Digital Commons Network^™

Theory And Tools: The Future Of Technology-Based Learning (Slides), Andrew S. Gibbons Iii

Faculty Publications

We are entering a narrow passage that will see great instability in learning technology, instruction, and distance education. My purpose is to talk about two changes that I believe will redirect the entire future of technology-based education.

Molecular Therapy And Nucleic Acid Adeno-Associated Virus-Based Gene Therapy Delivering Combinations Of Two Growth-Associated Genes To Mps Iva Mice, Estera Rintz, Betul Celik, Nidhi Fnu, Angélica María Herreño-Pachón, Shaukat Khan, Shunji Tomatsu, Eliana Benincore-Flórez

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA) is caused by a deficiency of the galactosamine (N-acetyl)-6-sulfatase (GALNS) enzyme responsible for the degradation of specific glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The progressive accumulation of GAGs leads to various skeletal abnormalities (short stature, hypoplasia, tracheal obstruction) and several symptoms in other organs. To date, no treatment is effective for patients with bone abnormalities. To improve bone pathology, we propose a novel combination treatment with the adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors expressing GALNS enzyme and a natriuretic peptide C (CNP; NPPC gene) as a growth-promoting agent for MPS IVA. In this study, an MPS IVA mouse model was treated …

Progress Toward A Vaccine For Extraintestinal Pathogenic Coli (Expec) Ii: Efficacy Of A Toxin-Autotransporter Dual Antigen Approach, Yikun Xing, Justin R Clark, James D Chang, Jacob J Zulk, Dylan M Chirman, Felipe-Andres Piedra, Ellen E Vaughan, Haroldo J Hernandez Santos, Kathryn A Patras, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a leading cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality, the top cause of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, and the most frequent cause of life-threatening sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTI) in adults. The development of an effective and universal vaccine is complicated by this pathogen’s pan-genome, its ability to mix and match virulence factors and AMR genes via horizontal gene transfer, an inability to decipher commensal from pathogens, and its intimate association and co-evolution with mammals. Using a pan virulome analysis of >20,000 sequenced E. coli strains, we identified the secreted cytolysin α-hemolysin (HlyA) as a …

Identification Of Potent Pan-Ephrin Receptor Kinase Inhibitors Using Dna-Encoded Chemistry Technology, Chandrashekhar Madasu, Zian Liao, Sydney E Parks, Kiran L Sharma, Kurt M Bohren, Qiuji Ye, Feng Li, Murugesan Palaniappan, Zhi Tan, Fei Yuan, Chad J Creighton, Suni Tang, Ramya P Masand, Xiaoming Guan, Damian W Young, Diana Monsivais, Martin M Matzuk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

EPH receptors (EPHs) are highly sought-after drug targets owing to their essential roles in maintaining appropriate cellular functions in both physiological and disease conditions. However, limited potency and specificity pose significant obstacles to the development of small-molecule inhibitors for EPHs. Here, using high-throughput DNA-encoded chemical library screenings, we developed potent and selective inhibitors of the EPH receptor kinase family. Our results also emphasize the therapeutic potential of our EPH inhibitors in cancer and endometriosis, a global health concern that causes chronic pain and often leads to infertility in women. This study showcases the robust pipeline of using DNA-encoded chemistry technology …

Stop Animation Striders, Casey Ellyson

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

For this independent study, I hoped to explore the applications of my engineering background in the film industry. I used the machines in the Spartan Makerspace, Solidworks software, and typical prop materials to build a miniature movie set and produce a short stop-action film using mechatronics. I developed my concept and thought through the materials necessary to create my ideal set. I went through the proper training to create set elements and researched the best methods to work with the materials I had access to. I also applied electronics through the use of Arduino to enhance lighting elements. I then …

Investigate The Effects Of Yoda1 On Piezo1 Channels Of Mouse Aorta Through Myograph Techniques, Zhuangyu Zhang

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

This project explores the impact of Yoda1, a Piezo1 channel activator, on the mechanical properties of mouse ascending aortas using myograph techniques. The research aims to investigate the role of Piezo1 channels in vascular mechanics by observing force responses in aortic rings subjected to different concentrations of Yoda1. Results indicate that Yoda1 induces significant force rises due to Piezo1 activation and subsequent Ca2+ influx, causing vascular contraction. Higher concentrations of Yoda1 (50μM and 250μM) produce more pronounced force responses compared to lower concentrations (10μM and 20μM) and control treatments (PBS and DMSO). However, the results also suggest further exploration of …

Regulation Of Neuronal Cell-Type-Specific Transcription By Non-Cg Methylation And Mecp2, James Russell Moore

