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Essays On The Unintended Effects Of Tobacco Control Policies On Adolescent Health Behaviors, Rebecca Sen Choudhury

Doctoral Dissertations

My dissertation examines the unintended consequences of tobacco control policies on adolescent health behaviors and outcomes. The first essay examines the effects of cigarette taxes on teenagers’ physical activity. Smoking and physical activity are both strategies for weight management, and exercise may be a way to reduce some of the ill effects of smoking. These different links suggest that cigarette taxes could either increase or decrease physical activity. We explore this relationship using repeated cross-sectional 1991-2017 data from the national and state Youth Risk BehaviorSurveillance System (YRBS), combined with state-level policies and controls. Our smoking participation results confirm past work; …

Structural And Binding Studies Of The Polar Organizing Protein Z (Popz) Using Nmr Spectroscopy, Christopher Taylor Nordyke

Doctoral Dissertations

The polar organizing protein Z (PopZ) is an intrinsically disordered protein from Caulobacter crescentus that is necessary for the formation of three-dimensional microdomains at the cell poles, where it functions as a hub protein that recruits multiple regulatory proteins. Although a large portion of the protein is predicted to be disordered, PopZ can self-assemble into polymeric superstructure scaffolds that directly bind to at least ten different proteins. Here, we report the solution NMR structure of PopZΔ134–177, a truncated variant of PopZ that does not self-assemble but retains the ability to interact with heterologous proteins. We show that the unbound form …

Performance Evaluation And Review Framework Of Robotic Missions (Perform): Autonomous Path Planning And Autonomy Performance Evaluation, Allisa Dalpe

Doctoral Dissertations

The scope of this work spans two main areas of autonomy research 1) autonomous path planning and 2) test and evaluation of autonomous systems. Path planning is an integral part of autonomous decision-making, and a deep understanding in this area provides valuable perspective on approaching the problem of how to effectively evaluate vehicle behavior.

Autonomous decision-making capabilities must include reliability, robustness, and trustworthiness in a real-world environment. A major component of robot decision-making lies in intelligent path-planning. Serving as the brains of an autonomous system, an efficient and reliable path planner is crucial to mission success and overall safety. A …

Why Are We Doing This: How Students Find Meaning In Research Writing Across Contexts, Scott Lasley

Doctoral Dissertations

Building on the work of Eodice, Geller, and Lerner and other Composition and Higher Education scholars, my dissertation examines what factors create a meaningful research writing experience. Specifically, this study explores two research questions: 1) How do advanced-level student writers define themselves as writers who use research? 2) How do those identities influence how they understand and utilize research writing concepts? I pursued these questions through a year-long, IRB-approved, qualitative study of junior and senior university students across the disciplines, including English, Neuroscience, and Computer Engineering. Using surveys and interviews, I asked them about meaningful research writing they have done …

"I Know You're Family": An Exploration Of The Enduring Relevance Of A Pre-College Summer Bridge Program For Underrepresented Minoritized Students, Kathryn Slater

Doctoral Dissertations

The proposed dissertation investigates the enduring relevance of a pre-college summer bridge program for underrepresented minoritized (URM) students who participate in the program as an entry point into a predominantly White institution (PWI). Using narrative inquiry and a critical frame, this dissertation uses individual interviewing and focus group data to understand the experiences of 10 URM summer bridge program participants at different points in their undergraduate academic career. For the purposes of this study, relevance of a summer bridge program for URM students refers to the ways in which deliberate and proactive programming helps students to develop academic and socio-emotional …

Development Of Open Lactam And Captopril Analogues For The Covalent Inhibition Of Metallo-Β-Lactamases, Marie-Josiane Ohoueu

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN LACTAM AND CAPTOPRIL ANALOGUES FOR THE COVALENT INHIBITION OF METALLO-β-LACTAMASES

