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St. Mary\u27s Cathedral
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/picturing-memphis-images/1137/thumbnail.jp
DWR Spring Workshop - March 2025 Flyer
Get PDFPromotional flyer for the March 2025 Dissertation Writers Retreat Spring Workshop
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee for the year ended June 30, 2024
Get PDFCorrespondence, to Abe D. Waldauer from Dave Paul, 1954 May 16
Get PDFCorrespondence, to Abe D. Waldauer, Memphis, TN, from Dave Paul, San Angelo, Texas, 1954 May 16. Paul states, I sincerely trust that you had a nice rest in Alabama and caught lots of fish... Am wondering if you started proceedings with Chas. Mednikow - I am not interested in what he thinks is best for his corporation - Am interested in collecting what is rightfully due me...I want my share as per the government suggested settlement so please Mr. Waldauer get after him for my part...https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-mss-waldaueradpapers1/1004/thumbnail.jp
Disparities in Exposure to Atmospheric Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Their Contributions to Breast Cancer Risks among African American Women
Get PDFExposure to atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) presents a ubiquitous public health risk and is often disproportionately high in disadvantaged communities. Understanding is still limited regarding the sources, disparities, and health effects of PAH exposures. This dissertation consists of three studies that address these knowledge gaps. The first study aimed to quantify the contributions of multiple exposure pathways to PAH-related cancer risks. Concentrations of PAHs in soil and air were measured in Memphis, TN, from 2016 to 2019. The cumulative cancer risk was 0.423×10-6 among children, with 75% from ingestion. For adults, the risk was 0.546×10-6, predominantly from dermal contact (96%). Vehicle emissions, petrogenic sources, and coal combustion together contributed to over 85% of the cancer risk. The second study aimed to examine disparities in PAH exposures using modeled and monitored data in Shelby County, TN. The modeled data showed that ΣPAH concentrations in African American (AA) concentrated areas were 15.4 ng/m³ higher (p = 0.0037) than in White concentrated areas; however, the monitored data did not show statistically significant differences. Similar results were observed if high- and low- income communities were compared. The third study explored the relationship between breast cancer incidence and environmental factors among 355 AA women in Memphis. Logistic regression identified significant associations between breast cancer risk and proximity to high-traffic areas (OR = 1.636, 95% CI: 1.046–2.560) and Superfund sites (OR = 12.262, 95% CI: 1.814–82.864), which were potential PAH sources. Mediation analyses further revealed that environmental disparities contributed to disparities in breast cancer incidence. These findings provide evidence for future interventions to prevent or control PAH exposures, inform practical actions and regulations to address environmental disparities, and further enhance our understanding of the role of environmental exposure in health disparities
Study on metal-drug coordination and development of hydrogel drug delivery systems
Get PDFThis dissertation outlines a novel triple-networked hydrogel for a hydrophobic drug delivery system. The drug Simvastatin is used as a cardiovascular medication, but it has also been reported to function as an osteoinductive agent. Therefore, to deliver the drug locally to the affected area, a mechanically stable and tunable hydrogel has been designed using modified chitosan, PEGDMA, and PLA-PEG micelles. This hydrogel exhibited a steady release of simvastatin over a long period of 14 weeks. Additionally, the hydrogel is biocompatible and biodegradable, as demonstrated by the cytotoxicity test. This dissertation presents a comprehensive exploration of a novel triple-networked hydrogel specifically designed for an innovative hydrophobic drug delivery system. The focus of this research is on delivering drugs from a hydrogel locally. In my research, one of the drugs studied is simvastatin, a drug widely used for cardiovascular treatment, which has also gained attention for its potential as an osteoinductive agent. To facilitate the localized delivery of this vital medication to targeted areas, a mechanically stable and tunable hydrogel was meticulously designed. This hydrogel incorporates modified chitosan, PEGDMA, and PLA-PEG micelles in its formulation, showcasing its potential in drug release applications. The hydrogel demonstrates a remarkable capability for sustained drug release, maintaining a steady output of simvastatin over an extended duration of 14 weeks. Importantly, the biocompatibility and biodegradability of this hydrogel were affirmed through rigorous cytotoxicity testing, confirming its safety for pharmaceutical applications. Another intriguing dimension of this research examines the conjugation of zinc, a metal known for its essential biological