Digital Commons Network^™

Plza Rna Chaperone Activity In Borreliella Burgdorferi Is Modulated By C-Di-Gmp, Dhara T. Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease (LD) is the most common arthropod-borne disease in North America and is caused by the spirochete, Borreliella burgdorferi. LD spirochetes are maintained in an enzootic cycle of Ixodes species ticks and a vertebrate reservoir. The secondary messenger molecule c-di-GMP plays a crucial role in adaptive responses during the enzootic cycle. PlzA is the sole c-di-GMP-binding protein identified to date that is encoded by all Borreliella burgdorferi isolates. PlzA has both c-di-GMP-dependent and c-di-GMP-independent functions and is required to complete the enzootic cycle. The full range of PlzA regulatory activities has yet to be fully defined. We determined …

Tate Speech: Radicalizing Rhetoric And Multi-Level Marketing Recruitment Strategies In The Manosphere, Carey J. Priebe

Theses and Dissertations

My study aims to uncover the discursive elements behind the gendered recruitment strategies that influencers in the manosphere use to pipeline men and boys into their multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. In the manosphere, male supremacy is presented as desirable and subversive, and MLMs take advantage of emotional and economic instability. My study examines the Twitter (X) account of the popular manosphere influencer Andrew Tate as I trace his rhetoric along a three-pronged gendered recruitment framework, a framework originally developed around women selling essential oils online and funneling their followers into radical alt-right politics. What are the similarities and differences in …

Functional Analysis Of Ligand Binding Domain 2 Of Outer Surface Protein C Of Borreliella Burgdorferi, Gavin Z. Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borreliella burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne infection in North America. A critical determinant of early mammalian infection is outer surface protein C (OspC), a highly variable lipoprotein that is indispensable for spirochete survival but whose precise function remains unresolved. OspC has been proposed to mediate diverse roles, including complement evasion, adhesion, tissue dissemination, and antiphagocytic activity, supporting the view that it is a multifunctional virulence factor. Structural studies have identified two putative ligand-binding domains (LBD1 and LBD2), with LBD2 forming a solvent-exposed crown at the membrane-distal end of the OspC dimer.

To …

Things Of Beauty: Madame De Pompadour, Patroness Of 18th Century French Arts, Mitaali Vohra

MA Projects

Things of Beauty: Madame de Pompadour, Patroness of 18th Century French Arts takes the shape of an exhibition that will be held at The National Gallery London, starting Thursday, December 12 2024 as a commemoration of a sophisticated, international icon of style, luxury and the arts - Marquise de Pompadour. The exhibition opens the following week of one of the most important decorative arts auctions of the year - Treasures London at Sotheby’s, which will be held on December 4, 2024 and present for sale, works of historical and bold scale, design and beauty, including a chance find of four …

Artcatalyze Investments: Empowering Art Investment Innovation, Wan Yu Hung

MA Projects

The Art Investment Fund represents an ambitious fusion of art expertise with state-of-the-art Web3 and cryptocurrency technology, poised to revolutionize the landscape of art investment. At its core, the Fund is dedicated to establishing a secure and transparent art investment trading platform that caters to the needs of artists and collectors alike. Anchored by a team of seasoned art advisors, the Fund offers personalized guidance tailored to each client's unique financial goals, ensuring that investment decisions are informed and strategic. Additionally, a cadre of skilled art restorers plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and enhancing the long-term appreciation …

Catalysta Proyecto: A Hybrid Approach To Showcasing Latin American Art In The Dominican Republic, Valerie Cabrera Brugal

MA Projects

Catalysta is a contemporary online art gallery that exclusively features Latin American artists, creating a dedicated platform for these voices to be seen and celebrated on the global stage. Our mission is to simplify the often-overwhelming experience of entering the art world, especially for young collectors who are new to the process. Our product offers a streamlined and accessible way to discover and purchase high-quality artwork without the traditional barriers. By providing information on the artist’s background, a description of the artwork and full disclosure of the price we offer a simple way of accessing and acquiring an art piece. …

