Digital Commons Network^™

Deciphering Immune Suppression Mechanisms Of Primary And Metastatic Breast Cancer, Seunghyun Lee

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized cancer treatment, receiving FDA approval for various previously incurable cancers. In breast cancer, the combination of pembrolizumab (an anti-PD-1 antibody) with chemotherapy has become the standard-of-care for early-stage (Keynote-522) and advance-stage (Keynote-355) triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Unfortunately, over 30% of TNBC patients fail to respond to the combined chemo-immune therapy treatment, and the causes are unknown. Furthermore, ICB has demonstrated poor results in hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. While it is well-established that breast cancer cells can evade immune responses, the specific mechanisms driving immune evasion remain unclear. Thus, deciphering the immune system's role in …

Senior Voice Recital Program, Ethan Gonzalez

Honors Capstones

I performed a vocal recital for my senior year at NIU as part of the final requirements for the completion of the Music Education degree. This document consists of in-depth biographies on the composers; Henry Purcell, George Frideric Handel, Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, and Manuel De Falla. Additionally, I have provided research on each piece performed in the program that discusses the history, harmonic structure, and any cultural significance that ensued from the piece. I have also provided English translations to pieces sung in foreign languages. This recital is made possible by daily practice towards my musical skills and diligent …

Adipocyte-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Exacerbate Diabetic Ischemic Heart Injury By Promoting Oxidative Stress And Mitochondrial-Mediated Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis, Lu Gan, Jianli Zhao, Peng Yao, Theodore A. Christopher, Bernard Lopez, Wayne B. Lau, Walter Koch, Erhe Gao, Xin-Liang Ma, Yajing Wang

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Diabetes increases ischemic heart injury via incompletely understood mechanisms. We recently reported that diabetic adipocytes-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV) exacerbate myocardial reperfusion (MI/R) injury by promoting cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Combining in vitro mechanistic investigation and in vivo proof-concept demonstration, we determined the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for diabetic sEV-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis after MI/R.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Adult mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. sEV were isolated from plasma or epididymal adipose tissue. HFD significantly increased the number and size of plasma- and adipocyte-derived sEV. Intramyocardial injection of an equal number of diabetic plasma sEV in nondiabetic …

Resurrecting The Muse: Kithara And Lyric Poetry Performance Practice In Greco-Roman Antiquity, Abigail Petersen

Honors Projects

Both students and pedagogues of classical studies are familiar with the inherent musicality of Greek and Latin poetry, and they also widely accept the idea that poets sang their works to accompaniment on a kithara, or large lyre. However, little work has been done to perform works of poetry according to this tradition, and thus many modern attempts at oral recitation feature a forced and pedantic rhythm that bores the listener and fails to do justice to the revered art of Greco-Roman poetry. Through a review of primary and secondary sources, I examine the construction of the kithara, the context …

The Free Press Vol. 56, Issue 7, 12-09-2024, Chris Tiner, Cayley Bowman

Free Press, The

Spotlight on USM Neighbors--Promise Scholar Ornaments--Student Election Talk--Why You Should Have a Signature--Practicing Rest--A Night at the Opera--Goat's Milk and Cookies--Just Keep Running

Itaconate Transporter Slc13a3 Impairs Tumor Immunity Via Endowing Ferroptosis Resistance, Heng Lin, Kole Tison, Yuheng Du, Paul Kirchhoff, Chan Kim, Weichao Wang, Hannah Yang, Michael Pitter, Jiali Yu, Peng Liao, Jiajia Zhou, Linda Vatan, Sara Grove, Shuang Wei, Thomas Vigil, Yatrik M Shah, Richard Mortensen, Ilona Kryczek, Lana Garmire, Jwala P Sivaccumar, Ashwin Kumar Ramesh, Ningyan Zhang, Zhiqiang An, Shaomeng Wang, Weiping Zou

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) triggers tumor ferroptosis. However, most patients are unresponsive to ICB. Tumors might evade ferroptosis in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we discover SLC13A3 is an itaconate transporter in tumor cells and endows tumor ferroptosis resistance, diminishing tumor immunity and ICB efficacy. Mechanistically, tumor cells uptake itaconate via SLC13A3 from tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), thereby activating the NRF2-SLC7A11 pathway and escaping from immune-mediated ferroptosis. Structural modeling and molecular docking analysis identify a functional inhibitor for SLC13A3 (SLC13A3i). Deletion of ACOD1 (an essential enzyme for itaconate synthesis) in macrophages, genetic ablation of SLC13A3 in tumors, or treatment with SLC13A3i …

