Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Fluid Elasticity On The Emergence Of Oscillations In An Active Elastic Filament, Kathryn G. Link, Robert D. Guy, Becca Thomases, Paulo E. Arratia

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Many microorganisms propel themselves through complex media by deforming their flagella. The beat is thought to emerge from interactions between forces of the surrounding fluid, the passive elastic response from deformations of the flagellum and active forces from internal molecular motors. The beat varies in response to changes in the fluid rheology, including elasticity, but there are limited data on how systematic changes in elasticity alter the beat. This work analyses a related problem with fixed-strength driving force: the emergence of beating of an elastic planar filament driven by a follower force at the tip of a viscoelastic fluid. This …

Atomistic Simulation Of Pfas And Graphene: Interactions For Water Applications, Bashar Moufeed Awawdeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The contamination of drinking water by per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) is a global issue. PFAS have been widely utilized in a variety of applications, including water and stain-resistant coatings, fire suppression foams, cosmetics, paints, and adhesives. They have been detected in soils and rivers globally due to their widespread use and resistance to degradation. The strong C–F bonds of PFAS make them exceedingly stable and hard to remove. In order to remediate PFAS contamination in the environment, it is essential to develop selective adsorbent materials that can effectively capture a wide range of PFAS structures. On April 10, …

Cationic Charge-Shifting Polymers As Improved Vectors For Nucleic Acid Delivery, Alexander Fortenberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the development and application of charge-shifting polycations for gene delivery, focusing on their synthesis, characterization, and applications for in vitro mRNA delivery. Utilizing poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone) (PVDMA), this study explores modifications with various reactive handles, such as alcohol, thiol, and amine groups, to create cationic amide-, ester-, and thioester-functionalized polycations. These modifications aim to exploit the charge-shifting capabilities of the polycations to form stable polyplexes with nucleic acids, promoting the efficient intracellular release of the genetic cargo.Initial studies first examine the charge-shifting properties of PVDMA-based polycations under different pH and temperature conditions. This work highlights the potential of these …

Ecological And Evolutionary Ramifications Of Host-Parasite Interaction In Aquatic And Model Ecosystems, Akacia Halliday-Isaac

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Host-parasite interactions are ubiquitous and have negative risks and consequences on individual, population, and evolutionary scales. These risks and consequences include altered population densities, changes in interspecies interactions, and rapid changes in host phenotypes. In this thesis, I seek to understand the ecological and evolutionary ramifications of host-parasite interactions within ecosystems. To do this, I investigated the presence and environmental correlates of potential host-parasite interactions in a freshwater ecosystem and used a model ecosystem to explore how past host-parasite coevolution affects community assembly dynamics and future adaptation in the presence of new stressors. To examine the presence of potentially parasitic …

Acoustic Localization In Reverberant Environment, Xing Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this dissertation is to develop algorithms to accurately locate and detect underwater oil leakages through sounds emitted by oil-induced bubbles recorded by passive hydrophones. These algorithms aim to create an early warning system to prevent or identify catastrophic oil spills from pipelines, wellheads, and seafloor seepage.

Effects Of Off-Season Fall-Winter Farm Field Flooding On Nitrogen Gas Production, Andrew Rosson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increased nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and cultivation of N-fixing crops have dramatically increased agricultural N inputs to the global N cycle. Excess N on agricultural lands is highly susceptible to loss through runoff or atmospheric emissions, potentially as a greenhouse gas (GHG). Nitrous oxide (N2O), a GHG with a warming potential ~300 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily enters the atmosphere through denitrification, which converts bioavailable nitrate (NO3-) to inert nitrogen gas (N2), with N2O as an intermediate. Wetlands are crucial for de-nitrification and N regulation due to their wet, anoxic soils, but have declined worldwide, including substantial losses …

Edtech For Learning Outcomes And Impact: A Comprehensive Approach, Priyanka Sharma

