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Investigating The Role Of Palmitoyl Acyltransferase 14 In Preventing Early Death In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Robert Elliott

Master's Theses and Capstones

Palmitoylation is a reversible post-translational modification that affects the location, activity, and stability of proteins. Arabidopsis thaliana contains 23 genes for palmitoyl acyltransferases (PATs), the enzymes that catalyze palmitoylation. Loss of PAT14 activity results in early senescence and diminished plant size when plants are grown on standard peat/perlite mixtures in pots and watered with a commercial fertilizer, but this phenotype is not observed when plants grown on agar plates containing a different nutrient solution. Here we show that neither the peat/perlite growth medium nor the commensal microbes present in the growth are the causative agents for phenotype development. However, the …

Limitations-Owning And Interpersonal Dimension Of Intellectual Humility, Jason Baehr

Philosophy Faculty Works

According to one prominent account of intellectual humility, it consists primarily of a disposition to “own” one’s intellectual limitations. This account has been criticized for neglecting the interpersonal dimensions of intellectual humility. We expect intellectually humble persons to be respectful and generous with their interlocutors and to avoid being haughty or domineering. I defend the limitations-owning account against this objection. I do so in two ways: first, by arguing that some of the interpersonal qualities associated with intellectual humility are qualities expressive of virtues other than intellectual humility; and second, by arguing that, when properly described, the kind of limitations-owning …

The Cowl - V. 87 N. 8 - December 1, 2022

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 87 No. 8 - December 1, 2022. 16 pages.

St. Norbert College Announces J-Term Courses, St. Norbert College

Press Releases 2022

No abstract provided.

News Of The Coast (December 2022), Virginia Coastal Policy Center, William & Mary Law School

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

No abstract provided.

Uncloaking Cell-Impermeant Gold Nanorods Via Tumor Microenvironmental Cathepsin B Facilitates Cancer Cell Penetration And Potent Radiosensitization, Subhiksha Raghuram, Yuri Mackeyev, Jessica Symons, Yasmin Zahra, Valeria Gonzalez, Krishnan K Mahadevan, Katherinne I Requejo, Anton Liopo, Paul Derry, Eugene Zubarev, Onur Sahin, Joseph Byung-Kyu Kim, Pankaj K Singh, Sang Hyun Cho, Sunil Krishnan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Major impediments to conveyance of intravenously administered drugs to tumors are biofouling, opsonization, and rapid clearance from the circulation by macrophages and reticuloendothelial phagocytes. Cloaking nanoparticles with stealth epilayers partly overcomes these hurdles but it also foils interactions with tumor cells. Here, we describe the synthesis, characterization, and validation of smart gold nanorods (GNRs) that spontaneously transform from inert passengers in the blood stream to active cell-penetrating nanoparticles within tumors to potently sensitize tumors to radiation therapy. Intrinsically cationic and cell-penetrating GNRs were shielded from phagocytosis with a cloaking polyethylene glycol epilayer containing an intervening cleavable peptide. In the absence …

The Scoop, Vol. 9 Issue 9, December 2022, Health Sciences Library

Volume 9

Latest news and updates from the Health Sciences Library in our monthly newsletter for December 2022.

Metabolic Changes Associated With Gestational Diabetes And Weight Loss, Marykate Smith

Master's Theses

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy and negatively affects the mother and her child. Research suggests a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention may aid in the reduction of GDM and its complications. Further, the use of metabolomics is needed to understand the alterations that happen prior to GDM diagnosis to reduce its recurrence.

Objective: Metabolomics analysis was conducted at baseline and 16-weeks post-intervention for women enrolled in a pre-pregnancy lifestyle intervention study to observe metabolic changes associated with GDM occurrence and weight loss.

Methodology: Sixteen samples from the parent Gestational Diabetes Prevention trial were …

A Numerical Simulation Of The Powder Bed Additive Manufacturing Process With Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Yeasir Mohammad Akib

Theses and Dissertations

Many manufacturing industries utilize powder bed fusion (PBF) since it can produce microscale precision 3D parts. During PBF, powder particles are selectively fused layer by layer using thermal energy. The build quality in the PBF process relies heavily on powder bed properties and thermal energy deposition. Powder flowability, spreadability, and packing fraction are some of the insightful factors that determine the quality of the powder bed. In this study, a two-dimensional powder bed is developed using the LAMMPS package. A cloud-based pouring of powders with varying volumes and initialization is adopted for the work. A blade-type and circular recoater is …

