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Understanding Roma Oppression In Europe Through Humantarian Forensic Analysis, Christal L. Quinn

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

This thesis examines the marginalization of Roma people in Europe, and how humanitarian forensic practices may help Roma communities in their quest for justice and recognition. The study draws exclusively on secondary information to examine the social, political, and legal issues affecting the Roma communities, who have endured centuries of institutional discrimination, marginalization, and violence. This thesis identifies ways in which systematic oppression continues to limit Roma communities’ access to education, housing, healthcare, and legal protection through a review of relevant literature and applicable theoretical frameworks. The study also examines the relevance of forensic science, particularly its humanitarian applications, in …

2nd Place Research Paper: Shaping The Ape: Storytelling, Cultural Reflection, And Boundary Negotiation In Human-Ape Zoo Encounters, Abigail Bond Halling

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The typical Western zoo functions as a unique environment in which animals are frequently positioned as subjects of education and entertainment through the medium of storytelling. In this sense, the zoological institution can also be read as an extension of popular Western constructions surrounding nonhuman animals, particularly those who are symbolically charged characters in our collective imaginary– the great apes. Given the morphological, behavioral, and psychological similarities between humans and other great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans), nonhuman great ape enclosures at the Western zoo become spaces where humans are most radically confronted with navigating the boundaries of the “human-animal …

Searching Harder For The Darter: Evaluating Endangered Yellowcheek Darter (Nothonotus Moorei) Status And Drought Responses, Kearstin Findley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater ecosystems are one of the most imperiled habitats across the world with biodiversity declining rapidly. There are many stressors contributing to freshwater species declines including habitat loss and degradation, land-use changes, anthropogenic water demands, changes in precipitation and weather extremes, and pollution. Current environmental projections predict that these stressors will continue to impact freshwater ecosystems to greater extents moving forward. Stream drying from drought conditions increasing in intensity and frequency is especially concerning in northern Arkansas where seasonal drought is typical in the summer and fall months. With increased drying conditions, the elimination of shallow-water riffle habitats in streams …

Mechanisms Of Bacterial Glucokinase Inactivation Through Site-Specific Lysine Modification And Chemical Inhibition, Joseph Robert Will Andrews

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Glycolysis and related metabolic pathways are controlled by various post-translational modifications (PTMs) that affect enzyme activity and metabolic flow. In E. coli, glucokinase (GLK) sits at the crossroads of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway and carries out the first committed step of glycolysis: ATP-dependent phosphorylation of glucose. While it's known that glucose binding causes GLK to close its domains, how phosphate binding, lysine modification, and small-molecule inhibitors regulate GLK's shape and function is still not fully understood. Here, I combine structural biochemistry and enzymology to figure out how phosphate binding, specific mutations, and chemical inhibitors affect E. coli GLK. …

Diacylglycerol Kinase Eta As A Novel Target In Nras Mutant Melanoma, Haley P. Wilson, Casey D. Stefanski, Signe Caksa, Glenn L. Mersky, Scott D. Varney, Jelan I. Haj, Dan A. Erkes, Timothy J. Purwin, Vivian Chua, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

NRAS mutations occur in 10%-30% of cutaneous melanomas and are associated with high tumor mutational burden. Mutant NRAS signaling drives aberrant cell growth and proliferation, in part, through activation of the RAF-MEK-ERK1/2 kinase pathway; however, targeted therapies to this pathway have limited effectiveness in patients with NRAS mutant melanoma. The role of other targetable signaling pathways in NRAS mutant melanoma is poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrated that one isoform of diacylglycerol kinase, diacylglycerol kinase eta (DGKη), a lipid signaling regulator, was highly expressed in NRAS mutant melanoma patient samples. Knockdown of DGKH in NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines resulted in …

Unravelling Taxonomic Complexity In Elusive Cetaceans: Mitogenome Insights Into Evolutionary History And Cryptic Diversity Of Bryde's Whales, Dominique Paynee, Paulette Bloomer, Gwenith Penry, Simon Elwen, Ada Natoli, Vaisakh Dhanalakshmy, Thyago Cardoso, Els Vermeulen

