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The Workability Of Dominican University Of California (Duoc) Transitioning To A Community Choice Aggregation (Cca) Program Energy Supply, Alexandra Fuentes

Master's Theses

For almost 10 years Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), or community based energy programs, have been developing and or providing clean energy resources to both commercial and residential customers in various regions around the United States. Although there are several programs in communities in the surrounding regions of California, this study focuses on a specific California program known as MCE. This research examines the feasibility of Dominican University of California (DUoC) transitioning from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to becoming a client of MCE in the future. Out of the 19 community energy programs currently available in the state, MCE is …

The United States Eroding Global Military Advantage; Is There A Way Back?, Fatima Munib

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the U.S. eroding global military advantage in light of the current changing security environment. First, I examine the process and type of erosion taking place. I expand the existing debate and show that the erosion is not defined in monetary terms but in terms of the declining U.S influence within the established rule-based international order. Secondly, I use China and Russia as case-studies to define the present geopolitical rivalries and the (re)emergence of revisionist powers. Both China and Russia aim to shape the emerging international order and threaten the U.S. national security with the increased inter-state competition. …

Opinions And Perceptions Of Residents In New York City Public Housing. Map Evaluation Update Number 4., Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Gina Moreno

Publications and Research

This is the fourth of six updates presenting interim findings from the evaluation of the NYC Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). As part of an evaluation of the New York City Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP), researchers from John Jay College of Criminal Justice collaborated with survey specialists from NORC at the University of Chicago to collect data from two probability samples of residents in public housing developments in New York City. This first iteration of collecting survey responses will be compared to the next wave of response to get an understanding of the effectiveness of …

The Impact Of A Freshman Orientation Program On Academic Achievement For Students Enrolled In A Community College, James Gray

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the effectiveness of a freshman orientation program on second-semester retention, second-year retention, and cumulative GPA for students enrolled in a community college in the Deep South. The problem addressed in this study is a lack of sufficient academic and social support for college students, limiting their ability to remain in school and with high levels of academic performance (Nora & Crisp, 2007). For this study, the following research questions were analyzed: (1) Are there differences in 1st to 2nd semester retention for program completers with a 17-18 ACT as compared to …

The Impact Of Utilizing Peer Mentoring Interactions, New Laboratory Experiments, And Writing-To-Learn Practices In Undergraduate Chemistry Education, Dulani Samarasekara

Theses and Dissertations

High attrition rates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are major challenges in undergraduate education. Many students enrolled in STEM fields end up switching their majors to non-STEM fields or leave college without earning any academic qualification. Due to these reasons, the United States is facing a critical shortage of future talented STEM personnel in the domestic workforce. Therefore, graduating a sufficient number of talented students in STEM fields has come to national attention. It is important to examine strategies for improving STEM-major retention and undergraduate education in STEM disciplines. The main purpose of this study was to …

The Morphology, Pigmentation, And Development Of Structural Coloration In Vanessa Cardui (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Emily A. Shelby

Theses and Dissertations

Butterfly wing color patterns are produced by the placement of monochromatic scales that have specific colors due to pigmentation, nanostructures, or a combination of both. Structural coloration results from the interference of light from the architecture of the nanostructures. Structural coloration in butterfly scales has been studied optically, but little is known about the mechanisms used to create these scales compared to scales without structural coloration. Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine underlying morphological, pigmentation, and developmental differences between blue (i.e., structural) and black (i.e., nonstructural) wing scales of Vanessa cardui. Differences in scale size, pigmentation, …

Rice (Oryza Sativa) Response To Sub-Lethal Concentrations Of Crop Desiccants, Justin M. Mccoy

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center from 2016 to 2018 to determine the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat, glyphosate, saflufenacil, and sodium chlorate exposure to rice at late-season growth stages, determine the effects of exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of glyphosate or paraquat on multiple rice cultivars, and characterize the effects of paraquat exposure and Oebalus pugnax feeding on rice grain quality. In the current research, rough rice grain yields were reduced by exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of soybean desiccants 0 to 28 DAH. Rice injury was determined to not be an accurate …

Service And Empathy: A Comparison Study Of Intercultural Experiences Among Students At Mississippi College, Victoria Rose Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Service to the community is a key element in mission statements of public and private universities. In the 21st century, higher education shifted by establishing community engagement offices and encouraging student community service through service-learning. Previous literature indicated that experiential learning increased ethnocultural empathy and volunteerism among college students. This study compares two experiential learning programs’ influence on the ethnocultural empathy development among college students at Mississippi College, a private, religious-affiliated university to explore how this empathy increases community service. 38 students were asked to complete the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (Wang et al. 2003) and were interviewed about their …

