Call The Experts: Identifying Stakeholders In The Long-Term Care Of Youth With Hypospadias, Vinaya P Bhatia, Kristin Ebert, Shannon Cannon, Walid A Farhat, Heidi W Brown, Jane Mahoney, Marisa E Hilliard, Kristina L Penniston

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Long-term follow-up for individuals with hypospadias remains a critical area of need, yet evidence-based guidelines for such follow-up are lacking, and the role of involvement of relevant experts is not yet established. Using our hypospadias-specific health-related quality of life conceptual framework and a subsequent qualitative study of prepubertal males and parents of males with hypospadias, we identified potential priorities for long-term follow-up of youth with hypospadias. Using thematic codes from our patient and parent interviews, we searched PubMed for relevant articles and identified the specialties represented by all the authors of these articles. Our search strategy revealed consistent expertise across …

Effects Of Synonymous And Nonsynonymous Cyp51 Mutations On Dmi Resistance In Cercospora Beticola, Isaac Courneya

Plant Pathology

Cercospora beticola is the most devastating foliar pathogen of sugar beet. This pathogen is primarily managed by the application of fungicides, including demethylation inhibitors (DMIs). Given the broad use of DMIs in managing Cercospora leaf spot, resistance has developed. Recently, five haplotypes of CbCyp51 have been correlated with DMI resistance. To improve our understanding of these haplotypes, this study has evaluated CbCyp51 expression across haplotypes with and without DMI exposure using RT-qPCR. Significant differences were found between haplotypes in control and difenoconazole groups, but the broader implications were unclear. This study also produced mutant C. beticola strains with replaced CbCyp51 …

The Global Alpl Gene Variant Classification Project: Dedicated To Deciphering Variants., Mariam R. Farman, Catherine Rehder, Theodora Malli, Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, Kathryn Dahir, Gabriel Ángel Martos-Moreno, Agnès Linglart, Keiichi Ozono, Lothar Seefried, Guillermo Del Angel, Gerald Webersinke, Francesca Barbazza, Lisa K. John, Sewmi M A Delana Mudiyanselage, Florian Högler, Erica Burner Nading, Erin Huggins, Eric T. Rush, Ahmed El-Gazzar, Priya S. Kishnani, Wolfgang Högler

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited multisystem disorder predominantly affecting the mineralization of bones and teeth. HPP is caused by pathogenic variants in ALPL, which encodes tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). Variants of uncertain significance (VUS) cause diagnostic delay and uncertainty amongst patients and health care providers.

RESULTS: The ALPL gene variant database (https://alplmutationdatabase.jku.at/) is an open-access archive for interpretation of the clinical significance of variants reported in ALPL. The database contains coding and non-coding variants, including single nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions and structural variants affecting coding or non-coding sequences of ALPL. Each variant in the database is displayed with details …

Statistical Analysis Of Single-Cell Protein Data., Brooke L. Fridley, Simon Vandekar, Inna Chervoneva, Julia Wrobel, Siyuan Ma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Immune modulation is considered a hallmark of cancer initiation and progression, with immune cell density being consistently associated with clinical outcomes of individuals with cancer. Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) microscopy combined with automated image analysis is a novel and increasingly used technique that allows for the assessment and visualization of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, application of this new technology to tissue microarrays (TMAs) or whole tissue sections from large cancer studies has been used to characterize different cell populations in the TME with enhanced reproducibility and accuracy. Generally, mIF data has been used to examine the presence and abundance of …

Distinct Reproductive Phenotypes Segregate With Differences In Body Weight In Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome., Angie Chen-Patterson, Angelina Bernier, Tania S. Burgert, Vanessa Davis, Tazeena Khan, David Geller, Emily Paprocki, Rachana Shah, Selma F. Witchel, Camila Pereira-Eshraghi, Aviva B. Sopher, Melanie G. Cree, Laura C. Torchen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogenous clinical syndrome defined by hyperandrogenism and irregular menses. In adult women with PCOS, discrete metabolic and reproductive subgroups have been identified. We hypothesize that distinct phenotypes can be distinguished between adolescent girls who are lean (LN-G) and girls with obesity (OB-G) at the time of PCOS diagnosis.

