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Corporate Social Responsibility And Corporate Governance, Cynthia A. Williams

Articles & Book Chapters

Corporate social responsibility has become a subject of growing importance in business and law. Today, no analysis of corporate governance systems would be complete without considering the pressures on companies to be seen as responsible corporate citizens. This chapter first provides a descriptive overview of developments in the field, including increasing voluntary and required environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure; and proliferating voluntary and multilateral standards for responsible corporate behavior. This chapter then reviews some of the more significant empirical evidence on the financial results of companies’ implementation of corporate responsibility initiatives, including the effects of such initiatives on innovation, …

Bulletin: General Catalog Issue 2018-2019, Portland State University

Bulletin & Curriculum Change Documents

Volume 1 - Programs is available via the Download option, Volume 2- Courses is available in the Additional Files below

Existing Ecological Conditions And Management Recommendations For A Portion Of The Chehalem Ridge Nature Park, Oregon, Amanda Pole

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Effective land management and habitat restoration work rely on the collection of baseline information regarding the existing conditions of the planning area. Existing conditions assessments can include such information as hydrologic conditions, botanical species assessment, land use issues, wildlife surveys, habitat distribution/quality assessments, etc. This project provides Oregon Metro’s Parks and Nature department with updated information regarding the existing conditions of a portion of the Chehalem Ridge Nature Park (CRNP) as well as recommendations and supplemental maps to aid in future management planning.

Within the ~61-acre project area exist several habitat types: a developing seasonal wetland, riparian forest, Douglas-fir forest, …

X-Rated And Excessively Long: Ji-Amari In Hayashi Amari's Tanka, Jon P. Holt

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a fixed 31-syllable form of short poetry, Japan's tanka is one of the world's oldest forms of still-practiced poetry, with examples perhaps dating back to the fifth century. In the modern periods of Meiji (1868-1912) and Taishō (1912-1926), poets radically reformed the genre, expanding diction beyond millennium-old classical limits, thereby allowing poets to write not only about cherry blossoms and tragic love but also about things like steam trains and baseball games; although today many tanka poets in practicing circles still employ classical Japanese, many modern masters innovated the genre by skillfully blending in colloquial language. Like their modern …

Correlates Of Hepatitis C Positivity Among People Who Inject Drugs In Ukraine, Serhii Myroshnychenko

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Social Control, Family Structure, And Juvenile Delinquency In Fragile Families, Alison Van Glad

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Families come in many different structures and sizes, therefore; it is critical to examine how families impact children. Empirical research has shown that a child’s upbringing has the potential to influence delinquent behavior. However, existing literature using Fragile Families has not tested this association at the most recent wave. This thesis examines the relationship between family structure, relationships with parents, conventional beliefs, parental incarceration and juvenile delinquency at age 15 using Hirschi’s social control theory. Data from year 15 of Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing is employed to test these relationships using ordinary least squares regression models. Models one through …

Rack1 Is A Critical Component In Ires-Mediated Translation, Ethan Asher Lafontaine

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Due to its sheer number of interacting partners, core ribosomal protein RACK1 is a key player in many cellular processes and has been shown to play a vital role of translation initiation of the Hepatitis C virus RNA. The HCV 5′ untranslated region contains an internal ribosome entry site. IRES-mediated translation is a process employed in eukaryotes by select viruses and some cellular mRNAs by which translation initiation bypasses the canonical mRNA cap-dependent pathway by means of an RNA secondary structure (the IRES). While cap-dependent translation requires the recruitment of a suite of initiation factors, IRES-mediated translation requires few to …

From Bottle Rockets To Tomahawks : The Production Of Anti-Ship Missiles, Land Attack Cruise Missiles, And Short-Range Ballistic Missiles, Nolan Fahrenkopf

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

What explains the variation in the sophistication of states military production capabilities? This dissertation analyzes this broader question by looking at the development of production capabilities of an arms sector that has required constant innovation—anti-ship missiles (ASMs), land attack cruise missiles (LACMs), and short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs). I theorize that military innovation is driven by a combination of supply-side factors involving scientific and technical (S&T) human capital and demand-side factors including security, economic, and normative motives. This dissertation explores the factors associated with the proliferation of ASMs, LACMs, and SRBMs as part of a three-essay dissertation. The chapters on ASMs …

