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The Beast Inside, Steve Cave

Stonecoast MFA Theses and Capstones

This thesis contains the first seven chapters of the novel Ravenous, the short story “Faithfall,” and the academic paper “From Hellhound to Hero: Tracking the Shifting Shape of the 21st Century Werewolf.” Both of the stories deal with werewolves as a common element, but use very different types of werewolves in each. The werewolves of Ravenous transform through losing control or giving in to their passions, while the werewolves in “Faithfall” change only with the full moon, and retain no control once transformed. Both stories have a gay male protagonist, though also in very different ways. Ravenous follows the story …

Outlining A Sustainable Campus Garden: A Proposal To Revive The Bates Garden, Allison Berman, Zsofia Duarte, Emma Marchetti

Community Engaged Research Reports

Reviving the Bates Garden on the corner of College and Vale Streets is in the institution's best interest, for a campus garden would synthesize Bates College’s ideals of academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and freedom. Through extensive 1 research, we - students in ENVR 417: Community-Engaged Research - have pinpointed why past attempts at the Garden have failed, and how a revival would succeed. Past engagement with the Garden failed to engage it as a functioning system and put all leadership responsibilities on an existing, full-time staff member, Bill Bergevin the College’s Landscape Architect, which lead to the Garden’s demise. Accordingly, …

Proposal For Strategic Planning For Solid Waste Management In Lewiston, Me, Jonathan Anderson, Brent Feldman, William Sadlo

Community Engaged Research Reports

The city of Lewiston currently has excellent provisions for the disposal of solid waste, making waste disposal for citizens a relatively cheap and efficient process. Solid waste is picked up from residences and then sent to Mid Maine Waste Action Corporation (MMWAC). From there, it is turned into ash and then dumped into the Lewiston landfill. Now over 25 years old, municipal officials are concerned about the long term viability of these current arrangements. After being introduced to the current situation by municipal officials and local politicians, the goals of our project were three-fold: 1. Understand the history of waste …

Predicting The Catch Potential Of Skipjack Tuna In The Western And Central Pacific Ocean Under Different Climate Change Scenarios, Kuo-Wei Yen, Nan-Jay Su, Tooreka Teemari, Min-An Lee, Hsueh-Jung Lu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) constitute an important migratory species that contributes significantly to the economy and the global fishery industry. Skipjack tuna play a vital role in the marine ecosystem, particularly in tropical waters of the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). However, climate change may affect the characteristics of fishery resources, leading to substantial reallocation and reduction of the biomass of this species in the WCPO. In this study, catch and effort data for skipjack tuna were collected from a purse seine fishery and subsequently analyzed in combination with remote-sensing environmental variables and simulation data from climate models under …

Investigating The Life-Cycle Of Photosystem Ii Using Mass Spectrometry, Daniel Avram Weisz

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Photosystem II (PSII) is a protein complex found embedded in the thylakoid membranes of all organisms that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. PSII converts sunlight into chemical energy, filling our atmosphere with molecular oxygen in the process and supporting nearly all life on Earth. PSII undergoes frequent light-induced damage as an unavoidable result of the electron transfer reactions it catalyzes. When damaged, PSII is disassembled, repaired, and reassembled in an intricate, tightly regulated process. The structure and mechanism of function of active PSII are relatively well-understood, due to the available crystal structures of the active complex and many years of biochemical and …

The Violence Of Abstraction: Learning To Live With Type-2 Diabetes In Everyday Life, Jenny Epstein

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The impetus for this project grew out of my experience working as a pharmacist in a federally-funded ambulatory-care clinic In Tacoma, WA. Many people seen at the clinic struggled with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and over time, I began to see this condition not only as a biological disorder, but also as a complex symptom of both macro-level social history and micro-level daily activities. I also began to see how the emphasis on medical abstraction in the form of measuring, monitoring and scheduling into daily routines, while necessary to control T2DM, created a gap between lived experience and the broader social …

Biogenetically Inspired Total Synthesis Of Lingzhiol. Design And Synthesis Of Axially Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts., Krishna Sharmah Gautam

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

A stereo- and enantio-selective synthesis of lingzhiol has been achieved, mimicking a proposed biogenetic pathway via Brønsted acid-catalyzed semipinacol rearrangement of a 2,3-epoxy alcohol. A new and improved method was developed for alkylation of anilines using a domestic microwave oven. The resulting racemic chiral anilines were resolved via classical resolution and transformed into axially chiral thiazolylidene-based NHC organocatalysts, which were applied to asymmetric benzoin condensation.

