bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tribology of MAX phases and their composites
Authors:   , Gupta Surojit , Barsoum Michel W.
Published: July 2021

Currently there is a need for triboactive materials for high-speed turbomachinery applications in industry, which possess: (a) adequate mechanical strength, both at room and elevated temperatures and, (b) low wear rates, WRs, and low friction coefficients, [mu], over a wide temperature range. If such materials can be found, the impact would be huge since they would result in increased efficiencies and reduced pollution. This is an outstanding problem that many in industry have been trying to solve for the past 20 years. In this work, the tribological behavior of the MAX phases, and their composites with Ag have been studied for foil-bearing application. Initially, the tribological behavior - at 26 °C and 550 °C - of the following layered ternary carbides: Ti₂AlC, Cr₂AlC, Ta₂AlC, Ti₃SiC₂, Ti₂AlN, Ti₄AlN₃, Cr₂GeC, Cr₂GaC, Nb₂SnC and Ti₂SnC, tested against Ni-based superalloys (Inc718 and Inc600) and alumina, Al₂O₃, were studied. The high temperature tribo-properties were acceptable and in some cases, exceptional; but at room temperatures, the WRs were too high. Since the addition of Ag is known to improve the tribological behavior at room temperature, it was used to liquid-phase sinter Ta₂AlC or Cr₂AlC composites. They were tested against a Ni-based superalloy (In718) and alumina. For foil-bearing applications, Ni-based superalloys are the best of choice for the foils. The tribocouples were tested for the most part using a force of 3N at 1 m/s at 25°C, 350 °C and 550 °C for at least 1 km of dry sliding. Over the entire temperature range, the WRs were [less than or equal to] 10⁻⁴ mm³/N-m and [mu] [less than or equal to] 0.5. Essentially similar results were obtained when the temperature was cycled between ambient and 550 °C. Finally, hot isostatically pressed Ta₂AlC/Ag and Cr₂AlC/Ag cylinders were machined was successfully tested in a foil-bearing rig test for 10,000 and 3,000 stop-start cycles, respectively. When processed in the presence of liquid Ag, Al from the basal planes of the MAX phases reacts with the Ag to form Ag₂Al. This grain boundary phase prevents the formation of abrasive third bodies. As a result, the WRs of the MAX/Ag pins were reduced by ~ 3 orders of magnitude as compared to the pure MAX phases. During testing at 550 °C and under thermal cycling conditions, the MAX/Ag lubricating tribooxides, comprised mainly of the elements of the Inc718 (Ni, Fe, Cr) and Al from the MAX phases, were formed. The presence of these layers is responsible for the low WRs of MAX/Ag composites WR ([less than or equal to] 10⁻⁵ mm³/N-m), and relatively high WR (~ 10⁻⁴ mm³/N-m) of the Inc718, accompanied by [mu]'s of ~ 0.5. The films formed after rig testing were essentially the same as those obtained in the pin-on-disk experiments. As important, the lab-scale results obtained with the tribometer correlated well with pilot testing of the samples under stringent rig-testing conditions.
Simplified method for predicting residual solvent content in polymer coatings
Authors:   , Vadapalli Vatsala , Cairncross Richard Allan
Published: July 2021

