Digital Commons Network^™

Graphene-Fibers Hybrid Structures As Adsorbents For Heavy Metal Ions In Aqueous Solutions, Dulce C. Capitanachi

Theses and Dissertations

The project focuses on the study of graphene-fiber hybrid structures for adsorption of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions. Polyvinyl alcohol-based graphene–fiber structures were created using centrifugal spinning and a carbonization process.

Characterization methods of the graphene–fiber hybrid structures (GFHS) include SEM, FTIR, TGA, and EDX. Single-step batch-type adsorption studies were performed to analyze the interaction of Cu (II) and Pb (II) ions onto GFHS surface. Different heavy metal ion concentrations were used, as well as a variation of pH values. Elemental analysis of the adsorbent’s surface after filtration experiments was studied by EDX and spectroscopy to verify the presence …

Genetic Determinants Of Variation In The Gh/Igf-1 Axis And Their Relationship To Cardiometabolic Health, Rafael Luis Aguirre Guillen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: In a study of Mexican Americans, we performed analyses of GEI and pleiotropy in the axis in relation to MS. GH/IGF-1 axis components were studied. Model parameters and likelihoods were estimated by maximum likelihood.

Results: Pleiotropy was observed for IGFBP3 (p

Conclusions: IGF-I and IGFBP3 are genetically correlated with MS whereas MS influences the additive genetic variance in IGFBP1 variables mainly but also in IGF-I somewhat by virtue of the VH exhibited by IGF-I/IGFBP1.

Association Between Lifetime Adverse Events, Emotion Dysregulation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Acculturation, And Chronic Pain: A Moderated Mediation Model, Miriam El-Haj

Theses and Dissertations

The association between traumatic experiences and chronic pain is well established. Lesser is known about how acculturation might affect this relation, specifically with Hispanics. In the present study, self-report measures on traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress symptoms, emotion dysregulation, chronic pain, and acculturation were administered to 140 participants (71.4% females) aged 18–65 years old (M = 35.06, SD = 11.55), to determine whether acculturation moderates the relation between adverse lifetime experiences and chronic pain as mediated by posttraumatic stress symptoms and emotion dysregulation.

Those who were highly acculturated to the U.S. Anglo culture were higher on chronic pain than those who …

An Examination Of Professional Learning Community And Teacher Leadership Practices As Perceived By Educators In A District-Wide Plc, Melissa Castaneda

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research explored the correlational and causal analysis between professional learning community (PLC) and teacher leadership, as well as the demographic and capacity-building variables and dimensions of the PLCA-R and TLSS instruments as perceived by educators in an identified emergent district-wide PLC (Lopez, 2015) located in south Texas. The overarching question focused on examining the associations between professional learning communities (PLCs) and teacher leadership in South Central ISD (pseudonym).

The findings lend support to the notion that teacher leadership and PLCs are correlated concepts, and further establish that a healthy school culture embraces and empowers teachers by providing professional …

Cultural Clashes And Cultural Bridges: My Story In Afghanistan, Joe A. Hinojosa Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Narrative inquiry and grounded theory are the methodology used to tell the story of the researcher’s experiences in Afghanistan. This entailed identifying and researching a process of storytelling and weaving experiences together into a coherent and meaningful whole. The narrative inquiry method is appropriate for this project because the critical sources of data consist of the researcher’s perceptions and experiences in Afghanistan, as reported in the form of narrative stories. This qualitative analysis focuses on examining and interpreting concrete pieces of evidence, formulating quantitative analysis along with sharing personal and professional experiences. To that end, external resources, including letters and …

The Acute Effects Of Warm-Up With And Without Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs On Lower Body Temperature, Flexibility, And Vertical Jump Power, Phillipe Thomas Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of blood flow restriction warmups (BFR-WU) on skin temperature (ST), range of motion (ROM), and vertical jump (VJ) performance.

Methods: Forty-seven participants performed WU’s with unilateral BFR application. Each participant took part in five different WU durations. Measurements of ST, ROM, VJ were taken at baseline, post-WU, and post-8min.

Results: Significant conditions main effect (p<0.05), condition*time (p<0.05), WUduration*condition (p<0.01), and conditions*time*sex interactions (p<0.05) were found by repeated measures ANOVA.

