Digital Commons Network^™

Tie The Knot Or You Tighten The Noose? The Current Effect Of Pre-Marital Cohabitation On Marriage Survival Rates, Matthew D. Beienburg

CMC Senior Theses

Pre-marital cohabitation has become a mainstream practice among couples in the United States, yet initial empirical evidence demonstrated significant correlations between cohabitation and subsequent marital instability. Later studies disputed a causal relation and have attempted to show a weakened connection over time, but have themselves suffered from the use of exclusively older and/or unreliable data. This paper uses figures from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997-08) and the National Survey of Family Growth (2006-08) to provide an updated analysis of cohabitation’s effect on marriage over the past decade. Using proportional hazard and competing risk models, this paper confirms a …

The Effects Of Industry On Cross-Border And Domestic Ipo Underpricing, Emily K N Hirano

CMC Senior Theses

Increasing numbers of foreign firms are holding cross-border IPOs in attempts to raise capital in markets outside of their home nation. Within the United States cross-border IPOs consistently experience greater amounts of underpricing than domestic IPOs. This paper examines the effects of SIC industry classifications on cross-border and domestic IPO underpricing from 2004-2010. Analysis demonstrates that in various industries, SIC classification has a significant impact upon underpricing in comparison to other industries. While in other industries, significance is solely exhibited through the differing impacts of domestic and cross-border IPOs, within the industry itself, upon underpricing. The most significant industry effect …

How Other Drivers’ Vehicle Characteristics Influence Your Driving Speed, Russell Brockett

CMC Senior Theses

An analysis of the effect of passing vehicles’ characteristics and their impact on other drivers’ velocities was investigated.  Three experimental studies were proposed and likely outcomes were discussed.  Experiment 1 focused on the effect of passing vehicle type (SUV, sedan or truck) on driver speed.  Drivers were hypothesized as going faster when the same vehicle type as they were driving passed them versus when no vehicle or a different vehicle passed them.  Experiment 2 focused on the effect of passing SUV age on driver’s speed.  Evidence suggests passing older SUVs will increase the driver’s speed more than new SUVs.  Experiment …

Book Review

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

The Arctic Council At 15 Years: Edging Forward In A Sea Of Governance Challenges, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

With the impacts of climate change on the Arctic, including the thinning and decreasing extent of sea ice and projected dramatic increases in access to and development of regional resources, the adequacy of existing governance arrangements for the Arctic is increasingly being questioned. Through a two-part format, this article reviews how the Arctic Council is faring as the key regional governance institution for the Arctic since being established pursuant to a Declaration adopted by the eight Arctic States in September 1996. How the Council has edged forward the regional cooperation agenda through its six working groups and Ministerial meetings is …

Foreign Language Students' Beliefs About Homestays, Sara Racheal Juveland

Dissertations and Theses

Language students studying abroad are presented with multiple housing options. Living with a host family in a homestay is widely believed to be the most beneficial option. However, little research has been done as to how students' beliefs about homestays may affect their choice of housing. In this study, 116 language students completed the Student Beliefs About Homestays Questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses indicated that students value homestays not only for the opportunity for language acquisition, but also for the inside look at the family life and culture of the host country and for the support a family setting …

Subsurface Igneous Mineral Microbiology: Iron-Oxidizing Organotrophs On Olivine Surfaces And The Significance Of Mineral Heterogeneity In Basalts, Amy Renee Smith

Dissertations and Theses

The subsurface igneous biome contains a vast portion of Earth's total biomass, yet we still know so little about it. Igneous environments such as iron-rich ocean crust and lava tubes may also host analogs to chemolithotrophically-driven life on other planets, so studying life in this biome is essential to understanding how life may survive on other planets. In this study, three igneous surface and subsurface environments were investigated for microbial preference for olivine, microbial physiologies and phylotypes present on olivine, and microbial growth on olivine in the laboratory via iron oxidation. These environments include a subseafloor borehole drilled into the …

Tree Growth And Spatial Pattern In Two Forest Park Permanent Plots: A Look At Stand Composition And Condition, Hannah Beth Mcdonald

Dissertations and Theses

In June of 2010, two permanent research plots were established in Forest Park, based on their differing proximities to downtown Portland, Oregon. As part of a long-term ecological research project that seeks to explore the ecological status and human thumbprint on this 5,100 acre forested reserve, the 2010 tree data was investigated for emergent compositional and spatial patterns. Stand composition, tree size, growth rates, and spatial patterns were analyzed, along with ecological and land use histories. Results indicate that the Balch plot, more closely located to the urban center, has different stand composition, condition, and vegetation growth rates, compared to …

