Digital Commons Network^™

U.S. Response To Terrorism: A Strategic Analysis Of The Afghanistan Campaign, Valentina Taddeo

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the U.S. response to global terrorism and its campaign in Afghanistan from 2001 to today. The aim of this article is first to understand the fallacies, missteps, and misunderstandings of the U.S. approach in Afghanistan. Second, the analysis evaluates the lessons learnt and some possible strategies for achieving long-term stability and security in Afghanistan. In particular, the analysis focuses on the different strategies adopted by the United States and their achievements. Despite a first victory over the Taliban regime, the initial approach was focused on the enemy only and it lacked long-term planning, paving the way to …

Philosophy's Polis: The Place Of Europe In Husserl's Critique Of Reason, Kenneth Knies

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation examines "political" philosophy of Edmund Husserl through a critique of the concept upon which it depends: Europe or The West. Although this concept comes to play a decisive role in Husserl's phenomenology as a whole, he never adequately clarifies its meaning or accounts for the significance it assumes in his final attempted treatise: The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology . Because the concept "Europe" connects the cognitive aims of philosophy and science with the defining aspirations of a single historically specified humanity, it has received due attention in ideologically charged discussions of Eurocentrism. In this context, …

Whole Body Vibration As A Treatment To Counter Bone Detriment And Obesity Caused By Poor Nutritional Intake, Aditi Jatkar

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Consumption of diets high in fat content or carbohydrate content is known to cause obesity and diabetes. In fact the causes and effects of diabetes and obesity are inter-related and are known to have associations with the onset of osteoporosis. Despite the availability of pharmacological treatments, an effective cure for osteoporosis has not yet been developed highlighting the need to ensure optimal, maximum bone growth during the growing years of the skeleton. It is therefore important to identify factors which can be detrimental or beneficial to healthy bone deposition or increase rate of bone resorption. It is known that nutrition …

Physiological And Pathological Roles Of Class Ia Phosphoinositide 3-Kinases P110alpha And P110beta., Chia-Yen Wu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are enzymes that phosphorylate the 3'-OH of the inositol moiety of the membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. These enzymes are divided into subclasses IA and IB. Class IA PI3Ks play essential roles in regulating cell growth, survival and metabolism. They are also strongly implicated in the development of human cancers. There are three class IA PI3K catalytic isoforms, p110alpha, p110beta and p110delta. Currently, it is unclear what are their distinct biological functions. For my thesis research, I used genetically engineered mice to study the roles of p110alpha and p110beta in the regulation of heart contraction, the …

Introduced Sport Fish And Fish Conservation In A Novel Food Web: Evidence Of Predatory Impact, Kevin Lee Landom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study addressed a fundamental question in applied ecology and conservation; what is the predatory impact of introduced piscivorous sport fish on imperiled native fish populations? More specifically, which of many introduced species and size-classes represent the greatest threats and should be targeted for control? In order to explore this important question, an integrated analysis of stable isotopes, quantified observed diet analysis, and stable isotope mass-balance models were used to quantify trophic interactions. These tools were used to construct food web models that were then compared to draw inferences regarding the relative contribution of prey fish, including rare native fish, …

The Ecological Influences Of Community Trail Use And Physical Activity Among Female Trail Users, Sarah N. Moulton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite great effort to improve physical activity, little success has come to pass. Due to this, some researchers have shifted from individual approaches to promoting physical activity to multilevel environmental approaches. One of these multifaceted environmental approaches is through community trails. A small body of research has suggested that community trails may be a successful ecological approach to promoting physical activity. However, the research is minimal and inconsistent in supporting effectiveness of community trails for promoting physical activity.

