Digital Commons Network^™

Collective Action Dynamics In Urban Neighborhoods: A Study Of Urban Community Gardens, Nishesh Chalise

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Lessons from various policies and programs both in the United States and international development have led to a knowledge base concluding that an engaged community is a critical component for developing a thriving community. This is based on a premise that even in the modernized world community still has a role to play along with government and the market in their own development. Community’s role is further highlighted in areas such as low-income urban neighborhoods where both the government and the market may not be able to fulfill all the needs.Research has followed by trying to understand why people engage …

Implications Of A Fully Nonlocal Implementation Of The Dispersive Optical Model, Mohammadhossein Mahzoon

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

A fully nonlocal treatment for the dispersive optical model (DOM) is implemented for both the real and imaginary part of the self-energy inspired by ab initio theoretical calculationsof this quantity. By means of the dispersion relation between the real and imaginary part of the optical potential a link between the energy domain of nuclearreactions and nuclear structure isestablished. The relevant scattering data for neutrons and protons on $^{40}$Ca are described with the same quality as was accomplished with previous local versions of the DOM.The solution of the Dyson equation at positive and negative energiesis generated with a complete treatment of …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Axon Growth And Regeneration, Dana Watt

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Neurons are cells with unique and extremely polarized morphologies. The axon allows communication between the cell soma and the distantly located synaptic terminal and can extend up to one meter in humans. This exceptional cellular structure therefore has specialized biological processes dedicated to its growth, maintenance and regeneration. The structure that carries out axon elongation during development and regeneration is the growth cone, which features a cytoskeletal structure that is both highly dynamic yet consistent in overall organization. The growth cone coordinates a leading edge of dynamic actin with the microtubules of the growing axon, enabling directed outgrowth while maintaining …

The Mechanism And Regulation Of Mammalian Photoreceptor Dark Adaptation, Yunlu Xue

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The visual perception of vertebrates begins in rod and cone photoreceptors. Both photoreceptors require visual pigments to detect light. At the first step of light detection, a chromophore molecule (i.e. 11-cis retinal), which is conjugated to the visual pigment in photoreceptor outer segment, absorbs a photon. Photoisomerization of the chromophore activates the visual pigment, triggers the phototransduction cascade, and produces electrical signals. After photoisomerization, the chromophore is ultimately converted to all-trans retinol, which must be recycled to regenerate the visual pigment. This visual pigment regeneration process is called the visual cycle. It is the rate-limiting step of the photoreceptor dark …

Solid-State Nmr Study Of The Tertiary Structure Of The Peptidoglycan Of Enterococcus Faecalis And The Structures Of Phorbol Diacetate And Bryostatin Bound To Protein Kinase Cδ C1b Domain, Hao Yang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Solid-state NMR was used to study the structures of phorbol diacetate and bryostatin bound to protein kinase Cδ C1b domain in lipid bilayers. The interaction of protein kinase C (PKC) with native physiological ligands drives fundamental cellular signal transductions, and aberrant PKC signaling is associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, stroke, pain, etc. Bryostatin modulates PKC and exhibits remarkable potential in treating cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and HIV/AIDS. However, the structural information and dynamics of this modulation, which are crucial for better understanding of PKC-ligand interactions in the membrane microenvironment to drive the development of new drugs, remain elusive. REDOR …

Caribbean Support Group Awards Scholarship To Uab Graduate Student, Jeff Hansen

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Engineering A Healthier Watershed: Middle School Students Use Engineering Design To Lessen The Impact Of Their Campus' Impervious Surfaces On Their Local Watershed, Elizabeth Claire Gardner

Dissertations and Theses

It is important that students understand not only how their local watershed functions, but also how it is being impacted by impervious surfaces. Additionally, students need experience exploring the scientific and engineering practices that are necessary for a strong STEM background. With this knowledge students can be empowered to tackle this real and local problem using engineering design, a powerful practice gaining momentum and clarity through its prominence in the recent Framework for K-12 Science Education. Twenty classes of suburban sixth-graders participated in a new five-week Watershed Engineering Design Unit taught by their regular science teachers. Students engaged in scientific …

The Bg News December 15, 2015, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. December 15, 2015. Volume 95-Issue 33.

A ‘Fresh Eyes’ Look At Improving The Effectiveness Of Engineering Group Design Projects, A Kyte

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Orange Is The New Equal Protection Violation: How Evidence-Based Sentencing Harms Male Offenders, Shaina D. Massie

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Free Mate Choice Enhances Conservation Breeding In The Endangered Giant Panda, Meghan S. Martin-Wintle, David J. Shepherdson, Guiquan Zhang, Hemin Zhang, Desheng Li, Xiaoping Zhou, Rengui Li, Ronald R. Swaisgood

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Conservation breeding programmes have become an increasingly important tool to save endangered species, yet despite the allocation of significant resources, efforts to create self-sustaining populations have met with limited success. The iconic giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) embodies the struggles associated with ex situ species conservation. Here we show that behavioural mate preferences in giant pandas predict reproductive outcomes. Giant pandas paired with preferred partners have significantly higher copulation and birth rates. Reproductive rates increase further when both partners show mutual preference for one another. If managers were to incorporate mate preferences more fully into breeding management, the production of giant …

