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Regulation of Neuronal Autophagy by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - Associated Kinase TBK1: Evaluating the Role of NCOA7
Get PDFAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron loss and the pathological accumulation of misfolded proteins. Autophagy, a lysosome-mediated clearance mechanism, plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by removing damaged organelles and protein aggregates. Impairments in autophagy have been increasingly linked to ALS, underscoring its importance in neuronal health. TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a key regulator of selective autophagy, facilitating the recognition and sequestration of specific cargo through phosphorylation of autophagy receptors. Notably, mutations in the TBK1 gene have been identified in ALS patients, directly implicating TBK1 dysfunction in disease pathogenesis. Through previous phosphoproteomic studies, nuclear receptor coactivator 7 (NCOA7) was identified as a potential TBK1 substrate. It was hypothesized to function as a selective autophagy receptor, given its involvement in lysosomal activity and its genetic similarity to nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4), a known autophagy receptor. Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), gene editing, proteomic analysis, and fluorescence-based analyses, this study examines NCOA7’s relationship with TBK1 and its potential role in regulating neuronal autophagy. Results suggest that TBK1 plays a role in maintaining lysosomal function and autophagic processes under certain conditions, though its precise contribution to lysosomal acidification and autophagosome maturation requires further validation. However, evidence supporting NCOA7’s role as a selective autophagy receptor was inconclusive under cellular stress conditions. Future studies should focus on refining experimental models, such as iPSC-derived neurons. Additionally, utilizing advanced proteomic and lysosome-imaging techniques can further elucidate the roles of TBK1 and NCOA7 in autophagy and their contributions to ALS pathogenesis
Bridging Generations: Designing Inclusive DEI Strategies for A Multi-Generational Workforce
No full textThis thesis explores how generational differences impact the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the workplace, focusing on how Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z perceive and engage with DEI training. By examining generational preferences in training formats, communication styles, and post-training engagement, the research underscores the importance of tailoring DEI strategies to meet diverse needs. Through a systems-oriented approach, this research advocates embedding DEI into organizational culture via onboarding processes, mentoring programs, and employee resource groups, ensuring sustained cross-generational engagement. It highlights the value of in-depth, structured training sessions for older generations and flexible, digital learning modules for younger employees, emphasizing the necessity of a hybrid approach. Furthermore, it stresses the role of transparent communication and ongoing dialogue facilitated by leadership and ERGs in maintaining inclusivity across generational divides. This research contributes to DEI scholarship by connecting generational attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions to training outcomes and offers practical recommendations for creating inclusive, collaborative work environments. By bridging generational gaps in DEI practices, organizations can foster an authentic, adaptable, and equitable workplace culture that aligns with the expectations and values of all employees. This thesis invites future research to establish a concrete relationship between generational differences and DEI training efficacy, exploring which strategies resonate most effectively to inform more targeted and impactful interventions
Identifying the Feasible Maximum Contaminant Level for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances That Ensures Health and Safety While Maintaining Affordability and Equity of Drinking Water and Implementation of That Maximum Contaminant Level Within California by the State Water Resources Control Board
Get PDFPer- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large group of man-made substances that do not occur naturally in the environment and are resistant to heat, water, oil, grease, and stains. PFAS has been used since the 1940s in a variety of commercial products including non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, paper products, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, industrial firefighting foams, and products that resist grease, water, and oil. While 97% of the U.S. population has been shown to have some level of PFAS within their blood, long term exposure to PFAS is potentially harmful to health. Individuals who are exposed regularly have been shown to have decreased fertility and birth weight, weakened immune systems, increased risk of cancer, asthma, thyroid disease, and liver damage, and increased cholesterol levels. On April 5, 2024, the California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment issued a Public Health Goal (PHG) of 0.007 ppt for PFOA and 1.0 ppt for PFOS within drinking water. On April 10, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a federal maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4.0 ppt for both PFOA and PFOS. The objective of this proposal is to provide a recommendation to the SWRCB in relation to the regulatory level, phases, and MCLs for PFAS. The intent of this recommendation is to take into account the feasibility of the MCL and the level to which these MCLs can be tested, treated, and reduced. A linkage between PFAS and health at various levels of exposure. Since drinking water is one of the most at-risk locations for long-term exposure, regulations are needed to prevent disease and “forever chemicals” from causing undo harm. Using the best available science, the proposal will take into consideration the possible treatment options available, the possible level of PFAS reduction as well as the cost of treatment. Weighing all of that together, the proposal produces an MCL which is both feasible for water providers and addresses the health risks associated with long-term exposure to PFAS within drinking water. Given the EPA’s detailed technological and feasibility documents for their creation of the PFAS MCL, it is recommended that the SWRCB MCL be set to the same standard as the EPA federal regulation. Feasibility factors further drive the policy recommendation to be consistent with that of the EPA MCL, with the state specific stipulation of continued re-evaluation every six years as well as an implementation schedule that provides appropriate timeframes for reaching the MCL related to public water system size, current treatment systems, and disadvantaged community status
