Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of Antenna, Ligand Side-Chain, And Metal Ion Effects On The Optical And Mri Properties Of Bimodal Lanthanide (Iii) Complexes, Marisa Poveda

Master's Theses

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a leading anatomical imaging modality for disease diagnosis. With the aid of Gd³⁺ based contrast agents, high resolution images of biological structures can be obtained. However, there is an increased need for contrast agents that are responsive to specific analytes and chemical environments. Paramagnetic Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (PARACEST) agents that utilize a paramagnetic lanthanide ion chelated with a ligand have shown great promise in this area. Lanthanide ions also possess luminescence properties that do not suffer from common limitations of conventional optical imaging agents such as autofluorescence and photobleaching. The projects described in …

Solar Pv Feasibility Study On Higher Education Institutions In Connecticut, Sai Pujitha Karanam

Master's Theses

One of the most common issue in Connecticut (CT) is the high electricity rates. CT stands among the top five states for its high electric rates due to limitation in transmission facilities and storage of natural gas. Education institutions serve as good places to install photovoltaic systems as they have a large number of buildings available. Photovoltaic systems are a growing alternative energy source that reduces the electricity demand and hence higher education institutions should start implementing these technologies to reduce the burden of paying more for electricity bills.

The primary objective of the study was to analyze the economic …

Electrospray Printing: An Advanced Technique For Processing Polymers Into Thin Films For Membrane Applications, Tulasi Ravindran

Master's Theses

This thesis deals with the scope and prospects of the novel technology for electrospray printing to process polymers for liquid filtration membrane applications. First, the ability to explore novel reaction media to tune polyamide properties was demonstrated. Aromatic polyamides for reverse osmosis membranes are made by interfacial polymerization. Conventionally, interfacial polymerization is an in situ polycondensation of a diamine and an acid chloride conducted on a porous support at the interface of two immiscible solvents. Using electrospray printing, different solvent media were used to print polyamides on to ultrafiltration support membranes. It was observed that polar protic solvents formed membranes …

Human Intention Inference Using Fusion Of Gaze And Motion Information, Daniel Trombetta

Master's Theses

Enabling robots with the ability to quickly and accurately determine the intention of their human counterparts is a very important problem in Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). The focus of this work is to provide a framework wherein multiple modalities of information, available to the robot through different sensors, are fused to estimate a human's action intent. In this thesis, two human intention estimation schemes are presented. In both cases, human intention is defined as a motion profile associated with a single goal location. The first scheme presents the first human intention estimator to fuse information from pupil tracking data as well …

Alcohol-Related Consequences: Factor Structure And Associations With Trait Mindfulness And Drinking Motivations, Lauren Carney

Master's Theses

Objective. This two-study project aimed to determine if motivations to use alcohol (coping and social motivations) mediate the relationship between trait mindfulness and a variety of alcohol-related consequences and to determine if the relationship between motivations to use alcohol and alcohol-related consequences is moderated by alcohol use. Study 1 determined the factor structure of positive and negative consequences of alcohol use. In Study 2, this structure served as the outcome across eight moderated mediation models. Method. For Study 1, data were obtained from 165 undergraduate students to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on alcohol-related consequences. For Study 2, …

Motivation And Social Withdrawal In Schizophrenia: Factors Related To Passive Social Withdrawal And Active Social Avoidance, Emily Anne Peters

Master's Theses

Schizophrenia is a disabling disorder and social withdrawal in schizophrenia is related to particularly adverse outcomes. Social withdrawal may be a result of “passive” motivation (disinterest or lack of drive to engage with others) or “active” motivation (fear, hostility, or distrust of others). The purpose of this study was to better understand passive social withdrawal and active social avoidance, by exploring their relationships with social abilities and social functioning outcomes. In addition, we explored whether the EEG frontal alpha asymmetry hypothesis, which has been previously linked to shyness and sociability, might contribute to our understanding of social withdrawal motivation.