All Works

Cetaceans, despite their ability to cross wide distances, enabling mostly high levels of gene flow, can develop unique genetic lineages driven by variations in life-history traits, diverse migratory routes and local adaptation, complicating taxonomy and delineation of conservation units. Comprehensive genetic data are essential to overcome the challenges of obtaining suitable sample sizes from wild cetaceans while untangling cryptic species diversity. The Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) has a complicated discovery and taxonomic history that hinders accurate conservation assessments. In southern Africa, two populations are recognised: the inshore (SAi) and the offshore southeast Atlantic population (SEA). This study examines their phylogenetic …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Pfas Induced Protein Dysfunction: Implications For Neurodegenerative Risk, Daisy Lee Wilson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with widespread human exposure and well-established links to adverse health outcomes. However, despite increasing epidemiological and experimental evidence, the molecular mechanisms underlying PFAS-induced neurotoxicity remain incompletely defined. This dissertation investigates PFAS toxicity across biological scales, integrating protein biophysics with neuronal cell models to elucidate pathways relevant to neurodegeneration. At the molecular level, we demonstrate that PFAS disrupts the structure and function of globular proteins, including the impairment of α-lactalbumin's calcium-binding capacity and of β-lactoglobulin's retinol binding, through concentration-dependent conformational destabilization. By applying these findings to a neuronal model, we show that …

Design And Optimization Of Peptide Inhibitors Targeting Kinesin: Molecular Modeling Studies And Virtual Screening For Therapeutic Candidate Development, Maraf Mbah Bake

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Kinesins are ATP-driven molecular motors essential for intracellular transport and mitotic spindle assembly, and their mechanochemical behavior has been extensively characterized through computational tools. The first project reviews decades of advances in molecular dynamic simulations, including all-atom and coarse-grained molecular dynamics, Markov state models, Brownian dynamics, and free-energy approaches, which have collectively deepened our understanding of conformational transitions, microtubule-binding interfaces, and ligand interactions, especially for the mitotic motor Eg5. The second review examines the rapid emergence of quantum computing as a transformative technology for drug discovery, highlighting key historical milestones, recent progress in hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, quantum-enhanced docking, and quantum …

Determining Zap-70 Signaling Pathways Mediated By Ccr7 In Tcr T Cell Activation, Vivian Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Activation of T lymphocytes is the main event that occurs in the adaptive immune response after engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR) with the peptide of the major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules that are demonstrated by antigen presenting cells [1]. A key step in this process is the recruitment and activation of the zeta chain associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70). ZAP-70 couples TCR engagement to downstream intracellular signaling pathways through phosphorylation of tyrosine residues within intracellular tyrosine activation motifs (ITAMs) [2]. Although there have been extensive studies on the signaling response through TCR activation, the regulatory influence of …

From Soils To Plants And Back Again: The Effects Of Small Mammals On Arctic Ecosystem Processes, Andrew Uccello

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Herbivores are essential drivers of above and belowground processes in ecosystems across the globe. Through their effects on ecosystem processes, herbivores represent a critical force shaping ecosystems undergoing rapid environmental changes, such as the Arctic. However, there are critical gaps in our knowledge of herbivores as drivers of Arctic ecosystem processes, especially concerning the role of small mammal herbivores. While previous research has made significant strides in identifying the role of small mammal herbivores as both top down and bottom up forces in Arctic ecosystems, we still lack an understanding that explicitly connects plant and soil responses to herbivory, especially …

Optimized Ultrasound Imaging Of Phase-Change Nanodroplets, Charles R Dyall, Dmitry Nevozhay, Andy Liu, Trevor M Mitcham, George J Lu, Konstantin V Sokolov, Richard R Bouchard

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Phase-change nanodroplets (PCNDs) continue to generate significant research interest due to their potential to extravasate into tissue, to be targeted for molecular imaging and drug delivery, and to undergo an induced phase-change to "activated" microbubbles (MBs) for ultrasound (US) imaging. To accurately quantify molecular markers, however, one assumes a consistent proportion of PCNDs in a region of interest (ROI) are stably activated and imaged. Herein we present a framework for developing a diagnostic sequence that is optimized for PCND activation uniformity, contrast, and acquisition time. To develop this framework, activation was examined at three scales of increasing complexity: single, adjacent, …

Food Fortification Strategies To Address Micronutrient Deficiencies In Cambodia: A Scoping Review Of Policy Implementation, Industry Capacity, And Public Health Outcomes, Sokha Yem, Sreypeov Tun, Sokunthea Kem

