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Articles 6931 - 6960 of 70970

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Effects Of Probiotic Lactobacilli On Candida Albicans: Implications For Early Childhood Caries, Leena Unnikrishnan Menon Sep 2024

Effects Of Probiotic Lactobacilli On Candida Albicans: Implications For Early Childhood Caries, Leena Unnikrishnan Menon

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: Probiotic Lactobacillus species are shown to have beneficial effects against early childhood caries (ECC). On the other hand, the wide use of probiotic Lactobacillus spp. in dairy foods is believed to underline the global increase in ECC prevalence. Candida albicans has been frequently detected in children with ECC and has shown cariogenic potential in animal models of dental caries. The objective of this study was to determine the interactions between lactobacilli and C. albicans in growth competition, biofilm formation and acid production. Methods: Growth competition between C. albicans SC5314 and probiotic L. rhamnosus GG or caries-associated L. rhamnosus M72-26 …

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Factors Associated With Early Onset Anal Cancer And Facilitators And Barriers To Screening Among Men Living With Hiv And Their Providers In The Deep South: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Anna Junkins Sep 2024

Factors Associated With Early Onset Anal Cancer And Facilitators And Barriers To Screening Among Men Living With Hiv And Their Providers In The Deep South: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Anna Junkins

All ETDs from UAB

For my dissertation work, I aimed to 1) determine the occurrence of early onset (diagnosis at <50 years) anal cancer and the impact of HIV infection and other risk factors, and 2) utilize a mixed methods research approach to identify and explain factors associated with screening among men living with HIV (MLHIV) and their providers. In Aim 1, I used logistic regression to estimate the odds of early onset cancer by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics among anal cancer patients in the Alabama cancer registry from 2012-2018. Among 519 patients, 17.7% were diagnosed at <50 years. Male sex, Black race, and HIV infection were associated with younger age at diagnosis. Black patients had a 4-fold increased odds of early onset anal cancer compared to White patients and disproportionately lived in areas with higher social vulnerability. In Aim 2, I used logistic regression to estimate the odds of anal cancer screening by sociodemographic and sexual risk characteristics among MLHIV using retrospective survey data from 1917 Clinic in 2018. Among 1,114 men, 52% had received an anal pap within one year of completing the survey. Men who were screened were more likely to have multiple sexual partners. Heterosexual men had lower odds and men who reported unprotected anal sex had higher odds of screening. Older Black men were less likely to be screened. In Aim 3, I used thematic analyses to identify themes related to health beliefs, barriers and facilitators, and perceived and evaluated need of screening using in-depth interviews among MLHIV and their providers. Benefits of screening among MLHIV were early detection and awareness about one’s body. Suggestions for overcoming barriers to screening among providers included screening guidelines, patient education, inclusion of screening into routine care, and self-collection. Among men that were aware of HPV-associated cancers, there was perceived risk and desire to receive HPV vaccination. Individuals who are male, Black, or living with HIV may be at increased risk of developing anal cancer younger. Among MLHIV, improving education about HPV-associated cancer, and offering self-collected screening as part of routine care could facilitate screening in the South.

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Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study To Determine The Prevalence Of Periodontal Bone Loss As A Function Of Age In The Predoctoral Clinic Patient Population, Lincoln Nguyen Sep 2024

Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study To Determine The Prevalence Of Periodontal Bone Loss As A Function Of Age In The Predoctoral Clinic Patient Population, Lincoln Nguyen

All ETDs from UAB

Age has a significant effect on the body’s ability fight off disease, recover, and maintain collagen structures, and it has been observed that older adults have a higher prevalence of periodontal diseases. Studies have shown that age is a risk factor for alveolar bone loss. However, there is a lack of research done looking at if this is a linear progression or if there is a specific age that susceptibility increases. The aim of this study is to investigate (1) changes in radiographic bone loss in varying age groups in the University of Alabama patient population and (2) to evaluate …

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Improving Direct Oncolytic Effect Of Oncolytic Hsv To Overcome Therapeutic Resistance Of Brain Tumors, Sam Edward Gary Sep 2024

Improving Direct Oncolytic Effect Of Oncolytic Hsv To Overcome Therapeutic Resistance Of Brain Tumors, Sam Edward Gary

