Digital Commons Network^™

Students’ Responses And Perception Of The Indoor Environment In The Teaching And Learning Spaces, N. Mahyuddin

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Poorly operated air conditioning and mechanical ventilation system might cause significant Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms and thermal discomfort in the hot and humid climate. Thermal comfort in educational building is the important criteria to be considered seriously. The issues related to the occupants’ thermal comfort in work place/educational/residential buildings is given a great attention. However, thermal comfort in the educational building, especially the classroom is really significant to be considered seriously. Indoor environment is important since it affects the health and productivity of building occupants. It can affect the activities of occupants inside the room. The research was performed …

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine 2013, Fall (Volume 48 No. 2), Noel T. Manning Ii

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine, previously titled The Webb Magazine, focuses on alumni news and campus events from Gardner-Webb College; now Gardner-Webb University. The magazine redesign recognized by the “Non-Profit Communications Report,” a national newsletter that provides practical tips and techniques to strengthen an organization’s communications, community relations and media relations efforts nonprofitcommunicationsreport.com. This issue includes many articles relating to the arts, such as music and theatre. Talented students and alumni are showcased on various platforms, from photography to being a harpist. Along with that, the WGWG Radio Station is featured in an article. There is also an emphasis on missions/outreach in …

Conserving The Land Of The Giants: Critical Threats To Asian Elephant Habitat In Sri Lankan Protected Areas, Christie Sampson

All Theses

Grasslands habitats are hypothesized to be a critical resource for the endangered Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) throughout its range. However, this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested. My study examined elephant habitat selection in Sri Lanka to determine the importance of grassland versus other local habitats, and how livestock abundance, fire, and the invasive plant Lantana camara affect the relative abundance of elephants within habitats. My research was conducted in two protected areas in Sri Lanka, Udawalawe National Park (UNP) and Hurulu Forest Reserve (HR). I used distance-sampling on a total of 50.8 km of dung line-transects in the four …

Interstitial Cell Seeding And Dynamic Conditioning Of Aortic Heart Valve Scaffolds, Allison Kennamer

All Theses

In 2011, U.S. Markets for Heart Valve Repair and Replacement Products estimated that roughly four million people in the United States are diagnosed with a heart valve disorder annually. And in the following year, the American Heart Association reported that approximately 35,000 deaths in the US were either directly or indirectly attributed to heart valve disease. Diseases of the heart valve are degenerative in nature and therefore progressively worsen unbeknownst to the patient until symptoms become clinically relevant. By this time, the valve is in such poor condition that complete replacement is often the only effective treatment. Current solutions are …

Development And Testing Of An Impact Plate Yield Monitor For Peanuts, Jacob Fravel

All Theses

Advancements in precision agriculture technologies such as yield monitors have allowed for improved management capabilities and reduced input costs for a number of crops. Most commercialized developments in yield monitoring systems and technologies to date have been directed for use with the major grain crops such as corn, soybeans and cereal grains. This research focuses on development and testing of an impact plate yield monitor system for the peanut harvest. Using a four row peanut combine in virginia type peanuts, 4.8 ha (12 ac) of simultaneous yield data were recorded from an Ag Leader® grain (impact plate) yield monitor and …

Chemical, Physical, And Moisture Release Characteristics Of Compost Based Potting Media, Tianzhen Wang

All Theses

A commercially available composted cow manure was used as a potting media amendment. A common base mix for woody ornamentals of 8 parts pine bark and 1 part sand was compared with 3 other mixes that contained 20%, 30%, and 40% compost (v/v). The remaining fraction of these three mixes was the base mix (bark and sand). Samples of the pine bark and compost were analyzed to determine the following plant nutrients and mineral concentrations: nitrogen (organic and soluble), carbon, P2O5, K2O, Ca, S, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Na, Fe, and Al.

