Digital Commons Network^™

Renouncing The Universal Museum’S Imperial Past: A Call To Return The Rosetta Stone Through Collaborative Museology, Anna Volante

Master's Projects and Capstones

In colonial times, Western empires used orientalism to justify and perpetuate colonialism and imperialism over countries that they believed inferior to their own. These imperial powers plundered cultural heritage artifacts from the nations they oppressed and took these objects back to their national museums to be displayed as trophies of subjugation. The ownership of cultural heritage remains a point of contention throughout the field of museum studies. Despite cries for repatriation, these artifacts continue to be housed in universal museums today. One of the most well-known cases is that of the Rosetta Stone, stripped from the city of Rashid, Egypt …

The Impact Of The Dual-Enrollment Modality On Subsequent Collegiate Performance, Daniel Archer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dual-enrollment College Algebra is offered in three modalities: at the college, at the high school, and online. The purpose of this study was to examine if the dual-enrollment College Algebra modality impacts early collegiate performance. A program evaluation was conducted using a causal-comparative design to explore potential cause-and-effect relationships between the dual-enrollment College Algebra modalities and five outcomes. The population included Oklahoma State System of Higher Education students who completed dual-enrollment College Algebra and subsequently earned freshman College Algebra postrequisite math grades, freshman College Algebra postrequisite science grades, or college credit in the fall semester after high school graduation. One-way …

The Effect Of Wall Cooling And Heating On Görtler Vortices In High-Speed Boundary Layers, Safae El Amrani

Theses and Dissertations

The development of the so-called Görtler vortices in boundary layer flows over a concave surface leads to strong velocity gradients in both wall-normal and spanwise directions. This determines the flow structures to become more prone to secondary instabilities, which prompt to an early transition from laminar to turbulent flow, ultimately increasing the frictional drag. It is possible to circumvent these secondary instabilities by means of passive or active flow control strategies, with sensors and actuators implemented at the wall. In this thesis, the effect of wall cooling and heating on Görtler vortices developing in supersonic and hypersonic boundary layers is …

Accessing Mental Health Services As An Undocumented Individual: Policy Recommendations For The State Of California, Lorena Mosqueda

Master's Projects and Capstones

Undocumented individuals are subject to stressors that may exacerbate existing mental health problems or proliferate new mental health illnesses. Due to unjust historical and current institutional and systemic policies the undocumented population accesses mental health services at a rate far below the general population. As a result, this vulnerable community is left with untreated mental health conditions and is further entrenched in a cycle of inequity. In an effort to address this alarming reality we based a review of relevant literature to identify recommendations to increase access to mental health services among the United States undocumented population. Additionally, a simulation …

An Analysis Of Dynamic Price Discrimination In Airlines, Diego Escobari, Nicholas G. Rupp, Joseph Meskey

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

Prices for the same flight change substantially depending on the time of purchase. This article uses a unique data set with round‐the‐clock posted fares to document significant within‐day price variation. Labeling time‐variation as discriminatory is difficult because the cost of an unsold airline seat changes with inventory, days before departure, and aggregate demand expectations. After controlling for these factors and aggregating hourly fares to have a framework with two consumer types, we are able to identify a component that is largely consistent with dynamic price discrimination. We find higher prices during office hours (when business travelers are likely to buy) …

A Discourse Analysis Of Diversity And Inclusion Terminology In The High-Tech Industry, Michelle Nader

Master's Theses

The field of Diversity and Inclusion is a growing interest within the High-Tech industry, particularly within the San Francisco Bay Area of California. To combat misconceptions of Diversity and Inclusion, this thesis aims to define and analyze the language used at 20 companies in the High-Tech sector. The trends, nuances, and practices of how companies use language in their programming and data dictates the direction of the company. This thesis investigates the underlying complexities of where Diversity and Inclusion is within the industry today and goals for the future. Findings from this research suggest that companies can strengthen their Diversity …

The Investigation Of The Chlorine Initiated Oxidation Of 2-Phenylethanol And Stability Of Superalkali Lithium Substituted Silyls., Adam Otten

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the combustion potential of 2-phenylethanol and the superalkali properties of small lithium substituted silicon compounds. All combustion experiments were performed at the Advanced Light Source of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline 9.0.2. The chlorine initiated oxidation of 2PE was investigated at 298 and 550 K using a multiplex photoionization mass spectrometer, coupled with the tunable vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Reaction products were identified using kinetic time traces and photoionization spectra.

