A Preliminary Assessment of Tidal Flooding along the New Hampshire Coast: Past, Present and Future

This report presents the results of a preliminary study that examines several critical coastal issues for New Hampshire including sea level fluctuations (past, present and future), shoreline migrations, and tidal flooding. Included are: 1) an analysis of sea level changes over the Holocene and resulting shoreline migrations, 2) an assessment of low-lying areas with elevations below selected tidal flooding datums in coastal areas, and 3) an assessment of increases in low-lying areas that are potentially at risk to tidal flooding over the next century due to sea level rise

Using ADR Principles to Resolve Environmental Disputes: How Mediated Settlements Have Helped Struggling CERCLA Survive

The goal of this article is to show that the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution ( ADR ) principles has made the remediation of numerous hazardous waste sites possible, and has thus enabled the struggling program to continue benefiting Americans everywhere. First, this article provides background information regarding the enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Clean-up and Liability Act ( CERCLA ) and its successor, the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act ( SARA ). Second, it explains why using ADR principles, instead of litigation, are vital methods of resolving CERCLA disputes. Third, three examples of major Superfund sites that were successfully cleaned up due to the use of mediated settlements and other ADR principles are discussed. Finally, this article discusses the specific ways in which mediated settlements are helping to fund remediation and reduce costs to the parties involved

Conceptualizing the “Dis” of Our Abilities: A Heuristic Phenomenology

Social conceptions of disabilities rely on a positivist construction of a singular common normalcy which allows for the other-ing and subsequent devaluing of individuals who fall outside of that norm. Such devaluing and marginalization begins with and is evidenced in the very label disability and continues down a linguistically slippery slope of deviance and abnormalities until those being labeled as disabled can easily be conceived of as less than fully human. Nowhere, perhaps, is this phenomenon more poignantly played out than in schools, the very places that, ironically, purport to leave no child behind. Guided by the voice of a character living with cerebral palsy and through the auspices of a heuristic phenomenology, I describe how my students and I, as individuals labeled with disabilities, experience, understand, and negotiate our differences within the confines of an education system rife with the pressures of standardization. In doing so, I shed light on the ways in which standardization dehumanizes individuals with differences, and I attempt to recapture my students’ full humanity

Retained Primitive Reflexes and ADHD: Examining Atypical Symptomology in the School-Aged Population

Purpose: Typical development begins in-utero and progresses throughout the lifespan. Jean Piaget authored a theory that encompasses core aspects of the lifespan stages related to typical development of sensory and motor systems. Piaget outlined the developmental stages as: sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal operational stage. Within these stages, the typically developing child learns to adapt and respond effectively to his or her environment (Cole & Tufano, 2008). Dr. Jean Ayres described a similar developmental process, termed Sensory Integration. This process is defined as the coordination of the sensory systems in order for an individual to effectively interact with his or her environment (Ayres, 1979). For this scholarly project, Piaget and Ayres’ theories will be used in parallel to create a framework of typical and atypical development throughout the lifespan. Another facet of typical development is the presence of primitive reflexes, which are initially used for protection against external stimuli, and later integrated into purposeful movement (Berne, 2006). The retention of certain primitive reflexes may cause sensory and motor dysfunction in the school-aged child (Goddard, 2002). Another cause of sensory and motor dysfunction in this population is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which impacts approximately 9.5% of Americans under the age of seventeen (CDC, 2010, p.1439). ADHD is defined as “a disorder of childhood and adolescence manifested at home, in school, and in social situations by developmentally inappropriate degrees of inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity” (Stedman, 2005, p. 136). Many of the characteristics of ADHD symptomology and retained primitive reflexes are very similar in presentation, and the purpose of this scholarly project is to explore possible correlations between the two (Konicarova & Bob, 2012; Konicarova & Bob, 2013; Taylor, Houghton, & Chapman, 2004). Methodology: An extensive literature review was conducted on typical human development, including primitive reflexes, and atypical developmental behaviors that may occur if these reflexes are retained. ADHD was also thoroughly researched, specifically with regard to how sensory integrative behaviors are presented throughout development. Research exploring any possible correlation between retained primitive reflexes and ADHD was reviewed and analyzed. Conclusions: A product was developed in the form of a scholarly article to explore a possible correlation of retained primitive reflexes and sensory-integrative behaviors in school-aged children diagnosed with ADHD. Included in the article is an explanation of atypical behaviors presented with retained primitive reflexes, ADHD and atypical behaviors, as well as research conducted on any possible correlations between retained primitive reflexes and ADHD. It is intended that this article will be submitted for publication in OT Practice, a scholarly magazine published by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). This scholarly article will be used to demonstrate the need for further research on this topic

Finding the depth of radioactivity in construction materials

A key challenge in disposing of nuclear legacy facilities and planning a new nuclear plant is how to assess the extent or likelihood of radioactive contamination in construction materials and the ground. This paper summarises the status of two techniques based on the analysis of emitted radiation from materials that comprise such structures, and describes how this analysis can be used to infer the depth of contamination without the need to penetrate the structure or to destroy it in the process. Two experimental facilities have been developed to test the efficacy of these techniques, and data are provided for the most widespread contaminant experienced in the sector: caesium-137. Finally, the influence on the technique of the likely variety of silica-based media to be encountered in the nuclear industry is described, together with a summary of challenges to be addressed in future research

03. Notch Signaling Plays a Key Role in Regulating Adult Stem Cell Osteogenic Differentiation

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) are an easily accessible type of multipotent stem cell that boasts immense potential as a cell source for personalized regenerative medicine. Given their tremendous clinical potential, our research strives to better understand hASCs and their potential use in combating degenerative bone diseases such as osteoporosis and trauma related degradation. We are specifically interested in deciphering the role of the highly conserved Notch signaling pathway and how it might be manipulated to enhance bone differentiation and regeneration. The Notch signaling pathway is a cell-to-cell contact dependent pathway that is involved in cellular homeostasis, stem cell differentiation, and cell fate determination. Notch1 and Notch3 are two receptors in the Notch signaling pathway that play a critical role in osteogenesis and self-renewal. To better understand the role of these two receptors, siRNA knockdowns are performed. Small interfering RNAs lead to the degradation of a significant amount of a targeted mRNA transcript, and in turn results in a significant decrease in protein expression. The literature indicates that a decrease in Notch1 expression leads to a decrease in osteogenic differentiation. Given data in the literature for other types of cells, we expect to confirm that the decrease in Notch1 leads to a decrease in hASC osteogenesis while the decrease in Notch3 may lead to enhanced differentiation. Identifying the role of each receptor will aid in identifying potential therapeutic targets for treating bone degeneration and loss in the future

Collective Impact: Results from a Multi-Campus Farm to College Pilot Program

Presented at Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference and State of NY Sustainability Conference

Scaling Up Local Food Sourcing: a Multi-Campus Farm to College Pilot (2015)

Presented at the Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium Conference