Digital Commons Network^™

Approaching A U.S. Regulatory Framework For Sporeless Seaweed Biotechnology, Gabriela Martinez, Terra Bowling, Catherine M. Janasie, Charlie Doering-Powell, Amalia Aruda Almada

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Seaweed farming is the fastest-growing aquaculture sector in the United States. The development of sterile, selectively bred (sporeless) seaweed aims to support the economic viability of future large offshore seaweed operations and minimize the environmental risks of these operations to wild seaweed beds. Farmers have implemented analogous breeding techniques to control and enhance most terrestrial crops and common aquaculture products (e.g., oysters and carp). This Article draws from existing federal and state aquaculture policies to explore four pillars critical to a future sporeless seaweed regulatory framework: ensuring maintained sterility, tracing the geographic origin of seed, securing offshore permits, and facilitating …

Non-Partner Sexual Violence Among International College Students In The United States, Kruti S. Chaliawala, Rebecca A. Vidourek, Keith A. King

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The prevalence of non-partner sexual violence among college students is a pressing concern that demands urgent attention. Although an integral part of the education system, international college students are often underrepresented in various studies. This calls attention to understanding the cultural nuances and multiple factors affecting this population. The current research delves into the experiences of sexual abuse among international students within the last 12 months, focusing specifically on incidents where sexual penetration or unwanted sexual touching occurred without consent. The study sheds light on the frequency and demographics associated with these distressing incidents using data from a large-scale survey …

Enzyme Encapsulation Within The Hk97 Virus-Like Particle: An Investigation Of Substrate Inhibition Kinetics Within A Confined And Crowded Environment, Joseph B. Lively

Chemistry Theses

Substrate inhibition is a paradoxical phenomenon observed in enzyme kinetics where increasing substrate concentrations lead to a marked decrease in the rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Affecting an estimated 20% of studied enzymes, substrate inhibition poses significant challenges to the understanding of their function in essential biological processes and to their exploitation in industrial and therapeutic contexts. Studies show substrate inhibition to be a real limitation in vitro and rational conclusions have been drawn to explain the relevance of substrate inhibition in the self-regulation of biological pathways. However, there is currently no consensus on what role substrate inhibition plays in vivo …

Morphology Of The Normative Human Cone Photoreceptor Mosaic And A Publicly Available Adaptive Optics Montage Repository, Robert F. Cooper, Snega Kalaparambath, Geoffrey K. Aguirre, Jessica I. W. Morgan

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy has enabled visualization of the in vivo human photoreceptor mosaic in health, disease and its treatment. Despite this, the clinical utility of the imaging technology has been limited by a lack of automated analysis techniques capable of accurately quantifying photoreceptor structure and a lack of an available normative image database. Here, we present a fully automated algorithm for estimating cone spacing and density over a complete adaptive optics montage along with a database of normative images and cone densities. We imaged the cone mosaics surrounding the fovea and along the horizontal and vertical meridians of fifty normal-sighted …

Sac Newsletter 2024, South Asia Center

Newsletters from the South Asia Center

No abstract provided.

Summer- And Fall-Planted Cover Crops Across Nebraska: Assessing Performance Using Aerial Imagery And Evaluating Short-Term Soil Impacts, Grace Emperatriz Pacheco Jiron

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cover crops are widely recognized for improving soil health and promoting sustainability in agricultural systems. Despite the increasing use of monitoring tools like aerial imagery, their application in evaluating summer-planted cover crops in the Great Plains remains limited, hindering effective management strategies. Fall-planted cover crops provide long-term environmental benefits, including enhanced soil quality and erosion control; however, understanding their short-term effects on soil properties is crucial for encouraging adoption. This study assessed summer- and fall-planted cover crops across Nebraska, integrating aerial imagery and soil health analyses.

Over two years, fifteen summer-planted monocultures and five mixtures were evaluated for establishment, biomass …

Tiktok The Tortfeasor: A Framework To Discuss Social-Platform Externalities And Arguments Favoring Ex Ante Mitigations, Karan Lala

University of Chicago Law Review

In recent years, social media platforms have grown increasingly complex in how they invite, intersect with, and influence third-party speech. This complexity lies in stark contrast to the simplicity of the statute that governs those very platforms: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Although Section 230 has cabined liability for platforms in the past, some have advocated for activist judges to deploy tools available to them to hold platforms accountable and mitigate harm to users as research documenting the negative impact of social products on user well-being has matured

