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Myth4 And Ferm Have Overlapping And Distinct Roles In The Function Of Myo1, A Class Xiv Myosin In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Michael Gotesman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

MyTH4 and FERM are conserved tail domains in myosin classes VII, X, XII, XIV, XV and in MyoG. Myo1, a class XIV myosin in Tetrahymena thermophila, contains MyTH4 and FERM. Previous studies have shown that Myo1 localizes to phagosomes, the cytoskeleton, and the macronucleus, and that phagosome trafficking and division of the macronucleus are affected in a MYO1 knockout. To investigate the roles for MyTH4 and FERM in the function of Myo1, GFP-tagged MyTH4, FERM, and truncated FERM were separately overexpressed in Tetrahymena. Actin antibody coprecipitated tubulin, GFP-MyTH4, and GFP-FERM. GFP-MyTH4 and GFP-FERM cosedimented with either exogenous microtubules or exogenous …

In Favor Of Teleosemantics: A Millikanian Treatment Of The Intentional Content Of Mental Representation, Pierre Faye

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Theoretical attempts to naturalize mental contents, that is, to explain how wholly physical organisms manage to represent the external world to themselves, are mostly conducted in accordance with causal-informational and/or functionalist approaches based on nomic physical correlations. In 1984, Ruth Millikan and David Papineau simultaneously, though independently, injected new life into the naturalist program by introducing a divergent approach known today as "teleosemantics."

In first approximation, teleosemantics purports to naturalize mental content by substituting for the former concept of nomic correlations found in causal and/or functionalist models, the biological concept of etiological functions resulting from natural selection. Since its introduction, …

Smoking, Drinking, And Binge Drinking: An Empirical Study Of The Role Of Price On Consumption By High School Seniors, Jorge L. Medina

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this study, I estimate time-series demand functions using Ordinary Least Squares in order to examine the effects of real cigarette and alcohol prices on their respective consumption. My targeted population is high school seniors in the United States. The data I use come from Monitoring the Future, The Tax Burden on Tobacco, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Using the Ordinary Least Squares real price coefficients, I evaluate how much of the observed change in consumption is explained by the observed change in real price during a particular period of time between 1976 and 2008. Then, I repeat the …

Franz Joseph Rosinack (1748-1823): A Bohemian Oboist And Music Arranger At The Fürstenberg Hofkapelle, Jan Oliver Homann

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The oboist Franz Joseph Rosinack worked at the Fürstenberg princely court in Donaueschingen from 1777 to 1823. He had a range of duties, including performing with the Hof-orchester, Harmonie, and other ensembles, as well as supplying music for court occasions. Chapter I presents a survey of the court's musical activities and principal musicians under Princes Joseph Wenzel (r. 1762-83), Joseph Maria Benedict (r. 1783-96), Karl Joachim (1796-1804), and Karl Egon II (r. 1817-54). Fürstenberg ties to the major cultural centers of eighteenth-century Europe supplied repertoire allowing the court orchestra to perform some of the best contemporary operas often within …

The Effects Of Bilingual Instruction On The English Emergent Literacy Skills Of Spanish-Speaking Preschool Children, Zoila Tazi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Numerous studies have shown that early childhood education (ECE) contributes to educational attainment particularly for poor children. Nationally, ECE has gained considerable backing as a viable intervention to propel achievement. As ECE comes to the fore, census figures indicate that Latinos are the fastest growing minority in the United States. Latinos have persistently experienced greater rates of poverty and other risk factors that adversely affect educational attainment.

