Digital Commons Network^™

A Cfd Model For Thermal Conversion Of Thermally Thick Biomass Particles, Ramin Mehrabian, Selma Zahirovic, Robert Scharler, Ingwald Obernberger, Stefan Kleditzsch, Siegmar Wirtz, Victor Scherer, Hong Lu, Larry L. Baxter

Faculty Publications

A one-dimensional model for the thermal conversion of thermally thick biomass particles is developed for the simulation of the fuel bed of biomass grate furnaces. The model can be applied for cylindrical and spherical particles. The particle is divided into four layers corresponding to the main stages of biomass thermal conversion. The energy and mass conservation equations are solved for each layer. The reactions are assigned to the boundaries. The model can predict the intra-particle temperature gradient, the particle mass loss rate as well as the time-dependent variations of particle size and density, as the most essential features of particle …

The Role Of Mothers And Media On Emerging Adults’ Religious Faith And Practices By Way Of Internalization Of Prosocial Values, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Larry J. Nelson

Faculty Publications

In the current study, we investigated the role of emerging adults’ internalization of prosocial values as a mediator between maternal relationship quality and two types of media use (positive and negative) and religious faith and practices. Participants included 500 undergraduate students (ranging from 18 to 26 years; 75% European American) from five American universities. Structural equation modeling results indicated that both maternal relationship quality and positive media were related positively and indirectly (by way of prosocial values) to religious faith, and maternal relationship quality was related positively and directly to religious faith. In contrast, negative media use was related negatively …

Aerosol-Assisted Synthesis Of Monodisperse Single-Crystalline Α-Cristobalite Nanospheres, Xingmao Jiang, Lihong Bao, Yung-Sung Cheng, Darren R. Dunphy, Xiaodong Li, C. Jeffrey Brinker

Faculty Publications

Monodisperse single-crystalline α-cristobalite nanospheres have been synthesized by hydrocarbon-pyrolysis-induced carbon deposition on amorphous silica aerosol nanoparticles, devitrification of the coated silica at high temperature, and subsequent carbon removal by oxidation. The nanosphere size can be well controlled by tuning the size of the colloidal silica precursor. Uniform, high-purity nanocrystalline α-cristobalite is important for catalysis, nanocomposites, advanced polishing, and understanding silica nanotoxicology.

Relationship Between Vancomycin Trough Concentrations And Nephrotoxicity: A Prospective Multicenter Trial, John A. Bosso, Jean Nappi, Celeste Rudisill, Marlea Wellein, P Brandon Bookstaver, Jenna Swindler, Patrick D. Mauldin

Faculty Publications

Several single-center studies have suggested that higher doses of vancomycin, aimed at producing trough concentrations of >15 mg/liter, are associated with increased risk of nephrotoxicity. We prospectively assessed the relative incidence of nephrotoxicity in relation to trough concentration in patients with documented methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at seven hospitals throughout South Carolina. Adult patients receiving vancomycin for at least 72 h with at least one vancomycin trough concentration determined under steady-state conditions were prospectively studied. The relationship between vancomycin trough concentrations of >15 mg/ml and the occurrence of nephrotoxicity was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses, controlling for age, …

Quantum Scalar Field In Quantum Gravity: The Propagator And Lorentz Invariance In The Spherically Symmetric Case, Rodolfo Gambini, Jorge Pullin, Saeed Rastgoo

Faculty Publications

We recently studied gravity coupled to a scalar field in spherical symmetry using loop quantum gravity techniques. Since there are local degrees of freedom one faces the "problem of dynamics". We attack it using the "uniform discretization technique". We find the quantum state that minimizes the value of the master constraint for the case of weak fields and curvatures. The state has the form of a direct product of Gaussians for the gravitational variables times a modified Fock state for the scalar field. In this paper we do three things. First, we verify that the previous state also yields a …

