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An Object-Oriented Analysis For Characterizing The Rainfall-Induced Shallow Landslide, Kuan-Tsung Chang, Jin-King Liu, Chu-I Wang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Landslides are natural phenomena for the dynamic balance of the earth's surface. Because of frequent occurrences of typhoons and earthquakes in Taiwan, mass movements are common threats to people's lives. In this paper, the interpretation of knowledge is quantified as recognition criteria. Multisource high-resolution data, for example, a SPOT satellite image, 20 m × 20 m Digital Terrain Model (DTM) reduced from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data, and aerial orthophotos were used to construct the feature space for landslide analysis. Landslides were recognized by an objectoriented method combining edge-based segmentation and a Supported Vector Machine (SVM) method. The classification …

Introduction, Sor-Hoon Tan

Comparative Philosophy

This is the introduction to the content of the jounrnal's special issue (vol. 4 no. 1 / January 2013) celebrating the tenth anniversary of the International Society for Comparative Studies of Chinese and Western Philosophy (ISCWP), which includes five peer-reviewed articles by ISCWP members.

A Daoist Model For A Kantian Church, Stephen R. Palmquist

Comparative Philosophy

Although significant differences undoubtedly exist between Daoism and Kant’s philosophy, the two systems also have some noteworthy similarities. After calling attention to a few such parallels and sketching the outlines of Kant’s philosophy of religion, this article focuses on an often-neglected feature of the latter: the four guiding principles of what Kant calls an “invisible church” (universality, purity, freedom, and unchangeableness). Numerous passages from Lao Zi’s classic text, Dao-De-Jing, seem to uphold these same principles, thus suggesting that they can also be interpreted as core features of a Daoist philosophy of life. A crucial difference, however, is that members of …

Withstanding Cruel Teasing: Does Dispositional Mindfulness Fortify Target Immunity?, Ruth Catherine Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cruel teasing can be pernicious for targets' psychological health. In this thesis I examined the extent to which trait mindfulness might mitigate the negative psychological effects associated with cruel teasing. Correlation results confirmed cruel teasing history related significantly and directly, and mindfulness inversely, to poorer psychological health. Moderated regression analyses confirmed that among targets of frequent cruel teasing those with high levels of mindfulness did not evidence the detrimental psychological effects as did those low in mindfulness. Subsequent moderated regression analyses with cruel teasing history, mindfulness, and sexual identity status suggest that when people are low in mindfulness cruel teasing …

Novice Teachers Perceptions Of Prior Mentoring Experiences, Gloria Freels Mcelroy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 50% of novice educators leave the profession in the first 5 years of service. Novice educators were defined as educators with 5 or fewer years of teaching experience. The State of Tennessee has estimated the cost for that decision to around $28,000.00 per teacher for each local educational authority. Many researchers believe mentoring increases novice satisfaction in the classroom. Even though many enter the field of education, Freedman and Appleman (2009) found that teachers leave the profession in rates higher than other professions. Ingersoll and Merrill (2010) showed the annual turnover rate for teachers was higher than for …

Waging A Living In Casual Dining Restaurant Chains, Hannah Blythe Bower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through in-depth interviews with 14 restaurant servers who worked in "casual dining" restaurant chains, this study explores service work and servers' perceptions of restaurant culture. Interactions between servers and customers are examined through the lens of servers' personal experiences. The analysis of interview data focus on how servers understand their role, how "casual dining" restaurant chains try to avoid the appearance of fast food outlets, and how "the customer is always right" slogan affects servers and customers. As a response to difficult and inflexible structural conditions present in restaurant work, servers establish short-lived camaraderie with each other through games, harassment, …

A Comparative Study Of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy And Spark Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy For Rapid Analysis Of Mercury In Soils, Pavan Kumar Srungaram

Theses and Dissertations

Elevated concentrations of mercury in soils are quite hazardous to flora and fauna and water bodies near these soils. This makes continuous monitoring of mercury very essential. This work compares two potential spectroscopic methods LIBS and SIBS at their optimum experimental conditions for mercury monitoring. The experimental conditions for Hg measurements with LIBS and SIBS were determined and calibration was developed. The limits of detection (LODs) of Hg in soil were calculated from the Hg calibration curves. The LOD for mercury (Hg) in soil calculated using LIBS and SIBS are 483 parts-per-million and 20 parts-per-million, respectively. The present study indicates …

The Hinterland: Compilation Of Nearby Brown Dwarfs And Ultracool Stars, Christopher David Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

This work is a compilation and analysis of ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) and brown dwarfs within 25 parsecs. It supplements the work of Stauffer et al. [2010] who updated the reputable and widely relied upon Third Catalog of Nearby Stars [Gliese & Jahreiß 1991] with revised coordinates and cross-matched each object with the 2MASS point source catalog [Cutri et al. 2003]. I began by incorporating newly discovered (post 1991) cool companions to Gliese-Jahreiß stars that had been previously undetectable. I then expanded the compilation to include isolated UCDs and other nearby systems with at least one UCD component. Multiple systems are …

