Digital Commons Network^™

Marriage By Force? Contestation Over Consent And Coercion In Africa, Annie Bunting, Benjamin N. Lawrance, Richard L. Roberts

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

With forced marriage, as with so many human rights issues, the sensationalized hides the mundane, and oversimplified popular discourses miss the range of experiences. In sub-Saharan Africa, the relationship between coercion and consent in marriage is a complex one that has changed over time and place, rendering impossible any single interpretation or explanation.

The legal experts, anthropologists, historians, and development workers contributing to Marriage by Force? focus on the role that marriage plays in the mobilization of labor, the accumulation of wealth, and domination versus dependency. They also address the crucial slippage between marriages and other forms of gendered violence, …

Using Semi-Supervised Learning For The Creation Of Medical Systematic Review: An Exploratory Analysis, Prem Timsina, Jun Liu, Omar F. El-Gayar, Yanyan Shang

Research & Publications

In this research, we explore semi-supervised learning based classifiers to identify articles that can be included when creating medical systematic reviews (SRs). Specifically, we perform comparative study of various semi-supervised learning algorithm, and identify the best technique that is suited for SRs creation. We also aim to identify whether semisupervised learning technique with few labeled samples produce meaningful work saving for SRs creation. Through an empirical study, we demonstrate that semi-supervised classifiers are viable for selecting articles for systematic reviews and situations when only a few numbers of training samples are available.

The Role Of Organic Matter In The Surface Chemistry Of Arsenic Compounds On Iron−(Oxyhydr)Oxides Studied By Atr-Ftir, Arthur Situm

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The interaction of organic matter with the interfaces of active soil components such as iron oxides is ubiquitous within soil environments. The presence of organics at these interfaces may have implications for other soil constituents whose mobility is controlled by their ability to bind to active soil components. Most of the studies performed to date which look at these interactions are bulk/batch studies performed ex-situ. Attenuated total internal reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was utilized within this work to study interactions between select model organics (citrate, oxalate and pyrocatechol) and iron−(oxyhydr)oxides, as well as their effect on the surface …

The "Radical Conscience" Of Nineteenth-Century Feminism, Tracy Thomas

Con Law Center Articles and Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Reduced Tillage And Crop Residue Management On Soil Properties And Crop Yields In A Long-Term Trial In Western Kenya, Jeremiah M. Okeyo, Jay Norton, Saidou Koala, Boaz Waswa, Job Kihara, Andre Bationo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sustainable farming practices are required to address the persistent problems of land degradation and declining crop productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Approaches such as reducing tillage and retaining crop residues as mulch are potential entry points for smallholder farmers to move towards sustainability. In this study, we assessed the impact of reduced tillage (RT) compared with conventional tillage (CT), each combined with crop residue reapplication, on soil quality indicators and crop yields under an 8-year trial in western Kenya. Our results indicate that RT combined with crop residue reapplication enhanced soil physical quality through increased macroaggregate (>2000μm) proportions and mean …

Active Aggregation Among Sexes In Bean Flower Thrips (Megalurothrips Sjostedti) On Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata), Saliou Niassy, Sunday Ekesi, Nguya K. Maniania, Benedict Orindi, Gerald B. Moritz, Willem J. De Kogel, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Male sexual aggregations are a common territorial, mating-related or resource-based, behaviour observed in diverse organisms, including insects such as thrips. The influence of factors such as plant substrate, time of day, and geographic location on aggregation of thrips is uncertain, therefore we monitored the dispersion of male and female bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), over three cowpea growth stages and across three cowpea-growing areas of Kenya. Our results indicated that for all the crop growth stages, the density of BFTs varied over the time of day, with higher densities …

Some Key Elements On Entomophagy In Africa: Culture, Gender And Belief, S. Niassy, H. D. Affognon, K. K.M. Fiaboe, K. S. Akutse, C. M. Tanga, S. Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible insects are a natural renewable food resource and, within the context of food security could be one solution for Africa. Although, entomophagy is still being practiced in Africa, there is a degree of rejection in certain milieu due to negative images associated with insects and poor awareness efforts. In order to understand the key elements that govern entomophagy in Africa, we conducted an online survey on edible insects in African countries and documented the importance of insects, cultures and believes associated to their use. We eventually looked at gender participation in entomophagy. Study showed that insect consumption can be …

Integrated Management Of Fruit Flies-Case Studies From Uganda, Brian E. Isabirye, Caroline K. Nankinga, Alex Mayamba, Anne M. Akol, Ivan Rwomushana

