Digital Commons Network^™

Species Diversity And Functional Composition Of Pastures That Vary In Landscape Position And Grazing Management, John A. Guretzky, Kenneth J. Moore, E. Charles Brummer, C. Lee Burras

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The productivity of grasslands depends in part on their diversity of species and functional composition. Our objective was to examine the effects of three landscape positions (summit, backslope, and toe-slope) and three stocking systems (continuous, rotational, and non-grazed) on species diversity and percentage of cover of grass, legume, and weed species functional types in southeastern Iowa pastures.Data were collected in 0.2-m² plots randomly distributed throughout each of four replicate pastures in spring and summer 2000 and 2001. Backslope landscape positions within pastures managed with either continuous or rotational stocking contained the greatest overall diversity of species. Across years, overall …

Effects Of Ph On Biomass Allocation In Acer Rubrum Seedlings, Marc C. Wingett

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Through the analysis of the data collected from the uniform growing parameters across all control and treatment pottings, the following hypothesis was considered: 1. From a neutral pH of 7, there is a positive correlation between the lowered pH of precipitation and the above and below ground biomass allocation in Acer rubrum seedlings.

Knowledge Management In Training In Hampton Roads, Virginia, Stephanie Mckinney

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this study, the following research goals were developed: 1. Determine the number of Hampton Roads, Virginia businesses using knowledge management as an integral part of training; 2. Determine what types of knowledge management processes are currently being used; 3. Determine the importance of knowledge management as an area for current and future training

Change And Persistence In An Independent Nonprofit College: A Case Study, John Selmon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Private independent nonprofit colleges and universities serve millions of students annually, yet very little is written about this group. Most of the literature and research concern large public institutions of higher learning. Davenport College, a private independent nonprofit college system in Michigan and northern Indiana, serving 15,000 students, was the focus of the case study that offers a historical view of how the college evolved and changed over the institution’s 134-year history. The study highlights the influence of the five leaders and significant environmental events that that led to change and persistence in Davenport College from its inception on January …

An Experimental Investigation Into The Effect Of Surfactants On Air-Water Two-Phase Flow In Minichannels, Nathan J. English

Theses

The complex interfacial phenomena involved in two-phase gas-liquid flow have defied mathematical simplification and modeling. However, the systems are used in heat exchangers, condensers, chemical processing plants, and nuclear reactor systems. The present work considers a 1 mm square minichannel and adiabatic flows corresponding to practical PEM fuel cell conditions. Pressure drop data is collected in experimentation covering mass fluxes of 4.0-33.6 kg/m2s, which correspond to superficial gas and liquid velocities of 3.4-10 m/s and 0.001-0.02 m/s respectively. The experiments are repeated with water of reduced surface tension, caused by the addition of surfactant, in order to quantify the surface …

Sexual Conflict And Density Dependence In The Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia Affinis (Poeciliidae), Chad Smith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Sexual conflict occurs when individuals of one sex express traits that reduce the fitness of their mates. Males of many species harass females to gain copulations, which benefits males by increasing the number of offspring they sire but imposes energetic and opportunity costs on the females they harass. This thesis examined the fitness costs of sexual harassment to females, the energetic costs of mating to males, and the factors influencing the intensity of male competition for mates in the western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis. I quantified male and female behavior, four female fitness components (number of offspring per female, embryo number, …

Predicting The Location And Duration Of Transient Induced Low Or Negative Pressures Within A Large Water Distribution System, Richard C. Svindland

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Surge modeling is a tool used by engineers and utility owners in determining the surge pressures or transients that may result from routine pump and valve operations. Recent surge modeling work has focused on low and/or negative pressures within water distribution systems and how those occurrences could lead to intrusions. Effective surge modeling is needed in order to determine if the intrusion potential exists and what mitigation is needed to prevent intrusions. This work focuses on the generally unexplored area of using surge models to predict the location and duration of transient induced low and/or negative pressures within large complex …

An Evaluation Of A Multigrid Algorithm Error Spike Correction Method, Erika L. Mcmichael

Theses

This study is an evaluation of a method of improving the multigrid process by cor recting error spikes which are generated when moving from a coarser to finer level. The correction method was tested on nine one-dimensional problems governed by second order differential equations. Tests were performed with an accomodative, full approximation scheme, full multi-grid algorithm.