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies remain a major public health challenge in Cambodia, with iron deficiency anaemia, iodine deficiency disorders, zinc deficiency, and vitamin A deficiency disproportionately affecting women of reproductive age and children under five. Food fortification—the deliberate addition of essential micronutrients to commonly consumed foods—has been widely recognised as a cost-effective population-level intervention to address nutritional gaps. Objective: To systematically map and synthesise existing evidence on food fortification strategies in Cambodia, focusing on policy implementation, industry production capacity and compliance, regulatory enforcement, and public health outcomes. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework and …

Target-Site Resistance To Glyphosate In Eleusine Indica Biotypes From South Sulawesi And Lampung, Indonesia, Ahmad Nur Lazuardi, Denny Kurniadie, Uum Umiyati, Ryan Widianto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide that has been widely used to control weeds by local corn farmers in South Sulawesi and Lampung Provinces of Indonesia. However, some corn farmers in these two regions were considered that glyphosate herbicide at the standard field dose no longer effective against goosegrass (Eleusine indica). To confirms the level of its resistance to glyphosate, seeds of E. indica suspected to be glyphosate-resistant were collected from corn fields in Soppeng Regency-South Sulawesi and South Lampung Regency-Lampung (designated as GR-1 and GR-2 respectively), along with a known susceptible biotype from Sumedang Regency-West Java (GS) as a …

Integrating Nutrition Education To Improve The Effectiveness And Sustainability Of Makan Bergizi Gratis Programs, Akifa Laila Rusyda, Dewi Firda Sari, Ida Fransiska Pandiangan, Putri Mulifajar Gintings

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

The Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program represents Indonesia's strategic effort to strengthen human capital by addressing malnutrition among school-aged. However, evidence suggests that school feeding alone is insufficient without structured nutrition education to promote sustained behavioral change. The present study examines opportunities and feasibility for embedding nutrition education within MBG implementation. Two-stage design was performed, including curriculum content reviews and qualitative case study design. A systematic curriculum content analysis was conducted across the school-based curriculum (KTSP) (2006), K-13 curriculum (2013 – 2017), and the Merdeka curriculum (2022 - present), using predefined nutrition competencies and behavioral domains as analytical frameworks. Purposive …

Mapping Mgmt Methylation Sites That May Predict Chemotherapy Success In Glioblastoma, Kennedy Bueno

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults, with a median survival of 15 months post-diagnosis. Resistance to standard temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy is common and is strongly influenced by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA repair enzyme that reverses TMZ induced DNA damage. Reduced MGMT expression is associated with greater TMZ sensitivity and improved survival. Although MGMT promoter cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) methylation is linked to treatment response, the individual CpG sites responsible for MGMT silencing remain unclear. This research aims to identify which sites are necessary to suppress MGMT expression and increase TMZ sensitivity. This project will map …

Creating A Unique Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier, Clayton Fuller

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

The purpose of this thesis is to explain the current state of alternative oxygen carriers and propose a new hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) as a blood substitute/ blood therapeutic. Blood donation has drawbacks: risk of spread of infection, short storage time, and blood typing, and the current shortage. There are several possible modifications for hemoglobin to create a carrier (HBOC) which address specific issues related to allowing free hemoglobin to exist extra cellularly. One issue to address is vasoconstriction caused by nitric oxide scavenging, which has been solved by increasing the molecular weight of the HBOC via (co)polymerization, or by …

Exploring Gender As An Analytical Framework In The 2018-2019 Revolution And Ongoing Civil War: The Role Of Gendered Violence And Sudanese Women's Resistance, Ami John

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper will interrogate the intersection of gender, war, and political upheaval within Sudan while focusing on the role of women in both the 2019 resistance and the ongoing conflict and revolution. By the end of 2018, mass protests had called for the ousting of Omar al-Bashir, the long-standing Sudanese president. This event set off a chain reaction which led to events that fueled the long-standing rivalry between the two militant groups that were active in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The tension caused by this rivalry created unforeseen circumstances for the local …

Mapping The Void In Electric Vehicle (Ev) Adoption Research: Uncovering Lack Of Socio-Economic Study In The Global South, Satvik Pandey, Rahul Tiwari, Rajat Soni

