Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis Of Rna Nucleotides Under Probable Prebiotic Conditions, Ryan Stimson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

RNA being composed of multiple covalently linked nucleotides is thought to have been a precursor to life circa 4.3-3.8 billion years ago. Non-enzymatically formed adenosine monophosphate (AMP), more specifically, is a vitally important subtopic of the self-assembly of the first RNA sequence. The goal of this study was to synthesize AMP non-enzymatically under benign conditions that are likely to have existed on early Earth. In this experiment, 3’,5’-cAMP was successfully formed using wet-dry cycles at 80°C paired with the minerals zeolite beta, hydroxyapatite, and aerosil 300 in the presence of adenosine, urea, and pyrophosphate. A nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer was …

The Influence Of Hydrogen Peroxide On The Enrichment Of Fe(Iii) Reducing Bacteria From Acid Mine Drainage, Susami Seth

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

It is hypothesized that the ocean of Europa, a Jupiter moon, hosts bacteria on its oceanic floor. Understanding how Fe(III) reducing bacteria (FeRB) from AMD utilize organic materials within its surrounding environment outlines how FeRB could thrive and tolerate extreme conditions. FeRB are known to tolerate metals and highly reactive oxidants species (ROS), but in this experiment, H₂O₂ was the experimental factor to further test FeRB tolerance. H₂O₂ is a common ROS and is damaging to living material such as proteins, DNA, and RNA. A range of H₂O₂ concentrations were fed …

Anthropological Responses To Covid-19 In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco

Development Studies Faculty Publications

This article reflects on the roles anthropologists have played in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, and identifies the challenges – from the methodological to the political – they faced in fulfilling these roles. Drawing on the author's personal and professional experiences in the country, as well as on interviews with other anthropologists, this article identifies three major roles for anthropologists: conducting ethnographic research; bearing witness to the pandemic through first-person accounts; and engaging various publics. All these activities have contributed to a greater recognition of the role of the social sciences in health crises, even as anthropologists …

Health Workers On The Political Frontlines, Gideon Lasco

Development Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Different Methods Of Demineralized Dentin Matrix Preservation On The Proliferation And Differentiation Of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells, Yanshan Xiong, Ting Shen, Xiaoli Xie

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose Demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) is used as a tissue regeneration scaffold. Effective preservation of DDM benefits clinical applications. Cryopreservation and freeze-drying may be effective methods to retain DDM mechanical properties and biological activity. Materials and methods Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) isolated using enzymatic dissociation were identified by multidirectional differentiation and flow cytometry. DDM was prepared with EDTA and divided into four groups: fresh DDM (fDDM), room temperature-preserved DDM (rtDDM), cryopreserved DDM (cDDM) and freeze-dried DDM (fdDDM). The DDM surface morphology was observed, and microhardness was detected. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and collagen-Ⅰ …

Performance Of High-Translucent Zirconia Cad/Cam Fixed Dental Prostheses Using A Digital Workflow: A Clinical Study Up To 6 Years, Ilser Turkyilmaz

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose Zirconia has recently become a popular material for fixed restorations. The purpose of this study was to use a digital workflow to fabricate monolithic zirconia fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) and assess the connection between variable connector sizes compared to their clinical performance. Materials and methods Clinicians evaluated monolithic zirconia FDPs in 58 patients. After definitive impressions were made, stone casts were obtained. The stone casts were scanned to a standard triangle language (STL) file. A digital wax up was fabricated, and corresponding provisional restorations were milled. Final FDPs were fabricated from a high-translucent zirconia material. During digital fabrication, …

Differences In Setting Time Of Calcium Silicate-Based Sealers Under Different Test Conditions, Hyeon-Cheol Kim, Jina Koo, Sang Won Kwak