Harvesting A Sustainable Energy Future: Examining The Effect Of Chemical Composition On The Electromechanical Properties Of Polymer Gel Beads, Kaushik Kudtarkar

Theses

Clean energy is required to ensure global prosperity and economic growth. Increased industrialization is expected to increase energy demand by 50% by 2035. This will result in increased air pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions have been linked to global warming and other pollution related problems. These emissions can be reduced by recapturing the waste energy in the form of heat, vibration, and friction.

Common applications like transportation can lose as much as 78% of the energy they generate. Energy harvesters can be used to recapture energy lost through vibration, heat, etc. This recaptured energy will be reused and hence, we don’t …

Isolation Of Pharmaceutical-Degrading Bacteria From Lake Sediments Associated With Wastewater Effluents, Noreen Anne Gallagher

Theses

Many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not properly equipped for the removal of various compounds, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), analgesics, and hormones. These compounds are continually discharged into surface waters, which has become an emerging issue for environmental and public health. Microorganisms in the natural environment may play a crucial role in ecosystem self-purification processes such as contaminant degradation. The aim of this research was to determine if there were microorganisms from water and sediment samples located near wastewater effluent outfalls in Central and Western New York capable of degrading ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen, and 17β-estradiol, and if the degradation …

Intersectionality Of Non-Normative Identities In The Cultures Of Engineering Survey, Allison Godwin, Adam Kirn, Lisa Benson, Geoff Potvin

School of Engineering Education Working Papers

This is a survey measuring students' attitudes and beliefs in engineering. The survey was distributed at four institutions across the U.S. in the fall semester of 2015. Students in first semester first-year engineering courses were surveyed on a paper-and-pencil instrument as part of a larger study. We collected 2,916 valid student responses that were digitized by the research group and audited for accuracy. Validity evidence for this survey has been document in ASEE conference proceedings.

Integrating Information Into The Engineering Design Process, Michael Fosmire, David Radcliffe

Purdue Information Literacy Handbooks

Engineering design is a fundamental problem-solving model used by the discipline. Effective problem-solving requires the ability to find and incorporate quality information sources. To teach courses in this area effectively, educators need to understand the information needs of engineers and engineering students and their information gathering habits. This book provides essential guidance for engineering faculty and librarians wishing to better integrate information competencies into their curricular offerings. The treatment of the subject matter is pragmatic, accessible, and engaging. Rather than focusing on specific resources or interfaces, the book adopts a process-driven approach that outlasts changing information technologies.

After several chapters …

Genetic Circuits For Transcriptional Regulation In Synechocystis Sp. Pcc 6803, Cheryl M. Immethun

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Microbial biosynthesis has produced a variety of complex compounds using processes that are more environmentally-friendly than many conventional methods. The most common hosts are heterotrophs, which require the addition of an organic carbon source; while cyanobacteria possess many traits that make them a more sustainable biotechnology platform. As phototrophs, cyanobacteria can employ sunlight and carbon dioxide to create many value-added compounds. A wealth of tools has been developed to engineer the commonly used heterotrophs for higher yields and titers; yet, few synthetic biology tools have been designed for cyanobacteria. Furthermore, many of the tools created for heterotrophs do not function …

Focusing Light Inside Scattering Media With Optical Phase Conjugation, Yan Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

In scattering media such as biological tissue, the heterogeneous refractive index distribution causes light to scatter, which makes the media look opaque and prevents us from focusing light beyond ~1 mm deep inside the media to achieve optical imaging and manipulation. Hence, the ability to focus light deep inside scattering media is highly desired, and it could revolutionize biophotonics by enabling deep-tissue non-invasive high-resolution optical microscopy, optical tweezing, optogenetics, micro-surgery, and phototherapy.

