Digital Commons Network^™

Intensification Of Gas Absorption In A Downward Flow Microbubble Bioreactor, Manizheh Ansari

Dissertations and Theses

Bioreactors are of interest for value-upgrading of stranded or waste industrial gases, such as CO, CH₄, or syngas. Process economics requires reduction of reactor cost and size while maintaining high production rate via rapid delivery of gas feedstock to the liquid phase which in turn requires a high volumetric mass transfer rate (). One strategy to achieve this goal is to increase interfacial area density, a, to >3000 m² m^-3, while minimizing use of energy. Here we show a novel reactor column design that uses a micro-jet array to break feedstock at ambient pressure …

Effect Of Hypoxia On Spontaneous Neural Activity In The Cortex Of Neonate Mouse Pups, Krithikka Ravi Ms

Dissertations and Theses

Hypoxia caused by inadequate oxygenation has profound effects on the normal functioning of the brain in mammals. Acute or chronic hypoxic insults occur in the brain depending on the duration of hypoxic exposure. Hypoxia is known to occur in the human womb and exerts adverse effects on the developing fetus. Most of the ongoing research on hypoxia is performed on rodent brain slice taken from various brain regions using intracellular recording. Extensive work has been carried out to understand the effects of chronic hypoxia on the developing nervous system, specifically during intrauterine development. However, effects of acute hypoxia occurring perinatally, …

Using Fundamental Properties Of Light To Investigate Photonic Effects In Condensed Matter And Biological Tissues, Laura A. Sordillo

Dissertations and Theses

Light possesses characteristics such as polarization, wavelength and coherence. The interaction of light and matter, whether in a semiconductor or in a biological sample, can reveal important information about the internal properties of a system. My thesis focuses on two areas: photocarriers in gallium arsenide and biomedical optics. Varying the excitation wavelength can be used to study both biological tissue and condensed matter. I altered the excitation wavelengths to be in the longer near-infrared (NIR) optical windows, in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range, a wavelength region previously thought to be unusable for medical imaging. With this method, I acquired high …

Collective Behavior Of Drosophila Melanogaster Neural Progenitor And Imaginal Disc Cells Within Controlled Microenvironments, Caroline D. Pena

Dissertations and Theses

Regenerative therapies for the damaged visual system have introduced stem-derived cells to recapitulate developmental processes and initiate functional regeneration in different components of the eye. The developing visual system in Drosophila Melanogaster offers a model in which to analyze the associated processes in retinogenesis. The optic nerve is critical to vision and is developmentally preceded in Drosophila by a structure called the Optic Stalk (OS). Collective migration of neural and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) from the developing brain lobes (DBL) to the Imaginal Disc (ID), through the OS, is a fundamental part of regenerative strategies in retina. Developmental signals governing …

A Microfluidic Tissue Array (Μfta) For Personalized Medicine Using Tumor Biopsies, A.H. R. Ahmed

Dissertations and Theses

Cancer is recognized as a complex disease with both genetic and epigenetic drivers that can vary from one individual to another. While very early research into cancer treated it as a clonal malfunction that could originate from as small as a single deregulated cell, the disease itself manifests itself with several more complexities beyond tumorigenic cells only. The tumor microenvironment itself – from the extracellular matrix to stromal cells - cooperate with tumor cells in a symbiotic manner towards metastatic progression. Clinical studies have provided more information regarding the degree of individualization possible, such that patients with similar genetic makeup …

“Life Is A Game, So Fight For Survival”: The Neoliberal Logics Of Educational Colonialism Within The Battle Royale Franchise, Travis L. Wagner, S. Gavin Weiser

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This chapter explores the deployment of educational ideologies within the Japanese horror /science fiction franchise Battle Royale as related to histories of colonization by Western countries. The chapter specifically interrogates the influence of American educational practices upon Japanese schooling to explore how both expectations of individualized success and the influences of capitalist-oriented economic advancement led to Japan’s failure to achieve economic global equity with the globalized West, while becoming a model of how not to engage in postcolonial logics of capitalism. Through analysis of the various literary and filmic products within the Battle Royale franchise, the chapter argues that the …