Additionally, the stability of small superalkali silicon-lithium compounds has also been investigated. All structures and energetics were calculated using the CBS-QB3 composite method.

The …

It Could Never Last: Why British Sovereignty And Its Influence Since 1945 Resulted In Brexit, Jeffrey Brandt

Master's Theses

The EU Referendum of June 2016 marked a watershed moment for the United Kingdom, as it sought to once again reassert its sovereignty and retake its place in the world as an independent state, free from European Union infringement. The British are usually seen as the cussid ones in Europe, stubbornly holding on to their principles and traditions of sovereignty. But why is that? Carefully tracing UK history, particularly from the end of the Second World War to the present day, it becomes understandable why the result of the 2016 referendum should not be quite a surprise. Studying events in …

Quantifying Pre-Industrial To Mid-Late 20th Century Anthropogenic Lead, Mercury And Cadmium Pollution In Caribbean Marine Environments Using Skeletonized Sea Turtle Remains, Felicia L. Pena

Theses and Dissertations

Various lines of evidence indicate that levels of anthropogenic pollutants, such as lead, mercury and cadmium, have increased in terrestrial and atmospheric environments since the early 19th century and the advent of industrialization. While the exposure to these three trace elements is a global concern, this study focused primarily on marine environments located throughout the Caribbean. Using ICP-MS, this study aimed to detect and quantify anthropogenic pollutants, specifically lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd), using skeletonized remains of sea turtles as biological proxies for environmental quality. Archaeologically derived (n=5) and mid-late 20th century (n=6) Hawksbill and Green turtles were …

Perception And Training Needs Of Mississippi State University Extension Agents And The Level Of Demand They Receive For Information In Organic Agriculture, Thamir Niamah Al-Janabi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine perception and training needs of Mississippi State University Extension agents in organic agriculture. The study followed the Borich Needs Assessment Model. Data were collected via Qualtrics. The population of the study was 154 Mississippi State University Extension agents with 77 Extension agents responding to the questionnaire. Most agents were 40 to 49 years old with an almost equal percentage being male and female. The majority of agents (75.3%) had master’s degree. More than one third of the agents indicated the level of demand towards raising livestock organically had stayed the same. Also, …

Polyploidy Hybrids From Wide Crosses Between Hordeum Vulgare And H. Bulbosum For Improving Salinity Tolerance Using Embryo Rescue, Abdullah Hassn Mohammed

Theses and Dissertations

Salinity is a critical challenge facing productivity of crops around the world, causing major reduction in growth, yield, and quality. It is necessary to produce varieties with the ability to tolerate salinity. However, the lack of genetic variation among H. vulgare genotypes prevents progress in developing salt tolerant varieties. H. bulbosum is a source of tolerance to stress conditions. Consequently, five accessions of domestic barley and six of wild barley were used in this study. Accessions were screened for salinity tolerance. Genotypes 7, 9, and 10 germinated at 2% NaCl. Lines of H. vulgare showed reduction of root and shoot …

An Experimental Method For Testing Materials At The Intermediate Strain Rate With Closed Loop Control, Cory N. Krivanec

Theses and Dissertations

Quasi static and intermediate strain rate (5 s-1 and 500 s-1) tests are conducted on various aluminum and steel ASTM E8 subsize tensile specimens to validate a newly developed testing method which combines a previously developed serpentine bar for load monitoring and a newly described high-speed actuator. This new actuator is controlled by a semi-passive piezoelectrically actuated brake system mounted to a standard actuator, which allows for the actuator to produce high loads and quick response times (≈100 µs). Limitations of this experimental method are that tests must be monotonic (tension or compression but not cyclic loading) and strain rate …

