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"My Paintings Would Be No Different Than A Picture In A Biology Textbook", Andi Kur

UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

I find that there are innate balances in life, universal dichotomies that permeate our understanding of the world. My paintings are about a duality such as this that exists between art and science. We are told from youth that these subjects are poles in constant strain, as miscible as oil in water. I spent thirteen years in school believing that I must choose between the two, that it is unnecessary to carry both with me. Drawn between a distinct love of each, I realized how vehemently I disagreed. Everything: every rock to every tree to every person is suspended between …

Black Excellence: Fostering Intellectual Curiosity In Minority Honors Students At A Predominantly White Research Institution, Stephen C. Scott

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

As a recent alumnus of the West Virginia University Honors College, I recognize my honors experience as a multi-faceted, intellectual journey that pushed me academically, professionally, and personally to become the lifelong learner that I am today. As the only Black honors student in my graduating class, I was aware of my tokenism, especially in my honors courses, in the honors college office, in the honors learning center (testWELL Learning Center), and in university and honors college committee meetings, but I never let it bother me much. My peers misperceived me as an “Oreo”; my physical appearance was Black, yet …

Examining Inequalities In Science Literacy By Religious Affiliation Among Adults, Alexis Swendener

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

Much attention has been given to the general public’s lack of understanding of science and the adverse effect of this lack of knowledge in our ever-advancing scientific and technological society. Religion remains an important social frame through which individuals interpret information, including scientific findings and facts and one deserving of closer examination in understanding disparities in public science knowledge. Using a random sample of adults in Nebraska, this study explored the association between religious affiliation and adult scientific literacy of human biological concepts. Results found a relationship between religious affiliation and adult scientific knowledge, even after controlling for confounding demographic …

Applying Encoding And Retrieval Techniques To Chinese Rhyme Reading In Advanced Placement Chinese Instruction, Nan Wang

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

Learning Chinese as a foreign language is increasingly prevalent in public school districts in the U.S. As ACTFL (2011) reported, an increasing number of enrollments of Advanced Placement Chinese courses indicate a growing demand for Chinese language courses in U.S. public school districts (ACTFL, 2011; ACTFL, 2017). AP foreign language exams indicate that students from the mainstream culture in the U.S. do not perform as well as racial minority test takers (Brown & Thompson, 2016). Therefore, implementing appropriate teaching strategies in a student-centered foreign language environment is a desperate need. This is a pragmatic instructional design proposal, which emphasizes the …

Cave Millipedes Of The United States. Xiv. Revalidation Of The Genus Speorthus Chamberlin, 1952 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae), With A Description Of A New Species From Texas And Remarks On The Families Polydesmidae And Macrosternodesmidae In North America, William A. Shear, James M. Reddell

Insecta Mundi

The genus Speorthus Chamberlin is revalidated for S. tuganbius Chamberlin and S. reyesi, new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae). The families Polydesmidae and Macrosternodesmidae (as they occur in North America) are briefly discussed, and their component North American genera listed. The validity of Macrosternodesmidae is reaffirmed; the family is predominantly North American. Nearctodesminae, new status, is formally designated as a subfamily of Macrosternodesmidae. The superfamily Trichopolydesmoidea is synonymized with the superfamily Polydesmoidea, new combination.

Una Nueva Especie De Eraina Clarke (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) De Chile Central, Francisco Urra

Insecta Mundi

Se describe una nueva especie de Autostichidae, Eraina beechei nov. sp., a partir de ejemplares recolectados en la precordillera andina de la Provincia de Ñuble, Región del Biobío. Se presentan caracteres de diagnóstico para la especie; se entregan fotografías del adulto, ilustraciones de las estructuras genitales del macho y de la hembra, y una clave para la determinación de las especies del género Eraina.

Morphological Revision Of The Western Palaearctic Species Of The Genus Copris Geoffroy, 1762 With Three Foretibial External Teeth (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

This revision concerns a small group of Western Palaearctic Copris species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae) distinguished by having three lateral teeth on the foretibae. According to the literature, this group consists of four taxa: Copris armeniacus Faldermann, 1835, C. felschei Reitter, 1892, C. pueli Mollandin de Boissy, 1905 and C. umbilicatus Abeille de Perrin, 1901. Copris armeniacus is herein deemed a species inquirenda, and C. felschei, for which a neotype is designated, is deemed valid. Copris umbilicatus is recorded for the first time from Turkey. A key to all species of the genus Copris known from the Western Palaearctic …

Key To The Korean Species Of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

A list of all 80 species of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) in 30 genera that have been identified or documented in Korea, along with a dichotomous key to separate them, is provided.

