Digital Commons Network^™

Fever, Firepower, And Flood: The Transformation Of The Missouri River Bottomlands In The Dakotas 1804-2005, Robert A. Dunn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the indigneous geography of the Missouri River Valley of the Dakotas. Since Lewis and Clark's expedition in 1804, this landscape has been transformed by two externally introduced components, reservations and reservoirs. To move the native tribes out of the way of an expanding American empire in the mid-19th century, the U.S. Government confined the tribes to territories, then to reservations, which grew smaller as each new wave of Euro-American immigration launched more land-taking by the federal government. To ensure military and political control over the tribes, the U.S. government supported the efforts of hide hunters to …

Comparing Kin And Non-Kin Foster Parents' Emotional Investment In Their Young Children, Rhonda Norwood

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In 2003, there were reports of child maltreatment affecting over 5.5 million children in the United States. As a result of this epidemic, over 500,000 children are in foster care with an estimated additional 300,000 in voluntary kin placements. Because of a shortage of foster families and resources, Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies routinely seek and give priority to family members to serve as foster families to maltreated children. There is a large body of research that demonstrates that children in kinship care are often at greater risk than those children placed in non-kin foster homes, particularly in terms of …

Factors That Influence Visual Attention And Their Effects On Safety In Driving: An Eye Movement Tracking Approach, Larry Bargola Nabatilan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Statistics show that a high percentage of road related accidents are due to factors that cause impaired driving. Since information extraction in driving is predominantly a visual task, visual distraction and its implications are therefore important safety issues. The main objective of this research is to study some of the implications of demands to human’s attention and perception and how it affects performance of tasks such as driving. Specifically, the study aims to determine the changes that occur in the visual behavior of drivers with different levels of driving experience by tracking the movement of the eye; examine the effects …

Yardbird Cello: Adapting The Language Of Charlie Parker To The Cello Through Solo Transcription And Analysis, Kristin Isaacson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examines the musical and technical demands of adapting the bebop melodic language of saxophonist Charlie Parker to the cello. String players have tended to avoid this musical language due to its non-idiomatic nature. A staple of jazz performers' repertory however, bebop tunes remain standard works of study for any student of jazz improvisation. This paper examines the challenges for the cellist's left hand in playing Parker's melodies and improvisations. It also suggests possible bowing solutions that allow the player to emulate his articulation. Further, it examines issues of musical timing and various learning techniques for the application of …

Emerging Commons And Tragic Institutions, Brigham Daniels

Faculty Scholarship

For the past forty years, scholars have developed an immense literature devoted to understanding and solving the tragedy of the commons. The most prominent solutions to this tragedy have focused on building and maintaining stable institutions. This Article reexamines this foundational literature by exploring the costs of stability. In many cases, far more than is generally recognized, the way we value the commons changes. When values change, stable institutions that once made perfect sense become rigid institutions that block change. This Article explains how institutions most able to solve the tragedy of the commons often cause a tragedy of another …

Factors Influencing The Spatial Distribution Of Natural Resource-Based Industries: The Softwood Lumber Industry In The United States South, Francisco Xavier Aguilar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Expanding on the Theory of Location, New Economic Geography, and Porter's Theory of Clusters this dissertation attempts to identify key factors influencing the location of firms in a resource-based industry. The softwood lumber industry in the United States is used as a case study to test several hypotheses concerning these theories. Two U.S. regions, the West and the South, were selected for analysis because they account for over 70 percent of U.S lumber manufacturing capacity. A multi-disciplinary research approach involved three-stages. First, self-reported preferences were analyzed using common factor and conjoint analyses for preferences for location attributes. Surveys were sent …

Learning By Wandering: Using Technology To Nourish The Spirit, Marie Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My purpose in this dissertation is to explore aspects of the nature of learning and to address the question of how to use technology in education to nourish the human spirit. To do this, I use a combination of critical and historical analysis. I reconnect first of all with my native ancient Irish culture. From this perspective, I gain an understanding of learning as a spiritual quest for transcendence effected through learning by wandering, and an insight into technology’s noble role in nourishing this hunger of the human spirit. I find that this vision is given historical expression in the …

Comparison Of Kp And Bbm-Kp Models, Gideon Pyelshak Daspan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation we show that the solution of the pure initial-value problems for the KP and regularize KP equations are the same, to within the order of accuracy attributable to either, on the time scale from zero to epsilon to negative three halves power, during which nonlinear and dispersive effects may accumulate to make an order-one relative difference to the wave profiles.

