Digital Commons Network^™

Bacterial And Archaeal Nitrifier Communities After Seven Years Surface Ground Cover And Nutrient Management In An Orchard Soil, Mashael Albalawi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrification is oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and subsequently to nitrate. The rate limiting step of nitrification, ammonia oxidation to nitrite, was thought for many years to be carried out primarily by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB). However, using molecular techniques and investigating the amoA gene, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) were discovered. Understanding how long-term application of surface ground covers and organic fertilizers to perennial systems affect microbial communities is critical for sustainable soil management. An organically managed experimental apple orchard soil received seven years (2006 – 2013) of annual, surface applications of poultry litter or commercial fertilizer compared to no fertilizer …

Nanoenergetic Gas Generators Based On Metal Hydroxides, Srbuhi Yolchinyan

Theses and Dissertations

The metal oxide based nano thermites have been studied extensively, yet another closely related systems based on metal hydroxides were surprisingly overlooked. For the first time, the thermodynamic calculations using HSC Chemistry-7 and Thermo software, were performed for a collection of 22 novel nano-thermite systems based on aluminum and metal hydroxides, and four representative systems based on bismuth, copper, cerium and nickel hydroxides were characterized using differential scanning calorimeter, scanning electron microscope, and pressure discharge dynamic evaluation. The strongest performance was recorded in Al-Bi(OH)3 system with about 4.9 MPa peak pressure for 0.2 g charge mass. Bismuth oxide and hydroxide …

Drones In Extension Programming: Implementation Of Adult And Youth Activities, Jason P. De Koff

Journal of Extension

The use of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), or consumer drones, in agriculture has the potential to revolutionize the way certain farm practices are conducted and the way science, technology, engineering, and math principles can be taught. Currently, there is need for UAS training for both adults and youths, and that need will increase with the expected growth of the UAS industry. This article addresses the need to include UASs in Extension programming, the associated legalities, and the best types of UASs to use in such programming.

Specific Learning Disability Assessment Of English Language Learners: An Investigation Of The Current Assessment Practices Of Utah School Psychologists, Jesika Lee Forbush

Theses and Dissertations

The landscape of education and the students served in schools has changed over the last few decades and is becoming more diverse (National Center for Education Statistics, 2017). Methods of special education evaluation in schools are also changing to meet the needs of a dynamic population. Best practices for specific learning disability (SLD) identification recommend the use of effective evaluation methods that inform educational decisions. Many models of SLD identification have been proposed throughout the history of SLD classification. Though many school psychologists have relied on the discrepancy model of learning disability identification, many alternative evaluation methods are coming into …

Sex In Sport, Doriane Lambelet Coleman

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Empowering Families To Achieve Secondary Education, Guadalupe Flemate

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many high school students in Monterey County are not pursuing secondary education. Through the Department of Community Services within Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA) a workshop to educate students and parents on the importance of education and the A-G high school requirements was implemented. The workshop’s purpose was to educate and empower parents to become familiar with high school A-G requirements and a support system towards their children’s education. By educating parents and students on the A-G high school requirements, more high school students will be on the right path to achieve a secondary education. The expected …

Effect Of Vocal Prosody On Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Black And White Students, Chynna Sierra Mccall

Dissertations

There is an academic achievement gap between White and Black male students as evidenced by the significant difference between standardized test scores beginning in the third grade and continuing throughout secondary education. It has been postulated that this gap is influenced by differences in how teachers interact with students of color. This difference in treatment may stem from implicit racial stereotypes held by teaching staff. Many characteristics such as skin color or accent can serve as triggers for such stereotypes. One factor that has not been studied is vocal prosody, the melodic contour of one’s speaking voice, and its ability …

Transformative Experiential Impacts On Students: An Intervention, Stacy R. Bailey

Dissertations

Students’ successes in first-year writing courses at the university level are critical to academic success and degree completion. Fostering students' engagement in first-year writing courses has proved challenging for institutions of higher education (IHE). Utility value interventions (UV) employing social psychological intervention (SPI) methods have been implemented successfully to aid students in understanding the value of course content and improve achievement. Utility value is the perceived usefulness of a task or content. Similarly, transformative experience (TE) interventions have been implemented with success. Transformative experience is a learning outcome achieved when students re-conceptualize their out-of-school experiences as a result of their …

