Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2346/521

About: Electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) are the graduate research outputs of Texas Tech University. They represent years of work from our Master's and Doctoral graduates. If you find the ThinkTech digital repository useful, please tell us! Share how open access to scholarship benefits you. Your story matters to us.

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Training Experiences of Graduate Students Counseling Substance Use Disorders: A Qualitative Study
(2024-05) Shade, Serena L.; Bradley, Loretta; Duemer, Lee; Noble, Nicole
Education and training on substance use disorders among graduate students are well documented; however, researchers show inconsistent education and training regarding addiction counseling among students who are enrolled in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP). This study explores the education, training, and experiences of CMHC graduate students majoring in counseling. This research study explored the education and training in addiction counseling for graduate students majoring in CMHC. The study also examined CMHC graduate students counseling individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs) to determine if they perceive their education and training as sufficient or insufficient. Using a qualitative research design, the researcher obtained information to understand students' education, training, and experiences regarding SUDs. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Twelve participants were selected for the semi-structured interviews. Six participants were selected for the focus groups.
Discovering Counselor Experiences of Receiving Dissociation Education During Master's Coursework: A Quantitative Study
(2024-05) Zatopek, Audrey E.; Bradley, Loretta J.; Jung, Kwanghee; Noble, Nicole
This study aims to fill an identified gap in research and will address counselor experiences of receiving dissociation education during master’s level counseling programming. Understanding the incidence of dissociation education received during master’s programming could promote increased competency amongst master’s level counselors and counselor educators about dissociative disorders. Furthermore, discovery of the incidence of dissociation education could lead to the improvement of counselor education programming that prepares counseling students to be counselors. Both increased competency and improved counselor education programming could lead to enhanced client care as well as client outcomes in counseling. Given that dissociative disorders are comorbid with a variety of mental health disorders and that dissociative symptoms are prevalent among a variety of mental health disorders, it is imperative that counselors are adequately educated on dissociative disorders. To discover counselor experiences of receiving dissociation education during master’s counselor programming, an online survey was completed by licensed counselors in the United States of America. To collect data for this study, a survey method using purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling was implemented. Findings indicate that counselors perceived the extent of their dissociation education to be both low and lower than they would like.
Sustainable Cultural Tourism: Understanding Tourists’ Intentions to Choose Sustainable Cultural Tourism Using a Comprehensive Action Determination Model
(2024-05) Zhou, Yang; Yuan, Jessica J.; Lee, Stacy; Koo, Bonhak (Bon); Chang, Hyo Jung (Julie)
This paper presents an analysis of the determinants of tourists’ intent to choose sustainable cultural tourism. The study is driven by a recognition of the growing importance of sustainable tourism and the need for a better understanding of the factors that influence tourists’ choices. In the first study, a mixed-methods exploratory sequential design was employed to identify significant situational predictors of tourists’ intent to choose sustainable cultural tourism. The second study employs a quantitative research method to further investigate the relationships between psychological and non-psychological predictors and tourists' intention to choose sustainable cultural tourism, using a Comprehensive Action Determination Model. The results show that personal norms, tourists’ daily sustainable habits, travel habits, and historical and cultural heritage in destinations are significant predictors of tourists’ intention to choose sustainable cultural tourism. Furthermore, it is found that sustainable habits, shaped by social norms, also significantly influence tourists' intent.
Masks of Remembrance
(2024-05) Ostraff, Zachary; Patterson, Leslie Jill; Cortese, Katie; Spurgeon, Sara
These stories explore heritage through the lens of life and death masks. In the same way that masks cast from the living and dead are used to memorialize an individual at a particular moment in time, each of these stories attempts to capture a person, place, or animal in a particular moment of representation. Each mask is developed through a combination of personal memory, familial oral histories, archival materials, and historical context. As the author layers together these methods to create snapshots of others, he is creating a memoir of himself.
