Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Satellite Quantitative Precipitation Estimates By Incorporating Deep Convective Cloud Optical Depth, Ronald Stenz

Theses and Dissertations

As Deep Convective Systems (DCSs) are responsible for most severe weather events, increased understanding of these systems along with more accurate satellite precipitation estimates will improve NWS (National Weather Service) warnings and monitoring of hazardous weather conditions. A DCS can be classified into convective core (CC) regions (heavy rain), stratiform (SR) regions (moderate-light rain), and anvil (AC) regions (no rain). These regions share similar infrared (IR) brightness temperatures (BT), which can create large errors for many existing rain detection algorithms. This study assesses the performance of the National Mosaic and Multi-sensor Quantitative Precipitation Estimation System (NMQ) Q2, and a simplified …

Relationship Between Diabetes And Indoor Air Pollution: An Exploratory Analysis, Sandeep Mishra

All ETDs from UAB

India has the second highest number of people with diabetes. The high prevalence of diabetes in India cannot be explained on the basis of established risk factors like obesity. The role of air pollution in diabetes has recently received attention. Studies have indicated the possibility that air pollution generated by traffic might be associated with increased risk of diabetes. Published literature lacks studies that assess the relationship between indoor air pollution and diabetes, although indoor air pollution can lead to higher levels of pollutants in house compared to traffic pollution. The current study determined the relationship between indoor air pollution …

Increased Expression Of Phosphorylated Fadd In Anaplastic Large Cell And Other T-Cell Lymphomas, Suketu Patel, Derek Murphy, Eugenia Haralambieva, Zainalabideen A. Abdulla, Kah Keng Wong, Hong Chen, Edith Gould, Giovanna Roncador, Chris S.R. Hatton, Amanda P. Anderson, Alison H. Banham, Karen Pulford

Articles

FAS-associated protein with death domain (FADD) is a major adaptor protein involved in extrinsic apoptosis, embryogenesis, and lymphocyte homeostasis. Although abnormalities of the FADD/death receptor apoptotic pathways have been established in tumorigenesis, fewer studies have analyzed the expression and role of phosphorylated FADD (pFADD). Our identification of FADD as a lymphoma-associated autoantigen in T-cell lymphoma patients raises the possibility that pFADD, with its correlation with cell cycle, may possess role(s) in human T-cell lymphoma development. This immunohistochemical study investigated pFADD protein expression in a range of normal tissues and lymphomas, particularly T-cell lymphomas that require improved therapies. Whereas pFADD was …

Obesogenic Environmental Influences On Young Adults: Evidence From Randomized Dormitory Assignment, Kandice A. Kapinos, Olga Yakusheva, Daniel Eisenberg

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

This study utilizes a natural experiment—conditionally random dormitory assignments of first-year US college students—to investigate the influence of obesogenic environmental factors in explaining changes in weight and exercise behavior during the 2009–2010 academic year. The design addresses potential selection biases resulting from the likelihood that individuals sort into built environments that match their preferences for exercise and healthy eating. We find some evidence that the food environment, specifically access to campus dining, significantly affected the weight of female students in our study. Females assigned to dormitories where the nearest campus dining hall was closed on the weekends gained about 1 …

Leisure And Happiness: Evidence From International Survey Data, Miao Wang, M. C. Sunny Wong

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

We study the statistical link between leisure and happiness. Using survey data from 33 countries in 2007, we find that (1) certain leisure activities, leisure’s role in self-fulfillment and social interaction, and leisure’s relation to work and other spheres of life are significantly linked to individual happiness; (2) the effect of leisure quantity is not as important as other aspects of leisure; and (3) some leisure activities can be negatively associated with happiness. Consistent with findings in previous studies, family income and individual demographic variables such as age and health condition are significantly associated with happiness. National unemployment and political …

Assessment Of Bryophyte Communities Along The Waccamaw River, Sc, Christine Elizabeth Raczka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to determine the bryophyte communities present along the Waccamaw River, South Carolina and determine if there are any environmental constraints affecting bryophyte diversity. Another aspect of this study was to determine if bryophyte communities are bioindicators for dissolved inorganic nutrients in the Waccamaw River. A total of 1050 bryophyte specimens were collected over the course of the study. Twelve genera were identified and consisted of thirteen moss species and one liverwort species. The bryophyte species were collected at seven sites along the Waccamw River in a nested sampling design which assessed the bryophytes growing …

