Digital Commons Network^™

Nitrous Oxide Exposure In The Workplace: A Study Of Pediatric Dental Clinics In Saudi Arabia, Badr Alhemayyed

Theses & Dissertations

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is frequently used in dental offices and is regarded as safe for patients getting dental work done. However, nitrous oxide exposure at work has been linked to harmful health outcomes like infertility and diseases of the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia lacks an occupational safety and health regulatory body, which may influence dental professionals' safety. This is a serious problem because it puts dental professionals at risk of nitrous oxide exposure at work.

Exposure to nitrous oxide at work can have serious health consequences. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate dental professionals' occupational exposure …

Variations In Source And Pattern Of Arterial Supply To The Trigeminal Ganglion With Clinical Relevance, William S. Srinivasan

Theses & Dissertations

The trigeminal ganglion (TG) is known to receive its arterial supply from branches of the internal carotid artery (ICA), middle meningeal artery (MMA), accessory meningeal artery (AMA), or superior cerebellar artery (SCA). Existing information about the prevalence and patterns of blood supply to the TG is limited despite their high clinical relevance to basicranial surgeries. The objective of this study is to investigate the source and pattern of arterial supply to TG and discuss their clinical relevance. Left and right TG were examined on 75 embalmed human cadavers from an ethically approved anatomical donor program. A literature review was conducted, …

Chest Wall Injury Pain With Movement, Lindsey Cavlovic

Theses & Dissertations

Rib fractures are the most common injury in patients who sustain trauma to the chest wall. These patients often report exacerbated pain severity with deep breathing, coughing, and performing movements of the upper body. Clinical experience in treating these patients shows that patients usually avoid movement due to increased pain severity. Most pain scores from patients with chest wall injuries are assessed while the patient lies comfortably in bed. Although pain is the primary complaint of patients with chest wall injury, the assessment of this pain is likely under-represented, given that these patients remain inactive due to the pain that …

A Critical Assessment Of The Role Of Clpxp-Mediated Proteolysis In The Development And Differentiation Of Chlamydia Trachomatis, Nicholas A. Wood

Theses & Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular human pathogen, is the etiological agent of the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection and the leading cause of preventable infectious blindness worldwide. In adapting to an intracellular niche, Chlamydia has evolved to eliminate superfluous genes from its chromosome. Despite its highly reduced genome, Chlamydia undergoes a complex developmental cycle in which the bacteria differentiate between two functionally and morphologically distinct forms: the infectious, non-replicative elementary body (EB) and the non-infectious, replicative reticulate body (RB). An EB initiates infection by binding to and inducing uptake into a host cell. Within the cell, the EB …

The Interface Between Host And Bacterial Metabolism During Staphylococcus Aureus Prosthetic Joint Infection, Blake P. Bertrand

Theses & Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a versatile pathogen that can occupy a wide range of niches within the human body, including implanted medical devices such as in prosthetic joint infection (PJI). S. aureus adheres to these medical devices and forms a biofilm, which is a community of bacteria contained within an extracellular matrix that leads to gradients in nutrient and oxygen availability. During PJI, the biofilm is recalcitrant to antibiotics and immune-mediated clearance, leading to treatment failure, mortality, and a high healthcare burden. This is partially due to skewing of the host immune system to an anti-inflammatory state, …

Use Of Pre-Transplant Cmi To Predict Infection And Mortality Post-Cardiac Transplantmortality Post-Cardiac Transplant, Chetaj A. Mahabir

Theses & Dissertations

This paper discusses a study investigating the relationship between the cell-mediated immunity (CMI) level before cardiac transplant and the incidence of infection and mortality after the transplant. CMI is an important measure of a person's immune system. The study included 126 patients who underwent cardiac transplants between September 2011 and January 2020. Out of these, 21 patients had a low CMI level (<225), and 105 had a high CMI level (≥ 225) before transplant. The mean CMI level in the low CMI group was 175.3, while in the high CMI group, it was 479.9. The two groups were similar except for the lower white cell count and cardiac output in the CMI< 225 groups and the higher Caucasian demographic in the CMI≥ 225 groups. The study concludes that patients with lower CMI levels before cardiac transplant have a higher risk of infection (p=0.052) and mortality (p=0.005) one year after the transplant. The risk of dying for patients with CMI <225 is 12.9 times the risk of dying for patients with CMI ≥ 225 after adjusting for the other covariates in the model. However, this study has some limitations including its retrospective nature, small sample size, and single-center design. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings and investigate the optimal immunosuppressive regimens based on baseline CMI levels.

