Digital Commons Network^™

Disability In Lee Han's Social Integration Films, Dasom Han

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis examines four films by Lee Han—Wandeugi (2011), Thread of Lies (2013), A Melody to Remember (2016) and Innocent Witness (2019)—that highlight disability problems in contemporary South Korea. While exposing the prejudice against and misunderstanding of people with disabilities embedded in society, these motion pictures promote social integration through development of trusted relationships and effective communication within familial structures. The representations of disability indicate that the cinematic images of exclusion can reinforce disabled characters' marginalized identity and promote inclusive efforts among the viewer at the same time. Through textual, cultural, theoretical analysis, it is argued that the films progressively …

Total Flavonoid Content, Total Phenolic Content, Antimicrobial And Antioxidant Activities Of Acacia Rigidula Leaf Extracts, Pablo Arenaz

Theses and Dissertations

The growing incidence of multidrug resistant bacteria has prompted a need for alternatives to traditional antibiotics. The Fabaceae family including the Acacia species have been reported to contain secondary metabolites known to exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Specifically, A. ridigula was previously shown to be effective against a range of bacterial species. When extracting secondary metabolites from plants, the method and choice of solvent is important in order to efficiently extract a high yield. This study aims to: 1) determine whether Soxhlet or maceration is the more efficient extraction method; 2) determine whether acetone and ethanol will yield more bioactive …

The Inconspicuous Lives Of Dr. Susan Smith Mckinney Steward And Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, Alexandra W. Bogdanovich

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines trailblazing American female doctors of the nineteenth century in New York. Through the lives of Dr. Susan Smith Mckinney Steward, who is black, and Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who is white, this analysis tries to understand what motivated these women and how they succeeded in spite of the confines of women’s prescriptive role in nineteenth-century America.

Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Pyrazolo[1,5-A]Pyrimidines And (4-Hydroxy-6-Trifluoromethylpyrimidin-2-Yl) Guanidines, Justin Dave Singleton

Theses and Dissertations

A microwave reactor was used to synthesize a series of novel 3,6-disubstituted or 3-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines in a total of 1 hour reaction time over 3 steps. The products were obtained in good to excellent yields (34-92%, ave = 52%) using a straightforward synthesis starting with the reaction of dimethylformamide-dimethylacetal with commercially available aryl acetonitriles (120C, 20 min). This was followed by treatment with H2NNH2 • HBr (120C, 20 min), and then reacted with either 1,1,3,3-tetramethoxypropane or a 2-aryl-substituted malondialdehydes (120C, 20 min). The resulting product was either collected on a sintered glass funnel or purified via column chromatography. The compounds …

The Little Devil, Stefan Peña

Theses and Dissertations

The Little Devil is a series of moments in the life of a character named Boy. The story follows a loose plot that jumps around different time periods and states of mind of the protagonist in an imaginary town that has elements of both a small midwestern town and a semi-arid desert.

Mr. Crow, a local entrepreneur, and Irene who owns the local diner are both heavily involved in the lives of other citizens and use secrets as a form of currency. However, Mr. Crow uses his knowledge for personal reasons while Irene simply wants to know truth.

Although it …

Chemical Investigation Of Camu Camu (Myrciaria Dubia) Leaves And Roots, Jorge L. Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Flores, Jorge L., Chemical Investigation of Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia) Leaves and Roots. Master of Science (MS), December, 2020, 45 pp., 8 Tables, 28 Figures, 21 references, 12 titles.Being the largest on the planet, the Amazon rainforest also has the greatest biodiversity of plant life on earth. In the lowland regions of the Amazon grows the Peruvian camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) plant. A short and shaggy shrub, camu camu produces a tasty but sour fruit. Camu camu’s berry-like fruit is widely consumed by the native people of the Amazon. Its distinguished richness in vitamin C, as …

Applications Of Vanadium Phthalocyanine In Catalytic, Acid-Based Medium To Couple Sugar Molecules, Juan Ricardo Luna

