Digital Commons Network^™

A Systematic Review Of The Benefits Of Integrating Therapeutic Animals Into Trauma-Focused Treatments For Child And Adolescent Survivors Of Sexual Abuse, Zoe Thorne

Theses and Dissertations

An integrative systematic review with a narrative synthesis was conducted to explore and identify the benefits of integrating a therapy animal into trauma-informed treatment for children and adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. This review detailed various ways therapy animals were incorporated into treatment and when the integration of therapy animals is most and least beneficial. Methods. Eight electronic databases were searched for relevant articles. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in the English-language. Articles published in and out of the United States were included, without a limit on date published, in order to capture any cultural differences and …

Examining The Role Of Cultural Capital In Access And Equity For Female C-Stem Learners Of Color, Tiffany L. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine the impact of cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1973; Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977) on the access and equity of C-STEM learners of color under the following four tenets of Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth model: aspirational, familial, social, and navigational capital. A theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT; Crenshaw, 1988) was utilized to frame the study. Research questions explore the impacts of cultural capital upon the perceived access and equity of female C-STEM learners. Qualitative methodology guided the study under the integrated approach of Quantitative Ethnography (QE) which examines qualitative data with the support of statistical …

Success Factors And Challenges Faced By First And Second-Year Undergraduate Female Students In Computer Science-Related Majors, Oscar Navarro

Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant gap in the number of women who go into college as computer science majors and decide to pursue the field in the workforce. There are challenges present for female students since the start of their education that their male counterparts do not face, which ultimately contributes to this gender gap. Such challenges include a lack of mentorship, a feeling of not belonging, and a dearth of resources to engage students in computer science. Research and studies that explore the first two years of college for female students who are majoring in computer science or computer science-related …

Past And Recent Anthropogenic Pressures Drive Rapid Changes In Riverine Fish Communities, Alain Danet, Xingli Giam, Julian D. Olden, Lise Comte

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Understanding how and why local communities change is a pressing task for conservation, especially in freshwater systems. It remains challenging because of the complexity of biodiversity changes, driven by the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of human pressures. Using a compilation of riverine fish community time series (93% between 1993 and 2019) across the Palaearctic, Nearctic and Australasia realms, we assessed how past and recent anthropogenic pressures drive community changes across both space and time. We found evidence of rapid changes in community composition of 30% per decade characterized by important changes in the dominant species, together with a 13% increase in total …

Characterization Of The Disease-Causing Mechanism Of Kif3b Mutations From Ciliopathy Patients, Jessica M. Adams, Caleb Sawe, Skye Rogers, Jordyn Reid, Ronith Dasari, Martin F. Engelke

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The heterodimeric kinesin-2 motor (KIF3A/KIF3B with accessory protein KAP3) drives intraflagellar transport, essential for ciliogenesis and ciliary function. Three point mutations in the KIF3B subunit have recently been linked to disease in humans (E250Q and L523P) and Bengal cats (A334T) (Cogné et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2020, 106, 893–904). Patients display retinal atrophy and, in some cases, other ciliopathy phenotypes. However, the molecular mechanism leading to disease is currently unknown. Here, we used Kif3a−/−;Kif3b−/− (knockout) 3T3 cells, which cannot make cilia, to characterize these mutations. While reexpression of KIF3B(E250Q) and KIF3B(L523P) did not rescue ciliogenesis, reexpression …

Enabling Hybrid Optical-Microwave Space Communications With Optically Transparent Rf Components Using Indium Tin Oxide (Ito), John T. O'Keefe

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Over the last decade, spacecraft have increasingly integrated both microwave and optical communication systems, driving the need for electrically conductive and optically transparent materials. This study presents a comprehensive examination of advanced electromagnetic characterization techniques and the design, fabrication, and performance of optically transparent antennas using Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) films on alkaline earth boro-aluminosilicate glass for transparent radio-frequency (RF) applications in space communication systems. Addressing the limitations of traditional metal-based antennas—particularly their shadowing effect on satellite solar cells—this study investigates ITO as a pivotal material for creating antennas that are both efficient in communication and non-intrusive to solar efficiency. …

Gene Expression Of Kynurenine Pathway Enzymes In Depression And Following Electroconvulsive Therapy, Karen M. Ryan, Myles Corrigan, Therese M. Murphy, Declan M. Mcloughlin, Andrew Harkin

Articles

Objective: This study aimed to investigate changes in mRNA expression of the kynurenine pathway (KP) enzymes tryptophan 2, 3-dioxygenase (TDO), indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 and 2 (IDO1, IDO2), kynurenine aminotransferase 1 and 2 (KAT1, KAT2), kynurenine monooxygenase (KMO) and kynureninase (KYNU) in medicated patients with depression (n = 74) compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 55) and in patients with depression after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Associations with mood score (24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HAM-D24), plasma KP metabolites and selected glucocorticoid and inflammatory immune markers known to regulate KP enzyme expression were also explored. Methods: HAM-D24 was …

