Digital Commons Network^™

Karst Landscapes Of China: Patterns, Ecosystem Processes And Services, Kelin Wang, Chunhua Zhang, Hongsong Chen, Yueming Yue, Wei Zhang, Mingyang Zhang, Xiangkun Qi, Zhiyong Fu

KIP Articles

The karst region of southwestern China, one of the largest continuous karsts in the world, is known for its unique landscapes and rich biodiversity. This region has suffered severe environmental degradation (e.g., vegetation cover loss, soil erosion and biodiversity loss). In recent decades, Chinese governments at different levels have initiated several ecological programs (e.g., Green for Grain, Mountain Closure) to restore the degraded environment and to alleviate poverty. Objectives This study summarizes landscape studies of karst landscapes patterns, their dynamics and interactions among landscape pattern, hydrological processes and ecosystem services (ES). Methods We conducted a systematic literature review of science …

Three Essays On Incentive Mechanisms, Kuangli Xie

Economics Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I use both theoretical and experimental methods to investigate incentive mechanisms of the sort commonly used by firms and governments. I have finished three chapters, two of which focus on how firms choose the appropriate incentive mechanisms to motivate their employees and the other one investigates how governments design mechanisms to improve social welfare. Chapter two provides a novel explanations why stock options are widely used in executive incentive contracts. Chapter three titled ``Ask Your Workers to Report Frequently, But Not Too Often'' studies how having employees reporting their progress to supervisors affects the employees' work effort. …

Campus Chronicle, Abby Buchanan, Richelle Castillo, Christy Halverson, Brody Nicholaisen, Bailey Perkins, Claire Rohlfsen, Kaleb Schlatter, Taylor Thomas, Grayden Wilson-Crumb

Campus Chronicle

No abstract provided.

Mining Stack Overflow To Recommend Java Api Classes Using Word Embedding And Topic Modelling / Lee Wai Keat, Wai Keat Lee

Student Works (2010-2019)

To reduce development effort, today’s software development technologies rely heavily on reusable components provided by Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). However, studies have found that APIs are of poor usability and programmers find it difficult to use them. A number of factors affect the usability and learning of an API. The most critical one is the API documentation. Therefore, it is unsurprising that developers look for alternative information sources to learn APIs. One such sources is the crowd documentation of APIs that are available in Community Question and Answer (CQA) websites, such as Stack Overflow (SO). Studies have shown that the …

A Comparison Of The Army Corps Of Engineers Hydrologic Modeling System And Autodesk Storm And Sanitary Analysis For Hydraulic And Hydrologic Analysis And Design, Foster Josef Heifetz Campbell

Master's Theses

Hydrological and hydraulic effects of urban development is one of the key issues of study for improved water management. The addition of impervious surfaces to once pervious land and re-routing open channels and flow paths can cause flooding or declining water levels within a watershed. Many studies of these issues have found that there can be multiple factors causing hydrological and hydraulic impacts, and it can be hard to analyze and develop effective solutions without appropriate drainage software packages. However, there are multiple software packages available for use, and determining the correct one to use for a specific challenge can …

Hybrid Iii 95th Percentile Large Male Finite Element Model Neck Alteration, Eric Riley Day

Master's Theses

The motivation behind the project was to update the Livermore Software Technology Corporation (LSTC) Hybrid III 95th percentile finite element model, such that the neck assembly response under varying simulated loading conditions equals that of the federally regulated Hybrid III 95th percentile anthropomorphic testing device (ATD).

The family of Hybrid III crash test dummies approximate the physical properties and response of the human body in a frontal automotive crash. The Hybrid III is used to assess the effectiveness of vehicle restraint systems. LSTC offers Hybrid III finite element models for use in their Multiphysics simulation software package, LS-DYNA. The Hybrid …

Development Of An Analysis Tool And Weight Estimation Method For Aircraft Wing Structures, Kevin M. Barton

Master's Theses

The goal of this effort was to build an analysis tool for aircraft wings and incorporate it into a program that optimizes the wing structure for the lowest weight for the conceptual design phase. The analysis tool calculates the internal stresses in primary load carrying members using established analysis methods for semimonocoque beams. Via a Graphical User Interface (GUI) built in MATLAB, the user can define the structural layout and material properties of the load carrying members. The program requires a degenerate geometry model built with Vehicle Sketch Pad (OpenVSP) to define the outer mold line (OML) of the wing, …

Design, Modeling And Control Of A Two-Wheel Balancing Robot Driven By Bldc Motors, Charles T. Refvem