Subsurface Framework And Fault Timing In The Missourian Granite Wash Interval, Stiles Ranch And Mills Ranch Fields, Wheeler County, Texas, Brendan Michael Lomago

Theses and Dissertations

The recent and rapid growth of horizontal drilling in the Anadarko basin necessitates newer studies to characterize reservoir and source rock quality in the region. Most oil production in the basin comes from the Granite Wash reservoirs, which are composed of stacked tight sandstones and conglomerates that range from Virgillian (305-299 Ma) to Atokan (311-309.4 Ma) in age. By utilizing geophysical well logging data available in raster format, the Granite Wash reservoirs and their respective marine flooding surfaces were stratigraphically mapped across the regional fault systems. Additionally, well log trends were calibrated with coincident core data to minimize uncertainty regarding …

Tailoring Math Curricula For Community Colleges: A Process Approach, Ira Lindsay Mcfarland Kinard

Theses and Dissertations

Community college instructors continue to search for effective instructional methods that promote student success in developmental mathematics courses such as intermediate algebra. According to research, mathematics is a major obstacle for students succeeding, persisting, and completing community college programs. Each student enrolled in intermediate algebra has an ACT sub-score of 16 to 18 or an ACCUPLACER sub-score of 57 to 75. Most community colleges in Mississippi use placement testing to determine the strengths and needs of students. However, students approach math with high anxiety, more than any other areas, which interferes with their learning. Research indicates that to improve students’ …

Experimental And Numerical Studies Of Lightning Strike Induced Damage To Carbon Fiber Epoxy Composites, Pedram Gharghabi

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to investigate the interaction between a lightning strike and carbon/fiber composites. The first approach is to characterize the damage development in a composite structure subjected to simulated lightning strikes. Several existing studies have acknowledged that the lightning induced damaged can be categorized into two separate domains of damage; a primary domain of damage that occurs at the attachment point, and a secondary domain of damage that is typically formed around the attachment point. Quantitative studies of the causes of the primary damage domain are not satisfactory for explaining the secondary damage domain and thus, …

Facial Expression Recognition By De-Expression Residue Learning, Huiyuan Yang, Umur Ciftci, Lijun Yin

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

A facial expression is a combination of an expressive component and a neutral component of a person. In this paper, we propose to recognize facial expressions by extracting information of the expressive component through a de-expression learning procedure, called De-expression Residue Learning (DeRL). First, a generative model is trained by cGAN. This model generates the corresponding neutral face image for any input face image. We call this procedure de-expression because the expressive information is filtered out by the generative model; however, the expressive information is still recorded in the intermediate layers. Given the neutral face image, unlike previous works using …

A Multiscale Study Of A Nickel Penetrator Striking A Copper Plate Under Very High Strain Rates, Yangqing Dou

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation centers on gaining a better understanding of the structure - property - performance relations of nickel and copper through the advanced multiscale theoretical framework and integrated computational methods. The goal of this dissertation also includes to combine material science and computational mechanics to acquire a transformative understanding of how the different crystal orientations, size scales, and penetration velocities affect plastic deformation and damage behavior of metallic materials during high strain rate (> 103s-1) processes. A multiscale computational framework for understanding plasticity and shearing mechanisms of metallic materials during the high rate process was developed, which …

Ab-Initio And Molecular Dynamics Simulations Capturing The Thermodynamic, Kinetics, And Thermomechanical Behavior Of Galvanized Low-Alloy Steel, Imran Aslam

Theses and Dissertations

A seven-element Modified Embedded Atom Method (MEAM) potential comprising Fe, Mn, Si, C, Al, Zn, and O is developed by employing a hierarchical multiscale modeling paradigm to simulate low-alloy steels, inhibition layer, and galvanized coatings. Experimental information alongside first-principles calculations based on Density Functional Theory served as calibration data to upscale and develop the MEAM potential. For calibrating the single element potentials, the cohesive energy, lattice parameters, elastic constants, and vacancy and interstitial formation energies are used as target data. The heat of formation and elastic constants of binary compounds along with substitutional and interstitial formation energies serve as binary …

