Alcohol use among college students is a persistent and far-reaching public health issue. While some measures of alcohol use within the college population appear to have improved, questions remain as to whether the alcohol use gender gap has been stable or is in a period of change. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS), harm reduction approaches commonly used to address high-risk alcohol use among college students, were also assessed, to determine their relationship with several key alcohol consumption measures for both males and females. Methods: This research summarizes alcohol-related consumption measures based on annual, cross-sectional survey data collected between 2002 - 2016 at a large, public university. Linear regression models as well as descriptive statistics were used to explain overall trends and gender-specific patterns of use over time. In addition, an analysis based on pooled data between 2013 – 2016 was conducted to determine the association between protective behavioral strategies and key alcohol consumption measures, to inform programming that uses these strategies to reduce high risk alcohol use among students, and determine which strategies may be more likely to benefit either males and females for the following alcohol measures: binge drinking in the past two weeks, average drinks when partying and the number of drinks last time consumed alcohol. Both logistic and linear regression models were used to describe these relationships. Results: The results of the 15-year trend analysis revealed significant and meaningful declines among all students in past 30-day alcohol use, average number of drink consumed in the past week, average number of nights students “party” each week, and reductions in the frequency of binge drinking. Looking at the gender gap specifically, these results showed a declining gender gap (i.e. where the difference between male and female use decreased) most notably in average number of drinks consumed in the past week, estimated BAC last time students drank, and past 30 day alcohol use. Based on recent survey results, women showed slightly higher past 30-day alcohol use and reported a higher estimated BAC last time they drank, compared to men. For the second aim of the study, which was based on pooled data collected between 2013 - 2016, most PBS that were expected to moderate alcohol use showed clear and strong protective effects, with a few exceptions. Top strategies for females that were associated with lower alcohol consumption included stopping alcohol use 1-2 hours before going home, avoiding pre-partying and avoiding hard liquor. For men, these included setting a limit on drinks, avoiding pre-parting, and avoiding hard liquor. Conclusion: A number of alcohol measures improved during the study period, and for these, male university students showed greater declines, on average, than females – resulting in a shrinking gender gap. Decreases in the frequency of drinking occasions likely influenced overall declines in average drinks per week and the frequency of binge drinking. Male and female students showed considerable overlap with respect to protective behavioral strategies that were negatively associated with alcohol use and identified a few strategies that may have limited effectiveness. These results highlight evolving trends in alcohol use among college students and point to specific strategies which can help address this longstanding public health issue. Policy and program recommendations, informed by these findings, are detailed in its conclusion.

Working in psychiatric nursing can be stressful. The nursing employees’ stress level has been heightened in a southwestern psychiatric hospital due to patient violence and organizational changes and demands. To reduce employee’s stress and prevent burnout, ultimately improving the quality of patient care, this doctor of nursing practice (DNP) quality improvement project incorporated the use of aromatherapy with lavender oil and a moment (60 seconds) of self-reflection into the current crisis team debriefing process in a two-week period. The frontline registered nurses and mental health technicians in inpatient units and psychiatric emergency services department were invited to participate in this project. Forty-six survey forms were collected in 10 team calls for crisis debriefing. Using paired t-test and chi-square test statistics in SPSS and line graph in Excel function, the participants’ mean stress level was found significantly reduced at a p-value of 0.000 by the interventions implemented. Between two components of the interventions, participants were more in favor of aromatherapy with lavender oil. Participants also wanted individual debriefing incorporated to further sustain their mental health. Some limitations were observed in this project. Future projects on the exact amount of lavender oil applied, with an improved project design, and the incorporation of individual debriefing are suggested.

