Digital Commons Network^™

The Kriging Cloud Computing Framework: Interpolation Of Topography By Cloud Computing With The Kriging Algorithm, Cheng-Tsan Lai, Sung-Shan Hsiao, Hui-Ming Fang, Edward H. Wang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Spatial information surveyed by photogrammetry, airborne LiDAR and Mobile Measurement System (MMS) above ground level can be analyzed by scientists using standard geostatistical methodologies such as ordinary Kriging and sequential Gaussian simulation to interpolate heterogeneities of profiles from sparse sample data. Proven effective by researchers, the Kriging algorithm model is used by commercial data analysis packages for instant interpolation. However, meaningful and reliable results only come with a comprehensive understanding of the variogram associated with valid mathematical functions. To capture spatial landscape variations from massive sample grids of satellite images, this paper presents a cloud computing-based automation approach to improve …

Counseling Training For Audiology Students: Using Standardized Patients, Catherine Schroy

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) has resulted in earlier diagnosis of hearing loss in children. Research shows that early diagnosis of hearing loss results in better outcomes in speech and language, socio-emotional, and cognitive development. Early diagnosis, however, often comes as a surprise to parents of newborns. When parents are told their child has a hearing loss, it is often before they have been able to observe behaviors that would lead to the suspicion of hearing loss. Parents are usually told about the hearing loss diagnosis by an audiologist and are often dissatisfied with how the news …

Public Services Annual Report 2014-2015, Deborah Mongeau

Public Services Reports

Annual report of the Public Services Department at the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Report On 2014-2015 Compliance With Continuous Quality Improvement Legislation, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

A report provided to the Iowa Board of Regents regarding continuous improvement processes in courses at the University of Northern Iowa.

Use Of Smartphones To Capture Measures Of Functional Status In Frail And Non-Frail Community Dwelling Older Adults, Cassia R. Hanton

Theses & Dissertations

Numerous important health outcomes directly relate to one's ability to maintain normal gait speed. The purpose of this study is to employ ubiquitous smartphone technology, using algorithms developed and validated by our lab in a controlled setting, to continuously and noninvasively measure aspects of subject health status, including step counts, gait speed, and activity level, in a naturalistic community setting. A total of 33 ambulatory, independently dwelling older adults were recruited from Nebraska Medicine, including 22 healthy control and 11 frail individuals. Clinical performance measurements of frailty (4MW, TUG, F8W) and validated survey responses (LLFDI, SAFFE, PROMIS) were compared to …

Effects Of Maternal Immune Activation And Repeated Maternal Separation On Postpartum Behaviors In The Female Rat Offspring, Shinnyi Chou

Theses & Dissertations

Early life stress can induce persistent brain and behavioral alterations. As a lifetime history of clinical symptoms similar to those caused by early adversities may predict postpartum dysfunctions, these stressors likely contribute to their etiology. Postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. postpartum depression, anxiety and depression) are costly, yet due to the complex neuronal reorganization during this period, insights into how early adversities-induced CNS functional changes affect postpartum processes remain limited, especially under multiple stressors. Thus, there is a need to determine postpartum functions altered by early stress, in order to increase understandings of risks associated with postpartum maladaptations. Accordingly, this work …

Factors Influencing Honey Bee Abundance Across Agricultural Landscapes In The Midsouth, Daniel Adam Whalen

Theses and Dissertations

Populations of honey bees have declined worldwide in recent years. One suspected cause is the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture. Experiments were conducted to examine potential exposure routes of pesticides to honey bees in the Midsouth. Neonicotinoid seed treatment compounds were studied to determine the rate at which they drift during planting and the rate at which they diminish in crop tissue during crop development. Honey bee foraging activity in Midsouth crops was observed to determine when and at what densities foraging honey bees could be active during pesticide applications. This project was designed to aid in understanding the …

A Study Of Electronic Service Quality On Fitness Firms: A Customer Perspective, Sivas Vivekanandan

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic service quality (ESQ) and customer orientation (CO) have become key tools to succeed in the competitive marketplace. Thus, the purpose of this research was to study how CO as perceived by the customers impacts their perception about the firm’s ESQ and to study the impact of this perceived ESQ on the outcomes at the customer level. There has been minimal research conducted on the components of ESQ in the fitness industry. Therefore, this research was focused on fitness firms wherein the participants for this study were the everyday gym goers. A quantitative survey was conducted in order to collect …