roles, with curcumin, a naturally occurring molecule celebrated for its numerous therapeutic benefits. Curcumin\u27s ability to chelate with various metals enhances its bioactivity, thus the conjugation process allows for the synergistic delivery of both zinc and the curcumin complex, potentially magnifying therapeutic outcomes. The study meticulously investigates the properties of the curcumin-zinc complex within diverse media, encompassing both aqueous and organic environments, and under a wide range of conditions, from highly acidic to basic, alongside variations in salt concentrations. To achieve this, a variety of buffered solutions at differing pH levels and concentrations, including acetate, carbonate, phosphate, tris, and borate buffers, were employed. The experimental results unveiled noteworthy dissociation characteristics of the curcumin-zinc complex contingent upon these experimental parameters. A significant finding was the formation of a curcumin-boron compound upon interacting with boron-rich environments. Furthermore, a comprehensive release study was conducted on the curcumin-zinc complex released from the hydrogel, indicating that the dynamics of curcumin and the zinc/curcumin-zinc complex\u27s release are intricately interlinked. Crucially, the study established that the release profile of this complex is sensitive to pH variations. Moreover, the quantity of zinc released from the hydrogel at different pH levels was measured, revealing that its release also exhibits a pronounced pH sensitivity. Collectively, these findings pave the way for the development of advanced hydrogels tailored for long-term drug delivery applications, thereby markedly enhancing the field of metal-curcumin drug delivery and offering promising avenues for future therapeutic innovations
Reworking The Cadenza in Juan Sebastián Cardona Ospina’s Piano Concerto No.1: A Composer-Performer Collaboration
No full textThis dissertation documents the collaboration with composer Juan Cardona in reworking the cadenza of his Piano Concerto No. 1, Como el mar espera al río. It provides background on the composer and the concerto, as well as an interview with Cardona, in which his creative process, artistic influences, and compositional strategies are explored. The interview also reveals his views on musical collaboration, performance practices, and personal hopes for the future of the piece. This collaboration offers a detailed view of the decision-making process, demonstrating how ideas evolved throughout the work. In this project, the composer remains the author of the piece, while the performer limits their role to refining compositional ideas without altering the original artistic vision. Emphasis is placed on understanding the cadenza not as a fixed object, but as a dynamic space of exploration. This document also illustrates the dynamic nature of collaboration and avoids the use of the terms pianistic or idiomatic, as they risk oversimplifying the phenomenon. To develop suitable alternative rewritings, the structure and content of the cadenza are analyzed from a performer’s perspective. A detailed exploration of the technical challenges within the cadenza and its motivic development is presented, along with alternatives that offer different hand distributions, new pattern constructions, and refinements in dynamics, articulation, and notation. These alternatives are supported by examples from the piano literature that address similar passages. Particular attention is given to aspects such as ergonomic adaptation, clarity of texture, and motivic integrity, ensuring that technical modifications do not compromise the musical flow. The dissertation also includes a discussion of the considerations behind the final version of the cadenza, illustrating the process of proposing alternatives and the composer\u27s reactions to them. This offers insight into the composer’s priorities, boundaries, and flexibility when collaborating. Finally, this document serves as a reference for future performances of Como el mar espera al río and concludes with practical considerations regarding piano writing. These insights, referencing the alternative reworkings from the concerto’s cadenza, provide non-pianist composers with useful tools to expand their vocabulary when writing for a genre that showcases the piano’s technical and expressive possibilities
“You see, I am over here throwing up, no I am not doing good”: Exploring ways Maternal Mortality Rates are Influenced and Amplified by Racial and Class Status Inequities among Women of African-Descent