Resiliency: Impact of Suicidality in First Responders
(2024-05) Mallory, Jeremy B.; Bradley, Loretta; Lertora, Ian; Lock, Robin
During the last ten years, the concerns regarding problems with the mental health of the first responders and their use of substances as a coping mechanism have risen. The high rates of concern are associated with the nature of the job of the first responders since they are the first on the scene, dealing with a high probability of trauma exposure. From this perspective, understanding the prevalence of mental health conditions, relationship problems, and substance abuse among first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical technicians, is crucial because of the increased influence of mental health concerns on their abilities to perform their duties. This study aims to investigate the predictors of suicide among the first responders who have sought out mental health treatment at a non-profit agency. The research focuses on the influence of resilience on first responders’ likelihood to engage in substance use or suicide. To accomplish this task, the predictors of statistical significance, including a baseline, in first responders seeking treatment for suicidality or suicidal ideations are identified. The research applies a quantitative research design with a quasi-experimental and survey research methodology. This study was conducted at Stay The Course (STC), a program of the One Tribe Foundation. Stay The Course is an outpatient mental health facility with offices in Fort Worth, Denton, and Dallas, TX, with 255 first responders participating in the study. The selected independent variables for this study are the levels of anxiety measured by the GAD-7, depression measured by the PHQ-9, resilience measured by the RSES-22, and post-traumatic stress measured by the PCL-5, while the selected dependent variable for this study was suicidal behaviors measured by the SBQ-R. The study’s results revealed a negative correlation between resilience and all factors in each assessment, including generalized anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicide.
The Effect of Enhancing Mitophagy on Endothelial Function in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
(2024-05) Kim, Hyoseon; Massett, Michael P.; Figueroa, Arturo; Woodman, Christopher
SLE patients have been reported to have a high risk of CVD which is closely related to impaired endothelial function. Emerging evidence supports that impaired mitophagy contributes to the pathogenesis of SLE and endothelial dysfunction. Treatments known to induce autophagy/mitophagy were reported to improve endothelial function in mouse models of disease and in older humans. Those treatments, spermidine and rapamycin, enhance mitophagy but through different signaling pathways. Spermidine is a polyamine that stimulates the PINK1-Parkin-mediated pathway to activate mitophagy while rapamycin inhibits mTORC1 activity to induce mitophagy. However, the effect of these drugs on mitophagy and vascular function in SLE has not been explored. To address this gap, 9-week-old female lupus-prone (MRL/lpr) and healthy control (MRL/MpJ) were randomly assigned into one of the two groups, control or treatment. Maximal responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were assessed to measure the functional properties of thoracic aortas. Both interventions prevented endothelial dysfunction in SLE mice after 8 weeks of intervention. Although they were not significantly different, both interventions increased the phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the thoracic aorta of lupus mice. Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (Vcam1) level, one of the inflammatory markers in blood vessels was measured in all groups of mice. Lupus mice had significantly higher Vcam1 levels compared to healthy mice. Both spermidine and rapamycin, as they were shown in the previous literature, attenuated the level of Vcam1 in lupus mice with interventions when compared to untreated lupus mice. From both studies, lupus mice developed several lupus-like phenotypes such as splenomegaly and increased levels of autoantibodies (anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-Cardiolipin antibody) when compared to healthy control mice. Eight weeks of rapamycin treatment reduced the lupus phenotypes whereas spermidine did not show direct effects on lupus phenotypes. Lastly, we measured mitophagy markers in abdominal aortas from all groups. Spermidine altered the level of mitophagy markers (LC3II/I and Parkin) in the lupus treatment group. With rapamycin, the changes in the level of mitophagy-related markers (p-ULK1, p62, and LC3II/I) did not significantly change. Results from both studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of spermidine and rapamycin treatment on endothelial function and inflammatory responses in SLE mice. Although there is a necessity for further study to determine the mechanism of mitophagy, these two interventions hold potential therapeutic value for targeting SLE-induced endothelial dysfunction and increased cardiovascular risk in SLE patients.