Master's Theses

The focus of this document is on the design, modeling, and control of a self-balancing two wheel robot, hereafter referred to as the balance bot, driven by independent brushless DC (BLDC) motors. The balance bot frame is composed of stacked layers allowing a lightweight, modular, and rigid mechanical design. The robot is actuated by a pair of brushless DC motors equipped with Hall effect sensors and encoders allowing determination of the angle and angular velocity of each wheel. Absolute orientation measurement is accomplished using a full 9-axis IMU consisting of a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis accelerometer, and a 3-axis magnetometer. …

Biomechanical Study Of Jumping & Landing Techniques: Ballet Vs Non-Ballet Athletes, Ashley Tornio

Master's Theses

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of ACL injuries is increasing in previous years. One of the most common studied kinematic risk factors related to ACL injuries is a resultant weak, leg axis alignment known as the dynamic knee valgus angle presented during a vertical drop jump [8, 14, 15]. Hewett et. al. concluded that a knee valgus angle was a primary predictor of the mechanism that leads to an ACL rupture [8]. By increasing the excessive knee valgus angle during a two-legged DVJ, an athlete is in turn increasing the possibility of a high knee valgus moment, which can increase the anterior …

Conference Roundup: Workshop Report On Digitization For Small Institutions, Rachel S. Evans

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

Evans reviews a recent Georgia Library Association (GLA) preconference workshop presented by the Digital Library of Georgia (DLG). Evans shares takeaways from the half-day experience including resources related to the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and the Digital Library Foundation (DLF). The report also presents learning objective in the context of the author's own work responsibilities and details how they will be useful and relate to current projects. Topics discussed include metadata, digitization, archiving digital-born photographs, repository standards, cataloging standards, and more.

Technical Services Law Librarian (ISSN 0195-4857) is an official publication of the Technical Services Special Interest Section …

Dudley Birder Chorale Of St. Norbert College To Present Annual Holiday Pops Concert, St. Norbert College

Press Releases 2019

No abstract provided.

Electropermeabilization Does Not Correlate With Plasma Membrane Lipid Oxidation, Olga Michel, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Maura Casciola, Jolanta Saczko, Julita Kulbacka, Olga N. Pakhomova

Bioelectrics Publications

The permeabilized condition of the cell membrane after electroporation can last minutes but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Previous studies suggest that lipid peroxidation could be responsible for the lasting leaky state of the membrane. The present study aims to link oxidation within the plasma membrane of live cells to permeabilization by electric pulses. We have introduced a method for the detection of oxidation by ratiometric fluorescence measurements of BODIPY-C11 dye using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, limiting the signal to the cell membrane. CHO-K1 cells were cultured on glass coverslips coated with an electroconductive indium tin oxide (ITO) …

Exploring Community Knowledge And Perceptions Of Flooding And Sea-Level Rise In King Salmon, California, Kristina Kunkel

Student Projects

No abstract provided.

Triggering And Maintaining Interest In Early Phases Of Interest Development, K. Ann Renninger, Jessica Erin Bachrach , '06, S. E. Hidi

Educational Studies Faculty Works

This article reports on the complexities of triggering and maintaining interest, a process that is initiated when something catches the attention of a learner. Triggering interest (the initiation of the psychological state of interest) can occur in both earlier and later phases of interest development. However, in this study we focus on this process in earlier phases of interest development. Findings from a study of the activity of eight, Black, inner-city, middle school-age participants in an out-of-school biology workshop are described. We address the identification and generalizability of potential triggers for interest across activities and explore the relationship between triggers …

Hepatobiliary Analyses Suggest Chronic Pah Exposure In Hakes (Urophycis Spp.) Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Rachel E. Struch, Erin Pulster, Andrea D. Schreier, Steven A. Murawski

C-IMAGE Publications

Prior to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we lacked a comprehensive baseline of oil contamination in the Gulf of Mexico's sediments, water column, and biota. Gaps in prespill knowledge limit our ability to determine the aftereffects of the Deepwater Horizon blowout or prepare to mitigate similar impacts during future oil spill disasters. We examined spatiotemporal differences in exposure to and metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 2 hake species (Urophycis spp.) to establish a current baseline for these ecologically important, abundant, and at-risk demersal fishes. Gulf hake (Urophycis cirrata) and southern hake (Urophycis floridana) were collected throughout the Gulf …

Multilevel Analysis In Rural Cancer Control: A Conceptual Framework And Methodological Implications, Whitney Zahnd, Sara L. Mclafferty, Jan M. Eberth

Faculty Publications

Rural populations experience a myriad of cancer disparities ranging from lower screening rates to higher cancer mortality rates. These disparities are due in part to individual-level characteristics like age and insurance status, but the physical and social context of rural residence also plays a role. Our objective was two-fold: 1) to develop a multilevel conceptual framework describing how rural residence and relevant micro, macro, and supra-macro factors can be considered in evaluating disparities across the cancer control continuum and 2) to outline the unique considerations of multilevel statistical modeling in rural cancer research. We drew upon several formative frameworks that …

