Digital Commons Network^™

Optimization Of A Dynamic Hot Water Pretreatment Of Switchgrass Using Catalysis By Carbonation To Maximize Carbochemical Yields, Rohit Tanaji Dhamdere

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A bio-refinery is a facility that converts renewable bio-resources into value-added chemicals and products. In this context of a bio-refinery, the production of the carbochemicals such as HMF, furfural and organic acids illustrate that multiple products can be produced from a renewable source such as lignocellulosic biomass (switchgrass). Traditionally, carbochemicals such as furfural and HMF are produced using inorganic acids such as H2SO4, HCL, and H3PO4. The use of such acids requires the application of high cost materials of construction such as Hastelloy-C, titanium etc.

The objective of this study is to develop a semi-continuous process for the conversion of …

Machine Learning Approach To Extract Diagnostic And Prognostic Thresholds: Application In Prognosis Of Cardiovascular Mortality, Luis J. Mena, Eber E. Orozco, Vanessa G. Felix, Rodolfo Ostos, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Machine learning has become a powerful tool for analysing medical domains, assessing the importance of clinical parameters, and extracting medical knowledge for outcomes research. In this paper, we present a machine learning method for extracting diagnostic and prognostic thresholds, based on a symbolic classification algorithm called REMED. We evaluated the performance of our method by determining new prognostic thresholds for well-known and potential cardiovascular risk factors that are used to support medical decisions in the prognosis of fatal cardiovascular diseases. Our approach predicted 36% of cardiovascular deaths with 80% specificity and 75% general accuracy. The new method provides an innovative …

Adapting Video Delivery Based On Motion Triggered Visual Attention, Hari Kalva, V. Adzic, Lai-Tee Cheok

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Cues from human visual system (HVS) can be used for further optimization of compression in modern hybrid video coding platforms. We present work that explores and exploits motion related attentional limitations. Algorithms for exploiting motion triggered attention were developed and compared with MPEG AVC/H.264 encoder with various settings for different bitrate levels. For the sequences with high motion activity our algorithm provides up to 8% bitrate savings.

Online Feature Selection For Mining Big Data, Steven C. H. Hoi, Jialei Wang, Peilin Zhao, Rong Jin

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Most studies of online learning require accessing all the attributes/features of training instances. Such a classical setting is not always appropriate for real-world applications when data instances are of high dimensionality or the access to it is expensive to acquire the full set of attributes/features. To address this limitation, we investigate the problem of Online Feature Selection (OFS) in which the online learner is only allowed to maintain a classifier involved a small and fixed number of features. The key challenge of Online Feature Selection is how to make accurate prediction using a small and fixed number of active features. …

The Breeding Biology Of The Northern Pygmy Owl: Do The Smallest Of The Small Have An Advantage?, John F. Deshler, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We explored the breeding biology of the Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) from 2007 to 2009 in a forested reserve in Portland, Oregon. Large body size is often assumed to give animals reproductive advantages, and we tested whether body size affected timing of breeding and examined variation in diet, breeding date, clutch size, and reproductive success to explore whether the presumed benefits of large body size are evident in this species. The average size of 13 clutches was 5.8, and nest success was high (92%); 22 successful nests fledged an average of 5.2 young. Dates of first laying varied …

Single-Pass Drying Of Rough Rice Using Glass Transition Principles, George Owira Ondier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to study the drying characteristics, milling quality, and functional properties of rough rice subjected to single-pass drying while controlling kernel material states. Drying experiments were conducted at 60, 70, and 80C and relative humidities ranging from 13 to 83%. High drying air relative humidities (greater than 63%) maintained both the kernel surface and core in a rubbery state during drying, whereas low drying air relative humidities caused rapid transitioning of the surface layers from a rubbery to a glassy state. Long-grain pureline cultivar, Wells, medium-grain pureline cultivar, Jupiter, and long-grain hybrid cultivar, CL XL729, …