Control Of Striatal Activity By Neuronal Glutamate Transporters, Modhurika De

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The basal ganglia are subcortical nuclei that control the execution of learnt motor behaviors and emotions. The striatum, the main output nucleus of the basal ganglia, receives glutamatergic inputs from the cortex and thalamus and sends GABAergic inputs to the sub-thalamic nucleus via the axonal projections of D1- and D2-receptor (D1R and D2R) expressing medium spiny neurons (D1- and D2-MSNs, respectively). The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) is mainly involved in movement execution, whereas the ventromedial striatum (VMS) regulates emotions. Excitatory inputs onto D1- and D2-MSNs are mediated by post-synaptic ionotropic (GluA, GluN) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRI). The diffusion distance of …

Language Socialization Of Mainland Chinese Adolescents In U.S. Science Classrooms, Fang Yu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Secondary schools in the United States are enrolling an increasing number of Mainland Chinese students, and this cohort of students is often seen as a “model minority” that can achieve academic success without much if any, extra support. However, many Chinese students encounter difficulties not only in learning English but in learning other content areas raising questions as to what they experience as the affordances and constraints to their learning.

Matter, Memory, Multiverse : The Prism Of Reality, Sean William Johnson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

When Isaac Newton conducted his prism experiment, and discovered a “new theory of light and colours,” the experiment had far more social and scientific import than he could have anticipated. In his paper, Newton broke “whiteness” down into its true, conglomerate, multi-layered essence. “For the first time,” a phrase that was used quite a bit during the Enlightenment and Restoration of the 17th-18th centuries, whiteness was understood as a composite that contained every other colour. What happens to the paradox of the Enlightenment-- predicated upon “individuality” that was strangely restricted to white males-- when the very basis of “whiteness” has …

The Effects Of Pre-Pregnancy Tobacco Use On Food Cravings And Weight Gain In Pregnancy, Lauren E. Blau

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Smoking cessation is associated with greater frequency of food cravings, even when controlling for body mass index. Recent studies have indicated similarities between obese women and women who smoke tobacco in mood states and food craving frequency. This is consistent with the common substrate hypothesis, which postulates that shared neural pathways mediate craving across multiple domains, and could explain why it is common for women attempting to quit smoking to gain weight. Smoking cessation prior to pregnancy is strongly encouraged due to the adverse effects of tobacco use on the developing fetus. Studies have shown that women who quit smoking …

Testing The Effectiveness Of A Sct-Based Peer Wellness Coaching Training Program In Enhancing Health Self-Efficacy And Outcome Expectations Among Undergraduate Peer Educators, Abigail Dubovi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Peer health education (PHE) is a widely implemented approach to health promotion on college campuses. Based on its emphasis on vicarious learning and social persuasion, social cognitive theory (SCT; Bandura, 2000) is frequently cited to account for the proposed mechanisms of PHE. However, to date, no prior studies have developed and tested the utility of a SCT-based PHE training program in improving theoretically consistent outcomes among peer educators. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and test the effectiveness of a 15-week, SCT-based peer wellness coaching (PWCTP) training program in enhancing health self-efficacy (HSE) and outcome expectations …

Examining The Role Of Impulsivity And Expectancies In Predicting Marijuana Use : An Application Of The Acquired Preparedness Model, Rachel Luba

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Impulsivity and substance use covary. Smith’s acquired preparedness model

The Independent And Joint Effects Of Prenatal Depression And Mercury Exposure On Infant Birth Size Outcomes : A Preliminary Analysis, Meredith Spivak

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Prenatal exposure to depression and mercury have been independently linked to adverse infant outcomes. Though results specific to birth size remain inconsistent, they are generally associated with smaller infant anthropometrics. Increasingly, research has shifted towards examining co-occurring, cross-disciplinary exposures, and thus more studies are examining if and how psychosocial and environmental exposures jointly contribute to health. This study examines the independent effects of prenatal depression and mercury exposures on infant birth size, and also whether these exposures jointly contribute to adverse infant birth size outcomes. This study uses data from the Albany Infant and Mother Study (AIMS), an ongoing birth …

An Investigation Of Implicit And Explicit Memory In The Survival Memory Paradigm, Allison M. Wilck

