Ethnic and American identity development: A developmental systems approach

Given the role ethnic identity has as a protective factor against the effects of marginalization and discrimination (Umaña-Taylor, 2011), research longitudinally examining ethnic identity has become of increased importance. However, successful identity development must incorporate elements from both one's ethnic group and from the United States (Berry, 1980). Despite this, relatively few studies have jointly evaluated ethnic and American identity (Schwartz et al., 2012). The current dissertation, guided by three objectives, sought to address this and several other gaps in the literature. First, psychometric properties of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and the American Identity Measure (AIM) were evaluated. Secondly, the dissertation examined growth trends in recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents' and their caregivers' ethnic and American identity. Lastly, the relationship between adolescents' and caregivers' ethnic and American identity was evaluated. The study used an archival sample consisting of 301 recently immigrated Hispanic families collected from Miami (N = 151) and Los Angeles (N = 150). Consistent with previous research, results in Study 1 indicated a two-factor model reliably provided better fit than a one-factor model and established longitudinal invariance for the MEIM and the AIM. Results from Study 2 found significant growth in adolescents' American identity. While some differences were found across site and nationality, evidence suggested recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents were becoming more bicultural. Counterintuitively, results found a significant decline in caregivers' ethnic identity which future studies should further examine. Finally, results from Study 3, found several significant positive relationships between adolescents' and their caregivers' ethnic and American identity. Findings provided preliminary evidence for the importance of examining identity development within a systemic lens. Despite several limitations, these three studies represented a step forward in addressing the current gaps in the cultural identity literature. Implications for future investigation are discussed.

Development of an enhanced hydro-geochemical model to address mercury-speciation fate and transport in aquatic environments

An awareness of mercury (Hg) contamination in various aquatic environments around the world has increased over the past decade, mostly due to its ability to concentrate in the biota. Because the presence and distribution of Hg in aquatic systems depend on many factors (e.g., pe, pH, salinity, temperature, organic and inorganic ligands, sorbents, etc.), it is crucial to understand its fate and transport in the presence of complexing constituents and natural sorbents, under those different factors. An improved understanding of the subject will support the selection of monitoring, remediation, and restoration technologies. The coupling of equilibrium chemical reactions with transport processes in the model PHREEQC offers an advantage in simulating and predicting the fate and transport of aqueous chemical species of interest. Thus, a great variety of reactive transport problems could be addressed in aquatic systems with boundary conditions of specific interest. Nevertheless, PHREEQC lacks a comprehensive thermodynamic database for Hg. Therefore, in order to use PHREEQC to address the fate and transport of Hg in aquatic environments, it is necessary to expand its thermodynamic database, confirm it and then evaluate it in applications where potential exists for its calibration and continued validation. The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to develop, expand, and confirm the Hg database of the hydrogeochemical PHREEQC to enhance its capability to simulate the fate of Hg species in the presence of complexing constituents and natural sorbents under different conditions of pH, redox, salinity and temperature; and 2) to apply and evaluate the new database in flow and transport scenarios, at two field test beds: Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, TN and Everglades National Park, FL, where Hg is present and is of much concern. Overall, this research enhanced the capability of the PHREEQC model to simulate the coupling of the Hg reactions in transport conditions. It also demonstrated its usefulness when applied to field situations.

Development of advanced capillary electrophoresis techniques with UV and mass spectrometry detection for forensic, pharmaceutical and environmental applications

