Digital Commons Network^™

Social Benefits Of Niche Agricultural Products: The Case Of Pasture-Based Beef In Appalachia Part 1: The Conceptual Framework, Inocencio Rodriguez, Gerard D'Souza, Alan R. Collins, Tim Phipps

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

Niche agricultural products are growing in economic importance. This growth is driven mainly by the increased demand for more healthy, nutritious, fresh and locally grown food products. There is obviously a potential increase in private benefits to producers/landowners as a result of increased production of the underlying crops to satisfy this demand. What is less obvious is the potential to also generate increased social benefits, particularly as they relate to energy conservation, alternative energy or biogas development and carbon sequestration. In other words, calories and kilo-calories are becoming more linked. The objective of this analysis is to develop a conceptual …

Helen Turner: Representations Of Women, Samantha Nicole Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This thesis investigates Helen Turner’s representations of women in gardens and domestic interiors, specifically by comparing and contrasting her paintings with those of Thomas Eakins, John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, and Lilly Martin Spencer. I use five of Turner’s paintings to explore her representations of gender, the male gaze, and domesticity through a feminist model. I begin with a biography of Turner’s life and an introduction to those five paintings highlighted in this thesis. This is followed by an investigation of how the concept of gender in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century America affected the manner Turner chose to portray …

Commencement Program [Spring 2011], Clark University

Commencement Programs

Annual Commencement Program for graduation ceremonies at Clark University, held on May 22nd, 2011.

Mathematical Model Of The Dynamics Of Psychotherapy, Larry S. Liebovitch, Paul R. Peluso, Michael D. Norman, Jessica Su, John M. Gottman

Publications and Research

The success of psychotherapy depends on the nature of the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and a client. We use dynamical systems theory to model the dynamics of the emotional interaction between a therapist and client. We determine how the therapeutic endpoint and the dynamics of getting there depend on the parameters of the model. Previously Gottman et al. used a very similar approach (physical-sciences paradigm) for modeling and making predictions about husband–wife relationships. Given that this novel approach shed light on the dyadic interaction between couples, we have applied it to the study of the relationship between therapist and …

Commencement Program, 2011, Roger Williams University

Commencement Programs

Program for Commencement Exercises, including the date, location, and a list of graduates and their degrees. Program also includes other details, such as the names of speakers and honorary degree recipients, awards, and traditions.

Commencement 2011, Taylor University

Commencement

The program of the 2011 Annual Commencement of Taylor University, May 21, 2011.

Waking Up To The Present: Vipassana Meditation And The Body, Craig Geffre

Senior Theses

Using ethnographic methods I examine the process of learning vipassana meditation, a form of meditation in which the practitioner focuses on their bodily sensations, and the ways in which learning this form of meditation affects the practitioner's daily life. I employ reflexivity alongside an ethnography of the particular to capture my experiences as the student of a Thai Theravada Buddhist monk who teaches at a temple in Portland, Oregon. Through this process I have found that learning vipassana meditation pervades numerous aspects of daily life, extending beyond direct instruction and meditation practice, bringing about perceptual changes in reality as learned …

Commencement 2011

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

2011 Commencement Program, State University Of New York College At Cortland

Commencement Programs

May commencement. Undergraduate ceremony.

Upscaling Key Ecosystem Functions Across The Conterminous United States By A Water-Centric Ecosystem Model, Ge Sun, Peter Caldwell, Asko Noormets, Steven G. Mcnulty, Erika Cohen, Jennifer Moore Myers, Jean-Christophe Domec, Emrys Treasure, Qiaozhen Mu, Jingfeng Xiao, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen

All Materials

We developed a water-centric monthly scale simulation model (WaSSI-C) by integrating empirical water and carbon flux measurements from the FLUXNET network and an existing water supply and demand accounting model (WaSSI). The WaSSI-C model was evaluated with basin-scale evapotranspiration (ET), gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) estimates by multiple independent methods across 2103 eight-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watersheds in the conterminous United States from 2001 to 2006. Our results indicate that WaSSI-C captured the spatial and temporal variability and the effects of large droughts on key ecosystem fluxes. Our modeled mean (±standard deviation in space) ET (556 …

166th University Of Notre Dame Commencement And Mass Program, University Of Notre Dame

Commencement Programs

166th University Commencement

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Gender Equity In The Sciences": Forging A "Third Space", Nancy Cantor

Chancellor's Collection

We’re coming to the end of the college graduation season, and many of us are still thinking about the brilliant and hopeful young women who have passed through our lives and are now moving on. Their life chances have been --- and will be --- deeply intertwined with our own, and as we think about creating gender equity in the spaces we inhabit, we are also talking about them and all that depends on our success.