Multiple risk factors as well as a "cultural mismatch" with a school system poised to educate white, middle-class, English-speaking students, raise alarm for the educational trajectories of Latino children just entering schools. Racism …

Phosphorus Transport In The Bronx River: Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis, Jingyu Wang

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Phosphorus (P) is the primary limiting nutrient for algal growth in freshwater systems. Excessive P from external inputs and release from sediments could accelerate primary productivity leading to eutrophication in the water column, and consequently degrading water quality. The objectives of this study were to predict P bioavailability and estimate spatial and temporal variations in P transport in the Bronx River, New York, USA. The Bronx River originates from the Westchester Davis Brook and Kensico Dam, flowing south through Westchester County (WC) and Bronx to the estuary area where it joins the East River. The total length is about 20 …

A R&D Based Real Business Cycle Model, Ka Wai Terence Fung

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The New Keynesian Real Business Cycle model with staggered price adjustment is augmented with a R&D producing sector. Two sources of economic shocks are separately considered, namely random participation (perturbances to value of alternative investment opportunities in another sector) and financial intermediation (shocks to the cost of raising capital in the financial intermediation market). We find that, when comparing to the baseline model, both random participation and financial intermediation models can explain pro-cyclical R&D spending. Additionally the investment oversensitivity problem is corrected. However, only the financial intermediation model is consistent with the observed finding that the volatility of R&D is …

Invasive Fish Effects On The Invertebrate Constituents Of Wetland Communities, Levi Bridges

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The purpose of this research was to assess the impacts of invasive fishes on wetland communities. Within this study we explored fish effects on the invertebrate constituents of these wetlands, and possible niche overlap of fish and dabbling waterfowl using stable isotope analysis. Brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) and pumpkinseed (Lipomis gibbosus) pose a potentially growing threat to temperate Pacific drainages of North America due to their ability to outcompete native fauna. Our study compares and contrasts the invertebrate constituents, their diversity, abundances, and stable isotope ecology among fish invaded and non-invaded wetlands. We found that brook stickleback and pumpkinseed are …

Woodwords, Carol Harrington

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Diet, Growth And Bioenergetics Of Northern Pike (Esox Lucius Linnaeus, 1758) In Box Canyon Reservoir, Pend Oreille River, Washington, Shane Joseph Harvey

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"The objectives of this study were to describe the growth of northern pike, describe the food habits of northern pike and using bioenergetics modeling assess the mass and total numbers of each species of forage fish the northern pike population consumed in Box Canyon Reservoir,Pend Orielle River, Washington. Northern pike (n=328) were collected by boat electrofishing, fyke netting, angling and gillnetting in 2009 and 2010. All northern pike were sacrificed to obtain stomach contents. Stomach contents were examined in the laboratory and identified to the appropriate level; amphibians and mammals to species, insect prey (aquatic/terrestrial) to family and prey fish …

Factors Affecting Growth And Condition Of Stocked Rainbow Trout In Eastern Washington Lakes, Tamara Knudson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Rainbow trout growth and condition were examined in 17 ecologically diverse lakes from which physical, limnological, and biological parameters were sampled. Parameters were correlated with rainbow trout growth and condition to identify factor(s) that predict rainbow trout growth and condition across eastern Washington lakes stocked annually with rainbow trout fry. We tested the hypothesis Ho: the environmental variables examined do not predict rainbow trout growth and condition. Data were natural log transformed for better fit, and were analyzed by season. Several models were identified using stepwise multiple regression analysis and general linear modeling which significantly predicted trout growth or condition …

Graduation Rates Of Academic Non-Qualifier, Junior College Transfers Within Ncaa Division I Men's Basketball, Michael W. Score

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Between Experiences Of Discrimination And Psychological Reactance, Nathaniel S. Wareham

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Psychological reactance is a motivational state caused by a perceived threat to an individual's freedom to behave as he or she chooses. In this state individuals are motivated to restore the perception of freedom. Past research on reactance has suggested that it is possible that repeatedly experiencing a reactive state may contribute to increasing trait reactance, which is the individual's general tendency to experience reactance in a given situation. Research on discrimination has suggested that experiencing discrimination may induce a reactive state, but has not empirically tested that idea. Study 1 hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between …

The Effect Of Using E-Learning Tools In Online And Campus-Based Classrooms On Student Performance, Edith Galy, Clara Downey, Jennie Johnson

