Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Snagcu Solder Interconnect Package’S Parameters On Electromigration Failure Mechanisms, Yi Ram Kim

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The primary concern of this dissertation is the electromigration (EM) failure mechanism found in Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder alloys integrated in WCSP (wafer-level chip scale package) packaging structure and factors affecting the failure mechanisms. To the end, accelerated electromigration (EM) tests are conducted on SnAgCu (SAC) solder interconnects in wafer-level chip scale packages (WCSPs or WLCSPs) with different package structures and use-condition parameters. The package structure parameters include different under bump metallization (UBM) thicknesses, Sn grain orientation, while the various in use conditions includes pulsed direct current (DC), and alternating current (AC). The major findings made in the studies are presented …

Designing And Advancing Contrast Agents For Ultrasound-Switchable Fluorescence Imaging, Yang Liu

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Fluorescence imaging is a remarkable tool for molecular targeting and multicolor imaging, but it suffers from poor resolution in centimeters-deep tissues. The recently developed ultrasound-switchable fluorescence (USF) imaging has overcome this challenge and achieved in vivo imaging with the help of the indocyanine green (ICG)-encapsulated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (ICG-PNIPAM) contrast agent. As USF imaging advances, there is a great demand to expand the contrast agent bank so that applications can be achieved using different types of contrast agents. Also, there is a need to improve the current ICG-PNIPAM nanogel. This study focused on improving the ICG-PNIPAM nanogel, formulating a novel contrast agent, …

Assessment Of Stormwater Infrastructure For Mitigating Flooding And Non-Point Source Pollution, Helia Farzaneh

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Flooding is the top natural hazard impacting coastal and inland communities in Texas. Beyond its destructive impact on rising waters in communities, flooding-induced stormwater negatively affects the quality of large bodies of water. Stormwater runs over land, washes off pollutants, and deposits them into rivers which causes water quality issues in bays and estuaries. In addition, the stormwater increases nutrients, sediments, oxygen-demanding substances, pathogens, and toxins which results in hypoxia in the aquatic system. During the last 5-6 years, severe storm events such as Tropical Storm Beta (September 2020), Tropical Storm Imelda (September 2019), Hurricane Harvey (August 2017) have caused …

Learning To Swim: An Exploration Of The Terrestrial To Aquatic Transition In Elapids (Squamata: Elapidae), Justin Lawrence Jacobs

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Elapidae is an extremely diverse family of venomous snake that have a nearly global distribution. To conquer such wide swaths of territory the initially fossorial snakes evolved many successful strategies pertaining to reproduction, locomotion, and predation techniques. Here I explore the multiple transitions of terrestrial to aquatic life through a high-density 3D geometric morphometric methodology conducted upon five large datasets of computed tomography (CT) data. This occurs primarily through the comparison of the genus of New World coralsnakes, Micrurus, with sea snakes of Hydrophis and Laticauda and is informed by a scale created to document and classify the disparate life …

Diversity Of The Fanged-Frog Complex, Limnonectes Kuhlii (Anura: Dicroglossidae) On The Mountainous Regions Of Java And Sumatra, Indonesia, Thornton Robert Larson

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The cryptic species complex, Limnonectes kuhlii, previously was considered to have a large range across Southeast Asia. Recent works have started to identify species within the complex using primarily genetic methodologies. The largest absence in elucidating these relationships comes down to sampling. Traditionally sampling across Southeast Asia has been challenging, limiting sampling across the entirety of a species range. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Indonesia. Indonesia has been highlighted as a biogeographical hotspot for species despite limited sampling on any of the main or smaller islands across the archipelago. Countries such as Malaysia and Papua New Guinea that …

Spatiotemporal Variability Of Fishery‐Dependent Indices For The Declining Louisiana Southern Flounder Fishery, David R. Smith, Michael A. Dance, Joe West, Stephen R. Midway

