistent homology, and extend it to an algorithm for persistent relative homology, providing proofs for the correctness and stability of the presented algorithm.

Go to article

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron Jan 2024

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Richmond Field Office seeks to diversify their applicant pool. In an effort to provide information on how to meet this need, our doctoral team analyzed the social media sites of six federal law enforcement agencies to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Headquarters, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Richmond Field Office, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshal Service. By examining a 60-day window of images and their associated text on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, we wanted to gain a stronger understanding of …

Go to article

Examining The Efficacy Of Unitive Justice Education In The Secondary School Setting, Chris C. Booz, La Toya K. Draper, Lottie M. Spurlock Jan 2024

Examining The Efficacy Of Unitive Justice Education In The Secondary School Setting, Chris C. Booz, La Toya K. Draper, Lottie M. Spurlock

Doctor of Education Capstones

This research study examined the efficacy of the Unitive Justice Education (UJEd) program on school-wide practices in Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS). The UJEd program developed by the Alliance for Unitive Justice (AUJ) serves as a unifying alternative to conventional disciplinary approaches. An abundance of research shows exclusionary punitive systems have created inequitable experiences for students, particularly children from historically marginalized groups (Alexander, 2020; Kendi, 2019; Morris, 2018). Through a critical theory lens (Freire, 2017) coupled with a mixed methods approach, the researchers analyzed the HCPS discipline data and staff perceptions. Implementing the UJEd program in HCPS secondary schools holds …

Go to article

Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning And Retention: A Large Scale Model Validation : Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning Andretention: A Large Scale Model Validation, Michael Gordon Collins Jan 2024

Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning And Retention: A Large Scale Model Validation : Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning Andretention: A Large Scale Model Validation, Michael Gordon Collins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical models of learning and retention have long been developed in psychology for both basic and applied research. For basic research, models of learning and retention attempt to explain how individuals acquire and retain information over time. While for applied research, models of learning and retention are used to inform education and training decisions. In both of these applications, the primary purpose of using a model is to fit and predict the performance of individuals. However, little attention has been paid to the interpretation of a model’s free parameters (i.e., learning and decay rates) and the effect that a model’s …

Go to article

Investigation Of Spalart-Allmaras Turbulence Model For Vortex Flows, Abigail Rayna Kerestes Jan 2024

Investigation Of Spalart-Allmaras Turbulence Model For Vortex Flows, Abigail Rayna Kerestes

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Conventional turbulence models often predict behaviors opposite as to what is observed in flows subject to rotation. In this type of flow scenario, rotation typically induces turbulence suppression. To address this limitation, a modification to the Spalart Allmaras Model with Rotation Correction (SA-R) was proposed to enhance the original Spalart Allmaras Model’s sensitivity to rotation and curvature. To test the validity and accuracy of this modification, two cases were investigated. The first case involved an axisymmetric rotating pipe. A Reynolds Number of 37,000 was implemented and the initial and boundary conditions established by Zaets et. al. were utilized. Initially non-rotating, …

Go to article

Understanding Impact Of Graph Structure On Knowledge Graph Embedding, Brandon Dave Jan 2024

Understanding Impact Of Graph Structure On Knowledge Graph Embedding, Brandon Dave

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness of a deployed knowledge graph is commonly evaluated with defined use-cases from domain experts. This poses challenges during the development cycle in determining how to represent data. Developers of a knowledge graph can optionally include semantics into a knowledge graph by abstracting the data representation in such a way that mirrors information as it exists in the real world. Consequently, the abstraction is represented by additional layers, resulting in performant differences in knowledge graph embedding; such as, the embedded model's ability to infer facts between entities through link predictions. This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the performance …

Go to article

Ai-Enabled Hardware Security Approach For Aging Classification And Manufacturer Identification Of Sram Pufs, Harshdeep Singh Jan 2024

Ai-Enabled Hardware Security Approach For Aging Classification And Manufacturer Identification Of Sram Pufs, Harshdeep Singh

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Semiconductor microelectronics integrated circuits (ICs) are increasingly integrated into modern life-critical applications, from intelligent infrastructure and consumer electronics to the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced military and medical systems. Unfortunately, these applications are vulnerable to new hardware security attacks, including microelectronics counterfeits and hardware modification attacks. Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are state-of-the-art hardware security solutions that utilize process variations of integrated circuits for device authentication, secret key generation, and microelectronics counterfeit detection. The negative impact of aging on Static Random Access Memory Physical Unclonable Functions (SRAM PUFs) has significant consequences for microelectronics authentication, security, and reliability. This research thoroughly …