A Systematic Review Of Adolescent Girls’ Perception Of Body Image And Self-Esteem Through Participatory Digital Storytelling Groups, Alecia R. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent girls face increased pressure to conform to societal standards. As social beings, adolescent girls gravitate to social media as an outlet for peer interaction, community, and validation. Research has found that at the critical age of adolescence, 12-18, girls experience appearance comparison on social media, which can lead to internalizing unrealistic beauty standards and negative self-appraisal. Digital storytelling emerges as a source of encouragement, providing a platform for empowerment, self-expression, community engagement, and a safe space for adolescent girls to share their body image and self-esteem experiences. This Systematic Review sought to synthesize findings of qualitative and mixed-methods studies …

Multi-Sensor Fusion For Uuv Localization At The Ice-Water Interface, Lin Zhao

Open Access Dissertations

The polar oceans are crucial in influencing global overturning circulation, biological carbon pumps, and the carbon cycle. Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) are promising tools to explore this area for scientific sampling and monitoring. However, underwater localization is challenging because of the lack of GPS. To improve the robustness of UUV under-ice navigation ability, in this dissertation, we investigated a multi-sensor fusion localization system for ice-water inter-face exploration. Specifically, the state-of-the-art Multi-State Constraint Kalman Filter (MSCKF) is leveraged to perform state estimation using Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), Pressure, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Forward-looking Sonar (FLS) and Mono-camera. Furthermore, robust feature estimation …

Late Pleistocene-Holocene Environmental Change At The Southern Ocean Sea Ice Edge Documented By Diatom Assemblages And Diatom-Bound Nitrogen Isotopes, Isabel Dove

Open Access Dissertations

The Southern Ocean plays a key role in modulating global climate via physical and biogeochemical processes, both today and in the past. Wind-driven upwelling brings nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, enabling carbon exchange with the atmosphere and fueling primary production that facilitates long-term storage of carbon in the deep ocean. The nitrogen isotopic composition of organic matter within diatom microfossils (δ¹⁵N_DB) has been used to reconstruct changes in nutrient utilization related to upwelling-driven supply and biological demand and consequent impact on climate across Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles (2.58 Ma - 11.7 ka) and over the Holocene …

The Impact Of Computer-Based Simulations On Content Knowledge And Engagement Of Anatomy & Physiology Ii Students, Bonnie Rayta

Open Access Dissertations

This exploratory mixed-methods study looks to examine if there is a relationship between the use of computer-based simulations (CBS), student knowledge and student engagement in an anatomy and physiology II course. Research question one (RQ 1) asked: does the integration of CBS into lecture-based instruction improve students’ knowledge (KWD) in a second semester anatomy and physiology II course compared to students who participated in non-CBS instruction. Research question two (RQ 2) asked: does the integration of CBS into lecture-based instruction improve students’ engagement (ENG) in a second semester undergraduate anatomy and physiology II course compared to students who participate in …

An Exploration Of The Quantitative Methods Used In The Study Of Phytoplankton Population Dynamics, Vitul Agarwal

Open Access Dissertations

Phytoplankton account for about half of all global net primary production. They are responsible for fueling marine fisheries, modulating the climate cycle, and forming the base of the marine food web. Some phytoplankton taxa play critical roles in coastal and lake ecosystems by forming harmful algal blooms (HABs), which can severely impact local communities’ economic revenue and human health. Given their importance, recent decades have seen a broad interest in understanding and predicting the variability of phytoplankton populations; however, there are limited resources that identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of analysis approaches used to study phytoplankton population dynamics. Research …

An Intersectional Examination Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Educational Outcomes In Children In The U.S., Josalie C. Condon

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Background: Research has found that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been shown to lead to a myriad of issues including struggling in school. The more ACEs a child experiences, the worse their outcome tends to be, including school outcomes. However, critics of ACE research have argued that not all ACEs weigh the same and intersectionality needs to be considered. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the relationship between ACEs and school outcome issues. These school outcome variables are analyzed, first with a binary ACE variable, then with ACE scale variable, to test whether more ACEs lead to worse outcomes. And, …

News From Uab Libraries, 01 2024, Uab Libraries

UAB Libraries News

No abstract provided.