Development And Evaluation Of An Automated System To Deliver A Live-Attenuated Edwardsiella Ictaluri Vaccine In Commercial Catfish Production Systems, John Wesley Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish aquaculture is the largest cultured food fish industry in the United States, accounting for approximately $375 million in sales annually, with Mississippi leading the industry with 36,200 surface acres of production. However, infectious diseases such as enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) are decreasing production efficiencies, creating losses of $40-60 million annually. Live-attenuated oral ESC vaccines are effective in preventing ESC infections, but have not been widely adopted by the catfish industry due to the lack of a system to administer the oral vaccine at the scale seen in commercial catfish production systems. An automated system was developed to administer …

Use Of Formative Research To Inform Family-Based Approaches To Prevent Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Mississippians, Mary Nelson Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic, which is leading to approximately 130 deaths each day. While research on family-based approaches for substance misuse prevention, such as alcohol and tobacco prevention, has been conducted, few if any studies have focused on prescription opioid misuse prevention. Previous literature suggests that a comprehensive family-based approach can be effective in preventing substance misuse at the family-level. Considering the multiple age groups the sandwich generation cares for, the sandwich generation may have greater access to reaching multiple age groups to prevent prescription opioid misuse. Therefore, the purpose of this study …

Supporting Student Success In Chemistry Using Peer Mentoring, Laboratory Experiments, And Eye-Tracking Analysis, Viveka Lakruwani Perera

Theses and Dissertations

Active participation in the learning process enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We implemented peerocused, active learning, recitation sessions with the large-enrollment sections for General Chemistry I courses at Mississippi State University (MSState) over a period of four semesters beginning in Spring 2016. The peerocused recitation program was a success improving student final (standardized ACS) exam scores, pass/fail rates for the course, and continuation on to General Chemistry II (CH 1223) courses. Peerocused collaborative learning and students possessing ownership over their learning significantly enhanced academic outcomes of our program. Worked-example effect is the best known and apparently the most …

In Ovo Injection Of Probiotic Combinations And Their Impact On Broiler Chick Performance, Immune Response, And Gastrointestinal Development, Chrysta Beck

Theses and Dissertations

As the international poultry industry searches for antibiotic alternatives, dietary probiotic supplementation has exhibited the ability to decrease FCR, increase live weight gain, and regulate inflammatory responses within the gut of broiler chickens. The in ovo (or in egg) supplementation of probiotics has the potential for promoting early colonization of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and providing enhanced protection against pathogens in the hatchery and grow-out facilities. In the present studies, the in ovo injection of either L. animalis + E. faecium combination or L. animalis + B. licheniformis combination on d 18 of incubation does not negatively affect …

Maintaining Agronomics, Economics, And Furrow-Irrigation Efficiency In Mid-Southern Usa Soybean Conservation Production Systems, Corey Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

Mid-southern USA soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers are being pushed to increase adoption of conservation tillage systems as a means of increasing the application efficiency of gravity flow irrigation systems. This research was conducted to determine whether the efficiency of furrow-irrigation systems could be manipulated through conservation tillage systems while maintaining soybean productivity and profitability. Three experiments were conducted near Stoneville, MS on a Dubbs silt loam (Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Typic Hapludalfs) to determine the effects of reducing tillage and increasing ground cover residues on irrigation application efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, soybean grain yield, and net returns …

Fraze Mowing For Overseeding Establishment And Removal Of Perennial Ryegrass, Matthew Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

Fraze mowing offers a new tool used in both overseeding establishment and removal of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Research objectives were to determine the most effective timing of fraze mowing in overseeding establishment and removal, as well as to compare fraze mowing to other establishment and removal methods. Fall overseeding studies suggest that fraze mowing and scalping in mid-October provides the fastest establishment of ryegrass. However, by mid-March all treatments led to visually similar results. When evaluating removal timings, fraze mowing performed in early- and late-May led to faster visual bermudagrass recovery than March and April timings. Early-season application …

High School Teacher’S Acceptance Of Technology And Privacy Concerns In The 1:1 Initiative Laptop Program, Ronald Gatewood Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has shown teachers’ attitudes, teachers’ preparation for using technology, and the availability of technology had significant positive associations with technology integration. However, research has shown that teachers do not fully utilize technology, they fail to implement it thoroughly due to a lack of time needed for planning the implementation of technology into the curriculum, and they do not have adequate training which contributes to underutilization of technology. Due to a lack of research from the teachers’ perspective of technology acceptance, the purpose of this study was to examine high school teachers’ acceptance and use of technology and determine …