Go to article

Ml-Assisted Side Channel Security Approaches For Hardware Trojan Detection And Puf Modeling Attacks, Niraj Prasad Bhatta Jan 2024

Ml-Assisted Side Channel Security Approaches For Hardware Trojan Detection And Puf Modeling Attacks, Niraj Prasad Bhatta

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Hardware components are becoming prone to threats with increasing technological advances. Malicious modifications to such components are increasing and are known as hardware Trojans. Traditional approaches rely on functional assessments and are not sufficient to detect such malicious actions of Trojans. Machine learning (ML) assisted techniques play a vital role in the overall detection and improvement of Trojan. Our novel approach using various ML models brings an improvement in hardware Trojan identification with power signal side channel analysis. This study brings a paradigm shift in the improvement of Trojan detection in integrated circuits (ICs). In addition to this, our further …

Go to article

Rf Steganography To Send High Security Messages Through Sdrs, Megan K. Patrick Jan 2024

Rf Steganography To Send High Security Messages Through Sdrs, Megan K. Patrick

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research illustrates a high-security wireless communication method using a joint radar/communication waveform, addressing the vulnerability of traditional low probability of detection (LPD) waveforms to hostile receiver detection via cyclostationary processing (CSP). To mitigate this risk, RF steganography is used, concealing communication signals within linear frequency modulation (LFM) radar signals. The method integrates reduced phase-shift keying (RPSK) modulation and variable symbol duration, ensuring secure transmission while evading detection. Implementation is validated through software-defined radios (SDRs), demonstrating effectiveness in covert communication scenarios. Results include analysis of message reception and cyclostationary features, highlighting the method's ability to conceal messages from hostile receivers. …

Go to article

Experimental Validation Of Two Highly Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Blades At High Speed Low Reynolds Number Conditions, Ryan Sauder Jan 2024

Experimental Validation Of Two Highly Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Blades At High Speed Low Reynolds Number Conditions, Ryan Sauder

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the constant search for more efficient engines, one approach to gain performance is to reduce the weight of the low pressure turbine (LPT) module. This module can account for up to 30% of the total engine weight [1], and a reduction in LPT weight results in clear gains to engine performance and a reduction in engine cost. High lift airfoils accomplish this weight reduction by each blade extracting a larger amount of work from the flow and thus requiring fewer blades to drive the compressor when compared to conventional blades. However, high lift LPT blades, quantified by a high …

Go to article

Effects Of Geometric Isomerism On Benzothiazole-Carbazole Based Tadf Emitters In Poly(Arylene Ether)S, Grace Olive Jan 2024

Effects Of Geometric Isomerism On Benzothiazole-Carbazole Based Tadf Emitters In Poly(Arylene Ether)S, Grace Olive

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) small molecules have dominated the literature for their use in OLED devices. The use of TADF polymers has been employed to correct for processing issues that small molecules face, providing increased thermal stability and supportive electronic structures. A TADF chromophore based on a 2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-benzothiazole-carbazole donor-acceptor pair was synthesized via a copper (I) catalyzed reaction. The chromophore exhibited peak absorption at 340 nm and emission at 477 nm. The resulting chromophore was incorporated into a poly(arylene ether) (PAE) backbone via nucleophilic aromatic substitution (NAS) with 4,4’-biphenol, 4,4’-difluorodiphenyl sulfone, and 2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-benzothiazole as comonomers. UV/Vis analysis of the …

Go to article

Role Of Interleukin 2 Receptor Alpha In The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Shristi Khanal Jan 2024

Role Of Interleukin 2 Receptor Alpha In The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Shristi Khanal

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The interleukin 2 receptor alpha (IL-2Rα), which is integral to the functioning of the cytokine interleukin 2, has recently been found to be present in different cell types besides just lymphocytes. Previous studies done by our laboratory showed that several other non-lymphoid cells including smooth muscle cells express IL-2Rα. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) deficient in IL-2Rα exhibited increased proliferation, decreased size, and hypodiploid DNA content when compared to wild type (WT) cells. Previous studies also suggested that VSMC proliferate in response to IL-2 and that IL-2 increases following interventions to stimulate intimal hyperplasia in vivo. These findings, in total, …

Go to article

Is There More To Organizational Justice Than "Just" Fairness? A Meta-Analysis On The Construct Validity Of Overall Justice, Alec C. Drabish Jan 2024

Is There More To Organizational Justice Than "Just" Fairness? A Meta-Analysis On The Construct Validity Of Overall Justice, Alec C. Drabish