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are considered an effective contemporary alternative to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. Research in the domain of EV is being conducted globally across a variety of fields; among them, our study explored research on consumer adoption. Going through the bibliometric analysis of the data taken from the Scopus database, what came to our attention is the minimal amount of work that is done on understanding consumers of EVs. From the literature, we found that consumer preferences are shaped through the influence of several parameters related to EVs, and this influence varies according to the consumer’s socio-economic and …

Evaluating Inner-Tainment With A Ghetto Perspective For Positive Thought Adjustment In Ghetto Communities, Shontae L. Graham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Environmental challenges and disadvantages impact cognitive scripts and develop persistent frustration. Frustration is both mental and physical and can be negative or positive. It evokes emotion, which is prompted by memory and its associated level of importance. The integration of emotion, memory, and imagination can set the stage and create an act to transition negative frustration and align past experiences with new perspectives. This study used a qualitative Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis approach to investigate the use of self-scripted enactment as a self-help technique for positive thought adjustment. The technique is called Inner-tainment and was used to determine if there were …

Soft Systems For Community-Based Hcv Management In Indonesian Oil Palm Plantations, Neny Indriyana, Suyud Warno Utomo, Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, Linda Darmajanti

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Certification mandates under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) have made measurable strides in promoting sustainability standards, yet governance challenges in High Conservation Value (HCV) 4, 5, and 6 management remain insufficiently addressed within Indonesian plantation contexts.  Drawing on adaptive governance theory and the social-ecological systems framework, this study argues that such gaps are structurally linked to the marginalisation of community agency within corporate-dominated decision-making. This study proposes and empirically evaluates an integrated governance framework that positions community engagement as a functional contributor to conservation outcomes within plantation landscapes of West Kalimantan, under …

Isolation, Identification And Antibiotic-Resistance Profiling Of Bacteria Isolated From Mobile Phone Surfaces In Karbala., Kawkab Abdullah Alsaadi, Zahraa Raheem Murshidy, Dhuha Ali Hussein, Sura Abd Ali Kadhim, Kawakib Aboudi Hanoon

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Due to the diverse environments that mobile phones are exposed to via human handling they become reservoirs of microorganisms. The objective of the current study was to determine the level and character of bacterial contamination on mobile phones by identifying bacterial strains, and the degree of antimicrobial susceptibility. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to July 2025 where phones belonging to 115 individuals were randomly chosen from various departments and units at Kerbala University and swabbed. The VITEK 2 automated system was used to identify bacterial taxa and test for antimicrobial susceptibility, and 50 of the swabs exhibited bacterial …

Autoantibody Reactivity In Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Characterizing Keratinocyte And Apocrine Gland Targets Across Disease Progression And Anti-Tnf-Α Treatment, Talla Hamouche

Student Theses and Dissertations

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with impaired quality of life, representing one of the highest burdens among dermatological conditions. This debilitating disorder primarily affects apocrine-gland-bearing and flexural skin areas, most commonly the axillae, breast, buttocks, and groin. As lesions recur and new sites emerge, surgical excision does not guarantee prevention of disease reestablishment. Despite its substantial burden, HS remains among the least understood and most treatment-resistant inflammatory diseases. The mechanisms underlying this chronicity and the frequent failure of conventional anti-inflammatory therapies remain unresolved. An underappreciated autoimmune dimension may contribute to HS pathogenesis: the clonal …

Beyond Attachment: Endolysosomal Determinants Of New World Arenavirus Entry And Fusion, Cassandra E. Thompson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Arenaviruses are enveloped, negative-sense RNA viruses maintained in rodent reservoirs and transmitted to humans through exposure to aerosolized rodent excreta, where they can cause severe and sometimes fatal disease. The geographic distribution of arenaviruses reflects the range of their rodent reservoirs, resulting in the classification into Old World and New World groups, with New World arenaviruses further subdivided into clades A–D. Viral entry is the first step of infection and a major determinant of host range, tissue tropism, and zoonotic potential. Further, viral entry is a tightly regulated, multistep process that couple’s receptor engagement with intracellular trafficking and pH-dependent membrane …

2026 - The Thirtieth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the 30th Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 22-24, 2026. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

From Disease To Pregnancy: Rethinking Cardiac Remodeling Through Fibroblast, Immune Cell, And Hormonal Interactions, Emily B. Ruggiero, Wayne Carver, Daping Fan, Edoe C. Goldsmith, Holly A. Lavoie

