Digital Commons Network^™

Stable Pde Solution Methods For Large Multiquadric Shape Parameters, Nicolas Ali Libre, Arezoo Emdadi, Edward J. Kansa, Mohammad Rahimian, Mohammad Shekarchi

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present a new method based upon the paper of Volokh and Vilney (2000) that produces highly accurate and stable solutions to very ill-conditioned multiquadric (MQ) radial basis function (RBF) asymmetric collocation methods for partial differential equations (PDEs). We demonstrate that the modified Volokh-Vilney algorithm that we name the improved truncated singular value decomposition (IT-SVD) produces highly accurate and stable numerical solutions for large values of a constant MQ shape parameter, c, that exceeds the critical value of c based upon Gaussian elimination.

The Impact Of Storage Container Materials On Iga In Human Breast Milk Stored At Two Different Temperatures, Matthew D. Jenkins

Theses

This study investigated the relationship between the type of material and the concentration of IgA in human milk stored at two temperatures over time. Twelve breastfeeding mothers participated in the study with samples of milk obtained at locations of the participant's preference and transported to the laboratory in a sterile Snappies PP container stored in a cooler filled with ice. The sample was divided up and pipetted into 12 containers. IgA concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at time zero, 9, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours. Milk IgA concentration decreased in all containers, with the exception of polycarbonate …

The Meaning Of Natural Environment Occupations: Exploring The Experiences Of Sierra Club Members, Tulin Roselynn Ture

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Poets and writers have long lauded the beauty and necessity of nature. More recent literature and research has provided support for the healthful benefits of the natural environment. This literature spans the breadth of many disciplines. Yet, very little occupational therapy literature focuses on the natural environment. This is somewhat surprising given occupational therapy’s focus on space and place.

This thesis explores the experience of participation in natural environment occupations by adult members of the Sierra Club. Five Sierra Club members were interviewed and two local Sierra Club outings were observed. Qualitative data analysis revealed two major themes: childhood beginnings …

Dysphagic Patient Compliance With Thickened Liquid Recommendations, Carrie Potts

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In light of the growing prevalence of dysphagic patients on Speech-Language Pathologists’ caseloads and the frequent prescription of thickened liquids as a treatment strategy (Garcia, Chambers & Molander, 2005; Low, Wyles, Wilkinson & Sainsbury, 2001; Robbins, Nicosia, Hind, Gill, Blanco, & Logemann, 2002), our limited understanding of the factors that contribute to patient adherence presents a significant challenge to the management of dysphagia. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the decisions patients make regarding dysphagia recommendations. Drawing upon adherence/compliance research from the field of behavioral medicine, the results of this study revealed a complex interplay of …

Rational Best-Value Model Based On Expected Performance, Magdy Abdelrahman, Tarek Zayed, Jay Hietpas, Ahmed Elwakil

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The best-value procurement strategy is gaining the interest of federal and state agencies. The strategy increases the value added to a project for each dollar added. A new concept of best value, that is, a rational and flexible model based on expected performance, is presented. The model's flexibility is obvious in the selection of parameters to be included in the contractor selection process and in the determination of their weights. The model's rationality will be achieved through relating all awarded scores to the agency's expected performance. The establishment of the best-value model relies on the past record of the contractor's …

Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping For Seed Mineral Concentrations In Two Arabidopsis Thaliana Recombinant Inbred Populations, Brian M. Waters, Michael A. Grusak

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Biofortification of foods, achieved by increasing the concentrations of minerals such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), is a goal of plant scientists. Understanding genes that influence seed mineral concentration in a model plant such as Arabidopsis could help in the development of nutritionally enhanced crop cultivars. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for seed concentrations of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), Fe, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and Zn was performed using two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, Columbia (Col) × Landsberg erecta (Ler) and Cape Verde Islands (Cvi) × Ler, grown …

Whole-Plant Mineral Partitioning Throughout The Life Cycle In Arabidopsis Thaliana Ecotypes Columbia, Landsberg Erecta, Cape Verde Islands, And The Mutant Line Ysl1ysl3, Brian M. Waters, Michael A. Grusak

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Minimal information exists on whole-plant dynamics of mineral flow through Arabidopsis thaliana or on the source tissues responsible for mineral export to developing seeds. Understanding these phenomena in a model plant could help in the development of nutritionally enhanced crop cultivars. A whole-plant partitioning study, using sequential harvests, was conducted to characterize growth and mineral concentrations and contents of rosettes, cauline leaves, stems, immature fruit, mature fruit hulls, and seeds of three WT lines (Col-0, Ler, and Cvi) and one mutant line (Col-0::ysl1ysl3). Shoot mineral content increased throughout the life cycle for all minerals, although tissue-specific …

