Digital Commons Network^™

Ideologies Of Language, Race, And Time In U.S. Political Discourses, Paige Pinkston

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation follows how public discourses that emerged during the 2020- 2022 “Critical Race Theory Panic” played out in different contexts and at different scales in the United States, from conservative national media to South Carolina legislative action. While political discourse has become increasingly nationalized (Berry & Sobieraj, 2014), new legislation has largely taken place at the state level (Johnson, 2022). Drawing on over two years of fieldwork and methods of discourse analysis, I thus examine how nationally circulating discourses about race and racism were taken up by South Carolinians to create partisan alignments and distinctions as well as to …

Help-Seeking, Motivation, And Partner Interactions In Couples Affected By Tramatic Brain Injury, Violet Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects individuals and their romantic relationships, creating barriers to help-seeking and impacting relational health. Despite evidence supporting the benefits of couples counseling and relationship education, stigma and motivational factors influence engagement in these services. This dissertation examines the interdependent processes of help-seeking, motivation, and relationship satisfaction in couples where one partner has experienced a TBI. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), two studies explore (1) the role of self-stigma in help-seeking and motivation for completing a relationship education program, and (2) the influence of self-stigma for help-seeking on motivation in couples services, particularly in the context …

Reluctant Transitions: Place And Post-Extraction Politics In Southeastern Ohio, Jenna Lynn Haver

Theses and Dissertations

Based on a summer of ethnographic research in a subsection of Appalachian Ohio colloquially referred to as “The Valley,” this research challenges three narratives of this place that formulate a harmful Appalachian imaginary. The first narrative of industrycontrolled coal heritage is complicated by the way local people negotiate control over their own stories of coal and its existence outside of industry domain. The second narrative characterizes this as a space of extraction which is in tension with different social relations to varying types of energy – especially the discontinuity of the coal to fracking shift. The third narrative centers of …

Autoregressive Modeling Of Dna Molecule Shapes Accompanied By An Empirical Assessment Of The Ljung-Box Test, David William Custer

Theses and Dissertations

The assumption of independence rarely holds in real-world data. Correlated observations are ubiquitous, especially in sequential contexts where time series models are essential for capturing temporal dependence. This study analyzed six groups of damaged and undamaged DNA sequences, where an "F" in the middle of a sequence indicates damage. One biological aim is to understand how DNA regenerates with the assistance of proteins that recognize damaged regions. Motivated by empirical support for AR(2) modeling, we fit autoregressive models to the first three principal component scores of each DNA group, capturing the dominant structure in the data. We conducted model diagnostics, …

Between Tajweed And Lenition: A Sociophonetic Investigation Of Pharyngealized Consonant Variation In Ammani Jordanian Arabic, Amenah Jehad Salman

Theses and Dissertations

Thіs dіssеrtаtіоn іnvеstіgаtеs the sосіоphоnеtіс vаrіаtіоn іn thе rеаlіzаtіоn оf phаryngeаlіzеd соnsоnаnts іn Аmmаnі Jоrdаnіаn Аrаbіс (АJА), іntrоduсіng Tаjwееd—thе study оf Qurаnіс phоnоlоgy—аs а sосіаlly sаlіеnt vаrіаblе іnfluеnсіng еvеrydаy spееch. А lеnіtеd-phаryngeаlіzеd (LP) vаrіаnt surfасеs аs аn аcоustіcаlly аnd pеrcеptuаlly іntеrmеdіаtе rеаlіzаtіоn, pоsіtіоnеd bеtwееn fully phаryngeаlіzеd (/sˤ, tˤ, dˤ, ðˤ/) аnd plаіn (/s, t, d, ð/) соnsоnаnts. Whіlе prеvіоus studіеs hаvе ехаmіnеd thе іmpасt оf mасrо-sосіаl fасtоrs suсh аs gеndеr, аgе, sосіоеcоnоmіс stаtus, аnd оrіgіnаl rеgіоnаl dіаlеct (ОRD) (Аl-Маsrі & Jоngmаn, 2004; Аlzоubі, 2017; Аbudаlbuh, 2010), nо rеsеаrch hаs examined thе rоlе оf Tаjwееd іn shаpіng sосіоphоnеtіс оutcоmеs.