International Business and Entrepreneurship Faculty Publications

Creating an integrative research framework that extends a model frequently used in the Information Systems field, the Technology Acceptance Model, together with variables used in the Education field, this empirical study investigates the factors influencing student performance as reflected by their final course grade. The Technology Acceptance Model explains computer acceptance in general terms. The model measures the impact of external variables on internal beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use, two main constructs in the model, refer to an individual's perception of how the adoption of a new technology will increase their efficiency, and the …

An Essay On The Stages Of The Clinical Year In Law School: Group Process With Existentialist Roots, Richard J. Wilson

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

This short article focuses on "units," or stages of group process, part of my shared experience in law teaching and in adult education at St. Mark’s Church, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. The article explores the context of the functional education program of church teaching and its common elements with clinical law teaching. The unit structure from church teaching translates well, I conclude, into the structure of clinical legal education.

Transparency In The Administration Of Laws: The Relationship Between Differing Justifications For Transparency And Differing Views Of Administrative Law, Robert Vaughn

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Notes On Borrowing And Convergence, Robert Tsai, Nelson Tebbe

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

his is a response to Jennifer E. Laurin, "Trawling for Herring: Lessons in Doctrinal Borrowing and Convergence," 111 Colum. L. Rev. 670 (2011), which analyzes the Supreme Court's resort to tort-based concepts to limit the reach of the Fourth Amendment's exclusionary rule. We press three points. First, there are differences between a general and specific critique of constitutional borrowing. Second, the idea of convergence as a distinct phenomenon from borrowing has explanatory potential and should be further explored. Third, to the extent convergence occurs, it matters whether concerns of judicial administration or political reconstruction are driving doctrinal changes.

Aryans, Gender, And American Politics, Robert Tsai

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

This short essay discusses some of the ways in which the Aryan movement in America activates gendered beliefs for the goal of legal, political, and cultural transformation. In recent years, the community has moved from common law theories of white sovereignty to more robust forms of racial constitutionalism. The piece is drawn from "America's Forgotten Constitutions: Defiant Visions of Power and Community"

A Punishing Court Docket, Stephen Wermiel

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Migratory Connectivity And The Conservation Of Migratory Animals, David Hunter

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

9/11 And The Transformation Of U.S. Immigration Law And Policy, Jayesh Rathod

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Expertise And Demographic Characteristics On Public Administrators' Attitudes To E-Government, Raji Msail Alsharari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to recent advancements in electronic technology (e-technology), research on the developing field has become important for understanding how this technology affects the population and how the population affects this technology. Research on e-technology reveals that demographic characteristics (age, gender, location, and education) and expertise are factors affecting e-technology attitudes and performance. One of the emerging e-technology fields is electronic government (e-government). After reviewing historical research in e-technology, this study reviewed existing e-government literature to determine key obstacles for public administrators to implement e-government. This study used a survey questionnaire, based on e-government attitude surveys conducted by Moon (2002) and …

A Spatial Analysis Of The Role Of Entrepreneurship In The Economic Development In Northeast Region Of The United States, Saima Bashir

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Increasing population and very modest economic growth are major concerns in regional economic development. There have been many fluctuations and inconsistencies in regional economic growth since the Second World War. Policy makers started to pay attention to the possibility of increasing entrepreneurial activities in the Northeast region after realizing that manufacturing firms alone cannot meet the employment needs of local residents. The United States has focused on providing more support to entrepreneurs to have a competitive economy. Entrepreneurship is important for economic activities such as employed resources, labor and capital goods pricing, organizing production, and marketing goods. This study develops …

An Epidemiological Assessment Of Lung Function Decline As A Predictor Of Morbidity And Mortality, Penelope J. Baughman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Excessive lung function decline is associated with increased risks of respiratory morbidity and mortality outcomes including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a disease afflicting approximately 80 million people worldwide and as of 2002, the fifth leading cause of death. COPD is an increasing problem, with substantial increases projected in COPD deaths if there is no reduction of the causal risk factors. By 2030, COPD is projected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide, an increase mainly due to extended life expectancies and that COPD deaths occur at older ages. COPD is also largely underdiagnosed, partially due …

