Digital Commons Network^™

Soil And Biosolid Nano- And Macro-Colloid Properties And Contaminant Transport Behavior, Jessique L. Ghezzi

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Despite indications that they are potential contaminant transport systems and threats to groundwater quality, very little effort has been invested in comparing contaminant transport behavior of natural environmental nanocolloids and their corresponding macrocolloid fractions in the presence of As, Se, Pb, and Cu contaminants. This study involved physico-chemical, mineralogical, stability and contaminant-transport characterizations of nano- (< 100 nm) and macro-colloids (100-2000 nm) fractionated from three Kentucky soils and one biosolid waste. Particle size was investigated with SEM/TEM and dynamic light scattering. Surface reactivity was estimated using CEC and zeta potential. Mineralogical composition was determined by XRD, FTIR, and thermogravimetric analyses. Sorption isotherms assessed affinities for Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, AsO₃^-, and SeO₄^-2 contaminants, while settling kinetics experiments of suspensions at 0, 2 and 10 mg/L contaminants determined stability and transportability potential. Undisturbed 18x30 cm KY Ashton Loam soil monoliths were also used for …

Understanding The Role Of Membrane Localized Ugt80b1 Encoding For Udp-Glucose: Sterol Glucosyltransferase In Plant Development, Meera Nair

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Sterols have been identified as major components of membrane lipids that are part of specialized membrane domains necessary for organizing events such as polar protein targeting and signal transduction in plants, fungi and animals. However a common modification of sterols is the addition of sugar moieties via glycosylation abundantly found in plants. An exact physiological role for such diversification of sterols in plants is still unknown. Using reverse genetics and transcriptomics we show that UDP-glucose: sterol glucosyltransferase encoded by UGT80B1 is necessary for correct epidermal patterning in Arabidopsis root. Patterning of hair cells (trichoblasts) and non-hair cells (atrichoblasts) in the …

Computational Multimedia For Video Self Modeling, Ju Shen

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Video self modeling (VSM) is a behavioral intervention technique in which a learner models a target behavior by watching a video of oneself. This is the idea behind the psychological theory of self-efficacy - you can learn or model to perform certain tasks because you see yourself doing it, which provides the most ideal form of behavior modeling. The effectiveness of VSM has been demonstrated for many different types of disabilities and behavioral problems ranging from stuttering, inappropriate social behaviors, autism, selective mutism to sports training. However, there is an inherent difficulty associated with the production of VSM material. Prolonged …

Truth And Falsehood In Plato's Sophist, Michael Oliver Wiitala

Theses and Dissertations--Philosophy

This dissertation is a study of the ontological foundations of true and false speech in Plato’s Sophist. Unlike most contemporary scholarship on the Sophist, my dissertation offers a wholistic account of the dialogue, demonstrating that the ontological theory of the “communing” of forms and the theory of true and false speech later in the dialogue entail one another.

As I interpret it, the account of true and false speech in the Sophist is primarily concerned with true and false speech about the forms. As Plato sees it, we can only make true statements about spatio-temporal beings if it …

The Role Of The Bacterial Endosymbiont, Arsenophonus, In The Soybean Aphid, Aphis Glycines, Jason A. Wulff

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Bacterial endosymbionts can have profound impacts on their host’s ecology. Notably, endosymbionts can protect their hosts against natural enemies and influence host plant interactions. The endosymbiont Candidatus Arsenophonus infects a wide taxonomic range of arthropod hosts, and is suspected of an uncharacterized mutualistic role in hemipterous insects. In the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, an introduced pest of soybeans in the United States, Arsenophonus is the sole facultative endosymbiont. The focus of this dissertation is to characterize the role of Arsenophonus in the aphid, with an overall emphasis on its impact on aphid management strategies.

