Digital Commons Network^™

Chemoorganotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Biodeteriorated Surfaces In Cave And Catacombs, Filomena De Leo, Agnese Iero, Gabrielle Zammit, Clara E. Urzi

International Journal of Speleology

The main objective of this work was the comparative analysis of a large number of bacterial strains isolated from biodeteriorated surfaces in three different sites, namely the catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome, Italy, the catacombs dedicated to St. Agatha in Rabat, Malta and the Cave of Bats in Zuheros, Spain. Our results showed that even considering only culturable chemoorganotrophic bacteria the variability is very high, reflecting the great variety of microhabitats present. Hence any strategies to prevent, control or eliminate the biofilm-embedded microbiota from an archeological surface should take into account a number of considerations as stipulated in our …

Diagenesis Of A Drapery Speleothem From Castañar Cave: From Dissolution To Dolomitization, Andrea Martín-Pérez, Rebeca Martín-García, Ana M. Alonso-Zarza

International Journal of Speleology

A drapery speleothem (DRA-1) from Castañar Cave in Spain was subjected to a detailed petrographical study in order to identify its primary and diagenetic features. The drapery’s present day characteristics are the result of the combined effects of the primary and diagenetic processes that DRA-1 underwent. Its primary minerals are calcite, aragonite and huntite. Calcite is the main constituent of the speleothem, whereas aragonite forms as frostwork over the calcite. Huntite is the main mineral of moonmilk which covers the tips of aragonite. These primary minerals have undergone a set of diagenetic processes, which include: 1) partial dissolution or corrosion …

Therapeutic Effects Of N-Acetylcysteine Amide In The Treatment Of Eye Disorders, Joshua W. Carey

Doctoral Dissertations

"The loss of vision from age-related eye diseases now affects over 30 million people in the United States and is expected to reach twice that number within the next couple of decades. Among these disorders, age-related macular degeneration and cataract formation represent the largest percentage of these cases. Therapeutic options available for treating age-related macular degeneration are limited and there is no noninvasive form of treatment for cataracts current available. Several studies have indicated that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathology of these age-related eye disorders. If oxidative stress is responsible for the initiation and progression of …

Prediction And Performance Of Single Piles In Clay Soils Under Vibratory Loadings, Domenica Cambio

Doctoral Dissertations

"This study developed a model for predicting the response, in terms of amplitude versus frequency of single piles under lateral vibratory loadings embedded in clay or fine silty soils. The model incorporates frequency dependent parameters and the effects of soil non-linearity through the relationship between soil shear modulus and damping with strain. A computer program, Dyna5, was used to generate the computed response of single piles using the Novak and El-Shamouby (1983) approach. Soil non-linearity was accounted for by incorporating spline interpolation routine into Dyna5. Sliding and coupled rocking vibrations were addressed. The computed responses were predicted and compared with …

Nano-Particles Induced Oxidative Stress In Immortalized Human Brain Endothelial Cells, Xinsheng Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Nanoparticles are engineered structure with at least one dimension of 100 nanometers or less. These materials are increasingly being used for commercial purposes such as catalyst, semiconductor, cosmetics, microelectronic, and drug carrier. However, the toxicological impact of these materials has not yet been studied in detail, thereby limiting their use. In our present study, we use human brain endothelial cell line as a blood-brain barrier (BBB) model to investigate if two kinds of nanoparticles [ 1). Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) and 2). single wall carbon nanotube (CNT) ] induced oxidative stress in cell model. Our studies showed that DEPs or …

Using Lidar As A Monitoring Device To Calculate Volume Of Rockfall Over Time, Travis James Kassebaum

Masters Theses

"There are many natural hazards which threaten the stability of highway infrastructure and the safety of motoring public. Rockfall and unstable slopes are one of the major concerns. This thesis describes a method which safely and accurately evaluates rockfall on rock outcrops through the use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. LiDAR is an imaging technology which can be used to measure and evaluate possible rock outcrop hazards such as: rockfall, rock-avalanches, debris flows, and landslides. LiDAR produces a three dimensional point cloud of millions of points which gives spatial data on the scanned object, accurate to millimeters, in …

Jc Penney Strategic Marketing Plan 2012: Product Strategy, Alisha Liane Ostlund

Apparel Design and Hospitality Management

The JCPenney Company has undergone a transition from a value retailer to a streamlined,customer-driven retailer in order to set itself apart from its biggest competitors, Macy’s and Kohl’s. Previously, JCP was focused on general, storewide promotions. Currently, JCP has retooled their image to reflect a standard set of prices and special savings. In this exploratory look at JCP’s merchandising strategy, both previous and new methods are examined and additional steps to improve the returns on merchandising investments are offered. During this study, a detailed examination of JCP’s internal and external environments has been conducted,and an analysis of their consumer trends …

