Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Engineering (97)
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics (80)
- Life Sciences (76)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (76)
- Arts and Humanities (50)
-
- Education (45)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (36)
- Mechanical Engineering (34)
- Medicine and Health Sciences (32)
- Psychology (27)
- Computer Sciences (23)
- Chemistry (19)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (19)
- Sociology (19)
- Earth Sciences (18)
- Geology (18)
- Communication Sciences and Disorders (17)
- Exercise Science (16)
- Kinesiology (16)
- Animal Sciences (15)
- Biochemistry (15)
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology (15)
- Educational Psychology (15)
- Physiology (15)
- Cell and Developmental Biology (14)
- Linguistics (14)
- Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature (14)
- Communication (12)
- Counseling Psychology (12)
- English Language and Literature (12)
- Keyword
-
- Ethanol (5)
- Machine learning (5)
- Reliability (5)
- Utah (5)
- Adaptation (4)
-
- Attachment (4)
- China (4)
- Content analysis (4)
- Fire (4)
- GABA (4)
- Motivation (4)
- Physical activity (4)
- Apoptosis (3)
- Assessment (3)
- Blended learning (3)
- Cheatgrass (3)
- Compliant mechanisms (3)
- Corrosion (3)
- Database (3)
- Depression (3)
- Diagnosis (3)
- Dropout (3)
- ESL (3)
- Ethnicity (3)
- Evolutionary programming (3)
- FPGA (3)
- Family therapy (3)
- Fremont (3)
- Gender (3)
- Grammatical word categories (3)
Articles 1 - 30 of 435
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Cost Effectiveness Of Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Adolescence: A Comparison By Provider Type And Therapy Modality, Kathryn Evelyn Reynolds
Cost Effectiveness Of Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Adolescence: A Comparison By Provider Type And Therapy Modality, Kathryn Evelyn Reynolds
Theses and Dissertations
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is frequently found in primary care settings and is highly prevalent among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the cost effectiveness by provider type and therapy modality in treating adolescents (ages 13-17) with a GAD diagnosis (DSM-IV 300.02). A national insurance company in the United States provided outpatient and unidentifiable data for adolescent GAD cases (n = 2,932). These cases were used to analyze the cost effectiveness, total cost, treatment length, dropout, and readmission rates for the treatment of adolescents with GAD. Descriptive statistics signify that the mean cost of treatment for GAD …
Pedagogical And Ekphrastic Elements In The Story Of The Predestined Pilgrim And His Brother Reprobate By Father Alexandre De Gusm, M Cecilia Fischer
Pedagogical And Ekphrastic Elements In The Story Of The Predestined Pilgrim And His Brother Reprobate By Father Alexandre De Gusm, M Cecilia Fischer
Theses and Dissertations
The object of this thesis is to analyze the presence of the pedagogical ekphrastic elements in the novel The Story of The Predestined Pilgrim and his Brother Reprobate by Father Alexandre de Gusmmão. In the past this novel has been an obscure masterpiece outside the circle of those who study early Portuguese language works. In the last half century there has been a crescendo of the study of this novel as more scholars have taken an interest in the pilgrimage motif and in particular using this novel in comparative literature. A monumental contribution to bring this novel out of obscurity …
The Existence Of A Discontinuous Homomorphism Requires A Strong Axiom Of Choice, Michael Steven Andersen
The Existence Of A Discontinuous Homomorphism Requires A Strong Axiom Of Choice, Michael Steven Andersen
Theses and Dissertations
Conner and Spencer used ultrafilters to construct homomorphisms between fundamental groups that could not be induced by continuous functions between the underlying spaces. We use methods from Shelah and Pawlikowski to prove that Conner and Spencer could not have constructed these homomorphisms with a weak version of the Axiom of Choice. This led us to define and examine a class of pathological objects that cannot be constructed without a strong version of the Axiom of Choice, which we call the class of inscrutable objects. Objects that do not need a strong version of the Axiom of Choice are scrutable. We …
Determining The Reliability Of An Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Tammie Harding
Determining The Reliability Of An Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Tammie Harding
Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated the reliability of the revised Early Expository Comprehension Assessment (EECA), a measure that looked at preschoolers' comprehension of expository text. Thirty-seven preschool children between the ages of four and five were administered two comparable versions of the measure by two examiners. Scoring procedures were created and the protocols were scored and compared for reliability. The data was analyzed using a mixed models Analysis of Variance for repeated measures and a maximum likelihood estimate of variance components. Results from the analysis showed that version and order had no significant effect on three of the response task scores (Purpose …
