Digital Commons Network^™

Nano-Enhanced Composite Membranes For Water Desalination, Benjamin Fredrik Victor Sundling Von Fürstenrecht

Materials Engineering

In theory single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) will aid in ion rejection due hydrophobicity and smoothness of the SWCNT. An efficient means of water desalination utilizing SWCNT in a membrane seems plausible. A lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) solution was made with a synthesized polymerizable surfactant methacryloxy ethyl hexadecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (C16MA) to help with vertical alignment of SWCNT. Due to SWCNT lack of solubility and tendency to agglomerate in water, a dispersion performed using an inert surfactant centrimonium bromide (CTAB) to make sure that the SWCNT were homogeneously dispersed in the solution without altering the hexagonal packing factor of …

Fishermp: Fully Parallel Algorithm For Detecting Combinatorial Motifs From Large Chip-Seq Datasets., Shaoqiang Zhang, Ying Liang, Xiangyun Wang, Zhengchang Su, Yong Chen

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Detecting binding motifs of combinatorial transcription factors (TFs) from chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) experiments is an important and challenging computational problem for understanding gene regulations. Although a number of motif-finding algorithms have been presented, most are either time consuming or have sub-optimal accuracy for processing large-scale datasets. In this article, we present a fully parallelized algorithm for detecting combinatorial motifs from ChIP-seq datasets by using Fisher combined method and OpenMP parallel design. Large scale validations on both synthetic data and 350 ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE database showed that FisherMP has not only super speeds on large datasets, but also …

College Of Health Sciences E-Newsletter, Summer 2019, Irvin B. Harrell (Editor)

Ellmer College of Health Sciences Newsletters

Summer 2019 issue of Old Dominion University's College of Health Sciences Newsletter.

Using Qualitative Behaviour Assessment To Investigate Human-Animal Relationships In Zoo-Housed Giraffes (Giraffa Camelopardalis), Freisha Patel, Françoise Wemelsfelder, Samantha J. Ward

Human-Animal Relationships Collection

Human-Animal Relationships (HAR) in zoos develop from repeated interactions between animals and their caretakers. HAR have been shown to affect health and welfare in farm animals, but limited zoo-based studies exist. This study investigates the association between the qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) of emotional expression in giraffes and keeper action score in four types of keeper-animal interaction (KAI). Three giraffes generating 38 clips. QBA, using a free-choice profiling methodology, was applied instructing 18 observers to assess giraffe expressions shown in these clips. QBA scores were analysed using Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Keeper actions during each KAI event were rated by an …

Rescue And Rehabilitation Of A Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk: A Case Study, Maya Higa

Agricultural Education and Communication

Many raptor species are becoming threatened and, in some cases, endangered as a result of human activity including habitat destruction and pesticide use (Morishita, Fullerton, Lowenstine, Gardner & Brooks, 1998). Because of this, raptor rehabilitation has become increasingly popular in conservation efforts. In North America, the red-tailed hawk is one of the most widespread and commonly known birds of prey (Preston & Beane, 2009). According to the National Audubon Society, the conservation status of red-tailed hawks is currently of least concern and numbers may even be increasing in some areas since the 1960s. While this species is not threatened, the …

Consumer Choice Within Fresh Produce, Victoria C. Ross

Agricultural Education and Communication

This project set out to question whether fresh produce required more specific labeling of pesticides and fertilizer inputs on fresh produce. Like many questions regarding health, environmental science, agriculture, and politics, there is not one simple answer. After listening to professionals and interviewing customers outside grocery stores, it's clear that the majority of consumers are not pursuing additional information, but that there is a small group of customers who would appreciate it. It also became clear that although fear mentality is of concern to professionals in the food industry, consumers don’t seem to understand the negative effects their participation in …

”Cyberworld” As A Theme For A University-Wide First-Year Common Course, Kristen Przyborski, Frank Breitinger, Lauren Beck, Ronald S. Harichandran

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Nowadays we all live in a cyber world and use the internet for emailing, banking, streaming video, shopping, reading news, or other activities. Given all the time people spend online, it is important that all students (regardless of their major) learn some basics about living in a cyber world, e.g., strategies for online safety, impact of artificial intelligence, digital forensics or ancestry.com. To facilitate students from many majors to learn about important issues related to the internet, eight faculty from a variety of disciplines at the University of New Haven integrated the theme of Cyber World into our team-taught, first-year …

Illustrated Guide To The Immature Lepidoptera On Oaks In Missouri, Robert Marquis, Steven Passoa, John Lill, James Whitfield, Josiane Le Corff, Rebecca Forkner, Valerie Passoa

