Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of Nitinol-Based Arch Wedge Support Through Finite Element Analysis, Tyler Nicholas Stranburg

Theses and Dissertations

This study proposes a nitinol-based thin-walled arch wedge support (AWS) and validated its performance in shock absorbing by using finite element analysis (FEA) method. Five human movements, two boundary conditions, and three thicknesses were implemented in FEA models to systematically reveal how those parameters and factors affect the response of the AWS. Due to the lack of data, the FEA models were meshed with elements of different sizes and used for simulations until the results converged. The simulation results showed that the thin-walled nitinol AWS with the selected thicknesses can withstand different human movements under both boundary conditions. In another …

Analysis Of Classroom Practices That Preschool Teachers Use To Promote Civic Efficacy, Muhammad Riaz

Theses and Dissertations

This research is aimed at finding the classroom environment indicators that lead young preschoolers, three and four years of age, learn civic efficacy to bring a change in the lives of others a member of the classroom community. The sample comprises of six female preschool teachers at a preschool in a University in Southern America. The data collected from; lesson plans, teachers’ portfolio notes, classroom observations, and semi structured interviews. The qualitative analysis tool, NVivo pro was used to analyze the data. For a clear picture of an obscure contextual phenomenon, charts showing emerging civic efficacy themes are added. Findings …

Time Frame For Transitive And Reciprocal Inferences, Ross Allen Mccool

Theses and Dissertations

In language, information is omitted for brevity. Comprehension requires inferences to be made, but do we make such inferences during encoding or later? Kintsch (1988) claimed that transitive inferences are made during reading and proposed transitive inferences are extracted from a constructed mental image. Two experiments were performed to test his ideas. Participants read sentences permitting a transitive or reciprocal inference, then immediately answered an inference based question. Data included reaction time and accuracy. By comparing verification against inferential sentences, it is possible to determine if the inference is made during encoding or later. A further manipulation was to compare …

Toward A Molecular Mechanism Of Phase Separation In Disordered Elastin-Like Proteins, Yue Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Since the last decade, an increasing number of proteins have been shown to be capable of undergoing reversible liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in response to an external stimulus, and the resulting protein-rich phase (coacervate) is considered as one of the main components of membrane-less organelles. Most of these proteins are intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or contain intrinsically disordered regions. More importantly, LLPS often plays an important role in cellular signaling and development of cells and tissues. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying LLPS of proteins remain poorly understood. Elastin-like proteins (ELPs), a class of IDPs derived from the hydrophobic domains of …

Using Deuterium And Oxygen-18 Stable Isotopes To Understand Mechanisms Of Stemflow Generation As A Function Of Tree Species And Climate, Mercedes Siegle-Gaither

Theses and Dissertations

Stemflow creates biogeochemical hotspots at tree bases. Few studies examine bark structure effects on stemflow generation via stable isotopes. Stemflow volume and isotopic composition (δD, δ18O) were measured over 15 months to address three main objectives: to determine origins and pathways of stemflow, to identify differences in stemflow generation mechanisms between tree species, and to identify differences in stemflow generation mechanisms between meteorological events. Laser ablation spectroscopy showed that, compared to throughfall and precipitation, stemflow was isotopically enriched, signifying isotopic fractionation. A bark-wetting experiment showed bark water storage capacity to be greatest in species with thick, continuous bark. Isotopic composition …

Spatiotemporal Variation In Space Use By Eastern Wild Turkeys In Mississippi, Ryo Ogawa

Theses and Dissertations

Spatiotemporal variation in animal space use is critical for understanding how individual animals respond to changes in resource availability across space and time. My study was aimed to: 1) determine functional responses of habitat selection by eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) across 7 study sites in Mississippi; and 2) determine the effect of temporal vegetation variation on order-II habitat selection by wild turkeys over 12 years. I developed resource selection functions using radio telemetry location data. Individual-specific coefficients of order-III habitat selection for forest were related inversely to forest availability in meta-regressions. Yearly coefficients of order-II habitat selection for …

Sperm Genetic And Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Male Fertility, Naseer Ahmad Kutchy

