The Mantle Transition Zone Beneath South America From Stacking Of P-To-S Receiver Functions, B. A. Goetze

Masters Theses

"The Mantle Transition Zone (MTZ) beneath South America is investigated with stacking of Receiver Functions (RFs) of converted P-to-S phases from the velocity discontinuities at 410 km (d410) and 660 km (d660). A total of 785 seismic stations provided 22,235 high quality RFs, allowing 1,717 MTZ thickness measurements in circular bins of 2⁰ radius. An apparent MTZ structure is derived using the IASP91 reference model, where the d410 mean depth is 409.1 km and the d660 is 661.5 km, and the mean MTZ thickness is 251.8 km. This model presents coherent depressions and uplifts of the discontinuities matching well known …

Reprocessing And Structural Interpretation Of Multichannel Seismic Reflection Data From Penobscot, Nova Scotia, Fulya Gizem Yagci

Masters Theses

"Penobscot area is located in the Scotian Basin, which was occurred as a result of extension in the eastern North America border. 2-D data set that was utilized for the study consists of three multichannel seismic profiles that were collected from Penobscot Parcel 8. The main purpose of the study was to enhance signal-to-noise ratio of the seismic reflection sections suppressing high frequency noise and multiples, and removing diffractions. In addition, while the resolution of the sections were enhanced, determining the correct processing techniques and parameters for better results was the another important criteria.

The processing steps included deconvolution, minimum …

Thrust Sensing For Small Uavs, Christopher Scott Marchman

Masters Theses

"Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become prevalent in both military and civilian applications. UAVs have many size categories from large-scale aircraft to micro air vehicles. The performance, health, and efficiency for UAVs of smaller sizes can be difficult to assess and few associated instrumentation systems have been developed. Thrust measurements on the ground can characterize systems especially when combined with simultaneous motor power measurements. This thesis demonstrates the use of strain measurements to measure the thrust produced by motor/propeller combinations for such small UAVs. A full-bridge Wheatstone circuit and electrical resistance strain gauges were used in conjunction with constant-stress cantilever …

Exhumation Of The Nacimiento Block: A Thermochronologic Analysis, Lisa Marie Arnold Lori

Masters Theses

"Through the analysis of both U-Pb and (U-Th)/He ages from detrital zircon grains we can constrain thermal histories by establishing ages which correspond to crystallization and exhumation events, respectively. This combined geo-/thermochronologic approach is used here to constrain the history of the polyphase Nacimiento fault. This fault traverses central and southern California and has accumulated at least 150 km of slip since Late Cretaceous time. Major displacements along the structure occurred between 75 and 56 Ma, with Neogene to Holocene strike-slip remobilization linked to the San Andreas fault system. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology from Franciscan subduction assemblages west of the …

Analysis Of Va Sacramento Medical Center Capacity Using Discrete Event Simulation, Tatiana Alejandra Cardona

Masters Theses

"The development of simulation models continues to provide effective solutions to a wide range of problems in healthcare systems. In the research presented within this thesis is the development of a representative and validated discrete event simulation model for the purpose of evaluating additional capacity. The study consists of a detailed exploratory analysis, verification and validation tests of the simulation results, and a thorough design of experiments. The exploratory analysis consisted of developing simulation models that provide similar characteristics found in the data. The design of experiments consisted of generating scenarios of various bed additions in the hospital units of …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Geomechanical Parameters In A Two-Way Coupling Reservoir Simulation, Hector Gabriel Donoso

Masters Theses

"Currently reservoir simulators model geomechanical effects such as compaction, subsidence, fault reactivation, breach of the seal integrity, etc. using only the rock compressibility to change the pore volume. However, rock compressibility as a scalar quantity is unfit to represent the true rock mechanics in the reservoir. In order to accurately represent geomechanical effects in a reservoir simulation, a two-way coupling simulation of the stress analyzer and the reservoir simulator was done. Based on the poroelasticity theory during the production or depletion of the reservoir the porosity and permeability changed due to the stress or pore pressure changes.