Arab American Muslims’ Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services: The Roles Of Acculturation, Religion, And Cultural Beliefs, Tharwah Alzoubi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between acculturation, religion, cultural beliefs, and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Arab American Muslims. A total of 280 participants were surveyed for this study. Regression analysis was conducted to explore relationships among the variables; the alpha level was set at .05. The first research hypothesis was accepted as it showed statistical significance in the relationship between attitudes toward seeking mental health services and demographic variables. The standardized regression coefficients, or beta coefficients ranged from -.008 for gender to .24 for marital status, R=.31 (P<.05). Two variables were significant at the .05 level (marital status, and health insurance). The second hypothesis was also accepted as it showed relationship between attitudes toward mental health services and acculturation, religion and cultural beliefs; the standardized regression coefficients, or beta coefficients ranged from .05 for cultural beliefs to a -.25 for religion, R=.44 (P<.05). The variables of acculturation and religion were significant at the .01 level. Cultural beliefs were not significant at .05 level.

Dynamic Soil Properties In The Lower Rio Grande Valley: Understanding Responses Of Infiltration Rate, Bulk Density, Aggregate Stability To Different Tillage Practices, Temiloluwa Faith Awotoye

Theses and Dissertations

Dynamic Soil Properties (DSPs) are soil properties that change in response to both natural and human-caused interruptions and pressures such as agro-based and wildland management. These soil properties can transform for months or even years in response to the farm use and management procedures. This research project investigates the relationship between different dynamic soil physical properties and tillage practices in the Texas Hidalgo sandy clay loam benchmark soil series. Data analyses was done to compare the effect of tillage to these soil physical properties and build a discussion about relationships between on-farm practices to other aspects of farm viability. We …

Dynamic Soil Properties In The Lower Rio Grande Valley: Carbon And Nitrogen Responses To Different Tillage Practices, Luzyannet Ballesteros Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

There has been increased attention in utilizing agriculture for carbon sequestration. Soil carbon and nitrogen are two dynamic soil properties (DSPs) that are indicators of soil health and function and have overlapping cycles. These soil properties change frequently as a result of environmental conditions and agricultural management practices. This study focuses on the impact of tillage practices in unirrigated agricultural fields in Hidalgo and Willacy counties located in South Texas on Hidalgo Sandy Clay Loam; With a particular focus on Soil Total Carbon (TC), Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC), Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC), Carbon and Nitrogen ratio (C:N), Soil Organic Matter …

Ultrafast Laser Direct Writing Of Conductive Patterns On Modified Polyimide Film For Flexible Electronic Applications, Ishrat Jahan Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

Conductive patterns can be printed on a flexible polymer substrate using the direct laser writing (DLW) method. In order to write conductive circuits in such polymer using a laser, polyimide (PI) is a desirable material choice due to its electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Electrically non-conductive PI has shown great potential for flexible printed electronics as LDW enables selective carbonization in the bulk of such material leading to the formation of conductive lines. The technique is shown to be a rapid and minimal cost method for printing electrodes to nanoscale devices. However, investigations in this field show several limitations to …

A Study Of The Surface Properties Of Additive Manufactured Inconel 718 After Laser Surface Treatment And Cnc Grinding, Sampson K. Canacoo

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the surface properties of additive manufactured Inconel 718 produced through selective laser melting, and the effects of laser ablation and CNC grinding on the surface finish. The objectives were to investigate the effects of the various parameters of laser ablation and CNC grinding on the Inconel 718 surface. The parameters used for the laser experiments were pulse energy (4, 20, and 30 µJ), scanning speed (5, 10, and 15 mm/s), and hatch distance (10, 30, and 50 µm). For the grinding experiments, the wheel speed was kept constant at 20.3 m/sec, however, two different workpiece speed (8.6 …

The Molecular Evolution Of Insect Opsin Genes, Maria Jose Cardenas Muedano

Theses and Dissertations

Opsins are part of the superfamily of G-coupled receptor proteins and together with chromophores, are responsible for initiating the signal transduction cascade responsible for animal vision. Since opsins have a critical role on visual perception these genes are crucial for a myriad of adaptive traits and behaviors and should show diverse signs of natural selection at the molecular level. Understanding the evolution of opsins across the wide diversity of insect groups will allow us to better understand the evolutionary pressure on insect opsins and serve as a model for both other gene systems and other taxonomic groups of animals that …

Green Synthesis Of Spiro Compounds And The Phytochemical Investigation Of Diethyl Ether Fraction Of Camu-Camu (Myrciaria Dubia) Leaves, Judith Anane

