Digital Commons Network^™

A Role For Notch Signaling In Drosophila Spermatogenesis, Adrianna Soriano

Master's Theses

The Notch signaling pathway has diverse functions in male and female gonad development. In Drosophila male embryos, Notch specifies hub cell fate in somatic gonadal precursor cells (SGPs), which are important for maintaining germline stem cells and somatic cyst stem cells throughout the lifetime of adult flies. However, a role for Notch signaling in adult males has only started to emerge recently. Nonetheless, we still don’t understand how the Notch pathway functions to regulate spermatogenesis. Notch has been established to be important for the fertility of multiple systems, including mammals, and must be properly regulated for proper spermatogenesis, but the …

Anthropogenic Litter In Illinois Streams: Monitoring, Distribution, And Relationship To Biological Indicators Of Stream Health, Lauren Wisbrock

Master's Theses

Anthropogenic litter (i.e., trash; AL) is increasing in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. AL shows a patchy, uneven distribution in lotic ecosystems due to heterogeneity in its sources, how it moves, and mechanisms of retention. In addition, the diversity of material types, size, and mobility makes developing techniques to measure AL assemblage in rivers a challenge. In rivers, watershed land-use and riparian features likely impact AL abundance and composition, but this impact is not fully understood. Measuring AL can be time consuming and labor intensive, so rapid assessments are needed for ecosystem managers to quantify the level of AL impairment in a …

Whose Line Is It Anyway? Rhetoric, Pathology, And The Jewish Race In Late Victorian England, Stephanie G. Pokras

Senior Independent Study Theses

This thesis examines how both late Victorian Anglo-Jews and Gentiles used rhetoric of race science and Jewish pathology to encode lines of difference, as well as the relationship between these discourses. My first chapter analyzes the role of Gentile discourse of disease and disability as the foundation of late Victorian anti-Semitism. My second chapter focuses on Jewish ‘expert’ engagement with race science. In this chapter, I argue that contrary to the dominant historical narrative, not only was the Jewish community engaged with race science, but their scholarly conversations were dynamic and diverse. Ideas about race and pathology became central to …

Foreign Election Interference And Hybrid Warfare, Jonathan Davies

Senior Independent Study Theses

Election interference has long been a tool of foreign policy available to state actors but has recently risen in prominence as a result of Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election in the United States. Although much has been written about election interference, most existing scholarship focuses on its use to promote a certain candidate or party. Hybrid warfare theory, which posits that modern conflict is increasingly characterized by the coordinated use of a wide range of tactics, provides a powerful alternative framework for understanding election interference. This Independent Study considers election interference through the lens of hybrid warfare …

Whitewashing V. Blackwashing: Structural Racism And Anti-Racist Praxis In Hollywood Cinema, Alyssa M. Smith

Senior Independent Study Theses

When a discussion about whitewashing arises, there are often claims that “blackwashing,” the practice of replacing a traditionally White character or role with a Black actor, is the same issue. Much is known about whitewashing and how damaging it is to represent People of Color in film with White actors, however, blackwashing is a recent term to describe what is more often called “colorblind casting.” This study aims to dissect how whitewashing and blackwashing differ, as well as discuss how blackwashing succumbs to the racist history of the Hollywood film industry despite its attempt at leading a brighter future for …

The Application Of Machine Learning In Analyzing Organic Compounds From Nmr Spectral Data, Nicole Maia Powell

Senior Independent Study Theses

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is used in organic chemistry to identify unknown organic compounds. The data obtained from an NMR spectrometer are typically shown in the form of a spectrum, which is then analyzed by an analytical chemist. The action of analyzing a spectrum, especially one of a large and complex molecule, is a long and tedious process. In this project, Python is used to implement hierarchical clustering on NMR data obtained from an NMR spectrometer at the College of Wooster to explore its application in NMR analysis. MATLAB is used to build a decision tree from the same data, …

Mapping Out Learning: How Aerobic Exercise, Sex And Alzheimer's Disease Impact Learning, Grace G. Bouker

