Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2017

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1171 - 1200 of 41036

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Past Observable Dynamics Of A Continuously Monitored Qubit, Luis Pedro García-Pinto, Justin Dressel Dec 2017

Past Observable Dynamics Of A Continuously Monitored Qubit, Luis Pedro García-Pinto, Justin Dressel

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Monitoring a quantum observable continuously in time produces a stochastic measurement record that noisily tracks the observable. For a classical process, such noise may be reduced to recover an average signal by minimizing the mean squared error between the noisy record and a smooth dynamical estimate. We show that for a monitored qubit, this usual procedure returns unusual results. While the record seems centered on the expectation value of the observable during causal generation, examining the collected past record reveals that it better approximates a moving-mean Gaussian stochastic process centered at a distinct (smoothed) observable estimate. We show that this …


African American Male Students' Perceptions Of The Community College Experience In Rural Louisiana And How It Influences Graduation And Retention Rates, Aaron Jagers Dec 2017

African American Male Students' Perceptions Of The Community College Experience In Rural Louisiana And How It Influences Graduation And Retention Rates, Aaron Jagers

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored the obstacles African American male students face that can hinder their academic progress at community colleges within the rural regions of Louisiana. This study viewed the collective experiences of African American males in community colleges in order to improve their academic outcomes, completion, and retention rates. This study also explored the African American male’s educational experiences and the personal and academic obstacles they faced as students in the community college environment. This study used a research design that collected data from African American male students in two rural Louisiana community colleges. This study utilized a survey …


Validation Of The Two-Parameter Fracture Criterion Using Critical Ctoa On 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy, Hasnaa Ouidadi Dec 2017

Validation Of The Two-Parameter Fracture Criterion Using Critical Ctoa On 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy, Hasnaa Ouidadi

Theses and Dissertations

A two-parameter fracture criterion (TPFC) is used to correlate and predict failure loads on cracked configurations made of ductile materials. The current study was conducted to validate the use of the fracture criterion on more brittle materials, using elastic-plastic finite-element analyses with the critical crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) failure criterion. Forman generated fracture data on middle-crack tension, M(T), specimens made of thin-sheet 7075-T6 aluminum alloy, which is a quasi-brittle material. The fracture data included a wide range of specimen widths (2w) ranging from 3 to 24 inches. A two-dimensional (2D) finite-element analysis code (ZIP2D) with a ''plane-strain core" option was used …


An Investigative Study Toward The Development Of A Crosslinked Porcine Xenograft Meniscus Total Replacement, Patrick Ehren Barton Dec 2017

An Investigative Study Toward The Development Of A Crosslinked Porcine Xenograft Meniscus Total Replacement, Patrick Ehren Barton

Theses and Dissertations

Meniscus damage is very common and eventually leads to the deterioration of the entire knee joint. The goal of this study was to provide evidence that supports a proof of concept for a decellularized porcine meniscal xenograft to be used as a treatment method for meniscal injury as a partial or full meniscus transplant. This research adapted an antigen removal protocol for articular cartilage to produce decellularized xenografts in 48% of the time and with no significant difference in DNA content as other current methods. DNA and GAG content, and the compression moduli were significantly lower in the xenograft than …


Application Of Non-Targeted Volatile Metabolomics In Plant Pathology, Jinyan She Dec 2017

Application Of Non-Targeted Volatile Metabolomics In Plant Pathology, Jinyan She

Theses and Dissertations

Our study focuses on the application of volatile metabolomics and chemometrics in plant pathology. Specifically, volatile metabolites or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) and its pathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica have been investigated. The American chestnut was once a dominant tree species in the eastern forests of the United States. However, it was nearly devastated by the fungal pathogen C. parasitica. The loss of this tree species has significantly impacted the ecosystem. Therefore, preservation and restoration of American chestnut are crucial. Chapter one provides an overview of mass spectrometry based volatile metabolomics and their implementation …