Conclusion: The current findings reveal that BFR-WU’s react differently throughout time, when compared to NBFR-WU, for ST and VJ performance, but not ROM. The length of duration was only significant …

The Correlation Among Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors, Hemodynamics, And Arterial Elasticity In Hispanic College Students, Paloma J. Mendoza

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation among MetS risk factors, hemodynamics, and arterial elasticity in Hispanic students attending The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and fasting glucose (GLU) were the only components of MetS that had a significant correlation with large arterial elasticity (SPB: males: -.477 and females: -.503; DBP: females: -.300; p

CONCLUSION: MetS risk factors significantly correlated with both arterial elasticity and hemodynamic components. Uniquely in this population, waist circumference and systemic vascular resistance was reversely associated.

Shattering Taciturnity: The Use Of Visual Arts As A Method Of Communication And Expression, Jesmil M. Maldonado Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Silence an action that conceals a person’s memories, thoughts, emotions, fears, and insecurities, making them crave a method of expression. In this case, the Visuals Arts serves as an approach to investigate, create, understand, accept, and confront the darkness within the artist's psychological and emotional state. Inspiration taken from vibrant colors and insects found within Puerto Rico's natural sources, how these interact, relate, and consume the human within. By creating a series of artworks, the artist starts to comprehend how silence has taken over her life. Taciturnity has become the flame that ignited the artistic flow that leads to the …

Measuring Disaster Resiliency In The Rio Grande Valley, Alma R. Provencio

Theses and Dissertations

People are now becoming more conscious of the effects of climate change. They are seeking to understand how to manage their resources and prepare for when a disaster strikes. The growing studies of disaster resilience lend that opportunity. In this spatial and temporal study, disaster resilience was measured for each census tract within the four counties of the Rio Grande Valley. Utilizing GIS tools and methods, the study examines resilience patterns between 2010 and 2017.

Results showed that even though various census tracts from each of the four counties increased in resilience from 2010 to 2017, the overall total resilience …

Detention, Virginia Murray-Torres

Theses and Dissertations

A novel-in-verse about a teenage girl's detainment in an immigration center, separation from her family, and removal proceedings hearing with a 360 degree point of view from the people she interacts with, as well as her own.

Detecting Phone-Related Pedestrian Behavior Using A Two-Branch Convolutional Neural Network, Humberto Saenz

Theses and Dissertations

With the wide use of smart phones, distraction has become a major safety concern to roadway users. The distracted phone-use behaviors among pedestrians, like Texting, Game Playing and Phone Calls, have caused increasing fatalities and serious injuries. With the increasing usage of driver monitor systems on intelligent vehicles, distracted driver behaviors can be efficiently detected and warned. However, the research of phone-related distracted behavior by pedestrians has not been systemically studied. It is desired to improve both the driving and pedestrian safety by automatically discovering the phone-related pedestrian distracted behaviors. In this thesis, we propose a new computer vision-based method …

Homoeopathic Medicine – Sepia For The Management Of Menopausal Symptoms: A Multicentric, Randomised, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial, Jaya Gupta, Kulshreshtha Dimpi, Chetna Lamba, Payal Gupta, Vaishali Shinde, Bharti Wadhwa, Arti Soren, J Arya, Munmun Koley

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Based on the results of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy's previous study, wherein Sepia was indicated and prescribed in maximum number of cases, this study was planned to further validate efficacyof Sepia in the management of menopausal symptoms. Objectives: The study was conducted with the objectives of evaluating the efficacy of homoeopathic medicine – Sepia in the management of menopausal symptoms using 'The Greene Climacteric Scale' (GCS) and the quality of life using Utian Quality of Life (UQOL) scale. Materials and Methods: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted from April 2012 to September 2014 at four …

Research Highlights, Daisy Katarmal

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

No abstract provided.

Homoeopathic Treatment Of Hepatic Haemangioma With Ovarian Cyst, Abhijit Chakma, Sarangi Manas

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Introduction: This is a case of multimorbidity in a 35-year-old patient suffering from hepatic hemagioma with ovarian cyst. There was hepatomegaly with multiple well-defined homogenously echogenic nodular lesion (largest nodule of size 1.64 X 1.64 cm) in both lobes of liver suggestive of haemangioma. The right ovarian cyst was 2.26 X 1.25 cm in size with pelvic congestion syndrome. Case Summary: This case was treated with individualized homoeopathy for a period of 5 months at the outpatient department (OPD) of Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Agartala. Homoeopathic medicine Pulsatilla, was given to the patient on the basis of individualistic approach. …

