Digital Commons Network^™

Sequential Block Copolymers Of Polyisobutylene And Polyolefins, Manwel Labib

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A two-step approach will be utilized to synthesize random polyolefin multiblock-copolymers. This strategy takes advantage of a,w-terminated telechelic polyolefins. Polypropylene (iPP)/polyethylene (PE) are picked because of their strength, and polyisobutylene (PIB) because of its hemocompatibility. This copolymer is theorized to make for robust bio-inert plastic, which can be used for surgical mesh implants.

Emergency Water Treatment Methods Through The Adaptation Of Natural Disaster Building Debris, Benjamin Colston

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The primary objective of this research was to determine whether concrete slag acquired from building debris in a disaster can be utilized to remove pathogens biochemically through changes in pH or physically through filtration. Direct Plate Enumeration testing was completed for different water samples to compare the general activity of bacterial growth as an indication of pathogenic potential. Throughout each experiment, the pH of different water samples was monitored and consistently indicated that water samples in contact with concrete pieces (concrete water samples) would exhibit a higher pH than samples with no exposure to concrete (control water samples). Compared to …

Amygdala Modeling With Context And Motivation Using Spiking Neural Networks For Robotics Applications, Matthew Aaron Zeglen

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive capabilities for robotic applications are furthered by developing an artificial amygdala that mimics biology. The amygdala portion of the brain is commonly understood to control mood and behavior based upon sensory inputs, motivation, and context. This research builds upon prior work in creating artificial intelligence for robotics which focused on mood-generated actions. However, recent amygdala research suggests a void in greater functionality. This work developed a computational model of an amygdala, integrated this model into a robot model, and developed a comprehensive integration of the robot for simulation, and live embodiment. The developed amygdala, instantiated in the Nengo Brain …

Sportiasts, Yuvraj Subedi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Sportiasts is an online platform that connects sports enthusiasts. This platform explores the most recent back-end tool: Django and PostgreSQL to provide sports enthusiasts a platform to connect with each other. This platform is versatile and dynamic for the users to have their best experience connecting with sports communities. Anyone with sports interests can use this application to explore, connect, and create sports communities.

Immunohistochemistry Of The Zebrafish Retina, Alison Ruf

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The retina is made up of many different essential parts that work together to allow for vision of many different species. Some of these crucial cells and proteins include ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptors, synaptic markers, such as VGLUT, and receptors that bind glutamate. The basis of this project is to use immunohistochemistry to identify these important aspects of the retina in zebrafish via monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The goal being to compare specific cells in a control group retina to an experimental group of zebrafish.

Erk3 And Dgkζ Interact To Modulate Cell Motility In Lung Cancer Cells, Amanda Myers

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Extracellular-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, including lung cancer. This atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has a unique structure which includes a C34 domain and C-terminus and about which relatively little is known. ERK3 has been demonstrated to promote cell migration and metastasis in multiple cancer types. A yeast two-hybrid assay using ERK3 as bait indicated Diacylglycerol kinase ζ (DGKζ) is a binding partner. DGKζ is an isoform in the DGK family, all the members of which phosphorylate the lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). DGKζ was shown to promote migration in mouse …

2022 Dsac High Tunnel Bell Pepper Variety Trial, Bronwyn Aly

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

This paper reports on seven bell pepper cultivar entries evaluated in a high tunnel production system during the 2022 growing season at the University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center (DSAC) located in southern Illinois (Pope County).

Impacts Of Nitrogen Rate And Source Following Green Manure On Broccoli Yield, Charlie Rohwer

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Cover crops are beneficial to soil structure and processes and can provide nitrogen (N) to a subsequent crop. Practical studies of N availability from cover crops and organic fertilizers in naive (transitioning) soils are helpful for growers to achieve desirable yield. Microbial soil inoculants (biostimulants) may enhance availability of organic N sources. We found a spring-planted pea-oat cover crop provided less than 27 pounds of N to a subsequent broccoli crop, and no impact of a commercial biostimulant on broccoli yield or development rate. Availability of N from organic amendments used is discussed.

2022 High Tunnel Fresh Market Determinate Tomato Cultivar Trial For Southern Illinois, Bronwyn Aly

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A determinate tomato cultivar trial was conducted at the University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center (DSAC) located in southern Illinois (Pope County) during the 2022 growing season. The objective of this trial was to compare performance of thirteen fresh market determinate tomato cultivars in a high tunnel production system.

