Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Academic Research Productivity And Faculty Performance In Palestinian Universities: A Qualitative Investigation, Jafar W. Abu Saa

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

COVID-19's worldwide spread in early 2020 necessitated the implementation of various precautionary measures by governments worldwide to restrain the fast-paced propagation of the pandemic. One of the strategies called for the brief shutdown of educational establishments such as schools, colleges and universities. Objectives of the study: The present investigation intends to examine the viewpoints of Palestinian academic personnel on the influence of the Coronavirus on their research activities and academic achievements. Methodology and procedures: The study utilized a qualitative research methodology, which primarily relied on a semi-structured open-ended interview technique to collect data. Five esteemed professors from a prestigious university …

Elaborating A Human Rights Friendly Copyright Framework For Generative Ai, Christophe Geiger

Joint PIJIP/TLS Research Paper Series

This paper analyses the copyright issues related to so-called “generative AI” systems and reviews the arguments currently advanced to change the copyright regime for AI-generated works from a human rights perspective. It argues that because of the applicable human rights framework for copyright but also the anthropocentric approach of human rights the protection of creators and human creativity must be considered the point of reference when assessing future reforms with regard to copyright and generative AI systems. Consequently, the copyrightability of AI-generated outputs should be considered with utmost care and only when AI is used as a technical tool for …

Urban Expansion And Loss Of Watershed Of Eleyele Dam In Ibadan, Nigeria, Samson A. Adejumo, Solomon Osunwale

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The study examined human activities contributing to the depletion of the Eleyele watershed. The activities have grown over time due to urban expansion through population growth and land and space requirements, resulting in rapid land use and land cover change. The study sourced both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 247 pre-tested questionnaires were administered to randomly selected residents in the four communities (Eleyele, Ijokodo, Awotan, and Idi Osan) abutting the Eleyele watershed. In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads of Eleyele Waterworks, the Forestry Department, and the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. We used Remote …

Unraveling The Evolutionary Origin Of The Complex Nuclear Receptor Element (Cnre), A Cis-Regulatory Module Required For Preferential Expression In The Atrial Chamber., Luana Nunes Santos, Ângela Maria Sousa Costa, Martin Nikolov, João E Carvalho, Allysson Coelho Sampaio, Frank E Stockdale, Gang Feng Wang, Hozana Andrade Castillo, Mariana Bortoletto Grizante, Stefanie Dudczig, Michelle Vasconcelos, Nadia Rosenthal, Patricia Regina Jusuf, Hieu T Nim, Paulo De Oliveira, Tatiana Guimarães De Freitas Matos, William Nikovits, Izabella Luisa Tambones, Ana Carolina Migliorini Figueira, Michael Schubert, Mirana Ramialison, José Xavier-Neto

Faculty Research 2024

Cardiac function requires appropriate proteins in each chamber. Atria requires slow myosin to act as reservoirs, while ventricles demand fast myosin for swift pumping. Myosins are thus under chamber-biased cis-regulation, with myosin gene expression imbalances leading to congenital heart dysfunction. To identify regulatory inputs leading to cardiac chamber-biased expression, we computationally and molecularly dissected the quail Slow Myosin Heavy Chain III (SMyHC III) promoter that drives preferential expression to the atria. We show that SMyHC III gene states are orchestrated by a complex Nuclear Receptor Element (cNRE) of 32 base pairs. Using transgenesis in zebrafish and mice, we demonstrate that …

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes April 4, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 7, 2024
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews -
• College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences,
• Caine College of the Arts,
• Jon M. Huntsman School of Business,
• Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services,
• College of Engineering,
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences,
• S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources,
• College of Science,
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 2:30 pm

April 4, 2024, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

What Can We Learn About Teaching Excellence From Our Students? Lessons From Six Years Of Teaching Award Data, Christopher Shortell, Kris Henning, Carl Christiansen

