Digital Commons Network^™

Modern Capitalism And Food Commoditization: The Limitations Of Industrial Agriculture And The Challenges Of Sustainable Alternatives, Gerardo Patron-Cano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture is an essential function of contemporary human life that is bound by nature. Therefore, economic, social, and environmental perspectives must be examined to identify the most sustainable agricultural systems. This thesis argues that agriculture should be divorced from capitalist economic principles regarding specialization, trade, and production scale. Such principles have supported industrialized growing methods, which have been economically, socially, and environmentally unsustainable. In order for agriculture to be sustainable and equitable, food systems need to be de-commoditized and removed from the capitalist market. Policies should target the local control of food systems by empowering communities to subsidize localized production-consumption …

New Methods For Measuring Transient Interactions Between Proteins And Curved Membranes, Philip P. Cheney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Variations in the physical deformation of the plasma membrane play a significant role in the sorting and behavior of the proteins that occupy it. Determining the interplay between membrane curvature and protein behavior required the development and thorough characterization of a model plasma membrane with well defined and localized regions of curvature. This model system consists of a fluid lipid bilayer that is supported by a dye-loaded polystyrene nanoparticle patterned glass substrate. As the physical deformation of the supported lipid bilayer is essential to our understanding of the behavior of the protein occupying the bilayer, extensive characterization of the structure …

Phytoremediation Of Metal Contamination Using Salix (Willows), Gordon J. Kersten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abandoned hardrock mines and the resulting Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) are a source of vast, environmental degradation that are toxic threats to plants, animals, and humans. Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are metal contaminants often found in AMD. In my mine outwash water samples, cadmium and lead concentrations were 19 and 160 times greater than concentrations in control waterways, and 300 and 40 times greater than EPA Aquatic Life Use water quality standards, respectively. I tested the phytoremediation characteristics of three montane willows native to the Rocky Mountains: Salix drummondiana, S. monticola, and S. planifolia. I tested …

Examining The Relationship Among Genes, Attention Bias To Emotion, Depression In Youth, Jessica L. Jenness

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The investigation of biologically initiated pathways to psychological disorder is critical to advance our understanding of mental illness. Research has suggested that attention bias to emotion may be an intermediate trait for depression associated with biologically plausible candidate genes, such as the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and catechol-o-methyl-transferase (COMT) genes, yet there have been mixed findings in regards to the precise direction of effects. The experience of recent stressful life events (SLEs) may be an important, yet currently unstudied, moderator of the relationship between genes and attention bias as SLEs have been associated with both gene expression and attention to emotion. …

Biomechanics Of Developmental Dysplasia Of The Hip - An Engineering Study Of Closed Reduction Utilizing The Pavlik Harness For A Range Of Subtle To Severe Dislocations In Infants., Victor Huayamave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is an abnormal condition where hip joint dislocation, misalignment, or instability is present in infants. Rates of incidence of DDH in newborn infants have been reported to vary between 1 and 20 per 1000 births, making it the most common congenital malformation of the musculoskeletal system. DDH early detection and treatment is critical to avoid the use of surgical treatment in infants and to prevent future complications such as osteoarthritis in adult life. To this day several non-surgical treatments involving the use of harnesses and braces have been proposed to treat DDH in infants, …

Forensic Application Of Chemometric Analysis To Visible Absorption Spectra Collected From Dyed Textile Fibers, Alejandra Flores

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forensic analysis of evidence consists of the comparison of physical, spectroscopic, or chemical characteristics of a questioned sample to a set of knowns. Currently, decisions as to whether or not the questioned sample can be associated or grouped with the knowns are left up to the discretion of the forensic analyst. The implications of these outcomes are presented as evidence to a jury in a court of law to determine if a defendant is guilty of committing a crime or not. Leading up to, and since, the publication of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report entitled “Strengthening Forensic Science …

