Undergraduate Senior Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
A senior thesis is a paper which highly-motivated senior undergraduates may write to present the results of a major, independent research or creative project. Unlike most term projects, papers, and lab reports written in undergraduate courses, a senior thesis addresses questions or issues for which no known or generally accepted answers exist.
To view all senior theses in this collection, click on the word "Titles" above or in the sidebar menu on the right hand side of the page under "Browse This Collection".
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item TARGETING MESOTHELIN IN PEDIATRIC ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA WITH DUAL ANTIBODY-COATED POLY(LACTIC-CO-GLYCOLIC ACID) NANOPARTICLES(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Avery WolvertonAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but aggressive cancer, accounting for approximately seven new cases per 1 million children annually. It arises from the malignant transformation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, leading to an accumulation of immature, nonfunctional myeloblasts in the bone marrow. Standard treatments, such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, have high relapse rates and significant toxicity, emphasizing the need for more effective therapies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment strategy, however, specific targeting of AML cells and maintaining extended circulation times of administered agents remain major challenges. Mesothelin (MSLN) has been identified as an attractive immunotherapeutic target that is overexpressed in one-third of young adult and pediatric AML patients with limited expression in normal bone marrow. Here, we report the design, characterization, and validation of dual antibody coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (duNPs) that recruit T lymphocytes to AML to induce specific cytotoxicity of AML cells. PLGA NPs were coated with anti-MSLN (Amatuximab) and anti-CD3 antibodies (OKT3) and characterized for size, charge, and concentration. Microscopy analysis revealed duNPs pull T lymphocytes and MSLN-expressing NOMO-1 cells into clusters to induce cytotoxicity. Additionally, the duNPs facilitated significantly higher T cell activation compared to bare NPs, as confirmed by elevated CD69 levels, suggesting the duNPs successfully engage T cells. To evaluate the efficacy of duNPs in promoting T cell induced killing of AML cells, the T cells were incubated with AML cells and treated with increasing amounts of bare NPs or duNPs for 16 hours before assessing cell viability. duNP treatment selectively killed AML cells in a dose-dependent manner compared to bare NPs. Collectively, our data suggest that dual antibody-coated NPs are effective agents to recruit T lymphocytes to MSLN-expressing AML cells, increase T cell activation, and induce AML cell death.Item THE C-TERMINAL DISORDERED REGION OF THE RNA HELICASE DEAD IS REQUIRED FOR COLD SHOCK GROWTH IN E. COLI(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Arwen PortillaDeaD, a protein belonging to the dead box family of RNA helicases in Escherichia coli (E. coli), has many cellular functions. The known functions of DeaD include its function as an RNA helicase, a role in ribosome biogenesis and enabling growth at cold shock temperatures. DeaD expression is upregulated in cold temperatures, which has led to it being given an alternative name: cold shock DeaD box protein A (CsdA). We want to explore the function of DeaD during E. coli growth under cold shock conditions. Most of the protein’s structure has been attributed to the RNA helicase function. In addition to the RNA helicase domains, DeaD has two intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) and a DbpA domain. The function of these other regions is less well researched. Using epifluorescence microscopy and growth assays, I have been able to outline the significance of the C-terminal IDR to DeaD's primary functions. In addition to assessing the function of DeaD as a cold shock protein, we also want to characterize its localization within the cell. Dead and other Deadbox helicases have been studied for their role in forming RNA condensates. This phase-phase separation is important to cellular organization and has been observed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Since the C-terminal IDR and DbpA domain have been implicated as RNA-binding domains, I wanted to see if DeaD could form condensates without the C-terminal IDR. By fusing the DeaD protein with a fluorescent protein, we can use microscopy to track protein localization inside the cell. A deaD deletion strain of E. coli was transformed with tetracycline inducible plasmids encoding either the full-length dead or the truncated form tagged with a fluorescent protein. Full-length DeaD was able