Digital Commons Network^™

Descartes Meets Samkhya, Edgar James Vasquez

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

One of the great shortcomings of Cartesian mind-body dualism has been what is known as the Mind-Body Problem. Specifically, how does the mind (an immaterial substance) affect the body (a material substance) and vice versa. One of the first Indian philosophical traditions, Samkhya, provides a strict dualism as Descartes does, but does not encounter the mind-body Problem. Samkhya avoids the problem of mind-body interaction by drawing the dividing line differently than Descartes does. Instead of dividing the world into mental and physical, Samkhya divides the world into pure awareness (purusha) and everything else (prakriti). Which of course includes the mind …

Interpretation And Ovidian Myth In Alexander’S Bridge And O Pioneers!, Paul A. Olson

Department of English: Faculty Publications

This essay describes interpretive strategies widely applied to Ovidian mythic materials during the period of Cather’s early career, especially those operative in Alexander’s Bridge and O Pioneers! The article assumes that widely held conventional interpretations of myths, in this case Ovidian myths, in a specific time and area are part of their semantic content, or iconology, and are tools Cather used in communicating with her audience. The essay then looks at a passage in the 1912 Alexander’s Bridge and two disputed passages in the 1913 O Pioneers! along with extended Bacchic themes in the latter novel that employ conventional Ovidian …

Putting The Boolean Puzzle Together, Mark Duncan

LOEX Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Insect Biodiversity Of Select Areas In The Western Suburbs Of Chicago, Bradley Dawson

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Introduction

Insects make up an integral part of the landscape in North America and across the world. They occupy a myriad of niches in food webs, function as predators and prey, and provide environmental services like pollination of flowering plants and decomposition of dead animal carcasses and fecal matter. They take part in ecosystems that are often delicately balanced, and so conservation is often a worthwhile effort in areas that would otherwise be trampled by human activity. In the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois where I reside, there is a mix of both heavily developed areas as well as some …

Discoverinsects.Com: An Interactive Tool To Introduce Younger Audiences To Entomology, Ian Eldred

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Early in life, children’s views towards arthropods can be tainted by many things. One major way is through the views held and expressed by those that surround them, especially their caregivers. Tools are needed to reach children during these crucial developmental ages and expose them to all of the wonderful things arthropods do and educate them on how big of a role arthropods play in the lives of every human around the globe. As digital technology in households is becoming more apparent and accessible, new ways to engage these audiences need to be developed and utilized. This creates a unique …

The Abcdefgs Of Entomology, Maria T. Gutierrez

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

As a parent of three kids, I love finding ways to spark their curiosity and love for learning, so combining my interest in entomology and my experience as a parent, I came up with a fun yet informative book about insects. I selected the most common insects kids might encounter daily at home, school, or while playing at the park: ants, butterflies, cockroaches, dragonflies, earwigs, flies, and grasshoppers.

I aimed to develop an activity book that anyone could use, whether they are a teacher or a parent without a scientific background. By focusing on these seven specific insects, I wanted …

Undergraduate Symposium, 2023, College Of Arts & Sciences

Undergraduate Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

Annual Report: Nebraska Extension In Lancaster County, January 1, 2023 Through December 31, 2023

Lancaster County, Nebraska Extension: Reports

Lancaster County Extension information from 2023. Contents include:

1) About Extension - Lancaster County Extension mission statement, overview and impact reports;

2) Staff and Programs - staff directory and Extension Educator annual program summaries;

3) Financials - summaries of 2022-2023 budget expenditures and fiscal year 2023-2024 budget; and

4) Media - website and social media information, samples of our Nebline newsletter and local newspaper articles.

Wpa News 122 (2023), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Winter 2023), number 122

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Towards Modeling Human Attention From Eye Movements For Neural Source Code Summarization, Aakash Bansal, Bonita Sharif, Collin Mcmillan

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Neural source code summarization is the task of generating natural language descriptions of source code behavior using neural networks. A fundamental component of most neural models is an attention mechanism. The attention mechanism learns to connect features in source code to specific words to use when generating natural language descriptions. Humans also pay attention to some features in code more than others. This human attention reflects experience and high-level cognition well beyond the capability of any current neural model. In this paper, we use data from published eye-tracking experiments to create a model of this human attention. The model predicts …

Turfgrass Alternatives For The Modern Yard, John Lonowski

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The considerable maintenance and irrigation required of turfgrass lawns can often be seen as a fruitless endeavor, as it consumes substantial resources but yields minimal economic benefit. The goal of this paper is to highlight the resource needs of traditional turfgrass lawns and identify and test alternative lawn types that are still aesthetically pleasing while being more sustainable than traditional turfgrass. To obtain the results, the experiment was conducted in Alda, Nebraska employing a randomized complete block design, which tested four entries at two separate locations, each with three replications. The entries include: 1. Buffalograss, 2. Tall Fescue, 3. White …

