Evaluation of Environmental Concentrations of 4-Nonylphenol using GC-MS

Due to a growing population and an increasing demand for food, many farmers have turned to pesticides as a form of pest control. Nonylphenol ethoxylates, a common surfactant, account for 10% by weight of many pesticides. These compounds undergo bacterial degradation leading to the formation of nonylphenol, an endocrine disrupting chemical that can be absorbed into the human body. The isomer known as 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), which mimics 17-beta estradiol or estrogen, has been linked in high concentrations to the proliferation of pre-existing breast cancer cells. This study focuses on the determination of 4-NP in Californian watersheds and atmospheric deposition samples using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The results of this study were then to investigate a correlation between the occurrence of 4-NP in the environment and various environmental factors. 4-NP concentrations were found ubiquitously in the environment; however, it was clear that location as well as many other factors such as local geography, wind patterns, pesticide usage of an area, recent history clean-up efforts, and general distance from an agricultural density center need to be considered when determining the risk of exposure for an area to this compound. The average concentration of 4-NP measured in the 5 locations of interest was approximately 4.58 µg/L

Analysis of Full-Scale Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall Using Crimped Steel Wire Reinforcement

Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls have provided an effective solution to constructing retaining walls. The engineering and construction industry is continually striving to provide more cost-effective and design-efficient means to building MSE walls. Hilfiker Retaining Walls has developed a new semi-extensible metal mat reinforcement technology which does not fit into the current extensible or inextensible categories as defined by regulating authorities. The objective of this project was to construct and observe the behavior collect quantitative data for a 20-foot tall MSE wall using the prototype semi-extensible reinforcement technology. The results were compared to expected American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load Reduction Factored Design values and was also compared to another case study, Prediction of Reinforcement Loads in Reinforced Soil Walls as conducted by Tony M. Allen, P.E., and Richard J. Bathurst, Ph. D., P. Eng. Comparing the behavior of the 20-foot prototype MSE wall to these design regulations and case studies allowed for proper classification and will facilitate future industry design efforts

Dynamics in entrepreneurial decision-making and coping strategies, diary-based case analysis of resilience in early stage entrepreneurs as a developmental process

Entrepreneurship scholars have highlighted the need to specify entrepreneurial performance dynamics. While a growing chorus of scholars have highlighted the developmental nature of the entrepreneurial process, details of how this process develops still need empirical elaboration. The thesis explores the role of entrepreneurs’ decision-making and coping strategies as an emerging temporal experience. This thesis asks how capacities are developed by entrepreneurs to adapt and overcome adversity during venture creation. This research contributes much needed empirical elaboration to how entrepreneurial decision-making plays out through deliberation on factors relating to adversity facing their businesses. The study adduced longitudinal evidence from 108 diary-based accounts of participants’ day-to-day experience and 12 in-depth qualitative interviews offering direct insight into the entrepreneurial process, drawn from six participating entrepreneurs over a three-month timeframe. The research adopted philosophical, epistemological and methodological rationales conducive to a dynamic and process-focused approach. This research employed a ‘connected contributions’ approach for conducting mixed methods research, which aimed for complementary assistance by combining the strengths from both qualitative (core) and quantitative (supplementary) methods. Within- and cross-case analysis reveal patterns for how unfolding business challenges were perceived and what resources were used to cope with chronic and acute challenges. These patterns were grouped under the categories of perceptions of external business context, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial effectuation. The thesis focuses on the micro-processual dynamics of decision-making and coping strategies with the aim of making conceptual contributions to the literature on entrepreneurial resilience. It also focuses on within-person drivers for continuity and change in entrepreneurial performance, with emphasis on links to subsequent failure experiences, learning and adaptation to adversity. Findings indicate that entrepreneurs developed decision biases, stress responses and coping strategies to reduce uncertainty within their businesses, regardless of emergent experiences with emotional, financial and relational impacts. Implications for entrepreneurs, pedagogy and future research are discussed, as well as the limitations of the thesis and avenues for further research.Entrepreneurship scholars have highlighted the need to specify entrepreneurial performance dynamics. While a growing chorus of scholars have highlighted the developmental nature of the entrepreneurial process, details of how this process develops still need empirical elaboration. The thesis explores the role of entrepreneurs’ decision-making and coping strategies as an emerging temporal experience. This thesis asks how capacities are developed by entrepreneurs to adapt and overcome adversity during venture creation. This research contributes much needed empirical elaboration to how entrepreneurial decision-making plays out through deliberation on factors relating to adversity facing their businesses. The study adduced longitudinal evidence from 108 diary-based accounts of participants’ day-to-day experience and 12 in-depth qualitative interviews offering direct insight into the entrepreneurial process, drawn from six participating entrepreneurs over a three-month timeframe. The research adopted philosophical, epistemological and methodological rationales conducive to a dynamic and process-focused approach. This research employed a ‘connected contributions’ approach for conducting mixed methods research, which aimed for complementary assistance by combining the strengths from both qualitative (core) and quantitative (supplementary) methods. Within- and cross-case analysis reveal patterns for how unfolding business challenges were perceived and what resources were used to cope with chronic and acute challenges. These patterns were grouped under the categories of perceptions of external business context, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial effectuation. The thesis focuses on the micro-processual dynamics of decision-making and coping strategies with the aim of making conceptual contributions to the literature on entrepreneurial resilience. It also focuses on within-person drivers for continuity and change in entrepreneurial performance, with emphasis on links to subsequent failure experiences, learning and adaptation to adversity. Findings indicate that entrepreneurs developed decision biases, stress responses and coping strategies to reduce uncertainty within their businesses, regardless of emergent experiences with emotional, financial and relational impacts. Implications for entrepreneurs, pedagogy and future research are discussed, as well as the limitations of the thesis and avenues for further research