Estimating Bias In Multilvel Reliability Coefficients: A Monte Carlo Simulation, Karen Traxler

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to generate observed scores under complex data conditions often found in the real world and (a) investigate error in terms of internal consistency reliability within the Classical Test Theory framework (Cronbach’s a and polychoric ordinal a) and person reliability within Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM); (b) inform applied researchers about possible relative bias in reliability coefficients when more complex data structures and underlying distributions are encountered; and (c) provide applied researchers a reference from which to interpret their results. Methods: Using Monte Carlo simulation techniques to generate polytomous response choices in single-level and …

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack) Effectiveness On English Teachers And Students In Saudi Arabia, Hamzah Hassan Alhababi

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to integrate technology into technology-rich, English language learning classrooms in Saudi Arabia. Technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework was used to design activities of technology integration for teachers’ and students’ achievement and effectiveness. This study used a mixed-method of quantitative and qualitative to collect data. All participants were male teachers who taught English language courses in public Saudi Arabian schools. Participants were gender specific because the school system in Saudi Arabia separates males and females. The researcher, who was also male, had access to the male portion of the education system and, thus, …

A Validation Of The Tactile Edition Of The Boehm-3 Preschool, Catherine Ann Smyth

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to conduct a validation study of the Boehm-3 Preschool tactile version, which was designed to allow young children with visual impairment and who use their tactile abilities as their primary modality to discover and interpret the world to demonstrate knowledge of concept understanding. It is well established that concept understanding is one of the most important skills a young child with visual impairment should master. The progression of concept development and haptic understanding of two-dimensional representation in young children with visual impairment was a focus of this research to inform parents, practitioners, and researchers. …

Inclusive Special And General Education Secondary Teachers’ Attitudes Towards The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities In The General Education Setting, Barbara Portwood

Dissertations

The passage of The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2002), formerly known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, sparked a significant rise in the number of students with disabilities receiving their instruction in the inclusive setting. While previous legislation mandated that students with disabilities be included in standardized testing, NCLB called for closing the achievement gap between students with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. Research indicated the success of students with disabilities in the general educational setting was influenced by teacher attitude. This qualitative study addressed secondary general and special education teacher attitudes and beliefs surrounding the practice …

Construction Of Finite Group, Michelle Soyeong Yeo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The main goal of this project is to present my investigation of finite images of the progenitor 2^(*n) : N for various N and several values of n. We construct each image by using the technique of double coset enumeration and give a proof of the isomorphism type of the image. We obtain the group 7^2: D_6 as a homomorphic image of the progenitor 2^(*14) : D_14, we obtain the group 2^4 : (5 : 4) as a homomorphic image of the progenitor 2^(*5) : (5 : 4), we obtain the group (10 x10) : ((3 x 4) : 2) …

Exploring Organizational Factors That Influence Resilience And Persistence Among High School Students Of Color, Stephen Franklin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sought to examine how schools influenced and promoted student resilience through the lens of persistence, leading to high school completion. The focus of this study was significant because there are few studies that focus on student resiliency as it relates to high school completion through the lens of persistence. Previous studies have generally identified at-risk factors for non-high school completion and either qualify or quantify the results. They have not taken into account the social and economic contexts of school and the communities and their influence on student resiliency. This study utilized a phenomenological methodology that identified the …

Investigation Of Finite Groups Through Progenitors, Charles Baccari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this presentation is to find original symmetric presentations of finite groups. It is frequently the case, that progenitors factored by appropriate relations produce simple and even sporadic groups as homomorphic images. We have discovered two of the twenty-six sporadic simple groups namely, M₁₂, J₁ and the Lie type group Suz(8). In addition several linear and classical groups will also be presented. We will present several progenitors including: 2^*12: 2² x (3 : 2), 2^*11: PSL₂(11), 2^*5: (5 : 4) which have produced the homomorphic images: …

Climbing Ability Of Teneral And Sclerotized Adult Bed Bugs And Assessment Of Adhesive Properties Of The Exoskeletal Fluid Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Kevin R. Hinson, Vladimir Reukov, Eric P. Benson, Patricia A. Zungoli, William C. Bridges, Brittany R. Ellis, Jinbo Song