Lean in Energy-Based Utilities
(2024-05) Jensen, Paula H.; Cross, Jennifer; Matis, Timothy; Norman, Bryan; Cudney, Elizabeth
Inspired by Toyota's efficient operations and high-quality products, Lean is a continuous improvement program that originated in the manufacturing industry. Lean methodologies are utilized to improve product quality and business practices for a myriad of industries, such as healthcare, universities, and additional service entities. If implemented fully, Lean can improve efficiency and employee relations. Despite these known benefits, more research is needed on applying Lean and other continuous improvement programs in energy-based utilities. This research aims to understand how Lean and other continuous improvement programs are utilized in energy-based utilities, what makes the programs successful, how the organizational culture relates to the Lean adoption, how the Lean success factors relate to operational performance, and if COVID-19 impacted the Lean programs within the energy-based utilities. Four energy-based utilities participated in the sequential mixed-method research study. The online survey was used to understand what continuous improvement programs are being utilized, how the Lean culture was related to the Lean Adoption, and if the respondents thought COVID-19 impacted their Lean programs. A follow-up ethnographic interview was conducted to determine the success factors of implementing Lean in the industry and if it is similar to other sectors. The interviews were also used to identify how the Lean adoption relates to the culture, and further questions were asked on how COVID-19 impacted the Lean implementation. This research found that the majority of the respondents in this study use Lean or other continuous improvement methods, with 87% of the respondents using a continuous improvement program and 53% using Lean or Lean Six Sigma in their work group within their organization. The qualitative and quantitative assessments showed a positive relationship between Lean adoption and culture, based on structural equation modeling, coding culture keywords, and the identification of Lean tools. It was found that energy-based utilities share common success factors with other industries when implementing Lean and unique success factors specific to utilities. The top shared success factors include top management support, awareness of the benefits of LSS, training, teamwork, communication, culture, employee empowerment, selection of tools, and a supportive organizational structure. Employees' understanding of the benefits of Lean, and implementation issue was cited more frequently in this research. New success factors were found based on the lack of control of the weather, regulations, how far the facilities are from each other; and variation of demand, processes, and energy prices, challenge the implementation of Lean. Meanwhile, the success factors impacting employee-perceived operational performance were not supported using path analysis developed in this research. The COVID-19 pandemic created numerous challenges to industries on a global scale. Only 41% of the respondents agreed that COVID-19 impacted the Lean program at their company. Further, the employee perception from the qualitative comments indicated that the employees adapted and found a new way to conduct Lean; their collaboration methods were modified to include virtual communications and it was more challenging to conduct continuous improvement; however, these challenges forced them to be creative and seek and implement modern technology. Meanwhile, a few felt there was no impact on the Lean program in utilities partially because they were already spread out geographically and had to work remotely before the pandemic. The results of this study provide insight into the application of Lean and other continuous improvement methods in the energy-utility sector. While many shared that COVID-19 did have an impact on some companies, others were able to limit or prevent impacts on their Lean efforts. Future research should be focused on the importance of communicating the value of Lean to the employee by publishing more case studies in energy-based utilities to help understand how Lean applies to their industry.
Method development for characterization and quantification of glycomics, proteomics, and glycoproteomics by LC-MS/MS
(2024-05) Jiang, Peilin; Mechref, Yehia; Gamez, Gerardo; Smith, Adam W.
Protein glycosylation is one of the most prevalent and crucial post-translational modifications (PTMs). It has been reported that over 50% of mammalian proteins undergo glycosylation. This modification plays a pivotal role in various biological functions, including cell-cell signaling, protein degradation, and immune response. Despite its significance, studying glycosylation poses challenges due to factors such as low abundance, complex microheterogeneity of glycosylation sites, and the low ionization efficiency of glycopeptides. To overcome the challenges in glycosylation studies, recent advances in sensitive techniques have been developed. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) stands out as a powerful approach widely employed for the identification, characterization, and quantification of protein glycosylation. This technique facilitates in-depth analysis and provides valuable insights into the intricate world of glycosylation. In this dissertation, a metabolic isotopic labeling method was designed to simultaneously label both glycan moiety and peptide backbone, called GlyProSILC. It enables quantification of glycomics, proteomics, and glycoproteomics by using the same batch of cell lines. Through the employment of GlyProSILC and differential labeling of glycan and peptide, a multiplex glycoproteomic approach was developed to facilitate direct comparison of glycoproteomic quantitation and enhance throughput. The analysis of sialylated glycopeptides, especially sialic acid linkage isomers, remains challenging due to low abundance and isomer similarity. Here, a derivatization method was illustrated to efficiently separate sialylated glycopeptide isomers by utilizing regular reverse phase column and gradient time. A glycopeptide capture-and-release method was introduced for the selective enrichment of sialic acid-containing glycopeptides. Different MS acquisition methods for enhancing the quantification of glycopeptides were also investigated and compared.
