Digital Commons Network^™

On The Potential Therapeutic Roles Of Taurine In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alberto Rubio-Casillas, Elrashdy M. Redwan, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Contemporary research has found that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit aberrant immunological function, with a shift toward increased cytokine production and unusual cell function. Microglia and astroglia were found to be significantly activated in immuno-cytochemical studies, and cytokine analysis revealed that the macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor β-1 (TGFB-1), all generated in the neuroglia, constituted the most predominant cytokines in the brain. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a promising therapeutic molecule able to increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and ATPase, which may be protective against aluminum-induced neurotoxicity. …

Front Matter

St. Thomas Law Review

Front Matter includes Masthead, advisors, and Table of Contents for St. Thomas Law Review Volume 36, Issue 1, Fall 2023.

The Curtailment Of Constitutional Rights And Mechanisms Of Social Control In The People's Republic Of China: Hubei Province Case At The Onset Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fabio Ratto Trabucco

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This paper analyzes the curtailment of constitutional rights arising from the implementation of emergency measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China’s Hubei Province, which was not at all counterbalanced by introducing new forms of due constitutional protection. Likewise, high expectations cannot be set on pre-existing means of constitutional safeguards since the Chinese government clearly refused to establish new or different safeguarding procedures nor did it deem it necessary to establish ad hoc courts in order to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper is laid out as follows: (1) fundamental rights in a contemporary socialist state: an overview; (2) containment …

Gastrophysics And Intellectual Property Law: Analyzing The Legal And Market Effects Of A Reimagined Form Of Culinary Art And Science, Mark Edward Blankenship Jr.

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Math Department 2022-2023 Newsletter, Mathematics Department

Mathematics Newsletter

Welcome to our annual Mathematics Department Newsletter. We had an exciting year with many activities and accomplishments. Our students have received awards, attended conferences, conducted research, and have really contributed to the life of the department. Our faculty have had many accomplishments in teaching and scholarship. We conducted several events such as Alumni Night, hosted a guest speaker for the university community, had our Pi Mu Epsilon induction and awards ceremony, and much more. We have heard from several alumni and are happy to report what they are doing. Our Math Club has been becoming more active. On the curriculum …

The Risk Of Climate Change And Extreme Weather, Steven Michels Ed.

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

No Harm No Foul?: The Remnants Of Pure Consumer Harm In Monopsony Cases Under The Sherman Act, William Jackson

American University Business Law Review

Part II of this Comment discusses the contested development of the consumer harm standard under the antitrust laws, the economic underpinnings of monopsonies as opposed to traditional monopolies, and the problems that courts have faced (or more frequently ignored) when deciding monopsony cases under the Sherman Act. Part III analyzes how courts that have abandoned a strict requirement of consumer harm are better able to conform with the true purpose of the Sherman Act. Part IV recommends that the U.S. Supreme Court must formally disavow the consumer harm standard in monopsony cases, or Congress must amend the Sherman Act to …

Subcutaneous Lesions And Systemic Infections: A Scoping Review Of The Clinical Implications Of Illicit Xylazine Use, Fatimah Maiga

Public Health Theses

Xylazine, a clonidine analog, is a potent alpha-2 adrenergic agonist used as an analgesic sedative in veterinary medicine. Known to people who inject drugs (PWID) as “tranq”, xylazine has recently infiltrated the U.S. illicit opiate drug supply and has been associated with severe, necrotic lesions, sedation, and respiratory depression. Unlike opiates, xylazine has no human reversal agent or standardized withdrawal treatment protocol and its effects are unclear.

The objective of this study was to conduct a scoping review synthesizing the available clinical research and reporting on xylazine associated subcutaneous lesions and systemic infections. The study also sought to identify gaps …

Income Tax (Treasury) Unhappy: Efficacy Of Media Campaigns And Tax Noncompliance, Limor Riza

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

This Article systematically evaluates the effectiveness of governmental media campaigns and considers whether we should invest in educating society via such campaigns to increase tax compliance, primarily in light of the intrinsic flaw of taxation.

