Digital Commons Network^™

Sea Grant Center For Great Lakes Literacy Shipboard Science Workshop Evaluation, Jennifer Hunnell, Heather A. Triezenberg, Brandon C. Schroeder, Meaghan J. Gass

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Youth have an important role in current and future Great Lakes stewardship. Educating youth and empowering them to be Great Lakes stewards requires educators to be knowledgeable and confident, and therefore more likely to engage in teaching Great Lakes literacy activities in their classroom, thus contributing to a Great Lakes-literate public. The Shipboard Science Workshop (SSW) for educators is a vessel-based professional learning opportunity aboard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's research vessel (R/V) Lake Guardian . During the week-long SSW, educators learn from professional scientists, Sea Grant staff, and each other about Great Lakes research through the lenses of place-based …

Producer Perceptions On The Value And Availability Of Water For Irrigation In The Mississippi Delta, Gurpreet Kaur, Nicolas E. Quintana Ashwell, Gurbir Singh, Drew Gholson, Martin A. Locke, L.J. Krutz, Trey Cooke

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

The agricultural production in the Mississippi Delta is threatened by the water level declines in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA). This study assesses the growers’ perceptions of the value and availability of water for irrigation based on data collected in a survey in 2012 in the Delta region of Mississippi, USA. The total cooperation rate for this survey was 79.3%. The results showed that 97.39% (448 out of 460) of respondents believed that water is important for farming in the Delta region of the MRVAA. Fifty-two percent of the survey respondents agreed that the major cause of groundwater …

Single And Multispecies Cover Crop Effects On Corn Production And Economic Returns, Bhupinder Singh, Gurpreet Kaur, Gurbir Singh, Jagmandeep S. Dhillon, Nicolas Quintana Ashwell

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

The adoption of cover crops (CCs) has gained popularity in the continuous corn ( Zea mays L.) production system due to their multiple benefits including scavenging or fixing nitrogen (N) in the soil. However, a CC's ability to develop early cover, scavenge N, and provide N to the following cash crop is species-dependent and affected by environment. A field study was conducted in three diverse environments to determine growth characteristics of nine CC treatments (i.e., monocultures or mixes of grasses, legumes, and brassica), and their effect on the following corn crop was compared to no cover crop treatment (noCC). Cover …

Sea Ice Formation, Glacial Melt And The Solubility Pump Boundary Conditions In The Ross Sea, Brice Loose, Sharon Stammerjohn, Peter Sedwick, Stephen Ackley

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Seasonal formation of Dense Shelf Water (DSW) in the Ross Sea is a direct precursor to Antarctic Bottom Water, which fills the deep ocean with atmospheric gases in what composes the southern limb of the solubility pump. Measurements of seawater noble gas concentrations during katabatic wind events in two Ross Sea polynyas reveal the physical processes that determine the boundary value properties for DSW. This decomposition reveals 5–6 g kg−1 of glacial meltwater in DSW and sea-ice production rates of up to 14 m yr−1 within the Terra Nova Bay polynya. Despite winds upwards of 35 m s−1 during the …

Unraveling The Biogenesis And Roles Of Iron-Sulfur Proteins During Nitrogen Fixation By Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Jasleen Saini

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters, the ancient cofactors found in proteins across all life forms, play vital roles in numerous cellular processes. Fe-S clusters exhibit structural diversity, ranging from simple to complex forms. Methanogens are anaerobic archaea that produce methane as a metabolic by-product through methanogenesis, a process dependent on numerous Fe-S proteins. Notably, methanogens are capable of fixing nitrogen (diazotrophy) facilitated by the enzyme complex called nitrogenase, which contains both simple and complex Fe-S clusters. While methanogens possess the largest number of Fe-S proteins, the factors involved in Fe-S cluster biogenesis remain largely unknown. Bacteria possess three distinct and well-characterized Fe-S …

Liquid Crystalline Coacervates Composed Of Chromonic Mesogens And Polyelectrolytes, Elizabeth Adeogun