The Effects Of Non-Native Species On Two Life-Stages Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica, Wei Yuan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since their recent introductions into Florida waters, three nonnative species [Perna viridis Linnaeus, 1758 (Asian green mussel), Mytella charruana d'Orbigny, 1846 (charru mussel) and Megabalanus coccopoma Darwin, 1854 (pink titan acorn barnacle)] have expanded both north and south along the Atlantic coast. Very little research has been done to understand how these nonnative species interact with the native eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, 1791), which is a keystone species that provides important ecological services and economic benefits. To test the potential effects of P. viridis, M. charruana and M. coccopoma on C. virginica, I addressed the following questions: 1a) Does …

American Manifesto, Todd M. Thyberg, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

12 unnumbered pages : color illustrations, map . "With a tip of the hat to printers and activists of the past, American Manifesto calls the United States citizens to action on a number of national concerns--our country's health, leadership, and environment, to name a few"--Artist's statement at the Vamp & Tramp Booksellers' website, viewed on September 1, 2015. "If America really is the best country on earth... why do so many of our people go hungry? Why do our leaders consistently work for corporate interests rather than individuals' rights? How can our leaders, the media, and we the public still …

The Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of A New Measure Of Self-Objectification, Danielle Lindner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have traditionally used two measures of self-objectification, the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (Noll & Fredrickson, 1998) and the Objectified Body Consciousness Body Surveillance subscale (McKinley & Hyde, 1996), to demonstrate that self-objectification is related to body shame and dissatisfaction, appearance anxiety, decreased awareness of internal states, decreased flow experiences, disordered eating, depression and sexual dysfunction. Although the SOQ and OBC have been used widely, they also have several limitations, including problems with missing data, lack of generalizability, and concerns about content validity. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new measure of self-objectification called the Self-Objectification Beliefs …

2014-2015 Graduate Catalog, Morehead State University

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2014-2015 graduate catalog for Morehead State University.

2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog, Morehead State University

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2014-2015 undergraduate catalog for Morehead State University.

The Effect Of Health And Human Performance Department (Hhp) Activity Classes At The University Of Montana On Students’ Levels Of Mindfulness, Perceived Stress, Self-Compassion, And Attention, Anna Russell Zielaski

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study examined the effect of University of Montana, Health and Human Performance (HHP) Department sponsored activity classes on college students’ levels of mindfulness, perceived stress, self-compassion, and attention. Participants: 96 college students enrolled in a spring 2013 activity class started the study, however only 41 completed the post-test survey. Methods: At the beginning and end of the semester, participants completed an online survey through SurveyMonkey, which assessed students’ levels of mindfulness, perceived stress, self-compassion and attention. Results: Students who participated in the mindfulness based activity class, Yoga and Meditation experienced the greatest increases in overall mindfulness levels over the …

Women And Horses: Three Centuries Of Patriarchal Control In British And American Literature, Kaitlynn Hanna Hirst

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Both literary representations of horsewomen and critical responses to such characterizations have largely failed to expose the full complexity of the cultural constraints brought to bear on women’s interactions with horses. In this thesis therefore I will argue that in response to feminist activity to dispel stereotypes of any group of women, the long development of strong, capable representations of women on horseback spanning the nineteenth through the early twenty-first century prove to be little more than repetitive archetypal images which serve to reaffirm patriarchal controls in western culture. If only threaded together by the ways the literary figure of …

Commodity Or Dignity? Nurturing Managers' Courtesy Nurtures Workers' Productivity, Montana Rafferty Moss

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dignity is the measure of people's worth determined through social interactions (Neal, 2012). As people must enjoy core capabilities to possess dignity (Ward & Syversen, 2009), work is one activity through which core capabilities provide a sense of worth (Venkatapuram, 2013). Workplace managers must enact dignity affirming discourse so their workers perceive ownership of core capabilities that afford a sense of worth and fulfillment. Dignity disaffirming (or violating) discourse obstructs core capabilities, leaving work unsatisfying and workers physiologically, psychologically, and emotionally damaged. Not only do such people suffer, but so do their organizations (Ghoshal, 2005). This study reveals that women …

Public Power, Private Matters: The American Social Hygiene Association And The Policing Of Sexual Health In The Progressive Era, Kayla Blackman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 1914, a group of professionals chartered the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA), a private reform agency dedicated to the eradication of venereal disease. Over the next several years, the ASHA formed partnerships with other reform organizations and championed education and legal reform. In 1917, during World War I, the ASHA partnered with the federal government to set standards of sexual health for all American citizens. Chapter One explores the origins of the ASHA, focusing on the organization’s attention to international issues surrounding prostitution as well as its organizational partnerships with like-minded domestic reform agencies. By placing itself in dialogue …

Aadej Comm 45 1&2 2014

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the official journal of the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists (AADEJ). It is published quarterly, distributed digitally via email to members, and posted on the Association's website, AADEJ.org. Each issue includes regular updates from the editorial team and AADEJ board, as well as feature articles on current issues in the field.