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Body Size, Trophic Position, And The Coupling Of Different Energy Pathways Across A Saltmarsh Landscape, Friedrich W. Keppeler, Jill A. Olin, Paola C. López‐Duarte, Michael J. Polito, Linda M. Hooper‐Bùi, Sabrina S. Taylor, Nancy N. Rabalais, F. Joel Fodrie, Brian J. Roberts, R. Eugene Turner, Charles W. Martin, Olaf P. Jensen

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Terrapin Station: Individual, Sex, And Site Factors Related To Turtle Growth Variability, Leigh Anne Harden, Stephen R. Midway, J. Whitfield Gibbons

Faculty Publications

For many turtle species, life history traits such as body size, age at maturity, and somatic growth rate can vary among individuals and habitats and between the sexes. Therefore, it is important to consider factors that may influence growth when modeling (somatic) growth for turtles. Long-term capture-mark-recapture studies lend themselves to studying somatic growth in turtles due to the repeated measurements of individuals over time. We used a long-term dataset to examine growth patterns of philopatric Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA. We used a hierarchical three-parameter von Bertalanffy model to estimate individual growth of 44 …

Shark Side Of The Moon: Are Shark Attacks Related To Lunar Phase?, Lindsay A. French, Stephen R. Midway, David H. Evans, George H. Burgess

Faculty Publications

Animals across taxa have shown behaviors linked to moon phase (or the proxy of lunar illumination), and marine organisms are well-documented to calibrate certain activities with the moon. Few studies have looked at a possible connection between moon phase and shark attacks on humans, and the results have been preliminary or lacking relationships. We used nearly 50 years of shark attack data from across the globe to test for a relationship between shark attacks and moon phase. We examined factors of geography, shark species, and outcome of attack. From 12 relationships that we tested (totaling 120 comparisons), we found 12 …

Publisher Correction: Hydro-Climatic Changes Of Wetlandscapes Across The World (Scientific Reports, (2021), 11, 1, (2754), 10.1038/S41598-021-81137-3), I. Åhlén, G. Vigouroux, G. Destouni, J. Pietroń, N. Ghajarnia, J. Anaya, J. Blanco, S. Borja, S. Chalov, K. P. Chun, N. Clerici, A. Desormeaux, P. Girard, O. Gorelits, A. Hansen, F. Jaramillo, Z. Kalantari, A. Labbaci, L. Licero-Villanueva, J. Livsey, G. Maneas, K. L.Mc Curley Pisarello, D. Moshir Pahani, S. Palomino-Ángel, R. Price, C. Ricaurte-Villota, L. Fernanda Ricaurte, V. H. Rivera-Monroy, A. Rodriguez, E. Rodriguez, J. Salgado, B. Sannel, S. Seifollahi-Aghmiuni

Faculty Publications

In the original version of this Article, V. H. Rivera-Monroy was incorrectly affiliated with ‘Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute, Calle 28 A No. 15-09, Bogotá, DC, 70803, Colombia’. The correct affiliation is listed below. Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA As a result, Affiliations 22–27 were incorrectly listed as Affiliations 21–26 respectively. The original Article has been corrected.

Domoic Acid And Pseudo-Nitzschia Spp. Connected To Coastal Upwelling Along Coastal Inhambane Province, Mozambique: A New Area Of Concern, Holly Kelchner, Katie E. Reeve-Arnold, Kathryn M. Schreiner, Sibel Bargu, Kim G. Roques, Reagan M. Errera

Faculty Publications

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasing globally in frequency, persistence, and geo-graphic extent, posing a threat to ecosystem and human health. To date, no occurrences of marine phycotoxins have been recorded in Mozambique, which may be due to absence of a monitoring program and general awareness of potential threats. This study is the first documentation of neurotoxin, domoic acid (DA), produced by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia along the east coast of Africa. Coastal Inhambane Province is a biodiversity hotspot where year-round Rhincodon typus (whale shark) sightings are among the highest globally and support an emerging ecotourism industry. Links between primary productivity …

