Digital Commons Network^™

Sinorhizobium Meliloti Changes Motility Phenotypes In The Presence Of Serum, Eris K. Bisal

Theses and Dissertations

Sinorhizobium meliloti is a nitrogen-fixing flagellated soil bacterium that engages in a mutual symbiotic relationship with the legume Medicago sativa. Using its flagella, S. meliloti is chemotactic in response to varying environmental cues thereby directed to a target, which is typically the root hairs of M. sativa. Lu et al, 2012 suggested that a signal from the plant can switch S. meliloti from a free-living flagellated microbe to a host-invading non-flagellated microbe, although this signal has not been identified. This switch is thought to occur inside curled root hairs of the plant, and after becoming non-flagellated, S. …

Race Book, Robert Dejesus

Theses and Dissertations

Race Book is a satiric animated short film about how social media influenced people during the 2020 presidential election.

Traditional Knowledge In Taiwan: A Call For Greater Participation Of Indigenous Peoples In The Global Intellectual Property Marketplace, James M. Cooper

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article explores the plight of the Aborigines of Taiwan and the legal protections that exist for their Traditional Knowledge. While Taiwan continues to face international isolation with a diminished number of states recognizing the Republic of China as the seat of China, the island's government has taken limited steps to recognize language, cultural, and economic rights of its Indigenous peoples. International law has not been helpful in protecting Traditional Knowledge, but Taiwan could use its vast economic resources and positive track record in protecting some of these rights to further its goals of international recognition. This Article details the …

Fintech And International Financial Regulation, Yesha Yadav

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article shows that Fintech exacerbates the difficulties of standard setting in international financial regulation. Earlier work introduced the "Innovation Trilemma" (the Trilemma). When seeking to balance the goals of achieving market integrity and innovation through clear and simple rulemaking, regulators can--at best--achieve only two out of these three objectives. Fintech's unique characteristics--a reliance on automation and artificial intelligence, novel types of big data, as well as the use of disintermediating financial supply chains comprising a mix of traditional firms as well as technology specialists and newcomers--complicates the application of the Trilemma. Rulemaking struggles to achieve needed clarity where innovative …

Methods For Surveying Stable Fly Populations, David B. Taylor, Kyle Harrison, Junwei J. Zhu

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Stable flies are among the most important pests of livestock throughout much of the world. Their painful bites induce costly behavioral and physiological stress responses and reduce productivity. Stable flies are anthropogenic and their population dynamics vary depending on agricultural and animal husbandry practices. Standardized sampling methods are needed to better identify the factors controlling stable fly populations, test novel control technologies, and determine optimal management strategies. The current study reviewed methods used for a long-term study of stable fly population dynamics in the central Great Plains. An additional study compared the relative size of flies sampled from the general …

Foster Rhodes Jackson And The Visual Conquest Of The West, Eve Kaufman

Scripps Senior Theses

Colonizers settled the Los Angeles and the Southern California region in part by using Modernism’s visual rhetoric and propagandic implications during the time of suburban sprawl. Suburban sprawl refers to the mass single family home development which took place from the 1920^[1]s until now but peaked from the 1970s to the 1990s. Los Angeles sprawl grew particularly in the 1950^[2]s as soldiers returned from WWII. It was a way for middle class white families to accrue generational wealth and follow through on the American Dream^[3].

The primary result however disenfranchised already marginalized groups. This …

A Sermon Writ In High Heaven: Astrology And Interpretation In Moby-Dick, Amanda Gallop

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores Herman Melville's use of astrology in Moby-Dick in relation to the novel's stance on meaning-making and interpretation. It analyzes Ishmael and Ahab's respective methods of interpretation established in the first half of the novel, then explores Stubb's use of astrology in "The Doubloon" chapter. I propose that Stubb's astrological soliloquy poses a potential solution to the conflict between Ishmael and Ahab's diametrically opposed methods, thus offering an avenue into a new understanding of the novel's epistemological project.

Passe Pas: Rethinking The Passport, Miriam E. Bankier

Scripps Senior Theses

Filled with national symbols, stamps and basic identifying information, a passport can obscure the humanity behind the individual passport holder, inverting it from a symbol of citizenship and belonging to one of marginalization and xenophobia. In today’s political climate, the meaning of art has become intersected with politics and the law. Using the very tools and some processes of passport production, i.e. mixed media and printmaking techniques, my work responds to and disrupts the bureaucracy and impersonal settings involving passports and identification documents. I draw from my own experiences and privilege as having Austrian, Italian, and American citizenship, as well …

Stationary Distribution Of Recombination On 4x4 Grid Graph As It Relates To Gerrymandering, Camryn Hollarsmith

