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Articles 28261 - 28290 of 33733
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Utilizing Fitts' Law To Examine Motor Imagery Of Self, Other, And Objects, Sean D. Hinkle
Utilizing Fitts' Law To Examine Motor Imagery Of Self, Other, And Objects, Sean D. Hinkle
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Past research has indicated that motor imagery, or imagined movement, follows Fitts' law similarly to physical movement. Additionally, motor imagery has been shown to improve real motor performance in multiple contexts, showcasing a remarkable connection with real motion. The current study examines how the subject of motor imagery, imagining oneself, another person, or an object, impacts this faithfulness to real movement, specifically in following Fitts' law. Participants viewed 2D photos of a virtual environment with an "X", a humanoid, or a disc facing a gate at 6 distances and 4 widths for 24 combinations. Each combination was repeated twice randomly …
Phototransduction Components In The Visual System Of Hard-Bodied Ticks, Arimar J. López Limas
Phototransduction Components In The Visual System Of Hard-Bodied Ticks, Arimar J. López Limas
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Ticks are terrestrial invertebrate parasites that attach to their hosts to feed on their blood. Ticks are composed of three families: Ixodidae, Argasidae, and Nuttalliellidae. Ixodid ticks include members of the genera Amblyomma, Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Dermacentor, and Rhipicephalus. Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and humans, making them an important organism to study. Current tick-bite mitigation strategies include acaricides (harmful if misused), and CO2 traps (effective in decreasing tick abundance, but costly to use). Since the visual system of ticks has not been studied extensively, I expect that by studying their visual system, alternative tick-bite mitigation …
Traditional Healing Beyond The Homeland: Yezidi Shamanic Healing In The Diaspora, Sophia G. Griemert
Traditional Healing Beyond The Homeland: Yezidi Shamanic Healing In The Diaspora, Sophia G. Griemert
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The goal of this qualitative study is to evaluate whether shamanism, practiced by koçeks and faqrya (the Yezidi terms for traditional shamanic practitioners), continues as a practice among diasporic Yezidis, and, if so, in what manner. I accomplish this through a series of oral, remote interviews with Yezidis living in Germany. The interview subjects comprise a cross-sectional sample that includes men and women from the three Yezidi castes (Sheikh, Pir, Murid). Through the multiple testimonies these interviews garnered regarding shamanic praxis in the context of Germany, I determine that, in spite of the disruptions of forced migration and geographical distance, …
Sequence-Independent Assay For Hiv Viral Load Quantitation, Omar El Merhebi
Sequence-Independent Assay For Hiv Viral Load Quantitation, Omar El Merhebi
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Although nucleic acid tests (NATs) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exhibit many advantages, such as early detection and viral load quantification, over immunological assays, their widespread use is limited by their demand for high-level infrastructure, sophisticated equipment, and advanced staff competence. Furthermore, when quantifying viral loads of patients, it has been reported that these assays can underestimate viral quantities by 22- to 100-fold due to primer-template mismatches in more divergent HIV subtypes. Therefore, we have developed a cost-effective and sequence-independent assay for the detection and quantification of HIV utilizing a modified nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) protocol coupled to an …
Characterization Of A Label-Free Fluorescent Assay For Point Mutation Discrimination Based On Split Aptamer Probes, Shannon A. Beaton
Characterization Of A Label-Free Fluorescent Assay For Point Mutation Discrimination Based On Split Aptamer Probes, Shannon A. Beaton
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Due to the misuse of antibiotics, multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria have become more rampant in our society; these MDR have given rise to diseases that are not readily curable. One such agent is the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which is a causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). Timely diagnostics of the bacterial infection and detection of bacterial drug-susceptibility profiles helps to initiate the necessary treatment in a timely fashion and to limit transmission of the disease. For more affordable detection of bacterial diseases, such as TN, tag-free split aptamer probes are advantageous. This proposal aims at designing split aptamer probes for detection …
Chinese Paradox : Where Are Chinese Monuments?, Alberto Castelli
Chinese Paradox : Where Are Chinese Monuments?, Alberto Castelli
Journal of Urban Culture Research
The bareness of the Chinese monumental landscape is the result of various factors, the analysis of which deserves an inquiry into Chinese modus vivendi. Daoist imprimatur and its recognition of nature’s superiority is but one. Buddhist sectarianism, Chinese fluid conception of time, Chinese iconoclasm, are phenomena that, largely, have concurred on creating a periodic tabula rasa of cultural heritage. Making sense of this is simply to recognize that artistic representations are not only metaphors for understanding social dynamics, but also a magnifying glass on the relation between people and their past.
