Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2012

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 17581 - 17610 of 22916

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Impulsivity, Criminogenic Opportunity Structures, And Delinquency, Matt Vogel Jan 2012

Impulsivity, Criminogenic Opportunity Structures, And Delinquency, Matt Vogel

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Impulsivity has emerged as a strong predictor of delinquency. A growing body of research suggests that neighborhood disorganization moderates the association between impulsivity and delinquency. However, there are several competing perspectives on the direction of this moderation, and the empirical research has generated a small body of discordant findings. This dissertation addresses the research linking impulsivity, neighborhood disorganization, and delinquency in two ways. First, I propose that the inconsistent findings to date might be attributed to variation in measurement and modeling strategy across earlier studies. Second, I argue that the mechanisms underlying the differential effect of impulsivity on delinquency across …


Identification Of Epitopes On Ricin Toxin's Enzymatic Subunit (Rta) Critical For Eliciting Neutralizing Antibodies And Protective Immunity, Joanne Marie O'Hara Jan 2012

Identification Of Epitopes On Ricin Toxin's Enzymatic Subunit (Rta) Critical For Eliciting Neutralizing Antibodies And Protective Immunity, Joanne Marie O'Hara

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ricin toxin's enzymatic subunit (RTA) is a 267 amino acid RNA N-glycosidase that selectively depurinates eukaryotic ribosomal RNA and arrests protein synthesis. The crystal structure of RTA revealed that the protein assumes three distinct folding domains (FD). Residues within FD1 and FD2 form RTA's active site pocket and are proposed to interface with ribosomal proteins, while FD3's primary function is to associate with ricin's B subunit (RTB). In this study I sought to identify the regions of RTA that are important in eliciting toxin-neutralizing antibodies (TNA), as this information is critical for current efforts to develop RTA-based subunit vaccines. I …


Characterization Of The Calmodulin-Ryanodine Receptor Interaction By Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Xiaojun Huang Jan 2012

Characterization Of The Calmodulin-Ryanodine Receptor Interaction By Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Xiaojun Huang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ryanodine receptor (RyR) is a key player in excitation-contraction coupling (E-C coupling). Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the important regulatory factors of RyR. Two mammalian RyR isoforms, RyR1 and RyR2, are highly enriched in skeletal and cardiac muscle, respectively. Apo-calmodulin weakly activates RyR1 but inhibits RyR2, whereas Ca2+-calmodulin inhibits both the isoforms. Previous cryo-electron microscopy studies showed distinctly different binding locations on RyR1 for the two states of calmodulin. However, recent studies employing fluorescence resonance energy transfer appeared to challenge these findings. In chapter 1, using cryo-electron microscopy, we have determined that a mutant calmodulin, which is incapable of binding …


The C. Elegans Rna-Binding Protein Gld-1 Recognizes Sequence, Structure And Context Information To Repress Translation Of Its Mrna Targets, Jung Hoon Doh Jan 2012

The C. Elegans Rna-Binding Protein Gld-1 Recognizes Sequence, Structure And Context Information To Repress Translation Of Its Mrna Targets, Jung Hoon Doh

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Considering the general suppression of transcription during late oogenesis and early embryo development, post-transcriptional control of maternal mRNAs by RNA binding proteins emerges as an important mechanism in controlling late oogenesis and early embryo development. The C. elegans germline offers an ideal system to understand such processes. GLD-1 (GermLine Development defective) is a maxi-KH motif containing RNA binding protein, which controls many different stages during the C. elegans germline development from decision over germ cell proliferation vs. meiosis entry to production of mature gametes, suggesting that GLD-1 likely controls many mRNA targets. gld-1 mutants have variable germline defects, the major …


The Relationship Of Age, Gender, Temperament And Cumulative Risk To Psychopathology In Children And Adolescents, Nancy Kumari Gajee Jan 2012

