Digital Commons Network^™

An Optimization-Based Method For High Order Gradient Calculation On Unstructured Meshes, Alcides Dallanora Busatto

Theses and Dissertations

A new implicit and compact optimization-based method is presented for high order derivative calculation for finite-volume numerical method on unstructured meshes. Highorder approaches to gradient calculation are often based on variants of the Least-Squares (L-S) method, an explicit method that requires a stencil large enough to accommodate the necessary variable information to calculate the derivatives. The new scheme proposed here is applicable for an arbitrary order of accuracy (demonstrated here up to 3rd order), and uses just the first level of face neighbors to compute all derivatives, thus reducing stencil size and avoiding stiffness in the calculation matrix. Preliminary results …

Assessing The Potential For Increased Capacity Of Combined Heat And Power Facilities Based On Available Corn Stover And Forest Logging Residue In Mississippi, Selvarani Radhakrishnan

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of available biomass feedstock and associated cost components were analyzed to determine the potential increase in energy capacity of two existing combined heat and power plants in Mississippi. The amount of corn stover and forest logging residue within a 10-mile radius can satisfy the existing requirements of CHP plants in Scott (1 MW) and Washington counties (5 MW). Transporting feedstock within a smaller source area had lower transportation costs, but higher total unit cost than the two other source buffer scenarios. However, capital costs associated with higher plant capacities were significantly higher and plant expansion may not be …

Assessment Of The Lactation Index For Managing White-Tailed Deer Populations, Kamen Lee Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

I analyzed precision and accuracy of lactation data to reflect actual fawn recruitment for various levels of fecundity, neonatal mortality, harvest intensity, and hunter selectivity. I evaluated and developed a correction equation to adjust for harvest date effects on lactation detectability. I compared metrics of site-specific fawn recruitment (e.g., lactation rates, hunter observation fawn-to-doe ratios, and post-season fawn-to-doe ratios) among themselves, and to site-specific indices of carnivore abundance, for 18 properties across Mississippi and Alabama. Accuracy of lactation rates are compromised due to variation at minimal harvest intensity and insensitivity to change in fetal rate or neonatal mortality. Lactation data …

Case Study Of East Mississippi Community College's Plan To Assist The Sara Lee Corporation Employees Due To Plant Closing, Bruce J. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

The aim or purpose of this study was to statistically determine whether there were significant differences in obtaining employment and wages after training provided by East Mississippi Community College (EMCC). The training was specifically provided to employees of Sara Lee Corporation, LLC, after the massive layoff when the company closed its plant in West Point, Clay County, Mississippi. The plant, a food-processing entity, had been in continuous operation since 1902 after it was founded by two brothers from Clay County, Mississippi. Data obtained from the Statewide Longitudinal Integrated Workforce Management System, as reported by EMCC and the Mississippi Department of …

Cellulosic Fiber-Derived Carbon Catalyzed By Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Wen Che

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to study the catalytic graphitization of cellulose fibers coated with iron oxide nanoparticles. Bleached cellulose fibers and iron oxide nanoparticles coated cellulose fibers were pyrolyzed at five elevated temperatures. The crystallographic structures of carbon-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles were then investigated by the following techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Selected-Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). The graphitization of cellulosic fibers was enhanced by the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles. Moreover, iron oxide nanoparticles deposited on cellulosic fiber samples pyrolyzed above 800°C produced graphitic structures. TEM and XRD …

Chronobiology Of Lygus Lineolaris (Heteroptera: Miridae): Implications For Rearing And Pest Management, Sarah Rose Self

Theses and Dissertations

This research project consisted of three primary objectives: (1) Improve rearing methods for L. lineolaris, (2) Determine if selected behaviors displaying photoperiodicity are under circadian control, and (3) Estimate phase angle shifts of selected circadian rhythms, in an effort to contribute toward the future improvement of current integrated pest management techniques. Improving rearing methods was accomplished in three areas: (1) Estimating the optimal stocking rate to maximize production while maintaining acceptable insect quality as a function of photoperiodic regime, (2) Estimating fecundity at the optimal stocking rate and photoperiodic regime, and (3) Determining the timing of oviposition, mating, feeding and …

Does Social Network Opinion Matter? How Implicit Theories And Social Network Opinions Can Influence Romantic Relationship Dynamics, Lauren Whitney Colvin