Reflecting On Recurring Failures In Iot Development, Dharun Anandayuvaraj, James C. Davis

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

As IoT systems are given more responsibility and autonomy, they offer greater benefits, but also carry greater risks. We believe this trend invigorates an old challenge of software engineering: how to develop high-risk software-intensive systems safely and securely under market pressures? As a first step, we conducted a systematic analysis of recent IoT failures to identify engineering challenges. We collected and analyzed 22 news reports and studied the sources, impacts, and repair strategies of failures in IoT systems. We observed failure trends both within and across application domains. We also observed that failure themes have persisted over time. To alleviate …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Of A Broiler House Microclimate In Summer And Winter, Erdem Küçüktopcu, Bilal Cemek, Halis Simsek, Ji-Qin Ni

School of Agricultural & Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Appropriate microclimate conditions in broiler housing are critical for optimizing poultry production and ensuring the health and welfare of the birds. In this study, spatial variabilities of the microclimate in summer and winter seasons in a mechanically ventilated broiler house were modeled using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Field measurements of temperature, relative humidity, and airspeeds were conducted in the house to compare the simulated results. The study identified two problems of high temperature in summer, which could result in bird heat stress and stagnant zones in winter, and simulated possible alternative solutions. In summer, if an evaporative cooling …

Gravity Dependence Quantifiers For Vapor Compression Cycles Subjected To Inclination Testing And Parabolic Flights, Leon P. M. Brendel, Stephen L. Caskey, James E. Braun, Eckhard A. Groll

International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference

No abstract provided.

Extraction Of Melanin From Black Knot Fungus: Optimization And Applications, Amara Davis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this research project was to optimize the extraction of melanin from black knot fungus and to analyze possible applications of the extracted melanin. An extraction method that was previously created was examined for possible improvements. Improvements that were studied include the elimination of steps in the extraction process while obtaining the same quality of product, examining options for machinery that could be used to increase production rate when moved to a production plant setting, and optimize the concentrations of the raw materials that are used in the extraction for possible reduction of cost without compromising yield or …

Retaining Thermoresponsive Poly(Vinyl Methyl Ether) To Cellulose Via (3-Aminopropyl)Triethoxylsilane Network, Grace Tolhurst

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Stimuli-responsive supports and devices that are fabricated from inexpensive materials are attractive candidates for a variety of applications, such as environmental protection, and regenerative medicine. Poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), a thermoresponsive polymer (TRP), has recently been used as thermoresponsive cell culture supports for cell growth/proliferation followed with cell/cell sheet harvesting by simply switching temperature. Cellulose is an attractive candidate to replace glass/silicone supports as it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly. This project focuses on retaining PVME to the cellulose membrane via 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) network to generate TR membranes and flexible liners that can be incorporated into bioreactors for producing cells …

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis Of Corrosion Of Reinforcing Steel In Fly Ash Mortar By Means Of Transmission Line Modeling, Padraig Stack

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is an important non-destructive tool that allows for a deeper understanding of the electrochemical processes and mechanisms occurring in an electrochemical cell. Equivalent electrical circuits (EECs) are used to model the impedance data into electrical components, such as resistors and capacitors, on a circuit. Current potentiostat offers software packages that can analyze the frequency response, but the software only supports “simple” EEC that can be written as fixed electrical components in some combination of series and parallel. Park and Macdonald propose a transmission line model (TLM) that does not use lumped-element models, instead, the values of …

Mimicking The Namib Desert Beetle With Hydrophilic And Hydrophobic Surfaces, Tyler Bracewell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Namib Desert beetle, Stenocara gracilipes, condenses fog that rolls in off the west coast of Namibia to provide itself with the water it needs for the day. By lifting its abdomen into the air to collect the water vapor, it condenses on hydrophilic bumps that are about 500μm in diameter and are spaced apart about 500-1500μm. Once the water reaches a critical size, the droplet rolls off the hydrophilic bump and onto the flat hydrophobic surface of the elytra. Since the beetle is angled with its abdomen in the air, the water rolls down to its mouth. A …

Sisters Of Social Justice: The Social Justice Activism Of The Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters, Elizabeth Kay Chamberlain

Wayne State University Dissertations

“Sisters of Social Justice: The Social Justice Activism of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters,” examines the late-twentieth-century social justice activism of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters at the local, national, and international levels. It addresses the opposition to their social justice activism by the Vatican and other institutions at the local and national levels and the dangers they faced when ministering abroad. It argues that within the opposition and dangers they faced, and their responses to these challenges, we can see the agency of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters. This dissertation, “Sisters of Social Justice: The Social Justice Activism of …

