bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thyroid Hormones and Diabetes in Euthyroid Hispanic/Latino Adults of Diverse Backgrounds: HCHS/SOL
Authors: Persky Victoria , Abasilim Chibuzor , Tsintsifas Konstantina , Day Tessa , Sargis Robert M , Daviglus Martha , Cai Jianwen , Freels Sally , Kaplan Robert , Isasi Carmen R , Pirzada Amber , Meyer Michelle L , Talavera Gregory A , Thyagarajan Bharat , Agarwal Shivani , Chavez Noel , Grieco Arielle , Turyk Mary E
Published: February 2024

Context

Previous studies have demonstrated associations of endogenous thyroid hormones with diabetes; less is known about stages of diabetes development at which they are operative, mechanisms of associations, and the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis.

Objective

This study examined associations of thyroid hormones with incident prediabetes and diabetes and with changes in glycemic traits in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), the largest cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults with diverse backgrounds in the United States.

Methods

The study includes 592 postmenopausal euthyroid women and 868 euthyroid men aged 45 to 74 years without diabetes at baseline participating in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Baseline hormones included thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (T3), and indices calculated from thyroid hormones evaluating pituitary sensitivity to thyroid hormone. Transitions to diabetes and prediabetes, and changes in glycemic traits determined at the 6-year follow-up visit, were examined using multivariable Poisson and linear regressions.

Results

Among women, T3 (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.22-2.24; P = .001) and TSH (IRR = 2.09; 95% CI, 1.01-4.33; P = .047) were positively, while FT4 (IRR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39-0.88; P = .011) was inversely, associated with transition from prediabetes to diabetes. Among men, the T3/FT4 ratio was positively associated with transition from normoglycemia to prediabetes but not from prediabetes to diabetes. Indices measuring sensitivity of the pituitary to thyroid hormone suggested increased sensitivity in men who transitioned from prediabetes to diabetes.

Conclusion

Positive associations in women of T3 and TSH and inverse associations of FT4, as well as inverse associations of thyroid indices in men with transition from prediabetes to diabetes, but not from normoglycemia to diabetes, suggest decreased pituitary sensitivity to thyroid hormones in women and increased sensitivity in men later in the development of diabetes.
Postnatal Zika virus infection leads to morphological and cellular alterations within the neurogenic niche
Authors: Ferreira Jéssica C. C. G. , Christoff Raissa R. , Rabello Tailene , Ferreira Raiane O. , Batista Carolina , Mourão Pedro Junior Pinheiro , Rossi Átila D. , Higa Luiza M. , Bellio Maria , Tanuri Amilcar , Garcez Patricia P.
Published: February 2024

The Zika virus received significant attention in 2016, following a declaration by the World Health Organization of an epidemic in the Americas, in which infections were associated with microcephaly. Indeed, prenatal Zika virus infection is detrimental to fetal neural stem cells and can cause premature cell loss and neurodevelopmental abnormalities in newborn infants, collectively described as congenital Zika syndrome. Contrastingly, much less is known about how neonatal infection affects the development of the newborn nervous system. Here, we investigated the development of the dentate gyrus of wild-type mice following intracranial injection of the virus at birth (postnatal day 0). Through this approach, we found that Zika virus infection affected the development of neurogenic regions within the dentate gyrus and caused reactive gliosis, cell death and a decrease in cell proliferation. Such infection also altered volumetric features of the postnatal dentate gyrus. Thus, we found that Zika virus exposure to newborn mice is detrimental to the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. These observations offer insight into the cellular mechanisms that underlie the neurological features of congenital Zika syndrome in children.
Can Financial Incentives to Firms Improve Apprenticeship Training? Experimental Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Brown Gabriel , Hardy Morgan , Mbiti Isaac , McCasland Jamie , Salcher Isabelle
Published: February 2024

We use a field experiment to test whether financial incentives can improve the quality of apprenticeship training. Trainers (firm owners) in the treatment group participated in a tournament incentive scheme where they received a payment based on their apprentices’ rank-order performance on a skills assessment. Trainers in the control group received a fixed payment based on their apprentices’ participation in the assessment. Performance on the assessment was higher in the treatment group. Two years later, treated apprentices scored 0.15σ higher on a low-stakes oral skills test and earned 24 percent more in total earnings, driven by higher self-employment profits. (JEL D22, D82, J24, J31, M53, O12)
Steady-State Social Distancing and Vaccination
Authors: Avery Christopher , Chen Frederick , McAdams David
Published: February 2024

