Molecular Characterization Of Some Pathogenic Bacterial Strains And Hematobiochemical Profile In Barki Sheep With Diarrhea In Siwa Oasis, Amani A. Hafez, Mohamed T. Ragab, Marwa A. Fawzy, Adel M. El-Kattan, Ahmed A. Elsayed

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: To explore the incidence of several bacterial enteropathogens in Barki sheep with diarrhea and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends and their hematobiochemical alteration in Siwa Oasis.Design: Descriptive study.Animals: A total of 500 adult Barki sheep were allocated into two equal-sized groups: 250 Barki ewes with diarrhea and 250 normal sheep taken as the control group. 250 faecal samples were taken from sheep with diarrhea. The bacterial enteropathogens were extracted, identified biochemically and determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Kirby-Bauer Disk-Diffusion Method was used to determine the sensitivity of positive samples from each organism to ten antimicrobials. Blood samples …

Effect Of Protein Reduction With Indispensable Amino Acid Supplementation At Different Levels In Practical Diets Of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Fish., Sara Youssef, Shimaa Salem, Rania Mahmoud, Tarek Ibrahim

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: To estimate the effect of reducing dietary protein levels in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with dietary supplementation of commercially-available synthetic amino acids at different levels on growth performance, whole-body composition, morphometric indices, and serum metabolites.Design: Randomized controlled experimental study.Animals: One hundred eighty male Nile tilapia fingerlings.Procedures: One hundred eighty male Nile tilapia fingerlings were equally distributed in twelve glass aquaria (15 fish per aquarium) and fed the formulated diets at 4-5% of the body weight. Every two weeks, tilapia were weighed and the amount of feed intake was adjusted according to the increase in the tilapia weight. Results: By …

Investigation Of Temperature, Solution Strength, And Applied Stress Effects On Cation Exchange Processes In Geosynthetic Clay Liners, Kurt Katzenberger

Master's Theses

A laboratory test program was conducted to investigate the effects of temperature, solution strength, and applied stress over increasing conditioning durations on cation exchange processes in sodium bentonite (Na-B) geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). The test program was intended to determine if the variables of temperature, solution strength, and applied stress had beneficial or detrimental effects on the engineering behavior of Na-B GCLs in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills and laboratory testing applications. Needlepunched-reinforced, double non-woven Na-B GCL specimens were conditioned in fluids of increasing ionic strength (DI water, 2 mM CaCl2, 50 mM CaCl2, and 200 mM CaCl2 representing control, …

Irreducible Representations From Group Actions On Trees, Charlie Liou

Master's Theses

We study the representations of the symmetric group $S_n$ found by acting on

labeled graphs and trees with $n$ vertices. Our main results provide

combinatorial interpretations that give the number of times the irreducible

representations associated with the integer partitions $(n)$ and $(1^n)$ appear

in the representations. We describe a new sign

reversing involution with fixed points that provide a combinatorial

interpretation for the number of times the irreducible associated with the

integer partition $(n-1, 1)$ appears in the representations.

The Relationships Between College And Career Readiness Assessments, Charlotte M. Bruner

All Dissertations

This study explored the effects of taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses on college and career readiness in a rural school district in the southeastern United States. I examined student performance data using American College Test (ACT) scores, Ready to Work (R2W) examination scores, and AP examination scores. The results of the study show that taking a single AP course leads to significant improvement on the ACT exam over a student who has not taken an AP courses and the optimal number of courses a student should take. The results of the study also show that taking an AP course leads …

The Importance Of Hand Motions For Communication And Interaction In Virtual Reality, Alex Adkins

All Dissertations

Virtual reality (VR) is a growing method of communication and play. Recent advances have enabled hand-tracking technologies for consumer VR headsets, allowing virtual hands to mimic a user's real hand movements in real-time. A growing number of users now utilize hand-tracking when using VR to manipulate objects or to create gestures when interacting with others. As VR grows as a tool and communication platform, it is important to understand how the rising prevalence of hand-tracking technology might affect users' experiences.

