Digital Commons Network^™

Springfield Or Bust? A Qualitative Analysis Of The Organization Assimilation Of Young Professionals In Springfield, Missouri, Nii Kpakpo Ekow Abrahams

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent have Millennial young professionals assimilated into Springfield, Missouri's culture. Using organizational assimilation and sensemaking as the theoretical framework, this qualitative thesis research study utilized four focus groups (n=20) to draw its results. Based on a previous foundational study and additional research, five characteristics Millennials want in a city were identified—affordability, community engagement and involvement, Millennial collaboration, entertainment and meaningful experiences, and authenticity. These characteristics also served as the criterion for the results. The findings revealed that Springfield young professionals, based on the five characteristics, have fully assimilated into Springfield's …

University Of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2016, Natalie Sassine, Tiffany Torres, James W. Taylor, Maria Mark

Annual Reports

2016 Annual Report of the Environmental Center at the University of North Florida

Spyglass 2015-2016, Florida Southwestern State College

Spyglass: The Magazine of Florida SouthWestern State College

Spyglass: The Magazine of Florida SouthWestern State College. 2015-2016.

Synthetic Functionalized Scaffolds For Culture And Maintenance Of Primary Human Hepatocytes, Douglas Macpherson

Dissertations and Theses

There is deficit in the number of human livers that are available for transplantation. Additionally, there is no reliable model for the liver environment available for laboratory research. Tissue engineering provides alternatives for organ transplantation. We have created a supramolecular biomaterial out of simple peptide and saccharide building blocks to act as a hydrogel scaffold to support culture of liver cells. Using a self-­‐assembling peptide fiber decorated with functional molecules, we were able to culture primary human hepatocytes demonstrate their viability and maintenance of phenotype. The hydrogel material was formed by co-assembly in aqueous buffer and characterized using transmission electron …

Environmental Variables Associated With Invasive Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula Alnus Mill.) And Indirect Control Strategies For Forest Managers, Joshua Glidden Kozikowski

Master's Theses and Capstones

Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus Mill.) is one of the most prominent non-native invasive plant species affecting New England forests. It quickly invades a forest and can create a dense understory effectively altering the species composition and dynamics of that forest. To gain a better understanding of the environmental variables associated with glossy buckthorn density we sampled forests across New Hampshire with varying degrees of buckthorn invasion. The effect on tree regeneration was analyzed with measurements of height and abundance of glossy buckthorn and native regeneration. Glossy buckthorn was found to be at its highest densities in disturbed softwood forests that …

Neighborhood-Level Poverty At Menarche And Prepregnancy Obesity In African-American Women, Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow, Rosalind M. Peters, Charlotte Burmeister, Lawrence F. Bielak, Dayna A. Johnson

Public Health Sciences Articles

Introduction: Menarche is a critical time point in a woman's reproductive system development; exposures at menarche may influence maternal health. Living in a poorer neighborhood is associated with adult obesity; however, little is known if neighborhood factors at menarche are associated with prepregnancy obesity.

Methods: We examined the association of neighborhood-level poverty at menarche with prepregnancy body mass index category in 144 pregnant African-American women. Address at menarche was geocoded to census tract (closest to year of menarche); neighborhood-level poverty was defined as the proportion of residents living under the federal poverty level. Cumulative logistic regression was used to examine …

A Floristic Study Of The Oak Leaf Lake Unit Of The Swan Lake Wildlife Management Area In Nicollet County, Minnesota, Heidi Rauenhorst

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Prairies play an integral ecological role, protecting biodiversity and providing habitat for fauna. The number of prairie acres has significantly declined in Minnesota, making the existing prairies that much more valuable. The Oak Leaf Lake Unit of the Swan Lake Wildlife Management Area in Nicollet County, Minnesota (latitude 44.311050, longitude -94.015577) was purchased by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in 1994 and is being managed as tallgrass prairie. Floristic surveys were performed during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons to gather baseline data. These data were used to assess the quality of the site through calculation of various indices …

Differential Gene Expression Of Minnesota (Mn) Hygienic Honeybees (Apis Mellifera) Performing Hygienic Behavior, Eric Northrup

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Hygienic behavior is the ability to remove dead and diseased brood from the comb early as to limit the detrimental impact of the parasite or pathogen. Minnesota (MN) Hygienic bees are generalists of hygienic behavior with the ability to remove several brood infected with several pathogens including the Varroa mite. This study explored the mechanisms of MN Hygienic behavior by comparing the transcriptome of MN Hygienic bee brains to non-hygienic bee brains via cDNA microarray. The results suggest that the brains of MN Hygienic bees may have a greater number of dendritic connections or are more sensitive to neurotransmitters. Quantitative …

The Utilization Of Morphological And Genetic Diagnostic Techniques For The Description Of Trematode Species Collected From Waterbirds From Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota, Usa, Tyler Joseph Achatz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Historically, morphological techniques for species identification were the leading diagnostic methodology, however, the increased usage of genetic techniques has led to a decrease in reports of morphometrics. The decrease in morphological reports increases the chance of missing diagnostic morphometrics. The three studies described herein used morphological and genetic diagnostic methods to identify trematodes from five families in order to improve genetic and morphological information for trematode species identification.

