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Biomechanical Simulation Of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Leads With Residual Properties, Anmar Mahdi Salih

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Implantable leads used in pacemakers, defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy are designed for in-vivo applications, yet their longevity is inevitably shaped by the conditions within the human body. The mechanical behavior of these leads can be affected over time, necessitating the evaluation of their residual properties. Two main insulators, silicone, and polyurethane are commonly used for the outer insulation of cardiac leads. Understanding the long-term performance of these insulators is crucial for ensuring the reliability and safety of cardiac implantable devices. The research aims to assess the long-term mechanical properties and performance of implantable leads utilized in cardiovascular implantable electronic …

The Relationship Between Aim Pathways Professional Development, Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy For Literacy Instruction, And Literacy Knowledge, Among K-3 Teachers, Shakita Bagwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching reading has been an ongoing challenge for many educators across the United States. Numerous studies suggest that teachers feel they were not adequately prepared to teach reading and have low efficacy in delivering literacy instruction. Teaching reading requires educators to be knowledgeable about the alphabetic principle, decoding new words, and how the brain learns to read. This exploratory study aimed to investigate the relationship between AIM Pathways Professional Development on teachers’ literacy efficacy and knowledge compared to teachers who did not receive the professional development. A survey was administered to eighty-eight teachers in Mississippi Literacy Support Schools. Multidimensional scaling …

More Than A Feeling: Materializing Sympathy In Nineteenth-Century American Literature, Kathleen Downes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“More than a Feeling: Materializing Sympathy in Nineteenth-Century American Literature” breaks from a long tradition of criticism that only considers the nineteenth-century belief that sympathy was a benevolent, voluntary, imaginative act of feeling that maintains moral rectitude through the identification of suffering with others. In this context, sympathy is primarily defined as identificatory sympathy. “More than a Feeling” expands the definition of sympathy in the nineteenth century as also something that could be atmospherically communicated, transmitting good or bad feeling, and thus affecting and infecting those around them. This other form of sympathy, which for this project I term “effluvial …

Mississippi's America: Late Southern Writing On National Themes, Jacob Fennell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines three texts each from three Mississippi authors working today: Kiese Laymon, Jesmyn Ward, and Mary Miller. These authors’ literary constructions of their home state and the South as a whole serve as critical, political frames for the United States. As a result, their work is well-served by the questions and methodology of New Southern Studies, a field actively invested in conceptions of the U.S. South as nonexceptional and lodged within greater geopolitical contexts. Indeed, the original call for New Southern Studies from Houston A. Baker, Jr. and Dana Nelson speaks to a problem of a false national …

Running In The Rain: Stories, Vinh Hoang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A short story collection.

As Lightning, Lenna Mendoza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A collection of poems.

Montesquieu: The Nature Of L’Esprit Des Lois, Christian Jax Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When Baron de Montesquieu received a copy of his L’Esprit des lois, he was horrified by the total removal and reorganization of critical parts of his text, changed ideas, and an abnormal amount of printing errors in his work. While he saw these issues hindering the reception of his work, this thesis argues that the chaos of the text, in both its style and publication, made the book more popular instead of hindering it. Montesquieu, his editor, and his publisher constructed a new kind of text that was broad in its subject matter and ambiguous in its meaning where its …

Stabilized Fingolimod Nanoemulsion Ophthalmic Formulation For The Treatment Of Retinal Degeneration, Mekhala Sharad Naik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fingolimod (FTY) is a sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonist and an inhibitor of ceramide synthase, reducing cellular ceramide levels and mitigating photoreceptor degeneration. The current research focuses on enhancing the stability of a previously reported FTY nanoemulsion (FTY-NE) topical (eyedrop) ophthalmic formulation. However, FTY undergoes oxidative and base mediated hydrolytic degradation, and the previously reported formulation, although effective, failed within 90 days storage at room temperature. This study explores various approaches, such as addition of buffer, cosolvents, steric stabilizer, viscosity enhancer, emulsifying agent, and a chelating agent in the NE system to increase shelf-life. The FTY-NE formulations (0.3% drug load) were prepared …