Biology Department Faculty Works

Oak trees (Quercus spp.) dominate many forests in North America, and their diverse herbivore fauna is a major component of ecological biodiversity. Yet, identification guides for oak-feeding Lepidoptera in the eastern United States usually lack detailed larval morphological characteristics and pupal descriptions. This book describes the immature stages of common species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) whose larvae are found on 10 species of oak (Quercus) in the eastern Missouri Ozarks (USA). Data were collected mainly as part of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP), a longterm study of the effects of harvesting regimes on forest structure and function. …

Los Del Valle Oral History Project, Manuel F. Medrano

Summer Institute June 2019

The Los del Valle Oral History Project began in 1992 with the objectives of collecting and preserving the historical recollections of people in South Texas researched by scholars and underdocumented in archives and published research. Some interviewees have received national acclaim, such as folklorist and scholar Americo Paredes, conjunto pioneers Narciso Martinez and Eva Ybarra, writer Carmen Tafolla and Medal of Honor recipient Jose M. Lopez. Also included are Benito Trevino, ethnobotanist from Rio Grande City and Mary Helen Berlanga, educational proponent from Corpus Christi. This is one of the first oral history collections about Mexican Americans in Texas to …

The Effect Of Intracellular Zinc Levels In Escherichia Coli On Metallo-Β-Lactamase Activity, Jill Thompson

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance is a consequence of evolution via natural selection and poses a serious threat to the world's population. Escherichia coli, and other bacterial species, have acquired genes encoding Metallo-β-Lactamases (MBLs). MBLs are zinc-dependent enzymes that degrade most β-lactam antibiotics, and have emerged as important antibacterial resistance determinants in multidrug resistant pathogens. There are several different families of MBLs, and the major clinically relevant ones are Verona Integrated-encoded Metallo-β-Lactamases (VIMs), Imipenemases (IMPs), and New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamases (NDMs). These enzymes confer high level resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems, and are not inhibited by FDA-approved β-lactamase inhibitors. Variants of NDM have …

Still Melting: How Climate Change And Subsistence Laws Constrain Alaska Native Village Adaptation, E. Barrett Ristroph

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Glycation On Blood Protein Interactions With Nanomaterials: A Biophysical And Cytotoxicity Study, Karl Baumgartner, Madeline Eiken

Bioengineering Senior Theses

When engineered nanoparticles (NPs) enter into a biological system, the proteins and biomolecules in the system adsorb to the NP surface to form a “protein corona” (PC). The PC greatly influences NP transformations, biological interactions, and cell response. Further complicating the development of NPs for biomedical applications, disease states alter the population of proteins and changes the biophysical features of individual proteins through posttranslational modifications. Here-in, we aim to understand how glycation of the PC, as in uncontrolled diabetes, alters the NP-PC interaction and toxicity by conducting biochemistry and cell toxicity experiments. We focus upon 40 and 80 nm citrate-coated …

Anatomy.Tv [E-Product Review], Kevin Mcdonough

Book Reviews

No abstract provided.

Mangroves Have More Morpho-Species Of Fish Larvae Than Bays, June 2019, Richard R. Urbina

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Mangroves are known to be a nursery to fishes and other animals, but they have not been as studied as other ecosystems in the world. This study is about learning the difference in the number of fish species of the mangroves compared to the bays. I went out at night with a boat and a plankton net to tow in the mangroves and the bays near Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica. Afterwards I compared the number of morpho-species of the mangroves and the bays. There was a difference in the number of morpho-species with the mangrove having 12, the bay having 3 …

Diversity And Richness Of Non Vascular Epiphytes On Strangler Figs: Effects Of Elevation On Emergent Trees, June 2019, Kimberlie M. Sullivan

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The Monteverde cloud forest is characterized by its high precipitation levels, frequency of cloud immersion, and extraction of cloud water, but global climate models indicate a reduction in low level cloudiness, suggesting cloud forests may soon be replaced by forests that occur at lower altitudes. Studies found that non- vascular epiphytes are very sensitive to changes in moisture and temperature, resulting in a substantial deterioration in health, such as reduced growth rates, water holding capacity, and ability to fix nitrogen, which makes non- vascular epiphytes a compelling indicator of climate change. I conducted a survey that contrasts epiphyte diversity and …

Predicting Which Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Will Not Attain Early Remission With Conventional Treatment: Results From The Reacch-Out Cohort, Jaime Guzman, Andrew Henrey, Thomas Loughin, Roberta A. Berard, Natalie J. Shiff, Roman Jurencak, Adam M. Huber, Kiem Oen, Kerstin Gerhold, Brian M. Feldman, Rosie Scuccimarri, Kristin Houghton, Gaëlle Chédeville, Kimberly Morishita, Bianca Lang, Paul Dancey, Alan M. Rosenberg, Julie Barsalou, Alessandra Bruns, Karen Watanabe Duffy, Susanne Benseler, Ciaran M. Duffy, Lori B. Tucker, Roxana Bolaria, Katherine Gross, Stuart E. Turvey, David Cabral, Ross Petty, Janet Ellsworth

