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Transnational Public Relations In Postcolonial Spaces: Making Space For Other Discourses In The Afghan Public Sphere, Arshia Anwer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation takes up Wakefield’s (1992) call to build theory for international practices of public relations activities. It offers a transnational approach to public relations, providing a theoretical foundation and a case study for the conceptualization of transnational public relations. The theory and practice of transnational public relations proposed in this dissertation incorporates a rhetorical approach that is sensitive to the social, political, cultural, religious and gender issues inherent in postcolonial spaces. Eschewing a rhetorical approach based on civil society discourses or democratic institutional discourses, this project is attentive to listening and responding to a multiplicity of voices in incorporating …

Mapping Citizenship: Status, Membership, And The Path In Between, D. Carolina Nuñez

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Using Simian Virus 40 As A Model To Determine The Effects Of Replication And Transcription On Histone Methylation, Les Kallestad

Theses and Dissertations

Simian Virus 40 (SV40) is a well-characterized virus whose small circular DNA genome is organized into chromatin and, as a consequence, undergoes many of the same biological processes observed in cellular chromatin. SV40 early transcription is repressed when the product of early transcription, T-antigen, binds to its cognate regulatory sequence, Site I, in the promoter of the SV40 minichromosome. We have subsequently shown that T-antigen binding to Site I results in the replication-dependent introduction of H3K9me1 into SV40 chromatin late in infection. Since H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 are also present late in infection, we determined whether their presence was also related …

Design And Implementation Of Co-Operative Control Strategy For Hybrid Ac/Dc Microgrids, Rasel Mahmud

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is mainly divided in two major sections: 1) Modelling and control of AC microgrid, DC microgrid, Hybrid AC/DC microgrid using distributed co-operative control, and 2) Development of a four bus laboratory prototype of an AC microgrid system. At first, a distributed cooperative control (DCC) for a DC microgrid considering the state-of-charge (SoC) of the batteries in a typical plug-in-electric-vehicle (PEV) is developed. In DC microgrids, this methodology is developed to assist the load sharing amongst the distributed generation units (DGs), according to their ratings with improved voltage regulation. Subsequently, a DCC based control algorithm for AC microgrid is …

Improving Far-Uv Cd Prediction With The Dipole Interaction Model, Akongnwi Cheo Jungong

Theses and Dissertations

Among the physical methods available for studying protein structures, CD stands out as a property that is easy to measure yet remarkably difficult to predict theoretically. The basic principle underlying the CD of polypeptides and proteins is reasonably understood: the mixing of electronic transitions of monomer groups in the context of a chiral environment of helices gives rise to transitions that are both electronically and magnetically allowed. Despite knowledge on the fundamentals of CD, accurate theoretical prediction is still a major challenge. A better theoretical understanding of protein CD would facilitate a fuller interpretation of protein CD experiments.

Extensive theoretical …

Understanding Addiction, Depression, And Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Structure-Function Analyses Of The Dopamine And Serotonin Transporters, Danielle Krout

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine (DAT) and serotonin (SERT) transporters are monoamine neurotransmitter transporters (MATs) responsible for the reuptake of dopamine (DA) or serotonin (5-HT) from the synapse following vesicular release, effectively regulating synaptic neurotransmission. Blockade of these transporters by antagonists such as psychostimulant drugs or transporter mutations that affect function can compromise DA or 5-HT homeostasis and impact fundamental brain processes including movement, emotion, behavior, motivation, and memory. To address these issues, my dissertation research focused on: (1) identifying and characterizing the cocaine binding site in DAT, (2) determining the influence of membrane depolarization on DAT trafficking, (3) investigating antidepressant metabolite action …

Exploring Pedagogical Decision Making And Metacognition Of Faculty Teaching Abroad, Yuliya Kartoshkina

Theses and Dissertations

The number of faculty-led short-term study abroad programs is growing rapidly. However, the literature on pedagogical design of such programs is very limited. This qualitative research study was conducted to explore how faculty members make pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad as well as cognitive processes they engage in when making these decisions. Six faculty members from different institutions and academic departments were interviewed. Their colleagues recognized them as experts in the field based on years of teaching abroad and effectiveness of their practice.

