Digital Commons Network^™

Modulation Of Photonic Mode Density In Silver Nanodisks And Far Field Focusing Of Light By Coupled Plasmonic Nanorings, Longyu Hu

All Dissertations

During the past twenty years, plasmonic nanostructures have evolved as one of the most promising candidates for applications in miniaturized optical and electronic devices, bio-sensors and photonic circuits, etc. Silver nanoparticles can interact with light more strongly than any known materials with similar dimensions, and support tunable optical properties based on their size, shape and sounding medium, which are more stable than optical properties of traditional pigments and dyes.

Thanks to the recent progress in the synthesis of various silver nanoparticles with different shape and sizes, which has opened doors to the exciting research field of plasmonics. However, silver nanoparticles …

Adelante Ambassadors: Using Digital Media To Facilitate Community Engagement And Risk-Prevention For Latino Youth, Nicole Barrett, Ricardo Villalba, Elizabeth Andrade, Allison Beltran

Journal of Youth Development

Digital and social media are now widely used to promote engagement in health programs and improve health behaviors across a variety of age groups and domains. However, limited research exists on applying culturally relevant, new media interventions specific to Latino immigrant youth. This paper describes the pilot Adelante Youth Ambassador program for Latino immigrant youth, which used digital media and community-based participatory research to build positive youth development (PYD) assets as a prevention mechanism to reduce co-occurring health risks of substance use, sexual risk, and interpersonal violence. We worked collaboratively with adolescents to create video content as a conduit for …

Synthesis, Application And Protein Nanomaterial Interactions Of Selected Nanofiber, Nanoparticle And Nanoarray, Yimei Wen

All Dissertations

Nanomaterials have been a hot research topic for past decades due to their unique optical, electronic, catalytic and mechanical properties. This dissertation aims to investigate selected aspects of nanomaterial synthesis, application and protein nanomaterial interactions. We target to improve nanomaterials synthesis, explore their novel applications and study their potential hazardous. Chapter 1 describes new hydrothermal synthesis of carbon nanofibers from cellulose nanocrystals. The described hydrothermal synthesis from cellulose is an environmentally friendly method that has commercial potential for inexpensive production of carbon nanofibers. Chapter 2 describes the application of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) stabilized 2D AgNP array for measuring changes of …

Flow Assessment Using Optical Coherence Microscopy Based Particle Image Velocimetry, Siyu Ma

All Dissertations

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the most common forms of congenital malformation in newborns. Among all types of CHDs, a large portion is contributed by malformation of endocardial cushion malformation during early heart development. Although the etiology of endocardial cushion malformation is unclear, it is a result of interactions between genetic and environmental factors has been confirmed. There is hypothesis indicating that malformation of endocardial cushion is caused by altered shear stress conditions where in cushion forming area the shear stress is supposed to be high compare with other area in congenital heart. However it is difficult to justify due …

Fabrication Of Human Serum Albumin Film For Enhanced Hemocompatibility And Mitigation Of Intimal Hyperplasia Under Physiologically Relevant Flow Shear Conditions, Astha Khanna

All Dissertations

Current endovascular stents and synthetic vascular grafts have poor clinical outcomes in small diameter applications due to high incidence of thrombogenicity and intimal hyperplasia. To address this, we have developed an albumin film for mitigation of the complications of platelet adhesion and smooth muscle cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy. A human serum albumin (HSA) film is fabricated on an anchoring layer of poly (glycidyl methacrylate) on surfaces of metallic and polymeric substrates. The PGMA and HSA layers are characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and contact angle analysis. We have confirmed the thromboresistance of albumin film …

Factors Contributing To The Elimination Of Ncaa Division I Intercollegiate Wrestling Programs, Jason Robert Fair

All Dissertations

NCAA Division I intercollegiate wrestling has lost more athletic teams to elimination since the early 1980's than any other intercollegiate sport (Irick, 2016). Research exploring reasons behind intercollegiate wrestling program elimination is scant and much of what does exist is part of a broader discussion regarding Title IX regulation. This study sought to understand factors that exclusively contributed to the elimination of NCAA Division I intercollegiate wrestling programs. As a qualitative study, an interpretive framework with phenomenological methods were used to research this topic. A total of nine participants, three NCAA Division I head wrestling coaches, three NCAA Division I …

