Digital Commons Network^™

Not Just Yet: Despite Grinding It Out In Silicon Valley, Asians Are Least Likely To Lead Big Tech Companies, Karishma Vanjani

Capstones

Silicon Valley has long been known for the paucity of African-Americans and Hispanics in its ranks, but equally telling is the fact that the vast majority of Asians hired for non-managerial jobs are not moving up to management. The lack of diversity in the upper echelons of the companies is due in part to the maddening stereotype that Asians are too passive. White managers mentoring and supervising Asian employees face a wide gap in understanding cultural disparities. For the companies, though, tightening immigration policies can become barriers when they consider promoting Asians in the country on work visas.

https://karishmavanjani.com/writing/not-just-yet-despite-grinding-it-out-in-silicon-valley-asians-are-least-likely-to-lead-big-tech-companies/?_thumbnail_id=610

The Mta Tried To Improve Outer Borough Bus Service, But They've Only Made It Worse, Adwait Patil

Capstones

The MTA Bus Company introduced articualted, or twin-carraige, buses on three high-volume routes that connect the outer-boroughs to key locations in order to save money and improve service. Since then, commuters say service has only gotten worse and they think agency just doesn't care.

(https://adwaitadwait.github.io/project/)

Residues And Residue Pairs Of Evolutionary Importance Differentially Direct Signaling Bias Of D2 Dopamine Receptors, 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 …

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, 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 …

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 …

Evaluating The Applicability Of Deep Learning Techniques In Agricultural Systems Modeling, Babak Saravi

Theses and Dissertations

A rapidly expanding world population and extreme climate change have made food production a crucial challenge in the twentyirst century. Therefore, improving crop production through agricultural management could be an effective solution for this challenge. However, due to the associated cost and time to perform field works, researchers widely rely on agricultural system modeling to examine the impacts of different crop management scenarios. However, due to the complexity of agricultural system modeling, their applications in producing practical knowledge for producers are limited. Concurrently, deep learning techniques have been recognized as a preferred method when dealing with large datasets. This study …

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 …

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 …

A Multiscale Continuum Fragmentation Model Motivated By Lower Length Scale Simulations, Bradley Huddleston

Theses and Dissertations

A multiscale continuum model for fragmentation in ductile metals was developed, motivated by structure-property relationships obtained from lower length scale and numerical simulations. Fragmentation occurs during high strain rate deformation as the result of widespread internal damage in the form of void or crack nucleation, growth, and coalescence. The connection between internal damage structures and fragmentation was determined through Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of high rate deformation in copper, iron, and iron-carbon alloys. The fragmentation metric of interest in this study is the fragment size, which is represented in MD simulations by the fragment length scale, or the solid volume …

A Systematic Approach For Waste Management In The Semiconductor Industry, Vivian Hui

Theses and Dissertations

One area that has received attention in the literature is sustainable production. This research has focused upon modifying production processes to improve sustainability. Semiconductor manufacturing has evolved into one of the most important industries in the world. However, as a new industry, semiconductor manufacturing has had far less attention in the sustainability literature as compared to more mature industries. Amongst the sustainability frameworks and methodologies that have been developed to measure the sustainability of an entity, waste is treated as an afterthought, not as the focus of the research. The literature rarely considers waste management as a component of sustainable …

Analysis Of Open Test Section Flow In A Closed Return Wind Tunnel, Salma Mfaddel

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi State University has a subsonic closed return wind tunnel facility with an open test section configuration. This research analyzes the test section flow quality using a numerical approach and explain how the diffuser's collector suppresses unsteadiness. Previous experiment assessed the flow quality at the wind tunnel without the collector, and velocity was measured using a pitot-static probe and hot wire. The results show a numerical comparison between the two configurations, with and without the collector, understand the effect of the diffuser 's collector on steadiness and uniformity. This paper will describe the wind tunnel facility and give further details …

Attributes Affecting Adoption Of Pollinator Conservation Practices, Shannon M. Westlake

Theses and Dissertations

Pollinator conservation has recently become a topic of greater interest and research around the world as native insect pollinator species increasingly face population declines. In the United States, growing concerns regarding food security and decreased biodiversity have led to the creation of programmatic and best management practices (BMPs) promotional efforts among governmental and non-governmental organizations. These efforts seek to support pollinators on public and private lands by addressing the primary causes of decline (e.g., habitat loss and increased chemical use). Although these organizations have worked diligently to increase awareness and applicability of programs to private landholders, there is still a …

Biochemical Characterization And Regulatory Mechanisms Of Plant Thimet Oligopeptidases Under Oxidative And Reductive Stress, Thualfeqar Almohanna

