Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing The Effect Of Field-Relevant Levels Of Imidacloprid On Respiration In The Common Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga Bullata Parker (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), During Low- And High-Energy Activities., Morgan Regnier Ms ' 24

All Student Scholarship

Neonicotinoid pesticides are used worldwide due to their effectiveness in protecting crops from pests like aphids, thrips, moths, flies, and beetles. These insecticides are applied on surfaces or absorbed systemically by plants, where insects encounter them through contact or ingestion. While beneficial for agriculture, they also negatively impact nontarget species. Numerous studies have reported the inhibitory effects of sublethal exposure to neonicotinoid-based insecticides on nontarget insects, especially pollinators such as bees, flies, and beetles. While research has demonstrated the toxicity of neonicotinoids, most studies have focused on low-energy activities such as walking or resting. In this research, I examined the …

Baseline Assessment And Early Effects Of A Network Of Marine Protected Areas, Victor Brun, Laurre Thierry De Ville D'Avray, Ma. May Saludsod, Roger D. Dolorosa, Niño Jess Mar F. Mecha, Kent Olson S. Sorgon, Joachim Claudet

Biology Faculty Publications

Marine protected areas (MPAs) can be a useful tool to manage coastal ecosystems, delivering both social and ecological outcomes. However, in many instances, relevant data is missing to conduct proper impact assessments, which is key to identifying ecological and social synergies and potential trade-offs, and to adapting management according to local objectives. The ecological effects of an MPA established in Palawan, Philippines, in 2016, were assessed. The most common species targeted by fisheries were identified by local fishers. Species size and number were collected through underwater visual census with n = 288 belt transects assigned in different sites and locations …

An Investigation Into The Structural Features That Control Factor Xiii Stability And Substrate Specificity., Rameesa Darul Amne Syed Mohammed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factor XIII (FXIII) is a transglutaminase enzyme with multiple physiological roles that is found in plasma and cells of bone marrow origin. The catalytic A subunit (FXIII-A) is made of an N-terminal activation peptide (AP), β-sandwich, catalytic core, and two β-barrel domains. FXIII crosslinks the sidechains of glutamine (Q) and lysine (K) residues across plasmatic and cellular substrates. Because of its involvement in clot stabilization and determining fibrin clot size, FXIII-A is regarded as a target for developing new anticoagulants with minimal bleeding risks. However, the FXIII-A structural features that control its stability and substrate specificity largely remain unknown. Plasma …

Preventing The Violent (Re)Victimization Of Sexual Minority Populations: The Role Of Social Support Networks., Bryan Charles Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, interpersonal violence affects an important segment of the world population, having deleterious effects on the victims, their families, and societies. Recent scholarship indicates that sexual and gender minority population groups are overrepresented among those who experience or have experienced verbal, psychological, physical, and/or sexual violence. Using an integrative approach, the current study links the past and the present to identify the contextual factors that may increase or decrease the sexual minorities’ risk of violent victimization during adulthood. This dissertation uses as a theoretical framework Bronfenbrenner’s (1977, 1979, 1994) social ecological model of human development as well as its …

You Don’T Look Sick: Epistemic Injustice, Ethos, And Embodied Expertise In Narratives Of Chronic Illness., Caitlin Burns Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project emerges at a cultural moment when diagnoses of chronic illness are increasing, and heightened attention is being paid to gendered medical bias and chronically ill women’s negative experiences both within and outside of the medical system. Analysis of personal narratives written by women and nonbinary people with chronic illnesses revealed deeply entrenched cultural logics related to health and gender and the significant affective and material consequences for the mobilization of those logics. Chapter One of the dissertation describes the exigence of the project in more detail, provides a robust overview of the dissertation’s methods, and reviews related …