A Dietary Analysis On Panamanian Bat Species, John C. Waller

Theses and Dissertations

Bats are found all over the world, and they are the most diverse group of mammals in the tropics. They are a key component in all ecosystems as predators, pollinators, or seed dispersers. As a conservation tool, dietary studies show what different bat species need to survive. Through metabarcoding, the diet can be accurately assessed. This method involves the DNA extraction of material from the feces of the individual being studied. PCR is used to amplify the DNA and next generation sequencing is used to identify, separate, and align the DNA that was extracted. By comparing the results from different …

The Effects Of Ethynodiol Diacetate On Epinephrine-Treated Glial-Derived Cells, Jesse D. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Neuroprotective agents, including specific hormones, may play a role in preventing cellular damage following an ischemic event or brain injury. Astrocytes are specialized glial cells within the central nervous system that play roles in synapse development, blood flow regulation, extracellular homeostasis, synapse function, energy and metabolism (Sofroniew and Vinters, 2009). Research using astrocytes in cell viability studies can be beneficial in deepening our understanding of specific neuroprotective effects of various steroid hormones including progesterone. Progesterone has been shown to have neuroprotective capabilities in the central nervous system (Scarpin et ah, 2009). Although progesterone shows great therapeutic potential, effects of the …

The Involvement Of Progesterone In Glial Cell Viability, Tracee L. Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations

We studied the effects of ethynodiol diacetate on the viability of hydrogen peroxide stressed glial cells. We wanted to determine the extent in which varying concentration of ethynodiol diacetate affect cell viability of cultured glial cells from hydrogen peroxide toxicity. Based on previous studies, we predicted that the viability of hydrogen peroxide-stressed cells will increase with the presence of the progesterone, ethynodiol diacetate, and that cell viability will increase with increasing concentration of ethynodiol diacetate. Glial cells of 1x10° cells/well were introduced into a 96-well plate and allowed to grow for 24 hours in an incubator at 37°C and 5% …

Accounting For Intermediaries And Transnational Linkages In The Multi-Level Perspective: Mongolia’S Renewable Energy Transition, Madeline Lee

CMC Senior Theses

As the international community takes increasing action to mitigate the effects of climate change, increased focus has been placed on the topic of energy transitions in developing countries. This paper uses the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework to analyze the ongoing energy transition in Mongolia, specifically the integration of large-scale wind and solar energy systems. Attention is paid to the presence of transnational linkages and intermediaries that have substantially contributed to Mongolia’s success in diffusing renewable energy technology, as well as challenges Mongolia has faced as a result of limited technological and institutional capacity. The paper concludes that Mongolia’s transition shares …

Deal Or No Deal: The Relationship Between Firm Determinants & Venture-Capital Financing Decisions, Raghav Prasad

CMC Senior Theses

In this paper, I analyze how firm attributes such as their age, industry, nature of industry, spinoff status and debt ratio influence venture-capital financing decision. I look at a sample of 280 firms that went public in the United States between 2015- 2019. This paper finds that firm age and debt are negatively related to the likelihood of being venture-capital backed. It also finds that firms in technology and biotechnology industries are more likely to be backed by a venture-capitalist.

Detection Of Sickle Cell Disease-Associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Using A Graphene Field Effect Transistor, Kandace Fung

CMC Senior Theses

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a hereditary monogenic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and is associated with symptoms such as stroke, lethargy, chronic anemia, and increased mortality. SCD can be quickly detected and diagnosed using a simple blood test as an infant, but as of now, there is currently limited treatment to cure an individual of sickle cell disease. Recently, there have been several promising developments in CRISPR-Cas-associated gene-editing therapeutics; however, there have been limitations in gene-editing efficiency monitoring, which if improved, could be beneficial to advancing CRISPR-based therapy, especially in SCD. The CRISPR-Chip, a three-terminal graphene-based field …

Studying Geometric Optical Illusions Through The Lens Of A Convolutional Neural Network, Nick Laberge