Investigating IoT Adoption in the Face of Organizational Culture and Uncertainty Challenges: The Mediating Role of Information Behaviors on Communication Quality
No full textThe successful integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in higher education institutions necessitates agile service deployment, transparent communication, and cultural congruence. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) frameworks, this mixed-methods study examines the interconnections between High Uncertainty Avoidance, Organizational Culture, Information Availability, Information-Seeking Behavior, and IoT Service Agility and their collective impact on Communication Quality at the University of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Employing a sequential explanatory design, quantitative data from 373 survey respondents was augmented by qualitative insights from seven in-depth interviews with faculty, administrative staff, and IT management. Findings demonstrate that high uncertainty avoidance significantly diminishes IoT agility and adversely affects communication quality, while a supportive organizational culture enhances communication effectiveness. The relationships among cultural characteristics, IoT agility, and communication quality are mediated by proactive information behaviors, specifically information seeking and availability. The study provides practical strategies to overcome cultural and uncertainty-related barriers, including enhancing information transparency, implementing structured training programs, and fostering proactive leadership engagement. These insights offer valuable guidance for Saudi Arabian higher education institutions and similar contexts aiming to optimize IoT technology adoption
Lived Narratives of Educators: Emotional Intelligence for DEI in Early Adolescent Classrooms
Get PDFThis study explores how teachers with high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into their instructional practices in early adolescent classrooms. Using narrative inquiry, the research examined the lived experiences of seventh- and eighth-grade educators in the Crestview Heights District (pseudonym), who were nominated for their emotionally responsive and inclusive teaching approaches. Through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, the study captured how EQ-based strategies—such as self-regulation, empathy, storytelling, and culturally responsive pedagogy— shape classroom climates and influence student engagement, emotional development, and academic resilience. Findings revealed that educators with high EQ not only fostered safe and inclusive environments but also adjusted real-time instructional strategies to support diverse learners. Themes of teacher reflection, professional growth, and challenges in DEI implementation also emerged, highlighting the evolving nature of emotionally intelligent teaching. By bridging theoretical frameworks from Salovey, Mayer, and Goleman with practical application, this research offers implications for teacher preparation programs and professional development focused on cultivating inclusive, emotionally aware educators. The final chapter includes an epilogue reflecting on how national attitudes toward DEI and SEL have shifted from the post-COVID era (2021) to the current educational climate in 2025 under new federal and district leadership
From Self-Determination to Decolonization: How American Indian Activism Reshaped Museum Spaces
Get PDFThe American Indian self-determination movement of the 1960s and 1970s catalyzed fundamental transformations in how museums represent Indigenous cultures, histories, and peoples. Through analyzing the demands for tribal sovereignty, cultural authority, and equitable representation during this pivotal era, I show how these principles were applied in contemporary museum practice through an exhibition analysis of the Autry Museum of the American West. This thesis traces how federal American Indian policy evolved from legal and socio-cultural assimilation toward self-determination while also examining how anthropology and museums historically reinforced colonial and imperial narratives that positioned American Indians as federally dependent, scientific specimens. Through exhibition analyses, I show how activist principles of cultural sovereignty influenced museums to shift from sites reinforcing colonial and imperial frameworks into spaces that promote Indigenous perspectives and healing from historical trauma. This transformation represents a reimagining of how museums approach Indigenous culture and history, showing the continued and lasting impact of the self-determination movement on American museology
Existence and Uniqueness of the Solution of a Traffic Flow Partial Differential Equation on Multi-Lane Freeways
Get PDFIn this dissertation, we shall prove the existence of a solution of the stochastic partial differential equation describing the density of cars on a multi-lane freeway using the operator splitting method. Furthermore, we shall prove the uniqueness of the solution of the stochastic differential equation which forms when we apply the operator splitting method to the traffic flow stochastic partial differential equation
Investigating Causal Inference of Policies: Ban the Box on Employment, Wage Transparency on Wage Gap, and DNA Databases on Serious Crimes