Identification Of The Infection Route Of A Fusarium Seed Pathogen Into Non-Dormant Bromus Tectorum Seeds, Janalynn Franke
Identification Of The Infection Route Of A Fusarium Seed Pathogen Into Non-Dormant Bromus Tectorum Seeds, Janalynn Franke
Theses and Dissertations
The genus Fusarium has a wide host range and causes many different forms of plant disease. These include seed rot and seedling blight diseases of cultivated plants. The Fusarium-caused diseases of wild plants are less well-known. In this study we examined Fusarium sp. n-caused disease development on non-dormant seeds of the important rangeland weed Bromus tectorum as part of broader studies of the phenomenon of stand failure or ‘die-off’ in this annual grass. We previously isolated an undescribed species in the Fusarium tricinctum species complex from die-off soils and showed that it is pathogenic on seeds. It can cause high …
The Effect Of Computer-Based Pronunciation Readings On Esl Learners' Perception And Production Of Prosodic Features In A Short-Term Esp Course, Caitlin Jolley
The Effect Of Computer-Based Pronunciation Readings On Esl Learners' Perception And Production Of Prosodic Features In A Short-Term Esp Course, Caitlin Jolley
Theses and Dissertations
Recent studies on pronunciation teaching in ESL classrooms have found that the teaching of suprasegmentals, namely stress, pausing, and intonation, has a great effect on improving intelligibility (Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1998; Kang, Rubin, & Pickering, 2010; Morley, 1991). The current project describes the development and implementation of computer-based pronunciation materials used for an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) program. The pronunciation program made use of cued pronunciation readings (CPRs) which used suprasegmentals and were developed for English as a second language (ESL) missionaries at the Provo, Utah, Missionary Training Center (MTC). Because there was no pronunciation program in place …
A Covering System With Minimum Modulus 42, Tyler Owens
A Covering System With Minimum Modulus 42, Tyler Owens
Theses and Dissertations
We construct a covering system whose minimum modulus is 42. This improves the previous record of 40 by P. Nielsen.
Microvascular Function In Metabolically Healthy Groups Differing In Bmi And Waist Circumference, Nathan R. Earl
Microvascular Function In Metabolically Healthy Groups Differing In Bmi And Waist Circumference, Nathan R. Earl
Theses and Dissertations
BACKGROUND: Microvascular dysfunction (MD: impaired performance of blood flow, tissue perfusion, blood pressure, etc.) is one of the earliest stages in the progression of various chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if a difference in microvascular function existed between two metabolically healthy groups that differed in BMI and waist circumference. DESIGN: This study employed a causal comparative design, with two groups: I) normal weight (n =14, BMI 28 kg/m2). METHODS: Microvascular function was assessed by measuring skin blood flow (SkBF) using laser Doppler flowmetry during postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH). The area under the SkBF time …
Language Use In Mathematics Textbooks Written In English And Spanish, Kailie Ann Bertoch
Language Use In Mathematics Textbooks Written In English And Spanish, Kailie Ann Bertoch
Theses and Dissertations
Research has suggested that although mathematics is a universal language, the notation, algorithms, and language in which it is taught varies from country to country. The literature has addressed the challenges associated with understanding the language of mathematics in English. Variable is a topic of mathematics where the literature has documented students' difficulty understanding the language of mathematics. Part of that difficulty is attributed to the fact that mathematics and English each have their own register and at times the differences in these registers conflict. This study examined the introduction and use of variable in the middle school textbooks of …
The Impacts Of Feral Horses On The Use Of Water By Pronghorn On The Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, Amy Marie Gooch
The Impacts Of Feral Horses On The Use Of Water By Pronghorn On The Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, Amy Marie Gooch
Theses and Dissertations
Feral horses occupy 31.6 million acres throughout western North America. Feral horses share similar habitats with a wide range of animal species, including pronghorn. Since horses are larger and often more aggressive than other animals of this region, they are generally socially dominant over all other native ungulate species. Pronghorn share water sources with horses in areas where both occur. In situations where horses exclude pronghorn from water, pronghorn fitness may be impaired, especially during the hottest months of the year when water is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate interference competition between pronghorn and feral horses …
