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Longitudinal Analysis Of Resource Competitiveness And Homelessness Among Young Adults, Mathew F. Prante

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Homelessness occurs when individual resources are not enough for the demands of a given environment. It is not an arbitrary state of being, or a class of individual, it is a marker that signals a person has fallen to the extreme low end of a continuum of poverty. Perceiving homelessness as a point on a spectrum versus a discrete state, leads to research and explanations concerning how someone goes from being housed to being homeless, which can lead to more meaningful results than conceptualizing the homeless population as a class of people. It allows for the exploration of identification markers …

The Effects Of Calcium Concentration And Food Levels On Daphnia, Fawn Goodberry

Biology Theses

Many physiological processes of Daphnia are negatively affected at low calcium concentrations. The concentration of calcium within lake water influences how Daphnia populations will survive and reproduce in natural environments. An experiment was designed to test the effects of calcium concentration and food level on the growth and reproduction of a Daphnia hybrid. Daphnia pulex x Daphnia pulicaria were reared in a soft water medium at three calcium concentrations (2.5mg/L, 1.0mg/L, 0.50mg/L) and high and low food levels (5.6 x 10⁵ and 5.6 x 10⁴ cells of the algae Ankistrodesmus sp.) in a 2 x 3 factorial …

A Framework For Understanding Noise Impacts On Wildlife: An Urgent Conservation Priority, Clinton D. Francis, Jesse R. Barber

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Anthropogenic noise is an important environmental stressor that is rapidly gaining attention among biologists, resource managers, and policy makers. Here we review a substantial literature detailing the impacts of noise on wildlife and provide a conceptual framework to guide future research. We discuss how several likely impacts of noise exposure have yet to be rigorously studied and outline how behavioral responses to noise are linked to the nature of the noise stimulus. Chronic and frequent noise interferes with animals’ abilities to detect important sounds, whereas intermittent and unpredictable noise is often perceived as a threat. Importantly, these effects can lead …

Developmental Expression Profile Of Bric Á Brac 2, Midline And H15 In The Developing Eye And Central Nervous System Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Petra Visic

Honors Theses

Aberrant activity of a single gene can lead towards development of cancerous cells. Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model system to study cancer because there is high degree of evolutionary conservation in signaling pathways between humans and flies that play major roles in regulating cell proliferation and growth (Miles et al., 2011). At The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), Dr. Leal’s lab has gathered evidence suggesting that bab1 and bab2 interact with the T-box gene midline (mid) and its paralog H15, while the early developmental function of bab1 and bab2 remains unknown. That is why elucidating the early …

Summer Indiana Bat Ecology In The Southern Appalachians: An Investigation Of Thermoregulation Strategies And Landscape Scale Roost Selection, Kristina Hammond

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the southern Appalachians there are few data on the roost ecology of the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). During 2008-2012, we investigated roosting ecology of the Indiana bat in ~280,000 ha in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, and Nantahala National Forest in the southern Appalachians Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. We investigated 2 aspects of the Indiana bat’s roosting ecology: thermoregulation and the extrinsic factors that influence body temperature, and landscape-scale roost selection. To investigate thermoregulation of bats at roost, we used data gathered in 2012 from 6 female Indiana bats (5 adults …

Design And Evaluation Of A Fiber Optic Probe As A Means Of Subsurface Planetary Exploration, Robert Paul Pilgrim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Optical Probe for Regolith Analysis (OPRA) is an instrumentation concept designed to provide spectroscopic analysis of the near subsurface of unconsolidated regolith on bodies such as moons, asteroids and planets. Below a chemically altered surface may lay the geological history in the form of stratigraphy that is shielded from degradation due to harsh external environments. Most of what we know about our solar system comes from remote platforms, such as satellites that are deployed into orbit around the target body. In the case of Mars, we have had several successful landers and rovers however, with the exception of the …

