Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Adolescents, Complex Trauma, And Making Meaning Through Art, Teresa N. Grame

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study generated new knowledge and deepened understanding of how adolescent survivors make meaning of trauma recovery through art. Narrative inquiry methods applied art making with adolescent survivors of complex trauma who used art to express their experiences of healing. Eleven adolescents, ages 13-18, created three separate pieces of art representing how they see themselves and the world, in the past, present, and future. Narrative themes came alive through art in the form of metanarratives and storylines based on analysis of the formal elements of art and the Expressive Therapies Continuum. Art elements and art materials gave voice to …

Improvement Of Hypertension Self-Care Management In African American Older Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension Through Shared Decision-Making, Sigga Jobe

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Hypertension affects nearly half of the population in the U.S., with the prevalence disproportionately higher in African Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023). Complications of uncontrolled hypertension, such as cardiovascular disorders and stroke, increase with age, prompting the importance of controlling high blood pressure in older adults. African American older adults are at higher risk of developing uncontrolled hypertension and related complications due to the lack of healthcare access, financial constraints leading to the inability to access healthier food choices, exercise capabilities, weight control, adherence to recommended medications, and knowledge deficit.

Methods: This project focused on …

U.S. Online Romance Scams: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors Associated With Victimization And Exploration Of Lived Experiences Of Victimization, Rebecca A. Cole

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this dissertation is to understand develop an understanding of experiences of online romance scam¹(ORS) victimization and to examine factors associated with ORS victimization. The dissertation samples ORS victims and uses purposive sampling strategies to recruit participants. The research used a mixed methods explanatory design approach. Inclusion criteria included ORS victims 18 and older who lived in the U.S., lost any amount of money in ORS scam, and met the scammer on any Internet platform. Three research manuscripts complete this dissertation. The first manuscript is a scoping review to understand the mental and physical health outcomes …

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses - Archive

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

Sympathetic-Cardiovascular Stress Reactivity In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Ashley Darling

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood and/or anhedonia that causes significant functional impairment in daily life. MDD affects nearly 15% of adults in their lifetime, and since 2019, prevalence estimates have increased up to ~30% in young adults (18-25 years old). In addition to its debilitating effects on daily functioning, epidemiological studies link MDD to ~3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), followed by accelerated CVD progression and mortality. Although the mechanisms contributing to MDD-CVD comorbidity are unclear, there is evidence of stress system dysfunction in adults with MDD.

Accordingly, the aim …

Managing Stress: A Study Of Stress Response Mechanisms In Mycobacteria, Augusto C. Hunt Serracin

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Mycobacteria encompass many pathogenic species known to cause severe disease in humans. A well-known example is Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of the lung disease tuberculosis, which kills millions of humans worldwide yearly. Pathogenic mycobacteria like Mtb are challenging to treat because of their innate ability to adapt to environmental stress. Their unique cell physiology and conserved stress responses allow them to combat biological insults, regulate growth, and regulate genes involved in stress; all these responses increase tolerance to antibiotics. The current therapies to treat mycobacterial infections are lengthy and, at times, unsuccessful, partly due to antibiotic tolerance. A …

Machine Learning Algorithms To Study Multi-Modal Data For Computational Biology, Khandakar Tanvir Ahmed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Advancements in high-throughput technologies have led to an exponential increase in the generation of multi-modal data in computational biology. These datasets, comprising diverse biological measurements such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and imaging data, offer a comprehensive view of biological systems at various levels of complexity. However, integrating and analyzing such heterogeneous data present significant challenges due to differences in data modalities, scales, and noise levels. Another challenge for multi-modal analysis is the complex interaction network that the modalities share. Understanding the intricate interplay between different biological modalities is essential for unraveling the underlying mechanisms of complex biological processes, including …

Human Rights, Informed Consent, And The Influence Of Gender In Compulsory Vaccination: A Qualitative Analysis To Mediate Public Policy In A Protracted Social Conflict, Shannon Christine Rowles-Mcgighan

