Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Expression Of C-Myc And Birc5 In Trail And Pbox-15 Treated Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cells, Corinne Kai Leng Chew, Hannah O'Toole, Daniela M. Zisterer, Seema M. Nathwani, Jade K. Pollock

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Purpose Metastatic prostate cancer is associated with poor survival rate and limited treatment options. Overexpression of c-Myc and BIRC5 has been reported in prostate cancer cells which contribute to the development of the tumour environment. The specific tumour receptor mechanism of the death ligand TRAIL (tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand) has attracted remarkable therapeutic interest. However, many cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL monotherapy. A novel microtubule-targeting agent, PBOX-15 is known to exhibit anti-tumour activity in cancer cell lines including those with multi-drug resistance. Previous studies demonstrated that PBOX-15 is capable in sensitising cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated cell …

Association Between Body Mass Index, Abdominal Obesity And Menopause-Related Symptoms In Postmenopausal Women, Brianna A. Rice, Patricia Heavey

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Abstract: Existing research demonstrates a lack of data on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women, particularly in Ireland. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between BMI, general abdominal obesity and menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women. This should help bridge the data gap regarding postmenopausal women living in Ireland and their symptoms. Introduction: Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of a woman's menstrual cycle. This is caused by a reduction of the secretion of oestrogen and progesterone, leading to reduced ovarian function. These changes have been attributed …

Reframing The Management Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Investigating The Efficacy Of A Modified Low Fodmap Diet Approach On Symptom Response, Tara Howley, Lorraine Cooney, Suzanne L. Doyle

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Background/ Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction with a multi-faceted pathogenesis. A diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), known as a low FODMAP diet (LFD), is an effective management option for many, however, it is complex, costly, and restrictive. A milder, modified low FODMAP diet (MLFD) is one suggested alternative, however, data on this approach is lacking. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a MLFD versus a LFD on symptom improvement in IBS.

Subjects/ Methods: Routine clinical data collected on individuals with a Rome IV IBS diagnosis between August …

Total Organic Carbon Analysis Of Residual Contaminants In Bioreactor Equipment: A Cleaning Verification Study Using Surface Swabbing, Ciara E. Fitzpatrick, James J. Roche

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Contamination is a major issue in the biopharmaceutical industry. Bioreactors must be meticulously cleaned to remove residual impurities and avoid cross-contamination. Cleaning validation is necessary to ensure residual contaminants are reduced to the lowest acceptable limits. Bacterial cells represent the paramount challenge in manufacturing equipment cleaning because they are composed of insoluble organic contaminants. Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is a fast, highly sensitive, and inexpensive analytical technique commonly used to evaluate the approximate level of organic contamination.

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of cleaning procedures in the removal of contaminants from bioreactor equipment by measuring the …

The Impact Of Intentionality On Career Discernment: Who You Are And Who You Know Matters., Lakeisha Jackson, David Hyslop

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

Education and training can only account for so much of the longevity of someone’s career. Who you are and who you know matters in the development of self, mission and career pursuits. Establishing a personal identity can help you pursue the relationships that you wish to be defined by. The creation and maintenance of those authentic relationships and networks will impact your professional identity over time, as who you surround yourself with will be how you are perceived to others. This paper explores the aforementioned concepts by looking at the impact of intentionality of knowing one’s self, building meaningful relationships …

Burnout In Resident Assistants, Caroline Bubbers

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

Alexander Astin’s (1999) theory of student involvement states that student time and energy are finite resources. Student leaders go beyond involvement and dedicate their time and energy towards creating experiences and opportunities for other students (Astin, 1999). Boundaries become hard to manage when students live and work in the same environment, such as with Resident Assistant (RA) positions. This study examines at the experiences of Resident Assistants and their relationship with burnout while in the RA position at a medium sized, private, Jesuit University in the Pacific Northwest. Through individual participant interviews the findings include that RAs face a significant …

Magis Volume 10 Entire Volume, Editors Of Magis

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

No abstract provided.

Empathetic Moments: A Student Affairs Reflection, Emily B. Kolby

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

This reflection piece represents the culmination of my quarter-long exploration of the concept of empathy as it relates to my work within student affairs. Empathy is examined through the lens of my experiences as a college student and as an academic advisor at Bellevue College. The definition of empathy and its challenges and implications for use within academic advising are briefly discussed. This piece was adapted from a workshop that I presented at a department retreat in December 2014.

