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Glynac (Glycine And N-Acetylcysteine) Supplementation In Old Mice Improves Brain Glutathione Deficiency, Oxidative Stress, Glucose Uptake, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Genomic Damage, Inflammation And Neurotrophic Factors To Reverse Age-Associated Cognitive Decline: Implications For Improving Brain Health In Aging, Premranjan Kumar, Ob W Osahon, Rajagopal V Sekhar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cognitive decline frequently occurs with increasing age, but mechanisms contributing to age-associated cognitive decline (ACD) are not well understood and solutions are lacking. Understanding and reversing mechanisms contributing to ACD are important because increased age is identified as the single most important risk factor for dementia. We reported earlier that ACD in older humans is associated with glutathione (GSH) deficiency, oxidative stress (OxS), mitochondrial dysfunction, glucose dysmetabolism and inflammation, and that supplementing GlyNAC (glycine and N-acetylcysteine) improved these defects. To test whether these defects occur in the brain in association with ACD, and could be improved/reversed with GlyNAC supplementation, we …

The Development Of A Backyard Composting Project Through Community Engagement, Donald J. Scully, Jeffrey A. Young, Bryan J. Hains, Kristina Hains

Journal of Extension

It can be argued that public forums are a valuable and essential tool for Cooperative Extension professionals. This article narrates the innovative use of the public forum action steps outlined in Kahl’s (2016) “A Convener’s Guide to Hosting a Public Forum”. The primary objective was to address illegal dumping and littering concerns with the Extension professional's role to engage the community. The resulting “Backyard Composting Project” demonstrated that public forums are valuable in creatively engaging urban audiences. Ultimately the authors illustrate how a community concern can be addressed using innovative programming to reach what Extension considers to be …

Review Of Jack Lewis And His American Cousin, Nat Hawthorne: A Study Of Instructive Affinities, John Stanifer

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of D. G. Kehl, Jack Lewis and His American Cousin, Nat Hawthorne: A Study of Instructive Affinities (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2013). ix + 247 pages. $29.00. ISBN 9781610978361.

Review Of C. S. Lewis On Politics And The Natural Law, Crystal Hurd

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of Justin Buckley Dyer and Micah J. Watson, C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law (New York, NY: Cambridge, 2016). ix+160 pages. $26.99. ISBN 9781107518971.

Review Of Advent In Narnia: Reflections For The Season, Bruce R. Johnson

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of Heidi Haverkamp, Advent in Narnia: Reflections for the Season (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox, 2015). ix + 100 pages. $16.00. ISBN 9780664261269.

Review Of The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien And Their Circle, Matthew Carey Jordan

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of Colin Duriez, The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien and Their Circle (Oxford: Lion Hudson Books, 2015). 296 pages, including full-color photograph inserts, “An Inklings Gallery,” and “A Select Inklings Chronology.” $16.95. ISBN 9780745956343.

Review Of Science Fiction And The Abolition Of Man: Finding C. S. Lewis In Sci-Fi Film And Television, Courtney Petrucci

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of Mark J. Boone and Kevin C. Neece, eds., Science Fiction and the Abolition of Man: Finding C. S. Lewis in Sci-Fi Film and Television (Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2017). vii + 346 pages. $41.00. ISBN 9781498232340.

A Plea For Reasonable Discourse About Lewis’S Views On Evolution, Charles A. Huttar

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A review of Jerry Bergman, C. S. Lewis: Anti-Darwinist: A Careful Examination of the Develop- ment of His Views on Darwinism (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2016). xxiii + 136 pages. $21.00. ISBN 9781532607738.

