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Foreword From Handling Editor - 12th Edition, Ahyahudin Sodri

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

We are delighted to present the 12th edition of JESSD, published in July 2024. We have selected nine of the best articles for this edition that related with topic of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development.

Market-Based Conservation Preference In The Forest Conservation Business, Rizaldy Yudhista Yudhista, Mahawan Karuniasa, Raldi Hendro Koestoer

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Earth is on the verge of rising temperatures above 1.5˚ Celsius. Passing the limit of 1.5˚ Celsius is a significant risk in living on earth as it will increase the risks of natural disasters such as drought, flood, and storm. With forests capable of absorbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the need for forest conservation areas is increasing to keep the earth's temperature below 1.5˚ Celsius. The increase in demand is facing hurdles from its financial sustainability, as well as the stakeholder's paradigm, which is still seen as a forest from a direct economic perspective. Market-based initiatives (MBI) are a concept …

Novel Pathogenic Variants In Polr3k Cause Polr3-Related Leukodystrophy, Stefanie Perrier, Julia Macintosh, Agata D. Misiaszek, Gabrielle Lambert, Kether Guerrero, Luan T. Tran, Christoph W. Müller, Tomi Pastinen, Gustavo H B Maegawa, Isabelle Thiffault, Geneviève Bernard

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

POLR3-related hypomyelinating leukodystrophy (POLR3-HLD) is a rare inherited neurological disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in specific genes encoding subunits of RNA polymerase III (Pol III). Here, we report the third patient worldwide with pathogenic variants in POLR3K and clinical features consistent with POLR3-HLD. The female patient presented with mild intellectual and behavioural disturbances in childhood, as well as growth delay, with brain MRI revealing diffuse hypomyelination and a pattern consistent with POLR3-HLD. In adolescence, she manifested minor motor dysfunction. Next-generation sequencing revealed a paternally inherited missense variant in POLR3K (c.322G>T; p.D108Y) and a maternally inherited large deletion, spanning …

Cantor Set From A Nonstandard Viewpoint, Sebar H. Jumha, Ibrahim O. Hamad, Ala O. Hassan

Polytechnic Journal

This paper proposes a fresh perspective for visualizing the Cantor set and explores its shading characteristics through the utilization of nonstandard tools and techniques. Our investigation reveals that the measure of the Cantor set is infinitely close to zero but not identically zero, and we validate the properties of the Cantor set using an assortment of nonstandard methodologies. These findings have far-reaching implications for enhancing our understanding of mathematical approximations and exact measurements. Furthermore, we correlate our nonstandard perspective outcomes regarding the Cantor set with some specific applied models.

Guided-Imagery Meditation As An Adjunct To Weight Management, Karen Roddy, Nancy Hamler, Niraj Bangari, Eva Lukas

Pacific Journal of Health

Objective: To assess the utility of guided imagery meditation (GIM) as a low-invasive, cost-effective modality to weight management. Researchers hypothesized that using a standardized, lifestyle-focused GIM would result in weight loss and waist circumference (WC) changes.

Design: Researchers designed a 12-week randomized, controlled pilot study in which participants were asked to use a provided GIM.

Setting: Comfort and relaxation are crucial for GIM. The study, therefore, utilized participants’ personal environments.

Participants: Convenient sampling of 82 students, faculty, and staff of the University of the Pacific.

Intervention(s): Intervention group participants were provided with a researcher-designed, lifestyle-focused …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Perceived Socioeconomic Status And Resilience: Health Consequences In Young Adults, Akruti Patel

ETD Collection

Vulnerability to trauma, depression, and chronic conditions in adulthood increases with exposure to early life adversity (ACEs) during childhood. This study investigated the effect of adverse early childhood experiences has on depressive symptoms (measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Screening scale -CESD), somatic symptoms (measured using Cohen- Hoberman Inventory of Physical symptoms scale- CHIPS), resilience (measured using the Brief Resilience Scale- BRS), and young adult health-related quality-of-life (measured using Health Related Quality of Life scale- HRQOL) among a diverse sample of young adults (average age 27 years old). A diverse sample of 341 participants were recruited for the …