Theses and Dissertations

There are a lot of lucrative plant species found in the Amazon and camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K.) Mc Vaugh) is distinct among them. This is due to its exceptional Vitamin C content which varies from 1600 to 6112 mg/100g of pulp. Besides the fruits which is popularly used, different parts of camu-camu plants including the stems, leaves, seeds, barks, and roots are also traditionally used in folklore practices for treating various ailments and diseases and research has showed the presence of antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory agents present in these parts. In this study, the characterization of a bioactive compound, …

Conjunctive Management For Groundwater-Surface Water Resources: Numerical Modeling And Potential Assessment Of Managed Aquifer Recharge (Mar) At Lower Rio Grande Valley In South Texas, Dwight Zedric Q. Capus

Theses and Dissertations

Texas is well known to frequent floods and droughts, and yet has mounting concerns in very imbalanced water availability and water demands from growth in population and economical activities. Capturing and storing water is essential to long-term and climate-smart management of the “already-scarce” water resources. This study aimed to apply numerical modeling to evaluate potentials and impacts of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) to regional groundwater systems in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Using Visual MODFLOW Flex 3D package, different scenarios were simulated for groundwater flow patterns and storage capacities. Water injections tested ranged between 7.30x105 ft3 to 3.65x109 ft3 , …

Winds & Waves: A Collection Of Short Stories & Poems [Vientos Y Olas: Una Colección De Cuentos Y Poemas], Joann Balderrama

Theses and Dissertations

Winds & Waves: A Collection of Short Stories & Poems, presents works of fiction telling a cohesive story with themes of survival, joy in simplicity, and resilience. My work will show the gradual exposing of moods as well as experimentation with writing techniques in several genres. My writing has developed to include a voice of introspection.

My thesis title includes winds and waves to signify change and transformation. They also refer to the movement in nature. Nature is included in a lot of my pieces. Water is an important symbolic component in several of the pieces as well.

Being …

Effects Of Fibers In Dense Graded And Gap Graded Asphalt Concrete, Franher Daniel Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

As a part of efforts to understand the interactions between fibers and particles in compliant binder such as asphalt. This investigated the compressive behaviors of fiber reinforced asphalt concrete with different aggregate gradation, such as gap graded and dense graded. There have been multiple studies attempting to understand the impact of fibers on particle reinforced composites, however, only few of those focused on the fiber-particle interactions. A comprehensive literature review on the current state of the art of fiber reinforced asphalt concrete and fiber-particle interactions was conducted. Then a series of compression tests were conducted using various size steel fibers …

Monsters & Men, Christopher Ernest Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Monsters & Men is a collection of poetry and illustrations that explores the complex emotions associated with masculinity, grief, and personal development. I achieve this by heavily reflecting on my relationship with my late father and using this medium as an outlet to express my trauma in a healthy manner. How we perceive ourselves as men, and what is possible, is not reflected enough in society and I aim to be a proponent in stimulating the conversation revolving around men’s mental health. Men and the patriarchy impose themselves on others to the point where we need to address the unethical …

Emotion Identification Ability And Perspective-Taking In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ana Lucia Garrido Huerta

Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in social interaction. Perspective-taking and emotion identification are important skills to develop appropriate social interactions. Previous research has shown that children with ASD may lack the ability to relate emotionally to others. Research has also shown a deficit in perspective-taking skills in children with ASD. The selected studies reviewed in this thesis analyze seven articles that show research on children with ASD regarding their emotional identification and perspective-taking skills. Articles searched under the words “emotion identification,” “perspective-taking,” and “autism” obtained from the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection using the EBSCO database …

Salas Y Gómez Benthic Habitat And Community Assessment Of Seamounts And Oceanic Islands, Kara Eckley

Theses and Dissertations

Seamounts are essential benthic habitats that are ecologically important, providing habitat and functioning as stepping stones for dispersal and possible refugia, and economically valuable, supporting deep-sea fisheries and potential mineral mining activities. The Salas y Gómez Ridge in the southeast Pacific Ocean longitudinally contains dozens of seamounts that extend ~2,900 km across the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The ridge contains a range of oxygen and nutrient conditions that, along with the distance between seamounts, have led to high levels of endemism, reported in the few studies that have been conducted on seamounts of the region; this study is the first …

The Mediating Role Of Gun Attitudes In The Association Between Dsm-5 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Clusters, And Gun Ownership In Young Hispanic Adults With Exposure To Interpersonal Trauma, Vanessa Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Despite growing interest in gun attitudes and gun ownership among United States citizens, the current body of literature is limited and tends to focus on white non-Hispanic individuals. The present study examined the effect of interpersonal trauma-related PTSD symptoms on gun attitudes and protective gun ownership. The associations between experiencing PTSD symptoms, gun attitudes, and protective gun ownership were examined in a sample of 176 young Hispanic adults (n = 127 women, n = 49 men) with exposure to interpersonal trauma. Specifically, the mediating role of positive attitudes towards guns in the associations between the four clusters of DSM-5 …

