Digital Commons Network^™

Molecular Approaches For Improving Desiccation Tolerance : Insights From The Brine Shrimp Artemia Franciscana., Steven Hand, Michael Menze

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Main conclusion We have evaluated the endogenous expression and molecular properties of selected Group 3 LEA proteins from Artemia franciscana , and the capacity of selected Groups 1 and 3 proteins transfected into various desiccation-sensitive cell lines to improve tolerance to drying. Organisms inhabiting both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems frequently are confronted with the problem of water loss for multiple reasons—exposure to hypersalinity, evaporative water loss, and restriction of intracellular water due to freezing of extracellular fluids. Seasonal desiccation can become severe and lead to the production of tolerant propagules and entry into the state of anhydrobiosis at various stages …

Integrating Science And Literacy For Young English Learners : A Pilot Study., Yuliya Ardasheva, Lori A. Norton-Meier, Thomas R. Tretter, Sherri L. Brown

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This pilot investigated the promise of positive outcomes in literacy, science, and social behavior on K– 2 English learner (﴾EL)﴿ students after two months of implementation of the Science Inquiry Centered Argumentation Model (﴾ScICAM)﴿—a systematic teaching approach to science learning that integrates literacy instruction and argument-‐based inquiry. The sample included 17 teachers and 31 EL students. Results indicated that teacher practices (﴾proximal outcomes)﴿ aligned well with the ScICAM approach and resulted in increases in EL student learning (﴾distal outcomes)﴿. Teacher increase in the use of inquiry and writing scaffolds and student growth in the ability to express understandings through oral …

Do Depressive Symptoms Predict The Incidence Of Myocardial Infarction Independent Of Hopelessness?, Patrick Pössel, Amanda M. Mitchell, Kimmo Ronkainen, George A. Kaplan, Jussi Kauhanen, Maarit Valtonen

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Depression and hopelessness predict myocardial infarction (MI), but it is unclear whether depression and hopelessness are independent predictors of MI incidents. Hopelessness, depression, and MI incidence rate 18 years later were measured in 2005 men. Cox regressions were conducted with hopelessness and depression serving as individual predictors of MI. Another Cox model examined whether the two predictors predict MI when adjusting for each other. Depression and hopelessness predicted MI in independent regressions but when adjusting for each other, hopelessness, but not depression, predicted MI incidents. Thus, these results suggest that depression and hopelessness are not independent predictors of MI.

Integrating Beck’S Cognitive Model And The Response Style Theory In An Adolescent Sample., Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, Patrick Pössel

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Depression becomes more prevalent as individuals progress from childhood to adulthood. Thus, empirically supported and popular cognitive vulnerability theories to explain depression in adulthood have begun to be tested in younger age groups, particularly adolescence, a time of significant cognitive development. Beck’s cognitive theory and the response style theory are well known, empirically supported theories of depression. The current, two-wave longitudinal study (N = 462; mean age = 16.01 years; SD = 0.69; 63.9 % female) tested various proposed integrative models of Beck’s cognitive theory and the response style theory, as well as the original theories themselves, to determine if …

Aerobic And Resistance Training Improves Mood State Among Adults Living With Hiv., Jason R. Jaggers, Gregory A. Hand, Wesley D. Dudgeon, Stephanie Burgess, Kenneth D. Phillips, Larry Durstine, Steven N. Blair

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of combined aerobic and resistance exercise training among self-reported mood disturbances, perceived stress, frequency of self-reported symptoms, and symptom distress in a sample of HIV+ adults. For this purpose, 49 participants were randomly assigned into an exercise (EX) or control (CON) group. Those in the EX group completed 50 min of supervised aerobic and resistance training at a moderate intensity twice a week for 6 weeks. The CON group reported to the university and engaged in sedentary activities. Data were collected at baseline before randomization and 6 weeks post intervention. …

"Goodbye, Old Arm": The Domestication Of Veterans' Disabilities In Civil War Era Popular Songs, Devin Burke

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

IN October of 1863, two years into the Civil War, a short editorial titled "Empty Sleeves" appeared on the front page of the Staunton Spectator.1 It addressed a question that had become familiar in the wake of the war's unprecedented violence; namely, how to encounter, or how to look at (in both the literal and figurative senses), the quickly growing population of veterans whose injuries marked them as "disabled:' This question could be cause for considerable anxiety in able-bodied Americans whose beliefs were shaped by Victorian and muscular Christian values.

