Digital Commons Network^™

State V. Wing Respondent's Brief Dckt. 38662

Not Reported

No abstract provided.

State V. Coleman Respondent's Brief Dckt. 38708

Not Reported

No abstract provided.

Study Of Excited Superdeformed Bands In 154dy And High-Spin Spectroscopy Of 171hf, Qurant Ul Ann Ijaz

Theses and Dissertations

The first project in this dissertation involves the search for and the study of excited superdeformed (SD) rotational bands in 154Dy. The data was obtained from an experiment at the 88-inch cyclotron of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory via the fusion evaporation reaction 122Sn(36S, 4n) and using the Gammasphere spectrometer array to probe the high-spin states in 154Dy. With the help of large Compton-suppressed spectrometers such as GAMMASPHERE in the USA and EUROBALL in Europe, superdeformed nuclei have been identified in several regions of the chart of nuclides including 151Dy, 153Dy, 154Dy and 155Dy. The 154Dy nucleus, located in the …

Assessing And Modeling Student Academic Practices And Performance In First-Year Mathematics Courses In Higher Education, Kim Ward, Chantal Larose

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This research brief explores literature addressing developmental education to identify successful interventions in first-year math courses in higher education. Our goal is to describe the relationship between students’ academic practices and their final course grade in their first-year math courses. Method: Data on 3,249 students have been gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics and predicative analytics. We describe the Math program, which includes a supplemental support component, and the environment under which it was created. We then examine the behavior between students’ participation in supplemental support and their academic performance. Results: We used classification and regression tree algorithms to …

The Original Footloose: How President Murlin Pushed Back Against Traditional Depauw Methodism, Sam Spahn

Student Research

No abstract provided.

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 …

Convocation, Dimitri Carabas, K. C. Singer, Asiamarie Domingo, Cody Stover, Damian Coughlin, Waylon Raether, Hye Youn Joo Sin, Gianni Becker, Barry Stanton, Samantha Ciarlo, Belinda Martinez, Christina Riegert, Ronna Humphries, Ava Thibodeau, Samantha Alterman, David Warner, Barbara Riske, Jessica Kim, Spencer Baker, Zhu Sun, Bilyana Tancheva, Travis Lohmann, Nancy Porter

Convocations

Program listing performers and works performed

Convocation, James Galvez, Casey Gardner, Stacy Honaker, Miguel Alasco, Patrick Garcia, Dominique Jackson, Lindsay Testai, David Warner, Bradley Taylor, Megan Hermansen, Jourdan Borowiak, Katie Bertini, Thomas Gaff, Bilyana Tancheva, Nancy Porter, Albina Asyran, Jae Ahn-Benton, Travis Bernau

Convocations

Program listing performers and works performed

Doctoral Recital, Latoya Lain, Karen Mccann

Graduate Student Recitals

Program listing performers and works performed

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 …

A Genomic And Transcriptomic Analysis Of Wood Decay And Copper Tolerance In The Brown Rot Fungus Fibroporia Radiculosa, Juliet D. Tang

Theses and Dissertations

Brown rot fungi are notoriously copper-tolerant, which makes them difficult to control with copper-based wood preservatives. Brown rot fungi are also unique because they have evolved a bilateral strategy for decay. Their initial attack involves the production of hydroxyl free radicals to increase wood porosity, followed by an enzymatic onslaught of glycoside hydrolases that free the sugars locked within cellulose and hemicellulose. Our molecular understanding of these biological processes, however, has been hampered by our limited knowledge of the underlying genetic mechanisms. To address this knowledge gap, high-throughput, short-read sequencing was used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the genomics …

Hope Dies Last, Tom Davis

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Asphalt Emulsion On Surface Treated Flexible Pavements Using The Bending Beam Rheometer, Jason Michael Barham

Theses and Dissertations

Chip and scrub seal treatments are common pavement preservation practices that use asphalt emulsions. Their performance has been studied for several years, yet many questions remain. The primary thesis objective was to study near surface behaviors of flexible pavements that are candidates for seal treatments. This study investigated the ability of the bending beam rheometer (BBR) to detect pavement surface changes due to the application of asphalt emulsion. Estimated stiffness and m-value data was recorded for three asphalt concrete mixtures using mixture beams approximately 120 mm long by 12 mm wide by 7.7 mm thick sawn from the surface of …

Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm For Optimal Operation Of Reconfigurable Distribution Grids, Wenqin Xue

Theses and Dissertations

Optimization techniques are widely applied in the power system planning and operation to achieve more efficient and reliable power supply. With the introduction of new technologies, the complexity of today’s power system increased significantly. Intelligent optimization techniques, such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), can efficiently deal with the new challenges compared to conventional optimization techniques. This thesis presents applications of discrete PSO in two specific environments. The first one is for day-ahead optimal scheduling of the reconfigurable gird with distributed energy resources. The second one is a two-step method for rapid reconfiguration of shipboard power system. Effective techniques, such as …

Holiness Week By Stephen Martyn, Stephen L. Martyn

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

Creating Resilient, Sustainable Local Governments: Merging Human Resource Management And Emergency Management, Stacey Cole Mann

Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Goodman and Mann (2008) found that many locales along the Mississippi Gulf Coast did not have plans that addressed human resources (HR) issues in the aftermath of a disaster, and many vital employees were not included in the emergency planning process. The authors concluded that if involved in planning, HR managers could address typical HR issues such as compensation, retention, recruitment, and task re-orientation that become more difficult following a disaster. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of involvement of HR departments in the emergency planning process as well as …

Cross-Entropy Approaches To Software Forensics: Source Code Authorship Identification, James Thomas Stinson

Theses and Dissertations

Identification of source code authorship can be a useful tool in the areas of security and forensic investigation by helping to create corroborating evidence that may send a suspected cyber terrorist, hacker, or malicious code writer to jail. When applied to academia, it can also prove a useful tool for professors who suspect students of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, or modification of source code related to programming assignments. The purpose of this dissertation is to determine whether or not cross-entropy approaches to source code authorship analysis will succeed in predicting the correct author of a given piece of source code. If …

Detection And Classification Of Buried Radioactive Materials, Wei Wei

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops new approaches for detection and classification of buried radioactive materials. Different spectral transformation methods are proposed to effectively suppress noise and to better distinguish signal features in the transformed space. The contributions of this dissertation are detailed as follows. 1) Propose an unsupervised method for buried radioactive material detection. In the experiments, the original Reed-Xiaoli (RX) algorithm performs similarly as the gross count (GC) method; however, the constrained energy minimization (CEM) method performs better if using feature vectors selected from the RX output. Thus, an unsupervised method is developed by combining the RX and CEM methods, which …

Development Of Sub Models For A Phenomenological Investigation Of Diesel Engine Combustion, Lu Qiu

Theses and Dissertations

Various sub models of a multi-zone phenomenological model are developed by incorporating Dec’s conceptual model and Siebers’ mixing limited theory and validated with experiments. The spray penetration model, liquid length model and lift-off length model are verified with experiment data. The ignition delay model is then validated with experiment data at different injection timings and loads. The air entrainment model is based on Siebers’ jet theory. Sub models for the premixed heat release rate and diffusion burn rate are also included. The overall phenomenological model is at first used to match the motoring pressure curve. The important sub models are …

Chimes: December 9, 2011, Calvin College

Chimes

Campus Fair Trade sale promotes justice by Amanda Elliott

Acton translates Kuyper by Ryan Devries

Choirs worship with LaGrave by Grace Ruiter

Scientists fight bacterial resistance by Jon Hielkema

Paradise Fears impressive by Jess Koster

Soccer team finishes second in the nation by Mark Zylstra

An Evaluation Of Laboratory Manufactured Fire Retardant Treated Flakeboard, Joseph M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated the mechanical properties of laboratory manufactured, fire retardant treated (FRT) flakeboard in an effort to help establish proper manufacturing procedure and testing protocol for these types of composite products. Two sets of fire retardant treated and untreated panels were manufactured and tested to gauge the initial effects of treatment, as well as the effects of high temperature exposure on both panel types. Testing was also conducted on different bending specimen widths in an attempt to find the specimen size most suitable for testing flakeboard composites. Results indicated that FR treatment had an adverse effect on panel mechanical …

An Investigation Of Institutional Investor And Firm Heterogeneity, Muhammad Arif Qayyum

