Digital Commons Network^™

Sediment Nutrient Dynamics In Fondriest Agricultural Settling Pond, Marie Grace Bezold

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Excess loading of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is a serious global problem and has numerous negative impacts on water quality of aquatic ecosystems including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and hypoxia. Anthropogenic activities (such as the Haber-Bosch process, burning of fossil fuels, sewage treatment, and manure reuse) have led to excess N loading to aquatic systems. Sediment N dynamics were examined from Oct 2019 – Oct 2020 in an agricultural settling pond connected to a constructed wetland adjacent to an agricultural field. Intact sediment cores were amended with 15N for continuous-flow incubations to measure denitrification and N fixation rates, as …

Integrating Online Discussions Into Engineering Curriculum To Endorse Interdisciplinary Viewpoints, Promote Authentic Learning, And Improve Information Literacy, Lisa Bosman, Kurt Paterson, Margaret Phillips

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Engineering is very much an applied discipline where math and science concepts, skills, and tools can be used to design products or processes with new and/or increased value. Research suggests active learning is an effective method for teaching and learning in the engineering classroom. Moreover, students continue to express increased satisfaction when taught using this experiential pedagogical approach. One approach to active learning gaining traction in the engineering classroom is the use of online discussions. The purpose of this paper is to offer a structured approach for engineering educators to develop online discussion prompts aimed to prepare engineering students for …

Characterization Of Maize Near-Isogenic Lines With Enhanced Flavonoid Expression To Be Used As Tools In Diet-Health Complexity, Binning Wu, Haotian Chang, Rich Marini, Surinder Chopra, Lavanya Reddivari

Department of Food Science Faculty Publications

Increasing incidence of chronic diseases in the 21st century has emphasized the importance of developing crops with enhanced nutritional value. Plant-based diets are associated with reduced incidence of many chronic diseases. The growing population and increased food demand have prioritized the development of high-yielding commercial crop varieties at the expense of natural flavors as well as health-benefiting compounds including polyphenols. Flavonoids are a large subfamily of polyphenols abundant in the plant kingdom with known health-promoting effects, making them a promising trait to be re-introduced into elite lines. Given the vast array of flavonoids and the complexity of plant food metabolome …

Serum Carotenoids And Pediatric Metabolic Index Predict Insulin Sensitivity In Mexican American Children, Srinivas Mummidi, Vidya S. Farook, Lavanya Reddivari, Joselin Hernandez-Ruiz, Alvaro Diaz-Badillo, Sharon P. Fowler, Roy G. Resendez, Feroz Akhtar, Donna M. Lehman, Cristopher P. Jenkinson, Rector Arya, Jane L. Lynch, Jose A. Canas, Ralph A. Defronzo, Daniel E. Hale, John Blangero, Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga, Ravindranath Duggirala, Jairam K. P. Vanamala

Department of Food Science Faculty Publications

High concentrations of carotenoids are protective against cardiometabolic risk traits (CMTs) in adults and children. We recently showed in non-diabetic Mexican American (MA) children that serum α-carotene and β-carotene are inversely correlated with obesity measures and triglycerides and positively with HDL cholesterol and that they were under strong genetic influences. Additionally, we previously described a Pediatric Metabolic Index (PMI) that helps in the identification of children who are at risk for cardiometabolic diseases. Here, we quantified serum lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin concentrations in approximately 580 children from MA families using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-photodiode array and determined their heritabilities and correlations …

Raising The Bar During Early Immunotherapy For Cancer: Simple Mathematical Models May Help Distinguish Temporary Vs. Ultimate Progression, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Working Papers

Background: The apparent success of immunotherapy depends on the duration of follow up, sometimes with little evidence of efficacy during the first 4 to 8 months and often some degree of “pseudoprogression”. Differentiating transient pseudoprogression from true progression that would require a change in therapy can be challenging. The present study uses mathematical modeling and simulation to account for the unique kinetics and delayed clinical effects of immunotherapy and suggests improved approaches to predict efficacy and patient response from imaging studies. Methods: A mathematical model of tumor cell-immunocyte interaction is exercised to simulate a large number of individual patients and …

