UTSA Runner Research Press (Univ. of Texas at San Antonio)
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Advancing Biomedical Data Analysis With Artificial Intelligence: Applications to Next-Generation Transcriptomics and Biomaterials Optimization
No full textThe advent of next-generation transcriptomics (NGT) technologies has transformed biological research, generating vast and complex datasets that pose significant computational challenges. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative solutions to analyze these datasets, enabling the extraction of meaningful biological insights and advancing our understanding of disease mechanisms. This dissertation explores the application of AI algorithms to NGT data, spanning bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), and spatial transcriptomics (ST), to uncover the molecular foundations of diseases such as cancer, COVID-19, and diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), while also supporting the integration of multi-omics data. Furthermore, this study extends the power of AI to optimize dental biomaterials, addressing challenges in predicting and enhancing their performance. The work presented here introduces novel computational frameworks that not only showcase the potential of AI to accelerate scientific discovery but also provide actionable insights across both biological and material science domains.
The objectives of this dissertation are as follows: 1) To develop an AI-driven pipeline for bulk RNA-seq data analysis, aimed at uncovering splicing reprogramming in diseases like Kaposi Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV) infection. 2) To establish AI frameworks for investigating the molecular mechanisms of diseases such as COVID-19 and DFU through the analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data. 3) To create and apply AI-based models for integrating multi-omics data from spatial transcriptomics, enabling a detailed examination of tumor microenvironments and other complex biological systems. 4) To demonstrate the potential of AI to predict and optimize the properties of dental composites, thereby advancing biomaterial development. The methodologies developed here not only improve data interpretation but also set the stage for more scalable, intelligent systems that accelerate scientific discovery. Overall, this dissertation contributes novel computational strategies at the intersection of AI, systems biology, and materials engineering, with real-world relevance in healthcare and bioengineering.Electrical and Computer Engineerin
Exploring Differences Among Service Members Evacuated for Psychiatric Reasons During OEF and OIF
No full textBackground: Service members involved in worldwide, post-9/11 U.S. military operations experienced substantively different numbers and types of casualties in varied theaters of operation. Little is known about how the psychological impact of these operations among service members differs. Considering this, we evaluated differences in mental health diagnoses and suicide risk among individuals evacuated for psychiatric reasons during these operations.
Method: Data was retrieved from U.S. TRAC2ES and DMDC records of service members who were aeromedically evacuated for psychiatric reasons during OEF (n = 2,920) and OIF (n = 4,832) between 2001 and 2013 (N = 7,752). We used a Pearson chi-square to examine the distribution of diagnoses identified as the reason for psychiatric aeromedical evacuation between OEF and OIF and compared their respective percentages. We then computed independent samples t-tests to evaluate differences in the number of psychiatric aeromedical evacuations attributed to suicidal ideation and suicide attempts between OEF and OIF.
Results: The prevalence of diagnosed psychiatric conditions differed between Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), χ2 (10) = 263.49, p <.001. The most common categories of diagnosis among those deployed to OEF were depressive disorders (27.1%), adjustment disorders (20.8%), PTSD (12.2%), serious mental illness (10.1%), and other non-specified disorders (9.1%). However, among those deployed to OIF, the most common were depressive disorders (30.5%), serious mental illness (14.9%), other non-specified disorders (14.3%), adjustment disorders (13.9%), and PTSD (7.9%). A greater number of service members were evacuated for suicidal ideation during OEF (3.8%) compared to OIF (0.02%), t(7750) =13.68, p <.001, d = 0.32. During OEF, 1.7% of service members were evacuated for a suicide attempt, while 1.8% of service members were evacuated for a suicide attempt during OIF%, t(7750) =-0.52, p = .597.
