Digital Commons Network^™

Market Power And Regulatory Failure In The Montana Wholesale Electricity Market, Ross Patrick Keogh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This work investigates market power and regulatory failures in the Montana wholesale electrical market after the implementation of deregulation in 1997. It provides a review of the development of the Montana wholesale electrical market, federal and state market power regulation, economic theory, and approaches for regulating market power in electrical markets. The work primarily focuses on the conduct of PPL Corporation, which acquired the generation assets of the Montana Power Company, and its capacity to set prices in Montana. It identifies that the current regulatory scheme, which is managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is inadequate at deterring and …

Mathematical Modeling And Disease Related Applications: A New Method Of Estimating Bacterial Mutation Rates, Dynamics Of Killer Yeast In A Chemostat, And Other Problems, Nicholas Fitzgerald Mcclure

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Among the main mechanisms of evolution we find adaptation, genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, natural selection and speciation. The following thesis explores bacterial mutation rate, mutants, mutators, and how competition acts as a driving force of adaptation.

In chapter 1, the system used in reference for mutation is the devolopment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibacterial resistance in the Cystic Fibrosis patients. Current methods for determining mutation rate are quite involved mathematically or complicated experimentally. A new method for estimating mutation rate is discussed and compared with two other widely used methods.

In chapter 2, a microarray data set of different strains …

Diagnosis Threat In A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Population, Haley Gail Trontel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The present study examined the effect of diagnosis threat on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-nine participants with a history of mTBI were randomly assigned to either a Diagnosis Threat group or a Control group. The Diagnosis Threat group was told that they were selected to participate based on their history of head injury and that they might expect to perform more poorly on testing. Participants in the Control group were told to perform to the best of their ability. It was hypothesized that individuals who had a history of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) made salient prior to testing (Diagnosis Threat …

Down Low Under The Big Sky, Amee Marie Schwitters

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Often synonymous with the rural environment is a sense of a heteronormativity and pervasive homophobia. Despite stories of gay men fleeing rural, conservative areas for larger, more accepting cities, not all men have chosen to leave. Some have chosen to quietly maintain their identity, modifying their sexual schemata in response to the desire to stay within the rural cultural environment. It is known that homophobia and stigmatization of same-sex sexual acts regulate a person's ability to be open about their sexual encounters, but exactly how they influence the daily lives of down low men who have sex with men (MSM) …

Front Matter, Issues In Religion And Psychotherapy

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Finding The Center Of Gospel-Centered Therapy, Richard N. Williams

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

In his thoughtful paper, Dr. Robert Gleave (2012) explores what it might mean for one to claim that any therapy is gospel centered. He concludes that the idea of a gospel-centered therapy is in some sense at odds with the spirit of the restored gospel because it would slip into a prescriptive form, laying our principles that would necessarily apply across all people and circumstance, and therefore constituting a sort of grand theory. In response to Dr. Gleave's description, however, the present paper suggests that a genuinely gospel-centered theory (or a therapy derived from it) will not necessarily devolve into …

Full Issue, Issues In Religion And Psychotherapy

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Exploring Psychology And Religious Experience: Relevant Issues And Core Questions, Mauro Properzi

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Religious experience often involves what is perceived to be divine communication to single individuals or to humanity at large. Yet, since revelatory experiences involve both a supernatural source of truth and a human receptor who interprets and filters the message, psychology may appropriately play a role in the study and analysis of these phenomena. In this essay I provide some general suggestions on how psychology may contribute to the study of revelatory religious experiences, namely by exploring the descriptive, the pragmatic, and the functional-psychoanalytic dimensions of revelation. Indeed, by moving away from reductivist explanations and by framing analyses in the …

Critical Thinking In Applied Psychology: Toward An Edifying View Of Critial Thinking In Applied Psychology, Aaron Jackson, Steve Yanchar, Kristin L. Hansen, Jamie Hansen

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

A gospel-centered approach to critical thinking that can facilitate psychotherapeutic work and be edifying to faithful counselors and clients would be very beneficial. This article examines what a defensible approach to gospel-centered critical thinking about psychotherapy would look like, how it would differ from secular scholarly disciplines and practices, and whether it should differ at all. Because all critical thinking strategies are framed by a theoretical background of assumptions and values and because not all assumptions and values are true or useful, approaches to critical thinking must be carefully examined by those who would employ them. Latter-day Saint counselors and …

Jeffrey D. Burson The Rise And Fall Of Theological Enlightenment: Book Review, Kevin L. Cope

Religion in the Age of Enlightenment

A peculiar artifact of many decades of materialist historical study is the reinforcement of a highly imaginary, cinematic envisioning of the French eighteenth century. Eager to debunk, demythologize, or otherwise demote anything even remotely religious, historians relish pictures of the French Enlightenment and French Revolution worthy of a Cecil B. DeMille or a D. W Griffith. In the rendering of continental Enlightenment now favored among fashion-forward academic professionals, the poor, the intellectual, the oppressed, and the angry increase in number and fervor while the overfed monks, the ermine-draped clerics, and the impudent aristocrats gobble up every last resource. Then, in …

