Digital Commons Network^™

Cross-Sector And Inter-Organizational Collaborative Capacity In Community Disaster Resilience And Sustainability: Evidence From Central Florida Counties, Fatih Demiroz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationships between interorganizational network development and sustainability, organizational capacity for emergency management, technology utilization, and community disaster resiliency. It is proposed that cross sector and interorganizational collaboration (i.e., network development and sustainability), information communication technology (ICT) utilization, and organizational capacity have a positive impact on disaster resiliency. Disaster resiliency is measured with a three dimensional metric which includes effectiveness of disaster response, effectiveness of disaster recovery, and adaptive capacities. A questionnaire was sent to organizations that are part of the emergency management system in 11 counties in Central Florida. These organizations were identified by each county's …

Transplantation Of Pluripotent Stem Cells Confers Cardiac Protection In Dox-Induced Heart Failure Through Notch-1 Pathway, Hilda Merino-Chavez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doxorubicin (DOX) is the antineoplastic drug of preference used to treat a wide variety of malignancies, with high survival rates among treated patients. However, the benefits of this drug have become less appealing due to the side effects that occur such as DOX-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC) and an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the therapeutic options to treat DIC. In this context, adult stem cells have been used as a source to reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis in DIC; however, the effects of transplanted embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells …

The Gender Gap In Technical Communication: How Women Challenge The Predominant Objectivist Paradigm, Nathan Bower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women are currently underrepresented in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The purpose of this thesis is to explore how this underrepresentation translates to a gender gap in the field of technical communication and how this gap causes women to challenge the predominant objectivist paradigm in the field. Through an investigation of peer-reviewed journal articles, periodicals, critical theory, and articles published in online magazines such as Slate, I identify the gendered nature of modern technology and discuss to what extent a shift in the predominant paradigm has occurred in the professional arena. In looking at several theoretical approaches …

Limk1 Promotes Mt1-Mmp Expression And Localization To The Plasma Membrane, Richard Ottman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

LIM Kinase 1 (LIMK1), a serine/threonine kinase, modulates actin polymerization and microtubule assembly. The function of LIMK1 is regulated by kinases that are activated by Rho and Rac GTPases. LIMK1 is overexpressed in various cancerous cell types and tissues and its overexpression promotes increased invasion and metastasis of breast and prostate cancer cells. Membrane-Type Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 (MT1-MMP) is a member of the zinc-binding collagenase family, which is involved in extracellular matrix breakdown and activation of secreted MMP-2. The balance between activation and inhibition of MT1- MMP and MMP-2 helps maintaining normal extracellular matrix turnover. However, it has been shown …

Space Radiation Countermeasures In A Life Support System Of Extraterrestrial Environments, Candice Thompson Young

Theses

A Life Support System (LSS) sustains life for an extended period of time in a closed system that includes waste recycling as a functional method of support. For future space missions, the goal is to build extraterrestrial space bases which employ the concept design of a radiation free LSS environment. Effectively maintaining a LSS in an extraterrestrial space environment is difficult without protection from harmful space radiation such as galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and solar radiation. Radiation produces high energy ions which penetrates tissue and destroys DNA. Without radiation protection, life in an extraterrestrial environment will perish. Therefore, it is …

Comparative Proteomic Analysis Of The Impact Of Management Programs On Porcine Airways, Chakia Joi Mcclendon

Theses

In North Carolina, swine are reared in confinement housing or pasture-based operations and air quality in confinement operations is known to contribute to health status. However, few if any reports investigate the impact of swine management operations on porcine airways; thus the goal of this project. The hypothesis was that airways of pigs reared indoors have morphological and proteome differences compared to pigs reared outdoors. Three experimental trials were conducted to observe airway morphology and proteomes. Trial I included three breed types raised indoors, Tamworth X Berkshire, Berkshire X Berkshire and Hertford X Berkshire (n = 4- 5 each). Trials …

Activity Of Soil Enzymes In Constructed Wetlands Treated With Swine Wastewater, Ramgopal Baddam

Theses

Increased swine production in North Carolina has resulted in higher waste production. Continuous application of swine wastewater from lagoons to agricultural land can pose surface and ground water pollution. Constructed wetland (CW) treatment is an alternate to the lagoon spray field system that reduces the nutrients concentration through physical, chemical and biological mechanisms. One of the biological processes in the CW is enzymatic activity which plays a major role in releasing nutrients from organic substances. The objectives of this research were to investigate the activity of soil enzymes at different depths of CW treated with swine wastewater and to assess …

Effect Of Feeding A Probiotic, Prebiotic Source, And Synbiotic Diet To Gestational And Lactational Sows On The Mucosal Immunity Of Their Weaned Piglets, Lauren Kloc

Theses

A common practice, in the swine industry, is to administer antibiotics in piglet diets to reduce the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea (PWD). However, due to the link between the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, alternatives to using antibiotics that boost natural immunity are being sought. Diets rich in probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotics enhance intestinal health. Since research has shown that a mother’s diet during both gestation and lactation can play an important role in the development of their offspring, a study was designed to investigate whether feeding a probiotic, prebiotic source, or synbiotic diet …