Efficient Electrocatalysis For Denitrification By Using Tio2 Nanotube Arrays Cathode And Adding Chloride Ions, Yangyuan Ji, Junfeng Niu, Dong Xu, Kaixuan Wang, Jacob Brejcha, Seunghyo Jeon, David M. Warsinger

School of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Electrocatalysis is emerging as a promising alternative to bacterial denitrification for removing nitrate and ammonia from sewage. The technology is highly efficient and robust in actual wastewater treatment scenarios; however, there may be the generation of harmful intermediates (such as nitrite) on the traditional cathode material. In this study, we demonstrated that TiO2 nanotube arrays can be used as an effective cathode to reduce nitrate to ammonia without generation of nitrite. Alongside this, the addition of chloride ions in the solution can further oxidize ammonia to N2. We looked into the key factors influencing the electrocatalytic denitrification, including the current …

Non-Pharmacological Pain Managment In Labor: A Systematic Review, Angela Young, Madison Shipe, Madeline Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

During childbirth, women experience labor pain throughout the three stages of labor. The first stage is where the contractions start and end which creates the need for a form of pain management. Various techniques are used to manage first stage labor pains. The use of non-pharmacological methods is becoming more prevalent because natural births are becoming more popular and pharmacological interventions have side effects and drug interactions. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of the literature comparing non-pharmacological pain management methods in women during the first stage of labor. This will answer the PICOT question: …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Older Adults With Dementia: A Systematic Review, Sydney Swogger, Kahli Throckmorton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Older adults with dementia experience difficulties throughout the progression of the disease, including decreased quality of life and mental health (Weise et al., 2018). Nonpharmacological interventions, such as music therapy and music listening, may be one solution to affect mental health outcomes in this population. The two authors seek to answer the following PICOT formatted question: In older adults, ages 65 and older, with dementia, how does music therapy, compared with treatment as usual, affect depression and anxiety? Twenty primary sources, published from 2014 to 2019, were reviewed and critically appraised. The sources were diverse with regards to country of …

Qualitative Analysis Of An Interdisciplinary Team’S Treatment Of Velocardiofacial Syndrome, Marissa Meredith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project two members of the 22q center from Nationwide Children’s Hospital will be interviewed to collect qualitative data about the operations and functions of the clinic. These interviews will provide information about which types of professionals are necessary for the operation of the team, how the team conducts research, how the team treats patients, how research is used to advance treatment, and why such a diverse team is necessary in the treatment of Velocardiofacial Syndrome. Upon completion of data collection, this information will be analyzed to determine the different perspectives of team members and how they interact with …

Gene Gun Research Project, Victoria Wargo, Eid Alolayan, Joseph Bader, Feras Alyamani, Connor Nagelkirk

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The motivation behind this project is to design or improve a cheaper gene gun that can help the world. The goal is to design a new low-cost gene delivery system that will allow Dr. Mahajan and University of Akron students conduct new research, with the aim of advancing society in many different fields. A few examples would be improving crops resistances to insects or harsh weather. This could happen by altering their genes to repulse insects or have stronger bases to have better resistance to the wind. In the medical world you could use gene therapy to help fight cancer …

The Female Experience In Law Enforcement, Matia Martz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The following research was conducted to achieve a better understanding of what issues women face when entering the career field of law enforcement, and how to better educate the projected audience, whether that be a member of law enforcement or a future female recruit, in these issues. Outside of personal experiences from the author, this research will be done via literature review and conclude with what future research can do to aid in this field. The following passages will cover career challenges that women have faced, how gender can affect one’s perceived ability to work in law enforcement, how different …

The Effect Of Cxcl12 Ligand On Internalization And Dimerization Of Cxcr4 Receptors In Live Cells, Loga Iyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The primary objective of this project was to determine the effect of CXCL12 ligand binding on the CXCR4 receptor, specifically, how it would impact receptor internalization and dimerization. The CXCL12 ligand derives from the stromal cell-derived alpha family [8]. The CXCR4 receptors, known as C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 play an essential role in controlling cell proliferation. When misregulated, these receptors can drive tumorigenesis and are thus important targets of cancer therapy. These G protein-coupled receptors stimulate a cascade of signaling pathways in specific tissues [1]. These pathways include the positive transcriptional control of CXCR4 via the Nuclear Respiratory Factor-1 …

