Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Mechanism Of Increased Survival In Rb1-Mutant Glioblastoma Multiforme, Lucia Wesemann

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is an incredibly invasive and particularly lethal central nervous system cancer. Recent work has shown that GBM patients with mutated RB1 have greater overall survival. A proposed mechanism for the improved prognosis of this molecular subgroup is mainly supported by previous research that is not specific to GBM. I utilize the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) dataset to interrogate this mechanism using GBM-specific data. The mechanism is largely not supported by the CPTAC GBM dataset, and the trend of significantly improved overall survival in RB1-mutant GBM patients is not validated here. This study highlights the …

Women’S Right To Education In Ethiopia, Hanan Aman

Alfie Scholars Conferences

Education is a human right essential for personal and societal empowerment, yet in Ethiopia, many women are denied this right. Only 57% of Ethiopian girls attend primary school, and this number drops to 31% in secondary school. Several factors contribute to this disparity: cultural norms that prioritize boys' education, early marriages affecting 40% of girls before age 18, and gender biases that discourage girls from pursuing education. Additionally, many girls lack basic school supplies and access to feminine hygiene products, leading to absenteeism and dropouts. To address these issues, the government should increase financial support for girls' education, and community …

A Systematic Review: Longevity And Quality Of Life In Blue Zones, Salmaan Mulla

Theses and Graduate Projects

Ikaria, Loma Linda, Sardinia, Okinawa, and Nikoya. These 5 cities around the world are famed for their increased longevity and quality of life and are termed “Blue Zones”. Blue zones are areas around the world noted for their population of centenarians, overall long life expectancy and high quality of life compared to the average population. Studying these communities offer insights into the commonalities they share to better understand the unique aspects of living a healthy, fulfilling and long life. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, with the search terms “Ikaria, Greece longevity; Loma Linda, California longevity; Sardinia, …

The Effect Of Various Doses Of Gamma Ray Irradiation On Growth And Chlorophyll Changes Of Three Adlay Genotypes, Warid Ali Qosim, Anas, Suseno Amien, Meddy Rachmadi, Sidik Ramdani, Romi Zamhir Islami

Jurnal Kultivasi

Adlay has great potential to be developed into an alternative food source in Indonesia because it contains carbohydrates and high fat. The aim was to effect of various doses of gamma-ray irradiation on growth,chlorophyll changes, and determination of lethal dose (LD50) three adlay genotypes in M1 generation. This study was conducted by using the experimental quantitative method without design. The material used consists of three adlay genotypes, including genotypes #28, #37, and #38. The seeds were treated with 0 Gy (control), 100 Gy, 200 Gy, 300 Gy, 400 Gy, and 500 Gy doses of gamma-ray irradiation by the Research Center …

Made In The Divine Image: The Interface Of Boki Concepts And Pontifical Biblical Commission's Reading Of Genesis 1-2, Luther Raymond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Certain images facilitate tailoring our perception of ourselves and the rest of creation in positively practical ways, but others lead us astray and disfigure our relationships. Christians acknowledge that humans are made in the divine image, yet we allow the domineering presence of destructive frames and perceptions to counter our being divine image-bearers. This dissertation explores the intersection of the Boki Beri-be/Keredede motif and the language of the presentation of Genesis 1-2 in the 2019 Pontifical Biblical Commission Document What Is Man? calling for a recognition that humans are the embodiment of the divine presence in creation with a calling …

A Radical Ethnography Of Asian American Mental Health, Sofia Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. both historically and currently impacts the Asian American community, leading to widespread fear and negative mental health consequences for Asian Americans. This has been widely discussed in the media due to the rise in anti-Asian rhetoric and attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, psychological literature does not typically address the effects of the history and politics of Asian America on Asian American mental health. In particular, psychological literature does not engage with radical political perspectives which situate Asian American mental health within the broader context of structural oppression and processes of racialization. This …

Narrative Forms Of Violence: Fascism, Nazism, And The Holocaust In 20th-Century British Fiction, David Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Narrative Forms of Violence: Fascism, Nazism, and The Holocaust in 20^th-Century British Fiction examines how British authors explore fascist and Nazi violence through narrative. The texts in this project challenge the popular perception of Nazis and fascists and help to enrich the understanding of these character types in artistic representations of fascism and the Holocaust. I seek to reveal how each author in the three central texts examined presents fascist violence’s march toward the mainstream and the ways ordinary people deal with political violence. Each author critically depicts growing fascist regimes in World War II-era Europe and contemplates …

The Ethical Duty Of Care For Suicide Ideation, Tah Ngijoi Yogo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With suicide being a leading global cause of death, there is a need to explore the ethical complexities surrounding suicide and preventive measures. This dissertation questions the morality of suicide by examining the historical and philosophical dimensions across cultures and religions. The text argues for an approach that acknowledges rational suicide while developing the ethics of paternalistic measures for suicide prevention of vulnerable populations.

