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Dean Logan's Blog: Sports Law Symposium And Lcod 8 Shows Students The Versatility Of The Jd Degree, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law School Blogs

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Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern University’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health receives grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Fall Commencement Ceremonies, University Of North Florida

Commencement Printed Materials

Program for the Fall Commencement ceremonies.

Computational Intelligence For Control Of Wind Turbine Generators, Wei Qiao, Jiaqi Liang, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Ronald Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper summarizes past and ongoing research in the area of the application of computational intelligence (CI) for control of wind turbine generators (WTGs). Several intelligent design approaches and control strategies, including optimal design of WTG controllers using particle swarm optimization (PSO) and mean-variance optimization (MVO) algorithms and adaptive critic design-Based coordinated optimal adaptive control for wind plants and shunt FACTS devices, are presented for dynamic performance and fault ride-through enhancement of WTGs and the associated power grid. the effectiveness of these intelligent design approaches and control strategies are demonstrated by nonreal- and real-time simulations in PSCAD/EMTDC and RSCAD/RTDS, respectively. …

Risk Assessment Of Cascading Outages: Part I - Overview Of Methodologies, Marianna Vaiman, Keith Bell, Yousu Chen, Badrul H. Chowdhury, Ian Dobson, Paul Hines, Milorad Papic, Stephen S. Miller, Pei Zhang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper is a result of ongoing activity carried out by Understanding, Prediction, Mitigation and Restoration of Cascading Failures Task Force under IEEE Computer Analytical Methods Subcommittee (CAMS). the task force's previous papers are focused on general aspects of cascading outages such as understanding, prediction, prevention and restoration from cascading failures. This is the first of two new papers, which extend this previous work to summarize the state of the art in cascading failure risk analysis methodologies and modeling tools. This paper is intended to be a reference document to summarize the state of the art in the methodologies for …

Innovative Smart Grid Control Technologies, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The smart electric power grid will evolve into a very complex adaptive system under semi-autonomous distributed control. It will be spatially and temporally complex, non-convex, non-linear and non-stationary, with lots of variability and uncertainties beyond what the traditional power system experiences today. the distributed integration of intermittent sources of energy and energy storage to a power grid further adds complexity and challenges to modeling, control and optimization of the grid. Innovative control technologies are needed to handle the growing complexity of a smart grid, maximize the penetration of renewable energy, and provide maximum utilization of available energy storage, especially plug-in …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Georgia Southern University's Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health receives grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Influence Of Social Determinants On Late Stage Breast Cancer And The Impact Of The National Breast And Cervical Cancer Program On Late Stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Melody L. Fortune

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research focused on breast cancer and social determinants that have been shown to influence the outcomes of this devastating disease. Although heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, more women feel that they will die from breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common diagnosed cancer in women exacting an emotional and economic hardship for many women. There are no known causes of breast cancer, but there are certain genetic and social factors that pre-dispose women to this disease. Also, diagnosis at later stages of disease has been shown to have adverse outcomes for many. …

Research Universities As Engines Of Economic Growth: How Do Research Universities Impact Regional Economic Growth?, Stephanie Arnette Pink

Theses and Dissertations

As a result of the 2008-2010 economic crisis as well as continuing efforts to redevelop and revitalize local economies, public administrators across America are challenged with the task of developing methods to sustain their economies. According to Florida (2002) economic growth today is contingent upon a locality’s ability to attract a certain group of people, particularly those of the “creative class”. Furthermore, Florida et al., (2006), assert that universities are key contributors to regional development in their ability to attract creative class individuals into a community. Contrary to the assertion that the creative class is a prerequisite for economic growth, …

Retained Woody Structure In 1-Year-Old Loblolly Pine Plantations In Mississippi, Louisiana, And Arkansas, Justin Neu

Theses and Dissertations

I evaluated effects of 4 common site preparation techniques on residual structure while comparing 2 techniques commonly used to estimate CWD volume in Southeast loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) commercial pine plantations in 2 ecoprovinces. The strip plot method (SPM) estimated greater volume than the line intercept method (LIM; 9.7 m3/ha and 11.4 m3/ha respectively). The SPM had lesser volume estimate variability and appears more appropriate for the Southeast. Mechanical sites had the greatest densities of green trees and fewest snag retention and overall were least decayed. Chemical preparation combinations had lesser green tree densities but greater snag densities. Piled CWD …

Differences In Fatty Acid Content Of Homogenized And Non-Homogenized Milk From Holstein And Jersey Cows, Amanda Jean Frahm

