Digital Commons Network^™

The Tumor Microenvironment Regulates Retinoblastoma Cell Survival, Zachary K. Goldsmith

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignancy in children comprising 4% of all pediatric tumors. Early intervention increases survival rates up to 95% in developed countries; being survival rates associated to socio-economic status. Despite the high survival rates in developed countries, preservation of the eye and vision are continuing challenges in the management of Rb. Vitreous seeds constitute the greatest challenge in treatment of Rb. The unique location of these seeds within the vitreous makes them difficult to treat. Viable seeds showed reduced proliferative capacity and metabolism. making the majority refractory to current chemotherapeutics. This prompted the development of …

Instructor Humor As A Tool To Increase Student Engagement, Carl Christman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As various stakeholders examine the value and quality of higher education, a greater emphasis is being put on educational outcomes. There is constant focus on improving the quality of undergraduate education and one of the keys to this is understanding what makes a good instructor. Effective instructors rely on a variety of tools and techniques to engage their students and help them learn. One common tool that instructors in higher education rely on in the classroom is humor.

The primary research question this study is attempting to answer is: In what ways, if any, does humor infused instruction promote high …

Prioritizing Chemical Constituents In Tobacco Products And Smoke To Predict Developmental Osteotoxicity In Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Joseph Madrid

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Though it is well known that tobacco related products can cause prenatal maldevelopment, very little is known on how tobacco products affect bone tissue as it develops in the embryo. Identifying which chemicals can induce the greatest harm to the prenatal skeletal system is an improbable task as there are over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke alone. We hypothesized that the Toxicological Priority Index (ToxPI) program can be used to rank osteogenic cytotoxicity potential to aid in the assessment of what chemicals out of the thousands can cause osteogenic differentiation inhibition. ToxPI aggregates information from various assays and incorporates them …

Evidence For Divergent Patterns Of Local Selection Driving Venom Variation In Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason L. Strickland, Cara F. Smith, Andrew J. Mason, Drew R. Schield, Miguel Borja, Gamaliel Castañeda-Gaytán, Carol L. Spencer, Lydia L. Smith, Ann Trápaga, Nassima M. Bouzid, Gustavo Campillo-García, Oscar A. Flores-Villela, Daniel Antonio-Rangel, Stephen P. Mackessy, Todd A. Castoe, Darin R. Rokyta, Christopher L. Parkinson

Publications

Snake venoms represent an enriched system for investigating the evolutionary processes that lead to complex and dynamic trophic adaptations. It has long been hypothesized that natural selection may drive geographic variation in venom composition, yet previous studies have lacked the population genetic context to examine these patterns. We leverage range-wide sampling of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) and use a combination of venom, morphological, phylogenetic, population genetic, and environmental data to characterize the striking dichotomy of neurotoxic (Type A) and hemorrhagic (Type B) venoms throughout the range of this species. We find that three of the four previously identified …

Prairie Reconstruction Unpredictability And Complexity: What Is The Rate Of Reconstruction Failures?, Jack E. Norland, Cami Dixon, Diane Larson, Kristine Askerooth, Benjamin A. Geaumont

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

The outcomes of prairie reconstructions are subject to both unpredictability and complexity. Prairie, tallgrass, and mixed grass reconstruction is defined as the planting of a native herbaceous seed mixture composed of multiple prairie species (10 or more) in an area where the land has been heavily cultivated or anthropogenically disturbed. Because of the unpredictability and complexity inherent in reconstructions, some outcomes end up being failures dominated by exotic species. We propose that these failures follow a fat-tailed distribution as found in other complex systems. Fat-tailed distributions follow the Pareto principle, where 80% of the time reconstructions work as expected but …

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (Mers-Cov) – Saudi Arabia

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Reinforcement Learning For Collective Multi-Agent Decision Making, Duc Thien Nguyen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In this thesis, we study reinforcement learning algorithms to collectively optimize decentralized policy in a large population of autonomous agents. We notice one of the main bottlenecks in large multi-agent system is the size of the joint trajectory of agents which quickly increases with the number of participating agents. Furthermore, the noiseof actions concurrently executed by different agents in a large system makes it difficult for each agent to estimate the value of its own actions, which is well-known as the multi-agent credit assignment problem. We propose a compact representation for multi-agent systems using the aggregate counts to address …

The Depravity Of The 1930s And The Modern Administrative State, Steven G. Calabresi, Gary Lawson

Faculty Scholarship

Gillian Metzger’s 2017 Harvard Law Review foreword, entitled 1930s Redux: The Administrative State Under Siege, is a paean to the modern administrative state, with its massive subdelegations of legislative and judicial power to so-called “expert” bureaucrats, who are layered well out of reach of electoral accountability yet do not have the constitutional status of Article III judges. We disagree with this celebration of technocratic government on just about every level, but this Article focuses on two relatively narrow points.

