Digital Commons Network^™

What Is Inverse-Geometry Ct?, Taly Gilat Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Inverse-geometry computed tomography (IGCT) systems are being developed to provide improved volumetric imaging. In conventional multislice CT systems, x-rays are emitted from a small area and irradiate a large-area detector. In an IGCT system, x-ray sources are distributed over a large area, with each beam irradiating a small-area detector. Therefore, in the inverse geometry, a series of narrow x-ray beams are switched on and off while the gantry rotates. In conventional CT geometry, cone-beam and scatter artifacts increase with the imaged volume thickness. An inverse geometry may be less susceptible to scatter effects, because only a fraction of the field …

Characterization Of Polyphenolics In Cranberry Juice And Co-Products, Brittany Lynn White

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, cranberry juice has been consumed to prevent urinary tract infections. These and other health benefits, including reduced risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease, are believed to be due to the presence of polyphenolics, specifically flavonoids. Cranberry pomace is the by-product of cranberry processing which consists of seeds and skins. This research focuses primarily on the effects of processing on the flavonoid composition of cranberries and cranberry pomace. First, the concentration of flavonoids during juice processing was evaluated. It was determined that anthocyanins were degraded readily compared to other flavonoids, and a significant amount of flavonoids were retained in the …

Chemical Ecology, Population Dynamics And Insecticide Susceptibility Of Lesser Mealworm Alphitobius Diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Narinderpal Singh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is a serious, cosmopolitan pest present in poultry production facilities, where it slows down weight gain in chicks, carries disease–causing organisms, and causes damage to poultry insulation. The first study estimated that the lesser mealworm densities in poultry litter applied to pastures were 3.5, 2.2 and 0.4 million larvae, adults and pupae, respectively, per hectare in Savoy, Arkansas. The repercussions of these adult beetles are that they often disperse to and reinfest poultry houses with the potential to vector disease to poultry, and disperse to invade human dwellings resulting in litigation. The …

Reactivation Of Negated Concepts Over Time, Kevin Autry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on the mental representation of negated concepts in written texts has yet to reach a consensus about the effects of negation. MacDonald and Just (1989) reported that after reading a sentence with a negation, negated words took longer to recognize than non-negated words, which suggests that the negated concepts became less active. However, Hasson and Glucksberg (2006) found that after reading negative metaphors (e.g., This surgeon isn't a butcher), lexical decisions about words consistent with the affirmative sense of the negated word (e.g., clumsy) took less time than for control words. To reconcile these (and other) incompatible findings, two …

Modern Day Utopia: An Examination Of Internal Social Control Among "Rainbow Family", Ashleigh Elain Mckinzie

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis employs ethnographic fieldwork and interviews to examine internal Social control, ideological embeddedness, and resistance to mainstream culture and ideology in a utopian, counter-cultural group called The Rainbow Family of Living Light. Combining theoretical perspectives on emotions and re-integrative and dis-integrative shaming with symbolic interaction, I examine the experiences of Rainbow during a national Gathering in the summer of 2010. Through interviews and observations, I illustrate the rituals, organization of camp, stratification based on work, and solidarity building activities, that Rainbow Gatherers create to resist mainstream ideology and culture. Further, I show that they Rainbow Gatherers redefine deviance in …

An Ecology Of Philanthropy: Community Composition And Nonprofit Revenue In The United States, Wendie Neesa Choudary

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is little doubt that most American cities are currently troubled places because of massive economic shifts that have marked the last two decades. Charitable giving has consistently been seen as the lifeblood of communities around the United States (Backman and Smith 2000). The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between community composition and charitable giving. The impact of community characteristics (community composition, organizational composition, and community deterioration) on charitable revenues will be assessed using revenue data from the 2006-2007, 501(c)(3), 990, charitable organization forms along with United States county census data. One-way ANOVA and regression …

Frameworks For Estimating Virtual Water Flows Among U.S. States, Stanley T. Mubako

Dissertations

The United States is the world's top virtual water exporting nation, but not much is known about the country's internal virtual water flow patterns and the volumes involved. Previous studies have suggested that the import of virtual water, defined as the volume of water required to produce a commodity or service, can relieve pressure on a region's water resources. This study seeks to quantify virtual water flows among U.S. states using the water footprint and input-output analytical methods, and to compare the quantitative results to actual water use volumes in agriculture. The results showed an overall pattern where virtual water …

Home/Land: Kiowa, New Mexico- A Grassland's Story, Heather R. Yaryan

Architecture and Planning ETDs

The purpose of this thesis was to illustrate how cultural and natural histories inform place-based community planning. Utilizing both cultural and natural histories, the planner may begin to see patterns of habitancy as they correlate to ecological fluctuations. I focused my research on Kiowa, New Mexico the community my family homesteaded in the grasslands of Northeastern New Mexico and took an auto-ethnographic approach to conducting my research. The story of Kiowa is both unique and universal. The intricacies of the land and people are, indeed, woven into a specific place and times. It is the intersection of Place and of …

Effects Of Malting And Fermentation On The Composition And Functionality Of Sorghum Flour, Onesmo N.O. Mella

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sorghum is an ancient crop grown almost everywhere in the world and used for different purposes. In the U.S, and other developed countries, sorghum is used largely for animal feeding.  In developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia, it is used primarily as human food.

