Digital Commons Network^™

Rapid & Sensitive Detection Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes By Utilizing New Diagnostic Probe Tales With 2d-Nanosheet Graphene Oxide, Jihye Kang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As antibiotic resistance is one of the major health concerns in infectious diseases because of reducing the efficacy of antibiotics, rapid and sensitive detection of antibiotic resistance genes is critical for the effective treatment of infectious diseases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used to detect nucleic acids, but it requires additional steps involved in DNA denaturation and subsequent hybridization. A new class of DNA-binding domains called transcriptional activator-like effectors (TALEs) provide a novel scaffold for designing versatile DNA-binding proteins due to their modularity and predictability. Here, we developed a simple, rapid, and sensitive system for detecting antibiotic resistance genes …

The 1985 Move Bombing: A Study In Perspectives, Kaci Delisle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a military grade bomb on 6221 Osage Avenue, a row house in a Black neighborhood in West Philadelphia. This home was occupied by a revolutionary group called MOVE. The bomb started a fire that the police and firefighters decided to “contain” rather than put out, resulting in the deaths of eleven people and the destruction of sixty-one homes. Only two MOVE members survived the fire. Using court records, documents from the investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission (PSIC), and other interviews regarding MOVE and the bombing, this paper reconstructs different perspectives …

A Poor Third? A Reexamination Of Manuscript And Print Markets In Fifteenth And Sixteenth-Century Rouen, Kate Hodgson

School of Art Undergraduate Honors Theses

Manuscript and print scholars of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries have deemed Rouen a ‘poor third’ to the workshops in Paris and Lyon. Lacking the cultural status and political influence of these two major centers of book production, Rouen’s manuscript tradition has been coined an “eclectic” group of illuminators who were limited to a local, discontinuous demand for books and whose regional role hardly even bears examination. However, Between 1419 and 1449, Rouen was an epicenter of political and economic exchange between Normandy and England. The city’s manuscript ateliers experienced a period of unparalleled patronage from an international, elite clientele, …

Dopamine Injections To The Midbrain Periaqueductal Gray Inhibit Vocal-Motor Production In A Teleost Fish, Alexander Allen, Elizabeth Heisler, James Matthew Kittelberger

Biology Faculty Publications

Across vertebrates, the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a critical role in social and vocal behavior. Dopaminergic neurotransmission also modulates these behaviors, and dopaminergic innervation of the PAG has been well documented. Nonetheless, the potential role of dopamine in shaping vocal production at the level of the PAG is not well understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine modulates vocal production in the PAG, using a well-characterized vertebrate model system for the study of vocal communication, the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus. We found that focal dopamine injections to the midshipman PAG rapidly and reversibly inhibited vocal production …

A Review Of The Neural Basis Underlying The Acoustic Startle Response With A Focus On Recent Developments In Mammals, Alice Zheng, Susanne Schmid

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The startle response consists of whole-body muscle contractions, eye-blink, accelerated heart rate, and freezing in response to a strong, sudden stimulus. It is evolutionarily preserved and can be observed in any animal that can perceive sensory signals, indicating the important protective function of startle. Startle response measurements and its alterations have become a valuable tool for exploring sensorimotor processes and sensory gating, especially in the context of pathologies of psychiatric disorders. The last reviews on the neural substrates underlying acoustic startle were published around 20 years ago. Advancements in methods and techniques have since allowed new insights into acoustic startle …

Fragment Based Drug Development Based On 6,7-Dimethoxyquinazoline As A Core Scaffold, Cody M. Orahoske

ETD Archive

The work entitled “Fragment Based Drug Design based on 6,7- Dimethoxyquinazoline core structure” presents a unique approach to drug discovery, specifically focusing on the pharmacophore 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline. This study explores the structural diversity of 6,7-Dimethoxyquinazoline derivatives to identify other pharmacologically relevant targets, with evidence indicating that this core structure possesses intrinsic properties that make it suitable as a base structure of small molecule drugs. Furthermore, this pharmacophore has been observed in various approved therapeutics or drug candidates under investigation, highlighting its importance in drug discovery. My research showcases of 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline core structure been derivatized to generate an anti-trypanosomiasis drug candidates and …

Narratives. Anthropocentrism, And The Fall Of Man In Matt Bell's Appleseed, Jessica L. Tresko

ETD Archive

Both literary and scientific texts often demonstrate the powerful role that stories serve in helping to shape humanity’s beliefs and behaviors. In his climate fiction novel Appleseed (2021), Matt Bell deploys the polyphonic method to follow three main character storylines. This technique provides the opportunity for heteroglossic dialogue, and Bell also utilizes metaponsdialogue to ensure the reader is invested and understands his/her complicity and function in the climate emergency, which leads to a reflection on personal responsibility and culpability. Theories from Mikhail Bakhtin’s essay “Discourse in the Novel” from his collection called The Dialogic Imagination support the examination of multi-perspective …

