Digital Commons Network^™

Propagation Of Interval And Probabilistic Uncertainty In Cyberinfrastructure-Related Data Processing And Data Fusion, Christian Servin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Data uncertainty affects the results of data processing. So, it is necessary to find out how the data uncertainty propagates into the uncertainty of the results of data processing.

This problem is especially important when cyberinfrastructure enables us to process large amounts of heterogeneous data.

In the ideal world, we should have an accurate description of data

uncertainty, and well-justified efficient algorithms to propagate this uncertainty. In practice, we are often not yet in this ideal situation:

the description of uncertainty is often only approximate, and the algorithms for uncertainty propagation are often not well-justified and not very computationally efficient. …

Transport Manager Responsibilities And Risk Based Insurance Analysis, Ivana Simkova

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis addresses the issue of the responsibility of the transport manager. The transport manager´s conditions which have to be respected during his/ her work are analyzed. The transport manager is responsible for the decisions made during the whole transportation process. Individual decisions are evaluated and a probabilistic estimate of their importance is determined. A methodology for insurance for the transport manager is proposed.

The Impact Of Oil Price Shocks On The El Paso-Ciudad Juarez Borderplex, Teodulo Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This paper analyzes the effect of oil prices shocks on the economies of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. It employs a measure of the net oil price increase developed by Hamilton (1996) in a manner similar to that applied by Sill (2007) to the national economy. Impulse response functions are calculated to determine the impact of a 10-percent oil price shock on the regional economy. The asymmetrical relationship between oil prices and economic performance is also examined using a net oil price decrease variable. Results found in this study are inconclusive. A negative and statistically significant relationship with …

Isotope Geochemistry And Geochronology Of Lavas From The Line Islands Chain, Central Pacific Basin: Insight Into The Origin Of The Line Islands, Lauren Storm

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Geochemical compositions of melts produced in the Earth's mantle provide key data for understanding Earth's internal structure. Particularly, the compositions of unusually large outpourings of basaltic lavas in large igneous provinces involve substantial source volumes, thereby contributing to our understanding of mantle structure and dynamics. Although the origin of such lavas remains enigmatic, geochemically they may originate from Earth's oldest and deepest mantle reservoir, transported by a mantle plume or by entrainment in passive upwelling beneath a fast spreading center. The Pacific Ocean basin hosts several large igneous provinces that formed near a triple junction of three oceanic plates, and …

Characterization Of The Behavioral, Biochemical And Molecular Indices Of Stress Produced By Nicotine Exposure And Withdrawal In Male And Female Rats, Oscar Valentin Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major economic and health problem. Particularly concerning is that women consume more tobacco products, have a more difficult time quitting, and are less likely to benefit from cessation therapies than men. As a result, women are at higher risk of developing tobacco-related diseases. Women are generally more susceptible to stress and are more likely to cope with stress by smoking as compared to men. During abstinence, women also experience intense anxiety as compared to men and report that the anxiety-reducing effects of smoking are the main reason for continued use and relapse. Thus, stress produced …

Control Of A Robotic Prototype Multi-Axis Synergistic System, Julio A. Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Balance is an ability that every person has and uses in normal daily life, to walk, run, stand, dance, etc. However, there are people who suffer a kind of balance impairment. The Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) is technique in balance rehabilitation, where the patient is asked to stand on a moving platform that is equipped with sensors that measure how well you maintain your balance. In this thesis, a new CDP mechatronic system, the Multi-Axis Synergistic System (MASS), for balance assessment is being developed.

As a first stage and as the objective of this research work the transferable control algorithm …

A Study Of International Wastewater Challenges And Policy In The Tijuana River Watershed, Gloria Ann Villaverde

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Since the 1930s, untreated and undertreated sewage from Tijuana, Baja California, México has been released into the Tijuana River Watershed causing contamination of the water supply, crops, the Tijuana Estuary and California beaches. Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has exacerbated the problem by causing population and industrial growth explosions for which there have been insufficient services to meet the needs of the people. The waters of the Tijuana River flow (from México) north over the International Border, into the Tijuana Estuary, discharge out to the Pacific Ocean and often flow north, up the California Coast; therefore, …

Partial Orders For Representing Uncertainty, Causality And Decision Making: General Properties, Operations, And Algorithms, Francisco Adolfo Zapata

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

One of the main objectives of science and engineering is to help people select the most beneficial decisions. To make these decisions, we must know people's preferences, we must have the information about different possible consequences of different decisions. Since information is never absolutely accurate and precise, we must also have information about the degree of certainty of different parts on information. All these types of information naturally lead to partial orders:

- For preferences, a <= b means that b is preferable to a. This relation is used in decision theory.

- For events, a <= b means that a can influence b. This causality relation is one of the fundamental notions of physics, especially of physics of space-time.

