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Protocol For Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Fractionation Of Mammalian Cells To Study Protein Translocation Via Immunoblotting, Adhikarimayum Lakhikumar Sharma, Eddy Zhu, Rithika Padyala, Kavya Parikh, Mudit Tyagi

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

Studying protein translocation is essential for understanding protein function and regulatory mechanisms, including the activity of transcription factors. Here, we present a protocol for isolating high-quality cytoplasmic and nuclear protein fractions from mammalian cells. We describe steps for separating cytoplasmic proteins, washing nuclei, and extracting nuclear proteins. We then detail procedures for quantifying proteins and analyzing their distribution by immunoblotting within a single immunoblot. This protocol is applicable to both suspension and adherent cell types. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sharma et al.

Posterior Anatomic Limit For Mandibular Molar Distalization In Subjects With Different Growth Patterns, Genders, And Growth Status, Rehana Bashir

Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study is to identify the anatomical limits for mandibular molar distalization, a technique frequently employed in orthodontics to address various malocclusions. Mandibular molar distalization plays a critical role in the management of crowding, and correction of the molar relationship.

It is imperative to assess the posterior anatomical space (PAS) in the mandibular retromolar area prior to distalization or uprighting the mandibular molars to avoid periodontal issues (dehiscence, orthodontically induced root resorption, and tooth mobility) and achieve successful treatment outcomes.

A clinical question that, however, isn't well understood is whether the amount of mandibular molar distalization is …

Development And Characterization Of Non-Viral Delivery Systems For Pulmonary Delivery Of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Kasturi Siddhanta

Theses & Dissertations

The development of non-viral delivery systems for pulmonary delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics is driven by the need for safer and more accessible approaches to treat lung diseases, while avoiding the systemic side effects and immune responses associated with viral vectors. Such systems encompass both non-invasive inhalation-based platforms, and systemically administered platforms designed to achieve localized lung delivery. These strategies aim to enable high drug concentrations at the site of action, rapid onset of therapeutic effect, and greater therapeutic efficacy than existing treatments. Designing effective pulmonary delivery systems requires precise optimization of particle properties—including size, morphology, surface characteristics, cell-specific targeting, …

Not Always Welcomed, Lavaughn Wesley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation explores the systemic barriers faced by adjudicated and long-term suspended youth during their reentry into the public school system, focusing on a local urban community in Pennsylvania. Through the lens of Institutional Complexity Theory, this study examines how interagency disconnection, implicit bias, inequitable disciplinary practices, and inadequate support structures contribute to the marginalization of historically underserved students, particularly Black youth, students with disabilities, and those from low-income households.

The research is driven by two central questions:

(1) What are the barriers for adjudicated youth during the reentry process?

(2) How can the home school reentry process …

‘If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It:’ Bridging Creative Ideas & Beliefs In A Neurodiverse Workforce Through Autonomy & Social Support, Mesaley A. Alemseged

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Reports from the business world highlight the competitive advantage that neurodiversity can provide for workplace creativity and innovation through the inclusion of workers who represent a broad range of perspectives and abilities. However, while neurodivergent individuals have naturally divergent ways of thinking, producing creative works might not come as easily in workplaces designed for neurotypical forms of thinking and working. Drawing from the componential theory of creativity, this study sought to explore how neurodivergence, as it relates to creativity-relevant processes, and work characteristics related to the social environment can influence creativity across the various stages of the creative process. While …

Gis Librarians' Involvement In Critical Information Literacy Instruction, Melissa Chomintra, Pete E. Pascuzzi

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Critical information literacy (CIL) is a theory and practice that considers the sociopolitical dimensions of information and knowledge production. As the field of geospatial information evolves, equipping librarians with the skills to critically engage with geospatial information becomes integral to facilitating informed research, promoting spatial literacy, and strengthening the accessibility of geospatial data for their user communities. To understand geospatial data librarians’ current involvement in CIL, librarians were surveyed to examine if they incorporate CIL into their instruction, how they incorporate CIL into their instruction, and what are the benefits and challenges of doing so. The survey gathered both quantitative …

Macroinvertebrate Community Dynamics In A Recovering, Hypersaline Estuary, Catherine M. Eckert, Claudia A. Tamez, Erin E. Easton, David Hicks