METHODS: Data were extracted from the CALICO multisite PCOS database. Clinical data collected at the time of diagnosis were available in 354 patients (81% with obesity) from 7 academic centers. Patients with body mass index (BMI) < 85th percentile for age and sex were characterized as lean (LN-G) and those with BMI percentile ≥ 95th percentile as obese (OB-G). We compared metabolic and reproductive phenotypes in LN-G and OB-G.

RESULTS: Reproductive phenotypes differed between the groups, with LN-G …

Subjective Cognitive Decline: Examining The Contributions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Social Determinants Of Health, Amber Victoria Rusch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Subjective cognitive decline is one’s awareness of their own consistent memory loss or confusion that interrupts their day-to-day activities (CDC, 2022; Roehr et al., 2017). Several risk factors for subjective cognitive decline, such as demographic social determinants of health (SDOH) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been identified through previous research (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016; Dening & Sandilyan, 2015); however, less is known about the interaction between demographic SDOH and ACEs on subjective cognitive decline. The current study sought to examine how demographic SDOH (i.e., age, sex, race, and education) (research question 1) and ACEs (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and …

Self-Efficacy And Parental Miscarried Helping In Adherence And Transition Readiness Among Adolescents And Young Adults With Epilepsy, Kirby-Estar G. Laguerre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Given the complex regimen associated with epilepsy, ensuring that adolescents and young adults (AYAs) adhere to their medications, and are ready to transition from pediatric to adult care, is crucial to optimizing their health outcomes. Several social and ecological factors such as self-efficacy and parental miscarried helping can strengthen or weaken an adolescent’s medication adherence and readiness to shift from pediatric to adult care. Intending to contribute to informing and improving clinical care, this study sought to understand the relationships between self-efficacy, parental miscarried helping, medication adherence, and transition readiness. Methods: Using a cross-sectional observational design, 46 AYAs with …

Foreign Policy Reorientation: From Globalization To Nationalism, Abdullah A. Asiri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the foreign policy implications of the post-2010 resurgence of nationalism in the U.S., Europe, and other parts of the world. It explores the reorientation of foreign policy away from globalization and the post-Cold War expectations that include a rules-based order, the spread of democracy and human rights, and the free movement of capital, products, people, and information. Instead, the emerging nationalist foreign policies emphasize independence and national sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency and protectionism, and anti-democracy and universal values. These policies are also characterized in terms of limited and unilateral engagement and proneness to conflict and confrontation. This dissertation …

The Function Of Protein Glutamylation In Vision, Rawaa Aljammal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Posttranslational glutamylation of protein has emerged as a novel candidate for cellular integrity. In a dynamic process, Tubulin Tyrosine Ligase Like proteins (TTLLs) introduce glutamate groups to their substrates, while Cytosolic Carboxypeptidases members (CCP1-CCP6) remove these glutamate groups. The outcome of this interplay is a wide range of substrates; each is glutamylated to a level crucial for its function.

Protein glutamylation is particularly abundant in neurons and in the axoneme of cilia and flagella. This distribution, along with the correlation between imbalanced glutamylation levels and compromised cellular functions, underscores the significance of protein glutamylation in maintaining cellular viability. However, the …

Parental Socialization Of General And Domain-Specific Self-Control In Adolescents, Matty Johnston

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescent self-control appears to be an important competency to develop. It has pervasive links with various outcomes (e.g., educational, financial, and interpersonal) both during adolescence and into adulthood (Allemand et al., 2019, Moffitt et al., 2011). Adolescents often report lower self-control compared to adults, although individual levels of self-control vary widely between adolescents (Allemand et al., 2019, Romer et al., 2010). Despite its importance, very little is known about how self-control develops. Thus, the current study aims to examine the relationship between parents’ self-control and that of their teen children. To further understand how adolescents' self-control may be socialized by …

Treatment Patterns And Clinical And Economic Burden In Patients With Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Statistical And Machine Learning Approaches, Yves Mbous

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although considered a rare form of nonmelanoma skin cancer, Merkel Cell Carcinoma incidence rate has increased to 0.74 per 100,000 and projections expect this number to steadily rise over the next decades and to reach an average of 3,285 cases per year in 2025. MCC incidence increases significantly with age. Among those aged 40-44, it is 0.44, it rises to 1.0/100,000 in the 60-64 age group and soars to 9.8/100,000 among those ≥85 years and above. Due to the small number of cases, MCC is often managed using institutional practices or provider preferences. Formal clinical trials that enroll early stage …

