Digital Commons Network^™

Tracking Vibrio: Population Dynamics And Community Ecology In Alabama Estuaries, Blair H. Morrison

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Integral parts of local culture along the Eastern Mississippi Sound System (EMSS)- eating raw oysters and fishing- can involve contact with vectors of pathogenic Vibrio spp. bacteria. High mortality rates from vibrio infections demonstrate the need for improved understanding of V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus dynamics in the region. This study assessed: 1) meteorological, 2) hydrographic, and 3) biological correlates of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in the EMSS from April-October 2019. Spearman’s correlations, linear mixed models, and non-metric dimensional scaling identified significant relationships between Vibrio spp., abiotic, and biotic parameters of the ecosystem. Vibrio spp. population dynamics were largely …

Pandemic Theater: An Analysis Of Issues That Arose During Covid-19 And The Solutions Applied, Erica Jurus

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic put a halt to the theater industry for almost eighteen months, and just now is the industry re-emerging with innovative ideas and suggestions for how it wants to distribute productions. A combination of the entertainment business and intellectual property law, the purpose of this review is to investigate the question of “what changes need to be made to CBAs and licensing laws to allow for this type of content to continue?” Through a content and legal analysis of emergency authorizations and agreements, as well as pre-existing copyright and distribution laws, this thesis outlines how the pandemic forced …

Understanding Blue Light Retinal Damages And The Methods Of Prevention, Amelia Lee

Senior Honors Theses

Light emitting diode (LED) lights that comprise television screens, phone displays, laptops, and tablets have been studied by scientists in order to understand the implications of blue light radiation and the effects that it has on the human body—especially the retina of the eye. The retina is comprised of highly metabolic cells, and when those cells are placed under oxidative stress, death occurs causing ocular disease. Additionally, excess blue light exposure causes shifts in biological rhythms that govern patterns of alertness and sleep. Recently scientists began studying the methods of blue light prevention. Some studies show that blue light radiation …

Influence Of Saltwater Submergence On Geohydraulic Properties Of Sand: A Laboratory Investigation, Sudip Basack, Ghritartha Goswami, Sumanpran Sonowal, Moses Karakouzian

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Saline water intrusion into freshwater aquifers is a major geohydraulic problem relevant to coastal environment. Apart from contaminating the fresh groundwater resources, the saltwater intrusion alters the geotechnical properties of the aquifer materials, affecting the coastal water resource planning and management. The present study focuses on an in-depth laboratory investigation of the influence of saltwater submergence on the geohydraulic properties of sand. The fine sand sample was submerged under saline water of specified concentrations for specific periods, and the alteration in their engineering properties has been studied. It is observed that the specific gravity, dry density, and permeability of fine …

Characteristics Of Flow Over Rectangular Labyrinth Weirs With Round Corners, Omed S.Q. Yousif, Kawa Z. Abdulrahman, Wazira Qadir, Ahang S. Ali, Moses Karakouzian

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

The hydraulic performance of round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs with varying weir heights and effective lengths has not been explored in the existing literature to the authors’ knowledge. The purpose of this experimental study was to see how the height and effective length of round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs affect their discharge efficiency. Nine flat-crested rectangular labyrinth weirs made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were tested in a rectangular flume under various discharges to fulfill the goals of this study. The discharge coefficients for the weirs were then calculated. The hydraulic efficiency of weirs with round corners increases as the weir height (P) …

Social Media Activism: Did We Say What We Meant To Say? A Thematic Analysis Of Slutwalk Los Angeles Hosted By Amber Rose, Yahindra Maxey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined the convergence of activism and social media to analyze how messages are conveyed using an online platform. Using the official Instagram page of SlutWalk Los Angeles as the object of study, this paper examined what messages were being communicated online and how it reflected the movement. As social activism continues today, this study is relevant because it will provide insight on using visual imagery as a form of protest. Through thematic analysis, several themes emerged which include, inclusion, sexual liberation, re-appropriation, and rape awareness. These themes are explored and detailed, ultimately confirming the complex, polysemic nature of …

Implementing An Evidence-Based Practice Change For Alcohol Withdrawal In An Acute Care Hospital, Theresa Carroll

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) affects a significant portion of the population in the United States. When AUD is either unrecognized or inadequately treated in the acute care setting it can lead to medical complications, increased length or stay (LOS), increased healthcare expense, and increased patient mortality.

