Digital Commons Network^™

Wdfy4-Dependent Cross-Presentation Proceeds Via A Vacuolar Antigen-Processing Route, J Luke Postoak, Alyssa Koch, Sicong Shan, Ray A Ohara, Suin Jo, Jing Chen, Pritesh Desai, Feiya Ou, Magdalena Kraft, Michael S Diamond, Sunkyung Kim, Theresa L Murphy, Kenneth M Murphy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The intracellular processing route used by type I conventional dendritic cells (cDC1) for cross-presentation of viral- or tumor-associated antigens remains controversial. One model proposes that captured antigens exit from damaged phagolysosomes and enter the cytosol, where they are processed for presentation by MHC class I molecules (MHC-I). This model relies on proteasomal degradation and TAP-dependent peptide transport into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for loading by the peptide loading complex (PLC). An alternative model proposes a vesicular route in which captured antigens are retained and processed within an endocytic compartment. A compelling argument favoring the cytosolic model is the dramatic loss …

Intracellular Acinetobacter Baumannii Acts As A Transient Reservoir In Lung Infection Via A "Persist And Resist" Strategy, Manon Janet-Maitre, Gisela Di Venanzio, Clay D Jackson-Litteken, Nichollas E Scott, Mario F Feldman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although considered primarily extracellular,

Limbic System And Bipolar Disorder, A Narrative Review, Gauri Bharadwaj, Sanskriti Kondilya, Ankita Gupta, Lakshmisha Rao, Syeda Fatima Zehra

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Bipolar disorder refers to a chronic mood disorder in which an individual experiences extreme changes in mood and emotions. The impact that the limbic system exerts on the genesis and regulation of bipolar disorder has been a subject of study, and various techniques have been employed to study this relationship. This article aims to extrapolate data to present a summary of the structural and functional variations in the limbic system and their influence on a specific mental health condition, bipolar disorder. Understanding the convergence of structural, functional and molecular aberrations as well as genetic susceptibility within the limbic system will …

Utah Lake From Space: Analysis Of Sentinel 2 And Modis Data Shows Spatiotemporal Trends And Patterns In Chlorophyll-A, Turbidity, And Temperature, Kaylee Brook Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a serious and growing risk to waterbodies around the world. Excessive algal growth, especially when it involves cyanobacteria, impairs the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and threatens the health of humans and animals using the water. There is currently great interest in developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies for these blooms, particularly in ecologically and economically vital freshwater lakes. Such development, however, requires detailed understanding of HAB drivers and dynamics, which can be highly complex and difficult to characterize. High-frequency, high-resolution imagery from earth observation satellites provides spatially and temporally comprehensive data on global lakes--data which …

Home, Shania Rachel Mathews

Theses

Home is a film where I wanted to explore the idea of the phrase so where s home? being a confusing & spiraling phrase. This is something that hits really close to me. It is a phrase that always seems to catch me off guard. As an international student, I have been around a couple of states for studies. I have made homes in all these places. I have had core memories there that link me to those locations. However, the feeling of not truly belonging would always linger. I really wanted to create a film that captures the main …

Disposal, Yihan Su

Theses

Disposal is a mixed-media animated short film created as a graduate thesis project. The story explores the protagonist’s search for meaning in life and his defiance of a predetermined fate. At the beginning, he is an ordinary, guileless figure without remarkable qualities. In his world, life revolves around constant competition, and one’s worth is measured by their position on a ranking board. Only the top three may pass through the golden gate, a symbol of transcendence. Others must continue the endless cycle of contests, while the lowest seven face incineration in the Disposal. Despite his efforts, the protagonist falls into …

Snow Surfacing Optimized For An Animated Short Film Pipeline, Kristen Whitehouse

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Love and Gold is the BYU Center for Animation’s 2025 senior capstone short film. This ambitious film is the longest produced in the history of the animation program. It’s a love story that takes place in at least five different large environment sets. Two of these sets contain snow. This creative thesis tackles the problem of surfacing the snow within that context.

Surfacing snow required research and development of a snow generator for adding new geometry on top of objects in a scene and a snow shader to make that geometry appear like snow in the final render. Packaging the …

Learning To View Christianity As True Myth And How It Should Influence Both Our Thinking And Our Actions, Joshua Jaccob Hazeldine

Masters Theses

Often, Christianity and the Scriptures are viewed through either a purely academic lens or an emotionally based lens. While both methods have value and use, they also have major flaws that can hinder our growth and understanding. This thesis presents a more effective approach to understanding the Scriptures and our Christian faith. By combining both the heart and the mind, we have a method that can see the truth and logic of Christianity without missing the wonder and amazement of Christianity. This method was called True Myth by C.S. Lewis, for it acknowledges the total truth of everything in Christianity …

Grounding Human Value: A Critical Evaluation Of Naturalism And A Defense Of Christianity As The Basis For Human Value And The Moral Status Of The Unborn, Jacob Vazquez

Masters Theses

This thesis will explore the grounding of personhood and seeks to convince atheist readers who adhere to naturalism that abortion is wrong because human beings are made in the image of God, as the Christian doctrine of the Imago Dei teaches. This will be done by taking the reader on a journey or a map, in which various secular (non-religious) destinations are visited before finally reaching the final theological conclusion as presented above. The evidence culminated from each of the secular stops will end up supporting the argument from the Imago Dei against abortion.

