Digital Commons Network^™

Confidence Interval For The Mean Of A Beta Distribution, Sean Rangel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Statistical inference for the mean of a beta distribution has become increasingly popular in various fields of academic research. In this study, we developed a novel statistical model from likelihood-based techniques to evaluate various confidence interval techniques for the mean of a beta distribution. Simulation studies will be implemented to compare the performance of the confidence intervals. In addition to the development and study involving confidence intervals, we will also apply the confidence intervals to real biological data that was gathered by the Department of Biology at Stephen F. Austin State University and provide recommendations on the best practice.

Effects Of Varying Warmup Stimuli On Running Economy, Connor Bigenho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two potentiating warm-up stimuli (weighted-vest strides and plyometrics) on running economy (RE) over short (5-10 minutes) and longer durations (30+ minutes) of exercise in trained distance runners. Methods: Five recreationally trained male runners were recruited to participate in this study. Each trial consisted of a 10-min self-paced warm-up on the treadmill followed by baseline RE test and baseline leg-stiffness. This was immediately followed by one of two intervention warmup protocols. The protocols consisted of either a series of plyometric movements, 6 x 10-sec strides with a …

Characterization And Aerodynamics Of Synthesized Polymeric Nanofibers Via Electrospinning Process To Capture Pm10 And Pm2.5 From Air, Barra Abbood, Khalid Sukkar, Jenan Al-Najar

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

Air quality is an important factor for human breathing requirements. The presence of the particulate matter which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets presence in atmosphere such as PM10 and PM2.5 in the indoor air leads to fatal problems for human health.  In the present investigation, two types of nanofilters (polyacrylonitrile PAN, 15wt.% and polyvinyl alcohol PVA 12wt.%) were synthesized using the electrospinning method. The polymeric solutions were prepared under high mixing conditions. The structural and morphological specifications of produced nanofibers were characterized using many measuring devices.  Also, airflow characteristics across the prepared nanofilter were evaluated by …

Combatting Mental Illness In Schools: Are Teachers Ready?, Deshonda Payton

Dissertations

If ever there was a time school districts, principals and teachers had to worry about providing a quality education for students, it is now, at the time of this writing. Due to the Nation's current state in dealing with a worldwide pandemic, the education system as a whole has suffered traumatically, both mentally and emotionally. No longer will teachers be solely responsible for providing students with the essentials necessary to be academically, emotionally, and socially successful in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students suffer from some form of mental illness within our schools. And, the teachers who service and support …

Adverse Effect Of Nitroxynil And Albendazole On Rabbits, Eman Elalfy, Azza Hassan, Magdy Amer

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective:The present study aims to investigate the possible adverse effects of the subcutaneous injection of nitroxynil and oral administration of albendazole in rabbits. Design:Randomized controlled experimental study. Animals: 18 New Zealand rabbits of 1.50 ± 0.5 kg body weight, were allocated randomly into three groups (n=6). Procedures: Group A served as control, the group B was treated with albendazole (20 mg /kg B. wt.) orally and the group C was treated with nitroxynil (10mg /kg B. wt.) subcutaneously. Blood samples were collected at 1st, 7th and 14th days post drugs administration for hematological and biochemical determination. In addition, histopathological examination …

Soil Structure And Soil Moisture Dynamics Inferred From Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Travis Nielson, John Bradford, Jen Pierce, Mark Seyfried

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The semi-arid sagebrush steppe in the western United States faces pressures from the agriculture industry, recreation use, invasive grasses, and a changing climate. A key to facilitating the healthy management of this ecosystem is understanding the distribution and behavior of soil moisture in the vadose zone in both natural and agricultural settings. Within unsaturated environments, soil moisture is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and changes in porosity and permeability within arid soils complicate characterization of soil hydrologic properties. Importantly, accumulations of ‘caliche’ or pedogenic calcium carbonate in arid soils can greatly limit permeability; however, observing the role that caliche plays in …

