Digital Commons Network^™

Terminological Mediation In Information Technology And Related Fields, Jessica Smith Richards

Theses and Dissertations

Terminological dissonance is created by the inherent ambiguity of natural language and compounded by ontological specialization efforts within fields. Terminological dissonance creates high-risk miscommunications in two key areas: within Information Technology as a singular domain, and also between IT and other fields in interdisciplinary projects. A comprehensive literature review revealed a lack of previous effort to acknowledge or solve problems of terminological dissonance within Information Technology. This research provides a comprehensive overview and definition of the terminology mediation space as it relates to Information Technology and adjacent fields. An analysis and verification of the contents and implementation of the terminology …

Self-Organization Of Protein Fibers In Weightlessness, Dylan Bell

Theses and Dissertations

It is currently hypothesized and widely believed that the growth of self aggregating protein chains such as amyloid fibers has a direct effect on the function of the human brain. We hypothesized creating self-assembling protein in weightlessness would allow the aggregation to continue for a longer period of time in solution without sedimentation. When protein de-natures and self-organizes into amyloid fibers the effect can be detrimental. Some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia, are believed to be caused by the collection of these fibers made from proteins such as tau and amyloid-β. For the purpose of this experiment, lysozyme …

Longitudinal Effects Of School Climate On Middle-School Students' Academic, Social-Emotional And Behavioral Outcomes, Jennifer Lynn Engelland-Schultz

Theses and Dissertations

Millions of youth are at risk for low academic achievement, school dropout, risky behavior, bullying, and mental health concerns, especially those living in rural areas. Protective factors can reduce the likelihood of children and adolescents experiencing these negative outcomes. Research shows that positive school climate is a powerful protective factor for youth. The present study investigated the longitudinal relations between middle school students' school climate perceptions and their academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development over two years. Specifically, 510 students in grades 5-9 from six rural schools rated their support and influence at school as well as their internalizing problems, personal …

Sexism And How It Mediates The Relationship Between Gender And Rape Myth Acceptance, Caroline Feinberg

Theses and Dissertations

Rape is a significant social and health problem in the United States with around 17.7 million women being forcibly raped at some time in their lives. While a rape-supportive culture and victim blame are concepts that aid in explaining rape, understanding societal held ideas about rape and traditional gender role beliefs can explain. Therefore, the present study focuses on how ambivalent sexist belief structures mediate the relationship between gender and rape myth acceptance. It was hypothesized that ambivalent sexism (AS) when divided into its four separate concepts: hostile (HS), protective paternalism (PP), complementary gender differentiation (CGD), and heterosexual intimacy (HI), …

A System Dynamics Approach To The Efficacy Of Oxime Therapy In Sub Lethal Exposure To Sarin Gas, Daniel J. Droste

Theses and Dissertations

The 2010 National Security Strategy states, The effective dissemination of a lethal agent would endanger the lives of thousands of people and have unprecedented economic, societal, and political consequences. We must continue to work at home with first responders and health officials to reduce the risk associated with high-consequence threats . Nerve agents, such as Sarin gas, are considered high consequence threats. The threat of use of agents such as Sarin is as much a threat today as any other time in our history. However, the suggested treatment protocol is not as precise as it could be. Debate exists over …

The Destination School--The Content Of It And The Process Of Getting There: A Grounded Theory Study Of The School-Change Process Framed By A Vygotskian View, Julie Eckberg

Theses and Dissertations

During an expansive review of school-change literature that crossed the fields of anthropology, sociology, psychology, and education, four problems emerged: Two related to the content of school change (practical and pedagogical), and two related to the process of school change (methodological and theoretical). The first problem quickly led to the development of a table of synthesized research titled "The Destination School." The table outlines where decades of research indicate schools should be headed in the areas of curriculum, assessment, instructional practices, views on teaching and learning, professional development, and the organization--in other words, the destination. Based upon the other three …

