Digital Commons Network^™

Extraction, Preparation, And Characterization Of Alginate Biopolymer Films From Natural Seaweed, David Ly

Master's Theses

This study evaluates the use of naturally harvested seaweed from the Monterey Bay to produce a biodegradable film for food packaging applications. Two different film-forming methods were evaluated: solution casting and compression molding. The solution casting method using an alginate biopolymer produced the most consistent results. The seaweed biopolymer was extracted from the seaweed biomass using a modified method, resulting in a yield of 11-25 %. The highest yield was observed when using the lowest biomass concentration of 10 wt. %. The extracted alginate was then cast into films at different levels of glycerol plasticization (15-35 wt.%). The addition of …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of First-Year Christian Student Success In Theological Studies During The Pandemic, Philip Lamar Nash

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the journeys of first-year undergraduate theological students during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to figure out what, if anything, aided the students in completing their coursework with passing grades. COVID-19 has impacted organizations and individuals around the world, prompting changes to ensure that things kept moving forward safely. The research was conducted to discover what, if anything, brought about achievement for students in a COVID-19 collegiate environment. The research was guided through a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative approach by conducting interviews with students about their first year in a residential secondary educational setting that moved to being online because …

Exploring Sexual- And Gender-Minority Adolescent's Use Of Online Spaces As A Potential Socio-Ecological Protective Factor, Courtney Hassan

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of online resources for support in SGM youth with the goal of informing the potential use of these supports as tools for suicide prevention in this population. Six students from a high school in a large school district in Southern New Hampshire who identify as LGBTQ+ participated in a focus group exploring what their lived experiences are in the context of using online spaces for support, as presented using a socio-ecological model. Qualitative data from the focus group session was analyzed using thematic analysis and eight themes emerged from the …

School Psychological Practices Within Personality Assessment Of Non-Binary Youth, Christian Fary

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The following analysis provides the school psychology community with a discussion pertaining to the assessment of personality, particularly with Gender Non-Conforming and Non-Binary students. This student population faces greater mental health concerns and faces a higher amount of discrimination. Emerging research has shown that this population faces a higher risk for developing both mood disorders and harmful behaviors to themselves. The use of personality assessments provides practitioners with a vast look into many facets of mood, personality, and behavior. These measures can look deeper into behavior, especially internalizing behaviors, which can be useful for students with depression and other mood …

Investigating Help-Seeking Behaviors Of Adult Children With Parents With Mental Health Conditions, Logan Dasher

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study intended to address the topic of mental health and help-seeking behaviors in college-aged children of a parent with a mental health condition. For this study a locally developed survey was administered on three different days with six different sessions that participants were able to sign up for. Participants were all volunteers from a preexisting subject pool at one southeastern public university who received course credit for participating. In total, 34 college-aged children signed up and completed the entirety of the survey. From their response, descriptive statistics and frequency analysis were run and open-ended qualitative questions were explored for …

Understanding The Role Of Malondialdehyde-Acetaldehyde Adducts (Maa) In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Megan L. Otte

Theses & Dissertations

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) comprises autoimmune diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that greatly reduce the quality of life of patients and currently afflict up to 200 individuals per 100,000 Americans. Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD), the two principal diseases comprising IBD, share symptoms and risk factors, however, precise etiology remains unclear. The diagnostics and clinical management of IBD have progressed greatly in recent years especially due to immune modulating therapies and biologics, however, IBD and its specific forms are still difficult to diagnose and cannot be cured with current treatments. The overarching mechanisms of IBD pathogenesis are known …

Investigation Of Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (Nades) For Extraction Of Bioactive Compounds From Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit, Melek Zor

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this study, for the extraction of polyphenolic compounds found in high amounts in aronia fruit, three different extraction methods (classical, ultrasound, ultrasonic), three different traditional solvents (water, ethanol, acidified 80% methanol) as well as five different natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were used. Color indices as L*, a*, b*, C* and H° values, total phenolic, total flavonoid, total monomeric anthocyanin, total antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays) and phenolic compounds of aronia fruit extracts were analyzed. There were significant differences in the measured parameters depending on the extraction method and solvent type. Extracts in ultrasound extraction and classical …

