Digital Commons Network^™

Mind Over Matter : Stimulant Adhd Medication Use And Bone Mineral Density In College-Aged Subjects ; Is There A Trade-Off?, Sims Kirkland Lawson

Theses

Literature review showed lowered bone mineral density (BMD) among methamphetamine users and in mice that were given methylphenidate. No human clinical studies have been carried out, to date, to investigate whether there is a correlation between use of psychostimulants prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (in this case methylphenidate and amphetamines) and lowered BMD in young adult aged humans. This study observed 53 human subjects, age 19-27 years (average age 21 years); 25 experimental, psychostimulant-prescribed ADHD patients, and 28 healthy control subjects. Each subject was given dual x-ray absorptiometer (DXA) scans of femur, hip area, lumbar spine, and whole-body …

Development Of An Environmental Dna Assay For Detection And Monitoring Of The Troglobitic Crayfishes Cambarus Speleocoopi And Cambarus Laconensis, Spencer Boyd

Theses

Cave-dwelling species live in habitats that are hard to access and study. They often are small, elusive to capture, and possess morphological characters that make them difficult to identify without collection and dissection. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a nondestructive, noninvasive, and potentially cost-effective way to monitor and detect these species. I investigated the use of eDNA to detect two troglobitic crayfishes Cambarus speleocoopi in Marshall County and Cambarus laconensis in Morgan County, Alabama. I developed and tested in silico and in vivo primer-probe quantitative PCR assays for both species, then screened water samples collected from caves and springs in northern …

Novel Machine Learning Frameworks For Protein Conformational Selection In Drug Discovery Applications, Vishnu Sripriya Akondi

Theses

Drug discovery refers to the process of identification of specific-disease causing proteins and underscores the research efforts to derive a new medication that targets these proteins. As such the drug discovery process entails significant Big Data challenges as it is time consuming, data intensive, and involves an expensive developmental process which demands rigorous lab testing with high rates of uncertainty that the given drug will succeed. Therefore, it highlights the crucial need for machine learning methods to automate and hasten the drug discovery pipeline for improved healthcare and assist clinicians to make informed decisions for in-vitro testing. However, most real-world …

Manufacturing Effects On Water Cavitation In Long L/D Sharp Edge Inlet Orifices, Robert Dalton Hicks

Theses

Additive manufacturing is becoming prevalent in the field of fluids and flow control with the advent of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Due to the roughness of additively manufactured components, parts routinely need post-machining to reduce surface roughness and match the characteristics of subtractively manufactured components. This research aims to quantify the effects of layer-induced surface roughness on effective cross-sectional area reduction and cavitation onset conditions. Tests were performed on a 3/16” diameter, long length-to-diameter ratio (L/D = 20), sharp edged inlet orifice geometry using water at ambient temperature conditions. Tests were performed over a range …

The Effects Of Gender, Family-To-Work Conflict, And Family Supportive Supervisory Behavior On Perceptions Of Leaders, Aubriauna J. Harris

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gender, family-to-work conflict, and family supportive supervisory behaviors on perceptions of leaders’ competence. A sample of 123 university students completed an online Qualtrics survey. In the survey, participants read a vignette and background information on leaders and answered a series of questions. Results indicated that gender did not have a significant effect on perceived competence. However, the amount of family-to-work conflict and family supportive supervisory behaviors did relate to perceptions of competence. This study demonstrates that for leaders to maintain subordinates’ belief in their competence as a leader they …

Comparison Of Indoor Air Quality In Leed Vs Non-Leed Classrooms At Uah, Manoj Paranthaman

Theses

No abstract provided.

Migration Of Artificially Activated B Cells In A Microfluidic Device-Induced Cxcl-12 Gradient, Rachel Lauren Stokes

Theses

No abstract provided.

Improving Situational Awareness Of Heavy-Snowfall Using The Geostationary Lightning Mapper, Sebastian S. Harkema

Theses

While severe convective weather might be the focus of lightning data, studies regarding the use of these data for winter weather purposes are sparse. Next-generation satellite sensors, such as the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), provide new capabilities to gain a better understanding of the microphysical processes within heavy-snowfall. The advent of GLM provides a new opportunity to study how lightning is related to snowfall from a geostationary satellite perspective. Observed overlap between observations from GLM and National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Services (NESDIS) merged Snowfall Rate (mSFR) product indicate the existence of thundersnow (TSSN) and offers valuable insight to …

Oxime Cross-Linked Alginate Hydrogels With Tunable Stress Relaxation For Immune Cell Encapsulation, Hector Sanchez-Moran

