Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Water Table Depth And Edaphic Characteristics On Plant Diversity In A Southern Mississippi Pitcher Plant Bog, Patrick Kirby

Master's Theses

This study examined the effects that water table depth and soil characteristics have on plant species richness and species composition within pitcher plant bogs across seasons. Eight piezometers were installed at random distances to monitor long-term water table depth and pressure fluctuations along a ~710-meter line transect traversing upland and bog habitats. Vegetation sampling quadrats (n=128) were set up near each piezometer. Cover data and water table depths were collected in spring and late summer. Soil samples collected from each treatment group were used to obtain soil texture and nutrient data. The summer collection period yielded a total gdiversity of …

Expanding The Fear Of Loss Of Vigilance Theory: Using Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Responsibility For Harm, And Fear Of Sleep To Predict Nocturnal Panic Attacks, Nicole S. Smith

Master's Theses

Nocturnal panic involves experiencing panic attacks out of a sleeping state without obvious causes such as nightmares or loud noises. Roughly half of patients with panic disorder will experience nocturnal panic in addition to panic attacks while awake, or daytime panic. Like daytime panic, nocturnal panic also occurs in other disorders such as PTSD. The Fear of Loss of Vigilance theory is currently the only model available to explain nocturnal panic. It suggests that nocturnal panickers fear states in which they cannot easily react to or protect themselves from danger. Prior research using a self-report measure to differentiate nocturnal and …

Terrorism And Organized Crime: An Analytical Study From An International Law Perspective, Leila Mejdoubi

Master's Theses

With the spread of terrorism and its growing risks since the start of the 21^st century, a wide range of reports and studies have emerged. This funding comes from a special relationship between terrorist organizations, organized crime syndicates, and their cooperation with each other, which has enabled terrorist organizations in particular to carry out recruitment efforts and operations alike. It has also fueled an international black market for smuggling and trade in drugs and arms. Under what conditions do violent terrorist groups driven by extreme Islamist ideology collaborate with organized criminal enterprises to generate the requisite resources to pursue …

Patient Knowledge About Disease Self-Management Of Cirrhosis, Thuy Xuan Trinh

Master's Theses

This study aimed to define the level of understanding of self-management for patients with liver cirrhosis. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Thirty cirrhotic patients (14 females and 16 males) in the Gastroenterology Department of University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam participated in answering the questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge about liver disease self-management. The majority of cirrhotic patients had an unsatisfactory level of knowledge regarding self management of their disease, particularly in terms of recognizing and preventing complications from hepatic encephalopathy, monitoring for liver cancer, and awareness of medications they should not use. Implications of the …

The Variability Of High-Frequency Motions And Their Interactions With The Mesoscale On The Mississippi Shelf, Jordan Earls

Master's Theses

In this study, we examine the spatial and temporal variability of high-frequency and low-frequency motions across the Mississippi Shelf and how the high-frequency motions are modulated by low-frequency mesoscale motions. For this purpose, we use Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements collected at nearshore (23 m), mid-shelf (60 m), and shelf break (88 m) stations. High-frequency motions are defined as motions with periods less than 36 hours, whereas mesoscale motions have larger periods. The collected datasets are analyzed through bandpass filtering, least square harmonic analysis, spectral analysis, and empirical orthogonal functions (EOF). We find that along-shelf barotropic mesoscale motions contain …

The Effect Of Historic Shipwrecks On Sediment Microbiomes In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Melissa Brock

Master's Theses

Microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed across all aquatic habitats, but it is the environmental conditions of a habitat that determine which microorganisms can thrive in terms of abundance or metabolic activity. Habitats that experience consistent physical and chemical environmental conditions repeatedly favor specific taxonomic groups which may result in a microbial assemblage that is commonly associated with that habitat (i.e., a core microbiome). Core microbiomes have been identified for a variety of natural marine habitats including methane seeps, wood falls, octocoral, and deep-sea sediments. However, it was unknown if the presence of man-made structures on the seafloor, including historic shipwrecks, also …

Written In Black, White, And Red: An Exploration Of Civilizer Theology In American History, Jeremy Mcginniss

Master's Theses

This paper proposes an extended definition and discusses examples of civilizer theology within the perceptions and practices of white Protestant American Christianity faith traditions. Civilizer theology is defined as a self-referential, self-fulfilling framework actively shaping the expectations, behaviors and practices of societal norms driving cultural practices. Examples are selected as guided by three significant and interdependent dispositions characterizing civilizer theology: cultural decay/moral decline, authority, and violence. This paper hypothesizes theological interpretation, application and exegesis, mediated by the three dispositions, are deliberately applied to support socio-economic, cultural and political ends with the goal of maintaining power structures benefiting a particular group.