Two important findings came out of this study. First, when making pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad, all …

Estimating Optically-Thin Cirrus Cloud Induced Cold Bias On Infrared Radiometric Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Retrieval In The Tropics, Jared Wayne Marquis

Theses and Dissertations

Passive longwave infrared radiometric satellite-based retrievals of sea surface temperature (SST) at instrument nadir are investigated for cold bias caused by unscreened optically-thin cirrus (OTC) clouds (cloud optical depth < 0.3; COD). Level 2 split-window SST retrievals over tropical oceans (30 S - 30 N) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) radiances collected aboard the NASA Aqua satellite (Aqua-MODIS) are collocated with cloud profiles from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument, mounted on the independent NASA CALIPSO satellite. OTC are present in approximately 25% of tropical quality-assured (QA) Aqua-MODIS Level-2 data, representing over 99% of all contaminating cirrus found. This results in cold-biased SST retrievals using either split- (MODIS, AVHRR and VIIRS) or triple-window (AVHRR and VIIRS only) retrieval methods. SST retrievals are modeled based on operational algorithms using radiative transfer model simulations conducted with a hypothetical 1.5 km thick OTC cloud placed incrementally from 10.0 - 18.0 km above mean sea level for cloud optical depths (COD) between 0.0 - 0.3. Corresponding cold bias estimates for each sensor are estimated using relative Aqua-MODIS cloud contamination frequencies as a function of cloud top height and COD (assuming them consistent across each platform) integrated within each corresponding modeled cold bias matrix. Split-window relative OTC cold biases, for any single observation, range from 0.40 - 0.49 C for the three sensors, with an absolute (bulk mean) bias between 0.10 - 0.13 C. Triple-window retrievals are more resilient, ranging from 0.03 - 0.04 C relative and 0.11 - 0.16 C absolute. Cold biases are constant across the Pacific and Indian Ocean domains. Absolute bias is smaller over the Atlantic, but relative bias is larger due to different cloud properties indicating that this issue persists globally.

Effects Of Plant Community Structure, Soil Components, And Aboveground Fungal Presence On Grassland Productivity, Thomas Mckenna

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how aspects of the resident plant community affect grassland productivity. Chapter One gives an overview of how grassland productivity can be affected by the structural components of a plant community, abiotic and biotic soil components, and the presence of aboveground fungi. In Chapter Two, I present results of an experiment where the frequency of interspecific interactions in plant communities was altered along richness and evenness gradients by either randomly placing species in plots (dispersed plots) or by aggregating species in groups of four individuals (aggregated plots). Results suggest aggregation decreased productivity by promoting species coexistence and not …

The Development Of Hostile Cognitive Schemas And Adult Aggressive Tendencies, Kristin Elisabeth Matson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research served as an exploration into the relationships between childhood maltreatment, personality factors (i.e. negative affect and antagonism), cognitive biases (i.e. hostile attribution bias and hypermasculinity), adult aggression, and gun enthusiasm. Previous literature has shown relationships between these variables individually and this research attempted to provide more insight into the complicated interplay between numerous factors often present in the life of an aggressive adult. The participants included 885 men over the age of 18 and residing in the United States who were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk survey service to complete eight assessments online. Results indicated aggressive ideation …

Gata4 Interacts With Hedgehog Signaling Pathway In Regulating Outflow Tract Development, Jielin Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are among the most common type of developmental anomaly affecting 8 in 1000 live births. Approximately 30% of CHDs involve cardiac outflow tract (OFT) malformation which leads to significant morbidity and mortality in both children and adults. Development of OFT is regulated by a complex genetic network including Sonic-Hedgehog signaling pathway, TGF-β and BMP signaling pathway. Mutation of a transcription factor, Gata4, has been known to cause OFT defects including double outlet right ventricle (DORV) in both human and mice for decades. Several transcription targets of Gata4 have been identified such as Mef2c, Ccnd2 and Cdk4, …