This …

An Exploration Of Health Misinformation In A Facebook-Delivered Health Education Intervention, Kelsey Arroyo

Master's Theses

Background: Health misinformation is commonly shared on social media but little research has examined how misinformation is communicated and what health messages are most likely to receive misinformed responses on social media. Purpose: The purpose of this work is to explore the extent to which health misinformation was shared by participants in a private Facebook-delivered health education intervention moderated by a health counselor. Methods: We used engagement data from a randomized controlled trial of a yearlong Facebook-delivered health education intervention. We conducted a content analysis of 6,016 participant comments (including original posts and replies) to examine the nature of comments …

Shyness X Niche Interactions Across Five Countries: A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study, Daniell Carvalheiro

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Engineered Thermal Refuge In Streams As A Climate Warming Mitigation Strategy For Fish Populations Experiencing Thermal Stress, Rebekah Thielman

Master's Theses

Rising summer stream temperatures threaten the habitat of cold-water fishes globally. Streams with cold groundwater seeps can provide thermal refuge, however natural groundwater discharge is often patchy throughout watersheds, impacting habitat connectivity. This research was undertaken to evaluate the potential to engineer (active pumping) thermal refuge that mimic cold groundwater seeps under a range of natural streamflow conditions and varying cold-water injection rates. Natural groundwater averaging 10 °C was pumped into the river channel behind a removable baffle, used to inhibit mixing and dispersal of the groundwater plume. A fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing cable was deployed above the streambed, downstream …

Application Of Lignin (Modified/Unmodified ) To Cement And Observing Effects, Ashique Ur Rahman Akond

Master's Theses

Biomass of various types have been known to be important sources of energy or raw material for products in industries for centuries. Biomass have been proven to be cost effective as sources of suitable chemicals that can enhance many industrial processes. Lignin is one of many very valuable components extractable from biomass. Using lignin, modified or unmodified, can improve the sustainability of manufacturing processes. In this work, lignin was extracted from two different biomass, i.e. coffee chaff and sugarcane bagasse. Coffee chaff is the dried skins of coffee beans, the waste product from the roasting process. Sugarcane bagasse is the …

Assessing Undergraduate Sustainability Knowledge At California Polytechnic State University, Elysa C. M. Briens

Master's Theses

Sustainability education has become an important focus of many higher education institutions (HEIs), with the inclusion of many sustainability-related learning objectives for undergraduate students. As sustainability is a new, rising discipline, an increasing number of HEIs have made efforts to assess their teaching and learning effectiveness. However, most assessments fall short in determining the relationship between sustainability curriculum and the impacts on leaning outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of academic setting, specifically of a structured sustainability curriculum, on undergraduate sustainability knowledge, as well as analyze the implications of perceived barriers and opportunities to implementing sustainability into …

Examining The Effects Of Disability Services On Student Success In Higher Education, Rebecca Smith

Master's Theses

Disabled students in higher education are provided resources through reasonable accommodation, or modification of university offerings. This affords the disabled student equal opportunity to benefit from those programs, services, and facilities despite the limitations imposed by their disability. This practice is historically informed by the medical model of disability, and legal reforms such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act in 1973. Most research in this area has found that reasonable accommodation is effective for “leveling the playing field” for disabled college students. Yet, some researchers argue that Universal Design, the composition of an environment …

How Human-Centered Design Affects The Workplace, Alexandra Brigham

Master's Theses

This qualitative study was designed to explore the impact a workplace environment has on employees’ well-being and productivity. The research identified the themes of flattening, perception, unflattening, and well-being from a multidisciplinary approach including art education, fine art, architecture, medicine, philosophy, and science. Flatness is a state, a behavior that occurs when human perception and consciousness are narrowed, blocking sensory information that is not pertinent to a current task. Behavior that is perpetuated by ingrained societal systems and exacerbated by personal, professional, and financial stressors that can impact the human experience. Flattened areas are addressed in this study through a …

The Power Of Together: Applying Group Dynamics To Organizational Change Initiatives, Megan Bissell

Master's Theses

Work and occupations are among the oldest and most salient concepts studied in sociology. Sociology as a field has largely focused on organizations from a macro perspective; primarily looking at organizational systems and institutionalized systems of oppression. Conversely, in conjunction with other disciplines such as psychology, sociology has maintained a presence in the more micro space, focusing on individualized interaction and behaviors. However, there is a distinct lack of meso-level research about the impact of group dynamics and social interaction in the for-profit workplace. Since 2010, there have only been 89 articles published about groups and their interactions in the …

Assessing The Effects Of Habitat On Bird Song Propagation, Braelei Hardt

Master's Theses

The Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis (AAH) posits that animal acoustic signals meant for long-range communication should be adapted to transmit well within the habitats in which they evolved. However, comparative studies investigating predictions of the AAH relating to signal form indicate that support for the hypothesis is not universal. Several studies have employed experimental playback approaches to testing signal transmission which can provide complimentary analyses to comparative studies of signal form in the field. Here, I first summarize these experimental playback tests of the AAH in birds, mammals, insects, and anurans, describing the methodologies used in these tests, and assessing the …

Anger, Relational Victimization, And Vengeance In The Context Of Relational Aggression, Alison Poor