A Review Of The Toxicity Of Chemical Dispersants, James Wise, John Pierce Wise

Faculty Publications

Chemical dispersants are a mixture of various surfactants and solvents. Most dispersants are proprietary, and the complete composition is not often public knowledge. Chemical dispersants used for the cleanup and containment of crude oil toxicity became a major concern after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. During the crisis, millions of liters of chemical dispersants (Corexit 9527 and 9500) were used - the largest known application of dispersants in the field. As of February 2011, 38 peer-reviewed articles were available on the toxicity of 35 different chemical dispersants. Nalco, BP, Shell, and Total Special Fluids …

Patterns Of Information Behavior And Prostate Cancer Knowledge Among African-American Men, Levi Ross, Tyra Dark, Heather Orom, Willie Underwood Iii, Charkarra T. Anderson-Lewis, Jarrett Johnson, Deborah O. Erwin

Faculty Publications

The purposes of this study are to explore cancer information acquisition patterns among African-American men and to evaluate relationships between information acquisition patterns and prostate cancer prevention and control knowledge. A random sample of 268 men participated in a statewide interviewer-administered, telephone survey. Men classified as non-seekers, non-medical source seekers, and medical source seekers of prostate cancer information differed on household income, level of education, and beliefs about personal risk for developing prostate cancer. Results from multiple regression analysis indicated that age, education, and information-seeking status were associated with overall levels of prostate cancer knowledge. Results from logistic regression analyses …

Affording Emerging Adulthood: Parental Financial Assistance Of Their College-Aged Children, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Larry J. Nelson, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ attitudes about and patterns of providing financial assistance to their children during college, and how varying levels of parental financial support were related to children’s beliefs (e.g., perceptions of adulthood), behaviors (e.g., work hours, drinking, and drug use), and identity development. The sample consisted of 402 undergraduate students (62% women) recruited from four college sites across the United States (M age = 19.89), and one of their parents (310 mothers and 92 fathers). Using cluster analysis, results suggested four distinct approaches to parental financial involvement and found that emerging adults’ …

Criteria For The Observation Of Strong-Field Photoelectron Holography, T. Marchenko, Y. Huismans, K. J. Schafer, M. J.J. Vrakking

Faculty Publications

Photoelectron holography is studied experimentally and computationally using the ionization of ground-state xenon atoms by intense near-infrared radiation. A strong dependence of the occurrence of the holographic pattern on the laser wavelength and intensity is observed, and it is shown that the observation of the hologram requires that the ponderomotive energy Up is substantially larger than the photon energy. The holographic interference is therefore favored by longer wavelengths and higher laser intensities. Our results indicate that the tunneling regime is not a necessary condition for the observation of the holographic pattern, which can be observed under the conditions formally attributed …

New Mothers And Media Use: Associations Between Blogging, Social Networking, And Maternal Well-Being, Brandon T. Mcdaniel, Sarah M. Coyne, Erin K. Holmes

Faculty Publications

Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory and prior empirical research, the current study examines the way that blogging and social networking may impact feelings of connection and social support, which in turn could impact maternal well-being (e.g., marital functioning, parenting stress, and depression). One hundred and fifty-seven new mothers reported on their media use and various well-being variables. On average, mothers were 27 years old (SD = 5.15) and infants were 7.90 months old (SD = 5.21). All mothers had access to the Internet in their home. New mothers spent approximately 3 hours on the computer each day, with most of …

More Than Enough To Share, Hyveth Williams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Migratory Response Of Labor To Special Economic Zones In The Philippines, 1995–2005, Scott R. Sanders, David L. Brown

Faculty Publications

In the mid 1990s the Filipino government adopted a new export-led development policy in an attempt to attract new investments and lower the unemployment rates throughout the country. The central idea was to provide foreign investors more access to Filipino markets and labor by giving them investor tax breaks and lowering trade tariffs. In return, the government hoped that investors would bring large amounts of capital into designated areas thereby creating new jobs and stimulating the domestic economy. The Filipino created the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Base Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to manage the operation of the Special …

