Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, American Culture Studies

From 1981-1996, the United States experienced an epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) that held profound implications for issues ranging from civil rights, public education, and sexual mores, to government accountability, public health, and expressions of heterosexism. Popular comic books that broached the subject of HIV/AIDS during the U.S. epidemic elucidate how America's discourse on the disease evolved in an era when elected officials, religious leaders, legal professionals, medical specialists, and average citizens all struggled to negotiate their way through a period of national crisis. The manner whereby comic book authors, illustrators, and publishers engaged the topic of HIV/AIDS changed over time but, because comic books are an item of popular culture primarily produced for a heterosexual male audience, such changes habitually mirrored the evolution of the nation's mainstream, heteronormative debates regarding the epidemic and its sociocultural and political implications. Through studying depictions of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in popular comic books, alterations in the heterocentric, national discourse emerge revealing how homophobic dismissals of the “gay plague” in the early 1980s gave way to heterosexual panic in the mid-1980s, followed by the epidemic's reinterpretation as a national tragedy in the late-1980s. Ultimately, this study uncovers how, in the early 1990s, HIV/AIDS awareness became a national cause celebre and a fad effectively commoditized by the economic forces of American popular culture until its novelty waned when the epidemic phase of the U.S. HIV/AIDS crisis drew to a close in the mid-1990s. Throughout, representations of HIV/AIDS in popular American comic books show how comic book creators sought to elevate their medium beyond the confines of its perceived juvenile trappings by exploring topical and controversial material that would appeal to the expanding market of adult buyers that blos (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2007, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2007, Graduate School

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2020, Arts and Sciences: English

Stories about the AIDS crisis in the United States nearly always feature white cisgender gay men. Queerness and diversity, however, are a more accurate descriptors of the AIDS crisis. To help create a more accurate account of this medical event, I analyze comics and graphic novels from during the AIDS epidemic and after medication to treat the infection was created. Comics become an ideal medium to address the absence of stories about people of color, people who use drugs, sex workers, and the poor because they are relatively cheap to make and do not require formal training to produce. Additionally, the hybrid nature of comics, blending images and texts, is ideal for representing the illness, trauma, and loss of the American AIDS epidemic. I first establish that white gay men used their middle-class respectability to affirm their humanity in the face of a religious majority who argued they were aberrations and AIDS was God's punishment for their homosexuality. Though white gay men's strategy was ultimately effective in pushing for a treatment, the stories of other groups were eclipsed. To make the lives of comics artists who were not middle-class and/or white more visible, I show how several of these individuals drew themselves into existence. Comics artists communicated their unique experiences by embracing monstrosity and queer negative modes of living that reject productivity and consumption as defining worth. Ultimately, this manuscript describes how embracing respectability and emphasizing sameness allowed white gay men to fight for a treated for HIV infection, while also arguing that a queer critique of heteronormativity is essential if all human beings are to have worth and access to medical care.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2019, Educational Technology

The digital age has transformed what defines a typical college student. Today's students have grown up in the technological world where almost any desired information can be accessed with the touch of a fingertip. For this reason, it is unsurprising that educators are encouraged to incorporate technological instructional aids in curriculum to help enhance the learning environment. In a fast-paced technical world, selecting appropriate technological instructional aids can be an overwhelming experience for educators. While offering quality web-based instruction is vital to the success of post-secondary institutions, there remains limited research as to which technological instructional aids are most effective for web-assisted courses in higher education. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine reported, effectiveness, efficiency, appeal, and satisfaction of technological instructional aids (ALEKS, YouTube, and ECHO360) in a web-assisted college algebra course. In addition, the researcher investigated how effective students perceived ALEKS, YouTube, and Echo360, amongst how much time was invested in using technological instructional aids for college algebra, the type of high school students attended, and previous experience with using technology in the classroom. Lastly, the researcher compared the statistical means of ALEKS, YouTube, and Echo360. The results of this study showed that students' perceptions of effectiveness for three types of instructional aids (ALEKS, YouTube, and Echo360) did not change regarding their previous technology experiences in the classroom. The findings also suggested that a student's background in terms of their educational experience (high school category and high school systems) did not affect how effective students perceived the instructional aids to be. Additionally, students' perceptions of the effectiveness of each instructional aid were not determined by the amount of time spent utilizing the instructional aids. L (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2016, Counselor Education and Supervision

