Digital Commons Network^™

Quantifying The Effects Of Transporting Psats On The Swimming Performance Of Juvenile Mahi-Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus), Charles James Mcguigan

Open Access Theses

Various types of tags are used across a wide range of teleost and elasmobranch species to collect valuable information on life-history, behavior, migration, and habitat utilization. However, a limited number of studies have been conducted to investigate the costs associated with transporting these tags. Young-adult mahi-mahi (25-35 cm fork length) were tagged with miniature pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) to assess the impacts of tagging on various movement parameters in a two- part experiment. Using swim tunnel respirometry, this study revealed significant reductions in the critical and optimal swimming speeds of 10% and 24%, respectively (p0.05) between any of the …

The Ukrainian Crisis: An Eclectic Analysis, Christian Brodermann

Open Access Theses

The Ukraine Crisis is a complex and nuanced situation in the modern day. The interactions between the various actors involved in it, from the Western powers, to Ukraine and Russia themselves are examined by examining the secondary literature using an eclectic theoretical framework combining Constructivism and Neorealism. The Russian and Ukrainian socio-political frameworks are used as points of reference for the positions they play not just in the crisis, but in Russia and Ukraine’s relationship over time. This shared history of the two nations informs us of the social construction of the identity of what it means to be Russian …

Do School Environmental Indicators Impact Student Body Mass Index And Blood Pressure?, Daniella Carucci

Open Access Theses

One third of youth aged 2-19 are overweight or obese, 3.6% of children between the ages of 3 and 18 are found to have stage 1 hypertension, and 3.4% are found to have elevated blood pressure. As children and adolescents spend a majority of their time in school, it is especially important to examine the influence of school contextual factors on body size and blood pressure status. The goal of the present study was to identify how environmental factors, such as school SES, school academic achievement, and school perceived safety influence health status in a sample of ethnically diverse students …

Population Dynamics Of Seagrass Communities In Biscayne Bay, Florida: Exploring The Influence Of Salinity On Seascape Fragmentation, Clinton William Stipek

Open Access Theses

Seagrass communities display complex population dynamics that are presently poorly understood. While most studies of disturbance on seagrass habitats have focused on changes in biomass at small, quadrat-level scales, limited information is available on the impacts of disturbances on seagrass patch dynamics on a broad scale. In this study, a landscape approach based on remote sensing imagery and population modelling were applied to understand seagrass patch dynamics and forecast the fate of these important communities in Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida, US. The seagrass communities of Biscayne Bay are especially influenced by the modifications of the Everglades watershed that has significantly …

Resting-State Brain Connectivity And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Successful Agers, Judith Lobo

Open Access Theses

Successful Agers (SA) are older adults (aged > 65 years) with cognitive function comparable to healthy adults aged 20-30 years younger. These individuals demonstrate preserved volume of the hippocampus and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), cortical regions supporting episodic memory, with advancing age. Since fMRI studies reveal lower resting state functional brain connectivity (rsFC) of these structures in individuals with episodic memory loss and cardiovascular disease, it is possible lower connectivity of these episodic memory hubs may be associated with SA status and lowered risk for developing cardiovascular disease. In this study, a seed-to-seed connectivity analysis of rsFC between the left and …

Thinking About Feelings: The Relationship Between Repetitive Negative Thinking And Emotion Instability, Brittany A. Jaso

Open Access Theses

A primary model of psychopathology emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between emotions and cognitions. However, very little is known about the specific day to day dynamics of emotion that contribute to maladaptive cognitive thinking patterns. While maladaptive thinking styles are prominent in the literature, many of them, such as rumination or worry, are reliant on disorder-specific definitions, which limits the generalizability of the findings. Similarly, methods for understanding the role of emotions as a risk factor for psychopathology are also limited by diagnosis-specific extremes of emotionality. Emphasis should be placed on more inclusive, transdiagnostic, patterns that focus on the process of …