Dаtа was …

“Cruelty, Bloodshed, And Degradation From The Inauspicious Conjunction Of Stars”: “Magic” In The 1857-58 Rebellion In India, Summer Bordon

Theses and Dissertations

During the 1857-58 rebellion in India, British soldiers and civilians saw ample evidence of Indian belief in “magic”. Prophecies about the end of British rule were implicated in inciting rebellion. When a solar eclipse occurred during the British army’s campaign to regain control of Delhi, victory was attributed partially to Indian superstition. Much of the historiography of the 1857-58 rebellion has uncritically accepted British sources’ conceptions of Indian “magic”, dismissing it as superstitious, politically hindering, and divorced from material reality. Yet, British understandings of magic cannot be taken at face value. Instead, they must be located within broader colonial narratives …

Queer Inclusion In Libba Bray's Beauty Queens: The Case For Lgbtq Ya Literature, Kayla Michelle Crumbley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a time sensitive case study on the nature of Libba Bray's novel Beauty Queensand it's placement as both a metacognitive novel and discourse in the nature of queer acceptance in the publishing and media landscape of the 2010s and 2020s. This includes focusing on contextualizing the book in the changing landscape of queer acceptance and visibility in the media over the last 20 years through the lens of the inclusion in YA and how that manifest in the 2010 and 2020s book bans on LGBTQ YA fiction. The novel highlights the wider need for LGBTQ YA …

Emotional Landscapes: St. Teresa Of Avila And The Spiritual Journey, Jillian Louise Breeden

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the writings of St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) through the methodological lens of the history of emotions, arguing that her mystical accounts represent a crucial yet understudied contribution to our understanding of early modern emotional frameworks. Through close textual analysis of Teresa's major works, this study demonstrates how her detailed articulations of spiritual ecstasy, divine love, and religious melancholy offer unique insights into both the religious and secular emotional landscapes of Counter-Reformation Spain. Teresa's innovative emotional vocabulary, which combined traditional Catholic devotional language with embodied metaphors and spatial conceptualizations, allowed her to navigate the complex ecclesiastical politics …

The Penn Center’S Impact On Rural Health Through Midwife Programming In 20Th Century South Carolina, Kathryn Addison Greenberg

Theses and Dissertations

The Penn School of the Sea Islands provided an education to thousands of rural, Black South Carolinians over the twentieth century. Northern missionaries including the founders of the Penn School, Laura M. Towne and Ellen Murray, taught and provided healthcare to the residents of the Port Royal Experiment through the Civil War and into Reconstruction. With the arrival of Rossa Cooley and Grace House, the Penn School put emphasis on auxiliary programing including midwifery training institutes held in conjunction with Dr. Hilla Sheriff and the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s Division for Maternal and Child Health. With the goal …

Exploring The Holistic Wellness Of Black Women Counselors, Shanta A. Jerideau

Theses and Dissertations

Counselor wellness is crucial for clinician longevity and ethical practice. However, there is limited literature on the holistic wellness of Black women counselors. This manuscript probes into the lived experiences of Black women counselors, particularly in relation to the sociopolitical climate and racial injustices in the United States. Utilizing Consensual Qualitative Research, we examine the experiences of 15 Black women counselors working in counselor education, private practice, and community agencies within the Southeast Region of the United States. We anticipate this approach will enhance counselor education literature and foster increased peer support.

Essential Characteristics And Perceived Needs Of Teachers And School Leaders Of Steam-Focused Elementary Schools: An Exploratory Study, Christopher Abbaleo

Theses and Dissertations

While STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education has traditionally been emphasized at the high school level, there is growing recognition of its importance in elementary education. This exploratory, action research multiple-case study identified the essential characteristics of two STEAM-focused elementary schools and how they are operationalized as well as the perceived needs of teachers and school leaders working within the schools. Within-case analyses and a cross-case synthesis revealed both common and distinct STEAM-focused curricular approaches, along with other commonalities such as enriching co-curricular offerings, connections to STEAM careers, professional development, teacher collaboration, visionary leadership, and networking with external …

Characterizing The Relationships Between Cranial Geometry, Brain Morphometry, And Brain Mechanical Properties Using Mr Imaging And Elastography, Jessica Restivo