Intervention To Reduce Tobacco Use Among Prostate Cancer Patient And Informal Caregiver Dyads, Trupti Dhumal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men. Continued tobacco use after prostate cancer diagnosis may affect a patient’s treatment outcomes, quality of life, and mortality. Despite the potential negative outcomes, 10-20% of prostate cancer patients continue to use tobacco after their cancer diagnosis. Considering risks associated with continued tobacco use, there is a lack of evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies to address tobacco cessation specifically in prostate cancer. Given the increasing prevalence of prostate cancer, the ongoing difficulty in tobacco cessation, and the limited evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions in the literature, it is important to prioritize reducing tobacco use in …

The Relationship Between Moral Thought-Action Fusion And Scrupulosity Across Judaism, Christianity, And Islam, Kelsey Evey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Scrupulosity is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) where individuals are upset by intrusive thoughts related to religious or moral issues. Current research suggests that scrupulosity occurs across the major world religions—including the Abrahamic religions (i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Some research suggests that moral thought-action fusion (moral TAF), a dysfunctional belief that thinking something is equal to doing it, may only be pathological under certain circumstances (e.g., if it is not culturally normative). If this is true, the current cognitive model of scrupulosity may need to be amended to reflect how cultural differences impact the role of moral TAF …

Abuse Liability Of Electronic Cigarettes In Non-Smoking Electronic Cigarette Users, Andrea Renee Milstred

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) are devices designed to aerosolize nicotine and are increasing in popularity among both former cigarette smokers and naïve tobacco users. Extant research has shown the dependence potential of ECIGs, though there is not a consensus on the severity of nicotine dependence caused by ECIG use. As a result of becoming dependent on nicotine, individuals may experience withdrawal symptoms (i.e., irritable, craving, depressed mood) when abstaining from nicotine. The majority of previous research on ECIG use has included samples of ECIG users who are former or current smokers. The present study evaluated ECIG withdrawal suppression among a population …

Seeing Red: Hostile Attribution Bias, Aggression, And Antisocial Personality Disorder Traits, Kaley Potter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a destructive and severe mental illness that costs the U.S. trillions of dollars annually. Although ASPD is significantly correlated with acts of aggression, violence, and imprisonment, not all individuals with ASPD are aggressive. In samples without ASPD, increased aggression has been linked to an error in social information processing, which is referred to as hostile attribution bias (HAB).

The current study tested the extent to which HABs, or the tendency to attribute hostility to neutral or ambiguous stimuli, predicted aggression above and beyond ASPD traits in participants with a history of incarceration. Participants (N = …

Associations Among Psychosocial Factors, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Adherence In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cecelia I. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a prevalent disorder among youth in the United States. IBD is one of the leading causes of chronic pain in adolescence and symptoms can lead to reduced quality of life, social embarrassment, and lower self-esteem. Adherence to medical regimens for IBD is incredibly important to prevent morbidity, mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, adolescents struggle generally with adherence and the regimen for IBD can be complicated and include aversive side effects. Psychological factors, such as depressive symptoms, are key factors associated with non-adherence. Nevertheless, gut-specific anxiety (GSA) is a psychological factor that …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Group Telehealth Workshops Based On Parent-Child Interaction Therapy For Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Erinn J. Victory

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with various symptoms that interfere with functioning requiring intensive early intervention; however, many families experience barriers to accessing behavioral services due to provider shortages, cost of treatment, and lack of transportation. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has demonstrated effectiveness as a supplemental treatment for disruptive behaviors in children on the autism spectrum. The current study aims to determine the efficacy of a 2-day group telehealth parent-only workshop based on PCIT for improving caregivers’ use of positive parenting skills, child disruptive behavior, compliance to caregiver commands, and child psychosocial functioning. Thirty-three caregivers and …