For instance, Chapter 1 will consist …

Intracranial Injection Of Genetically Modified, Mosquito Non-Transmissible Zika Virus: Safety In Primates And Ramifications For Brain Tumor Therapy, Alec J Hirsch, Amanda De Andrade Costa, Emilie Russler-Germain, Ashwani Kesarwani, Yuping Li, Michael S Diamond, Milan G Chheda, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are incurable brain tumors. Zika virus (ZIKV) has specificity in killing GBM stem cells, which drive treatment resistance. In mouse models of GBM, ZIKV also generates an anti-tumor inflammatory response and prolongs survival. To support clinical development and address safety concerns for intra-tumoral treatment, we assessed the effects of injection of an immune-sensitized ZIKV (Δ10 3'-UTR ZIKV), which cannot be transmitted by mosquitos, into non-tumor-bearing rhesus macaque brains. After injection, the primates showed no clinical signs of illness. Histologically, as expected, ZIKV infection elicited mild inflammation, which resolved within 2 weeks. No infectious virus was detected in the …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

The Sacrificial Grammar Of Forgiveness: A Monochromatic Theology Of Restoration In Matthew 18:21–35, Elizabeth Ann Reed

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores forgiveness as divine restoration. I argue that biblical forgiveness is more than emotional release or social reconciliation. Forgiveness, grounded in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament and fulfilled in the teachings and person of Jesus Christ, emerges as a theological act. In this way, it restores broken relationships between God and humanity. It also restores relationships among individuals. Through interdisciplinary analysis, the study integrates theological, psychological, and historical perspectives to redefine forgiveness as a covenantal and transformative practice. The research begins with what I call the Genesis Offering. This term describes God’s sacrificial act in Genesis …

Using Equine-Assisted Therapeutic Interventions (Eati) For Military Spouse Overstimulation For Mental And Physical Well-Being: A Qualitative, Phenomenological Study, Melissa A. Crook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military spouses of deployed service members experience a multitude of stressors that pile up and can result in overstimulation. This overstimulation can result in psychosocial vulnerabilities such as burnout, anxiety, depression, and other conditions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the impact of Equine Assisted Therapeutic Interventions (EATI) on military spouses experiencing overstimulation. The theory guiding this study was the social cognitive theory with a social constructivism framework. Military spouses need a healthy outlet to reduce their overstimulation and burnout symptoms, mentally and physically. From the qualitative perspective, a Demographics and Background Survey was collected and analyzed …

Covid-19 Event Impact: Religious/Spiritual Coping And Posttraumatic Growth In Adult Female Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Mindy Barrett Perlman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique collective trauma that has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). This quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study examined the relationship between spiritual/religious coping and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among this population, while also exploring the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the mediating role of religious/spiritual coping. Grounded in Tedeschi and Calhoun’s Posttraumatic Growth Theory and Pargament’s Religious Coping Theory, this study utilized the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), and the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R) adapted for COVID-19 to assess trauma exposure, …

Effects Of Deployments On Military Families: A Phenomenological Study, Joseph E. Hensley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An emerging area of focus in the military sub-culture is the phenomenon of secondary stress experienced by military spouses and children due to high-tempo operational rates of the military member. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a greater understanding of what factors are at play and possibly influencing military members and their families in avoiding deployment resources that could assist them in preventing secondary stress. The central research questions were designed to assess whether connections between the secondary stress that military families experience (due to the deployment cycle) were instigated by a lack of awareness or a …

Play, Instruct, Lead: Investigating The Influence Observing Same-Gender Role Models Has On Leadership Development Of Collegiate Women Student-Athletes Coaching At Youth Sports Camps: A Phenomenological Study, Mercy-Nora Osei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how observing same-gender role models influenced the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes (CWSA) when coaching at youth sports camps (YSC) at NCAA institution campuses in the United States. The theory that guided this study was Albert Bandura’s theory on social learning, as it explained the relationship between observational learning and the influence role modeling had on leadership development. The central question was: How does observing same-gender role models influence the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes when coaching at youth sports camps? This study used a transcendental phenomenological design to …