Customer Experience Management: Does A More Focused Approach To The Customer Experience Lead To Store Performance Measure Increases?, Corrie Lee Conlon

Apparel Design and Hospitality Management

This project explored the principles of experiential retailing and how the retailer Lands’ End is using these principles to increase key performance indicators in their retail locations. The types of experiential retailing are defined and of these the lifestyle retailing concepts are applied to strategies employed in Lands’ End retail stores. Specifically the development and implementation of a customer experience management program launched in Lands’ End retail stores are shared. The results of key performance indicators: average transaction, units per transaction, and conversion, are shared for a single retail location to illustrate the success or failure of the program. Suggestions …

Civic Education And Democratic Backsliding In The Wake Of Kenya’S Post-2007 Election Violence, Steven E. Finkel, Jeremy Horowitz, Reynaldo T. Rojo-Mendoza

Dartmouth Scholarship

This article examines two unexplored questions concerning the impact of civic education programs in emerging democracies: (1) whether such programs have longer-terms effects and (2) whether civic education can be effective under conditions of democratic “backsliding.” We investigate these questions in the context of a large-scale civic education program in Kenya just before the disputed 2007 election that sparked a wave of ethnic clashes and brought the country to the brink of civil war. Analysis of a survey of 1,800 “treatment” and 1,800 “control” individuals shows that the program had significant long-term effects on variables related to civic competence and …

Cdk1 And Plk1 Mediate A Clasp2 Phospho-Switch That Stabilizes Kinetochore–Microtubule Attachments, Ana R. R. Maia, Zaira Garcia, Lilian Kabeche, Marin Barisic

Dartmouth Scholarship

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis relies on a dynamic kinetochore (KT)-microtubule (MT) interface that switches from a labile to a stable condition in response to correct MT attachments. This transition is essential to satisfy the spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC) and couple MT-generated force with chromosome movements, but the underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we show that during mitosis the MT- and KT-associated protein CLASP2 is progressively and distinctively phosphorylated by Cdk1 and Plk1 kinases, concomitant with the establishment of KT-MT attachments. CLASP2 S1234 was phosphorylated by Cdk1, which primed CLASP2 for association with Plk1. Plk1 recruitment to KTs …

The Paranoid Style In Regulatory Reform, Jodi L. Short

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Users' Perceptions Regarding Networking And Resource Sharing In Selected Academic Libraries Of Bangladesh, Abul Kalam Siddike

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Across the disciplines, technology is spawning brand new carries in even as it changes in the way we performed old ones. Standing at the edge of 21^st century probably there is no dispute over the recognition of technologies in information activities. Unprecedented changes in the use of information are reshaping our personal activities, our community and organizational practices. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) bring the global information to our finger end. With the emergence of Internet, information kept in different locations has become asset of the world community bringing –almost every day in equal platform. To control over the …

Effect Of Video On The Teaching Of Library Studies Among Undergraduates In Adeyemi College Of Education, Ondo, J. Ayodeji Akerele, Adeola F. Afolabi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Teaching makes acquisition of knowledge and skills possible through systematic interaction between teachers and learners. It happens everyday and involves teacher, learner, methodology and materials interaction. Part of these materials are known as instructional resources.

The use of instructional materials in teaching process provide the basis for improved teaching and learning of a subject. They are designed, produced and use to achieve specific instructional goal. Ayinde (1997) opined that an intelligent use of audio-visual aids will save time and stimulate students’ interest. It increase the retention of knowledge and stimulate understanding and attitude. They help students to recognize a problem. …

Use Of Multimedia For Teaching In Nigerian University System: A Case Study Of University Of Ibadan, A.B. Oshinaike, S.R. Adekunmisi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The use of multimedia in industries has been extensive, as it has been effective in increasing productivity and retention rates, where research has shown that people remember 20% of what they see, 40% of what they see and hear, but about 75% of what they see and hear and do simultaneously (Lindstrom, 1994). Multimedia is now permeating the educational system as a tool for effective teaching and learning. With multimedia, the communication of information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an effective instructional medium for delivering information.

