Digital Commons Network^™

Adiposity-Associated Atrial Fibrillation: Molecular Determinants, Mechanisms, And Clinical Significance, Monika Gawałko, Arnela Saljic, Na Li, Issam Abu-Taha, Thomas Jespersen, Dominik Linz, Stanley Nattel, Jordi Heijman, Anke Fender, Dobromir Dobrev

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obesity is an important contributing factor to the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its complications by causing systemic changes, such as altered haemodynamic, increased sympathetic tone, and low-grade chronic inflammatory state. In addition, adipose tissue is a metabolically active organ that comprises various types of fat deposits with discrete composition and localization that show distinct functions. Fatty tissue differentially affects the evolution of AF, with highly secretory active visceral fat surrounding the heart generally having a more potent influence than the rather inert subcutaneous fat. A variety of proinflammatory, profibrotic, and vasoconstrictive mediators are secreted by adipose tissue, particularly …

State-Level Macro-Economic Factors Moderate The Association Of Low Income With Brain Structure And Mental Health In U.S. Children, David G Weissman, Mark L Hatzenbuehler, Mina Cikara, Deanna M Barch, Katie A Mclaughlin

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Macrostructural characteristics, such as cost of living and state-level anti-poverty programs relate to the magnitude of socioeconomic disparities in brain development and mental health. In this study we leveraged data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study from 10,633 9-11 year old youth (5115 female) across 17 states. Lower income was associated with smaller hippocampal volume and higher internalizing psychopathology. These associations were stronger in states with higher cost of living. However, in high cost of living states that provide more generous cash benefits for low-income families, socioeconomic disparities in hippocampal volume were reduced by 34%, such that …

Whole-Exome Sequencing Prioritizes Candidate Genes For Hereditary Cataract In The Emory Mouse Mutant, Thomas M Bennett, Yuefang Zhou, Kacie J Meyer, Michael G Anderson, Alan Shiels

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Emory cataract (Em) mouse mutant has long been proposed as an animal model for age-related or senile cataract in humans-a leading cause of visual impairment. However, the genetic defect(s) underlying the autosomal dominant Em phenotype remains elusive. Here, we confirmed development of the cataract phenotype in commercially available Em/J mice [but not ancestral Carworth Farms White (CFW) mice] at 6-8 months of age and undertook whole-exome sequencing of candidate genes for Em. Analysis of coding and splice-site variants did not identify any disease-causing/associated mutations in over 450 genes known to underlie inherited and age-related forms of cataract and other …

Katp Channels Are Necessary For Glucose-Dependent Increases In Amyloid-Β And Alzheimer's Disease-Related Pathology, John Grizzanti, William R. Moritz, Molly Stanley, Emily E. Caesar, Maria S. Remedi, Celeste M. Karch, Colin G. Nichols, David M. Holtzman, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Elevated blood glucose levels, or hyperglycemia, can increase brain excitability and amyloid-β (Aβ) release, offering a mechanistic link between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since the cellular mechanisms governing this relationship are poorly understood, we explored whether ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, which couple changes in energy availability with cellular excitability, play a role in AD pathogenesis. First, we demonstrate that KATP channel subunits Kir6.2/KCNJ11 and SUR1/ABCC8 were expressed on excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the human brain, and cortical expression of KCNJ11 and ABCC8 changed with AD pathology in humans and mice. Next, we explored whether eliminating neuronal …

Review Of Tolkien (Movie), Kutter Callaway

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Tolkien, by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford, directed by Dome Karukoski, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins. Century City, California: Fox Searchlight, 2019.

Review Of The Celian Moment And Other Essays, Sørina Higgins

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Charles Williams, The Celian Moment and Other Essays, ed. by Stephen Barber (Carterton, West Oxfordshire: The Greystones Press, 2017). xxvii + 127 pages. $17.43. ISBN 9781911122111.

The Archangel Fragment And C. S. Lewis’S World-Building Project, Brenton D. G. Dickieson, Charlie W. Starr

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

In this article, we argue that, from a few hints in the Bodleian archive and elsewhere, we have discovered C. S. Lewis’s singular attempt at an Archangelic sequel to The Screwtape Letters. By analyzing this small fragment and its contextual clues, we can hear the heaven-scented voice of this anti-Screwtape world. Through this discovery we can unlock hidden links among Lewis’s fiction project of the late 1930s and early 1940s and the ways he created the speculative worlds of those stories, including a spirit of playfulness and discovery, themes critical to his theological perspective, and potential links that draw his …

Review Of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Play), Sarah R. A. Waters

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, based on the book by C. S. Lewis, directed by Mike Fentiman (based on the original production by Sally Cookson). Produced by Elliott and Harper Productions, and Catherine Schreiber. London, UK: Gillian Lynne Theatre, 30 October, 2022.