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined whether someone’s implicit theories of relationships (ITORs) has an effect on whose opinion and what type of opinion has more influence on their romantic relationship dynamics. Individuals high in destiny beliefs view relationships as either meant to be or not meant to be. Individuals high in growth beliefs think relationships take work to maintain and that problems can be overcome. Combined these form orientations- cultivation orientation where the individual is high growth/low destiny and evaluation orientation which is high destiny/low growth. I analyzed an archived dataset where participants completed Sinclair’s (2008) Social Network Opinion Scale, Lund’s …

Economic Evaluation Of Biofuel Production Through Bio-Gasification Power Facility Using Modeling Method, Yangyang Deng

Theses and Dissertations

Since bio-gasification is a potentially more efficient way to utilize bio-energy, the economic feasibility becomes one of the greatest issues when we apply this new technology. Evaluation of economic feasibility of a bio-gasification facility needs understanding of its production unit cost under different capacities and different working shift modes. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the unit cost of bio-syngas and biouel products at different capacities by using economic modeling method. Result showed that economic feasibility of a power facility was significantly affected by its production capacity and operating mode (one shift, two shifts, or three shifts mode). …

Effects Of Glycine-Arginine-Alpha-Ketoisocaproic Acid Calcium (Gakic) On Maximal Strength And Multiple Bouts Of Resistance Exercise, Laura Anne Hilton

Theses and Dissertations

Glycine-arginine-alpha-ketoisocaproic acid calcium (GAKIC) is an amino acid combination postulated to improve dynamic performance of skeletal muscle during acute, anaerobic exercise in healthy individuals. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the ergogenic effects of GAKIC ingestion on resistance training performance in both trained male and female participants. Methods: Utilizing a double-blinded, crossover design, male participants completed a lower body leg press resistance exercise protocol and female participants completed a lower body leg extension resistance exercise protocol once using 10.2 g GAKIC and the other with a placebo. Results: A significant increase in TLV after GAKIC supplementation was …

Logging Cost And Productivity Associated With Labor And Mechanization In The Eastern United States, Dustin Wayne Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Forty-eight harvesting contractors over 13 state submitted data on cost and production over a period from 2003-2006. Within this group, 30 harvesting contractors submitted data for all four years in the study period. Discussions of logging development is presented in Chapter II focusing on labor and equipment. Data analysis focused on production estimates and cost information from a firm size and regional standpoint in Chapter IV. Analysis of consecutive data in Chapter V focused on shifts over time in labor, equipment and related cost categories. Contractors in the Coastal Plains were most numerous and demonstrated a distinct difference in sub-groups. …

Exploiting Spatial And Spectral Information In Hyperdimensional Imagery, Matthew Allen Lee

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, new digital image processing methods for hyperdimensional imagery are developed and experimentally tested on remotely sensed Earth observations and medical imagery. The high dimensionality of the imagery is either inherent due to the type of measurements forming the image, as with imagery obtained with hyperspectral sensors, or the result of preprocessing and feature extraction, as with synthetic aperture radar imagery and digital mammography. In the first study, two omni-directional adaptations of gray level co-occurrence matrix analysis are developed and experimentally evaluated. The adaptations are based on a previously developed rubber band straightening transform that has been used …

Computational Prediction Of Flow And Aerodynamic Characteristics For An Elliptic Airfoil At Low Reynolds Number, Varun Chitta

Theses and Dissertations

Lifting surfaces of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are often operated in low Reynolds number (Re) ranges, wherein the transition of boundary layer from laminar-to-turbulent plays a more significant role than in high-Re aerodynamics applications. This poses a challenge for traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, since typical modeling approaches assume either fully laminar or fully turbulent flow. In particular, the boundary layer state must be accurately predicted to successfully determine the separation behavior which significantly influences the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based CFD simulations of an elliptic airfoil are performed for time-varying angles of attack, and …

Crappie Population Characteristics Relative To Inundation Of Floodplain Habitats In Reservoirs, Jonah Dennis Dagel

Theses and Dissertations

Catch rates of age-0 and adult crappies Pomoxis spp. were compared between floodplains and coves to determine if differences in densities existed between habitats, and to determine if water levels influenced density relationships. Habitat in a cove and a floodplain of Enid Reservoir was mapped to describe differences in vegetation. Adult crappies were collected with electrofishing and age-0 crappies were collected with trap nets. Coves had the greatest spring densities of adults in 2009 and 2010, whereas floodplains attracted adults earlier in the spawning season. Recruitment of age-0 crappies was related inversely to high water levels during months preceding the …

Degree Of Pyritization And Methylmercury Analysis, Weeks Bay Alabama, Henry A. Stauffenberg

