Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of Cumulative Genetic Risk And Cc16 In Adult Asthma And Copd Populations, Kelli C. Gribben

Theses & Dissertations

INVESTIGATION OF CUMULATIVE GENETIC RISK AND CC16 IN ADULT ASTHMA AND COPD POPULATIONS

Kelli C. Gribben, Ph.D.

University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2022

Supervisors: Paraskevi A. Farazi and Tricia D. LeVan, Ph.D.

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have complex etiologies and lack biological predictors that can be used for primary prevention, early detection, progression, or monitoring. Genetic risk scores (GRS) aggregate genetic effects from GWAS-identified susceptibility variants associated with a trait. GRS may provide opportunities to improve disease prediction to inform public health and clinical interventions. Asthma GRS studies utilizing multi-ethnic populations are scarce and there is a …

Polymeric Nanocarriers For Delivery Of Small Molecules Inhibiting Tubulin Polymerization For The Treatment Of Pancreatic Cancer And Lung Metastatic Melanoma, Rajan Sharma Bhattarai

Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is to develop delivery systems for the novel small molecules which inhibit tubulin polymerization. One of the small molecules was modified to lipid conjugate to increase the lipophilicity of the molecules which in turn drastically improved the drug loading in amphiphilic polymeric system. The second molecule was conjugated to the amphiphilic polymeric backbone with pH sensitive Schiff’s linker for the tumor site specific delivery in lung metastatic melanoma model.

Chapter 1 discusses the tumor microenvironment for the solid tumor especially focusing on Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Further the drug delivery system currently researched for addressing …

Regulation Of Pancreatic Cancer Progression By Micronutrients, Chunbo He

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer cells rely on altered metabolism to support their uncontrolled proliferation under harsh conditions. Understanding the mechanisms of how metabolic alterations support tumor growth may provide a way to enhance current therapies. Vitamins are micronutrients that our body needs in small quantities but are essential for health maintenance. A number of metabolic processes relevant to cancer initiation and progression are also regulated by vitamins. Here, our studies showed that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells display an aberrant metabolism of vitamin B6 (VB6) to support their fast proliferation. VB6 was highly demanded and rapidly metabolized by PDAC cells. Depletion of VB6 …

Body Image Perceptions Reflected In Social Media: A Guatemalan Instagram Study, Sarah Harris

Honors Theses

Guatemala has faced a long battle with colonialism, civil war, and an ensuing, rapid urbanization. Still today, the country exhibits high levels of malnourishment while also facing an ascending obesity epidemic. This project seeks to explore how the obesity epidemic has changed body image perceptions in the region. Through the use of social media accounts on Instagram, I aim to analyze how Guatemalan influencers use their platform to explore notions of varying body image perceptions in a country where food is culturally significant, malnutrition has plagued many communities, and obesity is growing in prevalence daily. This thesis aims to answer …

An Exploration Of Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of And Experiences With Body Image, Natallie Noel

Honors Theses

Adolescents experience a broad range of physical and emotional changes and begin looking to peers and social media to determine what their bodies should look like through the lens of society. This process of adolescents beginning to visualize themselves is known as body image. These include physical competence, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence through the way the teachers interact with students, develop positive learning spaces, and develop and implement intentional instruction and programs, thus, providing a space where adolescents begin to develop a healthy perception of their own body (Kerner et al., 2017). However, the breadth of literature on body image, …

Assessment Of Spatial Skills In Human Anatomy And Physiology Students, Abigail Carroll

Honors Theses

Visual spatial skills are an individual’s ability to mentally and manipulate the shapes, forms and positions of objects. Spatial skills are necessary for adequate learning in many settings. Few studies have assessed spatial skills compared to success in Anatomy and Physiology in undergraduate students. Most students in this course are on a health profession track. Due to the increasing health care demands and need for competent health care professionals, this study assesses the innate spatial skill ability in students and acquired additional learned spatial skills. This study tests 17 students with the paper-folding test, blank page test, and two surveys …

Increasing Accessibility To Monitoring Ammonia Levels In The Body Through Development Of A Novel Point-Of-Care Breath Ammonia Diagnostic Device, Emily C. Wright, Ashwin M. Sivalingam

Honors Theses

Hyperammonemia is a life-threatening metabolic condition that is characterized by elevated levels of ammonia concentrations in the blood. Resulting from serious conditions such as chronic kidney disease or liver failure, the limited functions of the liver and kidney lead to an increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) within the body. Currently, there are a wide variety of treatments for this condition, ranging from various medications to surgical procedures such as liver transplants. However, there is a lack of variety in diagnostic testing methods to determine a patient’s ammonia levels. In most cases, patients will need to schedule a doctor’s appointment …

