Decision-Making in the Selection of Food Waste Diversion Systems for Boone, North Carolina: Comparing Composting and Anaerobic Digestion by Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis

Selecting an optimal food waste diversion system for a specific site is not a simple process and varies depending on local conditions. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the relative environmental burdens and economic benefits of each alternative food waste diversion system compared to landfilling by conducting a case study in Boone, NC. The results indicate that anaerobic digestion is more environmentally beneficial in Boone due to the avoidance of fossil fuel use for electricity generation, while composting becomes more economically beneficial with 10,000 tons of annual organic waste generation

The Role Of The Highly Conserved Non-Coding Element M2de1 On The Regulation Of The Expression Of The Meis2 And Zgc:154061 Genes

The Meis genes are members of the three amino acid loop extension (TALE) class, of the homeobox super gene family. Transcription factors encoded by Meis genes act as cofactors with other homeodomain proteins to regulate the expression of target genes during early embryonic development. The Zerucha lab, has identified four highly conserved noncoding elements (m2de1-4) associated with the Meis2 gene that are hypothesized to represent enhancers controlling Meis2 expression. In addition, m2de1 has been found to be in an intron of the zgc:154061 gene. One possible reason for the linkage of the Meis2 and zgc:154061 genes is that they are sharing regulatory elements. I report here that meis2a and zgc:154061 are expressed in a similar pattern as a transgene directed by m2de1. Excision of a region of m2de1 using CRISPR/Cas9 results in decreases in expression of both meis2a and zgc:154061 in these overlapping regions. In addition, knocking down pax6b expression in zebrafish lead to a similar decrease in expression of meis2a and zgc:154061. Together these results suggest that m2de1 is indeed a shared regulatory element controlling meis2a and zgc:154061 expression

A Novel Mutagenic Screen Reveals A Model For Interaction Between The Biofilm Regulatory Proteins NspS And MbaA In Vibrio Cholerae

The transition between motility and biofilm formation is important to the lifecycle of the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, which causes the disease cholera. Polyamines are ubiquitous, organic molecules and an example of one environmental signal that play a role in the regulation of V. cholerae biofilm formation. V. cholerae detects polyamines through a putative signaling pathway composed of a periplasmic protein, NspS, and a transmembrane protein, MbaA. Previous studies have determined that the cytoplasmic EAL domain of MbaA has phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity and can break down c-di-GMP, which positively regulates biofilm formation. In this pathway, NspS bound by a polyamine is hypothesized to interact with the periplasmic domain of MbaA to alter the PDE activity of the EAL domain dependent on the polyamine bound. Altering this activity of MbaA is thought to modify levels of c-di-GMP, affecting biofilm formation. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential binding surface on NspS that interacts with the periplasmic domain of MbaA. Based on the results, I present a model of this interaction in which NspS interacts with the periplasmic domain of MbaA to alter its PDE activity and regulate biofilm formation in response to polyamines in the environment

The Effects Of Perspective Taking And Empathy On Moral Judgments Of Blame And Praise

Moral judgments arise from a consideration of mental state inferences and an assessment of the outcomes of a moral event. Perspective taking and empathizing with people involved in a moral situation were predicted to differentially influence moral judgments. Perspective taking was predicted to guide observers to focus on the mental states of an agent, whereas empathy was predicted to guide observers to be sensitive to the outcomes of an event and who is harmed or benefitted by the actions of a moral agent. In turn, perspective taking would intensify moral judgments of blame and praise for outcomes that were produced intentionally, and empathizing would intensify moral judgments for accidental actions. Two studies manipulated information about an agent’s mental state and event outcomes by having participants read vignettes that described accidental or attempted events. Participants were instructed to either take the perspective of or empathize with the people in the story and make judgments of blame and praise. Study 1 examined judgments of blame and Study 2 attempted to replicate and extend Study 1 by including praiseworthy vignettes. Empathizing was found to produce greater judgments of blame for accidental actions. Judgments of attempted acts did not robustly differ across instruction conditions