The Formation And Control Of Selected Unregulated Disinfection By-Products (Dbps) In Water Treatment, Mahmut Selim Ersan

All Dissertations

Disinfection is a process where a significant percentage of pathogenic microorganisms are killed or controlled. However, an unintended consequence is the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) as a result of reaction between different precursors and oxidants. Due to their various health effects, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has been imposing increasingly stringent regulations for DBPs under the Disinfectants/DBP Rule (D/DBPR). Although water utilities have been changing their use of disinfectants (e.g., chloramine, chlorine dioxide, and ozone) to reduce the formation of regulated THMs (trihalomethanes) and HAAs (haloacetic acids), these practices may also cause the formation of unregulated DBPs (more …

An Analysis Of The Readiness Perceptions Of Head Start Parents, Teachers, And Center Leaders In Early Childhood Education, Julie K. Desmangles

All Dissertations

The perceptions that parents, teachers, and early childhood education leaders have about school readiness, and how these individuals promote readiness in children, influences how prepared children are to enter the school setting. In this study, I drew upon an ecological systems model to examine how parents, teachers, and early childhood school leaders perceive and promote school readiness. In this study, I also examined the strategies that early childhood education leaders' used to build relationships with families and community members, and to foster parent involvement. I used semi-structured interviews to collect data from 11 participants in three Head Start Centers in …

A New Multiscale Modeling Framework For Lithium-Ion Battery Dynamics: Theory, Experiments, And Comparative Study With The Doyle-Fuller-Newman Model, Harikesh Arunachalam

All Dissertations

Technological advancements and globalization in recent decades have largely been responsible for the ever-increasing energy and power demands across different industrial sectors. This has led to an extensive use of fossil fuel based resources such as gasoline and diesel, especially in the transportation industry [1]. The consequences of this utilization are excessive emission of greenhouse gases and degradation of air quality, which have raised significant environmental concerns. Added to this, concerns over the eventual depletion of fossil fuels has accelerated the exploration and development of new energy sources. At the same time, increasingly stringent regulations have been imposed to enhance …

The Influence Of Corporate Social Responsibility On The Decision-Making Process Of Music Festival-Goers: Findings From A Survey-Embedded Experiment, Yahya A. Alzghoul

All Dissertations

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received pronounced interest at both the academic and industry levels, associated with the recognition that businesses have responsibilities towards society beyond profit making (Othman & Othman, 2014). The tourism industry relies heavily on environmental and cultural resources within tourist destinations (Sheldon & Park, 2011), requiring businesses to actively engage with social and environmental issues (Henderson, 2007). While there is an increased interest in CSR in the tourism sector at both the academia and business levels, CSR tourism research is underdeveloped (Coles, Fenclova, & Dinan, 2013; Sheldon & Park, 2011; Wells, Smith, Taheri, …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Glycidyl Methacrylate-Based Graft Copolymer Functional Interfaces, Nikolay Brordinov

All Dissertations

Modification of materials properties such as surface energy, wettability, ability to absorb, contain or release specific type of chemicals enables practical application of these materials in various scientific and engineering set-ups. However, designing protocol that could be easily adapted for different situations and simultaneously unlock multiple variations of the resulting properties is a non-trivial task. This dissertation is devoted to application of glycidyl methacrylate-based graft copolymers for the purposes of surface modification, establishing fundamental trends and dependencies of this process and exploring the possible range of applications. These materials have extremely valuable property to undergo controllable post-synthetic modifications including surface …

Expanding The Genetic Toolbox To Improve Metabolic Engineering In The Industrial Oleaginous Yeast, Yarrowia Lipolytica, Murtaza Shabbir Hussain

All Dissertations

The oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, is becoming a popular host for industrial biotechnology because of its ability to grow on non-conventional feedstocks and naturally accumulate significant amounts of lipids. With new genome editing technologies, engineering novel pathways to produce lipid-derived oleochemicals has become easier. The goal, however, is to expand the genetic toolbox to improve the efficiency of metabolic engineering such that production capacities could expand from proof-of-concept shake flasks to an industrial scale. Building efficient metabolic circuits require controlling strength and timing of several enzymes in a metabolic pathway. One method to do this is through transcription – …

