Digital Commons Network^™

Making 3d Images, Bryce Walker

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Idea: Turn a mirascope into an animated 3D imaging device by replacing the top mirror and frog with an LED screen and an optical filter.

Project X - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Gabriel Diamond, Wesley Schaefermeyer, Samuel Vonniederhausern

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The overall goal of the project was to design controllers for a UAV that would maintain a constant altitude and bank angle. Shown below are the kinematic model and control loops that were used.

The Impact Of Imago Dei On Thinking About Portrait Photography, Neil Craigan

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem this project addressed was the relationship between the imago Dei and the work of photographers in the field of portrait photography. This created a strong vocational emphasis for the project in light of which the researcher explored the theological and biblical data on the imago Dei, examined the connection between being an image bearer and an image creator of the image bearer, discussed the nature of photography, developing a philosophy and broad understanding of the portrait and the value people attach to it. The field research was qualitative in its approach and professional photographers were interviewed regarding their …

The Animal Welfare Act At Fifty: Problems And Possibilities In Animal Testing Regulation, Courtney G. Lee

McGeorge School of Law Scholarly Articles

No abstract provided.

Sequoya Review, University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga

Sequoya Review

No abstract provided.

The Eff-1a Cytoplasmic Domain Influences Hypodermal Cell Fusions In C. Elegans But Is Not Dependent On 14-3-3 Proteins., Jessica H Shinn-Thomas, Jacob J Del Campo, Jianjun Wang, William A Mohler

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Regulatory and biophysical mechanisms of cell-cell fusion are largely unknown despite the fundamental requirement for fused cells in eukaryotic development. Only two cellular fusogens that are not of clear recent viral origin have been identified to date, both in nematodes. One of these, EFF-1, is necessary for most cell fusions in Caenorhabditis elegans. Unregulated EFF-1 expression causes lethality due to ectopic fusion between cells not developmentally programmed to fuse, highlighting the necessity of tight fusogen regulation for proper development. Identifying factors that regulate EFF-1 and its paralog AFF-1 could lead to discovery of molecular mechanisms that control cell fusion …

Epidemiology And Risk Factors For Community-Associated Clostridium Difficile Infection: A Narrative Review, Lauren E. Bloomfield, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was once considered a primarily nosocomial concern. Emerging evidence from the last 20 years has highlighted a drastic shift in the known epidemiology of CDI, with disease outside of hospitals apparently occurring more frequently and causing severe disease in populations that were thought to be at low risk. This narrative review summarises potential pathways for infection outside of the hospital environment and highlights likely routes of transmission. Further, evidence is presented on potential risk factors for development of disease. Understanding the epidemiology of CDI outside of hospitals is essential to the ability to prevent and control …

Impaired Energy Metabolism: Involvement In Neurodegenerative Processes And Cns Ageing, Veer B. Gupta, Vivek K. Gupta

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

World is experiencing a consistent and steady increase in the ageing population with even higher proportional differences in the developed countries. Increase in ageing populations is directly correlated with the increased prevalence of age-related degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Alzheimer’s disease and various other forms of dementias, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, retinal degenerative disorders, Huntington’s’ disease, multiple sclerosis, psychiatric and behavioural disorders amongst others.

Diversity And Host Prefference Of Tephritid Fruit Fly Species Infesting Cucurbit And Major Horticultural Crops In Coastal Kenya, Carolyne W. Kambura

All Master’s Theses

Tephritid fruit flies are among the notorious pests of horticultural crops in Kenya and have been documented to cause yield losses of 30-100%. Tephritid fruit flies from the Bactrocera and Dacus genera have been identified on cucurbit farm traps, however, their losses have not been quantified. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the occurrence, diversity and host preference of tephritid fruit flies infesting cucurbit and other horticultural crops in coastal Kenya. Infested cucurbit and major horticultural crops were randomly sampled and incubated in the laboratory. The emerging adults from the pupae recovered were identified based on their morphology. Host …

Effect Of Temperature On The Synchrony Of Stem Borer Pests And Their Associated Larval Parasitoids, Kevin K. Sambai