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate fatty acid concentrations of homogenized and non-homogenized milk from Jersey and Holstein cows. Twenty-two, lactating Holstein (n=11) and Jersey (n=11) cows were fed the same ration with Calan® gates twice daily. Jerseys were fed 25kg DM and Holsteins were fed 30 kg DM. Feed offered was adjusted daily according to previous day orts amount. Body weight and measurements, blood, and ruminal samples were collected weekly as were feed and orts samples. Ruminal fluid was collected from six Holstein and six Jersey cows weekly (n=42). Milk weights were collected daily and samples were …

Dr. Johnson's Novel Influence: Jane Austen Illuminates Concordia Discors, Heather Ann Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate Jane Austen’s illumination of Samuel Johnson’s moral precepts in seeking harmony in choice of life. Austen explores the various decisions of her characters and the effects of those choices on happiness through the use of free indirect discourse. Austen and Johnson both contend that marriage is a potential source of great happiness in an individual’s choice of life, and concordia discors between spouses offers the highest form of contentment in marriage. Johnson believed that the novelist had a moral duty to his or her reader to present characters with attainable virtue. Austen’s …

Multi-Scale Roost Site Selection By Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bats And Southeastern Myotis In Mississippi, Heather Lynne Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii; RBEB) and southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius; SEM) are listed on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Limited information on roost sites exists. I conducted roost surveys for RBEB and SEM on public forest lands in central Mississippi during winter and spring 2010. During winter, RBEB and SEM roosted in cavity trees with greater trunk diameters. In spring, roost trees used by SEM were located in forested areas of lower elevation, less slope, and greater distances from roads. Because imperfect detection can affect occupancy estimates, I estimated detection probabilities under different survey methods. Detection probability ranged …

Characterization Of Two Genes For Resistance To Aflatoxin Accumulation In Maize (Zea Mays L.), John Erik Mylroie

Theses and Dissertations

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world’s largest food crops and thus any pathogens of maize are of great importance. Aspergillus flavus is one of these pathogens and it produces a carcinogenic metabolite called aflatoxin. Efforts to reduce infection by A. flavus and subsequent aflatoxin accumulation include the development of maize lines resistant to aflatoxin accumulation. However, resistant lines that have been developed contain agronomically unfavorable traits. Gene-based markers would allow for easier transfer of resistance from resistant inbred lines into maize lines with good agronomic traits. The focus of this research was the development of gene-based markers …

Essential Oils Reduce Listeria Monocytogenes From Biofilm Surfaces And Fresh Catfish Fillets, Monil Ajitbhai Desai

Theses and Dissertations

The present work examines the antimicrobial efficacy of the essential oils of thyme, oregano and carvacrol against L. monocytogenes biofilms produced on stainless steel coupons and for control of L. monocytogenes growth on raw catfish fillets stored at 4°C for 10 days. At 0.5%, all three essential oils were highly effective in completely eliminating L. monocytogenes cells from stainless coupons within 24 h as compared to the untreated control yielding ~7 log CFU/cm2 L. monocytogenes. When catfish inoculated with L. monocytogenes were dipped for 30 min at 4°C in essential oil solutions of thyme and oregano at 1%, 2% and …

Evaluating Workstation Design Guidelines And Their Effects On The Obese Population, Michael Andre Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

Functional limitation, postural stability, and muscle recruitment of different categories of obesity were evaluated while performing an assembly workstation task. Three workstations, those designed for the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile workers based on anthropometric data tables, were included in the study. Functional limitation was measured using electro-goniometers and the maximum frontal functional reach (MFFR) evaluation to measure the difference in joint angles, forces plates were used to study the differences in postural stability, and EMG was used to evaluate the muscle recruitment of the soleus, frontal deltoid, and trapezius muscles. Also, a regression analysis was performed to evaluate if …

An Investigation Of Students' Satisfaction With Academic Advising And Students' Impressions Of Academic Advisors At A Rural Community College, Vanessa Massalyn Johnson Dedeaux

Theses and Dissertations

This study was the first attempt to evaluate the college’s career/technical current advising practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate career/technical students’ satisfaction with academic advising at a rural community college and to investigate whether there were any relationships between students’ satisfaction and various demographic characteristics. The study also investigated students’ impressions of the academic advisors and whether there were any relationships between students’ impressions and various demographic characteristics. The researcher purchased the Survey of Academic Advising, Copyright 1997, from ACT, Inc. The Survey of Academic Advising was developed by the Evaluation Survey Service (ESS) and ACT and …