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a modern analytical technique, which is electrokinetic separation generated by high voltage and taken place inside the small capillaries. In this dissertation, several advanced capillary electrophoresis methods are presented using different approaches of CE and UV and mass spectrometry are utilized as the detection methods. ^ Capillary electrochromatography (CEC), as one of the CE modes, is a recent developed technique which is a hybrid of capillary electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Capillary electrochromatography exhibits advantages of both techniques. In Chapter 2, monolithic capillary column are fabricated using in situ photoinitiation polymerization method. The column was then applied for the separation of six antidepressant compounds. ^ Meanwhile, a simple chiral separation method is developed and presented in Chapter 3. Beta cycodextrin was utilized to achieve the goal of chiral separation. Not only twelve cathinone analytes were separated, but also isomers of several analytes were enantiomerically separated. To better understand the molecular information on the analytes, the TOF-MS system was coupled with the CE. A sheath liquid and a partial filling technique (PFT) were employed to reduce the contamination of MS ionization source. Accurate molecular information was obtained. ^ It is necessary to propose, develop, and optimize new techniques that are suitable for trace-level analysis of samples in forensic, pharmaceutical, and environmental applications. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was selected for this task, as it requires lower amounts of samples, it simplifies sample preparation, and it has the flexibility to perform separations of neutral and charged molecules as well as enantiomers. ^ Overall, the study demonstrates the versatility of capillary electrophoresis methods in forensic, pharmaceutical, and environmental applications.^

Contribution of lipophilic secondary metabolites to the toxicity of strains of freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, identified using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo as a model for vertebrate development

Cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae") are known to produce a diverse repertoire of biologically active secondary metabolites. When associated with so-called "harmful algal blooms", particularly in freshwater systems, a number of these metabolites have been associated—as "toxins", or commonly "cyanotoxins"—with human and animal health concerns. In addition to the known water-soluble toxins from these genera (i.e. microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxins), our studies have shown that there are metabolites within the lipophilic extracts of these strains that inhibit vertebrate development in zebrafish embryos. Following these studies, the zebrafish embryo model was implemented in the bioassay-guided purification of four isolates of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, namely Aphanizomenon, two isolates of Cylindrospermopsis, and Microcystis, in order to identify and chemically characterize the bioactive lipophilic metabolites in these isolates. ^ We have recently isolated a group of polymethoxy-1-alkenes (PMAs), as potential toxins, based on the bioactivity observed in the zebrafish embryos. Although PMAs have been previously isolated from diverse cyanobacteria, they have not previously been associated with relevant toxicity. These compounds seem to be widespread across the different genera of cyanobacteria, and, according to our studies, suggested to be derived from the polyketide biosynthetic pathway which is a common synthetic route for cyanobacterial and other algal toxins. Thus, it can be argued that these metabolites are perhaps important contributors to the toxicity of cyanobacterial blooms. In addition to the PMAs, a set of bioactive glycosidic carotenoids were also isolated because of their inhibition of zebrafish embryonic development. These pigmented organic molecules are found in many photosynthetic organisms, including cyanobacteria, and they have been largely associated with the prevention of photooxidative damage. This is the first indication of these compounds as toxic metabolites and the hypothesized mode of action is via their biotransformation to retinoids, some of which are known to be teratogenic. Additional fractions within all four isolates have been shown to contain other uncharacterized lipophilic toxic metabolites. This apparent repertoire of lipophilic compounds may contribute to the toxicity of these cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, which were previously attributed primarily to the presence of the known water-soluble toxins.^

