Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Science Applications With Rapid Integrated Mapping And Analysis System (Rims), Alexander I. Shiklomanov, Alexander A. Prusevich, E. Gordov, I. Okladnikov, A. Titov

Faculty Publications

The Rapid Integrated Mapping and analysis System (RIMS) has been developed at the University of New Hampshire as an online instrument for multidisciplinary data visualization, analysis and manipulation with a focus on hydrological applications. Recently it was enriched with data and tools to allow more sophisticated analysis of interdisciplinary data. Three different examples of specific scientific applications with RIMS are demonstrated and discussed. Analysis of historical changes in major components of the Eurasian pan-Arctic water budget is based on historical discharge data, gridded observational meteorological fields, and remote sensing data for sea ice area. Express analysis of the extremely hot …

Evaluating Biological And Physical Drivers Of Evapotranspiration Trends At Northeastern Us Watersheds, John L. Campbell, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Heidi Asbjornsen, Mark B. Green, Mary Beth Adams, Elizabeth W. Boyer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Metabolic Health Has Greater Impact On Diabetes Than Simple Overweight/Obesity In Mexican Americans, Shenghui Wu, Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, Belinda M. Reininger, Kristina Vatcheva, Joseph B. Mccormick

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

To compare the risk for diabetes in each of 4 categories of metabolic health and BMI. Methods. Participants were drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, a randomly selected Mexican American cohort in Texas on the US-Mexico border. Subjects were divided into 4 phenotypes according to metabolic health and BMI: metabolically healthy normal weight, metabolically healthy overweight/obese, metabolically unhealthy normal weight, and metabolically unhealthy overweight/obese. Metabolic health was defined as having less than 2 metabolic abnormalities. Overweight/obese status was assessed by BMI higher than 25 kg/m2. Diabetes was defined by the 2010 ADA definition or by being on a diabetic …

Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors: An Examination Of The Co-Occurrence Of Risk Behaviors In A National Sample Of U.S. High School Adolescents, Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Research on the health status of United States' youths has shown that the main adolescent health threats result from behavioral choices (health risk behaviors) that place boys and girls at risk for leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The aims of this study were to examine the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors and determine patterns of the co-occurrence of risk behaviors that may differ based on sex (aim 1); the association of health risk behaviors with weight status (aim 2); and the association of tobacco use, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, and sedentary behavior among adolescents using nationally representative …

A Polyhedral Model Of Partitions With Bounded Differences And A Bijective Proof Of A Theorem Of Andrews, Beck, And Robbins, Felix Breuer, Brandt Kronholm

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

The smallest part is a rational function. This result is similar to the closely related case of partitions with fixed differences between largest and smallest parts which has recently been studied through analytic methods by Andrews, Beck, and Robbins. Our approach is geometric: We model partitions with bounded differences as lattice points in an infinite union of polyhedral cones. Surprisingly, this infinite union tiles a single simplicial cone. This construction then leads to a bijection that can be interpreted on a purely combinatorial level.

Quantification Of Stabilization Efforts Of Shoulder Muscles Using Surface Electromyography, Hamad Nasser Alasim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shoulder musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) put a huge burden on both employers and employees due to lost work days, healthcare costs and human suffering. Static and heavy industrial work, submaximal repetitive movement and arm elevation are frequently associated with shoulder MSDs. Previous studies indicated that factors such as force exertion levels, posture and hand gripping can influence the activation and fatigability of shoulder muscles. In this study, we explored the inter-muscle difference in shoulder activation during isometric/static force exertions. We suspected that shoulder muscles' attempt to stabilize the glenohumeral joint using the concavity compression mechanism may explain differences in the muscle …

Risk Perception And Awareness Of Oil And Natural Gas Safety Among Local Populations In The Eastern Province Of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, Wajeeh Aljanabi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main goal of this research was to examine the residents' and Saudi Aramco employees' awareness of risks to public health and the environment as a result of their close proximity to oil and natural gas production facilities in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. The research objective was to characterize social representations of industrial activities by different social actors in order to enhance public participation in the region's risk management plan. Social representation theory was adopted to understand the risk perception of members of the community, both residents and oil plus natural gas employees. Residents were represented by faculty and …

Advanced Reservoir Modeling And Fluid Flow Studies Of Natural Gas Production From The Hydrate Reservoirs Of The Alaska North Slope, Taiwo Ajayi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emerging possibility of the production of gas hydrates as an unconventional source of energy have spurred many objectives for research studies going on in this area. One of these is the U.S national hydrate research program with a primary goal of determining the tools and technologies for environmentally safe gas production from hydrate reservoirs. The work presented in this thesis is motivated by the need to provide reliable reservoir model-based predictions to support proposed long-term hydrate field production tests on the Alaska North Slope permafrost. While first order predictions have been made from reservoir models based on assumptions of …

