Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Neuroanatomical Effects Of Prenatal Valproic Acid And Postnatal Testosterone In A Mouse Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bishakha Kumari, Elizabeth Ann Gordon, Cynthia Corbitt

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Sex differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are well documented; males are diagnosed 4:1 over females. Testosterone (T) is one factor that differs by sex in humans and mice that could increase vulnerability to developing ASD in males. Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant that has been found to increase the risk of autism in male offspring of pregnant women who take it to control seizures and is commonly used in mouse models of ASD. After prenatal VPA or vehicle on embryonic day 13, testosterone (T) or vehicle was administered to the mice on postnatal day 2 to investigate whether …

The Inhibition Of Growth Of S. Cerevisiae, U. Maydis, And M. Lychinidis-Dioicae By Apiaecea Plant Extracts, Jackson M Hoffman, Jared Scott, David Schultz Phd

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

The Apiaceae family of plants contains over 3,500 species, many of which are used as food crops: vegetables (carrot, parsnip, celery, etc.), herbs (cilantro, fennel, dill, etc.), and spices (cumin, anise, caraway, etc.). Many spices have been shown to exhibit antimicrobial properties against both bacteria and fungi. We set out to determine if the Apiaceae spice extracts currently used in our lab for anticancer studies exhibit any antimicrobial properties. Ethanolic extracts were made from several Apiaceae seeds: Apium graveolens (celery), Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Anethum graveolens(dill), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Coriandrum satvium (coriander), Pimpinella ansium (anise), Trachyspermum ammi (ajwain), Carum carvi …

The Study Of Ppal And Its Role In The Development Of Physcomitrella Patens, Susana Perez-Martinez, Christine Chen, Mark P. Running

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Protein Prenylation is the addition of lipids to select proteins that play a key role during the development of plants. There are three enzymes that play a role in protein prenylation: protein farnesyltransferase (PFT), protein geranylgeranyl-transferase-I (PGGT), and Rab geranylgeranyltransferase (Rab-GGT). However, there is a protein called PPAL that has a similar alpha subunit of PFT, PGGT, and RAB-GGT but its biochemical function is unknown. Physconmitrella patens, a type of moss, was chosen to explore the role of PpPPAL in the development process. There are two copies of PPAL found in moss. PPAL1 and PPAL2. To study the role …

On Volatility, Outliers, And Uncertainty, Chandler Lewis Clemons

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is composed of three loosely related chapters, all of which are empirical.In Chapter 1, I examine whether expectations are formed in a systematically different manner during periods of low volatility versus periods of high volatility. I achieve this by measuring non-linearities in relationship between the SP 500 and the VIX across different market regimes. Three distinct market regimes are identified through a Markov Process, allowing for the capture of non-constant behavior in the relationship between contemporaneous price changes and future volatility expectations. The results indicate that the effect of the underlying asset on the supply and demand dynamics …

A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Among Small Farmers: A Case Study In Western Honduras, Claudia Caceres

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Climate change is now affecting every known society. Small farmers in Low Income Countries (LICs) are especially vulnerable to climate change patterns because they depend heavily on rain, seasonality patterns, and known temperature ranges. To help build climate change resilient communities among rural farmers, the first step is to understand the impact of climate change on the population. This dissertation aims to use information and communication technology (ICT) to assess climate change vulnerabilities among rural farmers. To achieve this overall goal, this dissertation first proposes a comprehensive Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Framework (CCVAF) that integrates both community level and individual …

The Influence Of Community Cultural Wealth And Tauhi Va On The Navigation Of Pacific Islanders In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics (Stem), Marlena Vi Wolfgramm

CGU Theses & Dissertations

My research examines the influence of community cultural wealth and tauhi va on the navigation of Pacific Islanders (PIs) in STEM. The disaggregation of data on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) attaining STEM bachelor's degrees revealed that PIs (16%) are represented half as much as Asian Americans (35%) (NCES, 2020). Under the AAPI designation, PIs have been masked, underserved, and underresearched in higher education and STEM. For this reason, this study focuses on the educational trajectories and experiences of PIs in STEM to highlight their strengths and challenges to understand how better to serve and support PIs in STEM. …

Relational Savoring In Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Attachment-Based Intervention, Gerin Gaskin

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Relational Savoring in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Attachment-Based InterventionBy Gerin Elizabeth Gaskin Claremont Graduate University: 2021 Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for higher depressive symptoms and lower subjective well-being compared to parents of neurotypical children or children with other developmental delays. Current treatment approaches to support these parents primarily focus on psychoeducation and skills training, but few focus on strengthening the connection between parent-child dyads. This project included two studies that examined the outcomes associated with a novel intervention, relational savoring, which identifies and amplifies moments of parent-child connection. In …