An Occupation-Based Approach To Empower Individuals Experiencing Homelessness, Sydney L. Bodensteiner

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals experiencing homelessness often have decreased occupational participation in all domains of occupational therapy practice. The purpose of this capstone experience was to explore the role of occupational therapy among individuals experiencing homelessness. in Rapid City, SD. A Needs Assessment was developed in collaboration with Fork Real Community Café and the HOPE Center in order to identify the occupational needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Rapid City community. With the needs identified, I led holistic, client-centered, individual and group interventions to increase the occupational participation of guests. For individual interventions, guests completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to determine …

Development And Evaluation Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols For General Abdominal And Orthopedic Surgery With Focus On Preoperative Hydration And Multimodal Management In Preoperative And Postoperative Phases, Kristin Wolff, Sadie Spilker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is described as an evidence-based, patient-centered, interdisciplinary team developed protocol utilized to decrease the patient’s stress response to surgery, maintain preoperative physiologic function, and expedite recovery (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists [AANA], 2017). Existing evidence displayed the benefits of utilizing ERAS protocols in various surgical procedures, including general and orthopedic cases. Studies showed one must employ the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative components of the ERAS protocols to achieve maximum benefits. A critical access hospital in Illinois utilized some components of ERAS protocols, mainly the intraoperative portions, but lacked the full utilization. Goals of the review …

The Sustainability Rhetoric Among The Spanish Fashion Companies Involved In The Rana Plaza Collapse Of 2013, Keegan Lyle

Honors Theses

Over the last century, fashion has evolved to become a commodity that is rapidly changing and easily available. The processes that have led to this accessibility of fashion, however, have proven to be harmful to the environment and, most recently, proven to be potentially fatal for the people making the clothing. In 2013, a garment factory in Bangladesh, housing production for major global fashion brands, like Zara and The Children’s Place, collapsed following a series of negligence. The event has sparked years of awareness-raising in the public dialogue of fast fashion. As a part of the newly-developing research in sustainable …

Measles And Migration In Colombia And Brazil: Determinants Of Differential Disease Impact Resulting From The Venezuelan Crisis, Kaylen Hisle

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the 2018 measles outbreaks that occurred in Colombia and Brazil as a result of importation from Venezuela, seeking to uncover underlying factors contributing to significantly greater case numbers in Brazil than in Colombia. It analyzes vaccination coverage, migrant integration, and migration policy, using a mixed-methods approach to compare the two countries. Qualitative analysis of the border zones, migration policies, health systems, and progression of the outbreaks in each country reveals that geographical and socioeconomic differences at the borders, heterogeneity of vaccination coverage, timeliness of policy responses, and disease tracing capabilities could all be possible contributors to greater …

A Look Towards The Future Of Eldercare: Lessons Learned From Social Care Models In Japan, Caroline M. Steil

Honors Theses

The rapidly accelerating trend of population aging is redefining the state of eldercare globally, as every country is currently or will soon face a gap in the excess demand for care versus the scarce supply of caregivers, both formal and informal. Specifically, there is a decrease in the number of elders seeking care through a family member as well as less caregivers in institutions to provide care for elders. Japan is at the vanguard of this caregiving gap, and thus provides key lessons, particularly from two innovative models of eldercare: Ibasho, a grass-roots, non-profit organization, and Japan's Long-Term Care Insurance …

The Impact Of Sleep On Athletic Performance: A Review Of The Literature, Rylan J. Pratt

Honors Thesis

This paper reviewed the literature regarding sleep and athletic performance, specifically identifying the problem of sleep debt in student athletes, the effects of sleep debt, and what factors negatively influence sleep, along with how to improve sleep. The literature revealed that it is common for athletes to not get adequate sleep. Sleep debt can have psychomotor and physiological effects on the body, which decreases optimal athletic performance. The many factors that negatively impact sleep include high intensity training sessions, travel, sleep disturbances, caffeine and/or alcohol consumption, and pre-competition anxiety. Recommendations for athletes that are struggling to achieve adequate sleep include, …

Paleopathological Analyses Of Maya Skeletal Samples To Reconstruct Childhood Health And Frailty, Kira J. Wilde