First, responding more to implicit assumptions that pervade modern discourse than specifically to Professor Metzger’s analysis, we challenge the normally unchallenged …

Case Study: Environmental Requirements And Its Impacts Upon The Conservation Center For Wildlife Care, Chase Flemmer

Construction Management

As the population of California continues to grow, urban spaces are rapidly being developed into areas considered to be environmentally sensitive. In order to prevent extensive damage to our state’s delicate ecosystems, environmental regulations are often enforced by local organizations during the course of impactful operations such as construction projects. These regulations will often vary from one site to another, depending on a given site’s location and proximity to the environmentally sensitive areas. No two jobs will posses the exact same specifications for dealing with this aspect of construction, and as such some will require more intense regulations than others. …

Epic Adolescence: Contemporary Adolescence In Philip Pullman’S His Dark Materials, Chloe Felterman

Master's Theses

To find the truth of a societal construct or phenomena, it can help to look at the world of fiction and fantasy. Though this idea may seem ironic or counter-intuitive, one will find that fictional literature can reveal the working order of its respective society. Philip Pullman’s epic fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials, uses and manipulates the traditional constructs of the genre to reflect and re-imagine the concepts of adolescence of the late-20^th and early-21^st centuries. Eleven-year-old protagonist Lyra Belacqua and subsequently her cohort, Will Perry, reveal the complications and difficulties modern American and British adolescents experience as …

Comparative Analysis Of Mosquito Trap Counts In The Peruvian Amazon: Effect Of Trap Type And Other Covariates On Counts And Diversity, George W. Peck, Fanny Castro-Llanos, Victor Lopez-Sifuentes, Erica Lindroth

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Efficient detection of multiple species of adult mosquitoes in various habitats using effective traps is a crucial 1st step in any disease prevention program. Novel trap types that target tropical vectors of human diseases require field testing in the habitat of the vector–disease system in question. This paper analyzes a series of mosquito trapping studies conducted at Mapacocha, San Juan Bautista District, Loreto, Peru, during August–September 2013 and April–May 2014. Six trap configurations were evaluated in forest and rural locations. Adult mosquito counts were analyzed using full Bayesian inference of multilevel generalized linear models and posterior probability point estimates of …

Evaluation Of Bike Boxes And Protected Intersections With Bicycle Signal Treatments For Improving Safety And Multimodal Mobility At Urban Signalized Intersections, Odai Al Houz

Masters Theses

With the dramatic increase of non-motorized transportation users, more people are concerned about the non-motorized traffic safety. Unfortunately, bicyclist and pedestrian are prone to more severe injuries when involved in a crash. For bicycle crashes, failing to yield/disregarding traffic control device, and lack of non-motorized facilities were identified to be the main causes of bicycle crashes in urban intersections. This research investigated the effectiveness of two bicycle crash countermeasures with bicycle signal treatments at urban signalized intersections. The two countermeasures are the bike boxes and the protected intersections. The bicycle signal treatments are the leading bicycle interval and the exclusive …

Scientometric Analysis Of Synthetic Fiber Literature, Senthil Kumar P.A., Baskaran C

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

A Quantitative study of research papers published in Synthetic Fiber Research from 2008-2017 was undertaken to investigate the research output in this field. The study made by applying various parameters for capturing the trend-growth pattern of the literature, Relative Growth Rate, Doubling Time, authorship pattern, Prolific author and Top ranking Journals etc., The data were obtained from scopus database. Articles published from 2008 – 2017 were taken for this study. A total of 2594 articles were published in this field with an yearly average of 259.4 articles. . Out of the 2594 articles, the majority of the articles 421 (16.23%) …

Ecological Stoichiometry: What Role Does It Play In The Competition And Spatial Distribution Patterns Of Aedes Albopictus And Aedes Aegypti?, James Deerman

