Digital Commons Network^™

Here A Spaceport, There A Spaceport, Everywhere A Spaceport?, Michelle L. D. Hanlon

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

A Modest Proposal: Using Remote Sensing To Monitor And Promote Waste Annihilating Molten Sale Reactors And Nuclear Waste Recycling, Cameron C. Pittman

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Legal Challenges If Future On-Orbit Servicing Missions And Proximity Operations, Anne-Sophie Martin, Steven Freeland

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Mapping The Landscape Of Support And Safety Among Sexual Minority Women And Gender Non-Conforming Individuals: Perceptions After The 2016 Us Presidential Election, Laurie Drabble, Cindy Veldhuis, Angie Wootton, Ellen Riggle, Tonda Hughes

Faculty Publications

As part of a larger online survey, we conducted an Internet-based study that included both qualitative and quantitative data from a national non-probability sample to examine how sexual minority women and gender non-conforming individuals described their experiences and concerns after the 2016 election. The current study explores responses in relation to local social and political climates. Quantitative analysis of survey responses (N = 969) examined changes in participant concerns relative to state policy context (number of positive policies offering equal rights and protections for LGBTQ communities) and size of community (e.g., urban and rural). Analysis of narrative responses to open-ended …

Protocol For An Economic Evaluation Alongside A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial: Cost-Effectiveness Of Learning Clubs, A Multicomponent Intervention To Improve Women’S Health And Infant’S Health And Development In Vietnam, Trang Nguyen, Kim Sweeny, Thach Tran, Stanley Luchters, David B. Hipgrave, Sarah Hanieh, Tuan Tran, Ha Tran, Beverley-Ann Biggs

Population Health, East Africa

Introduction: Economic evaluations of complex interventions in early child development are required to guide policy and programme development, but a few are yet available.

Methods and analysis: Although significant gains have been made in maternal and child health in resource- constrained environments, this has mainly been concentrated on improving physical health. The Learning Clubs programme addresses both physical and mental child and maternal health. This study is an economic evaluation of a cluster randomised controlled trial of the impact of the Learning Clubs programme in Vietnam. It will be conducted from a societal perspective and aims to identify the cost-effectiveness …

Aspects Of Engaging Problem Contexts From Students' Perspectives, Tamara Kay Stark

Theses and Dissertations

Aspects of Engaging Problem Contexts From Students' PerspectivesTamara Kay Gandolph StarkDepartment of Mathematics Education, BYUMaster of ArtsToo many students have negative feelings towards mathematics which is causing them to disengage in their classrooms. This has led to student under-achievement. This study attempts to better understand how teachers can help students to reengage with mathematics by using more engaging contexts to develop mathematical content. The study began with the characteristics realistic, worthwhile, enjoyable or motivating as a framework for posing engaging problem contexts, which were synthesized from the current research literature. As students discussed what made contexts engaging, my understanding of …

The Ascension Of Jesus Christ: Its Role In Redemption From A Latter-Day Saint Theological Perspective, William Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Mosiah 18:2 lists the ascension of Jesus Christ as one of the atoning acts that brings about redemption. Although many faith traditions have developed a theology about the significance of the ascension, the topic has not been covered at length within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This thesis explores the ascension of Jesus Christ and its implications for humanity from the perspective of Latter-day Saint beliefs.The ascension of Jesus Christ can be considered the culmination, even the capstone of His atonement. There are sufficient sources within Latter-day Saint canon and the teachings of general authorities to support …

Numerical Treatment Of Schrödinger’S Equation For One-Particle And Two-Particle Systems Using Matrix Method, Spatika Dasharati Iyengar

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With an increased interest in accurately predicting aerothermal environments for planetary entry, recent researches have concentrated on developing high fidelity computational models using quantum-mechanical first principles. These calculations are dependent on solving the Schrödinger equation using molecular orbital theory techniques. They are either approximate solutions to actual equations or exact solutions to approximate equations. Exact solutions have not found favor due to the computational expense of the problem. Hence, a novel numerical approach is developed and tested here using linear algebraic matrix methods to enable precise solutions.

The finite-difference technique is used to cast the Time-Independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) in …

Graphene Based Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor For K+ Ion Sensing, Hongmei Li

All Dissertations

Graphene, discovered in 2004, has drawn great interest in the wide range of applications due to its distinctive 2-dimensional material property. Sensing is the one application has been developed extensively owing to graphene’s ultra-high mobility, low electric noise, very high surface-to-volume ratio, and easy modulation of electrical characteristics. With these excellent properties, the present research explored graphene’s ion sensing potential with the goal of developing graphene-based K+ ion detector which can be applicable in implantable bio-sensors. As the major intracellular cation, potassium has very critical functions in various biological processes. Additionally, recent research found out that elevations in biological levels …

Development Of Blast Risk Assessment Framework For Financial Loss And Casualty Estimation, Paresh Chandra Poudel

All Dissertations

The entire study can be divided into four main studies. Study I presents the development of probabilistic version of popular Kingery and Bulmash (KB) blast model. The probabilistic model was developed by considering the uncertainty in the model quantified using available experimental data. The model was then applied to generate fragility curves are developed for three types of glazing under three common bombing scenarios and study 1995 Oklahoma City damage.