The role of the transcription factor Ets1 in melanocyte development

Melanocytes, pigment-producing cells, derive from the neural crest (NC), a population of pluripotent cells that arise from the dorsal aspect of the neural tube during embryogenesis. Many genes required for melanocyte development were identified using mouse pigmentation mutants. The deletion of the transcription factor Ets1 in mice results in hypopigmentation; nevertheless, the function of Ets1 in melanocyte development is unknown. The goal of the present study was to establish the temporal requirement and role of Ets1 in murine melanocyte development. In the mouse, Ets1 is widely expressed in developing organs and tissues, including the NC. In the chick cranial NC, Ets1 is required for the expression of Sox10, a transcription factor critical for the development of melanocytes, enteric ganglia, and other NC derivatives. ^ Using a combination of immunofluorescence and cell survival assays Ets1 was found to be required between embryonic days 10 and 11, when it regulates NC cell and melanocyte precursor (melanoblast) survival. Given the requirement of Ets1 for Sox10 expression in the chick cranial NC, a potential interaction between these genes was investigated. Using genetic crosses, a synergistic genetic interaction between Ets1 and Sox10 in melanocyte development was found. Since Sox10 is essential for enteric ganglia formation, the importance of Ets1 on gut innervation was also examined. In mice, Ets1 deletion led to decreased gut innervation, which was exacerbated by Sox10 heterozygosity. ^ At the molecular level, Ets1 was found to activate a Sox10 enhancer critical for Sox10 expression in melanoblasts. Furthermore, mutating Ets1 at a site I characterized in the spontaneous variable spotting mouse pigmentation mutant, led to a 2-fold decrease in enhancer activation. Overexpression and knockdown of Ets1 did not affect Sox10 expression; nonetheless, Ets1 knockdown led to a 6-fold upregulation of the transcription factor Sox9, a gene required for melanocyte and chondrocyte development, but which impairs melanocyte development when its expression is prolonged. Together, these results suggest that Ets1 is required early during melanocyte development for NC cell and melanoblast survival, possibly acting upstream of Sox10. The transcription factor Ets1 may also act indirectly in melanocyte fate specification by repressing Sox9 expression, and consequently cartilage fate.^

Evaluation of the Scent Collection System for Its Effectiveness in Volatile Organic Compound Collection and Use in Canine Training

As a result of increased terrorist activity around the world, the development of a canine training aid suitable for daily military operations is necessary to provide effective canine explosive detection. Since the use of sniffer dogs has proven to be a reliable resource for the rapid detection of explosive volatiles organic compounds, the present study evaluated the ability of the Human Scent Collection System (HSCS) device for the creation of training aids for plasticized / tagged explosives, nitroglycerin and TNT containing explosives, and smokeless powders for canine training purposes. Through canine field testing, it was demonstrated that volatiles dynamically collected from real explosive material provided a positive canine response showing the effectiveness of the HSCS in creating canine training aids that can be used immediately or up to several weeks (3) after collection under proper storage conditions. These reliable non-hazardous training aids allow its use in areas where real explosive material aids are not practical and/or available.

Development of a surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy method for the detection of benzodiazepines in urine

Benzodiazepines are among the most prescribed compounds for anti-anxiety and are present in many toxicological screens. These drugs are also prominent in the commission of drug facilitated sexual assaults due their effects on the central nervous system. Due to their potency, a low dose of these compounds is often administered to victims; therefore, the target detection limit for these compounds in biological samples is 10 ng/mL. Currently these compounds are predominantly analyzed using immunoassay techniques; however more specific screening methods are needed. ^ The goal of this dissertation was to develop a rapid, specific screening technique for benzodiazepines in urine samples utilizing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), which has previously been shown be capable of to detect trace quantities of pharmaceutical compounds in aqueous solutions. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy has the advantage of overcoming the low sensitivity and fluorescence effects seen with conventional Raman spectroscopy. The spectra are obtained by applying an analyte onto a SERS-active metal substrate such as colloidal metal particles. SERS signals can be further increased with the addition of aggregate solutions. These agents cause the nanoparticles to amass and form hot-spots which increase the signal intensity. ^ In this work, the colloidal particles are spherical gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution with an average size of approximately 30 nm. The optimum aggregating agent for the detection of benzodiazepines was determined to be 16.7 mM MgCl2, providing the highest signal intensities at the lowest drug concentrations with limits of detection between 0.5 and 127 ng/mL. A supported liquid extraction technique was utilized as a rapid clean extraction for benzodiazepines from urine at a pH of 5.0, allowing for clean extraction with limits of detection between 6 and 640 ng/mL. It was shown that at this pH other drugs that are prevalent in urine samples can be removed providing the selective detection of the benzodiazepine of interest. ^ This technique has been shown to provide rapid (less than twenty minutes), sensitive, and specific detection of benzodiazepines at low concentrations in urine. It provides the forensic community with a sensitive and specific screening technique for the detection of benzodiazepines in drug facilitated assault cases.^