The Study of New Chirality and Asymmetric Catalytic Control
(2024-05) Tang, Yao; Li, Guigen; Shi, Hauzhong; Ge, Haibo
Starting with Lous Pasteur's pioneering work that tartaric acid enantiomers can rotate polarized light in opposite directions, there has been a significant expansion of research into chirality's impact in the pharmaceutical industry, enantioselective synthesis and catalysis, and materials science. This increasing understanding stimulates the chemistry community to keep unlocking the possibilities of new chirality, and two novel chirality – multilayer 3D chirality and orientation chirality – have been discovered and developed recently. The present dissertation focuses on the modification of multilayer chirality, aiming to simplify its chiral separation and purification, as well as the discovery of orientational chirality, featuring a remote block to control the orientation of C(sp)-C(sp3) or C(sp2)- C(sp3) axis-anchored chiral center. Among the development of these two chirality, the chiral amide installed in the targeted molecules plays a key role in achieving asymmetric control within the molecular architecture. Additionally, this candidate examines the use of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) in identifying chiral aggregates in various compounds and introduces Aggregation-Induced Polarization (AIP), which serves as a novel technique developed in response to the limitations of AIE, particularly for non-fluorescent small molecules. Based on the hypothesis that chiral aggregates can lead to the enhancement or adjustment of optical rotation, this technique has shown promise in monitoring chiral aggregates in chiral folding polymers and BINOL/BINAP derivatives. Lastly, the dissertation showcases the application of chiral aggregates in enhancing the stereoselectivity in asymmetric catalytic reactions, especially in the Sharpless Asymmetric Dihydroxylation (AD) reaction, significantly improving the enantioselective ratio of the diol product from 78:22 (R:S) to 97:3 (R:S) through the manipulation of chiral quinine aggregation.
Genetic manipulation for cotton improvement towards heterosis maintenance and herbicide resistance
(2024-05) Qian, Hongjia; Shi, Huazhong; Pare, Paul W.; Rock, Chris; Weber, Joachim; Zhang, Hong
Heterosis is a common phenomenon in plants and has been extensively applied in crop breeding. However, the superior traits in the hybrids can only be maintained in the first generation but segregate in the following generations. Maintaining heterosis in generations has been challenging but highly desirable in crop breeding. Recently, clonal seed, an approach to asexually produce seeds maternally via genetic manipulation of several genes was reported to be a feasible way for maintaining heterosis in rice. By knocking out three meiosis related genes, namely REC8, PAIR1, OSD1 to create MiMe in combination with egg cell-specific expression of BBM transcription factor, diploid rice seeds were produced maternally without pollination and fertilization. Interestingly, there has been no following up reports indicating the feasibility of this approach in other crops. In this study, we aimed to test whether the so-called clonal seeds could be created in cotton. We identified the homologs of the three meiosis related genes in cotton and used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system with multiplex gene knockout capacity to simultaneously knock out these three genes in both A and D sub-genomes. More than 50 transgenic cotton plants were generated, and fragment analysis indicated that multiple gene knockouts occurred in the transgenic plants. However, all the transgenic plants were sterile apparently due to the lack of pollen. Pollination of the flowers in transgenic plants using the wild type pollens could not generate seeds, an indication of defects in the formation of female sexual cells in the transgenic plants. In addition, we generated transgenic cotton plants expressing the cotton BBM gene driven by the Arabidopsis egg cell-specific promoter pDD45. Two transgenic plants were obtained, and both showed severely reduced fertility. Interestingly, one of the transgenic plants produced five seeds from three bolls and three seeds were able to germinate. One out of the three T2 transgenic plants was confirmed to possess the transgenes, rendering it sterile as well. Overall, our results indicate that knockout of the clonal seeds related genes in cotton causes sterility and how to manipulate genes to create clonal seeds in cotton requires further research. Herbicides have been widely used for weed control, which significantly contributed to the increase in crop production. The use of herbicides replaces laborious manual or mechanical weed removal, making weed control highly efficient and economical. The wide use of glyphosate, partly due to the cultivation of glyphosate-resistant crops, has led to the occurrence of many glyphosate-resistant weed species. Cotton as the major crop producing natural fiber also faces problems with glyphosate-resistant weeds in its cultivation systems, and new methods need to be developed to improve weed control. A group of herbicides belonging to the β-triketone family could be an appropriate alternative for weed control since very few resistant weeds have been found. However, crops resistant to these herbicides are yet to be created, which limits its usage and efficiency. β-triketone herbicides target the essential enzyme HPPD, which is in the tyrosine degradation pathway to convert the HPPA into HGA, a precursor of -tocopherol and plastoquinone, and plastoquinone is essential for carotenoid biosynthesis and photosynthesis. The current study aimed to identify the cotton HPPD variants resistant to commercial β-triketone herbicides, and the goal was to create herbicide resistant cotton varieties by using gene editing technologies. The approaches employed include establishing a high throughput mutant screening system in E. coli to identify random mutations in the cotton HPPD gene conferring herbicide resistance while maintaining its native activity. Four single nucleotide changes leading to amino acid substitutions in HPPD were identified to confer mesotrione resistance without significant loss of its native activity. Various combinations of these mutations in HPPD showed synergy in mesotrione resistance. The HPPD variants complemented the Arabidopsis athppd mutant, indicating that the HPPD variants possess sufficient native activity for plant growth and development. Compared with the cotton wild type HPPD, overexpression of the cotton HPPD variants in Arabidopsis displayed increased herbicide resistance of the transgenic plants. Our findings provide valuable information about the target amino acids of HPPD for gene editing to create herbicide resistant cotton in the future.
