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Advances in Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
Get PDFTissue engineering has great potential for the restoration of damaged tissue due to injury or disease. During tissue development, scaffolds provide structural support for cell growth. To grow healthy tissue, the principal components of such scaffolds must be biocompatible and nontoxic. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biopolymer that has been used as a key component of composite scaffolds for tissue engineering applications due to its mechanical strength and biodegradability. However, PCL alone can have low cell adherence and wettability. Blends of biomaterials can be incorporated to achieve synergistic scaffold properties for tissue engineering. Electrospun PCL-based scaffolds consist of single or blended-composition nanofibers and nanofibers with multi-layered internal architectures (i.e., core-shell nanofibers or multi-layered nanofibers). Nanofiber diameter, composition, and mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and drug-loading capacity are among the tunable properties of electrospun PCL-based scaffolds. Scaffold properties including wettability, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility have been further enhanced with scaffold layering, surface modification, and coating techniques. In this article, we review nanofibrous electrospun PCL-based scaffold fabrication and the applications of PCL-based scaffolds in tissue engineering as reported in the recent literature
How to Practice: A Method for Freshmen Non-Music Majors in Performance Ensembles
No full textHow to Practice: A Method for Non-Music Majors in Performance Ensembles is a thesis project, which resulted in the formation of a workshop and resource guide. The workshop functioned as a way to assess this method as a valid way to improve practice. The resource guide provides participants a reference point to utilize after the workshop, to allow for continued self-guided improvement. This research was conducted with the following questions in mind: Is this method more effective than a students’ current practice routine in improving their performance? The resource guide contains warm-up material, explanation of practice strategies, rhythm and scale sheets, and a method to develop a deliberate practice mindset. A workshop was conducted with a population (N=20), in which the participants started by taking a pretest that consisted of practicing an excerpt and recording their performance at the end of the practice session. Participants then participated in an interactive lecture which instructed and demonstrated all aspects of the resource guide. After the lecture, participants again practiced a similar excerpt; ending their practice session with a recording of their performance. The data gathered from this workshop was analyzed and displayed a positive correlation with participation in this workshop and an increase in posttest scores
Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Achieving Grade Level Foundational Reading Literacy Skills
No full textThis dissertation explored teachers\u27 perceptions of achieving grade-level foundational reading literacy skills. Despite the recognized significance of reading literacy, many students struggled to attain proficiency, prompting an investigation into teachers\u27 perspectives. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design, with PreK-Middle School Teachers as participants. Data collection instruments included a researcher-developed survey and a focus group session. The focus group session was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The research aimed to provide insights into effective teaching strategies for reading literacy, as perceived by these selected teachers, and the challenges they encountered. It also examined the perceived role of educational leaders and resources in literacy instruction. Among the major findings of this study include (a) third to fifth grade teachers scored higher in the current use of all literacy strategies except in the use of motivation; (b) third to fifth grade teachers scored high on most effective use of literacy strategies in all strategies except comprehension, (c) themes about challenges that emerged included ESL students, teacher qualifications, and administrator barriers; (d) themes that emerged about the role of school leadership included support, communication, and teamwork; and, (e) themes that emerged about improving the teaching of foundational reading literacy skills included relating to the students, comprehension, phonics, and early identification of at-risk students. These findings will enhance understanding of literacy education, inform teaching practices, and influence strategies for literacy policy planning
Evaluation of Growth Media and Cost-Effective Formulations for Selected Biological Control Agents
No full textThis thesis tackles the vital requirement for disease control agents to sustain agricultural productivity and global food security, with a specific focus on countering Phytophthora capsici (P. capsici), a major threat to vegetable production, especially tomatoes. Current methods predominantly involve chemical fungicides and a limited range of biological control agents.The study extensively assessed three bacterial strains—Bacillus thuringiensis (IMC8), Bacillus subtilis (PRT), and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (PSL)—known for their non-harmful endophytic colonization of plant tissues. Particularly, PRT demonstrated the highest suppressive effect on P. capsici in in vitro studies. While the greenhouse performance of these bacterial endophytes is detailed elsewhere, this report focuses on field evaluations to validate their potential in managing P. capsici and enhancing tomato yield and quality in the field. Optimal growth media for bacterial yields in spray drying techniques and potential commercial formulations were identified, featuring glucose with yeast extract and molasses with yeast extract. Various carriers were assessed for their impact on BCA viability, with maltodextrin, maltodextrin combined with polyacrylate and gum arabic, and skimmed milk showing the highest BCA viability. The study underscores the importance of efficient drying processes and moisture control in maintaining BCA viability, highlighting a positive correlation between powder recovery and viability. These findings are crucial for enhancing biocontrol efficacy, ensuring commercial viability, and practical utilization in disease management. Additionally, optimizing fermentation media for maximal bacterial endophyte production and the spray drying process are essential steps toward the commercial development of products for effective P. capsici control in field applications
Effects of Triclosan Exposures on Expression of Interleukin-1beta and Interleukin-6
