Digital Commons Network^™

Attenuation Of Corneal Myofibroblast Development Through Nanoparticle-Mediated Soluble Transforming Growth Factor-Β Type Ii Receptor (Stgfβrii) Gene Transfer, Ajay Sharma, Jason T. Rodier, Ashish Tandon, Alexander M. Klibanov, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: To explore (i) the potential of polyethylenimine (PEI)-DNA nanoparticles as a vector for delivering genes into human corneal fibroblasts, and (ii) whether the nanoparticle-mediated soluble extracellular domain of the transforming growth factor–β type II receptor (sTGFβRII) gene therapy could be used to reduce myofibroblasts and fibrosis in the cornea using an in vitro model.

Methods: PEI-DNA nanoparticles were prepared at a nitrogen-to-phosphate ratio of 30 by mixing linear PEI and a plasmid encoding sTGFβRII conjugated to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) portion of human immunoglobulin. The PEI-DNA polyplex formation was confirmed through gel retardation assay. Human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs) were …

A Greener Synthesis Of 2-Aminochromenes In Ionic Liquid And Evaluation Of Their Antiproliferative Activities, M. Sudershan Rao, Bhupender S. Chhikara, Rakesh Tiwari, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Keykavous Parang, Anil Kumar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

An improved simple and facile synthesis of chromene derivatives by employing threecomponent one-pot condensation reaction of β-naphthol, aromatic aldehydes, and malononitrile in ionic liquids is described.

Effects Of In Vivo Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury On The Hepatobiliary Disposition Of Rhodamine 123 And Its Metabolites In Isolated Perfused Rat Livers, Ridhi Parasrampuria, Imam H. Shaik, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose. A few studies have shown that normothermic hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury may affect the mRNA and/or protein levels of canalicular transporters P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2). However, the effects of the injury on the functions of these canalicular transporters with respect to the biliary excretion of drugs remain largely unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of warm hepatic IR on the hepatobiliary disposition of rhodamine 123 (RH-123), a P-gp substrate, and its glucuronidated metabolite (RH-Glu), an Mrp2 substrate, in rats.

Methods. Twenty four or 72 h following a …

Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place: The Title Ix Generation, Mathematics, And The State Of Feminist Quantitative Social Science Research, Jill R. Williams

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

In this essay I reflect on the fortieth anniversary of the Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibited discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs in the United States and inspired educational programs that encourage girls to pursue math and science careers. I argue that despite the feminist underpinnings of Title IX, in recent years feminism has discouraged the advancement of women in math and science by excluding quantitative research from its publications, quantitative researchers from women's and gender studies programs, and quantitative training from its curriculum. I examine my own experience of …

Child Health Providers' Precautionary Discussion Of Emotions During Communication About Results Of Newborn Genetic Screening, Michael Farrell, Jodi Speiser, Lindsay Deuster, Stephanie Christopher

College of Professional Studies Faculty Research and Publications

Objective To demonstrate a quantitative abstraction method for Communication Quality Assurance projects to assess physicians' communication about hidden emotions after newborn genetic screening.

Design Communication quality indicator analysis.

Setting Standardized parent encounters performed in practicing physicians' clinics or during educational workshops for residents.

Participants Fifty-nine pediatrics residents, 53 pediatricians, and 31 family physicians.

Intervention Participants were asked to counsel standardized parents about a screening result; counseling was recorded, transcribed, and parsed into statements (each with 1 subject and 1 predicate). Pairs of abstractors independently compared statements with a data dictionary containing explicit-criteria definitions.

Outcome Measures Four groups of "precautionary empathy" …

The Rise And Fall Of Crassostrea Virginica Oyster Reefs: The Role Of Disease And Fishing In Their Demise And A Vignette On Their Management, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Kathryn Ashton-Alcox, Eileen E. Hofmann, Jason Morson

CCPO Publications

We describe a model designed to simulate the shell carbonate budget of an oyster reef.We identify five parameters descriptive of basic characteristics of the shell carbonate budget of a reef that limit simulation accuracy. Two describe the TAZ (taphonomically-active zone) and the distribution of shell carbonate within it. One is the taphonomic rate in the TAZ. Two determine the volume contribution of shell carbonate and the taphonomic loss rate within the reef framework. For Mid-Atlantic estuaries, model simulations suggest that reef accretion only occurs if oyster abundance is near carrying capacity. Simulations further suggest that reef accretion is infeasible for …

Circulation And Behavior Controls On Dispersal Of Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Larvae In Delaware Bay, Diego A. Narvaez, John M. Klinck, Eric N. Powell, Eileen E. Hofmann, John Wilkin, Dale B. Haidvogel