I first used diagnostic PCR …

Computational Identification And Molecular Verification Of Mirna In Eastern Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes Flavipes), Tian Yu

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Reticulitermes flavipes is one of the most common termite species in the world, and has been an intriguing research model due to its ecological and biological and economic significance. The fundamental biological question addressed by this study is to elucidate the role of miRNAs in termite development and how miRNA can influence labor division. miRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that have an important role in gene regulation at post-transcriptional level, and can potentially be involved in the regulation of caste polyphenism. Using a computational approach, I identified 167 conserved and 33 novel miRNAs in the dataset. miR-iab-4 and 19 other …

How Do Consumers Use Social Shopping Websites? The Impact Of Social Endorsements, Pei Xu

Theses and Dissertations--Business Administration

Social endorsements are user-generated endorsements of products or services, such as “likes” and personal collections, in an online social platform. We examine the effect of prior social endorsements on subsequent users’ tendency to endorse or examine a product in a social shopping context, where a social platform connect consumers and enable a collaborative shopping experience. This research consists of two parts. In part I, we identify two ways prior social endorsements can affect subsequent user behavior: as a crowd endorsement, which is an aggregate number of endorsements a product receives for anyone who comes across the product, and as …

Macroeconomic Effects And Microeconomic Determinants Of Fertility, Maria R. Apostolova-Mihaylova

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

This dissertation focuses on the relationship between the education-based fertility gap and economic growth and on policy as a determinant of fertility.

In the first essay I evaluate the impact of differential fertility (the difference between fertility rates of women with high educational attainment and women with low educational attainment) on economic growth by accounting for critical marginal effects and the general level of educational attainment in a given country. I also examine the possibility that this effect varies based on level of inequality and income levels. I find that for a less developed country with high income inequality, higher …

An Analysis Of Energy Resources Utilization For Two Metal Joining Manufacturing Processes, Jonathan Gasser

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

Sustainable manufacturing involves utilizing energy resources efficiently. Currently, the state of sustainability for a given manufacturing process is described by most in a qualitative sense as opposed to using quantitative metrics. This thesis offers a segment of analysis needed to understand the state of sustainability in the context of energy resource utilization. This was accomplished by measuring the order of magnitude difference between the energy consumption of a manufacturing process vs. the theoretical minimum amount of energy required to complete the same task (aluminum T-joint bond). This analysis was completed for a TIG welding process and a controlled atmosphere brazing …

Axial Compressor Flow Behavior Near The Aerodynamic Stability Limit, Bradley D. Butler

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

In this investigation, casing mounted high frequency response pressure transducers are used to characterize the flow behavior near the aerodynamic stability limit of a low speed single stage axial flow compressor. Time variant pressure measurements are acquired at discrete operating points up to the stall inception point and during the transition to rotating stall, for a length of time no shorter than 900 rotor revolutions. The experimental data is analyzed using multiple techniques in the time and frequency domains.

Experimental results have shown an increase in the breakdown of flow periodicity as the flow coefficient is reduced. Below a flow …

Precipitation, Orientation And Composition Effects On The Shape Memory Properties Of High Strength Nitihfpd Alloys, Emre Acar

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

NiTiHf high temperature shape memory alloys are attractive due to their high operating temperatures (>100 ^oC) and acceptable transformation strain compared to NiTi. However, NiTiHf has limitations due to their lack of ductility and low strength, resulting in poor shape memory properties. In this study, Pd has been added to NiTiHf alloys in an attempt to improve their shape memory behavior. A combined approach of quaternary alloying and precipitation strengthening was used.