To break the optical diffusion limit and focus light deep inside scattering media, optical phase conjugation based wavefront shaping techniques, such as time-reversed ultrasonically encoded (TRUE) optical focusing, …

Tumor-Derived Factors And Reduced P53 Promote Endothelial Cell Centrosome Over-Duplication, Zhixian Yu, Kevin P. Mouillesseaux, Erich J. Kushner, Victoria L. Bautch

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Approximately 30% of tumor endothelial cells have over-duplicated (>2) centrosomes, which may contribute to abnormal vessel function and drug resistance. Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A induce excess centrosomes in endothelial cells, but how other features of the tumor environment affect centrosome over-duplication is not known. To test this, we treated endothelial cells with tumor-derived factors, hypoxia, or reduced p53, and assessed centrosome numbers. We found that hypoxia and elevated levels of bone morphogenetic protein 2, 6 and 7 induced excess centrosomes in endothelial cells through BMPR1A and likely via SMAD signaling. In contrast, inflammatory mediators IL-8 …

Evaluation Of The Nutritional Options For Wellness (Now) Program: Mitigating Cardiovascular Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Through Food Pantries, Sarah L. Henning

Masters Theses

Individuals with a lower socioeconomic status are at higher risk for chronic disease diagnosis and complications (Gerteis et al., 2014). The NOW Program is a social service program that was created in order to relieve some of the burden placed on these individuals utilizing the charitable food system. The purpose of the study was to perform a quantitative program evaluation on the NOW Program which is administered by pantry coordinating organization. The NOW Program connects chronically ill, low income members of Kent County with local food pantries that offer diet specific food and health education about their specific chronic disease …

Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Coastal Residents After Multiple Disasters, Katie E. Cherry, Laura Sampson, Sandro Galea, Loren D. Marks, Kayla H. Boudoin, Pamela F. Nezat, Katie E. Stanko

Faculty Publications

Objective: Exposure to multiple disasters, both natural and technological, is associated with extreme stress and long-term consequences for older adults that are not well understood. In this article, we address age differences in health-related quality of life in older disaster survivors exposed to the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the role played by social engagement in influencing these differences.

Methods: Participants were noncoastal residents, current coastal residents, and current coastal fishers who were economically affected by the BP oil spill. Social engagement was estimated on the basis of disruptions in charitable …

Electropolymerization Of B–Cyclodextrin Onto Multi–Walled Carbon Nanotube Composite Films For Enhanced Selective Detection Of Uric Acid, Mulugeta B. Wayu, Luke T. Dipasquale, Margaret A. Schwarzmann, Samuel D. Gillespie, Michael C. Leopold

Chemistry Faculty Publications

An amperometric uric acid (UA) sensor incorporating a multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) network in Nafion and electropolymerized β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) layer is investigated. The electrochemical sensor is comprised of a glassy carbon electrode modified with Nafion-MWCNT nanocomposite film, a β-CD polymer inner selective layer, and a Hydrothane polyurethane (HPU) outer selective coating. The surface morphology and electronic structure of the electrode material are characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of the sensor is studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronocoulometry (CC) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Analytical performance of …

Guided Medical Data Segmentation Using Structure-Aligned Planar Contours, Michelle Vaughan Holloway

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Segmentation of 3D/4D biological images is a critical step for a wide range of applications such as treatment planning, quantitative analysis, virtual simulations, and rendering visualizations. Automatic segmentation methods are becoming more reliable, but many experts still rely on manual intervention which makes segmentation a time and resource intensive bottleneck. Marking boundary contours in 3D images can be difficult when images are often noisy or the delineation of biological tissue is unclear. Non-parallel contours can be more accurate and reduce the amount of marking necessary, but require extra effort to ensure boundary consistency and maintain spatial orientation. This dissertation focuses …

Physiological, Behavioral, And Knowledge Assessment Of Runners’ Readiness To Perform In The Heat, Yuri Hosokawa