Results indicate that appropriate implementation of the correction can increase so lution accuracy. Accuracy was increased in 75% of cases in which a single correction was applied to a point in the central portion of the grid. Single corrections performed on points with error …

Compact Realizations Of Embedded Filters In Organic Substrates, William Lambert

Theses

Making communication devices smaller, lighter, and cheaper has been the driving force behind the development of new technologies which have made the cellular phones and wireless networks we now take for granted possible. The frequent emphasis on miniaturization particularly has required the development of a variety of new approaches to creating communications circuits. One such technology that has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years is passives that are embedded into the package of communications integrated circuits. Using these devices reduces the amount of surface area required to implement a communications device, in addition to potentially improving performance …

Development Of Control Algorithm And A Simulation Tool For Self-Assembly Of Microsystems Based On Swarm Technology, Siddharth Mestry

Theses

"Chunxel" Technology is a novel concept of constructing 3-dimensional structures using a group of intelligent, autonomous, and cooperating micro robots. Chunxels are small robotic modules, cubical in shape, which are immersed in a tank containing a viscous fluid. The chunxels are propelled by the electromagnetic forces created by passing direct current through a set of large coils placed on each face of the tank and small coils embedded in the micro device. The chunxels follow a set of rules which mimic a swarm behavior and selfassemble in the liquid to form a 3-D structure. Swarm behavior is a dynamic problem …

Effect Of Flexing On The Barrier Properties Of Metallized Films, Anjum Parkar

Theses

One of the major concerns with respect to metallized films is the effect of flexing on their barrier properties. Films encounter a series of mechanical stress situations during manufacturing, processing, handling, and distribution. These mechanical stresses often result in flexing of the packaging film, which is more prominent with metallized films. The first part of my study evaluates the effect of real stresses of flex by using packages already manufactured and that have been through the distribution cycle. Metallized film samples from these packages were tested to see the effect of real stress on their barrier properties. The results showed …

Novel Vlsi Architecture For Quantization And Variable Length Coding For H-264/Avc Video Compression Standard, Suneetha Kosaraju

Theses

Integrated multimedia systems process text, graphics, and other discrete media such as digital audio and video streams. In an uncompressed state, graphics, audio and video data, especially moving pictures, require large transmission and storage capacities which can be very expensive. Hence video compression has become a key component of any multimedia system or application. The ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) have combined efforts to put together the next generation of video compression standard, the H.264/MPEG-4 PartlO/AVC, which was finalized in 2003. The H.264/AVC uses significantly improved and computationally intensive compression techniques to maximize performance. H.264/AVC …

The Development And Performance Evaluation Of Pif Logic Functional Blocks, Sheetal Suresh Sonar-Pardeshi

Theses

In the deep submicron range of integrated circuit design, interconnects and not the logical gates are causing the performance bottleneck. The number of available transistors increase by a factor of 2 every technology node but interconnects do not scale with devices, devices scale down faster and thus the present designs need to be scalable and reusable. Pipeline interconnect free (PIF) logic methodology has a potential to solve these current design problems. In PIF logic methodology the global interconnects are replaced by a chain of logical gates. PIF logic uses only one type of gate which can be connected only to …

Five Year Study Of The Effectiveness Of Safety Incentive Programs Instituted At Bj's Wholesale Club, Peter D. Van Derlyke

Theses

Safety incentive programs have been employed for many years as a means of keeping employee injuries under control. There are many ways incentives can be implemented and little is known about which are the most effective. This thesis project reports on a study conducted over five (5) years at some of BJ's Wholesale Club's highest accident frequency rate locations. Each year several locations with high accident frequency rates were chosen to be on what was called the Safety Task Force. The purpose of this thesis was to determine if safety incentives would aid in the reduction of workplace accidents. This …

An Investigation Of The Dynamics Of Human Metamorphosis Triggered By Perception And Environment, Stacey Parker

Theses

This thesis describes the artist's sculptural work, a body of sculpture which explores the interactions between humans and their environment, and how they undergo metamorphoses triggered by internal and external forces.

