Digital Commons Network^™

Hepatobiliary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Pelagic Fishes Of The Gulf Of Mexico, Madison R. Schwaab

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fisheries populations and their ecosystems are negatively impacted by both chronic and acute inputs of pollutants, including oil spills such as the Deepwater Horizon platform blowout in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). After Deepwater Horizon, toxicological studies of demersal fishes of the northern GoM were undertaken to characterize impacts and to establish baseline contaminant levels in the aftermath of the spill. In this study, I quantify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in eight pelagic fish species to demonstrate oil exposure differences between species, region and time. Analysis of biliary PAH metabolite equivalents using high performance liquid chromatography was …

Convergence Of Auditory Nerve Fibers Onto Globular Bushy Cells, Matthew Kersting

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Globular bushy cells (GBCs) of the cochlear nucleus are specialized neurons that encode the temporal features of sound. Multiple auditory nerve inputs are known to synapse onto a single GBC, but the exact number and sizes of these inputs have not been systematically investigated in adult mice. To gain a high-resolution and unbiased look at the auditory inputs contacting GBCs, our lab utilized Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy. Specifically, 21 GBCs and all their large inputs were reconstructed at nanometer resolution. To produce the most precise results, we applied careful attention to the reconstruction and implemented cutting-edge meshing algorithms. We …

Why Are Women Leaving Stem? An Examination Of Workplace Rivalry, Joseph Regina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Past research on workplace rivalry has framed the construct as a motivating force that is desirable for individuals and organizations. Using social comparison theory as a framework, the potential harmful correlates of rivalry were examined. Specifically, the relationships between the status of having a rival, as well as one’s perception of their relative standing to (i.e. being better or worse than) their rival, and the outcomes of turnover intention, perceived competence, and imposter syndrome were analyzed. Further, to examine how STEM fields may be particularly impacted by these relationships, both job and STEM turnover were measured, and the moderating effect …

Immune Modulation As A Therapeutic Target In An Α-Synuclein Model Of Parkinson’S Disease, Meena Subhashini Subbarayan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 1.5 million people in the United States with more than 60,000 people diagnosed each year. It is classically characterized by four major symptoms: tremor, postural instability, stiffness in joints, and slow movement (bradykinesia). Pathologically PD is characterized by up to 70% loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of midbrain and accumulation of presynaptic protein called α-synuclein (α-syn) within dopaminergic neurons that extend to the striatum. This disrupts the nigrostriatal pathway leading to the motor symptoms seen in PD patients. Microglia, the innate immune cells …

Gesture Recognition System For Nigerian Tribal Greeting Postures Using Support Vector Machine, Segun Aina, Kofoworola V. Sholesi, Aderonke R. Lawal, Samuel D. Okegbile, Adeniran I. Oluwaranti

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

This paper presents the application of Gaussian blur filters and Support Vector Machine (SVM) techniques for greeting recognition among the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. Existing efforts have considered different recognition gestures. However, tribal greeting postures or gestures recognition for the Nigerian geographical space has not been studied before. Some cultural gestures are not correctly identified by people of the same tribe, not to mention other people from different tribes, thereby posing a challenge of misinterpretation of meaning. Also, some cultural gestures are unknown to most people outside a tribe, which could also hinder human interaction; hence there is a need …

October 29, 2020, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Optical Density Optimization Of Malaria Pan Rapid Diagnostic Test Strips For Improved Test Zone Band Intensity, Prince Manta, Rupak Nagraik, Avinash Sharma, Akshay Kumar, Pritt Verma, Shavran Kumar Paswan, Dmitry O. Bokov, Juber Dastagir Shaikh, Roopvir Kaur, Ana Francesca Vommaro Leite, Silas Jose Braz Filho, Nimisha Shiwalkar, Purnadeo Persaud, Deepak N. Kapoor

Student Publications

For the last few decades, the immunochromatographic assay has been used for the rapid detection of biological markers in infectious diseases in humans and animals The assay, also known as lateral flow assay, is utilized for the detection of antigen or antibody in human infectious diseases. There are a series of steps involved in the development of these immuno-chromatographic test kits, from gold nano colloids preparation to nitrocellulose membrane coating (NCM). These tests are mostly used for qualitative assays by a visual interpretation of results. For the interpretation of the results, the color intensity of the test zone is therefore …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Attitudes Toward Women At A Conservative Christian College, Sara Kemp