Biostimulant-Mediated Cellular Repair By Improving Antioxidant Dynamics And Osmoregulation Against Metal Stress In Canola, Hina Kanwal, Iram Shoaib, Ali Noman, Muhammad Faisal Maqsood, Rashda Naheed, Omar Mahmoud Alzoubi, Mohamed Hashem, Rehab Elnour, Fahad Mohammed Alzuaibr, Noreen Khalid, Muhammad Kashif Irshad, Muhammad Aqeel

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Global crop yield and growth are severely impacted by hazardous heavy metal contamination of the soil and water. This study examined the effects on a range of physiological, biochemical, and morphological parameters of two canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars, Punjab (V1) and Super (V2), when they were subjected to three different levels of cadmium (Cd) stress (0, 1.5, and 2.25 mM) and foliar application of biostimulant, i.e., Moringa leaf extract (MLE). Plants in V1 (Punjab) collect more Cd in both their aerial and subterranean sections than in V2 (Super).The morphological and physiological indicators showed a substantial (p < 0.05) deterioration as a result of the Cd buildup. Ascorbic acid and malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were considerably (p < 0.05) elevated under Cd stress. V1 has considerably higher H2O2 values than Super (V2), which suggests that oxidative stress levels there are higher. Additionally, the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and peroxidase (65 and 40%, respectively), were reduced by a higher concentration of Cd (2.25 mM). V2 demonstrated stronger antioxidant defence mechanisms than V1, as seen by a 115% rise in POD activity, a 70% increase in shoot fresh weight, and a 49% increase in amino acids following MLE spray. Despite this, the V2 was still able to withstand Cd. Under Cd stress, foliar treatment of MLE increased both kinds' yield, growth, biochemical, and physiological characteristics. The findings indicated that applying MLE foliar spray can improve crop productivity and lessen the impacts of metals on B. napus L.

The Impact Of “Multiple Looks” When Performing Survival Analysis, Quentin Eloise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Survival analysis is a critical statistical method in healthcare to assess patient treatment effects and disease progression. Another critical area of statistical methodology in health care is the practice of adaptive designs. Adaptive designs allow for interim analyses to take place during a study and various decisions and actions can take place more ethically. This is beneficial for studies that take multiple years to complete and allows administrators and healthcare providers to make sound decisions as early as possible. A challenging aspect of adaptive designs is that the number of interim analyses is known in advance which is applicable in …

Emotional Response In Working Memory Of Individuals With Latent Toxoplasmosis, Antonella Quimbayo

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent parasite that infects about 30% of the world population. House cats and other felids serve as definitive hosts and acquire Toxoplasma by consuming infected prey, which are intermediate hosts. This includes rats and avians, but also large mammals such as wolves and deer. Toxoplasma gondii is known to manipulate prey behavior to enhance its transmission. For example, infected rodents demonstrates attraction to and curiosity around cat urine. Wolves infected with Toxoplasma were 11 times more likely to disperse from their pack and start a new pack. The manipulation of intermediate host behavior observed in rodents …

August 9, 2024 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Inactivated Rabies-Based Lassa Fever Virus Vaccine Candidate Lassarab Protects Nonhuman Primates From Lethal Disease, Gabrielle Scher, Catherine Yankowski, Drishya Kurup, Nicole Josleyn, Eric Wilkinson, Jay Wells, Jesse Steffens, Ginger Lynn, Sean Vantongeren, Xiankun Zeng, Nancy Twenhafel, Kathleen Cashman, Matthias Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Lassa fever virus (LASV), a member of the Arenavirus family, is the etiological agent of Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease that causes considerable morbidity and mortality in the endemic areas of West Africa. LASV is a rodent-borne CDC Tier One biological threat agent and is on the World Health Organization's (WHO) Priority Pathogen list. Currently, no FDA-licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics are available. Here, we describe the efficacy of a deactivated rabies virus (RABV)-based vaccine encoding the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of LASV (LASSARAB). Nonhuman primates (NHPs) were administered a two-dose regimen of LASSARAB or an irrelevant RABV-based vaccine to …

