The rapid accumulation of plastic waste in landfill, waterways and oceans is becoming a critical problem, one that current recycling technologies are not capable of solving. Recent proposed approaches in the depolymerization of waste plastics employ an Olefin-Intermediate Process (OIP), where feedstocks like polyolefin plastics are ‘activated,’ producing an olefin...
In this report, three studies are presented that utilize computations to predict transformations, identities, and properties of environmental organic molecules. Each study shows how computations can lead to models of chemical behavior. The importance of this research is rooted in the need for understanding how human behavior and health intersect...
The work presented here is the culmination of efforts in describing complex chemical systems with statistical methods, thereby providing relatively simple quantitative models and easily comprehensible qualitative insights. The following investigations have various goals, such as development of new methods, fundamental understanding, molecular control of chemical species, and advancement of...
The dissertation examines the effect of two separate yet significant individual level factors—physical and cognitive traits—on entrepreneurial outcomes. The physical factor on which the dissertation focuses is the entrepreneur’s vocal cues and the cognitive traits that the dissertation investigates are the entrepreneur’s goal orientation and his/her ability to take perspectives....
Modern engineered systems are increasingly integrated into society, decentralized, and interconnected. However, scale and complexity create unique challenges in system design, such as emergent behavior and unintended consequences. This work investigates the structural characteristics of robustness in complex engineered systems by identifying patterns of under-recognized vulnerabilities at various levels of...
Intimate partner violence (IPV) against American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women is a significant public health issue, requiring deeper understanding on how to better support Native women survivors. This mixed-methods project utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine factors associated with support-seeking behaviors and explore how women seek support and...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. Recent evidence suggests that the purine receptor P2X7 (P2X7R) plays a central role in the pathology of ALS. Previous research indicates that P2X7R activation by oxidatively modified heat shock protein 90...
Most accidents and malfunctions in complex engineered systems are attributed to human error. However, a closer inspection would reveal that such mishaps often emerge as a result of poor design and human- and component-related vulnerabilities acting together. To fully understand and mitigate potential risks, the effects of such interactions between...
Rural communities face acute challenges in providing education. Attachment to place plays a significant role in rural communities but little research exists on how it influences policy. One policy response to financial, physical, and cultural factors in rural Oregon is the four-day school week (FDSW). Through health survey responses of...
¿Cómo se implican los bibliotecarios españoles en Wikipedia (y en Wikidata, Wikisource, y otros proyectos hermanos deWikipedia) en tanto que organizadores del movimiento Wikimedia? Y, ¿qué les motiva? Este artículo sobre los hallazgos surgidos a raíz de 14 entrevistas realizadas a 18 bibliotecarios.Los entrevistados eran plurilingües y colaboraban con proyectos...