Master's Theses

Ecological stoichiometry is the balance of chemical substances within animal bodies through interactions and processes within their ecosystem. Though relatively underexplored, it provides a wealth of information linking interactions across different levels of organization. Detritus is the base of the food web within the small aquatic ecosystems occupied by the mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. Nutrient content of detritus varies, but it can have a negative effect on mosquito growth and survival if nutrient thresholds are not met. I investigated nutrient environments and species abundance in cemetery vases in New Orleans, LA to assess detrital heterogeneity and its …

Political Beliefs, Region Of Residence, And Openness To Firearm Means Safety Measures To Prevent Suicide, Sarah E. Butterworth

Master's Theses

Firearms account for approximately half of all suicides in the US and are highly lethal, widely available, and popular; thus, firearms are an ideal candidate for targeted means safety interventions. However, despite their value as a suicide prevention tool, firearm means safety strategies are not widely utilized, possibly due to factors which impede openness to their use. This study examined the relationship between region, political beliefs, and openness to firearm means safety in a sample of 300 American firearm owners. Overall, firearm owners were more willing to engage in means safety for others than for themselves and to store firearms …

Using Personality Traits To Predict Pectoral Fin Contact Initiation Role In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Riley Paige Macgregor

Master's Theses

Contact with the pectoral fin facilitates formation and maintenance of social relationships between dolphins (Dudzinski & Ribic, 2017). Additionally, several studies have shown that bottlenose dolphins have distinct personalities that are consistent across time and situation (e.g., Highfill & Kuczaj, 2007; Kuczaj, Highfill, & Byerly, 2012), and it has been suggested that these individual differences (i.e., personality) may influence tactile behavior exchanges. The current study therefore aimed to determine if bottlenose dolphin personality traits predict whether and how dolphins initiate contact as a rubber or rubbee during pectoral fin contact exchanges, and to identify whether the effects of personality traits …

The Return Of The Dead: Resurrecting Chappell's Family Gathering, Jonathan Moore

Master's Theses

This thesis examines Fred Chappell’s virtually overlooked collection of poetry Family Gathering (2000), and how the poems operate within the mode of the grotesque. I argue that the poems illuminate both the southern grotesque and Roland Barthes’s theory of photography’s Operator, Spectator, and Spectrum. I address Family Gathering as a family photo album full of still shots, snapshots, and even selfies, which illumines how Chappell’s use of the grotesque in this collection derives more from its original association with visual arts rather than only depicting the grotesque typically associated with characteristics deemed explicitly shocking or terrifying. I argue that …

A Computational Analysis Of The Gradient Concentration Profile Of Deet And The Mosquito Behavioral Response, Brandon Carver

Master's Theses

DEET is a common active ingredient in most spatial repellents. DEET is also a volatile organic compound. DEET prevents mosquitoes from detecting and coming into contact with an human individual. Gas sensing technologies such as metal oxide semiconductor sensors can detect VOCs. The World Health Organization provides the majority of efficacy testing methods. This research adapts methods from the WHO and use of MOS sensors to further understand how and why DEET affects mosquitos. A custom developed system is used to measure DEET dissipation and observe mosquito behavioral response to the DEET. DEET dissipations and mosquito behavior is measured within …

A Pilot Study Of Law Enforcement Officer Perceptions Of Noise Induced Hearing Loss, Brianna Ott

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is an effect on an individual’s hearing due to exposure to excessive noise. An individual should receive less than eighty-five decibels of sound over an eight hour time period to ensure their hearing is not damaged. Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) is a population which uses tools throughout a shift, most notably sirens, radios, and firearms, which may contribute to overexposure of sound. This study examines the perceptions of LEOs on the consequences of being subjected to noise. This study seeks to understand noise sources a LEO may encounter and their perceptions about preventing NIHL. This …

Growing On A Scar: Genetic Variation Of Achillea Millefolium Near Meeker, Colorado, Ace Spitzer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mining operations deposit high concentrations of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and vanadium into the topsoil of an ecosystem. These toxic metals can affect flora species health and behavior, causing local extinction and shifts in ecosystem dynamics. However, genetic analyses of some plants growing on toxic soil conditions indicate higher genetic diversity than would be expected in that environment. Determining the effects of soil pollution on plants is important to determine a species’ utility in conservation and restoration. This investigation compared the genetic diversity of western yarrow (Achillea millefolium, Asteraceae), growing near a mine site with vanadium and …