Authentic Leadership, Research Integrity, And Institutions Of Higher Learning: Why Focusing On Departmental Leadership Is Critical For Preserving The Sanctity Of Science, Katherine I. Echols Dec 2017

Authentic Leadership, Research Integrity, And Institutions Of Higher Learning: Why Focusing On Departmental Leadership Is Critical For Preserving The Sanctity Of Science, Katherine I. Echols

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most overlooked and complex problems that universities and colleges face nation-wide is how to reduce and eliminate research misconduct. Because of the confidential nature of allegations of research misconduct and the high rate of underreporting, administrators at scholarly institutions struggle with understanding the cause of such behavior. Without a clear picture of the prevalence of misconduct or the barriers to reporting, leaders at institutions of higher learning find themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with these problems. This uncertainty coupled with a growing regulatory emphasis from federal funding agencies, results in a reactionary approach while questionable practices …


Characterization Of Type Vi Secretion System In Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Safak Kalindamar Dec 2017

Characterization Of Type Vi Secretion System In Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Safak Kalindamar

Theses and Dissertations

Edwardsiella ictaluri causes enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), which is one of the most important bacterial diseases causing significant economic losses in the US catfish industry. Understanding the virulence mechanisms of E. ictaluri plays a vital role to develop preventives, such as vaccines for the disease. Therefore, further research is necessary to discover the new virulence mechanisms of this pathogen. The long-term goal of our group is to determine the mechanism of E. ictaluri pathogenesis and to develop effective live attenuated vaccines against ESC. The overall goal of this project is to understand the role of Type 6 secretion system …


Classification And Significance Assessments Of Occupations On The Ackerman Unit Of The Tombigbee National Forest, Mississippi, Mary A. Madden Dec 2017

Classification And Significance Assessments Of Occupations On The Ackerman Unit Of The Tombigbee National Forest, Mississippi, Mary A. Madden

Theses and Dissertations

The Ackerman Unit of the Tombigbee National Forest has served as the location of numerous archaeological investigations. Despite all of the work done, there is a question of whether a representative sample of the archaeological record has been saved and subsequently whether the reports and findings from the Ackerman Unit of the Tombigbee National Forest are legitimate and can be applied to a larger body or research at the regional, and even national scale. This thesis will evaluate whether a paradigmatic classification of occupations can be used to assess if a representative sample of the archaeological record has been saved, …


Differences In Survival Of Heat Stress Adapted Cells Of Listeria Monocytogenes Egd (Bug600) In Disinfectants And Essential Oils, Amruta Udaysinh Jadhav Dec 2017

Differences In Survival Of Heat Stress Adapted Cells Of Listeria Monocytogenes Egd (Bug600) In Disinfectants And Essential Oils, Amruta Udaysinh Jadhav

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in survival of L. monocytogenes EGD (Bug600) (serotype 1/2a) in various disinfectants and essential oils after sublethal heat stress at 48°C for 60 min. The survival of heat stressed L. monocytogenes cells was decreased in lethal acid (HCl or H3PO4 pH 2.5), lethal oxidative stress (H2O2 1000 ppm) and lethal quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC 2.5-3.5 ppm) compared to non-stressed control cells. By contrast, the survival of heat stressed L. monocytogenes cells was higher in lethal alkali (NaOH or KOH pH 12) than the control cells. Also, the survival of heat …


Does Prior Nssi Moderate The Relationship Between Alcohol Intoxication, Pain, And Deliberate Self-Harm?, Matthew A. Timmins Dec 2017

Does Prior Nssi Moderate The Relationship Between Alcohol Intoxication, Pain, And Deliberate Self-Harm?, Matthew A. Timmins

Theses and Dissertations

Experimental studies suggest alcohol facilitates deliberate self-harm (DSH). One explanation might be that alcohol increases pain tolerance (PT), which may then lead to DSH. This study aimed to examine whether PT mediated the relationship between alcohol and DSH. Further, alcohol is neither necessary nor sufficient to self-harm. Given past non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a good predictor of future DSH, NSSI may moderate these relationships. This study also aimed to examine if mediation was conditional upon past NSSI. Participants (106 men and 104 women) reported on past NSSI and received a drink sufficient to produce target blood-alcohol content (BAC = .000%, …


