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MASS Mutual Fund Final Report
Get PDFAn amalgamation of trade reports, that were written and executed throughout the semester, that utilize different trading techniques, as well as a reflection on how successful those trades were and general statistics that back those findings
Saraqib Thobe Identification in the May Weber Ethnographic Collection
Get PDFThe artistic tradition of embroidery in communities across the Arabian Peninsula has long served as a means of expressing local identity, values, and craftsmanship through the decoration of garments. Distinctive patterns, stylistic choices, and color palettes allow for the regional identification of embroidered clothing. This research examines a Syrian thobe housed in the May Weber Ethnographic Collection at Loyola University Chicago, using physical analysis and comparative study to identify its origins. By analyzing the garment’s embroidery patterns, construction techniques, and aesthetic details, this study not only determines the likely regional provenance of the thobe but also explores the broader cultural and historical significance of embroidery within Syrian textile traditions
Conventions, Definitions, Identities, and Other Useful Formulae
No full textAs the name suggests, these notes contain a summary of important conventions, definitions, identities, and various formulas that I often refer to. They may prove useful for researchers working in General Relativity, Supergravity, String Theory, Cosmology, and related areas
Characterization of CD11c-Expressing Gut-Associated T Cells
No full textOur immune system is a remarkable defense network that protects our bodies from a range of threats. Its’ intricate machinery comprises of messenger and effector cells that work together to coordinate an effective immune response. Traditionally, T lymphocytes have been considered effectors: they receive instructions from messengers, known as Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs), that alter T-cell activation state and behavior. In the gut, Dendritic Cells (DCs) are the APCs that most often instruct T cells. To accomplish their messenger role, DCs express CD11c at high levels, a surface marker involved in cell-to-cell signaling and phagocytosis. As such, CD11c expression has traditionally been characteristic of DCs. To our surprise, we found that a significant proportion of gut-associated T cells also express CD11c; in fact, these T cells express CD11c in the gut at greater levels than DCs. Given that the functional role of CD11c is cell-to-cell signaling and phagocytosis, we hypothesized that gut-associated CD11c+ T cells function as APCs. To explore this phenomenon, we examined the transcription factors governing the development of these cells, explored the functional role of CD11c in gut-associated T cells, and evaluated these cells\u27 ability to carry out antigen uptake and presentation. The results from this study may shift the longstanding paradigm on APCs and extend this classification to also include T cells
Lactobacillus-Mediated Phage Induction and Inhibition of Growth of Escherichia coli
Get PDFBacterial species inhabit both the “healthy” and symptomatic female urinary tract. Lactobacillus species are frequently dominant members of the healthy urinary tract microbiota (urobiome), and thus have been associated with the lack of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). In contrast, colonization by Escherichia coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Prior research has found that strains of Lactobacillus can inhibit the growth of uropathogens such as E. coli as well as vaginosis-associated pathogens. Investigations into the means by which lactobacilli inhibit pathogenic growth have primarily focused on their production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lactic acid, although other metabolites have been identified. This project explored how the secreted compounds of urinary strains of Lactobacillus species affect the growth of urinary E. coli. 53 different E. coli strains, isolated from urine samples of females with and without LUTS, were grown with the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of 42 different urinary lactobacilli strains. These lactobacilli included strains of the species L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. jensenii, L. johnsonii, L. mulieris, and L. paragasseri. Three scenarios were observed: (1) the CFS had no effect on the growth of the E. coli, (2) the CFS reduced the growth of the E. coli, and (3) the CFS inhibited growth or killed the E. coli. At least half of the Lactobacillus CFS + E. coli pairs tested resulted in inhibited or reduced E. coli growth. To determine how the CFS was inhibiting or reducing E. coli growth, we further explored the role that pH and protein-based constituents of the CFS played. Evidence of phage induction caused by Lactobacillus CFS was found identifying a means in which lactobacilli can reduce or inhibit E. coli growth. To expand on these results, we tested L. mulieris UMB7784 CFS on another uropathogen, Aerococcus urinae. These experiments demonstrated evidence of this strain of Lactobacillus CFS negatively impacting the growth of A. mictus. This study furthers our understanding of interactions between microbes within the urinary microbiome
The Effect of Environmental Pollutants on the Spotted Turtle Gut Microbiota
Get PDFHeavy metals are a common pollutant from many industrial processes. In addition to the various diseases that these pollutants cause, they can also affect the composition and structure of the gut microbiome of many organisms which is in many cases associated with overall organism health. The effect of these pollutants on the gut microbiota of the spotted turtle is unknown. Here we characterize the gut microbiome of the spotted turtle and explore the effect of various environmental pollutants on its composition. We found significant differences in the composition of the gut microbiome based on turtle sampling location (geographic), turtle sampling time (season), and turtle sex as well as many significantly differentially associated taxa for each of those comparisons. Heavy metal analysis revealed much less significant changes and associations. Although this work does not present many significant differences in the gut microbiome based on heavy metal contaminants, it helps characterize the gut microbiome of the spotted turtle and can hopefully be used as a starting point for further work and analysis of the gut microbiome of at-risk reptiles and how it is affected by various environmental pollutants. This will also help provide more concrete evidence and impetus for the importance of ecological rehabilitation and restoration of natural areas, especially those on or near prior or current industrial operations
The Effect of Repeated Sars-Cov-2 Vaccination and Infectionon Anti-Spike Durability