Exploring The Meaning Of Cohabitation: A Relationship Dialectics Perspective, Lindsey J. Thomas, Kristina M. Scharp

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study employed relational dialectics theory to investigate what cohabitation means to cohabiters. Cohabitation is an ambiguous relationship state (e.g., perceived as "more than dating" but "less than marriage") associated with negative outcomes. Scholars have empirically investigated cohabitation; however, little research explores what cohabitation means using a qualitative approach. Exploring the meaning of cohabitation can illuminate perceptions that might coincide with negative outcomes. Framed by Relational Dialectics Theory, a contrapuntal analysis of cohabiters' online stories (n=27) revealed three counter-discourses: Narratives of Cohabitation as a Normal Relationship, Cohabitation as an Easy Relationship, and Cohabitation as a Worthwhile Struggle. Each counter-discourse resisted …

Smartphones And Their Effects On Family Cohesion, Elizabeth Carman, Raegan Zetterlund, Jake Mollman

Iowa Journal of Communication

The increasing prevalence of technologies has led to much research assessing the effects technologies have on the family. This study specifically examines the effects of smartphones on family cohesion and communication by conducting semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal a tension between utopian and dystopian effects of smartphones. Although smartphones amplify familial cohesion by facilitating interactions and assisting in problem-solving among family members, these devices also negatively affect cohesion through distraction, individualization, and annoyance.

Southeast Polk High School's Suicide Culture: Analysis Of Communication And Community Resilience Strategies, Molly D. Wells

Iowa Journal of Communication

This paper analyzes the response to the outbreak of student suicides at Southeast Polk High School in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, during the 2008-09 school year, by applying the theoretical framework of the communication and community resilience approach to crisis management. The key strategies of the communication and resilience framework were applied to assess the efforts of the school district to adapt and build resilience. It was identified that the school district succeeded in implementing two out of the five recommended strategies. The framework highlighted the need to consider suicide as a crisis and to employ all the strategies in order …

Cellulose Synthase (Cesa) Gene Expression Profiling Of Physcomitrella Patens, Mai L. Tran, Alison Roberts

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Cellulose Synthase (CESA) gene family of seed plants comprises six clades that encode isoforms with conserved expression patterns and distinct functions in cellulose synthesis complex (CSC) formation and primary and secondary cell wall synthesis. In mosses, which have rosette CSCs like those of seed plants but lack lignified secondary cell walls, the CESA gene family diversified independently and includes no members of the six functionally distinct seed plant clades. There are seven CESA isoforms encoded in the genome of the moss Physcomitrella patens. However, only PpCESA5 has been characterized functionally and little information is available on the expression …

Three Essays On Shellfish Management In Rhode Island, Pratheesh Omana Sudhakaran

Open Access Dissertations

Shellfish resources are the main fishery resources commercially harvested and cultured in Rhode Island. Wild shellfish management in Rhode Island is undertaken by the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) aiming to achieve, among other objectives, conserving naturally occurring shellfish populations in RI waters and managing public health outcomes due to, water quality issues. However, for any management scheme or regulation to be effective, policy must recognize the economic forces at work when evaluating proposed intervention or regulation of shellfishing. Regulations would influence the harvesters’ behavior through the change in the harvested quantity or market price of the product and …

A General Equilibrium Theory Of Contracts In Community Supported Agriculture, Thomas W. Sproul, Jaclyn D. Kropp

Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Faculty Publications

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) contracts allow consumers to buy claims on a farm's future production. In turn, the consumer provides working capital to the farm during the growing season. CSA contracts also provide risk management for farmers with limited access to Federal crop insurance by transferring part of the farm's risk to the consumer. We derive a theory of CSA contract pricing for the two most prevalent types of CSA contracts: yield contracts, in which consumers receive a percentage of the farm's production, and weight contracts, in which consumers receive fixed quantities. We develop a two-period model in which expected …

The Recreational Use Of Provincetown Harbor And Attitudes Towards Shellfish Aquaculture, Daniel Maggio

Open Access Master's Theses

Aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean (NOAA, 2014). In the United States shellfish aquaculture of mollusks experienced significant economic growth from 2005-2013. In 2005 the mollusk shellfish aquaculture industry was worth approximately $203,183,000, which grew to $328,567,000 in 2013 (USDA;NASS, 2013). In Provincetown, Massachusetts the interest of growth and development of shellfish aquaculture from local fishermen and town officials is increasing (Wisbauer, 2015).