Mems 411: Timed Mosquito Egg Container Design Project, Paige Warren, Witt Ciesla, Ethan Sobel

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

The goal of this project is to design and construct a device that allows for the controlled study of mosquito egg-laying behavior in response to artificial light and temperature variations. Specifically, the device will limit access to cups of standing water, which serve as egg-laying sites, to preprogrammed times of day over a 7-day period.
The device should ensure the following:

• Control Access: The container should be open and closed at predetermined intervals, allowing mosquitoes to access the cups of standing water only during these times.
• Programmability: It should be easy for a novice to specify the opening and closing …

National Parks For Future Generations?: The Covid-19 Pandemic’S Impacts On National Parks And Tourism, Colin Cummings '25

Student Research

This paper explores the complex relationship between tourism and the environment in U.S. National Parks, with a focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how increased visitation affects wildlife, the spread of invasive species, and the overall health of natural ecosystems. The author argues for a shift in public perception of national parks, emphasizing education, community engagement, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of nature to ensure the preservation of these areas for future generations. The paper also discusses the role of park rangers and historical interpretations of wildlife and the environment, as well as the …

Analyzing Social And Cultural Expectations For Women In The 20th Century Through The May Day Festival At Depauw University, Megan Mcclaren '25

Student Research

This paper analyzes the May Day festival at DePauw University as a lens through which to understand the social and cultural expectations for young women in the 20th century. By examining the festival's history, activities, and the roles of various student organizations, the study explores how broader historical events such as wars and economic changes, as well as societal ideals influenced the festival's evolution. The research is based on primary sources, including university archives and student-created pamphlets and photographs, in an effort to bring attention to a forgotten, yet important, part of DePauw University's history and the contributions of the …

Designing An Interactive System For Early Social Learning: Leveraging Emotion Recognition And Real-Time Feedback To Foster Early Childhood Emotional Mirroring And Social Skill Development, Yue Gu

Theses

For young children, traditional educational methods often rely too heavily on the caregiver's own time and energy as well as social attributes. There is currently no product on the market that mirrors emotions and provides real-time feedback on personality drawings that can simultaneously stimulate young children's recognition of facial emotions, understand and mimic expressions, and promote their social development. The purpose of this thesis is to design an interactive system to enhance early social learning in young children through emotion recognition and real-time feedback. The system utilizes a digital device's camera for emotion detection to detect children's facial expressions. It …

Greenmind: A Climate-Positive News Portal, Surabhi Singh

Theses

Greenmind is a website that promotes positive climate narratives for environmentally conscious individuals seeking hope and actionable solutions. It redefines how we approach climate change narratives by focusing on hope and progress. Unlike traditional media that often rely on fear to grab attention, Greenmind delivers stories showcasing actionable solutions and positive impacts already happening across the globe. Its core mission is to empower individuals to see themselves as agents of change, fostering collective action rather than promoting fear as a tactic for change. Greenmind’s approach to climate narratives is supported by research emphasizing the power of positive storytelling. Studies from …

¿Qué Dijo El Médico?: Creating A Procedural Preparation Booklet For Spanish-Speaking Patients And Families In The Pediatric Hospital Setting, Caitlyn Bockbrader

Honors Projects

The purpose of my Honors Project is to demonstrate the need for and creation of a resource that supports Spanish-speaking children’s ability to cope through commonly stressful medical procedures. In developing this project, I conducted a literature review on the efficacy of preparation booklets in lessening pre-procedural anxiety, cultural considerations for the Hispanic community, and current barriers to equitable language access in healthcare settings. My final product was designed to answer the following question: How can the psychosocial outcomes of Spanish-speaking children in U.S. hospitals be improved through the use of Child Life procedural preparation materials? In answering this question, …

A Historical Review Of Course Requirements In Agricultural Mechanics For Agricultural Education, Teacher Education Undergraduates At Nine 1862 Land-Grant Universities, Kristopher R. L. Rankin Iii, M. Craig Edwards

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Preparing pre-service students to teach agricultural mechanics is a difficult task due to the career pathway including a great variety of topics (Byrd et al., 2015). This study examined the trend in requirements in 1862 land-grant universities for number of courses, course credit hours, and course topics related to agricultural mechanics, as well as the total credit hours needed for degree completion in agricultural education, teacher education. Overall, the universities examined had lessened the total course credit hours related to agricultural mechanics courses from 8.33 to 11.83 credit hour requirements in 1980, to a range of 6.67 to 8.33 credit …