Pragmatism And Meaning: Assessing The Message Of Star Trek: The Original Series, Anne Collins Smith, Owen M. Smith

Faculty Publications

The original Star Trek television series purported to depict a future in which such evils as sexism and racism do not exist, and intelligent beings from numerous planets live in a condition of peace and mutual benefit. As many scholars have observed, from a standpoint of contemporary theoretical analysis, Star Trek: The Original Series contains many elements that are inimical to the utopia it claims to depict and thus undermine its supposed message. A different perspective may be gained by drawing on the American pragmatist movement, in which the value of an idea is judged by its effectiveness, how it …

Presidential Power And Constitutional Responsibility, Thomas P. Crocker

Faculty Publications

Some constitutional theorists defend unbounded executive power to respond to emergencies or expansive discretionary powers to complete statutory directives. Against these anti-Madisonian approaches, this Article examines how the textual assignment of republican virtues helps to constitute and constrain the president's power. The Madisonian solution for constitutional constraint both creates institutions for unenlightened statesmen and relies on virtue to make governing possible. Constitutional responsibility is a consistent textual theme found in the command to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed," the responsibility to remain faithful to the office of president, and the obligation to preserve the Constitution itself. Although …

Arabidopsis Pht1; 5 Plays An Integral Role In Phosphate Homeostasis, Aaron P. Smith, Vinay K. Nagarajan, Kashchandra G. Raghothama

Faculty Publications

The mobilization of inorganic phosphate (Pi) in planta is a complex process regulated by a number of developmental and environmental cues. Plants possess many Pi transporters that acquire Pi from the rhizosphere and translocate it throughout the plant. A few members of the high-affinity Pht1 family of Pi transporters have been functionally characterized and, for the most part, have been shown to be involved in Pi acquisition. We recently demonstrated that the Arabidopsis Pi transporter, Pht1;5, plays a key role in translocating Pi between tissues. Loss-of-function pht1;5 mutant seedlings accumulated more P in shoots relative to wild type but less …

Radical-Containing Particles Activate Dendritic Cells And Enhance Th17 Inflammation In A Mouse Model Of Asthma, Pingli Wang, Paul Thevenot, Jordy Saravia, Terry Ahlert, Stephania A. Cormier

Faculty Publications

We identified a previously unrecognized component of airborne particulate matter (PM) formed in combustion and thermal processes, namely, environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs). The pulmonary health effects of EPFRs are currently unknown. In the present study, we used a model EPFR-containing pollutant-particle system referred to as MCP230. We evaluated the effects of MCP230 on the phenotype and function of bone marrow - derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) in vitro and lung dendritic cells (DCs) in vivo, and the subsequent T-cell response. We also investigated the adjuvant role of MCP230 on airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. MCP230 decreased intracellular …

Anthropology & Open Access: An Interview With Jason Baird Jackson, Ryan B. Anderson

Faculty Publications

During the last few weeks I had the chance to conduct an email based interview with Jason Baird Jackson about Open Access (OA), academic publishing, and anthropology...

The Nuclear Pore Complex Mediates Binding Of The Mig1 Repressor To Target Promoters, Nayan J. Sarma, Thomas D. Buford, Terry Haley, Kellie Barbara-Haley, George M. Santangelo, Kristine A. Willis

Faculty Publications

All eukaryotic cells alter their transcriptional program in response to the sugar glucose. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the best-studied downstream effector of this response is the glucose-regulated repressor Mig1. We show here that nuclear pore complexes also contribute to glucose-regulated gene expression. NPCs participate in glucose-responsive repression by physically interacting with Mig1 and mediating its function independently of nucleocytoplasmic transport. Surprisingly, despite its abundant presence in the nucleus of glucose-grown nup120Δ or nup133Δ cells, Mig1 has lost its ability to interact with target promoters. The glucose repression defect in the absence of these nuclear pore components therefore appears …

