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Utilizing The Agarophyte (Gracilaria Tikvahiae) As A Biofilter For The Bioremediation Of Cobia (Rachycentron Canadum) Nitrogenous Effluents In Flow-Through Aquaculture Systems, Neal Asthana

Open Access Theses

The biological and technological feasibility of using the agarophyte Gracilaria tikvahiae as a biofilter for the bioremediation of nitrogenous effluents resulting from juvenile cobia culture was examined. Using a thorough literature review of the most relevant published research, optimal parameters are identified and discussed within the context of juvenile cobia culture, while factors maximizing biofiltration and growth of Gracilaria within a biofilter system are outlined. The study attempts to match cobia nitrogen excretion rates with rates of algal nutrient uptake to size the initial biomass of algae needed in a filter for the culture of 10,000 juvenile (<30g) cobia. The culture of 10,000 juvenile cobia, 28-70 days post hatch (DPH), produces a maximum of roughly 300g of nitrogen daily which in turn can support roughly 12-27kg of algae (wet weight) per day, depending on uptake rate. The supportable algae biomass is then used to size the initial stocking density of the algae filter. Optimal system components are identified and management considerations are discussed with respect to optimizing growth as a means to maximize biofiltration and nutrient extraction capacity over time.

Creation And Application Of The Systematically Merged Pacific Ocean Regional Temperature And Salinity (Sports) Climatology For Oceanic Heat Content Estimation, Elizabeth “Claire” Mccaskill

Open Access Theses

The Systematically merged Pacific Ocean Regional Temperature and Salinity (SPORTS) climatology was created to estimate oceanic heat content (OHC) for the North Pacific (McCaskill et al., 2015). A technique similar to the creation of the Systematically Merged Atlantic Regional Temperature and Salinity climatology was used to blend temperature and salinity fields from the Generalized Digital Environment Model and World Ocean Atlas 2001 at a 0.25° resolution (Meyers et al., 2014). The weighting for the blending of these two climatologies was estimated by minimizing residual covariances across the basin and accounting for drift velocities associated with eddy variability using a series …

Internal Fabrics And Microbial Precipitation In The Stromatolites Of Hamelin Pool, Western Australia, Paul D. Hagan

Open Access Theses

Stromatolites are lithified organosedimentary structures that dominate the fossil record during the Precambrian and are present throughout the Phanerozoic. Modern examples of active stromatolites are rare. The hypersaline waters of Hamelin Pool in Shark Bay, Western Australia provide a habitat suitable for an abundance of stromatolite building bacteria. This embayment hosts the largest and most diverse known assemblage of modern stromatolites. Stromatolite accretion occurs through two primary processes: 1) trapping and binding of sediment by microbial mats, and 2) microbial precipitation of calcium carbonate. This thesis focuses on the identification and distribution of internal microfabrics of the stromatolites of Hamelin …

Short-Term Effects Of A Western Diet On The Number Of Brainderived Neurotrophic Factor Immunoreactive Neurons In The Hypothalamic Arcuate, Ventromedial And Paraventricular Nuclei, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Gilland

Open Access Theses

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important anorexogenic factor and has been shown to be involved in obesity. It is important to know when changes in BDNF expression occur to possibly prevent development of dietary obesity. BDNF mRNA decreases in response to long-term western diet (WD) exposure in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), yet no study has investigated the short-term effects of WD on BDNF expression in the hypothalamus. It was hypothesized BDNF protein would mirror a decrease in BDNF mRNA in the VMH when mice were fasted for 48-hours or fed WD for 6-hours, 48-hours, 1-week and 3-week and decrease …

Targeted Products From Fast-Hydropyrolysis And Hydrodeoxygenation Of Biomass, Ian Tad Smith

Open Access Theses

Previously, the H2Bioil process was proposed as a possible way to convert sustainably available intact biomass into liquid fuels. The optimization of this process and possible synergies with other biomass conversion processes are presented in this thesis.