The Relationship Of Age, Gender, Temperament And Cumulative Risk To Psychopathology In Children And Adolescents, Nancy Kumari Gajee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Several factors have been associated with psychiatric problems in children and adolescents. There is mounting evidence that intrinsic factors such as age, gender and temperament interact with environmental factors in ways that may result in psychopathology. Few studies have examined these factors together to determine how well they predict diagnostic category in a clinic-referred population. This study investigated the roles of three broad temperament dimensions--effortful control (EC), negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA)--along with gender, age, and cumulative risk in the prediction of psychiatric diagnosis in children and adolescents. Psychopathology was examined categorically, across four categories as outlined in …


Micropatterned Electrospun Nanofibrous Substrates As Scaffolds For Engineered Salivary Glands, David Alexander Soscia Jan 2012

Micropatterned Electrospun Nanofibrous Substrates As Scaffolds For Engineered Salivary Glands, David Alexander Soscia

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The salivary gland is a complex organ exhibiting a branching, 3-dimensional structure made up of acinar (saliva-producing), and ductal (saliva transporting and modifying) epithelial cells. The high surface area of the gland allows it to efficiently provide the mouth with saliva, maintaining oral cleanliness and comfort. Salivary gland hypofunction, a significant clinical problem often caused by the autoimmune disease Sjögren's syndrome or head and neck radiation for cancer patients, affects millions of Americans and is characterized by a loss of function of salivary gland acinar cells. Chronic xerostomia, or dry mouth, arises as a result of salivary gland hypofunction and …


Expression And Purification Of The K2p Family Of Ion Channels, Drew Barber Jan 2012

Expression And Purification Of The K2p Family Of Ion Channels, Drew Barber

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The KCNK (two-pore-domain K+ channel) family of potassium channels are the most widely expressed potassium channels in mammals. They are expressed in numerous organs including the brain, heart, adrenal glands, and kidneys. There are fifteen members of this family which can be further divided into six sub groups. These proteins can act as leak channels, setting the rest membrane potential of electrically excitable cells. Due to their function as modulators of excitability these proteins are under control from numerous different chemical and physical signals which include oxygen tension, pH, lipids, mechanical stretch, and neurotransmitters. These channels are not as well …


Trace Element Analysis Of Environmental And Clinical Materials Using Novel Instrumentation Based On X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry : New Capabilities For Public Health Laboratories, Kathryn G. Mcintosh Jan 2012

Trace Element Analysis Of Environmental And Clinical Materials Using Novel Instrumentation Based On X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry : New Capabilities For Public Health Laboratories, Kathryn G. Mcintosh

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is a well-established analytical technique for determining the elemental content of many different materials. XRF has long been used for public health applications, particularly for identifying lead-based paint hazards. The primary advantage of XRF over other atomic spectrometric techniques is that it is nondestructive. In addition, little sample preparation is required, so results are obtained rapidly and at low cost. The principal aim of this study was to characterize the utility and reliability of current XRF instrumentation for use in the environmental health sciences. Interest in the use of XRF for detecting lead in children's toys …


The Influence Of Molecular Family Stability On Emotion Regulation And Adjustment, Jennifer Weil Malatras Jan 2012

The Influence Of Molecular Family Stability On Emotion Regulation And Adjustment, Jennifer Weil Malatras

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between the constructs of family stability and adjustment and has provided evidence for a model in which self-regulatory behavior, namely self-control, mediates the relationship between family stability and adjustment. The present study is intended to expand upon that line of research, evaluating the mediational role of emotion regulation in the relationship between family stability and adjustment. Specifically, it was hypothesized that emotion regulation would mediate the relationship between molecular family stability and internalizing and externalizing problems. Participants were emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 21 years and were asked to complete measures …


The Role Of Chromatin And Cofactors In The Transcriptional Memory Effect Exerted In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Emily Leigh Paul Jan 2012

The Role Of Chromatin And Cofactors In The Transcriptional Memory Effect Exerted In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Emily Leigh Paul

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abf1 and Rap1 are functionally similar general regulatory factors (GRFs) found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Abf1, in its role as a transcriptional activator, exerts a memory effect on some genes under its control. This effect results in transcription levels remaining steady when Abf1 dissociates from its binding site in a conditional mutant. In contrast, Rap1 fails to elicit the same effect on its regulatory targets. Transcriptional memory effects have been observed in many fields of study, including immunology, cancer, and stem cells, and conservation of transcription machinery will allow studies in yeast to be applied to higher organisms.