Interspecific Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Competition In The Southeast United States, Wesley C. Dixon, Jacob E. Hill, Richard Chipman, Amy J. Davis, Amy Gilbert, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Rabies Management Program (NRMP) has coordinated the use of oral rabies vaccination (ORV) to control the spread of raccoon rabies virus variant west of the Appalachian Mountains since 1997. Working with state and local partners, the NRMP deploys ORV baits containing a rabies vaccine, primarily targeting raccoon populations (Procyon lotor). Bait competition between raccoons and non-target species may limit the effectiveness of ORV programs, but the extent of bait competition remains poorly quantified, particularly in the southeastern United States. We placed placebo ORV baits in bottomland hardwood (n = 637 baits) and upland …

Foreword: Symbiotic Perspectives On The Processes Of Biology And Art, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Process Epistemologies For The Careful Interplay Of Art And Biology: An Afterword, S. R. Gilbert, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Scarlet Letter "E": How Tenancy Screening Policies Exacerbate Housing Inequity For Evicted Black Women, Yvette N.A. Pappoe

Journal Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented health and economic crisis in the United States. In addition to more than nine hundred thousand deaths in the United States and counting, another kind of crisis emerged from the pandemic: an eviction crisis. In August 2020, an estimated thirty to forty million people in America were at risk of facing eviction by the end of the year. Black women renters faced a higher risk of losing their homes than other groups. At the onset of the pandemic, the federal government implemented eviction moratoria to prevent the evictions of tenants who were unable …

Rnai-Mediated Gene Silencing In The Exotic Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, Xyleborus Glabratus, And Insect-Fungal Interactions Within The Laurel Wilt Complex, Morgan Christine Knutsen

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Laurel wilt disease (LWD) is a lethal vascular disease impacting lauraceous hosts caused by Harringtonia lauricola, the fungal symbiont of the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichoff) (RAB) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). LWD has caused tree mortality throughout the southeastern United States and is continuing to spread into new regions. Current management methods have not been successful in preventing spread, warranting investigation into innovative techniques including RNA interference (RNAi).

Elongation factor-1 alpha (ef1a) and actin (act) were established as stably expressed reference genes after exposing beetles to different photoperiod, temperature, and dsRNA exposure. After RAB oral …

Linking Previous Experiences To Behavior And Health In The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera), Rebecca R. Westwick

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

An organism’s ability to respond to changing conditions can be vital to its success. Indeed, plasticity is a common feature of living organisms. Much of the research in this area, though, has focused on effects caused by environmental conditions. What has received relatively less attention is how social experiences and broader features of an organism’s social environment can lead to long-lasting changes in health and behavior. This knowledge gap exists despite the well-documented existence of health and behavioral effects after social interactions in certain taxa such as humans.

Social insects such as honey bees provide an excellent opportunity to better …

Evaluating Microlearning Strategies In The Corporate Environment: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study Using The Kirkpatrick Model, Megan Laird Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Corporate training and development, despite their significance as primary learning strategies for adults, have received limited research attention. This study addresses this gap by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of video-based and digital job aid procedural-based microlearning in a corporate setting, utilizing most of the Kirkpatrick Model: learner satisfaction, knowledge retention, and behavior change. Employing a mixed methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of microlearning’s application and potential for improving business outcomes, the study incorporates pre- and post-tests, participant interviews, and self-reported questionnaires. Thirty participants completed the study, with equal representation (15 participants each) for both modalities, and interviews …

Institute Of Public Health Newsletter- Volume5, Issue1, Institute Of Public Health (Iph)

Institute of Public Health Newsletter (IPHNL) and Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Justice And Feminism: A Comparative Legal Analysis Of The Policies And Healthcare Systems In The United States And Colombia, Samantha Cooke

Modern Languages, Philosophy and Classics Theses

This thesis seeks to offer a comparative legal analysis of the state of the laws regarding abortion and reproductive autonomy in the United States of America and Colombia. This thesis will first address a brief history of feminism and its origins in the United States and Colombia. It will also analyze the policies held by each respective nation; starting with old legislation and moving to current policies regarding abortion. It will also include a comparison between both the U.S. and Colombia; offering suggestions for the future with regards to potential policy changes. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate …

Bilingualism: Bringing World Language To The Youth, Kyle Villella

Modern Languages, Philosophy and Classics Theses

This research thesis focuses on world language education in the United States, more specifically, in the state of Rhode Island. In a changing world, learning a second language is key to creating more culturally competent citizens of the world. This thesis pushes for world language education in elementary schools, particularly in first grade. The first section of the thesis focuses on the reasoning behind beginning this education and how a child’s brain is more capable of second language learning This thesis then looks into how this style of education can be successful and the best pedagogical approaches. It analyzes how …

Methods For Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Of Biomphalaria Glabrata Nf-Κb, Marissa A. Zintel

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Biomphalaria glabrata is a species of freshwater snail that is an intermediate host to the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, a causative agent of human schistosomiasis. Substantial research has focused on the B. glabrata immune system, but progress is restricted by the limited molecular tools available for molluscan organisms. While many studies have described the anti-parasitic defenses of B. glabrata, the initiation and regulation of these defenses remain unclear. One important immune regulator, well known in both human and Drosophila immunology, is nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Research has shown that B. glabrata NF-κB transcripts are upregulated in response to …

