Digital Commons Network^™

Authenticating Smart Device Users With Behavioral Biometrics, Yanyan Li

Theses and Dissertations

Designed as personal smart assistant, smartphones and smartwatches have dramatically changed people's lives in every aspect from social network communication, navigation to both online and offline shopping. A large amount of personal data such as messages, emails and payment information is stored in such a device. Such data, if lost, can lead to privacy leakage and financial loss. Therefore, protecting such devices from unauthorized access is crucial. Despite the existence of personal identification numbers (PIN) and unlock patterns for user authentication, they have well known drawbacks. Although physiological biometrics such as fingerprints and facial recognition has become popular, they suffer …

A Case Study Of Instructional Leadership, Remediation, And Student Success In Algebra I In Four Public High Schools, Frankie Horton James

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine leadership styles and practices of principals to see how they contributed to math achievement and efficiency with remediation programs on student success in public education in a southern state. The case study focused specifically on leadership styles and philosophy of four strong and independent high school principals who used remediation to promote test scores on the Algebra I EOC exam for students. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, artifacts and published literature with the principals of one southern school district. The conceptual framework for the study was based on instructional …

#Digitalactivism: Examining #Yesallwomen And Teaching Social Media Activism In Technical Communication, Karishma Verma

Theses and Dissertations

In May 2014, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured fourteen others near

the University of California campus in Santa Barbara. A “hatred of women” was cited as the

reason for his crimes. This incident inspired the hashtag movement #YesAllWomen on social

media. Users shared examples of how although “not all men” engage in violent behaviors that

Rodger exhibited, all women go through their lives fearing. This thesis uses a technofeminist

framework to examine how the #YesAllWomen movement functioned as an online social

movement on Twitter to encourage conversation as well as promote change. I also discuss how

technical …

Ekosistemi I Zonës Së Blinajës Dhe Funksionalizimi Urban, Florim Gashi

Theses and Dissertations

Mundësitë për investime në zonat e përshatshme për turizëm dhe mundësia që ato të sjellin përfitime dhe të jenë të vetëqëndrueshme janë të limituara në Republikën në e Kosovës. Mirëpo në veçanti, Rezervati i Blinajës do të mund të ishte një mundësi e mirë dhe shembull i suksesit për projekte të ngjajshme në të ardhmën. Ky hulumtim është përpjekje që të dëshëmohet se ndërlidhja e ekosistemit, gjeografisë, natyrës si dhe projekti arkitektonik i dizajnuar nga autori në funksion të kësaj, synon që përmes të dhënave burimore por edhe atyre sekondare të dëshmojë që Blinaja është investim real në të ardhmën …

Self-Assembly Of Protein Fibrils In Microgravity, Dylan Bell

Theses and Dissertations

Deposits of insoluble protein fibrils in human tissue are associated with amyloidosis and neurodegenerative diseases. Different proteins are involved in each disease; all are soluble in their native conformation in vivo, but by molecular self-assembly, they all form insoluble protein fibril deposits with a similar cross -sheet structure. The study of molecular self-assembly is also of interest to origin of life. The development of cellular activity was dependent upon the creation of large complex molecular structures in the chemical and environmental conditions present when life originated. Although life probably arose in a planetary environment, microgravity is known to effect cellular …

Application Of Spectral Solution And Neural Network Techniques In Plasma Modeling For Electric Propulsion, Joseph R. Whitman

Theses and Dissertations

A solver for Poisson's equation was developed using the Radix-2 FFT method first invented by Carl Friedrich Gauss. Its performance was characterized using simulated data and identical boundary conditions to those found in a Hall Effect Thruster. The characterization showed errors below machine-zero with noise-free data, and above 20% noise-to-signal strength, the error increased linearly with the noise. This solver can be implemented into AFRL's plasma simulator, the Thermophysics Universal Research Framework (TURF) and used to quickly and accurately compute the electric field based on charge distributions. The validity of a machine learning approach and data-based complex system modeling approach …

Compressive Sampling For Phenotype Classification, Eric L. Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

