Digital Commons Network^™

Two-Photon Excitation, Fluorescence Microscopy, And Quantitative Measurement Of Two-Photon Absorption Cross Sections, Fredrick Michael Dearmond

Dissertations and Theses

As optical microscopy techniques continue to improve, most notably the development of super-resolution optical microscopy which garnered the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014, renewed emphasis has been placed on the development and use of fluorescence microscopy techniques. Of particular note is a renewed interest in multiphoton excitation due to a number of inherent properties of the technique including simplified optical filtering, increased sample penetration, and inherently confocal operation. With this renewed interest in multiphoton fluorescence microscopy, comes an increased demand for robust non-linear fluorescent markers, and characterization of the associated tool set.

These factors have led to an experimental …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Parents Of Young Children With Autism Receiving Special Education Services, Donna Marie Barrow

Dissertations and Theses

Over the past two decades reported rates of autism have steadily risen. The current incidence is 1 in 68 children. While autism can be reliably diagnosed at 18 months in most children with the condition, specialized autism treatment rarely begins before a child's third or fourth birthday. As screening and diagnosis procedures improve so does the need for effective early interventions for autism. Researchers and professionals have expressed a growing concern over the need for effective early interventions for infants and toddlers with autism. At the same time, there is a dearth of qualitative research exploring the needs and experiences …

Decrypting Democracy: Incentivizing Blockchain Voting Technology For An Improved Election System, Jane Susskind

San Diego Law Review

[B]lockchain technology provides a cryptographically secure and transparent method for transferring “digital assets.” Although blockchain technology is most commonly recognized as the technology that underpins virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, it may also hold the key to facilitating secure online elections in America. To preface the need for blockchain voting, Part II addresses the current problems with voting in the United States. Part III provides an elementary explanation of blockchain. Parts IV and V outline current election laws and explain how implementing blockchain voting would very likely comply with these laws. Transitioning to a new voting system, however, does not …

Utah 4-H, County Contests, Joshua Dallin, Kelsey W. Romney

All Current Publications

This manual gives information for conducting succesdsful county contests.

Sd-Mcan: A Software-Defined Solution For Ip Mobility In Campus Area Networks, Adam Chase Calabrigo

Master's Theses

Campus Area Networks (CANs) are a subset of enterprise networks, comprised of a network core connecting multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) across a college campus. Traditionally, hosts connect to the CAN via a single point of attachment; however, the past decade has seen the employment of mobile computing rise dramatically. Mobile devices must obtain new Internet Protocol (IP) addresses at each LAN as they migrate, wasting address space and disrupting host services. To prevent these issues, modern CANs should support IP mobility: allowing devices to keep a single IP address as they migrate between LANs with low-latency handoffs. Traditional approaches …

Tragic Mulatta 2.0: A Postcolonial Approximation And Critique Of The Representations Of Bi-Ethnic Women In U.S. Film And Tv, Hadia Nouria Bendelhoum

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study analyzes the representations of five bi-ethnic women characters in U.S. mass media both before and after U.S. “post-racial” era, to find and expose evidence of the continuity and perpetuation of racist stereotypes against biracial/bi-ethnic women. I utilize a thematic textual analysis, supported by the theories, ideas, and critical views of postcolonial theorists Frantz Fanon, Gayatri Spivak, and Edward Said, and composed of three prominent themes which expose the nature of the representations of lead bi-ethnic characters in current mass media entertainment (TV programs and films). The themes further explored through this project are: bi-ethnicity (one Black parent and …

Perspectives On Video Games As Art, Jeroen Bourgonjon, Geert Vandermeersche, Kris Rutten, Niels Quinten

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In their article "Perspectives on Video Games as Art" Jeroen Bourgonjon, Geert Vndermeer­sche, Kris Rutten and Niels Quinten engage in discussing whether or not video games can be considered a form of art. Although this question has already been discussed elaborately, the debate is guided by many differ­ent and often conflicting positions. The aim of this article is to revisit this debate by mapping out a range of perspectives on video games as art. The authors explore the relation between games and differ­ent definitions and functions of art, different motives of artists, and the potential impact of the arts. The …

