Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Disability Arts In Ontario, Roxanne Mykitiuk, Eliza Chandler, Nadine Changfoot, Carla Rice, Andrea Lamarre

Articles & Book Chapters

Although Deaf and disability arts has been practiced under this name since the 1970s in Canada, within the last 15 years it has begun to be recognized as its own field of arts practice and production by arts councils and cultural funding bodies (Gorman 2007). Increased funding has accelerated the production of Deaf and disability art and has increased attention from arts organizations and audiences alike. With this leveling-up of Deaf and disability arts comes the advancement of a discourse specific to this sector, one that includes conversations about how we make arts accessible and how we blend accessibility with …

Legal Tools For Cities To Cope With Extreme Heat, Michael B. Gerrard, Edward Mctiernan

Faculty Scholarship

Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. than any other natural hazard – more than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes. As a result of climate change, it is getting worse. Average annual temperatures are now about 1.8°F higher than they were over the period 1895-2016, they will go up to about 2.5°F by mid-century, and if greenhouse gas emissions continue on the current path, they could rise almost 12°F by 2100, and heat waves that now occur once every 20 years could become annual events, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

A Scientific Approach To Understanding The Head Trauma Endured By A Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, John William Michael Sorbello

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to gain some insight on the type of head trauma an athlete may encounter during mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. These athletes endure continuous blows to the head throughout their training and fighting career. The knowledge obtained from this research may assist MMA athletes and trainers in assessing the way they train, how they compete and, more importantly, how long they choose to compete in their amateur or professional MMA career.

The analysis is performed by first creating a three-dimensional solid model of the human head based on geometric coordinates originally obtained from a …

Fiscal Effort For Pre-Kindergarten Spending And Early Literacy Achievement In Virginia, Patricia S. Williams

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is a plethora of available early childhood education research linking participation and funding to short- and long-term benefits for individuals, society, and the economy. Educational advocates, social justice proponents, and economists agree that pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) education is the best human capital investment to spur economic growth and wealth. States are faced with choices and challenges concerning Pre-K investments as a vehicle to realizing desired literacy outcomes. Virginia, in particular, is stifled by below-average proficiency rates on national and state reading assessments, as well as declines school readiness skills and early literacy rates. For this reason, the intent of this …

Effects Of Knee Sleeves On Knee Mechanics During Squats At Variable Depths, Alexandria A. Trypuc

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The squat is a functional, compound and multi-joint exercise that targets several muscles of the lower body and is widely used in both athletics and many exercise programs. This exercise has been the subject of many studies, comparing different squat variations and examining how external gear, such as squat suits and knee wraps impact the exercise. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of wearing neoprene knee sleeves on lower extremity kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activations during weighted back squats. Fifteen resistance trained men and women, aged 28±5 years, from the local fitness community and university campus …

Review: Application Of Tick Control Technologies For Blacklegged, Lone Star, And American Dog Ticks, Alexis White, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Tick population control technologies have been studied for several decades but no method is successful in all situations. The success of each technology depends on tick species identity and abundance, host species identity and abundance, phenology of both ticks and hosts, geographic region, and a multitude of other factors. Here we review current technologies, presenting an overview of each and its effect on three common tick species in the eastern United States: blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis (Say; Ixodida: Ixodidae)), lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus; Ixodida: Ixodidae)), and American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis (Say; Ixodida: Ixodidae)). Moreover, …

A Multi-Criteria And Dynamic Sustainability Assessment Of Crop Rotation Alternatives, Saturnina Fabian Nisperos

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

With the food security challenge faced by nations globally, agriculture sustainability has been a significant consideration for concerned agencies. Sustainability assessments are significant tools in providing support to stakeholders in their crop production planning. Agricultural sustainability assessment, however, is complex and it involves numerous criteria that can be conflicting. Limitations on crop rotation sustainability assessment methods include: non-dynamic assessment; lack of regard to cover crops and to the individual crop production preferences of farmers; and focused only on single-year and single-crop rotation. We sought to address these limitations by developing a multi-criteria and dynamic sustainability assessment model that considers the …

Detection Of Cyanotoxins (Microcystins/Nodularins) In Hepatic Tissues And Epidermal Mats Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Northeast Florida, Amber Brown

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The St. Johns River (SJR; Jacksonville, FL, USA) is a large, brackish, estuarine system characterized by considerable anthropogenic pollution, recurrent harmful algal blooms (HABs), and diverse toxin-producing cyanobacteria. The most prevalent toxins in SJR water samples are microcystins/nodularins (MCs/NODs). Additionally, the SJR provides critical habitat for a genetically and behaviorally distinct estuarine community of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that routinely uses and strands in low mesohaline and oligohaline areas of the river. This population has been subject to two unusual mortality events (UME) since 2010 and has since been described as having substantial declines in population health, characterized …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Malnutrition Education Program In The Outpatient Setting, Chelsey Lauren Armendinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2012 the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) and the American Society for Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ASPEN) published a consensus statement outlining the clinical characteristics recommended for the diagnosis of adult malnutrition, specifically undernutrition. The Academy and ASPEN recognized the need to standardize the approach to identify, diagnose and document malnutrition. There continues to be growing awareness that malnutrition plays a significant role on health outcomes and on the course of treatment for patients. The high prevalence of malnutrition at hospital admission identifies the need for more awareness, recognition and treatment at an earlier stage, such as primary …