Discussion: Even though fewer service members were evacuated for suicidal ideations during OIF, a higher number of service members were evacuated for suicide attempts. This inverse trend may be attributable to deployment stressors or healthcare service differences delivered in theater. Symptoms of commonly diagnosed conditions such as adjustment and depressive disorders could potentially be addressed through early interventions provided prior to deployments or in the first few months of a deployment.Psycholog
Design of Concrete Building with Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs) in Soft Soil Deposit of Kathmandu
No full textThe recorded ground motion in Kathmandu is significantly different from the previous code-specified response spectrum for soft soil. Building design is quite challenging when earthquake ground motion is not well defined. This study presents the seismic design of a typical 15-story and a basement apartment building 38m long and 23m wide. Each 3.35 m story consists of five longitudinal and three transverse 7.5 m wide bays. Nonlinear Model History Analysis (FNA) was employed to analyze the building with the addition of fluid viscous dampers (FVDs) of size 2000 kN (440 Kips). FVDs lowered story drifts by nearly 50% in each direction. Thus, this study showed that introducing a few FVDs to reinforced concrete buildings significantly enhances the seismic safety of the building.Civil Engineerin
Comment Section Controversies: How Brands and Audiences Navigate Crisis Communication on Social Media
No full textIn the age of social media, brands face mounting pressure to respond strategically during times of public controversy. This study explores how brands construct and communicate their personalities during organizational crises on Instagram and how audiences engage with these efforts. Using qualitative content analysis and rhetorical criticism, the research examines Instagram posts and user comments from two case studies, Target and Bud Light, during three phases of crisis: before, during, and after. Drawing from rhetorical theory and audience reception frameworks, this study categorizes brand messaging strategies as silence, diversion, or affirmation and analyzes consumer responses through patterns of negative, positive, and neutral engagement. Findings reveal that brand messaging approaches shape the tone and longevity of consumer discourse, with politically charged crises generating prolonged backlash and ideologically fragmented engagement. The study contributes to existing literature on digital crisis communication by highlighting the comment section as a discursive arena where brand meaning is actively contested and reshaped in real time. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of strategic brand messaging and audience engagement in shaping crisis outcomes on social media.Communicatio
Multiracial Risk and Resilience: An Evaluation of Academic Motivation in Higher Education
No full textMultiracial individuals, or individuals who identify with two or more races, face higher levels of racial identity invalidation in comparison to their monoracial and White counterparts (Franco & O’Brian, 2018). Indeed, multiracial individuals are forced to cope with discrimination, not just from out-groups, but also from within the multiple racial groups they identify with. These avenues of discrimination experienced by multiracial individuals, particularly for college students, have been shown to take a psychological toll in forms of higher distress symptoms and negative affect (Jackson et al., 2012) and can have negative implications for academic motivation and performance (Stevens et al., 2018). As a result, multiracial individuals are further challenged to engage in protective behaviors that increase resilience against these obstacles (Greene, 2008). Research on risk and resilience among multiracial individuals has been fairly sparse to begin with, and in my review, no study to date has examined their connection to academic motivations (i.e., extrinsic, intrinsic, and amotivation). Given that multiracial individuals face unique stressors, coupled with the exponential increase of the multiracial population of 276% since 2010 (United States Census Bureau, 2021), this research is critical in order to academically support such a fast-growing group. Addressing this gap, this thesis further investigates Yoo and colleagues’ (2016) risk and resilience model for multiracial youth within the context of academic motivation.
Data gathered at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 166 self-identified multiracial students (63% female, Mage = 18.92, SD = 1.47) explored how previously identified risk factors and cultural stressors (i.e., Multiracial Discrimination and Perceived Racial Ambiguity) impact academic motivations (i.e., intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation), and how these associations may be mitigated by engaging in resilient behaviors (i.e., Shifting Expression, Creating Third Space, and Multicultural Engagement). In contrast to my hypotheses, results demonstrated that Perceived Racial Ambiguity, a previously identified risk factor and cultural stressor, was positively associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, thus acting as a protective factor rather than a risk factor. Additionally, the previously identified resilience factor Creating Third Space was positively associated with amotivation and in fact seems to act as a risk factor for multiracial individuals. Moreover, consistent with my hypotheses, the protective factor Multicultural Engagement was associated with greater academic motivation. Interestingly, the risk dimension Multiracial Discrimination did not prove to have an association with the academic motivations, as was the same for the resilience dimension Shifting Expression. Finally, the overall moderation hypothesis was not substantiated, suggesting that engaging in resilient behaviors does not moderate the interaction between risk and the three types of motivations. These results may have an effect on the way we think about multiracial individuals as far as academics and academic motivation. Ultimately, the framework of risk and resilience for multiracial individuals in academics requires a revision of theory.Health, Community and Polic
An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Neurodivergent Students who Pursued a Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at a CACREP Accredited Program
No full textThe full text of this item is not available at this time because the author has placed this item under an embargo until November 15, 2025.This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals who graduated from CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling programs. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and grounded in neurodiversity theory, this study examined how neurodivergent students made sense of their identities and educational experiences in systems often rooted in deficit-based, medical models of disability. Ten participants engaged in semi-structured interviews, resulting in four superordinate themes: Neurodiversity and Identity; The Counseling Program; Barriers, Pressures, and Burdens; and Recommendations for Programs.
Findings revealed that neurodivergent students build a neurodivergent identity and face challenges, such as masking, lack of accommodations, stigma, and systemic ableism, while simultaneously demonstrating resilience, creativity, and a strong commitment to advocacy. Participants emphasized the need for counselor education to move beyond basic accommodations and adopt neurodiversity-affirming practices that support identity development and flexible learning. This study also highlights the underrepresentation and frequent misunderstanding of neurodivergent individuals in counselor training programs.
