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An Experimental Test Of Controls On Resource Exchange In An Ectomycorrhizal Mutualism, Amber Lynn Horning Jan 2019

An Experimental Test Of Controls On Resource Exchange In An Ectomycorrhizal Mutualism, Amber Lynn Horning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Models of resource exchange mutualisms utilize economic principles to explain how the costs and benefits of these interactions vary with environmental context. All of these models use a ratio of resource exchange (e.g., nitrogen: carbon) as the central variable, and it is unclear whether such exchange ratios predict outcomes of mutualisms in natural systems. Corrêa et al. (2008) hypothesized instead that the absolute flux of the most limiting nutrient, rather than the ratio of the two exchanged resources, best explains the benefits of resource exchange mutualisms. To distinguish between these two competing hypotheses, we measured resource transfers, and their ratios, …

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Pharmacokinetic Study Of Novel Anthraquinone Analogues, Yuhan Guo Jan 2019

Pharmacokinetic Study Of Novel Anthraquinone Analogues, Yuhan Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Small molecules functioning as negative regulators of MDM2 have been considered as promising anti-cancer agents. A series of novel anthraquinone (AQ) analogues upregulate p53, a well-known tumor suppressor, by inactivating its antagonist protein MDM2. The novel AQ compounds synthesized through the modifications on the rhein scaffold were reported to have successfully arrested tumor growth. To have a better understanding of their underlying metabolism in vivo, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies were performed for the AQ compounds. A selective, accurate and reproducible assay methodology for PK study was set up for each AQ compound. The stabilities of AQ compounds were then evaluated …

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Development Of Controlled Release Oral Dosages By Density Gradient Modification Using 3d Printing Technologies, Zhiqing Hu Jan 2019

Development Of Controlled Release Oral Dosages By Density Gradient Modification Using 3d Printing Technologies, Zhiqing Hu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has gradually become more comin people's lives. Due to its quick development, it has attracted the attention of researchers in the pharmaceutical industry. The main purpose of this project was to couple fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing with hot melt extrusion (HME) technology to manufacture tablets with different drug release profiles and to solve dose issues related to an individual’s physiological differences and to enhance extended release properties. Ketoprofen was used as the model drug and different properties were added to the polymer to create a formulation suited to HME technology for the …

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Of Mules And Mamas: Four Women, Africana Mothering, And Resistance, Ebony Olivia Lumumba Jan 2019

Of Mules And Mamas: Four Women, Africana Mothering, And Resistance, Ebony Olivia Lumumba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The black woman’s humanity is unjustly linked to domestic responsibility and, thus, the traditional constraints of mothering. The roles of the mother and the created archetype of the mammy often become marred with the latter role overtaking the former—leaving black children without full benefit and access to their biological maternal parent. With the pervasive threat to black lives present in spaces all over the globe, for women of the African Diaspora, simply deciding to accept the role of a mother to a life that is physically, socially, and economically under siege is revolutionary. Considering this, the act of mothering, especially …

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Expression Of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha In A Chick Model Of Stress Vulnerable, Treatment – Resistant Depression, Mary Katherine Jourdan Jan 2019

Expression Of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha In A Chick Model Of Stress Vulnerable, Treatment – Resistant Depression, Mary Katherine Jourdan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An increasing body of literature suggests a Major Depressive Disorder subpopulation, Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), is associated with an increased immune response. More than a decade of research has identified and begun to validate a novel animal model of TRD. This study sought to determine whether TNF-α levels would be altered due to isolation stress and differentiated between stress-vulnerable and -resilient strains. Black Australorp and Production Red chicks were placed into isolation for varying times during which Distress Vocalization (dVoc) rates were calculated and transformed into entry into behavioral despair percent thresholds. Blood levels of TNF- α were quantified via …

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Community-Based Coastal Restoration: Long Term Impacts On Habitats And People In Volusia County, Rachel Wimmer Jan 2019

