The LAIR at East Texas A&M
Not a member yet
7179 research outputs found
Sort by
Experiences of Midlevel Student Affairs Administrators in the Assessment of Student Engagement Activities for a Metropolitan Multicampus Community College District
No full textThe purpose of this study was to interpret the lived experiences of midlevel student affairs administrators regarding the assessment of student engagement activities, focusing on the meanings these administrators attribute to their experiences within complex institutional environments. Through qualitative research utilizing a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, this study sought to interpret the meanings midlevel student affairs administrators attribute to their experiences through the application of the hermeneutic circle, emphasizing interpretive analysis. This specific research methodology allowed me to have an intentional approach in understanding midlevel student affairs administrators’ experiences through one-on-one interviews, researcher reflection, and utilizing my awareness of the research topic to produce robust findings and recommendations
Exploring the Role of the ID2 and RAB11FIP3 Pathway in X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease (XCGD) through Comparative Gene Expression Analysis
No full textX-linked chronic granulomatous disease (XCGD) is a debilitating immunodeficiency disorder primarily affecting men. The disease results from mutations in the CYBB gene on the X chromosome, which encodes the GP91^PHOX protein responsible for electron transfer from NADPH to molecular oxygen. Despite the identification of the CYBB mutation, the pathological mechanism underlying the reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in XCGD remains unclear. We hypothesized that comparative gene expression analysis, combined with pathway analysis, could identify genes and signaling pathways contributing to reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in XCGD. In this study, we analyzed gene expression data from four healthy subjects and eight XCGD patients. Five genes—IGKC, ID2, RAB11FIP3, APOC1, and FCER1A—were identified as significantly altered (≥10-fold change, p \u3c .05), suggesting their potential involvement in XCGD. Notably, ID2 expression exhibited a 4.21-fold reduction, implying a role in ROS production. To further investigate this, we compared ID2 and RAB11FIP3 expressions in ROSlow and ROS-high cells. In qRT-PCR analysis, ID2 mRNA levels were reduced 1.8-fold in lowROS MCF-7/G1P3 cells compared to vector controls. Additionally, treatment with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), a known ROS scavenger, significantly increased ID2 mRNA expression in MCF-7/Vector cells (p = .0031). RAB11FIP3 levels were upregulated in both high-ROS and low-ROS cell lines. Taken together, our findings suggest that in XCGD, ROS regulates the expression of ID2 and RAB11FIP3, which in turn play a role in ROS generation. Restoring ID2 and RAB11FIP3 expressions may enhance ROS production and T-cell proliferation, offering potential therapeutic targets for managing XCGD
Teacher Resident Perceptions of the Influence of Mentoring on Their Clinical Experience: A Descriptive Qualitative Study
No full textEducator preparation programs have evolved from the traditional semester-long student teaching model. Teacher candidates can select alternative certification programs or more extensive yearlong clinical teacher experiences instead of traditional university programs (Matsko et al., 2020). Prior studies have determined that teacher candidates in traditional programs have higher retention rates than alternative certification programs (Matsko et al., 2020; Van Overschelde & Wiggins, 2020; von Hippel et al., 2016). In this descriptive qualitative study, the perspectives of teachers who completed paid yearlong teacher residencies were studied to reveal the quality of teacher preparation experiences these resident graduates received. In this qualitative study, the researcher explored teacher residents’ experiences with the residency and mentoring and how these influenced their development of readiness and self-efficacy. Eight to 16 teachers were interviewed, and the interview transcripts were organized into a narrative report. Common themes were identified and shared in this study
Reshaping Past and Present: Expressing Power Through Architectural Reuse in Late Antique Italy and Gaul
No full textIn the early sixth century C.E., King Theoderic of Ostrogothic Italy and Bishop Avitus of Vienne each made very different choices concerning the reuse of structures and architectural elements. Romans commonly reused and recycled building material throughout their history, but the heightened cultural visibility of architectural reuse in late antiquity created imaginative space for its explicitly ideological employment. Despite the common culture shared by Roman elites in southern Gaul and Italy, different regional circumstances demanded different responses. Theoderic leveraged architectural reuse as a component of his plan to establish himself as the legitimate ruler of Roman Italy. The elite educated Roman sense of the past had become increasingly distant and mythologized, creating opportunities for Theoderic to insert himself into and reshape stories Roman senators told themselves about their past. Like Roman rulers had for centuries, he inscribed his power in stone, but unlike Roman emperors he did so with explicit rhetoric of architectural reuse. Meanwhile, Avitus chose to reject the reuse of churches built and consecrated by those he considered heretics. Instead of triumphally appropriating sacred spaces and objects, Avitus pushed back against culturally normative but potentially dangerous architectural reuse, employing power and persuasion to protect Homoean (Arian) Christians in Burgundy from persecution and his new Catholic king, Sigismund, from potential civil war. Although Theoderic and Avitus differed in their approach to architectural reuse, both employed it strategically to accommodate and appeal to locally powerful elites. While past emperors may have intended an ideological reading of their reuse, the king and the bishop almost certainly did. The overtly political meaning they imbued into their decisions to reuse structures – or not – constitutes a shift in how the powerful interacted with their built environment in Roman late antiquity. Thanks to the evolving popular Roman perception of their antique past, a practice designed for centuries to be invisible came into its own as a tool of statecraft
The Relationship Between Knee Injury Risk Factors and Performance Variables in Drop Jump Landing Mechanics