Study II discusses on development a blast loss estimation framework for buildings where demand loads are calculated using the probabilistic blast model and capacity form seismic design. Loss for archetypes …

Systems Engineering Approaches To Minimize The Viral Spread Of Social Media Challenges, Amro Khasawneh

All Dissertations

Recently, adolescents’ and young adults’ use of social media has significantly increased. While this new landscape of cyberspace offers young internet users many benefits, it also exposes them to numerous risks. One such phenomenon receiving limited research attention is the advent and propagation of viral social media challenges. Several of these challenges entail self-harming behavior, which combined with their viral nature, poses physical and psychological risks for the participants and the viewers. One example of these viral social media challenges that could potentially be propagated through social media is the Blue Whale Challenge (BWC). In the initial study we investigate …

Hybridly Integrated Diode Lasers For Emerging Applications: Design, Fabrication, And Characterization, Yeyu Zhu

All Dissertations

The emerging applications of LiDAR, microresonator based frequency comb, and photon pair generation in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have attracted lots of research interests recently. The single frequency, high power, narrow-linewidth, tunable semiconductor lasers are highly desired for the implementation of these emerging applications in future PICs. In this dissertation, we use the hybrid integration via edge coupling to obtain the integrated diode lasers for future PICs, since the active chip and the passive chip can be fabricated and optimized independently.

We demonstrate hybridly integrated narrow-linewidth, tunable diode lasers in the Indium Phosphide/Gallium Arsenide-silicon nitride (InP/GaAs-Si3N4) platform. Silicon nitride photonic …

The Role Of Out-Of-School Time Programming In Predicting Critical Reflection And Positive Outcomes In Marginalized Youth, Katrina Black Reed

All Dissertations

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of critical reflection (CR) in promoting positive outcomes in high achieving marginalized youth in an academic-based out-of-school time (OST) context. Marginalized youth face adverse social conditions in the United States and CR is defined as being able to recognize the perceived structural inequalities in a community by using navigational tools that enable a person to analyze their social surrounding, conditions, and circumstances. There is a lack of understanding of how OST programs promote CR in marginalized youth. This paper intends to explore the relation between OST program …

Capacity-Building Catalysts: A Qualitative Assessment Of Nonprofit Capacity Building By Community Foundations In Illinois, Benjamin Bingle

The Foundation Review

Community foundations have the potential to promote collaborative learning in a variety of ways as conveners, funders, and, in some instances, as nonprofit capacity builders. Yet little is known about what community foundations are doing to support capacity building. This article focuses specifically on nonprofit capacity building that is funded, organized, or led by community foundations in Illinois.

First, this article identifies the capacity-building efforts of those community foundations. Next, it summarizes results from a qualitative survey to share insights from leaders of the foundations that offer capacity-building opportunities. These data shed new light on our collective understanding of how …

Making Health Equity Real: Implementing A Commitment To Engage The Community Through Fellowships, Saphira M. Baker, Mark D. Constantine

The Foundation Review

Between 2016 and 2019, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation jumpstarted its transformation from a health legacy foundation committed to increasing access to health care to one promoting regional health equity through a racial and ethnic lens. A central component of this new focus was the trustees’ decision to invite community members to inform and advance the health equity strategy through two distinct community fellowship programs — the Equity + Health Fellowships. These programs ultimately provided the foundation with a new language, benchmarks, and structure for welcoming broader community engagement.

This article highlights the outcomes of both programs, how the experience with …

From Decarceration To E-Carceration, Chaz Arnett

Cardozo Law Review

Each year, millions of Americans experience criminal justice surveillance through electronic ankle monitors. These devices have fundamentally altered our understanding of incarceration, punishment, and the extent of the carceral state, as they are increasingly offered as moderate penal sanctions and viable solutions to the problem of mass incarceration. They purportedly enable decarceration, albeit with enhanced surveillance in the community as the compromise. Proponents of the devices tout the public safety and cost benefits while stressing the importance of depopulating prisons and returning individuals to theircommunities. In recent years, an oppositional movement has developed, focused on highlighting the social harms of …

Mitigating The Risk Of Bird Strikes: The Use Of Virtual Reality During Flight Training, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Julius Keller Ph.D., Chien-Tsung Lu, Chenyu Huang Ph.D.