Theses and Dissertations

Methylmercury (MeHg) production is magnified in the natural environment by geochemical influxes and an active sulfate reducing bacteria community. It has been found that the presence of sulfides, excess nutrients, and the type of depositional environment (normal marine or euxinic) greatly influences MeHg production and degree of pyritization (DOP). The aim of this research is to investigate a possible connection between MeHg accumulation and the DOP in Weeks Bay sediment. Collected sediment samples have confirmed a significant presence of total reduced sulfides, inorganic mercury, reactive iron, and total organic carbon. Pyritization results indicate a normal marine environment and, of the …

William Charles "Butch" Wallace

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Murray Ledger And Times, August 11, 2012, Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

College Of Behavioral And Social Sciences News, Georgia Southern University

College of Behavioral & Social Sciences: News & Publications (2012-2022)

• CLASS Alumni Connection Lecture Series launches Sept. 17

The Effect Of Slope And Media Depth On Growth Performance Of Sedum Species In A Green Roof System In Mississippi's Sub-Tropical Climate, Sinan Kordon

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, green roofs have become an accepted solution in ecological urban design to mitigate the impacts of impervious surfaces (Berghage, Beattie, Jarrett, Thuring, & Razaei, 2009). An experimental research project was conducted at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) Green Infrastructure Research Area at South Farm of Mississippi State University to determine how medium depth and slope gradient on rooftops affect plant cover and survival. Plant cover was monitored monthly by photographing the experimental green roof platforms. Photoshop and AutoCAD software programs were employed to digitize and to calculate plant cover from the images. All recorded …

The Effects Of National Board Certified Teachers On Student Achievement In Mississippi High Schools, Raymond C. Morgigno

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of National Board Certified Teachers on student performance on Mississippi’s Subject Area Testing Program (SATP) English II assessment, an end-of-course exam that assesses 10th grade students in Mississippi school districts. The researcher sought to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between the SATP English II scores of two groups of students (those taught by National Board Certified Teachers and those who were not). If there was a difference, the researcher sought to determine how the difference could be explained based on selected teacher demographic data (sex, race, highest …

The Effects Of Prison Program Participation On Recidivism Of Ex-Offenders In Mississippi, Chad Lamar Stocks

Theses and Dissertations

Correctional education research strongly suggests that an increase in inmates’ education will reduce recidivism rates. This study utilized logistic regression techniques to investigate the effects of prison education program participation on recidivism and employment rates. Using this method made it possible to conclude that inmates who participated in prison intervention/educational programs were significantly less likely to recidivate. The purpose of this study was to identify to what extent the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ (MDOC’s) intervention/educational programs reduce recidivism. The pre-existing data used were historical information collected as part of a longitudinal study on Mississippi inmates since 2000. The data were …

The Efficacy Of Learning Communities In Assisting Developmental Students In Achieving Graduation And Accumulation Of Credit Hours In A Southern Metropolitan Community College, William J. Ashley

Theses and Dissertations

Hinds Community College (HCC) engaged in a study that produced the transitional program. This program was in response to high rates of attrition of the college’s freshmen classes because of poor academic performance. This dissertation evaluated the effectiveness of the transitional program’s main component—the learning community created by placing students in the LLS 1151 College Life course based on their status as residence hall students. HCC’s transitional program is a further elaboration of placement policies that have been a part of the community college landscape for many years. The HCC transitional program incorporates learning communities in combination with HCC’s placement …

The Role Of A Community College Writing Center In Preparing An Educated Workforce: A Case Study Of The Itawamba Community College Writing Center, Stephen Kyle Brandon

Theses and Dissertations

Good writing skills are an essential component of a well-educated workforce. The competitive nature of business and industry demands a diversified and educated workforce. This study investigated the intersections of a community college writing center and the writing demands of business and industry in North Mississippi. The research was qualitative and employed observations, interviews, documents, and other artifacts that were relative to the study. The Itawamba Community College (ICC) Writing Center was purposively selected for the case study. Participants for the study included current and former ICC students, writing center directors, faculty, ICC peer tutors, and business and industry leaders …

The Role Of Thought Confidence In Resistance To Social Norms, Benjamin Howard Walker

Theses and Dissertations

The current study employed the self-validation hypothesis (Petty, Brinol, & Tormala, 2002) to test how thought confidence affects individuals’ responses to social norms regarding gay rights. After measuring their gay rights attitudes and thought confidence, participants took part in a discussion where they faced groups that either opposed their position on gay rights unanimously or non-unanimously (i.e., 4 opposing confederates vs. 3 opposing confederates and one supporting confederate). Those who were anti-gay rights conformed more than those pro, particularly when facing unanimous opposition. Thought confidence reduced the effects of normative pressure on conformity, but only in those who were anti-gay …

