Digital Commons Network^™

‘Where Have You Vanished?’: Aelred Of Rievaulx’S Lamentation On Simon, Anna Harrison

Theological Studies Faculty Works

In his lamentation on the death of his friend, Simon, Aelred responds to a centuries-long suspicion about grief by mounting an apology for mourning that is in keeping with a larger Cistercian trend. Aelred’s chief preoccupation in the lamentation is, however, to emphasize the productivity of grief, both for the living and for the dead. Aelred associates the desire to reunite with the beloved dead with stimulating the mourner’s desire for heaven as location for the longed-for reunion, and he conceives of the pain associated with bereavement as payment for the sins of the deceased.

The Role Of Music In Worship Among Deaf Culture Christianity, Mallory Ruth Dunn

Masters Theses

Throughout the Word of God, we are called to worship our Creator through music. "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--shout for joy before the Lord, the King" (Psalm 98: 4-6 [NIV]). It has been said that music is a universal language: but all cultures use it differently and therefore it is not a universal language but a universal phenomenon. What about the individual who cannot hear the music or …

Equals: Redefining The Way Graphic Design And Narrative Film Combine To Create Visual Metaphor, Kevin Harris

Masters Theses

This paper provides a methodology for combining Graphic Design and Narrative Film together in a way that creates a type of visual metaphor that is central to the story and characters of the film. Because visual mediums of communication are so intrinsically tied to verbal means of communication, this methodology is grounded in the linguistic study of poetry and metaphor. Thus, the concept of metaphor will be analyzed thoroughly in language, poetry, fine arts, and modern arts. The ways in which metaphor is created visually through the art forms of graphic design and narrative film will be of upmost interest …

Welfare Implications Of An Enrichment Program For Two Species Of Common Aquaria Fish, Matthew Burgess

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Public and academic interest into the welfare of captive animals is strong, and ever growing (Barrows, 2017). In accordance with this, standards of zoo and aquarium welfare science has thrived within recent years, with considerable resource spent assuring the lives of those in captivity are to an acceptable standard (Damasceno et al, 2017). Despite this, an understanding into the mechanisms which impact welfare, and the theoretical tools to assess it, require further specification (Barrows, 2017). This research assessed the welfare of two common aquaria fish, a population of regal tangs (Paracanthurus hepatus), and a population of yellow tangs (Zebrasoma flavescens). …

Perceptions Of Animal Personality Compared With Objective Measures Of Animal Personality In Captive Ungulates And Carnivores, Rebecca Edwards

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The two most widely used methods for animal personality assessment include observational coding of behaviour and the rating of traits through questionnaires. Here the two are assessed side by side in order to determine whether or not they are consistent with one another. Six zoo keepers from one zoo were asked to rate the personality of 12 individuals they cared for. Animals studied included a range of carnivores and ungulate species which consisted of Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos), Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European pine marten (Martes martes), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), Eurasian wolf (Canis …

Do Zebrafish Exhibit A Placebo Response? Fluoxetine Conditioning In Chronically Stressed Adult Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Kanza M. Khan

Dissertations

Placebo responses are a widely observed phenomenon in humans and animals alike. In humans, placebo responses are largely attributed to expectancy processes, and conditioning (Stewart-Williams, & Podd, 2004). In the clinical setting, the placebo response is very useful as it has the power to improve physical and/or psychological states, without the need for treatment with a higher drug dose. In clinical trials however, researchers must control for potential placebo effects. Still, despite the experimental control, placebo responses are widely observed during phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials, resulting in a weak drug effect. In the effort to improve the …

Exploring Temperament In Beluga Whale Calves (Delphinapterus Leucas), Beri Brown

Dissertations

Studies of personality and temperament in humans span many disciplines, although animal research is still relatively undeveloped. Research investigating stable individual differences in marine mammals has been limited, and to date there have not been any studies with beluga whales. As an ongoing longitudinal study, seven beluga calves, housed at SeaWorld San Antonio, were videotaped throughout their first two years of life. Four videos were selected from archived video recordings for each calf from the following nine phases: newborn phase (month 1), Q1 (month 2-3), Q2 (month 4-6), Q3 (month 7-9), Q4 (month 10-12), Q5 (month 13-15), Q6 (month 16-18), …