CMC Senior Theses

Geometrical optical illusions such as the Muller Lyer illusion and the Ponzo illusion have been widely researched over the past 100+ years, yet researchers have not reached a consensus on why human perception is deceived by these illusions or which illusions are the results of the same effects. In this paper, I study these illusions through the lens of a convolutional neural network. First, I successfully train the network to correctly classify how a human would perceive a particular class of illusion (such as the Muller Lyer illusion), then I test the network’s ability to generalize to illusions that it …

Giardia Lamblia Growth In Viscoelastic Fluids, Kelly Watanabe

CMC Senior Theses

Giardia lamblia is a single-celled protozoan parasite that when ingested, causes diarrheal disease and infects 33% of people in developing countries. Previous studies observe Giardia in water-like fluids, but Giardia's infectious environment consists of viscoelastic mucus in the small intestine. Therefore, Giardia was cultured in viscoelastic fluids, and its population growth was observed in vitro. To create shear-thinning viscoelastic fluids, 0.2% and 0.4% long-chain polyacrylamide (LCPAM) was added to cell culture media. Giardia was cultured in control media, 0.2% LCPAM, and 0.4% LCPAM, and population growth was quantitatively determined over time. Increasing LCPAM concentration resulted in a solution with …

Accelerating Breeding For Heat Tolerance In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.): An Integrated Approach, Mathieu Anatole Tele Ayenan, Agyemang Danquah, Peter Hanson, Charles Ampomah-Dwamena, Sodedji Frejus Ariel Kpedetin, Isaac K. Asante, Eric Yirenkyi Danquah

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Heat stress is a major limiting factor for crop productivity. Tomato is highly sensitive to heat stress, which can result in a total yield loss. To adapt to current and future heat stress, there is a dire need to develop heat tolerant cultivars. Here, we review recent attempts to improve screening for heat tolerance and to exploit genetic and genomic resources in tomatoes. We provide key factors related to phenotyping environments and traits (morphological, physiological, and metabolic) to be considered to identify and breed thermo-tolerant genotypes. There is significant variability in tomato germplasm that can be harnessed to breed for …

Considering Parental Alienation When Assessing Best Interest Of The Child, Juno Adler

CMC Senior Theses

As the divorce rate in the United States remains steady at 50%, the last few decades have shown an increase in child custody disputes. Within these litigations, interparental conflict can reach high levels and incite behaviors that wreak havoc on the children who are caught in the middle. When considering custody arrangements, judges and other evaluators use the Best Interest of the Child Standard (BICS), a jurisdictionally-specific framework that examines several factors that contribute to a child’s health and well-being. Parents who allow their resentments to get the better of them sometimes engage in behavior that encourages their child to …

Consonant And Dissonant Music Chords Improve Visual Attention Capture, Graham Spurrier

CMC Senior Theses

Recent research has suggested that music may enhance or reduce cognitive interference, depending on whether it is tonally consonant or dissonant. Tonal consonance is often described as being pleasant and agreeable, while tonal dissonance is often described as being unpleasant and harsh. However, the exact cognitive mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. We hypothesize that tonal dissonance may increase cognitive interference through its effects on attentional cueing. We predict that (a) consonant musical chords are attentionally demanding, but (b) dissonant musical chords are more attentionally demanding than consonant musical chords. Using a Posner cueing task, a standard measure of attention …

Leveraging Trade Agreements To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Accordance With The Paris Agreement, Sam Becker

CMC Senior Theses

Climate change is the most obvious and pressing impairment of the biological, physical, and chemical systems. To help mitigate this unprecedented problem, I present heads of state, policymakers, and members of civil society with a set of new provisions that they can include in their trade agreements to drive emissions reduction from countries inside and outside of their trade agreements, maintain their ability to compete in an increasingly globalized world, and comply with international trading rules. Ultimately, I seek to demonstrate the untapped potential for leveraging trade agreements to reduce emissions in the midst of an international system that lacks …

The Catastrophe Artists: Understanding America’S Unaccountable Foreign Policy Elite, Samuel Fraser

CMC Senior Theses

The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq was a foreign policy action that violated international law, was based on false premises, and came to represent a clear and costly political disaster for the United States and Iraq. Why then, did none of the top policymakers responsible for the decision to invade face meaningful consequences – be they professional consequences, or legal ones? Why too have so many of the media figures who helped sell this war to the American public remained in their prestigious positions, with massive platforms to influence the American people?