A Differential Game Model for Optimal Management of Wolf-Livestock Conflict
(2024-05) Holtman, Nathan Fox; Laubmeier, Amanda; Devadoss, Stephen
Since the early 1990s, the reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the Northern Rocky Mountain region has created a discourse between livestock ranchers and wolf conservationists. Wolf predation of livestock is known to increase costs for ranchers, but conservationists maintain the ecological benefits of wolf reintroduction outweigh these adverse costs to ranchers. Given these conflicting objectives, we study the interaction between ranchers and conservationists in a differential game setting to determine an optimal wolf–livestock conflict management policy in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. The use of differential games allows the optimal strategy to take into account (i) the interaction of conservationists and ranchers and (ii) the influence of this interaction on the population of livestock and wolves. To our knowledge, this approach is novel in the study of wolf (and other endangered species) management as other studies do not consider how the give–and–take relationship between ranchers and conservationists influences wolf–livestock conflict management policies. Utilizing up–to–date data from federal and state agencies, including wolf hunting and predation, and the model is numerically solved. We obtain optimal solutions of the livestock population, wolf population, number of livestock attacked, and number of wolves hunted over time, which closely match the magnitude and trajectories of the data. In particular, we find optimal hunting effort by ranchers consistently increases throughout the differential game while optimal wolf protection measures by conservationists follows a parabolic path by decreasing in the first portion of the game and increasing in the second portion. These results help to provide policy implications to determine an optimal strategy that balances the damages caused by wolf predation of livestock with the environmental benefits of wolves.
Environmental Determinants of Behavioral Ecology: Differences in Roosting Ecology and Socioecology of a Neotropical Bat (Artibeus lituratus) Between Two Disparate Landscapes in the Atlantic Forest of Paraguay
(2024-05) Langlois, Garret Dustin; Stevens, Richard D.; Perry, Gad; Kropczynski, Jess; Surles, James G.; Cox, Robert D.
I explored the why of bat roost selection and how it affected roost sharing, and the why of bat roost sharing and how it affected roost selection. This relationship between bats and landscape was examined by contrasting roosting ecology and socioecology between contiguous forest and fragmented matrix. I posited that if forest structure is different and roost trees are limited, fragmentation may be affecting roost use and selection. In turn, this could alter the roosting behaviors and socioecology of bats. Altered behavioral tendencies could then be incorporated as an indicator of ecological health. I radio-tracked a large, frugivorous, neotropical bat species (Artibeus lituratus) in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Paraguay. Habitat differed between contiguous forest and fragmented matrix. However, roost selection differed between landscapes only in tree diameter at breast height, tree height, and crown cover. Across both landscapes the selection of vine-laden trees in uncluttered stands was consistent. In contiguous habitats, A. lituratus exhibited an overall tendency to roost high in tall and densely-covered trees, which were less frequently roost-shared with conspecifics, and evenly distributed across the landscape. Comparatively, A. lituratus in matrix habitats exhibited an overall tendency to roost low in short and sparsely-covered trees, which were more frequently roost-shared with conspecifics, and unevenly distributed across the landscape. Furthermore, simulated changes in the habitat characteristics of roost networks affected roost popularity in matrix, but not contiguous landscapes. The most likely causes for those behavioral differences is the relatively suboptimal habitat of the matrix landscape. If these behaviors are consistent for other tree-roosting bat species, they are potential indicators of declining ecological health.
An Archaeological Genealogy of the Banning of Diverse Books in Public Schools across the United States: How We Got Here, Where We Are Now, and Where We Are Headed
(2024-05) Knesek, Michael Chad; Cho, Jeasik
In examining the oft-tumultuous history of book challenges and bans in American schools, which continue to dominate headlines even today, this dissertation study asks three difficult questions: how did this happen, how did we get here, and where do we go from here? Based on the archaeological and genealogical ideals initially proposed by French philosopher, Michel Foucault, this dissertation study examines the emergent themes and motivations behind book challenges and bans. Relying on the tenets of critical race theory, critical literacy, and culturally sustaining pedagogy, this dissertation study addresses the harrowing history of book banning up to, and including, the United States. As more and more books containing diverse and representative literature are challenged and banned, this study secondarily addresses the condition of education in American schools, particularly in regard to the importance of the teaching of diverse and representational literature. Finally, with a look towards the future of book banning in American schools, this study provides supplemental context and recommendations in an effort to preserve the importance of “voluntary inquiry” while also ensuring the First Amendment rights of both authors and readers.