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Teaching excellence in higher education can be defined and studied in different ways, but research efforts to date have often focused on institutional or instructor perspectives. This article uses a data set of over 500 open-ended comments submitted by Political Science undergraduates as part of a teaching award process to identify themes that matter most to students. We find that being supportive, bringing humor, enthusiasm, and passion to the classroom, and engaging students with relevant, challenging, and exciting activities are what defines teaching excellence from a student’s perspective. Building on these themes and using quotes to illustrate key concepts, we …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic On U.S. Beef Exports To Its Major Trading Partners, Richard Bien

Research Papers

This study analyzed the effect of COVID-19 on U.S. beef exports to South Korea, Japan, China, Mexico, and Canada between June 2017 and July 2023. After accounting for potential factors influencing exports, the study finds that the pandemic’s impact was different in both magnitude and persistence among major trading partners. The drop in exports to Japan and Mexico were notable during the pandemic. The decline in exports began early in the year for Mexico and in March for South Korea. Exports to Canada on the other hand both increased and decreased during this period. Exports to China followed a different …

Grasshoppers In Wood River: A Relic Population Of The Presumed Extinct Rocky Mountain Locust?, Luke Lawson, Derek Sikes

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

Investigation into the taxonomy of a grasshopper outbreak in rural Alaska.

The Importance Of Urban Eco-Gardens For Biodiversity And Human Sustainability: A Case Study From Palestine, Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, Mohammad H. Najajrah, Elias N. Handal, Johanna Gideon, Mohammed A. Abusarhan, Ruediger Prasse

Cities and the Environment (CATE)

The situation in Palestine is of concern where global threats of climate change, overexploitation, habitat destruction, invasive species, and pollution are compounded by occupation and conflict. Thus, almost 1/3^rd of vascular plant species are rare and over 50 are listed as endangered or rare based on their abundance and presence in grids studied earlier. Here, we describe the development of a conservation botanic garden that works via research, education, and direct in situ and ex situ conservation of plant species. The garden now boasts 381 species of vascular plants (63 are rare). The team scientifically and selectively introduced some …

Vista Checkpoint Inhibition By Ph-Selective Antibody Sns-101 With Optimized Safety And Pharmacokinetic Profiles Enhances Pd-1 Response, Thomas Thisted, Yoshiko Takeuchi, Robert D Schreiber, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

VISTA, an inhibitory myeloid-T-cell checkpoint, holds promise as a target for cancer immunotherapy. However, its effective targeting has been impeded by issues such as rapid clearance and cytokine release syndrome observed with previous VISTA antibodies. Here we demonstrate that SNS-101, a newly developed pH-selective VISTA antibody, addresses these challenges. Structural and biochemical analyses confirmed the pH-selectivity and unique epitope targeted by SNS-101. These properties confer favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles on SNS-101. In syngeneic tumor models utilizing human VISTA knock-in mice, SNS-101 shows in vivo efficacy when combined with a PD-1 inhibitor, modulates cytokine and chemokine signaling, and alters the …

Copper Toxicity And Calcium Supplementation On Nkx2.5 And Mt2 Gene Expression In Zebrafish Embryos, Sahib Mohammad Bakir, Theodore B. Henry, Richard D. Handy

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Background: Heavy metals are pervasive pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, posing significant threats to the survival and development of aquatic organisms, particularly during their early life stages. While copper is necessary for fish growth and maturation, elevated levels of dissolved copper in water can lead to adverse effects on early developmental stages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression pattern of the nkx2.5 gene and the potential of Mt2 expression as a biomarker for metal toxicity. Methods: The study assessed the expression levels of the nkx2.5 gene at different time points during embryonic development, focusing particularly on its …

Intestinal Cell Diversity And Treatment Responses In A Parasitic Nematode At Single Cell Resolution, Rahul Tyagi, Bruce A Rosa, Amanda Swain, Maxim N Artyomov, Douglas P Jasmer, Makedonka Mitreva

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Parasitic nematodes, significant pathogens for humans, animals, and plants, depend on diverse organ systems for intra-host survival. Understanding the cellular diversity and molecular variations underlying these functions holds promise for developing novel therapeutics, with specific emphasis on the neuromuscular system's functional diversity. The nematode intestine, crucial for anthelmintic therapies, exhibits diverse cellular phenotypes, and unraveling this diversity at the single-cell level is essential for advancing knowledge in anthelmintic research across various organ systems.