Student learning processes

A precise estimation of learners' abilities is the first and foremost step in personalized learning including EdTech solutions. Predictive analytic techniques such as Item Response Theory (IRT), Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT), and Performance Factor Analysis (PFA) are established practices to achieve this purpose. However, the complexity, cost, and time involved in calibration, and the challenges in online implementation, have led to the adoption of simpler alternatives such as Elo, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, the estimation of abilities is just one facet of personalized learning, and designing effective personalized learning experiences is equally essential to guide learners through their …

Ic 008 Guide To University Of Texas Medical School Records, 1969-2006, University Of Texas Medical School At Houston

Institutional Finding Aids

University of Texas Medical School records primarily consists of newsletters like Scoop, IATRO year books, annual reports, directories for consultation referrals, and other types of ephemera. The collection roughly dates from 1979 to 2011. See more at IC 008.

Braving The Elements: Loss Of Metals From Mardi Gras Beads Due To Handling And Weathering, Thomas O. Carmichael, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S. are found along the Gulf of Mexico coast. With increasing awareness of and concern for environmental and human health risks due to pollution from Mardi Gras celebrations, there is a need for studies to quantify potential harms. We conducted a 2—part study to determine whether use—related handling and weathering of common Mardi Gras beaded necklaces results in loss of potentially harmful metals to the environment at levels of ecological or human health concern. Our data indicate that weathering and use—related handling can cause metals to be shed from the metallic coating of …

Michael Anthony Poirrier, Hyun Jung Cho, Patrick D. Biber, Martin T. O'Connell, Carol D. Franz

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Recruitment Of Juvenile Snapper (Lutjanidae) In The Middle Florida Keys: Temporal Trends And Fine-Scale Habitat Associations, Jack C. Olson, Ariel Tobin, Mareike D. Duffing Romero, Alejandro Acosta

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Juvenile recruitment is a major factor in the establishment and maintenance of local population structures of coral reef fishes. An understanding of the factors that affect juvenile recruitment and survival help explain spatial and temporal patterns in adult abundance, especially of commercially and recreationally fished species. Here, we examined the distribution and juvenile recruitment of 5 snapper species: Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis), Lane Snapper (L. synagris), Schoolmaster (L. apodus), Gray Snapper (L. griseus), and Yellowtail Snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) collected in 1,314 seine samples conducted between 2007 and 2019 in the …

Applying The Disaster Risk Assessment Framework To Sargassum Inundation In Barbados, A. Karima Degia, Micaela Small, Hazel A. Oxenford

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Episodic influxes of pelagic Sargassum into the Caribbean result in inundation of coastlines with significant negative impacts to the environment, society, and economy. The spatial complexities of this issue demand a strategy that combines spatial planning with an analytical framework that can systematically unpack the underlying factors to inform effective management. We test the application of the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conceptual framework for disaster risk assessment to Sargassum inundation, with a focus on the hazard and exposure components of risk, using Barbados, a Caribbean Small Island Developing State (SIDS), as a case study. We first consider in …

An Aggregation Of The Pandalid Shrimp, Heterocarpus Ensifer, On Deep Reef Habitats Of The West Florida Slope, Eastern Gulf Of Mexico, Steve W. Ross

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Heterocarpus ensifer A. Milne—Edwards (1881) (Crustacea: Pandalidae), armed nylon shrimp, is widely distributed in the western and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic this shrimp occurs from off North Carolina to Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), western Bahamas, and Caribbean Sea at depths of 170—885 m. Despite its widespread occurrence, ecology or biology information for this species are sparse, and in situ observations of abundance, behavior and habitat preferences are particularly lacking. During extensive submersible and ROV observations on and near deep—reefs in the north—central and eastern GOM, a remarkably large aggregation of H. ensifer …

“To Try The Difference”: Encountering A Different Self In Henry Neville’S Isle Of Pines, Andrew Fleck