The characterization of a Ni_45.3Ti_29.7Hf₂₀Pd₅ (at. %) polycrystalline alloy was performed in compression after selected aging treatments. Transmission electron …

A Comparative Study Of Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Towards Inclusion, Keisha H. Pritchard

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine classroom teachers' perceptions of inclusion in local education agencies (LEAs) in North Carolina. Regular education teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels were surveyed to determine characteristics that impact their perceptions of inclusion in regards to teacher gender, years of teaching experience, subjects taught (core or elective classes), past experience with inclusion, personal experience with disabilities, number of hours of coursework concerning disabilities, number of hours of professional development concerning disabilities, number of hours of training concerning inclusion, and region. This study detailed related research in the area of inclusion and …

An Evaluation Of A Remedial Reading Program For Middle-Grade Students In A Southeastern State Public School, Susan S. Nichols

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on reading achievement for middle school students after participation in a remedial reading program, Xtreme Reading, at a southeastern state public school. The researcher used Stufflebeam's (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model to guide the study. A mixed-method research design was used to examine data collected from 80 students in Grades 6 through 8 participating in reading interventions spanning a 1-year period from 2013 through 2014.

There were significant differences in reading achievement scores of students during the 1-year implementation of Xtreme Reading. The findings in this study …

Advanced Conducting Project, Melanie K. Davis

Conducting Student Scholarship

An analysis of several pieces :

• Seal Lullaby, Eric Whitacre
• Suite Francaise, Darius Milhaud
• Second Suite in F (Op. 28 No. 2), Gustav Holst
• Downtown Dash, Nathan Daughtrey

Depredation Of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys Terrapin) Nests In North Inlet, Sc: Nest Predator Community And The Cues Used By Raccoons To Locate Nests, Samuel Al Buzuleciu Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Predation on diamondback terrapin eggs has been studied in several terrapin populations across their broad geographic range; however, nest predators have not been studied in South Carolina. Objectives of this project were two-fold: first, identify predators of diamondback terrapin eggs in North Inlet, SC; and second, determine the source of olfactory cue(s) used by raccoons to locate terrapin nests. Terrapin nest predators were identified using a combination of camera traps, visual surveys and trackboards. Raccoons were dominant nest predators and depredated 347 of 349 (combined natural and simulated) terrapin nests during the 2013 nesting season. We identified the source of …

Investigating Stormwater Drainage Basin Sediments As A Means Of Bacterial Accumulation And Transport Within A South Carolina Estaurine Watershed, Matthew Kyle Curtis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While the presence of fecal indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli in urban stormwater has been widely documented, their occurrence and persistence in sediments are not as well understood. Traditional research into bacterial contamination of surface waters has focused on overland transport of waste material and assumes fecal bacteria such as E. coli have short lifetimes in the environment. Recent investigations suggest that E. coli can accumulate in drainage basin sediments and act as a fecal bacterial reservoir within a watershed. This thesis investigated the prevalence of E. coli populations in the sediments and overlying waters of Withers Swash (a …

The Reproductive Ecology Of Two Sympatric Demersal Fishes: The Naked Goby Gobiosoma Bosc And Striped Blenny Chasmodes Bosquianus, Rachel M. Tremont

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The naked goby (Gobiosoma bosc) and striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) are sympatric oyster reef fishes within temperate estuaries. The reproductive biology and early life history of these fishes were described during two consecutive spawning seasons from 2012-2013 in North Inlet, SC. The naked goby and striped blenny spawning seasons lasted for 21 weeks and 30 weeks, respectively, for 2012 and 2013. The naked goby spawning season began 3 weeks later than the striped blenny spawning season for both years. The temporal offset in the start of their spawning seasons may reduce competition for nest habitat between the two species. Naked …

Latent Variable Models Given Incompletely Observed Surrogate Outcomes And Covariates, Chunfeng Ren

Theses and Dissertations

Latent variable models (LVMs) are commonly used in the scenario where the outcome of the main interest is an unobservable measure, associated with multiple observed surrogate outcomes, and affected by potential risk factors. This thesis develops an approach of efficient handling missing surrogate outcomes and covariates in two- and three-level latent variable models. However, corresponding statistical methodologies and computational software are lacking efficiently analyzing the LVMs given surrogate outcomes and covariates subject to missingness in the LVMs. We analyze the two-level LVMs for longitudinal data from the National Growth of Health Study where surrogate outcomes and covariates are subject to …

