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Model-Free Variable Screening, Sparse Regression Analysis And Other Applications With Optimal Transformations, Qiming Huang

Open Access Dissertations

Variable screening and variable selection methods play important roles in modeling high dimensional data. Variable screening is the process of filtering out irrelevant variables, with the aim to reduce the dimensionality from ultrahigh to high while retaining all important variables. Variable selection is the process of selecting a subset of relevant variables for use in model construction. The main theme of this thesis is to develop variable screening and variable selection methods for high dimensional data analysis. In particular, we will present two relevant methods for variable screening and selection under a unified framework based on optimal transformations.

In the …

An Examination Of Indiana Early College High School Students Who Attended Purdue University Between 2006 And 2015, Lisa P. Kirkham

Open Access Dissertations

Early College High Schools (ECHS) are an educational intervention designed to promote rigor in high school education along with increased post-secondary access and success for disadvantaged students. Based on evidence, the Early College High School program is effective at helping students who traditionally are not in college-bound tracks find their way into that path. ECHSs provide a comprehensive, rigorous high school experience allowing students to earn an associate’s degree along with the high school diploma. Regarding structure, the ECHS is an entire high school, with all students earning college credits. Examining post-secondary experiences of students participating in Early College High …

Intact Protein Detection, Separation, And Quantitation Using Liquid Chromatography - Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry, Evelyn Hsin-Yi Wang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

There is an increasing demand for protein detection and quantitation in biological fluids for disease detection, protein therapeutics monitoring, and drug development response control. Current methods use highly sensitive and specific triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (QqQ-MS) to quantify protein digest peptides to predict original intact protein concentrations from the sample. The bottom-up protein quantitation format requires protein digestion which is often incomplete and can introduce errors into protein quantitation methods. Therefore, absolute protein quantitation is impossible without including expensive isotopically labeled protein standards. In our lab, a method that bypasses the protein digestion step to directly quantify intact protein on …

Do Novel Weapons That Degrade Mycorrhizal Mutualisms Explain Invasive Species Success?, Philip L. Pinzone Mr.

Biology Theses

Invasive plants often dominate novel habitats where they did not co-evolve with local species. Several hypotheses suggest mechanisms that explain increased exotic plant success, including 'novel weapons' and 'degraded mutualisms'. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) are widespread plant invaders in North America that can dominate ecosystems. The goal of this study is to test whether these impacts are more consistent with novel weapons or degraded mutualism hypotheses. I examine tree seedling recruitment, (germination and initial survival) growth, (biomass) and mycorrhizal invasion (AMF content) as a function of F. japonica and R. cathartica …

The Civil War And Reconstruction In Mississippi County: The Story Of Sans Souci Plantation, Lonnie R. Strange

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“The Civil War and Reconstruction in Mississippi County: The Story of Sans Souci Plantation” examines Sans Souci plantation in northeast Arkansas and the McGavock-Grider family who lived there as a microcosm of the establishment of other plantations in the Arkansas delta. From the settlement of the plantation in the 1830s to the end of Reconstruction, Sans Souci closely resembles what life was like for other planters and their families in what was then the frontier. John Harding McGavock and his wife Georgia saw their planter status rise throughout the 1850s, but as the Civil War came to Mississippi County, the …

A​ Program Evaluation Of Outside Las Vegas’ Ymca Education Program, Robin Mendoza, Kevin Schmidt, Arcelia Barajas, Branson Chun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today, more than ever, society needs high-quality environmental education programs that succeed in moving values and changing behaviors in the direction of sustainability and conservation. The most common definition of outdoor education comes from "education in, about, and for the outdoors" (Donaldson and Donaldson, 1958, p. 63). They described outdoor learning as taking place “in” the outdoors and the subject matter being “about” nature or the outdoors. There are a variety of studies about “outdoor learning” with a large variation of topics, activities, settings and channels of delivery. The research discussed in this paper will vary slightly to demonstrate the …

Are Countries In Environmental Cooperation Concerned About Relative Gains?, Vivian Chinua Olivia Ike

