bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empirical study of deep neural network architectures for protein secondary structure prediction
Authors:   , Du Ming
Published: April 2021

Protein secondary structure prediction is a sub-problem of protein structure prediction. Instead of fully recovering the whole three dimensional structure from amino acid sequence, protein secondary structure prediction only aimed at predicting the local structures such as alpha helices, beta strands and turns for each small segment of a protein. Predicted protein secondary structure can be used for improving fold recognition, ab initial protein prediction, protein motifs prediction and sequence alignment. Protein secondary structure prediction has been extensively studied with machine learning approaches. And in recent years, multiple deep neural network methods have pushed the state-of-art performance of 8-categories accuracy to around 69 percent. Deep neural networks are good at capturing the global information in the whole protein, which are widely believed to be crucial for the prediction. And due to the development of high level neural network libraries, implementing and training neural networks are becoming more and more convenient and efficient. This project focuses on empirical performance comparison of various deep neural network architectures and the effects of hyper-parameters for protein secondary structure prediction. Multiple deep neural network architectures representing the state-of-the-art for secondary structure prediction are implemented using TensorFlow, the leading deep learning platform. In addition, a software environment for performing efficient empirical studies are implemented, which includes network input and parameter control, and training, validation, and test performance monitoring. An extensive amount of experiments have been conducted using popular datasets and benchmarks and generated some useful results. For example, the experimental results show that recurrent layers are useful in improving prediction accuracy, achieving up to 5 percent improvement on 8-category accuracy. This work also shows the trade off between running speed and building speed of the model, and the trade off between running speed and accuracy. As a result, a relatively small size recurrent network have been build and achieved 69.5 percent 8-category accuracy on dataset CB513.
A campus climate survey on diversity and inclusion: a factor analysis
Authors:   , Fischer Jeffrey
Published: April 2021

In the 12 of 2015, racial tensions on the University of Missouri - Columbia (MU) campus led to the high-profile protest movement Concerned Student 1950, which culminated in the resignations of the university system president and the chancellor of the university (Hoffman and Mitchell, 2016). In the weeks before the resignations, the present researcher and his former classmate, both students at MU, had been constructing a survey to measure the prevailing campus climate perceptions among MU students, faculty and staff as part of a project for an educational and psychological measurement course. The completed survey was approved by the course instructor, reviewed by class members and subsequently administered to 229 individuals, primarily students, in the university student center on December 3, 2015. Preliminary results from the survey were shared in class and were also distributed to two administrators in the inclusion, diversity and equity office and the dean of the university's College of Education. This study examines the psychometric properties of the campus climate survey on diversity and inclusion by conducting a factor analysis on its 16 Likert-scale items and analyzing the factor scores as they relate to participant demographics. Sample data from undergraduate students (n = 215) was utilized in an effort to identify underlying factor structures. Two primary factors emerged from the data: Factor 1, desire for diversity and inclusion initiatives, for which six items were retained, and Factor 2, sense of comfort and belonging, for which three items were retained. Desire for diversity and inclusion initiatives (Factor 1) measures a respondent's desire for a more diverse campus population as well as initiatives to increase cross-cultural experiences and understanding, while sense of comfort and belonging (Factor 2) measures whether an individual enjoys being a student and feels a sense of inclusion and comfort on campus. Internal consistency for the subscale scores was .92 and .73 for Factor 1 and Factor 2, respectively. Internal consistency for the whole scale was .68. Desire for diversity and inclusion initiatives (Factor 1) was higher for students of color than for White students, and it correlated positively with frequency of discrimination or harassment experiences. Sense of comfort and belonging (Factor 2) was lower for students of color than for White students, and it correlated negatively with frequency of discrimination or harassment experiences.
Serotonin transporter polymorphism and stress effects on gut microbiota at various time points in pregnancy
Authors:   , Kille Briana M.
Published: April 2021

Prenatal stress (stress experienced by the mother while pregnant) has been shown to greatly affect the health of a child. Still, not all off05 who experience prenatal stress will suffer poor outcomes. Maternal genetics and the timing of adverse events have been shown to interact to affect the likelihood that a child will be affected by prenatal stress. However, the mechanisms behind this interaction are not fully understood. One potential mechanism is the maternal gut microbiome (the community of bacteria residing in the mother's gut). The current study used a mouse model of genetic stress susceptibility, combined with a daily restraint stress during pregnancy to examine alterations in the maternal gut microbiome due to an interaction between genes and stress. While pregnancy was found to alter the microbiome differently at various time-points in pregnancy, there was no significant interaction between genes and stress. However, as the sample size was quite small and there were trending results, we believe there is good evidence to continue exploration of the effects of stress and genetics on the maternal microbiome.
High Resolution Meltcurve PCR assay for detection of Salmonella and Escherichia coli o157:h7 in foods
Authors:   , Liu Yuejiao
Published: April 2021