Three Essays on Transaction Frequency, Financial Stress and Investment Ownership
(2024-05) Lu, Yan; Guillemette, Michael; Sheikh-Zadeh, Alireza; Browning, Christopher M.; Lutter, Sonya
Financial well-being is defined by an individual's ability to meet current and future financial obligations, feel confident about their financial future, and make choices that contribute to a fulfilling life. Financial well-being is also associated with mental health. This dissertation comprises three essays dedicated to providing implications for policymakers and financial practitioners to enhance individuals' financial well-being. The first essay focuses on the role of investment knowledge, the most dominant variable impacting investment decisions, in transaction frequency, which, in turn, influences investment performance through asset reallocation and taxes/fees. The second essay examines the association between pandemic-related payments and financial stress, aiming to understand the role of such payments and payment usage in alleviating individuals' financial strain. Lastly, the third essay investigates the relationship between investment knowledge and ownership of fixed-income investments as measured by annuities and individual bonds, which can provide reliable income streams for retirement security but are associated with relatively low market participation. Overall, this study provides policymakers and financial practitioners with insights into individuals' investment decision-making processes and suggests strategies to improve individuals' financial well-being.
Guilt, Stigma, and Shame: Identity Management of Cyber-sex workers
(2024-05) Cullum, Maria Louisa; Smithey, Martha; Button-Schnick, Andrea
With the growing popularity of OnlyFans.com, many people have turned to this growing website as a means of economic stability. The site allows creators to charge viewers for specially curated content for a wide variety of genres. However, the site has specifically gained track for cyber-sex workers to post adult videos and content at a subscription based or pay per view price of their choice. Historically, sex work has been an occupation that is stereotyped with heavy stigma and shame. Reflecting on historical forms of sex work, such as prostitution, the stigma from this occupation has made balancing intimate partner relationships difficult for those who partake. To balance any sense of shame that may occur while partaking in intimate partnerships, sex workers may find and develop coping skills that help their partnerships and occupation coexist. By conducting interviews with OnlyFans content creators, we can understand the way these coping skills have shifted and changed with the modernization of sex works through onlyfans. With the knowledge of these coping skills used by modern sex workers, other sex workers can borrow these skills and find ways to partake in intimate partnerships while creating adult content.
E4orf1 as a novel agent for modulating diet-induced steatosis and associated cardiometabolic disease risk factors in a transgenic mouse model
(2024-05) Hefner, Marleigh; Hegde, Vijay; Dhurandhar, Nikhil; Moustaid-Moussa, Naima; Petersen, Kristina; Tinsley, Grant M.
Chronic diseases of metabolic origin are rising to epidemic proportions. Among these includes metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which has close pathophysiological links to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. MASLD is an umbrella term for a spectrum of liver disease states which occur in the absence of excess alcohol intake. If left untreated, the MASLD feature of hepatosteatosis can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Prevention of late stage MASLD conditions is essential to protect against high risk of mortality. At present, management of comorbid disease and healthy lifestyle choices to support weight loss are the only treatment avenues for hepatosteatosis. However, lifestyle change is extremely difficult. As a result, weight loss and weight loss maintenance efforts are often unsuccessful. Further, most but not all patients with steatosis have obesity. Consequently, there is a need for innovative anti-steatosis therapies that will support lifestyle change efforts but can also treat patients independent of weight loss (or gain). Statins and various classes of diabetes medications have been tested in this venture with little promise. E4orf1 is a small adenoviral protein with potential to fill this critical niche. Studied extensively for its anti-diabetes properties, the novelty of E4orf1 lies in its ability to 