A Data Synthesis Of Melodic Intonation Therapy, Jacqueline Ulfers

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Baby Boomers, one of the largest (modern) generations, made of 76 million people, is entering the prime age to suffer a stroke, which often leads to aphasia. Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT)is a current rehabilitation strategy for aphasia. Determining whether MIT is an effective and efficient treatment is vital because millions are at risk to suffer a stroke and effective rehabilitation strategies must be established. This honors thesis was a systematic review of previous studies written on melodic intonation therapy. The articles reviewed were chosen based on criteria including age of the patient, type of stroke, and immediacy of therapy. …

Trash Talk: The Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Seabirds In Narragansett Bay, Erin A. O'Neill

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a global concern with more than 8 million tons of plastic dumped into our oceans every year. This policy paper assesses plastic pollution in Narragansett Bay and the negative implications it holds on local seabird populations. Also, essential background information on plastic production and throwaway culture is provided. Moreover, the biological significance of seabirds is described, highlighting the vital role such populations play in local ecosystems such as Narragansett Bay. This paper contributes research to the global issue of plastic pollution by observing declining native wildlife life populations, such as seabirds, on a local …

5th Annual Sustainability Report, Saint Mary's College Of California

Sustainability Report

No abstract provided.

‘Haciendas And Plantations’: History And Limitations Of A 60-Year-Old Taxonomy, Marc Edelman

Publications and Research

In 1957, Eric R Wolf and Sidney W Mintz published ‘Haciendas and Plantations in Middle America and the Antilles’ in the Jamaican journal Social and Economic Studies. This article discusses the production of the Wolf and Mintz article, its analytical framework and the theoretical tensions it contains, and its subsequent influence, mainly though not exclusively on anthropological and historical scholarship about large landed properties in Latin America and the Caribbean. ‘Haciendas and Plantations’ appeared at a time when anthropologists such as Elman Service, Charles Wagley, and Marvin Harris were trying to make sense of agrarian Latin America by developing typologies …

The Muck Sisters, Danielle Gonzalez

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

In Defense Of Body Hair, Meg Fellows

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Local Disaster Planning And Preparedness Coordination In The Rio Grande Valley, Cristina L. Madrid

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricanes and flooding events yield complex social and environmental consequences to coastal communities. Disaster preparedness and recovery is a multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdictional effort that requires coordination and planning across many actors.

Existing research recognizes the link between social capital and a community’s ability to respond to and ‘bounce back’ to normalcy after such hazardous events. However, few studies have examined the institutional dimension of social capital among communities noted for high levels of poverty situated in disaster-prone areas along the U.S. Mexico border. We aim to fill this gap by using survey data collected from emergency management practitioners in the …

Analysing Transition Pathways In Developing Cities: The Case Of Nairobi's Splintered Sanitation Regime, Mara J. Van Welie, Pauline C. Cherunya, Bernhard Truffer, James T. Murphy

Geography

Today's rapid global urbanization highlights the need for long-term transformations of basic service sectors in developing cities in order to improve the livelihoods of the urban poor. Sustainability transitions frameworks have proven fruitful for addressing these sort of challenges. However, they have been at pains so far in accounting for the heterogeneity and complexities that typically characterize informal settlements in the Global South. We therefore propose a conceptual framework that extends the conventional analysis of socio-technical regimes by distinguishing the two levels of sectoral regime and service regime. Challenges for sustainability transitions may then be identified by missing alignments within …

An Architectural Design And Evaluation Of An Affective Tutoring System For Novice Programmers, Hua Leong Fwa

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Affect is prevalent in learning and it influences students’ learning achievement. This paper details the design and evaluation of an Affective Tutoring System (ATS) that tutors student in computer programming. Although most ATSs are purpose built for a specific domain, making adaptation to another domain difficult, this ATS is architected for adaptability and extensibility. This study also addresses a lack of research exploring the theories and methods of integrating affect and learning within the learning process by proposing methods of regulating the negative affect of students. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used for evaluation of the effectiveness of the …

An Examination Of Generational And Gender Differences Among Baby Boomers On The Scale Of Accurate Personality Perception (Sapp), Nicole Lane Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Generations and their differences, as well as the construct of self-knowledge, have been studied at length due to their potential predictive power over an individual’s behaviors. This research proposes to build upon these constructs by blending them together in order to see the differences that exist on various personality dimensions, as well as on self-knowledge, between the Baby Boomer generation and the general population. In order to test these hypotheses, archival data were used. Participants in the archival data set were grouped based on their generation depending on the year of their birth. The federal government, specifically the U.S. Census …