Cell Biology and Anatomy Faculty Publications

Cardiac fibrosis is a central determinant of heart failure progression and arises from pathological remodeling characterized by fibroblast activation, myofibroblast differentiation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. In contrast, physiological remodeling permits adaptive cardiac growth without net fibrosis. Pregnancy represents an underexplored physiological model of reversible cardiac remodeling. In response to hemodynamic load, the maternal heart undergoes hypertrophic growth that resolves postpartum, constituting a natural paradigm of fibrosis-resistant cardiac adaptation. Pregnancy and lactation are accompanied by profound endocrine and immune reprogramming of maternal tissues. We propose that this hormonal milieu orchestrates coordinated crosstalk among endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cell populations …

The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans., Ethan E. Schuff

Honors College Theses

Debilitating neurodegenerative conditions are increasingly prevalent in our aging population, yet treatment options remain limited. Though neurodegenerative diseases vary in pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, these diseases are related to one another in that many involve misfolded proteins. Tau is a member of the microtubule-stabilizing MAPT/MAP2/MAP4 family, and misfolded tau proteins form the neurotoxic aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Designing a study to elucidate the neurotoxic role of tau is difficult because other MAPs may have compensatory mechanisms which confound study data. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) …

From Bench To Bedside: Unraveling The Role Of Sarm1 In Chronic Human Neurodegenerative Disease, Caitlin Dingwall

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Axon degeneration (AxD) is an early and often causative event in many neurodegenerative diseases, yet no treatments exist to halt the breakdown of axons. In healthy axons, the axon survival factor NMNAT2 inhibits SARM1, the central executioner of programmed axon degeneration. NMNAT2 is a highly labile protein produced in the soma and trafficked into the axon. Nerve injury blocks axonal transport and leads to rapid depletion of axonal NMNAT2, causing NMN buildup and NAD+ loss. Recent breakthroughs led to the discovery that SARM1 is activated by an increase in the NMN to NAD+ ratio. While the SARM1 axon degeneration pathway …

High Performance Ae-Cnn Model Enhanced Via Gaussian Augmentation For Rssi-Dependent Indoor Positioning In Wireless Sensor Networks, Kahlaa K. Al-Nassrawy, Ghaidaa A Al-Sultany

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Precise indoor positioning system remains a significant challenge within Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to the instability and noise sensitivity of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data. This paper proposes an advanced hybrid deep learning framework designed for 2D indoor localization, utilizing RSSI measurements to predict human or object position. Furthermore, to enhance the robustness of the model against signal variance and promote its generalization capability under this uncertainty, a data augmentation strategy is applied using three methods: Gaussian Noise Injection (GNI), Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), and Bayesian Gaussian Mixture Model (BGMM). The purpose of data augmentation is to simulate …

Effects Of Spatially Targeted Fertilizer Strategies On Canopy Growth Across Contrasting Tart Cherry Orchard Sites, Kurt Wedegaertner, Brent Black, Matt Yost, Grant Cardon

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Variable-rate fertilization is increasingly promoted in perennial orchard systems, but its effectiveness remains difficult to predict because tree responses are often inconsistent and strongly conditioned by site-specific constraints. To address this, we evaluated soil-based and vigor-based zoning frameworks across four commercial tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) orchards representing contrasting soil conditions, canopy structures, and management histories. Within each orchard, management zones were defined using either soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) or satellite-derived canopy vigor. Fertilization strategies were implemented by varying fertilizer application timing among zones using split-application approaches while maintaining a constant total fertilizer rate. Tree-level canopy structure was …

The Effects Of Oleuropein In Olive Leaf Extract Alone Or Combined With Calcitriol On The Viability And Migration Of Human Endometrial Cells In Vitro, Katelyn Devereaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide and is commonly associated with pelvic pain, infertility, and reduced quality of life. Current management strategies, including hormonal therapies and surgical intervention, often provide only temporary relief and are associated with recurrence and adverse effects. These limitations highlight the need for alternative, non-hormonal therapeutic approaches that target underlying inflammatory and cellular mechanisms of disease progression.

This study evaluated the effects of oleuropein, contained within an olive leaf extract, and calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, on cellular viability and migration in immortalized human endometriotic epithelial (12Z) …