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Constructively Aligned Instructional Design For Oral Presentations, James Lipuma, Cristo Leon, Jose Ernesto Malpica Rosendo

STEM for Success Resources

In the paper "Constructively Aligned Instructional Design for Oral Presentations," the authors explore the implementation and outcomes of the 'General, Particular Specific' (GPS) model as a framework for curriculum instructional design for oral presentations within STEM education at an R1 Polytechnic University.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of the 'General, Particular Specific' (GPS) model on the enhancement of constructive alignment in curriculum instructional design for oral presentations in STEM education to improve students' oral communication skills and their effectiveness in technical communication.

Theoretical Framework: Constructive alignment, curriculum-based Assessment, and curriculum and instructional design stand out, providing a …

How Does Childhood Exposure To Toys And Video Games Relate To Young Adult’S View On Gun Control?, Shelby Wilmot

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the factors influencing support for gun control and attitudes toward gun control restrictions on individuals, specifically violent video games and toys. From the 119 total responses collected, 78 (65.5%) of the participants identified as female, 34 (28.6%) of the participants identified as male, and 7 (5.9%) of the participants identified as nonbinary. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between various independent variables and the dependent variables representing these attitudes. For the dependent variable measuring support for gun control, the model summary revealed a moderate correlation

(r = .610), with approximately 37.2% of the variability …

Why The Dobbs Court Got It Wrong: Connecting The Dots Between Opposition To Abortion And Gender Animus, Shoshanna Ehrlich

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experiences Of African Immigrants Accessing Healthcare In The United States, Rachel Yendaogo Kamasse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic and racial disparities in accessing primary healthcare persist for African immigrants in the United States, placing them at a greater risk for adverse health outcomes. This social problem has become more significant since African-born individuals are the fastest-growing immigrant population in America, and many of them experience health threats before their arrival in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how African immigrants describe their lived experiences with accessing primary healthcare in the United States. The study was guided by ecological systems theory. Data were collected using in-depth, semistructured interviews lasting approximately 60-90 …

Aging And Depression: Identifying Strategies To Prevent Suicide And Restore Integrity, Nekka A. Herbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have documented a projected increase in the older adult population and a foreseeable increase in older adult suicides associated with shortcomings in the mental health field related to providing adequate mental health treatment to individuals 65 and older. Researchers have concluded that these shortcomings are due to ageism, lack of awareness, lack of knowledge in gerontology, and inadequate training for professionals entering the field. Studies have highlighted the growing number of older adult suicides but have lacked effective treatment strategies to reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts/behaviors, specifically in the older adult male population, which has the highest number …

Development Of Novel Analytical Methods For The Investigation Of Mammalian Tissues And Cells, Grace A. Binder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation endeavors to advance the frontiers of analytical chemistry by addressing critical challenges across three distinct chapters. In the first chapter, the focus is on the evaluation of digestion methods for the analysis of trace metals in mammalian tissues and the Standard Reference Material NIST 1577c. The primary goal is to optimize methodologies, laying the groundwork for reliable trace metal analysis and furthering our understanding of their roles in biological systems.

Transitioning into the realm of immunomodulation, the second chapter elucidates immune response, disease and treatment through the optimization and discovery of STING modulators, utilizing the luciferase assay for …

Emerging Variants Develop Total Escape From Potent Monoclonal Antibodies Induced By Ba4/5 Infection, Chang Liu, Raksha Das, Aiste Dijokaite-Guraliuc, Daming Zhou, Alexander J Mentzer, Piyada Supasa, Muneeswaran Selvaraj, Helen M E Duyvesteyn, Thomas G Ritter, Nigel Temperton, Paul Klenerman, Susanna J Dunachie, Neil G Paterson, Mark A Williams, David R Hall, Elizabeth E Fry, Juthathip Mongkolsapaya, Jingshan Ren, David I Stuart, Gavin R Screaton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is driven in part by a need to evade the antibody response in the face of high levels of immunity. Here, we isolate spike (S) binding monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from vaccinees who suffered vaccine break-through infections with Omicron sub lineages BA.4 or BA.5. Twenty eight potent antibodies are isolated and characterised functionally, and in some cases structurally. Since the emergence of BA.4/5, SARS-CoV-2 has continued to accrue mutations in the S protein, to understand this we characterize neutralization of a large panel of variants and demonstrate a steady attrition of neutralization by the panel of …

