Digital Commons Network^™

Kv2.1 Channel Clustering In The Sod1-G93a Mouse Model Of Als, Joshua Christopher Harris

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Kv2.1 channels mediate slow-activating K+ rectifier current within the membrane of spinal motoneurons (MNs), and they are known to co-localize with other synapses and ion channels. Although Kv2.1 channels are suggested to regulate MN excitability, little research has gone into investigating its potential contribution to MN-altered excitability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Using the male SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS, we examined Kv2.1 cluster area and density in lumbar MNs at four key stages of disease progression. In our experiments, MNs were separated by type via SK3 immunoreactivity in order to isolate and compare the responses of disease-resistant (slow; SK3+) …

Enhancing Chemosensitivity Of Lung Cancers By Manipulating The Tumor Microenvironment: Local Lung Delivery And Nanocarrier-Based Therapies, Hanming Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in United States causing an estimated six hundred thousand death in 2019. Among different types of cancer, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in both male and female. While targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown promising clinical outcomes, currently there remain a significant proportion of patients who do not benefit from these strategies or who cannot tolerate them, making Pt based doublet chemotherapy still an indispensable component in almost all stages of treatment. However, partially due to the poor tumor distribution of small molecule drug, the development of …

The Utilization Of Eukaryotic Cell Types In Microbiomes For Semen, Vaginal Fluid, And Menstrual Blood Identification Using 18s Rdna, Ines Benaissa

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The accurate identification of body fluids is vital for crime scene investigation and forensic analysis. While many body fluids can be presumptively identified, there is a lack of confirmatory testing for verification. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if body fluids (menstrual blood, vaginal fluid, and semen) could be differentiated based on their eukaryotic microbial communities. The target area of interest was the V9 hyper-variable region of 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA). The samples were extracted, barcoded using a duel-index strategy, and PCR amplified before undergoing high throughput sequencing using the Illumina Miseq FGx instrument. The samples …

Prediction Of Minimum Postmortem Submersion Interval (Pmsimin) Based On Eukaryotic Community Succession On Skeletal Remains Recovered From Aquatic Environments, Sala Randall

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Many recent studies were conducted concerning bacterial succession in decomposing animal carrion in terrestrial system. However, not much is known about the microorganisms involved in aquatic decomposition. To the best of our knowledge, there are currently no published studies which estimate minimum postmortem submersion interval PMSI_min based on eukaryotic community succession in aquatic system. The main goal of this study was to determine the eukaryotic community succession associated with porcine skeletal remains in a lentic environment, and to derive a statistical model for PMSI_min prediction. Henleys Lake in Crozet, VA was the location chosen for this research. Fresh …

Accelerating Professional Socialization With An Undergraduate Proseminar Course, Carrie Anne Platt

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Guiding students on their professional paths, from selecting a major to pursuing a particular career after graduation, can be a significant challenge for faculty and program leaders. Students, particularly those in broad fields like Communication, rarely know what the major involves, or how their studies will translate into a meaningful career. This uncertainty makes it harder for students to see connections between their coursework, campus resources, and extracurricular activities, a disconnect that impacts engagement, academic performance, and retention. In this best practices article, I explain how an undergraduate proseminar can accelerate professional socialization and help students develop more integrated perspectives …

Food Park, Houria Boumzairig

Theses and Dissertations

If climate change and population growth progress at their current pace, in roughly 50 years farming as we know it will no longer exist (Despommier, 2009). This means that the majority of people could soon be without enough food or water. But there is a solution that is surprisingly within reach: Move most farming into cities, and grow crops in tall, specially constructed buildings. It’s called vertical farming. “There is a close relation between the beginning of agriculture and the birth of architecture. Our cities were shaped by food” (Precht, 2019). The agricultural revolution ended our presence as hunters and …

Insuring Apologies, Benjamin J. Mcmichael

Articles

Based on evidence demonstrating that an apology from a wrongdoer to a victim can assuage the victim's anger, reduce the likelihood that the victim seeks legal redress, and facilitate settlement, state legislatures have passed apology laws to encourage the delivery of more apologies. Aimed primarily at medical malpractice litigation-a traditional locus of the tort reform effort-apology laws render apologies from physicians to patients inadmissible in subsequent legal proceedings. In theory, privileging apologies will encourage their use and reduce malpractice liability risk as patients assert fewer claims and settle those claims that are asserted. However, if apology laws encourage the delivery …