Individuals infected and affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have distinctive mental and emotional health issues (Acuff et al., 1999; Badiee et al., 2012; Hult et al., 2007). This study sought to create an instrument that measures the attitude element of competency with the development of the Mental Health Professionals' Attitude Towards People Living with HIV/AIDS (MHP-PLHIV-AS). After the MHP-PLHIV-AS's creation by a Content Evaluation Panel of HIV/AIDS Experts, it was piloted for calibration with a sample of mental health professionals (n = 43), then administered to a larger sample for validation (n = 454). The newly designed MHP-PLHIV-AS was analyzed through a Rasch Measurement Model (RMM; Rasch, 1960, 1980). RMM diagnostics and analyses provides evidence to support a two-dimensional (societal and personal dimensions) measurement of the attitude towards PLHIV construct. The authors provide background, processes, and results of the study, and implications not only for the use of the MHP-PLHIV-AS, but also of attitude being a two-dimensional construct.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Agricultural Education

HIV/AIDS has affected women from sub-Saharan Africa in disproportionate numbers more than anywhere else in the world. Women are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection in Kenya as a result of powerful patriarchal influences that permeate women's lives leading to marginalization and disempowerment in social, cultural, and economic avenues. To address the research questions, secondary analysis of data from the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey was utilized. In this study, it was expected that the demographic variables of age, education, religion, ethnicity, region of residence, marital status, and employment were the independent variables that would influence HIV vulnerability among women. A dependent variable, HIV vulnerability was conceived of a larger concept comprised of powerlessness, AIDS-related knowledge, cultural practices, sexual behavior, and perception of HIV risk. A one-way analysis of variance, ANOVA was performed to test if significant relations existed between the independent variables and dependent variable. Between-subject effects were identified and multiple comparison tests (Bonferroni) were conducted for these variables; plots were also used to visually present the mean scores. The tests of between-subject effects showed that age (F = 78.848, p = .000), region of residence (F = 21.452, p = .000), education (F = 130.088, p = .000), ethnicity (F = 13.276, p = .000), marital status (F = 39.002, p = .000), and employment (F = 216.592, p = .000) were all statistically significant. However, religion (F = .730, p = .572) was not statistically significant. It had been hypothesized that religion would play a significant role in HIV vulnerability. However this was not the case, and was in contrast with the hypothesis. In this study, the data strongly suggest that women in Kenya are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS when they are younger, have low levels of education, are from different ethnicities and from certain regions, are unmarried, and not employed. The (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2007, Journalism (Communication)

While studies of mainstream media's AIDS coverage are adequate, an extensive literature review revealed few studies that empirically examined the AIDS coverage in the gay press. The primary significance of this study lies in the fact that it is the first content analysis to examine the AIDS coverage in a prominent U.S. gay publication, for a 26-year study period from 1981 to 2006. After analyzing 417 stories on AIDS from The Advocate, this study found a dramatic drop both in number and length of The Advocate's AIDS stories in the late 1990s and 2000s. Medical and health care, personal, and gay culture were the most frequently covered topics. While personal coverage remained steady throughout the years, medical and health care coverage declined sharply in the late 1990s and 2000s, and gay culture received increasing coverage across time. Unlike in the mainstream media, celebrities did not generate much AIDS coverage in the gay magazine. This study also found AIDS and gay activists as the dominant sources in the gay publication's AIDS coverage, followed by medical and scientific sources, and unaffiliated individuals. The Advocate generally embraced safe sex with a limited number of exceptions. It did not downplay or deny the threat HIV posed to the gay community.

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2003, International Studies - African Studies

In Botswana orphan hood has recently become a major social issue with greater repercussions. Among the Batswana, caring for orphans has always been a natural and expected practice, which is rooted in society's beliefs and culture. The practice of caring for orphaned children depends on ties among families and the extended family form. However, with the advent of forces such as modernization and epidemics like AIDS, this system faces dire challenges. The government of Botswana, the family and community at large are grappling with ways in which to best provide care for orphans and other vulnerable children,such as those abused and abandoned. This study examines orphan hood in the context of Batswana traditions and culture. It is based on documents and published articles on orphans in Botswana, and published anthropological and sociological works on the Batswana. The study discusses cultural values and practices that have always guided and ensured care for orphans, how these practices have changed over time, and why they have changed. Issues surrounding difficulties in identifying the best methods of care for orphans are also discussed. This study shows that perceptions towards the care of orphans are deeply rooted in the cultural beliefs of the Batswana. Any effort to establish alternative forms of care not solely through family ties should be aware of cultural perceptions and should attempt to gain society's support. The main theme of the study borrows from the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa – which is “if you cannot find the answer to the problem in the present, return to tradition”. This study can be used to provide a reference for those engaged in policy development for the care of orphans and those working to develop guidelines for methods of care. Hopefully, it will provide insights into methods that are culturally understood and relevant to Botswana's social and political life.