Doctoral Dissertations

Many intrinsic and extrinsic factors may contribute to exertional heat stroke (EHS) susceptibility. Despite many plausible risk factors for EHS in runners, much remains unknown about how risk factors contribute to EHS risk and how education to modify behavior may reduce EHS risk. Therefore, this study investigated: (1) the differences between runners’ planned and actual hours of sleep, hydration strategies, and intake of medication and supplements at the 2016 Falmouth Road Race (FRR) and their current knowledge on heat safety and hydration, (2) effectiveness of educational video intervention in improving runner’s knowledge on heat safety and hydration, (3) effectiveness in …

Epigenomics Of Cell Fate In Development And Disease, Rebecca Faith Lowdon

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Epigenetic features at regulatory elements provide instructive cues for transcriptional regulation during development. However, the particular epigenetic alterations necessary for proper cell fate acquisition and differentiation are not well understood. This dissertation explores the epigenetic dynamics of regulatory elements during development and uses epigenome annotations to document inappropriate transcriptional regulation in disease. First, I summarize my contributions to developing a new algorithm for detecting differential DNA methylation, M&M. I report the application of the M&M algorithm to identify distinct classes of DNA methylation dynamics in surface ectoderm (SE) progenitor cells and SE-derived lineages: epigenome alterations, and differential DNA methylation in …

Kinder Ready: Exploring The Role Of Technology In Promoting School Readiness Among Low-Income Parents In A Clinic-Based Setting, Brenda Lu

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Stanford Pediatric Advocacy Program advocates to improve the health status of children in Silicon Valley and the surrounding community. This summer, I worked on a project called Kinder Ready, with the goal of evaluating the feasibility of technology use in promoting school readiness in children ages zero to five. We used a variety of qualitative research methods, including focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and surveys to collect feedback from the community on what their children need to transition into schools. Our local participatory research approach has paved the way for many new partnerships with local organizations, while strengthening existing ones. …

Assessing The Climate Change Vulnerability Of Ecosystem Types Of The Southwestern U.S., Francis J. Triepke, Esteban H. Muldavin, Maximillian M. Wahlberg, Timothy K. Lowrey, Donald A. Falk, Megan M. Friggens, Karen E. Bagne

Biology ETDs

Climate change is challenging scientists and decision-makers to understand the complexities of climate change and to predict the related effects at scales relevant to environmental policy and the management of ecosystem services. Extraordinary change in climate, and the ensuing impacts to ecosystem services, are widely anticipated for the southwestern United States. Predicting the vulnerability of Southwest ecosystems and their components has been a priority of natural resource organizations over the past decade. Supplementing vulnerability assessments in the region with geospatial inputs of high thematic and spatial detail has become vital for supporting local analyses, planning, and decisions. In this context …

An Intercomparison Of Dissolved Iron Speciation At The Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series Study (Bats) Site: Results From Geotraces Crossover Station A, Kristen N. Buck, Loes J. A. Gerringa, Micha J. A. Rijkenberg

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The organic complexation of dissolved iron (Fe) was determined in depth profile samples collected from GEOTRACES Crossover Station A, the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site, as part of the Dutch and U.S. GEOTRACES North Atlantic programs in June 2010 and November 2011, respectively. The two groups employed distinct competitive ligand exchange-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-AdCSV) methods, and resulting ligand concentrations and conditional stability constants from each profile were compared. Excellent agreement was found between the total ligand concentrations determined in June 2010 and the strongest, L₁-type, ligand concentrations determined in November 2011. Yet a primary distinction between …

Modern Assessment Of The High-Energy Background Environment At Small Atmospheric Depths Using The X-Calibur X-Ray Polarimeter And Its Implications, Rashied Baradaran Amini

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Since the discovery of cosmic rays, Earth's upper atmosphere at depths of 1-10 g cm2 has been used for balloon-borne observations probing the high-energy universe. However, the interaction of cosmic rays with the earth atmosphere generates numerous particles, each with their own flux and interaction physics that contribute to instrument background. In Fall 2014, the X-Calibur X-ray polarimeter designed and built at Washington University in St. Louis was launched from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. While no astrophysical observation was performed as a result of a failure in telescope mechanisms, X-Calibur was able to record hours of instrument background with an …