Thermoregulation, Risk, And Den Stability Influence Grizzly Bear Den-Site Selection, Nathan Steven Libal

Theses and Dissertations

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) den-site selection may be influenced by multiple factors at varying spatial extents. To test for hierarchical selection, I compared grizzly bear den sites (n = 21) to random locations in the Southern Lakes, Yukon at two scales: mesoscale (within 1 km of dens) and microscale (within 100 m of dens). I observed selection for den opening slope, pixel slope, soil content, and horizontal cover at the mesoscale. At the microscale, I observed selection for opening slope and horizontal cover. To further test the role of security and the sex hypothesis of sexual segregation, I compared adult …

Understanding Consumer Responses To Endorser Failures, Lauren Allyn White

Theses and Dissertations

Celebrity endorsements are a widely used marketing strategy, through which a popular celebrity is paired with the brand in order to enhance brand meaning in the eyes of consumers. However, endorsement strategies are not without risk, as evidenced by popular media revealing celebrities’ negative behavior. While much research has addressed factors enhancing endorsement effectiveness, limited research exists that examines the effects of negative celebrity information on consumer responses to the endorser and brand. The current research seeks to understand the potential differentiating effects of failure type (functional vs. nonfunctional) on related consumer attitudes and intentions. Three experiments (between subjects factorial …

Using Green Roofs To Mitigate The Effects Of Solar Energy On An Unconditioned Building In The Southern United States, Jason Lee Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a phenomenon that results in cities being warmer than the surrounding rural areas, due to a large amount of impervious surfaces. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of green roofs to mitigate the effects of solar energy on a building in the southern United States. In order to test the green roofs, temperatures were monitored inside and on top of unconditioned model buildings with green and with traditional roofs. Over the course of the study, the data collected showed that green roofs provided a significant benefit for the buildings …

Variability Of Sediment Nutrients And Benthic Macro-Invertebrates In Recreational Fishing Ponds, Tyler James Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

The overall objective of this study was to identify trends of sediment nutrients and benthic macro-invertebrates in recreational fishing ponds. The Ekman dredge and the Yabby pump, also were compared for benthic macro-invertebrate sampling effectiveness. Large ranges in the coefficient of variation for Pw (52 – 123.9), C:N (13.4 – 124), density (61.5 – 98.5), and diversity (67 – 142) indicated significant spatial variability within and among ponds. Invertebrate familial diversity was the only variable that did not show any significant temporal variation (H = 4.31, P = 0.230). Results from the gear comparison indicated no differences between the Ekman …

Stratigraphic Architecture Of The Floyd (Neal) Shale In The Black Warrior Basin Of Alabama And Mississippi: Implications For Regional Exploration Potential, Matthew Macgregor Caton

Theses and Dissertations

The Floyd (Neal) Shale is an organic-rich black shale in the Black Warrior Basin that is being explored for its unconventional gas potential. To understand the stratigraphic architecture of the black shale facies in Mississippi, a detailed examination of well logs, conventional core, well log correlation (cross sections) and isopach maps were used to delineate and characterize the Neal Shale depositional facies. From this study it can be concluded that parasequences associated with the upper Pride Mountain Formation, Hartselle, Floyd Shale and Bangor Limestone are equivalent to resistive units in the Neal Shale in Alabama. In Mississippi, the upper Pride …

Studies On Hexahapto-Dibenzo[A,E]Cyclooctatetraene Complexes Of Chromiumtricarbonyl And Cationic Manganesetricarbonyl, Nilantha Bandara

Theses and Dissertations

Mono- and dinuclear chromiumtricarbonyl and manganesetricarbonyl complexes of dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctatetraene (DBCOT) were synthesized and characterized. In the bis(chromiumtricarbonyl)DBCOT synthesis, the main product was the syn,anti isomer where the two Cr(CO)3 moieties coordinate to opposite faces of the DBCOT backbone. This complex exhibits three dynamic processes in solution. A ring inversion of the organic skeleton occurs while the two chromiumtricarbonyl moieties undergo tripod rotation. This is the first study where eight-membered ring inversion is studied for a pi-coordinated metallic system. The rate of inversion at various temperatures was determined by 1H NMR line shape analysis at two different field strengths (300 and …