A Mixed Methods Study On Food Insecurity Screening And Patient-Centered Care: Perspectives Of Patients And Healthcare Providers On Practices And Barriers To Effective Screening In Outpatient Medical Settings, Christina Bernhardt
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between elements of patient-centered care and patient/provider comfort with conversing about food insecurity and related social determinants of health. A mixed methods study was conducted. Patients and healthcare providers were surveyed on their experiences with patient-centered care and comfort discussing food insecurity and related social concerns. Telephone interviews were conducted to gain a richer understanding of the concepts under investigation. In the survey and telephone interviews, both samples were also asked about changes in communication during COVID-19 times. Quantitative findings show that patient involvement in care and cultural sensitivity …
Brain Interhemispheric Alterations In Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using Structural Neuroimaging Features, Cintya Dutta
Brain Interhemispheric Alterations In Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using Structural Neuroimaging Features, Cintya Dutta
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
This dissertation examines brain lateralization and interhemispheric asymmetry patterns found in youths with Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Prior research groups have found mixed findings with respect to left and right hemisphere alterations from ADHD subjects using structural magnetic resonance imaging. In these investigations, we propose the use of Asymmetry Index (AI), a subject-specific metric that quantifies the extent of brain asymmetry and allows each subject to serve as their own control, thus reducing variability when pooling across different sites. We compare AI metric with laterality across volumetric, surface area, thickness, morphology, and white matter measures in order to characterize …
Predicting Employee Performance: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review On Data Mining Methods, Turku Erengin
Predicting Employee Performance: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review On Data Mining Methods, Turku Erengin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Data mining methods have been used to study a variety of topics in industrial and organizational psychology, including predicting employee performance. With the increased interest in predictive analytics in human resources, the present study aimed to review and explore the application of two commonly used data mining methods, decision trees (DTs) and artificial neural networks (ANNs), for predicting employee performance in organizational settings. Out of 103 studies reviewed, eight studies were retained and used for the meta-analyses. The number of employee performance classifications meta-analyzed was 2430 in total. The results suggested that both data mining methods showed good performance in …
Exploring The Academic Workload Of Second Year Medical Students, Jason Pollock
Exploring The Academic Workload Of Second Year Medical Students, Jason Pollock
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Excessive academic workload has been cited as a leading cause of medical student stress, depression, and drop out. A study was conducted at a Southeastern Medical School to identify a relationship between institutionally prescribed workload (objective workload) and the students' perceptions (subjective workload). The existing school workload policy and the Rice University Center for Teaching Excellence workload estimator were utilized to calculate time to complete two types of academic artifacts: (1) assigned (required) course materials and (2) recommended (optional) course materials, which we compared at the Module level to identify difference in objective workload. The students' perceptions of workload were …
Downregulation Of Mir-34a Via Calorie Restriction Regulates Lipid Metabolism In The Liver Of Long-Living Ames Dwarf Mice, Sarah Ashiqueali
Downregulation Of Mir-34a Via Calorie Restriction Regulates Lipid Metabolism In The Liver Of Long-Living Ames Dwarf Mice, Sarah Ashiqueali
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Ames dwarf mice (df/df) display delayed aging relative to their normal siblings, living approximately 40-60% longer. As such, investigating the mechanisms that enable these organisms to have superior life expectancies may prove useful in developing therapies to slow aging and deter age-related disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition that is characterized by the accumulation of excess adipose tissue in the liver. Interestingly, its prevalence tends to increase with age with an incidence rate of greater than 40% in individuals over the age of 60. Previous studies highlight the potential of calorie restriction (CR) in promoting longevity, but …
Periodicity Estimation Using Representations In Nested Periodic Dictionaries With Applications In Neural Engineering, Pouria Saidi
Periodicity Estimation Using Representations In Nested Periodic Dictionaries With Applications In Neural Engineering, Pouria Saidi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
In this dissertation, we investigate periodicity estimation with nested periodic dictionaries (NPDs), a newly introduced family of matrices that can capture periodicity in the data. We address two main problems. First, we study the detection of periodic signals using their representations in NPDs. To this end, the detection problem is posed as a composite hypothesis testing problem, where the signals are assumed to admit sparse representations in a Ramanujan Periodicity Transform (RPT) dictionary as an instance of NPDs. For the binary case, we develop a generalized likelihood ratio detector and obtain exact distributions of the test statistics in terms of …