Considering the ethics of autonomy, the dissertation discusses the practice of nudging in healthcare to highlight the role of paternalism in supporting informed consent. The text proposes an enhanced autonomy model that balances trust, influence, and …

Delivery Of Mitochondria-Containing Engineered Extracellular Vesicles To The Blood-Brain Barrier For Ischemic Stroke Therapy, Kandarp Dave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and the lack of effective treatment options is an unmet clinical need for stroke survivors. Ischemic stroke-induced oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in the affected brain tissue leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion in the brain endothelial cells (BECs) lining the blood-brain barrier (BBB). ATP deprivation in the BECs dysregulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics, resulting in BBB breakdown. Restoration of blood flow (i.e., reperfusion) upon the first-line stroke treatment further leads to BBB breakdown and widens the paracellular spaces between BECs. …

Form And Matter In Kant's Theoretical Philosophy, Aaron Higgins-Brake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the use of the terms “form” and “matter” in Kant’s theoretical philosophy from his earliest publications up to the Critique of Pure Reason (1781). I argue that these two concepts have received unfortunately little attention in the development of Kant’s thought and in his mature writings. I begin in Chapter One by examining his increasing use of them in his pre-critical writings culminating in the Inaugural Dissertation (1770), where he first develops his theory of space as a form of intuition. Then in Chapters Two to Five, I examine his account of them in his accounts of …

Gift Allows Student Veterans Freedom To Ride, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Stationed at the George Street House, headquarters of the University of Mississippi's Office of Veterans and Military Services, is a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country, fully loaded and ready for local deployment.

Rhetorical Tapestries Of Water Injustice: The Framing Of (In)Access And (In)Justice In The Struggle For Water Security In The United States, Carla R. Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that access to clean water is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of environmental justice. It critiques existing communication and rhetorical scholarship for overlooking the environmental dimensions of water access and justice. This gap hinders progress toward equity for marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by water insecurity.

This project proposes a communication approach that prioritizes culturally relevant strategies to empower these communities in advocating for their environmental rights and health needs. By bridging the communication and environmental justice fields, this project equips communities with the tools to demand fair solutions. It ultimately calls for a transformative shift …

Buddhism, Daoism, And Jeet Kune Do: A Contemporary Analysis Of Nondual Traditions In A New Age Martial Art, James H. Sutton

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Traditional martial arts are known for their focus on spiritual cultivation through a combination of self-defense training and contemplative practices like meditation. Traditional martial art systems tend to utilize nondual traditions commonly associated with Buddhism and Daoism; however, modern martial art practices, particularly those of MMA, no longer place a strong emphasis on such traditions. In turn, this has led to the development of high-performance sport athletes who emphasize self-defense efficiency in combat (usually combat sports) over all other attributes while also mixing “arts” or “styles” as necessary for the individual’s own self growth. I dub these as “new age” …

Being And Sacrifice: An Essay On Hegelian Logic, Mitch Thiessen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A study of Hegelian logic in relation to postmodern thought, this essay investigates the limits and contemporary significance of Hegel’s concept of knowledge, both on its own terms and from the perspective of three of its most polemical critics: Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Georges Bataille. Of especial consequence in this study are the themes of individuality, desire, history, and death, insofar as Hegel’s critics judge him to have inadequately come to terms with—and to have even suppressed—the truth or fact of these realities, all of which are potentially fatal for his theory of the subject.

Absence Of Motor Impairments Or Pathological Changes In Tmem230 Knockout Rats, Wenjuan Zhang, Hao Peng, Daihe Yang, Guohua Song, Juan He, Yun Zhou, Cao Huang, Bo Huang

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Parkinson's disease (PD), which is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by progressive movement impairment and loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although mutations in TMEM230 are linked to familial PD, the pathogenic mechanism underlying TMEM230-associated PD remains to be elucidated. To explore the effect of TMEM230 depletion in vivo, we created TMEM230 knockout rats using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. TMEM230 knockout rats did not exhibit any core features of PD, including impaired motor function, loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, or altered expression of proteins related to autophagy, the Rab family, or vesicular trafficking. …