Visualization And Collision Detection Of Direct Metal Deposition, Sufyan S.D. Fehe

Theses

Direct metal deposition (DMD) is a manufacturing technique that manufactures solid metal parts from bottom to top using powdered metal and a focused laser. In this research, the swept volume technique was used as framework to develop a computer program to perform volumetric visualization of the deposition process as a pre-processor, before the actual metal deposition commences. The program extracts coordinate values from a G-code; these extracted values constitute a point. These points are then defined as a swept path using VPython extrusion object library. A cross section is then swept through these points to perform the volumetric visualization of …

The Investiture Panel At Mari And Rituals Of Divine Kingship In The Ancient Near East, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Ronan James Head

Studies in the Bible and Antiquity

This article explores the ancient Near Eastern rituals that endowed kings with this power, specifically the rites suggested by the Investiture Panel at the palace of Mari, with specific focus on the motifs of creation, sacred garden, and divine kingship. Because contemporary evidence at Mari relating to an interpretation of the panel and the functions of various rooms of the palace is limited, it will be necessary to rely in part on a careful comparative analysis of religious texts, images, and architecture throughout the ancient Near East, including the Old Testament. Comparative analysis not only has the benefit of increasing …

Occupy Wall Street And Antitrust, Maurice Stucke

Scholarly Works

Capitalism, some declare, is in crisis. One concern, which the Occupy Wall Street protesters and many Americans share, is how a relatively small group of corporate and wealthy individuals now wields too much economic influence and control in the United States and the world. The prevailing belief is that financial institutions’ power and influence represent a major threat to America.

So what does antitrust have to say about this public unease? Few would likely believe the Supreme Court’s Standard Oil opinion handed down a century ago would relate to their present concerns. That is unfortunate. The concerns Standard Oil raises …

Deep-Sea Origin And In-Situ Diversification Of Chrysogorgiid Octocorals, Catherine S. Mcfadden, Eric Pante, Scott C. France, Arnaud Couloux, Corinne Cruaud, Sarah Samadi, Les Watling

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

The diversity, ubiquity and prevalence in deep waters of the octocoral family Chrysogorgiidae Verrill, 1883 make it noteworthy as a model system to study radiation and diversification in the deep sea. Here we provide the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Chrysogorgiidae, and compare phylogeny and depth distribution. Phylogenetic relationships among 10 of 14 currently-described Chrysogorgiidae genera were inferred based on mitochondrial (mtMutS, cox1) and nuclear (18S) markers. Bathymetric distribution was estimated from multiple sources, including museum records, a literature review, and our own sampling records (985 stations, 2345 specimens). Genetic analyses suggest that the Chrysogorgiidae as currently described is …

Annual Report Of Officers Town Of Piermont, New Hampshire For The Year Ending December 31, 2011., Piermont Town Representatives

Piermont, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Exercise Is Medicine: Some Cautionary Remarks In Principle As Well As In Practice, Ross Neville

Articles

On the basis of extensive research on the relationship between physical activity, exercise and health, as well as strong support from policymakers and practitioners, the “Exercise is Medicine” initiative has become something of a linchpin in the agenda for modern healthcare reform and reflects a broader acceptance that the philosophy of health politics must shift from social engineering to performativity. However, in spite of the avowed commitment to encouraging individuals to take on a more reflexive relation to their health, it remains unclear as to whether an initiative such as this is, unambiguously, a good thing. In this paper, a …

Legal And Policy Standards For Addressing Workplace Racism: Employer Liability And Shared Responsibility For Race-Based Traumatic Stress, Robert T. Carter, Thomas D. Scheuermann

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

No abstract provided.

Annual Reports Of The Town Officers, Town Of Stoddard, New Hampshire For The Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2012., Stoddard Town Representatives

Stoddard, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Annual Reports Of The Officers, Trustees, Agents, Committees, And Organizations Of The Town Of Windham, New Hampshire For The Year 2011., Windham Town Representatives

Windham, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Strategies For Wildlife Disease Surveillance, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Christopher J. Brand, Scott D. Wright

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Epidemiologic surveillance is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the "ongoing systematic and continuous collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data': The objective of surveillance is to generate data for rapid response to the detection of a disease of concern to apply prevention, control, or eradication measures as well as to evaluate such interventions. This is distinct from disease monitoring, which usually does not involve a particular response to disease detection.

