Digital Commons Network^™

The Shift In Pedagogy: Authoritarian And Egalitarian Styles Of Teaching, Cayley Yamashita

Dance Department Best Student Papers

No abstract provided.

Fall Commencement Ceremonies, University Of North Florida

Commencement Printed Materials

Program for the Fall Commencement ceremonies.

Social Marketing And California High-Speed Rail: A Framework For Behavioral Change Towards Sustainability, Spenser Dill

Master's Projects and Capstones

In this analytical paper, I advocate for the use of social marketing techniques in a campaign targeted towards Central Valley communities with the primary objective of reducing this population’s opposition to the state’s High-Speed Rail project. A secondary objective is to use this strategy to promote positive attitudes towards sustainable practices in general. The goal is to stimulate a change in regional culture, which will support the behavioral changes needed to protect California’s natural resources and reduce our state’s contribution to climate change. I argue: 1) creating a sustainable transit infrastructure with high-speed rail as its centerpiece will reduce harmful …

Savage, Andrew Curran

Theses

"Savage" is a stop-motion, animated graduate thesis film. It was originally conceived as a story about the perils of socially constructed reality. The film follows a feral boy and his dog as they go hunting to close to civilization. One day the two come upon a farm and it is their undoing.

This film was made using traditional stop motion techniques, with the assistance of Dragon Stop Motion Software. The post work, mainly rig removal was done in After Effects and Photoshop.

The following is an attempt to outline my process from concept to completion.

Interpretation Of The Potentiometric Surface Along The Rio Grande At Selected Locations In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jeffrey Worthington

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

The U.S. Geological Survey installed over 240 piezometers and 27 surface-water gages along the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, NM from 2003 to 2009, to monitor groundwater and surface-water levels and water temperatures. Spanning a 20 mile distance between the bridges at Alameda Blvd. and Interstate 25, there were 8 selected locations each consisting of paired east-west transects situated perpendicular to the river (Figure 1). Paired transects comprise two parallel cross-sections of the Rio Grande inner valley that were positioned approximately 500 ft. apart and extend to the riverside drains on both sides of the river. Each transect consisted of piezometers …

Improving Lactose Digestion And Symptoms Of Lactose Intolerance With A Novel Galacto-Oligosaccharide (Rp-G28): A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial., Dennis Savaiano, Andrew J. Ritter, Todd R. Klaenhammer, Gareth M. James, Amy T. Longcore, Justin R. Chandler, W Allan Walker, Howard L. Foyt

Department of Nutrition Science Faculty Publications

Background

Lactose intolerance (LI) is a common medical problem with limited treatment options. The primary symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and cramping. Limiting dairy foods to reduce symptoms contributes to low calcium intake and the risk for chronic disease. Adaptation of the colon bacteria to effectively metabolize lactose is a novel and potentially useful approach to improve lactose digestion and tolerance. RP-G28 is novel galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) being investigated to improve lactose digestion and the symptoms of lactose intolerance in affected patients.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled study was conducted at 2 sites in the United States. …

Winning Hearts And Minds: Using "Ag-Gag" Outrage And Corporate Rebranding To Achieve A Public Image Makeover For The Animal Rights Movement, Alison J. Spasser

Master's Projects and Capstones

Despite limited legal victories—particularly in the realm of companion animal protections—the animal rights movement has failed to make substantial progress in other focal areas, including the acquisition of increased rights for food animals on factory farms. The public image of the movement has taken a hit in recent years, due in part to effective campaigning by opposing lobbies and corporate entities and in part to self-inflicted damage from failed messaging and tactics. The perceived alignment of animal rights advocacy organizations with extremism and the public distrust of activists leaves the movement in need of a critical public image makeover. However, …

Lines, Sines, And Wallabies: The Dynamic Landscape Of A Regional Centromere, Laura E. Hall

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

“Cause That’S The Only Skills In School You Need” A Qualitative Analysis Of Revenge Goals In Poor Urban Youth, Lena Janina Jäggi

Theses and Dissertations

Ample research shows that revenge goals are correlated with maladjustment and retaliation is an important factor driving youth violence. Still, in environments with limited institutionalized interventions revenge might be an indispensable tool to maintain social equilibrium. This qualitative secondary analysis of 50 (30 Boys) revenge scenarios from a larger longitudinal study (N=358 dyads of youth/maternal caregiver) expands existing one-dimensional knowledge of revenge from closed-answer vignettes to the rich real world experience of 10-16 year old youth from an urban community sample. Key findings showed significant qualitative differences in both cognition and emotions of revenge scenarios. Ten distinct patterns emerged and …