Impact Of Refrigerated Storage On The Dissipation Of Woody Broiler Breast Meat, Michael Byron

Theses and Dissertations

Chicken breast samples, (n=90; n=30 normal, n=30 moderate woody breast (WB), n=30 severe WB) were collected from a commercial processing plant on 5 separate occasions. After 5 days of storage at 2-4 ºC, 84% of severe WB fillets dissipated to moderate WB, which was greater (P<0.05) than all other storage times. In comparison, 40-52% of the moderate WB fillets dissipated to slight WB or normal breasts after 3 to 5 days of storage. Shear force was greater (P<0.05) for normal breast meat than moderate and severe WB meat on day 0. After 2, 3, 4, and 5 days of storage the upper position (cranial part) of severe WB had greater shear force than normal fillets (P<0.05). Therefore, the dissipation that occurred in woody breast meat over refrigerated storage was apparent through palpation but did not result in improved texture in the cranial portion of the breast, based on shear force results.

Family Firm Selection: A Relational Perspective, William Elliot Tabor

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the hiring of nonfamily employees in family firms. Research to date has emphasized the challenges family firms confront in attracting and selecting quality nonfamily human capital. This literature has emphasized the limitations these firms face due to the information asymmetries common to the hiring process. However, this research has not considered the advantages available to family firms through their social network. Drawing on agency theory, I hypothesize that owner referral utilization mediates the relationship between family essence and firm performance because their use lessens the agency conflicts between owners and nonfamily members. Utilizing a sample of …

Co2 Hydrogenation To High-Value Products Via Heterogeneous Catalysis, Run-Ping Ye, Jie Ding, Weibo Gong, Morris D. Argyle, Qin Zhong, Yujun Wang, Christopher K. Russell, Zhenghe Xu, Armistead G. Russell, Qiaohong Li, Maohong Fan, Yuan-Gen Yao

Faculty Publications

Recently, carbon dioxide capture and conversion, along with hydrogen from renewable resources, provide an alternative approach to synthesis of useful fuels and chemicals. People are increasingly interested in developing innovative carbon dioxide hydrogenation catalysts, and the pace of progress in this area is accelerating. Accordingly, this perspective presents current state of the art and outlook in synthesis of light olefins, dimethyl ether, liquid fuels, and alcohols through two leading hydrogenation mechanisms: methanol reaction and Fischer-Tropsch based carbon dioxide hydrogenation. The future research directions for developing new heterogeneous catalysts with transformational technologies, including 3D printing and artificial intelligence, are provided.

Examining Multiple Cellular Pathways At Once Using Multiplex Hextuple Luciferase Assaying, Alejandro Sarrion-Perdigones, Lyra Chang, Yezabel Gonzalez, Tatiana Gallego-Flores, Damian W Young, Koen J T Venken

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Sensitive simultaneous assessment of multiple signaling pathways within the same cells requires orthogonal reporters that can assay over large dynamic ranges. Luciferases are such genetically encoded candidates due to their sensitivity, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. We expand luciferase multiplexing in post-lysis endpoint luciferase assays from two to six. Light emissions are distinguished by a combination of distinct substrates and emission spectra deconvolution. All six luciferase reporter units are stitched together into one plasmid facilitating delivery of all reporter units through a process we termed solotransfection, minimizing experimental errors. We engineer a multiplex hextuple luciferase assay to probe pathway fluxes through five …

Lindenwood Digest, December 13, 2019, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• From apartheid to academia, Georgia Southern graduate student beats odds to earn degree

An Application Of Deep Learning Models To Automate Food Waste Classification, Alejandro Zachary Espinoza

Dissertations and Theses

Food wastage is a problem that affects all demographics and regions of the world. Each year, approximately one-third of food produced for human consumption is thrown away. In an effort to track and reduce food waste in the commercial sector, some companies utilize third party devices which collect data to analyze individual contributions to the global problem. These devices track the type of food wasted (such as vegetables, fruit, boneless chicken, pasta) along with the weight. Some devices also allow the user to leave the food in a kitchen container while it is weighed, so the container weight must also …

A 3u Cubesat Platform For Plant Growth Experiments, Jared A. Loewenthal

Theses

This thesis work presents the design, manufacturing, and ground testing of a 3U Cubesat platform intended for plant growth experiments. The structure is comprised of four identical, but independent plant growth chambers. Each of these accommodates about two cubic inches of soil, and the necessary air volume and moisture regulation to grow a fast-growing plant from seed to seed in 3-4 weeks. The plant growth is artificially stimulated by an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) at grow light wavelengths that match the properties of chlorophyll, and is monitored by a suite of sensors: temperature, pressure, relative humidity, CO2, custom …

