Digital Commons Network^™

Rag Suppresses Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells, Aaron M Ver Heul, Madison Mack, Lydia Zamidar, Masato Tamari, Ting-Lin Yang, Anna M Trier, Do-Hyun Kim, Hannah Janzen-Meza, Steven J Van Dyken, Chyi-Song Hsieh, Jenny M Karo, Joseph C Sun, Brian S Kim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antigen specificity is the central trait distinguishing adaptive from innate immune function. Assembly of antigen-specific T cell and B cell receptors occurs through V(D)J recombination mediated by the Recombinase Activating Gene endonucleases RAG1 and RAG2 (collectively called RAG). In the absence of RAG, mature T and B cells do not develop and thus RAG is critically associated with adaptive immune function. In addition to adaptive T helper 2 (Th2) cells, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) contribute to type 2 immune responses by producing cytokines like Interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13. Although it has been reported that RAG expression modulates the …

Hidden Scientists/Hidden Creatives Exhibition 2025, Con Kennedy, Niamh Ann Kelly, Claire Wynne, Jesus M Frias, Steve Meaney

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Hidden Scientists/Hidden Creatives is an annual exhibition about underrepresented women in STEM and Design.The students from the TU Dublin School of Art and Design, TU973 B.A. (hons) Visual Communication Design, completed this assignment in their Design and Career Management module. This year, all the students who participated in this module are Erasmus students from our international partners. This international cohort joined us from IADE - Universidade Europeia - Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação da Universidade Europeia, Lisbon, Portugal and Escuela de Arte San Telmo, Malaga, Spain.This exhibition ran from 6-9 May 2025, East Quad Atrium, TU Dublin, City Campus, …

Marine Viruses: Biogeochemical Implications And Potential Applications, Faiza A Fattouh, Sahar W.M. Hassan

Blue Economy

Viruses are the most plentiful microorganisms in the ecosystem and exhibit excessive diversity in relations to infection cycle, host specificity and size. Since the discovery of great viral distribution in marine ecosystems, the ecological significance of viruses to marine environment has become gradually evident. Lytic viruses trigger lysis of the host cell to give the new progeny and thus readdress nutrients from higher to lower trophic levels. Consequently, marine viruses exhibit direct or indirect influence on the capacity of carbon sequestration, exchange of gases in the ocean and biogeochemical cycles in addition to affecting microbial population dynamics. Marine viruses are …

Challenges And Opportunities Of Agricultural Research In The Sudan, Allam Ahmed

Journal of African Policy Studies

National research institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are under increasing governmental pressure to make direct and visible contributions to national research and development strategies. Although Sudan is a predominately agricultural economy, crop productivity is extremely low and does not exceed thirty percent of the level attained in research farms. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework for analyzing problems and identifying opportunities to strengthen African research institutions' role in development-oriented research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the implementation capacity constraints, which exist in formal agricultural research, and the impact this has on …

Sustainable Agricultural Development In Nigeria: A Question Of Biotechnology, Environmental Conservation, Or Indigenous Knowledge?, Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor

Journal of African Policy Studies

Nigeria, like most developing countries, depends on agriculture primarily for subsistence and export revenues. However, Nigeria is confronted with food security challenges. Several factors have contributed to this problem, such as demographic trends, crude farming methods, deforestation, the oil boom and public policies that are not consistent with the socio-economic and political realities of the state.

Given these challenges, this inquiry will examine the socio-economic and environmental implications of recent recommendations by development agencies such as the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP), which has prescribed the use of biotechnology to address Africa's food security problems. This recommendation appears to be …

Solvent Variability With Gold And Silver Nanoparticle Production Using Reverse Micelles, Cameron Ashton, Wendy E. Schatzberg, Samuel Tobler

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The synthesis of nanoparticle using reverse micelles is increasing in versatility, popularity, and effectivity. Nanoparticles have unique characteristics including a strong antimicrobial trait that can be effective and sterilizations and decomposition of microbes. Gold and silver have been effective as the ions used in the synthesis of such nanoparticles and have been successful for testing different solvent concentrations and production. Research has shown that different structures and sizes of nanoparticles are efficient at accomplishing different objective, however, trends show that the smaller the nanoparticle, the more efficient a nanoparticle is at fighting microbes.