Elucidating The First Protective Mutation From Inherited Alzheimer’S Disease - Apolipoprotein E3 Christchurch (Apoe3ch) And Insights Into Apoe Ligand-Receptor Interactions, Yun Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the major cause of dementia. An inherited form of AD (dominant inherited AD) starts much earlier in life, often in the fourth and fifth decade. A recent case report described an individual who was resistant to dominantly inherited AD caused by a PSEN1-E280A mutation and was a homozygous carrier of the APOE3 Christchurch (APOE3ch) variant. A clear separation between amyloid and tau pathology occurred in this unique AD case. However, whether APOE3ch contributed to the protective effect remains unclear. In this thesis, we generated a humanized APOE3ch knock-in mouse and crossed it to an amyloid-β (Aβ) …

Rna Secondary Structures: Structure-Function Studies In Viral And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Caylee Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The studies within this dissertation highlight the importance of RNA structure and function, highlighting potential mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and hallmarks of ALS. Specifically, the s2m, a 41-nt structure found within the hyper variable region of the 3’ UTR of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was investigated as this element has no definitive role in viruses but its high conservation in several viral families warrants investigation. We used various biophysical techniques to determine if a palindromic sequence in the terminal loop could participate in dimerization activities, which may have implications in recombination and the longevity of the virus. …

Ct Scan Identified Sarcopenia And The Relationship With The Mst And And/Aspen Malnutrition Guidelines In Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients, Samantha Dieckmann

Theses & Dissertations

Sarcopenia is a debilitating muscle loss disorder caused by aging or chronic conditions. It decreases quality of life and increases morbidity and mortality. Gastrointestinal cancer patients are at a high risk for the condition given the impact of the disease and its treatments. There is limited consensus on how to identify and screen for sarcopenia. Previous research is limited on the use of clinically available tools currently used for malnutrition and their ability to screen for sarcopenia. This study aimed to investigate the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Society for Parenteral …

Association Between Agrichemical Mixtures And Pediatric Health Outcomes: Evidence From A Nebraska Population-Based Surveillance, Jabeen Taiba

Theses & Dissertations

Human exposure to environmental contaminants is associated with various pediatric health outcomes. Agrichemicals are a significant environmental risk factor for childhood cancers and congenital anomalies, and reduced exposure could improve pediatric health outcomes. Previous studies in Nebraska have explored the association between single pollutants and pediatric cancers and birth defects. However, it is important to estimate the overall effect of the agrichemical mixture on these pediatric health outcomes. In addition to environmental risk factors, several social vulnerability factors also contribute to increased agrichemical exposure and show disparities in pediatric cancers and birth defects. The objectives of this dissertation are to …

Synthesis And Characterization Of An Activity-Based Probe To Isolate And Quantify Adduct Formation In Ntsr1 Trt., Aadarsh Khairnar

Theses & Dissertations

Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) has emerged as a promising cancer treatment by offering precise delivery of radioisotopes to cancer cells via molecular targets. Recent advancements in the small molecule TRTs offer efficient targeting and rapid clearance, reducing off-target toxicity. The Neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) targeted small molecule antagonist 3BP-227 when labeled with [¹⁷⁷Lu], has demonstrated effective tumor targeting but suffers from rapid washout from the target cancer cell, limiting its therapeutic potential.

