Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing The Relationship Between Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Larval Survival On Cry3bb1-Expressing Corn And Larval Development Metrics, Jordan D. Reinders, David S. Wangila, Emily Robinson, B. Wade French, Lance Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a significant pest of field corn, Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae), across the United States Corn Belt. Widespread adoption and continuous use of corn hybrids expressing the Cry3Bb1 protein to manage the western corn rootworm has resulted in greater than expected injury to Cry3Bb1-expressing hybrids in multiple areas of Nebraska. Single-plant bioassays were conducted on larval western corn rootworm populations to determine the level of resistance present in various Nebraska counties. The results confirmed a mosaic of susceptibility to Cry3Bb1 across Nebraska. Larval development metrics, including head capsule width …

The Paris Agreement Compliance Mechanism: Beyond Cop 26, Jessica Owley, Imad Antoined Ibrahim, Sandrine Maljean-Dubois

Articles

Without an international tribunal or tools like trade sanctions, there is little to coerce or encourage adherence with environmental treaties. The Paris Agreement, the governing global agreement to address climate change, relies on voluntary global cooperation. Countries determine their own commitments by setting nationally determined contributions of greenhouse gases emissions. The main mandatory elements of the agreement are reporting requirements. The success of the agreement turns on whether countries comply with these requirements. Article 15 of the Paris Agreement establishes a Compliance Committee and sets forth the mechanisms to ensure and facilitate compliance with the agreement. Yet, as with the …

Stress Conditioning To Hypercapnic Seawater In The Pacific Geoduck Panopea Generosa, Samuel J. Gurr

Open Access Dissertations

Expansion and enhancement of sustainable shellfish production is necessary to prevent overexploitation of wild stock and satisfy international trade, but hatchery rearing poses a critical production bottleneck due partially to environmental stressors such as ocean acidification. Given that stress conditions exacerbated by anthropogenic activity are projected to intensify in the near-future, long-lived molluscs, such as Pacific geoduck Panopea generosa (known lifespan up to 168 years), may rely on intragenerational acclimation to buffer against rapid environmental change. While acute stressors can be detrimental, environmental stress conditioning can improve performance. For example, moderate oxidative stress (i.e. temperature, irradiance, and dietary restriction) shows …

Effectiveness Of Roadside Best Management Practices (Bmps) On Maintaining Stormwater Quality Through Monitoring And Modeling, Khurshid Jahan

Open Access Dissertations

A comprehensive assessment of the stormwater BMPs’ in terms of flow volume reduction, peak flow attenuation and runoff pollutant concentration reduction was made to evaluate the effectiveness of existing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) on the campus of the University of Rhode Island, RI, USA.

Urban stormwater runoff became a pressing issue in the later part of the 1980s with the recognition that point source controls were not sufficient to protect and restore water quality. In the last 15 years, the observed annual total rainfall in the study area was usually greater than long-term average yearly rainfall, suggesting the climate …

Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Comfort Towards Lgbtq+ Students, Crassandra Mandojana-Ducot

Open Access Dissertations

In school settings, teachers are on the front lines for supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) adolescents and have direct contact with students daily. Previous research establishes that LGBTQ+ adolescents are at a higher rate of experiencing mental health disorders compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers due to high social stress from discrimination and bullying. The current study expanded upon previous literature by examining preservice teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and comfort towards LGBTQ+ students, the relationship between these factors, and teachers’ intention to engage in school-based LGBTQ+ advocacy. Participants were 168 undergraduate and graduate level preservice teachers currently …

Releasement And Seduction: Heidegger And Baudrillard On The Preservation Of Illusion In The Epoch Of Obscenity, Marc Oliver D. Pasco

Philosophy Department Faculty Publications

This work interfaces the philosophies of Jean Baudrillard and Martin Heidegger. It hopes to contribute to both Heideggerian and Baudrillardian scholarship by employing Baudrillardian ideas in more effectively describing the historical happening of the so-called withdrawal of Being from man, which preoccupied much of Heidegger’s body of work. The work argues that by re-visiting an earlier idea of Baudrillard, which he termed as seduction, one finds a possible way of navigating the obscenity of the current epoch of Being. Akin to Heidegger’s idea of Gelassenheit or releasement, Baudrillard’s concept of seduction invites one to allow the real to once again …

