Digital Commons Network^™

Artificial Light And Cloud Cover Interact To Disrupt Celestial Migrations At Night, Leo M. Burke, Thomas Davies, David Wilcockson, Stuart Jenkins, Amy Ellison

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The growth of human activity and infrastructure has led to an unprecedented rise in the use of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) with demonstrable impacts on ecological communities and ecosystem services. However, there remains very little information on how ALAN interacts with or obscures light from celestial bodies, which provide vital orientating cues in a number of species. Furthermore, no studies to date have examined how climatic conditions such as cloud cover, known to influence the intensity of skyglow, interact with lunar irradiance and ALAN over the course of a lunar cycle to alter migratory abilities of species. Our night-time …

Satellite-Derived Sandy Shoreline Trends And Interannual Variability Along The Atlantic Coast Of Europe, Bruno Castelle, Etiënne Kras, Gerd Masselink, Tim Scott, Aikaterini Konstantinou, Arjen Luijendijk

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Monitoring sandy shoreline evolution from years to decades is critical to understand the past and predict the future of our coasts. Optical satellite imagery can now infer such datasets globally, but sometimes with large uncertainties, poor spatial resolution, and thus debatable outcomes. Here we validate and analyse satellite-derived-shoreline positions (1984–2021) along the Atlantic coast of Europe using a moving-averaged approach based on coastline characteristics, indicating conservative uncertainties of long-term trends around 0.4 m/year and a potential bias towards accretion. We show that west-facing open coasts are more prone to long-term erosion, whereas relatively closed coasts favor accretion, although most of …

Hnrnpm Protects Against The Dsrna-Mediated Interferon Response By Repressing Line-Associated Cryptic Splicing, Rong Zheng, Mikayla Dunlap, Georg O M Bobkov, Carlos Gonzalez-Figueroa, Khushali J Patel, Jingyi Lyu, Samuel E Harvey, Tracey W Chan, Giovanni Quinones-Valdez, Mudra Choudhury, Charlotte A Le Roux, Mason D Bartels, Amy Vuong, Ryan A Flynn, Howard Y Chang, Eric L Van Nostrand, Xinshu Xiao, Chonghui Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

RNA splicing is pivotal in post-transcriptional gene regulation, yet the exponential expansion of intron length in humans poses a challenge for accurate splicing. Here, we identify hnRNPM as an essential RNA-binding protein that suppresses cryptic splicing through binding to deep introns, maintaining human transcriptome integrity. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) in introns harbor numerous pseudo splice sites. hnRNPM preferentially binds at intronic LINEs to repress pseudo splice site usage for cryptic splicing. Remarkably, cryptic exons can generate long dsRNAs through base-pairing of inverted ALU transposable elements interspersed among LINEs and consequently trigger an interferon response, a well-known antiviral defense mechanism. …

Metabolic Regulator Errγ Governs Gastric Stem Cell Differentiation Into Acid-Secreting Parietal Cells, Mahliyah Adkins-Threats, Sumimasa Arimura, Yang-Zhe Huang, Margarita Divenko, Sarah To, Heather Mao, Yongji Zeng, Jenie Y Hwang, Joseph R Burclaff, Shilpa Jain, Jason C Mills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Parietal cells (PCs) produce gastric acid to kill pathogens and aid digestion. Dysregulated PC census is common in disease, yet how PCs differentiate is unclear. Here, we identify the PC progenitors arising from isthmal stem cells, using mouse models and human gastric cells, and show they preferentially express cell-metabolism regulator and orphan nuclear receptor Estrogen-related receptor gamma (Esrrg, encoding ERRγ). Esrrg expression facilitated the tracking of stepwise molecular, cellular, and ultrastructural stages of PC differentiation. Esrrg^P2ACreERT2 lineage tracing revealed Esrrg expression commits progenitors to differentiate into mature PCs. scRNA-seq indicated the earliest Esrrg+ PC progenitors preferentially …

