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"Pliable And Easily Shaped": History, Harms, And Regulations Of Plastic In The United States, Krista Decima Smithers

Online Theses and Dissertations

The majority of plastic exists in a linear economy, wherein a product is developed with raw materials, used, and then discarded. Because there are many applications for plastic in today’s society unparalleled by alternative materials, removing all or most plastic use from daily life in the United States is unrealistic. Nevertheless, eliminating single-use plastics and improving recycling are reasonably attainable goals.

This thesis offers a detailed discussion of the origins of plastic, including its discovery, initial applications, and growth in the United States. Against this backdrop, this thesis then examines how various nonhuman animal species and ecosystems have been negatively …

Application Of Bio-Stimulated Calcite Precipitation To Stabilize Expansive Soils: Field Trials, Bhaskar C. S. Chittoori, Anish Pathak, Malcolm Burbank, Md Touhidul Islam

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper presents the results of a field implementation of microbial induced calcite precipitation to stabilize expansive soils in Marsing, Idaho. The field test was done by drilling 2.5” (6.35 cm) diameter holes at a spacing of 16” to 30” (40.6 cm to 76.2 cm) into the ground and, injecting bio-enrichment followed by bio-cementation solutions to stimulate the native bacteria and subsequently achieve calcite precipitation. The pH level of the soil, the calcite content, and free swelling potential were monitored over time by collecting periodic soil samples from the injection points. An increase in pH from 8.3 to 9.7 was …

Mining Educational Implications Of Minecraft, Youngkyun Baek, Ellen Min, Seongchul Yun

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aims to explore the educational potential of Minecraft which has been widely used since its first release in 2009. Articles about Minecraft were searched for in ProQuest. Data was gathered from twenty-six articles which were indicative of three categories: Integration into curriculum; Student engagement, interest and enthusiasm; and Knowledge and skills acquisition. By using Minecraft, students acquire knowledge and skills, and are also engaged, interested and enthusiastic when Minecraft is employed in science, math, social sciences, language arts and composition classes. Challenges with using Minecraft in the classroom include the lack of focused learning objectives, inflexible curriculum, and …

A Systematic Review Of Participatory Scenario Planning To Envision Mountain Social-Ecological Systems Futures, Kelly A. Hopping

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mountain social-ecological systems (MtSES) provide crucial ecosystem services to over half of humanity. However, populations living in these highly varied regions are now confronted by global change. It is critical that they are able to anticipate change to strategically manage resources and avoid potential conflict. Yet, planning for sustainable, equitable transitions for the future is a daunting task, considering the range of uncertainties and the unique character of MtSES. Participatory scenario planning (PSP) can help MtSES communities by critically reflecting on a wider array of innovative pathways for adaptive transformation. Although the design of effective approaches has been widely discussed, …

Placing Peer Response At The Center Of The Response Construct, Dan Melzer

Journal of Response to Writing

This article reports on a large-scale study of peer and instructor response and student reflection on response. The corpus of instructor and peer response to 864 drafts of student writing was collected via ePortfolios from first-year writing courses and courses across disciplines at 70 U.S. institutions of higher education. The following questions guided a qualitative analysis of the data: (a) What are the similarities and differences in the ways instructors and peers respond to college writing? (b) What perspectives do college students have on the feedback they receive on their writing from instructors and peers? Three themes emerged from a …

Sun, Sea, And Ice: Autonomous Observations Of Sea Ice Mass Balance And The Partitioning Of Solar Radiation In Arctic Sea Ice, Mary Tobin

ENGS 88 Honors Thesis (AB Students)

Three optical sensors were integrated into the Seasonal Ice Mass Balance Buoy (SIMB) 3 to autonomously measure Arctic sea ice mass balance and solar radiation partitioning simultaneously to better understand how Arctic sea ice responds to environmental forces and amplifies climate change. Two pyranometers measure incoming and reflected solar irradiance and an underwater quantum sensor measures PAR and transmitted solar radiation. The optical sensor SIMB-3 was sent to the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, for deployment. Due to complications with Covid-19 and dynamic ice conditions, the device is now scheduled for deployment in spring 2021. The results section presents data from a …