“I Shall Watch Their Progress”: The Observer Effect And Information Theory In Literary Systems, Michael L. Shohet

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This treatise will fully embrace the interdisciplinary approach and will attempt to apply theoretical physics to works of literature. There is no escape from the search for an ultimate connection between all disciplines of human thought. Culture, progress, their relationships with material things are all inevitably connected, even if this connection is its all-prevalent absence. Recent developments in quantum physics and post-human philosophy have provided the key to the intimate substance of all things – information. Although, the numerous branches of information structures are to be studied separately to grasp, appreciate and use their manifestations, to truly understand reality it …

Deep Learning For Electricity Forecasting Using Time Series Data, Hanan Abdullah Alshehri

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The complexity and nonlinearities of the modern power grid render traditional physical modeling and mathematical computation unrealistic. AI and predictive machine learning techniques allow for accurate and efficient system modeling and analysis. Electricity consumption forecasting is highly valuable in energy management and sustainability research. Furthermore, accurate energy forecasting can be used to optimize energy allocation. This thesis introduces Deep Learning models including the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), the Recurrent neural network (RNN), and Long Short-Term memory (LSTM). The Hourly Usage of Energy (HUE) dataset for buildings in British Columbia is used as an example for our investigation, as the dataset …

Mastery Behavior And Brain Injury In Infancy, Kiyana S. Dunston

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study aims to determine the combined effect of degree of brain injury and age on mastery behavior among infants. Specifically, it investigates whether degree of brain injury in infancy can predict later competence, or mastery motivation behavior at both 7 and 10 months of age. In this context, mastery motivation is defined as “persistence” or the percent of time spent engaging in persistent behavior. To test the hypothesis that there would be a significant interaction between age and brain injury on mastery scores, participants engaged in 12-15-minute toy play sessions at 7- and 10-months-old. Data was analyzed using a …

Octavia E. Butler’S Dawn And “Bloodchild” : From Human To Posthuman, Nicole Fields

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Octavia Butler authored many science fiction novels and short stories, almost all of which have been associated with race and/or slavery. I argue that two of her works, Dawn and “Bloodchild,” are not specifically about race and can be approached from a posthuman perspective. I discuss the place of black literature in the Western Literary tradition, and I highlight the literary reception of Butler’s work. Since her novels and short stories have been compared to slavery, which I argue against, I point out the disparity between the lives of the characters in Butler’s texts and historical accounts of the slave …

Effect Of Tropical Cyclones On Coastal Marine Ecosystems, Xenia Neal

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Tropical cyclone activity is predicted to intensify with anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, there has been a call to action in the scientific community to increase knowledge of the impacts of tropical cyclones on ecosystems. In particular, there is a wide knowledge gap in the understanding of how tropical cyclones influence coastal marine ecosystems. Using a standardized Web of Science database search, I identified 101 peer-reviewed articles documenting the impacts of tropical cyclones on coastal marine ecosystems in the North Atlantic Ocean, including coral reefs, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows. Here, I summarize the results of these articles with …

Salvaging The Utopia : Posthumanism, Feminism, And Anti-Patriarchal Language In Kathy Acker’S In Memoriam To Identity, Fe Lorraine Agustin Reyes

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis reads a posthuman feminist ethos, as theorized by Rosi Braidotti, within Kathy Acker’s In Memoriam to Identity. By recognizing the posthuman undercurrent of the text, my argument cuts against the conventional postmodern arguments traditionally associated with Acker’s work. I emphasize the novel’s recuperation of the French feminist theory écriture féminine, a 20th century postmodern method of thinking that sought to embody and empower the “woman” in language. However, my position gives pause to simply recognizing the implications of the text’s postmodern conventions. If left to a postmodern reading, Acker’s text runs the risk of succumbing to language’s patriarchal …

Latino/A Adults With Down Syndrome Make Sense Of Family While Growing Up In A Bilingual Home, Linda M. Baron Cortes