Advancing Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii Growth To Mitigate Psychological Stressors In Space, Alina Loseva, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Isolation and Confinement are two of the five main hazards of human spaceflight identified by NASA, leading to sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. These conditions can impair intestinal barrier function and decrease populations of butyrate-producing bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, increasing the risk of stress-related brain disorders. Different fiber sources in diet can affect the growth and butyrate production of F. prausnitzii. This study reviews existing data on F. prausnitzii's fiber response and suggests new fiber combinations for testing, aiming to prevent reductions in F. prausnitzii populations and mitigate psychological disorders in astronauts, …

From Forest Floor To Future Food: Cultivating And Engineering Lion's Mane Mushrooms, Chris Morris, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

We intend to create a vegan meat alternative by genetically modifying Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane mushroom) to express the soy leghemoglobin gene. This gene, commonly used in plant-based meats, contributes both color and umami flavor reminiscent of animal-derived hemoglobin. Our approach involves extracting and sequencing Lion's Mane DNA, identifying viable genomic insertion sites, and applying CRISPR-Cas9 to insert the leghemoglobin gene. Concurrently, we are optimizing lab-based cultivation methods to ensure reliable growth and propagation of both wild-type and genetically modified strains. This project integrates fungal biotechnology, genetic engineering, and sustainable food innovation.

Cracking The Code For Pcb Cleanup: Pcr Optimization Meets Synthetic Biology, Leptzy Romero, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This study focuses on the construction of a plasmid harboring biphenyl (BPH) genes, with the aim of enabling potential degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Optimization experiments were conducted to enhance PCR amplification and assembly efficiency. PCR conditions were refined using a primer concentration gradient and by varying magnesium chloride levels through adjustments in reaction buffer volume, resulting in improved specificity and yield. Six BPH gene fragments were successfully litigated into the pSHDY vector using Gibson Assembly, alongside a GA+ positive control. The resulting construct represents a foundational step toward engineering organisms capable of PCB biodegradation.

Globalization And Sub-Saharan Africa: Will The Promise Of Shared Prosperity Ever Be Realized?, Donald L. Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

Globalization, the accelerated economic integration among nations, clearly has brought benefits in terms of worldwide economic growth. However, these benefits have not been evenly distributed, and income disparities between rich and poor countries, and even within countries, have increased. This is most pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa. Globalization was supposed to provide gains for all, or at least the gains were supposed to outweigh the losses. Despite adherence to market liberalization and the rapid pace of globalization, during the past three decades sub-Saharan Africa has continued to be marginalized in the world economic system. At the same time, however, many other …

Contributor Bios, Studio1 Literary Club

Studio One

No abstract provided.

Studio One Volume 49, Studio1 Literary Club

Studio One

No abstract provided.

The Inclusion Of Animals In Educational Settings: The Educators’ Perspective, Emma J. Vardy, Lauren R. Finka, Blair F. Sweeney

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The inclusion of animals within educational settings is not a new phenomenon, although the last several decades have certainly seen a growth in popularity. Despite increased uptake, little is known about the ways animals are typically being included within educational settings, and the nature of sessions that are being undertaken. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore, from the perspectives of educators, the general risks and benefits to both students and animals of including animals in schools, the types of activities undertaken, species included and their associated management, and the perceived impact on both students and animals. Fourteen …

Treatment Wastewater Of Oil Refinery By Fe2o3 Nps Produce By The Novel Alishewanella Jeotgali Strain Haq8., Hawraa Qays Al-Assdy, Wijdan Hussein Al-Tamimi, Asia Fadhile Almansoory

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Metal oxide nanoparticles like iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) exhibit strong reactivity and photolytic features in wastewater treatment and serve as an effective adsorbent for water purification due to its substantial surface area and affinity for different functionalized groups. Iron oxide nanoparticles) IONPs) are currently applied to treat oil-contaminated water. Fe₂O₃NPs were produced using an extracellular approach utilizing the Alishewanella jeotgali strain HAQ8. IONPs were characterized using UV-vis, FT-IR, XRD, AFM, SEM-EDX, and Zeta potential. λ max for the synthesized nanoparticles observed at (358) nm. The bands at 485 cm⁻¹ in the FT-IR spectrum confirmed the formation of …

The Policy Dilemmas Of Pesticides Management And Disposal In Tanzania, Paul J. Kaiser, John C. Morris

Journal of African Policy Studies

The purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate and analyze pesticides management and disposal in Tanzania employing a theoretical approach that emanates from current research on public policy implementation. This case demonstrates that the national and international context of public policy-making and inter-governmental agency cooperation and coordination are essential to understanding the current environmental situation in the country. Given the paucity of published, African case studies used in the theory-building process, this study also attempts to contribute to strengthening the empirical legitimacy and theoretical soundness of the comparative method of social scientific inquiry by including African realities in scholarly …