Comparison Of Different Analytical Strategies For Classifying Invasive Wetland Vegetation In Imagery From Unpiloted Aerial Systems (Uas), Louis Will Jochems, Jodi Brandt, Andrew Monks, Megan Cattau, Nicholas Kolarik, Jason Tallant, Shane Lishawa

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

Detecting newly established invasive plants is key to prevent further spread. Traditional field surveys are challenging and often insufficient to identify the presence and extent of invasions. This is particularly true for wetland ecosystems because of difficult access, and because floating and submergent plants may go undetected in the understory of emergent plants. Unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) have the potential to revolutionize how we monitor invasive vegetation in wetlands, but key components of the data collection and analysis workflow have not been defined. In this study, we conducted a rigorous comparison of different methodologies for mapping invasive Emergent (Typha …

Apoε4 Lowers Energy Expenditure In Females And Impairs Glucose Oxidation By Increasing Flux Through Aerobic Glycolysis, Brandon C. Farmer, Holden C. Williams, Nicholas A. Devanney, Margaret A. Piron, Grant K. Nation, David J. Carter, Adeline E. Walsh, Rebika Khanal, Lyndsay E. A. Young, Jude Kluemper, Gabriela Hernandez, Elizabeth J. Allenger, Rachel Mooney, Lesley R. Golden, Cathryn T. Smith, J. Anthony Brandon, Vedant A. Gupta, Philip A. Kern, Matthew S. Gentry, Josh M. Morganti, Ramon C. Sun, Lance A. Johnson

Clinical and Translational Science Faculty Publications

Background: Cerebral glucose hypometabolism is consistently observed in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as in young cognitively normal carriers of the Ε4 allele of Apolipoprotein E (APOE), the strongest genetic predictor of late-onset AD. While this clinical feature has been described for over two decades, the mechanism underlying these changes in cerebral glucose metabolism remains a critical knowledge gap in the field.

Methods: Here, we undertook a multi-omic approach by combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and stable isotope resolved metabolomics (SIRM) to define a metabolic rewiring across astrocytes, brain tissue, mice, and human subjects expressing APOE4.

Reproductive Success Of Captive-Reared Allegheny Woodrats (Neotoma Magister) Released Into Genetically Depauperate Populations, Miracle M. Davis, Timothy J. Smyser, Scott A. Johnson, Joseph Duchamp, Jeffery L. Larkin, Robert K. Swihart, Jacqueline M. Doyle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Habitat fragmentation and degradation have led to a proliferation of small and isolated populations that are vulnerable to genetic erosion. Reduction in habitat and concomitant declines in population connectivity can expediate the collapse of species that exist as natural metapopulations. In recent years, Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) have experienced local extirpations and declines in genetic diversity across their range due to disease-related mortality, reduced food availability, and disruption of connectivity among subpopulations. In response, we developed a captive-breeding program to facilitate genetic management of isolated woodrat populations in Indiana. Between 2010 and 2012, 27 captive-reared individuals were released to four …

Experimental Measurement Of Sharp Thz Absorption Signatures From Nucleic Acid Solutions In Nanofluidic Channels, Elliott R. Brown, Edgar A. Mendoza

Physics Faculty Publications

We report on the room-temperature experimental measurement of THz absorption signatures in aqueous, double-stranded nucleic acid solutions confined to the submicron silica channels on fused quartz substrates using THz frequency-domain (photomixing) spectroscopy. Three sharp (i.e., strong and narrow) signatures, ~10–20 GHz FWHM, are observed in the shortest base pair sample—small interfering, double-stranded (ds) RNA—in the range of 800 GHz to 1.1 THz. Three similar signatures are also observed in a 50-bp dsDNA ladder sample. For a 1-kbp dsDNA ladder sample, the three are still evident, but are broadened and weakened. For a 48.5-kbp sample (λ-DNA), no prominent signatures are observed, …