1) stimulate glucose uptake independent of proximal insulin signaling, and subsequently 2) decrease systemic insulin levels without improving insulin sensitivity nor affecting pancreatic beta cell function. Collectively, these conditions favor liver protection as a hallmark feature of early stage MASLD is hyperinsulinemia due to insulin resistance. Indeed, when E4orf1 is transgenically expressed in the adipose tissue of metabolically challenged mice, it improves local glucose metabolism, systemic hyperinsulinemia, and prevents hepatosteatosis independent of weight loss (or exacerbating weight gain). It also does not induce hypoglycemia or hypermetabolism in metabolically healthy mice. These qualities make E4orf1 a novel preclinical candidate for patients with early stage MASLD who may have underlying obesity and type 2 diabetes. The present study builds upon prior research to explore the efficacy of E4orf1 in a treatment model of diet-induced hepatosteatosis. Initially male (n=50) and female (n=50) mice were fed a high fructose (22.1%), high cholesterol (2%) (HFHC) diet with moderate (41%) fat for 10 weeks to induce nonalcoholic steatosis. At week 10, we either transgenically-induced E4orf1 expression within adipose tissue while continuing HFHC feeding, modeled a healthy lifestyle change through “DR” from HFHC to a standard diet (15% fat), or both, for another 10 weeks. Body weight was monitored weekly, along with body composition assessment at weeks 0, 10, and 20. Glycemic control was tested at weeks 0, 10, and 20 by providing an oral glucose challenge and assessing circulating glucose/insulin response and hemoglobin A1c. After the 10-week intervention period, liver triglyceride content was measured and histopathological MASLD scoring was conducted. Markers of liver and adipose tissue lipid metabolism were assessed using mRNA and protein expression analyses. Adipose tissue specific E4orf1 expression protected mice from increased adiposity, provoked less endogenous insulin requirements for glucose clearance (males), protected from increased insulin requirements to maintain basal glucose levels (females), and decreased hemoglobin A1c. Additionally, E4orf1 decreased liver triglyceride content and histopathological MASLD scores. Across outcomes, E4orf1 performed to a similar degree as diet reversal alone and its impact is not necessarily enhanced or hindered when combined with diet reversal. However, the mechanism by which E4orf1-mediated systemic insulin reduction could improve pre-established steatosis remains elusive. This study highlights the importance of adipose tissue functionality for indirect liver protection as E4orf1 is not secreted into systemic circulation but expressed locally within the adipose tissue. This tissue “crosstalk” is more than likely mediated by modulating hepatic substrate (insulin) availability. The potential for E4orf1 to also modulate advanced MASLD features, including fibrosis, is an exciting possibility for future investigation.
A Balancing Act: How the University Chief of Staff Understands Their Role as Leader and a Follower
(2024-05) Smith, Heidi McDonald; McNaughtan, Jon; Jones, Stephanie J.
The chief of staff on college and university campuses has the primary responsibility of being responsive to and assisting the president fulfill the numerous responsibilities of the higher education presidency. Within the limited research that exists on this senior higher education administrator, several studies focus on how the chief of staff enact leadership. This qualitative, phenomenological study examines the experiences of 12 chiefs of staff at public and private four-year institutions to understand how they perceive their role as a follower and a leader as well as how they balance followership and leadership in their work. Analysis of participants’ experiences revealed that the chiefs of staff simultaneously enacted followership and leadership. Implementing the president’s vision, executing the president’s and their own decisions, and providing guidance to others on campus were key functions of the role in which the chiefs of staff demonstrated their simultaneous follower/leader position. Other findings from this study were that the chiefs of staff exhibited exemplary followership and were more followers or leaders depending on presidential expectations and understanding of the role. This study highlights the complexity of the chief of staff role and underscores the importance of followership skills in addition to leadership skills when preparing, selecting, and assessing individuals for this role.