Teachers’ Questioning Techniques In Advanced Level Chemistry Lessons: A Tanzanian Perspective, Ernest Kira, Sotco Komba, Eugenia Kafanabo, Frank Tilya

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigated the extent to which teachers’ questioning techniques and the way teachers handled students’ responses facilitated students’ learning and promoted their thinking skills. The study focused on three secondary schools in Dar es Salaam. The data collection process involved classroom observations during chemistry lessons and interviews of 10 chemistry teachers. The findings showed that 80% of the observed teachers had a moderate ability in using questioning techniques to measure students’ understanding. The interesting observation in all schools was that teachers interacted frequently with active students and bothered less to involve the least active ones. Moreover, above 80% of …

Experimental And Theoretical Cross Sections For Molecular-Frame Electron-Impact Excitation-Ionization Of D₂, Julian C A Lower, Esam S M Ali, Susan M. Bellm, Erich Weigold, Allison L. Harris, Chuangang Ning, Don H. Madison

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present both experimental and theoretical results for the dissociative ionization of D₂ molecules induced by electron impact. Cross sections are determined in the molecular frame and are fully differential in the energies and emission angles of the dissociation fragments. Transitions are considered from the X¹Σ_g⁺ electronic ground state of D₂ to the 2sσ_g, 2pπ_u and 2pσ_u excited states of D₂⁺. The experimental results are compared to calculations performed within the molecular four-body distorted-wave framework to describe the multicenter nature of the scattering process. The cross sections …

The Impact Of An Interdisciplinary Learning Community Course On Pseudoscientific Reasoning In First-Year Science Students, Timothy Franz, Kris H. Green

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

This case study examined the development and evaluation of an interdisciplinary first-year learning community designed to stimulate scientific reasoning and critical thinking. Designed to serve the needs of scholarship students majoring in mathematics and natural sciences, the six-credit learning community course was writing-intensive and emphasized general scientific reasoning and critical thinking skills. Success of the course was measured using a pre-test/post-test design that assessed students’ paranormal beliefs. Outcomes of the study indicated students’ paranormal beliefs were significantly lower at the end of the semester than at the beginning, which was used as a surrogate measure of scientific reasoning that was …

With 'Cheekbones And Noses Like Eagles And Hawks': Indigeneity And Mestizaje In Ana Castillo’S 'The Mixquiahuala Letters' And Leslie Marmon Silko’S 'Almanac Of The Dead', Tereza M. Szeghi

English Faculty Publications

This article argues that conceptions of indigeneity and mestizaje conveyed in Ana Castillo's The Mixquiahuala Letters and Leslie Marmon Silko's Almanac of the Dead are influenced (differentially) by the very colonialist assumptions the novels otherwise aim to dismantle. I compare how indigeneity and mestizaje are defined in Letters andAlmanac (with particular attention to their oppositional features), addressing relationships between these definitions, popular colonialist discourse, and anti-colonial articulations of identity that have developed in American Indian and Chicana/o communities. Significantly (and tragically), Letters' Chicana protagonist, Teresa, envisions her recovery of a cohesive cultural identity as a return to a …

The Warblers Of Ash Cave, Dennis Profant, Pat Quackenbush

Ohio Cardinal

No abstract provided.

Espeleorevista Puerto Rico, No. 9, July-December 2013, Marianela Mercado Burgos

KIP Articles

Contenido: Las Calizas de la Costa Norte de Puerto Rico por Diana Ortega-ArizaCuevas Las Cabachuelas (sección fotográfica) por voluntarios de FIEKPCavescapes in the Pre-columbian Caribbean por Alice SamsonExploraciones espeleológicas en el Sistema de la Murcielaguina, Jaén, España por Toni PérezGalería Subterránea: Cueva Honda, Aguadilla por Jan Paul ZegarraNCRC del Caribe Informa por Roberto Miranda Anuncios de Espeleología

The Association Between Mercury Emissions And Individuals With Autism Aged From 3-21 In The State Of California From 2001 To 2007, Sen Guo