Journey To Enlightenment: The Spiritual Essence Of Himalayan Art, Danji Jiang

MA Projects

"Journey to Enlightenment: The Spiritual Essence of Himalayan Art" is a groundbreaking and relocatable exhibition, with its inaugural presentation envisioned at Hong Kong's M+ Museum. This immersive exhibition redefines how audiences engage with Himalayan art, shifting the focus from its historical and decorative interpretations to its intangible essence—the spiritual energy, emotional resonance, and universal truths that inspired its creation. By integrating advanced technologies such as VR, AI, and lighting design, the exhibition reconstructs the original context in which these artifacts were created, offering a transformative experience that bridges the gap between ancient spiritual practices and contemporary engagement. The concept of …

Hom: House Of Mexico In New York, Victoria Espinosa

MA Projects

New York City remains the epicenter of the global art world, attracting curators, collectors, museum directors, and other key players who are constantly seeking new ideas and emerging talent. For Mexican artists, having a presence in this dynamic environment is essential for gaining the visibility and recognition they deserve on the international stage. To address this need, I am committed to establishing a dedicated space in New York—not as a commercial gallery or museum, but as a non-profit platform showcasing the depth and diversity of Mexican arts & culture. The goal is to create a bridge between Mexican creativity and …

Facilitators And Barriers To Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates In Non-Hispanic Black Women: An Integrative Review, Melissa Marie Andersson, Elizabeth L. Goes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction - Black maternal mortality remains a crucial public health crisis in the United States despite a plethora of research on the incidence. This presents in the persistent disparities in health outcomes between Black and White mothers and newborns. While numerous studies have explored isolated factors contributing to this issue, few have synthesized the full scope of barriers and facilitators influencing Black maternal health outcomes in the United States specifically.

Research Aim - This integrative review aims to identify and organize the key facilitators and barriers to reducing Black maternal mortality in the United States using the socio-ecological model as …

Nap-Trap Reveals 5'Utr-Mediated Translation Regulation During Zebrafish Development, Ethan C. Strayer

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

The cis-regulatory elements encoded in an mRNA determine its stability and translational output. While there has been a considerable effort to understand the factors driving mRNA stability, the regulatory frameworks governing translational control remain more elusive. We have developed a novel massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) to measure mRNA translation, named Nascent Peptide Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (NaP-TRAP). NaP-TRAP measures translation in a frame-specific manner through the immunocapture of epitope tagged nascent peptides of reporter mRNAs. We benchmark NaP-TRAP to polysome profiling and use it to quantify Kozak strength and the regulatory landscapes of 5’ UTRs in the developing zebrafish …

Teacher Practice Improvement Tool: A Summary Of The Underpinning Research, Fabienne Van Der Kleij, Marijne Medhurst, Michelle Lasen, Christina Rogers, Pauline Taylor-Guy

School and system improvement

In 2025, ACER published the Teacher Practice Improvement Tool (TPIT), as part of its family of improvement tools. A comprehensive review of international research was undertaken to inform the development of the TPIT, which resulted in the inductive development of five inter-related domains that holistically capture the practices of highly effective teachers. This document summarises the research evidence underpinning each of the five domains of the TPIT, drawing on a review of 102 studies. While recognising the interconnections between domains, it presents a structured narrative of key evidence and research-informed considerations for each domain. This summary offers a high-level overview …

Testing An Intervention To Develop Resilience In Student Nurses And Embed A Strategy In Undergraduate Curricula, Claire Chick

School of Nursing and Midwifery Theses

BackgroundResilience is considered an umbrella term to encompass key factors including wellbeing, emotional intelligence, self-awareness and empathy. A growing body of literature concludes the necessity for resilience-enhancing interventions to be embedded in undergraduate curricula; it is not enough to simply assume that resilience and coping are an innate component of the student nurses’ journey.Aims and objectivesAims1. To identify if a novel action learning intervention is more effective in developing resilience in student nurses than current practice.2. To embed resilience education in undergraduate curricula to support students’ well-being.Objectives1. To compare the effectiveness of interventions with current practice2. To assess stakeholder engagement …