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Bahia Grande is a 6,500—acre tidal basin located at the southernmost tip of Texas. Tidal flow into this coastal estuary was cut off in the 1930s, causing the basin to dry up for ~70 y. A pilot channel connecting the Bahia Grande to tidal waters was constructed in 2005, allowing flooding of the basin to occur. Throughout the period reported herein (2005–2019), the system remained characterized by persistent spatial and temporal episodes of extreme hypersalinity (>70)—a critical factor influencing estuarine community composition and driving key ecological processes. With additional rehabilitation actions forthcoming, characterization of the estuary is essential …

Ai And Naval Operations, Wolff Heintschel Von Heinegg

International Law Studies

Artificial intelligence systems in naval operations are reality. They enhance naval capabilities in various respects. Autonomous surface and underwater vehicles depend on such systems. Moreover, these systems contribute to threat detection and identification, to real-time strategy optimization, and to intelligence analysis. The present article provides a brief analysis of the legality of AI systems used by naval forces under the law of naval warfare, which, in many respects, differs considerably from the law of land warfare. Accordingly, it is necessary to distinguish between attacks from the sea against targets on land and attacks against targets at sea and in the …

Stem And Pdf Simulation Of Crystalline And Amorphous Materials, Yang Yang, Francisco Lagunas Vargas

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

The aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is a powerful tool for nanoscale characterization, as it is capable of imaging structures with sub-angstrom resolution. An optical microscope uses visible light to magnify objects, which is limited to ~1000X due to the limited resolving power of light. Here, we applied STEM simulations via PRISMATIC and PY4DSTEM, in order to compute images of crystals, 2D materials, and metallic glasses. Practically, computational simulations are important due to the operating cost of STEM and time required to be trained on the equipment. More importantly, simulations provide a direct comparison between theory and experimental …

Quasiparticle Weight And Effective Mass Of The Landau Liquid From The Complex-Frequency Formalism, Aydin Cem Keser, Oleg P. Sushkov

Turkish Journal of Physics

We present a method for calculating the effective mass and quasiparticle weight of a Landau Fermi liquid using time-ordered Green’s functions and a Wick rotation to the imaginary frequency axis. This technique simplifies the evaluation of self-energy derivatives by ensuring analytic properties compatible with contour deformations. We apply the method to the electron gas in both two and three spatial dimensions within the random phase approximation (RPA), and derive explicit expressions for the static and dynamic contributions to the self-energy. Our results confirm known limits at weak coupling and offer an accurate and transparent route to evaluate effective mass and …

First-Principles And Deep Learning Frameworks To Predict The Electronic, Magnetic And Electrical Properties Of V-Doped Sic Nanotube, Debarati Dey Roy, Sevda Rzayeva, Sevinj Guluzade, Vusala Nabi Jafarova

Turkish Journal of Physics

Nowadays, with the miniaturization of nanoindustry, we are increasingly interested in doping effects for nanotube systems. In this study, based on density functional theory (DFT) and local spin density approximation (LDA) methods within Hubbard U corrections, the electronic, magnetic and electrical properties of single-wall silicon carbide nanotubes doped with vanadium were theoretically studied. Although the undoped SiC system is nonmagnetic, the V-doped SiC nanotube induces magnetism and the total magnetic moment of this magnetic material is equal to ~1 µB. Density of states calculations indicated that the magnetization of SiC:V single-wall nanotubes mainly comes from the 2p orbitals of carbon …

Corrigendum To “Circular Motion And Thermodynamic Characteristics Of Particles Around A Quintessential Nonrotating Black Hole” [Turkish Journal Of Physcis 49 (3) 2025 72-91], Indrajit Halder, Kamal Lochan Mahanta, Rakesh Ranjan Sahoo

Turkish Journal of Physics

This corrigendum addresses an error in equation (35) in the original published version of this article. This error led to minor inaccuracies in subsequent equations.To correct this oversight and ensure the accuracy of the scholarly record, the corrected equations are provided below for reference. The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused and state that the scientific conclusions are unaffected. Corrected equations ofsection 3.3. [2,3]:

The original article can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0101.2777

Exposures, Protections, And Barriers: Advancing Understanding Of Agricultural Worker Health, Alexandra A. Farfalla

Theses & Dissertations

Farming is a hazardous occupation. Exposures are multifactorial, variable, and shaped by overlapping tasks, environments, and social contexts. This dissertation aimed to illustrate the complexity of agricultural exposures and the barriers to protective practices through three complementary studies.

