Digital Commons Network^™

Expanding The Emotional Cascade Model Of Borderline Personality Disorder With Negative Thoughts, Thought Control Strategies, Suicide Attempts, And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Courtney K. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an impairing mental illness and has a core component of emotional dysregulation. Evidence suggests the emotional cascade model describes how this emotional dysregulation leads to engaging in risky and life-threatening behaviors, such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Specifically, this model describes rumination as a cognitive component that links the emotional and behavioral dysregulation. The current study aimed to expand the model by investigating how individuals with heightened BPD traits engage in NSSI and in cognitive strategies to cope with their negative affect. Specifically, it was investigated whether behaviors like suicide attempts and cognitions differentiated between those …

Understanding The Relationship Between Neonatal Dairy Calves’ Gut Microbiota And Incidence Of Diarrhea Using Full-Length 16s Rrna Gene Amplicon Sequencing And Machine Learning, Jalyn Grace Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for the development, growth, and health of dairy calves; however, diarrhea in pre-weaned calves is highly prevalent, difficult to treat, and causes detrimental effects to the dairy industry. This study characterized early gut microbiota using longread-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing and investigated its associations with calf diarrhea and colostrum microbiota. The full-length 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced on a Nanopore sequencer. We identified shared bacterial species in colostrum and calf feces, whose abundance in calf feces reduced with age. Diarrheic calves exhibited differing gut diversity before, during, and after diarrhea, and harbored …

Examining The Role Of Hypertension-Induced Mechanotransduction On Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells And Vascular Calcification, Jessica Moon

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number 1 killer. The cardiovascular system helps to pump blood throughout the human body and maintain a systemic balance. However, medial vascular calcification results when this system becomes off balance, such as in cases of high blood pressure leading to hypertension. Many factors are involved in this process, but the most important is the vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switch to osteoblast-like cells. When vascular smooth muscle cells are subject to mechanical stimuli, mechanotransduction occurs, causing an intracellular signaling cascade leading to a phenotypic switch associated with the Wnt signaling pathway and osteogenic markers. There …

The Impact Of Stimulus Set Size On Efficiency Of Sight Words Training, Junchen Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Reading skills are widely recognized as fundamental abilities, crucial not only for academic success but also for participation in social activities and navigating interpersonal challenges. In the early formation of reading abilities, mastery of sight words is instrumental in effectively enhancing reading proficiency, particularly for individuals lacking foundational reading skills. In educational practice, flashcard intervention stands as a widely utilized instructional approach. When Kodak et al. (2020) first introduced the concept of stimulus set size and its impact on the efficiency of skill acquisition interventions, they examined differences in training efficiency among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when exposed …

Source Contributions To Nekton Diet In An Oligohaline Ecosystem, Keith Antoine Chenier

Theses and Dissertations

West Back Bay in Biloxi, Mississippi is an oligohaline estuary. Salt-tolerant submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and saltmarsh grasses are found ubiquitously throughout this estuary with Vallisneria americana and Juncus roemerianus being the dominant SAV and saltmarsh vegetation. No studies have directly evaluated the role of these vegetation species in the food web. Carbon and sulfur stable isotope analyses were used to identify primary source contributions to fishes Menidia beryllina, Fundulus grandis, and Lepomis macrochirus. Isotopic niche overlap was compared between fishes and basal carbon sources bimonthly from May 2021 through May 2022. Fishes had greater than 50% isotopic niche overlap …

Characterizing Threats To Coastal Forests By A Native Defoliator And Non-Native Woodborer, Kristy Marie Mcandrew

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal forests are facing threats due to rising sea levels, increased storm severity, and land use change. These factors stress trees within coastal ecosystems, potentially predisposing them to attack by insects. In North America, two insect species of concern that pose threats to for coastal forest health are the native baldcypress leafroller (BCLR), Archips goyerana Kruse (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and non-native Japanese cedar longhorned beetle (JCLB), Callidiellum rufipenne Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Baldcypress leafroller has been reported from Mississippi and Louisiana, with defoliation only reported from the latter where increased flooding has stressed host trees. Through widespread trapping efforts, I found that …