Dual Inhibition Of The Trka And Jak2 Pathways Using Entrectinib And Pacritinib Suppresses The Growth And Metastasis Of Her2-Positive And Triple-Negative Breast Cancers, Munazza Khan, Jay-Jiguang Zhu, Kounosuke Watabe, Hui-Wen Lo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are difficult to treat and associated with poor prognosis. Despite showing initial response, HER2-positive breast cancers often acquire resistance to HER2-targeted therapies, and TNBC lack effective therapies. To overcome these clinical challenges, we evaluated the therapeutic utility of co-targeting TrkA and JAK2/STAT3 pathways in these breast cancer subtypes. Here, we report the novel combination of FDA-approved TrkA inhibitors (Entrectinib or Larotrectinib) and JAK2 inhibitors (Pacritinib or Ruxolitinib) synergistically inhibited in vitro growth of HER2-positive breast cancer cells and TNBC cells. The Entrectinib-Pacritinib combination inhibited the breast cancer stem cell subpopulation, reduced expression of stemness …

Phase I Trial Of Gd2cart Cells Augmented With Constitutive Interleukin-7 Receptor For Treatment Of High-Grade Pediatric Cns Tumors, Frank Y Lin, Austin Stuckert, Candise Tat, Mark White, Lucia Ruggieri, Huimin Zhang, Birju Mehta, Natalia Lapteva, Zhuyong Mei, Angela Major, Sachin Thakkar, Thomas Shum, Kathan Parikh, Meng-Fen Wu, Holly B Lindsay, Lauren Scherer, Meghan Shekar, Patricia Baxter, Tao Wang, Bambi Grilley, Karen Moeller, John Hicks, Angshumoy Roy, Jamie Anastas, Fatema Malbari, Guillermo Aldave, Murali Chintagumpala, Susan Blaney, D Williams Parsons, Malcolm K Brenner, Helen E Heslop, Cliona M Rooney, Bilal Omer

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Purpose: T cells modified with chimeric antigen receptors (CARTs) have demonstrated efficacy for hematologic malignancies; however, benefit for patients with CNS tumors has been limited. To enhance T cell activity against GD2+ CNS malignancies, we modified GD2-directed CART cells (GD2.CARTs) with a constitutively active interleukin (IL)-7 receptor (C7R-GD2.CARTs).

Methods: Patients age 1-21 years with H3K27-altered diffuse midline glioma (DMG) or other recurrent GD2-expressing CNS tumors were eligible for this phase I trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04099797). All subjects received standard-of-care adjuvant radiation therapy or chemotherapy before study enrollment. The first treatment cohort received GD2.CARTs alone (1 × 107 cells/m2), and …

Something To Hold On To: Judicial Independence As An Antidote To The Dissent’S Institutional Integrity Concerns In Dobbs V. Jackson Women’S Health Organization, Teddy Breece Paisley Iii

Liberty University Law Review

Today’s legal and political landscape places heavy emphasis on the decisions handed down by nine illustrious jurists—the sitting Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. These decisions, like the Justices themselves, are often characterized as purely political. From left and right, accusations of partisanship and judicial activism hurtle toward the Court with increasing velocity and regularity. On June 6, 2022, the Court released one of the most significant and controversial decisions in its history when it overruled Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, holding that …

To Track Or Not To Track: The Privacy Dilemma And The Veil Of Consumer Choice, Amber L. Solberg

Liberty University Law Review

Technology has contributed to rapid yet fundamental changes in the way society functions—but the information revolution is just getting started. Ubiquitous, distributed, and interconnected computational power and massive data storage, coupled with human ingenuity and entrepreneurship, have led to profound impacts on society, changing the way we live, work, and interact with each other. However, these rapid advances have given rise to new legal challenges and upended the balance between the interests of corporations and consumers regarding privacy, ownership of personal data, and fundamental concepts of intellectual property. As multi-billion-dollar corporations thrive by monetizing personal data, existing legal frameworks struggle …

Internet Frisking Jurors During Voir Dire: The Case For Imposing Judicial Limitations, Hannah L. Shotton

Liberty University Law Review

Our nation has long recognized the need for a fair and impartial jury in civil and criminal cases. At the heart of this pursuit for fairness is the juror, who sits as the factfinder in the process. For centuries, voir dire has served as the backbone for providing parties with a fair and impartial jury. Traditionally, during voir dire, jurors are questioned under oath by the court or counsel to determine their qualifications or disqualifications to sit as a juror in the case. The purpose is to expose potential bias in a juror that would render him or her unable …

Unincorporated: A Case For American Samoa Through The Fog Of The Insular Cases, Riley J. Gutierrez

Liberty University Law Review

For over a century, American Samoa has been an unincorporated territory of the United States. Due to its “unincorporated” status, its inhabitants lack U.S. constitutional citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment. Congress has further failed to pass legislation granting statutory birthright citizenship to American Samoans, setting American Samoa apart as the only U.S. territory without birthright citizenship.

