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Multi-Tissue Time-Domain Nmr Metabolomics For Robust And Accurate Assessment Of Dietary Effects, Hayden Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a quantitative, non-destructive analytical technique for identifying and quantifying metabolites. Conventional quantitative NMR analysis involves processing the recorded time-domain signal into a frequency-domain spectrum along with user-dependent processing and resonance characterization steps which may introduce bias and error. This study implements a Bayesian approach for data analysis in the time-domain to bypass these drawbacks and increase automation in metabolite quantification. The time-domain workflow is first assessed using metabolite reference standards to validate accurate resonance identification and quantification before profiling metabolites in liver, heart, and white adipose tissue of a diurnal animal model, the Nile …

The Role Of Skeletal Muscle Intrinsic Clock On The Development And Progression Of Cancer Cachexia, Jason Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Cancer cachexia is a chronic wasting disorder characterized by severe loss of skeletal muscle that affects approximately 80% of cancer patients. Altered rest-activity is a hallmark of circadian disruption and is often seen in cachectic patients. It is unknown how skeletal muscle clock gene expression is altered with the progression of cachexia. We investigated skeletal muscle clock gene expression during cachexia. Tissue from ApcMin/+ mice (MIN) were harvested in the morning and evening and were analyzed for clock gene expression. Per 2 and Per 3 increased expression in the evening. Rev-ERBα showed decreased expression in BL – 6 mice in …

The Association Between Physical Fitness, Chronic Disease And Mortality In Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report From The St. Jude Lifetime Cohort, Matthew Wogksch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at an increased risk of chronic cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and all-cause mortality compared to their cancer free cohorts. Increasing physical fitness in the cancer free population can decrease the risk of chronic disease. However, increasing physical fitness among CCS is difficult, possibly due to prior treatment. This may be due to survivor’s difficulty performing submaximal tasks. Also, survivors develop pulmonary disease quickly, increasing their risk for mortality. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to examine the associations of physical fitness, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality in CCS, as well as determine the associations between physiological cost …

Lactate Suppresses Immunometabolic And Inflammatory Responses In Monocytes, Kierstin Lynn Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Many diseases are preventable through regular exercise. However, high-intensity exercise can transiently suppress immune function. Lactate can decrease inflammatory responses through epigenetic modifications such as histone lactylation, inhibiting inflammatory genes while promoting anti-inflammatory genes. Human blood monocytes were isolated from 10 healthy males and females ranging from 23to 37 years old and pre-treated with either media or sodium lactate (10mM) for 6 hrs. An additional experiment tested if the flavonoid quercetin was able to decrease lactates’ immunosuppressive effects. Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), oxygen consumption rate (OCR), lactyllysine levels were measured as well as expression of IL10 and TNF. ECAR and …

The Dark Side Of It: Three Essays On Issues Related To The Consequences Of It, Stephanie Ann Totty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Information technology (IT) is a double-edged sword—IT can afford individuals and organizations opportunities to improve performance; meanwhile, IT may cause unexpected consequences. This three-essay dissertation examines two important dark sides of IT, information security and driving safety, and evaluates interventions that may combat them. The first essay reviews and synthesizes literature on information security in the information systems (IS) field. Based on a semi-automated topic modeling approach, this essay systematically describes major themes of information security research in the IS field, identifies their interconnections, and offers guidelines for future research. Guided by the first essay's insights, the second essay focuses …

Predicting Tree Species Richness In The Continental United States: Highlights From Machine Learning And Open Data, Lian Brugere

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Biodiversity is in decline and predicting species diversity is critically important if current trends are to be reversed. Tree species richness (TSR), the number of distinct tree species in an ecological community, has long been a key measure of biodiversity, however, accurately modeling TSR is critical to better predicting its spatially heterogeneous responses to the changing environment and to forecasting TSR under future climate scenarios. This dissertation takes a holistic approach to improve TSR modeling with 1) advanced and more interpretable machine learning techniques, 2) to extend predictors to anthropogenic factors, and 3) to leverage open-source online tree occurrences for …

The Effects Of Resistance Training On Running Economy And Plantarflexor Function In Middle-Age Runners, Zoey C. Kearns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Endurance running exposure alone may not be sufficient to slow the age-related decline in plantarflexor function that is also thought to contribute to declines in running economy. Thus, it is important to identify interventions beyond running alone, plantarflexor-focused resistance training, that could help maintain plantarflexor function and “youthful” metabolic costs in aging runners. PURPOSE: To assess the influence of three types of resistance training interventions on running economy (RE), plantarflexor function, and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness in middle-aged runners. METHODS: Twenty-six middle-aged runners (51±5 yrs) participated in one of three different 10-week resistance training interventions: 1) heavy resistance training, 2) …