Moderation In Online Incel Forums: A Comparison Of Warning Behaviors, Katherine Elizabeth Norris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Incels constitute an online community characterized by shared negative perspectives concerning masculinity, women, and societal norms. Platforms such as Twitter and Reddit have implemented content moderation measures aimed at curtailing the dissemination of incels' ideologies, which often promote violence and suicidal ideation. To observe the influence of content moderation on incel discourse, this study examined posts from two distinct incel forums: one subject to moderation and another without such restrictions. Employing thematic analysis, common themes within the posts were identified, and the occurrence of negative language was quantitatively assessed. Findings revealed that the moderated forum exhibited a higher prevalence of …

Investigation Of Evolution In Fungal Traits At Multiple Genetic Scales, Brooke Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study of fungal traits is critical for understanding community assembly and ecosystem function, as traits related to resource acquisition, enemy avoidance, and stress tolerance link fungi to their ecological roles. Symbiotic relationships, such as those between ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi and their host plants, greatly influence fungal traits and play a key role in fungal evolution. In this study, we addressed the evolution of EcM fungal traits, particularly biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), at multiple genetic scales, including individual genes, genotypes within populations, and a broader phylogenetic perspective across the fungal kingdom. First, we surveyed the diversity of BGCs in native …

Molecular Modeling Of Inhibitors Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 And Urinary Tract Infections, Priyanka Samanta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Glycans initiate host–pathogen interactions in two particular infectious diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and urinary tract infections (UTIs). In this work, recent advances of computational tools in drug design are utilized to target these glycanspecific host–pathogen interactions for the potential prevention of SARS-CoV-2 or UTIs.

SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into the host cell is mediated by the viral S-protein. Carbohydrate molecules bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S-protein which interacts with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and leads to host cell invasion. Here we report computational studies …

Tidal Perturbations Of Kerr Spacetime And Their Impact On Orbits, L. Joseph Rivest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I develop a software package to produce and analyze tidally perturbed geodesics in a Kerr background spacetime. Though my simulations do not include radiation reaction, they are a good proxy for Extreme Mass-Ratio Inspirals (EMRI) in a perturbing environment. The goal of this work is to categorize cases in which perturbations are likely to bias Gravity Wave (GW) signals detected by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) strongly enough to require additional modeling. I limit my investigation to static perturbation fields. I perform metric reconstruction in the Geroch-Held-Penrose (GHP) formalism followed by a novel approach to the derivation of the …

Dunc13 Isoforms, Rim, And Rab3 Differentially Modulate Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity In Drosophila Melanogaster., Gaurav Shrestha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dunc13 is a Drosophila active zone protein homologous to the mammalian Munc13that interacts with RIM and Rab3 as a heterotrimer. Alcohol binds to the C1 domain of Dunc13/Munc13 and inhibits its ability to bind to Diacylglycerol, inhibiting neuronal signaling. The genetic reduction of Dunc13 activity in the Dunc13P84200/+ heterozygotes induces a state in flies that mimics alcohol tolerance, evidenced by increased self-administration, and behavioral, physiological, and molecular resistance. This includes changes in the expression of key synaptic proteins, such as decreased expression of Dunc13 and Syb mRNA, and increased expression of Rim and Rab3 4hrs after ethanol exposure. Dunc13 has …

Regulating For Asymmetric Market Power : Beyond The Consumer Sovereignty Model, Olivier Sylvain

Faculty Scholarship

Recent policy developments suggest that consumer sovereignty models of regulation have substantial, if not fatal, limitations. Binding decisions by the European Data Protection Board in 2023, as well as other recent public law enactments in the EU and the US, overtly reject the assumption that individuals are best situated to manage how companies process or use their personal information. Prevalent online practices are too opaque. And the “ take it or leave it ” services that companies provide render individuals’ rights and commercial choices effectively meaningless. In short, the relative power of consumers as compared to the companies that collect, …

Corporate Speech And Corporate Purpose: A Theory Of Corporate First Amendment Rights, Sean J. Griffith