ByMARIE-JOSIANE OHOUEU University of New Hampshire, May 2021 The synthesis of a series of compounds designed to act as inhibitors of metallo-β-lactamase enzymes (MBLs), a sub-class of β-lactamases found in several clinically difficult to treat bacteria that are responsible for the widespread β-lactam antibiotic resistance, are described. The strategy involves the introduction of a functional group, such as an epoxide or thiirane, in the designed inhibitors capable of covalently binding the MBL targets and shutting them down irreversibly. This would prevent the enzymes from hydrolyzing the …

Pews, Proprietors, And Plutocracy: The Business Model Of Unitarian And Congregational Religious Societies In Northern New England, 1790-1850, Amy Beth Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines Unitarian and Congregational religious societies in northern New England port cities from 1790-1850 and argues that pew proprietorship created a plutocracy, which resulted in the development of a corporate character for Protestant churches and a prioritization of secular over theological concerns. Scholarship on Protestant New England churches during the Early Republic is sorely lacking and historians need a greater understanding of the role proprietors played in church affairs. In the antebellum period, wealthy Protestant elites in Portland, Maine, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Boston, Massachusetts consolidated their power through the purchase of pews, which provided them proportional control …

Nanoelectronic Devices For Sensitive Detection Of Biomarkers In Healthcare Monitoring, Md Niazul Islam Khan

Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, biosensors have seen an exponential rise of their applications in a number of fields including the field of health care monitoring, particularly in point-of-care diagnostics. With the contemporary rise of nanotechnology, these biosensors have experienced an ever-growing inclusion of nano scale electronic devices or nanoelectronic devices to exploit the plethora of advantages of nanoelectronics. The performances of these nanoelectronic devices, however, largely depend on the nanomaterials used. Especially, carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene have proven to be superior candidates compared to others because of their multitude of electronic and mechanical properties suitable for …

“We Feminine Foresters”: Women, Conservation, And The Usda Forest Service, 1850-1970, Rachel D. Kline

Doctoral Dissertations

The traditional narrative of the Forest Service places the mythic “two-fisted” male ranger as the focus of its history. The reality is that without women he would not have gotten the job done. Women’s work as advocates, foresters, rangers’ wives, clerks, information and education specialists, scientific researchers, and lookouts reveals that although women were excluded from the male domain of forestry, they created a distinct female tradition within the Forest Service—what one called a “feminine forestry” that proved without women, the Forest Service would not have achieved its accomplishments or growth throughout the twentieth century. Throughout their work, women spread …

Exploring Mathematical Connections Preservice Teachers Make Between Abstract Algebra And Secondary Mathematics: Implications For Learning And Teaching, Cammie Gray

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract algebra has been identified as an important course for preservice secondary mathematics teachers because much of the abstract algebra content is connected to, and thus relevant for, secondary mathematics teaching (Wasserman et al., 2017). However, many preservice teachers do not recognize the usefulness of an undergraduate abstract algebra course and see no relation between abstract algebra and secondary school mathematics (Christy & Sparks, 2015; Ticknor, 2012). While much of the research regarding preservice teachers making connections to secondary school mathematics in abstract algebra has been conducted in courses designed for preservice teachers, the research suggests that most universities with …

Development Of A Sunken Oil Transport Tool Using Mesoscale Experiments, Melissa Denise Gloekler

Doctoral Dissertations

Oil spilled into fresh or saline water can float, become submerged in the water column (i.e., submerged oil), or sink to the bottom (i.e., sunken oil). Once introduced to the environment, oil can negatively impact ecological and public health, and the economy. Non-floating oil spills pose unique challenges to responders including the complexity of trajectory modeling; the inability to detect, track and recover oil due to limited visibility; the lack of readily deployable response technology; and limited understanding of how bottom substrate dynamics influence its fate and behavior. This dissertation research determined that the driving factors used to predict sunken …

Discourses Of Diversity: A Qualitative Case Study Of World Language Pedagogies Through An Intersectional Lens, Sheri Dion