Surveillance for wildlife diseases has increased in importance due to the emergence and re-emergence of wildlife diseases that are threats to human, animal, and …

Town Of Derry Annual Report Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2012., Derry Town Representatives

Derry, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Drosophila Melanogaster Selection For Survival Of Bacillus Cereus Infection: Life History Trait Indirect Responses, Junjie Ma, Andrew K. Benson, Stephen D. Kachman, Zhen Hu, Lawrence G. Harshman

Department of Statistics: Faculty Publications

To study evolved resistance/tolerance in an insect model, we carried out an experimental evolution study using D. melanogaster and the opportunistic pathogen B. cereus as the agent of selection. The selected lines evolved a 3.0- to 3.3-log increase in the concentration of spores required for 50% mortality after 18–24 generations of selection. In the absence of any treatment, selected lines evolved an increase in egg production and delayed development time. The latter response could be interpreted as a cost of evolution. Alternatively, delayed development might have been a target of selection resulting in increased adult fat body function including production …

The Story Of Little Mook & The Dress, Qinna Shen

German Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Summary Of Comments By Panelist William James, Bill James

Fifty Years Of Watershed Modeling - Past, Present And Future

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of The Town Of Lyme, New Hampshire For The Year Ending December 31, 2011, Celebrating 250 Years., Lyme Town Representatives

Lyme, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

A Tutor Design For Multicolumn Addition In Elementary Education, Moise Burgess

Theses

Individual tutoring provides a substantial improvement over traditional classroom instruction. Researchers in tutoring and tutoring systems have approached the study of why tutoring is effective and came to varying conclusions. Both quantitative and qualitative research was performed. The quantitative research addresses the questions: would students use the tools of student construction to help solve problems, and would a tutor designed using elements from tutoring theory allow students to solve multicolumn addition problems without assistance. The tutor was designed to scaffold for student construction, help students resolve impasses, provide positive and negative feedback, and use a five step dialog frame. Cognitive …

Biodegradation And Mushroom Cultivation Studies On Peanut Shells And Corn Stalks By Pleurotus Ostreatus Under Solid State Fermentation Conditions, Mansuru Usif

Theses

Peanut shells (PS) and corn stalks (CS) are abundant agro-industrial wastes that are mainly disposed of by burning or soil incorporation. The biodegradation of PS and CS in various substrate combinations (SCs) was studied under solid state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus. A two factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD) was used in this study. The abilities of the selected SCs to support fruit body yield was also investigated as a one factorial experiment in a CRD. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine significant differences at 5% level of significance. The results from the biodegradation studies showed …

Identification Of Pan-Ligands For Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (Ppar) Using Computational Virtual Screening With Molecular Docking, Hamid Dafalla Ismail

Theses

Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated nuclear receptors known for their major role in metabolic syndrome (MS). Abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, increased glucose levels and low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein characterize MS. Numerous studies proposed developing pan-agonists as potent drug candidates for the treatment and control of metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to use virtual screening with molecular docking to identify potential pan-PPAR ligands from the ZINC database. The 3D structural files of the receptor ligand binding domains (LBD), obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), were energetically minimized and the binding pockets on each LBD …

City Of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Annual Report Fy 2012 July 1, 2011- June 30, 2012., Portsmouth Town Representatives

Portsmouth, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Producing Edible Landscapes In Seattle's Urban Forest, Rebecca J. Mclain, Melissa R. Poe, Patrick T. Hurley, Joyce Lecompte, Marla R. Emery

Environment and Sustainability Faculty Publications

Over the next decades, green infrastructure initiatives such as tree planting campaigns, and ecological restoration will dramatically change the species composition, species distribution and structure of urban forests across the United States. These impending changes are accompanied by a demand for urban public spaces where people can engage in practices such as gleaning, gardening, and livestock production. This article analyzes the institutional framework that undergirds efforts in Seattle, Washington to normalize the production and use of edible landscapes. We focus attention on the role of grassroots fruit gleaning groups and highlight their bridging function between Seattle's agriculture and forestry policy …

Gathering In The City: An Annotated Bibliography And Review Of The Literature About Human-Plant Interactions In Urban Ecosystems, Rebecca J. Mclain, L. P. Buttolph, Melissa R. Poe, K. Macfarland, J. Hebert, N. Gabriel, Patrick T. Hurley, Laura Brody, Martina Dzuna, Marla R. Emery, S. Charnley

Environment and Sustainability Faculty Publications

The past decade has seen resurgence in interest in gathering wild plants and fungi in cities. In addition to gathering by individuals, dozens of groups have emerged in U.S., Canadian, and European cities to facilitate access to nontimber forest products (NTFPs), particularly fruits and nuts, in public and private spaces. Recent efforts within cities to encourage public orchards and food forests, and to incorporate more fruit and nut trees into street tree planting programs indicate a growing recognition among planners that gathering is an important urban activity. Yet the academic literature has little to say about urban gathering practices or …

Soil And Water Remediation Using Controlled Release Polymer, Jerrine Theresa Foster

Theses

Water and soil treatment for the eradication of pathogens are important today and will forever be of importance in the future. It has been noted that poor water quality poses major threat to human health and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people annually worldwide, with over 90% (1.6 million) of the reported cases being children under the age of five (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, 2005). Fresh water can be accessed for personal use and recreation through fresh water sources, such as rivers, lakes, groundwater and springs. These sources, especially surface water sources, are exposed to …