Physiological Processes Commons^™

Hybrid Diabetes Coaching Model: Integrating In-Person And Telemedicine Strategies To Improve Glycemic Outcomes, Sandis A. Mundackal

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: In patients with type 2 diabetes, poor glycemic control among adults remains a significant challenge in primary care settings, particularly within federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that serve underserved populations. At the FQHC practice site, patients were managed using standard care with quarterly follow- up visits, without a structured hybrid coaching approach. This inconsistency contributed to a high number of patients with hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c) levels ≥ 9%, placing them at increased risk for diabetes-related complications.

PICOT Question: In adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HgbA1c ≥ 9%) (P), does monthly hybrid coaching delivered through in-person and/or …

Engineering Enac Constructs To Examine Pip2 And Ubiquitin Competition On Enac Regulation And Stability, Lacie Johnson

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays a critical role in sodium homeostasis, fluid balance, and blood pressure regulation. ENaC activity is tightly controlled by post-translational mechanisms, including ubiquitination-mediated degradation and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) dependent channel activation. PIP2 is a phospholipid necessary to facilitate the maximal channel opening. Previous studies suggest that intracellular PIP2 binding sites are located in proximity to ubiquitination sites on ENaC subunits, raising the possibility of PIP2 binding to influence channel stability and function. This thesis aimed to engineer and validate molecular tools capable of examining the interplay between PIP2 binding and ubiquitination in ENaC regulation. A …

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Gpnmb Modulation On Vertebral Bone Mass Regulation And Intravertebral Disc Health, Hakem Altawil, Fayez Safadi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteoporosis and vertebral degeneration are major contributors to musculoskeletal morbidity, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating vertebral bone and intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis remain incompletely understood. GPNMB (osteoactivin) has been identified as a regulator of bone remodeling, though its role in spine health is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of GPNMB deficiency on lumbar vertebral bone microarchitecture and IVD integrity in a sex-dependent context.

Six-month-old male and female wild-type (WT) and GPNMB knockout (KO) mice were analyzed using micro–computed tomography (µCT) of lumbar vertebrae (L4–L6) and histological assessment of the L5–L6 IVD. KO males exhibited increased bone volume fraction, bone …

The Impact Of Gastric Sleeve And Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass On Chief Cell Function And Protein Digestion In Obese Patients, Garikoitz Mikel Gainza

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Obesity has become one of the largest global health concerns of the 21^st century, correlating with numerous associated diseases. To help address the growing prevalence and burden of obesity, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass have become two commonly performed surgical procedures done to promote weight loss by altering the anatomical structure of the stomach and surrounding organs of the gastrointestinal system. Although the benefits of improved metabolism linked to these surgical procedures are well studied, their impact on the physiology of gastric cells, and more specifically chief cells as they relate to protein digestion post-surgery, is yet to …

The Effects Of Habitual Temperature And Diet On Crayfish Physiological Processes, Tyler D. Deramo, Sunny Rana, Victor Popoviciu

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

We will use crayfish to test the individual and combined effects of temperature and diet to see how they impact physiological processes such as metabolism, growth rate, molting patterns, and behavioral analysis. A total of forty-eight crayfish will be used throughout the experiment, and they will be housed in separate containers. A plant-based diet (consisting of fresh kale) and an animal-based diet (consisting of dried bloodworms) will be tested alongside room temperature (~18 degrees Celsius) and a warmer habitual temperature (~24 degrees Celsius). Metabolism will be measured via O2 consumption, and growth will be measured by weighing and measuring the …

Studying Chronotypes And Their Role In Sleep And Mental Health: A Scoping Review, Evan Nguyen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sleep patterns remain a significant public health concern globally, impacting several aspects of life, including mental health. This scoping review examined how chronotype and circadian typology predict mental health, with sleep quality serving as a crucial mediator. While the importance of sleep is widely acknowledged, there is a lack of studies specifically investigating chronotype-aligned interventions to reduce psychological distress. To address the shortage, a comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted, identifying six papers for analysis. These studies mostly utilized cross-sectional designs to assess diverse global groups, including university students, healthcare workers, and military personnel. The results indicate that …

Dual-Task Interaction Between Vestibular Function And Cognitive Processing Using The P300 Event-Related Potential, Laurel Elise Money-Nolan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Previous research has established links between vestibular function and cognitive processing, aging and cognitive function, and aging and vestibular function. Theories of cognitive resource allocation discuss how cognitive resources, such as attention, are devoted towards and divided between tasks when multitasking. This dual-task study, utilizing a balance task and a listening/cognitive task, across the young- and middle-aged adult age range, aimed to evaluate potential relationships between vestibular function, cognition, and age, and to examine how cognitive resources might be allocated under dual-task conditions.