Effects Of Temperature And Hydrology On Growth And Recruitment Of Shovelnose Sturgeon In The Lower Mississippi River, Jared Mccarty Porter Dec 2017

Effects Of Temperature And Hydrology On Growth And Recruitment Of Shovelnose Sturgeon In The Lower Mississippi River, Jared Mccarty Porter

Theses and Dissertations

I evaluated the effects of thermal and hydrologic conditions on growth and recruitment of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) in the lower Mississippi River and assessed mortality. Duration of water temperatures 12-24°C had a positive influence and temperatures below 11°C had a negative influence on annual growth. Duration of water temperatures above 28°C, duration of floodplain inundation, duration of low water, and minimum and maximum river stage did not influence annual growth. Duration of water temperatures 18-20°C and 18-24°C had a positive influence on recruitment, and duration of temperatures at and below 10°C had a negative influence on recruitment. Duration of …


Evaluating The Validity Of Latency Effects In Robotics Simulation, Leif T. Jensen Dec 2017

Evaluating The Validity Of Latency Effects In Robotics Simulation, Leif T. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Latency is a common issue found in robotics teleoperation that is not currently addressed in simulation. This study examined the effects of latency on operator performance for a robot teleoperation navigation task. Operators used a Logitech gamepad controller to teleoperate a robot through both a simulated environment and real-world environment. Both environments had the same dimensions and provided a path with obstacles the participant had to navigate. Participants performed this navigation task under three latency conditions, zero, low and high. Completion time, number of collisions, NASA-TLX, System Usability Survey, and User Experience survey were collected and participant performance compared for …


Global Operation Of Integrated Decentralized Power Systems, Mojtaba Khanabadi Ghehi Dec 2017

Global Operation Of Integrated Decentralized Power Systems, Mojtaba Khanabadi Ghehi

Theses and Dissertations

Nowadays, power systems are interconnected together to provide a reliable and secure source of the energy to the consumers and operate in lower operating cost than if they being run separately. As the most important reason for interconnecting power systems is to improve the economic aspects in operation of the entire system, this interconnection between power systems would provide the following economic advantages: 1) lower overall congestion costs for consumers; 2) more consistent prices across the areas; and 3) lower operating cost due to presence of broader pool of mutual benefits shared between systems. In addition, in the event of …


Gender And Domain Differences In College Students’ Responses To Success And Failure, Elizabeth K. Lawner Dec 2017

Gender And Domain Differences In College Students’ Responses To Success And Failure, Elizabeth K. Lawner

Doctoral Dissertations

Four studies examined perceptions of STEM and non-STEM college courses, gender and domain differences in responses to success and failure, and whether interventions to make failure seem normative could ameliorate negative responses to failure, particularly among women. Study 1 found that college students perceive STEM courses as more difficult than non-STEM courses, and believe that introductory STEM courses are used to remove students from those fields. Moreover, the difference in perceptions of STEM and non-STEM courses was larger for women. Study 2 piloted a novel task that was used in Studies 3 and 4. These studies did not support the …


One Good Plaintiff Is Not Enough, Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl Dec 2017

One Good Plaintiff Is Not Enough, Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl

Duke Law Journal

This Article concerns an aspect of Article III standing that has played a role in many of the highest-profile controversies of recent years, including litigation over the Affordable Care Act, immigration policy, and climate change. Although the federal courts constantly emphasize the importance of ensuring that only proper plaintiffs invoke the federal judicial power, the Supreme Court and other federal courts have developed a significant exception to the usual requirement of standing. This exception holds that a court entertaining a multiple-plaintiff case may dispense with inquiring into the standing of each plaintiff as long as the court finds that one …


Algorithms & Fiduciaries: Existing And Proposed Regulatory Approaches To Artificially Intelligent Financial Planners, John Lightbourne Dec 2017

