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Gun Ownership As An Expression Of Whiteness And Masculinity., Michael Daugherty Aug 2020

Gun Ownership As An Expression Of Whiteness And Masculinity., Michael Daugherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public discourse on the topic of gun ownership in the U.S. is polarized, with the debate framed as a binary between unquestioned gun rights versus a complete ban. Gun ownership can have grave consequences: guns are used to commit acts of violence and suicide. Interviews with white male gun owners explore the influence of white backlash, masculinity, and racial identity development in their decisions to own guns. This project explores the extent these reasons are related to race on the part of white males, starting with these two questions: How much does race play a factor in the action and …


Inventory Management Of The Refrigerator's Produce Bins Using Classification Algorithms And Hand Analysis., Sarah Virginia Morris Aug 2020

Inventory Management Of The Refrigerator's Produce Bins Using Classification Algorithms And Hand Analysis., Sarah Virginia Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tracking the inventory of one’s refrigerator has been a mission for consumers since the advent of the refrigerator. With the improvement of computer vision capabilities, automatic inventory systems are within reach. One inventory area with many potential benefits is the fresh food produce bins. The bins are a unique storage area due to their deep size. A user cannot easily see what is in the bins without opening the drawer. Produce items are also some of the quickest foods in the refrigerator to spoil, despite being temperature and humidity controlled to have the fruits and vegetables last longer. Allowing the …


Tissue-Resident Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Modulate Immune Homeostasis In Healthy Adipose., Katlin Brooke Stivers Aug 2020

Tissue-Resident Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Modulate Immune Homeostasis In Healthy Adipose., Katlin Brooke Stivers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our goal with this study was to gain insight into the homeostatic immune cell network in healthy adipose tissue. Specifically, we sought to determine if the immature myeloid cells found in healthy and inflamed adipose were, in fact, tissue-resident myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Using various in vitro and in vivo methods, we have uncovered a population of CD11bHi Ly6CHi Ly6G- MDSCs resident in healthy adipose tissue. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that these cells have been investigated and described in healthy adipose tissue. Systemic MDSC depletion lead to the accumulation of …


Convolution Inequalities And Applications To Partial Differential Equations., Matthew Reynolds Aug 2020

Convolution Inequalities And Applications To Partial Differential Equations., Matthew Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation we develop methods for obtaining the existence of mild solutions to certain partial differential equations with initial data in weighted L p spaces and apply them to some examples as well as improve the solutions to some known PDEs studied extensively in the literature. We begin by obtaining a version of a Stein-Weiss integral inequality which we will use to obtain general convolution inequalities in weighted L p spaces using the techniques of interpolation. We will then use these convolution inequalities to make estimates on PDEs that will help us obtain mild solutions as fixed points of …


An Investigation Of The Effect Of Contour Process Parameters On The Surface Roughness And Dimensionality Of Overhanging Features In 17-4 Stainless Steel., Katherine Schneidau Aug 2020

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Contour Process Parameters On The Surface Roughness And Dimensionality Of Overhanging Features In 17-4 Stainless Steel., Katherine Schneidau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between varying contour settings and part geometry provides insight into the attainable surface roughness and dimensional accuracy of parts fabricated in 17-4 stainless steel via selective laser melting (SLM). Varying the contour settings of laser power (W), scan speed (mm/s), and beam offset (mm) for unsupported inclined bars. The utilization of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and surface profilometer quantified the dimensional accuracy and average surface roughness (Ra) for upface, downface, and topface surfaces. Adjusting the laser power and scan speed had minimal affect to surface roughness compared to part geometry. Part dimensionality was affected by the …


Plasmodium Impairs Antibacterial Innate Immunity To Systemic Infections In Part Through Hemozoin-Bound Bioactive Molecules., Christopher Lynn Harding Aug 2020

Plasmodium Impairs Antibacterial Innate Immunity To Systemic Infections In Part Through Hemozoin-Bound Bioactive Molecules., Christopher Lynn Harding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts to decrease the global health burden of malaria, infections with Plasmodium species continue to cause over 200 million episodes of malaria each year which resulted in 405,000 deaths in 2018 [1]. One complication of malaria is increased susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections. Plasmodium infections impair host immunity to non-Typhoid Salmonella (NTS) through activities of heme oxygenase I (HO-I) )-induced release of immature granulocytes and myeloid cell-derived IL-10. Yet, it is not known if these mechanisms are specific to NTS. We show here, that Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL (Py) infected mice had impaired clearance of systemic Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) during …


Making Modality: Transmodal Composing In A Digital Media Studio., Chris Scheidler Aug 2020