Success Rates Of Ged Credential Recipients And High School Graduates: A Comparative Study Of Southeast Kentucky Community And Technical College Students, James Victor Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was a statistically significant difference in collegiate success rates of GED credential recipients and high school graduates in community colleges. Data obtained from the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) PeopleSoft system at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) were used. The specific research questions investigated were as follows: 1. Is there a significant difference in academic success in the community college as measured by overall grade point average (GPA) of GED credential recipients as compared to high school graduates? 2. Is there a significant difference in academic …

The 3d Dynamics Of The Cosserat Rod As Applied To Continuum Robotics, Charles Rees Jones

Theses and Dissertations

In the effort to simulate the biologically inspired continuum robot’s dynamic capabilities, researchers have been faced with the daunting task of simulating—in real-time—the complete three dimensional dynamics of the the “beam-like” structure which includes the three “stiff” degrees-ofreedom transverse and dilational shear. Therefore, researchers have traditionally limited the difficulty of the problem with simplifying assumptions. This study, however, puts forward a solution which makes no simplifying assumptions and trades off only the real-time requirement of the desired solution. The solution is a Finite Difference Time Domain method employing an explicit single step method with cheap right hands sides. The cheap …

Industrial Timberland Transactions In The United States: Firm Financial Performance, Timber Supply, And Welfare Implications, Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

In the last two decades, many firms in the U.S. forest products industry have either divested their timberlands or converted their corporate structures from C corporations to real estate investment trusts (REITs). This study hypothesizes that this large-scale timberland ownership change affects the financial performance of firms involved in divestitures and on timber supply and, as a result, the economic surplus of producers and consumers in the U.S. timber markets. These issues have not been adequately addressed in existing literature. Event analysis and equilibrium displacement models were employed to address firm financial performance in the capital markets and welfare implications …

In-Situ Catalytic Upgrading Of Pyrolysis Vapor, Vamshi Krishna Guda

Theses and Dissertations

The rising fuel prices, environmental concerns over the emission of greenhouse gases, and the limited availability of fossil fuels led to the current focus on developing alternative fuel sources that are sustainable and environmentally benign. Lignocellulosic biomass, due to its high carbon value, abundance and for being greenhouse gas neutral, is a promising alternative energy resource. Fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass produces high energy density liquid fuel, called bio-oil, which has the potential as transportation fuel. But, crude bio-oils are chemically complex liquids with high oxygen contents (40 % oxygen content), high viscosity, low pH, low thermal stability, and poor …

Human Predation Risk Effects On Adult, Male White-Tailed Deer Antipredator Behavior, Andrew Richard Little

Theses and Dissertations

Recreational hunters play an important role in managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus); however, the potential for deer to alter behaviors to avoid hunters has not been addressed within the risk-allocation hypothesis. I evaluated magnitude (i.e., hunter density) and temporal variation (i.e., time of day and initial and prolonged exposure) in human predation risk on movements, resource selection, and observation rates of 37 adult male deer in southern Oklahoma. Deer recognized human predation risk by increasing diel path complexity and use of security cover with greater hunter density. Moreover, deer reduced movement rates and tortuosity while seeking out areas with security …

Hydrolysis Of Organophosphate And Model Substrates In African American And Caucasian Southerners By Serum Paraoxonase-1 (Pon1) And Its Relationship To Atherosclerosis, Ryan Hunter Coombes

Theses and Dissertations

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a high density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme displaying esterase and lactonase activity. PON1 hydrolyzes the oxons of several organophosphorous insecticides (e.g. paraoxon, diazoxon and chlorpyrifos-oxon) and metabolizes lipid peroxides of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and HDL. As such, PON1 plays a relevant role in determining susceptibility of organophosphate toxicity and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine associations of PON1 status (i.e. genotype and activity levels) with atherosclerosis (ATH) in individuals from the Southeastern United States. An additional objective was to determine whether PON1 genotype and/or PON1 activity levels influence the capacity of PON1 to …

Examining The Praxis Ii For Initial Licensure In French, German, And Spanish: Perspectives Of Foreign Language Faculty Members And Teacher Candidates, Kelly Marie Moser

Theses and Dissertations

In compliance with NCLB, states receiving Title I funding were to ensure that all teachers of core subject areas, including foreign languages, were highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 academic year. Given that 44 states assess teacher quality through The Praxis Series tests, and 32 of these rely on one of the Praxis II subject-matter tests to gauge foreign language competency (ETS, 2010a), research examining the perspectives of teacher candidates and faculty members regarding these licensure tests is needed. The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the perspectives of teacher candidates and faculty members regarding the …