Parks & Equity: A Framework for Equitable Access in Richmond, VA Parks

Increasingly, cities are investing in their green spaces, such as open spaces and parks, as a strategy to improve the livability of the city, but also to improve the health of its residents. Research finds that access and proximity to green spaces provides a host of benefits to humans, including mental and physical health improvements. However, not all residents have equal access to these green public amenities. Research focuses on best practices for identifying minimum basic standards for DPR parks and the importance and limitations of green spaces in urban design. Basic standards include: setting the minimum limit for amenities in parks, best policies, implementation practices, and funding. The plan includes an analysis of the study area, Richmond, Virginia, and park access based on age, income, and race

DIFFERENTIATING THE NECHES RIVER ROSE MALLOW (HIBISCUS DASYCALYX) FROM ITS CONGENERS BY MEANS OF PHYLOGENETICS AND POPULATION GENETICS

This study used molecular phylogenetic methods to attempt to resolve the taxonomic status of the federally threatened East Texas-endemic wildflower, the Neches River Rose Mallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx). Hibiscus dasycalyx co-occurs with two other closely related congeners that are currently not of conservation concern: the halberdleaf rose mallow (H. laevis); and the crimson-eyed rose mallow (H. moscheutos). This study assessed the phylogeny of these three Hibiscus species, and attempted to determine if there is possible hybridization occurring between them. To this end, Restriction Site Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-Seq), a Next Generation Sequencing method, was used to generate genome-wide polymorphic genetic data. Two phylogenies were constructed utilizing Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian coalescence approaches. The Maximum likelihood phylogeny identified H. dasyclayx, H. laevis, and H. moscheutos as distinct monophyletic taxa. The Bayesian coalescence approach suggested H. moscheutos is a monophyletic sister clade to Hibiscus laevis, but suggested that H. dasycalyx and H. laevis are one monophyletic group and that H. dasycalyx is paraphyletic. AMOVAs did not show significant levels of admixture occurring between H. laevis, H. moscheutos, and H. dasycalyx. Bayesian clustering implemented in STRUCTURE was used determine the species relationships and gene flow between species, and revealed that H. dasycalyx clusters separately from H. laevis, and that the two species were differentiated from each other in this analysis with no evidence of admixture. The results overall do not have enough support to suggest the need, nor at the same time discredit a reclassification of H. dasycalyx. Further analysis of H. dasycalyx and H. laevis are needed to help better understand the taxonomic relationship between them

Norrell to Dr. Silver, 15 June 1963

Personal correspondenc

Norrell H. Noble to Dr. Silver, 5 August 1962

Professional correspondenc

Development of Genomic Resources for the Evaluation of Red Snapper, an Emerging Species Candidate for Marine Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement

The northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a highly targeted reef fish candidate for marine aquaculture and stock enhancement in the southern United States. This work aimed to develop genomic resources for the genetic management of aquaculture programs and to investigate population structure using high-throughput sequencing technologies. Eighty-four new microsatellite markers were developed through screening of Illumina paired-end sequencing reads. Microsatellite loci and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through Restriction Site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing were assayed in 5 outbred full-sib families to construct a high-density linkage map of the red snapper genome. The map consists of 7,964 markers distributed across 24 linkage groups and was used to anchor genome contigs obtained during assembly of P-454 and Illumina sequencing reads. Genetic variation among four geographic populations of northern red snapper and one population of southern red snapper (Lutjanus purpureus) was studied using 6,890 SNPs generated by RAD sequencing. Northern and southern red snapper diverged significantly (average FST estimate 0.188) and Bayesian clustering suggested a complete lack of current gene flow between the two taxa. These results, coupled with the finding of divergent selection impacting several genomic regions during sliding window analysis, suggests that northern and southern red snapper should, at minimum, be managed as distinct population segments. Little evidence of population subdivision was found among northern red snapper populations, consistent with previous genetic studies. Further work is needed to improve the draft reference genome and estimate dispersal parameters in order to design management units for U.S. populations