Development And Evaluation Of A Modeling Platform For Evaluating Immunotherapeutic Efficacy In The Tumor Microenvironment., Dylan Andrew Goodin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents the complex outcome of numerous tumor, stromal, and immune interactions, and whose composition can significantly affect treatment response. Particularly, immunotherapeutic efficacy is subject to multiple tumor-specific TME interactions that may be difficult to evaluate/predict clinically. Mathematical modelling has been formulated to evaluate specific aspects of the TME, including vasculature, ECM deposition, and immune-tumor interactions. However, the computational challenge of simulating multiple TME interactions has led to sacrificing varying degrees of model generalizability and clinical relevance. This work describes increased computational performance of a 3D continuum model that simulates tumor tissue, ECM, and vasculature using a …

Novel Designs Of Soft Tactile Sensor And Robot Finger Manipulator Based On Optical Fibers., Seokyoung Han

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotic manipulation is one of the main types of automated labor that humans want to achieve in order to free ourselves from mundane and hazardous tasks. The range of realizations could be very broad, from massive industrial robots to highly advanced medical devices for human healthcare. Given the critical nature of these application spaces, they require robust, safe, and most of all versatile designs. In that direction, one of the most interesting topics is the anthropomorphic robotic manipulator. Since it is inspired by human hands’ function and structure, it is able to achieve the aforementioned system requirements. However, the perfect …

Tongue-Tie: Impact On Oropharyngeal Function During Swallow., Kolbie A. Vincent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Swallowing is an intricate process involving over 50 muscle pairs and numerous nerves, with dysphagia resulting from deficits in various stages (Hennessy & Goldenberg, 2016). Lingual restriction may adversely impact swallowing function, affecting bolus preparation, size, and overall efficiency. Tongue-tie can pose challenges to speech, chewing, and swallowing (Becker & Mendez, 2022; Chaubal et al, 2011; García-Pola, M. J., et al., 2002). This pilot study seeks to determine how tongue-tie affects swallowing function in an adult male, and whether surgical revision of a submucosal lingual tether leads to measurable changes in oropharyngeal swallow function. Results showed inconsistent changes in diameter …

Porphyromonas Gingivalis Inactivates Anti-Viral Immunity At The Oral And Respiratory Epithelium., Carlos J. Rodriguez Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The host microbiome plays an important role in fine-tuning host immune responses in a manner that ultimately impacts outcomes in viral infection. Symbiotic relationships between commensal bacteria and host epithelial and immune cells prime interferon (IFN) signaling, modulating the nature and intensity of the immune response to viral infections at mucosal barrier surfaces. In this doctoral thesis, I explore how dysbiotic shifts in the oral microbial communities modulate antiviral responses at the oral and oro-respiratory mucosal barriers. I identified that in response to a viral challenge, gingival epithelial cells (GECs) preferentially induced type III IFNs (IFN-λ), a newly described family …

Electrokinetic Particle Trapping Performance Of Conductive Nanofiber Mats In Microfluidic Wells., Jacob Hunter West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The frequency dependence of electrokinetic particle trapping using large-area (>mm²) conductive carbon nanofiber (CNF) mat electrodes is investigated. The fibers provide nanoscale geometric features for the generation of high electric field gradients, which is necessary for particle trapping via dielectrophoresis (DEP). A device was fabricated with an array of microfluidic wells for repeated experiments; each well included a CNF mat electrode opposing an aluminum electrode. Fluorescent microspheres (1 µm) were trapped at various electric field frequencies between 30 kHz – 1 MHz. Digital images of each well were analyzed to quantify particle trapping. DEP trapping by the …

The Utilization Of Grassroots Organizing By Black Women Pioneers To Achieve Reproductive Justice., Madison Ruth Ellsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since enslavement in the United States Black women have cultivated different ways to fight for their Reproductive Justice. After emancipation Black women have continued to utilize the practices learned from our ancestors to obtain Reproductive Justice. Despite the women’s movement becoming mainstream in the 1960s many Black women continued to grassroots organize to adequately address the issues that were unique to them. The efforts of various Black women organizers tend to go unacknowledged because the mainstream women’s movement attracts the attention of most. In my research I focused on Byllye Avery, Loretta Ross, and Toni Bond to explore and showcase …