PICOT: In a population of adult patients admitted to an acute care hospital progressive care unit (P), how does applying an initial evidence-based screening tool to detect risk for moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal, the PAWSS (I), compare to no standard screening or assessment for potential alcohol withdrawal symptoms (C) affect the …

"You Are Safe. You Are Calm. You Are In Control.", Carly Erst

Graduate Thesis Collection

"You are safe. You are calm. You are in control." is a piece written out of a state of emotional and physical exhaustion. The piece uses an electronic track comprised of the sounds of distressed children recorded at a daycare and a flex string quintet that plays along with the track. This paper explores the reasoning behind the music, the connections the piece has to the past, and the relevance of the piece now and in the future.

Central Coast Tennis Re-Brand, Jason Reinwald

Graphic Communication

The goal of my GrC 462 senior project is the re-branding of a company called Central Coast Tennis. This includes the creation of a logo, and redesign of their website. This project will encompass the work it takes at re-branding a company along with documenting the progress along the way.

Artisan Tea Project Re-Brand, Alyssa J. Tong

Graphic Communication

Artisan Tea Project, a local cold brew tea pop-up in San Luis Obispo, aims to communicate the brand’s quality, simplicity, and creativity. The company is in need of design collateral that can best market the nuances of their product to target audiences, especially through digital means. The end result of the project is a fully re-branded company with a cohesive brand image that supports the company’s products, mission, and vision.

Corvette Pacifica Website Redesign, Kyra M. Smith

Graphic Communication

This project is meant to redesign the website for Corvette Pacifica by improving usability and overall experience in order to increase website traffic and revamp the company's branding. The end deliverables include high fidelity mockups for various pages of the website, as well as improved branding such as logos, fonts, and color schemes. The end goal is to have something that could potentially be coded into a fully working website in the near future.

Grandma Willow Crochet Rebranding, Kira R. Svinth

Graphic Communication

This project is aimed at creating new branding for Grandma Willow Crochet, through means of design. End deliverables include a new logo with iterations, and a revamped visual identity. Through that, marketing collateral such as business cards and flyers were also created.

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Retirement Destinations, Iryna Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Madeline M. Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development examined the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized metropolitan areas (MSAs). The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique to identify five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. These factors were related to changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis’ primary takeaways related to Retirement Destinations and explores how Cleveland and Northeast Ohio can retain its growing …

Librarian’S Awareness On Open Educational Resources In India, M M. Bachalapur Dr., Jayaprakash G. Hugar Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Open educational resources (OER) are freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing, as well as for research purposes. This paper attempts to know the awareness of librarians in higher educational institution’s such as professional and academic librarians in different states of India. A survey method was adopted to collect the required primary information. Study found that, 55% of the respondents used the OER available in different websites. Further it is found that, they are using it for updating subject knowledge, teaching and learning and research work. 68% of them …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, December 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 12

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 2 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 3 Media Coverage Cont.
Page 4 Science as Art Competition
Page 5 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 5 Grants Awarded in CNS

Republicans Are More Optimistic About Economic Mobility, But No Less Accurate, Matt Grossmann, Kayla Hamann, Jennifer Lee, Gabrielle Levy, Brendan Nyhan, Victor Wu

Dartmouth Scholarship

Do Americans overestimate economic mobility? Using representative surveys of the public and local government officials, we assess claims of widespread misperceptions about economic mobility by measuring the accuracy of participants’ perceptions of both relative and absolute mobility. Republican members of the public and government officials are more optimistic than are Democrats about poor children’s chances of reaching the highest income quintile (relative mobility) and earning more than their parents (absolute mobility). Democrats also rate race and family wealth as more important to children’s chances than do Republicans. However, partisan tendencies to overestimate or underestimate mobility are roughly symmetric despite differences …

Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis): Does Stronger Implementation Relate To More Equitable Student Outcomes In School Discipline?, Stephenie C. Bruce

Dissertations

For this study, I explored the degree of implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework and the existence of disproportionality of formal school disciplinary responses to behavioral occurrences by race/ethnicity, sex, special education status (SPED), and socioeconomic status (SES) of students. Further, I investigated the relationship between a school’s degree of implementation of PBIS and the existence of disproportionality by race/ethnicity, sex, SPED, and SES, and investigated the differences in the existence of disproportionality in schools that fully implemented PBIS and schools that did not fully implement PBIS.