Revolutionizing Diabetic Foot Ulcer Care: The Senotherapeutic Approach, Guiqin Zhang, Priyadarshani Nadeeshika Samarawickrama, Li Gui, Yuan Ma, Mei Cao, Hong Zhu, Wei Li, Honglin Yang, Kecheng Li, Yang Yang, Enfang Zhu, Wen Li, Yonghan He

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a prevalent and profoundly debilitating complication that afflicts individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). These ulcers are associated with substantial morbidity, recurrence rates, disability, and mortality, imposing substantial economic, psychological, and medical burdens. Timely detection and intervention can mitigate the morbidity and disparities linked to DFU. Nevertheless, current therapeutic approaches for DFU continue to grapple with multifaceted limitations. A growing body of evidence emphasizes the crucial role of cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of chronic wounds. Interventions that try to delay cellular senescence, eliminate senescent cells (SnCs), or suppress the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) have shown …

Self-Assembled Sting-Activating Coordination Nanoparticles For Cancer Immunotherapy And Vaccine Applications, Xiaoqi Sun, Xuehui Huang, Kyung Soo Park, Xingwu Zhou, Andrew A Kennedy, Carla D Pretto, Qi Wu, Ziye Wan, Yao Xu, Wang Gong, Jonathan Z Sexton, Andrew W Tai, Yu Leo Lei, James J Moon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The cGAS-STING pathway plays a crucial role in innate immune activation against cancer and infections, and STING agonists based on cyclic dinucleotides (CDN) have garnered attention for their potential use in cancer immunotherapy and vaccines. However, the limited drug-like properties of CDN necessitate an efficient delivery system to the immune system. To address these challenges, we developed an immunostimulatory delivery system for STING agonists. Here, we have examined aqueous coordination interactions between CDN and metal ions and report that CDN mixed with Zn2+ and Mn2+ formed distinctive crystal structures. Further pharmaceutical engineering led to the development of a functional coordination …

Microbiome And Cancer Immunotherapies, Haoyan Chen, Laurence Zitvogel, Zhi Peng, Xiaochen Yin, Florencia Mcallister

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Here, we present 3 different perspectives on how the microbiome has impacted cancer patients, treatment, and clinical studies. We hear about the challenges of implementing microbiome analyses into the clinics, the impact these analyses might have on patients' care, and treatment in the future, specifically for gastric cancer treatment. These are a few of the many voices that are highlighting the role of the microbiome in cancer development, treatment, and clinical outcomes.

Jennifer A Wargo, Nadim J Ajami, And Carrie R Daniel-Macdougall, Jennifer A Wargo, Nadim J Ajami, Carrie R Daniel-Macdougall

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dr. Jennifer A. Wargo, Dr. Nadim J. Ajami, and Dr. Carrie R. Daniel-MacDougall describe their academic and clinical work on the role of the microbiome to determine response to immunotherapies and discuss current challenges and potential needs to integrate their findings into clinical practice.

Mypov: Promoting Self-Efficacy And Empowerment Amongst Foster Youth, Hanah Friel

Senior Capstone Papers

Trauma is a key player in the lives of young people within the child welfare system. Adverse childhood experiences define the course of life for many foster youths prior to entering the system, and for many, exemplify their time during and after foster care. The results of this trauma are often overwhelming and far-reaching, as traumatic behaviors often take the form of distrust and dysregulation. Moreover, trauma can disrupt one’s sense of safety and contribute to feelings of disempowerment. For many, it is rare that our lives are representative of a complete lack of opportunity for self-efficacy and empowerment; however, …

Veterinarian Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mortality Of Pets, Jason Bainbridge

Honors Theses

The pandemic led to many changes in society, changes that may have affected pets either directly or indirectly from the new way people had to live life. The primary variable of investigation is if the changes were significant enough to affect pets enough to see a trend in mortality. This thesis used a survey, sent out to veterinarians for their perspective, to see the effects the pandemic had on the mortality of pets, as well as any secondary variables. This survey had 38 responses, with 34 being eligible to complete the survey. The survey did not obtain the information of …