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This research study sought to understand the perspectives and experiences related to theCompulsory Vaccination Policy and the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The research objective was to mediate the conflict between the public and the medical community by presenting what William Ury called the “third side.” Uri (1999) studied conflict and found another way to perceive conflict from a larger perspective that emphasizes a fair solution that meets both sides’ needs and the surrounding communities. This study involved qualitative analysis to triangulate the concerns in the conflict through an evaluation of vaccine injury cases, vaccine injury data collection methods, the influence …

Quantum Dots' Toxicity: A Multi-Level Investigation On The Impact Of Quantum Dots On The Actin Cytoskeleton, Nhi Le

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescence nanomaterials with unique optical and physical properties. As such, they are highly sought after for their potential use in several biomedical and industrial applications. Despite their vast potential, recent studies have suggested that quantum dots are toxic to cells. Yet, the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity remains unclear. As such, my thesis aims to comprehensively examine the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity, emphasizing how quantum dots disrupt the actin cytoskeleton. In this study, I used RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to investigate the influence of CdSe/ZnS QDs on the transcriptomic proteomic level of Saccharomyces cerevisiae …

Nanotoxicology Of Cdse/Zns Quantum Dot Alternatives In Thle-2 And Hepg2 Liver Cells, Seth Harris

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Fluorescent nanoparticles known as quantum dots (QDs) have unique properties that make them useful in biomedicine. Specifically, CdSe/ZnS QDs, while good at fluorescing, show toxicity. Due to this, safer alternatives have been developed. This study uses an XTT viability assay, ROS fluorescent imaging, and apoptosis to investigate the effect of QD alternatives InP/ZnS, CuInS₂/ZnS, and carbon dots (NCD) in liver cells. The liver is a possible destination for accumulation of QDs making it an appropriate model for testing. A cancerous liver cell line known as HepG2, and an immortalized liver cell line known as THLE-2 were used. At …

Body. Freedom. Choice: Creating Artwork In Post-Roe America, Erin Sedra

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

I knew from a young age that I never wanted children. Whenever I expressed my disinterest in motherhood, I was often met with bewilderment, disapproval, and hostility. The church I was raised in taught me that my value and worth as a woman directly correlated with the power of my birthing hips. This fundamentalist upbringing has significantly shaped my relationship with my femininity, my body, and my artwork. When I feel powerless, turning to my art gives me a sense of control and self-expression. This body of work began as a reaction to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and …

Exploring The Impact Of P2y2 Receptor Activation And Inflammation On Glucose Homeostasis In Mice, Jamila Makhloufi

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Insulin resistance is the body's impaired ability to utilize endogenous and exogenous insulin to take up blood glucose and is associated with many clinical conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The cause of insulin resistance is still unknown; however, it is linked to inflammation. The activation of the purinergic P2Y₂ receptor potentiates an inflammatory response under the pathogenesis of obesity and has adverse effects on glucose metabolism by regulating insulin resistance. The goal of this research is to investigate the effects of P2Y₂ receptor activation on the downstream signaling pathways of the insulin receptor …

Microvascular Endothelial Permeability Coefficient Regulated By Purinergic P2y2 Receptor, Dana S. James

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Inflammatory mediators profoundly affect endothelial permeability by disrupting its barrier function, resulting in increased permeability (hyperpermeability). Interestingly, hyperpermeability is involved in a wide range of disorders and diseases, and can pose significant risks to life in diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and systemic capillary leak syndrome. Though vascular leakage, a hallmark of inflammation, profoundly exacerbates the pathogenesis of diseases, the direct mechanism is not fully understood. In vivo study has shown that activation of nucleotide P2Y₂ receptor (P2Y₂R) increases permeability in murine venule. The goal of this study was to determine the molecular mechanism of …

Sptbn1 Involvement In Reverse Transcription Of Hiv-1 Infection In Chme3 Cells, Jeanette Drecker

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) is a lentivirus that infects CD4+ cells, causing a

weakened immune system that leads to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency

Syndrome (AIDS). HIV utilizes host proteins to replicate. A genome wide screen by Brass has

shown that the molecular scaffolding protein, SPTBN1, is essential for HIV-1 infection.

