Digital Commons Network^™

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 And Chlamydia Pneumoniae Co-Infection In Human Astrocytes Alter Host Cell Transcription Of Adam10, Bacel And Psen1, Secretases Implicated In Alzheimer Disease, Sidra Montaha Haque

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Background Alzheimer disease includes plaques consisting of aggregates of amyloid beta (Aβ). Aβ is the product of abnormal cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the secretases β-APP cleaving enzyme-I (BACE1), Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) and disintegrin and metalloprotcinase-10 (ADAM10). Recent studies postulate a correlation between amyloidogenic processing of APP and infection of neuronal cells by bacteria or viruses. Here we examine the ability of Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) to modify the expression of BACE1, PSEN1, and ADAM10 in infected astrocytes. Knowing how these two pathogens might affect the neurodegenerative pathway to Aβ may give us …

Analysis Of Gene Transcription Changes Following Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infection Of Thpl Monocytes May Have Relevance To Alzheimer's Disease, Desiré Guthier

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

There is increasing evidence that neuroinflammation caused by infectious agents is an important etiologic factor in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). One infectious agent that has been associated with AD is Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn). Cpn DNA can be detected within peripherally circulating mononuclear cells and there is evidence that infected mononuclear cells could be involved in chronic infection and contribute to inflammation at numerous anatomical sites, including the brain. Understanding Cpn genetic changes progressing from an acute to a chronic infection within monocytes may help to further elucidate. the role of Cpn infected monocytes with regard to …

Nova Law Review Full Issue Volume 43, Issue 3

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

Reorganize Your Blogs: Supporting Blog Re-Visitation With Natural Language Processing And Visualization, Shuo Niu, D. Scott Mccrickard, Timothy L. Stelter, Alan Dix, G. Don Taylor

Computer Science

Temporally-connected personal blogs contain voluminous textual content, presenting challenges in re-visiting and reflecting on experiences. Other data repositories have benefited from natural language processing (NLP) and interactive visualizations (VIS) to support exploration, but little is known about how these techniques could be used with blogs to present experiences and support multimodal interaction with blogs, particularly for authors. This paper presents the effect of reorganization—reorganizing the large blog set with NLP and presenting abstract topics with VIS—to support novel re-visitation experiences to blogs. The BlogCloud tool, a blog re-visitation tool that reorganizes blog paragraphs around user-searched keywords, implements reorganization and similarity-based …

Touching, Tapping, And Talking: The Formation Of Contracts In Cyberspace, Mark E. Budnitz

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

Paging Dr. Robot: Applying An Outdated, Regulated Scheme To Robotic Medicine, Talya Van Embden

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

Recent Advances In Understanding The Terminal Ediacaran Earth-Life System In South China And Arctic Siberia, H. Cui, A. J. Kaufman, S. Xiao, D. V. Grazhdankin, S. Peek, A. J. Martin, N. V. Bykova, V. I. Rogov, X. M. Liu, F. Zhang, S. J. Romaniello, A. D. Anbar, Y. Peng, Y. Cai, J. D. Schiffbauer, M. Meyer, G. J. Gilleaudeau, R. E. Plummer, N. E. Sievers, S. Goderis, P. Claeys

Faculty Publications

Copyright: © 2019 CSIC. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 4.0 License. The terminal Ediacaran contains dramatic changes in biogeochemical cycles, many of which are closely coupled with evolutionary transitions in the corresponding fossil records. Dynamic redox conditions may have caused a profound impact on early animal evolution. Our work highlights the significance of integrated bio-, litho-, and chemo-stratigraphy in geobiology research of the deep time.

Thus Sayeth The Matthean Lord: Exploring The Intersection Of The Quest For The Historical Jesus And The Proclaimation Of The Biblical Jesus, Edward T. Wright

The Asbury Journal

The themes of Biblical Studies and mission meet in a significant way at the intersection of the quest for the historical Jesus (an aspect of biblical studies) and the proclamation of the biblical Jesus (an aspect of the mission of the Church). This intersection undoubtedly occurs in the context we currently find ourselves, the evangelical seminary setting. This paper explores a passage, Matthew 4:-11, that has both significant theological content but also some rather difficult historical issues. When confronted with this type of problem, is it possible to navigate the passage in such a way that the historical Jesus and …

Can Asl-Gloss Be Used As An Instructional Tool To Teach Written English To The Deaf?, Emma S. Rathkey

