Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Pixologic Zbrush Into An Autodesk Maya Pipeline, Micah Guy

All Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to integrate the use of the relatively new volumetric pixel program, Pixologic ZBrush, into an Autodesk Maya project pipeline. As ZBrush is quickly becoming the industry standard in advanced character design in both film and video game work, the goal is to create a succinct and effective way for Maya users to utilize ZBrush files. Furthermore, this project aims to produce a final film of both valid artistic and academic merit.
The resulting work produced a guide that followed a Maya-created film project where ZBrush was utilized in the creation of the character models, …

A Technique For Art Direction Of Physically Based Fire Simulation, Ashwin Bangalore

All Theses

This thesis presents an innovative way to art direct individual flames in a physically based fire simulation. Fire, due to its warm colors and constant movement, often becomes the main attraction to the viewer's eye in a scene. This technique provides control over this chaotic natural phenomenon at a microscopic level, enabling the artist to add character to flames and create highly stylized visuals. The fire system itself is a fully physics based two gas system with fuel gas and heat, with flames advected along convection currents generated by combustion. The technique is applied to examples of highly stylized flame …

A Design Framework For Sustainable Infrastructure, Jacqualyn Blizzard

All Theses

Aristotle theorized, 'The whole is more than the sum of its parts.' Design engineers often overlook this simple philosophy. We employ a reductionist approach when designing the built environment: engineering solutions for the individual parts rather than the system as a whole, creating and exacerbating problems in the process. A whole system, interdisciplinary approach that considers the interrelatedness of global issues is increasingly recognized as essential to finding truly sustainable engineering solutions (NSB, 2007). However, both the precise nature of this whole systems approach, and the best ways to incorporate it in engineering education remain undefined. To address this gap …

C.Elegans Host Cell Factor (Cehcf) Associates With Sir-2.1 To Mediate Target Specificity Of Daf-16 And Lifespan, Yao Yao

All Theses

The programmed aging process, controlled by a complex gene network, exists in all living organisms. In past decades, studies on the model organism, the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), have revealed some highly conserved molecular pathways involved in lifespan regulation. After entering nucleus, DAF-16 cooperates with corresponding cofactors to achieve its specificity and triggers the transcription of certain subsets of its targets. Here we report that a novel DAF-16 co-factor CeHCF (C.elegans Host Cell Factor) mediate lifespan by regulating NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase, SIR-2.1.
Lifespan assay using Cehcf RNAi revealed that the lifespan extension caused by loss of Cehcf could …

Bridging The Gap Between Structures And Properties: An Investigation And Evaluation Of Students' Representational Competence, Sonia Underwood

All Dissertations

The heart of learning chemistry is the ability to connect a compound's structure to its function; Lewis structures provide an essential link in this process. In many cases, their construction is taught using an algorithmic approach, containing a set of step-by-step rules. We believe that this approach is in direct conflict with the precepts of meaningful learning. From a sequential, mixed methods study, we found that students have much difficulty constructing these structures and that the step-by-step rules do not make use of students' relevant prior knowledge. This causes students to develop 'home grown' rules when unsure of how to …

A Rhetorical Approach To Cultural Literacies Across Media, Randy Nichols

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
A Rhetorical Approach to Cultural Literacies Across Media finds exigency in the challenges presented to students and teachers by the growing emphasis on globalization, and by the increasing demands for literacy in new media. My research develops a theoretical model for a rhetorical reading of cultural ―texts‖ in the context of cross-cultural learning experiences. This model is built on the metaphor of ―stolons,‖ those botanical strands that serve to propagate plants across wide areas into a single woven organism, i.e., a lawn. Approaching ―culture‖ as a complex organic system of a multiplicity of sources, this model of literacies evaluates …

Population Genetics And Species Interactions: From Theory To Agro-Ecosystems, Cynthia Climer

All Dissertations

Population genetics is the study of allele frequency distributions and changes due to evolutionary processes such as selection, adaptation, genetic drift and gene flow to understand how these processes impact populations over space and time. Population genetics theory can be utilized to understand not only population level interactions, but also interactions among closely related species. In this dissertation I have utilized population genetics in three conceptually related projects. Utilizing genome-wide gene coding markers, I have tested the impact of population size changes on the genetic diversity of coding genes in a model system (Arabidopsis lyrata subsp. petraea). This study tests …

Biological And Ecological Responses To Carbon-Based Nanomaterials, Tatsiana Ratnikova