This study sought to examine ecological factors to learn if and how they might influence trail use among women. The ecological factors …

Estimation Of Aboveground Terrestrial Net Primary Productivity And Analysis Of Its Spatial And Temporal Trends In The Conterminous United States From 1997 To 2007 Using Nasa-Casa Model, Sami Khanal

Theses and Dissertations

This study estimated monthly and annual Net Primary Productivity (NPP), an important indicator of carbon sequestration, in the Conterminous US from 1997 to 2007 using Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach. Vegetation condition, temperature, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation and soil water holding capacity were used as model’s inputs. NPP values were lower than mean annual values during the year 2000 to 2003 which was probably due to extreme drought conditions during these years. Higher NPP per square meter was generally found in Savannah and Subtropical eco-divisions whereas Tropical/Subtropical deserts had the lowest NPP. Southeastern states had the highest NPP per square meter thus, made …

An Exploration Of Amniotic Fluids As A Possible Source Of Fetal Infection In The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (Fiv)-Infected Cat Model Of Pediatric Aid, Brittany Tenille Clay

Theses and Dissertations

The role that amniotic fluid (AF) may play in HIV vertical infection is unresolved. We used the FIV-infected cat model to study this question. We hypothesized that AF may be a source of fetal infection if the virus is present in the fluids. However, virus neutralizing (VN) antibodies in AF may limit vertical transfer. Fetuses were delivered from FIV-infected queens by cesarean section at early and late gestation. AFs were aspirated from intact fetal membranes and tested for viral antigen and RNA and for FIV-specific antibody. Randomlyselected samples were tested for VN activity using a syncytium reduction assay. Neither FIV …

Dit News, 1st.-31st. Of May, 2010, Dit:Students Union

DIT Student Union

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Conflicts Within Churches That Lead To The Termination Of Pastors Within The Southern Baptist Convention, Accompanied By A Proposal Of Preventive And Interventional Solutions, Donald Quentin Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since 1984, LifeWay of the Southern Baptist Convention has collected data through the Pastoral Ministries division of LifeWay from state conventions to determine how many pastors were being fired each year from their churches. They discovered that approximately two hundred pastors were being fired from their churches each month. Leader Care was formed in 1996 in order to find solutions to this problem. Throughout the last decade some progress has been made educating and helping churches and ministers in conflict, as well as ministers and their families who were terminated from the churches they served. In 2008, LifeWay disbanded LeaderCare, …

A Novel Approach To Grass-Legume Management, Juan Kevin Quamina Solomon

Theses and Dissertations

A 2-yr grazing study quantified pasture and animal responses of four forage systems (FS) grazed at two stocking rates (SR; 3 or 6 animals ha-1). Using „Marshall? annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and „Durana? white clover (Trifolium repens L.), FS treatments included spatially separated grass and legumes within the same paddock (SS), monoculture grass (MG), monoculture legume (ML), and a binary grass and legume mixture (MIX). Annual herbage mass (HM) was similar among FS at high SR (1900 kg ha-1), but at low SR, grass plots had greater HM (2900 vs. 2000 kg ha-1) than plots of legume monocultures. Animals …

Assessing Effects Of Land Use On Streams Along The Natchez Trace Parkway Using Rapid Bioassessment Protocol Techniques, Bonnie Laine Earleywine

Theses and Dissertations

Stream quality along the Natchez Trace Parkway was evaluated by hydrologic unit code 4 (HUC4) watersheds and habitat assessment scores as a broad and local scale, respectively. Water chemistry parameters and rapid bioassessment techniques for habitat and fish and invertebrate communities were sampled in 18 streams and six HUC4 watersheds. Forest, agriculture, and developed land use had little variation at HUC4 level; land use impacts could not be determined. Turbidity and TSS were important factors determining habitat scores and created a “boundary” separating southern and northern watersheds. A latitudinal trophic shift was observed of fish omnivoreinsectivore- piscivore in southern watersheds …

Comparison And Analysis Of A Lignite Seam In The Wilcox Group, Choctaw And Kemper County, Mississippi, Joshua M. Johns

Theses and Dissertations

The Wilcox Group includes the most abundant lignite bearing strata in Mississippi. Currently, the only lignite mine in Mississippi is located in Choctaw County with a proposed mine in Kemper County. Six lignite seams are currently mined in Choctaw County. One of those seams is believed to be continuous, from SE Choctaw County through central Winston County, NE Neshoba County into SW Kemper County (roughly 50 miles). Establishing a cross section from Choctaw to Kemper County verifying a continuous lignite seam would provide a stratigraphic marker horizon in correlation along strike, which is uncommon in the Wilcox Group sediments. Through …