Modeling Crowd Mobility And Communication In Wireless Networks, Gurkan Solmaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents contributions to the fields of mobility modeling, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with mobile sinks, and opportunistic communication in theme parks. The two main directions of our contributions are human mobility models and strategies for the mobile sink positioning and communication in wireless networks. The first direction of the dissertation is related to human mobility modeling. Modeling the movement of human subjects is important to improve the performance of wireless networks with human participants and the validation of such networks through simulations. The movements in areas such as theme parks follow specific patterns that are not taken into …

My Blood Of The (New) Covenant: An Assessment Of René Girard's Soteriology In Light Of The Covenantal Milieu Of The Last Supper Sayings, Benjamin Burkholder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses René Girard's claims regarding the Gospels' understanding of Jesus' death. Though Girard contends that the Gospels never depict Jesus' death as an atonement for sin, there are significant passages that Girard avoids discussing like the Last Supper sayings in the Synoptic Gospels. This dissertation investigates whether these central passages, along with other supporting texts in the Synoptics, jeopardize the viability of Girard's assertions, especially when they are read in light of restoration theology.

The core components of Girard's thought, his reading of salvation history, and the ways in which Girard's followers have adapted his thought are adumbrated …

Leading Edge, Seth Michael Thibodaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I was introduced to the airplane at a young age through my father. Since that time I have been obsessed with airplanes. Wanting to be like my father in my youth, I became interested in the construction of these machines. I would spend hours working in the shop with my dad on airplanes and learning the specific structures that made up all sorts of different aircrafts. As I grew older I became fascinated with the history of aviation and where the idea of flight came from. It was this passion and knowledge that led me to my current body of …

Beef Is Beef? An Actor-Network Analysis Of The 2012 Lftb Food Scare, Trenton Ellis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During March of 2012 a food scare erupted concerning the beef product lean finely-textured beef (LFTB) or, as it became pejoratively named, “pink slime.” This 2012 “pink slime” food scare resulted in major changes to the beef agrifood network including increases in U.S. ground beef imports and changes to ground beef purchasing policies in the public and private sectors. This dissertation utilized an actor-network theory-guided content analysis of videos produced by key network-buildings actors, ABC News and Beef Products Incorporated (BPI). The goal of the study was to uncover the process by which ABC News and BPI attempted to order …

Disciplinary Mythologies: A Rhetorical-Cultural Analysis Of Performance Enhancement Technologies In Sports, John Lamothe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In sports discourse, the relationship between athletics and technology is often paradoxical. On the one hand, modern sports rely on technology at every level, from training and tracking of players to the equipment and apparel used by athletes to the game strategies and playing fields themselves. Nearly all of these technologies are intended to increase athletic performance on some level. And yet, certain performance enhancement technologies can be criticized for being antithetical to the spirit of sports, which is framed as being a strictly natural and pure human endeavor. Using a rhetorical-cultural methodological approach, popular sports discourse is analyzed to …

The Experience Of Physical And Social Presence In A Virtual Learning Environment As Impacted By The Affordance Of Movement Enabled By Motion Tracking, Aleshia Hayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research synthesizes existing research findings that social presence (sense of connection with others) and physical presence (sense of being there) increase learning outcomes in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) with findings that traditional motion tracking of participants wearing head mounted displays in virtual reality increases both physical and social presence. This information suggests that motion tracking in mixed reality VLEs has a positive impact on social presence and on physical presence. For this study, the affordance of free movement among virtual objects is enabled by Microsoft Kinect tracking of the user's position that is translated to movement of the virtual …

Genetically-Programmed Suicide Of Adrenergic Cells In The Mouse Leads To Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction, Impaired Weight Gain, And Symptoms Of Neurological Dysfunction, Aaron Owji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (Pnmt) catalyzes the conversion of noradrenaline to adrenaline and is the last enzyme in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. Pnmt serves as a marker for adrenergic cells, and lineage-tracing experiments have identified the embryonic heart and hindbrain region as the first sites of Pnmt expression in the mouse. Pnmt expression in the heart occurs before the adrenal glands have formed and prior to sympathetic innervation, suggesting that the heart is the first site of catecholamine production in the mouse. The function of these Pnmt+ cells in heart development remains unclear. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that (i) …