Non-Neutralizing Antibodies Elicited By Recombinant Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Are Critical For Protection Against Lassa Fever., Tiago Abreu-Mota, Katie R. Hagen, Kurt Cooper, Peter B. Jahrling, Gene Tan, Christoph Wirblich, Reed F. Johnson, Matthias J. Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Lassa fever (LF), caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is a viral hemorrhagic fever for which no approved vaccine or potent antiviral treatment is available. LF is a WHO priority disease and, together with rabies, a major health burden in West Africa. Here we present the development and characterization of an inactivated recombinant LASV and rabies vaccine candidate (LASSARAB) that expresses a codon-optimized LASV glycoprotein (coGPC) and is adjuvanted by a TLR-4 agonist (GLA-SE). LASSARAB elicits lasting humoral response against LASV and RABV in both mouse and guinea pig models, and it protects both guinea pigs and mice against LF. We …

A Virus-Encoded Type I Interferon Decoy Receptor Enables Evasion Of Host Immunity Through Cell-Surface Binding., Bruno Hernáez, Juan Manuel Alonso-Lobo, Imma Montanuy, Cornelius Fischer, Sascha Sauer, Luis J. Sigal, Noemí Sevilla, Antonio Alcamí

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Soluble cytokine decoy receptors are potent immune modulatory reagents with therapeutic applications. Some virus-encoded secreted cytokine receptors interact with glycosaminoglycans expressed at the cell surface, but the biological significance of this activity in vivo is poorly understood. Here, we show the type I interferon binding protein (IFNα/βBP) encoded by vaccinia and ectromelia viruses requires of this cell binding activity to confer full virulence to these viruses and to retain immunomodulatory activity. Expression of a variant form of the IFNα/βBP that inhibits IFN activity, but does not interact with cell surface glycosaminoglycans, results in highly attenuated viruses with a virulence similar …

Development Of Onchocerca Volvulus In Humanized Nsg Mice And Detection Of Parasite Biomarkers In Urine And Serum., John B. Patton, Sasisekhar Bennuru, Mark L. Eberhard, Jessica A. Hess Ligas, April R. Torigian, Sara Lustigman, Thomas B. Nutman, David Abraham

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The study of Onchocerca volvulus has been limited by its host range, with only humans and non-human primates shown to be susceptible to the full life cycle infection. Small animal models that support the development of adult parasites have not been identified.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We hypothesized that highly immunodeficient NSG mice would support the survival and maturation of O. volvulus and alteration of the host microenvironment through the addition of various human cells and tissues would further enhance the level of parasite maturation. NSG mice were humanized with: (1) umbilical cord derived CD34+ stem cells, (2) fetal derived liver, …

Midguts, Microbes, And Mosquitoes: An Analysis Of The Microbiomes Of Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus, Flor Alicia Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Experiment 1: Mosquito microbiomes are influenced by the environment and diets of mosquitoes. There is great variability within and among mosquito populations with few microbe inhabitants being well established among mosquitoes of similar species and environments. By understanding the potential variation in midgut microbiomes in lab and wild populations, we may assess the effect that microbiomes have on vector competency.

Experiment 2: Mosquito midgut microbes are essential for development and may influence the vector competency. Native and non-native strains of the midgut inhabitant, Cedecea, were introduced to laboratory colonies of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes to help elucidate …

Cost Of Caring: The Effects Of Euthanasia On Animal Shelter Workers, Kim L. Nguyen-Finn

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study focuses on animal shelter workers, a population that has often been overlooked in research and clinical practice, and the emotional strains of the task of euthanasia. The effects of employment in a kill or no-kill shelter, participation in euthanasia, and number of years employed on mental health issues of substance abuse, anxiety, depression, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout were examined. A three-way MANOVA was run to test the hypothesis that there is a cell effect among the type of shelter employed in, participation in euthanasia, and years of experience on mental health, which was not supported by …