All Master’s Theses

This study was undertaken to establish the effect of temperature on the development and survival of B. fusca, S. calamistis and C. partellus and their larval parasitoids The stem borers and the larval parasitoids were reared at 200C, 250C, 280C and 300C and their development time, survival, fecundity and longevity were recorded. These parameters were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in General Linear Model (GLM). Results showed that development of stem borer larvae varied among different temperature regimes (F3,367=105.3; P< 0.0001), B. fusca (F3,451=66.43; P< 0.0001), S. calamistis(F3,540=887.8; P< 0.0001).C. partellus. Development time of B. fusca larvae decreased with increase in temperature with the longest and shortest time recorded at 200C (78.30 days) and 300C (36.8 days) respectively. In S. calamistis larvae, the development time reduced with increase in temperature with mean larval duration ranging between 34.6 days (300C) to 48.1 days (200C). In C. partellus there was a decrease in larval development time (days) as the temperature increased. The longest development time, 57.4 days, was observed at 200C while the shortest, 22.2 days, was recorded at 300C. There was a significant influence of temperature on the development of C. sesamiae Kitale (F3,139=125.6; P< 0.001), C. Sesamiae Mombasa (F3,148=246.1; P< 0.001) and C. flavipes (F3,187=719.7; P< 0.001). Among C. sesamiae Kitale, mean total development time ranged between 17.8 days (280C) to 29.7 days (200C), while among C. sesamiae Mombasa, the highest and lowest mean total development time varied between 29.4 days (200C) and 17.0 days (280C) respectively. In C. flavipes, mean total development time varied between 15.0 days (300C) and 31.4 days (200C). Temperature affected the host-parasitoid synchrony between stem borers and their associated larval parasitoids as reflected in the variations in respective life table parameters. Biological control of B. fusca, S. calamistis and C. partellus is likely to be affected by changes in temperature. Due to the increased development rate and survival of the stem borers coupled with reduced survival rates of the parasitoids associated with increase in temperature, biological control is likely to be less effective in areas with higher temperatures ranging between 250C to 280C.

Potential Application Of Variable Surface Glycoproteins In Diagnosis Of Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiense, Simon Ngao Mule

All Master’s Theses

Sleeping sickness, also known as human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), is a neglected tropical disease caused by two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei namely T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense. Trypanosoma b. gambiense causes chronic form of HAT (Gambian HAT) in West and Central Africa while T. b. rhodesiense is responsible for the acute form (Rhodesian HAT) in East and Southern Africa. In both cases, the disease evolves through clinically distinct stages namely early/stage 1 and late/stage 2. The early stage is haemolymphatic, in which parasites develop in the blood, lymph and peripheral organs. The parasites then spread to the central …

Coastal Connectivity And Spatial Subsidy From A Microbial Perspective, Christin Säwström, Glenn A. Hyndes, Bradley D. Eyre, Megan J. Huggett, Matthew W. Fraser, Paul S. Lavery, Paul G. Thomson, Flavia Tarquinio, P. D. Steinberg, Bonnie Laverock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The transfer of organic material from one coastal environment to another can increase production in recipient habitats in a process known as spatial subsidy. Microorganisms drive the generation, transformation, and uptake of organic material in shallow coastal environments, but their significance in connecting coastal habitats through spatial subsidies has received limited attention. We address this by presenting a conceptual model of coastal connectivity that focuses on the flow of microbially mediated organic material in key coastal habitats. Our model suggests that it is not the difference in generation rates of organic material between coastal habitats but the amount of organic …

Blood Feeding Pattern Of Malaria Vector Reveals Malaria Transmission Dynamics In Three Islands Of Lake Victoria In Kenya, Edwin Ochieng Ogola

All Master’s Theses

The Lake Victoria region of western Kenya is malaria endemic with a suitable environment throughout the year for the transmission of Plasmodium parasites by its primary mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), as well as other secondary vectors. Malaria control largely depends on vector control using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) that protect humans from infectious bites while sleeping. However, the success of this strategy is greatly threatened by resistance to insecticides and changes in mosquito feeding pattern that alter disease transmission dynamics. Therefore, adequate knowledge of mosquito feeding patterns and population structure can inform the efficacy of and allow …

Characterization Of Xenorhabdus Spp. Xptb1 And Xptc1 Toxin Genes And Effect Of The Bacteria On Chilo Partellus And Busseola Fusca., Lorine N. Nyongesa

All Master’s Theses

Xenorhabdus spp. (Enterobacteriaceae) are endosymbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes from the Steinernema genus. They cause insect mortality by producing potent insecticidal toxin complexes composed of XptA1, XptA2 (class A), XptB1 (class C) and XptC1 (Class B) proteins. However, the use of only the bacterium as a biopesticide is limited as they depend on their nematode hosts for survival in the environment. The XptAs exhibit different spectra of activity, requiring XptB1 and XptC1 for full activity. Studies of their tccC homologues from the related Photorhabdus sp. revealed that class C proteins have enzymatic activity. The objective of this study was to characterize …

Genome Sequence Of Tsetse Polydnavirus: Insights Into Symbiotic Virus Evolution, Kelvin M. Kimenyi