Is a radio spot that starts with the sound of scary footsteps approaching you, followed by an announcer who says in a deep and intimidating voice, “we’re closing in on undeclared income,” effective? To answer those questions, this Article proposes and showcases a four-step analysis—the ARMS scheme (Aim, Reason, Media-Methods, Sorting). First, the government’s aim of increased tax compliance is identified and declared (Step I: …

Wylder And Wynona: A Graphic Novel Retelling Of The Grimm's Fairy Tale "The Little Brother And Sister", Abigail W. Pannell

Children's Book Writing and Illustrating (MFA) Theses

This thesis provides insight on the psychoanalysis of fairy tales, namely the Grimm fairy tale, “The Little Brother and Sister.” The critical analysis defines theories about the human mind popularized by Sigmund Freud and especially Carl Jung. Modern psychologist Paul Moxnes applies Jung’s theories about character archetypes in fairy tales to his modern study about “deep roles” which solidifies the important relationship between human psychology, fairy tales, and fairy tale retellings. With a deeper understanding of the psychological implications of character archetypes, the creative retelling portion of this thesis rewrites the old version of the brother and sister characters from …

Neurorights And New Charts Of Digital Rights: A Dialogue Beyond The Limits Of The Law, Rafael Yuste

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

In this article, the authors address some of the most pressing issues that stem from the relationship between the technological advancements of the twenty-first century and legal regulation. The development of neurotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI), while offering considerable opportunities for the betterment of social life, also poses unprecedented risks. These challenges manifest in a wide variety of topics. Areas such as human rights treaties, antitrust law, property law, and labor law are affected by these developments. The risks associated with the unregulated use of neurotechnology and AI do not cease at the sectorial stage. Some of the values upon …

Trust In Artificial Intelligence: Analysis Of The European Commission Proposal For A Regulation Of Artificial Intelligence, Antonio Estella

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

I shall start by reflecting on the importance that trust has for society (section 2). From there, I will define what is to be understood in this paper by trust (section 3). I shall then review the basis of trust (section 4) and shall make a reference to the main sources of evidence on trust (like, surveys and laboratory experiments), and to some of the results that these sources reveal on interpersonal and institutional trust (section 5). In the next section (section 6), I shall go on to analyse specifically the issue of trust in AI, will refer to the …

Socioeconomic Rights, Competition, And Systemic Neutrality: Approaching The Right(S) Contribution To Emancipatory Social Movements, Joshua Curtis

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Debate over the emancipatory potential of socioeconomic rights and their relevance to broader social movements is long-standing but is now picking up steam and taking on a life well beyond its traditionally legal disciplinary confines. This article contributes to the widening debate by emphasising the need for socioeconomic rights to be re-thought simultaneously outward (through deeper engagement with extant economic and political systems) and inward (by re-assessing various doctrines ingrained in their own construction). I pursue this ‘two-track’ methodology by first constructing a novel theory regarding the outward engagement of socioeconomic rights with competition law and policy, focusing on the …

The Impact Of Dog Therapy On Anxiety And Happiness In Hospitalized Children, Alejandra Mateos

Scripps Senior Theses

Research on the psychological impact of hospitalization on children and their families indicates that a hospital stay can lead to stress and fear in pediatric patients. However, positive aspects may be introduced into the lives of hospitalized children through interactions with therapy dogs that can improve their psychological well-being. The focus of this proposed study is to investigate the effect of dog therapy on happiness and anxiety levels in pediatric inpatients. Two hundred children between 6 and 17 years old who are hospitalized at a children’s hospital will either interact with a therapy dog or a dog plush animal across …

Grain-Washing: The Issue With Corn Ethanol As A Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Emily J. Rinn

Scripps Senior Theses

Decarbonizing the aviation sector remains one of the most prevalent obstacles in reducing the United States’ significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Launched in 2021, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge aims to supply enough fuel to meet 100% of demand by 2050 through reducing its production costs and enhancing its sustainable practices. Corn ethanol feedstock has been proposed to make up as much as half of all SAF production in the 2030 benchmark. This thesis explores the assemblage of corn ethanol – from its true environmental impacts, role in the future SAF market, to research claiming corn …

Telomeres: A Tool To Assess The Impacts Of Mining Contaminants On Riparian Songbirds, Lillian Krach, Bridger Creel, Megan Fylling, Zac Cheviron, Creagh Breuner

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Mining has left massive environmental and physical scars across the landscape. Aquatic and riparian landscapes in particular have been significantly impacted by traditional mining practices. Waste products left over from hard-rock mining leech heavy metals onto the landscape and these metals spread from headwater streams to major waterways (Lottermoser 2010). Heavy metals have been shown to cause physiological stress and challenges to organisms depending on the metal and the concentration (Baos et al. 2019, Boyd & Rajakaruna 2013). While some mining-impaired areas have undergone restoration efforts, is it enough? Typical restoration methods replace the contaminated floodplain, but not the riverbed …

Predators In Paradise: Ecotourism And Predator-Prey Dynamics In Monteverde, Costa Rica, Andrew Cremeans