Dermoscopy And 30% Potassium Hydroxide Direct Examination As Diagnostic Tools For Distal Lateral Subungual Onychomycosis, Evangelina Lumban Gaol, Eliza Miranda, Sondang Pandjaitan Sirait

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Culture and histopathological examination are gold standards for diagnosing onychomycosis. However, these examinations are subject to several limitations. Dermoscopy has the potential to become a promising diagnostic tool for onychomycosis. Direct examination of potassium hydroxide (KOH) also has advantages similar to dermoscopy. Knowing the accuracy of both examinations can help clinical decision-making. Our objectives are to assess the diagnostic value of dermoscopy, KOH examination, and their combination for distal lateral subungual onychomycosis compared to culture or histopathology.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional diagnostic study of nails with suspected distal lateral subungual onychomycosis. Sixty nails were included in this study. …

Potential Propagation Seedling Of Ramie (Boehmeria Nivea) From Various Types Of Stem Cuttings, Taufiq Hidayat Rahman Side, Mayasari Yamin, Sri Mulyani, Agung Pangestu Aji, Luthfi Ayunawati

Jurnal Kultivasi

Ramie is a fiber-producing plant that can replace cotton as a raw material for the textile industry. In general, ramie plants are reproduced using rhizomes, but it takes a long time, around two years, to be used as a source of planting material. Therefore, other sources of explants besides rhizomes are required, such as stem cuttings. Explants from stem cuttings are quickly available and only need 2-3 months to be used as planting material. This study aims to determine the potential of effective stem cuttings that can be used as planting material for the propagation of ramie seedlings. The research …

Additional Expression Of T-Cell Engager In Clinically Tested Oncolytic Adeno-Immunotherapy Redirects Tumor-Infiltrated, Irrelevant T Cells Against Cancer Cells To Enhance Antitumor Immunity, Daisuke Morita, Amanda Rosewell Shaw, Greyson Biegert, Caroline Porter, Mae Woods, Spyridoula Vasileiou, Bora Lim, Masataka Suzuki

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Oncolytic adenoviruses (OAds) are the most clinically tested viral vectors for solid tumors. However, most clinically tested "Armed" OAds show limited antitumor effects in patients with various solid tumors even with increased dosages and multiple injections. We developed a binary oncolytic/helper-dependent adenovirus system (CAdVEC), in which tumors are coinfected with an OAd and a non-replicating helper-dependent Ad (HDAd). We recently demonstrated that a single low-dose CAdVEC expressing interleukin-12, programmed death-ligand 1 blocker, and HSV thymidine kinase safety switch (CAdTrio) induces significant antitumor effects in patients, including complete response. Similar to previous OAd studies, all patients primarily amplified Ad-specific T …

On The Benefits Of Directness In Virtual Characters For Motivational Interviews, Michael O'Mahony, Cathy Ennis, Robert Ross

Conference papers

Understanding the factors influencing successful engagement with Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) remains a significant challenge. This understanding could be used to personalise agents to users to improve interactions. Some studies have shown that simulating personalities in healthcare agents can improve effectiveness and engagement. However, it is not yet well understood how variations of agent personality can be leveraged to improve user engagement with Motivational Interviewing (MI) ECAs. Specifically how the balance between agent warmth and directness can be controlled in an MI agent to improve likeability and engagement. We conducted an online Wizard-of-Oz (WoZ) mediated study of two variants of …

The Man Who Would Be Billy Collins, W. Edward Blain

Valparaiso Fiction Review

No abstract provided.

Suga Pines, Michael Rogner

Valparaiso Fiction Review

No abstract provided.

Generation, Carolyn Wilson-Scott

Valparaiso Fiction Review

No abstract provided.

Methods In Environmental Studies, Erika Dunagan, Maya Mendoza, Posey Graber, Alex Cullins, Emma Mcginnis, Ally Nepomuceno, Isabella Buchan

Featured Student Work

This publication is a collection of undergraduate research conducted in the Methods in Environmental Studies course at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2024. The student-led projects explore the intersections of place, policy, ecology, and cultural identity through applied environmental research methodologies. Topics include a decolonial examination of the Forest Park Mound Group and Indigenous resilience in St. Louis; a comparative study of Navajo cosmology and ecological justice; a social and environmental impact assessment of Costa Rica’s National Decarbonization Plan; a psychogeographical analysis of Golden Gate Park and its impact on the psyche, emotions, behaviour, and health of urban …

The Nuances Of Self Construction: Dialogism And Discourse In Claudia Rankine’S Citizen: An American Lyric, Asunta Ross