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) pose a threat to commercialisation of the horticulture industry in Uganda. They impair the quality and quantity of fruits produced, and limit access to lucrative regional and global markets. Here we explore past and present efforts, and future plans for research and management, of fruit flies in Uganda. Early research geared towards collection and identification of fruit flies recognised the pest status of many species and highlighted the need for establishing sustainable management strategies. Subsequently large-scale research initiatives have substantially increased knowledge on the biology and ecology of fruit flies in Uganda. Based on these studies, …

High Sensitivity Sol-Gel Silica Coated Optical Fiber Sensor For Detection Of Ammonia In Water, Dejun Liu, Wei Han, Arun Mallik, Jinhui Yuan, Chongxiu Yu, Gerald Farrell, Yuliya Semenova, Qiang Wu

Articles

A high sensitivity ammonia sensor based on a tapered small core singlemode fiber (SCSMF) structure for measurement of ammonia concentration in water is reported. Two tapered SCSMF fiber structures with different waist diameters of 23 µm and 13.5 µm are fabricated by using a customized microheater brushing technique. The silica based material prepared by the sol-gel method is used as a coating applied to the surface of the tapered fiber structures. To investigate the influence of the coating thickness on the sensitivity to ammonia in water, silica coatings with different thicknesses (2-pass and 8-pass coatings) are deposited on the surface …

Secondary-School Department Chairpersons’ Perceptions Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Jonathan K. Greene

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The concept of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) provides a framework for understanding the professional demands of secondary-school teachers in facilitating student learning. Teachers develop their PCK both formally in preservice and inservice education and informally with their colleagues. Teacher leaders, such as the secondary-school department chairs, can work with colleagues to promote professional growth. The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary-school department chairs understood PCK and perceived their role in promoting the PCK growth of their department colleagues. A qualitative research design using in-depth, semi-structured interviews involved 15 participants from one school district in the southeast of …

The Importance Of Motivation, Weapons, And Foul Odors In Driving Encounter Competition In Carnivores, Maximilian L. Allen, Christopher C. Wilmers, L. Mark Elbroch, Julie M. Golla, Heiko U. Wittmer

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Encounter competition is interference competition in which animals directly contend for resources. Ecological theory predicts the trait that determines the resource holding potential (RHP), and hence the winner of encounter competition, is most often body size or mass. The difficulties of observing encounter competition in complex organisms in natural environments, however, has limited opportunities to test this theory across diverse species. We studied the outcome of encounter competition contests among mesocarnivores at deer carcasses in California to determine the most important variables for winning these contests. We found some support for current theory in that body mass is important in …

An Analysis Of Folic Acid Supplementation In Women Presenting For Antenatal Care, Shona Cawley, Laura Mullaney, Aoife Mckeating, Maria Farren, Daniel Mccartney, Michael Turner

Articles

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are major congenital malformations that are potentially preventable if the woman takes periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplements. A recent report found that NTD incidence had increased in Ireland. This study examined the usage of FA supplementation in women presenting for antenatal care in a maternity hospital.

Current And Emerging Therapies For The Treatment Of Cystic Fibrosis Or Mitigation Of Its Symptoms, Mark P. Murphy, Emma M. Caraher

Articles

Clinical presentation of the chronic, heritable condition cystic fibrosis (CF) is complex, with a diverse range of symptoms often affecting multiple organs with varying severity. The primary source of morbidity and mortality is due to progressive destruction of the airways attributable to chronic inflammation arising from microbial colonisation. Antimicrobial therapy combined with practises to remove obstructive mucopurulent deposits form the cornerstone of current therapy. However, new treatment options are emerging which offer, for the first time, the opportunity to effect remission from the underlying cause of CF. Here, we discuss these therapies, their mechanisms of action, and their successes and …

Detection Of Yersinia Enterocolitica Serotype O:9 In The Faeces Of Cattle With False Positive Reactions In Serological Tests For Brucellosis In Ireland, Don O'Grady, Kevin Kenny, Seamus Power, John Egan, Fergus Ryan

Articles

Intestinal infection by Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:9 (YeO9) in cattle has been linked to false positive serological reactivity (FPSR) in diagnostic tests for brucellosis. Although eradicated in Ireland, brucellosis monitoring still identifies seropositive animals, usually one or two (termed singletons) per herd, which are classed as FPSR. To investigate a link between FPSR and YeO9, faeces and blood were collected from singleton FPSR cattle, and from companion animals, in eight selected herds with more than one FPSR animal, for YeO9 culture and Brucella serology. YeO9 was isolated from 76/474 (16%) FPSR singletons in 309 herds, but not from any of …

A Method To My Quietness: A Grounded Theory Study Of Living And Leading With Introversion, Leatrice Oram