This paper analyzes an economic-epidemiological model of infectious disease where it is possible to become infected more than once and individual agents make endogenous choices of social distancing and vaccine adoption. Protective actions adopted by any one person reduce future risks to other people. The positive externalities associated with these behaviors provide motivation for vaccine and social-distancing subsidies, but subsidizing one protective action reduces incentives for other protective actions. A vaccine subsidy increases vaccine adoption and reduces steady-state infection prevalence; a social distancing subsidy can either increase or reduce steady-state infection prevalence. (JEL D62, D91, I12, I18)
Validation of a Thai artificial chatmate designed for cheering up the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Deepaisarn Somrudee , Imkome Ek-uma , Wongpatikaseree Konlakorn , Yuenyong Sumeth , Lakanavisid Ploi , Soonthornchaiva Rangsiman , Yomaboot Panida , Angkoonsawaengsuk Angkoon , Munpansa Napawan
Published: February 2024

Background The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected populations of all age groups. The elderly are a high-risk group and are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. Assistive software chatbots can enhance the mental health status of the elderly by providing support and companionship. The objective of this study was to validate a Thai artificial chatmate for the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic and floods. Methods Chatbot design includes the establishment of a dataset and emotional word vectors in which data consisting of emotional sentences were converted into the word vector form using a pre-trained word2vec model. A word vector was then input into a convolutional neural network (CNN) and trained until the model converges using sentence embedding and similarity word segmentation. Sentence vectors were generated by averaging each word vector using an averaged vector method. For approximate similarity matching, the Annoy library was used to create the indices in tree sorting. Data were collected from 22 elderly and assessed by the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). Results The study revealed that 72.73% of the respondents found the chatbot easy to learn and use, 63.64% of the respondents found the chatbot can autonomously determine the next course of action, and 59.09% of the respondents believed that troubleshooting guidelines were provided for overcoming errors. The accuracy of the chatbot providing a reasonable response is 56.20±13.99%. Conclusions Most users were satisfied with the chatbot system. The proposed chatbot provided considerable essential insights into the development of assistance systems for the elderly during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and during the period of national disasters. The model can be expanded to other applications in the future.
The Investment development path theory: Evidence from developing countries’ agricultural sector
Authors: Djokoto Justice Gameli , Agyei-Henaku Kofi Aaron A-O , Badu-Prah Charlotte
Published: February 2024

Background We examined the investment development path (IDP) through the perspective of developing countries’ agricultural sector. Our analytical approach indirectly accounts for interactions among countries regarding cross-border resource transfers. Aside from providing knowledge on testing the IDP by inferential statistics, the information would be relevant for policymaking. Identifying the stage(s) in the IDP not only highlights the global appeal of agriculture but also guides firms seeking to expand beyond borders. This information is essential for developing an effective economic strategy. Methods We employed data from 1991 to 2021 for 55 countries from the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) and applied a fixed effects estimator corrected for serial correlation and non-constant variances. Results and conclusions We found that agriculture in developing countries is currently in stages I and II of the IDP. Broadly, agricultural production requires policies that would increase outward foreign direct investment and inward foreign direct investment. Domestic agricultural businesses in developing countries must develop capacity by learning from foreign multinationals. This would enable agricultural businesses to invest abroad. Such a move would lead to an increase in outward FDI. As this would have resulted from increased GDP per capita, it will lead to movement from the existing stage to higher ones.
Faculty readiness for online teaching at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during the COVID-19 crisis: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Almahasheer Muneerah B. , Al Rubaish Abdullah , Alkadi Abdullah , Abdellatif Mahmoud A. , Ravinayagam Vijaya , Wael Fateh Assaf, , Marimuthu Palanivel Rubavathi , Alomair Nuhad A.
Published: February 2024

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector around the world. In order to control the spread of the virus, eLearning practice has been introduced in Saudi higher education. Such online communication has become an important tool to narrow the teaching practice gap. This study assessed the characteristics of eLearning and distance learning and the inclination of Imam Abdulrahman BinFaisal University (IAU) faculty members in terms of skills, and managing classes and tests using online learning tools.

Methods: A QuestionPro questionnaire with 22 questions on eLearning experience, training experience, and skills and knowledge in the educational process of IAU teaching faculty was conducted through the online university e-mail domain. The questionnaire was sent to the IAU’s teaching faculty.

The questionnaire’s reliability was studied using Cronbach’s a coefficient. The criterion value was statistically studied using the KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett’s test. The variables associated with the present survey model were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).

Results: The study showed positive responses and readiness (skills and abilities) and the effectiveness of IAU’s faculty members to perform e-learning activities during COVID-19. IAU faculty received a strong positive response, and the respondents were also impressed with and agreed on trainer knowledge, session management, communication and expertise on training topics.

