Digital Commons Network^™

Optimizing Acyclic Identification Of Aptamers, Caitlin M. Miller

Dissertations - ALL

The minimal human alpha-thrombin binding aptamer, d(GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG), has previously been successfully identified from a DNA library of randomized hairpin loop, m=15, with the High Throughput Screening of Aptamers (HTSA) technique, later termed Acyclic Identification of Aptamers (AIA). AIA eliminated the need for multiple cycles of in vitro evolution typically used for aptamer discovery by employing libraries with an over-representation of all possible sequences and high throughput sequencing. Although the method was successful at identifying the thrombin binding aptamer, improvements to partitioning and sample preparation inconsistencies encountered during replication attempts were necessary in order to maximize its value. Subsequent revisions and …

Reconfiguring French Secularism: The Mosque As The New Multicultural Space Of Young Muslims, Ayse Ozcan

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation explores the ways in which secularism communicates with Islam both as a socio-political concept and as daily practice in the context of France. Most studies examine this process through the uses of the headscarf or within the framework of terrorism. This study suggests a fresh perspective by using an experimental spatial analysis with a focus on the major mosques and the practices of mosque congregants. It poses the question how French Muslims reconcile French secularism (laïcité) with Islam through the use of the mosque space. In this respect, mosques are transformed into alternative multicultural spaces where the secular …

Understanding Disordered Systems Through Numerical Simulation And Algorithm Development, Sean M. Sweeney

Dissertations - ALL

Disordered systems arise in many physical contexts. Not all matter is uni-

form, and impurities or heterogeneities can be modeled by fixed random disor-

der. Numerous complex networks also possess fixed disorder, leading to appli-

cations in transportation systems [1], telecommunications [2], social networks

[3, 4], and epidemic modeling [5], to name a few.

Due to their random nature and power law critical behavior, disordered

systems are difficult to study analytically. Numerical simulation can help

overcome this hurdle by allowing for the rapid computation of system states.

In order to get precise statistics and extrapolate to the thermodynamic limit,

large …

Indoor Environmental Quality (Ieq) And Building Energy Optimization Through Model Predictive Control (Mpc), Korbaga Fantu Woldekidan

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation aims at developing a novel and systematic approach to apply Model Predictive Control (MPC) to improve energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality in office buildings. Model predictive control is one of the advanced optimal control approaches that use models to predict the behavior of the process beyond the current time to optimize the system operation at the present time. In building system, MPC helps to exploit buildings’ thermal storage capacity and to use the information on future disturbances like weather and internal heat gains to estimate optimal control inputs ahead of time.

In this research the major challenges …

Ruthenium Hydride Catalyzed Silylvinylation Of Alkynes, Robert J. Wilson

Dissertations - ALL

The intermolecular ruthenium hydride catalyzed coupling of internal alkynes with subsequent insertion of olefin acceptors is described. This approach utilizes a vinyl silicon tether to provide complete regiocontrol, a stereoselective anti-exo-dig cyclization which affords a tetrasubstituted olefin with a new vinylsilane, and a highly functionalized Z,E diene motif. Subsequent studies for a highly selective intramolecular trans-silylvinylation of internal alkynes catalyzed by RuHCl(CO)(SIMes)(PPh3) is reported. The use of methyl vinyl ketone as an additive increased the efficiency of this transformation. This process was expanded upon using ethylene gas as an additive and provides a net 5-exo-dig trans-silylvinylation of internal alkynes. Ethylene …

Breaking The Ice: Reforming State And Local Government Compliance With Ice Detainer Requests, Shareef Omar

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

Cerebral Oximetry During Shoulder Surgery In The Beach Chair Position, Jennifer L. Jorgensen