Impact Of Anthropogenic Activities And Urban Proximity On The Conservation Of Trees Outside Forests On Agricultural Lands In The Mongala Province, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Jean Pierre Azenge, Justin Kassi N’Dja

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

This study analysed the influence of charcoal production, artisanal logging, and urban proximity on the conservation of Trees Outside Forests on Agricultural Lands (TOF -AL) in the Mongala Province (Democratic Republic of Congo). A stratified random sampling methodology was applied to 45 villages distributed across the three territories of the province (Bongandanga, Bumba, and Lisala). Within each village, an inventory of TOF AL was conducted using linear transects and systematic sampling, allowing for the evaluation of the con servation index, species richness, density, and diversity of TOF -AL. The practice of extractive activities, including charcoal production and artisanal logging, was …

Application Of Biosynthesized Nanoparticles In Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: Main Mechanisms, Recent Advances, Challenges, And Opportunities, Godfrey Osemudiamhen Eseigbe, Sunday Sunday Ikiensikimama

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Nanoparticles are increasingly used in chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) due to their ability to improve oil recovery by altering reservoir rock and fluid properties. These nanoparticles, which have unique physical and chemical traits, can be synthesized chemically or biologically. Biological synthesis, involving fungi, bacteria, algae, yeast, or plant materials are more stable, efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. With rising global energy demand and a shift towards greener solutions, the focus has moved from hazardous chemical synthesis to green synthesis for CEOR. Although some research exists on green nanoparticles for oil recovery, a comprehensive review of these studies and the …

Pharmaceutical Marketing Within Pharmacy Education In Arabic Countries, Dana Osama Allan, Hamzeh Almomani, Enas Alabood, Ibrahim Alabbadi

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Pharmaceutical marketing education is key for developing communication skills in pharmacy students and preparing them for various positions in the pharmaceutical sector. This study evaluates the current status of pharmaceutical marketing education in Arab pharmacy schools and explores innovative methods for its delivery.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with a pre-developed questionnaire distributed via email to 166 pharmacy schools across 21 Arabic countries. Analyses were performed using SPSS on the responses received from 29 universities in 9 countries.

Results: Out of the 29 respondent universities, 23 (79.3%) offered pharmaceutical marketing education. Most universities provided the course as required …

Mapping Hospital Managers Education And Training In Europe: A Narrative Scoping Review, Tiago Rodrigues, Teresa Magalhães

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Hospital managers are required to have knowledge and skills that enables them to effectively plan, manage, coordinate and monitor health care activities and services provided in complex organizations and contexts. This scoping review explores aspects and concepts regarding hospital managers education, training and competence development, including the description of common areas or topics included in hospital managers education curriculum and training programs in European countries in terms of qualification, identifies core competencies and discusses trends in the organization and functioning of healthcare institutions and systems, and their impact on education, training and practice in health management.

Methods: …

Exploring Employment Preferences And Brain Drain Tendencies Of Turkish Medical Students: Implications For The Health Sector, Ahmet Kaya, Ahmet Y. Yesildag, Yasemin Kaya, Ferit Sevim, Sedat Bostan

Health Professions Education

Background: This study explores the perceptions of medical students in Türkiye regarding physicians' working conditions, wages, and medical education, independent of current debates and trends in public and private health institutions. The study was designed to analyse the perspectives of future doctors in a context where physicians are advocating for their rights, participating in strikes, and contemplating emigration.

Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 420 medical students across different regions of Türkiye. Data were collected through an online form and analyzed using parametric tests, correlation, and frequency analysis.