Literatures and Cultural Studies Faculty Publications

It is critical that the imagined space of Henry Neville’s Restoration-era novella, The Isle of Pines, is an island, a space cut off from the mainland where history and culture can unfold in different ways. The island, encountered unintentionally by “civilized” Europeans during a Dutch trading voyage across the Indian Ocean, has a previously unknown population. Rather than a new, long-established nation of islanders, however, the population are the descendants of five castaways from an English shipwreck. Viewed through the lens of the unfamiliar, these islanders adhere to tropes associated with discovery narratives; simultaneously, the islanders carry with them …

Geophysical Survey And Archaeological Investigations At The Jeremiah Lee Mansion And Brick Kitchen, 2022 Marblehead, Massachusetts, Christa M. Beranek, John M. Steinberg, Carolyn Mikowski

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

In spring and summer of 2022, students and staff from the Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at UMass Boston completed a geophysical survey and test excavations at the Jeremiah Lee property at 157 and 161 Washington Street in Marblehead, Massachusetts. These were the first known archaeological investigations of the property. Work in 2022 focused on the area between the house and the Brick Kitchen and the eastern part of the yard behind the house. The Lee property, now owned by the Marblehead Museum, is a large, complex urban lot. Our work in 2022 showed that the archaeological preservation of deposits …

Preliminary Report Of The Hasp 2023 Field Season: Coring And Excavations At Efri-Ás, Laufskálaholt, Brekkukot, Grafarkot, Kálfsstaðir, Kjarvalsstaðir, Nautabú, Ingveldarstaðir, Skúfsstaðir, Garðakot, Hringver, Hólakot, And Viðvík In Hjaltadalur With Additional Geophysics At Skúfsstaðir, Guðný Zoëga, John M. Steinberg, Chiara M. Torrini, Trace J. Podder

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

This report outlines the 2023 work, including Geophysical survey, Coring, and Excavations at Efri-Ás, Laufskálaholt (on the Efri-Ás land of the Ásholt summer house), Brekkukot, Kálfsstaðir, Kjarvalsstaðir, Nautabú, Ingveldarstaðir, Skúfsstaðir, Garðakot (part of Víðines) Grafarkot (part of Víðines), Hringver, Hólakot (part of Viðvík), and Viðvík) in Hjaltadal as part of the Hjaltadalur Archaeological Survey Project (HASP). This is the third year of a scheduled three-year project. The purpose of the project is to outline the settlement sequence and regional development in Hólar and around Hjaltadal and compare them with similar studies that have been carried out in Skagafjörður. The 12 …

Racial Disparities In Snap Receipt For Eligible Asian Americans In Massachusetts, Sokha Eng, Weichun Yan, Brian Beauregard, Susan R. Crandall

Center for Social Policy Publications

Despite qualifying as income eligible, many Massachusetts families do not access SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. Due to the sharp increase in the cost of living, especially the cost of housing and food expenses, more families are facing food insecurity. Thus, it is critical to ensure that families in need receive SNAP benefits. While previous studies have examined racial disparities, there is a limited focus on Asian American families. Even fewer studies disaggregate data to explore disparities among Asian American ethnic subgroups. Further, few studies have addressed disparities in SNAP receipt specifically for income eligible families.

The purpose of …

Incremental Value Of Radiomics Features Of Epicardial Adipose Tissue For Detecting The Severity Of Covid-19 Infection, Ni Yao, Yanhui Tian, Daniel Gama Das Neves, Chen Zhao, Claudio Tinoco Mesquita, Wolney De Andrade Martins, Weihua Zhou, Et. Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Introduction. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is known for its pro-inflammatory properties and association with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. However, existing detection methods for COVID-19 severity assessment often lack consideration of organs and tissues other than the lungs, which limits the accuracy and reliability of these predictive models.