Honors Thesis

Nonadults are particularly sensitive and reactive to stress, illness, and injury and, as such, they are good proxies for examining health of past populations based on evidence of stress events recorded in their skeletal and dental remains. Skeletal data on childhood stress and frailty was derived from nineteen individuals sourced from the BVAR skeletal collection, which was excavated from Maya settlements in the Belize River Valley and dated from the Early and Late Classic (250-900 CE) periods of the ancient Maya kingdoms. Osteological analyses included age-at-death estimation for adults and nonadults, following the criteria of Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and …

Restoration Through Reassembly: Evaluating The Role Of Native Plants In Combatting Chinese Tallow, Olaniyi Ajala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-native, invasive species disrupt ecological processes and functions, posing a serious threat to natural ecosystems. By examining the growth metrics of the non-native, invasive tree, Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera [L.] Roxb.), hereafter tallow, across different flooding and light regimes, I investigated how restructuring native communities with valuable native species will prevent the reestablishment of tallow. I studied the changes in morphological and physiological traits of tallow when growing with water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica L.), sugarberry (Celtis occidentalis L.), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall). I found that in the non-flooded and high irradiance treatments, tallow's growth …

Researching Of The Shelf Life And Quality Of Margarine Enriched In Inulin, Shakhnozakhon Salijonova, Akbarali Ruzibayev

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Extensive research is being carried out in the world on the effective use of non-traditional plant raw materials, its production in margarine, mayonnaise and similar oil and fat products. In this aspect, special attention is paid to improving targeted technological processes, developing margarine formulations from local raw materials, increasing the nutritional and biological value of products, efficient use of natural raw materials and expanding the range of products. The aim of the study is to study the shelf life of the obtained diabetic low-calorie margarine based on the extract of Jerusalem artichoke tubers. Based on the research, it was determined …

Research Of The Process Of Obtaining Crystalline Monocalcium Phosphate Based On Extraction Phosphoric Acid From Phosphorites Of Central Kyzylkums, Kholtura Mirzakulov, Gavkhar Melikulova, Mohichehra Shaymardanova, Sherzod Khujamberdiev

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the research is to establish the optimal parameters of the technological process for the production of feed, crystalline monocalcium phosphate based on defluorinated and desulphated extraction phosphoric acid obtained from phosphorites of the Central Kyzylkum and limestone.

The influence of technological parameters, such as the norms and concentration of phosphoric acid, the process temperature on the filtration rate indicators, the rheological properties of the suspension and the mother liquor, as well as the dependence of the change in the commercial property of crystalline feed monocalcium phosphate, were studied.

It is shown that, regardless of the initial acid …

The Understanding Of Mycorrhizae Networks: A Historical Approach, Jake Sun

The Confluence

The growth of mycorrhizal fungi into plant roots used to be viewed as a parasitic relationship between plants and fungi, where the fungal symbiont benefits and the plant host is harmed. Current research elucidates a mutualistic relationship. The mycorrhizae network assists the plants by increasing the capabilities for nutrient absorption in the soil. In exchange, the fungi receive carbon supply from the photosynthetic plants for growth. Our scientific understanding of other topics like species specificity, seed germination, and co-evolutionary influence of mycorrhizae and plants has also progressed. Additionally, we now understand that the mycorrhizal mutualism is not limited to the …

On The Restorative Power Of Nature, Or Why Every Neighborhood Needs A Public Japanese Garden, Mira Locher, Keith Bartholomew

Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy

In celebration of Professor Arthur C. “Chris” Nelson’s illustrious career and our shared ambles in academia and in gardens in Japan, we offer this essay on public health and public gardens, namely gardens in the traditional Japanese style and how they could play an important role in addressing pressing public health issues in urban areas in the U.S. (and elsewhere).

Land-Use Planning And Urban Governance: Lessons From The Pandemic, Malcolm Grant

Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy

It is a privilege to have been invited to contribute to this festschrift for a scholar whose work I have known and admired for decades. We have explored and debated together many aspects of land-use planning in our respective jurisdictions over that time, including a protracted effort in the 1990s to develop a model for impact fees for the UK planning system. Several other contributors to this festschrift were also part of that team, from which all of us learned a great deal. One is that complex systems of government develop deep resistance to change, and that it often takes …

Importance Of Developing Financially Literate Families And Communities: Opportunities For Fcs Educators, Stephen Molchan