Community-Based Coastal Restoration: Long Term Impacts On Habitats And People In Volusia County, Rachel Wimmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal habitats provide invaluable economic and ecosystem services. However, coastlines are eroding at increasing rates due to anthropogenic and climate driven changes. Grey and green infrastructure solutions have been proposed to retard the decay of coastlines, with oysters serving as a popular living shoreline. Three community-based stabilizations that implemented living shorelines and engaged local communities in restoration efforts over the past decade in Volusia County were revisited to determine if they were successful and if they produced positive public perceptions of success. Chicken Island, which was restored after waves, boat wakes, tides, and adverse weather altered the natural shoreline, had …

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You Can Sit With Us: An Investigation Of Organizational Rationale For Diversity And Inclusion Climate, Stephanie Leonard Jan 2019

You Can Sit With Us: An Investigation Of Organizational Rationale For Diversity And Inclusion Climate, Stephanie Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate for inclusion has captured the attention of management scholars as well as practitioners due to the positive effects inclusive climates have on organizations. Prior research has shown that a strong climate for inclusion leads to desirable outcomes such as increased organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and creativity, as well as a decrease in intent to turnover (e.g., Acquavita et al., 2009; Groeneveld, 2011; Choi & Rainey, 2010; Pitts, 2009). However, the field is lacking understanding of the factors that impact inclusion climate (Guillaume et al., 2014). To answer this call for inclusion climate formation research, this dissertation considers the relationship …

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The Effect Of Reliability Information And Risk On Appropriate Reliance In An Autonomous Robot Teammate, Andrew Talone Jan 2019

The Effect Of Reliability Information And Risk On Appropriate Reliance In An Autonomous Robot Teammate, Andrew Talone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examined how information regarding a robot teammate's reliability and the consequences for mistakes made by a robot in its task influence reliance on the robot by a human teammate. Of interest in this research was the notion of appropriate reliance: relying on a robot teammate's decisions when it is performing well and not relying on its decisions when it is performing poorly. An experiment was conducted in which participants interacted with an autonomous robot teammate while performing a cordon and search operation within a virtual reality simulation environment. Participants were responsible for monitoring the perimeter of a search …

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Development Of Filial Obligation In Young Adults: An Examination Of Crisis And Lifespan Theory, Rachel Bassett Jan 2019

Development Of Filial Obligation In Young Adults: An Examination Of Crisis And Lifespan Theory, Rachel Bassett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Formal care institutions are unable to meet care demands. As a result, informal caregivers (friends, family, neighbors) are called upon to fulfill this need. Adult children make up the majority of these informal caregivers. Adult children vary with respect to whether or not they provide care, and the amount of care provided. Filial obligation and attachment are positive predictors of these care behaviors. A better understanding of how these factors emerge and invoke caregiving behaviors is crucial. The primary hypothesis of this study was that anxiety attachment dimension score would positively relate to baseline filial obligation, and that avoid attachment …

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Ab Toxins: Recovery From Intoxication And Relative Potencies, Patrick Cherubin Jan 2019

Ab Toxins: Recovery From Intoxication And Relative Potencies, Patrick Cherubin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

AB-type protein toxins have a catalytic A subunit attached to a cell-binding B subunit. Ricin, Shiga toxin (Stx), exotoxin A, and diphtheria toxin are AB toxins that act within the host cytosol and kill the host cell through pathways involving the inhibition of protein synthesis. Our overall goal is to help elucidate the cellular basis of intoxication for therapeutic development. According to the current model of intoxication, the effect of AB toxins is irreversible. To test this model, we developed a system that uses flow cytometry and a fluorescent reporter to examine the cellular potency of toxins that inhibit protein …

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Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 Inhibits Pyroptotic Cell Death In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Of Atherosclerotic Apolipoprotein E -/- Mice, Kaley Garner Jan 2019

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 Inhibits Pyroptotic Cell Death In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Of Atherosclerotic Apolipoprotein E -/- Mice, Kaley Garner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Atherosclerosis (ATH) is an inflammation-mediated disease in which cell death underlies the formation of lesions along the intima layer of vascular walls resulting in vessel narrowing, decreased blood flow, and increased risk of lesion rupture leading to myocardial infarction and stroke. The current study was undertaken to investigate whether inflammation in ATH can induce pyroptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC's). We therefore hypothesized that pyroptosis occurs and is inhibited by bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7). We examined SMC pyroptosis at acute (D5) and midstage (D28) following disturbed flow-induced hemodynamic injury to the vascular wall using our partial left carotid …