Sorghum is a dependable food crop in Tanzania and its production and use ranks second after maize. Different traditional methods including malting and fermentation have been used in addition to decorticating and milling to process sorghum for the purpose of providing diverse materials. However, sorghum has major drawbacks of poor starch and protein digestibilities that …

Adaptation And Validation Of Existing Analytical Methods For Monitoring Prebiotics Present In Different Types Of Processed Food Matrices, Pei Tze Ang

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Interest in resistant starch (RS) as a prebiotic is increasing due to its putative impacts on the gastrointestinal microbiome and thus colon health. Application of RS as a food ingredient is also increasing because of its unique functionality. However, a major obstacle when correlating RS containing food systems to the potential health benefits is the discrepancy in the analytical tests applied and  the limitations of those methods used throughout the literature. Therefore, the Megazyme resistant starch assay was adapted and developed to monitor RS present in different types of products commonly consumed in the United States, including an extruded ready-to-eat …

From Growth To Extinction: Explored By Life History And Metabolic Theory, Wenyun Zuo

Biology ETDs

The laws of energy and material conservation are fundamental principles across various scales and systems. Based on the conservation laws, I derive several theoretical models to understand mechanisms behind the energy budget of ontogenetic growth and the pattern of the late Pleistocene extinction of megafauna in the Americas. First, I present a model, empirically grounded in data from birds and mammals, that correctly predicts how growing animals allocate food energy between synthesis of new biomass and maintenance of existing biomass. Previous energy budget models have typically been based on rates of either food consumption or metabolic energy expenditure. The model …

Snap-25 Is A Component Of A Ubiquitous Snare Complex Required For Evoked Neuroexocytosis In Gabaergic Neurons, Lawrence C. R. Tafoya

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

The processes of vesicular trafficking and membrane fusion are fundamental to nervous system development and communication among neurons within integrated circuits. The regulated release of several neurotransmitters is dependent on synaptosomal-associated protein 25 kDa (SNAP-25)-containing soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) core complexes. The requirement for this fusogenic machinery in evoked neurosecretion has been repeatedly demonstrated through the use of mutant mouse models and neurotoxin blockades. However, the existence of a functional role for a SNAP-25-containing SNARE complex has not been shown in the major inhibitory neurotransmitter system of the brain, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). To determine whether SNAP-25 participates …

Prototyping Video Games With Animation, Richard C. Davis

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper outlines a proposed design for StorySketch, a new video game storyboarding system. StorySketch borrows ideas from the K-Sketch animation sketching system, which allows short animations to be created in minutes or seconds. We build on K-Sketch in four ways. key frame animation capabilities, a branching timeline view, microphone and web-cam support, and hooks to connect to online game design documents.

Stable Isotopes Provide Insight Into The Use Of Wildlife Water Developments By Resident And Migrant Birds In The Sonoran Desert Of Arizona, Theresa C. Hyde

Biology ETDs

Several studies have looked at the importance of man-made water resources to wildlife in desert regions. To our knowledge, however, none have attempted to directly quantify their importance to both resident and Neotropical migratory birds. During the spring and summer from 2007-2009, we enriched man-made water developments in the Sonoran Desert on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona. We enriched water developments using deuteriated water and sampled the body water pools of resident and migrant birds to quantify development use. We used a simple two end-point mixing model to estimate the proportion of an individual birds body water pool that …

Divergence In The Ecology Of Two Species Of Gambusia In Secondary Contact, Daniella Marilyn Swenton

Biology ETDs

Gambusia nobilis, a federally endangered species, and G. affinis (Poeciliidae) are small, livebearing fishes found in the southwestern U.S. The invasive G. affinis has been introduced globally to control mosquito populations. It is found in some populations of G. nobilis on Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (BLNWR), the field site for this study. It is unclear to what extent the two species have diverged in behavior and ecology and how extensively they have hybridized on BLNWR, thereby threatening the endangered G. nobilis via genetic introgression. In this study I examined divergence in behavior and ecology between two species with four …