The Effects Of Employment On Births, Dara Leigh Morehouse

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines whether there exist consequences to the types of employment that affect family life and structure, specifically if being self-employed affects births when compared to other forms of employment. I hypothesize that self-employed individuals will have fewer children compared to other forms of employment. I include both the female and the male’s form of employment to determine the joint effects of employment status on births. Example of why this may be is the typical self-employed individual may be too busy operating their business to assist in raising children. There may also be financial motives with self-employed individuals needing …

Political Ideology, Beliefs And Values As A Framework For Analysis Of School Nutrition Preferences, Jacquelyn R. Nyenhuis

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple studies have documented the growing controversies in school nutrition public policy. Less is known about the political ideologies, beliefs and diverse perspectives coming from conflicting values and their influence on policy acceptance. Key issues examined are: Does the average US citizen filter their impressions of policies through their core beliefs, values and politics? And, in general, what policies, interventions, and regulations do conservatives and liberals favor?

Utilizing a sequential mixed methods design, Phase I included a survey given to 201 people with both a multi-item closed ended section and an open-ended section. Statistical analysis was performed on the quantitative …

Britain's First War With Kandy: Landscape, Violence, And Conquest In Colonial Sri Lanka, Elizabeth Anne Mjelde

Theses and Dissertations

Accounts of travel to Sri Lanka published during the period of British conquest (1796 through 1818) reveal a consistent yet problematic tendency: despite ongoing military conflict, visual artists constructed representations of the island as a peaceful and orderly place. The contradiction is heightened when travelers’ uniformly tranquil images of Sri Lanka are juxtaposed with documented acts of destruction to land and property, undertaken by troops during Britain’s first war with the inland kingdom of Kandy, a conflict which eventually led to the island’s complete colonization. The present study reconciles this contradiction through analysis of publications by each of five artists …

Executive Functioning And Drinking: The Impact Taxing Working Memory Has On Alcohol Consumption, Mara Catherine Norton-Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rates of binge drinking and heavy drinking among college-aged students have reached alarming levels. The negative consequences for these behaviors range from relatively minor annoyances (e.g., hangovers) to life-changing incidents (e.g., DUI) to accidental death. Deficits in executive cognitive function (ECF), especially deficits in working memory capabilities, have been linked repeatedly to problematic alcohol use. Given that it appears problematic drinkers with ECF deficits are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and experience a greater loss of behavior control when experiencing cognitively taxing situations than problematic drinkers with greater ECF, further study of the impact of taxing …

Sensitivity Of Two-Dimensional Stereo (2ds) Probe Derived Parameters To Particle Orientation, Joseph Robert O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

Information on the size distribution, orientation and the axial ratio of ice particles is important for the improvement of precipitation retrievals by polarized radar. However, uncertainty in the natural particle orientation and axial ratios remains due to the difficulty in obtaining in situ observations of these parameters. This difficulty arises because of possible re-orientation of particles by airflow around aircraft sampling instrumentation. Due to this possible re-orientation, observations of ice particles become a function of the viewing angle of the sampling instrumentation. The two-dimensional stereo (2D-S) optical array probe (OAP) manufactured by SPEC, Inc. offers the capability for comparison between …

Parent Understanding Of K-6 Student Mathematics Performance Using Standards-Based Compared To Traditional Report Cards, Jill Ann Olson

Theses and Dissertations

More and more elementary schools are adopting standards-based report cards to report student achievement in an effort to communicate to parents their child’s mastery of standards at each grade level. The effect this has on parent understanding of their child’s achievement is still uncertain. A survey methodology was used in this quantitative study to examine parents’ understanding of their K-6 child’s mathematics performance when reported using standards-based compared to traditional report cards. The researcher sought to determine the effect understanding has on parents’ probability of providing at-home skill building activities in the areas in which the child is not performing …

Improving Forecasts Of Winter Storm Tracks Using A Local Ensemble, Brittany A. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Winter storms can affect millions of people, with impacts such as disruptions to transportation, hazards to human health, reduction in retail sales, and structural damage. Blizzard forecasts for Alberta Clippers can be a particular challenge in the Northern Plains, as these systems typically depart from the Canadian Rockies, intensify, and impact the Northern Plains all within 24 hours. The purpose of this study is to determine whether probabilistic forecasts derived from a local physics-based ensemble can improve specific aspects of winter storm forecasts for three Alberta Clipper cases.