Surveys were administered to four categories of users, as defined by the town's definitions: residents, non-residents, occupants, and …

Front Matter - Table Of Contents

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Sage Handbook Of Family Communication, Donna R. Pawlowski

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Communication And Female Date Initiation: Differences In Perceptions Based On Asesertiveness Of Initiator, Lindsey K. Odom, Erin Sahlstein Parcell, Benjamin M. A. Baker, Valerie Cronin-Fisher

Iowa Journal of Communication

First dates represent an important event in the early development of dating relationships. Commonly, date initiation is a behavior in which men take control in heterosexual relationships; however, more women are conducting this task. Women initiating dates, as opposed to men, has traditionally been viewed as a deviation from American cultural norms for expected behavior. The deviation in behavior could have negative repercussions for women, which was investigated for the current study. College-aged participants (n = 232) completed an online survey regarding their perceptions of two hypothetical women who initiated dates (i.e., one where her assertiveness was high and one …

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 47, Number 2, Spring 2015 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Review Of Teaching Communication Activism: Communication Education For Social Justice, Kristen C. Blinne

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Review Of Alienation: The Divide And Conquer Election Of 2012, Matthew L. Spialeck

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Crises: A Structurational-Material Analysis Of Forgotten Stakeholders, Colleen Arendt

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study applies a structurational-material lens to a case study of the deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota to help explain why and how area small business owners became forgotten stakeholders in the wake of the collapse. By considering the relationship between materiality and structuration theory, this approach uncovers the influence that materiality has on the rules and resources stakeholders, as agents, draw upon in the aftermath of a crisis and helps explain why a key group of stakeholders were ignored by those who had the power to help them weather the crisis. Specifically, the objects, sites, and bodies of …

Higher Education Expenditures And Revenues : A Case Study On The University Of Northern Iowa, Thomas Keld Madsen

Honors Program Theses

Higher education costs have skyrocketed in recent years, leaving millions of students in copious amounts of debt. Facing problems with decreased support from state legislators, universities have increased tuition and fees to compensate. At the same time, university spending, especially in non-academic programs and services, has continued to rise. A fight as emerged between states and the schools residing in them for who is to blame for the increasing cost of higher education, and in the middle of the debate are schools such as the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). A medium-sized school, UNI faces decreasing financial support from the …

The Impact Of Hyped Ipo's On The Market, Elias Escobedo

Honors Program Theses

Increasingly, finance researchers are including irrationality into their understanding of the stock market, including emotions (Tetlock, 2007) or misunderstanding of available information (Huberman & Regev, 2007). The popularity of the recent Alibaba IPO demonstrates that investors can get excited.1 Is excitement an important determinant of the behavior of stock market investors? Empirical evidence suggests that investors “herd” into similar stocks (Wermers, 1999) and may experience common feelings of optimism and pessimism (Tetlock, 2007). If investor’s emotions correlate, what about excitement? Can the excitement for a particular stock spill over into the excitement of other stocks?

To analyze the impact excitement …

Relevant Decision Criteria And Their Level Of Importance In Consumers' Choice Of Hospital, Jordan Brelje

Honors Program Theses

As the health care industry becomes increasingly consumer-driven, it is crucial for hospitals to understand the considerations involved in their patients’ choice of health care institution. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors which most heavily influence consumers’ choice of hospital, as well as to make recommendations to health care marketers based upon the conclusions reached. This study also hoped to provide beneficial insights to public policy makers who desire to give consumers more control in the health care decision-making process. Very little research has been performed in recent years as to consumers’ choice of hospital decision …

Does Religion Affect Economic Growth?, Parash Upreti

Honors Program Theses

A majority of the people in the world are affiliated with a religion. A study about world’s major religious groups found out that there are about 5.8 billion religiously affiliated people, which is about 85% of the world’s population (Pew Research Center 2012). It is important for people to understand how religion affects people’s daily lives, especially how religions affect spending and income. In this study, we are interested in finding whether or not religion has an impact on the economic growth of a country. Past studies have suggested that religion, in specific forms and activities, affects the people’s income …