A sensitivity analysis …

Hidden Markov Model Based Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Using Active And Reactive Power Consumption, Paulomi Nandy

Masters Theses

"This work presents a residential appliance disaggregation technique to help achieve the fundamental goal in Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) problem i.e. simple breakdown of energy consumption based on the appliance type in a household. The appliances are modeled using Hidden Markov Model by utilizing both their active and reactive power consumption data. The data was recorded by attaching Power Standards Lab PQube measurement device to the appliances. Granularity of the power readings of the disaggregated appliance matches with that of the reading collected for individual device. The accuracy of the model is compared with other models developed using only active …

Between Scylla And Charybdis: Taxing Corporations Or Shareholders (Or Both), David M. Schizer

Faculty Scholarship

The United States taxes both corporations and shareholders on corporate profits. In principle, the United States could rely on only one of these taxes, as many commentators have suggested. Although choosing to tax the corporation or its owners may seem like taking money from one pocket or the other, this Essay emphasizes a key difference: These taxes prompt different planning. Relying on one or the other mitigates some distortions and leaks, while exacerbating others. As a result, choosing which to impose is like navigating between Scylla and Charybdis.

In response, this Essay recommends using both taxes for three reasons. First, …

Writing In College: From Competence To Excellence, Amy Guptill

Milne Open Textbooks

Writing in College is designed for students who have largely mastered high-school level conventions of formal academic writing and are now moving beyond the five-paragraph essay to more advanced engagement with text. It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes. It provides a friendly, down-to-earth introduction to professors’ goals and expectations, demystifying the norms of the academy and how they shape college writing assignments. Each of the nine chapters can be read separately, and each includes suggested exercises to bring the main messages to life.

Students …

Teaching Autoethnography: Personal Writing In The Classroom, Melissa Tombro

Milne Open Textbooks

Teaching Autoethnography: Personal Writing in the Classroom is dedicated to the practice of immersive ethnographic and autoethnographic writing that encourages authors to participate in the communities about which they write. This book draws not only on critical qualitative inquiry methods such as interview and observation, but also on theories and sensibilities from creative writing and performance studies, which encourage self-reflection and narrative composition. Concepts from qualitative inquiry studies, which examine everyday life, are combined with approaches to the creation of character and scene to help writers develop engaging narratives that examine chosen subcultures and the author’s position in relation to …

Good Corporation, Bad Corporation: Corporate Social Responsibility In The Global Economy, Guillermo C. Jimenez, Elizabeth Pulos

Milne Open Textbooks

This textbook provides an innovative, internationally oriented approach to the teaching of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business ethics. Drawing on case studies involving companies and countries around the world, the textbook explores the social, ethical, and business dynamics underlying CSR in such areas as global warming, genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food production, free trade and fair trade, anti-sweatshop and living-wage movements, organic foods and textiles, ethical marketing practices and codes, corporate speech and lobbying, and social enterprise. The book is designed to encourage students and instructors to challenge their own assumptions and prejudices by stimulating a class debate …

Steps To Success: Crossing The Bridge Between Literacy Research And Practice, Kristen A. Munger, Bryan Ripley Crandall, Kathleen A. Cullen, Michelle A. Duffy, Tess M. Dussling, Elizabeth Lewis, Vicki Mcquitty, Maria S. Murray, Joanne E. O'Toole, Joanna M. Robertson, Elizabeth Y. Stevens

Milne Open Textbooks

Steps to Success: Crossing the Bridge Between Literacy Research and Practice introduces instructional strategies linked to the most current research-supported practices in the field of literacy. The book includes chapters related to scientifically-based literacy research, early literacy development, literacy assessment, digital age influences on children’s literature, literacy development in underserved student groups, secondary literacy instructional strategies, literacy and modern language, and critical discourse analysis. Chapters are written by authors with expertise in both college teaching and the delivery of research-supported literacy practices in schools. The book features detailed explanations of a wide variety of literacy strategies that can be implemented …

Economic Crisis And The Integration Of Law And Finance: The Impact Of Volatility Spikes, Edward G. Fox, Merritt B. Fox, Ronald J. Gilson

Faculty Scholarship

The 2008 financial crisis raised puzzles important for understanding how the capital market prices common stocks and in turn, for the intersection between law and finance. During the crisis, there was a dramatic fivefold spike, across all industries, in "idiosyncratic risk" – the volatility of individual-firm share prices after adjustment for movements in the market as a whole.

