Now showing items 41-60 of 1256

    • POLYPHARMACOLOGY OF MITRAGYNA SPECIOSA (“KRATOM”) ALKALOIDS

      Chen, Yiming; College of Pharmacy
      The nation’s persistent opioid epidemic requires innovative treatment interventions. Mitragyna speciosa, or kratom, is a plant native to Southeast Asia that contains dozens of potentially active alkaloids. The most abundant and best characterized of these alkaloids is mitragynine, which accounts for up to 66% of crude alkaloid extracts. Kratom preparations have been traditionally used for their analgesic properties and as a mild stimulant to combat work fatigue. Over the past decade, kratom has become a popular drug in the United States, where pulverized kratom leaves are used for self-medication of pain, mood disorders, and opioid withdrawal symptoms. There are, however, no FDA-approved uses for kratom, and the vast majority of scientific research on kratom alkaloids focuses on their opioid receptor activity. To understand the promise and perils associated with kratom use, it is essential to elucidate the mechanisms underlying kratom’s pharmacology, including activities at other non-opioid targets. Based on kratom’s psychoactive profile, which includes acute antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, analgesic effects, and cardiac adverse effects at high doses, we hypothesized that certain kratom alkaloids have activity at serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and alpha-adrenergic G protein- coupled receptors (GPCRs). The binding affinity and functional activity of selected kratom alkaloids—including mitragynine, speciogynine, and paynantheine—the three most abundant alkaloids were evaluated at 5-HT1ARs, 5-HT1BRs, 5-HT2ARs, 5-HT2BRs, 5-HT2CRs, 5-HT5Rs, 5-HT6Rs, and 5-HT7Rs. Mitragynine has been comprehensively demonstrated to be a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) partial agonist, however, a growing literature suggests an adrenergic component of mitragynine-mediated antinociception. To explore mitragynine's adrenergic action, we examined mitragynine's activity at G protein-dependent signaling pathways mediated by human alpha 1 (α1ARs) and alpha 2 adrenergic receptors (α2ARs). Results from the current study provide a better understanding of the complex polypharmacology of kratom alkaloids that contributes to its unique physiological effects.
    • DIVERSE ROLES OF THE FREE-FATTY ACID RECEPTORS FFA1 AND FFA4 IN PAPILLARY RENAL CELL CARCINOMA CELLS

      Karmokar, Priyanka Florina; College of Pharmacy
      Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the deadliest genitourinary cancers, and the incidence of RCC has risen steadily. 15-20% of all RCC cases include papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC), the most frequent non-clear cell carcinoma subtype, which displays distinct molecular, genetic, and histological characteristics compared to the clear cell RCC (ccRCC). Advanced stage pRCC is highly metastatic and exhibits poor prognosis and the worst outcome compared to patients with ccRCC. Most of the clinical and pre-clinical studies on RCC were conducted on ccRCC, considering ccRCC is the most frequent type of RCC subtype. Therefore, traditional, and newly developed therapeutics are less effective, leaving no optimal treatment available for metastatic patients with pRCC. Therefore, it is crucial to identify novel molecular pathways for a better understanding of pRCC carcinogenesis leading to develop better and more effective pRCC-oriented drug targets. Our study demonstrates for the first time that free-fatty acid receptors 1 (FFA1) and FFA4, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that endogenously activated by long to medium chain fatty acids are upregulated in human pRCC cancerous tissues compared to matched noncancerous tissues. Moreover, FFA1/FFA4 expression increases as the disease approaches higher pathological T stages. We also reveal that FFA1/FFA4 transcripts are expressed in a well-characterized human pRCC cell line ACHN, but not in primary and metastatic ccRCC cell line 7860 and Caki-1, respectively. Using synthetic agonists and antagonists of FFA1 and FFA4, we showed that FFA1 and FFA4 have opposing effects in pRCC cell growth and motile activities, and astonishingly, they both serve as a “double edge sword” in the regulation of pRCC carcinogenesis. FFA1 positively regulates cell proliferation and tumor formation in pRCC and utilizes the c-Src-mediated PI3K/AKT/NF-κB/COX-2 pathway to promote serum-induced cell proliferation in vitro. On contrary, FFA1 negatively regulates the wound-healing process, migration, invasion, and EMT in ACHN cells. We also demonstrate that FFA1 regulates cell invasion in part by blocking EGFR-mediated ERK1/2 signaling; moreover, FFA1 inhibits STAT3 activation to prevent motile activities in pRCC cells. Unlike FFA1, FFA4 inhibits cell proliferation and c-Src phosphorylation in vitro, as well as reduces tumor growth in vivo. On the other hand, FFA4 promotes wound recovery, migration, invasion, and STAT3-induced EMT. FFA4-induced cell invasion is dependent on ERK1/2 pathways and to some extent on EGFR-mediated ERK1/2 signaling. Moreover, FFA4 increases cell invasion through the activation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling cascades which induces the expression of COX-2 and MMP-9 in pRCC cells. Taken together, we conclude that FFA1 and FFA4 signaling have a significant yet complex function in the regulation of cell proliferation, tumor growth, migration, and invasion in pRCC cells.
    • EXAMINING PTSD, PTG, ALCOHOL USE, AND DRUG USE IN VETERANS AND ACTIVE-DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: A MIXED METHODS APPROACH