No full textSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped beta coronavirus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (CoVID-19) pandemic. While vaccination has been critical in curtailing the pandemic and numerous publications have assessed vaccine response, there are still unanswered questions regarding antibody durability. While it is clear that anti-Spike antibody levels decline relatively quickly in most people after vaccination and infection necessitating the administration of vaccine booster doses, it is unknown whether repeated vaccine doses, pre-/post-vaccination infection or host factors impact antibody durability. Hence, this thesis analyzed samples and demographic data from our longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated cohort to elucidate how infection, repeated vaccination, or the combination of both impact the durability of antibody levels. Serial samples collected post-vaccination/infection at 3 weeks, 3 months, and every 3 months until the next antigen exposure occurred were assayed for SARS- CoV-2 anti-S and anti-N antibodies. A questionnaire given to participants at each sample collection provided demographic information and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination/infection dates. Of the participants in the study, 218 had at least three samples between individual antigen exposure events to allow for accurate antibody kinetic analysis, and the 81 participants with the most kinetics series were assessed for this thesis. Multiple analysis methods and group stratification strategies revealed that antibody durability increased with repeated antigen exposure. However, contrary to conclusions made in the literature, we found no evidence that antigen source (i.e., infection vs. vaccination) had any major impact on this pattern of increasing durability. Importantly, 73% of those who provided a sample after their 4th antigen exposure exhibited an enhanced antibody half- life of over 300 days. Though differences in antibody durability achieved between participants were observed, no host factors were identified that associate with these differences leaving open the question of how to identify the smaller percentage of people who do not achieve this improvement in antibody durability with repeated exposures. In summary, we show for the first time that repeated antigen exposure can lead to enhanced antibody durability, providing evidence that annual SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may be a feasible public health strategy, raising intriguing fundamental immunological questions, and adding to our understanding regarding how vaccine boosters can be employed to enhance immune responses
A Womanist Narrative Ethics of Survival: an Exploration in African American Meaning Making
Get PDFThis project creates a womanist narrative ethics of survival framework using literary analysis, sociological and theological comparisons, and reflections on moral dilemmas in fiction and history. Steeped in the African American woman’s experiential perspective, this framework provides an alternative viewpoint through which to examine and analyze ethical issues arising in the context of marginalized bodies. Integrating the Christian faith, the history of chattel slavery in the United States, and the expanding field of African American literature and literary theory, this work posits that fiction provides a rich platform to work through thick moral dilemmas, affording a concrete ethical framework to match the concrete ethical issues faced in everyday life. Combining womanist theological ethics, narrative identity, and African American fiction, a womanist narrative ethics of survival seeks to explain and supplement the unique quandary in which marginalized bodies make decisions and make meaning
Experiences of School Climate Among Sexual Minority Students of Color
Get PDFSince the 1980’s educational research regarding sexual minority students has continued to expand. Researchers have found that school climate can have a profound impact on sexual minority students’ outcomes, including their mental health and academic success. However, much of the research on the effects of school climate upon sexual minority students consists of studies that are predominantly composed of White participants, or the researchers do not address other aspects of participant identity. Based on the concept of intersectionality, it is known that an individual’s experiences are shaped by all their identities, not just a singular one. The purpose of this study is to explore sexual minority individuals of color experiences with school climate as it pertains to both their sexual minority and racial-ethnic identities. Specifically, this study will examine five areas of school climate that include: 1) school staff, 2) overall school safety, 3) curriculum, 4) extracurricular supports, and 5) policies and practices. Data was collected using a self-created semi-structured narrative interview protocol and later analyzed using categorical analytic methods
Identifying and Characterizing Cognitive Profiles in Midlife Females: A Latent Profile Analysis
Get PDFFemales are at two-thirds greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than males. Due to this notable sex difference in cognitive aging and disease burden, there has been an increased focus on understanding the critical role of the menopausal transition (decline in fertility during midlife) as it relates to cognitive functioning across midlife. Thus, the present cross-sectional study used a sample of midlife females at different stages in the menopausal transition (N=202; Age 40-60 years) as part of a larger, multimodal design study, to elucidate distinct cognitive profiles while accounting for education, which were then characterized by other demographic factors, cardiovascular and metabolic health indicators, and medication use. Using latent profile analyses, four distinct cognitive profiles were identified which differed only based on race. Depressive symptoms significantly differed between the profiles marked by a strength or weakness in verbal learning and memory, with those in the worse performing profile reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms. In the sub-sample of participants with confirmed staging (n=139), menopause stage did not moderate this association. This study confirms prior research findings that suggest negative mood states, particularly sadness and anxiety, are prevalent during the menopausal transition and are related to verbal learning and memory. Further research is necessary to establish causal relations between depressive symptoms, menopause stage, and specific cognitive outcomes to develop effective interventions for improving cognitive functioning during and beyond, particularly for those from marginalized backgrounds. The findings from this study indicate that depressive symptoms are critical to identify and treat, and likely influence cognitive functioning during the menopausal transition