Species Groups Of Traumatomutilla André (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Kevin A. Williams, Pedro R. Bartholomay, Márcio Luiz De Oliveira

Insecta Mundi

Females of Traumatomutilla André (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) are organized into 14 species groups; 136 of the 138 Traumatomutilla taxa known from females were studied. Of these species groups, only the inermis species group was adequately established and diagnosed in the literature (Casal 1969). The remaining newly established species groups are as follows: americana, auriculata, bellica, bifurca, diabolica, gemella, indica, integella, juvenilis, quadrinotata, tabapua, trochanterata, and vitelligera. Diagnoses and lists of included species are provided for each species group. Eighty-three new country records are provided for 49 species.

Annotated World Bibliography Of Host Plants Of The Melon Fly, Bactrocera Cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), Grant T. Mcquate, Nicanor J. Liquido, Kelly A. A. Nakamichi

Insecta Mundi

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a widespread, economically important tephritid fruit fly species. Bactrocera cucurbitae infests fruits and vegetables of a number of different plant species, with many host plants in the plant family Cucurbitaceae, but with additional hosts scattered across many other plant families. Although thought to be native to India, its distribution has spread throughout many countries in Oriental Asia, into a number of Pacific Island nations, and into Africa. The documented introductions into countries outside its native distribution show that this species could establish in other countries where it does not presently occur, …

The Plecoptera Of Panama. I. The Stonefly Fauna Of Mount Totumas Cloud Forest And Biological Reserve, Including A New Country Record, Brian J. Armitage, Bill P. Stark

Insecta Mundi

The Republic of Panama currently has 21 recorded species of stoneflies, all in the genus Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae). Herein, we record five species of this genus from the Mount Totumas Cloud Forest and Biological Reserve, in the upper reaches of the Río Chiriquí Viejo watershed. One of these species, A. plutonis (Banks), represents a new country record for Panama. These results are part of an ongoing effort to characterize the aquatic insect fauna of Panama, and to evaluate that country’s major watersheds.

Encouraging Self-Reflection By Business Honors Students: Reflective Writing, Films, And Self-Assessments, Stephen A. Yoder

Honors in Practice Online Archive

I never thought that a single book had significantly influenced my teaching methods for honors students until I recently reopened my copy of The Moral Imagination, edited by Oliver F. Williams. The Moral Imagination is a collection of essays written nearly twenty years ago on how we might teach students to develop a sense of moral imagination through literature, art, and film. The book’s subtitle—How Literature and Films Can Stimulate Ethical Reflection in the Business World—elucidates the focus of the book, and a good definition for Williams’s use of the term “moral imagination” is the “uniquely human …

Razing The Patent Bar, William Hubbard

All Faculty Scholarship

Innovation is vital to economic prosperity, and lawmakers consequently strive to craft patent laws that efficiently promote the discovery and commercialization of new inventions. Commentators have long recognized that legal fees are a significant cost affecting innovation, but remarkably a crucial driver of these costs has largely escaped scrutiny: the Patent Bar. Every year innovators spend billions of dollars on legalfees for representation in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"), where inventors apply for patents and potential infringers seek to invalidate issued patents. Supply in this essential legal services market, however, is sharply limited because patent law requires innovators …

Science As Speech, Natalie Ram

All Faculty Scholarship

In April 2015, researchers in China reported the successful genetic editing of human embryos using a new technology that promised to make gene editing easier and more effective than ever before. In the United States, the announcement drew immediate calls to regulate or prohibit
outright any use of this technology to alter human embryos, even for purely research purposes. The fervent response to the Chinese announcement was, in one respect, unexceptional. Proposals to regulate or prohibit scientific research following a new breakthrough occur with substantial frequency. Innovations in cloning technology and embryonic stem cell research have prompted similar outcries, and …

Gender Differences In Populations With Substance Use Disorders: A Review Of The Literature, Allante Moon

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

'·A convergence of evidence suggests that women with substance use disorders are more likely than men to face multiple barriers affecting access and entry to substance abuse treatment" (Tuchman, 2010). There should never be an issue of receiving substance abuse treatment for any gender and exploring these differences can bring awareness to these issues. Several studies report gender differences in men and women who are experiencing substance use disorders. This thesis is based on a literature review of gender differences in experiencing and treating substance additions among populations of minorities, elderly individuals, and HIV positive individuals. Emphasis is placed on …