Theses and Dissertations

Title: Cerebral Oximetry During Shoulder Surgery in the Beach Chair Position

Background: A non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP) has historically been the main parameter for ensuring adequate cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) vvhen patients are placed in the beach chair position (BCP). Rare but catastrophic neurological injuries have been re ported following the BCP for shoulder surgery, possibly wa!1'anting the use of real-time, site -spec ific monitoring of oxygenation and perfusion at the level of the brain w ith cerebral oximetry

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to determine if the addition of …

National Learning And Teaching Resource Audit And Classification Final Report, Philip Hider, Barney Dalgarno, Sue Bennett, Ying-Hsang Liu, Carole Gerts, Carla Daws, Barbara Spiller, Pru Mitchell, Robert Parkes, Raylee Macaulay

Information Management

The Australian Office for Learning and Teaching's (OLT) research repository is used to disseminate the results of higher education research. This is the final report of a project that investigated how the resources in the research repository should be described and indexed so that they could be accessed more effectively. The project team ascertained which attributes of the resources needed to be described and how they should be described, developed a metadata schema, selected and/or created appropriate indexing vocabularies and reindexed the resources.

Delivering Health Care To Women Who Use Crack : A Brazilian Example., Kristen Connors

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Knowledge, Intake, And Willingness To Consume Fruits And Vegetables Of Children Located In A Food Desert Versus A Non-Food Desert, Brittany A. Pierce

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a food desert as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods” (“Food Deserts”, 2014). The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between knowledge, intake, and willingness to consume fruits and vegetables between students going to school in a food desert and students not going to school in a food desert. This study was conducted by showing students picture cards to determine knowledge of fruits and vegetables, surveying students to determine intake of fruits and vegetables, and food sampling to determine wiliness to …

Assessing The Need For A New Oral Care Protocol In The Non-Ventilated Patient Population, Talia J. Johnson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Purpose: Nonventilator-associated hospital acquired pneumonia is a nosocomial infection that has not been heavily researched. With hospital-acquired pneumonia accounting for some of the most frequent nosocomial infections in the United States, it is important to determine ways to decrease rates of infection. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of nonventilator-associated pneumonia in a hospital patient population, to determine charting compliance of nurses, and to determine whether there was a need for a new oral care protocol.

Design: A retrospective electronic record review was performed to determine the rate of nonventilator- associated hospital acquired …

The Impact Of Breastfeeding Education: A Retrospective Look At Breastfeeding Education And Breastfeeding Rates, Hannah Newell

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding is associated with improved health outcomes for both mother and child. Not only does it provide optimal nutrition for the infant, it also encourages an intimate maternal-infant bonding experience that establishes the basis for parenting and interaction. Major medical organizations including the Surgeon General’s Healthy People 2020 have an aim of increasing the number of women who initiate breastfeeding, and a recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least one year. While most women are aware that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for infants, they often lack knowledge regarding the …

Visible Tattoos And Professional Nursing Characteristics: A Study On How Appearance Affects The Perception Of Essential Qualities Of Nurses, Darcy M. Boultinghouse

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous studies have indicated that nurses with tattoos are viewed less favorably than nurses without tattoos, regardless of gender. Additionally, older adults are more likely to negatively evaluate nurses with tattoos than young adults. Images of male and female nurses with and without tattoos were shown to 128 participants between the ages of 18-80 years on an iPad. Participants selected according to gender which nurse possessed more of the following professional characteristics based on their initial impression of their physical traits, or selected no difference: respectfulness, kindness, trustworthiness, intelligence and competence. The study showed that male nurses with tattoos were …

Mckee Minute Holiday 2015, Southern Adventist University

McKee Minute – McKee Library This Month

The Holiday 2015 McKee Minute features include the books Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon and A Northern Christmas by Rockwell Kent, the films The Gospel of John and Lee Strobel: The Case for Christ, and the periodicals Stand Firm and Journey. This month's spotlight is on archaeology.

