Digital Commons Network^™

Government As Owner Of Intellectual Property? Considerations For Public Welfare In The Era Of Big Data, Ruth L. Okediji

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Open government data policies have become a significant part of innovation strategies in many countries, allowing access, use and re-use of government data to improve government transparency, foster civic engagement, and expand opportunities for the creation of new products and services. Rarely, however, do open data policies address intellectual property rights that may arise from free access to government data. Ownership of knowledge goods created from big data is governed by the default rules of intellectual property laws which typically vest ownership in the creator/inventor. By allowing, and in some cases actively encouraging, private capture of the downstream goods created …

Classroom Context And The Relations Between Social Withdrawal And Peer Victimization, Ellyn Bass, Jonathan Santo, Josafa M. Da Cunha, Cara Neufeld

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examined the relationship between social withdrawal (isolation and unsociability) and peer victimization by exploring the moderating influences of gender, classroom norms of social withdrawal, individualism, and collectivism. One hundred fifty-eight adolescents (Mage 5 14.11, SD 5 1.10; 46.3% boys) in 7th and 8th grade from Curitiba, Brazil, completed peer assessments of isolation, unsociability, peer victimization, and self-reports of classroom individualism and collectivism. Isolation and unsociability were aggregated into classroom norms. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Isolation and unsociability positively predicted victimization. Unsociability was a positive predictor of victimization in low-unsociability classrooms. Isolation was negatively associated with victimization …

Hybrid Diesel-Electric Drivetrain For Small Agricultural Field Machines, Joseph Jackson, Joseph S. Dvorak

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In this project, a series electric drivetrain sized for small agricultural machinery was developed and tested. Electric drives have noted benefits in simplicity, controllability, integration with other electronics such as those that provide autonomous action, and in efficiency over a wide operating range. Their biggest drawback for agricultural use is the limited capacity of electrical energy storage. A series hybrid drivetrain provides a method to overcome these capacity constraints through the use of chemical energy storage. The series hybrid drivetrain in this research was designed using well-established components. It consisted of a diesel-electric generator, a lead acid battery pack, a …

Using Wii Technology And Experiential Learning To Teach Newtonian Mechanics To Rural Middle School Students, Joseph S. Dvorak, Tanya C. Franke-Dvorak, Shane Neel

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study looked at the effects of an experiential learning activity using the accelerometer in the Wii Remote to teach basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics, e.g., acceleration, to middle school students in a rural school district. A major prerequisite for students at the mid-level in biosystems engineering programs is that they have a good knowledge of basic science, including physics. Education in these concepts must begin before college, such as at the middle school level. Improvements in science education are vitally necessary to achieve essential learning outcomes for middle school students in the U.S. and to prepare these students for …

Effects Of Chemical Amendments To Swine Manure On Runoff Quality, Elizabeth L. Bullock, Dwayne R. Edwards, Phillip A. Moore Jr., Richard S. Gates

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Land-applied swine manure can be an environmental concern when runoff losses of manure constituents occur. The use of chemical amendments to mitigate these losses has been investigated for poultry litter, but materials such as swine manure have received less attention in this context, particularly at the plot scale or larger. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the impacts of aluminum sulfate (alum; Al₂(SO₄)₃), aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), and ferric chloride (FeCl₃) addition on runoff of selected constituents of land-applied swine manure. Manure was collected from feeder pigs fed a …

Methods For Calculating Relative Cross-Track Error For Asabe/Iso Standard 12188-2 From Discrete Measurements, Joseph D. Rounsaville, Joseph S. Dvorak, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

ASABE/ISO Standard 12188-2 provides test procedures for positioning and guidance systems in agricultural vehicles during straight and level travel. While the standard provides excellent descriptions of test procedures, it does not provide detail on methods to carry out the calculations necessary to calculate relative cross-track error (XTE), which is the primary error statistic used to judge accuracy. Given the travel speed and sampling constraints provided by the standard, the difference between a method based on nearest points or one based on path interpolation could hypothetically be as large as 25 cm. In this project, the standard was used to estimate …