Interior Architectural Facades: A Study Into The Visual Impact On Emotional Experience, Bailey Gocke

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

Emotion is a vital process in which the body interprets environmental stimuli and generates a corresponding bodily response. The interpretation of stimuli determines the emotional reactions experienced by individuals, making it crucial for designers to influence these interpretations and subsequent reactions. Architectural facades, both interior and exterior, have a significant impact on the user's perception and overall experience of a building. However, limited research exists on the integration of emotion research in architecture, particularly regarding the study of facades and emotions.

To address this critical research gap, this thesis aims to investigate the emotional impact of interior facade conditions on …

In-Service Education And The Provision Of Educational Materials To Improve Awareness Of Chronic Wasting Disease Management Efforts In Arkansas, Mary Claire Stewart

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a disease caused by an accumulation of misfolded prions throughout the nervous system. This disease affects animals within the Cervidae Family, which includes deer, elk, moose, and caribou. This disease is fatal and physical symptoms often do not materialize until the animal is near death. CWD has become an increasing issue in Arkansas since an elk (Cervus canadensis) in Newton County tested positive for CWD in 2016. Since then, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has worked with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA) and others to develop management strategies to slow …

Relationship Between Consumer Confidence Index And Leading Sectors In Turkey, Erhan Aslanoğlu, Yasin Enes Aksu, Jonberk Okan

Topics in Middle Eastern and North African Economies

As a leading indicator, the ability to measure the predictive power of consumer surveys are very important for economic policy makers, especially to capture a forward-looking perspective on consumer trends. Trends in leading sectors such as real estate, automobile and consumer electronics are expected to signal direction of consumption demand in an economy. Within this framework, whether the consumer confidence signals the trends in leading sectors or the trend in leading sectors effect the consumer sentiment are vital questions to detect the dynamics of domestic demand. Macroeconomic cycles like high and volatile inflationary environments might create counter effect to determine …

Variation In Leg Tissue Dielectric Constant Values Of Healthy Young Adult Females With And Without Compression Bandaging., Suzie Ehmann, Harvey N. Mayrovitz

HPD Articles

Background The clinical efficacy of a compression application has been often limited to the assessment of the change in limb volume, change in clinical symptoms (i.e., wound size, pain, range of motion, incidence of cellulitis), or vascular hemodynamics of the whole limb. Assessing compression-related biophysical changes of a localized area, such as around a wound, or in an area outside of an extremity cannot be objectively assessed by these measurements. Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) values, which provide a measure of the local tissue water (LTW) content, offer an alternative method to document variation in the LTW content of the skin …

Camelina Sativa Promoters Of Seed Development Genes Resemble Arabidopsis Thaliana Orthologs, Benjamin Clark, Jiayin Liu, Haiying Liang

Honors College Theses

Camelina sativa, a relative of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, has gained commercial interest in recent years for its seed oil. Camelina oil is a desirable ingredient in animal feed and for cooking due to its rich concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. It is also emerging as an eco-friendly jet biofuel. However, since C. sativa has only recently entered the public eye, regulation of its seed oil synthesis remains largely unexplored. A. thaliana, on the other hand, has been extensively studied. Promoters directly upstream of genes harbor hundreds of cis-acting regulatory DNA elements. These motifs are often …

Characterizing Metabolic Activity Of Fish Liver Microsomes Towards Fluoxetine In Four Fish Species Using Michaelis-Menten Enzyme Kinetics, Morgan Steiner

Honors College Theses

Discharge of pharmaceuticals into the environment is of emergent concern due to the unknown long-term effects on aquatic organisms. Wastewater treatment plants are not effective in completely removing pharmaceuticals, allowing them to be discharged into aquatic systems. To investigate the potential effects of fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, on aquatic species, the potential of four freshwater fish species to metabolize this drug was investigated. Livers from redbreast sunfish, bluegill, striped jumprock and bluehead chub were collected, homogenized, and centrifuged to collect the microsomes. These microsomes were used in an assay to determine the in vitro hepatic metabolism of fluoxetine by cytochrome …

Development Of 3d Ovarian Cancer Spheroids In Vitro And Investigation Of Their Physiological Relevance As Models Of Inherent Chemoresistance, Amanda Murray