Advancements In Novel Material Rfid-Based Crack Sensing And Bridge Weigh In Motion, Benjamin Bruciati

Master's Theses

The current infrastructure in the United States is continually deteriorating. Smart structures in civil engineering are becoming increasingly popular due to the performance enhancing systems they contain. Many of these systems are related to sensing and monitoring the structure. Structural health monitoring (SHM) has state of the art technological advances in both these fields. This thesis contributes to the advancements in the SHM field, particularly crack detection and Bridge Weigh-In-Motion (BWIM). The crack detection research uses existing radio frequency identification (RFID) crack detection technology and applies it to a novel material, Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC). This system uses backscatter power …

Children's Books As Cultural Products: A Qualitative Study Of Cultural Representation In Hmong And Non-Hmong American Books, Malina Her

Master's Theses

This study examined the type of cultural practices and values depicted within Hmong American children’s books in comparison to non-Hmong American children’s books from the United States. The purpose was to explore if prior Hmong traditional practices and values reflective of American individualism would extend to Hmong children’s books. Thirty best-seller children’s books were coded using two checklists, one focused on Hmong traditional practices and the other on American values. Results showed that Hmong traditional practices underscored by Hmong adolescents in prior research somewhat extended to Hmong children’s books. Moreover, in some respects Hmong children’s books displayed similar numbers of …

Effect Of Nicotine Exposure On Fatigue Mechanics Of Murine Arteries, Elizabeth Ho

Master's Theses

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and cigarettes, and the use of such products has growing concern because of the prevalent use by young adults. Nicotine exposure degrades arterial tissue and results in increased arterial stiffness, which is linked to cardiovascular events, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. The hypothesis of this research is that fatigue loading reveals changes to the mechanical behavior of nicotine-treated arteries that is more informatively discriminating than stiffness alone. Ten murine arteries, five untreated and five nicotine-treated, were subjected to cyclic fatigue loading in an open-circumferential configuration by a custom tensometer …

Extended Producer Responsibility And The Environmental Policy Implementation Process In California: A Case Study Of Paintcare, Justin Ian Weiss

Master's Theses

Due to increasing volumes of certain types of waste and the cost of municipal waste management, California and local jurisdictions are pursuing legislation to engage manufacturers in the collection and disposal of the products they manufacture. These legislative frameworks take many forms, but many employ the “producer pays” principle commonly referred to as “extended producer responsibility” (EPR). These policies, which are more common in the European Union, are often contentious and difficult for U.S. governments to pursue, as targeted and influential industries resist policy implementation. The objective of this thesis was to better understand the reasons for the successful implementation …

Comparisons Of Upper Tropospheric Ozone At A Coastal And Urban Site And The Impact Of Local Surface Emissions, Chloe Anne Gore

Master's Theses

This study quantified the impact of urban emission sources on the enhancement of ozone (O3) in the troposphere using data from simultaneous ozonesonde launches at Half Moon Bay (HMB), CA and San Jose (SJ), CA on eleven dates in July and August 2018. The urban O3 enhancement in the SJ vertical profile was derived by subtracting out HMB, which represents baseline O3, from the SJ profile. This enhancement was averaged into 1 km layers and statistically analyzed with surface emission concentration data from three locations in SJ, however this did not reveal any discernable trends between the surface and O3 …

Reforming Beauty: The Casa Delle Zitelle And Female Asylums In Early Modern Venice, Kelly Renee Cricchio

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the Casa delle Zitelle (the House of Unmarried Girls), a female asylum created to care for poor, beautiful young girls who were at risk of becoming prostitutes in early modern Venice. The institution was founded, as well as funded and administered, by a group of pious patrician women in 1559. The Casa delle Zitelle was not only sponsored by and for women, but also the predominant patrons of the institution were Venetian women. The institution’s commitment to transform the zitelle (unmarried girls) into the sixteenth century ideal of womanhood was best articulated in the design of the …

Effect Of Neighborhood Approximation On Downstream Analytics, Saranya Soundar Rajan

Master's Theses

Nearest neighbor search algorithms have been successful in finding practically useful solutions to computationally difficult problems. In the nearest neighbor search problem, the brute force approach is often more efficient than other algorithms for high-dimensional spaces. A special case exists for objects represented as sparse vectors, where algorithms take advantage of the fact that an object has a zero value for most features. In general, since exact nearest neighbor search methods suffer from the “curse of dimensionality,” many practitioners use approximate nearest neighbor search algorithms when faced with high dimensionality or large datasets. To a reasonable degree, it is known …

The Effects Of Gender And Communication Style On The Perceptions Of Leaders Within Computer-Mediated Communication, Azra Zukanovic

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how perceptions of a leader using computer-mediated communication (CMC) change based on leader gender, communication style, and gender of the recipient. This study had two research questions: whether perceptions of a leader change as a result of congruity or incongruity between the leader’s gender and the leader’s communication style, and whether perceptions of a leader using congruent or incongruent communication styles vary based on the gender of the recipient. This study utilized a 2 (gender of leader: male vs. female) x 2 (communication style: masculine vs. feminine) x 2 (gender of recipient: …

