Digital Commons Network^™

A Multicomponent Microneedle Patch For The Delivery Of Meloxicam For Veterinary Applications, Katherine Alejandra Miranda Munoz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Veterinary medicine requires innovative drug delivery strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing stress and handling. This dissertation explores the development and application of biodegradable microneedle patches for the transdermal delivery of meloxicam in livestock, offering a minimally invasive alternative to traditional administration methods. The research investigates the fabrication and characterization of microneedles using polyvinyl alcohol, collagen, and chitosan blends, demonstrating their mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and ability to facilitate sustained drug release. In vitro and in vivo evaluations confirm effective skin penetration, dissolution, and localized drug delivery. Pharmacokinetic studies highlight anatomical site-dependent variations in drug absorption, emphasizing the need for …

End Times: American Mortality, Death Materiality, And Social Death In The 1990s, Jordan A. Savage

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States in the 1990s was marked by pervasive representations of death in popular culture. As death imagery became increasingly visible in entertainment, there was a growing detachment from the embodied, biological realities of death, a tension intensified by the ongoing AIDS crisis. This project explores how death is politicized and how decisions about who lives and dies are shaped by power. I draw on a constellation of theoretical frameworks that collectively illuminate the operations of state-sanctioned death and social abandonment. These include Michel Foucault’s concept of biopolitics, which examines the management of life by state power; Giorgio Agamben’s …

Impact Of Three Professional Development Models (Online, Face-To-Face, And Hybrid) On Bhutanese Inservice Science Teachers' Conceptions Of Aspects Of Nature Of Science (Nos) With Reports Of Translation Of Nos Content Into Classroom Teaching Practices, Pabi Maya Das

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Having a scientifically literate citizenry is an asset nationally and globally, and knowledge of the nature of science (NOS) is a crucial element in such literacy. Science teachers are a vital link if students are to understand key elements of the NOS, yet teachers themselves often lack knowledge of NOS and how to integrate NOS content into science lessons. Investigating the impact of a series of inservice professional development experiences using three distinct delivery modes (face-to-face, hybrid, online) for teachers in my home country of Bhutan is the overarching goal of the study reported here. The study used a mixed-methods …

Effect Of Marination And Storage Time On The Properties And Meat Quality Of Broiler Breast, Mayra Mabel Herrera Rivera

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The poultry industry has implemented numerous methods, as marination and aging, to improve meat quality and satisfy consumer demands. Three experiments were developed to assess the effects of vacuum tumble marination and aging on the proteins of chicken breast. These experiments utilized 0.75 % sodium chloride, 0.45 % phosphate, and water in a marinade. In experiment one, 270 fillets were allocated into six treatment groups, each comprising 45 fillets. Six days of storage time were used, marinating and storing the fillets in each group at a temperature of 4°C. Following each day of storage period, the fillets underwent a …

Cultural Vibrations: Student Power, International Exchange, And Black America In Mai 1968, Noah Micheal Roberts

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This thesis examines the prominence of Black Americans in the 68’ student movement in France. May 68’ incorporated a diverse and global network of social movements and political organizations, and had a notable connection to the American student movement. Black Americans had formed a large expatriate community in France which overlapped with many of the transnational connections forged by the student movements of 68’. This community was extremely notable in the French public sphere for popular works of literature and music, but its political contributions have been minimized or understudied. By utilizing student accounts, state and organizational records, and …

Minor League: The Journey To The Show, Collin Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When thinking about the path an athlete takes to get to the major leagues, many think of the same process: High School, College, Professional. However, the professional level includes is more than just the MLB or NBA that people would assume. Almost all professional U.S. sports leagues have a minor league system associated with them that nearly all players pass through at one point or another. Through the lens of a documentary, this portion in an athlete’s journey will be spotlighted to show what these leagues do for them, how they help them improve, and how they prepare them to …

Effects Of Flavonoids On Reducing Colon Cancer Risk Via Macrophage Polarization, Gracien Jules

