Digital Commons Network^™

The Perception Of Distance On A Real Geographic Slope, David Alan Bunch

Dissertations

Ooi, Wu, and He (2001) have shown that for objects resting on flat, horizontal surfaces, those that appear in the lower sector of the visual field are perceived as close to the observer and objects located near the visual horizon are perceived as further from the observer. Researchers have hypothesized that observers utilize the angle subtended between the horizon and the line of sight to the target object as information for distance.In a previous investigation Hajnal, Bunch, and Kelty-Stephen (2014) showed that an object’s physical angle of declination below the horizon is not uniquely utilized when making distance estimates to …

Effects Of Animal Management Changes On The Activity Budgets And Walking Rates Of Zoo Elephants, Angela Dawn Mackey

Dissertations

The current study aimed to assess the effects of two management strategies, weekly rototilling of the enclosure and the provision of unpredictable foraging opportunities, on the daily behavior of six elephants housed at the San Diego Zoo. Observations took place from January to June 2013 and were conducted throughout a 24- hour period. The study was divided into three phases, each two months in duration. During the first phase (baseline) no changes were made to the current management routine of the elephants. In Phase 2, rototilling of the elephant enclosures was increased from once monthly to once per week, while …

Challenges In The Enforcement Of Animal Protection Laws In Singapore, Alvin W. L. See

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Singapore has fairly powerful animal protection laws. In practice, however, these laws are only powerful to the extent that they are actually enforced. In Singapore, the low number of prosecutions for animal cruelty is a cause for serious concern. While there can be a myriad of reasons for this phenomenon, this paper argues that one primary cause is the insufficient understanding of what amounts, or may amount, to cruelty at law. This results in an unsound enforcement policy which reduces the protection afforded to animals. By highlighting this problem, this paper hopes to draw attention to the importance of the …

Anammox Polishing In Mainstream Wastewater Treatment To Meet Stringent Ammonia And Total Nitrogen Limits, Rebecca Mary Holgate

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

As nitrogen discharge limits are becoming more stringent there is a need for new processes that are sustainable and cost effective. Since anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (anammox) were discovered in the mid 1990s, there has been considerable success implementing anammox in many wastewater treatment plants to treat internally generated nitrogen rich waste streams (e.g. centrate). Recently, there has also been discussion of implementing anammox in mainstream wastewater treatment to exploit the benefits of autotrophic nitrogen removal.

A two stage A/B pilot study was conducted that included a high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) process followed by a two-stage de-ammonification process incorporating nitrite-shunt …

What Do Children Know Before Spelling Phonologically? Prephonological Spellers’ Knowledge Of Writing, Lan Zhang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Most theories of literacy development have focused on children’s knowledge of the phonological aspect of writing. Relatively few studies have investigated children’s writing-related knowledge before they acquire alphabetic knowledge. The constructivist theory provides insights into what and how children know about other aspects of writing such as its graphic properties and symbolic function. The present study examined different aspects of the constructivist perspective. Preschool children with a mean age of 4 years and 4 months completed a spelling task and a recognition task. Participants who had not grasped conventional phoneme-grapheme correspondences in English were of primary interest. Consistent with the …

Uni Grad Student News, V11n5, August 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate College.

UNI Grad Student News

Inside this issue:

-- Message from the Dean
-- Graduate Student Information Meeting
-- Michelle Czarnecki - May 2014 Commencement Speaker
-- Current Student Profile: Evan Schares
-- Graduate Alumni Profile: Jacqui Kalin
-- Graduate Faculty Profile: Dr. Darcie Davis-Gage
-- Spanish Students Present at World Languages Conference
-- Explore the Arts at UNI
-- Graduate College Assistants
-- HPELS Students Attend NASPA Conference
-- Doctoral Students' Presentations Accepted for World Leisure Congress
-- Kong Chen: Summer Update
-- Unique Places to Study on Campus
-- Congratulations on Post-Graduation Plans
-- Resume & CV Appointments
-- Thinking about Graduate School …

Effects Of Lipopolysaccharide Induced Inflammatory Response On Early Embryo Survival In Ewes, Megan Renee Graham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early pregnant ewes, 5 or 6 day post coitus (dpc) were used as a model to study early embryonic loss via gram-negative bacterial infections, such as mastitis. Ewes 5/6 dpc were injected with a gram-negative bacteria cell wall component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-&agr;), to induce an innate immune system acute phase response (APR). The induction of the APR and its reactant molecules, such as TNF-&agr; and acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA), were initiated to study their effects on embryonic loss. In addition, ewes were also injected with LPS plus dexamethasone (Dex) …