Theses and Dissertations

In the first essay, we extend the research of Grinstein and Michaely (2005) on the relation between institutional ownership and payout policy by focusing on the institutions most likely to vote their shares. We account for heterogeneity among institutional investors as well as for firms. This paper accounts for heterogeneity among institutional investors based on their portfolio concentration and investment horizon and firms are differentiated based on their importance for institutional investors (based on percentage of total portfolio invested in the firm), free cash flow and debt-to-equity ratio. We examine the institutional holding data from 1980 to 2006. Like Grinstein …

Modeling And Optimization Of Nano-Enhanced Polymer Composite Structures Under Uncertainty, Mohammad Rouhi

Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of this research is to investigate the mechanical reinforcing efficiencies of carbon nanofibers in a thermoset polymer material (vinyl ester), considering the presence of the three-dimensional interphase region between nanofiber and matrix, as well as the waviness of the nanofibers. The elasticity-driven response (buckling) and energy absorption efficiency (crush performance) of the structures made of those composites are investigated. The structural/material optimization problem is solved for both buckling and energy absorption. Due to the nondeterministic nature of the influential parameters (fiber, matrix, and interphase geometric and material properties) on the overall properties of the composite, this study …

On The Problem Of Arbitrary Projections Onto A Reduced Discrete Set Of States With Applications To Mean First Passage Time Problems, Katja Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a theoretical study of arbitrary discretizations of general nonequilibrium and non-steady-state systems. It will be shown that, without requiring the partitions of the phase-space to fulfill certain assumptions, such as culminating in Markovian partitions, a Markov chain can be constructed which has the same macro-change of probability of the occupation of the states as the original process. This is true for any classical and semiclassical system under any discrete or continuous, deterministic or stochastic, Markovian or non-Markovian dynamics. Restricted to classical and semi-classical systems, a formalism is developed which treats the projection of arbitrary (multidimensional) complex systems …

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 …

Constructing Spatial Weight Matrix Using Local Spatial Statistics And Its Applications, Weiming Yu

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we extend the spatial weight matrix defined by Getis and Aldstadt (2004) to a more general case. The modified spatial weight matrix performs better than the original spatial weight matrix since the modified spatial weight matrix adjusts weights of observations based on the distance from other observations. Both the simulation study and the application to the ecological process of invasion of non-native invasive plants (NNIPs) provide evidences for the better performance of the modified spatial weight matrix. We also develop procedures that can be used to quantify the invasion stages of NNIPs. The resultant map of invasion …

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 …

Thermostability Of Sweet Whey As Influenced By Thermization And Addition Of Enzymatic Hydrolyzate Of Caseinate, Jingming Tao

Theses and Dissertations

Sweet whey is the liquid that separates from the cheese curd during manufacture of cheeses like Edam and Cheddar. Though highly nutritious, problems associated with whey utilizations include variability of desired functional attributes and lack of thermostability (TS), an attribute that is imperative in retort or pasteurization stable high protein drinks. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of pre-heat treatment (thermization) of fresh sweet whey and/or addition of casein hydrolyzate on the subsequent TS of whey protein concentrates (WPC). Fresh sweet wheys were obtained from the Mississippi State University Dairy Plant, separated, thermized for different time …

The Legacy Of Cotton: A Geographical Perspective On The Influence Of Traditionalist Politics In Mississippi, William Edward Stephen Cottrell

Theses and Dissertations

It was hypothesized that the socialspatial dialectic (location, education, politics and race) contributes to Mississippi’s low livability ranking. Regression models were employed using race, student funding rates, high school graduation rates, property tax, and voter turnout in the 82 counties as variables. The research found evidence that Blacks have lower graduation rates than Whites and property tax has a significant effect on voter participation at the gamma = .001 level. Social capital disadvantage seems to reside within both races with voter participation, property tax rates, and school funding being more pronounced with Whites. Results suggest that political capital should not …

Prey Specificity Of Thanasimus Dubius Between Latent And Intermediate Phases Of Southern Pine Beetle, Ryann Skiles Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the pheromone preference of a bark beetle predator Thanasimus dubius between latent and intermediate phases of southern pine beetle. Two trap treatments were set up in each SPB phase. Standard Lindgren funnel traps were baited with either SPB lures or Ips lures. The number of T. dubius caught in each trap was recorded and data was analyzed using both the Mann Whitney U test and a two-way factorial ANOVA. Thanasimus dubius showed no variation in SPB pheromone preference but did show a slight increase in preference for Ips pheromones in intermediate phase areas. A protocol was developed …