The dual-task protocol in this study utilized an oddball paradigm with tonal stimuli to measure the P300 …

Peripheral Neuroimmune Mechanisms Of Chronic Back Pain, Aleyah Esther Goins

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Chronic back pain (CBP) affects 1 in 10 people worldwide, reducing mobility, productivity, and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, non-addictive treatments remain limited due to an incomplete understanding of chronic pain mechanisms. This dissertation examines peripheral neuroimmune interactions in CBP using a urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)-induced mouse model (uPA-CBP). uPA, a pro-inflammatory serine protease, was injected into the L2/L3 lumbar spinous ligament, inducing prolonged mechanical and cold hypersensitivity. Flow cytometry of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed increased CD45+CD11b+ myeloid cells in males and CD45+CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes in females. DRG neurons from male uPA-CBP mice exhibited heightened action potential firing. Pharmacological …

The Impact Of An Iron-Rich Diet On Fatigue In Menstruating Women With Non-Anemic Iron Deficiency, Meagan Seraydar, Lauren Latimer, Sam Miragliatto

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Fatigue without diagnosed anemia is prevalent in menstruating women, with iron deficiency being a potential contributor. While iron supplementation is a standard intervention, dietary sources of iron may offer a sustainable alternative. This study aims to assess the impact of an iron-rich diet on fatigue levels in menstruating women. A 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted, assigning participants to either an iron-rich diet group or a control group following their usual diet without specific iron recommendations. Fatigue will be measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at baseline, six weeks, and twelve weeks, alongside iron status biomarkers, including …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Development Of Cerium Oxide Based Polymer Composites With Enhanced Cytocompatability For Biomedical Applications, Roshna Cherugail

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis presents the synthesis and characterization of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs), and silver-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles (AgCNPs) loaded in alginate beads that were designed to be applied in biomedical settings. Cerium oxide was chosen for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, and silver oxide was selected to enhance antimicrobial functionality, both of which are pivotal in expedited wound closure and promoting cellular proliferation. Through the use of an advance electrospray encapsulation apparatus, alginate-based polymer beads were created by incorporating either CNPs or AgCNPs into the matrix. These beads were later characterized using a range of microscopic and FTIR analyses, in …

Sex-Specific Roles Of The Adipocyte Mineralocorticoid Receptor In Obesity And Early Life Stress, Meghan B. Turner

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Obesity is a burgeoning health epidemic caused by chronic overnutrition and exacerbated by genetic, environmental and developmental factors. The adipocyte mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a transcriptionally active nuclear receptor, is speculated to contribute to metabolic dysfunction in the obese state. MR expression is increased in obese adipose tissue, and MR modulates the expression of fat-derived hormones such as leptin and adiponectin. In women, obesity can be exacerbated by early life stress, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Studies show that women display a positive association between cumulative ACE exposures and increased body mass index. Previously, we demonstrated that maternal separation and …

Contact Pathway Factors As Potential Modifiers Of Bleeding Related To Factor Xi Deficiency, Ivy R. Han, Leah Rosenfeldt, Courtney Young, Bal Krishan Phd, Rachel Cantrell Phd, Cassie Sprague, Mousa Kharnaf, William Abplanalp, Joseph Palumbo Md

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Factor XI (FXI) deficiency, also known as Hemophilia C, is characterized by mild to moderate bleeding symptoms. However, the factors that modify bleeding severity in FXI deficiency are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated whether components of the contact activation pathway can act as modifiers of bleeding in the context of FXI deficiency. Using a tail vein transection (TVT) model in rats, we assessed bleeding in four experimental groups: wild-type Sprague-Dawley rats, Prekallikrein knockout (PKK^-/-) rats, rats treated with a FXI-inhibiting antibody, and PKK-/- rats treated with the FXI antibody.

Under anesthesia, each rat underwent a …

Investigating The Impact Of Phthalate Exposures From Personal Care Products On Uterine Fibroid Incidence And Prevalence In Us-Born Black Women, Ella Brissett

CMC Senior Theses

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors composed of smooth muscle cells and connective tissue that develop within or on the walls of the uterus. Despite being non-cancerous, they can severely affect quality of life by causing heavy bleeding, chronic pain, and reproductive complications. Fibroids are typically found in women of reproductive age, but they disproportionately affect Black women, who experience higher incidence and severity. The underlying causes of this disparity is poorly understood; however, an emerging body of research is highlighting the role of phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many personal care products, in exacerbating fibroid development. Through a critical analysis …