Communities’ Perception Of Tourism And The Environment In Kenya: A Case Study Of Nairobi National Park, Frances Ekwulugo, A. Binsardi, J. Muhati

Journal of African Policy Studies

The study focuses on the community perception of tourism on the local environment in the Nairobi National Park in Kenya. It highlights not only the importance of tourism in the process of economic development, but also the environmental impacts of tourism on the surrounding communities in the Nairobi National Park. Kenya. Structured interviews were used to obtain local communities' perception of Masaai and Nairobi Communities. In order to complement the interview, an in-depth interview was employed by interviewing local experts from the communities, voluntary organization, non-governmental organization, and the ministry of tourism. A purposive random sampling of 300 respondents was …

Ghanaian Women And Environmental Policy, Leonard Gadzekpo

Journal of African Policy Studies

The article makes a case that environmental policy in Ghana, and indeed in Africa, is often formulated with the role of men in economic activities in mind. Such policy often ignores the vital role that women play in their economic activities undertaken by women have serious ramifications for the ecosystem. Therefore daily contact, use, and management of the environment. As such, various, the article places women in the center of environmental policy. It argues that the important role women play in African society, particularly their direct contact with environment through farming, should be taken into account when formulating environmental policy.

A Framework For Managing Environmental Policy In Nigeria, Felix Moses Edoho

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines environmental issues in Nigeria. It argues that there is the need for public commitment to effective management of environmental policies in Nigeria. The paper provided a management framework that could be used by the Nigerian government for the effective implementation of their environmental policies. The underlying rationale is that any goal-oriented environmental policy must have management at its core. It is argued that regardless of their levels of sophistication, environmental policies are unlikely to be successful without a corresponding management infrastructure. Establishing effective management infrastructure for the implementation of environmental policies, in turn, requires political leadership and …

Environmental Policy In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Francois N. Muyumba

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper explores the dynamics of environmental policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It argues that the constituents of the policy and policy analysis itself must be judiciously and critically comprehensive in their overall scope, so as to encompass the fullness of the problem at hand. It stress that it is imperative for the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to tighten up slackness extended to international companies operating and polluting the nation. This slackness in environmental policy enforcement is the reason why foreign companies do not observe or respect the nations' policies and laws. This paper is …

Feminism, Children And Environmental Policy In Zimbabwe, Saliwe Kawewe

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study utilizes a feminist perspective in demonstrating how gender intersects with socioeconomic forces of over a century of patriarchal environmental endeavors such as global modernization: imperialism and colonialism as conditions that have historically perpetuated environmental degradation in Zimbabwe as elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. The study examines how environmental policies of both pre and post independent Zimbabwe have had devastating consequences on the poor and marginalized, particularly women and girl children of this Third World in the nation. Additionally, the study proposes gender mainstreaming as a social networking model for socioeconomic and environmental sustainability through grassroots indigenous participation, capacity building, …

Public Policy And Social Welfare Programs In Zimbabwe: An Evaluation Of Esap, Robert Dibie, Saliwe M. Kawewe

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Combatting The Mpox Outbreak In Pakistan: An Urgent Public Health Imperative, Abdul Basit Sangah, Shazia Saleem Shaikh, Abdul Karim, Rohait Kumar, Mubashir Hussain

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

No abstract for this article type.

A ‘Fluke’ Diagnosis: Suspecting Fascioliasis As A Rare Cause Of Hepatic Abscess, Tharun Shyam, Rosa Lora, Sharanya Kaushik, Jessica Chung, Monica Ghitan, Christina Coyle

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Hepatic abscess is a rare complication of fascioliasis, with fewer than 50 reported cases worldwide. The diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion and is often identified after extensive investigation leading to delays in treatment. With this case report, we aim to highlight the need for a higher index of suspicion in non endemic regions like the USA, especially in cities with large immigrant populations. Given the ease and success rates of treatment with oral triclabendazole, the morbidity from unnecessary invasive testing and disease burden is preventable with a thorough evaluation and targeted clinical assessment.