C. S. Lewis And The Personal Opinion Fallacy, Jason Lepojärvi

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Excerpt: "Authors sometimes become targets of critics who mistake the views expressed by their characters, plot, or atmosphere for the views held by the authors themselves. Consequently, as authors begin justifiably to fear that the opinions expressed in their art will be equated with their own real-life opinions, many begin censoring themselves, thus reducing diversity of perspective and diluting vigor of expression. The present essay reflects on this particular form of literary misreading and its contribution to other literary maladies....For reasons that relate to both the nature of imaginative literature and to Lewis as a writer, readers and critics of …

Reflections: Indigenous Artists On Socio-Ecological Issues, Yanela Cortes-Orozco

Art 525/Art History 5290 Papers

No abstract provided.

Disgust Of The Body: Feminist Theories Through Indigenous Examples, Meyli Barrera

Art 525/Art History 5290 Papers

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Transcriptomic Responses Of Circulating Immune Cells In Response To Subsequent Days Of Exercise Heat Stress, Soohyun Oh

University Scholar Projects

Acute exercise and chronic training have diverse effects on immune function that are still not well understood. There are remaining questions about how an acute bout of exercise, competition, or repeated training over a period affects an individual’s immune defense system. In a related study, there is evidence that acute exercise may serve as an adjuvant to enhance response to immune function as well as contradicting evidence, including our preliminary data (unpublished). Understanding the fundamental function and gene expression of circulating immune cells in response to acute exercise and in various contexts such as heat stress is critical in understanding …

Biodive, Morgana Faucett

Graduate Theses

Humans exist among an intertwined series of ecosystems and environments. As a species, we curate the spaces, these environments, that surround us to suit our internalized visions of the world. While such curation is not inherently negative, humanity’s industrial process of constructing our visions is not always handled with sustainable methods. This paper analyzes my creative work through the framework of architecture’s role in climate change and human impact, highlighting past and present building practices. Solutions for future practices will also be considered, specifically targeting the questions of construction material, building function, and repurposing of older buildings to achieve a …

Reflections Across Religions: A Historical Examination Of Common Themes In Zoroastrianism, Judaism, And Christianity, Jason Heckert

Graduate Theses

In the sixth century BCE, the largest empire in the world at the time, the Persian Empire, adopted a monotheistic religion that was based on the teachings of a prophet named Zoroaster. As one of the world’s oldest religions, Zoroastrianism impacted the beliefs and traditions of Judaism and early Christianity. Similarities among these religions include the ideas of hierarchy among good and evil spirits, actions on earth determining one’s place in an afterlife, apocalyptic themes, and dualism. Zoroastrian beliefs found their way into early Christian culture. The remnants of Zoroastrianism in mainstream Christianity underscores the influence of that ancient Persian …

Femininity In Medieval Scandinavia: How Paganism Forged Gender Equality, Erin M. Caffey

Graduate Theses

The brutality of the Vikings and the conquests of medieval Scandinavian men have often garnered the majority of interest from the media, the armchair historian, and the scholar alike, with the pursuits and lives of their female counterparts seldom discussed. Medieval Scandinavian women’s lives though, when examined, are just as enthralling as those of the men. And while their stories are not necessarily as full of bloodshed or glory, the lives of women, those seen in both mythology and memory, provide an insight into the secular and religious foundations of medieval Scandinavian communities. Through an examination of various mythological texts, …

"They Were Men In Those Days": Gender, Class, And Ethnicity In The Paul Bunyan Tales, Dean Schmit

Honors Capstone Projects

This paper examines the development of the Paul Bunyan stories from the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century through a gendered lens.

Preschool Instructional And Assessment Practices At Stepping Stones Preschool, Julie Hoogland

Master of Education Program Theses

This phenomenological study included interviewing four individuals involved with the formation and current operation of Stepping Stones Preschool in Sioux Center, Iowa, to determine if their instructional and assessment practices as well as their mission and core values aligned with best practice. Analysis of these practices and experiences was undertaken with the purpose of deepening the understanding of what instructional and assessment best practices look like in a preschool setting. The results of this study show that the best practice recommendations that assessment should be directly connected to the instruction, child-centered, continual, include developmentally-appropriate practices in multiple formats with learning …

Language And Literacy Development For Young Toddlers, Tori Johnston

Graduate Teacher Education

Language and literacy development is tremendously important for young children in the first year of life. The purpose of this capstone is to discover strategies to foster emergent literacy and implement those strategies. Towell, Bartram, Murrow, & Brown, (2021) suggested several strategies to help educators foster literacy development including lap reading, reading aloud, reading to children from birth, dialogic reading, establishing routines, creating books with children, asking questions, and making comments. According to Dowling, Shanty, Sonnenschein, and Hussey-Gardner (2020), it is never too early to introduce language and literacy skills. Infants learn best through responsive, playful interaction that occur in …

Qualitative Chemical Analysis Of Elf Bar E-Liquids And Their Effect On Phenotypic Characteristics Of Arabidopsis Thaliana, Genevieve Neuwirth

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

After their initial market introduction in 2003, the popularity and use of e-cigarettes have exponentially increased. There are three main components that have contributed to this: marketing, ease of access, and emerging flavors. The marketing industry uses claims that ecigarettes are a ‘safer’ and ‘healthier’ alternative to cigarettes as a way to entice previous smokers into using this product. With the increase in popularity, there is also an increase in demand, which has led to the creation of stores designed to target customers and sell e-cigarettes and similar products at convenient locations. Finally, the emerging flavors have enticed many nonsmokers …

