Digital Commons Network^™

Proteostasis & Neuroinflammation In Alzheimer's Disease, Christa C. Huber

Dissertations and Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a devastating disorder with no disease-modifying agent that stops or reverses the progression of the disease. Exosomes, 50 – 150 nanometers in diameter extracellular vesicles, play a role in intracellular communication and are currently being explored as a therapeutic agent in various diseases. In addition, exosomes possess favorable characteristics as a therapy; however, their low yield following isolation hinders their ability as a therapeutic agent. We exposed neuroprogenitor cells to heat shock (HS) before exosomes were isolated to explore the possibility of increasing exosome secretion. HS-derived exosomes exhibit significantly increased concentration and diameter compared to non-heat …

Curriculum Censorship Of Lgbtq+ Identity: Modern Adaptation Of Vintage "Save Our Children" Rhetoric Is Still Just Discrimination, Cathryn M. Oakley

Loyola University Chicago Law Journal

Underpinning Florida’s 2022 “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law is the same vintage, discriminatory rhetoric that has been invoked to harm LGBTQ+ people for decades: that LGBTQ+ people are deviant and fundamentally sexual, therefore even the most chaste acknowledgement of the existence of LGBTQ+ people is inherently inappropriate for children. LGBTQ+ students, students with LGBTQ+ family members, and LGBTQ+ school employees are protected by the constitution, including the First and Fourteenth amendments as well as federal civil rights law. Whether censorship of LGBTQ+ identities is effectuated directly, as in Florida, or indirectly through opt-outs, the dignitary harm is done. Curriculum …

Haaland V. Brackeen: The Decision That Threatened The Indian Child Welfare Act’S Protections Of Native Families In Illinois, Kennedy Ray Fite

Loyola University Chicago Law Journal

The Indian Child Welfare Act has become a controversial piece of legislation since the Supreme Court heard oral argument on the case of Haaland v. Brackeen in November 2022 and released its decision in June 2023. The statute was originally enacted in 1978 to remedy the United States’ tragic history of family separation in tribal communities, including removal of native children who were subsequently placed into federal boarding schools or non-native homes by a child-welfare system grounded in white-American assumptions. Congress recognized the vital nature of Native American culture for native children and the importance of native children to tribal …

Wearing Your Conscience: Investigating How Conscious Marketing Impacts Fast Fashion Jewelry Purchases, Catherine Hodgkins

Major Papers by TMD Master of Science Students

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Bulletin 2023-2024, Cuny John Jay College

College Bulletins

Covers academic year 2023-2024

Creating Change In Pediatric Health Disparities: Utilizing Systemsbased Thinking To Overcome Disparities Affecting Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes In Kentucky, Sydney Speed

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

Healthcare disparities are perpetuated and upheld for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in rural and underserved urban areas of Kentucky. By adopting systems-based thinking, we can identify areas of the healthcare system to change to eliminate these disparities. Namely, key leverage points of this system include distribution and utilization of resources, finances and the movement of money, and communication pathways. To address the disparities surrounding pediatric T1D in Kentucky, a state-wide medical event called Kentucky Diabetes Family Day (KDFD) was hosted. The focus of this event was to lessen the effects of these specific healthcare disparities by altering key …

Effects Of Translocation On Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Ornatus) In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Jacob A. Coffman

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

AS HUMANITY continues to grow and expand, we inevitably encroach on wildlife habitat. This can create conflict between humans and wildlife. Human wildlife conflict usually occurs when humans are near areas where wildlife typically reside. A prime example is a farmer coming into conflict with animals that predate their seeds or livestock. The most common response to this problem in many areas is lethal control to prevent economic loss (Dickman 2010). This seems like an immediate resolution of the conflict in the human’s perspective, but this action can have many adverse effects. This killing may result in negative social outcry, …

Large-Scale Cope: Reducing Climate Risks With Equitable Nature-Based Solutions: Engaging Communities On Reef-Lined Coasts: Kickoff, Miami Us. (Report No. 1), M. Trotz, C. Kappel, R. Zarger

Strong Coasts Collection

Vision & Goals

Our shared project vision is to empower coastal communities by collaborating and co-creating new knowledge of how existing and future climate risk models can inform equitable place-based and locally appropriate nature-based solutions (coral reefs and mangrove forests), across spatial and temporal scales, to reduce coastal hazards (coral mortalities, flood, erosion and compound effects) and support coastal sustainability.