An Evaluation Of The Nontarget Effects Of Transgenic Bacillus Thuringiensis Maize On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In The Soil Ecosystem, Tanya Elizabeth Amy Cheeke

Dissertations and Theses

My dissertation research examined the effect of the cultivation of insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize on the soil environment with a goal of understanding how to obtain a balance between technological advancement and maintenance of a healthy soil ecosystem. Although Bt plants may help to reduce pesticide use, conferring benefits to farm workers and the environment, there are still unresolved questions about how the cultivation of Bt plants affects soil organisms. For this dissertation project, I used 14 different genotypes of Bt maize and non-Bt maize (Zea mays) to investigate the effects of transgenic Bt plants on the colonization ability, …

Testing An Attribution Model Of Caregiving In A Latino Sample: The Role Of Familismo And The Caregiver-Care Recipient Relationship, Bianca Teresa Villalobos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Social and economic consequences of depression place a heavy burden on society. Many family members and friends often feel the need take on the role of informal caregivers when loved ones require assistance due to disabling conditions. However, caregiver burden can arise when providing support for a person with a chronic condition. Caregiver burnout is associated with numerous negative outcomes for both the caregiver and care recipient. As such, efforts to understand factors related to reducing caregiver burden are necessary. Research on help giving has been guided by an attribution model developed by Weiner (1988), which describes how attributions …

Soybean (Glycine Max) Response To Imazosulfuron Drift And Carryover From Rice (Oryza Sativa), Sandeep Singh Rana

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the Midsouth, soybean is often grown in close proximity to rice or in rotation with rice. Herbicides used in rice can injure soybean via drift or carryover. Consequently, field trials were conducted to determine the response of soybean (cv. AG 4703) to imazosulfuron drift and carryover (at Fayetteville, Marianna, Keiser and Pine Tree, AR) from rice. To assess the potential for carryover, soybean was planted into rice fields treated the previous year with imazosulfuron (rotation study). To evaluate in-season sensitivity of soybean to imazosulfuron (tolerance study) relative to halosulfuron, a common sulfonylurea herbicide applied to rice, both imazosulfuron and …

Distribution And Control Of Glyphosate-Resistant Johnsongrass (Sorghum Halepense) In Arkansas Soybean, Dennis Brent Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Johnsongrass, once the most persistent and troublesome grass weed of row crops throughout the southern U.S., has previously been confirmed resistant to the acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-inhibiting herbicides in the Midsouth and has recently evolved resistance to glyphosate in Arkansas. The goal of this research was to establish the geographical distribution of herbicide-resistant johnsongrass in Arkansas and to develop herbicide programs for controlling glyphosate-resistant johnsongrass in Arkansas soybean. Johnsongrass accessions were collected from 14 counties in the Mississippi River Delta region of Arkansas and screened for resistance to four of the most commonly used postemergence herbicides for …

Cross-Species Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Identifies Novel Oncogenic Events In Zebrafish And Human Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma, Eleanor Y. Chen, Kimberly P. Dobrinski, Kim H. Brown, Ryan Clagg, Elena Edelman, Myron S. Ignatius, Jin Yun Helen Chen, Jillian Brockmann, G. Petur Nielsen, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Charles Keller, Charles Lee, David M. Langenau

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human cancer genomes are highly complex, making it challenging to identify specific drivers of cancer growth, progression, and tumor maintenance. To bypass this obstacle, we have applied array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) to zebrafish embryonal rhabdomyosaroma (ERMS) and utilized cross-species comparison to rapidly identify genomic copy number aberrations and novel candidate oncogenes in human disease. Zebrafish ERMS contain small, focal regions of low-copy amplification. These same regions were commonly amplified in human disease. For example, 16 of 19 chromosomal gains identified in zebrafish ERMS also exhibited focal, low-copy gains in human disease. Genes found in amplified genomic regions were …

Disease Ecology Of A Microsporidian Parasite And Its Effects On Mottled Sculpin, Jared Joseph Homola