Acceleration Of High-Fidelity Wireless Network Simulations, Madhabi Manandhar

All Dissertations

Network simulation with bit-accurate modeling of modulation, coding and channel properties is typically computationally intensive. Simple link-layer models that are frequently used in network simulations sacrifice accuracy to decrease simulation time. We investigate the performance and simulation time of link models that use analytical bounds on link performance and bit-accurate link models executed in Graphical Processing Units (GPUs). We show that properly chosen analytical bounds on link performance can result in simulation results close to those using bit-level simulation while providing a significant reduction in simulation time. We also show that bit-accurate decoding in link models can be expedited using …

Characterizing The Adsorption-Bioavailability Relationship Of Pahs Adsorbed To Carbon Nanomaterials In The Aquatic Environment, Erica N. Linard

All Dissertations

Concurrent with the high applicability of carbon nanomaterials (CNM) in a variety of fields and the potential use for pollution remediation, there is the inevitable release of CNMs into the environment. As a consequence of their unique physicochemical properties, CNMs entering the environment will interact with both abiotic and biotic factors. With CNM concentrations estimated to range from parts per billion to low parts per million and their high adsorption affinity for organic contaminants, there is significant concern that CNMs will act as "œcontaminant transporters". Even though adsorption and desorption of contaminants from CNMs play a significant role in the …

Getting Connected: Understanding How Digital Tools Support The Collaborative Practices Of Elementary Teachers, Elizabeth Demastes Haun

All Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigated how six elementary teachers are utilizing digital tools and how they perceive these tools can meet their needs for professional collaboration. The study was designed using the theoretical framework of social constructivism and the belief that knowledge is created through social interactions, meaningful experiences, and collaboration with others. Teachers' perceptions about the importance of collaboration and how they utilize technology to access resources, knowledge, and engage in critical dialogue with other professionals were investigated throughout the study. Data analysis using Moustakas' (1994) modification of the Stevick-Colizzi Keen method revealed three overarching themes. Teachers are often choosing …

In Vitro Diabetic-Hypertensive Cellular-Response Evaluation Model For In-Stent Restenosis, Varun Chawla

All Dissertations

Drug-eluting stents have revolutionized the field of interventional cardiology and with the advent of their second-generation, percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents is the clinically preferred method. These stents have shown remarkable performance in reducing neointimal hyperplasia and thus, clinical manifestation of restenosis. Despite significant technological advances in DES, high-risk patient populations are still affected by in-stent restenosis. Diabetes and hypertension are the two most common patient-specific complications that result in the development of restenosis even in DES era. Currently, percutaneous interventional approaches are not designed specifically to address the pathophysiological progression of restenosis in diabetic and hypertensive patients and …

Putting Your Best Face Forward: The Influence Of Facial Cosmetics On Structured Employment Interview Ratings, Skye K. Gillispie

All Dissertations

Employment interviews are ubiquitous in modern selection systems. Although interviews are extremely common, there is evidence that interview ratings are subject to rating errors and biases. For example, previous research has found that higher physical attractiveness of the candidate is linked to increased interview ratings. Physical attractiveness is largely considered to be a fixed characteristic that cannot be controlled, however this may not be entirely true as research has consistently linked women's use of facial cosmetics to increased ratings of physical attractiveness. An experimental three (no cosmetics, low cosmetics, high cosmetics) by three (low performance, intermediate performance, high performance) design …

Profile Of Eugenia Beh, Nasig Publicist, Christian Burris

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Atlanta Fun Facts: What's In A Name?, David L. Bradley

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Ppc Update, Violeta Ilik

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

December 2017 Full Issue

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

President's Corner, Steve Oberg

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Committee Reports & Updates

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Improving Cell Seeding Of Decellularized And Porated Porcine Arterial Scaffolds, Harrison Smallwood

All Theses

Coronary artery disease is one of the number one killers in the U.S. Current treatment of using CABG surgery has limitations from availability of autologous grafts, and low patency of artificial grafts. Tissue engineered grafts would ideally provide more availability, while also replicating the mechanical properties of the native grafts. Current issues in tissue engineering arteries lie in using an effective scaffold to get correct mechanical properties, and allowing for cell infiltration to assist in integrating with native tissue once implanted. This study shows the use of a decellularized and chemically and mechanically porated porcine carotid artery in mechanical characterization …

