Digital Commons Network^™

Is The Ban On Participation In Political Campaigns By Charities Essential To Their Vitality And Democracy? A Reply To Professor Tobin, Johnny Rex Buckles

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

La Gente Sin Hogar, Ka’Lena Cuevas

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

The Revelation, Laura Wilson

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Winner of the New Prize in Fiction

Blood-Feeding Patterns Of Culex Quinquefasciatus And Other Culicines And Implications For Disease Transmission In Mwea Rice Scheme, Kenya, Ephantus J. Muturi, Simon Muriu, Josephat Shililu, Joseph M. Mwangangi, Benjamin G. Jacob, Charles Mbogo, John Githure, Robert J. Novak

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Studies were conducted in Mwea Rice Scheme, Kenya during the period April 2005 and January 2007 to determine the host-feeding pattern of culicine mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were collected indoors and outdoors and tested for human, bovine, goat, and donkey blood meals by an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. A total of 1,714 blood-engorged samples comprising Culex quinquefasciatus Say (96.1%), Culex annulioris Theobald (1.8%), Culex poicilipes Theobald (0.9%), Aedes cuminsi Theobald (1.0%), Aedes taylori Edwards (0.1%), and Mansonia africana Theobald (0.1%) were tested. Except for A. taylori, in which the single blood meal tested was of bovine origin, the other species fed mostly on …

Art Therapy With Native American Cancer Survivors: An Observation Of Nonverbal Communication Styles, Kathryn Dengler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

There is a high morbidity rate among Native American women with breast cancer. Research suggests that traditional beliefs in addition to miscommunication within the healthcare setting may affect the treatment Natives receive. This study observed the nonverbal communication patterns of ten Native American cancer survivors participating in an art psychoeducational workshop. Mapping techniques and situational analysis were used to observe nonverbal communication patterns during the workshop. It was hypothesized that Native Americans would use nonverbal cues more readily than verbal communication.

The results of the study supported the hypothesis. Nonverbal cues were the primary means of communication throughout the workshop. …

Using Cultural-Historical Activity To Study Clinical Reasoning In Context, Susan Toth-Cohen

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

The aim of this paper is to describe sources of conflict and congruence in critical areas of practice with caregivers of persons with dementia, using cultural-historical activity theory as an analytic framework. Findings are drawn from an ethnographic study that described the context of occupational therapists’ (OTs’) clinical reasoning in a funded, home-based environmental skill-building program designed to help caregivers manage the daily care of a family member with dementia. Data were gathered through observation of intervention sessions, debriefing sessions, semi-structured interviews with therapists, and review of intervention documentation. Primary sources of conflict and congruence within the identified practice context …

Humorous Cartoons Made By Preservice Teachers For Teaching Science Concepts To Elementary Students, Audrey C. Rule, D. A. Sallis, J. A. Donaldson

Open Educational Resources

Elementary school science is an often-neglected subject in the current literacy-focused political atmosphere. However, reading informational trade books about science in literacy class can help children increase their science knowledge. Incorporating humor through content-related cartoons is an effective way to engage students in deeper understanding of content and creative play with language. A master’s degree student enrolled in a graduate course in instructional design acted as a consultant to a faculty member teaching a course in literacy methods for preservice elementary teachers and engaged undergraduates in creating humorous cartoons to teach science content. The preservice teachers read science trade books …

The Influence Affecting Charleston's Ornamental Plasterwork And A Link To Its Masters, 1820-1860, Kimberly Cox Jones

All Theses

No abstract provided.