Norrell H. Noble to Dr. Silver, 12 July 1962

Professional correspondenc

Medical Noncompliance in a Pediatric Patient Living in a Single-Parent Household

Abstract Noncompliance is a patient’s inability to comply with the recommended treatment for their complete recovery from an ailment, while compliance is the extent to which a patient adheres to the provider’s directive, such as medication and orders given. The purpose of this study was to determine if motivational interviewing when applied to noncompliant pediatric patients from single-parent households, would improve global medical compliance in this population as compared to the standard of care at the end of three months. Thirty-two participants were recruited using the homogeneous purposeful sampling. The project employed a mixed-method approach. Fred Kleinsinger’s noncompliant behavior tool was administered to obtain staging data on noncompliance among participants. Pretest and posttest data were inputted to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and subsequently imported into SPSS version 25 software. The demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pretest and posttest data were compared using a paired t test and Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test. Following motivational interviewing, median noncompliance decreased from a score of 2 preintervention to 1 postintervention. Findings from other studies suggest that motivational interviewing is effective in curbing or reducing noncompliance. In this project, the goal of implementation scientific research was met by the conclusion that motivational interviewing significantly decreased medical noncompliance among pediatric patients from single-parent families. Healthcare providers must screen for potential noncompliance and prevent it before it manifests by proactively implementing a process for addressing noncompliance in their clinics. Keywords: pediatric noncompliance, motivational interviewing, single-parent familie

Shattered Communities: Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden under German Occupation: 1915-1918

“Shattered Communities: Soldiers, Rabbis, and the Ostjuden during Occupation: 1915-1918 addresses the interethnic experience in Poland during the German occupation of 1915-1918. This dissertation demonstrates that the German design for \u27modernization\u27 of the East began with the First World War, which envisioned the Jews as a critically vital component, rather than an obstacle to their success. The German military made its connection to the peoples in the East via its own army rabbis and Jewish administrators. This work examines the role of the German Army rabbis, in 1915, in establishing a Jewish press and Jewish schools, along with Jewish relief agencies funded by German Jewish businessmen, in assisting the local Ostjuden communities. By the time the guns stopped firing in 1918, however, the German government had reneged on their promises of recognition and help, and the circumstances of many Ostjuden were as precarious as they had been before the war. Even worse, the experience of war in the East encouraged the rise of racist nationalism in Germany and Eastern Europe. The roots of Nazi policies toward Jews were planted firmly in Poland and Lithuania between 1915 and 1918. But for defeat in the war, it is highly unlikely that the Nazis would ever have risen to power, and in the absence of the German experience of war in the East, the later commitment to a Jewish genocide might never have been imagined. By examining the transnational relationship between the Germans and the Polish Jewish communities during the Great War, I contribute to a better understanding of the complexities leading to the crucial fracture that took place under the pressure of total war in 1917

Conceptual design of a fleet of autonomous regolith throwing devices for radiation shielding of lunar habitats

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in conjunction with Universities Space Research Association (USRA) has requested that the feasibility of a fleet of regolith tossing devices designed to cover a lunar habitat for radiation protection be demonstrated. The regolith, or lunar soil, protects the lunar habitat and its inhabitants from radiation. Ideally, the device will operate autonomously in the lunar environment. To prove the feasibility of throwing regolith on the Moon, throwing solutions were compared to traditional, Earth-based methods for moving soil. Various throwing configurations were investigated. A linear throwing motion combined with a spring and motor energizing system proved a superior solution. Three different overall configurations for the lunar device are presented. A single configuration is chosen and critical parameters such as operating procedure, system volume, mass, and power are developed. The report is divided into seven main sections. First, the Introduction section gives background information, defines the project requirements and the design criteria, and presents the methodology used for the completion of this design. Next, the Preliminary Analysis section presents background information on characteristics of lunar habitats and the lunar environment. Then, the Alternate Designs section presents alternate solutions to each of the critical functions of the device. Fourth, a detailed analysis of throwing the regolith is done to demonstrate its feasibility. Then, the three overall design configurations are presented. Next, a configuration is selected and the conceptual design is expanded to include system performance characteristics, size, and mass. Finally, the Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Work section evaluates the design, outlines the next step to be taken in the design process, and suggests possible goals for future design work