Pedestrian Safety on San Jose Roads: The Impact of Traffic Safety Infrastructure

How successful have the City of San Jose’s traffic safety improvement programs been in reducing pedestrian injuries/fatalities on city streets? This research question focuses on the impact of the City of San Jose’s traffic safety programs on pedestrian safety between 2010 and 2014. The research aims to determine the extent to which traffic safety programs and infrastructure reduce rates of pedestrian injuries/fatalities and the severity of pedestrian injuries when incidents occur

A Study of DRAINMOD-Urban For Enhanced Bioretention Cell Modeling

Bioretention has become a leading infiltration-based stormwater control measure for mitigating urban hydrology by reducing urban stormwater runoff volumes and peak flows. Despite widespread field and laboratory studies, less investigation has been directed toward effectively modeling these systems. This is critical, as modeling of bioretention systems provides an avenue for evaluating their effectiveness prior to devoting time and resources into installation. Many hydrologic models capable of simulating bioretention consist of lumped parameters and simplifications that do not fully account for fundamental hydrologic processes such as soil-water interactions. One model, DRAINMOD, has overcome many limitations of other models by incorporating the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) to provide better analysis of soil moisture conditions within a bioretention cell and offering better drainage configurations such as an internal water storage (IWS) zone. DRAINMOD is an agricultural drainage model that has shown promise when applied to bioretention systems but operates at a daily temporal scale which does not capture rapid changes in urban hydrology. This study begins by modifying DRAINMOD to adapt to the flashy nature of urban hydrology and bioretention systems in a new model named DRAINMOD-Urban. The performance of DRAINMOD-Urban established that it can produce output hydrographs that represent measured drainage and overflow from a bioretention system while still maintaining calibrated volumes of outflow similar to DRAINMOD. Next, DRAINMOD-Urban was compared to the LID module of the commonly used hydrologic model, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). DRAINMOD-Urban produced better drainage hydrographs but SWMM was very accurate at predicting measured drainage (NSE=0.77-0.94) and overflow (NSE=0.67-0.81) volumes. Pedotransfer functions (PTF) were used to derive the SWCC and vi saturated hydraulic conductivity required for DRAINMOD-Urban and model performance was compared among measured and PTF-derived soil properties. This study showed that a calibrated DRAINMOD-Urban can perform equally well with a SWCC that is measured and calculated using the ROSETTA PTF. These investigations provide a better understanding of how DRAINMOD-Urban has enhanced the field of bioretention cell modeling at the site-scale

The Crossroads of Eternality and Southern Distortion: An Analysis of Flannery O\u27Connor\u27s Fiction

The purpose of this analysis was to explore how social and cultural values in the South determine meaning in Flannery O’Connor’s fiction. Since Christianity is the predominant religion in the South, only O’Connor’s stories with obvious Christian themes and characters were chosen. Several modern literary theories, along with select criticism of O’Connor’s literature, were used to investigate the fluidity of words and their corresponding meanings in O’Connor’s fiction. Although Flannery O’Connor’s language and depictions are often open-ended, there were definite bounds located, namely, Biblical allusions and Southern cultural standards. These findings demonstrated that the language in O’Connor’s fiction is neither an arbitrary system nor is it driven by the author’s history or intent. It is, therefore, recommended that a cultural approach be applied to Flannery O’Connor’s literature if the goal is to comprehend her religious themes

Comparison of Water Quality and Quantity in Eastern Redcedar-encroached Woodland and Native Tallgrass Prairie Watersheds: A Monitoring and Modeling Study

The encroachment of Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) has become a major concern across the Great Plains region. This species has diminished ecological benefits provided by the grasslands they are replacing. It was suggested that Eastern Redcedar be used as a biofuel feedstock to serve a dual purpose of more biofuel production and restoration of native grasslands. This study compared two tallgrass prairie and two Eastern Redcedar encroached woodland watersheds identified in the Oklahoma State University Cross Timbers Experimental Range (CTER). Surface runoff samples were collected in each watershed to compare total runoff and sediment concentrations between encroached and tallgrass prairie watersheds prior to Eastern Redcedar removal. Measured data showed less runoff in the encroached sites compared to the tallgrass prairie. However, the sediment yield in all watersheds was similar. These data were also compared to uncalibrated Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) simulations to evaluate the model. WEPP simulations were conducted using site-specific soil and slope inputs and a variety of climate inputs to represent wet, dry, long-term, and field site conditions. All site-specific WEPP simulations showed increased runoff and sediment yield in the encroached woodland compared to tallgrass prairie watersheds. Future work including calibration of WEPP using data from CTER will provide more guidance on if default values are sufficient or if field-measured parameters improve model predictions. The soil erodibility parameters were further investigated in WEPP. Currently, WEPP uses empirical equations to determine two major erodibility parameters within the soil input file: the critical shear stress (?c) and the erodibility coefficient (kd). These erodibility parameters were determined mechanistically in the field using the Jet Erosion Test (JET). The JET-derived erodibility parameters were compared to WEPP-predicted values. The WEPP erodibility parameters were directly correlated with the soil texture. However, JET-derived erodibility parameters were significantly different between the two land covers with no relationship observed to soil texture. Uncalibrated WEPP simulations failed to indicate differences in predicted sediment transport between the erodibility parameters likely due to the small range in applied shear. This investigation highlights the need to use in situ testing to determine erodibility of a field site to better incorporate the effects of land cover when predicting hillslope sediment detachment in hydrologic modeling.Biosystems & Agricultural Engineerin