Alternative Biographies: (Re)Telling Feminine (Hi)Stories In Selected 20th-Century Texts By Québécois Women Writers, Jessica Mcbride

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to examine the tendency on the part of several québécois women authors from the 20^th century to create alternative feminine biographies for forgotten, undervalued, or misrepresented women from the past. Given the complex relationship the Québécois have with their provincial history, and the central role chauvinistic representations of women and the “Québec national text” play in safeguarding the québécois cultural identity, contemporary women writers from Québec are singularly poised to resurrect, recreate, revive, and rewrite the feminine historical experience into the traditional discourse of History. From Québec’s most famous woman writer, Anne Hébert, …

Ant-Inspired Interaction Networks For Decentralized Vehicular Traffic Congestion Control, Andreas Kasprzok

All Dissertations

Mimicking the autonomous behaviors of animals and their adaptability to changing or foreign environments lead to the development of swarm intelligence techniques such as ant colony optimization (ACO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) now widely used to tackle a variety of optimization problems. The aim of this dissertation is to develop an alternative swarm intelligence model geared toward decentralized congestion avoidance and to determine qualities of the model suitable for use in a transportation network.

A microscopic multi-agent interaction network inspired by insect foraging behaviors, especially ants, was developed and consequently adapted to prioritize the avoidance of congestion, evaluated as …

Universal Screening And Progress Monitoring Within A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Mary Anne Fleury

Dissertations

Multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is a systemic framework that includes response to intervention (RTI) and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) practices, yet the combination of academic and behavioral supports is still foreign to many districts. Universal screening and progress monitoring is one component of many MTSS frameworks across the country; however, some states have chosen to incorporate it within other components, leaving it off the statewide visual model. This study, Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, is a qualitative study that focused on teacher perceptions of their school’s universal screening and progress monitoring …

The Lived Experiences Of Educators Using Co-Teaching To Meet The Needs Of Students With Disabilities In A Virtual Environment, Laura Elizabeth Ridings

Dissertations

Virtual education in the United States continues to be a popular option for K-12 students. The enrollment in full-time virtual schools not only represents typical learners but a growing number of students with disabilities, including low-incidence disabilities. In some states, this population exceeds the state-wide average percentage of students with disabilities enrolled in public education and is compelling virtual schools to focus their attention on the legal expectations of serving individual needs. A pilot study, Virtual K-12 Teachers’ Perspectives on the Provision of Inclusive Online Environments (Ridings, 2016), investigated the types of inclusive strategies used by teachers in the virtual …

Analysis Of Food Security, Snap Benefit Duration, Income Level And The Relationship With Depression In Households With Children In Omaha., Tatiana Tchouankam

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Food insecurity is defined as a lack of access to “sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets individuals’ dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life.” From 2015 to 2016, the number of people undernourished increased from 777 million to 815 million worldwide. Food insecurity affected 12.3 % of Nebraskans and 13.8% of the residents in Douglas County during the same year. There is evidence of associations between food insecurity, income level, and several adverse health outcomes, specifically with regards to mental health. The objective of this study was to examine food security, SNAP benefit duration (i.e., how …

Multilevel Worksite Wellness Intervention To Improve Individual Behaviors And The Worksite Environment, Mariah Morgan

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Due to increasing obesity rates, public health approaches must focus on improving healthy behaviors and reducing the risk of obesity-related health problems (“Nebraska State Nutrition Profile,” 2012; “State of Obesity,” 2016). Worksites offer opportunities to stimulate behavior change through environmental supports and provide natural structures for social support; therefore, worksites are ideal locations for teaching and implementing health promotion programs (Beresford et al., 2001; Salinardi et al., 2013; Sorensen et al., 1996; Touger-Decker et al., 2008). The Social Ecological Model (SEM), which illustrates that various factors are intertwined at multiple levels to influence behaviors, has been shown to produce significant …

Assessment Of Ems Workforce In Nebraska With Future Strategies, Matt Holt

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Well-trained and fully staffed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) play a key role in improving the health of the surrounding community through rapid response, on scene care, and transportation to an appropriate facility. EMS is an integral part of the community, vital to limiting the severity of injuries, preventing morbidity, and improving the health of their populations. In order to ensure Emergency Medical Services in Nebraska are able to meet the needs of their populations and continue providing high-level care, an assessment of the State’s EMS workforce was conducted. By completing a workforce assessment, we gained a better understanding of the …