Impacts Of Habitat Attributes And Community Gardens On Urban Bird Communities, Samuel Glenn Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas is a major agricultural region yet has some of the highest hunger rates in the USA. Urbanization and agriculture affect biodiversity, which is well studied, but little is known about how agriculture affects biodiversity in urban areas. We investigated how different urban attributes, including those related to urban farming, impact bird communities in Brownsville and Harlingen, TX, and compared sites that have community gardens to those that do not. To study three key urban habitat characteristics, we identified sites that exhibited all possible combinations of these factors, quantified land cover classes related to …

Effects Of Invasive Nilgai Antelope (Boselaphus Tragocamelus ) Browsing On Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) In South Texas: A Study On Microenvironmental, Physiological, Structural, And Reproductive Parameters, Tianna Picquet

Theses and Dissertations

Mangroves are important for coastal systems because they provide habitat for fish and bird species, mitigate erosion, and create an area for carbon sequestration. Along the Gulf of Mexico, at the southern tip of Texas, recent observations have shown that A. germinans stands (the dominant species in Texas) are being browsed on by invasive nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus). The antelope were introduce to the south Texas region via King Ranch in the 1930’s and have since significantly increased in population and distribution. Previously thought to be grazers, B. tragocamelus were captured on camera utilizing A. germinans as a …

Bluegrass And Old-Time In Catalonia: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Aesthetic Communitas, Michael J. Luchtan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an ethnographic case study of a musical community in Catalonia centered around the performance of bluegrass and old-time music. By using Victor and Edith Turners’ ideas of normative communitas, this paper identifies an aesthetic communitas model which describes a community centered around a performative genre. Through participant observation in the 16th Annual Al Ras Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival and interviews with local musicians, fans, venue owners, and luthiers, the ethnographic narrative details the characteristics of the aesthetic communitas in Catalonia and searches for associations of Appalachia that accompany the cross-cultural manifestation of bluegrass and old-time music …

The Study Of Alcoholic Liver Diseases, Seun Emmanuel Owoseni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Excessive alcohol consumption is the primary contributing factor in the development of alcoholic liver diseases (ALD). Nicotine contained in tobacco is a major addictive alkaloid, which enhances the effects of ALDs. The major enzyme involved in nicotine metabolism is cytochrome P450 2A5 (CYP2A5) which is produced in the liver. Alcohol can stimulate the CYP2A5 enzyme. We utilized cyp2a5-/- knockout mice in this research to examine the effects of CYP2A5.

The cyp2a5-/- mice and wild-type (WT) mice were fed liquid ethanol diet with or without nicotine to induce ALD. Nicotine enhancing effects on ALD were observed in WT mice but not …

The Role Of Cyp2a5 In Cadmium-Induced Liver Injury, Julia Salamat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cadmium is present in food and groundwater. Tobacco smoking and occupational exposure are also major sources for cadmium. Cadmium is primarily accumulated in liver, a major organ metabolizing exogenous chemicals. Chemical metabolism may cause detoxification, but it can also cause bio-activation resulting in liver damage. Cytochrome P450s (CYP) are major liver metabolism enzymes, and cadmium chloride (CdCl2) can induce CYP2A5 in mice. We examined the effect of CYP2A5 on CdCl2-induced liver injury using CYP2A5-knockout (cyp2a5-/-) mice. The cyp2a5-/- mice and their control WT mice were injected CdCl2 intraperitoneally at 5 mg/kg body weight, respectively, to induce liver injury. …

Redefining The Mfa: Artistic Pragmatism For The Twenty-First Century, Cristina Ann Correa

Theses and Dissertations

The twenty-first century economy demands a culturally-adaptable and technologically-innovative workforce. Despite the expansion of creative industry, at least half of academically-trained artists will work in fields unrelated to their studies. Statistics reflecting employment changes every three years parallel twenty-first century, pragmatic realities. Job seekers must consistently adapt and add to acquired skill sets to remain marketable.