Honors College Theses

Ovarian cancer is the sixth leading cause of death among women worldwide, with an average 5-year survival rate of less than 48%. Current clinical treatment methods for this disease are often deemed ineffective because of the innate chemoresistance of tumors due to their microenvironment and architecture. Accurately mimicking chemoresistance with traditional 2D cultures is difficult; therefore, recent years have seen an increase in 3D culturing methods that create cellular spheroids. These spheroids can serve as models of in vivo tumor characteristics due to their hypoxic core, acidic microenvironment, and increased cell-to-cell interactions. This research aims to (1) refine a 3D …

African Spirituality For Ecological Conversion: The Case Of Mining In The Western Region Of Ghana, Nana Kofi Agyapong

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Gold mining in the Western Region of Ghana poses a major dilemma. On the one hand, it serves as a great source of revenue for the region and the country at large. It also provides employment for millions of people. On the other hand, indiscriminate gold mining methods destroy ecological resources like land, water, and air, as well as the quality of life of people in the region. Consequently, the negative impacts of these environmentally hostile practices challenge us to re-evaluate our relationship with the environment. It is a call not to see the environment and its resources as something …

Biblical And African Proverbs As A Framework For Studying Spirituality: Exploring The Role Of Proverbs Among The Gῖkữyữ People Of Kenya, Patrick M. Ng'ang'a

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

When we hear of proverbs, we tend to think of pithy sayings that are witty and memorable. Proverbs are found in many cultures, and naturally, proverbs form part of the Bible. Biblical and African proverbs can contribute to nourishing the Christian life and its reflection. Acquisition of wisdom and knowledge through proverbs can bring a person to awareness of how God reveals God’s self—helping a person to be more attuned to self, others, and the environment around them. The Book of Proverbs offers a source of reflection for the church traditions, while African proverbs offer great resources for reflecting the …

Reading Matt 14:13-21 In The Roman Empire First-Century Context As A Counternarrative, Wossoyam Elie Yoda

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

How do people access food? Food access raises the question of access to fertile land since it is the primary resource for food production. In both developing and developed nations, past and present, food access depends on who holds political and economic power. In this thesis, I read Matt 14:13-21 in the Roman first-century context, where food shortage was common. and argue that the food shortage was not due only to droughts or bad harvests but also to political and economic decisions by the Roman Empire. Matthew's account of feeding five thousand (Matt 14:13-21) can be read as a counternarrative …

Animal-Assisted Therapy: Exploring Practitioners' Perspectives And Experiences, Brianne Markley

ETD Archive

To date, most animal-assisted therapy (AAT) research has examined potential outcomes for clients. Though client outcomes are important to study, only a portion of the intervention can be understood when only one piece of the process is examined. For AAT to become a more credible intervention, there needs to be a more holistic and thorough understanding of the practice. Because practitioners’ experiences in providing AAT have yet to be specifically examined, there is a need for this work at the foundational and exploratory level. Additionally, competency models in psychology training and training of other mental health providers identify many important …

Pollinator Diversity On A Shortleaf Pine-Oak-Hickory Restoration Site, Taygan Kohlman

Master's Theses

Land use and cover are increasingly changing due to climate change and anthropogenic activities with many of these changes negatively impacting biodiversity. However, ecosystem restoration may help reverse these patterns. Northern Louisiana was historically dominated by shortleaf pine-oak-hickory forests but has been converted largely to loblolly pine forests with little-to-no herbaceous ground cover. The objective of this study is to determine how different practices on a shortleaf pine-oak-hickory forest restoration site affect pollinator diversity. I sampled pollinators from locations within areas under three different management regimes: 1) prescribed burning with active herbicide treatments for non-desirable plant species, 2) burning only, …

Nutritional Adequacy Of Dietary Intake Among College Students Who Follow A Vegetarian Diet As Compared To Non-Vegetarian Students, Kayanna L. Pulliman

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Peptide Carriers To Improve Uptake And Functionality And To Cross Bbb To Arrest Secondary Injury Post Tbi, Yashwanthi Yanamadala

Doctoral Dissertations

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) possess the ability to transport different cargos efficiently across the cell membrane. In this study, the ability of a CPP to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and stably carry therapeutic components across the plasma membrane was assessed. The therapeutic efficacies were determined by the ability of the KAFAK conjugated anti-inflammatory peptide drug to inhibit the progression of secondary neuronal damage in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) model at 7-day post-injury (DPI) by inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines. A related study with minocycline and PgP-rolipram was conducted to improve the outcome in TBI models at 14 DPI. …

Biochar As A Lake Management Option For Harmful Algal Blooms: Lab Experiments And Bioassays, Brittany Mc Intyre