Multimedia access to knowledge is one of …

Alumni Participation In Lis Program Review: The Case Of Mlis At University Of The Punjab, Khalid Mahmood, Farzana Shafique

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Emergence of the digital era has posed rapid social, cultural and technological changes and challenges to the human society. The library as a social institution and librarianship as a service-oriented profession are now at the focal point of revolutionary changes. These changes not only added a new dimension of information science to the library education during the mid 1960s but further crystallization of the information and retrieval systems during 1970s caused the information science component to gain an upper hand, transforming the discipline and introducing new concerns, issues and challenges. Keeping this reality in view Rehman [1] pointed out that …

The Identity Crisis Of Libraries In The Attention Economy, Nishat Kazi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In the present day world, the ecology that the human beings inhabit is laden with various kinds of spaces and places. Our ecology encompasses different kinds of cyberspaces and market places that continuously sway our mind. This character of continuously influencing and controlling the human psyche according to Herbert Simon makes our economy an ‘attention economy’. The concept of ‘attention economy’ revolves around the innumerable existing spaces and places and the human attention. Attention Economy is considered to be one where there is scarcity of human attention. Davenport & Beck defines attention as, “focused mental engagement on a particular message …

Mothers’ Perception Of The Influence Of Interactive Media On Children Cognitive And Social Development In Lagos, Nigeria., Ifeanyi Adigwe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study attempts to investigate mothers’ perception on the influence of interactive media on children cognitive and social development in Lagos Nigeria. It may be surprising, but recent video game research has demonstrated positive, social, and educational related benefits from video game play. However, many parents and teachers fear the negative effect of video games, worrying that video games will turn their children, into mindless, violent, isolated, unhealthy individuals. While some of these concerns are not completely unfounded, video game research has uncovered a wide array of effects of video game play, including many positive influences of video games in …

Faculty Perceptions Of The Value Of Academic Libraries: A Mixed Method Study, Kelly L. Heider, Sandra Janicki, Joann Janosko, Blaine Knupp, Carl Rahkonen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article details the findings of a year-long study at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Libraries which examined IUP faculty members’ perceptions of the value of library resources and services to both their research and teaching. Through a mixed-method study, which included an online survey and follow-up focus groups, the researchers found that faculty were dissatisfied with IUP Libraries’ marketing initiatives but satisfied with its small embedded librarian program. As a result, marketing and growth of the embedded librarian program became the two main focus areas for improvement in the next academic year.

The Regulation Of Private Equity, Hedge Funds And State Funds, Henry Ordower

All Faculty Scholarship

This United States report responds to a questionnaire that the general reporter for the project prepared. The project describes United States law features of hedge funds, private equity funds and sovereign wealth funds and identifies critical current issues in their regulation and governance. The report also includes discussion of recent United States legislation on financial services that affects those pooled investment vehicles.

Schedularity In U.S. Taxation, Its Effect On Tax Distribution, Comparison With Sweden, Henry Ordower

All Faculty Scholarship

The United States derives from a global income tax model under which it taxes it citizens and permanent residents on all their worldwide income without regard to the source of that income. Under a pure global model, the United States would combine income and deductions in a single tax computation. Other countries including Germany and Sweden originate in schedular income tax models under which the tax system classifies income by type, matches it with deductions from the same class, and computes a separate tax on each class. Neither the United States’ global model nor Germany’s or Sweden’s schedular models are …

Decoupling Employment, Marcia L. Mccormick

All Faculty Scholarship

The protected class approach to employment discrimination has not solved the problem of discrimination or of a just distribution of resources. Not only do race and sex prejudice continue to exist, but material and subjective disadvantage continues to be strongly linked to race and sex. While our laws have made social changes, progress on those changes stalled in the 1980s. Some might even say that the protected class approach to discrimination has actually entrenched inequality more deeply into our social fabric.

This Article seeks a purpose-driven approach to finding solutions to the problems of discrimination, asking why it is that …

Looking At Regional Trade Agreements Through The Lens Of Gender, Constance Z. Wagner

All Faculty Scholarship

This article focuses on an unresolved issue within international trade law and policy, namely whether there is a need to consider gender-differentiated impacts of trade agreements and if so, how such impacts should be addressed. The author argues in favor of a gender aware approach to trade, discussing this topic within the context of regional trade agreements (“RTAs”), which are being used increasingly as a route to economic integration among nations. While there is evidence of gender-differentiated impacts of trade liberalization, there has been little progress made in advancing an agenda to address gender issues at the level of multilateral …

Pursuing High Performance In Rural Health Care, A. Clinton Mackinney, Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, Jennifer P. Lundblad, Timothy D. Mcbride, Sidney D. Watson