Masters Theses

Infectious disease can influence organisms at all levels of ecological organization, from individuals to ecosystems. Likewise, the ecosystems where pathogens exist directly influence their success. Recent theoretical studies have tied disease prevalence to biotic factors such as genetic diversity, biodiversity, and host behavior, and abiotic factors that include temperature and increased nutrient concentrations. Parasites included in the phylum Microspora are increasingly recognized for being ubiquitous in nature, although their ecological roles are generally unknown. This study examined several environmental, community, and host-related metrics to compare the biotic and abiotic aspects of 16 small streams; 6 with mottled sculpin (Cottus …

Predicting The Effects Of Land-Use And Climate Change On Michigan Stream Ecosystems, Jacqueline M. Taylor

Masters Theses

Land use change from forest to agriculture can alter the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of stream ecosystems. The objective in this study was to use macroinvertebrate community structure and function, physicochemical measurements, and watershed land cover type to assess stream ecosystem health in response to the effects of agriculture and predicted changes in temperature regime due to climate change. I used key biotic indices include the % Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), taxa richness, total abundance, and Shannon’s diversity to make a comparison of six agriculturally impacted tributaries in the Muskegon River Watershed located in Michigan, USA. The stream …

Sex As A Moderator Of The Association Between Childhood Trauma, Impulsivity, And Primary Psychopathy In A Hispanic Undergraduate Sample, Judy D. Sifonte

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The current study investigates the effect that sex as a moderator has on the association between childhood trauma and impulsivity on primary psychopathy in a Hispanic college sample. The online survey obtained 443 responses from undergraduates; however after incomplete responses were removed and the data was cleaned, a sample size of 367 remained for use in primary analysis. The study utilized a hierarchical moderation regression analysis to determine the effect of sex on the association of predictor variables—childhood trauma and impulsivity, to the dependent variable, primary psychopathy. Researchers hypothesized that sex will enhance the association between childhood trauma and psychopathy, …

Evaluation Of An Avian Radar System, Michael B. Gerringer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of bird strikes in aviation is becoming an increasing threat, both to aircraft and to human safety. Management efforts have reduced wildlife hazards below 500 feet and within the immediate airport environment, but traditional methods of monitoring bird activity are limited to an observer’s field of view. Avian radar systems could potentially be useful in monitoring bird activity at great distances from the airport, at higher altitudes, and at night (Dolbeer 2006), but little work has been done to validate the tracking capabilities of avian radar systems. Thus, the goal of this research is to evaluate the detection …

Running On Fumes The Destabilization Of The World’S Interconnected Systems As A Result Of Unsustainable Human Proliferation On A Finite Planet, Eduardo Fradin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the global interconnectivity of critical and complex societal systems. Today, if consumption patterns continue to rise to unsustainable levels in concert with a soaring global population, these social and technological systems may begin to buckle, which will threaten the advancement of modern human civilization in the 21st century and beyond. The first globally-stressed system that is addressed in this paper is the global economic system. The second system I discuss is the global energy system and how it directly impacts the global economy. The following chapter looks at unsustainable population growth, freshwater scarcity, and food stresses. In …

Estimating Amur Tiger (Panthera Tigris Altaica) Kill Rates And Potential Consumption Rates Using Global Positioning System Collars, Clayton Steele Miller, Mark Hebblewhite, Yuri K. Petrunenko, Ivan V. Seryodkin, Nicholas J. Decesare, John M. Goodrich, Dale G. Miquelle

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified all subspecies of tigers (Panthera tigris) as endangered and prey depletion is recognized as a primary driver of declines. Prey depletion may be particularly important for Amur tigers (P. t. altaica) in the Russian Far East, living at the northern limits of their range and with the lowest prey densities of any tiger population. Unfortunately, rigorous investigations of annual prey requirements for any tiger population are lacking. We deployed global positioning system (GPS) collars on Amur tigers during 2009–2012 to study annual kill rates in the Russian …