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health concern, with over 69 million cases annually. TBI risk depends on subject-specific neuroanatomical variation, yet research often only considers generic finite element (FE) models, based on the geometry and material composition of a 50th percentile male head. Although highly accurate, subject-specific models require expensive magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, elastography, and time-consuming computational resources. There is a need to create subject-specific TBI models that account for subject-specific variations, without neuroimaging. This study aims to create mathematical models to predict brain morphometry (dimensions, volume) [Objective 1] and mechanical properties (shear stiffness, damping ratio, octahedral …

"We Have Such Fantastic People Working Here": Using Action Research To Address Community College Burnout, Christine Pipitone

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research dissertation explores faculty burnout at a New Jersey community college to propose actionable, faculty-led solutions through a collaborative approach. Grounded in a theoretical framework that integrates theories of action, critical theory, and job demands–resources theory, the study included three phases that followed an explanatory sequential design. In the first phase, quantitative and qualitative data obtained through an anonymous questionnaire provided baseline information about the dimensions of burnout participants experienced. The data informed the second phase, which consisted of semi-structured focus group interviews. In the third phase, an action research team worked together to make recommendations based …

Investigating Mechanisms And Day-Level Factors That Influence Children’S 24-Hour Movement Behaviors, Hannah Parker

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-four hour movement behaviors (i.e., physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), and sleep) are associated with health outcomes, chronic disease (obesity, type 2 diabetes), and mortality. Most literature evaluating children’s 24-hour movement behaviors has focused on static person-level demographic information such as age or biological sex. Relatively less work has examined the variable factors that change day to day, such as environment or context. The Structured Days Hypothesis (SDH) suggests that when children are in structured environments, they have healthier movement behaviors compared to less structured environments where children have more discretionary time to engage in obesogenic behaviors. Besides school/childcare, …

Elevating Next Generation Wireless Devices Towards Contactless Sensing For Healthcare Applications, Aakriti Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing interest in technologies that can understand and perceive at-home human activities to provide personalized healthcare monitoring, aimed at early detection of disease markers and assisting physicians in making clinical decisions. Existing approaches, such as wearables, require users to wear sensors that can be cumbersome and cause discomfort. Vision based solutions, such as optical cameras, IRs, LiDARs, etc., can be used to design contactless at-home monitoring systems. However, these systems are limited by poor lighting and occlusion, and they are privacy-invasive. Fortunately, high-frequency millimeter-wave wireless devices provide an effective alternative to the existing systems to enable fine-grained …

The Role Of Symmetries In Atomic, Electromagnetic, And Particle Physics, Joshua Martin O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Symmetries in atomic, electromagnetic, and weak interaction physics are explored to understand symmetry-breaking extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. Lorentz-violating field theories are extremely interesting theoretically, since they possess many new features that are absent in Lorentz-invariant models. We outline the formalism and experimental status of the Lorentz- and CPT-violating Standard Model Extension, in both the classical and quantum regimes. Processes such as vacuum Cerenkov radiation, which are kinematically forbidden when Lorentz symmetry is exact may become allowed when this symmetry is weakly broken. Particle decays, such as pion and kaon decays, although allowed in Lorentz-invariant theories, are …

Students’ Experiences Using Peer Review To Affect Writing Self-Efficacy And Writing Performance In An Undergraduate Mass Communications Writing Course, Nina Morrison Brook

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to examine the impact of peer review on writing self-efficacy and writing performance in an undergraduate online writing for mass communications course. The study focused on two research questions: (1) How and to what extent does structured peer review affect undergraduate students’ writing self-efficacy in an online writing for mass communications course in a large public Southeastern university? and (2) How and to what extent does structured peer review affect undergraduate students’ writing performance in an online writing for mass communications course in a large public Southeastern university? This research used peer review …

Play, Guide, Aspire: How Game Type And Trainer Involvement Shape Orientation Training Outcomes, Damla Sonmez

Theses and Dissertations

The use of gamification in orientation training has gained attention in organizational settings, yet questions remain regarding how different gamified training designs influence new employees’ emotional commitment, willingness to participate in future training, and long-term aspirations. Drawing on Stimulus–Organism–Response (SO-R) theory, Achievement Goal Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, this dissertation investigates how game type (individual vs. team) and trainer involvement (active vs. passive) shape these outcomes.