Development of hardware in the loop real-time control techniques for hybrid power systems involving distributed demands and sustainable energy sources

The future power grid will effectively utilize renewable energy resources and distributed generation to respond to energy demand while incorporating information technology and communication infrastructure for their optimum operation. This dissertation contributes to the development of real-time techniques, for wide-area monitoring and secure real-time control and operation of hybrid power systems. ^ To handle the increased level of real-time data exchange, this dissertation develops a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that is equipped with a state estimation scheme from the real-time data. This system is verified on a specially developed laboratory-based test bed facility, as a hardware and software platform, to emulate the actual scenarios of a real hybrid power system with the highest level of similarities and capabilities to practical utility systems. It includes phasor measurements at hundreds of measurement points on the system. These measurements were obtained from especially developed laboratory based Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) that is utilized in addition to existing commercially based PMU’s. The developed PMU was used in conjunction with the interconnected system along with the commercial PMU’s. The tested studies included a new technique for detecting the partially islanded micro grids in addition to several real-time techniques for synchronization and parameter identifications of hybrid systems. ^ Moreover, due to numerous integration of renewable energy resources through DC microgrids, this dissertation performs several practical cases for improvement of interoperability of such systems. Moreover, increased number of small and dispersed generating stations and their need to connect fast and properly into the AC grids, urged this work to explore the challenges that arise in synchronization of generators to the grid and through introduction of a Dynamic Brake system to improve the process of connecting distributed generators to the power grid.^ Real time operation and control requires data communication security. A research effort in this dissertation was developed based on Trusted Sensing Base (TSB) process for data communication security. The innovative TSB approach improves the security aspect of the power grid as a cyber-physical system. It is based on available GPS synchronization technology and provides protection against confidentiality attacks in critical power system infrastructures. ^

Hispanic orientalism: The literary development of a cultural paradigm, from medieval Spain to modern Latin America

This dissertation offers a novel approach to Hispanic Orientalism, developing a dynamic paradigm from its origins in medieval and Renaissance Iberia during the process of the Christian Reconquest, to its transatlantic migration and establishment in the early years of the Colony, from where it changed in late colonial and post-Independence Latin America, and onto modernity. ^ The study argues that Hispanic Orientalism does not necessarily imply a negative depiction of the Other, a quality associated with the traditional critique of Saidian Orientalism. Neither, does it entirely comply with the positivist approach suggested in the theoretical research of Said’s opponents, like Julia Kushigian. This dissertation also argues that sociopolitical changes and the shift in the discourse of powers, from imperial to non-imperial, had a significant impact of the development of Hispanic Orientalism, shaping the relationship with the Other. The methodology involves close reading of representative texts depicting the interactions of the dominant and dominated societies from each of the four historic periods that coincided with significant sociopolitical transformations in Hispanic society. Through an intercultural approach to literary studies, social history, and religious studies, this project develops an original paradigm of Hispanic Orientalism, derived from the image of the reinvented Semitic Other portrayed in the literary works depicting the relationship between the hegemonic and the subaltern cultures during the Reconquest period in Spain. Then, it traces the turn of the original paradigm towards reinterpretation during its transatlantic migration to Latin America through the analysis of the chronicles and travelogs of the first colonizers and explorers. During the transitional late colonial and early Independence periods Latin America sees a significant change in the discourse of powers, and Hispanic Orientalism reflects this oscillation between the past and the present therough the works of the Latin American authors from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Finally, once the non-imperial discourse of power established itself in the former Colony, a new modern stage in the development of Hispanic Orientalist paradigm takes place. It is marked by the desire to differentiate itself from the O(o)thers, as manifested in the works of the representatives of Modernism and the Boom.^