The first study examined co-exposures to solvents and noise as risk factors for hearing loss (HL) among 7,495 farmers and ranchers in a 7-state region. Results indicated nearly 60% of co-exposed participants reported hearing loss, with an adjusted odds ratio nearly six-fold (OR=6.03, [4.67-7.78]) for moderate/severe HL. This work highlights the importance of recognizing chemical exposures as a modality in HL in …

Feasibility And Function Of A Tilt-In-Space Wheelchair Insert For Low Resource Settings (Development Of The Open Tilt Base), Luke Mcauley, Karen Menard

Student Capstone Papers

The ability to move and be mobile is a basic part of human function. For those without the muscle control and/or strength to attain and maintain the posture necessary for basic movement and mobility a device is necessary to support them and provide them with the highest level of independence possible. This type of device comes at a significant cost and need for highly customizable products which are difficult to obtain in most situations, but especially in Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). The product discussed in this paper is designed to provide a cost effective solution for those in need of a …

Public Perception About Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In South Central Nebraska, Rita Nnenne Oparaocha

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in the trajectory of vaccination hesitancy, altering risk perceptions and vaccination attitudes among individuals in rural communities. The 5C framework highlights confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility as influencing factors of vaccine hesitancy. This study assessed the proportion of adults who refused COVID-19 vaccination and identified the individual reasons for hesitancy among those who refused the COVID -19 vaccines in South Central Nebraska. Data was analyzed from a local cross-sectional public health survey administered to 2,034 adult participants over a six-month period (March-August 2024), including 91 respondents who were from outside the seven-county …

Self-Assembling Rna Nanostructures Are Highly Sensitive To Environmental Conditions, Jordan Aposhian, Surya Pratap S. Deopa, Scott Horowitz, Joseph D. Yesselman

Chemistry and Biochemistry: Faculty Scholarship

Recent developments in RNA nanotechnology have led to an increase in the design of specific, higher-order RNA structures, which will ultimately be used in drug delivery and immunomodulation applications. As researchers create RNA nanostructures with the intention of making them a standard tool in molecular biologists' toolkits, further investigation is required into the robustness of RNA designs. Primarily, in what different molecular contexts are the designed and intended nanostructures stable? In this work, we show that RNA nanostructure self-assembly is highly sensitive to environmental conditions by using second-order right-angle light scattering. While a test RNA hexagonal grid nanostructure forms correctly …

Investigate The Role Of Tgfβ3 In Regulating Irf6 And Δnp63 In Periderm Desquamation, Nam Ha

Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Failure in palatal fusion during palate development results in cleft palate, one of the most common birth defects in the US. During the final phases of palatogenesis, the palatal periderm (a protective cell layer that prevents premature fusion and adhesion with oral epithelium) must be removed, also known as desquamation. This process is a prerequisite for establishing the midline seam in the fused palate. Previous studies have shown that transforming growth factor-β3 (TGFβ3) plays an irreplaceable role in palate development in mice. Our previously published mechanistic models outline the role of TGFβ3 and its downstream signaling cascade involving proteins …

Long Covid Incidence Across Sars-Cov-2 Lineages And Identification Of Conserved Spike Targets For Multivalent Vaccines, Grace J. Kim, Md Ashad Alam, Judy S. Crabtree, Rebecca Rose, Susanna L. Lamers, San Chu, Ronald Horswell, Daniel Fort, Lucio Miele

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Long COVID remains poorly characterized at the genomic level. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between viral sequences and the incidence of Long COVID at a tertiary care center in Louisiana between April 2020 and December 2022. A secondary aim was analysis of the Spike protein to identify conserved regions for multivalent vaccine targets. Method: To estimate Long COVID incidence across variants, we linked 4,789 SARS-CoV-2 sequences to 3,090 de-identified patient electronic health record information. The base population was defined as any patient with an International Classification of Diseases-10-Clinical Modification COVID-19 diagnosis code (U07.1) …