Theory Of The Nudnik: The Future Of Consumer Activism And What We Can Do To Stop It, Yonathan A. Arbel, Roy Shapira

Articles

How do consumers hold sellers accountable and enforce market norms This Article contributes to our understanding of consumer markets in three ways First The Article identifies the role of a small subset of consumers "” the titular "˜nudniks' "” as engines of market discipline Nudniks are those who call to complain speak with managers post online reviews and file lawsuits Typified by an idiosyncratic utility function and personality traits nudniks pursue action where most consumers remain passive Although derided in courtrooms and the court of public opinion we show that nudniks can solve consumer collective action problems thereby leading to …

America On Fire: Climate Change, Wildfires & Insuring Natural Catastrophes, Christopher French

Faculty Scholarship

America is on fire. The damage, destruction, and loss of life caused by wildfires have exploded over the past few decades. Nine of the ten worst fire seasons have occurred in the past fifteen years, with 2017 and 2018 being the worst years ever. Despite spending approximately $3.7 billion annually on fire suppression, more than 35,000 structures were lost to wildfires in 2017 and 2018, approximately $32 billion in property losses occurred, and more than 100 people were killed. More than forty million homes worth approximately $187 billion in the U.S. are currently at a high risk of destruction due …

Law Review And Finding A Place In The Academy Essay, Jenny E. Carroll

Articles

No abstract provided.

Using The Enneagram As A Lens For Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy In The Ninth Grade English Language Arts Classroom, Catherine Caudle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study explores the relationship between student personality, student choice in novel selection in the high school language arts classroom, and student reading self-efficacy and enjoyment. Throughout a student's educational journey, from elementary school to high school, it is typical to see a decrease in student choice regarding the literature they read. In elementary grades, students learn about the parts of a book, are frequently read to with animated voices, and look forward to shelves of choice on library trips. Yet as students move into their middle and high school years, the excitement often dwindles. Choice is removed, for a …

The Role Of Law And Policy In Achieving Healthy People’S Disability And Health Goals Around Access To Health Care, Activities Promoting Health And Wellness, Independent Living And Participation, And Collecting Data In The United States, Elizabeth Pendo, Lisa I. Iezzoni

Articles

Ensuring that the almost 60 million Americans with disabilities live as healthy and independent lives as possible is an important goal for our nation. This evidence-based report highlights efforts to better use law and policy to support and protect people with disabilities. Specifically, it examines how existing federal laws and policies could be leveraged by states, communities, and other sectors to reduce barriers to primary and preventive care; reduce barriers to local health and wellness programs; increase access to leisure, social, or community activities (and indirectly, to religious activities) for individuals with disabilities; and generate better disability data needed to …

Overview Of The Asb’S Proposed Quality Management Standards, Sara Lord, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants. Auditing Standards Board

Exposure Drafts, Comment Letters, and Statements of Position

No abstract provided.

Adapting Environmental Education For A Virtual Space, Jennifer Klemm

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Incorporating virtual education offerings with traditional environmental education delivery can be a complementary pairing. In addition to giving instructors more flexibility by increasing their toolkit, it can also increase potential offerings and engagement opportunities for an organization. Since virtual programs offer the chance for them to be shared beyond the initial audience with no significant increase in time, they can allow instructors to focus on developing other projects. This report studies content delivered by an environmental education specialist at Huron Pines, Gaylord, Michigan from February to October 2020. The environmental education specialist created virtual, nine-part series, Connecting to Nature, in …

A Cluster Analysis Of Social Media Use In The Anglophone Crisis In Cameroon: A Case Study Of Facebook Posts., Neh Claudia Soh

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis applies a method of rhetorical criticism – cluster analysis – to explore the different narratives on and about the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon by two prominent rhetors involved in the crisis. The artifacts in the study were Facebook posts published by Cameroon’s president, Paul Biya, and a prominent Anglophone activist, Mark Bareta. The thesis set out to answer two research questions. The first question focused on the descriptive narratives that emerge from the rhetors in the crisis; the second question focused on the rhetors’ motives. The different narratives that emerged showed that Cameroon’s president pushed the narratives of …

Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds As A Platform For Breast Cancer Research, Carolynn Que

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Tumorigenesis is a complex process involving numerous cellular signaling cascades and environmental factors. Here, we report the fabrication of 3D scaffolds with different morphologies obtained by to study cancer cell proliferation and migration. Using an FDA approved, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer Polycaprolactone (PCL), we electrospun nanofiber scaffolds having mesh, aligned, and honeycomb morphologies. The role of the morphology and cellular preferences to nutrition in cell adhesion and proliferation was assessed using scaffolds obtained by electrospinning PCL with fluorescent fructose-like molecular probes. Cell viability, cell morphology, localized cellular growth as related to scaffold morphology and availability of the fructose-like molecular probes …

Open University Of Nepal Initiative Lessons Learned From Designing An Institution Of Higher Learning, Pramod Dhakal, Drona P. Rasali, Ambika P. Adhikari, Raju Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

A group of Nepali diaspora members, represented by the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), started a campaign in 2009 to establish the Open University of Nepal (OUN) in partnership with the government of Nepal. Their motivation was to develop a quality university for the masses by mobilizing local, diaspora, and international collaborators for producing and disseminating knowledge in the public domain. The university was subsequently established in 2017 but it drifted away from many of the original objectives. Most critically, it embraced distance education as its central function while setting aside the aspiration of producing and sharing knowledge under the public …

A Symbolic Participation Of The Local Community In The Implementation Of A Proper-Based Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Program, Yosef Hillarius Timu Pera, Yusup Ridwansyah

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

CSR practices continue to grow as a promising alternative development resource, yet still predominantly charitable in nature, preventing them from optimal community empowerment. Therefore, studies and policies at the national and global levels remain in search of the best format to optimize CSR programs’ role in community empowerment. A number of literature show less than optimal active participation and capacity-building of the community if a program is initiated by a directive, top-down approach, providing only a minimal participatory space based on the community’s potentials. Using qualitative method and in-depth interview techniques, this paper finds that the local community participation in …

The Paradox Of Informal Economy In Urban Area Indonesia: A Case Study Street Vendors In Jalan Salemba Raya, Jakarta, And Jalan Raya Sawangan, Depok, Rusydan Fathy, Dicky Rachmawan

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Informal economic has a big proportion which absorbs 58% of the workforce in Indonesia. In urban areas, it easily can be seen as street vendors (SV). Several previous studies on informal economic about street vendors see them from negative perspective (as the source of urban irregularity) and positive perspective (for contribution to national economic development). By using the literature review, observation, and depth interview with the SV at Jalan Salemba Raya (Jakarta City) and Jalan Raya Sawangan (Depok City), this article particularly shows with the second perspective of previous studies that SV contributes to economic activity in urban. The conversion …

Neoliberalism, Violence And Capital Accumulation, Reem M. El Barbary

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation looks into the violent, self-serving legal (neocolonial) order that revolves around wealth accumulation and the defense and sustainability of the status quo. The starting point and core idea that guides my discussion is the “redemptive” ideological framework and commitment to free market economies and profit-making. I thus look into the narratives upon which an alliance between development, progress, human rights and neoliberalism rests, in a manner that limits and restricts involvement and action; and normalizes and legitimizes suffering, ill-doing and irresponsibility through law. I examine the interdisciplinary and multilayered reality of repression that state sponsored, and supported, bodies …

To Eat Or Not To Eat: Urbanization And The Foraging Behaviors Of Michigan Passerines, Victoria T. Vo

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Urbanization creates novel problems for wildlife, potentially altering the foraging behavior of passerine birds. Foraging is driven by factors like food preference and food accessibility; the foraging of urban birds may be more innovative due to frequent exposure to unfamiliar items. I hypothesized that high novelty exposure in urban birds would promote faster discovery and longer visits to novel feeders compared to rural conspecifics. Additionally, I hypothesized that birds would prioritize food quality over access regardless of habitat, but when faced with barriers, urban birds would be better at accessing food compared to rural birds because of frequent exposure to …

The Implications Of Gut Health On Mental Health, Cali Curlee

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The neurotransmitter deficiency hypothesis suggests that neurotransmitter imbalance is the physiologic cause for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. With up to 90% of serotonin produced in the gut, it is of particular interest whether diet may influence this balance. The current research seeks to identify a connection between one’s intake of microbiome-influencing foods/beverages and mental health status. The hypothesis of the study is that participants who regularly consume greater amounts of pre/probiotic foods will have a decreased prevalence of depression and anxiety, relative to those who rarely consume pre/probiotic foods. Differences in survey data were not statistically significant, …

Articulation And Transfer In Tennessee Higher Education 2019 Report, Tennessee. Higher Education Commission.