Scripps Senior Theses

A gerrymandered political districting plan is used to benefit a group seeking to elect more of their own officials into office. This practice happens at the city, county and state level. A gerrymandered plan can be strategically designed based on partisanship, race, and other factors. Gerrymandering poses a contradiction to the idea of “one person, one vote” ruled by the United States Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims (1964) because it values one demographic’s votes more than another’s, thus creating an unfair advantage and compromising American democracy. To prevent the practice of gerrymandering, we must know how to detect a …

Reimagining Theories Of Nationalism: A Critical Examiniation Of Prevailing Nationalist Theories, Sarah Sanchez

Scripps Senior Theses

Traditional theories of nationalism tend to fall in one of two categories: 1) top-down, or official nationalism, which holds that nationalist sentiments are created by state actors, or 2) bottom-up, or popular, nationalism, which holds that nationalist sentiments originate with the people. However, there are major flaws in both of those theories, as well as a decent amount of overlap between them. This paper dismantles the supposed binary between these two theories, and looks for a way to view the theories in combination with one another. Looking at the places of overlap, as well as the elements of each theory …

Complex Ciliary Flows Around Stentor Polymorphus In Solutions Of 2% Buttermilk And Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Eliana B. Smithstein

Scripps Senior Theses

Stentor are large, unicellular ciliates of the Heterotricha order. They live in both freshwater and marine habitats and are mostly found in ponds. I studied Stentor polymorphus, which is a species of Stentor only recently discovered to be lab culturable. They range from 0.5-1.5mm in length and are unusual because they live with endosymbiotic algae and are much more likely than other, more widely studied, species of Stentor to form aggregates while they are eating. There are three main components to this thesis: First, I established protocols for keeping a viable S. polymorphus culture, since no protocols had been …

(Re)Reading Fanon: Tracing Revolutionary Negotiations Within The Algerian Colonial Dialectic, Nina Zietlow

Scripps Senior Theses

A critical rereading of Fanon within the Algerian colonial context.

Telling Images: Forced Disappearance And Territorial Displacement In Recent Mexican And Colombian Documentary Graphic Novels, Felipe Gómez

Journal of Latino/Latin American Studies (JOLLAS)

Territorial displacements, stolen lands, repression, targeted assassinations, and forced disappearances among rural communities in Mexico and Colombia are constant threats that generate complex and urgent questions on the fragile conditions in which the residents of these communities live their day-to-day lives. In this article, I examine recent graphic novels that take an ethical stand to discuss local events in their connections to drug-trafficking, para-State, and other contemporary forms of violence. While there are divergent reasons, conditions and challenges for the creation, distribution, and reception of these graphic novels in such contexts, their authors use similar semiotic and literary mechanisms to …

Terpenoid-Induced Feeding Deterrence And Antennal Response Of Honey Bees, Nicholas R. Larson, Scott T. O'Neal, Ulrich R. Bernier, Jeffrey R. Bloomquist, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Multiple interacting stressors negatively affect the survival and productivity of managed honey bee colonies. Pesticides remain a primary concern for beekeepers, as even sublethal exposures can reduce bee immunocompetence, impair navigation, and reduce social communication. Pollinator protection focuses on pesticide application guidelines; however, a more active protection strategy is needed. One possible approach is the use of feeding deterrents that can be delivered as an additive during pesticide application. The goal of this study was to validate a laboratory assay designed to rapidly screen compounds for behavioral changes related to feeding or feeding deterrence. The results of this investigation demonstrated …

Spatial Repellency, Antifeedant Activity And Toxicity Of Three Medium Chain Fatty Acids And Their Methyl Esters Of Coconut Fatty Acid Against Stable Flies, Gwang H. Roh, Xiaaojie Zhou, Yansu Wang, Steven C. Cermak, James A. Kenar, Alexander Lehmann, Baoyu Han, David B. Taylor, Xiaopeng Zeng, Chung Gyoo Park, G. J. Brewer, J.J. Zhu

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Stable flies are one of the most detrimental arthropod pests to livestock. With changing climates and agronomic practices, they expand their roles as pests and disease vectors as well. Their painful bites reduce livestock productivity, annoy companion animals, and interfere with human recreational activities. Current management technologies are unable to effectively control stable flies. The present study reports new results concerning the contact, spatial repellency, and toxicity of a bio-based product, coconut fatty acid and their methyl ester derivatives of free fatty acids of C8:0, C10:0 and C12:0 to stable flies.