Structure, Dynamics, And Regulation Of Collective Cell Migration, Andrew J. Loza

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Collective migration is the process by which cells organize individual motions to productively migrate as a group and plays a fundamental role in organism development, tissue regeneration, and cancer invasion. In development, coordinated migration facilitates the formation of complex organ structures and is required for proper dissemination of neural crest cells throughout an organism. After injury, this process allows breaches in epithelial layers to be repaired while maintaining tissue integrity, and in cancer, collective behavior enhances invasion of tumor cells into the surrounding tissue. Chapter 1 provides an introduction for the role of collective migration across an organism’s lifespan, the …

Novel Regulation Of The Nonsense-Mediated Rna Decay Pathway, Andrew Keith Nickless

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The nonsense mediated RNA decay (NMD) pathway maintains the integrity of cellular RNAs and controls gene expression. NMD is essential for vertebrate development and defects in NMD are associated with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders and cancers. NMD activity is tightly regulated and is altered in response to environmental and developmental signals. To better study this dynamic pathway and to identify clinically relevant regulators of its activity, we developed a dual-color bioluminescent NMD reporter that rapidly and accurately quantifies NMD activity in mammalian cells. Using this reporter, we performed a chemical screen for small-molecule modulators of NMD activity and identified …

A Study On The Role And Regulation Of The Na+-Leak Channel, Non-Selective (Nalcn) In Myometrial Function, Erin Lynn Reinl

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Uterine contractions are tightly regulated throughout pregnancy, remaining relatively quiescent for the majority of pregnancy to promote fetal development, while becoming highly activated at term to effectively expel the fetus. Contractions are coordinated through electrical and mechanical coupling of myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMCs). Ion channel activity, which alters the electrical activity of MSMCs, can directly affect the contraction profile. Thus there is great interest in the field of reproduction to understand which ion channels regulate uterine excitability, and particularly how they may enable the transition from uterine quiescence to uterine activation for labor. The focus thus far has been …

Mass Spectrometry And Protein Analysis: Structure, Oligomerization And Interaction, Hanliu Wang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Protein aggregation is common in biological processes including neurodegenerative diseases, as well as artificial development in biopharmaceutical production and protein storage. Therefore, understanding proteins involved in aggregation systems is important. It is generally difficult for high resolution structural methods, such as X-ray or NMR, to interrogate proteins possessing aggregation propensities. On the other hand, techniques that tolerate solution heterogeneities, such as circular dichroism, only provide global or low-resolution information. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods are appropriate and powerful in such applications because they can deal with mixtures. Additionally, primary sequence, post-translational modification, and structural information can be obtained at low sample …

How Do The Largest And Smallest Baboon Species Compete For Reproductive Success In A Natural Hybrid Zone?, Monica Mcdonald

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines hybridization between two of the most divergent baboons, the kinda baboon (Papio kindae) and the grayfooted chacma baboon (P. ursinus griseipes), which differ markedly in body size and in some social behavior. Preliminary research revealed hybridization between males of the smaller species (kinda) and females of the larger species (grayfoots), but not the reverse. Using behavioral, phenotypic, and genetic data collected from a single hybrid group in Kafue National Park from May 2012 to July 2013, I evaluated whether a similar asymmetry was borne out in this group and whether phenotypic markers of species assignation matched genotypic …

Genetic Mechanisms For The Maintenance Of Behavioral Mating Barriers In Drosophila, Kathleen M. Mortland

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

One of the most successful and diverse systems involved in the maintenance of behavioral barriers between closely related animal species is pheromonal communication. In the fruit fly, contact chemosensation input is especially important during sexual decision-making as it allows for the sensing of sex and species-specific non-volatile cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which function as insect pheromones. However, how pheromonal systems support the maintenance of mating barriers is puzzling since any change in either pheromone ligands or their cognate receptors would carry a fitness cost, which should be eliminated by stabilizing selection. To resolve this evolutionary conundrum I hypothesized that pleiotropic genes …