The selectivity of the PtMo hydrodeoxygenation catalyst was tuned using two different hydrogen partial pressures: 25 bar, and 2.5 bar. This effect was studied on cellulose and intact biomass samples to determine the effect that hydrogen has upon the retention of aromatic compounds found in intact biomass. These experiments show that it is possible for the hydrogenation activity of the PtMo catalyst to …

The Roles Of Geographic Isolation And Gene Flow In The Diversification Of The Rufous Fantail Rhipidura Rufifrons, Douglas E. Weidemann

Open Access Theses

Studies of divergence and speciation patterns in island systems have played an important role in the development and establishment of the allopatric speciation model. However, recent empirical support for divergence and speciation with gene flow means the importance of isolation for divergence in island systems needs to be re-examined. Here I explore the roles of geographic isolation and gene flow in the early stages of divergence of evolutionarily independent replicate populations of the Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons on satellite islands in southeastern Solomon Islands. These populations differ in the extent of morphological divergence from the main island, providing a unique …

Developing Human Capacity For Marine Scientific Research In Myanmar, Roxane S. De Waegh

Open Access Theses

Scientists worldwide believe that sustainable resource management must be based on results derived from successful research (Strigl, 2003). Therefore, scientists are constantly engaged in research projects in order to obtain more results and create new knowledge. In this constant pursuit of knowledge, the international scientific community is minimally participating in the development of human capacity, especially when their research is based in low-income countries (LIC) (Strigl, 2003). This research-based agenda benefits scientific societies in developed countries, as they continuously add value to their knowledge-based economy, while the local communities’ education levels remain stagnant. LIC’s needs in education and science are …

Secure Data Aggregation For Sensor Networks In The Presence Of Collusion Attack Using Local Outlier Factor, Anes Yessembayev

Open Access Theses

Aggregation of data from multiple sensor nodes is usually done by simple methods such as averaging or, more sophisticated, iterative filtering methods. However, such aggregation methods are highly vulnerable to malicious attacks. In this work, algorithms that remove false readings before estimating of true values are developed and evaluated. For detection of false readings local outlier factor (LOF) technique is used.

Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves: Structure And Variability Analysis With Different Model Configurations, Joaquin E. Blanco

Open Access Theses

The Intertropical Convergence Zone is characterized by a hierarchy of transients within a large range of spatial and temporal scales that propagate both eastward and westward with varying speeds in synoptic-scale-like waves. Among these tropical structures, the Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves constitute one of the most significant in terms of contribution to the total ITCZ variability. The first part of this work analyzes the senstivitity of simulated CCKWs to domain size, horizontal resolution and forcing, using the WRF model. The simulations are performed using two types of idealized domains: the “aquachannel” (an oceanic surface with the Earth dimensions, but extending …

Dynamic Triaxial Compression Experiments On Borosilicate And Soda-Lime Glass, John T. Chojnacki

Open Access Theses

A series of compression experiments were performed on borosilicate and soda-lime glass using a triaxial compression Kolsky bar. The triaxial compression Kolsky bar differs from a traditional Kolsky bar by having two pressure chambers, one enclosing the specimen and the other enclosing the end of the transmission bar, so that a specimen may be pre-stressed axially and radially before a dynamic axial load is applied. The result is a modified Kolsky bar capable of measuring axial deformation and axial stresses of a specimen at various strain rates under a range of confinement pressures. Borosilicate glass was subjected to triaxial confinement …

The Effect Of A Rhythmic Speech Cuing Protocol On Speech Intelligibility In Patients With Parkinson's Disease, Joy Ouellette

Open Access Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of a Rhythmic Speech Cuing (RSC) protocol on severe speech impairments resulting from Parkinson’s disease (PD). Five individuals diagnosed with idiopathic PD and speech deficiencies resulting from PD participated in the study. Each participant received 12 treatment sessions of RSC over a 4-week period. Each 25-minute treatment session consisted of metered rhythmic cuing with fading (for 20 minutes) and conversational speech (for 5 minutes). For rhythmic cuing, participants hand-tapped and spoke each word syllable to an auditory metronome cue that was set to 60% of their habitual speech rate …

Urban Art And Uneven Development: The Geography Of “Artwashing” In Miami And Philadelphia, Mackenzie Sheldon