Visual artists constantly engage in research and experimentation to move their practice beyond comfort zones. While many artistic processes can be learned through the internet, books, and observational study, the road to a career in academia must begin with a Master of Fine Art …

Assessing The Grey Short-Tailed Opossum (Monodelphis Domestica) As A Potential Animal Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Creation Of An Ethogram And Description Of Developmental Changes In Social Behavior, Angela M. Mar

Theses and Dissertations

Research using animal models is done when human subjects cannot participate due to ethical concerns. The majority of translational research is done using rat models. However, other animals are good candidates for translational research, such as Monodelphis domestica. Presently, little is known about Monodelphis domesticas’ behavior and how the animal can be used in research settings. The aim of the study is to fill the gap in the research by conducting behavioral observations of M. domestica pups using a longitudinal approach starting with post-weaned age and ending at the age of sexual maturity and creating an behavioral ethogram. …

Associative And Non-Associative Learning In The Monodelphis Domestica, Ana C. Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

Learning encompasses multiple important processes that vary within organisms and that are affected by different factors. Two of the most important types of learning are associative and non-associative learning. Even though past research has studied animal learning in multiple species, there is limited research on learning in the Monodelphis domestica. It is imperative to further the knowledge on this species since multiple fields use it as an animal model for research. The current study examined both non-associative and associative learning in the Monodelphis. Non-associative learning was explored by using a habituation-dishabituation paradigm, while associative learning was examined using the …

Arabidopsis Thaliana Transformed With Streptanthus Farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (Sfmtp1) Or The Native A. Thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 ( Atmtp1) Cdna And The Effects On Sod Enzyme Activity Upon Nickel Treatment, Selina Urbina Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Superoxide Dismutase enzyme activity was analyzed in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, a non-accumulator weed plant species of the Brassicaceae family, that was transformed with Streptanthus farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein1 (SfMTP1) or A. thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (AtMTP1 ). The transgenic A. thaliana was exposed to a 12 day treatment of 100 ?M Nickel Acetate in 1/10 X Hoaglands solution in hydroponics. Analysis of Super Oxide Dismutase activity determined that transgenic A. thaliana transformed with the AtMTP1 cDNA and treated with 100 µM Nickel showed a significant increase in Super Oxide Dismutase activity compared to A. thaliana …

Healing And Resistance Through Humor: A Literary And Cultural Analysis Of Chicana And Latina Cultural Production, Victoria E. Valdez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes elements of humor used by Chicana cultural producers (poets, performance artists, stand up comediennes) to subvert negative stereotypes of Chicanas. Chicana humorists have challenged harmful images of Mexican American women through poetry, prose, performances, and stand-up comedy. While Américo Paredes created a scholarly foundation for the study of Chicano humor, it is evident that Chicanos and members of dominant society mock Chicanas with their brand of humor. I argue writers like Michele Serros and Lorna Dee Cervantes resist dichotomous Chicana imagery and instead create and add to Chicana representation with humor. This thesis examines performance artist Maria …

Planning The Reintroduction Of The Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa) To Taiwan: An Assessment Of Attitudes And Potential Support, Evan Greenspan

Theses

Large felid populations are in decline globally and wildlife managers have increasingly used reintroductions as a conservation tool, yet few studies have assessed public attitudes towards potential large felid reintroduction candidates prior to release. The clouded leopard was recently declared extinct in Taiwan; however, a reintroduction effort is ecologically feasible and success largely depends on resident attitudes towards clouded leopards and support for its reintroduction. In 2017, 263 semi-structured interviews with indigenous locals were conducted in southern Taiwan and an internet questionnaire was distributed to 500 urban residents for comparison. Rural and urban attitudes were 67% and 76% positive toward …

Galleria Mellonella As An Alternate Infection Model For Burkholderia Species And A Comparison Of Suspension And Surface Test Methods For Evaluating Sporicidal Efficacy, Joseph D. Thiriot

Theses and Dissertations

Melioidosis is a neglected tropical disease that continues unabated in many countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. There is no vaccine and antimicrobial treatment is expensive and complicated. Virulence models are important tools used to investigate genes involved in pathogenesis. Galleria mellonella is the larvae of the wax worm moth that has been used to model various infections. Based on previous studies, we attempted to establish an infection model using Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia thailandensis, a related species which is avirulent in humans. Injections of various forms of these species (fresh and frozen) were used to develop Kaplan-Meier plots. We …