Foodborne illnesses associated with Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 have become world-wide public-health problems. Conventional methods for the identification of foodborne pathogens are tedious, expensive, and time-consuming. Alternatively, real-time PCR (RT-PCR) as a promising method to detect pathogens in food samples, has recently been widely applied in food safety areas. High Resolution Meltcurve (HRM) analysis, performed immediately at the end of a real-time PCR, is able to yield a higher resolution plot compared with SYBR Green I PCR. HRM dyes completely saturate all amplicons without showing preferential bindings, making the results more clear and distinct. In this research, a multiplex real-time PCR targeting the invA, fimA and stn genes were developed to efficiently detect Salmonella in foods. Furthermore, HRM analysis is sensitive to any single mutation in PCR products, thus it was also applied in this study to distinguish E. coli O157 from other serogroups of E. coli by targeting the uidA gene. The specificity of primers used in this study was checked using many different strains. Results of artificially contaminated foods presented a high sensitivity of the HRM detection methods. Due to its low cost, simplicity of the approach and rapidness, HRM technology is highly competitive with relaxed-condition PCR and probe-based PCR. Besides, an HRM assay can be performed on generic real-time PCR instrumentations found in many laboratories. In conclusion, HRM-based PCR assay are proved to be efficient methods in foodborne pathogen detections.
Alternative methods for calculating optimal safety stock levels
Authors:   , Mirzaee Ashkan
Published: April 2021

This work considers the problem of safety stock levels for the production of multiple items, each with random demand, across multiple facilities. The traditional methodology for calculating safety stock is discussed and an alternative method for improving service levels is offered. Normal and Gamma distributions are considered to estimate safety stock levels, and the performance of both models, along with a hybrid approach, are tested on a large-scale case study example. The results of this case study indicate that a better inventory policy with less underage and overage cost can be achieved by using the proposed model and solution procedure.
Multi-scale target detection based on morphological shared-weight neural network
Authors:   , Shen Shuxian
Published: April 2021

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are a popular neural network structure for image based applications. This thesis discusses an alternative network, the morphological shared-weight neural network (MSNN) for object detection. In this thesis, three combined network structures are developed for multi-scale object detection. The dataset used for the experiments presented here were created by the author for this thesis study. The convolutional neural network is used as the baseline for judging the performance of the MSNN. Experiments suggest that when training data is limited, the MSNN has a more robust and precise performance as compared with the CNN.
Improved genetic algorithm for distribution system performance analysis
Authors:   , Shi Zhuoqun
Published: April 2021

The incipient smart grid initiative and increasing use of distributed generation, along with classical problems of distribution system reconfiguration and restoration (DSR), have led to the need for efficient and reliable power distribution system simulation tools. One recently developed tool, the Fast Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm, or FNSGA, has been shown to be very effective at finding Pareto optimal distribution systems that are optimized with respect to voltages, currents, and power losses. Despite its promise, the FNSGA has two shortcomings, which are addressed in this thesis. The first is that it uses a load flow sub-program (to determine voltages, currents, and losses throughout the power system in question) that is based on the classical Newton-Raphson numerical analytical approach. For a variety of reasons, the Newton-Raphson method often encounters convergence problems when applied to distribution (rather than transmission) systems, and it has burdensome memory and CPU time requirements when applied to large systems. In this thesis, the Newton-Raphson load flow program is replaced in the FNSGA with a revised version of the so-called direct method, the principal revision being a coded novel scheme for properly, rapidly, and repeatedly re-numbering the busses and branches in the power system for load flow analysis within the FNSGA. Validation results for the described scheme are presented by comparing results obtained with it and with the Newton-Raphson-based load flow scheme. The principal difference between the two methods is that the computation time is significantly reduced with the revised direct load flow method. The second shortcoming of the FNSGA to be addressed here is that it is not optimized for certain important parameters, namely the initial population size N and the number of generations Gen, which could lead to excessive CPU time requirements. In this thesis, a parametric study was conducted to determine minimum values of N and Gen that lead to reasonably repeatable configurations of a distribution system that are optimized for the multiple objectives of voltages (in the voltage profiles), currents (in the system load balancing index), and power losses. Studies conducted on 16- and 32-bus test systems revealed that, to produce repeatable solution sets in the 16-bus system, optimum values of N and Gen are small enough that CPU times are very small. However, in the 32-bus system, N and Gen need to be so large that CPU times become prohibitive. Presumably, the problem would get worse with even larger systems. Fortunately, a solution to this problem was found, which involves removing certain branches from the pool of possibilities when producing the initial population N in the genetic algorithm. Disqualified branches are those determined in preliminary simulations to never appear in Pareto optimal solution sets. This method was shown to be very effective at leading to small enough optimum values of N and Gen that CPU times are reasonable.
Carbon scattering spectrometer for intense gamma-ray sources
Authors:   , Tao Shunjiang
Published: April 2021