Theses

Sodium alginate hydrogels have served as a versatile and reliable tool for biomedical applications such as 3-D cell encapsulation, both in vitro and in vivo. In the past, these hydrogels have formed via ionic or covalent cross-linking of the alginate chains upon the modification of its functional groups. Hereby, we employ a technique to modify hydroxyl groups of the alginate backbone to alkoxyamine groups (-O-NH2), and we verify such modifications in 1D and 2D NMR. Alkoxyamine groups belong to the field of click bioorthogonal polymer cross-linking. In the presence of aldehyde-modified alginate chains, both polymers can form an oxime reversible …

The Lew.1wr1 Rat Model Is Glucose Intolerant, Genoah Collins

Theses

The susceptibility to the development of glucose intolerance in the young adult type 1 diabetes model LEW.1 WRl was investigated. The animals were given either a 10% fat 7% sucrose diet or a 45% high fat 21% sucrose diet for 10 weeks. Two glucose tolerance tests (GTT) and an insulin tolerance test (ITT) were performed at 0, 8, and 4 weeks, respectively. Terminal anesthetized blood glucose was measured before sacrifice . Serum obtained at harvest was used for a metabolic hormone and cytokine/chemokine multiplex array and ongoing metabolomics studies. Pancreata collected at harvest were used for histological examination of islets. …

Synthesis Of Silver Thin Films Via Atomic Layer Deposition, William Sienicki

Theses

Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a powerful method used to deposit highly uniform thin films. It has been repeatedly demonstrated in literature that ALD is capable of generating thin films of various metals and metal oxides (among other materials) upon a variety of substrates with extremely precise thickness control. The self-limiting nature of the ALD mechanism makes it an ideal candidate for use in the nanoscale. The objective of this work is to determine a method of generating continuous silver thin films of less than ten nanometers using our ALD system. To achieve this result, procedures of depositing silver …

Wi-Fi 6 : Performance Analysis Of Ieee 802.11ax, Umeshwarnath Surendranathan

Theses

Faster internet is always in demand for both consumer and professional use cases. The wireless network standard IEEE 802.11ac, also known as Wi-Fi 5, was published in 2013 and has a theoretical maximum data rate of 867 Mbps per stream. Upcoming Hi-Resolution VR technology, streaming 8k media, competitive gaming and its low-latency demands, all require higher data rates and lower latency than what the 11ac technology can provide. The new IEEE 802.11ax standard or Wi-Fi 6, promises higher bandwidth and higher throughput in a dense user environment. It aims not only at improving individual user speed but also at improving …

Quantification Of Butanol Produced By C. Pasteuranium And Isolated By L-A-Lecithin Liposomes Using Quantitative Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (Qnmr), Luke X. Viegas

Theses

A cleaner and more efficient option to ethanol in the alternative fuel industry is n-butanol. The focus of this study was to establish that quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) is a viable method to determine levels of n-butanol as it is produced by Clostridium pasteurianum in the fermentation of glycerol. Extractive fermentation using L-α-Lecithin liposomes is proposed to separate n-butanol, hence the spectroscopic behavior of n-butanol in the presence of liposomes was studied and partition coefficients were determined. Additionally, qNMR was used to quantify glycerol and other fermentation products during the fermentation of C. pasteurianum using a bioreactor. Two …

Classification Of Graphs That Are Locally Mobius Ladder, Colton W. Smallwood

Theses

Using conventional definitions regarding graphs, isomorphisms, and vertex neighborhoods, we say that G is a H-local graph when the subgraph induced by any open vertex neighborhood in G is isomorphic to the graph H. The twofold purpose of this thesis is to give a brief survey regarding some results in the field of local graphs and to show that there exists a unique graph which is locally Mobius ladder.

Aerodynamic Effects Of Integrated Lifting Surfaces On Very Low Earth Orbit Small Satellites, William J. Bickett

Theses

Small satellites are becoming increasingly popular due to their low cost and ease of launch. One limitation that they possess, however, is their inability to house the large imaging equipment needed for detailed observation of the Earth’s surface from high altitudes. Operating these satellites at very low orbits in order to decrease the observation range is a possible solution to this issue. Satellites orbiting at altitudes under 150 km are subject to the effects of atmospheric drag which causes the satellite to de-orbit quickly; however, if there is enough atmosphere to cause significant drag, then there is also enough to …

Near Field And Far Field Plasmon Coupling For Sensing Applications, Christina Sharp