Senior Independent Study Theses

Exercise has the power to ameliorate the outward symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) by rescuing hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. The goal of this research was to map out how exercise and sex impact behavioral learning in AD mouse models by looking outside of the traditional measurements in the Morris water maze (MWM), as they fail to describe the process of learning itself. I calculated heading error at maximum velocity, manually categorized search strategy in the MWM across trials, and determined flexibility in the probe trial for transgenic and wild-type mice who were exposed to exercise or control housing. Mice significantly …

The Development Of A Procedure For The Pxrf Analysis Of Soil Cation Exchange Capacity In Collaboration With Colorado Farmers, Claire E. Wineman

Senior Independent Study Theses

Discrepancies between farmers’ and scientists’ knowledge systems and experiences have long prevented the success and mutual beneficiality of collaborative research efforts between these two groups. The development of agricultural technologies, such as portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) for the analysis of soil cation exchange capacity in the field, creates a promising overlap point for farmers and scientists to cooperatively study issues within their sociocultural context and with access to institutional resources. In this study, the generation of an in-field PXRF method in collaboration with Colorado farmers helps to provide a prospective model for scientists and farmers looking to use collaborative research …

The Bmal1/Hif2a Heterodimer Modulates Circadian Variations Of Myocardial Injury, Hui Li, Xinwei Kuang, Long Liang, Youqiong Ye, Yongchang Zhang, Jialu Li, Fangyu Ma, Juan Tao, Guang Lei, Shuang Zhao, Juan Su, Nong Yang, Cong Peng, Xiaowei Xu, Mien-Chie Hung, Leng Han, Hong Liu, Jing Liu, Xiang Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Immune checkpoints blockades have shown promising clinical effects in various malignancies, but the overall response rate is low. Here, the immune features are comprehensively characterized in >10 000 cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas and significantly positive correlations are observed between targets of Sunitinib and inhibitory immune checkpoints and suppressive immune cells. It is further confirmed that Sunitinib treatment increases the antitumor immunity in a phase III trial. Mechanistically, it is discovered that Sunitinib regulates the stability of tumor PD‐L1 via p62, that p62 can bind to PD‐L1 and specifically promote its translocation into autophagic lysosome for degradation. Preclinically, …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Sex Selling And Sex Purchasing Among Adults Seeking Treatment For Cocaine Use Disorder, Emma C Lathan, Judy H Hong, Angela M Heads, Nicholas C Borgogna, Joy M Schmitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Exchange sex places individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) at particularly high risk for deleterious safety and health outcomes. A substance use treatment provider who is aware of a patient's exchange sex behavior is better able to provide appropriate screening, care, and/or referral to risk reduction services. However, little is known about exchange sex, especially purchasing, among treatment-seeking adults with CUD. The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of sex selling and sex purchasing among treatment-seeking men and women with CUD (

Is There An Association Between Drug Use And Oral Health Conditions?, Martha Paisi, Robert Witton, Anastasios Plessas

School of Nursing and Midwifery

No abstract provided.

Conservation Of Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition Process In Neural Crest Cells And Metastatic Cancer, April Zhang, Hira Aslam, Neha Sharma, Aryeh Warmflash, Walid D Fakhouri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly conserved cellular process in several species, from worms to humans. EMT plays a fundamental role in early embryogenesis, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. For neural crest cell (NCC) development, EMT typically results in forming a migratory and potent cell population that generates a wide variety of cell and tissue, including cartilage, bone, connective tissue, endocrine cells, neurons, and glia amongst many others. The degree of conservation between the signaling pathways that regulate EMT during development and metastatic cancer (MC) has not been fully established, despite ample studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis …

Can Erythropoietin Reduce Hypoxemic Neurological Damages In Neonates With Congenital Heart Defects?, Sara Ottolenghi, Giuseppina Milano, Michele Dei Cas, Tina O Findley, Rita Paroni, Antonio F Corno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Congenital heart defects (CHD), the most common cause of birth defects with increasing birth prevalence, affect nearly 1% of live births worldwide. Cyanotic CHD are characterized by hypoxemia, with subsequent reduced oxygen delivery to the brain, especially critical during brain development, beginning in the fetus and continuing through the neonatal period. Therefore, neonates with CHD carry a high risk for neurological comorbidities, even more frequently when there are associated underlying genetic disorders. We review the currently available knowledge on potential prevention strategies to reduce brain damage induced by hypoxemia during fetal development and immediately after birth, and the role of …

Deep Learning For Automated Analysis Of Cellular And Extracellular Components Of The Foreign Body Response In Multiphoton Microscopy Images, Mattia Sarti, Maria Parlani, Luis Diaz-Gomez, Antonios G Mikos, Pietro Cerveri, Stefano Casarin, Eleonora Dondossola

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Foreign body response (FBR) is a major unresolved challenge that compromises medical implant integration and function by inflammation and fibrotic encapsulation. Mice implanted with polymeric scaffolds coupled to intravital non-linear multiphoton microscopy acquisition enable multiparametric, longitudinal investigation of the FBR evolution and interference strategies. However, follow-up analyses based on visual localization and manual segmentation are extremely time-consuming, subject to human error, and do not allow for automated parameter extraction. We developed an integrated computational pipeline based on an innovative and versatile variant of the U-Net neural network to segment and quantify cellular and extracellular structures of interest, which is …

Recent Advances Of Integrative Bio-Omics Technologies To Improve Type 1 Diabetes (T1d) Care, Nisha Karwal, Megan Rodrigues, David D. Williams, Ryan Mcdonough, Diana Ferro

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex autoimmune disease that currently cannot be cured, only managed. Optimal treatment the of T1D symptoms, requires a multidisciplinary care team, including endocrinologists, educators, primary care providers, health care specialists, genetic counselors, and data scientists. This review summarizes how an integrative approach to T1D drives innovation and quality improvements in health care. Specifically, we highlight how “-omics” technologies facilitate the understanding of different aspects of the disease, including prevention, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and treatment. Furthermore, we explore how biological data can be combined with personal and electronic health records to tailor medical interventions to the …

Mir-9-1 Suppresses Cell Proliferation And Promotes Apoptosis By Targeting Uhrf1 In Lung Cancer, Cheng-You Jia, Wei Xiang, Ji-Bin Liu, Geng-Xi Jiang, Feng Sun, Jian-Jun Wu, Xiao-Li Yang, Rui Xin, Yi Shi, Dan-Dan Zhang, Wen Li, Zavuga Zuberi, Jie Zhang, Gai-Xia Lu, Hui-Min Wang, Pei-Yao Wang, Fei Yu, Zhong-Wei Lv, Yu-Shui Ma, Da Fu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer is listed as the most common reason for cancer-related death all over the world despite diagnostic improvements and the development of chemotherapy and targeted therapies. MicroRNAs control both physiological and pathological processes including development and cancer. A microRNA-9 to 1 (miR-9 to 1) overexpression model in lung cancer cell lines was established and miR-9 to 1 was found to significantly suppress the proliferation rate in lung cancer cell lines, colony formation in vitro, and tumorigenicity in nude mice of A549 cells. Ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) was then identified to direct target of miR-9 …

Aboriginal Community-Led Preservice Teacher Education: Learning From Country In The City, Katrina Thorpe, Cathie Burgess, Suzanne Egan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In Australia it is well documented that teachers continue to struggle with implementing Aboriginal content, pedagogies and engaging with Aboriginal communities. This paper describes a research project analysing place-based learning for preservice teachers at an urban university led by Aboriginal community members. We argue that place-based learning is critical in developing preservice teacher’s knowledge and confidence in Aboriginal education. Surveys, individual and group yarns provided in-depth data from 64 participants completing elective courses including place-based ‘Learning from Country’ (LFC) experiences. Three key findings emerge from the data. Firstly, the utility of an experiential ‘learning by doing’ approach, secondly, the profound …