Soil Modification And Potential Allelopathy: An Investigation Into How The Invasive Casuarina Equisetifolia L. (Australian Pine) Modify Their Environment, Charlotte P. Buehler

Theses and Dissertations

Casuarina equisetifolia L. is a noxious plant species known to be invasive in the West Indies. Not much is known about its impact on its host environment. This study’s objective was to quantitatively compare physical and chemical soil differences between sites dominated by and devoid of Casuarinas. This study also conducted growth chamber experiments to determine potential for allelopathy. It was demonstrated that sites dominated by Casuarinas differed significantly in K, P, organic matter, and leaf litter depth. Application of Casuarinas leachate showed reduction in germination of radish and bean seeds by at least 32% and 70%, respectively. Once germinated …

Effects Of Sodium Lactate And Acetic Acid Derivatives On The Quality And Sensory Characteristics Of Hot-Boned Pork Sausage Patties, Emily Mcfall Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

Sodium lactate and acetic acid derivatives were evaluated for their effects on color retention, microbial growth (TPC), oxidation (TBARS), and sensory attributes of hot-boned pork sausage patties that were stored under retail store display conditions over time. Treatments included: (a) 2.5% sodium lactate 60% solids (L), (b) 2.5% buffered vinegar pH 6.5-8.0 (V), (c) 2.5% sodium lactate and vinegar 52/48% mixture (LV), (d) control with 0.02% BHA/BHT (C), and (e) negative control without additives (NC). Overall acceptability of day 17 LV and L treatments were not different (P>0.05) from day 14 treatments. These results revealed that the L and …

Decrescendo Vocalizations Of Female Mallards And Mimicry By Duck Callers, James Thomas Callicutt

Theses and Dissertations

Female mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) exhibit diverse vocalizations. Duck hunters mimic these vocalizations using artificial calls made from hardwoods or plastics. Hardness of these calls and extent to which humans can mimic live mallards using an artificial call were unknown before this study. I compared hardness of 7 species of hardwoods and cast acrylic and found acrylic, cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), bocote (Cordia alliodora), osage orange (Maclura pomifera), and pecan (Carya sp.) were the hardest materials tested. I also compared acoustic metrics of field recordings of vocalizing female mallards to those of experienced duck callers using calls of these materials equipped …

Determination Of Antioxidant And Total Phenolic Content Of Pueraria Lobata And Evaluation Of Novel Food Products Containing Kudzu, Sandra Lynn Blalock Burney

Theses and Dissertations

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is an edible vine from the legume family native to China but growing prolifically throughout the southeastern United States. Legumes are abundant in the beneficial compounds phytoestrogens, specifically isoflavones. This research analyzed Mississippi-grown kudzu roots, leaves, and flowers for antioxidant activity and total phenolic content and evaluated consumer acceptability of food products containing kudzu. Results indicated kudzu flowers, roots, and leaves contained phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity amounts in flowers, roots, and leaves were 77.9%, 75.7%, and 56.5%, respectively. The dip products that were developed and evaluated were mayonnaise- and sour cream-based dips that contained either …

Energy Analysis Of A Micro-Chp Demonstration Facility, Paxton Keith Giffin

Theses and Dissertations

Cooling, Heating, and Power (CHP) systems have been around for decades, but systems that utilize 20 kW or less, designated as Micro-CHP, are relatively new. Micro-CHP systems show the most promise for a distributed generation scheme to decentralize the national energy grid. A demonstration site has been constructed at Mississippi State University to show the advantages of these systems. This study is designed to evaluate the performance of a Micro-CHP system and a conventional high-efficiency system. Performance and cost factors can be evaluated for the demonstration site operating under either the CHP system or the conventional system. These results are …

We Are Clay People: The Struggle Against Choctaw Communal Dissolution, 1801-1861, Gary Coleman Cheek

Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation has become an integral part of scholarship about Native Americans in the Southeast. Recent studies have focused on trade the eighteenth century and Choctaw entry into the American market economy during the beginning of the nineteenth century. This study analyzes acculturation from 1801 to 1861, carrying the story about cultural change and persistence through the Removal era and to the American Civil War. It argues that while Choctaws acculturated to survive, prosper, and protect autonomy in a changing world, they continuously battled communal dissolution, which threatened to destroy their nation. Some individuals attempted to promote new methods of subsistence, …

The Greatest Legal Movie Of All Time: Proclaiming The Real Winner, Grant H. Morris

San Diego Law Review

In August, 2008, the ABA Journal featured an article entitled: “The 25 Greatest Legal Movies.” A panel of experts, described in the article as “12 prominent lawyers who teach film or are connected to the business” selected “the best movies ever made about lawyers and the law.” This distinguished panel ranked its twenty-five top legal movies, choosing To Kill a Mockingbird as its number one legal movie. The panel also selected twenty-five films as “honorable mentions,” which were listed in alphabetical order. In my opinion, however, the real greatest legal movie of all time was not selected as the winner. …

Immunomodulator Expression In Trophoblasts From The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (Fiv)-Infected Cat As A Contributor To Placental Immunopathology And Reproductive Failure At Early- And Late-Term Pregnancy, Veronica Lynn Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV accounts for more than 90% of pediatric infections worldwide, yet the mechanism of vertical transfer remains unknown. The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cat is a cost-effective, small-animal model of HIV pathogenesis and MTCT, which produces a high rate of reproductive failure and fetal infection in litters delivered at early- and late-term gestation. Our previous data suggest that FIV infection may dysregulate placental cytokines and compromise pregnancy. We hypothesized that FIV-infection may cause dysregulation of placental cytokine expression, and aberrant expression of these cytokines may potentiate inflammation and transplacental infections. The purpose of this project was …

Macrophyte Re-Establishment And Deductive Gis Modeling To Identify Planting Locations For Fish Habitat Enhancement Projects, Jonathan Paul Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Aquatic macrophytes are important components in structuring aquatic communities because they provide physical and biological functions that contribute to the stability of the ecosystem. Macrophytes provide the basis for the aquatic food-web and also provide habitat and refugia for aquatic fauna. In systems that lack macrophytes, anthropogenic re-establishment may be a feasible management approach to improve aquatic ecosystems. Understanding environmental factors that regulate colonization, dispersal, and persistence of aquatic macrophytes is pertinent to re-establishment efforts. The purpose of this study is to test hypotheses regarding success of macrophyte re-establishment efforts in Little Bear Creek Reservoir, Alabama using different macrophyte species, …

Population Estimation And Landscape Ecology Of The Puerto Rican Nightjar, Rafael Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

The Puerto Rican Nightjar Caprimulgus noctitherus is an endangered species found in forest of southern Puerto Rico. I documented density of nightjars in Guánica Forest, the region of Guayanilla-Peñuelas, and Susúa Forest. The geographic range of the species was expanded because of this study and presence documented in a number of new localities. Stand level habitat model indicated forest type and midstory visual obscurity best predicted nightjar habitat. Landscape model predicted considerably more suitable nightjar habitat exists than had been previously estimated (> 30%) and highlighted several areas of importance for the species. I evaluated nightjar population estimation techniques and …

Potencies Of The Resistant Maize Genotypes Against Biotic Stresses And Understanding Their Strategies, Arunkanth Ankala

Theses and Dissertations

Maize is an important food crop in most parts of the world including the United States. The plants growing in the field are constantly challenged with various biotic stresses like insect herbivores and fungal pathogens. The physical wounds produced on the growing crops by the insects render the plants more vulnerable to the fungal pathogens. Hence developing both insect and fungal resistant maize varieties is crucial to benefit more from the harvest. Several studies have been in advance in this direction and as a consequence insect, in particular lepidopteran larve resistant maize genotype Mp708 and Aspergillus flavus resistant genotype Mp313E …

Quantitative Descriptive Analysis And Development Of A Lexiconal Language For Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Leaves And Utilization Of Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Root Starch In Conventional Milk Yogurt, Husniye Imamoglu

