Digital Commons Network^™

The Difference In Academic Achievement For Students In The Healthy Fitness Zone Compared To The High Risk Zone For Bmi And Aerobic Capacity, Nathan C. Pennington

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Childhood obesity rates have climbed significantly over the past 40 years. With that, there has also been an increase in the number of associated health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, of many. Quite independently, there has also been an increase in the accountability placed on schools to improve their reading and math test scores. This has resulted in a decrease in physical activity times in schools in order to provide more class time for reading and math. This study’s purpose has been to identify whether a difference exists in academic outcomes for students in the HFZ compared …

An Interactionist View Of African American Males In Educational Leadership, Samuel D. Dasher Jr

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

During the segregation era, African American males held positions of leadership in schools in African American communities. When schools were integrated as a result of Brown v. The Board of Education, the number of African American males in positions of educational leadership began a rapid decline. Even as the demographics of the United States have become much more diverse, the gap between African American male educational leaders and their white male counterparts remains significant. This study examines the perceptions of African American male K-12 educational leaders about their positions, why they chose to become educational leaders, and the paths they …

Applications Of Flow Network Models In Finance, Angel J. Woods

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis we explore the applications of flow networks in practical problems in finance. After introducing basic definitions and background information, we first survey some known applications of flow networks in theoretical mathematics. We also briefly comment on their potential applications in the setting of financial flow networks. We then construct networks from practical financial flows and present the construction, reasoning, and known applications. Lastly, we show a design of financial flow networks that takes time into consideration and discuss its applications.

The Bessel Function, The Hankel Transform And An Application To Differential Equations, Isaac C. Voegtle

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis we explore the properties of Bessel functions. Of interest is how they can be applied to partial differential equations using the Hankel transform. We use an example in two dimensions to demonstrate the properties at work as well as formulate thoughts on how to take the results further.

Intuition And Curriculum: From Precognition To Agency, Sandra Martinaitis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The dissertation is a speculative essay using the framework of Joseph Schwab’s (1969) commonplaces of: subject matter, student, teacher and milieu to examine how intuition can and should form part of curriculum. The overarching theme is that intuition and intuitive teaching and learning is an iterative path which leads to self-knowledge, reflection, cognition and acceptance of ‘other’ -- the Freirian (2010) notion of tolérance-- resulting in critical thinking and agency to ameliorate lives -- particularly of the oppressed. It embraces the clichéd notion of education leading to informed citizens who will make the right choices for society as a …

Quasi-Random Action Selection In Markov Decision Processes, Samuel D. Walker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In Markov decision processes an operator exploits known data regarding the environment it inhabits. The information exploited is learned from random exploration of the state-action space. This paper proposes to optimize exploration through the implementation of quasi-random sequences in both discrete and continuous state-action spaces. For the discrete case a permutation is applied to the indices of the action space to avoid repetitive behavior. In the continuous case sequences of low discrepancy, such as Halton sequences, are utilized to disperse the actions more uniformly.

A Correlational Study Of The Georgia School Board Association's Board Recognition Program And Student Achievement, Holly E. Rutledge

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The role of school boards in American public education has been intensely debated for well over a century (Johnson, 2013). A broad variety of research on school boards exists, ranging from the topic of school board elections, to board member leadership styles, and to decision making processes. Much less research exists, however, on the impact of school boards on student achievement, even though school boards are increasingly targeted as one of the main reasons for poor student achievement (Jacobsen & Linkow, 2014). Johnson (2013) contends there is a growing body of evidence that indicates school boards play a critical role …

Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement, Gail H. Greenway

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Increasingly public schools in the United States are finding that factors beyond curriculum and instruction impact student achievement. Much research has been conducted on the relationship between school climate and student achievement (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, 2009; Guo & Higgins-D’Alessandro, 2011). This study set out to determine if there was a correlation between school climate and student achievement in middle schools in the Central Savannah River Area Regional Educational Service Agency region in the state of Georgia. Findings from this quantitative study indicated that there is a statistically significant, positive relationship between school climate and student achievement in middle …

Audio-Based Productivity Forecasting Of Construction Cyclic Activities, Chris A. Sabillon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to its high cost, project managers must be able to monitor the performance of construction heavy equipment promptly. This cannot be achieved through traditional management techniques, which are based on direct observation or on estimations from historical data. Some manufacturers have started to integrate their proprietary technologies, but construction contractors are unlikely to have a fleet of entirely new and single manufacturer equipment for this to represent a solution. Third party automated approaches include the use of active sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, passive technologies such as computer vision and image processing, and audio signal processing. Hitherto, most …