The Ct20 Peptide As An Agent For Cancer Treatment, Rania Bassiouni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to cancer recurrence and the development of drug resistance, metastatic breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women. In the search for a new therapeutic to treat metastatic disease, we discovered CT20p, an amphipathic peptide based on the C-terminus of Bax. Due to inherent properties of its sequence and similarity to antimicrobial peptides, CT20p is a promising cytotoxic agent whose activity is distinct from the parent protein (e.g. does not cause apoptosis). CT20p is not membrane permeable but can be introduced to cells using polymeric nanoparticles, a method that promotes efficient delivery of the peptide into the …

Differential Expression Of Proteins Involved In Vldl Trafficking Causes Reduced Vldl Secretion In Male Ames Dwarf Mice, Faisal Ahmed Moinuddin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been recorded as the number one cause of death worldwide, accounting for 32% of total deaths annually. More than two-thirds of all CVD cases are associated with atherosclerosis, which is the accumulation of fats and other substances causing plaque formation in the interior walls of major arteries. This leads to narrowing of the lumen and hardening of the arteries, ultimately resulting in angina, heart attack and/or stroke. Studies have shown that the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and associated CVDs is strongly linked to elevated secretion of liver-specific lipoproteins called very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL). VLDLs are crucial lipoproteins responsible for …

Regional Affiliation: An Examination Of Rio Viejo Middens As Evidence For Scaled-Up Practice At Surrounding Sites., Carlo Lucido

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research project analyzes 5 middens from the Lower Rio Verde valley sites of Río Viejo and Yugüe, Oaxaca, Mexico, during the Terminal Formative period (150 BC to AD 250). The middens are analyzed to further our understanding of socio-political events in public spaces at both sites during this time. The study suggests a greater distinction in use of public spaces between the two sites than within Río Viejo. Frameworks established by Dietler and Hayden for the analysis of feasts do not seem to apply well to the middens analyzed here. Although I argue that evidence from Rio Viejo's middens …

Pre And Post Implementation Evaluation Of An Emergency Department Severe Sepsis Alert And Practice Protocol, Darleen Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Severe sepsis kills an estimated 1,400 people worldwide every day. This often fatal infectious process accounts for an estimated 215,000 deaths in the United States (US) annually. The main goal of this project was to evaluate the impact of the Emergency Department Severe Sepsis Alert and Practice Protocol (EDSSAPP) post implementation, on time to first antibiotic administration, length of stay, and mortality in patients admitted via the ORMC ED with severe sepsis. This study evaluated the time to first antibiotic administration, total ED and hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality of severe sepsis patients either with a severe sepsis …

Computerized Evaluatution Of Microsurgery Skills Training, Payal Jotwani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The style of imparting medical training has evolved, over the years. The traditional methods of teaching and practicing basic surgical skills under apprenticeship model, no longer occupy the first place in modern technically demanding advanced surgical disciplines like neurosurgery. Furthermore, the legal and ethical concerns for patient safety as well as cost-effectiveness have forced neurosurgeons to master the necessary microsurgical techniques to accomplish desired results. This has lead to increased emphasis on assessment of clinical and surgical techniques of the neurosurgeons. However, the subjective assessment of microsurgical techniques like micro-suturing under the apprenticeship model cannot be completely unbiased. A few …

A Simulation-Based Task Analysis Using Agent-Based, Discrete Event And System Dynamics Simulation, Anastasia Angelopoulou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in technology have increased the need for using simulation models to analyze tasks and obtain human performance data. A variety of task analysis approaches and tools have been proposed and developed over the years. Over 100 task analysis methods have been reported in the literature. However, most of the developed methods and tools allow for representation of the static aspects of the tasks performed by expert system-driven human operators, neglecting aspects of the work environment, i.e. physical layout, and dynamic aspects of the task. The use of simulation can help face the new challenges in the field of …

