Digital Commons Network^™

Whispering Gallery Mode Micro Resonators For Multi-Parameter Applications, Arun Mallik, Gerald Farrell, Manjusha Ramakrishnan, Vishnu Kavungal, Dejun Liu, Qiang Wu Prof.

Articles

A novel fiber optic sensing configuration for simultaneously measuring ammonia vapor (NH3) concentration and relative humidity (RH) in air is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The system comprised two silica whispering gallery mode (WGM) microsphere resonators coated with different polymer layers. One of the microspheres was dip-coated with sol gel silica polymer and another with a 0.5 % wt./vol. agarose hydrogel. WGMs in both microspheres were excited simultaneously by evanescent coupling using a single adiabatic fiber taper. The optical properties of both coating layers change due to their exposure to ammonia and water molecules in the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in the …

Betty Bibbins '73-Susan Mabry Gaud '68, Betty Bibbins, Susan Mabry Gaud

Alumni Oral History Project

No abstract provided.

Direct Immunoassays And Their Performance: Theoretical Modelling Of The Effects Of Antibody Orientation And Associated Kinetics, Dana Mackey, Eilis Kelly, Robert Nooney, Richard O'Kennedy

Articles

The orientation and activity of antibodies immobilized on solid surfaces are of direct relevance to many immunosensing applications. We therefore investigate a mathematical model which estimates the fraction of antibodies which are available for reaction in a randomly adsorbed sample. Numerical simulations are presented which highlight the separate effects of antibody orientation, accessibility and loss of binding ability on the amount of captured antigen. The assay response can then be expressed as a function of total antibody density and used for optimizing the surface coverage strategy under various conditions.

Review: The Use Of Real-Time Fluorescence Instrumentation To Monitor Ambient Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (Pbap), Gavin Sewell, David O'Connor, Michael J. Fennelly, Michael B. Prentice, John R. Sodeau

Articles

Primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) encompass many particle types that are derived from several biological kingdoms. These aerosol particles can be composed of both whole living units such as pollen, bacteria, and fungi, as well as from mechanically formed particles, such as plant debris. They constitute a significant proportion of the overall atmospheric particle load and have been linked with adverse health issues and climatic effects on the environment. Traditional methods for their analysis have focused on the direct capture of PBAP before subsequent laboratory analysis. These analysis types have generally relied on direct optical microscopy or incubation on agar …

Effect Of Home Bleaching Agents On The Surface Corrosion Of Stainless Steel Orthodontic Brackets, Tzu-Hsin Lee, Chih-Yuan Wang, Po-Yu Yang

Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics

Introduction: This in vitro study evaluates the home bleaching treatment effect on the surface corrosion of stainless steel orthodontic brackets. Materials and Methods: Three types of brackets, 3M Unitek (U), Dentaurum (D) and Tomy (T), were immersed in either one of six bleaching treatments at 37 ℃ for 28 days. After immersion, the amounts of iron, chromium, and nickel ions released from the brackets were detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope were used to analyze the surface morphology and roughness, respectively. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc, α = 0.05, …

Topological Feature Extraction Of Nonlinear Signals And Trajectories And Its Application In Eeg Signals Classification, Saleh Lashkari, Ali Sheikhani, Mohammad Reza Hashemi Golpayegani, Ali Moghimi, Hamid Reza Kobravi

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This study introduces seven topological features that characterize attractor dynamic of nonlinear and chaotic trajectories in a phase space. These features quantify volume, occupied space, nonuniformity, and curvature of trajectory. The features are evaluated as initial point invariant measures by a practical approach, which means that a feature is only sensitive to dynamic changes. The Lorenz and Rossler system trajectories are employed in this evaluation. Moreover, the proposed features are used in a real world application, i.e. epileptic seizure electroencephalogram signal classification. As the result shows, these features are efficient in this task in comparison with others studies that used …

Prediction Of Gross Calorific Value Of Coal Based On Proximate Analysis Using Multiple Linear Regression And Artificial Neural Networks, Mustafa Açikkar, Osman Si̇vri̇kaya

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Gross calorific value (GCV) of coal was predicted by using as-received basis proximate analysis data. Two main objectives of the study were to develop prediction models for GCV using proximate analysis variables and to reveal the distinct predictors of GCV. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and artifcial neural network (ANN) (multilayer perceptron MLP, general regression neural network GRNN, and radial basis function neural network RBFNN) methods were applied to the developed 11 models created by different combinations of the predictor variables. By conducting 10-fold cross-validation, the prediction accuracy of the models has been tested by using $ R^2 $, $ RMSE …

