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Washington University Magazine, Summer 2015

Washington University Magazine

No abstract provided.

Outlook Magazine, Winter 2015

Outlook Magazine

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program 2015, Whitworth University

Commencement Programs

Undergraduate Commencement exercises of Whitworth University in May 2015.

Selling Florida's Water Up The River, Kara Consalo

Journal Publications

While Florida has the second highest rainfall in the United States, from the northern Okefenokee Swamp to the southern Florida Everglades, these bountiful ecosystems are still dependent to a great degree on the level and flow of underground water
supplies. Yet these life sustaining water bodies are under threat
by the very government agency tasked to protect them. By selling
millions upon millions of gallons of water from the Floridan aquifer
to out-of-state bottling interests, Florida's water management
districts are causing an unnecessary, yet life threatening, depletion
of the aquifer waters. Over the last forty years of regulation by the …

The Color Of Pain: Blacks And The U.S. Health Care System--Can The Affordable Care Act Help To Heal A History Of Injustice?, Part I, Jennifer M. Smith

Journal Publications

Discrimination in its various forms has contributed to the exclusion of blacks and other people of color from the field of medicine both as health care providers and as patients in the United States. Dr. Robinson's story is but one example. Racism has significantly harmed the health care of black people in the U.S. Generally speaking, those with the poorest health and the greatest need have had the poorest access to medical care, as well as lower quality health care than their white counterparts. To understand this, we must consider the historical context of blacks in America and in America's …

Lost Voices Of Ancient Israel Reclaiming Eden: An Ecocritical Exegesis, Nazeer Bacchus

HIM 1990-2015

This work addresses the historically-read despotism Genesis 1.28 has often received in its subordination of nature for the interests of human enterprise and counters the notion of reading the entire Bible as an anti-environmental, anthropocentric text. In using a combined literary lens of eco-criticism and new historicism, this work examines the Hebrew Bible with particular attention to the books of Genesis and Exodus, offering within the Torah’s oldest literary tradition (the J source) an environmental connection between humanity and the divine that promotes a reverence of natural world and, conversely, a rejection of rampant urbanization and its cultural departure from …

The Brevard Chronicles: Short Stories, Joshua Dull

HIM 1990-2015

America has a long history of making promises it can't keep, the most accessible buzz word for such promises being, "the American Dream", where everyone will enjoy some level of affluence and assimilate into the proverbial "melting pot" so long as they work hard and follow predetermined rules set by the power structure. In this model American lifestyle, the spiritual essence of humans is buried by the materialistic drive of capitalism, which drives us farther apart and alienates us from our neighbors. Yet in the mid 2000s, in the aftermath of some of the country's worst disasters, this power structure …

Reimaging Desire: Queer Time, Liminal Space, And Narrative Anxiety, Aidan Mitchell

HIM 1990-2015

Media shapes and supports certain ideas about how we view ourselves and others. The narratives that we consume train us to desire a particular formula of what critic Lauren Berlant calls "the good life": growing up, becoming a man or a woman, getting married, having children, and retiring. People who fail to fit into these narratives are often punished and excluded from society. However, queer theorist Jack Halberstam asks us to reconsider failure as a means of resistance. The texts that I examine fail to conform to narrative expectations or to fit formulae that are easily consumable or defined. They …

Recursive Behavior Recording: Complex Motor Stereotypies And Anatomical Behavior Descriptions, Nathaniel Bobbitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A novel anatomical behavioral descriptive taxonomy improves motion capture in complex motor stereotypies (CMS) by indexing precise time data without degradation in the complexity of whole body movement in CMS. The absence of etiological explanation of complex motor stereotypies warrants the aggregation of a core CMS dataset to compare regulation of repetitive behaviors in the time domain. A set of visual formalisms trap configurations of behavioral markers (lateralized movements) for behavioral phenotype discovery as paired transitions (from, to) and asymmetries within repetitive restrictive behaviors. This translational project integrates NIH MeSH (medical subject headings) taxonomy with direct biological interface (wearable sensors …

"The Wild Experiment" And Its Aftermath: How Courts Settled Conflict And Questions Of Power In Higher Education, 1900-1930, Rhyan Michael Conyers