Multi-Dimensional Leaf Phenotypes Reflect Root System Genotype In Grafted Grapevine Over The Growing Season, Zachery N. Harris, Mani Awale, Niyati Bhaakta, Daniel H. Chitwood, Anne Fennell, Emma Frawley, Laura L. Klein, Laszlo G. Kovacs, Misha Kwasniewski, Jason P. Londo, Qin Ma, The Ohio State University Miogicovsky, Joel F. Swift, Allison J. Miller

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Modern biological approaches generate volumes of multi-dimensional data, offering unprecedented opportunities to address biological questions previously beyond reach owing to small or subtle effects. A fundamental question in plant biology is the extent to which below-ground activity in the root system influences above-ground phenotypes expressed in the shoot system. Grafting, an ancient horticultural practice that fuses the root system of one individual (the rootstock) with the shoot system of a second, genetically distinct individual (the scion), is a powerful experimental system to understand below-ground effects on above-ground phenotypes. Previous studies on grafted grapevines have detected rootstock influence on scion phenotypes …

Studies In Consumption And Production Of South Carolina Aquaculture Products, David Cheplick

All Theses

Market demand for seafood products among South Carolina (SC) consumers has led to increased aquaculture production as a means of supporting the seafood supply chain across the state. Our objective is broken into four distinct parts; (1) understanding consumer’s preferences and perceptions of seafood, (2) calculating their willingness to pay (WTP) for seafood products available in SC using attributes of sustainability and locality; and (3) gathering production metric and anecdotal data from SC oyster growers. Previous research assessing the market channels of seafood in South Carolina is compared to survey results. Respondents indicated that taste and quality were the most …

Commentary: The Past, Present, And Future Of The Global Raptor Impact Network, James R. Belthoff, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Most raptor populations are declining and nearly a fifth are threatened with extinction; thus there is a need to increase collaboration to ensure efficient and effective research, management, and conservation. Here, we introduce the Global Raptor Impact Network (GRIN; www.globalraptors.org), a tool to enhance collaboration and conservation impact of the raptor research community. We provide an overview of the history and current state of GRIN, including plans for expansion. Predecessors to GRIN include The African Raptor DataBank, which was launched in 2012 to ascertain the conservation status of raptors across Africa; and the Global Raptor Information Network, which was launched …

The Truth About Brain Cells: Is Adult Neurogenesis Possible?, Ekene Nnagha, Queen-Helen Egbai, Ahtesham Khizar

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Brain cells regeneration involves renewal and repair of neurons and other cells in the brain, with restoration of their functions. Although this phenomenon was thought to end in early childhood, research has proven that adult neurogenesis is highly possible with some limitations. Regeneration of axons in the central nervous system is very slow and more complicated than neuronal regeneration, especially regeneration of peripheral nerves. Brain cell regeneration in the adult brain can help in recovery of damaged brain cells and correct cellular and brain tissue dysfunction that are commonly seen in some neurological disorders such as Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury …

A Multi-Dimensional Child-Langmuir Law For Any Diode Geometry, N. R. Sree Harsha, Marcus Pearlman, Jim Browning, Allen L. Garner

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

While prior theoretical studies of multi-dimensional space-charge limited current (SCLC) assumed emission from a small patch on infinite electrodes, none have considered emission from an entire finite electrode. In this paper, we apply variational calculus (VC) and conformal mapping, which have previously been used to derive analytic solutions for SCLC density (SCLCD) for nonplanar one-dimensional geometries, to obtain mathematical relationships for any multi-dimensional macroscopic diode with finite cathode and anode. We first derive a universal mathematical relationship between space-charge limited potential and vacuum potential for any diode and apply this technique to determine SCLCD for an eccentric spherical diode. We …

Rigid Aggregation Of Inclusions Embedded In Quasi 2d Fluids, Natalie Xochitl Ryan