In this work, a carbon scattering spectrometer was designed to measure the spectrum of intense gamma-rays emitted from a partially processed sample of 99Mo extracted from fission products. This sample contains additional impurity isotopes that need to be quantified and are to be measured in a hot cell at Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) utilizing the Compton scattering technique with pinhole collimation. Optimization of this counting system includes the placement of the High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector, the Compton scattering angle used, and the use of lead shielding (to reduce the background of scattered gamma-rays and to prevent personnel dose in the vicinity of the detection system). Parameters of the system were modified and optimized using the Monte Carlo code, MCNP6. For the isotopic source which would be measured, the spectrometer has an energy resolution of around 1 to 2 percent at each energy peak related to the different isotopes of interest and all isotopes of interest could be identified and quantified.
Spiritual tourism as the new colonialism : the maintenance of colonial hierarchy in Cusco, Peru
Authors:   , Wilson K. H.
Published: April 2021

In this paper, I examine the continuing coloniality that exists in Cusco, Peru. Through examining the tourism industry, specifically looking at the subcategory of spiritual tourism, it is evident that colonial structures, most notably the colonial hierarchy of people continues. Within this hierarchy, elites continue to maintain control over the indigenous population. Separation between spiritual tourists, stakeholders in the spiritual tourism industry and the indigenous population operates on a hierarchical scale where the indigenous groups are subjugated to the bottom of the hierarchy. Contemporary spiritual tourism propagates this colonial hierarchical system through signifying what it means to be Quechua. To demonstrate this contemporary hierarchical system, I look to historical records and my own ethnographic research. Specifically, by looking at the case studies of the Centro Qosqo de Arte Native, the Civic Parade and Inti Raymi festival, spiritual retreats and treks to Machu Picchu. Ultimately, while the spiritual tourism industry signifies what it means to be Quechua, this signification does not imply that Quechua communities have no agency within this industry. Rather, individual contest and reject their signification through acts of silence, reclaiming loaded terminology and maintaining their own self-defined identity.
The Cognitive Reflection Test : a measure of intuition/reflection, numeracy, and insight problem solving, and the implications for understanding real-world judgments and beliefs
Authors:   , Patel Niraj
Published: April 2021

The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) has quickly become a popular measure of individual differences in propensity to reflect versus rely on intuition (Frederick, 2005). The test consists of three questions, and it has been found to be associated with many different every day beliefs, such as religious beliefs, and performance on heuristics and biases tasks. As such, it has dominated recent theorizing about individual differences in intuitive/reflective thinking propensities. However, it is unclear whether these questions primarily measure individual differences in reflective versus intuitive thinking propensities, versus numeracy, or even another cognitive skill such as cognitive restructuring (i.e. the ability to reframe problems). The present research examined the extent to which the CRT performance can be attributed to individual differences in intuitive/reflective thinking propensities, versus other factors such as numeracy and/or insight problem solving ability, by observing whether presenting the correct answers in multiple-choice format without the "intuitive" answers would make the problems trivially easy or if many participants would still be unable to solve the problems correctly. Furthermore, it sought to determine whether the CRT's associations with other judgments and beliefs (e.g. religiosity, paranormal beliefs, etc.) can be explained by its assessment of intuition/reflection or one of these other factors. Results indicate that performance on the CRT is multiply determined, with numeracy and insight problem solving ability also being primary factors. Furthermore, numeracy in particular could help explain some differences in everyday beliefs. Keywords: Cognitive Reflection, Intuition, Numeracy, Insight, Beliefs, Judgments
A content review of precision agriculture courses across the United States
Authors:   , Skouby Danielle
Published: April 2021

