5646 research outputs found
Sort by
Democracy in Discourse: Presidential Addresses and the Public\u27s Understanding of Governance in the 21st Century
Full text linkThis thesis explores how presidential crisis rhetoric shapes public understanding of democracy in the twenty-first century. Through a comparative analysis of George W. Bush’s address following the September 11 attacks and Donald Trump’s speech at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it examines how presidents construct national identity, justify political action, and frame civic participation. Drawing from classical rhetorical theory, Bitzer’s rhetorical situation, Burke’s dramatistic pentad, and McGee’s theory of “the people,” the study argues that crisis rhetoric is not simply a reaction to events but a means of redefining the crisis. It also considers demagogic rhetorical strategies—such as emotional manipulation and identity segmentation—and their implications for democratic trust and civic engagement. Through close textual analysis, keyword frequency mapping, and reception data, the thesis demonstrates that presidential rhetoric in moments of crisis both reflects and reconstructs democratic ideals, revealing the evolving relationship between governance, performance, and public expectation
Restoring Context: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Art Conservation and Registration Challenges in Rural Museums
Full text linkA prevalent issue for museums in rural areas is a lack of reliable registration methods. This occurs for a number of reasons whether it be a lack of resources (human, financial, spacial, etc.) or the erosion of knowledge overtime due to cultural reliance on generational knowledge. Additionally, different registrars often develop new methods for inventory without leaving behind instructions, leading subsequent registrars to devise their own methods. These gaps in the registration process frequently result in “registration problems”, objects that don’t get properly inventoried and thus have little to no context for their origins. This thesis aims to fill in some of these missing gaps by studying two paintings marked as registration problems from DePauw University’s collections. To create a background for these two paintings I used techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) were used to understand the material composition of both paintings. Analyses identified the varnish, ground and canvas structure of one of the paintings, leading to a date of a creation previously unknown. Pigments were also identified in both paintings such as viridian (Cr2O3), lead white (Pb2O3), Prussian blue (Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 and lithopone (BaSO4·ZnS). These applications of analytical chemistry restored the context to two paintings from DePauw University’s collections, not only highlighting the importance of studying rural art, but also highlighting the interdisciplinary work that is necessary to truly understand history
Efficient Semantic Detection and Analysis of Misinformation in CBD-Related Tweets Using FAISS and Mistral NeMo Instruct
No full textThe growing popularity of cannabidiol (CBD) has led to a surge in misinformation, particularly on social media platforms like Twitter, posing risks to public health. This paper presents a scalable method for detecting CBD-related misinformation in a large corpus of tweets. Using approximately 3.7 million tweets collected from 2011 to 2021, we implement a two-step process: first, FAISS (Facebook AI Similarity Search) efficiently identifies tweets semantically similar to false claims extracted from FDA warning letters. Second, Mistral NeMo Instruct, a zero-shot model, classifies tweets as ‘Misinformation’ or ‘Non-Misinformation’, providing justifications for transparency. This approach minimizes computational costs while maintaining accuracy, making it a practical tool for large-scale misinformation detection. The framework is scalable and adaptable, evolving with new FDA data or emerging cannabis research
Getting to the root of the problem: A comparison of rhizome extracts for the control of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica)
No full textCogongrass is a perennial grass that was introduced to the southeastern United States in 1912 and has since spread aggressively throughout the region. It is very resilient to disturbances as it can propagate through seed and rhizome, which makes it extremely difficult to control. Most efforts to control cogongrass populations have used synthetic herbicides, though burning and tilling have also been explored. A new method applies autotoxic leachates produced by the target plant to the plant for control. Although this method of control has been demonstrated in giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), researchers have not yet identified the methods to control cogongrass. In this study, we compared how ethanol- and water-derived leachates impact cogongrass growth. We collected cogongrass rhizome from Winston County, MS, chopped it in a blender, then added 700 g of chopped rhizome to each of two jars, one with 1.1 L of water and one with 1.1L of 50% ethanol. Both jars soaked for 24 hours, then were strained to extract the liquid. The ethanol leachate was evaporated and resuspended in distilled water. In addition to the two leachates, we had three control treatments: distilled water, 5% ethanol, and 15% ethanol. Each treatment was applied as a soil drench to three cogongrass specimens. We measured the height and number of leaves daily and photographed each plant every other day. After seven days, we measured the wet and dry biomass of the above- and below-ground tissue of each plant. Preliminary results show that the ethanol treatments all had significantly less dry belowground mass than the water control (p \u3c 0.05), but there were no other significant differences among treatments. Additional analyses and trials are going to be conducted to further explore the use of plant extracts for the control of cogongrass and other invasive plants.https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/1200/thumbnail.jp