This paper argues that the above groups, referred …

Finding Balance Between The Needs For Conformity And Individuality: An Exploration Of Identity, C.C. Schwab

CMC Senior Theses

Just as society has changed a lot within the past 100 years, the concept of identity has also evolved significantly. A big factor in the evolution of identity has been the realization that social and group phenomena influence all conceptualizations of identity. In this review, I explore identity through the lens of Optimal Distinctiveness theory (ODT), which proposes that humans have two opposing social motives (distinctiveness and inclusiveness) that position them amidst an internal battle over identity.

I start by defining identity and the self, including the distinction between the two. Next, I explore identity formation and different types of …

The Characterization Of Alzheimer’S Disease And The Development Of Early Detection Paradigms: Insights From Nosology, Biomarkers And Machine Learning, Isabel Milano

CMC Senior Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the only condition in the top ten leading causes of death for which we do not have an effective treatment that prevents, slows, or stops its progression. Our ability to design useful interventions relies on (a) increasing our understanding of the pathological process of AD and (b) improving our ability for its early detection. These goals are impeded by our current reliance on the clinical symptoms of AD for its diagnosis. This characterizations of AD often falsely assumes a unified, underlying AD-specific pathology for similar presentations of dementia that leads to inconsistent diagnoses. It also hinges …

Global Consciousness: A Functionalist Neurophilosophical Perspective, Connor C. Bowen

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore a thought-provoking consequence of the functionalist theory of mind. Given the current organizational structure of Earth and field theories of consciousness in neuroscience, Earth is probably conscious. The argument is explored through an examination of the current organizational structure of Earth and field theories of consciousness in neuroscience, which leads to the conclusion that Earth is conscious. Various theories of mind have been proposed by neuroscientists and philosophers alike in an attempt to qualify what consciousness is and what provides the basis for consciousness to occur. Support, in the form of data …

Exploring Obesity, Adhd Severity, And Disordered Eating Behavior Among College Students, Carolina Rozario

Dissertations and Theses

Obesity is a global epidemic because of the potential health risks. There is evidence that many obese individuals manifest persistent ADHD symptoms, and that both disorders increase risk for binge eating. Nevertheless, how obesity and ADHD may increase risk for binge eating work is unclear. Neuropsychological deficits are common to all disorders and may help to explain the relations observed. The aim of this study was to explore whether neuropsychological dysfunction, especially inhibitory control weaknesses, moderate the association between greater BMI and more severe ADHD and disordered eating behaviors. Thirty-nine undergraduate college students (27 females; Mean age = 20.77, SD …

Pharmaceutical Drugs Of Uncertain Value, Lifecycle Regulation At The Us Food And Drug Administration, And Institutional Incumbency, Matthew Herder

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Policy Points

• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has in recent years allowed onto the market several drugs with limited evidence of safety and effectiveness, provided that manufacturers agree to carry out additional studies while the drugs are in clinical use.
• Studies suggest that these postmarketing requirements (PMRs) frequently lack transparency, are subject to delays, and fail to answer the questions of greatest clinical importance. Yet, none of the literature speaks directly to the challenges that the FDA—as a regulatory institution—encounters in enforcing PMRs.
• Through a series of interviews with FDA leadership, this article analyzes and situates those challenges …

The Gender Injustice Of Abortion Laws, Joanna Erdman

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This commentary is a response to Katarzyna Sękowska-Kozłowska’s article on the treatment of criminal abortion laws as a form of sex discrimination under international human rights law through a study of the communications, Mellet v. Ireland and Whelan v. Ireland. The commentary offers a reading of these communications, and specifically the sex discrimination analysis premised on inequalities of treatment among women, as an engagement with the structural discrimination that characterises abortion laws, and asa radical vision for gender justice under international human rights law.