A Genetic Interaction Between Ded1 And Hat1 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Reveals A Role For Hat1p In Cytoplasmic Rna Granule Accumulation, Audrey J. Panko, Aidan Winters, Nicholas R. Rothbard, Angela K. Hilliker

Biology Faculty Publications

Ded1p is an essential translation initiation factor that interacts with and is modulated by eIF4F. Ded1p also promotes the assembly and disassembly of stress granules, which contain nontranslating mRNAs and translation initiation factors. As Ded1p affects both mRNA storage and translation initiation, regulation of Ded1p's function may affect whether mRNAs are translated or localized to cytoplasmic RNA granules. To identify regulators of Ded1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we screened for overexpression suppressors of the severe growth defect conferred by high levels of Ded1p. We found that overexpression of HAT1, a lysine acetyltransferase, can suppress the growth defect conferred by …

Inside The Gen Z Vote Across Gender And Race, Juliet La Sala

Capstones

This capstone examines how two people from two different Gen Z groups are navigating the 2024 U.S. election. One story revolves around a young woman adopting a U.S. version of South Korea’s 4B Movement and another reflects on a Gen Z Arab American responding to the Israel–Hamas war. Through reported stories and interviews, it explores how personal experience, gender and ethnic violence, and political disillusionment shaped these young voters’ choices and activism. Sierra Bee's story is in light of Trump's election and Liam's is right before the 2024 election took place. Together, the pieces highlight how global events and identity-based …

Two Major Ontario Hospital Labs Bought Research Dogs From U.S. Breeder With Troubled Pastdogs Bred For Scientific And Medical Testing Suffer Abuse As The Scientific Industry Increasingly Turns To Alternatives For Research., Allison Hunter, Mary Beech, Sami Marshak, Kate Morano

Capstones

The purpose-bred dog breeding industry for research is little known. Each year, thousands of dogs are bred for scientific and medical testing, supplied to research facilities by a handful of major commercial breeders. But gaps in enforcement and regulation have allowed abuses to persist, even as the industry increasingly turns to alternatives to animal testing. Animal rights advocates have been decrying the treatment of these dogs. A federal Inspector General report found lax oversight of the industry, raising further concerns about how dogs are treated. This story was reported in collaboration with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, based in Toronto, and …

The Effect Of Wearable Resistance Microloading On Sprint Biomechanics, Curtis King

Doctorate in Kinesiology

Wearable resistance refers to the practice of attaching weight to specific body segments during sport-specific movements. This study investigates the impact of progressive microloading training, which involves wearing wearable resistance on the torso (3%, 5%, 10%), on sprint mechanics and performance among competitive athletes. A total of twenty-two participants engaged in a nine-week study that included both progressed and non-progressed group protocols. Sprint times, hip angles, and perceived fatigue were monitored at pre, mid, and post-intervention. A manual biomechanical analysis combined with SPSS-based repeated measures ANOVA indicated no statistically significant changes in hip angle or sprint times between the groups. …

Evaluating The Effects Of Visualization On Vertical Jump Performance In Varsity High School Athletes, David Linton

Doctorate in Kinesiology

This study examined the effects of guided visualization on vertical jump performance in high school varsity athletes. Twenty varsity athletes (ages 13–18) were randomly assigned to either a control group or a visualization group. Following baseline testing, participants completed seven sessions across three weeks. All sessions included a standardized dynamic warm-up. The control group engaged in passive rest prior to testing, while the experimental group completed a five-minute guided visualization exercise. Vertical jump height was measured using a Vertex Vertical Jump Trainer. A randomized controlled pretest–posttest design was employed. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and two-way mixed factorial …

(Un)Intended Consequences Of Race In Medicine: The Ethics Of Race-Based Medical Practice And The Perpetuation Of Structural Racism, Allegra Merriweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that race-based medicine acts as a form of structural racism that is ethically indefensible. While it may be claimed to be a neutral diagnostic tool, the medical use of race as a biological proxy only further enforces the very hierarchies it purports to remediate, reinscribing inequity from conception to death. Building off Jacques Ellul’s work on Technique, we interpret race-based medicine as a self-perpetuating system that values procedural expediency over moral accountability. In nine chapters, the analysis follows the ways this technique is manifested in genetics and assisted reproduction, where commodified racial selection preserves social hierarchies; in …