Energy Storage Management And Simulation For Nano-Grids, Shantu Ghose

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Energy storage has been utilized in many forms and applications from a flashlight to the Space Shuttle. There is a worldwide effort to develop battery model with high energy level and power densities for a variety range of applications, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and photovoltaic system (PV). To improve battery technology, understanding the battery modeling is very important. So, modeling the thermal behavior of a battery is a vital consideration before designing an effective thermal management system which will operate safely and prolong the lifespan of an energy storage system. The first part of this work focused on the …

2017 Georgia Southern University Men's Soccer Roster, Georgia Southern University

Men's Soccer Records

• Georgia Southern University Athletics 2017 Men's Soccer Roster

2016-2017 Georgia Southern University Women's Basketball Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Women's Basketball Records

• Georgia Southern Women's Basketball 2016-17 Media Guide & Record Book

Stochastic Invariants For Probabilistic Termination, Krishnendu Chatterjee, Petr Novotný, Dorde Zikelic

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Termination is one of the basic liveness properties, and we study the termination problem for probabilistic programs with real-valued variables. Previous works focused on the qualitative problem that asks whether an input program terminates with probability 1 (almost-sure termination). A powerful approach for this qualitative problem is the notion of ranking supermartingales with respect to a given set of invariants. The quantitative problem (probabilistic termination) asks for bounds on the termination probability, and this problem has not been addressed yet. A fundamental and conceptual drawback of the existing approaches to address probabilistic termination is that even though the supermartingales consider …

Predictive Networking And Optimization For Flow-Based Networks, Michael Arnold

Theses

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were used to classify neural network flows by flow size. After training the neural network was able to predict the size of a flows with 87% accuracy with a Feed Forward Neural Network. This demonstrates that flow based routers can prioritize candidate flows with a predicted large number of packets for priority insertion into hardware content-addressable memory.

Validating Petri Net Models Of Cyberattacks, Nicholas M. Christensen

Theses

As part of a team project modeling computer system vulnerabilities and cyberattacks, this research focused on Petri net models and validation methods for them. First, the chosen target, Metasploitable, was scanned for vulnerabilities, which were matched to Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) entries. For a preliminary validation, the models were compared with the entries. Then a dynamic validation was applied to two models of CAPEC entries and to one model of a known backdoor, Ingreslock. Three experimental cyberattacks were compared with their respective models, giving partial validation. The results of the comparison show that this dynamic method was …

From Logology To Dramatism : Kenneth Burke And Kurt Vonnegut As Critical Companions, Eryn Johnson

Theses

Although Kenneth Burke originally theorized language as symbolic action and Dramatism with literary analysis in mind, he remains unthought of by literary scholars. With the aim of reclaiming Dramatism for literary analysis, I grapple with Fredric Jameson’s criticisms of Burke in order to show how Dramatism maintains potential for productive literary analysis, particularly in regard to ideology. In doing so, I apply Burke’s Dramatistic method to a series of Kurt Vonnegut novels in order to investigate the similarities between Burke and Vonnegut as well as to demonstrate a fruitful literary analysis by way of Burke’s method.Though their writings differ generically, …

A Closed-Form Solution To The Aeroelastic Response Of An Elastic Plate In Axial Flow, Cory Ryan Medina

Theses

The unsteady aeroelastic response of an elastic plate immersed in an axial flow addresses many real-world applications and problems from plate flutter, bio-locomotion, to deforming airfoils. However, the analysis is challenging due to the coupling between the structure and fluid. This study presents a closed-form analytical solution to the two-way coupled aeroelastic response of a two-dimensional elastic plate in axial potential flow. The coupled model utilizes linearized beam theory and linearized unsteady thin airfoil theory. The coupled equations of motion are solved via Galerkin’s method, where closed-form solutions for the plate deformation are obtained by introducing Chebyshev series to solve …

A Study Of Optical And Physical Probe Diagnostic Techniques For Atmospheric-Pressure Plasmas, Steven J. Doyle

Theses

This study investigated the application of physical probes and optical emission spectroscopy to an atmospheric microplasma jet to determine the gas temperature, electron temperature, and electron density of the plasma. Emission lines and species of interest were chosen to determine the impact of experimental configuration on the accuracy of measurements. The results showed that there is a noticeable difference in not only each of the different gas temperature determination methods, but also for individual argon spectral lines when using van der Waals broadening. The usefulness of argon spectral lines also appears to vary with electrode configurations and temperatures. Electron temperature …

Examining The Role Of Different Types Of Pressure In Math Anxiety And Math Performance, Kenneth C.E. Hammett

Theses

Math anxiety can negatively impact individuals’ performance on math tasks, especially those tasks with high working memory demands. Individuals who are highly math anxious often avoid situations that involve performing math tasks. The level of anxiety experienced by individuals may be affected by different pressure situations. The present study examined the role of different types of pressure (speed, accuracy, or combination [speed + accuracy]) in math anxiety and math performance. Results indicated that experiencing anxiety during a math task has a negative impact on math performance. Results also indicated that speed pressure might be more detrimental to math performance than …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Ionic Interactions In Peptide And Protein Structure, Aimee Lorts