A Comparative Study Of Entrepreneurial Components In Textile Design Curricula Between Nigerian Universities And Polytechnics, Adebayo Abiodun Adeloye, Oluwatoyin Funke Akinnibosun, Olugbenga Benjamin Emidun

Journal of Art, Design and Music

This study examined and compared the incorporation of entrepreneurial content of textile design in Nigerian universities and polytechnics. The study analyzed the textile design curricula for both the universities and polytechnics in Nigeria, highlighting the level of consideration given to entrepreneurship in the development of the curricula. Content analysis was adopted for the study. National University Commision (NUC) approved curriculum for Fine and Applied Arts used in Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH) and the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) approved curriculum for Nigerian polytechnics were analyzed across all levels, that is, 100 level to 500 level and NDI level …

The Interplay Between Alternative And Modern Medicine In Western Society, Charlianne Johnson

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Despite the extraordinary successes of modern medicine, many people choose to practice methods of alternative medicine over those of modern medicine. In many cultures, alternative medicine is a revered tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years. A sizable sector of the Western population, however, is turning toward alternative medicine as a substitute for modern medicine. The goal of my project is to explore what alternative medicine is, who chooses to practice it and why, what about it causing resistance to modern medicine, why it is becoming increasingly popular in the West, and in what ways its popularity is …

The Bacterial Implications Of Red Swamp Crayfish In Chicago's North Shore Channel, Mikayla Ballard

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Red swamp crayfish are invasive to the Chicago area, and they are known to live in sewage outfall waters in the North Shore Channel. Through calculating average bacterial load, I determined that red swamp crayfish living in sewage-polluted water carry higher amounts of bacteria than crayfish living in non-contaminated waters. This adds a new layer to their invasion in Chicago, with red swamp crayfish potentially serving as a vector for high concentrations of sewage-associated bacteria to enter the food chain.

Confronting Cruelty: Ethical Insights Into The Treatment Of Model Organisms In Contemporary Research, Marcus Piattoni, Isabella Gates, Alexis Rossi

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This research seeks to investigate the ethical treatment of model organisms within recent scientific studies, focusing on Zebra Finches, Cotton Rats, Zebra Fish, African Clawed Frogs, and Rhesus Monkeys. Using the "Web of Science” database, articles concerning each model organism were reviewed to assess the quality of treatment afforded to each species. Special attention was given to inter-species differences, evaluating how the discussions on research subject treatment differed between species. Ensuring ethical treatment of all animal subjects in medical research is critical for maintaining the integrity and efficacy of scientific research.

Balancing The Scales: Investigating The Potential Impact Of Risug And Adam As Novel Male Birth Control Methods, Marcus Piattoni, Ryan Chang, Saniyya Butler, Grace Acosta, Geena Fajardo

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

ADAM is a newly invented, non-hormonal form of male birth control that is projected to be FDA approved and widely available in 2027. This project seeks to examine the science of how ADAM, and its precursor RISUG, work, alongside the social and ethical implications of a widely available method of male birth control. We will discuss the unique composition of ADAM and RISUG and how it maintains azoospermia or oligospermia in men. Then, we will discuss the social and ethical implications of having a widely-available, long-term male birth control, including its effects on male reproductive autonomy, gendered implications, and what …

Presence Of Prophages In Enterococcus Faecalis Isolated From The Female Urinary Tract, Grace Finger

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

To date, two investigations of E. faecalis genomes from the urogenital tract have been conducted. Both identified “genetic signatures” that can distinguish these genomes by their isolation site. Of note is the presence of prophage sequences. Both prior studies identified these prophages from strains isolated from post-menopausal females; it is unknown if these prophages are found within E. faecalis strains of the urinary tract of pre-menopausal females. To address these gaps in knowledge, we isolated 15 E. faecalis samples from voided urine samples of healthy females. Whole genome sequencing was performed, and genomes were annotated to identify prophage sequences.