All Master’s Theses

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of African trypanosomiasis in humans (sleeping sickness) and animals (nagana). The whole genome sequence of the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans revealed the presence of putative bracoviral sequences (n = 310) widely spread in the genome. These sequences are similar to those identified in parasitic braconid wasps. Bracoviruses (family Polydnaviridae) encode proteins that lower host immunity allowing for the development of parasitoid larvae in the host. The study aimed to determine the presence, prevalence and genetic diversity of Polydnaviruses (PDVs) across five tsetse fly species genomes (Glossina austeni, Glossina brevipalpis, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Glossina …

Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita) Interaction With Selected Asteraceae Plants And Their Potential Use For Nematode Management, Sydney Mwamba

All Master’s Theses

The southern root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is one of the highly polyphagous species of many cultivated plants. The losses associated with RKNs in small holder vegetable farms are not quantified but may range between 30-100% in tropical and subtropics. Application of broad spectrum nematicides is the common method of control and are to be highly toxic to humans and pollute the environment, hence the need for safer alternatives for small scale crop production systems. Biological control especially the use repellent plants is an environmentally safe option. Plants from the Asteraceae family have phytotoxic for nematode management. Investigations were conducted …

Seasonal Abundance Of Amaranth Lepidopteran Defoliators And The Role Of Indigenous Parasitoids And Phenylacetaldehyde In Their Control In Nairobi County, Kenya, Stephen Tarmogin Othim Omburo

All Master’s Theses

Amaranth is one of the African indigenous vegetables that is gaining popularity due to its nutritional, medicinal and economic values. Its potential as a source of food security in East Africa and most parts of the world has heightened demands for the once neglected crop. In Kenya and Tanzania, the Lepidopteran defoliators are important pests of the crop which can cause up to 100% yield loss. Little information on the population dynamics of these pests make their management difficult. Indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals have raised environmental and health concerns creating a need for other environmentally safe and sustainable control …

"Ideology" Or "Situation Sense"? An Experimental Investigation Of Motivated Reasoning And Professional Judgment, Dan M. Kahan, David Hoffman, Danieli Evans, Neal Devins, Eugene Lucci, Katherine Cheng, Katherine Cheng, Katherine Cheng

Articles

This Article reports the results of a study on whether political predispositions influence judicial decisionmaking. The study was designed to overcome the two principal limitations on existing empirical studies that purport to find such an influence: the use of nonexperimental methods to assess the decisions of actual judges; and the failure to use actual judges in ideologically-biased-reasoning experiments. The study involved a sample of sitting judges (n = 253), who, like members of a general public sample (n = 800), were culturally polarized on climate change, marijuana legalization and other contested issues. When the study subjects were assigned to analyze …

New Approaches To Energy Development In Indian Country: The Trust Relationship And Tribal Self-Determination At (Yet Another) Crossroads, Monte Mills

Articles

Energy development in Indian country exists at the crossroads of tribal self-determination and the federal government's trust responsibility. This article reviews the foundations of this crossroads, describes recent developments, and analyzes pending proposals that may enhance both tribal sovereignty and energy development in Indian country.

Branding Taxation, Xuan-Thao Nguyen, Jeffrey A. Maine

Articles

Branding is important not only to businesses,but also to the economy. The intellectual property laws and tax laws should thus further the legitimate goals of encouraging and protecting brand investments while maintaining a sound tax base. Intellectual property protections for branding depend on advertisement and enforcement, both of which demand significant amounts of private investment by firms. Although one would expect similar tax treatments of both categories of investment, the categories are actually treated as vastly different for federal income tax purposes. Additionally, tax distinctions also exist within each category. The result is that some branding investments are expensed and …

Fundamental Rights In A Post-Obergefell World, Peter Nicolas

Articles

In this Article, I identify and critically examine three substantive criticisms raised by the dissents in the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which struck down state laws and constitutional provisions barring same-sex couples from marrying within the state or having their out-of-state marriages recognized by the state. First, that the majority improperly framed the right at issue broadly as the right to marriage instead of narrowly as the right to same-sex marriage, conflicting with the Court's holding in Washington v. Glucksberg that in fundamental rights cases the right at issue must be framed narrowly, and in …

Bringing Demonstrative Evidence In From The Cold: The Academy's Role In Developing Model Rules, Maureen A. Howard, Jeffry C. Barnum

Articles

To this day, judges and advocates struggle with the definition and use of "demonstrative evidence." The ambiguity of this term (or its close cousins "illustrative evidence" and evidence offered "for illustrative purposes only") infects the judicial process with uncertainty, hindering advocates when preparing for trial and, in some cases, producing erroneous verdicts. For example, the Seventh Circuit recently reversed a case for improper use of a demonstrative exhibit, and on retrial the result swung from a defense verdict to an $11 million plaintiffs victory. Uncertainty about the admission and use of demonstrative evidence has festered for decades. Lawyers innovate in …

Creative Capitalism And Human Trafficking: A Business Approach To Eliminate Forced Labor And Human Trafficking From Global Supply Chains, Dana Raigrodski

Articles

A great amount of revenue generated by businesses in the global economy can be linked to the trafficking and enslavement of human beings. Yet, the current discourse on human trafficking fails to recognize the magnitude of benefit consumers, businesses, and economies gain from the work of forced and trafficked labor. Moreover, the limited efforts that seek to address this situation have focused on ways to encourage businesses to voluntarily adopt more socially responsible practices. These measures have had only limited success, and are generally believed to be in tension with the for-profit purposes of businesses.