Master's Theses

A country’s decision to join or withdraw from environmental cooperation has been argued by interest based theories to be influenced by the economic cost of international agreements, national interest of countries and the free-rider problem. However, this thesis argues that relative gains is a more decisive factor that influences the decision of countries in international arrangements. It hypothesizes that countries in environmental cooperation are concerned about relative gains. A content analysis of the statements of fifteen countries in international climate change cooperation are analyzed. The countries include the United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa, India, …

Morphological And Molecular Identification And Characterization Of Dry Bean Fungal Root Rot Pathogens In Zambia, Chikoti Mukuma

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

Dry bean is among the most important food legume crops for direct human consumption in Latin America and Africa. Recently, root and crown rot (RCR) has emerged as an important production constraint. Root and crown rot often involve fungal complexes. Thus, the straw, detached leaf, cup and stem tests were compared on their ability to detect the most common pathogens reported to be associated with RCR: Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina.Significant differences (P

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and classical fungal culturing methods were compared in identification of …

Influences On Off-Highway Vehicle (Ohv) Recreation Use Patterns Within A Complex Trail System In Southwest Idaho, Eric Charles Frey

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation on public lands provides participants with the opportunity to experience positive connections with nature; however, like all outdoor recreation activity, OHV use can have impacts on the environment. In order to maintain the health of the landscape and wildlife while also providing recreational opportunities, managers must make decisions based on sound biological and social science data. We hope this research provides knowledge that may aid in the implementation of sound management strategies that are successful in fulfilling these goals.

In the first chapter, in order to gain knowledge on OHV recreationists and their distributions across a …

Wildfire, Climate, And Perceptions In Northeast Oregon, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Joel N. Hartter, Barry D. Keim, Angela E. Boag, Michael W. Palace, Forrest R. Stevens, Mark J. Ducey

Sociology

Wildfire poses a rising threat in the western USA, fueled by synergies between historical fire suppression, changing land use, insects and disease, and shifts toward a drier, warmer climate. The rugged landscapes of northeast Oregon, with their historically forest- and resource-based economies, have been one of the areas affected. A 2011 survey found area residents highly concerned about fire and insect threats, but not about climate change. In 2014 we conducted a second survey that, to explore this apparent disconnect, included questions about past and future summertime (fire season) temperatures. Although regional temperatures have warmed in recent decades at twice …

Population Dynamics Of Black Bears In Northwestern South Carolina, Shefali Azad

All Theses

Black bears (Ursus americanus) are managed as a game species in the northwestern region of South Carolina. However, no formal research study has examined their long-term population trends. I used the Downing harvest population reconstruction technique to establish abundance trends. The total population in 2013 was estimated at about 412 bears, increasing from about 97 bears in 1998. I also derived abundance, density, average age, and sex ratios at a county-level to investigate differential stages of recovery. Overall my results suggest that in 1998-2013 Oconee county had a rapidly expanding population, Pickens county requires further investigation into potential bear overharvest, …

Masters Of Science In Environmental Science And Policy Portfolio, Annalise B. Kukor

Sustainability and Social Justice

Through my work as a Master’s student in Environmental Science and Policy at Clark University I have acquired a wide variety of knowledge and skills which will be showcased in this document. The breadth of courses and sub disciplines that I have taken has expanded my awareness and understanding of the current state of Environmental Science and Policy. My undergraduate degree from Clark University in Environmental Science focusing on Earth Systems Science focused primarily on comprehension of the Earth’s physical processes with applications for Global Climate Change. This master’s work has expanded upon those quantitative skills as well as deepened …

Using An Equilibrium Displacement Model To Simulate The Impact Of An Environmental Meat Tax On Grain And Livestock Markets, Regan Gilmore

UCARE: Research Products

Research Question

What are the potential effects of imposing a hypothetical environmental tax on meat consumption, including beef, pork, and poultry, on the livestock and grain markets in the United States from farm to fork?

