Functional Profiling and Classification of Genetic Variants

The study of genetic variants in human DNA is sufficiently important in assisting researchers to discover the genetic contributions to many human diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, Alzheimer disease, and diabetes. A genetic variant, or variant, is a change in the DNA sequence that may have some negative and harmful outcomes. The single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP, is the most popular type of variant and caused by a change in one nucleotide base in mostly the protein-coding region of the DNA sequence. The main goal of this thesis is to study, analyze and classify human genetic variants based on their pathogenicity. In this task, the functional profiles of genetic variants are constructed and used in the methodology to determine whether a genetic variant is pathogenic, causing disease, or benign using biological process functional profiling from the Gene Ontology. The presented method in this thesis was trained on a set of 2,000 variants and tested with ten-fold cross-validation. The evaluation and experiment results show that this method is effective and suggest that predicting the pathogenicity from the Gene Ontology is significant. The scoring accuracy of our method is as high as 90.1 % by using 10-folds cross validation

Biopsychology: Stress

Open Educational ResourceThe neurobiology of the stress response involves the coordinated action of key brain regions, the autonomic nervous system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to regulate physiological and behavioral reactions to stressors. While acute stress can be adaptive, chronic stress can lead to neural and systemic dysfunction, highlighting the importance of understanding individual differences in stress responses and strategies for resilience. CC BY NC S

ArcGIS Canvas Modules for UHCL

These modules introduce basic concepts in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the ArcGIS mapping platform. Academic course modules illustrate how GIS can be applied across disciplines

Biopsychology: Emotions

Open Educational ResourceThis OER is a chapter on Emotions as part of the course Brain and Behavior. This resource provides a general overview of the neural correlates of affect and emotion. The chapter provides a general overview of emotion and affect and then goes onto discuss the primary implicated brain regions and networks involved affective processing. Moreover, the chapter discusses various theories and perspectives related to emotional processing, as well as providing an overview emotion as it relates to social psychology, developmental psychology, and emerging areas of research in the field. CC BY NC S

Biopsychology: Psychological Disorders

Open Educational ResourceThis OER is a chapter on Psychological Disorders as part of the course Brain and Behavior. This resource provides a general overview of neurological and psychiatric disorders including diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and advances in the field. The chapter focuses on the biological underpinnings of various neurological and psychiatric disorders. CC BY NC S

Perceptions Matter: Factors Contributing to Successful Stem Education in a Title I School District

The purpose of this research study was to examine the perceptions of STEM teachers on the factors contributing to successful STEM education in a Title I school district. A sample of educators who earned their degree in STEM fields and teach STEM related coursework in their district were interviewed and observed. The educators were interviewed to provide a more in-depth understanding of teachers’ perceptions regarding effective implementation of STEM education, teachers’ perceptions regarding key components influencing effective implementation of a STEM education program, and how teachers’ perceptions affect equity in STEM education. Teachers’ perceptions regarding effective implementation of STEM education in a Title I school district are affected by early implementation of STEM education, knowledge of the Engineering Design Process (EDP), STEM integration through application, and STEM program support staff. The EDP was a common theme which emerged from the teachers’ perceptions concerning the implementation of STEM. All participants perceived self-monitoring and reflections as key components for implementing STEM education. This study revealed an equitable learning environment is key for equity in STEM education. Finally, most participants agreed access to resources promotes equity in the STEM program environment and access to resources needed within STEM education levels the playing field in STEM

Biopsychology: Introduction to Course

Open Educational ResourceThis course, focused on biopsychology, will explore the fundamental premise that all affect (emotions), behaviors, and cognitions (thoughts) (also known as the ABCs) have underlying physiological correlates within the brain. CC-BY-NC-S

Biopsychology: Learning and Memory

Open Educational ResourceIn this chapter, we will explore various types of learning, the different memory systems, and the neural mechanisms that support these processes. We'll also look into how memories are consolidated and how temporal distinctions in memory—such as the difference between short-term and long-term memory—play out in the brain. Key principles such as Hebb’s rule and neural plasticity (long-term potentiation and long-term depression) will be discussed in depth. Additionally, we will examine conditions such as amnesia, Korsakoff’s syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease that demonstrate what happens when these systems break down. CC-BY-NC-S

The Influence of a Corequisite Model on Course Completion, Course Success, and Mathematics Self-Efficacy in a Stem Pathway College Algebra Course

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the influence of a corequisite model on mathematics self-efficacy, course completion, and course success in a STEM pathway College Algebra course. Data were collected from 70 student participants at a large suburban community college in southeast Texas using the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) and final course grades. Independent t-tests were used to determine if the corequisite model influenced students’ mathematic self-efficacy, while paired t-tests were used to examine mathematics self-efficacy levels between pre- and post-survey data. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine if statistically significant relationships existed between the curriculum model and course completion and course success. Data analyses were conducted for synchronous and face-to-face modalities. Findings indicated curriculum model did not influence mathematics self-efficacy in neither the synchronous nor the face-to-face modalities. However, findings indicated a statistically significant mean difference in mathematics self-efficacy from pre- and post-survey data in the corequisite model taught using a face-to-face modality. Results of the Fisher’s exact test did not indicate a statistically significant relationship between curriculum model and completion rates for students receiving synchronous instruction. However, results of Fisher’s exact test did indicate a statistically significant relationship existed between curriculum model and course success rates for the synchronous modality, but not the face-to-face modality

Biopsychology: History and Research Methods

Open Educational ResourceThe history of biopsychology is a journey through various philosophical and scientific ideas that have shaped our understanding of the mind-brain relationship. This section examines the evolution of thought from early philosophical perspectives to modern scientific approaches. CC-BY-NC-S