Modifiers Of The Effects Of Different Dimensions Of Social Support On Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence., Melissa Amraotkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is a Class I, level A indication for treatment and prevention further complications of CVD. The attendance rate for CR in the U.S. is very low, especially among female patients. Dimensions of social support, sex of the support provider, and the quality of primary intimate relationship are associated with health-promoting behavior and may influence CR adherence in patients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dimensions of social support and CR adherence, and whether these relationships were moderated by factors such …

Anthropogenic Litter In Urban Waterways: An Analysis Of Litter, Urbanization, And The Emerging Role Of Citizen Science In Beargrass Creek, Louisville, Ky., Ella Swigler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addressed the ever growing presence and persistence of anthropogenic litter (AL) in urban waterways. AL has been studied in marine environments, but research gaps exist in riverine ecosystems. Most of the AL that reaches the Earth’s oceans is carried by urban rivers, so understanding the relationship between these waterways and AL is critical in effectively fighting AL accumulation, especially for legacy plastic pollutants. The study explored fifteen sites throughout Beargrass Creek and recorded the quantity and type of AL present throughout the summer and fall of 2023. The National Geographic Marine Debris Tracker App was employed to successfully …

Are The Good Times Really Over For Good? American Political Nostalgia's Relationship With Rurality, Authoritarianism, And Victimhood., Chancellor R. Peterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many discussions about why rural and urban Americans exhibit different attitudes about politics, partisan loyalties, and ideologies. Some of these differences can be explained by psychological processes and traits. People act differently and influence (or are influenced by) political processes differently based on their perceptions of and emotions regarding the past, present, and future states of the world. The same is true with rural and urban Americans. This research will investigate the effects of one potent emotion on political attitudes: nostalgia. Prior research has indicated that political nostalgia can be harnessed as a strong political tool. This thesis …

Do American Bison Practice Democracy? Group Consensus Decision Making Drives Bison Herd Movements And Cohesion., Matthew Sapien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American bison is an iconic mammal that lives in large social herds and is considered a threatened species. Little is known about how bison make decisions as a group, whether through despotic individuals or group consensus. In this dissertation, I researched the mechanisms bison use to make herd movement decisions in 3 herds in the United States. In chapter one I examined the number of bison that participated in voting events for herd movement decisions and whether the final movement decision matched the direction with the most votes. Bison herd movements did match the direction with the most adult …

W.E. B. Du Bois And Audre Lorde's Pan-African Development: Remedies For The Problem Of Othering., J.E. Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

W.E.B. Du Bois and Audre Lorde’s Pan-African Development: Remedies for the Problem of Othering is an Afrocentric reading of Black U.S intellectual traditions of self-definition from the late 19th to early 21st century. I argue that W.E.B. Du Bois and Audre Lorde adhered to two major Afrocentric principles: balance and justice. At the root of these principles is the understanding that binaries constructed as oppositions create unjust hierarchies. My theoretical approach is attuned to the distinct ways that Du Bois and Lorde communicated the importance of self-definition and Africana spirituality in relationship to other Black intellectual thought. Placing them in …

Investigation Of Avaren-Fc's Therapeutic Potential Against Ovarian Cancer., Katarina Lee Mayer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the investigation of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin-based therapeutic fusion protein consisting of the recombinant Avaren lectin and the Fc region of human IgG1, against ovarian cancer. AvFc possesses selectivity toward tumor associated N-linked high-mannose-type glycans. The present study demonstrates AvFc’s in vitro activity against OVCA cell lines via antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and its ability to extend the survival of mice challenged with murine ID8 OVCA cells after repeated systemic administration. Furthermore, AvFc treatment in this model was found to increase the presence of peritoneal leukocytes, suggesting a shift toward an improved antitumor immune response. Another key …