The Effects of Seed Treatments and Drought on the Interaction of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and Thrips Species (Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci)
(2024-05) Sehrish, Aqeela; Simpson, Catherine; Vyavhare, Suhas; Parajulee, Megha; Haydee, Laza; Coldren, Cade
Plant growth and physiology can be affected by environmental and chemical factors that have the potential to influence yields. Among the factors that influence plant growth, neonicotinoid seed treatments have shown significant effects on plant growth, particularly in cotton. The dual benefits seen from neonicotinoids on plant growth and insect control show promise in improving cotton yields, but little is known about how different seed treatments affect seedling physiology. Greenhouse studies were undertaken to investigate how three neonicotinoid seed treatments (clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid) affect the physiology and growth of cotton seedlings in controlled environmental conditions. This study examines how neonicotinoid seed treatments specifically, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam affect cotton seed germination and early growth phases. Under both ideal and cold conditions, it was discovered that imidacloprid considerably increases the germination rate, seed fresh weight, radical length, germination index, and vigor index of cotton seeds more successfully than thiamethoxam and untreated controls. This demonstrates imidacloprid's ability to support the establishment and vigor of seedlings, indicating the efficacy of the herbicide as a seed treatment in cotton farming. Even though germination has improved, more research is still needed to fully understand the wider effects of neonicotinoids on other crops and how they interact with one another. When there was a water deficit, clothianidin shown long-lasting bioactivation effects, while thiamethoxam and imidacloprid showed varying effects on plant height, shoot fresh weight, and leaf area, with irrigation levels having a major influence. The results emphasize how neonicotinoids behave differently under stress, which highlights the need for more study into their potential applications as bioactivators. Neonicotinoids' long-term presence in plant tissues also raises questions about their possible effects on the environment and their residual activity, especially in arid areas that are vulnerable to protracted droughts. In the absence of pest pressure, the study evaluated the effects of neonicotinoid treatments on cotton seedling development, chlorophyll pigments, and nutritional status. Up to the fifth leaf stage, imidacloprid showed the strongest beneficial effects, indicating its potential as a strong bioactivator to promote plant growth and chlorophyll synthesis. These results highlight how crucial it is to choose the right neonicotinoid treatments in order to maximize agricultural sustainability and productivity while also taking the environmental effects of their application into account. To completely comprehend the long-term impacts of neonicotinoids on crop health and their possible influence on pollinators, more research is necessary.
Gender Issues and Internal Migration-Trust Networks During and After Flash Floods at Wetland Areas of Bangladesh.
(2024-05) Banik, Ashis Kumer; Flores-Yeffal, Nadia Y.; Ramirez, Luis
This research study aims to investigate the causes of flash floods, susceptibility, and survival tactics of flash flood-affected populations in the wetland areas of northeastern Bangladesh. This study relies on World System Theory, Migration-Trust Networks Theory, and Strain Theory in order to explain the complex findings of this study. In order to answer my research questions, I employed a triangulation of approaches, including extensive interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, key informant interviews, and a secondary data set. Through thematic analysis, I conclude that climate change and the dominance of geographically facilitated core countries are the main causes of flash floods in the northeastern part of Bangladesh. Additionally, this study reveals that individuals affected by flash floods utilize their trust networks for immediate surveillance during and after the flash flood disaster. In addition, the findings reveal that the victims of flash floods also utilized migration-trust networks in the process of internal migration to seek better livelihoods and mitigate family conflicts after arriving at new destinations in urban area slums. Furthermore, the socioeconomic risks resulting from flash floods place significant stress on affected individuals, potentially leading to violence and/or abuse against women. This thesis research also provides practical policy ideas and recommendations to lessen the vulnerability of persons affected by flash floods.
Dispossession by a Thousand Discourses: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Discourse Legitimating the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and the Discursive Practices of Indigenous, Puerto Rican, and Filipino Students
(2024-05) Rose, Cassandra; Fúnez-Flores, Jairo I.; Au, Wayne; Cruz, Joshua
The purpose of this critical discourse analysis was to confront the utilitarian discourse legitimating the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. This research first studied newspapers of 1879 to call into question utilitarian discourse at the macro level. The research then evaluated utilitarian discourse at the micro level and studied the discourse pertaining to Carlisle found in speeches, policies, writings, newspapers and letters and the discursive practices of Lakota, Puerto Rican, and Filipino students of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Analytical concepts from settler colonial and decolonial thought were used in tandem to confront Carlisle as a transnational site of dispossession from a planetary lens. The findings of this research were presented in three groups. First, I sought to analyze referential, semantical, lexical, and syntactical meanings of the concepts of useful and wasteful within utilitarian discourse found in U.S. newspapers published in 1879. Second, I confronted the discourses of dispossession through an analysis of the concepts of use and waste and the verb forms within utilitarian discourse found in creation and perpetuation of Carlisle. Third, I analyzed the discursive practices of three former Carlisle students: Luther Standing Bear (Lakota), Juan José Osuna Rodriguez (Puerto Rico), and Stephen Redleaf (Philippines). The discussion of this research employed decolonial theory to explain the normalized relations of power perpetuated by utilitarian discourse. Through this analysis, the underbelly of the utilitarian discourse legitimating Carlisle exposed the normalcy established in racializing Carlisle students to legitimate separating children from their families to attend school. With the inclusion of Lakota, Puerto Rican, and Filipino students, this research destabilized Carlisle as an exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian and sought to resituate Carlisle as a site of dispossession within a transnational imperial project perpetuating coloniality/modernity.

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