Learning To Teach In Place: Transforming Pre-Service Teacher Perceptions Of Science Teaching Through Place Pedagogies, Hongming Ma, Monica M. Green

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Although teaching science outdoors is well established in global circles, its pedagogical value in Australia is less understood. This paper addresses this gap through its investigation of outdoor science teaching in a science method course in a teacher education program at an Australian regional university. As part of their coursework, pre-service teachers designed and delivered science lessons to primary school-aged children in small teaching groups in a wetland setting and wrote reflective essays about the experience. Data collection methods included document analysis of the essays as well as follow-up semi-structured interviews with pre-service teachers. Findings suggest that the outdoor science …

Supporting Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Noticing Of Student Thinking, Gregory Hine, Kristin Lesseig

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A growing body of evidence suggests developing the attention of preservice, secondary mathematics (PSMTs) teachers towards professional noticing of student thinking should feature in teacher education programs. There were two aims for this qualitative study: first, to explore the extent to which an Interview Module (IM) supported the development of PSMTs’ ability to notice and make pedagogical decisions based on student thinking evidenced in video- and paper-based work samples. A secondary aim was to establish the viability of the IM in an Australian context. Overall, PSMTs regarded their involvement in the IM as beneficial to their development as teachers. Specifically, …

An Ethical Evaluation Of Georgia Agriculture Educators And Extension/4-H Agents Regarding Practices And Observations At Youth Livestock Events, Joshua Whitworth

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ethical perspectives and observations of those charged with supervising youth livestock projects in the state of Georgia. Identifying the ethical leadership style of the agriculture/4-H agents and agriculture educators/young farmer advisors, allowed for a closer look at the ethical styles within those who are supervising youth livestock projects. Overwhelmingly, the respondents indicated that they relate most closely with a Duty ethical leadership style, suggesting the respondents will do what is required of them to fulfill the responsibilities of their occupation. Furthermore, observations of practices involved in youth livestock projects were recorded …

The Struggle Of Differential Diagnosis For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: A Qualitative Case Study, Laken Cummins, Stephanie M. Schaaf, Megan Smetana, Jennifer Gaylord

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the controversial diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and the struggle many clinicians face with differential diagnosis through a retrospective qualitative case study following a participant who received the diagnosis of CAS. Research questions targeted the characteristics the participant presented with, whether they were consistent or not, as well as if they were unique to CAS or evidence of a phonological disorder, and the treatment approaches that were implemented throughout the participant’s history of receiving speech-language services and the effectiveness of those approaches. These research questions were answered through the records and documents obtained from the …

Can It Be Done? Examining Stereotype Threat With Fake Stereotypes, Jessica Hodges

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Stereotype threat refers to the risk of conforming to a stereotype regarding a group one belongs to. This threat has been heavily studied with negative stereotypes on performance-based tasks (e.g., math), and encompasses the anxiety one may feel due to being associated with the negative stereotype (Steele & Aronson, 1995). The present project sought to expand upon current literature in several ways. First, this project sought to assess whether fake stereotypes elicit stereotype threat like real stereotypes do. Second, this project examined whether fake stereotype threat works with positive stereotypes as well as negative. Third, this study examined how group …