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Previous research focuses on the linguistic capacities of individuals with DS and how dual language exposure can hinder or support their cognitive development (Chapman & Hesketh, 2001; Kay-Raining Bird, et al., 2005), yet research regarding how an adult with Down syndrome (ADS) makes meaning of family within Latino bilingual homes, where the ADS is the primary perspective taken into account, is missing in the research. This study aims to provide the perspective of adults with Down syndrome since conversations and research about their development should include their opinion and thoughts, especially when there continues to be a push for English-only, …

Assessing The Association Of Acculturation, Racial Discrimination, Social Support, And Breastfeeding Intention With Postpartum Depression: Findings From The 2012-2014 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Among Latinas, Diana L. Cabezas

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Postpartum depression (PPD) nearly doubles among immigrants. When we consider that Latinas are densely represented in the United States, the need to explore the risk and protective factors that may be associated with PPD onset among Latinas is critical. A consideration of racial discrimination, social support, and breastfeeding practices may aid in incorporating contributors that may be prevalent among Latinas. In particular, breastfeeding practices have differed by acculturation, yet there are inconclusive relations with depressive symptoms, therefore, examining the relationship with predictors may shed light on the intersection among individual, cultural, and societal factors by acculturation among Latinas. This dissertation …

Teaching The New Majority : Addressing Race And Racism Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Graziela Lobato-Creekmur

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Studies have shown that culturally responsive teaching and its praxis appear very differently in various K-8 classrooms, while addressing race and racism are often absent from the classroom. However, these studies also support that pedagogical theories and practice such as these address the needs of students of color. Therefore, through a critical race theory lens, I explored teachers’ life history, how this influenced their classroom practice, and how they addressed race and racism in their professional lives. Narrative inquiry methods were used to uncover answers to addressing race and racism in the classroom through three teachers’ culturally responsive instruction. The …

Sustainability Of Hard Apple Cider : An Environmental And Socio-Economic Assessment, Meghann N. Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Agricultural sustainability is a fundamental requirement for environmental conservation, food production, and food security. In order to achieve agricultural sustainability, it is essential that policies are put in place to support sustainable practices, and that agricultural institutions are provided access supporting knowledge and technology. With this integral support, stakeholders can be better prepared to avoid issues such as eroding biodiversity and environmental quality as well as prepare for the inevitable challenges of climate change. This dissertation investigates the challenges and opportunities involved with the development of the hard apple cider industry in the United States’ Northeast. Hard apple cider is …

Nature's Rights, Christiana Ochoa

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Do forests and rivers possess standing to sue? Do mountain ranges have substantive rights? A recent issue of The Judges’ Journal, a preeminent publication for American judges, alerts the bench, bar, and policymakers to the rapidly emerging “rights of nature,” predicting that state and federal courts will increasingly see claims asserting such rights. Within the United States, Tribal law has begun to legally recognize the rights of rivers, mountains, and other natural features. Several municipalities across the United States have also acted to recognize the rights of nature. United States courts have not yet addressed the issue, though in 2017, …

Enhancing Stability And Antioxidant Efficacy Of Fisetin By Encapsulating As Β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex With Porous Polylactic Acid Film From Breath Figure, Charasphat Preuksarattanawut, Warinyupa Mangmee, Munchumas Prousoontorn, Ekasit Nisarattanaporn, Krisana Siraleartmukul

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

This research aims to investigate the scope of fisetin (FIT)/β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) inclusion complexes with the ratios of 1:2 and 2:1 mole by means of freeze-drying, kneading and physical mixing methods (controlled process). Moreover, the complex compounds are analyzed by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the most suitable preparation method of fisetin (FIT)/β-CD complex is the freeze-drying method with the fisetin (FIT) to β-CD ratio at 1:2. The emission of FIT/β-CD was investigated and it is found that the emission rate of freeze-dried FIT/β-CD in 1:2 ratio by freeze-drying method is lower than …

Sustainable Valorization Of Sugarcane Leaves For Succinic Acid And Biochar Production, Nuttaporn Chokesawatanakit, Pasakorn Jutakridsada, Khanita Kamwilaisak

