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The Gazette December 1, 2011, Langston University

LU Gazette, 2010-2019

The student newspaper for Langston University

The Life That Chose Us: Educators With Tourette Syndrome, Jennifer Kristen Stenger

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how having Tourette syndrome has shaped educators’ relationships in their personal and professional experiences. I completed a series of three in-depth interviews with seven educators in K-12 public schools who self-identify as an educator with Tourette syndrome. I began with a background of the participants’ experiences related to having Tourette syndrome. From there, I discussed participants’ experiences in regard to attaining and retaining employment. My guiding research questions were how having Tourette syndrome shapes relationships with administrators, colleagues, and students and their parents. Also, I asked how Tourette syndrome has shaped …

The Theory And Practice Of Genetically Engineered Crops And Agricultural Sustainability, David E. Ervin, Leland L. Glenna, Raymond Adelard Jussaume

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

The development of genetically engineered (GE) crops has focused predominantly on enhancing conventional pest control approaches. Scientific assessments show that these GE crops generally deliver significant economic and some environmental benefits over their conventional crop alternatives. However, emerging evidence indicates that current GE crops will not foster sustainable cropping systems unless the negative environmental and social feedback effects are properly addressed. Moreover, GE crop innovations that promote more sustainable agricultural systems will receive underinvestment by seed and chemical companies that must understandably focus on private returns for major crops. Opportunities to promote crops that convey multi-faceted benefits for the environment …

A Measure Of Self-Efficacy Among Agency Directors To Offer Nutrition Education To Lowcountry Food Bank Clients, Lucie Maguire

All Theses

In 2005, the Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) in Charleston, SC, launched an initiative to provide nutrition education to clients that seek food assistance. The agency directors of the 332 member agencies of the LCFB are in direct contact with clients, therefore they could provide nutrition education rather than the LCFB staff alone. As such, the self-efficacy of agency directors to deliver nutrition education must be measured. The objective of this project was to measure the self-efficacy of agency directors of the LCFB. A 17-item instrument measuring self-efficacy was developed, including ten validated items from the General Self-Efficacy Scale and an …

The "Padilla Advisory" And Its Implications Beyond The Immigration Context, Hanh H. Le

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Message From The Senior Vice Provost And Dean Of Undergraduate Studies, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Notes From The Director, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Friends Of The Library Mcnair Scholarship Awards, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Mentor Profile, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgements, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Mcnair Scholars Program, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Buy, Build, Or Steal: China’S Quest For Advanced Military Aviation Technologies, Phillip C. Saunders, Joshua K. Wiseman

China Strategic Perspectives

Although China continues to lag approximately two decades behind the world’s most sophisticated air forces in terms of its ability to develop and produce fighter aircraft and other complex aerospace systems, it has moved over time from absolute reliance on other countries for military aviation technology to a position where a more diverse array of strategies can be pursued. Steps taken in the late 1990s to reform China’s military aviation sector demonstrated an understanding of the problems inherent in high-technology acquisition, and an effort to move forward. However, a decade later it remains unclear how effective these reforms have been. …

A Method For Representing Contextualized Information (Merci) To Improve Situational Awareness Among Electronic Message Brokering System Dashboard Users, Arunkumar Srinivasan

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Electronic health information brokering systems are of interest to public health informatics because they emphasize how data can be effectively shared and utilized across healthcare institutions and among providers so as to improve the quality of care, increase efficiency, and reduce costs (Lumpkin, 2002). In the domain of public health (PH) specifically, where complete and timely reporting of data is critical for all epidemiological and disease surveillance activities (Langmuir, 1976), it is imperative to ensure proper functioning of the electronic information exchange infrastructure. Receiving multiple types of data, in various formats from numerous sources, and triaging them to the appropriate …

Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Arthropod-Borne Zoonotic Diseases: A Proposed Methodology To Enhance Macro-Scale Analyses, Stephen Jones

All Dissertations

Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from or through animals to humans, and arthropods often act as vectors for transmission. Emerging infectious diseases have been increasing both in prevalence and geographic range at alarming rates the last 30 years, and the majority of these diseases are zoonotic in nature. Many zoonotic diseases are considered notifiable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, though state regulations or contractual obligations may require the reporting of certain diseases, significant underreporting is known to exist. Because of the rich volume of information captured in health insurance plan databases, …

Creating And Deploying An Application With (R)Excel And R, Thomas Baier, Erich Neuwirth, Michele De Meo

The R Journal

We present some ways of using R in Excel and build an example application using the package rpart. Starting with simple interactive use of rpart in Excel, we eventually package the code into an Excel-based application, hiding all details (including R itself) from the end user. In the end, our application implements a service oriented architecture (SOA) with a clean separation of presentation and computation layer