This Comment reviews Section 230 jurisprudence to develop a novel …

Civil Litigation | Notes, Arthur S. Leonard

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Thinking Through How Race, Disability, And Gender Work Together, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Desiree Valentine

Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

A Call To Strengthen International Collaboration To Assess Climate Change Effects In Polar Regions, Clare B. Gaffey, Narissa Bax, Naomi Krauzig, Kévin Tougeron

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Climate change is exerting complex and transformative effects in the Arctic and Antarctic; regions that are essential to global climate, biodiversity, and sustainable futures. Given the polar regions’ roles in Earth’s system, a robust, coordinated, and innovative strategy to monitor and manage climate change effects is needed. Insufficient baseline data, inconsistent international collaboration, and short-term financing are obstacles to effectively monitor these changes. This hinders our understanding of biodiversity shifts, their implications for food security, and climate change mitigation. Confronting the impacts of climate change will require interdisciplinary collaboration and genuine participation of nations, including Indigenous communities. This sentiment includes …

Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, And Associated Traditional Knowledge, N.S. Gopalakrishnan, Srividhya Ragavan, Narendran Thiruthy

Faculty Scholarship

The recently concluded WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge mandates disclosure requirements in patent applications, thereby creating an obligation to attribute the use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. The WIPO member countries thus have an opportunity to modify their national patent laws, so that they can effectively control genetic resources and traditional knowledge. This article examines the choices that the biodiversity-rich countries have when designing their national legal systems to implement the treaty.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals Major Proteins And Pathways That Mediate The Effect Of 17-Β-Estradiol In Cell Division And Apoptosis In Breast Cancer Mcf7 Cells, Zhenqi Zhou, Brihget Sicairos, Jianhong Zhou, Yuchun Du

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite extensive research, the genes/proteins and pathways responsible for the physiological effects of estrogen remain elusive. In this study, we determined the effect of estrogen on global protein expression in breast cancer MCF7 cells using a proteomic method. The expression of 77 cytosolic, 74 nuclear, and 81 membrane/organelle proteins was significantly altered by 17-β-estradiol (E2). Protein enrichment analyses suggest that E2 may stimulate cell division primarily by promoting the G1 to S phase transition and advancing the G2/M checkpoint. The effect of E2 on cell survival was complex, as it could simultaneously enhance and inhibit apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis suggests that …

Rethinking The Pharmaceutical Knowledge- Economy: Patents, The Trips Agreement, And Skewed Utilitarianism In The Evolving Ideological Paradigms, Morris Odeh

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The TRIPS Agreement introduced a unique globalized pharmaceutical patent economy. This article examines the social costs of this patent regime in low-income countries and makes three contributions. Firstly, it highlights how, in the early development of the patent system, nations perceived patents as privileges and displayed considerable reluctance in protecting pharmaceutical products and processes. This allowed net importers of technologies to replicate foreign innovations without the constraints of IP rights, and in some cases, invalidate unnecessary patents. However, this took a different turn towards the tail end of the 20th century when the patent norms and rules were harmonized and …

Effective Practices For Dual-Identified English Learners In Special Education Using A Quantitative Secondary Data Analysis Of Access For Ells Testing Results And Qualitative Case Studies, Brett Frayseth

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

A student dual-identified to receive English learning and special education services is legally entitled to receive both services. Although there are recommendations for how to provide these services, there is little evidence of what has demonstrated success, despite there being schools which have been able to create such programs. This mixed methods research focused on identifying schools in Minnesota that successfully provided measurable growth in their dual-identified student population. Data were gathered from educators in those schools to understand how they found this success for their dual-identitfied students. This research began with a quantitative secondary data analysis of ACCESS for …

Vicarious Trauma Of Adult Tesol Educators: A Brief Investigation Of Screening Methods, Kenzie Howden

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the question: How do Adult Education and Literacy Program teachers in the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages context describe their experiences with teacher vicarious trauma, and does a commonly used screening tool show similar levels of teacher vicarious trauma?. Social science research has used the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL; Stamm, 2010), a quantitative screening tool to explain vicarious trauma and related measures, and these methods have been recently adopted in research in adult education settings (Hickey et al., 2020). This study used a mixed methods approach, with 10 Adult Education and Literacy Program teachers …

Reflections On Influential Stem Experiences For Childhood Science Identity Development From East And Southeast Asian(Americans), Ellie Hechter

