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Investigation Of Biomolecular Interactions For Development Of Sensors And Diagnostics, Xiaojuan Zhang Nov 2011

Investigation Of Biomolecular Interactions For Development Of Sensors And Diagnostics, Xiaojuan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

The highly specific recognition processes between biomolecules mediate various crucial biological processes. Uncovering the molecular basis of these interactions is of great fundamental and applied importance. This research work focuses on understanding the interactions of several biomolecular recognition systems and processes that can provide fundamental information to aid in the rational design of sensing and molecular recognition tools. Initially, a reliable and versatile platform was developed to investigate biomolecular interactions at a molecular level. This involved several techniques, including biomolecule functionalization to enable attachment to self-assembled monolayers as well as atomic force microscopy (AFM) based force spectroscopy to uncover the …

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Transformation And Renewal, Josephine Stokes Nov 2011

Transformation And Renewal, Josephine Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Artist Statement My art has a common thread of transformation and renewal. It is often my response to the many different changing cycles in life, whether seasonal, emotional, or the process of aging. In addition, the spiritual connections to my faith and family are embedded into many of the works which tell a story of my life and my ever searching soul. Revelations of myself over time and the transformation of thoughts are visually exposed. However, they are revealed with a keen eye and hand which are meant to reach out to the viewer, so they may be transformed and …

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Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Remodels Its Host Cell-Derived Vacuole Into A Protective Niche By Redecorating The Vacuolar Membrane With Select Rab Gtpases And Bacterial Proteins, Bernice Huang Nov 2011

Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Remodels Its Host Cell-Derived Vacuole Into A Protective Niche By Redecorating The Vacuolar Membrane With Select Rab Gtpases And Bacterial Proteins, Bernice Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects neutrophils to cause the emerging tick-transmitted disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Following entry, the pathogen replicates within a host cell-derived vacuole that fails to mature along the endocytic pathway, does not acidify, and does not fuse with lysosomes. Selective fusogenicity is prototypical of many vacuole-adapted pathogens and has been attributed, at least in part, to pathogen modification of the vacuolar inclusion membrane and/or to selective recruitment or exclusion of host trafficking regulators. As a result, the A. phagocytophilum-occupied vacuolar membrane (AVM) provides a unique interface to study the host-pathogen interactions critical …

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Computational Modeling And Simulation Study Of Dermal Wound Healing Proliferative Phase, Le Yang Nov 2011

Computational Modeling And Simulation Study Of Dermal Wound Healing Proliferative Phase, Le Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Dermal wound healing proliferative phase is a complicated physiological process in which many growth factors, cell types and matrix components participate. The process must be well coordinated to restore the structural and functional integrity of tissue injured. Many disorders interrupting healing process result in abnormal healing such as chronic wounds or excessive scarring. Mathematical modeling has been used to investigate many aspects of wound healing. Angiogenesis is pertinent for dermal wound healing since the cellular activities involved in tissue repair requires oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the wound site. By using a hybrid agent-based model, we investigated the …

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My Artistic Journey, Ninnette Santarone Nov 2011

My Artistic Journey, Ninnette Santarone

Theses and Dissertations

My artwork is focused on mixed media and printmaking. Through these media I address current world events, such as global warming and recycling. I also make works that deal with personal emotions. In making my work I use charcoal pencil, paint, newspaper, found stamping materials, and old books. I overlap these materials and blend them together to create an overall cohesive appearance. I present generalized objects that may not appear to be completely finished. This appearance serves as an analogy of the instability of our world’s environment and my personal life.

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Designing Allosteric Inhibitors Of Thrombin, Preetpal Sidhu Nov 2011

Designing Allosteric Inhibitors Of Thrombin, Preetpal Sidhu

Theses and Dissertations

Thrombin is a key enzyme of the coagulation cascade exhibiting important roles in both pro-coagulation and anti-coagulation processes. Most clinically used anticoagulant drugs, including polymeric heparin, warfarin, hirudin, argatroban and the recently approved dabigatran, aim to reduce thrombin activity. There are several binding domains on thrombin including the active site, anion-binding exosites I and II, and the sodium binding site. We hypothesized that thrombin may be better regulated through an allosteric process mediated by small molecules binding to either exosite I or II. An appropriately designed allosteric regulator that reduces the procoagulant signal in a finely tuned manner may maintain …

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Ink (2011-11) Nov 2011

Ink (2011-11)

Ink, 2008-

The student-run features magazine covering the fashion, art, music and culture worlds at VCU and in Richmond. Published annually in print and updated regularly online.

