Digital Commons Network^™

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Leading Pedestrian Interval Signals In Nyc, Jeremy J. Sze

Theses and Dissertations

I evaluated the impact of the phased introduction of Leading Pedestrian Interval Signals (LPIs) on collision and injury outcomes at 12,987 signalized traffic intersections in New York City over the course of 25 quarters from 2012 to 2018. An intersection is treated when a LPIs is installed to give pedestrians lead time to cross the street before vehicles are allowed to move. Outcomes from NYPD’s Motor Vehicle Collisions data were matched to signalized intersections. I hypothesize that LPIs would reduce collisions and reduce injuries for pedestrians at intersections. A difference in difference fixed effects panel regression was used to identify …

The Effect Of The Fresh Program On Crime Rate In Nyc, Ashley M. Kraus

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines whether opening up grocery stores in underserved areas in New York City have an affect on the occurrence of crimes in those neighborhoods. Using data from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) grocery stores and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on crime statistics by precinct, regressions are run to determine how the different types of crime varies across precincts over time with the introduction of the FRESH program by employing a difference in difference regression with fixed effects. The primary data for my project …

Altar/Installations By Amalia Mesa-Bains In A Feminist Context, Carmen Del Valle Hermo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the path-breaking art installations and attendant writing of Amalia Mesa-Bains, who fused the home altar traditions of Mexican and Chicana women with contemporary considerations of identity politics and hybridity, naming the form domesticana. It situates her practice within a trajectory of feminist art.

Vision Literature And The Monetization Of Purgatory In Twelfth- And Thirteenth-Century Europe, Peter Colon

Theses and Dissertations

In twelfth- and thirteenth-century Europe, the creation and rise of Purgatory had a tremendous religious, economic, and social impact; but as it spread throughout Christendom, the phenomenon of paid indulgences did too. By analyzing the vision literature of this period, an understanding of Purgatory’s monetization is ultimately arrived at.

A Smartphone App Survey To Encourage Sustainable And Healthy Travel Mode Choices, Paul Rivers

Theses and Dissertations

Can access to carbon footprint and health [calorie and fat burn] information influence transportation behavior? Survey methods are used in conjunction with a smartphone GPS mobile app to measure transportation tendencies in weekdays – weekends, and willingness to undertake modal shift based on app experience over one week.

Repurposed Spaces In Berlin And Johannesburg, Rebecca Kukla

Theses and Dissertations

Berlin and Johannesburg are repurposed cities, which were spatially designed to enforce a defunct social order, and which now must be used in new ways by new residents. Through a reading of several sites in each city, I examine how repurposed urban spaces and their inhabitants shape one another.

The Interface Between Invasive Species And The Increased Incidence Of Tick-Borne Diseases, And The Implications For Federal Land Managers, Ed Clark, Janis Mcfarland, Blaine Parker, Slade Franklin

National Invasive Species Council

Includes information on the dynamics of tick-borne disease, factors affecting the occurrence and density of ticks, matrices of ties between habitat, human activities, invasive plants, and ticks, federal resources and programs related to ticks and vector-borne disease in the United States, with references and an annotated bibliography of literature on ticks, vector-borne diseases, and invasive species.

Faculty Creative Works 2018, University Of Texas At Arlington Library, Ut Arlington Office Of The Provost, Evelyn Barker, Kyle Pinkos

Faculty Creative Works-Archive

University of Texas at Arlington Libraries are pleased to host the eleventh annual UTA Celebration of Faculty Creative Works. This event showcases the art, books, juried exhibits, music, media, patents, and journal contributions of UTA faculty in 2018. The Libraries host this event to shine a spotlight on the impressive depth and breadth of scholarship and creativity produced by UTA faculty. This year, 675 colleagues are represented in these pages and on the Faculty Creative Works website at library.uta.edu/fcw. They have produced over 3,000 works reflecting the innovation, discovery, global impact, and high standards of the University. We congratulate these …

The Future Smart-City: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Global And Technological Innovation On The Evolution Of Economic Systems, Shannon L. Wade

Senior Honors Theses

In 21st century, the current economy is rapidly utilizing globalization to create a vastly different future. With the advent of new technology merging with entrepreneurs who effectively utilize that technology, the economic model is changing. Faster, sleeker, more effective forms of communication and information transfer drive the process of globalization. Production for a single product can happen in multiple countries, companies can operate virtually 24/7 through call centers halfway around the globe, and preliminary smart cities are beginning to emerge to give us a glimpse of the future world. A new category of businesspersons called “prosumers” is emerging and has …