All ETDs from UAB

Central nervous system tumors, especially malignant brain tumors, account for the most years of potential life lost in adults and children with cancer. Malignant brain tumors are typically fatal cancers due to their highly aggressive nature, inability to obtain gross total resection, location in sensitive brain areas, and intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity, making therapeutic targeting difficult. High-grade glioma (HGG), malignant brain tumors of glial cell origin invariably recur due to intrinsic and adaptive resistance mechanisms against standard therapies. Therefore, novel treatments that overcome therapeutic resistance are desperately needed. One promising approach is oncolytic viruses (OVs), which achieve tumor regression by …

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Investigating Molecular Mechanisms Behind Neuronotypic Gba1 Mutations In Lewy Body Dementias, Casey Mahoney-Crane Sep 2024

Investigating Molecular Mechanisms Behind Neuronotypic Gba1 Mutations In Lewy Body Dementias, Casey Mahoney-Crane

All ETDs from UAB

Nonmotor deficits are present in nearly all Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, with ~80% of these patients developing dementia. Importantly, expression of the severe GBA1 L444P heterozygous mutation increases the risk for Parkinson’s disease devel-opment by 5.43 times compared to mild mutation carriers. Currently, many PD treat-ments predominately focus motor symptoms, while treatments for nonmotor symptoms, such as visual-spatial difficulties and dementia, focus on symptom management and continue to remain elusive. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms behind these nonmotor symptoms is essential for the development of effective therapeutics leading to slower disease progression. The work presented in this dissertation sought to …

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O-Glcnacylation And Modulation Of Gabaergic Transmission, Shekinah Phillips Sep 2024

O-Glcnacylation And Modulation Of Gabaergic Transmission, Shekinah Phillips

All ETDs from UAB

Changes in the strength of GABAergic transmission is heavily influenced by posttranslational modifications and allosteric modulators like benzodiazepines and neurosteroids. O-GlcNAcylation (O-GlcNAc) is a post-translational modification that is tightly regulated by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), which add or remove the O-GlcNAc moiety of β–N-acetylglucosamine to serine and threonine residues on proteins, respectively. Published reports from our lab have demonstrated that an acute increase in O-GlcNAcylation induces a long-term depression (LTD) of evoked GABAAR mediated IPSCs (eIPSCs) and reduces the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous IPSC (sIPSC) in hippocampal principal cells, however the mechanism in which this occurs is …

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Elementary Cone Photoreceptor Signals In V1 Neurons, Cyril Nyankerh Sep 2024

Elementary Cone Photoreceptor Signals In V1 Neurons, Cyril Nyankerh

All ETDs from UAB

Daylight vision is initiated by the activation of cone photoreceptors in the retina in response to light, thereby generating spatial and temporal patterns of photoreceptor signals. Subsequent to this, the signals are combined and processed in downstream neural circuits, ultimately contributing to the formation of receptive fields of neurons in primary visual cortex (V1). Recent advances in adaptive optics (AO) have enabled imaging of the retina with near diffraction limited resolution, allowing for the probing of the visual system's processing at the resolution of individual cones. The central theme of this dissertation characterizes quantitively and qualitatively the physiological responses of …

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Blood Transfusion Factors That Affect The Outcomes Of Patients Who Experienced Trauma-Related Hemorrhage, Justin Lee Miller Sep 2024

Blood Transfusion Factors That Affect The Outcomes Of Patients Who Experienced Trauma-Related Hemorrhage, Justin Lee Miller

All ETDs from UAB

Trauma is a leading cause of death in the United States and in the world. It is the leading cause of death of Americans between the ages of one to 45 years old and is expected to increase due to increase over the next ten years. Most trauma deaths are attributed to hemorrhage and are considered preventable. The current standard of care for trauma-related hemorrhage (TRH) is damage control resuscitation using either whole blood (WB) or blood components (BC) in a ratio of 1 unit of red blood cells to 1 unit of plasma to 1 unit of platelets. The …

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The T Cell Response In A Mouse Model Of Multiple System Atrophy, Nicole Jane Corbin-Stein Sep 2024

The T Cell Response In A Mouse Model Of Multiple System Atrophy, Nicole Jane Corbin-Stein

All ETDs from UAB

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a fatal and rare demyelinating synucleinopathy, characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) within oligodendrocytes. This condition is marked by neuroinflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration in areas showing GCI pathology, involving antigen presentation by myeloid cells and infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Despite strong evidence of neuroinflammation in post-mortem MSA tissue, the specific mechanisms driving the disease pathogenesis remain elusive. In prior research using the Olig001-SYN mouse model, which involves the modified AAV vector, it was shown that depleting CD4+ T cells can reduce neuroinflammation and demyelination. Notably, this …