Phenotype classification has become an increasingly important genomic research method for disease identification and treatment. Phenotype classification is the investigation into the genetic information concerned with locating biomarkers (features) in order to identify an observed effect. The primary challenge associated with phenotype classification is with analyzing the data due to the inherent high-dimensionality of DNA data. As a result, phenotype classification faces challenges with feature selection, and consequently, classification accuracy. This research developed a methodology to alleviate these challenges while improving classification performance. The methodology leverages concepts of compressive sampling, to arrive at a process that identifies features most relevant …

Teaching To Assess: An Evaluation Of Assessment Education For Secondary Teacher Candidates, Daniel M. Frederking

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the assessment instruction of a four-year undergraduate secondary education program and its alignment to the teaching standards and the summative teacher licensure assessment. Document analyses were conducted on the program’s syllabi as well as the assessment portions of the InTASC standards and the handbook of the edTPA. Results highlighted several areas of misalignment in the areas of categorical concurrence, depth of knowledge, and range of knowledge. Also of note, preservice teachers in different secondary subject areas are receiving different amounts of assessment instruction. Additionally, local edTPA data was examined to highlight areas of strength and weakness. Students …

A Framework For Improving Breast Cancer Care Decisions By Using Self-Organizing Maps To Profile Patients And Quantify Their Attributes, Vanda Victoria Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Considering the commonality of breast cancer among women in the United States and the increasing popularity of precision medicine and data analytics in healthcare, the aim of this study was to use self-organizing maps (SOM) to profile and make decisions about breast cancer patients. Breast cancer mass measurements were combined with nine non-medical attributes—family income, history of cancer, level of education, preference of probability level, presence of dependents, employment status, marital status, age, and location—that were randomly generated based on recent population statistics and fed into a SOM. The SOM’s accuracy was evaluated at around 80%. To show the decision-making …

A Geotechnical Perspective On Carbon Sequestration In Clay Using Gasifier Biochar, James Michael Williams

Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing need for employing sustainable soil improvement techniques. Concurrently, soil carbon sequestration methods continue to receive more attention in an attempt to reduce greenhouse gas levels contributing to climate change. Exploring the use of gasifier biochar for soil improvement can possibility address these two needs simultaneously. This study investigates the effect of gasifier biochar amendment on mechanical, chemical and hydraulic properties of a local clay with poor engineering properties. Specifically, strength, swelling, compressibility, collapsibility, permeability, water retention, cation exchange capacity, pH, and microstructural characteristics were determined for the clay amended with 5, 10, and 20% biochar. Two …

Evaluation Of Nematode Control Practices On Cotton Growth And Yield In Nematode Infested Soils, And The Effect Of Bacterial Inoculation Timing On Bacterial Blight Incidence And Cotton Yield, Bradley Reagan Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) growth, development, and yield can be limited due to reniform nematode and bacterial blight infestation. Studies were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the profitability of a soil fumigant application, seed treatments, and inurrow nematicides to protect cotton from nematode infestation as well as inoculation of bacterial blight at various growth stages in cotton to determine effects on yield. Research was conducted by applying various combinations of nematicides to cottonseed at planting and a fumigant prior to planting. Bacterial blight was conducted by inoculated on cotton at multiple growth stages throughout the year. Based on the …

Evaluation/Refinement Of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera Frugiperda (J.E. Smith), Thresholds, In Mississippi Whorl Stage Field Corn And Grain Sorghum, Keiton Lanier Croom

Theses and Dissertations

During 2016 and 2017, studies were conducted to determine the effects of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) on both damage and yield of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and Zea mays (L.) when infested during the whorl stage. Results from damage ratings suggest that as the amount of overall plants infested increased, overall damage rating increased. However, yield results suggested that there was no yield loss as percent infested plants increased. Other studies were conducted to determine the most sensitive vegetative growth stages of grain sorghum and field corn. Manual damage studies suggests that extensive damage to field corn during growth stages …

Examining The Effects Of Directional Wave Spectra On A Nearshore Wave Model, Sally Catherine Davis Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