Algorithms & Fiduciaries: Existing And Proposed Regulatory Approaches To Artificially Intelligent Financial Planners, John Lightbourne

Duke Law Journal

Artificial intelligence is no longer solely in the realm of science fiction. Today, basic forms of machine learning algorithms are commonly used by a variety of companies. Also, advanced forms of machine learning are increasingly making their way into the consumer sphere and promise to optimize existing markets. For financial advising, machine learning algorithms promise to make advice available 24–7 and significantly reduce costs, thereby opening the market for financial advice to lower-income individuals. However, the use of machine learning algorithms also raises concerns. Among them, whether these machine learning algorithms can meet the existing fiduciary standard imposed on human …


A Correlation Study On Soil Selenium Content And Diabetes Mellitus In Contiguous United States, Yang-Chih Tsao Dec 2017

A Correlation Study On Soil Selenium Content And Diabetes Mellitus In Contiguous United States, Yang-Chih Tsao

Theses and Dissertations

Selenium, the essential trace element, is well known as its antioxidant function, antiviral properties, and its anti-inflammatory function to human health. The relationships between selenium status and diabetes mellitus have been widely studied, but the consistency of results is lacking. This study used diagnosed diabetes incidence from year 2004 to 2012 and soil selenium content by counties within 48 contiguous states in the U.S. with Generalized Linear Mixed Model- R-Side as the major statistical method to determine whether there is a significant correlation or not. Results showed that the diagnosed diabetes population had been increased from 2004 to 2012 for …


Improved Heuristic Search Algorithms For Decision-Theoretic Planning, Ibrahim Abdoulahi Dec 2017

Improved Heuristic Search Algorithms For Decision-Theoretic Planning, Ibrahim Abdoulahi

Theses and Dissertations

A large class of practical planning problems that require reasoning about uncertain outcomes, as well as tradeoffs among competing goals, can be modeled as Markov decision processes (MDPs). This model has been studied for over 60 years, and has many applications that range from stochastic inventory control and supply-chain planning, to probabilistic model checking and robotic control. Standard dynamic programming algorithms solve these problems for the entire state space. A more efficient heuristic search approach focuses computation on solving these problems for the relevant part of the state space only, given a start state, and using heuristics to identify irrelevant …


The Effects Of The First Year Of Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports, Rosalind Flanigan Operton Dec 2017

The Effects Of The First Year Of Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports, Rosalind Flanigan Operton

Theses and Dissertations

Disciplinary practices and protocols in schools have been a notable concern over the past 30 years. The traditional punitive punishment-based tactics have not proven to be effective in changing student behavior. Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) is a proactive alternative that puts whole school systems in a place wherein students and teachers share in the responsibility of building a culture and climate of behaviors that produce positive outcomes. Research based on the implementation of PBIS in schools has concluded that problem behaviors decrease, students and staff feel safe, and attendance improves. There is a body of research that concludes that …


Quantitative Analysis Of The Accessibility Of Fresh Food For Mississippi Residents, Jessie Lee Hayden Dec 2017

Quantitative Analysis Of The Accessibility Of Fresh Food For Mississippi Residents, Jessie Lee Hayden

Theses and Dissertations

Food accessibility was determined for each Mississippi County, based on data obtained from the Retail Survey regarding common fruits and vegetables in available in food stores. Availability data were correlated with four social-economic/demographic variables: race, median household income, SNAP enrollment, and education. There were negative low magnitude correlations between percentages of Africans American and fresh fruit and vegetables availability, and percentages of SNAP benefits recipients and fresh fruit and vegetables availability. Positive low magnitude correlations were found between income and fresh fruit availability, and education and fruit availability. Lastly, moderate positive correlations were found between education and fruit availability and …


Quantum Dragon Solutions For Electron Transport Through Single-Layer Planar Rectangular, Godfred Inkoom Dec 2017

Quantum Dragon Solutions For Electron Transport Through Single-Layer Planar Rectangular, Godfred Inkoom