Conclusions: The positive response indicates the readiness of IAU to provide the necessary support (tools, information and updates) required for a successful online educational process.
Registro de Megasoma typhon typhon (Olivier, 1789) (Coleoptera, Melolontidae Dynastinae) em perímetro urbano próximo ao Parque Natural Municipal da Taquara, Duque de Caxias – RJ
Authors: Cruz Jacqueline Monteiro Correia , Grossi Paschoal Coelho , Clarkson Bruno
Published: February 2024

O presente estudo apresenta o aparecimento de espécimes do besouro Megasoma typhon typhon (Olivier, 1789) (Melolonthidae, Dynastinae), em uma área urbana privada próxima ao Parque Natural Municipal da Taquara, em Duque de Caxias, RJ. A espécie se distribui pelo Novo Mundo, encontrado especialmente na Caatinga, Cerrado e Mata Atlântica. Durante maio de 2022, um macho adulto foi avistado próximo a edifícios administrativos de uma empresa na região, possivelmente atraído por luzes artificiais e por consequência do avanço do desmatamento. O besouro foi observado e medido, porém não foi coletado. Em junho de 2023, foi encontrada uma fêmea morta da mesma espécie no mesmo local, indicando a recorrência da espécie na região. A fêmea foi coletada e depositada no Museu de Entomologia da Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (MELEF-UENF). O artigo destaca a importância de estudar mais a fundo a biologia e o comportamento das espécies do gênero Megasoma Kirby, 1825 e a necessidade de projetos de conservação para evitar o descontrole populacional e a extinção. Também é apontado a crescente presença dessas espécies em áreas urbanas devido à fragmentação de seus habitats naturais e destaca a importância de coletar dados mais detalhados para uma melhor compreensão da biologia e da conservação dessas espécies.
Metal Nitride Complexes as Potential Catalysts for C-H and N-H Bonds Activation
Authors:   , Alharbi Waad Sulaiman S.
Published: February 2024

Recognizing the dual ability of the nitride ligand to react as a nucleophile or an electrophile – depending on the metal and other supporting ligands – is a key to their broad-range reactivity; thus, three DFT studies were initiated to investigate these two factors effects (the metal and supporting ligands) for tuning nitride ligand reactivity for C-H and N-H bond activation/functionalization. We focused on studying these factors effects from both a kinetic and thermodynamic perspective in order to delineate new principles that explain the outcomes of TMN reactions. Chapter 2 reports a kinetic study of C–H amination of toluene to produce a new Csp3–N (benzylamine) or Csp2–N (para-toluidine) bond activated by diruthenium nitride intermediate. Studying three different mechanisms highlighted the excellent ability of diruthenium nitride to transform a C-H bond to a new C-N bond. These results also revealed that nitride basicity played an important role in determining C–H bond activating ability. Chapter 3 thus reports a thermodynamic study to map basicity trends of more than a one hundred TMN complexes of the 3d and 4d metals. TMN pKb(N) values were calculated in acetonitrile. Basicity trends decreased from left to right across the 3d and 4d rows and increases from 3d metals to their 4d congeners. Metal and supporting ligands effects were evaluated to determine their impacts on TMNs basicity. In Chapter 4 we sought correlations among basicity, nucleophilicity and enhanced reactivity for N–H bond activation. Three different mechanisms for ammonia decomposition reaction (ADR) were tested: 1,2-addition, nitridyl insertion and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). Evaluating nitride reactivity for the aforementioned mechanisms revealed factors related to the metal and its attached ligands on TMNs for tuning nitride basicity and ammonia N–H activation barriers.
Promoting Women? Causes and Effects of Gender-Informed Transitional Justice
Authors:   , Roark Polly DeAnne
Published: February 2024

Quantitative research investigating the causes and subsequent impact of transitional justice practices has further developed thanks to the production of cross-national data on justice practices, namely by the Justice Data Project and the Transitional Justice Research Collaborative. Current work, however, does not consider the role of justice from a feminist perspective. For example, with respect to causes, we know little about whether and how justice processes are gender inclusive, and what the factors lead to gendered inclusion within justice practices. There is also a need for further inquiry to explain how gendered conflict violence, e.g., sexual violence directed at women, influences justice adoption, and if so, whether these justice processes are more likely to be inclusive of women and gendered issues. Regarding justice impact (its post-hoc effects), there is much to know about the implications gendered justice pose for post-violence societies. Moving away from essentialist notions that position men as protectors and women as inherently peaceful and mere victims of abuse, feminist scholars advocate for research to showcase women's agency as security providers in peacebuilding and peacemaking. I introduce a framework to explain how women and gendered issues become integrated into justice practices and evaluate implications that result from these processes. Such a research program is important, if not crucial, to understand the role of women as agents in the development of peace and security in countries with a history of violence and human rights abuse. In doing so, I respond to demands calling for gender perspectives on issues related to security and positive peace, a peace that includes social justice, that can only be achieved by dismantling the unequal power structures of gender, race, and class.
Use of Videoconference Technology in the Social Engagement of Older Adults by Aging-in-Place Organizations
Authors:   , Alagood John
Published: February 2024