Inflammatory Comparison Of Raw 264.7 Cells, J774a.1 Cells, And Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages, Dylan Shuster

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Parallel examination of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) to the viral transformed murine RAW 264.7 and J774A.1 cell lines provides a basis for comparison for experimental models of inflammation. Equivalent inflammatory responses would allow the substitution of the RAW 264.7 or J774A.1 cells for BMDM, reducing the use of animals in experimentation. The mammalian cell lines are maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM) complete with passage by scraping every 72 hours. BMDM are generated by culturing bone marrow cells from femurs of female Swiss mice (Hilltop Lab Animals, Inc.) with murine macrophage colony-stimulating factor for 7 days. The two cell …

Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2021, Leah English, Jennie Popp

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Agriculture and associated agricultural activities are major contributors to the Arkansas economy. Agriculture is defined as the sum of agricultural production and processing activities, unless otherwise specified, and includes crop and animal production and processing, agricultural support industries, forestry and forest products, and textile goods. Agriculture contributes to the economy through direct agricultural production and processing, leading to economic activity in other parts of the economy.

This report is the sixteenth in a series that examines agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. The total economic contribution of agriculture (direct, indirect, and induced effects) on value added, employment, and labor …

Title Page, Staff List, Editor's Note, Contents

The Oval

No abstract provided.

The Oval, 2023

The Oval

This issue includes creative work from undergraduate students at the University of Montana.

Deliquescence, Lindsay Hause

The Oval

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Lecture Capture Design On Student Performance In An Online, Asynchronous Nonmajors Biology Course, Melissa Ann Gutierrez

Dissertations

Lecture capture technology, the ability to provide multimedia recordings of instructional content, has become an essential technology for online learning. One of the ways online courses have tried to appeal to the digital lifestyle of today’s students is providing different lecture capture styles, such as audio (podcasts), video, or interactive videos, due to the popularity of mobile media players providing anytime and anywhere learning. Although lecture capture technology provides educators with a diverse set of tools on how content is delivered, studies have shown mixed results on the impact of lecture capture styles on learning.

For this study, the main …

The Nigerian Tiv Concept Of Ya Na Angbian As A Corrective To The Misinterpretation Of Subdue And Have Dominion In Genesis 1:26, Christopher Terhemen Bologo

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The Tiv people of Nigeria have a social-political philosophy, Ya na angbian, which they have been practicing since the pre-colonial period. The social-political philosophy promotes justice, fairness, harmony, and peace through a fair and equitable distribution of what belongs to the Tiv people. This thesis argues that the Ya na angbian concept of the Tiv people can be applied to the relationship between human and non-human beings. This work maintains that it can lead to human beings’ care for non-human nature.

The first outstanding conclusion of this research is that the Ya na angbian social-political philosophy can correct misunderstanding …

2023 Manifest Program, Columbia College Chicago

Manifest Urban Arts Festival Programs

A program for the Manifest Urban-Arts Festival held by Columbia College Chicago on May 12, 2023.

Effect Of Temperature On The Microbiome Of A Laboratory Reared Colony Of Haemaphysalis Longicornis Ticks, Brianna Mitchell

Poster Presentations

Honors research poster.

Haemaphysalis longicornis is a species of tick native to eastern Asia, including eastern China, Japan, eastern Russia, and Korea. To date, it has invaded and has now established its existence in Australia, New Zealand, and several of the Pacific Islands. This species of tick has recently been introduced to the United States, having a confirmed sighting in November 2017 on a sheep farm in New Jersey and since establishing populations in 18 states along the east coast and Appalachia. Based on the existing locations of H. longicornis in its native regions, as well as in the United …

Tender And Taint: Money And Complicity In Entanglement Jurisprudence, Amy J. Sepinwall

Notre Dame Law Review

Because liberalism is concerned with individual freedom, it finds that one person is responsible for the conduct of another only under very narrow circumstances. To a large extent, the law reflects this narrow conception of complicity. There is however one glaring exception to the law’s general resistance to complicity claims: where one actor becomes connected to another’s act through a pecuniary contribution, the law’s liberalism falls away. Money forges a cognizable association no matter how tenuous the causal connection and no matter the subsidizer’s attitudes toward the subsidized act. For example, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court recognized …

Polar Convex Programming: A New Paradigm For Nonlinear Optimization, Lilia Benakkouche, Blake Whitman, Baha Alzalg

Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences

In this paper, our central notions of analysis are convexity and betweenness. These concepts are given from the viewpoint of conceptual spaces and are specified in relation to the coordinates of a polar system. We introduce and study a problem that seeks to optimize a polar convex objective subject to polar convex constraints, which we refer to as the polar convex programming problem. We utilize a geometric methodology to solve the two-dimensional version of this optimization problem. Our interpretation of the approach is inspired by the classical graphical method for linear optimization problems. To the best of our knowledge, this …