Multilocus Pathogenic Variants Contribute To Intrafamilial Clinical Heterogeneity: A Retrospective Study Of Sibling Pairs With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Tugce Bozkurt-Yozgatli, Davut Pehlivan, Richard A Gibbs, Ugur Sezerman, Jennifer E Posey, James R Lupski, Zeynep Coban-Akdemir

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Multilocus pathogenic variants (MPVs) are genetic changes that affect multiple gene loci or regions of the genome, collectively leading to multiple molecular diagnoses. MPVs may also contribute to intrafamilial phenotypic variability between affected individuals within a nuclear family. In this study, we aim to gain further insights into the influence of MPVs on a disease manifestation in individual research subjects and explore the complexities of the human genome within a familial context.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic reanalysis of exome sequencing data and runs of homozygosity (ROH) regions of 47 sibling pairs previously diagnosed with various neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). …

Genetic Testing For Supravalvar Aortic Stenosis: What To Do When It Is Not Williams Syndrome, Sara B Stephens, Tyler Novy, Gabrielle N Spurzem, Benjamin Jacob, Taylor Beecroft, Emily Soludczyk, Beth A Kozel, Justin Weigand, Shaine A Morris

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: We aimed to describe the frequency and yield of genetic testing in supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) following negative evaluation for Williams-Beuren syndrome (WS).

Methods and results: This retrospective cohort study included patients with SVAS at our institution who had a negative evaluation for WS from May 1991 to September 2021. SVAS was defined as (1) peak supravalvar velocity of ≥2 meters/second, (2) sinotubular junction or ascending aortic Z score < -2.0, or (3) sinotubular junction Z score < -1.5 with family history of SVAS. Patients with complex congenital heart disease, aortic valve disease as the primary condition, or only postoperative SVAS were excluded. Genetic testing and diagnoses were reported. Of 162 patients who were WS negative meeting inclusion criteria, 61 had genetic testing results available (38%). Chromosomal microarray had been performed in 44 of 61 and was nondiagnostic for non-WS causes of SVAS. Sequencing of 1 or more genes was performed in 47 of 61. Of these, 39 of 47 underwent ELN sequencing, 20 of 39 (51%) of whom had a diagnostic variant. Other diagnoses made by gene sequencing were Noonan syndrome (3 PTPN11, 1 RIT1), Alagille …

Ssnet: Exploiting Spatial Information For Tobacco Stem Impurity Detection With Hyperspectral Imaging, Chao Zhou, Zhenye Li, Dongyi Wang, Sheng Xue, Tingting Zhu, Chao Ni

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Tobacco stems are a critical component in cigarette production in China. However, accurately and promptly identifying impurities in tobacco stems remains a challenge with current deep learning methods, often failing to meet industry standards. This study introduces the Spectral-Spatial Network (SSNet), which is specifically optimized for rapid and precise detection of impurities in tobacco stems, leveraging spatial information in hyperspectral imaging. Designed to align with the high-speed requirements of industrial processing, SSNet effectively overcomes the complexities associated with analyzing hyperspectral data. The integration of spatial information particularly enhances recognition accuracy, especially in areas affected by fringe patterns. Our experiments reveal …

Topmed Imputed Genomics Enhances Genomic Atlas Of The Human Proteome In Brain, Cerebrospinal Fluid, And Plasma, Heng Yi, Qijun Yang, Charlie Repaci, Cheolmin Matthew Lee, Gyujin Heo, Jigyasha Timsina, Priyanka Gorijala, Chengran Yang, John Budde, Lihua Wang, Carlos Cruchaga, Yun Ju Sung

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Comprehensive expression quantitative trait loci studies have been instrumental for understanding tissue-specific gene regulation and pinpointing functional genes for disease-associated loci in a tissue-specific manner. Compared to gene expressions, proteins more directly affect various biological processes, often dysregulated in disease, and are important drug targets. We previously performed and identified tissue-specific protein quantitative trait loci in brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and plasma. We now enhance this work by analyzing more proteins (1,300 versus 1,079) and an almost twofold increase in high quality imputed genetic variants (8.4 million versus 4.4 million) by using TOPMed reference panel. We identified 38 genomic regions associated …