The goal of this dissertation is to investigate, through a series of experiments, how using hand motions in VR influences …

High-Performance Vlsi Architectures For Lattice-Based Cryptography, Weihang Tan

All Dissertations

Lattice-based cryptography is a cryptographic primitive built upon the hard problems on point lattices. Cryptosystems relying on lattice-based cryptography have attracted huge attention in the last decade since they have post-quantum-resistant security and the remarkable construction of the algorithm. In particular, homomorphic encryption (HE) and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) are the two main applications of lattice-based cryptography. Meanwhile, the efficient hardware implementations for these advanced cryptography schemes are demanding to achieve a high-performance implementation.

This dissertation aims to investigate the novel and high-performance very large-scale integration (VLSI) architectures for lattice-based cryptography, including the HE and PQC schemes. This dissertation first presents …

Measurement And Evaluation Of Roadway Geometry For Safety Analyses And Pavement Material Volume Estimation For Resurfacing And Rehabilitation Using Mobile Lidar And Imagery-Based Point Clouds, Leonildo Nelson Cassule

All Dissertations

Roadway safety is a multifaceted issue affected by several variables including geometric design features of the roadway, weather conditions, sight distance issues, user behavior, and pavement surface condition. In recent years, transportation agencies have demonstrated a growing interest in utilizing Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR) and other remote sensing technologies to enhance data collection productivity, safety, and facilitate the development of strategies to maintain and improve existing roadway infrastructure. Studies have shown that three-dimensional (3D) point clouds acquired using mobile LiDAR systems are highly accurate, dense, and have numerous applications in transportation. Point cloud data applications include extraction of roadway …

Increasing Classroom Teachers' Use Of Linguistically Responsive Strategies To Support English Language Learners: A Mixed-Methods Study, Christie Shealy

All Dissertations

With the dawn of the new decade, English Language Learner (ELL) populations began to grow in states without structures and professional learning to equip teachers to face the changing demographic of the classroom. In response to the growth of the knowledge gap between classroom teachers in South Carolina and their diverse classrooms, I conducted a study based on improvement science principles. As a long-standing ELL program coordinator, I experienced the need to increase linguistic responsiveness in classroom teachers on a daily basis. The application of the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle utilized mixed methodology to gather data to increase classroom teachers’ use …

Data-Driven Biomarker Panel Discovery In Ovarian Cancer Using Heterogenous Data Fusion On Exosomal And Non-Exosomal Microrna Expression Data, Paritra Mandal

All Dissertations

Ovarian cancer (OC) is an aggressive gynecological cancer and is currently the 5th leading cause of deaths due to cancer in women. High mortality rates are attributable to the vague pathogenesis and asymptomatic nature of the early stages. The development of a liquid biopsy for routine OC screening could help identify the disease at an earlier stage, making treatments more likely to be effective thereby increasing survival rates. Exosomes, small (~100nm) extracellular vesicles present in body fluids, have been shown to contain cancer-progression, onset, and related factors, making them good candidates for use in liquid biopsies. However, to date, only …

Behavioral Ecology Of The American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) In Human-Dominated Landscapes Of Coastal South Carolina, Anjelika Kidd-Weaver

All Dissertations

When wildlife habitat is developed to accommodate growing human populations, wildlife are forced to move to undisturbed landscapes or to acclimate to a novel, anthropogenic environment. In this dissertation, we investigated the behavior and ecology of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) in coastal, residential resort communities with an overarching goal of identifying behavioral patterns of alligators that can inform risk management strategies. In Chapter One, we compared the space use of male and female alligators in primarily wetland versus residential landscapes across three seasons to determine if and how space use behaviors of alligators differ. We found that …

Highly Adherent Antimicrobial Coatings For Orthopedic Implants, Mikhail Bredikhin

All Dissertations

Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are the most devasting sort of complications associated with fracture fixation devices, as they lead to patients’ morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, amputations, and even death.External fixators additionally suffer from pin site infections (PSIs), which initiate at the skin entry points of the skin-metallic pin interface present in the external fixation of the damaged bones, often causing deep tissue infection and osteomyelitis. Small percutaneous pins, commonly known as Kirschner wires (K-wires), are used to treat complex fractures and deformities.They are drilled inside the diseased bone for the healing period and are left protruding outside the skin for fixation adjustments …