The Impact Of Average Principal Diabetes Cost On Population Health Measures Within Homogeneous Demographics, Alvin Dwayne Binns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States healthcare sector has encountered an increasing burden from diabetes health conditions and diabetes expenditures. Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected, resulting in increased health mortality and morbidity. This quantitative retrospective, observational, cross-sectional cohort study identified the relationship between the average principal diabetes cost and population measures for Alabama Medicare beneficiaries living in homogeneous communities diagnosed with the principal diagnosis of diabetes. The theoretical framework guiding the study was the socio-ecological theory. Purposive sampling was applied to the secondary Mapping Medicare Disparities data population comprising 57 United States territories and 3,243 counties. Specifically, Medicare beneficiary participants diagnosed with the …

Spatial Ecology And Population Dynamics Of Chukar Partridge, Jacob Taft Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

Chukar (Alectoris chukar) are a non-native bird that has naturalized in North America following its introduction over a century ago. Today, the species supports hunting opportunities in 11 U.S. states and one Canadian province. Despite its wide distribution and recreational value, key aspects of chukar ecology remain poorly understood. Limited information is available on the species' spatial ecology, including patterns of space use. Likewise, information regarding the influence of weather on population dynamics of chukar has not been formally conducted. As part of our investigation, we evaluated the space use of chukar in western Utah, USA utilizing GPS transmitters (Chapter …

Vesicle-Mediated Mitochondrial Clearance Presents An Actionable Metabolic Vulnerability In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Jody Vykoukal, Yihui Chen, Mingxin Zuo, Riccardo Ballarò, Monica J Hong, Hansini Krishna, Daniela B Rodriquez-Perera, Hiroyuki Katayama, Ehsan Irajizad, Ranran Wu, Ricardo A León-Letelier, Jennifer B Dennison, Angelica M Gutierrez, Adriana Paulucci-Holthauzen, Timothy C Thompson, Leona Rusling, Yining Cai, Fu Chung Hsiao, Soyoung Park, Banu Arun, Samir Hanash, Johannes F Fahrmann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Selective autophagy of mitochondria is known to promote cancer cell survival and progression, including in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Here, we apply an integrated multi-omics approach together with functional experimental analyses to investigate metabolic adaptations that support mitochondrial quality control in TNBC. We detail a mitochondrial quality control mechanism, complementary to mitophagy, that is enabled by a program of heightened extracellular sphingomyelin salvaging in TNBC coupled with extracellular vesicle-mediated intracellular clearance of mitochondrial damage. Targeting of this onco-metabolic pathway via repurposing of eliglustat, a selective small molecule inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, results in ceramide-mediated compensatory mitophagy and cancer cell death …

Lung Adenocarcinoma Surfaceome Remodeling With Egfr Inhibitors Uncovers Placental Alkaline Phosphatase As A Target For Combination Therapy, Yihui Chen, Rongzhang Dou, Monica J Hong, Hanwen Xu, Jody Vykoukal, Ricardo A León-Letelier, Yining Cai, Soyoung Park, Ehsan Irajizad, Fu Chung Hsiao, Jennifer B Dennison, Edwin J Ostrin, Johannes F Fahrmann, Hiroyuki Katayama, Samir M Hanash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Treatment of lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) that exhibit activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has limited efficacy. Assessment of the impact of EGFR TKI on the LUAD surfaceome remodeling reveals potential therapeutic targets. We identify placental type alkaline phosphatase (ALPP), which has restricted expression in normal tissues, among upregulated surface proteins following EGFR TKI treatment of both TKI sensitive as well as resistant cells. EGF treatment represses ALPP expression, whereas EGFR TKIs upregulate its expression through dephosphorylation and activation of FoxO3a, a transcriptional regulator that binds to the promoter region of ALPP. The combination of …

Hollywood, Ai, And The Moral Universe: An Analysis Of The Terminator And Battlestar Galactica, Lara Sumera Samms

Masters Theses

This thesis defends the argument that depictions of artificial intelligence in Hollywood film and television point to a moral universe. Films The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), as well as the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) are analyzed to find clues of moral facts. This research paper submits that these stories add weight to the moral argument and provide evidence that humans implicitly recognize a moral universe. Such acknowledgment of moral structures cannot be adequately explained within a secular framework such as utilitarianism or evolutionary ethics. However, the Christian worldview frames reality around the existence of God, …

A Phenomenological Study: The Lived Learning Experience Of Learning-Disabled Formerly Incarcerated Individuals With Learning-Based Ptsd Symptoms, Sirsey H. Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived K—12th grade learning experience of formerly incarcerated adults with specific learning disorders (SLDs) and learning-based posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This study aimed to understand how specific learning disorders affected school learning experiences and obtain input on how to improve learning in schools. A transcendental phenomenological approach was utilized in this qualitative study to obtain and report trustworthy research findings that represented the overall essence of the participants’ lived learning experiences. Ten formerly incarcerated adult males with specific learning disorders and learning-based PTSD symptoms were interviewed. Data was …