A Novel Fiber Jamming Theory And Experimental Verification, Jared Richard Chafetz

Master's Theses

This thesis developed a novel theory of fiber jamming and experimentally verified it. The theory relates the performance, which is the ratio between the stiff and soft states of a fiber jamming chamber, to three relative design parameters: the ratio of the wall thickness to the membrane inner diameter, the ratio of the fiber diameter to membrane inner diameter, and the number of fibers. These three parameters, when held constant across different chamber sizes, hold the performance constant. To test the theory, three different types of fiber jamming chambers were built in three different sizes. Each chamber was set up …

Optimal Direct Yaw Moment Control Of A 4wd Electric Vehicle, Winston James Wight

Master's Theses

This thesis is concerned with electronic stability of an all-wheel drive electric vehicle with independent motors mounted in each wheel. The additional controllability and speed permitted using independent motors can be exploited to improve the handling and stability of electric vehicles. In this thesis, these improvements arise from employing a direct yaw moment control (DYC) system that seeks to adapt the understeer gradient of the vehicle and achieve neutral steer by employing a supervisory controller and simultaneously tracking an ideal yaw rate and ideal sideslip angle. DYC enhances vehicle stability by generating a corrective yaw moment realized by a torque …

Does Place Matter? Food Insecurity, Perceptions Of Neighborhood Walkability, And Acculturation As Predictors Of Treatment Outcome In An Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Study, Nana Yaa Marfo

Master's Theses

BACKGROUND: Though cross-sectional studies have established a relationship between environmental factors and weight status, few have looked at how these environmental factors influence response to obesity intervention in adults or children. This study explored the impact food insecurity, neighborhood walkability, and acculturation may have had on the outcomes of an obesity prevention study for low-income, Black and Latinx preschool-aged children.

METHODS: Prior to the start of the primary care-based intervention program (Cloutier et al., 2015), caregivers (n=203) completed measures assessing their household’s food insecurity, their perceptions of their neighborhoods’ walkability, and for Latinx participants, levels of acculturation. Baseline responses were …

Identification Of Factors That Influence The Cell Density Dependent Growth Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Archana Palakkal Meethil

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Application Of Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique (Efit) To Three-Dimensional Wave Propagation And Scattering In Arbitrary Geometries, Sean M. Raley

Master's Theses

Over several decades, railroad Ultrasonic Testing (UT) industry techniques have primarily been developed through simple analytical modelling and experimental approaches. However, with present-day computational capabilities, we can use numerical techniques like the Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique (EFIT) to fine-tune systems for complex applications before the fabrication process begins. EFIT is well-established as a useful method in numerical analysis of ultrasonic wave propagation with distinct advantages over the Finite Difference Time Domain method. Several software packages exist that use EFIT as the primary method for simulating the behavior of ultrasonic waves over time in 2 or 3 dimensions, but none of …

Comparison Of Gait Kinematic And Temporospatial Measures Between Lock And Pin And A New Vacuum Suspension System In Transtibial Amputees, Vanessa A. Kellems

Master's Theses

Walking in healthy populations has been characterized by symmetrical gait patterns and used to determine variability within pathological populations. Gait patterns of individuals with transtibial amputation are commonly asymmetrical due to the inability to completely replicate the physiological ankle with prosthetics; thus, contributing to inter-limb asymmetries. Currently, only a few studies have reported the effects of suspension systems on gait mechanics. In this study, functional differences between lock and pin (PIN) and a newly developed internal vacuum suspension system (Smart PUCKTM) (PUCK) during overground and treadmill walking were evaluated in five transtibial amputees. Statistically, no differences were found between groups …

The Impact Of Pretrial Supervision Conditions: Evaluating Pretrial Release Orders Of One Colorado County, Anthony Mark Azari

Master's Theses

Pretrial risk assessments are tools that have been created to address concerns associated with monetary bail in the United States. A pretrial risk assessment tool provides an objective analysis of an arrested person to determine whether he or she will reappear in court or will be rearrested upon being released from jail. One of the goals of pretrial risk assessments is to reduce the financial bail burden the criminal justice system poses on suspected defendants by providing a tool to determine the relative risk defendants pose in the community. Another goal of pretrial risk assessments is to reduce jail overcrowding. …

Effects Of Creatine Supplementation And Doxorubicin Treatment Of Myostatin And Muscle Ring-Finger Protein-1 Expression In The Rat Diaphragm, Addison M. Shepard