Bioengineering Embryonic Microenvironment For Exploring Stem Cell-Breast Cancer Cell Interactions, Nurazhani Abdul Raof Jan 2012

Bioengineering Embryonic Microenvironment For Exploring Stem Cell-Breast Cancer Cell Interactions, Nurazhani Abdul Raof

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Embryonic stem (ES) cells and breast cancer cells share similar signaling pathways that allow cells to proliferate and differentiate. However, signaling molecules in cancer cells are misexpressed. Cell microenvironments that consist of many factors such as soluble factors, extracellular matrices, and neighboring cells, play a pivotal role in determining cellular fate. The exposure of ES cell microenvironments to cancer cells may address the missing components in the tumor microenvironment, which could inhibit tumorigenesis or reprogram cancer cells into a less invasive phenotype. In this thesis, in vitro ES cell microenvironments have been engineered three-dimensionally via alginate hydrogel encapsulation and patterned …


Developing A Toolkit To Study The Role Of Inteins In Mycobacterial Biology, Rupsa Dey Jan 2012

Developing A Toolkit To Study The Role Of Inteins In Mycobacterial Biology, Rupsa Dey

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the most widespread and highly contagious diseases in the world today. This disease affects people from all walks of life and has a devastating effect on immune compromised individuals. Another concerning fact is the emergence of multiple drug resistant and extreme drug resistant strains of the bacilli that has made treatment very difficult. Thus it has become imperative that every avenue should be explored to fight and eradicate this disease. One such unexplored avenue is the role of inteins in mycobacterial biology. Inteins are intervening sequences found in conserved regions of a …


Life Course Socio-Economic Measures As Predictors Of Bmi Trajectories And Prevalence Of Diabetes In Adult Life, Tabassum Zarina Insaf Jan 2012

Life Course Socio-Economic Measures As Predictors Of Bmi Trajectories And Prevalence Of Diabetes In Adult Life, Tabassum Zarina Insaf

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Few studies have analyzed the effect of lifecourse socioeconomic position (LSEP) on racial disparities in body mass index (BMI) trajectories and Diabetes. Four waves of the Americans' Changing Lives study (1986-2002) were used to compute BMI trajectories and diabetes prevalence for 3497 Black and White participants. Multivariate associations of LSEP variables (father's education, perceived childhood SEP, education, income, wealth and financial stress) with baseline BMI and BMI change were assessed using mixed models. We also evaluated whether disparate LSEP predictors are influential in Blacks as compared to Whites. Finally we evaluated the presence of latent, pathway and cumulative models of …


The Analytic Reconciliation Of Classic Mayan Elite Pottery : Squaring Pottery Function With Form, Adornment, And Residual Contents, Jennifer Ann Loughmiller-Newman Jan 2012

The Analytic Reconciliation Of Classic Mayan Elite Pottery : Squaring Pottery Function With Form, Adornment, And Residual Contents, Jennifer Ann Loughmiller-Newman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation presents a multidisciplinary means of determining the actual content (foodstuff, non-foodstuff, or lack of contents) of Classic Mayan (A.D. 250-900) vessels. Based on previous studies that have identified the residues of foodstuffs named in hieroglyphic texts (e.g. cacao), this study is designed to further investigate foodstuff residues in the elite vessels indicated by text or image to contain those residues, and the methods employed for residue characterization. Prior to studies utilizing residue analysis, the content of Classic Maya vessels largely had long been inferred largely by ethnographic analogy, associating specific vessel forms with specific uses based on ethnographic …