Theses and Dissertations

The vanadium-substituted tetraazatetrabenzoporphyrin, vanadium phthalocyanine, was synthesized via reflux and characterized using FITR and XRD analysis. Subsequent to synthesis, the vanadium phthalocyanine was studied as a catalyst in redox reactions to convert fructose to different molecules, the products were predominately levulinic methyl ester and heptadionic acid. The ability to convert fructose to other compounds, such as alkyl levulinic derivative, is an important process to help eliminate reliance on traditional chemical feed stocks and promote alternative fuels. Levulinic acid has been commonly used as a starting material in the synthesis of biofuels and a precursor for pharmaceuticals, plasticizers, THF derivatives, γ-valerolatone. …

Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (Lift) Based Bioprinting Of The Collagen I With Retina Photoreceptor Cells, Md Shakil Arman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the 3D bioprinting of retina cone cells using the laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) technique. Bioprinting has a great potential to mimic and regenerate the human organoid system, and the LIFT technique has emerged as an efficient method for high resolution micropatterning and microfabrication of biomaterials and cells due to its capability of creating precise, controlled microdroplets. In this research, the parameters for an effective femtosecond laser-based LIFT process for 3D bioprinting of collagen biomaterial were studied. Different concentrations of collagen I solutions were tested to find out the right concentration that can be transferred through the …

Role Of Caspase-8 On Human Retinal Microvasculature Endothelial Cells (Hrmec) Migration In Hyperglycemia, Paola A. Campano

Theses and Dissertations

Pathological angiogenesis is the hallmark of proliferative diabetic retinopathy that results from the advanced stage of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). In response to prolonged tissue injury, retinal microvascular endothelial cells form new blood vessels to ensure the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the eye; however, progressive fibrovascular proliferation can eventually lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Caspase-8, the responsible protease for apoptosis has also been shown to modulate pathological and developmental angiogenesis but whether it exerts this role in a hyperglycemic environment has not yet been explored. Here we demonstrate that Caspase-8 decreased cell viability and was upregulated in hyperglycemic …

Significant Gene Array Analysis And Cluster-Based Machine Learning For Disease Class Prediction, Myrine A. Barreiro-Arevalo

Theses and Dissertations

Gene expression analysis has been of major interest to biostatisticians for many decades. Such studies are necessary for the understanding of disease risk assessment and prediction, so that medical professionals and scientists alike may learn how to better create treatment plans to lessen symptoms and perhaps even find cures. In this study, we will investigate various gene expression analyses and machine learning techniques for disease class prediction, as well as assess predictive validity of these models and uncover differentially expressed (DE) genes for their relevant pathology datasets. Multiple gene expression datasets will be used to test model accuracies and will …

Empirical Bayes Estimates For The Reproduction Number Of Epidemics, Elijah Lee Hight

Theses and Dissertations

Epidemic outbreaks can be modelled as a branching process in which the total progeny or outbreak size, follows a Borel-Tanner (BT) distribution. Following a procedure described by Liang (2009), we construct empirical Bayes estimates for when the initial number of infected is a specified value r. Following the construction, we then simulate data and perform a numerical study, assuming BT distribution for the parameter θ, the reproduction number, with an initial outbreak size of three. Simulation results indicate that the empirical estimator suffers from “jumpiness.” We then proceed to monotonize the empirical estimate via a method outlined by Houwelingen (1979). …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanofibers For Energy Harvesting Applications, Jui Vitthal Kharade

Theses and Dissertations

Miniaturization of portable devices demand a power source that does not require recharging or replacement. Piezoelectric energy harvesters are devices that harvest mechanical energy from environment and convert it into electrical energy thus being an ideal candidate for replacing batteries in small devices. Objective of this thesis is to fabricate an energy harvester with efficient energy conversion. In this thesis, the effect of fabricating mechanisms, solvents, and composites on polyvinylidene nanofibers are analysed in order to improve the piezoelectric response of the nanofibers. These nanofibers are then used for fabricating an energy harvester. The energy harvester is implemented in a …

