Digital Commons Network^™

Annealing Enabled Immune System Algorithm For Multi-Waypoint Navigation Of Autonomous Robots, Elakiya Jayaraman

Theses and Dissertations

In real world applications such as rescue robots, service robots, mobile mining robots, and mine searching robots, an autonomous mobile robot needs to reach multiple goals with the shortest path while avoiding obstacles. In this thesis, we propose Artificial Immune System (AIS) based algorithms and two hybrids based on AIS associated with the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm and Voronoi Diagram (VD) for real-time map building and path planning for multi-goal applications. A global route is initially planned by the Immune System Algorithm (ISA). Then the created path is used to guide the robot to multiple waypoints following the foraging trail. …

Sclerostin As A Potential Therapy For Medial Vascular Calcification Through The Inhibition Of The Wnt/Beta-Catenin Pathway, Jada S. Boone

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is among the leading causes of death in the US. It stems from the pathological buildup of plaque within the vasculature known as vascular calcification. Medial calcification, or arteriosclerosis is the buildup of plaque within the medial layer of the arteries resulting in artery wall stiffening and reduction of blood flow. Evidence suggests that the vascular smooth muscles cells (VSMCs) that line the medial layer of the arteries, undergo a phenotypic switch to osteoblast-like cells to deposit calcium while in this pathological state. The Wnt/BETA-catenin pathway could potentially play a role in the phenotypic modulation. Inhibition of the …

The Effects Of Engineering Discipline Depth And Specificity On Occupational Alignment, Graduate School Decisions, And Engineering Identity, Jenna Lynn Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Retention of engineering students to graduation and career is important business for both United States (U.S.) industries and engineering education institutions alike. Industries need competent engineers dedicated to working in the field of engineering beyond graduation in order to achieve business success and national economic growth, while engineering education institutions need retention to graduation to achieve their own business goals. This dissertation took a three-pronged approach to identifying relationships between depth and specificity of engineering and response factors related to graduation and career retention of engineers. Occupational alignment, graduate school decisions, and engineering identity were evaluated for relationships with specificity …

Characterizing Flooding Regimes In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Over Recent Two Decades, Xichun Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) was once the largest floodplain in the United States. Flooding regimes in the LMAV have strong impacts on the soil biogeochemical processes, nutrient cycling, forest species distribution, agricultural production, and wildlife habitat. This study characterized the LMAV flooding regimes using the 8-day-composite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface reflectance product from 2001 - 2018. The results showed significant spatial variations in the annual flooding duration in the LMAV, and the flooding area showed remarkable seasonal variations in the northern and central LMAV with the peak flooding area in winter and early spring. Digital Elevation …

Evaluation Of Decay Effect On Tension Perpendicular To Grain Properties Of Wood, Brianna Abigail Duquette

Theses and Dissertations

The study of mechanical properties of perpendicular to the grain research is important regarding connections within mass paneling and other wood connections. Research on wood properties perpendicular to grain and the effect of decay on this direction is needed. Brown-rot fungi are a major contributor in having to replace or repair wooden members; therefore, the objectives of this study were to study the effect brown-rot decay has on the mechanical properties of perpendicular to the grain over different periods of exposure; and to evaluate the efficacy of various methods on assessing decay on wood. The methods evaluated in this study …

The Role Of A Sickled Microenvironment In Cardiac Dysfunction, Allison Nicole Healey

Theses and Dissertations

This study helps to fill a remaining knowledge gap surrounding the mechanisms and pathways that contribute to cardiomyopathies in SCD. A better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms could lead to more accurate therapeutic targets to improve quality of life as well as life expectancy. In this study I recapitulate cardiac dysfunction in vitro by exposing engineered mouse cardiac tissues to ANG II or the sickled microenvironment. Experimental results include gene expression profiles and oxidative stress generation. Gene expression profiles in the ANG II treated tissues indicated a pathological state with upregulation in biomarkers for inflammation, cell adhesion, wall stress and …

Exploring The Use Of Neural Network-Based Band Selection On Hyperspectral Imagery To Identify Informative Wavelengths For Improving Classifier Task Performance, Preston Chandler Darling

Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral imagery is a highly dimensional type of data resulting in high computational costs during analysis. Band selection aims to reduce the original hyperspectral image to a smaller subset that reduces these costs while preserving the maximum amount of spectral information within the data. This thesis explores various types of band selection techniques used in hyperspectral image processing. Modifying Neural network-based techniques and observing the effects on the band selection process due to the change in network architecture or objective are of particular focus in this thesis. Herein, a generalized neural network-based band selection technique is developed and compared to …

Assessment And Optimization Of Marsh Terracing For Wetland Restoration In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Using Remote Sensing And A Wave Model Approach, Raúl Jefferson Osorio Morillo

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal Louisiana U.S. is facing wetland loss caused mainly by geologic subsidence and sea-level rise. These losses are accelerated by human activities such as the creation of canals and waterways for gas and oil extraction. Wetland loss in coastal Louisiana has encouraged to the implementation of various wetland restoration techniques. Marsh terraces are a one restoration technique consisting of segmented berms of soil that are built in inland coastal ponds. They are designed to increase marsh area, dissipate wind driven waves, encourage marsh expansion, and possibly reduce shoreline erosion. Marsh terraces have been implemented for almost 30 years; however, little …

Capturing Structure-Property Relationships Of Complex Gels With Physical And Chemical Crosslinking, Rosa Maria Badani Prado

Theses and Dissertations

Gels are used in many applications ranging from bioengineering and pharmaceuticals to food technology and soft-robotics because of their tunable physical and mechanical properties. In many of these applications, the materials need to sustain large deformation. The microstructure of gels changes significantly at large strain values, causing a deviation in the stress responses from that at low strain. The desired mechanical responses of gels can be obtained by tuning their microstructure, therefore, the structure-property relationship for gels is required to be understood for their practical applications. This dissertation discusses two types of gels, one consists of chemical crosslinking and hydrophobic …

Secularism: A Measure Of Explicit Agreement With Assumptions Of Secularism (Meaas), Conner Douglas Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Values are inherent within cultures, relationships, and many other systems, however, little study has been done on the extent to which individuals may explicitly agree with the metaphysical assumptions that much of psychological science relies upon. Psychological science, which uses scientific methodology, is a trusted source of knowledge for many students. Scientific methodology is conceptually linked to assumptions of naturalism, which makes claims about the truth of reality. These naturalistic assumptions pertain to ideas of disenchantment, which describe the world as free from any transcendent quality. These same ideas have become popular among people of the Western world and are …

Understanding Public K-12 Building Principals' Perspectives On The Greatest Successes And Challenges In American Education, Buck Ekstrom

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted in a suburban intermountain school district. The research purpose was to (a) solicit narratives from principals about the greatest successes and challenges in American education; (b) conduct deep insightful analysis to find emerging themes from the interviews with principals; and (c) to provide important information for policy and law makers. The findings focused on data collected from interviews asking 25 principals to share perspectives and examples from their work in schools and education in general. The principals were asked about educational successes. Those cited regularly highlighted positive cultures, doing tremendous work with minimal funding, and …

Warning! Explicit Material: The Effects Of Adolescent Pornography Use On Risky Sexual Behavior Over Time, Emily Jensen-Schvaneveldt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the longitudinal effects of adolescent pornography trajectories on risky sexual behavior, as well as predictors of pornography trajectories. Data was taken from Waves V-X of the Flourishing Families Project, which included a sample of 463 families. A zero-inflated Poisson growth mixture model was run to determine class participation and growth trajectories. Findings revealed that gender and religiosity significantly predicted class participation, and class participation significantly predicted risky sexual behavior. While this study did have limitations, this study adds to the previous literature by examining adolescent pornography trajectories over an extended period of time.

