Digital Commons Network^™

Witness: Reflections On Detention In Joyce Carol Oates's Work, Tanya L. Tromble

Bearing Witness: Joyce Carol Oates Studies

Throughout her career, Joyce Carol Oates has resisted the urge of others to label her a feminist writer, insisting that she be considered a writer, independent of biological gender. As America’s “chronicler of the middle class,” she has given voice to countless invisible female character types, but this is only one concern among many. Oates is incredibly active, but rather than to actively incite, she uses her prolific pen to create testimonies to contemporary American life, seeking particularly to give voice to the voiceless among us. In spite of the notions of crime and justice being central to her fiction …

Lifecycles Of Competition Systems: Explaining Variation In The Implementation Of New Regimes, William E. Kovacic, Marianela Lopez-Galdos

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Advent 4 One Year Series 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

No abstract provided.

Teaching Environmental Education To Elementary Aged Home School Students At Nature Centers: An Analysis Of Best Practices, Ronald P. Wodtke

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what are the best practices for teaching environmental education to elementary aged home school students at nature centers located in a large metropolitan area in the Upper Midwest? This study, analyzes the best practices used by several nature centers that offer home school programs, and are located in the seven counties that comprise the physical limits of the study. A nature center is a designated community space where trained professionals guide and facilitate visitors in their exploration of the natural world, and in developing a relationship with nature. Additionally, this experience should …

Design And Realization Of A Nonlinear Vibration Energy Harvester For Cost Effective Additive Manufacturing, Rodrigo Barriuso De Juan

Masters Theses

Environmental energy harvesting has always been an attractive solution to the search for sustainable energy sources. Combined with the miniaturization and power consumption reduction of sensors and portable electronic devices, the possibility of powering using environmental energy, like vibration energy, instead of conventional batteries increases exponentially. Vibrational energy harvesting can be achieved using devices based on different physical phenomena. Electromagnetic based devices seem to be among the most effective when considering the power output levels within low frequency applications. However, these devices have always had inherent challenges including size and manufacturing cost reduction as well as limitations on the range …

The Comorbidity Of Communication And Psychological Disorders: An Analysis Of The Origin And Prevalence Of Children Presenting With Comorbid Language, Speech, And Psychological Disorders, Victoria L. Triska

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper addresses the comorbidity of communication and psychological disorders in children by gathering and analyzing research on communication disorders, psychological disorders, and approaches to understand their connection and present a possible origin of these two disorders. Using the transactional model, one can understand the comorbidity of these disorders and of an individual's psychological environment, communicative environment, and the relationship between these two spheres. The impacts on academics and social life can cause learning disabilities, reading disabilities, and social isolation from friends, teachers, and family. Furthermore, understanding disorders' origin allows for researchers to better assess the prevalence of speech, language, …

Change In Urban Fabric Through Space And Time At Differing Levels Of Automobility, Kristin A. Floberg

Master's Theses

For thousands of years cities have been centers for commerce, creativity, and livelihood, consisting of relatively unchanged characteristics such as walkable streets, diverse land-uses, and human-scaled buildings and streets. With the introduction of the automobile, this past century the desire for free-flowing traffic and convenient parking has drastically transformed the fabric of many cities. Transforming cities into places that accommodate automobiles has transformed downtowns into office parks rather than vibrant mixed-use environments and destroyed communities.

Investigation into reducing automobiles in cities has increasingly piqued the interest of stakeholders in the environmental, safety and economic development communities. This body of research …

Competition Law & Policy In Developing Countries: Explaining Variations In Outcomes; Exploring Possibilities And Limits, Umut Aydin, Tim Büthe

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

The Causes Of Competition Agency Ineffectiveness In Developing Countries, A.E. Rodriguez, Ashok Menon

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Competition Policy: The Comparative Advantage Of Developing Countries, Eleanor M. Fox

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Chilean Antitrust Policy: Some Lessons Behind Its Success, Francisco Agüero

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Being In Relationship: The Experience Of A Female Dance/Movement Therapy Intern On A Male Residential Unit For Sexually Problematic Behaviors, Krista Tyner

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This study serves to explore the experience of a female dance/movement therapy intern working with males on a residential unit for sexually problematic behaviors. It enlightened me on how it was to be in relationship with them, through both a mind and body therapeutic lens. It addresses stereotypes and preconceived notions pertaining to this population. The questions attempted to be answered were as follows: How is it to be in relationship with males who are on a residential unit for sexually problematic behavior, as a female dance/movement therapy intern? How do I experience male/female relationships, gender, and sexuality on the …

December 17, 2016 (Pages 7787-7982), Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau

Volume 46 (2016)

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Impact Of A Constructed Wetland Biome On The Ecosystem Health Of Cedar Run, Thomas Vasilopoulos, Casey Lee