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper analyzes the Black American experience presented by Claudia Rankine in Citizen: An American Lyric through the lens of Mikhail Bakhtin’s theories of dialogism and authoritative and internalized discourses. Literature’s appeal lies largely in its ageless relatability, a trait Mikhail Bakhtin explains hinges on the novel’s ability to provoke and contribute to discussions across time. Active listeners internalize the utterances around them, and Rankine translates this theory into personal experiences by showing the effects of structural racism on discourse. I argue that, like Bakhtin, Rankine highlights how the perception of race discourses by racialized people contributes to the formation …

Problem Behavior In Schools: The Impact, And A Guide For Intervention, Karlie Marie Schulte

Masters Projects

Problem behavior often disrupts the completion of scheduled activities throughout the school day. This project reviews research findings explaining the impact of problem behaviors on the individual exhibiting the behavior, the student’s peers, and how the teacher that supports the student is impacted. Background on problem behavior is provided through explaining the “functions” of behavior. Additionally, ways to lessen the impact of problem behaviors are discussed including instructional strategies, positive behavior supports (PBS), a positive teacher and student relationship, and educator mindset. The project serves as a guide for educators looking to improve practices in their classroom to decrease problem …

Transcription And 3d Chromatin Organization Interplay At Sub-Kilobase Scale, Hannah Harris

Theses & Dissertations

Nuclear compartments are prominent features of 3D chromatin organization, but sequencing depth limitations have impeded investigation at ultra fine-scale. CTCF loops are generally studied at a finer scale, but the impact of looping on proximal interactions remains enigmatic. Here, we critically examine nuclear compartments and CTCF loop-proximal interactions using a combination of in situ Hi-C at unparalleled depth, algorithm development, and biophysical modeling. Producing a large Hi-C map with 33 billion contacts in conjunction with an algorithm for performing principal component analysis on sparse, super massive matrices (POSSUMM), we resolve compartments to 500 bp. Our results demonstrate that essentially all …

Demystifying Post Production Career Potential Post Grad, Anjali Bose

Honors Thesis

This paper chronicles various interviews conducted with post production professionals across a variety of career paths, in tandem with practical post production experience at the SFTV, Senior Thesis level. Through these interviews and practices, a career in post production can be further analyzed and understood.

Dim111.2 Visual Analysis And Visual Response, Sae University College

Exemplars

Redacted example of a visual analysis and personal visual response, as in-class presentation slides.

Narrative Practice Research Network Special Issue Introduction: Qualitative Research Meets Narrative Therapy And Community Work: A Confluence Of Practice And Politics, David Denborough, Claire Nettle, Sally St. George, Dan Wulff

The Qualitative Report

This special issue, a collaboration between The Qualitative Report and the Narrative Practice Research Network, is a rich and diverse collection of papers linking Narrative Therapy/Community Work and qualitative research. In four sections, authors explore narrative practice research innovations, practitioners doing research and influencing practice via Research as Daily Practice, insider knowledge/insider research towards broader social movement politics, and research in service of broader change. The special issue organizers and contributors hope this collection leads to more conversation and collaboration.

Covid For One: Identifying Obstacles To Self-Management Of Covid-19 For Single Adults, Linda A. Treiber, Christie Emerson, Jenna Shackleford

Faculty Articles

Given the complexities of healthcare provision, it is imperative to understand how single adults experience their interactions with medical professionals and health care organizations, manage care and treatment, and navigate the barriers encountered. This study’s purpose is to understand physical and mental health experiences in consideration of social determinants of health, barriers, and coping strategies for single adults diagnosed with COVID-19. An interpretive phenomenology study design was used with 12 individuals who were single and living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews revealed important aspects of the COVID-19 illness experience. Interviews were transcribed for coding and thematic analysis. …

Inter-Country Child Adoptionand The World Wide Web, James A. Tyner, Erik V. Parker

The Geographical Bulletin

Communication technologies, and especially the advent of the World Wide Web, are changing the geographies of business activities. In this paper the usage of Web sites to facilitate intercountry child adoption are examined. Using a two-pronged strategy, the content of Web sites are qualitatively analyzed and, second, through a mail survey the impact of Internet technology on the conduct of business is examined. Findings suggest that exposure, competition, networking, and cost-considerations are dominant motives for agencies to go 'on-line.' Findings also suggest, however, that latent costs are associated with these factors and question whether increased exposure leads to increased demand. …

William Gibson, Neuromancer And The Making Of A Reluctant Cyberpunk, Billy J. Stratton

English and Literary Arts: Faculty Scholarship

While Neuromancer cemented Gibson’s place as a commanding presence in SF, he has consistently sought to position his work beyond the parameters of limiting genre categories.