The British Photographic Industry and the Roles of Women 1840-1920: A Survey

This essay surveys the role of women within the British photographic industry to 1920 and attempts to quantify the numbers involved, their roles and how they were perceived by contemporary commentators. In common with so much of nineteenth century arts and sciences women are rarely present having been excluded by legal constraints on wealth and property, from the membership of professional bodies, and by being ignored by the contemporary press, this essay provides substantive numbers emphasising their significance

Sunlight, Veiled

Sunlight, Veiled is a narrative short film exploring themes of displacement, class, and identity through the lens of an Iranian intern navigating a morally ambiguous company party in the United States. This written component traces the evolution of the project from development through post-production, while reflecting on the personal and political frameworks that shaped the creative process. Through cinematic references, cultural analysis, and production insight, the paper aims to contextualize the film within a diasporic experience and a growing awareness of social power dynamics. It also reflects on the challenges of filmmaking as an outsider, where self-doubt, cultural translation, and shifting expectations constantly redefine what it means to tell a relatable story

Food Waste Renaissance: From the Table, for the Table

What if waste could be seen as a valuable resource rather than a burden? Food Waste Renaissance (FWR) explores innovative ways to transform excess food and byproducts into sustainable design materials. In Qatar, where food waste constitutes approximately 60% of urban waste, FWR promotes a shift in perception rather than attempting to resolve large-scale waste management issues. By fostering a culture where surplus becomes a resource, it inspires individuals, designers, and communities to embrace and contribute to a circular economy. FWR examines rice and date byproducts as biodegradable raw materials for lamps, bringing material from the table back to the table. Their translucency, texture, and organic unpredictability lend themselves to a unique outcome, demonstrating how today’s waste can become tomorrow’s sustainable design solutions

Assessment of Drivers of Light Attenuation in Virginia Reservoirs

Water clarity in aquatic ecosystems is crucial for submerged vegetation and algal dynamics. We investigated the factors influencing light attenuation (kd) by measuring total suspended solids (TSS), chlorophyll-a (CHLa), and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) across thirteen stations located in seven reservoirs. Average kd was 1.69 m-1 (range: 0.37-3.99 m-1), with photic depths averaging 3.27 m (range: 1.15-12.43 m). TSS was the primary predictor of light attenuation (R² = 0.57, P = 0.003, SE = 0.053). Average TSS values for each site were multiplied by the slope of the kd-TSS relationship to find the proportion of kd attributed to TSS. A similar analysis was performed for CDOM by relating residual kd (i.e., kd after accounting for the effects of TSS) to determine the rate of change in light attenuation per unit of CDOM. Using this method, TSS was estimated to account for 57% ± 1% of attenuation, while CDOM explained 27% ± 1%. CHLa had minimal impact on kd across most sites, except Lake Anna, where it was the primary driver. This difference is likely due to Lake Anna’s larger size, which leads to longer water residence times. These longer times allow more opportunity for algal growth and provide a greater capacity for upstream sedimentation, which reduces the impact of particulates on water clarity. The negligible impacts of CHLa on kd in the remainder of sites are consistent with the analysis of particulate organic carbon, which showed that organic matter is a relatively minor component of TSS (32% on average). Regional differences also emerged: Piedmont reservoirs showed TSS dominance of light attenuation (61% of kd), while light attenuation of Southeastern Plains sites were more CDOM-influenced (51% of kd). Secchi depth exhibited a moderate relationship with kd when using site average data (R² = 0.45, P = 0.012, SE = 0.31), though it was insignificant at individual stations, suggesting limited predictive power at finer spatial scales

GBA Deficiency Promotes α-Synuclein Accumulation in Cellular Models of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by progressive neuronal degeneration, reduced dopamine levels, and aggregation of the protein ⍺-synuclein, leading to the formation of Lewy bodies. Mutations in the GBA1 gene, which encodes the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GBA), have been linked to PD. GBA hydrolyzes glucosylceramides (GlcCer) into ceramide and glucose. A loss-of-function mutation causes lipid accumulation in lysosomes, disrupting cellular function. This study investigated how GBA knockouts affect ⍺-synuclein accumulation in neuronal cell lines. SK-N-SH and SH-SY5Y cells were chosen to examine cellular apoptosis and ⍺-synuclein levels, providing a model for studying neurodegenerative processes and cellular effects of GBA depletion.1 GBA was knocked out in both lines, with colonies screened through PCR and confirmed by western blot. Knockout lines showed reduced growth and altered morphology compared to wild type cells. Apoptosis markers were elevated in both knockout lines, indicating increased neuronal cell death. Analysis of ⍺-synuclein levels in the SH-SY5Y cells exhibited increased ⍺-synuclein aggregation and accumulation, whereas SK-N-SH cells had a decrease with GBA knocked out. Other tested cell types also showed elevated ⍺-synuclein accumulation. In SH-SY5Y cells, the absence of GBA promotes aggregation, while SK-N-SH cells have opposite effects. This highlights the importance of cellular context in PD mechanisms and suggests that GBA may have variable effects depending on cell type

