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A Mesocosm Experiment on the Impact of Competition with Native Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) and Invasive Cattail (Typha x glauca) on the Growth of Northern Wild Rice (Zizania palustris)
No full textNorthern wild rice (Zizania palustris; manoomin/Mnomen in Anishinaabemowin; ZP) is an annual emergent macrophyte of cultural and economic significance to many North American indigenous tribal nations. Its present extent throughout its native Great Lakes region is much reduced. Competition with other wetland plants may significantly reduce ZP growth and survival. Most ZP competitors are perennial plants, whose established rhizomes persist in the sediment, granting a head-start on growth each year. This mesocosm experiment investigated how competition with hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca) and pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) – dominant invasive and native rhizomatous species, respectively – impacted ZP growth
Optimizing Parasport: A Comparative Study on Experience and Perception Variance Across Practiced Models
Full text linkOrganizations that provide sport for people with disabilities (referred to as parasport) have evolved significantly over the past century, with various models shaping the experiences of athletes with disabilities. Previous research examining parasport has mainly looked at participation barriers and individual outcomes of physical health or psychological well-being; however, little research has examined how different organizational models of parasport influence athlete experiences and perceptions. The purpose of this study is to examine three distinct models of parasport--mixed participant approach (MPA), segregated disability sport (SDS), and adaptive sports (AS)-- to assess their potential in providing equitable, enjoyable, and health-promoting experiences for athletes with disabilities. Data was collected from both athlete and non-athlete participants of various Chicago area para-soccer programs practicing these three models. The data collected explored four pillars of participant experience: motives, integration, enjoyment, and health impacts. This study also aimed to explore perception variance across models between athlete versus non-athlete participants. By comparing these differing models, this study aimed to identify practices that best support athletes with disabilities and promote healthy inclusion in sports. The findings provide evidence-based guidelines that can be operationalized for enhancing experiences of athletes with disabilities, fostering broader societal inclusion and well-being
Strengthening Scientific Integrity: Digital Forensics for Biomedical Research Imaging
Full text linkTo fight against the increasing misconduct cases in science, this Ph. D. research confronted the challenge of scientific integrity with a pioneering investigation into digital forensic analysis specifically tailored for biomedical images. This work conducted extensive research into key manipulation types–copy-move forgery, image reuse, and AI-generated content–developing novel, fully explainable, and auditable computational detection methods for each. In a commitment to transparency and to promote research to the area, these techniques are provided as open-source resources. Besides the isolated techniques for each type of image forged, a central contribution is the development of an end-to-end system, created through collaboration with international forensic experts and the US Office of Research Integrity (ORI). This system automates the analysis of scientific publications, starting from PDF documents and ending by identifying figures with potential integrity concerns
The Impact of Substrate Structure and Catalyst Identity on the Lewis-Acid Catalyzed Carbonyl-Olefin Metathesis Reaction
Full text linkThe formation of carbon-carbon double bonds is one of the most important transformations in organic chemistry, as they are integral to the structural scaffold of many organic molecules. Thus, the development and understanding of reactions that form such bonds is crucial. Lewis-acid catalyzed carbonyl-olefin metathesis is one such reaction. Like many others, this reaction is sensitive to both the identity of the catalyst, as well as the structure of the substrate. In this dissertation, I present empirical and theoretical works investigating how the catalyst identity and the substrate direct the reactivity of the Lewis-acid catalyzed carbonyl-olefin metathesis reaction
Targeting EYA1 Phosphatase Activity in MLL-Rearranged Leukemia
Full text linkMLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemia is an aggressive subset of acute leukemia, accounting for up to 10% of adult and 70% of infant AML and ALL cases. These leukemias are driven by MLL fusion proteins, which recruit epigenetic cofactors to dysregulate gene expression, leading to poor prognosis and resistance to conventional chemotherapy. Previous lab work identified EYA1’s role in leukemogenesis, establishing it as a therapeutic target in MLL-r leukemia. EYA1, is a transcriptional coactivator and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). Originally a gout medication, benzbromarone (BBR), was identified in an NCI Diversity Set screen as an EYA1-specific PTP inhibitor. BBR provides a tool to investigate the role of EYA1 PTP activity in MLL-r leukemia and its potential as a therapeutic target. The effects of EYA1 PTP inhibition were evaluated using viability assays, morphological assessments, surface marker and intracellular expression analyses, senescence measurements, RNA Pol II CTD Tyr1 phosphorylation studies, leukemia transplantation models, and combination treatments with Menin-MLL and DOT1L inhibitors. BBR treatment significantly reduced cell viability in responsive MLL-r and MLL-nr leukemia cell lines while sparing normal hCD34⁺ hematopoietic cells. BBR responsiveness required a threshold-level of EYA1 expression, as nonresponsive MLL-ENL cell lines lacked detectable EYA1 expression. BBR induced cellular senescence, promoted myeloid differentiation, impaired cell cycle progression, and triggered cell death. In vivo, BBR treatment delayed disease onset, prolonged survival, and reduced leukemic burden. Additionally, BBR increased RNA Pol II CTD Tyr1 phosphorylation, implicating unregulated EYA1 PTP activity in transcriptional dysregulation. RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that BBR treatment modulated pathways related to cell cycle regulation, senescence, and apoptosis, validated by functional assays. Combination treatment with BBR and either VTP50469 or EPZ5676 demonstrated additive or synergistic cytotoxic effects, supporting the rationale for combinatorial therapy. These findings establish EYA1 PTP activity as a critical driver of leukemia progression and provide evidence that BBR, a repurposed gout medication, exerts potent anti-leukemic effects in vitro and in vivo. These results support BBR\u27s potential as a targeted therapy for leukemia and provide a foundation for future preclinical and clinical investigations