How Social Media Affect The Social Identity Of Mexican Americans, Kaitlin Eve Felsted

Theses and Dissertations

This is a thesis conducted qualitatively using the Grounded Theory approach where in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 legal Mexican Americans in order to understand how social media affect Mexican Americans' social identity. This effect was understood by discovering the relationships between social identity theory and integration. Results showed that Mexican Americans felt that social media helped them with their English skills and connected them to their friends and family in Mexico. Mexican Americans were able to use social media to connect to their in-group community, and Mexican American community leaders were able to connect Mexicans to their in-group within …

Interactions Of Peptide Triazole Thiols With Env Gp120 Induce Irreversible Breakdown And Inactivation Of Hiv-1 Virions, Arangassery Bastian, Mark Contarino, Lauren D. Bailey, Rachna Aneja, Diogo Rodrigo Magalhaes Moreira, Kevin Freedman, Karyn Mcfadden, Caitlin Duffy, Ali Emileh

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: We examined the underlying mechanism of action of the peptide triazole thiol, KR13 that has been shown previously to specifically bind gp120, block cell receptor site interactions and potently inhibit HIV-1 infectivity.

Results: KR13, the sulfhydryl blocked KR13b and its parent non-sulfhydryl peptide triazole, HNG156, induced gp120 shedding but only KR13 induced p24 capsid protein release. The resulting virion post virolysis had an altered morphology, contained no gp120, but retained gp41 that bound to neutralizing gp41 antibodies. Remarkably, HIV-1 p24 release by KR13 was inhibited by enfuvirtide, which blocks formation of the gp41 6-helix bundle during membrane fusion, while …

A Technological Approach To Reforming Japan's Consumption Tax, Richard Thompson Ainsworth

Faculty Scholarship

Significant change has been forecast for the Japanese Consumption Tax. Revenue needs are pressing, and the Consumption Tax appears to be underutilized. Should the rate be doubled from 5% to 10%, or more? If so, will rate increases necessitate further structural changes – recasting this annual credit-subtraction levy into a European style credit-invoice VAT? These options have not proven to be politically palatable, but they are directions that have been under active consideration.

On October 1, 2013 the Japanese Cabinet Office announced that the Consumption Tax would rise from 5% to 8% effective April 1, 2014. The rate will increase …

Comparison Of Psychogenic Movement Disorder Patients With Non-Epileptic Seizures And Other Hyperkinetic Motor Manifestations: An Integrated Model Of Psychosocial And Neuropsychological Functioning, Bonnie Michelle Scott

Psychology and Counseling Theses

Psychogenic movement disorders (PMDs) represent a complex and severe form of psychopathology, which even after a century of research remains poorly understood. As previous investigations have neglected to differentiate symptom phenotypes and have approached assessment from the perspective of cognitive dysfunction apparent in PMD patient's neurological counterparts, the current study aimed to examine the neurocognitive performance and psychological profiles of PMD patients with hyperkinetic motor manifestations guided by a theoretical lens of frontal lobe pathology and informed by previous neuroimaging studies with this patient population. Subsequent to diagnostic confirmation of their condition by means of video-electroencephalographic monitoring or adherence to …

Mechanistic Studies Of Bimolecular Electron Transfer Self-Exchange Rates Of Ruthenium Ammine Pyridyl Complexes Measured By Nmr Line Broadening Techniques, Yishun Qin

Master's Theses

The electron transfer (ET) self-exchange rates on a series of complexes of (NH₃)₅Ru^II/III L^2+/3+ in D₂O (where L is a substituted pyridyl ligand) were investigated by dynamic NMR measurements. Significant rate enhancement was observed for the cases of L = 3-phenylpyridine and 4-phenylpridine due to possible π-π stacking between Phpy ligands. These observations matche well with recent stopped-flow work by Mehmood on a similar set of related pseudo-self exchange reactions. Kinetics of the (NH₃)₅Ru^II/III (3-trifluoromethylpyridine)^2+/3+ self-exchange reactions with addition of various simple/complex salts and hexacyano salts …

The Lion & The Ringmaster: Croatia's Accession To The European Union, Jelena N. Bilandzich