This dissertation investigates videoconference technology adoption by aging-in-place organizations to facilitate the social engagement of older adults. It comprises three studies that examine the initiation and coordination of technology adoption by aging-in-place organizations and addresses the factors associated with successful adoption of relational videoconference technology by older adults. The first study is a systematic literature review exploring the role of aging-in-place organizations in social engagement of older adults through videoconference technology. The second study is a survey of adult relatives and friends of older adults regarding videoconference technology adoption by older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and their experience with facilitating resources. It applies technology adoption theory and a structural equation model to characterize the role of aging-in-place organizations. The third study is a pilot test of a new online platform called Circular that is designed to support social engagement of older adults. Through these studies, this research extends the existing body of knowledge regarding modes to facilitate adoption of relational technology by older adults and to empower senior centers and other aging-in-place organizations as they seek to socially engage the aging members of their communities.
Horses Against Tanks: Historical Memory and the German Invasion of Poland
Authors:   , Palmer Matthew Steven
Published: February 2024

The entrance of the German Invasion of Poland and depiction thereof into modern historiographical conversations offers historians superior articulation of the creation of historical memory, mythos, and identity ‒ especially in wider terms of European Imperialism. By utilizing the current trends in gendering of empire, the use of auto-biography and life writing to understand felt realities and obfuscated truths, and the attempts by empire to queer and utilize labeled deviations to control and gain power over their colonized subjects, one is presented a better understanding of how the German Invasion of Poland fits into the story of empire and indigeneity. That story continues past the Third Reich however, as German propaganda in its various forms was accepted as truth after the Second World War, providing justification for and rationalizing post war political power structures of Western nations. As the threat of a cold war with the USSR loomed, many in the American military felt it necessary to accept and support German myths about their military prowess (and non-culpability for the Holocaust) and the inferiority of Slavic military forces. By analyzing not the myths themselves, but how they were created and propagated, historians can add to this historical conversation a case study of just how two seemingly opposed power structures can mobilize similar myths as justification for their own desires and decisions, and in doing so, mythologize the identity and memory of the earnest beginning of the Holocaust.
Role of Additive Manufacturing in Restructuring Supply Chains
Authors:   , Patil Himali Kiran
Published: February 2024

Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, has been attracting attention from practitioners as well as academicians with its continuous evolution from being used primarily for prototyping to now end-product production. Despite this technology's current and future potential, few studies indicate that AM has not been extensively used across all industries. This dissertation addresses knowledge gaps by providing theoretical and empirical support for adopting AM through three essays that study the role of AM in restructuring supply chains. Essay 1 provides systematic support for AM implementation by developing a typology derived from technology-specific potentials and challenges to adopting AM. This study uses an exploratory research approach to collect and analyze data from semi-structured interviews of practitioners with deep knowledge of AM and supply chains from diverse industries. In Essay 2, our results show that AM adoption positively influences supply chain responsiveness and, in turn, reshoring decisions. Essay 3 compares different supply chain configurations based on traditional and AM. We developed a hybrid simulation model combining discrete event simulation and agent-based simulation and compared the performance in terms of wait time and costs. Our results indicate that under certain conditions, the centralized configuration delivers spare parts faster than the distributed configuration, contrary to previous literature findings. However, a hybrid configuration (a combination of centralized and decentralized) provides a better response (reduced wait time) than the traditional, centralized, and decentralized configurations. Collectively, the three essays provide academicians and practitioners with a more comprehensive understanding of how AM creates value for supply chains.
Harmonic Function in Rock: A Melodic Approach
Authors:   , Oliver Matthew Ryan
Published: February 2024

This dissertation explores the influence of melody on harmonic function in pop and rock songs from around 1950 to the present. While authors define the term "function" in several ways, none consider melody in their explanations, and I contend that any discussion of harmonic function in rock must include melody. I offer a novel perspective on function by defining it through what I call tension-as-anticipation, and I define a "melodic function" that accounts for the sense of tension and relaxation a melody creates within a particular moment in a track. My dissertation defines two types of melodic function—dominant and tonic—based on the melody's goal-directed scale-degree content, position within a phrase, and relation with the harmony. Dominant-melodic function results in two musical phenomena that I call the "imposed dominant" and the "dominant remainder." An imposed dominant occurs when a dominant-melodic function is initially dissonant with the harmony and resolves over a tonic. A dominant remainder occurs when a dominant-melodic function occurs over a harmonic resolution to the tonic, creating a slower dissipation of tension. Tonic-melodic function produces a phenomenon I call the "tonic anticipation," where a melody outlines a tonic mode over a pretonic harmony, creating a maximum sense of tension-as-anticipation. By including melody in considering harmonic function, we can more adequately describe the cycles of tension and resolution found in pop styles.
Climate Injustice and Commodification of Lives and Livelihoods in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh
Authors:   , Keya Kamrun Nahar
Published: February 2024

