Digital Commons Network^™

The Unequal City: The Mass Criminalization Of The Urban Poor., Elizabeth Michele Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exploring and understanding the widespread use of arrests and incarceration in urban neighborhoods of concentrated poverty is the subject of this dissertation. The research addresses gaps in theoretical debates about the causes of mass criminalization that position the phenomenon as the result of either neoliberalism or racism. In addition, the dissertation explores the impact of mass criminalization on urban citizenship. Urban citizenship is a theoretical frame that considers the substance of the economic, social, political, and mobility dimensions of city life. The research methodology is a case study of two impoverished neighborhoods in the city of Louisville, Kentucky that incorporates …

North American Indigenous Collection And Curation And Its Impact On Market Arts., Adelaide Mccomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the history of two North American Indigenous groups, those belonging to the Great Plains and the Arctic, and observes how settler-colonial influence determined the collection and curation of arts and artifacts in these areas. This art includes a mention of pre-Colombian works, but focuses predominantly on works being made after “first-contact” through the contemporary ear. The paper addresses the effect imperialist history has had on the development of Indigenous art markets, and how institutions such as museums may address them through ethical practices, and efforts to decolonize museum spaces.

Identification And Functional Characterization Of Effectors From An Anther Smut Fungus, Microbotryum Lychnidis-Dioicae., Venkata Swathi Kuppireddy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae causes anther smut fungus in its host plant, Silene latifolia. The goal of this work is to identify and characterize the virulence determinants of this pathogen to better understand the molecular basis behind this host-pathogen interaction. This work studied for the first time the key effectors in the mechanism of infection by this fungal species. Using, yeast two-hybrid screens, I have identified the host plant interaction partners for the effector, MVLG_01732. A second effector MVLG_05720, interacts with other fungal proteins that appear to facilitate the fungal establishment and colonization during the infection. Our findings indicate that a …

Counter Narratives: A Phenomenological Study Of High Achieving African American Male High School Students., De'nay Lanise Speaks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the contributing factors to the success of high achieving African American male high school students who attend an all-male, predominantly Black, college-preparatory academy. The study took place in an urban, Midwestern school district and highlighted the lived experience and perspectives of students who have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory, this study was an effort to bring attention to counter narratives to the otherwise deleterious image portrayed of African American males. The history and plight of the African American male is included to provide a comprehensive understanding of the …

Understanding The Relationship Between Anti-Transgender Bias, Non-Affirmation, And Post-Traumatic Stress: A Model Of Internalized Transphobia-Mediated Post-Traumatic Stress., Sebastian Mitchell Barr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgender people’s increased risk for negative mental health outcomes, when compared to cisgender peers or the general public, has been well documented in the psychological literature. Researchers have begun to establish empirical support for a relationship between anti-transgender bias, non-affirmation of gender identity, internalized transphobia, and other transgender-specific minority stressors. Although little work has explored the mechanisms of this relationship, some psychologists have proposed conceptualizing these factors as potentially traumatic experiences and understanding the poor mental health outcomes as manifestations of complex post-traumatic stress. In this dissertation, I examine whether there is empirical support for this framework by evaluating the …

Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health In The Gambia., Sandhya Lohani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a crucial period in human development. Knowledge and awareness about when to have children, when to have sex, and use of contraceptives impacts the chances of teenage pregnancy and risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors related to age of sexual debut, teenage pregnancy, and use of contraceptives in the Gambia. This study also compares the data with 2014 survey research conducted in the Gambia. The total study population were 50 adolescents aged 13-21 years from Bafuluto and surrounding communities in the Gambia. Among 50 respondents, …

Public Policy And Strategies To Support Institutional And Technological Innovations In The New Water Economy: The Example Of Innovation Technology Clusters In Developing And Diffusing Water Technologies., Craig Francis Barham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A long list of water technologies has been central to human development throughout history. From the well in ancient times to desalination in the contemporary period, water technologies are needed to produce, distribute and treat water to support human life, industry, agriculture, and environmental health. As human development puts intense pressure on the planet's limited fresh water supplies, society is turning to increasingly innovative water technologies to close the supply-demand gap. The water economy represents a significant share of total economic output it its own right, while at the same time water directly or indirectly underpins all other economic activity. …

Furthering Understanding Of Forensic Units: A Detailed Examination Of Knoxville Police Department's Crime Scene Unit., Cassandra Christina Rausch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the past three decades, the criminal justice system has decidedly employed new technologies for the purposes of establishing guilt or innocence. Forensic science, with its synthesis of scientific methodology and investigative considerations of law enforcement, ushered in the development of DNA profiling and forever changed the process of crime scene investigation.This shift in focus also led to a shift in the individuals involved in investigation, producing the widespread formation of stand-alone crime scene units. Utilizing both civilian and sworn employees of a law enforcement agency, these units became responsible for the documentation, collection, and preservation of evidence that would …