Modern Psychological Studies

Research suggests that religiosity influences attitudes toward women more strongly than does any other demographic. In many studies, it has also been indicated that men hold more conservative gender attitudes than do women. Many religious denominations have been represented in such research, but no previous studies have included Seventh-day Adventist participants. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between religiosity and attitudes toward women amongst students at a Seventh-day Adventist college in the Midwest. A total of 74 students, 88% of which were Seventh-day Adventist, participated by completing the Centrality of Religiosity Scale and the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. …

Plato, The Brain, And The Soul: Further Research Into Neural Correlates For Plato’S Tripartite Soul, Stayce R. Camparo

Modern Psychological Studies

This paper explores neuropsychological evidence for Plato’s philosophical theory of the tripartite soul as explained in Plato’s Republic. Plato contends that an express relationship of the three elements that make-up the soul (reason, appetitive, and spirit) interact to promote just behavior, and that just behavior is optimal for individual and societal well-being. Specifically, just behavior is considered to arise from reason’s oversight of the other two elements. Apparent in this theory is the proximity Plato’s analysis has with the current psychological understanding of cognitions that activate behaviors. Strack and Deutsch’s (2004) 2-system model of reflective and impulsive processing, with the …

The Impact Of Sample Processing And Media Chemistry On The Culturable Diversity Of Bacteria Isolated From A Cave, Katey E. Bender, Katelyn Glover, Alexander Archey, Hazel A. Barton

International Journal of Speleology

Although molecular approaches can identify members of microbial communities in the environment, genomic information does not necessarily correlate with environmental phenotype. Understanding functional roles can be done by cultivating representative species, yet the culturablility of bacteria from caves remains low, at 0.02%, limiting our understanding of microbial community interactions and processes. We have investigated several factors influencing culturability of bacteria from a single sample location in Maxwelton Sink Cave, WV, USA. Extended incubation of inoculated plates showed a significant increase in colony counts from two to four weeks, indicating that extended incubations increase culturability. There were no significant differences in …

Housing Instability In The Lafayette Community And Beyond, Aameneh Kermani

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

This paper addresses the issue of housing instability low-income families face and the ways the community can help. The issue is prevalent in the Lafayette community and beyond. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization working to raise awareness of housing instability in our community, specifically through the ReStore of Lafayette. The ReStore is run solely on the community’s donations and volunteer work. All proceeds from the store go to building affordable houses for low-income families. My objectives in the research I conducted were to gain a better understanding of how the ReStore goes about eliminating housing instability in the …

Epics Urban Farming: Bringing Sustainable Fresh Food To Gary, Indiana, Elijah Klein

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

EPICS Urban Farming is a team of seventeen undergraduate students designing and implementing an aquaponics and food distribution system in Gary, Indiana. With the area being a food desert, most people turn to corner stores for food that is easily accessible and cheap but unhealthy. From this diet, there are quite a few widespread health concerns that the population of Gary, Indiana, faces daily. For example, obesity, diabetes, and heart conditions are some of the most common diseases that plague the community. Urban Farming is working to aid in combating these issues with the partnership of Pastor Marty Henderson, who …

Education, Hurricanes, And Bananas: Studying Abroad In Honduras, Daphne Fauber

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The College of Education Honduras Study Abroad program has been sending students to Honduras for a 17-day investigation of Honduran history, educational systems, and social justice in education since 2003. Honduras is a Central American country with a long history of exploitation, political conflict, and environmental disasters. The country began with a swift and brutal colonization by the Spanish, which left the indigenous people persecuted and massacred. In 1998, Honduras experienced a devastating hurricane that decimated many buildings and infrastructure. Large-scale farming operations run by foreign investors has resulted in political turmoil and a struggling working class. However, Honduras has …

Retrospective Analysis Of Participatory Decision-Making In A Park's Construction In Lafayette, Indiana, Joshua Randall

