Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Cardiotoxic Behavior Of Doxorubicin On The Ecm Through Ccn2 Expression In Cardiac Fibroblasts, Parker Lehmann, Conner Patricelli, Julia Oxford (Mentor), Shin Pu (Mentor)

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Cellular Communication Network Factor 2 (CCN2) is a matricellular protein encompassing many cellular functions, including extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. The role of CCN2 has been investigated in numerous studies, but one region of CCN2 that has not been fully investigated is the role of CCN2 when exposed to cardiotoxic chemotherapeutics and how it affects the cardiac ECM. During chronic cardiac inflammation, CCN2 is activated, which eventually leads to cardiac fibrosis and remodeling. Consequently, this result has been shown to markedly reduce the efficacy of cardiac function, contributing to cardiomyopathy when severe. Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline chemotherapeutic commonly used to …

Using Cholera Toxin Chimera For Staphylococcus Aureus Vaccine, Annie Walgren, Juliette Tinker (Mentor)

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

S. aureus is the primary cause of mastitis in cows. Mastitis is an infection of the mammary gland in the udder, which can be devastating for the animal and milk production. It is the most economically significant disease in the dairy industry. Creating a vaccine for S. aureus in dairy animals could reduce the number of antibiotics administered and prevent millions in economic losses annually. Cholera toxin can be used as an effective vaccine by replacing its toxic subunit with S. aureus antigens. This vaccine has the potential to induce antigen-specific immune responses that prevent the establishment of infection and …

Blocking Insulin And Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptors And Its Effect On The Insulin Metabolic Pathway, Dylan Breuer, Ayokunle Hodonu (Mentor)

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

The epithelial cells of mammalian endometrial tissue have shown to express insulin receptor (INSR) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1R) which is used in the production of glycogen. Glycogen is needed in the uterus to meet the energy requirements of the blastocyst prior to implantation. Our results show that treating immortalized mink uterine cells (GMMe) with insulin caused an increase in the gene expression of INSR, IGF1R, and glycogenic enzymes. When treated for 48 hours with insulin and S961 or insulin and Picro Podophyllotoxin (PPP), which serves as an INSR blocker or IGF1R blocker respectively, there was decreased expression of the …

Playing In The Sandbox: Comparative Insights Into The Undergraduate Research Experience, Brian Hough, Kendall House (Mentor)

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

This project seeks insight from those involved in undergraduate research, including, but not limited to, undergraduate student researchers, faculty, administrators, and parents. Areas of interest include student perceptions of undergraduate research, motives for pursuing research opportunities, and where undergraduate research fits into post-university plans.

This presentation is part of a larger, interview based research project in which I discuss undergraduate research with faculty, administrators, and parents of college-searching students.

Many stories emerge from these conversations. Today's presentation focuses on various pain points students relate when discussing the undergraduate research process. Primary among these pain points are: Faculty/Institution - Student Communication, …

Effects Of Emergence Timing On Competition Between Artemisia Tridentata Subsp. Tridentata And Bromus Tectorum, Elizabeth Mandala, Kathryn Turner, Carson Kantack

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Artemisia tridentate, big sagebrush, is a vital shrub to ecosystems of the western United States. Multiple species rely upon it for habitat and food throughout the seasons including the greater sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, and jack rabbits. Sagebrush habitat has been threatened by expanding rangeland and more significantly, by fire. Sagebrush is easily destroyed by fires which can be exacerbated by quick burning weeds such as cheatgrass. Bromus tectorum, or cheatgrass, is an exotic weed that has expanded throughout the sagebrush steppe and other parts of the western U.S. After fire, dispersed seeds harbored within the soil seedbank …

Comparison Of Dft Basis Sets For Organic Dyes, Kaden Shaw, Lan Li (Mentor), Maia Ketteridge (Mentor)