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The leaves of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) are agricultural waste that is burnt before harvesting. This project aims to find an alternative way to increase the value of sugarcane leaves and decrease air pollution by using the leaves as raw material to produce succinic acid and biochar. Reducing sugars were extracted from the leaves by H2SO4 hydrolysis. The sugars were then fermented by Yarrowia lipolytica TBRC 4417 to produce succinic acid. The solid residue was used as the raw material for biochar production by pyrolysis. The effects of pyrolysis temperature (350, 400, and 450℃) and nitrogen gas flow rate (5, 10, …

New Views On The Ingenious Applications Of Ag Nanoparticles As A Sensor For Antibiotic Detection And As A Potent Antimicrobial Agent, Keyur Bhatt, Anita Kongor, Mohd Atharb, Vinod Jain

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Nanotechnology uses exceptional approaches for the control of bacterial infections which uncovers the potential function of bio-systems at nano-scale level. Compared to silver ions, silver nanoparticles possess enhanced physicochemical stability and low bio-toxicity properties. The intrinsic chemical framework of silver nanoparticles is prone to exhibit a significant chemistry when used as sensor and as therapeutic. Nowadays, silver is used in (nano-) medicine, in the form of nanoparticles to optimize its therapeutic property for controlling infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Exclusive use of antibiotics as medicines and its discharge from the body of the infected person or animals into the sewage …

Facile Purification Of Locally Mined Gypsum And Its Use For Preparing Nano-Hemihydrates, Luqman Ayodeji Adams, Enobong Essien, Taiwo Aiyeloro, Stella Oseyomon, John Makanjuola

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Gypsum has a wide range of applications, in interior decorations, building construction, supplements or implants in orthopaedics to mention a few. However, in many developing countries including Nigeria, there is still a large-scale importation despite huge available natural deposits. In this study, a facile method to purify locally-mined gypsum has been explored based on the mineral retrograde solubility in water. The purified gypsum was investigated for its elemental composition in comparison to the crude sample and a commercially obtained medical-grade gypsum using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results showed that the purified gypsum contained 94.05% CaSO4 compared with the crude which …

Efficiency Of 2-Dodecylaminopyridine For The Liquid-Liquid Extraction Of Gold(Iii) From Succinic Acid Medium, Umrao Shep, Rucha Pawar, Balasaheb Arbad

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Extractive recovery of gold(III) from succinic acid solution with high molecular weight amine: 2-dodecylaminopyridine (2-DDAP) as a new extractant in xylene has been investigated. Extraction data indicates that 5 × 10-4 mol⋅L-1 2-DDAP is a very efficient and fast extractant. Gold(III) can be effectively extracted (D = 414.16) with 2-DDAP from 0.04 M succinic acid solution. The equilibrium of gold(III) from aqueous phase of succinic acid with 2-DDAP is achieved within 60 sec. The extraction of gold(III) with 2-DDAP proceed at the interface according to ion pair formation mechanism. The best stripping solution from among the studied ones is the …

Effect Of Dc Power On The Thickness, Hardness And Adhesion Strength Of Ti-51 At% Ni Coated Ti/Tin, Ishiaka Shaibu Arudi, Esah Hamzah, Muhammad Azizi Mat Yajid, Bushroa Abdul Razak

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The coating of Ti/TiN was successfully deposited on Ti-51 at% Ni substrates by using direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering technique and the effect of different sputtering power on the thickness, surface hardness and adhesion strength of the coatings were studied. The microstructural characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The coating thicknesses were detected and measured using SEM. The surface hardness test was performed using microhardness tester, and the adhesion strength was carried out by scratch testing. The results showed that the TiN crystallites growth orientation, thickness, surface hardness and adhesion …

Developments Of Biodegradable Polymer Based On Polylactic Acid (Pla) With Natural Color Extracts For Packaging Film Applications, Worraphol Nansu, Passarawan Chaiwut, Sukunya Ross, Gareth Ross, Nungruthai Suphrom, Sararat Mahasaranon