Polymer coatings have a wide variety of uses in a number of industries. The polymeric films are coated on a substrate in a wet state and are dried to meet residual solvent content (RSC) specifications. Drying models predict the residual solvent content in the films. Previous models are elaborate and involve coupled mass and heat transfer equations. These equations are non-linear partial differential equations and are solved using numerical methods such as the finite element and finite differences methods. These models predict evolution of solvent concentration and temperature through the entire drying operation. At long drying times, the rate of solvent removal falls to an extremely low value and residual solvent plateaus at a nearly constant value. This apparent shut-off in drying is due to strong diffusional resistance to solvent transport through a solvent-depleted layer near the coating surface. The drying period is called the diffusional plateau, where drying rate becomes negligible and RSC plateaus at a non-zero value. The focus of this thesis is to predict RSC in the system at long times with a simple model. This thesis develops a simple, quasi-steady state, one-dimensional model to predict RSC in the drying polymer-solvent coatings for a given drying temperature and dry polymer film thickness. The use of only these key operating parameters makes this model is much easier to use than previous drying models and is amenable to calculation by standard spreadsheet software. Ease of these calculations provides a wide scope of use in industry where RSC specifications are to be met. The quasi-steady state model results agree well (9-15%) with results obtained from a finite element method prediction and with experiments (10-20%) done using a thermo gravimetric analyzer for the system of poly (vinyl acetate)-toluene. A detailed analysis on how the three main physical parameters of temperature, drying rate and dry polymer film thickness affect the residual solvent for this system has been done. Other polymer-solvent systems were also examined and the quasi-steady state method was found to give good comparison with results from finite element method predictions for these systems.
A discretionary stopping problem in stochastic control
Authors:   , Liao Jiali , Banerjee Avijit , Benson Hande Yurttan
Published: July 2021

The dissertation studies a discretionary stopping problem in stochastic impulse control with a quantile-based performance criterion and applies it to the stochastic credit exposure control in the context of over-the-counter derivatives transactions. Problems combining stochastic control and optimal stopping arise in various business applications in which the system dynamics involve discrete actions. Such problems have been studied and dealt with in the existing literature. The main contribution of this work to the current literature is that it employs a new performance criterion in the form of the q-th quantile of the maximum of a diffusion process, rather than, the expected or long-run average value of a performance measure related to the state of the system. This new performance criterion would provide more information about extreme events and serve as a more robust measurement for stochastic optimization problems in decision marking under uncertainty. A generic framework is developed to find optimal strategies for a single stopping problem, the twice stopping problem in the form of simultaneous and sequential decisions, and an extension to the multiple stopping problem. This framework is then applied to solve the optimal mark-to-market timing problem arising in collateralization for stochastic credit exposure control in the context of over-the-counter derivatives transactions. Collateralization has been widely used in practice for mitigating counterparty credit risk by reducing stochastic credit exposure in over-the-counter derivatives markets. However, the relevant decisions are often made in an ad-hoc manner, without reference to an analytical framework. Very little academic research has addressed the quantitative analysis of mark-to-market timing. Another goal of this research is to fill this theoretical gap and propose a method for finding optimal timing of mark-to-market in collateral agreements to minimize potential future exposure of credit portfolio. With explicit consideration of the stochastic pathwise property of the underlying onedimensional Ito diffusion, a quasi-analytic framework is built to model the single, twice and multiple mark-to-market timing strategies. Numerical methods are then employed to solve this stochastic dynamic optimization problem towards outlining optimal decision strategies.
Effects of fire management on pine plains vegetation at Warren Grove Air National Guard Range, New Jersey
Authors:   , McKessey Anika Nkechi , Spotila James Robert
Published: July 2021

Fire management is controversial in many US forests due to increasing human population in the wildland urban interface. However, fire is associated with maintenance of plant community structure; it alters species richness and species composition in Northeastern USA forests. Warren Grove Range (WGR) is located in the globally imperiled Pine Plains habitat in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Fire frequency is believed to be a dominant factor in the development of this fire adapted habitat. Suppressing fire can modify the historical fire regime and potentially alter vegetation composition; however, fire management can be used to restore fire to the Pine Plains. The WGR's prescribed burning strategy includes high frequency, low intensity, winter burning for hazard reduction, but the strategy for the remainder of the Pine Barrens Region is fire suppression. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different fire frequencies on vegetation composition and structure, and to determine the response and recovery of Pine Plains vegetation after a prescribed burn. I found there was no relationship between fire frequency and species composition. Fire frequency did not affect oak density or canopy coverage. However, pine tree density and canopy coverage decreased with increasing fire frequency. Pine tree coverage was significantly greater in older areas than in more recently burned areas. Pine and oak trees were significantly taller in older burn areas than in more recently burned areas. Five to seventeen months after a high intensity prescribed burn, species similarity was greater than 60%. In addition, species composition returned to pre-fire conditions seventeen months after a burn. Pine importance declined after fire but rebounded during the second year. Thus, the fire adapted traits of the Pine Plains vegetation enabled the habitat to recover quickly after a high intensity prescribed burn. Overall, the results suggest the current fire management strategy employed at WGR maintains typical Pine Plains vegetation.
Dynamic programming applied to a new formulation of the stochastic truckload routing problem
Authors:   , Miori Virginia Marie , Benson Hande Yurttan
Published: July 2021