Likeliness To Recommend: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Consumer Perception Of Homebuilders, Todd Usher

All Dissertations

Measures of consumers’ likeliness to recommend a business or company have been shown to relate to business performance. Less is known about how such scores might operate in the homebuilding industry. This study examines the factors influencing consumers’ perceptions of homebuilders, an area with little published research. Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes survey data from consumers (N = 366) who had new homes built within the preceding 12 months. Quantitative analyses of the data reveal several aspects of consumers’ likeliness to recommend a homebuilder. One finding of great interest is that consumers of the survey were more …

Scuba Diving Social Identity, Type Of Experience, Sociopsychobio Health, Health-Related Quality Of Life, Self-Efficacy, Disability Level, And Personality Among People With Physical Impairments: A Mixed Methods Study, Tania Santiago Perez

All Dissertations

The most common type of disability in the US is mobility or physical impairment, occurring in one in seven adults. Globally, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions account for nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of total physical rehabilitation needs. Approaches that promote healthy community living, rehabilitation, and reduce relapse and rehospitalization among people with physical impairments are critical. Participation in recreational activities and identification with social recreational groups may promote the health, quality of life, and functional abilities of people with physical impairments, contributing to reducing their hospitalization and healthcare needs. This explanatory sequential mixed methods research study had two aims. Using the experience-type …

Essays On Perioperative Services Problems In Healthcare, Amogh S. Bhosekar

All Dissertations

One of the critical challenges in healthcare operations management is to efficiently utilize the expensive resources needed while maintaining the quality of care provided. Simulation and optimization methods can be effectively used to provide better healthcare services. This can be achieved by developing models to minimize patient waiting times, minimize healthcare supply chain and logistics costs, and maximize access. In this proposal, we study some of the important problems in healthcare operations management. More specifically, we focus on perioperative services and study scheduling of operating rooms (ORs) and management of necessary resources such as staff, equipment, and surgical instruments. We …

On Variants Of Sliding And Frank-Wolfe Type Methods And Their Applications In Video Co-Localization, Seyed Hamid Nazari

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, our main focus is to design and analyze first-order methods for computing approximate solutions to convex, smooth optimization problems over certain feasible sets. Specifically, our goal in this dissertation is to explore some variants of sliding and Frank-Wolfe (FW) type algorithms, analyze their convergence complexity, and examine their performance in numerical experiments. We achieve three accomplishments in our research results throughout this dissertation. First, we incorporate a linesearch technique to a well-known projection-free sliding algorithm, namely the conditional gradient sliding (CGS) method. Our proposed algorithm, called the conditional gradient sliding with linesearch (CGSls), does not require the …

The Role Of Leisure Engagement In Fostering Cognition In Aging, Karen Wenzel

All Dissertations

Leisure activities are a major component of healthy aging, associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline and enhanced cognitive function. However, there is wide variation in the conceptualization and measurement of leisure. Specific leisure activities or domains have been studied in association with cognition in aging. More recently, researchers have noted that attributes of the activity, rather than the activity itself, may be significant. This study explored the current state of knowledge regarding attributes of leisure activities that foster cognition in aging. A literature review using PRISMA Scoping Review guidelines identified objectively and subjectively measured attributes of leisure engagement in …

Enhancing The Performance Of Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Based Organic Thin-Film Transistors Using An Interface Engineering Method, Eyob Negussie Tarekegn

All Dissertations

An original design and photolithographic fabrication process for poly(3-hexylthiophene-2, 5-diyl) (P3HT) based organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) is presented. The structure of the transistors was based on the bottom gate bottom contact OTFT. The fabrication process was efficient, cost-effective, and relatively straightforward to implement. Current–voltage (I-V) measurements were performed to characterize the primary electronic properties of the transistors. The measured mobility of these transistors was significantly higher than most results reported in the literature for other similar bottom gate bottom contact P3HT OTFTs. The higher mobility is explained primarily by the effectiveness of the fabrication process in keeping the interfacial layers …