* For uncertain statements, a <= b means that a is less certain than b. This relation is used in logics describing uncertainty, such as fuzzy logic.

In each of these areas, there is abundant research about studying the corresponding partial orders. …

Biological Effects Of Copper On Prosopis Pubescens (Screw Bean Mesquite), Marian Nicte Zappala

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology for cleaning industrial and urban contamination (Peuke and Rennenberg, 2005). Many factors including germination rate, biomass changes, biochemical changes, and nutrient changes must be determined in order to utilize a plant for phytoremediation. Our results showed that Prosopis pubescens (Screw bean mesquite) is a hyperaccumulator of copper from copper sulfate and a feasible option to remediate fields with up to 200 ppm of copper sulfate.

Screw bean mesquite seeds are viable even after 30 years of storage. Both copper sulfate and copper nitrate decreased the germination rate of screw bean mesquite seeds. In soil grown …

Art Therapy In A Bereavement Camp Setting To Aid In Emotional Expression And Processing Of Loss, Rebecca Snyder

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the effects of art therapy on children ages six to eight who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Children experience death in ways that are different from adults due to their level of development. Research indicates that children benefit from creative approaches to processing the death of a loved one as they can rely on symbolic language rather than the use of words. Within this study, art therapy sessions were implemented at a weekend long bereavement camp in order to increase knowledge about the effects of art …

At The End Of Life: True Stories About How We Die, Lee Gutkind, Francine Prose

In Fact Books

What should medicine do when it can’t save your life?

The modern healthcare system has become proficient at staving off death with aggressive interventions. And yet, eventually everyone dies—and although most Americans say they would prefer to die peacefully at home, more than half of all deaths take place in hospitals or health care facilities. At the End of Life tackles this conundrum head on. These twenty-two compelling personal-medical narratives explore death, dying and palliative care, and reveal the inner workings of a system in which doctors, patients and their loved ones battle to hang on—and to let go.

The Effect Of 5% Hypohydration On Muscle Cramp Threshold Frequency, Kyle William Braulick

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Many clinicians believe exercise associated muscle cramps (EAMC) occur because of dehydration and electrolyte losses. Experimental research supporting this theory is lacking. Mild hypohydration (3% body mass loss) does not alter cramp threshold frequency (TF), a measure of cramp susceptibility, when fatigue and exercise intensity are controlled. No experimental research has examined TF following significant (3-5% body mass loss) or serious hypohydration (>5% body mass loss). TF and blood variables of ten subjects were measured pre-post exercise. Subjects exercised in an environmental heat chamber alternating between upper arm ergometry and non-dominant leg cycling every 15 minutes until they lost …

Effects Of Nutrition Education And Fruit And Vegetable Consumption On Knowledge Of Antioxidants And Biomarkers Of Inflammation And Chronic Disease, Meredith Grace Wagner

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions contributing to the majority of Americans experiencing a state of chronic inflammation. Associations between inflammation, oxidative stress, and increased disease risk contribute to detrimental consequences of obesity. Regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress is possible via antioxidants consumed through a diet adequate in fruits and vegetables but consumption among adults is poor. Previous studies have assessed the impact of fruit, vegetable, and antioxidant consumption on oxidative stress and inflammation among healthy individuals. However, no studies have examined effects of education and fruit and vegetable consumption on markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and other chronic …

The Effect Of Pre-Exercise Ingestion Of Pickle Juice, Hypertonic Saline, And Water On Aerobic Performance In College-Aged Males, Jarett Ryan Willam Peikert

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Pickle juice (PJ) is commonly ingested by athletes pre-exercise to prevent muscle cramps. Some scientists fear PJ may negatively impact performance due to its high sodium concentration. The purpose of this study was to determine if ingesting 2 mL*kg-1 body weight of PJ, hypertonic saline or deionized water (DIW) and 5 mL*kg-1 of DIW affected aerobic performance, core temperature, plasma volume changes or sweat volume. On three separate days, subjects rested for 65 minutes. During this period, two blood samples were taken and they ingested PJ, hypertonic saline, or DIW followed by 5 mL*kg-1 body mass of DIW. Subjects exercised …

Hydrogen Absorption In Palladium-Based Nanostructures., Kineshma Munbodh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this work, the effects of hydrogen (H2) absorption on the magnetic properties of Co/Pd multilayers are investigated. The saturation magnetization (Ms) and perpendicular anisotropy energy density (Kp) of Co/Pd multilayers were studied when the samples were exposed to one atmosphere of hydrogen (H2) and helium (He) at room temperature. Two series of (Co tCo/Pd tPd) were grown with the Co nominal thickness, tCo fixed at 2.5 A and 4.5 A and the tPd thickness, tPd varying from 0 to 25 A. When the Pd thickness was less than 10 A, there was no change in Ms and Kp. As …

