Digital Commons Network^™

Using Design Requirements For Environmental Assessment Of Products, Darian Alexis Visotsky

All Theses

The growing concern about environmental issues from different sectors of the scientific community, politics, and society in general, has incremented the pressure on industries to develop more environmentally friendly products. A review on published literature revealed that the tools available to assess the environmental impacts of products can only be performed when at least an embodiment of the design is achieved, while, like other aspects of the products, their environmental performance is more greatly impacted during stages of the design process even previous to the embodiment phase. The objective of this thesis is to study if the environmental performance of …

The Intermediate Subunit Of The Gal/Galnac Lectin May Play A Role In Erythrophagocytosis In Entamoeba Histolytica, Michelle Lynne Rock

All Theses

Entamoeba histolytica is a parasite responsible for amebic dysentery and liver abscess in humans. This pathogen causes ~100,000 deaths annually in regions that cannot prevent the fecal-oral route of transmission. Adhesion to host colonic epithelium is a hallmark of infection. The galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine (Gal/GalNAc) lectin is a parasite surface receptor that regulates adhesion to host cells. This lectin is a heterotrimer consisting of Heavy (Hgl), Light (Lgl) and Intermediate (Igl) subunits. Hgl and Lgl are covalently attached to each other by disulfide bonds and interact non-covalently with Igl. Little is known about how the trimer assembles, but lipid rafts, cholesterol- and …

Mechanisms For Aerobic Degradation Of Commercial Naphthenic Acids, Samuel Louis Muller

All Theses

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are a class of thousands of carboxylic acids associated with petroleum degradation. They become dissolved in oil sands process waters (OSPW) during the bitumen extraction process, and the resulting process waters can elicit toxicity to aquatic organisms. NAs are weakly biodegradable, but have half-lives of months to years, making it difficult to treat NAs with bioremediation. Two methods for promoting aerobic degradation (cometabolism and mycoremediation) were investigated as proof of concept for effectiveness in degrading commercial NAs. A reciprocating reactor inoculated with a white rot fungus, Pleurotus pulmonaris, was built and compared to an uninoculated reactor to …

Simulating Burial Settings: Laboratory-Scale Forensic Bioreactor, Veeander Sheldonia Mealing

All Theses

Laboratory-scale forensic bioreactors can be beneficial for simulating and monitoring of burial settings by providing controlled environmental parameters (e.g. temperature, moisture, and others) applicable to a wide range of environments. The objectives of this study were to design and build forensic bioreactor, define parameters that are relevant to burial settings and suitable for laboratory simulation in the bioreactor, and verify the performance of the bioreactor. The laboratory-scale forensic bioreactor consisted of housing with individual soil chambers, temperature sensors with signal controls, soil moisture sensors, and a computer with software. The forensic bioreactor was capable of simulating burial settings. Two soil …

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav)-Assisted Water Sampling, Cengiz Koparan

All Theses

Water quality assessment programs require the collection of water samples for physical, chemical, and bacteriological analysis. Lack of personnel, accessibility of water bodies, and time constraints for water sampling, especially after natural disasters and emergencies, are some of the challenges of water sampling. To overcome these challenges, a water collection mechanism was developed and mounted on a multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for autonomous water sampling from water bodies. The payload capacity and endurance of the UAV (hexacopter) were verified using an indoor test station. The hexacopter was equipped with floating foam, and the electronic components were coated against water …

Between Flesh And Being: Theorizing The Racial Body And The Position Of Personhood In Claudia Rankine's Citizen, Lanja Najmalddin Karim

All Theses

In this paper I argue that Claudia Rankine, in Citizen (2014), by concentrating on the place and position of the radicalized body, creates a technique of resistance that emerges as assemblages against contemporary racism. Citizen narrates the stories of a range of racist incidents that happen to individuals, including the author herself and celebrities in Western societies. Those incidents have been narrated and re-contextualized through a unique technique of representation, where multiple genres, such as lyric, prose, and visual images, all collaborate in telling those stories in the text. In Citizen, resistance is the predominant mode of narration. The text …

Enhanced Thermal Conductance Of Polymer Composites Through Embedding Aligned Carbon Nanofibers, David S. Wood, Dale K. Hensley, Nicholas A. Roberts

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The focus of this work is to find a more efficient method of enhancing the thermal conduc-tance of polymer thin films. This work compares polymer thin films embedded with randomly oriented carbon nanotubes to those with vertically aligned carbon nanofibers. Thin films embedded with carbon nanofibers demonstrated a similar thermal conductance between 40–60 µm and a higher thermal con-ductance between 25–40 µm than films embedded with carbon nanotubes with similar volume fractions even though carbon nanotubes have a higher thermal conductivity than carbon nanofibers.