Pcr Amplification Of Trypanosoma Cruzi - Specific Dna From Raccoon Blood Samples, Colin Moss

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The parasitic protist Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas Disease. Chagas Disease causes greater than 15,000 deaths each year, and nearly 28 million people are believed to be at risk of infection in Central and South America. This parasite has been described in many mammalian host species and has also been described in the United States. The purpose of this study was to attempt to use PCR to amplify T. cruzi-specific DNA directly from blood samples obtained from raccoons (Procyon lotor) trapped in Warren and Barren Counties of Kentucky in 2007 and 2008. DNA was …

2011-05-20, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Cardiovascular Disease And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Adults Exposed To The Terrorist Attacks On The World Trade Center, Katie C. Imhof

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Following events of terrorism communities and individuals are subject to the cumbersome responsibilities associated with rescue and recovery efforts. In addition to the loss of life and direct injuries sustained during the incident, long term health outcomes among the exposed population are often seen. Both physical and mental health can be affected as a result of the exposure, and some outcomes do not immediately present themselves. The population exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City is no different, and the World Trade Center Health Registries database has been established by …

2011 Commencement Program, State University Of New York College At Cortland

Commencement Programs

May commencement. Graduate ceremony.

Processing The Interspecies Quorum-Sensing Signal Autoinducer-2 (Ai-2) Characterization Of Phospho-(S)-4,5-Dihydroxy-2,3-Pentanedione Isomerization By Lsrg Protein, J. C. Marques, P. Lamosa, Caitlin Elizabeth Russell , '11, R. Ventura, C. D. Maycock, M. F. Semmelhack, Stephen T. Miller, K. B. Xavier

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Works

The molecule (S)-4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD) is produced by many different species of bacteria and is the precursor of the signal molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2). AI-2 mediates interspecies communication and facilitates regulation of bacterial behaviors such as biofilm formation and virulence. A variety of bacterial species have the ability to sequester and process the AI-2 present in their environment, thereby interfering with the cell-cell communication of other bacteria. This process involves the AI-2-regulated lsr operon, comprised of the Lsr transport system that facilitates uptake of the signal, a kinase that phosphorylates the signal to phospho-DPD (P-DPD), and enzymes (like LsrG) that are responsible …

Volume Cxxviii, Number 26, May 20, 2011, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Assessing Microbial Diversity Through Nucleotide Variation, Ahmet Eren

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Microbes are the most abundant and most diverse form of life on Earth, constituting the largest portion of the total biomass of the entire planet. They are present in every niche in nature, including very extreme environments, and they govern biogeochemical transformations in ecosystems. The human body is home to a diverse assemblage of microbial species as well. In fact, the number of microbial cells in the gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, skin, airway passages and urogenital system is approximately an order of magnitude greater than the number of cells that make up the human body itself, and changes in the …

Complexation Of Organic Guests And Coordination Of Metal Ions By Cyclodextrins: Role Of Cyclodextrins In Metal-Guest Interactions, Curtis William Jarand

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Nitroaromatic explosives, such as trinitrotoluene (TNT), are of particular environmental concern due to their recalcitrance in soils and their potent toxicity and mutagenicity to both aquatic and mammalian species. TNT was the most widely used military explosive through the era encompassing both the First and Second World Wars. As a result, there is widespread contamination of soils by TNT around weapons manufacture, testing, and disposal facilities. Fenton chemistry (ferrous ion catalyzed generation of hydroxyl radicals) has shown utility in the remediation of TNT in soils but it suffers from non-specificity and the need for acidic conditions to prevent loss of …

Determining Biological Roles Of Four Unique Vernicia Fordii Acyl-Coa Binding Proteins, Steven Pastor

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

High-value industrial oils are essential for many processes and have great economic and environmental impacts. The tung tree produces a high-value seed oil. Approximately 80% of tung oil is α-eleostearic acid, which has a high degree of unsaturation thus giving it properties as a drying oil. The identification of the biological components in tung is imperative to further the knowledge of its processes. Four unique tung acyl-CoA binding proteins, VfACBP3a, VfACBP3b, VfACBP4, and VfACBP6 were identified and the genes encoding them were cloned and analyzed to determine their biological roles. The VfACBPs were observed to be similar to other organisms' …

Social Context And Muslim Women's Attitudes Towards Counseling, Mevlida Turkes-Habibovic

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a recognized need for counseling Muslims and underutilization of mental health services by this population is assumed, research regarding the attitudes of Muslims towards counseling is scarce. This qualitative study explored Muslim women's attitudes towards counseling and utilization of counseling services. The influence of religiosity and religious coping as well as the Muslim women's perception of the Imam-counselor liaison, and the influence of the liaison on counseling-seeking attitudes have been examined. Participants consisted of 10 purposefully selected Muslim women from each of five distinct socio-racial categories, including White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Arab. Data collection consisted of …

The Regulation Of Nap4 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Denise Capps