‘Successful’ Alternative Education: Still Reproducing Inequalities? The Case Of The Community School Program In Egypt, Lucy El-Sherif, Sarfaroz Niyozov

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Community schools are an alternative form of education that center on partnerships between the community and/or the state, aid organizations, and non-governmental organizations. The Community School Program (CSP) in Egypt sparked a social movement in education in that country, with disparate actors all coalescing around the CSP as an alternative, empowering model of education. This study examined the relationship between the CSP and the dynamics that formed, shaped and co-opted it through in-depth interviews and observations. Our analysis examined the program’s processes and legacies on its former students. The study found that critical factors in the program’s success were its …

Antisense Rna-Mediated Epigenetic Regulation Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor., Roya Pedram Fatemi

Open Access Dissertations

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate chromatin remodeling through their interactions with epigenetic enzymes during development and disease. The inhibition of the natural antisense transcript of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF-AS), results in BDNF promoter de-repression and transcriptional upregulation, both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, we showed that BDNF-AS interacts with the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) to suppress BDNF mRNA and protein expression. BDNF is an important neurotrophin that is required for neural development and maintenance of the nervous system. Dysregulation of BDNF occurs in a number of neurological disorders, including: Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Rett syndrome, …

A Dynamic Adaptive Simulations Approach For Microgrid Control And Optimization, Aristotelis E. Thanos

Open Access Dissertations

During the past two decades, the power systems witnessed vital changes in terms of centralized paradigm versus more decentralized and market driven approaches; technical advances on communications and computation; and generation technologies which collectively lead to the advancement of microgrids (MGs). In this thesis, a novel dynamic adaptive simulations (DAS) approach is introduced for addressing major challenges in the operation and control of MGs, such as solving the economic and environmental load dispatch problem, achieving a sophisticated autonomous control of microgrids, and promoting the cooperation between individual microgrids to increase the power network reliability and energy surety. Initially, a first …

Comparison Of Beginning Teachers' And Experienced Teachers' Readiness To Integratetechnology As Measured By Tpack Scores, Heather S. Fontanilla

Dissertations

Despite a growing awareness of the importance of technology in education, increased investment and attention to preparing teachers to integrate technology into the classroom, research shows that technology continues to fail to live up to its potential for transforming education. As schools move from standards based testing to implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), an expectation exists that teachers will be using technology to transform their teaching practices. There is also an expectation that schools are providing students with 21st century skills, including the use of technology. In exploring the reasons teachers are not using technology effectively, much …

A Generally Efficient Targeted Minimum Loss Based Estimator, Mark J. Van Der Laan

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Suppose we observe n independent and identically distributed observations of a finite dimensional bounded random variable. This article is concerned with the construction of an efficient targeted minimum loss-based estimator (TMLE) of a pathwise differentiable target parameter based on a realistic statistical model.

The canonical gradient of the target parameter at a particular data distribution will depend on the data distribution through an infinite dimensional nuisance parameter which can be defined as the minimizer of the expectation of a loss function (e.g., log-likelihood loss). For many models and target parameters the nuisance parameter can be split up in two components, …

12-14-2015 Swosu Honors College Of Pharmacy 50-Year Graduates, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

THE BARK ARCHIVE 2015

The Southwestern Oklahoma State University College of Pharmacy recently honored 50-year pharmacy graduates at the Pharmacy Alumni Recognition Ceremony held on the Weatherford campus.

A Continuum From Clear To Cloudy Hot-Jupiter Exoplanets Without Primordial Water Depletion, David K. Sing, Jonathan J. Fortney, Nikolay Nikolov, Hannah R. Wakeford, Tiffany Kataria, Thomas M. Evans, Suzanne Aigrain, Gilda E. Ballester, Adam Burrows, Drake Deming, Jean-Michel Désert, Neale P. Gibson, Gregory W. Henry, Catherine M. Huitson, Heather A. Knutson, Alain Lecavelier Des Etangs, Frederic Pont, Adam P. Showman, Alfred Vidal-Madjar, Michael H. Williamson, Paul A. Wilson

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

Thousands of transiting exoplanets have been discovered, but spectral analysis of their atmospheres has so far been dominated by a small number of exoplanets and data spanning relatively narrow wavelength ranges (such as 1.1–1.7 micrometres). Recent studies show that some hot-Jupiter exoplanets have much weaker water absorption features in their near-infrared spectra than predicted. The low amplitude of water signatures could be explained by very low water abundances, which may be a sign that water was depleted in the protoplanetary disk at the planet’s formation location, but it is unclear whether this level of depletion can actually occur. Alternatively, these …

Dude Looks Like A Feminist!: Moral Concerns And Feminism Among Men, Renee F. Precopio