S-Cape Testing For Higher Proficiency Levels And Other Factors That Influence Placement At Brigham Young University, Elizabeth Robinson
S-Cape Testing For Higher Proficiency Levels And Other Factors That Influence Placement At Brigham Young University, Elizabeth Robinson
Theses and Dissertations
Brigham Young University (BYU) first implemented the Spanish Computer Adaptive Placement Examination (S-CAPE) during the Fall Semester of 1986 and it has been used ever since. The S-CAPE was designed to determine course placement into beginning and intermediate classes for students who have previously studied Spanish. A 10% increase occurred this year (2014) in students who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of these returned missionaries gained language proficiency on their missions, and some go to BYU to begin or continue their studies. Because of the increase in enrollment of students with intermediate …
Crash Prediction Modeling For Curved Segments Of Rural Two-Lane Two-Way Highways In Utah, Casey Scott Knecht
Crash Prediction Modeling For Curved Segments Of Rural Two-Lane Two-Way Highways In Utah, Casey Scott Knecht
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis contains the results of the development of crash prediction models for curved segments of rural two-lane two-way highways in the state of Utah. The modeling effort included the calibration of the predictive model found in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) as well as the development of Utah-specific models developed using negative binomial regression. The data for these models came from randomly sampled curved segments in Utah, with crash data coming from years 2008-2012. The total number of randomly sampled curved segments was 1,495. The HSM predictive model for rural two-lane two-way highways consists of a safety performance function …
Language Pathways Defined In A Patient With Left Temporal Lobe Damagesecondary To Traumatic Brain Injury: A Qeeg & Mri Study, Janelle Lee Bailey
Language Pathways Defined In A Patient With Left Temporal Lobe Damagesecondary To Traumatic Brain Injury: A Qeeg & Mri Study, Janelle Lee Bailey
Theses and Dissertations
Though the current understanding of language processing is incomplete, it has been established that the left hemisphere is dominant for language in the majority of the population. Damage to language centers of the brain and to white matter tracts connecting these language centers results in a language deficit known as aphasia. Neuroplasticity in the brain can often compensate for these language deficits by strengthening neuronal connections between the right and left hemisphere, or by enhancing the neuronal connectivity of undamaged areas in the left hemisphere. Thus the brain can compensate for damaged language centers by using alternative cortical areas. These …
Synthesis And Characterization Of Complex Molecular Assemblies On Surfaces, Nitesh Madaan
Synthesis And Characterization Of Complex Molecular Assemblies On Surfaces, Nitesh Madaan
Theses and Dissertations
The research presented in this dissertation is focused on the construction of complex molecular structures on planar gold and silicon dioxide surfaces using a variety of surface modification techniques, along with thorough surface characterization at each modification step. The dissertation is structured into six separate chapters. In Chapter 1, an introduction to the importance and implications of molecular level surface modification, commonly employed surface modification methods, and available surface characterization techniques is presented. Chapter 2 shows applications of novel methodologies for the functionalization of gold surfaces using alkane dithiol self-assembled monolayers and thiol-ene click chemistry. The resulting functionalized gold substrates …
Algebraic Semi-Classical Model For Reaction Dynamics, Tim Glenn Wendler
Algebraic Semi-Classical Model For Reaction Dynamics, Tim Glenn Wendler
Theses and Dissertations
We use an algebraic method to model the molecular collision dynamics of a collinear triatomic system. Beginning with a forced oscillator, we develop a mathematical framework upon which inelastic and reactive collisions are modeled. The model is considered algebraic because it takes advantage of the properties of a Lie algebra in the derivation of a time-evolution operator. The time-evolution operator is shown to generate both phase-space and quantum dynamics of a forced oscillator simultaneously. The model is considered semi-classical because only the molecule's internal degrees-of-freedom are quantized. The relative translation between the colliding atom and molecule in an exchange reaction …
The Effects Of Nebulized Saline Treatments On Diphthongal Vowel Production On Female Subjects With Sjögren's Syndrome, Keri Lynn Perry
The Effects Of Nebulized Saline Treatments On Diphthongal Vowel Production On Female Subjects With Sjögren's Syndrome, Keri Lynn Perry