The research underscores the importance of faculty awareness, anti-ableist pedagogies, and systemic reform within counselor education. By centering neurodivergent voices, this dissertation contributes to a growing body of literature that redefines professionalism and competence in equitable, inclusive ways. Ultimately, this dissertation calls on the counseling profession to recognize neurodiversity as an essential component of identity and equity, positioning neurodivergent counselors not as exceptions to accommodate but as valuable contributors to the future of the field.Counselin
Texans One and All Tour: Educator Guide, Pre- and Post-Visit Classroom Activities
No full textBased on Texas Essential Knowledge & SkillsA visit to a museum is always a fun and exciting time for students and you can make their visit even more meaningful by implementing a few simple activities in your classroom. The Texans One and All Tour Educator Guide provides you with hands-on learning and discussion activities designed to be completed prior to and after your visit to the Museum. These activities will introduce your students to themes they will encounter during their Texans One and All Tour and allow them to expand and reflect on their experiences after their visit. The Texans One and All tour and contents of this guide are based on Social Studies and English Language Arts and Reading TEKS and can easily be modified for lower or upper grades depending on your individual classroom needs
Teaching Rememberance through Art
No full textStudent Exhibit Project Based on Social Studies and Art Texas Essential Knowledge & SkillsThese easy to incorporate activities will inspire cross curricular connections that will teach your students how art can be an expression of cultural and religious traditions of remembrance
Development of Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Neuropathology in Chemotherapy Induced Cognitive Impairment
No full textThe full text of this item is not available at this time because the author has placed this item under an embargo until May 15, 2030.Chemotherapy induced cognitive impairment (CICI), commonly known as “chemobrain”, poses a significant challenge for a portion of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. A significant portion of chemotherapy patients experience persistent cognitive deficits even after treatment cessation. Despite its prevalence and impact on patients' quality of life, effective interventions remain elusive due to lack of understanding of its underlying biological mechanisms.
A growing body of evidence indicates that neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), share overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms and affect similar brain regions as those impacted in CICI. Both conditions exhibit comparable symptomatology, such as deficits in memory, attention, and executive function. Overlapping clinical features, shared markers of neuroinflammation, the identification of common genetic risk factors led us to hypothesize the following: (1) Chemotherapy accelerates the development of AD–associated pathology, and (2) pre-existing AD pathology increases vulnerability to CICI.
To test these hypotheses, we examined the effects of cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, on two neuropathological hallmarks of AD: the accumulation of amyloid-β plaques and the formation of tau neurofibrillary tangles, along with associated neuroinflammation. Specifically, we utilized two well-established mouse models of AD pathology, the APPNLGF knock-in and PS19 transgenic lines, both of which recapitulate key features of the disease amyloid- β plaques and the formation of tau pathology respectively. Thus, these models enabled us to investigate the potential bidirectional interaction between CICI and AD.
In this study, we found that cisplatin administration accelerated amyloid-β plaque formation and exacerbated neuroinflammation in APPNLGF mouse. These findings not only support out hypothesis for the interplay between CICI and AD but also provide a novel insight into the underlying potential mechanism on how chemotherapy exposure is linked to AD pathogenesis. Furthermore, our data they imply that individuals with preexisting AD-pathology may also be more susceptible to developing CICI following exposure to chemotherapeutic agents. This potential bidirectional vulnerability underscores the importance of understanding the shared pathological mechanisms between CICI and AD. Advancing our knowledge of the biochemical and molecular pathways involved in CICI may support the development of strategies to reduce the devastating side effects of chemotherapy on cognitive functions and allow for more aggressive, uninterrupted cancer treatment—ultimately improving long-term outcomes for patients.Molecular Microbiology and Immunolog
“You have a master’s degree, but you speak so ghetto”: Secondary Content-Area Teachers Navigating Raciolinguistic Ideologies
No full textThis qualitative study analyzed data from urban intensive and urban characteristic in-service teachers in a master's program using a raciolinguistics framework. Using classwork and interview data, we explored how professional development (PD) allows teachers to engage with professional discourses to process raciolinguistic experiences as they teach in secondary content-area courses. These experiences included microaggressions with other teachers, friends, and the students they taught. Teachers identified and navigated tensions in their profession from being positioned through raciolinguistic policing. Lastly, indexing and naming raciolinguistic ideologies led teachers to negotiate professional identities. Based on those findings, we share implications for in-service teacher PD and the potential to engage teachers to negotiate raciolinguistic ideologies around teaching emergent bilinguals in various urban contexts.Bicultural-Bilingual Studie