Impacts Des Changements Climatiques Sur La Santé Et La Sécurité Des Travailleurs, Ariane Adam-Poupart, France Labrèche, Audrey Smargiassi, Patrice Duguay, Marc-Antoine Busque, Charles Gagné, Joseph Zayed

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les effets des changements climatiques (CC) sont souvent discutés en fonction de leurs impacts sur l’environnement et sur la population générale. Toutefois, leurs conséquences sur la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs (SST) n'ont été que très peu abordées par la communauté scientifique. Pourtant, les travailleurs peuvent être directement ou indirectement affectés par les CC notamment par des contraintes thermiques auxquelles ils peuvent être exposés ou encore, par des modifications aux écosystèmes qui sont à la base de leurs activités économiques. L’objectif général de cette étude était d’explorer les avenues de recherche en regard de l’impact négatif des changements climatiques …

The Danish Sisterhood In America, L. M. Hofenblad

The Bridge

The Danish Sisterhood in America is ca. 2 years younger than its big brother, The Danish Brotherhood, as the first lodge, namely “The Christine Lodge” No. 1 in Negaunee, Mich. was organized on the 15th of December, 1883 by Mrs. Christine Hemmingsen, whose husband was a member of the Brotherhood. Consequently, the Sisterhood has now existed for 24 years.

Subtle And Overt Forms Of Islamophobia: Microaggressions Toward Muslim Americans, Kevin L. Nadal, Katie E. Griffin, Sahran Hamit, Jayleen Leon, Michael Tobio, David P. Rivera

Publications and Research

Previous research suggests that microaggressions, or subtle and covert manifestations of bias, are commonplace in the life experience of people of color, women, and sexual minorities. However, there is a dearth of research focusing on microaggressions toward people from religious minority groups. Using a qualitative approach and directed content analysis with Muslim American participants (N=10), six themes emerged: 1) Endorsing Religious Stereotypes of Muslims as Terrorists, 2) Pathology of the Muslim Religion, 3) Assumption of Religious Homogeneity, 4) Exoticization, 5) Islamophobic and Mocking Language, and 6) Alien in Own Land. Implications for Muslim mental health are discussed.

The Paradox Of Political Power: Same-Sex Marriage And The Supreme Court, Kenji Yoshino

Utah Law Review

I am honored to follow the many eminent scholars who have delivered the Leary Lecture. Like many prior lectures, mine focuses on a contemporary civilrights struggle. I wish to discuss the issue of same-sex marriage, and more specifically the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry, a federal challenge to a state restriction on marriage on appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Perry’s development has served at least one function of our multi-tiered judicial system, which is to generate several options for the Court. I first review five possibilities, which range from a holding that same-sex marriage is constitutionally required in …

Population Dynamics Of The Eastern Oyster In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Benjamin S. Eberline

LSU Master's Theses

This project examined the economically and ecologically valuable eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico using field and laboratory experiments. Specifically, this project focused on natural rates of settlement, growth, and mortality in a variety of temperature and salinity regimes within Breton Sound, LA. Seed and market sized oysters in cages resting on the bottom, as well as settlement tiles, were monitored at four sites in Breton Sound, LA, along what is typically a salinity gradient ranging from ~5 to ~20. In April 2010, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion was fully opened with the goal of minimizing the …

Achievement And High School Completion Rates Of Hispanic Students With No English Language Skills Compared To Hispanic Students With Some English Language Skills Attending The Same High School In An Immigrant Responsive City, Joanne M. Garrison

Student Work

The purpose of the study was to determine achievement and high school completion rates of Hispanic students (n = 13) with no English language skills compared to Hispanic students (n = 11) with some English language skills attending the same high school in an immigrant responsive city. All students were in attendance in the research school district's high school, ninth-grade through 12th-grade. Entering ninth-grade pretest Las Links Assessment scores compared to the ending high school posttest English Language Development Assessment scores of immigrant high school students with no English Language skills enrolled in the research high school's English …

Analysis Of The Lactobacilluscasei Supragenome And Its Influence In Species Evolution And Lifestyle Adaptation, Jeff Broadbent, E. C. Neeno-Eckwall, B. Stahl, K. Tandee, H. Cai, W. Morovic, P. Horvath, J. Heidenreich, N. T. Perna, R. Barrangou, J. L. Steele

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

The broad ecological distribution of L. casei makes it an insightful subject for research on genome evolution and lifestyle adaptation. To explore evolutionary mechanisms that determine genomic diversity of L. casei, we performed comparative analysis of 17 L. casei genomes representing strains collected from dairy, plant, and human sources. Results Differences in L. casei genome inventory revealed an open pan-genome comprised of 1,715 core and 4,220 accessory genes. Extrapolation of pan-genome data indicates L. casei has a supragenome approximately 3.2 times larger than the average genome of individual strains. Evidence suggests horizontal gene transfer from other bacterial species, particularly lactobacilli, …

Identification Of Plasmalogens In The Cytoplasmic Membrane Of Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis, T. S. Oberg, Robert E. Ward, J. L. Steele, Jeff Broadbent

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Plasmalogens are ether-linked lipids that may influence oxidative stress resistance of eukaryotic cell membranes. Since bacterial membrane composition can influence environmental stress resistance, we explored the prevalence of plasmalogens in the cytoplasmic membrane of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis. Results showed plasmalogens are a major component of the B. animalis subsp. lactis membrane.