Theses and Dissertations

Two main Arabidopsis thimet oligopeptidases (AtTOP) involved in stress responses are: (1) thimet metalloendopeptidase 1 (TOP1), found in the mitochondria and chloroplasts, annotated as At5g65620, and (2) thimet metalloendopeptidase 2 (TOP2), found in the cytosol annotated as At5g10540. Both AtTOP1 and AtTOP2 are located on chromosome 5 and share high homology. AtTOP1 and AtTOP2 are zincin-like metalloendopeptidases with the characteristic HEXXH active motif of the M3 clan. Their peptidase activity is related to the oxidative stress triggered by plant immune responses. AtTOPs are involved in plant immune responses through a mechanism regulated by Salicylic Acid (SA); both AtTOP1 and AtTOP2 …

Evaluation And Development Of Effective Tank Cleanout Procedures Following Dicamba Use, Zachary Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

Sprayer hygiene and concerns of off-target injury from auxin herbicides have increased in recent years. New auxin tolerant crops have broadened the use patterns of these herbicides. Therefore, experiments were conducted across two locations in Mississippi in 2016, 2017, and 2018 to evaluate sprayer cleanout procedures to aid in dicamba removal. Standard sprayer cleanout consisted of a triple rinse of 10% tank volume, with either a tank cleaner or ammonia added in the second rinse. Samples collected in each rinse step for all treatments were applied to actively growing soybean and dicamba concentration quantified with HPLC. Experiments were conducted to …

Developing An Organizational Decision Making Model: The Impact Of Organizational Structures, Decision Types, And The Social Network, John Huggins

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational decision making can be seen as a complex process due to the fact that decisions across organizational levels are generally interdependent, and have effects ranging from immediate to long-lasting. Reviewing decision making mathematical and process models, decision making is fundamentally characterized by multiple decision making steps from encountering a problem to determining a course of action. The first objective of this dissertation was the determination of the decision making model that a certain type of organization uses, and the establishment of a foundation for an organizational decision model framework. Decision making can be classified into three decision types: strategic, …

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 …

Durability Characteristics Of Asphalt Mixtures Containing Bioditives, Amanda Hufft

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is focused on determining the durability characteristics of asphalt mixtures containing bio-based additives for the purpose of more effective use of recycled materials. Fifty mixtures were evaluated by Cantabro Mass Loss testing in their virgin state, after 1 year of field aging, and after laboratory conditioning to determine the effectiveness of bioditives in dense graded asphalt and sand asphalt mixtures. Key findings from this work demonstrated that considerable amounts of recycled asphalt shingles (i.e. 5% of the total mixture) significantly affect the brittleness of dense graded asphalt mixtures when used in conjunction with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Furthermore, …

Evaluation Of Preemergence And Postemergence Herbicide Programs On Weed Control And Weed Seed Suppression In Mississippi Peanut (Arachis Hypogea), John Wesley Seale

Theses and Dissertations

Weed control is challenging for Mississippi peanut producers. Research was established during 2017 and 2018 at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Mississippi, to evaluate herbicide programs for weed control and reducing weed seed production in Mississippi peanut production. Treatments were combinations of acetochlor, clethodim, flumioxazin, lactofen, paraquat, and S-metolachlor with their respective adjuvants if needed. Treatments were applied: PRE, early-POST (EPOST), and/or mid-post (MPOST). All treatments included a PRE application followed by (fb) application of EPOST and/or MPOST application. Flumioxazin PRE fb lactofen plus clethodim MPOST provided greatest weed control and peanut yield. This treatment provided 88 …

Faunal Assemblages Associated With Living Shorelines And Implications For High-Wave Energy Ecosystems, Daniel Firth

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the main and interactive effects of nearshore breakwaters and marsh vegetation on faunal abundance and diversity along an eroded shoreline in Bon Secour Bay, Alabama. In summer 2016, eight replicates of three vegetation treatments plots (naturally vegetated, planted, and open) were established along a breakwater-protected and an adjacent no breakwater shoreline. After which, three methods were used to evaluate nekton quarterly from summer 2016 to summer 2018; Breder traps along the shoreline and lift nets and trawls in nearshore waters. Data were analyzed using the Shannon-Weiner diversity index and ANOVA. Results showed breakwaters supported significantly more abundant …

Baseline Free Structural Health Monitoring Using Modified Time Reversal Method And Wavelet Spectral Finite Element Models, Nimesh Jayakody