Knowledge of what Precision Agriculture (PA) content is currently taught across the U.S. will help build a better understanding for what PA instructors should incorporate into their classes in the future. For this assessment, the University of Missouri (MU) partnered with several universities throughout the nation on a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) challenge grant. A survey was conducted with PA instructors from 44 institutions from across the U.S. participating. Each institution was assessed to determine amount of time they spent teaching on 59 different PA topics in their PA-related courses. Results were obtained from 56 PA courses. Scope of PA, Global Positioning System (GPS), Differential GPS, Yield Monitoring, and Yield Map were all topics that were frequently discussed in PA courses, whether they were entryor advanced-level or two-year or four-year institutions. Review of the content showed a need for a more standardized curriculum.
An integrated logistics performance measurement system for logistics management
Authors:   , Wu Liqian
Published: April 2021

In the 1980's there was a revolution that changed the nature of traditional performance measurement systems. Since then there has been an explosion in the number of scholars and practitioners seeking new and better ways of measuring organizational performance. Performance measurement systems (PMS) specialized for logistics management caught attention much later when more enterprises began to focus on logistics to reduce operational cost and increase profits. Meanwhile, there are more demands on logistics performance measurement systems (LPMSs). The role of an LPMS is beyond monitoring logistics performance, but also to provide logistics improvement suggestions, resolve trade-offs between different logistics activities and so on. To design an LPMS, this thesis addresses the following four objectives: 1) review the evolution of performance measurement systems (PMS) for logistics since 2000; 2) determine the requirements for the design an ILPMS; 3) propose an ILPMS that satisfies these requirements; and 4) apply the ILPMS to a case study. The ILPMS consists of three components: 1) a hybrid performance measurement framework, combining a hierarchical and process-based structure, to facilitate developing logistics performance measures and metrics; 2) different strategies for developing logistics performance measures and logistics activity metrics; 3) a hybrid multi-criteria decision making methodology, analytic network process (ANP) and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), to prioritize performance measures and metrics for managerial purposes. The ILPMS developed illustrates the procedures to establish a logistics performance measurement system for a manufacturing company. The results from the ILPMS provide effective feedback for performance management process and suggestions about performance improvement for managers. Keywords: integrated logistics performance measurement framework (ILPMS), performance measures/metrics, multi-criteria decision making methodology (MCDM)
Development of hybrid manufacturing technology for net-shape production of monolithic structures
Authors:   , Aly Mohamed
Published: April 2021

The present work aims at exploring a new processing approach, 'Hybrid Manufacturing (HM)' technology for net-shape production of monolithic structures for the transportation industry. The HM process combines friction stir welding (FSW) and forming in order to modify the properties of the preform to better meet design requirements and provide netshape products. This paper focuses on understanding the process behavior and the effects of various process parameters on the properties and integrity of the produced monolithic structure during production. Formability of the produced monolithic structures is evaluated through stretch forming process experiments. The results obtained offer an understanding of the effects of the important process parameters needed to produce quality monolithic structures that fulfill design requirements and service conditions
Impacts of bottle storage on wine flavor and underlying chemistry
Authors:   , Grau Stephanie
Published: April 2021

Two studies were conducted to address quality degradation and chemical changes, first in wines resealed after opening and second, in wines stored under low oxygen conditions. In the first study, an assortment of strategies for resealing wines were evaluated. Resealing with a vacuum closure resulted in headspace and dissolved oxygen levels that were significantly less than all other closure types at the end of storage. Vacuum treatment had no deleterious impacts on white wine aroma, but resulted in significant decreases in several compounds in red wine. In white wine treatments which had significantly higher final dissolved oxygen than the controls, significant reductions in bound SO2 were observed after three days of storage, but no significant loss of free SO2 was apparent. In some red wine treatments exposed to similar headspace oxygen, significant loss of free SO2 occurred without changes in bound SO2. In the second study, a convenient accelerated aging assay was developed to characterize the potential for H2S to accumulate in wine during low oxygen bottle storage. Wine samples were incubated at 80[degrees]C for 1 hour, then H2S was measured using gas detection tubes. The assay was used to evaluate H2S emergence from hypothesized precursor compounds in three wines. Significant increases in H2S production after accelerated aging were found in at least one wine spiked with cysteine, sulfur dioxide, methyl thioacetate, dimethyl disulfide, and a model quinone-H2S adducts mixture, but not in wines with added glutathione.
Comparison of dual-polarization radar-derived and disdrometer drop-size distributions with S- and X- band radars
Authors:   , Wendt Jordan A.
Published: April 2021