Breaking Up or Bound Together? Unraveling US-China Economic Interdependence
No full textThis study investigates the extent to which the U.S.-China trade war has altered bilateral trade flows and economic interdependence between the two largest economies in the world. The question at the heart of this research is whether the two countries have truly begun to “decouple” or whether they remain deeply interconnected despite political and economic tensions. Drawing on U.S. and Chinese trade data from multiple official sources, we examine both the scale and persistence of trade disruptions over time. Our analysis extends beyond the pre-pandemic years to include 2020 through 2024, allowing us to distinguish between the trade war’s temporary and persistent effects. Preliminary findings suggest that the trade war’s effects have been both persistent and profound, with total bilateral trade in 2024 falling to less than half of the level predicted by the gravity model. While economic ties remain significant, evidence of sustained decoupling is clear, especially the U.S. import from China.https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/1217/thumbnail.jp
Preliminary Microbial Community Analysis of Non-Native and Native Plants in the DePauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom
No full textThe DePauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom is a former limestone quarry that was mined for decades and then lay dormant. Through the years, it has developed from being uninhabited to being populated by a diversity of organisms at every scale of life. All organisms in the Quarry Bottom must withstand the changing conditions of the quarry, including the proliferation of invasive plants that are well-adapted to stress. In particular, two invasive wetland grasses, Phragmites and Typha have observed competitive interactions, increased spatial distributions, and possible influence on native species. We have studied these species at our scale of life, but seldom at a microbiological level. Although microorganisms are indicators of change, we have little understanding of their relationship to the Quarry Bottom or its plants. The microbial communities of different plant species might have distinct metabolic footprints from each other. To ascertain this, we conducted preliminary microbial community analysis using rhizosphere samples. A total of eighteen samples were collected from three species: the invasive Phragmites and Typha and a native sedge, Scirpus. From these, rhizosphere fractions were produced and inoculated onto corresponding EcoPlates. The EcoPlate contains 31 carbon sources that turn purple if metabolized. Absorbance (OD at 590 nm) was measured for a week and the average well color development calculated. Subsequent principal component analysis determined a strong correlation between PC 1 and species. PC 1 is associated with positive metabolic activity, i.e., carbon source utilization. We observed Scirpus to have a stronger relationship to PC 1 than Phragmites or Typha. One-way ANOVA confirmed this. Analysis of species metabolic activity by location revealed a species-location interaction. While this work is preliminary, it provides a basis for us to further explore the relationships between plants, rhizospheres, microbiomes, and the Quarry Bottom.https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/1219/thumbnail.jp
Human Transferrin Receptor Bispecific TREM2 Antibody Creation and Its Insightful Use in Alzheimer\u27s Disease
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, affecting an estimated 7.2 million seniors in the United States. AD can develop in the brain for twenty years or more before symptoms appear, such as memory loss, which could enable a diagnostic window for intervention. AD causes neurons to be damaged or destroyed due to the accumulation of amyloid-beta protein fragments and an abnormal form of tau protein. The protein Transmembrane Receptor Expressed by Myeloid Cells, TREM2, is essential in regulating the microglial response to amyloid-beta and tau accumulation in the AD brain. Microglia, the brain’s resident immune cell, has two different paths of activation: one that is anti-inflammatory (M2), and one that is pro-inflammatory (M1). TREM2 is expressed in microglia and myeloid cells. It has a role in regulating microglial inflammatory responses. The TREM2 receptor is connected to DAP12—a signaling adaptor inside the cell that phosphorylates Syk (Spleen Tyrosine Kinase). By creating a TREM2 antibody with an LALAPG mutation, the interaction between the Fc region and the Fc gamma receptor was abolished, which stimulates SYK phosphorylation and phagocytosis. Portions of the antibody were developed from two different companies (e.g., Elana and Denali), who provided the aTREM2 and the hTfR (human transferrin receptor) binding domain, which was inserted in the aTREM2 fc portion. An hTfR receptor allows for two TREM2 antibodies to bind to TREM2 protein and mediate a stronger response via receptor clustering. The hTFR receptor also allows a therapeutic to surpass the blood-brain barrier—hTfR normally transports iron in the body. By inserting hTfR, then inversely, testing could show an elevated production of phospho-Syk using western blots, alphaLISA, and ELISA. Activating Syk matters because it activates the PI3K/AKT pathway that leads to M2 microglia, ultimately protecting those seniors from rapidly declining toward AD.https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/1232/thumbnail.jp