Characterization And Analysis Of Β-Glucosidase B (Bglb) Mutant M114s, Veronika Bonifacy, Maya Sharma

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The goal of the Design to Data project is to improve the ability of modeling software to predict protein function from structure. We generated a single point mutation in BgIB, M114S, and performed kinetic and thermal assays to gather empirical data. Based on previously published data on similar mutations, such as M261D, and an overall change in Foldit score greater than 1, we hypothesize that M114S will demonstrate decreased catalytic efficiency and thermal stability in comparison to the wild-type. We were unable to confirm or deny or negate our hypothesis as our data indicated that M114S was not expressed.

Distribution Of Microplastics Within Stream Habitats By Polymer Type, Jaden Nguyen, Eric Schults

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Rivers are sources of microplastics (i.e., particles 1 um - 5 mm) to oceans, but their distribution within river habitats is unknown. We measured microplastics in 3 habitats (surface water, water column, benthic zone) at 4 sites in the Chicago River. We predicted a higher number and density of microplastics would occur in the benthic zone and farthest downstream. However, microplastics showed high variation habitats and sites, by abundance and polymer. Assessments of microplastic distribution are needed to better quantify microplastics movement and retention. These data will inform watershed models of microplastic dynamics in rivers, and global plastic budgets.

Characterizing The Bglb L108e Mutation On Bglb Protein To Determine Its Effects On Catalytic Efficiency, Valeria Mendoza, Isabella Reyes

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The overall goal of D2D is to create a dataset that will be used to train artificial intelligence algorithms to model a protein and its function based on its amino acid sequence and/or protein structure (Kleffner et al, 2017.) Having accurate structure/function prediction algorithms is important because it demonstrates specific mutations that affect a protein and aids in theorizing how the location of that mutation will affect its overall function. BglB is a key enzyme component present in cellulase, which completes the final step during cellulose hydrolysis to form glucose, which is used as a source of energy in many …

Synthesis Of Three Novel Inorganic Series Coordinated To A Carbazole-Based Tridentate Pincer Ligand, Diana Lambropoulos

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Transition metals are found in countless industrial and biological applications around the world; however, their behavior is challenging to understand when associated with ligands in complex processes. We sought to synthesize an inventory of novel inorganic complexes to observe the effects of varying ligating halogens (Cz^tBu(PyzⁱPr)NiX, X= Br, Cl, or I), steric bulk ([(Cz^tBu(PyzR))₂Fe]PF₆, R= H, Me, or ⁱPr), and the identity of the transition metal ((Cz^tBu(PyzH))₂M, M= Co, Ni, Zn). Probing these effects allows for the expansion of our understanding of transition metal behavior …

Protein Purification And Expression Of Β-Glucosidase Mutant Y118f, Abigail Fruzyna, Miranda Chaidez

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Β-glucosidase is an enzyme that is essential for the hydrolysis of cellulase and is responsible for glucose production. Many mutations can occur within this enzyme, each has different enzymatic effects and likelihood of expression. For this experiment, enzymatic data was collected regarding the mutation BglB (Y118F) and compared to the wild-type data--which does not contain a mutation. This was done by designing the protein through the Foldit program, sequencing it, transforming it, purifying, expressing, and analyzing it. The analysis of this mutation consisted of a kinetic enzymatic assay and SDS PAGE. The BglB Y118F mutation was expressed, but not purified …

Divine Precedent: Genesis And The Shaping Of Modern American Law, Remy Beauchamp

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

When judges cite Christian texts in judicial opinions, especially those decisions regarding women’s reproductive rights, they create laws with Christian-influenced ideals in which misogynistic interpretations of the Bible, particularly Genesis, are treated as canonical. For example, LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine, where the Alabama's supreme court ruled in an 8-1 decision that the state's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act includes and protects frozen embryos. The Chief Justice’s concurring opinion cites Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and the Old Testament without the theological knowledge to do this well. The far-reaching ripple effects of the decision are numerous and still developing.