Optimal Design Of Geothermal Power Plants, Joshua Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

The optimal design of geothermal power plants across the entire spectrum of meaningful geothermal brine temperatures and climates is investigated, while accounting for vital real-world constraints that are typically ignored in the existing literature. The constrained design space of both double-flash and binary geothermal power plants is visualized, and it is seen that inclusion of real-world constraints is vital to determining the optimal feasible design of a geothermal power plant. The effect of varying condenser temperature on optimum plant performance and optimal design specifications is analyzed. It is shown that condenser temperature has a significant effect on optimal plant design …

To Destroy Or To Preserve: Urban Renewal And The Legal Foundation Of Historic District Zoning, Andrew Tarne

Theses and Dissertations

Historic preservation and urban renewal are often thought to be polar opposites. Where one seeks to preserve, the other generally seeks to destroy in order to rebuild. While the programs appear on the surface to be in opposition, this Thesis seeks to demonstrate that there is a fundamental connection between the underlying legal principles of historic zoning and urban renewal. To that end, the jurisprudence involving historic zoning and aesthetic regulations before and after the seminal urban renewal case of Berman v. Parker has been collected and analyzed. This analysis revealed that courts were hesitant to support aesthetic, and by …

Computational Study Of Protein-Protein Interactions In Misfolded States, Oscar Bastidas

Theses and Dissertations

Protein-protein interactions (PPI’s) play important roles in biological systems. In particular, intra-protein interactions help create and maintain correctly folded protein states and mutations that result in misfolded states may be associated with significant changes in PPI behavior. Six unrelated protein systems with known structure files, each consisting of a wild-type and mutant strain, were studied using the computational algorithm OpenContact©. OpenContact© is a simple tool that can be used to rapidly identify or map interactions “hot-spots” in a protein and was, consequently, used in this study as a starting point to examine the potential or possible role of PPI’s on …

The Impact Of Student-Shared Positive Moments On Classroom Culture: A Teacher's Perspective, Rachel Elizabeth Chrest

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether using the teaching method of students sharing a positive moment at the start of the class period would impact classroom culture including teacher-student relationships and peer support. The qualitative research was conducted in an eighth grade writing class in a charter school northwest of the Twin Cities. Data was collected through a teacher observational journal, student journals, and student surveys to determine the participants' reactions to sharing positive moments at the start of the class period. The results indicated that the students benefitted from the positive moments through improved teacher-student …

Empowering Home Care Nurses To Begin End-Of-Life Conversations, Angela Oujiri

Theses and Graduate Projects

In the United States, some people find the discussion of death and dying a difficult topic to discuss. This difficulty has often delayed conversations about goals and wishes until very late in the healthcare journey. Delays come with a significant cost to both patients and the entire healthcare system. Palliative care is a special type of care meant to provide an extra layer of support to patients and families who are living with serious illness; however, the practice of such care encounters has many challenges for patients, families, physicians, and nurses. Home care nurses are instrumental in the delivery of …

The Correlation Between The Geographical Region Of A High School And The Enrollment Ratio Of Males To Females In Accelerated College-Preparatory Level Mathematics Courses, Mary Anne Latragna

Dissertations

Females, in this modern age of feminism, have excelled in all fields of study and graduate from college in larger numbers than males. However, few women go into the STEM fields (Hill, Corbett, & St. Rose, 2010). To close this gap in mathematics-related fields, it is paramount that high schools produce female students who are advanced in Mathematics. The problem was the underrepresentation of females in mathematical fields of study, with a more pressing issue of underrepresentation of females in college preparatory mathematics classes at the high school level. The purpose of this study was to determine if the geographical …

A Qualitative Study On Educational Authority, Shared Authority And The Practice Of Philosophy In A Kindergarten Classroom : A Study Of The Multiple Dimensions And Complexities Of A Democratic Classroom, Olivier Michaud