This phenomenon is not limited to the most recent financial crisis.This Article uses an empirical review to show that a dramatic spike in idiosyncratic risk has occurred with every major downturn from the 1920s through the recent financial crisis. It canvasses three …

Thresholding Techniques For Discrimination Of Seborrheic Keratosis From Melanoma In Dermoscopy Images, Pramada Kishtagari

Masters Theses

“Malignant melanoma is a very deadly form of skin cancer which has claimed many lives over the past few years. If detected early this can be cured, hence early detection of malignant melanoma is essential. Unfortunately melanoma is mimicked by seborrheic keratosis, a benign skin cancer. Identifying malignant melanoma as seborrheic keratosis using clinical diagnosis can prove fatal to the patient. To prevent such errors, dermoscopy, a common non-invasive skin imaging technique, is used which improves the diagnosis of these pigmented lesions by visualizing the morphological structures. This study proposes an automatic method by applying image processing techniques to aid …

Minimum Fees For The Self-Employed: A European Response To The "Uber-Ized" Economy?, Eva Grosheide, Mark Barenberg

Faculty Scholarship

In advanced market economies in Europe and North America, a large and growing percentage of the workforce is self-employed. This group earns a contractual fee from clients, rather than a wage or salary from employers, one form of the so-called "Uberization" of the labor market. Through an analysis of the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) rulings, this Article explores whether minimum fees for the self-employed could be implemented without infringing European Union (EU) competition law. In particular, it lays out four possible legal mechanisms – what the paper dubs "U-turns" – that swerve around the social harms …

The 2015 Paris Agreement On Climate Change: Significance And Implications For The Future, Hari Osofsky, Lisa Benjamin, Michael B. Gerrard, Jacqueline Peel, David Titley

Faculty Scholarship

On December 12, 2015, nearly 200 countries created a major new agreement on climate change, accompanied by national commitments to act. The Paris Agreement has rightly been celebrated as a breakthrough, but was unquestionably constrained by the need for compromise, and its details will continue to be developed at the international, national, and local levels. On January 9, 2016, a panel of expert commentators and delegation members from a variety of national jurisdictions convened at the annual American Association of Law Schools meeting to analyze the Paris Agreement; they considered how the agreement evolved from prior efforts, the structure of …

Kinesiotaping As An Alternative Treatment Method For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Duygu Geler Külcü, Canan Bursali, İlknur Aktaş, Seli̇n Bozkurt Alp, Feyza Ünlü Özkan, Pinar Akpinar

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy. Conservative treatment choices are not always satisfactory. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of kinesiotaping (KT) on pain level, grip strength, and functional status compared with that of placebo KT and orthotic device (OD) in patients with CTS. Materials and methods: In this randomized, placebo-controlled study, participants were allocated into one of three groups: an experimental KT group (Group 1), a placebo KT group (Group 2), and an OD group (Group 3). Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) scores, dynamometric grip strength …

Expression Of Maspin In Testis Tumors With Germ Cells Andits Relation With Angiogenesis Factors, Hüseyi̇n Çeli̇k, Tahsi̇n Turunç, Nebi̇l Bal, Eray Hasirci, Alaaddi̇n Akay, Çeti̇n Levent Peşki̇rci̇oğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We aimed to evaluate the importance of maspin expression in testicular tumors with germ cells, its effect on prognosis, and the relation with angiogenesis factors. Materials and methods: The paraffin blocks of the orchiectomy materials of 32 patients who had undergone orchiectomy due to testicular tumors were taken within the scope of the study. The specimens of the cases included in the study group were reexamined under light microscope. Results: While just one maspin-positive sample was found in the seminoma cases, maspin stained positively in 6 of the nonseminoma germ cell tumors (NSGCTs). No statistical difference was found between …

Effects Of Resveratrol And Cigarette Smoking Onbone Healing: Histomorphometric Evaluation, Özge Kolkesen Şahi̇n, Müge Çina Aksoy, Mustafa Ci̇hat Avunduk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of cigarette smoke (CS) and simultaneous application of resveratrol on bone healing histomorphometrically and to evaluate the effects of resveratrol on negative effects of CS. Materials and methods: For 4 weeks, Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to cigarette smoke at the equivalent of 6 cigarettes per day. After this period, monocortical defects were created in femurs by a trephine bur on day 28. Starting from the day of defect creation to the 28th postoperative day, rats were given 20 mg/kg body weight resveratrol. Histomorphometric examination of the number …