to form puncta at both preferred temperature and cold shock, while the truncation was not entirely successful. Based on our results, we have concluded that functioning DeaD is necessary for cells to survive cold shock conditions and for this localization to occur.Item DEEP REINFORCEMENT LEARNING IN EXTREMAL COMBINATORICS(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Andrew NgoIn extremal combinatorics, there are many open conjectures, some of which are probably false. One can attempt to disprove a conjecture via a proof by contradiction, but the common method is to find a single counterexample. However, this is not efficient to find by hand, especially for complex problems that involve large graphs. Therefore, it makes sense for us to attempt to train machines that can automate the process and develop counterexamples for us. In particular, Adam Z. Wagner from Google DeepMind proposed a reinforcement learning approach to accomplish this and was able to find counterexamples to several published conjectures in graph theory. In this thesis, we first review Wagner’s approach and provide more details about its implementation. Next, we propose and explore a new variant of his approach where we focus on geometric graphs to reduce the size of the search space. Using simple conjectures, we show that this new approach can significantly reduce the training time to discover a counterexample.Item THE QUEENS OF 6TH CENTURY EUROPE: MURDERESSES, COURTESANS, AND JEZEBELS(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Amanda HeilIn the 6th century, on opposite sides of the former Roman Empire, two authors wrote two prominent histories that would influence the perceptions of the three female rulers they wrote about for centuries to come. At once lacking in nuance, powerful in presentation, and effective in characterization, both Procopius’ Secret History and Gregory of Tours’ History of the Franks have caused centuries of scholars to debate both their accuracy and their honesty. This thesis does not attempt to provide an answer to these unresolvable debates, but rather analyzes the methods Procopius and Gregory rely on in order characterize their queens as “evil”, through literary analysis and intertextual comparisons. Through using both qualitative and quantitative data, along with consulting a number of 6th, 7th and 8th century sources, this study finds that Propcopius and Gregory used very different methods, but to similar effect in order to characterize their queens, with Procopius’ portrayal drawing more from Classical models and Gregory’s model relying more upon his personal feelings and experiences in his portrayal of the queens. Furthermore, through analyzing the folkloric motif of the “Evil Queen”, this study argues that Gregory’s portrayal of Fredegund shares significant similarities with the motif, primarily through analyzing Gregory’s depiction of her complex relationship with motherhood. This speaks to the enduring characterizations which these portrayals have afforded these rulers, and their impact, which has extended further than their authors could have possibly imagined.Item Using BRUVS to Characterize the Community of Sandy Shoal Habitats of the Mid-Atlantic Bight(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Amanda WintonThis study explores the biodiversity and community structure of two sandy shoal habitats on the East Atlantic coast of the United States: Sandbridge (Virginia) and Hens and Chickens (Delaware). Two different methodologies were used to characterize the communities: Baited Remote Underwater Video Surveillance/Systems (BRUVS) and longlines. We assess species relative abundance (MaxN) and diversity, evenness, and richness using Shannon’s Diversity Index, Simpson’s Diversity Index, Pielou’s Evenness, and species richness metrics. We then examine environmental covariates such as water temperature, brightness, depth, distance from shore, proximity to the closest estuary, and tidal stage at both sites to determine if the environment drives differences in community composition. Generally, species diversity and richness were greater at Sandbridge. However, we observed no significant differences in biodiversity indices between the two locations, most likely due to a small sample size of videos. Our findings also reveal significant differences in environmental variables between the two shoals, particularly in brightness and the distances from shore and the closest estuary. Brightness exhibited a positive linear relationship with diversity indices and richness, suggesting that less turbid habitats may support more complex communities. Distance to the closest estuary presented a negative linear relationship with evenness, indicating that further proximity to the estuary may maintain a more balanced distribution of species. These trends also highlight that BRUVs are dependent on clear water conditions to effectively record