Digital Commons Network^™

Is Arbitration Under Attack?: Exploring The Recent Judicial Skepticism Of The Class Arbitration Waiver And Innovative Solutions To The Unsettled Legal Landscape, Ramona L. Lampley

Faculty Articles

Courts have become increasingly likely in recent years to find class arbitration waivers in consumer product sales unenforceable due to the lack of incentives for consumers and their attorneys to recover for "low value" claims. This article explores the history of the unconscionability and vindication-of-statutory rights doctrines invoked by those courts. It then analyzes the progression of the class arbitration waiver in the consumer products industry, with emphasis on the third-generation "incentivizing" agreement. This "incentivizing" agreement, if viewed at the time of the purchase agreement, can be mutually beneficial to seller and consumer. Some consumers may wish to forego the …

Profits Above The Law: China’S Melamine Tainted Milk Incident, Chenglin Liu

Faculty Articles

There are fundamental flaws within China’s food safety regulatory regime that permeate both its supervision system and governing laws. This is especially prevalent within the market structure in the dairy industry. The government continues to fail in regulating the chaotic market forcing competitors to internalize costs, which has resulted in melamine tainted milk.

This tainted milk scandal has resulted in the death of thousands of infants in a number of Asian countries. The scandal was concealed by the Sanlu Group and local government for fear of bad publicity and loss of profits.

The Chinese government should search for a new …

The Effects Of Coaching Strategies For Primary Prevention Of Coronary Heart Disease Involving Asymptomatic Hospital Employees, Gabriel Mario Moreno

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: An effective coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention program is needed. Currently, prevention of CHD is being sought through pre-CHD risk stratification of patients using office-based screening tools such as the Framingham risk model (Greenland, Smith, and Grundy, 2001). However, patients who are given recommendations for lifestyle behavior modification find difficulty employing and sustaining the changes. The recent popularity of coaching for health behavior change has prompted the question of whether coaching is an effective method to produce a higher success rate for lowering cardiovascular disease following risk stratification.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness …

Trusted Querying Over Wireless Sensor Networks And Network Security Visualization, Giovani Rimon Abuaitah

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) as an emerging technology faces numerous challenges. Sensor nodes are usually resource constrained. Sensor nodes are also vulnerable to physical attacks or node compromises. Answering queries over data is one of the basic functionalities of WSNs. Both resource constraints and security issues make designing mechanisms for data aggregation particularly challenging. In this thesis, we first explore the various security techniques for data aggregation in WSNs then we design and demonstrate the feasibility of an innovative reputation-based framework rooted in rigorous statistical theory and belief theory to characterize the trustworthiness of individual nodes and data queries in …

Creating Safety In The Diagnostic Testing Processes Of Family Medical Practices, Timothy Ryan Mcewen

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Four mid-Western family practices were studied using three methods (observations, interviews, and an audit of patient records) in effort to discover the dynamics and constraints of their diagnostic testing processes. We have found further evidence that errors do occur at many of the steps in the processes, but that the patterns of those errors are not independent of each other and are a function of systemic factors unique to each practice. Furthermore, while many employees or steps in the process may be considered a source of error, they were also shown to be major sources of quality and safety in …

Dynamic Decision Making In Surgery, Lisa Marie Kervin

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Following Dominguez (1997), we tested for differences among 10 resident surgeons' eye-scanning patterns during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy video. We measured time, number of fixations on anatomy and instruments, discomfort level ratings, notation of cystic artery, and conversion to open-incision. We expected our 10 residents would fall into two scanning strategies, proactive or reactive. Proactive strategists were defined as more skilled (year in residency, cases performed), anticipatory of danger (time and fixations on anatomy), observant of the pulsing cystic artery, and converting from laparoscopy to open when highly uncomfortable. Reactive strategists were expected to spend more time on instruments, have low …

Effects Of Chlorpyrifos-Oxon On Prohormone Convertase Enzyme Activity, Sean William Harshman