Measuring Machine Learning Model Uncertainty With Applications To Aerial Segmentation, Kevin James Cotton

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Machine learning model performance on both validation data and new data can be better measured and understood by leveraging uncertainty metrics at the time of prediction. These metrics can improve the model training process by indicating which training data need to be corrected and what part of the domain needs further annotation. The methods described have yet to reach mainstream adoption, and show great potential. Here, we survey the field of uncertainty metrics and provide a robust framework for its application to aerial segmentation. Uncertainty is divided into two types: aleatoric and epistemic. Aleatoric uncertainty arises from variations in training …

Cultivating Resilience: The Contribution Of Community Gardens During Covid-19 In Pomona, California, Juanita Preciado

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory comparative mixed method case study provides an empirical contribution to our understanding of the different functions and meaning of community gardens to social-ecological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Spring of 2021, I conducted mixed method case studies on informal and formal community gardens in Pomona, California. Qualitative methods included open-ended questions relating to their experiences of community gardening during COVID-19. Quantitative methods included a survey that included demographic questions and questions that assessed loneliness to better understand the social connections embedded in the gardens. A total of 20 community garden participants and managers were interviewed.

Three …

Force Regulation In Contractile Cells By Chemical And Mechanical Signaling, Esteban Vazquez-Hidalgo

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Chemical and mechanical signaling are essential for physiological processes. Dysregu- lation of these signals can promote disease states by altering force generation. It is cru- cial that we understand how these signals affect force generation and the implication of that force in health and disease. We approach this by investigating cells from two types of tissues: heart tissue cells and epithelial tumor cells. Chemical signaling by intracellu- lar calcium directly regulates heart contractions. Altered calcium handling in heart cells is known to affect force generation in the heart, leading deleterious effects resulting in cardiovascular disease. Chemical and mechanical signaling in …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Unintended Births In Low And Middle-Income Countries: A Pooled Analysis Of 27 Nationally Representative Surveys, Daniel Woytowich

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Introduction

Rates of unintended births (UIBs) are disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the capacity to provide care to unexpected mothers and their offspring is often lagging. To decrease the prevalence of UIBs and their negative impacts on children, women, families, communities, and health systems of developing nations, global health stakeholders must understand the characteristics of a woman's life in these regions that increase her risk for UIBs. This project identified and analyzed predictors of UIBs in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South-East Asia among all women of reproductive age. It built on findings from previous studies while …

Consumer Discrimination In The Health Care Industry, Anne-Marie Hakstian, Victoria Chase

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Gateway Scholarships In Biological Sciences: Year 4 Annual Report, Vicki Stieha, Julia Oxford, Amy Ulappa, Brittnee Earl, Jennifer Forbey, Laura Bond, Kevin Feris, Jocelyn Cullers, Caleb Hartman

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes grant activities, progress toward goals, and broader impacts of the Gateway Scholars Program in the Boise State Department of Biological Sciences during the 2020-21 academic year.

Elucidating The Interfacial Interactions Between Biomacromolecules And Functionalized Pamam-Based Materials For Biomedical Applications, Briana L. Simms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) is a dendrimer structure with a polypeptide backbone architecture. It has been utilized in a wide variety of applications but has found significant utility in biomedical applications. PAMAM has been studied extensively due to its globular structure that is similar to proteins found in the body. The branched architecture and overall size provide a favorable environment for host-guest interactions and allows for the loading of small molecules for therapeutic delivery. Although PAMAM has many benefits for use in the area of therapeutic delivery, a primary area of concern for this molecular architecture is the terminal amines that serve …

Surface And Interfacial Phenomena Between Soil And Oil, Md Firoz Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Crude oil and motor oil spills on land have severe environmental consequences that pose threats to both humans and natural resources. It is particularly important to know the flow behavior of oils to protect terrestrial ecosystems from this kind of damage. The spreading kinetics, contact angle (CA), and droplet baseline studies of crude oil and motor oils were investigated over several realistic soil-based matrices composed of topsoil (silt-dominant), sand, clay, and moisture. It was found that with an increase in moisture content (MC), the spreading area decreased, and initial spreading time increased for all given oil. The initial CA generally …