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) is a fledging field that has come into the mainstream scientific field only 20-30 years ago and has been growing aggressively since. Leveraging the power of computing resources, we can perform TDDFT to predict the excited-state properties of materials. Recently there has been a significant amount of work done on cyanine and squaraine dyes due to their potential applications for organic photovoltaics, non-linear optics, and quantum information systems. In this work, we performed DFT and TD-DFT with different basis sets to estimate the transition dipole moments and static dipole differences of substituted squaraine and Cy5 …

Associations Of Discrimination With Drinking Behavior In Multiracial College Students: Protective Role Of Racial Socialization, Fatima Dobani

Theses - ALL

Despite the rapid growth of the Multiracial population in the United States, less is known about correlates of their health behaviors. Nascent findings demonstrate elevated rates of drinking behavior among Multiracial college students compared to their monoracial counterparts. Theoretical models posit that racial socialization by primary caregivers may change the magnitude of the relationship of discrimination with drinking behavior among Multiracial individuals. The role of racial socialization, however, has not been tested specifically among Multiracial college students. In this cross-sectional survey study, 193 undergraduate students (Mage = 20 years [SD = 1.33]; 30% male; 33% Greek affiliated) reporting lifetime alcohol …

A Gis Suitability Model Evaluating Habitat Characteristics Influencing Beaver (Castor Canadensis) Lodge Site Selection And Lodge Occupancy In Central Adirondacks, New York, Amanda K. Jacobs

Theses - ALL

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) represents a quintessential example of an "ecosystem engineer." Yet the species' landscape-scale impacts on hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem ecology are not uniformly distributed through landscapes or time. Understanding beaver lodge site selection and lodge fidelity through time can help to predict where the greatest effects of beaver activity may occur. In this research project, I seek to understand the relationships between beaver habitat suitability, the habitat variables that currently define suitable areas, and lodge occupancy over time. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to model habitat suitability, I use hydrologic, vegetative, and physiographic variables to …

The Effects Of Genotype And Nutrient Conditions On Poplar Growth And Physiology, Bethanie Natalie

Theses - ALL

The United States is currently reliant on other nations for energy and has been unable tomeet goals set for domestic production of 'green' energy such as second generation biofuel. Overcoming these challenges requires examination of transgenic biofuel feedstock plants, specifically in terms of their responses to two nutrient treatments. Here, we investigated the photosynthetic and growth impacts of expressing a hyperthermophilic endoglucanase in planta in a wildtype (WT) Populus alba × grandidentata background under 100% and 15% strength nutrient treatments. This gene was inserted for improvement of the pretreatment process and to limit inputs required during biofuel production. We characterized …

Expanding Civil Rights To Combat Digital Discrimination On The Basis Of Poverty, Michele E. Gilman

All Faculty Scholarship

Low-income people suffer from digital discrimination on the basis of their socio-economic status. Automated decision-making systems, often powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence, shape the opportunities of those experiencing poverty because they serve as gatekeepers to the necessities of modern life. Yet in the existing legal regime, it is perfectly legal to discriminate against people because they are poor. Poverty is not a protected characteristic, unlike race, gender, disability, religion or certain other identities. This lack of legal protection has accelerated digital discrimination against the poor, fueled by the scope, speed, and scale of big data networks. This Article …

Is A Video Worth A Thousand Words?, Laura Kolbe, Ryan H Nelson, Joelle Robertson-Preidler, Olivia Schuman, Inmaculada De Melo-Martín

Faculty and Staff Publications

Bodily imagery elicits strong affective responses and is highly salient, potentially altering viewers' decision making. When clinicians engage surrogates in video calls showing the patient's body, several competing ethical issues must be considered. On the one hand, surrogates may require visual information to make informed decisions, and video technology closes crucial information gaps. On the other, video technology puts an increased amount of control in the hands of clinicians over how the patient's condition is perceived. This article explores some situations that can result in manipulation due to the affective impact of bodily images and the potential for selectivity and …