The Emperor's New Clothes: How The New Atheists Are Reminding The Humanities Of Their Place And Purpose In Society., David Ira Buckner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will examine the social and intellectual impact of the so-called “New Atheism” as evidenced by the writings and public careers of its four principal protagonists: evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, philosopher Daniel Dennett, journalist Christopher Hitchens, and neuroscientist Sam Harris. I will argue that the New Atheists together provide an account of reality philosophically superior to that of theism, including those superficially sophisticated variations espoused in the writings of scholars William Lane Craig, John Lennox, Allister McGrath, Alvin Plantinga, etc. Yet, even if this were not so, I would still contend that the accessible, informative, and provocative style of …

Lead And Crime: An Ecological Study Between Lead Contaminated Topsoil And Violent Crime., Brian Guinn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lead is a known neurotoxicant. Human exposure to lead comes primarily through environmental exposures, including remnant lead paint, lead contaminated topsoil and lead contaminated water. Prenatal and early life lead exposure has been associated with numerous neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders. This dissertation presents findings from an ecological study which evaluated the geospatial association between topsoil lead content and the incidence of FBI designated violent crime in Jefferson County, Kentucky. A total of 412 topsoil samples were collected along roadways (n=300) and from Louisville Metro Parks (n=112). Jefferson County crime data was obtained from the Louisville Metro Police Department – Crime …

Epidermal Growth Factor-Like Ligands Regulate Dimer Selection., Jamie S. Rush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are thirteen known endogenous EGF-like ligands. We previously reported that Betacellulin (BTC) increases ligand-mediated corneal wound healing more than Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) [Peterson et al. (2014) IOVS 55(5):2870-80], although the molecular reason for this is unknown. Despite being better at promoting wound healing via enhanced cell migration, BTC has reduced receptor affinity and weaker induction of EGFR phosphorylation. These data indicate that BTC’s response is not due to enhanced affinity or EGFR-kinase activity. Receptor phosphorylation and proximity ligation assays indicate that BTC treatment significantly increases ErbB3 phosphorylation and EGFR:ErbB3 heterodimers. BTC traffics EGFR at a faster rate than …

The Role Of Aldehyde Dehygrogenase 2 In Liver Injury Caused By Vinyl Chloride And High-Fat Diet., Liya Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background. Vinyl chloride (VC) is an abundant environmental contaminant that causes steatohepatitis at high exposure levels. We have shown previously that low concentrations of VC exacerbate high fat diet (HFD)-induced liver injury in mice. The mechanisms involved in the progression of liver injury caused by VC and HFD include oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) serves as a key line of defense against most reactive aldehydes, including lipid aldehydes (e.g., 4-HNE) and chloroacetaldehyde (VC metabolite). We hypothesize that this defense may play a key role in the interaction between HFD and VC in fatty …

Assessing The Role Of Arsenite In Disrupting The Egfr Signaling Axis., Christine Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase localized on the cell surface. Overexpression of EGFR has been used as biomarkers for many different types of cancers, including lung cancer. There is a strong association between arsenic and lung cancer development, although the mechanism is unclear. We hypothesize that chronic exposure of “a physiologically relevant” level of arsenite disrupts the EGFR endocytic trafficking. The goal of this project is to identify molecular mechanisms and roles of chronic arsenite-induced EGFR overexpression in lung cancer development. A non-malignant human bronchial epithelial cell line, Beas-2B cells were exposed to 100 …

Particulate Hexavalent Chromium Does Not Induce Centrosome Amplification In Sperm Whale And Bowhead Whale Cells., Jennifer Haruka Toyoda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a widespread environmental and occupational carcinogen. The mechanism of carcinogenesis remains poorly understood, but chromosome instability (CIN) is the dominant theory. How numerical CIN arises is unclear, but it correlates with centrosome amplification. Both phenotypes are hallmarks of cancers, early events in carcinogenesis, and have been shown to occur after Cr(VI) exposure to human skin and lung fibroblasts. In this study, we investigate numerical CIN and centrosome amplification in whale cells. Whales are our closest marine relatives, have long lifespans, and are exposed to environmental Cr(VI). Importantly, they have low cancer rates and cell culture studies …

Flightfit: An Application Enabling Air Travelers To Do Stretches Onboard, Ninglin Jiang

