Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of Required Audit Firm Rotation By Public Companies, David Austin Boutwell

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of mandatory audit firm rotation by companies publicly listed in the United States. Currently, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requires lead engagement partners auditing public companies to rotate off public company audit engagements after a period of five years, without returning for an additional five years. Further, SOX also required a mandatory study of the feasibility of mandatory audit firm rotation. Proponents contend that this might enhance independence while increasing objectivity and professional skepticism. The author’s findings suggest that these perceived advantages are greatly outweighed by the disadvantages that might result …

Tuning The Metal-Insulator Transition In Delta-Doped Thin-Film Strontium Titanate, Patrick Conlin

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Transition Metal Oxides (TMOs) that exhibit metal-insulator transitions have tremendous potential for use in future electronic devices. Understanding how metalinsulator transitions can be controlled on silicon is an essential first step in the development of such devices. Here we explore the effects of epitaxial strain, imparted by a silicon substrate, on the metal-insulator transition exhibited by La0.5Sr0.5TiO3 sandwiched between layers of SrTiO3. By varying the thickness of the SrTiO3 layer situated between the La0.5Sr0.5TiO3 and silicon substrate, the strain on the La0.5Sr0.5TiO3 layer can be tuned. This tuning of the strain can induce a change in the metal-insulator transition of …

Implementation Of Broad Band Ambient Light Activated Opsins To Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases In Retinal Cells, Gregory Cervenka

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Retinitis Pigmentosa is a degenerative eye disease that can eventually lead to blindness. This disease is caused by light desensitization of retinal cells resulting in a lack of neural impulses from the eye to the brain to form an image. Scientists are attempting to treat this condition by bringing light sensitivity back to retinal cells. They are accomplishing this by transfecting the cell with light activated channel proteins called opsins. However, researchers are facing a difficulty using these opsins as the proteins can only be activated by intense narrow band light that can damage cells further. Our objective was to …

Exploring The Issue Of Drug Shortages In The U.S. And The Impact It Has On The Healthcare Industry, Lenaiya Kydd

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The idea of American hospitals running out of medicine was not perceived to be possible, but it is a current reality. The impact of high demands and low supplies of some drugs has delivered a tough financial blow to healthcare facilities. In recent years, the number of recorded drug shortages has continuously grown and has created challenges in the healthcare industry. Delayed treatments, adverse outcomes or even death, with the use of alternative medicine have led to patients being negatively impacted. The reasons for drug shortages are multi-faceted, ranging from manufacturers challenged by FDA inspections to inadequate access to raw …

Creating A Consolidated Business Systems Toolkit For Enterprise Resource Planning, April Shortt

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

A major problem in many manufacturing facilities revolves around the need to consolidate and streamline production processes. Triumph Aerostructures’ Vought Aircraft Division is experiencing systemic functional redundancies that adversely impacts the efficiency, productivity, and bottom line of the division. An investigation of system usage across all business streams was performed where we analyzed which systems are used for which operational functions, and why these particular systems are utilized. The problem was researched using the DMADV methodology, along with other Six Sigma process analysis tools. Results showed that these problems are due to a lack of lower-level employee training on the …

Professional And Cultural Adjustments Of Nigerian Nurses In America, Darlene Okpegbue

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Nursing is the largest healthcare profession around the world. Nurses frequently are educated in one country, and then migrate to the United States where they practice nursing in the U.S healthcare system. In addition to language, other differences are also noted in educational preparation, clinical experiences, and the healthcare system where these nurses begin practicing. All of these factors may affect a nurses’ ability to adapt to his or her new role in the workplace. I have met several Nigerian staff nurses while in my clinical setting as a University of Texas at Arlington Nursing student. Many of the staff …

The Relationships Among Loneliness, Sleep Quality, And Academic Performance In University Students, Noel Parks

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among loneliness, sleep quality, and academic performance in university students to determine if sleep quality and academic performance are predictors of high levels of loneliness, which is an indicator of depression. A total of 106 students were surveyed, 10 graduate and 96 undergraduate. The UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 was used to determine perceived loneliness by having participants respond to 14 statements. An example statement was “I am part of a group of friends.” If participants answered “Always” their score for this response would be one, while a response of …