Robust Video Stabilization And Quality Evaluation For Amateur Videos, Usha Kalyani Alluri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Amateur videos captured by consumer-level devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, camcorders etc.) are often shaky, undirected and difficult to watch. Video stabilization techniques attempt to improve the video quality by filtering out unwanted jittering camera motions. Currently there are two key challenges in the field of video stabilization: robustness (e.g., in the presence of sophisticated camera motion including panning and rotation) and quality evaluation. Therefore the main contributions of this thesis are two-fold.;First, we present a robust video stabilization algorithm, which post-processes shaky video data and addresses the challenges of rapid camera panning and motion blur. Our algorithm is based …

Modeling And Simulation Of A Free-Piston Engine With Electrical Generator Using Hcci Combustion, Mohammad Alrbai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Free-piston engines have the potential to challenge the conventional crankshaft engines by their design simplicity and higher operational efficiency. Many studies have been performed to overcome the limitations of the free-piston devices especially the stability and control issues.;The investigations within the presented dissertation aim to satisfy many objectives by employing the approach of chemical kinetics to present the combustion process in the free-piston engine. This approach in addition to its advanced accuracy over the empirical methods, it has many other features like the ability to analyze the engine emissions. The effect of the heat release rate (HRR) on the engine …

Risk Of Newly-Diagnosed Depression, Treatment And Its Economic Outcomes Among Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries With Incident Breast, Colorectal Or Prostate Cancer, Monira Mansour Alwhaibi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Depression is a highly prevalent chronic condition among the elderly cancer survivors. It is estimated that 5-25% of elderly cancer survivors suffer from depression. Depression co-existing with cancer is associated with many negative health consequences such as high mortality, poor health related quality of life and high healthcare utilization and expenditures. However, depression is treatable with pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy or combination of both. There are no studies that examine the variations in the risk of depression by cancer types and there are few studies that examined the rates of depression treatment among elderly with cancer. In addition, there is lack of …

The Challenges Faced By New Science Teachers In Saudi Arabia, Salman Alsharari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions as teachers to educating children in a science classroom. Nevertheless, teachers, over their early years of practice, encounter numerous challenges to provide the most effective science instruction. Therefore, the current study was aimed to identify academic and behavioral classroom challenges faced by science teachers in their first three years of …

Mixed Signal Integrated Circuit Design For Custom Sensor Interfacing, Steven M. Andryzcik Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Low-power analog integrated circuits (ICs) can be utilized at the interface between an analog sensor and a digital system's input to decrease power consumption, increase system accuracy, perform signal processing, and make the necessary adjustments for compatibility between the two devices. This interfacing has typically been done with custom integrated solutions, but advancements in floating-gate technologies have made reconfigurable analog ICs a competitive option. Whether the solution is a custom design or built from a reconfigurable system, digital peripheral circuits are needed to configure their operation for these analog circuits to work with the best accuracy.;Using an analog IC as …

Diversity Outreach In Major League Baseball: A Stakeholder Approach, Shaun M. Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the prevalence and magnitude of community engagement within professional sporting organizations, limited attention has been devoted to understanding the significance and impact of these activities to the success and survival of the organization (Garrard, 2007). Consequently, The focus of this dissertation focused on Major League Baseball (MLB) because this organization has established efforts for engaging individuals from diverse communities, but is still failing in their efforts of diversity and inclusion from an external stakeholder perspective. In 1989, MLB implemented programs (e.g., Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), Urban Youth Academy (UYA) to help diversify their team roster and fan …

An Application Of The Spectral Theorem To The Laplacian On A Riemannian Manifold, Paul Bracken

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

There continues to be great interest in the study of the heat equation on Riemannian manifolds. This may be due to the remarkable more recent work of Patodi [1]. It may also be due in part to the asymptotic expansion of Minakshisundaram and Pleijel. The heat equation involves a parabolic partial differential equation that describes the distribution of heat in a given region over time. This equation has also appears in probability theory to describe random walks. The heat equation is also of importance in Riemannian geometry, topology and applied mathematics.