Strengthening Charity Law: Replacing Media Oversight With Advance Rulings For Nonprofit Fiduciaries, Linda Sugin

Faculty Scholarship

This Article considers three urgent challenges facing the charitable community and its state regulators: too little fiduciary duty law for nonprofits, the rise of media enforcement of wrongdoing in charities, and an inherent tension in the state’s dual role as enforcer and protector of the nonprofit sector. It analyzes whether the scarcity of law is really a problem by comparing nonprofit organizations with business organizations and concludes that charities lack the selfenforcement mechanisms of businesses and therefore need more government guidance. It evaluates whether the media has made governmental supervision obsolete and expresses skepticism about the press displacing state oversight. …

The Pauline Ministry In The Kentucky Mountains: A Brief Account Of The Kentucky Mt. Holliness Association, Lela Grace Mcconnell

Books

No abstract provided.

Using Data Analytics Tools To Supplement Traditional Research And Analysis In Forecasting Case Outcomes, Mark K. Osbeck

Articles

Companies are now developing legal research tools that employ the power of data analytics to aid case forecasting. These tools hold significant promise as a supplement to the traditional element-focused predictive analysis. Instead of having to rely solely on their own experience to balance the results of the traditional element-focused analysis, lawyers may soon be able to rely on software products that mine data about past cases, and then run the data through algorithms to detect patterns. Those patterns can then inform predictions about likely case outcomes, based upon similarities between the facts, the courts, the individual judges, etc.

C3d Adjuvant Effects Are Mediated Through The Activation Of C3d-Specific Autoreactive T Cells, Anne S. De Groot, Ted M. Ross, Lauren Levitz, Timothy J. Messitt, Ryan Tassone, Christine M. Boyle, Amber J. Vincelli, Leonard Moise, William Martin, Paul M. Knopf

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Complement fragment C3d covalently attached to antigens enhances immune responses, particularly for antigens lacking T cell epitopes. Enhancement has been attributed to receptor cross-linking between complement receptor CR2 (CD21) and polysaccharide antigen to surface IgM on naïve B cells. Paradoxically, C3d has still been shown to increase immune responses in CD21 KO mice, suggesting that an auxiliary activation pathway exists. In prior studies, we demonstrated the CD21-independent C3d adjuvant effect might be due to T cell recognition of C3d T helper epitopes processed and presented by MHC class II on the B cell surface. C3d peptide sequences containing concentrated clusters …

Ivax: An Integrated Toolkit For The Selection And Optimization Of Antigens And The Design Of Epitope-Driven Vaccines, Leonard Moise, Andres H. Gutierrez, Farzana Kibria, Rebecca Martin, Ryan Tassone, Rui Liu, Francis Terry, William Martin, Anne S. De Groot

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Computational vaccine design, also known as computational vaccinology, encompasses epitope mapping, antigen selection and immunogen design using computational tools. The iVAX toolkit is an integrated set of tools that has been in development since 1998 by De Groot and Martin. It comprises a suite of immunoinformatics algorithms for triaging candidate antigens, selecting immunogenic and conserved T cell epitopes, eliminating regulatory T cell epitopes, and optimizing antigens for immunogenicity and protection against disease. iVAX has been applied to vaccine development programs for emerging infectious diseases, cancer antigens and biodefense targets. Several iVAX vaccine design projects have had success in pre-clinical studies …

A Plasmid-Based Reporter System For Live Cell Imaging Of Dengue Infected Cells, Carey L. Medin, Sierra Valois, Chinmay G. Patkar, Alan Rothman

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Cell culture models are used widely to study the effects of dengue virus (DENV) on host cell function. Current methods of identification of cells infected with an unmodified DENV requires fixation and permeablization of cells to allow DENV-specific antibody staining. This method does not permit imaging of viable cells over time. In this report, a plasmid-based reporter was developed to allow non-destructive identification of DENV-infected cells. The plasmid-based reporter was demonstrated to be broadly applicable to the four DENV serotypes, including low-passaged strains, and was specifically cleaved by the viral protease with minimal interference on viral production. This study reveals …