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Between 1900 and 1930, who determined the balance of power between higher education and the state when conflicts arose? This study presents an untold story of how courts settled disputes that stemmed from public officials’ attempts to rein in spending and influence among colleges in their states. These disputes followed what Frank Blackmar in 1890 referred to as a “wild experiment” with higher education’s growth and planning. Colleges desired to expand, acquire additional funding, and function as independently as possible, while public officials and legislatures sought to exercise influence and power over those colleges. This laid the groundwork for conflict …

David Nirenberg, Neighboring Faiths: Christianity, Islam, And Judaism In The Middle Ages And Today (Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 2014), Erica Buchberger

History Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Humboldt Journal Of Microbiology: Volume 17, Number 1- May 2015, Press Humboldt

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Biofilm Formation, Chemotaxis, And The Genome Of Aliiroseovarius Crassostreae, Linda Kessner

Open Access Master's Theses

Aliiroseovarius crassostreae, the causative agent of Roseovarius Oyster Disease, is a marine α-Proteobacterium and a member of the Roseobacter clade. Roseovarius Oyster Disease, formerly known as Juvenile Oyster Disease, has been the reason for high mortality rates in hatchery-raised eastern oysters (Crassostreae virginica) since the late 1980s. Juvenile oysters less than 25 mm in shell length are more heavily impacted by the disease than large adult oysters. Because mortality rates can exceed 90%, the disease is responsible for large economic losses to the New England aquaculture industry. The probiotic organism, Phaeobacter gallaeciensis is a marine α-Proteobacterium and …

Assessing The Pathogenic Cause Of Sea Star Wasting Disease In Asterias Forbesi Along The East Coast Of The United States, Caitlin Jessica Delsesto

Open Access Master's Theses

As keystone predators, sea stars serve to maintain biodiversity and distribution through trophic level interactions in intertidal ecosystems. Sea Star Wasting Disease (SSWD) has caused widespread mass mortality of Asterias forbesi in locations along the Northeast Coast of the US in recent years. A similar disease has been described in several sea star species from the West Coast of the US. Recently, a densovirus has been associated with wasting disease in West Coast sea stars and a few limited samples of A. forbesi. The goal of this research is to describe the pathogenesis of SSWD in A. forbesi and …

The Effects Of Reduced Mowing In Roadside Medians On Stormwater Filtration And Invasive Species Management, Sara Wigginton

Open Access Master's Theses

Roadside ecosystems are the pervasive, highly managed areas adjacent to roads that buffer neighboring ecosystems. While frequently studied and managed at significant cost to ensure motorist safety, roadside ecosystems are often undervalued for their ecological functions (e.g., water filtration, carbon storage, wildlife habitat). Reducing roadside mowing can provide native habitat, save money, and reduce habitat fragmentation. However, transitioning to a reduced mowing maintenance regimen raises concerns that invasive plants may proliferate. On roadside ecosystems with different mowing regimens, we tested the hotly debated diversity-stability hypothesis, which posits that high native species diversity may confer resistance to invasion. To test this …

Initial Validation Of Surface Ocean Properties In Mitgcm Arctic Regional Model, Arash Bigdeli

Open Access Master's Theses

In ice-covered regions it can be challenging to determine air-sea exchange - for heat and momentum, but also for gases like carbon dioxide and methane. The harsh environment and relative data scarcity make it difficult to characterize even the physical properties. Here, we seek a mechanistic interpretation for the rate of air-sea gas exchange (k) derived from radon-deficits. These require an estimate of the water column history extending 30 days prior to sampling. We used coarse resolution (36km) regional configuration of the MITgcm with fine near surface vertical spacing (2m) to evaluate the capability of the model to reproduce conditions …

Garcinia Kola: Phytochemical, Biological And Formulation Studies, Yasah Vezele

Open Access Master's Theses

The objective of this research was to search for an antiviral compound, garcinol (or guttiferone F) from the Garcinia kola nuts using two different extraction techniques and formulate a suitable liposome for control release using an antiviral compound. The two extraction techniques used were: liquid-liquid extraction (for simplicity purposes, the term solvent-solvent, S-S, will be used interchangeable) and Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE). Both techniques were used to profile compounds found in Garcinia kola and for statistical comparison purposes. Extracts from both techniques were collected and analyzed for separation using Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) using Ultraviolet Photodiode Array (UV-PDA) …

Uncovering Orthologous Genes Of The Ciona Intestinalis Fanconi Anemia Pathway, Edward Stanley

Open Access Master's Theses

Fanconi Anemia is a disease caused by any number of mutations in a collection of DNA double-strand repair genes. In silico tests were performed to determine whether any of these genes were conserved in Ciona, which split from humans over 500 million years ago. Among the 22 gene products tested, evidence for 10 orthologs were discovered. Possible orthologs were seen in all three of the major groups of FA proteins.