The Relationship Between Young Women's Large And Small Friendship Networks, Self-Reported Preferences And The Influence Of Popular Fashion Magazine Readership, Meghann E. Connor

Theses

Friendship networks impact self-perceived body images, appearance, popularity, attractiveness, style, pressure, and self-consciousness. This study examines both large and small friendship networks and young women's popular fashion magazine readership. Eighty-seven senior high school young women completed a 22-question survey to determine placement in large or small networks. The survey was used to determine questions later discussed in the report. Significant differences were found between females in large and small networks with regard to attractiveness and style after reading fashion magazines. No other variables were found to be significant.

Women In The Printing Industry: The Challenges Of Women Press Operators, Margaret Przelski

Theses

There appear to be very few women press operators in the printing industry. Unfortunately, the reasons for this situation are not clearly understood. To investigate this phenomenon, three different questionnaires were administered to the following groups:

• human resource managers selected from the top local Rochester commercial printing companies listed in the Rochester Business Journal,

• alumni from RIT's School of Print Media, and

• women with press operation experience.

The main purpose of the first survey was to determine how many women were actually employed as press operators in Rochester, New York. If women weren't working as press operators, what positions did …

Expanding Deictic Shift Theory: Person Deixis In Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, Anna Laura Bennett

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Deictic shift theory (DST) was developed as a model of the construction and comprehension of all types of fictional narrative. With respect to the participant structures of texts, however, DST researchers have focused their attention on deictic shifts in third-person narratives, leaving first-person narratives unanalyzed from this theoretical perspective. As a result, DST in its present form does not adequately account for the variety of manipulations of a range of perspectives that may be achieved in first-person narratives. Nor has DST been systematically applied to texts whose participant structures undergo extensive reorganization as the result of a surprise ending or …

Role Of Weak Zone Geometry And Rheology In The Generation Of Intraplate Seismicity, Abhishek Joshi

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

In intraplate seismic zones (e.g. the New Madrid Seismic Zone, NMSZ, in the southcentral United States), the source of stress that drives earthquake is very complex. Data from the NMSZ indicate 3 earthquake of magnitude M~7, occurring at an approximate interval of 500 years during the last 2000 years. One hypothesis that satisfies these conditions proposes that short-lived bursts of earthquakes may result from perturbations in the local or regional stress field. This causes relaxation of a lower crustal weak zone which drive repeated earthquakes. The number of earthquakes is dependent on the geometry and rheology of the weak zone. …

Quantification Of Surface Defects Using Primary Highlight In Diffuse Angle Gray Scale Images, Subburengan Ganapathiraman

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The thesis presented is an effort to gather all possible information of one particular type of common paint defect the seed defect, from gray scale images of highly specular painted surface. The proposed approach in the thesis utilizes a white light source to illuminate the surface and utilizes a camera to capture its gray scale image at different diffused angles. While attempting to explain the physics of highlight formation in terms of location on the surface of a seed defect, the thesis also extends to utilize this information from gray scale images to accurately predict the parameters of seed defects …

Experimental And Analytical Study Of Friction Stir Processing, Basil M. Darras

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Friction stir processing (FSP) has recently become an effective microstructural modifications technique. Reported results showed that for different alloys, FSP produces very fine equiaxed and homogeneous grain structure. FSP is considered to be a new processing technique and more experimental and analytical investigations are needed to advance the industrial utilization of FSP. Most of the work that has been done in the friction stir processing field is experimental and limited modeling activities have been conducted. Attempts to develop a predictive model to correlate the resulting microstructure with process parameters are scarce. In this work, commercial 5052 Aluminum alloy sheets are …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Kentucky Strains Of Xylella Fastidiosa, J. Nicole Mundell

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Phytopathogenic bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, causes a number of economically important diseases, including Pierces disease (PD) of grape and bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) of a number of landscape trees. In Kentucky (KY), BLS affects a number of shade trees including many oak and maple species. In 2001, PD was diagnosed in grapevines in western KY. Xylella fastidiosa is also detected in many asymptomatic landscape plants and grasses. It was the goal of this research to identify hosts of X. fastidiosa around KY and use phylogenetic analysis to compare sequences of the 16S rDNA and gyrase B (gyrB) genes between samples. This …