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to analyze and quantify the effects of a nebulized saline treatment on speech production in eight females with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS). The duration, formant frequency onset and offset, and slope were measured to determine the quality of participants' production of diphthongal American English vowels. Acoustic data were examined before treatment began, immediately following treatment, and during a one-week follow-up to determine the effects of a laryngeal hydration program that used nebulized saline to increase hydration of structures in the vocal tract. The vowels produced during the initial baseline condition were acoustically relatively similar …
Alcohol Modulation Of Dopamine Release, Nathan Dan Schilaty
Alcohol Modulation Of Dopamine Release, Nathan Dan Schilaty
Theses and Dissertations
The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system projects from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to structures associated with the limbic system, primarily the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This system has been implicated in the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. Many drugs of abuse act in the VTA, the NAc, or both. Dopamine neurons in the VTA that project to the NAc, and the GABA neurons that inhibit DA neurons locally in the VTA or project to the NAc, play an important role in mediating addiction to various drugs of abuse, in particular alcohol. There is a growing body of evidence of co-dependence …
Understanding The Diversification Of Central American Freshwater Fishes Using Comparative Phylogeography And Species Delimitation, Justin C. Bagley
Understanding The Diversification Of Central American Freshwater Fishes Using Comparative Phylogeography And Species Delimitation, Justin C. Bagley
Theses and Dissertations
Phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics have proven remarkably useful for understanding the patterns and processes influencing historical diversification of biotic lineages at and below the species level, as well as delimiting morphologically cryptic species. In this dissertation, I used an integrative approach coupling comparative phylogeography and coalescent-based species delimitation to improve our understanding of the biogeography and species limits of Central American freshwater fishes. In Chapter 1, I conducted a literature review of the contributions of phylogeography to understanding the origins and maintenance of lower Central American biodiversity, in light of the geological and ecological setting. I highlighted emerging phylogeographic patterns, …
Targeted Sequencing Of Plant Genomes , Mark D. Huynh
Targeted Sequencing Of Plant Genomes , Mark D. Huynh
Theses and Dissertations
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the field of genetics by providing a means for fast and relatively affordable sequencing. With the advancement of NGS, whole- genome sequencing (WGS) has become more commonplace. However, sequencing an entire genome is still not cost effective or even beneficial in all cases. In studies that do not require a whole-genome survey, WGS yields lower sequencing depth and sequencing of uninformative loci. Targeted sequencing utilizes the speed and low cost of NGS while providing deeper coverage for desired loci. This thesis applies targeted sequencing to the genomes of two different, non-model plants, Artemisia tridentate (sagebrush) …
Full-Scale Testing Of Blast-Induced Liquefaction Downdrag On Auger-Cast Piles In Sand, Joseph Erick Hollenbaugh
Full-Scale Testing Of Blast-Induced Liquefaction Downdrag On Auger-Cast Piles In Sand, Joseph Erick Hollenbaugh
Theses and Dissertations
Deep foundations like auger-cast piles and drilled shafts frequently extend through liquefiable sand layers and bear on non-liquefiable layers at depth. When liquefaction occurs, the skin friction on the shaft decreases to zero, and then increases again as the pore water pressure dissipates and the layer begins to settle, or compact. As the effective stress increases and the liquefiable layer settles, along with the overlaying layers, negative skin from the soil acts on the shaft. To investigate the loss of skin friction and the development of negative skin friction, soil-induced load was measured in three instrumented, full-scale auger-cast piles after …
The Role Of Ceramides In Mediating Endotoxin-Induced Mitochondrial Disruption, Melissa Ellen Hansen
The Role Of Ceramides In Mediating Endotoxin-Induced Mitochondrial Disruption, Melissa Ellen Hansen
Theses and Dissertations
Ceramides are sphingolipids that serve as important second messengers in an increasing number of stress-induced pathways. Ceramide has long been known to affect the mitochondria, altering both morphology and physiology. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a prevalent circulating inflammatory agent in obesity, potentially mediating some of the pathologies associated with weight gain. Given previous findings of TLR4-mediated ceramide accrual and ceramide-mediated mitochondrial disruption, we questioned whether ceramide is necessary for LPS-induced mitochondrial disruption. We found that LPS treatment increased gene transcript levels of ceramide synthesis enzymes and mitochondrial fission proteins and increased ceramide content in cultured myotubes and in mouse tissue. Mitochondrial …