There have been many studies on the evaluations of drop-size distributions and the parameters that affect these distributions, however, few, if any, have directly compared the relationship between the radar-derived parameters and those parameters that are disdrometer-derived. This study focuses on many different features of thunderstorms that changes the structure of the drop-size distribution (DSD) including: Horizontal reflectivity (ZH), differential reflectivity (ZDR), median drop diameter (D0), the shape parameter of the gamma-distributed DSD ([mu]), and the slope parameter of the gamma-distributed DSD (lambda). This work compares data collected by two disdrometers (OTT PARSIVEL and the Campbell Scientific Present Weather Sensor 100) against DSD parameters derived from dual-polarization radar observations. Using the Warning Decision Support System-Integrated Information (WDSS-II), radar data was merged at 1-km resolution to account for the movement of the precipitation systems before comparing to the 10-minute disdrometer data intervals. It was found that to accurately estimate DSDs from the perspective of using a weather radar, a larger precipitation event is needed. At the beginning and end of a precipitation event the difference between the radar retrieved values of D0, [mu], and [lambda] and those sampled by the disdrometer were much greater than during the middle of the event. Throughout the majority of the cases, the radar-derived reflectivity values were consistently lower than those collected by the disdrometers.
A study of legacy U.S. newspapers' digital subscription prices
Authors:   , Cook Tracy M.
Published: April 2021

Disruptive innovation of the newspaper industry is forcing publishers to reconsider reader revenue models as, on the whole, print subscription rates continue to fall and digital advertising revenue rates fail to pick up the slack. This presents a business challenge on several fronts, including that reduced revenues precipitate labor cost reductions. Over the past decade, that has meant newsroom-wide staff layoffs. This study examines prices of digital content subscriptions at 100 legacy regional newspapers across the United States. The purposive sample comprises websites of newspapers from 41 states and Washington, D.C. Prices were recorded from the sites' subscription web pages and analyzed with other variables such as market area, print circulation and parent company. The standardized weekly price of digital access for the 100 sites ranged from $0.46 to $7.85. The median digital subscription price was $2.31 per week. Market area and print circulation were shown to not have a direct correlation with digital subscription price. In some cases, parent company had a direct effect on subscription price, as prices were standardized across the companies' local properties. In a survey, producers said market testing and ownership mandates were the most important considerations when setting price, followed by industry norms, then competitor prices. Keywords: digital subscription, paywall, pricing, reader revenue, subscriber revenue
Mechanical and thermal weed control in organic crops
Authors:   , Costa Silva Ricardo
Published: April 2021

Effective weed control is one of the most yield-limiting factors in organic corn and soybean production. Additionally, the amount of tillage needed to control weeds in organic practice is often criticized for its negative impacts on soil quality. This research was conducted in central Missouri from 2016-2017 to compare cultivation, flame application, between-row mowing, and hot water spray for in-season weed control in organic corn and soybeans. Between-row mowing and hot water application were paired with notillage and a crimped winter cover crop of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.). When weeds reached 10.2 cm, weed control practices were implemented and repeated as necessary until canopy closure. Grass and broadleaf weed biomass between crop rows was determined at multiple dates throughout the 2016 and 2017 seasons and in-row weed levels were determined at the final collection date for each crop each year. Broadleaf weed biomass at the end of the soybean season in 2016 was lower in the two treatments utilizing no-till and cover crops as primary weed control and hot water and mowing as secondary control. Soybean yield was adversely affected by flaming but not significantly different for the cultivation, mowing and hot water treatments. In 2017, soybean had less between-row grass biomass in the cultivation and flaming treatments than in hot water and mowing, but broadleaf levels were the same in the mowed treatment as the cultivated and flamed treatments. In 2016, grass biomass was lower in the no-till treatments between corn rows and higher in the crop rows than the other two treatments. Weed control treatments led to no significant differences in corn yield in 2016 and higher yields in the no-till treatments in 2017. In-row weed levels were significantly higher in corn in 2017 for the hot water treatment. Hot water at the levels applied in this research was not an effective weed control method. Since the overuse of cultivation can decrease soil organic matter levels and increase soil erosion, alternatives techniques are important to grant farmers the possibility to use their land for a long time. The crimped cover crop used in the no-till treatments limited weed growth in early-season corn and soybean and when coupled with between-row mowing is a potential alternative to cultivation in organic crop production. Flaming is also a potential alternative to cultivation in corn production.
Development of a multispectral sensor for crop canopy temperature measurement
Authors:   , Drew Philip Lee
Published: April 2021