Estimation Of The Depth Of Anesthesia By Using A Multioutput Least-Square Support Vector Regression, Mercedeh Jahanseir, Kamal Setarehdan, Sirous Momenzadeh

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Today, most surgeries are performed under general anesthesia where one of the most growing methods for anesthesia depth monitoring is using electroencephalogram (EEG). The bispectral index (BIS) is the most commonly used parameter for anesthesia depth monitoring using EEG, the validity of which is still to be studied before being accepted as a routine method by clinicians. This paper proposes a new technique for detecting the depth of anesthesia by means of EEG, which is based on multioutput least-squares support vector regression (MLS-SVR), which provides the probability that the patient is in the four different possible anesthesia states. In this …

A Novel Optimization Method For Solving Constrained And Unconstrained Problems: Modified Golden Sine Algorithm, Erkan Tanyildizi

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Recently, the metaheuristic optimization algorithms inspired by nature and different science branches have been powerful solution methods for unconstrained, constrained, and engineering problems. Various metaheuristic optimization algorithms have been proposed and they have been applied to problems in different fields. This paper proposes a novel optimization method based on a modified version of the Golden Sine Algorithm for solving unconstrained, constrained, and engineering problems. The basic idea behind the proposed modified Golden Sine Algorithm (GoldSA-II) depends on finding the optimum solution field in search space by using the decreasing pattern of the sine function and the golden ratio. The performance …

2018-2019 Lynn University Academic Catalog, Lynn University

Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Type I General Exponential Class Of Distributions, Gholamhossein G. Hamedani, Haitham M. Yousof, Mahdi Rasekhi, Morad Alizadeh, Seyed Morteza Najibi

Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

We introduce a new family of continuous distributions and study the mathematical properties of the new family. Some useful characterizations based on the ratio of two truncated moments and hazard function are also presented. We estimate the model parameters by the maximum likelihood method and assess its performance based on biases and mean squared errors in a simulation study framework.

Small Group Reading Instruction For English Language Learners In Grades 3-5, Emily Peters

All Graduate Projects

This project highlights best practices for small reading group instruction for third through fifth grade English language learners in the general education classroom. By completing a literature review, a journal article was developed to report the pros and cons of heterogeneous and homogeneous groupings for reading instruction. Data from the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) and the OSPI Report Card were used to discuss a need to raise student reading proficiency scores.

Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) Condition Declines Along An Elevational Gradient, Olivia De Araujo, Jesse Hughes, Josh Twiddy, Liam Cusack, Cass Rupert, Timothy R. Brophy, Paul W. Sattler, Norman Reichenbach

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Protecting Wetland Animals Through Human Self-Interest, Adam Balasiano

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Wills & Trusts, Gerry Beyer

SMU Annual Texas Survey

No abstract provided.

Characterizing The Roles Of Staphylococcus Aureus Secreted Factors In Virulence And Modulation Of Innate Immune Cell Activity, Cameron Harvey

Master's Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent human pathogen that is responsible for a massive burden on healthcare. This thesis takes two approaches to characterize how S. aureus secreted factors subvert the innate immune response. First, characterization of the integral membrane protease 1984 showed that it regulates secretion of a putative lytic transglycosylase, IsaA, which is implicated in virulence. My results suggest IsaA and 1984 are capable of modulating immune responses that result in enhanced heart colonization in vivo. In addition, recent studies have uncovered TLR-independent pathways that induce inflammatory responses after S. aureus insult. Therefore, I hypothesized the bacterium secretes factors …

Effects Of Water Level Increase On Phytoplankton Assemblages In A Drinking Water Reservoir, Yangdong Pan, Shijun Guo, Yuying Li, Wei Yin, Pengcheng Qi, Jainwei Shi, Lanqun Hu, Bing Li, Shengge Bi, Jingya Zhu

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Excessive water level fluctuation may affect physico-chemical characteristics, and consequently ecosystem function, in lakes and reservoirs. In this study, we assessed the changes of phytoplankton assemblages in response to water level increase in Danjiangkou Reservoir, one of the largest drinking water reservoirs in Asia. The water level increased from a low of 137 m to 161 m in 2014 as a part of the South–North Water Diversion Project. Phytoplankton assemblages were sampled four times per year before, during and after the water level increase, at 10 sites. Environmental variables such as total nitrogen as well as phytoplankton biomass decreased after …