Nanopore Biosensor For Quantification Of The Isomers Of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Protein, Maryam Alam

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Our project’s goal is to use nanopore analysis to detect cancers from the expression of protein for early screenings of cancer. Preliminary work uses a nanopore chip to detect specific proteins. Our research targeted the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) protein that is an important biomarker for certain cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. Discrimination between two isomers of the PDGF protein, PDGF AA and PDGF AB, was the target of experiments through the nanopore. For selectivity, an aptamer, a molecule made up of specific RNA nucleotides, was introduced in the solution. The aptamer had a very high affinity for PDGF AB, …

The Effects Of Passive, Active, And Beta-Alanine Supplemented Recovery On Blood Lactate During Anaerobic Exercise, Tracey Hampshire

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

It is widely shown through experimentation and knowledge of human physiology that an active recovery following high-intensity exercise removes lactic acid (BLa) more quickly than passive recovery. Some research suggests that Beta-Alanine (BA) supplementation can decrease BLa levels following supramaximal exercise. The purpose of this study was to assess whether passive, active, or Beta-Alanine supplemented recovery was more effective at lowering BLa accumulation anaerobic exercise. Nine subjects participated in this experiment (one subject was excluded). Each completed three sessions of active, passive, or supplemented Wingate protocols. Results were determined using SPSS (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between active and passive recovery (p = .292) or between BetaAlanine and placebo groups (p = .962). The results of this study indicated that there were no differences between BLa in passive and active recovery, and no benefits of Beta-Alanine supplementation on BLa accumulation following supramaximal exercise.

Describing The Prevalence And Awareness Of Sport-Related Concussion In University Intramural And Club Sport Participants, Makenzie L. Brown

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Concussion injuries are growing in number among athletes across the nation. The majority of concussion research to date focuses on collegiate and high school athletes. University athletes make up a small percentage of the student body population compared to the large number of students that participate in club and intramural sports. These students participate in the same sports, assume the same risks, and may experience the same adverse effects of concussion, often without appropriate medical oversight.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if concussion is a problem among intramural and club sport participants, if these participants …

Heat Dissipation During Hovering And Forward Flight In Hummingbirds, Don Powers, Bret W. Tobalske, J. Keaton Wilson, Keeley R. Corder

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Flying animals generate large amounts of heat, which must be dissipated to avoid overheating. In birds, heat dissipation is complicated by feathers, which cover most body surfaces and retard heat loss. To understand how birds manage heat budgets during flight, it is critical to know how heat moves from the skin to the external environment. Hummingbirds are instructive because they fly at speeds from 0 to more than 12ms−1, during which they transit from radiative to convective heat loss. We used infrared thermography and particle image velocimetry to test the effects of flight speed on heat loss from specific body …

Commencement Program 2015 December: College Of Science, The University Of Texas At Arlington

Commencement Programs, Photos, and Video

No abstract provided.

Combating Anti-Statistical Thinking Using Simulation-Based Methods Throughout The Undergraduate Curriculum, Nathan L. Tintle, Beth Chance, George Cobb, Soma Roy, Todd Swanson, Jill Vanderstoep

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The use of simulation-based methods for introducing inference is growing in popularity for the Stat 101 course, due in part to increasing evidence of the methods ability to improve students’ statistical thinking. This impact comes from simulation-based methods (a) clearly presenting the overarching logic of inference, (b) strengthening ties between statistics and probability/mathematical concepts, (c) encouraging a focus on the entire research process, (d) facilitating student thinking about advanced statistical concepts, (e) allowing more time to explore, do, and talk about real research and messy data, and (f) acting as a firmer foundation on which to build statistical intuition. Thus, …

Medium-Range Ensemble Precipitation And Streamflow Forecasting For The Upper Trinity River Basin In Texas Via The Nws Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast Service, Hossein Sadeghi

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Compared to forecasts of short-term precipitation accumulations (daily or shorter) at lead times larger than a few days, those of longer-term accumulations (3-daily or longer) are significantly more skillful owing to the larger temporal scale of aggregation. If one can utilize this skill present in medium-range precipitation forecast in hydrologic prediction, it is very likely that the lead time of hydrologic forecasts, in particular, of streamflow and soil moisture may be extended. Though forecasts of longer-term accumulations of precipitation are more skillful than those of shorter-term accumulations, precipitation forecasts in general are too uncertain to be used as deterministic, or …