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Financial literacy has been an issue for decades in the United States; however, the COVID-19 pandemic put financial illiteracy in the spotlight. Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators have the ability to influence the financial literacy rates among individuals, families, and communities. Despite Hogarth’s 2002 call to action for FCS educators to promote fiscal education, this has not happened. FCS educators must now respond to this call. This manuscript addresses the financial illiteracy problem in the United States, the importance of financial literacy, financial literacy in the FCS National Standards, and the actions FCS educators can take to improve financial …

Spring Dance Concert, Jennifer Backhaus, Liz Curtis

Dance Programs

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Community Health Workers To Improve Birth Outcomes, Emiko Maruri, Trinette Radasa, Jo Loomis

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Those who have ever been affected by an adverse childhood experience (ACE) have a greater likelihood of having poor birth outcomes. These include low infant birth weight, preterm delivery and can even lead to pregnancy loss. Black and Latina women have been identified by the Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) as those most affected by ACEs. The direct relationship is that Black and Latinas therefore have poor birth outcomes. With the implementation of nurse trained Community Health Workers (CHWs), the impacts within the community includes decreasing health care costs, adopting healthier choices for mother and child, and providing support and …

Effects On Youth Experiencing Homelessness In Public Schools, Abby Golish

Counselor Education Capstones

Abstract

An examination of the issues of youth who are experiencing homelessness is crucial in supporting this vulnerable population. Public schools have a responsibility to assist these students in their academic, career, and social-emotional development. With unique, personal needs, students who are homeless must be understood by school counselors and other school personnel to be appropriately supported. Homelessness can be identified through many characteristics and identified needs. It is key for school counselors to recognize these characteristics and consider the impacts that the school and resources can make on the student’s life. Throughout the paper, the causes of homelessness, potential …

A Descriptive Study On The Perceived Barriers To Academic Progression From Lpn To Rn, Rebekah B. Snyder

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The significance of seamless academic progression has been emphasized in the nursing profession for more than a decade. A significant amount of research has been conducted on the transition from registered nurse (RN) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prepared nurse in order to identify potential barriers to progression: yet a significant literature gap exists for the transition from licensed practical nurse (LPN) to RN. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to identify what perceived barriers practical nursing students and recent practical nursing graduates identify as potentially hindering academic progression to a registered nursing program. Data …

Detecting Potentially Neurotoxic Pseudo-Nitzschia Species In The Grand Strand Area, Chesney Price

Honors Theses

Pseudo-nitzschia is a globally distributed diatom genus which contains 26 neurotoxin (domoic-acid) producing species. In shallow coastal waters these diatoms are associated with both the development of harmful algal blooms and the bio-accumulation of toxins in shellfish that can impact human health. Pilot data recovered in 2018 indicated the presence of multiple species of Pseudo-nitzschia, including domoic-acid producing taxa. We hypothesize that we will recover a similar species diversity using multiple sampling dates during the summer of 2021. Environmental DNA (eDNA) samples taken from the public shellfish harvesting area waters at Huntington Beach State Park (SC) over a two month …

Impact Of Food Insecurity On Coping Strategies: A Comparison Of Family And College Perception, Nora Evelyn Halama

Honors Theses

Food insecurity (FI), defined as the lack of consistent access to nutrient dense foods, is equally complex as it is prominent in low-income households. Many food insecure individuals have developed coping strategies to mitigate food deficiencies. There remains a gap in research regarding the influence food insecurity on these coping strategies during the transitionary period of students from home life to college. The present study examines the impact of food insecurity on coping strategies among students during both high school and college experiences. A total of 231 freshmen at two large, urban universities completed a questionnaire that included the 6-item …

8 Faculty Elevated To Distinguished, University Professorships, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Consumption, Nicotine Dependence And Motivation For Smoke Cessation During Early Stages Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ana Paula Coelho Figueira Freire, Bruna A.S. Medina, Marceli R. Leite, Tainá O. Lopes, Ester T. Santos, Milena M. Ferreira, Bruna S.A. Silva, Margaret A. Cavalcante, Francis L. Pacagnelli

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed smoking habits. For the smoking population, information regarding smoking habits and the pandemic could potentially aid COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Our study aimed to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on tobacco consumption, nicotine dependence levels, and motivation for smoking cessation. We also collected information from smokers regarding their awareness of the consequences of tobacco use and the increased risks smokers have for severe complications from COVID-19.

Methods: In the survey for this observational cross-sectional study, 122 smokers responded to an online form. The participants provided general data about their smoking …

2022 Spring Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Spring 2022 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, May 6, 2022.