This is a combined issue for 2015, issue 1 and 2.

Aadej Comm 45 3&4 2014

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the official journal of the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists (AADEJ). It is published quarterly, distributed digitally via email to members, and posted on the Association's website, AADEJ.org. Each issue includes regular updates from the editorial team and AADEJ board, as well as feature articles on current issues in the field.

This is a combined issue for 2015, issues 3 and 4.

The Effects Of Estrogen In Atrazine-Mediated Foxp3 Induction And Inhibition Of Cd4+ T Effector Cells, Tiffany Emmons

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Atrazine (ATR) is a chlorotriazine herbicide that is heavily used in agricultural areas. Atrazine was banned in Europe in 2006 but it is still used in the United States. It is also the most common drinking water contaminant in the United States. Atrazine has been linked to adverse health effects and displays immunotoxicity. It is a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor and has been shown to induce aromatase activity leading to elevated estrogen levels. Previous studies demonstrated that in vitro atrazine exposure inhibits CD4+ T cell activation and proliferation and increases the frequency of Foxp3+ CD4+ T cells with more severe phenotypes …

Interindividual Variability In The Cytochrome P450 3a4 Drug Metabolizing Enzyme: Effect Of The Cyp3a4*1g Genetic Variant, Kasse Jean Skagen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Researchers and clinicians are interested in how a patient’s individual genetic makeup could predict the appropriate medication and dose for that patient. One way to predict drug response, or efficacy, is by looking at enzymes within the liver that metabolize drugs. Many of these enzymes belong to a class called the Cytochrome P450s (CYPs). Specifically, two closely related enzymes, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, are involved in metabolizing 50% of drugs currently on the market (eg: statins, antiepileptics, anticancer agents, and antidepressants). There can be differences in the genetic code of these enzymes that can causes changes in drug metabolism. We completed …

Restoration As Caring Practice: A Relational Perspective On Ecological Recovery, Daniel Avery Congdon

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Ecological restoration is defined by the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) as “the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed” (9). In practice, restoration typically involves the removal of pollution, human-made structures (like dams or roads), invasive species, and other impediments to ecological health. Removing the sources of ecological impairment is coupled with the reintroduction of flora, fauna, and the physical structures that are necessary for healthy ecosystem function. The potential for restoration to dominate nature is a concern of environmental ethicists. In theory, domination might stem from the technology used in …

Supplementing Society: A Sociocultural Analysis Of Recreational Drug Use And Supplement Consumption Within The American Collegiate Environment, Kelli M. Bradley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the United States, reports within the last decade indicate college students are using dietary supplements at rates well above those reported for adult populations. Despite this prevalence, however, there continues to be a dearth of information examining behaviors related to this health phenomenon. This is problematic for many reasons, but especially because some research has found associations between use of these products and use of recreational drugs among this population.

Employing an integrated theoretical approach utilizing concepts from critical-interpretive medical anthropology (CIMA) and emerging adulthood, this research examined the ways in which supplement use related to sociocultural factors present …

Understanding Traditions And Practices Of Medicinal Plant Use In Carhuamayo, Junin, Peru, Anastasia Orkwiszewski

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding and preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices (TEKP) are essential for the continued resilience and cultural diversity of humanity. TEKP faces a multitude of threats from habitat loss, growth of the market economy, globalization, and acculturation. Medicinal plant use in the high Andean town of Carhuamayo, Junín, was studied to assess the vibrancy of that particular branch of TEKP in that area, in what parts of the population it was held, and what factors influence its loss or growth. Gender, age, migrant status, and acculturation levels were not found to be statistically significant in predicting medicinal plant knowledge. Analysis …

The Comet Mine: An Engendered Study Of Victorian Consumption Practices And Material Culture On A Small Mining Landscape, Ryan E. Wendel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Comet mine is an early 20th-century, largely undocumented mining

community that existed along the periphery of the Coloma Mining District in the Garnet Range of western Montana. During the summer of 2010, archaeological excavations occurred at multiple features at the site. Through an analysis of cultural material found in deposits at the Comet, this study interprets the way in which patterns of refuse can reveal information about consumption behavior and evolving gender roles in mining communities in Montana, during late Victorian era.