A Contribution To The Vascular Flora Of The Sequatchie Valley Within Sequatchie County, Tennessee, John Richard Evans

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The vascular flora of the Sequatchie Valley within Sequatchie County, Tennessee was studied for three growing seasons from 2008 through 2010. The Sequatchie Valley is located within the southeastern portion of the Cumberland Plateau and is generally considered to be part of the Cumberland Plateau Physiographic Province. Nevertheless, a number of geological and ecological factors distinguish the Sequatchie Valley from the elevated Cumberland Plateau, suggesting that the floristic composition of the valley may be different from the surrounding region. Although several previous floristic studies have been conducted on the plateau surface, very little attention has been given to the Sequatchie …

Wounded Planet, Wounded People: The Possibility Of Ecological Trauma, Lauren Woolbright

All Theses

In recognizing that the human relationship to the nonhuman natural world has been characterized primarily by trauma, we might notice that humans abuse landscapes and deplete resources, harming the very ecosystems that support us, moving on when they no longer can or using technology in order to remain. This might be seen as a double trauma in which the human traumatizes ecosystems, which are then traumatic to the human. Our unwillingness as a culture to consider the nonhuman natural world as a valuable subject capable of experiencing trauma prevents us from understanding the repercussions of our actions. Spivak's theory offers …

Stereoscopic Simulation For Animation And Special Effects, Daniel Morella

All Theses

Stereoscopic content, when presented well, provides an exciting and entertaining experience for viewers. The advent of new techniques and technologies is helping stereoscopy to become more commonplace, with 3D movies becoming a staple at theaters around the world. Further, 3D televisions and content are poised to experience tremendous growth in the coming years. Even video games are exploring 3D content, with recent releases like Toy Story Mania as seen on the Disney website [Disn11].
The biggest problems with stereoscopic content are that it usually requires expensive hardware to view, and extensive time and technical prowess to create. These issues limit …

Larval Taxonomy, Phylogeny And Historical Biogeography Of The Genus Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) In North America, Zachary Burington

All Theses

Larvae of the genus Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera:Hydropsychidae) are a
abundant and probably significant ecological component of freshwater lotic ecosystems
worldwide, with many species inhabiting streams with elevated organic pollution. The
varying tolerance levels among these species necessitate species-level identification for
accurate water-quality assessment. However, past workers have had difficulty separating
the Nearctic species in the larval stage. This research presents progress on the goal
towards identification of larval Cheumatopsyche. Chaetotaxal and cuticular characters are delimited for 7 larval morphotypes, all of which have been putatively associated with
adults. The Nearctic phylogeny of Cheumatopsyche is revised, including 5 species
described after 1987. …

Species Diversity And Seasonal Abundance Of Scarabaeoidea At Four Locations In South Carolina, Kevin Hinson

All Theses

ABSTRACT
Using light, flight-intercept, and pitfall traps, 74, 327 specimens of Scarabaeoidea were captured at four golf courses in South Carolina during 2009-2010. Aphodiinae were identified only to the subfamily level and totaled 57,502 specimens. 16,825 specimens in 47 genera and 104 species in the families Ceratocanthidae, Geotrupidae, Hybosoridae, Lucanidae, Passalidae, Scarabaeidae (excluding Aphodiinae), and Trogidae were identified based on morphological characteristics. Similar to other southeastern studies focusing on phytophagous scarabs, the most abundant species consisted of Dyscinetus morator (Fabricius), Euetheola humilis (Burmeister), Cyclocephala lurida Bland, and Hybosorus illigeri Reiche. The most speciose genus captured was Phyllophaga Harris, totaling 22 …

404 King Street: The Charleston County Library And Modern Architecture In Charleston, Ryan Thomas Pierce

All Theses

This thesis examines the development and construction of the Charleston County Library at 404 King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. The research and analysis of this site provides a case study for the development and treatment of the Modern style in downtown Charleston. Significant aspects of this include evaluation of the community's input and reaction to development of the site, and reactions to its completion and opening.
This begins with an overview of the development of the Modern style in America and American library design, and how this translates into South Carolina. Then the influences of these larger communities on …

How Do Planners Participate In Formulating Viable Green Infrastructure Plans?, Kaylen Francis

All Theses

The planning field is increasingly involved in balancing biodiversity with the expansion of urban areas to meet changing societal demands. Regions, states and cities have begun trying to mitigate the negative effects of sprawl by creating green infrastructure plans to conserve open space. However, little is known about planners' roles in facilitating and/or implementing these visions in cities with a population of over one million people in the core and hinterlands. The goal of this project was to study the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision to determine if planners played a role in its formulation and/or implementation, and if so, …