Theses and Dissertations

Male fertility, ability to fertilize and activate the egg and support early embryo development, is crucial for mammalian reproduction and development. Testis specific histone 2B (TH2B) of sperm, protamines (PRM1/2), and posttranslational modifications of histone 3 (H3K27me3 and H3k27ac) are involved in spermatogenesis and male fertility. However, molecular and cellular mechanisms by which TH2B regulates histone to protamine replacement is poorly defined. Immunocytochemistry, western blotting, flow cytometry, computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and bioinformatic approaches were applied to analyze sperm from Holstein bulls with different in vivo fertility. Results from the immunocytochemistry experiments showed that while TH2B and H3K27me3 were localized …

Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Participation In Community College Mental Health Counseling On Retention, Graduation, And Transfer, Matt Jordan Quin

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined community college transfer students’ perceptions of how mental health concerns interfere with academics, the ability to stay in school, graduate, and transfer to a 4-year university. The study also examined if community college transfer students perceive that mental health counseling improves their ability to stay in college, graduate from community college, and overcome barriers that interfere with the ability to transfer to a 4-year university. The study employed descriptive statistics and one-way between subjects ANOVAs to examine the effects of demographic characteristics and presenting mental health concerns on the ability to remain in community college, graduate from …

The Defense Response Of Glycine Max To Heterodera Glycines And Macrophomina Phaseolina, Bisho Ram Lawaju

Theses and Dissertations

The understanding of plant defense response in plant-pathogen interaction provides useful information to combat the disease. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, and charcoal rot causing fungus, Macrophomina phaseolina, are major pathogens of soybean, Glycine max, and infestation with SCN has found to aggravate the fungal disease severity. The gene expression analysis in resistant and susceptible interactions between H. glycines and G. max has identified some candidate resistance genes and signaling pathways but they are yet to be fully characterized. This dissertation aims to characterize one such gene, Conserved Oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex. The COG complex is important in structural …

In Vitro And In Vivo Effects Of An Encapsulated Butyric Acid And A Lactic Acid Producing Bacteria Used Alone Or In Combination, Dana Kristen Dittoe

Theses and Dissertations

Lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB) and organic acids have been proposed as effective alternatives to antibiotics, however there is limited literature concerning their combination. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to investigate the effects of LAB, encapsulated butyric acid (EBA), and their combination. Under challenged conditions, the in vitro study demonstrated that both EBA and LAB were capable of reducing pathogen proliferation over time, with greater efficacy at lower initial concentration. However, EBA demonstrated a greater effectiveness on pathogen reduction. Under challenged conditions, the results of the in vivo study indicated that birds fed LAB performed comparatively to that …

Incorporating Fermented By-Products Of Lactobacillus Diolivorans Sp. In Food Grade Coatings Designed For Inhibition Of Tyrophagus Putrescentiae On Dry-Cured Hams, Hector Asis Portillo

Theses and Dissertations

Distillate solutions that were derived from concentrated ferment were incorporated into either a carrageenan (CG) and propylene glycol alginate (PGA) gum blend or into a CG, PGA, and xanthan gum (XG) blend. Distillate treatments were compared against a 10% propylene glycol treatment, a gum only control, and negative control using three hams that were cut into 2.5 cm thick slices and then cut into 2.5×2.5×2.5cm cubes (n=50) that were dipped into solutions prior to conducting mite bioassays. Coated and control ham cubes were inoculated with 20 adult mites from the species T. putrescentiae (Schrank), and incubated for 2 and 3 …

First Principles Study Of Electronic And Thermodynamic Properties Of Two-Dimensional Electrides, Chandani Nilanthika Nandadasa

Theses and Dissertations

Density Functional Theory (DFT) was used to study fundamental characteristics of electrides. Electronic structure calculations were performed with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U (U- “on-site" electron-electron repulsion). Fundamental properties of Y2C were investigated in the first project. The nature of strongly localized anionic electrons in Y2C was demonstrated using the distribution of charge density. Magnetic properties were analyzed with magnetization density and magnetic anisotropy energies. The magnetic anisotropy of Y2C originates from anionic electrons at interlayer spaces. The predicted work functions are in good agreement with reported experimental data. We also investigated the enhancement of magnetic properties by …

Fracture Study On 2014-T6 (Lt) Aluminum Alloy Sheet Using Critical-Crack-Tip-Opening Angle Criterion, Sara Himmiche