Literature exists on PBIS implementation and, separately, on the …

A Solution To The Hard Problem Of Soft Law, Keagan Potts

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Administrative Agencies often rely on guidance documents to carry out their statutory mandate. Over the past few decades, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticized for using soft law guidance documents to exercise powers beyond those authorized by Congress. Since attacks on the use of guidance documents persist and agencies need soft law to respond quickly and flexibly to rapid technological growth, it is essential to develop a solution that preserves this crucial regulatory mechanism and prevents its abuse. The most likely alternative to soft law guidance is formal regulation, which must be developed through the notice-and-comment process. …

《莊子》寓言故事主體的擬人名和動物名研究, Xiaowei Su

嶺南學報 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies

《莊子》寓言含義與現代寓言含義並非完全一致，在他的“泛寓言”體系下，自創的擬人名、精心選擇或獨創的動物名是其思想講述中的兩種故事主體名字類型。通過這種命名方式，莊子使抽象思想具體化，讓讀者以擬人名或動物名爲媒介，拓寬了審美想像的空間，引發情與理的契合，使讀者體驗到字面意義之外的思想含義。在這個過程中，莊子隱藏自身存在位置，讓不同擬人名和動物名類主體獲得獨立和自由，且部分主體具備主體間性，還讓擬人名和動物名的含義規範着寓言叙述結構；同時從文體發展來看，這種命名方式也對漢賦主體命名及構思有重要的影響。

The allegory meaning of “Zhuangzi” is not completely consistent with the meaning of modern allegories. Under the system of his broad-allegory, self-made anthropomorphic names, carefully chosen or original animal names are the two main name types in his thoughts. Through this method of naming, Zhuangzi concretized abstract thoughts, allowing readers to use anthropomorphic names or animal names as media, which broadened the space for aesthetic imagination, triggered the match between emotion and reason, and enabled readers to experience ideological meaning beyond the literal meaning. In this process, Zhuangzi hid his own existence position, allowed the subjects of different anthropomorphic …

Whole Genome Comparisons Reveal Panmixia Among Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda) From Diverse Locations, Katrina A. Schlum, Kurt Lamour, Caroline Placidi De Bortoli, Rahul Banerjee, Robert Meagher, Eliseu Pereira, Maria Gabriela Murua, Gregory A. Sword, Ashley E. Tessnow, Diego Viteri Dillon, Angela M. Linares Ramirez, Komivi S. Akutse, Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris, Fangneng Huang, Dominic Reisig, Scott J. Emrich, Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes

Faculty Publications

Background: The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)) is a highly polyphagous agricultural pest with long-distance migratory behavior threatening food security worldwide. This pest has a host range of > 80 plant species, but two host strains are recognized based on their association with corn (C-strain) or rice and smaller grasses (R-strain). The population genomics of the United States (USA) fall armyworm remains poorly characterized to date despite its agricultural threat. Results: In this study, the population structure and genetic diversity in 55 S. frugiperda samples from Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, Puerto Rico and USA were surveyed to further our understanding of …

Behavioral Characteristics And Self-Reported Health Status Among 2029 Adults Consuming A "Carnivore Diet", Belinda S. Lennerz, Jacob T. Mey, Owen H. Henn, David S. Ludwig

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: The "carnivore diet,"based on animal foods and excluding most or all plant foods, has attracted recent popular attention. However, little is known about the health effects and tolerability of this diet, and concerns for nutrient deficiencies and cardiovascular disease risk have been raised. Objectives: We obtained descriptive data on the nutritional practices and health status of a large group of carnivore diet consumers. Methods: A social media survey was conducted 30 March-24 June, 2020 among adults self-identifying as consuming a carnivore diet for ≥6 mo. Survey questions interrogated motivation, dietary intake patterns, symptoms suggestive of nutritional deficiencies or other …