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The paper explores how historical mercury deposition associates with the incidents of autism, identified in individuals aged from 3 to 21 in California from 2001 to 2007. The association between mercury deposits and the prevalence of individuals with autism aged from 3 to 21 in California was explored using the data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and the U.S. Education Department. A correlation analysis is applied to find if a relationship between mercury deposits and the autistic individuals in California. A regression test is run showing that for every 2.41ng/square meter per year increase of mercury deposits in California, …

Investigation Of The Role Of Tor And Nutrient Restriction On Lifespan Of Arabidopsis Thaliana, Debashree Banerjee

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) kinase is evolutionarily conserved and is a key regulator, controlling many cellular functions to promote survival and growth in all eukaryotes. Several model organisms have indicated a relationship between TOR signaling and life expectancy, such as yeast, fruit flies and mice. Abundant nutrient availability promotes rapid growth and development, whereas depletion of nutrients reduces the activity of the pathways that are involved in growth and nutrient processing. This reduction in activity increases life expectancy, which is supported by evolutionary theories. The confirmed presence of the TOR homolog (a major regulator of growth and cell proliferation) …

Creating Safe Spaces: Bergson, Affirmation, And The Constitution Of Lgbtq Identity, Timothy Ross Johnston

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The central claim of this dissertation is that the ability to feel comfortable, both in terms of your identity and in your fluid movement through the world, is the result of what I call affirmative feedback loops. When your environment affirms and reflects your identity back to you, you become comfortable with yourself and in that environment. This affirmation can be as direct as someone explicitly affirming you (for example, when you come out) or it can be as subtle and quotidian as being able to display photos of loved ones in your workspace. I argue that caring for other …

The Role Of The Ctenophore Mnemiopsis Leidyi In Nutrient Cycling In Long Island Sound, Ny, Laura Mae Treible

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Gelatinous zooplankton blooms have been increasing in magnitude and frequency globally. Seasonal variations in food availability and temperature can trigger a population bloom and subsequent crash in coastal and estuarine waters. Long Island Sound (LIS) is a highly-productive urban estuary. Due to its proximity to New York City and annual summer hypoxia, there has been substantial focus on anthropogenic nutrient inputs and reductions to LIS. When determining nutrient budgets, an important process is the recycling of nutrients within a system. Gelatinous zooplankton, including the most common species in LIS, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, are capable of high rates of nutrient …

Development Of Microreactor System For In Situ Investigation Of Rock-Brine-Co2 Interactions, Ashley Elizabeth Thompson

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

A microreactor has been developed for in situ, high-energy x-ray diffraction investigations of reaction process between carbon dioxide, brines and rocks. Our design is an evolution of a previous existing reaction cell developed by Diefenbacher et al [1]. | Several changes and improvements have been made to the new cell design: (i) the reactor chamber will be accessible through two points, whereby any combination of gases, liquids or fluids can be injected and investigated,(ii) the CO₂ flow and pressure will be controlled through a supercritical fluid pump which allows the cell to operate under a well-controlled pressure and flow …

P12, A Novel Fibronectin Peptide, Promotes Cell Survival By Augmenting Pdgf-Bb Survival Signals, Jia Zhu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Intensive research has demonstrated that extracellular matrix (ECM) and growth factor (GF) signaling collaborate at many different levels. Through integrins, ECM generates signals that enhance or suppress GF signaling. Some ECM activates GF receptor in the absence of GF. Furthermore, ECM contains growth factor binding-domains (GFBD) that can either sequester or present GF in ways that modify cell response. The ability of ECM to modulate GF signals has important implications in tissue engineering/regenerative medicine, and in devising therapies to treat acute and chronic wounds. Previously in our lab, a novel fibronectin peptide, P12, was shown to bind platelet-derived growth factor …

Physiological, Histological, And Mechanical Characteristics Of Selected Epaxial Muscles In Primates, Md Emranul Huq