Protein Phosphatase 2a In Metformin’S Action In Primary Human Skeletal Muscle Cells, Aktham H. Mestareehi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia caused by defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes is associated with damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs, such as the eyes, heart, kid-neys, and brain. Diabetes is mainly classified into type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Diabetes affects more than 34 million people in the USA (about 1 in 10) and more than 90% of diabetic patients have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Insulin resistance is a main characteristic feature of type 2 diabetes. Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is con-sidered to be the primary defect …

Targeted Combination Therapy Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Ketki Bhise

Wayne State University Dissertations

TARGETED COMBINATION THERAPY OF TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCERby KETKI BHISE May 2021 Advisor: Dr. Arun Iyer Major: Pharmaceutical Sciences Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) accounts for 10-20% of the total breast carcinoma cases. There is no FDA-approved targeted therapy for TNBC due to lack estrogen, progesterone and HER-2. We have identified the role of a hypoxia biomarker, carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) in proliferation and metastasis of TNBC. Based on this observation, we have developed CAIX-targeted Doxorubicin (Dox) prodrug, abbreviated as DoxAtz. To improve the delivery of DoxAtz to the tumor, we developed long circulating liposomes (LipoDoxAtz) and …

Mnrr1: Understanding The Role Of A Novel Mitochondrial-Nuclear Regulator, Stephanie L. Gladyck

Wayne State University Dissertations

Mitochondria are complex organelles that generate most of the energy required to sustain life and function in metabolic and signaling pathways required to maintain cellular homeostasis. MNRR1 (mitochondrial nuclear retrograde regulator 1 or CHCHD2) is a small, bi-organellar twin CX9C protein that is emerging as an important regulator of mitochondrial function, apoptosis, and cellular stress by participating in mitochondrial-nuclear crosstalk. Our lab has previously shown that in the mitochondria, MNRR1 regulates complex IV (Cytochrome c oxidase or COX) and is able to finetune the oxidase function through phosphorylation status. We have also shown that during stress, mitochondrial MNRR1 levels deplete, …

Traction Force Is Modulated By The Calpain Small Subunit And Secreted Galectin-3, Imjoo Jang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Cell migration is a fundamental physical process for wound repair, innate immune response, embryonic development, inflammatory responses as well as cancer metastasis. Biochemical and mechanical cues present inside and outside the cell can modulate the mechanical aspects of cell migration. During cell migration, traction forces are generated by the contraction of the actomyosin cytoskeleton and transmitted to the extracellular matrix through integrin-mediated focal adhesions, facilitating the forward movement of the cell. Although regulating traction force is central to achieving successful cell migration, the detailed mechanism of the force production is still largely unclear. The calpain family of proteases has been …

The Role Of Biomaterial Substrate In Stem Cell Fate Determination, Zhenjie Liu

Wayne State University Dissertations

The physical cues, which included topography, stiffness, and mechanical forces, can influence the stem cell renewal, differentiation, and maturation in vivo and in vitro. The nano-topography of the ECM can stimulate the neural differentiation of the stem cells, while the micro-topography of the ECM can guide the neurite outgrowth. However, the role and functional size of the micro- and nano-topography in the stem cell fate determination is not clear yet. To study this aim, two biomaterial based aligned fiber platforms (ACMFP and ASMFP) were designed, fabrication and evaluated to cover the micro-, submicro-, and nano-fiber topography, which used to study …

Modulation Of Pharyngeal Health In Bacterial Diet-Dependent Survival, Deniz Sifoglu

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MODULATION OF PHARYNGEAL HEALTH IN BACTERIAL DIET-DEPENDENT SURVIVAL

by

DENIZ SIFOGLU

August 2021

Advisor: Dr. Joy Alcedo Major: Biological Sciences Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Both diet and bacterial microbiome modulate insulin signaling, which regulates key physiological processes that are important for survival. However, the mechanisms through which diet and the microbiome modulate insulin signaling remain unclear. To understand these mechanisms, I turned to the nematode worm C. elegans, whose diet consists of different types of bacteria. Like humans and other animals, C. elegans has to modulate its responses to its diet and to bacteria to optimize its survival. Because …

An Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Individuals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired And Suicide, Henry Joseph Tyszka

Wayne State University Dissertations

In the United States, death certificates document pre-existing conditions only when they directly contribute to a death. This precludes generating data in the event of a suicide involving a blind or visually impaired individual and for that reason existing suicide data is scarce for this population. This Grounded Theory study, with the participation of a Licensed Professional Counselor, interviewed twenty blind or visually impaired individuals utilizing the CDC Self-Directed Violence survey instrument to determine the level of stressors that were experienced by the participants as well as the nature and number of protective supports, amongst other factors. The study reinforced …

Labor Union Women And Leadership: Using Labor Education To Build Female Leader Participation For A Stronger Labor Movement, Jacqueline Daugherty

Wayne State University Dissertations

Female union members are nearly fifty percent of the total membership of organized labor, and yet female union members continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions creating a leadership gender gap. The problem of a leadership gender gap is longstanding and is demonstrated in all levels of organized labor, from local to international unions, as well as in the labor federations. The problem stems from deep-rooted barriers that women face with leadership in labor organizations and impacts female union member’s voices and issues being heard at the bargaining table, and can therefore negatively affect women’s wages, hours and working conditions …

Hypochlorite-Mediated Oxidation Of Dopamine: Implications In Parkinson’S Disease And Manganism, Praneet Kaur Marwah

Wayne State University Dissertations

Both Parkinson’s disease and manganism (a condition caused by chronic exposure to excessive levels of manganese) affect the extrapyramidal system of the brain, disrupt dopaminergic signaling and cause similar motor symptoms. While there is no physiological explanation for the susceptibility of dopamine-rich regions of the brain in both disorders, dopamine itself is a likely candidate. Dopamine can undergo both enzymatic and spontaneous oxidation, and the principal product of dopamine oxidation in vivo is cysteinyl dopamine. We demonstrate here that hypochlorous acid, which is produced in the brain by the enzyme myeloperoxidase, converts cysteinyl dopamine into a neurotoxic dihydrobenzothiazine, DHBT-1, that …

Identifying Biologically Relevant Mechanisms And Biomarkers Using Novel Bioinformatics Methods, Samer Hanoudi

Wayne State University Dissertations

There is a tremendous need to analyze molecular and patient clinical data to identify biomarkers, biological mechanisms, or to simply classify samples accurately. Issues such as: i) limited tools to diagnose many diseases, ii) not considering biological interactions, or iii) damaged DNA samples could cause a challenge in identifying valuable insights. In this work, I try to address these issues by developing different bioinformatic frameworks.First, I present three frameworks to identify i) Sarcoidosis biomarkers, ii) Tuberculosis biomarkers and iii) Cystic fibrosis (CF) biomarkers. I identified Sarcoidosis biomarkers I applied them to classify Sarcoidosis samples from non-Sarcoidosis (healthy controls, Tuberculosis, and …

Postpartum Depression Among African American Women In Montgomery, Alabama, Fightress Aaron

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this social change portfolio is to address factors that contribute to postpartum depression among African American women and identify ways to increase prevention and treatment methods through assessment and culturally sensitive support.

Significant Findings: African American or Black women experience postpartum depression twice as much as white women. Historically and culturally, Black women are less likely to seek or participate in traditional mental health assessments and treatment. They instead seek counsel from religious leaders and church members. Secondly, Black women take on the burden of living with the symptoms of postpartum depression untreated due to …

Therapeutic Dual-Targeting Of Cytosolic And Mitochondrial One-Carbon Metabolism, Aamod Sanjeev Dekhne

Wayne State University Dissertations

One-carbon metabolism (1CM) is compartmentalized in the mitochondria and cytosol and generates a host of metabolites critical to tumor propagation. Although drug-targeting of cytosolic 1CM remains a clinically-relevant mainstay, development of clinically-useful agents targeting mitochondrial 1CM remains elusive. Of particular pharmacological interest is the mitochondrial 1CM enzyme, serine hydroxymethyltransferase2 (SHMT2). SHMT2 expression correlates with the oncogenic phenotype in lung, colon, breast, glioma, and liver cancer and, overall, is the fifth-most differentially expressed metabolic enzyme in cancer cell versus normal tissue. Despite the unequivocal oncogenic importance and therapeutic potential of SHMT2, there are no clinically relevant (i.e. active in vivo) inhibitors …