However, the viral replication steps that SPTBN1 impacts are not known. Previous work in the

Hulme Lab has shown that SPTBN1 knockdown delays HIV capsid uncoating but does not

impact viral fusion kinetics. Uncoating and reverse transcription of HIV-1 occur simultaneously.

Therefore, the goal for this study was …

Mivt: Medical-Informed Vision Transformer For Early Epilepsy Diagnosis, Md Masum Rana

Dissertations and Theses

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures, and early diagnosis is crucial for effective management and treatment. However, the diagnosis of epilepsy, particularly in its early stages, remains challenging due to the subtle nature of seizures and the complexity of brain activity patterns. In this research, we introduce the Medical-Informed Vision Transformer (MIVT), a deep learning architecture specifically designed to improve early epilepsy diagnosis from multimodal neuroimaging data. Our model integrates insights from both medical knowledge and state-of-the-art Vision Transformers (ViTs) to enhance the accuracy and interpretability of seizure detection and localization. The MIVT leverages the rich …

Exploring The Experience And Identity Of Associated Faculty Teaching In A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Catherine A Bilyeu

Dissertations and Theses

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program faculty often enter academia as expert clinicians or researchers, but rarely as expert educators. Recommendations for faculty development exist, yet many physical therapy faculty still enter academia with little or no formal preparation for teaching and limited understanding of academe. This lack of preparation can impact faculty performance and identity, which ultimately can influence student outcomes. This is particularly true for associated faculty, who have very limited access to development opportunities due to the nature of their academic positions. Framed in social constructivism and transition theory, this study explored the experience and identity of …

Assessing The Utility Of Breast Cancer Polygenic Risk Scores And Association With Clinical Factors In A Population Of Breast Cancer Patients, John L. Slunecka

Dissertations and Theses

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women and is classified as a complex disease. Advances in population genomics have led to the development of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) with the potential to enhance current risk models, but replication is often limited. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the predictive capabilities of two high-powered BC PRSs in a sample population selected for breast cancer. In addition, the capacity of the PRSs to predict clinical variables that could improve BC screening and treatments was explored. METHODS: Two published PRS algorithms (313 vs 3820) were used to score female subjects …

An Exploration Of Clinical Reasoning Using Simulation-Based Learning In Physical Therapist Education, Susannah Steele

Dissertations and Theses

BACKGROUND: Clinical reasoning instruction and assessment are vital tasks of health professions educators yet execution lacks standardization among programs in physical therapy education. This broad variability in how clinical reasoning is taught and assessed within physical therapy education makes understanding current state and improving implementation challenging. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore whether simulation-based learning is useful in facilitating the development of clinical reasoning skills in novice physical therapist students, to explore potential correlations and performance trends between two assessments measuring elements of clinical reasoning skills, and to explore the impact of thoughtfully designed simulation learning experiences …

Comparative Analysis Of Inpatient And Outpatient Total Hip Arthroplasty: Cost, Rehabilitation, And Complexity, Kam Maghazehe

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Background: Osteoarthritis in the hip joint leads to worn or damaged cartilage, resulting in bones scraping against each other. This scraping creates rough surfaces, causing significant pain and limiting mobility in daily activities. THA becomes necessary when other less invasive options fail to alleviate symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion. Due to high out-of-pocket costs and the rapid spread of COVID-19, CMS took a substantial stride in healthcare policy by introducing the CMS-1736-FC ruling in December 2020. This ruling, effective from January 2021, facilitated the reclassification of eleven procedures, including Total Hip Arthroplasties (THAs), from …

Gestational Weight Gain And Epilepsy In The Offspring: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study, Jiawen Chen