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Despite there being many meta-analyses on organizational justice in the last 25 years, no meta-analysis has focused on overall justice, a global perception of fairness in organizations. In light of this, my dissertation is a meta-analysis focused on the construct validity of overall justice and its integration with key models of organizational justice. To do this, I identified 183 independent samples from across the globe that use Ambrose and Schminke’s (2009) perceived overall justice scale. From there, I used a combination of traditional meta-analytic techniques and meta-analytic structural equation modelling to test my hypotheses. Foremost, I found that overall justice …

Go to article

Attentional Demands Of Smooth Pursuit, Sasha Marie Willis Jan 2024

Attentional Demands Of Smooth Pursuit, Sasha Marie Willis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates whether maintenance of smooth pursuit eye movements requires attention or if the traditional small-spot pursuit stimulus has propagated this long-held belief by imposing the attentional demands of the saccadic system (through foveation) onto the pursuit task. Using a within-subjects design, we compare single- and dual-task performance for two difficulty levels of an auditory tone discrimination task and a pursuit eye movement task with both small and large pursuit targets (N = 10). Pursuit performance improved when target size increased (for catch-up saccade rate and steady-state gain) and when auditory task difficulty increased (for catch-up saccade rate). …

Go to article

Measured Phase History Data For Target Recognition Studies, Gregory A. Seltzer Jan 2024

Measured Phase History Data For Target Recognition Studies, Gregory A. Seltzer

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Performing automatic target recognition (ATR) on full-size aircraft targets using inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) data is challenging and expensive. The use of scale models and radar systems of such large targets saves time and reduces facility requirements. This study examines the feasibility of performing ATR on 1:144 scale model airplanes at Ka-band. The scale model and Ka-band radar simulate the collection of full-scale targets at VHF-band. The phase history measurement collections were completed in the Sensors and Signals Exploitation Laboratory (SSEL) at Wright State University. To ensure sufficient data for training and testing, the phase history data was augmented …

Go to article

Application Of Multiple Data Augmentation Techniques To Improve Training With Synthetic Sar Data In Common Cnn, Stephanie M.V. Saich Jan 2024

Application Of Multiple Data Augmentation Techniques To Improve Training With Synthetic Sar Data In Common Cnn, Stephanie M.V. Saich

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

To address the issues of limited target data in the Synthetic Aperture Radar Automatic Target Recognition (SAR ATR) problem set, synthetic data is often used to aid in filling the gap. This paper covers an in depth look at the use of colorization, dynamic range adjustment, and target extraction as data augmentation techniques to improve the accuracy of deep learning networks trained on synthetic SAR data. The use of multiple different data augmentations combine to dramatically improve the accuracy of a common Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) over the use of standard synthetic data. A comparison of increasing fraction of measured …

Go to article

Augmenting Back-Translation Decision Making With Latent Semantic Analysis: Predicting Expert Decisions With Semantic Similarity Scores From American Sign Language, Jared A. Embree Jan 2024

Augmenting Back-Translation Decision Making With Latent Semantic Analysis: Predicting Expert Decisions With Semantic Similarity Scores From American Sign Language, Jared A. Embree

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focused on a novel improvement to the current method for adapting assessments into American Sign Language (ASL). Bilingual Deaf adults participated in back translations across the United States, and those back-translation decisions were assessed by human experts to judge similarity in meaning. Translations were compared to original text samples using two types of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) models to compute semantic textual similarity (STS) scores, and to calculate weighted Youden Index (WYI) Scores. These scores were used to determine the ideal cutoff to be used when making judgments and compared to human expert decisions. The results revealed that …

Go to article

Multi-Semantic-Stage Neural Networks For Robust And Interpretable Deep Learning, Christopher J. Menart Jan 2024

Multi-Semantic-Stage Neural Networks For Robust And Interpretable Deep Learning, Christopher J. Menart

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Deep neural networks have great representational power. However, most deep neural nets today optimize directly for performance on a single task defined only by labeled training data. This excludes potential sources of knowledge and ways of learning which could improve their performance, and address challenges, such as explainability, which are pressing to the field. We propose a framework for neural network architecture which generalizes it to a graph of many semantically-meaningful variables. We call it the Multi-Semantic-Stage Neural Network (MSSNN). An MSSNN models its domain as a web of conditional probabilities, i.e. a collection of inter-related tasks which can learn …

