Digital Commons Network^™

Nanozyme: Combining Power Of Natural Enzymes And Artificial Catalysis, Peng Du, Lizeng Gao, Jian Jiao, Kelong Fan, Xiyun Yan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Nanozymes represent a novel class of artificial enzymes and biocatalysts, possessing both the physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials along with unique enzyme-like catalytic activities, which breaks the boundary between inorganic materials and organic life. Unlike natural enzymes, traditional enzyme mimics and chemical catalysts, nanozymes exhibit catalytic activity that can be regulated by their nanoscale physical and chemical properties. They are characterized by good stability, high- and lowtemperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, adjustable activity, and multifunctionality. As a result, nanozymes have garnered widespread attention in the fields of biomedicine, environment treatment, green agriculture, new energy resources, and have begun …

Analysis Of Research And Development Trends Of New Drugs, Ping Xu, Li Xu, Ruo-Nan Yang, Wei Li, Kaixian Chen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

As an important component in the pharmaceutical innovation, research and development (R&D) of new drugs stands at the forefront of a new round of life science and technology revolution and bioeconomic reform, which is of strategic significance to leading scientific and technological innovation, driving economic development, and improving people’s health and well-being. At present, continuous innovation in cutting-edge technologies, cross-domain integration of disciplines, and digital depth enablement drive active innovation in the field of new drug R&D. Both domestically and internationally, innovative small molecule drugs, antibody drugs, immune cell therapy, gene therapy and nucleic acid drugs are receiving intensive market …

Synthetic Biology Enablement: From Academic Development To Industrial Transformation, Yan Xiong, Xueqing Ma, Daming Chen, Xiao Liu, Guoping Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Synthetic biology revolutionizes the comprehension of life systems from an engineering perspective, employing a “bottomup” approach in life science research. It adopts an iterative research paradigm of “design-build-test-learn” in life science research and creates engineered new life systems grounded in genomics and systems biology. This provides a new pathway of “from creation to understanding” for life sciences, departing from the traditional reductionist research strategy of “study the whole to understand the parts” and opening up a new culture of “building to understand” the essence of life. Additionally, synthetic biology elevates existing biotechnologies previously based on “simulating natural processes” and “genetic …

Advances In Data-Driven Life Sciences Research, Haiping Jiang, Chunchun Gao, Wenhao Liu, Yungui Yang, Xin Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The field of life sciences is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in experimental techniques and vast biological big data which gradually arise and play an increasingly important role in life science research. First of all, biological big data has diversity and complexity, including genomic data, epigenomic data, proteomic data and other types. These data provide researchers with more comprehensive information and help reveal the laws behind life phenomena. Second, new data-driven developments and applications in life sciences cover many fields such as gene editing, precision medicine, drug development, etc., providing unprecedented possibilities for human health and quality of life. However, …

Impacts Of Atmospheric Rivers On Communities In Northern California: Comparative Analysis Of Sonoma County Hazard Mitigation Plans, Cristina Vance

Master's Projects and Capstones

Climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events and affects California’s hydroclimate, thereby increasing flood vulnerability of all communities in Sonoma County. An example of extreme weather phenomena is atmospheric rivers (ARs), which are long narrow water vapor transported by winds across the Pacific Ocean. ARs have a history of causing major flood events that have swept through Sonoma County and negatively impacted cities along the lower Russian River, such as the unincorporated town of Guerneville, California. Major floods cause detrimental impacts to the economy. Social inequalities become evident when unincorporated communities located along floodplains are more vulnerable to …

Crafting Community Solar Programs To Alleviate Energy Burdens And Empower Communities In Virginia, Elizabeth Anne Sekelsky

Master's Projects and Capstones

Low to moderate-income (LMI) groups usually suffer from high energy burdens and community solar is a renewable energy strategy that can save LMI groups on their monthly electricity bills. This research explores the intersection of renewable energy and energy justice, specifically the potential for community solar, energy efficiency, and home weatherization to alleviate Virginia's energy burdens. Included is an analysis of incentives, programs, and Greenhouse gas emission goals for the state, investigations on how low-income groups are receiving aid and what is available to them from programs and utilities, suitable sites for solar based on groups in need, and comparisons …

Supporting South Korea’S Aging Population: How Ai And Iot Acceptance Connects The Young And Old, Bobby Im

Master's Projects and Capstones

In 2024, South Korea surpassed every other nation by becoming the country with the lowest fertility rate (below 0.7%). Population decline will hinder future ability to care for their aging population and although the government and private corporations are investing millions of dollars on developing Artificial Intelligence-Internet of Things (AI-IoT) devices to support the aging, the acceptance levels and the amount of family support required is undervalued. By examining AI-IoT’s current use and role in South Korea’s public health system this paper shows how intergenerational support helps optimize existing procedures and equipment, increases the level of acceptance and use, and …