Can Mutual Trust Explain The Diversity-Performance Relationship? A Meta-Analysis, Pereira Jennifer Feitosa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trust is gaining attention for its benefits to both teams and organizations as a whole (Fulmer & Gelfand, 2012). The difficulty of building it in comparison to the ease of destroying it calls for a deeper understanding of trust, as well as its relationship with critical team outcomes (Colquitt, LePine, Piccolo, Zapata, & Rich, 2012). Unfortunately, current research has progressed in a disjointed manner that requires the integration of findings before a more parsimonious and descriptive understanding of trust at the team-level can be developed. Beyond this basic understanding, research is needed to explore the nature of trust in teams …

Computational Characterization Of Carboxyphosphate, Traci M. Clymer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carboxyphosphate (CP) is an important intermediate involved in reactions catalyzed by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, pyruvate carboxylase, N5-Carboxyaminoimidazole ribonucleotide synthetase, propionyl-CoA carboxylase, urea amidolyase, and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase. Despite its important role, properties for CP have never been reported due to its short estimated half-life (t1/2 70 ms). Thus, the high level ab initio methods, MP2 and CCSD(T), along with the DFT functionals: B3LYP, BB1K, M05-2X, M06-2X, and MPW1K were used to investigate the structure and energetics of CP in both vacuum and the PCM continuum solvation model of water. It was found that CP adopts a novel pseudo-cyclic structure featuring an …

Topographical Differences In Stress Vulnerability In Experimental Parkinson's Disease, Jessica M. Posimo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the progressive spread of protein misfolding stress, or proteotoxicity, across the brain. During this protracted process, the allocortex of the temporal lobe develops protein inclusions before the neocortex in the frontal and parietal lobes. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that the staged appearance of proteotoxicity in allocortex followed by neocortex is the result of intrinsic vulnerability differences. We microdissected the neocortex and multiple subregions of the allocortex from rat brains and plated the primary neo- and allocortical neurons for parallel in vitro studies. Cells were then exposed to a number of Parkinson's …

Assessment Of Terrain Database Correlation Using Line-Of-Sight Measurements, Leonardo Oyama

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The uncountable number of tools for the creation of synthetic terrains poses as a challenge for simulation interoperability. The permutations of tools, elevation maps, and software settings leads to combinations of poorly correlated virtual terrains. An important issue in distributed simulations is the lack of line-of-sight correlation. For example, in military networked simulations, consistent intervisibility between simulated entities is crucial for a fair-fight, especially when simulations include direct-fire weapons. The literature review presented in the Chapter Two discusses a multitude of interoperability issues caused by discrepant terrain representations and rendering engines noncompliant to any standard image generation process. Furthermore, the …

The Effect Of Videogame Play On Robotic Surgery Skill Acquisition, Alyssa Tanaka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotic surgery uses innovative technology to transcend a surgeon's skills when performing complex procedures. Currently, the only FDA approved robotic system is Intuitive's da Vinci Surgical System. While this system offers many advantages over other minimally invasive techniques, it also introduces a need for specialized training. Virtual reality simulators have emerged as valuable tools for standardized and objective robotic surgery skill training and assessments. In recent years, the idea of using video game technology in surgical education for laparoscopy has also been explored; however few have attempted to make a connection between video game experience and robotic surgical skills. Thus, …

Tidal Hydrodynamic Response To Sea Level Rise And Coastal Geomorphology In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Davina Passeri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sea level rise (SLR) has the potential to affect coastal environments in a multitude of ways, including submergence, increased flooding, and increased shoreline erosion. Low-lying coastal environments such as the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) are particularly vulnerable to the effects of SLR, which may have serious consequences for coastal communities as well as ecologically and economically significant estuaries. Evaluating potential changes in tidal hydrodynamics under SLR is essential for understanding impacts to navigation, ecological habitats, infrastructure and the morphologic evolution of the coastline. The intent of this research is to evaluate the dynamic effects of SLR and coastal geomorphology …