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A wetlands ecosystem is defined as “an area saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency or duration sufficient to support...a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions” (Batzer and Sharitz, 2007). Wetlands serve as biofilters and thus have been used to treat sewage and wastewater, as well as to restore the health of polluted water systems. Solly Walker and Lorinda Palin, owners of a certified natural and biodynamic farm called Avalon Acres located in Broadway, Virginia, constructed a wetland two years ago, using the stream, Cedar Run, that flows through their property. Pollution from agricultural …

The Fate Of Icd-1 During Misfolded Protein Induced Apoptosis In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kyle H. Perez

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Severe misfolded protein stress initiates cellular responses that often result in the death of the affected cell, typically by apoptosis. An essential aspect of apoptosis is caspase-mediated cleavage of proteins that, once cleaved, further propagate death. One heterodimeric structure putatively targeted in this process in the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC), a translational chaperone thought to help prevent misfolded protein stress in the ER. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the beta subunit of the NAC in C. elegans (ICD-1) is cleaved during the induction of apoptosis, with the hypothesis that ICD-1 is cleaved during stressed-induced apoptosis to …

Caffeine Mouth Rinsing In The Fed State Does Not Enhance 3-Km Cycling Performance In The Morning Or Evening, Kayla Sweeney

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of a caffeine mouth rinse on performance at different times of day. METHODS: 12 recreational cyclists completed a simulated 3-km time trial and 4 sets of 5 leg extension repetitions, twice in the morning and twice in the evening. 25 ml of 1.14% caffeine, or placebo solution was mouth rinsed before sets 3 and 4 of the leg extension and before the time trial. Treatments include: caffeine + morning, placebo + morning, caffeine + evening, and placebo + evening. RESULTS: The caffeine rinse had a negative impact on time trial performance in both the morning …

Implementing Post-Hospital Interprofessional Care Team Visits To Improve Transitions Of Care And Decrease Hospital Readmission Rates, Stacy M. Baldwin

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Background: Today’s healthcare climate is comprised of a population of patients who are more complex, presenting with multiple comorbidities, and requiring frequent hospitalizations. It is imperative for acute care and primary care landscapes to bridge silos and form collaborative relationships to ensure safe and effective transitions of care from hospital to home. An interprofessional, post hospital follow-up clinic is one approach that can be utilized to improve transitions of care and decrease preventable hospital readmissions.

Purpose: The purpose of the project's discharge clinic was to improve transitions of care and decrease thirty day hospital readmission rates. The primary objective of …

Procedural Sedation: Policy, Practice & Knowledge, Jennifer A. Martin

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Diagnostic and invasive procedures performed outside of the operating room with nurse- administered procedural sedation are increasing. As procedural sedation practice national guidelines are evolving, there are inconsistent state regulations and a great deal of variability in staff training. These challenges lead to potential knowledge gaps and practice variation that create unsafe patient environments. A local hospital has continued to experience near miss events when procedural sedation is administered. In an attempt to investigate this issue and create improved practice, an organizational policy analysis was conducted. The aims of this project were to: 1) analyze current hospital policy content compared …

The Effect Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease On Swallowing, Jessica R. Torres

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This work is composed of a literature review, research review, and self-reflective essay. The anatomy and physiology of normal swallowing and respiration are reviewed. Additionally, the effect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on these processes is discussed. The research goal was to determine how lung volume changes adapt the physiology of swallowing in individuals with COPD. The research project was designed and conducted by Teresa Drulia, M.S., CCC-SLP. COPD participants (n=9, mean age=72, 6 male) were compared to older healthy individuals (n=10, mean age= 59, 3 male). Participants completed swallows of 20cc of water at four lung volume conditions: …

Behold, Steve Bannon’S Hip-Hop Shakespeare Rewrite: 'Coriolanus', Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

Faculty Publications

In this opinion piece originally published in the New York Times, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner examines The Thing I Am (a contemporary rewrite of Coriolanus, as envisioned by Steve Bannon and Julia Jones) in the context of Shakespeare's original play. Pollack-Pelzner argues that Bannon's political playbook is evident in the script for The Thing I Am — namely, a violent macho conflict to purge corrupt leaders and pave the way for a new strongman to emerge.

Embodying Decolonization In A Settler Faith Community: The Living Justly In This Land Curriculum, John R. Henry

Education

The curriculum project Living Justly in this Land seeks to spark a conversation among primarily non-Indigenous adults who live in a country with a history of settler colonialism. This curriculum is based on theories from the place-based education model of Land education, which has been created primarily by Indigenous scholars. Inspired by teaching styles used by many different Indigenous peoples, as well as the research method of Participatory Action Research, this living curriculum was co-created during the process of the project. I authored the basic structure of the lessons, but allowed the participants, from a majority white settler faith community, …

African Dreams Of America: Diaspora Experience In The Writing Of Aidoo, Adichie And Cole, Gbenga Frederick Olorunsiwa