Gangliogenesis And Embryonic Development In Biomphalaria Glabrata, Subhiksha Srinivasan

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Biomphalaria glabrata is an intermediate host for a parasitic species, Schistosoma mansoni, which can infect humans causing schistosomiasis. The majority of research conducted on these snails focuses on host-parasite relationships. Thus, very little is known regarding their nervous system, especially during embryonic and juvenile development. This project aims to investigate the transition from the embryonic nervous system consisting of a network of neurons to a developed ganglionic nervous system consisting of a separation between clusters of nerve cell bodies, or ganglia, and connectives. To investigate when this process, known as gangliogenesis, occurs, immunofluorescence is used to visualize the serotonergic nervous …

Lipids And Lipoproteins May Play A Role In The Neuropathology Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Omer Akyol, Sumeyya Akyol, Mei-Chuan Chou, Shioulan Chen, Ching-Kuan Liu, Salih Selek, Jair C Soares, Chu-Huang Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other classes of dementia are important public health problems with overwhelming social, physical, and financial effects for patients, society, and their families and caregivers. The pathophysiology of AD is poorly understood despite the extensive number of clinical and experimental studies. The brain's lipid-rich composition is linked to disturbances in lipid homeostasis, often associated with glucose and lipid abnormalities in various neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Moreover, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels may be related to a higher probability of AD. Here, we hypothesize that lipids, and electronegative LDL (L5) in particular, may be involved in the …

Masthead

UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice

No abstract provided.

Critical Latino Studies: Combatting The (Mis)Education Of Latino Students In U.S. Public Schools, Heidi Kern

West Chester University Master’s Theses

In this thesis, I will explore the historical undervaluing and miseducation of Latino youth in U.S. public schools using a lens of decolonial theory to combat the systems of oppression that continue to affect our Latino youth today. First, I explain what experiences brought me to this concern and provide a clear theoretical framework to explain my philosophy of education. I also articulate key concepts from decolonial scholars and educational activists that inform my own work on the educational experiences of Latino students. In Chapter Three, I provide a historical review of how a public school system rooted in colonialism …

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Understanding Our Students' Mathematical Experiences Through Drawing, Gabriel T. Matney, Corrinne Fischer, Jack L. Jackson Ii

School of Inclusive Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Learning about our students’ perceptions of mathematics can help teachers better understand students’ mathematical efficacy and aid in the creation of lessons that foster positive mathematical learning experiences. In this article, we share some students’ perceptions of doing mathematics through their drawings. We looked at students from three different grade levels in three different countries: China, Fiji, and the United States. We discuss what we learned from these drawings as teachers and how teachers can use the drawing task to learn more about their student’s perceptions of doing mathematics.

Manipulation Of Components Of The Renin Angiotensin System In Renal Proximal Tubules Fails To Alter Atherosclerosis In Hypercholesterolemic Mice, Masayoshi Kukida, Naofumi Amioka, Dien Ye, Hui Chen, Jessica J. Moorleghen, Ching-Ling Liang, Deborah A. Howatt, Yuriko Katsumata, Motoko Yanagita, Hisashi Sawada, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Background and objective: Whole body manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) consistently exerts profound effects on experimental atherosclerosis development. A deficit in the literature has been a lack of attention to the effects of sex. Also, based on data with gene-deleted mice, the site of RAS activity that influences lesion formation is at an unknown distant location. Since angiotensin (AngII) concentrations are high in kidney and the major components of the RAS are present in renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs), this study evaluated the role of the RAS in PTCs in atherosclerosis development.

Methods and results: Mice with an LDL …

Trademark Tarnishmyths, Jake Linford, Justin Sevier, Allyson Willis

Scholarly Publications

Trademark law protects famous marks from dilution by tarnishment, defined by statute as use likely to "harm the reputation of the famous mark." Tarnishing uses are typically those that connect a mark with disreputable goods or topics, like sex or drugs. Mark owners worry that consumers will not purchase products connected with sexually explicit or drug-related materials, and courts often presume the same. If those associations likely cause consumers to withhold custom or dissipate goodwill consumers have invested in the mark, anti-tarnishment protection might be justified. But if that harm is more mythic than real, the law penalizing tarnishing use …

Review: Spencer Fluhman And Philip Barlow, Eds. The Book Of Mormon: Brief Theological Introductions. Provo, Ut: Neal A. Maxwell Institute, Brigham Young University, 2021., Seth Perry

Mormon Studies Review

“Theology” is a complicated concept in Mormon discourse. It is routine to say that there is no tradition of formal Mormon theology, or even any Mormon theology at all. This is explained by observing that continuing revelation and the multiple genres of Mormon scripture resist systematization, or that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints eschews seminaries and professionalized clergy. Both the perceived need and the space for discussion of what other Christianities consider theological questions is thought to be constrained by institutional and cultural insistence on the prophetic authority of church leaders. Seminarians are not needed to work …