Digital Commons Network^™

Swinomish Indian Tribal Cmty. V. Wash. State Dep't Of Ecology, 311 P.3d 6 (Wash. 2013), Holly Taylor

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Precon Dev. Corp. V. U.S. Army Corps Of Eng'rs, No. 2:08cv447, 2013 Wl 6091882 (E.D. Va. Nov. 18, 2013)., Lillie Parker

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Pawnee Well Users, Inc. V. Wolfe, 320 P.3d 320 (Colo. 2013), Brock Miller

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

In Re Distribution Of Water To Various Water Rights Held By Or For The Benefit Of A&B Irrigation District, 315 P.3d 828 (Idaho 2013), Peter Almaas

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Middle Niobrara Natural Res. Dist. V. Dep't Of Natural Res., 838 N.W.2d 242 (Neb. 2013), Sarah Cassinis

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Rock-Koshkonong Lake Dist. V. State Dep't Of Natural Res., 833 N.W.2d 800 (Wis. 2013), Garrett L. Davey

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Vol. 17, No. 2: Full Issue, Water Law Review

Water Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Leg Geometries, Configurations, And Dimensions On Thermo-Mechanical And Power-Generation Performance Of Thermoelectric Devices, Ugur Erturun

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental challenges, such as global warming, growing demand on energy, and diminishing oil sources have accelerated research on alternative energy conversion methods. Thermoelectric power generation is a promising method to convert wasted heat energy into useful electrical energy form. A temperature gradient imposed on a thermoelectric device produces a Seebeck potential. However, this temperature gradient causes thermal stresses due to differential thermal expansions and mismatching of the bonded components of the device. Thermal stresses are critical for thermoelectric devices since they can generate failures, including dislocations, cracks, fatigue fractures, and even breakdown of the entire device. Decreases in power-generation performance …

Comparison Of Two Different Sprint Interval Training Work-To-Rest Ratios On Acute Metabolic And Inflammatory Responses, Christopher R. Harnish

Theses and Dissertations

High intensity exercise is believed to yield greater results on health and human performance than moderate intensity exercise. Extensive research indicates that not only do high-intensity interval training (HIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) produce significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness and disease, they may be more effective at improving long-term metabolic function, including insulin sensitivity (Si), by producing more mitochondria. Moreover, compliance rates for HIT and SIT participation are reported to be the same or better than traditional moderate intensity exercise. Because lack of time is often cited as major hindrance to exercise participation, SIT is also seen as a …

Domestic Violence: Contemporary Interventions And The Rise Of Specialized Domestic Violence Units, Laura E. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines recidivism for domestic violence offenders under both traditional probation and specialized probation conditions. This research compares recidivism at a traditional probation locality (Riverside Criminal Justice Services) and a specialized domestic violence unit (Chesterfield Community Corrections Services) in order to determine the nature of recidivism at both localities. In addition, the research aims to identify individual risk factors which are statistically associated with recidivism. The research is based on secondary data and draws on offender criminal records generated by the Virginia State Police, as well the extraction of information from probation files at both localities. The multivariate models …

Continuity And Change In A 19th Century Illustrated Devi Mahatmya Manuscript From Nepal, Katherine Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In the Hindu tradition of the Indian subcontinent, worship of the goddess has long been practiced as supreme embodiment of the divine. Around the second century, a Sanskrit Purana (ancient Hindu text that extols deities) titled the Markandeya Purana details the battles of the supreme Goddess Durga against the illusions and negative energy in the universe. This textual version of the Devi Mahatmya “Praise of the Goddess” serves as the foundation for the nineteenth century Nepalese illustrated Devi Mahatmya, commissioned by Tej Bahadur Rana from Pokhara district in Nepal. Because the folios closely follow the textual Devi Mahatmya, …

Food Landscapes: A Case Study Of A Cooking And Art- Focused Program For Teens Living In A Food Desert, Jessica R. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed pre- and post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a …

A Novel Cytostatic Form Of Autophagy In Sensitization Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells To Radiation By Vitamin D And Vitamin D Analogue, Eb 1089., Khushboo Sharma

Theses and Dissertations

The standard of care for unresectable lung cancer is chemoradiation. However, therapeutic options are limited and patients are rarely cured. While Radiation therapy is effective at killing tumor cells or inhibiting their growth initially, development of resistance to treatments and recurrence of tumors are major issues. One of the major goals of Dr. Gewirtz’s laboratory has been to develop strategies to overcome the resistance and attenuate disease recurrence. One of these attempts involve employing vitamin D and its analogs in combination with radiation therapy. Our proposed studies were based on a previous finding where vitamin D and vitamin D analogs …