Responding Restoratively To Student Misconduct And Professional Regulation – The Case Of Dalhousie Dentistry, Jennifer Llewellyn

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The 2015 restorative justice process at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Dentistry is a case study that reveals the connection at conceptual and practical levels between restorative justice and responsive regulation as common expressions of relational theory and practice. Their relationship is clearest when, as in this case, issues are understood in their full contexts and circumstances require a widening of the circle of issues and parties. At this scale the complexity of the situation and the need for responsive interventions capable of supporting and sustaining a just relationship is revealed.

The Role Of International Environmental Law In Canadian Courts, Phillip Saunders

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Book Description

Canadian environmental law is a dynamic and exciting area that is playing an increasingly important role in furthering sustainable development policy. Environmental law has distinctive relevant principles, operating procedures, implications, and importance in comparison with other areas of law, and these distinctions must be appreciated both within the legal community and by all those who are concerned with the way that courts handle environmental cases.

Environment in the Courtroom provides extensive insight into Canadian environmental law. Covering key environmental concepts and the unique nature of environmental damage, environmental prosecutions, sentencing and environmental offences, evidentiary issues in environmental processes …

Impacts Of The Changing Ocean-Sea Ice System On The Key Forage Fish Arctic Cod (Boreogadus Saida) And Subsistence Fisheries In The Western Canadian Arctic—Evaluating Linked Climate, Ecosystem And Economic (Cee) Models, Nadja S. Steiner, William W. L. Cheung, Andres M. Cisneros-Montemayor, Helen Drost, Hakase Hayashida, Carie Hoover, Jen Lam, Tessa Sou, U. Rashid Sumaila, Paul Suprenand, Travis C. Tai, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This study synthesizes results from observations, laboratory experiments and models to showcase how the integration of scientific methods and indigenous knowledge can improve our understanding of (a) past and projected changes in environmental conditions and marine species; (b) their effects on social and ecological systems in the respective communities; and (c) support management and planning tools for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The study links climate-ecosystem-economic (CEE) models and discusses uncertainties within those tools. The example focuses on the key forage species in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Western Canadian Arctic), i.e., Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). Arctic cod can be …

Advancing Research For The Management Of Long-Lived Species: A Case Study On The Greenland Shark, Jena E. Edwards, Elizabeth Hiltz, Franziska Broell, Peter G. Bushnell, Steven E. Campana, Jørgen S. Christiansen, Brynn M. Devine, Jeffrey J. Gallant, Kevin J. Hedges, M. Aaron Macneil, Bailey C. Mcmeans, Julius Nielsen, Kim Præbel, Gregory B. Skomal, John F. Steffensen, Ryan P. Walter, Yuuki Y. Watanabe, David Vanderzwaag, Nigel E. Hussey

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Long-lived species share life history traits such as slow growth, late maturity, and low fecundity, which lead to slow recovery rates and increase a population’s vulnerability to disturbance. The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) has recently been recognized as the world’s longest-lived vertebrate, but many questions regarding its biology, physiology, and ecology remain unanswered. Here we review how current and future research will fill knowledge gaps about the Greenland shark and provide an overall framework to guide research and management priorities for this species. Key advances include the potential for specialized aging techniques and demographic studies to shed light …

Healthy Skepticism: The Relationship Between Funding Source And Conclusion In Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles On Saturated Fat, Lili Muskal

CMC Senior Theses

Recently published scientific articles have led to mixed nutritional advice on dietary saturated fatty acids. Lesser et. al (2007) identified that mixed conclusions in scientific articles on sweetened beverages might be attributed industry funding, as articles funded by the beverage industry are four to eight times more likely to report conclusions in favor of the sponsor’s products. This thesis applies Lesser’s methods to determine whether industry funding influences the inconsistent conclusions on saturated fatty acids. This thesis analyzes 100 articles on foods high in dietary saturated fatty acids. While studies with food industry funding are more likely to produce favorable …