Experimental Investigation Of Spatial-Mode-Selective Frequency Up-Conversion, Mohan Giribabu

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

We experimentally investigate the spatial-mode-selective frequency up-conversion by sum-frequency generation in a second-order medium. In particular, we are interested in zero and first order Gaussian modes. In our experiment, we generate pump and signal pulses of 400 ps duration, spatially modulate them, and couple them into a Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate (PPLN) waveguide. Only one signal mode selected by the pump’s spatial profile is up-converted. The up-converted signal is separated from the original signal and pump beams, modes are captured on a camera and efficiency of up-conversion is recorded. We also discuss some important phase-matching conditions for nonlinear interaction in …

Investigation Of Scalable Hevc And Its Bitrate Allocation For Uhd Deployment In The Context Of Http Streaming, Uma Sagar Madhugiri Dayananda

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265) [1] is the state of the art video compression standard, which provides bitrate reduction in the range of 50% when compared to the previous Advanced Video Coding (AVC/H.264) [5] standard at similar video quality. Scalable High Efficiency Video Coding (SHVC) [2] is the scalable extension of HEVC, which provides traditional scalability options in terms of quality, spatial resolution and temporal frame rate and newer scalability options as well. SHVC can be used to deliver Ultra High Definition (UHD) or 4K resolution video content to mix of clients having varying characteristics. The distribution of clients is …

Effects Of Dissonance And Disruption On Risky Decisions, Wyn E. Taylor

Psychology Theses - Archive

All choices develop first from the basic sensory stimuli to which our systems attend, consciously and unconsciously. The cognitive processes which form the basis of decision- making and contextual shifting require attention to both novel and familiar environmental features; from the overwhelming stimulus that assault our senses, we must figure out which environmental features are safe to ignore and those to which we must attend. Separate fast, emotional and slower rational decision processes described by a number of dual-processing theories have found compelling support in neuroscience research examining selective attention gating mechanisms. Indeed, these two systems appear to exert substantial …

Assessment Of Ell Written Language Progress In Designated Esl Noncredit Courses At The Community College Level, Janet L. Daugherty

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Assessment of the effect of targeted instruction of functional language skills for English language learners (ELL) enrolled in community college basic skills classes is important as community colleges continue to offer noncredit courses for ELL students designed to improve English skills. The Foundations Skills Committee at a community college in a rural setting in Northern California received a State of California grant to provide basic skills instruction, specifically grammar and sentence structure, to ELL. The present study evaluates the effect of Supplemental Instruction (SI) on improving functional skills in writing.

A review of the literature reveals that community college instructors …

From Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder To Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives From Recovering Addicts, Elena Potovsky

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

People who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often at high risk of acquiring Substance Use Disorder (SUD). When a diagnosis is determined for a school age child, the special education team mainly focuses on the most obvious problems that occur with ADHD: executive function issues, reading and writing impairments, and disruptive behavior. They may not realize how common it is for those identified with ADHD to also acquire SUD.

The literature revealed that there may be a shared genetic basis between ADHD and SUD, that there is commonly an early onset of SUD for those who have ADHD, …

Elements Of A Strategic Implementation Plan: Implications For Enhancing Combination Classes Using A Multiage Framework, Tracy Harding

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Combination classes are often created out of financial necessity rather than a desire to engage students in multiage learning. Teachers assigned to these classrooms come from the general teaching pool and may not have specialized training around the intricacies of multiage teaching.

A review of the literature indicates that the United States has a long history of multiage classrooms. When the practice of graded schools took over, however the multiage school remained as an approach to teaching children (Anderson, 1992). Progressive education programs often use a multiage classroom paired with looping, students remaining with the same teacher for more than …

Community-Based Participatory Research To Improve Early Detection And Treatment Of Hypertension In A Suburban Community In Thailand, Chuncharaporn Sinsiri

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Communities have a significant role in working with health personnel to detect new and previously diagnosed cases of high blood pressure during community BP screening programs. In Thailand there are many people with elevated BP who do not access care. The purpose of this Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) was to build a community partnership following the CBPR approach to develop a health program to improve early detection and treatment of hypertension. Three specific aims were: Aim 1. Using CBPR principles, describe the process of building a community partnership to develop a community health program to improve early detection and treatment …

2015 Winter Graduate & Undergraduate Commencement, Lindenwood University

Commencement Programs

Lindenwood University Commencement program.