Chronic Circadian Misalignment Leads To Reduced Longevity And Largescale Changes In Gene Expression In Drosophila Melanogaster, Alex Christ Boomgarden

Master's Theses

As a result of earth's orientation toward the sun producing day and night, organisms have evolved an endogenous circadian timing system that is responsible for the 24-hour oscillation of most physiological and behavioral processes. This timing system is constantly synchronized to the external environment to adapt to and anticipate changes in light, temperature, food, and mate availability. In modern society, social and work constraints cause people to live schedules that are out of sync with their internal circadian clocks, producing a chronic circadian misalignment (CCM). While epidemiological studies in humans point to potentially damaging metabolic and cognitive consequences of CCM, …

Poe 3 Data Analysis Assignment, Suann Yang

Principles of Ecology

No abstract provided.

So Ordered The Techniques Of Great Judicial Stylists, Jill Barton

Articles

Judges are writers first. And many write exceptionally well, lacing their prose with artful passages, vivid descriptions, stinging rebukes, and clever turns of phrase. What's even more remarkable is that they do all this while crafting the law.

The goal of great legal writing has always been plain language. James Madison called for concise, straightforward language when defending the U.S. Constitution, writing that it "will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot …

The Effects Of Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans On Health Care Utilizations, Expenditures And Medication Adherence Among Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries, Jing Yuan

Theses and Dissertations

Since the implementation of Medicare Part D in 2006, a growing body of evidence has shown that Medicare Part D might offset the total healthcare spending by improving the use of prescription drugs. However, little is known about the impact of different types of Part D plans – Stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan (MA-PDs) – on health care utilizations and expenditures. This dissertation examined the association between the effect in PDPs on health care utilizations as well as expenditures, and medication adherence among elderly Medicare beneficiaries, compared to MA-PDs. Data was pooled from 2006-2010 …

Regulation Of Pituitary Progenitor Differentiation By Β-Catenin, Julie Leann Youngblood

Theses and Dissertations

The pituitary gland is a critical organ that is necessary for many physiological processes, including growth, reproduction, and stress response. These vital processes are regulated through the secretion of pituitary hormones from specialized cell types. Pituitary hormone-producing cells arise from a common pool of pituitary progenitors in the developing Rathke’s pouch, and mutations that disrupt the formation and differentiation of pituitary progenitors often result in hypopituitarism, pituitary adenomas, or craniopharyngiomas. Thus, it is necessary to determine the mechanisms of pituitary development in order to understand the ways in which these congenital defects and tumors develop and disrupt pituitary function. Canonical …

Spite: Legal And Social Implications, Jeffrey L. Harrison

UF Law Faculty Publications

Spite is not a simple concept. The same actions may be motivated by a desire to harm others as a source of the actor’s satisfaction. They may also be a reaction to a personal sense of injustice. Finally, spite-like actions are consistent with simply righting a wrong. This Article makes the case that spite, in its worst from, is comparable to theft. It is a taking of someone’s sense of well-being without consent. It also claims that the purchase of positional goods is ultimately spite driven. It canvasses tort law, contracts, tax law, trademark, and criminal law in an effort …

Evaluating Nubian Population Structure From Cranial Nonmetric Traits: Gene Flow, Genetic Drift, And Population History Of The Nubian Nile Valle, Kanya Godde, Richard L. Jantz

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

Paleolithic archaeological and skeletal remains from the Nile Valley have yielded a complex picture of life along the river. Sociocultural and sociopolitical events during this timeframe shaped population structure, while gene flow and genetic drift further developed it. In this paper, we take a population genetics approach to modeling Nubian biological relationships in an effort to describe how an accumulation of events formed Nubian population structure. A variety of Nubian samples were utilized, spanning the Mesolithic-Christian time periods, and geographically, from just above the first through the third cataracts. Population genetics statistics were employed to estimate and depict biological affinities …

Disease Incidence Of Charcoal Rot (Macrophomina Phaseolina) On Soybean In North-Western Argentina And Genetic Characteristics Of The Pathogen, Sebastian Reznikov, Gabriel Ricardo Vellicce, Alemu Mengistu, Renee Silvia Arias, Victoria Gonzalez, Vicente De Lisi, Garcia Maria Gabriela, Rocha Carla Maria Lourdes, Esteban Mariano Pardo, Atilio Pedro Castagnaro, Leonardo Daniel Ploper