C. S. Lewis On Atheism, Joel D. Heck

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Lewis had a lot to say about atheists and atheism, mentioning the topic at least seventy-eight times in at least thirty books and essays. Having been an atheist himself, he understood Christianity from—as he put it—the outside. He held many of the same positions that atheists did in the 1910s and 1920s and for many of the same reasons that still influence people today. Although he did not compose any sort of systematic description, definition, or formal reaction to atheism, we can glean a great deal from his writings. Perhaps most important of all, Lewis knew quite a few atheists …

“Evil Enchantment” Versus Platonic Vision: Dante, Lewis, And The Weight Of Glory, Jason Baxter

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

C. S. Lewis was convinced that, in the modern world, goodness often strikes us as bland and diluted, a kind of spiritual neutral. What we need, especially in the modern world, he thought, is a positive vision of the good, a vision of beauties that “pierce like swords or burn like cold iron,” as he once said of Tolkien’s work. We need a positive picture and we need to have positive desire, as opposed to thinking of goodness primarily in negative terms, as “not being bad.” Lewis thought we need to have a sense of the gravity and heaviness and, …

Mere Christianity And The Moral Argument For The Existence Of God, Christopher A. Shrock

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

C. S. Lewis’s moral argument for the existence of God from Mere Christianity has been called the “most widely-convincing apologetic argument of the twentieth century.” It is concise and commonsensical. But Lewis’s argument has come under heavy fire in past decades, most notably from John Beversluis and Erik Wielenberg. This article offers an alternative reading on which the moral argument from the opening chapters of Mere Christianity is not only valid but also original and defensible. Unlike other moral arguments, Lewis deals in neither metaethics nor moral pragmatics. So he avoids prickly objections related to Divine Command Theory and accusations …

Paradise Retained: C. S. Lewis On The Nature Of Knowledge, Reality, And Morality In Perelandra, Richard L. W. Clarke

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

The world-view which informs Perelandra (1943) in particular and the so-called “space trilogy” more generally, of which it is the second volume, is deeply infused with that blend of Christianity and Platonism that is the hallmark of the thought of C. S. Lewis and which I explore at some length in the companion essay to this piece in this volume, “The Neoplatonic Christianity of C. S. Lewis.” Perelandra is, I would argue, a literary rendition of some of the most important philosophical arguments in defense of Christianity mounted by Lewis in Mere Christianity and elsewhere.

The Neo-Platonic Christianity Of C. S. Lewis, Richard L. W. Clarke

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

I shall attempt to show how Lewis’s fusion of Platonism with Christianity gives rise to his belief, metaphysically speaking, that the physical universe is not all there is but, rather, “transposes” (as he terms it) a greater non-physical or spiritual reality and is, as such, part of a divinely-ordained, orderly, and purposeful scheme of things. I shall also argue that for Lewis, epistemologically speaking, knowledge of this grand design and the place of humans therein is conveyed not through the human senses, at least as these are conventionally conceived, but, rather, through our higher reason, which is capable of objective …

Soothers, Everett Wall

LMU Theses and Dissertations

When a meticulous chef, who can't eat anything without throwing it up, discovers the cure for his ailment in a recalled antacid from the 1970s, he solicits the help of his in-house taster to hunt down more of the tablets and in the process discovers that she was the cure all along.

There Will Be A Tomorrow, Cameron Webb

LMU Theses and Dissertations

After her young daughter is killed in the aftermath of an apocalypse, a mother travels back in time to save her by stopping the apocalypse from ever happening.

Dual Myristic Acid And Trans-Activator Of Transcription Conjugation Of Pkc Beta Ii Peptide Inhibitor Augments Cellular Delivery To Counteract Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, James Ramsarran, Logan Clair, Taurai Augustin, Zinya Talukder, Emily Andrews, Tameka Dean, Qian Chen, Robert J. Barsotti, Lindon H. Young

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Dual conjugation of PKC Beta II peptide inhibitor (PKCβII-) with myristic acid (myr) and trans-activator of transcription (Tat) (Myr-Tat-CC-SLNPEWNET [myr-Tat-PKCβII-]) has been shown to enhance intracellular delivery and attenuate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in an ex-vivo rat model. Previously, myr-Tat-PKCβII- demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects from 100nM to the 1pM concentration.

OBJECTIVES: The lowest concentration at which myr-Tat-PKCβII- is still cardioprotective has yet to be determined; this study investigates the 100fM concentration.