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Modulation of gene expression is fundamental to the exceptional complexity and diversity of cells in the nervous system. Within that last decade, evidence has emerged that neurons utilize unique forms of DNA methylation to regulate transcriptional programs, with multiple types of neurons displaying high levels of cytosine methylation in a non-CG context compared to non-neural cells. This non-CG methylation primarily occurs at CA dinucleotides (mCA) and is read out by methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Inactivation of MeCP2 results in Rett Syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, while overexpression of MeCP2 results in MeCP2 duplication syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. …

Design And Application Of Phase-Separating Peptides In Cytosolic Drug Delivery, Huihao Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This research investigates the design and application of phase-separating peptides for direct cytosolic drug delivery. Novel peptides (GHGXY)4, with variable amino acids, were synthesized using microwave-assisted chemistry to enhance phase separation and membrane fusion. In vitro experiments utilizing advanced imaging techniques demonstrated the peptides' capability to form coacervates and facilitate direct cargo, DNA, mRNA, and protein, delivery into the cytosol, bypassing traditional cellular barriers. The study also explores the role of inhibitor Bafilomycin and NH4Cl in phase-separating peptides functionality, offering significant insights into their delivery mechanisms. This research underscores the potential of phase-separating peptides in improving therapeutic delivery strategies.

Modeling The Effects Of Retinal Thinning And Oxidative Stress During Space Travel, Dillon Weatherston, Dylan Nelson, Justin Jones, Elizabeth Vargis

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Spaceflight causes both physical and chemical changes within the subretinal tissue, particularly the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch’s membrane. Changes such as layer thinning and increases in oxidative stress are both implicated in vision loss caused by spaceflight. While these changes can lead to cell death, the mechanistic impact that these changes have on retinal function are unknown. To isolate the physical alterations to the subretinal tissue caused by space travel, we utilized a tunable in vitro model of Bruch’s membrane and primary porcine RPE cells. Initial results showed that while thinner models can be constructed, they are difficult …

Optimization Of Animal Hair Preparation For Scanning Electron Microscopy (Sem), Cristina De La Vieja Medina, Samuel Tobler, Wendy Schatzberg

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This study investigates the best method to prepare animal hair samples for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main objective is to identify the most effective method to clean, cut, and position the hair to achieve a better image of the hair without external elements. Various cleaning methods were explored, but the best option was a 15-minute sonication in water followed by a 24-hour immersion in a 90% ethanol-10% methanol mixture. Samples were placed with different types of glue to ensure the hair remained stable. A diamond blade was used to cut the hairs but did not provide the desired results …

Artemia In Space, Holbrook Hawkes, Elizabeth Blackburn, Bonnie K. Baxter

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The panspermia hypothesis poses that life originated in space. To test this hypothesis, a model organism capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of space must be used. The brine shrimp genus Artemia represents species of extremophilic zooplankton with adaptations to survive extreme temperatures (-273˚°C to 90˚°C), hydrogen sulfide-reducing environments, HZE particles, oxidation, desiccation, ion exposure, electromagnetic radiation, and anoxia (Skoultchi and Morowitz, 1964; Clegg, 1978; van Stappen, 1996, 2002; Willsie and Clegg, 2001; Clegg and Trotman, 2002; MacRae, 2016). Artemia are so hardy in part due to their ability to produce oviparous encysted embryos instead of live nauplii that can …

Earth Observation Satellite Data Reveals Correlations Between Temperature, Turbidity, And Chlorophyll-A In Utah Lake, Kaylee B. Tanner

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Monitoring The Partial Pressure Of Oxygen In Urine For Early Detection Of Acute Kidney Injury, Lars Lofgren, Kai Kück, Natalie Silverton

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is defined as an abrupt decrease in renal function due to structural injury. AKI has a large effect on critical care patients due to a relatively high occurrence and association with poor outcomes. Currently, the diagnostic tools that we have, serum creatinine and urine output, are delayed indicators of the presence of injury and simply capture the drop in renal function. However, there is evidence that renal hypoxia plays a role in the development of most forms of AKI. Furthermore, there is a correlation between the partial pressure of oxygen in urine (PuO₂) and …

“I Want To Say The Right Thing”: Developing Translingual Literacy Practices Through Early Care Educator And University Researcher Partnerships, Angie Zapata Phd, Mary Adu-Gyamfi, Phd, Adrianna González Ybarra

Occasional Paper Series

An early care educator (ECE) and university collaborative model of teacher learning offers a distinct departure from common top-down models of professional development. Implementing a Social Design-Based Experiment, ECE and university partners collaborate to explore translingual picturebooks to address curricular inequities in their school settings. Featuring the experience of one white, middle-class ECE (Tamara) in a Midwest rural suburban school, we identify three critical components of this ECE and university researcher collaborative inquiry model: role of ECE as mentors and supporters, picturebooks as tools, and role of university partners as facilitators. Tamara’s experience highlights the critical components of the model, …

Contributors, Diamond Line Editors

Diamond Line Undergraduate Literary Magazine

No abstract provided.