No full textThis dissertation is a collection of three chapters that investigate selected policy issues and their broader implications, specifically focusing on the causal inference of policies. Ban the Box on employment, Wage Transparency on wage gaps, and DNA databases on serious crimes. Chapter 1 - Ban the Box (BTB) policies move the inquiry about the candidate’s criminal record to later in the hiring process. The intention of this policy is to have employers evaluate the candidates based on their performance on the interview and qualifications instead of their criminal history. In this paper, we will study the effect of Ban the Box policy on employment for young men with no college degree in United States. We find that in the metropolitan areas where the policy was implemented, there is a negative effect on employment for unskilled young men; however, we are unable to conclude that these policies negatively impacted employment of unskilled young Black and Hispanic men with strong confidence. Chapter 2 - Gender-based wage disparities persist in the United States, despite significant strides toward workplace equality. This study investigates the wage gap, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this issue. Drawing on research by Blau and Khan (2017), we examine the extent of gender pay inequality and its implications for full-time private sector employees. In response to these disparities, legislative changes have been implemented at both the state and city levels. In particular, Ohio has proactively mandated wage transparency for firms in two of its metropolitan areas. This paper examines the impact of such legislation in two major cities in Ohio: Cincinnati (implemented in March 2020) and Toledo (implemented in June 2020). We find that the wage transparency policy in Ohio has a significant positive effect on female employees, resulting in a 4.8% increase in their income levels, while it has a significant negative effect on male employees, with a 6% decrease in their incomes. Furthermore, among female employees, white women are the only group positively impacted by the policy, while racial minority women experience no statistically significant change in their incomes. Among the male population, the incomes of non-white male employees are reduced by a higher percentage than those of their white counterparts. This suggests that, although the policy has reduced the gender wage gap, it has not addressed the gap between racial minority groups. Chapter 3 - In 2007, Orange County, California, implemented a DNA collection system that expanded its scope to include minor crimes, setting it apart from the statewide approach. Using the Synthetic Difference in Differences methodology, our study investigates the long-term causal effects of this policy on serious crime rates. Our analysis utilizes data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system and the American Community Survey (ACS) spanning 2000 to 2018. The results reveal sustained reductions in violent crime, robbery, and burglary rates. Specifically, we observed decreases of approximately 122 violent crimes, 23 robberies, and 103 burglaries per 10,000 people due to the implementation of the DNA system. In contrast, the rates of assault, theft, and rape consistently showed increases, highlighting the policy’s complex and varied impacts. The results for other serious crime types were inconsistent or too small to indicate any significant effect. Despite these mixed findings, our study demonstrates the potential efficacy of DNA databases in reducing certain serious crimes. These findings provide valuable insights into the broader implications of such policies and contribute to the existing literature by emphasizing the local impact of DNA systems on crime rates. While the policy primarily focused on lower-level offenses, our hypothesis that the presence of DNA data may deter individuals from committing more serious crimes over time (rather than in the short term) is supported by our results
QUEEN: The Remaking of Character in the Modernist Novel
Get PDFVirginia Woolf famously declared that, “on or about 1910 human character changed,” prompting her to call for a change in the way novelists depicted character. I study one such character, Queen Victoria, to trace how Woolf and James Joyce reimagined how to depict a historical figure in a novel. What is Queen Victoria in the Modernist novel and why does she begin to appear? She is a symptom and symbol of a problem the Modern writers were trying to work out. Despite having an ambivalent or even hostile relationship with the Queen, she is one of the most represented historical figures in Joyce’s and Woolf’s work. Although a historian, I study Lytton Strachey’s genre-bending biography of the Queen because it models what Woolf and Joyce were doing with the Queen as they imagine what the Queen thinks to suggest who she might be. In comparing the fiction writers with the historian, I also analyze what remained of the generic boundaries of fiction and biography in the early 20 th century. Woolf, Joyce and Strachey were writing during the intersection of two significant literary periods at a time of tremendous change in the way literature and biography were being written and I believe examination of Queen Victoria’s character can teach us something about the nature of the Modern character which has not been studied before. Through their writing, I show how those three writers explore what E.M. Forster calls “the hidden life” of the Queen’s character. Instead of representing the world, I show how those Modern writers relied upon the Queen as a tool to present the “problem” of representing the world. In their interrogation, everything was up for reconsideration, what it meant to be a woman, wife, mother, nation, citizen and even a Queen
A Flora of Coyote Ridge and Flat, Inyo County, California
No full textCalifornia’s Sierra Nevada contains a disproportionate share of the state’s plant diversity and is one of the most floristically diverse regions of its size in the United States. The high Sierra Nevada, in particular, has been identified as an important center of species richness and endemism within the State. Anthropogenic climate warming is expected to disproportionately affect mountain ecosystems, and models have predicted habitat contraction and extirpation for many alpine plant taxa. A specimen-based inventory of the vascular plants and bryophytes of Coyote Ridge and Flat was conducted to establish baseline data for one such sensitive alpine and subalpine area. Located in the northwest corner of Inyo County, the study site encompasses 127 km2 (49 mi2) and ranges from 2601 to 4122 m (8535–13,525 ft) in elevation. Coyote Ridge and Flat mark a topographically and geologically unique region of the Sierra Nevada’s eastern slope above the northern Owens Valley and has long been known to botanists for harboring populations of rare and disjunct plant taxa. Fieldwork and herbarium searches conducted between July 2019 and August 2022 documented a total of 542 minimum-rank taxa, 275 of which were not previously known to the area. New collections and examination of historical specimens have yielded occurrences of 13 rare plants new for the area. These include new records for the Sierra Nevada and Inyo County, and one new record for the State of California. Background information for the area, results of this inventory and an annotated checklist of the flora are presented here