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Aids Ecological Restoration By Classifying Variation Of Taxonomy And Phenology Of A Native Shrub, Brecken C. Robb, Peter J. Olsoy, T. Trevor Caughlin, Stephanie J. Galla, Marcella R. Fremgen-Tarantino, Jordan D. Nobler, Jennifer S. Forbey

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Plant communities are composed of complex phenotypes that not only differ among taxonomic groups and habitats but also change over time within a species. Restoration projects (e.g. translocations and reseeding) can introduce new functional variation in plants, which further diversifies phenotypes and complicates our ability to identify locally adaptive phenotypes for future restoration. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) offers one approach to detect the chemical phenotypes that differentiate plant species, populations, and phenological states of individual plants over time. We use sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) as a case study to test the accuracy by which NIRS can classify variation within taxonomy and …

Distribution Of Carrion-Associated Beetles And Their Phoretic Mites Along An Urban-Rural Gradient In Northeast Alabama, Kennedy Norris

Theses

Global insect decline has been linked to urbanization, most notably by habitat fragmentation. These insects perform important ecological functions such as pollination, managing pests, and decomposing carrion to recycle nutrients back into the environment. Despite the importance of nutrient recycling behavior displayed by carrion-associated beetles, little research has been done on them in the southeastern US. Previous studies have found a relationship between urbanization, less favorable environmental conditions, carrion availability, and decreased insect diversity. However, no studies have been conducted in the southeastern United States on the relationship of these beetles to their environment despite having the highest rates of …

Deep Learning And Feature Engineering For Human Activity Recognition: Exploiting Novel Rich Learning Representations And Sub-Transfer Learning To Boost Practical Performance, Ria Kanjilal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A significant gap exists in our knowledge of how domain-specific feature extraction compares to unsupervised feature learning in the latent space of a deep neural network for a range of temporal applications including human activity recognition. This dissertation aims to address this gap specifically for human activity recognition using acceleration data. To ensure reproducibility, we use two publicly available datasets, UniMiB-SHAR and ExtraSensory, with a well-established history in the human activity recognition literature. We methodically analyze the performance of 64 different combinations of i) learning representations (in the form of raw temporal data or extracted features), ii) traditional and modern …

2022-2023 Global Feedback Report: Uni Scholarworks, University Of Northern Iowa, Rod Library

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

This library report was prepared by the Digital Scholarship Librarian at the University of Northern Iowa as part of assessment efforts demonstrating the reach and impact of departments and programs at the University of Northern Iowa. The global input is related to specific works found in UNI's institutional repository, UNI ScholarWorks (http://www.scholarworks.uni.edu.)

Membrane Elasticity Modulated By Cholesterol In Model Of Porcine Eye Lens-Lipid Membrane, Nawal K. Khadka, Max-Florian Mortimer, Mason Marosvari, Raju Timsina, Laxman Mainali

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Experimental evidence shows that the eye lens loses its elasticity dramatically with age. It has also been reported that the cholesterol (Chol) content in the eye lens fiber cell plasma membrane increases significantly with age. High Chol content leads to the formation of cholesterol bilayer domains (CBDs) in the lens membrane. The role of high Chol associated with lens elasticity is unclear. The purpose of this research is to investigate the membrane elasticity of the model of porcine lens-lipid (MPLL) membrane with increasing Chol content to elucidate the role of high Chol in lens membrane elasticity. In this study, we …

Origins Of High Latitude Introductions Of Aedes Aegypti To Nebraska And Utah During 2019, Andrea Gloria-Soria, Ary Faraji, Jeff Hamik, Gregory White, Shanon Amsberry, Matthew Donahue, Bryan Buss, Evlyn Pless, Luciano Veiga Cosme, Jeffrey R. Powell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Aedes aegypti (L.), the yellow fever mosquito, is also an important vector of dengue and Zika viruses, and an invasive species in North America. Aedes aegypti inhabits tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world and in North America is primarily distributed throughout the southern United States states and Mexico. The northern range of Ae. aegypti is limited by cold winter months and establishment in these areas has been mostly unsuccessful. However, frequent introductions of Ae. aegypti to temperate, non-endemic areas during the warmer months can lead to seasonal activity and disease outbreaks. Two Ae. aegypti incursions were …