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Estimation Of Weaning Patterns In The Elite Meroitic Population (8-B-5.A) From Sai Island, Sudan Using Stable Nitrogen And Carbon Isotopes, Rachel Gregoire Jan 2019

Estimation Of Weaning Patterns In The Elite Meroitic Population (8-B-5.A) From Sai Island, Sudan Using Stable Nitrogen And Carbon Isotopes, Rachel Gregoire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explores dietary patterns of elite non-adults from the Meroitic period (300 BC – AD 350) located in Sai Island, Sudan. The cemetery (8-B-5.A) is believed to have been in use during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Non-adults were chosen because they offer a unique, and often ignored, perspective into customs of past populations. Children require significant energy, which impacts how society feeds and cares for their young. Knowledge of their elite status in society will be consider to explore how this subset of the population may have differed in behavior. A significant factor of child life is …

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The Wonder Women: Understanding Feminism In Cosplay Performance, Amber Grissom Jan 2019

The Wonder Women: Understanding Feminism In Cosplay Performance, Amber Grissom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Feminism conjures divisive and at times conflicting thoughts and feelings in the current political climate in the United States. For some, Wonder Woman is a feminist icon, for her devotion to truth, justice, and equality. In recent years, Wonder Woman has become successful in the film industry, and this is reflected by the growing community of cosplayers at comic book conventions. In this study, I examine gender performativity, gender identity, and feminism from the perspective of cosplayers of Wonder Woman. I collected ethnographic data using participant observation and semi-structured interviews with cosplayers at comic book conventions in Florida, Georgia, and …

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Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall Jan 2019

Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was recently downlisted federally from "endangered" to "threatened" despite acknowledgments of remaining threats to long term population persistence. Challenges to future manatee conservation include, but are not limited to, increases in frequency of harmful algal blooms, intensifying anthropogenic disturbance, and loss of warm-water habitat. The goals of this dissertation were 1) to assess threats to the manatee via a comprehensive, long-term (1973-2016), retrospective analysis of the manatee rescue and rehabilitation partnership (MRRP) and 2) to use seascape genetics analysis to examine whether abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic seascape variables could significantly describe genetic distance patterns …

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Understanding Sediment Biogeochemistry And The Role Of Juvenile Oysters On Recently Restored Eastern Oyster Reefs, Bryan Locher Jan 2019

Understanding Sediment Biogeochemistry And The Role Of Juvenile Oysters On Recently Restored Eastern Oyster Reefs, Bryan Locher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, goals for the restoration of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations along the eastern coast of the United States have shifted from increasing harvestable oyster fisheries to enhancing the range of ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. By filtering large volumes of water and releasing nutrient-rich feces and pseudofeces, oysters can locally enhance sediment biogeochemical cycling compared to that of unstructured benthic environments. An ongoing restoration program in Mosquito Lagoon, FL was leveraged to assess the immediate impacts ( < 1 year) of restoration on sediment biogeochemical properties of oyster reefs. The first study measured both short-term and long-term pools of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus on dead, natural and restored reefs periodically over one year. The second study investigated one of the contributions to sediment nutrient pools by comparing feeding and feces/pseudofeces nutrient content of juvenile and older oysters. Results show that inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus pools can change within weeks after restoration and total nutrient pools by 6 months post-restoration. Restored reefs experienced a 136 % increase in ammonium, 78 % increase in total nitrogen, 46 % increase in total phosphorus, and 75 % increase in organic matter concentrations after 12 months of restoration. These nutrient increases were all positively correlated with oyster density, shell length and reef height measured on each reef. When standardized to grams of dry tissue weight, juvenile oysters showed significantly higher rates of chlorophyll-a removal, release of ammonium, and biodeposits with higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, nitrite + nitrate, and ammonium. The short-term changes to biogeochemical cycling on eastern oyster reefs within the first year of restoration are important to managers seeking to monitor ecosystem service recovery and overall coastal ecosystem health.