Public Health Theses

AbstractBackground and aims: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders in childhood, but the etiology for the majority of the cases remains unknown. As a modifiable trait in pregnancy, gestational weight gain (GWG) has been shown to be a risk factor for multiple adverse birth outcomes. This study aims to investigate whether non-optimal GWG is associated with the risk of epilepsy in the offspring using a linked database in California. Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted using the linked database from the Birth Certificate Record in California (2007-2015) for GWG, and the diagnostic records of epilepsy from …

Climate Change And Its Hidden Victims: A Review Of The Link Between Climate Change Impacts And Sexual And Gender-Based Violence In East Africa, Ezinwa Osuoha

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Climate change is having profound and disproportionate impacts on East Africa. Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and prolonged droughts have become prevalent, leading to profound humanitarian challenges. The effects of climate change in East Africa span beyond those related to agriculture, food insecurity, and economic well-being. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is only proliferated in the climate change context. In the event of natural disasters, sexual and gender-based violence increases in tandem with the increase in vulnerability and instability in affected communities. Due to its myriad health consequences, SGBV requires the attention of public health professionals, policymakers, and those …

Ai-Aki: Ai-Consulted Inpatient Care For Acute Kidney Injury, William Jingyi Zhang

Public Health Theses

Acute kidney injury (AKI) increases the risk of death in hospitalized adults, and early medical chart review and involvement by a nephrologist may lead to improved patient outcomes. A Kidney Action Team—comprised of a pharmacist and a board-certified nephrologist or nephrology fellow—can serve as a remote consultation service to deliver recommendations for AKI patient diagnosis, initial work up, and care. We aimed to evaluate whether an AI-automated clinical decision support system for AKI could demonstrate predictive power comparable to that of human specialists, with regards to AKI evaluation and treatment. This study uses data from KAT-AKI (NCT04040296), a triple-masked, randomized …

The Effects Of Daily Magnesium Citrate Supplementationon Grip Strength, Carolina Cano, Holly King

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Magnesium (Mg) is thought to play an essential role in physical strength because it catalyzes more than 300 enzymatic reactions involved in energy metabolism and cell growth. Magnesium also aids in the hydrolysis of ATP in glycolysis, acting as a coenzyme in three critical reactions and in crossbridge formation in the muscle contraction cycle. Despite these roles, approximately 60% of the US adult population does not meet the RDA for Mg. Previous studies found inconsistent results on the effects of Mg on physical performance. However, most studies agreed on magnesium's potential as an ergogenic aid.

Effectiveness Of Education For Type 1 Diabetes Patient's Caregivers At Loma Linda University Health, Epiphaneia Juarez

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Diabetes education is essential for patients and families to improve quality of life and minimize the challenges and complications of living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). The aim of the research study is to evaluate the knowledge and nutritional practices of caregivers in the management of T1DM in pediatric patients. 20 subjects were recruited at the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) Pediatric Diabetes Center before their outpatient T1DM class. A demographic survey, nutrition knowledge survey (NKS), and a 24-hour recall were administered to participants. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate NKS total score among binary variables …

Assessment Of Nutrition Knowledge And Implementation Of Nutrition Education In Pilots, Tarika Chhabra, Susan Kumon, Savanna Malki, Bryan Ferrell, Cindy Kosch, Edward Bitok, Gurinder Bains, Lida Gharibvand

Loma Linda University Research Reports

This study assessed the effectiveness of a nutrition education program for Certificated Flight Instructors (CFIs). The program consisted of six video modules and briefs on various nutrition topics. Thirty-one CFIs participated in the study, and their nutrition knowledge was assessed before and after the program. The results showed a statistically significant increase in nutrition knowledge scores following the intervention (p < .001). Participants also reported that the program helped them improve their dietary habits. These findings suggest that nutrition education can be an effective way to improve the health and well-being of CFIs and potentially other populations.

