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Language, Literature, and Culture Newsletter, Sixth Edition (March 2025)
No full textThe sixth issue of the Language, Literature, and Culture department newsletter, which went out in March 2025. The Language, Literature, and Culture department newsletter aims to share stories, news, ideas, achievements, and important information about and within our academic department that can be helpful to the campus community at large .https://commons.clarku.edu/llcnewsletters/1005/thumbnail.jp
Language, Literature, and Culture Newsletter, Fourth Edition (January 2025)
No full textThe fourth issue of the Language, Literature, and Culture department newsletter, which went out in January 2025. The Language, Literature, and Culture department newsletter aims to share stories, news, ideas, achievements, and important information about and within our academic department that can be helpful to the campus community at large .https://commons.clarku.edu/llcnewsletters/1003/thumbnail.jp
Experimental approaches to investigate biophysical interactions between homeodomain transcription factors and DNA
Get PDFHomeodomain transcription factors (TFs) bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate the expression of target genes. Structural work has provided insight into molecular identities and aided in unraveling structural features of these TFs. However, the detailed affinity and specificity by which these TFs bind to DNA sequences is still largely unknown. Qualitative methods, such as DNA footprinting, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays (EMSAs), Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX), Bacterial One Hybrid (B1H) systems, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), and Protein Binding Microarrays (PBMs) have been widely used to investigate the biochemical characteristics of TF-DNA binding events. In addition to these qualitative methods, bioinformatic approaches have also assisted in TF binding site discovery. Here we discuss the advantages and limitations of these different approaches, as well as the benefits of utilizing more quantitative approaches, such as Mechanically Induced Trapping of Molecular Interactions (MITOMI), Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC), in determining the biophysical basis of binding specificity of TF-DNA complexes and improving upon existing computational approaches aimed at affinity predictions
Examining blockchain\u27s role in supply chain finance structure and governance
No full textCan innovative technologies address the challenge of information asymmetry that has long plagued the financial services industry? This study investigates a three-tier supply chain model, consisting of a core buyer firm, suppliers, and sub-suppliers. It explores the impact of blockchain-enabled financing (BF) on the supply chain finance\u27s structure and governance. Utilizing a circular city model, this study examines the number of suppliers and sub-supplier selection between BF and advance payment supply chain finance policies. BF provides significant benefits, including enhanced security, reduced fraud risk, and the use of smart contracts, which together facilitate secure, verifiable, and efficient real-time information exchange. These advantages reduce information asymmetry and verification costs, leading to more efficient supply chain operations, especially in a principal-agent scenario where the core firm delegates financial responsibilities to suppliers. The study finds BF reduces disruptions due to sub-supplier moral hazard and improves buyer firm and sub-supplier interests. It does not benefit intermediary suppliers. Additionally, a decrease in BF information verification costs allows the buyer firm to contract with fewer suppliers, leading to varied impacts on the profitability of supply chain members and significant implications for overall supply chain structure and governance
Modulating Brain Activity to Improve Goal-directed Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
No full textBackground: Insufficient physical activity in older adults remains a global health issue. Several interrelated factors contributing to inactivity are linked to the prefrontal cortex. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and behavior counseling to improve physical activity in older adults. Methods: Inactive older adults living in subsidized housing participated in this randomized controlled trial. Baseline physical activity (daily steps) was measured with a Fitbit for 2 weeks. Participants then received an 8-week intervention, including 10 daily sessions of tDCS or Sham stimulation during the first 2 weeks, along with 4 biweekly behavior sessions. Functional outcomes were assessed at baseline, poststimulation, and after the entire intervention. Step counts were measured throughout the intervention and a 12-week retention period. Results: Twenty-eight participants completed the study. Compliance was 97%, 93%, and 92% for brain stimulation, behavior sessions, and follow-up assessments, respectively. Fitbit adherence was 96% and 71% during the intervention and retention periods. The tDCS arm, compared to Sham, exhibited greater increase in average daily steps (p .001). Participants increased 1 179 (+ 22%) and 550 (+ 15%) steps/day from baseline in the tDCS and Sham arms, respectively. Motivation (p .03) and self-reported walking performance (p .02) were also improved in the tDCS arm compared to Sham. Conclusions: Combining tDCS and personalized behavior counseling to improve physical activity was feasible, acceptable, and appeared to be effective in a cohort of inactive older adults living within subsidized housing. Larger and more definitive studies are warranted. © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved
Analyzing the dihedral scattering component of P-band SAR signals for trunk permittivity estimation – a concept study