Theses

Currently, with the development of economy and the improvement of people's living standards, more people would prefer traveling by air. However, sitting for extended periods of time on a long flight would be an uncomfortable joyless experience and it may have negative implications for health. A study from the World Health Organisation confirmed that the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) approximately doubles after travel lasting four hours or more. So carrying out some stretches frequently as well as standing up and moving around as often as possible under permitted conditions would help to improve blood circulation and relieve muscle …

The Photometric Effect Of Macroscopic Surface Roughness On Sediment Surfaces, Greg Badura

Theses

The focus of this work was on explaining the effect of macroscopic surface roughness on the reflected light from a soil surface. These questions extend from deciding how to best describe roughness mathematically, to figuring out how to quantify its effect on the spectral reflectance from a soil’s surface. In this document, I provide a background of the fundamental literature in the fields of remote sensing and computer vision that have been instrumental in my research. I then outline the software and hardware tools that I have developed to quantify roughness. This includes a detailed outline of a custom "LiDAR" …

Chinese Ornaments Of The Imperial Robe: A Modern Motif Design Interpretation, Xiaoya Shen

Theses

“Twelve Ornaments” are a group of ancient Chinese symbols and designs that are considered highly auspicious. In ancient China, because they signified authority and power, they were employed in the decoration of textile fabrics, and were embroidered on vestments of state, such as the Imperial Robe. They are the patterns that could represent the essence of Chinese traditional national dress.

This thesis project is based on the analysis, research and summarization of this design history as well as the establishment of effective visual design solutions intended to transform the twelve ornaments into modern motif designs. The design will retain the …

Evaluation Of Alternative Valorization Options For Institutional And Industrial Food Wastes, Swati Hegde

Theses

In recent years many countries and several regions in the United States have passed legislation on banning landfilling of organic waste. It is a well-known fact that organic wastes, including food scraps, generate methane under anaerobic landfill environments and contribute significantly to global warming. As more regions are mandated to follow the landfill ban, there is an increasing demand for alternative technologies for the disposal, treatment and upcycling of food wastes. Disposal and treatment may not result in any value-added products and hence are not the most efficient ways to manage food waste. As food waste has a high energy …

Lumens, Manuel Moreno Lee

Theses

This paper is about the process and creation of my final MFA thesis assignment, a 5 minute and 30 second short animated film titled “Lumens”. This film was primarily animated in 3D and created over the course of two semesters. Lumens is about the journey of an unnamed heroine hunting a creature that swallowed the sun, bringing perpetual darkness into the world. As the heroine travels the dark landscape, she lights up old forgotten lampposts, bringing light back into the world. In the end, the heroine is unable to complete her task and dies in the end, failing to reach …

High School Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy: Traditional Teaching Vs. Teaching With A Learning Management System, Kelly Yolanda Backenstoe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher efficacy has an impact on how students achieve in the classroom. There is a variety of ways teachers help students learn. For example, the method of traditional instruction includes the use of a textbook and teacher lectures. However, a current trend in education is for schools to use a Learning Management System, like Schoology, to help teachers organize and distribute resources to students. This study will help administrators understand if teachers have a stronger or weaker sense of efficacy through the use of traditional instruction or instruction with the use of Schoology. The study is important because administrators need …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Employee Job Satisfaction In Registered Nurses In The Pittsburgh Msa Region, Jeffrey Belsky

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Healthcare worker jobs, particularly in the nursing profession, are among the fastest growing occupations in the United States. However, the nursing field is overwhelmed with an aging workforce, low morale, ineffective leadership practices, employee dissatisfaction, and increased worker turnover. Healthcare organizations have witnessed an increase in employee job dissatisfaction amongst nurses, which ultimately has led to increased employment turnover among other negative consequences such as lack of organizational commitment, absenteeism, reduced patient care, and disgruntled employees. This quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational research examined the relationship between perceived Registered Nurse (RN) job satisfaction and leadership styles in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Organizational Commitment, Work-Life Balance And Voluntary Turnover Intention Of Women Faculty In The Stem Disciplines Within The United States, Sherry Lynn Mathews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Higher education institutions in the United States experience high levels of faculty turnover (Klein & Takeda-Tinker, 2009). Colleges and universities have allowed the phenomenon of high turnover of faculty to become a cultural norm (Figueroa, 2015). Colleges and universities within the United States are specifically facing challenges retaining women faculty in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines (Burnett, Bilen-Green, McGeorge, & Anicha, 2012; Carrigan, O’Leary, Riskin, Yen, & O’Donnell, 2017; Hill, Corbett, & St. Rose, 2010). In this quantitative, correlational study, the relationship of organizational commitment, work-life balance and voluntary turnover intention of women faculty in STEM disciplines …