Constructions Of Indigeneity In Urban Spaces: Local Adaption Of A Global Idea?, Antje Dieterich

Traversea: The Journal of Transatlantic History

This work will analyze two specific spaces in which indigeneity is constructed. For the analysis of an international space, the example of the International Labor Organization (ILO) will be used. The ILO convention 169 had an especially remarkably influence on international debates beyond the organization itself. The limitation to just one organization leads inevitably to a simplification of global dynamics. The influences of NGOs, lobbyist groups and the United Nations as a network will be described in a short overview. An analysis of the interaction of all those forces, participating in the creation of meanings of indigeneity would not fit …

Altering Attention In Adjudication, Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, Andrew J. Wistrich, Chris Guthrie

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Judges decide complex cases in rapid succession but are limited by cognitive constraints. Consequently judges cannot allocate equal attention to every aspect of a case. Case outcomes might thus depend on which aspects of a case are particularly salient to the judge. Put simply, a judge focusing on one aspect of a case might reach a different outcome than a judge focusing on another. In this Article, we report the results of a series of studies exploring various ways in which directing judicial attention can shape judicial outcomes. In the first study, we show that judges impose shorter sentences when …

Effectiveness Of Old Dominion University's Fashion Merchandising Program, Christie Martin

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Old Dominion University Fashion Merchandising program in preparing students to enter the fashion industry as properly prepared employees.

High Yield Soybean Management: Planting Practices, Nutrient Supply, And Growth Modification, Evan Sonderegger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Growers are constantly seeking ways to improve yield in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. There has been much interest in the use of selected alternative practices to maximize soybean yield. These practices include planting soybean at higher than recommended seeding rates, planting soybean in narrow rows, breaking apical dominance to induce branching, application of strobilurin fungicides prophylactically to minimize disease and extend the seed filling period, the use of N fertilizer both in furrow and foliar applied, and the use of seed treatments to promote early stand establishment and health. Field studies were conducted at the University of Nebraska …

The Military–Masculinity Complex: Hegemonic Masculinity And The United States Armed Forces, 1940–1963, Brandon T. Locke

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The military-industrial complex grew rapidly in the build up to the Second World War and continued to expand in the decades that followed. The military was not only much larger, but had also changed their relationship with American citizens, impacting their lives in new and complex ways. The defensive needs of World War Two and the Cold War made the military an imperative and prestigious institution in the United States, and the Selective Service Draft, beginning in 1940 and running continuously until 1973, gave the military unfettered access to the young men of the nation.

During the same time, government …

"This World Must Touch The Other": Crossing The U.S.-Mexico Border In American Novels And Television, Guadalupe V. Linares

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation is a literary, cultural, and theoretical analysis of selected twentieth and twenty-first century novels and television in which characters cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The novels considered are: Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy, Forgetting the Alamo, or Blood Memory by Emma Pérez, Dancing with Butterflies by Reyna Grande, and Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea. In addition, I also examine the television series Breaking Bad created by Vince Gilligan. I use McCarthy’s Blood Meridian and Gilligan’s Breaking Bad to balance Chicana/o perspectives of border crossings found in the other novels …

Shovelnose Sturgeon Reproductive Ecology In The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Mathew L. Rugg

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

Biodiversity and abundance of freshwater organisms are experiencing drastic declines. Anthropogenic disturbances have altered the natural flow regimes of large rivers, and have led to declines in species that rely on elements of natural flow. Similarly, shovelnose sturgeon distribution has diminished in the last 100 years due to habitat alteration, overharvest, and water contamination. To fully understand the status and viability of a fish population, basic knowledge of a fish’s reproductive strategy is needed. Aspects of reproduction that should be understood to manage for sustainability include maturation, fecundity, and spawning dynamics. There is currently little published information on age/size of …

Jurors’ Subjective Certainty And Standards Of Proof: The Role Of Emotion And Severity Of Charge In Subjective Probability Judgment, Yimoon Choi

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recent empirical research suggests that jurors struggle to understand and correctly apply the standard of proof. Many researchers have focused on methods to re-write jury instructions so that standards of proof are clearer and easier for jurors to understand. This dissertation suggests the fundamental cause of jurors’ confusion concerning standards of proof is that jurors may use different decision processes (intuitive decision processing or systematic decision processing) and decision indices (objective probabilistic judgment or subjective confidence) depending upon their transient emotions or the seriousness of charge.