Sleep Environment Risks For Younger And Older Infants., Jeffrey D. Colvin, Vicki Collie-Akers, Christy Schunn, Rachel Y. Moon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related causes of infant mortality have several known risk factors. Less is known about the association of those risk factors at different times during infancy. Our objective was to determine any associations between risk factors for sleep-related deaths at different ages.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study of sleep-related infant deaths from 24 states during 2004-2012 contained in the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths Case Reporting System, a database of death reports from state child death review teams. The main exposure was age, divided into younger (0-3 months) and older …

Inorganic Nanoparticle Nucleation On Polymer Matrices, Adrian John Kosteleski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The introduction of inorganic nanoparticles into organic materials enhances both the mechanical and chemical properties of the material. Metallic nanoparticles, like silver and gold, have been introduced into polymers for use as antimicrobial coatings or dielectric materials, respectively. The challenge in creating these materials currently is the difficulty to homogeneously disperse the particles throughout the polymer matrix. The uneven dispersion of nanoparticles can lead to less than optimal quality and undesired properties. By creating a polymer nanocomposite material with well-controlled size inorganic materials that are evenly dispersed throughout the polymer matrix; we can improve the materials performance and properties. The …

Experimental And Theoretical Studies Of Kinetics And Quality Parameters To Determine Spontaneous Combustion Propensity Of U.S. Coals, Xinyang Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spontaneous combustion is one of the most serious problems to mine safety and production in the global coal industry. It is considered to be the trigger for fires and explosions in underground coal mines especially for gassy mines. Such thermal events are not easily detectable since they normally occur in inaccessible gob and sealed area. It is also difficult to find the most likely hot point accurately. Admittedly, determination of the propensity for spontaneous combustion before mining activity should be a necessary step in the design of a mine and ventilation plan. However, due to the complexity of the chemical …

Watershed - A Transdisciplinary Social Design Process Applied To An Environmental Issue, Forrest Thomas Conroy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wicked problems are often vast, complex, and difficult to navigate. Often used in dealing with social design issues, the term "wicked" is intended to connote a problem that is difficult to define and solve rather than its moral implications.1 These problems, like watershed maintenance and pollution mitigation, involve an entwined community of diverse players, intricate systems, and ever-changing terrain. Because of their pluralistic nature, these problems can seem impossible to solve and even impossible to understand. This requires a collective approach and new ways of thinking to create better understanding and solutions. Important changes occur when citizens are knowledgeable, see …

Comparing Flexural Strength Of Acrylic Processed By Three Different Techniques, Ankit Patel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Statement of problem: Acrylic resin removable dentures are susceptible to fracture after periods of clinical use. There are many predisposing clinical factors for these denture fractures. Specifically, acrylic resin fractures due to poor flexural strength has historical been a problem with complete denture.;Objective: The purpose of this in vitro study was to measure and compare the flexural strength of denture base acrylic resin processed by three different techniques: Conventional Pressure-Pack (compression molded) method, Injection molded (SR-Ivocap), and Computer Aided Design - Computer Assisted Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) (AvaDent(TM) Digital Dentures).;Methods: A total of 45 specimens (64 mm X 10 mm X varying …

Effects Of Dietary Immunomodulation On Parasite Load In Commercial Crossbred Lambs, Rebecca Christine Price

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Multidrug resistant gastrointestinal nematodes have left sheep producers with little options to control the detrimental effects of parasitism on their flocks. Immunomodulation has been used in many autoimmune diseases in an effort to downregulate the immune system and alleviate pathology. However, upregulation of immune responses by use of dietary immunosaccharides may allow parasite susceptible sheep to clear a Haemonchus contortus infection. To test this hypothesis, Dorset-Texel lambs were fed a ration including CelmanaxRTM at 1g/hd/day for one week prior to receiving an experimental infection of 10,000 L3 stage H. contortus larvae; which continued until the completion of the study. Increases …

The Current Status Of Meat Processing Facilities In Agricultural Education Programs In West Virginia, Eleanor Nicole Porter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia has become a model for the local food movement. With a push for more locally grown food, there is a need for more people to provide local agricultural services. A number of agricultural education programs in West Virginia are providing students with hands on training in the meat processing field. Currently there is little information on the knowledge and skill level of instructors operating high school meats processing facilities. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the expertise of the instructors and to determine the training needs of these individuals in the area of meat processing. The purpose …

Functional Equivalency Of Created And Natural Wetlands In The Central Appalachians: Reproductive Success, Call Phenology, And Diet Composition Of Amphibians, Gabriel F. Strain

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evaluating the adequacy of created wetlands to replace the functions of lost natural wetlands is important because wetland mitigation is a major tool used to offset wetland losses. However, measurements such as vegetative cover and presence of wildlife may not provide sufficient evidence that created wetlands are functioning properly and thus examining the ecology of wetland biota such as that of amphibians may be a more useful surrogate for function. The objectives of this study were to assess the reproductive success, temporal calling patterns, and diet composition of amphibians inhabiting created wetlands relative to natural wetlands in order to facilitate …