Counterfeit Industry And The Link To Terrorism, Holly Barbara Holt

Apparel Design and Hospitality Management

The purpose of this research study is to explore whether consumers would be complicit in the purchase of counterfeit goods once becoming aware of the counterfeit industry being linked to terrorism. Counterfeit goods are defined as identical copies of authentic products and they are produced without the permission of the registered owner (Carpenter & Lear, 2011). Almost any product can be counterfeited from clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags and even medicines. Counterfeit products are sold at a fraction of the cost of the authentic product. This study identifies the ‘why’ to consumer complicity to purchase the counterfeit items. There are legalities …

Perceptions Of Urban Forestry Employers, Andrew Benjamin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban forestry is still a relatively new area of science and is still trying to establish itself as a legitimate scientific field and profession. Often urban forestry and arboriculture are conflated, and urban forestry has yet to achieve much of what arboriculture has in terms of recognition its and establishment. Landscape architects, traditional foresters, environmental scientists, horticulturalists all may find themselves in positions that can be classified in the urban forestry profession, which shows this lack of a standard definition for what is an urban forester. While there are many significant, potential benefits to a properly managed urban forest resource …

In-Line, Real-Time Particulate Matter Sensors For Obd And Exhaust After-Treatment System Control Applications, Marc Cyrill Besch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ability to quantify particle mass and number concentrations in the exhaust stream of combustion engines during in-use operation is of critical importance for continuously monitoring and diagnosing the particulate matter removal efficiency of modern exhaust gas after-treatment systems. Extensive literature survey suggested a sensor operating on the diffusion-charging principle being optimally suited for particle measurements due to their proportional response towards particle surface area. This study was designed to determine and assess the possibility of quantifying particle emissions during on-road measurements using a prototype diffusion-charging type sensor. Such a sensor would not only allow for continuous monitoring capabilities of …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Teach-Back As A Pedagogical Method For Delivering Fall Prevention Education To Older Adults In An Inpatient Hospital Setting, Elizabeth Bosley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: In the United States, the most common cause of both nonfatal injuries and accidental deaths for people older than 65 is falls. In the hospital setting, 700,000 to 1,000,000 falls occur annually resulting in increased cost and reduced reimbursement. There exists a critical need to explore potential interventions for effectiveness in reducing both the incidence and severity of falls. Teach-back is a patient education methodology that is a highly recommended safety practice and may be an effective intervention to reduce patient falls in the hospital setting.;Objectives: 1) To increase the use and documentation of a validated patient education methodology …

Cerebrovascular Dysfunction In Metabolic Syndrome And Depression: Mechanisms And Implications For Neurovascular Disease, Steven David Brooks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cerebrovascular diseases are any pathological conditions that are caused by disruptions or alterations in the blood supply to the brain. The brain, which is only 2% of body mass, constantly requires a minimum of 20% of cardiac output to meet its unique metabolic demands. Cerebral tissue relies on aerobic respiration and therefore requires a constant, steady supply of blood to provide oxygen and glucose to make ATP. Insufficient perfusion of the brain, which occurs as a result of reduced or obstructed blood flow, results in cerebral ischemia; ischemic neurons quickly deplete their available ATP and die if blood flow is …

Cholesterol Diet-Associated Changes In The Hippocampus - A Prelude To Alzheimer's Disease?, Sylwia W. Brooks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

High serum cholesterol levels in midlife have been associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life. This thesis investigates a possible mechanism linking dietary cholesterol, which cannot pass the blood brain barrier, and AD-like hippocampal neuropathology. The first study tested the hypothesis that a high cholesterol diet increases the flux of the cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) into the hippocampus. We found that a high-cholesterol diet increased levels of 27-OHC, a biologically active circulatory breakdown product of cholesterol, in hippocampal tissue. 27-OHC has been identified as an endogenous selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that affects estrogen …

Conversion To Evangelical Christianity During College: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Meagan Alicia Brunson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Psychology has a history of ignoring and pathologizing spiritual experiences. Many of the fathers of early psychology including Freud, Ellis, and Skinner modeled this trend. However, with the increasing awareness of the importance of multicultural factors as they relate to mental health, religion and spirituality have gained recognition in the professional literature. Research on religion and spirituality and college students has mainly consisted of survey studies collecting demographic data. The current study uses a qualitative research design to explore the experiences of college students who converted to Christianity during college. The guiding questions of this research pertain mainly to the …

Asymptotic And Optimal Liouville Properties For Wolff Type Integral Systems, John Villavert

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This article examines the properties of positive solutions to fully nonlinear systems of integral equations involving Hardy and Wolff potentials. The first part of the paper establishes an optimal existence result and a Liouville type theorem for the integral systems. Then, the second part examines the decay rates of positive bound states at infinity. In particular, a complete characterization of the asymptotic properties of bounded and decaying solutions is given by showing that such solutions vanish at infinity with two principle rates: the slow decay rates and the fast decay rates. In fact, the two rates can be fully distinguished …

Stability Analysis And Hopf Bifurcation Of Density-Dependent Predator-Prey Systems With Beddington-Deangelis Functional Response, Xin Jiang, Zhikun She, Zhaosheng Feng