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Robust support has been found for a survival processing effect on memory when information is encoded for its fitness-relevance (Nairne, Thompson, & Pandeirada, 2007). However, support for this effect has been limited to forms of memory that require intentional, explicit retrieval processes. Thus far, the literature has failed to identify the effect in implicit, automatic memory using conceptual and perceptual production tasks (McBride, Thomas, & Zimmerman, 2013; Tse & Altarriba, 2010). In the current study, an alternative implicit memory test that employs different memory processes was employed in a further attempt to examine the survival processing effect in implicit memory. …

Modulation Of Cytokine Signaling In Optic Nerve Regeneration In Xenopus Laevis, Rupa Priscilla Choudhary

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The axons of the optic nerve, like other central nervous system (CNS) axons, tend to lose their capacity to regenerate following an injury in adult amniotes, but these axons are able to regenerate throughout life in anamniotes. In mammals, optic axon regeneration is promoted by inhibiting the increased expression in retinal ganglion cells of a cytokine signaling molecule, Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 (SOCS3), that accompanies injury. In animals capable of regeneration, SOCS3 mRNA expression also increases dramatically in retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury, but somehow this increase is insufficient to block regeneration. To gain insights into how …

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Thyroid Hormones, And Neuropsychological Function Among Older Adults From Upstate New York, Eva M. Tanner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants linked to changes in cognitive function and thyroid hormone (TH) levels. However, most studies of PCBs and cognitive function were conducted among children. No studies among older adults have prospectively collected PCB and cognitive performance measurements to evaluate the association over time, and no longitudinal studies have evaluated the association between PCBs and THs over time among a non-occupationally exposed population. Further, the biological mechanism by which PCBs impact cognitive function is unknown, but may be mediated by THs. In addition, reliable self-reported survey data is necessary to obtain precise …

The Influence Of Submandibular Salivary Gland Mesenchyme On The Proacinar Epithelial Cell Phenotype, Zeinab Farajallah Hosseini

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Current treatments for patients suffering from salivary hypofunction are insufficient and there is clinical need for regenerating the damaged tissue and restoring function of the gland. Reconstruction of 3D architecture is essential for stimulating secretory differentiation of epithelial progenitor cells in the salivary gland, which involves input from extracellular matrix and basement membrane as well as heterotypic cell interactions. However, the specific requirements for differentiation of secretory progenitor cells in salivary glands remain unclear. To determine what mechanisms and factors are required to promote proacinar differentiation, we isolated primary epithelial cells from embryonic day 16 (E16) submandibular salivary gland (SMG) …

Stargazin And Gamma-4 Slow The Rate Of Channel Opening And Closing Of Glua4 Ampa Receptors, Vincen David Pierce

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The ionotropic glutamate receptors are localized in the pre- and postsynaptic membrane of neurons, and they mediate the majority of the fast excitatory synaptic transmission. These receptors are divided into three subtypes: α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), kainic acid, and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors. AMPA receptor properties are critically dependent on the presence of auxiliary transmembrane proteins, such as transmembrane AMPA receptors regulatory proteins (TARPs). TARPs are the most widespread and well-studied family of auxiliary proteins. For example, the co-assembly of TARPs with AMPA receptors increases the affinity for glutamate, and reduces voltage-dependent blockade by cytoplasmic polyamines in AMPA receptors that lack …

Differentiation Of Potential False Positives From Human Saliva Using Raman Spectroscopy For Forensic Purposes, Selina Casadei

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Traces of body fluids can be found at a crime scene. Being able to identify and differentiate the body fluids while preserving DNA is fundamentally important for forensic applications. Saliva is an important body fluid that can be found on bite marks, cigarette butts, and more, being an excellent source for DNA extraction. Current tests for saliva and other body fluids are destructive and body fluid specific, and are prone to false positives. Our laboratory has developed a universal method for identification of all main body fluids; saliva, semen, sweat, peripheral blood, and vaginal fluid, using Raman spectroscopy combined with …

Technology Development For Detection Of Circulating Disease Biomarkers From Liquid Biopsies Using Multifunctional Nanomaterials, Mustafa Balcioglu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite the advance health care, devastating health conditions such as cancer and infectious diseases that affect populations worldwide are too often not diagnosed until morbid symptoms become apparent in the late phase. Obtaining an early and accurate diagnosis that reveal a hidden lethal threat before the disease becomes complicated may dramatically reduce the severity of its impact on the patient’s life and increase the probability of survival. For example, in the case of ovarian cancer, which is the fifth most common malignancy and the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality in women in the US, the 5-year relative survival is …

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Signaling In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis : New Insights Into A Universal Second Messenger, Richard Mcpherson Johnson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite being the focus of intense research for many years Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), remains the deadliest bacterial pathogen plaguing mankind today. Humans are the sole host and reservoir for Mtb, and Mtb has coevolved closely with its human host for thousands of years. Mtb currently infects over two billion people worldwide and over 1.5 million people die from TB each year, arguably making Mtb the most successful bacterial pathogen on the planet.