Study 1 assessed whether experiencing particular emotions (sadness or anger) could change mock jurors’ …

Ferroelectric And Dielectric Properties Of Electroactive Oligomers And Nanocomposites, Kristin Leigh Kraemer

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers have been well established as ferroelectric polymers. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties for vinylidene fluoride (VDF) oligomer thin films were investigated. By synthesizing oligomers instead of long polymer chains, films with higher crystalinity can be formed and the locations of oligomers can be controlled for applications such as molecular electronics.

Evidence of ferroelectricity was observed in oligomer thin films evaporated onto room temperature substrates and by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition. Voltage and frequency dependence of the capacitance was measured. Oligomers functionalized with phosphonic acid formed self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on aluminum and mica substrates. Film thickness …

Development And Application Of Difference And Fractional Calculus On Discrete Time Scales, Tanner J. Auch

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop and apply results of both discrete calculus and discrete fractional calculus to further develop results on various discrete time scales. Two main goals of discrete and fractional discrete calculus are to extend results from traditional calculus and to unify results on the real line with those on a variety of subsets of the real line. Of particular interest is introducing and analyzing results related to a generalized fractional boundary value problem with Lidstone boundary conditions on a standard discrete domain N_a. We also introduce new results regarding exponential order for functions on …

The Effects Of Growth Hormone And Thyroxine Treatment On The Insulin Signaling Of Female Ames Dwarf Mouse Skeletal Muscle Tissue, Andrew Do

HIM 1990-2015

Ames dwarf (df/df) mice are deficient in anterior pituitary hormones: growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin (PRL) due to a spontaneous, homozygous mutation of prop1[superscript df] gene. These dwarf mice exhibit characteristics such as delayed growth and development coupled with delayed aging, increased lifespan, overall increased insulin sensitivity, as well as resistance to certain diseases and cancers. The mutant mice possess low blood glucose, low serum insulin, and lower body temperature. Their enhanced longevity (about 40-60% longer lifespan than normal mice) is associated with their GH deficiency and disruption in the somatotropic axis (GH/IGF-1 hormonal pathway) as …

High School Dropout: A Study Of Parental Perceptions Of Dropout And Prevention Strategies, Daniel Garcia

HIM 1990-2015

Dropping out from high school is becoming a growing trend that necessitates new and more powerful intervention strategies to be utilized. Large numbers of adolescents between the ages of 16- 24 have been shown to receive no high school diploma or equivalent. The effects of dropping out are far reaching, with many students who dropout facing depression and alienation that may lead to other negative consequences. This research focuses on the need for preventative action against the issue of dropout. One hypothesis to be tested is whether or not current dropout prevention techniques can be applied to students who are …

The Effects Of Bullying And The Mediating Role Of Attachment And Humanity-Esteem On Self-Esteem And Behavioral Outcomes, Lovina Bater

HIM 1990-2015

Any type of bullying can become a traumatic event for a child, leading to lasting negative effects. Specifically, victimization may lead to numerous behavioral problems and lowered self-esteem. Also, the quality of attachment may have a predictive relationship with the victimization and the negative outcomes it may cause. Other research implied that a similar relationship may be found between retrospective bullying and humanity-esteem. Despite the collective research done on these variables, no study, until now, has looked at retrospective bullying, humanity-esteem, attachment, behavior problems, and self-esteem all together. This study not only looked at the relationships among these variables but …