A Spectroscopic And Quantum Chemical Investigation Into The Noncovalent Interactions And Charge Accommodation Of Biomolecules And Their Building Blocks In Various Environments, Ashley Elizabeth Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As optical measurements have grown increasingly more precise with the rage of the technological revolution, the computer’s ability has matched in computing speed to produce accurate quantum chemical predictions of systems ranging from the atomic to multi-molecular levels. Application of spectroscopy in the investigation of the structure and function of biomolecules and their building blocks has a rich literature background, with applications among cancer research, charge transfer and energy storage, and drug design and delivery. The focus of this dissertation is thus a quantum chemical and/or spectroscopic investigation of a series of biomolecules which include the vibrational band positions of …

On Domination And Bondage Numbers Of Some Classes Of Graphs, Andrew Pham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given a simple finite graph G=(V,E), a vertex subset D ? V(G) is said to be a dominating set of G if every vertex v ? V(G)-D is adjacent to a vertex in D. The domination number of G, denoted ?(G), is the minimum cardinality among all dominating sets of G. In a network, the domination number determines the minimum number of sites required to dominate the entire network at a minimum cost. The bondage number of a graph G is the minimum cardinality among all edge sets B such that ?(G-B) > ?(G). The bondage number may serve as a …

Realizing The Promise Of Justice: Proposing A First Amendment Test To Protect Against Unjust Ieepa Sanctions, Carly Malamud

Upper Level Writing Requirement Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Experiences And Challenges In Single Fatherhood: A Literature Review On Single, Custodial Fathers, Emily N. Janikowski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Households led by single, custodial fathers (SCFs) are increasing in the United States, so the need for further research into this population is critical. To best serve this population, it is important for social work professionals to understand the challenges facing these families, their unique experiences, and the best practices. For this purpose, 33 academic journal articles about SCFs were reviewed and the following seven areas were discussed: (1) fatherhood experiences, (2) overall challenges for SCFs, (3) overall perception of SCFs, (4) economic impact, (5) deviance of youth, (6) academic achievement of the children of SCFs, and (7) applicable interventions. …

An Impact Evaluation Of Covid-19 Training Program: Knowledge And Awareness Of Public Health Professionals Of Province Five, Nepal, Alok K. Bohara, Swati Thapa, Siobhan K. Yilmaz, Spencer H. Mcbee

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

With the declaration of a worldwide pandemic in March 2020 (World Health Organization 2020), COVID-19 has become a primary focus of governments and public health systems across the world with increases in infection and death rates. By mid-April 2020, more than 80% of countries had imposed containment and mitigation measures. But for developing nations, the threats of this global pandemic are more acute given the lack of resources and the capacity to deal with a shock of this magnitude (Loayza 2020). Despite calling for a lockdown on March 24th, 2020 (Pradhan 2020), Nepal faces several public health challenges including limited …

Relationship Of Bmi With Junk Food, Sleep Pattern, Exam Performance And Awareness About Its Ill Health Effects In Healthy Teenagers, Saba Tariq, Sundus Tariq, Saffee Tariq, Rehana Rehman

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of body mass index of healthy teenagers with junk food, sleep pattern, exam performance and awareness about its ill effects.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2017 at University Medical and Dental College, University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan, and comprised subjects aged 13-19. Data was collected using face-to-face interviews, getting the examnation results from respective educational insititutions and calculating the body mass index, Data was analysed using SPSS 22.
Results: Of the 226 subjects, 96(42.5%) were boys with a mean age of 15.68 ±1.83 years, and 130(57.5%) were girls with a …

Sex Differences In Stress-Induced Sleep Deficits, Andrew T. Gargiulo, Varuna Jasodanand, Sandra Luz, Lauren O'Mara, Leszek Kubin, Richard J. Ross, Seema Bhatnagar, Laura A. Grafe

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Sleep disruptions are hallmarks in the pathophysiology of several stress-related disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), both known to disproportionately affect female populations. Although previous studies have attempted to investigate disordered sleep in women, few studies have explored and compared how repeated stress affects sleep in both sexes in either human or animal models. We have previously shown that male rats exhibit behavioral and neuroendocrine habituation to 5 days of repeated restraint, whereas females do not; additional days of stress exposure are required to observe habituation in females. This study examined sex differences in sleep …

The Double Burden Of Racial Discrimination In Daily-Life Moments: Increases In Negative Emotions And Depletion Of Psychosocial Resources Among Emerging Adult African Americans, Nataria T. Joseph, Laurel M. Peterson, Heather Gordon, Thomas W. Kamarck