Publications

There were 193,969 wildlife strikes in the US from 1990 through 2017. Wildlife strikes annually cost the US civil aviation industry, on average, $186 million in monetary losses and 111,284 hours of aircraft downtime (Dolbeer & Begier, 2019). According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) is a systematic approach that encourages pilots to identify hazards and manage risks (FAA, 2016). Additionally, it helps aviators to make timely and safe decisions. Even though it is practically impossible to eliminate the risk of bird strikes, crewmembers play a vital role in the accident prevention process (Mendonca, Carney, & Fanjoy, …

Coaching Styles, Athletes' Needs Satisfaction, And Identity: An Analysis Of Athlete-Coach Relationship, Casey-May Huff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through the use of the self-determination theory (SDT), developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan (2000), this study examined the various coaching styles and the relationship between both coaches’ and athletes’ identity. Thirty-two head coaches and 202 athletes from universities and colleges were surveyed. Coaches were matched with their athletes, producing 28 unique pairings. The first research question tested for coaching styles and how they connect to motivations. The second research question explored the coaching styles and how they relate to athletes’ motivations. A hypothesis examined differences between coaches’ reported coaching styles and their athletes’ needs. Results found …

Conspiracy Theories And The Quest For Truth, Rachel Runnels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conspiracy theories are deeply embedded in American culture, especially in current American society. The popularity of conspiracy theories in general reveals that society is becoming increasingly skeptical of authoritative organizations. Because of “fake news” and the availability of information and connection on the internet, people feel as though they must question everything, even sources they previously viewed as unquestionable authorities.

My analysis looks at how online conspiracy organizations create and defend their arguments in an attempt to understand why conspiracy theories are so persuasive. I analyze the rhetoric of three online conspiracy theory organizations: the Flat Earth Society, the Mutual …

The Implementation Of Online Classroom Management Professional Development For Beginning Teachers, Kaytlynn Milliken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective classroom management practices are well known, yet the most efficient ways to teach them to beginning teachers is not. Online professional development is growing in popularity—though there are few examples of online classroom management training in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the experiences and implementation practices of beginning teachers that participated in online classroom management training as part of their new teacher induction program. The results suggest that online classroom management professional development as part of new teacher induction is a practical option. The beginning teachers were observed utilizing the classroom management strategies …

A Power Man’S Theology: Marvel’S Luke Cage And Black Liberation Theology, Diarron B. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Netflix released Marvel’s Luke Cage in 2016 to critical acclaim. Born from a 1970s comic book, the series features Luke Cage, an African-American superhero. Cage is a big, bald, bulletproof black man. Instead of tights and a cape, Cage wears a hoodie calling the audience to remember Trayvon Martin and other victims of white racism. Theologian James Cone created Black Liberation Theology in the 1970s. As a result of Cone’s work, Black Liberation Theology addresses the issue of white racism from a theological standpoint. In this thesis I present a close reading of Marvel’s Luke Cage using Black Liberation Theology …

Structural Basis Of Amino Acid Surveillance By Higher-Order Trna-Mrna Interactions, Shuang Li, Zhaoming Su, Jean Lehmann, Vassiliki Stamatopoulou, Nikoleta Giarimoglou, Frances E Henderson, Lixin Fan, Grigore D Pintilie, Kaiming Zhang, Muyuan Chen, Steven J Ludtke, Yun-Xing Wang, Constantinos Stathopoulos, Wah Chiu, Jinwei Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Amino acid availability in Gram-positive bacteria is monitored by T-box riboswitches. T-boxes directly bind tRNAs, assess their aminoacylation state, and regulate the transcription or translation of downstream genes to maintain nutritional homeostasis. Here, we report cocrystal and cryo-EM structures of Geobacillus kaustophilus and Bacillus subtilis T-box-tRNA complexes, detailing their multivalent, exquisitely selective interactions. The T-box forms a U-shaped molecular vise that clamps the tRNA, captures its 3' end using an elaborate 'discriminator' structure, and interrogates its aminoacylation state using a steric filter fashioned from a wobble base pair. In the absence of aminoacylation, T-boxes clutch tRNAs and form a continuously …

A Recombinant Cholera Toxin B Subunit Variant (Ctb-Kdel) Exhibits Unique Colon Mucosal Healing Effects That Have Therapeutic Implications For Inflammatory Bowel Disease., Joshua Mark Royal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uncovers the mechanism and explores the utility of a recombinant cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) variant containing a KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention motif (CTB-KDEL) as a drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). CTB is a mucosal immunomodulatory protein that induces robust mucosal and systemic antibody responses. This well-known biological activity has been exploited in cholera prevention (as a component of Dukoral® vaccine) and vaccine development for decades. On the other hand, several studies have investigated CTB’s immunotherapeutic potential in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and asthma. Here, we reveal …