To enhance tumor retention and therapeutic efficacy of the NTSR1-targeted TRT, the Garrison laboratory has developed a novel approach utilizing cysteine cathepsins (CCs) and the E64 …

Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Post-Chronic Midazolam Exposure During Early Life, Nghi M. Nguyen

Theses & Dissertations

In recent decades, the rising number of neonates born in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) due to prematurity has raised concerns about their overall well-being and development. Premature neonates are at higher risk of health complications and often require invasive procedures. These invasive procedures often induce stress and agitation, prompting physicians and healthcare providers to provide sedation or general anesthesia to manage discomfort. Epidemiological studies of human patients have revealed a correlation between childhood exposure to general anesthetic and sedative agents and subsequent cognitive deficits. This association is also supported in animal models, which shows that exposure to anesthetics …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Block Copolymer Based Nanoparticles For Sustained Release Of Therapeutics To Address Secondary Injury Events Upon Traumatic Brain Injury, Mohammad Naseem Khan

Theses & Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) poses a significant global health challenge, contributing to approximately 2.5 million emergency room visits annually worldwide, 56,000 fatalities, and over $60 billion in direct medical costs for palliative care and cognitive rehabilitation in the United States alone(Acosta et al., 2016). The complex pathophysiology of TBI involves a multifaceted combination of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier disruption (BBB), and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) damage. This research examines the development of a novel therapeutic system comprising dexamethasone-conjugated block co-polymeric nanoparticles loaded with olaparib, aiming to address multiple aspects of TBI pathology, particularly secondary injury (McConeghy et al., …

Respiratory Syncytial Virus In The United States: A Research Proposal For A Prospective Cohort Study Of Rsv Vaccines, Kenneth D. Chiu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective

This paper proposes a phase IV study to estimate the effectiveness of Abryvso and Arexvy in older adults against severe RSV disease. Additionally, the study aims to assess factors involved with low vaccine uptake for these RSV vaccines.

Methods

For the background literature review of this proposal, I conducted a search of the PubMed and CINAHL Ultimate databases for articles on older adults and RSV. I filtered out results within the period of 2020 to 2024 that were publicly available and focused on RSV burden, vaccinations, or knowledge in the United States.

The proposed phased IV study is a …

Cognitive Reappraisal: The Bridge Between Cognitive Load And Emotion, Rebecca Brockbank, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Within this integrative review, cognitive load theory (CLT) is asserted as a powerful framework for conceptualizing human cognitive processes within learning. The relationship between cognition and emotion is then examined and further integrated within the scope of CLT. Emotion regulation strategies are discussed and adaptive strategies are proposed as being of particular relevance to broadening the theoretical and practical impacts of CLT. Central to the argument of this review is the use of cognitive reappraisal as a potential mitigator of cognitive load. Cognitive reappraisal involves reframing or reassessing understandings or beliefs that underlie an emotional response, which may mitigate cognitive …

Help Seeking Experiences Of Asian American Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mellanie Kristelle Roxas De Guzman

Doctoral Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become more widely understood and accepted by the general and professional populations. However, self and social stigma related to ASD persist and continue to negatively impact help-seeking behaviors. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews guided by an ecological systems model, to explore the lived experiences of 11 Asian American (AsAm) parents residing in the greater San Francisco Bay Area with a child with ASD. A thematic analysis framework was utilized. A total of six themes and six subthemes emerged from this study and included: (1) comparisons, (2) stigma, (3) resilience, (4) support for services, (5) …

The Impact Of Compulsory Heterosexuality On The Sexual Identity Development Of Plurisexual Cisgender Women, Elizabeth Holden

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of compulsory heterosexuality on the sexual identity development of plurisexual cisgender women by examining socio-cultural factors such as heterosexism, monosexism, and misogyny. Furthermore, this study considers the process of unlearning compulsory heterosexuality as an ongoing and nonlinear experience of self-discovery, which is characterized by fluidity and a reclaiming of agency. This study centers stories of plurisexual women, an under-researched group who experience complexities in their development trajectories due to the intersection of their gender identity, their gender expression, and their plurisexuality. Four participants participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). …

Single-Caregiver Families: Using Lived Experiences To Build Effective Resilience And Protect Future Children Against Negative Outcomes, Andrew Chakalian