Give The Gift Of Georgia Southern Athletics, Georgia Southern University

Athletics: News & Publications

• Give the gift of Georgia Southern Athletics

A Comparative Analysis Of Vanpool And Single Occupant Commuters' Self-Reported Stress Level Before And After The Commute, Christina Ditmore

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Stress—and its impact on personal health and overall wellness—is a well-researched topic. Countless studies are devoted to the effects of stress and its correlation to various aspects of life, including the topic of transportation choice. There has been significant research conducted regarding both stress and commute choices. However, there is limited empirical data specific to vanpools. The purpose of this study is to examine whether commuters who utilize a vanpool (VP) to commute to and from work experience less stress than their single-occupant vehicle (SOV) counterparts. Survey respondents provided their personally perceived level of stress both before and after their …

Indeterminacy In Stochastic Overlapping Generations Models: Real Effects In The Long Run, Zhigang Feng, Matthew Hoelle

Economics Faculty Publications

Indeterminate equilibria are known to exist for overlapping generations models, though recent research has been limited to deterministic settings in which all equilibria converge to a steady state in the long run. This paper analyzes stochastic overlapping generations models with 3-period lived representative consumers and adopts a novel computational algorithm to numerically approximate the entire set of competitive equilibria. In a stochastic setting with incomplete markets, indeterminacy has real effects in the long run. Our numerical simulations reveal that indeterminacy is an order of magnitude more important than endowment shocks in explaining long-run consumption and asset price volatility.

2015 Population Data For States, United States Census Bureau

Past Publications

Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015

Selected Characteristics For Nebraska Legislative Districts From The 2010-2014 American Community Survey, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

On December 3, 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau released five‐year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates for the combined years of 2010 through 2014, making available social, economic, housing and demographic statistics for Nebraska’s Legislative Districts. Also available are estimates for every community and county in Nebraska and the nation.

The charts and tables in this report are based on the Legislative District boundaries for the 103^rd Legislature that were approved by the Legislature in 2011 and were based on data from the 2010 Census. Because of changes in Legislative District boundaries, the charts and tables in this report are …

Nebraska Legislative Planning Committee 2015 Report: Policy Briefs, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

The Nebraska Legislature's Planning Committee was created in 2009 with the passage of LB 653 in order to help establish a process of long‐term state planning with the Nebraska Legislature. The committee was created to assist state government in identifying emerging trends, assets and challenges of the state and the long‐term implications of the decisions made by the Nebraska Legislature.

Efforts during the first two years of the committee focused on the development of a database. The goals and benchmarks included in the database were developed and approved by the Legislature's Planning Committee to present a common‐sense and data‐driven assessment …

Nebraska County Population Projections: 2010 To 2050, David Drozd

Past Publications

There are many potential uses of understanding how the population might change into the future.Population projections help us to plan and prepare for likely demographic changes. Using the current population structure and applying birth, death, and net migration rates and how they change for various ages provides a glimpse of the changes and shifts that are likely to occur as well as the timing of such changes.

Nebraska County Population Projections: 2010 To 2050, David J. Drozd, Jerry Deichert

Past Publications

There are many potential uses of understanding how the population might change into the future. Population projections help us to plan and prepare for likely demographic changes. Using the current population structure and applying birth, death, and net migration rates and how they change for various ages provides a glimpse of the changes and shifts that are likely to occur as well as the timing of such changes.

This report presents population projections for each of Nebraska’s 93 counties, as well as the state total by summing the 93 county results. The report was supported in part by the Nebraska …