2022-2023 Fall Bulletin, University Of Mississippi Medical Center

Bulletins/Catalogs

2022-2023 Fall Bulletin

3rd Annual International Conference Proceedings: Challenging Linearity, Centre For Business And Economic Research (Cber), School Of Economics And Social Sciences (Sess)

Conference Proceedings

As we live in an era where the knowledge landscape is rapidly changing and becoming more complex, answering age-old questions about our society, economy, and environment has become more challenging today than ever before. In the wake of this change and challenge, falling back on linear and myopic conclusions is sometimes all too irresistible. A fatigue of imagination that leads to easy answers seems to be prevalent within several disciplines and is sometimes driven by ideological biases. Resultantly, the progress in addressing economic disadvantage, social isolation, and discrimination, psychological distress remains suboptimal often because of linear conceptual frameworks which fail …

From Soils To Streams: Connecting Terrestrial Carbon Transformation, Chemical Weathering, And Solute Export Across Hydrological Regimes, Alejandro Flores, Katie Murenbeeld

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil biota generates carbon that exports vertically to the atmosphere (CO₂) and transports laterally to streams and rivers (dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, DOC and DIC). These processes, together with chemical weathering, vary with flow paths across hydrological regimes; yet an integrated understanding of these interactive processes is still lacking. Here we ask: How and to what extent do subsurface carbon transformation, chemical weathering, and solute export differ across hydrological and subsurface structure regimes? We address this question using a hillslope reactive transport model calibrated using soil CO₂ and water chemistry data from Fitch, a temperate forest …

Change In Students’ Peer Evaluations Of Requirements Elicitation Interviews Across The Pre-Pandemic And Pandemic-Affected Semesters, Dmytro Babik, Iryna Babik

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Successful development of an information system to solve a business problem depends on the analyst’s ability to elicit system requirements from a user. This complex competency could be trained via critical peer evaluation of the requirements elicitation (RE) interviews. In this study, 294 students across four pre-pandemic and two COVID-19 pandemic-affected semesters evaluated recorded sample RE interviews of low and high quality. A piecewise regression modeling was used to examine the change in students’ evaluations separately for the pre-pandemic and pandemic-affected semesters. Current results showed that students exhibited inflated evaluation scores (relative to instructors’ scores) for the high-quality, but not …

Optimal Dosing Of Enoxaparin In Overweight And Obese Children, Abdallah Derbalah, Stephen Duffull, Catherine M. Sherwin, Kathleen Job, Hesham Al‐Sallami

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Aim:Current enoxaparin dosing guidelines in children are based on total bodyweight. This is potentially inappropriate in obese children as it may overestimate thedrug clearance. Current evidence suggests that obese children may require lower ini-tial doses of enoxaparin, therefore the aim of this work was to characterise the phar-macokinetics of enoxaparin in obese children and to propose a more appropriatedosing regimen.Methods:Data from 196 unique encounters of 160 children who received enoxa-parin treatment doses were analysed. Enoxaparin concentration was quantified usingthe chromogenic anti factor Xa (anti-Xa) assay. Patients provided a total of 552 anti-Xa samples. Existing published pharmacokinetic (PK) models were fitted …

Efficiency In The Upper Deschutes Basin: Understanding The Hydrosocial Implications Of Irrigation Canal Piping, Rebecca Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

In response to water scarcity, irrigation efficiency projects aim to conserve water for in-stream flow and agricultural use. Piping irrigation canals is a common irrigation efficiency method which reduces the loss of incidental recharge, resulting in trade-offs within a hydrosocial system. Few studies have focused on the consequences of canal piping and none have integrated a critical analysis of the social factors involved in deciding what constitutes 'efficient' water use. This study seeks to fill this gap by combining natural and social science to give attention to the scales and perspectives involved in irrigation efficiency canal piping and the material …