Impact Of Sustainable Design Elements On Student Learning, Mary Levengood

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper looks at various studies to determine the impact of sustainable design elements on students' learning through researching previous studies and applying positive attributes to a case study of Bush Elementary School located in Essexville, Michigan. The sustainable practices outlined in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) that will be focused on are thermal comfort, lighting, indoor environmental quality, and using the building as a teaching tool. This paper will briefly discuss why sustainable practices are an important issue on a global and local level. Implementing environmentally preferable building elements in schools is not only beneficial to the …

The Effect Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Pcos) On The Human Skeleton, Sarah Bruckler

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The purpose of this pilot study is to determine the systemic effects of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) on bone mineral density (BMD). Excessive male sex honnones, excessive insulin levels, and weight gain characterize PCOS, and are correlated to increased BMD. PCOS is also associated with symptoms and comorbid conditions, like chronic vitamin D deficiency, menstrual dysfunction, and hypothyroidism, which are all correlated with decreased BMD. Existing research on this topic reports conflicting results; some studies show a significant correlation between PCOS and increased BMD, while others suggest that no significant correlation exists. These previous studies focused on load-bearing areas of …

Investigation Of Atg11 And Its Interaction With Ypt1 In Autophagy, Hayley Cawthon

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Autophagy is a cellular process conserved in eukaryotes that involves the trafficking of intracellular material from the cytosol to the vacuole/lysosome. This material is wrapped in a double membraned vesicle called an autophagosome, which ls constructed at the pre-autophagosomal structure. Many proteins are Involved In autophagy, one of them being Atgll. This protein is crucial in the selective autophagy pathway, and is responsible for proper formation of the pre-autophagosomal structure as well as recruiting the material intended for degradation to the autophagosome. Atgl 1 interacts with many other autophagy proteins, but it Is unknown whether it interacts with these binding …

Behavioral And Vocal Responses Of The American Goldfinch (Carduelis Tristis) To Predatory Bird Calls, Kate Marsh

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

A particular reaction to a given predator is dependent on the level of danger perceived by an animal. American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) are preyed upon by highly threatening predators that commonly attack songbirds at feeders (feeder predator) and less threatening predators that rarely attack songbirds at feeders (non-feeder predators). This study measured the behavioral and vocal reactions of American goldfinches to these different levels of predatory threat and examined the effect of threat level on the trade-off between foraging and anti-predatory behaviors (vigilance). We hypothesized that if goldfinches respond to predatory cues based on the level of threat …

The Effect Of Temporary Anosmia On Olfactory Bulb Glomerular Neuron Activation, Kelsey E. Zuk

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Neuroplasticity refers to changes in signaling and circuitry throughout the nervous system. The olfactory system is well known for its ability to induce neuroplasticity throughout the lifespan of the organism. Changes in olfactory sensory input are known to induce neuroplasticity. Neuron activation, due to olfactory sensory input, activates the immediate early gene c-fos in the olfactory bulb (OB). The presence of fos, the protein derived from c-fos gene expression, can be used to measure changes in OB circuit activity. In the present study, olfactory sensory input was disrupted in mice by intranasal irrigation with the detergent Triton X-100. This induces …

Understanding The Interface That Enables The Interaction Between Two Dopamine Receptor Subtypes Known As D1 And D2 Implicated In Depression, Adam Baraka

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The dopamine receptor subtypes known as DI and D2 have been shown to form a heteromer complex, which is thought to lead to the disruption of a multitude of signaling pathways within the brain. As a result, this has been proposed to lead to diseased states such as Alzheimer's and depression. In previous studies, it has been shown that the use of synthetic peptides corresponding to the surface interface of the interactions (specifically in the third intracellular loop of D2 interface) within the complex have served to compete against the formation of the heteromer. Through in vitro biochemical techniques such …

Effect Of Cd40 Silencing In Mav-1 Infected Mh-S Cells, Andre Obua

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The murine alveolar macrophage cell line, MH-S, constitutively expresses the immunoregulatory antigen CD40. Previous experiments have demonstrated that CD40 expression is upregulated following infection with the DNA virus, mouse adenovirus 1 1 Obua (MA V-1 ), suggesting a role for CD40 in MA V-1 infection. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the effect ofCD40 silencing on MA V-1 replication in MH-S cells. To elucidate the importance ofCD40 signaling in MA V-1 replication, CD40 expression was reduced using a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) RNAi system. Five CD40-silenced lines were generated using shRNA and showed between 26-79 percent reduction in …