Master's Theses

July 1, 2013 marked Croatia's official induction into the European Union. For Croatia this was the culmination of a long negotiation process filled with concessions and challenges. This situation inspired the question of how Croatia's alliance with the EU has affected the state? In order to analyze this relationship the aspects of Croatian identity and sovereignty were explored, in addition to the EU's principles and problems regarding member and candidate states. The evidence found within this investigation came from a number of literary sources ranging from the academic to official government documents. Furthermore, nine interviews were conducted within Croatia, which …

Land Grabs And Implications On Food Sovereignty And Social Justice In Senegal, Joanna Lafrancesca

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the case study of Senegal to examine the implications of large- scale land acquisitions on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. I investigate the diverse perspectives of market enthusiasts, human rights organizations, peasants, the state, and international financial organizations on large-scale land acquisitions. Based on primary research, I argue that the state of Senegal plays an active role in permitting “land grabs” and that they pose a threat to food sovereignty among Senegalese host communities. Lastly, I argue there needs to be a broader understanding of long-term consequences and risks to insure social justice in areas affected …

The Plight Of Kenyan Domestic Workers In Gulf Countries, Caroline Muthoni Gikuru

Master's Theses

Kenya’s economy remains the regional leader within the East African Community (EAC) and among East African countries at large. However, political instability such as the 2007 post-election violence and the region’s social and political instability trickling into Kenya, have negatively affected the country’s economic growth. To bridge the economic gap, Kenyan women are seeking employment in the domestic service sector in the Gulf Countries, with Saudi Arabia being the most popular destination. At their destination countries, some domestic workers are subjected to various forms of abuse by their employers, leaving the worker without recourse due to the lack of legal …

Accounting For Gender In International Refugee Law: A Close Reading Of The Unhcr Gender Guidelines And The Discursive Construction Of Gender As An Identity, Johanna N. Tvedt

Master's Theses

This thesis conducts a close reading of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ “Guidelines on International Protection: Gender-Related Persecution within the context of Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees” – a document that explains how legal definitions of refugee status might take into account gender issues. In it, I investigate the relationship between gender identity and the refugee status to understand how gender is constructed in relation to other terms or identity categories that determine whether an individual will be granted asylum. Performing a close reading of this text, …

Silence To Signs: Bridging The Communiction Gap For Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Inmates In Prisons, Kayleigh A. Marshall

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper explores the failure of American prison systems to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners. Sign language is sparsely accessible to deaf individuals in prisons. Communication and access to language are key to the human condition and democratic participation. When prison administrations ban sign language, deaf individuals are prevented from accessing programs and services that would lead to lower recidivism rates, and they are prevented from participating democracy. Since use of sign language is a natural part of many individuals’ deaf experience, barring its use is also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act …

Online News-Seeking Behavior Among Three Generational Cohorts: Baby Boomers, Generation X, And Generation Y, Ivonna Cabrera Torres

Theses

News-seeking behavior has been a matter of study for many years now. With the rise of the Internet, online news has become a news interest for scholars studying the news field. This research surveyed 73 Generation Y, 46 Generation X and 54 Baby Boomers members at the Rochester Institute of Technology to understand the differences between the three cohorts when it comes to online news readership using the social network Twitter and to learn the differences between the preferred devices each generation uses to read online news.

A Mightier Pin: Creating A Credible Reference Library On Pinterest At Murray State University, Rebecca Richardson, Candace Vance, Elizabeth Price, Jeffrey Henry

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

This case study shows how the reference librarians at Murray State University use Pinterest as an added component in reference services. Statistics were collected in an attempt to monitor the number of items shared with the number of people who actively follow each board. This study will help interested reference librarians gain an understanding of how this social media site can be used to promote online resources, both those owned by the institution and those available freely on the internet. It will also serve as an example of how reference librarians can build a reference library within the confines of …

From Corps To Co-Ops: Are Co-Operatives A Viable Reintegration Strategy For Ex-Combatants?, Patrick Moses Musibi

Master's Theses

From 1989, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes have played a major role in peace agreements worldwide. The first United Nations peacekeeping mission with a DDR mandate was ONUCA, (Observadores de las Naciones Unidas en Centroamerica) or the United Nations Observer Group in Central America and involved the reintegration of ex-combatants after the conflict had finished. While the disarmament and demobilization phases of the DDR programs are fairly straightforward events, success in the reintegration phase remains a great challenge. In this thesis I argue that paying closer attention to the challenges facing ex-combatants at an individual level can help in …