Doctoral Dissertations

Schools are becoming more linguistically and racially diverse in K-12 settings, yet there is relatively little research that explores how language teachers incorporate student and community diversities in their pedagogies. Situated at one, northeastern public secondary school in the United States, this research offers a qualitative case study of language pedagogies through an intersectional lens to investigate the mechanisms and contexts through which inequities arise. Data is collected from the following sources: teacher interviews, classroom observations, teachers’ syllabi, and student de-identified work. This study employs intersectionality (Collins & Bilge, 2016; Crenshaw, 1989, 2010) as a primary theoretical lens and critical …

Investigating The Evolutionary Dynamics Of Traits In Metazoa, Jennifer L. Spillane

Doctoral Dissertations

Over the last 800 million years, animals have evolved an incredible array of diverse forms, life histories, ecologies, and traits. In the age of genome-scale resources for many animal taxa, researchers have a unique opportunity to investigate animal diversity and evolution through comparative genomic methods. These methods allow for studies not only of current diversity and evolutionary relationships, but also of ancient evolutionary dynamics and genomic repertoire. In order to study the evolution of diverse animal traits in a rigorous way however, researchers must not neglect the fundamental components of a robust comparative genomics study: well-supported phylogenies, high-quality genomic resources, …

Gdf1 As A Regulator Of Ceramide Metabolism And Hematopoiesis In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Weiyuan Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer of the myeloid lineage of blood cells. In AML, hematopoietic precursors acquire mutations or chromosomal changes that cause differentiation arrest. This results in an uncontrolled proliferation of these malignant cells in the bone marrow that can interfere with normal blood cell production. AML progresses rapidly and can be fatal within weeks if left untreated. The only current curative treatment is bone marrow transplant, which has potentially life-threatening side effects. Thus, a better understanding of the underlying biology of AML is needed to enable the development of better therapeutic modalities.Ceramides are a family of wax-like …

Justice System Outcomes Of Children Referred For Sexual Offenses, Kei Saito

Doctoral Dissertations

The proliferation of increasingly punitive sex crime legislation in the United States have extended to include children adjudicated of sexual offenses. Using data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, this dissertation examined the impact of three factors on sentencing outcomes for children referred for illegal sexual behaviors: race, same-sex victim, and county of referral. (1) Black children were disproportionately arrested for sexual offenses compared to any other racial/ethnic group. However, Black children in the sample were less likely to face harsher outcomes compared to Caucasian children, such as adjudication and ordered to register as a sex offender. (2) Children …

Broadly-Based Graduate School Sponsored Communication Skills Programs: A Study In Three Essays Of Programs And Perceptions Of The Diversification Of Career Pathways, Jovana Milosavljevic Ardeljan

Doctoral Dissertations

It has been asserted that communication skills play a critical role in success in a job (What is technical writing?, n.d.). Traditional graduate training prepares students for communication within their field of study; however, it often fails to provide skill development opportunities needed for addressing more general audiences (Coleman, 2018). This research focuses on broadly-based oral and written communication programs which help graduate students to learn to write and orally communicate more effectively to different audiences for different purposes, in and outside of academia, enabling them to explain clearly what they do and why it matters.Using archival analysis and interviews, …

Wind, Wave, And Engineering Effects On Tidal Inlet Morphodynamics, Joshua Lincoln Humberston

Doctoral Dissertations

This body of work examines the hydro- and morpho-dynamics of tidal inlets using a diverse array of research tools. A custom X-band radar system (RIOS) is designed and used to track the evolution of shoal features over the ebb-tidal delta at Oregon Inlet, NC. Analysis of the data reveals that alongshore shoal migration rates are closely correlated to wave driven alongshore sediment transport, and also that the cross-shore bedform migration rates are tightly correlated with a sub-tidal water level gradient though the inlet. A follow up experiment with in-situ sensors suggests that the sub-tidal gradient is set up by regional …

Genome Evolution And Population Dynamics Of Staphylococcus Bacteria, Joshua Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