A Comprehensive Benchmarking Study Of Protocols And Sequencing Platforms For 16s Rrna Community Profiling, Rosalinda D’Amore, Umer Zeeshan Ijaz, Melanie Schirmer, John G. Kenny, Richard Gregory, Alistair C. Darby, Migun Shakya

Dartmouth Scholarship

In the last 5 years, the rapid pace of innovations and improvements in sequencing technologies has completely changed the landscape of metagenomic and metagenetic experiments. Therefore, it is critical to benchmark the various methodologies for interrogating the composition of microbial communities, so that we can assess their strengths and limitations. The most common phylogenetic marker for microbial community diversity studies is the 16S ribosomal RNA gene and in the last 10 years the field has moved from sequencing a small number of amplicons and samples to more complex studies where thousands of samples and multiple different gene regions are interrogated. …

Identification Of Compounds Of Allelopathic Extracts From Two Species Of Metapeyssonnelia (Rhodophyta) Growing On The Hydrocoral, Millepora Complanata, In Puerto Rico, Maria I. Reyes-Contreras, Aniuska Kazandjian, David L. Ballantine

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Two Puerto Rican species of the encrusting red alga Metapeyssonnelia are known to overgrow and kill the hydrocoral Millepora complanata. The overgrowth is accompanied by bleaching or tissue lightening regions surrounding the growing margin of the algae on the coral tissue. Lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts from Metapeyssonnelia corallepida and M. milleporoides were obtained and analyzed by GC-MS. The following compounds were identified from M. corallepida: squalene and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(dimethoxymethyl)-furan3-methoxycarbonyl-1,1-diethyl-2-buten-4-olide and from M. milleporoides: 2,4-dit-butyl phenol, 2(3H)-furanone and dihydro-4,4-dimethyl-(CAS), terpenes, furanones and phenol. Aliquots of crude extracts of both Metapeyssonnelia species applied to coral fragments resulted in visible changes …

Diets Of Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) And Bonnethead (Sphyrna Tiburo) In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Tyler Harrington, Jeff Plumlee, J. Marcus Drymon, David Wells

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Diets of two coastal sharks, Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) and Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), were examined along the Texas and Alabama coasts in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks were collected from the northwest (n= 209) and northcentral (n= 245) GOM regions while Bonnetheads were collected from two locations within the northwest GOM (Galveston, Texas, n= 164; Matagorda, Texas, n= 79). Dietary analysis was conducted using stomach contents identified to the lowest taxonomic level, which were quantified using the index of relative importance (IRI) and non-parametric statistical analyses. Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks were revealed to …

Maternal Allostatic Load During Pregnancy: Predicting Length Of Gestation, Molly Malany Sayre

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Allostatic load, or the “wear and tear” on the body due to stress, is thought to have a negative impact on length of pregnancy and contribute to health disparities in preterm birth. However, the magnitude of the effect on birth outcomes is unknown, in part due to questions of timing of measurement of allostatic load during pregnancy. This study used linear regression analysis of data from 156 pregnant women to test whether allostatic load is a predictor of length of gestation in the study sample, finding that third trimester allostatic load predicted length of gestation among women with full-term births. …

The Nobel Prize In Chemistry 2015: Exciting Discoveries In Dna Repair By Aziz Sancar, David K. Orren

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

On October 7, 2015, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2015 was awarded to three deserving scientists for their pioneering research on DNA repair. Tomas Lindahl was recognized for studies that uncovered the inherent instability of DNA as well as the mechanism of the base excision repair pathway, Paul Modrich for characterization of the mismatch repair pathway, and Aziz Sancar for mechanistic elucidation of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. For me, the announcement of these awards in my area of research was extremely gratifying, particularly so because Aziz was my mentor during my Ph.D. studies that examined the steps …