Faculty Scholarship

The negative speech right (the right to refrain from speaking) strains the standard rationale for corporate speech rights. First Amendment jurisprudence extends speech rights to corporations on a mix of intrinsic and instrumental rationales. The intrinsic rationale is derived from the natural rights of persons, and often thought not to apply to corporations. Meanwhile the instrumental rationale, grounded on the value of speech in promoting self-government, would seem not to apply to the negative right. Remaining silent, after all, does little to advance public debate.    This article uses the SEC’s shareholder proposal rule to examine the larger question of corporate …

Children's Hospital Animatronic, Erin Keller, Wesley Cunningham, Dylan Mueller, Carl Richter

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This senior project explores the development of a pediatric-oriented animatronic designed to enhance the hospital experience for children. Recognizing the importance of alleviating the anxiety and fear that often accompany hospital visits, the project focuses on creating an engaging and interactive companion to soothe children.

Key components of this project include:

1. Creative Design: The animatronic character's design prioritizes child-friendliness, employing research into child psychology and preferences to ensure an appealing and approachable aesthetic.

2. Electrical and Mechanical Engineering: A robust mechanical and electronic system was engineered to enable lifelike movements, gestures, and responses.

3. Interactive Features: A simple, user-friendly app will be …

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Social Determinants Of Health: Evaluation Using Rates Of Vision Screening And Follow-Up Examinations, Madeline Dyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vision care is essential to the quality of life of young children, impacting them over the course of their lives. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) affect the likelihood of a child having access to appropriate care specified by the Bright Futures. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SDOH on the completion of vision screening and the rate of follow-up with an eye care provider when applicable. In addition, rates of instrument-based vision screening and recommended ophthalmology follow-up were compared with COI, a metric assessing the quality of resources available and the conditions that matter for …

Effects Of Energy Drink Additives On Crayfish Metabolism, Katherine Paltz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The effects of caffeine and additives commonly found in energy drinks were tested on crayfish to record changes, if any, in their metabolism. Three experimental groups were studied: 1. Caffeine; 2. Caffeine + Glucuronolactone; 3.) Caffeine + Glucuronolactone + Taurine. Caffeine is a common stimulant used to improve mental awareness, headaches, memory, and athletic performance. Glucuronolactone is connected with cardiovascular issues and aggressive behavior. Taurine is said to improve mood and focus. The experiment was performed at two different caffeine levels: 600mg and 1200mg for an initial 1 hour of exposure and 10 hours after exposure used as a pseudo-baseline. …

Crayfish Tube-Feeding Methodology, Phoenix Johnson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this paper was to use a tube feeding method on crayfish to expose them to substances through ingestion rather than the gill. This was done to mimic human ingestion of substance to aid in crayfish research involving substances that are normally ingestion. This was done by using a pipette to inject grains of sand into the mouth of the crayfish. To determine if the method worked and successfully went into the stomach the grains of sand were recovered and counted under a microscope after certain increments of time post injection.

Sugardale Marketing Research Project, Brandon Gray, Xavier Zup, Alexis Rossilli, Robert Britton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This is a marketing research project for Sugardale meat company. Our group will be conducting primary and secondary research in order to answer questions and achieve goals that will help the Sugardale meat company market to millennials.

Tropical Fish Study In Tahiti, French Polynesia, Miranda Brainard, Caitlyn Swango, Paityn Houglan, Richard Londraville

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In May of 2023, I embarked on an exciting research journey to Moorea, French Polynesia, alongside fellow students and faculty members from the University of Akron and Syracuse University. This expedition was part of the university-sponsored Tropical Vertebrate Biology course, where we delved into the exploration of various tropical species inhabiting the island, including sea urchins, geckos, and my primary focus, the blackspotted rockskipper.

My research team, composed of my co-authors and me, was particularly intrigued by the unique refuge-seeking behavior displayed by blackspotted rockskippers. These amphibious fish are renowned for their remarkable ability to inhabit tide pools and rocky …

Atmospheric Transformation Of Refrigerants: Current Research Developments And Knowledge Gaps, Christian Mark Salvador, Federico Sinche Chele, Louise Stevenson, Fred Dolislager, Anthony Armstrong, Teresa Mathews, Samuel Yana Motta

International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference

No abstract provided.