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an increasing global concern for water management due to their increased frequency, distribution, and toxin production. In freshwaters the growth of cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue-green algae), due to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is the primary driver of HABS; these are often referred to as cyanoHABs. The management of cyanoHABs should be focused on in the watershed through best management and conservation practices or the physical, chemical and biomanipulation of the lake or reservoir that is experiencing these blooms. In this study, we examine the use of biochar as an option for the management or treatment …

Evaluation Of Hydrogeochemical Characteristics Of San Joaquin, Tulare, And Mojave Aquifers, Southern California, Maedeh Hassanvand

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Before making attempts to enhance and manage the quality of water, a thorough understanding of these processes is necessary since the chemical quality of groundwater is impacted by a number of linked processes. This would be more important in arid and semiarid regions like the southern part of California where more rely on groundwater for agriculture and drinking water uses than the other states. As a result, fundamental knowledge of the governing processes of groundwater chemistry is required for effective water resource management. Thus, this study is primarily concerned with three aspects in Mojave, Tulare, and San Joaquin aquifers: The …

Evaluation Of Rice Stink Bug, Oebalus Pugnax (F.), Resistance To Lambda-Cyhalothrin And The Economic Impact On Rice Grain Quality For Multiple Foliar Insecticides, Trevor Bradley Newkirk

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice stink bug, (RSB), Oebalus pugnax (F.), (Fabricius 1775) is the major pest of headed rice, Oryza sativa L. in the southern rice producing states. The evaluation of current insecticides is imperative to efficient and economical RSB management for rice growers. Multiple reports of field failures with lambda-cyhalothrin have been documented since 2019. Lambda-cyhalothrin has been the standard for RSB control for the past two decades. The objective for this research was to determine if RSB is becoming resistant to lambda-cyhalothrin in Arkansas, and the most economical insecticide choice for growers with respect to RSB control and grain quality. RSB …

Geophysical Assessment Of Internal Erosion Damage At The Crawford County Levee, Samuel Ross Hokett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Levee failures during flooding events can result in catastrophic loss of life and property. Soil erosion during high water events is a primary cause of levee failures. Accordingly, this research focuses on the geophysical assessment of internal erosion damage in levees. This thesis presents a case study utilizing Capacitively Coupled Resistivity (CCR), Direct Current Electrical Resistivity Tomography (DC ERT), and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) to assess internal erosion damage at the Crawford County Levee System in Van Buren, AR, that occurred during the 2019 Arkansas River flood. Geophysical surveys acquired included longitudinal CCR, DC ERT, and MASW lines …

Etre Le Coup De Foudre, Bee Bishop

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence In Landscape Architecture: A Literature Review, Phillip Fernberg, Brent Chamberlain

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly common in landscape architecture. New methods and applications are proliferating yearly and are being touted as viable tools for research and practice. While researchers have conducted assessments of the state of AI-driven research and practice in allied disciplines, there is a knowledge gap for the same in landscape architecture. This literature review addresses this gap by searching and evaluating studies specifically focused on AI and disciplinary umbrella terms (landscape architecture, landscape planning, and landscape design). It includes searches of academic databases and industry publications that combine these umbrella terms with the …

Achieving Climate Justice Through Land Back: An Overview Of Tribal Dispossession, Land Return Efforts, And Practical Mechanisms For #Landback, Vanessa Racehorse, Anna Hohag

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On The Balance Of A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study, Liliana De Castro

DPT Capstones

Objective: Therapeutic riding is an emerging tool used by rehabilitation professionals to treat individuals with disabilities. Although recent studies suggest important benefits for this population, the groups represented, and the outcomes studied, in existing literature are limited. Namely, current scholarship focuses on individuals with cerebral palsy, or measures therapeutic outcomes linked to cognitive function in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this case study is to highlight the gross motor benefits that this intervention provided for a child with autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: The subject was a 12-year-old boy who was diagnosed with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. …

Comparison Of Aquatic And Land-Based Rehabilitation In Post-Stroke Patients For Balance And Gait: A Systematic Review, Guillermo Mota, Halil Rodriguez, Edgar Hinojosa, Rebeca Baeza

DPT Capstones

Introduction. Cerebral vascular accidents (CVA), or stroke, can lead to impairments in strength, range of motion (ROM), balance, cognition, sensory integrity, and motor function. These several impairments all contribute to a decline in dynamic and static balance among stroke patients. Traditional rehabilitation for stroke involves land-based therapy (LB) techniques addressing impairments within each individual patient. Aquatic therapy (AQ) has also been utilized for rehabilitation in stroke and has been found to be beneficial among stroke patients. The purpose of this Systematic Review (SR) is to compare the effect of AQ and LB therapies on balance and gait. The rehabilitation programs …