Theses and Dissertations

A two-parameter fracture criterion (TPFC), relates the linear-elastic stress intensity factor KIe and net-section stress Sn at failure with two-material parameters, KF and m. The objective of this work was to validate the TPFC. Two-dimensional elastic-plastic finite-element analyses (FEA) were used with the critical crack-tip-opening-angle fracture criterion and a plane-strain-core height to match failure loads on middle-crack-tension, M(T), specimens made of 2014-T6 (LT) aluminum alloy. The same analyses were used on single-edge-crack-tension, SE(T), and-single-edge-crack-bend, SE(B), specimens. A wide range in specimen widths (w = 0.75 to 24 in.) were considered. The finite-element code, ZIP2D, was used to calculate critical stress-intensity …

Genomics And Molecular Approaches To Delineate Pathogenesis Of Aeromonas Hydrophila, Aeromonas Veronii, And Edwardsiella Piscicida Infections In Fish, Hasan Cihad Tekedar

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. aquaculture industry has become well established in the last three decades, and channel catfish aquaculture is the most significant component of this industry. Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila has been a serious disease problem since 2009 in the U.S. catfish aquaculture, and Aeromonas veronii and Edwardsiella piscicida are emerging pathogens of catfish. Therefore, this study aims to address fundamental questions on virulence mechanisms of these three fish pathogens, which I expect to support the development of control measures for preventing these diseases. In this study, E. piscicida and virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) genomes were sequenced, and comparative analyses were conducted …

An Analysis Of The Perceptions Of Quality Professional Development And Its Relationship To Teacher Turnover, Job Satisfaction, And School Performance, Cammesha Rana Sims

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between educators' perceptions of the quality of Professional Development to which they have been exposed and the three outcomes related to school productivity, specifically teacher retention, job satisfaction, and student proficiency in basic skills. For that purpose, secondary data extracted from the 2013 administration of the Teaching, Empowering, Leading, and Learning Questionairre (TELL) were merged with pertinent school demographic information archived on the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) website.The results of the Hierarchial Multiple Regression indicated that the teacher- perceived quality of Professional Development appeared to make a substantial contribution …

The Parthenon, December 8, 2017, Jared Casto

The Parthenon

The Parthenon, Marshall University’s student newspaper, was published by students Monday through Friday during the regular semester and weekly on Thursdays during the summer. Due to budgetary constraints, beginning with the 2016 Fall semester, the newspaper is only published two days a week. Physical issues are printed on Tuesdays and Fridays. The editorial staff is responsible for the news and the editorial content.

The Misconception Of Social Anxiety Disorder: Creating Understanding Through Motion Graphics, Kaijun Qu

Theses

This thesis project explores Social Anxiety Disorder, by showing emotions and feelings of the person who suffers from social phobia to help his/her friends and classmates to understand them.

The symptoms of a person with social phobia can be seen as being afraid of communicating with other people, appearing in public, and/or being the center of attention. In such situations, others may easily misunderstand them, so the patient can lose the chance to communicate to others. As a result, the patient's condition will be getting worse. Therefore, it is very hard for people with social phobia to make new friends. …

Vista Deficiency Attenuates Antibody-Induced Arthritis And Alters Macrophage Gene Expression In Response To Simulated Immune Complexes, Sabrina Ceeraz, Susan K. Eszterhas, Petra Sergent, David A. Armstrong, Alix Ashare, Thomas Broughton, Li Wang, Dov Pechenick, Christopher M. Burns, Randolph J. Noelle, Matthew P. Vincenti, Roy A. Fava

Dartmouth Scholarship

In addition to activated T cells, the immune checkpoint inhibitor “V domain-containing Ig suppressor of T-cell activation” (VISTA) is expressed by myeloid cell types, including macrophages and neutrophils. The importance of VISTA expression by myeloid cells to antibody-induced arthritis and its potential for relevance in human disease was evaluated. Methods: VISTA was immunolocalized in normal and arthritic human synovial tissue sections and synovial tissue lysates were subjected to western blot analysis. The collagen antibody-induced arthritis model (CAIA) was performed with DBA/1 J mice treated with antibodies against VISTA and with VISTA-deficient mice (V-KO). Total mRNA from arthritic joints, spleens, and …