Reimagining The Refugee Figure: Survival Migration And Its After-Affects, Gabriella Pishotti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the refugee crisis continues to worsen, so too will the field of refugee literature continue to expand into new directions to account for shifts in the refugee figure and developing concerns of survival migrant writers. Drawing from the foundational work of scholars such as Sianne Ngai and Sara Ahmed, I use affect theory as an intervention into these contemporary refugee texts to posit a rethinking of how we analyze refugee stories as narratives of crisis. I employ an affective approach to demonstrate how the emergency of forced migration can be narratively depicted in an embodied way that fosters connection …

An Exploration Of Misconceptions In Introductory Physics, Christopher Mattthew Wheatley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study of student misconceptions about physics concepts has long been an important area of inquiry in physics education research (PER). The research discussed in this dissertation builds upon the developments in PER by exploring the prevalence of consistently held undergraduate student misconceptions in introductory calculus-based physics. This thesis explores the nature of student misconceptions, mistakes, and naive answering patterns in both introductory undergraduate Newtonian mechanics and electromagnetism by applying a network analytic technique called module analysis to student responses to different concept inventories from institutions of various levels of incoming physics preparation. Each study applying these methods also demonstrates …

The Impact Of Normal Growth On The Ap Relationships Of The Jaws And Incisors To The Forehead: A Serial Cephalometric Analysis Of Untreated Individuals, Adam Joseph Rudmann Dr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

The Impact of Normal Growth on the AP Relationships of the Jaws and Incisors to the Forehead: A Serial Cephalometric Analysis of Untreated Individuals

Adam Rudmann D.D.S. M.S.

Background and Objectives

Growth of the craniofacial complex is a critical factor to consider when treatment planning an orthodontic case. The ability to predict how the forehead and jaws will change over time depends on the ability to find predictable landmarks either radiographically or clinically, and use them to gauge the relative growth of various facial structures. This data can then be integrated with other diagnostic information such as occlusion and …

Comparative Cephalometric Study Between Class Ii Patients Treated With Herbst Appliance And Patients Treated With Mara, Mona Meky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Comparative cephalometric study between Class II patients treated with Herbst appliance and patients treated with MARA

Mona Meky, D.D.S.

Background and Objectives: Functional appliances have been used for over 100 years in orthodontics to correct Class II malocclusions. The Herbst and the MARA appliances have different designs that may enhance mandibular growth. Recent clinical evidence has questioned whether they really have a lasting influence on facial growth and that the effects of these appliances were mostly dentoalveolar rather than skeletal. The objective of this retrospective comparative study was to compare the dental and skeletal changes between Class II division …

The Perceived Effects Of Peer-Assisted Learning In A Collegiate Instrumental Pedagogy Classroom, Hannah Wagoner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an approach that teachers can use in the classroom to increase students’ ownership of their learning. Besides increased autonomy, PAL can provide several other academic and social benefits, such as increased achievement and fostering a sense of community. This study aimed to examine the effects of PAL on college students’ performance on a secondary instrument. Five students in a collegiate instrumental pedagogy course experienced PAL activities in class while learning secondary instruments. After a statistical and content analysis of all the data, results showed that 1) all but one of the participants improved in their performance …

Essays On Urban Transportation And Health Economics, Alexander P. Tsiukes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first chapter analyzes how Premier League games in London impact demand for the city’s bike-sharing system. Bike-sharing systems affect mode choice for within-city transportation. Using bike rental data from Transport for London, this chapter exploits the plausibly-exogenous timing of Premier League games to identify how proximity to stadiums affects demand for London’s bike-sharing system. Results indicate games at Stamford Bridge (stadium) cause a 24.36% increase in the number of bike trips arriving within 0.5km of the stadium, with effects diminishing as distance increases. In contrast, games at London Stadium decrease nearby bike-sharing use and may actually crowd out would-be …

Investigation Of L-Serine Synthesis And Transport As Stabilizing Feedback Mechanisms Within The Tsetse-Wigglesworthia Symbiosis, Ryan Phillips

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tsetse flies (Glossina morsitans), which are the obligate vectors of Old-World trypanosomes (Trypanosoma spp.) that cause African trypanosomiasis, have a bacteriome that houses the intracellular endosymbiont Wigglesworthia glossinidia. The ancient coevolution of these species has led to the integration of Wigglesworthia metabolism into tsetse physiology and a subsequent reliance on nutrient exchange for maintaining the fitness of both partners. The establishment of this obligate mutualism has facilitated the emergence of feedback mechanisms that stabilize the symbiosis, such as that which involves the exchange of L-serine and B vitamins. The Gammaproteobacteria Wigglesworthia supplement B vitamins lacking …