The gram-positive bacterial genus Staphylococcus (phylum Firmicutes) is a heterogeneous group that consists of commensals and opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. To date, there are 57 validly published species according to the List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN). The most well-studied and widely sampled species is Staphylococcus aureus, which causes a wide range of diseases in humans from relatively minor skin infections to much more invasive and serious sepsis, pneumonia, or endocarditis. For many years, Staphylococcus other than S. aureus have been regarded as non-pathogenic, but these bacteria are now being recognized as potential pathogens in …

Diversity In The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children In The Us, Brianna Ferreira

Master's Theses and Capstones

Researchers have examined the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), however, they tend to focus on a stereotypical victim. Little research exists on the diversity of CSEC, and the various forms that it can encompass. This secondary data analysis examines the diversity in United States CSEC cases by using Mitchell, Finkelhor, and Wolak’s (2010) National Juvenile Prostitution Study (NJPS) case narratives. The current study uses thematic analysis to analyze the 132 NJPS case narratives. Seven major overarching themes of diversity emerged throughout the research process: (1) Facilitator/Relationship of Facilitator and Dynamics, (2) Gender of Juvenile, (3) Reason for Engagement: Risk …

Control Of Phosphorus Dynamics Between Groundwater, Surface Water, And Soil Compartments In A Montane Tropical Watershed, Virginia Ann Hoyt

Master's Theses and Capstones

Surface, subsurface, and soil water chemistry of a tropical river system was studied to better understand how ecosystem compartments along hydrologic flowpaths control phosphorus dynamics, what factors control downstream phosphorus trends, and what factors account for spatial variability in PO4 concentrations in a tropical montane watershed. Interactions between ecosystem compartments and changes in the global nitrogen cycle have been well- documented and described, but much less is known in this regard about the global phosphorus [P] cycle. To enhance our understanding of interactions between ecosystem compartments, longitudinal P variability, P-processing at the interfaces, and P-cycling, I conducted a series of …

Cognitive Control And Language Network Connectivity Associated With Language Production In Aphasia, Jessica Lee

Master's Theses and Capstones

Aphasia is the breakdown of language comprehension and production due to an acquired brain injury of the left hemisphere. Investigation of the neurological underpinnings of aphasia have advanced from post-mortem investigation of specific regions in the 1800s to the utilization of brain imaging technology to understand brain networks. These approaches have helped us to appreciate the reorganization of the brain and its networks post stroke, particularly as it relates or is modified for adequate versus impaired performance. Research into neuroplastic changes can elucidate differences between healthy and lesioned brains. Furthermore, identification of adaptive (or maladaptive) neuroplastic changes can also inform …

Analyzing Transitional Stages During Transfer Of Control In An Automated Vehicle, Divyabharathi Nagaraju

Master's Theses and Capstones

The level 3 automation vehicles provide time for drivers to participate in a non-driving task when vehicle automation is on. However, the vehicle requests the driver to take control of the vehicle when the system reaches its limitations. Many researchers have studied different hand-over procedures, and the effect on take-over time and driving performance. There is limited research on analyzing the driver's transitions during the transfer of control in an automated vehicle. The goal of our research work is to find out the order of a series of transition stages that a driver goes through during take-over in an automated …

Motion Study Of A Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Using A Physical Scale Model And Numerical Modeling, Aaron J. Russell

Master's Theses and Capstones

The storm response of a point absorber wave energy device and mooring design was investigated using a Froude scaled physical model and computer software. This testing allowed the behavior of the device to be observed and analyzed in a controlled environment before future field testing at a site south of the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire. The information gathered can then be used to make design changes and improvements before finalizing the design. A scale model of the Healy Wave Energy Converter (WEC) was built and tested in the University of New Hampshire wave tank. The data collected from this …

An Empirical Evaluation Of Visual Cues For 3d Flow Field Perception, Andrew Harlan Stevens

Doctoral Dissertations

Three-dimensional vector fields are common datasets throughout the sciences. They often represent physical phenomena that are largely invisible to us in the real world, like wind patterns and ocean currents. Computer-aided visualization is a powerful tool that can represent data in any way we choose through digital graphics. Visualizing 3D vector fields is inherently difficult due to issues such as visual clutter, self-occlusion, and the difficulty of providing depth cues that adequately support the perception of flow direction in 3D space. Cutting planes are often used to overcome these issues by presenting slices of data that are more cognitively manageable. …

Trash Or Treasure: Nh Seacoast Artist Digs Up The Ba & Bfa Exhibition, Aubrey Benoit

Digital Edition

An independent student produced newspaper from the University of New Hampshire.