Open Access Theses

This thesis explores the intersections of art and urban redevelopment by evaluating the strategic uses of urban art forms in distressed neighborhoods of Philadelphia and Miami. Specifically, this thesis takes to task the trend of “artwashing” in which developers appropriate and aestheticize markers of urban decay in order to market real estate to consumers seeking an industrial chic backdrop. While most discussions of artwashing center on the upgrading of austere industrial buildings, I believe the term should also be applied to the appropriation of urban art forms for neighborhood rebranding purposes. In recent years, the commissioning of street art has …

Geographies Of Displacement: The Evolution Of The Champ De Mars Settlement In Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Austin Swift

Open Access Theses

On the 12th of January 2010, a massive earthquake struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti. One of the worst natural disasters to ever strike the Western Hemisphere, the capital of Port-au-Prince was severely damaged. In the aftermath of the earthquake, internally displaced people (IDPs) sought refuge by erecting hundreds of informal camps throughout the city. At the epicenter of this cataclysmic event was the burgeoning Champ de Mars tent city. Located in central Port-au-Prince, the Champ de Mars quickly transitioned from green space to slum. For two years, the eleven sites would emphasize patterns of insecurity and urban transition in …

Effects Of The Political Climate On Ifrs Adoption In Latin America, Mailyn Fernandez

Open Access Theses

The paper explores the variability of IFRS adoption in Latin America, attempts to identify regional implementation challenges, and provides suggestions for future research. It is unique in focusing on the IFRS experience of developing countries, specifically Latin America, and employs a multi-method approach to analyze the quality of IFRS adoption policies vis-à-vis the potential effects on the comparability of financial information. Moreover, case studies are used to study IFRS adoption and implementation in countries with varying macroeconomic and political climates. The paper suggests IFRS adoption policy quality may be affected by the national political climate, the depth of global economic …

Design Of Gfrp Reinforcement For Concrete Bridge Structural Components, Valentino Rinaldi

Open Access Theses

The demand for the development of a more efficient and durable transportation infrastructure is among the priorities of highway authorities worldwide. In the United States, the economic impact of steel corrosion for concrete highway bridges is estimated to exceed 15 percent of the total annual costs. Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) is highly suitable as internal reinforcement for structures subjected to corrosive environments. A number of projects have demonstrated its viability as an alternative reinforcement for bridge decks and design provisions are currently available in several countries. Nowadays, manufacturers can produce standard bar bends which can be applied to design …

Karenia Brevis Hot Spots In The West Florida Shelf And Their Associated Socio-Economic Implications, Diana A. Moanga

Open Access Theses

Harmful algal blooms are almost an annual occurrence on the West Florida Shelf. They are caused by the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis (K. brevis). Intense bloom events result in significant environmental, economic, and human-health impacts associated with the release of potent natural toxins, known as brevotoxins. If inhaled or ingested they can produce substantial adverse health effects. In order to mitigate and minimize the vast array of impacts associated with K. brevis blooms, an overarching interdisciplinary framework is needed. A critical factor in understanding K. brevis dynamics requires mapping and monitoring bloom development and transport, and identifying areas of localized …

Sociocultural Variables Associated With Parental Rejection In Parents Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth: The Impact On Lgb Youth Adjustment, Brian Edmund James Richter

Open Access Theses

Parental rejection of LGB youth appears to be common and has been found to negatively affect the adjustment of LGB youth. Factors associated with parental rejection, however, have not been thoroughly examined in the literature thus far. Therefore, the current study investigated if sociocultural variables, specifically homonegativity, gender role beliefs, and disgust sensitivity, are associated with parental rejection and, furthermore, if parental rejection mediate the relationship between these sociocultural variables and LGB youth adjustment. Participants in the multi-ethnic sample included 93 parents of LGB youth (ages 32-71) and 93 LGB youth (ages 14-25). Parental homonegativity and traditional gender role beliefs, …

Susceptibility Of Parkinson’S Disease Following Mild Blast Traumatic Brain Injury, Glen Howel Galicia Acosta

Open Access Theses

Blast injury-induced neurotrauma (BINT) is steadily increasing in prevalence due to escalated terror activity and constitutes the signature injury associated with current military conflicts. BINT produces significant neurological deficiencies and there is a growing concern that the injury may produce long-term consequences that affect the resilience and the performance of soldiers. One of the potential consequences is an increased susceptibility to Parkinson's disease (PD). A vital goal aimed at curtailing the post-deployment long-term consequences of blast injury-induced neurotrauma is to further our knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms responsible for the escalation of post injury diseases. The purpose of this project is …