Investigation Of Techniques And Their Application For The Cryopreservation Of Algal Species, Jazmine Leija

Theses and Dissertations

An alternative source for petroleum-based crude oils are algae derived biofuels. Fossil fuels are harmful for the environment, expensive and becoming scarce. There has been an increase in research on environmentally sustainable energy, using lipids derived from microalgae, which can be converted into biofuel. The use of microalgae as a source for biofuels has a lot of benefits including decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, rapid fuel production, absorption of carbon dioxide, and production of a renewable source of energy.

Algae cryopreservation aids in the maintenance of the best algae strains selected for producing lipids for biofuels. Cryopreservation will help minimize genetic …

Effects Of Early Corticosterone Treatment On Vocal Babbling In Wild Green-Rumped Parrotlets (Forpus Passerinus), Celia Rose Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

The stress axis of the endocrine system allows for animals to respond to environmental stressors in contextually appropriate ways. Elevated levels of the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) in male songbirds can result in compromised song learning ability. Parrots form a sister group to songbirds, but it is unknown whether CORT affects vocal development in parrots. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of CORT supplements in green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus), a free-ranging parrot species in Venezuela. Bouts of vocal babbling were extracted from nest box videos and analyzed. CORT supplementation resulted in differences in babbling …

Bioprinting A 3d Tubular Structure With Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells To Observe The Process Compatibility, Taieba Tuba Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Printability is the ability to print a reproducible structure using the bioprinting technique. Constructing the relationships between printability and printing parameters of the extrusion printing process is difficult because of the presence of too many independent and inter-correlated factors. For this reason, it is necessary to identify and limit the number of significantly influential factors. In addition, Scaffold based blood vessel fabrication is a key challenge in 3D Bioprinting. As vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs) is a major component of blood vessels, the investigation of the behavior and orientation of VSMCs after printing is required to better understand the 3D …

Investigation Of Cell Behavior In 3d Printed Lumen Structures For Capillary Regeneration, Victoria Jade Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis work successfully generated a coaxial printing setup and process to generate 3D printed tubules. A dual syringe pump mechanism was developed to print tubular structures to investigate cell behavior with a goal to generate future capillary beds. The mechanism involves the use of collagen–alginate tubules and the use of EDTA to increase the porosity of the tubule structures to study their interaction with media and incubation techniques as well as behavior and morphology. Tubules of 1.7% sodium alginate and 0.4% collagen I reacting with 3.2% CaCl2 solution proved to be more stable in both the printing process and …

Production And Characterization Of Polyurethane Fibers By Forcespinning Method And Incorporation Of Luminiscense Nanoparticles, Sunanda Kumar Saha

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, Polyurethane (PU) fine fiber nonwoven mats are generated using the Forcespinning® method. A detailed study focusing on the effect of PU concentration within solutions of N, N Dimethylformamide and the effect of relative humidity (RH) on fiber average diameter and fiber yield is presented. Solutions were prepared with 4 different concentrations, 14, 15, 16 and 17 wt% of PU. It was observed that as concentration of PU increases, average diameter shows a tendency to increase. Production of fibers with RH varying from X to X was analyzed. It was shown that higher RH is convenient for PU …

Using Single-Molecule Dna Flow-Stretching Experiments To See The Effects Of Temperature And Viscosity, Fatema Tuz Zohra

Theses and Dissertations

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a highly charged long and semi-flexible polymer of which length is much longer than cell dimensions at least by 1,000-folds. A long linear DNA turns into a crumpled structure to fit into a tiny cell volume by the process known as DNA compaction. In nature, DNA fits into the volume of the cell using DNA compaction by packaging genome material. Various types of protein are involved in DNA compaction. To experiment with various proteins as DNA compaction agents, DNA needs to be stretched out. In our thesis, the effect of temperature and buffer viscosity on DNA …

Attachment And Intimate Partner Violence In Predominantly Hispanic Young Adult Couples, Deanna Pollard