Theses

The differences in near and far field plasmonic coupling in arrays of gold nanoantennas for sensing applications are investigated. By manipulating the geometries of the nanoantennas and the array, the plasmonic coupling phenomena can be fine-tuned. This allows for the future application of such fine-tuned plasmonic coupling by hand-selecting which limit of plasmon coupling is most useful in specific situations. Both limits are also investigated as refractive index based sensors for streptavidin conjugated quantum dots or methanol. It is shown that in the far field limit, it is possible to fabricate a sensor which hybridizes the Rayleigh Anomaly with a …

Jailhouse Informants & Empathic Cross-Examination, Megan Hillgartner

Theses

The current study aimed to evaluate the influence of jailhouse informant testimony on juror-decision making through the manipulation of cross-examination techniques as well as the presence and absence of an inconsistent statement concerning a specific crime detail. Thus, this study evaluated whether the method in which the defense attorney presented his cross-examination influenced jurors’ overall perception of the jailhouse informant. Participants listened to an audio-recording of a trial transcript in which method of cross-examination was manipulated in terms of an Aggressive, Neutral, and Empathic approach to determine if the addition of empathic understanding resulted in cross-examination serving as a more …

Genetics And Molecular Dynamics Of L,L-Diaminopimelate Aminotransferase (Dapl): An Enzyme Involved In Lysine And Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis, Lily E.J. Adams

Theses

The marked increase of bacteria that are resistant to clinically relevant antibiotics in recent years has sparked a push in the development and discovery of novel antibiotics. Complementary to this, the identification of novel antibiotic targets is also of great interest. The lysine biosynthesis pathway is an ideal candidate for these efforts because its product is an essential amino acid. Lysine cannot be synthesized by humans and thus poses minimal risk of side effects if synthesis is targeted. The penultimate product in the lysine biosynthesis pathway, meso-DAP, is also a key component of the gram-negative bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan layer. …

Life In The Noodles, Junnan Xia

Theses

One day, a Chinese international student, Zhou Yu, is considering his going home to China, since he doesn’t have a good life in America. That day, when Yu is in the supermarket shopping, he sees his ex-girl friend, Chen Xue. Xue is friendly and asks Yu to come to her home and she wants to treat Yu a bowl of noodles, which is her special treat that she made for Yu before. Yu struggles but finally he is moved by Xue’s great passion. When they arrived at Xue’s place, they start to eat and talk. Xue is curious about Yu’s …

A Modified Rcm Medium For The Growth Of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Ayowole Caleb Oyeniran

Theses

In this study, we modified reinforced clostridial medium (RCM) to selectively enumerate and isolate Lactobacillus bulgaricus, a probiotic and an important starter culture in the dairy industry. The disparity in the reported carbohydrate fermentation pattern of L. bulgaricus was used to develop a growth medium not only selective for L. bulgaricus but significantly inhibitory to the growth of other lactic acid bacteria. A recently modified RCM (mRCM) was optimized for this study by the addition of 0.5% fructose, 0.5% dextrose, 1% maltose and 0.25% sodium pyruvate while replacing lactose as a carbohydrate source. The cell recovery and bacterial counts of …

Literacy And Educational Development Programs For Arab Refugee Women In The Piedmont Area Of North Carolina, Noor Al-Samraai

Theses

Arab refugee women experience incomprehensible acts of violence and war that drive them out of their homelands. According to Greenwood (2013), among the 4.8 million Arab refugees, women and children comprise approximately three-fourths of those displaced and compound the conditions of gender-based violence, poverty, lack of economic opportunities, and a dire lack of the most basic educational programs. Arab refugee women are more likely to face further violence and marginalization because of economic pressures (UNICEF, 2001).

The purpose of this study was to document and analyze the factors, barriers, and learning needs of Arab refugee women with low-level language and …

Design Of Dual-Band Rf-Dc Rectifier And Dc-Dc Boost Converter For Energy Harvesting Applications, Merghani K. Merghani

Theses

Wireless sensors are used in many industrial and commercial applications. However powering up those sensors is challenging, because batteries have limited lifetime, require periodic maintenance, and their depositions are toxic to the environment. One of the new methods to power up those small sensors is to capture energy from ambient sources and convert it into a steady dc output voltage, which is known as energy harvesting or scavenging. In this thesis, we propose an energy harvesting method by scavenging the electromagnetic (EM), or radio frequency (RF) energy in the ambient and converting it into a steady dc output voltage that …

Collaboration Pattern Model For Student Participation In Problem-Solving Typed Chat, Duy Quang Bui