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphate (OP) compounds have been synthesized for various applications including medicine, pest control and weapons of terror. OPs irreversibly phosphorylate the active site of acetylcholinesterase, the primary target of toxicity, rendering it inactive causing a hypercholinergic state in the post synaptic cleft. However, very little is known about the effects of OPs on secondary targets of toxicity i.e. other serine hydrolases. The prohormone convertase (PC) enzymes, specifically PC1/3 and PC2, are serine hydrolases which are responsible for the processing of pro-opiomelanocortin in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary. To test the direct interaction between OPs and the PC …

Cellular Function Of The Ia-Motoneuron Circuit Following Peripheral Nerve Regeneration, Katie Leigh Bullinger

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Successful regeneration of a severed peripheral nerve is insufficient to restore the stretch reflex. This deficit occurs despite successful muscle reinnervation and functional restoration of the circuit components. For example, Ia afferents encode muscle stretch, Ia-motoneuron synapses reform to the extent of restoring low frequency transmission, and activation of motoneurons results in muscle force output. However, when recording intracellularly from reinnervated rat motoneurons during ramp hold and release muscle stretch, no excitatory synaptic potentials are detected in 2/3 motoneurons (Haftel et al., 2005), a clear sign that the synapses connecting Ia afferents with motoneurons are physiologically disrupted. This thesis examines …

Ischemic Stroke In Type Ii Diabetic Mice: Deregulation Of Sdf-1a/Cxcr4 Axis, Avik Das

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. Also diabetes is associated with poor outcome after stroke. Underlying mechanisms are however not fully understood. Alteration in the expression of the SDF-1a/CXCR4 axis, which is important for ischemic tissue repair, can be a probable cause. In this study, we have determined the expression of SDF-1a/CXCR4 in the brains of type II diabetic mice at basal and in response to ischemic stroke and have investigated a method for overexpression of SDF-1a in the brains of the diabetic mice. Adult male C57BLKS/J mice (db/db) of age 8 weeks were …

Bench-Scale Conversion Of Carbon Dioxide To A Hydrocarbon Fuel, Melissa L. Kennedy

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing concern about the effects of global warming that many believe is anthropogenically caused. As such, scientists are trying to uncover a viable alternative fuel source and establish a way to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. A potential solution that addresses both of these aspects would be to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert it into a natural gas, in particular methane, which could be used as an energy source. A laboratory-scale experiment using 6 160 mL microcosms (3 with anaerobic wetland soil and 3 relatively soil free) and 2 7.2 L bioreactors was conducted to learn …

The Presynaptic Regulation Of Isolated Neonatal Rat Carotid Body Type I Cells By Histamine, Drew C. Burlon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

It has been previously shown that Carotid Body Type I cells have the ability to synthesize, package and release histamine in response to hypoxia, thereby contributing to the modulation of respiration within the rat. Here, isolated neonatal rat carotid body type I cells were used to identify the presynaptic effects of histamine and the specific receptor subtypes that modulate them. Although all four histamine receptor subtypes are expressed on the type I cells, and preliminary data showed promising results, further data proved that the activation of these receptors with histamine or selective agonists caused no rise in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) …

Ion Transport Mechanisms During Hyposmotic Regulatory And Isosmotic Apoptotic Volume Decreases In A Human Lens Epithelial Cells Line, Ameet Ajit Chimote

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Living cells maintain constant volume in response to physiological stresses by altering trans-membrane ion, solute and water flow. In the present study, early and late membrane transport changes in human lens epithelial (HLE-B3) cells under hyposmotic and apoptotic stress were compared. Cell potassium (Ki), rubidium (Rbi)-uptake and water content were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and gravimetry, respectively. Intracellular chloride concentration [Cl]i was determined with the fluorescence dye N- (ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (MQAE), during regulatory volume decrease (RVD) after hyposmotic stress and apoptotic volume decrease (AVD) induced by staurosporine (STP), a protein-kinase inhibitor. Cell water increased in hyposmotic balanced salt solution …

Effect Of Low-Dose Sarin Exposure On The Neurochemistry Of Different Brain Structures In Mice, Dhawal Pravin Oswal