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Complex coacervates are formed by liquid-liquid phase separation of an aqueous solution of oppositely charged ions. Although several mixtures of molecules of natural and synthetic macro-ion have been shown to form complex coacervates, the formation of liquid crystalline (LC) coacervates are sparsely reported. LC coacervates have a unique property in that they can change their shape and optical property in response to external stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH, or the presence of specific molecules. This property makes LC coacervates useful as a sensor, as they can be engineered to respond to specific stimuli and generate a measurable signal …

Evaluation Of Heat Stress And Dietary Amino Acid Density On Nutrient And Energy Partitioning In Broilers, Jean-Remi Teyssier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The simultaneous increase in the global demand for animal-based protein products and the rise in temperature associated with global warming pose important challenges to the poultry industry. Heat stress (HS) occurs when an animal’s heat production (HP) surpasses its capacity to dissipate heat into the surrounding environment, ultimately leading to reduced feed intake (FI) and negative impacts on performance. A better understanding of bird responses to elevated temperatures is required to propose effective nutritional strategies that mitigate the adverse effects of HS. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to characterize the nutritional and physiological mechanisms explaining the loss in performance and carcass …

Understanding Peripheral Blood Pressure Signals: A Statistical Learning Approach, Md Abul Hayat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proper estimation of body fluid status for human or animal subjects has always been a challenging problem. Accurate and timely estimate of body fluid can prevent life threatening conditions under trauma and severe dehydration. The main objective of this research is the estimation, classification and detection of dehydration in human and animal subjects using peripheral blood pressure (PBP) signals. Peripheral venous pressure (PVP) and peripheral arterial pressure (PAP) signals have been investigated in this research. Both PVP and PAP signals are PBP signals. A dataset of PVP signals was collected using standard peripheral intravenous catheters from human subjects suffering from …

Poly(Ionic Liquid)S For Magnetic, Ionic, And Electrical Stimuli-Responsive Applications, Kayla Ann Foley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) are a fascinating subclass of strong polyelectrolytes formed from polymerizable ionic liquids. As a result of their unique properties and counterion exchangeability, PILs can exhibit conformation structure or material property changes in response to external stimuli such as changes in pH/ionic environment, magnetic fields, and electric potentials. In Chapter 1, a comprehensive review of PILs design as well as their stimuli-responsive behavior is provided. Additional motivation for each dissertation chapter is also discussed. In Chapter 2, magnetically responsive PILs (MPILs) are developed from complexing paramagnetic salts with a random PIL copolymer containing a metal-coordinating co-monomer, acrylamide. A …

A Pilot Study Of Students’ Ethical Decision Making And Emotional Intelligence, Casandra K. Cox

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Demand for ethical leaders in agriculture is high to meet 21st century goals, while ethics course offerings in land-grant institutions are limited. The purpose of this case study was to establish a baseline of current University of Arkansas Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Science (Bumpers College) agriculture and natural resource program students’ ethical decision making (EDM), as measured by the DIT-2, and emotional intelligence (EI), as measured by STEM-B and STEU-B, determine if EI mean scores predict EDM, and identify relationships between EDM or EI and demographic characteristics or lifespan experiences. An online survey design with probability sampling …

Considering Contextual Factors In The Perception And Attribution Of Racial Microaggressions, Roselee Ledesma

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) experience interactions with subtle or ambiguous racial undertones that may be perceived as discriminatory, benign, or even complimentary. These interactions have been labeled microaggressions or a subtle form of everyday discrimination. Microaggressions are associated with detrimental health and cognitive effects (Lui & Quezada, 2019; Ozier et al., 2019). To better understand and label microaggressions, it is important to consider contextual factors. For example, the same statement or behavior is likely interpreted differently depending on who is involved, what is said or done, when it occurs, where it takes place, and why the statement or …

Spatial Layout At Isgrig: A Menard Complex Site In The Lower Arkansas River Valley, Noelle King

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Late Mississippian sites in the Lower Arkansas River Valley, or Menard Complex sites, are not well understood especially as they relate to the larger question of Mississippian response to colonial contact. In this thesis, I will explore how the Menard Complex manifests at Isgrig (3PU0015), a site located on the Arkansas River south of Little Rock. I will examine the spatial layout of the site and use ceramic analysis to understand if the site changed significantly over time. Finally, I will compare Isgrig with other Menard Sites in the Lower Arkansas Valley to understand regional trends in site function during …