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose Recently introduced calcium silicate-based bioceramic (CSBC) sealers require moisture for setting, thus this study aimed to compare the setting times of epoxy resin-and CSBC sealers under different test conditions. Materials and methods Four CSBC sealers (CeraSeal, EndoSeal TCS, One-Fil, and Well-Root ST) were compared to an epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus). Each sealer was placed in a stainless-steel and gypsum molds on a glass slide. Sealer samples (n = 10 per group) were stored in an incubator at 95% humidity and 37 °C. A Gilmore needle with a total weight of 100 g and a 2.0-mm diameter were …

Biomarkers As Subject Matter: A Tailored Solution For Patent Ineligibility In Medical Diagnostics, Benjamin Foote-Huth

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Canadian Wildfires On Us Air Quality Using Satellite, Model And Ground Measurements, Zhixin Xue

Dissertations

In recent years, frequent and widespread wildfires in Canada have become the “new normal” during summer, which degrades the U.S. air quality significantly. Smoke from wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta can be transported by northwesterly winds to the U.S. and cause health issues to vulnerable populations, which also increases the health costs to the country. During the fire season, daily PM2.5 in cities along the smoke transport path in the United States can increase 5 to 10 times compared to pre-fire values. This research examined different processes affecting smoke's vertical and horizontal transport and quantified the increase in fine …

Functionalized Nanomaterials As Tailored Theranostics, Kavini M. Rathnayake

Dissertations

Theranostic nanoparticles are a type of biodegradable and biocompatible multifunctional nanosystems in combination with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for more specific and personalized disease management. However, difficulties still exist in engineering biocompatible theranostic nanoparticles with highly specific to intracellular bacteria and tumor. Development of nanoassemblies which can overcome these difficulties to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy of the drugs will be discussed in this dissertation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic pathogen, which causes serious lung infections in immunocompromised patients. Traditional oral intake of large quantities of small-molecule antibiotics to treat bacterial infections leads to off-target toxicity and development of drug-resistant …

Globe And Natural Inquirer Crosswalk Ms/Hs: Photosynthesis, Margaret Gregory, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Teacher Resources

No abstract provided.

2021 U.S. Globe Partner Yearbook, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Partner Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Water Quality And The Landscape: Long-Term Monitoring Of Rapidly Developing Suburban Watersheds, William H. Mcdowell

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

How The Successes And Failures Of The Clean Water Act Fueled The Rise Of The Public Trust Doctrine And The Rights Of Nature Movement, Erin Ryan

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Algorithmic Decision-Making And Discrimination In Developing Countries, Cecil Abungu

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

This article seeks to investigate how developing countries can ensure that algorithmic decision-making does not leave protected groups in their jurisdictions exposed to unlawful discrimination that would be almost impossible to prevent or prove. The article shows that universally, longstanding methods used to prevent and prove discrimination will struggle when confronted with algorithmic decision-making. It then argues that while some of the proposed solutions to this issue are promising, they cannot be successfully implemented in a vast majority of developing countries because these countries lack the necessary institutional foundation. The key features of this institutional foundation include: (i) a wellrooted …

A Retrospective Study Comparing The Effects Of Dynamic Tape In Addition To Treatment On Adults With Upper Extremity Tendinopathy Versus Treatment Alone: A Focus On Wrist And Hand Tendinopathies, Kara Howansky

OTD DEx Reports - College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

"Typical treatments for tendinopathies include rest, activity modification, anti- inflammatory medications, physical and occupational therapy, and therapeutic tapes. There are many types of therapeutic tapes to assist with various musculoskeletal conditions for the upper and lower extremity in rehabilitation. To reduce the probability of injury and reduce cost, individuals and practitioners have turned to the application of various athletic tapes. However, it has been recognized that the use of athletic and kinesiology tape has been ineffective at absorbing load or contributing to reducing the workload of the musculotendinous unit (Dynamic Tape, 2020). Dynamic Tape (DT) works to mechanically alter movement …

Northeastern Illinois University, Academic Catalog 2022-2023, Northeastern Illinois University

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Globe And Natural Inquirer Crosswalk Ms/Hs: Carbon Cycle, Veshell Lewis Phd, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Teacher Resources

No abstract provided.