Wild-Type Cardiac Amyloidosis Due To Transthyretin Protein — A Review, Mustafa Shehzad, Muhammad Hasan, Dawood Shehzad, Muhammad Shariq Akram, Muhammad Faiq Akram, Dawlat Khan, Maham Maqsood, Mamoon Ahmed, Humna Younis

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) arises from the accumulation of transthyretin amyloid fibrils in the myocardium, a consequence of instability and misfolding in wild-type or variant transthyretin protein. ATTR-CM should be suspected in older heart failure patients with raised myocardial wall thickness and diastolic dysfunction on echocardiography in the absence of hypertension or other known causes. This diagnosis can be further supported with late gadolinium enhancement on Cardiac MRI which indicates raised myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) hinting at the expansion of interstitial space by amyloid deposits. Diagnostic work up starts with blood and urine tests to rule out AL amyloidosis and …

Iron Deficiency—More Than Just Anemia: A Literature Review, Arianna S Moss, Zahra Pakbaz

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Iron deficiency (ID) is a global public health concern, as it can be a prodrome of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies, exacerbate chronic conditions, and lead to an overall decreased quality of life. Despite being the most prevalent nutritional deficiency, it remains underdiagnosed by many healthcare professionals. Misconceptions regarding the clinical and laboratory manifestations of ID lead to delayed or missed diagnoses, contributing to poor patient outcomes. Though anemia is a commonly known consequence of ID, there are additional consequences that remain underrecognized by the medical community, including vague signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, and abnormalities in white blood cell …

Hollywood And Healthcare: Navigating The Dual Impact Of Movies On Public Health, Fremita Chelsea Fredrick, Anish Kumar Reddy Meda, Mini Virmani, Guntash Kaur, Baltej Singh, Rohit Jain

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction Synonymous with the American film industry, Hollywood wields considerable influence on public health through its vast global reach and engaging media. This paper explores Hollywood's role and its impacts on public health, primarily driven by its portrayal of healthcare services, illnesses, and related beliefs and provides recommendations to improve “education entertainment” for the future. Methods PubMed was searched using keywords such as hollywood, healthcare, medical dramas, health education, smoking, suicide, and many more. Relevant literature up to June 2024 has been examined and summarized, which consisted of 37 articles with data from various clinical trials, meta-analyses, and literature reviews. …

Responsibility To The Land: Perspectives Of Farmers On Climate Change And Land Transition, Meira A. Smit

Environmental Studies Honors Projects

Agriculture is a defining aspect of Minnesota and Wisconsin’s culture and identity, characterized by family farms, rolling hills blanketed with crops, and cows. Interspersed are small scale diversified farms and a growing number of emerging and young farmers. Another cultural mainstay is talking about weather, a ubiquitous conversation of Midwesterners. As weather events such as erratic rainfall, drought, and pest pressure become both more common and volatile, and long-term weather patterns shift from “normal”, it is important to ask farmers what they think about it. Adapting to changes and planning for resilience are what farmers have always done, yet increasing …

Capstone Final Report: Coal To Nuclear – Nuclear Power Solutions, Owen Horiagon, James Russell, Thomas Scorpio, Nate Segar

Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Projects

This project focuses on repurposing the retired Brayton Point coal plant into a next-generation clean energy facility by integrating a small modular reactor (SMR) to power a 250 MW AI data center. The purpose is to demonstrate a sustainable and technically sound solution that addresses both the rising demand for computational power and the need to decarbonize legacy infrastructure. Our objectives include designing and validating the NuScale SMR process, ensuring reliable integration with existing site assets, maintaining strict safety and licensing standards, and achieving zero net carbon emissions. The scope of work encompasses the complete system design, site retrofit planning, …

Veils Of The Unseen, Shinwoo Song

Art Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the dynamic interplay between consciousness and unconsciousness and how this relationship influences visual language in my art practice. My research investigates how unconscious impulses and conscious choices intersect in the creative process, shaping artistic expression and viewer interpretation. I examine how visual art can serve as a medium through which hidden emotional and psychological states, such as memory, desire, and internal conflict, emerge and take form. Rooted in the practice of automatism and influenced by Surrealist strategies, my work engages with theories by Jacques Lacan, particularly his notion of the gaze, and Gilles Deleuze’s concepts of extraction …

Dynamic Riskscapes For Prey: Disentangling The Impact Of Human And Cougar Presence On Deer Behavior Using Gps Smartphone Locations, Heather N. Abernathy, Mark A. Ditmer, David C. Stoner, Kent R. Hersey, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Pat J. Jackson, Kristin N. Engebretsen, Julie K. Young, George Wittemyer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Prey species adjust their behavior along human-use gradients by balancing risks from predators and humans. During hunting seasons, prey often exhibit strong antipredator responses to humans but may develop tolerance in suburban areas to exploit human-mediated resources. Additionally, areas with high human activity may offer reduced predation risk if apex predators avoid such locations. This study examined mule deer Odocoileus hemionus behavioral responses to risks from humans and their primary predators, cougars Puma concolor, contextualized by differences in risk levels between study sites, individual risk exposure, and human habituation. We framed our investigation using three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: (H1) …