Program Committee Report December 2011, Regenstrief Center For Healthcare Engineering

RCHE Reports

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Nitrogen Deposition And Empirical Nitrogen Critical Loads For Ecoregions Of The United States, Linda H. Pardo, Mark E. Fenn, Christine L. Goodale, Linda H. Geiser, Charles T. Driscoll, Edith B. Allen, Jill S. Baron, Roland Bobbink, William D. Bowman, Christopher M. Clark, Bridget Emmett, Frank S. Gilliam, Tara L. Greaver, Sharon J. Hall, Erik A. Lilleskov, Lingli Liu, Jason A. Lynch, Knute J. Nadelhoffer, Steven S. Perakis, Molly J. Robin-Abbott, John L. Stoddard, Kathleen C. Weathers, Robin L. Dennis

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Human activity in the last century has led to a significant increase in nitrogen (N) emissions and atmospheric deposition. This N deposition has reached a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. One approach for quantifying the deposition of pollution that would be harmful to ecosystems is the determination of critical loads. A critical load is defined as the input of a pollutant below which no detrimental ecological effects occur over the long-term according to present knowledge. The objectives of this project were to synthesize …

Management Theories In Manufacturing, James Nathan Webster

Graduate Research Papers

The principles and ideology of management have been around for thousands of years. "Before industrialization, organizations were primarily the household, the tribe, the church, the military, and government" (Wren, 1987, p. 13). It was very rare for people to gather and organize outside of these structures prior to the industrial revolution. As mankind and civilization have progressed, the power of organizations has shifted throughout time. In the time of Confucius, government positions were of the utmost respect, and Confucius taught that positions of power "should go to men of proven merit and ability" (Wren, 1987, p. 14). The ancient Egyptians …

City Of Industry: Los Efectos Concretos En El Condado De Los Angeles En La Economía, El Medio Ambiente Y La Salud Pública, Christina Andrea Hernandez

World Languages and Cultures

This project attempts to document the development of the City of Industry, located in eastern Los Angeles County, and to examine the environmental as well as socio-economic effects this industrial hub maintains on its surrounding neighborhoods. City of Industry, since its incorporation in 1957, has established an alarming precedent as a privatized city that has informed concrete changes in the local economy, the environment, and the public health of the surrounding communities that are predominantly Latina(o).

The research undertaken for this project represents an interdisciplinary intersection of a special topic in the study of Industrial Engineering: the global logistics industry, …

Investigation Of Materials Surface Chemistry On Osteoblast Proliferation, Migration And Differentiation, Xia Lu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Osteoporosis, a bone disease caused by the decreased mass and impaired structure of bone, is becoming an increasing threat to the health of the elderly population. To treat and prevent this kind of suffering, understanding of the bone formation and regeneration is of significant importance, during which bone cell-biomaterial interaction plays a critical role, especially osteoblasts. In this work, we report an in situ investigation of osteoblast proliferation, migration and differentiation on a series of substrates with variable surface chemistry as a result of coating fabrication. Primary investigation indicated that cells migrated faster on sulfonated polystyrene (SPS)-coated MirrIR slides than …

Behavioral And Environmental Correlates Of Parasite Burden In Eulemur Cinereiceps From Southeastern Madagascar, Sara Katharine Martin

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The grey-headed lemur, Eulemur cinereiceps, is among the top 25 most endangered primates. This work investigated behavioral and environmental correlates of parasite exposure through the evaluation of parasite burden in two wild metapopulations of E. cinereiceps in southeastern Madagascar. Understanding the relationship between primate behavior, environment and primate disease risk is critical for the conservation of primates and their ecosystems. The presence and distribution of parasites among primate populations is the result of primate exposure to parasites through both behavioral and environmental variables. Primate exposure to parasites is often the result of either host social behaviors or habitat use behaviors. …

Determination Of Sexual Dimorphism From The Proximal Femur In A Heterogeneous North American Population, Kathleen Elizabeth Droesch

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Many studies support the use of population specific standards to establish sexing of skeletal remains. Classic collections, which have been used to establish population standards, may not be reflective of modern societies, which are frequently composed of multiple ethnicities. In this study, vertical head diameter (VHD), superior-inferior neck diameter (SID), hip axis length (HAL) and neck-shaft angle (NSA) were measured from the proximal femur in order to determine if dimorphism can be established in a heterogeneous, contemporary population. Radiographic images from 159 males and 293 females were sampled. Comparisons using a two-tailed t-test indicated significant differences between males and females …

The Effects Of Dietary Immunostimulation On Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) Immune Response To Sea Lice (Lepeophtheirus Salmonis) Infection, Sarah Ellen Friend