Graduation Rates Among Student-Athletes: Research To Practice, Alexa Forster

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

Student-athlete graduation rates and, in particular, graduation rates for African American male student-athletes are dismal compared to other student populations on college campuses. This text examines factors that have the potential to increase graduation rates among this population through a literature review. These factors include providing student-athletes a scholarship to the institution that they attend, as well as their engagement through career and other support services offered at colleges and universities. In addition, career development with student-athletes and peer mentorship are discussed as ways that a graduate student can intervene with student-athletes to improve the likelihood of obtaining an undergraduate …

Reevaluating The Role Of White Male Professionals In Higher Education: A Transformative Analysis Of Identity Development, Awareness, And Advocacy, Justin Zagorski

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

This article focuses on investigating the systematic privilege afforded to White male professionals in higher education by comparing a researcher’s personal experiences to the findings of a qualitative research study. This reflective piece enables the author to further investigate how White male privilege impacts his practice while linking his journey to the experiences of five White male student affairs administrators. This comparative analysis illustrates a need for White male professionals to transform and commit to a continual process of learning about racial and gender privilege in higher education.

Accessible Services For Underserved Populations, Kjirsten Eisentrout, Alexa Forster, Amy Bergstrom

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

Many student services on college and university campuses cater to the needs of full time, residential students who are 18 to 24 years old and White. These services often do not address the needs of students who do not fit those demographics. This paper investigates what good practices institutions are using to better support traditionally underserved and underrepresented students. These practices include co-location, online services, and targeted programs. By implementing these practices, students are able to feel more integrated into the college environment, which research shows can help support persistence and retention.

The Impact Of Advancement In Higher Education, Thaddeus J. Teo

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

American higher education funding is not just an issue hotly debated by policy makers on Capitol Hill; it is an issue that affects students and their families, and one that student affairs professionals should have on their radars as it continues to make national headlines. From my experience, the impact of a robust institutional advancement program can be often overlooked or misunderstood by educators, including some who work in student affairs. This paper was written with the goal of providing an introductory awareness of the current economic situation as well as a brief understanding of the impact that an effective …

Magis Volume 9 Entire Volume, Editors Of Magis

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

No abstract provided.

Interview: Daniel Schiff And Yu Lu, Nikhil S. Sadavarte

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Dr. Daniel Schiff is an assistant professor of technology policy in Purdue University’s Department of Political Science and the co-director of the Governance and Responsible AI Lab (GRAIL). Undergraduate student researcher Yu Lu, an undergraduate research affiliate with GRAIL, is interviewed along with Schiff.

Utilizing Wheat Bran–Derived Phenolics To Optimize The Human Gut Microbiome, Youssef Errihani

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Emotions And Limited Working Memory On Gambling, Haley Crouch

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Baroque Era In Germany— Music And Architecture, Roxanne Schwab

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Customers’ Experiences Of Racial Discrimination At Southern Waffle Houses, Mia M. Rodriguez

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Lol Or Mdr: The Importance Of Slang When Teaching A Second Language, Emma Niecikowski

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Finding Racial Identity: Analyzing Eddy L. Harris’S Journeys Through Africa And The Southern United States, Veronica G. Johnson

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

American Public Opinion And Media Representations Of The Crimean War (1853–1856), Anurag Shah

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

During the Crimean War (1853–1856), France and Britain sided with the Ottoman Empire to curb Russian expansion. Though an ocean away, the American public was not only aware of this conflict but often held strong opinions on the war and its participants. American media representations of the Crimean War are indicative of this, and a systematic examination reveals some significant trends in reporting, aligning closely to and providing nuance for larger trends in American history.

The most significant trend in newspaper reporting of the Crimean War was a North-South geographical divide. Northern states supported Britain and France throughout the conflict, …

Security At Too High An Environmental Cost?: The European Union's Energy Independence Strategy And Its Environmental Implications For Air Quality In Poland And Hungary, Stephanie P. Peterson

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union worked to secure liquified natural gas (LNG) deals with third countries to abolish its dependence on Russian gas. In this article, I sought to determine the environmental implications of the European Union’s new LNG deals on the air quality in Hungary and Poland, two former communist states. Despite LNG being a cleaner fossil fuel, I hypothesized that it posed a threat to Hungary’s and Poland’s air quality as both countries endured rapid industrialization under Soviet control that forwent environmental protections. To prove this, I used qualitative data from before the …

Coded Bias In Applicant Tracking Systems, Prithvi Dhanabal, Emily Hao

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

This Tech Justice Lab project explored potential hiring discrimination against transgender and gender-nonconforming job applicants in the hiring process by evaluating the impact of including pronouns in résumés submitted to an applicant tracking system (ATS) platform. The research team began by collecting background information regarding existing discrimination against transgender job applicants and how ATS platforms can reflect and magnify existing biases in the hiring process. A “sock puppet” audit was then conducted by submitting fake user résumés to test the platform’s response. The chosen platform was Jobscan, an applicant-facing software claiming the ability to simulate a résumé review by major …