The Role Of School Psychologists In Bullying Interventions In Year Four Of New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill Of Rights Act, Amanda Brady

Theses and Dissertations

Within education, bullying has been a prominent topic of discussion with regard to its effects on students and schools. In order to investigate the specific role of school psychologists in Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) initiatives, this study (a) analyzes the HIB roles of school psychologists and (b) the factors that influence their involvement in advocating HIB initiatives after the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act was passed in 2010. A survey was distributed to about 1,000 school psychologists in New Jersey and asked about demographics, specific roles regarding HIB initiatives, factors that affect their involvement, and satisfaction with …

The Relationship Between Cognitive Inhibition, Mental Illness, And Creativity, Christina Carter

Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored how the symptom severity of the affective and schizophrenia spectrums related to performance on a divergent thinking task and self-reports of creative achievement, as well as the contribution of cognitive inhibition as a moderating factor between these variables. 98 participants completed a 1.5 hour battery of tests that combined measures between this study and another study. Measures pertaining to this study included self-report measures of schizotypy and hypomania, a divergent thinking creativity task, a computerized stimuli-response task, and two self-reports of creative achievement. Correlations were conducted to examine linear relationships, nonlinear regression models were conducted to …

Influences On Students Choosing Majors In Agriculture, Willa Williams

Theses and Dissertations

With a shortage of agricultural graduates predicted for the United States workforce (Goecker, Smith, Smith, & Goetz, 2010) the purpose of the study was to identify influences on students choosing undergraduate majors in agriculture. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to examine independent variable constructs of student characteristics, environment, learning experiences, and task approach skills from Krumboltz's (1996) social learning theory of career decision making on the decision of students to choose an undergraduate major in agriculture. Variables were identified through previous research in field of study choice in agriculture and data was evaluated from the Education Longitudinal Study of …

Ecological, Localization And Functional Analysis Of Two Lysosomal Enzymes In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Sanaa Talib Jawed

Theses and Dissertations

Dictyostelium discoideum is a primitive eukaryote that has recognized useful in studying various aspects of lysosomal enzymes as well as development since it can differentiate from unicellular amoebae into a multicellular.In this study, we investigated the localization, ecological and molecular function of two lysosomal enzymes, hexosaminidase (NagA) and,,-glucosidase (GluA) proteins, by overexpressing the genes encoding them in D. discoideum. Separate cell-lines overexpressing a GFP-tagged versions of the full length DdNagA gene (GFP-NagA), mutant version of the NagA gene (GFP-NagA (N214S)), a GFP-tagged version of the full length DdGluA gene (GFP-GluA) and a mutant version of first 83 amino acids DdGluA …

An Approach To An Agave Problem: The Bioremediation Of Agricultural Waste By Yeast Fermentations, Joshua Michael Jarodsky

Theses and Dissertations

The agricultural waste products created by industries, such as the Tequila manufacturing industry, create thousands of tons of waste material every year. This agricultural waste often becomes an environmental and ecological problem for fields and surrounding areas. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential of using the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus 7-1 and Kluyveromyces marxianus 8-1 to ferment the leaf waste from the harvesting of the Agave tequilana as a form of bioremediation. Fermentations (anaerobic, under constant shaking, and at room temperature) were monitored for colony forming units, pH of fermentation broth, concentration of reducing sugars, and protein …

"Do You Even Lift Bro? "An Investigation Of The Male Viewer's Response To Idealized Body Images In Competitive Reality Television., Caitlin Marie Shaffer

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the influence of exposure to idealized body images on competitive reality television shows, specifically the effects on men and their body satisfaction, including a drive for masculinity and a drive for muscularity, as well as the perception of a potential partner. An overwhelming amount of research on the effects on women exposed to idealized images has been completed by previous researchers, but men have been disregarded in comparison regarding this topic. Furthermore, this study will rely on social comparison theory and cultivation theory as theoretical lenses to analyze how male viewers respond to idealized images of males …