Electrochemical Modulation Of Surface Plasmon Wave To Investigate Dna-Based Sensing Platforms And Detection Of Sars-Cov2., Anil Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study offers a thorough comparative analysis of optical and electrical signaling strategies for assessing the electrochemical properties of different redox-labeled DNA-based biosensing platforms. In addition, it illustrates the development of an optical interrogation technique with electrochemical modulation of surface plasmon waves (ECM-SPW) as a route for analyzing and implementing DNA-based hybridization sensors. For those quantitative analyses, we chose a model sensing platform composed of a methylene blue (MB)-modified single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) signaling probe and an unlabeled capture ssDNA probe that complements the signaling probe. Two types of signaling probes were employed in this work: one with MB attached to …

Preclinical Stability Assessment Of Epicertin, A Biotherapeutic Candidate For Ulcerative Colitis Mucosal Healing., Wendy Michelle Kittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

EPICERTIN is a biotherapeutic candidate for mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis (UC), a major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite the critical role of mucosal healing in achieving successful remission of UC, there are currently no targeted mucosal healing agents available. EPICERTIN has previously demonstrated epithelial repair and mucosal healing activity in colon epithelial cells, murine colitis models, and tissue explants from IBD patients, highlighting its therapeutic potential to meet this unmet need for UC patients. The development of appropriate chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) data will facilitate our ultimate goal to bring EPICERTIN to the clinic for a …

The Superhero Gothic: The Montrous Hero To The Heroic Monster In The Twentieth Century., John Darowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influence of Gothic literature and its adaptations on the superhero genre has been profound. Both genres have an ideological project of the restoration of normalcy and order after disruption and disorder, thereby reinforcing cultural norms. However, their themes and methodologies are diametrically opposed. The Gothic is an exploration of the negative aesthetics of terror and horror, which reveal human weaknesses. The superhero is a power fantasy that celebrates justice and morality. A synthesis of the two creates a paradox: the monstrous hero—a Hoppen stand hero who takes on the attributes of a monster—who evolves into the heroic monster—a monster …

Examining The Relationship Between Mass Incarceration, Gender Norms, And Hiv Vulnerability For Formerly-Incarcerated Black Men Who Have Sex With Men And Women., Adrienne B. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2018, Black Americans represented 42% of new HIV diagnoses, despite comprising only 13% of the population. Moreover, Black men accounted for three-quarters of new HIV cases in 2016, with Black gay/bisexual men contributing to the majority of incidence among Black Americans. Existing literature suggests that individual behavior alone cannot explain these racial inequities in HIV rates. This study aims to explore the role of the criminal legal system (CLS) as a structural determinant of health, given its historical racial implications that disproportionately affect Black Americans. Additionally, the study examines masculinity’s influence as a predictor of risky sexual behavior. This …

Assessing The Relationship Between Racism In Medicine, Medical Mistrust And Cardiovascular Disease Among Black American Adults., Osayande Agbonlahor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) persists as the leading preventable cause of death and disability among Black Americans in the United States. Structural and psychosocial factors such as racism have been highlighted as a fundamental cause of persistent cardiovascular health disparities in the U.S. This study examined the associations between racism in medicine, medical mistrust and CVD among Black Americans using the Minority Stress Theory as a theoretical framework. This study evaluates the sociodemographic differences in the quality of care received among Black Americans. Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2022 and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems …

Mental Health Counseling For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study Of Client Perspectives., Kathleen Nagle Barnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness is three to four times as prevalent among individuals with intellectual disabilities compared to those without intellectual disabilities (Munir, 2016). There is a body of research supporting the efficacy of mental health counseling to decrease symptoms and behaviors in individuals with intellectual disabilities, but scarce research exists which describes the experiences of these individuals. This interpretive phenomenological analysis was designed to gather information about how individuals with mild intellectual disabilities experience the four common components of psychotherapy that contribute to change (from Lambert, 1992; Thomas, 2006) – client and extra therapeutic factors, relationships factors, expectancy, and model / …

"They Are Who We Thought They Were": The Influence Of White Supremacist Discourse On Voter Suppression And Black Health., Tanisha Howard Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Political systems in the United States have contributed to health outcomes in the through the historic and legal doctrine related to race and racism, segregation, housing, employment, and education. In recent years, significant attention has been given to theorizing the political determinants of health and what it means in the overall conversation about health equity. The equity implications of the political determinants of health are innumerable because they are the origin point of the structural determinants of health and the primary drivers of the social determinants of health, which span from environmental conditions to food security. The focal determinant of …