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Authority has been theorized as an essential element of education, but one that we know very little about, although it has become increasingly problematic. One approach to educational authority, the approach that this dissertation studied, is based on the idea that authority should be shared between a teacher and her students. In this qualitative study, I was able to immerse myself in a kindergarten classroom in which the teacher was not only committed to democratic education, but who also integrated the practice of Philosophy for Children, one of the most radical forms of sharing authority with students, into her classroom. …

Strain Localization And Exhumation Of The Lower Crust: A Study Of The Three-Dimensional Structure And Flow Kinematics Of Central Fiordland, New Zealand, Alice Newman

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

In this thesis, I present structural and kinematic data on rock fabrics, shear zones and fault zones from the Cretaceous Malaspina orthogneiss and some of its satellite plutons in central Fiordland, New Zealand. Central Fiordland exposes a large tract of granulite- to eclogite-facies lower crust that was exhumed between late Mesozoic to Cenozoic times. The deformational structures of interest were formed and preserved during the lifecycle of a Cretaceous continental arc that involved thickening to over 60 km followed by collapse and rifting. As such, they provide an excellent opportunity to study strain localization in the deep crust and the …

Wearing Different Hats: Micro Role Transitions In Two Contexts, Opal Man-Ching Leung

2014

Individuals make transitions between roles everyday as they move from home to work to other settings. This dissertation extends the work of Goffman (1959), Hall & Richer (1988), and Ashforth et al. (2000, 2001) on the topic of micro role transitions, which are the "frequent and usually recurring transitions, such as the commute between home and work" (Ashforth et al., 2000: 472). While the context of most of the research on micro role transitions has typically been focused on the work-home boundary (e.g. Rothbard et al., 2005; Nippert-Eng, 2008; Greenhaus & Powell, 2006; Hall & Richter, 1988), the three studies …

The Adoption And Diffusion Of It Management Innovations: Adaptation, Reinvention, Alternative Designs, And Rhetorical Persuasion, Quang N. Bui

2014

This research examines the adoption and diffusion process of Information Technology (IT) management innovations—ones that focus on the organizing logics and governance of IT activities. IT management innovations are inherently important to organizations as they can dramatically transform the way businesses are organized and operated. However, because those innovations are tacit and composed mostly of abstract ideas, their adoption and diffusion are often plagued by ambiguity and fads, at times best described as "a solution in search of a problem." Against this backdrop, using theories from communication, sociology, Information Systems, and organizational studies, this research focuses on three underexplored aspects …

Posttraumatic Stress, Family Functioning, And Adjustment In Urban African American Youth Exposed To Violence: A Moderated Mediation Model, Kyle Deane

Master's Theses

Exposure to community violence is a pressing public health issue that disproportionately impacts poor, urban, and ethnic minority youth. It has been associated with a multitude of negative externalizing and internalizing symptoms, most frequently with posttraumatic stress. This study investigates the role that posttraumatic stress has in mediating the relation between exposure to community violence and other adjustment difficulties. Moreover, because not all adolescents experience these difficulties in the face of significant violence exposure, the study examines the moderating role of family cohesion and support in buffering the effect of violence and posttraumatic stress on later adjustment. A sample of …

Examining The Moderating Role Of Specific Coping Strategies On The Relationship Between Body Image And Eating Disorders In College-Age Women, Alexandra Calvert Kirsch

Master's Theses

A sample of college age women assessed at three time points (Time 1: Baseline, assessed before college, Time 2: End of first semester, Time 3: End of first year of college) completed measures of disordered eating, coping, and body image. Results indicated that neither adaptive (problem-focused coping or social support seeking) nor maladaptive coping styles (active emotional coping or avoidant coping) as measured at Time 1 or Time 2 moderated the significant predictive relationship between body dissatisfaction at Time 1 and disordered eating attitudes at Time 3, when adjusting for disordered eating attitudes and BMI at Time 1. However, significant …