      Al-Haleem, Dahlia J. T.; School of Medicine
      Military service members are at increased risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population due to combat exposure and experiencing other traumatic events. PTSD is a mental health disorder associated with high levels of depression, substance use, mortality, and impaired functioning. However, research suggests there is a significant relationship between experiencing traumatic events, being diagnosed with PTSD, and exhibiting post-traumatic growth (PTG). PTG has been shown to protect persons from becoming overwhelmed with PTSD-associated stress, thus leading to a greater sense of stress management. Although the relationship between PTSD and PTG has been the subject of several studies, there have been few research studies devoted to assessing this relationship in active-duty service members and veterans in the southeastern region of the contiguous United States. Similarly, very little is known about the impact of drug and alcohol use on the relationship between PTSD and PTG in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between PTSD and PTG in active-duty service members and veterans in the southeastern region of the contiguous United States and how this relationship is mediated and moderated by drug and alcohol use. The study population consisted of active-duty service members and veterans in the southeastern region of the contiguous United States, who served for at least two years or completed one deployment, and who are fluent in English. Participants were recruited from military-affiliated and -adjacent organizations, such as support groups, non-profit organizations, shelters, recruitment offices, etc. Data was collected via surveys and interviews assessing drug and alcohol use, PTG factor exhibition, and PTSD symptoms. This study’s results may help to identify specific mental health needs within the southeastern United States’ active-duty and veteran population, as well as aid in the development of support systems and culturally competent treatment options. By understanding more about the relationship between PTSD and PTG, facilitators and barriers to PTG, and the impact of substance use on the relationship between PTSD and PTG in this population, mental health professionals and communities will be better equipped to meet military mental health needs.
    • PRECLINICAL DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL SEROTONIN RECEPTOR MODULATOR FOR FRAGILE X SYNDROME

      Armstrong, Jessica; College of Pharmacy
      Fragile X syndrome (FXS), caused by FMR1 gene silencing and subsequent loss of the RNA-binding protein FMRP, is the leading monogenic cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, characterized by social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Currently, there are no approved medications for FXS and only two approved for autism. MMP-9 is an extracellular matrix regulating enzyme and a significant target of FMRP—the loss of FMRP in FXS leads to overexpression of MMP-9. MMP-9 degrades perineuronal nets (PNNs) that stabilize glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, and imbalance in these neurotransmitter systems is a hallmark of FXS, suggesting correcting MMP-9 overactivity may restore neuronal homeostasis in FXS by normalizing PNNs. For example, we show significantly decreased PNN density in hippocampal CA2 in juvenile Fmr1 knockout mice, a neural system critical for social memory, compared to wild-type mice. In parallel with PNN deficits, we show a trend that juvenile Fmr1 KO mice have increased MMP-9. We showed that acute administration of FPT, a novel medication candidate with potent 5-HT1AR, 5-HT1BR, 5-HT1DR agonist activity, moderate 5-HT2CR activity, and weak agonist/competitive antagonist 5-HT7R activity, increases social interactions, decreases anxiety, and decreases repetitive behaviors in adult Fmr1 KO and WT mice. However, we did not investigate FPT’s effects on social behavior in juvenile mice—focusing on critical neurodevelopmental periods—nor have we explored mechanisms underlying FPT’s therapeutic-like effects. In susceptible juvenile Fmr1 KO mice, FPT eliminated the audiogenic seizure phenotype. We investigated whether FPT would be efficacious after chronic treatment or if tolerance would develop. After four-day repeated treatment followed by a one-day washout period, FPT increased social interactions in juvenile Fmr1 KO mice and WT mice. FPT restored the CA2 PNN deficit in juvenile Fmr1 KO mice to WT levels such that there were significant genotype and interaction effects and a near-significant treatment effect. Additionally, there was a near-significant interaction effect of genotype and treatment for the MMP-9 results. MMP-9 trended towards an increase in vehicle-treated Fmr1 KO mice compared to WT mice (vehicle- or FPT-treated), and FPT restored MMP-9 to WT levels. Modulating distinct 5-HTRs can regulate MMP-9 expression, neuroanatomical plasticity, and social behaviors. We conclude that FPT increases social behavior in juvenile Fmr1 KO mice and works, in part, by decreasing MMP-9 levels and restoring PNN levels in hippocampal CA2 via a 5-HT1AR, 5-HT1BR, 5-HT1DR, 5-HT2CR, and/or 5-HT7R mechanism.
    • AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD SECURITY STATUS, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, AND FAMILY FUNCTIONING: AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