The following eight research thrusts and overarching themes guide our activities:

• Community engaged research on Vulnerability, Climate Futures, and NBS (R0)
• Quantifying Coastal Hazards, Risk and Risk Reduction Benefits of Nature-based Solutions (R1)
• Nature-based Solutions Co-benefits (R2)
• Localized Nature-Based Solutions …

Before They Could Be Saved: Aids Voices Before Protease Inhibitors, Julian J. Willis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore writing during the start of the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. States. This time period encompasses the early 1980s to mid-1990s before Protease Inhibitors were FDA approved which was the medical breakthrough drug that helped turn an HIV diagnosis from a death sentence to a chronic condition. This thesis will be an examination of three themes: “Gay White Cis Male Experience of HIV/AIDS”,” Marginalized Identity Experience of HIV/AIDS” and an exploration of two plays written during the height of the AIDS epidemic that were later turned into HBO productions: The Normal Heart …

Self-Reported Tea Consumption And Age-Related Macular Degeneration In U.S. Adults, Lindsey Halasz Shaffer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: Age-related Macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifaceted disease of aging that is currently one of the leading causes of blindness in the US. As aging populations continue to turn to alternatives to prevent age-related diseases, the use of tea antioxidants has been suggested as potential protectors against cellular degradation and oxidation within the retina. To date, no epidemiologic or cross-sectional studies have been conducted regarding the correlation between tea intake and AMD, as it has for other diseases of with antioxidant mitigation potential, such as cancer. Objective: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the correlation between …

Asynchronous E-Training And Coaching To Indonesian Parents: Naturalistic Strategies To Support Language Development Of Children With Social-Communication Delays, Ndaru Prapti

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The study is about virtual training and coaching to Indonesian parents of preschool-age children with social-communication delays to implement naturalistic intervention. These intercontinental coaching sessions were delivered asynchronously because of the time difference between the coach and the participants and internet bandwidth barrier in some rural areas in Indonesia. Multiple-baseline design across behaviors was utilized to determine the effect of asynchronous training and coaching program to teach three Indonesian parents three naturalistic strategies (i.e., modeling, mand-model, and time delay) during natural routines. Parent-child dyads video-recorded their interaction before and after intervention.

The intervention was started by learning the strategies, video-recorded …

The Function Of Sound Symbolism In The Japanese Language, Madison Buckles

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

his paper examines sound symbolism in the Japanese language, primarily its role in linguistic qualities of onomatopoeia, and why it occurs in relation to language theory. Several reasons for the occurrence of sound symbolism are discussed, namely vowel and consonant associations; context of a speaker’s language; and the development, significance, and necessity of these words. The paper concludes by arguing that the lack of research in the field of sound symbolism, despite its prominent role against the prevailing theory of language (which states that words are arbitrary in conjunction with their meaning), is another example of the Western world’s tendency …

Bibliography, Bruce A. Schulte

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Bruce Schulte.

Bibliography, M. Susan Jones

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by M. Susan Jones.

An Agricultural Plastic Crisis: How Federally Endorsed Biodegradable Plastics Could Liberate The Industry In The Eleventh Hour, Samantha Davenport

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

More Is Sore : A Literature Review Of The Urban Morphology Characters Of Depressing Living Conditions, Andi Zhang, Mohd Ezwan Samian, Hafiz Amirrol

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Urbanization promises a better life in cities, drawing more individuals seeking space and opportunity. However, these aspirations often result in distressing and sore living conditions. Using literature review methods, this research seeks to achieve two primary objectives: firstly, to identify elements significantly impacting mental health and contributing to stress in urban settings; and secondly, to summarize strategies within the built environment to improve the quality of live. The limitations of this research is focusing on elements discerned from existing literature and filtered by the case for high density urban. The study focuses on urban morphology elements: buildings, streets, and plots. …

Establishing A Biochemical System For The Purification And Atpase Activity Of Gst-Dbp5, Sarah Utley, Rachel E. Rigsby Phd, Rebecca L. Adams Phd

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The export of mRNA out of the nucleus is a crucial step for eukaryotic gene expression. The export of mRNA transcripts is aided by Mex67, which allows export through the nuclear pore complex doorways in the nuclear envelope. Once out of the nucleus, a protein known as Dbp5, bound to ATP, Gle1, and Nup42 aids in the directionality of mRNA export by helping remove Mex67 from the mRNA strand. Following interaction with RNA, Dbp5 then hydrolyzes ATP so that it unbinds the mRNA, allowing for enzyme recycling. The goal of this study is to explore the ATPase activity of Saccharomyces …

Detecting Linc Complex Mps3 And Nuclear Pore Complex Ndj1 Protein Interactions On Yeast Nuclear Membrane S Through Fluorescence Microscopy, Dean Boecher, Rebecca Adams