Sensor-Based Prediction Of Mental Effort During Learning From Physiological Data: A Longitudinal Case Study, Ankita Agarwal, Josephine Graft, Noah Schroeder, William Romine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Trackers for activity and physical fitness have become ubiquitous. Although recent work has demonstrated significant relationships between mental effort and physiological data such as skin temperature, heart rate, and electrodermal activity, we have yet to demonstrate their efficacy for the forecasting of mental effort such that a useful mental effort tracker can be developed. Given prior difficulty in extracting relationships between mental effort and physiological responses that are repeatable across individuals, we make the case that fusing self-report measures with physiological data within an internet or smartphone application may provide an effective method for training a useful mental effort tracking …

Applying Rerum Novarum Towards The Academic Service-Learning (Asl) Reflection Process For Promoting Ethical Leadership In Post-Secondary Students, Henry J. Davis

Journal of Catholic Education

Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum is considered one of the first major works to introduce Catholic social thought on a global level. A key message undergirding Rerum is the concept of supporting the needs of others, leading to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to create a list of reflection prompts informed by Rerum for post-secondary students to consider and apply towards their academic service-learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis, three main themes related to Rerum’s key message were identified: (a) opportunity to obtain resources; (b) intrinsic right to continual resources; and, (c) communal support of families …

The Effect Of Green Biobased Binder On Structural, Mechanical, Liquid Absorption And Wetting Properties Of Coated Papers, Bilge N. Altay, Charles Klass, Ting Chen, Alexandar Fleck, Cem Aydemir, Arif Karademir, Paul D. Fleming

Articles

Synthetic styrene-butadiene (SB) and styrene-acrylic (SA) latex binders used in paper coating formulations are common and based on unsustainable petroleum sources. Today's papermaking industry turns towards sustainable substitutes that do not compromise quality, and reduce carbon emission, toxic substance release and waste disposal concerns related to fossil fuel sources. In this study, colloidal starch-based latex nanoparticles that do not require cooking were used for pigment coating and coated on the paper surfaces. The effects of these new biobased binders on the structural and mechanical strength properties, liquid absorption, wetting and surface topography of the paper were investigated and compared with …

Charting A New Frontier Integrating Mathematical Modeling In Complex Biological Systems From Molecules To Ecosystems, Katharine A. White, Kira D. Mcentire, Nicole R. Buan, Lecia Robinson, Elisar Barbar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Advances in quantitative biology data collection and analysis across scales (molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological) have transformed how we understand, categorize, and predict complex biological systems. This surge of quantitative data creates an opportunity to apply, develop, and evaluate mathematical models of biological systems and explore novel methods of analysis. Simultaneously, thanks to increased computational power, mathematicians, engineers, and physical scientists have developed sophisticated models of biological systems at different scales. Novel modeling schemes can offer deeper understanding of principles in biology, but there is still a disconnect between modeling and experimental biology that limits our ability to fully realize …

Effects Of A N2-Fixing Biofertilizer On The Rhizosphere Microbiome And The Influence Of Biochar On Soil Fertility And Microbial Communities, Sarbjeet Niraula

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The rhizosphere microbiota and endosymbionts are the major contributors to biogeochemical cycling and significantly impact the associated host plant. Their association with plant roots is inevitable for plant health and development. The application of bio inoculants that promote plant growth and productivity is a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers in agricultural fields because of their nutrient solubilization activity, and are considered environmentally safe. However, their impact on the soil microbiome has been least studied. The use of bio-inoculants may have favorable or unfavorable impacts on the native microbial community in the rhizosphere. Therefore, we attempt to evaluate the effects of …

Of Single Nucleotides And Single Cells: Charting The Genotype-Phenotype Map At High Resolution Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Sneha Shreekant Mokashi

All Dissertations

Understanding the mechanisms by which genetic variation brings about phenotypic variation is essential for understanding variation in complex traits. Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for such studies. Flies are easy to raise in the laboratory under controlled genetic and environmental conditions and many genetic tools are widely available. To chart the genotype-phenotype map, we need to study how individual genetic variants contribute to phenotypic variation, as well as how environmental perturbations influence gene expression.