How Do Slums Change The Relationship Between Urbanization And The Carbon Intensity Of Well-Being?, Julius Mcgee, Christina Ergas, Patrick Trent Greiner, Matthew Thomas Clement

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examines how the relationship between urbanization (measured as the percentage of total population living in urban areas) and the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB) (measured as a ratio of carbon dioxide emissions and life expectancy) in most nations from 1960±2013 varies based on the economic context and whereabouts of a substantial portion of a nation's urban population. To accomplish this, we use the United Nations' (UN) definition of slum households to identify developing countries that have substantial slum populations, and estimate a Prais-Winsten regression model with panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE), allowing for disturbances that are heteroskedastic and contemporaneously …

2017-12-08, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Genetic Analysis Of The Major Capsid Protein Of The Archaeal Fusellovirus Ssv1: Mutational Flexibility And Conformational Change, Eric A. Iverson, David A. Goodman, Madeline E. Gorchels, Kenneth M. Stedman

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Viruses with spindle or lemon-shaped virions are rare in the world of viruses, but are common in viruses of archaeal extremophiles, possibly due to the extreme conditions in which they thrive. However, the structural and genetic basis for the unique spindle shape is unknown. The best-studied spindle-shaped virus, Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped Virus 1 (SSV1), is composed mostly of the major capsid protein VP1. Similar to many other viruses, proteolytic cleavage of VP1 is thought to be critical for virion formation. Unlike half of the genes in SSV1, including the minor capsid protein gene VP3, the VP1 gene does not tolerate …

Biblical Models For Gender Language In Worship, Jeff Miller

Leaven

No abstract provided.

Session 4 Presentation - Improved Coastal And Nearshore Wave Forecasting, Jeffrey Hanson, Robert Fratantonio

Ocean Waves Workshop

Accurate nearshore and coastal wave forecasts are essential for the protection of life and property as well as enhancing the economy through safe and efficient commercial activities. Modeling the nearshore environment has remained both computationally intensive and challenging due to the strong interaction of waves with the ocean bottom in shallow water environments. Here we develop a new wave system approach for nearshore wave modeling that addresses these issues. Wave systems result from specific wind forcing events on the ocean surface. This approach extends earlier work on wave system partitioning and tracking to assimilate coastal buoy observations into model output …

Session 3 Discussion Notes, Ocean Waves Workshop 2017

Ocean Waves Workshop

No abstract provided.

The Mindfulness Practice, Aesthetic Experience, And Creative Democracy, Kyle A. Greenwalt, Cuong H. Nguyen

Education and Culture

In this paper, we explore the degree to which the Buddhist mindfulness practice and the habits of democratic citizenship can be reconstructed in light of each other. We ask what mindfulness is, seeking to first understand it in its Buddhist context. Then we turn to the work of John Dewey in order to seek possibilities for mutual reconstruction. Finally, we ask how we can reconcile mindful acceptance of the present with the ameliorative habits of the democratic citizen—and what this might mean for a reconstructed progressive education practice.

The Continuing Challenge Of Progressive Thought: Lessons From A College In Prison, Ellen Condliffe Lagemann

Education and Culture

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning For Hardware Simulation, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to improving hardware simulation through machine learning. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to predict hardware test results based on data extracted from hardware.

Injection Molding Eyepieces For Head Mounted Display, Hongqin Shi, Yeh-Jiun Tung

Defensive Publications Series

A technique is provided for manufacturing eyepieces for a head mounted display by forming the eyepiece in two parts: a coated, smaller insert part with a first coating (e.g. chiolite), and a second, larger supporting part with an opening or gap for the coated smaller part. The inset and supporting parts are formed from an eyepiece material via injection molding, and the inset part is then coated with the first coating. The inset is inserted into the gap of the supporting part, and the two parts are cast with an index matching material. The casting forms a front and back …

Contextual Advertising Based On Content Recognition In A Video, Jason Mayes

Defensive Publications Series

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to providing relevant advertisements based on the visual content of a video. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to determine a relevant advertisement and/or a relevant time for the relevant advertisement based on image data taken from a video.

Identifying And Categorizing Utility Power Anomalies, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to predicting utility power anomalies such as, for example, outage events. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to predict utility power anomalies based on historical and/or current utility power data.