ผลของการฝึกรำไทยสมาธิต่อการควบคุมระดับน้ำตาลในเลือดและการทำงานของไตในผู้สูงอายุโรคไตจากเบาหวาน, ศุภลักษณ์ จันคำ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้มีวัตประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาผลของการฝึกรำไทยสมาธิต่อการควบคุมระดับน้ำตาลในเลือด การทำงานของไต สมรรถภาพทางกาย ตัวบ่งชี้ทางชีวเคมีในเลือด และคุณภาพชีวิตของผู้สูงอายุที่เป็นโรคไตจากเบาหวาน กลุ่มตัวอย่างเป็นผู้สูงอายุโรคไตเรื้อรังจากเบาหวาน อายุระหว่าง 60-75 ปี ถูกสุ่มแบ่งออกเป็น 2 กลุ่ม ได้แก่ 1) กลุ่มที่ไม่ได้รับการฝึก (CON) จำนวน 19 คน และ 2) กลุ่มฝึกรำไทยสมาธิ (TDM) จำนวน 17 คน ที่ได้รับการฝึกรำไทยสมาธิ ที่ความหนัก 40-60 เปอร์เซ็นต์ของอัตราการเต้นหัวใจสำรอง ครั้งละ 50 นาที จำนวน 3 ครั้งต่อสัปดาห์ เป็นระยะเวลา 12 สัปดาห์ ทำการทดสอบตัวแปรด้านสรีรวิทยา สารชีวเคมีในเลือด สมรรถภาพทางกาย การทำงานของหลอดเลือด ความแปรปรวนของอัตราการเต้นของหัวใจ ความเครียดและคุณภาพชีวิต ทำการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเปรียบเทียบก่อนและหลังการฝึก และเปรียบเทียบระหว่างกลุ่มด้วยการทดสอบความแปรปรวนสองทางแบบวัดซ้ำ (2 กลุ่ม x 2 เวลา) และเปรียบเทียบความแตกต่างแบบรายคู่โดยใช้วิธีการทดสอบแอลเอสดี ภายหลังการฝึก 12 สัปดาห์ พบว่ากลุ่มรำไทยสมาธิมีน้ำหนักตัว ไขมันในช่องท้อง ความดันโลหิตช่วงหัวใจบีบตัวและคลายตัวลดลงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05 ระดับไกลโคซิเลทฮีโมโกลบิน ยูเรียไนโตรเจน มาลอนไดอัลดีไฮด์ ทูเมอร์ เนโครซิส แฟกเตอร์-อัลฟา และ อินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 ลดลง ในขณะที่ค่าอัตราการกรองของไต ซูเปอร์ออกไซด์ดิสมิวเทส และไนตริก ออกไซด์ เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05 นอกจากนี้ ค่าการขยายตัวของหลอดเลือดหลังการปิดกั้นการไหลเวียน ซึ่งเป็นการวัดการขยายตัวของหลอดเลือดที่ขึ้นอยู่กับเอนโดทีเลียมเพิ่มขึ้น ความแข็งของหลอดเลือดแดงและดัชนีความต้านทานของไตลดลงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05 อีกทั้งกลุ่มรำไทยสมาธิยังมีค่าความแปรปรวนของอัตราการเต้นของหัวใจความถี่สูงเพิ่มขึ้น ระดับความเครียดและความวิตกกังวลลดลง และมีคุณภาพชีวิตที่เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05 สรุปได้ว่า การฝึกรำไทยสมาธิมีประโยชน์หลากหลายด้านต่อผู้สูงอายุที่เป็นโรคไตจากเบาหวาน อันได้แก่ส่งเสริมการทำงานของไตและหลอดเลือด ควบคุมระดับน้ำตาลในเลือด เพิ่มการทำงานของสารต้านอนุมูลอิสระ และลดสารอนุมูลอิสระ ความเครียด และความวิตกกังวล

ความชุกและปัจจัยที่เกี่ยวข้องของอาการผิดปกติทางระบบกล้ามเนื้อและโครงร่างในช่างติดตั้งนั่งร้าน จังหวัดระยอง, ณภัทร อภิญญาชน