Impact Of Acute Exercise On Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Nutrient Sensing And Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity In Healthy Young Adults, Bailey Theall, James Stampley, Eunhan Cho, Joshua Granger, Neil M. Johannsen, Brian A. Irving, Guillaume Spielmann

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Regular exercise is associated with changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proportions that have enhanced effector functions in young and old adults; however, the effects of acute exercise on PBMC nutrient sensors and metabolic function in active young adults is unknown. To fill this gap, activation status and nutrient-sensing mechanisms of PBMCs isolated from 21 healthy active adults (20–35 yr; 36.5 ± 6.3 V̇O2peak) were characterized before and after 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous cycling (65%–75% V̇O2peak). In addition, changes in PBMC mitochondrial respiratory function in response to exercise were assessed using high-resolution respirometry. There was an increase in the …

Biological And Environmental Influences On Motor Coordination In Peruvian Children And Adolescents, Sara Pereira, Alcibíades Bustamante, Carla Santos, Donald Hedeker, Go Tani, Rui Garganta, Olga Vasconcelos, Adam Baxter-Jones, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José Maia

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

This study investigated the associations between biological and environmental factors and gross-motor coordination (GMC) in Peruvian children and adolescents. The sample comprised 7401 boys and girls, aged 6–14 years, recruited from three geographical regions: sea-level, Amazon and high-altitude. Biological variables included age, sex, height, BMI, physical fitness, stunting, and maturational status. Environmental influences included geographical region and school characteristics. Gross-motor coordination was tested with the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder and the data analyzed by multilevel logistic regression. Results showed a high prevalence of below normal GMC scores. Sex, age, geographical area, biological maturation, BMI (normal versus overweight/obesity), and stunting were all …

The Acute Transcriptional Responses To Dietary Methionine Restriction Are Triggered By Inhibition Of Ternary Complex Formation And Linked To Erk1/2, Mtor, And Atf4, Kirsten P. Stone, Sujoy Ghosh, Jean Paul Kovalik, Manda Orgeron, Desiree Wanders, Landon C. Sims, Thomas W. Gettys

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

The initial sensing of dietary methionine restriction (MR) occurs in the liver where it activates an integrated stress response (ISR) that quickly reduces methionine utilization. The ISR program is regulated in part by ATF4, but ATF4’s prototypical upstream regulator, eIF2α, is not acutely activated by MR. Bioinformatic analysis of RNAseq and metabolomics data from liver samples harvested 3 h and 6 h after initiating MR shows that general translation is inhibited at the level of ternary complex formation by an acute 50% reduction of hepatic methionine that limits formation of initiator methionine tRNA. The resulting ISR is induced by selective …

Ale Beer Containing Free And Immobilized Lactobacillus Brevis, A Potential Delivery System For Probiotics, Kriza Faye Calumba, Vondel Reyes, Franklin Bonilla, Elio Villasmil, Subramaniam Sathivel

Faculty Publications

Abstract: Probiotics in ale beer may be attractive to health-conscious consumers. However, beer conditions may decrease probiotic viability. Powder produced from durian (Durio zibethinus) rind, a by-product that is currently unutilized, can be used for the immobilization of probiotics. MRS medium was incubated with Lactobacillus brevis and periodically sampled to obtain the growth curve. Ale beer with free L. brevis and cells immobilized in durian rind powder was produced and separately assessed during storage at 21 °C for 24 days. The physico-chemical parameters of both beers did not differ significantly. Durian rind powder conferred protection up to 12 days of …

Household Chaos, Family Routines, And Young Child Movement Behaviors In The U.S. During The Covid-19 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Study, Chelsea L. Kracht, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Amanda E. Staiano

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: The home environment is an important facilitator of young child movement behaviors, including physical activity (PA), sleep, and screen-time. Household chaos, characterized by crowding, noise, and disorder in the home, may hinder efforts to obtain adequate amounts of movement behaviors. The COVID-19 outbreak impacted many families, and social distancing during this time may create conditions for more household chaos. Family routines can help establish order in the home and encourage an appropriate balance of movement behaviors, such as less screen-time and more sleep. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between household chaos and young child …