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The spine is the central element of the locomotor skeleton, acting as a link between the head and limbs. However, despite well-documented differences in spinal morphology among primates, we have comparatively little quantitative documentation on the structural characteristics of muscles that move the spine. The primary goals of this investigation were: (i) to identify and characterize morphological and related physiological, histological, and mechanical aspects of selected epaxial muscles in two groups of related but behaviorally distinct primates; and (ii) to investigate if these features could be interpreted in terms of the degree of spinal mobility during locomotion. To these ends, …

Targeted Design Of Dual Kinase Inhibitors For Breast Cancer, Yulin Huang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Abstract of the Dissertation Targeted Design of Dual Kinase Inhibitors for Breast Cancer by Yulin Huang Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Structural Biology Stony Brook University 2013 In this dissertation, several projects for kinase drug design are presented. These projects employ computational techniques to study binding specificity and resistance of kinase inhibitors with breast cancer target proteins through structural and energetic analysis. In Chapter 1, an introduction to molecular targeted therapeutics for breast cancer and computational techniques for structure-based drug discovery is described. ErbB family members and IGFIR are important targets for breast cancer. In Chapter 2, we have …

Assembly And Inhibition Of Toxic Aî² 42 Oligomers, Darryl Steven Aucoin

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The misfolding of the 42-residue amyloid beta protein has been strongly linked to Alzheimer's Disease. Prior to forming the amyloid fibrils typically associated with Alzheimer's Disease, the amyloid beta proteins associate to form a mixture of hexameric and dodecameric oligomers. This work investigates the process by which these proteins associate into oligomers and the mechanism by which different small molecule inhibitors prevent this assembly. NMR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and size exclusion chromatography were employed to determine the rate at which monomers assemble into hexamers, dodecamers and fibrils, and to correlate these changes in structure with changes in toxicity to …

A Lifetime Of Magical Thinking, Victoria Johnston Boecherer

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This project examines how the narrative structure of Joan Didion's two most recent works, The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights, may be used to gain a better understanding of the author herself. Didion's use of the term " magical thinking" is accepted as a reasonable response to the grief she experiences following the deaths of her husband and daughter. An examination of her larger body of work indicates that magical thinking is a tactic of literary invention Didion has relied upon since childhood to restore order to her life when it becomes chaotic and unmanageable. Using Wayne Booth's …

The Role Of The Ctenophore Mnemiopsis Leidyi In Nutrient Cycling In Long Island Sound, Ny, Laura Mae Treible

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Gelatinous zooplankton blooms have been increasing in magnitude and frequency globally. Seasonal variations in food availability and temperature can trigger a population bloom and subsequent crash in coastal and estuarine waters. Long Island Sound (LIS) is a highly-productive urban estuary. Due to its proximity to New York City and annual summer hypoxia, there has been substantial focus on anthropogenic nutrient inputs and reductions to LIS. When determining nutrient budgets, an important process is the recycling of nutrients within a system. Gelatinous zooplankton, including the most common species in LIS, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, are capable of high rates of nutrient …

The Population Ecology Of The Spiny Dogfish In The Northeast (Us) Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem: Implications For The Status Of The Stock, Skyler Rose Sagarese

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In this dissertation, statistical and modeling approaches were undertaken to increase the knowledge of spiny dogfish distribution, habitat, and population dynamics including: (1), environmental preference (2), habitat modeling (3), assessing diel variation in survey catchability of spiny dogfish and key prey species and (4), elucidating how spiny dogfish distributional shifts influenced their availability to commercial fisheries. For objective (1), I estimated habitat preference for neonate (total length, TL <= 26 cm), immature (male: 26 cm < TL < 60 cm; female: 26 cm < TL < 80 cm), and mature (male: TL >= 60 cm; female: TL >= 80 cm) spiny dogfish using Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) annual bottom trawl survey data from 1963 through 2009. Preferences were compared between dogfish stages to …

The Genetic Diversity Of Endangered Fishes In The Northwest Atlantic, Shannon Joy O'Leary