Discovery Of Novel Amidotransferase Activity Involved In Archaeosine Biosynthesis And Structural And Kinetic Investigation Of Quef, An Enzyme Involved In Queuosine Biosynthesis, Vimbai Masiyanise Chikwana

Dissertations and Theses

The 7-deazaguanosine nucleosides queuosine (Q) and archaeosine (G⁺) are two of the most structurally complex modified nucleosides found in tRNA. Q is found exclusively in the wobble position of tRNA_GUN coding for the amino acids asparagine, aspartate, histidine and tyrosine in eukarya and bacteria, while (G⁺) occurs in nearly all archaeal tRNA at position 15. In archaea preQ₀ is inserted into tRNA by the enzyme tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT), which catalyzes the exchange of guanine with preQ₀ to produce preQ₀-tRNA. The first objective of this study was to identify and characterize the enzyme(s) catalyzing the conversion of preQ₀-tRNA to G …

A Study Of Soil Organic Matter And Its Controlling Factors In Portland, Oregon, Megan Dillon

Dissertations and Theses

Traditionally, local above- and below-ground plant and microbial communities, temperature and precipitation, topography and texture and composition of parent material have been thought to govern the soil processes that lead to soil organic matter accumulation over decades or centuries. Soil organic matter is a substantial global reservoir of carbon and disturbance of equilibrated soils often leads to efflux of significant quantities of CO2. Anthropogenic influences shift the inputs, disturb the structure and alter the biochemistry of soil, profoundly disrupting soil-forming processes. Urbanization leads to soil organic matter equilibria that are different from those in naturally forming soils. Measurement of soil …

Proteomic Analysis Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Aging During Serial Sub-Culture, Pawan Kc

Dissertations and Theses

"Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) hold great potential for clinical applications in regenerative medicine. However, hMSCs occur at a very low frequency in bone marrow so the clinical use as cellular therapeutics requires suitable techniques for isolation and expansion. Furthermore, these cells can be expanded in vitro for only limited passage numbers before they reach a senescent state. Previous studies have shown that long term culture of hMSCs results in the decrease in proliferation rates, changes in genomic expressions, increase in cell sizes, and other morphological changes. Currently the mechanisms of hMSC aging and biomarkers associated with it have not …

Indonesia’S Refusal To Share Influenza Virus Specimens With The World: Reviving The Arguments For Justice In Influenza Pandemic Preparedness, Meena Krishnamurthy, Matthew Herder

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Indonesia’s December 2006 decision to stop sending influenza virus specimens to the World Health Organization’s Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) captured international attention. At the time, the H5N1 subtype of influenza A virus was predicted to be the basis for the next pandemic. While many accused Indonesia - the country most afflicted by the virus - of putting the rest of the world in peril by withholding virus samples, Indonesia maintained that GISN was unjust for failing to ensure equitable access to vaccines developed using those samples. The H5N1 pandemic threat eventually waned, yet international negotiations to create a just …

Never Again; Working Toward An Effective Early Warning System For Genocide Prevention, Alyssa Lopez

Dissertations and Theses

“Never again” expressed the commitment made by allied forces for the prevention of genocide. In the 59 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, it has evolved into an erga omnes obligation and a jus cogen (preemptory) norm. Genocide prevention, however, remains a highly controversial issue as it draws from the concept of universality central to human rights discourse at the same time as it changes dominant conceptualizations of state sovereignty. This thesis assesses the effectiveness of existing practices, norms and risk assessment/ genocide early warning systems in reducing the …

Postfledging Survival And Habitat Use Of Spotted Towhees (Pipilo Maculatus) In An Urban Park, Amy Ann Shipley

Dissertations and Theses

Habitat fragmentation, and the resulting increase in edge habitat, has important effects on birds, including the increased probability of nest predation, changes in habitat structure, and the increased presence of non-native plant species. It is critical to understand the effects of fragmentation at all stages of the avian life cycle, including the often overlooked postfledging period. Because much of juvenile mortality occurs during the immediate postfledging period, and juvenile mortality contributes substantially to population dynamics, it is necessary to understand if fledgling survival is reduced in edge habitats and if fledglings' survival is influenced by their habitat use. During 2008 …

"They Need To Understand How To Educate Her": The Parent Experience In Special Education, Michelle Harvey