Syn-theses, Or, The Mechanics Of Oppression In Western Literary Criticism

Syn-theses describes the ways in which academics engage in and reinforce lines of oppression against queers and women. By analyzing the work of Gertrude Stein, alongside readings of paintings, Luce Irigaray, Helene Cixous, and various myths of woman, this work modifies previous understandings of queer identity and liberation. Rather than support the body of critical work discussing queers and women, this work instead reflects upon how scholarship itself frequently forces queers to oppress themselves by refusing to meet and acknowledge the queer on their own terms. The brunt of the project fixates on the ways heterosexual readings of texts by queer writers simply do not function successfully to reveal or represent the identity of the queer writer present. Until the techniques suggested in this document are deployed, heterosexuality will remain dominant

Reasons Why Students Do Or Do Not Take Electives In Mathematics In Osceola County, Florida

The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons why students do or do not take electives in mathematics

The Summative Impact of College Access Interventions: A Program Evaluation of Gear Up North Carolina

This study evaluated the summative impact of interventions in a statewide Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant. This United States Department of Education federal grant was funded at $19.2M in 2005 to serve students in 19 North Carolina low-income school districts. Direct student and parent services were examined in relation to students’ subsequent postsecondary enrollment focusing on the 2010-11 graduating seniors in the GEAR UP North Carolina program. This study examined the impact parent and student services had on postsecondary enrollment. A fidelity index assessing whether grant objectives were met was also created to determine if meeting the grant’s objectives was related to postsecondary enrollment. Overall, student services were shown to have an impact on postsecondary enrollment. In particular, there were two student services and three parent services that positively predicted postsecondary enrollment. Additionally, grade-point average, course of study, and gender also predicted the likelihood of postsecondary enrollment. There was a significant correlation between meeting the grant’s objectives and postsecondary enrollment. Policy recommendations are included for GEAR UP programs, as well as suggestions for future GEAR UP evaluation

Reducing Greenhouse Energy Consumption By Bench-Top Root Zone Heating And Renewable Energy: Springhouse Farm Case Study (Vilas, North Carolina - POSTER)

Mountain farmers in Southern Appalachia often face challenges associated with terrain and climate such as a short growing season and size of farm, thus balancing economic feasibility. However, demand for locally grown produce exceeds current spending by 260%. This unmet demand indicates that the potential exists for increasing mountain farmers in the region. Growing season extension with greenhouse technology is a key strategy to increase the availability of local food and farmers' profits

International Relations, Biodiversity Loss, And The United States

Biodiversity is an environmental cache that has been maintained and developed globally over thousands of years. However, biodiversity loss is an international environmental issue that is increasingly threatening the countless ecosystem services and stabilizing abilities of biologically diverse ecosystems. The drivers of biodiversity loss are largely anthropogenic and transboundary, and without a concerted and coordinated global effort, it is likely that current ecosystem services and a diverse planet will be lost to future generations. While this issue has been recognized by the global community through multilateral environmental agreements, the United States has consistently refrained from engaging in these efforts. This paper seeks to explore the current trend of United States participation in multilateral efforts to address biodiversity loss, as well as the implications of its actions. This paper analyzes the United States’ engagement, or lack thereof, using the liberal and constructivist theories of international relations to examine the negative consequences of the United States’ current strategy of participation. This is especially important when considering the redistribution of power in the international system from unipolarity to multipolarity, in which the United States may no longer maintain a disproportionate share of power. In general, the United States’ lack of engagement in global environmental efforts is likely to negatively affect its ability to achieve future foreign policy goals, suggesting a strong motivation for the United States to assess and alter its current engagement strategy in biodiversity agreements

A Survey Of The Reading Materials Found In The Homes Of The Fourth And Seventh Grade Students Of The Elementary Demonstration School, Boone, North Carolina

It was the purpose of this study (1) to determine the type of reading material provided in the homes of the fourth and seventh grade students; (2) to determine the nature of the reading habits of the parents; (3) and to secure an overall picture of the interest in reading in reference to the economic and social conditions present in the homes of the fourth and seventh grade students of the Elementary Demonstration School