Impacts And Dispersal Of Invasive Bivalves, Dreissena And Corbicula Spp., On Stream Benthic Communities, Darrin Scott Hunt

Wayne State University Dissertations

Asian clams (Corbicula spp.), zebra and quagga mussels (Dreisenna spp.) have invaded and spread throughout North American surface waters. Corbicula and Dreisenna species bio foul aquatic systems, occupy benthic substrates and degrade environments through shell deposition. I explored how Dreissena and Corbicula invasions affect benthic fish and macroinvertebrate communities, and examine how their impacts differ between urban and rural systems, and temperate and tropical climates. Macroinvertebrate and fish communities were evaluated at sites with increasing shell densities in the Rouge, and Huron rivers (MI, USA) using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBP). Urban and rural macroinvertebrate …

Characterizing The Post-Translational Modifications Of The Pro-Oncogenic Type Ii Transmembrane Serine Protease Tmprss13, Carly Elizabeth Martin

Wayne State University Dissertations

TMPRSS13, a type II transmembrane serine protease discovered at the turn of the century, has recently been shown to be significantly overexpressed in both breast cancer (BCa) and colorectal cancer (CRC), and to mediate chemoresistance in cell lines from both cancer types. Furthermore, loss of TMPRSS13 in a genetic model of mouse mammary carcinoma significantly reduced tumor burden and growth rate, and increased overall tumor-free survival. Its location on the cell surface as well as its low expression in normal breast and colon make TMPRSS13 an attractive candidate as an oncogenic biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer. However, little is …

Hearing And Other Factors Influencing Memory Performance In Remote Assessment, Erika Squires

Wayne State University Dissertations

With the revitalization of aural rehabilitation (AR) and increased use of telepractice services, there is a paucity of research examining factors that have the potential to affect remote assessment. An assessment of memory is commonly included in a comprehensive AR assessment because recently developed auditory-cognitive training programs include auditory-based cognitive activities, such as auditory memory tasks. This investigation explored the effect of presentation modality on speech discrimination performance and whether self-reported hearing ability correlated with remote memory assessment in older adults.Older adults self-reported their hearing abilities and completed speech discrimination and memory tasks. Data were collected remotely via a telephone …

Constructing A Well-Being: Exploring Knowledge Construction In Dbt Skills Training Using Art And Activity Theory, Elizabeth Bailey

Wayne State University Dissertations

Through Arts-based Research, constructed within the theoretical basis of the Activity System, participants engaged with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program content to develop a cohesive and meaningful project. Participants are conceptualized as reliable experts in their own experience, and as active agents of knowledge construction. Participants generate profound and relevant insights into their experiences – insights that can enhance DBT practice, expand research methodology, and build conceptual connections across theories. The Arts-based Activity System offers a theoretically-backed methodology that can disrupt the harmful parallels between the development of the disorders DBT is intended to treat and the dominant research paradigm …

Parallel Algorithms For Steiner Forest, Laleh Ghalami

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Steiner Forest Problem is one of the fundamental combinatorial optimization problemsin operations research and computer science. Its applications range from network design to computational biology. Given an undirected graph with non-negative weights for edges and a set of pairs of vertices called terminals, the Steiner Forest Problem is to find the minimum cost subgraph that connects each of the terminal pairs together. The Steiner Forest Problem is APX-hard and NP-hard to approximate within 96/95. Several heuristic and approximation algorithms, with different approximation guarantees, have been proposed for the Steiner Forest Problem. Despite the several research in designing sequential and …

Deep Learning As Native Scientific Workflows In The Modern Swfms - Dataview, Junwen Liu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Scientific workflow has become a common practice for scientists to effectively formalize and structure complex scientific processes, which in turn has accelerated scientific discoveries in numerous research fields. With the recent thriving of deep learning in broad scientific projects, there is a rising need for deep learning support in scientific workflow infrastructures SWFMSs. However, current GPU-enabled deep learning frameworks are developed separately, not suitable for direct exploitation in SWFMSs, which forces scientists to handle deep learning outside of SWFMSs and then integrate in workflows in an ad-hoc manner. What workflow users pressingly need today is a user-friendly and well-integrated SWFMS …

The Effect Of Pioglitazone On Phosphoproteome And Interactome Of Protein Phosphatase 2a In Primary Human Skeletal Muscle Cells, Lana Alghanem