Evaluating Depictions Of Representation: An Analysis Of Female Law Enforcement Officers In Prime-Time Fictional Entertainment Television, Linda Christine Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at uniformed female municipal police officers in fictional entertainment television shows that were centered around law enforcement. Building on previous research by Evans and Davies, this replication study uses a content analysis model to look at city level police, as opposed to the female federal agents from Booker’s 2018 study. This project builds on earlier work that looked at portrayals of female law enforcement officers in entertainment television and applies a framework of Representative Bureaucracy, Cultivation Theory, and Social Construction of Reality to find at their intersection, answers about the construction of the street-level bureaucrats who are …

Effects Of Acute Alcohol Treatment On Macrophage Polarization, Liyuan Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol is an underestimated toxicant, and binge drinking is increasing rapidly. Macrophages are important immune cells characterized by heterogeneity and can be polarized into pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phenotypes.To elucidate the effects of acute alcohol exposure on macrophage polarization and function, we established an optimized multi-parameter flow cytometry panel, assessed the impact of acute alcohol on macrophage polarization, developed macrophage polarization models, and proposed novel indices for a refined understanding of macrophage polarization status.First, we developed a flow cytometry panel quantifying eleven markers critical to macrophage polarization within the RAW 264.7 cell line. Inducing specific polarization states with IFN-γ ± LPS …

Evaluation Of Copper Sulfate Treatment To Preclude Hatching Of Trematode Eggs, With Notes On The Influence Of Temperature On Miracidial Development And Hatching Of Drepanocephalus Spathans., Logan R. S. Robison

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish aquaculture remains the largest sector of the U.S. aquaculture industry, grossing ~$447 million in sales in 2022. Producers are plagued by annual losses associated with the trematode Bolbophorus damnificus. Management focuses on controlling the snail intermediate hosts using copper sulfate. Herein, the effects of copper on larval stages of the trematode Drepanocephalus spathans and Austrodiplostomum compactum eggs were investigated. Results indicate copper treatments currently used to control snails are ineffective at precluding hatching of trematode eggs. Higher doses prevented trematode eggs from hatching, although these levels are likely impractical in a commercial setting. A second study investigated the effects …

Chitosan-Based Biomaterials For Treatment Of Acute And Chronic Osteomyelitis, Luke Jackson Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

Osteomyelitis or infection of bone is painful and difficult to treat due to limited tissue penetration by antibiotics. A resulting chronic infection has around a 30% chance of never resolving and resulting in amputation of the limb. The current standard of care for osteomyelitis is debridement and systemic antibiotics for two to six months, which can cause systemic toxicity and increase the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It is therefore necessary to develop a localized biodegradable treatment that can deliver high concentrations of antimicrobials while minimizing the risk of systemic side effects. The overall objective of this work was to develop, …

Investigating The Effects Of Multiple Concussions On Neuropsychological Performance, Michaela S. Patoilo

Theses and Dissertations

It has been well-established in the literature that a history of concussion makes individuals more susceptible to sustaining subsequent concussions. However, there is little neuropsychological evidence of how sustaining multiple lifetime concussions affects cognitive functioning in the general adult population. It is known from previous traumatic brain injury and single concussion literature that impairments in cognitive performance across domains often follow the initial injury, and exploratory studies have shown that multiple concussions can have a measurable impact on cognition. However, existing research is often limited by its reliance on archival data and abbreviated neuropsychological batteries. Therefore, the current study aimed …

Foodways And Socioeconomic Complexities In Early Iron Age Of Bara, Old Oyo, Nigeria (Ca. 490 B.C. To A.D. 40), Racheal Bolakale Oyundoyin

Theses and Dissertations

The Early Iron Age period has been underexplored in the archaeology of West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Also, there is a lack of research and knowledge on organic residue analysis in Nigeria, particularly in the southwestern region of the country, despite the fact that other studies on archaeobotany and paleoenvironmental studies are well established. To address this gap, lipid analysis was conducted on 10 vessels from the Early Iron Age (490 B.C. to A.D. 40) site BSM6 in Bara, Old Oyo, Nigeria. The analysis revealed the plant and animal materials consumed by the Early Iron Age community. These findings provide vital …

Polyaniline Analogs Polymers And Nanocomposites Coating For Corrosion Protection Applications, Raymond Femi Awoyemi