When Does Nitrate Become A Risk For Humans?, David S. Powlson, Tom M. Addiscott, Nigel Benjamin, Kenneth G. Cassman, Theo M. De Kok, Hans Van Grinsven, Jean-Louis L'Hirondel, Alex A. Avery, Chris Van Kessel

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Is nitrate harmful to humans? Are the current limits for nitrate concentration in drinking water justified by science? There is substantial disagreement among scientists over the interpretation of evidence on the issue. There are two main health issues: the linkage between nitrate and (i) infant methaemoglobinaemia, also known as blue baby syndrome, and (ii) cancers of the digestive tract. The evidence for nitrate as a cause of these serious diseases remains controversial. On one hand there is evidence that shows there is no clear association between nitrate in drinking water and the two main health issues with which it has …

A Stabilized Rbf Collocation Scheme For Neumann Type Boundary Value Problems, Nicolas Ali Libre, Arezoo Emdadi, Edward J. Kansa, Mohammad Rahimian, Mohammad Shekarchi

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs) with Neumann boundary conditions (BCs) resulted from strong form collocation scheme are typically much poorer in accuracy compared to those with pure Dirichlet BCs. In this paper, we show numerically that the reason of the reduced accuracy is that Neumann BC requires the approximation of the spatial derivatives at Neumann boundaries which are significantly less accurate than approximation of main function. Therefore, we utilize boundary treatment schemes that based upon increasing the accuracy of spatial derivatives at boundaries. Increased accuracy of the spatial derivative approximation can be achieved by h-refmement reducing the …

Vegetation Identification Based On Satellite Imagery, Vamsi K.R. Mantena, Ramu Pedada, Srinivas Jakkula, Yuzhong Shen, Jiang Li, Hamid R. Arabnia (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Automatic vegetation identification plays an important role in many applications including remote sensing and high performance flight simulations. This paper presents a method to automatically identify vegetation based upon satellite imagery. First, we utilize the ISODATA algorithm to cluster pixels in the images where the number of clusters is determined by the algorithm. We then apply morphological operations to the clustered images to smooth the boundaries between clusters and to fill holes inside clusters. After that, we compute six features for each cluster. These six features then go through a feature selection algorithm and three of them are determined to …

Dual-Polarized Near-Field Microwave Reflectometer For Noninvasive Inspection Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer-Strengthened Structures, Sergey Kharkovsky, Adam C. Ryley, Vivian Stephen, R. Zoughi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are increasingly being used to strengthen various components of civil, aerospace, and automotive infrastructures. Subsequent to the application of CFRP, evaluation of the structural integrity of the strengthened members becomes a critical issue. Microwave noninvasive inspection techniques have been successfully used for this purpose. To this end, a novel near-field microwave inspection system that employs a dual-polarized reflectometer for detecting defects, such as disbonds between CFRP laminates and strengthened structures, was developed. It is shown that this system is capable of automatic removal of the influence of undesired standoff distance (or surface roughness) variations. …

Relationship Between Workplace Skills And Grade Point Averages As Predictors For Employment, John Nelson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine the relationship between workplace readiness skills test scores of students' with their current year grade point average in the Information Technology and Telecommunication ATC courses as a predictor of successful employment.

An Analysis Of Tidewater Community College English Instructors' Attitudes Toward Using Instructional Technology, Linda Ferrara

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine the attitudes of English composition instructors toward using instructional technology in a post-secondary composition course.

Using Brain Compatible Assessment To Obtain Higher Test Scores As Compared To Multiple Choice Tests, Raena Weimer

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether high school students enrolled in Resource Management for Independent Living obtained higher test scores when evaluated using brain-compatible assessments.

An Examination Of The Relationship Of Six Risk Factors Associated With Dropping Out Of High School For Students With Disabilities In South Central Michigan, Dawn Gallup

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative, retrospective (ex post facto), research in south central Michigan was to determine the relationship of six risk factors associated with dropping out of high school to students with disabilities (SWDs). The six risk factors were (a) grade retention (never held back or held back one or more times), (b) age compared to peers (same age as peers or one year or older than peers), (c) limited English proficiency (English speaking or English as a second language), (d) category of disability (learning disabled/emotionally impaired or cognitively impaired/other), (e) mobility (the number of school districts or …

The Monroe County Intermediate School District: A Case Study, Donald A. Spencer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Throughout the history of public education in Michigan, there has been an intermediate unit of educational government. This unit of educational government exists between the State Department of Education and the local school districts. Currently, there are fifty-seven intermediate school districts in Michigan providing educational services and governance functions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the Monroe County Intermediate School District in order to inform educational leadership.