Growth Plate Cartilage: Understanding The Contribution Of Adhesion To Column Formation And Matrix Structure, Sydney E. Greer

Theses & Dissertations

Throughout fetal and adolescent development, bone growth is regulated by fine-tuned and controlled maturation of chondrocytes through a cartilaginous template called the growth plate. Bone growth rate is controlled through cell enlargement and extracellular matrix deposition, while the polarized arrangement of proliferative chondrocytes into columns aligned with the long axis of the bone potentiate growth. Chondrocytes are surrounded by a complex three-dimensional arrangement of matrix molecules, all of which are secreted by chondrocytes and assembled/remodeled to support the biological functions of the cell. Adhesion receptors found on the cell membrane of chondrocytes are crucial to the organization of matrix proteins …

Oxidative Damage Together With Post-Occlusive Re-Oxygenation Kinetics, In Calf Muscle, Implicate Microvessels In The Myopathy Of Peripheral Artery Disease, Molly Schieber

Theses & Dissertations

Background:Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by calf muscle fibrosis and myofiber oxidative damage (OxD). Our laboratory has demonstrated architectural changes of calf-muscle microvessels (

Methods:Gastrocnemius biopsies were collected from controls, patients with Stage II PAD, and Stage IV patients with limb-threatening ischemia. Carbonyl adducts (CA; oxidative damage), and Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1; anti-OxD in microvessels) were quantified in microvessels (

Results: Post-occlusive re-oxygenation of calf muscle was slowed in Stage II patients versus controls. Kinetic parameters correlated poorly with Ankle-Brachial Index. Microvessel CA was increased in pre- and post-exercise Stage II patients and in Stage IV patients versus …

Cognition Is Not Evidence Of Sentience, Tom Bennett

Animal Sentience

The ability of plants to detect their environment, including other organisms within that environment, is unquestioned. The ability of plants to differentially process, integrate and respond to complex combinations of environmental information could perhaps be described as cognition. But no amount of evidence for cognitive abilities in plants equates to evidence for plant sentience. Nor is plant sentience required to understand or interpret the behaviour of plants in their environment.

Gastric Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (G-Poem) For Gastroparesis: Predictors Of Suboptimal Response, Andrew Foong, Sarah Clark, Ye Eun Kwak, Woosuk Park, Markian J. Kuzycz, James Rydlewicz, William Tisol, Mohammed Qadeer

Aurora GME

No abstract provided.

A New, Putatively Semisubterranean, Rhithrodytes Diving Beetle From Southwestern Sardinia (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Mario Toledo, David T. Bilton, Michael Balke, Antonio Schizzerotto, Adrián Villastrigo

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The diving beetle genus Rhithrodytes Bameul, 1989 is endemic to areas surrounding the Western Mediterranean Basin, and currently includes six lotic species; three each in Europe and North Africa. Here we describe a striking new species, Rhithrodytes pantaleonii sp. nov., discovered during recent fieldwork in southwestern Sardinia. The new species differs markedly from the only previously known Rhithrodytes from the Tyrrhenian Islands, R. sexguttatus (Aubé, 1838). The pale, flattened appearance of R. pantaleonii sp. nov., together with its small eyes and scarcity during collecting, all point to it being semisubterranean. A combination of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, obtained non-destructively …

Vulnerability Of Juveniles To False Confessions, Amanda Ghibaudo

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In criminal proceedings, confessions have long been recognized as the gold standard of evidence. Understandably, many people question why someone would willingly confess to a crime that they did not commit. However, in the event of an interrogation, police often use psychologically coercive interrogation techniques that may make suspects, especially juveniles, more susceptible to false confessions. This paper intends to assess the vulnerability of juveniles to false confessions and the legal implications of such confessions. The reality is that false confessions ruin innocent lives. Synthesizing existing literature on relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases, juvenile interrogation procedures, and the dispositional vulnerabilities …

Center Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Outcomes Associated With Covid-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study, Haley Williams, Kayla Woodworth

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary, multifaceted program for cardiac patients. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, health care, including center-based CR (CBCR) programs, were closed to in-person sessions. Even with the return to CBCR participation, patient outcomes may have been affected by this disruption in care. The goal of this study was to determine if CR participation outcomes differed before and after CBCR program closure due to Covid-19.

Methods: A retrospective comparative cohort design was used to examine CR participant outcome data before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Convenience sampling of CR participants at a large, urban …

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis [Ipa]: Examining The Impact Of Sleep Disturbances On Lived Experiences Of Persons With Parkinson’S Disease (Pwpd), Adriana Ornelas, Angela Blackwell, Karen Aranha

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Introduction: This investigation aimed to examine the lived experiences of PwPD who suffer from insomnia. Sleep disturbance affects up to 96% of individuals with PD. The non-motor symptom (NMS) significantly reduces HR-QOL, positively correlates with disease severity and duration, and increases the disease burden of care. Due to the nature of the disease, typical sleep hygiene protocols may not be the most effective intervention for this population. Understanding their challenges is vital to developing a sleep hygiene protocol tailored to their needs.