Allelopathy In The Non-Native Macrophyte, Myriophyllum Spicatum And Its Influence On Trophic Dynamics In Aquatic Systems, Daniel J. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Non-native macrophytes structurally impact aquatic assemblages, yet little is known regarding how they influence energy pathways in freshwater ecosystems. Allelopathy in Eurasian watermilfoil- Myriophyllum spicatum has been shown to target basal epiphytic organisms resulting in differences in assemblage structure of colonizing epiphyton between M. spicatum and native M. sibiricum. I conducted a growth chamber experiment to investigate the hypothesis that differences in assemblage structure of colonizing epiphyton between these two macrophytes influence trophic dynamics within aquatic systems. My data suggest M. spicatum produces higher concentrations of allelochemicals, resulting in a more diverse epiphytic assemblage compared to M. sibiricum. This could …

Diagnostic Utility Of Who Defined Sepsis Syndromic Criteria With Procalcitonin In Identification Of Sepsis In Children With Suspected Infections, Samuel Owuor Akech

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health

Title: Diagnostic Utility of WHO Defined Sepsis syndromic Criteria with Procalcitonin in Identification of Sepsis in Children with Suspected Infections Background: Bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children but accurate and timely diagnosis remains a challenge to the frontline clinicians. Cultures of sterile bodily specimens are considered the gold standard but are insensitive and results are delayed. Procalcitonin (PCT) has recently emerged as a biomarker with high sensitivity and specificity making it superior to culture based techniques performed in non-ideal circumstances which prevail in resource poor settings. This study investigated the diagnostic utility World Health …

Prevention Of Experimental Periodontitis In Rats With A Simvastatin Prodrug, Aaron Bradley

Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Simvastatin (SIM) is a hypolipidemic drug that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and bone anabolic properties. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of novel locally-applied SIM conjugated with methoxypolyethylene glycol to form micelles (SIM/SIM-mPEG) in an experimental periodontitis model in rats using micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) and histologic evaluation.

Methods: Experimental periodontitis was induced using silk ligatures around the maxillary right second molar (M2) in 40 Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were divided into five groups using SIM/SIM-mPEG at 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg SIM doses, mPEG-alone or no drug (ligature-alone) injected into the palatal M1-M2 gingiva …

Characterization Of The Replication Of Coxsackievirus B3 With A Mutationally Disrupted Cre(2c) And The Use Of Creatinine-Hydrochloride As An Antibacterial Agent, Shane E. Smithee

Theses & Dissertations

Following natural or experimental infection, and in cell culture, coxsackie B virus (CVB) RNA can persist for weeks in the absence of CPE yet with detectable viral RNA. Earlier studies in our laboratory demonstrated that this persistence produced viral RNA with up to 49 nucleotide deletions at the 5’ genomic terminus, partially degrading the cloverleaf (or domain I), an RNA structure that is required for efficient viral replication. A cis-acting replication element (CRE) in the 2C protein coding region [CRE(2C)] templates the addition of two uridine residues to the virus-encoded RNA replication primer, VPg, prior to genomic replication. Because …

Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many health disparities among individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are due to obesity-associated diseases. Several causes of obesity have been discovered, but few risk factors are known. In the general public, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with obesity.

Objective: Examine the relationship between SES and body mass index (BMI) among people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Design: A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys dataset. The psychiatric group (N=480) included individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Those reporting no symptoms were controls (N=5,161). Childhood SES variables included mother and father education and profession, …

Physical Activity Behaviors Of Prehypertensive And Stage I Hypertensive African American Women, Hope Jackson

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity (PA) behaviors and PA biomarkers of prehypertensive and stage I hypertensive African American women (AAW) and to examine the relationships between PA and personal factors and selected behavior-specific influences (perceived barriers to and interpersonal support for PA). Pender’s Health Promotion Model was the conceptual framework for the study.

A cross sectional design and convenience sample were used. Personal factors examined were: systolic and diastolic blood pressure [BP], body mass index [BMI], and waist circumference. Other variables measured were: International Physical Activity Questionnaire, 400 meter walk test, Borg perceived exertion …

School Design To Promote Physical Activity, Jeri Brittin

Theses & Dissertations

Increasing children’s physical activity (PA) at school is a national focus to address childhood obesity. Research has demonstrated associations between school built environments and students’ PA, but has lacked a comprehensive synthesis of evidence. Chapter 1 presents new evidence-, theory-, and practice-informed school design guidelines, including evidence substantiality ratings, to promote PA in school communities. These guidelines delineate strategies for school designers, planners, and educators to create K-12 school environments conducive to PA. They also engage public health scientists in needed transdisciplinary perspectives.