Steroid Androgen Exposure during Development Has No Effect on Reproductive Physiology of Biomphalaria glabrata

Funding: The research presented in this manuscript was wholly funded by National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/. ‘The Snail Assay as an Alternative to the Rodent Hershberger Assay for Detecting Androgens and Anti-androgens’ funding reference: G0900802/1 to SJ, EJR, CSJ, and LRN. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Subsea DC Collection Grid with High Power Security for Offshore Renewables

This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [grant number EP/K006428/1]; and the European Regional Development Fund [grant number LUPS/ERDF/2010/4/1/0164].

In Whose Image: The Emergence, Development, and Challenge of African-American Evangelicalism

The current era of American Christianity marks the transition from a Western, white-dominated U.S. Evangelicalism to an ethnically diverse demographic for evangelicalism. Despite this increasing diversity, U.S. Evangelicalism has demonstrated a stubborn inability to address the entrenched assumption of white supremacy. The 1970s witnessed the rise in prominence of Evangelicalism in the United States. At the same time, the era witnessed a burgeoning movement of African-American evangelicals, who often experienced marginalization from the larger movement. What factors prevented the integration between two seemingly theologically compatible movements? How do these factors impact the challenge of integration and reconciliation in the changing demographic reality of early twenty-first Evangelicalism?

The question is examined through the unpacking of the diseased theological imagination rooted in U.S. Evangelicalism. The theological categories of Creation, Anthropology, Christology, Soteriology, and Ecclesiology are discussed to determine specific deficiencies that lead to assumptions of white supremacy. The larger history of U.S. Evangelicalism and the larger story of the African-American church are explored to provide a context for the unique expression of African-American evangelicalism in the last third of the twentieth century. Through the use of primary sources — personal interviews, archival documents, writings by principals, and private collection documents — the specific history of African-American evangelicals in the 1960s and 1970s is described. The stories of the National Black Evangelical Association, Tom Skinner, John Perkins, and Circle Church provide historical snapshots that illuminate the relationship between the larger U.S. Evangelical movement and African-American evangelicals.

Various attempts at integration and shared leadership were made in the 1970s as African-American evangelicals engaged with white Evangelical institutions. However, the failure of these attempts point to the challenges to diversity for U.S. Evangelicalism and the failure of the Evangelical theological imagination. The diseased theological imagination of U.S. Evangelical Christianity prevented engagement with the needed challenge of African American evangelicalism, resulting in dysfunctional racial dynamics evident in twenty-first century Evangelical Christianity. The historical problem of situating African American evangelicals reveals the theological problem of white supremacy in U.S. Evangelicalism.

Development of a New Client-Server Architecture for Context Aware Mobile Computing

This dissertation studies the context-aware application with its proposed algorithms at client side. The required context-aware infrastructure is discussed in depth to illustrate that such an infrastructure collects the mobile user’s context information, registers service providers, derives mobile user’s current context, distributes user context among context-aware applications, and provides tailored services. The approach proposed tries to strike a balance between the context server and mobile devices. The context acquisition is centralized at the server to ensure the usability of context information among mobile devices, while context reasoning remains at the application level. Hence, a centralized context acquisition and distributed context reasoning are viewed as a better solution overall. The context-aware search application is designed and implemented at the server side. A new algorithm is proposed to take into consideration the user context profiles. By promoting feedback on the dynamics of the system, any prior user selection is now saved for further analysis such that it may contribute to help the results of a subsequent search. On the basis of these developments at the server side, various solutions are consequently provided at the client side. A proxy software-based component is set up for the purpose of data collection. This research endorses the belief that the proxy at the client side should contain the context reasoning component. Implementation of such a component provides credence to this belief in that the context applications are able to derive the user context profiles. Furthermore, a context cache scheme is implemented to manage the cache on the client device in order to minimize processing requirements and other resources (bandwidth, CPU cycle, power). Java and MySQL platforms are used to implement the proposed architecture and to test scenarios derived from user’s daily activities. To meet the practical demands required of a testing environment without the impositions of a heavy cost for establishing such a comprehensive infrastructure, a software simulation using a free Yahoo search API is provided as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of the design approach in a most realistic way. The integration of Yahoo search engine into the context-aware architecture design proves how context aware application can meet user demands for tailored services and products in and around the user’s environment. The test results show that the overall design is highly effective,providing new features and enriching the mobile user’s experience through a broad scope of potential applications.