Influence Of Body Composition, Velocity Profiles, And Sex-Related Differences On Army Combat Fitness Test Performance, David Boffey
Influence Of Body Composition, Velocity Profiles, And Sex-Related Differences On Army Combat Fitness Test Performance, David Boffey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) will become the United States Army's mandatory physical fitness test in March of 2022. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between ACFT performance and both body composition and velocity profiles, and to determine sex differences for these variables. Data was collected in November 2020 (Fall) and March 2021 (Spring) from male (n = 55) and female (n = 17) Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Body composition was assessed with a bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) device, and cadets completed a squat jump (SJ) force-velocity profile (FVP) and a hex …
The Relationship Between College Students' Level Of Alcohol Use And Their Grit, Personal Growth Initiatives, And Emotion Regulation Scores Using Structure Equation Modeling, Gelawdiyos Haile
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The purpose of this study was to examine the directional relationship between college students' level of grit, personal growth initiative, cognitive reappraisal emotion regulation strategy, and their level of harmful alcohol consumption and related problems. This study tested the theoretical structure model that college students' (N = 356) level of grit (as measured by the Grit Short Scale [Grit-S; Duckworth & Quinn, 2009]), personal growth initiative (PGI; as measured by the Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II [PGIS-II; Robitschek et al., 2012]), and cognitive reappraisal emotion regulation strategy (as measured by the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire [ERQ; Gross & John, 2003]) contribute to …
On The Strategic Relationship Between Leadership And Innovation In Us Firms, Shabeer Kirmani
On The Strategic Relationship Between Leadership And Innovation In Us Firms, Shabeer Kirmani
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Leadership is one of the most important factors in organizational success. Innovation is another of most important factors in organizational success. Leaders play a pivotal role in the innovation capabilities of organizations. One of the most important areas in Leadership Studies (LS) is the association between leadership style and the firm's innovation performance, but a lack of understanding and consensus still remains as a major issue. This research aims to address the research gap by reviewing the empirical literature and determining how the ambidextrous leadership (transactional and transformational) styles in top level U.S. management (CEOs) are related with firm ambidextrous …
Understanding Discourse Of Co-Teachers In Middle School Mathematics Inclusive Classrooms, Amanda Lannan
Understanding Discourse Of Co-Teachers In Middle School Mathematics Inclusive Classrooms, Amanda Lannan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The researcher in this study investigated the verbal discourse moves of co-teachers in middle school mathematics classrooms to solicit students' mathematical thinking with a specific focus on students with disabilities. In this examination of two classrooms, students received high-level mathematics instruction from expertly trained co-teachers. A quantitative analysis of the video transcripts using a validated tool for coding teacher behaviors was used to examine the content and context of mathematical discourse in each of the classrooms. The researcher examined qualitative data using a critical discourse framework. Three themes emerged from the discourse analysis: (a) empowerment of co-teachers, (b) strategic use …
Male Students Of Color In Stem Through The Lens Of Intersectionality: A Transformative Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Their Science Identities, Relevant Science Learning Experiences, And Decisions To Pursue Science Professions, Regina Mccurdy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The purpose of this 3-phase transformative mixed-methods study was to use intersectionality theoretical framework to explore the science identities and relevant science learning experiences of male students of color (MSOCs) in STEM and their decisions to pursue science professions after college. Phase 1 utilized a researcher-developed survey to analyze differences in science identity scores (SIS), science relevancy scores (SRS), and decisions to pursue science professions of 702 diverse college students enrolled in STEM-related courses at a state college in Southeast United States. While there were no statistically significant differences in SIS and SRS scores regarding race/ethnicity or socioeconomic factors, statistical …
Energy-Efficient In-Memory Architectures Leveraging Intrinsic Behaviors Of Embedded Mram Devices, Shadi Sheikhfaal
Energy-Efficient In-Memory Architectures Leveraging Intrinsic Behaviors Of Embedded Mram Devices, Shadi Sheikhfaal
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
For decades, innovations to surmount the processor versus memory gap and move beyond conventional von Neumann architectures continue to be sought and explored. Recent machine learning models still expend orders of magnitude more time and energy to access data in memory in addition to merely performing the computation itself. This phenomenon referred to as a memory-wall bottleneck, is addressed herein via a completely fresh perspective on logic and memory technology design. The specific solutions developed in this dissertation focus on utilizing intrinsic switching behaviors of embedded MRAM devices to design cross-layer and energy-efficient Compute-in-Memory (CiM) architectures, accelerate the computationally-intensive operations …