A Zoological Spectacular: Conservation In An American Zoo, Rita Bouwens

Theses and Dissertations

Accredited US zoos aim to support wildlife conservation and educate and influence the public and create a conservation-minded community by curating immersive multispecies experiences. In this case study, I examine how zoos may practice conservation through the frameworks of biopolitics, spectacle, affect, and mainstream conservation paradigms. To conduct this research, I interviewed 10 zoo staff from the animal, education, development, and retail departments of a Midwestern zoo. Their rhetoric about zoos and how they practice conservation suggests that zoo staff aim to generate affective responses from guests by displaying animals in managed care. These affective responses that staff hope to …

Perceived Close Friend And Parent Disapproval/Approval Of Illicit Use Of Prescription Stimulants, Kara L. Nayfa

Theses and Dissertations

Illicit use of prescription stimulants (IUPS) has become more common in the late adolescent and emerging adulthood populations. This study examined the impact of close friend and parent disapproval/approval on IUPS in college students.

A sample of 903 college students (M_Age = 19.23) completed a questionnaire assessing variables including lifetime IUPS (14.59% of sample), and perceived close friend/parent disapproval/approval of either academic or recreational IUPS. A 2 X 2 chi-square test of independence was used to analyze data regarding perceived close friend/parent disapproval/approval and IUPS. There were four primary findings.

First, students were significantly less likely to report having …

Bridging The Divide: Revisiting The Conceptualization Of Impulsivity And Its Relation To Alcohol Use And Alcohol Problems., Karen Kelley

Theses and Dissertations

The development of multiple theoretical models and measures of impulsivity has led to inconsistent use of this term and disagreement regarding the most salient predictors of alcohol-related outcomes. The present study examined whether self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity measure the same construct and how eight conceptually distinct facets of impulsivity relate to alcohol-related outcomes. Participants completed measures and tasks to assess alcohol use, alcohol problems, trait impulsivity, and behavioral impulsivity. The UPPS-P and behavioral measures of impulsivity were largely uncorrelated with each other. Negative urgency and alcohol use emerged as direct predictors of alcohol-related problems. Lack of premeditation demonstrated …

Optimal Control Of Adaptive Wild Hogs, Katherine Barkley

Theses and Dissertations

Wild hogs (sus scrofa) have caused major damage to agricultural crops in the US due to their lack of natural predators and fast reproduction rates. Wild hogs change their behavior to evade capture. Thus, control methods are thwarted and may not result in sufficient mortality to keep pace with the reproduction of wild hogs. This study extends previous invasive species literature to include increasing costs due to adaptability in two settings: the presence of hogs is deterministic or stochastic. The analysis is limited to one farmer's objective function with varying degrees of adaptability for "smartness". The findings concluded the population …

Assessing Capabilities Of Thermal Imaging Technologies Equipped To Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (Suas) To Detect Grassland Bird Nests, Lori Hearon

Theses and Dissertations

North American grassland bird populations are declining more rapidly than other groups of birds. A well-established method of quantifying and monitoring grassland bird populations is by locating active nests. Active nests are often difficult to locate in grassland swards due to the varying heights within the canopy that nests are established. Studies quantifying grassland bird populations have low statistical power due to low sample sizes and high disturbance. Advances in small, unmanned aerial systems and thermographic imaging technologies have potential to improve efficiency of locating nests throughout canopies. This study explored detection accuracy of using thermal imagery to identify simulated …

Mississippi Teachers' Perceptions Of Environmental Education And Outdoor Instruction During A Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelisha Stamps

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental education (EE) and outdoor instruction are essential to understanding and addressing different environmental issues in school communities. This study investigated Mississippi teachers' perceptions on environmental education and outdoor instruction during 2020-2021. A state-wide survey and follow-up interview were conducted to examine their thoughts about environmental education and outdoor instruction and COVID-19 limitations in their classrooms and how that may affect their perceptions. Analysis was conducted using SPSS contingency and frequency tables, Chi-square Test of Independence, and content analysis of qualitative data. The results showed that Mississippi teacher participants believe that environmental education in Mississippi K-12 schools is very important …

Phytochemical And Biological Strategies To Improve Essential Oils Content In Lavender, Keefah Al-Garallaa