Just and equitable responses to the disparate impacts of climate change on communities and individuals throughout the world are at the heart of the concept of climate justice. Commodification, in the context of my research, is the process of monetizing nature and livelihoods for the purpose of surplus accumulation and profit maximization. In this study, my aim was to contextualize the concepts of climate injustice, disaster capitalism, and the commodification of lives and livelihoods in the specific setting of disaster vulnerability in southwest coastal Bangladesh. By conducting a case study in Kamarkhola and Sutarkhali regions of southwest coastal Bangladesh, I utilized discourse analysis and content analysis of livelihood interviews, semi-structured interviews, and policy documents to demonstrate the conceptual interrelation among global climate change, climate injustice, disaster capitalism, and capitalist expansion in environmentally precarious areas. I argue that in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh, the vulnerability to disasters stems from a complex and multifaceted layer of social hierarchies and inequalities, entwined with factors such as class and power relations. I also argue that Inequalities in the political, economic, and social realms have a key role in imposing vulnerability on disadvantaged people living in ecologically vulnerable areas. The perpetuation of inequality is sustained by the expansion and accumulation of capital through the dispossession and exploitation of natural resources. The existing approaches to climate change adaptation in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh are deeply entrenched in neoliberal capitalism. The introduction of neoliberal economic policies, such as the privatization of state lands and the promotion of export-oriented aquaculture, created favorable conditions for capitalist expansion in environmentally vulnerable places through "accumulation by dispossession."
Cyber Addiction and Information Overload and Their Impact on Workplace Productivity
Authors:   , Alboulayan Moneerah Abdulhameed M.
Published: February 2024

The research examines the relationship between cyber addiction (excessive use of the Internet, CA), information overload (IO), and assesses their impact on workplace productivity. A multi-methods approach is used employing the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a quantitative survey design to assess and test the stated hypothesis. The study used random sampling methods targeting 150 respondents from different information technology departments of various organizations. The study hypothesizes that CA and IO have a reciprocal association, which adversely affects workplace productivity and employee performance. From the findings, IAT scores increase with an associated possibility of reporting burnout, fatigue, and other components associated with CA and IO. Also, CA and IO were significantly correlated, as evaluated by the chi-square test, although the same approach did not yield significant associations between CA and perceived internet dependence. Other findings CA components, such as social media use, significantly associated with task postponement and burnout. As well, CA affected IO with substantial impacts on workplace productivity. The paper highlights managerial aspects that organizations should consider in optimizing the output of their staff. Recommendations include wellness programs, altering the leadership and management styles, and sensitizing the employees on the adverse effects caused by the two variables.
Understanding the Significance of Patient Empowerment in Health Care Services and Delivery
Authors:   , Bani Hani Saad Mohammed Fahed
Published: February 2024

To address emerging challenges in empowering patients through telehealth, this dissertation has the following objectives: (a) find the key characteristics that enable patient empowerment [PE], (b) determining when will PE work as a solution, (c) find the optimal telehealth care method that enables PE, and (d) evaluate the impact of telehealth on health care outcomes (such as, patient satisfaction, patient trust with primary care providers, etc.) that ultimately enhances PE. These objectives are addressed in three studies presented here as three essays. Collectively, these essays contribute to the knowledge on PE, patient trust, and telehealth by providing insights on leveraging PE towards better health care services and delivery systems. Essay 1 aims to systemically map the concept of PE using principles of systems thinking with the Boardman soft systems methodology that enables a graphical visualization (i.e., systemigrams). Essay 2 investigates the practical and theoretical implications of connecting patients to empowerment care plans and minimizing wait times in healthcare service delivery using electronic prescriptions (s-scripts), phone calls, and video calls. In Essay 3, the mediating role of telehealth services between patient empowerment and patient satisfaction was analyzed, along with patient trust was assessed as a moderator between telehealth usability and patient satisfaction. Two hundred sixty-two responses from patients in North America with chronic illnesses were collected through an online survey questionnaire were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings of the research show that patients with chronic illnesses in North America feel empowered by using telehealth as they can get diagnosis of the illness even in remote areas and face no obstacle.
An Evaluation of Cross-Function Stimuli in the Treatment of Automatically Maintained Problem Behavior
Authors:   , Huang Po-Kai
Published: February 2024