Regulation And Mechanistic Functions Of Caspase-9 Rna Splicing, Ngoc T. Vu

Theses and Dissertations

Caspase-9 has two splice variants, pro-apoptotic caspase-9a and anti-apoptotic caspase-9b, and dysregulation of caspase-9 splice variant ratio or expression of caspase-9b isoform has been linked to augmentation of the anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenic capacity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. This study focuses on cell signaling pathway(s) regulating the alternative splicing of caspase-9 pre-mRNA and mechanistic roles of caspase-9b in a certain oncogenic/survival pathway. In regards to the former, we have identified hnRNP U as a novel splice-enhancer associated with exon 3 of caspase-9 (C9/E3). Moreover, hnRNP U binds specifically to C9/E3 at an RNA cis-element previously reported …

The Effect Of Fluvastatin On Mast Cell Function: Genotype Dependence, Elizabeth M. Kolawole

Theses and Dissertations

Fluvastatin, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor known for its role in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease, has more recently been shown to play a role in the immune response. Given the critical role that mast cells play in allergy and inflammatory diseases such as asthma, which effects one third of America’s population, we assessed the effect of fluvastatin on mast cell and basophils function. We demonstrate that fluvastatin downregulated IgE-mediated cytokine production. Additionally, in vivo studies showed that fluvastatin suppressed IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. Interestingly, the effects of fluvastatin showed dependence on genetic background, as C57BL/6 mast cells were sensitive, while …

Fluid Realities: A Light On Life's Journey, Neta-Grace Coleen Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations

Images of nature and family comprise the gestural and abstracted interpretations of my life events. I use my photographs as inspiration for my work. I fuse layers of color, light, and line into glass and onto wood to suspend a personal memory. I want to capture those moments that flit by in life and envelop them in the media.

In my fused glass work, I manipulate color, light, and line. In these pieces, I layer frits and sheets of glass onto an abstract sculpted relief of fiberglass and fuse them into one thick slab. The sculpted relief creates a textured …

Quantitative Mass Spectrometric Investigations Of Protein Biomarkers: Serum Thymidine Kinase 1 And Human Osteopontin, Morse Faria

Theses and Dissertations

Mass spectrometry is being increasingly used in biomarker research mainly due to its ability to achieve high selectivity coupled with high sensitivity. This dissertation focuses on quantitative mass spectrometric investigations of two protein biomarkers i.e. serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) and human osteopontin (OPN).

First part of this research was focused on developing a liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for measuring the activity of TK1 in serum by monitoring the conversion of a TK1 specific exogenous substrate, 3’-deoxy-3’-fluorothymidine (FLT), to its mono-phosphorylated form 3’-deoxy-3’-fluorothymidine monophosphate (FLT-MP). A method to quantify FLT-MP on LC-MS/MS was developed and …

Second Skin, Britta Bielak

Theses and Dissertations

Reason for writing. The space of confusion and possibility where the practices of art and design collide seems to be in a constant amoebic state. This place of shared influence and growth seems to pervade not only the intersection of these two disciplines, but within interior design, the intersection of people and space. How can the boundaries between an interior space and it’s inhabitants be as richly embedded with tension and opportunity as the edges where art and design meet? Like art and design, how can a space and it’s visitors interact to affect one another?

Problem + Methodology: This …

How To Score Situational Judgment Tests: A Theoretical Approach And Empirical Test, Christopher E. Whelpley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine how the method used to a score situational judgment test (SJT) affects the validity of the SJT both in the presence of other predictors and as a single predictor of task performance. To this end, I compared the summed score approach of scoring SJTs with item response theory and multivariate items response theory. Using two samples and three sets of analyses, I found that the method used to score SJTs influences the validity of the test and that IRT and MIRT show promise for increasing SJT validity. However, no individual scoring method …

Collaboration For The Common Good: Examining Americorps Programs Sponsored By Institutions Of Higher Education, Erin B. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The report, A Crucible Moment, published in 2012 by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement described a crisis in higher education surrounding the lack of civic learning and engagement opportunities for students. This crisis has led to decreased political participation and a general lack of knowledge in civics education (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, 2012). Educating students for citizenship in America’s colleges and universities will assist with sustaining the country’s democracy by engendering a sense of civic responsibility in young adults that will last throughout their lifetime. This qualitative case study …

A Cultural Lens Into The Story Underneath: A Resource Guide Of African American Art, Artists And Culture For Art Education, Valerie Graves

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to create a qualitative resource guide of African American culture, art, and artists for an art education curriculum. This project encompasses four main themes to reflect an area of African American culture via a work of art created by an African American artist. These themes are, Family with the sub themes African American Male, Matriarch, and Children; Spirit with the sub themes Faith, Spirituality, and Inspiration; Identity with the sub themes Artist’s Voice, Triumph, and Hope and Vision; Community with the sub themes Ancestors, Social Issues, and Cultural Voice. These themes constitute …

616 Hull Street_ Interaction Through Discovery In Design, Elizabeth T. Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

The community of Old Town Manchester lies across from downtown Richmond on the south side of the James River. Annexed in 1910, Manchester was the industrial hub of the city and home to the Chesterfield Railroad, the first railway in Virginia and used to transport coal. These industrial roots are still evident today in the warehouses and manufacturing facilities that continue to operate or have been repurposed.