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Asian(Americans) are considered overrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but disaggregating demographic data shows that Southeast Asian(Americans) are underrepresented, underrecognized, and actively marginalized in the STEM workforce and degrees. The falsely monolithic view of Asian(Americans) has resulted in Southeast Asian(Americans) being unaccounted for in equity and inclusion initiatives. To better understand how to support Southeast Asian(Americans) in STEM, this study focused on childhood science identity development. A weak science identity is a significant barrier that can affect a student’s engagement and persistence in STEM and can be affected by numerous psychological, institutional, social, and cultural experiences. This study …

Neurological Foundations And Technological Interventions For Dyslexia: Advancements And Challenges, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Dyslexia, a complex neurological condition affecting reading and language processing, is intricately tied to variations in brain structure and function. This article explores the neurological underpinnings of dyslexia, emphasizing phonological, visual, and attention-related impairments. Furthermore, the analysis highlights various types of dyslexia—phonological, surface, rapid automatized naming, and visual—while addressing their neurological correlations. It also investigates the relationship between dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions, such as autism and ADHD, focusing on the neurological overlap and differences. To mitigate the challenges associated with dyslexia, advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and eye-tracking are discussed for their diagnostic and intervention potential. These …

Understanding Bicuspid Aortic Valve: Global Prevalence, Genetic Factors, Long- Term Outcomes, Treatment Approaches And Knowledge Gaps, Grace Sligh

Honors Projects

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is the most common congenital heart condition in the world, with a prevalence of 0.5 to 2.0 %, with the highest predominance in Caucasian men. This disease causes two leaflets to form instead of the typical three leaflet and can lead to many complications. This paper explores the global prevalence of BAV, highlighting observed variations between ethnicities and geographical background. It also examines the genetic factors contributing to the condition, including known hereditary patterns and emerging genetic insights. This review also addresses risk factors associated with BAV, such as environmental and developmental influences, as well …

Morphology And Molecular Systematics Support A New Species Of Pseudogonatodes (Squamata: Gekkota: Sphaerodactylidae) From Venezuela With A Remarkable Telescoped Skull, Walter E. Schargel, Christian Hernández-Morales, Juan D. Daza, Micheal J. Jowers, Andres Camilo Montes-Correa, Mayke De Freitas, Kathryn A. Sullivan, Tony Gamble, Aaron M. Bauer, Gilson A. Rivas

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

We describe a new species of miniaturized gecko (genus Pseudogonatodes) from the Peninsula de Paria in northeastern Venezuela. Externally, the new species resembles Pseudogonatodes furvus and Pseudogonatodes manessi, from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia and the Central Coastal Range in Venezuela, respectively; however, it differs from these species in terms of molecular genetic data (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and c-mos), osteological characters, and scale counts. The new species is unique in skull osteology, and we adopt the term ‘telescoped’ from the literature to describe the overlap of bones in the snout, in particular the …

Investigating The Use Of Ai Tools In Education, Mercedes Byrd, James Martin Ii

Library Workshops

This workshop will introduce students, faculty, and staff to identify reputable AI resources of information (library site, libguides, databases), valid and relevant sources and efficiently appraise each.

Learning Objectives:

1. Begin to develop excellent evidence based practice by learning how to Identify reputable, valid, and relevant AI tools and academic resources (library site, libguides, databases) and sources (articles, websites, journals) of information and efficiently appraise each.

2. Discover AI tools and responsible uses of AI that can be utilized in your medical education.

Skill levels for attendees: Little to no experience

Software requirements: None

Aging Skeletal Muscle: Influence Of Obesity And Role Of The Exercise Responsive Nuclear Receptor Nor-1, Hector G. Paez

Alternative Theses and Dissertations (AETDs)

Skeletal muscle mass and function are critical components of overall health and quality of life. Advanced age is associated with skeletal muscle disease characterized by a loss of muscle mass, function, and quality. Indeed, low muscle mass and function is associated with poor disease outcomes and greater mortality, greater incidence of falls, and a high fiscal and societal cost. Aging contributes to a decline in skeletal muscle health through several intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms including impaired nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, physical inactivity, and proteostatic imbalance. Obesity, an increasingly prominent public health concern, is becoming more common in the elderly …

Festival Of Research Abstracts, Fall 2024, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Festival of Research

The collection of abstracts accepted for the Fall 2024 Festival of Research hosted by the Wright State University College of Science and Mathematics.

Methods Of Using Protein Palmitoylations Inhibitors, Robert Deschenes, Arunava Roy, Ahmed Ramadan, Subhra Mohapatra, Marcello Giulianotti

USF Patents

The present disclosure relates to methods of using palmitoylation inhibitors for reducing or treating enveloped virus infections.