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Though cancer cells have been shown to have abnormal nuclear morphologies and responses to mechanical forces, the mechanisms of how mechanical stress is translated into cellular action and structural reorganization within the nuclear envelope are largely unexplored. The Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex is a transmembrane protein complex that connects the actin cytoskeleton to the lamin nucleoskeleton, enabling mechanical forces to be translated between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. In cells exposed to physical stress, nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) –which control the exchange of biochemical signals and macromolecules in and out of the nucleus through mRNA export –have …

Relationship Between Tree Canopy Cover, Impervious Surfaces, & Bird Biodiversity In Urban Parks In Nashville, Tennessee​, Colin Swanson, Darlene Panvini, Lydia Mitchell

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Bird diversity is an indicator of the overall biodiversity in urban green spaces. Identifying factors associated with urban green spaces that strongly influence bird biodiversity can inform the development and management of urban green spaces. Parks with larger areas of impervious surfaces were predicted to have lower bird diversity than those with more tree canopy coverage. This study used iTree Canopy to determine the percentage of tree canopy and impermeable surfaces for four different areas of urban parks in Nashville, Tennessee. Two parks were closer to the urban core and two were farther away. Tree canopy and impermeable surface cover …

Analyzing Mex67 Interaction With The Ssa4 Transcript For Selective Export, Gretchen E. Stalnaker, Rebecca Adams

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

In eukaryotic cells, such as the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mRNA export is the essential process in which mature mRNA is transported from its site of production, the nucleus, through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) to the cytoplasm, where it can then be translated into protein. This is accomplished when a transcript interacts with the mRNA export protein Mex67, which shuttles the message across the NPC. When the cell is under conditions of stress, such as heat shock, most mRNA export is prohibited, allowing for selective gene expression that prioritizes cell recovery. Specifically, SSA4, which encodes a protein that …

Development Of A Checklist To Assess University Campuses For Bird-Friendliness Qualities, Fatema Al-Hemoud, Chaze Espleta, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Nashville, Tennessee recently became part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Urban Bird Treaty (UBT) program. The Nashville UBT aims to protect and enhance bird-friendly habitats, reduce hazards to birds, and connect people to nature through bird-related activities. To support these aims, students in a conservation biology course researched potential hazards and ideal habitats for birds on college campuses. They developed a checklist covering various bird-friendly criteria, including landscaping, water sources, windows, lighting, use of pesticides, and presence of cats and other bird predators. Students then beta-tested the checklist on the campus at Belmont University. The goals of this …

Assessing The Roles Of Myc And Egr1 In Endoderm Differentiation, Sadaf R. Shahebrahimi, Joseph Nguyen, Kyra Skye Thomas, Erick Spears

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The Wnt signaling pathway is evolutionarily conserved from fruit flies to humans. Strongly associated with development and embryonic morphogenesis, it is known to be required for early endoderm and later hindgut development in mammals. In adults, the Wnt signaling pathway is required for the proper maintenance of the intestinal epithelium and mutations in critical Wnt signaling pathway components are initiating events in the development of essentially all colorectal cancers. An important target gene whose expression is upregulated by Wnt signaling pathway activation is the oncogene MYC. This gene produces a transcription factor whose typical cellular role is to stimulate …

Testing Ssa4:Ade3 Reporters For Mcs Screening, Karah Edmonds, Rebecca Adams

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

In eukaryotic cells, after transcription, mRNA is escorted from the nucleus to the cytoplasm to be translated. This process, called mRNA export, is essential for gene expression. However, when the cell exists in stressful conditions, mRNA export becomes regulated, and only select transcripts, including the stress-responsive SSA4 mRNA, can be exported. This project aims to uncover the mechanism of selective SSA4 mRNA export by generating a reporter that enables phenotypically visible expression under stressful conditions. Specifically, the ADE3 ORF was placed under the regulatory sequence of SSA4, which was anticipated to induce a red color for colonies only following stress. …

Bordetella Pertussis Cloning And Conjugation, Alec Mcmahon, Elizabeth Schoenfeld Dr

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The pathogenic microbe, Bordetella pertussis, is most recognizable for causing the disease commonly known as whooping cough. A whole-cell vaccine for B. pertussis was first developed in 1914 and it later became one part of the DTP combined vaccine in 1948. Since the development of these vaccines, B. pertussis has lost its prominence in research labs and remained understudied as a result. This research was performed to continue identifying gene 00815, one of many ambiguous genes in B. pertussis. Genetic comparisons with other related bacterial genes have identified this gene to be involved in the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) …

Physical Chemistry I Laboratory Manual, Subha Pratihar

Faculty Book Publications

No abstract provided.