A Control Mechanism To The Anywhere Pixel Router, Subhasri Krishnan

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Traditionally large format displays have been achieved using software. A new technique of using hardware based anywhere pixel routing is explored in this thesis. Information stored in a Look Up Table (LUT) in the hardware can be used to tile two image streams to produce a seamless image display. This thesis develops a 1 input-image 1 output-image system that implements arbitrary image warping on the image, based a LUT stored in memory. The developed system control mechanism is first validated using simulation results. It is next validated via implementation to a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based hardware prototype and …

Application Of Genetic Algorithms And Cfd For Flow Control Optimization, Narendra Beliganur Kotragouda

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Active flow control is an area of heightened interest in the aerospace community. Previous research on flow control design processes heavily depended on trial and error and the designers knowledge and intuition. Such an approach cannot always meet the growing demands of higher design quality in less time. Successful application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to this kind of control problem critically depends on an efficient searching algorithm for design optimization. CFD in conjunction with Genetic Algorithms (GA) potentially offers an efficient and robust optimization method and is a promising solution for current flow control designs. Current research has combined …

Power System Fault Detection And Classification By Wavelet Transforms And Adaptive Resonance Theory Neural Networks, Karthikeyan Kasinathan

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

This thesis aims at detecting and classifying the power system transmission line faults. To deal with the problem of an extremely large data set with different fault situations, a three step optimized Neural Network approach has been proposed. The approach utilizes Discrete Wavelet Transform for detection and two different types of self-organized, unsupervised Adaptive Resonance Theory Neural Networks for classification. The fault scenarios are simulated using Alternate Transients Program and the performance of this highly improved scheme is compared with the existing techniques. The simulation results prove that the proposed technique handles large data more efficiently and time of operation …

Partially Fluorinated Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds: Synthesis And Supramolecular Behavior, Don Mark Cho

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The field of organic electronics has received much attention over the last few years, and engineering of organic crystals to grow with pi-electron systems arranged in a face-to-face motif has been shown to be beneficial in electronic devices. The effects of combining aromatic and perfluorinated aromatic derivatives have shown that the intramolecular stacking pattern can be changed from an edge-to-face arrangement to that of a face-to-face motif. Before the work described herein, there were no reported studies of the supramolecular behavior of fused polycyclic aromatic compounds with partial peripheral fluorination, inducing the desired face-to-face behavior. This is the main focus …

Projecting The Results Of State Smoking Ban Initiatives Using Cartographic Analysis, Donna Arlene Gilbreath

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Because tobacco smoking causes 430,000 U.S. deaths annually, wide-reaching smoking bans are needed. Bans reduce cigarette consumption, encourage cessation, protect nonsmokers from second-hand smoke, and promote an attitude that smoking is undesirable. Therefore, bans may prevent future generations from suffering many smoking-related health problems. The federal government has not implemented widereaching smoking bans so it falls on individual states, counties, or communities to devise appropriate smoking policy. To date, smoking policy has been determined by legislators, who may have conflicts that prevent them from acting in the publics best interest. However, this method of implementing smoking policy may be changing. …

Geophysical And Geological Investigation Of Neotectonic Deformation Along The Caborn And Hovey Lake Faults, Wabash Valley Fault System, Central United States, James Whitt

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Seismic reflection (P- and SH-wave), ground-penetrating radar, correlative drilling, and age dating data provide evidence of neotectonic deformation along the Caborn (CF) and Hovey Lake (HLF) faults, in the Wabash Valley fault system (WVFS). The WVFS is a series of high-angle normal faults located primarily in southern Indiana and Illinois. Since their formation, these faults have likely been transpressionally reactivated in the contemporary E-W-oriented compressive stress state. The WVFS has experienced large prehistoric earthquakes, but only moderate historic and contemporary seismicity; therefore, the seismic potential in this region is poorly defined. The bedrock expressions of the CF and HLF were …

Catalytic Growth Of Structured Carbon Via The Decomposition Of Halogenated Reactants Over Supported Nickel, Laxmi Deepshika Cherukuri

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The synthesis of highly ordered carbonaceous materials, including carbon nanofibers, has been the subject of a disparate and burgeoning literature over the past decade. Growth of carbon nanotubes via an atypical catalytic route, the decomposition of halogenated reactants as chlorobenzene (CB) over 10% (w/w) Ni/SiO2 is investigated. The C (carbon) yield and structural order are a function of reaction time and temperature. Greater degree of structural order and C yield is observed from CB relative to benzene, suggesting Cl/catalyst interaction(s) and metal site restructuring. Evaluation of the effect of H2 on C growth from CB reveals that C yield is …

Analytical Methods For Transport Equations In Similarity Form, Abhishek Tiwari

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

We present a novel approach for deriving analytical solutions to transport equations expressedin similarity variables. We apply a fixed-point iteration procedure to these transformedequations by formally solving for the highest derivative term and then integrating to obtainan expression for the solution in terms of a previous estimate. We are able to analyticallyobtain the Lipschitz condition for this iteration procedure and, from this (via requirements forconvergence given by the contraction mapping principle), deduce a range of values for the outerlimit of the solution domain, for which the fixed-point iteration is guaranteed to converge.