METHODS: Isolated rat hearts from anesthetized male SD rats (275g to 300g) underwent global I(30-min)/R(50-min). Cardiac function was recorded via a pressure transducer. Treatments were infused during the …

Protein Kinase C Beta Ii Inhibitor Combined With Conjugated Myristic Acid And Trans-Activator Of Transcription Achieves Cardiovascular Protection In Porcine Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Model, Juliet M. Melnik, Kayla Harrell, Arjun Nair, Desmond Boakye Tanoh, Sunit G. Singh, Emily Andrews, Tameka C. Dean, Qian Chen, Robert J. Barsotti, Lindon H. Young

Research Day

Introduction

While timely reperfusion is critical during resuscitation of ischemic myocardium, oxidative stress still leads to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and ultimately, cardiomyocyte death. The major targets for mitigating oxidative stress are NADPH oxidase (NOX-2) and mitochondria, which are both activated by Protein Kinase C Beta II (PKCβII). In previous studies with an ex-vivo rat heart I/R model, Myristic Acid (Myr) and Trans-Activator Transcription (Tat) conjugated PKCβII inhibitor (Myr-Tat-PKCβII-; N-Myr-Tat-CC-SLNPEWNET) showed cardioprotective effects and a decrease in infarct area. In this study, we investigated the cardioprotective effects of Myr-Tat-PKCβII- in comparison with a scrambled peptide control.

Methods

Regional I(1 hour)/R(3 hours) …

The Effects Of Mitoquinone Pretreatment On Doxorubicin-Induced Acute Cardiac Dysfunction, Kimberly Dawes, Juliet Melnik, Meagan Lyons, Jonathan Amora, Lindon H. Young, Robert J. Barsotti, Qian Chen

Research Day

Introduction:

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used anti-cancer drug notorious for its irreversible cardiac toxicity. Currently, Dexrazoxane is the only FDA-approved treatment for this toxicity. However, Dexrazoxane still bears some serious adverse events, and developing new strategies to mitigate DOX-induced heart damage is critical. Our lab has shown that pretreatment of the H9c2 myoblast cells with mitoquinone (MitoQ), a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, and significantly improved cells’ resiliency to DOX. This study aimed to determine if MitoQ pretreatment can preserve cardiac function against DOX-induced damage in isolated rat hearts.

Objectives:

The effects of DOX and MitoQ on cardiac function were evaluated in …

Information And Communications Technologies And Democratic Education: Lessons From John Dewey's Pragmatism, Jonathan Flowers

Education and Culture

This essay applies lessons from John Dewey’s theory of democracy and democratic education to the modern development of information communications technologies and the assertion that the development of such technologies will lead to a more open, more democratic society. Given the continuity of the technology and its applications with structures of oppression within modern society, any attempt to resolve or democratize technology through skills-based training is bound to fail, as this does not resolve the cultural habits that enable oppression through technology. To this end, what is necessary is democratic education that recognizes the unique contexts in which students become …

An Overview Of Viruses And The Infamous Sars-Cov-2, Jake Sun

The Confluence

Background information on viruses is first presented which include topics like evolution, ecology, history, identification, structure, and application. The novel SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, pandemic originated in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Millions of people were infected with the virus in a short time period causing urgent concern worldwide. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief and general understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 to increase awareness and actions toward preventive measures. COVID-19 is a (+) ssRNA spherical enveloped virion that causes primarily respiratory illnesses. The S protein interacts with ACE-2 receptors on the host cell to gain entry …

“Happily Ever After” For The Twenty-First Century? Sex, Love, And Human Identity In C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles Of Narnia, Monika B. Hilder

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

For better and for worse, classic fairy tales have come under severe criticism as paradigms of sexist patriarchy in recent decades. Likewise, C. S. Lewis has been viewed as sexist, even misogynistic. While many fairy tale and Lewis fans might be tempted to dismiss all of these criticisms as nonsense, gender is one of the predominant discourses of our time, our questions and the varied answers are significant, and in this essay I consider how Lewis’ development of the fairy tale genre in The Chronicles of Narnia offers timeless, possibly even surprising, Christian wisdom. How does Lewis portray sex, love, …

Conflict, Forgiveness, And The Healing Of Harms In C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles Of Narnia, Jeffrey A. Misener

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Excerpt: "In The Chronicles of Narnia, children are celebrated as models of heroic potential in the ways they realize, apologize for, and repent of sinful words and deeds. This is in keeping with C. S. Lewis’ desire that his young readers would recognize and practice these virtues as signs of the “childlike faith” Jesus expects of his disciples (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17).92 Conversely, adults are generally shown to be owners of an obtuse conscience and a recalcitrant will.