Latinas In Stem Education: Paying It Forward, Evangelina Guillen

Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic female students are the minority population when it comes to taking higher level classes in the Science Technology Engineering and Math fields. According to Hinojosa, Rapaport, Jaciw, and Zacamy (2016), “STEM fields are defined here as majors in computer and information sciences, engineering and engineering technologies, biological and biomedical sciences, math and statistics, physical sciences, and science technologies” (p. 3). Traditionally, more boys enroll in STEM courses than girls. Hispanic and minority students, specifically Hispanic women, have been underrepresented in STEM education fields and careers. Why does STEM education matter for Hispanic female students? Because it gives Hispanic students …

Safety-Aware Longitudinal And Lateral Control Of Autonomous Vehicles, Randy Guadalupe Chapa

Theses and Dissertations

Safety is undoubtedly the most critical design requirement regarding autonomous vehicle controllers. This research considers an autonomous vehicle to keep a desired distance from the leader vehicle, as well as stay centered within the lane. To achieve this, the lateral control problem and the combined longitudinal and lateral control problem were studied. Adaptive control laws were proposed with the aid of the backstepping technique and the barrier function technique. Simulation was done to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control laws.

An Assessment Of Physical And Microbial Dynamic Properties Sensitive To Tillage Practices In Hidalgo Sandy Clay Loam Soils, Rocio N. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Mechanized tillage is known to impact the dynamic physical, biological and chemical properties of a given soil, and as a result, can cause systematic harm to the soil’s function (Alam et al., 2014). The aim of this study is to assess how a series of land management tillage practices will impact dynamic physical and biological soil health parameters such as aggregation, carbon, respiration, and enzymatic activity (β-glucosidase). According to Acir et al (2020), the aforementioned soil parameters are both co-influenced and dependent, indicating a response to tillage is likely. A total of 198 samples of Hidalgo series soils were collected …

The Impacts Of Using Geogebra On Students' Perceptions And Achievement In Learning Geometric Transformations, Veysel Karatas

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to contribute to the literature by examining the impacts of using GeoGebra on students' perceptions and achievement in learning geometric transformations. This study contributes to mathematics education and learning environments supported by GeoGebra. This study reviewed the literature on social constructivist learning theory and students' achievement in geometric transformations and perceptions of using GeoGebra. Nonequivalent control groups and a correlational research design were used to answer the research questions.

The participants were selected in six geometry classes from 9th-grade and 10th-grade students (n = 131). The method of selecting participants from the population was a convenience sample. …

Atomlbs: An Atom Based Convolutional Neural Network For Druggable Ligand Binding Site Prediction, Md Ashraful Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Despite advances in drug research and development, there are few and ineffective treatments for a variety of diseases. Virtual screening can drastically reduce costs and accelerate the drug discovery process. Binding site identification is one of the initial and most important steps in structure-based virtual screening. Identifying and defining protein cavities that are likely to bind to a small compound is the objective of this task. In this research, we propose four different convolutional neural networks for predicting ligand-binding sites in proteins. A parallel optimized data pipeline is created to enable faster training of these neural network models on minimal …

Dft Investigation Of Lewis Acid Assisted C-Cn Bond Activation Of Benzonitrile With [Ni(Dmpe)] Fragment, Lubna Kader

Theses and Dissertations

There has been recent interest in the field of organometallics with C—C bond activation of organic substrates that are mediated by transition metal complexes. The bond activation of C—C bonds is important, not only in organic synthesis but also in industrial processes. However, the activation of these bonds remains difficult since they are thermodynamically more stable and sterically less available to activate than the activation of the C—H bond. Most of the successful C—C cleavage uses the relief of ring strain, achievement of aromaticity, or proximity, as the driving force for the reaction.3 Another strategy is the use of a …

The Impact Of Supervisory Training And Workload Upon The Licensed Specialist In School Psychology Supervisors’ Perception Providing Field-Based Supervision To Interns In A Public-School Setting, Christopher L. King

Theses and Dissertations

Quality supervision is essential for developing high-performing professionals in the mental health profession. Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSP) in Texas can begin supervising LSSP Interns after three years of unsupervised field experience. Workloads for LSSP supervisors can be highly diverse, and LSSP supervision training can be limited. The present study explored the impact of workload and lack of supervision training on the supervisors’ perceived ability to supervise Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) interns in Texas public school settings. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, 146 LSSP supervisors with at least three years of unsupervised field experience, and one …