Two experimental studies using vignette-based scenarios were conducted. Study 1 tested the direct effects of game type on emotional commitment and willingness to participate. Study 2 employed a 2 (game type) × 2 (trainer …

Adult English As A Second Or Other Language Peer Oral Interaction In Online Breakout Rooms, Kathleen Moriarty

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Peer interaction is essential for adult English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) students' oral skills development. However, it is more challenging to offer peer interaction in online synchronous classes. To support new teachers who begin online teaching, the author reviewed research on peer learning and online classroom interactional competencies. Based on a foundation of second language acquisition theories and communicative teaching practices, oral skills are developed more with specific types of activities in online breakout rooms: task-based, cooperative, and collaborative activities. These activities are inherently social and motivate learners to engage in negotiation for meaning and a focus …

Do-Reflect-Apply In The Showring, Hannah Majewski

UNH Cooperative Extension

4-H uses the “Experiential Learning Model” as a way to create high quality youth programs. This model, commonly known as “Do-Reflect-Apply” focuses not only on the particular 4-H experience, but also how youth are interpreting their learning, and if they can apply it to real world scenarios. In the context of the showring, the goal is for youth to dive into their animal projects and learn about industry standards with agriculture, while also developing into capable young adults.

Conservation Management Effects On Soil And Agronomic Properties In A Furrow-Irrigated Corn System In East-Central Arkansas, Jeferson P. Pimentel, Christopher G. Henry, Kris R. Brye, Benjamin R. Runkle, Amanda J. Ashworth, Edgar Mersiovsky, Kevin C. Thompson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cover crops can improve soil physical properties and help to sustain agricultural crop yields. A 6-year study conducted from 2017 to 2022 examined the effects of conservation soil management practices in a furrow-irrigated continuous corn (Zea mays L.) system on a silt-loam soil (Typic Albaqualf) in the Lower Mississippi River Delta region of eastern Arkansas. This study compared the effects of conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT), and no-tillage with cover crops (CC) in selected soil physical and chemical properties (i.e., soil bulk density (D b), porosity (& fnof;t), field capacity (Theta FC), Permanent wilting point (Theta PWP), Plant available water …

The Effect Of Anterior Closing Wedge Slope-Reducing Osteotomy On Coronal Alignment-Effect Of Osteotomy Technique, Starting Point, And Degree Of Correction., James Matthew Helm, Mark Coggins, Brian Crowley, Maile Curbo, Jacob Siahaan, Alexis Aboulafia, Alfred A Mansour

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Techniques for anterior closing wedge slope-reducing osteotomy (ACW-SRO) remain variable regarding management of the tibial tubercle and osteotomy starting point. Moreover, the potential unintended effect on coronal alignment has not yet been determined.

Purpose: To determine the effect of the ACW-SRO technique and starting point on coronal alignment in knees with an elevated posterior tibial slope (PTS).

Study design: Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods: Full-length lower extremity computed tomography scans were retrospectively reviewed in patients presenting to our level 1 trauma center to identify patients with an elevated PTS of ≥12° without secondary trauma to the lower extremity. Materialise software …

A Recipe For Disaster - Sodium Bicarbonate Overdose, Adeola A Kosoko, Amara Ogoke, Kyle Vogt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Audience: Emergency medicine residents post-graduate years 1-4.

Introduction: Sodium bicarbonate is a compound found commonplace in many households and in many products. It lends itself to countless everyday uses including cooking and cleaning. Physicians prescribe sodium bicarbonate regularly both on- and off-label regularly for various ailments.1 Due to the ubiquitous way both emergency physicians and the general public use and are exposed to sodium bicarbonate, we wanted to prepare learners to identify and appropriately manage sodium bicarbonate toxicity.Obtaining a thorough history not just of medications prescribed but of significant ingestions or infusions is critical in diagnosing this toxicity. Furthermore, acute …