Feasibility Of Underground Freight Transportation (Uft) In Texas, Seyedeh Hosna Mousavipour

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The U.S. economy is expected to double in size over the next 30 years. Truck and rail freight traffic is expected to increase by approximately 45 percent. Air freight is expected to triple in response to demand for the rapid movement of high-value merchandise, while multimodal shipments will likely double. Texas with a gross state product (GSP) of $1.4 trillion dollars is the second largest economy in the U.S. Its size and population, central location, Gulf coastline, and energy resources require a reliable freight transportation system to facilitate further growth. This thesis focuses on the feasibility of Underground Freight Transportation …

Buildout Population Projections, Chelsea Irby

Planning Masters Professional Reports - Archive

Buildout population projections are used by various municipalities and entities to project the ultimate population, or carrying capacity, of a specific area. There are many methods used to calculate buildout population. It is generally done by identifying the highest allowed uses in the vacant areas, based on the future land use plan, and calculating the maximum number of households and population. The maximum population in the vacant areas is then added to the existing population in that area to get the buildout population. Municipalities generally use these type of projections in comprehensive plans to set a vision for the future …

Number 19, 2015, Palara Editors

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

Complete Issue

Excluded, But Not Forgotten: The Aftermath And Effects Of The National Origins Act On Mexican Immigrants In The Southwestern Us, 1924–1934, Courtney Broderick

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Sophist(Icated) Pragmatism: Towards A Unified Theory Of Language And Politics In Rhetorical Studies, Peter Hedleston

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Undergraduate Experience Of Black Students At An Urban, Predominantly White Institution: Using Concept Mapping To Examine Student Success, Kandra Jones

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Bumetanide Demonstrates Amelioration Of Learning And Memory Deficits Induced By Ketamine Administration In A Neonatal Rat Model, Ryan Stevens

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Bayesian Statistics And Information Fusion For Gps-Denied Navigation, Brian Lee Copp

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

It is well known that satellite navigation systems are vulnerable to disruption due to jamming, spoofing, or obstruction of the signal. The desire for robust navigation of aircraft in GPS-denied environments has motivated the development of feature-aided navigation systems, in which measurements of \textit{environmental features} are used to complement the dead reckoning solution produced by an inertial navigation system. Examples of environmental features which can be exploited for navigation include star positions, terrain elevation, terrestrial wireless signals, and features extracted from photographic data. Feature-aided navigation represents a particularly challenging estimation problem because the measurements are often strongly nonlinear, and the …

Studies Of Influence Of Energy Distribution On The Upper Atmosphere, Cheng Sheng

Physics Theses - Archive

The energy inputs into the upper atmosphere including both solar irradiation and geomagnetic energy can significantly change the upper atmosphere such as the neutral and plasma densities, velocities and temperatures. Therefore, the precise specification of the energy inputs is critical to estimate the ionosphere/thermosphere variation during both quiet and storm times. In order to improve the understanding of the energy distribution and its influence at high latitudes, specifically, we have conducted the following studies. (1) Estimation of the altitudinal distribution of Joule heating from COSMIC observations. Joule heating is the most significant way to dissipate geomagnetic energy at high latitudes. …

Thermal Transgenerational Plasticity And Its Effect On Competitive Ability And Consumer-Resource Dynamics In A Population Of Daphnia Ambigua, Holmes Julian

Biology Theses - Archive

Global temperature increases are predicted to quicken in pace this century, and with them so will the likely impact on natural populations. The extent to which organisms will be able to keep pace with and adapt to these environmental changes is an unanswered question. It has been demonstrated that changing environments can induce changes in phenotypes that persist across generations. TGP may be an important means for populations to cope with climate change stress, but our understanding of these interactions is incomplete. Prior work showed that Daphnia program their offspring for faster development when reared under cooler temperatures. Here I …

Data Visualization In Exploratory Data Analysis: An Overview Of Methods And Technologies, Yingsen Mao