Isolation, Molecular & Physiological Characterization Of Sulfate-Reducing, Heterotrophic, Diazotrophs, Annaliese Katrin Jones

Open Access Master's Theses

Nitrogen (N₂) fixation is the process by which N₂ gas is converted to biologically reactive ammonia, and is a cellular capability widely distributed amongst prokaryotes. This process is essential for the input of new, reactive N in a variety of environments. Heterotrophic bacterial N fixers residing in estuarine sediments have only recently been acknowledged as important contributors to the overall N budget of these ecosystems and many specifics about their role in estuarine N cycling remain unknown, partly due to a lack of knowledge about their autecology and a lack of cultivated representatives. Nitrogenase reductase (nifH …

Schedule Optimization With Flexible Durations, Kevin R. Roy

Open Access Master's Theses

Cost, quality, and time are the pillars of a popular and well known business model. What is also well known about this model is that it is very difficult to be the industry leader in all three categories. This is because these categories are naturally interconnected such that one category cannot be changed without affecting the others. This creates an environment where a balance must be established to determine the appropriate amount of effort to focus on each of these three categories.

This current research presents an application for the schedule optimization of operations with flexible durations. The objective of …

Organic Waste Amendments As Sources Of Carbon And Fertility For Vegetable, Rebecca Long

Open Access Master's Theses

Waste amendments, such as food or yard waste, are abundant potential sources of C for soil organic matter and nutrients for crop production. A number of amendments, like gelatin waste and dehydrated food waste, remain relatively unstudied. For those amendments that have been extensively studied, like biosolids and paper waste, the conclusions about their effects on soil and crops are often conflicting, likely due to the varying experimental conditions. To address this gap in knowledge, I compared six waste amendments and their effects on soil quality and vegetable crop production to a mineral fertilizer control.

In a two-year field trial …

Attendance At Type 1 Diabetes Camp Improves Nutrition Knowledge In Children And Adolescents, Kaitlyn Whipple

Open Access Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to systematically assess nutrition knowledge in children and adolescents before and after attending a diabetes camp enhanced with a 45- minute education intervention. Knowledge was assessed using the Nutrition Knowledge Survey (NKS), a tool that has been validated in 10-18 year olds with Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM).

Methods: This study used a single group pre-post design. Campers completed the pre NKS at start of camp. The intervention was provided during camp, and campers completed the post NKS on the final day. Medical history and demographic data were collected from camp records. …

Boat Anchoring Contributes To Coral Reef Degradation In The British Virgin Islands, Rebecca Loberg Flynn

Open Access Master's Theses

Habitat degradation is occurring the world over, threatening species, population dynamics, ecosystem function and valuable ecosystem services. This degradation is in many cases linked to anthropogenic activities, which often reduce a habitat’s resilience to other stressors. Coral reef decline, for example, has been linked to climate change, pollution, and overfishing. Few studies have focused on the localscale physical drivers of coral decline, such as anchoring. As global human population and the popularity of water-based recreation continue to rise, the potential for anchoring to contribute to coastal habitat degradation increases. We sought to determine the potential impact of anchoring to coral …

Do Urban Environments Influence Antipredator And Foraging Behavior Of The Lizard Anolis Cristatellus?, Kevin J. Aviles-Rodriguez

Open Access Master's Theses

As the human population increases, urban areas are expanding and bringing humans and wildlife into close proximity. Disturbance by humans can lead to changes in animal behavior and ecological interactions. Urban areas also provide access to novel, artificial substrates (e.g., cement walls and metal posts), which may influence the behavior of organisms. We studied whether urban habitats and artificial substrates influenced escape and foraging behavior of the Puerto Rican Crested Anole (Anolis cristatellus).