Efficacy And Safety Of Mechanical Thrombectomy In Distal Medium Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Ischemic Stroke Patients On Low-Dose Aspirin, Hamza Adel Salim, Vivek Yedavalli, Fathi Milhem, Basel Musmar, Nimer Adeeb, Motaz Daraghma, Kareem El Naamani, Nils Henninger, Sri Hari Sundararajan, Anna Luisa Kühn, Jane Khalife, Sherief Ghozy, Luca Scarcia, Benjamin Yq Tan, Robert W Regenhardt, Jeremy J Heit, Nicole M Cancelliere, Joshua D Bernstock, Aymeric Rouchaud, Jens Fiehler, Sunil Sheth, Ajit S Puri, Christian Dyzmann, Marco Colasurdo, Leonardo Renieri, João Pedro Filipe, Pablo Harker, Răzvan Alexandru Radu, Mohamad Abdalkader, Piers Klein, Thomas R Marotta, Julian Spears, Takahiro Ota, Ashkan Mowla, Pascal Jabbour, Arundhati Biswas, Frédéric Clarençon, James E Siegler, Thanh N Nguyen, Ricardo Varela, Amanda Baker, Muhammed Amir Essibayi, David Altschul, Nestor R Gonzalez, Markus A Möhlenbruch, Vincent Costalat, Benjamin Gory, Christian Paul Stracke, Constantin Hecker, Hamza Shaikh, Christoph J Griessenauer, David S Liebeskind, Alessandro Pedicelli, Andrea M Alexandre, Illario Tancredi, Tobias D Faizy, Erwah Kalsoum, Max Wintermark, Boris Lubicz, Aman B Patel, Vitor Mendes Pereira, Adrien Guenego, Adam A Dmytriw

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from distal medium vessel occlusion (DMVO) presents unique treatment challenges. Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is emerging as a viable option for these patients, yet the role of pre-stroke aspirin treatment is unclear. This study evaluates the impact of pre-stroke low-dose aspirin on outcomes in DMVO patients undergoing MT.

Methods: We conducted a multinational, multicenter, propensity score-weighted analysis within the Multicenter Analysis of primary Distal medium vessel occlusions: effect of Mechanical Thrombectomy (MAD-MT) registry. Patients with AIS due to DMVO, treated with MT, were included. We compared outcomes between patients on pre-stroke low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg) and …

Interconnections Of Insulin/Igf-1 Signaling And Autophagy Abnormalities In Alzheimer’S Disease, Wang Liao, Jinfeng Xuan, Woo-In Ryu, Mariana K Bormann, Yoon Lee, Haley Dion, Elizabeth Evangelista, Ruiyi Li, Lucas Trambaiolli, Jun Liu, Arthur J Siegel, Brent P Forester, Bruce M Cohen, Kai-Christian Sonntag

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Impaired insulin (INS) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling are features of both brain aging and late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). However, their exact underlying mechanisms and cause-and-effect linkages, including the downstream regulation of endocytosis and autophagy, are still not well understood.

Methods: We investigated INS/IGF-1 signaling and its connection with endocytic and autophagic processes in fibroblasts from LOAD patients and healthy young or old control individuals.

Results: Compared to control old-age cells, protein levels in the INS/IGF-1 signaling cascade were elevated in LOAD cells, but activation of AKT was reduced. The activation of the INS/IGF-1/AKT/FOXO1 or mTOR axes …

Preventing Acute Kidney Injury And Its Longer-Term Impact In The Critically Ill, Alexander Zarbock, Lui Forni, Jay L Koyner, Hernando Gómez, Neesh Pannu, Marlies Ostermann, Rinaldo Bellomo, John A Kellum, Thilo Von Groote

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a heterogeneous syndrome that not only affects short-term morbidity and mortality but also influences long-term outcomes. AKI is part of acute kidney disease (AKD) that encompasses a range of different conditions and is characterized by a kidney dysfunction lasting 90 days or less after which time the term chronic kidney disease (CKD) applies. AKD may result in irreversible loss of nephrons and may lead to CKD. In this narrative review, an update on different aspects of AKI in critically ill patients will be provided. We discuss biomarkers for early diagnosis of AKI, sub-clinical AKI, as …

Switching From Adalimumab Reference Product To And Among Adalimumab Biosimilars Outside The Usa: Insights For Us Clinicians, John R P Tesser, Aline Charabaty, Adelaide A Hebert