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The Creative Park project has been an ongoing collaboration between Purdue Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS), Faith Community Development Corporation, and the residents of Lincoln Neighborhood in Lafayette, Indiana. It was initiated by Faith in 2017 as an open-ended attempt to increase local children’s interactions with creative and complex thinking as well as decreasing time spent indoors at the Hartford Hub. Through several iterations of designs, an interdisciplinary team with one consistent member has developed a plan to build a treehouse-themed park to be constructed in spring 2020. Throughout this time two major themes have arisen: that the collaboration …

A Critical Reflection On The Role Of Power And Privilege In Conducting International Development Research, Margaret Hegwood

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In this article, the author reflects on the role of power and privilege during her interactions with international partners. She dissects how factors like social justice, intersectionality, and intercultural competence, which go beyond technical expertise, can dramatically influence the success of international projects. The goal of this paper is to provide insight for those interested in working in international development, while discussing challenges that are frequently unaddressed in the field.

Science Alive, Shweta Zinzuwadia

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Science Alive is a not-for-profit organization based at NSU started by Dr. Emily Schmitt Lavin and Dr. Aarti Raja. This organization promotes community outreach and engagement by volunteering at Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School. Through this weekly afterschool program, NSU students promote and encourage STEM-related topics to the elementary students through various interactive activities. The main goal of Science Alive is to get kids excited about Science and be engaged within the Broward Community. If you have any questions, please email Shweta Zinzuwadia ([email protected]) or Dr. Schmit ([email protected])

Clear Vision Center Internship, Maria Sanchez

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Come to learn more about my experience at Clear Vision Center as I gained first hand experiences working with patients and immersing myself within a healthcare setting.

Development Of “Sharkavir”: A New Hypothetical Inhibitor For Hiv-1 Protease, Feza Abbas

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

HIV has infected approximately 37 million people worldwide and results in over 1 million deaths annually. A key component of the HIV life cycle is the enzyme HIV-1 protease, which is involved in cutting newly made protein components of the HIV virion. Our research focused on how can molecular models be used to simulate the binding of various HIV-1 prtease inhibitors including Darunavir, Ritonavir, and a novel combination of these two named "Sharkavir".

Effects Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Derived Sphingolipids On Osteoclastogenesis, Geena Song, Michelle Hoang

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

This was an independent study focused on literary research about the effect of Porphyromonas gingivalis on osteoclastogenesis. This opportunity was gained by emailing Jeff Hartman ([email protected]) and setting up a meeting with the professor, Dr. Movila. We gathered variety of research papers and analyzed it to write a peer reviewed article ourselves. Throughout this experience, we learned variety of skills, such as organizing materials into a coherent narrative and learned materials that showed up in future classes, such as microbiology and cellular molecular biology.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Global Education And Research In Healthcare And Stem, Stephanie Autore, Jessica Hallet, Michelle Hoang, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The independent study focused on Covid-19 from the perspectives of global education and research in healthcare and STEM. Our aim was to determine the impact of the pandemic on each global sector and the associated transition to virtual modes. The research was conducted using peer-reviewed articles and papers. Each week, our group held zoom meetings to present our research and provide peer feedback. At the end of the experience, we all wrote three separate manuscripts on the topics regarding Covid 19 and global education, research in healthcare, and research in STEM.

Medical Scribe Experience, Naziba A. Nuha

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

A medical scribe is a trained medical information manager who specializes in charting physician-patient encounters in real-time during medical exams. Come to learn more about my experience at Scribe America.

Dermatology Office, Michelle Volis

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

I intern at a local dermatology office where I primarily shadow the head dermatologist but also shadow another dermatologist, a nurse practitioner, and a physician assistant. I shadow surgical procedures such as Mohs surgery which is a technique used to remove cancerous cells from the skin one layer at a time for the purpose of preserving healthy tissue. I also shadow cosmetic surgeries like injections and laser procedures. During my internship, there have been interesting clinical cases, so I am working on publishing articles about them with the help of the head dermatologist. I have also spent time in the …

Expression & Localization Of The 14-3-3 Protein Family Within Mammals, Neha Kumrah, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