Corrigendum: Combining Charlson Comorbidity And Vacs Indices Improves Prognostic Accuracy For All-Cause Mortality For Patients With And Without Hiv In The Veterans Health Administration, Kathleen A Mcginnis, Amy C Justice, Vincent C Marconi, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Ronald G Hauser, Krisann K Oursler, Sheldon T Brown, Kendall J Bryant, Janet P Tate

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1342466.].

Health Benefits And Adverse Effects Of Kratom: A Social Media Text-Mining Approach, Abdullah Wahbeh, Mohammad Al-Ramahi, Omar F. El-Gayar, Tareq Nasralah, Ahmed Elnoshokaty

Research & Publications

Background: Kratom is a substance that alters one’s mental state and is used for pain relief, mood enhancement, and opioid withdrawal, despite potential health risks. In this study, we aim to analyze the social media discourse about kratom to provide more insights about kratom’s benefits and adverse effects. Also, we aim to demonstrate how algorithmic machine learning approaches, qualitative methods, and data visualization techniques can complement each other to discern diverse reactions to kratom’s effects, thereby complementing traditional quantitative and qualitative methods. Methods: Social media data were analyzed using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithm, PyLDAVis, and t-distributed stochastic neighbor …

Twelve Tips For Using The Understanding By Design® Curriculum Planning Framework, Alana D Newell, Cara A Foldes, Alison J Haddock, Nadia Ismail, Nancy P Moreno

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Health professions faculty engaged in curriculum planning or redesign can struggle with developing courses or programs that align desired learner outcomes, such as competencies to be applied in a clinical setting, with assessment and instruction.

AIMS: Our medical school implemented the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework to achieve alignment of outcomes, assessments and teaching during the renewal of our four-year curriculum. This article shares our strategies and practices for implementing UbD with teams of faculty curriculum developers.

DESCRIPTION: The UbD framework is a 'backward' approach to curriculum development that begins by identifying learner outcomes, followed by the development of …

Light-Assisted 3d Printing Of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composites, Md Zahirul Islam

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Polymer 3D printing has become an emerging manufacturing technique, due to its design flexibility, however its application to produce structural components is still limited due to the poor mechanical strength and thermal stability of most 3D printed parts. Because of the superior mechanical strength of carbon fiber, 3D printing of continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoset composites have recently been studied overcome this barrier of mechanical strength and thermal stability. Light- curing based 3D printing of continuous carbon fiber shows a promising potential, however this process also has limitations in making custom object due to fiber loop creation as the nozzle …

Additive Manufacture Of Advanced Composites Using Reactive Resins And Continuous Carbon Fiber, Bibek Aryal

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

To overcome the significant limitations such as slow processing times, substantial energy needs of conventional additive manufacturing technology, reactive extrusion additive manufacturing (REAM) process was developed. As printed objects with neat reactive resin exhibited insufficient mechanical performance for advanced application, continuous fiber reinforcement is an effective route to improve mechanical performances. Continuous carbon fiber reinforced 3D printing was performed using a commercially available reactive resin system and an experimentally synthesized one at NDSU. The mechanical properties of the printed carbon fiber reinforced samples were compared with the neat resin samples. The tensile strength of printed sample using Pentaerythritol-xylendiamine resin system …

An Examination Of Selected Chinese Ethnic Choral Music From Inner Mongolia, Yunnan Province, And Central Plains Area, Kewen Cheng

Music

The landscape of choral music in modern China is characterized by a rich and varied repertoire, despite its relatively brief history within the nation. Diverging from the trajectories of traditionally Christian countries, the evolution of Chinese choral music has been shaped by unique historical, social, religious, and folk music traditions. This paper embarks on an examination of selected Chinese ethnic choral music, commencing with an overview of the development path of Chinese choral music in Chapter One. It then delves into an analysis of choral traditions across three distinct ethnic regions in the following three chapters. Each of them is …