We tested whether lizards in urban environments reduced flight initiation distance (i.e., the distance between the observer and the lizard when the lizard begins escape) …

Psychoeducational Assessment With The Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing, Emma Rathkey

Open Access Master's Theses

This study addressed the preferred choices of tests by psychoeducational professionals for individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HOH) in five areas of assessment (cognitive/intelligence, neuropsychological, academic skills, speech and language, and socio-emotional/psycho-behavioral). The study also addressed test modifications, use of language, and psychometric issues such as reliability, validity, and normative data. Currently, many tests lack appropriate psychometric properties for the D/HOH. Given this information, an exploratory approach was taken to identify common tests. This is an important area of research because it affects a minority group – the deaf and hard-of-hearing, for whom psychoeducational assessment traditionally has proven to …

The Effect Of A Family-Based Dietary Intervention On Dietary Fiber Density In Children Ages 6-11, Jennifer Nobles

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Fiber intake has been shown to be higher in normal weight children compared to overweight and obese children. However, the effect of family-based interventions have been inconclusive.

Objective: To determine if a family-based weight management intervention, which has been successful at lowering BMI Z-score, has an effect on energy adjusted dietary fiber intake and other markers of dietary quality.

Methods: Sixty-six children ages 6-11 and their guardians participated in a 16 week nutrition and physical activity intervention. Guardians and children completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) during the first and last sessions. The FFQ provided information …

Detecting And Verifying Microsatellite Markers Associated With Disease Resistance In Cultured Populations Of Eastern Oysters, Crassostrea Virginica, Kehan Bao

Open Access Master's Theses

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea viginica, is an economically important aquaculture species in the USA, but several diseases, such as Dermo and MSX, inhibit maximum production. Efforts have been made to develop disease-resistant oyster lines using selective breeding techniques based on phenotype; however, achievement of the desired trait is hindered by the inability to maintain consistent and intense selection pressure in field trials. Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) offers an effective alternative to traditional breeding techniques by selecting based on genetic markers associated with disease resistance, even in the absence of disease-related selection pressure. The greatest challenge in applying MAS is to …

Development Of A Lab-On-A-Chip Microfluidic System For The Detection Of C-Reactive Protein In Whole Human Blood And An Antibody Biomarker For The Detection Of Alzheimer's Disease, Alex S. Pytka

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on developing a better method for the detection of C - reactive protein (CRP) from whole blood. CRP plays a key role in determining the risks associated with various cardiovascular diseases. However, detecting this protein is a challenge since it accounts for < 1% of all known blood proteins. This protein can be detected by using a sandwich ELISA inside of a microfluidic chip made from Polydimethyl Siloxane (PDMS). PDMS chips are created that will first remove blood cells and platelets from whole blood. For the removal of blood cells, different filter papers that specialize in blood separation are tested based on the volume of filtrate recovered, amount of blood cells filtered out and whether the cells rupture or not. From these tests, it was determined that the Vivid Plasma Membranes GX and GR from the Pall Company was the most suitable filter based on blood cell removal and quality of filtrate.

To further compliment this, these chips need to extract high abundance plasma proteins (HAP) including human IgG antibody and human serum albumin. These experiments focused on using protein A as a method for the removal of IgG due to its high affinity with the antibody. This will …

Evaluating Seedlings Of Eastern Hemlock Resistant To Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges Tsugae), Elwood Scott Roberts

Open Access Master's Theses

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand has invaded the North American range of the eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere, and Carolina hemlock T. caroliniana Englemann, causing widespread mortality. Of the nine Tsuga species known worldwide, only T. canadensis and T. caroliniana experience mortality from HWA. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island and their cooperators have identified stands of HWA-resistant eastern hemlocks and confirmed this resistance through studies of vegetatively propagated progeny. This study investigates HWA resistance of plants grown from field-collected open-pollinated seed from these parent plants with known resistance. Trees were evaluated under standardized conditions, artificially …

Migration Experiences Of Sierra Leoneans: Acculturation And Psychological Adjustment, Daphne J. Cole

Open Access Master's Theses

From 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone was a country entrenched in an 11-year civil war, which was characterized by a number of atrocities, including the abduction of children, systematic rape, and severe amputations; significantly impacting thousands who are maimed with deep psychological wounds. The war resulted in nearly 70,000 causalities and millions were displaced. Displaced persons fleeing brutal wars and political persecution are known to experience a number of associated health concerns which are often exacerbated alongside adjusting to another country. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the migration experiences of Sierra Leonean immigrant, refugee, and asylum …