Theses and Dissertations

Lavender is an important medicinal plant that is sensitive to various environmental factors. Lavender essential oils have been shown to improve human health in response to many diseases. Lavender is grown all over the world, which indicates its ability to adapt to different climates. There are no reports of its commercial cultivation in Mississippi. It has been proven that there are many factors that directly affect the plant growth and concentration of essential oils in lavender. Studying these factors that affect plant growth and essential oils will be beneficial for lavender producers. The aim of this study is to increase …

The Application Of Photogrammetry For The Recording And Analysis Of Antemortem Cranial Depression Fractures, Keri Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Compared to other methods for digital modeling, photogrammetry is portable, user-friendly, and cost-effective. Despite the potential benefits to the subfield of bioarchaeology, few investigations into this technology have occurred. This research attempts to fill the gap by investigating the accuracy of photogrammetry for recording antemortem cranial depression fractures (CDFs). Using the Mississippi State Asylum skeletal collection, dry bone measurements of CDFs were compared to those on photogrammetric models. Additionally, three volunteers of various skill levels attempted to identify these fractures using the digital models. Results showed that despite accuracy in recording maximum length and width measurements, maximum depth could be …

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Impacting Caregivers Of Children With Charge Syndrome, Matthew A. Ferrigno

Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to focus on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in parents who have a child diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome called CHARGE Syndrome. While previous studies have investigated related factors to parental PTSD (Reda & Hartshorne, 2008; Wulffaert et al., 2009), this study was one of the first to focus on parental PTSD symptomology and possible traumatic experiences related to CHARGE (e.g., medical complications). Specific concerns related to PTSD addressed in the current study included trauma histories, the number of surgeries a child underwent, and parent stress levels. One hundred and ninety-seven parents completed surveys that …

Using Precision Agriculture To Identify Overlap In Conservation And Economic Opportunities In Agricultural Landscapes, Makayla Brister

Theses and Dissertations

Intense agriculture is detrimental to the environment and leads to nutrient runoff, decreased water quality, soil erosion, greenhouse gas emissions, and decreased wildlife habitat. In addition to negative environmental impacts, intense agriculture increases the financial strain on farmers. Farmers also face inconsistent yields from environmentally vulnerable lands. Due to these financial constraints and inconsistent yields, conservation goals are not always economically attractive to farmers and agricultural producers. One possible solution to this issue is the use of precision agriculture (PA) to inform strategic conservation efforts. We used PA technology to identify low-revenue field areas in the Mississippi Delta and Black …

Pact Of Impaired Polyamine Synthesis And Transport On Pneumococcal Transcriptome, Proteome, Metabolome, And Stress Responses, Mary Frances Nakamya

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a compilation of published work and a manuscript that seeks to understand the role of polyamine metabolism in the regulation of pneumococcal physiology. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is the major cause of community-acquired pneumonia, and otitis media worldwide. Genetic diversity and serotype replacement, and antibiotics resistance to confound existing therapeutic strategies and limit the effectiveness of the available capsule polysaccharide (CPS) based vaccines. Polyamines such as putrescine, spermidine and cadaverine are ubiquitous polycationic hydrocarbons that interact with negatively charged molecules and modulate important cellular processes. Intracellular polyamine concentrations are regulated by biosynthesis, degradation, and transport. This work investigated …

Utilization Of Bioinformatic And Next Generation Sequencing Approaches For The Discovery Of Predictive Biomarkers And Molecular Pathways Involved In Bovine Respiratory Disease, Matthew Adam Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a highly dynamic disease complex that results from host, microbial agent, and environmental interactions. Despite nearly a century of targeted research, BRD remains the most economically damaging disease in beef cattle production and appears to be increasing in global incidence. While modern modalities for BRD detection exist, clinical diagnosis and management decisions largely depend upon clinical observations and their associated risk of disease. Though these approaches lack precision, they remain in use for many reasons, including fiscal and time constraints within beef production systems. Advancements in high-throughput sequencing have demonstrated the ability to provide insight …

Pain Tolerance Feedback And Deliberate Self-Harm In Men And Women, Matthew A. Timmins

Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing literature supporting the idea that those who engage in non-suicidal deliberate self-harm (DSH) have altered pain perception compared to individuals who do not. For example, individuals who report a history of non-suicidal DSH behavior have a decreased sensitivity to transient pain during laboratory-based pain induction (e.g., Glenn et al., 2014). Research suggests that brief manipulations targeting individual beliefs can affect performance on subsequent tasks, including measures of pain sensitivity. To date, however, no study has examined the effects of experimentally manipulated pain perception on DSH behavior. The Self-Aggression Paradigm (SAP: Berman & Walley, 2003; McCloskey & …

Response Effort Attenuates Provoked Aggression In Men And Women, Michaela Patoilo

Theses and Dissertations

Previous efforts to manage aggressive behavior have generally focused on the emotion of anger, as opposed to aggressive behaviors. Several small-N studies have explored the promising approach of contingency-based interventions (e.g., the effort required to respond aggressively; Zhou et al., 2000), but have produced mixed results. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine whether experimentally-manipulated response effort effectively attenuates provoked aggressive responding using a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP; Berman et al., 2009). Participants included 123 (40 men; Mean age = 20.9, SD = 4.6) randomly assigned to either a low- or high-effort condition, crossed with a …

Thimet Oligopeptidases Top1 And Top2 Are Essential Regulators Of Defense Priming And Systemic Acquired Resistance In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Najmeh Nejat

Theses and Dissertations

The effector-triggered immunity (ETI) is activated at the site of pathogen infection and results in a state of enhanced immunity called systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in distal, uninfected plant organs. SAR relays on mobile signals transported from infected cells to distal organs, and on signal amplification which supports transcriptional re-programming associated with priming and execution of SAR. Previous research in our lab has identified the chloroplastic TOP1 and cytosolic TOP2 as salicylic acid (SA)–binding oligopeptidases, non-competitively inhibited by SA. We demonstrate that SAR triggered with P. syringae DC3000 AvrRpt2 is abolished in top2 whereas top1 top2 exhibits a SAR slightly …

Identification And Analysis Of Genes Associated With Drought Tolerance In Rice, Muteb Daham Q Alrifdi

Theses and Dissertations

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop cultivated worldwide, and abiotic stresses limit its productivity. Different approaches were carried out to understand the mechanisms of rice defense responses against abiotic stresses, mainly drought. The NADPH-generating enzymes engaged in response to dehydration and salt stresses during the seedling stage of Nipponbare cultivar were analyzed. Enzyme activities of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), NADP-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase, NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) in leaves, and 6PGDH in roots were significantly increased in response to dehydration stress. NADP-ME and NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase activities in roots increased significantly in response to salt stress. These results suggest the involvement of …

Optical Probing Of Spatial Structural Abnormalities In Cells/Tissues Due To Cancer, Drug-Effect, And Brain Abnormalities Using Mesoscopic Physics-Based Spectroscopic Techniques, Prakash Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

The quantitative measurement of structural alterations at the nanoscale level is important for understanding the physical states of weakly disordered optical mediums such as cells/tissues. Progress in certain diseases, such as cancer or abnormalities in the brain, is associated with the nanoscale structural alterations at basic building blocks of the cells/tissues. Elastic light scattering, especially at visible wavelengths range provides non-invasive ways to probe the cells/tissues up to nanoscale level. Therefore, a mesoscopic physics-based open light scattering technique with added finer focusing, partial wave spectroscopy (PWS), is developed to probe nanoscale changes. Then, molecular-specific light localization technique, a close scattering …

Development And Evaluation Of Ground And Aerial Robotic Systems In Commercial Poultry Houses, Pratik Parajuli

Theses and Dissertations

The live production sector of the poultry industry has a growing interest in robotics. Robotics have the possibility to monitor environmental conditions, assess bird welfare, and reduce labor for farm workers and owners. However, interactions of poultry with robotic systems in commercial poultry house environments is largely unknown. Therefore, the goal of this research was to assess the effect of ground and aerial robots on bird stress using avoidance distance (AD) and fleeing speed (FS) as indirect indicators. A low-cost, autonomous robot was also developed to aid in collecting data on environmental conditions in commercial broiler houses. AD and FS …