RESULTS: Here, using novel single-cell transcriptomics datasets, we delineate cellular diversity within the intestine of adult female Ascaris suum, a parasitic nematode species that infects animals …

Yukon Harmony Veterinary Clinic Business Proposal, Shaina Atcherian, Aiyana Erhart, Marcelo Ketzler-Lopez, Elise Wood, Jillian Bjornstad

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

A hub and spoke veterinary clinic based in Fort Yukon, Alaska, that would provide preventative Veterinary services to communities in Interior Rural Alaska at no cost.

Effects Of Hypoxia On Blood Osmolarity In Antarctic Fish Species, Christian Bolton, Kristin O'Brien

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

Temperature is increasing in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica and as a result, oxygen levels are also decreasing, potentially affecting native fish species. I am measuring blood osmolarity to determine if hypoxia affects the ability of Antarctic fish to regulate blood osmolarity.

The Influence Of Ground Cover And Soil Conditions On Blueberry Productivity, Jedidiah Fincher, Kendall Martinez, Katie Spellman

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

A study of the effects of ground cover and soil conditions on Blueberry productivity at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Station.

The Food Waste Challenge, Andrew N. Rowan, Kathleen Rowan

WellBeing News

The world wastes an extraordinary quantity of food, but the issue has begun to be addressed.

The Latest Australian 'Threat Abatement Plan' For Cats, Andrew N. Rowan

WellBeing News

Australia continues to explore ways to save its unique fauna from predation by domestic cats.

Roadkill: Citizen Science At Work, Andrew N. Rowan

WellBeing News

Wildlife roadkill data began to be collected in the 1990s by citizen scientists and is now a global enterprise.

The Use Of Duddingtonia Flagrans Aged In Mineral For Gastrointestinal Parasitic Nematode Control In Small Ruminants, Elisa M. Preston

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major constraint to small ruminant health and production throughout the world. Haemonchus contortus commonly known as the “barber pole worm” is a major concern for producers and veterinarians because of the severe anemia, and other clinical symptoms these worms cause. For decades, anthelmintics have been used to control the GIN burden small ruminants face. Katahdin (n=36) and Hampshire sheep (n=12) were used in a randomized block design experiment over a 30-day period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Duddingtonia flagrans spores, the active ingredient in a commercial product, Bioworma® (International …

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension After Abrupt Cessation Of Medication: A Case Report Of Abrupt Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (Glp-1) Receptor Agonist Cessation And Review Of The Literature, Brittany Heckel

Department of Jefferson Headache Center Papers and Presentations

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is two-fold: (1) to discuss a case report of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) after abrupt cessation of a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist with resultant rapid weight gain and (2) to review the literature regarding the potential role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the treatment of IIH as well as potential pitfalls.

RECENT FINDINGS: GLP-1 receptor agonists have become widely used to treat obesity. Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of IIH, though the precise pathophysiology is unclear. GLP-1 receptor agonists may help treat IIH by promoting weight loss, …

Beach Processes Controlling Erosional Hotspots And Their Influences On Beach Nourishment Performances: A Case Study Along West-Central Florida Barrier Island Beaches, Sophia Gutierrez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the long-term performance of repeated beach nourishment over an approximately 35-year period at two barrier islands, Sand Key and Treasure Island along the west-central Florida coast, USA. Five cycles of beach nourishment on Sand Key and six on Treasure Island were conducted during the study period. Three erosional hotspots were identified along a combined 14-km stretch of the nourished beach. The processes that cause the erosional hotspot were examined through numerical modeling of nearshore wave and current fields.