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sarin (GB) is a toxic organophosphate (OP) nerve agent that was released in the Gulf War and was used in terrorist attacks in Japan. People who survive such attacks exhibit various long-term effects including alterations in neuropsychological performances. It has also been hypothesized that the Gulf War Illness could be a result of low level exposure to OP's. In order to understand the effect of low dose exposure to GB on physiological and behavioral functions, we analyzed the levels of monoamines and their metabolites in different brain areas after exposure of mice to a sublethal dose of GB. Mice (male …

Impact Of Diabetes On Ace/Ace2 Balance And Angiotensin Ii Type 1 Receptor Expression In Db/Db Diabetic Mice, Malav Navinchandra Madhu

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Alterations in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) are considered to be crucial for the development of diabetic complications like hypertension and nephropathy. Our previous work demonstrated role of AT1 receptors (AT1R) in the development of hypertension in db/db diabetic mice. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that there is upregulation of renal AT1R and imbalance in renal ACE/ACE2 homeostasis in db/db mice. In addition, we hypothesize that treatment with an anti-hyperglycemic or an AT1R blocker will correct this imbalance. Five week old control and db/db mice were housed in metabolic cages for 24 hour collection of urine. …

The Development Of The Wright Work Engagement Scale, Gene Michael Alarcon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Recent developments in organizational attitude research have focused on the concept of engagement. Despite the growing literature on engagement there is little agreement on the conceptualization of engagement. The current study sought to conceptualize and measure work engagement using Item Response Theory. The Wright Work Engagement Scale was created using two samples, a student sample for exploratory analyses and a working sample for item analyses. Results indicate engagement is a unidimensional construct. The 12 item Work Engagement Scale was created and demonstrated sufficient convergent and discriminant validity.

Influence Of Diet On Population Growth And Allergen Production In Cultured House Dust Mites - Dermatophagoides Farinae And Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus, Swetha Avula Poola

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus culture extracts are used for skin testing, immunotherapy and research studies. There is a need to develop an effective culture method so that standardized extracts and allergens can be produced. The purpose of this study was to examine if different diets effect mite population growth and the amount of allergen produced in cultures. Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were cultured on diets A and B. The density of mites, life stage composition and allergen concentration was determined at two week intervals. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays (ELISA) were used to assess group 1 and group 2 …

Characterization Of Infectivity And Pathogenesis Of Partially Reconstructed 1918 And Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses In The Balb/C Mouse Model, John Allen Pyles

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Influenza viruses are consistently responsible for an average of 20,000 deaths and 114,000 hospitalizations per year. To a great extent, these viruses always stay one step ahead of the available vaccines and people's immunity year after year because they have the ability to either mutate part of their genetic material, or to be transmitted from one species to another. That same genetic variability explains why highly pathogenic influenza viruses emerge that cause great mortality over several countries resulting in pandemics. Highly pathogenic strains of influenza A virus have emerged occasionally in recent history, producing pandemics such as the one in …

Inflammatory Cytokines In Jet Propulsion Fuel-8 Induced Irritant Contact Dermatitis In Male Fischer Rats, Thomas Joseph Kannanayakal

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Contact dermatitis is one of the most common occupational diseases. Absenteeism of the affected workers and associated health care costs makes this disease an economically important issue. Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a common contact dermatitis observed among workers. As each category of irritants triggers the inflammatory process by different method, studying the mechanism of ICD is difficult. Information on the mechanism of action of an irritant is indispensable for the development of effective prophylactic and therapeutic measures. In this study, we have investigated the early changes in rat skin induced by jet fuel-8 (JP-8). Although previous studies have described …

Localization And Surveillance Using Wireless Sensor Network And Pan/Tilt Camera, Pratikkumar U. Desai

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The ever growing challenges in hostile environments, health care and warzone require accurate indoor localization and surveillance. The de facto localization technique using GPS has poor indoor performance due to the complexity of the indoor environment. Other Radio frequency based indoor localization techniques are unable of accurate localization due to multipath fading.