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ten adalimumab biosimilars have been introduced in the United States (USA) since 2023, while adalimumab biosimilars have been available for several years in other countries. These experiences of biosimilar uptake outside the USA can inform US-based healthcare professionals on switching in real-life practice settings. Considerations include how healthcare professionals might meaningfully address patient concerns about outcomes to improve patient satisfaction. A search of the MEDLINE database was used to identify publications on switching to and among adalimumab biosimilars in an ex-US setting, with no restriction on publication language and using a time frame of 1 January 2017 through 12 December …

Endovascular Therapy For Late-Window M2-Segment Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion: Analysis Of The Clear Study, Simon Winzer, Daniel P O Kaiser, Muhammad M Qureshi, Alicia C Castonguay, Daniel Strbian, Raul G Nogueira, Simon Nagel, Jean Raymond, Mohamad Abdalkader, Jelle Demeestere, João Pedro Marto, Hiroshi Yamagami, Kanta Tanaka, Sunil A Sheth, Anne Dusart, Patrik Michel, Marta Olive Gadea, Marc Ribo, Osama O Zaidat, Diogo C Haussen, Hilde Henon, Mahmoud H Mohammaden, Markus A Möhlenbruch, James E Siegler, Ajit S Puri, Johannes Kaesmacher, Piers Klein, Liisa Tomppo, Francois Caparros, João Nuno Ramos, Mouhammad Jumaa, Syed Zaidi, Nicolas Martinez-Majander, Stefania Nannoni, Lieselotte Vandewalle, Flavio Bellante, Milagros Galecio-Castillo, Sergio Salazar-Marioni, Pekka Virtanen, Anke Wouters, Rita Ventura, Jessica Jesser, Adnan Mujanovic, Liqi Shu, Abiya Qureshi, Zhongming Qiu, Hesham E Masoud, Manuel Requena, Mikko Sillanpää, Wei Hu, Eugene Lin, Charlotte Cordonnier, Daniel Roy, Shadi Yaghi, Davide Strambo, Urs Fischer, Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, Robin Lemmens, Peter A Ringleb, Thanh N Nguyen, Volker Puetz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There is uncertainty about whether patients with M2 occlusion benefit from endovascular therapy (EVT) in the late (6-24-hour) time window. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients with M2 occlusion selected for EVT compared with those who received medical management (MM) in the late window.

Methods: This multinational cohort study was conducted at 66 sites across 10 countries (January 2014 to May 2022). We included consecutive patients with late-window stroke due to M2 occlusion, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥5, and premorbid modified Rankin Scale score of ≤2 who received EVT or MM alone. The …

A Case Of Aqp4-Igg Neuromyelitis Optica Presenting With Orbital Inflammatory Syndrome, Lucy A Bailey, Roy F Riascos, Ore-Ofe O Adesina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A 45-year-old healthy African-American man experienced 2 months of right-eye soreness followed by acute onset of right painful vision loss with binocular, oblique diplopia. Visual acuity was count fingers OD and 20/20 OS. He had a partial, right, pupil-involving cranial nerve III palsy with a right relative afferent pupillary defect and optic disc edema with tortuous vessels. Magnetic resonance imaging showed increased T2 signal with tortuosity and thickening of the retrobulbar right optic nerve with associated restricted diffusion and enhancement, enhancement of orbital fat adjacent to the optic nerve sheath, and relative right proptosis. Workup was positive for aquaporin-4 antibody …

Automated Mycoplasma Genitalium Molecular Macrolide Resistance Detection And Nucleic Acid Target Semi-Quantitation: Patient Demographic Considerations, Josephine Moore, Trinity Krueger, Amanda Zapp, Stephen C Lavey, Kimber L Munson, Irene A Stafford, Michael E Newcomb, Brian Mustanski, Erik Munson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent work has optimized parameters of a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR-based laboratory-developed test on the Panther Fusion system which detects Mycoplasma genitalium-specific macrolide resistance-associated mutations LDT (MRM-LDT) from primary swab and urine specimens. In this study, MRM-LDT was applied to a large multi-demographic study set to further characterize M. genitalium resistance in the United States. A total of 2,145 primary clinical specimens testing positive for M. genitalium 16S rRNA by transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) were initially titered by the same assay using serial 10-fold dilutions to determine relative target nucleic acid burden. Specimens were then processed for MRM-LDT. Findings were stratified …