CCPO Publications

The degree of genetic connectivity among populations in a metapopulation has direct consequences for species evolution, development of disease resistance, and capacity of a metapopulation to adapt to climate change. This study used a metapopulation model that integrates population dynamics, dispersal, and genetics within an individual-based model framework to examine the mechanisms and dynamics of genetic connectivity within a metapopulation. The model was parameterized to simulate four populations of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from Delaware Bay on the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. Differences among the four populations include a strong spatial gradient in mortality, a spatial gradient …

In Pursuit Of Consensus: Disagreement And Legitimization During Small Group Argumentation, Leema K. Berland, Victor R. Lee

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In recent years, an emphasis on scientific argumentation in classrooms has brought into focus collaborative consensus-building as an instructional strategy. In these situations, students with differing and competing arguments are asked to work with one another in order to establish a shared perspective. However, the literature suggests that consensus-building can be challenging for students because their interpretations of the argumentative task and context may not enable their productive engagement with counter-arguments and evidence. In this paper, our goal is to explore the ways in which interactions of students support or inhibit their consensus-building. To that end, we examine and describe …

Spectra Characteristics Of Domestic And Wild Mammals, Pat Terletzky, R. Douglas Ramsey, Christopher M. U. Neale

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Few studies have recorded the spectral signatures of domesticated live animals and in particular few have examined wild species. Using in situ radiometry we acquired visual and near infrared spectral signatures of wild elk (Cervus elaphus) and domesticated cattle (Bos taurus) and horses (Equus caballus). Signatures were significantly different among species across all bands with the exception of cattle and horses in the red band. Further research is needed to determine if the shallower slopes in the red-shift region of the animal signatures would allow for distinction from vegetation using various remote sensors. Application …

Aboriginal Title In Canada: Site-Specific Or Territorial?, Kent Mcneil

Articles & Book Chapters

This article describes three different approaches to Aboriginal title in Canada: (1) a common law approach, whereby title is based on physical occupation and defined by the common law; (2) an Indigenous law approach, whereby it is based on and defined by Indigenous law; (3) a territorial approach, whereby it is based on occupation of territory by effective control, manifested in part through the exercise of governmental authority. The author argues that the third approach, “territorial Aboriginal title,” is consistent with the Supreme Court’s 1997 decision in the Delgamuukw case, and supports an inherent right of self-government because it includes …

Fidelity To Community: A Defense Of Community Lawyering, Anthony V. Alfieri

Articles

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Agency In Youth Online And Offline Creative Production In Scratch, Y. B. Kafai, Deborah A. Fields, R. Roque, W. Q. Burke, A. Monroy-Hernandez

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Few studies have focused on how youth develop agency to organize and participate in online unstructured creative collaborations. This paper describes and analyzes how youth programmers organized collaborative groups in response to a programming “Collab Challenge” in the Scratch Online Community and in an accompanying workshop with high school students. The analyses focused on modalities of online collaborations, determined the breadth of online participation, and examined local teens’ awareness of the online community. The discussion addresses youth’s collaborative agency in these new networked contexts, studied the role that online social awareness plays in completing tasks and makes recommendations for the …

Taxidermy Of Thought, Jason Walker

Art Theses

Sculpture is how I bring to life the dark corners of my mind. There have always been images of creatures, geology, and botanical life swirling around my head. Images that often include spires of exoskeleton, creeping tendrils searching for sustenance, or something that moves in an unnatural way. After years of envisioning and automatically sketching out these "things" it is beginning to get a bit crowded in there. It was time to excise this world in my mind and bring it into existence through my hands.
Using many different materials, including plaster, wire, paper mache, epoxy, urethane resins, many different …

Following The Trail Of Ants: An Examination Of The Work Of E.O. Wilson, Samantha Kee

Writing Across the Curriculum

No abstract provided.

Development And Deployment Of A Bioreactor For The Removal Of Sulfate And Manganese From Circumneutral Coal Mine Drainage, C. B. Mastin, J. D. Edwards, Christopher D. Barton, Anastasios D. Karathanasis, Carmen T. Agouridis, Richard C. Warner

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Surface mining, in the form of contour mining and mountain-top removal, is a common means for retrieving coal in the Appalachian Coal Belt region of Kentucky. Overburden or excess spoil generated by these two methods is placed in valley fills. Traditionally Constructed fills have been shown to adversely impact headwater ecosystems via stream burial and through alterations to the hydrology, sediment supply, water quality and biological composition of downstream reaches. Mine drainages emanating from the toe of valley fills often contain elevated levels of total dissolved solids and heavy metals. Drainage chemistry from Guy Cove, a valley fill located in …

An Analysis Of Local Education Foundations As Alternative Revenue Streams For Public School Districts, Douglas M. Busch