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2009, Nursing

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Thai caregivers of Persons Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (PLWAs) who were residing at Phra Baat Nam Phu Temple, Lopburi Province, Thailand at the time of the interviews. A semi-structured, face-to-face interview was conducted with 10 Thai caregivers of PLWAs. There were seven female and three male caregivers (ages ranged from 29-62 years). All study participants were family members of PLWAs who required care in home settings. Caregivers were spouses, parents, sisters, a brother, and an aunt. The interviews occurred in the caregivers' homes (n = 8) and at the temple (n = 2). Six themes and 15 categories under these themes emerged from the interviews: 1) caregiving is embedded in the Buddhist philosophy, 2) caregiving is suffering, 3) caregiving is supporting, 4) the caregiving role, 5) the impact of caregiving on the caregivers, and 6) the need to support the caregiving role. Caregiving is embedded in the Buddhist philosophy, which suggests that suffering and loving one's family and friends is one of its basic guiding principles. Caregivers identified both negative and positive consequences of taking care of their loved ones with HIV/AIDS. The negative impacts included physical, emotional, and financial stress. Moreover, caregiving affected the caregivers' health and demanded changes in their life-styles. This research also demonstrated that HIV/AIDS related stigma is a barrier to caregivers' efforts to seek support. However, caregivers utilized various coping strategies such as accepting the situation, thinking positively, minimizing stress, and managing the financial to cope with caregiving. The positive consequences of caregiving suggest that caring for PLWAs can result in a deeper meaning of life for the caregivers. They reported an abiding sense of fulfillment that was associated with loving humankind, self-value, and knowl (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2007, Systems and Control Engineering

The focus of this dissertation is development of a systems methodology to examine large scale interrelated complex global systems governing natural resource use, population, economy and global health. The study investigates questions regarding the individual disciplines and their integration as a system. Integrated assessment (IA) examines if the looming peak in world oil production, and the post-peak oil era, can intensify the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Other questions include: - When could the world reach peak oil production? - What are the economic implications for HIV/AIDS funding in the post-peak oil era? - What is the potential humanitarian cost in lives lost per barrel of oil deficit? A range of models have been developed and integrated in a decision support future assessment system as a reasoning support guide. An interactive cybernetic approach incorporating the global earth/human dimensions is applied to manage the many aspects of complexity and uncertainty. IA is enhanced by a decision-making paradigm that utilizes real data, a family of multi-level hierarchical models, and a human-in-the-loop approach. “Corner scenarios” envelope the scope of future development and hypothetical scenarios demonstrate possible futures within the envelope. Results show oil production may peak by 2015. Without an alternative to fill the gap left by declining oil supplies, economic growth, closely correlated with oil consumption, will slow or decline. Affluent countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development may become unable to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding for needy countries. Without ODA, HIV/AIDS preventive/treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa will likely disappear causing a spike in prevalence, higher mortality and a reduction in economy. Conversely, if the impending oil crisis is averted via strategic planning and alternative energy development, then ODA adequate to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2013, Food and Nutrition Sciences (Health Sciences and Professions)

This study examined household food security (HFS) and physical activity (PA among individuals living with HIV/AIDS living in rural Appalachia (West Virginia, Appalachian Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania). Participants (n = 82) completed an online or paper survey that included validated measures of HFS (USDA short form) and physical activity. Data were analyzed using PASW statistical software (version 18.0,) to determine the relationship between the variables (Mann-Whitney U). The majority of participants (n = 82) were: male (n = 63) and Caucasian (n = 59). For all patients, 28 (34.1%), 10 (12.2%), 12 (14.56%), and 32 (39.0%) were living in households characterized as being high, marginal, low, and very low HFS, respectively. There was no significant difference in distribution of IPAQ scores (Mann-Whitney U, p = .161), and total MET-min per week of physical activity between the HIV and AIDS groups (t-test, p = 0.200). There was no significant difference between distribution of IPAQ scores (Mann-Whitney U, p = 0.929), and total MET-min per week (t-test, p = 0.944) between food security groups. Further exploration is warranted in other rural regions.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 1971, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1979, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1960, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1965, Graduate School