To Re-Present A Stream: Stream Morphology And Environmental Art Combine Through Elementary Education, Jessica Lynn Thayer

All Theses

The interdisciplinary nature oflandscape architecture rarely occurs in our education system due to the divide b,etween the sciences and the humanities. This discipline divide is evident in the structure of school subjects from elementary school to college. By accepting the divided system, students are unknowingly affected by it and miss an opportunity for a truly interdisciplinary approach to education. As an alternative, this paper. proposes a combination of a science and a discipline of the humanities which can provide an inclusive education for students at any age. If students are taught in elementary school, not only to investigate surroundings through …

Dna Methylation And Promoter Sequence Analysis Of Colon Cancer Genes, Fang Wang

All Theses

Aberrant DNA methylation in the genome is associated with human cancers. Tumor cells can undergo an overall loss of DNA methylation in non-coding repetitive regions (including the Alu elements) and at the same time maintain hypermethylation in the CpG islands in promoter region of multiple genes. We are interested in understanding the pattern of DNA methylation in the promoters of genes that may mediate the tumor genesis in colon cells. Recent literature survey suggested that about two dozens of genes, when mutated or undergone changes in DNA methylation, can directly promote the development of colon cancers. We downloaded the promoter …

Assessing The Impact Of Water Harvesting On Water Resources, Jennifer Oblinger

All Theses

Clean water supplies, like all natural resources, are becoming scarce all over the world, but especially in developing countries where special interest groups (such as city governments, commercial farmers, other villages downstream, etc.) fight over water rights. The Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) is a non-government organization in India whose mission is to restore degraded lands through cooperation with rural villages. In order to increase the water supply to the ecosystem, FES constructs water harvesting structures (WHS) which impound rainfall, water that would have otherwise runoff and contributed to erosion, in surface storage. This study was conducted to assess the …

The Awe Wall: A Novel Robotic Surface, Martha Kwoka

All Theses

In this thesis, we present fundamental contributions towards AWE, a novel 'Animated Work Environment', which seeks to introduce robotics at the architectural scale to modify environments in real time to the changing needs and moods of their occupants. Part of AWE is a robotic surface, or wall, featuring a multiple folding panel structure. The panels of the AWE wall feature embedded IT and adapt to the current movements and tasks of the user. We describe the overall AWE concept and discuss the construction of the robot surface, its motion planning and its control, and all experiments run to this point.

A Comparison Of The Frequency Of Occurrence Of Stereotypic Behaviors Demonstrated By A Youth With Autism During Two Recreation Activities: Horseback Riding And Board Game Play, Philip Brekke

All Theses

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to compare the frequency of occurrence of stereotypic behaviors demonstrated by a youth with autism during two recreation activities: horseback riding and board game play.. Stereotypic behaviors are one of the three diagnostic criteria for autism as listed in the DSM IV and can impact an individual's functional abilities by interfering with learning and daily social behaviors. This study examined the frequency of occurrence of stereotypic behaviors in two different recreation activities. Despite the increase of attention and press coverage autism has received in recent years, there still remains a multitude of questions …

Foraging Ecology Of Seabirds In Relation To Commercial Shrimp Trawler Activity, Lisa Wickliffe

All Theses

Population dynamics of seabirds have been linked to the availability of bycatch discarded from commercial fishery operations. This issue has been examined primarily in Europe where studies demonstrated that tens of thousands of seabirds each year may be supported by discards from a regional fishery, and that discards from commercial fisheries contributed to the increase in seabird abundance and to changes in their distribution in the North Sea and Northeast Atlantic. To date, however, little to no research has been conducted on seabird-fisheries interactions in the United States. This research examined this issue in the coastal waters of South Carolina …

Analysis And Experiments For Tendril-Type Robots, Lara Cowan

All Theses

New models for the Tendril continuous backbone robot, and other similarly constructed robots, are introduced and expanded upon in this thesis. The ability of the application of geometric models to result in more precise control of the Tendril manipulator is evaluated on a Tendril prototype. We examine key issues underlying the design and operation of 'soft' robots featuring continuous body ('continuum') elements. Inspiration from nature is used to develop new methods of operation for continuum robots. These new methods of operation are tested in experiments to evaluate their effectiveness and potential.