The Multispectral System for Imaging of a Crop Canopy (MSICC) that combines a miniature long wavelength infrared (LWIR) camera with a visible camera was developed to capture a field of view and derive a plant specific temperature measurement. The overall project included the development of electronics and firmware used to integrate the two cameras into a deployable system, the calibration that converted LWIR images into thermal measurements, the post-processing techniques used on visible camera images, and the field operation of the instrument as a static and mobile device. The electronic system used a microprocessor to control the operations of the LWIR and visible cameras and to save and display images. The LWIR camera was calibrated for thermal measurement to an accuracy of 0.65 degrees C by relating pixel output to a temperature measurement. The visible camera, through processing to identify plants within an image, provided a binary mask to identify crop/non-crop components within its field of view. The mask was then used to obtain a region of interest (ROI) from the thermal image over which data were integrated to create a crop temperature measurement. The MSICC, paired with an infrared thermometer for comparison, collected data at high temporal resolution on three different soybean plots during September and October 2016. It was capable of removing shaded areas and soil from the ROI, based upon monochrome image intensity, from thermal images to produce temperature measurements more representative of the plant canopy. Hardware, software, and image processing improvements facilitated use of the MSICC as a mobile sensor to identify spatial variability. This instrument gathered high spatial resolution data on two different sets of corn plots during June 2017. The effectiveness of two color-based vegetative indices for defining the ROI was gauged on plots with different percent canopy cover. The MSICC was able to discern a significant difference in temperature between plants growing in shallow and deep topsoil plots on a day with high temperature and low soil moisture. Due to its ability to remove non-crop background, this instrument should be able to provide accurate crop temperature measurements earlier in the growing season than other methods.
The last line of defense: Journalism photo editors and mental health during times of trauma
Authors:   , Garrett Amber
Published: April 2021

Countless studies have been completed on the mental health of journalistic reporters and photographers after they cover traumatic events. However, no research has been done on the mental health of photo editors who must make editorial decisions for publications after looking at such images. This study aimed to uncover the effects of an intimate experience with traumatic imagery created by another individual in hopes of bringing light to an understudied population. After analyzing the recounts of seven photo editors from publications across the continental United States, it was ultimately found that photo editors experience symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress, which mimics those of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Photo editors also had a tendency of avoiding confrontation with their emotional turmoil by focusing solely on work, and that they experienced an increased sense of responsibility toward their photographers who were covering trauma. These findings can open the door to further research into STS and understudied populations of working journalists, as well as help develop training programs that may lead to a more resilient workforce.
Players in the parasocial: Athletes impact on advertising through parasocial interactions
Authors:   , Giwa-Amu Lauren Louise
Published: April 2021

This research focuses on the social-media driven convention of advertising in order to analyze the parasocial interactions between athlete endorsers and audiences on Facebook. Wardell Stephen Curry II will be the focus of this study due to his placement on Forbes list of The NBA Endorsement All Stars in 2016. A content analysis including posts and comments from Curry's verified Facebook page during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 regular NBA seasons will be used to analyze the type of advertising messages and the effectiveness of the athlete/audience interactions. The goal of this study is to establish whether parasocial interaction can serve as an effective advertising tool. The results of this study could imply that advertisers will benefit from encouraging their endorsers to interact with audiences, or use parasocial techniques to foster a sense of personalization in communication about the brand on social media in order to enhance sales and the overall success of the brand. Keywords: Parasocial Relationships, Social Penetration Theory, Content Analysis, Endorsements, Advertising. Athletic
Modeling the urban underground pallet tube system design
Authors:   , Jain Manal
Published: April 2021

Cities are witnessing a rapid growth in population and vehicles, causing greater traffic congestion on roads. Therefore, a need for a better transportation system to avoid this swelling congestion. In this research, we examine an emerging technology in freight and package delivery systems that will help reduce reliance on traditional ground transportation systems called Underground Pallet Tube System. The goal is to allow the distribution center located outside of city limits, to deliver pallets and packages to retail stores located inside the cities through an underground network of pipelines or tubes. We introduce an Underground Pallet Tube System model that generates a network design solution which minimizes construction cost while connecting to many of its customers located in the center of the city.
The sword of god: Plague and episcopal authority in the Late Antique West
Authors:   , Kenney Amanda
Published: April 2021

This thesis examines three major historical figures of Early Medieval Europe to discover the attitudes and responses to the plague: Pope Gregory the Great, Gregory of Tours, and the Venerable Bede. Gregory the Great provides the standard for episcopal reaction to plague with his own example and with the advice given to two bishops whose districts suffered outbreaks of plague. I then examine Gregory of Tours' 'History of the Franks' and the Venerable Bede's 'Ecclesiastical History of the English People' to discover their understanding of illness in general, plague in particular, and the types of responses praised and condemned in their accounts.
Searching for superwomen : female fans and their behavior
Authors:   , Lauriello Sophia
Published: April 2021