Role Of Sex In Rate Of Infant Vocalization And Canonical Babbling, Janine Peca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

A female language advantage has been widely reported, although it has not been consistently shown across the literature. Perhaps surprisingly, the possibility of sex differences in prelinguistic vocalizations in the first year has not been widely studied. A paper published in Current Biology in 2020 found that infant males produced a significantly larger number of speech-like vocalizations through 12 months of age than infant females based on human coding of randomly-selected samples from all-day recordings. The authors argued that their sampling method offered a maximally representative view of infant vocalization. The present study also investigated possible sex differences in the …

Allé Guru: Hip-Hop Uplift, Jared Lee Pillow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract: As a solo hip-hop rapper and a member of Gang Starr during the 1990s, Guru (born Keith Edward Elam) represented a unique uplift voice in a burgeoning New York hip-hop scene. Demonstrating an understanding of ongoing African American freedom struggles, Guru poetically rhymed and flowed knowledge of systematic oppression and historical strategies against it, particularly in relation to the late twentieth-century African American community. In examining his poetic lyrics, Guru stands as more than a rapper, but also as a late twentieth-century poet voicing real issues and solutions. As a result, Guru is worthy of serious consideration in not …

A Student Like Me: Adult Learners' Perception Of Effective Teaching In Career And Technical Education., Shelanda Ferrell Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract Examining adult learners' perceptions of effective teaching in career and technical education is needed to enhance the principal objective of refining learning value is determining acceptable teaching practices for the student (Davies & Wilson, 2020). In addition, this subject is worth investigating to highlight the social inequalities that plague nontraditional learners' lives within the educational system (Clycq et al., 2014). Finally, to show the need for a support system inside the classroom and out (Chao & Good, 2004). Duncan-Andrade (2009) introduces the concept of Critical Hope. Critical Hope comprises three elements that can stand independently or collectively: material, Socratic, …

Child Mental Health Outcomes And Household Composition, Clarion Jamil Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In recent years, the number of children diagnosed with mental health issues has grown. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently declared a national emergency in child and adolescent health. Much research has been done to explain this mental health crisis in American youth. This study examines the relationship between household composition and mental illnesses in children. For this study, data from the National Survey of Children’s Health are used. The variables of anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems are used as the dependent variables from this dataset. The independent variable is represented by family structure, and five control variables will be …

The Relationship Of Cognitive Load And Motivation As A Predictor Of Persistence In Accelerated Online Asynchronous Courses, Alan Wesley Kinsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

With the increase in online course enrollments each year, there is a continued examination of online course persistence, particularly in accelerated online courses. This examination of online course persistence has typically examined individual learner factors as contributors to persistence. However, research examining the institutional and pedagogical factors of persistence can continue to further understanding what factors lead to learner persistence decisions. The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study is to examine to what extent, if any, community college learners’ perceived online course cognitive load and motivation predict persistence in an accelerated online course. The theoretical framework for this study …

(Re)Defining Our Stories: A Narrative Study Of Black Women’S Experiences Of Mental Health And Spiritual Healing, Chanda Michelle Lee Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The unique healing and coping perspectives of Black women that have been silenced and traditionally left out of education and mental health offer diverse, unique, and critical understanding of healing and mental health that has not been considered in the past. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of Black women’s mental health and methods of spiritual healing from intersecting oppressions. The research questions that guided this study were centered on identifying how Black women understand and narrate their experiences of mental health, the role of misrepresentations on Black women’s mental health, and the methods of …

Enhanced Dopamine Autoreceptor Functioning During Blockade Of Dopamine Transporters, Rachel Pace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Dopamine autoreceptors (DARs) and dopamine transporters (DATs) influence dopamine transmission in the brain's mesolimbic pathway. Prior studies have focused on how activation of DARs influences trafficking of DATs, but how DATs influence DARs remains unclear. Male and female C57BL/6J mice received daily injections of either cocaine (DAT blocker) or saline for seven days then underwent stereotaxic surgery to obtain fixed potential amperometric recordings of DAR-mediated dopamine release. All mice received a mid-surgery injection of cocaine, and DAR-mediated dopamine release was assessed once more during maximal DAT blockade. The current study found that DAR functionality was increased during peak cocaine effects, …