Material and methods. The retrospective study included data from 515 COVID-19 patients (Cohort 1, n=415; Cohort 2, n=100) from two centers (Shanghai Public Health Center and Brazil Niteroi Hospital) between January 2020 and July 2020. Firstly, a three-stage EAT segmentation method was proposed by combining object detection and segmentation networks. Lung …

Dynamics Of Cell Membrane Lesions And Adaptive Conductance Under The Electrical Stress, Mantas Silkunas, Olga N. Pakhomova, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Exceeding physiological limits of the cell membrane potential compromises structural integrity, enabling the passage of normally impermeant solutes and disrupting cell function. Electropermeabilization has been studied extensively at the cellular scale, but not at the individual membrane lesion level. We employed fast total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging of Ca(2+) entry transients to discern individual lesions in a hyperpolarized cell membrane and characterize their focality, thresholds, electrical conductance, and the lifecycle. A diffuse and momentary membrane permeabilization without a distinct pore formation was observed already at a -100 mV threshold. Polarizing down to -200 mV created focal pores with a …

Careful Communication: A Confrontation Of Cartesian Mind/Body Dualism And Western Perceptions Of Intelligence In The Dance Classroom, Sarah Lunceford

Dance (MFA) Theses

Western perceptions of intelligence in correlation with Cartesian Mind/Body Dualism can have a detrimental impact on the way students receive and are affected by information. In collegiate settings where students participate in Western concert dance technique classrooms and dance academic courses, a student’s reputation for excelling in one area or another can influence the teacher’s perception of the student’s abilities. This can cause instructors to presume a generalized understanding of what a student is capable of and encourage an unbalanced engagement with the student’s abilities within one type of classroom versus another. This work considers the author's experience within dance …

Rhythms That {Bind}: Emerging Through Dissonance, Tessa Hailu

Dance (MFA) Theses

This thesis aims to interrogate systematic approaches to organization(s) and our innate desire for control to achieve a balanced “rhythmic” flow of life to ultimately preserve a sense of security. This investigation challenges the comforts of habits, routine, and order to push up against the binding effects of these predictable cycles that remain structured for reassurance. This research also considers what happens when one doesn’t have the choice to bind themselves TO safety but are otherwise bound BY rhythms of which they have no control. Taking into account our anatomical existence, the ecological systems in which we operate, and life’s …

Practicing Vulnerability: A Black Queer Dance That Is Never-Ending Due To The Faults Of Our American Society, Paris Ngai Gray

Dance (MFA) Theses

The performative nature of concert dance requires a profound awareness and understanding of the body and the mind. Formal dance training situates an environment where the investigation of the body is crucial, often leaving the responsibility of internal inquiry to the dancer. In my experience as a Black, Queer, and Trans/Non-Binary person assigned male at birth, this investigation has been incredibly difficult. This research explores not only the sub-cultural context that influenced my resistance to emotional maturity but also the places that shaped my connection to vulnerability and how I’ve been able to access it. The performance of Black hyper-masculinity …

"Hunter-Killer" Peptoid-Peptide Conjugate To Target And Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells, Breanne F. Mcelderry

Chemistry Theses

In the contemporary paradigm concerning the emergence of therapy-resistant recurrent cancer, recent studies posit the existence of a limited population of self-renewing malignant progenitors known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). The presence of CSCs explains why tumors often relapse despite clinical remission with initial therapeutic interventions. Consequently, the development of innovative therapeutic modalities specifically tailored to target and eliminate CSCs represents a highly promising strategy for eradicating cancer without the risk of recurrence. In previous research, we successfully developed a synthetic peptoid-based ligand CL-1-19-1 that selectively binds to CSC over non-CSC. However, CL-1-19-1 did not exhibit any significant inhibitory effect …

Cancer-Associated Mdm2 W329g Mutant Attenuates Ribosomal Stress-Mediated P53 Responses To Promote Cell Survival And Glycolysis, Sally Lien, Thomas P Whitbread, Shiva O Shastri, Jamie A Contreras, Ruiying Zhao, Yan Zhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although amplification/overexpression is the predominant mechanism for the oncogenic properties of MDM2, an increasing number of MDM2 somatic missense mutations were identified in cancer patients with the recent advances in sequencing technology. Here, we characterized an MDM2 cancer-associated mutant variant W329G identified from a patient sample that contains a wild-type p53 gene. Trp329 is one of residues that were reported to be critical to MDM2's binding to ribosomal protein L11 (RPL11). We found that the MDM2 W329G mutant was resistant to the inhibitory effect of RPL11 on MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation, in line with its defect on RPL11 binding. …