Rlinks: A Mechanism For Navigating To Related Files, Naveen Akarapu

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

This thesis introduces Relative links or rlinks, which are directed labeled links from one file to another in a file system. Rlinks provide a clean way to build and share related-file information without creating additional files and directories. Rlinks form overlay graphs between files of a file system, thus providing useful alternate views of the file system. This thesis implements rlinks for the Linux kernel and modifies the storage structure of the Ext2 file system to store the rlinks.

Numerical Simulation Of Two Flow Control Approaches For Low Reynolds Number Applications, Daniel A. Reasor Jr.

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Current research in experimental and computational fluid dynamics is focused in the area of flow control. Flow control devices are usually classified as either passive or active. Plasma actuators are active flow control devices that require input from an external power source. Current efforts have modeled the effects of plasma actuators as a body force near the electrode. The research presented herein focuses on modeling the fluid-plasma interaction seen in dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators as a body force vector in the region above the embedded electrode using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This body force is modeled as the product …

Characterization Of Polyphenol Oxidase And Antioxidants From Pawpaw (Asimina Tribola) Fruit, Caodi Fang

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The latest generation of fighter aircraft utilizes a 270Vdc power system [1]. Such high voltage DC power systems are difficult to protect with conventional circuit breakers because the current does not automatically go to zero twice per cycle during a fault like it does in an AC power system and thus arcing of the contacts is a problem. Solid state power controllers (SSPCs) are the solid state equivalent of a circuit breaker that do not arc and which can respond more rapidly to a fault than a mechanical breaker [2]. Present SSPCs are limited to lower voltages and currents by …

Assessing Product Configurator Capabilities For Successful Mass Customization, Kundana Inala

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Mass customization is becoming a competitive strategy for companies offering individualized products. Product configurators provide a platform for companies to do interactive product configuration which is essential for mass customization. Companies need to realize the degree of customization appreciated by the customers and the extent of customization that can be offered competitively. This research is an effort to develop an approach to ascertain the product configurator requirements to achieve mass customization. The frameworks developed for this research are validated with a case study.

Influence Of Surface Roughness Of Copper Substrate On Wetting Behavior Of Molten Solder Alloys, Dinesh Reddy Nalagatla

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The objective of this study is to understand the effect of surface roughness of the Cu substrate on the wetting of molten solder alloys. Eutectic Sn-Pb, pure Sn and eutectic Sn-Cu solder alloys and Cu substrates with different surface finish viz., highly polished surface, polished surface and unpolished surface were used in this work. Highly polished surface was prepared in Metallography lab, University of Kentucky while other two substrates were obtained from a vendor. Surface roughness properties of each substrate were measured using an optical profilometer. Highly polished surface was found to be of least surface roughness, while unpolished surface …

The Use Of Selective Annealing For Superplastic Forming Of Mg Az31 Alloy, Michael Christopher Cusick

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A recent study on the Post-Formed properties of Superplastically Formed Magnesium AZ31B has shown that the heating time prior to testing has a major effect on the Post Forming properties of the superplastically material. To this point, there has been very little examination into the effect of pre-heating or annealing on superplastic forming (SPF) properties. In this work, the effects of annealing prior to the SPF of Mg AZ31 alloy were examined. Both high temperature SPF tensile and bulge specimens were formed after annealing. Multiple annealing temperatures were examined to produce specimens with grain sizes ranging from 8 andamp;igrave;m to …

An Approach To Inverse Modeling Through The Integration Of Artificial Neural Networks And Genetic Algorithms, Kirthi Bedida

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A hybrid model integrating predictive capabilities of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and optimization feature of Genetic Algorithm (GA) is developed for the purpose of inverse modeling. The proposed approach is applied to Superplastic forming of materials to predict the material properties which characterize the performance of a material. The study is carried out on two problems. For the first problem, ANN is trained to predict the strain rate sensitivity index m given the temperature and the strain rate. The performance of different gradient search methods used in training the ANN model is demonstrated. Similar approach is used for the second …