Regulation Of Silica-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation, Rupa Biswas

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Inhalation of crystalline silica for an extended period of time results in inflammation in the lungs, which plays a pivotal role in the development of silicosis, a progressive, inflammatory and fibrotic pulmonary disease. Inhaled silica particles are encountered by alveolar macrophages (AM) in the lungs. Previous studies have indicated the role of scavenger receptors in binding of environmental particles and also demonstrated that AM recognize and bind silica particles through class A scavenger receptors (SRA) expressed on their surface. MARCO (Macrophage Receptor with Collagenous Structure) is a SRA family receptor and the predominant receptor for recognition and binding of silica …

A Study Of Hydroclimatic Dynamics In Mountain Landscapes, Nicholas Loren Silverman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The hydroclimatic regime of mountain landscapes in the Pacific Northwest, USA plays a large role in collecting, storing, and distributing water throughout the greater United States. The complexities of the landscape, vegetation, and anthropogenic impacts within this region form a dynamic web of interactions that create unique challenges when quantifying hydrologic variables. This dissertation focuses on these challenges and introduces a new way of deciphering the driving mechanism of streamflow trends. The first project examines the differences between modeling techniques in mountain terrain. In this project, we use a physically-based regional climate model to dynamically downscale global climate estimates for …

Characterization Of Nipah Virus Pathogenicity In Vitro And In Vivo And Protection From Disease Using A Single Dose Recombinant Vaccine, Blair Lynn Debuysscher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen that infects a wide species range including humans. It was first discovered in Malaysia in 1998 during a large outbreak, but since has spread to Bangladesh and India causing almost yearly outbreaks in the region since 2001. The distinct geographic locations have led to two genetically varied strains. Infection of humans by Nipah virus leads to respiratory distress and acute encephalitis. Pathology caused by the virus is characterized by vasculitis, necrosis, and edema of small vessels of the lung and brain primarily. This work investigates differences of pathology and clinical signs in the hamster …

Development Of Traffic Safety Zones And Integrating Macroscopic And Microscopic Safety Data Analytics For Novel Hot Zone Identification, Jaeyoung Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traffic safety has been considered one of the most important issues in the transportation field. With consistent efforts of transportation engineers, Federal, State and local government officials, both fatalities and fatality rates from road traffic crashes in the United States have steadily declined from 2006 to 2011.Nevertheless, fatalities from traffic crashes slightly increased in 2012 (NHTSA, 2013). We lost 33,561 lives from road traffic crashes in the year 2012, and the road traffic crashes are still one of the leading causes of deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In recent years, efforts to incorporate traffic …

The Impact Of Race And Ethnicity On Sexual Violence: A Case Study On Underserved Populations In Minnesota, Lindsay Bolstad

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Sexual violence in Minnesota impacts hundreds of thousands of lives and costs billions of dollars each year. This qualitative case study describes how victims that are people of color experience sexual violence at disproportionately high rates and face additional barriers when seeking legal, medical, and mental health and crisis advocacy services in Minnesota. The methodology employed includes secondary data collection using books, scholarly articles, and archival data. Individual interviews and a focus group interview were used to collect primary research. The voluntary interview participants were advocates that provide services for victims of sexual violence in Minnesota. The interviews were audio-recorded …

Testing The Fertility And Allelopathic Abilities Of Arctotheca Prostrata (Salisb.) Britten (Asteraceae, Arctotideae), A South African Plant Species That Has Naturalized In California, Jordy Veit

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Arctotheca prostrata is a perennial plant species native to South Africa that reproduces vegetatively by long runners. In South Africa it also reproduces sexually, producing fruits with fertile seeds. The species was brought to California to serve as a ground cover but fruits had not been reported. Historically, it has been said to be infertile. This study tested the fertility of A. prostrata in California by crossing plants from California with each other and with plants grown from imported South African seeds. Pollen viability was tested and morphological measures were made on heads, leaves, and pollen. Mean Californian and South …

All Things In All Ways, Amanda Nicole Crary

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis highlights our obliviousness to nonhuman nature and how this ignorance severs a great connection to the earth and our senses. My work explores this important connectedness. The natural world is filled with fleeting revelations that shatter habitual ways of seeing and experiencing; my paintings act as record of such moments. The exhibition was held at the Conkling Gallery in Nelson Hall from February 24th to March 5th, 2014. It consisted of twenty-two works including paintings, drawings, and prints. All works were produced during my time within the M.A. program, 2012-2014. Postcards and a brochure advertised the exhibition. The …