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Chinese Danmei Webnovels: Translation Lockdowns, Masculinity, and Community-Building
Get PDFDanmei ("indulging beauty") is a Chinese term for male/male gay romance fiction, influenced by Japanese BL (Boys Love, Japanese term for the male/male gay fiction genre) stories and aesthetics imported to China through way of Taiwan. This thesis examines some of the anxieties of fan translators who translate serialized danmei webnovels (novels that are published online) into English, the way in which danmei as a genre becomes a 'safe space' for exploring gender and sexuality, and the communitybuilding practices within online danmei fandom spaces. This work argues that the danmei fiction genre and its online fandom communities are valued by danmei writers and readers as ways to form strong bonds and as relatively 'safe spaces' where women explore alternatives to the social realities they face in day-to-day real life
The Lived Experiences of Asian Indian Adoptees in White America
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to understand Asian Indian women adoptees’ life history, primarily focusing on what it means to be adopted into White families. This research examines their biological and adopted cultures and its effect on their identity formation. Through a qualitative study, nine women participated in in-depth interviews and surveys. Their narratives were reflections of: their sense of identity, whether Indian and American, or one identity exclusively; racism; assimilation; and racial and cultural belonging. A major finding of this study is the different types of racism that the participants experienced as children within their communities even though they felt accepted as South Asian. Another finding is how their adoptive parent(s) avoided discussing the topics of race and racism during their childhoods
RATIONAL DESIGN OF DNA ORIGAMI NANOPARTICLE-BASED ANTIGEN PRESENTATION PLATFORM FOR VACCINE DELIVERY
Get PDFStructural DNA nanotechnology is a rapidly growing branch of nanotechnology that uses DNA molecules as structural building blocks to assemble nanoarchitectures with size in the nanoscale range. DNA nanotechnology leverages some of the unique biochemical and structural properties of the DNA molecules (e.g., self-assembly, sequence specificity, inherent biocompatibility, and structural predictability amongst others) rather than using the genetic information that they carry. DNA nanotechnology is also a highly multidisciplinary field that uses principles and methods derived from physics, chemistry, and biology to assemble functional nanoparticles that have the potential to be used in many biomedical applications. Particularly, the discovery of the DNA origami technique facilitated the design and assembly of DNA nanoparticles and expanded the range of their applications, thus, accelerated their broad use by other researchers. DNA origami refers to the folding of a long single strand of DNA (called the scaffold strand) using multiple short complementary oligonucleotides (called staple strands), which enables creating diverse nanoarchitectures with unprecedented control over their design. In addition, the unique programmability of DNA as a biomaterial and its ease of functionalization allows spatially controlled organization of various molecules (organic or inorganic) with nanoscale precision. This property increased the attention toward DNA origami nanostructures in several biomedical studies ranging from targeted delivery of cancer drug to biosensing. However, there are some technical challenges regarding the functionalization of nanoparticles that remain to be solved in order to broaden its use by non-experts in the field and to bring it toward clinical applications. As an example, traditional methods for functionalization of DNA origami nanoparticles rely on using modified staples, which increases the cost of the synthesis. Also, using an excess number of modified staples requires the extra step of purification before further modifications, which might result in loss of product yield. Here, we first developed an aPCR-based method to synthesize multitudinous functionalized scaffolds to eliminate the need to use modified staples for origami structures, which will help to resolve the issues arisen from the traditional methods for functionalization. Secondly, we developed a modular vaccine platform using DNA origami nanoparticles against emerging infectious viruses. In the light of the efficacy results of the DNA origami vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, DNA-NP-based vaccines represent a promising alternative platform vaccine against other pathogens
RATIONAL DESIGN OF PLASMONIC HYBRID HETERO-NANOARCHITECTURES WITH GEOMETRICALLY TUNABLE OPTICAL PROPERTIES FOR PLASMON-MEDIATED APPLICATIONS