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Sociology

Fifteen years passed between when the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first discovered to when the first viable treatment became widely available. During that fifteen-year period, which I call the HIV/AIDS crisis, sexual minority men had borne the brunt of the HIV epidemic. Not only had their community faced the vast majority of new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths, but they had also dealt with the emotional pain of having experienced such loss. Research on the HIV/AIDS crisis has commonly focused on how these challenging times impacted the lives of sexual minority men in the cohort that lived through those uncertain times. However, there has been a lack of attention paid to how these crisis times may have had an impact on sexual minority men more broadly as a multi-cohort community, especially in regard to their culture and long-term health. The potential for this broader community impact is especially important given that new theoretical insights have emerged surrounding how cultural traumas, like the HIV/AIDS crisis, might influence health disparities—especially for marginalized groups. A large amount of literature has documented a lasting association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health because SES enables or limits access to resources (like money, knowledge, power, prestige, and beneficial social ties) that help individuals access medical innovations. Other social factors like racism and stigma have been shown to limit access to these health protection and advancement resources as well. Still, a dearth of literature has explored how such health disparities could be driven by cultural trauma specifically. Therefore, that is the task of this dissertation. Utilizing interviews from the Generations Study and the Columbus PrEP Perception Study, I investigate how the HIV/AIDS crisis is a cultural trauma for sexual minority men and its implications for their HIV prevention practices. Chapter 1 introduces literature on the HIV/AIDS (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2023, History

This thesis explores the complex and politically significant history of America's Religious Right. From the 1940s to the end of the 20th century, the Religious Right built upon public fear and unease, shaping their social and political positions for political, not theological, impact. As a political group, the Religious Right necessarily included a more social perspective to their political actions with the notion that certain elements of American society were morally dangerous and looking to the government to correct these flaws. By personalizing politics and emphasizing divisive wedge issues, they built a network of dedicated supporters who propelled their rise to power. This approach revitalized economic principles and introduced new wedge issues to direct public debate to follow the path they chose. The underpinnings of the Religious Right began to emerge in the 1940s and 1950s as World War II dramatically changed the character of life in the United States. Televangelists began to become major household names with reach and sway as economic and technologic effects of the war created a new market of television viewers. At the same time, the Civil Rights Movement started to threaten the stability of the racial hierarchies that the social order was based upon to a large extent. All the while, communism loomed as a dark specter over the nation. By the late 1980s and 1990s, the Religious Right had firmly entrenched itself as a political and social landscape of the United States. This achievement was the result of calculated political maneuvering over multiple generations, utilizing personal matters to unite a passionate and determined political base. Notably, the Religious Right's causes were manifestations of the public fears of their time. The dangerous element invoked by these fears evolved from communism to civil rights activists to LGBTQ+ individuals who bucked the roles society established for them. For the Religious Right, the theological backing for their cau (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Veterinary Biosciences

Antibody-based T-cell targeting immunotherapies, such as Immunotoxins (ITs) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), have demonstrated effectiveness in specifically depleting targeted T cells. These reagents have substantial benefits as precision medicines for T-cell lymphoma, organ transplant, autoimmune disease, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and are currently being evaluated as a preconditioning reagent for cell therapy. CD3e-ITs, composed of a T-cell-binding peptide (e.g., CD3e antibodies) conjugated with toxins, have been developed to ablate a broad T-cell population. Recombinant human CD3e-IT, Resimmune, has demonstrated significant therapeutic benefit in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) with reduced toxicity. However, despite these promising results, there are still significant hurdles that need to be addressed for the successful application of CD3e-IT and T-cell targeting reagents in clinics. These hurdles include vascular leakage syndrome (VLS) and treatment resistance, as well as a poor understanding of the pharmacodynamics of CD3e-IT. To address the mechanisms underlying VLS development, we dissected and compared different portions of immunotoxins for VLS development and demonstrated that toxin molecules, not the T-cell binding portion, are the main driver of vascular leakage. Next, to understand the T-cell depletion efficacy of immunotoxins, we analyzed T-cell depletion in eleven different organs, including peripheral blood, spleen, five different locations of LNs (mesenteric, inguinal, mandibular, mediastinal, and lumbar LNs), Peyer's patches, bone marrow, thymus, and lung. We found that the treatment efficacy of CD3e-IT largely depends on the amount and quality of CD3e on the cell surface. CD3e surface expression is variable by different T subpopulations, and even the same subpopulations showed variable expression levels of CD3e depending on the organs in which the cells reside. In particular, the depletion rates of CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1961, Communication Studies