Theses and Dissertations

The economic impact of metallic corrosion on global infrastructure, spanning pipeline networks, bridges, refineries, and automobiles, is considerable. In 2013, it accounted for 3.4% of the global GDP, totaling US$ 2.5 trillion. Organic coatings have gained significance as a prominent strategy to address this widespread issue. Polyaniline (PANI), a conducting polymer, has long been recognized as an effective anti-corrosion coating. This study explores the potential of polyaniline analogs and their nanocomposites as candidates for protective organic coatings in corrosion control applications. Initially, the investigation focuses on conducting polymers with side chains comprising long, branched alkyl groups as potential corrosion suppression …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Behavioral Problems, And The Role Of Positive Childhood Experiences, Scout Savoy

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that individuals experience in childhood that have been linked to problems with physical and mental health in adulthood (Felitti et al., 1998). Previous research suggests that ACEs are prevalent in almost two-thirds of youth regardless of location across the world and that when an individual experiences three or more ACEs, their quality-adjusted life expectancy is found to decrease (Carlson et al., 2019; Jia & Lubetkin, 2020). Although ACEs have been associated with negative outcomes, not all individuals who experience trauma exhibit problematic behavior and are considered to have high levels of resilience (Agaiba …

Customers’ Advocacy For Environmentally Friendly Golf Courses: The Role Of Green Brand Image, Feelings Of Gratitude, And Relationship Quality, Taewoong Kyung

Theses and Dissertations

The close relationship between sports and the natural environment has been endangered by climate crisis and global warming (Breitbarth et al., 2023; Cunningham et al., 2020; McCullough, 2023; Orr & Inoue, 2019). For this reason, the development of golf courses has been accused of serious impacts on environmental destruction which causes climate change, despite the popularity of golf (Fouillouze et al, 2023). Golf courses have become quite far from the green image. Hence, golf courses began to voluntarily obtain environmental certification (e.g., Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, GEO certified) to protect nature and keep ecosystems sustainable (Gomis et al., 2018; Lee …

Efficacy Of Fungicides And Herbicides, Applications To Manage Southern Blight In Mississippi Peanut Fields, Subina Tripathi

Theses and Dissertations

Peanuts are an important legume crop cultivated in Mississippi with an annual production of 71 million kg per hectare. Southern blight (SB), caused by Athelia rolfsii, is a devastating disease resulting in significant losses to peanut production. Cultural practices may not adequately control diseases; therefore, the application of fungicides is important. Recently, the rapid growth of weed species has emphasized herbicide usage and studied weed interaction with SB. In this study, Athelia rolfsii isolates were collected from different counties to identify their biological characteristics and determine the in vitro efficacy in both 2022 and 2023. In the field trial, seven …

How Teacher-Student Relationships Affect Child And Adolescent Resilience, Tashina R. Vanderwoude

Theses and Dissertations

The significance of positive relationships, particularly between teachers and students, in fostering resilience among children is well-established. While various studies have delved into the dynamics and impacts of these relationships, there is a notable gap in research that directly assesses how teacher-student bonds influence students’ resilience levels. This study aims to bridge the gap by examining students’ perceptions of their relationships with teachers and how these perceptions correlate with their reported resilience levels. Participants (n = 59) included middle and high school students recruited from a school district in northeastern Mississippi. Participants completed surveys measuring their perception of their relationship …

Microgreen Production: Impact Of Sanitization Methods On Germination Percentage, Mold Suppression, Microbial Load, And Survival Of Salmonella Spp. On Allium Porrum Leek Seeds., Zonia Elizabeth Caro-Carvajal

Theses and Dissertations

Seed sanitization is crucial for microgreen production to prevent pathogens that compromise quality and safety. This study examined the effects of various sanitization methods on germination, mold suppression, microbial load, and Salmonella spp. survival on leek (Allium porrum L.) seeds. Seeds were treated with Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) at 0.27%, Hot Water (HW) at 85 ± 2°C, Tsunami® 100 (TS) at 0.04%, Vinegar (VN) at 1.1%, and Deionized Water (DI). Germination and mold percentages were recorded over 5 days. HW and HP treatments resulted in significantly higher germination rates (72% and 71.4%) compared to other treatments, with HW effectively preventing mold …

Dominance Analysis To Assess Solute Contributions To Multicomponent Phase Equilibria, Daoyuan Qian, Hannes Ausserwoger, Tomas Sneideris, Mina Farag, Rohit V Pappu, Tuomas P J Knowles