Experimental And Molecular Studies Of Bryophyte Dispersal On Alpine Summits, Sean Charles Robinson Jan 2012

Experimental And Molecular Studies Of Bryophyte Dispersal On Alpine Summits, Sean Charles Robinson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A review of bryophyte dispersal studies over the last sixty years revealed that the role of gametophytic fragments in bryophyte population dynamics has not been adequately addressed. In this dissertation, I investigate the dispersal potential of wind blown bryophyte fragments on Adirondack alpine summits using a combination of field and laboratory methods.


Habitat Associations And Occupancy Modeling Of Marsh Birds In The Hudson Valley Region Of Eastern New York, Lauren Jorgensen Jan 2012

Habitat Associations And Occupancy Modeling Of Marsh Birds In The Hudson Valley Region Of Eastern New York, Lauren Jorgensen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Populations of many North American marsh birds have declined over the past few decades, a trend commensurate with declines in wetland habitat area. Substantial declines in populations of breeding marsh bird species in New York State are associated with declines in wetland habitat area due to urbanization. The objective of this study was to examine what habitat and landscape features increase the probability of occupancy for nine target marsh bird species in New York State. This research was conducted in the Hudson River Valley region of Eastern New York, a region which is characterized by varied topography and geology, a …


Family Stability As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Child Temperament And Child Adjustment, Meena Choi Jan 2012

Family Stability As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Child Temperament And Child Adjustment, Meena Choi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Empirical literature has demonstrated a relationship between the constructs of family stability and child adjustment, as well as between child temperament and adjustment. The mechanisms through which these constructs relate to one another, however, have not been directly explored. The current study evaluates one proposed model in which family stability is hypothesized to moderate the relationship between child temperament and child adjustment, such that the relationship between child temperament and child adjustment would vary depending upon the level of molecular family stability present. Participants were 125 parents and 69 teachers of five-year-old children in kindergarten. Parents were asked to complete …


Stewards Of The Land : Demonstrations Of Agricultural Authenticity In Columbia County, Ny, Jaclyn Rose Bruntfield Jan 2012

Stewards Of The Land : Demonstrations Of Agricultural Authenticity In Columbia County, Ny, Jaclyn Rose Bruntfield

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The origins of food in the U.S. have come under close public scrutiny in recent years. An increasing number of farmers markets, certified organic products, and Community Supported Agriculture programs indicate that Americans are seeking out alternatives to the mainstream food system. The industrialization of food production in the post-World War II era, while providing larger amounts of inexpensive food than ever before, has arguably compromised people's relationships with food. While farming was once a common way of life in the U.S., today only one percent of Americans identify farming as their primary occupation.


Migration And The Well-Being Of Left-Behind Children In China, Lin Guo Jan 2012

Migration And The Well-Being Of Left-Behind Children In China, Lin Guo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The rise of the floating population in China has greatly stimulated researchers' interest in studying the trends and characteristics of internal migrants, as well as their roles in China's economic transformations. Recent estimation from the Bi-Census data of 2005 suggests as many as 58 million children (under age 18) are left-behind in migrant-sending regions while their parents are away working. The absence of these migrant parents from the home may bring both short- and long-term consequences for their left-behind children. This dissertation aims to provide a systematic examination of the impact of parental migration on the well-being of rural left-behind …


Inhibition Of Glutamate Receptors By Constructing Bipartite Rna Aptamers, Jeffrey Hebert Jan 2012

Inhibition Of Glutamate Receptors By Constructing Bipartite Rna Aptamers, Jeffrey Hebert

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The relationship of excessive activity of AMPA-type glutamate receptors, and cell death, has long provided researchers a means of investigating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Inhibitors of AMPA receptor channels, including chemical and nucleic acid molecules such as RNA aptamers, have served as potential therapeutic agents and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, building bipartite aptamers to enhance inhibitory potency, as compared with a monomeric aptamer of AMPA receptor, is described. An enhanced potency is due, at least in part; to the proximity effect in bipartite structures or binding of a monomeric …