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Objective: Racial discrimination is a common experience for African Americans, but no research has examined how discrimination reported in daily-life moments influences concurrent negative emotions and psychosocial resources. Method: Emerging adult African Americans (N = 54) reported hourly on momentary racial discrimination, negative emotions, and psychosocial resources across two days. Results: Controlling for past discrimination and trait emotion, momentary racial discrimination was associated with greater negative emotions and lower psychosocial resources (ps < .05). The relationship between momentary racial discrimination and negative emotions was stronger among individuals residing in areas with fewer African Americans (simple slope p < .0001). The relationship between momentary racial discrimination and psychosocial resources was stronger among individuals reporting greater past discrimination (simple slope p < .0001). Vicarious discrimination (exposure to discrimination experienced by another person) was associated with higher negative emotions, p < .01, but not with psychosocial resources. Conclusion: These results are the first to demonstrate that personal and vicarious racial discrimination are associated with negative emotions and lower coping resources …

What Can We Learn From More Than 140,000 Moments Of Ecological Momentary Assessment-Assessed Negative Emotion And Ambulatory Blood Pressure? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Nataria T. Joseph, Elvina C. Chow, Laurel M. Peterson, Thomas W. Kamarck, Morgan Clinton, Madison Debruin

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Objective

Two decades of research has examined within-person associations between negative emotion states and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), but no meta-analysis has been conducted. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the magnitude of this association and identify moderators, review strengths and weaknesses in conceptual and measurement approaches, and provide recommendations.

Methods

We searched databases (PsycINFO, PubMed), identified 15 studies, and obtained data from 13 studies (n = 2511; 142,307 observations).

Results

Random-effects meta-analyses demonstrated small effect r values between momentary negative emotions and systolic ABP (r = 0.06) and diastolic …

Stress, Coping, Resilience, And Sleep During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Representative Survey Study Of Us Adults, Andrew T. Gargiulo, Laurel M. Peterson, Laura A. Grafe

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health emergency resulting in widespread death and substantial disruption to daily life. Previous research has shown that novel disease outbreaks are associated with high stress levels and sleep impairments that lead to neuropsychiatric consequences. Therefore, it is vital to study both stress and protective factors such as coping and resilience that may hinder or help sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, as gender disparities exist in sleep quality, it is important to understand the relationship between pandemic-related stress, coping strategies, resilience, and sleep in bothgenders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Our study …

Ontogenetic Shift In The Diet Of Dajaus Monticola (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) With Comments In The Recruitment Of Young Individuals In The Honduran Caribbean Coast, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Stefano Fenoglio, Scott R. Clark, Jacob F. Schaefer

Neotropical Biodiversity

Studies have been devoted to describing the diet of D. monticola. However, knowledge of how D. monticola utilizes food resources through ontogeny remains unknown. We characterized D. monticola general dietary patterns and tested for ontogenetic diet shifts. We also inferred on juvenile recruitment patterns. We examined the stomach contents of 120 specimens ranging in size from 20 to 154 mm in standard length (SL). To infer on recruitment periodicity, we examined the size of specimens deposited in museum collections to compile size frequencies by month. We assume that the occurrence of smaller-size class categories will shed light on their recruitment …

Genetic Diversity & Connectivity Of Chasmanthium Latifolium (Poaceae) In Pennsylvania & The Effect On Conservation Status Of A Rare Species, Jonathan D. Hayes

Honors Theses

Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) Yates (Poaceae) is a loosely colonial, rhizomatous, perennial grass species that lives in riparian habitats, making it fittingly referred to as river oats. Native to the southern Midwest and the eastern half of the United States, C. latifolium reaches the northeastern edge of its range in Pennsylvania. Within Pennsylvania, eleven extant C. latifolium populations are found along four waterways: the Monongahela River, the Susquehanna River, and two tributaries to the Susquehanna River. This limited state distribution exhibits an east-west disjunct distribution, where western populations are largely separated from eastern populations with one centrally located population. Between the …

University Of New Hampshire Graduate Academic Catalog, 2021-2022, University Of New Hampshire

Graduate Catalog

No abstract provided.

Off-Label Use In The Twenty-First Century: Most Myths And Misconceptions Mitigated, 54 Uic J. Marshall L. Rev. 1 (2021), James Beck

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

“What I Said Was ‘Here Is Where I Cash In’”: The Instrumental Role Of Congressman Hatton Sumners In The Resolution Of The 1937 Court-Packing Crisis, 54 Uic J. Marshall L. Rev. 379 (2021), Josiah Daniel Iii

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.