Host Response During Unresolved Urinary Tract Infection Alters Female Mammary Tissue Homeostasis Through Collagen Deposition And Timp1, Samantha Henry, Xue-Yan He, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Exposure to pathogens throughout a lifetime influences immunity and organ function. Here, we explore how the systemic host-response to bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) induces tissue-specific alterations to the mammary gland. Utilizing a combination of histological tissue analysis, single cell transcriptomics, and flow cytometry, we identify that mammary tissue from UTI-bearing mice displays collagen deposition, enlarged ductal structures, ductal hyperplasia with atypical epithelial transcriptomes and altered immune composition. Bacterial cells are absent in the mammary tissue and blood of UTI-bearing mice, therefore, alterations to the distal mammary tissue are mediated by the systemic host response to local infection. Furthermore, broad …

Natural Products In Food And Agriculture, Stephen O. Duke

Oxford ICSB

Before the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) existed, I was Director of a USDA weed management lab. Two of my interests were natural products as herbicides and the chemical ecology of weed/crop interactions (allelopathy). Dr. James McChesney and I had several conversations about his vision for the NCNPR on the University of Mississippi campus. I was very interested in becoming a part of this, as his plan was to have a USDA lab that would study natural products for use in food and agriculture as part of the center. The USDA Agricultural Research Service established the Natural Product …

Chemistry, Biology, And Safety Of Volatile Organics From Aromatic And Medicinal Plants, Nicole Stevens

Oxford ICSB

Introduction Sleep is an important foundation of health, yet the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that about 30% of adults to not get the recommended minimum of 7 hours’ sleep per night. Prescription treatments may help, but they carry risks such as side-effects, dependency, and medication interaction. Natural botanical extracts are a therapeutic possibility for improving sleep quality, but additional research is needed on their efficacy and safety. A system of natural products based on lavender was developed and tested in a human clinical study to evaluate effect on sleep, blood and safety markers, and gene expression modulation …

A Survey Of Melatonin In Dietary Supplement Products Sold In The U.S., Rahul Pawar

Oxford ICSB

In the United States, melatonin products are widely available to consumers as dietary supplements. During the past few decades, melatonin products have gained increased popularity primarily as a sleep aid, with a variety of product forms available for different age groups of consumers. Recent reports have highlighted a rise in melatonin ingestion among children reported to poison control centers across the U.S. The increased use of melatonin-containing dietary supplements and reported deviation from labeled quantities has emphasized the need for additional research to better understand products in the marketplace.
The objective of this work was to measure the melatonin content …

Factors Influencing Driving Confidence In Older Adults, Jill Linder, Beth Ann Walker, Elizabeth Moore, Anne Hegberg

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: It has been determined that both confidence and cognition impact driving performance and self-regulation. While it is known that cognitive decline impacts driving safety and that decreases in driving confidence can lead to self-driving regulation, further research is needed to determine whether cognition, demographics, and driving routines are associated with driving confidence.

Method: A non-experimental, cross-sectional design study using a convenience sample of 100 older adults was conducted to determine if individual factors are related to daytime and nighttime driving confidence.

Results: Multiple regression indicated that four variables predicted daytime driving confidence, including cognition, driving at …

Optimization Of Bisguaiacol F Synthesis Via Microwave Assistance, Jessica Bryant

Liberty University Research Week

Bisphenol A (BPA, 4-[1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methylethyl]phenol) is a monomer utilized to produce epoxy resins and in thermal printing processes. Two primary problems are posed by the production of BPA: It is environmentally and toxicologically damaging. If a molecule that mimicked the properties and structure of BPA yet lacked its toxicologically damaging effects could be manufactured from renewable sources these concerns could be greatly reduced. One such monomer is bisguaiacol F (BGF, 4-[(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-2-methoxyphenol). While BGF mimics BPA, typical reaction mechanisms require a laborious workup resulting in diminished yield and purity. We hypothesize that utilizing microwave assistance in the synthesis of BGF will ultimately …

Assure 2023: Gambusia Vs. Blackspot Disease Study, Garrett Bohrnstedt

Liberty University Research Week

Mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) are commonly found in local freshwater habitats and are highly regarded as an effective biocontrol agent for unwanted mosquito larvae. While an effective biocontrol, G. holbrooki and many kinds of freshwater fish are afflicted by various parasites (e.g. Blackspot). Blackspot is a disease caused by Schistosome-like parasites (flatworms) such as Uvulifer ambloplitis. U. ambloplitis cercariae attach to the muscle tissue of the fish, transform into black spot metacercaria, and secrete a hyaline cyst around themselves. The host fish deposits black pigment around the cyst and the parasite is visible as a black spot. While it is …