Get PDFThis work is embargoed by the author and will not be publicly available until December 2025.Multicomponent plasmonic nanoparticles, especially structurally well-defined noble metal — nonstoichiometric copper chalcogenide dual plasmonic hybrid hetero-nanostructures, have emerged as an intriguing platform of superstructures due to their synergistically reinforced optical properties. The integration of two intrinsically dissimilar plasmonic constituents in one nano-entity empowers researchers to explore many new-yet-unexpected features, holding tremendous potential for plasmon-mediated energy transfer, plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis, and plasmon-related photothermal and photodynamic theranostics. Although significant research efforts have been dedicated to exploring the potential of those novel nanomaterials for biomedical applications, there remains a dearth of knowledge concerning their structural design complexity, the impact of nanoarchitecture on optical properties, as well as a comprehensive understanding of fundamental aspects, such as plasmon interactions within nanostructure. In attempt to bridge the existing knowledge gap, the photocatalytic experiments have been performed to compare efficiency of the hetero-nanostructures when only optical resonances of Cu2–xSe shell were photoexcited and when both noble metal and semiconductor were photoexcited simultaneously. The rate of photocatalytic reactions under the dual plasmon excitation was found to be greater than those under sole excitation of semiconductor shell and attributed to the plasmonic coupling between two dissimilar optical resonances. To further explore the role of the plasmonic coupling strengths in photocatalysis, dual plasmonic hetero-nanostructures based on anisotropic core were studied. Such a deliberate design produces tunable plasmon resonance of metallic component at lower energies, which is much closer to the spectral position of vacancy-doped copper chalcogenides optical response, ensuring more efficient coupling. The results suggest that the photocatalytic activity of anisotropic dual-plasmonic nanostructures is defined by plasmonic coupling strength and their surface area. To enrich the library of available dual plasmonic hetero-nanostructures, hard-template synthesis of hollow nanocrystals comprising noble metal cores and nonstoichiometric copper chalcogenide shells was developed. Hollow dual plasmonic nanostructures have been synthesized using two distinctive organic chalcogenide precursors through the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. Among those nanomaterials, preparation and characterization of hollow dual plasmonic Au@Cu2−xSe hybrid nanostructures have been performed for the first time. The divergence of nanoarchitectures and the interior pore size tunability of obtained hollow dual plasmonic hetero-nanostructures with different copper chalcogenide shells and their impact on optical properties were methodically studied. While Au@Cu2−xSe have been fabricated after complete transformation of Au@Cu2O templates, remaining Cu2O was still attached to the Au core after the synthesis of Au@Cu2−xS. This architecture divergence caused discrepancy in extinction spectra of these nanomaterials. Plasmonic nanocatalysts generally based on noble metal nanoparticles, such as gold, silver, and copper exhibit rather limited catalytic activities, which hinders their practical applications in the real world. Conversely, other noble metal nanocrystals, such as palladium with a myriad of well-controlled morphologies and superior catalytic performances do not support LSPRs excitation in the visible or near-infrared spectral ranges due to plasmon damping. In this context, multicomponent hybrid hetero-nanostructures integrating desired plasmonic and catalytic constituents have been obtained from Au@Ag nanocuboids templates via galvanic replacement reaction with H2PdCl4. Pd-rich hollow multimetallic nanostructures with precisely controlled Pd content exhibited increase in extinction intensity and tunable plasmon resonances. Their catalytic activity was studied in the SERS monitored reduction reaction of 4-nitrothiophenol by NaBH4. Ag(nanocubes)@Cu2O NPs is one more important class of multicomponent heterostructured nanosystems comprising a noble metal and a semiconductor, showing enhanced and tunable plasmonic properties. Optimization of Ag(nanocubes)@Cu2O nanocomposites characteristics was performed through the precise control over the synthetic parameters. Prepared Ag@Cu2O core-shell hetero-nanostructures with the shell thickness ~70 nm possessed LSPR band resonant with the NIR laser (λex = 808 nm) and demonstrated the highest photothermal conversion efficiency of ~25.4%. These findings have significant implications in various biomedical applications due to the superior tissue penetration of 808 nm laser compared to widely used 980 nm excitation wavelength or visible light.2025-12-1
Improving Body Composition Analysis in Collegiate Athletes
Get PDFBody composition is a critical metric used by practitioners to establish athlete health, training goals, nutrition plans, and performance potential. Two common laboratory methods of body composition assessment include air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DXA is the gold standard method as it utilizes a 3-compartment model, enabling practitioners and researchers to obtain lean mass, fat mass, and bone mass. However, due to cost and state-by-state regulations regarding who can operate DXA, many programs may not find it feasible. ADP is a more cost effective and simpler method of measuring body composition. It has been shown to be a valid and reliable alternative to DXA. As a result, practitioners and researchers may find ADP more feasible than DXA. However, ADP is unable to measure bone mineral density (BMD) and conflicting evidence has been reported regarding its validity in an athletic population. Inaccuracies in body composition measurements may lead to inappropriate nutrition and training programs, which may cause an athlete to gain or lose unnecessary fat mass or fat free mass, respectively. This inappropriate change in body composition may lead to musculoskeletal injuries and hinder athletic performance. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is to improve upon the utility of ADP use in an athletic population through, 1) understanding how body composition values derived from ADP may influence BMD, 2) evaluating the influence of individual characteristics upon the difference in percent body fat (%BF) between ADP and DXA, and 3) developing a two- compartment model estimation equation to obtain more accurate %BF results from ADP in an athletic population