The Italian Press And The Church: Italian Newspaper Coverage Of Lds-Related News And The Media Strategies Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Italy 2010-2012, Giulia Vibilio Matthews
The Italian Press And The Church: Italian Newspaper Coverage Of Lds-Related News And The Media Strategies Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Italy 2010-2012, Giulia Vibilio Matthews
Theses and Dissertations
The relationship between media and religion has been influenced by many factors in history. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received a great deal of media attention throughout the world in the past five years. In Italy, the Church National Council of Public Relations worked to provide the media with the necessary information to report accurate news about the Church. This thesis collected the information provided to the Italian media by the Church National Council and analyzed the main topic and the level of accuracy reported by the Italian media on Church-related news. The results show that …
Developments In Lfm-Cw Sar For Uav Operation, Craig Lee Stringham
Developments In Lfm-Cw Sar For Uav Operation, Craig Lee Stringham
Theses and Dissertations
Opportunities to use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in scientific studies and military operations are expanding with the development of small SAR systems that can be operated on small unmanned air vehicles (UAV)s. While the nimble nature of small UAVs make them an attractive platform for many reasons, small UAVs are also more prone to deviate from a linear course due autopilot errors and external forces such as turbulence and wind. Thus, motion compensation and improved processing algorithms are required to properly focus the SAR images. The work of this dissertation overcomes some of the challenges and addresses some of the …
Analysis, Validation, And Improvement Of High-Resolution Wind Estimates From The Advanced Scatterometer (Ascat), Jeffrey Richard Blodgett
Analysis, Validation, And Improvement Of High-Resolution Wind Estimates From The Advanced Scatterometer (Ascat), Jeffrey Richard Blodgett
Theses and Dissertations
The standard L2B ocean wind product from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) is retrieved as a 25 km product on a 12.5 km grid. Ultra-high resolution (UHR) processing allows ASCAT wind retrieval on a high-resolution 1.25 km grid. Ideally, such a high-resolution sample grid provides wind information down to a 2.5 km scale, allowing better analysis of winds with high spatial variability such as those in near-coastal regions and storms. Though the wind field is sampled on a finer grid, the actual data resolution needs to be validated. This thesis provides an analysis and validation of ASCAT UHR wind estimates in …
Magnetic Holding Of Synthetic Quartz For Precision Grinding, Saudin Basic
Magnetic Holding Of Synthetic Quartz For Precision Grinding, Saudin Basic
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this research work is to investigate the practicality of magnetic workholding of non-magnetic synthetic quartz during high-speed grinding. This research work is sponsored by Quartzdyne and will be used as the starting point to applying single-piece rounding of its quartz. Hypotheses were created that would permit the authors to conclude that magnets are in fact worthwhile workholders for non-magnetic materials. Designs of Experiments were used to reject or fail to reject the null hypotheses. Experiments were carried out using a custom HAAS lathe, modified into a grinding center with an NSK live spindle, and neodymium-iron-boron magnets used …
Kinetic Experimental And Modeling Studies On Iron-Based Catalysts Promoted With Lanthana For The High-Temperature Water-Gas Shift Reaction Characterized With Operando Uv-Visible Spectroscopy And For The Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, Basseem Bishara Hallac
Theses and Dissertations
The structural and functional roles of lanthana in unsupported iron-based catalysts for the high-temperature water-gas shift reaction and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis were investigated. The performance of the catalysts with varying lanthana contents was based on their activity, selectivity, and stability. With regard to the former reaction, extent of reduction of the iron in Fe2O3/Cr2O3/CuO/La2O3 water-gas shift catalysts is a key parameter that was characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy. Minor addition of lanthana (<0.5 wt%) produces more active and stable catalysts apparently because it stabilizes the iron-chromium spinel, increases the surface area of the reduced catalysts, enhances the reduction of hematite to the magnetite active