A Review Of Measuring Ecosystem Resilience To Disturbance, Chuixiang Yi, Nathan Jackson

Publications and Research

Resilience is the central concept for understanding how an ecosystem responds to a strong perturbation, and is related to other concepts used to analyze system properties in the face of change such as resistance, recovery, sustainability, vulnerability, stability, adaptive capacity, regime shift, and tipping point. It is extremely challenging to formulate resilience thinking into practice. The current state-of-art approaches of assessing ecosystem resilience may be useful for policy makers and ecosystem resource managers to minimize climatological or natural disaster related impacts. Here, we review the methods of assessing resilience and classify and limit them to three cases: (1) forest resilience …

Why Do Antibiotics Exist?, Fabrizio Spagnolo, Monica Trujillo, John J. Dennehy

Publications and Research

In the struggle with antibiotic resistance, we are losing. There is now a serious threat of moving into a postantibiotic world. High levels of resistance, in terms of both frequency and strength, have evolved against all clinically approved antibiotics worldwide. The usable life span of new clinically approved antibiotics is typically less than a decade before resistance reaches frequencies so high as to require only guarded usage. However, microbes have produced antibiotics for millennia without resistance becoming an existential issue. If resistance is the inevitable consequence of antibiotic usage, as has been the human experience, why has it not become …

Authentic Stem Research, Practices Of Science, And Interest Development In An Informal Science Education Program, Bobby Habig, Preeti Gupta

Publications and Research

Background: Two critical challenges in science education are how to engage students in the practices of science and how to develop and sustain interest. The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which high school youth, the majority of whom are members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM, learn the skills and practices of science and in turn develop interest in conducting scientific research as part of their career pursuits. To accomplish this goal, we applied Hidi and Renninger’s well-tested theoretical framework for studying interest development in the context of a museum-based, informal science …

Potential Solar Replacement Of Hydroelectricity To Reopen Rivers: Maine As A Case Example, Shailesh Sharma, John Waldman

Publications and Research

Hydroelectricity provides 6% of U.S. electrical power needs, but hydro-dams also cause environmental harm, including the retardation or complete blockage of spawning runs of anadromous fishes. To facilitate fish movements, engineered-fishways have long been used but many have performed poorly. Dam-removal is the most effective way of restoring dwindling migratory fish populations by allowing unrestricted pathways to their spawning areas and for the downstream migrations of post-spawning adults and juveniles. However, removals of hydro-dams result in a loss of electricity production. For the replacement of energy foregone from hydro-dam removals, various alternative energy installations are now feasible. We present one-to-one …

Understanding The New Wealthy: Ideologies, Consumption Patterns, And Organizational Strategies For A New Generation Of High-Net Worth Individuals, Ana Brant

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that the Ultra High-Net Worth (UHNWI) belong to the wealthiest, most powerful, and influential group of consumers in the society, and nearly 70% created wealth on their own, current marketing approaches fail to consider what drives consumption behavior of this group of consumers and how can brands maximize their socio-economic impact. Across two studies, I develop a model that guides theory and practice regarding this consumer group. The first part of the first study deployed netnography and grounded theory to understand the ideologies of 30 self-made UHNWI derived from self-presentation on 3,393 Instagram posts. To ensure self-made …

An Exploration Of Successful Housing Outcomes After Homelessness: An Experience Captured Through The Lens Of U.S. Veterans, Janice Filer

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is experienced by veterans at a higher percentage than nonveterans. Veterans represent eight percent of the homeless population (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2019). Also, the mortality rate of younger homeless veterans is higher than non-homeless veterans (Schinka et al., 2018). Veterans experience the lack of affordable housing, the lack of affordable health care, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and a lack of family or social support (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to interview prior homeless veterans from Gulf War Era I (1990 - 2001) and/or Gulf …