Master's Theses

Relational aggression involves the aggressor harming the victim’s social status, reputation, and/or relationships. This form of aggression is a relatively new topic in the literature that would benefit from additional research with emerging adults. The present study examined two models involving relational aggression in a college student sample (N= 247). First, we predicted, based on the general aggression model, that anger rumination would partially mediate the relationship between trait anger and relational aggression. Second, based on the rejection-aggression link, we predicted that vengeance would partially mediate the relationship between relational victimization and aggression. We tested each model separately …

The Wakefield Phenomenon: A Rhetorical Examination Of The Resurgence Of The Anti-Vaccination Movement In The 20th & 21st Century, Karen Boger

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the phenomenon of the anti-vaccination movement and existing publications documenting significant points in its resurgence in the late 20^th and early 21^st century following the now redacted publication by the former Dr. Wakefield asserting a correlation between children receiving vaccinations and children exhibiting the onset of developmental disorders, with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) garnering the most public attention. With increasing numbers of parents delaying or forbidding their children from receiving vaccinations, along with the re-emergence of previously eradicated disease outbreaks and casualties, questions about the salience of Wakefield’s anti-vaccination statements arise. Investigation here is key …

Non-Religious Employee's Perceptions Of Microaggressions And Their Relationship With Job Satisfaction As Moderated By Calling, Jessica Schultz

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between microaggressions, person-organization fit (P-O fit), job satisfaction, and calling in non-religious individuals. Established research demonstrates that job satisfaction is predicted by P-O fit (Dawis, 2005). Research with minority groups has found that microaggressions are negatively related to P-O fit and job satisfaction (Lyons, Velez, Mehta, & Neil, 2014). However, research has yet to examine these interactions with a non-religious population. Previous investigations have found that calling is positively correlated with both P-O fit and job satisfaction (Duffy & Dik, 2013; Duffy, Allan, & Dik, 2011; Hirschi, 2012), suggesting the …

An Adaptive Approach To Gibbs’ Phenomenon, Jannatul Ferdous Chhoa

Master's Theses

Gibbs’ Phenomenon, an unusual behavior of functions with sharp jumps, is encountered while applying the Fourier Transform on them. The resulting reconstructions have high frequency oscillations near the jumps making the reconstructions far from being accurate. To get rid of the unwanted oscillations, we used the Lanczos sigma factor to adjust the Fourier series and we came across three cases. Out of the three, two of them failed to give us the right reconstructions because either it was removing the oscillations partially but not entirely or it was completely removing them but smoothing out the jumps a little too much. …

Effects Of Perceived Poverty And Chaotic Living Conditions On Externalizing Problems In At-Risk Adolescents, Margaret Bullerjahn

Master's Theses

Adolescent externalizing behaviors have consistently been related to both poverty and family dysfunction within the psychological literature; however, the distinction between the effects of objective poverty and perceived poverty on adolescent behavior is relatively new. The current study aimed at understanding the relationship between adolescents’ perceived poverty and their engagement in externalizing behaviors. The sample for this study is 194 at-risk youths in a military-style residential program. Participants completed a series of questionnaires addressing perceptions of their family’s financial status, family chaos, the number of daily routines practiced within their home, and history of externalizing behaviors. Additionally, information about participants’ …

Musical Forces In The Serial Music Of Igor Stravinsky, Adam Moffett

Master's Theses

In his 2018 book A Theory of Virtual Agency, Robert Hatten briefly describes the potential to analyze atonal music through the lens of musical forces. These musical forces are phenomenological sensations listeners experience, akin to physical forces felt in daily life. Larson (2012) categorizes and explains these forces as gravity, magnetism, and inertia, but his work only applies them to tonal music.

Gravity is a universal force that exerts influence over the music on a global level. In a tonal context, this would be the tonic pitch, however in the absence of tonal hierarchy the locus of gravity comes …

Lipid Quantification And Cryopreservation Of In Vitro Produced Jersey Cattle Embryos, Katherine A. Rhodes-Long

Master's Theses

Cryopreservation of in vivo derived Jersey bovine embryos have resulted in a 10% lower pregnancy rate compared to other dairy breeds. Poor embryo survival after cryopreservation has been partially attributed to the high lipid content of Jersey embryos. In vitro-produced (IVP) bovine embryos have darker cytoplasm than their in vivo-derived counterparts because of higher lipid accumulation. High lipid accumulation is associated with impaired embryo quality. Forskolin is an adenylate cyclase activator that regulates cAMP levels in cells and has been shown to induce lipolysis in IVP embryos. L-carnitine is required for transport of fatty acids from the intermembrane space of …

State-Level Fiscal Policy And Economic Growth: Assessing Recovery From The 2007 Recession, Nathan Barron

Master's Theses

This research examines state-level fiscal policy responses to the 2007 recession, with a particular focus on the short- and long-run effectiveness of government spending at achieving economic growth. Using OLS regression models to test the impact of government spending, institutional constraints, and economic policy climates on economic growth, this research shows that government spending has a positive impact on growth that decreases into a negative impact over time. Additionally, institutional constraints are consistently found to hinder growth while the effects of policy climate are mixed.