The Effects Of Cannabinoids On Migration-Related Protein Expression In Ewing’S Sarcoma, Allison Lashall

Theses

Ewing’s sarcoma is an aggressive pediatric bone cancer that has low five-year survival rates, primarily due to metastatic disease and resistance of recurring tumors to traditional treatment options; therefore, novel treatment options are needed. The compound cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to reduce cell viability, migration, and invasion in several tumor types, though the cellular mechanism of action is not well understood. Our lab has demonstrated the ability of CBD to reduce viability, migration, and invasion of Ewing’s sarcoma cells in vitro and is investigating differential protein and cytokine expression of known mediators of migration, such as intercellular adhesion molecule …

Emeriti News Fall 2024, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

• Message from the Chair:
• Information about the Emeriti Council
• Wednesday II Events
• University News
• Faculty Senate Updates
• Student Scholarships
• In Memory

Modeling Threatened California Red Legged Frog (Rana Draytonii) Habitat With Maxent Using Environmental Dna Presence Via Quantitative Pcr, Charley Abernathy

AES Theses

As a sensitive and federally threatened species, the California Red Legged Frog (Rana draytonii) is known as a bioindicator because it most often occurs in complex healthy ecosystems capable of sustaining a diverse web of species. As humans affect natural habitats and climate change alters the environment, locating and monitoring sensitive species and their habitats is vital to supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health. Once ranging from Northern Mexico to the northern reaches of the California coast and Sierra Mountains, habitat of R. draytonii has been reduced to primarily the central coast of California. Environmental DNA ( eDNA) can be invaluable …

Examining The Effects Of Externally Mounted Biologgers On At-Sea Behavior And Reproductive Success In Adult Female Northern Elephant Seals, Mirounga Angustirostris, Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Kali N. Prescott

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Over the past five decades, biologgers have been used to study animal behavior, physiology, and ecology. Externally mounted biologgers may have unforeseen effects on behavior, habitat use, foraging success, and reproductive success. Although guidelines exist for the recommended mass of biologgers on terrestrial animals, these guidelines are inappropriate for marine animals, which are more affected by buoyancy and drag. However, drag is difficult to measure directly necessitating the use of proxies based on physical characteristics of biologgers like frontal area. Northern elephant seals are a model species for studying the impacts of biologgers due to an existing long-term dataset collected …

Long-Term Tracking Captures The Timing Of Ontogenetic Niche Shifts In Northeast Pacific White Sharks, Ryan K. Logan, James M. Anderson, Echelle S. Burns, Yamilla Samara Chacon, Ryan Freedman, Emiliano García-Rodríguez, Elizabeth Jahn, Kady Lyons, Emily N. Meese, Zachariah S. Merson, John O'Sullivan, Patrick T. Rex, Emily Spurgeon, Brian S. Stirling, Connor F. White, Chuck Winkler, Salvador Jorgensen, Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki, Christopher G. Lowe

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ontogenetic changes in area use, habitat use, and trophic interactions play an important role in the ecology, demography, and ultimately population dynamics of many species. Assumed to be driven by shifting life-history requirements, trophic niche shifts in white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are well documented, but the timing of the spatial niche shift that is hypothesized to occur with the trophic niche shift remains poorly understood. To document how fine-scale area use varies as sharks age and the timing of the ontogenetic spatial shift of this top predator, we tracked individual white sharks tagged as young-of-the-year or young juveniles …

Regulating Shipping Of Carbon Dioxide For Sequestration, Carolina Arlota, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

A number of facilities intended for permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide are being developed in the United States. Several will be located on or near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, making them easily accessible to ships. Meanwhile, in Europe there is substantial interest in capturing carbon dioxide from industrial operations, but currently inadequate sequestration facilities, and growing interest in shipping carbon dioxide for sequestration in the United States. This Article reviews the main U.S. federal laws applicable to transportation and geologic storage of carbon dioxide, including laws enacted to implement relevant international treaties. The Article also contextualizes its …

The International Legal Framework Of Oceanic Shipping Of Carbon Dioxide For Permanent Storage, Carolina Arlota, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change defines carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) as “a process in which a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial and energy-related sources is separated (captured), conditioned, compressed, and transported to a storage location for long-term isolation from the atmosphere.” Therefore, CCS encompasses a series of steps, at minimum: capturing carbon dioxide, its transportation to a storage site, and its injection into the subsurface for permanent storage. As such, CCS does not refer to any single activity or technology. This Article focuses on the transportation aspect of CCS and, more precisely, …