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Even though male participation in feminism is essential to its success, it is possible that men are reluctant to get involved in the movement because of its primary association with women (Holmgren & Hearn, 2009). This research investigated whether certain moral concerns contribute to men endorsing feminism. According to the Moral Foundations Theory there are five moral concerns: harm (i.e., the concern for someone’s physical and emotional well-being), fairness (i.e., the concern for equality and justice), ingroup (i.e., the concern for loyalty to group membership), authority (i.e., the concern for tradition and the social hierarchy), and purity (i.e., the concern …

Impact Of Working Alliance On Clinical Outcomes In Veterans Enrolled In Suicide-Specific Group Therapy, Brittany N. Groh

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Suicide is a global issue that has led researchers to seek interventions that will have a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing. Veterans comprise the largest number of suicides annually compared to other groups. There is a higher prevalence of mental disorders due to combat related experiences that may play a role in increased rates of suicide. Examined clinical diagnoses in this study include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol use and substance use. This study explores how group therapy and working alliance play a role in reducing suicidality in a group therapy setting. The first hypotheses is that …

Backwards In High Heels: Examining The Careers And Artistic Contributions Of Fred Astaire’S Female Dance Partners, Fiona Mowbray

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This project examines the careers and contributions of three of Fred Astaire’s female dancing partners during the golden age of movie musicals: Ginger Rogers, Vera-Ellen, and Cyd Charisse. These women receive less recognition than their male co-star, due in part to the political and social environment from the 1930s to the 1950s in America, sexism and competition within Hollywood, and personal obstacles. Rogers, Vera-Ellen, and Charisse are all important as individual performers as well as for the part they played in enhancing Astaire’s legacy. My goal is to bring these women back into the musical theatre narrative in a compact …

Puerto Rico’S Community Health Centers In A Time Of Crisis, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Marie Nina Luis, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

In 2014, Puerto Rico’s twenty federally funded community health centers, operating in 71 sites located throughout the Commonwealth, served 330,736 patients, approximately one in ten Commonwealth residents. Compared to other Puerto Rico residents, health center patients are less likely to be insured. Despite considerable growth in Medicaid as a result of the supplemental funding provided under the Affordable Care Act, in 2014, 12.2% of health center patients remained uninsured.

Compared to health centers outside Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s health centers show a greater proportion of Medicaid patients served (69% compared to 46% outside Puerto Rico), a greater dependence on physician …

State V. Brackett Appellant's Reply Brief Dckt. 41578

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

Lrcp Initial Study, Uc Hastings College Of The Law

Long Range Campus Planning Archive

No abstract provided.

Scope Of Work, Trc

Long Range Campus Planning Archive

No abstract provided.

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (December 14, 2015), Dmacc

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on December 14, 2015.

Karen Jordan, Karen Jordan, Kelsey Duinkerken

Jefferson Nursing Oral Histories

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Karen Jordan was a member of the civil rights movement in Philadelphia during the 1960s, first becoming involved with the fight to desegregate Girard College. After a semester at Cheyney University Ms. Jordan took time away from school before deciding to study nursing. She enrolled in the Jefferson Diploma Nursing program in 1973 and graduated in 1976. She would later go on to also receive her Bachelor’s in Nursing Science, also from Thomas Jefferson University. Ms. Jordan has spent her long career at Jefferson working as a medical-surgical, oncology, and neonatal nurse. In her free …

Gardner-Webb University Awards Over 250 Degrees, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner–Webb University hosted Fall Commencement on Monday, Dec. 14 in the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center at 10 a.m. More than 250 graduates were honored for their achievements during the ceremony. Many graduates participated in the ceremony through prayer, scripture reading, and commencement speeches.

A Statistical Approach For Optimizing Parameters For Electrodeposition Of Indium (Iii) Sulfide Films, Potential Low-Hazard Buffer Layers For Photovoltaic Applications, Maqsood Ali Mughal

Student Theses and Dissertations

Clean and environmentally friendly technologies are centralizing industry focus towards obtaining long term solutions to many large-scale problems such as energy demand, pollution, and environmental safety. Thin film solar cell (TFSC) technology has emerged as an impressive photovoltaic (PV) technology to create clean energy from fast production lines with capabilities to reduce material usage and energy required to manufacture large area panels, hence, lowering the costs. Today, cost ($/kWh) and toxicity are the primary challenges for all PV technologies. In that respect, electrodeposited indium sulfide (In2S3) films are proposed as an alternate to hazardous cadmium sulfide (CdS) films, commonly used …

The Hidden Epidemic: Mental Health Epidemiology In Post-Conflict Populations And Implications For Conflict Transformation Practices, Jennifer Sato

Capstone Collection

This capstone explores the ramifications of unmitigated mental health illness in conflict populations, paying special attention to refugees and migrants. The intersection between conflict and mental health is explored and analyzed in order to highlight the implications of the findings and to make recommendations to both metal health and conflict transformation practitioners. This capstone depends predominately on secondary resources and personal interviews and is informed by my own practicum experience at a refugee health center. The need to improve mental health outcomes in order to pursue conflict transformation and peace building is a key focus and is supported by the …