The Role Of Fatty Acid Metabolism In The Pathogenesis Of Trypanosoma Brucei, Nava Poudyal

All Dissertations

Trypanosoma brucei is the protozoan parasite that causes African Sleeping Sickness in humans and nagana, a wasting disease in cattle. T. brucei completes its life cycle in two hosts, mammals and the tsetse fly insect vector. Due to the geographical restriction of the tsetse fly, the disease is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Both the insect and mammalian forms of the parasite need fatty acids to anchor their surface proteins. We worked on three projects on fatty acid metabolism and its role in immune evasion strategies of T. brucei. First, we assessed the role of T. brucei surface proteins in …

Permanently-Installed Distributed Pressure Sensors For Downhole Applications, Xuran Zhu

All Dissertations

Technology advancements (e.g., hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling) to recover unconventional oil and gas (UOG) resources are critical in maintaining future U.S. oil and gas production levels. Permanently installed distributed downhole pressure sensors could monitor fracture propagation, assess the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing, and optimize hydraulic fracturing placement so that overall UOG recovery efficiency can be increased. However, the harsh environment (high temperatures, high pressures, strong vibration, and presence of brine, mud, debris, hydrate, and various gases), the long data telemetry distance, and the requirements of reliability and service lifetime make the downhole monitoring a very challenging task. To combat …

Metabolic Engineering Of Yarrowia Lipolytica For Enhanced Peroxisomal Production Of Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Michael Spagnuolo

All Dissertations

Traditional chemical processes are made inefficient by the generation of side products and reactions that fail to reach completion. Bioprocesses, on the other hand, lose product potential due to the necessity of growing the organism required to produce the desired compounds. The field of metabolic engineering often seeks to alter this balance between product formation and cell growth to generate more product from the same quantity of feed (reagent). In addition to balance, such organisms may also be engineered to produce the desired products from nontraditional substrates, such as waste compounds. In resource-poor environments, the ability to produce a wanted …

Exploring Soil-Tree Interactions After Applying Organic Matter Amendments To Peach Orchards In The Subtropical Climate Of The Southeastern United States, Brian Lawrence

All Dissertations

Soil disturbance from the cultivation and intensive management of orchards in hot and humid subtropical climates can reduce soil organic matter (OM). This research explored how the addition of OM amendments impact soil and tree parameters in two field studies and how proximity to OM may elicit unique genomic response of peach roots in a split-root pot study. The first field study applied two rates of compost (1x and 2x) and subsequently reduced fertilizer applications annually to a virgin and replant orchard location. While both compost rates successfully replaced fertilizers, only the 2x rate in the replant location increased soil …

Needs Assessment For Systematic Cultural Competence Training In The Field Of Applied Behavior Analysis, William Edwards

All Dissertations

As the prevalence rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continue to increase, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is now universally recognized as the most effective and empirically based treatment option for children. This recognition has led to greater accessibility to services for families, a broader range of funding sources, increased client diversity, and an unprecedented demand for qualified service providers. With this increased demand for qualified providers and the increased diversity of clients, a needs assessment for cultural competence training was conducted.

The Needs Assessment for Systematic Cultural Competence Training in Applied Behavior Analysis captured demographic information related to providers and …

Ligand-Promoted Dissolution Of Uranyl Phosphate Across Scales, Brennan Ferguson

All Dissertations

The formation of uranyl phosphate precipitate is a remediation strategy because the low solubility of uranyl phosphate minerals, like chernikovite, limits the mobility of uranium in contaminated soils. However, organic ligands can complex with aqueous metal cations to form more soluble species. For example, citrate is a commonly occurring organic ligand produced by plants and microbes that increases the solubility of uranium and therefore the dissolution of uranyl phosphate minerals in the uranyl phosphate-citrate system. This effect is an important control on the mobility of uranium in organic-rich, and near-surface vegetated environments. Nevertheless, key aspects of the citrate-uranyl phosphate system …