Investigating Plk1 In Pulmonary Fibrosis, Tempany Arbogast

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal interstitial lung disease, with a median survival of only 2–3 years following diagnosis. In the United States, the disease contributes to more than 40,000 deaths annually, underscoring its severe clinical burden. Alveolar type II (AT2) lung epithelial cells serve as progenitors that maintain alveolar integrity by replenishing epithelial populations and producing surfactants, while fibroblasts and myofibroblasts regulate the extracellular matrix and structural support. In pulmonary fibrosis (PF) injury to AT2 cells promotes cytokine and growth factor release, driving inflammation, fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast accumulation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Aberrant AT2 cell …

Understanding Anatomy & Physiology Students’ Knowledge And Perceptions Of Learning Sex And Pleasure, Yaileen Velazquez

Honors Capstones

Undergraduate anatomy & physiology (A&P) is an opportune place for future healthcare providers to learn a diversity of topics related to human health and function, including sexual health. However, the current undergraduate curriculum and instruction in A&P classes do not support students in achieving a high level of understanding of sexual health, including sexual anatomy and physiology. Previous studies have shown that college students obtain a mean score of lower than 65% in sexual knowledge tests, with the lowest mean scores on sections concerning sexual anatomy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (Weinstein et al., 2008). Sexual pleasure is an important …

Novel Mechanisms For The Neural Control Of Breathing In Acute Lung Injury, Kajal Kamra

Theses & Dissertations

Acute lung injury (ALI) triggers inflammation that disrupts the normal alveolar-capillary endothelial barrier, impairing gas exchange and causing hypoxemia, which reflexively increases respiration. An elevated respiratory rate (fR) usually develops within hours to days following ALI. This acute respiratory failure disorder affects approximately 200,000 new cases annually in the US and accounts for 10% of ICU admissions, with high morbidity and mortality. The neural mechanisms underlying respiratory dysfunction post-ALI are not fully understood. My doctoral dissertation aimed to investigate the mediators of abnormal ventilation during ALI. Systemic hypoxia stimulates the carotid body (CB) chemoreflex, a crucial protective reflex that maintains …

Application Of Lymphedema Education Toolkit For Nurse Coordinators, Julian K. Miranda

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: There is approximately one in five breast cancer survivors affected by breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), a potentially debilitating condition affecting the physical, emotional, social, and financial well-being of individuals. Context: This Quality Improvement (QI) project was conducted at an outpatient facility of Hospital X’s Women’s Cancer Center. Within this microsystem, there are 24 permanent clinical nurse coordinators and advanced practice providers, with 15 nurse coordinators dedicated to care for patients with breast cancer or gynecological conditions. Intervention: The intervention aims to evaluate if a standardized educational tool improves early interventions for patients with lymphedema and knowledge among healthcare providers …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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

The Impact Of Prenatal Paternal Cigarette Smoke On Male Urogenital Disorders: A Systematic Review, Raphaelia V. Mcdonald

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Urogenital disorders, including cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and reduced semen quality, represent significant congenital and developmental challenges in male reproductive health. While maternal smoking during pregnancy is a well-established risk factor, emerging evidence indicates that paternal smoking may also have adverse effects on male offspring’s reproductive development. This systematic review assessed the impact of paternal cigarette smoke exposure before and during pregnancy on the incidence of various urogenital disorders.

By synthesizing data from five critical studies, we found that paternal smoking was associated with a 3.8-fold increased risk of cryptorchidism and hypospadias, a 1.26-fold reduction in semen quality, and potential epigenetic changes …

Autonomic Modulation Of Cardiac Function In Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Jenna Rose Disser

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic heart disorder. HCM is characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and an increased risk of fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Previous studies in humans with HCM have demonstrated increased cardiac norepinephrine spillover and reduced beta-1 receptor (β1R) expression in the left ventricle (LV). We have previously demonstrated that cardiac sympathetic tone is elevated in an alpha-tropomyosin mutant mouse model of HCM. We hypothesized that HCM mice would demonstrate reduced β1R expression in the LV and attenuated heart rate (HR) and dP/dt max responses to ramped infusion of the β1R agonist, dobutamine. …

Effects Of Age On Amplitude-Modulated Cvemp Temporal Modulation Transfer Function, Raghav H. Jha

Dissertations, 2020-current

With the aging population on the rise, the need for effective assessment tools to identify risk factors for falls among the elderly is paramount. One independent risk factor for falls is vestibular impairment, but the available vestibular diagnostic tests have limitations. A promising new methodology: amplitude-modulated tones to elicit a vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (AMcVEMP), offers a more detailed examination of vestibular (sacculo-collic reflex) functions. This method assesses non-linearities, synchrony, and magnitude, providing a more thorough evaluation compared to the conventional transient cVEMP. So far, AMcVEMP has only been utilized in young adults.