Examining The Influence Of Whiteness On The Group Of Socialization Process Of College Men In The Traditionally White Fraternity System, S. Brian Joyce

All Dissertations

Recent national examples demonstrate the incongruence between the traditionally White fraternity system and race. A 2014 racially and sexually suggestive email led to the suspension of a Kappa Sigma fraternity member at the University of Maryland (Associated Press, 2015, March 14). In December 2014, the Clemson University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon hosted a gang-themed and racially offensive party, titled “Cripmas”, near the holiday season (WYFF, 2014, December 9). Members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Oklahoma chanted racist songs on a bus in 2015 (Associated Press, 2015, April 3).

The purpose of this study is to understand …

Modeling, Analysis, And Simulation Of Adsorption In Functionalized Memebranes, Anastasia Bridner Wilson

All Dissertations

The emergence of biopharmaceuticals, and particularly therapeutic proteins, as a leading way to manage chronic diseases in humans has created a need for technologies that deliver purified products efficiently and quickly. Towards this end, there has been a signif-icant amount of research on development of porous membranes used in chromatographic bioseparations. In this work, we focus on high-capacity multimodal membranes developed by Husson and colleagues in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Clemson University. Chromatographic performance of such membranes, particularly the adsorption ca-pabilities of the membranes, depends of a large number of variables making it unrealistic to scan …

Ecology Of Megacopta Cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) And Implications For Management On Soybean, Francesca Louise Stubbins

All Dissertations

Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) has spread through thirteen states and the District of Columbia since accidental introduction into the United States in 2009. The potential impacts to soybean production necessitated research into the ecology and management of the plataspid in its new invasive range. A two year study in South Carolina using sweep-net and beat-cloth sampling generated sampling plans for M. cribraria population estimates and sequential sampling plans for pest management decision making. At all adult and nymph densities fewer sweep net samples were required for population estimations compared with the number of beat cloth samples. Sequential sampling reduced …

Impact Of Ionizing Radiation Dose And Dose Rate On Adipose Stem Cell Function, Matthew Connor Rusin

All Dissertations

The use of ionizing radiation within medicine creates an interesting paradox. First, x-rays can be used as an excellent diagnostic tool, allowing doctors to view internal biological structures without having to perform surgery. This can be done thanks to the characteristics of high energy photons, namely excellent penetration depth and various levels of absorption based upon the density of a material. These same characteristics make ionizing radiation a very effective treatment method for cancer. Radiation focused on a tumor will deposit energy when it interacts with a biological structure (e.g. DNA), eventually causing enough damage to kill the cell. That …

Learning Energy Literacy Concepts From Energy-Efficient Homes, Frederick Eugene Paige

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand ways that occupants’ and visitors’ interaction with energy efficient home design affects Energy Literacy. Using a case study approach including interviews, surveys, and observations, I examined the potential for affordable energy efficient homes in the Greenville South Carolina area to "teach" concepts from an Energy Literacy framework developed by dozens of educational partners and federal agencies that comprise the U.S. Global Change Research Program Partners. I paid particular attention to concepts from the framework that are transferable to energy decisions beyond a home’s walls.

My research reveals ways that interaction with high …

Particle Transport Phenomena In Non-Newtonian Microfluidics, Xinyu Lu

All Dissertations

In the past two decades, microfluidic devices have become attractive platforms for many chemical and biomedical applications due to their enhanced efficiency and accuracy at a reduced cost. Many of the fluids encountered in these applications exhibit non-Newtonian behaviors. However, the majority of current particle transport studies have been limited in Newtonian fluids only. Very little work has been done on particle transport in non-Newtonian fluids. This dissertation presents experimental and numerical studies of particle transport phenomena in both electric field- and pressure-driven flows in non-Newtonian fluids through microchannels. In the first part, electrokinetic transport phenomena are investigated in viscoelastic …

Algebraic Geometry Arising From Discrete Models Of Gene Regulatory Networks, Qijun He

All Dissertations

Discrete models of gene regulatory networks have gained popularity in computational systems biology over the last dozen years. However, not all discrete network models reflect the behaviors of real biological systems. In this work, we focus on two model selection methods and algebraic geometry arising from these model selection methods. The first model selection method involves biologically relevant functions. We begin by introducing k-canalizing functions, a generalization of nested canalizing functions. We extend results on nested canalizing functions and derived a unique extended monomial form of arbitrary Boolean functions. This gives us a stratification of the set of n-variable Boolean …

Molecular Mechanics Study Of Protein Folding And Protein-Ligand Binding, Tingting Han

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were applied to study the effect of single point mutations on protein folding free energy and the protein-ligand binding in the bifunctional protein dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (TS-DHFR) in plasmodium falciparum (pf). The main goal of current computational studies is to have a deeper understanding of factors related to protein folding stability and protein-ligand binding. Chapter two aims to seek solutions for improving the accuracy of predicting changes of folding free energy upon single point mutations in proteins. While the importance of conformational sampling was adequately addressed, the diverse dielectric properties of proteins were …