data. This study also touches on the significance of using multiple sampling techniques to better assess marine compositions and diversity. Long-lining and BRUVS yielded distinct species captures with minimal overlap, indicating different viii biases and strengths of each method. Water turbidity (brightness) limited species detection and identification, particularly at Hens and Chickens, highlighting a limitation of BRUVS in turbid waters. This study also suggests further research into temporal variations, additional environmental factors, and enhancements to sampling methods to improve biodiversity assessments.Item EFFECTS OF A PARENTING INTERVENTION ON OXTR METHYLATION(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Amanda JosePrenatal opioid exposure (POE) is associated with adverse developmental outcomes, including disruptions in caregiving quality and heightened risk for insecure attachment. Standard medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder during pregnancy does not address deficits in maternal sensitivity, prompting interest in interventions targeting parenting behaviors. This study examined the effects of a modified Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (mABC) intervention on DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) in infants born to mothers receiving MAT. Mother-infant dyads (N = 36) were randomized to receive either mABC or a control intervention, and infant saliva samples were collected at 6 and 12 months postpartum to assess methylation at two OXTR regions: exon 3 (OXTR3) and intron 1 (OXTRi). Mixed effects models revealed no significant main effects of intervention condition on OXTR3 or OXTRi average methylation. These findings, however, may not capture and reflect more subtle gene x environment interactions at the individual CpG site level, a necessary future step. Integrating epigenetic measures into intervention research can reveal biologically sensitive pathways that promote resilience in high-risk populations.Item Comprehensive Analysis of Hearing Function in Morquio A Syndrome: Implications for Diagnosis and Management(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Alexa ShihMorquio A syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA or MPS IVA) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder characterized by systemic skeletal dysplasia and progressive multi organ involvement. Its effects on hearing function are a common, yet under characterized, clinical manifestation of this disorder. Previous studies have noted the presence of mixed, conductive, and sensorineural hearing loss in patients with MPS IVA, but few have systematically examined auditory function using comprehensive behavioral and objective measures. This thesis investigates the auditory phenotype of individuals with Morquio A using the largest cohort assembled to date, with data collected through the Nemours Skeletal Dysplasia Lab. Auditory assessments included pure-tone thresholds (PTA), speech-recognition threshold (SRT), speech perception in quiet and noise (SIQ and SIN), tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), and cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs). These measures were used to determine the prevalence, type, and severity of hearing loss and to explore potential correlations with age, MPS IVA disease severity, and auditory system involvement. We found that the prevalence of hearing loss in this study population was 50.88% with a higher prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss over mixed and conductive types. There were no significant correlations found between hearing loss severity and disease severity or age at diagnosis. These findings suggest that hearing loss in MPS IVA patients may be affected by peripheral and central auditory system dysfunction. Due to the complex characterization of hearing loss in patients with MPS IVA, routine and comprehensive auditory evaluations are critical for early intervention and mitigation of its impact on communication and quality of life.Item SYMMETRIC GENERALIZED CP TENSOR DECOMPOSITION(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Alex MulrooneyCanonical Polyadic (CP) tensor decomposition is an emerging workhorse algo rithm in data science for fnding underlying low-dimensional structure in tensor data (i.e., N-way arrays). Generalized CP (GCP) decompositions generalize conventional CP by allowing general loss functions that can be more appropriate for data such as bi nary and count data, or that can allow desired statistical properties such as robustness to outliers. In this thesis, we develop a new Symmetric GCP (SymGCP) decomposition for data tensors that exhibit symmetry across some of their dimensions, which arises in applications such as dynamic social networks and higher-order statistical moments. SymGCP accounts for the symmetry in the data by producing a decomposition with matching symmetry, which involves developing a new corresponding optimization algo rithm. To enable SymGCP to scale to large tensors, we develop an effcient stochastic approach for computing SymGCP decompositions. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of SymGCP on a variety of experiments with real and synthetic data.Item THE CHLORIDE TRANSPORT MECHANISM IN THE AVIAN (CHICK) PROXIMAL TUBULE: CFTR CHANNEL AND K+ CHANNEL(University of Delaware, 2011-05) Varudhini ReddyIn this study, the functional expression of CFTR and the potassium channels, KCNQ1 and KCNN4, were assessed in the avian chick proximal tubule. A primary cell culture model was developed and the apical expression of CFTR in this cell model was revealed using classic electrophysiological methods. A basolateral-permeabilization approach was developed in the lab to permeabilize the basolateral membrane so that the imposed chloride gradients could be observed in this model under the influence of commercial inhibitors. It was found that CFTR-Inh172 and GlyH-101, two CFTR inhibitors, both inhibit secretory chloride gradients (basolateral to apical side). GlyH-101 was found to be the more effective inhibitor. In addition, double inhibitor experiments and a multiple blocker experiment was conducted to examine the expression of potassium channels on the basolateral membrane of the monolayers. In the double inhibitor experiment, clotrimazole was added to either the basolateral side or apical side first, and then added to the opposite side, to observe its effects on Forskolin-activated current. These experiments revealed that clotrimazole, a selective calcium-activated potassium channel blocker, is able to partially inhibit Forskolin-activated current in non-permeabilized monolayers of chick proximal tubules. This suggests that calcium activated potassium channels exist in the proximal tubule. As well, double inhibitor experiments revealed that clotrimazole had a more direct effect on the current when administered to the apical side first. This further suggests that calcium-activated potassium channels may exist on both apical and basolateral sides of the chick proximal tubules.Item ENGINEERING A MICROBIAL CHASSIS FOR NON-STANDARD AMINO ACID BIOSYNTHESIS AND INCORPORATCION(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Ishika GovilGenetic code reprogramming augments protein chemistry with non-standard amino acids (nsAAs), enabling the expansion of protein applications as therapeutics, sensors, and biocatalytic tools. Despite this potential of nsAA-containing proteins, major barriers arise for industrial applications of nsAAs: expensive nsAA synthesis and low cellular uptake. One approach to mitigate both of these challenges is to program cells to generate nsAAs intracellularly from inexpensive precursors. A recently characterized class of enzymes, L-threonine transaldolase (TTAs), convert diverse aldehydes to β-hydroxy non-standard amino acids (β-OH-nsAAs), which are nsAAs that contain a hydroxyl substituent at the β-carbon. This study sought to improve β OH-nsAA yield in vivo by engineering a microbial platform in Escherichia coli to stabilize substrate molecules, as well as coupling the TTA with an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and a phosphite dehydrogenase (PTDH), to shift reaction equilibrium. In parallel, this work also assessed the predictive ability of a PyRosetta computational model to design enzymes with high affinity for a β-OH-nsAA substrate.Item Potential Binding Partners of cADPR and cADPR isomers in the Thoeris Phage Defense System(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Nikhita BomasamudramAntibiotics were once hailed as wonder drugs but have led to increased antibiotic resistance. This has become a major global issue, causing millions of deaths annually and higher healthcare costs. The decline in antibiotic discovery and harmful side effects further highlight the need for alternative treatments. Bacteriophage therapy is an alternative approach to combat antibiotic resistance. Bacteriophages are viruses that target and destroy bacteria. Unlike antibiotics, they are highly specific in their infectivity and can coevolve with bacteria, making it harder for resistance to develop. However, challenges include limited host range, safety concerns, regulatory issues, and bacterial anti-phage systems. Understanding these bacterial anti-phage systems is crucial for advancing bacteriophage therapies. The Thoeris System is an novel anti phage system found in bacteria. It relies on two proteins, ThsB and ThsA, to combat phage infections.ThsB detects phages and produces a variant cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (cADPR) molecule. ThsA binds to the cADPR which activated its NADase activity, leading to premature bacterial death and phage elimination. The Thoeris System utilizes 2'cADPR and 3'cADPR isomers as signaling molecules. The Thoeris