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The use of camera trap surveys is increasingly common to investigate recurring diel activity of mammals. Investigation into the temporal overlap of mammals can provide unique insights into predator-prey dynamics. Understanding this relationship is essential to effectively manage and conserve both species. Extensive research across the tropics has found that daily activities of mammals were shaped by thermoregulation and trophic location in food webs. Although broad scale studies of daily patterns of mammals have enhanced our understanding of these constraints, many study sites included were remote protected areas under strict conservation measures. Such protected areas often had full complements of …

Understanding The Drivers Of Body Condition In Female Elk: Implications For Nutritional Ecology On Changing Landscapes, Nicole P. Bealer

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Ungulate body condition is often understood to reflect the nutritional resources on the landscape but is ultimately influenced by more than forage because body condition integrates both energetic costs and benefits. Factors driving variation in female body condition can be classified in both individual vs. environmental and bottom-up vs. top-down frameworks. My research evaluates how individual vs. environmental and bottom-up vs. top-down frameworks explain variation in ingesta-free body fat (IFBF) in female elk (Cervus canadensis). I used seven years (2015-2021) of IFBF data from monitored and recaptured female elk (n = 139) in the Ya Ha Tinda (YHT) population in …

A Comparison Of Divergence In Non-Introgressing Genes Across A Chickadee Hybrid Zone, Eliana K. Lowe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Hybridization between species plays a very important role in the overall evolutionary history of many taxa. The study of hybrid zones can also provide insight into how species are responding to environmental factors such as climate change and changes in species interactions. The hybrid zone between the northern black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and the southern Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) provides an insight into how hybridization is affecting two distinct species. Black-capped and Carolina hybrids have reduced fitness in the wild. Hybrids tend to have higher basal metabolic rates, less muscle growth, and less neuron growth to …

Determining Species-Specific False-Positive Rates Using Visual And Auditory Cues: A Case Study With Sagebrush Steppe Songbirds, Amelia K. Evavold

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Errors in wildlife field data threaten to bias resulting abundance and occupancy estimates if not properly accounted for or minimized. Methods to account for false-positive errors in wildlife data have not been as thoroughly developed as those for false-negative errors despite false-positives being present across diverse wildlife taxa and study systems. The calibration method to account for false-positives involves assessing the field detection method to determine how often false-positive errors occur in the field data. Rates can then be incorporated into estimations based on the field data to improve estimation accuracy. This study presents an application of the calibration approach …

A Wrath That Remembers: A Feminist Companion To Aeschylus' Agamemnon, Mary Iris Allison

Scripps Senior Theses

This project is a feminist translation and companion to Aeschylus' Agamemnon, which includes detailed footnotes and references to secondary authors that provide a feminist reading of the text.

Sharing Culture In A Tech World: Grandparent–Grandchild Cultural Exchanges Over Video Chat., Doug Piper, Subul Malik, A-Nya Badger, C. Washington, B. Valle, Gabrielle Strouse, Lauren J. Myers, Elisabeth Mcclure, Georgene L. Troseth, Jennifer M. Zosh, Rachel Barr

School of Education Faculty Publications

Grandparents who were separated from their infant grandchildren during COVID-19 sought other ways to connect, including video chat. Video chat supports learning, and its features (e.g., contingent responsiveness) may allow for cultural exchange. However, technological problems may disrupt these exchanges. In a semi-naturalistic, longitudinal study, 47 families submitted up to three video chats and surveys. Families were predominantly White/Caucasian, highly-educated, and lived between 1 and 2700 miles apart. Multilevel models were used to predict the proportion of the sessions devoted to exchanging culture (e.g., holidays, parenting advice) and managing tech problems. Culture exchange did not change as a function of …

In Modeling Digital Learning, Remember Pictorial Competence, Georgene L. Troseth, Gabrielle Strouse

School of Education Faculty Publications

Barr and Kirkorian (2023) summarize decades of research about young children’s learning and transfer from screen media, offer a new theoretical model of factors involved in early multimedia learning, and suggest a future research agenda to study learning from commercial media products “in the wild” of everyday family life outside the lab. In this commentary, the authors offer background on the development of symbolic understanding and “pictorial competence” for young children’s learning from screen media and attempt to deepen the discussion of cognitive factors and individual differences that affect early learning.