The building of focus is located on the corner of bustling Hull Street and quiet 7th Avenue. Distinctive in its stone masonry exterior, 616 Hull was constructed in the 1920s as a Chevrolet …

Making Leaders: Examining How Elementary School Students Develop An Understanding Of Leadership And Show Emerging Leadership Tendencies, Sarah E. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

MAKING LEADERS: EXAMINING HOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF LEADERSHIP AND SHOW EMERGING LEADERSHIP TENDENCIES

By Sarah E. Evans, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014

Director: Whitney Sherman Newcomb, Ph.D.

Professor, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was to understand how young children develop skills and concepts of leadership, when nurtured in a developmentally appropriate manner. Leadership was defined as a process that people use to bring out the best in themselves and others, while working towards …

Dynamic Bayesian Approaches To The Statistical Calibration Problem, Derick Lorenzo Rivers

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of statistical calibration of a measuring instrument can be framed both in a statistical context as well as in an engineering context. In the first, the problem is dealt with by distinguishing between the "classical" approach and the "inverse" regression approach. Both of these models are static models and are used to estimate "exact" measurements from measurements that are affected by error. In the engineering context, the variables of interest are considered to be taken at the time at which you observe the measurement. The Bayesian time series analysis method of Dynamic Linear Models (DLM) can be used …

Implementing Social Equity In The Public Sector: How Community Colleges Achieve The Dream, Kasey J. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Equity is an American ideal, one that is considered the cornerstone to good governance (Gooden, 2011). Achieving equity requires the eradication of racial disparities in opportunities and outcomes, particularly in education. Creating equitable educational experiences at community colleges is the focus of this research.

The purpose of study is to examine the issue of social equity within community colleges in an effort to understand: (1) their efforts to promote student success through equity; (2) their commitment to social equity; and (3) the institutional change that is necessary to create an institutional culture that values social equity and is accountable for …

Parent-Adolescent Communication About Sexual Topics, Cultural Factors, And Latino Adolescents’ Sexual Behavior And Condom Attitudes, Efren A. Velazquez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether cultural values and gender moderate the association between mother-adolescent communication about sex and adolescents’ sexual behavior/intention to engage in sex and condom use attitudes. One hundred and fifty Latino adolescents completed an anonymous survey that measured sexual health outcomes, mother-child communication, and cultural factors. In bivariate analyses, adolescents with a higher sense of familismo had a more positive attitude towards using condoms and more acculturated Latino adolescents were less likely to speak to their mothers about pre-coital or coital sexual topics. Females spoke more about sex with their mother, compared to males. Traditional gender roles moderated …

The Relation Between Peer Victimization And Changes In Trauma Symptoms In Adolescents, Anh-Thuy H. Le

Theses and Dissertations

Peer victimization has been shown to negatively impact youth functioning and may be especially damaging during adolescence, given the increased importance of peers. However, there is a dearth of longitudinal research examining trauma symptomatology as an outcome of peer victimization with low-income, ethnic minority adolescents. The present study investigated this relation in a predominantly African American sample of 684 students assessed at five time points between the fall of their sixth grade and seventh grade school years. Growth mixture models grouped participants with similar victimization trajectories, and latent growth models related growth trajectories of physical and relational victimization to changes …

Characterization Of The Discriminative Stimulus Properties Of The Atypical Antipsychotic Amisulpride In C57bl/6 Mice, Timothy J. Donahue

Theses and Dissertations

Amisulpride, a benzamide derivative, is an atypical antipsychotic drug used to treat both schizophrenia and depression. Amisulpride is a selective antagonist at dopamine D₂ and D₃ receptors and at serotonin 5-HT_2B and 5-HT₇ receptors and displays an atypical clinical profile with reduced extrapyramidal motor effects. The drug has a chiral center and is a mixture of two optical isomers: (S)-amisulpride and (R)-amisulpride. The present study used a two-lever drug discrimination assay to allow a direct comparison between amisulpride and its two isomers. Additionally, substitution testing was conducted with the typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants, …

Military Service Members’ And Veterans’ Preferred Approach To Mental Health Services, Lisa Goldberg Looney

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health services are greatly underutilized by military service members and veterans. Among the reasons for this underutilization is that the services offered may not be a good fit for the specific problems facing service members/veterans and/or their families. The current study presented service members with descriptions of several approaches to treatment and asked them to indicate the likelihood of using each. Service members indicated the highest likelihood for using self-directed services, followed by individual treatment with a professional. They reported being least likely to use group approaches. These results may inform decisions about the implementation and dissemination of information …

Story-Telling Through The Design Of A Permanent Mission Trip Training And Housing Facility, Betty L. Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed- assembly space is designed as a permanent mission trip training and housing facility. Predominately the space will be used by middle school and high school youth. By creating a modern experience, teens are given a better opportunity to engage in a space they can relate to. It becomes a space where young people feel encouraged to share their feelings, beliefs and desires as they journey into a closer, more intimate relationship with a higher being.

The space is intended to serve a transient population. A large portion of the first floor is devoted to communal gathering which provides …