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As school district revenues are reduced by state allocating agencies, local school district administrators and school boards frequently evaluate alternative sources of possible revenue. One emerging source of revenue that many school districts explore is a local education foundation. Local education foundations are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are affiliated with their local public school district. This study seeks to understand the problem that local school district leaders face when dealing with the complex issues that shape the success, impact, and viability of local education foundations. This mixed methods study used a cultural and symbolic framework to analyze local education foundations …

The Core Curricula In Music Theory - Developments And Pedagogical Trends, Elizabeth West Marvin

Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy

Elizabeth West Marvin provides an extensive and fascinating report on the panel discussion that took place at last year's annual meeting of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). This article provides an overview of crucial topics that impact every teacher of music theory, including: "What is the function of the core curriculum in music theory?" and "What fundamental core knowledge should all undergraduate musicians acquire?" Using data amassed from a questionnaire mailed to SMT members, Marvin explores the latest trends, including a sea-change in textbook philosophies, the need for more-concentrated emphasis on analysis and repertoire, curricular integration, technology, …

Jmtp - Online Website Reviews, Jmtp-Online Editorial Board

Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Transgenderless, Stevie V. Tran, Elizabeth M. Glazer

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

Legal protection from discrimination on the basis of gender identity has been reserved for perfect gender-nonconformists. These are plaintiffs such as Jimmie smith and Phelicia Barnes, who were able to state actionable claims under Title VII's prohibition against employment discrimination on the basis of sex because they were perfectly gender-nonconforming men─that is, individuals who behave like women but are "really" (according to the courts that decided their cases) men. Relying on the Supreme Court's decision in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins─which expanded the scope of Title VII's prohibition against sex discrimination to cases in which plaintiffs experienced discrimination for failing …

Student Interpreters Show Encoding And Recall Differences For Information In English And American Sign Language, Jesse R. James, Kara I. Gabriel

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

This study investigated whether student interpreters encode and recall words differently in signed and spoken languages. Participants viewed and then recalled word lists, half of which were related through specific encoding strategies (i.e., experimental lists), and half of which lacked the availability of those strategies (i.e., control lists). Total words recalled and the temporal recall order were compared across experimental and control lists. Student interpreters utilised different strategies to remember words in English and American Sign Language (ASL), suggesting that student interpreters do not default to first-language (English) spoken strategies when encoding second-language (ASL) signed lists. However, the total number …

Investigating The Potential Existence Of Endophytic Bacteria In Early Stage Maize Kernels, Matthew Anderson

Theses & ETDs

Endophytic bacteria reside inside of a host plant for part of or all of their life cycle without causing any apparent symptoms of disease. Most endophytes have a symbiotic relationship with their host, offering benefits such as increased nutrient uptake, stimulated phytohormone production, or improved resistance to pathogens and toxins. Endophytic bacteria have been well studied in various tissues of many different crops, but their potential presence has not been investigated in maize kernels at early developmental stages. The aims of this thesis research were to investigate the potential existence of endophytic bacterial communities in Zea mays L. (maize) kernels …

Sustainable Auto-Mobility The Case Of The Bicycle, Devin K. Frechette

Theses & ETDs

This thesis seeks to contribute to sustainable transport research and policy through an exploration of the bicycle as sustainable auto-mobility. To contribute to the promotion of bicycling as sustainable transport, the thesis explores the connection between gender and perceptions of bicycle safety in a stated-preference survey of regular bicyclists in Sarasota, FL. Increased bicycling among women has been correlated with an increased proportion of bicycle modal share, suggesting gender as a necessary variable to consider in bicycle planning and policy. Though no significance was found between gender and safety perceptions, the research nonetheless contributes to the growing body of research …

The Colors That Bind Dyeing And Natural Dyes In Maya Textiles, Kristen Michelle Leahy

Theses & ETDs

Weaving is an important tradition with cultural significance to the Maya culture. Dyeing, the art of applying organic materials to threads with the intent to produce color, has been neglected in literature about weaving and textiles. This thesis seeks to explore natural dye use in Mesoamerica from prehispanic times until the present, drawing data from the greater Maya region with a particular emphasis on data from Chiapas, Mexico. My research includes descriptions of organic dye materials, instructions for dyeing, and pictures of the materials and colors produced. My investigation documents the recent effort to promote natural dye use in weaving …

The Distribution Of Cyphoma Gibbosum (Mollusca Gastropoda: Cypraeoidea: Ovulidae) (The Flamingo Tongue Gastropod) In Relation To The Presence Of The Fungal Disease Aspergillosis On Gorgonia Spp. (Anthozoa: Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae), Julie Christina Krzykwa