Making Modality: Transmodal Composing In A Digital Media Studio., Chris Scheidler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The multiple media that exist for communication have historically been theorized as possessing different available means for persuasion and meaning-making. The exigence of these means has been the object of theoretical debate that ranges from cultural studies, language studies, semiology, and philosophies of the mind. This dissertation contributes to such debates by sharing the results of an ethnographically informed study of multimedia composing in a digital media studio. Drawing from Cultural Historical Activity Theory and theories of enactive perception, I analyze the organizational and infrastructural design of a media studio as well as the activity of composer/designers working in said …


The Nigerian-American Immigration Experience: Overcoming Adversity Through Resilence., K. Chinwe Idigo Aug 2020

The Nigerian-American Immigration Experience: Overcoming Adversity Through Resilence., K. Chinwe Idigo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nigerian-Americans are a fast-growing population in the United States, when compared to other immigrant groups. Despite growing numbers there is limited empirical research examining pathways that facilitate success among this immigrant population. This study addresses the dearth in literature by proposing and testing a modified ABCX model of family resilience among Nigerian-Americans. It is hypothesized that similar to other immigrant, and racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States, NigerianAmericans employ protective factors such as ethnic identity and resilience to buffer the effects of acculturative stress and perceived discrimination on well-being and psychological distress. Regression analyses suggest some consistency with the …


Practicing Pan-Africanism: West Indians And Governance In Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana., Nicholas C. Mcleod Aug 2020

Practicing Pan-Africanism: West Indians And Governance In Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana., Nicholas C. Mcleod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After gaining independence from England, Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, was transparent in his embrace of the entire African diaspora and actively recruited a number of Pan-African West Indian intellectual-activists, who mentored and advised him as a student in London, to help build Ghana as a Pan-Africanist state. Among these West Indian intellectual-activists were George Padmore, W. Arthur Lewis, T. Ras Makonnen, and Jan Carew. For these West Indians the appeal of Ghana was neither symbolic nor ceremonial, but rather an opportunity to achieve the ultimate objective of the Pan-African movement, a free and self-governed African continent. In …


Application Of Machine Learning Technologies For Detection Of Proximal Lesions In Intraoral Digital Images: In Vitro Study., Rohit Vadlamani Aug 2020

Application Of Machine Learning Technologies For Detection Of Proximal Lesions In Intraoral Digital Images: In Vitro Study., Rohit Vadlamani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Interpretation of bitewing radiographs is influenced by factors such as acquisition parameters (e.g. exposure, type of sensor), clinical technique, visualization (e.g. monitor type and calibration) and the observer (e.g. experience and fatigue bias). We hypothesized that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will reduce visualization and observer factor in bitewing interpretation and improve diagnostic accuracy. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of AI in the form of a machine-learning algorithm to detect and quantify proximal lesions compared with human trained observers. Methods: 16,000 anonymized, digital bitewings of patients were hand searched and non-bitewing, …


Identification And Structural Characterization Functional Motifs In The Porphyromonas Gingivalis Mfa1 Short Fimbria., Mohammad K. Roky Aug 2020

Identification And Structural Characterization Functional Motifs In The Porphyromonas Gingivalis Mfa1 Short Fimbria., Mohammad K. Roky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a causative agent of periodontal disease, initially colonizes the oral cavity by adhering to commensal streptococci. Adherence requires the interaction of the minor fimbrial protein (Mfa1) of P. gingivalis with streptococcal antigen I/II (Ag I/II). A peptide derived from Ag I/II peptide has been well characterized and shown to significantly reduce P. gingivalis colonization and bone loss in vivo, suggesting that this interaction represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. However, the functional motifs of Mfa1 involved in the interaction with Ag I/II remain uncharacterized. A series of N- and C-terminal peptide fragments of Mfa1 were …


The Sidewalk Less Traveled: Evaluating Change In Community And Police Perception., Jennifer Lee Hall Aug 2020

The Sidewalk Less Traveled: Evaluating Change In Community And Police Perception., Jennifer Lee Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For a police department to provide efficient and effective services to the community, they must obtain the support of the public, continuously cultivating and maintaining positive perceptions from the citizens being served. Various methods, such as walking patrols, have been implemented to increase public support and trust in police, which, in turn, contributes to a cooperative relationship between community and law enforcement. When opinions of law enforcement are precarious or police departments fall out of favor with the surrounding community, police officers can feel isolated if their work is unsupported. This often leads to the development of a strong bond …