In this thesis, a system consisting of Cricket wireless sensor motes, a camera and a Pan/Tilt gimbal is proposed to solve the indoor localization and surveillance problems. The system is easy to deploy, is cost effective and gives accurate results. The Crickets motes use the Time Difference of …

Reorganization Of Ia Afferent Synapses On Motoneurons After Peripheral Nerve Injuries, Haley E. Titus

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

After peripheral nerve injuries patients lose and do not recover the stretch reflex which leads to altered locomotor function. The focus of this thesis is to investigate the structural integrity of the central connection between Ia afferents and alpha motoneurons that mediate the stretch reflex. The overall hypothesis is that the density and distribution of Ia synapses on motoneurons is altered after peripheral nerve injuries. Analysis of Ia afferent-motoneuron contacts, revealed by vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) immunoreactivity, on the soma and dendritic arbor of motoneurons after peripheral nerve injuries revealed major reorganizations in the distribution and density of Ia …

Tcdd-Induced Modulation Of The Hs1,2 Enhancer Within The 3'Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Regulatory Region, Tharu M. Fernando

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent environmental toxin that inhibits immunoglobulin (Ig) gene expression in mice. Transcriptional regulation of the Ig heavy chain (IgH) involves the 3'IgH regulatory region (3'IgH RR). The murine 3'IgH RR consists of four enhancers (hs3A, hs1,2, hs3B, and hs4), which are homologous to the human 3'IgH RR enhancers (hs3, hs1,2, and hs4). In humans, a polymorphism of the hs1,2 enhancer, resulting in a varying number of tandem repeats of a 53 bp sequence, has been correlated with autoimmune diseases like IgA nephropathy and Celiac disease. The repeated sequence contains a kB and DRE binding site. Previous …

Identification Of Potential Protein Biomarkers Of Low Level Kidney Degradation, Christopher Lee Woolard

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was the identification of potential dose-dependent and time-dependent serum protein biomarkers of low level kidney degradation in a rat model. Potential biomarkers were evaluated based on differential protein expression between control and dosed samples in rat serum. Proteins of interest demonstrated upregulation at a minimum 1.5 fold increase in protein concentration control versus dosed sample. In order to identify common biomarkers of kidney decrement, three nephrotoxins were chosen to target specific locations of the kidney: 1) D-Serine, which causes necrosis of the proximal straight tubules, 2) Puromycin, an antibiotic that degrades the Glomerular Basement Membrane …

Bounded Rationality In The Emergency Department, Markus Alexander Feufel

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed at understanding bounded rationality - that is, how simple heuristics result in satisfactory outcomes - in a naturalistic setting where agents have to meet environmental demands with limited resources. To do so, two methodological approaches were taken, an observational and an experimental study of U.S. emergency physicians who have to provide a satisfactory level of care while simultaneously coping with uncertainty, time and resources constraints. There are three major findings. First, based on observations of 12 resident and 6 attending physicians at two Midwestern emergency departments (ED), ED physicians use at least two general heuristics. One heuristic …

Physiological Effects On The Expression Of Aquaporin 1-Like Hc-1 In Cope's Gray Tree Frog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Ram Naresh Pandey

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Aquaporin 1 is a cell membrane integral protein, which functions for water transport through the hydrophobic cell membrane to the cytoplasm. HC-1 is an aquaporin 1-like protein expressed in Hyla chrysoscelis and amphibian that survives at sub-freezing temperatures in its natural habitat. The goal of the current study was to investigate the expression of HC-1 during changing physiological conditions. The expression level of HC-1 was determined in skin, muscle, liver, kidney, and intestines of warm, cold, frozen, and dehydrated frogs using Western blot and immunohistofluorescence. Although HC-1 was widely distributed, the expression level varied among tissues and physiological conditions. In …

Inhibition Of Pro-Inflammatory Processes Reduces Sensitization Of The Behavioral Response To Maternal Separation, Kristopher Doojin Paik