The Problem With Maternal Health Disparities, Gabriella Schneider

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

A growing problem in health care is the severity of maternal health disparities, which include maternal and infant mortality rates being disproportionately high in minority communities. In order to address these disparities, it's important to ask why should maternal health disparities be minimized? In this presentation, I will provide background on maternal health disparities, and how they impact communities, especially minority communities. I will then argue that maternal health disparities should be minimized because they are rooted in structural racism and adverse socio-economic factors, such as income and access to health care inequalities. Structural racism is bad because it fosters …

Chronos Volume 12 Issue 1 - Full Issue

Chronos

No abstract provided.

The Global Context Of German Eugenics In The Nazi Period, Stefan Nielsen-Sperb

Chronos

No abstract provided.

Noda News January 2021

New Orleans Dental Association News

New Orleans Dental Association (NODA) News includes regular columns with regional news impacting the New Orleans membership including: columns from the President and Executive Director, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Does The Nurse-Led Case Management Benefit Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients In Reducing Distressing Symptoms And C-Reactive Protein: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study In Taiwan, Wei-Chiao Chang, Hanoch Livneh, Hua-Lung Huang, Hsin-Hua Li, Ming-Chi Lu, Miao-Chiu Lin, Wei-Jen Chen, Tzung-Yi Tsai

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease and may worsen over time. Today, nurse-led case management (NLCM) has been recommended to improve clinical outcomes for chronic disease patients, yet little is known regarding its impact on pain, fatigue, and C-reactive protein (CRP) among RA patients. We aimed to explore this issue among such groups via a two-group pre- and post-test approach.

Methods: All subjects were recruited from one hospital in Taiwan from January 2017 to June 2018 and assigned to either a 6-month NLCM program in addition to usual care or to a control group that received usual care …

Determining The Cerebellum’S Functional Role In Adolescent Reward Processing, Teagan Mullins

Psychology ETDs

Cerebellar contributions to adolescent reward processing have not been explored in prior research, despite the fact that both reward processing and the cerebellum are undergoing significant maturation during this time. Reward processing in the cerebellum has been found in both adults and in animal models. However, given both maturational changes and a variety of reward related psychopathology that emerges during adolescence, reward processing in the cerebellum during adolescence may not mirror that of the cerebellum during adulthood and may shift over adolescence and be linked to psychopathology. This dissertation reviews the existing literature on cerebellar reward in adolescence (chapter one). …

Discovery Of Oligomeric States And Small Molecules That Affect Deacylase Activities Of Human Sirtuin-2 (Sirt2), Jie Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Human sirtuin isoform 2 (SIRT2) is an NAD+-dependent enzyme that removes various acyl modifications from lysine residues. SIRT2 is involved in many biological processes, such as transcription, DNA repair, cell proliferation, and metabolism. Due to its diverse functions, SIRT2 is implicated in various disease states, including cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. This dissertation aimed to understand the regulation of SIRT2’s deacylase activities and to discover small molecule modulators of SIRT2. In this work, we found that SIRT2 dimerized in solution, and the dimerization decreased the deacetylase activities without affecting the defatty-acylase activity of this protein. Dimerized SIRT2 dissociates into monomers upon …

Mathematical Modeling And Understanding The Physiological Mechanisms Of Vibration On Wound Healing And Scar Remodeling, Devin Rion Needs

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic wounds and pathological scars reduce the quality of life for millions of people worldwide. Through mathematical modeling and clinical testing, understanding of how these conditions occur continues to increase. These tools have also been employed to investigate the efficacy of treatments that could impact wound healing and scar remodeling. The purpose of this work is to investigate the physiological effects of vibration treatment on wound healing, blood flow, and scar remodeling through mathematical modeling and experimental testing. This work presents and validates a mathematical murine model for whole body vibration enhanced wound healing (VEWH). This VEWH model builds on …

Effects Of Light Intensity And Predator Chemical Cues On Juvenile And Adult Daphnia Magna Diel Vertical Migration, Mira Johnson