An Assessment Of State Equations Of Air For Modeling A Blast Load Simulator, Gustavo Emmanuelli

Theses and Dissertations

When an explosive detonates above ground, air is principally the only material involved in the transmission of shock waves that can result in damage. Hydrodynamic codes that simulate these explosions use equations of state (EOSs) for modeling the behavior of air at these high-pressure, high-velocity conditions. An investigation is made into the effect that the EOS selection for air has on the calculated overpressure-time waveforms of a blast event. Specifically, the ideal gas, Doan-Nickel, and SESAME EOSs in the SHAMRC code were used to reproduce experiments conducted at the Blast Load Simulator (BLS), a large-scale shock tube operated by the …

Automatic Conversion Of The Mathworks' Stateflow Models To C++, Melissa Katherine Hannis

Theses and Dissertations

Finite state machines are often used for modeling the decision logic for simulated systems. MathWorks’ Stateflow has a graphical user interface that allow users to model finite state machines. A Stateflow model can be added as a block to a Matlab/Simulink model and be executed seamlessly together. Stateflow blocks are developed as “charts” but they are natively stored as XML documents. This research explores the possibility of extracting the behavior of the finite state machines as defined in a Stateflow chart. This is done by parsing the corresponding XML document and reproducing this behavior in a C++ implementation that can …

Using Agricultural Wastes And Additives To Improve Properties And Lower Manufacturing Costs Associated With Biomass Energy Pellets, Cody Blake

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this dissertation’s studies were to determine the effects of different additives on biomass wood pellets’ physical properties and the production energy required to produce each treatment. Chapter II was completed using a pneumatic pelletizer as a small scale test to determine effects of different additives. The pneumatic pelletizer was a good indicator of which additives can be successfully pelletized. The results of this chapter show that using bio-oil can significantly increase calorific value, without significantly decreasing durability and significantly increasing production energy required. Corn starch, in a 4% treatment, was shown to not hinder durability or calorific …

Temperature Prediction Of Bioinspired Leaves-On-Branchlet Carbon Nanostructure Based Electric Double Layer Capacitors Under Constant Current, Karnpiwat Tantratian

Theses and Dissertations

The spatiotemporal evolution of temperature of leaves-on-branchlet carbon based electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) under imposed constant current was studied using a continuum thermal model. The hot spot aggregated at the tips of graphene petals (GPs), particularly at the high concave surface, at the beginning of the charging step. As the charging proceeded, the overall temperature rose continuously, and the temperature distribution was likely uniform throughout the graphene petals due to an increasingly uniform distribution of ions on GPs surfaces. To elucidate the effects of electrode geometry on the change of temperature, several simple two-dimensional structures were also simulated in …

Effect Of Multiple Knots In Close Proximity On Southern Pine Lumber Properties, Marcela Cordeiro Barbosa

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the effect that knots in close proximity have on strength properties of southern pine lumber. The project involved specimens of 2×4 dimension southern yellow pine lumber exhibiting multiple knots in close proximity. Knot dimensions were measured to determine the knot diameter (KD) parallel to the cross-section of the specimen, knot area (KA), and clear wood (CW). In addition, the density (D) using the entire specimen weight by volume was determined. A third-point bending test was used in a flatwise orientation to quantify the modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE). The relationships between the simple …

Characterization Of Mutations In The Receptor Binding Site Of Influenza A Viruses Determining Virus Host, Tissue, And Cell Tropisms Using Systems Biology Approaches, Feng Wen

Theses and Dissertations

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause occasional pandemics and seasonal epidemics, thus presenting continuous challenges to public health. Vaccination is the primary strategy for the prevention and control of influenza outbreaks. The antigenicity matched high-yield seed strain is critical for the success of influenza vaccine. Currently, there are several limitations for the influenza vaccine manufacture: 1) the conventional methods for generating such strains are time consuming; 2) egg-based vaccines, the predominant production platform, have several disadvantages including the emergence of viral antigenic variants that can be induced during egg passage; 3) vaccine seed viruses often do not grow efficiently in mammalian …