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Proteins and their unique structures are important due to their involvement in every cellular task, but the protein can only function properly when it is in the correct fold. β-sheet peptides and collagen were observed via structural studies. Circular dichroism (CD) determines a protein’s secondary structure. WKWK, a beta-sheet peptide, is known to dissolve in aqueous solutions. However, WKWK was observed to precipitate out of deionized water. To investigate the cause of this precipitation, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to determine the ion content of the water. Elevated sodium ion concentrations were found to disrupt the stabilizing …

Faculty Senate Minutes-2017

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Photodynamic Cancer Therapy A Study Of The Photochemical Properties Of Meso-Tetra (2,3,4-Trifluorophenyl) Porphyrin And Meso-Tetra (2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorophenyl) Porphyrin, Delanie L. Newberry

Honors College Theses

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) is a type of cancer treatment that utilizes photosensitive molecules that absorb photons and use that energy to create cytotoxic molecules. Porphyrins are photosensitive compounds that can be used selectively at the site of cancerous tumors. Their selectivity is due to the fact the porphyrins are generally not toxic in absence of light; in the presence of light, the drug will be activated to produce the cytotoxic molecule, singlet oxygen(1O2 ). 9,10 diphenyl anthracene(DPA) was used to simulate the cancer cells and monitor how effective the porphyrin was in creating 1O2, because DPA reacts with 1O2 form diphenyl …

Helping Ourselves First: Conflict Management Strategies Of Regional International Organizations, Carolynn Nixon

Honors College Theses

With the increase in ethnic conflicts since the end of the Cold War, particularly in Africa, more responsibility for conflict intervention has been placed upon regional international organizations (IOs). In this paper, I examine to what extent organizational structure influences how regional international organizations intervene in times of conflict. I argue that regional international organizations should be biased to intervene in ethnic conflict but that institutional design often constrains these organizations. Although the type of violence is a significant factor in the decision-making process, the structure of the organization makes the greatest difference. I test my expectations in the case …

Regioselective Electrolytic 5,8-Difluorination Of Quinolines, Sean P. Spurlin

Honors College Theses

Over the past decade, synthesis of organofluorine compounds has become a mainstream research focus. The introduction of fluorine uniquely affects the biological properties of organic molecules such as making them more bioavailable, lipophilic and metabolically stable, and possibly increase the strength of a compound’s interactions with a target protein. Approximately 30% of agrochemicals and 20% of pharmaceuticals contain fluorine, including commonly prescribed drugs such as Lipitor, Lexapro and Prozac. This work describes the development of a new methodology to incorporate fluorine into organic compounds. Our new method involves a regioselective electrochemical 5,8-difluorination of quinolines using HF:pyridine as both the reagent …

Preventing Gene Expression Through The Interruption Of Dna Binding, Olivia Perdue

Honors College Theses

The interruption of DNA binding is a gateway to the inhibition of unregulated expression of genes which can possibly lead to illnesses such as cancer and epilepsy. The goal of this research is to produce high affinity DNA binding molecules which could act to displace the binding of natural transcription factor thus reducing the over- or under-expression of various proteins. Literature shows that the interruption of DNA binding can be completed using both organic and inorganic means, such as by means of natural transcription factors like the NF-κB protein or with metal-ligand complexes in order to bind DNA. NF-κB, a …

"Hail Mary, Full Of Haze": Physicalism And The Knowledge Argument, Jesse R. Powell

Honors College Theses

This project aims to provide a clear and compelling reason for rejecting dualism with respect to the mind, by undermining the support dualist positions receive from so-called knowledge arguments. In particular, I will show the error present in the many forms of what is variously called the “Mary’s Room” or “Mary the Brilliant Color Scientist” thought experiment.

Review Of The Catholic Enlightenment: The Forgotten History Of A Global Movement By Ulrich L. Lehner, Jeffrey D. Burson

History: Faculty Publications

Book review by Jeffery D. Burson of The Catholic Enlightenment: The Forgotten History of a Global Movement by Ulrich L. Lehner.

Graduate Catalog, Georgia Southern University

Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Georgia Southern University Fact Book, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Fact Books (1976-2022)

No abstract provided.

Internet Health Information Seeking And The Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review, Sharon Swee-Lin Tan, Nadee Goonawardene

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Background: With online health information becoming increasingly popular among patients, concerns have been raised about the impact of patients' Internet health information-seeking behavior on their relationship with physicians. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the influence of online health information on the patient-physician relationship. Objective: Our objective was to systematically review existing research on patients' Internet health information seeking and its influence on the patient-physician relationship. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed and key medical informatics, information systems, and communication science journals covering the period of 2000 to 2015. Empirical articles that were in English were included. We analyzed the content …