Analysis Of Twenty-First Century Zines., Anna Blake Aug 2020

Analysis Of Twenty-First Century Zines., Anna Blake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an analysis of twenty-first century zines as markedly different from their predecessors. The twenty-first century zine is often framed as a continuation of the punk zines from the late twentieth century, this thesis disagrees and argues for the classification of the twenty-first century zine as a unique form of culture that has evolved from the punk zines of the 1980s and 90s. The thesis is divided into five chapters in which the twenty-first century zine is analyzed using specific examples. Chapter one begins with an introduction of the zine, defining the object based on its social consequences …


Fatalism As A Cultural Influence On Correlates Of Anxiety And Worry In Latino/A Adolescents., Judy Mier-Chairez Aug 2020

Fatalism As A Cultural Influence On Correlates Of Anxiety And Worry In Latino/A Adolescents., Judy Mier-Chairez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence that Latino/as in the United States experience lower rates of anxiety disorders as compared to the non-Latino/a White population has not yet led to the identification of the sources of these differences. Higher rates of anxiety disorders among more acculturated Latino/a individuals compared to those lower in acculturation suggest there are influential cultural variables relevant to anxiety, specifically that there is a loss of a protective Latino/a cultural factor in the acculturation process. Fatalism, an often-cited Latino/a cultural characteristic, emerges as an intriguing candidate for exploration in relation to anxiety due to the shared elements of future orientation and …


Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries With Boron Doped Diamond As An Electrode., Alex M. Bates Aug 2020

Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries With Boron Doped Diamond As An Electrode., Alex M. Bates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the interest and implementation of renewable energy accelerates, so does that of grid energy storage. It is widely believed that a cost-effective energy storage technology will bring about the proliferation of renewable energy. Redox flow battery (RFB) technology represents a promising solution to cost-effective grid energy storage. Compared to other technologies, RFBs have a long lifetime, high efficiency, are non-flammable, significantly reduce cost, and separately scale power and energy. The separation of power and energy enables increased energy capacity by simply adding electrolyte volume. Of the challenges facing RFB technology, one readily apparent is the cost of the active …


(Pseudo)Phase Tuning In The Service Of Synthesis: Technologies For Sustainable Catalysis., Justin Douglas Smith Aug 2020

(Pseudo)Phase Tuning In The Service Of Synthesis: Technologies For Sustainable Catalysis., Justin Douglas Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Strategies for manipulation of chemical phases were explored with emphasis on synthetic chemistry applications. Some strategies are fairly divergent from their origin, but all ultimately began from investigations of micellar media. Accordingly, Chapter 1 reviews the historical development of micellar catalytic processes. Chapters 2 and 3 detail development of synthetic methods in micellar solutions of designer surfactant PS-750-M. PS-750-M was designed to create benign micellar solutions which effectively mimic toxic organic solvents; it contains a proline-based linker between its hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions which imparts increased polarity to the micellar core. Chapter 2 details an interfacial nucleophilic substitution of perfluoroarenes …


A Comprehensive Study Of The Short-Term Variability Of The Migrating Diurnal Tide In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere., Lokupatabendige Ashan Shivantha Vitharana Aug 2020

A Comprehensive Study Of The Short-Term Variability Of The Migrating Diurnal Tide In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere., Lokupatabendige Ashan Shivantha Vitharana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our ability to understand and predict space weather has become vital due to its significant societal impacts on communication, transportation, and national defense. One of the most exciting discoveries in the last decade has been the realization that tropospheric weather can strongly influence space weather. It is now recognized that the atmospheric waves (gravity waves, atmospheric tides, and planetary waves) play a key role in coupling the lower and upper atmosphere. The focus of this dissertation is to study atmospheric tides. While the climatology of tides has been extensively studied, little is known about the tidal weather (tidal variability


Peer Verbal Sexual Harassment In Early Adolescence: A Feminist And Sexual Scripts Theoretical Approach., Shawn M. Rolfe Aug 2020

Peer Verbal Sexual Harassment In Early Adolescence: A Feminist And Sexual Scripts Theoretical Approach., Shawn M. Rolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, sexual harassment research has focused primarily on adults and college and high school students with little attention given to younger students. While recent research has noted sexual harassment occurs among younger students, the literature addressing sexual harassment among middle school students is still sparse. Additionally, most studies of sexual harassment have focused on sexual harassment generally, with no distinction made between verbal and sexual harassment. In fact, only limited research has been exclusively conducted on verbal sexual harassment. Using self-report data, the current study adds to the literature by examining the nature of verbal sexual harassment as well …