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal cancer is one of the most fatal diseases in the United States. Chronic tissue inflammation can cause cell proliferation, which leads to tumor formation and cancer development. Macrophages are responsible for maintaining tissue homeostasis and for inflammatory responses. M1 macrophages exhibit proinflammatory responses while M2 macrophages exhibit anti-inflammatory responses. Imbalance between M1 and M2 macrophages is closely related to inflammation-associated disease development. The anti-inflammatory effects of apiaceous vegetable constituents, specifically flavonoids, have been studied for their preventative effects towards reducing disease risk. However, sufficient evidence is lacking on the mechanisms by which flavonoids impact M1/M2 macrophage polarization. RAW 264.7 …

Host-Virus Interaction Dynamics Using Sulfolobus Spindle-Shaped Virus And Host Sulfolobales System, Yeasin Ahmed

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped virus (SSV) is among the most studied archaeal viruses, particularly in extreme environments. This virus predominantly infects multiple Crenarchaea from the Sulfolobaceae family. These hosts thrive in extreme environmental conditions, such as sulfuric hot springs, with a pH of 2 to 4 and a temperature of 76-80˚C. Sulfolobales exhibit a wide geographical distribution across volcanic hot springs. The Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped Virus (SSV), encompassing strains such as SSV1 and SSV8, employs a non-lytic replication strategy in hosts belonging to the order Sulfolobales. The SSV-Sulfolobales system can be cultured in liquid and gellan gum solid media. A comprehensive study …

How To Do Things With Little Talking Tubes: Nonideal Speech Acts In The Digital Age, Anthony Holdier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this work, I develop a view about what it means to share a social or conversational context with others, as well as what is normatively entailed by doing so. Working from a broadly Austinian perspective about the moral foundations of language use and how we use words to position ourselves within social space, as well as from a generally Stalnakerian social ontology (demarcating groups by dint of aligned or overlapping sets of commitments), I present three papers demonstrating how nonidealized, ordinary language philosophy can make sense of complex, real-world phenomena. Through analyses of heretical utterances, context collapse, and chatbot …

Controlling Electroless Deposition On Polymer Interfaces Towards Discrete Functional Particle Synthesis, Grecia Pierina Alvarado Munoz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electroless deposition is a process that facilitates the formation of metal layers on surfaces through the reduction of metal ions onto a surface in the presence of a sacrificial reducing agent. This process can be applied to synthesize conductive metal layers on insulators such as glass or polymers. The kinetics of heterogeneous deposition depend on the interfacial surface chemistry, including the presence of added catalyst materials, as well as the bulk chemical environment, such as the concentration of metal ions and sacrificial reductants. Furthermore, the homogeneous formation of metal nanoparticles may compete with the deposition reaction, adversely affecting the control …

Empowerment Through The Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network: Examining The Organization’S Impact On Black Women, Sharnay Hearn Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological case study examines the role of empowerment within the “Sisters Lifting as We Climb Network” through the experiences of Black women participants in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Utilizing in-depth semi-structured interviews, the research investigates the organization's origins, evolution, and social support mechanisms that foster empowerment, as well as participants' experiences with programs and activities over the past nine years. Additionally, the study identifies areas for organizational improvement to further enhance participant empowerment.

The findings of this research support the empowerment theory framework by clarifying the preconditions, processes, and outcomes of empowerment within the Network, which fosters sisterhood and enhances participants' …

Cultural And Socioeconomic Determinants Of Hip And Knee Arthroplasty In The Medically Underserved Rio Grande Valley Community, Blake C. Martin, Juan C. Lopez Alvarenga, John M. Gaddis

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Joint arthroplasty is a common procedure that is increasing worldwide. In this study, we aimed to discover if there were differences in demographics and social factors associated with individuals undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). We hypothesized that older individuals and those with higher body mass index (BMI) would have an increased risk of TKA.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review using the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley UTHealth electronic database from January 1, 2018, to July 1, 2024. Individuals were selected using Current Procedural Terminology codes …