      Robinson, Jacqueline Nyesha; College of Professional Advancement
      ABSTRACT Food insecurity exists in every American congressional district and has been shown to be a significant factor impacting various areas of mental health. There has been minimal mental health research examining the relationship that food insecurity and psychological well-being have on the general functioning of family systems. This study examines food security status and psychological well-being as potential predictors of family functioning. The investigation was conducted on a sample of 119 participants. An analysis of survey data collected revealed that food security status and psychological well-being are significant predictors of general family functioning. This finding suggests that as food insecurity and psychological distress increase, it can be expected that family functioning will become increasingly unhealthy. The study further revealed that food security status is a stronger predictor of food family functioning than psychological well-being. The findings underscore the importance of addressing insecurity and psychological well-being in the clinical treatment of families. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection between food insecurity and various psychosocial factors.
    • Human Trafficking and Moral Injury

      Haralson, Debra LaCruz; McAfee School of Theology
      ABSTRACT DEBRA HARALSON MORAL INJURY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING Under the direction of David Garber, Ph.D. Moral injury is a response to traumatic events that causes people to question the existence of good and evil, both in the world and in themselves. Once applied to military veterans, moral injury is now seen in medical professionals, first responders, and others who move in high stakes situations. When a person violates a deeply held ethical code, as in a soldier taking a human life, moral injury can occur. Even when the action is taken in obedience to authority, for the greater good, or under compulsion, moral injury can cause shame, reduced trust in others, and ethical confusion. At The Program, a faith-based, residential center for women who have survived sex trafficking, behaviors consistent with moral injury prevail. Many of the women at The Program are wrestling with moral injury. Moral repair involves moving from secrecy and isolation into a supportive community where naming traumatic events, and their moral ambiguities, is possible. Research explored the effectiveness of The Program’s spiritual care for women who have incurred moral injury. Five spiritual care initiatives were observed: three Bible studies, an art, and an exercise class. Research instruments included participant questionnaires, observation notes, and class leader interviews. After obtaining informed consent, anonymous surveys were distributed to participants, and class leaders were interviewed. Data was coded and analyzed according to evidence of an atmosphere of expression, a supportive community, and meaningful rituals. Though most participants indicated that they enjoyed the classes, the observations revealed little self-expression. The highest participant ratings were for the art class. Here, participants exhibited self-expression, supportive community, and connection to God. The area that showed great potential for growth was the presence of meaningful rituals. Conclusions present many opportunities. If class leaders are able to move from proclamation to facilitation, participants may be more likely to trust. Possible rituals include a service of lament, a memorial monument, and a prayer garden. Further research opportunities include the value of Program participant feedback, moral injury and spiritual care in other populations, and creative rituals to honor past trauma.
    • Discovering Abundance: Leading Stakeholders of Youth Ministry at First Baptist Church of Augusta in Asset-Based Community