Accurate diffusion models are essential for interpreting thermal histories from noble-gas thermochronology and the timing and rates of near-surface geological processes that come from them. These models use kinetic descriptions of noble gas daughter loss to predict radioisotopic dates for minerals based on parent nuclide abundances (e.g., effective uranium concentration (eU)) and time-temperature (t-T) paths. By matching predicted date-eU correlations with observed ones, the models constrain potential t-T paths for rocks, thereby, elucidating exhumation and burial histories. For some thermochronometers, including the (U-Th)/He system in apatite and zircon, diffusive daughter loss depends not only on temperature but also radiation damage (α-damage and fission tracks), which is imparted by the same radioactive decay that produces the daughter nuclides. Accordingly, the models require a robust understanding of the effects of radiation damage on noble gas diffusion as a function of both damage accumulation and annealing, as well as the kinetics of damage annealing. The current predominant model used for the zircon (U-Th)/He system is the zircon radiation damage accumulation and annealing model (ZRDAAM), which is calibrated from He diffusion data for natural unannealed zircon samples. The model relies on several untested assumptions: (1) He migrates through zircon by thermally activated volume diffusion, (2) radiation damage anneals with the same kinetics as etchable fission tracks, (3) damage annealing reverses the effects of damage accumulation on He diffusion in zircon, and (4) the diffusivity-damage relationship is the same for both damage accumulation and annealing. This dissertation comprises several studies that explore the unknowns underlying these assumptions, provides new observations that modify our understanding of them, and integrates all available data to provide a more accurate, internally consistent, and mechanistically based model for how radiation damage affects zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometry. In our studies, we consistently use Raman spectroscopy as a measurement of radiation damage, which allows us to quantify and compare damage extent in natural and partially annealed zircon. Our diffusion data support thermally activated volume diffusion as the dominant He migration mechanism in zircon rather than first order single jump. Furthermore, the data generally confirm the overall trend of diffusivity versus radiation damage accumulation in ZRDAAM. However, they reveal a different correlation between activation energy and damage than previously observed. Thus, we present a new quantitative and mechanistically based model to describe the effects of damage accumulation on the diffusion kinetic parameters activation energy and frequency factor and on the bulk He retention and closure temperature properties. Our annealing study shows that ZRDAAM overestimates bulk damage annealing as function of time and temperature. Our data show that annealing of bulk radiation damage generally requires significantly higher temperatures and longer durations than fission tracks. For example, radiation damage is annealed by only 50% when etchable fission tracks are fully annealed. Although our study shows that the diffusivity-damage correlation used in ZRDAAM is appropriate for the case of damage accumulation, it also reveals that the same correlation is not followed during damage annealing. For damage doses ranging from 7.6 × 1016 to 1.3 × 1018 α/g, the closure temperature (domain size of 100 µm, cooling rate of 10 °C/Ma) of partially annealed zircon is 20 to 40 °C higher than for natural zircon with similar damage. This discrepancy is compounded by the fact that ZRDAAM overestimates damage annealing, which can lead to differences between predicted and actual closure temperatures of up to 75 °C. This work improves our mechanistic understanding how radiation damage modifies He diffusion in zircon by a succession of several mechanisms— increasing damage initially impedes diffusion due to trapping combined with sequestration and then causes diffusion to increase due to amorphous phase expansion. In addition, the work provides radiation damage annealing models and the first data on He diffusion in partially annealed zircon, which in combination allow us to better constrain t-T histories of rocks and interpretations of exhumation and burial histories.

Purpose/Aims. The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs assessment for the use of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at an urban and rural hospital in Kenya. The specific aims were: 1) Describe the patient demographics, clinician perspectives, and current stroke care practices at both hospitals; 2) Describe the facilitators and barriers of implementing the NIHSS at both hospitals; 3) Create a program implementation and evaluation plan to address the needs that are identified at both hospitals; and, 4) Compare and contrast the findings from the urban and rural hospitals. Background, Stroke is a leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the burden of stroke in this region is increasing. Despite the known benefits of the use of systematic stroke protocols (which include the gold standard NIHSS to assess stroke severity) in developed countries, their use is virtually nonexistent in Kenya and is urgently needed. Methodology. The setting for the study was an urban Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Nairobi and a rural Sagam Community Hospital in the western region of Kenya. Data on clinician and stroke population demographics and current stroke care practices (Aim I) was collected using an anonymous online Survey Monkey® questionnaire completed by 80 nurses, physicians and clinical officers working at both hospitals. Facilitators and barriers to using the NIHSS (Aim II) are determined via questions from the anonymous online survey. Results. Results from Aims I and II are used to develop an implementation and evaluation plan for the use of NIHSS for each hospital (Aim III). Other than demographic differences evidenced by scarcity of physicians in the rural hospital, clinicians from both hospitals expressed similar desires for improved stroke assessment and reported similar facilitators and barriers for NIHSS implementation (Aim IV). Note that the scarcity of physician providers in the rural hospital was compensated for by the availability of clinical officers (nurse practitioner and physician assistant equivalents). Conclusion. Clinician desire for improved stroke assessment and the facilitators and barriers for NIHSS implementation were not only similar between urban and rural hospital settings in Kenya, but also similar to those identified in stroke studies in developed countries. This finding is promising because it highlights the possibility for multinational discourse for establishing standardized protocols to improve stroke management in Kenya, a country with a significant stroke burden. In addition, this DNP quality improvement project highlights the global reach of a DNP student.