Hence, the task of convincing …

Robots As Legal Metaphors, Ryan Calo

Articles

This Article looks at the specific role robots play in the judicial imagination. The law and technology literature is replete with examples of how the metaphors and analogies that courts select for emerging technology can be outcome determinative. Privacy law scholar Professor Daniel Solove argues convincingly, for instance, that George Orwell's Big Brother metaphor has come to dominate, and in ways limit, privacy law and policy in the United States. Even at a more specific, practical level, whether a judge sees email as more like a letter or a postcard will dictate the level of Fourth Amendment protection she is …

Visual Rulemaking, Elizabeth G. Porter, Kathryn A. Watts

Articles

Federal rulemaking has traditionally been understood as a text-bound, technocratic process. However, as this Article is the first to uncover, rulemaking stakeholders—including agencies, the President, and members of the public—are now deploying politically tinged visuals to push their agendas at every stage of high-stakes, often virulently controversial, rulemakings. Rarely do these visual contributions appear in the official rulemaking record, which remains defined by dense text, lengthy cost-benefit analyses, and expert reports. Perhaps as a result, scholars have overlooked the phenomenon we identify here: the emergence of a visual rulemaking universe that is splashing images, GIFs, and videos across social media …

Sovereignty And Subsistence: Native Self-Government And Rights To Hunt, Fish, And Gather After Ansca, Robert T. Anderson

Articles

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was passed in 1971 to extinguish aboriginal rights of Alaska Natives and provide compensation for those rights extinguished. Instead of vesting assets (land and money) in tribal governments, Congress required the formation of Alaska Native corporations to receive and hold these assets. A major flaw in the settlement was the failure to provide statutory protections for the aboriginal hunting, fishing, and gathering rights extinguished by ANCSA. Moreover, while ANCSA did not directly address Alaska Native tribal status or jurisdiction, the Supreme Court interpreted the Act to terminate the Indian country status of ANCSA …

Beyond Severability, Lisa Marshall Manheim

Articles

Severability is a wrecking ball. Even the most cautious use of this doctrine demolishes statutes in contravention of legislative intent and without adequate justification. It does so through the imposition of an artificially restrictive framework: one that requires that courts respond to a statute’s constitutional flaw by disregarding that statute either in whole or in part. In the last few years alone, this framework has flattened the Voting Rights Act, threatened the Bankruptcy Code, and nearly toppled the Affordable Care Act.

Yet courts apply severability reflexively, never demanding justification for its destructive treatment. Scholars, meanwhile, assiduously debate the particulars of …

Copyright's Illogical Exclusion Of Conceptual Art That Changes Over Time, Zahr K. Said

Articles

This Essay argues that copyright illogically excludes conceptual art from protection on the basis of fixation, given that well-settled case law has interpreted the fixation requirement to reach works that contain certain kinds of change so long as they are sufficiently repetitive to be deemed permanent. While conceptual art may perhaps be better left outside the scope of copyright protection on the basis of its failure to meet copyright’s other requirements, this Essay concludes that fixation should not be the basis on which to exclude conceptual art from protection.

There are of course both normative and descriptive questions around the …

Dedication To Professor Roger Baron, South Dakota Law Review, Ronald J. Baron, Sarah Baron Houy, Julie Dvorak, Meghan Woster Roche, Patrick Garry

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Multimedia To Advance Science By Disseminating A Greater Variety Of Scholarly Contributions In More Accessible Formats, James Gaskin, Paul Benjamin Lowry, David Hull

Faculty Publications

For the welfare of the scientific community, we are intentionally rocking the boat with regards to the way we conduct, recognize, and disseminate scholarly contributions. As a scientific community, we are doing ourselves a great disservice by ignoring the insights, artifacts, discoveries, and conversations which naturally occur in the scientific process of advancing knowledge, but which do not fit into the very narrowly defined form of print-style articles. By failing to recognize, reward, and publish the wide variety of scholarly contributions that are not well suited to the print-style article, we hinder scientific progress, devalue important and necessary contributions to …