Cross-Cultural Study Of The Predictors Of Learning In Children Ages 11-15 Years Old, Nadina Melina Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academic achievement is deemed a significant indicator for a successful future. Cognitive ability, home environment, and metacognition are among the many factors research has posited to contribute to academic achievement and later success (Alloway & Alloway, 2010; Bradley & Caldwell, 1984, Veenman, Wilhelm, & Beishuizen, 2004). The present study examines the relation between cognitive ability (working memory (WM) and nonverbal ability), metacognitive awareness, implicit theories of IQ, home environment (socioeconomic status (SES), home life, and parental involvement in homework), and learning outcomes (grades) in two distinct sample populations. The study used a sample of 11-15-year-olds and their parents from two …

Associations Between Parenting, Neurobiological Variables, And Adolescent And Young Adult Risk-Taking, Sarah Meghan Mcclanahan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evidence suggests that adolescence and young adulthood is a transitional stage whereby unique contextual factors may increase the likelihood for certain individuals to engage in risk-taking compared to their peers. In addition to influential environmental aspects (i.e. parenting, societal affiliations, peer influence) an adolescent’s and young adult’s underdeveloped cognitive control system is unable to successfully inhibit early maturing tendencies such as sensation seeking and reward sensitivity. However, previous research indicates that certain parental mechanisms may serve as protective/promotive agents for stabilizing this neurobiological imbalance. Therefore, the focus of the current research was to examine how parenting behaviors and styles moderate …

Interdisciplinary Healthcare Teams, Heather Derrick

SPNHA Review

Interdisciplinary healthcare teams have emerged in response to dilemmas that arise when healthcare professionals operate in their own silos. The benefits of interdisciplinary teams has been widely touted as the answer to patient safety and other desirable health outcomes. The 2001 Institute of Medicine report identified six dimensions for quality 21st century healthcare: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. This paper explores the dynamics of interdisciplinary care teams in healthcare organizations in the United States. It is hypothesizes that, when an interdisciplinary care team model is used, patient outcomes and staff satisfaction will improve. Based on the review of …

Aging Research Using The Common Marmoset: Focus On Aging Interventions, Corinna N. Ross, Adam B. Salmon

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Traditional animal models have been used to make seminal discoveries in biomedical research including a better understanding of the biology of the aging process. However, translation of these findings from laboratory to clinical populations has likely been hindered due to fundamental biological and physiological differences between common laboratory animals and humans. Non-human primates (NHP) may serve as an effective bridge towards translation, and short-lived NHP like the common marmoset offer many advantages as models for aging research. Here, we address these advantages and discuss what is currently understood about the changes in physiology and pathology that occur with age in …

Water-Energy-Food Nexus Stakeholder Information Sharing And Engagement Workshop, Rudolph A. Rosen, Bassel Daher, Rabi Mohtar

Water Resources Science and Technology Book and E-Book Publications and Reports (Archived)

On January 10, 2018, the Texas A&M University System Water-Energy-Food Initiative held the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Stakeholder Information Sharing and Engagement Workshop on the campus of Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The workshop involved over 70 stakeholders drawn from the water, energy, and food sectors in San Antonio and surrounding region. Stakeholders attending the workshop heard presentations on the status of San Antonio Case Study pilot projects and other WEF nexus work. Facilitated small-group sessions were held at the workshop to obtain stakeholder input on research questions to be asked, and on limitations and opportunities for stakeholder engagement on WEF nexus-related work …

Organizational Change For Sustainability: Implications For The Community College, David Ayers, Michael V. Ayers

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

We discuss the theoretical basis for organizational sustainability as well as an introduction to how community colleges might incorporate sustainability into planning and organizational renewal. We then describe drivers of change organized into three categories: dynamic natural environment, globalization, and multinational agreements. Implications for community college policy and practice are discussed. The second half of the paper presents a phase model of organizational change for sustainability.

Energy Drinks And Economic Confidence, Michael Fairbanks

Socionomic Prize Winners and Events (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Genome-Wide Screening Of Potential Rnase Y-Processed Mrnas In The M49 Serotype Streptococcus Pyogenes Nz131, Zhiyun Chen, Rahul Raghavan, Fengxia Qi, Justin Merritt, Jens Kreth

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

RNase Y is a major endoribonuclease in Group A streptococcus (GAS) and other Gram‐positive bacteria. Our previous study showed that RNase Y was involved in mRNA degradation and processing in GAS. We hypothesized that mRNA processing regulated the expression of important GAS virulence factors via altering their mRNA stabilities and that RNase Y mediated at least some of the mRNA‐processing events. The aims of this study were to (1) identify mRNAs that were processed by RNase Y and (2) confirm the mRNA‐processing events. The transcriptomes of Streptococcus pyogenes NZ131 wild type and its RNase Y mutant (Δrny) were …