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The Impact Of Age-Friendly Policy On New York State: How Executive Order-190 And Executive Order-23 Shape Community Development For All Ages, Trista Bercarich

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The demographic shift toward an aging population has created an urgent need for policies that promote inclusive, livable communities for all ages. This quantitative study examined New York State’s implementation of Age-Friendly policy through Executive Order 190 (2018) and Executive Order 23 (2022), which collectively advance the integration of health, accessibility and community participation across state and local systems. Guided by environmental gerontology and psychology, aging in place and successful aging frameworks, this research utilized an adapted version of the AARP Livable Communities Survey to assess residents’ perceptions of livability with the eight AARP domains. The cross-sectional online survey (n …

Novel Infection By Mucor Hiemalis Kills Caenorhabditis Hosts Through Intestinal Perforation, Jay Ni

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a popular model system to investigate cell biology and host-pathogen interactions. Presently, C. elegans is studied as a natural host of intracellular pathogens such as microsporidia and Orsay virus along with extracellular bacterial and fungal pathogens. The use of C. elegans as a model in host-pathogen research is limited by the number of naturally occurring pathogens to the organism. Through a sampling project to identify new pathogens of C. elegans, we identified the fungus Mucor hiemalis as a pathogen of Caenorhabditis species. We observed the fungus in the intestinal lumen of wild-caught …

Silver Nanoparticles And Vanillin Can Inhibit Collagenase Activities Of Serratia Marcescens, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative, disease-causing agent that belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. This rod-shaped microbe causes many infectious diseases such as urinary and respiratory infections, wound infections, and peritonitis, which can result in fatal bacteremia. Protease is a virulence factor of S. marcescens that enhances its pathogenicity by breaking down proteins via cleavage of peptide bonds. The purpose of this research is to identify testing agents that reduce the protease mediated pathogenicity of S. marcescens

An Analysis Of Diabetes Associated With Appl1 Variants D94n And R46w, Elaine Vanterpool, Gaielle Price

Student Posters

Diabetes is a long-term metabolic illness with high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Over time, this condition can cause major harm to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Around 830 million people in the world with diabetes reside in low- and middle-income environments (World Health Organization). This study aims to identify and assess the pathogenicity of APPL1 variants associated with diabetes.

Implications Of Pik3ca On Breast And Ovarian Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Kaylani Krigger

Student Posters

Breast and ovarian cancer are two of the most prevalent diseases affecting women. Ovarian cancer is a disease defined by the presence of tumors in the ovaries. Breast cancer is the uncontrollable cell growth of breast tissue leading to tumor formation. BRCA 1/2, PALB2, TP53, and PTEN are common gene mutations found present in breast and ovarian cancer. The PIK3CA gene mutation is less frequent, however, its mutations are almost exclusively tied to breast and ovarian cancer. Forty percent (40%) of breast cancers and thirty percent (30%) of ovarian cancers have a mutation in the PIK3CA/AKT signaling pathway (Chen et …

Improving Biocompatibility And Structural Integrity Of Decellularized Biomaterials, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

Tissue engineering is a revolutionary approach to regenerative medicine. Within the field of tissue engineering, biomaterials such as the great saphenous vein or synthetic materials such as PET, are used in tissue generation for grafts and wound healing in many other uses. This is promising and has the potential to save many lives, but many glaring issues prevent the use of these scaffolds in a clinical setting. Some of these include body rejection, lack of hemocompatibility, and weak structural integrity.

The Role Of Nkx2-5 Variants Associated With Congenital Heart Disease, Elaine Vanterpool, Jayda Russell

Student Posters

About 1% of live births worldwide are affected by congenital heart disease (CHD), a group of structural heart defects that exist from birth. Finding and evaluating the effects of NKX2-5 variations linked to CHD is the goal of this study. From basic heart defects like atrial septal defects (ASD) to more intricate malformations, congenital heart disease (CHD) encompasses a variety of structural heart abnormalities. Its development is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. NKX2-5 is a protein coding gene that encodes a home box- containing a transcription factor. This gene plays a role in the early development of the …

The Analysis Of Variants Of The Atm Gene In Breast Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Kyah Miller