Marketing To The New Generations Of Lgbtq+ Tourists, George Smith

Master's Theses

As social acceptance for LGBTQ+ people grows, it is essential to research and understand more about tourism and its important role in the lives of LGBTQ+ populations. There are tourism communities around the country that may not be familiar with this market segment and are not sure where to start. This can leave the LGBTQ+ market segment under-represented in the tourism industry. This research sets out to answer the question, “Can tourism communities who wish to expand to newer generations of LGBTQ+ travelers market to them successfully?” Mixed research methods include an exploration of city tourism websites, interviews with tourism …

Effect Of Unilateral Lower-Limb Amputation On Intact Limb Biomechanics: A Systematic Review, Amanda Boyd

Master's Theses

The United States will perform 30,000-40,000 amputations this year (Ertl et al., 2019). As a common medical intervention, there is extensive research regarding rehabilitation strategies and post-operative care. Many studies have explored the effects of the affected limb and prosthetic intervention yet have neglected that of the contralateral limb (De Asha et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2006; Winter & Sienko, 1988). Studies have reported an increase in secondary musculoskeletal conditions among unilateral lower-limb amputees, particularly in the intact limb, indicating the need for additional research (Gailey et al., 2008). The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the …

Alveolar Bone And Airway Changes In Different Maxillary Expansion Treatments: A 3d Cone-Beam Tomography Study, Dennis Wang

Master's Theses

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term effects on the airway and bone in patients that have undergone BA, TA and control with 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) analysis. Materials and Methods: 180 CBCTs were analyzed for 60 patients at pretreatment (T1), post expansion (T2), and post-treatment (T3). Patients were divided into three groups, bone anchored expansion (BA), tooth anchored expansion (TA) and a control group. For the airway portion of the study, the nasal cavity, nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal and laryngopharyngeal, and total airway volumes were measured. Total airway area, minimal cross-sectional area, maxillary intermolar, external maxillary and palatal widths were also …

Evaluation Of Obturation Extrusion Of Guttacore With Varying Insertion Rates, John Barrett

Master's Theses

Abstract:

Introduction:The aim of this study is to determine whether the insertion rate of the Dentsply/Sirona Guttacore obturation product with Dentsply AH Plus sealer has an effect on 1. the extrusion amount of the obturating materials and 2. the extrusion probability of the obturating materials out of root canal apex.

Methods:Thirty root canal simulating plastic blocks were prepared with Waveone Gold nickel titanium rotary files to a size “primary” file. The prepared blocks were divided into three groups: group 1 was obturated using GuttaCore size primary obturator (analogous to the reciprocating file size) at a rate of 1 …

Efficacy Of 3d-Printed Guide Vs Conventional Method For Conservative Endodontic Access Preparation In Extracted Upper Molars, Manuel Sato

Master's Theses

Objective: This experimental clinical trial aims to evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of a computer designed / 3D printed endodontic guide to achieve a conservative endodontic access preparation on upper molars. As a secondary objective we will determine if the endodontic guide can assist the practitioner especially when comparing two operators with a different level of experience to achieve an endodontic cavity access in a reduced time and localizing all the canals thereby preserving more dental structure Materials and Methods: This study utilized 80 extracted maxillary molars and were divided into 2 groups of a conservative access and a CBCT …

Retrospective Evaluation Of The Survival Rate Of Buccal Mini-Implants And The Factors Associated With Their Survival, Ledjo Palo

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the success rate of common mini-implants used on the buccal side of both the maxilla and mandible for orthodontic purposes. All orthodontic mini-implants placed at the University of Connecticut residency from July of 2013 till April of 2020 by various residents and faculty. The location and outcome of the implant was measured as success if the implant was stable or if it failed.

Materials and Methods: Records of all mini-implants placed on the buccal aspect of both maxilla and mandible of patients receiving orthodontic treatment at the University of Connecticut …

Comparing The Outcomes Of Closed Vs. Open Surgical Exposure Of Palatally Impacted Canines: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial, Sina Banankhah

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.