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Characterization of Dietary and Hormonal Influences on Renal Sodium Transporters and Channels in Rodent Models
No full textWithin kidneys, a diverse array of renal epithelial cells works to maintain electrolyte and water balance to regulate blood pressure and pH. These cells contain varying types of sodium transporters that adjust sodium reabsorption according to the body’s needs. Previous studies have observed sex-specific differences in renal sodium transporter regulation, which are thought to optimize reproduction in females. In this study, we performed high resolution microscopy and detailed characterization of cell type-specific expression and localization of major sodium transporters and channels in rodents in response to dietary and hormonal influences. Specifically, we examined the impact of dietary salt intake and sex in mouse models, as well as effects of early pregnancy in rat models. Furthermore, we characterized sodium transporters and channels in conditional knockout (cKO) mouse models of actin-associated nonmuscle myosin IIA (Myh9). The characterized transporters include: thick ascending limb-specific sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC2), distal convoluted tubule-specific phosphorylated sodium-chloride cotransporter (pNCC), and cortical collecting duct-specific epithelial sodium channel’s gamma subunit (ENaC-γ). Kidney sections underwent immunofluorescence staining and were subjected to confocal microscopy. In addition, immunoblots of whole kidney lysates were performed for mouse kidneys. In low-salt diets, we observed slight decreases in NKCC2 and notable increases in pNCC expression in both sexes, and increased ENaC-γ activity in female mice only. In high-salt diets for both sexes, NKCC2 and pNCC expression were downregulated. Moreover, we confirmed inherent sex-specific differences in the extent at which sodium transporter expression was regulated. Changes in sodium transporter expression in response to dietary salt intake were also seen in Myh9 cKO mouse models compared to wildtype. Female rats were observed to have decreased NKCC2 and undetectable levels of pNCC expression during early pregnancy. The results of this project will contribute to our understanding of sexual dimorphism within the regulation of renal sodium transporters and guide future studies
Disentangling the Relationships Among Infection, Stress, and Body Condition in a Migratory Songbird
No full textEmerging infectious diseases have significant global impacts which can result in the decline of wildlife populations, loss of human lives, cause spillovers, and even have strong economic impacts, among other consequences. Three key variables that can influence the mechanisms of disease transmission are infection, body condition, and chronic stress. Infection has been associated with poor host survival and condition, while costs of chronic stress include immunosuppression as well as decreased body condition, growth rate, and reproductive success. It is evident that the relationships among infection, condition, and chronic stress are deeply intertwined, however, they are complex, continuous variables, and directionality has not been well established. To disentangle the relationships among infection, condition, and chronic stress, we conducted an observational, longitudinal study focusing on recaptured Gambel\u27s White-crowned Sparrows (GWCS). We defined stress by heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratios and used the body mass and wing chord as an indicator of body condition. In addition, we measured Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium infections. For this study, we analyzed data collected in the Bernard Field Station in Claremont, CA, that spanned across six years (2018-2024). By repeatedly testing the same individuals over time, we were able to better establish causal relationships, for example by observing if higher chronic stress levels preceded infection presence. We found that infection and chronic stress had significant effects on infection status and chronic stress at the recapture. We also found significant seasonal variation in stress and condition, and that age had significant effects on body condition. This study sought to establish clearer directionality among these relationships, bringing us closer to understanding the mechanisms and patterns of infectious disease in wildlife populations
Palaces for the People: How the Historical Development of Organizational Culture in American Public Libraries Aids Librarians in Navigating Growing Politicization
No full textAs a cornerstone of American democracy, public libraries in the US play an essential role in facilitating the freedom of access to information and community engagement. However, since 2020, American public libraries have experienced a rise in politicized attacks by conservatives in an effort to radically alter library collections and programming through book challenges and protests. Against the backdrop of democratic backsliding, the politicization of public libraries becomes especially concerning given their democratic role. Yet, public librarians have boldly stood up to these anti-democratic efforts. This thesis provides an explanation for why public librarians have been successful and forceful in responding to such threats: public libraries’ democratic, resilient, and unwavering organizational culture. Specifically, the cultural tenets of professional ethics, intellectual freedom, and inclusivity, which have developed since the establishment of American public libraries to become central components of libraries’ organizational culture, have made public librarians successful.