Wave models are an integral part of coastal engineering due to their ability to quantify information that is either unobtainable or unavailable. However, these models rely heavily on the input of a directional wave spectrum that describes the variation of energy with frequency and direction. This study investigated how five methods for computing the directional wave spectrum perform within the nearshore spectral wave model, STWAVE. The results of the five experimental runs showed that overall, the greatest differences between spectra were observed in the significant wave height parameter. The mean wave direction showed greater differences at the offshore model domain …

Comparative Genome Analysis Of Fish Pathogens In The Flavobacterium Genus, Salih Kumru

Theses and Dissertations

Aquaculture has potential to support the food supply of increasing world population. Flavobacterial diseases pose a serious problem in wild and aquacultured fish stocks throughout the world. Flavobacterium columnare, F. branchiophilum, and F. psychrophilum are well-known Flavobacterium species that cause important fish losses. Recently, new Flavobacterium species, isolated from diseased fish, have been reported, but their virulence mechanisms are not clear. Thus, the goal of this study was to understand pathogenicity of Flavobacterium species. To this goal, 86 Flavobacterium genomes were analyzed by comparative genomics. Predicted virulence genes were identified for all genomes. For each species, unique and shared virulence …

An Experimental Investigation Of Causal Explanations For Depression And Willingness To Accept Treatment, Taban Salem

Theses and Dissertations

The present study was aimed at experimentally investigating effects of causal explanations for depression on treatment-seeking behavior and beliefs. Participants at a large Southern university (N = 139; 78% female; average age 19.77) received bogus screening results indicating high depression risk, then viewed an explanation of depression etiology (fixed biological vs. malleable) before receiving a treatment referral (antidepressant vs. psychotherapy). Participants accepted the cover story at face value, but some expressed doubts about the screening task’s ability to properly assess their individual depression. Within the skeptics, those given a fixed biological explanation for depression were relatively unwilling to accept either …

A Network-Based Method For The Analysis Of Use And Function In Stone Tool Kits: Implications For Late Prehistoric Settlement Patterning In Northeast Mississippi, Jason Nathaniel Ervin

Theses and Dissertations

A network-based method is developed for analyzing use in stone tool assemblages, where 'use' denotes the tasks for which chipped edges are suitable. Modeling chipped edges as nodes, use-wear and retouch as edge traversals, use-life trajectories of chipped edges as inter-connecting paths, and `tools' as subnetworks over which design tolerances are maintained on edge morphology, the method is an attempt to improve on existing models, allowing for complex, continuous change and multiple uses throughout a chipped edge's use-life. Avoiding analogy-based categories, the method is designed to highlight rather than obscure the possibilities for use and multi-use. Potential for integration into …

A Transgenic Approach To Managing Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) In Cotton, John Cameron Corbin

Theses and Dissertations

Field experiments were conducted in Stoneville, MS and Sidon, MS in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate a new transgenic cotton variety (MON 88702) (Cry51Aa2.834_16) and its effects on tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), populations, frequency of insecticide applications, and yield. Experiments were designed to compare the interactions between the Bt traited plots and non-traited plots and the insecticide spray treatments, which consisted of different application thresholds as well as treatments sprayed only during the early season and only during the late season. MON 88702 provided a significant reduction in later instar tarnished plant bug nymphs, dirty squares, …

Adaptive Molecular Evolution And Biodiversity In Malaria Parasites, Haley Nicole Bodden

Theses and Dissertations

Haemosporidian parasites are the agents of malaria. Countless vertebrates are affected by haemosporidians each year. Haemosporidians have been shown to be evolving at rapid rates; leading to new species of haemosporidians being discovered and new host associations being made. Adaptive molecular evolution was detected in an important hemoglobin degradation gene, falcilysin. At multiple sites across multiple genes involved in important functions signatures of negative selection were detected. The signatures of selection across non-hemoglobin degradation genes were indicative of evolutionary conservation when compared to the more variable hemoglobin degradation genes. This is probably due to the important role the hemoglobin degradation …

Evaluation Of Impacts Of Conservation Practices On Surface Water And Groundwater At Watershed Scale, Xiaojing Ni