Diamond Line - Spring 2024, Diamond Line Editors

Diamond Line Undergraduate Literary Magazine

No abstract provided.

Design And Analysis Of The Effect Of Catenary On Mechanical Properties Of Thermoplastic Composites, Miles Williams, Brinik Erickson, Sean Primiano, Austin Pickup

Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Projects

This report is the work of the University of Rhode Island Mechanical Engineering Capstone Team 23 for the 2023 to 2024 Academic Year. This project is sponsored by Concordia Engineered Fibers with the purpose of designing a system to control tension in order to solve the problem of catenary while combining four plys of 3K commingled composite fiber into one end. Catenary is the uneven tension and lengths of plys within a combined bundle.

The design process began with literature and patent searches to find existing research and designs that are relevant to the problem of catenary and plying four …

We Are What We Eat: Unsustainable Food And Diet In America, Azzurra Bertelli Pisetti

Student Theses 2015-Present

The following paper addresses the issue of unsustainable food and diet in the United States, specifically, the problems related to the US industrial food system that lead to the exploitation of ecosystem services, public health burdens with social inequalities, and economic costs. Possible solutions may include an increased awareness of nutrition through education and policies, as well as urban agricultural technologies like the vertical farm. Chapter 1 analyzes the quantitative data on today's industrial food problem and its degradation of ecosystem services, with concerns for social injustice and ecological instability, including the global over-consumption of beef and its negative effects …

Swine & Symphonies, Dilara Miller

Graduate Artistry Projects and Performances

Dilara Miller’s work critique’s and reflects on the social/cultural effects of being a Turkish-American Muslim woman in today’s society. Through referencing antiquities and how they are presented today, she identifies patterns of hierarchies that exist in human history through an eco-feminist lens. Miller’s work reflects on the role of the artist and the historical testimony we leave behind; like her Girl Birds, she seeks to record her experiences within our Anthropocene as colored by mythic and Islamic teachings. Miller pulls from historic epochs to generate a foundation from which to examine our contemporary treatment of women as related to our …

Canciones De Cuna En La Frontera: Las Canciones De Cuna En El Valle De Juárez / Lullabies In The Border: Lullaby Singing In El Valle Of Juarez, Emma Alvarez De La Rosa

The Agora

Resumen en español:

Las canciones de cuna desempeñan un papel importante en el desarrollo de los niños, el bienestar de la madre y las relaciones sanas entre padres e hijos. Estas canciones también representan acervos musicales de valores y tradiciones culturales. Este trabajo resume la investigación y los resultados obtenidos para mi proyecto final Honors Capstone para la New Mexico State University, que examina la preservación de las canciones de cuna en la región del Valle de Juárez y Ciudad Juárez. Basadas en análisis etnográficos y etnomusicológicos para entender su importancia en la historia y cultura de la región fronteriza, …

Toxic Chocolate: An Investigation Of Heavy Metal Concentrations In Chocolate Products, Meredith E. Hoff

Student Scholarship

Many news organizations and scientific journals have recently reported high concentrations of lead and cadmium in chocolate products. The consumption of lead, cadmium, and other toxic metals can lead to numerous health impacts and impair development in children.1,2 Previous studies have specifically focused on the quantification of lead and cadmium in mainstream chocolate products, neglecting small businesses and the quantification of other heavy metals. This study addresses this disparity by analyzing the concentrations of lead, cadmium, barium, strontium, thallium, and mercury in lesser-known chocolate products from Castronovo Chocolate, Meridian Cacao Co., and Lidl. Two ICP-OES instruments and a direct mercury …

Gonadotropin Elevation Is Ootoxic To Ovulatory Oocytes And Inhibits Oocyte Maturation, And Activin Decoy Receptor Actriib:Fc Therapeutically Restores Maturation., Lori R Bernstein, Amelia C L Mackenzie, Charles L Chaffin, Se-Jin Lee, Duane C Kraemer, Istvan Merchenthaler

Faculty Research 2024

BACKGROUND: Elevated FSH often occurs in women of advanced maternal age (AMA, age ≥ 35) and in infertility patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). There is controversy on whether high endogenous FSH contributes to infertility and whether high exogenous FSH adversely impacts patient pregnancy rates.