Evaluation Of Strength And Hydraulic Properties Of Buried Pipe Systems Used For Stormwater Harvesting, Mario Samson Mena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity has been identified as a global issue. Both water harvesting and an efficient water piping system are some of the important factors to meet the water demand. In this study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes used as an underground storage was evaluated and a Microsoft EXCEL based model was developed, called PIPE-R Model. To study the structural integrity of the pipes, laboratory and field testing were conducted. For the water harvesting, UCF Stormwater Management Academy designed an EXCEL based model to simulate the system's performance to store and redistribute water for an average year. The purpose of PIPE-R Model …

The Design Plan For A Comprehensive Financial Literacy Program, Karemah Manselle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need for financial literacy among Americans has become a national topic of interest. Economists, financial professionals, educators, and government officials recognize there is an overall deficit of financial knowledge. More specifically, higher education administrators have become increasingly concerned with ensuring that financial literacy tools are available to college students. Students of today face higher tuition and education-related costs, are less likely to receive grant funding to assist with their educational expenses, and are more likely to be in debt, carrying higher student debt loads than previous generations. Further, students lack the financial knowledge needed to make sound financial decisions. …

A Comparison Between South Dakota And North American Standard Sampling Gears In Lakes And Reservoirs, Bradley J. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A statewide gear comparison was performed in South Dakota during 2013 and 2014 between current South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) sampling gears (i.e., gill nets and modified fyke nets) and their equivalents described in Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes (Standard). Adopting Standard gears would provide uniform gear specifications for annual sampling statewide, facilitate data sharing within South Dakota and beyond, and allow for large-scale spatial and temporal analyses relevant to researchers and managers. Sampling was divided between non-Missouri River (non-MR) and Missouri River (MR) systems because gill nets used by SDGFP to sample …

Energy Status Of Steers Dictates Effectiveness Of Glycerol Inclusion In High-Roughage And High-Concentrate Feedlot Diets, Erin M. Rife

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to determine how to use glycerol as an effective source of energy in ruminant diets. Steer calves were used in a 56 d backgrounding study (n=128; Initial BW=340 ± 15 kg) and 105 d finishing study (n=120; Initial BW=420 ± 20 kg). Dietary treatments during backgrounding included 0, 8, 16, and 24% glycerol replacing corn silage in corn silage-based diets. Steers continued on within relative levels of dietary glycerol with finishing diets consisting of 0, 5, 10, and 15% glycerol replacing corn. Cumulative DMI, ADG, and G:F increased linearly (P

Increasing The Nutritional Value Of Canola Meal Via Fungal Bioprocessing, Jason R. Croat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main limitation of meals from canola and other Brassica spp. is the presence of glucosinolates (GLS), which are anti-nutritional and can even be toxic at high ingestion levels. Furthermore, large amounts of GLS can reduce palatability for livestock and thus reduce intake and growth rates. For this reason canola was bred to contain lower levels of GLS (<30 >μmol/g) and erucic acid (< 2%). However, feed inclusion rates are still limited to ~30%, and this reduces the value of canola meal. The goal of this thesis was to optimize a pretreatment and fungal conversion process to enhance the nutritional value of canola meal. Various combinations of physical/chemical pretreatments, fungal cultures, and incubation methods were investigated to metabolize GLS into cell mass, CO2, or other non-toxic components. These treatments also served to hydrolyze canola meal fiber into carbohydrates which were then metabolized by the fungi into single cell protein. Solid-state incubation conditions were initially tested, since filamentous fungi are well adapted to grow at lower moisture levels, and this would potentially reduce contamination issues with bacteria. Flask trials were performed using 50% moisture, hexane extracted (HE) or cold pressed (CP) canola meal, with incubation for 168 h at 30ºC. On HE canola meal Trichoderma reesei (NRRL-3653) achieved the greatest increase in protein content (23%), while having the lowest residual levels of sugar (8% w/w) and GLS (0.4 μM/g). On CP canola meal T. reesei (NRRL-3653), Aureobasidium pullulans (NRRL-58522), and …