Angelic And Demonic Womanhood: The Provocative Power Of Convergent Identities In Dickens And Eliot, Mackenzie Clinger

Masters Essays

No abstract provided.

Care Ethics, Religion, And Spiritual Traditions, Inge Van Nistelrooij, Maureen Sander-Staudt, Maurice Hamington

Philosophy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Care Ethics, Religion, and Spiritual Traditions is a collection of original essays that address the intersection between contemporary feminist care ethics and religious morality. Feminist care ethics is one of the most dynamic areas in modern theory. This relational approach to morality emphasizes context, emotion, and imagination over consequences, rules, and rights has only been around for about four decades, with its definition still being negotiated. Still, the respect for this approach is demonstrated by its widespread inclusion in moral discourse. Historically, care has been an overlooked concept in philosophy, but religion's ambivalence toward care ethics is even more pronounced. …

An Agronomic-Economic Approach To Connect Manure Nutrients Back To Grain-Producing Regions, Joshua M. Duke, Joshua M. Mcgrath

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Stakeholders for nutrient-impaired watersheds have long discussed the causes and consequences of nutrient surpluses associated with intensive livestock production. Nonetheless, nutrient surpluses relative to crop requirement, particularly with phosphorus (P), persist and continue to contribute to water quality impairment. Nutrient life-cycle analysis shows that mineral P, from soil minerals or mined fertilizer P, flows to livestock regions from grain-producing regions. Although creating a return flow of these nutrients to grain fields seems like an easy solution, significant economic obstacles exist to creating a connected manureshed over large geographic distances. To limit the impact of manure use on local surface water, …

Design And Synthesis Of Α-Anomeric Diacetylene-Containing Glycosides As Photopolymerizable Molecular Gelators, Guijun Wang, Dan Wang, Anji Chen, Ifeanyi S. Okafor, Lalith Palitha Samankumara

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Glycolipids with diacetylene functional groups are fascinating compounds with many practical uses. Among these, diacetylene-containing gelators are especially important because they can form photopolymerizable gels, which are useful stimuli-responsive materials. Inspired by the unique properties of diacetylene-containing gelators and to understand the structural influences especially the location of the diacetylene functional groups on the self-assembling properties, a series of 15 novel N-acetyl-d-glucosamine derivatives with the diacetylene functional group introduced at the anomeric position were designed and synthesized. The diacetylene function is attached to the sugar through α-glycosylation with the distance from the anomeric oxygen being varied from one, two, …

Best Books Of The Past 20 Years For Ages 3-6, Rachel Schwedt, Janice A. Delong

Ages 3-6

Selecting books for preschoolers and beginning readers that engage their attention while teaching values, can be an elusive task. We have chosen some titles that that will cause giggles of amusement, some that may bring wrinkles of concentration to little brows, and others that may raise questions for them to ask adults. All are well-written.

Title reviews are taken from See Me Shine: Developing Character Through Books: Ages 3-6

Social And Biological Determinants Of Pregnancy-Related Mortality And Morbidity In A Rural, Underserved Population, Anna Hansen

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Cases of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and pregnancy-related mortality (PRM) are increasing in the US. Research concerning SMM and PRM has neglected women in Central Appalachia; a largely rural, health-disparate population. The aims of this study are two-fold: (1) Examine patient-level and place-based predictors of SMM/PRM via hierarchical logistic regression modeling, and (2) Elucidate Appalachian healthcare patients’ and providers’ experiences with SMM/PRM, perceptions of contributing factors, and insights on points of intervention.