Examination Of Collaborative Efforts Of Central District To Achieve Success Of The Community Health Improvement Plan, Liene Topko

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This was a quality improvement project that helped Central District Health Department (CDHD) work more closely with their community partners to identify the activities and programs that are currently in place to address priority health needs that were included in the 2016 Comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The purpose of this project is to identify the specific activities and programs that are being implemented by the health department and community partners in relation to the priority needs. These activities and programs were identified by conducting a survey of the major community partners. The findings from the survey helped to …

Primary Care Provider’S Perspectives Of Integrating Public Health Into The Prevention And Management Of Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus In Rural Nebraska, Emma Frost-Briley

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Through the 2011 Community Health Needs Assessment, the Four Corners Health Department has identified type II diabetes mellitus as one of the communities top concerns within their communities. The goals of this project were: to develop a survey to assess the state of current practices of primary care providers on type II diabetes mellitus in the health department district, to identify primary care providers views on prevention, treatment, and management of type II diabetes mellitus in the health department district, and to examine primary care providers and local health department’s views on how primary care and public health can be …

Employee Wellness At Private Clinic In Omaha, Ne: Social Marketing And Health Communications Perspective, Olivia Chambers

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates (MGI) is a private clinic in Omaha, Nebraska that reached out to the College of Public Health for assistance in the clinic’s employee wellness program. An MPH student with a background in health and wellness provided MGI with a health promotion intervention to increase employee participation rates. A change was made to the wellness program in 2017 away from monthly health challenges and points—to small gifts distributed to all employees to increase engagement and morale. An initial program evaluation was performed to understand employee understanding and needs. Discovered was the need for an outlet employees could turn …

The Exploration Of Historical, Cultural, And Healthcare Utilization Factors When Clinically Treating Refugee Patients: Healthcare Providers’ View, Kandy Do

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The objective of this project is to explore historical, cultural, and healthcare utilization factors that are significant to healthcare providers in their practice to clinically treat refugee patients holistically and equitably. Semi-structured interviews supported by a pre-interview questionnaire were conducted with 14 healthcare providers, who have experience in working with refugee patients. Purposive and snowball sampling method was used to recruit 14 healthcare providers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Descriptive analysis was performed on the pre-interview questionnaire results. To our knowledge, there is limited research exploring historical, cultural, and healthcare utilization factors that are relevant for providing …

Epidemiologic And Spatial Differences In Colorectal, Lung, Breast, And Prostate Cancer Mortality-To-Incidence Ratios Between Blacks And Whites In Louisiana, Anas Almatrafi

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mortality and Incidence rates are widely used as indicators of health disparities among different racial groups. The current study used the mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) to provide a better population-based indicator of survival that can be used as an alternative and more accurate measure of the fatality based on incidence. This study intended to calculate and map MIRs for colorectal, lung and bronchus, breast and prostate cancers in Louisiana by race (Blacks vs Whites), sex, age groups, and geography. Age-adjusted mortality and incidence rates were calculated using the latest data release of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program (1973-2014). …

Predictors Of Compliance And Predictive Values Of The Breast Cancer Screening Program Of The Oman Cancer Association (2009-2016), Sultan Al Balushi

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Most breast cancers in Oman are diagnosed at advanced stages and therefore early detection is important. The Oman Cancer Association (OCA) initiated a mobile mammography program in 2009 but no studies have evaluated the impact of the program. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of OCA-screened women who had repeated mammography (compliance) and the associated predictors. The sensitivity and specificity of the program were also evaluated.