An Evaluation Of Methodologies For Measuring Antibacterial Activity Of The Epithelial Mucosa Of Farmed Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Against Streptococcus Agalactiae And Streptococcus Iniae, Betsy Virginia White Presgraves

All Theses

Tilapiine cichlids are the third largest farmed fish worldwide and are among the easiest and most profitable fish to farm. The most common pathogens affecting farmed tilapia are Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus iniae, which together account for losses of more than 150 million dollars annually. Fish are at the highest risk for developing a Streptococcus infection when they are in high density stock conditions. Research indicates that the secondary effects of high stock density such as low dissolved oxygen and high ammonia levels are of less significance to infection and mortality than the damage that over stocking causes to …

Interleukin-12/Hfasti: A Humanized Bifunctional Fusion Protein For Cancer Immunotherapy, Chelsea Anne Pennington-Krygier

All Theses

Cancer remains a major health issue worldwide, and the leading cause of death in nearly half the states in America. As our understanding of the immune system has improved, so too has our ability to create and tailor immunotherapy and gene therapy for cancer treatment. Therapy with cytokines to boost immune activity against cancer cells has had limited success, but is largely restrained by the toxicity of systemic administration of the high doses needed to elicit the desired effect. Also limiting the effect of such cytokine therapy is the issue of cancerous cells already implementing tactics to evade immune detection, …

Integrating Decision Aids To Enhance The Sensemaking Process Of Online Information Consumers In Social Media, Amal Pradeep Ponathil

All Theses

With the increase in the number of online review websites, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has become a vital information source for consumers. People share their views on the Internet in different forms from blogs to reviews on various websites. At the same time, people prefer to remain anonymous or use fake virtual identities for reasons extending from privacy to enjoyment. This freedom afforded by anonymity has led people to write posts without fully considering the potential consequences of their actions. Moreover, there is increasing concern about the trustworthiness of such posts as there is typically no editorial process for verification of …

Evaluation Of A Semi-Analytical/Numerical Method For Modeling Matrix Diffusion Effects In Groundwater Chemical Transport, Noelia Susana Muskus Ruiz

All Theses

Secondary sources of contamination, such as dissolved chemicals in low permeability zones result in plume persistence and limitations for plume remediation as a consequence of the process of matrix diffusion (Mackay and Cherry, 1989; Chapman and Parker, 2005). Existing numerical transport simulators are capable of modeling matrix diffusion; however, they require fine discretization, resulting in large computational effort. An alternative approach was developed combining numerical and analytical modeling to simulate matrix diffusion effects. The semi-analytical/numerical (referred to as semi-analytical for short) approach used here was adapted from geothermal reservoir modeling of transient heat conduction in low permeability cap rocks (Vinsome …

Cross Flow Filtration Modeling Using Analytical And Numerical Solutions Along With Implementation As A Web-Based Calculator, Lauren Paige Mcintyre

All Theses

In this thesis, we present a 1D model for the complex phenomenon of cross-flow filtration. We begin by developing the governing equations and providing analytical solutions that can be found using Laplace transforms for both the simple clean filter case, and the more complex filter with fouling in the form of cake, and depth plugging of the filter media. A walk through of the set up and implementation of a simple web-based application is given, and the code to produce the web application for this model is included in an appendix. The web application acts as a calculator, accepting model …

Persistence Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 And Listeria Monocytogenes On The Exterior Of Common Packaging Materials, Duleeka Prasadani Kuruwita Arachchige

All Theses

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE), a major cause of illness, results in 179 million AGE cases every year in the United States. AGE bacteria that have low-infectious dose include E. coli O157:H7 (<10-100 cells) and L. monocytogenes (<1000 cells). Because of their low-infectious dose and high environmental resistance, contaminated surfaces, such as the exterior surface of food packages, could be a source for disease transmission. Our aim was to determine the persistence of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes on three packaging materials - oriented polyethylene terephthalate (OPET), oriented polypropylene (OPP), and nylon-6. Coupons (25 cm2) from each material were sterilized under ultraviolet light for 5 minutes. Spot and spread inoculation was done on treatment coupons with ca. 7 log CFU of a 3-strain-mixture of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled E. coli O157:H7. All the coupons were incubated at Technical …