RESULTS: Three medium chain fatty acid methyl esters …

Abundance And Diversity Of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) As Affected By Grazing Management In The Nebraska Sandhills Ecosystem, Patrick M. Wagner, Gandura Omar Abagandura, Martha Mamo, Thomas Weissling, Ana Wingeyer, Jeffrey D. Bradshaw

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) serve a significant role in regulating ecosystem services on rangelands. However, the influence of grazing management on dung beetle communities remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate dung beetle abundance and diversity throughout the grazing season in the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion. Grazing treatments included: continuous grazing (CONT), low-stocking rotational grazing (LSR), high-stocking rotational grazing (HSR), and no grazing (NG). The abundance and diversity of dung beetles were measured in the 2014 and 2015 grazing seasons using dung-baited pitfall traps. Dung beetle abundance for each grazing treatment was characterized through four indices: peak …

Sublethal Endpoints In Non-Target Organism Testing For Insect-Active Ge Crops, Andrew Roberts, Chad J. Boeckman, Marina Mühl, Jörg Romeis, John L. Teem, Fernando H. Valicente, Judith K. Brown, Steven L. Levine, Richard L. Melnick, Thais B. Rodrigues, Ana M. Vélez, Xuguo Zhou, Richard L. Hellmich, Martin G. Edwards

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Historically, genetically engineered (GE) plants that have incorporated genes conferring insect protection have primarily used Cry proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to achieve their insecticidal phenotype. As a result, regulators have developed a level of familiarity and confidence in reviewing plants incorporating these insecticidal proteins. However, new technologies have been developed that produce GE plants that incorporate pest protection by triggering an RNA interference (RNAi) response or proteins other than Bt Cry proteins. These technologies have new modes of action. Although the overall assessment paradigm for GE plants is robust, there are ongoing discussions about the appropriate tests and …

Improved Sentinel Method For Surveillance And Collection Of Filth Fly Parasitoids, Christopher J. Geden, Dana M. Johnson, David B. Taylor

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Parasitoids are important natural enemies of house flies and other muscoid flies. The two most commonly used methods for collecting fly parasitoids from the field have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Collections of wild puparia depend on the ability to find puparia in sufficient numbers and are prone to localized distortions in relative species abundance because of the overrepresentation of samples from hot spots of fly larval activity. Placement and retrieval of sentinel puparia is convenient and allows consistent sampling over time but is strongly biased in favor of Muscidifurax spp. over Spalangia spp. An improved sentinel method is described that …

Proceedings Of The 2020 American Bee Research Conference, Bradley N. Metz, Judy Wu-Smart, Michael Simone-Finstrom

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2020 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held on 9–10 January 2020 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Trade Show in Schaumburg, IL. Over the two-day conference, a total of 65 oral and poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 30 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. These proceedings contain the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2020 American Bee Research Conference.

The Impacts Of Migration On Myanmar Women’S Identity And Connectedness To The Land And Food, Allison Joseph

Scripps Senior Theses

In the 21st century, Myanmar has become the largest migration source country in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (Kusakabe & Pearson, 2010). To achieve its economic goals, the government has prioritized the confiscation and reallocation of communal lands, which has resulted in a growing class of landless and dispossessed citizens (Franco, Twomey, Ju, Vervest, & Kramer, 2015). This has resulted in the wide-scale process of Myanmar’s rural women’s disinheritance from the land and food, as they are expropriated from the home of their ancestors and forced to migrate to urban centers to earn a livelihood. The proposed study will examine and …

The Relationships Between Total Protein Intake, Protein Sources, Physical Activity, And Lean Mass In A Representative Sample Of The Us Adults, Furong Xu, Jacob E. Earp, Maya Vadiveloo, Alessandra Adami, M. J. Delmonico, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Mary L. Greaney

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: Although dietary protein and physical activity play essential roles in developing and preserving lean mass, studies exploring these relationships are inconsistent, and large-scale studies on sources of protein and lean mass are lacking. Accordingly, the present study examined the relationship between total protein intake, protein sources, physical activity, and lean mass in a representative sample of US adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 2011–2016 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database (n = 7547). Multiple linear regression models were performed to examine the sex-specific associations between total protein intake, protein …

Remembering In Future Generations: American Holocaust Museums And Memorials, Miriam E. Bankier

Scripps Senior Theses

As the 75^th year anniversary of the Holocaust approaches, the generational shift and dwindling number of Holocaust survivors is becoming a prevalent issue in Holocaust memorialization. Holocaust memory has always depended on narratives from survivors, which are often made possible through institutions such as museums and memorial foundations. Yet, there is currently a shift in these institutions, as they face the needs of younger generations, who are pushing for more technology and community involvement. This thesis examines the consequences of these trends for Holocaust memorialization. These consequences are worrisome and scary for those closely linked to the Holocaust. However, …