Expression, Localization, And Kinetic Characterization Of The Phospholipid Biosynthesis Enzyme Ctp: Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase From The Protozoan Parasite Leishmania Major, Justin Daniel Theodore Lange

Theses and Dissertations

The eukaryotic parasite Leishmania is the causative agent of the disease leishmaniasis. L. major is the most common of 21 species that causes visceral leishmaniasis in humans, and 30 that cause the same disease in other mammals. Visceral leishmaniasis causes fever, weight loss, and over a short amount of time, multiple organ failure, and has a 100% mortality rate within 2 years. This makes it the second largest parasitic killer in the world behind malaria. Over 90% of the worldâ??s cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been reported in underdeveloped countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan, Ethiopia and Brazil, with 500,000 …

Feature Selection In Credit Scoring- A Quadratic Programming Approach Solving With Bisection Method Based On Tabu Search, Jun Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Credit risk is one of the most important topics in the risk management. Meanwhile, it is the major risk of banks and financial institutions encountered as claimed by the Basel capital accord. As a form of credit risk measurement, credit scoring is the credit evaluation process to reduce the current and expected risk of a customer being bad credit. The credit scoring models usually use a set of features to predict the credit status, good credit (unlikely to default) and bad credit (more likely to default), of the applicants. However, with the fast growth in the credit industry and facilitation …

Something To Fear: Perception Of Defining Characteristics Of Animals, Evaluation Of Animals, And The Moderating Role Of Speciesism, Allison Elaine Waters

Theses and Dissertations

Speciesism, a form of prejudice wherein a person gives or takes value away from an organism based upon how he or she categorizes living things, is most likely a form of flexible evolutionary adaptation. However, with increasing awareness of humanity's impact on the environment and growing morality, speciesism is increasingly becoming a disadvantage. Speciesism can be reflected in actions from unethical breeding habits to outright attacks on certain animals. The purpose of this study was to examine if altering the physical appearance of animals affects the person's attitudes towards those animals. It was hypothesized that altering physical characteristics of some …

Analysis Of The Microbial Community Along Three Sites Of The Rio Grande By Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Rebeca Imelda Castro

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Analysis of the Microbial Community of Three Sites Along the Rio Grande by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (May 2014) Rebeca Imelda Castro, B. A., Texas A & M International University; Chair of Committee: Dr. Monica Mendez In the last decades, the increase in population growth and differences in enforcement regulations on both sides of the Rio Grande may have affected the bacterial composition as a result of effluent discharges, industrial waste, raw sewage outfalls, and agricultural runoff. The purpose of this study was to compare structural differences in the microbial communities of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo waters based on …

Analysis Of Plant Lignin Formation And Engineering For Biofuels Production, Deborah Lynn Petrik

Theses and Dissertations

ANALYSIS OF PLANT LIGNIN FORMATION AND ENGINEERING FOR BIOFUELS PRODUCTION

Deborah L. Petrik

149 Pages August 2015

Grasses such as switchgrass and Miscanthus are attractive feedstock candidates for second generation biofuels because they are perennials that can grow on less fertile or "marginal" lands not used for food crops, require little fertilizer and modest pest and disease management, and are not a human food source. Releasing the energy potential contained in plant-based cellulosic material requires either conversion to a liquid biofuel such as ethanol or burning. Thus, much of the current research focuses on not only understanding grass development as …

Factors Constraining The Reproductive Output Of Baptisia Alba Macrophylla, Ashley Morgan Hembrough

Theses and Dissertations

Baptisia alba macrophylla, a native, herbaceous perennial legume, produces inflorescences with a large number of flowers, yet matures relatively few fruits. We hypothesized that the number of seeds matured by B. alba macrophylla is maximized based on resource availability at each stage of development, but this optimal number is further compromised by extrinsic factors including pollen limitation and pre-dispersal seed predation by the weevils Apion rostrum and Tychius sordidus. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a field experiment at two sites: (i) the John English Prairie, located in Hudson, IL, and also (ii) the Sugar Grove Nature Center and Funks …