Rejection, Rumination, And Revenge: A Test Of The Relational Goal Pursuit Theory Of Stalking Perpetration, Benjamin A. Fay

Theses and Dissertations

Applying Relational Goal Pursuit Theory (RGT), the present study examined the motivations for obsessive relational intrusion (ORI). Participants (n = 509) were randomly assigned to conditions that 1) primed relational or retaliatory goals, then 2) exposed to a negative romantic relationship vignette (relationship disappointment vs. explicit rejection vs. “nice” rejection), and 3) then were either induced to ruminate about the vignette events or were not. Participants reported how likely they would be to think about pursuit (e.g., frequent calls) and aggressive (e.g., threats) ORI. Contrary to expectations, rejection elicited less ORI than the relationship disappointment condition. However, it was found …

Remote Sensing Of Cyanobacteria In Turbid Productive Waters, Sachidananda Mishra

Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacterial algal bloom is a major water quality issue in inland lakes, reservoirs, and estuarine environments because of its scum and bad odor forming and toxin producing abilities. Health risks from cyanobacterial toxin can vary from skin irritations to fever, intestinal problems, and neurological disorders. Terminations of blooms also cause oxygen depletion leading to hypoxia and widespread fish kills. Adding to the problem, many species of cyanobacteria produce odorous compounds such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) that cause “earthy-muddy” and “musty” odor in drinking water, which is also a serious issue in aquaculture and drinking water industry. Therefore continuous monitoring …

Slope Stability Analysis Of Spoil Dragline Bench In Lignite Coal Mine, Choctaw County, Mississippi, Maria Laila Jover

Theses and Dissertations

Spoil pile stability in an open pit coal mine is a common problem and the Red Hills Lignite Mine in Choctaw County is no exception. The mine has had spoil stability problems of their spoil dragline bench since the beginning of their activity in 2002. They have managed to stabilize the conditions by installing prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) to consolidate the layers below the spoil dragline bench, which tended to fail due to an increase in pore water pressure. In this study, the capability of analyzing and predicting future pore water pressure conditions is examined. With the use of the …

Physical Activity And Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Habits In College Student Smokers, Social Smokers, And Nonsmokers, Timothy Chad Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

Smoking, physical activity, and insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption have been linked to increased instances of coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, hypertension, numerous cancers, and complications surrounding blood pressure and blood cholesterol. In the United States approximately 22% of college students have smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days; 70-85% are not meeting recommended levels of physical activity; and 75% are not consuming recommended levels of fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption …

Potential Of Great Egrets To Be Vectors For The Transmission Of S Virulent Strain Of Aeromonas Hydrophila Between Channel Catfish Culture Pond, Madison Mccall Jubirt

Theses and Dissertations

Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative, rod shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium that is ubiquitous to freshwater and slightly brackish aquatic environments and can cause infections in fish, humans, reptiles, and avian species. Recent severe outbreaks of disease in catfish aquaculture have been associated with a highly virulent Aeromonas hydrophila strain (VAH) that is genetically distinct from less virulent strains. Given that A. hydrophila is known to infect birds, we hypothesized that fish eating birds may serve as a reservoir for VAH and spread the pathogen by flying to uninfected ponds. Great Egrets were used in this transmission model because these wading …

Price Pass-Through In U.S. Gasoline Markets, Phillip Anthony Mixon

Theses and Dissertations

The price pass-through relationship of retail gasoline markets in the United States has been examined on several levels. This dissertation takes two unique approaches to examine the pass-through behavior (1) a seemingly unrelated regressions model to survey regional differences in gasoline markets and (2) a pooled panel error-correction approach to analyze the effects of spatial competition on local Mississippi gasoline markets. The first model showed the presence of rockets and feathers on a regional level in the US. Moreover, every PADD had a long run asymmetric price pass-through relationship. I included variables to capture the effect of Hurricane Katrina. The …

Principals' Perceptions Of Factors Associated With The Implementation Of School Wellness Policies, Melissa Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 1/3 of the children in the United States are overweight or obese. Children in Mississippi have the highest rate of obesity among all other states. The outcome of this epidemic presents an increase in poor health. To address the problems associated with overweight and obesity among children, schools in the U.S. were required to develop school wellness policies. School principals were identified as key individuals in overseeing the development and implementation of the policies. Existing research studies show a strong relationship or association between student health and academic achievement. The purpose of this research study was to investigate elementary …