Molecular Vapor Deposition Of Organosilanes, Sarah Kirsten Goulet Jan 2012

Molecular Vapor Deposition Of Organosilanes, Sarah Kirsten Goulet

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Current strategies for low temperature bonding (<300 C) and 3D integration employ polymer interfaces (1-3 um) with low thermal conductivity which can result in poor heat transfer between bonded elements. The introduction of thinner interfaces to improve heat transfer is desirable; however, deposition of thin polymer films (<100 nm) for bonding applications can lead to reduced film uniformity and negatively affect bonding strength. Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) chemistries provide a potential solution and can yield nanometer control of the interfacial layer thickness without a significant effect on surface roughness. Siloxanes are one available option to realize these nanometer thin reactive layers. Due to their propensity to crosslink and form multilayers, careful control of the reaction conditions is required. Considering this, we have evaluated the molecular vapor deposition of siloxane precursors to generate molecular layers with reactive end-groups for potential use in bonding applications. Film stability, morphology, thickness, and composition were monitored after deposition using atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.


Acts Of Defiance : Local Policy Innovation And Diffusion In Same-Sex Marriage, Karyn Teressa Andrade Jan 2012

Acts Of Defiance : Local Policy Innovation And Diffusion In Same-Sex Marriage, Karyn Teressa Andrade

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Like many other controversial social issues, same-sex marriage has followed the ebb and flow of the political stream for almost 30 years in the United States. What pulled this policy issue out of the policy stream and placed it front and center in the public's mind were the actions of a handful of local officials who, in the winter of 2004, acted against the status quo and instituted public policies in favor of same-sex marriage. This research provides a case study analysis of the six localities whose officials acted in defiance of law and social custom, and began issuing marriage …


"God, Hieroglyphics" : Extrapolating The Third Dimension In "Go Down, Moses" And "The Crying Of Lot 49", Jacob Alexander Waddy Jan 2012

"God, Hieroglyphics" : Extrapolating The Third Dimension In "Go Down, Moses" And "The Crying Of Lot 49", Jacob Alexander Waddy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract


Body Size And Mortality In Post-Medieval England, Gail Margaret Hughes-Morey Jan 2012

Body Size And Mortality In Post-Medieval England, Gail Margaret Hughes-Morey

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Short stature and body mass at both extremes of the distribution have consistently been linked to poor health outcomes in modern populations, but the nature of the relationship between body size and mortality is poorly understood. This dissertation examines the relationship between stature, body mass, and mortality, and how that relationship may have varied with socioeconomic status and evidence of morbidity in post-medieval England. Adults from Chelsea Old Church, an 18th-19th century high status skeletal collection from the outskirts of London, and Lower Saint Bride's, an 18th-19th century low status skeletal collection from central London, both housed at the Museum …


The Association Of Summer Temperatures With Hospital Admissions For Renal Diseases In New York State : A Case-Crossover Study, Barbara A. Fletcher Jan 2012

The Association Of Summer Temperatures With Hospital Admissions For Renal Diseases In New York State : A Case-Crossover Study, Barbara A. Fletcher

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study assessed the association between high temperatures and increased odds of hospitalization for renal diseases which, to date, has been examined in only a small number of studies. A case-crossover design was used to study 147,885 hospital admissions with renal diagnoses during July and August, 1991-2004 in New York State. Regional temperature, humidity and barometric pressure data from automated monitors were used as exposure indicators. Using time-stratified referent selection and conditional logistic regression analysis, an overall 9% increase in odds of hospitalization for acute renal failure per 5°F (2.78°C) was found for mean temperature at a one day lag …


Sirtuin 6 : A Review Of Biological Affects And Potential Therapeutic Properties, Jade Beauharnois Jan 2012