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this article, we study a density-dependent predator-prey system with the Beddington-DeAngelis functional response for stability and Hopf bifurcation under certain parametric conditions. We start with the condition of the existence of the unique positive equilibrium, and provide two sufficient conditions for its local stability by the Lyapunov function method and the Routh-Hurwitz criterion, respectively. Then, we establish sufficient conditions for the global stability of the positive equilibrium by proving the non-existence of closed orbits in the first quadrant R²+. Afterwards, we analyze the Hopf bifurcation geometrically by exploring the monotonic property of the trace of the Jacobean matrix with …

The Effect Of Ignoring Statistical Interactions In Regression Analyses Conducted In Epidemiologic Studies: An Example With Survival Analysis Using Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Model, Kristina Vatcheva, Joseph B. Mccormick, Mohammad H. Rahbar

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective: To demonstrate the adverse impact of ignoring statistical interactions in regression models used in epidemiologic studies.

Study design and setting: Based on different scenarios that involved known values for coefficient of the interaction term in Cox regression models we generated 1000 samples of size 600 each. The simulated samples and a real life data set from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort were used to evaluate the effect of ignoring statistical interactions in these models.

Results: Compared to correctly specified Cox regression models with interaction terms, misspecified models without interaction terms resulted in up to 8.95 fold bias in estimated …

The Complete Classification Of Five-Dimensional Dirichlet–Voronoi Polyhedra Of Translational Lattices, Mathieu Dutour Sikiric, Alexey Garber, Achill Schürmann, Clara Waldmann

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper reports on the full classification of Dirichlet–Voronoi polyhedra and Delaunay subdivisions of five-dimensional translational lattices. A complete list is obtained of 110 244 affine types (L-types) of Delaunay subdivisions and it turns out that they are all combinatorially inequivalent, giving the same number of combinatorial types of Dirichlet–Voronoi polyhedra. Using a refinement of corresponding secondary cones, 181 394 contraction types are obtained. The paper gives details of the computer-assisted enumeration, which was verified by three independent implementations and a topological mass formula check.

Investigations Into The Nature Of Magnetism In Transition-Metal-Phthalocyanines, Zhengjun Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, the nature of magnetism in transition-metal-doped phthalocyanines (TMPc, TM = Co, Ni, Cu, V, and Mn, chemical formula: C 32H16N8TM) is investigated by measuring their magnetization (M) and ac susceptibilities in magnetic fields up to 90 kOe and covering the wide temperature range of 0.5 K to 300 K. These low temperatures and high magnetic field measurements combined with detailed analysis of the data have provided new information about the nature of magnetism of TMPc. The powder samples used here were structurally characterized using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.;TMPc are a class of organic semiconductors with …

Board Out Of Your Mind: Mapping Players' Mental Models Of Game Systems And Potentials For Systems-Thinking Instruction, Joe A. Wasserman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite evidence that game-based instruction is effective, and suggestive evidence that they are specifically effective for teaching systems thinking---the ability to think about complex systems---the mechanisms behind this learning are not well understood. One promising perspective on game-based learning is rooted in the development of mental models of game systems. Mental models are cognitive representations of the perceived entities and relationships between entities in a system. This study explores the entities and entity relationships in novice players' mental models of an analog game. Grounded, interpretive analysis of mental models externalized through cognitive mapping identified five categories of entities: formal game …

Measuring And Changing Preschool Children's Stuttering Attitudes, Mary E. Weidner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Negative or uninformed stuttering attitudes proliferate among the general public, and burgeoning research has shown that such attitudes might emerge as early as the preschool years. Despite decades of research on the topic, much remains unknown about the origin of stuttering attitudes and the factors that bear on their development. Moreover, conclusive recommendations to improve attitudes toward stuttering have yet to be advanced.;Purpose: This study sought (a) to objectively measure stuttering attitudes among preschool children, (b) to examine predictive factors that might account for those attitudes, and (c) to determine the effect of a new educational program on improving …

Perceptions Of The Bereaved: Attributions, Emotions, And Prosocial Behavior, Christine Weir

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored a new application of Weiner's Attributional Model to suicide bereavement, and how friends and coworkers respond in their emotions and prosocial behavior. This is a comprehensive theoretical model addressing how people respond to negative events occurring in the lives of others. Its premise is the influence of attributions on the behavior, affect, and cognitive processes of the helper. The model's broad underpinnings are that attributions for challenging behavior can in turn produce a crucial effect on helping behavior. Previous qualitative research on suicide survivors has suggested that attitudes and beliefs towards suicide survivors by those in the …