Bridging the link between trauma, brain development and depression: epigenetic mechanisms

Despite its large impact on the individual and society, we currently have only a rudimentary understanding of the biological basis of Major Depressive Disorder, even less so in adolescent populations. This thesis focuses on two research questions. First, how do adolescents with depression differ from adolescents who have never been depressed on (1a) brain morphology and (1b) DNA methylation? We studied differences in the fronto-limbic system (a collection of areas responsible for emotion regulation) and methylation at the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) and FK506 binding protein gene (FKBP5) genes (two genes strongly linked to stress regulation and depression). Second, how does childhood trauma, which is known to increase risk for depression, affect (2a) brain development and (2b) SLC6A4 and FKBP5 methylation? Further, (2c) how might DNA methylation explain how trauma affects brain development in depression? We studied these questions in 24 adolescent depressed patients and 21 controls. We found that (1a) depressed adolescents had decreased left precuneus volume and greater volume of the left precentral gyrus compared to controls; however, no differences in fronto-limbic morphology were identified. Moreover, (1b) individuals with depression had lower levels of FKBP5 methylation than controls. In line with our second hypothesis (2a) greater levels of trauma were associated with decreased volume of a number of fronto-limbic regions. Further, we found that (2b) greater trauma was associated with decreased SLC6A4, but not FKBP5, methylation. Finally, (2c) greater FKBP5, but not SLC6A4, methylation was associated with decreased volume of a number of fronto-limbic regions. The results of this study suggest an association among trauma, DNA methylation and brain development in youth, but the direction of these relationships appears to be inconsistent. Future studies using a longitudinal design will be necessary to clarify these results and help us understand how the brain and epigenome change over time in depressed youth.

An investigation of routes to cancer diagnosis in 10 international jurisdictions, as part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership: survey development and implementation

Objectives This paper describes the methods used in the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 4 Survey (ICBPM4) which examines time intervals and routes to cancer diagnosis in 10 jurisdictions. We present the study design with defining and measuring time intervals, identifying patients with cancer, questionnaire development, data management and analyses.
Design and setting Recruitment of participants to the ICBPM4 survey is based on cancer registries in each jurisdiction. Questionnaires draw on previous instruments and have been through a process of cognitive testing and piloting in three jurisdictions followed by standardised translation and adaptation. Data analysis focuses on comparing differences in time intervals and routes to diagnosis in the jurisdictions.
Participants Our target is 200 patients with symptomatic breast, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer in each jurisdiction. Patients are approached directly or via their primary care physician (PCP). Patients’ PCPs and cancer treatment specialists (CTSs) are surveyed, and ‘data rules’ are applied to combine and reconcile conflicting information. Where CTS information is unavailable, audit information is sought from treatment records and databases.
Main outcomes Reliability testing of the patient questionnaire showed that agreement was complete (κ=1) in four items and substantial (κ=0.8, 95% CI 0.333 to 1) in one item. The identification of eligible patients is sufficient to meet the targets for breast, lung and colorectal cancer. Initial patient and PCP survey response rates from the UK and Sweden are comparable with similar published surveys. Data collection was completed in early 2016 for all cancer types.
Conclusion An international questionnaire-based survey of patients with cancer, PCPs and CTSs has been developed and launched in 10 jurisdictions. ICBPM4 will help to further understand international differences in cancer survival by comparing time intervals and routes to cancer diagnosis.