Research Design: This study was an interpretive, historical case study. The study explored the manner in which culture was perpetuated via the system of education in Monroe, Michigan, throughout …

Electron Density And Temperature Measurement Of An Atmospheric Pressure Plasma By Millimeter Wave Interferometer, Xinpei Lu, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, a 105 GHz millimeter wave interferometer system is used to measure the electron density and temperature of an atmospheric pressure helium plasma driven by submicrosecond pulses. The peak electron density and electron-neutral collision frequency reach 8 X 10¹² cm^-3 and 2.1 X 10¹² s^-1, respectively. According to the electron-helium collision cross section and the measured electron-neutral collision frequency, the electron temperature of the plasma is estimated to reach a peak value of about 8.7 eV.

Reproducible Increased Mg Incorporation And Large Hole Concentration In Gan Using Metal Modulated Epitaxy, Shawn D. Burnham, Gon Namkoong, David C. Look, Bruce Clafin, W. Alan Doolittle

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The metal modulated epitaxy (MME) growth technique is reported as a reliable approach to obtain reproducible large hole concentrations in Mg-doped GaN grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy on c-plane sapphire substrates. An extremely Ga-rich flux was used, and modulated with the Mg source according to the MME growth technique. The shutter modulation approach of the MME technique allows optimal Mg surface coverage to build between MME cycles and Mg to incorporate at efficient levels in GaN films. The maximum sustained concentration of Mg obtained in GaN films using the MME technique was above 7 × 10²⁰ cm^{-3 …}

A Framework For Integrating Dna Sequenced Data, Prabin Dutta

Theses

The Human Genome Project generated vast amounts of DNA sequenced data scattered in disparate data sources in a variety of formats. Integrating biological data and extracting information held in DNA sequences are major ongoing tasks for biologists and software professionals. This thesis explored issues of finding, extracting, merging and synthesizing information from multiple disparate data sources containing DNA sequenced data, which is composed of 3 billion chemical building blocks of bases. We proposed a biological data integration framework based on typical usage patterns to simplify these issues for biologists. The framework uses a relational database management system at the backend, …

How Modes Of Interviewing Affect Self-Disclosure, Sara Elizabeth Nicholls

Theses

This study examined how different modes of interviewing affect the self-disclosure of sensitive information in emerging adults. Participants included 61 students ages 18 to 22 years old who attended a Western New York university. Internalizing behaviors such as feelings of depression and anxiety were measured using three questionnaire formats: face-to-face, computer, and paper/pencil. Results showed that participants answered significantly different between the interview modes on 6 of the 21 questions. Those in the computer group were significantly more likely to endorse "No" on questions pertaining to feelings of depression and anxiety. These results suggest that the computer mode may be …

Si Dios Quiere ..., Katrina Marcelle D'Autremont

Theses

This thesis explores issues of closeness and distance within families. By looking at how aspects of cultural identity further complicate this dynamic as well as how photography is used as a way of mapping a family character, this thesis encompasses topics ranging from Argentine artists to early daguerreotype photography. Using her own Argentine- American heritage as a subject for the photographs, the artist focuses on her grandfather's apartment in Argentina, which acts as a stage, and character in her family story. Traditional modes of photographic posing are borrowed and explored in this work, not only to reference the old photographs …

The Effects Of Writing About Positive Reminiscence On Happiness With Adolescents, Alison M. Senter

Theses

Much research has been done with adults in the field of positive psychology, reminiscence, and journal writing. Previous findings reveal that reminiscing about positive memories enhances one's happiness, well-being, life satisfaction, and self-continuity. The current study sought to expand this to adolescence. A group of 19 male and female ninth graders from a northeastern, suburban high school were assigned to a positive reminiscence or a daily hassles journal writing group. Analyses revealed significant effects on participants' positive affect; journal writing in general and specifically writing only about positive memories both significantly increased participants' ratings of perceived positive affect. However, no …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

No abstract provided.