Student Posters

Breast Cancer is defined as abnormal cell growth within the breast tissue, resulting in a tumor. Those affected by this disease often experience lumping in the breasts, changes in breast size and shape, nipple retraction, skin dimpling, and redness and irritation of the breast. This disease most commonly affects women, but men can be affected as well. Although subject to variation due to race and ethnicity, approximately 13% of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout their lifetime. With further study and new treatment methods, the mortality rate is steadily decreasing. The purpose of this research is to analyze …

An Electrochemical Sensor For Tenofovir Monitoring, Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Effective monitoring of tenofovir (TFV) adherence is critical for ensuring the success of antiretroviral therapies in preventing and managing HIV, as nonadherence can lead to treatment failure and the development of drug-resistant strains. In this study, a highly sensitive and selective novel biomimetic sensor for TFV determination is developed utilizing laser-scribed graphene (LSG) modified with gold spiky nanostructures (AuNSp) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). The MIP layer is engineered with precise control to maximize molecular specificity for TFV. Electrochemical characterization demonstrates excellent performance, including the broadest linear detection range (10 nM to 200 μM) reported to date with a sensitivity …

Analysis Of Wwox Gene Associated With Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Jovaughn Redley

Student Posters

Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cell growth and uncontrollable spread throughout one’s body. According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 5 people develop cancer: 1 in 9 in males and 1 in 12 in females (WHO). WWOX was the gene studied, and it has been reported to be involved in cancer progression. Specifically with Gastric cancer, an increase in invasion and migration of Gastric Cancer cells was caused by the WWOX gene. Simple ClinVar was used to identify WWOX as a gene and the three missense variants associated with the WWOX gene; Pro47Thr, Asp58Asn, and His46Tyr. …

An Analysis Of Pdgfra Variants Associated With Fibroids, Elaine Vanterpool, Nadja Hunt

Student Posters

Originally research was to be conducted on the effects of gene mutations associated with endometriosis, but there was not a substantial amount of information in the database for an adequate study. Instead, research was done on the genes associated with Fibroids. Fibroids are commonly characterized as benign tumors that typically form in the wall of the uterus. Fibroid symptoms usually include heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, and pelvic pain. In some cases, there are no symptoms. Statistically, fibroids affect 20–30% of women ages 30–50. This study’s purpose is to identify and analyze the pathogenicity of PDGFRA (platelet-derived growth factor receptor …

January 2025 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Sptiotemporal Changes In Aboveground Biomass, Canopy Cover And Livestock Movements Across Mongolia Grasslands, Abhinav Chandel

Dissertations and Theses

This study presents an integrated geospatial framework for understanding grassland productivity dynamics and livestock movement behavior across the Mongolian steppe. Mongolia’s grasslands constitute one of the world’s largest pastoral ecosystems, yet they face increasing vulnerability due to climate variability, overgrazing, and land degradation. To quantify vegetation change and grazing responses, this research combines multi-decadal remote sensing with high-frequency GPS-based livestock movement tracking. Using Landsat imagery from 1990 to 2023, Aboveground Biomass (AGB) and Canopy Cover (CC) were estimated through Random Forest regression models integrating key spectral vegetation indices (e.g., NDVI, OSAVI, CTVI, TNDVI, IPVI) and climatic predictors such as summer …

Estimating The Amount Of Carbon Dioxide Gas Removed From The Atmosphere By The Bryant Park Tree Population, Edimarlyn Gonzalez

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Impact Of Pfas Contamination On Mental Health, Jihyun Kim

Open Educational Resources

To explore the intersection of environmental injustice, racial disparities, and public health through an examination of PFAS contamination in drinking water and its impact on communities of color. This study will address environmental, social, and health implications of PFAS exposure, with a specific emphasis on promoting equity and advocating for policy changes to rectify systemic inequalities.

An Introduction To Cultural Anthropology: What Does Anthropology Offer The Current World?, Kristina Baines, Victoria Costa, Baird Campbell

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resource (OER) is designed to be used as a textbook to accompany an introductory course in Cultural Anthropology. The chapters can, however, stand alone or be expanded and be used in courses with units on Medical Anthropology, Ethnographic Methods, Race and Gender Studies, Climate and Environmental Anthropology and others. Please feel free to use all or part of the textbook and supplemental materials provided. This resource is published under a creative commons license. Use and modify as you wish for non-commercial use only with attribution to Cool Anthropology.