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Investigation On The Epigenetic Mechanisms Modified By Dietary Phytochemicals In Inhibiting Mammary Cancer, Mohammad Mijanur Rahman Sep 2024

Investigation On The Epigenetic Mechanisms Modified By Dietary Phytochemicals In Inhibiting Mammary Cancer, Mohammad Mijanur Rahman

All ETDs from UAB

Breast cancer (BC) is global burden for the health of women. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among women in the United States. One in every eight women in the USA has a chance of developing invasive BC in her lifetime. The limitations of the available therapeutics for BC treatment have brought the dietary prevention of BC to the attention of the scientific community as a safe, natural, and easy to implement therapeutic strategy. In this regard, our laboratory with many other laboratories have demonstrated the anti-BC effect of …

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The Effect Of Lower Limb Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On The Muscle And Metabolic Health After Acute Spinal Cord Injury, Amal Alharbi Sep 2024

The Effect Of Lower Limb Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On The Muscle And Metabolic Health After Acute Spinal Cord Injury, Amal Alharbi

All ETDs from UAB

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event with long-term consequences for individuals and their families. It causes immediate disruption to neuronal pathways, leading to paralysis and loss of muscle function below the injury level. A few weeks after the injury, there is a rapid decline in contractile activity, muscle mass, and cross-sectional area. This leads to muscle fiber degeneration and a shift towards a higher proportion of fast glycolytic fibers, which are more prone to fatigue and less efficient in energy utilization. Severe muscle atrophy in SCI is closely linked to metabolic dysfunction, affecting overall health and rehabilitation recovery. …

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Hydrogen Peroxide Regulates Protein N-Glycosylation, Alexandria Hernandez-Nichols Sep 2024

Hydrogen Peroxide Regulates Protein N-Glycosylation, Alexandria Hernandez-Nichols

All ETDs from UAB

N-glycosylation is a co- and post-translational modification wherein a variety of sugars are added to proteins in a linear pathway progressing from high mannose (HM) to hybrid, to complex type N-glycans. This modification is important to the understanding of protein maturation, stability, and function. Studies have shown that changes in cell N-glycomes, in particular, the HM N-glycan category, could be hallmarks of various pathologies. The biosynthetic pathway for N-glycosylation is well studied and the key enzymes involved in the progression of HM to hybrid N-glycans are the a-mannosidases. Little is understood about the regulation of this highly complex post-translational modification …

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The Association Between Social Connectedness And Opioid Reuse Among Vulnerable Groups Receiving Medication For Opioid Use Disorder, Jolanda Lynn Hudson Sep 2024

The Association Between Social Connectedness And Opioid Reuse Among Vulnerable Groups Receiving Medication For Opioid Use Disorder, Jolanda Lynn Hudson

All ETDs from UAB

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND OPIOID REUSE AMONG VULNERABLE GROUPS RECEIVING MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER JOLANDA L. HUDSON PUBLIC HEALTH ABSTRACT Introduction: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a serious illness that continues to persist despite the many efforts of researchers, physicians, government agencies, state, and local programs, to eliminate the mortality rate associated with this disease. Although manageable, OUD is still taking the lives of citizens due to illegal opioid misuse. Understanding the dynamics of the disease and the contributing factors in various populations may inform researchers in successful intervention outcomes. Methods: A retrospective secondary data analysis utilizing …

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Changes In Drug And Alcohol Behaviors Before And After An Educational Intervention Among At-Risk Adults And Youth, Isabel Cuellar Acker Sep 2024

Changes In Drug And Alcohol Behaviors Before And After An Educational Intervention Among At-Risk Adults And Youth, Isabel Cuellar Acker

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Substance abuse is defined as the excessive use of a drug in a way that is detrimental to oneself, society, or both. Gender is important to examine because it is becoming more common for females to develop substance use disorders and for their substance use to be more severe. This study will address the role of an education-based intervention on substance abuse in an area that is at the intersection of rural and urban geography with a unique pool of participants. Methods: This is a longitudinal cohort study that has a pre-post intervention design. A linear model was used …