The Capacity Of Chennai International Airport: A Study, K P Sooraj

Manipal Journal of Science and Technology

This paper discusses a case study of the capacity of the Chennai International Airport. The capacity of an airport is an important determinant for implementation of Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM), departure/arrival slot allocation, etc. and is a key input while estimating when the airport will saturate, in order to plan additional infrastructure, at places where catchment area population is not the limiting factor. The simulation model layout of the airport was considered for the study. Total airport delay such as gate delay, TWY delay, seq. delay, RWY delay, posing delay, and total delay for the base model and capacity …

Judicial Review In Troubled Times: Stabilizing Democracy In A Second-Best World, Samuel Issachroff

North Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

To Abstain, Or Not To Abstain, That Is The Question: The Seventh And Ninth Circuits' Divergent Approaches To Younger Abstention, Jessica O'Brien

North Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Legacy- December 2019, South Carolina Institute Of Archaeology And Anthropology--University Of South Carolina

SCIAA Magazine - Legacy & PastWatch

Contents:

New Evidence that an Extraterrestrial Collision 12,800 Years Ago Triggered an Abrupt Climate Change for Earth…p. 1

Director’s Notes…p. 2

A Tribute to Roland C. Young…p. 5

Award to Explore for Shipwrecks Offshore Port Royal Sound…p. 8

CSS Pee Dee Cannons Installed in Florence, South Carolina…p. 10

Three-Dimensional Photogrammetric Modeling Program…p. 14

Reconstructing Lowcountry Plantation Waterfronts…p. 16

Underwater Archaeology Film Track Debuts at 7^th Annual Arkhaios Cultural Hertiage and Archaeology Film Festival in Columbia, South Carolina…p. 18

The Mysterious Island Fort in Charleston Harbor: Breaking Ground at Castle Pinckney…p. 20

Archaeology on the Widdicom Tract at Hobcaw Barony…p. …

In Vivo Imaging Of D2 Receptors And Corticosteroids Predict Behavioural Responses To Captivity Stress In A Wild Bird, Christine R. Lattin, Devin P. Merullo, Lauren V. Riters, Richard E. Carson

Faculty Publications

© 2019, The Author(s). Individual physiological variation may underlie individual differences in behaviour in response to stressors. This study tested the hypothesis that individual variation in dopamine and corticosteroid physiology in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus, n = 15) would significantly predict behaviour and weight loss in response to a long-term stressor, captivity. We found that individuals that coped better with captivity (fewer anxiety-related behaviours, more time spent feeding, higher body mass) had lower baseline and higher stress-induced corticosteroid titres at capture. Birds with higher striatal D2 receptor binding (examined using positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-raclopride 24 h post-capture) …

Do Global Regulators Hold The Key To Production Of Bacterial Secondary Metabolites?, Sudarshan Singh Thapa, Anne Grove

Faculty Publications

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The emergence of multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria has pushed the available pool of antibiotics to the brink. Bacterial secondary metabolites have long been a valuable resource in the development of antibiotics, and the genus Burkholderia has recently emerged as a source of novel compounds with antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-cancer activities. Genome mining has contributed to the identification of biosynthetic gene clusters, which encode enzymes that are responsible for synthesis of such secondary metabolites. Unfortunately, these large gene clusters generally remain silent or cryptic under normal laboratory settings, which creates a hurdle …

Evolution Patterns Of Peg3 And H19-Icr, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. Mammalian imprinted domains are regulated through small genomic regions termed Imprinting Control Regions (ICRs). In the current study, the evolution patterns of the ICRs of Peg3 and H19-imprinted domains were analyzed using the genomic sequences derived from a large number of mammals. The results indicated that multiple YY1 and CTCF binding sites are localized within the Peg3 and H19-ICR in all the mammals tested. The numbers of YY1 and CTCF binding sites are variable among individual species, yet positively correlate with the presence of tandem repeats within the Peg3 and H19-ICRs. Thus, multiple YY1 and CTCF …

Local Adaptation Of A Dominant Coastal Tree To Freshwater Availability And Solar Radiation Suggested By Genomic And Ecophysiological Approaches, Mariana Vargas Cruz, Gustavo Maruyama Mori, Caroline Signori-Müller, Carla Cristina Da Silva, Dong Ha Oh, Maheshi Dassanayake, Maria Imaculada Zucchi, Rafael Silva Oliveira, Anete Pereira De Souza