Cell Wall Mutants In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Christy Jane Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Plant cell walls are versatile structures, playing important roles in communication, defense, organization and support. The importance of each of these functions varies by cell type, with specialized cells often utilizing one or two functions more than others. Trichomes, or leaf hairs, and hypocotyl cells for instance, exhibit distinct cell wall characteristics. Trichomes have developed very thick cell walls with several raised structures, known as papillae, on their surfaces. It is believed that these cells function in defense against predators, making it difficult to crawl on the leaf surface, and in protection against ultra violet radiation, through refraction of light …

' Cancer Is Like Teenagers': Figurative Comparisons In Surgical Consultations For Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Keith Cox

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports findings from a conversation analytic study that investigate how surgeons describe cancer to early-stage breast cancer patients during preoperative consultations. Drawing upon audio recordings of actual consultations, this study examines one surgeon's use of a type of figurative expression, an analogy, to describe what cancer is and how it behaves. My analysis focuses on the role that this analogy plays in the activities that unfold in one phase of the surgical consultation, and reveals some social organizational dimensions of figurative expressions that have gone unexplored in prior research.

God's Eye News: The Use Of Drones In Journalism, A Documentary Film, Robert Lance Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses the format of documentary film to investigate the aesthetic, legal, and ethical issues surrounding the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commonly known as drones, in journalism. Particularly important are the topics of public perception, safety, freedom of speech, and privacy. Do journalists' First Amendment protections extend to the right to gather images using drones? How will the privacy of citizens be protected against aerial cameras that can go virtually unnoticed? Can drones be safely integrated into the National Airspace System? The goal of the documentary is not necessarily to answer these questions, but to gather opinions from …

High Salinity Stabilizes Bacterial Community Composition And Activity Through Time, Tylan Wayne Magnusson

Theses and Dissertations

Dormancy is a plausible strategy for bacteria to overcome the effects of temporal fluctuations in resources or stresses and await more “optimal” conditions to resume metabolic activity and growth. Seasonal changes in environmental conditions force microbes to adjust their metabolic activity accordingly, and community composition drastically shifts. In extreme environments, however, the overriding effects of a constant stress may constrain the need or benefit of bacteria entering dormancy. In hypersaline lakes, high metabolic activity is required to maintain adaptations that permit survival. Sampling from six lakes on a salinity gradient (0.05% – 30.3%), we measured seasonal fluctuations in bacterial dormancy …

The Amaranth (Amaranthus Hypochondriacus) Genome: Genome, Transcriptome And Physical Map Assembly, Jared William Clouse

Theses and Dissertations

Amaranthus hypochondriacus is an emerging pseudo-cereal native to the New World which has garnered increased attention in recent years due to its nutritional quality, in particular its seed protein, and more specifically its high levels of the essential amino acid lysine. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, is an ancient paleotetraploid that shows amphidiploid inheritance (2n=32), and has an estimated genome size of 466 Mb. Here we present a high-quality draft genome sequence of the grain amaranth A. hypochondriacus. The genome assembly consisted of 377 Mb in 3,518 scaffolds with an N50 of 371 kb. Repetitive element analysis predicted that …

Differential Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Expression In Preeclampsia, Intrauterine Growth Restriction And Gestational Diabetes, Kristen Lena Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and gestational diabetes (GDM) increase the risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The roles of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) are already well documented concerning inflammation, hypoxia and oxidative stress. AGEs bind to its receptor, Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), and activate an inflammatory pathway. This pathway alters the efficacy of invasive trophoblast cells and in the placenta and can result in placental dysfunction. We hypothesized that the placental dysfunction found in PE, IUGR, and GDM resulted from an over activation of the RAGE-mediated inflammatory pathway. Using human placental samples, we found …

Adolescents' Perceptions Of Homophobic Language: Implications For Bullying Prevention, Benjamin M. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