Differential Effects Of Protein Isolates On The Gut Microbiome Under High And Low Fiber Conditions, Marissa Behounek

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Protein isolates are a growing market share in the food industry both as food ingredients and as supplements. All dietary habits can influence and alter the gut microbiome; however, little is known about how protein isolates from different sources will change the composition and function of the gut microbiota under high and low fiber conditions. The study aims to determine the microbiome response to plant and animal protein isolates under high- and low-dietary fiber (H/LDF) conditions. Six commercially available protein isolates (beef, egg white, milk, pea, and two soy protein isolates) were subjected to in vitro enzymatic digestion and dialysis …

2022/2023 University Of The Pacific General Catalog, University Of The Pacific

Catalogue, Bulletin, Catalog

No abstract provided.

The Tulsa Race Massacre Of 1921: A Lesson In The Law Of Trespass, Kara W. Swanson

Connecticut Law Review

The Connecticut Law Review Symposium poses the question: “History and the Tulsa Race Massacre: What’s the Law Got to Do With It?” In one sense, the answer to the question is easy. Since 1921, Black Tulsans have been looking to law and lawyers to address the harms inflicted during the Tulsa Race Massacre, albeit with little success. I was asked to consider, however, the startling lack of recognition of the Massacre—that is, the seemingly impossible feat of forgetting the racially motivated wholesale destruction of a community. In this Essay, I focus on one space of non-recognition, law schools, and on …

Beta-Adrenergic Agonists Alter Oxidative Phosphorylation In Primary Myoblasts (Short Communication), Renae Sieck, Leah K. Treffer, Anna M. Fuller, Martonio Ponte Viana, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Ty B. Schmidt, Dustin T. Yates, Jessica Lynn Petersen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Beta-adrenergic agonists (β-AAs) are widely used supplements in beef and pork production to improve feed efficiency and increase lean muscle mass, yet little is known about the molecular mechanism by which β-AAs achieve this outcome. Our objective was to identify the influence of ractopamine HCl and zilpaterol HCl on mitochondrial respiratory activity in muscle satellite cells isolated from crossbred beef steers (N = 5), crossbred barrows (N = 2), Yorkshire-cross gilts (N = 3), and commercial weather lambs (N = 5). Real-time measurements of oxygen con­sumption rates (OCRs) were recorded using extracellular …

[Cldv 100] Diversity And Multicultural Studies, Oluremi "Remi" Alapo

Open Educational Resources

CLDV100 (Liberal Arts) Introduction to Multicultural Studies in the 21st Century: 3 hrs. 3 crs.

A study of what culture is; how it influences the choices we make; how to deal positively with conflicts that inevitably arise in working/living situations with people of diverse cultures. It is a course structured to raise multicultural awareness and fortify students' social skills in dealing with cultural differences. It includes an ethnographic study of cultural groups in the U.S.A. Through the study of cultural concepts, this course develops skills in critical thinking, writing, and scholarly documentation. Not open to students with credit in CLDV …

[Blst 103] Black Women In The Atlantic World, Oluremi "Remi" Alapo

Open Educational Resources

Course Description: This course examines the foundations, ideas, concerns, and implications of Black feminism within the context of the Black Atlantic. A major goal of this class is to foster dialogue and critical discussion about Black feminism as a site of theory and practice emphasizing social, political, and personal transformation.

Implementation Of Classroom Physical Activity For Middle School Students, Blake Nicols

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this school improvement plan is to increase the minutes of physical activity experienced by middle school students during the school day. Students are falling short in meeting the recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. With most schools returning to prior COVID-19 pandemic in-person learning, emphasis on students catching up in the core academic subjects such as math and reading exists. Time spent implementing classroom physical activity not only increases physical activity minutes, but it also has positive impacts on student focus, behavior, and academic performance. As students transition from the elementary school setting to secondary …