1545 research outputs found
Sort by
Interpersonal Theory and Community Supervision: Exploring the Role of Interpersonal Problems and their Effect on Probation and Parole Compliance and Attitudes
No full textAcross the United States, thousands of individuals are released from prisons and put onto probation and parole yearly. Once on probation, many of these individuals struggle with complying with rules and regulations associated with community supervision. The current study explores the potential role of interpersonal problems with community supervisions compliance and attitudes by focusing on a sample of N = 33 probationers of the Connecticut Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division (CSSD) in New Haven County within Connecticut. Data analysis was conducted using correlational analyses to explore if there was a relationship between interpersonal problems including Domineering/Controlling, Vindictive/Self-Centered, and Intrusive/Needy and community supervision violations and poor attitudes associated with community supervision. Results indicate that none of the measured interpersonal problems examined were significantly related to community supervision violations and poor attitudes towards community supervision (p \u3e .05). These results were consistent across the three domains of interpersonal problems of agency researched in this study: Domineering/Controlling, Intrusive/Needy, and Vindictive/Self-Centered. Though these results were not anticipated, psychological resources for probationers can still reduce the criminal risk (Longmate et al., 2021; Manchak et al., 2014)
Effect of Borrelia burgdorferi on Polymerase Beta in Infected Breast Cancer Cells
No full textPolymerase beta (Polβ) is a DNA repair enzyme with a critical role in the base excision repair pathway and the maintenance of genomic stability. Altered expression and specific splice variants of Polβ have been widely associated with cancer development. Recent studies have also linked bacterial infections and inflammation to aberrant Polβ activity, contributing to tumorigenesis. Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, has been shown to invade breast cancer cells, disrupting gene expression and affecting pathways essential for genomic stability. However, no studies to date have specifically investigated the effects of B. burgdorferi infection on Polβ in breast cancer cells.
This thesis addresses this gap by examining the impact of B. burgdorferi infection on Polβ expression and splice variants in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using standard PCR and Real-Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The findings revealed no detectable splice variants but demonstrated a significant 2.5-fold increase in Polβ expression in Borrelia-infected breast cancer cells compared to uninfected cells. These results provide novel insights into the potential impact of B. burgdorferi on Polβ function in breast cancer, highlighting the need for further research to understand the significance of these findings
To Sue or Not To Sue?: Foreign-Sounding CEO Name and Class-Action Lawsuits
Get PDFIn this paper, we investigate if the perceived name-based ethnicity of CEOs has any relationship with the likelihood of shareholder class-action lawsuits. Using machine learning algorithms on CEO names, we develop an objective proxy of name-based ethnicity and find that firms managed by ‘foreign-sounding’ CEOs exhibit a lower likelihood of class-action lawsuits. Our results are robust to matched sample analysis, Heckman two-stage selection, alternate model specifications as well as use of an alternate proxy. We further find that succession of a foreign-sounding CEO by a non-foreign-sounding CEO increases the likelihood of class-action lawsuits. Our paper has important implications for firms, especially in high litigation industries or high litigation situations
Housing as a Determinant of Health: Exploring the Role of Housing and Homelessness Organizations in Increasing Access to Resources and Overcoming Barriers to Adequate and Healthy Homes
Get PDFAcross the United States, there are a multitude of barriers that stand in the way of obtaining adequate housing and additional resources that can assist with accessing housing. These barriers disproportionately impact low-income individuals and communities (Gold, 2016), and further contribute to inequity by negatively impacting the health of these individuals and communities (Swope & Hernández, 2019; Taylor, 2018). The current study explores housing organizations’ potential role in overcoming these barriers by focusing on the work of one housing organization in the Greater New Haven and Fairfield Counties of Connecticut: New Reach. 17 participants enrolled in New Reach programs were interviewed about their perceptions of program services and the impact these services had on their lives. Data analysis was conducted using deductive thematic analysis which applied Sylvestre et al.’s (2018) framework for understanding perceptions of housing and shelter – materiality, spatiality, and meaningfulness – to the data. An additional code of areas of need/challenges emerged from the data. Through these interviews, it became clear that the organization served as a mediator and steppingstone to healthy homes. Program services provided a roof over clients’ heads, access to a network of resources previously unknown, and an area of refuge and community. Dissemination of information across communities was an area of weakness. A more systematic and coordinated approach to providing resources in communities can be a widespread and beneficial way of addressing this challenge (Gutman et al., 2019; Zlotnick et al., 2013). Understanding the impact housing organizations have on reducing barriers can lead to opportunities for future grants and funding to increase and expand the capabilities of these organizations, thus increasing and expanding the capabilities of communities across the country
What Do Quasi-Experiments Tell Us About the Response of Banks and Their Depositors to Natural Disasters?