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Many species of zooplankton exhibit the predator avoidance behavior called diel vertical migration (DVM). During typical DVM, zooplankton ascend to surface waters during the night and descend to deeper water during the day where predation by visual predators is reduced due to lower light levels (Goldman and Horne 1983; Wetzel 1983). DVM is highly variable and the degree to which it is induced can fluctuate based on factors such as zooplankton size, changes in light intensity, and predator chemical cues (Van Gool and Ringelberg 1995, cited in Weber and Noordwijk 2002). Although DVM has been well studied using the genus …

Technology And The Human Body In The Films Of David Cronenberg, Owen Davies

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Since David Cronenberg seemingly broke from the genres of science fiction and body horror, scholarship surrounding his work has shifted away from questions of the body and technology. However, his recent return to the conventions of these genres in the film Crimes of the Future (2022) requires us to return to these questions. Through the work of Deleuze and Guattari, I analyze the ways in which technology interacts with the body as a factor of technological development, along with the ramifications of technology for the production of subjectivity and organization of sexuality. I use this to demonstrate one possible political …

Learning Strategies, Motivation, Perceived Covid Stress, And Academic Dishonesty: U.S. College Students’ Perceived Experience From 2019 - 2023, Caleb Wang Yuan

Lawrence University Honors Projects

As higher education in the U.S. approaches a post-Covid-19 pandemic era, the trajectory of college students’ academic experience remains unclear. Two questions are addressed in this study. How do college students perceive their academic experience over time, including the Covid-19 pandemic? Has college students’ learning recovered since the peak of the pandemic in April 2020? This study investigated students' perceptions of their academic motivation, learning strategies, perceived Covid stress and academic dishonesty from 2019 to 2023. A total of 99 undergraduate students from Lawrence University completed an online survey. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected for analyses. The results implied …

Sustainable Sensing With Paper Microfluidics: Applications In Health, Environment, And Food Safety, Sanjay Kumar, Jyoti B. Kaushal, Heow Pueh Lee

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This manuscript offers a concise overview of paper microfluidics, emphasizing its sustainable sensing applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. Researchers have developed innovative sensing platforms for detecting pathogens, pollutants, and contaminants by leveraging the paper’s unique properties, such as biodegradability and affordability. These portable, low-cost sensors facilitate rapid diagnostics and on-site analysis, making them invaluable tools for resource-limited settings. This review discusses the fabrication techniques, principles, and applications of paper microfluidics, showcasing its potential to address pressing challenges and enhance human health and environmental sustainability.

Wildfire Smoke Impacts Lake Ecosystems, Mary Jade Farruggia, Janice Brahney, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Jennifer A. Bentrup, Ludmila S. Brighenti, Sudeep Chandra, Alicia Cortés, Rocio L. Fernandez, Janet M. Fischer, Alexander L. Forrest, Yufang Jin, Kenneth Larrieu, Ian M. Mccullough, Isabella A. Oleksy, Rachel M. Pilla, James A. Rusak, Facundo Scordo, Adrianne P. Smits, Celia C. Symons, Minmeng Tang, Samuel G. Woodman, Steven Sadro

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Wildfire activity is increasing globally. The resulting smoke plumes can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers, reflecting or scattering sunlight and depositing particles within ecosystems. Several key physical, chemical, and biological processes in lakes are controlled by factors affected by smoke. The spatial and temporal scales of lake exposure to smoke are extensive and under-recognized. We introduce the concept of the lake smoke-day, or the number of days any given lake is exposed to smoke in any given fire season, and quantify the total lake smoke-day exposure in North America from 2019 to 2021. Because smoke can be transported at …

The Influence Of A Ubiquitous Filter Feeder On Coastal Microbial Communities, Melissa Steinman

Dissertations and Theses

Doliolids are a unique study system for investigating the intricate relationship between pelagic tunicates and the marine microbial community. This study identified the eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbial taxa in wild-caught doliolids in the Northern California Current system. Doliolids were collected during bloom events identified at three different shelf locations with variable upwelling intensity. This study found that doliolids host a microbiome unique from that of the seawater surrounding them and that feeding by doliolids includes a range of prokaryotic microbial functional groups. This is the first study to identify that doliolids are a source of mortality for pelagic archaea, and …