Theses and Dissertations

For an agricultural watershed, best management practice (BMP) is a conservational way to prevent non-point source pollution, soil and water loss and mitigate groundwater declination. In this dissertation, several BMPs of tail water recovery system, conservation tillage system and crop rotation were selected and evaluated in order to demonstrate the impacts of those activities on stream water quality and quantity. Besides, a land use change scenario was also evaluated. In order to evaluate the scenarios comprehensively, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Annualized Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution (AnnAGNPS) were applied to simulate surface hydrology scenarios, and Modular flow (MODFLOW) …

Modeling Phase And Sorption Equilibria Using First Principles Simulations, Himanshu Goel

Theses and Dissertations

To capture the underlying chemistry and physics of a system on electronic structure platform, it is necessary to accurately describe the intermolecular interactions such as repulsion, polarization, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals interactions. Among these interactions, van der Waals (dispersion) interactions are weak in nature as compare to covalent bonds and hydrogen bonding, but it is physically and chemically very important in accurately predicting condensed phase properties such as Vapor liquid equilibria. This presents a significant challenge in modeling VLE using a first principles approach. However, recent developments in dispersion corrected (DFT-D3) and nonlocal density functionals can model dispersion …

Comparative Analysis Of The Gut Microbiome In Wild And Lab Strains Of Anopheles Quadrimaculatus Say, And Its Effect On Innate Immunity, Eleanor Marie Moen

Theses and Dissertations

Vector competence of mosquitoes has been linked to the conditions in which the larvae mature to adults. The microbial community obtained from the rearing environment is suspected to be one key factor in this interplay. A better understanding of how the rearing environment affects the gut microbiome and Anopheles-Plasmodium interactions could be useful for understanding observed lab vs. field differences in Plasmodium biology and help drive future control efforts. Currently there is a lack of research done on the differences between lab strain mosquitoes and their rearing environments and how lab mosquitoes differ from wild type mosquitoes. Bridging this gap …

Anthropogenic Impacts On Wildlife Mortality And Vertebrate Scavenging Communities, Jacob Earl Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Roads cause substantial wildlife mortality, but there is currently limited understanding of the relative magnitude of this mortality source. There are also substantial gaps in knowledge concerning the ecological ramifications of carrion introduced to the environment from vehicle collisions and in particular how vertebrate scavengers may consume carrion resulting from vehicle collisions. Although a variety of factors influence scavenger use of carcasses, the mechanisms influencing competition for this resource between obligate and facultative scavengers have not been thoroughly explored. I conducted a global synthesis of mortality of terrestrial vertebrates documenting 42,755 mortalities of known cause from 120,657 individuals representing 305 …

Effects Of Cultural Practices On Soybean Nectar Production, Tyler Miles Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of cultural practices such as irrigation, planting date, and maturity group on soybean nectar production. Multiple interactions between different factors influences the amount of total sugar present in soybean flowers. Pod production was increased in later planted soybean, but later planting resulted in reduction in yield. Another study was conducted to explore the effects that variety selection had on soybean nectar production. Soybean nectar production was highly variable among varieties and was influenced further depending on their growing location. Later maturing varieties produced significantly more soybean pods. This increase in pod production was …

The Effects Of Habitat Management On Wildlife Use In A Managed Loblolly Pine Forest, Johannah Reed Mccollum

Theses and Dissertations

To improve habitat quality for wildlife, habitat managers prescribe various disturbances. Habitat management techniques alter the vegetation structure, composition, and quality, changing food and cover resources and availability. To investigate how habitat management and vegetation heterogeneity affect space use by wildlife species, I deployed 81 camera-traps and collected fine scale vegetation data across a variety of treatments (i.e., canopy reduction, prescribed fire, and herbicide application) in a managed loblolly pine forest. I created a new method for accounting for imperfect detection and error in camera count data. My method provided better inference about the effects of variables on animal use. …

Quantification Of Harmful Algal Blooms In Multiple Water Bodies Of Mississippi Using In-Situ, Analytical And Remote Sensing Techniques, Saurav Silwal