Adolescent Methylphenidate Treatment Differentially Alters Adult Impulsivity And Hyperactivity In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Model Of Adhd, Sucharita S. Somkuwar, Kathleen M. Kantak, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Impulsivity and hyperactivity are two facets of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Impulsivity is expressed as reduced response inhibition capacity, an executive control mechanism that prevents premature execution of an intermittently reinforced behavior. During methylphenidate treatment, impulsivity and hyperactivity are decreased in adolescents with ADHD, but there is little information concerning levels of impulsivity and hyperactivity in adulthood after adolescent methylphenidate treatment is discontinued. The current study evaluated impulsivity, hyperactivity as well as cocaine sensitization during adulthood after adolescent methylphenidate treatment was discontinued in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) model of ADHD. Treatments consisted of oral methylphenidate (1.5 mg/kg) or water …

Critical Needs In Drug Discovery For Cessation Of Alcohol And Nicotine Polysubstance Abuse, C. E. Van Skike, Sarah E. Maggio, A. R. Reynolds, E. M. Casey, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin, M. A. Prendergast, Kimberly Nixon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Polysubstance abuse of alcohol and nicotine has been overlooked in our understanding of the neurobiology of addiction and especially in the development of novel therapeutics for its treatment. Estimates show that as many as 92% of people with alcohol use disorders also smoke tobacco. The health risks associated with both excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking create an urgent biomedical need for the discovery of effective cessation treatments, as opposed to current approaches that attempt to independently treat each abused agent. The lack of treatment approaches for alcohol and nicotine abuse/dependence mirrors a similar lack of research in the neurobiology …

Effect Of Vitamins C And E On Endothelial Function In Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Rachel-Marie Cazeau, Hong Huang, John A. Bauer, Robert P. Hoffman

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives. Endothelial dysfunction due to hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage is an important predictor of future cardiovascular risk in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and is present in adolescent T1DM. We hypothesized that combined treatment with the antioxidant vitamins C and E might improve endothelial function (EF) and other biochemical risk factors in adolescents with T1DM. Subjects/Methods. Open-label antioxidant supplementation was given for six weeks with endpoint measurements collected at baseline and study completion. Endpoints measured included EF and plasma measurements of biochemical endothelial risk. Results. Two males and 7 females were studied. Mean age was 12.9 ± 0.9 yrs; …

Beneficial Reuse Of Marine Sediment, Sinead Tangney

Theses

Dredging is essential for ports and harbours to maintain navigational access. In Ireland approximately 1.2 million m^ is dredged annually and the management of this dredged sediment is an ongoing issue. This thesis investigates the management options available for marine dredged sediment and examines the technical, environmental and economic feasibility and social acceptability of a range of specific beneficial uses of marine sediment.

A literature review is presented on the international dredging industry and outlines why dredging is an essential infrastructural activity. Current dredged marine sediment management techniques are presented and discussed.

An overview of the Irish dredging industry is …

Exploration And Implementation Of Innovative Efficiencies/Devices In Beet Processing For Energy Production, Patrick Mcinerney

Theses

The imminent depletion of fossil fuels, as well as concerns for energy security and the obligation to respond to climate change has led to expanding worldwide popularity of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of energy crops. Sugar beet is a popular AD feedstock due to its favourable characteristics; however it can be quite labour intensive requiring a range of specialist equipment to process the crop prior to undergoing AD. A crucial stage of this process involves the size reduction of beet by a mechanical chopper unit; this pretreatment breaks open the cellulose structure of the crop and increases the surface area available …

Exercising Independently And Exercising Independence: A Phenomenological Study Of Physical Activity And Choice Among Adults With An Intellectual Disability, Sheila O'Sullivan

Theses

Aim/Background: This study examines how adults with intellectual disabilities choose the physical activities they engage in, inside and outside of the day service they attend. Of particular relevance are the benefits derived from physical activity which promotes wellbeing, inclusivity, new opportunities and social acceptance for people with intellectual disability. This is timely in light of current policy with regard to New Directions 2012-2016 which is directed towards moving people with ID from congregated to community settings and the enactment of the recent Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act (2015) which supports decision-making for all citizens.