Hormone Therapy In Hypospadias Surgery: A Survey On The Current Practice In Turkey, Gülnur Göllü Bahadir, Ergun Ergün, Onur Telli̇, Fari̇d Khanmammadov, Ahmet Murat Çakmak

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Nowadays surgical intervention is possible in smaller phalluses and younger children with hypospadias disease. Different hormone treatments with different doses, modalities, indications, and treatment times come along with some disputes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the management approaches in hypospadias surgery of surgeons in regards to hormone preparations. Materials and methods: Questionnaires were sent via e-mail to 110 actively working pediatric surgeons and urologists. The answers of 99 surgeons were evaluated (90%). Two surgeons declared that they did not perform hypospadias surgery. Results: When testosterone usage in penile surgery was questioned, 44.4% of participants (n = …

Management Of Acute Postoperative Hypertension For Reducing Cardiovascular Complications In Cancer Patients: When And How Aggressively?, Ning Lou, Daofeng Wang, Zhi Wang, Wenfeng Ye, Xiao Liu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We sought to determine what factors cardiovascular complications (CVCs) correlate with in cancer patients with acute postoperative hypertension (APH) and to define when and how aggressively to treat this disorder in the present study. Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study of cancer patients with postoperative hypertension at a single intensive care unit between July 2007 and June 2013 was conducted. The outcome of interest was the incidence of a CVC. Results: There were 1162 patients enrolled, of which 92 (7.9%) experienced one or more CVCs. Preexisting hypertension (OR 38.3, 95% CI 3.2-457.4, P = 0.004) and choice of …

The Effect Of Systemic Isotretinoin Treatment On Skin Biophysicalparameters Among Patients With Acne Vulgaris, Emi̇ne Çölgeçen, Kemal Özyurt, Ayten Ferahbaş Kesi̇koğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Systemic isotretinoin has been widely considered an effective and safe medical treatment for severe and refractory acne for nearly 3 decades. However, it also appears to cause undesirable cutaneous side effects. The aim of this study was to prospectively measure biophysical parameters of skin function among patients with acne vulgaris before and after 3 months of isotretinoin therapy, including pH, temperature, sebum content, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss. Materials and methods: The study cohort consisted of 19 patients with acne vulgaris. Noninvasive methods were used to measure the biophysical characteristics of forehead skin. All measurements were repeated following …

A Simple Risk Score In Acute St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Modified Acef(Age, Creatinine, And Ejection Fraction) Score, Arzu Kalayci Karabay, Veci̇h Oduncu, Çeti̇n Geçmen, Seli̇m Topcu, Can Yücel Karabay, İbrahi̇m Akin İzgi̇, Cevat Kirma

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate if the modified ACEF (age, creatinine, and ejection fraction) score is a predictor of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events during 1 year of follow-up in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Materials and methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1632 consecutive patients who were admitted to our emergency department diagnosed with STEMI within 12 h of chest pain and treated with primary PCI. The modified ACEF score, determined with a simplified scoring system, was calculated. The patients were grouped into tertiles according to this …

The Effects Of Balneotherapy On Acute, Process-Related, And Cumulative Peripheral Cardiac Responses And Pulmonary Functions In Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders, Senem Şaş, Şeyda Toprak Çelenay, Derya Özer Kaya

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of balneotherapy on acute, process-related, and cumulative peripheral cardiac responses and pulmonary functions in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Materials and methods: Ninety-eight patients with musculoskeletal disorders referred to physiotherapy with balneotherapy were recruited. The patients received balneotherapy for 20 min 5 times per week for 2 weeks. Blood pressure and pulse were measured at the 0th, 5th, 10th, 20th, and 30th minutes during the 1st and 10th sessions. All patients were subjected to pulmonary function testing before balneotherapy and after the 10th session. Results: It was found that systolic blood pressure decreased …

Clinical Characteristics And Outcome Of Brucella Endocarditis, Na Du, Feng Wang

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Brucella endocarditis, which is a rare condition, is the most common cause of death in human brucellosis, leading to severe cardiac complications. By collecting and analyzing clinical cases, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcome of Brucella endocarditis in endemic areas in China. Materials and methods: Presented here are 5 cases of Brucella endocarditis, all managed uniformly. We present the clinical, serological, and echocardiographic features; the therapeutic approach; and the follow-up of five patients with Brucella endocarditis. Results: There was a predominance of aortic involvement (4 cases) and a high incidence of left ventricular failure (5 cases). Polymerase chain …