CMC Senior Theses

This study attempted to improve upon previous qualitative research by conducting a large scale, quantitative study on the parental experience in special education.  76 parents of children receiving special education services were surveyed regarding their communication with school personnel, the focus of their child’s education, involvement in the IEP meeting, and satisfaction.  It was found that parental perception of involvement did not predict active IEP involvement, more communication with school personnel, more satisfaction with services received, or the belief the child is benefiting.  An active role in the IEP meeting, though, did predict more satisfaction with the last IEP meeting, …

Securing The Homeland: A Risk-Cost-Benefit Analysis Of U.S. Anti-Terrorism Expenditures, Anne-Elise Martin

CMC Senior Theses

An analysis of risk, cost and benefit associated with U.S. domestic anti-terrorism expenditures.

The Characterization Of Genes Involved In Response To The Phenol Derivative And Xenoestrogen Bisphenol-A In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Sasha N. Farina

CMC Senior Theses

Bisphenol A is an estrogenic compound that is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins; humans are continuously exposed to the compound and it is believed to possess the same carcinogenic effects as estrogen (Iso, 2006). In this study, I used Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to identify mechanisms by which BPA acts based on the genomic profiling of kinase genes from a Mat-α haploid deletion library. Kinases regulate many other proteins, so the identification of a single mutant could identify an entire affected pathway of genes. I conducted a systematic screen of these mutants using the phenotype of …

Does The Provision Of Healthcare Vary With Race? Evidence From Health Shocks To Patients Far From Home, Ajay Sridhar

CMC Senior Theses

A vast literature acknowledges that minority groups, particularly African-Americans, receive less, and lower-quality treatment than Caucasians in U.S. health facilities. It remains an open question as to how much of this disparity is a result of poverty, and how much, a result of more overt discrimination. Former empirical studies are far from conclusive given the endogeneity of hospital quality, as minorities are overrepresented in areas served by poor health facilities. To remedy this endogeneity issue, we observe visitors to the state of Florida, as well as travelers within Florida. When an individual experiences a health shock far from home, her …

Powers Of War: President Versus Congress, Jordan D. Santo

CMC Senior Theses

Before the United States Constitution was ratified there was much debate about what war powers the executive and legislative branches should hold. After much deliberation it was decided that the power to declare war would fall under the control of Congress. But as time passed, control over initiating military action began to shift from Congress to the President. This thesis examines the shift of power from the legislature to the President. The thesis explains the difference between a declaration of war, an authorization of force, as well as using the military as a police force. It examines the precedents set …

Memoir: A Collection Of Short Stories, Jeffrey Kang

CMC Senior Theses

This is a collection of short stories derived from the author's experiences at the United States Naval Academy.

How To Win Jobs And Influence Interviewers: A Psychological Exploration Of Job Interview Best Practices, C. Diggory Rycroft

CMC Senior Theses

Navigating the formal employment interview has long been an imposing obstacle to acquiring gainful employment in the white-collar world, particularly that of the United States. Conventional wisdom offers a wide variety of suggestions for achieving the best possible outcomes from the interview, for instance smiling, having a firm handshake, demonstrating interest in the company, and “being yourself.” Much of this common knowledge is based primarily in intuition and carry-over from standard conversational best practices, rather than rigorous empirical testing. As such, this literature review sets out to bring together the various works of interview research that currently exist, with the …

Exploring The Flynn Effect: A Comprehensive Review Of The Causal Debate, Abby J. Trimble

CMC Senior Theses

Since its discovery in 1984, psychological investigators have continued to explore the Flynn Effect, the phenomenon of consistent and secular IQ gains within industrialized nations approximating 0.3 points per year. The most contentious debate within this field of research surrounds the purported cause of the Effect, and yet the research literature lacks a synthesis of the leading causal theories and the evidence supporting them. The principal hypothesized causal mechanisms – psychometric artifact, educational intervention, environmental changes, nutrition, genetics, gene-environment interaction model, medical improvements, and the multiplicity hypothesis – are reviewed and analyzed within the larger breadth of Flynn Effect scholarly …

The Dentist / Patient Relationship: The Role Of Dental Anxiety, Michael Liu

CMC Senior Theses

Dental anxiety is a common problem found in approximately 80% of the adult population in the United States. This study examined the role of dental anxiety within the dentist/patient relationship. Negative experiences were found to be the most significant contributor of dental anxiety. The negative experiences result largely from the relationship between the dentist and the patient. Both dentist and patient are affected from the effects of dental anxiety. Therefore it is important for the dentist to establish a trusting relationship with the patient to ensure that proper dental care can be provided.