Academic Programs and Workforce Reports

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Berrien Springs Water Types On Multiethnic Hair Textures, Ralna M. Simmonds

Master's Theses

This thesis documents an explorative study into the effect of water from various Berrien Springs water sources on the multiethnic hair texture of Andrews University students/faculty. Participants were living in the area for at least five months, whether originally from the United States or other countries of the world. The theory informing this study is the Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) by Burgoon (1976). EVT is a communication theory that examines the reaction to behaviors within nonverbal communication that are expected or unexpected in a positive or negative light. In this context EVT has not been used to examine nonverbal communication, …

The Casemate Wall System Of Khirbat Safra, Elizabeth Anne Emswiler

Master's Theses

Problem

A casemate wall system was found at Khirbat Safra in 2018 and 2019, which has been dated to early Iron Age I. However, no comprehensive study of Iron Age I casemate wall systems in Transjordan has been conducted. Therefore, this thesis will present and compare the findings from Kh. Safra and four other sites in Transjordan which have casemate wall systems dating to Iron Age I.

Method

A short study on the history of fortifications, casemate wall systems, and siege warfare was conducted for this thesis. The ruins from Fields A, B, C, and D at Kh. Safra were …

The Afterlife: An Exegetical And Theological Analysis Of Christ's Discourse In Luke 16: 19-31, Pop-Coman Ioan

Master's Theses

Problem

The parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus, in terms of its complexity and construction, is one of the most difficult decipherable parables that Jesus uttered during His time among men. With much tact, we will try to answer a question that has profound implications: Does the narrative in Luke 16: 19-31 support the existence of life after death?

Purpose

We carefully examine the Christ’s discourse in Luke 16: 19-31 in order to identify those suggestive parallels between this account of Jesus and the culture of the time, which would help us to decode more clearly both the …

Blackwood Biosecurity Inc. Annual Report 2019/20, Blackwood Biosecurity Inc.

Recognised Biosecurity Group Annual Reports

Reflecting on the year from the beginning of July 2019 has not been an easy task. A big effort was put in by our office staff and on ground field officers to provide information and a presentation of the previous 12 months, at the AGM in October 2019.

Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity Association Inc. Annual Report 2019/20, Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity Association Inc.

Recognised Biosecurity Group Annual Reports

The CRBA is a not for profit association formed under the Associations Incorporation Act 2015, providing declared pest control services for land managers throughout Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Murchison, and Upper Gascoyne Shires. The associations’ primary purpose is the control of declared pests using funding from Declared Pest Rates paid by landholders on pastoral stations. These Declared Pest Rates funds are matched dollar for dollar by the WA Government to reflect the public benefit of controlling declared pest animals and weeds. The association is formally recognised by the Hon Minister for Agriculture and Food as a recognised biosecurity group (RBG).

Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association Inc. Annual Report 2019/20, Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association Inc.

Recognised Biosecurity Group Annual Reports

The 2019/20 financial year has produced exceptionally good results for the CWBA, particularly in reducing stock attacks by Wild Dogs. This has been the main focus of our efforts and the results speak for themselves. This has been our second year with a Declared Pest Rate and although we endured a rate rise, I feel we still have overwhelming support within the CWBA area. The system of using a DPR to control declared pests may not be perfect, but we feel it’s the fairest and most equitable way to control pests which roam free and don’t respect property boundaries. It …

Esperance Biosecurity Association Inc. Annual Dpr Report 2019/20, Esperance Biosecurity Association Inc

Recognised Biosecurity Group Annual Reports

The Esperance Biosecurity Association Inc. (EBA) originally formed as the Northern Mallee Declared Species Group Inc. (NMDSG) in 2004, following a community meeting called by concerned farmers, due to the increased livestock attacks by wild dogs within the Esperance Region.