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Commonwealth Times 2011-10-10 Oct 2011

Commonwealth Times 2011-10-10

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

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Commonwealth Times 2011-10-06 Oct 2011

Commonwealth Times 2011-10-06

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

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Characterization Of Cyclic-Di-Gmp Signaling With The Lyme Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, Jessica Kostick Sep 2011

Characterization Of Cyclic-Di-Gmp Signaling With The Lyme Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, Jessica Kostick

Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii, and B. afzelii. These spirochetes experience environmental fluctuations as they are passed between mammalian and Ixodes tick hosts throughout their enzootic cycle. Recent studies have suggested cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP), a ubiquitous secondary messenger, is a key modulator of B. burgdorferi adaptive responses and may play a significant role in cycle progression. In this study, we examined the impact of the sole diguanylate cyclase (Rrp1), c-di-GMP binding proteins (PlzA and PlzB), and HD-GYP-containing phosphodiesterase (PdeB) in disease establishment of both murine and Ixodes tick systems. Strains harboring targeted gene …

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The Use Of Targeted Charge-Reversal Nanoparticles (Tcrns) To Investigate Nuclear Delivery Of Fluorescent Agents To Cancer Cells: Implications For Novel Prostate And Breast Cancer Therapy, Mario Dance Sep 2011

The Use Of Targeted Charge-Reversal Nanoparticles (Tcrns) To Investigate Nuclear Delivery Of Fluorescent Agents To Cancer Cells: Implications For Novel Prostate And Breast Cancer Therapy, Mario Dance

Theses and Dissertations

Nanotechnology has recently emerged as a strong contributor toward research efforts to develop targeted systems of drug delivery in cancer therapy. Our work investigates the therapeutic potential of Targeted Charge-Reversal Nanoparticles (TCRNs), a novel nanoparticle with in vitro evidence of nuclear drug delivery. Using M12 prostate cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and modified derivatives of these cell lines, we investigated the ability of Folic Acid-tagged TCRNs to deliver Nile Red and Dimethyl Indole Redfluorescent (DiR) fluorescent dyes to the nucleus of cells using confocal microscopy and in vivo biphontonic imaging using Xenogen® Technology. Confocal imaging with the SCP28 derivative …

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Commonwealth Times 2011-09-08 Sep 2011

Commonwealth Times 2011-09-08

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

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Developmental Remodeling Of Relay Cells In The Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (Dlgn) Of The Mouse And The Role Of Retinal Innervation, Rana El-Danaf Sep 2011

Developmental Remodeling Of Relay Cells In The Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (Dlgn) Of The Mouse And The Role Of Retinal Innervation, Rana El-Danaf

Theses and Dissertations

The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) has become an important model for studying many aspects of visual system development. To date, studies have focused on the development of retinal projections and the role of activity in shaping the pattern of synaptic connections made with thalamocortical relay cells. By contrast, little is known about relay cells and the factors that regulate the growth and establishment of their dendritic architecture. In many systems, such growth seems consistent with the synaptotrophic hypothesis which states that synapse formation and dendritic growth work in a concerted fashion such that afferent input and the establishment of …

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Gene Expression In The Right Ventricle During Development Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Jennifer Drake Sep 2011

Gene Expression In The Right Ventricle During Development Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Jennifer Drake

Theses and Dissertations

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease of the lung vessels that causes severe effects on the right ventricle of the heart; ultimately, most patients with severe PAH die as a result of right heart failure. However, little is known about the causes of right heart failure. Here, we describe a pattern of gene expression that differs between the normal rat left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV). These genes are known to be involved in the development of the heart as well as adaptations to the heart during stress. This gene expression pattern is used as a baseline to …

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The Abundance And Infection Status Of Anopheles Spp. Mosquitoes At Three Sites In Loudoun County, Northern Virginia, Priya Krishnan Aug 2011