Paediatrics Publications

Objective. To estimate the probability of early remission with conventional treatment for each child with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Children with a low chance of remission may be candidates for initial treatment with biologics or triple disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD). Methods. We used data from 1074 subjects in the Research in Arthritis in Canadian Children emphasizing Outcomes (ReACCh-Out) cohort. The predicted outcome was clinically inactive disease for ≥ 6 months starting within 1 year of JIA diagnosis in patients who did not receive early biologic agents or triple DMARD. Models were developed in 200 random splits of 75% of the …

Investigation Of The Encapsulation Efficiency Of Hexanal In Y-Cyclodextrin Metal Organic Frameworks, Travis J. Lang

Materials Engineering

Nanoporous materials have been extensively studied for applications such as drug delivery and organic compound storage. The nanoporous material of this study is a metal organic framework (MOF) which is a coordination of metal ions with organic binders. The structure created by this coordination can be used to absorb organic compounds, such as plant growth regulators, and subsequently release the organic compounds over a prolonged period to extend the storage life of foods. This study is examining the encapsulation efficiency of hexanal in γ-cyclodextrin metal organic frameworks (γ-CDMOFs) as a mechanism for potential active packaging applications. γ-CDMOFs were synthesized by …

Minimizing The Dimensional Change In Two Component Epoxy Based Thermoset Adhesives Through Adapting Mix Ratio And Initial Crosslink Density, Jefferson Peter Norman

Materials Engineering

Meissner Filtration uses amine-hardened epoxy as a high-performance adhesive to encapsulate hollow fiber membranes at the ends of rigid filter housings. Dimensional change of the epoxy while curing can result in residual stress formation that is detrimental to the manufacturing of the filter and causes structural integrity issues when the filter is used in industrial processes where heating and cooling cycles are implemented. The residual stresses can cause cracks, microscopic fractures, and delamination from the housing, resulting in failure of the filter. The goal of this project was to evaluate how changes in processing conditions could minimize dimensional variability due …

Pvlsi (Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute) Posters - 2019, Kelly Gregory, Jennifer Ser-Dolansky, Sallie Schneider Phd, Briana Leung, Kelly Gregory, Salih Toker Md, Stephanie M. Morin, Jessica Nieves, Amye Black, Gat Rauner, Sandra Haddad, D. Joseph Jerry, Munther Queisi Md, Ali Shami Md, Maryam Hasan Md

Research and Education Posters

PVLSI (Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute) Posters - 2019

Effects Of Igf-1 Isoforms On Muscle Growth And Sarcopenia., Francesca Ascenzi, Laura Barberi, Gabriella Dobrowolny, Aline Villa Nova Bacurau, Carmine Nicoletti, Emanuele Rizzuto, Nadia Rosenthal, Bianca Maria Scicchitano, Antonio Musarò

Faculty Research 2019

The decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength occurring in aging, referred as sarcopenia, is the result of many factors including an imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation, changes in metabolic/hormonal status, and in circulating levels of inflammatory mediators. Thus, factors that increase muscle mass and promote anabolic pathways might be of therapeutic benefit to counteract sarcopenia. Among these, the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been implicated in many anabolic pathways in skeletal muscle. IGF-1 exists in different isoforms that might exert different role in skeletal muscle. Here we study the effects of two full propeptides IGF-1Ea and IGF-1Eb in …

Graduate Internship Report - Hanford Agriculture Program, Dominica L. Clisso

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of the Hanford Agriculture Program and the community.

The Ncaa's Transfer Conundrum, Christopher J. Gerace

Notre Dame Law Review

This Note articulates a normative framework for analyzing NCAA transfer rules, arguing that a balance must be struck between fairness for student-athletes and appropriate restrictions on transfer rules so as to prevent full-on free agency in collegiate athletics. The Note additionally argues that institutional autonomy over academics is a factor the NCAA must consider along with fairness and prevention of free agency. This Note will not wade into the complicated waters of potential antitrust issues with the NCAA, nor discuss the controversial calls for pay-for-play or unionization for student-athletes—instead, this Note will simply take for granted that it is desirable …

Diagnostic Aβo-Targeted Probes For Alzheimer’S Disease, Nafay Abdul '20, Sophia Pribus '20

Student Publications & Research

Aβ Oligomers (called AβOs) are small peptides that show early build-up in immunohistochemistry and immunochemistry studies, and appear before plaques in Alzheimer’s development. High levels of AβOs cause loss of memory performance and other pathological changes.Early presentation of AβOs makes them ideal for diagnostic targeting with AβO-specific antibodies Bound to magnetic nanostructures (MNSs) for MRI visibility. Further testing can determine effectiveness of future pharmaceuticals for AD therapy.