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An Ethnographic Study Examining The Effect Of Teachers' Socio-Political Bias On Latinx Students And School Culture, Jessica Mcmaster Jan 2019

An Ethnographic Study Examining The Effect Of Teachers' Socio-Political Bias On Latinx Students And School Culture, Jessica Mcmaster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academics such as Geneva Gay, Christine Sleeter, Samy Alim, and Django Paris have conducted research that illustrates the importance of educators being not only aware of the culture of their students but implementing curriculum that supports the diverse cultures of their students. A common finding among this research is that a culturally sustaining pedagogy is essential to the inclusion of all students in the classroom and the level of academic success they have in schools. This study aims to investigate the effect of teacher beliefs on the academic performance of Latinx students and on the culture and atmosphere of the …

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How Do After-School Staff Use Social Networks To Support At-Risk Youth? A Social Capital Analysis, Katherine Philp Jan 2019

How Do After-School Staff Use Social Networks To Support At-Risk Youth? A Social Capital Analysis, Katherine Philp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the social capital of adults in after-school settings or the ways in which they use social contacts to support youth success, particularly for at-risk youth. Their effectiveness as brokers for learning opportunities may depend on aspects of their social capital: both the quantity and quality of their social networks as well as their attitudes and beliefs related to seeking help from social contacts. This mixed-methods study surveyed 50 after-school program staff serving teens in high-poverty neighborhoods to examine the characteristics of adult social capital and to explore attitudes towards mobilizing social resources to support youth. Surveys …

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Imaging Through Glass-Air Anderson Localizing Optical Fiber, Jian Zhao Jan 2019

Imaging Through Glass-Air Anderson Localizing Optical Fiber, Jian Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fiber-optic imaging system enables imaging deeply into hollow tissue tracts or organs of biological objects in a minimally invasive way, which are inaccessible to conventional microscopy. It is the key technology to visualize biological objects in biomedical research and clinical applications. The fiber-optic imaging system should be able to deliver a high-quality image to resolve the details of cell morphology in vivo and in real time with a miniaturized imaging unit. It also has to be insensitive to environmental perturbations, such as mechanical bending or temperature variations. Besides, both coherent and incoherent light sources should be compatible with the …

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Asteroid Surfaces: The Importance Of Cohesive Forces, Keanna Jardine Jan 2019

Asteroid Surfaces: The Importance Of Cohesive Forces, Keanna Jardine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adhesive forces play a significant role on airless bodies due to their weak gravities. Investigating adhesion at the surface of asteroids and their constituent components is vital to understanding their formation and evolution. Previous research has been done to understand the interaction of micron-sized spheres to planar surfaces and sphere-to-sphere interactions, which have been used to develop models of asteroid surfaces. Our investigation experimentally investigates adhesion through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements between JSC-1 simulant particles and several AFM tips, including a typical pyramidal gold tip and microspheres of sizes 2 μm and 15 μm. The samples of JSC-1 consist …

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Remediation Of Chlorinated Alkanes By Zero Valent Iron With Vitamin B12 And Utilization Of A Modified Gradual Release Of Responsibility Model In A Large Enrollment Chemistry Course, Nicole Lapeyrouse Jan 2019

Remediation Of Chlorinated Alkanes By Zero Valent Iron With Vitamin B12 And Utilization Of A Modified Gradual Release Of Responsibility Model In A Large Enrollment Chemistry Course, Nicole Lapeyrouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation looks at addressing environmental contaminants in the environment and the integration of an active learning style in an introductory chemistry course. It begins with addressing the concern for chlorinated propanes and ethane in the environment and the importance of looking into environmental remediation applications. This research looks at incorporating vitamin B12 as an environmentally friendly catalyst in the presence of zero valent iron for the reduction of chlorinated propanes and ethane. Chapter 2 presents the analytical methods and conditions in which samples were run. The results from these experiments are discussed in length in Chapter 3. Our …