Examining The Experiences Of Chinese Multilingual Therapists In Training, Stephanie Li-Wei Lin

Doctoral Dissertations

According to the 2015 Census, 44% of people ages five and older in California speak a language other than English in their household, indicating the growth of multilingual persons in California. Among the top three languages spoken at home in California, Chinese takes third following English and Spanish. The demand for multilingual mental health services may continue to grow with the increase of multilingual individuals. Although there is an increase in need for multilingual mental health services, there remains a lack of formal training and clinical supervision for multilingual trainees. This study adopted a qualitative approach and utilized semi-structured interviews …

The Nurse’S Role In Prognosis-Related Communication In Pediatric Oncology Nursing Practice, Amy Rose Newman, Lauri Linder, Kristin Haglund

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The experiences of pediatric oncology nurses with prognosis-related communication (PRC) remain largely unknown. The purpose of this article is to report results of focus groups wherein 15 pediatric oncology nurses from three Midwestern pediatric cancer programs provided descriptions of PRC and how they experience PRC within their daily practice. Data from focus groups were analyzed via an interpretive descriptive approach, which resulted in three themes: (1) nurses’ operational definition of PRC, (2) nurses’ roles in PRC, and (3) nurses’ preparation for engagement in PRC. From discussions within the focus groups, nurses recognized that PRC occurs across a continuum. Nurses distinguished …

Residues And Residue Pairs Of Evolutionary Importance Differentially Direct Signaling Bias Of D2 Dopamine Receptors, María E Terrón-Díaz, Sara J Wright, Melina A Agosto, Olivier Lichtarge, Theodore G Wensel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The D2 dopamine receptor and the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2A) are closely-related G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) from the class A bioamine subfamily. Despite structural similarity, they respond to distinct ligands through distinct downstream pathways, whose dysregulation is linked to depression, bipolar disorder, addiction, and psychosis. They are important drug targets, and it is important to understand how their bias toward G-protein versus β-arrestin signaling pathways is regulated. Previously, evolution-based computational approaches, difference Evolutionary Trace and Evolutionary Trace–Mutual information (ET-Mip), revealed residues and residue pairs that, when switched in the D2 receptor to the corresponding residues from 5-HT2A, altered ligand potency …

Perspectives Of Students Of National Open University Of Nigeria (Noun) Towards Cbt And Pen On Paper Examination In Three Selected Centres In Nigeria., Isau Adewole Adegun Mr, John Olugbenga Akinola Mr, Samuel Olusegun Adepoju Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research paper investigates the perspectives of students’ of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) towards computer and pen-on-paper examination. Questionnaires were used to generate data. The data collected targeted students of three selected Study Centre .300 questionnaires which consist of 200-400 level of students of the three selected study Centre were administered .Response rate of 240 out of 300 representing 80% of the total questionnaires obtained for data analysis. The result showed that a significant percentage of the respondents were either doing good or fairly good academically. The students’ performances measured in each question type. When comparing students’ familiarity …

Use Of Mobile Phones In Scholarly Publications: A Review Of The Emerging Behaviour Of The 21st Century Scholars, Sudhier K G Pillai Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Scholars engage in intellectual enquiries which is why they are considered to be the cornerstones of any research geared towards solving societal problems or testing phenomena. This makes their research outputs needed to be readily available for public consumption. For quite long, scholars are rated based on the number of scholarly contributions they make. While mobile phone has diffused, adopted and used as part of our everyday life, researchers neglected the dimensions of attitudes of scholars for adopting and use of mobile phone technology in the course of their scholarly communication. The components of attitudes of scholars for adopting and …

Virtual Reality As A Pedagogical Tool For Interdisciplinarity And Place-Based Education, Laureen Park

Publications and Research

Place-based education (PBE) has long been recognized as a high-impact educational practice. It embeds learning in a multi-sensory context that nurtures active, praxis-driven, interdisciplinary, and collaborative learning. More recently, educators have begun to utilize digital media and virtual reality technologies in ways that seem to parallel PBE. Using phenomenological concepts, especially following Edmund Husserl and Alfred Schütz, this chapter explores what the parallels and differences might be between physical and virtual places, ontologically as well as in its pedagogical role in PBE. It also attempts to interpret the other chapters of the book in light of the philosophical implications.

2019-12-13, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.