Theses and Dissertations

When a nanostructure is coupled between two leads, the electron transmission probability as a function of energy, E, is used in the Landauer formula to obtain the electrical conductance of the nanodevice. The electron transmission probability as a function of energy, T (E), is calculated from the appropriate solution of the time independent Schrödinger equation. Recently, a large class of nanostructures called quantum dragons has been discovered. Quantum dragons are nanodevices with correlated disorder but still can have electron transmission probability unity for all energies when connected to appropriate (idealized) leads. Hence for a single channel setup, the electrical conductivity …


Regulation Of Stomata Opening In The Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plant Kalanchoe Laxiflora, Anoud Abdulmalik Albader Dec 2017

Regulation Of Stomata Opening In The Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plant Kalanchoe Laxiflora, Anoud Abdulmalik Albader

Theses and Dissertations

Stomata are small pores that are located on the surface of epidermal leaves, and they can regulate the uptake of CO2 and prevent water lose by opening and closing the pores. Stomata of plants can be regulated by external condition such as CO2, biotic and abiotic stresses and internal factors. CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) plants adapt to hot and dry environments by closing stomata during the day and opening stomata during the cool night. However, it is still unclear how CAM plants open their stomata during the night and close them during the day. In this study, a number of …


Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Analysis Of The Pylos Linear B Tablets, Billy B. Wilemon Dec 2017

Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Analysis Of The Pylos Linear B Tablets, Billy B. Wilemon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates similarities and differences in the chemistry of the Linear B clay tablets and sealings found at the Palace of Nestor in Pylos, located in the western Peloponnese, Greece. Their chemistry provides clues regarding the flow of material goods in and out of the palace and therefore to the degree of centralization of the political-economy. Over a thousand 3,000 year-old clay tablets and sealings currently housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens were analyzed using a pXRF over the course of the summers of 2015 and 2016. The chemical compositions were analyzed statistically. Results of the study …


Does The Hispanic Paradox Extend To Morbidity Changes From 1997-2015?, Randall Brent Lee Dec 2017

Does The Hispanic Paradox Extend To Morbidity Changes From 1997-2015?, Randall Brent Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Through the lens of the Hispanic Paradox, this thesis examines healthy and unhealthy life expectancy changes occurring from 1997 to 2015 among Hispanics, non-Hispanic blacks, and non-Hispanic whites in the United States. The goal is to determine how Hispanics –disaggregated by nativity status– fare relative to other racial-ethnic groups in regard to changes in the percentage of total life expectancy that is lived in a healthy state (i.e. compression and expansion of morbidity). Using the Sullivan method, multi-state life tables were created with functional limitation prevalence data from the National Health Interview Survey. Results indicate that most subpopulation groups experienced …


Leadership Frames In Comprehensive Community Colleges: Implications For The Market-Responsive College, David Layne Campbell Dec 2017

Leadership Frames In Comprehensive Community Colleges: Implications For The Market-Responsive College, David Layne Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Market-responsive college leaders are challenged to navigate external relationships with business and industry, government officials, and community leaders, as well as the resulting pressures of multiple missions of the comprehensive community college. The leaders are faced with three predominant issues involving the market-responsive college and its relationship to the overall comprehensive college. These issues include: (a) its relationship to the transfer role, (b) difficulty of defining and measuring its success, and (c) its placement within the organization. Bolman and Deal’s (2013) leadership frames provide a model to understand how framing by market-responsive college leaders influences their organizations. A qualitative case …


Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Seclusion And Restraints For Adult Psychiatric Inpatients, Oya Weston Hampton Dec 2017

Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Seclusion And Restraints For Adult Psychiatric Inpatients, Oya Weston Hampton

Theses and Dissertations

In psychiatric settings, the use of seclusion and/or restraints can be emotionally and psychologically traumatizing for patients. Patients often experience these interventions as inhumane and humiliating, and such interventions can have physical and mental adverse effects and in some cases can be fatal. This study examined the role of demographic, clinical, and hospital variables in predicting seclusion and/or restraint episodes in adult psychiatric inpatients. A total of 395 patients were included in the study. Adult psychiatric inpatients previously restrained (n = 91) were compared to psychiatric inpatients never restrained (n = 304). A binary logistic regression research design was used …