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้เป็นการวิจัยเชิงพรรณนา ณ จุดเวลาใดเวลาหนึ่ง มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาความชุกและปัจจัยที่เกี่ยวข้องกับอาการผิดปกติทางระบบกล้ามเนื้อและกระดูกโครงร่างในกลุ่มช่างติดตั้งนั่งร้านจากบริษัทรับติดตั้งนั่งร้านในจังหวัดระยองทั้งหมด 4 บริษัท เก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลเป็นจำนวน 429 คน ในระหว่างวันที่ 1 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2567 ถึงวันที่ 2 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2567 โดยใช้แบบสอบถาม Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) และแบบสอบถาม Body Discomfort Questionnaire วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยสถิติเชิงพรรณนาและ Multiple logistic regression ผลการศึกษาพบความชุกของอาการผิดปกติของระบบกล้ามเนื้อและกระดูกโครงร่างในตำแหน่งใดอย่างน้อย 1 ตำแหน่ง ในระยะเวลา 7 วัน และ 12 เดือน เท่ากับร้อยละ 60.5 และ 57.5 ตามลำดับ โดยบริเวณที่มีความชุกสูงที่สุดคือหลังส่วนล่างและไหล่ ปัจจัยที่มีความสัมพันธ์อย่างมีนัยสำคัญกับอาการเหล่านี้ ได้แก่ ระดับการศึกษา รายได้ สถานภาพสมรส เพศ และชั่วโมงการทำงาน จากผลการศึกษานี้ สะท้อนให้เห็นว่าช่างติดตั้งนั่งร้านมีความชุกของอาการผิดปกติทางระบบกล้ามเนื้อและกระดูกโครงร่างค่อนข้างสูง สถานประกอบการควรดำเนินโครงการสร้างเสริมสุขภาพ ให้ความรู้เกี่ยวกับท่าทางการทำงานที่ถูกต้องตามหลักการยศาสตร์ และส่งเสริมการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อ เพื่อลดความเสี่ยงและป้องกันการเกิดอาการผิดปกติ

Long-Term Cardiometabolic Effects Of Preconceptional And Prenatal Opioid Exposure In The Adult Offspring, Nermin Hassan Mohamed Selim Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Opioid use disorder (OUD), one of the greatest public health threats in the US, requires urgent attention. In 2022, the CDC reported 107,941 overdose deaths, over 70% attributed to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl (FEN). An alarming increase in opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses in pregnant people resulted in a 5-fold rise in cases of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). This condition elicits sympathetic overactivity, neural hyperexcitability, and a stress reaction characterized by tachycardia and hypertension. Whether prenatal exposure to fentanyl induces cardiovascular dysfunction in the offspring remains undetermined, impeding the timely development of strategies to mitigate OUD-related health risks …

Flexible Attenuation Fields: Tomographic Reconstruction From Heterogeneous Datasets, Clifford S. Parker

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Traditional reconstruction methods for X-ray computed tomography (CT) are highly constrained in the variety of input datasets they admit. Many of the imaging settings -- the incident energy, field-of-view, effective resolution -- remain fixed across projection images, and the only real variance is in the detector's position and orientation with respect to the scene. In contrast, methods for 3D reconstruction of natural scenes are extremely flexible to the geometric and photometric properties of the input datasets, readily accepting and benefiting from images captured under varying lighting conditions, with different cameras, and at disparate points in time and space. Extending CT …

“Your Legs Don’T Look All That Good” An Analysis Of Impoliteness And Politeness In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injuries In The Workplace, Grace Kozal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Social communication disorders are a common outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This social communication disorder can be seen through impolite speech acts during conversation. While politeness is a social norm for workplace discourse, instances of impoliteness may have poor consequences. This research explores the use of impoliteness in persons with TBI within computer generated work-based conditions.

Methods: Language samples from the Voicemail Elicitation Task (VET) and Feedback/Advice Spoken Task (FAST) were transcribed word-for-word. Transcripts from all 62 participants were coded for impoliteness using a developed Impoliteness Codebook and were analyzed to identify significant differences in the number of …