Livestock Production And Wildlife-Based Tourism: Articulating Land-Use And Policy Conflicts In The Okavango Delta Ramsar Site In Botswana, Nelson Kgamanyane Sello

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The management of common pool resources and policy conflicts between livestock and wildlife, two land-use types that take place in the same geo-spatial area has been a subject of debate among scholars for decades. This conflict in policies has engendered in communities which are beneficiaries attitudes that are either negative towards wildlife or favorable depending on the benefits they derive from them. This research therefore set out to understand the conflicts in the management of the Okavango Delta Ramsar Site (ODRS) where the OD is situated. The study used the grounded theory to collect and analyze the data in the …

The Impact Of Selected Forage Legumes On Cattle Performance, Forage Production, And Soil Quality, And Evaluation Of Legume Persistence Under Grazing, Bradley Edward Briggs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Interest in substituting legumes for N fertilizer in beef cattle grazing systems has recently increased with rising fertilizer prices. Legumes are well known for their ability to fix atmospheric N and decrease dependence on input of N fertilizer. However, there are still difficulties associated with legume utilization including establishment and persistence. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate legume performance under herbivory. The objective of Experiment 1 was to compare forage production and beef cattle gains from annual ryegrass [Lolium multiflorum (L.)] and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pastures fertilized with N or overseeded with legumes. Gelbvieh × Angus …

Flight Period And Species Composition Of Sirex (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) And Associated Deladenus (Nematoda: Neotylenchidae) Within Arkansas Pine Forests, Danielle Keeler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), which is a known destructive pest of pine in the southern hemisphere was recently discovered in the eastern United States. Before we can understand how S. noctilio may affect pine forests throughout the United States, we need a better understanding of native Sirex and the role they play in the ecosystem. The objectives of this research were to 1) determine species composition and flight period for native Sirex; 2) confirm presence of parasitic nematodes, Deladenus (Nematoda: Neotylenchidae), within adult Sirex; 3) investigate Deladenus parasitism rates; 4) verify the number of Deladenus species …

Studies Toward The Total Synthesis Of Antascomicin B, David Ross Clay

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation describes synthetic efforts toward the synthesis of the C21-C34 fragment of antascomicin B. Our initial enzymatic approach is detailed as well as an asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) strategy that will be used in the eventual total synthesis of the molecule. Several investigations into anomalies observed during (ATH) reactions are also discussed.

Gendered Effects On The Child Welfare Agency Decision-Making Process, Brandon Crawford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on child abuse and neglect suggests that there may be gendered relationships between child victims and case outcomes. Specifically, although agency practices may generally regard most male and female children as equally vulnerable, agency attributions regarding the culpability, need, and suitability of parents may be highly differentiated based on gender. Explanations for this pattern may lie in the cultural ideologies and organizational beliefs that distinguish between the perceived rights, responsibilities, and relative importance of mothering and fathering roles. That is, one function of Social service agencies is to uphold Social constructions of parenting and promote our larger cultural …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Thinner Solid-State Nanopores, Denis Forbi Tita

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Solid State nanopores that are fabricated by the ion beam sculpting process and electron beam drilling have shown great promise as a sensing device for DNA and protein molecules. Even though biological pores such as the alpha-Haemolysin have been in use for quite some time, the use of solid state Nanopores in single biomolecule detection has been on the rise since the mid 1990s. Solid State nanopores have an advantage over biological pores in that they are more robust, stable, and can be sculpted to any desired size for use in translocation experiments. One of the major challenges in Nanopore …

Performing Literacy: How Women Read The World In The Late Eighteenth-Century British Novel, Amy Hodges

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the intersection of sensibility, Social identity, and literacy practices among representations of women readers in four late eighteenth-century British novels. Through an analysis of the authors' use of identity constructs which shaped and were shaped by reading practices, this study documents the rise of Social identity formation as mutually constitutive with the history of reading. The first chapter reveals how Charlotte Lennox's The Female Quixote uses Arabella's follies as education for readers about the corresponding processes of reading their society and reading novels. The second chapter argues that Frances Burney's Evelina considers women's ability to read others …