Large scientific studies have recognized homophobic language as a national concern (American Association of University Women [AAUW], 2001; Kosciw, Greytak, Diaz, & Bartkiewicz, 2010). Concerning perceptions of homophobic language use, quantitative studies were mostly conducted in specific areas of the United States and qualitative studies have largely approached the issue with the theory of masculinity. The current study proposed to approach the study actively challenging all assumptions about homophobic language use. This study assimilated 20 adolescents' perceptions of homophobic language, using a hermeneutic qualitative methodology. This study found that in addition to policing masculinity, homophobic language was used to police …

The Effects Of Inhibiting Wnt Secretion And Activity On Cranial And Neural Development, Julie Louise Hulet

Theses and Dissertations

Wnt signaling has been shown to have several roles in the development of sensory neurons, particularly in the ophthalmic portion of the trigeminal nerve. Many of these studies have relied on the conclusion that Wnt is necessary but not sufficient for the induction and maintenance of the neural precursor cells that develop in the ophthalmic placode. Wnt had been inhibited in the ophthalmic placode using a dominant negative t-cell factor (TCF) and resulted in the loss of Pax3 expression (indicative of undifferentiated placode cells) in all targeted cells, suggesting a loss of specification/commitment of these cells to the sensory neuron …

The Antioxidant And Dna Repair Capacities Of Resveratrol, Piceatannol, And Pterostilbene, Justin Ryan Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

Lifestyle diseases represent a large burden on developed societies and account for much morbidity worldwide. Research has shown that eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables helps to ameliorate and prevent some of these diseases. Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables may provide a substantial benefit in reducing disease incidence. This thesis examines the antioxidant properties of resveratrol, piceatannol, and pterostilbene, and the ability of Burkitt's Lymphoma (Raji) cells to uptake these three antioxidants. It also studies the effect of the antioxidants in protecting against DNA damage and their role in DNA repair following oxygen radical exposure in Raji …

Investigation Of Parameters Affecting The Nanoinjection Of Hela 229 Cancer Cells, Tyler E. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to deliver sequences of DNA and other molecular loads across the membrane of a cell and into its nucleus is an area of interest in the medical community. One of its many applications is that of gene therapy. In contrast to other forms of treatment, gene therapy seeks to treat diseases at the cellular level. The success of these treatments depends on the technologies for cell transfection that are available. Physical methods are sometimes able to overcome poor efficiencies of chemical methods and the safety concerns of viral methods, but are usually impractical due to the limited number …

Assessing Validity Of A Screener For Social, Emotional, And Behavioral Concerns: Analyzing Gender Differences In A Middle School Population, Kimberly Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Systematic screening for social, emotional, and behavioral concerns (SEBC) identifies at-risk students and provides information to guide interventions that may prevent negative outcomes (Glover & Albers, 2006; Kauffman, 1999; Severson, Walker, Hope-Dolittle, Katochwill, & Gresham, 2007). However, the screening process may be influenced by the gender of the student (Young, Sabbah, Young, Reiser, & Richardson, 2010). This study further examined the influence of student gender on screening by assessing the congruency of gates one and two of a screening process based on student gender. Participants included 59 middle school teachers who nominated at-risk students on the Teacher Nomination Form (TNF; …

Cigarette Smoke Increases Cardiomyocyte Ceramide Accumulation And Inhibits Mitochondrial Respiration, Trevor Stanley Tippetts

Theses and Dissertations

Cigarette smoking is a common and lethal worldwide habit, with considerable mortality stemming from its deleterious effects on heart function. While current theories posit altered blood lipids and fibrinogen metabolism as likely mediators, none have explored the role of the sphingolipid ceramide in exacerbating heart function with smoke exposure. Ceramide production is a consequence of cigarette smoke in the lung, and considering ceramide's harmful effects on mitochondrial function, we sought to elucidate the role of ceramide in mediating smoke-induced altered heart mitochondrial respiration. Lung cells were exposed to cigarette smoke extract and heart cells were exposed to the lung-cell conditioned …