The Effects Of Unpredictable Food On Corticosterone And Social Learning In Red Crossbills (Loxia Curvirostra), Megan Catharine Wurtz

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Foraging success can limit fitness if resources are unpredictable and strongly favor those that learn socially. Unpredictability can be a stressor and trigger elevations of stress hormones, that coordinate whole body responses to challenging environmental conditions. We explored the effects of unpredictable food on behavior, physiology, and receptiveness to social information using an observer/demonstrator paradigm in red crossbills, a highly social species that are adapted to cope with high degrees of resource unpredictability. Unpredictable food limited food intake (X²₁ = 10, p = 0.0012), caused a decline in body condition (X²₁ = 5.9, p …

Board Of Regents Meeting Materials, June 27, 2017, Eastern Michigan University

Board of Regents Meeting Materials

No abstract provided.

Role Of The Interleukin-22 And Stat3 Signaling Pathway In Gut Barrier Maintenance Following Intoxication And Burn Injury, Adam M. Hammer

Dissertations

More than half of patients admitted to burn centers for treatment have measurable alcohol levels in their blood. Intoxication that precedes a traumatic burn injury leads to worsened patient outcomes, including higher rates of infection and sepsis. The intestines harbor the largest concentration of bacteria in the human host. Any disruption of the intestinal barrier as a result of intoxication and burn injury could contribute to infection and/or sepsis from gut-derived microbes. Previous work has demonstrated that the intestinal barrier becomes leaky, and that administration of interleukin-22 (IL-22) significantly reduces gut barrier leakiness following alcohol and burn injury. However, the …

Endocytic Vesicle Rupture In The Pathogenesis And Propagation Of Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies, William P. Flavin

Dissertations

Numerous pathological amyloid proteins spread from cell-to-cell during neurodegenerative disease, facilitating the propagation of cellular pathology and disease progression. Understanding the mechanism by which disease-associated amyloid protein assemblies enter target cells and induce cellular dysfunction is therefore key to understanding the progressive nature of such neurodegenerative proteinopathies. In this study, we utilized an imaging-based assay to monitor the ability of disease-associated amyloid assemblies to induce the rupture of intracellular vesicles following endocytosis, as well as to elucidate the cellular consequences of this damaging mechanism of invasion. We observed that the ability to induce vesicle rupture is a conserved feature of …

Characterization Of The Effect Of Aeration On A Commercially Available Fibrin Sealant For Use In Wound Therapy, Adam Robert Marek

Dissertations

Wound care affects millions of people worldwide each year, and the need for an effective wound therapy still exists. The aim of this study was to characterize a novel, aerated biopolymer, fibrin foam, which is generated through a patented mixing process using a commercially-available fibrin sealant. This research developed a distinct preparation of fibrin foam that creates a porous environment with improved wound healing properties. With this fibrin foam, characterization assessments were performed, including evaluation of mixing parameters, biocompatibility, and biomechanical strengths.

Fibrin foam is created by performing six passes through a mixing device, which generates a foam matrix with …

Behavioral Symptoms, Functional And Cognitive Recovery Post-Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Seema Nasser

Dissertations

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) accounts for 80–90% of the nearly two million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that occur each year. The psychological consequences of MTBI can be extensive and can persist well beyond the acute injury, profoundly impacting the lives of the individual, their families, and society. A substantial number of MTBI patients suffer depressive mood, fatigue, and poor sleep (i.e., behavioral symptoms) for weeks and months post-injury. These symptoms reduce quality of life and delay the return to previous cognitive and functional status. Behavioral symptoms of depressed mood, fatigue, and poor sleep commonly co-occur and thus may constitute …

Eastern Magazine, Fall 2017, Eastern Michigan University

Alumni News: Eastern Magazine

No abstract provided.

Frnk Regulatory Complex Formation With Fak Is Regulated By Erk Mediated Serine 217 Phosphorylation, Taylor J. Zak

Dissertations

Focal adhesion kinase related non-kinase (FRNK) is an endogenous inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) that has traditionally been used to inhibit FAK signaling in a variety of experiments and is also an important endogenous regulator of FAK signaling. More recently, FRNK has been shown to be of increasing importance in some pathologic conditions. Despite the increasing importance of FRNK, the molecular mechanism by which it functions remains unclear. In addition, FRNK contains several phosphorylation sites with unknown importance and function. Here I hypothesize that FRNK can inhibit FAK by binding directly to FAK within focal adhesions. Furthermore, I propose …