Presynaptic Learning And Memory With A Persistent Firing Neuron And A Habituating Synapse: A Model Of Short Term Persistent Habituation, Kiruthika Ramanathan, Ning Ning, Dhiviya Dhanasekar, Guoqi Li, Luping Shi, Prahlad Vadakkepat

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Our paper explores the interaction of persistent firing axonal and presynaptic processes in the generation of short term memory for habituation. We first propose a model of a sensory neuron whose axon is able to switch between passive conduction and persistent firing states, thereby triggering short term retention to the stimulus. Then we propose a model of a habituating synapse and explore all nine of the behavioral characteristics of short term habituation in a two neuron circuit. We couple the persistent firing neuron to the habituation synapse and investigate the behavior of short term retention of habituating response. Simulations show …

A Workshop To Introduce Concepts Of Moral Math, Sarah Voss

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

"Moral Math" refers to the study of ideas drawn from mathematics which can positively impact moral decision-making and social behavior. This essay describes a workshop designed to introduce these ideas to interested individuals of varying degrees of mathematical and theological sophistication. Created by a retired minister and former math professor, the workshop details five sets of interactive exercises culled from game theory, theoretical complexity, fuzzy logic, basic algebra, and simple arithmetic. Exercises are user-friendly, interactive, and easily related by analogy to various social issues.

Victorian Sages, Kathy Alexis Psomiades

Criticism

Darwin and the Memory of the Human: Evolution, Savages, and South America by Cannon Schmitt. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Pp. 260, 5 illustrations.$90.00 cloth.)

Book Reviews, Criticism Editors

Criticism

Just Looking: Consumer Culture in Dreiser, Gissing and Zola (Rachel Bowlby) (Reviewed by Catherine Gallagher, University of California, Berkeley)

Modes of Production of Victorian Novels (Norman Feltes) (Reviewed by Catherine Gallagher, University of California, Berkeley)

Philosophy of the Literary Symbolic (Hazard Adams) (Reviewed by Wallace Martin, University of Toledo)

Gadamer's Hermeneutics: A Reading of "Truth and Method" (Joel C. Weinsheimer) (Reviewed by Wallace Martin, University of Toledo)

The Bible and the Narrative Tradition (Frank McConnell) (Reviewed by Wesley A. Kort, Duke University)

Diderot: Thresholds of Representation (James Creech) (Reviewed by Diane Fourny, Vassar College)

Newspaper Columns by W.E.B. Du Bois …

Therapeutic Effects Of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily 25 (Tnfrsf25)-Mediated Expansion Of T-Regulatory Cells In Allergic Lung Inflammation And Airway Remodeling, Matthew Tsai

Open Access Dissertations

Chronic allergic lung inflammation results in airway remodeling and permanent structural changes. Here we show that administration of agonists to TNF receptor super family 25 (TNFRSF25) in vivo causes expansion of natural and allergen-specific CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T-cells (Tregs), which can prevent allergic lung immunopathology in the acute setting, and if administered during chronic allergic lung inflammation, inhibits inflammation and reverses airway remodeling. TNFRSF25-expanded Tregs reduced eosinophilia in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, reduced expression of T-helper type-2 (Th2) cytokines and blunted allergen-specific Th2 effector responses. Previously established chronic airway remodeling, as measured by goblet cell hyperplasia and subepithelial collagen deposition, was …

Topographic Reconstruction Through A Wavy Interface Using A Structure Light Technique, Amin Sarafraz

Open Access Dissertations

Three dimensional (3D) surface imaging has been an active area of research for decades and has reached a stage of maturity, thanks to digital cameras and ever-increasing computational power. Its utilization in science and technology is rapidly growing due to its potentials in civil engineering, mapping, structural monitoring and inspection, archaeology, and cultural heritage documentation, to name a few. In this research we will focus on development of a 3D surface imaging technique for applications in a special environment in civil engineering, i.e. underwater. Some of the most important methods of 3D surface imaging are based on the use of …