The Development Of An Engine Lubricant Containing Soybean Oil, Stephanie Mccoy

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The major downfalls of vegetable oils, namely soybean oil in this research, are very detrimental to engine lubricant performance. A unique - out of the box- additive package is needed to compensate for the lubricant deficiencies. This research searched for unique additive solutions to the problems of oxidation and heat stability, low temperature pumpability, and fluid corrosiveness. The additive solutions were then tested in preliminary engine tests. In this research, several formulations were developed that passed the main engine oil low temperature test, the mini rotary viscometer. The lubricants met the passing viscosity requirements of 60,000 centipoise and exhibited no …

Tracing The Origin Of The Recent Rise In Neuropathogenic Ehv-1, Kathryn Laura Smith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Equine herpesvirus type-1(EHV-1) is a complex virus known for inducing various forms of disease in horses. In recent years, the number of cases of neurological disease caused by this virus has increased. While there are a number of possible sources for this recent surge, this project set out to determine if a genotypic shift in the latent population of the virus in favor of the neuropathogenic form of EHV-1 is the basis for the recent increase in frequency of EHV-1 neurologic disease. To ascertain if such a shift has in fact occurred, 450 EHV-1 isolates were obtained from fetal tissues …

A Database Of Persons Convicted Of Felonies In Washtenaw County, Michigan, 1990-2007, Donald E. Shelton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a database of information from Washtenaw County, Michigan, court records of approximately one-fourth of its convicted felons from 1990 to 2007. It includes 3,123 sentencing appearances for 3,992 crimes committed by 2,495 defendants. It includes 1126 probation violation resentencings for a total of 5,118 sentences. It contains demographics of defendants and the dynamics of their crimes and the sentencing process. Several official court reports in each case were examined.

Preliminary descriptive and frequency analyses are reported to describe the database in detail and lay the groundwork for future sophisticated regression and other analyses. Special attention is given …

A Network Processing Node For Light Unmanned Aircraft, Timothy William Arrowsmith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Over the last decade, research into unmanned and autonomous vehicles has greatly increased. With applications ranging from science and exploration to humanitarian and military efforts, the rising need for autonomous vehicles demands constant innovation and growth. The Intelligent Dependable Embedded Architectures (IDEA) lab at the University of Kentucky is continually launching research oriented programs [1]. A few key projects focus on the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Through this research, at the University of Kentucky, the need to develop a reliable, lightweight, node based hardware for use in light UAVs and other unmanned and autonomous vehicles became apparent. This …

The Multifaceted Nature Of Impulsive Sensation-Seeking: Differential Relationships With Personality, Deviance, And Laboratory Tasks, Drew J. Miller

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The current study examined divergences among impulsivity and sensation seeking items from the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire Impulsive Sensation Seeking scale in terms of their relations to other personality models, deviance, and laboratory task outcomes. A sample of 654 undergraduates was gathered across two studies and given a Five Factor Model of personality measure (e.g. NEO Five Factor Inventory, NEO Five Factor Report Form), deviance measures (e.g. Antisocial Behavior Inventory, Explicit Attitudes Towards Marijuana Questionnaire), and three laboratory tasks (e.g. Balloon Analogue Risk Task, Newmans Card-Playing Task). Results demonstrated the hypothesized divergences among impulsivity and sensation seeking items on measures of …

Optimization Of A Dual-Mode Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor, Prasanth Bathae Kumaresh

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Surface plasmon waves are TM polarized charge density waves that propagate at the interface of two media with real dielectric constants of opposite sign (i.e. liquid dielectric and certain metals). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors use these waves to detect refractive index changes adjacent to the metal layer. Refractive index changes arise from the binding of an analyte (e.g. a target molecule, protein, or bacterium) to the functionalized metal layer or from interfering effects such as changes in solution index. Standard, single channel SPR sensors cannot differentiate these two effects as their design allows only one mode to be coupled. …

Numerical Investigation And Parallel Computing For Thermal Transport Mechanism During Nanomachining, Ravi R. Kumar

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Nano-scale machining, or Nanomachining is a hybrid process in which the total thermal energy necessary to remove atoms from a work-piece surface is applied from external sources. In the current study, the total thermal energy necessary to remove atoms from a work-piece surface is applied from two sources: (1) localized energy from a laser beam focused to a micron-scale spot to preheat the work-piece, and (2) a high-precision electron-beam emitted from the tips of carbon nano-tubes to remove material via evaporation/sublimation. Macro-to-nano scale heat transfer models are discussed for understanding their capability to capture and its application to predict the …