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The ectoparasitic copepod, Lepeophtheius salmonis, is considered to be the most economically damaging parasite in commercial Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) culture, causing serious disease outbreaks which cost the industry nearly half a billion dollars annually. While other salmonid species show some resistance to this parasite, Atlantic salmon have previously shown very little in the way of inflammatory response to sea lice infection. The objective of this study was to enhance the immune response of Atlantic salmon to sea lice infection through the administration of in-feed immunostimulants. The efficacy of dietary additives to stimulate the immune response of Atlantic salmon against …

Enhanced Cholesterol Accessibility For Pfo Interaction In Membranes Containing Pope And Pops Phospholipids., Caroline Lee

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Cholesterol biosynthesis regulation via the SREBP (sterol regulatory element binding protein) pathway has previously been elucidated to exhibit a switch-like response in the ER at ~ 5 mol% cholesterol. It has been proposed that this threshold value is mainly due to the control of the concentration at which cholesterol becomes accessible by the phospholipid composition of the ER membrane. We have conducted experiments to investigate this hypothesis. Perfringolysin O (PFO) was applied as a sterol sensor that binds membranes and oligomerizes upon cholesterol exposure in artificial membranes. Using this system, we detected a progressive enhancement of cholesterol accessibility as more …

Daily Eastern News: December 01, 2011, Eastern Illinois University

December

No abstract provided.

Complex Dynamics Of Discrete Seis Models With Simple Demography, Hui Cao, Yicang Zhou, Baojun Song

Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

We investigate bifurcations and dynamical behaviors of discrete SEIS models with exogenous reinfections and a variety of treatment strategies. Bifurcations identified from the models include period doubling, backward, forward-backward, and multiple backward bifurcations. Multiple attractors, such as bistability and tristability, are observed. We also estimate the ultimate boundary of the infected regardless of initial status. Our rigorously mathematical analysis together with numerical simulations show that epidemiological factors alone can generate complex dynamics, though demographic factors only support simple equilibrium dynamics. Our model analysis supports and urges to treat a fixed percentage of exposed individuals.

The Effects Of Playing Exergames On Energy Expenditure, Demetrice Kirkwood

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the performance, ratings of perceived exertion, metabolic responses, and energy expenditure as individuals participated in interactive video game play. There were 14 participants that participated in the study, whose age was 20.1 ± 1.64 years of age. Participants completed a maximal aerobic test to exhaustion (VO2max test), and then 30 minute testing session on both the Kinect Adventures (K) and Wii Fit Plus game. Data were analyzed using a dependent t-test and one-way ANOVA. Significance was accepted at P ≤ 0.05. Energy expenditure and RPE were significant in both exergames interactive game …

Activity Of Analogs Of Anticancer Drugs On The Serine Protease Enzymes Subtilisin And Chymotrypsin, Dhatri Ravipati

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The anticancer activity of several platinum compounds is due to the formation of complexes with DNA. We hypothesize that the size and shape of the platinum compounds would impact interaction with proteins, and these interactions may be partly responsible for the anticancer activity. Chymotrypsin and subtilisin are serine proteases that have a histidine residue in the active site. We are investigating the inhibition of the digestive enzymes chymotrypsin and subtilisin by analogs of the anticancer drug cisplatin and trying to discern trends in the inhibition as the active site residues vary. In our research, we found that the enzyme subtilisin …

Characteristics Of Age-Friendly Bus Information, Kieran Broome, Linda Worrall, Jennifer Fleming, Duncan Boldy

Journal of Public Transportation

Bus information is an important element to consider when developing and implementing age-friendly bus systems. Little is known regarding the bus information needs and preferences of older people. This study aims to illuminate characteristics of age-friendly bus information. Participant observations with stimulated recall interviews (n=40) were used to identify older peoples’ (age 60 and over) perspectives on bus information. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A printed information location checklist also was conducted. Categorical analysis identified that older people used a variety of information sources including printed information, telephone, Internet, bus drivers, word of mouth, and experience. Positive …

Assessment Of Surface Transportation Security Training Needs And Delivery Preferences, Karen W. Lowrie, Judy A. Shaw, Michael R. Greenberg

Journal of Public Transportation

America’s surface transportation system features long and inter-connected routes and open access to stations and vehicles, making the system vulnerable to terrorist attack. While a variety of security-related training products exist for the transportation sector, government and other reports have called for improvements in the transportation security training curriculum in terms of quality and consistency. At the same time, tight economic times have left few extra financial resources available for systems to deliver adequate training to employees. This study assessed the needs for additional security training through focus groups and interviews with representatives of major surface transportation stakeholders and agencies. …