Changing The Perceived Pain Intensity In Populations With Spinal Cord Injury And With Health Disparities (Happiness): Protocol For A Feasibility Study, Ann Van De Winckel, Lin Zhang, Leslie R. Morse, Brianna Woodliff, Gladys Maestre, Kelsey Baker

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Chronic neuropathic pain affects 69% of adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). Medication, as a primary treatment, has insufficient benefits and significant risks for addiction and adverse effects. Of the available mind and body approaches, Qigong is the most accessible for adults with SCI, with evidence for effectiveness in reducing pain. Still, there is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for adults with SCI. Thus, the feasibility of Qigong in SCI needs to be established. We previously demonstrated feasibility in a pilot study, in which 18 non-Hispanic White adults with SCI completed a 12-week remote Qigong program. However, three additional …

Predicting Miner Localization In Underground Mine Emergencies Using A Hybrid Cnn-Lstm Model With Data From Delay-Tolerant Network Databases, Patrick Nonguin, Samuel Frimpong, Sanjay Madria

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground mining environments are highly hazardous, often prone to gas explosions, cave-ins, and fires that may trap miners during emergencies. The accurate, real-time localization of miners is vital for effective self-escape and rescue operations. Although the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 mandates communication and tracking systems, most current solutions rely on low-power devices and line-of-sight methods that are ineffective in GPS-denied, dynamic subsurface conditions. Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) has emerged as a promising alternative by supporting message relay through intermittent links. In this work, we propose a deep learning framework that combines Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) …

Updates To Administrative Coding Systems Limits Longitudinal Study Of Patients With Congenital Heart Disease., Natalie Jayaram, Dhaval Chauhan, Matt Hall, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell Phd, Philip M. Allen, Brett R. Anderson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Child Abuse In Colonial America, Brian Allen

Graduate Masters Theses

Child Abuse in Colonial America is an investigation of the extent to which colonial societies were aware of child abuse and how they responded. Historians often assert that awareness of the problem did not exist in America until the mid-nineteenth century; however, the evidence uncovered suggests that cases of child abuse were recognized during the colonial period and that the societal responses differed widely. Historians of childhood document myriad social, economic, political, religious, and other cultural influences that dictate how children were treated at different times and locations, and this framework is used to interpret why the responses to child …

Cannibalizing The Starving: Poverty And Disability In The Late 19th And Early 20th Century America, Cole M. Hayes

Graduate Masters Theses

Cannibalizing the Starving analyzes how the American ruling class and their institutions perceptually disabled people in poverty alongside the repercussions of this disablement within the late 19^th and early 20^th century. This thesis deploys an anarchist framework of understanding hierarchies, the state, and violence is utilized alongside critical disability studies to understand how disability was socially constructed in the context of poverty. Further, much of the framing involved is from the context of labor or those who could not or did not labor. At the heart of the issue is understanding seemingly innocuous language used to denigrate those …

Radio Emission As A Probe Of Astrophysical Sources And Ionized Media, Olivia R. Young

Theses

Broadband radio emission originates from a wide range of astronomical sources, such as the hot plasma of the middle solar corona and the exotic environments found around objects such as radio pulsars. For many of these sources, radio emission mechanisms and regions are not well understood, as they are complex and obscured from direct observation by the ionized media that the emission must traverse as it radiates outward toward the observer. Broadband radio waves from galactic astrophysical sources are delayed and distorted on their paths toward the Earth as they pass through the free electrons that compose a variety of …

Global Trail: Interactive Travel Memory System For Unesco Sites, Anne Sophie Beatrice Min Fa

Theses

Global Trail is an interactive mobile app designed for travellers or culture seekers to reimagine how they discover new places, engage with cultural sites and remember their travel experiences. In this digital world, photos get easily lost in phone galleries and sometimes lack an organized way to find specific memories to places visited. Through design, the app experience addresses three core objectives: Discover — users explore Unesco sites represented by badges through an interactive world map; Engage — they unlock and earn those badges when they visit those sites where they can post their memories on a community platform; and …