Sexual Education, Sexual Self-Concept, And Behavior Of Adolescents: A Retrospective Study, Rachel Albanese

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adolescence is a period within the lifespan of a human where sexuality is a key component of development; therefore, it is appropriate that adolescents are provided sexual education during this time. There continues to be a debate regarding sexual education; while some studies consider specific ways to provide sexual education, they do not compare the effect of differing sexual education (i.e., how and who provided sexual education) or lack of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual selfconcept during adolescence. This study retrospectively examined the impact of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual self-concept. It also explored …

Least Tern Abundance, Nesting Productivity, And Dispersal Between Nesting And On- And Off-River Foraging Sites In The Missouri National Recreational River, Kyle Jorgensen

Dissertations and Theses

The Interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos) has experienced significant conservation success, culminating in its removal from the federal endangered species list in 2021. However, the species remains state-endangered in South Dakota, and knowledge gaps persist regarding its foraging ecology and population dynamics along the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR). This study aimed to address these gaps by quantifying Least Tern abundance, nesting productivity, and movement patterns between nesting and foraging sites during the 2024 and 2025 breeding seasons. We conducted surveys of Least Terns on riverine sandbars and off-river wetlands within a 30-km radius of the MNRR, employing both …

“We All Agree That The Best Thing To Do Is Be Kind To Ourselves”: Emotionally Reflexive Reorientations Of Childcare During The Covid Pandemic, Mary Holmes

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

In the face of a crisis like COVID-19, people in the UK mused on how they felt and how to care, including how to care for children. This musing can be understood as emotional reflexivity: which means reflecting on how to feel and how to use those reflections in our emotional practices. I illustrate emotional reflexivity at work in 47 volunteer writers’ responses to the Mass Observation Project’s special COVID directive in March 2020. It asked the writers to share their experiences as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded. They did their emotional reflexivity with other people and sometimes reoriented caring for …

Mobility-Stress Dynamics: What Audit Scores Can Tell Us About Mobility Patterns And Stress, Mason Hatwan

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation, leveraging secondary data from the Colorado EMA Project, investigates the dynamic relationships between mobility patterns, stress, and alcohol-related negative consequences among undergraduate college students (N=182, Mage 18.47). Grounded in Dynamic Systems Theory (DST), the study explores daily variations in mobility and stress using a Dynamic Structural Equation Model (DSEM). The analysis aims to understand how these variables interact within and between individuals, focusing on the role of baseline alcohol-related negative consequences as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Findings reveal a significant autoregressive effect for stress, indicating that higher stress on one day predicts higher …

Understanding Motivations For Graduate Assistant Unionization At A Large, Private, Elite Research University In The Midwest, Cynthia Shannon-Hutchison

Dissertations of Practice

The right of graduate student workers to unionize at private universities within the United States was reconfirmed in 2021 after years of uncertainty. The focus of this study was to understand specific challenges and desires, beyond wages and benefits, that drove students at a large private research university to organize for collective bargaining. This instrumental case study used constructivist grounded theory methodology to explore the motivations and issues that prompted students to unionize at a large, private, elite research university in the Midwest of the United States. The study provides insights into specific issues that were the platform for organizing, …

A Survey On Non-Invasive Computing: Neurological-Hematological Framework For Early Infection And Stroke Detection With Future Directions, Masud Rabbani, Nafi Us Sabbir Sabith, Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed

Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

This paper introduces a novel, non-invasive tool for building a holistic neurological-hematological diagnostic framework that can be used for early detection of infection and stroke. We proposed and developed a multimodal sensing approach, where an ear canal–based acoustic system can be used to identify brain activities and a smartphone-based facial video analysis platform to estimate white blood cell (WBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Our ear-based EEG methodology achieved a remarkable 96% classification accuracy from the low-frequency level (>30hz), with regression models with mean R2 scores above 0.96 across all EEG bands. For hematological diagnostics, the system predicted WBC counts …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Kinley Mae Pope

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Accurate Body Weight Class Prediction From Mirna And Gene Expression In Blood And Saliva Samples, Kimberly Lettner