Theses and Dissertations

Some research suggests that conflicting insecure attachment needs between romantic partners exacerbate the association between insecure attachment dimensions and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in men and women. However, the current literature examining this association are not without their limitations (i.e., small sample sizes, collapsing both partners' reports together to create their IPV variables, predominantly White samples, and utilizing attachment instruments that do not assess attachment dimensions directly). The present study aimed to address some of the limitations in previous research by examining the association between partners' opposing insecure attachment dimensions and male and female-perpetrated physical IPV in a …

A Biological Assessment Of Oyster Restoration Mats Throughout The Indian River Lagoon: Changes In Community Composition And Filtration Capacity Of Living Docks, Morgan Katherine Gilligan

Theses and Dissertations

Like many estuaries worldwide, the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), has seen a decline in resources and overall water quality due to human activities. There is a growing interest in implementing ecological engineering methods to restore water quality. One such method is the construction and deployment of oyster restoration mats on dock pilings, known as the Living Docks program. This community driven program was founded at Florida Tech with the goal of promoting the growth of filter feeding benthic organisms to improve local water quality. Since 2013, twelve docks have been deployed in the central IRL, spanning from Cape Canaveral (28º …

Participant Reference In Colombian Sign Language Narrative, Martha Lois Gateley

Theses and Dissertations

Much of the research on discourse in sign languages thus far has been carried out on American Sign Language. With this thesis, I add to the current research by comparing what is known about participant reference in American Sign Language with Colombian Sign Language.

This thesis analyzes six separate stories totaling 72 minutes, signed by 5 different native signers of Colombian Sign Language. ELAN (a computer software for annotation) was used to mark all of the referring terms in the subject position and categorize the terms by type (nominal reference, pronominal reference, zero-anaphor, and classifier) and by function (introduction, reintroduction …

Effect Of Obesity On Walking To Running And Running To Walking Transitions, Salvador Baruch Alcorta Bautista

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates human Walking to Running transition (WRT) and Running to Walking transition (RWT). The focus is to be able to identify the correct WRT and RWT phase jumps. This investigation uses experimental data from the VICON Motion Analysis System (MAS) and of the treadmill WRT and RWT trials. The musculoskeletal model consists of pelvis, femur, tibia, and foot. This investigation uses as reference the work reported in the literature by Diedricj and Warren.. For the calculations in this investigation Excel and Matlab are used to filter the data and calculate the relative phase jumps. This work reports the …

Biochar Applications To The Remediation Of Lead And Polychlorinated Biphenyl Contaminated Water, Victory Itua Igberase

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the performance of biochar materials as adsorbents to remove Pb and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption and column experiment packed with biochar and geomaterials (pumice) in 1:1 volume ratio was evaluated to address the efficacy of biochar in removing Pb while only batch adsorption was employed for PCB removal with biochar materials. Overall, PT biochars performed the best (42–53 mg g−1) followed by BE biochars (10–32 mg g−1) and AB biochars (17–27 mg g−1) while high temperature biochars were favored in terms of maximum Pb adsorption capacity. Column Pb breakthrough showed similar results, with …

I Buy Less When Others Suggest: Impact Of Personal Relative Deprivation, Temporal Discounting, Social Norms And Store Reputation On Food Over-Acquisition, Swapnil Saravade

Theses and Dissertations

Food over-acquisition has shown to have detrimental consequences such as food over-consumption, food waste, obesity, and greenhouse effects. Extant literature has typically focused on food over-consumption, with little explanation of its precursor, food over-acquisition. The current thesis situates the research in grocery retail and examines why people over-acquire food. Further, which interventions can marketers develop to mitigate food over-acquisition and in which grocery stores would those be effective? The present dissertation approaches this issue by drawing concepts from two disciplines, sociology, and behavioral economics. Through five studies, the current thesis shows that when people feel relatively food-deprived, they tend to …