The first study identified ten species of trematodes from intestines of waterbirds previously collected from Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota. Nine of the species were sequenced for 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Two species were …

Effects Of Hydrology On The Growth And Recruitment Of Stream Fish In The Eastern Broadleaf Province Of Minnesota, Eric J. Krumm

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Agricultural practices and urban development have altered streamflows within the Eastern Broadleaf Province of Minnesota. Stream-flow alteration can produce significant changes in native freshwater communities. Therefore, knowledge of streamflow effects on representative freshwater populations and communities within the province are needed to maintain ecological integrity. Fish community and population dynamics often display predictable responses to flow regimes, which can make fishes model organisms for examining flow-ecology relationships.

In lotic systems, annual variation in streamflow can influence the annual growth and recruitment of fishes. Understanding the growth and recruitment of fish populations is essential for management and conservation efforts. Growth can …

Every(Day) Identities In Forensics: Performing Identities Within The Constraints Of Intercollegiate Forensics, Julie Louceil Germain Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Goffman's (1959) dramaturgical theory of identity provides a framework for making sense of complicated, mundane identity performances. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups conducted with intercollegiate forensic co-culture members, the current research builds on Goffman's dramaturgical theory of identity. Crystallization-based analysis showed identity performances are situated within one another like Russian matroyshka (nesting) dolls. Co-cultural expectations produce multi-level professionalism expectations, and overlapping co-cultures mean individuals manage conflicting conventions. Implications are offered for the forensics community, other co-cultures, and identity scholars.

Development And Evaluation Of A Habitat Suitability Model For White-Tailed Deer In An Agricultural Landscape, Eric Anstedt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are an ecological, economical, and socially significant species that occupy a variety of ecoregions. White-tailed deer are mobile habitat generalists that prefer habitats containing woody cover. Deer have successfully adapted to habitat-fragmented, agricultural landscapes. As a result, deer are not uniformly distributed across intensively cultivated areas, which make field surveys difficult with often highly variable spatial data. To increase sampling efficiency (deer observed / sampling effort), the landscape can be stratified based upon preferred habitat types. Habitat suitability models (HSI) have been used to represent hypothesized wildlife-habitat relationships, and therefore the likelihood of deer being observed …

Early Detection Of Mountain Pine Beetle Damage In Ponderosa Pine Forests Of The Black Hills Using Hyperspectral And Worldview-2 Data, Kyle Edward Mullen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A leading cause for mortality in the pine forests of western North America, the mountain pine beetle, has impacted over 400,000 acres of ponderosa pine forest in the Black Hills of South Dakota since 1996. Methods aimed at earlier detection, prior to visual manifestation of a mountain pine beetle damage in the tree crown, have not been successful because of the overlap and variability of spectral response between the initial stages of attack (green-attacked) and non-attacked tree crowns. Needle-level reflectance spectra was measured from green-attack and non-attack ponderosa pine trees in early spring following an infestation and analyzed using a …

Repositioning Of Drugs Using Open-Access Data Portal Dtome: A Test Case With Probenecid (Review), Mohammad U. Ahmed, Dylan J. Bennett, Tze-Chen Hsieh, Barbara B. Doonan, Saba Ahmed, Joseph M. Wu

NYMC Faculty Publications

The one gene-one enzyme hypothesis, first introduced by Beadle and Tatum in the 1940s and based on their genetic analysis and observation of phenotype changes in Neurospora crassa challenged by various experimental conditions, has witnessed significant advances in recent decades. Much of our understanding of the association between genes and their phenotype expression has benefited from the completion of the human genome project, and has shown continual transformation guided by the effort directed at the annotation and characterization of human genes. Similarly, the idea of one drug‑one primary disease indication that traditionally has been the benchmark for the labeling and …

Characterization Of Foreign-Born Vs. U.S. Native-Born Worker Fatalities In Kentucky, 2001-2014, Yailet Cruz Galardy

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Background: Foreign-born workers may be more vulnerable to fatal and nonfatal work injuries. Available information on the differences that exist between foreign-born and U.S. native-born worker fatal injuries is scarce. This study aims to describe and characterize occupational fatal injuries in foreign-born and U.S. native-born workers in Kentucky.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis of foreign-born vs. U.S. native-born worker fatalities was performed over a 14-year period from 2001-2014 using Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program worker fatality surveillance data.