The reversible post translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins are often integral for the cell to respond to external stimuli. The cellular pathways involve molecular interactions between proteins and other molecules and/or enzymatic activity. The molecular interactions, trafficking between cellular compartments and enzymatic activity are often regulated by PTMs. Reversible PTMs allow cells to respond and subsequently return to a resting state. Human diseases often arise from defects in these signaling networks sometimes from perturbations in PTMs. Clearly ascribing a particular PTM on a particular protein in a signaling network to a particular enzyme has been very challenging. Advances in understanding may help in an improved understanding of signaling and thus impact our battle against the disease. The primary focus of this dissertation is to discuss the fragment complementation approach which was employed to regulate the function of proteins belong to two major classes that govern two classes of post translational modifications, phosphorylation and acetylation. The >500 protein kinases in humans catalyze the phosphorylation of Tyr, Ser and Thr residues on proteins and thus modulate their function. The structural similarity of kinases makes it challenging to selectively turn-on or turn-off desired kinases using small molecule inhibitors or activators. Genetic approaches are powerful, but cells and organisms respond and adapt to long-term changes in gene expression levels, thus making it challenging to understand the exact role of any enzyme in time and space. Towards a potential solution to this problem, we have developed a method to control the activity of individual enzymes utilizing small molecules. This approach was successfully applied to protein kinases and phosphatases, leading to the control of their activity in vitro and in cells. The strategy entails sequence alignment and the identification of regions that harbor significant dissimilarities to eventually generate ligand-gated split proteins. The well-studied chemical inducer of dimerization (CID), rapamycin dependent heterodimerization of FKBP/FRB was used as the first test of a successful ligand-gated split-enzyme. Moreover, orthogonal CIDs rapamycin and abscisic acid were successfully used for regulating the activity of Kinases in mammalian cells. Src is the first identified proto-oncogene and is often considered as the quintessential member of a Src kinase family proteins. We generated two stable cell lines each expressing constitutively active split Src kinase that can be conditionally regulated by two chemical inducers rapamycin and abscisic acid. Subsequently, those stable cell lines were used for phosphoproteomic studies to understand Src signaling. Rapid activation of stably expressing systems enabled identification of numerous potential direct or indirect Src substrates and specific phosphosites. These downstream targets may be implicated in many different cellular networks thus, provides a general understanding of the role of Src and Src family kinases in cell signaling. We have also used the split-protein approach for Lysine Acetyl Transferases (KATs). There are numerous KATs, and currently available small molecule-based inhibition methods are not uniquely specific while RNAi based gene knockdown studies can fail to provide details related to the true role of any enzyme as compensatory acetylation may occur. To address this problem, the first generation of ligand-inducible split-KATs, GCN5 and PCAF were successfully tested in bacterial expression systems. In this work, we validated a series of full-length split acetyltransferases and developed in cellulo approaches for their study. However, we were not successful in developing robust methods for observing ligand inducible full-length split-KATs in cells. Finally, the last section of this dissertation focuses on developing an approach for selective DNA methylation studies that would improve upon methods to target specific DNA sequences using designed zinc fingers. Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) were designed, cloned and tested as the DNA binding domain for targeting mir 200c promoter regions, which are known to demonstrate hypermethylation activity. We discovered that all the designed TALEs displayed higher binding specificity to the desired targets of the mir 200c promoter than zinc finger-based designs. This work sets the stage for the further design of selective reagents for targeting DNA. In summary, this work describes approaches for selectively targeting and studying protein phosphorylation, protein acetylation as well as DNA methylation.