Results: Students predominantly favored specializing in Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic …

Cather, Silko, Hunt: Rethinking Prosperity Twentieth-Century Explorations Of Interiority, Materiality, And Transcendence, Aileen Montoya

Dissertations and Theses

• Interiority
• Materiality
• Transcendence
• Prosperity
• Modernism
• Subjectivity
• Narrative Identity
• Spiritual Landscapes

Out Of The Circle: Exploring Religious Ostracism In Cyberball, Ralph D. Stewart Iii

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological effects of social ostracism in group settings, particularly in relation to social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and the need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Collective self-esteem, hostility, and belonging were examined to see if they changed significantly with the implementation of ostracism through the Cyberball paradigm (Williams, 2000). The relationship between ostracism, hostility, and religious fundamentalism was also explored. Though insignificant results from subsequent analysis were obtained, these results suggest weaker ostracism effects for interpersonal measures rather than intrapersonal measures consistent with findings by Hartgerink et al. …

The Preferred Leadership Styles Of Generation Z Public Educators, Rex Booth

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Amid declining enrollments in teacher preparation programs and increasing teacher turnover, understanding the characteristics of Generation Z, who constitute a substantial portion of the future workforce, is critical for effective recruitment and retention in education. This quantitative study explored the preferred leadership styles of Generation Z public educators in western Kentucky using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Specifically, it examined preferences for transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles and assessed whether these preferences varied by race, gender, or years of experience. Results revealed a strong preference for transformational leadership, followed by transactional leadership, with a clear aversion to passive-avoidant approaches. …

Analyzing The Impact Of Geographic Location, Owner Knowledge, And Veterinary Guidance On Equine Vaccination Protocols, Colleen Mcanally

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how equine owners decide which diseases their horses are vaccinated for based on their geographic location, the knowledge they have on specific equine diseases, and how much they rely on their veterinarian’s recommendations. A total of 55 horse owners throughout the United States completed an online survey. The results showed that while most owners vaccinate for common core vaccines including West Nile Virus, Tetanus, and Rabies, fewer vaccinated for risk-based vaccines like Leptospirosis. Many owners felt confident in their knowledge of national guidelines for annual core vaccinations, but only a small number of owners were able to …

Understanding The Influence Of Team Identifications Influence On Perception Of States, Morgan Elizabeth Macke

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Team identification refers to an individual’s psychological connection to a team or athlete (Wann, 2006a), while rival salience involves awareness of a prominent rival team (Wann & James, 2019). This study examined the relationship between sport team identification and perceptions of a state housing a salient rival, specifically whether identification with the University of Kentucky (UK) men’s basketball team influenced perceptions of Tennessee, home to rival team University of Tennessee (UT). It was hypothesized that greater team identification would be associated with more negative evaluations of Tennessee, and that this relationship would be mediated by perceptions of the rival team. …

Using The Foundational Numeracy Transformation Cycle To Gain Insights And Perspectives On Teaching And Learning, Brooke Custis

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The Foundational Numeracy Transformation Cycle (FNTC) was created in part to increase the percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above grade level in middle school mathematics. Through professional development and support, the FNTC worked within regional co-ops to increase math proficiency at all grade levels by building instructional capacity in primary educators. In addition to increasing student proficiency, the FNTC also aimed to enhance educator confidence in implementing Mathematical Teaching Practice (MTP) #2. This study used quantitative analysis to determine that participation in the FNTC had no statistically significant effect on student achievement. This study also explored the …

Agreement On Climate Change, Trade And Sustainability: Forging New Frontiers In Trade And Sustainability Debate, Rishabha Meena, Apoorva Singh Vishnoi

Indian Journal of International Economic Law

The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) is a historic international trade agreement that weaves environmental considerations into a traditional trade agreement. While only four countries, namely New Zealand, Switzerland, Iceland, and Costa Rica, are Parties to the ACCTS, it is open to new members, and a textual analysis of its review provisions underscores the commitment of ACCTS Parties to ‘design flexibility’. Its Chapters liberalising trade in environmental goods and services, disciplining fossil fuel subsidies and providing voluntary guidelines on ecolabelling mark it as an international trade agreement with many historical firsts. This Article will undertake a legal …