Population Connectivity In A Dynamic Coastal System: Effects Of Mesoscale Eddies On Distribution, Growth, Survival, And Transport Of Larval Reef Fishes, Kathryn Shulzitski

Open Access Dissertations

Population connectivity (i.e., the exchange of individuals among geographically distinct subpopulations) is an issue of particular relevance in the marine environment, as the majority of benthic marine organisms have complex life cycles and dispersal events occurring in the early life stages are nearly impossible to track. As the magnitude and direction of larval dispersal are shaped ultimately by larval distributions, growth, mortality, and transport to adult habitat, this dissertation examined these processes for larval reef fishes in the Straits of Florida (SOF) to contribute to the understanding of patterns of population connectivity along a continental coastline. An analysis of spatially …

Herbivore Pressure Increases Toward The Equator, Robert Marquis, Diego Salazar

Biology Department Faculty Works

Increases in species diversity and density from higher to lower latitudes are well documented. Nevertheless, the consequences of these changes in diversity for structuring ecological communities and influencing biotic evolution are largely unknown. It is widely believed that this increase in species diversity is associated with increased intensity of ecological interactions closer to the equator. For plant–herbivore interactions in particular, the predictions are that, at lower latitudes, plants will be attacked by more individual herbivores, more herbivore species, and more specialized herbivores and, therefore, will suffer greater damage. We used a large-scale latitudinal transect from Mexico to Bolivia to quantify …

Regulation Of Mirna Abundance By Rna Binding Protein Tough In Arabidopsis, Guodong Ren, Meng Xie, Yongchao Dou, Shuxin Zhang, Chi Zhang, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulators of gene expression in plants and animals. The biogenesis of miRNAs is precisely controlled to secure normal development of organisms. Here we report that TOUGH (TGH) is a component of the DCL1–HYL1–SERRATE complex that processes primary transcripts of miRNAs [i.e., primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs)] into miRNAs in Arabidopsis. Lack of TGH impairs multiple DCL activities in vitro and reduces the accumulation of miRNAs and siRNAs in vivo. TGH is an RNA-binding protein, binds pri-miRNAs and precursor miRNAs in vivo, and contributes to pri-miRNA–HYL1 interaction. These results indicate that TGH might regulate abundance of miRNAs through promoting DCL1 …

The Effects Of Endothelin-1 On Cell Migration Of Corneal Endothelial Cells, Leah B. Frazier

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Wound healing occurs through the processes of cell proliferation (mitosis) and/or cell migration. The corneal endothelium in humans is known to be mostly non-proliferative. As a result, wounds in the corneal endothelium heal by migration. A 21-amino acid peptide called Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is studied in the Crawford research lab and is a known mitogen, i.e. increases cell proliferation. Data suggests that Endothelin-1 can stimulate cell proliferation in the corneal endothelium. This fact led to the first hypothesis that ET-1 stimulated wound closure in this cell layer. I explored this hypothesis using a bovine model of corneal endothelial cells isolated and …

2012 Maine Child Support Guidelines: Review And Recommendations, Sally Ward Mppm, Janice Daley Msw, Barbara Fraumeni Phd, George Shaler Mph, Eileen Griffin Jd, Melanie Knox Ba, Laurie Hallett, Louis Mandeville Ms

Children, Youth, & Families

This report summarizes the quadrennial review of Maine's child support guidelines conducted by the USM Muskie School , which complies with federal law requiring each state's child support guidelines be reviewed at least once every four years. Principle findings of the extensive review by the Muskie School show that many aspects of Maine's child support system work well. Maine's low deviation rate reflects a reasonably high level of consistency in apply the guidelines, and in large part, protect the needs and interests of the children. The report provides background and overview of child support modes and the Maine guidelines, and …