The optical engineering exploration in making the capable of diffractive multifocal Intraocular lens (MIOL) will be be presented in the dissertation. The Diffractive multifocal IOL is a surgical implanted medical devices that have potential to provide the recovery of full range functional vision for cataract patients. The developed design principle, fabrication technique, and performance verification method associated with the diffractive MIOLs will be reported and discussed in this presentation. Two examples will be provided as a demonstration for the capability in the creation of diffractive MIOLs

Researchers and algae growers have shown deep interest in the cultivation of Chlorella microalgae because of its significant growth potential, high biomass quality, and broad range of applications. Both small and large-scale cultivation systems (laboratory or outdoors) with Chlorella microalgae have been extensively studied, and promising results have been demonstrated in terms of cultivation procedures, growth media, growth parameters, harvesting, and processing; however, protection against biological contaminants such as the predatory Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus requires more investigation. Despite the high growth potential of Chlorella species, the impact of V. chlorellavorus infection on the culture productivity is significantly damaging and cannot be counterbalanced naturally. Thus, a pressing need to develop appropriate preventative and/or curative strategies for an optimal control of this type of predator has become one of the priorities in the cultivation process of Chlorella microalgae. The present research focusses on the management of dissolved oxygen (DO) during the nighttime (dark period) in co-cultures of Chlorella sorokiniana and V. chlorellavorus. We developed an unprecedented method to control the infection of C. sorokiniana by V. chlorellavorus. Because V. chlorellavorus is an obligate aerobe and C. sorokiniana is not, deoxygenating the culture assumably harms the predator and not the host. This research first examined the effect of deoxygenation on pathogen-free C. sorokiniana monoculture, and then on C. sorokiniana-V. chlorellavorus co-cultures. In the first section, initial experiments with pathogen-free C. sorokiniana cultures included different deoxygenation-aeration cycle times. Pure nitrogen gas was used to create anoxic conditions, and ambient air was used to reestablish aerobic conditions. In these initial experiments, C. sorokiniana tolerated anoxic conditions for extended time intervals as long as 8 hours. In the experiments with infection by V. chlorellavorus, aerated controls collapsed while the deoxygenated cultures sustained a normal growth cycle. Visual observation showed a healthy green C. sorokiniana culture in the treated cultures and a brown slime and collapsed culture in the aerated controls. In the second section, we evaluated the technical aspects of the deoxygenation practice and cost of nitrogen gas sparging as an appropriate method to create anoxic conditions in the cultivation system. In this experiment, DO concentrations were driven to low levels (0.2 ppm to 0.5 ppm) by sparging nitrogen gas for one hour at the beginning of the night (dark period), and then natural deoxygenation by dark respiration kept the oxygen concentration at a low level. The laboratory results showed that this method kept the DO levels low during the entire dark period and effectively controlled V. chlorellavorus infection in C. sorokiniana co-cultures. The cost of the deoxygenation method was estimated in outdoor experiments with pathogen-free C. sorokiniana cultures. Nitrogen sparging for one-hour at the beginning of the dark period maintained dissolved oxygen concentrations at low levels (<0.5 ppm) throughout the night. The total nitrogen injection per night per liter algae culture was then translated to annual commercial-scale raceway cost. Finally, the technical and economic feasibility of this process was evaluated for onsite nitrogen gas generators in commercial-scale reactors.

Advancement of digital technologies has increased the accessibility of authentic resources in various languages, and this wide and easy access to authentic resources supports exposure to and interaction with second and foreign language (L2) and communities online. As the objective of learning is also shifting from what people learn to how people learn (Jenkins, 2009), the digitally-mediated communication landscape is radically reshaping the terrain of language and literacy education (Lankshear & Knobel, 2011; Lotherington & Jenson, 2011). In this way, digital technologies add alternative channels and options for communication. Because digital technologies are multimodal by nature, they allow us to integrate multiple facets of literacy to communicate by using many modalities to make meaning (New London Group, 1996; Thorne & Reinhardt, 2008). Consequently, expanded views of text and literacy (Kern, 2000, 2003) have been emphasized in the literature in order to holistically integrate multiple literacies into L2 education. Regarding Japanese-as-a-foreign language (JFL) education in particular, entertainment media, such as anime, digital games, and manga, often serve entry points into formal course-based language learning (Japan Foundation, 2014, 2017b; Mori & Mori, 2011). In addition, JFL learners use increasingly-available educational media, such as language apps like Google Translate and language websites like Jisho.org. However, the existing body of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) literature has not fully investigated the use of entertainment media as part of formal course study to enhance authenticity and provide more literacy practices in the wild (Thorne, 2010). In this way, it is critical to understand how digital literacies are integral to the autonomous and self-directed learning at the learner’s level before curricular and class level implementation is even considered. The current research investigates what digital literacies that JFL learners are exposed to and employ in their autonomous