Sirtuin 6 : A Review Of Biological Affects And Potential Therapeutic Properties, Jade Beauharnois

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT: Sirtuins, possessing either histone deacetylase or mono-ribosyltransferase activity, regulate important biological pathways in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. The term Sir2 comes from the yeast 'silent mating-type information regulation 2' gene, a gene directing cellular regulation in yeast. Sirtuins have been implicated in aging, regulation of transcription, apoptosis and stress resistance, in addition to energy efficiency and metabolism. In mammals, a variety of sirtuin family members are genetically encoded to include sirtuins 1-7 (SIRT1-SIRT7). SIRT6 is a human sirtuin of interest in a variety of research areas, influencing the genomic instability, metabolic defects and degenerative pathologies associated with aging. Until …


Structure And Function Of Non-Coding Regulatory Rna Domains, Nakesha L. Smith Jan 2012

Structure And Function Of Non-Coding Regulatory Rna Domains, Nakesha L. Smith

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) has been found to be a very versatile molecule, exhibiting countless functions and can act as a catalyst in biochemical reactions. These functions have typically been attributed to the unique structures that it forms. Novel non-coding RNAs capable of regulating gene expression are still being discovered, and the scope of the RNA world is still being uncovered. The structure function relationship of two different types of non-coding RNA has been investigated: riboswitches and sxRNAs. UV-monitored thermal denaturation experiments, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, native gel electrophoresis and an in vivo luciferase assay were used to investigate the structural …


Decisions To Exert Social Control In A Neighborhood Context : Social Dilemmas And Solutions, Shaohua Yu Jan 2012

Decisions To Exert Social Control In A Neighborhood Context : Social Dilemmas And Solutions, Shaohua Yu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Prior literature on urban crime study has long indicated that residents' participation in informal social control activities is crucial in achieving low crime rates in urban neighborhoods. The question of what factors determine individual residents' decisions on whether or not to support collective crime prevention efforts, however, has yet to be addressed. The present study approaches this issue by bridging it with another important area of research-the study of social dilemmas-that explain cooperative tendencies in human groups. By defining informal social control as a form of collectively desirable action, the study tested the hypothesis that the solutions to social dilemmas …


Detection And Epidemiological Patterns Of Drug Resistance Mutations In Nys Plasmodium Falciparum Clinical Malaria Specimens, Jennifer L. Conaway Jan 2012

Detection And Epidemiological Patterns Of Drug Resistance Mutations In Nys Plasmodium Falciparum Clinical Malaria Specimens, Jennifer L. Conaway

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Plasmodium falciparum is a human-infective parasite that causes the most severe form of malaria. Resistance to a wide spectrum of antimalarials has been documented in this species, and single strains may be resistant to several drugs. A new technology, pyrosequencing, has been shown to be useful for the rapid detection of SNPs involved in drug resistance. It can be used in a clinical setting and readily detects new mutants, which frequently appear in this species due to strong selection for antimalarial resistance. In this study, a pyrosequencing protocol was developed to identify mutations in the Plasmodium falciparum genes Pfcrt, Pfdhps, …


Maya Cosmopolitans : Everyday Life At The Interface Of Archaeology, Heritage, And Tourism Development, Sarah Ruth Taylor Jan 2012

Maya Cosmopolitans : Everyday Life At The Interface Of Archaeology, Heritage, And Tourism Development, Sarah Ruth Taylor

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The village of Ek'Balam is located approximately 300 meters from the ceremonial center of the archaeological zone by the same name. The ruins at Ek'Balam are some of the most impressive pre-Columbian stuccoes found in the Maya World. In 1994, the archaeological zone opened to the public, and since then this village of around 350 residents has experienced numerous changes. While residents have always had ties to the regional economy, the opening of the archaeological zone represented their first extended engagement with the tourism industry. A major agent of change in Ek'Balam is a community-based tourism project, funded primarily by …