Virtual Aesthetics And Ethical Communication: Towards Virtuous Reality Design, David Williams

All Theses

This thesis argues that ethics can and should be applied to Second Life avatar design and behavior. Second Life is a unique virtual reality due to its connection to the physical world primarily through financial devices. Users buy and sell virtual and physical goods over these networks; the avatar, it is argued, is the primary instrument for persuasion in these contexts. Avatars facilitate a virtual aesthetic that is primarily 'natural.' By creating aesthetic avatars, the developers of Second Life enable audiences to affectively associate with other 'residents.' Not only is the avatar designed for aesthetic appeal, but it enables users …

Foot Held Against The Edge, Joseph Schumacher

All Theses

The poems included in this creative thesis demonstrate a growth in the author's personal development and interpretation of the world. This collection contains 27 poems, which use a variety of styles, themes, and structures to study alternative perspectives and to scrutinize cultural norms. The purpose of this creative thesis is to show the author's proficiency in this genre while also challenging readers to examine their own interpretations of the world around them.

'Barren, Silent, Godless': The Southern Novels Of Cormac Mccarthy, Melissa Davis

All Theses

Though best known for his Western works that have been read widely in the literary community and adapted to film, Cormac McCarthy is rarely discussed in terms of his contribution to Southern literature. However, his first four novels--The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, Child of God, and Suttree--are set in the mountainous area around Knoxville, Tennessee. In this setting, McCarthy traces the change of the South and humanity from its agrarian, showing the violent and gothic nature of a modernizing society.
In considering the struggle between the old and new South as presented in the characters of The Orchard Keeper, the …

Tendon And Ligament Repair: Regeneration And Maturation, Jing Zhao

All Theses

The thesis constitutes the studies about the two aspects of tendon and ligament tissue engineering: regeneration and maturation. Injuries to tendon and ligament are among the most common injuries to the body, particularly in the young and physically active population. Associated with the problems of incomplete healing and recurrent injury, these injuries are not only responsible for large health care cost, but also result in lost work time and individual morbidity. Tissue engineering holds promise in treating these conditions by replacing the injured tissue with engineered tissue exhibited similar mechanical and functional characteristics. Collagen plays a central role in tendon …

Mountain Dolphins, Jennifer Jennings

All Theses

My creative thesis is a novella entitled Mountain Dolphins. It is mostly autobiographical and follows the life of a girl named Genevieve. The first part of the novella, 'No Kind of Legend,' is told in first-person, from the point-of-view of a small child named Genevieve. She begins by telling us that she comes from a very poor family in Woodruff, a small town in Spartanburg County. She was supposed to have a brother, but her mom had a miscarriage and lost the baby. Gen's cousin, Scott, moves in with her right before she finishes primary school. Apparently, his mother and …

In Hand, Geoffrey Lee

All Theses

What I hope to create in each of my stories is a piece of fiction that is exact in expression and that can be felt by my reader. I hope but do not expect that my work will move my reader; that takes a combination of chance, circumstance, and skill, and my skills as a writer are still developing. I can say, though, that that is what I have attempted to do with the stories in this collection.
The name of the collection comes from the title of its first story, 'In Hand.' I chose this title, both for the …

Medination: Pop Culture And The Classroom, Justin Lesniewski

All Theses

This manuscript examines theoretical and practical concerns regarding the use of pop culture items in educational environments. By utilizing an ideological social constructionist perspective, such items can be seen as reified objects of thought and power. This discussion considers the reification process, our growing control over it in an increasingly techno-literate society, a specific example of the process, and how this process and our control over it can be incorporated into the classroom. The intent is to provide both a theoretical foundation and practical suggestions.

(Im)Perfecting Perfection: Socially Conscious Marketing And The Professional Communicator, Layla Hakamiun

All Theses

This thesis is an interdisciplinary study that examines the beauty and advertising industries with regard to young women and body image, specifically with respect to body weight. By analyzing America's obsession with perfection, the problem with perfection, and why organizations are or are not 'jumping on board' the socially conscious bandwagon when it comes to advertising and body image, this thesis will provide my audience, marketing professional communicators in the beauty industry, with necessary information so that individuals may serve as advocates for young women while providing their employers with quality dedication to their organization. The six main takeaways professional …

'Picking And Choosing': Marianne Moore's Strategic Revision Of The Romantic Sublime, Emily Atkins