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The CCAAT binding-factor (CBF) is a transcriptional activator conserved in eukaryotes. The CBF in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a multimeric heteromer termed the Hap2/3/4/5 complex. Hap4, which contains the activation domain of the complex, is also the regulatory subunit and is known to be transcriptionally controlled by carbon sources. However, little is known about Hap4 regulation. In this report, I identify mechanisms by which Hap4 is regulated, including: (1) transcriptional regulation via two short upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5' leader sequence of HAP4 mRNA; (2) proteasome-dependent degradation of Hap4; and (3) identification of two negative regulators of HAP4 …

Patterns Of Protein Expression In Tissues Of The Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus And Fundulus Grandis, Naga Vijayalaxmi Abbaraju

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Fundulus is a diverse and widespread genus of small teleost fish of North America. Due to its high tolerance for physiochemical variation (e.g. temperature, oxygen, salinity), Fundulus is a model organism to study physiological and molecular adaptations to environmental stress. The thesis focuses on patterns of protein expression in Fundulus heteroclitus and F. grandis.The patterns of protein expression were investigated using traditional methods of enzyme activity measurements and recent proteomic approaches. The findings of the study can be used to guide future studies on the proteomic responses of vertebrates to environmental stress. Chapter 2 focuses on measurement of the temporal …

Kinetics Of The Electrocoagulation Of Oil And Grease, Guillermo Rincon

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Research on the electrocoagulation (EC) of hexane extractable materials (HEM) has been conducted at the University of New Orleans using a proprietary bench-scale EC reactor. The original reactor configuration forced the fluid to follow a vertical upward-downward path. An alternate electrode arrangement was introduced so that the path of flow became horizontal. Both configurations were evaluated by comparing the residence time distribution (RTD) data generated in each case. These data produced indication of internal recirculation and stagnant water when the fluid followed a vertical path. These anomalies were attenuated when the fluid flowed horizontally and at a velocity higher than …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Monosaccharide-Derived Low Molecular Weight Gelators, Kristopher Aaron Williams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are interesting materials whose applications are as diverse and wide ranging as their molecular structures. These materials self-assemble through the formation of non-covelent intermolecular forces and interactions to form supramolecular assemblies that trap solvent within their matrices. Because of the non-covalent nature of the forces of self-assembly, the gelation process is typically thermally reversible. In addition, low molecular weight gelators can also be modified to respond to various stimuli, such as change in pH, presence of enzymes or metal cations, or exposure to light. The design of low molecular weight gelators is often difficult, and …

Parses: A Pipeline For Analysis Of Rna-Sequencing Exogenous Sequences, Joseph Coco

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) has become one of the most widely used techniques to interrogate the transcriptome of an organism since the advent of next generation sequencing technologies [1]. A plethora of tools have been developed to analyze and visualize the transcriptome data from RNA-Seq experiments, solving the problem of mapping reads back to the host organism's genome [2] [3]. This allows for analysis of most reads produced by the experiments, but these tools typically discard reads that do not match well with the reference genome. This additional information could reveal important insight into the experiment and possible contributing factors to the …

Differential Sedimentation In A Mississippi River Crevasse Splay, Christopher Esposito

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this study the patterns of sediment transport and deposition in the channels and receiving basin of a crevasse splay in the modern Mississippi River delta are examined, with emphasis on the development of a distributary mouth bar. Simultaneous hydroacoustic and optical measurements on the mouth bar show that the bar conforms to the progradational stage of an existing conceptual model of mouth bar development. This is confirmed by cores dated using Beryllium-7, which provides a record of the deposition on the bar over a 90-day period. Stratigraphic data from cores obtained on the bar are used to extend the …

Academic And Social Experiences Of Spanish Native Speakers In An Immersion Program, Brooke Muntean

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to explore the academic and social experiences of English learners (ELs) in a Spanish immersion program. The researcher is specifically interested in learning about both the English and Spanish language acquisition of these ELs, as well as their social interactions as this pertains to their academic development. The participants were a sample of 12 Spanish native speakers who were working towards acquiring both social and academic English. Additionally, the researcher interviewed five other students who were in the Spanish immersion program, but who were not included in the ESOL class. These 17 students represented …

L1 Adaptive Control Of Uncertain Nonlinear Systems With Dynamic Constraints: As Applied To Commercial Aircraft Engines, Jennifer Hacker

Master's Theses

L1 adaptive control for a turbofan commercial aircraft engine is developed and applied in the presences of constraint limits. Turbofan engines are a highly complex system, with a wide variety of dynamics, operating under constantly changing environmental conditions. In aircraft turbofan operation many constraint requirements must be met. When constraints, such as rotor speeds, pressures, and temperatures, exceed the prescribed limits it can decrease the life expectancy of the engine, cause component failure, or even total engine failure. Additionally stall, also known as compressor surge, which occurs when the compressor is unable to work against incoming air resulting in flow …