A Bioresponsive And Multifunctional Polymer Based Nanodevice For Cancer Nanotheranostics, Ragini Jenkins

All Dissertations

The main objective of this project is to develop a polymer based near infrared (NIR) particle that can serve as both, diagnostic and therapeutic agents, for fighting cancer. Specifically these particles will be designed to have high-contrast, high signal to noise ratios, long in vivo circulation lifetimes, and facilitate easy attachment of functional and target components. Cancer is a disease where the growth of abnormal cells is uncontrollable and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Malignant cancer cells are more effectively treated when identified early in the disease. Identification of tumors using fluorophores, small molecules that emit …

The Adaptable Growth Of Seashells: Informing The Design Of The Built Environment Through Quantitative Biomimicry, Diana Ann Chen

All Dissertations

Our current design philosophy in the creation and planning of our country’s infrastructure exudes an attitude of nonchalance that is incongruous with the significant impact the built infrastructure has on the natural environment. We are living through an era of obsolescence, in which structures are demolished thoughtlessly as they outgrow their ability to meet human demands. Obsolescence can be viewed as a “hazard” in the sense that this phenomenon is leaving swaths of buildings in unusable and undesirable conditions, lessening the quality of host locales, and polluting the environment with demolitions and the need for more construction resources. Designing our …

What Work And Family Mean To You: An Investigation Of Demographic Differences In Work-Family Conflict Using Qualitative And Quantitative Item Analyses, Deanna Burns

All Dissertations

The demographic make-up of the American workforce has changed drastically over the past few decades. This change has brought forth increased women workers and dual earner couples, more demanding childcare responsibilities for working parents, and older workers. As the stress from these changes heighten, it is pertinent that employees are managing their work and family lives to achieve their most desirable level of interaction between the two life domains (American Psychological Association, 2015). Thus, work-family conflict has become a common topic of interest in Occupation Health Psychology. As the development and use of work-family conflict scales increase, it is important …

The Initial Design And Validation Of The Teachers' Emotions, Appraisals, And Coping Habits When Facilitating Inquiry-Based Instruction (Teach-Fibi) Instrument For Science Education, Daniel Mason Alston

All Dissertations

Since the mid 1900’s, authors of science reform documents have advocated for teachers to engage in inquiry-based instruction. However, most science teachers, even highly qualified teachers, are not enacting teaching practices that align with what constitutes as proficient inquiry-based instruction. Currently, new science reform documents, in the form of The Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), are asking teachers and students to engage in even more rigorous and challenging teaching and learning. Inquiry-based instruction is once again an advocated strategy for accomplishing the high expectations set forth in both documents. Many science teachers are …

Computational Studies Of Molecular Mechanisms Mediating Protein Adsorption On Material Surfaces, Tigran M. Abramyan

All Dissertations

Protein adsorption at material surfaces is a fundamental concept in many scientific applications ranging from the biocompatibility of implant materials in bioengineering to cleaning environmental material surfaces from toxic proteins in the area of biodefense. Understanding the molecular-level details of protein-surface interactions is crucial for controlling protein adsorption. While a range of experimental techniques has been developed to study protein adsorption, these techniques cannot produce the fundamental molecular-level information of protein adsorption. All-atom empirical force field molecular dynamics (MD) simulations hold great promise as a valuable tool for elucidating and predicting the mechanisms governing protein adsorption. However, current MD simulation …

Synthesis Of Hydrofluorocarbon Ethers And New Amorphous Fluoropolymers With Cyclic Fluorocarbon Ether Units, Xiaolin Liu

All Dissertations

The main focus of this work is the synthesis of hydrofluorocarbon ethers (HFEs). New synthetic methods and new HFEs were successfully developed. In Chapter 1, new HFEs were synthesized with tetrafluoroethylene (CF2=CF2, TFE) as new engineered fluids. The fluorinated olefins’ addition to alcohols is a more conventional approach to HFEs, and in our group a synthetic method consists of three steps was attempted:

a. radical addition of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) to 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane compound; b. hydrolysis of the fluorinated dioxolane compound to make a diol; c. TFE addition to the diol under ionic condition.