Biological And Genetic Comparison Of X-Ray And Gamma Ray Radiation Effects, Shannon Kossmann

ENGS 88 Honors Thesis (AB Students)

In this study MC38 (murine colon adenocarcinoma) and B16F10 (murine melanoma) cellular responses to equivalent gamma and x-ray radiation doses were examined. The results of colony forming assay survival fractions indicate MC38 cells are more sensitive to radiation than B16F10 cells. Additionally, MC38 cells are more susceptible to gamma radiation than x-ray radiation at any given dose, whereas the opposite is true for B16F10 cells indicating potentially important comparative differences (gamma vs x-ray) in cell survival. Western blot protein analysis and NanoString mRNA analysis for gamma radiation of B16F10 cells demonstrated small changes in the expression of cell death regulators.

A Diverse View Of Science To Catalyse Change: Valuing Diversity Leads To Scientific Excellence, The Progress Of Science And, Most Importantly, It Is Simply The Right Thing To Do. We Must Value Diversity Not Only In Words, But Also In Actions, César A. Urbina-Blanco, Safia Z. Jilani, Isaiah R. Speight, Michael J. Bojdys, Tomislav Friščić, J. Fraser Stoddart, Toby L. Nelson, James Mack, Renã A. S. Robinson, Emanuel A. Waddell, Jodie L. Lutkenhaus, Murrell Godfrey, Martine I. Abboud, Stephen O. Aderinto, Damilola Aderohunmu, Lučka Bibič, João Borges, Vy M. Dong, Lori Ferrins

Faculty and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Changes In Students’ Mental Models From Computational Modeling Of Gene Regulatory Networks, Jenny Dauer, Heather E. Bergan-Roller, Gretchen P. King, Mckenzie Kjose, Nicholas Galt, Tomas Helikar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Computational modeling is an increasingly common practice for disciplinary experts and therefore necessitates integration into science curricula. Computational models afford an opportunity for students to investigate the dynamics of biological systems, but there is significant gap in our knowledge of how these activities impact student knowledge of the structures, relationships, and dynamics of the system. We investigated how a computational modeling activity affected introductory biology students’ mental models of a prokaryotic gene regulatory system (lac operon) by analyzing conceptual models created before and after the activity.

Results: Students’ pre-lesson conceptual models consisted of provided, system-general structures (e.g., activator, repressor) …

Relationship Between Formative Test Results And Final Exam Performance In First Year Medical School Course, Grace Owens

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether formative testing from iRAT and MCQ data was predictive of final exam scores for the Staying Alive course at WSU BSOM. Methods: Data was collected from two consecutive classes of first-year medical students (n=234). Data included students’ formative quiz scores (iRAT), formative exam scores (MCQ), final exam scores (NBME), race, and gender. Three regression models were created to analyze the relationship between formative and final scores. Results: The average iRAT score was not a significant predictor of NBME score. 53-56% of the variability in NBME score was attributed to iRAT, …

Ancient Wisdom And Future Medicine: A Defense Of The Science Of Ayurveda, Michael Eatmon

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

A growing number of people turn to Ayurveda as a complement or an alternative to conventional Western medicine. What are they turning to—a genuine medical science or a patent pseudoscience? This paper claims that modern Ayurvedic medicine is a genuine science with a promising future.

Aspire 2020 Program, Bridgewater College

ASPIRE 2020

No abstract provided.

Commencement [Program], November 28, 2020, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates.