The thesis first explores how each of these three tenets of public librarianship have been established over the course of its history to become the deeply ingrained cultural values that they are today. The thesis then uses Pella Public Library in Pella, Iowa as a case study to demonstrate how, when combined, professional ethics, intellectual freedom, and inclusivity have aided public libraries in successfully responding to politicization by creating a resilient, unwavering, and democratic organizational culture. To analyze public libraries’ organizational culture, Edgar and Peter Schein’s framework of cultural analysis is employed to evaluate culture at three levels: artifact, espoused values, and underlying assumptions
Decolonizing Ocean Governance: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in Marine Policy
No full textThis paper examines the limitations of current Western-dominated ocean governance frameworks and advocates for a more holistic approach that integrates Indigenous knowledge. It argues that existing systems and the blue economy often disregard Indigenous values, leading to the dispossession of resources and the undermining of traditional practices. The research in this paper uses a mixed-methods approach, including primary works by Indigenous authors, government documents, and case studies of the Māori people in the Pacific Islands and various Indigenous groups in the Bering Strait region
Evaluating the Effects of Aerial Fire Retardants on Soil Chemistry: A Bridge Fire Case Study
No full textAs climate change intensifies the severity and frequency of wildfires, fire suppression strategies have grown increasingly reliant on aerially deployed fire retardants. While there are regulations designed to minimize risks associated with fire retardants, the effects of accessory chemicals on soil chemistry remain under-researched. This study aimed to investigate the soil chemistry implications of the aerial fire-retardant Phos-Chek in the wake of the 2024 Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains, California. The goal was to determine if accessory chemicals, specifically heavy metals, found in isolated Phos-Chek samples would be present in treated soils.
Soil samples were collected from three locations in the Angeles National Forest. The first, Ice House Canyon, was primarily unburned; Baldy Mountain Road was partially burned and borders Baldy Village, and Glendora Ridge Road was fully burned. At each location, surface soils to a depth of approximately 15 cm were collected, air-dried, sieved at 2 mm, and prepared for further analysis. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and portable X-Ray Florescence (PXRF) analyses were conducted to determine trace and major elemental concentrations in the soils. The hydrometer method was used to determine the soil textures and the pH for each sample was also measured. Previous studies found that concentrations of Cr, Cd, As, Pb, Cu, V, Mn, Sb, and Tl were above regulatory levels in Phos-Chek. The results of this study showed that across all samples, the concentrations of these heavy metals were either below levels of detection or only slightly elevated from baseline concentrations. Further studies are essential to determine the residence time of introduced accessory chemicals from fire retardants to understand implications to soil health
Pleasure as Pedagogy: Rethinking Risk-Based Narratives in Contemporary Sex Education
Get PDFContemporary sex education in the United States overwhelmingly emphasizes risk prevention, focusing on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy, and sexual assault, largely omitting discussions of sexual pleasure. Recognizing this gap, this thesis explores how pleasure can function as a central pedagogical tool in sex education. Grounded in framing theory, social constructionism, theories of biopower, and a sociological theory of pleasure, this thesis examines how dominant risk-based narratives impact the efficacy of sex education. Using qualitative methodology, I conducted semi-structured interviews with students from the Claremont Colleges to investigate how their early sex education experiences shaped their later understandings of sex and sexuality. Findings reveal that participants overwhelmingly recalled their sex education as negative, fear-based, and lacking instruction on pleasure, negatively impacting their relationships to their own sexualities. The results suggest that reframing sex education to center pleasure, rather than risk, holds transformative potential. I argue a paradigm shift in sex education policy and practice away from risk, towards pleasure. I suggest that reframing sex education around pleasure will challenge entrenched cultural narratives about sex and offer a pathway toward a more sexually literate and healthy society
Selling Japan: Japanese Ceramics in U.S. Post-War Culture