System can be countered by phages with Tad genes that sequester cADPR. The discovery of new anti-phage systems is aided by analyzing defense islands in bacterial genomes. This approach has led to identifying the Thoeris System and other anti-phage systems. ThsC is a novel protein in the Thoeris System, belonging to the HIT protein family. HIT proteins, including Hint1 and E.coli Hint, play roles in cellular immunity and nucleotide hydrolysis. To find the function of ThsC in the Thoeris Systems, cADPR isomers were purified and studied in enzymatic assays with ThsC. Reactions were purified with HPLC and analyzed by Mass Spectrophotometry. The function and role of ThsC still needs to be elucidated in regard to 3’cADPR, ThsA, and ThsB.Item INTERSECTIONAL CLIMATE JUSTICE: EXAMINING THE EXPERIENCES OF LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE MID ATLANTIC(University of Delaware, 2025-04) Wentzel, AlyssaDisasters worsen existing inequalities and disproportionately impact marginalized communities; thus, studies of vulnerability often assess these impacts according to social identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, class, and ability. Scholars are increasingly using the lens of intersectionality to examine differentiated vulnerability across multiple social identities, yet little empirical work has been done to understand the experiences and perceptions of climate-related disasters of LGBTQIA+ people of color. LGBTQIA+ communities are disproportionately vulnerable to extreme weather and disasters in part due to high rates of homelessness and bias in planning and response. Furthermore, LQBTQIA+ people of color, especially Black transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, face a heightened level of discrimination and violence. Considering this, we conducted a set of semi-structured interviews with those who identify as or work with LGBTQIA+ people of color, or those in the environmental justice, city planning, or government sectors in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in order to understand the experiences and perceptions of LGBTQIA+ people of color extreme weather events or disasters. By closing this research gap, we show how the lens of intersectionality can be used to foster a more inclusive climate justice movement.Item STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF LLVM IR COMPILATION(University of Delaware, 2024-05) Kallai, AndrewLLVM has become an integral part of many compilation pipelines, from closed source to open-source compilers across industry and academia. Since the open-source LLVM project was started by Chris Lattner and Vikram Adve, it has proven to be a versatile and efficient language representation that is capable of being used in multiple product environments across multiple system architectures. Because LLVM has become mature and is now in frequent use, LLVM is constantly being changed by developers. Users of LLVM expect robust functionality and efficiency in the compilation pipeline without needing to write source code to take advantage of specific parts of the pipeline. More specifically, users expect compiler optimization to preserve the functionality of code while improving the execution runtime. If the compilation takes a significant amount of time to complete, that becomes a notable bottleneck in the development process of the source code. Furthermore, editing parts of the LLVM optimization pipeline that are contributing to a large amount of time in compilation is necessary to lower the overall time to complete the LLVM pipeline execution. As such, identifying codes that trigger large compilation times in parts of the optimization pipeline can yield insight into which parts of the pipeline are contributing most to the compilation time. Furthermore, by considering only the LLVM Interme diate Representation (IR) taken from a given source code, insights can be obtained that apply to several other cases of source code with LLVM IR representations (gen erated by the compiler frontend). Thus, analyzing LLVM IR and the length of time it takes to compile can provide a straightforward way of suggesting which portions of the LLVM optimization pipeline (invoked using opt) are responsible for unexpectedly large compilation times.Item PATTERNS OF SOIL CHEMISTRY AND MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS: SPECIES INVASION AND SITE CHARACTERISTICS(University of Delaware, 2024-05) Wu, DerekForest soils are highly heterogeneous, complex environments. Within urban forests, soils are subjected to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stressors that could potentially alter soil chemical and microbial compositions. To understand the patterns of soil chemistry and microbial community composition in urban forest soils with respect to site identity and invasion by multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), bulk rhizosphere samples