Characterization Of The Aspergillus Flavus Rdia Gene With A Rdi1∆ Mutant Of C. Neoformans, Nicholas Jones

Liberty University Research Week

Several members in the Aspergillus genus produce aflatoxin, the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen known. Regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis has been studied for several decades as this mycotoxin is currently regulated by the USDA. While all the biosynthetic steps have been characterized, much remains to be elucidated regarding the regulatory network controlling its production. Expression data show that A. flavus rdiA clusters with the aflatoxin pathway-specific transcriptional regulator aflR. Deletion of rdiA resulted in increased septation interval and branching as well as severely decreased AF production. The ∆rdiA mutant phenotype is similar to the rdi1∆ mutant of C. neoformans and …

Influence Of Scp1 On Cryptococcus Neoformans Virulence, Carleigh Warsing

Liberty University Research Week

Cryptococcus neoformans is the highest ranked pathogen on the Fungal Priority Pathogen List (WHO). Cryptococcal disease begins as pneumonia, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and develops into meningoencephalitis with a 41-61% mortality rate. While most commonly contracted by immunocompromised individuals, infections in immunocompetent individuals do occur. Treatments often produce severe side effects and increased resistance is a developing concern. Our research aims to identify a gene that can be targeted for more effective antifungal therapies. The SCP1 gene is involved in pH regulation and virulence in C. neoformans. Our research hypothesiszes that the SCP1 gene is crucial for the adaptation of …

The Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Mediates The Antineoplastic Action Of Decitabine, Andrew Brola

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) in the antineoplastic effect of decitabine, a DNA demethylating agent. In vitro studies have shown that decitabine inhibits cancer cell proliferation by stimulating endogenous retroviruses which in turn activates the production of cytostatic interferon beta (IFN-β). We investigated the potential involvement of endogenous MMTV and the mouse IFN-β in the pharmacodynamics of decitabine using stable knockdown cell lines and MMTV hyper-infection. For the first time, we show that knockdown of MMTV or IFN-β in a mouse mammary cancer cell line (4T1) both rendered …

Increasing The Phytoremediation Efficiency Of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils In The Uae Using Endophytic Actinobacteria For Sustainable Agriculture, Archana Mathew Mathai

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Pollution caused by heavy metals (HMs) is a major environmental concern worldwide. Human actions, agriculture practices and industrial activities can cause the release of HMs into the environment. Soil contamination with HMs may have negative effects on crops, thus disrupting the food chain and posing risks to human health. Lead (Pb) is a common pollutant found in soils when at high concentrations. Conventional land remediation techniques depending on chemical and mechanical methods are quite expensive and would lead to long-term deterioration of the ecosystems. Phytoremediation can serve as an alternative, eco-friendly approach to restore the lands for agricultural purposes. Hyperaccumulator …

Influence Of Low-Level Condensed Tannins Concentrations In Temperate Forages On Sheep Performace, F Montossi, F Liu, J Hodgson, S T. Morris, T N. Barry, D F. Risso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Results from a series of six comparative lamb grazing trials with temperate forages are summarised, and compared with results from the literature. Condensed tannin (CT) concentrations in the diet ranged from 0.12% to 0.47% on a dry matter (DM) basis. Values were generally similar for Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and annual ryegrass (L. multiflorum), each grown with white clover (Trifolium repens), in similar circumstances. Concentrations for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)/white clover pastures were relatively low, but may have been artefacts. Drenching with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to bind …

Tannin Contents Of Some Indigenous Browse Plants Of Botswana, A A. Aganga, C M. Tsopito, K M. Morake

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A study was carried out to evaluate the tannin content and crude protein degradation of leaves and twigs from indigenous browsable trees which provide feed for grazing livestock on natural rangelands of Botswana. These browses include the families Leguminosae (Acacias), Capparidaceae (Boscias), Combretaceae (Combretum) and Tiliaceae (Grewias). These were found to be of good nutritive value, with the leaves having a high content of crude protein (9 - 16%) and a wide range of dry matter digestibility (37 - 69.82%). The correlation between crude protein disappearance and tannin content was found to be negative (-0.582) and significant (P<0.05).