Physics

Diffusion is a transport process common in several biological systems. In this process particles of different species mix together through random (stochastic) motion at molecular length scales. Diffusion in fluids is unique as the coupling of the flow and fluid have been found to produce giant concentration fluctuations. The molecular length scale of these concentration fluctuations are magnitudes larger than the movement of the particles themselves, earning them the title “giant”. The diffusion of particles in bio-membranes displays a combination of 2D and 3D hydrodynamic properties; the movements of the particles are restricted to the plane of the membrane and …

Qualitative Exploration Of Feasibility And Acceptability Of The Modified Atkins Diet Therapy For Children With Drug Resistant Epilepsy In Kenya, Pauline Samia, Violet Naanyu, J. Helen Cross, Richard Idro, Paul Boon, Jo Wilmshurst, Stanley Luchters

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Purpose: Approximately one-third of children with epilepsy have clinical syndromes characterized by drug resistance. Modified Atkins dietary therapy (MADT) can reduce seizures and improve health out- comes for these children. This intervention is yet to be consistently offered as standard of care in sub- Saharan Africa.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess feasibility and acceptability of MADT for children with drug- resistant epilepsy and identify enabling strategies for implementation and adherence to the MADT. Methods: This qualitative inquiry utilized in-depth interviews with purposively selected caregivers and adolescent patients having used MADT for drug-resistant epilepsy. A qualified team consisting …

Analytical Approach To Biometric Security And How It Affects Privacy, Torré A. Williams

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In this time where the world is using technology every day, there is going to be a need for some type of security to take place to protect its citizens from unwanted harm or danger. The use of any authentication methods is becoming very essential for a lot of companies and even for your own personal belongings. The use of biometric technology has offered companies the chance to upgrade their security system. This has also provided easier ways that people authenticate themselves as who they say they are. Due to their growth of usage, there is a privacy and security …

Equivalence: A Covariantly Constant Problem In General Relativity, Jaren Hobbs

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In studying the space-time structures described by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, it is often useful to identify particular properties referred to as geometrical invariants. These are attributes of the space-times which do not change regardless of the underlying coordinate systems used to study them. This project is part of a larger effort to catalogue space-times studied in general relativity. Specifically, computational software was used to identify structures known as covariantly constant vector fields.

A Proposed Study To Explore The Relationships Of Methionine Restriction, The Mitochondrial Upr, And Animal Lifespan Determination, Joanne Mai

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The determination of chronological age is complex and can be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Mitochondria, essential organelles that generate the vast amount of cellular energy, are closely associated with the aging process. While many studies have been performed, we still lack a complete understanding of how animal lifespan is determined. In the following research proposal, a strategy is outlined to uncover the mechanism of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) and extended lifespan resulting from restriction of the amino acid methionine. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans and a forward genetic screening strategy will be used to identify …

A Scoping Review Of Motor Assessments For Children, Crystal Tavarez

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Motor skill assessments are used to evaluate a child’s development and reveal potential deficits of the individual. The purpose of this study was to research and analyze a number of motor assessments for children that have been created over the past 30 years. This information will then be used, in the future, to create a new motor assessment that would be able to be utilized in therapeutic settings. To accumulate the articles to review, the website Rayyan was used. A total number of 14,524 articles were gathered and the screening consisted of assessing abstracts to determine whether an article was …

The Impact Of Developmental Coordination Disorder, Irissa Le

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the performance of common, everyday tasks in children due to a delay in the development of motor skills. Oftentimes, parents of these children express concern about the limited number of resources available. To further understand what kind of support children with DCD may need, questionnaire responses of parents with DCD children in the US were documented. A survey was prepared through a survey software program called QuestionPro for the parents participating in Impact for DCD – USA. In total, there were 217 surveys completed. It was found that most children …

Collected Data And Research Into Turtle Populations In The Fort Worth Area, My Dung Nguyen