Go to article

Electrochemical-Thermal Model Of A Lithium-Ion Battery, Paul Kalungi Jan 2024

Electrochemical-Thermal Model Of A Lithium-Ion Battery, Paul Kalungi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Lithium-ion batteries are an integral component of energy storage systems for renewable energy applications owing to their high energy density. Extensive research has therefore been carried out, utilizing both experimental and computational methods, to aid in a deeper understanding of lithium-ion batteries. Challenges related to efficiency, safety and thermal management persist, particularly during high current draw, extreme temperature conditions and extreme dynamic current operation such as in electric vehicles. This thesis work presents an electrochemical-thermal model of a lithium-ion battery that simulates and analyzes the variation of electrical behavior, chemical behavior and thermal behavior. The electrochemical model is developed by …

Go to article

Empirical Investigation Of Calibration Targets In Thz In The Near Field From 550 To 700 Ghz, Anais Kypris L. Rawson Jan 2024

Empirical Investigation Of Calibration Targets In Thz In The Near Field From 550 To 700 Ghz, Anais Kypris L. Rawson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The uncertainty of the standard calibration procedure for radar cross-section (RCS) measurement is studied for different targets measured in the near-field from 550 to 700 GHz. Using common calibration spheres and squat cylinders mounted on a styrofoam pedestal at waterline (zero-degrees elevation), the calibration difference measure is determined for each target. Similarly, the difference metric is determined for square trihedral and tophat targets placed on a ground plane and measured at different elevation angles. The mean calibration measure is calculated using the dual calibration target method and repeated measurements in an anechoic chamber. The specific THz system is described and …

Go to article

Pneumonia Detection With Limited And Imbalanced Data Using Energy-Based Out-Of-Distribution Technique, Jasbin Karki Jan 2024

Pneumonia Detection With Limited And Imbalanced Data Using Energy-Based Out-Of-Distribution Technique, Jasbin Karki

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The automated detection of pneumonia through chest X-ray presents a critical challenge in medical diagnostics, particularly due to the restrictions of limited and imbalanced chest X-ray data for training AI models. Traditional methods that depend on softmax confidence scores can be overconfident even when generating erroneous outputs especially when they are processing completely new inputs, leading to unreliable diagnostic results. This research addresses challenges in AI models which aim to develop a robust pneumonia detection system using an Energy-Based Out-of-Distribution (OOD) technique that can work effectively even with limited and imbalanced data. The study focused on creating a more reliable …

Go to article

Test-Time Backdoor Attack Using Universal Perturbation, Jesse Alexander Smith Jan 2024

Test-Time Backdoor Attack Using Universal Perturbation, Jesse Alexander Smith

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth and widespread reliance on machine learning (ML) systems across critical applications such as healthcare, autonomous driving, and cybersecurity have un- derscored their transformative potential and heightened their susceptibility to adversarial attacks and vulnerabilities. This thesis investigates vulnerabilities in ML models, focusing on backdoor attacks, including naive backdoor attack, feature collision backdoor attack, hidden trigger backdoor attack, and test-time backdoor attack using universal perturbation technique. These methodologies demonstrate how adversaries can automate and conceal malicious behaviors to achieve specific objectives, posing significant challenges to ML model integrity and trustworthiness. The research provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical …

Go to article

Novel Approaches To Treatment Of Hyperexcitability In Skeletal Muscle, Phillip Vance Walker Ii Jan 2024

Novel Approaches To Treatment Of Hyperexcitability In Skeletal Muscle, Phillip Vance Walker Ii

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Myotonia Congenita (MC) is a rare, inherited ion channelopathy caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the CLCN1 gene. The resulting downregulation of the skeletal muscle chloride channel (ClC-1) results in hyperexcitable skeletal muscle fibers that fire action potentials involuntarily. Patients with MC suffer from debilitating stiffness due to myotonia, described clinically as delayed muscle relaxation following voluntary contraction. Skeletal muscle is a unique system we use in this study to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying MC, and other channelopathies characterized by hyperexcitable cells (i.e., forms of epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmia). Furthermore, re-assessing what makes anti-myotonic drugs such as …

Go to article

Insights Into Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis: Novel Mechanisms And Treatments, Christopher Dupont Jan 2024

Insights Into Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis: Novel Mechanisms And Treatments, Christopher Dupont

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (hyperKPP) is an inherited channelopathy that leads to incapacitating episodes marked by severe skeletal muscle weakness or total paralysis, often accompanied by muscular stiffness (myotonia). The periods of muscle dysfunction are thought to be caused by the elevation in extracellular potassium (K). This autosomal dominant disorder is associated with mutations in the skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav1.4). A multitude of inciting factors have been documented, including rest post-exertion, a potassium-rich diet, exposure to cold temperatures, psychological stressors, and fatigue. Given the variability of the triggers and the debilitating manifestation of symptoms, individuals afflicted by hyperKPP have …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last