Restoration Of Native Plant Communities In Sand Dune Systems Of Plum Island, Newbury, Massachusetts, Natalie Feldsine

Master's Theses and Capstones

The impacts of Superstorm Sandy on coastal resources of the eastern United States have brought the importance of resilient sand dune systems into focus. While dunes are primarily dominated by American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata), a host of other native species commonly occur in these systems, providing diversity and habitat complexity that is often not recognized or incorporated into dune restoration initiatives, and could benefit sites where dune dieout is a concern. Dieout refers to the death of A. breviligulata occurring in large patches. The goal of this study was to explore the importance of biodiversity on dune resiliency by using …

Examining The Relationship Between Life Skill Development And Negative Experiences In Sport: The Influence Of Resilience, Levone Lee

Master's Theses and Capstones

A study by Kendellen and Camire (2015) demonstrated that sport participants not only experienced positive outcomes (i.e., development of life skills), but also encounter numerous examples of negative experiences (i.e., anxiety, aggression, negative interactions with coaches, and prioritizing sport over school). Negative experiences have been linked to an increased risk of detrimental outcomes, such as mental and behavioral health concerns. However, there is a paucity of research examining the impact that negative experiences have on positive outcomes. Utilizing a risk and resiliency framework (Fraser et al., 1999), which proposes that individuals have the capability of attaining positive outcomes even when …

Applying Island Biogeography Theory And Ecoacoustic Approaches To Explore The Species Composition, Richness, And Biodiversity In Northern Temperate Salt Marsh Pools Of The Little River Estuary, Sofia Rose Licht

Master's Theses and Capstones

Salt marsh habitats are prevalent throughout coastal New England and offer a wide rangeof ecological services, including serving as nursery habitats to both transient and resident species, trapping sediment and nutrients to keep pace with rising sea levels, and improving water quality through filtration of runoff. These complex habitats remain poorly understood, especially regarding the biological communities that occupy them. The northern temperate salt marshes that characterize the coast of Northern New England contain northern temperate salt marsh pools (NTSPs) that serve as important wildlife habitats with unique abiotic conditions and biotic communities. The isolated nature of these pools from …

Factors Affecting Purchase Of Locally Grown Produce: A Case Study Of New Hampshire Markets, Jordan Strater

Master's Theses and Capstones

There has been a recent focus on expanding local agriculture production in New Hampshire, and more information on consumer decision making in regard to local food purchasing is needed. Expansion of local food production and consumption has been of great interest in the past several years, with many consumers becoming increasingly curious about where their food comes from. Concerns about disease, environmental damage, fossil fuel usage, and recently food chain disruption due to COVID-19 as well as the health of local economies have fostered this awareness about the origins of our food (Onozaka et al. 2010; Thilmany et al. 2020). …

Covenants To Discriminate: How The Anti-Lgbt Policies Of Participating Voucher Schools Might Violate The State Action Doctrine, Preston C. Green Iii, Julie F. Mead, Suzanne E. Eckes

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

This article analyzes the legal arguments that students might make to compel states that subsidize private education through voucher, tax credit scholarship, and ESA programs to offer these programs on an equal basis, regardless of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the student or members of the student’s family. The first section provides an overview of voucher programs and discusses the prevalence of participating schools with anti-LGBT admissions policies. The second section evaluates constitutional challenges that students could make to invalidate the anti-LGBT admissions policies of participating voucher schools under the state action doctrine. Specifically, we explain the possibilities …