The Relationship Between Religion And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Philip B. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that religious people have higher levels of self-control. Scientists also hypothesize that individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are less likely to participate in religious services which require long periods of attention and self discipline. However, little research has investigated the potential relationship between ADHD and religious participation. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study finds (1) mothers’ prayer frequency is marginally related to children’s ADHD symptoms and diagnosis although other religious indicators are not significantly related, (2) childhood religious involvement and affiliation are not significantly related to ADHD symptoms and diagnosis, …

Rapid Non-Destructive Assessment Of Southern Yellow Pine Lumber Properties By Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Ignacio Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several years questions about the strength of structural lumber have been raised. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physically measured wood properties using Near Infrared spectroscopy. Physical properties were determined from (2 x 4 x 2 in.) cut samples. Destructive mechanical testing was performed on 744; 8 feet long, No.2 grade 2x4’s. Diffuse reflectance NIR spectra was collected from the cross-sectional face of each block using FOSS NIR Systems Inc. Model 5000 scanning spectrometer. Calibrations were then created between measured properties and NIR estimates. Density, specific gravity, latewood percentage, MOE and MOR …

Online Teacher Candidates' Experiences In A Virtual World For The Preparation To Teach Middle School, Nicole C. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly virtual worlds are being used to provide new and varied learning opportunities by various educational organizations such as universities, K-12 schools, and museums (Dembo, 2008; Ketelhut, Nelson, Clarke, & Dede, 2010; The Forbidden City: Beyond Space and Time, 2008). Simultaneously teacher preparation programs are increasingly being offered online (Minsun & Yoon-Joo, 2009; Saltmarsh & Sutherland-Smith, 2010; Sawchuk, 2009; Schrum, Burbank, & Capps, 2007). However, these more traditional online asynchronous learning experiences are often more challenging in several ways: (a) they require greater self-regulation (Artino & Stephens, 2009; Bol & Garner, 2011), (b) they have been reported as sometimes less …

Perceptions Of Title Ix's Impact On Gender Equity Within Intercollegiate Athletics: The Mississippi Public Community And Junior Colleges, Roderick Van Daniel

Theses and Dissertations

Title IX’s legislation has been in place since 1972 and has affected female participation in a positive form towards gender equity. However many institution sill have difficulty complying with the standards mandated by Title IX. Gender equity is established by meeting substantial proportionality, continued expansion, or full accommodations prongs mandated by Title IX for an institution to be in compliance. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of the athletic directors of the 15 public community and junior colleges in Mississippi regarding Title IX compliance and determine if their respective institutions are in compliance with the substantial …

Conceptual Change: The Integration Of Geologic Time Into The Teaching Of Evolution, David L. Ramseyer

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to discern if geologic time is a threshold concept for student understanding of evolutionary theory. A threshold concept enables the learner to unpack other concepts because of its importance in thought construction. In this study three teachers and ten sections of biology were investigated from the same high school. Each teacher used the same activities, in the same sequence, and with identical evaluation methods. Students in the treatment group covered a unit on geologic time prior to completing course work on evolutionary theory. Student misconceptions in both control and treatment groups were assessed using a composite concept …

Effects Of Supplemental Citrulline Malate During A Resistance Training Protocol, William Kinnard Luckett

Theses and Dissertations

Ergogenic L-citrulline and malate are amino acids used in specific combination to effect muscular endurance during athletic performances. Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the ergogenic properties of citrulline-malate (CM) during a resistance training protocol. Methods: Utilizing a randomized, counterbalanced, double blind study, fifteen trained males completed a resistance training protocol once using placebo (PL) and once with CM (8.0g). Results: CM supplementation increased repetitions in chin-ups, reverse chin-ups, push-ups, and total trial repetitions. Blood lactate was significantly increased post-exercise compared to pre-exercise, but was not significantly different between CM and placebo. Further, a significant interaction effect was revealed for …

Effects Of Television Weather Broadcasters On Viewers During Severe Weather: To Be Or Not To Be On-Screen, Amanda Marie Lea

Theses and Dissertations

An association was tested between the presence of a television weather broadcaster on-screen and viewers’ likelihood to seek shelter, measured via risk perception and preventative behavior. Social networking websites were used to recruit respondents. Four clips of archived severe weather videos, one pair (on-screen and off-screen broadcaster) using the reflectivity product and another pair (on-screen and off-screen broadcaster) using velocity product, were presented to participants. Viewers’ trust and weather salience were also quantified for additional interactions. A relationship between viewers’ risk perception (preflectivity = 0.821, pvelocity = 0.625) and preventative behavior (preflectivity = 0.217, pvelocity = 0.236) and the presence …