Bird Monitoring At Homestead National Monument Of America, Nebraska, Status Report 2009–2017, David G. Peitz, Lloyd W. Morrison, Kristen L. Mecke

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

In 2009, the Heartland Inventory Monitoring Network initiated breeding bird surveys on Homestead National Monument of America, Nebraska, to address two objectives: (1) to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance, and (2) to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and habitat, and the effects of management actions on those relationships. This report evaluates trends in the park’s breeding bird populations in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s (NABCI) Central Mixed Grass Prairie Bird Conservation Region, the region in which the park is located. By doing so, we can …

Bird Monitoring At Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, Status Report 2005–2017, David G. Peitz, Lloyd W. Morrison, Kristen L. Mecke

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

In 2005, the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network initiated breeding bird surveys on Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, to address two objectives: (1) to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance, and (2) to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and habitat, and the effects of management actions on those relationships. This report evaluates trends in the park’s breeding bird populations in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s (NABCI) Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region , the region in which the park is located. By doing so, we …

Sediment Identification Using Machine Learning Classifiers In A Mixed-Texture Dredge Pit Of Louisiana Shelf For Coastal Restoration, Haoran Liu, Kehui Xu, Bin Li, Ya Han, Guandong Li

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fascist Affect In 300, Carl Plantinga

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The stories we tell each other, or present via mass media, are important components of the cultural ecology of a place and time. This article argues that 300 (2007), directed by Zach Snyder and based on a comic book series both written and illustrated by Frank Miller, evinces what can legitimately be called a "fascist aesthetic" that depends in large part on the moods and emotions the screen story both represents and elicits. While many other commentators have charged this film with incipient fascism, this article both deepens and expands on the claim by showing how the film's elicitation of …

Randomized Phase 3 Evaluation Of Trifarotene 50 Μg/G Cream Treatment Of Moderate Facial And Truncal Acne., Jerry Tan, Diane Thiboutot, Georg Popp, Melinda Gooderham, Charles Lynde, James Del Rosso, Jonathan Weiss, Ulrike Blume-Peytavi, Jolanta Weglovska, Sandra Johnson, Lawrence Parish, Dagmara Witkowska, Nestor Sanchez Colon, Alessandra Alió Saenz, Faiz Ahmad, Michael Graeber, Linda Stein Gold

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris often affects the face, shoulders, chest, and back, but treatment of nonfacial acne has not been rigorously studied.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the safety and efficacy of trifarotene 50 μg/g cream, a novel topical retinoid, in moderate facial and truncal acne.

METHODS: Two phase III double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled, 12-week studies of once-daily trifarotene cream versus vehicle in subjects aged 9 years or older. The primary end points were rate of success on the face, as determined by the Investigator's Global Assessment (clear or almost clear and ≥2-grade improvement), and absolute change from baseline in inflammatory and noninflammatory counts from …

Essays In The Application Of Machine Learning In Development Economics, Dweepobotee Brahma

Dissertations

This dissertation comprises four essays which apply Machine Learning (ML) techniques to examine India’s progress towards meeting several child-health targets under United Nation’s “Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030”. The application of novel ML techniques unmasks certain detailed empirical aspects of the road to meeting specific indicators of SDG - child mortality, malnutrition, immunization coverage and health-expenses.

The first essay employs multiple parametric and non-parametric Machine Learning (ML) techniques (LASSO, Classification Random Forest, Boosted Logistic Regression, Boosted Classification Trees) to build predictive models for the incidences of neonatal and infant mortality. A large national level household survey dataset is used. All …

Effect Of Land Use And Land Cover Change On Manipal Lake Using Remotely Sensed Data And Study Of The Features Of The Terrain, K Balakrishna

Manipal Journal of Science and Technology

Human civilization has been colonizing land areas with an ample amount of water supply, good living conditions, accessibility, etc. since historical times. The proliferation of human activities since the industrial revolution has led to rapid urbanization and shrinkage of water bodies surrounding the cities. This is because of the siltation and blockade of major and minor recharge structures. One of the ways to assess the impact of colonization on the landscape is by using remotely sensed data. Manipal town in Udupi, Karnataka, India is one such landscape and Manipal lake is a reservoir present in Manipal affected by this. This …