were collected from beneath R. multiflora, native spice bush (Lindera benzoin), and uncovered soils in three proximate temperate deciduous forests in Newark, Delaware, that exhibit similar overlying plant communities. Using Illumina MiSeq next generation sequencing of extracted and amplified 16S rRNA amplicons, soil bacterial communities were analyzed along with their corresponding soil chemical properties with respect to forest site and shrub cover. Soil chemical properties separated primarily by forest site, and they did not separate by shrub cover. The most abundant bacterial phyla across all samples were the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobiota, and Planctomycetota. Microbial communities varied between sites at the genus taxonomic level but not the phylum level. Additionally, one forest site had consistently higher microbial community diversity indices than the other forests. In contrast, microbial communities differed between shrub cover versus no cover at the phylum, but not genus, level. The most notable difference in phylum relative abundance across shrub cover types was that the Firmicutes were more abundant in uncovered soils than either shrub covers across all three sites. Analysis of linear correlations between the relative abundances of bacterial phyla and soil chemical properties revealed emergent trends that were only visible across sites as well as trends that only existed within each site. Altogether, these results suggest that the relationships between soil bacterial community composition and soil chemical properties vary between spatial scales. It is likely that the scales of forest composition from the whole site to local sampling locations act as filters to microbial communities, which ultimately direct which bacteria can colonize a given soil environment. Additionally, these data suggest that R. multiflora is not likely to exert substantial modifications to soil chemical and microbiological properties in the early stages of invasion where it is yet to dominate forest understories. Future studies should be mindful of the baseline heterogeneity of soil chemical and microbial compositions between forests, creating study designs that investigate the responses of several forests to a specific stressor to ensure the validity of their generalizations and conclusions across a forest macrosystem.Item Proteins involved in cell division play additional roles in early development(University of Delaware, 2024-12) Benito, JessicaSeveral proteins that are known to play a crucial role in mitosis may have alternative functions in embryogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we examined the spatial and temporal expression of the transcripts that encode proteins involved in mitosis throughout development, including those that encode for motor proteins, cytoskeletal elements and their modulators, vesicular transport, and cell cycle regulators. Results indicate that these transcripts have different expression patterns in various cell types. Interestingly, Cyclin Dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1), Polo Like Kinase 1 (PLK1), Ran, Rab11, CENP-E, Aurora A (AurkA), Staufen, Dynein, and Kinesin-13 transcripts are expressed by endomesodermal cells of the blastula, the multipotent stem cells in coelomic pouches, and/or the skeletogenic mesoderm of the gastrula that are not actively dividing. To further test that proteins important for mitosis may perform additional functions during embryogenesis, we treated embryos with CDK1, PLK1, and AurkA inhibitors, which result in a dose-dependent developmental arrest or delay, gastrulation defects, and shortened skeletal spicules. Further analysis indicates that the number of mesodermally-derived pigment cells is significantly less in CDK1 and PLK1 inhibited embryos and significantly increased in Aurora kinase inhibited embryos. Overall, these results indicate that proteins involved in mitosis likely perform additional functions during embryogenesis.Item THE EFFECT OF BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN-2 AND CASEIN KINASE 2.3 ON OSTEOCLAST ACTIVITY WITHIN OSTEOPOROTIC AND OSTEOARTHRITIC PATIENTS(University of Delaware, 2023-05) MacMurray, ConnorOsteoporosis (OP) is a debilitating disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) resulting from an imbalance between two types of bone cells: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoblasts synthesize bone while osteoclasts resorb bone. Although OP affects one in four women and one in five men over the age of fifty, there are few treatments and no cure. One anabolic treatment that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2). BMP-2 is a growth factor which activates canonical and non-canonical Smad signaling and leads to increased bone mineralization. However, there are various side-effects with this drug and it has been established that primary osteoblasts