Faculty advisor: Azzeddine Azzam

This was the first half of my research project; the second half (with the results) is shown on the following poster: "Simulating the Impact of a CO2-equivalent Meat Tax on Grain and Livestock Markets" @ https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ucareresearch/151/

An Extendable Visualization And User Interface Design For Time-Varying Multivariate Geoscience Data, Yanfu Zhou

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Geoscience data has unique and complex data structures, and its visualization has been challenging due to a lack of effective data models and visual representations to tackle the heterogeneity of geoscience data. In today’s big data era, the needs of visualizing geoscience data become urgent, especially driven by its potential value to human societies, such as environmental disaster prediction, urban growth simulation, and so on. In this thesis, I created a novel geoscience data visualization framework and applied interface automata theory to geoscience data visualization tasks. The framework can support heterogeneous geoscience data and facilitate data operations. The interface automata …

An Assessment Of Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics From A Pliocene Polar Paleoclimate Archive, Melissa A. Hansen

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The potential impact of East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) response to warming over the next century is of major concern, particularly due to its influence on sea level rise. Efforts to understand its impact are limited due to the restrictions of short-term modeling, as well as the assumption that all ice behaves similarly across the EAIS, meriting the need for further study over longer time periods. The early Pliocene (5.33-2.58 Ma) is the most suitable period of time in which to assess EAIS dynamics because of its similarity to modern tectonic configuration and similar CO2 estimates (~400 ppm). Due to …

Electronic Waste And Sustainability: Reflections On A Rising Global Challenge, Bipul Kumar, Kalyan Bhaskar

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Globalization, technological advancements, advent of the internet, near-universal availability of mobile phones and changing consumer preferences have led to a boom in the electrical and electronics industry. Such products are now available in almost all countries of the world. The increased availability and consumption of electronic products have also led to rapid rise in the volumes of electronic waste (e-waste) globally. Markets have traditionally not paid sufficient attention to post-consumption behavior for electronic products and hence safe disposal and management of e-waste has always remained a critical issue. There are significant sustainability issues related with e-waste at local as well …

Modeling The Timeliness Of Airborne Remote Sensing Data, Andrew Loerch

Geography ETDs

The model, “Remote Sensing Communication Model” (RSCM), which permits the estimation of the timeliness of remote sensing systems (RSS) is tested (Lippitt, Stow, & Clarke, 2014). This model conceptualizes RSS as having capacities that determine the timeliness of the systems, where a system is comprised of three segments, each with a capacity that determines the timeliness of that segment: acquisition capacity, transmission capacity, and receiver capacity (i.e., the capacity of a human and/or machine analyst to produce information) (Lippitt et al., 2014). Acquisition and transmission capacity analyses are run to aid in the optimization of a flexible time-sensitive remote sensing …

A Spatial Inquiry Into Childhood Lead Poisoning In Shelby County, Tennessee, Cem Akkus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Review of the recent literature suggests that integration of geographical information systems (GIS) into childhood lead exposure studies significantly enhances identifying lead hazards in the environment and determining at risk children. The purpose of this study is to find at-risk areas of childhood lead poisoning as well as determining risk factors in Shelby County, Tennessee. The two common deduplication methods: the first blood lead level (BLL) test result and the highest BLL test result were compared. Kappa statistic was used to investigate the effect of residential mobility on hot spots. Global and local spatial autocorrelations, Moran’s I and Getis and …

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge And Western Science Into Forestry, Natural Resources, And Environmental Programs, Priya Verma, Karen Vaughan, Kathleen J. Martin, Elvira Pulitano, James Garrett, Douglas D. Piirto

Ethnic Studies

A new minor titled “Indigenous Studies in Natural Resources and the Environment” (INRE) became available to students at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, in the fall of 2013. This minor aims to bring together the principles of both Indigenous ecological knowledge and western science. Instruction in these two approaches provides students with practical knowledge, research, and critical thinking skills to address complex environmental issues and natural resources management problems facing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities around the world today. The INRE minor seeks to prepare students by providing a balanced education in the arts, sciences, and …

Place-Based Learning: Instilling A Sense Of Wonder., Jeanne L. Surface

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Place-based learning is powerful. It can be implemented in rural, suburban and urban school districts as well as universities. Contextualizing learning with the students lived experiences will increase student achievement and in the words of Rachel Carson, create “a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life (2011).”