Master's Theses

Among many cited risk factors that disproportionately affect children who grow up in a single-caregiver family, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and related behavioral and health outcomes are some of the most significant. Comparatively, there has been a substantial gap in the research exploring protective factors that support healthy development for children with this family composition. The present study used a phenomenological methodology to explore how nine participants aged 18-25 viewed their childhood in a single-caregiver family. Through the use of semi-structured interviews, participants shared their experiences; analysis yielded four themes: (1) further dysfunction in the social system exacerbating the effects …

Observations Of Currents, Waves, And Turbulence Within A Giant Kelp Forest In Stillwater Cove, Carmel, California, Logan A. Grady

Master's Theses

Nutrient distribution and propagule dispersal within Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests are significantly influenced by turbulence. In-situ measurements of turbulence within giant kelp forests are limited and driving mechanisms are primarily informed by controlled-flume experiments. This study investigates relationships between currents, surface gravity waves, and turbulence within a kelp forest through deployment of moored instrumentation and kelp surveys in Stillwater Cove, California during summer of 2022. Oceanographic conditions were primarily driven by coastal upwelling and a semi-diurnal internal tide, which was associated with cooling events and enhanced onshore velocity within the kelp forest during rising tides. Estimates of gradient Richardson …

The Lived Experiences Of Cisheteronormativity By Nonbinary Sexual Assault Survivors, Emma Jackson Smith

Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian …

Identification And Extraction Method Of Fragrant Pear Based On Image Detection Under Internet Of Things Applications, Peng Zhou, Huan Wnag, Pengwei Zhang, Shengzhi Liu, Wei Cehn, Weihang Zhao, Bingyu Cao

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

With the continuous development of society, agricultural production technology is also improving. Due to the continuous improvement of economic level, the quality of life has also put forward higher requirements, the quality of agricultural products has gradually received more people’s attention. In the picking and sorting process of traditional fragrant pear, the quality control process is not perfect, and the identification and extraction method is not mature enough. In the complex environment of insufficient light or shade of branches and leaves, the pear picking work cannot quickly and accurately locate the target fruit. Therefore, the traditional identification and extraction methods …

Development Of A Multidimensional Measure Of Wellbeing For Emerging Adults Utilizing A Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Design, Kelley Marie Wick

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Attempting to conceptualize wellbeing is difficult, and the current research literature does not offer a standard definition that encapsulates the complexity of this construct, nor has there been a thorough consideration the impact of culture and societal standards of behavior on wellbeing. Additionally, the emergence of a new developmental period between adolescence and true adulthood (emerging adulthood) offers an additional layer of nuance, as many of the traditional scales currently used to measure wellbeing are inappropriate for emerging adults. A major gap in the current research literature is the reluctance in developing measures with the help of the target population. …

Tribological Analysis Of Heat Treatments On Medical Grade Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum Alloys, Samuel Edis Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Cobalt chromium molybdenum (CoCrMo) has many material properties that make it desirable as a medical hip implant. Due to the range of heat treatments available and the resulting material properties that are present in medical device manufacturing using CoCrMo, many implants are not able to withstand both the chemical and physical wear necessary as a hip replacement. This research looks to examine various heat treatments and their resulting properties to find a desirable heat treatment for CoCrMo in hip implant bearing surfaces. This study was accomplished by using five distinct variations of heat treatment on forged CoCrMo alloy that would …

Exploring Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviors Among Latino Immigrants, Martin J. Mikell

Dissertations

Latino immigrants may experience stress during acculturation to the U. S., which can influence their ability to engage in health-promoting behaviors, such as dietary intake and physical activity. Dietary intake and physical activity influence the prevention or development of pre-diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). The immigrant's ability to perform health-promoting behaviors can also be influenced by their perceptions of self-efficacy to engage in health-promoting behaviors. Limited information is available in the literature on effective strategies for decreasing stress during the acculturation process of Latino immigrants, while also increasing self-efficacy in health-promoting behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the …