Does Endogamous Marriage Impact Women's Fertility Gaps In India?, Natalya Francis Schafer

Master's Theses

This study aimed to measure the possible impact endogamous (within-family) marriage practices could have on women's fertility gaps in India. Fertility gap in this study is defined as the difference between the ideal number of children a woman desires and the total number of children born to a woman at time of interview. In many developing countries ,such as India, it is common for women to be overachieving their fertility - having more children than desired. Data from the CIA.gov (2024) shows total fertility rates to be highest in developing areas across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India. The …

Comfortability In The Latino And Hispanic Community, Vanessa Flores

Master's Theses

Many organizations often publicize their efforts to help particular communities but, how helpful are they to those who are their targets? For this reason this research focuses on the question of, how do programs create inclusivity and accessibility to the Hispanic community? This study focuses on five specific organizations that all commonly support the Hispanic Community in California, although some do go outside of the state due to extensions. In this study I have analyzed the content presented on each organization's website and determined their accessibility and inclusivity within the Hispanic community. This research analyzes the websites content thoroughly through …

Secrets Of The Medicine Cabinet: How Big Pharma's Information Monopoly Influences Federal Public Health Regulations, Kyle James

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Pharmaceutical companies are the largest industry contributor to political activities in the United States. Instead of pursuing traditional routes of political influence, these firms concentrate their efforts within federal public health agencies. By directly intervening in the regulatory process, Big Pharma assumes control of the drug approval process, dictating the means by which pharmaceutical products enter the marketplace. This scheme is designed to strip agencies of their public interest mandate. The resulting political phenomenon, known as regulatory capture, creates a symbiotic relationship where federal agencies and industry mutually benefit from the swift commercialization of drugs. This thesis examines "how" Big …

Biodiversity Loss & Urban Heat: A Nature- Based Wildlife Policy For The Las Vegas Metro, Zachary Billot

Student Research

As the population of the Las Vegas Metro continues to grow, new developments expand on the periphery. As Las Vegas continues to increase in size and develop further into wildlife habitat, not only are native animals and plants endangered, but residents are at risk of increasingly dangerous urban heat given the increase in impervious cover that makes Las Vegas the 2nd fastest warming metro in the U.S. This policy brief examines current policy and practice in place to highlight the need for positive human-wildlife interaction that will address the growing threat of biodiversity loss and heat vulnerability. This policy brief …

Forest Service Engineering, Lessons And Opportunities, Joe Totten

PSU Transportation Seminars

Working in the Forest Service Engineering has different challenges and benefits than other common organizations for Civil Engineers or Transportation Planners. This presentation should provide a perspective on how we utilize dynamic tensions to reach consensus, how we apply lessons learned across disciplines and agencies, and share opportunities for growth and learning.

Impact Of Leadership Decisions On Police Officer Well-Being: A Covid-19 Response, Jason N. Spencer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative dissertation research project is to determine the impact that law enforcement leaders, their leadership styles, and decision-making processes have on the well-being of police officers. This study sought to understand this impact by focusing on the perspectives of frontline police officers, detectives, and first-line supervisors from various law enforcement organizations in the Central Virginia Region and within the context of leadership decisions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the constructivist grounded theory approach to research design, 12 participants responded to an initial qualitative questionnaire, followed by a semi-structured interview to gain the rich, …

Perceptions Of Leadership From Hispanic, Latino, And Spanish Employees In The Department Of Defense, Howard D. Thevenin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to identify the satisfaction levels within the Department of Defense (DOD) of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish (HLS) employees. The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is used to identify the perspectives and attitudes of HLS employees as they pertain to organizational and leadership satisfaction. These perspectives are conceptualized using the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, which points to the relationships among these workplace actors as a principal characteristic of workplace satisfaction and intentions to leave an organization. The sample size acquired from the 2020 FEVS, administered from September 16th, 2020, …

Deforestation In Brazil’S Amazon And The Effects On Its Position In International Politics, Jeb Hinkle

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Latin America is a land of potential for economic growth, the expansion of democracy, and international political influence. The United States has historically had political and economic influence in the region; however, Latin American nations have long seen the United States as imperialists, only serving their own interest at the expense of smaller Latin nations. As China’s global ambitions grow, many Latin American nations have turned towards the Chinese for investment and trade. The United States needs to combat China’s influence and the nations of Latin America wish to build a better future for themselves. The solution is strategic partnership …