Opportunities, Barriers, And Recommendations In Down Syndrome Research., James A. Hendrix, Angelika Amon, Leonard Abbeduto, Stamatis Agiovlasitis, Tarek Alsaied, Heather A. Anderson, Lisa J. Bain, Nicole Baumer, Anita Bhattacharyya, Dusan Bogunovic, Kelly N. Botteron, George Capone, Priya Chandan, Isabelle Chase, Brian Chicoine, Cécile Cieuta-Walti, Lara R. Deruisseau, Sophie Durand, Anna Esbensen, Juan Fortea, Sandra Giménez, Ann-Charlotte Granholm, Laura J. Hahn, Elizabeth Head, Hampus Hillerstrom, Lisa M. Jacola, Matthew P. Janicki, Joan M. Jasien, Angela R. Kamer, Raymond D. Kent, Bernard Khor, Jeanne B. Lawrence, Catherine Lemonnier, Amy Feldman Lewanda, William Mobley, Paul E. Moore, Linda Pollak Nelson, Nicolas M. Oreskovic, Ricardo S. Osorio, David Patterson, Sonja A. Rasmussen, Roger H. Reeves, Nancy Roizen, Stephanie Santoro, Stephanie L. Sherman, Nasreen Talib, Ignacio E. Tapia, Kyle M. Walsh, Steven F. Warren, A Nicole White, Guang William Wong, John S. Yi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in medical care have increased life expectancy and improved the quality of life for people with Down syndrome (DS). These advances are the result of both pre-clinical and clinical research but much about DS is still poorly understood. In 2020, the NIH announced their plan to update their DS research plan and requested input from the scientific and advocacy community.

OBJECTIVE: The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the LuMind IDSC Foundation worked together with scientific and medical experts to develop recommendations for the NIH research plan.

METHODS: NDSS and LuMind IDSC assembled over 50 experts across …

Democracy And Disenchantment, Ashraf Ahmed

Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc

No abstract provided.

Chancery Court Employs Revlon Analysis In Assessing Whether Corporate Sale Process Was Reasonable, Robert S. Reder, Connor J. Breed

Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc

No abstract provided.

Hacking The Seams: Elevating Digital Autonomy And Agency For Humans, Richard S. Whitt

Colorado Technology Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Foliar Application Of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium Fertilizers On Nutrient Uptake And Protein Content Of Maize, Drocelle Nirere, S. R Mbaraka, F Murorunkwere, F. R Musana, H Rukangantambara

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

The effect of foliar application of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizers on nutritional status and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) were investigated through a study conducted in a zonal agricultural research station of University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Bengaluru (India). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design. The treatments consisted of two levels of soil application (75 and 100%) of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and foliar applications of NPK (19:19:19). The fertilizers were applied at 6-leaf, tasselling, knee height and tasseling growth stages. Nutrient uptake, protein content and available soil nutrients at harvest were analyzed. Results indicated …

Physicochemical Studies For Risk Identification, Assessment, And Characterization Of Artisanal Barite Mining In Nigeria, David Oluwasegun Afolayan, Carrick Mcafee Eggleston, Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, Adelana Rasak Adetunji, Mingjiang Tao, Richard Kwasi Amankwah

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Over 90% of barite mining activities in Nigeria are carried out by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs), and up to 75% of these miners operate informally, without mining license and rights. Such mining activities endanger human lives through the uncontrolled release of toxic heavy metals and other pollutants which are major causes and consequences of severe health hazards in children and adults living close to the mining sites. This paper is in two parts. The first section assesses the extent of heavy metal contamination of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ba, and Zn in drinking water by the mine water and …

Esperanza Rising And Identity: Exploring Literature And Self In Upper Elementary School, Emma Fuller

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Upper elementary students benefit from exposure to windows and mirrors in literature. The term “mirrors” refers to when students can relate to characters and situations, and see their own lives valued in an academic context. Mirrors are important for representation in schools because it allows students to reflect on their own learning. “Windows” allow students to see a perspective into other people’s lives. They are important because they encourage reflection on different ideas and empathy among students. One of many literary works with strong “windows” and “mirrors” is Pam Munoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising. In this Senior Project, I focused on …

Programmed To Protect And Serve: The Dawn Of Drones And Robots In Law Enforcement, Nanci K. Carr

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No longer does the field of law enforcement rely solely on human cognition and capability as drones have become first responders, responding to emergency calls with a drone rather than a human officer. Drone technology can transform police work, just as it has package delivery and military strategy. These drone officers allow for higher law enforcement efficiency, safer communities, and even saved lives. However, they also raise civil liberty concerns given that the drones have the power to track vehicles and people without consent, and they can collect and store video records of everyday life, reducing expectations of privacy. This …