Electrochemically-Modulated Surface Plasmon Waves At A Nano-Scale For Investigations And Applications Of Redox Assemblies., Aymen Hasan Qatamin Aug 2020

Electrochemically-Modulated Surface Plasmon Waves At A Nano-Scale For Investigations And Applications Of Redox Assemblies., Aymen Hasan Qatamin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, an electrochemically-modulated surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) technique was developed for challenging investigations and applications in different redox assemblies. The principle of the technique is based on the nano-scale confined and sensitive interplay between a surface plasmon wave and a redox-active probe featuring an optical transition when undergoing a faradaic redox process. Such faradaic process is electrochemically controlled by modulating the surface electric potential of the SPR platform to create an optical output signal that is substantially immune to the negative impacts of background environment and enabling the identification and quantification minute properties linked to a molecular event …


Changing Faces, Changing Places: Understanding Immigration, Housing Market And Native Out-Migration In Established And New Destinations In The United States., Anqi Xu Aug 2020

Changing Faces, Changing Places: Understanding Immigration, Housing Market And Native Out-Migration In Established And New Destinations In The United States., Anqi Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation concerns residential incorporation and the socioeconomic impact of immigrants primarily from Latin America and Asia with their rapid geographical dispersal in the U.S. I adopt econometrics methodologies and GIS techniques to examine how immigration affects housing price changes and white out-mobility in established and new destinations, utilizing datasets from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The first part examines the effects of immigration into the U.S. established and new immigrant destinations on housing prices using county-level data that span 2011 to 2017. Using the global and local Moran’s I statistics, I demonstrate …


Dynamic Analysis And Fabrication Of A Bi-Stable Structure Designed For Mems Energy Harvesting Applications., Masoud Derakhshani Aug 2020

Dynamic Analysis And Fabrication Of A Bi-Stable Structure Designed For Mems Energy Harvesting Applications., Masoud Derakhshani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thanks to the rapid growth in demand for power in remote locations, scientists’ attention has been drawn to vibration energy harvesting as an alternative to batteries. Over the past ten years, the energy harvesting community has focused on bistable structures as a means of broadening the working frequency range and, by extension, the effective efficiency of vibration-based power scavenging systems. In the current study, a new method is implemented to statically and dynamically analyze a bistable buckled, multi-component coupled structure designed specifically for low-frequency vibration energy harvesting systems in both macro and MEMS-scale sizes. Furthermore, several micro-fabrication steps using advanced …


Differences In Opportunity Evaluation Between Corporate And Independent Entrepreneurs., Alireza Aghaey Aug 2020

Differences In Opportunity Evaluation Between Corporate And Independent Entrepreneurs., Alireza Aghaey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Opportunity evaluation is a critical step in the process of entrepreneurship and is the main precursor to entrepreneurial action. This is true for both corporate entrepreneurs and independent entrepreneurs. However, these two groups may evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities in different ways because they operate in different contexts and have different decision-making schemas. In my dissertation, I use an “entrepreneurial cognition” perspective to explore such differences. By using two major theoretical lenses – i.e. resource availability and tolerance for uncertainty – and employing a conjoint experimental design, I compare and contrast decision policies of corporate and independent entrepreneurs captured in real time. …


Women Of Pop., Jourdan Cunningham Aug 2020

Women Of Pop., Jourdan Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The hegemonic values that were represented in 1960s mass media were heavily reinforced by the Pop Art movement. Male Pop artists have often been viewed as genius, while the women were pushed aside to reside within the margins of the Pop canon. This thesis emphasizes the work of four female artists who participated in the Pop Art movement and were largely overlooked throughout Pop’s discourse. By analyzing their “popness” and Feminist viewpoints, it allows for the imbalance that has resulted from women Pop artists neglect throughout Pop’s discourse to be readdressed. In the Introduction I analyze the background of the …


Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibition: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy In Alcoholic Liver Disease., Jeffrey Barr Warner Aug 2020

Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibition: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy In Alcoholic Liver Disease., Jeffrey Barr Warner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging evidence suggests that soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibition is a valuable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of numerous diseases. sEH rapidly degrades cytochrome P450-produced epoxygenated lipids (epoxy-fatty acids, epFAs), which generally exert beneficial effects on several cellular processes. sEH hydrolysis of epoxy-fatty acids produces dihydroxy-fatty acids which are typically less biologically active than their parent epoxide. sEH inhibition has shown efficacy in treating numerous pathologies associated with non-alcoholic liver disease, yet no efforts to date have tested the efficacy of sEH inhibition in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Herein, we measured the levels of sEH expression and epFAs in human …