Disability Untheorized: Critiques Of Eugenics, Then And Now, Maren Linett

Department of English Faculty Publications

Critiques of Anglo-American eugenics from the turn of the twentieth century through today demonstrate that the people swept up by the colossal eugenic broom were not biologically “unfit” without questioning either the notion of biological inferiority itself or the “menace” eugenicists saw in disability. They therefore imply that what was wrong with eugenics was its inaccuracy—that it was only ethically problematic because it did not correctly identify “unfit” people. Such critiques, while offering social models of race, poverty, criminality, and/or gender, leave disability untheorized and neglect the rights of disabled people.

Development Of A Chamber Platform For Evaluating Indoor Dust Contact Transfer And Resuspension In Infant Near-Floor Microenvironments, Brian Magnuson, Satya Patra, Nusrat Jung, Brandon Boor

International High Performance Buildings Conference

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Workflow For Addressing Performance, Dynamics, Tribological And Nvh Issues In Scroll Compressors, Sibi Kandasamy, Rodrigo Aihara, Rifat Keribar, Ali Afshari, Zhiqiang Wang, Chao Ma, Dejun Song

International Compressor Engineering Conference

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Natural Wood Treatments Against Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes Flavipes) Damage: A Comparative Study, Emma Goettel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research is to discover alternative natural chemical cues to the use of borates to deter Eastern Subterranean Termites (R. flavipes) that remain in place in areas of high moisture content. Common sources of food for Eastern Subterranean Termites include materials that are high in cellulose content. As one of these sources, wood, is an abundantly used material in society such as in home construction, research into potential methods to make this material less susceptible to termite predation is an area of public interest. The current method of deterrence is pressure treatment of wood with Borates as they disrupt the …

Tracking Information In The Field: An Assessment Of The Information Needs And Services Of A Field Station Library, Thom Gerrish, Scott Martin

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This project examines field station libraries, an undescribed type of library associated with terrestrial and marine field stations. Field stations typically support ecology, geology, and related disciplines with housing, laboratories, and research facilities, which may include various levels of library support. In summer 2022, researchers, instructors, and staff at the University of Michigan Biological Station were interviewed about the library resources and services they use while working and teaching at the field station. Library resources were used throughout teaching and research activities, with one-shot instruction and in-person reference support as the primary contact points between the library and the field …

Smart Dog Door, Andrew Shetler, William Boissoneault, Jacob Stump, Benjamin Charlson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With modern life getting busier and more complex, many have turned to autonomous assistance for taking care of pets. The objective of this project is to design and prototype a device and application that will allow only certain dogs to enter and exit through a dog door while making the owners aware of their dog's activity. The dog door will utilize wireless communication from the dog to the door to control the status of the door’s lock and update the database that will send updates to the application. The application will keep track of when the dog enters and exits …

Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling For The Spring Ephemeral Herb Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) In Eastern North America, Velan Manivannan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The spring ephemeral plant Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has a widespread native range in North America, spanning much of the eastern United States and Canada. While its current NatureServe conservation status is designated as ‘secure’ (NatureServe, 2023), its status as a spring ephemeral places it at a heightened risk for climate change-induced phenological mismatch with advancing forest canopy closure. Additionally, under continued anthropogenic climate change, Bloodroot may also experience range shifts or contractions as the edges of its present range warm past physiological thresholds. To determine the potential for range shifts and contractions under future warming, I generated a …

A Review Of Transposable Elements In Crustaceans, Alexander Salem

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project centers around transposable elements (TEs), specifically those found in crustacean species. While transposable elements have been a growing area of interest in the scientific community for some time, the information surrounding the present state of TEs in the field of crustacean biology is limited. This project seeks to shed light on this area of study. It will focus on the relationship between TEs and crustacean evolution, and TE prevalence in crustaceans. TE studies will be categorized by these general themes as well as crustacean taxa. It will seek to answer the research question: What is known about the …