All Faculty Scholarship

In 2001, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) called for transformation of the United States health care system to make it safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.1 The journey toward these six aims in public policy and the private sector is underway, but fundamental challenges detailed by the IOM remain. Patients are injured at alarming rates, wide variation in care exists across geographies, patients complain of insensitive and/or inaccessible health care providers, health care costs are nearly twice that in other developed countries, and nearly 50 million Americans lack health insurance. As a result, our health care is often fragmented, …

The Mark Of A Resold Good, Yvette Joy Liebesman, Benjamin Wilson

All Faculty Scholarship

Over the past ten years, the Internet has revolutionized the resale market ― casual resellers have migrated from garage sales, swap meets, and classified ads, to eBay and Craigslist, turning hobbies into lucrative businesses. This has affected the sales of new goods and troubled manufacturers, who seek to curtail the growth of this secondary market.

Most of these on-line resales should be protected by the first-sale doctrine, a well-known defense to infringement claims that applies across patent, copyright, and trademark law. Simply stated, once a manufacturer sells a product, it may not interfere with secondary sales of that product. Yet …

Knowledge, Attitudes Toward Corporations, And Belief In A Just World As Correlates Of Tort Reform Attitudes, Molly J. Walker Wilson, Ruth H. Warner

All Faculty Scholarship

Recent legislation in tort law has resulted in such changes as states capping punitive and non-economic damages as well as abolishing the collateral source rule and joint and several liability. The purpose of the present research is to examine attitudes toward changes in tort law. We asked American adults about their attitudes toward the civil justice system and its players, experiences in the civil justice system, and belief in a just world. We found that a more negative attitude toward litigation and juries, higher belief in a just world, and a more positive attitude toward corporations and doctors predicted a …

New Nip In The Bud: Does The Obama Board's Preemptive Strike Doctrine Enhance Tactical Employment Law Strategies?, Michael C. Duff

All Faculty Scholarship

In this essay I revisit the classic debate concerning when worker activity is sufficiently “concerted” to be covered by the National Labor Relations Act, a statute covering certain private sector protected “concerted” activity by workers. When workers are obviously engaged in concerted “labor” activity — classically activity like striking, picketing, or even just complaining about working conditions — they are generally protected against employer reprisal for doing so. Over the last few decades there has been disagreement about the definition and limits of “concert.” My renewed interest in this dormant but not dead subject was piqued by the “Obama Board’s” …

Cost Effectiveness Of A Home-Based Intervention That Helps Functionally Vulnerable Older Adults Age In Place At Home., Eric Jutkowitz, Laura N Gitlin, Laura T. Pizzi, Edward Lee, Marie P Dennis

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Evaluating cost effectiveness of interventions for aging in place is essential for adoption in service settings. We present the cost effectiveness of Advancing Better Living for Elders (ABLE), previously shown in a randomized trial to reduce functional difficulties and mortality in 319 community-dwelling elders. ABLE involved occupational and physical therapy sessions and home modifications to address client-identified functional difficulties, performance goals, and home safety. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as additional cost to bring about one additional year of life, was calculated. Two models were then developed to account for potential cost differences in implementing ABLE. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were …

Cyber Commodification, Miriam A. Cherry

All Faculty Scholarship

When it comes to commodification on the Internet, it is a wild, wild World Wide Web. Researching encyclopedia articles for Wikipedia is an unpaid labor of love, but connecting to your friends on Facebook is a $100 billion enterprise. Newspaper classified advertisements are definitely commercial, but their equivalent on Craigslist was mostly non-commercial – until the Delaware Chancery Court stepped in. Selling your organs is prohibited in the United States, whereas selling hair promises to rescue third-world citizens from poverty. Selling sex is illegal as prostitution, but selling adultery online is a hot new business model. And a small company …

Chevron, Greenwashing, And The Myth Of 'Green Oil Companies', Miriam A. Cherry, Judd F. Sneirson

All Faculty Scholarship

As green business practices grow in popularity, so does the temptation to “greenwash” one’s business to appear more environmentally and socially responsible than it actually is. We examined this phenomenon in an earlier paper, using BP and the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe as a case study and developing a framework for policing dubious claims of corporate social responsibility. This Article revisits these issues focusing on Chevron, an oil company that claims in its advertisements to care deeply about the environment and the communities in which it operates, even as it faces an $18 billion judgment for polluting the Ecuadorean Amazon and …

The Mountain Within: Leadership Lessons And Inspiration For Your Climb To The Top [Review] / Herta Von Stiegel And Gina Smith, Erhard H. Gallos

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

No abstract provided.