Statewide Implementation Of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (Care) In Early Childhood Educational Centers: Examination Of Implementation Determinants, Kathryn Parisi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To expand reach of evidence-based strategies for the treatment and prevention of childhood mental health issues, implementation efforts have been focused on educational settings. However, little is known about what facilitates the success of these programs. Implementation determinants provide insight about processes impacting success at the administrative and individual provider level. The current investigation examined data collected from a statewide implementation of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) in early childhood education centers and preschools. Two-hundred, seventeen teachers from 10 early childhood centers and preschools provided ratings of their students’ behavior for several weeks before and after participating in CARE training. Participants …

Sharing Economy Last Mile Delivery: Three Essays Addressing Operational Challenges, Customer Expectations, And Supply Uncertainty, Nicolò Masorgo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Last mile delivery has become a critical competitive dimension facing retail supply chains. At the same time, the emergence of sharing economy platforms has introduced unique operational challenges and benefits that enable and inhibit retailers’ last mile delivery goals. This dissertation investigates key challenges faced by crowdshipping platforms used in last mile delivery related to crowdsourced delivery drivers, driver-customer interaction, and customer expectations. We investigate the research questions of this dissertation through a multi-method design approach, complementing a rich archival dataset comprised of several million orders retrieved from a Fortune 100 retail crowdshipping platform, with scenario-based experiments. Specifically, the first …

The Effect Of Sleep Deprivation On The Ability To Reappraise Negative Situations, Rebecca Campbell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sleep and emotion regulation are important components of mental health and may function interdependently in the development and maintenance of mental health disorders. Unfortunately, there is limited experimental work on the impacts of sleep deprivation on reappraisal, a common emotion regulation strategy, in adults. Furthermore, increases in negative and decreases in positive affect are often associated with sleep loss. This study aimed to examine the relation between sleep deprivation and emotion regulation by asking adults to reappraise a series of vignettes before and after a randomly assigned night of sleep deprivation or normal sleep. Additionally, measures of self-reported emotion regulation …

Symptom Experience Of Patients With Advanced Melanoma Undergoing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy, Natalie Jackson-Carroll

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are novel therapeutic agents utilized in the management of advanced melanoma. Though generally well-tolerated, patients receiving ICIs experience treatment-related toxicities at varying onset and intensity. Assessment and evaluation of these toxicities and their impact on a quality of life is essential to comprehensive cancer care. Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) contribute vital data to a clinical assessment, supporting clinicians in their ability to improve outcomes. To date, there is no melanoma-specific or ICI-specific PRO measure of symptom burden available.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the symptom experience from the patient's perspective and how …

Book Review: The Foxfire Book Of Appalachian Women: Stories Of Landscape And Community In The Mountain South, Jillian Speck

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Fuse Annual Report 2023, Franklin University Library

FUSE Annual Report

Learn about FUSE's performance during the August, 2022 - July, 2023 Academic Year in the Franklin University Library's annual report.

Does Herding Behavior Exist In The Cryptocurrency Market?, Anis Mnif

Doctoral Dissertations (DBA)

This paper examines herd behavior in the cryptocurrency market using data of the top 15 large cryptocurrencies and the CCi30 Index as a proxy for market return. The idea that investors mimic and follow the behavior of others in the cryptocurrency market rather than conducting their own research has received attention in the finance literature. The CSAD results in the static model detected herding but given the existence of structural breakdowns and nonlinearities in the data series, we opted to conduct a rolling window analysis. The results indicate strong herding behavior that fluctuates over time. Furthermore, results from the logistic …