Functional Dissection Of The Glucose Signaling Pathways That Regulate The Yeast Glucose Transporter Gene (Hxt) Repressor Rgt1, David J. Jouandot Ii, Adhiraj Roy, Jeong-Ho Kim

Faculty Publications

The yeast Rgt1 repressor is a bifunctional protein that acts as a transcriptional repressor and activator. Under glucose-limited conditions, Rgt1 induces transcriptional repression by forming a repressive complex with its corepressors Mth1 and Std1. Here, we show that Rgt1 is converted from a transcriptional repressor into an activator under high glucose conditions and this occurs through two independent but consecutive events mediated by two glucose signaling pathways: (1) disruption of the repressive complex by the Rgt2/Snf3 pathway; (2) phosphorylation of Rgt1 by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PKA) pathway. Rgt1 is phosphorylated by PKA at four serine residues within its amino-terminal …

Science Diplomacy With Swissnex China: A Swiss Nation Brand Initiative, Flavia Schlegel, Olivier Jacot, Marc Fetscherin

Faculty Publications

Switzerland has a long tradition of expertise in the fields of science, research and education, with “science diplomacy” (SD) now assuming an important role for innovation economies. Past experience shows that international scientific cooperation can have valuable outcomes for the involved countries and complements traditional foreign policy and diplomacy. In Switzerland, a worldwide network of science and technology outposts under the auspices of the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) in cooperation with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) was established in 2000. The very swissnex network around the world defines one of those established science diplomacy …

Social And Clinical Predictors Of Prostate Cancer Treatment Decisions Among Men In South Carolina, Sara E. Wagner, Bettina F. Drake, Keith Elder, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE:

To assess social and clinical influences of prostate cancer treatment decisions among white and black men in the Midlands of South Carolina.

METHODS:

We linked data collected on treatment decision making in men diagnosed with prostate cancer from 1996 through 2002 with clinical and sociodemographic factors collected routinely by the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry (SCCCR). Unconditional logistic regression was used to assess social and clinical influences on treatment decision.

RESULTS:

A total of 435 men were evaluated. Men of both races who chose surgery (versus radiation) were more likely to be influenced by their physician and by family/friends. …

The Association Between The Type, Context, And Levels Of Physical Activity Amongst Adolescents, Harriet Koorts, Calum Mattocks, Andy R. Ness, Kevin Deere, Steven N. Blair, Russell R. Pate, Chris Riddoch

Faculty Publications

Background: Little is known about how the type and context of physical activity behaviors varies among adolescents with differing activity levels. The aim of this study was to assess differences in the type and context of physical activity behaviors in adolescents by level of objectively measured physical activity. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 2728 adolescents (1299 males, 1429 females) participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The mean (SD) age was 13.8 (+0.1) years. Physical activity was measured using an Actigraph over 7 days. Adolescents were categorized into tertiles of activity (less, moderately, highly active) using counts/min …

Windows Driver Memory Analysis: A Reverse Engineering Methodology, James S. Okolica, Gilbert L. Peterson

Faculty Publications

In a digital forensics examination, the capture and analysis of volatile data provides significant information on the state of the computer at the time of seizure. Memory analysis is a premier method of discovering volatile digital forensic information. While much work has been done in extracting forensic artifacts from Windows kernel structures, less focus has been paid to extracting information from Windows drivers. There are two reasons for this: (1) source code for one version of the Windows kernel (but not associated drivers) is available for educational use and (2) drivers are generally called asynchronously and contain no exported functions. …

Finding Shelter, Hyveth Williams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Carne Viva In Postville: Stories Of Madres And Monarchs, Jennifer Cooley, Karen Mitchell