The most recent three nourishments since 2006 were monitored systematically by this study. Beach profiles were surveyed bimonthly to …

Starting Small Or Big: An Artificial Language Paradigm, Rachel Evans

LSU Master's Theses

Previous research on language acquisition has raised two competing hypotheses: Starting Small and Starting Big. Starting Small states that limitations (small working memory capacity, simple structure, short string length, etc.) are beneficial for language learning, which explains why children are able to acquire language more easily than adults. Starting Big proposes the opposite, that input of chunks of language rather than individual units creates a stronger and more fluid understanding of grammatical relations between words. The current study aimed to investigate these theories in the context of an artificial language paradigm using a forced-choice task, a production task, a working …

Soil Health Cycle, Bijesh Maharjan, Saurav Das, Vesh R. Thapa, Bharat Sharma Acharya

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil health is pivotal to agricultural sustainability. Promoting and sustaining soil health management is challenging since it involves many interdependent components and steps and is an iterative process. Herein, the soil health cycle (SHC) is proposed as a soil health management cycle encompassing human dimensions, management practices, and their effects on soil health indicators (SHIs), leading to subsequent impacts on soil functions. The SHC provides a structure for an iterative testing of changes to improve soil health. A systematic review of research publications was also conducted using the Web of Science database supplemented by Elicit AI and Scopus API searches …

Characterizing The Roles Of Bacterial And Viral Agents In House Crickets (Acheta Domesticus) At Commercial Rearing Facilities In The United States, Kimberly L. Boykin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Feeder insects, and in particular crickets, are becoming more popular as food for humans and domesticated animals. However, disease outbreaks continue to decimate commercial populations. The goals of this dissertation were to characterize the epidemiology of different viral and bacterial pathogens affecting the survival of European house crickets (Acheta domesticus) being raised under mass rearing conditions and identify methods to reduce the impact of these pathogens.

Crickets from nine different producers across the United States were sampled during different seasons to better estimate the prevalence of three pathogenic viruses: Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDV), Acheta domesticus volvovirus (AdVVV), and …

Addition And Subtraction: Coral Reproduction And Disease In A Changing Ocean, Ashley Rossin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Marine diseases are changing the landscapes of coral reefs particularly throughout the Western Atlantic. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) swept through this region impacting at least 22 stony coral species. White plague (WP) is a more ephemeral disease, but still has a significant impact on coral reef health and perseverance, especially under a changing ocean. While these impacts are seen on the reef-scale, we can zoom into the tissue-level to identify disease markers for both diseases and identify their differences. This has ramifications for disease intervention, as well as mitigation strategies. Despite continuous disease outbreaks, healthy corals persist and …

The Social And Economic Dimensions Of One Of The World’S Longest-Operating Shark Fisheries, Matias Braccini, Maddison Watt, Clinton Syers, Nick Blay, Matthew Navarro, Michael Burton

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Social and economic information is limited for coastal commercial and recreational fisheries, particularly shark fisheries, which are perceived as unsustainable and as targeting sharks for fins.

Aims

To characterise the social and economic dimensions of one of the world’s few long-standing sustainable shark fisheries.

Methods

We reviewed historic data and surveyed stakeholders to understand the economic and social dimensions of the shark fishery currently operating in Western Australia.

Key results

Since the fishery’s historic peak, there has been a substantial reduction in the number of operating vessels and ports due to management intervention. For the vessels that have remained, …

The Scowl - V. 88 N. 6 - April 4, 2024

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 88 No. 6 - April 4, 2024. 20 pages.

Maine Farmers Receptive To Seaweed Feed, Nicholas Gosling

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

The Scarlet - Volume Cii, No. 10 (April 24, 2024), Scarlet Staff

The Scarlet (Student Newspaper) (2011-present)

The April 24, 2024 edition of The Scarlet (est. 1939), Clark University's student-run newspaper. The Scarlet is intellectually and editorially independent of the University.