Nonlinear Control And Observation Of Full-Variable Speed Wind Turbine Systems., Nicholas Hawkins Aug 2020

Nonlinear Control And Observation Of Full-Variable Speed Wind Turbine Systems., Nicholas Hawkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With increasing concern for the environmental effects of power generation from fossil fuels, wind energy is a competitive source for electrical power with higher efficiency than other clean sources. However, the nature of this power source makes controlling wind turbines difficult. The variability of wind as a source either requires highly accurate measurement equipment or sophisticated mathematical alternatives. In addition to the unknown quantities of the weather itself, the efficiency of power capture at the turbine blades is highly nonlinear in nature and difficult to ascertain. The ability of either determine these troublesome quantities, or control the system despite ignorance …


Trust In Primary Care Providers: Perspectives From Deaf People., Greir Ander Huck Flynn Aug 2020

Trust In Primary Care Providers: Perspectives From Deaf People., Greir Ander Huck Flynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trust is an integral part of the patient-provider relationship, responsible for influencing several key aspects of healthcare behaviors and patient perceptions of health outcomes. Though the topic has previously been discussed by scholars, little evidence exists to support the application of our understanding of trust in culturally Deaf populations. As such, this dissertation seeks to lay the necessary groundwork for further investigations on the topic by first understanding the nature of trust in patient-provider relationships from the perspectives of culturally Deaf people. The dissertation is comprised of five chapters. The first chapter provides an introduction to salient terms and concepts …


Model-Based Control Methods To Improve The Power Qualify Of Grid-Connected Single-Phase Inverters., Moath Alqatamin Aug 2020

Model-Based Control Methods To Improve The Power Qualify Of Grid-Connected Single-Phase Inverters., Moath Alqatamin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Power electronic converters are commonly used for interfacing distributing generation sources (DGs) to the electrical power system networks. This is necessary because these DGs usually have different output characteristics and cannot be connected directly to the local load and/or the grid. The power electronic front-end converter is an inverter whose dc link is fed by an ac/dc converter or by a dc/dc converter, according to the DG source type. The commercial front-end inverters are designed to operate either in grid-connected (GC) mode or in stand-alone (SA) mode. In the SA mode, the inverter is connected to local load, but in …


Mathematical Models And Analysis For Demand Side Management In Residential Electricity Distribution Networks., Arnab Roy Aug 2020

Mathematical Models And Analysis For Demand Side Management In Residential Electricity Distribution Networks., Arnab Roy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Development of smart grids along with communication technologies have led to the increased attention and adoption of demand side management (DSM) in the residential sector. Among various DSM schemes, demand response (DR) is a market- based mechanism to shave peak electricity consumption at the system level. In the past decade, the academia has seen a growing literature studying load management methodologies for residential consumers. A typical demand response program has three important facets: the energy cost, comfort of the consumers and overall system efficiency. In this dissertation, we investigate and develop models for effective load control to minimize energy cost …


A Novel Role For Rassf1a In The Regulation Of Ras Activation., Desmond Ramón Harrell Stewart Aug 2020

A Novel Role For Rassf1a In The Regulation Of Ras Activation., Desmond Ramón Harrell Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ras is the most frequently activated oncogene in human cancer. It is not only the most frequently mutated oncogene, but is also rendered hyperactive in the wild-type form by aberrant regulation. Ras drives transformation and contributes to tumor aggressiveness by activating multiple downstream mitogenic effectors. Ras also possesses the paradoxical ability to induce apoptosis and senescence. Ras-induced apoptosis is not well understood, but has been largely attributed to the RASSF tumor suppressors, particularly RASSF1A. RASSF1A mediates Ras-induced apoptosis by activating pro-apoptotic proteins such as the MST kinases and BAX. RASSF1A is among the most frequently inactivated tumor suppressors in human …


Epithelial Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis In The Community Context., Zackary Ray Fitzsimonds Aug 2020

Epithelial Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis In The Community Context., Zackary Ray Fitzsimonds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontal disease, initiates a complex molecular dialogue with gingival epithelial cells, leading ultimately to disruption of host signaling pathways. Dysbiotic host responses are also thought to contribute to the initiation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Recently, the homeostatic commensal Streptococcus gordonii has been shown to antagonize P. gingivalis-induced epithelial cell signaling events in host cells, such as proliferation and migration. The aim of this study was to characterize pathways that P. gingivalis targets to disturb host signaling, with a specific focus on pathways that S. gordonii can restore to homeostatic …