After The Storm: The Importance Of Acknowledging Environmental Justice In Sustainable Development And Disaster Preparedness, Brie Sherwin

Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum

The past decade has brought on some of the worst cases of flooding due to natural disasters and the resulting leaching of some of the most hazardous environmental contaminants back into nearby, often low-income, communities. Natural disasters are not “great equalizers” when it comes to recovery. Lower-income individuals are more likely to live in neighborhoods that are more susceptible to flooding and are near industrial areas and hazardous waste sites, leaving them more vulnerable to toxic leaks from storm damage. There is also a serious inequity when it comes to access to recovery based on average income levels of neighborhoods. …

Speaking To The Heart Of Our Patients: Leading An Empathic Communication Educational Initiative, Dana Mullenbach, Holly Burkhartzmeyer, Lori Arcand, Heather Preston

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

Patient experience continues to be at the forefront of many healthcare organizations. A large Midwestern tertiary-care organization implemented an empathic communication educational initiative in the Department of Nursing through a collaborative partnership between the Department of Nursing and the Office of Patient Experience. The goal was to provide a foundational skill set of empathic communication techniques for Department of Nursing staff across the continuum of care. Empathic communication requires thoughtful educational delivery as well as sustainment in order to acquire confidence and competence in utilization. Patient experience experts have suggested that if communication improves between nurses and patients/families, so too …

On The Nature Of Synesthesia: A Learned Association Or Something Different?, Niyant Vora

Honors Projects

Synesthesia is a phenomenon that has captivated the interest of many researchers, as it is a unique experience of the blending of the senses. The following study was conducted in an effort to understand whether synesthetic experiences can be learned, as Bor, Rothen, Schwartzman, Clayton, & Seth (2014) claimed. While there has been much research demonstrating that synesthesia is more common in the population than previously thought, and likely to develop in young children as a learning mechanism (Watson et al., 2017a), there have not been as many event-related brain potential (ERP) studies conducted on synesthesia. ERP studies are important …

Geologic Mapping Of Lake County, Tennessee, Taylor Weathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Lidar data, lignite boring logs, water well logs, petroleum exploration logs, geotechnical logs, and previously interpreted seismic reflection lines were used to map the stratigraphy and structure beneath Lake County, Tennessee. Structure contour maps were made of the tops of the Paleozoic, Cretaceous, and Eocene. Isopach maps were made of the Cretaceous, Paleogene, and Quaternary sections. A 3-dimensional lithologic model was constructed to illustrate the Quaternary alluvial facies of Lake County in five-foot thick layers. Additionally, a 3-D geological model was built for Lake County, which shows the stratigraphy and structure from the Quaternary to the Paleozoic. Cross sections were …

Longitudinal Homogenization Of The Microbiome Between Both Occupants And The Built Environment In A Cohort Of United States Air Force Cadets, Anukriti Sharma, Miles Richardson, Lauren Cralle, Christopher E. Stamper, Juan P. Maestre, Kelly A. Stearns-Yoder, Teodor T. Postolache, Katherine L. Bates, Kerry A. Kinney, Lisa A. Brenner, Christopher A. Lowry, Jack A. Gilbert, Andrew J. Hoisington

Faculty Publications

The microbiome of the built environment has important implications for human health and wellbeing; however, bidirectional exchange of microbes between occupants and surfaces can be confounded by lifestyle, architecture, and external environmental exposures. Here, we present a longitudinal study of United States Air Force Academy cadets (n = 34), which have substantial homogeneity in lifestyle, diet, and age, all factors that influence the human microbiome. We characterized bacterial communities associated with (1) skin and gut samples from roommate pairs, (2) four built environment sample locations inside the pairs’ dormitory rooms, (3) four built environment sample locations within shared spaces …

Assessing Natural And Mechanical Dune Performance In A Post-Hurricane Environment, Jean T. Ellis, Mayra Alejandra Roman-Rivera