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The turtle population within Fort Worth has been observed to be in danger. Turtles of all species were washing up on lakes and rivers deceased or incapacitated, often diseased and lacking any sense of innate self-preservation that would otherwise be present in the species. The research conducted aimed to trap and track the turtle population using Passive Integrated Transponders, or PITs. These techniques were utilized to further solidify any potential new disease outbreak or trend in turtle deaths so that further action could be taken in the future. The turtles were each measured for circumference, weight, and sex while the …

A Practical Moral Theory The Failed State Of Normative Ethics, Gage Martinez

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Normative ethics can be described as the investigation into how one ought to act, morally speaking. The state of contemporary normative ethics is, essentially, a split between consequentialist (the idea that things are morally right or wrong based on their consequence) and non-consequentialist thought. Yet in practice, no one seems to be able to live by these moral theories, and I argue that it would be bizarre to do so as well. I examine reasons to believe that neither theory provides a complete account of real moral life, and how they fail at being prescriptive in practice. I provide a …

Personality Assessment In Cloned Equines, Alexis Erickson

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The nature versus nurture debate of personality has been widely researched, yet it has seldom used cloned animals. Since cloned animals are genetically identical to their donors, this avenue of research provides a unique opportunity to understand the genetic and environmental factors of personality. To explore these influences of personality, a donor polo pony and her cloned offspring were analyzed. The trainers of the horses rated each horse based on its personality traits and physical characteristics. A positive correlation was found between the personality of the donor horse and her cloned offspring. Moreover, the personality of the donor positively predicted …

Parameter Estimation And Sensitivity Analysis Through Mathematical Modeling Of Colon Cancer, Achyuth Manoj

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

We formulated a new and efficient method to propose a personalized treatment platform for colorectal cancer. A mathematical model of colon cancer was used and is comprised of a system of differential equations, which model various cell dynamics. The dynamics are dependent on patient-specific parameters that are unknown which we estimate given patient data in form of cell measurements. We approached this estimation as an inverse problem based on an optimization framework and developed computational optimization techniques created on non-linear conjugate gradient methods to solve for the optimal set of parameters for a specific patient. These optimal parameters are then …

The Effects Of Maternal Oral Health On Pregnancy And Child Tooth Development, Warda Wyne

2021 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The impact of oral health is something that is often overlooked, especially during pregnancy. Tooth development occurs during the first three months of pregnancy, a fact that not a lot of pregnant women are aware of. To further understand the implications that poor oral health can have on pregnancy and child tooth development, two different studies were conducted. The first study involved a questionnaire given to pregnant women asking them to rank their dental anxiety on a scale of not anxious (1) to phobic (5). Following this, dental history for all their children was recorded and compared to the questionnaire …

Damned Ol' Dirt, Molly Morningglory

All Theses

damned ol’ dirt centers mindfulness and embodiment practices to foster relationships with the self, each other, and the land. These relationships intend to collectively imagine and then build an emotionally and environmentally sustainable and joyful future. My practice foregrounds clay with digital video, photography, and fabric dyeing, recording the imprint of performance. I use my hereditary understanding of clay and fibers, a trained attunement to the natural world, and my background of performance in craft (via demonstration of tactile techniques) to transfer knowledge and skill to the viewer. Through the creation of tableaus and documents of rituals based in materiality, …

New Experience: An Ethnographic Study Of Students Who Transfer From A Low-Performing Public School District To A Better-Performing Public School District In Missouri, Yolanda J. Campbell

Dissertations

School districts in Missouri are responsible for public K-12 education and must be accredited to educate children. As a result, there is an evoking interest, demanding attention in Missouri public schools' quality and the students who transfer from unaccredited, critically low-performing schools to accredited, significantly betterperforming schools. These students have a higher risk of failing academically or dropping out of school and transitioning successfully into adulthood. Therefore, through this study, students, parents/guardians, and teachers tell their stories to empower the public to work together to raise all students' achievement in school, close the poverty and opportunity gap in education, and …