Regarding the former, I generated single nucleotide substitutions in Obp56h in a common genetic background. Obp56h, a member of the Odorant binding protein …

The Genetics Of Kidney Disorders In Phelan-Mcdermid Syndrome, Megan Mccoy

All Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Thrombosis With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome After Administration Of Azd1222 Or Ad26.Cov2.S Vaccine For Covid-19: A Systematic Review, Usama Waqar, Shaheer Ahmed, Syed M H Ali Gardezi, Muhammad Sarmad Tahir, Zain Ul Abidin, Ali Hussain, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Medical College Documents

Background: Cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) have been reported following vaccination with AZD1222 or Ad26.COV2.S. This review aimed to explore the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of TTS.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify evidence on TTS till 4th September 2021. Case reports and series reporting patient-level data were included. Descriptive statistics were reported and compared across patients with different sexes, age groups, vaccines, types of thrombosis, and outcomes.
Findings: Sixty-two studies reporting 160 cases were included from 16 countries. Patients were predominantly females with a median age of 42.50 (22) years. AZD1222 was administered …

Development And Validation Of A Basic Ground Skills Assessment For Equine-Assisted Services, Sarah J. Andersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The equine-assisted services program at Utah State University produced and validated an assessment process used to test equines for suitability for equine-assisted services. Equine-assisted services incorporate the interaction of humans who face mental, physical, emotional, and/or social challenges and equines for therapeutic purposes. Recreational, physical, mental, social, and/or emotional goals are met through various equine-assisted services such as therapies, equine-assisted learning, and horsemanship.

Due to the potential for human injury while interacting with equines, it is important to ensure equines are assessed for safe behavior prior to participation in equine-assisted services. This is why our group developed and tested the …

Assessing Parental Involvement In Required High School Financial Literacy Education Courses Taught In Utah School Districts, Jennifer L. Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Financial management skills are used throughout our lives, from the first allowance we receive until we provide funds for our funeral services and burial. How do we learn financial skills that last us a lifetime?

Much of our learning comes from watching others, specifically as children and teens, even into young adulthood, as explained by Social Learning Theory. This informal learning can help or hinder us throughout our lives, especially when finances are involved. In recent years, the opportunities for formal education have increased.

Ideally, based on systems theory, formal and informal financial learning would work hand in hand for …

The Impact Of Moral Injury And Moral Distress On Spirituality From A Military Perspective, Emily Sproule

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain greater insight and understanding of how moral injury, moral distress, and shame can influence spirituality and to determine ways to effectively improve treatment to support and serve those carrying these unspeakable wounds. The experience of loss, betrayal, uncertainty, and fractured spirits can affect an individual’s beliefs about the self. The primary aim of this study was to explore how veterans now view themselves in the eyes of God or their Higher Power or why they so choose not to partake in their spirituality. Results were based on aggregate analyses and summations of …

Use Patterns And Influencing Factors Of Irrigation Best Management Practices In The Lower Mississippi River Basin, Merri E. Day

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study uses the 2016 Irrigation Survey from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to document the use of irrigation best management practices (IBMPs), analyze use patterns, and use quantitative methods to determine factors that influence producers’ decisions regarding IBMPs. IBMPs included in the survey can be grouped as: field management practices (zero-grade leveling, precision-grade leveling, end blocking, warped surface, and deep tillage), water flow control practices (computerized pipe-hole selection, multiple-inlet irrigation, surge irrigation, alternate wetting and drying, cutback irrigation, flow meters, and pump timers), water recovery/storage practices (tail-water recovery system and on-farm storage reservoir), and advanced irrigation scheduling practices (soil moisture …