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to document the geomorphic evolution of a mechanical dune over approximately one year following its installation and compare it to the recovery of a natural dune following the impact of Hurricane Matthew (2016). During the study period, the dunes’ integrity was tested by wave and wind events, including king tides, and a second hurricane (Irma, 2017), at the end of the study period. Prior to the impact of the second hurricane, the volumetric increase of the mechanical and natural dune was 32% and 75%, respectively, suggesting that scraping alone is not the optimal protection …

How To Safely Make Interoperable Health Information Exchange A Reality, Julia Adler-Milstein

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

Accessing Middle School Social Studies Content Through Universal Design For Learning, Megan Mackey

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Universal design for learning is intended to provide opportunities for all students to be successful. An exploration of Mr. Morales’s middle school social studies classroom reveals the universal design for learning principles of multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression infused throughout every lesson. These strategies afford access to knowledge and skill development for all students.

Serious Interactive Fiction: Constraints, Interfaces, And Creative Writing Pedagogy, Robert Terry, Lisa Dusenberry

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

To better understand how serious interactive fiction (IF) fits into creative writing pedagogy, we first consider how interface offers both affordances and constraints to the writer. Second, we discuss the ways teaching serious IF foregrounds the benefit of digital tools for creative writing. Third, we examine the interrelationship among research, interface, and procedural rhetoric. Fourth, we present findings from our research study by summarizing and discussing examples from roundtable feedback. We focus on students’ perception of serious IF’s affordances, concluding with how serious IF provides productive constraints for creative writing practice.

The Development Of Newspaper Restaurant Criticism In Ireland, 1988–2008, Claire O'Mahony

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the development of newspaper restaurant criticism in Ireland from 1988 to 2008. This era was a time of considerable economic change in Ireland. It was also a period that saw changing attitudes to food and dining out, as well as a more varied restaurant landscape. This study aimed to determine how the format and focus of newspaper restaurant reviews changed over this time frame. It also explored the role of the restaurant critic, and how reviews reflected developments in Irish food culture and the economy. Using a mixed methods research design, a sample of reviews from the …

Suboptimal Geographic Accessibility To Comprehensive Hiv Care In The Us: Regional And Urban–Rural Differences, Erika G. Martin, Steven P. Masiano, Rose S. Bono, Bassam Dahman, Linsay M. Sabik, Faye Z. Belgrave, Adaora A. Adimora, April D. Kimmel

Public Administration and Policy Faculty Scholarship

Achieving US state and municipal benchmarks to end the HIV epidemic and promote health equity requires access to comprehensive HIV care. However, this care may not be geographically accessible for all people living with HIV (PLHIV). We estimated county-level drive time and suboptimal geographic accessibility to HIV care across the contiguous US, assessing regional and urban–rural differences. We integrated publicly available data from four federal databases to identify and geocode sites providing comprehensive HIV care in 2015, defined as the co-located provision of core HIV medical care and support services. Leveraging street network, US Census and HIV surveillance data (2014), …

Extra-Activism: Counter-Mapping And Data Justice, Dorothy Kidd

Media Studies

Neither big data, nor data justice are particularly new. Data collection, in the form of land surveys and mapping, was key to successive projects of European imperialist and then capitalist extraction of natural resources. Geo-spatial instruments have been used since the fifteenth century to highlight potential sites of mineral, oil, and gas extraction, and inscribe European economic, cultural and political control across indigenous territories. Although indigenous groups consistently challenged maintained their territorial sovereignty, and resisted corporate and state surveillance practices, they were largely unable to withstand the combined onslaught of surveyors, armed personnel, missionaries and government bureaucrats. This article examines …

Confronting Environmental Inequality: Assessing And Mitigating Students' Exposure To Near Roadway Air Pollution In Silicon Valley, Christopher M. Bacon, Iris T. Stewart, Emma Hokoda, Martín Pérez, Genevieve Clow, Rawley Loken, Lindsay Tenes, Katie O'Neill, Socorro Madrigal, Eva Marron

Environmental Studies and Sciences

Near roadway vehicle emissions, such as particulate matter (PM), nitrous oxides, and other contaminants, are major sources of air pollution, which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.¹ Chronic air and noise pollution exposures can also negatively influence cognitive function and student learning. Of greatest concern are concentrations within 500 feet of high traffic street edges, but concentrations can be harmful at distances up to 1320 ft.² Vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, or those with impaired health are likely to suffer the greatest impacts. In 2003, the California legislature passed SB 352, prohibiting building new schools within …

Ole Miss Engineer 2019

Ole Miss Engineer

No abstract provided.