      Hughes, David Jennings; McAfee School of Theology
      The student ministry at First Baptist Church of Augusta is no different than any other church, community organization, or business that suffers from a scarcity mentality. This project and its ABCD tools were to dispel that notion and instead declare that there is abundance in our present that will unlock a future with immeasurably more possibilities than all we can ever ask or imagine. Such a project does not just pursue programmatic viability for the future. It also aligns with a central truth of the gospel – there is a God-sized power within every person who calls upon the name of Jesus. Such power once rose Jesus from the grave, and the world has never been the same since Jesus came. This project proclaims that similar resurrection can happen every time groups of individuals are courageous enough to discover the abundance innate within their spiritual DNA and put it into practice in the world in which they live.
    • Reawakening the Ethical Imagination of the Local Congregation Through the Exploration of the Biblical Metanarrative

      Hall, Jeremy S; McAfee School of Theology
      JEREMY SEAN HALL REAWAKENING THE ETHICAL IMAGINATION OF THE LOCAL CONGREGATION THROUGH THE EXPLORATION OF THE BIBLICAL METANARRATIVE. Under the direction of David P. Gushee In the fall of 2019, Towne View Baptist Church (TVBC), a small Southern Baptist Church in north Georgia, voted to welcome LGBTQ believers into full membership. While the church was proud of its newly adopted membership policy, its people were theologically unsure of their actions. If one had surveyed members on why they had welcomed LGBTQ believers, they would either have offered platitudes about God’s love and the ubiquity of sin or would have attempted to prooftext their way through the question. The concern is that this inclusion decision sat on a weak foundation and could be walked back in the future by poor Biblical interpretation. If leaders could move this group of (formerly) Southern Baptists to look at the Bible in a new and life-giving way to see a better and more inclusive church, then it would be possible to form a more robust church witness in the post-Christian United States. My thesis project sought to train the TVBC membership to approach ethical decisions in the context of the Biblical metanarrative and to awaken the ethical imagination by aligning church decisions with the themes and trajectory of the Bible. If effective, this training would also aid TVBC members in making difficult decisions in the future from a robust Christian ethic grounded in the trajectory of God’s dream for the creation as found in scripture. The exploration of the biblical metanarrative allowed the participants to engage their ethical imagination, moving from choosing affirmation as a negation of their culturally-embedded understanding of the LGBTQ prohibition found in the “anti-homosexual acts passages” to being able to understand their affirming position as a response to the metanarrative of the Bible and the trajectory of God’s redemptive work across the story of the Bible and in the world.
    • Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students’ Perceptions of Risk and Protective Factors That Affect Their College Experience

      Pollard , Richard D.; Tift College of Education
      The stigma and daily distress routinely experienced by transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) individuals negatively disturb their safety, mental stability, physical health, school success, employment opportunities, and societal inclusion, resulting in systematic marginalization and isolation in a variety of settings, including families, schools, and employment (Azeem et al., 2019; Budge & Katz-Wise, 2019; Lerner, 2019; Murchison et al., 2019; Sevlever & Meyer-Bahlburg, 2019). This phenomenological study aimed to explore the higher education experiences of TGNB students to gain insight into self-identified factors associated with their academic success and college completion. Using snowball and chain sampling techniques for recruitment, the researcher recruited 8 participants. All participants self-identified as TGNB, were over the age of 18, and had either graduated or dropped out of higher education within the previous five years. The researcher employed semi-structured interviews, and data collection was completed via HIPAA-compliant Zoom videotelephony. The researcher used an audit trail, a reflexivity journal, member checking, and detailed, thick descriptions to ensure trustworthiness. Following the steps outlined by Smith, et al. (2009), the researcher discovered six subordinate themes: (1) "Exploration and self-education for gender identity determination," (2) "Anticipated Resistance: The struggles of daily college life for TGNB students," (3) "Intolerance and injustice just to be me, (4) Internal and external factors of loss and growth," (5) "Human pillars on the campus to create belonging for TGNB students," and (6) "Transferring the responsibility of survival to one's self." These six emergent themes provided insight into how the participants navigated their gender identity during their higher education experiences. Each participant was persistent in doing what was necessary individually to move forward, which was evident in this study. The one participant that did not graduate indicated their desire to return to higher education. Future research recommendations include: 1) A need for better understanding includes more comprehension of the connectedness of TGNB students on campuses to buffer isolation and promote wellness among the TGNB student population, 2) A case study for a college that works well with TGNB students, and 3) additional research should study TGNB assigned males to understand better the differences in their experiences in the higher education environment.
    • The COVID-19 Pandemic And The Impact Of Social And Cultural Courses on Ethnocultural Empathy: Cultivating Comfortability, A Program Evaluation