and self-directed JFL learning using entertainment media (i.e., anime and digital games) and educational media (e.g., language apps). The data analyzed were collected from 12 JFL learners divided into two projects (anime and games focus groups) and from online survey responses from JFL learners enrolled in the Japanese language program (n = 191) and students enrolled in the Anime Class (n = 104) at the University of Arizona. In the first project, anime focus group (AFG) participants (n = 6) watched three titles of anime and self-studied with four available language setting options. In the second project, game focus group (GFG) participants (n = 6) played one single-player online game individually and one single-player PlayStation3 game as two sub-groups (n = 2, n = 3) and solo (n = 1). Both focus groups then participated in an interview at the end of the study. The findings from the AFG project showed that a digital environment promoted digital literacies and individuality in autonomous and self-directed learning. They also displayed the capacity of anime to make space for linguistic and cultural learning opportunities and provide reinforcement of learning by connecting inside- and outside-of-class learning. The findings from the GFG project demonstrated that JFL learners viewed games as milestones of achievement in their educational pathways. They also personalized learning strategies by utilizing various educational media to learn with games. Furthermore, the results demonstrated learner autonomy by controlling their learning process and the learner’s awareness as a member of community of practice. The analyzed data exhibited that JFL learners shared their expertise and learned from one another via group gameplay based on the reported ZPD and scaffolding moments. Built on those two projects, the research explores pedagogical implications for anime and digital games in both formal learning and autonomous and self-directed learning settings. The online survey results also evidenced the relationship between entertainment media consumption and formal language course enrollment. The current research contributes to a further understanding of outside literacies practiced by JFL learners via entertainment and educational media. The research is also potentially significant in its exploration of CALL-based L2 instructional designs not only in JFL but also in other L2 pedagogy taking place in contemporary digital spaces.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst women globally and continues to produce considerable harm. The microenvironment of primary breast tumors plays a well-described role in promoting the growth and progression of the disease; however, despite our wealth of knowledge concerning how the biochemical and biophysical properties of primary tumors influence cancer cells in situ, very little is known about whether this influence persists after dissemination to metastatic sites, such as the skeleton. Bone metastases inflict the greatest morbidity associated with breast cancer, and they affect a majority of women with advanced disease. Although predictive gene signatures of osteolytic metastasis have been identified, their genesis remains obscure. Current models propose that bone metastases originate from rare subclones that arise stochastically during clonal evolution of primary tumors. In contrast, we reveal a deterministic origin of the osteolytic phenotype that lies in the response of breast cancer cells to mechanical stimuli in their primary microenvironment. Here, we show that primary tumor stiffness encodes a “mechanical memory” which instructs cancer cells to adopt and maintain distinct biophysical properties, in addition to promoting osteolytic bone metastasis. We present a “mechanical conditioning score” comprised of mechanically-regulated genes in order to proxy tumor stiffness response clinically, and we show that it is associated with bone-specific metastasis. Using a discovery approach, we trace mechanical memory to the mechanotransductive activation of RUNX2, an osteogenic gene bookmarker and bone metastasis driver. This combination of traits allows for the stable transactivation of osteolytic target genes which persists after cancer cells disseminate from their activating environment. Using genetic, epigenetic, and functional approaches, RUNX2-mediated mechanical memory can be simulated, repressed, selected, or extended. Taken together, these results show that the primary tumor microenvironment can determine the metastatic microenvironment, i.e. "soil selects soil."

The Joint Space Operations Center of the United States Strategic Command’s Joint Functional Component Command for Space is responsible for detecting, tracking, and identifying all artificial objects in the Earth’s orbit. Over 39,000 man-made objects are cataloged and over 16,000 objects are being tracked. It also tasks the Space Surveillance Network, a network of 30 space surveillance telescopes observing these space objects, which results in approximately 400,000 observations daily. There must be an autonomous system to manage resources generating the catalog of space objects and update information on these space objects for catalog maintenance. Maintaining the growing space object catalog will become more complex due to sensors ever increasing capability to detect a larger number of objects. This work will focus on the development and analysis of a physically-based machine learning algorithm for real-time inference of Space Objects energy parameters and states to predict the space objects orbits for the purpose of sensor tasking system to meet the high-level goals of Space Situational Awareness. By using a predictive algorithm, the system only needs to track periodically instead of continuously, which minimizes system utilization. Summarily, the system will need to be able to track existing objects already in the catalog. The sensors tasking problem will be devised as a Markov Decision Process and solved using Reinforcement Learning to design a deep neural network to generate the optimal actions for the sensors for tracking space objects.