Wayne State University Dissertations

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is one of the main contributors to Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), which is a chronic disease affecting 37.3 million people in United States (US), with an estimated annual cost exceeding $300 billion in the US. T2D is being treated with a variety of medications, including Pioglitazone (PIO), a potent insulin sensitizer for skeletal muscle. PIO is a synthetic ligand for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-γ), nuclear receptors regulating the expression of many genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. To date, the molecular action of PIO that sensitizes muscle to insulin is incompletely understood. Protein phosphorylation …

The Thread Of Legality: Lgbtq Parental Identity Construction And Experiences In A Post-Marriage Equality Era, Allison Jendry James

Wayne State University Dissertations

LGBTQ couples have more opportunities to become parents than ever before. This is partly due to advancements in the LGBTQ movement as well as changes in cultural ideologies, changes in families, and more recent medical advancements (Ryan and Berkowitz 2009). Such changes allow LGBTQ couples to become parents, but to do so in differing ways (Dunne 2000). The legalization of same-sex marriage changed the parenting landscape for LGBTQ parents in a variety of ways. Parenthood is presumably different now that same-sex marriage is officially legal. Experiences among LGBTQ couples in the post legalization of same-sex marriage era raises questions about …

Deconstructing Brown Adipocyte Neogenesis In Brown And White Adipose Tissue, Rayanne Burl

Wayne State University Dissertations

Global incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) has reached epidemic proportions, and increasing evidence indicates that dysfunctional adipose tissue is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of T2D. Expanding brown adipocyte (BA) populations within adipose tissues through adrenergic activation improves energy balance and insulin sensitivity. In order to exploit this remodeling of adipose tissue for therapeutic benefit, we need to understand the mechanisms by which adrenergic signaling expand populations of BAs in vivo. These studies utilized single-cell RNA-sequencing and transgenic mouse models, in combination with single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) and immunoistochemical analysis, to study BA neogenesis in vivo. …

White Teacher Attitudes Towards Their Experiences With Anti-Racist Initiatives, Rebecca Frances Reaume

Wayne State University Dissertations

The attitudes of white teachers become a critically important aspect of racism and its dismantling. White teachers work within the institutions that have power to inspire and empower students and they have the tendency to hold the structures of the dominant society within their behaviours and actions. This study embraces a mixed method research design through surveys and semi-structured interviews to explore the attitudes that white teachers have towards their experiences with anti-racist initiatives. Teachers are able to either replicate and sustain social patterns of white hegemony or act as agents of change in combat of racism. As a force …

Beyond The Identification Of Differential Gene Expression Using Rna-Seq In Plants, Feng Tao

Wayne State University Dissertations

Since 2008, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become an essential tool in transcriptomics research. Though identification of differential gene expression is the main purpose for most of the studies, RNA-seq is a catch-all tool including almost 100 distinct approaches which could be applied to different biological areas. Here, I presented the three applications of RNA-seq in plants: 1. I applied the comparative phylogenetic approaches with five tissues RNA-seq data from three closely related species Arabidopsis thalian, A. lyrata, and Capsella rubella to categorize the evolutionary trajectories of recent duplicate genes in the genus Arabidopsis; 2. I extended the RNA-seq dataset to …

Preventing Opioid Addiction In Benton And Franklin County, Washington, Tracie Hicks

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Prevention of opioid addiction in Benton and Franklin County, WA through the implementation of effective strategies, resources, and prevention programs.

Significant Findings: Opioid addiction is a significant public health crisis in the United States costing approximately $78.5 billion a year (NIDA, 2021). Both Benton and Franklin County, Washington have been impacted by the national opioid epidemic. Statistics show that in Benton County between 2018-2020 there was a 169.8% increase in opioid deaths and Franklin County experienced a staggering 289.2% increase in opioids deaths in 2018-2020 (Addictions, Drug, and Alcohol Institute, 2021). Research indicates that prevention and advocacy programs …

Chronic Pain-Related Opioid Use In Atlanta, Georgia, Alexis Ware

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Significant Findings:

Chronic pain is recognized as one of the most common reasons for medical visits (Bertin et al., 2021). These visits frequently lead to opioid prescriptions for treatment. Since 2013, the opioid-related overdose epidemic has placed an undue burden on the healthcare system (Dahlby & Kerr, 2020). The increase in opioid prescriptions over the past two decades has increased rates of misuse and addiction in patients suffering from chronic pain (Bertin et al., 2021). From a public health perspective, these rates indicate a need for greater collaboration and coordination of care among healthcare providers (Dahlby & Kerr, 2020).

Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next …