In the past few years, educators have been pushing for an integration of the arts into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning to promote innovation and creativity in these fields. The present study explores the relation between creativity and STEM learning among young children in digital and non-digital contexts,...
The expanding use of nanomaterials in consumer products challenges scientists to understand the impact of these materials before their inevitable release into the environment. In the same way that the widespread use of DDT and asbestos has caused unforeseen negative impacts on both the environment and on human health, the...
Eosinophils are major effector cells in diseases including asthma, rhinitis, certain gastrointestinal disorders and atopic dermatitis. Current treatments include mediator antagonists and anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce allergic cell numbers and inhibit mediator release, but they are not fully effective or curative. On their surface, eosinophils selectively express Siglec-8 (sialic acid-binding...
Psychosocial stress is part of everyday life, and while ubiquitous, stress plays a huge role disease development and treatment. Though the stressor’s intensity, predictability, and frequency (acute vs chronic) are important determinants of disease development, interactions with one’s genetic and epigenetic make-up also play a causal role. Major Depressive Disorder...
Many species have lost their natural habitat due to anthropogenic land use change. Ecologists are increasingly looking at habitat in cities to bolster efforts to conserve biodiversity. Green roofs are examples of urban habitats that are becoming more common globally. Green roofs can provide resources to support life in an...
The Bcl-2 family is considered the guardian of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. While there are numerous endogenous Bcl-2 antagonists that share similar homology, structure, topology, and expression pattern, only the loss of Bim in mice is sufficient to lead to the development of a systemic autoimmunity. Even loss of both...
Of the thousands of planetary candidates discovered by the Kepler mission, roughly a third are in known multiple transiting-planet systems. High-multiplicity Kepler systems (referred to as Kepler Multis) are often tightly packed and may be on the verge of instability. Many systems of this type could have experienced past instabilities,...
This dissertation asks how a dynamic of vengeance involving the United States and anti-imperialist political organizations in the Middle East emerged and persisted between the 1967 Middle East war and the battle of Tora Bora in Afghanistan in December 2001. It tracks the construction of channels—ideological, institutional, emotional, and personal—through...
Most lubricants contain a series of additives that reduce friction and wear, and protect contacting surfaces. The design of these additives must be modernized to meet the challenges involved with high operating temperatures, extreme environmental conditions, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations. This research demonstrates three novel lubricant additive strategies that...