      Paige, Lynn; College of Professional Advancement
      The current study’s findings explored and defined graduate students’ perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for multicultural awareness, ethnocultural empathy, (a component of multicultural competency), and comfortability in the learning environment. The program evaluation’s aim is to report the impact of the learning outcomes of pre-designed social and cultural courses that are required in CACERP counseling programs and COAMFTE family therapy programs. As a program evaluation, the study research design was an embedded mixed- methodology that allowed for an analysis of both qualitative and quantitative inquiry. Therefore, a thematic analysis reported themes of multicultural awareness and empathic expressions among graduate students currently enrolled in a counseling program. The overall statistical analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between the number of credits for graduate students currently enrolled in a counseling program, and the level of ethnocultural empathy r= -.533*, p<05. There was a significant positive correlation between the level of comfortability in learning and the level of ethnocultural empathy r =. 05, p<01. A discussion on the areas of success, the study limitations, and implications for future research is included to provide insight of the presented program evaluation. Keywords: multicultural competency, ethnocultural empathy, comfortability, program evaluation, COVID-19 pandemic
    • Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, and Wellness Among Mexican American Immigrants

      Garcia, Stephanie; College of Professional Advancement
      This study examines the unique challenges that Mexican immigrants face and how these impact their overall health and life satisfaction. More specifically, this study is based on a quantitative research design that seeks to determine whether anxiety, depression, and wellness are predictive of life satisfaction. To date, these factors have not been studied collectively amongst the Mexican immigrant population. To test the hypotheses, a multilinear regression was conducted. The results indicated that anxiety, depression, and wellness can account for 62% of the variance in life satisfaction (R2=.63, Table 7). Depression and wellness were retained as the most significant predictors of life satisfaction. These findings have important implications for the provision of culturally competent care, for counselor educators, and for professional counselors.
    • Influence of the Medical Model on Counseling Identity: Counselor Educators’ Experience

      Teem, Mary Elizabeth; College of Professional Advancement
      This study looked closely at the experience of the influence of the medical model on counselor educators’ counseling identity. It is a phenomenological study that explored the experience of counselor educators as it related to the use of evidence-based practices in the counseling profession. This study considers the upswing in managed care for mental health, the sheer volume of diversified sub-specialties in counseling, and the impact both have on current counselor educators counseling identity (Eysenck, 1972; Carkhuff, 2019; Gladding, 2018; Calley & Hawley, 2008). The emphasis on the universal use of evidence-based practices driven by managed care and insurance companies, moves the counseling profession toward the medical model (Thompson, 2010). While some in the profession see this as a good move to legitimize the profession with the use of evidence-based measurements to show results (Miller, 2010), others feel the therapeutic alliance approach, unique to the counseling profession, will be lost (Remley & Herlihy, 2010). Although the therapeutic alliance approach is empirically based it has less hard data ways of measuring progress than the medical model. With counselor educators being the largest influence on the development of counseling identities of counselors-in-training, they are on the frontline of what future counselors will consider important in the field. This study, therefore, explores the current experience of counselor educators but also draws wider assumptions about the future of the counseling profession (Jensen, 2006). Themes emerged during the study as to how the use of the medical model in counseling impacts counselor educators counseling identity and how it impacts how the counselor educators teach their students. This study further explores how the use of the medical model in general impacts the counseling profession. Key Words: medical model, counseling identity, counselor educator, managed care, counselors-in-training
    • Education of Supply and Demand: An Exploratory Study of the Impact Performance-Based Pay Has on Teachers in Title I Schools