Implementation And Anaylsis Of Fresnel Biprism-Based Digital Holographic Microscopes, Charity Hayes Rounds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) provides Quantitative phase images (QPI) significant when imaging transparent (e.g., biological) samples. This method of imagining requires no damage to the sample due to toxic, chemical staining, leading to a non-invasive and label-free technique. Common-path DHM systems, which are based on self interference, are usually more robust than double-path DHM systems (based on Mach-Zehnder and Michelson configurations), being less exposed to external fluctuations. Common-path DHM systems usually require fewer optical elements which reduce the cost of the system. In this work, a 3D-printed common-path DHM system using a Fresnel biprism has been design and evaluated using …

A Tale Of Four Departments: Interdisciplinary Faculty Learning Communities Informing Mathematics Education, Bryan D. Poole, Caroline Maher-Boulis, John Hearn, Jason Robinson, Patricia Mcclung, Amanda Jones

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

As a result of the Curriculum Foundations Project and the SUMMIT-P consortium, faculty from four different departments at Lee University created a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) with the goal of improving students’ attitudes toward undergraduate mathematics courses, including students’ perception of the utility of mathematics in their lives and the feelings of anxiety that they experience in these courses. The interdisciplinary collaborations resulted in introducing novel activities and manipulatives in various mathematics courses (Introduction to Statistics, Concepts of Mathematics I and II, and Algebra for Calculus). This paper first describes the efforts of creating the inter-departmental FLC. Second, it discusses …

Nonparent-Friendly Work Climate & Parental Role Value: An Updated Approach To Understanding Nonparent Work Experiences, Andrew Lutz

Wayne State University Dissertations

First, the present study entails a theoretically guided examination of relationships between nonparent-friendly organizational climate (NPFC) and important outcomes among nonparent workers. Second, the present study explores the role of social-identity theory in understanding nonparent work experiences by examining and comparing the function (i.e., moderation effect sizes) of parental role values and parental expectations (i.e., childfree status) on relationships between NPFC and outcomes including affective commitment. Third, the present study compares the relevance of NPFC and singles-friendly culture in the prediction of outcomes among nonparent workers. Lastly, the present study examines the potential role of intersectionality of nonparental role and …

Influencing Iot Device User Privacy Behaviors: An Empirical Study, Maria Chaparro Osman, Tricia Prior, Summer Rebensky, Andrew Nakushian, Meredith Carroll

Aeronautics Faculty Publications

The prevalence of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is increasing in both volume and variety (Fagan, Megas, Scarfone, & Smith, 2019). Therefore, ensuring users take appropriate measures to protect their privacy is important to guarantee their safety expectations are met. Unfortunately, device users are generally unaware of how devices work and therefore how to properly set up their device’s privacy features (Olmstead & Smith, 2017). The present study evaluated two interventions designed to address these needs. First, in an attempt to increase access and understanding of the terms and conditions by users, a Terms and Conditions Guru was designed that …

An Approach For Efficient Robust Adversarial Training In Deep Neural Networks, Cesar Zalzalah

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

With advancements in computer hardware, deep neural networks outperform other methods for many applications, such as image and voice recognition. Unfortunately, existing deep neural networks are fragile at test time against adversarial examples, which are intentionally calculated perturbations that cause a neural network to misclassify the correct input label. This vulnerability makes the use of neural networks risky, especially in critical applications. Extensive prior research studies to build a robust neural network using diverse approaches have been proposed to tackle this problem, including customized models and their parameters, input pre-processing to detect and remove adversarial perturbations, blocking the adversarial input, …

Perceptions Of Somali Parents Regarding The Impact Of The Parent Academy Program On Their School Engagement Capacity, Abdisalam A. Adam

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Somali parents about the Parent Academy program in Saint Paul Schools and whether it impacted their school engagement capacity. The research was a qualitative phenomenological study. The research established a common definition of parent engagement as an intentional active work parents and schools undertake together to support student achievement. The research methodology involved data collection through pre/post-survey questionnaires and semi-structured focus group discussions. The data was then analyzed with a combination of labeling, sorting, and coding of the main themes. The study findings were narrowed down to three main …

The Role Of Professional Development In Effective Standards Implementation: Developing Comprehensive Implementation Supports For The 2020 Minnesota Ela Standards, Jacob Daniel Seuntjens

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This application thesis explores the role of professional development in effective standards implementation. Applying themes in the research on standards implementation and professional development, a continuum of support was created to support the implementation of the revised 2020 Minnesota English Language Arts standards. In the review, the research themes impacting standards implementation professional development were identified, including teacher perception and attitudes, professional development design, and effectiveness of implementation. Within these themes, elements of effective professional development were used to create a menu of four main supports to educators including informational webinars, three standards implementation sessions, a resource hub, and ongoing …

