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Navigating Health Management Decisions In Pediatric Food Allergy: Exploring Caregiver Needs, Experiences, And Behaviors, Perry Allen Catlin

Dissertations (1934 -)

Food allergy (FA) is a prevalent and often severe condition affecting approximately 8% of U.S. children (Gupta et al., 2018; Robson & Assa’ad, 2024). The responsibility for daily management of FA, including making critical health management decisions, often falls to caregivers. These responsibilities can impose significant psychosocial demands on caregivers, particularly as treatment options expand and require more nuanced decision-making (Collins et al., 2024; Hamadi et al., 2024; Knibb & Jones, 2024; Lieberman, 2024; Umetsu, 2024). Caregivers' decisions are shaped by a range of individual needs, experiences, and sociodemographic characteristics (Dale & Hemmerich, 2009; Hoefel, O’Connor, et al., 2020). As …

Role Of Progesterone Action In Inguinal Hernia Formation Via Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis And Atrophy, Tianming You, Mehrdad Zandigohar, Tanvi Potluri, Natalie Piehl, John S Coon V, Elizabeth Baker, Maya Kafali, Yang Dai, Jonah J Stulberg, David J Escobar, Richard L Lieber, Hong Zhao, Serdar E Bulun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

More than 1 in 4 men will undergo surgery for inguinal hernia, which is commonly associated with fibrotic degeneration of the lower abdominal muscle (LAM) in the groin region. Utilizing a male mouse model expressing the human aromatase gene (Aromhum), previous studies showed that locally produced estradiol acting via estrogen receptor α in LAM fibroblasts leads to fibrosis, myofiber atrophy, and hernia development. Here, we found that upregulation of progesterone receptor (PGR) in a LAM fibroblast population mediates this estrogenic effect. A PGR-selective progesterone antagonist in Aromhum mice decreased LAM fibrosis and atrophy, preventing hernia formation and stopping progression of …

A Tragedy And A Miracle: Trauma Medicine During The U.S. Civil War, Maxwell Bailey

Masters Theses

The Civil War, in many ways, hangs in the balance between the modern and premodern, with some historians calling it the first modern war, and others calling it the last pre-modern war. This historical dilemma extends to battlefield trauma care, where the modern and the archaic exist hand in hand. While the Civil War did not represent the birth of modern trauma care, it is certainly where modern American trauma care was conceived. The advancements in the medical field during this time prepared the way for germ theory to truly develop trauma care into a modern medical science. The groundwork …

I Came To Fulfill The Law: ΠληρόΩ As Used In The Discourses Of Jesus, Ethan Lunik

Masters Theses

One of the central questions of the church with respect to Christian orthopraxy, or right living, concerns the relationship between the Christian and the Old Testament (OT) Law. Historically, the church has not obeyed many commands clearly laid out in the OT, such as observing a seventh-day Sabbath, the dietary laws, and other laws that perhaps are viewed as cultural more than didactic. Christians understand the OT to be inspired Scripture, and these commands to be genuine orders of God, so the question of why the church has historically ignored these commands is easily raised. While answers to this question …

In A Flash: A Study Of Flash Fiction’S Ability To Create Complete And Meaningful Stories, Morgan A. Lomax

Masters Theses

In In a Flash: A Study of Flash Fiction’s Ability to Create Complete and Meaningful Stories, I seek to prove that despite flash fiction’s extreme brevity, this relatively new sub-genre of fiction is capable of producing fully delineated stories with powerful messages, especially messages that align with a Christian worldview. To do this, I first examine the various definitions and complex history of flash fiction. Then, through the critical literary lenses of formalism, structuralism, and reader response theory, I analyze the different ways flash fiction uses the following eight narrative elements to create stories within specific examples of flash fiction: …

2025-04-22 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025-04-01 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025-03-25 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025-02-11 Leadership Team Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-10-08 Leadership Team Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-09-03 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-07-02 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Life And Times Of Francis T. Nicholls: General, Lawyer, Governor, Jeffrey Paul Drury

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The life and times of Francis T. Nicholls, soldier, lawyer, judge, twice governor of Louisiana, and justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Spiritual Fitness And Religious Commitment As Predictors Of Hope In Active Duty Deployed Military, David Sidnam

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine how spiritual fitness and religious commitment are related to hope in deployed military personnel. Furthermore, the individual components of spiritual fitness (connection to God, belief in service, and purposeful meaning) were examined alongside religious commitment to determine the strongest predictor of hope for deployed military members. The study included 111 deployed, active duty members that were recruited from three deployed sites in the military. The data was assessed in SPSS and revealed that belief in service and purposeful meaning were significantly related to hope. Purposeful meaning was the strongest predictor …