Results: From 2001-2014, there were a total of 87 foreign-born and 1,361 native-born worker fatalities. The average age of …

The Relationship Between Male Involvement In Early Childhood Education And Student Academic Achievement, Carla Christinia Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that the limited involvement of fathers in their children's academic activities may negatively affect children's academic development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the role of father involvement in the academic achievement of young children in early childhood classes and to assess barriers to such involvement. Guided by Erikson, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner theories of learning and development, the research questions examined fathers' perceived level of educational involvement, barriers to educational involvement, and the relationship between the level of recorded father involvement and student achievement. Data were collected using a modified Parental Involvement Survey that …

A Controversial Bill (H.R. 897) To Mosquito Control Programs: A Policy Analysis, Charles Guissou

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The primary purpose of this paper was to analyze the legal, financial, and administrative burdens of the Pesticides General Permit on mosquito control programs from a policy perspective. Mosquito control is often highly controversial, particularly when it involves the use of pesticides that have their own potentially serious health and environmental impacts. In 2009, the Environment Protection Agency issued the permit to be obtained by pesticide applicators before pesticides could be discharged into waterways in addition to existing Federal Insecticides, Fungicides, and Rodenticides Act (FIFRA) regulations. Some provisions of the permit could impact mosquito control activities. Therefore, in response to …

Social Network Analysis Of Cellphone Surveillance Data For Ebola In Sierra Leone, Jia B. Kangbai

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Aim: To explore and visualize the connectivity of suspected Ebola cases and surveillance callers who used cellphone technology in Moyamba District in Sierra Leone for Ebola surveillance, and to examine the demographic differences and characteristics of callers who make more calls as well as more likely to make at least one positive Ebola call.

Methods: Surveillance data for 393 suspected Ebola cases (192 males, 201 females) were collected from October 23, 2014 to June 28, 2015 using cellphone technology. UCINET and NetDraw were used to explore and visualize the social connectivity between callers and suspected Ebola cases. Poisson and logistic …

Self Center: Addressing Teen Pregnancy In Wolfe County, Ky, Lindsey Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Teen pregnancies and births are at an all-time low across the United States. Despite this decline in rates within the last decade, the teen pregnancy rate in Kentucky remains significantly higher than that of the overall United States. Additionally, teen pregnancy still has significant economic and health impacts on both teen parents and their children. In rural communities, such as Wolfe County, KY, teen birth rates are approximately one-third higher than the rest of the country. Self Center is an evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program that involves school-linked reproductive health services and provides participants with education, counseling, and healthcare services. …

Mathematical Modeling Of Mapk Dynamics And Signal Adaptation, Nathan Dyjack

Theses & ETDs

To prevent indefinite cellular response to external signals, cells utilize various adaptation mechanisms. The yeast mating-response pathway is a model cellular system that exhibits adaptation to persistent external signals. This pathway employs a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade which is comprised of two wellknown negative feedback inhibitions that involve the yeast phosphatase proteins Ptp3 and Msg5. The phosphorylated form of the yeast MAPK protein Fus3 (pFus3) triggers phosphorylation of both phosphatases, but transcriptionally upregulates only Msg5. To study the biological rationale for the existence of two distinct negative feedback inhibitions acting on pFus3, we used published experimental data to develop …

Her Strongholds Unvanquishable: Tracing The Contours Of A Female Interiority In The “Shrine Of The Virgin” And Teresa Of Ávila’S Interior Castle, Sara Mahan

Theses & ETDs

This study traces themes of embodiment, containment and enclosure in what I understand as two historical representations of female interiority: the late medieval devotional object of the Vierge ouvrante and the early modern mystic Teresa of Ávila's Interior Castle. My thesis explores these historical entities through the lenses of feminist inquiry and demonstrates the utility of listening for silence and looking for absence in the representations and creations of women at these times in history.

Factors Affecting Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumor Patient Health Outcome At Johns Hopkins All Children’S Hospital, Sophia Tahiri

Theses & ETDs

This study was undertaken to determine prognostic factors that are associated with pediatric patient central nervous system tumor outcome. The current study was conducted from January 1993 to January 2016 at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida and included retrospective data from primary brain tumor patients aged 0-18 years old that have been seen at this facility at least once. The studied factors include diagnosis, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and Florida region. It was expected that low grade gliomas would be the most prevalent tumor type and high grade gliomas will be the least prevalent. Female …

Cellmapper: Rapid And Accurate Inference Of Gene Expression In Difficult-To-Isolate Cell Types, Bradlee D. Nelms, Levi Waldron, Luis A. Barrera, Andrew W. Weflen, Jeremy A. Goettel, Guoji Guo, Robert K. Montgomery, Marian R. Neutra, David T. Breault, Scott B. Snapper, Stuart H. Orkin, Martha L. Bulyk, Curtis Huttenhower, Wayne I. Lencer