Endocytosis As An Additional Mechanism Of Glucose Transport To The Hexose Transporter In Trypanosoma Brucei, Jongsu Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Trypanosoma brucei is an extracellular kineotoplastid parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness. As trypanosomes undergo vector to host transition, heavy transcriptional adaptation such as metabolic shift to glycolysis and upregulated endocytosis occurs. Specifically, glycolysis in the infectious stage becomes the sole source of energy production; thus, the glucose transport mechanism in T. brucei provides one of the most promising therapeutic targets for development of new drugs to treat HAT. Despite an established trypanosome hexose transporter (THT) model for glucose transport across the plasma membrane, there remains gaps in the detailed mechanism of glucose transport …

Using Non-Destructive Testing To Predict Bending Modulus Of Carbon Infiltrated-Carbon Nanotubes, Fred Stile Fagergren

Theses and Dissertations

Fabrication of carbon infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CI-CNT) can result in large mechanical property variation, and methods to characterize properties usually involve destructive testing. Finding a non-destructive way to test for stiffness of this material reduces the number of parts that have to be made. It also simplifies testing of complex parts. The stiffness of CI-CNT beams is related to the type of carbon material infiltrated between the carbon nanotubes (CNTs), how it interacts with the CNTs, and how much of it there is. The amount of material can be estimated using the density of the beam, and both the type …

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (Egfr) Inhibition By Polychlorinated Biphenyls Contributes To Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Nafld)., Josiah Hardesty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes how poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exacerbate the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While PCBs were banned in 1979, they still persist in contaminated biota, including food, and are detected in human plasma and adipose. The body burden of PCBs is associated with elevation of liver enzymes and necrosis markers in humans, characteristic of NAFLD. PCB exposure in high-fat diet fed mice leads to steatohepatitis that recapitulate the findings seen in exposed humans. The global estimate of people diagnosed with NAFLD is up to 1 in 4 people, unrelated to dietary or genetic factors. The hepatic mechanisms …

An Analysis Of Prey Resistance And Long-Term Temporal Changes In Venom Composition Within Rattlesnake Populations, Thomas Michael Mccabe

Dissertations

Venoms are complex mixtures of toxic constituents used by venomous snakes to incapacitate prey, to defend against threats, and to aid in pre-digestion of prey items. Snake venoms vary based on a number of characteristics, including but not limited to individual identity, species, geographic range, and ontogeny. While much is understood about snake venom variability, relatively little is known as to how venom changes or is stable through time. This doctoral dissertation focuses on elucidating the nature and mechanism of compositional change in the venoms of two rattlesnake species, the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) and the Desert Massasauga …

Prothonotary Warbler Demography And Nest Site Selection In Natural And Artificial Cavities In Bottomland Forests Of Arkansas, Usa [Démographie Et Sélection Du Site De Nidification De La Paruline Orangée Dans Des Cavités Naturelles Et Artificielles En Forêts Sur Terres Basses De L'Arkansas, É.-U.], Morgan C. Slevin, Alix E. Matthews, Than J. Boves

School of Medicine Faculty Publications and Presentations

Anthropogenic alterations to bottomland forests in the United States that occurred post-European settlement likely negatively affected many avian species. The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), a secondary cavity nester that breeds predominantly in these forests, has steadily declined over the past 60 years, and our ability to mitigate this trend is partially limited by a lack of basic biological data. Although much research has been devoted to Prothonotary Warblers, most studies have focused on local breeding populations that use nest boxes; we lack information about habitat selection behavior and demographic parameters of individuals that use natural cavities, which includes the vast …

Development Of Multiple Microemulsion Eye Drops For Sustained Release Of New Glaucoma Drug, Doaa Nabih Ahmed Maria

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Persistent or repeated elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary risk factor of visual field loss in glaucoma, therefore IOP reduction is the first-line therapeutic option in the disease management. Unfortunately, the current therapies are associated with a lot of deficiencies including several daily dosing, reduced efficacy and systemic side effects all of which resulted in poor patient compliance. Previously we have identified Calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit Alpha2delta 1 gene (Cacna2d1) as a novel modulator of IOP and confirmed that pregabalin targeted CACNA2D1 in eye tissues (ciliary body and trabecular meshwork) to lower IOP in a …