The Seoul National University Agn Monitoring Project. Iv. Hα Reverberation Mapping Of Six Agns And The Hα Size–Luminosity Relation, Hojin Cho, Jong-Hak Woo, Shu Wang, Donghoon Son, Jaejin Shin, Suvendu Rakshit, Aaron J. Barth, Vardha N. Bennert, Elena Gallo, Edmund Hodges-Kluck, Tommaso Treu, Hyun-Ji Bae, Wanjin Cho, Adi Foord, Jaehyuk Geum, Yashashree Jadhav, Yiseul Jeon, Kyle M. Kabasares, Daeun Kang, Wonseok Kang, Changseok Kim, Donghwa Kim, Minjin Kim, Taewoo Kim, Huynh Anh N. Lee, Matthew A. Malkan, Amit Kumar Mandal, Daeseong Park, Hyun-Il Sung, Vivian U, Peter R. Williams

Physics

The broad-line region (BLR) size–luminosity relation has paramount importance for estimating the mass of black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Traditionally, the size of the Hβ BLR is often estimated from the optical continuum luminosity at 5100 Å, while the size of the Hα BLR and its correlation with the luminosity is much less constrained. As a part of the Seoul National University AGN Monitoring Project, which provides 6 yr photometric and spectroscopic monitoring data, we present our measurements of the Hα lags of high-luminosity AGNs. Combined with the measurements for 42 AGNs from the literature, …

Experiences With Environmental Gentrification: Evidence From Chicago, Tania Schusler, Amy Krings, Richard T. Melstrom

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Environmental contamination and limited access to green spaces disproportionately burden communities of color with negative impacts on residents’ health. Yet, cleaning up contamination and creating green spaces has in some cases been associated with displacing long-term residents as the neighborhood becomes desirable to more affluent, often Whiter, populations through environmental gentrification. We used mixed methods to investigate environmental gentrification in the city of Chicago, IL, USA. We examined quantitatively the relationship between green areas, brownfield cleanups, and indicators of gentrification, including race and ethnicity, income, households without children, and home ownership. We explored through qualitative interviews how key informants perceive …

Dry-Aged Beef Flavor Development, And The Effect Of High Levels Of Vitamin-E On Beef Color Stability, Nicolas Herrera

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Palatability and consumer purchasing are essential factors of fresh meat. To meet consumer expectations during purchasing and consumption, fresh beef must maintain desirable cherry-red color at retail and achieve desirable cooked flavor. Dry-aged beef popularity has grown, and identifying methods to ensure quality dry-aged meat is necessary to maintain demand. To understand dry-aged palatability, this dissertation addressed effects of moisture loss and aging time, fundamental factors of dry-aged beef, using bone-in and boneless strip loins. Study two investigated flavor development using cookery methods and internal temperatures in boneless and bone-in dry-aged beef. In study one, increased dry-aging time (creation effect) …

Identification And Assessment Of Lameness In Sows Through The Utilization Of NuTrack And Gaitfour Systems, Lexi M. Ostrand

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Lameness is a financial concern for producers and a welfare concern for the animals. Utilizing both the GAITFour and NUtrack systems, gilts’ natural tendencies and gait were analyzed to better understand the onset of lameness and what indicators can be identified in a commercial setting. Beginning at 20 weeks of age, video on replacement gilts was collected for 9 consecutive days and processed using the NUtrack System to identify individual gilts’ distance travelled (m), avg speed (m/s), angle rotated (degrees), and time standing (s), sitting (s), eating (s), and laying (s). NUtrack is a deep learning-based multi-object …

Consequences Of Cow–Calf Production With Limited Perennial Forage Grazing, Hannah Fae Speer

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Conversion of perennial grasslands to cropland and rising land prices prompts a need to evaluate alternative beef cow-calf production systems. A 3-yr study was conducted comparing beef cow-calf performance between two August-calving cow systems: perennial forage and corn residue grazing; or summer drylot, fall grazing of late-summer-planted cover crop, and corn residue grazing. Cow body condition score differed between systems, but condition of cows in both systems never fell below adequate. There were no differences in pregnancy rates between systems. Calf weaning weights differed between systems each year; differences are attributed to feedstuff quantity, quality, and type available to calves …

Flow Dynamics In Cardiovascular Devices: A Comprehensive Review, Venant Niyonkuru, Bosco Jean Ndayishimiye Dr, Anicet Barthélemy Sibomana

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

This review explores flow dynamics in cardiovascular devices, focusing on fundamental fluid mechanics principles and normal blood flow patterns. It discusses the role of different structures in maintaining flow dynamics and the importance of stents, heart valves, artificial hearts, and ventricular assist devices in cardiovascular interventions. The review emphasizes the need for optimized designs and further research to enhance knowledge of flow dynamics in cardiovascular devices, advancing the field and improving patient care in cardiovascular interventions.