Spatio-Temporal Models Of Juvenile And Adult Sheepshead (Archosargus Probatocephalus) In Tampa Bay, Florida From 1996 To 2016, Bridgette F. Froeschke, Leslie B. Jones, Brian Garman

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Spatio-temporal distribution models for juvenile and adult Sheepshead (Archosargus protocephalus) were developed for Tampa Bay, FL using Boosted Regression Trees. Juvenile Sheepshead were primarily associated with month of collection (highest occurrence in May and June), low salinities (<10), and increased distance from a tidal inlet. Adult Sheepshead were more frequently detected closer to inlets in September through November, with an increasing trend through time, and had the highest probability of detection in areas with the highest salinity levels. Our results indicate that juvenile Sheepshead are associated with tidal tributaries on the east side of Tampa Bay and adult Sheepshead are associated with the major inlet into the Gulf of Mexico. These findings reflect seasonal and ontogenetic shifts in distribution that are necessary to inform spatially-based management approaches and to prioritize areas for habitat conservation.

Characterizing Minneopa State Park Visitor’S Prairie Attitudes, Views Of Conservation And Knowledge Through The Development And Implementation Of The Prairie Attitude And Knowledge Survey (Paks), Addeline R. Theis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

For successful conservation and the continuation of restoration projects, public understanding, acceptance and support are essential. While research into public views related to restoration exist but large gaps remain. Studies examining attitudes related to conservation are limited and even fewer studies investigate these constructs in relation to demographic, societal or cultural factors; even fewer of these studies focus on prairies. Tall-grass prairies were once a dominate biome in Minnesota but now are an endangered ecosystem. While conservation is occurring throughout Minnesota to restore and create new prairies, there is lack of information examining the relationship of prairie restoration and the …

Gathering And Lending Support: Relationships, Linda Miles, Susanne Markgren

Publications and Research

What roles can professional relationships play across a career? How do overlapping and networked relationships help an individual develop professionally, succeed, get ahead, and provide satisfaction and meaning? And what can a librarian do to foster these connections in their own practice? In this chapter, we consider the why, what, who, and how of networking and relationships.

Shape, Space And Typeface: Mapping Black Subjectivity Through Caribbean Aesthetics, Samantha Stephens

Master’s Theses

The Caribbean is frequently imagined and aestheticized by the image of the basin, which limits the way the region is confined in geographic and historic terms. By conceptualizing the poets as mapmakers, the collections by Kei Miller, Olive Senior, and M. NourbeSe Phillip reference the container of the basin but remediate it in poetic terms. The movement towards a distinctive lack of containment illustrates the dynamic literary and geographical operations of the Caribbean, linking typography and topography. Reading with a new lens, including digital resources that re-spatialize these poems, demonstrates the complexities that characterize the formation of these texts and …

Landscape, Gender, And The Politics Of Belonging In Thomas Hardy’S The Woodlanders And Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, Sarah Dickerson

Master’s Theses

In my thesis, I analyze Thomas Hardy’s The Woodlanders (1887) and Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891), exploring the way that Hardy’s depictions of both landscape and gender are interwoven to illuminate the larger issue of belonging as a central concern for his characters. I argue that in these two novels, we can analyze how one’s belonging to a physical environment and performative gender role directly relate to characters’ tragedy or success in the narratives. Characters who challenge normalized gender roles and characters whose place attachment manifests in natural rather than social spaces, endure worse tragedies than their gendered insider and …

Electronic Resources Updates - 2020 Q4, Sean Kennedy, Gregg Harris, Melanie Mcgurr

Electronic Resources Quarterly Updates

No abstract provided.

Cardiovascular Tissue Remodeling Of Preeclampsia, Rachel Metz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that leads to a multitude of problems for the mother and fetus during and after pregnancy. While the effects on the mother's body after pregnancy are often overlooked, preeclamptic mothers are prone to cardiovascular diseases from the great deal of stress experienced through the duration of a preeclamptic pregnancy. The associated high blood pressure causes cardiac muscle to work a great deal harder in an attempt to successfully perfuse tissues adequately. This increase in prolonged stress leads to remodeling of the cardiovascular tissues-significantly increasing the risk of heart issues in life beyond the …

Neuroanatomy Of The Blackspotted Rockskipper, Entomacrodus Striatus, Pooja Dayal

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Here I characterized the central neuroanatomy of the Blackspotted Rockskipper, Entomacrodus striatus, native to French Polynesia. The neuroanatomy of E. striatus has not been studied prior to this paper. I used several histology and antibody staining techniques to accomplish this, including Crystal Violet, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Bielschowsky’s Silver Nitrate staining. This paper describes the most successful techniques used, identifies major structures in the species’ neuroanatomy, and also explains why studying E. striatus is important in the future of vertebrate research.