Sumoylation-Mediated Psme3-20s Proteasomal Degradation Of Transcription Factor Cp2c Is Crucial For Cell Cycle Progression, Seung Han Son, Min Young Kim, Young Su Lim, Hyeon Cheol Jin, June Ho Shin, Jae Kyu Yi, Sungwoo Choi, Mi Ae Park, Ji Hyung Chae, Ho Chul Kang, Young Jin Lee, Vladimir N. Uversky, Chul Geun Kim

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Transcription factor CP2c (also known as TFCP2, α-CP2, LSF, and LBP-1c) is involved in diverse ubiquitous and tissue/stage-specific cellular processes and in human malignancies such as cancer. Despite its importance, many fundamental regulatory mechanisms of CP2c are still unclear. Here, we uncover an unprecedented mechanism of CP2c degradation via a previously unidentified SUMO1/PSME3/20S proteasome pathway and its biological meaning. CP2c is SUMOylated in a SUMO1-dependent way, and SUMOylated CP2c is degraded through the ubiquitin-independent PSME3 (also known as REGγ or PA28)/20S proteasome system. SUMOylated PSME3 could also interact with CP2c to degrade CP2c via the 20S proteasomal pathway. Moreover, precisely …

Exploring The Mechanisms By Which Camel Lactoferrin Can Kill Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium And Shigella Sonnei, Hussein A. Almehdar, Nawal Abd El-Baky, Ehab H. Mattar, Raed S. Albiheyri, Atif Bamagoos, Abdullah A. Aljaddawi, Vladimir N. Uversky, Elrashdy M. Redwan

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

There is a continuously increasing pressure associated with the appearance of Salmonella enterica Serovar typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei) that have developed pathogenic multiple antibiotic resistance and the cost of cure and control of these enterobacteriaceae infections increases annually. The current report for first time demonstrated the distinguished antimicrobial action of camel lactoferrin (cLf) obtained from the milk of different clans of camel in Saudi Arabia against S. typhimurium and S. sonnei. These cLf subtypes showed comparable antimicrobial potential when tested against the two bacterial strains but were superior to either bovine (bLf) …

Paving The Way For Synthetic Intrinsically Disordered Polymers For Soft Robotics, Orkid Coskuner-Weber, Elif Yuce-Erarslan, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Nature is full of examples of processes that, through evolution, have been perfected over the ages to effectively use matter and sustain life. Here, we present our strategies for designing intrinsically disordered smart polymers for soft robotics applications that are bio-inspired by intrinsically disordered proteins. Bio-inspired intrinsically disordered smart and soft polymers designed using our deep understanding of intrinsically disordered proteins have the potential to open new avenues in soft robotics. Together with other desirable traits, such as robustness, dynamic self-organization, and self-healing abilities, these systems possess ideal characteristics that human-made formations strive for but often fail to achieve. Our …

Limosilactobacillus Fermentum 3872 That Produces Class Iii Bacteriocin Forms Co-Aggregates With The Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strains And Induces Their Lethal Damage, Vyacheslav M. Abramov, Igor V. Kosarev, Andrey V. Machulin, Tatiana V. Priputnevich, Eugenia I. Deryusheva, Ekaterina L. Nemashkalova, Irina O. Chikileva, Tatiana N. Abashina, Alexander N. Panin, Vyacheslav G. Melnikov, Natalia E. Suzina, Ilya N. Nikonov, Marina V. Selina, Valentin S. Khlebnikov, Vadim K. Sakulin, Vladimir A. Samoilenko, Alexey B. Gordeev, Gennady T. Sukhikh, Vladimir N. Uversky, Andrey V. Karlyshev

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

LF3872 was isolated from the milk of a healthy lactating and breastfeeding woman. Earlier, the genome of LF3872 was sequenced, and a gene encoding unique bacteriocin was discovered. We have shown here that the LF3872 strain produces a novel thermolabile class III bacteriolysin (BLF3872), exhibiting antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Sequence analysis revealed the two-domain structural (lysozyme-like domain and peptidase M23 domain) organization of BLF3872. At least 25% residues of this protein are expected to be intrinsically disordered. Furthermore, BLF3872 is predicted to have a very high liquid-liquid phase separation. According to the electron microscopy data, the bacterial …

Pre-Molten, Wet, And Dry Molten Globules En Route To The Functional State Of Proteins, Munishwar Nath Gupta, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Transitions between the unfolded and native states of the ordered globular proteins are accompanied by the accumulation of several intermediates, such as pre-molten globules, wet molten globules, and dry molten globules. Structurally equivalent conformations can serve as native functional states of intrinsically disordered proteins. This overview captures the characteristics and importance of these molten globules in both structured and intrinsically disordered proteins. It also discusses examples of engineered molten globules. The formation of these intermediates under conditions of macromolecular crowding and their interactions with nanomaterials are also reviewed.