Open Access Dissertations

This study addressed the use of ASL-gloss as a potential method for improving reading ability and comprehension for those with profound deafness through the use of the Gray Silent Reading Test (GRST). ASL-gloss can be described as a written form of American Sign Language. Research suggests that on average, individuals who are deaf are reading at about a third- to fifth-grade level. Presently, there is limited research on the effects of using ASL-gloss with students who are deaf. Participants (n = 31) self-reported as having a profound hearing loss, used ASL as their primary or preferred language, and were over …

Dietary Polyphenols And Their Gut Microbiota Metabolites As Potential Treatments For Alzheimer's Disease, Kenneth N. Rose

Open Access Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that has no cure, no therapies to stop the disease progression, and limited palliative care options. As the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, it is necessary to discover therapeutics which can alter disease progression to alleviate the burden on patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems. In the search of therapeutics for AD, dietary polyphenols have become the topic of research as epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to dietary polyphenols, such as a Mediterranean diet, over one’s life, reduces the risk of dying from AD. Additionally, evidence from rodent models …

Oyster-Associated Microbial Community Dynamics, Rebecca Jean Stevick

Open Access Dissertations

Oysters are keystone species in the coastal environment, providing ecological, economic, and cultural services. A significant ecosystem service is their ability to improve water quality by filtration and denitrification. These ecological functions are made possible by oyster-associated microbes, but may also be threatened by microbial pathogens. This positions the oyster as a model system for the study of marine host-associated microbial diversity and function. However, studies of microbial diversity and function in shellfish are lacking, particularly in response to environmental perturbations. As coastal ecosystems change due to anthropogenic impacts and climate variability, it is important to understand how the oyster …

An ‘Omics Approach To Diet & Structure Impact On Perfluoroalkyl Substance Induced Liver Disease, Marisa Pfohl

Open Access Dissertations

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of environmental toxicants, are ubiquitous in the environment and the human population. PFAS are manmade chemicals that have been widely used in manufacturing since the 1940s. PFAS are extremely resistant to degradation leading to their accumulation within the environment and the general population. The most concentrated PFAS member present in the general population, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), has been linked to suppressed vaccine response, high serum cholesterol, low fetal birth weight, thyroid disease, increased markers of liver injury, and even certain types of cancers. PFOS was voluntarily phased out of manufacturing due to its bioaccumulutive and …

Identifying Dopamine Receptor Genes And Transcription Marbled Crayfish, Wolfgang Stein, Saisupritha Talasu

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Modulatory transmitters are major contributors to nervous system plasticity and behavioral flexibility, they determine motivational states and are involved in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Neuromodulators act through a variety of distinct receptors and due to the diversity in receptor subtypes and distribution, a single neuromodulator can exert many different actions. A prerequisite to understand the ways modulators work is thus to identify which receptors are expressed in an animal.

I studied which Dopamine receptors are present in the Procambarus virginalis, a highly invasive species of all female genetic clones with high quality genome and transcriptomes. Their broad behavioral repertoire makes …

Avian Igy As An Immunotherapy For Flaviviral Infections, Kyle O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

Flaviviruses compose a group of positive single strand RNA viruses. This group possess 70 individual viruses that cause disease in humans and animals. This group contains the most prevalent arbovirus dengue virus (DENV) and a recently emerging arbovirus zika virus (ZIKV). Both DENV and ZIKV represent significant world health threats and both viruses, at the moment, are contained to tropical and sub tropical regions due to vector habitat restrictions. DENV can cause severe hemorrhagic fever termed dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome depending on the extent of vascular permeability. The disease burden attributed to dengue infection is approximately 390 …

Linking Communicative Interaction To Cognitive Functioning: Implications For Older Adults, Denise Calhoun

Theses and Dissertations

As the percentage of older adults within the U.S. steadily increases, long-term care options are being impacted with growing numbers of seniors to provide for. The reality of these elevated numbers have sparked an interest in researchers to conduct studies on human development, plasticity in the brain, and training and intervention programs in search for ways to halt or lessen the cognitive and communicative decline, in older adults. As an alternative path to help older adults maintain quality of life, this study proposes to examine the link between communicative interaction and cognitive functioning to educate family members and healthcare providers …

Mold, Allergic Diseases And Asthma: Assessing The Validity And Usefulness Of Indoor Air Sampling As A Tool In Providing Health Protective Advice To Occupants, William M. Sothern

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Asthma is a major health problem throughout the world, disproportionately affecting occupants of low-income housing, and exposure to damp and moldy living conditions is recognized as a significant risk factor for asthma and other respiratory diseases. However, there are no authoritative health guidance values (HGV's) for airborne mold, and current scientific thought holds that the establishment of such guidelines is not practicable. Nonetheless, environmental practitioners take air samples for mold as a routine component of their indoor environmental investigations and use the laboratory results as a tool together with other findings to guide recommendations for health protective actions. The …