Methods: Data for 13,079 women screened in the mammography clinic of OCA from 2009-2016 and medical records of all breast cancer patients seen at Royal and Sultan Qaboos University hospitals during the …

Three-Dimensional Context Rather Than Nls Amino Acid Sequence Determines Importin Α Subtype Specificity For Rcc1., Rajeshwer S. Sankhala, Ravi K. Lokareddy, Salma Begum, Ruth A. Pumroy, Richard E. Gillilan, Gino Cingolani

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Active nuclear import of Ran exchange factor RCC1 is mediated by importin α3. This pathway is essential to generate a gradient of RanGTP on chromatin that directs nucleocytoplasmic transport, mitotic spindle assembly and nuclear envelope formation. Here we identify the mechanisms of importin α3 selectivity for RCC1. We find this isoform binds RCC1 with one order of magnitude higher affinity than the generic importin α1, although the two isoforms share an identical NLS-binding groove. Importin α3 uses its greater conformational flexibility to wedge the RCC1 β-propeller flanking the NLS against its lateral surface, preventing steric clashes with its Armadillo-core. Removing …

Animal Welfare Frames: How Social Media Messages Bridge The Gap Between The Protein Industry And Consumers, Olivia Norton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The two articles in this thesis used content analysis to analyze and compare animal welfare related website and Twitter content of the top five animal protein producing companies in the United States. In the first article, the animal welfare website content of Cargill, Tyson Foods Inc., Smithfield, JBS® and Sysco were analyzed for persuasive frames, common topics, and key terminology to describe their corporate positions on animal welfare. Sysco’s main page devoted to animal welfare dominated the word count with 1,045 words, while JBS®’s main animal welfare page used only 265 words to communicate the company’s views. The most commonly …

The Postmodern Novel In Saudi Arabia And America, Mohammed Lafi Alshammari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the early twenty-first century, Saudi Arabia is a global economic power that stands as an equal among the other members of the most powerful economic organizations, including as the Group of Twenty and The World Trade Organization. As a result of this economic status and of Saudi Arabia never having been colonized, recent Saudi novels (especially those published after 2001) can usefully be read postmodern, rather than as postcolonial—the usual paradigm in readings of contemporary Arab novels. To establish a reference point, a comparative approach that engages Saudi and American postmodern novels is applied in this dissertation through the …

New Technologies For Evaluating Putting Green Surface Characteristics, Daniel Patrick O'Brien

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Golf course putting greens require a high level of inputs predicated on timely, well informed decisions. Putting green quality is ultimately defined by performance of the turfgrass, and this performance encompasses both (i) the health and vitality of the turfgrass plants, and (ii) the ability of the turfgrass to exist as a playing surface, as it interacts with the golf ball. For golf course superintendents, accurately and efficiently assessing moisture levels and nutrient status are critical for guiding maintenance practices. This research sought to examine new ways for measuring each of these parameters, and compared them to ground-truth data and/or …

The Development Of A Wayfinding Smart Phone Application As A Large Healthcare Facility Investment Opportunity, Jessie Fortson Marshall

Doctoral Projects

Health care is a continually growing field. New hospitals are constantly being built, while older facilities are experiencing renovation and expansion. With this growth comes a set of difficulties for patients as they try to navigate through large, multi-building facilities. Most large facilities have multiple parking garages, numerous buildings, and medical towers with an unending number of floors. Patients are forced to rely on directional signage to find their destination that is often insufficient. Attempting to navigate through large facilities is often overwhelming for visitors leading to frustration and stress.

New technology has allowed a convenient solution to this problem …

Unionization And The Development Of Policies For Non-Tenure Track Faculty: A Comparative Study Of Research Universities, Karen H. Cross

UIC Law Open Access Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Opstal's "The Next Worship: Glorifying God In A Diverse World" (Critical Book Review), Lindsay Van Sicklen

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

School Of Law Faculty And Professional Staff, Journal Editors

Journal of Food Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

The Blight Of The Bumblebee: How Federal Conversation Efforts And Pesticide Regulations Inadequately Protect Invertebrate Pollinators From Pesticide Toxicity, Emily Helmick

Journal of Food Law & Policy

This article explores the Endangered Species Act's conservation efforts towards the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee as a case study that highlights the gaps in protections afforded to invertebrate pollinators. It focuses on how the law does not adequately protect endangered invertebrate pollinators from inadvertent pesticide poisoning and introduces the threat that this poses to our food system.

December 2017, Marci Grant

The CETL Correspondent

CETL, SWOSU, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning