Digital Commons Network^™

Effective Reading Instructional Practices For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Paul Mooney, Joseph B. Ryan

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Testing Reproducibility Of Vitrinite And Solid Bitumen Reflectance Measurements In North American Unconventional Source-Rock Reservoir Petroleum Systems, Paul C. Hackley, Carla V. Araujo, Angeles G. Borrego, Antonis Bouzinos, Brian J. Cardott, Humberto Carvajal-Ortiz, Martha Rocio López Cely, Vongani Chabalala, Peter J. Crosdale, Thomas D. Demchuk, Cortland F. Eble, Deolinda Flores, Agnieszka Furmann, Thomas Gentzis, Paula A. Gonçalves, Carsten Guvad, Mária Hámor-Vidó, Iwona Jelonek, Michelle N. Johnston, Tatiana Juliao-Lemus, Stavros Kalaitzidis, Wayne R. Knowles, Jolanta Kus, Zhongsheng Li, Gordon Macleod, Maria Mastalerz, Taíssa R. Menezes, Seare Ocubalidet, Richard Orban, Walter Pickel, Paddy Ranasinghe, Joana Ribeiro, Olga Patricia Gómez Rojas

Faculty Publications

An interlaboratory study (ILS) was conducted to test reproducibility of vitrinite and solid bitumen reflectance measurements in six mudrock samples from United States unconventional source-rock reservoir petroleum systems. Samples selected from the Marcellus, Haynesville, Eagle Ford, Barnett, Bakken and Woodford are representative of resource plays currently under exploitation in North America. All samples are from marine depositional environments, are thermally mature (T >445 °C) and have moderate to high organic matter content (2.9–11.6 wt% TOC). Their organic matter is dominated by solid bitumen, which contains intraparticle nano-porosity. Visual evaluation of organic nano-porosity (pore sizes < 100 nm) via SEM suggests that intraparticle organic nano-pores are most abundant in dry gas maturity samples and less abundant at lower wet gas/condensate and peak oil maturities. Samples were distributed to ILS participants in forty laboratories in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia; thirty-seven independent sets of results were received. Mean vitrinite reflectance (VR ) values from all ILS participants range from 0.90 to 1.83% whereas mean solid bitumen reflectance (BR ) values range from 0.85 to 2.04% (no outlying values excluded), confirming the thermally mature nature of all six samples. Using multiple statistical approaches to eliminate outlying values, we evaluated reproducibility limit R, the maximum difference between valid mean reflectance results obtained on the same sample by different operators in different laboratories using different instruments. Removal of outlying values where the individual signed multiple of standard deviation was >1.0 produced lowest R values, generally …

Environmental Control On The Distribution Of Metabolic Strategies Of Benthic Microbial Mats In Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, Megan L. Dillon, Ian Hawes, Anne D. Jungblut, Tyler J. Mackey, Jonathan A. Eisen, Peter T. Doran, Dawn Y. Sumner

Faculty Publications

© 2020 Dillon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Ecological theories posit that heterogeneity in environmental conditions greatly affects community structure and function. However, the degree to which ecological theory developed using plant- and animal-dominated systems applies to microbiomes is unclear. Investigating the metabolic strategies found in microbiomes are particularly informative for testing the universality of ecological theories because microorganisms have far wider metabolic capacity than plants and animals. We …

Covid-19 And Conflicts: The Health Of Peace Processes During A Pandemic, Lisa K. Dicker, C. Danae Paterson

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

This Article reviews the status of selected contemporary peace processes in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and explores some of the initial effects that the pandemic has had on those processes. The Article first provides an overview of the 20th and 21st century trend toward internationalized peace processes. Then, it introduces several contemporary mediation efforts that were ongoing at the onset of the pandemic and examines the early impacts of COVID-19 on those peace processes. In so doing, the Article identifies instances where actors have exploited the pandemic and peace processes where momentum has shrunk under COVID-19. …

Effect Of Nanoparticles On The Nucleation And Agglomeration Rates Of Hydrate Growth Using Thf–Water Clathrates, Syed Y. Nahri, James L. Nielsen, Yuanhang Chen

Faculty Publications

Four types of nanoparticles, amorphous carbon, iron III oxide, SiO2, and amino-coated SiO2, were tested to determine changes in tetrahydrofuran–water (THF–water) clathrate hydrate nucleation and agglomeration. Rates were experimentally found to determine their viability for preventing natural gas hydrates from developing during offshore drilling operations. THF–water clathrates were chosen as a model to represent gas hydrate growth at atmospheric pressure. Concentrations of each nanoparticle between 0.15% and 1.0% by weight were tested as a kinetic inhibitor to hydrate formation. Tests were repeated at various temperatures below the formation temperature of 4.4 °C for THF–water clathrate hydrates. Measurements were made to …

Genomic Evidence For Formate Metabolism By As The Key To Unlocking Deep Carbon In Lost City Microbial Ecosystems, Julia M. Mcgonigle, Susan Q. Lang, William J. Brazelton

Faculty Publications

The Lost City hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge supports dense microbial life on the lofty calcium carbonate chimney structures. The vent field is fueled by chemical reactions between the ultramafic rock under the chimneys and ambient seawater. These serpentinization reactions provide reducing power (as hydrogen gas) and organic compounds that can serve as microbial food; the most abundant of these are methane and formate. Previous studies have characterized the interior of the chimneys as a single-species biofilm inhabited by the Lost City , but they also indicated that this methanogen is unable to metabolize formate. The new metagenomic results …

Tracing The Development Of Literacy Practices For Integrating Interdisciplinary Curriculum In Higher Education: Interactional Ethnographic Study, Monaliza Maximo Chian

Faculty Publications

In this paper, I present an ethnographic approach that guided multiple cycles of analysis undertaken to trace the developing history of the decisions and actions taken by the lead professor and his design team as they engaged in iterative and recursive phases of development of an interdisciplinary course of study. This study was undertaken in an undergraduate Organizational Communication Program in a public regional university in the United States over a two-year period. The goal of this study was to identify factors that were critical in developing the interdisciplinary curriculum that met the university’s and department’s learning objectives. The microethnographic …

Underwriting Crowdfunding, Darian M. Ibrahim

Faculty Publications

Crowdfunding has more in common with an initial public offering (IPO) than may be readily apparent. Both are coordinated sales of securities to public investors (in crowdfunding's case, the "crowd"). Both rely on disclosure to mitigate information asymmetries between a company and its investors. Yet IPOs protect investors better for two reasons. First, companies undertaking an IPO have significant track records to disclose, unlike nascent startups. Second, IPOs are underwritten, meaning a reputational intermediary vouches for them.

This Essay considers applying underwriting to Regulation Crowdfunding (Regulation CF) to allow crowdfunding to mimic an IPO. It tackles questions such as: Who …

Keeping Ai Under Observation: Anticipated Impacts On Physicians' Standard Of Care, Iria Giuffrida, Taylor Treece

Faculty Publications

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools become increasingly present across industries, concerns have started to emerge as to their impact on professional liability. Specifically, for the medical industry--in many ways an inherently "risky" business--hospitals and physicians have begun evaluating the impact of Al tools on their professional malpractice risk. This Essay seeks to address that question, zooming in on how AI may affect physicians' standard of care for medical malpractice claims.