Machine Learning Solutions For Biomedical Applications, Madeleine St. Ville

All Dissertations

This dissertation proposes three novel Bayesian modeling techniques to addresses the challenges arising from the complex, underlying features of biomedical data. These models are motivated by three different biomedical studies. The first is an analysis of data collected from six efficacy and safety clinical trials of buprenorphine maintenance treatment for opioid use disorder. The focus of this study is to overcome the problem of non-adherence by trial participants that, if left unaccounted for, obscures the true effect of buprenorphine on illicit opioid use. The second study is the assessment of hemodialysis cannulation skill through the use of a sensor-based simulator …

Mechanics Modeling Of Non-Rigid Origami: From Qualitative To Quantitative Accuracy, Jiayue Tao

All Dissertations

Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, has recently evolved into a design and fabrication framework for various engineering systems at vastly different scales: from large-scale deployable airframes to mesoscale biomedical devices to small-scale DNA machines. The increasingly diverse applications of origami require a better understanding of the fundamental mechanics and dynamics induced by folding. Therefore, formulating a high-fidelity simulation model for origami is crucial, especially when large amplitude deformation/rotation exists during folding.

The currently available origami simulation models can be categorized into three branches: rigid-facet models, bar-hinge models, and finite element models. The first branch of models assumes that …

Multi-Criteria Performance Evaluation And Control In Power And Energy Systems, Payam Ramezani Badr

All Dissertations

The role of intuition and human preferences are often overlooked in autonomous control of power and energy systems. However, the growing operational diversity of many systems such as microgrids, electric/hybrid-electric vehicles and maritime vessels has created a need for more flexible control and optimization methods. In order to develop such flexible control methods, the role of human decision makers and their desired performance metrics must be studied in power and energy systems. This dissertation investigates the concept of multi-criteria decision making as a gateway to integrate human decision makers and their opinions into complex mathematical control laws. There are two …

Statistical Methods For Modern Threats, Brandon Lumsden

All Dissertations

More than ever before, technology is evolving at a rapid pace across the broad spectrum of biological sciences. As data collection becomes more precise, efficient, and standardized, a demand for appropriate statistical modeling grows as well. Throughout this dissertation, we examine a variety of new age data arising from modern technology of the 21st century. We begin by employing a suite of existing statistical techniques to address research questions surrounding three medical conditions presenting in public health sciences. Here we describe the techniques used, including generalized linear models and longitudinal models, and we summarize the significant associations identified between research …

Quantifying And Identifying Mechanisms Of Resistance To Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) In Landraces Of Upland Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum), Sophia Christian

All Dissertations

Throughout the southeastern USA, tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca Hinds) are the primary thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) pest species of cotton (Gossypium spp.) seedlings and are often detrimental to the establishing crop. In 2020, cotton yield losses from thrips and their management cost USA growers $70.7 million. Heavy reliance on prophylactic insecticides, primarily used as seed treatments, has led to insecticide-resistant populations of tobacco thrips. Currently, no known commercial cotton cultivar provides protection to prevent injury from thrips feeding. A sustainable, alternative management tactic is needed to address insecticide-resistant populations of and reduce damage from thrips in cotton. Our research evaluated day-neutral, …

A New Comprehensive And Practical Taxonomy Of Demands Healthcare Professionals Experience: The Development Process And Testing Using Machine Learning, Phoebe Xoxakos

All Dissertations

Given the complex (Ratnapalan & Lang, 2020) and high stress environment of healthcare organizations (Freshwater & Cahill, 2010), a better understanding of the conditions in which healthcare professionals work is important. Although previous research has resulted in somewhat limited categories of the demands on healthcare professionals (Borteyrou et al., 2014; Shanafelt et al., 2020), a comprehensive taxonomy that covers the breadth and depth of demands is lacking. Using longitudinal data collected over 28 measurement waves spanning two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the present studies outline the development of a taxonomy based on an in-depth literature review of related workplace …