METHODS: The senescence-accelerated mouse-prone-8 (SAMP8) model of female reproductive aging was employed to assess the separate impacts of age and high FSH activity on the percentages (%) of viable and mature ovulated oocytes recovered after gonadotropin treatment. Young and midlife mice were treated with the FSH analog equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) to model both endogenous …

Anxious, Stressed, Or Overwhelmed: The Typical Sensory Processing Pattern Of First-Year Occupational Therapy Students, Caroline V. Holsclaw

Honors Theses

This research discusses the four sensory processing patterns, sensory sensitivity, sensory avoidant, sensory seeking, and low registration, demonstrated by first year occupational therapy doctoral program students. These four patterns describe how our brains process sensory information from the environment and from our bodies. These patterns have been linked to many things in one’s life such as their attachment styles, anxiety disorders, and quality of life, and neurologically connected to the parasympathetic nervous system which is involved with the fight or flight response. Understanding your own sensory processing pattern and preferences can help you understand how you can find sensory input …

Reading Between The Lines: Understanding College Students' Literacy Skills, Alexandra M. Jones

Honors Theses

Given that reading is a complex and multifaceted process, we need a better understanding of how different reading measures assess college students’ reading skills. Furthermore, this study evaluates what reading skills are most influential in determining undergraduate students' GPA. We investigated the relationship between different reading skills (i.e., comprehension, vocabulary, metacognitive awareness, and critical reading behaviors) and academic performance (GPA). Reading skills are especially important within university settings because they are required for academic success. We recruited a sample of 100 students through an online survey hosted on Qualtrics. We found that ACT Reading scores significantly predict GPA. However, vocabulary, …

Fixing Kentucky: A Comparative Analysis Of The Spay And Neuter Options Available To Rural Kentucky Counties, Emma M. Spurlock

Honors Theses

The objective of this research is to determine if there is a substantial difference in the availability of spay and neuter resources in rural Kentucky counties compared to urban Kentucky counties. An analysis of the Kentucky Animal Control Advisory board meeting minutes over the past ten years was conducted to determine how spay and neuter programs are funded, what counties receive funding, and the process for requesting spay and neuter grant support. Rural Kentucky communities are underserved regarding spay and neuter resources because of insufficient funding, limited veterinary and animal care, and inadequate government involvement. Improving access to spay and …

Home, Emily Hollowell

Undergraduate B.F.A. Theses in Studio Art

No abstract provided.

Actuarial Prediction Of Adhd Using Neuropsychological Data, Kimberlyn Williams

Honors Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric diagnosis in children and a frequent psychiatric diagnosis in adults. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis based on self-reported symptoms which makes accurate diagnosis challenging. Actuarial prediction has been demonstrated to be more accurate than clinical judgment. The current study explored an actuarial approach to predicting ADHD based on a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. This project utilized test data from Meyers Neuropsychological Battery (MNB) to develop a logistic regression model to accurately predict diagnosed ADHD cases (n=65) from normal functioning cases (n=79) with a history of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). Binary …

Importancia De La Sensibilidad Cultural Y Lingüística A La Identidad Autista En Clases Convencionales / Importance Of Cultural And Linguistic Sensitivity To Autistic Identity In Mainstream Classrooms, Thelma M. Solis

The Agora

Resumen en español:

La investigación presente argumenta que la sensibilidad cultural y lingüística a la identidad autista de niños con el trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) es importante porque ayuda a que sean comprendidos en sus clases convencionales, y por ende incrementa su autoestima y crea un andamiaje a su integración en la cultura académica. Las áreas problemáticas en el ámbito médico y académico son retrasos en diagnósticos de TEA en grupos minoritarios, evaluaciones psicológicas posiblemente deficientes en sensibilidad cultural y lingüística de culturas minoritarias, y clases convencionales generalmente diseñadas exclusivamente para estudiantes neurotípicos. Los objetivos son detallar prácticas de …

Queen Of The Night, Kayla Blundell

The Agora

“Queen of the Night” was a self-directed project in my Intermediate Sculpture class taught by Professor Carissa Samaniego at New Mexico State University. The criteria I had was to address the contemporary issues of authorship, which I chose to address by including my husband as a resource. He helped me fulfill my vision for the project as I was not physically capable of doing some of the techniques without his help due to the lack of machinery available to me. He also helped with the electrical components since he is good at electrical schematics, and I am unfamiliar with electrical …

Eviction-Driven Infanticide And Sexually Selected Adoption And Infanticide In A Neotropical Parrot, Steven R. Beissinger, Karl S. Berg

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Significance

Infanticide and adoption are puzzling forms of sexual conflict and cooperation, respectively. However, both may be explained by sexual selection, where an individual later reproduces with the parent whose offspring it killed or adopted. While sexually selected infanticide is well known, evidence for sexually selected adoption is anecdotal. Our long-term study of a parrotlet in Venezuela found infanticide attacks were mostly enacted by nonbreeding pairs attempting to evict parents from their nests to usurp the cavity. Infanticide attacks occurred less often at nests where a parent died, and adoption by stepparents was as common as infanticide. Becoming an adoptive …