The Effect Of Deep Sclerectomy On Ocular Blood Flow: A 6-Month Clinical Trial, Arzu Özsoy, Murat Si̇nan Saricaoğlu, Mehtap Çavuşoğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To investigate the effect of deep sclerectomy on retrobulbar blood flow. Materials and methods: This prospective study included 20 eyes of 20 patients with open angle glaucoma. Color Doppler imaging (CDI) examinations were performed before and 2, 12, and 24 weeks after deep sclerectomy. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistance index (RI) were measured for the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and temporal and nasal short posterior ciliary arteries (SPCAs) at each examination and the results were compared. Results: A significant decrease was determined in intraocular pressure (IOP) (P < 0.001) and a significant increase in ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) (P < 0.001) at all postoperative examinations. The EDV in OA increased significantly (P < 0.001), but the change in RI was not statistically significant (P = 0.67). EDV increased and RI decreased significantly in CRA and SPCA (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Deep sclerectomy decreases IOP and increases OPP significantly. Retrobulbar blood flow was seen to improve after deep sclerectomy.

Comparison Of Wire-Guided Localization And Radio-Guided Occult Lesionlocalization In Preoperative Localization Of Nonpalpable Breast Lesions, Nazim Bariş Kanat, Murat Tuncel, Tamer Aksoy, Ayşegül Firat, Fi̇gen Demi̇rkazik, Demi̇rali̇ Onat, Meltem Çağlar Tuncali, Bi̇ray Emi̇ne Caner

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Breast lesions that are not palpable on physical examination but considered suspicious for malignancy on mammography or ultrasonography should be marked before surgery. Wire-guided localization (WGL) is the most frequently used method for preoperative marking of nonpalpable breast lesions (NPBLs). An alternative is marking by a radioactive agent (radio-guided occult lesion localization; ROLL). The present study aimed to compare WGL and ROLL for preoperative marking. Materials and methods: The study included 25 patients marked by ROLL and 11 patients marked by WGL. The groups were compared in terms of patient and lesion characteristics, method-related characteristics, hospital stay duration, complications, …

Chrysin Prevents Brain Damage Caused By Global Cerebralischemia/Reperfusion In A C57bl/J6 Mouse Model, Mehmet Aki̇f Durak, Mustafa Namik Öztanir, Neşe Başak Türkmen, Osman Çi̇ftçi̇, Asli Taşlidere, Mehmet Tecelli̇oğlu, Ari̇f Önder

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of chrysin (CRS) following global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) in a C57BL/J6 mouse model. Materials and methods: A total of 40 mice were equally divided into four groups: (1) sham-operated (SH = control), (2) global cerebral I/R (I/R), (3) CRS, and (4) CRS + I/R. In the I/R group, the bilateral carotid arteries were clipped for 15 min and the mice were treated with vehicle (corn oil) for 10 days. In the CRS group, CRS (50 mg/kg) was given for 10 days without carotid occlusion. In the CRS + I/R group …

Layers, Michelle J. Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

In my paintings and mixed media works, I incorporate rough textures and vibrant, high contrast colors. I find beauty and intrigue in the gnarled roots of a tree; the crumbling plaster on a wall; and the wrinkled, roughened hands of my grandmother. To explore these types of surfaces, the materials are distorted by twisting, ripping, and pulling the pieces apart. For instance, canvas is layered and stitched together in an uneven manner with knots and lumps added to the distressed surface. I view these distorted, strained surfaces as different forces in my life that push or pull me in varied …

The Effectiveness Of A Preventive Recall Strategy In Children Following Dental Rehabilitation Under General Anesthesia, Amanda Kerns Dr.

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PREVENTIVE RECALL STRATEGY IN CHILDREN FOLLOWING DENTAL REHABILITATION UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA

By Amanda Kerns, DDS

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016

Thesis Advisor: Elizabeth Berry, DDS, MPH, MSD

Vice Chair, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry

Purpose: This was a prospective randomized controlled trial assessing the impact of a preventive strategy following full-mouth dental rehabilitation (FMDR) in children with early childhood dental caries.

Methods: 130 patients completed FMDR and were included in the analysis. …