Bubble Size Effects In Coal Flotation And Phosphate Reverse Flotation Using A Pico-Nano Bubble Generator, Yu Xiong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Froth flotation is widely used in minerals industry. However, it is effective in a narrow size range, nominally 45--250 mum for coal and 10--150 mum for minerals. And the flotation performance of coal and minerals beyond this size range is not quite satisfactory. It is now recognized that the low-flotation efficiency of ultrafine particles is mainly due to the low probability of bubble-particle collision while the main reason for poor flotation recovery of coarse particles is the high probability of detachment of particles from the bubble surface.;Pico-nano bubbles refer to tiny bubbles smaller than 0.5 mum, which can be produced …

Serotonin (5-Ht) Increases Olfactory Responsiveness In The Tobacco Hawkmoth Manduca Sexta, Samantha Lynn Jusino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Behavioral states of animals change throughout the day and the brain has developed several mechanisms in order for neural circuits to modify network function in order to produce these states. Neuromodulation allows the animal to alter neural circuits to make them more or less responsive to a given input. Little research has been conducted to understand the functional role of serotonin (5-HT), a neuromodulator,on olfactory behavioral responses. In this study, we aimed to identify the functional role of 5-HT in Manduca sexta olfactory function. Using a Pavlovian-Conditioning Paradigm, we conditioned moths to 2-hexanone and tested them using two different assays, …

Changes In Body Condition From Prepartum To Postpartum On Health And Reproduction In Dairy Cattle, Keli Ann Akers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study were to body condition score, 72 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows at prepartum, compare lean, moderate, and over-conditioned categories, and relate any changes associated with the various time points with reproductive success by measuring body condition score, hematocrit, total white blood cell (WBC) differential, haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations, milk yield and monitoring health status. The body condition score changed significantly with time with the greatest unit loss being in the over-conditioned cattle from d -30 to d 35 postpartum. The BCS losses for each category did not have a significant effect on reproductive success at any time. Health …

Vying For Relevancy In Stockholm: American Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations And The 1972 Un Conference On The Human Environment, Andrew Brown

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the roles, ideologies, strategies, and behavior of American environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) during the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. This conference was the first major international conference to address environmental issues. The Stockholm Conference was a meeting for delegates representing national governments to dictate the direction of international environmental regulation. The conference focused on the participation of nations but ENGOs found venues through which to participate in the discussion on the human environment. In this thesis, I argue that even though the official conference limited the participation of ENGOs, these groups functioned as informal …

Mirrors Of Mechanized Man: Capitalism And Intertextuality As Represented In The Works Of Herman Melville, Franz Kafka And Don Delillo, Samantha J. Amberson-Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

It is contended that literature, as a product of the socioeconomic conditions in which it was generated, can be used to explore the relationship between individuals and technological advancement, as existing within specific stages of capitalism’s development. Using Marxist analysis to examine texts generated during the cultural eras of realism, modernism, and postmodernism, it is argued that physical, mental, and emotional state of characters, as represented within works written by Herman Melville, Franz Kafka, and Don DeLillo, respectively, reflect the increasing levels of human alienation as experienced by individuals under the constraining forces of market capitalism, imperialism, and late capitalism.

"But, Whatever The Reason, His Heart Or His Shoes, He Stood There On Christmas Eve, Hating The Whos": Dr. Seuss' The Grinch As The Racialized Other In American Culture, Marina Malli

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis analyzes Dr. Seuss’ the Grinch as a modern myth in US society that provides an imaginary resolution to the perceived encroachment of racial and cultural heterogeneity in the various time periods in which the text has circulated. Each chapter closely reads three different versions of the story, including Dr. Seuss’ children’s book published in 1957, the 1966 animated TV special directed by Chuck Jones, and the 2000 film directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey. In each chapter, I consider the racial politics prevalent in each time period in order to elucidate my claim that various media …

Management Of Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia Argentifolii Bellows And Perring (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Using Non-Crop Companion Plants In Organically-Managed Cantaloupe Systems In South Texas, Ruth Renee Colyer

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Field trials in three separate phases of research were carried out from March, 2010, to August, 2012, to determine the effects of inter-cropping cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) with select non-crop companion plants in an effort to develop organic production strategies for melons in South Texas without the use of pesticides. A research program was designed and initiated to assess the effects of the companion plants and their ability to: 1) attract insect pollinators, and 2) repel or suppress pest species without affecting beneficial natural enemy complexes. The hypotheses were: 1) that organically-managed cantaloupe systems grown with non-crop companion plants …