The Impacts Of Drinking Alcohol, Using Marijuana, And Smoking Cigarettes As A Teenager On The Educational Attainment And The Income Of Young Adults, Thomas Carnot

All Theses

It is widely believed that activities such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and using marijuana during the teenage years have a harmful effect on a youth's development, thus damaging his or her value in the labor market once the individual reaches adulthood. There have been several studies in the past that have looked into the consequences of partaking in such activities during both the adult and college years, but this paper will investigate how the use of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes at the age of 16 affects the average individual's future income and the amount of education completed by the …

Development Of An On-Line Radiation Detection And Measurements Laboratory Course, Derick Kopp

All Theses

An on-line radiation detection and measurements lab is being developed with a grant from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The on-line laboratory experiments are designed to provide a realistic laboratory experience and will be offered to students at colleges/universities where such a course is not offered. This thesis presents four web-based experiments: 1) nuclear electronics, 2) gamma-ray spectroscopy with scintillation detectors, 3) external gamma-ray dosimetry and gamma attenuation in matter, and 4) alpha spectroscopy and absorption in matter. The students access the experiments through a broad-band internet connection. Computer-controlled instrumentation developed in National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW^TM communicates with the …

The Role Of Planning Tools As Strategies For Combating Childhood Obesity, Jacquelyn Coats

All Theses

The failure of traditional health models to successfully combat childhood obesity is apparent when considering its sustained prevalence in the United States. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past three decades and health officials recognize the need for integrative strategies in order to reverse the trend (CDC, 2010). The historical roots of planning and public health offer a potential venue for collaborative strategies to address the macro level factors that affect community health. This thesis examines how planning tools have been adapted to incorporate health strategies, whether or not such methods are sustainable, and what relationships are essential for …

Smith, Christian Legal Society, And Speech-Based Claims For Religious Exemptions From Neutral Laws Of General Applicability, William P. Marshall

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Two Distinct Hfq Genes In Burkholderia Cenocepacia Hi2424, Samantha Sue Sellers

Theses

Species in the genus Burkholderia are found in a wide variety of environments ranging from plant rhizospheres to the human respiratory tract. Even though they have great biotechnological and bioremediative potential in preventing some plant diseases, promoting crop production, and degrading toxic compounds, some species of Burkholderia can be serious pathogens to those who have compromised immune systems, particularly those with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Many Burkholderia species have two distinct copies of the hfq gene, a rare phenomenon in bacteria studied to date. As a global regulatory protein, Hfq has been shown to act as an RNA chaperone involved in …

A Comparison Of Native And Colonial American Conceptions Of Self: Implications For Competing World-Views, Marjorie R. Cavey

Theses

Native and Colonial Americans had vastly different approaches to the world, and viewed nature and other people in quite dissimilar ways. The concept of self is central to this project because personal values and attitudes toward others are grounded in agency - actions that emerge from the self and define the way that one treats his or her surroundings and everyone or thing in it. The way that one's self is perceived is necessarily communicated within the context of social settings. Situation in a world of other people (and of nature) requires that actions be weighed in accordance with agency. …

Quantifying And Manipulating Spatiotemporal Trends In Rodent Space Use And Consumption Rates On Incidentally Encountered Prey, Tyler Evan Schartel

Theses

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in predator activity can generate and influence the availability of refugia to prey. In eastern forests, white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) are abundant generalist rodents, and large-scale removal experiments have confirmed they are important predators of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) pupae and songbird nests and eggs. Models predict the extinction of gypsy moth populations when confronted with abundant mouse populations, but small-scale (10s of m) heterogeneity in rodent activity may allow for the persistence of moth populations. I quantified the magnitude, variability, temporal persistence, and spatial structure of white-footed mouse and eastern chipmunk activity, …

The Interplay Between Nf-Kappab And E2f1 Coordinately Regulates Inflammation And Metabolism In Human Cardiac Cells., Xavier Palomer, David Álvarez-Guardia, Mercy M Davidson, Tung O Chan, Arthur M Feldman, Manuel Vázquez-Carrera

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) inhibition by nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is related to a shift towards increased glycolysis during cardiac pathological processes such as cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. The transcription factors estrogen-related receptor-α (ERRα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) regulate PDK4 expression through the potent transcriptional coactivator PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). NF-κB activation in AC16 cardiac cells inhibit ERRα and PPARβ/δ transcriptional activity, resulting in reduced PGC-1α and PDK4 expression, and an enhanced glucose oxidation rate. However, addition of the NF-κB inhibitor parthenolide to these cells prevents the downregulation of PDK4 expression but not ERRα and PPARβ/δ DNA binding activity, …