Methodology: A pilot qualitative study using an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) with PwPD (N=12). The study received IRB …

Distribution Of Astragalus Amnis-Amissi (Fabaceae), A Plant Endemic To East-Central Idaho, Michael Daines

Western North American Naturalist

Astragalus amnis-amissi (Fabaceae), or Lost River milkvetch, is a plant endemic to east-central Idaho for which no published surveys have been completed in the last 18 years. A search for several previously documented populations in canyons of the southern Lemhi Range and the Lost River Range, in Butte and Custer Counties, Idaho, documented the species in 4 canyons. However, it was not relocated in an unnamed canyon in the southern Lemhi Range, indicating potential extirpation of 1 of 2 previously known populations documented on land managed by the USDI Bureau of Land Management. No new populations of A. amnis-amissi were …

Ecological And Evolutionary Drivers Of Chameleon Forelimb Variation, Ellie M. Schley

Honors Thesis

Skeletal anatomy can vary greatly among individuals of the same family that share a common ancestor. Differences in skeletal anatomy and morphology allow species to be better suited to their environments. The study of skeletal anatomy variation as it pertains to species relatedness and habitat variation can provide useful insight into what may be driving evolutionary patterns among species. Specifically, studying skeletal anatomy of the forelimb could allow for better understanding of how the forelimb anatomy differs based on the arboreality of the species, which allows for better understanding of how habitat can affect morphology. To study the skeletal structure …

Complementary Medicine And Its Perceived Effects On Cancer Patients, Madison A. Sundvold

Honors Thesis

This research examines the perceived effects of the top ten complementary medicine types on cancer patients' perceived health outcomes, when used in combination with Western or evidence-based medicine. This thesis analyzes various peer-reviewed articles as a literature review and utilizes a previous honors thesis conducted survey of the general population. It studies the depth of knowledge that people have of complementary medicine types and if they combine the resource with regular Western medicine. The purpose of this study is to examine if complementary medicine used decreases the side effects associated with cancer treatment, such as fatigue, pain, and nausea. After …

Mobile Munchies: An Occupation-Based Transitional Skills Program For Adolescents, Reilly S. Dujmovic

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This capstone project is focused on program development in the area of life/work skills for adolescents in a special education setting. The specific interest was in transition skills for adolescents, or skills that promote independence in ADLs, IADLs, and leisure, and work activities following formal education. The goal of this project was to develop work programming as an intervention to teach transition skills to adolescents in a special education classroom setting. The programming developed was based on programming the special education classroom has used in the past. Programming was modified to take an occupational therapy lens to reach the goal …

Promoting Social-Emotional Development In Preschool Children Using A Trauma Informed, Sensory Integrative Approach, Sarah M. Mcgoldrick

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The incidence of sensory processing difficulties and related behaviors is increasing in young children, which supports the need for early intervention and support. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of TBRI® Nurture Group© in improving social emotional and sensory processing skills in preschool aged children while reducing the number of negative behaviors observed. The project was conducted in a four- and five-year-old preschool classroom at the Early Learning Center in Edina, Minnesota. Nurture Group© sessions occurred over the span of ten weeks in small groups of about three to four students. Students worked on identifying calming …

Telehealth Integration In Primary Care, Ashley Simons

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Telehealth has been proven to be a useful and integral tool in primary care settings. Carlinville Family Health Care Clinic, a rural health clinic, has the current ability to conduct Telehealth visits but is not currently doing so. They have several programs available that are equipped with Telehealth capabilities. The physicians cite lack of education on these programs and lack of a standard streamlined practice for which program to use or how to use it.

According to the physicians in this practice, along with their patients, the use of Telehealth has multiple advantages. Because visits in this clinical are usually …

Primary Care Management Of Breast Cancer Screening, Katelyn Phillips, Lainey Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer diagnosis and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Mammograms have been identified as an effective screening tool that can detect breast cancer in the early stages of the disease, before symptoms develop, and allow the possibility of a cure. The project aimed to identify women in the primary care setting with outstanding mammography orders and implement a more systemic outreach program to improve patient adherence. The intervention was a telephone outreach program in which the students conducting the project contacted patients with unsatisfied mammogram orders …

Is Realt Reality? Investigating The Use Of Blockchain Technology And Tokenization In Real Estate Transactions, Caroline Moriarty

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

2022 Spectrum Policy Initiative Conference Outcomes Report, Braham Stevenson, Jackson Mcneal, Sean Harms, Xelef Botan

Colorado Technology Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Brief Review Of Selected Research-Based Strategies For Helping Young Singers Match Pitch, Dirk Myers

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this review of literature was to identify ways to help varying levels of novice singers manage and improve their vocal pitch matching ability. The review identified the work of prominent pedagogues and researchers. The literature review revealed that techniques aiding the novice singer yield varying levels of success. Most of the research showed that remedial techniques work best in small groups, one-on-one settings, and solo singing. The research did not address the issue of effective teaching and its effect with regard to student achievement (e.g., classroom management and issues related to effective or ineffective teaching ability).