This study uses a mixed methods approach guided by the WHO’s conceptual framework for action on social determinants of health to identify determinants of SMM and PRM among …

An Examination Of Three Transitional Events In The Substance Misuse Trajectories Of Women With Criminal Legal System Involvement, Martha Tillson

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Research has consistently demonstrated that criminal legal system (CLS)-involved women are distinct from men in initiation and course of drug use, with important differences on biological, environmental, and sociocultural levels. Thus, the unique pathways and transitions into and out of drug use for women with CLS involvement are critical to consider from a research perspective, but also from a need to develop and support evidence-based, women-centered services in correctional contexts. This dissertation project uses a three-paper format to investigate three aims: (1) to understand CLS-involved women’s initiations to injection drug use and their experiences providing injection initiation assistance (IIA) to …

Chemically Tuned Sers Sensors And Signal Processing For Marine Sensing, Robert Chevalier

Open Access Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation was to explore and develop tools for marine sensing by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The first chapter focuses on the development of a real-time signal processing program to deal with background removal in different spectroscopic techniques such as UV/Vis, SERS and XPS. Background removal by a dual-tree complex wavelet transform with an iterative algorithm (DTCWT-IA) was compared to different background removal methods such as: linear, spline, Tougaard, Shirley, and unspecified proprietary methods from the instrument software companies. Unlike the more conventional methods, DTCWT-IA more resembled the presumed background shape and was generalizable across different spectroscopic …

Chemical Biology Of Dna Adduct Repair, Bypass And Mutagenesis, Rui Qi

Open Access Dissertations

DNA is necessarily to be stable and intact since it is the repository of genetic information in each living cell. However, DNA is not inert, and it is vulnerable to the endogenous and environmental assault including reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultraviolet (UV) light, and various carcinogens. Exposure to these DNA damaging agents is associated with various adducts ranging from small methyl or etheno adducts to bulky adducts such as acetylaminofluorene. These resulting damages, if not repaired, will lead to replication block or mutation which can eventually cause cancer or other genetic diseases. The research covered by this dissertation falls into …

The Development Of An Inclusive Three-Item Gender Instrument, Angela Astorini

Open Access Dissertations

Existing gender instruments are not inclusive and sensitive to all persons of transgender and/or gender diverse experience (TGDE), individuals whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth according to the heteronormative sociocultural construct of gender (Flores et al. 2016; Meerwijk & Sevelius, 2017). The goal of this study was to use a mixed methods approach to develop a new three-item gender instrument that collects information from participants on their sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and the gender they live as in their day-to-day life (lived gender). This gender instrument would aid researchers and health professionals …

Chemical Investigation Of Metabolites Produced By Marine Pseudoalteromonas Spp., Margaret Rosario

Open Access Dissertations

In natural environments, bacteria are surrounded by other organisms such as eukaryotic phytoplankton and other bacterial species. Specialized metabolites are encoded within bacterial genomes and are expected to play a large role in mediating interactions with other cells. Furthermore, chemical communication in bacterial communities is a key component to controlling group behaviors including virulence. Marine Pseudoalteromonas spp. Produce a plethora of specialized metabolites, suggesting a reliance on the biosynthesis, secretion, and response to chemical cues. This dissertation explores the prevalence and function of signaling molecules and specialized metabolites produced by two species of Pseudoalteromonas.

The first study, which is …

Investigation Of The Structural And Optical Properties Of Xanthene Dyes For Analyte Detection And Thin Film Sensor Development, Mara A. Dubnicka

Open Access Dissertations

Chapter 1 Abstract:

The effect of structure on the photophysical properties of six xanthene dye thin films: Rh560, Rh19, Rh6G, RhB, Rh3B, and Rh640 is investigated. The absorption spectra of all six dyes exhibit bathochromic shifts as the thickness of the thin film is increased. Bathochromic shifts are also seen in the emission spectra of the thin films with increased thickness. These shifts are attributed to the formation of J-dimers as the concentration of the casting solution increases. The quantum yields of the thin films are greatly reduced compared to the quantum yield values in aqueous solutions.

Chapter 2 …