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Phase separation in aqueous solutions of macromolecules underlies the generation of biomolecular condensates in cells. Condensates are membraneless bodies, representing dense, macromolecule-rich phases that coexist with the dilute, macromolecule-deficient phases. In cells, condensates comprise hundreds of different macromolecular and small molecule solutes. How do different solutes contribute to the driving forces for phase separation? To answer this question, we introduce a formalism we term energy dominance analysis. This approach rests on analysis of shapes of the dilute phase boundaries, slopes of tie lines, and changes to dilute phase concentrations in response to perturbations of concentrations of different solutes. The framework …

Dual Role Of Neuroplastin In Pancreatic Β Cells: Regulating Insulin Secretion And Promoting Islet Inflammation, Rie Asada Kitamura, Devynn Hummel, Alessandro Ustione, David W. Piston, Fumihiko Urano

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Pediatric Glioma Immune Profiling Identifies Tim3 As A Therapeutic Target In Braf Fusion Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Shashwat Tripathi, Hinda Najem, Corey Dussold, Sebastian Pacheco, Ruochen Du, Moloud Sooreshjani, Lisa Hurley, James P Chandler, Roger Stupp, Adam M Sonabend, Craig M Horbinski, Rimas V Lukas, Joanne Xiu, Giselle Lopez, Theodore P Nicolaides, Valerie Brown, Nitin R Wadhwani, Sandi K Lam, Charles David James, Ganesh Rao, Maria G Castro, Amy B Heimberger, Michael Decuypere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite being the leading cause of cancer-related childhood mortality, pediatric gliomas have been relatively understudied, and the repurposing of immunotherapies has not been successful. Whole-transcriptome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and sequential multiplex immunofluorescence were used to identify an immunotherapeutic strategy that could be applied to multiple preclinical glioma models. MAPK-driven pediatric gliomas have a higher IFN signature relative to other molecular subgroups. Single-cell sequencing identified an activated and cytotoxic microglia (MG) population designated MG-Act in BRAF-fused, MAPK-activated pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but not in high-grade gliomas or normal brain. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) was expressed on MG-Act and …

Pediatric Glioma Immune Profiling Identifies Tim3 As A Therapeutic Target In Braf Fusion Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Shashwat Tripathi, Hinda Najem, Corey Dussold, Sebastian Pacheco, Ruochen Du, Moloud Sooreshjani, Lisa Hurley, James P Chandler, Roger Stupp, Adam M Sonabend, Craig M Horbinski, Rimas V Lukas, Joanne Xiu, Giselle Lopez, Theodore P Nicolaides, Valerie Brown, Nitin R Wadhwani, Sandi K Lam, Charles David James, Ganesh Rao, Maria G Castro, Amy B Heimberger, Michael Decuypere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite being the leading cause of cancer-related childhood mortality, pediatric gliomas have been relatively understudied, and the repurposing of immunotherapies has not been successful. Whole-transcriptome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and sequential multiplex immunofluorescence were used to identify an immunotherapeutic strategy that could be applied to multiple preclinical glioma models. MAPK-driven pediatric gliomas have a higher IFN signature relative to other molecular subgroups. Single-cell sequencing identified an activated and cytotoxic microglia (MG) population designated MG-Act in BRAF-fused, MAPK-activated pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but not in high-grade gliomas or normal brain. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) was expressed on MG-Act and …

An Integrated Structural Model Of The Dna Damage-Responsive H3k4me3 Binding Wdr76:Spin1 Complex With The Nucleosome, Xingyu Liu, Yixuan Xie, Benjamin A Garcia, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Serial capture affinity purification (SCAP) is a powerful method to isolate a specific protein complex. When combined with cross-linking mass spectrometry and computational approaches, one can build an integrated structural model of the isolated complex. Here, we applied SCAP to dissect a subpopulation of WDR76 in complex with SPIN1, a histone reader that recognizes trimethylated histone H3 lysine4 (H3K4me3). In contrast to a previous SCAP analysis of the SPIN1:SPINDOC complex, histones and the H3K4me3 mark were enriched with the WDR76:SPIN1 complex. Next, interaction network analysis of copurifying proteins and microscopy analysis revealed a potential role of the WDR76:SPIN1 complex in …

Rethinking Parental Rights: It’S Time To Move To Procedural Due Process, Michael Farris