Superior Detection Of Faces In Male Infants At 2 Months, Sarah E. Maylott

Open Access Theses

Face detection is a foundational ability, guiding infants’ attention to relevant social information. However, little is known about face detection in the first months of life. Using eye-tracking, we measured 2-month-olds’ (N=72) social orienting to human faces, compared to animal faces and objects, presented within complex, 4-item arrays. Males looked faster and longer to human faces than females. Further, males, but not females, looked faster and longer to human faces compared to other images. This is the first study to report a male-advantage in face detection. While the causes and consequences remain to be determined, our findings suggest that attention …

Connecting The Dots: Network Analysis For Examining Psychosocial Syndemic Conditions Among High-Risk Hiv-Negative Men Who Have Sex With Men, Jasper S. Lee

Open Access Theses

Introduction: In the U.S., HIV acquisition risk is highest among men who have sex with men (MSM). Syndemics, psychosocial problems that interact with each other and poor health behavior, are additively associated with increased condomless anal sex, HIV incidence, and HIV prevalence among MSM. However, information about how these syndemics interrelate with each other is under-explored. Methods: To examine the associations between nine syndemics in 194 MSM at high risk of HIV acquisition, we examined bivariate polychoric correlations, and then compared exploratory factor analyses (EFA) to a network analysis. Syndemics were assessed by self-report measures. Network analyses (presented graphically) consist …

Towards Monosex Production Of A Marine Pelagic, Julian N. Fiorentino

Open Access Theses

The current population growth trend and increases in seafood consumption rates necessitate increases in marine aquaculture production. In the search for the ideal marine species to fill this demand, Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) offers a suitable candidate for the seafood staples. This is the result of high commercial value, rapid growth rates and success of mass seed production. The primary cost driver in fish production is feed, and efforts to optimize feed conversion ratios therefore are constantly being made. Among these are methods to capture sex-specific growth improvements through monosex culture, which is relevant for cobia aquaculture because of …

Identifying Sociocultural Influences On Pain And Their Psychological And Physiological Mechanisms: The Role Of Doctor-Patient Racial/Ethnic Concordance, Steven R. Anderson

Open Access Theses

Racial and ethnic minorities in the US and other countries have been found to report higher levels of both clinical and experimental pain, yet are frequently undertreated for their pain. Although racial/ethnic group differences in pain report are now well-documented, the underlying causes of these pain report disparities remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the role of doctor-patient racial/ethnic concordance in predicting patient pain report. We report a preliminary analysis drawn from a larger study. Participants were assigned to either a racial/ethnic concordant or discordant simulated clinical interaction in which a doctor participant administered a series of …

Effects Of Commercial Diets On Growth Performances Of Juvenile Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus Lanceolatus ♂ X E. Fuscoguttatus ♀) Reared Under Intensive Culture Conditions, Piyawut Mitrananda

Open Access Theses

Feed performance of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂ x E. fuscoguttatus ♀) at 27.76±0.78 grams were evaluated. Fish were fed one control diet and three commercial diets for a duration of 42 days with 14-day sampling intervals. Experiment was performed in triplicates with 240 fish per treatment. Fish were stocked in 400-liter flow through tank with 2000% exchange of unfiltered seawater. Control treatment received previously frozen bait fish, Decapterus russelli. The three commercial diets have varying proximate compositions and price points and were obtained from three commercial fish feed producers. CD1 diet was imported from Japan at $2.7/kg with 50.8% …

Cyclones Affect Vocalization And The Marine Soundscape Within A Blue Hole, Craig A. Raffenberg

Open Access Theses

Tropical cyclones are a major disturbance on nearshore marine and reef communities, which are highly valuable for their biodiversity and for commercial and recreational purposes. The increasing study of soundscape ecology and the usefulness of sound in the marine environment has led to growing awareness of factors altering the marine soundscape and how changes in the soundscape impact fish behavior, usually negatively. Studies have noted the input of sound from cyclones alter the marine soundscape, though these studies are mainly limited to offshore and deep-water environments. Sound has rarely been used to quantify cyclone effects on coral reefs. Here we …