The Career Of State Sovereign Immunity Under The United States Constitution, William A. Labach

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

controversial since the ratification of the Constitution in 1789. In 1793, the Supreme Court ruled that the states had no sovereign immunity. The Eleventh Amendment reversed this ruling about the Constitution. The Eleventh Amendment itself has also been very controversial. We study the history and development of sovereign immunity jurisprudence from the founding of the United States until the present time.

Precision Agriculture: Realizing Increased Profit And Reduced Risk Through Cost Map And Lightbar Adoption, Benjamin Michael Kayrouz

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

This thesis examines the use of two specific types of precision agriculture technologies: cost maps and lightbar. Cost maps visually depict spatial differences in production costs. The visual depictions of these costs are represented using ArcGIS in an attempt to aide farmers in further decision making. Results will show that cost maps have great possibilities in their addition to the set of tools that farmers use in decision making. This thesis will expand the understanding of lightbar from a partial budget study to a whole farm model incorporating competition across different enterprises for labor and capital. The results from the …

The Missing Link: Marital Virtues And Their Relationship To Individual Functioning, Communication, And Relationship Adjustment, Amanda Veldorale-Brogan

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Relationship adjustment research is being expanded beyond established connections with communication and individual functioning. In recent years, researchers have looked to positive psychology and virtues. That research shifts the focus from psychopathology and communication to more core values and ways of being. The present study seeks to expand this knowledge base using Blaine Fowers (2000) framework of marital virtues. His framework views what a person puts into an intimate relationship as an important predictor of relationship adjustment. The present study uses this framework in conjunction with previous research to examine the direct and indirect links amongst individual functioning, marital virtues, …

Using Forward-Looking Infrared Radiography To Estimate Elk Density And Distribution In Eastern Kentucky, Lauren M. Dahl

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Elk (Cervus elaphus) in eastern Kentucky appear to have increased in number since reintroduction in 1997, but rugged landscapes and cryptic elk behavior have precluded use of typical population survey methods to accurately estimate population size. In December 2006, I used forward-looking infrared radiography (FLIR) to survey the elk population in eastern Kentucky. Elk locations identified by FLIR were used to create a landscape based model to estimate the density distribution of elk within a 7,088 km2 core area of the elk restoration zone. FLIR detected 76% of elk groups of < 10 individuals and 100% of elk groups of ≥ 10 individuals. The density of elk was positively associated with the amount of herbaceous area, herbaceous edge, herbaceous area weighted mean patch fractal dimensions, proximity to release sites, the number of elk released at each site and urban core area index, and negatively associated with road density. My model estimated the elk population at 7,001 (SE = 772, 95% CI = 5,488- 8,514) individuals within the core area, 53% of which were < 10 km from release sites. The predicted elk distribution pattern and abundance estimate derived from this model will be important for wildlife managers in successfully managing the Kentucky elk population.

Enriching Or Depleting: An Investigation Of Communication And Behavior Within The Family Business, Joyceia Marie Banner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Despite the prevalence of family firms, researchers often ignore the significant impact of the family on the business. Thus, if organizational scholars do not account for the family as a variable in their research, they will not account for a significant number of the organizations they purport to understand. The fact that family businesses comprise such a large percentage of organizations proves that the family business context deserves more attention from both organizational and organizational communication scholars. With this in mind, the original intent of this dissertation was to explore the impact of family relationships on communication practices and behaviors …

Using Creative Writing Instruction In The Urban High School English Classroom To Promote Writing Skills In Remedial Level Students, Maureen Harrison

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this research is to investigate the value of creative writing instruction for increasing the literacy of remedial students in urban High School English classes. Students who are placed in remedial level classes often have preconceived negative feelings concerning their ability to produce academic writing. As I later discuss through the research of Debra Holmes Matthews, John A. Daly and Michael D. Miller, these preconceived notions impact the motivation and educational experience of remedial level students. In my research I will examine the ability of creative writing to motivate struggling student writers and help to improve specific writing …

The Many Masks Of Louisa May Alcott’S Gothic Heroines, Lisa Poggi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Many of the female characters in the Gothic thrillers of Louisa May Alcott wear masks or are or portrayed as “actresses” who conceal their passion with the appearance of being the typical domestic woman. This idea is most clearly presented in “Behind a Mask” and “Pauline’s Passion and Punishment.” In these thrillers, hidden passion causes problems in each heroine’s life, either because her strong will is an unacceptable female characteristic and she will therefore be shunned in some way by society or by those dear to her; or, expressing her passion will result in disaster of some kind. This representation …