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Prevention Of Spina Bifida Through Fortification Of Iodized Salt With Folic Acid, Anastasia Arynchyna Smith Sep 2024

Prevention Of Spina Bifida Through Fortification Of Iodized Salt With Folic Acid, Anastasia Arynchyna Smith

All ETDs from UAB

The overarching goal of the three-paper dissertation is to address the gaps in the literature on the clinical care burden of preventable spina bifida on the global neurosurgical community and the need for a universal food vehicle for fortification with folic acid as a novel prevention strategy. It is known that sufficient intake of folic acid is imperative to prevent neural tube defects (spina bifida) in the developing fetus in the first month post-conception. It is also known that fortifying staple foods is the most cost-saving and effective prevention method. However, very few countries have mandatory fortification policies. Therefore, the …

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It's A Man's World: The Association Between Safe Sex Practices, Relationship Power, & Resilience Among African American Emerging Adults Between 18-24 In The Deep South, Jessica Morgan Sep 2024

It's A Man's World: The Association Between Safe Sex Practices, Relationship Power, & Resilience Among African American Emerging Adults Between 18-24 In The Deep South, Jessica Morgan

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the impact that power imbalance has on safe sex practices among African American emerging adults. The objectives included: provide a thorough review of preexisting literature that explores the impact of power imbalance on safe sex practices among African American women; understand the impact that power imbalance has on safe sex practices among African American emerging adults comparing data from men and women; and understand if resilience is associated with power imbalance among African American emerging adult women in the United States. Utilizing a retrospective, cross-sectional, quantitative study design, three methods were used …

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Nurse Educators’ Experiences In Implementing Concept-Based Teaching, Ma Camlaria Felismino Sep 2024

Nurse Educators’ Experiences In Implementing Concept-Based Teaching, Ma Camlaria Felismino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National League for Nursing called for implementing innovative teaching strategies in nursing education. Concept-based teaching (CBT) is a method that encourages learners to interpret, analyze, and integrate knowledge. Despite reports that CBT improves student outcomes and enhances critical thinking, the adoption of CBT is slow. This qualitative descriptive study, guided by Rogers’s diffusion of innovations theory, explored how nurse educators have experienced implementing CBT. Secondary data were analyzed from interviews conducted with 13 participants. Using constant comparative analysis, seven key themes emerged and were linked to the successful adoption and implementation of CBT: communication, learning from established programs, curriculum …

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A Five-Year Review Of State Dental Board Disciplinary Actions, Phorum Desai Sep 2024

A Five-Year Review Of State Dental Board Disciplinary Actions, Phorum Desai

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Ethical violations not only tarnish the reputation of dental professionals but also compromise the trust patients place in the dental field. A review of documented legal violations provides valuable insights into the common ethical transgressions and potential deficiencies in dental ethics education. This study aims to identify common violations reported by state dental boards and trends of violations over five years. Material and Methods: After a broad preliminary search, nine state dental boards with fully accessible records from January 2017 to December 2021 were selected for a thorough review: California, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Dakota, …

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Impact Of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregates On Synaptic Structure In The Amygdala, Nolwazi Zakithi Gcwensa Sep 2024

Impact Of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregates On Synaptic Structure In The Amygdala, Nolwazi Zakithi Gcwensa

All ETDs from UAB

Parkinson’s disease is the most common motor neurodegenerative and is characterized by intracellular inclusions of misfolded protein α-synuclein termed Lewy Pathology. At least 80% of PD sufferers also experience non-motor symptoms along with, and sometimes preceding, the motor symptoms. Symptoms such as apathy, hallucinations, anxiety and depression could be caused by α-synuclein inclusions causing dysfunction in the amygdala. Lewy pathology in the amygdala of PD patients is robust and has also been observed in a number of other diseases like Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer's disease. In our lab, we have shown that using preformed fibrils to induce α-synuclein …

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Interactions Between Oral Cancer Cells And Enterococcus Fecalis And Their Impact On Perineural Invasion, Sree Ramya Bhamidipaati Sep 2024

Interactions Between Oral Cancer Cells And Enterococcus Fecalis And Their Impact On Perineural Invasion, Sree Ramya Bhamidipaati