Influences on Young Children's Behavior, Engagement Level and Representation During Storytelling Using an Interactive Whiteboard

The purpose of this study was to examine the influences on young children's behavior, engagement level and representation during storytelling using an interactive whiteboard. The study consisted of observations and interviews of four pairs of students as they were re&ndashtelling the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears on an interactive whiteboard. A first grade classroom was identified by a teacher responding to an email. The sole criterion that I gave the teacher was for her to select eight participants that have the ability to complete a storytelling activity independently while using an interactive whiteboard. Each participant was observed as they completed the storytelling and then immediately interviewed about their experience using an interactive whiteboard. The methodological framework was a qualitative, descriptive naturalistic study analyzed through the lens of the Interpretivist and Deconstructionist paradigms. Specifically, I used the Constructivist Theory and Poststructural perspective, ThirdSchool of Teaching and Curriculum Leadershi

The use of HaloTag-based technology in flow and laser scanning cytometry analysis of live and fixed cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Combining the technologies of protein tag labeling and optical microscopy allows sensitive analysis of protein function in cells.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Here, we describe development of applications using protein tag technology (HaloTag (HT)-based) for flow and laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Cell lines, expressing recombinant surface β1-integrin-HT and HT-p65 fusion protein, and a CD4 T cell line (Jurkat) infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reporter virus expressing the unfused HT (HIV-1_Lai-Halo), were stained with different HT ligands and successfully detected by flow cytometers equipped with 488 and 561 nm lasers as well as a laser scanning cytometer (equipped with 488 and 405 nm lasers) alone or combined with cell cycle and viability markers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Use of HT technology for cytometric applications has advantages over its use in microscopy as it allows for the statistical measurement of protein expression levels in individual cells within a heterogeneous cell population in combination with cell cycle analysis. Another advantage is the ability of the HaloTag to withstand long fixation and high concentration of fixative, which can be useful in research of infectious agents like HIV and/or mycobacteria.</p

Novel Peptide Sequence (“IQ-tag”) with High Affinity for NIR Fluorochromes Allows Protein and Cell Specific Labeling for In Vivo Imaging

Probes that allow site-specific protein labeling have become critical tools for visualizing biological processes.Here we used phage display to identify a novel peptide sequence with nanomolar affinity for near infrared (NIR) (benz)indolium fluorochromes. The developed peptide sequence ("IQ-tag") allows detection of NIR dyes in a wide range of assays including ELISA, flow cytometry, high throughput screens, microscopy, and optical in vivo imaging.The described method is expected to have broad utility in numerous applications, namely site-specific protein imaging, target identification, cell tracking, and drug development

A TSPO-related protein localizes to the early secretory pathway in Arabidopsis, but is targeted to mitochondria when expressed in yeast

AtTSPO is a TspO/MBR domain-protein potentially involved in multiple stress regulation in Arabidopsis. As in most angiosperms, AtTSPO is encoded by a single, intronless gene. Expression of AtTSPO is tightly regulated both at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. It has been shown previously that overexpression of AtTSPO in plant cell can be detrimental, and the protein was detected in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi stacks, contrasting with previous findings and suggesting a mitochondrial subcellular localization for this protein. To ascertain these findings, immunocytochemistry and ABA induction were used to demonstrate that, in plant cells, physiological levels of AtTSPO colocalized with AtArf1, a mainly Golgi-localized protein in plant cells. In addition, fluorescent protein-tagged AtTSPO was targeted to the secretory pathway and did not colocalize with MitoTracker-labelled mitochondria. These results suggest that the polytopic membrane protein AtTSPO is cotranslationally targeted to the ER in plant cells and accumulates in the Trans-Golgi Network. Heterologous expression of AtTSPO in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yeast devoid of TSPO-related protein, resulted in growth defects. However, subcellular fractionation and immunoprecipitation experiments showed that AtTSPO was targeted to mitochondria where it colocalized and interacted with the outer mitochondrial membrane porin VDAC1p, reminiscent of the subcellular localization and activity of mammalian translocator protein 18 kDa TSPO. The evolutionarily divergent AtTSPO appears therefore to be switching its sorting mode in a species-dependent manner, an uncommon peculiarity for a polytopic membrane protein in eukaryotic cells. These results are discussed in relation to the recognition and organelle targeting mechanisms of polytopic membrane proteins in eukaryotic cells

Differential effects of human and plant N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GnTI) in plants

In plants and animals, the first step in complex type N-glycan formation on glycoproteins is catalyzed by N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GnTI). We show that the cgl1-1 mutant of Arabidopsis, which lacks GnTI activity, is fully complemented by YFP-labeled plant AtGnTI, but only partially complemented by YFP-labeled human HuGnTI and that this is due to post-transcriptional events. In contrast to AtGnTI-YFP, only low levels of HuGnTI-YFP protein was detected in transgenic plants. In protoplast co-transfection experiments all GnTI-YFP fusion proteins co-localized with a Golgi marker protein, but only limited co-localization of AtGnTI and HuGnTI in the same plant protoplast. The partial alternative targeting of HuGnTI in plant protoplasts was alleviated by exchanging the membrane-anchor domain with that of AtGnTI, but in stably transformed cgl1-1 plants this chimeric GnTI still did not lead to full complementation of the cgl1-1 phenotype. Combined, the results indicate that activity of HuGnTI in plants is limited by a combination of reduced protein stability, alternative protein targeting and possibly to some extend to lower enzymatic performance of the catalytic domain in the plant biochemical environment