      Lee, Shawn T.; Tift College of Education
      In the last two decades, district leaders have prioritized financial incentives for educators to solve teacher mobility and quality disparities in low-income schools. In addition, the Wing Institute has projected that in 2025, U.S. schools will not have enough teachers for the increasing number of students. State and local school districts have experienced difficulty attracting and retaining quality teachers and have begun implementing policies intended to reform compensation plans. This study’s purpose was to examine the impact performance-based pay (PBP) had on the motivation of teachers in a Title I school. Research reveals multiple contributing factors influencing the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of teachers, yet the research on the effectiveness of performance-based pay remains inconclusive. This multi-method case study included 54% of eligible teachers from a Title I school in a large suburban school district. The quantitative phase included participant surveys based on an adapted version of the Wells (2011) instrument with open-ended response questions. The qualitative phase consisted of interviews with three survey participants who were veteran teachers at the school. The findings of this study illustrated that the impact of financial incentives such as PBP is inconclusive. Statistical analysis of quantitative data revealed that the participants had overall neutral beliefs regarding the impact of PBP, yet teacher actions exposed pay as a motivator. In addition, while respondents perceived PBP negatively to the school’s climate, the quantitative results identified that teachers believed that there were positive behavioral changes in their peers’ interaction with students because of the external reward of PBP. In addition, the qualitative interviews among veteran teachers illustrated a strong dislike for PBP. The study’s results demonstrated variable teacher feelings toward the influence of PBP on teacher motivation. As a result, the researcher urges future research to include a broader range of participants/sites from multiple districts, to further uncover the impact PBP has on teacher motivation in Title I schools.
    • Supporting Career Skills Development: Exploring Stakeholders’ Perceptions of College Students’ Participation in an Enterprise Internship Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

      Young Rivers, Stacey; Tift College of Education
      The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020 resulted in hundreds of companies canceling internships for college students who had accepted offers for the summer. While colleges and companies were determining how to move forward, a team of recruiters and learning professionals at a global telecommunications company engaged thousands of students in a massive open online course (MOOC) that may have fulfilled internships for some students. This novel approach to learning provided students with access to an employer-developed curriculum utilizing an enterprise internship MOOC model. This study centered on understanding career services professionals’ perspectives of an enterprise internship MOOC for supporting college students’ career skills development. Employing constructivist grounded theory (CGT) and the product market fit pyramid, this qualitative research explored the enterprise internship MOOC’s viability. Data collection and analysis consisted of semi-structured interviews with 11 career services professionals from higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United States. Five out of 11 participants had experience with the enterprise internship MOOC while the remaining participants learned about it during the study. The artifacts collected from the web included the enterprise internship MOOC’s curricula, students’ comments on LinkedIn about their experiences in the program, skills information from the digital badge, and the company’s marketing materials for the program. To better understand career services professionals’ experiences with MOOCs, participants answered questions through the lens of a conceptual framework that deconstructed the MOOC’s dimensions, aligning academic MOOCs and the enterprise internship MOOC. Data analysis utilizing the CGT methodology yielded a grounded theory called the triad of stakeholder involvement. This grounded theory supports a focused approach to understand the HEI’s career emphasis, employer skills needs, and student destination for career skills development leveraging an enterprise internship MOOC. Data analysis also led to the conclusion that the enterprise internship MOOC is a viable model, given the appropriate pedagogical and technological structure.
    • TPACK Self-Efficacy and Multimodal Writing Instruction in High School Inclusion Classes

      Rhicard, Andrew; Tift College of Education
      Abstract High school students with specific learning disabilities continually struggle with the demands of a standardized writing curriculum. As students age, they are expected to master more complex styles of writing, utilizing differentiated, multimodal supports throughout each phase of the writing process, from pre-writing to publishing. With more high school special education students receiving English Language Arts services in inclusion classrooms, teachers must consider how to modify instruction - through the application of student-centered, web-based tools - in order to address specialized writing needs and support remediation. In diverse instructional contexts, ELA teachers rely on their technical, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) to differentiate writing instruction; in the secondary ELA classroom, the tools educators choose to integrate and the amount of effort they expend reinforcing multimodal instruction reflect their digital self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to identify psychological and environmental factors shaping educators’ self-efficacy for differentiated, multimodal writing pedagogy. This qualitative study was conducted at a suburban high school in Northeast Georgia in the fall of 2021. Four ELA educators (n=4) participated in semi-structured interviews while sharing planning documents from their respective writing units. Qualitative data was collected and analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), in order to identify factors supporting ELA educators’ willingness to integrate specific writing technologies in inclusion settings. Empirical findings from the study reveal seven factors supporting multimodal applications, including educators’ digital agency, flexibility when adopting and reinforcing technologies, tool simplicity, student familiarity with specific resources, opportunities to collaborate with other writing teachers on multimodal strategies, consistent use of specific technologies, and student-teacher proximity. Results are consistent with current research, regarding the need for more agentic, student-centered orientations for advanced, multimodal writing in high school inclusion classrooms.
    • Jethro’s Advice: Empowering Lay Leadership for Pastoral Conversations at Congregation Beth Adoni, a Messianic Jewish Community

