Bladder dysfunction and pathophysiology often stem from compromised bladder function, leading to lower urinary tract symptoms such as overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis (IC). These debilitating conditions significantly impair quality of life and disproportionately affect older adults. While pharmacological treatments exist, they often provide only symptomatic relief, exhibit limited long-term efficacy, and have high discontinuation rates due to adverse side effects. Current clinical approaches fail to address the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, highlighting a critical gap in our mechanistic understanding of bladder function, particularly in aging. This dissertation aims to bridge these gaps by developing a novel methodology for concurrent functional assessment of bladder urodynamics and pelvic sensitivity in aged mice, followed by an investigation into the peripheral neural encoding of bladder function. By establishing a novel anesthesia protocol in both mature and aged mice with continuous urethane infusion (0.15–0.23 g/kg/hr), I established a robust and repeatable approach for evaluating bladder urodynamics via cystometric recordings and pelvic sensitivity to urinary bladder distension (UBD) via electromyographic (EMG) recordings of visceromotor responses (VMR). This methodological advancement enables a more comprehensive assessment compared to existing approaches by simultaneously evaluating urodynamics and bladder-related pelvic pain. Applying this in vivo, I systematically examined the effects of intravesical pharmacological infusions on bladder function in both mature and aged mice. The findings revealed that aged bladders exhibit hyposensitivity to distension but can develop pelvic hypersensitivity following urothelial irritant exposure. Additionally, I investigated the neuromodulatory effects of pharmacological compounds targeting hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) cation channels by performing single-fiber recordings from bladder afferent axons with direct detrusor smooth muscle drug applications. By systematically characterizing bladder urodynamics, pelvic sensitivity, and afferent neural encoding, this dissertation advances our understanding of aging-related bladder dysfunctions. Furthermore, it establishes a novel and powerful research platform for future mechanistic studies of bladder pathophysiology in aging.

This dissertation defense will center the efforts of Indigenous chefs, educators, activists, and restaurant industry employees working to revitalize food systems in their own ways. It also discusses the challenges of trying to decolonize "businesses" that still must work within colonial and capitalist systems.

Pre-Analytic Specimen Error Reduction Through Standardized Specimen Management Nursing Practice in the Interventional Radiology Setting

Title: On higher regulators of Picard modular surfaces Doctoral Field of Study: Mathematics

A State of Unrest: Tracing Metabolic Instability Through Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon Isotopes. This dissertation out of the Anthropology Department uses stable isotopes to investigate three distinct cases of altered or extreme metabolism: 1) Antler growth in Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica), 2) Chronic immune responses in the bone, teeth, and visceral tissue of wood smoke–exposed rats, and 3) Malignant tissue growth in an otherwise healthy animal.

Assessing and Mitigating Structural Inequalities in Natural Hazard-Induced Power Outages Field of Study: Civil Engineering Area of Concentration: Transportation and Urban Engineering This dissertation advances hazard risk reduction by addressing the unequal impacts of severe weather-induced power outages on communities and infrastructure. It employs innovative analytical frameworks and agent-based modeling to examine spatial disparities, socioeconomic inequalities, and the mitigating role of electric vehicles in residential power disruptions. The findings offer actionable insights for developing resilient, equitable, and sustainable energy and transportation systems.