Saving The Appearances? C. S. Lewis’ Critique Of Scientific Knowledge, Thomas Storck

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

C. S. Lewis’ witty and insightful criticisms of scientism is well known.What has been less noted is the critique that he made in several places, not of scientism but of science itself, or rather of aspects of the scientific enterprise as carried on in the tradition of the scientific revolution brought about by such men as Galileo and Bacon. It is a critique of science and of scientific knowledge that is much deeper and more interesting than a mere exposé of simplistic scientistic fundamentalism, necessary as that is. Lewis not only exhibited a less than favorable attitude toward the technological …

Women Who Kill: Providing And Justifying Alternative Legal Pathways To The Use Of Battered Women Syndrome As Self-Defense, Sara Das '23

Senior Scholarly and Creative Symposium

Legal scholars have been grappling with how to handle legal cases concerning battered women since the 70s. Lenore Walker argued that battered women have a condition called battered woman syndrome that alters their perceptions. The cases by themselves do not fulfill requirements for self-defense, a justification doctrine nor duress, an excuse doctrine. I argue that battered women should be excused, not through using battered women syndrome to support pre-existing claims, but instead by using other psychological research to support Morse’s partial excuse doctrine. The first part of the paper argues why battered woman syndrome does not work as a psychological …

Human Dental Pulp Stem Cell Culture Model For Studies On Etiopathogenesis Of Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With Or Without Cleft Palate Anomaly, Tyler Starley, Jonathan Starley, Harrison Truman

Excellence Day

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) occurs approximately in 1 of 700 live births. It has a serious impact on a patient during the whole life. It was shown that it can be prevented by supplementation of folic acid. However, much more needs to be known about etiopathogenetic factors and molecular mechanisms leading to NSCLP in order to personalize its prevention. Basic science information on etiology and pathogenesis of NSCLP was obtained from animal experiments. Clinical studies and trials showed efficacy of prevention by folic acid supplementation. A cell culture model is needed for studies on cellular …

Volume 4, Chapter 1-22: Aquatic And Wet Marchantiophyta, Class Marchantiopsida: Cyathodiaceae, Dumortieraceae, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Subchapters

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, May 3, 2023, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2023

Volume 160, Issue 39

Driver Mutations Dictate The Immunologic Landscape And Response To Checkpoint Immunotherapy Of Glioblastoma., Alan T Yeo, Rushil Shah, Konstantinos Aliazis, Rinku Pal, Tuoye Xu, Piyan Zhang, Shruti Rawal, Christopher M Rose, Frederick S Varn, Vicky A Appleman, Joon Yoon, Hemant Varma, Steven P Gygi, Roel G W Verhaak, Vassiliki A Boussiotis, Al Charest

Faculty Research 2023

The composition of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is considered a key determinant of patients' response to immunotherapy. The mechanisms underlying TIME formation and development over time are poorly understood. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a lethal primary brain cancer for which there are no curative treatments. GBMs are immunologically heterogeneous and impervious to checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. Utilizing clinically relevant genetic mouse models of GBM, we identified distinct immune landscapes associated with expression of EGFR wild-type and mutant EGFRvIII cancer driver mutations. Over time, accumulation of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) was more pronounced in EGFRvIII-driven GBMs and was correlated with resistance …

The Family History Of Catherine D. Lumley, Catherine Lumley

Your Family in History: HIST 550/700

Catherine Lumley authored this family history as part of the course requirements for HIST 550/770: Your Family in History. This course was offered online in Spring 2023 and was submitted to the Pittsburg State University Digital Commons. Please contact the author directly with any questions or comments: [email protected]

The Family History Of Elizabeth Nicole Greiner, Elizabeth Greiner

Your Family in History: HIST 550/700

Elizabeth Greiner authored this family history as part of the course requirements for HIST 550/700 Your Family in History offered online in Spring 2023 and was submitted to the Pittsburg State University Digital Commons. Please contact the author directly with any questions or comments: [email protected]