All Dissertations

Nanotechnology has been undergoing tremendous development in recent decades, driven by realized perceived applications of nanomaterials in electronics, therapeutics, imaging, sensing, environmental remediation, and consumer products. Along with these developments there have been increased evidences that engineered nanomaterials are often associated with hazardous effects they invoke in biological and ecosystems through intentional designs or unintentional discharge. Consequently there is a crucial need for documenting and understanding the interactions between nanoparticles and biological and ecosystems. This dissertation is aimed at bridging such a knowledge gap by examining the biological and ecological responses to carbon nanoparticles, a major class of nanomaterials which …

Persuasive Packaging: An Eye-Tracking Approach To Design, Rupert Hurley

All Dissertations

This dissertation details the development of a consensus-centered strategy for managing packaging design projects that enables designers from various fields to participate (seriously play) in the development process. The Work/Flow developed was quantified though a series of empirical eye-tracking experiments to determine if objects produced through the system resulted in longer fixation durations than the control. It was determined that packages developed through the Work/Flow were significantly more persuasive than the control (P < 0.0005).
The second experiment observed the effectiveness of designs produced through the Work/Flow in respect to the competitive retail array. Out of three product categories tested, one package …

Lentiviral-Mediated Rnai Knockdown Yields A Novel Mouse Model For Studying Cyp2b Function, Basma Damiri

All Dissertations

The Cyp2b subfamily contains five members (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13, Cyp2b19, and Cyp2b23) of which three (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13) are hepatic enzymes involved in xenobiotic detoxification. In this study, we made a Cyp2b-knockdown mouse using lentiviral-promoted shRNA homologous to all five Cyp2b subfamily members in FVB/NJ mouse to characterize Cyp2b's role in xenobiotic detoxification. We assessed the in vivo function of Cyp2bs in the toxicity from pesticides (i.e. parathion) and drugs (i.e. zoxazolamine). We demonstrated that Cyp2b isoforms play a key role in parathion and Zoxazolamine metabolism and toxicity. In addition, we in partially phenotyped and characterized Cyp2b-KD model and assessed …

Effect Of Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) On Bacterial Multi Drug Resistant Efflux Pumps, Jyothi Rangineni

All Dissertations

Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) efflux pumps have been increasingly reported in Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. These efflux mechanisms pump out a wide variety of structurally unrelated antimicrobials thus leading to a low susceptibility due to lowered intracellular concentrations. The activity of such antimicrobials can be restored by the inhibition of the multi drug efflux pumps. Several MDR pump inhibitors which inhibit the efflux mechanisms in bacteria have been identified. Reserpine and verapamil are two such inhibitors, showing considerable effect on the MDR pumps. But the concentrations required to achieve these effects are too high to be clinically relevant. Reserpine …

Biohydrogenation Of Docosahexaenoic Acid, Catherine Klein

All Dissertations

Pathways of docosahexaenoic (DHA) biohydrogenation are not known; however, DHA is metabolized by ruminal microorganisms. The addition of DHA to the rumen alters the fatty acid profile of the rumen and milk and leads to increased trans-18:1 isomers, particularly trans-11 18:1 and 22 carbon fatty acids. This study included four in vitro experiments to identify if these are produced from DHA or if they come from other sources that are affected by DHA. In each experiment, ruminal microorganisms collected from a lactating Holstein cow were incubated in batch cultures for 0, 6, 24, and 48h and a uniformly 13C DHA …

Complex Organizations: A Cultural Analysis Of A Christian College, Daniel Bennett

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the emergent dynamics that shape the organizational culture of a faith-based college incorporating a comprehensive network approach. The study adapted Martin's (2002) Three Perspective Theory of Culture utilizing the Dynamic Network Analysis methodology. To understand the cultural manifestations of the organization, several networks of beliefs and agent interactions were examined.
The results demonstrated that religious values are deeply embedded in the institution and there is a rich diversity of beliefs within the institution and its subcultures. The role of resources was examined, and financial resources emerged as a crucial element that stresses …

Anticancer Effects Of Red Raspberries On Immune Cells And Blood Parameters, Jannet Romero

All Dissertations

There is an abundance of research correlating diets rich in fruits and vegetables to the reduction or prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Plants extracts have also been claimed to possess antiviral, antibacterial, and immunological properties. This study focused on the in vitro and in vivo effects of a water extract from lyophilized Meeker red raspberries on tumor cell viability and immune parameters. A large number of studies have demonstrated the cytotoxic effect of different fruit juices and extracts against tumor cell lines in vitro. However, studies also show that the blood plasma levels of berry …

Genetics, Adaptations, Biomes, Theodore Risinger, Stephanie Greathouse

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit covers basic Genetics (Punnett Squares and terminology), the role it plays in adaptations and how it affects Natural Selection and Selective Breeding. This unit will also tie in the environment (Biomes) and how it plays a major role in determining the physical and behavioral characteristics of plants and animals.Interconnection of these “big ideas” will facilitate better overall understanding of how time and changes in the environment will affect all living organisms.