Firm Performance Feedback And Organizational Impression Management: The Moderating Role Of Ceo Overconfidence, Hazel H. Dadanlar, Manisha M. Vaswani, Marwan A. Al-Shammari, Soumendra Nath Banerjee

Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

We propose that while positive performance feedback is positively related to firm sentiment, negative performance feedback is negatively associated with the firm sentiment. Additionally, overconfident Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) will improve the positive relationship between positive performance feedback and firm sentiment and reduce the negative relationship between negative performance feedback and firm sentiment. Using 7,182 firm-year observations for the 2004−2017 period, we show that positive performance feedback positively affects firm sentiment, and negative performance feedback negatively influences firm sentiment. We also found that higher levels of CEO overconfidence will minimize the negative impact of negative performance feedback on firm sentiment. …

An Investigation Of Alkb-Family Dna Repair Enzymes And Their Interaction With Synthetic, Modified Oligonucleotides, Samuel Dean Howarth

Open Access Dissertations

Chapter One will detail the synthesis, purification, and characterization of DNA oligonucleotides containing one of fifteen modified nucleic acid bases. For each modification, relevant background information is provided to highlight its biological significance. This chapter primarily focuses on the development of oligonucleotide stocks for use in future biochemical and cellular assays. Several of these modifications are recognized substrates of AlkB-family enzymes, while others remain uncharacterized as potential substrates.^1-4 The discovery of novel substrates for AlkB-family enzymes can be facilitated through comprehensive in vitro biochemical assays, contingent upon the availability of well-characterized substrate stocks. The methods and findings presented here …

The Intergenerational Transmission Of Culture Through Attachment-Based Parenting Practices And Their Effect On Child Neurology: A Systematic Review, Elvina Chow

Theses and Dissertations

The process of intergenerational transmission process is complex and involves a dynamic exchange of explicit teachings, implicit cues, and lived experiences within the parent-child relationship. This systematic review examined the intricate relationship between the intergenerational transmission of cultural values, attachment-based parenting, and child neurology through a mixed-methods approach. Findings suggest that culture is transmitted via intergenerational transmission in the parent-child dyad through parental security and trust, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and cultural influences on parenting practices. Moreover, the literature suggests that attachment-based parenting affects the intergenerational transmission of culture, values, and beliefs through the parent-child relationship quality, open communication, and …

Systematic Review Of The Risks, Consequences, Protective Factors, And Treatment Of Infidelity For Military Couples, Maria Allyson Ayson

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review examines literature related to the phenomenon of infidelity in relation to military couples, particularly regarding the risk factors, protective factors, and relational outcomes of infidelity in relation to the military lifestyle. Aspects of this lifestyle, including deployment, relocation, combat exposure, and the plethora of mental health issues subsequent to these experiences, are common instigators of adverse relational events like infidelity, which itself is a catalyst for further relational injury. Furthermore, treatments available for military couples, which have been adapted from various therapy modalities used with civilian couples, are also summarized in this review to consolidate and discuss …

Restorative Materials And Maintenance Protocols, Renata Budny, Khrystyna Vyprynyuk

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Violence Of Free Speech And Press Metaphors, Erin C. Carroll

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Today, our free speech marketplace is often overwhelming, confusing, and even dangerous. Threats, misdirection, and lies abound. Online firestorms lead to offline violence. This Article argues that the way we conceptualize free speech and the free press are partly to blame: our metaphors are hurting us.

The primary metaphor courts have used for a century to describe free speech—the marketplace of ideas—has been linked to violence since its inception. Originating in a case about espionage and revolution, in a dissent written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, a thrice-injured Civil War veteran, the marketplace has been described as a space where competition …

Non-Target Site Mechanisms Of Cross-Resistance Evolution To Florpyrauxifen-Benzyl In 2,4-D-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri), Jeong-In Hwang, Jason K. Norsworthy, L. Tom Barber, Thomas R. Butts

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds can reduce the herbicide’s efficacy, depleting crop yield and quality. Our group previously confirmed 2,4-D resistance in three Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) populations (R1 to R3). In the current study, the first filial (F₁) seeds of 2,4-D–resistant populations were subjected to screening tests for resistance to other auxin-mimicking herbicides, florpyrauxifen-benzyl (FPB; 30 g ai ha⁻¹) and dicamba (560 g ae ha⁻¹). Dicamba killed all resistant populations. FPB provided 100% control of only the R3 population. Sensitivities to FPB were reduced by 2 and 35 percentage …

Asynchronous Movement Patterns Between Breeding And Stopover Locations In A Long-Distance Migratory Songbird, Theodore Zenzal, Andrea Contina, Hannah Vander Zanden, Leanne Kuwahara, Daniel Allen, Kristen Covino

Faculty Publications

The species-specific migratory patterns and strategies of many songbirds remain unknown or understudied, as research in animal ecology is biased toward the breeding period, with the fewest studies on the migratory period across taxa. Identifying large-scale spatiotemporal migratory patterns is challenging, as individuals within a species may vary in their migratory behavior and strategies. The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a Nearctic-Neotropical migrant that is relatively well studied during the breeding season, but its species-wide migratory patterns remain understudied. Our aim in studying Yellow Warbler movement ecology was to characterize temporal migration patterns during fall migration. We sought to determine …