Tissue Engineering And The Effect Of Volumetric Muscle Loss On Muscle Performance, Alex Pemberton

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Trauma, for so many people, creates life altering injuries. One of the major injuries that results from trauma is volumetric muscle loss (VML), which is the loss of muscle tissue that cannot be naturally regenerated and results in chronic loss of function. When a small amount of damage is done to a muscle, but the underlying extracellular matrix of the cell is still intact, the muscle can regenerate much of its volume and function. If the injury damages the extracellular matrix, the injury site is instead filled with scar tissue, which cannot regenerate muscle mass or function. Seen widely in …

Lawyering 'Twisties': Naming And Untangling Performance Anxiety, Heidi K. Brown

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Integrating Multiple Survey Techniques To Document A Shifting Bat Community In The Wake Of White-Nose Syndrome, D. Scott Reynolds, Kevin Shoemaker, Susi Von Oettingen, Stephen Najjar, Jacques P. Veilleux, Paul R. Moosman Jr

KIP Articles

The long-term study of bat communities often depends on a diverse set of sampling methodologies that are chosen based on the species or habitat management priorities of the research project. Integrating the data from a diverse set of methodologies (such as acoustic monitoring and mist net sampling) would improve our ability to characterize changes in community structure or composition over time, such as one would expect following an emergent infectious disease such as white-nose syndrome. We developed a Bayesian state-space model to integrate these disparate data into a common currency (relative abundance). We collected both acoustic monitoring and mist net …

December 1, 2021 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Map-Gan: Unsupervised Learning Of Inverse Problems, Brandon S. Campanella

Master's Theses

In this paper we outline a novel method for training a generative adversarial network based denoising model from an exclusively corrupted and unpaired dataset of images. Our model can learn without clean data or corrupted image pairs, and instead only requires that the noise distribution is able to be expressed analytically and that the noise at each pixel is independent. We utilize maximum a posteriori estimation as the underlying solution framework, optimizing over the analytically expressed noise generating distribution as the likelihood and employ the GAN as the prior. We then evaluate our method on several popular datasets of varying …

Paleogenomics Illuminates The Evolutionary History Of The Extinct Holocene “Horned” Crocodile Of Madagascar, Voay Robustus, E. Hekkala, J. Gatesy, A. Narechania, R. Meredith, M. Russello, M. L. Aardema, E. Jensen, S. Montanari, C. Brochu, M. Norell, G. Amato

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Ancient DNA is transforming our ability to reconstruct historical patterns and mechanisms shaping modern diversity and distributions. In particular, molecular data from extinct Holocene island faunas have revealed surprising biogeographic scenarios. Here, we recovered partial mitochondrial (mt) genomes for 1300–1400 year old specimens (n = 2) of the extinct “horned” crocodile, Voay robustus, collected from Holocene deposits in southwestern Madagascar. Phylogenetic analyses of partial mt genomes and tip-dated timetrees based on molecular, fossil, and stratigraphic data favor a sister group relationship between Voay and Crocodylus (true crocodiles). These well supported trees conflict with recent morphological systematic work that has consistently …

Local Weather Explains Annual Variation In Northern Goshawk Reproduction In The Northern Great Basin, Usa, Allyson B. Bangerter, Eliana R. Heiser, Jay D. Carlisle, Robert A. Miller

Intermountain Bird Observatory Publications and Presentations

Weather is thought to influence raptor reproduction through effects on prey availability, condition of adults, and survival of nests and young; however, there are few long-term studies of the effects of weather on raptor reproduction. We investigated the effects of weather on Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis; henceforth goshawk) breeding rate, productivity, and fledging date in south-central Idaho and northern Utah, USA. Using data from 42 territories where we found evidence of breeding attempts in ≥1 yr from 2011–2019, we analyzed breeding rates using 315 territory–season combinations, analyzed productivity for 134 breeding attempts, and analyzed fledging date for 118 …

Boise State Magazine, Anna Webb (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.