El Arte De Contar (The Art Of Storytelling), Carol Arnold

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit is designed for the beginning of the school year in a Spanish IV Pre-AP classroom using the Conexiones Textbook. The unit focuses on exposing students to different types of readings (including: childhood stories, fairy tales, short stories, poetry, and lyrics) which students analyze for their literary elements, context, and structures. At the end of the unit, students create a story which they develop into an ebook (including images, text, music, and voice recording).

Animal Interdependence, Christy Custer

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit is meant to be taught after second graders have learned about plants and the basic needs of plants. In this unit students will explore how plants and animals rely on each other for survival. Through concrete, hands-on, and multimedia activities, students learn about food chains, basic needs, and what is required for survival in different habitats. As a culminating activity students will choose a habitat and a natural or man-made event that occurs in that habitat. Students will then draw a picture showing what the habitat looks like before the event and make predictions about how the habitat …

Cause And Effect: Using Expository Writing To Problem-Solve, Mollie Knapp

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

The goal of this unit is for students to understand cause and effect relationships and how analyzing these relationships can lead to better problem-solving.

In their performance assessment, students will research the causes and effects related to a teen issue topic of their choice. Students will then incorporate their research into a cause and effect essay. In addition to their research, students will give advice on what steps their readers can take to make good decisions when faced with this topic. For example, if a student were writing an essay about the effects of owning a pet, he/she would probably …

De Vacaciones (Going On Vacation), Jaclyn K. Metcalf

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

De Vacaciones is a unit in which students learn to speak about going on vacations. By the end of the unit, they should be able to talk about things to do on a vacation, describe typical places to visit while on vacation, talk about events in the past using the preterit tense, and understand cultural perspectives on travel and vacation. This unit falls at the end of Spanish I (or Spanish 1B if the course is divided over two years). When starting this unit, students should already know the preterit tense of regular verbs. Throughout the unit, students will plan …

Debating The Truth, Lisa Shay

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

Students will spend six weeks discovering the value of opposing viewpoints on different current event topics. Students will learn to conduct a debate following the Middle School Public Debate Program model. Students will first research a variety of topics in teams of three, finding both the pros and cons of the topic. Students must be able to form arguments, find fallacies in both research and arguments refute and eventually debate their peers. The unit guides students through the debate process allowing for practice on each of the process stages. As the performance assessment pieces, students will conduct a debate using …

Framing Poetry, Sherry Brown

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This is an elective, semester-long creative writing class. In developing a poetry unit, I wanted to provide examples of highly structured forms of poetry and have the students practice using those forms. Through the focus on the essential questions and discussions about the use of structure, I want the students to come to an understanding that structure serves purpose, and that the meaning of a poem is derived from structure, as well as content. In a well-written poem, structure and content work together as a cohesive whole to effectively communicate meaning and emotion.

Genetics: Heredity And Adaptations, Alexander Serna-Wallender

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

By the end of this unit students will able to distinguish the difference between offspring from asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction. Students will be able to describe how traits are passed from parent to offspring and the role that DNA and chromosomes play in the passage of inherited traits. This unit will also lead students to predict genetic outcomes using Punnett Squares. Using their knowledge of heredity students will then be engaged in exploring how the passage of genetic traits can change over time based on an organism’s environment, through natural selection. Students will also be able compare the difference …

Mmp9 Cleavage Of The Β4 Integrin Ectodomain Leads To Recurrent Epithelial Erosions In Mice, Sonali Pal-Ghosh, Tomas Blanco, Gauri Tadvalkar, Ahdeah Pajoohesh-Ganji, Arpitha Parthasarathy, James D Zieske, Mary Ann Stepp

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Integrin α6β4 is an integral membrane protein within hemidesmosomes and it mediates adhesion of epithelial cells to their underlying basement membrane. During wound healing, disassembly of hemidesmosomes must occur for sheet movement-mediated cell migration. The mechanisms of disassembly and reassembly of hemidesmosomes are not fully understood. The current study was initiated to understand the underlying cause of recurrent corneal erosions in the mouse. Here, we show that in vivo: (1) MMP9 levels are elevated and β4 integrin is partially cleaved in epithelial cell extracts derived from debridement wounded corneas; (2) the β4 ectodomain is missing from sites where erosions develop; …