Effectiveness Of Amiodarone, Propafenone And Synchronized Electrical Cardioversion For Conversion Of Atrial Fibrillation Paroxysm To Sinus Rhythm In Rigas Stradins University Hospital Department Of Emergency Medicine., Mihails Tracevskis

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation remains a pervasive global health concern, contributing significantly to the incidence of stroke, heart failure, sudden death, and overall cardiovascular morbidity.

Materials and methods: The present study undertook a retrospective analysis involving a meticulous examination of 127 patients, representing a diverse cohort of individuals encompassing 73 men (with a median age of 62 and a range of 37-75) and 54 women (with a median age of 60 and a range of 42-78) duration of atrial fibrillation 48 hours or less.

Results: The results highlighted amiodarone's remarkable efficiency, as it successfully converted 81.2% of cases (56 …

Lack Of Engagement Of Play-Based Learning In Early Childhood Education, Jessica A. Beuilby

Masters Projects

Research has shown that children in early childhood education classrooms, including those at Ottawa Area Center, are having less time to engage with meaningful play-based learning opportunities. This project explores the factors hindering the implementation of play-based learning as well as thought on how to improve the implementation of play-based learning. To effectively address the factors hindering the implementation of play-based learning, administration and teachers must have the adequate knowledge on play-based learning. Two professional development sessions will be used to address the most common factors that hinder implementation. Additionally, it combines elements of evaluation that will be helpful in …

The Negative Effects Of White Teachers Biased Views Towards African American, Alisha M. Brown

Masters Projects

This study explores the possibility that teachers' prejudices against African Americans have an impact on the academic performance of black students. Data show that Black students perform academically lower than any other group of students. This problem needs to be solved in order to guarantee that every student obtains the best education possible. One solution to this issue is to implement culturally responsive teaching in the classroom. Culturally sensitive instruction benefits both the teacher and the student by fostering a sense of community. Additionally, it will increase students' in-class participation. Teachers will learn the fundamentals of eliminating prejudice and becoming …

Health Facilities Preparedness To Deliver Maternal And Newborn Health Care In Kilifi And Kisii Counties, Kenya, James Orwa, Marleen Temmerman, Lucy Nyaga, Kennedy Mulama, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Introduction: Health facility preparedness is essential for delivering quality maternal and newborn care, minimizing morbidity and mortality by addressing delays in seeking skilled care, reaching appropriate facilities, and receiving emergency care. A rapid assessment of 23 government health facilities in Kilifi and Kisii counties identified poor maternal and newborn indicators in 16 facilities. The Access to Quality Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS) project supported these facilities with training, equipment, and referral linkages. This study focuses on facility preparedness of the 16 facilities to deliver maternal and newborn health services, specifically delays two and three at the end …

Development, Roll-Out And Implementation Of An Antimicrobial Resistance Training Curriculum Harmonizes Delivery Of In-Service Training To Healthcare Workers In Kenya, Josiah Njeru, Joshua Odero, Sheilla Chebore, Mungai Ndung’U, Emmanuel Tanui, Evelyn Wesangula, Romona Ndanyi, Susan Githii, R Gunturu, Willy Mwangi

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly severe threat to global public health that requires action across different sectors. Selection of appropriate antimicrobials is an urgent challenge due to the emergence of drug resistance. In 2017, Kenya developed an AMR policy and National Action Plan to drive prevention and containment of AMR. A priority activity under AMR surveillance strategic objective was to develop a national AMR training curriculum for in-service healthcare workers. In this paper we discuss the development process, gains achieved through implementation across the country and lessons learned.

Methods: An initial stakeholders’ forum was convened to …