Soil Chemistry Modification By Guinea Grass In Semi-Arid Soils: A Litter Mediated Positive Feedback, Vanessa Elizabeth Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrients are a key component of healthy soils. Their composition plays an important role in plant growth through nutrient cycling and directly influences the functioning of plant communities in both agricultural and natural ecosystems. Shifts in macronutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen may be initiated by invasive growth as a driver for competition with native plants. The goal of this study is to explore the plant soil feedback in an exotic invasive plant, Guinea grass (Pancium maximum), an invasive bunch grass originally from Africa, across different habitat types in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). To determine a positive plant …

Uptake Analysis Of As(Iii) And As(V) By Cassia Fistula Seedlings, Valeria Velazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The natural and anthropogenic contamination of water by arsenic has become a major concern to the environment and public health. Phytoremediation is an attractive alternative to ecologically friendly remove contaminants at a potential high efficiency and low cost. Absorption of As(III) and As(V) was evaluated by the measuring the content of arsenic in the roots, leaves and stems Cassia fistula grown under controlled conditions in a hydroponics system. After seeds were germinated, the plants were grown in Hoagland nutrient solution individually supplemented with 1, 2, 5 ppm of As(III) and As(V). After two weeks of exposure, samples of leaves, roots, …

Dual-Axis Acousto-Optic/Electro-Optic Deflectors In Lithium Niobate For Full-Parallax Holographic Video Displays, Mitchell Robert Adams

Theses and Dissertations

A major limitation of acousto-optic (AO) leaky-mode modulator based holographic displays is their inability to present full-parallax. We propose that full-parallax capabilities can be bestowed on these displays by integrating an electro-optic (EO) phased array into the architecture. We validated this concept by rendering computational models and by fabricating and testing a basic two-axis AO/EO deflector prototype in lithium niobate. This was, to our knowledge, the first instantiation of an integrated, hybrid AO/EO deflector. The prototype had a 6° deflection range along the AO-axis, and a 3° deflection range along the EO-axis. A series of models provide us with a …

Physical Health As A Predictor Of Change In Self-Reported Presenting Problems In Couple Therapy, As Mediated By Emotional Regulation, Janette J. Driscoll

Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature in couple therapy has demonstrated the effects of physical health on some common presenting problems; however, few studies have considered progress as a construct on its own, irrespective of client-identified presenting problem. The current study used an Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediated Model to determine the connection between each partner's physical health and their own and their partner's self-reported progress in couple therapy, mediated by each partner's emotional regulation. Physical health was measured every four sessions using the Health-Related Quality of Life scale, and progress was measured by the Presenting Problem Progress Questionnaire given each time a couple attended therapy. …

Fire And Rodent Consumer Effects On Plant Community Assembly And Invasion In North American Deserts, Rebekah L. Stanton

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the differential effects of fires and rodent communities on native and invasive desert plant communities. Chapter one examines the impacts of fire and repeat fires on fuel loads in two different Utah desert sites, one in the cool Great Basin Desert and one in the hyper-arid Mojave Desert, over the course of four years. We found that both desert sites responded with varying intensities to a single burn, but the effects of a reburn were not as pronounced. We also found that our Great Basin Desert site had a stronger response to fire than our Mojave Desert …

Pre-Columbian Cultivation Of Agave Species Through Rock Mulching: Potential For Modern Applications, Hector Genaro Ortiz Cano

Theses and Dissertations

As global temperatures rise, cultivation of C3 and C4 crops in arid and semi-arid regions will face major challenges in producing biomass for billions of people. Conventional agricultural techniques that require copious irrigation will need to be complemented with dryland-farming techniques and drought-tolerant crops, such as those from the Agave genus, which use CAM photosynthesis. In the past and present, humans from arid and semi-arid regions of America have maintained a symbiotic relationship using and cultivating Agave (Agavoideae, Asparagaceae). In pre-Columbian times, Native Americans from arid regions relied on Agave cultivation as a subsistence crop to produce food, medicine, and …