Mathematical Model And Experimental Exploration Of The Nanoinjector Lance Array, Nathan C. Toone

Theses and Dissertations

The Nanoinjector Lance Array has been developed to inject foreign material into thousands of cells at once using electrophoresis to attract and repel particles to and from the electrically-charged lances. A mathematical computer model simulating the motion of attracted or repelled proteins informs the design of the nanoinjection lance array system. The model is validated by accurately predicting protein velocity in electrophoresis experiments. A complete analysis of parameters is conducted via simulations and specific research questions regarding the counter electrode of the nanoinjector lance array system are explored using the model. A novel technique for fabricating lance arrays from collapsed …

Identification Of Deleterious And Disease Alleles In A General Population And Preterm Labor Patients, Sung Gook Chun

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

With the recent advance in sequencing technology, there have been growing interests in developing new methods to predict disease-causing alleles in a personal genome by integrating functional evidences from sequence conservation, genome-wide association studies and the transcriptional regulatory network. However, even in protein-coding regions, it is not well understood how often and by what mechanism deleterious alleles disrupting strong sequence conservation can become common in population frequency and affect complex traits in humans. Moreover, in non-coding regions, even for known disease-causing genes, it is not clear how sequence conservation can be combined with functional genomic data to predict underlying disease-causing …

Channel Catfish Population Dynamics, Abundance Estimates, And Short-Term Trends In The Platte River, Nebraska, Aaron J. Blank

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fishing for channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is popular in Nebraska and channel catfish are the most sought after fish species in the Platte River. Anglers on the Platte River are also harvest oriented. Little is known about the effects anglers have on channel catfish population dynamics in the lower Platte River. The goal of this study was to determine if there were effects of angling on channel catfish at two high use fishing areas in the lower Platte River. My first objective was to evaluate differences in relative abundance, size structure, condition, age structure, growth, and mortality between …

Two-Photon Absorbing Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe As A Near-Neutral Ph Indicator, Kevin Belfield, Sheng Yao

UCF Patents

The dynamics of intracellular pH is believed to be crucial for understanding the regulation mechanism of many physiological functions. Of the several methods avaible to detmermine pH, optical methods have several advantages including rapid response time, high signal-to-noise ratio, noninvasive, and excellent pH sensitivity. Since the first use of trapped intracellular pH probe, 6-carboxyfluorecein, was described by Thomas et al., a large number of pH indicators have been reported. SEE DISCLOSURE

In Vitro In Vivo Methods And Pharmacokinetic Models For Subcutaneously Administered Peptide Drug Products, Amit Somani

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several years, injectable drugs have been a growing area for the treatment of various therapeutic conditions and they are projected to comprise an even larger proportion among the drugs that will be available in the years to come. The injectable drugs are administered by various routes such as intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SC) and others, however, the majority of these drugs are administered subcutaneously. Even though subcutaneous delivery has been utilized for a number of years, very little is known about the processes governing the absorption of macromolecules from the interstitial space; and the resulting impact …

Spatial Variability In Levels Of Benzene, Formaldehyde, And Total Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene And Xylenes In New York City: A Land-Use Regression Study, Iyad Kheirbek, Sarah Johnson, Zev Ross, Grant Pezeshki, Kazuhiko Ito, Holger Eisl, Thomas Matte

Publications and Research

Background Hazardous air pollutant exposures are common in urban areas contributing to increased risk of cancer and other adverse health outcomes. While recent analyses indicate that New York City residents experience significantly higher cancer risks attributable to hazardous air pollutant exposures than the United States as a whole, limited data exist to assess intra-urban variability in air toxics exposures. Methods To assess intra-urban spatial variability in exposures to common hazardous air pollutants, street-level air sampling for volatile organic compounds and aldehydes was conducted at 70 sites throughout New York City during the spring of 2011. Land-use regression models were developed …