Master's Theses

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly potent chemotherapy drug that impacts the entire body rather than a targeted treatment area. While DOX treatment assists in the disruption and prevention of certain types of cancer growth, it damages many physiological processes in the body that were functioning normally and otherwise healthy prior to its administration. Damage induced by DOX on organ functioning can lead to other malignancies in the body, such as cachexia, cardiotoxicity, and myotoxicity, among others. Skeletal muscle relies on myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), transcription factors expressed by satellite cells, for positive regulation of phases of muscle development and response …

The Effects Of Combined Curcumin Supplementation And High Intensity Interval Training On Time Trial Performance In Moderately Active Individuals, Nora Jacqueline Johnston

Master's Theses

Individuals who participate in intensified training programs such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), are at risk for an uncontrolled inflammatory response, which may hinder the body’s recovery process. Curcumin is the most recognized compound in turmeric and has a distinctive yellow color. Curcumin has many medicinal actions and is most well-known for its anti-inflammatory activities. More recently, curcumin has emerged as an agent that can potentially optimize performance during intense exercise and may also attenuate pain and muscle soreness. Additionally, curcumin has been linked to improvements in mental health status such as reductions in depression and anxiety. PURPOSE: The …

The Effects Of Fish Meal Supplementation On Gene Expression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum Following Low Dose Administration Of Prostaglandin F2a, Jessica Claire Cedillo

Master's Theses

The corpus luteum is a transient endocrine gland that develops from the remnants of the ovulatory follicle and secretes the steroid hormone progesterone. Progesterone is essential in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in all mammalian species. In the non-pregnant bovine, uterine prostaglandin F2α is secreted in a series of pulses between days 15 and 17 after ovulation, allowing the corpus luteum to undergo functional and structural regression and an opportunity for mating. During early pregnancy, trophoblastic cells of the developing embryonic placenta secrete interferon-tau, which attenuates uterine prostaglandin F2α secretion allowing for maintenance of the corpus luteum during the …

Traditional Sounds On Western Instruments: The Use Of Traditional Music Of Mainland Southeast Asia In Western Orchestral Works, Tachinee Patarateeranon

Master's Theses

The cultural preservation of traditional music has become a serious issue in the mainland of Southeast Asia. The impact of political revolution, economic problems, westernization, and modernization have all but eliminated traditional music from its homeland. Western music, on the other hand, is flourishing in the region and has had a strong influence on the transformation of traditional musical genres in order to attract the attention of today’s society. As a result, one way to help traditional music survive in this modern context is to incorporate it with western genres. This research, therefore, aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of 2-Arachidonoyl Glycerol, Shawn Alan Bydalek

Master's Theses

Cannabinoids are a structurally diverse class of compounds that act as ligands at the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, through which the majority of the physiological effects of these compounds are mediated. Endocannabinoids (endogenous cannabinoids) are a subset of the cannabinoid family and include 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoyl ethanolamide, and like most cannabinoids, these compounds have been shown to have anti-neoplastic effects on various cancer lines. The synthesis of 2-AG from dihydroxyacetone was selected as a research goal to try to improve yield over older published synthetic methods, to keep 2-AG in a protected form to avoid isomerization and …

A Case Study Of Police Use Of Force On Juveniles In A Southeastern Police Department, Kayce Lowe

Master's Theses

Officer characteristics, situational factors, and organizational factors are common predictors in identifying and explaining police use of force (Friedrich, 1980). While these domains are important, the separation of juveniles in use of force studies is an essential component that is lacking in most use of force literature today. Some studies unintentionally imply that adults and juveniles present the same predictors of force by this lack of separation. Age, specifically the status of juveniles and adults, is not a common predictor of police use of force; however, it is one of the most influential factors in shaping a police officer’s decision-making …

The Effects Of Aqueous Atorvastatin On Steroidogenesis Of Xenopus Laevis At Environmentally Relevant Concentrations, Jeremy Johnson

Master's Theses

Statin drugs are a class of drug that work to reduce endogenous production of cholesterol by competitively inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (Hmgcr) thus inhibiting production of mevalonic acid in the mevalonate pathway. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is one of the most widely prescribed statin drugs and contamination of wastewater effluent is a growing environmental concern because of the potential to interfere with steroidogenesis in wildlife. Amphibians may be particularly susceptible to the effects of atorvastatin contamination because of their highly permeable integument. I used an amphibian model, Xenopus laevis to test the hypothesis that chronic exposure to low concentrations of atorvastatin …

What's Cookin'?: An Analysis Of Food As A Method Of Control In The Penal System, Zoe Livengood

Master's Theses

According to Garland (2001), the U.S. correctional system is a reflection of the culture of control that exists in American society. One way the correctional system exerts control is through food. This concept partnered with Foucault’s ideas about the evolution of punishment and the criminal justice system as an institution creates the theoretical foundation for food as a method of control in the correctional system.

Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examined food as a method of control in three southern Mississippi jails in order to understand how food is a contested space for control between jail staff and …