The current study aimed to investigate the impact …

Effects Of Concussion And Visuomotor Metrics On Nhl Performance: An Explainable Ai Approach, Michael T. Moschitto

Master's Theses

Cognitive motor integration (CMI), the simultaneous coordination between cerebral function and motor output, is known to deteriorate following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This thesis explores the relationship between mTBI, CMI, and the performance of elite athletes in the National Hockey League (NHL). The approach focuses on examining the predictive value of various supervised Machine Learning (ML) models with an emphasis on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) models. Since the ML solution is intended to complement human scouting decisions, we evaluate the experiments based on both interpretability and accuracy on a limited class imbalanced dataset. The contributions of this research …

Self-Regulation Processes Of Depressive Symptoms And Participation In Persons With Stroke Using Heart Rate Variability As A Real-Time Biomarker, Yejin Lee

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Depressive symptoms are a key risk factor for restrictions in participation in daily activities in persons with stroke. Thus, many researchers have attempted to develop interventions for relieving depressive symptoms after stroke, however, post-stroke depressive symptoms are still undertreated. To develop evidence-based approaches for reducing depressive symptoms, and thereby ultimately enhancing participation in daily activities, it is important to understand what moderates the associations between depressive symptoms and participation in daily activities in persons with stroke to employ the moderator as an intervention target.

One possible mechanism to moderate such associations is self-regulation – cognitive, behavioral, and emotion regulation. Self-regulation …

Development Of A Computational Model To Investigate Pathways And The Effects Of Treatment In Fanconi Anemia, Sabrina Kellett

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare type of anemia that is not easily studied and can have very detrimental effects. This disease compromises the bone marrow, resulting in decreased hemopoiesis. Symptoms of FA also include abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord, incorrect formation of the kidneys, abnormal formation of the heart and lungs, and a dramatically increased risk of developing cancer. FA can be caused by various mutations in any of the 22 genes that encode for proteins involved in what is called the FA DNA repair pathway. In healthy individuals, this pathway specifically repairs interstrand cross-links (ICLs) recognized …

Ideal Body Weight And Body Fat Percentage Predict Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (Red-S) Scores In Collegiate Athletes, Emily Norman

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Low energy availability (LEA) is the underlying cause of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) which negatively affects athletes' physiological function, health, and performance. RED-S results from inadequate dietary intake to support energy expenditure for daily living, growth, and optimal performance. It occurs in both male and female athletes, with or without disordered eating. However, screening and diagnosis in athletes can be difficult. Objective: This study aims to identify strong predictors of RED-S and assess its prevalence in collegiate male and female athletes. Methods: A total of 270 NCAA athlete test points from mixed sports were evaluated for RED-S …

Reducing Placental Oxidative Stress In A Rat Model Preeclampsia Using Vegfr2 Nanoparticles, Sophia Ganios

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy, where the placenta lacks sufficient blood flow due to abnormal formation of the vascular endothelial cells. This results in hypertension and increased reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress. The VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) helps develop new growth, so by increasing the receptors VEGFR2 by injection of LTP nanoparticles into the uterine wall of RUPP rats, one can see if there would be improvement in the otherwise reduced uterine pressure pregnant rat. This would be confirmed by the 8-isoprostane test, which measures oxidative stress.

Mitochondria As Causes Of And Therapeutic Targets In Chronic Post-Sepsis Skeletal Muscle Weakness, Meagan Scott Kingren

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Sepsis, or the organ damage that ensues after the body fails to properly contain a local infection, is the leading cause of in-patient hospitalization in the United States. Advances in critical care medicine over the last 20 years have enabled most sepsis patients to survive the life-threatening dysregulated immune response. However, a majority of survivors report chronic weakness and fatigue years after sepsis, and the cause of this weakness remains largely unknown. This dissertation work focused first on elucidating the major causes of post-sepsis muscle weakness (Aim 1). This aim involved a time-course study to determine when muscle weakness was …

Beneficial Impacts Of Nod-Like Receptor X1(Nlrx1) Agonism In Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation, Mena Mansy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The regulation of inflammation at the cellular and molecular level is a crucial aspect of homeostasis that is often overlooked, and most treatment options are limited to antibiotics and symptom management drugs. The development of novel molecular-targeted therapy options downstream of pathogen recognition receptors will fulfill the unmet need for therapy to effectively regulate excessive inflammation. NLRX1 is a unique NOD-like receptor that is anti-inflammatory in nature; it has been shown to negatively regulate the NF-kB pathway and has been involved in the pathology of a plethora of inflammatory disorders. This makes NLRX1 an emerging therapeutic molecular target for …