Organic Blue Tadf Chromophore Tag For Monitoring Transfection Studies, Brandon G. Bresler

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A novel organic TADF chromophore was synthesized via a 3-step process to emit a blue fluorescent light upon excitation. The chromophore was covalently attached to a 61% isobutyryl amidated poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI-IBAm0.61) non-viral gene vector utilized in gene transfection experiments. The gene vectors are loaded with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) and are monitored via fluorescence microscopy. The addition of the blue chromophore therefore allows for the monitoring of the movements of the PEI-IBAm0.61 through the full delivery mechanism of the GFP inside the cells. This can give vital information about the overall toxicity of these non-viral gene vectors to biological …

Potential Role Of Ahr In Antibody Production, Mili Bhakta

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates the immunosuppressive effects of 2,3,7,8 -tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) in murine B cells. The effects of AhR activation on the regulation of expression of human immunoglobulin isotypes (μ, γ1-4, α1-2 and ε) and Ig secretion is unclear. Our previous results using CL-01 cell-line originating from a Burkitt’s lymphoma patient, demonstrated an inhibitory effect of TCDD on IgG expression but a surprising and marked loss of IgG secretion when the AhR was knocked out by siRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. To determine if the AhR is a critical mediator of IgG expression, current study is focused on characterizing …

Investigation Of Physiochemical Properties And Biocompatibility Of Amourphos Calcium Polyphosphate Hydrogel Doped With Antibiotics And Injectable Polymeric Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate Bone Cement, Yasaman Chehreghanianzabi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Amorphous calcium polyphosphate (ACPP) is an inorganic polymer ceramic. Here we use a simple method of preparing ACPP hydrogel in the presence of excess volume of water. Essentially, water availability to polyphosphate chains accelerates water molecule ingress and microstructural transformation of ACPP hydrogels. Antibiotic delivery capacity of ACPP hydrogel increases by the specific mixing and molding method, where the VCM has higher antibiotic encapsulation efficiency with the small burst release for the compressed discs. In part of this study, we investigate impact of ACPP hydrogel replacement by monomeric calcium phosphate on the quality of final product (dicalcium phosphate dihydrates (DCPD) …

Lawyer Regulation Stakeholder Networks And The Global Diffusion Of Ideas, Laurel S. Terry

Faculty Scholarly Works

This Article is a companion article to Laurel S. Terry, Global Networks and the Legal Profession, 53 Akron L. Rev. 137 (2019), https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3620399. That article explained why global networks are useful for lawyers and the clients they represent, introduced some of the scientific literature about networks, cited prior literature about (mostly domestic) legal profession networks, and then identified ways in which lawyers and their employers, including law firms, participate in global legal profession networks, as well as domestic networks.

This Article focuses on a subset of global legal profession networks, which are the global networks of lawyer regulation stakeholders. Section …

Can Clinical Genetics Laboratories Be Sued For Medical Malpractice?, Alexandra L. Foulkes, Jessica L. Roberts, Paul S. Appelbaum, Wendy K. Chung, Ellen Wright Clayton, Barbara Evans, Gary E. Marchant

Annals of Health Law and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Off-Label Drug Risks: Toward A New Fda Regulatory Approach, George Horvath

Annals of Health Law and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Health And Legal Implications Of Early Screening For Developmental Disabilities, Jacqueline Safstrom, Jennifer Safstrom

Annals of Health Law and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Is The Helmholtz–Kohlrausch Effect More Robust In Women?, Brian Foutch, Carl Bassi

College of Optometry Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Presumed Consent And Priority Allocation Systems For Organ Donation Legislation In The United States: Making The Moral Case, Anna K. Shapiro, Peter A. Depergola Ii

Journal of Health Ethics

In recent decades, developed nations, such as the United States, have seen the gap between the demand and the supply of transplantable organs widen, despite national campaigns intended to promote donor registration. This organ shortage crisis has deprived thousands of a basic quality of life and has caused a substantial increase in the cost of alternative medical care such as dialysis. In an attempt to address the shortage, some countries have instituted explicit “opt-out” and “priority allocation” policies that operate under the principle of presumed consent and offer higher priority on transplantation lists to registered donors. This paper seeks to …

A Literature Review Of Horn And Horn-Like Structures In Vertebrates To Correlate Placement To Function, Behavior, And Niche., J T. Cottingham

Biology Papers and Presentations

In this paper, the true horns of bovids are compared to the many horn-like structures found throughout the animal kingdom. Literary sources were reviewed for a variety of horn-like structures. The review was limited to extinct and extant terrestrial vertebrates. 3D models of these organisms' skulls and “horns” were created or acquired and 3D printed at the same scale to illustrate their differences and similarities and to analysis of their comparative size easier between large and small genera.

Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach To Relationships, Jason S. Wrench, Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter, Katherine S. Thweatt

Open Educational Resources Collection

Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships helps readers examine their own one-on-one communicative interactions using a mindfulness lens. The writing team of Jason S. Wrench, Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter, and Katherine Thweatt incorporates the latest communication theory and research to help students navigate everyday interpersonal interactions. The 14 chapters in this book cover topics typically taught in an undergraduate interpersonal communication course: family interactions, interpersonal dynamics, language, listening, nonverbal communication, and romantic relationships, as well as exploring emerging areas such as self-compassion, body positivity, friendships, and “the dark side”. The writing takes on a purposefully informal tone to engage readers. …

The Great Battle Of The Books Between The Cultural Evolutionists And The Cultural Relativists, From The Beginning Of Infinity To The End Of History, Kevin Fernlund

History Faculty Works

The idea that societies or cultures can evolve and, therefore, can be compared and graded has been central to modern history, in general, and to big history, in particular, which seeks to unite natural and human history; biology and culture. However, while extremely useful, this notion is not without significant moral and ethical challenges, which has been noted by scholars. This article is a short intellectual history of the idea of cultural evolution and its critics, the cultural relativists, from the Age of the Enlightenment, what David Deutsch called the “beginning of infinity,” to the neo-Hegelianism of Francis Fukuyama. The …

The Other Toulmin Model: Concepts, Topoi, Evolution, Ben Wetherbee

Book Sections/Chapters

No abstract provided.

2020 Electronic Resource Usage Statistics, Jacqueline Radebaugh

Library Statistics

This usage report contains the FY 2020 Electronic Resource Statistics, which report the amount of items downloaded from Columbus State University's electronic resources from July 2019 - June 2020.

Language Autonomy Plans And Guided Autonomous Language Learning With Technology In University Spanish-As-A-Foreign-Language Instruction In The U.S., Erin E. Real

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study addressed learners experiences of following plans for suggested independent foreign language practice in support of their formal training in the university foreign language classroom and also of their burgeoning learner and language autonomy. At the end of 17 weeks, descriptive statistical analysis was used for identifying and comparing independent practice times and frequency, preferences for autonomous language activities, obstacles to implementing a recommended plan for independent language practice, and the relative usefulness of autonomous activities for specific language features. The study found out-of-class Spanish practice time increased by an average of nearly 5 minutes per week over the …

Comparison Between Faculty And Student Perception Of Instructor Presence In Online Courses, Samantha D. Penney

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year more reports indicate that online programs are in demand. These programs are sought after by the population to fit into their lives. As a result, concern for quality online courses is at the forefront of the higher education industry. This also increases the concerns for how to teach online classes and how to engage the students in the course materials. The theoretical construct of community of inquiry (CoI) determines that engagement or interaction. This study compares the similarities and differences of CoI experienced by faculty and students. The study uses each of the CoI types of presence: social, …

An Investigation On The Cover Preference Of The Mountain Madtom (Noturus Eleutherus), Mariah Slaughter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Madtom catfish, members of the genus Noturus, are common in the waters of the Southeastern US. A previous study observed that madtoms in the Green River, Kentucky, preferred to shelter within old mussel shells compared to under or next to rocks. A laboratory study on the Carolina Madtom (Noturus furiosus), found that they did not utilize mussel shells and preferred rocks as cover. I conducted a similar laboratory study to determine which cover options the Mountain Madtoms (Noturus eleutherus) prefer. Cover preference was determined by offering the madtoms shelter options (rocks or mussel shells) in …