HAFNIUM OXIDE-BASED NANOHETEROSTRUCTURES FOR CATALYTIC RADIOSENSITIZATION AND ENHANCED X-RAY RADIOTHERAPY

Orthovoltage X-ray beams are attractive for surface and intra-operative radiotherapy. Yet, their clinical utility is constrained by rapid attenuation and the limited dose that can be delivered without harming healthy tissue. High-Z hafnium oxide (HfO2) nanoparticles can boost local energy deposition through the photoelectric effect, while catalytic surface defects accelerate water radiolysis. Harnessing both mechanisms in a single nano-heterostructure could enable potent radiosensitization at diagnostic-range energies. This thesis develops and evaluates HfO2-based nanoheterostructures, both bare and Au-decorated, as catalytic radiosensitizers. Two types of HfO2 were evaluated, one was synthesized following a specific route and the other commercially available. Afterward, each HfO2 was decorated with Au nanoparticles via a wet-chemical route. Crystallite size, phase, morphology, Au loading, and surface chemistry were investigated by XRD, TEM and XPS. Cat- alytic radiosensitization was assessed by monitoring pseudo–first-order degradation of methylene blue under 70kV, 100kV, 150kV and 225kV X-rays, varying nanoparticle concentrations (0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1 mg mL−1). The hydrothermally synthesized HfO2 rose the rate constant k by up to 0.110 min−1 and delivering a 43% enhancement at 225 kV; even at 70 kV it achieved a 30% gain. Au decoration passivated active sites on this support, adding no more than 6%. In contrast, the commercial powder showed minimal benefit, \u3c 10 %, unless augmented with Au, which restored activity to 19 % at the lowest energy tested. Performance correlates with lattice disorder and surface defect chemistry rather than Au loading alone. By tailoring synthesis to maximize oxygen-vacancy density while controlling noble-metal coverage, catalytic dose amplification approaching 40 % can be achieved across the entire 70 kV to 225 kV window. Together, these insights set the stage for HfO2 nanomaterials that maximize therapeutic gain at low kilovoltage energies with minimal collateral toxicity

Cluster Modified Nanopore for Protein Post-Translational Modification Detection

The precise and sensitive detection of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), particularly phosphorylation, is critical for advancing our understanding of cellular signaling and disease pathology. In this thesis, we present a nanopore-based biosensing platform enhanced by cluster modifications, offering novel capabilities for the single-molecule analysis of phosphorylated peptides. The introductory chapter outlines the principles of nanopore sensing and its relevance as a next generation biosensing technology. The second chapter explores the use of nanoparticle-assisted nanopores for detecting ovarian cancer peptide biomarkers, demonstrating the method’s capability to discriminate between cysteine-containing peptide variants from clinically important proteins such as LRG-1. Building on this, the third chapter presents a detailed study on the discrimination of isomeric phosphorylated peptides derived from the human insulin receptor. A cluster-modified nanopore platform enabled accurate identification of phosphorylation states at the single-molecule level. To enhance the classification of nanopore signals, a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)-based machine learning pipeline was developed and optimized specifically for the complex signal profiles produced by the cluster-modified nanopore. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the design and optimization of the GMM algorithm, tailored to capture the multi-modal characteristics of the nanopore signal distributions. The final chapter examines the interaction of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles with phosphonate ligands in the nanopore environment, offering insight into the chemical challenges and opportunities in designing phosphonate-specific sensing platforms. Altogether, this work establishes an integrated strategy for high precision phosphoproteomic sensing using modified nanopores and machine learning, demonstrating the potential of this technology for both research and clinical diagnostics