Toward a Theory of Resistance for an Emancipatory Social Work
No full textThis paper proposes a theory of resistance as crucial for an emancipatory social work. Using five stories as case study illustrations, the paper explores the nature of resistance and social change. The concepts, principles, and assumptions comprising a theory of resistance for social work are derived from the examples and existing research. The paper discusses how individual acts of resistance are necessary for fostering transformational change and advancing social justice. The role of social workers in embodying and promoting resistance in their practice is underscored
Self-efficacy is not just about the Self: African American cross-age youth mentors
No full textObjective: Self-efficacy, a belief in one’s capacity to achieve specific outcomes despite obstacles, is tied to a myriad of positive outcomes in the educational, relational, mental health, and future achievement of Black youth. Black youth living in racially segregated, low-income urban communities face greater obstacles than other youth. This study examines how participation as mentors in a cross-age mentoring program influences self-efficacy, and what social and environmental factors are related to changes in self-efficacy
Method: The study employs growth-curve analyses to investigate the impact of participation on self-efficacy and to examine the effects of the strength of the mentor-mentee relationship, perceived social support, and traumatic stress on the development of self-efficacy in Black youth in low-income urban settings.
Results: Participating as mentors in the cross-age mentoring program is related to increases in self-efficacy compared to those not participating, with younger mentors showing greater increases than older mentors over time. Analyses revealed that mentors’ perceptions of the strength of their relationship with mentees and perceived social support are related to increased self-efficacy while traumatic stress significantly reduced it.
Conclusions: Both social and environmental factors were related to self-efficacy, with youth mentors experiencing increases over their time in the mentoring program
The Role of Social Support on Discrimination and Planned Retirement
No full textWith an aging global workforce, understanding the determinants of retirement timing is critical for both individual well-being and societal economic stability. Traditional retirement models primarily emphasize financial and health factors but often overlook the roles of discrimination and social support. This dissertation examines the relationship between everyday discrimination and planned retirement (Planned Work Years), with social support as a potential mediating factor. Using data from the 2018 RAND Health and Retirement Study (RAND HRS), this study employs mediation analysis, hierarchical linear regression, and pathway analysis to investigate how social support influences the effects of discrimination on retirement timing among older working adults in the United States. Findings suggest that individuals experiencing higher levels of discrimination report lower perceived social support, which in turn is associated with earlier planned retirement. The findings underscore the importance of fostering inclusive workplaces and strengthening social support systems to promote equitable retirement opportunities. Implications for social work, labor policies, and aging-related interventions are discussed, with recommendations for integrating social support mechanisms into retirement planning frameworks to enhance well-being and financial stability among older adults
The Beloved Disciple in Performance
No full textThis project aims to reconsider the Fourth Gospel’s Beloved Disciple from the standpoint of biblical performance criticism, an approach that takes seriously the likelihood that most first-century audiences would have encountered the Fourth Gospel by means of performance rather than private reading. The dissertation considers: 1) what difference the medium makes in a first-century reception of John’s Gospel, and 2) how early audiences would have been shaped by the discipleship model portrayed by the unnamed Beloved Disciple in a performance setting. Against the current of mainstream scholarship, I argue that the Beloved Disciple is a developing character who epitomizes Johannine discipleship by continuously remaining near to Jesus and moving toward him (physically and symbolically). Built on two particular rhetorical devices that underpin the telling of the Beloved Disciple’s story—syncrisis and ekphrasis—along with studies in ancient oratory and delivery more broadly, I map a hypothetical performance based on the script of John’s Gospel to discern a plausible interpretation of the Disciple’s story character which highlights his most consistent and conspicuous-in-performance traits: nearness to and movement toward Jesus regardless of the circumstances
Youth and Parent Knowledge and Perceptions of Spina Bifida: Associations with Neurocognitive Factors, Self-Management, and Quality of Life
No full textSpina bifida (SB) is a common congenital birth defect with multiple and varied medical, physical, and psychological impacts. The objective of these studies is to examine youth and parent condition-related knowledge in the context of SB and associations with executive function, quality of life, and medical self-management. Collectively, these studies examine both qualitative and quantitative multi-informant data from youth with SB, their parents, and their teachers. The first study used growth analyses to examine changes in condition-related knowledge over time, predicted by executive dysfunction and inattention, and predictive of medical self-management skills. The second study used qualitative coding methods to explore parent knowledge of SB etiology and perceptions of complications. The third study examined discrepancies between parent and child knowledge of bowel and bladder dysfunction and management in SB, and associations with quality of life, stigma, and transfer of medical responsibility. Findings were discussed in relation to potential interventions aimed at increasing youth and caregiver knowledge to support appropriate medical management for youth with SB