Theses and Dissertations

Globally, water bodies are increasingly affected by undesirable harmful algal blooms. This dissertation contributes to research methodology pertaining to quantification of the algal blooms in multiple water bodies of Mississippi using in situ, analytical, and remote sensing techniques. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of several techniques for phytoplankton enumeration and to develop remote sensing algorithms for several sensors and evaluate the performance of the sensors for quantifying phytoplankton in several water bodies. Analytical techniques such as “FlowCam”, an imaging flow cytometer; “HPLC”, high performance liquid chromatography with the chemical taxonomy program “ChemTax”; spectrofluorometric analyses; …

Regulation Of Rice Flowering Time And Seed Development, Xiaoxi Meng

Theses and Dissertations

Rice is one of the most important cereal crops for the world population. Flowering time and seed development of rice are directly related to plant regional and ecological adaptions, and productive yield. In this dissertation, to gain knowledge of seed development in rice, the status of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in developing rice seeds was investigated. Numerous modified lysine sites in developing rice seeds were identified utilizing antibody-based affinity enrichment approaches and nano-HPLC/MS/MS analyses of acetylated, succinylated, crotonylated and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated peptides. Functional annotation analyses indicated that a wide variety of vital biological processes were targeted by lysine PTMs. A number of …

Reproductive Ecology Of White-Tailed Deer: Fetal Development And Mate Choice, Daniel L. Morina

Theses and Dissertations

Aspects of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) reproductive ecology remain understudied. The accuracy of the fetal age estimation equation in current use is unknown. Knowledge is also limited for female choice of secondary sexual traits like antlers and body size. To address previous fetal estimation equations, I developed a model that included litter characteristics using 110 fetuses with known ages of 54 to 175 days. To address female choice, I manipulated antler size and paired large and small males while controlling allometrically related traits. I then allowed estrus females to choose between pairs of segregated males with either large and small …

Role Of Silicon In Improving Drought Tolerance In Soybean, Meng Li

Theses and Dissertations

Drought is a major environmental factor limiting crop productivity. Considering a significant area of crop production under water-limited rained conditions, there is a great need to develop production systems to sustain yield potentials under drought stress. Silicon has recently been recognized as an important element in plant nutrition. In this study, it was shown that supplying soybean with soluble silicon in the soil could improve vegetative growth and drought tolerance under water limiting conditions. In order to understand the molecular mechanism how silicon alleviates drought stress, the effects of silicon application on protein expression and antioxidant enzymes were examined. Soybean …

Novel Formaldimine Precursor For Use In A Hosomi-Sakurai Reaction For The Formation Of Phenyl-Substituted Homoallylamines And A New Modular Approach For The Synthesis Of Half-Sandwich Ruthenium Complexes, Jonathan Baine

Theses and Dissertations

Organometallic allylation for the formation of C-C bonds has been a widely developed area over the past several decades for the formation of homoallylic alcohols and amines. One such pathway, the eponymous Hosomi-Sakurai reaction involves the Lewis acid-catalyzed addition of an allylic silane to an acetal, carbonyl, or imine. This work demonstrates an example of a Hosomi-Sakurai reaction using 1,2-ditosyl diazetidine as a slow release formaldimine precursor with good yield and high selectivity. Another less classical field, C-H activation, has also been around for several decades, but has recently exploded in new innovations. Through C-H activation chemists are able to …

Petrographic And Chemical Analysis Of Grinding Stones Collected By The Shkodra Archaeological Project, Zhaneta Gjyshja

Theses and Dissertations

The Shkodra Archaeological Project (PASH) took place in northern Albania, particularly in the Shkodra region. PASH focused on analyzing human settlements and social behaviors, from prehistory to modern times. This thesis focuses on the study of grinding stones collected by this project during excavation and survey. This study incorporates macroscopic, petrographic and chemical analyses to source these grinding stones and compares them with sourced samples collected in South Albania to answer questions about raw material selection and social interactions. It was found that, based on their chemical and petrographic properties, grinding stones collected by PASH are different from those collected …