States’ Covid-19 Restrictions Were Associated With Increases In Drug Overdose Deaths In 2020, Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily E. Wiemers, Elyse Grossman

Center for Policy Research

Drug overdoses surged in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts raised concerns in the pandemic’s early months about how the pandemic and the policies enacted to stem it might increase overdose risk. This brief summarizes the findings of a paper that used national data to identify how states’ COVID-19 policies affected drug overdose rates among U.S. adults ages 25-64 during the first year of the pandemic. Results show that counties located in states that adopted more aggressive in-person activity restrictions experienced larger increases in 2020 than counties located in states with fewer limitations. State economic support policies …

Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program Generates Economic Value Through Body Mass Index Improvement: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, Andrea Leschewski, M. Catalina Aragon, Dave Weatherspoon, Karen Barale, Garry Auld, Richard Acquah-Sarpong, Susan S. Baker

Journal of Extension

Prior economic evaluations of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) perform cost-benefit analyses (CBA) reliant on self-reported behavioral data and unvalidated criteria for disease prevention. This study aims to conduct a CBA of Colorado and Washington EFNEP using an objective biomarker, Body Mass Index, to monetize program benefits. A longitudinal study of a convenience sample of EFNEP participants was conducted utilizing a single-group pretest-posttest design. Results indicate Colorado and Washington EFNEP generates $9.23 of benefits per $1.00 of costs and demonstrate the feasibility and value of using biomarkers in economic evaluations of nutrition education interventions delivered through Extension.

Law Enforcement Public Administrators’ Emotional Intelligence And Transformational Leadership Behaviors, Larry Allen Jacobs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policing needs public administrators willing to implement the strategies and objectives of transformational leadership (TL) and emotional intelligence (EI) to integrate and effectively incorporate elements of the presidential Executive Order 14074 to address the public policy issues of policing in communities. This qualitative study aimed to explore the EI and TL behaviors of law enforcement public administrators through the lens of six subordinate personnel. The foundational constructs for this dissertation were TL theory, trait EI theory, and process theory. The research questions sought the experiences of subordinate personnel regarding law enforcement public administrators’ EI and TL behaviors. The study also …

Effects Of Mckinney Vento Act Of 1987 With Homeless Students In Mississippi, Denetra Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Services for students who are homeless allows students and their families to deal with their living situation psychologically and offer them resources need to succeed educationally. The purpose of this research was to examine how services to homeless students in one area of Mississippi inform policy makers of the needs that are addressed with the McKinney Vento Act. The McKinney Vento Act was passed to benefit homeless students because they deserve the same quality of education, transportation to and from school, access to meals as well as various needed academic support as those that are not homeless. Being homeless places …

Chronic Inequities: Environmental & Structural Racism During Covid-19 And Hurricane Laura Disaster Recovery, Tomeka M. Robinson, Sabrina Singh

Critical Disaster Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the realities of systemic health inequities within the United States. While the virus has severely impacted the entire country, people of color bear the brunt of this pandemic, from surges of COVID-19 cases in their communities to spikes in unemployment rates. Simultaneously, citizens are dealing with the impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. The common denominator concerning these two stressors is that they can be exacerbated by institutional racism. This can be seen in the case of a small city in Southwest Louisiana, namely, Lake Charles, which has become a …

Book Review: The Shaming State: How The U.S. Treats Citizens In Need, Steve Matthewman

Critical Disaster Studies

Salman’s book centers two different constituencies, in two different locations, in the 2010s, who have been impacted by two different disasters. The first group are Iraqi refugees who have been resettled in Wayne County, Michigan. Trying to start again over half a world away, they are trapped in the transit lounge of life, never able to move on, never able to properly belong. They found a state in recession, the automobile industry collapsing, the city of Detroit bankrupt. Their particular county had higher unemployment than the state’s average and a poor median income as well. Economically speaking, ‘Michigan fared worse …

Strategic Succession Planning - Executive-Level Leadership In A Government Agency, Tajah Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Candidate Development Program (CDP) is responsible for the training, development, and succession planning of government senior executive service (SES) members. While not all SES must go through this program, the CDP initiative is operational in 10 out of 24 federal agencies governed by the Chief Financial Officer Act. In this quantitative study, the client organization wanted to know the strategies a government agency may use to increase executive-level employee development to prepare them for executive appointments. In the current study, a self-administered web-based survey was distributed to CDP Current Trainees, CDP Graduates, and CDP Agency Representatives. The findings led …