Peer Mentoring Program For Refugee And Newcomer Children To Increase Resilience, Chloe Skyla Cooksey

Theses and Dissertations

The refugee and newcomer population faces many challenges as they arrive in their host country. Many individuals experience varying degrees of trauma in their country of origin. Trauma can lead to poor mental health outcomes and poor adjustment in host countries. Refugee children in particular may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety as a result of traumatic experiences. Children can be resilient when given opportunities to create relationships and gain confidence. These opportunities can be fostered through various avenues, one of which is the school environment. Refugee students can benefit from various supports provided to them in the school …

Labor Market Penalties For Foreign Degrees Among College Educated Immigrants: Update Using 2018 Data, Eunice T. Ajibade

Economics ETDs

This paper revisits the questions posed by Arbeit and Warren in their 2013 study, "Labor market penalties for foreign degrees among college-educated immigrants," using updated data from the 2018 National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG). The original study, which analyzed data from 2003, focused on the economic and employment disadvantages faced by immigrants with degrees from foreign institutions in an increasingly globalized workforce. This updated analysis includes data on 21,071 college-educated immigrants to explore whether the geographic origin of an academic degree continues to influence access to high-quality employment opportunities and whether such impacts differ by gender. My findings reveal …

Visualization Of Species Tree Likelihood Under The Multispecies Coalescent Model, Jaimasan Sutton

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

A commonly used tool for evolutionary biologists is a phylogenetic tree that represents the ancestry of a set of species and the evolution of traits. Statistical models can be used to predict the probabilities of gene trees which represent ancestral relationships of genes sampled from species. Because of this, we are able to represent the likelihood of a species tree, which represents the evolutionary history of a set of species, as a function of the counts of gene tree topologies, where each gene tree represents the ancestry of a specific genetic locus for multiple species. Because we can represent these …

Connecting Climate And Geography With Diversification And Conservation Of A Western North American Endemic Mammal, Sorex Monticola, Antonia Androski

Biology ETDs

Repeated glacial cycles of the Pleistocene initiated complex sequences of divergence and secondary contact with gene flow for many North American species. In my first chapter, I expand our understanding of the phylogeography of the montane shrew, Sorex monticola, with range-wide genetic sampling and geospatial analyses to reconstruct the history of clades within this species and test whether evolutionarily divergent clades occupy distinct abiotic niches. In my second chapter, I build upon these hypotheses, providing the first estimates of evolutionary relationships and timing of diversification based on genome-wide markers. In my third chapter, I use a systematic review of the …

July 30, 2024 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Concepts And Coding Theory In Kumārasambhavam Of Kālidāsa, Bhuvaneswari K

Theses and Dissertations

Kālidāsa, a renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright from ancient India, is known for his profound understanding and depiction of various aspects of human life, nature, and the universe in his works. While his writings primarily revolve around themes of love, romance, and human emotions, there are several instances where he incorporates mathematical concepts and astronomical references.

His meticulous usage of such abstractions and symbolism adds depth and richness to his poetry. These elements serve as tools to enhance the imagery and aesthetics of his literary works, reflecting the interplay between art and science in ancient Indian culture. These subtle allusions …

Digital Trace Data And Demographic Forecasting: How Well Did Google Predict The Us Covid-19 Baby Bust?, Joshua Wilde, Wei Chen, Sophie Lohmann, Jasmin Abdel Ghany

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

At the onset of the first wave of COVID-19 in the United States, the pandemic's effect on future birthrates was unknown. In this paper, we assess whether digital trace data—often touted as a panacea for traditional data scarcity—held the potential to accurately predict fertility change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Specifically, we produced state-level, dynamic future predictions of the pandemic's effect on birthrates in the United States using pregnancy-related Google search data. Importantly, these predictions were made in October 2020 (and revised in February 2021), well before the birth effect of the pandemic could have possibly …

Multimodal Cell Complex Neural Networks For Prediction Of Multiple Drug Side Effects Severity And Frequency, Mustafa Hajij, Ghada Alzamzmi, Nina Miolane