“Wissenschaft Des” Mormonism: Jewish Studies As A Framework For Exploring Mormon Studies, Trevan Hatch

Faculty Publications

Recently, a significant amount of attention has been directed at the who, what, where, and how of Mormon studies. For example, since 2009, at least six major forums, comprising sixty-two essays and presentations (with dozens of other stand-alone pieces appearing in other venues), were dedicated to discussing the nature and future of Mormon studies as an academic field. Many of these essays discuss the definitions, challenges, opportunities, research gaps, sources, and disciplines of Mormon studies from a variety of angles. Some are highly nuanced treatments of particular aspects of Mormon studies, and others are more general. This article presents the …

Clinical And Cortical Decline In The Aphasic Variant Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Derin J. Cobia, Emily Joy Rogalski, Jaiashre Sridhar, Adam Martersteck, Benjamin Rader, Anupa K. Arora, Angela J. Fought, Eileen H. Bigio, Sandra Weintraub, Marek-Marsel Mesulam, Alfred Rademaker

Faculty Publications

Introduction—Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) displays variable progression trajectories that require further elucidation.

Methods—Longitudinal quantitation of atrophy and language over 12 months was completed for PPA patients with and without positive amyloid PET (PPAAβ+ and PPAAβ−), an imaging biomarker of underlying Alzheimer’s disease. Results—Over 12 months, both PPA groups showed significantly greater cortical atrophy rates in the left versus right hemisphere, with a more widespread pattern in PPAAβ+. The PPAAβ− group also showed greater decline in performance on most language tasks. There was no obligatory relationship between the logopenic PPA variant and amyloid status. Effect sizes from quantitative MRI data were …

Experimental Determination Of The (0/−) Level For Mg Acceptors In Β-Ga2O3 Crystals, Christopher A. Lenyk, Timothy D. Gustafson, Sergey A. Basun, Larry E. Halliburton, Nancy C. Giles

Faculty Publications

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to experimentally determine the (0/−) level of the Mg acceptor in an Mg-doped β-Ga₂O₃ crystal. Our results place this level 0.65 eV (±0.05 eV) above the valence band, a position closer to the valence band than the predictions of several recent computational studies. The crystal used in this investigation was grown by the Czochralski method and contains large concentrations of Mg acceptors and Ir donors, as well as a small concentration of Fe ions and an even smaller concentration of Cr ions. Below room temperature, illumination with 325 nm laser light …

Single-Pulse, Kerr-Effect Mueller Matrix Lidar Polarimeter, Keyser, Christian K., Richard K. Martin, Helena Lopez-Aviles, Khanh Nguyen, Arielle M. Adams, Demetrios Christodoulides

Faculty Publications

We present a novel light detection and ranging (LiDAR) polarimeter that enables measurement of 12 of 16 sample Mueller matrix elements in a single, 10 ns pulse. The new polarization state generator (PSG) leverages Kerr phase modulation in a birefringent optical fiber, creating a probe pulse characterized by temporally varying polarization. Theoretical expressions for the Polarization State Generator (PSG) Stokes vector are derived for birefringent walk-off and no walk-off and incorporated into a time-dependent polarimeter signal model employing multiple polarization state analyzers (PSA). Polarimeter modeling compares the Kerr effect and electro-optic phase modulator–based PSG using a single Polarization State Analyzer …

Analysis Of Military Construction Cost Growth In Usaf Major Defense Acquisition Programs, Emily E. Angell, Edward D. White, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Alfred E. Thal Jr.

Faculty Publications

This study uses descriptive and inferential statistics to identify cost growth Analysis of Military Construction of military construction (MILCON) at the programmatic level, while bridging the gap between Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) estimates and actual project costs. Findings of this study aid the cost community with appropriate allocation of resources in developing these estimates. Overall, Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAP) appear to experience more negative growth (cost savings) in MILCON estimates on reviewed SARs— typically less than 0.2% of the total program cost. SAR estimates became more accurate from the first to last SAR in comparison to the total MILCON …

Asor 2019 Annual Meeting, Paul J. Ray

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Argument Against Satellite Resiliency: Simplicity In The Face Of Modern Satellite Design, Dax Linville, Robert A. Bettinger

Faculty Publications

The US Air Force and the wider US government rely heavily on space-based capabilities in various orbital regimes to project national security and sovereignty. However, these capabilities are enabled by the design, launch, and operation of satellites produced with a design methodology that favors large, monolithic, and technologically exquisite space systems. Despite the ability for these satellites to provide enduring and resilient capabilities, they suffer from a woefully long acquisition process that debilitates any prospect of rapid satellite reconstitution in the event of a space war.