Connections Between The Qbo And Tropical Variability, Bosong Zhang

Open Access Theses

Troposphere-stratosphere dynamic coupling plays a crucial role in short and long term forecasts. In the tropics, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) dominates stratospheric variability with zonal mean zonal wind alternating between westerly and easterly for an average period of 28 months. It has been shown in previous studies that the QBO can affect the tropical troposphere in different ways. Easterly phases of the QBO lead to stronger tropical deep convection in both observations and model simulations. Recent studies have indicated that activities of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) in boreal winter are also stronger in easterly phases of the QBO than its …

Movement Patterns Of Three Coastal Shark Species Along A Subtropical Urban Gradient: Habitat Use Metrics And Influence Of Human Disturbance-Related Factors, Robert P. Roemer

Open Access Theses

The effects of urbanization and anthropogenic stressors have the ability to dramatically alter ecosystem function and habitats. Given the rates of population growth along the coast, urban centers continue to grow, which increase pressures on wildlife. Understanding the effects of urbanization and anthropogenic influences on apex carnivores is important considering the ecosystem services they provide. While published research pertaining to the movements of terrestrial urban carnivores is limited, more so are the effects of urbanization on the spatial ecology of marine predators. Understanding movement patterns of marine carnivores in response to urban-induced stressors is important when delineating zones of ecological …

A Low Heat Rejection Lean Burn Genset Engine, Wenxuan Wang

Open Access Theses

This thesis describes how to utilize the embedded energy that’s hiding inside the old cylinder block of an engine into something that not only provides electric energy, but also has a low manufacturing cost. Internal combustion engine powered generator sets are used worldwide to provide electricity in restricted areas. An automobile engine is designed with different design criteria than a generator engine. To get the best efficiency out of a current automobile engine while making electricity, the engine must be modified during remanufacturing. This research effort investigates the feasibility of using engine parts from multiple engines (a Nissan KA24 block …

Building Integrated Wetlands For Sustainable Food Production In Cities, Shruti Khandelwal

Open Access Theses

Food deserts are a global problem of inadequate food supply in quantity and quality in under-served neighborhoods. A scalable solution to provide people with fresh, high nutritional produce might benefit from a new approach to food production. This paper explores a closed-loop system of food, energy, and water as one strategy. Building-Integrated Food-Energy-Water Model (Bi-FEW): Building-Integrated Wetland Agriculture (BIWA) is a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) model which creates a responsive and resilient food network in urban neighborhoods to overcome local food insecurities. This model may also act as a proactive, off-grid disaster relief infrastructure in buildings vulnerable to sea-level rise. …

Acoustic Velocity Characterization Of The Vaca Muerta Formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, Mustafa Kamil Yuksek

Open Access Theses

The understanding of the relationship between seismic method and geological architecture has been improved since rock physics studies revealed the empirical relations between acoustic velocity and rock properties such as density, porosity, pore fluid type. Most rock physics studies focused on either siliciclastics or carbonates. In contrast, this study mainly focuses on the acoustic velocity characteristics of the mixed siliciclastic–carbonate mudstone from the Vaca Muerta Formation in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina. The acoustic velocity of 210 mixed siliciclastic–carbonate mudstone samples are measured in both saturated and dry conditions. In addition, 45 concretion samples from the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic are …

Design And Build Of A High Performance Naturally Aspirated Ford Motor Company Coyote Engine, Christopher D. Collins

Open Access Theses

A prototype Ford Motor Company stroker Coyote engine was designed and built to achieve high horsepower output in naturally aspirated trim. Variables including cylinder block, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, cylinder heads, intake camshafts, exhaust camshafts, intake manifold, exhaust manifolds, and throttle body were examined and then modified or built to achieve the maximum power output. It was predicted that the increase in stroke and air flow would achieve a horsepower-to-cubic inch ratio of 2:1. It was concluded that this is possible with a few minor modifications to the prototype. A recommendation for further study is enclosed.