Comparison Of Specific Jaw Position Measurements On A Static And Dynamic Virtual Patient., Payton Lofton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to compared the differences in jaw position measurements in protrusive and open/close positions on a static virtual patient created using 3dMD System to those from a dynamic articulation of a virtual patient (MODJAW) as well as measurements between the Cadiax and MODJAW. Six fiducial surface markers were placed on a volunteer subject’s face and dynamic facial scans of protrusive and open/close jaw movement acquired and exported. A CBCT scan was also acquired. The mandible and maxilla were segmented and loaded into Vultus and aligned to the facial scan using the fiducial markers. Results were compared using a …

Utilizing Metal Ligand Cooperativity To Activate Small Molecules., Christine Burgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problems created from the excessive use of fossil fuels can be approached from two directions: capture the CO₂ from the atmosphere or develop alternative energy sources. The current industrial standards for these are environmental and/or health hazards and utilize precious metals, respectively. Metal ligand cooperativity (MLC) has emerged as a promising alternative to using precious metals to activate small molecules. In this dissertation, we focus on a series of metal complexes based on the ligand diacetyl-2-(4-methyl-thiosemicarbazone)-3-(2-hydrazinopyridine) (H₂L¹) for either hydrogen evolution or CO₂ capture. The novel complexes were characterized by ¹H NMR, …

Conceptualizing An Islamic Character Education Program., Norma Nangju

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Character education, specifically faith-based character education, can provide a social, emotional, and academic benefit for students. Through this study, I wanted to take the first step: to design an Islamic character education program collaboratively with all stakeholders of the school. This study used participatory action research as a methodology. The first purpose was for administrators, teachers, parents, students, and community members at an Islamic school in Louisville, KY to collaborate to brainstorm the goals of a character education program at HIRA Institute using the Nominal Group Technique. The second purpose was, based on these goals, how can the strategies of …

Acute Mechanical Circulatory Support In The Cardiovascular Icu: Investigating The Effects Of An Interactive Cardiovascular Dynamics Simulation Program On Nursing Clinical Judgment., Casey Saulman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Education on acute mechanical circulatory support (AMCS), a therapy used in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CICU) to manage cardiogenic shock (CGS) is limited for CICU nurses. There is a need to explore clinical judgment in CICU nurses and provide innovative learning experiences that foster judgment when managing AMCS. Methods: This mixed methods feasibility study investigated the effects of an interactive cardiovascular dynamics simulation program on CICU nurses’ knowledge, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgment. Semi-structured interviews explored the participants’ perceptions of the learning experience. Results: Twenty-one nurses completed the cardiovascular dynamics simulation program. The majority were white (85.7%), female …

The Examination Of Intratumoral Compression As A Mechanobiological Driver Of Glioblastoma Progression., Allison Mckenzie Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma diagnosis has one of the lowest average life expectancies at only 14 months. Recurrent tumor formation and progression despite aggressive chemotherapy and radiation significantly contributes to the poor prognosis. Recurrence is likely due to mesenchymal cells breaking off from the primary tumor, infiltrating the parenchyma to establish secondary tumors. Mesenchymal cells initially undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition, characterized by a loss of cell-cell adhesion, increased migration and increased proliferation. While this transition can be chemically induced, there is a gap of understanding surrounding physical activation of this pathway. The tumor microenvironment is mechanically active with the cells responding …

Come, Let Us Reason Together, The Honorable Kent A. Jordan

Fordham Law Review

Judge Jordan has had a distinguished career at the bar as well as on the bench. After receiving a B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1981, and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1984, he served as a law clerk to District Judge James L. Latchum on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Subsequently, he spent a number of years in private practice at a Wilmington law firm, focused on intellectual property, as well as corporate and commercial litigation. He also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, including as …