Methodology: The study used phenomenological analysis …

Biogas From Slaughterhouse Waste In Ireland: Assessment Of Potential Energy Recovery Pathways, Aidan Ware

Theses

This study was undertaken to investigate the potential energy recovery from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of slaughterhouse wastes in Ireland. The research was approached in two ways; laboratory scale evaluation of methane production of the industrial waste streams from cattle, pig and chicken slaughtering facilities and a life cycle assessment (LCA) and energy balance to assess the potential utilisation pathways. This thesis includes; the evaluation of the potential biogas production from individual and combined slaughterhouse waste streams in Ireland on an equal footing through standardised laboratory testing, the effects of mandatory pre-treatments on the AD of slaughterhouse waste streams and …

A Plastic Encapsulated Wireless Sensor Module For Monitoring Of Medical Steam Sterilisers, Jinto George

Theses

Steam sterilisation is a process of removing or killing living organisms from medical equipment using saturated steam in a steriliser at 134°C and 3 bar pressure. Monitoring of the steriliser is very important to verify whether the sterilisation cycle is adequate or not. In current practice, hospitals widely use chemical or biological indicators for monitoring the performance of the sterilisation cycle but these are simple pass/fail monitors and do not allow continuous monitoring. This thesis presents design and development of a real time wireless sensing module (WSM) for monitoring the sterilisation cycle which can be used to replace existing chemical …

Estudio Etnozoológico Kichwa De La Nutria Gigante Pteronura Brasiliensis (Zimmerman, 1780) En La Baja Amazonía Central Del Ecuador, Iván Jácome-Negrete

Neotropical Biodiversity

The giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis is the largest mustelid of Neotropical riparian and lacustrine environments. It is endangered throughout the Amazon basin, and in Ecuador is critically endangered because of intensive hunting in past decades, especially in the northeast of the country. Very little is known about their status in the central Amazon region of Ecuador, but it is presumed the existence of more stable populations than those of the northeast remnant populations. The territory of the Pastaza province covers a major portion of the central Amazon and is still well preserved because it is the birthplace of various indigenous …

Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis) Density In Eastern Ecuador Based On Capture–Recapture Analyses Of Camera Trap Data, Diego Mosquera, John G. Blake, Kelly Swing, David Romo

Neotropical Biodiversity

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is one of the most widespread neotropical felids but data on its distribution and population status in several countries are scarce. Here, we present estimates of density for lowland forest of eastern Ecuador. We used camera trap data and capture–recapture analyses to estimate ocelot density within a local area (~650 ha) within Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, recognized as a globally important area for biodiversity conservation. We estimated densities for dry and wet seasons (~2200 trap days total) using CAPTURE and both half and full values of the mean maximum distance moved (MMDM), as recommended for estimating densities. …

Nocturnal Flowering And Pollination Of A Rare Caribbean Sage, Salvia Arborescens (Lamiaceae), Martin Reith, Scott Zona

Neotropical Biodiversity

The phenology, floral biology and pollination ecology of Salvia arborescens Urb. & Ekman (Lamiaceae) are reported, based on field and garden observations. The flowers of S. arborescens are white, fragrant and rich in nectar. Anthesis begins in the late afternoon, and flowers wilt by late morning of the following day. Floral features fit the moth pollination syndrome. S. arborescens flowers are visited by a variety of nocturnal moths in the wild, including Celiptera levinum (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Erebidae), which was observed carrying pollen of this Salvia. This is the first report of a night-blooming, moth-pollinated Salvia. Hummingbirds, butterflies and beetles may …

Macrophytes And Metaphyton As Habitats For Insects In Temporary And Permanent Tropical Aquatic Ecosystems, Julio Díaz-Valenzuela, Rafael Barva-Alvarez, Angel Merlo-Galiazzi, Luis Zambrano

Neotropical Biodiversity

Insect community structures in tropical regions appear to be related to the hydrological regime and energy paths trough autochthonous and allochthones sources. Macrophyte and metaphyton permanent coverage throughout the year generate conditions and resources, such as food and refuge, allowing the establishment of a large number of aquatic insect species. The hydrological regime is based on rain seasonality and has a direct influence on insect lifecycles. We evaluated insect community structures in five systems with differences in macrophyte/metaphyton coverage and hydrological regimes (two temporary wetlands and three permanent cenotes) in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in southeast Mexico. The insect …

Effects Of Climate Change On Andean Biodiversity: A Synthesis Of Studies Published Until 2015, Selene Báez, Liliana Jaramillo, Francisco Cuesta, David A. Donoso