isolated from OP patients are unresponsive to BMP-2 stimulation. A novel peptide, Casein Kinase 2.3 (CK2.3), was developed to utilize the BMP-2 signaling pathway without exogenous BMP-2. This peptide increases bone mineralization and decreases osteoclast activity in mouse models and cell lines. However, in humans, its effects on osteoclasts are unknown. To further explore this, bone marrow cells were isolated from femoral heads of patients that underwent hip replacement surgery. The cells were differentiated with Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (M-CSF) and Receptor Activator of Nuclear Kappa-B Ligand (RANKL). The presence of osteoclasts was confirmed using a Tartrate Resistant Acid Phosphatase (TRAP) staining kit along with a hematoxylin stain. This experiment was conducted first in order to construct a functional model of isolating viable osteoclasts from human patients. Following this experiment, BMP-2 and CK2.3 were added to experimental groups following M-CSF stimulation. BMP-2 was shown to increase osteoclastogenesis within osteoarthritic and osteoporotic patients while CK2.3 decreased osteogenesis. These findings support the notion that CK2.3 could be used as a potential therapeutic for osteoporosis as it effectively reduces osteoclastogenesis.Item EXAMINING THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARBOHYDRATES AND VASCULAR HEALTH(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Daniel HimsworthArterial stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, and high blood pressure (BP) are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), all of which can be influenced by diet. Different types of carbohydrates, such as added sugar, have been shown to cause endothelial dysfunction acutely, while high dietary fiber intake has been associated with reduced arterial stiffness and BP in various populations. One of the proposed mechanisms for these findings is postprandial increases in blood glucose concentration. The extent of this increase in blood glucose level is measured by a food’s glycemic index (GI). While previous research focused on the acute effects of various types of carbohydrates on vascular health, less is known about habitual consumption and whether these associations begin in early adulthood. This study aimed to examine the relations between added sugar, fiber, and diet GI with measures of vascular health. Fifty-five participants (21M/34W; 26.76.1 years; BP 11312/699 mmHg) completed this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day diet records. Measures of vascular health included pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, augmentation index (AIx), a measure of wave reflection, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a measure of endothelial function, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Associations between the types of carbohydrate and vascular measures were assessed using Pearson bivariate and partial correlations. Participants consumed an average of 2039553 kcal with 9.6% (193.6 kcal) of this energy coming from added sugar, which meets the USDA guideline. The average fiber intake was 22.78.7 grams/day, which is below the recommendation. Added sugar intake was negatively associated with PWV (r=-0.291, p=0.033) but was no longer significant after controlling for age and sex (r=-0.228, p=0.119). There were no associations between added sugar intake and AIx, FMD, or BP (all p>0.05). Both fiber and the GI were not associated with PWV, AIx, or FMD (all p>0.05). However, fiber intake was positively associated with systolic BP (SBP; r=0.315, p=0.026) and pulse pressure (PP; r=0.293, p=0.039); however, these no longer remained significant when controlling for age and sex (both p>0.05). GI was not associated with any measure of BP (all p>0.05). In conclusion, while added sugar was negatively associated with arterial stiffness and fiber was positively associated with SBP and PP, both counter to our hypotheses, neither relation remained significant when controlling for sex and age. In our cross-sectional study of young, healthy adults, various types of carbohydrate were not associated with declines in vascular function. Future work should include a wider range of intakes for both added sugars, fiber, and diet GI as well as account for the nutrient density of the sources of added sugar and fiber.Item AN EXAMINATION OF OYSTER GROWTH WITH FISH AND MACROINVERTEBRATE DIVERSITY IN TWO OYSTER AQUACULTURE GEAR TYPES(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Timothy J. SmootEastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are an important resource for Delawareans living near the Delaware Bay and Delaware’s Inland Bays. Unfortunately, natural oyster populations in Delaware have been greatly reduced because of historical overharvest and disease vectors, among other factors. In response to low wild abundance and a general interest from the