Design Of The High-Speed Stereo Radiography System, John C. Ivester Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Orthopaedic pathologies often involve disruption of the mechanical environment of a joint at/below the mm scale. The ability to measure biomechanical kinematics at the sub-mm scale is essential for obtaining valuable insight into pathologies, but small motions of the joints are difficult to quantify. Estimates of skeletal kinematics are commonly made from optical motion capture systems and markers placed on the skin. The error caused by external marker movement is largely avoided with x-ray motion capture. Dynamic radiography uses a series of x-ray images recorded at high-speed and captures in-vivo joint motion. Uncovering the mechanical foundation of orthopaedic pathologies requires …

A Multi-Agent Design For Power Distribution Systems Automation, M. Jawad Ghorbani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A new Multi Agent System (MAS) design for fault location, isolation and restoration in power distribution systems is presented. In proposed approach, when there is a fault in the Power Distribution System (PDS), MAS quickly isolates the fault and restores the service to fault-free zones. Hierarchical coordination strategy is introduced to manage the agents which integrate the advantages of both centralized and decentralized coordination strategies. In this framework, Zone Agent (ZA) locate and isolate the fault based on the locally available information and assist the Feeder Agent (FA) for reconfiguration and restoration. FA can solve the restoration problem using the …

Human And Animal Behavior Understanding, Wenbin Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Human and animal behavior understanding is an important yet challenging task in computer vision. It has a variety of real-world applications including human computer interaction (HCI), video surveillance, pharmacology, genetics, etc. We first present an evaluation of spatiotemporal interest point features (STIPs) for depth-based human action recognition, and then propose a framework call TriViews for 3D human action recognition with RGB-D data. Finally, we investigate a new approach for animal behavior recognition based on tracking, video content extraction and data fusion.;STIPs features are widely used with good performance for action recognition using the visible light videos. Recently, with the advance …

The Role Of Telecentres In Tanzania’S Rural Development. A Case Study Of Sengerema District Council, Mwanza Region., Boniface Mbangala, Athumani Samzugi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Sengerema district council has had a telecentre since 2001. However, the socio-economic indicators do not show that the district is better than districts without telecentres. This study intended to assess how the telecentre has benefited the users in respect of social and economic aspects. The study was conducted in Sengerema district, Mwanza region. The survey design was employed using structured and unstructured questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary review methods of data collection. The sample size of 62 respondents included 42 males and 20 females. In general, the users believed that the centre has helped improve their community’s wellbeing, however, with …

Visualization And Analysis Tools For Neuronal Tissue, Michael Morehead

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The complex nature of neuronal cellular and circuit structure poses challenges for understanding tissue organization. New techniques in electron microscopy allow for large datasets to be acquired from serial sections of neuronal tissue. These techniques reveal all cells in an unbiased fashion, so their segmentation produces complex structures that must be inspected and analyzed. Although several software packages provide 3D representations of these structures, they are limited to monoscopic projection, and are tailored to the visualization of generic 3D data. On the other hand, stereoscopic display has been shown to improve the immersive experience, with significant gains in understanding spatial …

Motivational Factors Contributing To The Choice Of Agriculturally Related Careers, Lacey J. Sims

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the motivational factors of college students who have chosen to study in an agriculturally related field. A descriptive research design using an online questionnaire was used for this study to determine factors which influenced career choice. Likert scale items were used to determine how motivating certain factors were for respondents in influencing their decision to study in an agriculturally related field. The Likert items were divided into five constructs: family influence, self-motivation, experience, use of skills, and career opportunities. Items within the five constructs were further analyzed to discover the top five motivational factors identified in each …

Post-Translational Modifications Of The Paired Box Transcription Factor 7 (Pax7) In Satellite Cells During The Repair Of Injured Skeletal Muscle, Justin E. Sperringer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Satellite cells are normally a quiescent skeletal muscle stem cell pool that upon activation rapidly proliferate and differentiate to repair damaged muscle fibers. The paired box transcription factor 7 (Pax7) is the canonical biomarker for quiescent, activated, and proliferating satellite cells and is rapidly down-regulated upon differentiation into myofibers. However, the factors that regulate the modulation of Pax7 are largely unknown. Post-translational modifications to Pax7 provide a viable means to activate or deactivate this transcription factor through the signaling cascade of skeletal muscle repair and regeneration. The sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) protein, a histone deacetylase, has been shown to be involved …

Conceptual Learning: Enhancing Student Understanding Of Physiology, Micah J. Waltz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Students are leaving undergraduate science programs without the knowledge and skills they are expected to have. This is apparent in professional programs, such as medical and veterinary school, where students do not possess the critical thinking skills necessary to be successful. Physiology is a required discipline for these professional programs and often before, as a pre-requisite. Physiology classrooms are an excellent place to teach critical thinking skills because the content consists of integrated processes. Therefore, in one study, it was investigated whether focusing on physiological concepts improved student understanding of physiology in both a non-physiological science course, Invertebrate Zoology, and …