American Samoan representatives have fought to keep American Samoa from being further incorporated under the Federal Constitution. Despite American Samoa being the largest per capita contributor to the United States military, its people value their way of life, or fa’a Samoa, too much …

The “Constitutional-Claims Exclusion” Fallacy: The Courts’ Attempt To “Back-Door” Constitutional Claims Into The Federal Tort Claims Act, Brent Dugwyler

Liberty University Law Review

When federal agents violate a citizen’s constitutional rights, justice demands that someone be held accountable and the plaintiff be redressed for his injuries. While a plaintiff can sue the agents in their individual capacities, it is unclear whether the federal government itself can be held liable. Under the Federal Torts Claims Act (FTCA), plaintiffs can sue the federal government for the torts of its employees. But there are limitations and exceptions. For example, the FTCA applies only to state-law torts, not to federal constitutional violations. Further, the FTCA’s “discretionary-function” exception immunizes federal agents’ conduct when they act within their discretion. …

Table Of Contents

Liberty University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Maine School Of Wonder: Developing A School For Earth Skills And Sustainability In Maine, Leigha Hart

Capstone Collection

This research project explores the feasibility of establishing an earth skills and spirituality school in Maine, examining pertinent literature on adult environmental education, contemporary notions of work and leisure, earth-centered spirituality, and sustainable development. The study draws insights from interviews conducted with four distinct organizations across Maine engaged in similar initiatives. These include two farms hosting community events and workshops, alongside two retreat centers dedicated to fostering personal growth and skills development. These interviews provide diverse perspectives on the operational dynamics, required resources, and necessary skills for launching a new school aimed at creating inclusive, engaging, and sustainable learning environments …

Transgender Boy Allowed To Try Out For Tennessee High School Boys' Golf Team, Emily J. Houghton, Erica J. Zonder

Human Performance Department Publications

The plaintiff L.E. is a transgender boy who is suing Tennessee Governor Bill Lee along with the individuals employed within the Tennessee Board of Education, and Knox County Board of Education. The lawsuit attempts to challenge SB 228, Gender in Athletics Law which was passed in 2021 in the state of Tennessee and the subsequent revised I-171 policy (L.E. v. Lee, 2021). Under SB 228, students are only allowed to compete in middle school or high school athletics in Tennessee, based on gender assigned at birth or on their birth certificate. SB 228 also dictates that each “local governing body” …

The Byu Advocate, J. Reuben Clark Law School

The BYU Advocate (& Annual Reports)

"As BYU Law celebrates 50 years of excellence, we reflect on the foundational commitments that set the Law School apart.

"Among law schools, BYU’s aims are unique. Our mission statement reads, 'In striving to emulate [the] example [of Jesus Christ], we seek to be and develop people of integrity who combine faith and intellect in lifelong service to God and neighbor.'"

– Dean David H. Moore

Gea Mechanical Equipment Us Inc V. First State Insurance Co

2024 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Usa V. Dion Williams

2024 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Investigating The Impact Of Intervention Design Specialists In Bedford County Public Schools: A Collective Case Study, Brian W. Wilson

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Educators are focused on helping students achieve academic success. One method that has gained popularity in recent years is multi-tiered systems of support. Tiering systems of support is not a new concept in the field of education. Tiering systems of support rely on the basic concepts of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for academic and behavioral support. In an RTI model, the level of intervention is increased based on the effectiveness of the intervention on an individual student’s progress toward an established goal. Tiered systems of support create a structured RTI model with leveled systems of support that can …

Decreasing Inappropriate Wound Consults, Arpita Hinton

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background: This project was centered around the wound nurses and their workload. It also highlighted the opportunity for education for frontline staff. The wound nurses at this northern California hospital are a group of five nurses that support the whole hospital. Usually there are two staffed per day to support a facility that continues to have three to four overflow areas open to accommodate its high census.

Problem: My project focused on decreasing inappropriate wound consults. There are many consults places that do not need the intervention of a skilled wound nurse. These consults lead to time that is …