Faculty Publications

© 2019, The Author(s). Local adaptation is often a product of environmental variations in geographical space and has implications for biodiversity conservation. We investigated the role of latitudinal heterogeneity in climate on the organization of genetic and phenotypic variation in the dominant coastal tree Avicennia schaueriana. In a common garden experiment, samples from an equatorial region, with pronounced seasonality in precipitation, accumulated less biomass, and showed lower stomatal conductance and transpiration, narrower xylem vessels, smaller leaves and higher reflectance of long wavelengths by the stem epidermis than samples from a subtropical region, with seasonality in temperature and no dry season. …

Combinatorial Delivery Of Mirna-Nanoparticle Conjugates In Human Adipose Stem Cells For Amplified Osteogenesis, Mohammad Abu-Laban, Prakash Hamal, Julien H. Arrizabalaga, Anoosha Forghani, Asela S. Dikkumbura, Raju R. Kumal, Louis H. Haber, Daniel J. Hayes

Faculty Publications

© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim It is becoming more apparent in tissue engineering applications that fine temporal control of multiple therapeutics is desirable to modulate progenitor cell fate and function. Herein, the independent temporal control of the co-delivery of miR-148b and miR-21 mimic plasmonic nanoparticle conjugates to induce osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells (hASCs), in a de novo fashion, is described. By applying a thermally labile retro-Diels–Alder caging and linkage chemistry, these miRNAs can be triggered to de-cage serially with discrete control of activation times. The method relies on illumination of the nanoparticles at …

Efficacy Of Reduced Rates Of Chlorantraniliprole Seed Treatment On Insect Pests Of Irrigated Drill-Seeded Rice, James M. Villegas, Blake E. Wilson, Michael J. Stout

Faculty Publications

© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry Background: For the past decade, insecticidal seed treatment has been the most widely used control tactic against insect pests of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the USA. Seed treatments are used primarily to control the most economically important early-season pest of rice, the rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel). This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of reduced rates of chlorantraniliprole seed treatment against the rice water weevil, fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith), and sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis F.) under field and laboratory conditions. Concentrations of chlorantraniliprole in plant tissues were determined …

Plant-Mediated Interactions Among Above-Ground And Below-Ground Life Stages Of A Root-Feeding Weevil, Emily C. Kraus, Michael J. Stout

Faculty Publications

© 2019 The Royal Entomological Society 1. Interactions among herbivores mediated by plant responses to herbivore injury may have large impacts on herbivore population densities. Responses may persist for weeks after injury and may affect not only the initial (inducing) herbivore, but also herbivores that are spatially or temporally separated from the initial attacker. 2. In many plant–insect interactions, multiple life stages of the insect may be associated with the same plant, and these various stages may interact indirectly with one another via induced responses. The rice water weevil (RWW), Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus, a serious global pest of rice, is one …

Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi On Rice-Herbivore Interactions Are Soil-Dependent, Lina Bernaola, Michael J. Stout

Faculty Publications

© 2019, The Author(s). The effect of soil type on establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and their effects on plant growth and resistance to rice pests are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of inoculation with AM fungi on rice plants in two different unsterilized field soils under greenhouse and field conditions in two consecutive years in Louisiana, United States. We tested whether inoculation with AM fungi in the two soils changed plant biomass, nutrient concentration, resistance to pests, and yields. Inoculation with a commercial formulation of AM fungi increased root colonization by fungi in all soils, regardless of …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Herbicides On Insect Herbivores In Rice, Oryza Sativa, Emily C. Kraus, Michael J. Stout

Faculty Publications

© 2019, The Author(s). Densities of insect pests in agricultural communities may be affected by herbicides commonly used for weed management via several routes. First, herbicides may cause direct mortality to insects present both during and immediately following application. Second, herbicides may induce plant defenses that increase resistance to insect herbivores. Third, herbicides may alter the quantity and composition of weed populations, which in turn may change the structure of insect communities found subsequently in the crop. This study was designed to investigate the effects of an array of herbicides on the densities of several major pests found in rice …

Analysis Of Mrna Abundance For Histone Variants, Histone- And Dna-Modifiers In Bovine In Vivo And In Vitro Oocytes And Embryos, J. Duan, L. Zhu, H. Dong, X. Zheng, Z. Jiang, J. Chen, X. C. Tian

Faculty Publications

© 2019, The Author(s). Transcript abundance of histone variants, modifiers of histone and DNA in bovine in vivo oocytes and embryos were measured as mean transcripts per million (TPM). Six of 14 annotated histone variants, 8 of 52 histone methyl-transferases, 5 of 29 histone de-methylases, 5 of 20 acetyl-transferases, 5 of 19 de-acetylases, 1 of 4 DNA methyl-transferases and 0 of 3 DNA de-methylases were abundant (TPM >50) in at least one stage studied. Overall, oocytes and embryos contained more varieties of mRNAs for histone modification than for DNA. Three expression patterns were identified for histone modifiers: (1) transcription before …