No full textMost knee injuries occur in non-contact situations, when performing motions that involve change of direction and landing (Leppänen et al., 2016). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between risk factors for knee injury variables (KRF) and performance variables during a drop jump(DVJ) in NCAA Division I collegiate athletes. KRF include dynamic knee valgus (DKV), greater ground reaction force, knee flexion angle, and gender. Numata et al. (2018) reported injured athletes had a greater DKV when compared to uninjured athletes. Leppänen et al. (2016) reported a more extended knee position when landing during a jump was associated with greater ground reaction force, increasing risk of injury. Arundale et al. (2018) and Hewett et al., (2005) reported that females are more likely to suffer knee injuries than males. Division I NCAA Collegiate athletes: football, soccer, golf, basketball, softball, track and field, and volleyball (22.5 + 9 years), performed a drop jump from a 30-cm platform. Drop jump variables were assessed using DARI marker-less motion capture system, measuring jump height percentage of lower body, net impulse, ground reaction force, and knee torque. KRF were eccentric/concentric DKV angle max, landing ground reaction force, knee eccentric flexion, and gender. Pearson r correlation and partial correlation ranged from no significant correlations, weak correlations, moderate correlations to strong correlations. Right eccentric knee flexion and ground reaction force max had a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.316, p \u3c 0.01) and the partial correlation (r = -0.400, p \u3c 0.001). Strong correlations were observed in the Pearson r correlation and the partial correlation between the following variables: ground reaction force landing left and right with ground reaction force max, eccentric knee flexion with knee flexion at peak torque for both left and right. The total variance explained has three components that make up 75.537% of the dataset. Majority of the findings in the current study consist of non-significant to weak significant correlations, and while there are strong correlations observed, the variables that have the high correlation may be almost the same variable. Ultimately, the DVJ test may not be a good assessment when monitoring for KRF
Interpretable Machine Learning for Cardiovascular Risk Prediction: Insights from NHANES Dietary and Health Data
No full textBackground: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the leading global causes of death, which requires an accurate early prediction. This study aimed to develop transparent machine learning (ML) models using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2017–2023 to predict CVD risk based on dietary and health factors.
Methods: We analyzed data from 12,382 adults (aged 18 and older) from NHANES 2017–2023, including 41 dietary, anthropometric, clinical, and demographic variables. Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) was used to select an optimal subset of 30 predictors. To address substantial class imbalance in the outcome, we applied the Random Over-Sampling Examples (ROSE) technique to the training data. Five machine learning models—Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, XGBoost, and LightGBM—were trained and evaluated. Model interpretability was assessed using LIME and SHAP.
Results: Participants with CVD differed significantly from those without CVD in age, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein (CRP), and multiple dietary nutrients, with a consistently lower nutrient intake in the CVD group. Among the ML models evaluated, XGBoost achieved the highest accuracy (0.8216) and recall (0.8645), while Random Forest showed the highest AUROC (0.8139). Interpretability analyses identified age as the strongest predictor, followed by vitamin B12, total cholesterol, CRP, and waist circumference.
Conclusion: Interpretable ML models effectively identified key dietary and clinical factors for CVD risk. Nutrients like vitamin B12 and niacin, alongside established clinical indicators, emerged as significant predictors, underscoring their potential role in nutritional interventions and public health strategies for CVD prevention
The Effects of Actin Stability on Neural Cell Biology
No full textNeural development is significantly influenced by cytoskeletal dynamics. Understanding cytoskeletal dynamics can provide insights into the mechanisms of neural development and function in health and pathology. This study aims to investigate the effects of actin stability and dynamics on neuron development. Actin stability or instability were established through pharmacological manipulations in early developmental stages of Drosophila melanogaster. Embryos were permeabilized and exposed to either Latrunculin A, an actin depolymerizing agent, or Jasplakinolide, an actin stabilizer. Following the manipulations, immunostaining assay was utilized to visualize the neuronal extensions in later developmental stages. Results of the study indicate that actin depolymerizing treatments during embryonic stage significantly reduced bouton formation and active zone measured in larval stage, suggesting compromised synaptic connectivity. On the other hand, actin stabilizing treatments during embryonic stage caused excessive bouton formation measured in larval stage suggesting potential disruption of neural integrity. Altogether, these results highlight the important role of actin dynamics in neuromuscular junction formation and offer more insights into the mechanism underlying motor neuron function
The Experiences of Significant Others in Relationship With Post-9/11 Military Veterans Diagnosed with Combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
No full textThe purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of the experiences of individuals in committed relationships with post-9/11 military veterans diagnosed with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with seven participants who were in committed relationships with veterans who had at least one deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The data analysis, using an adaptation of the Colaizzi method, identified six major themes: (1) impact on the family, (2) impact on the spouse, (3) communication and intimacy issues, (4) symptoms and treatments, (5) navigating stigma, misconceptions, and lack of support, and (6) growth and adaptation.The findings of this study indicated that participants\u27 experiences involved significant personal transformation, emotional challenges, and a path toward greater understanding and adaptation. The presence of combat-related PTSD led to shifts in family roles, an impact on children, and caused overall strain on family dynamics. Spouses often experienced their own mental and emotional strain, including anxiety, hypervigilance, and secondary trauma. The study concluded that military spouses make significant contributions and sacrifices for their families and nation, highlighting the need for increased awareness, targeted support, and policy reforms to ensure the well-being and resilience of military families. Keywords: combat veteran, military spouse, PTSD, phenomenology, relationships
Women in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of people in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2685/thumbnail.jp
Woman with Chair in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of a person in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2689/thumbnail.jp