There have been few longitudinal studies to verify causal relationships between the school built environment and PA. …

Association Between Adverse Events In Childhood And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die significantly earlier than members of the general public (16-18 years and 12-13 years, respectively). Diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke account for much of this discrepancy. People with mental illness often have difficulty losing weight despite intensive interventions. As a result, nurses caring for patients with mental illness need to monitor their weight diligently and implement individualized interventions to promote achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Because intensive interventions come with some risk and expense, programs must target individuals with the most potential to develop obesity. In …

Roles Of Serum Lycopene In The Prevalence And Mortality Of Metabolic Syndrome In The Adult Population, Guang-Ming Han

Theses & Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic disorders, including increased fasting glucose, blood pressure, plasma triglyceride, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and abdominal obesity. It leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The growing prevalence of MetS is strongly related to the increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity. As an antioxidant, lycopene can reduce the risk of MetS. However, it is unclear whether lycopene has similar effects among overweight/obese individuals and whether lycopene can reduce the risk of mortality among individuals with MetS. The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of lycopene in the prevalence and …

Psychiatric Comorbidities And Bmi: An Exploratory Analysis, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Individuals with most forms of mental illness have higher rates of obesity than members of the general public putting them at an increased risk for many physical health problems that reduce both quality of life and life expectancy. The presence of multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in other mental health measures such as disability and sobriety and is proposed as a risk factor for elevated BMI (body mass index) in this study.

Objective: Determine if multiple psychiatric comorbidities are associated with elevated BMI and, if so, which combinations are linked with the greatest …

Characterization Of Lipoxygenase (Lox) Gene Family And Snp Validation In Relation To Aflatoxin Resistance In Maize (Zea Mays L.), Oluwaseun Felix Ogunola

Theses and Dissertations

An efficient approach to combat the accumulation of aflatoxin is the development of germplasm resistant to infection and spread of A. flavus in maize, one of the most important cereal grains in the world. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are a group enzymes that catalyze oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). LOX derived oxilipins play critical roles in plant defense against pathogens such as A. flavus. The objectives of this study were to report sequence diversity and expression patterns for all LOX genes, and map their effect on aflatoxin accumulation via linkage and association mapping. Genes GRMZM2G102760 (ZmLOX 5) and GRMZM2G104843 (ZmLOX 8) …

A Comparative Study On Phenolic Substances In Selected Black Legumes That Inhibit Digestive Enzymes, Yuqing Tan

Theses and Dissertations

Antioxidant-rich plant foods can inhibit starch and lipid digestion that are relevant to the management of type-II diabetes. Our objective was to compare the three phenolic substances (total phenolic, total flavonoids, and condensed tannin content) in crude, semi-purified extracts from eight types of foods (purified by XAD-7 column), five fractions (semi-purified extracts fractionated by Sephadex LH-20 column) from black legumes, and to compare their antioxidant capacities. The IC50 values of these crude extracts, semi-purified extracts and fractions against alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and lipase were measured. Results showed that Fraction V from black soybean had the lowest IC50 value (0.25 mg/mL) against …

The Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiota Of The Obligate Bamboo Foragers, The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca) And The Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens), Candace Lareine Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Previously, the exact phylogenetic relationship between the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has been unclear, but with the advent of molecular sequencing technologies, these two animals are now known to be distantly related. Although taxonomically distinct, these two panda species have several things in common, primarily their almost exclusively bamboo diet, but also their similar physical adaptations to their diet and their sympatry in some locations. What was unknown was if their similarities also extended to their gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota. Using next-generation 16S rRNA parallel sequencing technologies, we uncovered several factors that impact bacterial …

Quality Testing And Selection Of Soybeans For Cultivation In Mississippi For Soymilk And Tofu Production, Shi Meng

Theses and Dissertations

Soybeans with large seed size, uniformity, clear hilum, and high 11S/7S ratio are favored for soymilk and tofu making. In order to find ideal soybean lines for food making, sixty-eight soybean lines, which were selected from thousands of accessions in the USDA-Soybean Germplasm Collection, were planted in three successive seasons. Eight lines were identified from twenty-two lines harvested in 2014 (Stoneville, MS) to be suitable for tofu making as judged by chemical composition and sensory quality of tofu. The results provided important food quality information to the growers, breeders and tofu industries for their selection of soybean to improve food …

Output Collusion And The Effects Of Wic Program And Peers On Breastfeeding Activities, Xu Xu

Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation includes two projects. The first one studies the product market segmentation and output collusion within substitutes; the second one examines the effects of WIC program and peers on breastfeeding activities. In Chapter I, we extend the differentiated product model, first developed by Bowley (1924), by relaxing the assumption that each firm produces only one differentiated product. By doing so, we are able to analyze the potential for collusive market segmentation in a two stage decision framework, first in product space and second in output. We find that when firms cannot coordinate on output, the required discount factor that …

Postemergence Control Of Palmer Amaranth With Mesotrione-Based Herbicide Mixtures And The Impact Of Lactofen And Planting Date On The Growth, Development, And Yield Of Indeterminate Soybean, Joseph Paul Mangialardi