Using Sequential Imagery To Evaluate Aspects Of Seed Vigor And Germination, Manjul Dutt

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A sequential imaging system using a flat bed scanner interfaced to a personal computer was developed to study seed germination and vigor. The utility of the system was demonstrated in studies relating aspects of seed vigor in impatiens seed lots and for dormancy release in two woody perennials. Impatiens seed lots were kept in storage for 6 months to obtain a range in vigor levels. The ability to see differences at the individual seed level was possible because of the development of the sequential imaging system. It was observed that seeds deteriorated both under optimum 4OC as well as 25OC …

Torque Retention With Polypropylene Bottles, David Garrett Moszak

Theses

Two different case studies were examined to determine how different liner structures or plastic additives affect torque degradation. The first case study examined how torque is affected with and without the use of a zinc stearate plastic additive. The second case study examined how torque retention differs between a synthetic liner and a pulp board backed liner structure. Both torque studies provided a starting point for the application torque range for use in production. The torque studies were used to outline the necessary application torque so that the child resistant closures obtain and maintain the proper torque level over time …

Formulation And Implementation Of Environmental Strategies In Printing Firms: A Comparison Between The U.S. And Germany, Diana B. Mross

Theses

This thesis will guide the reader through the investigation process of a research area previously ignored in the research literature: the formulation and implementation of environmental strategies in printing companies. It will address strategies in printing firms, primarily from a cultural and structural point of view, which are formulated and implemented to help protect the environment and to save resources. The investigation will include a review of previous literature regarding strategy, environmental management and technology, and health and safety management. It will introduce the research questions, the methodology, and the analysis of research findings.

Through the exploratory case study method, …

Web Service Infrastructure For Supply Chain, Pradip R. Chandratre

Theses

Managing a supply chain is one of the most complicated tasks today when erratic changes in demand must be met as soon as possible for staying competitive, while dealing with multitude of business partners that are involved in the chain. It is imperative that any changes in a corporation's product/service demand be immediately communicated with its suppliers and logistic service providers. This task of communication has long been overtaken by computerized systems from the telephones and fax machines. The computer technologies being used so far to connect two businesses are proving to be too rigid in today's world of mergers, …

Deployment Experiments For Ballooning On Mars (Debom), Aimee Nicolette Lemieux

Theses

One mode of planetary research involves balloons. They are relatively low cost, cover more area than a rover, obtain better resolution than an orbiter, and can collect data about the atmosphere [2]. From the study of their atmospheres, scientists believe that six planets and one moon of Saturn (Titan) can support balloon flights. According to scientists, Mars atmosphere may present the fewest challenges, allowing for a quicker timeline in using balloons [2]. At NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), experimental research has been conducted on one meter model Montgolfiere, Paraballoons, and Para-Montgolfiere balloons. The balloons were constructed of thin (0.6 mil), …

Effect Of Added C4-Alcohols On The Structure Of Microemulsion Droplets Measured By Small-Angle Neutron Scattering., Elvis A. Zambrano

Theses

The role of C₄-alcohols (n-butanol, 2-butanol and tert-butanol) in four component microemulsions is studied using neutron scattering. These microemulsions are dispersions of nanoscale droplets consisting of a core of water surrounded by a surfactant-stabilized shell. The particles are suspended in an oil (octane) continuum. The addition of a co-surfactant, such as a short-chain alcohol, modifies the droplet size and structure, as well as the rigidity of the surrounding shell. In this work, we investigate water-in-oil microemulsions employing small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments performed at the NIST Center for Neutron Research. Using this technique, it is possible to probe …

The Mother Immaculate, Calvert J. Waller Iii

Theses

Not included.

What Prospective College Students Say Matters During The College Selection Process, Kari L. Steger

Theses

For most prospective college students, selecting a college is a highly involved, lengthy process. While past research has examined how high school students determine their college choice subsets and what information sources they use most during the college selection process, further research is needed to determine the most effective means of reaching prospective students. The current study employs focus group research to examine students' college selection processes to gain a better understanding of the types of information students seek during their college selection process, the media they use to find it, and the people whose guidance they seek when making …