Get PDFA new retrieval method, based on a hybrid decomposition technique and the extended (x-) Fresnel model, is proposed for estimating trunk permittivity from polarimetric P-band SAR observations. P-band SAR observations of NASA\u27s Airborne Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (AirMOSS) mission campaign are employed to test the proposed retrieval method at individual measuring stations across the U.S. between 2013 and 2015. In order to test the feasibility of the x-Fresnel model for such analyses and its sensitivity to required input parameters, a detailed sensitivity study revealed that at P-band frequencies there is a need to account for scattering losses, phase differences, as well as potential depolarization effects due to surface roughness. The decomposed dihedral scattering component increases with increasing vegetation cover from barren land at one station (control station) to homogeneously forested stations (target stations). Overall, no clear correlation between the amount of dihedral scattering and estimated trunk permittivity could be found, which is expected due to the architecture of the employed method. With the proposed approach, the estimated trunk permittivity varies between 2.4 and 59.7 [-], where the barren land and less dense forested stations show lower trunk permittivity. At these stations, the dihedral scattering is not the dominant scattering mechanism within the total SAR signal, which violates the physics of the proposed approach. At stations with dominant dihedral scattering, reasonable correlations (with r ranging from ±0.1 to ±0.64) between estimated trunk permittivity and AMSR2 relative water content (RWC), MODIS evapotranspiration (ET), in-situ measured relative humidity (RH), and air temperature (Tair) could be found. These parameters are used for analyzing the feasibility of the proposed approach as no in-situ trunk moisture measurements are available for the investigated stations and years. Hence, P-band SAR observations that exhibit sufficiently high dihedral scattering portions can be used for estimating trunk permittivity and extend the potential applications of remote sensing for climate research. © 2025 The Author
Ecological Niche and Potential Geographic Distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Northeast Argentina
No full textAedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the primary vectors of arboviruses in Argentina, with increasing importance in Northeastern Argentina (NEA). This study used ecological niche modeling (MaxEnt) to estimate the potential geographic distribution of both species in NEA, integrating bioclimatic, land cover, and sociodemographic variables such as population density and urban accessibility. Occurrence data were compiled from global databases and literature, and model calibration was based on variable selection, spatial filtering, and cross-validation. Results indicate a broader potential distribution for Ae. albopictus compared to Ae. aegypti, particularly in under-sampled areas of Misiones and Corrientes. Urban accessibility emerged as the most influential predictor for both species, with models combining environmental and sociodemographic variables outperforming climate-only models (AUC \u3e 0.84). Binary habitat suitability maps showed marked differences between models, underscoring the importance of human-driven factors. These findings support the use of integrative modeling approaches to better anticipate vector expansion and prioritize surveillance. The study provides critical information to guide vector control programs and reduce the risk of arbovirus transmission, especially in densely populated and highly connected areas. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Nature.Health.Global., Inc 2025
Importance of Considering the Plastic Expression of Phenotypes When Determining Evolutionary Relationships
No full textThe resurgence of interest in phenotypic plasticity has resulted in a wellspring of knowledge surrounding how the environment can influence evolutionary trajectory. However, the conversation surrounding it is often driven by similar narratives without accounting for other ways plasticity may shape evolutionary processes. Here, we attempt to broaden the discussion surrounding plasticity and evolution to better understand and interpret the evolution of phenotypic traits. We do this by examining four model systems that illustrate how studying plasticity through different lenses can shift evolutionary interpretations. Overall, we conclude that the multidimensional nature of phenotypic plasticity makes it a daunting task for evolutionary biologists to properly study. Luckily, ecologists have long been interested in understanding how complex environments shape organismal life history, and we argue that future research should take advantage of large ecological data sets when designing experiments meant to examine the evolution of plastic phenotypes. © 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Four students practice archery on campus green, 1951
No full textFour Clark University students practice archery on the campus green. These four women can be seen in this very similar photograph taken on a different day.
All photographs in this collection were digitized between 2022 and 2023.The photographs in this collection are part of the Photographs and Media record group of Clark University’s Archives & Special Collections.https://commons.clarku.edu/archeryphotos/1002/thumbnail.jp
Group photo with athletics awards recipients, 1999
No full textGroup photo with Clark University Athletic Awards recipients,1999.
All photographs in this collection were digitized between 2022 and 2023. The photographs in this collection are part of the Photographs and Media record group of Clark University’s Archives & Special Collections.https://commons.clarku.edu/athawardphotos/1008/thumbnail.jp