This past summer, I was able to complete a remote Independent Study with Dr. Santanu De. As a team of four, we interacted via Zoom meetings and shared documents. Together, we researched and analyzed the 14-3-3 protein family, a class of molecular chaperones found in essentially all mammals. I was able to conclude that this protein family has many implications in cellular biology, and that expression levels could potentially be used as a diagnostic tool for various cancers. Overall, this was a beneficial experience as I was able to strengthen my research skills, publish a manuscript, and gain a newfound …

Survival And Development Of Zebra Longwing, Heliconius Charithonia, On Native And Non-Native Passion Vines, Passiflora Sp., In South Florida, Madelyn Rinka

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Working on this project since last fall has given me a lot of experience regarding writing abstracts, making presentations, following methodologies, and much more. Also, I've learned about the challenges that can go hand in hand with research in environmental science, including the unpredictability of finding a specific species in nature and the potential roadblocks caused by weather. The project was accepted for NSU's Undergraduate Student Symposium for Winter 2020 and the Florida Native Plant Society's Annual Conference (both were cancelled due to COVID-19). Overall, working on this project has allowed me to get a better understanding of research in …

Functions Of 14-3-3 Proteins And Their Isoforms Across Various Mammaliam Species, Cells, Tissues, Organs And Developmental Stages, Elizabeth Barley, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Throughout the Fall 2020 term, I had the opportunity to partake in an internship in biology with Dr. Santanu De as my faculty sponsor. The study that I completed focused on the 14-3-3 protein isoforms in various mammalian species, cells, tissues, organs and developmental stages. This experience allowed me to delve deeper into a topic in biology which supported my field of interest. Completing this study provided me with useful knowledge on an upper-level biology topic while providing me with a guided space to nurture my continued learning. The 14-3-3 proteins consist of seven isoforms in various mammalian species. My …

The Time Has Come…For Next-Generation Open Access Models, Celeste Feather, Sara Rouhi, Anneliese Taylor, Kim Armstrong

Charleston Library Conference

Libraries, consortia, and publishers are exploring new models to support Open Access (OA) content. Native OA journal publishers are facing a different set of challenges as there is no existing library subscription base to transform into support for OA. Author-pays OA models are challenging to the ecosystem for a variety of reasons. Large institutions with heavy scholarly output may pay more, small institutions that use the content but publish less are wondering what role they will play, and authors from the global south may not have funding to pay Article Processing Charges (APCs). What new models are under exploration to …

Let’S Give Them Something To Talk About… Textbook Affordability And Oer, Linda K. Colding, Peggy Glatthaar, Derek Malone, Jennifer Pate

Charleston Library Conference

This Lively Discussion brought together librarians from Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers Florida and the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama. Both libraries were eager to share their experiences with others who have or are considering establishing a textbook affordability project or use Open Educational Resources (OER) to assist students succeed despite the high cost of textbooks.

A New Synthesis: Research Resources To Research Experiences, H. Thomas Hickerson

Charleston Library Conference

Libraries should develop a new model for providing information resources and analytical tools for the use of scholars working in the current multidisciplinary research environment. This model, A New Synthesis, based on today’s research experience should replace the present concept of the “collection budget.”

Sources are proliferating and traditional scholarly resources are no longer at the core. Research itself has changed. Previously, finding information was primary, but now information is plentiful and today’s challenges are to understand, analyze, and extract insight from these vast resources.

To address this challenge, newly designed libraries are appearing that are radically different, reconceptualizing …

The Time Has Come... To Build, Reflect, And Analyze Connections Between Qualitative And Quantitative Data, Jordan S. Sly, Leigh Ann Depope, Cynthia G. Frank, Stephanie M. Ritchie

Charleston Library Conference

This paper will address the development process of a qualitative evaluation tool to aid in the thorough analysis of library resources at the University of Maryland. Specifically, our project looks at the use and added value of this tool for the building, reflecting, and analyzing the connections between qualitative and quantitative data. This will allow for more meaningful justifications of budgetary decisions compared to cost and use metrics alone. Given the necessity for meticulous review of continuing resources, our project addresses a request for enhanced transparency from the university faculty and library oversight bodies and serves as a useful tool …

Rangeland Monitoring And Adaptive Management, T. J. Bai, Y. Q. Liang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.