Playing By Feel: Gender, Emotion, And Social Norms In Overwatch Role Choice, Cristo Leon, Angela Arroyo, James Lipuma

STEM for Success Resources

This paper explores how emotion, gameplay context, and social norms shape role choice in both digital and institutional systems. Using Overwatch as a case study, it examines gendered experiences of physiological excitement and decision-making during play. Women often describe heightened emotional engagement where victory represents both personal achievement and resistance to cultural expectations. Such emotions influence situational choices, including whether to play as a Tank, DPS, or Support, and which hero to select based on perceived risk or visibility. Drawing on feminist game studies and transdisciplinary communication, the authors argue that role preference is determined not only by game mechanics …

Evaluating Joint Control Teaching Procedures For Teaching Yes-No Responding With Tact And Intraverbal Questions For Children With Autism, Desiree J. Dawson

Theses & Dissertations

Responding to yes and no questions is a general language skill that allows individuals to efficiently interact with their verbal community. Few behavior analytic studies have sought teaching this skill in general, with even fewer studies seeking to teach this skill when it pertains to a tact or intraverbal context. All behavior analytic studies to date seeking to teach this skill have used direct prompting and reinforcement of the yes and no responses, but there is little guidance for what can be done if this teaching strategy is not producing desired acquisition. The current experiments examined a teaching procedure informed …

Probing The Mechanisms Of Reinforcement Learning: Reinforcement Learning, Ventral Striatal Astrocytes, And The Dynamic Coordination Of Information Seeking With Learning, Fatih Sogukpinar

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

While reinforcement learning has been a vital component in artificial intelligence and machine learning, there exist many open questions about its implementations and how to improve them, in both minds and machines. Among these are i) the contribution of non-neuronal cell types to reinforcement learning, and ii) information-seeking behavior during reinforcement learning. In this thesis, we studied these main topics pertaining to reinforcement learning. In the first chapter, we examined the role of astrocytes in reinforcement learning, and in the second, we investigated human information seeking during reinforcement learning. Neurons in the human and animal brain have been known to …

Living Experiences Of Indigenous Health Practice: Belizean Maya Communities And Belize Migrants, Kristina Baines

Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis

Belize Maya communities, like many indigenous communities around the world, have long experienced challenges to maintaining health as they interface with an ever-expanding globalized model of development. This essay explores the relationship between traditional ecological practices and health in the context of a holistic understanding of what makes healthy bodies, healthy communities and healthy lives. Using the author’s Embodied Ecological Heritage (EEH) framework and a phenomenological lens, the essay shares how sensory experiences become embodied through everyday practice, promoting health and general wellbeing. This grounded theory, developed in and with Maya communities, helps us understand ways to consider and support …

Abnormalities In Sensorimotor Brain Function Are Related To Chronicity Of Low Back Pain, Jo Armour Smith, Rongwen Tain, Kelli G. Sharp, Laura M. Glynn, Linda R. Van Dillen, Jesse V. Jacobs, Steven C. Cramer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Maladaptive plasticity in the brain may contribute to chronic low back pain (LBP) and underlie the altered postural control of the lumbopelvic musculature that is evident in some individuals with LBP. We recently described an MRI-compatible leg-raise paradigm to measure brain activity associated with lumbopelvic postural control. The objective of this study was to compare brain function in young adults with and without a history of LBP and to determine relationships between brain function, pain, and postural control characteristics. We recruited 55 participants with a history of LBP, who were asymptomatic when studied, and 30 healthy controls. Postural control during …

Evaluation And Calibration Of Coupled Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors, Tyler Cargill

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Low-cost sensors (LCS), if used appropriately, are useful instruments to elucidate human exposure to particles suspended in the air (i.e. particulate matter, PM). Characterizing this exposure is crucial, as exposure to PM2.5 (i.e. particles with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) negatively affects the respiratory, cardiovascular, and other organ systems and is the leading environmental burden for global mortality. Similarly, exposure to particles with aerodynamic diameters greater than 2.5 μm and less than or equal to 10 μm, here forth termed as PMCoarse, is known to cause health ailments for the upper respiratory system. This dissertation focuses on the MODULAIRTM-PM (MOD-PM), …