Inhibition Of Inflammatory Rage Signaling In Breast Cancer And Metabolic Diseases, Owen Willis

Open Access Theses

The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE) is normally expressed at low levels, but is highly expressed in a variety of inflammatory states. RAGE has been implicated in pathogenic progression of cancer and various metabolic diseases, and therefore provides a potential therapeutic target in these disease states. RAGE knockout (RKO) mice are viable and display no developmental defects, suggesting therapeutic targeting of RAGE to be a viable approach. Our lab has identified two RAGE inhibitors that can be used in both in vitro and in vivo models: FPS-ZM1 (FPS) and TTP-488 (TTP). Previously, our lab has established one of these …

A Quasi-Global Survey Of Precipitation Extremes: Interpretations Of Their Dynamics And Thermodynamics, Brian Christopher Matilla

Open Access Theses

Rainfall extremes are caused by a complicated interplay between moisture and dynamics with many challenges and ideas that have yet to be fully understood in the literature. This study examines the dynamics and thermodynamics of extreme precipitation events through a combination of observational data and reanalysis model outputs. Data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 product, version 7, were retrieved for the time period 1998-2016. The greatest single-day and three-day rainfall accumulations for each grid pixel in several different spatial grid resolutions were identified along with its associated date and time of occurrence. Global maps of these record …

Mfa And Asa-Mf: A Psychometric Analysis Of Attitudes Towards Measurement Based Care, Zabin S. Patel

Open Access Theses

Measurement based care (MBC) aims to improve client outcomes by providing clinicians with routine mental health outcome data. Despite its utility, MBC is rarely used in practice. The Monitoring and Feedback Attitudes Scale (MFA) and Attitudes Towards Standardized Assessment Scales – Monitoring and Feedback (ASA-MF) (Jensen-Doss et al., 2016) hold potential to identify attitudinal barriers to MBC among clinicians, but their psychometric properties have only been examined in a single sample. This study replicates and expands upon previous examinations of the MFA and ASA-MF using a sample of community mental health clinicians. Participants include 164 clinicians recruited across 12 sites …

Synthesis Of Stable Open-Shell Moieties And Polymers For Charge Transfer Applications, Varad Vinayak Agarkar

Open Access Theses

Open-shell small molecules and non-conjugated polymers containing open-shell moieties as pendant groups have been of significant interest lately with regards to liquid crystalline materials, polymerization initiators, and in electrical conductivity applications. The research presented in this thesis focuses on the latter application and especially on tuning the optoelectronic properties of a novel class of small molecules viz. the 6-oxoverdazyl radicals and, as a result, is broadly divided into two parts.

The former part consists of designing a low glass transition temperature polymer for attainment of high electrical conductivity values not reported previously for non-conjugated pendant radical polymers. The high conductivity …

Mr-Compatible Electrophysiology Recording System For Multimodal Imaging, Nishant B. Barbaria

Open Access Theses

Simultaneous acquisition of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electrophysiological recordings is an emerging multimodal neuroimaging strategy for studying brain functions. However, the strong magnetic field generated during fMRI greatly degrades the electrophysiological signal quality during simultaneous acquisition. Here, I developed a low powered, miniaturized, system – “ECHO” which delivers a hardware and software solution to overcome the challenges presented by multimodal imaging. The device monitors fluctuations in electromagnetic field during fMRI and synchronizes amplification and sampling of electrophysiological signals to minimize effects of gradient and RF artifacts (electromagnetic artifacts). Furthermore, I introduced a concept of wirelessly transmitting recorded data …

Effects Of A Mobile Tablet Device And An Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac) Application On Individuals With An Acquired Communication Disorder: Influence On Communication Abilities And Quality Of Life, Yamini Balasubramanian