American Studies ETDs

This study explores four African diasporic texts against a backdrop of the African dream of America, diasporic experience, post-colonialism and racism in the U.S. as portrayed in the writings of Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost (1971), Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah (2014), and Teju Cole’s Open City (2012) and Every Day Is for the Thief (2014). I argue that the African dream of America is different but also exemplary of the American experience and therefore a privileged lens for understanding “America.” During the course of this research project, I found that while the writings of Adichie and Aidoo are …

Factors Influencing The Timing And Frequency Of Moose-Vehicle Collisions At Urban-Wildland Interfaces In Subarctic Alaska, Jacobus Cornelis Noordeloos

Natural Resources

Wildlife-vehicle collisions concern road engineers, wildlife biologists, and the motoring public. In Alaska, moose-vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the most commonly reported type of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Each year an average of 101 MVCs were reported in the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB), resulting in damages amounting to $3,000,000/yr. This thesis describes the spatial and temporal patterns of MVCs in the FNSB and uses these patterns to infer the interactions between human and moose behavior that cause them. The analytical approach used combined spatial and temporal records of MVCs collected by the Alaska Department of Transportation with spatially explicit data describing topography, …

Book Clubs In The Esl Classroom: A Microinteractional Analysis Of Literacy Development In Adult Esl Students, Sharon E. Johnson

English

This study uses conversation analysis to identify literacy development in adult ESL classroom book club discussions. The investigation focuses on the interactions of three university students participating in a six-week book club about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The longitudinal microethnographic analysis reveals the students' development of interactional routines for enacting topic transitions. Two student strategies are examined: (a) the development of a group routine for reading discussion questions aloud; and (b) the use of the transition markers okay and next. The students' establishment of these strategies during the six meetings provides evidence of literacy development during classroom book …

Speciation, Transport And Mobility Of Metals In Pristine Watersheds And Contaminated Soil Systems In Alaska, Amanda J. Barker

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The fate of metal(loid)s in the environment depends on a variety of physical and geochemical factors. Assessing metal(loid) transport in soil solution and surface water requires detailed knowledge of the speciation, which can often control mobility, toxicity and bioavailability of a given element. The present study details the geochemical analyses of two end member types of systems: a 'pristine' Arctic watershed and a military shooting range with an overall focus on understanding lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) mobility in shooting range soils. The project uses bulk speciation analyses coupled with micro-scale methods to quantify variations in metal(loid) concentration as a …

Mechanisms Of Modulation Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Arianna L. Demmerly

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Inappropriate expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system is associated with nicotine addiction, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other disorders. Modulators (drugs) have the potential to restore circuit properties that arise from inappropriate expression of nicotinic receptor's. Compounds that interact with allosteric sites have a distinct advantage over agonists and partial agonists, in that, they retain normal activation patterns by allowing binding of the endogenous ligand. Positive allosteric modulators boost the receptors ability to respond to agonist. Studies of these modulators constitute a first step toward the identification and development of better compounds that minimize signaling errors …

Using Superdarn To Predict Polar Irregularities That Cause Gps Scintillation, Michelle R. Simon

Engineering

High levels of scintillation caused by strong magnetic storms can cause GPS devices to lose connection with the necessary satellites. Current research has shown a correlation between major magnetic storms and higher levels of the recorded Total Electron Content (TEC) seen in GPS receivers. The research presented in this thesis examines the idea that observations from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) can be used to predict scintillation levels in GPS receivers at polar latitudes by using GPS scintillation values σφ and S4 that were collected from January, 2013 till November, 2015. These values were gathered from Poker Flat, …

Analysis Of Unfrozen Water In Cation-Treated, Fine-Grained Soils Using The Pulse Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (P-Nmr) Method, Aaron M. Kruse

Engineering

Unfrozen water within frozen soils is a key component that determines a soil's thermophysical response to changing physical and environmental conditions. This research focuses on the use of pulse nuclear magnetic resonance (P-NMR) for measuring unfrozen water content within frozen soils. The research is divided into two components: 1) improvements made to the P-NMR testing method, including refinements in the laboratory set up and testing procedure, and experimental validation of the normalization method; and 2) determination of unfrozen water content of fine-grained, cation-treated samples at various sub-freezing temperatures using the improved P-NMR methodology. Previous P-NMR testing used the first return …

If Hindsight Is 20/20, Our Justice System Should Not Be Blind To New Evidence Of Innocence: A Survey Of Post-Conviction New Evidence Statutes And A Proposed Model, Paige Kaneb

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Equitable Identification Of El Students For Special Education By All Teachers, Hanna Winkelman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is: How do teachers refer EL students for special education services and how can the process be more equitable for students? The motivating factor for this research was one teacher’s frustration in referring EL students for special education services at a large urban school. The teacher felt as though the process was disorganized, inequitable and did not support EL students with the highest needs. The author interviews ESL, special education teachers and a bilingual educational assistant at one urban school to identify their perspective of the process and frustrations that arise from it. …