Theses and Dissertations

Fresh Pueraria Lobata (kudzu) leaves were evaluated by sensory descriptive analysis. Covariate analysis determined the effects of leaf size and time on 32 sensory variables. Best fit polynomial regressions over time were determined for responses affected. Correlation analyses were executed on attributes in each of the sensory groupings with those variables which were significantly affected by time. Sensory properties of dried kudzu leaves were compared by using three different drying techniques: Convection oven, vacuum and food dehydrator. Covariate analysis determined the effects of leaf size, days, dryers and their interaction on 44 sensory variables. The fitted response regressions were determined …

Bacteria And Fungi Associated With Red Imported Fire Ants Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) And Mounds In Mississippi, And Their Potential Use As Biological Control Agents, Sandra Winia Woolfolk

Theses and Dissertations

The assemblage of bacteria and fungi associated with red imported fire ants (RIFA) Solenopsis invicta Buren was obtained from Hinds, Leake, and Madison Counties (location) along Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. The sites were selected due to the limited presence of RIFA within the park and the more natural, undisturbed ecosystem. Active mounds containing soil, plant debris, and RIFA (substrate) were collected in March, July, and November of 2004 (time). Samples were processed according to standard microbiological protocols, and microorganisms identified using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. A total of 71 bacteria (2324 isolates) and 50 fungi (1445 isolates) were …

Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.) Intraspecific Variation And Temperature Tolerance Classification Using In Vitro Seed Germination Assay, Ramdeo Seepaul

Theses and Dissertations

An experiment was conducted to determine temperature effects on switchgrass seed germination, a native species with feedstock potential for the biofuel industry. Stratified seeds were germinated at constant temperatures, 15 to 45°C with 5°C interval. Maximum seed germination (MSG) and germination rate (GR), estimated by fitting sigmoid function to germination-time series data, varied among genotypes. Quadratic and bilinear models best described the MSG and GR responses to temperature, respectively. The mean cardinal temperatures, minimum, optimum and maximum, were 8.1, 26.6 and 45.1ºC for MSG and 11.1, 33.1 and 46.0ºC for GR, respectively, varied among genotypes. Genotypes were classified for temperature …

The Sediment And Water Column Biogeochemistry Of Weeks Bay During Bottom Water Hypoxic And Norm-Oxic Events, John Eric Ezell

Theses and Dissertations

Hypoxia occurs when the dissolved oxygen concentrations in water fall below 2 mg/L, and negative impacts to flora and fauna can result. In this study, sediment core and water column measurements were collected and processed through several laboratory and field methods to better understand the biogeochemistry of Weeks Bay (WB), AL. Results show that salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen fluctuate on a diurnal cycle. Results also show a significant difference in water column and sediments between different years and sites. The western side of WB was found to more likely to go hypoxic than other portions. Conclusions of this research …

Making Milking Modern: Agriculture Science And The American Dairy, 1890-1940, Micah Aaron Rueber

Theses and Dissertations

In the late nineteenth century most dairy farmers went about their work in much same manner as had their predecessors centuries earlier. However, by 1940 most farmers practiced recognizably modern dairying techniques. Use of mechanical milking machines was widespread and growing, farmers compounded rations by combining feeds that blended precise proportions of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins, and breeders, eager to maximize the influence of productive bloodlines, evaluated their animals with the use of scientific scorecards and employed intense breeding plans that relied on various forms of inbreeding in order to fix the desirable aspects of prized cattle. Yet the …

Examining Preferences For Prevention Of Louisiana's Wetland Loss, Ross Gordon Moore

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed preferences for wetland-loss prevention in coastal Louisiana. Data were obtained through a contingent-valuation mail survey of a random sample of Louisiana households. Results, based on 511 responses, indicate that respondents have a strong preference for a short-run program (72.41% chose this program over a long-run program or no action). Respondents that had higher incomes, were white, had prior knowledge of ongoing restoration efforts, and had confidence in government were more likely to support some program relative to no action, as were those citing hurricane, environmental, and/or climate-change protection as their primary concern. Older respondents and those with …