Open Access Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mobile tablet device and an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) application on the communicative abilities and quality of life of individuals with acquired communication disorders. A preexperimental single subject research design was replicated across one client with progressive dysarthria, and two clients with non-fuent aphasia to investigate effects of specifc communicative abilities (message intelligibility for the client with dysarthria and correct information units for the clients with aphasia) in addition to quality of life. Results suggest that improvements were noted in percent message intelligibility and correct information units …

Experimental Study Of A Transcritical Thermoacoustic Device, Dayle N. Alexander

Open Access Theses

A prototype transcritical thermoacoustic engine has been constructed and tested, yielding thermoacoustic results. Three different thermoacoustic “stack” designs have been evaluated in the present study. All three show damped acoustic oscillations as a temperature gradient is produced along the stack and a non-linear perturbation is induced. Spontaneously instabilities at much lower frequency were observed in the device with one of the “stacks”. These instabilities grew to a limit cycle amplitude that was maintained until heat was removed. Data are presented for both types of instabilities over a range of operating conditions.

Exploring The Cognitive Tasks Surrounding Professional Horse Judging Practices In Stock- Type Halter Classes, Paige Marie Arehart

Open Access Theses

A standardized procedure for how and why professional equine judges approach their practice in a specific way has yet to be documented. Learning the background, approach, processes, and procedures taken by professional horse judges when engaged in stock-type halter classes is important for establishing a training protocol that can be used in coaching and/or training situations.

This study applies cognitive task analysis to the concepts, processes, and principles of professional horse judges in stock-type halter classes to develop a teaching and learning resource for novice and trainee judges of various ages. Specifically, an action and decision chart that details the …

Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Microbial Growth And Horizontal Gene Transfer, Ran Chen

Open Access Theses

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have widely studied in various fields since its discovery. The wide research and application of CNTs may result in the occurrence of CNTs in natural environment and their nanotoxicity has been widely recognized. Moreover, a less frequently studied effect of CNTs is the promotion of spread of antibiotic resistance. CNTs may function as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pose additional health risks associated with the spread of ARGs in natural environment, but no previous studies have been reported on the effects of CNTs on horizontal gene transfer. The objective of this study was to …

Modeling And Parameter Characterization Of A Betavoltaic Cell, Darrell S. Cheu

Open Access Theses

Betavoltaic cells are a type of nuclear battery where kinetic energy from beta particles are converted into electricity. The goal of this research is to evaluate betavoltaic cell electrical performance and predict its response to temperature changes for potential implementation. To achieve this goal, three tasks were performed: betavoltaic cells were electrically characterized under temperature, critical betavoltaic semiconductor parameters were experimentally determined, and the Shockley-Diode model was used to predict electrical performance and compared to experimental results.

Betavoltaic cells were evaluated from -30◦Cto70◦C. I-V curves were gathered at each temperature step in order to determine open circuit voltage and short …

Chocolate Almond Milk Consumption Changes Salivaryproline-Rich Protein Expression, Whichalterastringencyandbitterness, Ciera Crawford

Open Access Theses

In this work we analyze how humans experience sensations from polyphenols, focusing particularly on chocolate flavonoids. First, we investigated how people use terms to describe the “astringent” sensation of these compounds, determining that the words “dry, rough” may be a feasible alternative to the poorer understood term “astringent.” Next, we investigated how human salivary proteomes may influence the sensations of chocolate flavonoids, and whether those proteomes change after exposure to the compounds in chocolate milk for a week. In this larger six-week study design, subjects alternated each week between consuming a low polyphenol diet and consuming one of three different …

Optimization Of Zein Based Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Biosensor For The Detection Of Gliadin As A Marker For Celiac Disease, Emma A. Barber

Open Access Theses

Biosensors are a growingly popular alternative to chemical sensors. With their fast detection time and portability, biosensors have the ability to be applicable in a number of different industries. The current methods for allergen and toxin detection in the food industry often require highly trained personnel and can be very time consuming. These disadvantages plus the growing desire for the consumer to make more informed choices about what they eat, shows a need for an easy to use, rapid, and specific method of detection for analytes of interest to the food industry (Alocilja and Radke 2003). In this thesis, a …