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leadership scholar-practitioners must create a more sustainable, diverse, and equitable future, fostering emergence and development of resilient, competent leaders, including those who may have been previously overlooked.Leadership studies, particularly those situated in early trait and behavior paradigms, have long privileged extraverted leaders as ideal.The scholarly conversation is limited on introverted leaders; moreover, most of that literature depicts introversion as either a pathological construct associated with shyness and social anxiety, or includes introversion only by omission, as a state of deficit-of-extraversion.This study instead began with positive inquiry, framing introversion as a positive individual difference, and explored the lived experiences of introverted …

Frequencies Between Serial Killer Typology And Theorized Etiological Factors., Leryn R. Messori

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examined the association between serial killer typologies and previously proposed etiological factors within serial killer case histories. Stratified sampling based on race and gender was used to identify thirty-six serial killers for this study. The percentage of serial killers within each race and gender category included in the study was taken from current serial killer demographic statistics between 1950 and 2010. Detailed data was gathered about each case, including past experiences and details of their crimes using publicly available primary and secondary source material. Etiological factors identified for this study include military experience, alcohol use, drug use, whether …

Influencing Behavior During Planned Culture Change: A Participatory Action Research Case Study, Michael Valentine

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The study was conducted in a global, for-profit, advertising firm, which initiated a culture change effort focused culture change.The objective of the effort was to manage the negative impact of implicit bias (IB) in the workplace.This type of bias is known to influence behaviors and judgements (Amodio & Mendoza, 2010).It is hypothesized that if employees shift behavior to better understand and manage these biases in the basic work activities that are typical in any organization—like working on a team, making decisions related hiring, developing and promoting talent, and the numerous creative decisions that are typical of designing advertising campaigns—more inclusive …

Racial Integration In One Cumberland Presbyterian Congregation: Intentionality And Reflection In Small Group, Carolyn Smith Goings

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Negative attitudes toward racial minorities and consequent maltreatment of non-Whites continue to be a crisis in America. The crisis of racism is still realized in phenomena such as residential segregation (Bonilla-Silva, 2014), health disparities (Chae, Nuru-Jeter, & Adler, 2012; Chae, Nuru-Jeter, Francis, & Lincoln, 2011), and in the not-so-uncommon unjust arrests and imprisonment of persons of color (Alexander, 2012). Improvement in race relations through the development of meaningful cross racial relationships in racially integrated settings is one avenue that may lead to reduction of racism (E. Anderson, 2010; Fischer, 2011; Massey & Denton, 1993). Christian congregations are common settings in …

Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been on the rise, prompting a simultaneous increase in scientific study regarding cause, impact, and intervention (Hughes, 2009; Ravindran & Myers, 2012). Research has proposed advances in the treatment of the individuals diagnosed and focused efforts on scholastic, parental, and professional intervention and supports. However, the siblings of ASD children have largely been neglected in this scientific investigation. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore neurotypical siblings’ experiences in living with a child diagnosed with ASD. Seven adolescents were selected using criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling. …

2016 Outlook And Analysis Letter, A Report Prepared For The National Association Of State Park Directors, Jordan W. Smith, Yu-Fai Leung

All Current Publications

This report evaluates both the production of outdoor recreation opportunities at, and the operational efficiency of, the nation’s state park systems.

The Effects Of Habitat Management On Grassland Birds In The Northern Tallgrass Prairie, Jerry Sterling Cole

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland birds have been under threat since tallgrass prairie was first used for agricultural cultivation and grassland acreage continues to be converted for row-crop agriculture. The loss of suitable native habitat for grassland birds makes effective management of the little grassland that remains that much more important. While it is widely recognized that grassland birds use vegetation cues for habitat settlement during the breeding season, little study has been done on how vegetation structure influences grassland bird abundances in the northern tallgrass prairie, particularly vegetation structure as it is shaped by different forms of management. Therefore this study aims to …

Trash Matters: An Investigation Into The Current Waste Management And Recycling Strategies In Rural North Dakota And Foreseeable Solutions, Amy Densborn

Theses and Dissertations

Rural North Dakota is behind the times for establishing an economically and socially beneficial method for collecting recyclables from residents, and in some areas providing sustainable trash removal. As the waste stream continues to grow, so will the burdens on our landfills, our resources and our environment for generations to come. An even worse alternative to landfilling garbage is the use of burn barrels, which release dioxins into the local environment, settling on vegetation and waterways and further bio-accumulate in the food chain. Rural residents currently do not have conveniently located or affordable disposal options for household generated waste and …

Strengthened Knights: Masculinity In Sir Isumbras And El Libro Del Caballero Zifar, Ruth Mary Gripentrog