Liberty University Law Review

Should substantive due process be replaced? Justice Clarence Thomas and others have recently reignited the debate surrounding substantive due process, causing advocates of parental rights to feel uneasy. They are concerned about suggestions to reverse certain Supreme Court decisions relying on substantive due process—like Justice Thomas’s suggestion in his concurrence in Dobbs v. Jackson—because parental rights cases have traditionally relied on substantive due process. Given the uncertainty arising from Justice Thomas’s disparagement of substantive due process, no one should assume that the outcome of a parental rights case will follow the normal ideological divide on the Supreme Court. Accordingly, …

The Bioremediation Effect Of Microalgae On Wastewater: A Green Technology Approach, Mohamed Ahmed Reda Hamed Dr, Marwa Abdelfattah Abdallah Dr

Journal of Engineering Research

The present study lays an emphasis on the microalgae-based for simultaneous wastewater bioremediation using Chlorella vulgaris and Micrococcus luteus mixed algal cultures to remove its constituent pollutants, amazing green technology guarantees benefits with the decrease in the formation of dangerous solid sludge. Ten days of fully monitoring laboratory experimental program were performed in batch cultures to investigate the effect of various dominant mixing ratios for attaining wastewater concentrations and different governing temperature ranges on the performance of microalgae treatment. The results revealed that there is a significant impact of both wastewater concentrations and temperature treatment conditions on the capability of …

Partial In-Vitro Dispersal Of S. Mutans Ua159 Biofilms By Silver-(I)Cyanoximate Compounds, Brendaliz Santiago Narvaez, Sarah Hameer, Jamie L. Perry, Tiffany Rojas, Laurel G. Habgood

Faculty Publications

Silver(I) cyanoximate compounds have antibacterial activity against the oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans, a resident of oral plaque biofilm. As oral biofilm strategies focus on the inhibition of attachment or physical removal of the existing microbes, we were interested in exploring the ability of six different silver(I) cyanoximate compounds to target and disperse a pre-existing biofilm. Here we report that these compounds were only able to partially disperse S. mutans biofilms as the compounds were more effective at inhibiting biofilm formation. None of the six compounds were able to outperform silver nitrate, a commonly used antibacterial in dentistry.

Awareness Of Nutrition's Impact On Mental Health And Ketogenic Diet’S Therapeutic Potential For Mental Illness And Other Chronic Disorders, Innocent Nsengiyumva

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mental health affects millions of people worldwide, and current pharmaceutical treatment approaches often lead to worse outcomes, weight gain, and increased cardiovascular risk. The ketogenic diet offers hope in the treatment of schizophrenia and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this project is to explore public awareness of nutritional psychiatry and the ketogenic diet’s clinical utility for various conditions including schizophrenia, mood disorders, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. Study participants (n=108) completed a 12-question survey about individual nutritional habits and current knowledge of KD. Responses were obtained from medical students, practicing healthcare professionals, college undergraduate students, and members of …

Factors That Influence Elementary School Teachers Who Refer Students To Special, La' Trina Dudley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an overrepresentation of African American students in special education classes; placing African Americans disproportionately in special education classes lowers their self-esteem and compromises their academic performance. This study aimed to increase understanding of the meaning-making processes elementary school general education teachers use to refer African American students for special education services. I used critical race theory (CRT) to support the study, which suggests that structural racism in schools harms African American students' self-esteem and academic achievement. Two research questions directed the study: What are the decision-making processes of elementary school teachers who refer African American students for special …

What Is The Best Fit For Electric Weed Control In Australia?, Miranda J. Slaven, Catherine Borger

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Electric weed control is a non-chemical weed management alternative that will apply to a range of agricultural systems. The current project assessed electric weed control via the continuous electrode-plant contact method (using a Zasso™ XPower).

A wide range of field trials in 2022 and 2023 investigated weed control efficiency, suitability of electric weed control for fence line control of glyphosate-resistant annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.), use for crop topping, fire risk, damage to the soil biota, or use for inter-row weed control in vineyards or lupin crops. Broadleaf weeds were controlled more effectively than grass weeds with electric weed …

Dobbs Was Wrong: The Liberty To Choose To Give Birth Should Be Federally Protected, Alysa J. Wiggins

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

No abstract provided.