In Defense Of Play: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Exploring Preschool Directors' Beliefs, Education, Experiences, And Perceived Barriers To Implementing A Play-Based Pedagogy, Dusti Nikole Whitfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to describe and interpret the beliefs, education, experiences, and perceived barriers to implementing play-based pedagogy in preschool programs among preschool directors. Froebel’s theory on play and Dewey’s experiential learning theory guided this study. The central research question was: What are the beliefs, education, and experiences of preschool directors in implementing play-based curricula in preschool programs? The design of this study employed a hermeneutical phenomenological approach. Therefore, criterion sampling was used to select participants. The sample consisted of 12 current and previous preschool directors who currently work in or have worked in childcare …

Impacts Of Positive Childhood Experiences That Foster Resilience In Adults With Childhood Trauma A Qualitative Case Study, Jennifer J. Ruiz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s rapidly evolving environment, adolescents face increasingly complex challenges to their health and well-being. A significant contributor to these challenges is exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which have been linked to long-term negative outcomes in physical, emotional, and psychological health. The pervasive impact of ACEs highlights the urgent need to explore protective mechanisms that can buffer against these adverse effects. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have emerged as a promising counterbalance, offering supportive and nurturing conditions that enhance resilience and promote healthier developmental trajectories. This qualitative case study explored the specific types of PCEs that foster resilience in individuals …

The Effect Of Sleep Latency, Duration, And Quality In Adolescents When Altering Nighttime Smartphone And Social Media Use, Ryan R. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Smartphones and social media are quickly becoming standard technological tools for connection and socialization within the modern-day adolescent population. Inversely, sleep for adolescents/young adults is decreasing while sleep problems are rising. This research trend is prompting researchers to investigate how restricting or eliminating smartphone/social media use benefits sleep health. The current study hypothesized that when adolescents/ young adults aged 18-21 eliminate smartphone/social media usage one hour before bedtime there would be a significantly lower number of nighttime awakenings, a reduction in sleep onset, and a higher number of minutes slept for participants in the experimental group when compared to participants …

John 14:2‒3: Perichoresis In The Farewell Discourse, Bradley Wayne Ellison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the final week prior to the crucifixion, Jesus and his core group of disciples assembled in an upper room in Jerusalem, where he delivered to them his Farewell Discourse, during which he revealed that he would soon be departing from them. As a result, the disciples were severely distressed. To comfort them, Jesus assured them he would soon return to them. While saying so, he spoke of his “Father’s house,” which has “many rooms,” and stated he was returning “to the Father” in order “to prepare a place for” them (John 14:2‒3, 12 ESV 2016). Minutes later, he affirmed …

Monetary Policy Interest Rates And Bank Risk-Return Tradeoff: How Does Bank Competition Moderate This Relationship?, Japan Huynh

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This study empirically examines the moderating effect of bank competition on the link between monetary policy interest rates and bank risk-return dynamics in Vietnam from 2007 to 2019. The findings suggest that during monetary expansion, marked by decreasing interest rates, banks typically employ a more conservative strategy regarding their credit portfolios, thereby minimizing risk exposure. Nonetheless, this risk avoidance incurs reduced interest margins, decreased overall profitability, and compromised stability. Furthermore, the research utilizing both traditional and funding-adjusted Lerner indices indicates that increased market concentration, or diminished bank competitiveness, mitigates the impact of monetary policy interest rates on the trade-off between …

Effects Of Elicitation Method On Functionally Relevant Item Selection In Spanish And English Monolinguals And Bilinguals, Dallin J. Bailey, Esther Barahona Wilkes

Faculty Publications

Purpose: One important decision speech language pathologists make when planning anomia treatment is the identification and selection of the specific vocabulary items to target during therapy. However, this process is not entirely straightforward. Although ‘functional relevance’ has high face validity for the identification of target items, interpretations differ, which may impact which words are selected for therapy. As such, target item selection methods vary, with resulting items impacted by the specific method used. There are also many person-level variables that may impact the functional relevance of specific items, such as the heritage language of the patient or their bilingualism status. …

Precision Care In Screening, Surveillance, And Overall Management Of Barrett's Esophagus, Yeshaswini Reddy, Madhav Desai, Bernadette Tumaliuan, Nirav Thosani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Barrett's esophagus (BE), a metaplastic transformation of an esophageal squamous epithelium into an intestinal-type columnar epithelium, is the primary precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Traditional management strategies have relied heavily on selective screening, tailored surveillance intervals, and early dysplasia detection and treatment algorithms. However, the heterogeneity in progression risk among BE patients necessitates a more nuanced, personalized approach involving precision care, tailoring decisions to individual patient characteristics, promises to enhance outcomes in BE through more targeted screening, personalized surveillance intervals, and risk-based therapeutic strategies. This review explores the current landscape and emerging trends in precision medicine for Barrett's esophagus, highlighting …

Stories Of California Mini-Corps Tutors: Exploring The Experiences Of Bilingual Latinx Early Preservice Teachers, Norma Rueda Santillanez