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted in 2013 and 2014 to evaluate the postemergence control of Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Wats.] with mesotrione alone and in mixtures with fomesafen and/or glyphosate and to evaluate the impact of lactofen and planting date on growth, development, and yield of indeterminate soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Studies included a greenhouse evaluation of different rates of mesotrione on the control of 5- and 10-cm Palmer amaranth and field studies evaluating the control of 5- to 10-cm Palmer amaranth with three rates of mesotrione applied alone and in mixtures with fomesafen and/or glyphosate. Lactofen studies include a …

Effect Of Carbohydrate Supplement On Cardiovascular And Metabolic Responses To Dual Concurrent Stressors, Matthew John Mcallister

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic psychological and physiological stress is linked to a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Potentially dangerous cardiovascular responses (e.g., exacerbated cortisol production) can occur with high levels of stress and chronic hypercortisolemia is associated with CVD. The ingestion of carbohydrate (CHO) prior to physical stress may attenuate cortisol responses to stress. The purpose of this project was to investigate the potential effect of CHO ingestion on cortisol production and responses to concurrent stress challenges. Sixteen apparently healthy non-smoking men 21-30 years old participated in a randomized, cross-over, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Participants were tested on four separate sessions. …

Effect Of Dietary Lysine On Plasma Amino Acid Profile And Selected Metabolites Of Late-Stage Finishing Pigs, Naresh Regmi

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary lysine on plasma concentrations of amino acid (AAs) and other metabolites of finishing pigs. Eighteen crossbred late-stage finishing pigs (9 barrows and 9 gilts) were assigned to three dietary treatments, Diets I (lysine-deficient), II (lysineequate), and III (lysine-excess), according to a randomized complete block design with gender as block. After 4 weeks on trial, jugular vein blood were collected and centrifuged for plasma samples, which were analyzed for concentrations of 24 AAs using HPLC method and 6 selected metabolites related to major nutrient metabolism using ACE Alera Clinical …

Effect Of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation To Gestating And Lactating Mares On Milk Igg And Fatty Acid Composition, Mare And Foal Blood Concentrations Of Igg, Fatty Acid Composition, Insulin And Glucose, And Placental Efficiency, Lauren B. Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

There are conflicting results from previous research evaluating the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on IgG concentration of colostrum, milk and foal blood. No research has been done on the effect of omega-3 fat supplementation on the placental efficiency of horses or the nitrite concentrations of the placenta as an indicator of vascularization. This study examined the effect of dietary omega-3 supplementation on composition of milk, mare and foal serum and if it will result in transfer of fatty acid in utero as well as providing the foal with adequate IgG concentrations in the milk and colostrum. Omega-3 …

Effects Of Intercropping Switchgrass In Managed Pine Stands On Plant Communities And White-Tailed Deer Forage Production, Bradley Robert Wheat

Theses and Dissertations

Interest in renewable energy and governmental mandates has motivated land managers to consider cellulosic feedstocks for bioenergy. I investigated plant community response to a system including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a feedstock intercropped with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). I estimated plant species evenness, richness, and diversity and biomass production, with emphasis on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) forages. I detected 225 species in 2,220 1-m2 quadrats, and 7,495 biomass samples (96.4 kg dry weight) from 960 quadrats. Intercropping reduced plant species diversity, total non-pine tree biomass, and biomass of deer forages during switchgrass establishment. These effects were no longer apparent at …

Effects Of Supplementing Ponies With Dietary Fat On Nutrient Digestibility And Blood Insulin, Glucose, And Fatty Acid Concentrations, Toree Lee Bova

Theses and Dissertations

Fat supplementation is a common practice to increase caloric intake in the performance horse. The effects of fat on fiber digestibility is unknown. Understanding of digestibility in the equine digestive tract is limited by sampling technique. While cecal and ileal cannulations have previously been utilized to determine equine nutrient digestibility and gastrointestinal physiology, the current research has been limited to singular portions of the equine digestive tract. The objectives of this dissertation were to determine the effects of dietary fat supplementation on nutrient digestibility and blood insulin, glucose, and fatty acid concentrations using dual cannulated ponies. The first step to …

Effects Of The Farm Input Subsidy Program On Maize: Identifying Maize Supply And Demand Elasticities In Malawi, Tabitha Charles Nindi

Theses and Dissertations

While Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) has been the focus of numerous studies on the impacts of subsidies on farm-household income, yields, fertilizer use and adoption, there still has not been much empirical work quantifying the program’s effects on maize supply and demand. In this study, we use the econometric framework proposed by Roberts and Schlenker (2013) to identify the effect of FISP on maize production as well as supply and demand price elasticities in Malawi. We use national aggregate data and find that the program has increased aggregate maize supply. Our results show that FISP has had an …