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is a possible alternative to differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) that may operate through a similar mechanism. In the research, the participant's problem behaviors were maintained by automatic reinforcement or even multiply maintained. NCR is the method to intervene with the participant who had no clinical effect on using sensory integration therapy (SIT) to reduce problem behaviors in the previous study. The results showed that NCR is an effective way to decrease the problem behaviors without extinction burst.
An Empirical Investigation of the Medical Supply Chain and Its Impact on Human Solid Organ Transplantation
Authors:   , Hiatt Brian Joseph
Published: February 2024

The objective of this dissertation is to first identify if there are any academic research gaps in our understanding of the medical supply chain and secondly to understand the role and impact of logistics on the human organ transplant process. The first essay identifies the current status of medical supply chain literature and provides future direction for improving the medical supply chain. This was accomplished by preforming a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis from 2,160 publications was conducted. The second essay explores how logistical aspects impact transplant logistics performance and the quality of life for the transplant recipient. Survey data was collected from medical professionals and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The third essay identifies the factors are influencing the number of donor kidneys discarded each year. A retrospective analysis of all deceased donor kidneys procured in hospitals in UNOS region 4 (Texas and Oklahoma) from January 1, 2001, to June 28, 2021, was conducted. Data was analyzed using multinomial logit regression and panel data analysis. As a result, we identified several medical and logistics factors that have influenced the number of donor kidneys discarded in the United States.
The Effect of Developmental Hypoxia on Cardiac Physiology in Three Species: Alligator mississippiensis, Chelydra serpentina, and Danio rerio
Authors:   , Smith Brandt Ragan
Published: February 2024

In this dissertation, I explored the effects of developmental hypoxia on heart contractility in three separate species of ectotherms: the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and the zebrafish (Danio rerio). I began with the common snapping turtle and tested whether the utilization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum was altered in response to developmental hypoxia. In the next two chapters, developmental hypoxia of the American alligator was explored studying how the cardiac tissue was affected, specifically in physiological stressors, sarcoplasmic reticulum utilization and sensitivity to pharmacological increases in contractility. The last chapter explored how zebrafish heart contractility was altered in response to chronic hypoxia from egg to adult. Findings from these chapters suggest that while developmental hypoxia did alter cardiac contractility, it did not alter the response of the heart to physiological stressors such as increased heart rate or under hypoxia. Overall, these findings contribute to increasing the current understanding of how developmental hypoxia alters the cardiovascular system but with an emphasis on the cardiac tissue level.
Sonorous Andean Landscapes: A Performance Guide for Guevara Ochoa's "Yaraví, Danza y Huayno" (n.d) and Vivanco's "Fantasía Andina" (c. 1988)
Authors:   , Romo Bocanegra Jossecarlo
Published: February 2024

Peruvian composers Armando Guevara Ochoa (1926–2013) and César Vivanco (b. 1949) borrow and transplant musical elements from Andean folk tradition into their compositions for the modern classical flute. Guevara Ochoa's Yaraví, Danza y Huayno and Vivanco's Fantasía Andina are solo flute pieces rooted in Peruvian folklore traditions and Andean instrumental performance. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide flutists with technical and interpretative guidance in preparing these pieces. Yaraví, Danza y Huayno, a suite of three short dances, and Fantasía Andina, a free-meter piece in an improvisational style, incorporate elements that utilize the performance techniques of Andean instruments, with use of quotations from traditional Andean folk music. References to quenas (traditional vertical flutes), zampoñas (panpipes), pututos (ceremonial natural horns), charangos (Andean guitars) and Andean harps are integrated within the works and fused with themes borrowed from iconic pieces such as El cóndor pasa, and traditional harmonic, melodic and rhythmic structures of the huayno (fast festive dance) and yaraví (slow melancholic song). The techniques and traditions borrowed from Andean folk music are not notated in these scores due to the limitations of musical notation. Performers are expected to portray the Andean musical identity of the composers' intent. This dissertation assists performers unfamiliar with the traditions of Andean music to identify and understand the implicit Andean roots in both works and develop techniques to accurately represent sounds of Andean Peruvian traditions, with a deeper, culturally informed interpretation of this music.
Degradation Mechanisms and Dynamics of Silicon Telluride: A Guide to the Effective Fabrication and Characterization of Silicon Telluride-Based Devices
Authors:   , Hathaway Evan Allen
Published: February 2024