Dissertations

Restrictive language policies and practices in schools have racialized the experiences of bilingual Latinx early preservice teachers (EPSTs), leading many to internalize the belief that their language and culture are not valued. These deficit-based messages often influence their personal development and emerging professional identities. Despite the volume of scholarship about this pattern, little research has explored how this internalization shapes EPSTs’ perspectives as they move from being multilingual students educated in English-only environments to future credential program students and bilingual teachers. This critical qualitative case study examined this process as students engaged in school-based fieldwork through the California Mini-Corps program …

2025-03-18 Leadership Team Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025-02-04 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

If We Must, We Must: A Better Way To Utilize Placement Exams, Samantha Bravo

Masters Theses (Archived)

College placement exams have been part of a student’s continuing education journey for many years. In a state like Texas, who has had a very extensive and dynamic history in regard to education assessment, students wishing to enter into college must take a state specific college placement exam. Is this state specific placement instrument helping its students? Texas pioneered a shift to a college and career ready focused state curriculum, so does this focused curriculum prepare students for the state college placement exam? How can this potentially be used in a way that can better serve its students? By analyzing …

Identification Of A Qtl Region For Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus Resistance In Solanum Pimpinellifolium, Namrata Jaiswal, Bazgha Zia, Bidisha Chanda, Andrea Gillard, Ainong Shi, Kai-Shu Ling

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), one of the most widely grown vegetables in the world, has been seriously impacted in the past decade by the emerging tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). ToBRFV is a seed-borne tobamovirus, with ability to overcome the commonly used Tm-22 resistance gene in tomato. The objective of this study was to conduct quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and identify single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with ToBRFV resistance in tomato. Two F2 populations were used for QTL mapping: One derived from a cross between S. pimpinellifolium USVL333 (PI 390718) x USVL332 (PI 390717) and another from 'Moneymaker' …

Timing Of Nodal Metastasis In Patients With Eyelid Sebaceous Carcinoma And Implications For Surveillance And Survival, Tracy Lu, Casey Anthony, Xinyang Jiang, Jing Ning, Ryan Goepfert, Bita Esmaeli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/aims: Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare cancer with periocular predilection. Studies focused on patterns and timing of nodal metastasis are scarce.Our aim is to report patterns of regional nodal metastasis in patients with eyelid SC, including results of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: All consecutive patients with eyelid SC treated during 1999-2023 were retrospectively reviewed.All subjects had standard of care surgery for eyelid SC and regional lymph node evaluation using physical examination and ultrasonography (US) at baseline and during the surveillance period. 38 patients with negative findings on US had SLNB to rule out microscopic metastasis.The frequency and …

The Adaptation And Translation Of A Transition Readiness Scale For Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Antonio F Pagán, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Autistic young adults often face significant challenges during the transition to adulthood, yet few tools exist to assess their readiness in a developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive manner. This study presents the development and initial validation of the Transition Readiness Scale for Autistic Adolescents and Adults (TRS-A), a brief caregiver- and self-report measure designed to assess key domains of transition readiness. Guided by qualitative input from Latino families, community stakeholders, and clinicians, the TRS-A was piloted with 114 autistic young adults, 66 Spanish-speaking parents, and 48 English-speaking parents. Psychometric analyses supported the scale's internal consistency and construct validity, mirroring the …

Navigating Ethical Challenges In Generative Ai-Enhanced Research: The Ethical Framework For Responsible Generative Ai Use, Douglas Eacersall, Lynette Pretorius, Ivan Smirnov, Erika Spray, Sam Illingworth, Ritesh Chugh, Sonja Strydom, Dianne Stratton-Maher, Jonathan Simmons, Isaac Jennings, Rian Roux, Ruth Kamrowski, Abigail Downie, Chee Ling Thong, Katharine A. Howell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in research presents both opportunities and ethical challenges that should be carefully navigated. Although GenAI tools can enhance research efficiency by automating tasks such as literature reviews and data analysis, their use raises concerns about aspects including data accuracy, privacy, bias, and research integrity. This paper proposes the ETHICAL framework, which is a practical guide for responsible GenAI use in research. Employing a multi-stage single case study design, we examine multiple GenAI tools in real research contexts to develop the ETHICAL framework, which consists of seven key principles: Examine policies and guidelines, …

Impact Of Left Ventricular Assist Devices On The Quality Of Life And Functional Outcomes In Advanced Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Review, Syed Maaz Shah, Hira Saleem, Vaisnavy Govindasamy, Amandeep Rathi, Neha Haris, Ramsha Ali, Lakshmi Devi, Layal E. Omaruddin, Krishna S. Pavuluri, Anit M. Joseph, Abdullah Tariq

Student Publications

Managing advanced heart failure (HF) remains a major clinical challenge, especially for patients who no longer respond to conventional treatment options, or are not candidates for heart transplantation. In such cases, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have become an important option, offering mechanical support that has the potential to extend life and improve daily functioning. With ongoing advancements in technology, there is growing interest in understanding how LVADs impact not just survival, but also patients' quality of life (QoL) and overall recovery.

This narrative review explores the role of LVAD therapy in improving functional status and QoL in patients with …