public, commercial oyster aquaculture was reinstated in the Inland Bays in 2017. In multiple studies along the U.S. east coast and within the Inland Bays, fishes and invertebrates have been observed around oyster cages and other types of gear used to grow oysters. However, my project examined oyster growth in an experimental cage and evaluated habitat provisions to juvenile fishes in that gear. My project aimed to further our scientific understanding of the ecological services rendered by shellfish farming in a comparative capacity by examining the habitat value of 1) traditional on-bottom commercial aquaculture gear and 2) an experimental floating gear type actively used by a commercial oyster farmer. From June through September 2022, the abundance and diversity of fishes and motile macroinvertebrates found within and around each aquaculture gear type were recorded weekly. Additionally, measurements of oyster length and depth were collected weekly to monitor oyster growth. Traditional bottom cages produced significantly longer and deeper oysters than the experimental floating cages with no significant difference in mortality. Abundance and diversity of fishes was high in bottom cages, but floating cages with nearby structure can support similar fish assemblages. Floating cages hosted significantly higher abundance of invertebrates, predominantly driven by grass shrimp, but trends in invertebrate diversity mirrored fish diversity with high diversity in bottom cages and floating cages with additional structure nearby.Item Nāgārjuna and Wittgenstein's Linguistic Anti-Essentialism(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Peters, RaymondNāgārjuna and Ludwig Wittgenstein are both considered titans of their respective philosophical traditions. Despite the massive temporal and geographic distances that separate the two, a number of scholars have pointed out many parallels that run through their work, particularly in their views of language, anti-essentialism, metaphysics, and skepticism. This thesis explores some of those parallels, the perspectives of various Nāgārjuna and Wittgenstein scholars, and contemporary debates which can be informed by their work. Chapters 1 and 2 explicate the views of Nāgārjuna and Wittgenstein, respectively. Chapter 3 compares and contrasts the two with emphasis on their view of linguistic anti-essentialism, similarities in the philosophical traditions that each responded to, the goal of philosophy, and what each philosopher has to contribute to the others’ thought. Chapter 4 applies the contributions of both philosophers to eliminative materialism, a position in analytic philosophy of mind first proposed by Paul Churchland in 1981. Finally, Chapter 5 examines contemporary debates over bioessentialist accounts of gender identity in light of the anti-essentialism held in common by Nāgārjuna, Wittgenstein, and a number of feminist philosophers. Thus, while both Nāgārjuna and Wittgenstein are long dead, their philosophical contributions are alive and highly relevant to social, political, and philosophical debates being had today.Item TRAINED PERSON-KNOWLEDGE OF FACES VARYING IN RACE: LEARNING AND IMPRESSION FORMATION(University of Delaware, 2023-05) Rosenblum, ShainaOur impressions of others are influenced by a variety of factors that can ultimately impact our ability to accurately remember them. When we inaccurately identify another, there can be harmful consequences. This is especially the case within the U.S. judicial system, where incorrect eyewitness memory, particularly of racial out-group members, has contributed to a sizeable number of wrongful convictions. We investigated the influence of target race, person knowledge valence, and perceiver interracial contact on White perceivers’ ability to recognize and recall information associated with Black and White male faces. Over five behavioral training sessions, White participants (n=60) learned about Black and White male faces that were paired with positive person-knowledge, negative person-knowledge, or no information and were subsequently tested on their memory. On the fifth day, they completed individual difference measures, including a lifetime interracial contact questionnaire. Results revealed that after five days of behavioral training, participants were better able to recognize White faces compared to Black faces and faces paired with person-knowledge compared to faces paired with no information. Additionally, participants demonstrated better recall of person-knowledge statements paired with White faces than with Black faces. These results offer insight into how target race and person-knowledge availability influence memory of learned faces. Future analysis will examine the development of these effects over five behavioral training sessions and the involvement of specific brain regions during impression formation of people varying in race and familiarity.