Classification Of Ground-Truth Fire Debris Samples Using Neural Networks, Nicholas Thurn
Classification Of Ground-Truth Fire Debris Samples Using Neural Networks, Nicholas Thurn
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Fire debris samples are currently analyzed according to ASTM E1618-19, which is the "Standard Test Method for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry." This method requires that an analyst make a visual comparison to an appropriate reference sample using the total ion and the extracted ion chromatograms. The analyst then provides an opinion about whether an ignitable liquid residue is present in the sample. The method is inherently subjective due to the visual interpretation that is needed. In order to automate this process, this work uses neural networks and a subset of the …
High-Density Neurochemical Microelectrode Array To Monitor Neurotransmitter Secretion, Kevin White
High-Density Neurochemical Microelectrode Array To Monitor Neurotransmitter Secretion, Kevin White
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Neuronal exocytosis facilitates the propagation of information through the nervous system pertaining to bodily function, memory, and emotions. Using amperometry, an electrochemical technique that directly detects electroactive molecules, the sub-millisecond dynamics of exocytosis are revealed and the modulation of neurotransmitter secretion due to neurodegenerative diseases or pharmacological treatments can be studied. The method of detection using amperometry is the exchange of electrons due to a redox reaction at an electrochemically sensitive electrode. As electroactive molecules, such as dopamine, undergo oxidation, electrons are released from the molecule to the electrode and an oxidation current is generated and recorded. Despite the significance …
Incinerator Ash Characterization - Implications For Elevated Temperature Landfills, Angel Villarruel-Moore
Incinerator Ash Characterization - Implications For Elevated Temperature Landfills, Angel Villarruel-Moore
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The occurrence of temperatures in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill gas (LFG) extraction systems in excess of 55°C is a problem that has gained much attention in the solid waste industry, both domestically and globally. Facilities which frequently experience such temperatures are termed Elevated Temperature Landfills (ETLFs), and recent research conducted at the University of Central Florida (UCF) has provided strong evidence that ash, both MSW incinerator ash (MSWIA) and coal combustion ash (CCA), when co-disposed with unburned MSW, provides materials which are able to participate in abiotic exothermic reactions that may lead to the development or sustainment of ETLFs. …
Using Geographic Information Systems To Analyze The Effects Of Residential Location On Student Academic Success, Courtney Wilson
Using Geographic Information Systems To Analyze The Effects Of Residential Location On Student Academic Success, Courtney Wilson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Purpose: This study aims to assess the impact of social disorganization indicators (i.e., employment, median-household income, owner-occupied housing, crime, poverty, and minority percentage) on academic performance (i.e., GPA) for 6th and 7th-grade students attending seven K-8 designated Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in central Florida. Methods: A hot spot cluster analysis was used to identify areas where high and low GPA clustering occurs based on the individual block level GPA data obtained from OCPS. Visual map comparison of cluster results and social disorganization indicators were used to understand if high GPA cluster outcomes occur in areas of social disorganization. Moreover, …
Chitosan-Gallium Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization And Antibacterial Activity, Samjhana Bhandari
Chitosan-Gallium Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization And Antibacterial Activity, Samjhana Bhandari
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of bacteria and the lack of a novel class of antibiotics has become a global health concern. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one common MDR bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections and related mortality worldwide. It has developed resistance against commonly available antibiotics and is in the WHO's priority list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are desperately needed. Currently there is a growing interest in developing metal and non-metal-based nanoparticles to target multidrug-resistant bacteria. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel nanocomposite of two non-traditional antimicrobials: a metal (Ga-III) and …
Influence Of Geography On The Healthy Gut Microbiome And The Role Of The Gut Microbiome In Ibd Symptom And Disease Progression, Sayf Al-Deen Hassouneh
Influence Of Geography On The Healthy Gut Microbiome And The Role Of The Gut Microbiome In Ibd Symptom And Disease Progression, Sayf Al-Deen Hassouneh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The human gut microbiome is believed to play an integral role in host health and disease. In a microbial community, associations between constituent members play an important role in determining the overall structure and function of the community. To understand the nature of bacterial associations at the species level in healthy human gut microbiomes, we analyzed previously published collections of whole-genome shotgun sequence data, from fecal samples obtained from four different healthy human populations. Using a Random Forest Classifier, we identified bacterial species that were prevalent in these populations and whose relative abundances could be used to accurately distinguish between …