Differences In Ground Reaction Forces Between Take-Offs That Are Out, On, Or Under In The Pole Vault, Shawn Michael Francis

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Aim. The take-off is regarded as the most important phase of the pole vault yet there is an insufficient amount of research on the ground reaction forces of the pole vault takeoff. At this time there is not any scientific research comparing force and time between takeoffs that are out, on and under. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in ground reaction forces between pole vault take-offs that are out, on or under. Methods. Over five days, 15 male and female college pole vaulters completed 226 vaults on a (AMTI Accupower) force plate. The jumps were …

Ad Libitum Fluid Intake And Plasma Responses Following Pickle Juice, Hypertonic Saline, And Deionized Water Ingestion, Scott Thomas Allen

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Some clinicians warn against pickle juice (PJ) ingestion due to its sodium. PJ drinking guidelines have been developed but never tested. The purpose of this study was to determine if drinking PJ, hypertonic saline (HS), or deionized water (DIW) affected ad libitum DIW ingestion, plasma variables, or perceptions of thirst, fullness, or nausea (perceptual indicators). On three days, subjects were dehydrated (~2%), given one of three treatment drinks, rated its palatability, and rehydrated with DIW ad libitum. Over 60 minutes of rehydration blood samples and perceptual indicators were collected. Subjects consumed more DIW ad libitum following HS and PJ than …

Mindful Eating: Is There A Relationship Among Gender, Age, Physical Activity, Grade Level, Focus Of Academic Major And Eating Mindfulness Among College Students, Lisa Marie Berdal

Health Nutrition and Exercise Science

Mindful eating is the concept of being physically and emotionally aware of what and why you are eating. Currently the research is limited, especially in a large college aged population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if age, gender, physical activity, year in school and focus of academic major made a difference in mindful eating practices in college students. In this cross-sectional study, 427 students completed a 28-item validated Mindful Eating Questionnaire. The results show that only gender played a role in the total mindful eating score. Combined effects of the factors did affect total score as …

Coca Or Death! The Political Ecology Of Cocalero Resistance A Comparative Analysis Of The Coca Farmer Social Movement In Andean Peru., Timothy Scott Pruett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research focuses on the resistance of coca farmers to government policies regarding coca production in Peru. Since the 1980s, the Peruvian government has criminalized the actions of numerous agricultural communities and conducted eradication campaigns that destroyed hundreds of thousands of hectares of Peruvian coca. Although eradication is intended to reduce the volume of coca leaves destined for black markets (cocaine production), it has had the unintended consequence of mobilizing peasant coca producing populations against such policies. Mobilization is reflected in protests, strikes, marches, and occasionally violent confrontations. Some coca farmers (cocaleros) are following a cultural heritage of producing a …

The Effect Of Title Ix At The University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Sarah Jean Sebranek

History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

Title IX sought to end discrimination on the basis of gender in the realm of education and extra-curricular activities provided by academic institutions. This research examines the impact of Title IX at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and determines the success of the legislation. Title IX is a significant topic as it offered an equitable experience for females in an otherwise male dominated arena of athletics. The end result provides a case study on the effect of Title IX at a Midwestern public university, which begins in the 1920s and concludes in the early 2000s. Most importantly, the research …

The Upper Musselshell Valley: A Grassroots And Bioregional History, Miles Dwight Lewis

History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

The Upper Musselshell Valley: A Grassroots and Bioregional History chronicles the history of central Montana's Upper Musselshell Valley in an attempt to craft a viable history of region. As a corrective measure or alternate explanation that revises not only historical interpretation, but also takes into account who, or what group, is the driving force behind each distinct narrative stream (i.e. grand narrative history--histories penned by professional scholars and academics--or grassroots perspectives, the history of region as told by local dwellers), which stream is or is not authoritative, and how to modify, adjust, or meld the various interpretations in order to …

Genetic Characterization Of Dormancy In Durum Wheat, Mridull Dilawari

Genomics and Bioinformatics

Two populations derived by crossing LDN x LDN Dic-3A (Population I) and LDN x LDN Dic-3B (Population II) were genetically characterized for the seed dormancy present on chromosome 3A and 3B of durum wheat. The genes for seed dormancy in these two populations were contributed by the wild parent T. dicoccoides. Although the populations showed transgressive segregants for both dormant as well as nondormant parent, the populations were similar to the dormant parent at Langdon and Prosper 2006 field locations for Population I and at Langdon 2007 and Autumn greenhouse season for Population II. Genotypic and phenotypic analysis over the …

The Social Life Of Musical Instruments, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