Multiplex Leiden Optimized Dynamic Network Microsegmentation And Flow Validation For Software Defined Networks, Rashed Husni Rashed Alnuman

Theses

Modern digital infrastructure is fundamentally built upon robust networks, which underpin seamless communication, data exchange, and the operation of critical systems. These networks facilitate everything from internet access and real-time patient vital sign transfers in healthcare to the management and control of industrial processes. As demands on networks have surged, their complexity and functionality have evolved significantly, continuously adapting to diverse sectoral needs. However, this rapid evolution has also amplified security challenges. The escalating scale and intricacy of contemporary networks have exposed vulnerabilities that traditional perimeter-based security models are often insufficient to counter. Static defenses prove inadequate in dynamic environments …

Towards A Foundational Framework For Real-World Active Learning: Theory, Algorithms, And Applications, Dayou Yu

Theses

While supervised learning has seen great success in the modern machine learning era, the challenge of obtaining high-quality labeled training data still exists. In many knowledge-rich domains, we still face the problem of letting machine learning models learn well using a limited number of labels. Active learning (AL) has been a prominent learning paradigm that deals with such problems. This thesis reviews the classical challenges of AL, summarizes how our prior work has advanced the field, and charts a course for adapting AL to realistic and challenging scenarios. We begin by discussing past work on standard scenarios for AL, including …

Retrofitting An Fdm Printer For 3d Printing With Cotton Yarn: A Novel Approach And Mechanical Property Evaluation, Muhammad Aghead Al Arnaout

Theses

The rapid rise of 3D printing in industry has intensified research into developing advanced and sustainable printing materials, as the properties of the feedstock directly influence the performance of the final product. This thesis investigates the integration of natural cotton yarn into PLA (Polylactic Acid) to enhance mechanical behavior while maintaining cost-effectiveness, using a standard 3D printer without any modifications. Experimental results across three phases demonstrated consistent improvements. In the first phase, cotton–PLA composites exhibited higher ductility (+22.27%) and toughness (+10.51%) than pure PLA, albeit with lower stress values and a slight decrease in Young’s modulus. In the second phase, …

On The Adaptation Of Latent Dynamics Models, Ryan Missel

Theses

Predicting future states of high-dimensional, partially observed dynamical systems - such as cardiac electrical propagation - is crucial for advancing fields like healthcare and physics. While univariate time-series forecasting is well-explored, high-dimensional time-series forecasting presents unresolved challenges. These challenges include the computational burden of processing high-dimensional data and the difficulty of accessing the system’s underlying dynamics directly. Classical optimization and analytical approaches become impractical as the dimensionality increases, leading to a growing interest in data-driven deep learning models, particularly those based on latent dynamics functions. Latent dynamics models provide an efficient way to map high-dimensional observations into lower-dimensional latent spaces, …

Waveform Systematics In Moderate Mass Ratio Binary Black Hole Systems, Rachel E. Mechum

Theses

Gravitational wave (GW) observations of binary black hole (BBH) mergers by advanced LIGO (aLIGO) have transformed our understanding of compact objects (COs). As detector sensitivity improves, new populations consisting of moderate to high mass ratio binaries will become increasingly accessible. Parameter estimation (PE), a process that extracts source properties such as masses and spins from GW signals, is critically dependent on accurate waveform models. However, current models may use approximations that introduce systematic errors for binaries with mass ratios between 0.05 and 0.5, affecting parameter accuracy and scientific interpretation. Using the Rapid Iterative FiTting (RIFT) algorithm, this work quantifies waveform …

Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Parenting Styles Of African American Fathers, Tatianna P. Johnson

Dissertations

African American fathers may be more susceptible than fathers of other races to having a negative parenting style due to their high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are traumatic experiences during childhood that can affect a person’s mental and physical health, income and adult parenting style. African American adults tend to have experienced multiple levels of ACEs at a higher rate than White and Asian adults (Maguire-Jack et al., 2021). ACEs can lead to adults experiencing higher levels of alcoholism, depression, health-related issues, mental illness, substance use, and academic problems. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to …