In the last decade, comic books and comic book fan culture have become more popular in mainstream culture, with TV shows and movies depicting both comic book characters and comic book fans. However, very little has been mentioned, let alone researched, about the female comic book fan and her perceptions of the industry. Using focus groups and online surveys, this research examines the perceptions of female comic book fans about the comic book industry, the messaging of the comic book industry and the target markets of those messages. It also examines how these perceptions may or may not affect female fan behavior. This thesis found that female fans believe that the comic book industry targets male fans over female fans, and listens and values their preferences more. In regard to behavior, it found that female fans believe that their fandom is a type of community building and by creating large groups they can have a stronger voice and affect change within the comic book industry.
Competing fantasies of humans and machines: Symbolic convergences in artificial intelligence events coverage
Authors:   , Lewis Hayden Robert
Published: April 2021

This research analyzes coverage of major artificial intelligence events representing the thematic concept of "man versus machine." Rooted in grounded theory and rhetorical criticism, this research applies symbolic convergence theory and fantasy theme analysis to reporting from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post immediately surrounding three cultural and scientific milestones in the development of artificial intelligence technology: IBM Deep Blue's 1997 defeat of chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov; IBM Watson's 2011 defeat of Jeopardy! champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter; and Google DeepMind AlphaGo's 2016 defeat of Lee Sedol. This research analyzes how symbolic realities are dramatized in the context of these events such that the competitions themselves represent ideological battles between humanism or technological superiority. This research also demonstrates subtle variations in how fantasy themes and rhetorical visions manifest in coverage from each outlet, amounting to what is effectively a competition for shared consciousness between these two competing ideological constructs.
Assessment of the variability of spatial interpolation methods using elevation and drill hole data over the Magmont mine area, south-east Missouri
Authors:   , Linglingue Madi
Published: April 2021

Spatial interpolation methods are widely used in fields of geoscience such as mineral exploration. Interpolation methods translate the distribution of discrete data into continuous field over a given study area. Many methods exist and operate differently. Choosing judiciously the best interpolation method calls for an understanding of the algorithm, the intent or goal of the investigation and the knowledge of the study area. In the field of mineral exploration, accurate assessment is important because both overestimation and underestimation at spatially defined variables result in varied consequences. Assessment of methods' variability can be used as an additional criterion to help make an informed choice. Here, eight interpolation methods were tested on two spatial data sets consisting of topographic surface elevations and subsurface elevations of the top and the bottom of lead orebody at the Magmont mine area, in South-east Missouri. Variability between the interpolation methods was assessed based on statistical paired t-test of each method against a reference value, geometric analysis the map algebra tool in Arcmap 10.4.1 and comparison of their algorithms. Two of the methods returned values not significantly different from the reference value while the others were less robust. In testing model variability a second time on a reduced sample size, results suggest that interpolation methods are sensitive to sample size. Similarly, building the orebody top and bottom surfaces from information on the depths across the mineralized intersection showed dissemblance among methods. Key words: spatial interpolation, GIS, Magmont mine area, variability, math algebra, paired t-test.
Flower production and effect of flower harvest on berry yields within six American elderberry genotypes
Authors:   , McGowan Kelly G.
Published: April 2021

Cultivation of American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is increasing in North America for its use in dietary supplements. While the flowers of European elderberry (S. nigra) are commonly consumed as an anti-viral in Europe, the horticultural production of American elderberry flowers is nascent. A large field experiment with American elderberry was established in 2015 in southwest Missouri, U.S.A to evaluate flower production and to determine the impact of a partial flower harvest on fruit yield and quality in addition to plant morphology. The study concurrently compared four promising new genotypes to two established cultivars. In 2017, 96 randomized plots of six genotypes were assigned treatments of 0, 15, 39, and 100 percent flower harvest, with four replicated plots per genotype/treatment. Flower and fruit production data, pest and disease incidence, phenology, plant growth response, and fruit quality data were determined. All six genotypes showed differences in flower cyme number, total flower dry matter produced, mean cyme size, bud break, fruit ripening date, fruit yield, berry size, and plant height. Pocahontas and Rogersville showed promise in terms of flower and fruit productivity, and produced taller plants compared with standard cultivars Bob Gordon and Wyldewood. While total fruit yields were correspondingly reduced in plots that received 15 and 39 percent flower cyme harvests, these differences were not statistically significant. Likewise, mean fruiting cyme weight, berry size, soluble solids in fruit, and plant height were not affected by the various flower cyme harvest treatments. While these results are preliminary, up to 39 percent harvest of flower cymes did not significantly reduce elderberry fruit yields, but neither did it improve berry size or fruit quality as was expected.
Do fonts have politics? : typography and design of partisan and nonpartisan websites
Authors:   , Melchiondo Christopher
Published: April 2021