Get PDFPrevious data suggest that maternal mortality is an issue drastically affecting African-Descent women since the maternal mortality rate was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for European-Descent women. Considering the data, my study aimed to showcase, beyond the statistics, the communication exchanges and lived experiences surrounding maternal mortality discourse among African-Descent women in Shelby County, Tennessee. This study was one of the first of its kind to capture data, in Shelby County, TN, which led me to develop these research questions: RQ1) What are the personal communication experiences of African-Descent women regarding prenatal, labor, and antenatal threats in their trusted communities? RQ2) What are their lived experiences with provider and patient communication exchanges surrounding prenatal, labor, and antenatal threats? RQ3) What are the personal communication experiences of African-Descent women specific to birth interventions and the reduction of maternal mortality? In order to understand this phenomenon, I offered a necessary discussion defining and explaining the systems of oppression, such as colonialism, White supremacy, patriarchy, racism, etc., that contribute to telling the story of the historic oppression that has and still is impacting the African-Descent populations, leading to maternal mortality health disparities. My study was approved by the University of Memphis IRB board, and in December 2023, I began my data collection. I conducted a two-phase study with focus groups and semi-structured interviews to center and amplify participant experiences. I chose to use the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis 7-step process to analyze my data. My theories were Critical Cultural Theory, Symbolic Convergence Theory, and Critical Narrative Analysis. My results revealed 12 overarching themes, 6 from each phase of my study. My sample size was 16, and a member check was completed. African-Descent women want their providers to take them seriously, to listen to them, to honor them, and to show up for them with support and affirmation. To do this authentically, it may mean providers having some difficult conversations about systems of oppression. For actual change to occur, providers must reflect, acknowledge, and resist some behaviors that unintentionally or not contribute to the problem
SINGLE VESICLE SURFACE PROTEIN PROFILING AND MACHINE LEARNING - ASSISTED DUAL IMAGE ANALYSIS FOR BREAST CANCER DETECTION
Get PDFSingle vesicle molecular profiling of cancer-associated EVs is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool for cancer detection and monitoring. Mask and target dual imaging offers a straightforward method to quantify the fraction of molecularly targeted EVs in biofluids at the single vesicle level. However, accurate and efficient dual imaging analysis remains challenging due to interference from false signals in mask images and the need to process large volumes of clinical sample data. A fully automated dual imaging analysis method based on machine learning, integrated with dual imaging single-vesicle technology (DISVT), for breast cancer detection at various stages is presented here. To enhance accuracy and efficiency, we employed the convolutional neural network ResNet34 with transfer learning and developed a machine learning model capable of reliably identifying regions of interest in experimental data. The model was trained using a combination of experimental and synthetic data to optimize its performance. Using DISVT in conjunction with our AI-assisted image analysis platform, we quantified the fractions of EV subpopulations targeting cancer-associated surface protein markers such as EpCAM and CD24 in blood plasma samples from pilot HER2-positive breast cancer patients and healthy donors. Results showed negligible amounts of EpCAM-positive and CD24-positive EVs in both healthy donors and Stage I patients. However, as cancer progressed from Stage II to III, the percentage of EpCAM-positive EVs (also CD81-positive) increased from 18% to 29%, with no significant change observed between Stages III and IV. A similar trend was noted for CD24- positive EVs. Statistical analysis confirmed that both EpCAM and CD24 markers effectively detect HER2-positive breast cancer at Stages II, III, and IV and can differentiate between individual stages, except between Stage III and IV. Due to its simplicity, high sensitivity, and efficiency, DISVT combined with AI-driven dual imaging analysis holds significant potential for both fundamental research and clinical applications, enabling precise molecular characterization of targeted EV subtypes in biofluids
Correspondence, to Abe D. Waldauer from J. G. Sims, 1926 November 1
Get PDFCorrespondence, to Abe D. Waldauer, Memphis, TN, from J. G. Sims, Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate, 1926 November 1. Sims states, Don\u27t let May\u27s dissatisfaction with your Convention conduct worry you, because you and May were seeking to accomplish the same purpose, and I have no fault to find with the conduct of either of you, though they may have differed. It is refreshing to see you try to be anything but yourself, but deference to my wishes I realize that you did repress your enthusiasm and perhaps subdue your venom in some instances. I can\u27t feel though that you, on any other occasion have been asked to be anything but Abe, and unless some delicate situation arises I believe we will all get more kick out of the Convention if you persist in your determination to \u27be yourself\u27.https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-mss-waldaueradpapers1/1008/thumbnail.jp