Prostate Cancer Education In The African American Community: Implcations For Community-Based Health Communication Strategies, Barry Charles Hill

Open Access Theses

This paper examines the social milieu of African American barbershops by exploring health discussions and information transfer between barbers and barbershop clients. This paper examines associations between peer helper and health promotion intervention variables, and peer helper intervention effectiveness in increasing knowledge and health discussion frequency. Study findings suggest barbers with higher education are significantly more effective as peer helpers in discussing health topics more frequently (OR 4.64; CI 1.00 - 21.49) and in increasing client knowledge (β 0.94; CI 0.26 - 1.63). Additionally, barbershop health educational materials were significantly associated with increased barber health discussion (OR 4.13; CI 1.32 …

Formal Analysis And Verification Of Cyber-Physical Systems For The Smart Grid, Henry Senyondo

Open Access Theses

The current development in cyber-physical systems technology, from a static to a more dynamically distributed environment, has contributed towards the need for the development of the future cyber-physical security support systems. These power systems have evolved from a unidirectional to a bidirectional infrastructure with millions of nodes from the source to the destined power user. The existing security tools cannot provide the required level of trusted platform for these system. The monitoring of this dynamic network involves ensuring that the network is in a stable state under all circumstances. The circumstances could include natural disasters, attacks from terrorist activities, undetected …

Forward Propagation Of Uncertainty And Sensitivity Analysis In An Integral Oil-Gas Plume Model, Shitao Wang

Open Access Theses

Any prediction based on numerical model contains uncertainty. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill forecast is a challenge due to the difficulty in measuring key parameters and the complexity in predicting the oil fate. Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) and Monte-Carlo (MC) sampling are applied to quantify the forecast uncertainties in an integral oil plume model simulating the Deepwater Horizon oil-gas blowout. The main goal is to propagate the inputs and model parametrizations uncertainties, to understand the sensitivity of different uncertain parameters using efficient uncertainty quantification methods, and to validate their results against the MC reference solution. The …

Moderators Of Acculturative Stress And Internalizing Problems In Hispanic/Latino Youth, Ashley N. Marchante

Open Access Theses

In the US, Hispanic/Latino youth are at especially high risk for experiencing anxiety and depression. Acculturative stress is one factor that has been linked to anxiety/depressive symptoms in Hispanic/Latino youth but few studies have explored factors that may influence this relationship. The current study examined (a) the relationship between acculturative stress and anxiety/depressive symptoms within a diverse sample of Hispanic/Latino youth, and (b) risk (age, gender, and parental SES) and protective (family function, friend support, and ethnic identity) factors that may moderate the relationship between acculturative stress and anxiety/depressive symptoms. Participants were 1,466 Hispanic/Latino youth, ages 8-16 years (M=11.85, SD=2.52), …

Assessing Behavioral And Emotional Avoidance In Adolescents: A Psychometric Validation Study, Sarah Michelle Kennedy

Open Access Theses

Avoidance, which may be either behavioral or emotional and is widely thought to be a maladaptive strategy for regulating emotions, is central to diagnostic conceptualizations of anxiety and depressive disorders. Both behavioral and emotional avoidance confer risk for and maintain symptoms of anxiety and depression, and change in avoidance is thought to be an important treatment mechanism. However, few existing measures of avoidance are appropriate for adolescents. The current study utilized exploratory factor analyses of two measures of avoidance in adolescents, employing an exploratory structural equation modeling framework: the Checklist of Avoidance Strategy Engagement for Adolescents (CEASE-A; Fairholme & Ehrenreich, …

Dsm-Iv, Dsm-5, And Icd-11: Identification Of Children With Ptsd After Disasters, Breanne Allen Danzi

Open Access Theses

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a frequently studied outcome in children after natural disasters. However, different criteria for diagnosing PTSD have been recommended by the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the proposed 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). DSM-5 advocates a broad approach to PTSD diagnosis, whereas ICD-11 proposes a narrow definition of PTSD. Although children are particularly vulnerable to PTSD following disasters, little is known about whether these revised criteria are appropriate for children, as diagnostic revisions were based mostly on adult research. The present study investigated rates …

Pore Structure And Petrophysical Characterization Of Hamelin Pool Stromatolites And Pavements, Shark Bay, Western Australia, Ergin Karaca

Open Access Theses

Stromatolites are organosedimentary, lithified structures showing layered growth via trapping and binding of sediments with calcium carbonate precipitation through microbial activity. The age of the oldest stromatolites from the Pilbara Block of Western Australia has been determined to be 3.4 – 3.5 Byr. As such they are the most ancient record of life and they provide 80% of the fossil record of Earth history. Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, Western Australia is an internationally distinguished area known for hosting the most abundant and diverse modern marine stromatolites in the world. This study focuses on the petrophysical properties of Hamelin Pool stromatolites …

Forging An Anonymous Voice In The Spanish-Language Mass Media Of The United States, Hannah Artman

Open Access Theses

Most "standardized" languages have a corresponding geo-political center, where the language of society offers a location to the linguistic norms and standards of the language in question. The purpose of this study is to identify the linguistic center for Spanish used in Spanish-language media in the United States. Some have dubbed this neutral accent, “Walter Cronkite Spanish” and argue that it is the discrete "Mexicanization" of the Spanish language (Ahrens 2004). The first is a reference to the legendary anchorman who was one of the first in broadcast media to attempt to eliminate all traces of an identifiable regional accent. …

The Effect Of Disclosure Of Hiv Status And Sexual Orientation On Hiv Prognosis Over Four Years, Calvin J. Fitch

Open Access Theses

Several studies have demonstrated the deleterious impact that psychological inhibition can have on psychological and immunological well-being. In the field of HIV, this psychological inhibition has often been operationalized as (a) lack of disclosure of HIV status or, for gay men, (b) disclosure of sexual orientation. However, research on the effect of disclosure on HIV disease status is limited, with only one study having examined both forms of disclosure simultaneously (Strachan et al., 2007). The present study seeks to replicate these findings by investigating whether or not disclosure of HIV status and disclosure of sexual orientation are related to HIV …

From Havana To Hollywood: Marco Rizo In The Cuban Diaspora, Cary Penate

Open Access Theses

For generations, Latin Americans have carried with them components of their culture to the United States. Through transculturation, these elements have fused into mainstream American concert music, jazz, and popular music to create new genres. An important figure who brought with him the roots of his Cuban musical traditions was the pianist, composer, and arranger Marco Rizo (1920-98). His combination of Latin vernacular rhythms, mixed with the influence of Western art music and jazz, contribute to the diverse musical culture of the United States. Rizo left the island in 1940 and established a prominent US career as a composer, conductor, …

Maximizing Fishmeal Replacement In Commercial Diets For Florida Pompano, Trachinotus Carolinus: Digestibility, Growth And Performance Of Soy Protein Products, Stephen E. Sutton

Open Access Theses

Efforts to reduce the use of fishmeal in aquafeeds for carnivorous marine fish have been a focal point of aquaculture nutrition research in recent years. Building upon such research, this study was designed to compare the digestibility, growth and performance of three soy protein products as potential replacements for fishmeal in feeds for Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus. Two soy protein concentrates (Solae SPC™ Profine® and Selecta SPC™) and a fermented soy protein product (Hamlet protein™) were initially tested for digestibility of crude protein, crude energy and 17 amino acids in adult Florida pompano (average weight 577g) using the indirect method …

Assessing The Applicability Of Compuer Aided Photo-Identification For Pinniped Studies Through The Determination Of Site Fidelity In Long Island, Ny Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina Concolor), Meaghan Mccormack

Open Access Theses

Studying the population parameters of marine mammals requires that individuals be identified both spatially and temporally. Traditionally, to identify individuals in the field, animals have been captured and physically marked with a unique feature, allowing the individual to be identified in the future. This method known as Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) has been widely utilized to analyze marine mammal populations. While quite effective, traditional CMR is invasive and poses potential risk for both animals and researches. More recently, with advanced technology and camera equipment a far less invasive and more cost effective method of Photo-identification based Mark Recapture has been developed (PMR). …