This research identifies and analyzes design choices made by online liberal and conservative media outlets with a focus on typography to identify design elements and font characteristics as signs of political ideology. Most news media outlets, whether their objective is to report the truth as an independent fourth estate, persuade citizens toward a partisan agenda, or simply to make money, strive to gain and retain readers. To do this, they deal in credibility with their target audience. Some media sources target partisans and others do not, but they must persuade their readers that they are a credible source of necessary information. Typography can be part of the message -- not just as part of the design's overall professionalism and credibility, but as a semiotic sign that lends meaning to the words (Stockl, 2005). Left- and right-leaning sites use typography in similar ways that differentiate them from centrist sites, and sites may select specific typography to demonstrate either a liberal or conservative bias. Nonpartisan websites do not seem to use serifs or sans serifs more often, but depending on how you classify the sites that lean slightly left and right, you will see a preference for sans serif. Liberal and centerleft websites use many more serif headlines than centrists or conservatives, while conservative sites prefer sans serif headlines. Also, the least trusted sites, and the sites regarded as most partisan on both the left and the right, shared similar typography, most notably the use of sans serif headlines. The results of this research can be used to inform design decisions of nonpartisan, or partisan news outlets to help them gain credibility with their preferred audiences.
Use of non-lethal endpoints to establish water quality requirements and optima of the Topeka Shiner (notropis topeka)
Authors:   , Mott Rory Tallon
Published: April 2021

Water quality influences growth, development, and physiology of aquatic vertebrates. Current criteria on water quality assessments are primarily based on lethal level experiments (e.g. LC50 tests), which are poorly suited for assessing optimal water quality conditions or sub-lethal effects of common stressors. Measurements below threshold values may still impede organismal growth and development, especially considering the complex nature of compounding, low-level stressors. This is particularly important to consider for management of an endangered species that is actively cultured for reintroduction to extirpated locations. The endangered Topeka Shiner (Notropis topeka) is an ideal example for which this information is needed, as its remaining, stable populations display broad water quality optima and tolerance to naturally occurring stressors. We investigated the effects of dissolved oxygen, temperature (including acclimation), ammonia, nitrite, and chloride on Topeka Shiner using non-lethal endpoints by: (1) examining N. topeka's behavioral responses to a gradual reduction in oxygen, (2) determining thermal optima at different acclimation temperatures using swimming speed, and (3) determining the onset of effect of sub-lethal levels of nitrogenous compounds and chloride concentrations on swimming speed. We determined ASR50 and ASR90 (i.e. dissolved oxygen concentrations where 50 percent and 90 percent of fish use aquatic surface respiration) to occur at 1.65mg/L and 1.08 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, respectively. At 5.52 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, fish vertical position was significantly higher in the water column, presumably in preparation or aquatic surface respiration (ASR). With our thermal swimming tests, the optimum temperature range was etermined to be 17.7 to 28.0 degrees C, while the predicted incipient mortality to high temperature ranged from 33.7 to 40.3 degrees C, depending on acclimation temperature. Ammonia and sodium chloride significantly reduced swimming speed at concentrations below known LC50 values. Other than an initial drop from 0- concentration, nitrite did not reduce swimming speed, even at concentrations higher than known LC50 measurements. Although not all stressors were suitable to test with this methodology, emphasis on determining optimal conditions over tolerances, and sub-lethal effects over mortality, assists in selection of sites that have water quality suited for N. topeka to thrive after reintroduction.
Framing protest in Missouri : framing protest on Missouri newspaper coverage of Concerned Student 1950 protest
Authors:   , Para Jennifer
Published: April 2021

Research over the past 30 years has shown that mainstream news media have been biased against social movements through journalists' use of framing. This trend, called the protest paradigm, delegitimizes, marginalizes, and demonizes a protest through sources, issue-action depiction, and syntax. Using quantitative framing analysis, this research examined six Missouri newspapers' coverage of the Concerned Student 1950 protest that occurred at the University of Missouri to find whether newspapers followed the protest paradigm. Results showed that the overall framing was sympathetic toward the movement, thus not following the protest paradigm. The papers showed that racism exists on campus, the protests were justified and honorable, and the protesters spoke truthfully about their experiences as minority students. The alternative newspapers were extremely sympathetic toward the protesters, adhering to previous studies comparing mainstream and alternative media coverage of protests. Differences between local and state reporting were minimal. The coverage may have pursued more sympathetic frames toward Concerned Student 1950 protest because its demonstrations were not violent and because journalists may be more aware of the racial divides in society than in the past.