Lived Experiences Of Adoptive Mothers Who Dissolved Their Adoption Of A Child: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Aimee Moore Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis research study was to understand the lived experiences of adoptive mothers in the United States who had relinquished their parental rights and legally dissolved their adoption of a child. The theory guiding this study was the theory of being and time. Through the theory of being and time, each adoptive mother was viewed holistically, as inseparable from her personal history, her current state of being, and her interpretations of space and time. This interpretative phenomenological analysis utilized Internet-based, in-depth, individual interviews of adoptive mothers to answer the question: How do adoptive mothers in …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

Methods For The Discovery Of Antibodies Toward Junin Virus Utilizing Yeast Surface Display, Jonathon E. Corral

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The importance of this study is to perform antibody discovery as a means to derive novel preventative and therapeutic antibody countermeasures against the Junín virus, to alleviate the potential risk of a global pandemic. The purpose of this methodological study was to develop a protocol that utilizes yeast surface display to discover antibodies, from naïve human antibody libraries, that can bind the Junín Virus antigen. The methodology of yeast surface display employs the galactose-inducible GAL1 promoter to synthesize and express antibody proteins bound to the Aga2p and Aga1p and anchored to the cell wall by glycosyl phosphatidylinositol motif (GPI). The …

Social Murder And The Antisocial Contract, Marissa Jackson Sow

Maryland Law Review

No abstract provided.

Mbnl Loss Of Function In Smooth Muscle As A Model For Myotonic Dystrophy Associated Gastrointestinal Dysmotility, Janel A M Peterson, Jesus A Frias, Andrew N Miller, Krishnakant G Soni, Yi Zhang, Zheng Xia, John W Day, Geoffrey A Preidis, Thomas A Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy and severely affects multiple organ systems, including the brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Despite 80% of individuals with DM1 experiencing GI dysfunction that affects their daily life, the mechanisms of GI dysmotility in DM1 remain an understudied aspect of the disease. DM1 is caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK gene that, when expressed as an expanded CUG repeat RNA, sequesters and reduces the activity of the muscleblind-like (MBNL) RNA-binding protein family. We developed a mouse line with conditional, smooth muscle-specific knockout of …

Neuropathic Pain And Related Depression In Mice: The Effect Of A Terpene And A Minor Cannabinoid In Combination, Jose Rios, Mohammed Alnoud, Mohammad Hussain, Zayd Ayas, Emmanuel Franco, Justin D. Mills, Joshua Nwose, Maria Sophia Malbas, Hiram L. Garcia, Manish Kumar Tripathi, Khalid Benamar

School of Medicine Publications

Background/Objectives: Neuropathic pain is one of the most severe types of chronic pain. Although it is difficult to manage, it often co-occurs with depression. Yet, no medication addresses the neuropathic pain and depression comorbidity. Therefore, developing integrated treatment strategies that address both pain and depression is a major public health priority and an unmet need affecting millions. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of combining a terpene, Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP), and cannabidiol (CBD) on neuropathic pain and associated depression. We employed a chronic constriction injury (CCI) neuropathic pain model and a series of behavioral tests to evaluate …

Molecular Effects Of Glucose On Mir503hg-Regulated Genes In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Victoria Reid, Barbara Yang, Kyle Russo, Melina J. Sedano, Ramesh Choudhari, Enrique I. Ramos, Shrikanth S. Gadad

School of Medicine Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, characterized by a lack of key hormone receptors in tumor cells. As there are limited treatment options for these patients, it is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms by which TNBC constantly evolves and evades treatments. In this regard, the pervasive nature of transcription provides a potential reservoir of transcripts, including both coding and noncoding, that TNBC leverages to sustain a proliferative advantage and support tumor growth. TNBC is affected by energy sources such as glucose, which can have a profound impact on gene expression regulation mediated by various …

"I Like The Idea In Theory": Experiencing The Imperial Matrix Through Legal Gender Marker Changes And Nonbinary Disidentifications, Wynn Strange

Dissertations and Theses

Since 2018 twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have implemented administrative changes that provide a third gender option on at least one state identification document allowing nonbinary and intersex people the opportunity to select a gender marker that reflects their gender identity. This study draws from 28 interviews with agender or otherwise nonbinary people living in Maryland and California. I use queer of color and critical trans theory to consider the implications of legal gender marker changes. This research explores how social, historical, and geographical location can influence ones' awareness of, experiences with, and relation to real and imagined …