Faculty Publications

Carne viva are two words in Spanish that together can be translated various ways. Taken literally, they refer to live flesh, like an open wound. In this way they can allude to the slow process of recovery after a traumatic event. The words draw up images of enduring pain. In addition, they can be read to refer to fresh meat and in the context of human relations, to the image of a new conquest. They can also draw our thoughts to the context of a slaughterhouse, where working conditions involve constant contact with carcasses and blood, and the value of …

Viral Double-Strand Rna-Binding Proteins Can Enhance Innate Immune Signaling By Toll-Like Receptor 3, Yvonne Lai, Guanghui Yi, Alice Chen, Kanchan Bhardwaj, Brady J. Tragesser, Rodrigo A. Valverde, Adam Zlotnick, Suchetana Mukhopadhyay, C. T. Ranjith-Kumar, C. Cheng Kao

Faculty Publications

Toll-like Receptor 3 (TLR3) detects double-stranded (ds) RNAs to activate innate immune responses. While poly(I:C) is an excellent agonist for TLR3 in several cell lines and in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, viral dsRNAs tend to be poor agonists, leading to the hypothesis that additional factor(s) are likely required to allow TLR3 to respond to viral dsRNAs. TLR3 signaling was examined in a lung epithelial cell line by quantifying cytokine production and in human embryonic kidney cells by quantifying luciferase reporter levels. Recombinant 1b hepatitis C virus polymerase was found to enhance TLR3 signaling in the lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells …

Synthesis, Structural, Optical And Mechanical Characterization Of Srb2O4 Nanorods, Rui Li, Lihong Bao, Xiaodong Li

Faculty Publications

Single crystalline strontium borate (SrB₂O₄) nanorods were synthesized for the first time via a facile sol–gel route at low temperature. The SrB₂O₄ nanorods have a good crystalline nature with the growth direction along the [511] orientation and they are transparent from the ultraviolet to the visible regimes. Nanoscale three-point bending tests were performed directly on individual nanorods to probe their mechanical properties using an atomic force microscope. The elastic modulus of SrB₂O₄ nanorods was measured to be 158.2 ± 2.8 GPa, exhibiting a significant increase compared with other borate nanostructures …

Rumi Functions As Both A Protein O-Glucosyltransferase And A Protein O-Xylosyltransferase, Hideyuki Takeuchi, Rodrigo C. Fernańdez-Valdivia, Devin S. Caswell, Aleksandra Nita-Lazar, Nadia A. Rana, Thomas P. Garner, Thomas K. Weldeghiorghis, Megan A. Macnaughtan, Hamed Jafar-Nejad, Robert S. Haltiwanger

Faculty Publications

Mutations in rumi result in a temperature-sensitive loss of Notch signaling in Drosophila. Drosophila Rumi is a soluble, endoplasmic reticulum-retained protein with a CAP10 domain that functions as a protein O-glucosyltransferase. In human and mouse genomes, three potential Rumi homologues exist: one with a high degree of identity to Drosophila Rumi (52%), and two others with lower degrees of identity but including a CAP10 domain (KDELC1 and KDELC2). Here we show that both mouse and human Rumi, but not KDELC1 or KDELC2, catalyze transfer of glucose from UDPglucose to an EGF repeat from human factor VII. Similarly, human Rumi, but …

Book Review Of Inside The Hollywood Fan Magazine: A History Of Star Makers, Fabricators, And Gossip Mongers, Scott B. Fosdick

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Creating A Supportive Culture For Online Teaching: A Case Study Of A Faculty Learning Community, Mei-Yan Lu, Ann Marie Todd, Michael T. Miller

Faculty Publications

This case study describes the creation of a supportive culture for online teaching at a western university that was transitioning to a new learning management system. The case study highlighted the creation of a faculty learning community as one strategy to address the challenge of faculty working through a change process. The faculty learning community provided a space for the development of best practices in teaching, drawing from the pedagogical experiences of teachers from diverse disciplines. The learning community also provided a venue for expanding the technical knowledge level of faculty members with a range of comfort levels with varied …