Theses & ETDs

The fungal disease Aspergillosis has been an ongoing epizootic in the Caribbean since its identification in 1995. Further investigation into the environmental or biological vectors of Aspergillosis is of great interest, as this disease has had a considerable impact on coral reefs in the Caribbean. The gastropod Cyphoma gibbosum is able to pass viable spores of Aspergillus sydowii (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Eurotiales: Trichocomaceae), the fungus thought to cause the disease, and previous field studies noted an increased presence of C. gibbosum during Aspergillosis outbreaks. These observations suggest that C. gibbosum may be a biological vector of Aspergillosis. This study looked at …

Effects Of Ss3-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist On Gene Expression Of Leptin In Glioblastoma , Johnathan Lawrence, Nicholas J. Cook, Richard A. Rovin, Robert J. Belton Jr, Robert J. Winn

Journal Articles

In the 25 years since temozolomide entered phase I clinical trials, few new primary or adjuvant therapies have been developed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors. Our laboratory has been exploring novel methods for the treatment of GBMs. Recent studies indicate that the expression of the hormone leptin and its receptor (OBR) increases in gliomas and positively correlates with the malignancy of the tumor. Interestingly, ß3-adrenergic receptor agonists are known to decrease leptin expression in adipocytes but have not been examined in GBM cells. We hypothesized that b3-adrenergic agonists downregulate the expression of leptin and its receptor. In …

Evaluation Of Algae Concentration In Manure Based Media, Maira Freire Pecegueiro Do Amaral

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Algae can be used to treat wastewater and manure while producing a feedstock for renewable energy. Algae require nutrients to achieve their maximum growth and manure could provide those nutrients, thereby reducing the cost of algae production and the impact of manure treatment. Algae concentration during cultivation is a critical variable that is difficult to measure due to the high concentration of suspended solids present in manure. This dissertation addresses methods to measure algae concentration in the presence of manure solids.

Quantifying the algae concentration gravimetrically or by optical density was unreliable due to manure solids interfering with the measurement. …

Equine Therapy : An Alternative Approach To Traditional Therapies, Molly Burroughs

Honors Capstones

The goal ofthis project is to inform people about hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding. I conducted several interviews with professionals in the field and collected articles with relevant information. Although both hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding are considered "experimental", I provided information confirming the physical, behavioral, and emotional benefits hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding have patients. I also created a series of brochures to simply and clearly explain the differences between hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding. Brochures were chosen to display this information because many patients, or their family members, are usually uneducated about these non-traditional forms of therapy. These …

The Common Reader And The Archival Classroom: Disciplinary History For The Twenty-First Century, Rachel Sagner Buurma, L. Heffernan

English Literature Faculty Works

The essay draws on archival research to reconstruct the midcentury classrooms of Cleanth Brooks and Edmund Wilson. Our description of these classrooms - the participants, texts, and the exemplary as well as the undertheorized moments gathered within them - dissolves the divisions between research and teaching, historicist and formalist methods, skeptical critics and invested common readers, disciplinary spaces and public ones, that have particularly plagued the discipline of English in recent years. In Brooks's classroom - long figured as a foundational site for our discipline - we draw out, alongside Brooks's strong theory of the marginal and rarified status of …

La Santé Des Adolescentes Vulnérables : Un Investissement Stratégique Doublement Rentable, Jennifer Catino

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Le monde compte aujourd’hui 1,2 milliard d’adolescents âgés de 10 à 19 ans. Près de 90% d’entre eux vivent dans les pays en développement et environ 600 millions sont de sexe féminin. L’adolescence représente normalement une période de santé florissante bien que sujette à de nombreux changements socio-développementaux dont les implications affectent, tout particulièrement, la santé des filles. La plupart des centaines de millions de filles et jeunes femmes du monde en développement vivent dans des conditions et des circonstances qui les rendent vulnérables aux risques de santé et sociaux. Ces adolescentes sont souvent pauvres, déscolarisées, mariées, migrantes, membres de …

Réseaux Sociaux Et Les Capacités Financières Des Filles Employées De Maison À Bobo-Dioulasso, Gisele Kaboré

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Depuis plus d’une année, le Population Council assure la mise en œuvre du projet «Filles Éveillées» ciblant les travailleuses domestiques dans les zones urbaines au Burkina Faso. L’objectif de cette étude est d’avoir une meilleure connaissance des réseaux sociaux des filles—soit avec les personnes dans sa nouvelle communauté soit avec des personnes dans son village à travers la technologie—depuis leurs zones d’origine, sachant que la phase de transit n’est pas bien comprise mais que ça peut influencer le séjour de la fille en ville. Cette étude a pour objectif de cerner les capacités et les modes de gestion financières des …