Effect Of Bifidobacterium Probiotic In The Treatment Of Giardiasis Infection In Mice, Israa Mohammad Abd Al-Khaliq

Baghdad Science Journal

Metronidazole therapy is recommended in the treatment of giardiasis,athough some clinical reports mention the resistance to this drug from many pathogens. Many studies were applied to show the effect of probiotic to prevent or to heal diseases of gastrointestine, but only few is known about probiotic activity against infections of protozoa. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of Bifidobacterium against infection with Giardia lamblia in experimental mice. It was found that daily application of viable Bifidobacterium cells with a single dose (0.1ml∕mice∕day) significantly reduced the shedding of Giardia lamblia parasite cysts in feces, and infection completely disappeared at the …

Diversity, Abundance, And Distribution Of Cladocera At The End Of The Tigris River North Of Basrah – Iraq, Shaker G. Ajeel, Mohammad F. Abbas

Baghdad Science Journal

Seasonal variations of the species composition and abundance of Cladocera were studied in two stations at the end of the Tigris River and one station at the confluence of the Tigris with Euphrates area, at the beginning of the Shatt Al-Arab River in Al-Qurnah North of Basrah Province, from October 2015 to August 2016. Samples of zooplankton were collected by plankton net 100-µm. mesh size. The population density of Cladocera ranged between 1 Ind /m³ during summer and 211 Ind./m³ during winter at station 1 (Al-Jewaber Bridge). A total of 16 species of Cladocera belonging to 12 genera were recorded …

Testing A Scale Of Teacher Beliefs About Universal Curriculum Integration In The 21st Century (Uci21-T), Nicole E. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum integration is a unique approach to teaching. Twenty-first century skill approaches to curriculum integration train teachers in the process of curriculum integration, such that they are able to integrate various subject combinations in their teaching that produce new skills and dispositions in their students. Yet no scale to measure teachers' beliefs about the value of and efficacy beliefs towards implementing curriculum integration exists that is universal in the sense that it can be used any time any subject combination is integrated. Using a sample of 196 teachers at a professional development meeting in a mid-sized suburban school district in …

Outcomes For Professionals And Companies Through Student-Professional Reverse Mentoring Sessions, Nicholas Burr Gubler

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry explores the outcomes that professionals, and their companies, experience when they participate in a student-professional reverse mentorship. Professional development is used across all trades and professions as a way to increase employee skills and improve product/service quality. Reverse mentoring, where a novice teaches the more experienced individual, is a relatively new approach in professional development. When the reverse mentoring scenario is between students and professionals, instead of professionals and their colleagues, we know that students benefit from the reverse mentoring process but little is known about what outcomes the professionals experience. This research reports that professionals experience …

Inpatient Addiction Medicine Consultation And Post-Hospital Substance Use Disorder Treatment Engagement: A Propensity-Matched Analysis, Honora Englander, Konrad Dobbertin, Bonnie K. Lind, Christina Nicolaidis, Peter Graven, Claire Dorfman, Todd Korthius

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Hospitalizations due to medical and surgical complications of substance use disorder (SUD) are rising. Most hospitals lack systems to treat SUD, and most people with SUD do not engage in treatment after discharge.

Objective

Determine the effect of a hospital-based addiction medicine consult service, the Improving Addiction Care Team (IMPACT), on post-hospital SUD treatment engagement.

Design

Cohort study using multivariable analysis of Oregon Medicaid claims comparing IMPACT patients with propensity-matched controls.

Participants

18–64-year-old Oregon Medicaid beneficiaries with SUD, hospitalized at an Oregon hospital between July 1, 2015, and September 30, 2016. IMPACT patients (n = 208) were matched …

Note From The Editor

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Alaska’S Constitution And Felony Disenfranchisement: A Historical And Legal Analysis, Jc Croft

Alaska Law Review

A disproportionately high segment of Alaska’s incarcerated population is non-white, placing many of these citizens under the purview of the state’s felony disenfranchisement statute. This Article argues that the Alaska legislature has impermissibly broadened the scope of the felony disenfranchisement provision over time. This provision, expressly included in the Alaska Constitution and specifically debated during the convention, permits the revocation of voting rights for a person convicted of a felony involving “moral turpitude.” Rather than leave the definition of this provision to the courts, the Alaska legislature has toyed repeatedly with identifying the crimes that involve moral turpitude. Not only …