Creating New Germplasm To Improve Aflatoxin Resistance In Maize, Oluwaseun Felix Ogunola

Theses and Dissertations

Maize (Zea mays L), the third largest crop produced in the world is susceptible to pre and post contamination of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a secondary carcinogenic metabolite produced by Aspergillus flavus, an opportunistic fungus of maize that causes ear-rot and subsequent production of aflatoxin. Host plant resistance is one of the promising long term solution to combat aflatoxin contamination in maize grains. Resistance to aflatoxin is heritable and resistant germplasms that can be used to reduce aflatoxin resistance has been developed. Creating quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping populations to identify regions within maize chromosomes contributing to aflatoxin resistance help identify …

Design Optimization Of A Magnesium Subframe, Michelle Price

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes the design methodology of a cast magnesium subframe of a Subaru BRZ using finite element analysis in which the design objective was light-weighting. A simulation based design using Solidworks and ABAQUS was experimentally validated. The final design was developed by optimizing weight and the geometry through multiple iterations of finite element analysis. The fundamentals of this computational design process were to create a way to develop a working physical prototype. Once the design was completed, it was sand cast using an AZ91 magnesium alloy. Experimental validation was performed to confirm the computational results. Through this simulation based …

Detailed Beta-Decay Studies Of Neutron-Rich 74-77ga Isotopes, Umesh Silwal

Theses and Dissertations

The National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) contains a compilation of information on the beta decays of Gallium isotopes. In the mass range A = 74 to 77, the Germanium daughters lie close to or at the valley of stability leading us to believe the decays would have been well studied. However, closer inspection indicates significant conflict for placement of gamma rays and energy levels between different measurements, especially for upper-lying states. Detailed beta-decay studies for the 74-77Ga isotopes were performed using a high resolution four clover Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector system with two beta scintillators in the Holifield Radioactive Ion …

Establishing And Evaluating Agricultural Plantings And Supplemental Cover On Reservoir Mudflats As A Means To Increase Juvenile Game Fish Abundance And Growth, Hunter R. Hatcher

Theses and Dissertations

Reservoirs throughout the country exhibit degraded shorelines and simplified littoral habitats because of aging. This study evaluated the establishment of agricultural plantings on reservoir mudflats and the effectiveness of supplemental brush pile structures in providing recruitment habitat for juvenile fish. The mudflats of Enid Reservoir, Mississippi were seeded during the winter drawdown in October of 2016 and 2017 with agricultural plantings. Monitoring of plantings found grasses performed best in terms of establishment and providing potential fish habitat. During Summer 2017 brush piles and control sites, without brush, were sampled in Enid Reservoir using rotenone to evaluate juvenile fish use. Juvenile …

Development Of A Nanofluid Simulation Platform, Jabrane Nachit

Theses and Dissertations

Nanoluids are colloidal solutions made up of particles of the nanometric scale suspended in a fluid. This type of solution has widespread great interest since the discovery of their particular properties. The Poisson-Nernst Planck system of equations (PNP) is one of the known models for the description of ion transport. This thesis aims to develop a method to solve the PNP equations in space and time for these nanoluids. Additionally, a simulation platform (C++) is developed using an iterative scheme to solve the nonlinear equations resulting from the discretization of the system. After an overview of the literature on the …

Distributed Predictive Control For Mvdc Shipboard Power System Management, Nasibeh Zohrabi

Theses and Dissertations

Shipboard Power System (SPS) is known as an independent controlled small electric network powered by the distributed onboard generation system. Since many electric components are tightly coupled in a small space and the system is not supported with a relatively stronger grid, SPS is more susceptible to unexpected disturbances and physical damages compared to conventional terrestrial power systems. Among different distribution configurations, power-electronic based DC distribution is considered the trending technology for the next-generation U.S. Navy fleet design to replace the conventional AC-based distribution. This research presents appropriate control management frameworks to improve the Medium-Voltage DC (MVDC) shipboard power system …