Teaching Jurisprudence In A Catholic Law School, Jeffrey A. Pojanowski

Journal Articles

This essay is a contribution to a symposium on John Breen and Lee Strang's forthcoming book, A Light Unseen: A History of Catholic Legal Education in the United States. Breen and Strang's book offers not just a history, but a program for the future of Catholic legal education. Their program places the teaching of jurisprudence and the natural law tradition at the center of Catholic legal education. This essay draws on lessons from teaching jurisprudence at Notre Dame Law School which, in delightfully countercultural fashion, is one of the few remaining law schools in the nation that require jurisprudence. It …

Reflections On A More “Catholic” Catholic Legal Education, William M. Treanor

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

I am grateful to Professors Breen and Strang for their thoughtful book about Catholic legal education in the United States. It is an important topic, and their work promises to be a significant contribution to the conversation about the mission of Catholic law schools. My reflections here will focus on Chapter Five.

All of us participating in this symposium are engaged in the collective enterprise of thinking through and implementing what it means to be a Catholic law school. As a historian, personally I am well aware of the value of studying where we have been as part of the …

Functional Equivalence And Residual Rights Post-Carpenter: Framing A Test Consistent With Precedent And Original Meaning, Laura K. Donohue

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The Carpenter Court held that warrantless access to seven or more days of cell site location information (CSLI) constitutes a violation of the reasonable expectation of privacy that individuals have in the whole of their physical movements. But the grounds on which the Court drew a line characterize all sorts of digital records—including those at issue in Miller and Smith, belying the majority’s claim that the decision leaves third-party doctrine intact. Instead of avoiding Katz’s pitfalls, moreover, the Court emphasized voluntary assumption of risk, doubling down on the subjective nature of judicial determination. The decision will likely lead to …

Wood Creek Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report 2019, Alex T. Morrison, Jett W. Hagerty, Claire M. Branson

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

The focus of this report was to monitor benthic macroinvertebrate communities on the Freshwater Farms Reserve, which underwent two phases of restoration as part of the Wood Creek Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project in 2009-2010 and 2016-2018. Objectives for the restoration activities were to increase winter rearing refugia habitat for several threatened/endangered fish species such as the tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi), Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The goals of this project were to (1) sample and identify BMIs along a salinity gradient in Wood Creek; (2) assess water quality; and (3) …

A Novel Sparse Compositional Technique Reveals Microbial Perturbations, Cameron Martino, James T. Morton, Clarisse A. Martoz, Luke R. Thompson, Anupriya Tripathi, Rob Knight, Karsten Zengler

Faculty Publications

The central aims of many host or environmental microbiome studies are to elucidate factors associated with microbial community compositions and to relate microbial features to outcomes. However, these aims are often complicated by difficulties stemming from high-dimensionality, non-normality, sparsity, and the compositional nature of microbiome data sets. A key tool in microbiome analysis is beta diversity, defined by the distances between microbial samples. Many different distance metrics have been proposed, all with varying discriminatory power on data with differing characteristics. Here, we propose a compositional beta diversity metric rooted in a centered log-ratio transformation and matrix completion called robust Aitchison …

Sifting Through The Arbitrators For The Woman, The Minority, The Newcomer, Douglas Pilawa

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

This Note examines the process of choosing an arbitrator in international arbitration. Much of the debate and criticism of this process addresses the lack of diversity in arbitral tribunals around the world. Diversity in this context means not only traditional diversity (i.e. gender, race, ethnicity), but also the basic idea of adding "fresh faces " to arbitral tribunals. Yet the ethical obligation to provide a client with the best chance to prevail encourages counsel to choose a familiar, wellknown name with an established "track record" over a littleknown "dark horse. " This tension illustrates a fundamental point of friction in …

The Current Minefied For Immigration Practitioners: Protecting The Rights Of Clients In The Trump Era, Lisa Scott, Aleksandra Miezin, Jessica Taba, Jacob Witz

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

The article focuses on several anti-immigration policies of the U.S. President Donald Trump which include "America First," and "Buy American and Hire American," which have rendered the U.S. immigration system nearly impossible to navigate without an experienced, highly-skilled attorney. It mentions cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as a rollback on basic human rights as seen through family separations.