"Adapt Or Die": How Young Millennials Are Surviving The Threat Of Ontological Insecurity, Nathalie Marx

Scripps Senior Theses

Postmodernity has been dictated by a thirst for advancement, efficiency, and discovery. It has also created unimaginable risk: threats of nuclear war, frightening climate events, unreliable economic systems. This thesis investigates the tension between external risks, threat of future instability, and individual action and resistance. Through an analysis of twelve in-depth interviews with young millennials, I suggest that through perceived “zones of security,” individuals develop cognitive schemata to calculate the probability of their own, and others’, ontological continuity. This paper contributes to the scarce collection of sociological literature that represents the modern, intersecting crises which might contribute to a culture …

What We Are Owed: The Possibilities Of A Civil Law Response To Sexual Injuries, Nathalie Marx

Scripps Senior Theses

Drawing from philosophical, feminist, and legal frameworks, this thesis aims to reconceptualize our understanding of sexual violations. I suggest that rape and other sexual violations produce injuries unique from other forms of physical violence that must be addressed as an extension of a culture which objectifies, restricts the agency of, and shames women. It is argued that through the ability for survivors to bring a civil claim of negligence against their perpetrators following a sexual injury, pathways for restorative healing and cultural transformation are opened, and a more responsive legal standard for fault is created. This paper responds to theories …

Understanding Caribou Population Cycles, Jack R. St. John

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The complex population dynamics of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) were studied to determine the patterns of their population cycles and the processes driving them. It is well established, via previous archaeological research and Indigenous knowledge, that large migrating caribou herds found in and around the tundra at northern latitudes experience population boom and busts roughly every several decades. However, the processes driving the dynamics of these cycles are relatively unknown, which makes managing caribou herds for recreational and subsistence harvests difficult. It has been hypothesized that a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors shape these cycles, with density-dependence, predation, …

The Ecological Consequences Of Horizontally Transferred Nitrogen Fixation Genes In Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris Marina, Jacob J. Baroch

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Relating Habitat Use To Survival Of Oncorhynchus In Rock Creek And The Clark Fork River, Brett D. Traxler

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi (WCT) is a native trout species of conservation concern in Montana. Both migratory and resident life histories can be found in cutthroat from the same natal stream. Habitat degradation and hybridization with rainbow trout O. mykiss (RBT) have resulted in few genetically pure, migratory WCT populations persisting in large river systems. These WCT conservation populations are occurring more and more as isolated, resident populations in headwater streams. Rock Creek in Western MT has retained a unique population of migratory, non-hybridized WCT, and is of special conservation and ecological interest. As we work to protect …

Adult Female Grizzly Bear (Ursus Arctos Horribillis) Abundance And Distribution In Montana Fish, Wildlife, And Parks Region 2, Emily E. Ruta

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Their status makes it crucial to understand the population status and trends of grizzly bears in Western Montana. The question we aimed to answer was: How many adult female grizzlies were there in Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) Region 2 during 2021? To answer this, we conducted an estimate of adult female grizzly bears in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2 in 2021 using photos and confirmed reports. Our study focused on females because they are readily identifiable and are an important indicator …

Quest Capstone 2022- Making Missoula's Communication More Effective, Lorelei Keith, Brooke Nicklay, Noah Gilder

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

The Atlantic Surfclam Fishery And Offshore Wind Energy Development: 1. Model Development And Verification, Daphne M. Munroe, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Andrew M. Scheld, Sarah Borsetti, Jennifer Beckensteiner, Eileen E. Hofmann

CCPO Publications

Competing pressures imposed by climate-related warming and offshore development have created a need for quantitative approaches that anticipate fisheries responses to these challenges. This study used a spatially explicit, ecological-economic agent-based model integrating dynamics associated with Atlantic surfclam stock biology, decision-making behavior of fishing vessel captains, and fishing fleet behavior to simulate stock biomass, and fishing vessel catch, effort and landings. Simulations were implemented using contemporary Atlantic surfclam stock distributions and characteristics of the surfclam fishing fleet. Simulated distribution of fishable surfclam biomass was determined by a spatially varying mortality rate, fishing by the fleet was controlled by captain decisions …

2021-2022 Georgia Southern University Women's Swimming And Diving Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Swimming Records

• 2021-22 Swimming and Diving Roster