Gender differences, also called gender bias, are known to influence research findings in multiple fields. Given that only a limited amount of information is available on gender differences in symptoms in oncology patients, the purposes of this study, in a sample of outpatients receiving chemotherapy (CTX, n = 926), were to evaluate for gender differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as in occurrence rates for and severity ratings of fatigue, energy, and sleep disturbance. Patients completed self-report instruments and medical records were reviewed for disease and treatment information. Across these three common symptoms, female patients had higher occurrence rates for clinically meaningful levels of fatigue and sleep disturbance, as well as decrements in morning energy. In addition, females reported higher severity scores for morning and evening fatigue, sleep disturbance, and decrements in evening energy. Both genders had significant problems with sleep maintenance. All three symptoms were common in both genders. The three symptoms appear to be distinct, yet related and should be assessed on an ongoing basis during CTX.

Plastics have become ubiquitous in the world’s oceans, and recent work indicates that they can transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere in sea spray aerosol (SSA). SSA is the largest contributor to annual aerosol mass load and is a significant source of plastic to the atmosphere. Plastic additives, including bisphenol-A (BPA), represent a sizable fraction of consumer plastics and have been measured consistently in air over both terrestrial and marine environments. However, the chemical lifetimes of BPA and mechanisms by which it degrades with respect to photochemical and heterogeneous oxidation processes in aerosols are unknown. The work in this dissertation utilized an extractive electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (EESI-TOF) to monitor changes in aerosol composition with high time resolution. In Chapter 3, the photosensitized and OH- initiated heterogeneous oxidation kinetics of BPA in the aerosol phase consisting of pure-component BPA and internal mixtures of BPA, NaCl, and dissolved photosensitizing organic matter are presented. OH-initiated degradation is enhanced in the presence of chloride, likely due to the enhanced mobility of BPA in the more liquid-like particle due to the hygroscopicity of NaCl increasing the liquid water content within the aerosol. In contrast, photosensitized reactions were limited in the presence of chloride, which was attributed to quenching of triplet state formation by dissolved Cl− in the less viscous aqueous aerosol mixtures. In Chapter 4, the composition changes in SSA during a phytoplankton bloom are determined, including the temporal variability and trends dependent on specific biological processes occurring in seawater. Through this study, it was also established that EESI-TOF sensitivity is critically dependent on the sample's relative humidity after adjusting for pressure variations at the inlet and normalization to the reagent ion. In Chapter 5, the photosensitized degradation of BPA at high and low pH is investigated. At pH 3 and pH 11, the photosensitized degradation of BPA is inhibited, and the potential causes are discussed. This dissertation highlights important heterogeneous and photosensitized reactions which BPA undergoes, as well as the role of particle viscosity. Ultimately, this work contributes to our understanding of the lifetimes of hazardous plastic pollutants in SSA with implications for pollutant transport and exposure risks in coastal marine environments.

Demand is a perceived need to exhaust resources to manage a situation. Although previous models of demand and stress have acknowledged the existence of potential gain in these taxing situations, they have focused primarily on the potential for loss. The present research tests a multivalence extension of the transactional model of stress to address the role of secondary appraisal in positively-valenced demand. Across three experiments, I demonstrate that secondary appraisal moderates the relationship between demand and valence, as well as an important cognitive outcome: problem solving. When secondary appraisal is high, demand increases positive valence and improves problemsolving performance. When secondary appraisal is low, demand increases negative valence and impairs problem-solving performance. These results are consistent with the theoretical structure of eustress and demonstrate the need to further explore positivelyvalenced demand in stress research.