USF Patents

A method for predicting side effects of a combination of drugs administered concurrently includes training a multi-modal cell complex neural network (MCXN) on a dataset. The MCXN includes nodes representing the drugs and proteins, pair-wise relationships between nodes representing interactions between pairs of drugs and/or proteins, and k-wise relationships between the nodes representing interactions between k drugs and/or proteins, where k¿2. The training dataset includes a list of drugs, a list of proteins, and pharmacological information about the drugs in the list of drugs and proteins in the list of proteins. A specification of the combination of at least three …

A Retrospective Analysis Of Primary Breast Cancer Surgical Procedures (Mastectomy Versus Breast Conserving Surgery) Performed On Women Living In Rural And Urban Counties In South Carolina, Talitha M. Massaquoi

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Women dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer may be challenged when attempting to seek and obtain medical care while living in a rural community. It is not known whether geography impacts the decision-making process for women considering elective breast cancer surgery (mastectomy versus breast conserving surgery (BCS)) in South Carolina. We performed a retrospective analysis of breast cancer surgical options offered to women to examine if a difference exists in both rural and urban settings. Although there was a higher proportion of women in South Carolina who elected to undergo a mastectomy instead of BCS (4,416 [79.5%] vs. 1,139 …

Identification Of Physical And Social Potential For Ecotourism Development In Neglasari Village, Sukabumi Regency Using Remote Sensing And Geographical Information Systems, Tjiong Giok Pin, Adi Wibowo, Haura Hazema Alya, Afifa Ayu Nastiti

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

Identification of physical and social potential needs to be done so that it can be developed as an ecotourism object that has a role in improving the economy of a region. Physical and social potential data can be obtained and interpreted from satellite imagery using remote sensing which is then verified through surveys and direct measurements in the field using GPS and digital maps. Data analysis was performed using the overlay method in GIS. Remote sensing methods using satellite imagery have proven to be superior for obtaining information on an area effectively and sustainably. Landsat imagery 8 and 9 are …

Monitoring Effects On Anthocyanins, Non-Anthocyanin Phenolics And Oracfl Values Of Colombian Bilberry (V. Meridionale Swartz) During Pulping And Thermal Operations, Luke Howard, Cindi Brownmiller, G. Astrid Garzon

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Processing of berries usually degrades anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolics and diminishes antioxidant activity. In Colombia, jelly produced from the fruit of Vaccinium meridionale Swartz is a popular product among consumers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of jelly processing steps on bioactive components. Analysis of anthocyanins (ACNs) and non-anthocyanin phenolics was performed via HPLC-PDA. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the ORAC_FL method. The pulping step had the highest impact on ACNs, whose total content was significantly higher in the pomace (747.6 ± 59.2 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside (cyn 3-glu)/100 g) than in the pulp (102.7 …

Gabaa Receptor Subunit Composition Regulates Circadian Rhythms In Rest–Wake And Synchrony Among Cells In The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Daniel Granados-Fuentes, Peter Lambert, Tatiana Simon, Steven Mennerick, Erik D Herzog

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The mammalian circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) produces robust daily rhythms including rest-wake. SCN neurons synthesize and respond to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but its role remains unresolved. We tested the hypothesis that γ2- and δ-subunits of the GABA

Differential Effect Of An Evolving Amyloid And Tau Pathology On Brain Phospholipids And Bioactive Lipid Mediators In Rat Models Of Alzheimer-Like Pathology, Sonia Do Carmo, Marie Audrey I. Kautzmann, Surjyadipta Bhattacharjee, Bokkyoo Jun, Carolyn Steinberg, Joshua T. Emmerson, Janice C. Malcolm, Quentin Bonomo, Nicolas G. Bazan, A. Claudio Cuello

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Brain inflammation contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is manifested by glial cell activation, increased production of cytokines/chemokines, and a shift in lipid mediators from a pro-homeostatic to a pro-inflammatory profile. However, whether the production of bioactive lipid mediators is affected at earlier stages, prior to the deposition of Aβ plaques and tau hyperphosphorylation, is unknown. The differential contribution of an evolving amyloid and tau pathology on the composition and abundance of membrane phospholipids and bioactive lipid mediators also remains unresolved. Methods: In this study, we examined the cortical levels of DHA- and AA-derived bioactive …