Effects Of Thermo-Mechanical And Thermal Treatments On The Structure-Property Relationships Of Dual Phase (Dp) And Transformation-Induced Plasticity (Trip) Steels, Matthew Leonard Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The investigation of thermo-mechanical and thermal treatments on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of DP590 and TRIP680 steels revealed several critical aspects of the materials’ responses to different testing. Various thermo-mechanical treatments were carried out to identify the responses to the said treatments. Following these preconditioning protocols, quasi-static, and high strain-rate tests showed how the materials reacted under tensile testing to fracture. Ensuing heat treatments on the as-received materials were performed to bring about phase fraction changes to each of the steels. These heat-treated DP and TRIP steels were examined to discover microstructural characteristics and mechanical responses through quasi-static and …

Evaluation Of B-Mode And Color Doppler Ultrasound As Alternative Tools For The Study Of Reproduction, Temperament, And Milk Production- Related Variables In The Bovine, Hector Luis Sanchez-Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

An adequate vascular perfusion status is essential not only to maintain life, but to ensure the proper physiology of the different systems that form the animal’s body. Due to its role in the transport of oxygen and nutrients toward, and the removal of cellular waste products away from the body’s tissues, the circulatory system is responsible for the maintenance of body homeostasis. Production related functions in farm animals are not an exception, and directly depend on sufficient vascular physiology. In the past, the study of blood flow in large domestic species was restricted to highly invasive techniques. However, even when …

Block Compressed Sensing Of Images And Video, Sungkwang Mun

Theses and Dissertations

Compressed sensing is an emerging approach for signal acquisition wherein theory has shown that a small number of linear, random projection of a signal contains enough information for reconstruction of the signal. Despite its potential to enable lightweight and inexpensive sensing hardware that simultaneously combines signal acquisition and dimensionality reduction, the compressed sensing of images and video still entails several challenges, in particular, a sensing-measurement operator which is difficult to apply in practice due to the heavy memory and computational burdens. Block-based random image sampling coupled with a projection-driven compressed-sensing recovery is proposed to address this challenge. For images, the …

Stalking On The Screen: Examining Media Portrayals Of Relational Stalking Behavior, John Robert Macarthur

Theses and Dissertations

I coded a random sample of 266 movies to test whether previous researcher’s assertions that the media legitimizes unwanted courtship persistence (UCP) and minimizes stalking behavior is true. Consistent with their assertions, I found that the media does frequently depict stories of unwanted courtship persistence, and they were portrayed, on average, as acceptable. Although pursuers were generally portrayed positively, pursuers who engaged in UCP were more likely to be portrayed negatively than non-UCP pursuers. However, UCP pursuers were more successful than non-UCP pursuers in winning over their love interest. Using Cupach and Spitzberg’s (2004) Obsessional Relational Intrusion (ORI) scale, I …

Modulation Of Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Canine Chondrocytes, David L. Dycus

Theses and Dissertations

Little research has focused on the involvement of oxidative stress as it relates to the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA); while inflammation has been extensively studied. The present study evaluates the ability to modulate the response of canine chondrocytes to both inflammation and oxidative stress in an in-vitro model. Chondrocytes were incubated and then stimulated to under-go oxidative stress by using hydrogen peroxide or inflammation using interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. For inhibition of oxidative stress an antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine, was used prior to induction with hydrogen peroxide in a subset of chondrocytes. Measures of oxidative stress were superoxide dismutase …

Flux And Source Of Dissolved Organic And Inorganic Constituents In Managed Headwaters Of The Upper Gulf Coastal Plain, Mississippi, Clay Nicholas Mangum

Theses and Dissertations

Headwater watersheds initiate material export to downstream environments. A nested headwater study examined the flux and source of dissolved constituents and water from a perennial stream and four ephemeral/intermittent streams in the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain, Mississippi. Water was collected during storm and baseflow conditions. Multiple linear regression was used to model constituent concentration and calculate flux. Source of water was determined using principle components analysis and end-member mixing analysis. Rain was the major source of water discharged from the ephemeral and intermittent streams, while groundwater was the major source for water discharged by the perennial stream during events. Baseflow …

Genomic And Functional Analysis Of Next-Generation Sequencing Data, Philippe Chouvarine

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have resulted in significant reduction of cost per sequenced base pair and increase in sequence data volume. On the other hand, most currently used NGS technologies produce relatively short sequence reads (50 - 150 bp) compared to Sanger sequencing (~700 bp). This represents an additional challenge in data analysis, because shorter reads are more difficult to assemble. At this point, production of sequencing data outpaces our capacity to analyze them. Newer NGS technologies capable of producing longer reads are emerging, which should simplify and speed up genome assembly. However, this will only increase the …

Geodetic Method To Estimate Mass Balance Of Himalayan Glaciers: A Case Study Of The Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, Kabindra Joshi