An Assessment Of The Economic Impact Of The Proposed Stoneco Gravel Mine Operation On Richland Township, George Erickcek

Reports

No abstract provided.

How Does Composting At School Change The Way Middle School Students Perceive Their Ability To Positively Impact The Earth?, Katie Lynn Pangborn

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is: how does composting at school change the way middle school students perceive their ability to positively impact the earth? The motivating factor for this capstone was the lack of awareness middle school students seem to have in regards to the waste they create and how to handle their waste. This capstone delves into the impacts of service learning combined with environmentalism. Since service learning is most impactful when it is student-led, students brainstormed ideas around waste management at their school and concluded that composting should be part of the plan. Students designed, …

Visser V. Auto Alley, Llc Respondent's Brief Dckt. 43432

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

Mixed Methods Research: A Comprehensive Approach For Study Into The New Zealand Voluntary Carbon Market, S Jeff Birchall, Maya Murphy, Markus Milne

The Qualitative Report

Climate change and solutions to solving this wicked problem require a mixed methods research approach that draws on quantitative and qualitative inquiry together. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the applicability (and effectiveness) of a mixed methods approach applied to research into the voluntary carbon market (VCM), a key path available for organisations electing to offset their carbon emissions, in New Zealand. The mixed methods approach included three unique data sets (quantitative documents, quantitative surveys, qualitative in-depth interviews), and was both explanatory (qualitative interviews built upon and contextualized the document analysis and survey results) and convergent (data sets …

Full Issue 16(1/2)

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Changes In Tursiops Truncatus Distribution And Behavior In The Drowned Cayes, Belize, And Correlation To Human Impacts, Jazmin Garcia

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Human interaction greatly influences the behavior and distribution of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). This project focuses on the distribution and behavior of bottlenose dolphins in the Drowned Cayes, Belize. Prior to the 2000s, the area was relatively undeveloped and undisturbed and had minimal human activity. Since the turn of the millennium, development and ecotourism activity has flourished in the area, increasing by more than 800,000 visitors from 1998-2006. Boat-based surveys were conducted in 2015 and were combined with previous survey data collected from 2005-2012 and compared to behavioral survey results from 1999-2000. Total dolphin observation time as a …

Colby Magazine Vol. 82, No. 1: January 1993, Colby College

Colby Magazine

No abstract provided.

Full Issue 11(1/2)

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Educating The Under Empowered For Tolerance Of Satire And Participation In Young Democracies, Judith Puncochar, Don Faust

Conference Presentations

Drawing from experiences in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United States, a relationship appears to exist between tolerance for satire, freedom of expression, and academic freedom in higher education. Empowering the under empowered for participation in vibrant democracies and rational public discourse seems to coincide with an increasing tolerance for satire. We posit vibrant democracies must contain educational elements essential to empower the under empowered for democratic participation, in particular, to provide new democratic citizens with an understanding of the role of satire to cultivate rational public discourse in new democracies. New Southeast Asian democracies need growing evidence of dynamic strivings …

Machine Learning In Surface Ocean Co2 Mapping, Jive Zeng, Nobuko Saigusa, Tsuneo Matsunaga, Tomoko Shirai

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas affecting long term global climate change. According to the Global Carbon Budget 2013 (Quéré et al., 2014, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 6, 235–263), total global carbon emissions increased from 3.9 GtC/yr in 1959 to 10.7 GtC/yr in 2012, of which approximately 43% remained in the atmosphere, 30% went to terrestrial sinks, and 27% to the oceans. A method to estimate the oceanic sink is by calculating the air-sea CO2 exchange rate of CO2. While obtaining accurate distributions of the surface ocean CO2 (SOC) is critical to minimize uncertainty for this method, it …