The Abundance And Infection Status Of Anopheles Spp. Mosquitoes At Three Sites In Loudoun County, Northern Virginia, Priya Krishnan

Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a re-emerging infectious disease with approximately half of the world's population at risk. In the US, since the 1950’s the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been reporting between 1,000 and 1,500 cases of malaria every year. A majority of these cases were among US travellers and were attributed to Plasmodium falciparum. In August 2002, two cases of human malaria due to Plasmodium vivax were reported in Loudoun County, Northern Virginia. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that these cases were acquired locally. This was because of an absence of other risk factors such as international …

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Characterizing The Distribution Of Planktonic Fecal Bacteria In The James River, Richmond, Virginia, John Furry Aug 2011

Characterizing The Distribution Of Planktonic Fecal Bacteria In The James River, Richmond, Virginia, John Furry

Theses and Dissertations

Surface waters containing fecal bacteria present significant public health risks. Understanding the sources of and factors affecting the distribution of fecal-indicating bacteria is necessary to predict potential illnesses more effectively. This thesis presents two studies on the distribution of fecal bacteria in the James River through Richmond, Virginia. Chapter 1 describes nearly 11 years of water quality, climate, and hydrologic data that occurred with changes in Escherichia coli concentrations, concluding that Richmond contributes significant quantities of fecal bacteria to the James River, and that the distribution of these bacteria varies seasonally. Chapter 2 details the development of Polymerase Chain Reaction …

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Role Of Autophagy In Radiosensitization Of Breast Tumor Cells, Molly L. Bristol Aug 2011

Role Of Autophagy In Radiosensitization Of Breast Tumor Cells, Molly L. Bristol

Theses and Dissertations

In MCF-7 breast tumor cells, ionizing radiation promoted autophagy that was cytoprotective; pharmacological or genetic interference with autophagy induced by radiation resulted in growth suppression and/or cell killing (primarily by apoptosis). The hormonally active form of vitamin D, 1,25D3, also promoted autophagy in irradiated MCF-7 cells, sensitized the cells to radiation and suppressed the proliferative recovery that occurs after radiation alone. 1,25D3 also enhanced radiosensitivity and promoted autophagy in MCF7 cells that overexpress Her-2/neu as well as in p53 mutant Hs578t breast tumor cells. In contrast, 1,25D3 failed to alter radiosensitivity or promote autophagy in the BT474 breast tumor cell …

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The Potential For Eutrophication Mitigation From Aquaculture Of The Native Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, In Chesapeake Bay: Quantitative Assessment Of An Ecosystem Service, Colleen Higgins Aug 2011

The Potential For Eutrophication Mitigation From Aquaculture Of The Native Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, In Chesapeake Bay: Quantitative Assessment Of An Ecosystem Service, Colleen Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

Native oysters have been promoted as a means to improve water quality in Chesapeake Bay. This project added important insights into the potential of oyster aquaculture to process and remove nutrients from Bay waters. Results clarified that nutrient removal of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and carbon (C) through harvest of cultivated oyster biomass can be quantified and modeled with high levels of statistical confidence. A simple, yet accurate, method is now available for estimating the amount of nutrients removed via harvesting aquacultured oysters. Based on model estimates, 106 harvest sized oysters (76 mm TL) remove 132 kg TN, 19 kg …

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Projection Design For A Contemporary Dance Work By Iván Angelus In Hungary, Tennessee Dixon Aug 2011

Projection Design For A Contemporary Dance Work By Iván Angelus In Hungary, Tennessee Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to document and analyze my projection design for a new dance piece, "VŰ", directed by Angelus Iván and staged at Trafó in Budapest, Hungary. Included is an account of the design process, the concept and projection development described scene by scene, execution, performance and evaluation. The paper ends with reflections on the relatively new field of image projections, and my professional goals in scenic design.