Immigration And Identity Politics: The Senegalese In France, Justine Dodgen

CMC Senior Theses

As immigrants arrive in a new culture, they must modify their behaviors to adapt to their host society. Through a review of current literature, I will examine the psychological and sociological aspects of immigration and the effects on migrant identity. I will argue that migrants most desire a bicultural identity, in which they retain some elements of their ethno-cultural identity while adopting some values of French society. The construction of a bicultural identity presents a challenge due to the particular philosophical foundations of the French nation-state and French culture. In the next chapter, I will analyze the challenges Senegalese migrants …

Dr. Youtube Is Ready To See You Now! Health Benefits Of Medical Videos On Youtube, Jordan A. Rosenberg

CMC Senior Theses

Chapter 1 will cover who is uploading the videos and how individuals navigate from professional to amateur videos and visa versa. The discussion will be in context of YouTube as a public sharing space that can contain personal information. A central advantage of YouTube as a space for health information is health communication. Chapter 2 will focus on social networking and the comments section, where patients voluntarily share their voice in an online medical community.

Spicing Up School Lunch: A Look At One School District's Attempts To Remedy America's Convoluted School Lunch Policies, Case Study Analysis Of Claremont Unified School District, Allison Mcelwee

CMC Senior Theses

The United States possesses a well intentioned but misguided lunch program, leaving children overfed but malnourished. Currently, a revolution is under way to transform programs around the country by incorporating locally grown and fresh ingredients, as well as integrating hands-on educational experiences with gardening and nutrition. The Claremont Unified School District (CUSD) makes up a group of schools that once heavily relied on unhealthy processed foods for providing lunch. Through a series of modifications in the past three years, CUSD’s program has been remodeled to feature more local produce and fresh ingredients, independent of USDA commodities or large scale agriculture. …

Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (Hiv-1): Effects Of Intrapartum And Neonatal Single-Dose Nevirapine Prophylaxis And Subsequent Hiv-1 Drug Resistance At Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation, Amanda L. Harmon

CMC Senior Theses

The prevention of mother-to-child transmission is one of the most powerful tools in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) prevention and has huge potential to improve both maternal and child health. In the absence of any preventative measures, infants born to and breastfed by their HIV-positive mothers have roughly a one-in-three chance of acquiring the infection themselves. HIV can be passed on from mother-to-child during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and even after during breastfeeding.

Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP) is the foundation of preventing mother-to-child transmission in lower resource settings where it has been used alone or as …

Gender Inequality In The Law: Deficiencies Of Battered Woman Syndrome And A New Solution To Closing The Gender Gap In Self-Defense Law, Meredith C. Doyle

CMC Senior Theses

Dr. Lenore Walker developed battered woman syndrome to address the issue of domestic violence and to give battered women a defense in situations in which they kill their abusive partners when they are not overtly threatening them. Self-defense law is based on male on male combat. Women are less able to protect themselves in an attack by a man, and so they may preemptively attack their sleeping partners to avoid a situation in which they cannot adequately protect themselves. Battered woman syndrome explains why these battered women act in a way that is irrational to a non-battered person. Walker's theory …

The Precautionary Approach And The International Control Of Toxic Chemicals: Beacon Of Hope, Sea Of Confusion And Dilution, David Vanderzwaag

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

Toxic chemicals in the environment are a continuing concern. Nearly 80,000 chemicals are on the market in the United States; of those, 200 synthetic chemicals are found in measurable quantities in the bodies of Americans. More than 5 billion kilograms of toxic pollutants are released or transferred each year in North America. Even more alarming, basic toxicological information is lacking for most these chemicals.

Long-range transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), chemicals that are persistent and bioaccumulate, is a special concern particularly in the Arctic, which acts as a "sink." Examples of POPs include various pesticides, such as DDT, chlordane, …

Canada’S Species At Risk Act And Atlantic Salmon: Cascade Of Promises, Trickles Of Protection, Sea Of Challenges, David Vanderzwaag, Maria Cecilia Engler Palma, Jeffrey Hutchings

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article reviews through a three-part format the role and efficacy of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in trying to save SARA-listed inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic salmon and other Atlantic salmon populations at risk from the brink of extinction. The cascade of SARA promises is first discussed, including: the independent assessment of the status of the species based on best available scientific information; the protection of listed species, their residences and critical habitat; and the two-stage recovery planning process. The trickles of protection actually delivered by SARA in relation to Atlantic salmon are next described, including the …