Capturing Aggregate And Binder Interaction Effects On Aging Via Mixture Testing For Single Aggregate Source Asphalt Mixtures, Bradley Scott Hansen Dec 2017

Capturing Aggregate And Binder Interaction Effects On Aging Via Mixture Testing For Single Aggregate Source Asphalt Mixtures, Bradley Scott Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis compares asphalt mixture properties before and after one year of field aging. Simple mixtures, one aggregate source for coarse, fine, and dust proportions, were developed and tested using four mixture tests to isolate asphalt-aggregate interaction. The results found asphalt-aggregate interaction effects and mixing temperature had considerable effects on mixture aging after 1 year. Differences in mass loss, rut depth, and indirect tensile strength that existed before aging became more pronounced after aging. This thesis’ results agree with the literature reviewed and generates new knowledge for mixture design and materials selection considerations for improved pavement performance. It is recommended …


Ecology And Conservation Of Bird Assemblages In Native And Afforested Environments In The Northern Campos Grasslands Of Uruguay, Juan Andrés Martínez Lanfranco Dec 2017

Ecology And Conservation Of Bird Assemblages In Native And Afforested Environments In The Northern Campos Grasslands Of Uruguay, Juan Andrés Martínez Lanfranco

Theses and Dissertations

Commercial forestry has expanded across the Rio de la Plata Grasslands (RPG) of South America in recent decades. I conducted a resource-use based study on bird communities during the 2013-2014 austral breeding season in northern Uruguay. I assessed relationships between habitat types and bird abundance as a function of vegetation structure. To compare avian responses to treatments, I included native environments, pine and eucalyptus plantations of different ages and thinning regimes. I detected differences in species richness and composition and species-specific responses in abundance along structural gradients sampled. Although poorer in species than native habitat types, tree plantations were extensively …


Effect Of Chitosan On Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes Spp.) Mortality And Gut Bacterial Community, Olanrewaju Adeyemi Raji Dec 2017

Effect Of Chitosan On Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes Spp.) Mortality And Gut Bacterial Community, Olanrewaju Adeyemi Raji

Theses and Dissertations

The main objectives of this study were to investigate the applicability of chitosan as an effective wood preservative against subterranean termites, conduct metagenomic analysis of the bacterial hindgut community of Reticulitermes flavipes exposed to chitosan-treated wood, and perform chitosanase activity assay of metagenomics suggested bacterial species potentially responsible for chitosan breakdown. Chitosan showed termiticidal effects on subterranean termites at varying retention levels. Termite mortality increased when exposed to samples treated with higher chitosan concentration solutions. Approximately 40 - 100% of chitosan retained in treated-wood was leached depending on the initial retention. Post-leaching results indicate chitosan is not suitable for protection …


Establishing The Structure Function Relationship Of Polypyridyl Ruthenium And Berenil-Type Compounds In The Formation Of Complexes With B-Dna And/Or G-Quadruplex Dna, Clinton Gregory Mikek Dec 2017

Establishing The Structure Function Relationship Of Polypyridyl Ruthenium And Berenil-Type Compounds In The Formation Of Complexes With B-Dna And/Or G-Quadruplex Dna, Clinton Gregory Mikek

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer results from the accumulation of genetic mutations in a normal cell that ultimately result in the expression (or overexpression) of oncogenes. The design of drugs having high affinity for specific DNA sequences or structural motifs is vital to gaining a better understanding of gene expression and to the development of new cancer treatments that are based on turning off oncogene expression. This dissertation presents studies of the binding of two ligand families, Berenil (DMZ), and ruthenium polypyridyl complexes (RPCs), to B-DNA and G-quadruplex (G4) DNA. The structureunction relationships for the interaction of these ligand families with DNA were probed …