RSS 1.0Dissertations and Theses
Recent Submissions
-
Mutations to ettA and lepA Cause Acinetobacter baumannii to Overcome Growth Defects in the DcsrA Strain in the Presence of Amino Acids
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-10)Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen which often causes nosocomial infections. A. baumannii is known for its incredible ability to survive drying and its high rates of multidrug resistance. Carbapenem ... -
Quantifying the Impact of PFAS Exposure on B Cell Development and Antibody Production
(East Carolina University, 2023-08-07)Well over 10,000 individual synthetic chemicals have been identified as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Many are used in non-stick cooking ware, medical garments, and food packaging. Numerous PFAS are environmentally ... -
Computational Modeling of Arteriovenous Fistula Hemodynamics in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-21)In the United States, approximately 50 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease, which over time progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Care for these patients is typically managed by dialysis with the ... -
Impacts of environmentally relevant levels of the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) replacement compound GenX (Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid) on feeding behavior, mitochondrial ROS, and gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans
(East Carolina University, 2023-08-03)Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commercially manufactured chemicals known for widespread usage in different industries. Past research indicating negative health impacts and bioaccumulation in humans and the ... -
A Comparative Study on MFCC, GFCC, BFCC, and CQCC Spectral Speech Feature Performance in X-Vector Clustering
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-25)Speaker diarization plays a crucial role in accurately identifying speakers in audio or video streams with multiple speakers. However, the use of Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) as the default speaker feature ... -
Investigations of the Brevard Fault zone and Tugaloo Terrane adjacent to the Grandfather Mountain Window, North Carolina
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-24)The Brevard Fault Zone adjacent to the Grandfather Mountain window, NC is interpreted to be a terrane boundary between Laurentian margin rocks and accreted rocks of the Tugaloo Terrane. Structural, geochemical, and ... -
PAH Contamination Variability in the Lower Tar River N.C. From a Legacy Hazardous Waste Site as a Function of Hydrological Conditions
(East Carolina University, 2023-08-18)Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of trace organic contaminants that can enter the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Of these compounds, 16 are listed as high-priority contaminants ... -
Performance Avoidance, Neurocognition, and Neurophysiology in a Sample of First-Generation College Students
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-21)What motivates individuals to achieve? This study uses achievement goal orientation theory and the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST), parallel theories which attempt to explain motivational behavior, to explore ... -
m6A’s Unique and Dynamic Role in Breast Cancer Progression
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-18)Despite intense study, metastatic breast cancer is still the second leading cause of female death from cancer in the US. While many genetic lesions and environmental factors have been implicated in breast cancer progression, ... -
Evaluating the Role of Habitat Complexity in Structuring Seagrass Communities
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-18)Biogenic coastal habitats such as salt marshes, seagrasses, and oyster reefs, support diverse faunal communities and can serve as nursery areas by enhancing the abundance, growth, and survival of juvenile fish and crustaceans. ... -
Targeting the initiating proteases of the complement system using structure-based small molecule drug discovery
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-21)The complement system is an essential element of host development and immune homeostasis. This immunoregulatory enzyme cascade is driven by serine protease activation and plays critical roles in the recognition of danger ... -
USING ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (eDNA) TO MONITOR RIVER HERRING MOVEMENT WITHIN A COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA WATERSHED
(East Carolina University, 2023-08-09)Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) and Alewife (A. pseudoharengus) are two threatened species in the genus Alosa that use eastern North Carolina's coastal rivers and estuaries to spawn. In North Carolina watersheds, river ... -
THE ROLE OF THE LATERAL LINE IN EARLY LARVAL ZEBRAFISH AND CONTRIBUTION TO MULTISENSORY BEHAVIORS
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-21)The lateral line is a hair cell-based sensory system that is important for multisensory behaviors like schooling, rheotaxis, and predator/prey detection in aquatic vertebrates. This dissertation work uses the first genetic ... -
Examining Preventive Healthcare Utilization in Black College Women Through a Black Feminist-Womanist Lens
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-18)Despite higher rates of disease and mortality compared to White women, Black women often experience low rates of preventive health care including recommended screenings and vaccinations that may have a protective effect. ... -
Characterization of rat models of type two diabetes and metabolic syndrome and the evaluation of SDF-1 mRNA as a treatment for erectile dysfunction
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-24)Erectile Dysfunction (ED) affects a considerable population of men and can have a profound negative impact on their quality of life and well-being. ED is often a consequence of age and diseases that affect the microvasculature ... -
SOCIAL REGULATION OF THE A11 DOPAMINERGIC NUCLEUS IN ZEBRAFISH (_Danio rerio_)
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-17)Aggression is a universal behavioral feature that is present in majority of social animals. In nature, aggression facilities the formation and stabilization of social relationships and allow animals to divide resources ... -
Myocardial Implications in Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone-Regulated Hypertension
(East Carolina University, 2023-08-08)Hypertension is a prevalent and potentially deadly disease that affects approximately 116 million (47%) adults diagnosed in the U.S. as reported by the CDC in 2017. Understanding mechanisms responsible for high blood ... -
eHEALTH LITERACY, MEDICAL MISTRUST AND CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION KNOWLEDGE, BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-17)Cervical cancer (CC) is a major global public health problem and is the third most common cancer among women worldwide. In the United States, African Americans have the second highest incidence rates of CC, due to having ... -
AN EVALUATION OF WEIGHT CLASS AND MATERNAL SEXUAL HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY: THE MEDIATING ROLES OF WEIGHT BIAS AND BODY DISSATISFACTION AMONG BLACK AND WHITE WOMEN
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-11)Obesity is a national public health issue that adversely affects women of reproductive age and increases the risk for chronic issues (cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, decreased fertility) that can cause short- and ... -
Determination of the Role of Tyrosine-319 on the Efficiency of Photoinduced Radical Pairs in Avian Cryptochrome Photoreceptor Proteins Related to Magnetoreception
(East Carolina University, 2023-07-17)Cryptochromes (CRYs) are flavin-containing blue light photoreceptors which are involved in circadian rhythms and magnetoreception. CRYs are structurally related to DNA photolyases. While photolyases use light-driven FAD ...