phase, and facilitates the adsorption of CO on the surface of the catalyst modeled by an adsorptive Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Statistical 95% confidence contour plots of the adsorption equilibrium constants show that water adsorbs more strongly than CO, which inhibits the reaction rate. A calibration curve that correlates the oxidation state of surface iron domains to normalized absorbance of visible light was successfully generated and applied to the water-gas shift catalysts. UV-visible studies indicated higher extent of reduction for surface Fe domains for the catalysts promoted with 1 wt% of lanthana and showed potential to be a more convenient technique for surface chemistry studies than X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Lanthana addition to iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts enhances the olefin-to-paraffin ratio, but decreases their activity, stability, and selectivity to liquid hydrocarbons. Adding lanthana at the expense of potassium reduces the water-gas shift selectivity and enhances the activity and stability of the catalysts. Finally, a model that simulates heat and mass transfer limitations on the particle scale for the Fischer-Tropsch reaction applicable at lab-scale suggests optimal operating and design conditions of 256°C, 30 bar, and 80 mirons are recommended for higher selectivity to liquid hydrocarbons. The model considers pressure drop, deactivation, pore diffusion, film heat transfer, and internal heat transfer when solving for the optimal conditions, and maps them as functions of design variables. This model can be up-scaled to provide guidance for optimal design of commercial-size reactors.
Leisure Defined By Free Choice: Ugandan Women's Perceptions Of Leisure, Emilie Adams
Leisure Defined By Free Choice: Ugandan Women's Perceptions Of Leisure, Emilie Adams
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of leisure among women in the developing East African nation of Uganda. In this study, I evaluated the leisure experiences of 38 Ugandan women of various backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses through semi-structured interviews. I analyzed the data using the constant comparative method. Themes for the meaning of leisure include fortifying leisure, enjoyment, and rest and relaxation. Results point to free choice as the core variable. Finally, I discuss the implications and suggestions for future research.
A Lesson In Rhetoric: Finding God Through Language In “Batter My Heart”, Marc Daniel Giullian
A Lesson In Rhetoric: Finding God Through Language In “Batter My Heart”, Marc Daniel Giullian
Theses and Dissertations
A reexamination of John Donne's Holy Sonnet “Batter my heart,” especially one looking at the sonnet's relationship to Early Modern rhetoric, is long overdue. In this paper, I hope to show that a focus on Donne's relationship to Early Modern rhetoric yields several useful new insights. I argue specifically that Donne was probably exposed to Non-Ramist rhetorical methods and theory at many points in his education, from his childhood to his college years to his years at the Inns of Court. Furthermore, Non-Ramist rhetoric has moral implications, suggesting that aspects of an author's feelings, character, and desires can be analyzed …
The Bioluminescence Heterozygous Genome Assembler, Jared Calvin Price
The Bioluminescence Heterozygous Genome Assembler, Jared Calvin Price
Theses and Dissertations
High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies are currently revolutionizing the fields of biology and medicine by elucidating the structure and function of the components of life. Modern DNA sequencing machines typically produce relatively short reads of DNA which are then assembled by software in an attempt to produce a representation of the entire genome. Due to the complex structure of all but the smallest genomes, especially the abundant presence of exact or almost exact repeats, all genome assemblers introduce errors into the final sequence and output a relatively large set of contigs instead of full-length chromosomes (a contig is a DNA sequence …
A Variable-Stiffness Compliant Mechanism For Stiffness-Controlled Haptic Interfaces, Jeffrey C. Hawks
A Variable-Stiffness Compliant Mechanism For Stiffness-Controlled Haptic Interfaces, Jeffrey C. Hawks
Theses and Dissertations
In this research a variable-stiffness compliant mechanism was developed to generate variable force-displacement profiles at the mechanisms coupler point. The mechanism is based on a compliant Roberts straight-line mechanism, and the stiffness is varied by changing the effective length of the compliant links with an actuated slider. The variable-stiffness mechanism was used in a one-degree-of-freedom haptic interface to demonstrate the effectiveness of varying the stiffness of a compliant mechanism. Unlike traditional haptic interfaces, in which the force is controlled using motors and rigid links, the haptic interface developed in this work displays haptic stiffness via the variable-stiffness compliant mechanism. The …