The Influence Of Worry On Ratings Of Visual Pain Stimuli, David D. Stephenson

Theses

No abstract provided.

United States Environmental Protection Agency Scientific Integrity Policy

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

United States Environmental Protection Agency Scientific Integrity Policy (2012).

Visible Near-Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy And Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy For Rapid Compost Analysis, Amanda Lynne Mcwhirt

LSU Master's Theses

Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of compost is necessary in order to provide consumers with basic knowledge about the product’s composition, and to protect public health and the environment by preventing the spread of contaminated material. Current methods for analysis of basic compost properties give accurate results but are time consuming and require numerous laboratory procedures. This study evaluated the use of visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VisNIR DRS) for organic matter (OM) determination and field portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectroscopy for determination of elemental composition of composted materials. These technologies were evaluated as alternatives to standard laboratory methods for their …

Spectrum, 2013, Northwestern College

Spectrum literary magazine

Literary journal

Nrf2 As A Nutrient Sensitive Transcription Factor, Supriya Kulkarni

Open Access Dissertations

Obesity and diabetes are the most prevalent metabolic disorders. It is estimated that more than 86% of US adults would be overweight or obese and more than 50% obese by the year 2030. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has also been referred to as hepatic manifestation of insulin resistance. NAFLD or steatosis is defined as lipid accumulation exceeding 5% by weight in hepatocytes in the absence of substantial alcohol intake. The prevalence of NAFLD is estimated to be between 17% and 40% of the world population, known to afflict obese and normal weight persons and children as well. Epidemiological …

Effectiveness Of Sensory Integration And Behavioral Interventions On Nonengagement In Preschool Aged Children, Tiffany Kuyper

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract EFFECTIVENESS OF SENSORY INTEGRATION AND BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS ON NONENGAGEMENT IN PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN By Tiffany Ann Kuyper, OTR/L A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Director: Marie Anzalone ScD, OTR, FAOTA This single subject pilot study explored a combination of sensory-based interventions and behavioral interventions in a preschool aged child identified with Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR). Children often display nonengagement associated with escaping and avoiding tactile and/or vestibular information because they perceive sensory input as negative or aversive. The subject …

Factors Influencing Pharmacists’ Decision To Report Adverse Events Related To Dietary Supplements, Ali M. Alhammad

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The increasing consumption of dietary supplements (DS) has drawn the attention of regulatory agencies, researchers and healthcare professionals. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require premarketing assessment of DS considering them safe unless proven otherwise. However, the reporting rate of DS adverse events (DS-AE) is low. Objective: To describe pharmacists’ attitudes and knowledge of DS and DS information resources, and to determine the importance of selected attributes in pharmacists’ decisions to report a DS-AE. Methods: A convenience sample of practicing pharmacists in Virginia was surveyed using a web-based self-administered questionnaire. A conjoint analysis exercise was developed …

Chemical Characterization And Biological Activities Of Himalayan Aromatic Medicinal Plants, Prabodh Satyal

Theses

No abstract provided.

Privacy & The Personal Prospectus: Should We Introduce Privacy Agents Or Regulate Privacy Intermediaries, Scott R. Peppet

Publications

No abstract provided.

Made In The U.S.A.: Corporate Responsibility And Collective Identity In The American Automotive Industry, Benjamin Levin

Publications

This Article challenges the corporate-constructed image of American business and industry. By focusing on the automotive industry and particularly on the tenuous relationship between the rhetoric of automotive industry advertising and doctrinal corporate law, this Article examines the ways that social and legal actors understand what it means for a corporation or its products to be American. In a global economy, what does it mean for a corporation to present the impression of national citizenship? Considering the recent bailout of American automotive corporations, the automotive industry today becomes a powerful vehicle for problematizing the conflicted public/private nature of the corporate …

Fugitive Emissions: The Marcellus Shale And The Clean Air Act, Joseph Minott, Jonathan Skinner

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Perpetual Corporation, Andrew A. Schwartz

Publications

Courts and commentators take for granted that the ultimate objective of a business corporation is long-run profitability, not immediate profits. But a corporation is a creature of statute, so a statutory source for this rule must be found--or it is not really a rule. Yet prior literature has not identified any such legal basis, leaving a gap in corporate theory. This Article fills that gap by showing that the modern corporation is obliged to act with a long-term view because it has "perpetual existence" under the law. This Article then explains that because they must plan for a perpetual future, …