Theses and Dissertations

The Lamb wave based, non-contact damage detection techniques are developed using the Modified Time Reversal (MTR) method and the model based inverse problem approach. In the first part of this work, the Lamb wave-based MTR method along with the non-contacting sensors is used for structural damage detection. The use of non-contact measurements for MTR method is validated through experimental results and finite element simulations. A novel technique in frequency-time domain is developed to detect linear damages using the MTR method. The technique is highly suitable for the detection of damages in large metallic structures, even when the damage is superficial, …

A Modular Open-Source Pre-Processing Tool For Finite Element Simulations Of Additive Manufacturing Processes, William Furr

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing has shown the ability to produce highly complex geometries that are not easily manufactured through traditional means. However, the implications of building these complex geometries regarding thermal history requires more attention. AM process simulations have proven to be computationally expensive and require large amounts of pre-processing to execute. This thesis will start with a review of additive manufacturing along with current modeling efforts. Then, the development of a pre-processing tool for finite element simulations of these processes is presented. It is shown that the pre-processing tool significantly decreases the total time-to-simulation by removing manual steps. Finally, a study …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Climatic Oscillations And Hurricane Intensification On The Destructiveness Of Gulf Coast Hurricane Landfalls, Michelle Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricanes are the leading cause of economic loss in the United States, and recent studies have shown that they have increased in intensity. The growth of population and wealth to coastal regions has exacerbated catastrophic losses. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of three modes of natural climate variability as well as hurricane intensification on destructiveness along the Gulf Coast. The study utilized R programming software to create raster grids and evaluate spatial and temporal relationships between intensification, intensity, sea surface temperatures and destructiveness. Destructiveness was synthesized using the Pielke Landsea 2018 (PL18) normalized losses dataset. …

An Outdoor Professional Development Model In The Era Of The Next Generation Science Standards, Shana Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Experiential, outdoor education supports improvement in students’ problem-solving skills; collaboration and communication skills; and enjoyment in learning in the outdoors. Outdoor instruction is becoming increasingly underutilized. A residential environmental education center, located in Tennessee has conducted professional development programs in effort to increase teacher implementation of instruction in outdoor spaces. This institute revealed concern for low implementation rates to past professional development opportunities. Their newly designed, long-term professional development explored teacher’s perceived challenges and needs, then combined effective experiential pedagogy in outdoor spaces with pre-established communities of support from the participating schools in effort to contribute to experiential, outdoor instruction …

Inferences On The Power-Law Process With Applications To Repairable Systems, Jularat Chumnaul

Theses and Dissertations

System testing is very time-consuming and costly, especially for complex high-cost and high-reliability systems. For this reason, the number of failures needed for the developmental phase of system testing should be relatively small in general. To assess the reliability growth of a repairable system, the generalized confidence interval and the modified signed log-likelihood ratio test for the scale parameter of the power-law process are studied concerning incomplete failure data. Specifically, some recorded failure times in the early developmental phase of system testing cannot be observed; this circumstance is essential to establish a warranty period or determine a maintenance phase for …

Finite Element Analysis Of The Mechanisms Of Impact Mitigation Inherent To The North American Bison (Bison Bison) Skull, Andrea Karen Persons

Theses and Dissertations

North American bison (Bovidae: Bison bison) incur blunt impacts to the interparietal and frontal bones when they engage in head-to-head fights. To investigate the impact mitigation of these bones, a finite element analysis of the skull under loading conditions was performed. Based on anatomical and histological studies, the interparietal and frontal bones are both comprised of a combination of haversian and plexiform bone, and are both underlain by bony septa. Additionally, the interparietal bone is thicker than the frontal. Data regarding the mechanical properties of bison bone are scarce, but the results of a phylogenetic analysis infer that the material …

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 …

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

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Gay Social Networking Apps Are Fueling Crystal Meth Use, Moises A. Mendez Ii

Capstones

Selling crystal meth on gay social networks is a problem nobody is talking about; two men tell their stories. The LGBT+ community has a long standing relationship with the use of drugs. From the 70s to present day, there has been a popular drug used – currently, it's crystal meth. Adam and Christopher have dealt with their addiction to crystal meth for many years and the introduction of gay dating apps like Grindr, Scruff and Jack'd posed new problems for them when they were trying to stay sober.

https://medium.com/@moises.mendez/gay-social-networking-apps-are-fueling-crystal-meth-use-ac34f38fa636

They Dance To Bring Attention To A War. But Who’S Watching?, Fruhlein Chrys Econar

Capstones

Potri Ranka Manis Queano has been at the helm of Kinding Sindaw, the heritage dance troupe she founded, for the last 27 years. When a group of ISIS-affiliated local terrorists attacked Marawi City, the home of the Maranao people, it infused a sense of urgency into her group’s work.

http://www.fruhlein.com/kindingsindaw