A Study of the Sensitivity of Plethodon cinereus (Caudata: Plethodontidae) to Damage-Released Cues from Conspecifics

Some prey species vary the intensity of antipredator responses according to the perceived level of threat associated with different concentrations of chemical cues related to predation. Here, we examine whether Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) respond to different concentrations of damage-released cues from the tails of conspecifics in a threat-sensitive manner. We exposed salamanders either to a control or to damage-released cues from conspecifîcs at one of three different concentrations. We found that salamanders exposed to damage released cues significantly decreased their activity compared to salamanders exposed to a control. However, the intensity of the responses was not related to the concentration of the cue, suggesting that individuals of P. cinereus do not respond in a threat-sensitive fashion at the concentrations tested

Changing Course: Exploring Impacts Of Waiting For Superman On Future Teachers Perspectives On The State Of Education

The controversial video documentary Waiting for Superman, released in 2010, has helped to ignite a firestorm of national debate on current educational reforms in the United States. The purpose of this study is to determine the possible impacts of the video documentary Waiting for Superman potentially influencing pre-service education teachers attitudes about education and current educational practices. Twenty-seven pre-service, post baccalaureate, teacher-education students volunteered for this exploratory study which used pre/post surveys and a focus group of six randomly chosen volunteers from the participants to determine what, if any, impact Waiting for Superman had on their view on current educational issues. This data suggests that Waiting for Superman altered students pre-existing notions about teachers unions, the importance of effective teachers, and enhanced their outlook on charter schools over public schools. This study contributes to our growing understanding of how widely disseminated video documentaries can influence attitudes about educational practices among future teachers so as to guide teacher education programs about the possible inclusion of such videos as part of the undergraduate curriculum

A repeated measures dataset on public responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic:Social norms, attitudes, behaviors, conspiracy thinking, and (mis)information

We present a quantitative repeated measures dataset from intensive longitudinal research (diary survey) conducted with participants drawn from a nationally representative sample of the German population. This diary survey addresses a wide range of variables relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic, including information seeking, attitudes towards science, public health, and related behaviors. Respondents were asked about their thoughts, challenges, concerns, and experiences related to the pandemic. Survey responses were requested every two weeks from November 2020 and September 2021 for a total of 18 stages of data collection. The diary survey responses were all matched to the same individual. Using the unique identifier for each individual, the diary survey dataset can be analyzed in concert with a larger representative survey sample that was conducted three times within the same research project over this time period. The diary dataset we present here includes socio-demographic information and other potentially relevant variables, ready for secondary analysis. Initial sample frame: N = 1,480 Initial diary survey sub-sample: N = 13

Evidence-based research impact praxis : integrating scholarship and practice to ensure research benefits society [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Effective research impact development is essential to address global challenges. This commentary highlights key issues facing research impact development as a nascent professional field of practice. We argue that those working on research impact should take a strategic, ‘evidence-based’ approach to maximize potential research benefits and minimize potential harms. We identify key features of evidence-based good practice in the context of research impact work. This includes integrating relevant research and theory into professional decision-making, drawing on a diversity of academic disciplines offering pertinent insights. Such an integration of scholarship and practice will improve the capacity of research impact work to make a positive difference for society. Moving the focus of research impact work to earlier stages in the research and innovation process through stakeholder engagement and anticipatory research can also boost its effectiveness. The research impact evidence base should be combined with the right kind of professional capacities and practical experience to enhance positive impact. Such capacities need to be developed through relevant education and training, for example, in participatory methods and social inclusion. Such training for research impact work needs to forge strong links between research impact scholarship and practice. Finally, there is a need for improvements in the evidence base for research impact to make it more practically useful