Theses and Dissertations

Mass balance records of glaciers help to understand long term climate change, yet there are very few in-situ measurements of mass balance in Himalayan glaciers. Mass balance of major glaciers in the Sagarmatha National Park was assessed using Digital Elevation Model prepared from ASTER images for period 2002 & 2005 and 2002 & 2008, employing geodetic model. Overall glacial mass balance during 2002-2005 was -2.978 plus/minus 0.89 and during 2002-2008 was -0.94 plus/minus 0.34 m.w.e per annum. Glacier melt could form glacial lakes in high Himalayas. One of the glacial lakes, Imja Lake in the study area increased its surface …

Hearth And Home: Life In And Around A "Kitchen" From Ancient Judah As Excavated At Tell Halif, Tim Frank

Theses and Dissertations

A room with many well-preserved artifacts was excavated at Tell Halif in a level associated with Ancient Judah. By using analogy the use of these artifacts can be compared with that of other similar objects. Analogy is at the heart of archaeological interpretation and allows a more explicit determination of the possible uses of artifacts and their patterning. The artifacts serve as evidence for reconstructing life in and around an archaeologically excavated space. By discerning the patterns of artifact distribution we can interpret how the space might have been used. The room excavated at Tell Halif has strong evidence for …

Evaluation Of Wildrye (Elymus Sp.) As A Potential Forage And Conservation Planting For The Southeastern United States, Jason Brett Rushing

Theses and Dissertations

In the southeastern United States, there is a need for a native, cool-season grass component for restoring and reclaiming grasslands and providing quality forage for livestock. Experiments were conducted on southeastern wildrye [Elymus glabriflorus (Vasey) Scribn. & C.R. Ball] to assess agronomic parameters, and establish a base of information for use in future research and breeding programs. Optimal germination requirements (temperature, light, pH, and physical dormancy) were evaluated. Our data suggests that for southeastern wildrye, the optimal temperature required for germination is between 15 and 20oC. Light treatments (constant dark, constant light, short day, and long day) did not influence …

Experiments And Simulation For 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy Resistance Spot Welded Lap Joints, Radu Stefanel Florea

Theses and Dissertations

This comprehensive study is the first to quantify the fatigue performance, failure loads, and microstructure of resistance spot welding (RSW) in 6061-T6 aluminum (Al) alloy according to welding parameters and process sensitivity. The extensive experimental, theoretical and simulated analyses will provide a framework to optimize the welding of lightweight structures for more fuel-efficient automotive and military applications. The research was executed in four primary components. The first section involved using electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) scanning, tensile testing, laser beam profilometry (LBP) measurements, and optical microscopy(OM) images to experimentally investigate failure loads and deformation of the Al-alloy resistance spot welded …

A Nonlinear Statistical Algorithm To Predict Daily Lightning In Mississippi, Erin Amanda Thead

Theses and Dissertations

Recent improvements in numerical weather model resolution open the possibility of producing forecasts for lightning using indirect lightning threat indicators well in advance of an event. This research examines the feasibility of a statistical machine-learning algorithm known as a support vector machine (SVM) to provide a probabilistic lightning forecast for Mississippi at 9 km resolution up to one day in advance of a thunderstorm event. Although the results indicate that SVM forecasts are not consistently accurate with single-day lightning forecasts, the SVM performs skillfully on a data set consisting of many forecast days. It is plausible that errors by the …

A Procedure Using Rotylenchulus Reniformis Nucleotide Sequences To Quantitatively Measure Plant-Parasitic Nematode Infestation Levels Using Metagenomic Dna Isolated Directly From Soil, Kurtis C. Showmaker

Theses and Dissertations

Molecular diagnostic tests have been developed and utilized to diagnose and to confirm diagnoses of many plant-parasitic nematodes. We evaluate the potential of a qPCR assay to detect and quantify Rotylenchulus reniformis in Mississippi directly from soil. A novel pipeline utilizing multiple databases containing nematode DNA and EST sequences was developed to aid in the selection of R. reniformis primers used in a PCR and qPCR assays. In vitro testing showed that the primers and probes developed from the novel pipeline for the qPCR assays could accurately detect the presence of R. reniformis. Subsequent testing resulted in a trend of …

Grandpa Bandit, Jasmine D. Dunn

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Grandpa Bandit tells the story of elderly Virgil Wells, an upstanding citizen who is forced to partake in criminal activities in order to be able to provide for his ailing wife, Mary. As their funds decrease and their medicare is terminated, Virgil applies for work but is overlooked. His abilities are underestimated. He's viewed as a liability because of his age. When all attempts at making an honest living fails, Virgil decides that his only option is to rob a bank.

Throughline: The common misconception that the elderly are incapable of working hard during their golden years often leaves these …

Happy Valley, Robert D. Gray

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.