      Huff, Kenneth DeWayne; McAfee School of Theology
      ABSTRACT KENNETH DEWAYNE HUFF JETHRO’S ADVICE: EMPOWERING LAY LEADERSHIP FOR PASTORAL CONVERSATIONS AT CONGREGATION BETH ADONAI, A MESSIANIC JEWISH COMMUNITY Under the direction of DENISE M. MASSEY, PH.D. Congregation Beth Adonai has created a spiritual leadership team that leads Care Groups for congregation members. The leaders of the Care Groups will embrace a better and more meaningful way to provide care for their group members using pastoral conversations. The goal is to teach leaders of the care teams a methodology for conducting effective pastoral conversations so that their lay ministries will be stronger. The study utilized Denise Massey’s methodology for leading pastoral conversations found in her book CARINGTM: Six-Steps for Effective Pastoral Conversations. Lay leaders learned to help members of their care groups develop a clear and loving action plan that will help persons seeking help solve their problems or move toward their goals through pastoral conversations. This study aims to encourage and strengthen the CBA’s spiritual leadership team to practice quality care consistently. To test the hypothesis, four participants from CBA’s leadership team completed a study consisting of six-week PowerPoint training sessions for 45 minutes via Zoom, followed by a one-week PowerPoint Review of Zoom’s training on CARINGTM: Six-Steps for Effective Pastoral Conversations. The participants received a Pre-Survey, Post Survey, and Post-Project Group Interview Questionnaire using qualitative and quantitative data to yield the results. The result suggests pastoral conversations are needed, and learning was obtained.
    • Formulation and Enhancement Strategies for Decontamination and Drug Delivery Into Healthy and Diseased Skin

      Vora, Deepal Hemant; College of Pharmacy
      Despite the significant benefits of the oral and intravenous route of drug administration, there are many problems, such as first-pass metabolism and invasiveness, ultimately leading to poor patient adherence. In the past few decades, it has been established that transdermal drug delivery provides many advantages compared to other drug administration routes. The transdermal route allows drug substances to reach the systemic circulation directly across the skin barrier, thereby increasing bioavailability and patient compliance. Developing transdermal delivery systems that fit into the routine and lifestyle of end-users is critical to the success of a biomedical intervention. Topical and transdermal drug delivery has been studied extensively, mainly on intact/healthy skin. But it is equally relevant to evaluate the enhancement or retardation of these molecules into and across damaged skin. In vitro investigation of healthy and diseased human skin would provide a better understanding of the effect of diseases on drug permeation or retention. Hence, our research focused on studying the extent of absorption and retention of methotrexate into and across healthy as well as diseased human skin. We also screened physical enhancement techniques such as microneedle and iontophoresis to enhance methotrexate delivery into and across the skin. Other aims of our research focused on screening chemical enhancement techniques to evaluate the enhancement in the delivery of olanzapine and raloxifene across the skin. We used chemical enhancers such as oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, and isopropyl myristate that can disrupt the lipid packing of skin and increase the drug partitioning into and delivery across the skin. Based on these findings, we formulated different transdermal delivery systems for the sustained delivery of olanzapine and raloxifene according to their different physicochemical properties, dosage regimen, and as feasible for their indications. Our last aim focused on chemical warfare agents that are toxic blister-causing agents developed a century ago that continues to be a potential threat to public health. Our strategy was to develop a foam-based formulation loaded with antidotes that can rapidly and effectively decontaminate the chemical warfare agent from skin. This can be a promising strategy to attenuate cutaneous damage and thereby treat lewisite toxicity.
    • HIS 307 - Late Antiquity Textbook

      Dowling, Abigail P.; Smith, Caroline; Varner, Davis; Johnson, Evelyn; Jackson, Miranda "Randi"; Lambert, Lake IV; Bonner, John; Brown, Kylie; Green, Forrest; Brandenburg, Matthew; et al. (2020-12)
      Collection of essays on Late Antiquity composed as a collaborative textbook by students in HIS307 in Fall 2020.
    • Effect of Calcitriol on the Immunomodulatory Properties and Hyaluronic Acid Metabolic Pathways of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