Theses

This project measures different collaborative dialogue acts between students who are working together to solve problems in a computer programming class. In COMPS (Computer-Mediated Problem Solving) exercises students work together via online typed-chat. Transcripts of these conversations were annotated with four categories of collaborative utterance: sharing ideas, negotiating ideas, regulating problem-solving, and maintaining communication. The annotated transcripts were then applied to answer four different research questions. A) Among the several students in a conversation, there are measurable quantitative differences in dialogue behavior that correlate with the relative preparedness for solving the problem. The most prepared student not only talks more …

Comparison Study Of Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms For Real Time Prediction Of Uav Behaviors, Brian Baity

Theses

An American scientific writer/critic of the mid-20th century, Joseph Wood Krutch, stated, “Technology made large populations possible: large populations now make technology indispensable.” Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a vital part of society, evolving from solely military use to commercial and even personal day-to-day use. UAV application has grown for mobility on demand, increasing the number of UAVs in the sky. Consequently, more UAVs increases the possibility of aerial collisions, challenging the safety of passengers flying and bystanders on the ground. Understanding the behavior of UAVs and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in general, therefore, will decrease the possibility of …

Passive Cooling In Non-Residential Nearly Zero Energy Buildings: A Thermal Comfort Analysis Based On Measurement, Modelling And Simulation, Adam O'Donovan

Theses

Overheating in non-residential nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) presents a major risk to the well-being, productivity and thermal satisfaction of the people who occupy them. As global temperatures are expected to increase in the future, the overheating risk and cooling demand is also expected to increase. Therefore, low cost and low energy solutions that are able to maintain thermally comfortable conditions without the need for mechanical systems will be vital in decarbonising the building stock and ensuring that buildings are comfortable and remain low carbon now and in the future. Passive cooling has long been championed as a low cost …

Mechanical Design Automation: A Case Study On Plastic Extrusion Die Tooling, Allen Prasad Varghese

Theses

The Skills Gap in Mechanical Engineering (ME) Design has been widening with the increasing number of baby boomers retiring (Silver Tsunami) and the lack of a new generation to acquire, practice and perfect their knowledge base. This growing problem has been addressed with several initiatives focused on attracting and retaining young talent; however, these types of initiatives may not be timely for this new group to be trained by an established Subject Matter Expert (SME) group. Automated Engineering Design provides a potential pathway to address not only the Skills Gap but also the transfer of information from SMEs to a …

What Supports Are Needed To Encourage And Assist Community Festivals And Events To Succeed And Grow? An Empirical Study., Helen Mcdwyer

Theses

Abstract: Communities are motivated to host festivals and events for a myriad of reasons. They generate important economic and social benefits for an area with increased visitor numbers, increased local spending and greater community cohesion. Festival and event tourism is an important segment of the overall tourism product in Ireland, particularly in an area such as Kerry where there is a heavy reliance on tourism. Many festivals and events in Kerry are organised by community and voluntary groups and yet these groups are increasingly pressurised to increase the professionality of their offering to compete for regional funding and sponsorship. Changes …

An Investigation Into A Proposed Size-Insensitive Fracture Toughness Parameter Obtained From Quasi-Static Fracture Toughness Tests, William G. Tilson

Theses

Material fracture properties are characterized by means of specimen level material tests, such as ASTM Standard E399 Standard Test Method for Linear-Elastic Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness KIc of Metallic Materials. Recent investigations into certain high-toughness alloys have demonstrated a specimen size effect on the results of E399 tests. This thesis describes an experimental investigation into a proposed alternative analysis method for E399 tests that produces a specimen size insensitive result, termed KIsi. The work demonstrates that the alternative approach reduced the specimen size effect, validates assumptions on crack extension, and evaluates proposed test validity requirements. Suggestions for improvements to the KIsi …

"Bridging Two Worlds?”: Towards Cultural Safety Within Schools Of Nursing In Australian Universities, Samantha Petric

Theses

Cultural safety has been a developing movement within the nursing profession in Australia over the past decade, led by the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives. This thesis explores this progress towards cultural safety; with a focus upon the Schools of Nursing in Australia. The philosophical and educational shifts from cultural awareness and competence, towards cultural safety are required within these very Schools that prepare nurses for their profession and its practice.

This thesis utilises a descriptive survey method, derived from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Framework, to gather information about the Schools of …

Youth Who Serve: Mandatory School Service Experience And Consequent Civic Responsibility, Cho See Chong

Theses

Two phenomena are of interest in this study. One is youth service, in particular, the acts of volunteering by young adults. The second concerns the learning of service, with specific reference to mandatory school service. The aim of the study is to explore to what extent and in what ways young people believe that their sense of civic responsibility and propensity to serve was influenced by their experience of service at school. To achieve this aim, a qualitative study was conducted on a group of post-school youth in Singapore who had participated in mandatory community service while at school, and …