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The Effects Of Hypothermia On Status Epilepticus-Induced Acquired Epilepsy, Kristin Phillips Aug 2011

The Effects Of Hypothermia On Status Epilepticus-Induced Acquired Epilepsy, Kristin Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Status epilepticus (SE) is a type of neurological injury characterized by continuous seizure activity and can lead to molecular and pathophysiological alterations leading to plasticity changes. SE can lead to the development of AE by the process of epileptogenesis, which is a phenomenon that describes the transformation of normal brain tissue into a hyperexcitable neuronal population. It has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro that calcium (Ca2+) dynamics are severely altered during and after SE, and these changes play a major role in the progression of epileptogenesis. It has also been reported that preventing the rise in intracellular …

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Creation Of Multilinage Adult Stem-Like Cells From Terminally Differentiatied Fibroblasts, John Moore Jul 2011

Creation Of Multilinage Adult Stem-Like Cells From Terminally Differentiatied Fibroblasts, John Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Induced Pluripotent Stem cells (iPScs) are artificially generated cells that demonstrate multilineage differentiation potential. These cells demonstrate similar morphology and high differentiation potential to Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs). Generation of these cells from a terminally differentiated cell line requires activation of the core pluripotency genes Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2 as well as an oncogenic stimulus such as c-Myc. Here we examine the effect of the Human Pappiloma Virus derived proteins E6 and E7 on the ability of a terminally differentiated fibroblast cell line to a more primitive state and examine its multilineage differentiation capacity. In this paper, we attempt to …

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Morphology, Material And Vibratory Properties Of The Swimbladder In The Carp, Cyprinus Carpio, Yasha Mohajer Jul 2011

Morphology, Material And Vibratory Properties Of The Swimbladder In The Carp, Cyprinus Carpio, Yasha Mohajer

Theses and Dissertations

The carp Cyprinus carpio has a two-chambered swimbladder and excellent hearing. I explored the hypothesis that the anterior chamber, which connects to Weberian ossicles, is adapted for hearing by testing both chambers for material properties. I also determined displacement and auditory responses to mechanical strikes. Wall stress is higher in the posterior, strain in the anterior and modulus lower in the anterior chamber. Strikes increase pressure followed by a variable rebound that rapidly decays. Displacement and sound amplitude increase with hammer force, and amplitude is similar in both chambers for within chamber strikes but lower across chambers. Normalized for equivalent …

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Functional Characterization Of The Streptococcus Sanguinis Com Regulon, Jill Callahan Jul 2011

Functional Characterization Of The Streptococcus Sanguinis Com Regulon, Jill Callahan

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus sanguinis is an important component of the dental plaque biofilm and is believed to play a beneficial role in the oral cavity. S. sanguinis is also a leading cause of infective endocarditis (IE), a potentially lethal infection of the cardiac valves. S. sanguinis possesses genetic competence, the ability to acquire exogenous DNA into its genome. In the well characterized system of S. pneumoniae, genetic competence requires a quorum sensing system encoded by the early comCDE genes, as well as late genes controlled by the alternate sigma factor, ComX. Previous studies in other streptococcal species have suggested functions for the …

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Sphingosine-1-Phosphate In Mast Cell-Mediated Allergic Responses, Megan Price Jul 2011

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate In Mast Cell-Mediated Allergic Responses, Megan Price

Theses and Dissertations

Mast cells play a critical role in both acute and chronic inflammation and mature in peripheral tissues from bone marrow-derived progenitors that circulate in the blood as immature precursors. Mast cell progenitors are likely to encounter the serum-borne bioactive sphingolipid metabolite, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), during migration to target tissues. Mast cells developed from human cord blood-derived progenitors cultured with stem cell factor (SCF) alone express intragranular tryptase (MCT), the phenotype predominant in the lung. S1P accelerated the development of cord blood-derived mast cells (CB-MCs) and strikingly increased the numbers of mast cells expressing chymase. These mast cells have functional FcepsilonRI, and …

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Silk Fibroin-Based Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Jennifer Mccool Jul 2011

Silk Fibroin-Based Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Jennifer Mccool

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the comparison of the electrospun silk scaffolds to the electrospun silk fibroin gel scaffolds. Moreover, this study examined the differences in cross-linking effects of genipin and methanol as well as solvents on the mechanical properties and cell compatibility of the scaffolds. Silk scaffolds were electrospun from an aqueous solution or 1,1,1,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) without genipin, immediately after 8 % (wt) genipin was added to the solution, and 18 hours after genipin blended with the solution. Uniaxial tensile testing determined that the silk scaffolds electrospun from water exhibit a higher modulus and peak stress than that of the …