Combatting Bacterial Infections: The Efficacy Of Poly-Gamma-Glutamic Acid On The Prevention Of Nasopharyngeal Infections Among Individuals With Cleft Lip And Palate, Florence Pun

Scripps Senior Theses

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a medical condition where children are born with an unfused lip and palate. While surgery is required to fuse the lip and palate, there are other conditions that children with CLP face after surgeries, such as otitis media (OM), speech impediments, and difficulty breathing. Particularly, OM occurs frequently in individuals with CLP because the tensor veli palatini muscles cannot open the Eustachian tube frequently and ventilate the middle ear properly, even after surgery. This thesis is a research proposal to evaluate whether γ-PGA can be used in nasal washes to safely prevent nasopharyngeal infections …

Variation In Soil-Mediated Drought Response Traits Between Sympatric Species Of Mimulus, Anna Reitman

Scripps Senior Theses

The ‘time limitation hypothesis’ is an evolutionary theory regarding evolution in angiosperms. The theory attributes ephemeral drought stress to transitions from a perennial to annual life history and an animal- to self-pollinating mating style. The most influential edaphic parameter on water availability is soil texture (i.e. grain size) due to its controls on porosity. Adhesion weakens with coarseness allowing for expedited rates of water loss via evaporation and percolation. The potential implications of coarse soil textures on major transitions in angiosperms due to drought mediation as the ‘time-limitation hypothesis’ proposes has yet to be thoroughly examined. Here, we grew two …

What Comes Next?, Neil Fulton

Faculty Publications

The United States stands at an important crossroads. Polarization and paralysis are the political norm. Social divisions are deep and seemingly intractable. Concerted action is disappointingly rare. Social and political pressures continue to build like tectonic plates waiting to release. What will come next? This Article begins with a description of the current situation before turning to a consideration of five possible paths forward. First, stasis. There may be more of the same with limited systemic shocks releasing small amounts of pressure without a fundamental change of circumstances. Second, rupture. Building pressure may tear the current political and social system …

South Dakota Legisprudence: A Catalog And Analysis, Neil Fulton

Faculty Publications

Statutes provide much of the modern legal body of law. It is necessary for any lawyer to have a good understanding of "legisprudence," the rules for enactment and interpretation of statutes. South Dakota has developed a useful body of legisprudence through both statutes and cases that provide direction about how statutes should be read. This article provides a descriptive collection and normative assessment of these interpretive rules.

The Supreme Court Corrects A Seventy-Five Year Distortion In Establishment Clause Jurisprudence, Patrick Garry

Faculty Publications

In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the US. Supreme Court ruled that the Establishment Clause did not prohibit a high school football coach from offering a brief midfield prayer at the conclusion of games. The Ninth Circuit had held that the coach's free exercise rights had to yield to the Establishment Clause's prohibition of conduct that might reflect a state endorsement of religion. In overturning the Ninth Circuit, the Supreme Court issued an historic and far-reaching ruling on the scope and nature of the Establishment Clause, providing the first truly clarifying decision in this area in the past seventy-five years. …

Campylobacter Vaccination Reduces Diarrheal Disease And Infant Growth Stunting Among Rhesus Macaques, Sara M. Hendrickson, Archana Thomas, Hans-Peter Raué, Kamm Prongay, Andrew J. Haertel, Nicholas S. Rhoades, Jacob F. Slifka, Lina Gao, Benjamin K. Quintel, Ian J. Amanna, Ilhem Messaoudi, Mark K. Slifka

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Campylobacter-associated enteric disease is estimated to be responsible for more than 160 million cases of gastroenteritis each year and is linked to growth stunting of infants living under conditions of poor sanitation and hygiene. Here, we examine naturally occurring Campylobacter-associated diarrhea among rhesus macaques as a model to determine if vaccination could reduce severe diarrheal disease and infant growth stunting. Compared to unvaccinated controls, there are no Campylobacter diarrhea-associated deaths observed among vaccinated infant macaques and all-cause diarrhea-associated infant mortality is decreased by 76% (P = 0.03). By 9 months of age, there is a 1.3 cm increase in dorsal …

Chronic Alcohol Consumption Dysregulates Innate Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2 In The Lung, Sloan A. Lewis, Isaac R. Cinco, Brianna M. Doratt, Madison B. Blanton, Cherise Hoagland, Natali Newman, Michael Davies, Kathleen A. Grant, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Background Alcohol consumption is widespread with over half of the individuals over 18 years of age in the U.S. reporting alcohol use in the last 30 days. Moreover, 9 million Americans engaged in binge or chronic heavy drinking (CHD) in 2019. CHD negatively impacts pathogen clearance and tissue repair, including in the respiratory tract, thereby increasing susceptibility to infection. Although, it has been hypothesized that chronic alcohol consumption negatively impacts COVID-19 outcomes; the interplay between chronic alcohol use and SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes has yet to be elucidated.

Methods In this study we employed luminex, scRNA sequencing, and flow cytometry to …