All Theses

While many Modernist writers made conscious attempts to position themselves against an existing Romantic literary tradition, careful examinations reveal important overlaps and connections in theme, imagery and purpose. While Marianne Moore's work is perhaps farther away from a Romantic aesthetic than that of many of her contemporaries, a close examination of the body of her work reveals an engagement with many themes, motifs, and ideas that can be traced to her Romantic predecessors, a relationship that might best be described as 'picking and choosing,' to use her words. Many of her poems involve an appropriation and interrogation of the sublime, …

Moving Historic Buildings: A Study Of What Makes Good Preservation Practices When Dealing With Historically Significant Buildings And Structures, Xana Peltola

All Theses

When relocating in order to preserve an historic property, there must be certain protocols in place to ensure that the historic significance is retained. Historic preservationists are not only attempting to successfully relocate a building but also to follow good preservation ethics in order to respect the current and potential site as well as the structure itself. In addition to examining how historic structures have been moved in the past and the guidelines that the National Register has developed regarding the process by which historic structures should be relocated, two case studies will also be examined. The first is Cape …

The Effects Of Human/Object Interaction On Museum Visit Experience Satisfaction, John Fino

All Theses

Interactive exhibits in museums have become commonplace (Spock, 2004). They have been found to be effective teaching tools (Falk & Dierking, 1992), they can increase the attracting power of the exhibit (Davidson, Heald & Hein, 1991) and can help create mindfulness in visitors (Moscardo, 1996). However, interactives are considered primarily the domain of science and technology museums (Pekarik, 2004) and there is little published research regarding interactives in living history museums. To better understand the effects of interactives in a living history setting, a quasi-experiment was created to compare the outcomes of two treatments of the same interpretive presentation: an …

Environmental Observing Systems For Assessing Impacts Of Land Use Change, Samuel Esswein

All Theses

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the application of technology solutions for enabling environmental research. This project develops a complete environmental observing system in support of an investigation of the hydrological and ecological impacts of land use change on the coast of South Carolina. The land use change study is an ongoing multi-disciplinary effort involving the collection of a large number of monitored and sampled parameters at Bannockburn Plantation, which is located near the City of Georgetown in South Carolina. Long term monitoring will support a hydrological and ecological assessment of the study site before, during, and after …

Chain Reaction: The Indirect Effects Of Climate Change On Maritime Activity, John Ridout

All Theses

Global climate change has the potential to alter the environment as well as the ways humans interact with it. Specifically, scientists can quickly imagine the effects of global warming in the ocean environment, but a secondary impact will be how humans adapt to this changed world. Ice clearance will lead to navigable Arctic waterways and more potential polar shipping routes. Increased shipping routes will alter or increase global shipping activity. Existing port activity will increase to meet new economic demands, but much of that activity will be concentrated outside Arctic waters. The changes will also affect the ecosystems of these …

Algal And Bacterial Nitrogen Processing In A Zero-Discharge Suspended-Culture Shrimp Production System, Christian-Dominik Henrich

All Theses

The objective of this research was to further modify and develop the Clemson Partitioned Aquaculture System (PAS) design resulting in a system design capable of yielding economic feasible production rates of marine shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, in excess of 45,000[kg/ha] (40,000[lb/ac]) within a 5 month culture period while minimizing impact on the surrounding environment. The operation of the pilot-scale high-rate prototype shrimp culture system showed that it is possible to combine chemoautotrophic and photoautotrophic processing of feed and waste products within the system. A total of 23,400[kg/ha] (20,800[lb/ac]) were harvested at the end of the season (149 days from PL-8/9 shrimp …

The Effects Of Land Use On Sedimentation, Inorganic Substrate, Organic Substrate, And Fish Assemblages In South Carolina's Coastal Plain Streams, Cathy Marion

All Theses

This research is part of a larger, long-term assessment of South Carolina's wadeable streams funded by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources entitled the 'South Carolina Stream Assessment Project'. Biological, physical, and chemical data were collected for this project during the summer seasons of 2006 and 2007. The purpose of this research was to identify relationships among land use, sedimentation, organic substrate, and fish assemblages in three South Carolina coastal plain ecobasins. An additional focus was to determine if South Carolina coastal plain ecobasins were similar enough in species composition, environmental variables, land use, and measured fish metrics to …