All ETDs from UAB

Oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancers (OSCC and OPSCC) are some of the most common cancers in the world. The overall 5-year survival rate is 68.5%, which drops to 39.3% in patients with later-stage cancers. This research aims to evaluate the effects of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) on the OSCC and OPSCC's tumor progression. E. faecalis is associated with asymptomatic, persistent endodontic infections and was found at a higher rate in OSCC patients. We hypothesize that cancer cells and Enterococcus faecalis (Ef) interact to affect the tumorigenic properties of oral cancer cells. OSCC cells from different parts of the oral …

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Understanding Biopsychosocial Influences On Physical Activity And Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Survivors, Erica A. Schleicher Sep 2024

Understanding Biopsychosocial Influences On Physical Activity And Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Survivors, Erica A. Schleicher

All ETDs from UAB

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can be life-altering, presenting numerous challenges. Breast cancer treatments are effective at allowing women to live longer, but often impose long-term side-effects that survivors must manage for years. Exercise is an effective way to address many long-term side-effects of breast cancer treatment, yet 63-83% of breast cancer survivors do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Due to the complexity of cancer and treatment options, cancer-related factors have potential biopsychosocial impacts that can influence exercise habits, attitudes toward PA (i.e., social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs), and potentially quality of life (QoL). It …

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The Effect Of Progranulin On Lysosomal Function In Bv2 Cells, Michelle Park Sep 2024

The Effect Of Progranulin On Lysosomal Function In Bv2 Cells, Michelle Park

All ETDs from UAB

Neurodegenerative diseases afflict nearly 7 million people in United states, constituting a significant portion of the 600 known neurological disorders. Characterized by the gradual loss of neurons and axons within the central nervous system (CNS), these conditions stem from chronic inflammatory activation of the brain. Chronic inflammation disrupts important processes such as autophagy lysosome pathway, a self-degradative process that eliminates protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide that triggers autophagic flux in neuronal cells and promotes the clearance of protein aggregates; however, without understanding the mechanism behind how trehalose affects these functions, it lacks value. In our study, …

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Nutrition Manual For Nsu Athletics Coaches, Nicole Branum Sep 2024

Nutrition Manual For Nsu Athletics Coaches, Nicole Branum

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

This manual serves as general nutrition information for the coaches at Nova Southeastern University. It is to be used in tandem with the Nutrition Manual for NSU Student Athletes. Sports nutrition is a rapidly growing field, but easily accessible, consistent, research-backed information is scarce. It is well-known that optimal nutrition can enhance physical performance and recovery. Athletes lack knowledge of nutrition, healthy food choices and how to build a well-balanced diet, which can impact an athlete's performance. Nutrition education was shown to increase the sports nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practice scores, as well as enhance the intake of macronutrients and …

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Mechanistic Study Of Dna Ligase Iv-Mediated Double-Strand Break Repair In Non-Homologous End Joining, Tasmin Naila, Alan E. Tomkinson Sep 2024

Mechanistic Study Of Dna Ligase Iv-Mediated Double-Strand Break Repair In Non-Homologous End Joining, Tasmin Naila, Alan E. Tomkinson

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is a crucial double-strand break repair pathway in mammalian cells, resolving DNA damage from ionizing radiation and during V(D)J recombination. Although DNA Ligase IV is the only mammalian DNA ligase involved in NHEJ, it functions as a single-turnover enzyme in vitro. Recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies revealed two LigIV molecules at the NHEJ synapse, supporting the hypothesis that two ligase molecules are needed for DSB repair by NHEJ. This study aims to validate this hypothesis by providing evidence for coordinated ligation at optimal distance and polarity preference for catalytic activity by LigIV. We determined that coordination …

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Single-Step Aerosol Methods For Lignin Valorization: From Fundamentals To Scale-Up, Sujit Sagar Modi Sep 2024

Single-Step Aerosol Methods For Lignin Valorization: From Fundamentals To Scale-Up, Sujit Sagar Modi

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Growing consumption of fossil resources for energy and materials production has significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions, which will have an increasingly negative, and potentially catastrophic, environmental impact in the future. Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the few sustainable carbon resources that has the abundance and geographical distribution to displace fossil-based fuels and materials. However, the under-utilization of by-products such as lignin fraction remains a key challenge in expanding the utilization of lignocellulosic materials, necessitating the development of technologies for valorization of lignin into high-value products. Lignin is a promising precursor for the synthesis of a diverse range of high-value nanomaterials. …

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Emotional Design Of Lecture Slides During Anatomy Lectures: Effect On Mood, Cognitive, Load And Memory Retention, Joshua Raj Narayanan Sep 2024