Publications

We observed that teneral adults (<1 h post-molt) of Cimex lectularius L. appeared more adept at climbing a smooth surface compared to sclerotized adults. Differences in climbing ability on a smooth surface based on sclerotization status were quantified by measuring the height to which bed bugs climbed when confined within a glass vial. The average maximum height climbed by teneral (T) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 4.69 cm) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (RS) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 1.73 cm at ~48 h post molt), sclerotized group 1 (S1) bed bugs (n = …

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2017, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Modeling Student Enrollment At Etsu Using A Discrete-Time Markov Chain Model, Lohuwa Mamudu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discrete-time Markov chain models can be used to make future predictions in many important fields including education. Government and educational institutions today are concerned about college enrollment and what impacts the number of students enrolling. One challenge is how to make an accurate prediction about student enrollment so institutions can plan appropriately. In this thesis, we model student enrollment at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) with a discrete-time Markov chain model developed using ETSU student data from Fall 2008 to Spring 2017. In this thesis, we focus on the progression from one level to another within the university system including …

Computer Ratio And Student Achievement In Reading And Math In A North Carolina School District, Erica Preswood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal research project explored the relationship between a 1:1 computing initiative and student achievement on the North Carolina End of Grade Reading Comprehension and Math tests in the study school district. The purpose of this research study was to determine if the implementation of a 1:1 computing initiative impacted student performance on standardized tests. This study used secondary, longitudinal data to follow a sample of the district’s 2012-2013 3rd grade students through the 2015-2016 school year. The study used student grade level proficiency on the North Carolina End of Grade Reading Comprehension and Math tests for both the district …

Only The Earth Remains: Exploring The Machine In Selected Lyric Poetry Of Robinson Jeffers, Mark Hutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Idea in America, Leo Marx “evaluates the uses of the pastoral ideal in the interpretation of American experience” (Marx 4). While Marx explores ways that pastoralism has been impacted by factors such as industrialism, it is the purpose of this project to explore Marx’s assertion regarding the presence of the figurative and literal machine within the poetry of Robinson Jeffers.

Jeffers’ poetry is generally located within the landscapes of California. His lyric poetry has a distinct connection to the land and is driven by inhumanism, which works to shift …

Proactive Sequential Resource (Re)Distribution For Improving Efficiency In Urban Environments, Supriyo Ghosh

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Due to the increasing population and lack of coordination, there is a mismatch in supply and demand of common resources (e.g., shared bikes, ambulances, taxis) in urban environments, which has deteriorated a wide variety of quality of life metrics such as success rate in issuing shared bikes, response times for emergency needs, waiting times in queues etc. Thus, in my thesis, I propose efficient algorithms that optimise the quality of life metrics by proactively redistributing the resources using intelligent operational (day-to-day) and strategic (long-term) decisions in the context of urban transportation and health & safety. For urban transportation, Bike Sharing …

Online Learning With Nonlinear Models, Doyen Sahoo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Recent years have witnessed the success of two broad categories of machine learning algorithms: (i) Online Learning; and (ii) Learning with nonlinear models. Typical machine learning algorithms assume that the entire data is available prior to the training task. This is often not the case in the real world, where data often arrives sequentially in a stream, or is too large to be stored in memory. To address these challenges, Online Learning techniques evolved as a promising solution to having highly scalable and efficient learning methodologies which could learn from data arriving sequentially. Next, as the real world data exhibited …

Policy Analytics For Environmental Sustainability: Household Hazardous Waste And Water Impacts Of Carbon Pollution Standards, Kustini

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Policy analytics are essential in supporting more informed policy-making in environmental management. This dissertation employs a fusion of machine methods and explanatory empiricism that involves data analytics, math programming, optimization, econometrics, geospatial and spatiotemporal analysis, and other approaches for assessing and evaluating current and future environmental policies.
Essay 1 discusses household informedness and its impact on the collection and recycling of household hazardous waste (HHW). Household informedness is the degree to which households have the necessary information to make utility-maximizing decisions about the handling of their waste. Such informedness seems to be influenced by HHW public education and environmental quality …

The Influence Of Road Salt On Seasonal Mixing And Redox Stratification In Three Southwest Michigan Kettle Lakes, Danielle Dupuis