Adolescents’ Sedentary Time, Affect, And Contextual Factors: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study, Chelsea L. Kracht, Robbie A. Beyl, Jaclyn P. Maher, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Amanda E. Staiano

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: Few adolescents achieve sufficient levels of physical activity, and many are spending most of their time in sedentary behavior. Affective response following sedentary time may influence motivation to remain sedentary. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a real-time data capture methodology that can be used to identify factors influencing sedentary time, such as the context of the home setting, and resulting affective state within a free-living setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between context at home and adolescent sedentary time, and the relationship of sedentary time and subsequent affect. Methods: Adolescents (n = 284; 10–16 …

Global Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour And Sleep Among 3- To 5-Year-Old Children: A Longitudinal Study Of 14 Countries, Anthony D. Okely, Katharina E. Kariippanon, Hongyan Guan, Ellie K. Taylor, Thomas Suesse, Penny L. Cross, Kar Hau Chong, Adang Suherman, Ali Turab, Amanda E. Staiano, Amy S. Ha, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Aqsa Baig, Bee Koon Poh, Borja Del Pozo-Cruz, Cecilia H.S. Chan, Christine Delisle Nyström, Denise Koh, E. Kipling Webster, Himangi Lubree, Hong Kim Tang, Issad Baddou, Jesus Del Pozo-Cruz, Jyh Eiin Wong, Kuston Sultoni, Maria Nacher, Marie Löf, Mingming Cui, Mohammad Sorowar Hossain, P. W.Prasad Chathurangana, Uddhavi Kand, V. P.Pujitha Wickramasinghe, Rebecca Calleia, Shameema Ferdous

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between …

E-&Mhealth Interventions Targeting Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And/Or Obesity Among Children: A Scoping Review Of Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analyses, Chelsea L. Kracht, Melinda Hutchesson, Mavra Ahmed, Andre Matthias Müller, Lee M. Ashton, Hannah M. Brown, Ann Desmet, Carol A. Maher, Chelsea E. Mauch, Corneel Vandelanotte, Zenong Yin, Megan Whatnall, Camille E. Short, Amanda E. Staiano

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Childhood obesity is a public health concern. Electronic and mobile health (e-&mHealth) approaches can facilitate the delivery of interventions for obesity prevention and treatment. Synthesizing reviews of e-&mHealth interventions to improve weight and weight-related behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet) is useful to characterize the current scope of the literature and identify opportunities for future reviews and studies. Using a scoping review methodology, we aimed to evaluate the breadth and methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of e-&mHealth interventions targeting weight and weight-related behaviors in children and adolescents aged < 19 years. A systematic search of seven databases was conducted, including reviews published between 2000 and 2019. Review characteristics were extracted, and methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Forty-five systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included. All reviews evaluated intervention efficacy (100%), but few assessed other aspects (20% in total) such as cost-effectiveness. Smartphone applications (47%), text messages (44%), and websites (35%) were the main modalities. Weight (60%), physical activity (51%), and diet (44%) were frequently assessed, unlike sedentary behavior (8%). Most reviews were rated as having critically low or low methodological quality (97%). Reviews that identify the effective active ingredients of interventions and explore metrics beyond efficacy are recommended.

A Link Between Ph Homeostasis And Colistin Resistance In Bacteria, Pradip R. Panta, William T. Doerrler

Faculty Publications

Colistin resistance is complex and multifactorial. DbcA is an inner membrane protein belonging to the DedA superfamily required for maintaining extreme colistin resistance of Burkholderia thailandensis. The molecular mechanisms behind this remain unclear. Here, we report that ∆dbcA displays alkaline pH/bicarbonate sensitivity and propose a role of DbcA in extreme colistin resistance of B. thailandensis by maintaining cytoplasmic pH homeostasis. We found that alkaline pH or presence of sodium bicarbonate displays a synergistic effect with colistin against not only extremely colistin resistant species like B. thailandensis and Serratia marcescens, but also a majority of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria tested, suggesting …