Champagne Wishes And A Domestic Beer Budget: Assessing And Supporting Serials Access At A Carnegie R2, Chad E. Buckley, Julie Murphy, Rachel E. Scott, Cassie Thayer-Styes, Anne Shelley

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

As library budgets are cut or remain flat, librarians asked to do more with less are considering diverse data to investigate how best to invest limited funds. The data available to librarians are extensive but they may also be contradictory. In this presentation, we contextualize findings from interviews conducted with Illinois State University faculty with institutional and collections data. Using the words of faculty members across disciplines, we highlight some of the tensions around discovery and access to scholarly literature, perceptions of urgency, and engagement with open access. The interview results--triangulated with institutional usage and cost data—suggest a variety of …

Brief Of Amici Curiae Scholars For The Advancement Of Children’S Constitutional Rights In Support Of Defendants-Appellees: Constitutional Rights In Support Of Defendants-Appellees: St. Mary Catholic Parish V. Roy, Lauren Fontana, Tanya M. Washington, Catherine Smith, Robin Walker Sterling, Suzette Malveaux, Jeremiah Chin, Sara S. Hildebrand

Faculty Publications By Year

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of The Relationships Between Hydraulic, Physical, And Biological Soil Parameters At A Vineyard In Saint James, Missouri, Lyndsey Bennett

Masters Theses

"Soil is a living, dynamic system that performs vital functions such as crop production, organic matter decomposition, and the flow and transport of water. Given the pressures of food and in some locales water security, climate change, and sustainability, farmers, scientists, and other related specialists and stakeholders must have access to understandable soil health indicators as well as the soil hydraulic function parameters to maximize crop growth while maintaining soil health. Although biological and physical soil parameters are different, we aim to evaluate their relationship at the field scale. Hydraulic conductivity in the vadose zone may be especially important, as …

Development Of A Novel Bioink For Human Vascularized Organoids, Bradley Allen Bromet

Masters Theses

"There is a need for a model to better mimic human physiology in the clinic, so the objective was to develop a novel bioink for a 3D tissue model to study human disease and development in a dynamic 3D environment. The results from each corresponding study helped in developing a novel bioink for use in a bio printed human vascularized organoid. The bioink composed of alginate with other natural hydrogels to function as extracellular matrix and with the addition of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) to replace growth factors, can be used with multiple cell types to bio print the proposed …

Environmental Health And Impact Of Workload On Errors For Wildland Fire Personnel, Michael Bryan Held

Masters Theses

"This thesis offers an analysis of how environmental health and workload affect wildland fire dispatchers and firefighters, combining results from two studies. The first study, "Environmental Health of Wildland Firefighters: A Scoping Review," performs a scoping review of scientific literature that examines the unique environmental health challenges wildland firefighters face. The review points out the increased risks to safety, health, and well-being from more exposure to natural hazards, identifying key research gaps and priorities. It stresses the need to broaden the geographic and demographic scope of studies, improve analytical methods, and increase research funding and focus for wildland firefighters.

The …

Ontogenetically Driven Changes In The Endocranial Anatomy Of Maiasaura Peeblesorum And Its Implications For Sensory Functions, Emma Puetz

Masters Theses

"Hadrosaurids exhibited extreme morphological diversity and behavioral characteristics that can be compared with other, closely related members of Dinosauria – particularly through the study of neuroanatomy. X-ray CT generated endocrania of the Late Cretaceous saurolophine hadrosaur Maiasaura peeblesorum, known as the “good mother” dinosaur, offers a unique opportunity to compare complex ecological behaviors between non-avian dinosaurs and their modern archosaur relatives. The 3D reconstruction software ORS Dragonfly provided linear and volumetric measurements taken from the digital cranial endocast and endosseous labyrinths of three ontogenetically varied M. peeblesorum specimens from the Two Medicine Formation in Montana that were used to …