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Charcoal rot of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid., is an economically important disease worldwide. In recent years, charcoal rot has become a concern for farmers in north-western Argentina. The present work aimed to (1) evaluate disease incidence of charcoal rot; (2) assess morphological and genetic characteristics of M. phaseolina isolates from soybean and other hosts collected in north-western Argentina; and (3) compare genetic diversity between soybean isolates of M. phaseolina from Argentina and the USA. Incidence of charcoal rot evaluated in 11 locations during five growing seasons (2008–2012) was 1%, 1%, 1%, 5–10% …

New Tools To Screen Wild Peanut Species For Aflatoxin Accumulation And Genetic Fingerprinting, Renee S. Arias, Victor S. Sobolev, Alicia N. Massa, Valerie A. Omer, Travis E. Walk, Linda L. Ballard, Sheron A. Simpson, Naveen Puppala, Brian E. Scheffler, Francisco De Blas, Guillermo J. Seijo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: Aflatoxin contamination in peanut seeds is still a serious problem for the industry and human health. No stable aflatoxin resistant cultivars have yet been produced, and given the narrow genetic background of cultivated peanuts, wild species became an important source of genetic diversity. Wild peanut seeds, however, are not abundant, thus, an effective method of screening for aflatoxin accumulation using minimal seeds is highly desirable. In addition, keeping record of genetic fingerprinting of each accession would be very useful for breeding programs and for the identification of accessions within germplasm collections.

Results: In this study, we report a method …

Bioconversion Of Pelletized Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, And Low-Diversity Grass Mixtures Into Sugars And Bioethanol, Bruce S. Dien, Robert B. Mitchell, Michael J. Bowman, Virginia L. Jin, Joshua Quarterman, Marty R. Schmer, Vijay Singh, Patricia J. Slininger

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Three crops of warm-season grasses are being developed for biomass production on northern rain-fed marginal farmland: big bluestem (BBS), switchgrass (SG), and a low diversity mixture of grasses (LDM). In this study, biomass harvested from established fields were compared for pelletization and subsequent conversion to sugars and ethanol. Each biomass was successfully pelletized to similar bulk densities without adding a binder at a commercial feed operation. Pelletizing increased the bulk density by 407% on average and was equally effective on all three biomass samples (528–554 kg/m³). Chemical analysis of the samples indicated that glucan and xylan contents were …

Genome‑Wide Association Of Changes In Swine Feeding Behaviour Due To Heat Stress, Amanda J. Cross, Brittney N. Keel, Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Joseph P. Cassidy, Gary A. Rohrer

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: Heat stress has a negative impact on pork production, particularly during the grow-finish phase. As temperature increases, feeding behaviour changes in order for pigs to decrease heat production. The objective of this study was to identify genetic markers associated with changes in feeding behaviour due to heat stress. Feeding data were collected on 1154 grow-finish pigs using an electronic feeding system from July 2011 to March 2016. In this study, days were classified based on the maximum temperature humidity index (THI) during the day as “Normal” (< 23.33 °C), “Alert” (23.33 °C ≤ × < 26.11 °C), “Danger” (26.11 °C ≤ × < 28.88 °C), and “Emergency” (≥ 28.88 °C). Six hundred and eighty-one pigs that experienced more than one THI category were genotyped using a variety of SNP platforms, with final genotypes imputed to approximately 60,000 markers.

Results: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for change in feeding behaviour between …

Understanding Heat Stress In Beef Cattle, Tami M. Brown-Brandl

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Thermal stress is the result of a misbalance between heat produced or gained from the environment and the amount of heat lost to the environment. The level of thermal stress can range from minor or no effect to death of vulnerable animals. Under summertime conditions, thermal stress results in hyperthermia or heat stress. Heat stress in feedlot cattle is a common summertime occurrence in cattle-producing parts of the world (USA, Australia, Brazil, etc.). Effects on animals experiencing heat stress include decreases in feed intake, animal growth, and production efficiency. During these extreme events, animal losses can exceed 5% of all …

Detection Of Exogenous Double-Stranded Rna Movement In In Vitro Peanut Plants, P. C. Faustinelli, I. L. Power, R. S. Arias

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

• New technologies are needed to eliminate mycotoxins and/or fungal pathogens from agricultural products. RNA interference (RNAi) has shown potential to control fungi associated with crops. In RNAi, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targets homologous mRNA for cleavage, and can reach the mRNA of pathogens in contact with the plant. The key element in this process is the movement of RNA signals cell-to-cell and over long distances within the plant, and between host plants and parasites.

• In this study, we selected a regulatory gene in the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway, aflS/aflR, necessary for the production of aflatoxins in Aspergillus spp. We …