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Exploring Multi-Scale Variation Of Fish Community Diversity In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Brittany Troast Jan 2019

Exploring Multi-Scale Variation Of Fish Community Diversity In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Brittany Troast

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Examining diversity over multiple spatial and temporal scales affords the opportunity to develop a mechanistic understanding of the factors influencing community diversity dynamics, and how these may shift in a changing world. This thesis first examines multi-decadal fish community diversity metrics across a coastal biogeographic transition zone to quantify changes in species assemblages, assess relationships between fish community diversity and the abiotic environment, and capture potential shifts in the location of a putative biogeographic break. Results of this chapter indicate not only a change in fish community composition, but also a shift in the location of the biogeographic transition zone. …

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A Complete Approach To Predict Biodistribution Of Nanomaterials Within Animal Species From In-Vitro Data, Edward Price Jan 2019

A Complete Approach To Predict Biodistribution Of Nanomaterials Within Animal Species From In-Vitro Data, Edward Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Smart drug-design for antibody and nanomaterial-based therapies allows for optimization of drug efficacy and more efficient early-stage pre-clinical trials. The ideal drug must display maximum efficacy at target tissue sites, but to track and predict distribution to these sites, one must have a mechanistic understanding of the kinetics involved with the individual cells of the tissue itself. This process can be tracked through biological simulations coupled with in-vitro approaches, which result in a rapid and efficient in-depth understanding of drug transport within tissue vasculature and cellular environment. As a result, it becomes possible to predict drug biodistribution within live animal …

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Sub-Terahertz Spin Pumping From An Insulating Antiferromagnet, Priyanka Vaidya Jan 2019

Sub-Terahertz Spin Pumping From An Insulating Antiferromagnet, Priyanka Vaidya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The combination of the spin transfer torque and spin Hall effects, or their reciprocal dynamical spin pumping and inverse spin Hall effects, respectively, enable reading and controlling the magnetization state in spintronics devices which are at the verge of mass commercialization as the next generation of energy-efficient and fast magnetic random-access memory applications with the use of ferromagnetic elements, e.g., the spin valve. However, these effects have remained elusive in antiferromagnetic-based devices up to date, despite the fascinating advantages offered by the absence of stray fields (zero net magnetization), Terahertz spin dynamics, and the widespread availability of metallic, insulating and …

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Neurological Reactivity To Personalized Odors And Sounds In Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Michael Gramlich Jan 2019

Neurological Reactivity To Personalized Odors And Sounds In Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Michael Gramlich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neurophysiological procedure that offers immense clinical utility due to its cost effectiveness, ease of use, and mobile application. Using fNIRS to measure neurological reactions to personalized trauma-related cues might strengthen diagnostic screening, tailor treatment planning, and improve detection of remission among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Odors elicit strong emotional responses but remain underutilized in clinical research. This fNIRS study examined whether personalizing combat-related odors and sounds to have a higher or lower match to distressing combat experiences increased the observed neurological effect among combat veterans with and without combat-related PTSD. This study …

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A Grounded Theory Survey Study Of Teachers Perception Perpetuating The Deficit Narrative About Marginalized Students Of Color, Cavel Austin Jan 2019

A Grounded Theory Survey Study Of Teachers Perception Perpetuating The Deficit Narrative About Marginalized Students Of Color, Cavel Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The deficit narrative about marginalized students of color attributes their failure in school to some nature of innate cognitive deficiency, cultural, social, and familial dysfunctions among other schools of thoughts. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to provide a rich description about this phenomenon and to propose theoretical pedagogical adjustments in the classroom as it relates to educating students of color. The study applies Charmaz (2014) Constructivist approach to grounded theory methods to examine the following research questions: (RQ1) How do teachers' narratives about students of color depict their teaching experiences and (RQ2) How do teachers' narratives about …

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Nanoplasmonics In Two-Dimensional Dirac And Three-Dimensional Metallic Nanostructure Systems, Alireza Safaei Jan 2019