Cwu Faculty Senate Minutes -05/01/19, Janet Shields

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official Central Washington University Faculty Senate minutes for the May 4, 2016 regular meeting.

Development-Induced Displacement: An Ethical And Theological Reflection On Protection Of The Rights Of The Adivasis Of Chhotanagpur, India, Amit Roshan Lakra

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Land for the Adivasis is not just an economic resource but a spiritual resource as well. Displacement of the Adivasis from their land in the name of “national development” is unjust and unethical. Therefore, it is a violation of the rights of the Adivasi.

In this thesis, I will first present the life of the Adivasis looking through their history until the present. Particularly, I will present their relationship with the land (earth), humans and the non-human world. In doing so, I will argue that the Adivasis are both victims of oppression and models of protecting the earth and nature. …

Assessing The Impacts Of Gold Mining Deforestation On The Giant Otter (Pteronura Brasiliensis) In Madre De Dios, Peru, Erica Carcelen

Sustainability and Social Justice

Gold mining activity is highly prevalent in the Madre de Dios region, Peru. This activity poses large environmental impacts including deforestation, sedimentation of rivers, and pollution from mercury used during extraction. Mining activity is a major threat to the endangered giant otter as it destroys its preferred riverine habitat. Moreover, mercury used during gold extraction bio-accumulates in fish, which constitutes the entirety of their diet. In order to conserve the giant otter, it is necessary to identify conservation priority areas. In a reactive conservation planning approach, the objective of this work was to prioritize areas suitable as giant otter habitat …

Overcoming Recurring Crisis Through Resilience: An Analysis Of Usaid’S Definition Of Resilience, Leta Branham

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper analyzes resilience policy employed by the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID). First, by situating USAID’s resilience policy within a historical context of the 2011 Horn of Africa Famine, and by drawing on existing literature, I show that USAID’s understanding of resilience, and thus its resilience-based policies, are inherently flawed by focusing solely on recurrent crisis. While recurrent crises pose a potential threat to resilience, communities that are exposed to chronic shocks have resilience mechanisms in place against those shocks. Rather, stochastic, or unplanned crises, are larger risks to livelihoods that USAID’s resilience policies do not address. …

Analyzing Trends And Patterns In Adverse Birth Outcomes In Massachusetts From 2000-2014, Madeleine Haynes

Sustainability and Social Justice

This study explores spatio-temporal trends and patterns in adverse birth outcomes (ABO) in the state of Massachusetts from 2000-2014. ABO include low birth weight (< 2500 g) and preterm deliveries (gestational age < 37 weeks). This research evaluates if there are areas in Massachusetts that have experienced statistically significant increases or decreases in ABO throughout the study period. Birth data was obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and only singleton, live births were included for the analysis. The data were aggregated to census tracts, and the total number of births and the number of ABOs were calculated for each census tract for each year. In total, 1478 census tracts were included in this analysis. Births to non-Hispanic black mothers and births to non-Hispanic white mothers were separated to evaluate if trends in ABO are similar regardless of race as previous literature has identified a much higher rate of ABO in births to non-Hispanic black women. Trends and patterns of ABO were evaluated using the Space Time Cube and the Mann-Kendall statistic and a multivariate regression was conducted to identify potential correlations between socioeconomic factors and prevalence of ABO. Results of this study can be used to identify areas that are experiencing an increase in ABO to potentially allow for more effective, targeted intervention methods.

Issue 326: May 2-16, 2019, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

No abstract provided.

Seduction, Promises And Disneyfication Of Barbuda Post Irma, Sophia Perdikaris, Rebecca Boger, Emira Ibrahimpašić

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Under the guise of post-hurricane development, the national government of Antigua and Barbuda exploited the disasterscape of post Hurricane Irma Barbuda to usher in a new wave of economic development that has left Barbudans separated from their unique culture and identity. In this article we explore what are inhabited vs. uninhabited spaces, the effects of Colonial Christian ideas on cultivated vs. uncultivated lands and the effects of capitalist seduction to traditional landscapes and seascapes. We argue that this neocolonial approach to traditional lifeways increases vulnerability of both people and environment. By wiping out diversity and culture in order to replace …