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Opioid Addiction Treatments During Pregnancy And Their Effects On Axonal Growth And Myelination In The Developing Central Nervous System, Manisha Magar Jul 2011

Opioid Addiction Treatments During Pregnancy And Their Effects On Axonal Growth And Myelination In The Developing Central Nervous System, Manisha Magar

Theses and Dissertations

Treatment with buprenorphine represents a promising alternative for pregnant opioid addicts but there is a need to understand potential effects on nervous system development. We previously showed effects of perinatal exposure to buprenorphine on axonal caliber and myelination in 26-day-old rat corpus callosum. These changes, detected at the end of rapid brain myelination and accompanied by earlier oligodendrocyte maturation, suggested interference with mechanisms coordinating axonal growth and myelination. To better understand buprenorphine actions and to establish whether these effects extend to the spinal cord, we analyzed the corpus callosum and corticospinal tract at 16 days of age, just before the …

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A Comparative Study Of A Pathogenic Versus A Nonpathogenic Naegleria Species, Melissa Jamerson Jul 2011

A Comparative Study Of A Pathogenic Versus A Nonpathogenic Naegleria Species, Melissa Jamerson

Theses and Dissertations

Naegleria fowleri (N. fowleri) and Naegleria lovaniensis (N. lovaniensis) are closely related amebae found in the environment. N. fowleri causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a fatal disease of the central nervous system, while N. lovaniensis is nonpathogenic. N. fowleri infection occurs when amebae enter the nasal passages, and migrate to the brain. The molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of PAM are not well-defined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to define phenotypic characteristics that may be functionally linked to the pathogenicity associated with N. fowleri. Studies revealed that N. fowleri has a faster growth rate and is more …

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Detection Of Secreted Proteases And A Membrane Protease In Pathogenic Acanthamoeba Culbertsoni, Shivdeep Deo Jul 2011

Detection Of Secreted Proteases And A Membrane Protease In Pathogenic Acanthamoeba Culbertsoni, Shivdeep Deo

Theses and Dissertations

Acanthamoeba culbertsoni (A. culbertsoni) is an amphizoic amoeba that is the causative agent of Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE), an often fatal central nervous system infection that is seen most frequently in severely immunocompromised patients and is characterized by hemorrhagic and necrotic lesions of the brain as well as varying degrees of granuloma formation. A.culbertsoni isolates have also been identified in a few cases of Amoebic Keratitis, a painful, sight-threatening corneal infection that disproportionately affects contact lens users irrespective of immune status. Common features of both infections include amoebic interaction with host extracellular matrix (ECM) components as requisites for both attachment …

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Expression Profiling And Functional Validation Of Micrornas Involved In Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Albert H. Kim Jul 2011

Expression Profiling And Functional Validation Of Micrornas Involved In Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Albert H. Kim

Theses and Dissertations

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. MiRNAs have been shown to affect neuronal differentiation, synaptosomal complex localization and synapse plasticity, all functions thought to be disrupted in schizophrenia. We investigated the expression of 667 miRNAs (miRBase v.13) in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ, N = 35) and bipolar disorder (BP, N =35) using a real-time PCR-based Taqman Low Density Array (TLDA). After extensive QC steps, 441 miRNAs were included in the final analyses. At a FDR of 10%, 22 miRNAs were identified as …

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Natural Disasters And Older Adults: The Social Construction Of Disaster Planning, Elizabeth Fugate-Whitlock Jul 2011

Natural Disasters And Older Adults: The Social Construction Of Disaster Planning, Elizabeth Fugate-Whitlock

Theses and Dissertations

Examining older adults’ experiences with and response toward hurricanes within the context of the community of residence is key to both understanding their experiences and planning for future hurricanes. Specific to this research, the objective was to understand the current social network of older adults, or who provides care for whom under what circumstances, using the social constructionist perspective. Grounded theory combined with action research was the theoretical orientation guiding the study. Sources of data included the collection of household disaster plans, semi-structured interviews with older adult residents of housing authority neighborhoods, semi-structured interviews with community planners, and observation of …

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