Nanoplasmonics In Two-Dimensional Dirac And Three-Dimensional Metallic Nanostructure Systems, Alireza Safaei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Surface plasmons are collective oscillation of electrons which are coupled to the incident electric field. Excitation of surface plasmon is a route to engineer the behavior of light in nanometer length scale and amplifying the light-matter interaction. This interaction is an outcome of near-field enhancement close to the metal surface which leads to plasmon damping through radiative decay to outgoing photons and nonradiative decay inside and on the surface of the material to create an electron-hole pair via interband or intraband Landau damping. Plasmonics in Dirac systems such as graphene show novel features due to massless electrons and holes around …

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Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth Of Large Area 2d Mos2 Layers: Layer Orientation Control, Heterostructure Integration, And Applications For Stretchable Sensors., Md. Ashraful Islam Jan 2019

Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth Of Large Area 2d Mos2 Layers: Layer Orientation Control, Heterostructure Integration, And Applications For Stretchable Sensors., Md. Ashraful Islam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two-dimensional (2D)-layered MoS2 layers have exhibited a broad set of unusual and superior material properties unattainable in any traditional bulk materials, drawing significant research interests nowadays. For instance, they present excellent semiconducting properties accompanying high carrier mobility and large current ON/OFF ratio as well as extensive in-plane strain limit and thickness, projecting high suitably for emerging flexible and stretchable electronics. Such properties and applications strongly depend on the physical orientation and chemical composition of constituent 2D layers. 2D MoS2 layers chemically grown in two distinct orientations, e.g., horizontal alignment for electronics and optoelectronics, and vertical alignment for electrochemical and sensing …

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Variation In Prospecting Behavior And Drivers Of Post-Fire Habitat Preference Among Juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays, David Sherer Jan 2019

Variation In Prospecting Behavior And Drivers Of Post-Fire Habitat Preference Among Juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays, David Sherer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens, FLSJ; federally Threatened) are cooperatively breeding birds endemic to Florida and dependent on fire-maintained xeric oak scrub. FLSJs are year-round residents, highly territorial, and rarely disperse far from their natal territory. Lifetime reproductive success is highest among individuals breeding in early-successional habitat, usually less than 9 to 10 years post-fire. However, because scrub burns infrequently such early-successional, high-quality habitat is extremely limited and competition for it as breeding space is likely intense. Because some birds live long enough to experience habitat succession, FLSJs also occupy later-successional overgrown scrub, even though both survival and fecundity decline. Although …

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Context-Centric Affect Recognition From Paralinguistic Features Of Speech, Andreas Marpaung Jan 2019

Context-Centric Affect Recognition From Paralinguistic Features Of Speech, Andreas Marpaung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the field of affect recognition has progressed, many researchers have shifted from having unimodal approaches to multimodal ones. In particular, the trends in paralinguistic speech affect recognition domain have been to integrate other modalities such as facial expression, body posture, gait, and linguistic speech. Our work focuses on integrating contextual knowledge into paralinguistic speech affect recognition. We hypothesize that a framework to recognize affect through paralinguistic features of speech can improve its performance by integrating relevant contextual knowledge. This dissertation describes our research to integrate contextual knowledge into the paralinguistic affect recognition process from acoustic features of speech. We …

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Role Of Tnfα Antagonists And Genetic Polymorphisms In Modulating Susceptibility To Mycobacterial Infection Among Patients With Crohn's Disease, Ahmad Qasem Jan 2019

Role Of Tnfα Antagonists And Genetic Polymorphisms In Modulating Susceptibility To Mycobacterial Infection Among Patients With Crohn's Disease, Ahmad Qasem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha antagonists (anti-TNFα) have been extensively used for Crohn's disease (CD) treatment. Even though they may control CD symptoms initially, treatment response varies among patients, which seems to depend on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TNFα receptors superfamily 1A and 1B (TNFRSF1A/B). Most importantly, M. tuberculosis infection has been strongly associated with these medications, but no studies have elucidated the effects of anti-TNFα on CD associated with MAP (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis; a possible causative agent of CD, and closely related to M. tuberculosis). Here, we investigated the effects of recombinant inflammatory cytokines and anti-TNFα therapeutics on …

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