Accordion Crimes, a novel by E. Annie Proulx, traces the life of and routes travelled by a green diatonic button accordion: its birth in Sicily in the workshop of “The Accordion Maker,” its numerous changes of ownership in the Americas during encounters between various immigrant communities, and its death when it finally falls into disrepair in the town of Old Glory, Minnesota. There are other accordions in the book, and many temporary human owners, but it is one particular green accordion that is the book’s protagonist. We meet and experience other characters largely through their interactions with the green accordion, …

Transgender Peoples’ Experiences Of Religion And Spirituality, Elijah Westerfield

Human Development and Family Science

The purpose of this study was to examine the religious and spiritual experiences of transgender people. The study used an existing data set consisting of interviews from five self-identified Christian transgender participants, of which 1 was female-to-male, and 4 were male-to-female. Feminist phenomenology guided all aspects of this project. The results of the study suggest that participants felt a connection with a higher power, and specifically viewed themselves as made as transgender by God. However, the results of this study also indicated that transgender people feel conflicted about how others perceive them based on their (others') religious beliefs, with participants …

Couple And Family Therapy Students' Attitudes Toward Bisexual Clients, Elizabeth Ann Nova

Human Development and Family Science

Few studies have focused on student therapists' beliefs about bisexual clients and the impact of affirmative training on these beliefs. The current study explored 1) the level of experience couple and family therapy (CFT) students have with gay, lesbian and bisexual clients; 2) whether CFT students' levels of biphobia and homophobia differ; and 3) whether LGB affirmative training had an impact on self-reported levels of biphobia. Secondary data were used from data collected through electronic and paper surveys. The results revealed that CFT students have similar levels of experience working with bisexual and lesbian clients, but report significantly lower levels …

Parenting A Gender Nonconforming Child: Implications For Therapy, Susan Lee Johnson

Human Development and Family Science

Parents who are raising children who do not conform to societal gender norms are in need of support and advocacy, as they are not receiving enough in the current social climate. The focus of this single case study is on a parent's experiences raising her gender nonconforming child, and on her perception of the elements of the mental health field that are conducive to the well-being of her family. Interviews took place via online chat sessions. A queer feminist framework guided all aspects of this study. Results support current literature demonstrating that parents of gender nonconforming children are in need …

Rural Adolescents' Perceptions Of Alcohol Use: A Qualitative Study, Tamara A. Metzen

Human Development and Family Science

This qualitative study outlines rural adolescents' perceptions of the reasons they choose to use or not use alcohol. The social contextual factors that underlie their decisions are addressed. Twenty juniors and seniors from four rural schools in a North Dakota county were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that the reasons given are similar to reasons given by other rural and non- rural samples although rural communities similar in characteristics and in close proximity can have very different patterns of adolescent alcohol use. Insight into the meaning these adolescents had about their experiences with alcohol is provided.

Topics Of Conflict Within Interethnic Couples: The Intersection Of Gender And Ethnicity, Jami Marie Bobby

Human Development and Family Science

The purpose of this study was to explore ways in which gender, ethnicity and the interaction of gender and ethnicity impact reports of conflict for interethnic couples. This study focuses on differences in reports of conflict by examining topics of conflict including: division of household labor, children, financial management, leisure, sex, love and affection, religion, drinking, other women or men, and in-laws. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS- B) were used to examine the roles that gender, ethnicity and their interaction play in marital conflict within interethnic couples. The results indicated significant gender differences with men reporting more …

Examining Graduate Students' Self-Reported Research Outcomes, Affinity-Seeking Behaviors, And Perceptions Of Relational Quality With Advisors From A Lmx Perspective., Stephanie Shimotsu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using LMX theory as an overarching framework in the instructional communication context, this dissertation both investigates graduate students’ affinity-seeking behaviors (i.e., affinity-seeking competence, strategic performance, use of affinity-seeking strategies) and research outcomes (i.e., research productivity, research self-efficacy, affective commitment, career commitment) that are associated with perceived relationship quality with advisors. Three hypotheses were forwarded to address the relationships among graduate students’ affinity-seeking behaviors, research outcomes, and perceptions of relationship quality with advisors. The results of this dissertation provided some degree of support for each hypothesis. Most notably, significant positive relationships were found among graduate student affinity-seeking behaviors and perceptions of …

The Association Between The Consumer Nutrition Environments And Free And Reduced School Lunch Rates, Anthony Michael Randles

Human Development and Family Science

This study examined the relationships between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), measured by free and reduced school lunch rates, the nutrition environment. In the first part of this study trained surveyors used the Nutrition Environment Measure Survey-Stores (NEMS-S) to document availability of healthy food items in sixty retail food stores (96% of total community retail food stores) categorized as `ethnic grocery', `supermarkets', and `convenience'. Community neighborhoods were divided by elementary school district, allowing neighborhood SES to be determined by the percentage of free and reduced price lunch provided to students and are thus grouped as high or low SES neighborhoods. Surveyors …