Applying Control Abstraction To The Design Of Human–Agent Teams, Clifford D. Johnson, Michael E. Miller, Christina F. Rusnock, David R. Jacques

Faculty Publications

Levels of Automation (LOA) provide a method for describing authority granted to automated system elements to make individual decisions. However, these levels are technology-centric and provide little insight into overall system operation. The current research discusses an alternate classification scheme, referred to as the Level of Human Control Abstraction (LHCA). LHCA is an operator-centric framework that classifies a system’s state based on the required operator inputs. The framework consists of five levels, each requiring less granularity of human control: Direct, Augmented, Parametric, Goal-Oriented, and Mission-Capable. An analysis was conducted of several existing systems. This analysis illustrates the presence of each …

The Impact Of Innovative Executive Servant Leadership On Organizational Citizenship, And Organizational Cynicism, Jerry L. Chi, Grace Chi, Nile M. Khanfar, Gabriel Gao, Belal A. Kaifi

Faculty Publications

Have you ever wondered how your employees complained to their friends about how things happened in your organization? The most challenging part for Servant Leadership is to reduce organizational cynicism and nurture organizational citizenship. The major research interest for this study was to discover whether the bottom-up servant leadership theory to “serve” first and “lead” second can be truly practiced by the president of a university and whether it is valid and effective in reducing employee’s organizational cynicism and enhancing employee’s organizational citizenship. The results showed that the goodness of fit (GFI) was good and sufficient and adequate. The null …

How To Encourage Volunteers In The Church, S. Joseph Kidder

Faculty Publications

In the previous two articles, we dealt with how to recruit and train volunteers. The success of your church’s mission depends on people who follow Jesus and are passionate about His mission in the church and in the world. Now that you’ve recruited leaders for your ministry, the best part begins: encouraging them and building relationships with them to help them grow in their faith and spiritual gifts.

The Viability And Simplicity Of 3d-Printed Construction: A Military Case Study, Jeneé A. Jagoda, Brandy Diggs-Mcgee, Megan Kreiger, Steven J. Schuldt

Faculty Publications

In November 2019, U.S. Marines, Air Force, and Army Corps of Engineers personnel demonstrated the viability and simplicity of three-dimensionally (3D)-printed construction in a controlled environment at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center—Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in Champaign, Illinois. The tri-service exercise spanned three days and culminated in the construction of three 1 m × 1 m × 1 m (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft) concrete dragon’s teeth (square pyramid military fortifications used to defend against tanks and armored vehicles) and several custom-designed objects. The structural components were printed using a custom-built, gantry-style printer called …

Seasonal Patterns Of Surface Inorgamic Carbon System Variables In The Gulf Of Mexico Inferred From A Regional High-Resolution Ocean Biogeochemical Model, Fabian A. Gomez, Rik Wanninkhof, Leticia Barbero, Sang Ki Lee, Frank J. Hernandez

Faculty Publications

Uncertainties in carbon chemistry variability still remain large in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), as data gaps limit our ability to infer basin-wide patterns. Here we configure and validate a regional high-resolution ocean biogeochemical model for the GoM to describe seasonal patterns in surface pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂), aragonite saturation state (ΩAr), and sea–air CO₂ flux. Model results indicate that seasonal changes in surface pCO₂ are strongly controlled by temperature across most of the GoM basin, except in the vicinity of the Mississippi–Atchafalaya river system delta, where runoff largely controls dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) …

A Qualitative Look At College Students Perceptions Of Social Interactions In College Physical Activity Classes, David C. Barney, Teresa Leavitt