No full textTriclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound widely used in personal hygiene products such as mouthwash and toothpaste; and has been found in human blood, breast milk, and urine. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 beta (IL-1β) are pro-inflammatory cytokines regulating cell growth, tissue repair, and immune function; increased levels of each have been associated with many diseases, including cancer. TCS at concentrations between 0.05-5 µM consistently increased the secretion of IL-1β and IL-6 from human immune cells within 24 h of exposure. This increase in secretion was not due simply to release of existing stores, as evidenced by monitoring both secreted and intracellular levels (cellular production) after 10 min, 30 min, 6 h, and 24 h of exposure to TCS. Production (secreted plus intracellular levels) of IL-1β and IL-6 was increased by exposure to one or more concentration of TCS at each length of exposure. TCS-induced stimulation of cytokine production was shown to be dependent on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) (p38 and ERK 1/2). It was also shown that these TCS-induced increases in IL-1β and IL6 production were accompanied by increased mRNA for IL-1β and IL6. These results verified that TCS increases immune cell production of IL-1β and IL-6. The ability of TCS to increase production indicates that rather than activating a self-limiting process of depleting cells of already existing stores of IL-1β or IL-6, TCS can stimulate a process that has the capacity to provide sustained production of these cytokines and thus may lead to chronic inflammation and its pathological consequences
Wnt Signaling Modulation in Chronic Wounds
No full textThe Wingless related integrated site 1 (Wnt) signaling pathway is quiescent in many mammalian organs and gets activated in response to injury. Wnt signaling promotes fibrotic wound healing following acute cutaneous injury by epithelial migration, differentiation and myofibroblast activation. Topical application of Wnt signaling inhibitor molecules promote regenerative cutaneous repair following acute injury. However, there is minimal detailed knowledge in our understanding of Wnt signaling activation in chronic non-healing human wounds. This thesis is focused on delineating the impact of canonical Wnt signaling modulation in chronic wounds using animal models of wound healing, samples from human patients, and cell line models in combination with Wnt signaling inhibitors. Full thickness excisional and incisional wounds in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetic mice activated Wnt signaling in both dermal and epidermal layers identified by ꞵ-catenin immunohistological staining and axis inhibition protein 2 (AXIN2) transcript levels. We have selected a panel of human chronic wound pathologies which include diabetic ulcer, burns, keloids, hypertrophic scars, and melanoma re-excision wounds to screen for fibrosis, endothelial markers, collagen deposition and ꞵ-catenin (Wnt signaling) activation. We have found that in treating fibroblast cell lines, our experimental Wnt signaling inhibitor ICG-001 completely blocks ꞵ-catenin production while XAV-939, also a Wnt signaling inhibitor, only partially decreases this protein. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that canonical Wnt signaling pathway inhibition could promote regenerative repair with minimal scarring in chronic human wounds. Our hope is that this work will contribute to the creation of personalized therapy to treat chronic wounds
Roll Perception: Investigating the Association Between TTRPGs and Mental Health in Adults
No full textIn recent years, adults experienced a decline in mental health originating from day-to-day stressors and amplified by major events like the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice unrest, and economic challenges. It is worthwhile to explore play, specifically Table-Top Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs), as a method to combat and cope with mental health decline. Research shows that there is a relationship between playing TTRPGs, the development of skills, and improved well-being. There is little research to validate or measure the benefits of playing TTRPGs recreationally or therapeutically in adult populations. This study aimed to contribute to existing research by exploring the association between mental health and TTRPGs by examining mental health status between adults who engage in TTRPGs and adults who don’t. This study also examined whether recalling TTRPG activities was associated with higher mental health status scores and explored if there is a correlation between time spent playing TTRPGs and mental health. A Qualtrics survey was developed and distributed to obtain demographic data and to assess mental health status using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form between two different groups before and after an autobiographical recall procedure. Analyses were conducted using independent and paired samples t-tests and correlation analysis. Analyses showed a difference in social and emotional well-being between the groups. Findings also indicated that mental health status scores significantly improved after the TTRPG group completed the recall procedure. Finally, a weak positive correlation was discovered between time spent playing TTRPGs and mental health status
Student-Teacher Relationships and Skill Development of Early Elementary Special Education Students
No full textThe student-teacher relationship plays an important role in the development of academic and social skills in early elementary (Torres, Domitrovich, & Bierman, 2015; Vitaro, Boivin, Brendgen, Girard, & Dionne, 2012; etc.). Although the importance of the student-teacher relationship is well-established, the importance for special education students is less clearly defined. Even less clear is the importance of the student-teacher relationship for African American special education students. The purpose of the current study is to clarify the predictive value that the student-teacher relationship in kindergarten has on the development of social skills and reading skills in first and second grade using path analysis. Specifically, two aspects of the student-teacher relationship, closeness and conflict (STRS; Pianta, 2001), in kindergarten were used as predictor variables for various social skill factors (SSRS; Gresham and Elliott, 1990) and reading achievement (IRT; Tourangeau et al., 2017) in first and second grade. Student race was included in the analysis as a moderator. Findings indicated both variables predict later social skills, though conflict is comparatively more predictive. Closeness alone predicted later reading skills, but only to a small extent. The impact of race as a moderator was limited. Results should better inform special education teachers, as well as general education teachers, as to what aspects of the student-teacher relationship should be attended to in order to promote growth in reading and social skills for special education students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds later in elementary