The Road Goes Ever On And On: A Path Through The Wilderness On R.S. 2477 Litigation In Alaska, Michelle Jackson

Alaska Law Review

Seeking to encourage people to settle the public domain, the federal government established the R.S. 2477 right of way, a grant to construct highways over land in the public domain. There are now thousands of miles of highway across the Western United States constructed pursuant to the authority in R.S. 2477, but most of these rights of way were never documented by any formal process. Alaska has made it a priority to document existing R.S. 2477 rights of way in an effort to manage and develop public lands. Identifying existing R.S. 2477 rights of way is essential for economic development, …

A Better Kind Of Frozen Food: Using State And Federal Law To Bring School Farming And Other Community Agriculture To Rural Alaska Communities, Charles Kidd

Alaska Law Review

Despite a seeming abundance of nourishment in the state, with folklore of Alaska rivers so full of salmon that one can walk across to the opposite shore without getting one’s feet wet, Alaska is a very food-insecure state. As of 2014, 15% of Alaskans were found to be food insecure. This rate is part of an increasing trend; from 1998 to 2007, food insecurity increased to 3.7% in Alaska, the largest increase in the country. Further, because only 5% of the food consumed in Alaska is actually produced in-state, there is typically only a three to five-day supply of food …

Vol 64 #6, Melanie Argo

MPLA Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Climate Change And Big Business: The Endless Cycle, Angela Steele

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Climate change, as it stands, is a large topic. As it relates to business, it grows exponentially, yet relates to every single one of us. Before the nineteenth century, climate cycles were mostly naturally occurring. Unfortunately, in recent years anthropogenic (human) causes have been introduced. The largest problem is carbon dioxide, which is produced from numerous human activities but largely from the burning of fossil fuels, and leads to massive warming effects on our planet. That’s where business comes in: companies, such as those within the agriculture, fossil fuel, and sunscreen industries, seek multi-million dollar profits off of the warming …

Youth Education Program, Venessa Villa-Martin

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Young adults in Monterey County are at risk of being in an abusive relationship and becoming a victim of domestic violence. Being in an abusive relationship has lasting effects, including low self-esteem, and negative effects to both mental and physical health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019), nearly 1 in 11 female, and 1 in 15 male, high school students report having experienced physical dating violence within the past year. About 26% of females and 15% of males will have experienced some type of intimate partner violence (sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking) before the age …

College And Career Awareness In Elementary Schools, Veronica Martinez Gracida

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Greenfield Union School District provides the educational needs of students, K-6, who are economically disadvantaged, English learners, and special education. Data shows that students in the Greenfield Union School District have low academic performance in English, Mathematics, and other subjects. One reason for low academic performance is the lack of student engagement in school. The capstone project attempted to encourage student engagement, by increasing students’ knowledge and awareness about college and careers. Three 5th grade classes participated in the college activities. The capstone project consisted of four college awareness sessions. The sessions included activities which expanded students’ knowledge about career …

Healthy Lives: Childhood Obesity In Monterey County, Norma Verduzco

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The rate of overweight children in Monterey county has continued to rise. At the rate we are going, by the year 2050, one in three people will have diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2018). There are several contributing factors for obese children, for instance, socioeconomic status, environmental influences, and lack of physical activity. Children who are overweight or obese are at higher risk of facing serious health concerns, like heart disease and diabetes, which is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (YMCA, 2019, Diabetes Statistics). They are also at a higher risk of suffering from emotional and …

Open Mind And Open Heart: You Matter And Together We Can Overcome Adolescent Mental Health, Susana Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is the importance of providing support that is easily accessible for all students who are faced with mental health challenges. This is an important issue for school districts because the number of students facing mental health challenges has been increasing and without adequate support students do not properly self care. It is argued that many students are currently challenged with mental health, but the support provided by schools is inadequate. Considerations of the issues, required obtaining the perspectives of stakeholders from local high schools, organizations, and families who are currently changed by …

Teaching High Schoolers About Colorism, Charenee Lachelle Brown

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Colorism has long been a major issue in the media and in communities. Colorism is a practice of discrimination in which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. It is the product of racism in the US, in that it upholds white standards of beauty and benefits lighter skin people in various US institutions. For my capstone project, I presented a workshop on colorism in a 9th grade class at Marina High School. The students learned the definition of colorism and how it relates to racism. They also learned about the effects of colorism …