Faculty Publications

Physical activity (PA) has been found to benefit a person in many ways. One of the benefits of being physically active is the social component. This deals with interacting with someone before, during or after the activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of social interactions effects on college-aged students during their PA class. Participants for this study included 408 college-aged students (272 males & 136 females) who were surveyed regarding their interactions during their PA class. The survey contained Likert scale questions and open-ended questions, requiring the students to respond with written answers. In short, …

Community Dynamics Of Fish Assemblages On Mid-Shelf And Outer-Shelf Coral Reefs In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Lynne S. Wetmore, Michael A. Dance, Ronald L. Hill, Jay R. Rooker

Faculty Publications

Offshore coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are unique model systems for examining the mechanisms structuring reef fish communities due to their substantial geographic isolation, and the presence of replicate experimental units of both low (mid-shelf) and high coral diversity (shelf-edge) reefs. Here, we examined the species assemblage structure of juvenile and adult fishes at two mid-shelf reefs (Sonnier and Stetson Bank) and two shelf-edge reefs (East and West Flower Garden Banks) in the northwestern GOM to evaluate the relative importance of habitat (i.e., coral diversity) vs. recruitment in structuring resident fish assemblages. Visual reef fish surveys (n …

Psychological Body Armor: Factors That Contribute To Resilience Capacity, Harvey J. Burnett Jr.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Winter Blues?, Andrea Luxton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

New Professional Degree Offers Technology Expertise, Janine Lim, Michael Gayle

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Transformed By The Call, Glenn Russell

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Associations Of Maternal Resources With Care Behaviours Differ By Resource And Behaviour, Sulochana Basnet, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Phuong Hong Nguyen, Spencer Moore, Mandana Arabi

Faculty Publications

Care is important for children's growth and development, but lack or inadequacy of resources for care can constrain appropriate caregiving. The objectives of this study were to examine whether maternal resources for care are associated with care behaviours specifically infant and young child feeding, hygiene, health-seeking, and family care behaviours. The study also examined if some resources for care are more important than others. This study used baseline Alive & Thrive household surveys from Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Ethiopia. Measures of resources for care were maternal education, knowledge, height, nourishment, mental well-being, decision-making autonomy, employment, support in chores, and perceived instrumental …

Adult Smokers’ Awareness And Interest In Trying Heated Tobacco Products: Perspectives From Mexico, Where Htps And E-Cigarettes Are Banned, Lizeth Cruz-Jiménez, Inti Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Liliana Coutiño-Escamilla, Katia Gallegos-Carrillo, Edna Arillo-Santillán, Jim Thrasher

Faculty Publications

Background: We evaluated smokers’ perceptions of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in Mexico, where industry publically lobbied to introduce HTPs into this country that banned both HTPs and e-cigarettes. Methods: Online surveys (November 2018 to July 2019) were analyzed from adults who only smoked cigarettes (n = 2091) or who smoked and used e-cigarettes (“dual users” n = 1128). Logistic models regressed HTP awareness, interest to trying HTPs, and having seen HTPs for sale (only among aware participants) on sociodemographics and tobacco-related variables. Results: Of the 17.1% who were aware of HTPs, 52.7% reported having seen HTPs for sale. Of all …

Developing Outreach Events That Impact Underrepresented Students: Are We Doing It Right?, Andrew J. Gall, Peter J. Vollbrecht, Tristan Tobias

Faculty Publications

Many outreach programs share the common goals of serving underrepresented groups in STEM and improving public attitudes toward science. To meet these goals, scientists must find ways to both reach the appropriate audience and communicate the importance of science in meaningful and accessible ways. This requires careful consideration of the outreach method being used. Two common outreach methods include in‐school visits (scientist in the classroom) and science fairs or open houses. Here, we compare the effectiveness of these two outreach methods in meeting the goals of reaching underrepresented students and/or students with less initial interest in science. We have found …