The Identification Of Long Non-Coding Rna Zfas1 Through An Exploratory Rna-Sequencing Analysis And Its Association With Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition In Colon Cancer Adenocarcinoma., Stephen J. O'Brien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal adenocarcinoma is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed worldwide and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. This dissertation performed an exploratory RNA-sequencing analysis comparing gene expression between colon adenocarcinoma tissue and paired normal colon epithelium. After identification of a number of lncRNAs that were increased in expression in colon adenocarcinoma compared to normal colon epithelium, we aimed to validate the expression and investigate their function in vitro. Specifically, we focused on the lncRNA ZFAS1 and its association with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These studies found the following: 1. Seven candidate lncRNAs were identified from the exploratory RNA-sequencing analysis to …

Development And Characterization Of A Biopolymer Direct-Write Process For 3d Microvascular Structures Formation., Xiaoming Fan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engineering of bulk tissues has been limited by the lack of nutrient and waste exchange in these tissues without an adjacent capillary network. To produce microvasculature, a scaffold must be produced that provides temporary mechanical support and stimulate endothelial cell adhesion, growth, and morphogenesis into a vessel. However, current well-established techniques for producing microvasculature, such as electrospinning, are limited since they lack both the precision to control fiber placement in three-dimensional space and the ability to create fiber networks with predefined diameters to replicate the physiological microvascular progression from arteriole to capillary to venule. Our group has developed a “Direct-write” …

Oxygen Deficient Perovskites: Effect Of Structure On Electrical Conductivity, Magnetism And Electrocatalytic Activity., Ram Krishna Hona

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis deals with the synthesis and study of the physico-chemical properties of perovskite based oxide materials. Several novel oxygen deficient perovskites (ODP) have been synthesized by conventional solid state synthesis method. The novel compounds are CaSrFe₂O_6-δ, CaSrFeCoO_6-δ, Ca₂Fe_1.5Ga_0.5O₅, CaSrFeGaO₅ and BaSrFe₂O₅. Their magnetic, charge transport and electrocatalytic properties have been studied. Structural effect on electrical conductivity, magnetic and electrocatalytic properties have been studied in some series of ODPs. CaSrFe₂O_6-δ, CaSrFeCoO_6-δ, Ca₂Fe …

Stability And Reactivity Analysis Of Single Metal And Bimetallic Nanostructures By Anodic Stripping Voltammetry., Dhruba Kumar Pattadar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation has two main themes. The first involves studies aimed at developing anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) as an analytical tool to characterize metal nanoparticles (NPs), with a focus on the size and aggregate structure of single metal NPs and the composition and atomic arrangement of bimetallic NPs. The second main theme involves studies that use ASV and electrochemical surface area-to-volume (SA/V) measurements to study the unique reactivity and transformations of single metal and bimetallic NPs. The transformations involve size and composition changes in response to ozone and electrochemical potential. Reactions involve size dependent galvanic exchange and electrocatalytic activity. The …

Characterizing The Roles Of Neutral Ceramidase In Cisplatin-Induced Kidney Injury., Sophia M. Sears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent with a dose-limiting nephrotoxicity. 30% of patients given cisplatin develop acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI increases risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) development and mortality. Patients that don’t develop clinical AKI are still at risk for long term declines in renal function. Currently, there are no FDA approved agents to treat or prevent cisplatin-induced kidney injury (CDDP-KI). In this study, we demonstrated that neutral ceramidase (nCDase) knockout provides protection from AKI in the high-dose model of CDDP-KI. However, in the repeated low dose cisplatin (RLDC) model of injury and we found nCDase knockout …

“I Have Prayed And Prayed: I Have Labored And Labored”: Ethnic Catholicism In Daviess Country Kentucky, 1850-1900., Edward A. Wilson Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the development of the German and Irish Catholic communities of Daviess County, Kentucky. The primary focus of the work is the church building process and the separation of Catholic ethnic communities. Although they shared the same faith, American Catholics were divided by nationalism and ethnic hostility. Already isolated in the United States, immigrant Catholics formed cultural communities that adapted their foreign identity to their new surroundings. Scholars often analyze Catholics in the United States during this period as a unified group, but this approach is flawed. Catholics developed hostilities against members of their own faith along ethnic …

Evaluating The Resiliency Of Industrial Internet Of Things Process Control Using Protocol Agnostic Attacks, Hector L. Roldan

Theses and Dissertations

Improving and defending our nation's critical infrastructure has been a challenge for quite some time. A malfunctioning or stoppage of any one of these systems could result in hazardous conditions on its supporting populace leading to widespread damage, injury, and even death. The protection of such systems has been mandated by the Office of the President of the United States of America in Presidential Policy Directive Order 21. Current research now focuses on securing and improving the management and efficiency of Industrial Control Systems (ICS). IIoT promises a solution in enhancement of efficiency in ICS. However, the presence of IIoT …