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The Role of Human Leukocyte Antigens in Multiple Sclerosis and Brain Atrophy
No full textHuman Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) are significant components of the human immune system responsible for autoimmunity. These genes are located on chromosome 6 and encode for proteins that assist the body in fighting against foreign invaders. However, HLA may have the potential to induce varying degrees of brain atrophy (BA) and multiple sclerosis (MS), both of which are neurodegenerative disorders. Examining the protective and aggravating effects of HLA on these neurological disorders, as well as potential preventive measures that could be implemented through HLA, may prove to have significant effects on the approach to BA and MS
The Development of Psychogenic Pain
No full textPain is a complex experience, but it can be better understood when divided into three broad categories: nociceptive pain, caused by tissue damage, neuropathic pain, resulting from nerve damage, and the newly recognized psychogenic pain (also known as nociplastic pain). Nociplastic pain refers to physical pain caused or increased by psychological, emotional, or social factors rather than physical or neurological damage. Nociceptors (i.e. pain receptors) release neurotransmitters to the thalamus and other parts of the brain through the nervous system. Pain manifests as a physical and subjective experience. Despite the lack of a clear physical cause, and though some dismiss it as entirely psychological, psychogenic pain remains a genuine condition as it is both physical and psychological. While there is no clear underlying physical cause, and although some people may discount it being all in a person's head, psychogenic pain is still real
MUSIC BORN OF WARS: PERFORMING CHINESE NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY PIANO ARRANGEMENTS
No full textThis thesis investigates the role of Chinese nationalism and patriotism in and through the composition of piano arrangements in the twentieth century. Through detailed analyses of three representative works —Wang Li-San’s Ballade: Song of the Guerrillas (1977), Chu Wang-Hua’s
The Red Star is Shining Brightly (1974), and Du Ming-Xin’s Piano Suite: The Red Detachment
of Women (1975) —this thesis demonstrates that the arrangement of revolutionary songs and
propaganda film music for the piano served not only as a means of artistic expression but also as an effective vehicle for ideological content, bridging vocal, cinematic, and instrumental media.
By carefully exploring compositional strategies—such as melodic and rhythmic transformations,
harmonic elaborations, structural innovations, and intertextual references—this thesis illuminates how these piano arrangements preserved and amplified political messaging. In doing so, it positions them as critical cultural artifacts, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay
between music and politics during one of China’s most transformative and turbulent periods in
history. Ultimately, this thesis enriches interpretive practices for pianists, educators, and
scholars, encouraging critical engagement with a politically-charged musical repertoire. It
underscores the continued relevance of music as a powerful medium for shaping national identity, collective memory, and cultural consciousness in both historical and contemporary contexts
Gender Inclusion Policy in Research
No full textThis paper analyzes the current National Institutes of Health (NIH) policies around gender inclusion in research. While there have been some improvements over the 30 years since the policy was put in place, the policy needs to be adjusted to further increase the rate of change. Before the passing of the NIH policy, women were rejected from research pools all together. Now, despite changes, women are vastly underrepresented in research on neurodevelopmental disorders, which leads to social ignorance and further underrepresentation. The policy permits this underrepresentation through non-specific language and limited scope of control. This paper analyzes the events and movements that lead to the creation of past and current policies. It compares other organization’s policies and the function of the current NIH policy, elaborating on the wording and policy’s effect. The paper also suggests some changes to further equalize the presence of women in neurodevelopmental research
Recruitment and Engagement Strategies for Equitable Maternal Health and Child Development Research
No full textThe Illinois Kids Development Study (IKIDS) has long contributed to the greater development of environmental-based maternal health outcomes and awareness. This is accomplished through longitudinal Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts which survey mothers and their children from pregnancy through age seven, with research interests in observing related environmental health and cognitive development markers. Although these findings can have impacts on public health policy and future clinical practices, for the first six years of the IKIDS study, the demographics of the state of Illinois were underrepresented in the Champaign cohort for both race diversity and education level. In 2023, the University of Illinois’ School of Social Work began in-person recruitment for IKIDS at local public health centers, like Promise Healthcare and Champaign Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), to allow prospective participants already seeking pregnancy services at these locations the opportunity to ask questions and increase the humanness of the research. After 6 months of in-person recruitment, the initially underrepresented racial groups, now comprise a majority of the participants recruited during that in-person period. This recruitment strategy will continue, along with the maintenance of Perinatal Connect, an initiative that aims to foster connections amongst families, clinicians, researchers, and community members alike
AEMS Website Reviews: How-to-bow.com
No full textStudy Areas: Japanese language and culture, social studies, cross-cultural communication, anthropologyCenter for East Asian and Pacific Studie
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Library Policies
No full textThe Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Library (also known as the Illinois Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center Library and the Illinois Waste Management and Research Center Library) was founded along with the center in 1985. In 2011, it merged with the libraries of the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois State Geological Survey, and the Illinois State Water Survey Library to form the Prairie Research Institute Library. The Institute Library was closed in 2015 and its collections transferred to the University of Illinois Library. The ISTC Library’s policies in place at the time of the merger are being preserved in IDEALS as model policies for use by other librarians
"This channel is actually a river": Challenging green hegemonies through territorial environmental practice
No full textThis thesis examines how urban development and municipal policy internatize global North-South dynamics, translating them into local actions that, through the prerogative of sustainable development, prioritize private profit and often exclude the very groups capable of offering sustainable alternatives. By highlighting the impacts of these policies on marginalized populations, this work advances through theoretical and practical pathways toward rooted spatial knowledge building. It emphasizes place-based environmental epistemologies as powerful sources of resistance and transformation, offering insights into how locally grounded practices can challenge the commodification of land and reimagine urban futures