Synaptic Transmission At The Photoreceptor Ribbon Synapse, Chris Mesnard

Theses & Dissertations

Synaptic transmission relies on the Ca²⁺-dependent release of neurotransmitters packaged into synaptic vesicles. Ribbon synapses have the capability to release multiple vesicles at a time in a highly coordinated and synchronized manner. Glutamate release from rod and cone photoreceptor cells involves presynaptic ribbons composed largely of the protein RIBEYE. To examine roles of ribbons in rods and cones, we studied mice in which GCamP3 replaced the B-domain of RIBEYE. We discovered that ribbons were absent from rods and cones of both knock-in mice possessing GCamP3 and conditional RIBEYE knockout mice. Mice lacking ribbons showed reduced temporal resolution and …

Evaluating The Impact Of Routine Enteral Iron Fortification On Gastrointestinal Dysbiosis In Premature Infants, Matthew Van Ormer

Theses & Dissertations

The gastrointestinal microbiome in preterm infants bears significant influence on optimal outcomes – dysbiosis is shown to substantially increase the risk of the life-threatening necrotizing enterocolitis, whereas optimal microbiome composition improves nutrient digestion and immune function. Iron is a vital nutrient especially during the perinatal window of rapid hemoglobin production, tissue growth, and foundational neurological development. However, excess colonic iron exhibits potent oxidation capacity and alters the competitive environment of microbes – potentially facilitating the proliferation of pathological bacterial strains in the gut. Of note, breastfed preterm infants routinely receive iron fortification starting at 14 days of life and are …

Polycationic Nanoparticle Delivery Of Nucleic Acids For The Treatment Of Fibrosis In Alcohol-Associated Liver Diseases, Chuhan Zhang

Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) is a major cause of liver disorders worldwide. Current treatment options are limited, especially for AALD-related fibrosis. Targeted therapies are urgently needed for severe forms of AALD. In my project, dual-functioning nanoparticles for the effective delivery of antifibrotic RNA were designed and developed, together with combined CXCR4 inhibition or CD44 targeting as a way to improve the treatment of AALD fibrosis. An alcoholic fibrosis model of moderate alcohol consumption with secondary liver insult was built for evaluation of nanoparticle performance in vivo. In Chapter 2, a cholesterol-modified polymeric CXCR4 inhibitor (Chol-PCX) was synthesized and used to …

Ensemble Concerts: Isu String Project, May 6, 2023, Benjamin De Kock, Aaron Jacobs, Cora Swenson Lee, Katherine Lewis

School of Music Programs

Center for the Performing Arts
May 6, 2023
Saturday Morning
11:00 a.m.

Multiscale Damage Modelling Of Notched And Un-Notched 3d Woven Composites With Randomly Distributed Manufacturing Defects, S.Z.H. Shah, Juhyeong Lee, P.S.M. Megat-Yusoff, Syed Zahid Hussain, T. Sharif, R.S. Choudhry

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This work proposes a stochastic multiscale computational framework for damage modelling in 3D woven composite laminates, by considering the random distribution of manufacturing-induced imperfections. The proposed method is demonstrated to be accurate, while being simple to implement and requiring modest computational resources. In this approach, a limited number of cross-sectional views obtained from micro-computed tomography (µCT) are used to obtain the stochastic distribution of two key manufacturing-induced defects, namely waviness and voids. This distribution is fed into a multiscale progressive damage model to predict the damage response of three-dimensional (3D) orthogonal woven composites. The accuracy of the proposed model was …

Detection Of Sars-Cov-2 Mutations In Vermillion, Sd, Wastewater Utilizing Probe-Based Rt-Qpcr, Matthew J. Schmitz

Honors Thesis

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from the subgenus Sarbecovirus, has presented numerous public health challenges for communities across the globe. As demonstrated by the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) and the recent Omicron variants, the virus can mutate and pose new risks for communities, such as reinfection, increased transmissibility, and variable mortality. As such, accurately monitoring the spread of specific variants has become a priority for public health agencies. However, clinical testing faces various limitations, and the increased use of at-home test kits inhibits surveillance. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) can monitor infection rates of entire …