A Consideration Of Ancient Residues And Their Analysis, Jennifer A. Cardinal

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Identification of specific use(s) of ancient pottery vessels through empirical verification is currently very limited for archaeological investigations. Although we can postulate a range of purposes or functions for certain vessels, empirical confirmation of actual use has been determined only for a minuscule portion of the available vessels. This thesis will provide a broad review of organic analyses as applied to foodstuff residues left on ancient artifacts as well as discuss several considerations for such analysis that are unique to their application to archaeological specimens.

A Later Life Without Children In China : A Cross-Sectional Examination Of Moderators And Mediators Of The Effects Of Childlessness On The Well-Being Of Elders, Junrong Shi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Adult children played a primary role in support and caregiving for the fast-growing older population in China because of the core value of “filial piety” and underdeveloped formal services in the country. However, an increasing amount of Chinese people will end up with having no children in their later years, either nonparental or no children survived. It is important to understand that how the absence of children affects the health and well-being of older adults to better serve this growing vulnerable population. Limited previous studies focused on the childless older people in China, and little is known about the mechanisms …

Regulated Transcriptional Silencing Promotes Germline Stem Cell Differentiation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Pooja Flora

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Germ cells are the only cell in an organism that have the capacity to give rise to a new organism and are passed from one generation to the next. Therefore, to maintain this unique ability of totipotency and immortality, germ cells execute specific functions, such as, repression of a somatic program and contour a germ line-specific pre- and post-transcriptional gene regulatory landscape. In many sexually reproducing organisms, germ cells are formed during the earliest stages of embryogenesis and undergoes several stages of development to eventually get encapsulated by the somatic cells of the gonad. Once, in the gonad, the germ …

Dna Functionalized Nanoparticles In Nanobiosensor And Sensor Array Development For Molecular Diagnostics And In Vitro Identification Of Biomolecules, Mustafa Salih Hizir

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Nucleic acid technology along with vast variety of nanomaterials has demonstrated a great potential in many applications from biosensing studies to molecular diagnostics, from biomedical and bioanalytical research to environmental analysis. Especially short single stranded (ss) DNA molecules, called oligonucleotides, are extraordinary biopolymers featuring diverse functionality on the nanoparticles thanks to their high degree of programmability, target-specific binding or cleavage, molecular recognition ability, structure-switching capability, and unique interactions at the bio-nano interfaces. Among those, there have been many biosensing applications utilizing ss DNAs and numerous nanomaterials through various detection techniques such as fluorometric, colorimetric or electrochemical methods. Although many groundbreaking …

Stress-Strength Estimation And Its Applications In Clinical Trials, Dinesh Kumar

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Stress Strength model P(X

Relationships Among Community Violence Exposure, Physiological Stress Responses, And Resilience In Children, Cheryl Kayleen Best

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study seeks to understand how resilience is affected by physiological stress responses in the context of community violence. The hypothesis of this paper is that physiological indicators of salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) would moderate a relation between community violence exposure in children and the expression of resilience. Forty-nine children aged nine to twelve were recruited from an after-school program located in an area with high levels of community violence. Results supported our hypothesis for sAA as a moderator of the relation between community violence and resilience, such that at high sAA reactivity, a negative relation exists between …

Investigation Of The Ms2 Bacteriophage Capsid As An Mri-Capable, Brain-Targeted Nanoparticle Platform, Stephanie M. Curley

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Novel methods are needed to traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver drugs to specific targets in the brain. To this end, MS2 bacteriophage was explored as a multifunctional transport and targeting vector. The MS2 capsid exterior was modified with two different targeting moieties for delivery across the BBB and targeting specific regions of interest in the brain. Successful modification of MS2 capsids with a brain targeting peptide and NMDAR2D-targeting antibody was confirmed by immunoblotting and fluorescence detection. To measure transport efficiency of MS2 particles across an in vitro BBB model, a highly sensitive RT-qPCR protocol was developed and implemented. …