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

miRNA interference on protein abundance related to glucose uptake and lipid production has been evaluated in biomedical research and linked to metabolic disorders like severe obesity. The direct regulation of protein abundance caused by miRNAs on a person’s metabolism can lead to an increased weight and overall size. Body size, measured by BMI, provides additional physical descriptions that can be combined with hair color, eye color, age, and skin pigment to aid investigations of unidentified remains or unknown suspects not found in a database. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the miRNA expression of target biomarkers in dried …

Nuclear Disarmament And The Erosion Of Deterrence Effectiveness Case Study: Ukraine, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The invasion of Ukraine demonstrates an interesting security paradox between nuclear disarmament norms, territorial integrity and deterrence in a self-help unpredictable international environment. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons under the Budapest Memorandum in order to receive security guarantees resulting in brutal betrayal by nuclear armed Russia. The research investigates how Russia maintains an effective nuclear deterrence capability against other nuclear powers in the region through threats despite challenges on the battlefield. Through the combination of military resistance, strategic partnerships and robust combat methods, Ukraine has established an unmatched ability to deter a nuclear-armed enemy - Russia. This research ponders …

The Impact Of Teaching Students Stress And Trauma Alleviation Techniques For Coping With Distressing Materials In First-Year Composition, Faye Monique Scott

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Trauma can impact the way a student learns and focuses. In higher education, without instructors realizing it, classes may retraumatize or trigger students with the texts, media, or materials utilized. Research suggests that little attention is given to helping students deal with potentially traumatizing course materials and students inside the classrooms may be impacted by trauma whether the teacher is aware or not. This dissertation examined the effects of teaching students specific coping strategies—Trigger Warnings (TWs) and Stress and Trauma Alleviation Techniques (STATs) —while reading, writing, and reflecting on possibly distressing materials in First-Year Composition courses through a mixed methods …

Applications Of Bayesian Functional Data Analysis, Zhexuan Yang

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Functional Data Analysis (FDA) is a statistical approach used to analyze data that vary across a domain, such as curves or functions. This dissertation investigates Bayesian Functional Data Analysis (BFDA) through three applications. First, we explore the use of BFDA in outcome-dependent follow-up (ODFL) studies. After conducting simulation studies, we apply our model to cardiotoxicity and kidney function data. Second, we extend BFDA to genetic data by modeling DNA methylation levels with a three-parameter skew-normal distribution and an alpha-skew generalized normal distribution. This study also introduces a novel Multistage Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MMCMC) method with the goal of identifying …

Functional Characterization Of The Hdt5 Gene In Aspergillus Flavus Morphogenesis, Mycotoxin Production, And Fungal Phytopathogenicity, Brenda Omburo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study aimed at elucidating the role of hdt5 in fungal morphology, mycotoxin production and in plant virulence in Aspergillus flavus. Currently, methodologies to prevent the negative impact of A. flavus are insufficient. It is known that expression of the hdt5 gene is dependent on hbx1, a master regulatory gene that affects expression of hundreds of genes in the A. flavus genome, controlling both development and secondary metabolism. However, while the aflatoxin gene cluster has been elucidated, the genetic regulatory mechanisms controlled by hdt5 are not fully understood. For this study, therefore, a complete strain set composed of a …

An Exploration Of Social Isolation’S Effects On The Gastrointestinal And Metabolic Health Of A Social Mammal, Daniel Adam Nuccio

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Human health can be impacted considerably by subjective feelings of loneliness, resulting in mental illness and the dysregulation of normal cardiovascular, immune and endocrine functioning. This occurs because social isolation serves as a form of chronic stress for social mammals, spurring physiological responses akin to those associated with more standard forms of stress. On account of their highly social nature, prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) subsequently have become one of the model organisms of choice for investigating the effects of social isolation on the development of disease in social mammals.

This dissertation seeks to expand the scientific community’s understanding of the …

Occupational Choice And Social Mobility, Samuel Solomon

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

This dissertation examines how individuals make occupational choices and how that shapes economic success, social mobility, and the labor market.

The first chapter uses population-wide administrative data from Finland to examine the underlying drivers and aggregate implications of occupational following—when children enter into their parent’s occupation—for the labor market, social mobility, and total output. I first document that occupational following is a widespread feature of the labor market. Second, I show that pre-labor market multidimensional skills and educational choice statistically explain 19% of following among all 43 two-digit occupations, and 53% among white collar ones. Third, I use an instrumental …