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the behavioral sensitization of guinea pig pups in response to consecutive days of maternal separation. In the first experiment, guinea pigs that received centrally administered artificial cerebrospinal fluid or IL-10 exhibited sensitization of passive behaviors from Day 1 to Day 2. IL-10 decreased the levels of passive behaviors on Day 1, as well as the increase on Day 2. The second experiment used unoperated pups, which also showed sensitization of the passive response from Day 1 to Day 2, though the effect appeared reduced relative to control pups of Experiment 1. Collectively, this investigation confirms previous …

Novel Neuroprotectants For Sarin Plus Cbdp Induced Convulsions, Kaushal V. Joshi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sarin, also known as Sarin (German agent B) is classified as a weapon of mass destruction. Sarin (O-isopropyl methyl phosphonofluoridate) is a highly toxic nerve agent originally produced for chemical warfare and has been used in terrorist activities. Sarin is an extremely potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor with high specificity and affinity for the enzyme. High sarin doses causes death due to anoxia resulting from airway obstruction, weakness of the muscles of respiration, respiratory failure and convulsions. Current treatments are still not effective at protecting against long term effects following exposure. A current approach aims to counteract the increased glutamatergic and cholinergic …

Central Mechanisms Regulating Pituitary-Adrenal Activity In Infant Guinea Pigs (Cavia Porcellus) During Exposure To Psychological Stressors: Independent And Combined Effects Of Maternal Separation And Novelty, Deborah Suzanne Maken

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Separation from the maternal attachment figure, particularly when it occurs in a novel or threatening environment, reliably increases pituitary-adrenal activity in a number of species, and is thought to increase later susceptibility to psychopathology in humans. However, little is known about the central mechanisms mediating these effects. Therefore, I investigated cortisol and ACTH levels in plasma, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and c-Fos activity in a circuit [medial amygdala (MeA)- bed nucleus of the stria terminalus (BNST)] thought to drive pituitary-adrenal activity during exposure to psychological stressors, as well as in the PVN. Measurements …

Genetic Differentiation In Ambystomatid Salamanders Across A Fragmented Landscape, Joseph E. Bartoszek

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

It is generally recognized that amphibian populations declining across the globe. Habitat loss is the primary cause of decline. The salamander family Ambystomatidae has experienced significantly more rapid decline than the average for amphibians. Coefficients of Conservatism (CoC) have been developed for amphibians in Ohio. These are based primarily on habitat requirements with high CoCs for amphibians with stringent habitat requirements (e.g. vernal pools associated with large, intact, undisturbed forest), and low CoCs for amphibians with less stringent habitat requirements. Genetic diversity in five species and one hybrid complex of ambystomatid salamander in southwest Ohio were examined and compared to …

How Does A Democratic Brazil Constrast With Authoritarian Brazil In Terms Of Promoting Human Security?, Pablo Albuquerque Banhos

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study compares and contrasts two distinct regimes, the Brazilian military regime (1964-1985) and Brazil's current democratic regime (1985-2007). The focus of this thesis is to determine why, compared to the authoritarian regime, human security has improved measurably under democracy in some areas but not in others. To assess this paradox, one variable has been chosen: the rule of law, specifically conceptualized as violations of physical integrity. This research centers on the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and is based on a qualitative examination supplemented by quantitative evidence. The study finds that violations of physical integrity …

Conducting Polymer Matrix Poly(2,2'-Bithiophene) Mercuric Metal Ion Incorporation, Rachel Michele Kingdom

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The synthesis of poly(2,2'bithiophene) was carried out utilizing the Epsilon 2000 cyclic voltammeter. In order to incorporate the mercuric ion into the polymer matrix, the polymer was grown on an Iridium Oxide conductive glass, immersed into a solution of 0.005M HgSO4 for 15 minutes. The mercuric ion became covalently bonded to the sulfur from the polymer. The comparison of the bare platinum electrode in a solution of 0.005M pyrocatechol to the modified poly(2,2'-bithiophene) polymer was ran at a scan rate of 100mVs-1. This gave a direct comparison of oxidation/reduction peak potentials. As seen, the modified poly(2,2'-bithiophene) polymer with the mercuric …