The Feasibility Of An Acute Bout Of High Intensity Interval Vs Continuous Moderate-Intensity Exercise On Cognition In Chronic Stroke Patients, Anna M. Welch, Marissa Ramirez, Christine Mermier, Flavio De Castro Magalhaes, Jessia D. Richardson, Alyssa Bailly, Terence Moriarty

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess the feasibility of chronic stroke patients safely completing an acute 30-minute session of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) compared to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (MIE) on a treadmill, with a focus on cognitive outcomes. Design: This feasibility study utilized a randomized controlled crossover trial with two experimental sessions separated by at least 7 days to minimize practice effects on cognitive assessments. Subjects: Five chronic stroke survivors (m=4, f=1) participated in two randomly assigned experimental sessions (n=5, 60.4 ± 11.3 years, 39.8 ± 41.4% body fat, 32.7±6.3 body mass index [kg/m²])., either a …

Cross-Correlation Increases Sampling In Diffusion-Based Super-Resolution Optical Fluctuation Imaging, Jeanpun Antarasen, Benjamin Wellnitz, Stephanie N. Kramer, Surajit Chatterjee, Lydia Kisley

Faculty Scholarship

Correlation signal processing of optical three-dimensional (x, y, t) data can produce super-resolution images. The second-order cross-correlation function XC2 has been documented to produce super-resolution imaging with static and blinking emitters but not for diffusing emitters. Here, we both analytically and numerically demonstrate cross-correlation analysis for diffusing particles. We then expand our fluorescence correlation spectroscopy super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (fcsSOFI) analysis to use cross-correlation as a postprocessing computational technique to extract both dynamic and structural information on particle diffusion in nanoscale structures simultaneously. Cross-correlation maintains the same super-resolution as auto-correlation while also increasing the sampling rates to reduce aliasing for …

Safer: Sub-Hypergraph Attention-Based Neural Network For Predicting Effective Responses To Dose Combinations, Yi-Ching Tang, Rongbin Li, Jing Tang, W Jim Zheng, Xiaoqian Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The potential benefits of drug combination synergy in cancer medicine are significant, yet the risks must be carefully managed due to the possibility of increased toxicity. Although artificial intelligence applications have demonstrated notable success in predicting drug combination synergy, several key challenges persist: (1) Existing models often predict average synergy values across a restricted range of testing dosages, neglecting crucial dose amounts and the mechanisms of action of the drugs involved. (2) Many graph-based models rely on static protein-protein interactions, failing to adapt to dynamic and higher-order relationships. These limitations constrain the applicability of current methods.

RESULTS: We introduce …

Exploring The Pdz, Duf, And Lim Domains Of Pdlim5 In Dendrite Branching, Yogesh Srivastava, Maxsam Donta, Lydia L Mireles, Adriana Paulucci-Holthauzen, Leilei Shi, Mark T Bedford, M Neal Waxham, Pierre D Mccrea

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The branched architecture of neuronal dendrites is a key factor in how neurons form ordered networks and discoveries continue to be made identifying proteins and protein-protein interactions that direct or execute the branching and extension of dendrites. Our prior work showed that the molecular scaffold Pdlim5 and delta-catenin, in conjunction, are two proteins that help regulate the branching and elongation of dendrites in cultured hippocampal neurons and do so through a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism triggered by upstream glutamate signaling. In this report we have focused on Pdlim5's multiple scaffolding domains and how each contributes to dendrite branching. The three identified regions …

Impacts Of Managed Honeybee Apiaries On Native Bee Populations, Trapping Efficiencies Of Bee Sampling Methods, And Drone Based Floral Cover Analysis In High Elevation Tall Forb Communities In Central Utah, Nicholas Val Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the impact of honeybee introductions on native bee populations, evaluates the efficiency of traditional bee sampling and monitoring methods, and explores the use of drone technology for assessing floral resources on federal lands in the United States. Federal lands, managed for multiple uses, present a valuable opportunity for the summer pasturing of honeybees. These lands produce vast floral resources and are largely free from pesticides and other pollutants that could weaken honeybee populations. The potential use of this resource is significant given the economic and agricultural concerns presented by declining pollinator trends and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). …

Functional & Evolutionary Analysis Of Tbx2a And Tbx2b In Zebrafish Heart Development, Maliha Tasnim