The following two chapters cover the synthesis of …

This Month At Illinois Wesleyan- Summer Edition, University Communications

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Genetic Basis Of Biosynthesis And Cytotoxic Activity Of Medicago Truncatula Triterpene Saponins, Brynn Kathleen Lawrence

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Saponins are a large family of specialized metabolites produced in many plants. They can have negative effects on a number of plant pests and are thought to play a role in plant defense. With current and possible future uses in industry and agriculture, saponins have also been shown to be hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, immunostimulatory, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic. In spite of their usefulness, our understanding of the genetic basis for saponin biosynthesis is still incomplete. We generated recombinant populations with parents from genetically distinct accessions of Medicago truncatula, with either high or low accumulation and varying profiles of saponins. Primers for …

Characterization Of Histone Mutants Associated With Mitotic Defects In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Md Riajul Hossain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nucleosomes, the basic unit and the building blocks of chromatin have an essential role in the tight packaging of DNA into higher order chromatin. Work from our lab and others have provided information on the contributions of different histone proteins and specific domains within the nucleosome made to create the centromeric chromatin structure required for normal chromosome segregation during mitosis. The DNA entry/exit site is a particular region of the nucleosome where histone H2A, H3 and H4 form critical interactions that appear to be essential for the association of Sgo1, a tension sensing protein that monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment. In our …

Reflections: Students' Tribute To Stan Kuczaj (1950-2016), Mark J. Xitco, Heather M. Hill, Marie Trone, Rachel T. Walker, Kymbr Wright, Radhika Macheka, Andrew J. Wright, Erica Hernandez, Deirdre Yeater, Lauren Highfill, Lance Miller, Holli Eskelinen, Courtney E. Smith, Pepper Hanna, Beri Brown, Kelly Winship, Natalia Botero, Erin E. Frick, Lisa Lauderdale, Kelsey Moreno, Kendal Smith, Audra Ames, Ali Taylor, Malin Lilley, Briana Cappiello, Riley Macgregor, Jennifer Vonk, Michael Beran

Psychology Faculty Publications

On April 14th, 2016, Animal Behavior and Cognition lost its Editor-in-Chief. But the scientific community and the friends and colleagues of Stanley ‘Stan’ Kuczaj III lost so much more. As many know, Stan began his career in Developmental Psychology, making enormous contributions in the area of language development, but became best known for his many innovative contributions in the area of marine mammal behavior. Stan founded Animal Behavior and Cognition because he was deeply passionate about research with a broad range of topics concerning animal behavior, animal cognition, and animal welfare. He was equally passionate about the idea that science …

The Ferber Method And Other Behavioral Sleep Training Methods: Do They Disrupt Attachment And Impact Physical And Psychological Wellbeing?, Bobbi Smith

Nursing Masters

The Ferber Method is a behavioral method for sleep training infants and young children that is also known as the “cry it out” method. Behavioral methods of sleep training is often recommended by pediatricians. However, many parents, sleep specialists, psychologists, and experts in infant mental health, find these methods controversial. Supporters of behavioral sleep training claim that it teaches children to “self soothe” and learn to regulate their own emotions. Those against the Ferber Method and other behavioral techniques claim that they not only cause infants and children distress, but they also teach them that their needs will not be …

Effect Of Aerobic Exercise On Selenium Level In Plasma, Sarmmila Kanakarajah, Nanny Nm. Soetedjo, Ronny Lesmana

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Moderate and high aerobic exercises are the activities that can induce high oxidant. Demand of endogen and exogen antioxidant for neutralizing oxidant induced by exercise will play important role in maintaining body performance. Microtrace elements, such as selenium, may able to balance high oxidant formation. However, limited research and data have been collected with regards to the exercise and selenium. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on selenium level in plasma. An analytic study with experimental method of data collection was performed from October -November 2016. 17 male students with the age between 19-25 …

Antioxidant Activity Of Ethanol Extract Of Polygonum Pulchrum Blume, Asman Sadino, Idin Sahidin, Wahyuni Wahyuni

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

The use of antioxidants from natural resources has attracted increasing interest. One of the plant that was empirically used as an antioxidant dietary supplement was Polygonum pulchrum Blume (P. pulchrum Blume). This study aimed to investigate antioxidant activity of roots, stems, leaves and flowers ethanol extract of P. pulchrum Blume. The extract was obtained by maceration method using ethanol solvent. Antioxidant activity was determined with 1,1-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. We found that ethanol extracts of P. pulchrum Blume roots and stems had strong antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 25.2 mg/l and 43.26 mg/l, respectively. Ethanol extract of flowers had the …

Effect Of A Recovery Supplement On Weight Lifting Performance, Muscle Fiber Morphology And Muscle Protein Accretion, Christopher B. Taber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to examine the effect of a protein and carbohydrate recovery beverage versus a placebo on weightlifting performance, its effect on muscle morphological changes and specific muscle protein accretion. The following are major finding from the dissertation: 1) Protein and carbohydrate recovery supplementation does not appear to have influence on performance measure in trained weightlifters. This finding may be associated with the short-term nature of this study and the trained population used. 2) Compared with placebo, a protein and carbohydrate beverage provided greater benefits on cross sectional area of type I and type II muscle …

August 2016 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.