Agro-Industrial Lignocellulosic Biomass: A Sustainable Platform For The Production Of Α-Amylase And Xylanase A, Rajeev Ravindran

Doctoral

Enzymes such as α-amylase and xylanase offer potential for numerous industrial applications such as food, beverage, and animal feed production, detergents, textile, cosmetics and biodiesel production. Economic factors such as achievement of optimum yields and production cost are the main deterrents in the industrial use of these enzymes. Enzymes are generally produced via microbial fermentation using expensive mediums which account for 30 to 40% of the production cost. Food industry wastes such as spent coffee waste (SCW) and Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) are two of the most common food waste products expelled by the food and beverage industry here in …

Protecting Consumers' Personal Data In The Digital World: Challenges And Changes, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

At the Personal Data Protection Seminar 2017, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, said that Singapore must “aspire towards a high standard of data protection that strengthens trust with the public, gives confidence to customers whose data is collected and used, while providing an environment for companies to thrive in the digital economy”.

Financial Planning Mechanisms Available To Persons With Special Needs In Singapore, Hang Wu Tang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

A woefully underinvestigated area of the law is the management of property rights of persons with special needs. In this chapter, the term ‘special needs’ is defined widely to include people who are incapable of managing their daily financial affairs. The scope of people within this group may include persons with dementia, schizophrenia and intellectual disability as well as vulnerable elders. It should be noted that persons with special needs may have accumulated substantial property before becoming incapable of managing their financial affairs by reason of illness, old age or dementia. Alternatively, they could have inherited or stand to inherit …

Premarital Hepatitis Screening: Attitude Towards Screening And The Risk Factors For Transmission, Ibtehaj M. Alharbi, Badr M. Aljarallah

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To explore all research articles investigating hepatitis premarital screening programs (PSPs) worldwide, considering all different outcomes of such programs, including efficacy, possible limitations to screening, and participants’ knowledge and satisfaction regarding the program. Methods: The present systematic review used the databases of PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Google Scholar to search for articles related to both PSPs and the hepatitis viruses. Research articles were identified between October and December 2017, and articles were selected and extracted based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria from the year 1957 up to 2017. The review included all full-length original articles related to premarital …

Risk Factors And Molecular Features Of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Bacteria At Southwest Of Saudi Arabia, Saleh M. Al-Garni, Mabrouk M. Ghonaim, Ali S. Al-Ghamdi, Farooq A. Ganai

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the risk factors, the prevalence rate, and gene types of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria as the causative agents of infection at King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital (KAASH), Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted during the period between February 2017 and January 2018. All samples obtained from the KAASH were analyzed. The MicroScan Walkaway System, bacteriological examination and double disk synergy tests were used to detect ESBL-producing bacteria. To identify ESBL genes, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used. Results: The ESBL phenotype was detected in 351 of 1151 isolates (30.5%); Escherichia …

Recent-Onset Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Leads To Increase In Wall Thickness Of Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery: An Evidence Of Subclinical Coronary Artery Disease, Suad Hannawi, Haifa Hannawi, Fahda Alokaily, Esperanza Naredo, Ingrid Moller, Issa Al Salmi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the atherosclerotic changes of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA) in patients with early onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Transthoracic echocardiographic scans were performed on 15 early RA patients and 20 control subjects, free of rheumatological diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Out of 15 RA patients, 10 were matched for age and gender with control. Left anterior descending coronary artery wall thickness was compared between RA subjects and their matched control. Among early RA patients, correlation was assessed between LADCA wall thickness and the demographic features, RA activity features, and cardiovascular risk …

Tramping While Black: Press Depictions Of African American Tramps, Hoboes, And Vagabonds On The Postbellum Western Frontier, 1866-1910, Sabrina Cuffie

American Studies Graduate Final Projects

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Information Seeking Pattern And Evaluation Of The Degree Of Its Negativity In Influence - A Cross Sectional Study Among Adolescents Of Dakshina Kannada District, D’Cunha Delma, Prabhu H. Sudhir

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Adolescents are vulnerable group of individuals forming a significantly large proportion of the Indian population. In a bid to satisfy queries and curiosities, adolescents seek various sources for answers. The sources could be highly unreliable at times, but choice is largely made based on convenience and maintenance of anonymity. Aim and objectives: The study was aimed at assessing the sources of information sought by adolescents for various queries and also the impact it had on substance abuse. Methodology: A total of 222 adolescents (age range 10-19 years; mean age= 14.5years) were included in the study. A pre-structured and pretested …