Buprenorphine Use For Analgesia In Palliative Care, Leanne K Jackson, Ivy O Poon, Mary A Garcia, Syed Imam, Ursula K Braun

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic long-acting partial µ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist that can be used for chronic pain as a sublingual tablet, transdermal patch (Butrans®), or a buccal film (Belbuca®). Buprenorphine’s unique high receptor binding affinity and slow dissociation at the MOR allow for effective analgesia while offering less adverse effects compared to a full agonist opioid, in particular, less concern for respiratory depression and constipation. It is underused in chronic pain and palliative care due to misconceptions and stigma from its use in opioid use disorder (OUD). This case report discusses the unique pharmacology of buprenorphine, including its advantages, disadvantages, …

Three Essays On The Policy Process Of Subnational Industrial Policymaking In China, Shiyang Xiao

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation consists of four chapters that focus on the policy process of provincial industrial policymaking targeting the manufacturing sector in China. In the first chapter, I introduce an original dataset called the "Chinese Industrial Policy Attention Dataset" (CIPAD). CIPAD contains 612 central-level and 1907 provincial-level Chinese industrial policies issued between 2001 and 2019. A novel design of CIPAD is that the full text of each industrial policy is transformed into a distribution-of-attention vector which records the attention allocation of each policy among 155 finely segmented industrial categories in the manufacturing sector. By transforming industrial policies into distribution-of-attention vectors, CIPAD …

Three Essays On Representation, Participation, And Conflict In Environmental Justice Councils, Graham Ambrose

Dissertations - ALL

In this dissertation, representation, participation, and conflict are examined in state-mandated environmental justice councils. A novel dataset is constructed from council meeting minutes to explore patterns across these key concepts at the individual-level, meeting-level, and council level over time. The first essay examines how meeting-level factors – such as participant diversity, attributes of the meeting, and context – associate with meeting-level participation measured as different types of communication. This essay builds on participation research in collaborative governance, exploring participation through the lens of communication. Leveraging multiple OLS regressions, associations between meeting-level factors and participation through communication are explored. The results …

Exploring Social Workers Potential Role In Mitigating Maternal Mortality Through Coordinated Care, Jena Brown-Talib

Honors Theses

Maternal health disparities persist as a significant challenge in Mississippi, particularly for African American women. This thesis explores the intersection of coordinated care models and social work interventions in addressing maternal mortality. Coordinated care involves collaboration among physicians, nurses, practitioners, social workers, community health workers, and other support services, aiming to maximize pregnant patients' overall health outcomes.

Analyzing strategies of social workers within coordinated care models is important for improving maternal health outcomes within this study. A qualitative approach was chosen to delve beyond statistics and illuminate the reality of maternal health disparities and the efforts to resolve them. Data …

Promoting Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Through Collaborative Governance, Jiho Kim

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation consists of three essays that examine how the performance of collaborative governance may affect the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public administration. Using a variety of quantitative research methods, I systematically examine the actions (Chapter 2), outcomes (Chapter 3), and adaptations (Chapter 4) of multiple collaborative arrangements. The dissertation begins with an introductory chapter (Chapter 1) that lays the theoretical foundations for the three essays (Chapters 2 through 4) and concludes with the final chapter (Chapter 5) that summarizes the joint contributions and implications of the dissertation. The first essay (Chapter 2) explores how deliberation …

Moral Arguments For Water Justice And The Jackson Water Crisis, Benjamin Oliver

Honors Theses

Across the United States, residents of towns and cities find themselves increasingly concerned with their water supply. In 2022, attention shifted to Jackson, Mississippi, as over 150,000 residents of the majority Black capital city were left without clean water. In this thesis, I discuss this case study as well as cases in Baltimore, Maryland, Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, finding that across these cities, there exist patterns of environmental racism and divestment in public resources. Crisis is soon to follow when these patterns compound with the climate change consequences of more intense weather and pollution. To discuss this pattern …

Matthew's Professional Portfolio, Matthew James Feth

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A comprehensive summary of my experiences thus far and my mastery of the core competencies of the social work profession.

South Korea's Scramble For Diplomacy In African Development, Binta Fadiga

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes South Korea’s motivations for growing engagement in African development hypothesizing that diplomacy is a main driver in Korean interest in Africa. South Korea conducts official development aid through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Korea contrasts itself against conventional donors of official development aid, portraying itself as a model of economic development to emulate to recipient countries. Yet, KOICA discloses little regarding developmental methodologies it exports to recipient nations beyond its use of its development expertise and experience. I conducted qualitative analysis using country partnership strategies, official Facebook pages of KOICA Senegal and Rwanda offices, and mid-term …