Silicon telluride (Si2Te3) and many other tellurium containing compounds show emergent Raman peaks located at ~120 cm-1 and ~140 cm-1 as they age. The origin of these two emergent peaks is controversial in the literature and has been attributed to myriad causes such as the intrinsic Raman modes of the telluride materials, surface oxidation, defects, double resonances, and tellurium precipitates. The controversial nature of these peaks has led to the misidentification of highly degraded materials as pristine and to the misinterpretation of changes in Raman spectra. For the first time, quality thin film and bulk crystals of Si2Te3 are grown using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. We then present a comprehensive and multimodal study of various Si2Te3 samples and find that the two emergent Raman peaks originate from tellurium nano-crystallites formed in the degraded surface layers of Si2Te3. The formation of the tellurium nano-crystallites are shown to be a result of a hydrolysis process in which Si2Te3 reacts with atmospheric water vapor. The challenges involved in the fabrication of Si2Te3 based devices are also discussed and ways in which degradation can be either prevented or reversed are demonstrated. Finally, we present preliminary data which shows promising low voltage switching behavior in Si2Te3 memory devices.
The Impact of Kindergarten Classroom Assignment on Classroom Teachers and Student Achievement
Authors:   , Fountain Angelica Brianna
Published: February 2024

To determine the impact of an administrator's decision on student placement in kindergarten classrooms, teachers were asked to share their perceptions on how that decision impacted their ability to deliver instruction and follow the district scope and sequence, as well as how that decision impacts student academic achievement and social and emotional development. This qualitative study was designed to gather data from kindergarten teachers using focus group interviews and individual interviews of campus principals from two campuses within the same district. The following two ways in which kindergarten classrooms were created were explored: (a) by random assignment or (b) knowledge of students' academic and behavioral performance based on information relevant to their Pre-K experience. Campus principal participants reported that they each chose their method to provide equity in the classrooms and fairness amongst their teachers. Teacher participants reported that overall, they preferred to have as much information about incoming students as possible and to be a part of the process of placing students into classrooms for the following year. By examining these teachers' perspectives, the findings from this study may positively influence policy and practice for campus administrators as they decide how they will place students in kindergarten classrooms. Continued qualitative examination of student achievement could help determine if one method of placement positively impacts student achievement. Data collected from a larger sample within the district or expanded to compare between districts could help campus administrators make positive classroom placements for kindergarten students. Also, a quantitative study using a survey might provide a more expansive view of the impact of administrators' process of assigning kindergarten students to classrooms.
Building a Digital Twin of the University of North Texas Using LiDAR and GIS Data
Authors:   , Bhattacharjee Shwarnali
Published: February 2024

Digital twins are virtual renditions of the actual world that include real-world assets, connections, activities, and processes. Recent developments in technologies play a key role in advancing the digital twin concept in urban planning, designing, and monitoring. Moreover, the latest developments in remote sensing technology have resulted in accurate city-scale light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, which can be used to represent urban objects (buildings, vegetation, roads, and utilities), enabling the creation of digital twin of urban landscapes. This study aims to build a digital twin of the University of North Texas (UNT) using LiDAR and GIS data. In this research, LiDAR point clouds are used to create 3D building and vegetation modeling along with other GIS data (bicycle racks and parking areas) in creating a digital twin model. 3D Basemap solutions of ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online Scene Viewer, respectively, are used to create an initial 3D urban model and build the ultimate digital twin of UNT. The emergency management floorplans of UNT buildings are incorporated into the digital twin to increase emergency management efficiency. Moreover, solar power potential for individual buildings at UNT has been estimated using the Digital Surface Model (DSM) and integrated into the digital twin model to identify the buildings with the highest solar energy capacity. This study indicates that implementing a digital twin in a university enhances campus efficiency, safety, and sustainability, serving as a central system for a smart campus and contributing to intelligent urban growth.
Magnetoresponsive Layer-by-Layer (LBL) Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules Exposed to Low Frequency Alternating Magnetic Field for Drug Delivery to Breast Cancer Cells
Authors:   , Powell Robert Darrel
Published: February 2024

Layer-by-layer (LBL) polyelectrolyte capsules can be modified to incorporate stimuli such as superparamagnetic nanoparticles which respond to a magnetic field only when it is turned on. Thus, they can act as a switch to load or unload their drug cargo on demand. Specifically, magnetite is incorporated into bilayer capsules made of alternating poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(sodium-p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) which surrounds calcium carbonate core. The core is then dissolved using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). These capsules are loaded with at FITC-BSA conjugate and examined with fluorescence to show the unloading of the FITC-BSA from capsules as it brightens the entire field of view of the microscope. The results suggest that we can next load and unload an anticancer drug such as doxorubicin using the combination of microcapsule and alternating magnetic field (AMF) to treat the cancer cells. Preliminary data interprets that the low frequency AMF we use has little to no adverse effect cells viability. This coincides with the general thought that low frequency AMF signals are not harmful to humans. Therefore, as an alternative to hyperthermia methods which use heat, it may be possible to deliver the anticancer drugs specifically to the cells when and where it is needed.
Exploring the ROI of 1:1 Computing Programs at the High School Level
Authors:   , Kissel Tara Michelle
Published: February 2024