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

This research was interested in the use of natural colorants to replace hazardous synthetic pigments in the plastic polymer industry. The natural colors were selected from local plants indigenous to southeast Asia, which were Hibiscus sabdariffa roselle calyx (RS) and Caesapinia sappan Linn heartwood (SP). Natural colorant extracts were used as additives in poly(lactic acid ) (PLA). These were manufactured using a twin screws extruder and blow film extruder to obtain biodegradable thin films for use as packaging materials. Biodegradable films were characterized by color index, light barrier properties, water vapor transmission (WVTR), morphology, mechanical and chemical properties. The results …

Raman Signal Enhancement Of Low-Cost Metal Sheet Sers With Gold Decoration, Nampueng Pangpaiboon, Kawinphob Phetnam, Sukon Kalasung, Chanunthorn Chananonawathorn, Viyapol Patthanasettakul, Mati Horprathum, Pitak Eiamchai, Noppadon Nuntawong, Saksorn Limwichean

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Surface Enhance Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is a sensitive surface creating plasmonic resonance for the Raman scattering. SERS is considered as a powerful technique to enhance the Raman signal, when quantity of sample is limited. Recently, our lab team has discovered a low-cost SERS template fabrication, laser-engraving method, which is suitable with gold nanoparticles decoration. In this work, two different materials, zinc and copper, are used as metal sheet SERS substrate. Gold nanoparticles sputtered with 270 s of sputtering time are used as decorated noble metal. FE-SEM images illustrate the nano-in-microstructure of the engraved metal sheets. The decorated Au nanoparticles are …

Rehabilitation Counseling Perceptions And Psychosocial Stressors Of Arab-Immigrant Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Maram Alfulayyih

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This research study provides important insights on the psychosocial stressors faced by U.S. Arab immigrants when raising a child with ASD, their perceptions of rehabilitation counseling, and the implications of rehabilitation counseling practice based on gender, age, education, and race. More specifically, this study has provided a detailed literature review as well as new insights into the challenges faced by the caregivers and recommendations that rehabilitation counselors should consider when helping these families overcome psychosocial issues and adjust to their circumstances. Using the DASS-21 questionnaire and a multi-factor analysis, it has identified specific groups of caregivers that may need help …

Development And Clinical Validation Of Knowledge-Based Planning Models For Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Of Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients, Justin David Visak

Theses and Dissertations--Radiation Medicine

Lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a viable alternative to surgical intervention for the treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This therapy achieves strong local control rates by delivering ultra-high, conformal radioablative doses in typically one to five fractions. Historically, lung SBRT plans are manually generated using 3D conformal radiation therapy, dynamic conformal arcs (DCA), intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and more recently via volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) on a C-arm linear accelerator (linac). Manually planned VMAT is an advanced technique to deliver high-quality lung SBRT due to its dosimetric capabilities and utilization of flattening-filter free beams to improve …

Unorthodox But Functional Tools Used For The Ecological Design And Implementation Of Pollinator Gardens, Quincy Ipsaro

Oswald Research and Creativity Competition

This project examines existing pollinator habitats on the University of Kentucky campus and identifies areas of need based on the connectivity of the existing habitats with the use of nontraditional landscape design methods. Pollinators are crucial to Kentucky ecosystems and the pollination of native plants. Given Kentucky’s central location, it offers an abundance of opportunity to create more pollinator habitats and aid in pollinator migration. This study examines the overall size and quality of existing pollinator habitats on campus to identify areas fit for the implementation of new gardens. Pollinators such as bees are unable to travel the long distances …

Feature Selection On Permissions, Intents And Apis For Android Malware Detection, Fred Guyton

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Malicious applications pose an enormous security threat to mobile computing devices. Currently 85% of all smartphones run Android, Google’s open-source operating system, making that platform the primary threat vector for malware attacks. Android is a platform that hosts roughly 99% of known malware to date, and is the focus of most research efforts in mobile malware detection due to its open source nature. One of the main tools used in this effort is supervised machine learning. While a decade of work has made a lot of progress in detection accuracy, there is an obstacle that each stream of research is …

Third Parties With Benefits, Casey E. Faucon

Articles

No abstract provided.