A Look into the Development of Real-Time Shape-Changing DNA Origami
Get PDFDNA origami is the art of folding DNA molecules into prescribed nanostructures that may be used as nanocarriers for various applications such as drug and vaccine delivery. These DNA origami structures are assembled with two different types of DNA strands: one long single-stranded DNA scaffold strand, and several short oligonucleotides, called the staple strands. While there have been many advancements in this field, with notably the synthesis of actuatable nanoparticles, little is known on how to design shape-changing DNA origami. This type of structure could be used to trigger specific biological mechanisms by releasing or presenting biomolecules upon specific stimuli such as pH, biomolecules (e.g., RNA or cytokines), or temperature. This research focuses on applying DNA origami design concepts to construct multiple DNA nanoparticles with the same single-stranded scaffold strand. These nanoparticles would only have a few variations in the staple strands used to allow quick shape-changing by replacing only a few strands.
Complex structures of DNA nanoparticles can be assembled with multiple smaller origami structures that act as building-blocks pieced together and can be reorganized to provide fast shape-changes. As such, before designing the final nanoparticle structures in TIAMAT, a tetrahedron was designed to serve as their building-block, allowing for a more cohesive build and transition between each nanoparticle. Through this method, two different nanoparticle structures were designed, each containing three of the tetrahedrons: a triangular structure and a crescent structure. Both were made using the same 1,632 nucleotides scaffold strand, demonstrating that designing multiple structures from the same strand is possible. This allows for a better understanding towards the development of real-time shape-changing DNA origami. The designed structures were folded to observe their ability to transform from one shape to the next, using strand displacement as proof of principle for the occurrence of shape-changes. Various characterization methods were used, including gel electrophoresis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in order to obtain information on the size and shape of the folded structures to confirm whether they folded appropriately and whether shape-change occurred
INVESTIGATING THE CONDITIONS FOR MULTIPLE MEDIA OF EXCHANGE
Get PDFMost major modern economies conduct the vast majority of commerce with one type of money, or medium of exchange. Why this is, and under what circumstances could multiple media of exchange coexist in an economy are explored in this work.Chapter 1 reviews the literature involving multiple media of exchange. This review covers literature specifically relating to multiple media of exchange as well as the related fields of currency substitution and network effects. After reviewing the relevant literature, the chapter concludes with a short discussion and a working definition of “money”. In chapter 2, a modified Kiyotaki & Wright type model is developed to consider the conditions necessary for the acceptance of multiple media of exchange in an economy. The model is extended so that there is a cost of using a medium that can be mitigated and a cost that cannot. A few historical scenarios of the coexistence of multiple media of exchange are analyzed with insights from the model. In chapter 3, the extended model is then empirically tested with data from 55 countries from the years 2001-2018, inclusive, across several specifications with differing dependent and independent variables proxying for the variables of interest. The results lend moderate support to the model developed in chapter 2
Emergent Digital Equity: Exploring Educators’ Perspectives and Applications in Learning Technologies and Multicultural Education
Get PDFThis dissertation is a multiple-case study that examines educators’ perspectives and applications in learning technologies, multicultural education, and how they intersect to support digital equity. Technology is evolving and has become essential in a learning environment (e.g., Graham et al., 2019; Gronseth et al., 2020; Howard et al., 2018). As classrooms in the United Stated become increasingly more diverse, there is a need to understand how educators are applying equity and technology together (e.g., Burbules et al., 2020; Dolan, 2016; Gorski, 2009; U.S. Department of Education, 2020). Digital equity is an equity-centered approach that seeks to improve students’ access to learning technologies, and advance classroom practices, curriculum applications, and educator beliefs with the intent to resolve the digital divide and prepare students to succeed in a technology-driven society. There has been little empirical research on multicultural education, learning technologies, digital equity, and the relationships between them. Four current educators participated in interviews on how they view and incorporate multicultural education, learning technologies, and digital equity. Key findings include: (1) digital equity was defined and applied as equal access to resources, (2) learning technologies and multicultural education were viewed separate from digital equity, (3) the relationship between learning technologies and multicultural education was challenging to describe, and (4) learning technologies and multicultural education intersected, but not with the purpose to support digital equity. The data indicate that digital equity is emerging as it is partially implemented in the classroom, and there is a need to modernize and expand professionally learning experiences (PLEs) as educators require more support and guidance to transform their knowledge and skills in multicultural education, learning technologies, and digital equity