Verification is performed on the ensemble members and ensemble mean with a …

The Minnesota Army National Guard And Gender Expectations, Corbin David Routier

Theses and Dissertations

Women have never formally served in U.S. Army combat roles. It was announced in December, 2015 that U.S. Army combat roles would undergo gender integration. The objective of this research was to measure attitudes of current all-male infantry units in the Minnesota Army National Guard (MNARNG). The research was framed using status expectations theory. Surveys were distributed to two MNARNG companies (N = 116). The research examined how infantrymen rated male and female soldiers differently on 14 traits as well as their support for female integration. The results showed that infantrymen rated men higher than women. In addition, men who …

Role Of The Cholesterol Metabolite 27-Hydroxycholesterol In Breast And Prostate Cancer, Shaneabbas S. Raza

Theses and Dissertations

The cholesterol metabolites known as oxysterols play an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis. They play vital roles in inflammation, cell growth, cell signaling, immunity, oxidative stress and aging. Following the discovery that the most abundant oxysterol, 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) is a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), it has been implicated in hormonal cancers such as breast and uterine cancer. 27-OHC is a ligand of estrogen receptors (ER), a nuclear hormone receptor involved in cell growth and proliferation. The downstream events followed by 27-OHC-induced ER activation in the context of breast cancer is unknown. Also, the role of 27-OHC in prostate …

Public Opinion About Police Use Of Body-Worn Cameras, Deanne Paulsen

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a significant increase in media attention about encounters between police officers and the public which have ended badly, sometimes in injury or death. These events have increased public concern about police conduct. Because of these events and the adverse publicity they have generated, many police departments have begun using body-worn cameras. The police use of body-worn cameras raises many important issues such as their effects on privacy and police-community relations. Because police departments have just recently begun using body cameras, there has been limited research on them. Consequently, the current study examined whether the public favors the …

Hypothalamus And Pituitary Gland Development In The Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra Serpentina, And Disruption With Atrazine Exposure, Kathryn Lee Gruchalla Russart

Theses and Dissertations

Neural control of the endocrine system originates in the hypothalamus in all vertebrates. The hypothalamus signals directly to the pituitary gland to maintain homeostasis by releasing hormones directly into the bloodstream. Hormones travel to peripheral endocrine organs, and regulate widespread activities including growth, metabolism, stress response, circadian rhythms, water balance, and reproduction. Many of these functions have sex-specific aspects, and therefore sexual dimorphism in morphology and function of the hypothalamus is present. Sex-specific genetic background and morphology is established during pre- and peri-natal development, during which sexually dimorphic cellular differentiation occurs and hormonal profiles are set. Disruption of development can …

A Large Scale Inertial Aided Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (Slam) System For Small Mobile Platforms, Ashraf Qadir

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation we present a robust simultaneous mapping and localization scheme that can be deployed on a computationally limited, small unmanned aerial system. This is achieved by developing a key frame based algorithm that leverages the multiprocessing capacity of modern low power mobile processors. The novelty of the algorithm lies in the design to make it robust against rapid exploration while keeping the computational time to a minimum. A novel algorithm is developed where the time critical components of the localization and mapping system are computed in parallel utilizing the multiple cores of the processor. The algorithm uses a …

Major League Baseball Draft Pick Compensation: How To Evaluate The Marginal Revenue Product Of Labor Of Drafted Players, Matthew Peã±A

Theses and Dissertations

The Major League Baseball draft is virtually the only means by which US and US territory born players have access to becoming major league baseball players. As a condition of their initial contracts, players are subjected to initial contract terms, that limit their traditional free market ability to earn a salary commensurate with their actual worth. This research attempts to quantify the difference between what players would earn on the open market, as free agents, and what they earn by being controlled by baseball’s reserve clause, by analyzing the current compensation system established by Major League Baseball, how drafted players …

Instructors’ Perspectives Of Giving Audio And Video Feedback: Can You Hear Me Now?, Jane Marie Sims