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I examine the masculinities of the titular characters in Sir Isumbras and El Libro del Caballero Zifar [The Book of the Knight Zifar] through a lens of power in which masculinity is proven through the dominance over other men. Zifar and Isumbras must construct and prove their masculinities in a variety of circumstances; however, they differ significantly in their treatment of masculinity: Sir Isumbras extolls a compound masculinity, which the Zifar aims for one of consistency. I have chosen to focus on two of medieval Europe’s main Christian powers, and through a comparative analysis, their distinct masculinities …

Slot Machine Use As A Measure Of Decision-Making In Substance Use Disorders, Theodore David Krmpotich

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the decision-making tasks involve gambling and gambling paradigms and therefore it is important to understand how gambling relates to decision-making, especially in individuals who use substances. The goal of this study was to investigate how individuals with SUD will perform on a slot machine and relate the slot-machine performance to current lab measures of decision-making. Individuals with and without substance use disorders gambled on a slot machine and completed other decision-making tasks (e.g., IGT, BART, delay discounting). Rewards were manipulated in terms of magnitude (real monetary payout verses no payout) for two reasons. Gambling performance was compared to …

The Process Of Work Re-Entry For Nurses After Substance Use Disorders Treatment: A Grounded Theory Study, Deborah Matthias-Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explicate a substantive theory/model that describes the basic social processes (BSP) operating when a registered nurse (RN) re-enters the workplace following completion of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. There are a reported 2.6 million RNs employed in the U.S (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). Over the past 25 years, prevalence studies have found up to 10% of nurses will meet diagnostic criteria for SUD, similar to prevalence rates in the general population. SUDs among nurses present challenges to society and to the nursing profession. State boards of nursing operate primarily to …

Personality Disorder Trait Mediation Of Childhood Abuse Effects On Internalized And Externalized Symptoms Of Distress, Amy Catherine Veith

Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored the relationships between childhood maltreatment indicators and mental health symptomatology in adulthood. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that the indirect effects of child abuse on symptom expression as mediated by personality traits would be substantial and possibly larger than the direct effects alone. Additional abuse by trait interactions were examined. Results supported these hypotheses, specifically, the PID-5 trait factors were successful in accounting for a disproportionate amount of the variance in the criterion measures. These traits were substantially stronger than childhood physical abuse and domestic violence exposure. Childhood sexual abuse also outperformed childhood physical …

An Assessment Of The Influence Of Economic Drivers Of Land Use Change On Nitrate Concentrations In The Red River Of The North Basin, Brent Silvis Silvis

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there have been dramatic increases in crop prices, which would be expected to have resulted in greater production of crops and increased nitrates in surface water from increased use of fertilizer. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that changing crop prices influence crop production and, consequently, water quality. To do this, the study intended to identify changes in crop cultivation within the Red River of the North Basin, assess whether these crops have contributed to nitrate concentrations and identify how nitrate concentrations would be influenced by alternative economic scenarios. Requisite data were obtained …

The Relationship Of Substance Use, Biological Sex, And Age To Defender Behaviors In Middle And High School Students In Rural Schools, Amanda D'Ottavio

Theses and Dissertations

While there are many studies looking at the characteristic of defenders in bullying situations, the literature regarding defender behaviors and substance use is lacking. In a sample of rural adolescents, the current study aims to examine the relationship between defender behaviors, substance use, biological sex and age. Rural middle and high school youth from six Northern Plains schools in the Midwest (N = 264) completed a self-report survey. Surveys were created to examine defender behaviors and substance use, and a demographic questionnaire collected biological sex and grade level. Grade level was used in place of age. A relationship between defender …

Using Long-Short-Term-Memory Recurrent Neural Networks To Predict Aviation Engine Vibrations, Abdelrahman Elsaid

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines building viable Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) using Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) neurons to predict aircraft engine vibrations. The different networks are trained on a large database of flight data records obtained from an airline containing flights that suffered from excessive vibration. RNNs can provide a more generalizable and robust method for prediction over analytical calculations of engine vibration, as analytical calculations must be solved iteratively based on specific empirical engine parameters, and this database contains multiple types of engines. Further, LSTM RNNs provide a “memory” of the contribution of previous time series data which can further …

Cntf Potentiates Survival And Sprouting Of Axotomized Magnocellular Neurons, Kathryn E. Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is believed to promote neuronal sprouting and survival within the magnocellular neurosecretory system (MNS) by means of astrocyte activation following injury. When CNTF binds to its receptor complex, CNTF receptor alpha, located on the extracellular surface of the astrocyte, it initiates the Jak/STAT3 pathway. The activation of this pathway and the translocation of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) to the nucleus is believed to lead to the release of multiple factors that act in a paracrine manner to influence survival and sprouting of MNS neurons. To confirm the ability of CNTF to activate the astrocyte, the three receptor …