This dissertation explored the cost and value of 1:1 computing programs in high schools in Texas. The study examines whether the total cost of ownership of these programs can be justified by the student testing gains and graduation rates. It investigates whether student learning outcomes show a definable correlation between positive gains and the implementation of 1:1 computing programs. The study also explores whether there is a measurable return on investment of 1:1 programs based on testing gains and graduation rates. The research used the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness exam scores to validate assumptions and test the hypothesis. The study found no clear link between the addition of 1:1 computing programs and the realms of student success. While there is marginal improvement in student outcomes, there is only circumstantial evidence that laptops and devices are the catalysts for the change. The dissertation also found that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is a significant portion of the district's spending, costing millions of dollars, and that the financial disclosure and budget information data was either missing, incomplete, or over-generalized, causing an issue for assessing program effectiveness or ROI. Despite this lack of transparency, there is a slight positive ROI trend based on the data reviewed during the observation period.
Utility Trombone Playing: A Practical Method for Students to Achieve Mastery of Alto, Tenor and Bass Trombone
Authors:   , Owner Timothy Michael
Published: February 2024

With the importance of versatility in freelance work in the world of trombone performance, along with increased competition for that work, the need for players to play alto, tenor, and bass trombones to a high level of proficiency has become more and more crucial. This, coupled with the growing number of orchestras looking to hire musicians who are highly competent on all three instruments means that university professors need to be able to teach all three instruments. This evolution of the job market is driving a need for pedagogical material that is specifically designed to address the unique challenges of practicing and performing at a professional level on the main three instruments in the trombone family. As of the time of writing, this material simply does not exist. This project aims to fill that instructional gap. It gives students and teachers a resource that outlines an approach for a four-year undergraduate course of study that allows for the development of the playing of each of the trombones individually and collectively, utilizing the strengths of one instrument to develop the other two. It will also allow for the exploration of the technical challenges that arise when playing and changing between instruments. This four-year course of study combined with a clear explanation of numerous routines can be used from early in a student's development. It can be tailored to their specific needs and will give any teacher and student a comprehensive and holistic method for the acquisition of the skills needed to become a successful utility trombonist.
HHV8-positive multicentric Castleman’s disease and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura among HIV-positive patients
Authors: Pasquer Roxane , Dieudonné Yannick , Decours Pauline , Hinschberger Olivier , Nicolae Alina , Martinot Martin
Published: February 2024

Castleman’s disease (CD) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) are rare diseases that can affect the general population, especially those with HIV. Owing to their rarity, the association between CD and TTP remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we present a case of a 53-year-old patient with controlled HIV infection who presented with fever, lymphadenopathy, severe anaemia, and thrombocytopenia. After a series of tests, the diagnosis was concurrent human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)-related multicentric CD (MCD) and TTP. Only four male patients were previously reported having this association, with HHV8 present in four and HIV in three patients, suggesting that coinfection with HHV8 and HIV is a pivotal factor in MCD with TTP occurrence.
Contribuições da BNCC para os livros didáticos de português
Authors: DE MELLO ADRIENE , TEDESCO VILARDO ABREU MARIA TERESA
Published: February 2024

Os Livros Didáticos (LD) são fontes produtivas de análises críticas sobre o ensino da Língua Portuguesa, principalmente porque revelam as bases teóricas que subsidiam a abordagem dos fatos linguísticos. Após a criação Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC), a expectativa é que os manuais estejam em busca de atualizações coerentes e produtivas. Emerge-se, portanto, a questão-problema deste estudo, cuja centralidade está na necessidade de verificar se os LD, após as orientações da Base – no que concerne ao tratamento dos tópicos gramaticais, mais especificamente, das classes de palavras –, sinalizam avanços. O objetivo é analisar as atividades sobre o tópico ‘substantivo’ em exemplares do 6º ano do Ensino Fundamental, da Editora Saraiva, em diferentes ciclos do Programa Nacional do Livro Didático (PNLD): Português linguagens (2017-2019); Português: conexão e uso (2020-2023); Português linguagens (2024-2027). Metodologicamente, trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica e o desenvolvimento da análise tem abordagem qualitativa, com critérios definidos a partir de Mendonça (2006). Os resultados evidenciaram influências positivas na organização de um dos exemplares pós-BNCC, embora o mais recente ainda apresente entraves para efetivar as orientações da prática de Análise Linguística, enfatizando atividades de cunho normativo.