Andrew Tate, Matt Walsh, And The Discursive Production And Policing Of Gender, Alan J. Bandyk, Alan J. Bandyk

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis utilizes the works of Judith Butler, Simone de Beauvoir, Frederic Jameson, and Edward Said in a discourse analysis of influencers and writers in the right wing "manosphere." The figures analyzed herein are Andrew Tate and Matt Walsh. Their rhetoric aims to create a discursive woman who embodies traditional notions of gender and sex that de Beauvoir critiqued in 1949. The constant adherence and reference to a mythical past exhibits ways of thinking that coincide perfectly with Jameson's own theoretical work with the term and its inherent false nostalgia. Tate's and Walsh's efforts also fall into discursive attempts at …

U.S. National Security And Climate Change, Alexandra E. Koch, Nicole K. Carle, Gregory P. Noone

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

As sea temperatures rise and natural disasters intensify, it is critical that the U.S. national security strategy actively include plans to account for global climate change and address the complex environmental and humanitarian challenges that parallel and are driven by rising temperatures, such as resource scarcity, forced displacement, and regional instability. Climate change acts as a “threat multiplier for instability” in some of the most volatile regions of the world and can contribute to rising tensions even in historically stable regions. Climate change can also lead to increased vulnerability of military infrastructure and logistics, undermine military readiness, and demand a …

Keynote Speech By John Knox, Former U.N. Special Rapporteur For Human Rights And The Environment, John Knox

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Mechanistic Insight Into Maternal Electronic Cigarette Exposure And Its Effect On Offspring Cerebrovascular And Neurocognitive Health, Amber Victoria Mills

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electronic cigarettes (Ecigs) have replaced smoking within the last decade as the preferred nicotine delivery system because of their advertising to the younger populations. Marketing has sold the idea that use of Ecigs are safer than smoking and this messaging has resonated with youth and other vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. Despite over 2.8 million children under 18 (Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey) deciding to vape, there is little information about what this will do to the next generation. Further, it is that same population that will soon reach an age when they will want to have children. There …

Formulation, Sensory Evaluation, And Physicochemical Assessment Of And Consumer Behavior Toward Novel Energy Bars, Ian Phillip Israelsen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objectives of this study were to 1) formulate a novel energy bar containing significant macronutrients and calories per serving with favorable ratings from consumers; 2) analyze responses to a consumer preference survey and sensory evaluation of novel energy bars compared to a commercially available energy bar. For the first study, fourteen iterations of an energy bar were synthesized with differing protein sources (whey, soy, pea, hemp), and characteristic variations (nougat, chocolate truffle, peanut butter, double-date caramel). A shortbread base, date caramel, and chocolate coating were included in every bar. Sensory evaluations determined that the most liked variation overall was …

Regulation Of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Through Mitochondrial Import Of Long Non-Coding Rnas, Andrew Dodge Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The leading cause of mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus is heart failure. When mitochondrial health and function is disrupted, cardiac contractile function is compromised. Therefore, understanding mitochondrial regulation may benefit predicting and countering diabetic cardiomyopathy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in diabetic cardiac mitochondrial protein expression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to regulate miRNAs, but not in the mitochondrion. Additionally, it has yet to be confirmed if lncRNAs utilize the same mechanisms for mitochondrial import that miRNAs use, or if lncRNA presence in the mitochondrion fluctuates in diabetic mitochondria like miRNA presence does. The …

Cellular Level Changes Induced In Cancer Cells Due To Microgravity, Sai Deepika Reddy Yaram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increase in human activity in space has revealed several kinds of physiological challenges brought on by the absence of Earth's gravitational pull. NASA observed that during spaceflight, astronauts experience a 1-1.5% monthly loss in the mineral density of weight-bearing bones, with rehabilitation efforts on Earth often proving ineffective. This issue extends to muscles, the neuro vestibular system, the cardiovascular system, and vision. Cancer has emerged as a significant cause of mortality among astronauts, with studies up to 2017 showing that 41.3% of natural cause deaths among U.S. astronauts were due to cancer, primarily due to space radiation exposure. Cancer …

A Portable, Digital Nucleic Acid Amplification Test For Use At The Point Of Care, Bethany J. Fike

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nucleic acid tests are key tools for the detection and diagnosis of many diseases. In many cases, the amplification of nucleic acids is required to reach a detectable level. Although nucleic acid tests have great success, there is a need to make nucleic acid amplification tests more accessible to a point-of-care (POC) setting for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of infectious diseases. Traditionally, these tests are performed through bulk Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and are monitored in real time with a change in fluorescence intensity. With these bulk testing methods, only a qualitative or semi-quantitative result is possible. For more exact …