The Impact Of Culture And Language On Internal Communication And Patient Care In Small To Medium-Sized Black Immigrant-Owned Healthcare Practices In Texas., Chisom Nwosu

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how cultural competency in small to medium-sized Black immigrant-owned healthcare practices in Texas affects internal communication and patient care. Through semi-structured interviews with nine clinical and administrative leaders in Dallas and Houston, five themes emerged: culturally competent leadership, intentional communication structures, language and interpretation practices, patient-centered cultural sensitivity, and the use of technology for adaptation. Findings suggest that culturally aware leadership and inclusive communication strategies foster team cohesion and improve patient trust and care. Participants reported adapting workflows to meet religious, language, and communication needs through human and technological tools. The study underscores embedding cultural …

Impact Of Hereditary Angioedema Attacks On Health-Related Quality Of Life And Work Productivity, Maeve O'Connor, Paula J Busse, Timothy J Craig, Cristine Radojicic, H James Wedner, Sherry Danese, Julie Ulloa, Vibha Desai, Tomas Andriotti, Paul K Audhya, Sandra Christiansen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) negatively impacts health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Few studies have characterized impairments to HRQoL, work productivity, and well-being during and following HAE attacks.

METHODS: Patients with ≥1 HAE attack in the previous 3 months were recruited by the United States (US) HAE Association (HAEA) to complete an online survey. Respondents were categorized into those who did (Treated Cohort) and did not (Untreated Cohort) manage their last attack with on-demand treatment (OD). Adapted versions of the EuroQol-Five Dimensions-Five Levels (EQ-5D-5L), EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ VAS), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-General Health assessments were used.

RESULTS: …

High-Density Lipoprotein-Associated Cholesterol Abnormalities In A Clinical Outcomes Study Of Dysferlin-Deficient Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type R2, Zoe White, Alan Pestronk, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (MD) type R2 (LGMDR2, formerly LGMD2B) is an autosomal recessive form of MD caused by variants in the dysferlin gene, DYSF. It leads to slow proximal and distal muscle weakening that generally results in loss of ambulation around early adulthood but without the lethal cardiorespiratory dysfunction observed in the more severe Duchenne MD. How loss of dysferlin causes muscle fibre death is poorly understood, but recent evidence suggests a link between muscle wasting and loss of muscle cholesterol homeostasis with circulating lipoprotein abnormalities in many forms of MD.

METHODS: Cross-sectional circulating total cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein-associated …

Characteristics Of Responders To Interventions For Parkinson Disease: A Scoping Systematic Review, Sidney T. Baudendistel, Gammon M Earhart

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: The purpose of this review is to identify the characteristics of responders in interventions targeting motor function for individuals with Parkinson disease.

MATERIALS & METHODS: The primary search included, 'Parkinson' + 'responder.' A second, broader, search further included 'response' + 'responsiveness' + 'responsive.' Records were sorted by intervention: neuromodulation, pharmaceutical, physical, and placebo.

RESULTS: Thirteen studies were identified in the primary and 19 studies in the secondary search, culminating in 120 characteristics. For neuromodulation interventions, responders were younger at onset, more responsive to levodopa, and had more difficulties with activities of daily living. Responders to pharmaceuticals were younger at …

The Evolution Of The High Redshift Quiescent Population In Cosmos-Web, Carter B. Flayhart

Theses

Understanding the quiescent galaxy population is incredibly important in the context of galaxy evolution. These galaxies are defined as having a low star formation rate, and their evolved stellar populations makes them identifiable by their redder colors in both the observed and rest-frame. Since their rest-frame optical emission lies in the infrared (IR) regime, observations of these galaxies at high redshifts were quite difficult prior to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Recent observations of this high redshift population conflict with galaxy formation and evolution models that existed prior, with quiescent galaxies being detected more frequently than …