Masters Theses

Influxes of saline water from roads treated with deicers can alter the density structure of urban lakes. This can delay or halt turnover events, which may lead to persistent hypolimnetic anoxia in nutrient-rich lakes. In this study, the lake columns of two urban lakes (Woods Lake and Asylum Lake) and one rural lake (North Lake), were sampled once a month from March 2016 to June 2017. Lake column water was analyzed for conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, ferrous iron, manganese, sulfide, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride and methane concentrations as a function of depth. All three lakes are eutrophic with anoxic hypolimnia …

Development Of A Multiphase Photon Monte Carlo Method For Spray Combustion And Its Application In High-Pressure Conditions, Somesh Roy, Jian Cai, Michael F. Modest

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In this work the development of a multiphase photon Monte Carlo (PMC) method with a focus on resolving radiative heat transfer in combustion simulations is presented. The multiphase PMC solver can account for description of participating media in both Lagrangian and Eulerian frameworks. The solver is validated against exact solutions in several one-dimensional configurations. The developed solver is then applied to Diesel spray combustions, where liquid spray droplets are assumed to be cold, nonemitting, large, and isotropically scattering. Several formulations for radiative properties of the Diesel spray are first explored. The PMC solver has then been coupled with the multiphase …

The Utility Of Foraminifera In Documenting Sediment Provenance For Overwash Deposits: A Case Study Using Sediments Deposited By Tropical Cyclone Pam In Vanuatu, Thomas Kosciuch

Master's Theses

Tropical cyclone inundation is a major threat to the highly exposed islands of the South Pacific. This vulnerability was highlighted in March 2015 when Tropical Cyclone (TC) Pam made landfall on Vanuatu as a Category 5 storm, impacting coastlines with storm surges that produced high water marks up to 7 m above MSL and deposited sediments up to 400 m inland. We examined the foraminiferal assemblages contained within TC Pam sediments at two locations in Vanuatu: a mixed-carbonate embayment (Manuro), and a volcaniclastic beach (Port Resolution Bay; PRB). At Manuro, the TC Pam sediments were up to 10 cm thick …

Scalable Digital Architecture Of Hierarchical Temporal Memory Spatial Pooler, Sadhvi Praveen

Theses

Hierarchical Temporal memory is an unsupervised machine learning algorithm. Inspired by the structural and functional properties of the human brain, it is capable of processing spatio-temporal signals which are used for data storage and predictions. The algorithm is composed of two main components; the Spatial Pooler and the Temporal Memory. The spatial pooler produces a sparse distribution representation for the given pattern. These generalized representations are used by the temporal memory to make predictions. Therefore, it is important to ensure that more generalized sparse distribution representations are obtained for the spatio-temporal data

patterns.

This work presents the digital design of …

Automatic Protein Shake Freestyle Vending Machine, Balaji Salunkhe

Theses

This paper discusses the design and implementation of an automatic protein shake freestyle vending machine. This machine is capable of providing protein shakes as per the customer’s requirement. Customers are able to decide what kind of protein supplement they want according to their fitness needs, and they can give the appropriate instructions to the machine to prepare their protein drink by use of a touch system. Other customers, who are unable to decide or new to fitness supplements can choose a pre-designed drinks according to their personal fitness. As such, the machine gives the freedom of selection to the customer …

Optimization Of Residential Battery Energy Storage System Scheduling For Cost And Emissions Reductions, Zachary Olivieri

Theses

The introduction of dynamic electricity pricing structures such as Time of Use (TOU) rates and Day Ahead Pricing (DAP) in residential markets has created the possibility for customers to reduce their electric bills by using energy storage systems for load shifting and/or peak load shaving. While there are numerous system designs and model formulations for minimizing electric bills under these rate structures the use of these systems has the potential to cause an increase in emissions from the electricity system. The Increase in emissions is linked to the difference in fuel mix of marginal generators throughout the day as well …

An Introduction To Lie Algebra, Amanda Renee Talley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

An (associative) algebra is a vector space over a field equipped with an associative, bilinear multiplication. By use of a new bilinear operation, any associative algebra morphs into a nonassociative abstract Lie algebra, where the new product in terms of the given associative product, is the commutator. The crux of this paper is to investigate the commutator as it pertains to the general linear group and its subalgebras. This forces us to examine properties of ring theory under the lens of linear algebra, as we determine subalgebras, ideals, and solvability as decomposed into an extension of abelian ideals, and nilpotency, …