Emotional Design Of Lecture Slides During Anatomy Lectures: Effect On Mood, Cognitive, Load And Memory Retention, Joshua Raj Narayanan

Student Works (2020-2029)

This study investigates the efficacy of emotional design in Anatomy and Medical education, a subject hitherto unexamined in emotional design studies. Further, unlike previous studies, this study utilised a natural learning environment rather than computer-based lessons. We investigated how the emotional design of lecture slides impacts mood, cognitive load and memory retention in first-year anatomy students studying medicine and dentistry in Universiti Malaya across three separate lectures. The control group (medical students) were exposed to emotionally neutral slides, while the experiment group (dental students) were exposed to emotionally positive slides. Questionnaires were used to assess changes in participants' mood, as …

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Association Between Unmet Needs And Happiness In Women Living With Breast Cancer In A Multiethnic, Middle-Income Setting, Nithiya Sinarajoo Sep 2024

Association Between Unmet Needs And Happiness In Women Living With Breast Cancer In A Multiethnic, Middle-Income Setting, Nithiya Sinarajoo

Student Works (2020-2029)

While improved breast cancer survival rates are commendable, healthcare professionals and stakeholders must acknowledge potential strains on the healthcare system and society if optimal support and survivorship programs are not established. A global shift towards personalized, holistic patient care is crucial. However, implementing such care in a low- and middle-income country like Malaysia faces significant barriers. Positive psychology, which focuses on fostering positive emotions, has shown promise in promoting better health and longevity in healthy populations. However, research on the concept of happiness, both as a predictor of health outcomes and as a patient-reported outcome in cancer settings, remains limited. …

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Improving Ligand Pharmacokinetics Via Bioisosteric Substitution Of Amides With 1, 2, 3-Triazoles While Maintaining Dopamine D4 Receptor Selectivity And Potency, Mohammad Alkhatib Sep 2024

Improving Ligand Pharmacokinetics Via Bioisosteric Substitution Of Amides With 1, 2, 3-Triazoles While Maintaining Dopamine D4 Receptor Selectivity And Potency, Mohammad Alkhatib

Theses and Dissertations

Several neurophysiological functions, such as attention, cognition, and emotional regulation, are regulated by the binding of dopamine on G-Protein coupled receptors. D4Rs are mainly located in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus and are known to have a key role in decision-making, memory formation, cognition, and attention. Administration of D4Rs- selective ligands during the preclinical studies enhance the outcomes and the results in animal models suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders, including ADHD, substance use disorders (SUD), and Alzheimer's disease. Recently, we reported a group of D4R-selective ligands with different efficacies depending on their phenylpiperazine ring scaffold to illustrate D4R function during …

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The Foodpunk City: Advancing Portland's Food Security Through A Shared Ideology Of Adaptation & Resistance, Nickolas Hash Sep 2024

The Foodpunk City: Advancing Portland's Food Security Through A Shared Ideology Of Adaptation & Resistance, Nickolas Hash

Dissertations and Theses

Food injustice is a form of violence perpetrated by state and corporate actors against a constituency under their governing power, particularly impacting marginalized and impoverished communities. It denies individuals access to nutritious food, perpetuating cycles of poverty, inequality, physical health risks, and social exclusion. Grassroots movements have emerged to challenge dominant paradigms and advocate for food sovereignty, agroecology, and food anarchy. In Portland, the movement represents a nontraditional approach to food security that closely resembles the reactionary ideology of urban "punk" culture. Both groups prioritize community autonomy over food systems, sustainable agricultural practices, and resistance to oppressive structures that perpetuate …

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Smart Toys For Sensing And Soothing Distress In Pediatric Patients, Jonathan Daniel Bonilla Sep 2024

Smart Toys For Sensing And Soothing Distress In Pediatric Patients, Jonathan Daniel Bonilla

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis develops and evaluates child-centered technologies to support remote monitoring of pediatric patients, with an emphasis on childhood cancer and pediatric chronic pain. For these and many other health conditions, current therapies tend to focus on treating physical symptoms yet neglect the psycho-emotional aspects of managing the illness. However, such mental states play a major role in recovery. Research has shown that cancer patients with better mental health have better prognoses, higher possibilities of remission, and faster healing processes, while chronic pain patients with better mental health report lower levels of pain. To enable more personalized, continuous, and scalable …

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