Business Administration Theses - Archive

Exploratory data analysis (EDA) refers to an iterative process through which analysts constantly ‘ask questions’ and extract knowledge from data. EDA is becoming more and more important for modern data analysis, such as business analytics and business intelligence, as it greatly relaxes the statistical assumption required by its counterpart—confirmation data analysis (CDA), and involves analysts directly in the data mining process. However, exploratory visual analysis, as the central part of EDA, requires heavy data manipulations and tedious visual specifications, which might impede the EDA process if the analyst has no guidelines to follow. In this paper, we present a framework …

Controlled Hydrosilylations Of Carbonyl Compounds And Computational Investigations Of A Hydride Shuttle Mechanism For Alkene Hydrosilylation, Gabriela Trog

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

Chapter 1 describes tandem dual hydrosilylations of α,β-unsaturated enals. Hydrosilylations of both carbonyl compounds and alkenes have been utilized to create chiral alcohols. Tandem dual hydrosilylations (TDH) of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds create five-membered oxasilacycles that can be further converted to 1,3- diols, which are a common structural motif in the polyketide natural product family. We present preliminary data and a substrate scope for the formation of these oxasilacycles en route to the 1,3-diol compounds. Chapter 2 describes hydrosilylations of esters that result in silyl acetals. The silyl acetals are chemical synthons of the corresponding aldehyde. This reaction can be coupled …

Evaluation Of Activated Carbon As A Commercial Drug Disposal Product Using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Veronica B. Waybright

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

At present, pharmaceuticals, synthetic organic compounds, and endocrine disrupting compounds are ubiquitous in our environment. These have been introduced by consumers and manufacturers directly and indirectly for decades. There is plenty of published literature addressing the presence of these compounds, the development of newer and more sensitive techniques to detect them at low concentrations, as well as studies showing their effects in the environment and in human health. However, these studies are based on the measurement and detection of these compounds after the fact; and even though some have addressed the need to decrease these pollutants in the environment, procedures …

New Conductometric Detection Methods For Sensitive Ion Chromatographic Measurement Of Weak Electrolytes, Hongzhu Liao

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

Since Suppressed conductometric anion chromatography (SCAC) was proposed in the mid-1970s, SCAC has become a widely used tool for the determination of anion species in aqueous samples. Its application ranges from trace analysis in semiconductor manufacture to pharmaceutical analysis. This dissertation primarily focuses on three different projects on the conductometric determination of weak acids. Other work carried out during the same period both involved SCAC for the determination of anion composition of açaí Extracts and on the unusual ion exchange behavior of myo‐inositol phosphates. SCAC responds poorly and nonlinearly to weak acids, because they only ionize partially and the degree …

Determination Of Total And D-Amino Acid Content In Mice Brain Tissue By Achiral-Chiral Heart-Cutting Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography: Diagnostic And Clinical Relevance And A Comparison Between Non-Perfused And Perfused Tissue, Curran Parpia

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

A heart-cutting two dimensional liquid chromatographic method for the quantification of free amino acid enantiomers from mouse brain tissue is demonstrated. Evidence to support the occurrence of D-amino acids in significant concentrations in physiological samples has spurred studies toward the elucidation of their importance and function. In this work, the level and regional distribution of select amino acids were determined by achiral-chiral LC/LC. Additionally, the effect of tissue perfusion on these levels was investigated. The free amino acid extracts were analyzed as their 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl derivatives and separated in the reverse phase mode on superficially porous C18. In the second dimension, …

No Major Changes On Paleoclimate And Paleoenvironment Across The Eocene–Oligocene Transition In The Central Rocky Mountains, Sara Ayyash

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

Earth’s climate has experienced dramatic cooling during the Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) based on well-constrained marine geological records, however, a consensus on the terrestrial responses to this event has not been reached. The White River Formation in the central Rocky Mountains, western U.S.A., is a well-dated stratigraphic unit covering the EOT. The formation contains tuffaceous mudrock and sandstone that were deposited in fluvial and eolian depositional environments. Here I study oxygen isotope ratios and clumped isotope temperatures of carbonate cements and bulk organic carbon isotope ratios in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate across the EOT. These carbonate cements were …