Immune populations leading to IgE production in helminth infection

Helminth infections are known to elicit a Th2 immune response that produces large quantities of IgE. Th2 immune responses are most well-known for causing allergic diseases. IgE is a key component to allergic disease. The relationship between helminth and allergies has for a long time been confounding. Helminth infections have been associated with a protective phenotype to allergic disease. B cells, the source of all antibody, come in two main types, B1 B cells and B2 B cells. B1 B cells are a fetal derived B cell that are known to be more innate like, and they produce natural antibodies. B2 B cells are BM derived and undergo affinity maturation to produce more effective antibody. Previous work from our lab showed that B1 B cells produce IgE that attenuated worm clearance and that B2 B cells cleared worm burden faster. However, these experiments utilized cell surface markers to sort B1 B cells from B2 B cells, and the BM can give rise to B1-like B cells. In these studies we utilize a mouse model that distinguishes B cells by their developmental lineage. We found that true B1 B cells do not make IgE in a helminth infection. BM derived B1-like B cells however significantly contribute to IgE production. Since the lineage of B cell that produced both clearing and protective IgE, we examined the follicular reaction in a helminth infection. Recently Tfh13s were described as a novel Tfh2 subtype that is critical for the production of allergen specific IgE. Mice infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis were found to have both classical Tfh2s as well as Tfh13s by day 10 post-infecton. The IgG and IgE producing cells followed the induction of Tfh2s and tfh13s. A memory response to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis was also examined for Tfhs. Tfh2s and Tfh13s appeared rapidly by day 4 post-infection. IgG1 and IgE producing cells also appeared by day 4. These data indicate that Tfh13s are in present in an immune response to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, and that they have a role in both primary and memory responses

Mechanisms of Chemoresistance: The Role of Fatty Acyl-CoA Chain Length, GBA, and Multidrug Transporters

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major obstacle in cancer therapy, contributing to nearly 90% of cancer-related deaths. While ceramides and their downstream metabolites have been extensively studied in relation to chemoresistance, the role of upstream precursors and key enzymes in ceramide metabolism remains less understood. This study explores two objectives: whether the fatty acyl-CoA precursors 16:0 CoA and 24:0 CoA influence chemoresistance in lung epithelial cell models, and whether the enzyme glucosylceramidase beta (GBA), which hydrolyzes glucosylceramide (GlcCer) into ceramide, modulates the expression of MDR-associated transporters and alters drug response across cancer cell lines. In Chapter 1, HBEC-derived lung epithelial lines with distinct resistance profiles were treated with 16:0 and 24:0 CoA to assess changes in growth, viability, lipid composition, invasion potential, and drug sensitivity. Lipidomic analysis confirmed precursor incorporation into ceramide species. 16:0 CoA promoted resistance in p53-deficient cells but decreased viability in others, while 24:0 CoA unexpectedly increased chemosensitivity in specific contexts. Chapter 2 evaluated GBA’s role across cancer models, showing that GBA knockdown reduced MDR1 and MRP1 expression and sensitized H1299 cells to vinorelbine and paclitaxel, but in H460 cells, knockdown increased transporter expression and chemoresistance, suggesting cell-type-dependent effects. These differences may reflect variations in lipid metabolism, stress responses, or oncogenic signaling. Overall, this study reveals that fatty acyl-CoA precursors and GBA expression significantly influence chemoresistance in a context-specific manner, linking ceramide metabolism to ABC transporter regulation and offering insights for developing targeted strategies against resistant cancers

PERCEPTIONS OF MODERATE SEDATION SUCCESS IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Purpose: To compare perceptions of dental providers including pediatric dentists, general dentists, and pediatric dental residents in how they view the success of moderate sedation (MS) in the pediatric population. Methods: A 22-item survey was distributed to members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), including pediatric dentists, general dentists, and residents. The survey included provider preferences and attitudes towards MS, ranking patient considerations and other factors associated with MS success. Results: Of 470 respondents, 73% (n=342) reported current MS use, with rates highest among residents (89%), followed by residency-trained pediatric dentists (71%) and general dentists (64%) (P=.0006). Provider outlook towards use of MS was not significantly associated with provider type (P=.3364). MS users had more positive attitudes toward sedation than non-users (P\u3c .0001). The rates for treatment completed and patient behavior were significantly higher than patient satisfaction or duration of treatment when measuring success of MS (P\u3c .0001). Conclusion: MS success was primarily associated with treatment completion and patient behavior, rather than patient satisfaction or appointment duration. Providers prioritized behavioral and treatment outcomes as indicators of success