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Genetic diversity is the fundamental building block of biodiversity, harboring the adaptive potential of populations. The magnitude of the two main factors eroding genetic diversity, inbreeding and genetic drift, increases as the effective population size (Ne) decreases. Ne describes the number of reproductively mature adults effectively contributing to the next generation. In populations with overlapping generations, the effective number of breeders (Nb). Loss of genetic diversity has long been a concern for terrestrial and freshwater organisms, but traditionally less so for fisheries management due to the paradigm that marine fish populations are large, panmictic and thus resistant to the erosion …

Prey Plasticity Responses To A Native And Nonnative Predator, Alexandra Hooks

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stimuli is exceedingly common across systems and taxa. For instance, predation risk in many gastropods can induce a variety of defenses including growing thicker shells, growing shells of different shapes, and developing apertural teeth. However, the role of coevolution between species that produce these defense responses and their consumers is not well known. This thesis examines the responses of an ovoviviparous gastropod (Littorina saxatilis) with low dispersal from three different habitats (marsh habitat, rocky habitat, and cobble stone habitat) to the presence of chemical cues from a native (Dyspanopeus sayi) and nonnative (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) …

Merging And Creating Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Public Schools, Sunni Ali, Ryan Murphy

Journal of Research Initiatives

During the last fifty years, numerous individuals have sought new strategies for students, such as African Americans, whom the public schools have historically underserved. Not only are some parents of these students seeking change, but also researchers, politicians, and local groups. Nevertheless, it is clear that these efforts have posed several dilemmas, which (a) limit the voice and personal choice of learners, (b) standardize the value of learning, and (c) connote a hegemonic discourse. Therefore, this Best Practices essay is based on the theory that a culturally value-driven framework (CVD) of learning will allow African Americans and other students of …

Electrotransfer Of Single-Stranded Or Double-Stranded Dna Induces Complete Regression Of Palpable B16.F10 Mouse Melanomas, Loree Heller, Vesba Todorovic, Maja Cemazar

Bioelectrics Publications

Enhanced tumor delivery of plasmid DNA with electric pulses in vivo has been confirmed in many preclinical models. Intratumor electrotransfer of plasmids encoding therapeutic molecules has reached Phase II clinical trials. In multiple preclinical studies, a reduction in tumor growth, increased survival or complete tumor regression have been observed in control groups in which vector or backbone plasmid DNA electrotransfer was performed. This study explores factors that could produce this antitumor effect. The specific electrotransfer pulse protocol employed significantly potentiated the regression. Tumor regression was observed after delivery of single-stranded or double-stranded DNA with or without CpG motifs in both …

The Behavioral And Physiological Effects Of Long-Distance Translocation On Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus), Kory Hayden Heiken

Master's Theses

Long-distance translocation (LDT), the relocation of an animal outside of its home range, is a popular strategy for mitigating conflict between humans and venomous snakes. While LDT has been demonstrated to prevent a snake’s return to the location of capture, it may result in increased mortality, magnitude and frequency of movements, and activity range sizes. Thus, it has generally been discouraged. However, the effects of LDT on stress physiology and thermoregulation have gone largely unstudied in reptiles. To elucidate these effects, we conducted an experimental LDT on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) on Vandenberg Air Force base in California. …

Functional 3-D Cellulose & Nitrocellulose Paper-Based, Multiplex Diagnostic Platforms Without Coupling Agents, Mackenzie Elizabeth Tageson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to demonstrate device functionality of 3-D paper-based, multiplex platforms, µPADs, without the use of coupling agents between layers. Previously, these platforms were fabricated with double-sided tape and cellulose powder to try to augment proper fluid routing, but difficulties with this method occurred. An acrylic housing unit with strategically placed pressure tabs was designed to aid horizontal and vertical fluid routing through the platform, thus eliminating the inconsistencies associated with coupling agents. Channel characterization studies, a COMSOL^TM simulation, and development time studies were performed to aid device design and demonstrate device functionality.

The implementation …