Do Sexting Prosecutions Violate Teenagers' Constitutional Rights?, Joanne Sweeny

San Diego Law Review

The media has recently been highlighting a rash of prosecutions of teenagers who engage in "sexting"--sending nude or sexually explicit images of themselves or their peers--under child pornography laws. These prosecutions have led to mass criticism for threatening teens with long prison terms and registration as sex offenders for activities that are perceived to be relatively innocent. Many, if not most, of these sexting teens are legally permitted to engage in sexual activities through their states' statutory rape laws, which leads to an absurd situation in which teens are permitted to engage in sex but not photograph it. This mismatch …

Benefits Of Near-Term Cloud Location Forecasting For Large Solar Pv, Timothy Robert Rudd

Master's Theses

As the ‘green’ energy movement continues to gain momentum, photovoltaic generation is becoming an increasingly popular source for new power generation. The primary focus of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits of close-to real-time cloud sensing for Photovoltaic generation. In order to benefit from this close-to real-time data, a source of cloud cover information is necessary. This paper looks into the potential of point insolation sensors to determine overhead cloud coverage. A look into design considerations and economic challenges of implementing such a monitoring system is included. The benefits of cloud location sensing are examined using computer simulations to …

Equivalent Circuit Implementation Of Demyelinated Human Neuron In Spice, Nathan A. Angel

Master's Theses

This work focuses on modeling a demyelinated Hodgkin and Huxley (HH) neuron with Simulated Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) platform. Demyelinating disorders affect over 350,000 people in the U.S and understanding the demyelination process at the cellular level is necessary to find safe ways to treat the diseases [9]. Utilizing a previous SPICE model of an electrically small cell neuron developed by Szlavik [32], an extended core conductor myelinated neuron was produced in this work. The myelinated neuron developed has seven active Nodes of Ranvier (nodes) separated by a myelin sheath. The myelin sheath can be successfully modeled with …

Influence Of Vineyard Floor Management Practices On Soil Aggregate Stability, Total Soil Carbon And Grapevine Yield, Kimberly Ellen Adams

Master's Theses

Soil aggregates provide pore spaces of various sizes supplying water, gases and nutrients to plant roots and microorganisms, and facilitate moisture retention and availability. Soil aggregate stability is indicative of soil biological and structural health, and is increased by soil carbon derived from plant roots and the soil microbial biomass. Aggregate stability and soil carbon can be enhanced by increasing organic matter through compost additions or by planting cover crops. Additionally, aggregate stability is enhanced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that form a symbiotic association with plant roots, and consolidate soil particles into aggregates through hyphal networks and through the …

Effects Of Chainring Design On Performance In Competitive Cyclists, Christiane Rose O'Hara

Master's Theses

The development of noncircular chainrings to improve cycling performance has been in progress since the 1980’s and continues apace. The aim of this study was to compare performance time and physiological responses in cycling using a standard circular chainring versus a noncircular chainring developed in 2005: the Rotor Q-Ring. Eight competitive male cyclists were pre-tested using the original circular chainrings and also on the initial week of testing. The intervention consisted of cycling with Rotor Q-Rings for four weeks. Post-testing occurred with the original chainrings for the final week of testing. Testing consisted of a maximal or submaximal graded exercise …

Teaching Social Skills As A Component To Reduce Problem Behavior In A Preschool: A Clinical Case Study, Kelly E. Scott

Research Papers

This study examined the efficacy of behavioral skills training (BST) to teach appropriate requesting and a differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) paired with a timeout procedure to decrease problem behavior of a 4-year-old typically developing boy who attended a local Pre-kindergarten half-day program. The participant engaged in problem behavior in the form of aggression, property destruction, and taking materials from peers. The BST program consisted of instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to increase appropriate requesting of materials and attention. The DRA procedure was implemented and combined with a 1-min timeout procedure. A fixed interval (FI) schedule was implemented. After …

Genotypic And Phenotypic Variation Of The Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi), Derek B. Tucker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In my 1st chapter I investigate the phenotypic variation of the Florida scrub lizard by examining sprinting and jumping ability. These are key performance measures that have been widely studied in vertebrates. The vast majority of these studies, however, use methodologies that lack ecological context by failing to consider the complex habitats many animals live in. Here, I filmed running lizards to address how behavioral and performance strategies change as lizards approach obstacles of varying height. Obstacle size had a significant influence on both behavior (e.g. obstacle crossing strategy, intermittent locomotion) and performance (e.g. sprint speed, jump distance). Researchers should …