The Search For Microbial Martian Life And American Buddhist Ethics, Daniel S. Capper

Faculty Publications

Multiple searches hunt for extraterrestrial life, yet the ethics of such searches in terms of fossil and possible extant life on Mars have not been sufficiently delineated. In response, in this essay I propose a tripartite ethic for searches for microbial Martian life that consists of default nonharm toward potential living beings, default nonharm to the habitats of potential living beings, but also responsible, restrained scientific harvesting of some microbes in limited transgression of these default nonharm modes. Although this multifaceted ethic remains secular and hence adaptable to space research settings, it arises from both a qualitative analysis of authoritative …

Vector Tick Transmission Model Of Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Tais Berelli Saito, Jeremy Bechelli, Claire Smalley, Shahid Karim, David H. Walker

Faculty Publications

Many aspects of rickettsial infections have been characterized, including pathogenic and immune pathways and mechanisms of rickettsial survival within the vertebrate host and tick vector. However, very few studies are focused on the complex pathogen–vector–host interactions during tick feeding. Therefore, our objective was to develop a tick transmission model of the spotted fever group of rickettsial infections to study the initial events in disease development. The most appropriate strain of mouse was identified for evaluation as a transmission model, and the course of infection, bacterial levels, histopathologic changes, and antibody response during tick transmission in mice infested with Amblyomma maculatum …

The Landscape Of Movement Control In Locomotion: Cost, Strategy, And Solution, James L. Croft, Ryan T. Schroeder, John E. A. Bertram

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Features of gait are determined at multiple levels, from the selection of the gait itself (e.g., walk or run) through the specific parameters utilized (stride length, frequency, etc.) to the pattern of muscular excitation. The ultimate choices are determined neurally, but what is involved with deciding on the appropriate strategy? Human locomotion appears stereotyped not so much because the pattern is predetermined, but because these movement patterns are good solutions for providing movement utilizing the machinery available to the individual (the legs and their requisite components). Under different circumstances the appropriate solution may differ broadly (different gait) or subtly (different …

Home Range Impacts Of Cattle And Pony Grazing On A Lowland East Devon Pebblebed Heath, Philippa Ingle

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Home range impacts of cattle and pony grazing on a lowland East Devon Pebblebed Heath by Philippa Ingle Lowland heath is of ecological importance due to the rarity of the habitats and of the species supported. Bicton Common is an East Devon lowland Pebblebed heath comprised of Atlantic wet heath, dry heath and mire, of which the former two are both Annex I habitats. Both the wet heath and mire are in favourable recovery whereas, the dry heath is in unfavourable recovery partly due to the dominance of M. caerulea. The main aim of this study was to assess the …

Bioturbation In Estuarine Sediments: Modelling Macrofauna-Mediated Oxygen Dynamics, Xiaoyu Fang

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The aim of this thesis was to provide a comprehensive examination of the roles of macrofauna in estuarine biogeochemistry by adopting a multidisciplinary field and laboratory-based approach and integrating species distribution modelling with biomass-dependent ecosystem function relationships. Eventually, an ecosystem management tool to provide insights into the ecological consequences of anthropogenic disturbance in estuaries was developed using the Western Scheldt as a model system. To establish a baseline understanding of the spatio-temporal patterns of macrobenthos (activities) and ecosystem functioning in the Scheldt estuary, a seasonal survey was carried out during four consecutive seasons in 2015 and 2016, sampling three habitats …

The Dietary Bioaccumulation And Detection Of Engineered Nanosilver In Fish, Nathaniel Clark

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Emerging contaminants, including engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), need to undergo environmental risk assessment, whereby they are tested for properties of persistence in the environment, toxicity or bioaccumulation. To date, little data exists for the bioaccumulation of ENMs in animals, particularly fish, with a focus on alternative methods to in vivo testing. Also, interpretation of data for hazard assessment is hampered by the lack of routine methods to detect the form of materials in the tissues following exposure. Therefore, there were three main aims to the thesis; the first was to determine the dietary accumulation of ENMs into fish, using a tiered …

Assessing The Exposure And Behavioural Response Of Grey Seals (Halichoerus Grypus) To Shipping Noise, Leah Trigg

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Marine mammals use sound to drive vital life functions such as communication, foraging and navigation, but the underwater soundscape upon which they rely is changing. Growth in global trade and manufacturing has driven a dramatic increase in the number and size of ships in the commercial fleet. These ships generate chronic underwater noise which has been associated with a number of negative ecological effects such as auditory damage, changes in behaviour and stress. As a result, regulatory bodies have recognised underwater noise as a pollutant. However, there is still a lack of data relating to the noise levels experienced by …