      Braley, Katherine; School of Medicine
      Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic stem cells which have remarkable immunomodulatory and tissue reparative properties, sparking clinical interest in their use in regenerative medicine. MSC-mediated immunomodulation occurs primarily via production of soluble factors like indolamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), programmed death ligand-1 (PDL-1), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), among others which function to inhibit effector immune cell function while promoting regulatory subtypes. Our lab focuses on the role of hyaluronic acid (HA) metabolism and signaling through HA receptor, CD44, in MSC’s ability to modulate the immune system and promote tissue repair. Data from our lab has demonstrated alterations in HA metabolism, production, and signaling in MSCs that have been primed with an inflammatory signal. Emerging research has suggested that calcitriol, the biologically active form of Vitamin D, may modulate soluble factor production by MSCs in response to inflammation. Taken together, we then hypothesized that calcitriol may also augment HA metabolic pathways. We utilized secretomes from Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to simulate the inflammatory microenvironment. In PBMC supernatant-activated MSCs we saw a consistent upregulation in gene expression of CD44, HA synthase isoform HAS-3, IDO-1, and PDL-1. Preliminary data suggests possible alterations in the molecular weight of hyaluronic acid secreted by activated MSCs when treated with calcitriol and PBMC supernatant when visualized by gel electrophoresis, though further replicates are needed. xi On its own, calcitriol was not able to modulate the alterations seen in HA metabolism in activated MSCs, as there was no statistically significant change in HAS3 gene expression between calcitriol and vehicle at 24-hour time-points. Though, calcitriol was shown to decrease total HA production in activated MSCs, as well as partially restore high molecular weight HA in PBMC supernatant- activated MSCs. Calcitriol was not demonstrated to meaningfully alter gene expression of IDO-1 or PDL-1 compared to PBMC supernatant-treated cells, suggesting that calcitriol does not affect MSC activation by inflammatory stimuli. However, optimization of the calcitriol delivery process and exposure time is necessary. Preliminary results following optimization of calcitriol dose and timing demonstrate a significant alteration in expression of HAS3, though further replicates are needed to confirm this effect. Additional studies investigating the effects of secretomes from MSCs treated with calcitriol on immune cell activity, and co-culturing experiments between MSCs and immune cells in the presence of calcitriol may provide more insight into the role of calcitriol and its effect on the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs.
    • Nursing Student Perceptions of Presence in a Virtual Learning Environment: A Qualitative Description Study

      Thrift, Jason R; Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
      Multifaceted approaches to learning are used for educating student nurses. One common teaching modality in nursing education, simulation, provides hands-on experiences in a safe environment to prepare student nurses for professional roles. High quality simulation standards recommend an engaging immersive experience, with physical, emotional, and conceptual fidelity to clinical practice. Presence is the perception of being there in a simulation as if it were real. Studies have reported improved learning outcomes with increased sense of presence. A simulation modality seldom used in nursing education is virtual reality simulation (VR-Sim) a three dimensional, immersive experience. VR-Sim with head mounted visual and haptic enhancements has the potential to increase presence and improve learning. Student perceptions of presence in VR-Sim is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore student nurses’ perceptions of presence during simulation. A qualitative description design included a VR-Sim of a patient needing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Each participant (N=11) performed two repetitions in the VR-Sim followed by debriefing and a guided interview. The conceptual framework for the study was informed by extant literature including theoretical frameworks. Two research questions guided the study to 1) explore student perceptions of presence in VR-Sim and 2) align findings with current theories of simulation and presence. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) steps for theme development and Saldaña’s (2016) coding informed the data analysis. For Research Question 1, three themes and eight subthemes described participants perceptions of being there in the VR-Sim environment. Findings showed all participants reported experiencing presence during the simulation (Theme: What Brought Me In, What Brought Me Out), but glitches, feel of compressions, and sensing the real physical environment outside the simulation interrupted the experience of presence (Theme: Issues in VR-Sim). Additionally, participants described the experience of learning CPR with the VR-Sim (Theme: Higher Level of Learning). For Research Question 2, the main constructs from the extant theories aligned with the perceptions of participants including ideas about presence, fidelity, individual factors, learning outcomes, and collaboration. The study conceptual model provided a sound framework for continued research of the efficacy of VR-Sim in nursing education.