No full textPost World War II, The exhibition and importation of Japanese consumer goods changed how the American public viewed Japan. Through intentional diplomacy and cultural miscommunications the image of Japan transformed into refined, docile, and the perfect economic partner. This paper looks at two exhibitions, The de Young\u27s Art Treasures of Japan and MoMA\u27s Japanese Household Objects as examples of these soft power dynamics and shifting public perceptions
“Is Hep C Bad in LA?”: A Proposal to Pilot On-site Hepatitis C Testing at Recuperative Care Sites in Los Angeles County
No full textChronic Hepatitis C (HCV) is a significant public health issue, estimated to affect more than 2 million Americans annually. Known as the “silent killer,” it causes more than 15,000 deaths each year, often among individuals who are unaware of their infection. HCV risks are not distributed equally among the population and disproportionately impact people who inject drugs and those experiencing homelessness. HCV is curable, and connecting people to treatment is a priority for the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). This thesis presents a four-month design research project using the human-centered design framework to broadly tackle the challenge of low rates of treatment completion for HCV positive individuals in Los Angeles County. In collaboration with LACDPH, our research examines the state of HCV care at Housing for Health sites, including the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Recuperative Care Center, and the Illumination Foundation- Whittier Recuperative Care Center, and explores how LACDPH can improve treatment outcomes for HCV. Ultimately, through interviews with case workers, medical case workers, nurses, and public health officials, we recommend that LACDPH implement on-site HCV testing during patient intake at recuperative care centers. We propose a pilot program at the MLK Recuperative Care Center to evaluate this recommendation. We hypothesize that integrating HCV testing into the patient intake process will increase treatment completion rates due to the support recuperative care staff provide in helping clients navigate the HCV treatment process
A Song of Soil and Seeds: The Delicious History of Tunisian Grain Agriculture and Its Solution to Contemporary Food Scarcity.
Get PDF“A Song of Soil and Seeds: The Delicious History of Tunisian Cereal Agriculture and Its Solution to Contemporary Food Scarcity” by Ella Schonberger explores the history of Tunisian grain agriculture as a continuous narrative of adaptation, resilience, and colonial disruption. This thesis traces the historical journey of Tunisian grain agriculture, from its indigenous Amazigh roots through successive waves of Roman, Ottoman, and French agro-colonialism, to the environmental and agricultural pressures of the Green Revolution and today’s climate crisis.
Combining archaeological evidence, historical records, agronomic research, oral interviews, and firsthand culinary experimentation, this paper examines how Tunisia’s heirloom grains—sorghum, millet, and durum wheat—have evolved under shifting power structures while retaining deep cultural and ecological significance. This study critiques agro-colonialism’s role in replacing indigenous landrace grains with monocrop agriculture, leading to food insecurity and environmental degradation. By reframing these grains as historical artifacts, archives of cultural memory, and solutions for the future, this thesis highlights their broader significance in the present day. It argues that combining Indigenous Amazigh knowledge, modern science, and culinary pleasure through the re-adoption of heirloom grains is essential to restoring agricultural resilience in the face of climate change in Tunisia and beyond
Emotional Design: How Guilt Influences User Behavior and Engagement in Gamified Systems.
No full textIn digital environments, emotional factors play a critical role in shaping user engagement and satisfaction. This study investigates the impact of guilt-inducing feedback on user behavior within a gamified interface. Drawing on existing literature from human-computer interaction, emotional psychology, and UX/UI design, the research explores how guilt influences users’ decisions to persist in or disengage from a digital task. Participants (N = 34) from the Claremont Colleges were randomly assigned to either a guilt-inducing or neutral condition during a resource allocation game. Following the game, participants were offered a secondary activity, coloring, to assess continued engagement with the initial task. Results revealed that participants in the guilt condition spent significantly more time on the game than those in the neutral condition, despite no significant differences in self-reported guilt. Instead, guilt-induced participants reported significantly higher levels of frustration and lower overall satisfaction with the experience. These findings suggest that emotional discomfort, even when not consciously identified as guilt, may motivate corrective behaviors and sustained engagement. The study highlights the complex relationship between affect and user decision-making, raising ethical considerations for designers leveraging negative emotions to drive engagement in gamified digital systems