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated university instructors’ perspectives, values and processes of giving assignment feedback to students using written, audio and video formats and examined samples of feedback in these formats for differences in amount of content, language complexity and tone of feedback. The instructors represented different campus disciplines and a variety of campus, online and hybrid environments, and their classes included undergraduate and graduate students and ranged from small to large class sizes. This qualitative study applied Media Naturalness Theory to a phenomenological and discourse analysis of instructor interviews and feedback samples. The interview data revealed intentionality in selecting different feedback …

Jealousy In Same-Sex Relationships: A Study Of Sexual And Emotional Infidelity, Courtney Grace Stufflebeam

Theses and Dissertations

The current study employed online, self-report data in relation to jealousy, insecurity, dependency, and relationship power within same-sex relationships. Specifically, I examined the correlational, predictive and comparative aspects of distress and jealousy levels in individuals within same-sex relationships. It was hypothesized that relationship power, dependency and insecurity would predict level of jealousy and distress in the experience of sexual and emotional infidelity. Three hundred and nineteen consenting participants completed the online questionnaires regarding their views and emotions related to the above constructs. Regression analyses provided data indicating that none of the variables predicted an individual’s experience of jealousy and distress. …

Purging Pathology And Interpersonal-Psychological Variables As Predictors Of Suicidal Ideation, Alexandra Thiel

Theses and Dissertations

The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory on Suicidal Behavior (IPTS; Joiner,

2005; Joiner, Ribeiro, & Silva, 2012), proposes that active suicidal ideation is formed when an individual experiences high perceived burdensomeness, low perceived belongingness, and hopelessness (Joiner et al., 2012). Eating disorders (ED) are associated with high mortality rates from suicide (Harris & Barraclough, 1997), and recently researchers have begun applying IPTS to ED symptomatology (Smith et al., 2013; Dodd, Smith, & Bodell, 2014). In particular, purging-type EDs are associated with increased risk for suicide (Fedorowicz et al., 2007; Milos, Spindler, Hepp, & Schnyder, 2004; Protzky, van Heeringen, & Vervaet, 2014). Thus, the …

Exposing Second Year Medical Students To The Clinical Reasoning Process Prior To High Fidelity Simulation Learning, Phondie Simelane Simelane

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical reasoning is a highly complex process that is both difficult to impart and acquire (Bowen 2006, Custers 2005, Merriënboer 2010, Schmidt 2015). Second year medical learners appear to lack strategy to effectively step through the presented scenarios (Allen, personal communication, March 2, 2015). Though possessing a degree of background knowledge, immature clinical reasoning skills make data collection (focused history, focused review of systems and focused physical assessments) a challenge to efficiently navigate. As oppose to discriminating their line of questions, learners sweep through a wide range of information. Consequently, problem solving takes on a shot gun approach resulting in …

Examining Multiple Methods Of Analysis To Guide The Development Of A Postsecondary Institution Rating System, Eddie Gene Walker Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Rankings of higher education institutions have been developed as a method for evaluating universities and colleges as the competition for students, faculty, and financial support grew stronger (Shin & Toutkoushian, 2011). Historically these rankings relied mostly upon institutional reputation, but recently there has been a call for quantifiable data. US President Obama (2013) discussed the need for a postsecondary institution ratings system that holds universities accountable to provide accurate information related to accessibility, affordability, and educational outcomes. Once a method of rating institutions is developed, the ratings can be utilized to rank similar institutions, which results in a ranking system …

Not Your Business: Pedagogical Lessons Of Activist Resistance To Neoliberalism In Canadian Higher Education, Jorunn Thordarson

Theses and Dissertations

The growing power and permeation of neoliberal ideology across all facets of social life has been instrumental in promoting and orchestrating a shift among Canadian post-secondary institutions towards a reductive view of schooling at the expense of a more liberatory vision of education. The aim of this study was to examine the connections between power, education, and democracy in relation to the neoliberal restructuring of higher education in Canada, while simultaneously exploring discourses of resistance to neoliberal hegemony. Using critical discourse analysis, this study begins by establishing the promotion and naturalization of neoliberal ideology within the policy landscape of Canadian …