Theses and Dissertations

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, affecting approximately 1% of live births. This dissertation explores the genetic mechanisms underlying CHD, focusing on the T-box transcription factors Tbx2a and Tbx2b in zebrafish. Utilizing advanced bioinformatics techniques, we reconstructed the ancestral sequences of these genes to understand their evolutionary trajectory and functional divergence. Our analysis highlights the evolutionary conservation of the DNA-binding domain in tbx2a and tbx2b, suggesting its crucial role in maintaining correct gene expression patterns during development. We observed unique and shared amino acid substitutions in these proteins, indicating potential adaptive changes and conserved functions. Comparative …

The Role Of Sensing Modalities In Shaping Collective Motion And Group Behavior, Poorendra P. Ramlall

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Collective behavior refers to the coordinated movements that emerge from simple interactions between individuals within a group. Traditionally, researchers have modeled these interactions assuming individuals can sense their surroundings in all directions, like having eyes all around their heads. While this is a useful simplification, it does not capture the diverse ways animals actually sense the world. In this thesis, we take inspiration from the natural world, particularly from animals like bats and dolphins that use a combination of hearing and sight to navigate their environments. We explore how combining these sensory cues in a three-dimensional space affects the way …

Cherokia Georgiana Mitogenome Sequencing And Analysis, William Wittstock

Biology Theses

Despite the vast diversity of millipedes, complete genomic and mitogenomic data available in public databases is limited, hindering comprehensive studies on their classification, evolution, and genetics. Among the underrepresented taxa are the Xystodesmidae, a family comprising approximately 500 species with minimal mitogenomic data, and no complete genomes sequenced. Our research involves sequencing the mitochondrial genome of Cherokia georgiana, a representative of this diverse family with interesting traits that are not clearly defined at a genetic level. This research also serves as a pilot study to develop DNA extraction methods and protocols for whole genome sequencing. Multiple DNA extraction kits …

Grievability And The Contingency Of Life Value In Twenty-First-Century Science Fiction, Emily A. Reiff

English Language and Literature ETDs

Using Judith Butler’s framework of grievability, this dissertation explores twenty-first-century science fiction by British, Irish, and Caribbean authors whose novels grapple with legacies of colonialism and imperialism that relied on dehumanization and subjugation. Beginning with Sarah Maria Griffin’s Spare and Found Parts (2016), chapter one explores neocolonial rationales—purportedly based on health—which recreate colonial divisions of class and labor and enforce systems of diminishing grievability in a post-apocalyptic Irish context. Chapter two contends that Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (2021) illustrates the danger inherent to value systems that center “normative” embodiment in worlds that reconfigure hypercapacitated human beings as the …

Study Of A Remote Wind Resource Assessment System Integrated With Internet Of Things, Filian Arbiyani, Filbert Filbert, Anthony Nathanael Theo

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Wind energy is an emerging and popular source of clean energy due to its non-polluting nature and low cost. The efficient use of wind energy requires accurate and precise wind parameter measurements, which is where wind resource assessment (WRA) comes into play. The IoT and cloud-based systems have been applied to remote monitoring systems and provide crucial solutions for data acquisition, storage, and analytics in wind energy technology. This study aims to build a remote WRA system integrated with the Internet of Things. This study utilizes an Arduino Uno microcontroller, RK100-01 wind speed sensor, BMP280 temperature and pressure sensor, and …

Pyrolysis Kinetics Of Spirulina Platensis And Non-Condensable Gas Product Distribution In A Fixed-Bed Reactor, Ahmad Yusril Aminullah, Sukarni Sukarni, Retno Wulandari, Muhammad Shahbaz

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Energy is a fundamental factor for civilization development and sustainability. However, energy sources are dominated by non-renewable fractions, such as fossil fuels. Renewable biomass is projected to be a future fuel source. Spirulina platensis (SP) has numerous advantages compared to other biomass, and it is considered 3rd generation biomass that does not interfere with food and land usage and has a relatively low main decomposition temperature at 325.7℃. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted to observe SP kinetics parameters, especially activation energy. Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW), and Starink iso-conversional methods reveal that SP has an activation energy of 152.33, 154.56, and …