Integration Of Physics-Informed Neural Networks And Transfer Learning For Rainfall Induced Landslide Forecasting, Shian Cao, Weibing Gong

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rainfall-induced landslides are a significant geological hazard, causing severe economic losses and casualties. Accurate forecasting of these events is particularly challenging due to the complex interactions of spatial and temporal factors governing slope stability. The Iverson model, which uses the Richards equation to describe water infiltration in unsaturated soils, is a widely adopted framework for analyzing rainfall-induced landslides. However, its reliance on traditional numerical methods limits its scalability and efficiency, particularly for complex boundary conditions and transient behaviors near slope failure. To address these limitations, we propose a physics-informed neural network (PINN) enhanced with transfer learning (TL-PINN) to solve the …

A Comparative Study On The Originality Of Ai-Generated Artworks: What Can Copyright Laws Learn From Refik Anadol?, Söğüt Atilla

National Law School of India Review

Originality is a fundamental requirement for works to receive copyright protection. However, as the term lacks a universally accepted definition, interpretations of originality vary across jurisdictions. This article first examines key theories underpinning copyright law to justify the necessity of an originality threshold. It then analyses how the United States, the United Kingdom, India, China, and the European Union define and apply this criterion. In the final section, the article argues that, these jurisdictions, when applying their well-established principles and case law consistently, can accommodate findings of originality in AI-generated artworks. The article critiques the misconception shared by some jurisdictions …

Reimagining The Asylum Law In India: A Study On The Duty Of Of Non-Refoulement, Siddeeqa Iram

National Law School of India Review

The right of refugees to seek asylum is undisputedly provided by international instruments but traditionally, the right to grant asylum has been the prerogative of the state concerned. States have a duty of non-refoulement under Article 33 of the Refugee Convention, prohibiting the expulsion or return of refugees. Given the correlation between International Human Rights Law and International Refugee Law, non-refoulement comprises non-rejection at the frontiers as well. Despite the principle being a part of customary international law, due to the ambiguity prevailing in its application, it is constantly flouted by the member-states. Further, as the principle of non-refoulement includes …

Evolution Of Privacy Jurisprudence In The Supreme Court Of India: Evaluating The Impact Of Puttaswamy, Vrinda Bhandari, Rishab Bailey

National Law School of India Review

This paper studies the Supreme Court’s landmark privacy judgment in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India and, through an empirical analysis of 53 judgments, analyses the record of the Supreme Court in applying, rather than simply citing, the judgment in decisions from 2017 to early 2023. Puttaswamy is widely seen as a transformative decision, as it recognised privacy as a fundamental right and tied it to dignity, autonomy, bodily integrity, consent, and choice. Yet it did not arise from a lis involving a concrete factual dispute over the application of privacy rights. The Court was therefore not dealing with a …

The Social Life Of Free Speech: Who Gets To Speak And Express?, Anurag Bhaskar

National Law School of India Review

The interdisciplinary scholarship on free speech, though developed outside the Indian context, underscores the necessity of re-examining free speech not just as an individual right against the State, but as a socially embedded phenomenon, conditioned by historical inequalities and prevailing systems of power. Building on this framework, this article advances an anti-caste perspective on freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. It examines the contours of free speech in a heterogeneous and hierarchically structured society, interrogating how caste hierarchies have shaped the boundaries of acceptable speech, and determining whose speech is heard and whose is …

The Authenticity Trap: Political Deepfakes And The Limits Of Current Regulation, Akriti Gaur

National Law School of India Review

This paper examines the emerging regulatory challenge posed by political deepfakes, with a particular focus on India’s 2024 elections and the legal responses that followed. It argues that regulatory responses that directly prohibit or remove political speech risk collapsing questions of authenticity into questions of legality. Using India as the central case study, and drawing comparative lessons from recent developments in the United States, the paper argues for a regulatory approach focused less on banning synthetic political content and more on provenance, disclosures, and institutional preparedness. Deepfake regulation, if poorly designed, risks strengthening state control over political discourse. The paper …