Publications and Research

We present a sensitive approach to predict genes expressed selectively in specific cell types, by searching publicly available expression data for genes with a similar expression profile to known cell-specific markers. Our method, CellMapper, strongly outperforms previous computational algorithms to predict cell type-specific expression, especially for rare and difficult-to-isolate cell types. Furthermore, CellMapper makes accurate predictions for human brain cell types that have never been isolated, and can be rapidly applied to diverse cell types from many tissues. We demonstrate a clinically relevant application to prioritize candidate genes in disease susceptibility loci identified by GWAS.

Assessment Of Her2-Neu In Breast Cancer Lines Upon Differential Exposures To Xenoestrogens, Abha Aggarwal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Synthetic xenoestrogens have differential estrogenic properties. Research has shown that exposures to xenoestrogens could promote breast cancer by disrupting normal function of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) gene. Although animal models demonstrated a connection between xenoestrogen exposure and Her2 activity, no study using human cells has systematically examined their carcinogenic potential influencing the Her2 gene expression. Furthermore, breast cancer cells are phenotypically disparate (ER+, Her2+), with some phenotypes (Her2+), leading to more aggressive disease. This study aimed to dosimetrically assess the carcinogenic potential of commonly used xenoestrogens influencing Her2 gene expression, and delineate cellular phenotypes at greater …

Public Perception And Privacy Issues With Dna Regulations And Database In Alabama, Thea Denean Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database is utilized in all 50 states for matching DNA evidence with criminal suspects. While each state administers CODIS, which ultimately feeds into a national database, little is understood about how citizens in states perceive the utility of such a database and how their perceptions and knowledge of DNA could impact state policy changes though voting. Research also suggests that the "CSI Effect" may impact how citizens perceive the role of a national DNA database. Grounded on Gerbner's cultivation theory, the purpose of this study was to determine if, in Alabama, there is a …

Uno Website Nsfp 2016 Orientation Guide, Uno New Student & Family Programs

Student Support

An illustrated overview of the resources offered by UNO to students in the academic year 2016-2017. UNO has cracked the code to being successful in college, and with so many caring and supportive faculty, staff, and other students committed to your success, there are only three simple things you need to do: Connect. Take Care. Get Help.

Uno Website Biology Uno Nature Preserves, Uno Department Of Biology

Student Support

Glacier Creek Preserve and T.L. Davis Preserve are managed by the Department of Biology to restore and preserve some of eastern Nebraska's natural prairie and woodland heritage. These preserves serve as education and research sites for the region as well as sites for those interested in enjoying the feel of our natural heritage.

Evaluation Of Mercury Standard Stability For Analyzing Human Urine Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry, Shing Lau

Master's Theses and Capstones

Quantitation of total mercury has been of great interest not only in environmental fields, but also in medical research. This is because mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic elements, and is also a well–known global pollutant. Researchers strive to understand how toxic elements bioaccumulate in both aquatic ecosystems and terrestrial systems, along with these effect on human health. Numerous studies and analytical methods have been published for the assessment of mercury in many different sample matrices. Accurate analysis of these complex matrices is dependent on accurate and reliable analytical standards. However, the standards preparation step is time consuming. …

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of A Pentacene Derivative On Gold Surfaces In The Quantum Mechanical And Classical Mechanics Frameworks, Ryan Allen Miller

Master's Theses and Capstones

With increasing potential to serve as a basis for constructing organic photovoltaic de- vices, the directed self-assembly of small organic molecules on metal substrates provides an interesting new method of bottom-up device building. By utilizing the qualities inherent in the substrate and molecules, one can manipulate surface topology to create functional layers of molecules in a desired configuration. However, tailoring these organic layers in a useful way requires detailed analysis of the substructure characteristics. With top-down visualization approaches like Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) pro- viding a limited view of assembled layer structural characteristics, molecular dynamics sim- ulations must be employed …

Effects Of Salinity On Juvenile Cyclopterus Lumpus (Lumpfish) And Their Temproal And Spatial Distribution In The Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire, Jenna Leigh Rackovan

Master's Theses and Capstones

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) is a semi-pelagic species that is broadly distributed in the temperate portions of the North Atlantic. The lumpfish is also a commercially important species in Iceland and the Netherlands, where it is fished for roe that is used for caviar. Moreover, several recent studies have shown that lumpfish juveniles are useful ‘cleaner fish’ in the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. Despite the importance of the species, little is known about its physiology and ecology. The overall goal of this research was to investigate if, and how, salinity affects the physiology and ecology of juvenile lumpfish.

To determine the …