Applying Machine Learning Techniques To Improve Safety And Mobility Of Urban Transportation Systems Using Infrastructure- And Vehicle-Based Sensors, Zubayer Islam
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The importance of sensing technologies in the field of transportation is ever increasing. Rapid improvements of cloud computing, Internet of Vehicles (IoV), and intelligent transport system (ITS) enables fast acquisition of sensor data with immediate processing. Machine learning algorithms provide a way to classify or predict outcomes in a selective and timely fashion. High accuracy and increased volatility are the main features of various learning algorithms. In this dissertation, we aim to use infrastructure- and vehicle-based sensors to improve safety and mobility of urban transportation systems. Smartphone sensors were used in the first study to estimate vehicle trajectory using lane …
Genomic And Physiological Bioremediation Characteristics Of The Actinobacteria Frankia, Erik Swanson
Genomic And Physiological Bioremediation Characteristics Of The Actinobacteria Frankia, Erik Swanson
Doctoral Dissertations
Introduction: Frankia is a genus of symbiotic, nitrogen fixing actinobacteria found in the soil and root tissue of actinorhizal plants throughout the world. Both Frankia and actinorhizal plants are resistant to a wide range of environmental and chemical stresses including heavy metals, high salinity, and drought. This makes Frankia and the actinorhizal symbiosis an interesting candidate for bioremediation applications. However, the microbial community found in the actinorhizal rhizosphere and surrounding soil has been implicated in some of the symbiotic and resistance traits attributed to Frankia. This necessitates thorough investigation of the genomic and genetic components of any bioremediation traits possessed …
From An Insect To The Classroom: Evolutionary Insights Into The Ecological And Behavioral Impacts Of Experience, Brooke Kathleen Woelber-Kastner
From An Insect To The Classroom: Evolutionary Insights Into The Ecological And Behavioral Impacts Of Experience, Brooke Kathleen Woelber-Kastner
Doctoral Dissertations
Organisms exhibit suites of life history traits which enable them to respond to environmental stimuli and increase fitness. However, the relationship between organism traits and the environment is not unidirectional, rather they are in a state of constant interaction. To further our understanding of the interactions between the environment and organism phenotypes, this dissertation focuses on a group of insect scavengers, the burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorus) which utilize carrion to initiate reproduction and feed developing young. Here I apply ecological and molecular methodologies to demonstrate that behaviors provide an important ecological service by sequestering carrion in forest ecosystems. I …
Becoming Scientists: Undergraduate Students' Literacy Activities In Laboratory Education, Allison Giannotti
Becoming Scientists: Undergraduate Students' Literacy Activities In Laboratory Education, Allison Giannotti
Doctoral Dissertations
In laboratory courses across universities, undergraduate students are learning to act, think, and write like professional scientists. Yet, despite the centrality of language and literacy in laboratory experiments, the process of becoming scientifically literate remains ambiguous. Thus, my dissertation examines how university laboratory courses foster undergraduate students’ emergence as literate professionals and competent communicators in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. In particular, it examines undergraduate students’ literate practices, how they change over time, and how they are affected by material and experimental processes in three sequenced, chemistry laboratory courses. Through laboratory observations and interviews with undergraduate students, faculty, …
Carbon Emissions From Streams And Rivers: Integrating Methane Emission Pathways And Storm Carbon Dioxide Emissions Into Stream And River Carbon Balances, Andrew Robison
Doctoral Dissertations
River networks play an important role in elemental cycling at watershed, regional, and global scales. They not only serve as pipes that transport elements from land to sea, but also as complex processers that can significantly modify the timing, form, and magnitude of these elemental fluxes. For example, recent studies have shown that river networks contribute significantly to the global carbon cycle by emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO¬2) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, we currently do not fully understand the controls on GHG emissions from river networks, particularly what drives the variability of emissions across space …
Utilization Of Exotic Germplasm In A Cucurbita Breeding Program, Andrew Burkeland Ogden
Utilization Of Exotic Germplasm In A Cucurbita Breeding Program, Andrew Burkeland Ogden
Doctoral Dissertations
Crops in the Cucurbitaceae plant family are an important part of agricultural systems worldwide. This family includes economically important crops such as watermelon, cucumber, pumpkins, melons, and squash. These crops are plagued by a wide variety of both insect and plant pathogen pests. Breeding for genetic resistance to these pests represents a key component of many cucurbit breeding programs in both public and private sectors. Sources for disease and pest resistance often include wild species and landraces found across the world. Often, such species show poor adaptability to temperate climates. This limits plant breeders’ abilities to utilize exotic germplasm and …