Flexible Avatar Development Systems and the Facilitation of Gender Euphoria in Games
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore participants’ experiences with gender euphoria through their avatars in video games. I studied existing literature and examined examples of games with flexible avatar development systems. To gather data, I conducted a 22-question online survey through social media groups and university listservs related to gaming and/or LGBTQ+ communities. The survey asked participants to share their experiences with video game avatars as they relate to feelings of gender euphoria. Several themes were present in the responses (N=113), including feelings of gender euphoria in video games, wanting the removal of arbitrary limitations from avatar development systems, seeking more inclusive customization options, and the desire for avatars that can be altered throughout play. Developers can use avatar development systems to facilitate feelings of gender euphoria in some players by providing inclusive options, providing flexible systems that allow for change after initial creation, and removing unnecessary limitations from their avatar development systems
ESSAYS ON THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEFENSE R&D AND DEFENSE COSTS
Get PDFThe first chapter is titled, “You Work For Us Now: Concentration in UniversityperformedDefense R&D,” and examines the relationships between the Department of Defense and universities in the United States, focusing on the rise in concentration of funding. Concentration in university research funded by the Department of Defense (DOD) has been rising for the last several years, deviating from the trend of constant concentration in other federally-funded university research. When the DOD funds defense-specific R&D projects, there are two priorities that affect bureaucratic incentives: 1) Coordination incentivizes steering research toward the specific technological ends, and 2) Security incentivizes actively limiting the risk of information leakage. Sole source research center contracts make the necessary coordination and monitoring easier to achieve. As the demand for projects that require more coordination and security increases, more spending is allocated to sole source research centers leading to increasing concentration. Spending on military research projects awarded to universities such as aircrafts and weapons rapidly increased from 2008 to 2020 with much of that spending accruing to the university research centers sponsored by the DOD. Over that period, the share of total obligations awarded to the sixteen universities that manage DOD research centers rose from 37 percent in 2008 to 59 percent in 2020. The second chapter, “University Affiliated Research Centers: Evasive Entrepreneurshipwithin the DOD,” published in the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy studies the emergence of Department of Defense sponsored university research centers. The DOD has long partnered with universities and other nonprofit organizations to perform early-stage, military-related research using research centers established under long-term contracts known as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). Over the last 25 years, there has been a shift in the type of arrangement used to University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) that this paper argues is the result of bureaucrats acting as evasive entrepreneurs in response to changing regulations. Extending the theory of evasive entrepreneurship to bureaucrats, this chapter shows how regulations increase the cost of bureaucratic action and incentivize the creation of substitute actions to avoid those regulatory costs and capture benefits. Once FFRDCs were federally regulated in 1990 there were strong incentives to create substitute arrangements leading to the creation of UARCs in 1996 that have ultimately replaced FFRDCs as the research center of choice for the DOD. The final chapter, “The Political Economy of Rising Defense Costs,” uses public choicetheory to explain rising defense costs. Rising defense costs in the United States have important implications for the economy and government spending priorities. Despite the Department of Defense outsourcing much of its production to private firms and spending billions on R&D, the cost of providing national security has continued to climb. This paper employs public choice theory to explain the drivers of rising defense costs. Key sets of actors, including politicians, bureaucrats, and defense contractors, have incentives to capture private benefits associated with defense spending. But there are weak incentives to cut costs such that the individuals seeking to maintain spending in areas that do not contribute to defense tend to succeed in their efforts, contributing to the observed rising costs. By examining these incentives, this paper sheds light on the underlying causes of the upward trend in defense costs. The analysis contributes to the existing literature by providing a framework for understanding the factors that contribute to rising defense costs and detailing specific examples of how those factors operate