Neotropical Biodiversity

Understanding how GCC is affecting the biological diversity of the Andes is of utmost importance and timeliness given the relevance of the region for biological conservation. Our research questions were (1) what is the spatial (country-level) and temporal distribution of the scientific research exploring links between GCC and biodiversity in the Andean region? (2) What are the methodological approximations, areas of research and subjects of study most commonly considered? And (3) What are the trends in biodiversity responses most commonly found under different GCC stressors? We found that the first paper on GCC and biodiversity in the Andes was published …

Recent Advances In Optical Spectroscopic And Imaging Methods For Medicine And Biology, Yu Shang, Zhiyu Qian, Rickson C. Mesquita, Mathieu Dehaes

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Organismal Composition And Photosynthetic Traits Of Biological Soil Crusts In Prairie Ecosystems Of The Great Plains, Brendon C. Mccampbell

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are soil-surface microecosystems composed of a close association of algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, lichens, and non-vascular plants with soil particles. BSCs have several ecological functions including carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation, nutrient relations, soil stabilization, water relations, and floral community development, which make them extremely important in many of the ecosystems where they occur. While BSCs have been studied throughout the American West, little work has been done in the Great Plains region where they are less prominent among the dominant vascular plant communities. This study examined organismal composition and photosynthetic traits of BSCs in four ecosystems within …

Use Of Eeg To Understand Brain Intensity In Engineering Students Using A Stem Educational Mobile Application, Kevin Hatcher

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the first two years of undergraduate work in engineering, students are taught concepts such as physics, electronics, and most importantly calculus. It is especially important for students to get a better grasp on foundational math concepts, such as calculus in the beginning or they will be overwhelmed by the workload to come. The focus of this research was to understand how students learning calculus, could benefit from an augmented-educational mobile application. In the study students were measured with electroencephalography (EEG) measurements utilized by the Emotive EPOC® as they attempted to solve different limit themed problems in order to determine …

Host Location And Host-Associated Divergence In Parasitoids Of The Gall Midge, Asteromyia Carbonifera, Jeffrey L. Howell

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Some of the world's greatest mysteries are the series of ecological and behavioral processes that promote adaptive radiation: when one species rapidly diverges into multiple descendants due to ecological selective pressures. Selective pressures from natural enemies have the potential to drive such radiations, as has been suggested in the diversification of the goldenrod gall-midge, Asteromyia carbonifera (Stireman et al., 2008, 2012). This complex, multitrophic system involves the midge species complex, their goldenrod host plants (Solidago sp.), and a suite of parasitoid enemies in the diverse wasp superfamily, Chalcidoidea. There is evidence that the midge is undergoing host-associated differentiation (HAD), in …

The Expression Of Major Histocompatibility Class I And Major Histocompatibility Class Ii On Macrophages In The Presence Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Antagonist (Ch-223191), Caitlin Wilson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are crucial for ridding the body of debris and foreign cells. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) also plays a critical role in immunity. This study examined the effect of the AhR on the expression of major histocompatiability complex class I (MHCI) and MHC class II (MHCII) in two murine macrophage cell lines. This study used Raw264.7 and J774A.1 murine macrophage cell lines. The Raw264.7 cells are from male BALB/c mice while the J774A.1 cells are from female BALB/cN mice. The addition of the AhR anatagonist CH-223191 (AhRa) showed that the AhR does not significantly impact MHCI expression. However, MHCII …

Extension Of Multivariate Analyses To The Field Of Microbial Ecology, Vijay Shankar

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ground-breaking advancements in molecular and analytical techniques in the past decade have enabled researchers to accumulate data at an extraordinary rate. Especially in the field of microbial ecology, the introduction of technologies such as high-throughput sequencing, quantitative microarrays, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry has led to the interrogation of diverse and previously unexplored microbial communities at unparalleled depth. Analysis and interpretation of patterns within datasets acquired with such high-throughput methods require powerful statistical approaches. A class of such techniques called multivariate statistical analyses is an excellent choice for analysis of complex microbiota-related datasets. This field of statistics is constantly …