Fumarate Inhibits Tnf-Α Release, Megan Kelly

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Vertebrates utilize two forms of immunity to combat pathogens. Innate immunity is considered the first line of defense that utilizes immediate action and three barriers. Innate immunity responses typically occur within minutes of pathogen exposure resulting in cellular receptor activation and acute pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Inflammatory macrophages engage bacterial endotoxins, including Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA). And respond by releasing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). While beneficial for neutralizing acute pathogen exposure, prolonged TNF-α release results in chronic inflammation and tissue damage. In the present study, we examined two methylated derivatives of a citric acid cycle intermediate, fumarate, …

Re-Visiting Homosexuality In Cameroon: Effective Advocacy On The Path From Homophobia To Dignity And Equality, Jean Cedric Ndzomo

Master's Theses

Cameroon, one of the countries in the world that continues to criminalize homosexuality, has been on the news recently due to the torture and murder of young journalist and gay activist, Eric Ohena. This paper examines the discrimination faced by the LGBTI community in Cameroon by exploring the origins of homophobic violence, the role played by Cameroon's legal system, and the struggles of LGBTI Cameroonians in their fight for a better life. The analysis includes a review of the work by scholars on colonialism and sexuality in Africa, and questions the roots of violence and abuse against the LGBTI community …

The Role Of Information And Communication Technology In The Acculturation Of Vietnamese Refugees, Khanh A. Tran

Master's Theses

One of the most significant refugee populations in the United States is the Vietnamese. This group initially fled their native country to escape political oppression at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975 and continued to flee in a series of separate waves that continued for more than three decades. As a relatively new immigrant group in the U.S., the Vietnamese still face a variety of challenges as they try to reestablish their lives and adapt in a new cultural environment. Acculturation is a complex process that is influenced by a number of factors. Throughout history, U.S. immigration policy …

Biochemical Assay Optimization And Computational Screening Efforts To Identify Potential Luxs Inhibitors, Keeshia Q. Wang

Master's Theses

Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of coordination of bacterial gene expression in response to cell population. System two QS is regulated by the small signaling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) and is implicated in the infectious behaviors of various bacterial species. AI-2 is biosynthesized from S-ribosylhomocysteine (SRH) by the enzyme LuxS and induces interspecies cell-to-cell communication. Inhibition of LuxS would therefore inhibit interspecies QS. Herein, a search for novel molecular species that will competitively bind with SRH in the LuxS binding site is performed in silico. Computational screening results are then validated in vitro using an optimized LuxS inhibition …

Significance Of The D-Serine-Deaminase And D-Serine Metabolism Of Staphylococcus Saprophyticus For Virulence, Miriam Korte-Berwanger, Turkan Sakinc, Kimberly Kline, Hailyn V. Nielsen, Scott Hultgren, Soren G. Gatermann

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 13, 2013, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Striae Re-Negotiated: The Self-Definition Of The Yiddish-Speaking Jewish Community In The Era Of Mexicos Raza Cósmica, Beth Merfish

Research Papers

This essay examines Mexican Jewish documents through which that community navigated the political terrain of post-Revolution Mexico. Central to this discussion is tension between Jewish desires to become part of this new nation and the imperative to remain a discreet cultural and religious community. I first examine the pressures of assimilation in 1920s Mexico exemplified by José Vasconcelos 1925 La raza cosmica and then probe the Yiddish-speaking Jewish community's response and self-definition in relation to a rapidly developing nation, using two case studies: the Jewish community's political position publicized in the 1929 Asociación de Jóvenes Israelitas de México bulletin and …

Effects Of Increasing Temperature And Ocean Acidification On The Microstages Of Two Populations Of Saccharina Latissima In The Northwest Atlantic, Sarah Redmond

Master's Theses

Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) C.E.Lane, C.Mayes, L.D. Druehl and G.W.Saunders, is the most widely distributed species of kelp in the western North Atlantic, occurring from the Arctic to Long Island Sound. The effects of global climate change on these ecologically and economically important cold temperate species at the southern range of their distribution are unknown. This study investigated the impact of the combined stressors of increased temperature (16, 19, 22, 25 & 28°C) and reduced pH (7.9, 7.8, 7.7, & 7.6) on the gametophyte and juvenile sporophyte stages of sugar kelp populations from Maine and Long Island Sound. Spore germination and …