Get PDFOver the past two decades, more than 11,000 U.S. counties have been impacted by natural disasters. This study investigates how banks and their depositors respond to such events using a difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) methodology combined with coarsened exact matching (CEM). Analyzing 1.3 million observations from 1999 to 2017, we find that natural disasters lead to a significant increase in deposit rates but do not affect the volume of deposits. Our findings suggest that banks raise deposit rates to counteract the potential withdrawal of funds, thereby maintaining stable deposit levels. This research provides new insights into the causal dynamics of deposit supply and demand in the face of natural disasters
Underwater Communication Technologies for Submarines: Experimentation and Innovations
No full textTechnology is an ever-evolving concept that we as a collective seek to push forward and expand. With every passing day, the bounds of what we can achieve become larger and larger whether it be the newest phone or the next spacecraft. THis paper is no different as it aims to expand and understand our technology within submarines and their underwater communications using ultrasound. This project focuses on the specific science of how these deep-sea vessels communicate through water and how salinity alters these communications. Speed of the water, salt content, and different regions of the sea all have an effect on underwater communication. All of these variables along with internal systems have an impact on the signals sent and received by submarines. This project aims to understand how these factors play into ultrasonic signals in their use under the sea
Representations of Solutions of Systems of Time-Fractional Pseudo-Differential Equations
No full textSystems of fractional order differential and pseudo-differential equations are used in modeling of various dynamical processes. In the analysis of such models, including stability analysis, asymptotic behaviors, etc., it is useful to have a representation formulas for the solution. In this paper we prove the existence and uniqueness theorems and derive representation formulas for the solution of general systems of fractional multi-order linear pseudo-differential equations through the matrix-valued Mittag-Leffler function. Examples illustrating the obtained results are also provided
Differentiation of Hair from Individuals with Similar Hair Color Using Amino Acid Ratios Obtained from GC-MS Analysis
No full textHair trace evidence is currently analyzed using microscopic hair comparison (MHC) and DNA analysis. Both nuclear and mitochondrial analysis can be done, but only nuclear DNA analysis can individualize samples. Traditional MHC is subjective, and DNA cannot be performed on inadequate samples. Recently, single nucleotide polymorphisms, which result in non-synonymous amino acid changes in the hairs protein sequences, are being explored as a potential alternative method for forensic hair analysis. Genetically variant peptides have been used in proteomic analysis for non-related individuals, but amino acids may provide a less complicated method of analysis. This method has been used for differentiating between plants, bee propolis and humans. In humans, amino acids have been shown to differentiate individuals based on their demographic and geographic characteristics. A study by Yaroshuk evaluated the discriminating power of amino acid ratios in mainly dark-haired individuals using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Expanding on this study, this research included alternative hair colors to further evaluate the use of amino acid ratios to differentiate between individuals using GC-MS analysis. This continued research aims to develop a method that can be used to supplement traditional MHC when DNA analysis cannot be conducted.
Samples were collected from 17 individuals. Microscopic hair images were obtained for RGB analysis in order to group individuals by similar hair color. Samples were divided into 4 RGB groupings. The peak areas obtained from GC-MS analysis were used to calculate amino acid ratios for comparison between individuals and, out of 45 possible amino acid ratios, 21 were used for comparison. Of those ratios, 5 were determined to be highly variable between individuals with similar hair color. T-tests showed that the differences in amino acid ratios between the individuals with similar hair color were statistically significant
Recovery of Nuclear DNA from Skeletal Remains Decomposed in Freshwater
Get PDFThis research compared freshwater and dry decomposition environments and their impact on DNA recovery from Sus scrofa domesticus(domestic pig) femora over a 3-month period. Prior to decomposition, initial cuttings were taken from fresh bone samples. Cuttings were then collected at 3-week intervals from waterlogged and dry bone samples. All samples were extracted using the vendor recommended protocol for the Applied Biosystems PrepFiler BTA extraction kit and an updated version of the same protocol, that substitutes Proteinase K with additional Dithiothreitol (DTT) (Thermo Fisher Scientific, 2012.). DNA quantitation was performed using pig-specific custom primer sets, with the QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR and PowerUp SYBR Green Master Mix (Thermo Fisher Scientific, 2022). Results showed that dry decomposition samples extracted using the updated protocol had a higher average quantity of DNA recovered than those extracted with the vendor recommended PrepFiler BTA protocol. At week three, all samples had lower DNA yields for both extraction methods. At week six and onward, DNA was recovered only from the dry decomposed samples extracted with the updated protocol. Wet decomposed samples and samples extracted with the PrepFiler BTA protocol yielded no DNA. The results of this study suggest that substituting Proteinase K with DTT during lysis yields significantly higher DNA quantities, improving recovery efforts from skeletal samples across increasing postmortem intervals. Analysts working with dry decomposed or otherwise challenging skeletal samples may consider implementing the updated extraction method into laboratory procedures
Addressing Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) Stigma and Discrimination in Higher Education
No full textDespite progress in promoting gender diversity and inclusivity, transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals continue to experience stigma and discrimination that affect their mental and physical well-being. Research studies demonstrate that a lack of understanding and knowledge influences the development and implementation of harmful policies and practices. Moreover, the current climate subjects TGNC individuals to increased violence and other hate crimes. Despite these research advancements, there have been few educational strategies and programs that seek to address the general public’s lack of understanding of TGNC individuals. This research study aimed to investigate the presence of these beliefs, explore the factors that contribute to stigma and bias towards TGNC individuals, and propose educational strategies for addressing the pervasive issues of stigma and discrimination faced by TGNC individuals. The research employed a quantitative approach to assess individual stigma and discrimination via 38 survey questions which included 10 demographic queries, 16 Likert questions, seven knowledge-based questions, three questions that assessed source of education on the topic, and two that examined familiarity with TGNC individuals. Results revealed that participants who had familiarity with TGNC individuals had a higher mean knowledge percentage of TGNC topics. Additionally, education was found to be a significant factor in stigma and bias levels, with higher educational attainment resulting in overall lower levels of stigma and bias towards TGNC individuals. These findings show an inverse relationship between knowledge and stigma, pinpointing areas where efforts to increase understanding and reduce stigma can be focused