Immune System Based Control And Intelligent Agent Design For Power System Applications, Rabie Belkacemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The National Academy of Engineering has selected the US Electric Power Grid as the supreme engineering achievement of the 20th century. Yet, this same grid is struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for electricity, its quality and cost. A growing recognition of the need to modernize the grid to meet future challenges has found articulation in the vision of a Smart Grid in using new control strategies that are intelligent, distributed, and adaptive. The objective of this work is to develop smart control systems inspired from the biological Human Immune System to better manage the power grid at …

Engaging The Virtual Landscape: Toward An Experiential Approach To Exploring Place Through A Spatial Experience Engine, Susan J. Bergeron

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The utilization of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other geospatial technologies in historical inquiry and the humanities has led to a number of projects that are exploring digital representations of past landscapes and places as platforms for synthesizing and representing historical and geographic information. Recent advancements in geovisualization, immersive environments, and virtual reality offer the opportunity to generate digital representations of cultural and physical landscapes, and embed those virtual landscapes with information and knowledge from multiple GIS sources. The development of these technologies and their application to historical research has opened up new opportunities to synthesize historical records from disparate …

Role Of "Caax" Protein Processing In The Retina, Jeffrey Rowan Christiansen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prenylation is a posttranslational modification which adds a lipid, either a farnesyl or geranylgeranyl group, to the C-terminal cysteine of proteins ending in a "CAAX" motif. Two additional steps referred to as "CAAX" protein processing follow prenylation. First, the terminal three amino acids are cleaved by the endoprotease RAS converting enzyme1 (RCE1), then isoprenylcysteine methyltransferase (ICMT) adds a methyl group to the cysteine. While it is clear that the addition of the prenyl group is required for the association of proteins with membranes, the function of proteolysis and methylation is not obvious. Two lines of evidence suggest a critical role …

Childhood Obesity In Context: Examining The Role Of Ecological Factors Related To Childhood Obesity Among West Virginia's Youth, Stephanie S. Frost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nearly one third of youth in the United States are overweight or obese and rates are disproportionately higher among rural youth. These rates are cause for alarm given the many short- and long-term consequences of childhood obesity. A growing body of research has begun to explore how factors outside the individual might influence obesity and obesity-related behaviors. Guided by ecological frameworks, this research has demonstrated that factors such as the socioeconomic status of the community, access to physical activity opportunities, and quality of the community food environment may contribute to this epidemic. However, much of the research to date has …

Feeding Behavior Of Podisus Maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae): Implications For Mass Rearing And Biological Control, Sudan Gyawaly

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a generalist predator feeding on more than 70 different insect species. P. maculiventris is noted for its potential for augmentative release against coleopteran and lepidopteran larvae. Successful mass rearing and determination of potential prey of a biological control agent are crucial factors that need consideration for success of a biological control agent in augmentative biological control. Firstly, study was conducted to investigate feeding behavior of P. maculiventris using yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Using different life stages of T. molitor that P. maculiventris could potentially feed on in mass rearing …

Intelligent Reservoir Modeling Of Lower Huron Shale, Ognjen Grujic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The work presented in this thesis is an intelligent reservoir modeling and analysis of Lower Huron Shale in eastern Kentucky. Methodology used for this analysis is a recently developed Top Down Intelligent Reservoir Modeling, that couples artificial intelligence and data mining techniques with conventional reservoir engineering methods. A total of 77 wells completed in Lower Huron Shale in eastern Kentucky were used in this study. Well production data was obtained from the company operating the wells, while completion reports and well logs were downloaded from publicly available database at Kentucky Geological Surveys website. The downloaded well logs were digitized, and …