Embodied Cognition And Teaching Stem: Tenets To Explain And Enhance A Middle School Science Project, Jonathan E. Roberts, Joshua L. Williams, Robert A. Hodgdon, Caroline Payne, Gabriela Ruiz Emmanuelli

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

STEM pedagogy is a popular area for research and discussion. The empirical literature on this topic supports a variety of approaches (e.g., inquiry-based) to help instructors spark student interest create an effective learning environment, and foster long-term retention and transfer of information related to STEM topics. One potential approach is to use tenets of embodied cognition, in which behavior and cognition emerge out of real-time sensorimotor behavior of the individual situated within a particular context, to implement strategies to enhance STEM pedagogy. We applied the six lessons of embodied cognition to understand the beneficial aspects of a middle-school project on …

Toward A Renewal Of Critical Practice: Reflections On The Occupy Movement And Filipino Self Determination, Jeffrey Arellano Cabusao

Kritika Kultura

This essay examines the significance of the developing Occupy movement within the United States, which emerged from a year of global protests (2011). It suggests that one way to broaden its vision of solidarity is to renew our critical practice (“conscientization and action” – borrowing from Brazilian educator Paulo Freire). A renewal of critical practice within the context of this essay involves examining the following more closely: 1) the dynamics of race and class in the United States and abroad, 2) the site of the academy (the politics of knowledge production), and 3.) the significance of our submerged histories of …

“Give The People What They Want”: Bodies On Display In Marlene Van Niekerk’S Triomf, Lara Buxbaum

Kritika Kultura

Marlene van Niekerk’s Triomf has attained both literary acclaim and notoriety since it was first published in Afrikaans in 1994 (English translation 1999). This darkly comic novel is set at the dawn of the democratic election and as such, the fictional context mirrors the historical moment in which it was published. The novel relates the misadventures of the incestuous and indigent Afrikaans family, the Benades, whose grotesque bodies are described in minute detail. The paper examines the reason for this visceral corporeality in the context of Louise Bethlehem’s classification of the post-apartheid literary canon as one “in which the abject …

The Long And Short Of It: Reflection On “Form” In Recent South African Fiction, Chris Thurman

Kritika Kultura

This paper takes as its starting point not those aspects of “form” associated with “formalist” criticism—structure, prose style, figurative language, or other aesthetic elements—but rather the more mundane consideration of length and the related matter of genre. This is a deliberately literal (rather than literary) interpretation of “form”: what does a book look and feel like when held in the reader’s hand? What reader expectations are aroused? From the answers to these questions can be discerned certain trends in recent (post-apartheid/transitional) fiction—or, more specifically, in writing and publishing practices. In 2004, Michael Chapman identified the short story as the literary …

Dark Humor: Satire, The Baroque, And The Carnivalesque In Patricia Schonstein’S Banquet At Brabazan And Ingrid Winterbach’S The Elusive Moth, Heather Acott

Kritika Kultura

Both Patricia Schonstein’s Banquet at Brabazan and Ingrid Winterbach’s The Elusive Moth contain an element of baroque fantasy, and in Schonstein’s case the makings of a contemporary satire. They also exhibit the tension between the comic and the tragic, the city and the platteland, between flights of imagination and the magnetic pull of a dark social realism that both underpins and, in Schonstein’s case, sometimes undermines the work. This paper investigates the use of humor in writing against the grain of apartheid, and how successful these writers are at integrating history in a dynamic fiction. Published respectively in 1991 (Winterbach) …

Living In Disgrace Without Term, Peter Horn

Kritika Kultura

This paper provides a reading of J.M. Coetzee’s novel Disgrace. Professor David Lurie, formerly professor of modern languages, then of communication, has seduced one of his students in the Romantics class, and was dismissed by the university after a disciplinary hearing where he refuses to defend himself against the charges. He pleads guilty, denying the right of the university to judge the morality of his conduct. Later he states: “I became a servant of Eros” and “I am not prepared to be reformed. I want to go on being myself.” When asked by his daughter to make his case, Lurie …

Fandoms, Postfandoms In The Convergence Of Digital Media: A Case Study Of Youth Cultures From Two Afro-Boricua Musical Genres, Mariely Rivera-Hernández Rivera-Hernández

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

The purpose of this work is to analyze the relation between media convergence and a series of habitual activities of youth groups belonging to fandoms. We have established two pedagogical objectives: on the one hand, to analyze the link between media convergence and the participatory culture of fandoms and postfandoms and, on the other, to learn about the cultural consumption of youth cultures in social media and digital platforms. The activity generated in digital communities by several sectors related to the Afro-Boricua musical genres of bomba and plena have led us to the work of cultural ambassadors who circulate and …