This thesis focuses on vehicle routing and scheduling, more specifically the truckload routing problem (TRP). We include the consideration of time windows (TRPTW). In the TRPTW, each vehicle carries a single load which fulfills either the cubic volume or weight capacity of the equipment. The demand for these loads is stochastic. The continuous flow TRPTW looks beyond traditional out and back routing by building extended routes which combine origin/destination pairs. Rather than returning directly to its domicile, a vehicle will instead proceed on to pick-up and deliver a subsequent load, which may take it even farther from the domicile. Each vehicle stays out on the road for as long as allowable by the various scenarios presented in the Department of Transportation (DOT) hours of service (HOS) restrictions. This research presents an approach to the formulation of the TRPTW which allows the use of optimization through penalty methods and dynamic programming. The traditional lane definition (origin/destination pair) has been extended, we create triplets composed of two lanes in succession which represent (1) a loaded movement and (2) the necessary follow up movement to position for the next load. The triplet provides a natural way of addressing the stochastic demand. The termination point of a triplet in a route always corresponds to the initial point of the subsequent triplet. The value of this research exists in the presentation of a new model formulation of the TRP which integrates count data analysis into the approach while taking into account real-world constraints. The movement of freight in the TRP is modeled more intuitively using triplets, resulting in greater applicability. This value of this approach is also seen in extensions of to other areas of supply chain management and network modeling.
Treatment adherence, health status, and problem orientation in patients with chronic heart failure
Authors:   , Russell Megan , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

Individuals coping with a diagnosis of chronic heart failure (CHRONIC HF) are confronted with many life-style changes, some of which include modifying eating habits, initiating an exercise program, taking numerous and different medications, and monitoring of weight for fluid retention on a daily basis. Although many patients succeed at adhering to a CHRONIC HF medical regimen, others find such adjustments difficult to make. Countless studies have investigated the nature of treatment adherence, however few studies yield consistent explanatory evidence and the medical community continues to be faced with this dilemma. The present study investigated the relationship between treatment adherence, health status, and problem orientation in a sample of patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure. Participants consisted of 61 individuals from the impatient and outpatient services and Hahnemann University Heart Failure-Transplant Center. Multiple regressions were performed in order to answer several hypotheses; health status will predict one's level of adherence to medical treatment, problem orientation will predict one's level of adherence to medical treatments, and problem orientation will moderate the relationship between treatment adherence and health status. Separate multiple regressions were performed for independent variable health status for each outcome variable, patient report general treatment adherence, patient report disease specific treatment adherence, nurse report general treatment adherence, and nurse report disease specific treatment adherence. Negative problem orientation was found to predict treatment adherence on several outcome measures including, patient report general treatment adherence, patient report disease specific treatment adherence, and nurse report general treatment adherence. However, the hypotheses health status will predict one's level of adherence to medical treatment and problem orientation will moderate the relationship between treatment adherence and health status was not found to be significant. The results generated from this study may offer important information for health care professionals. Specifically, problem orientation may be used as a treatment indicator or "red flag" where those individuals who are experiencing orientation related difficulties may be offered additional support as a way to increase adherent behavior.
Women's needs, women's action
Authors:   , Sharma Sanya S. , Slaton Amy Elisabeth
Published: July 2021

The desire for the toilet, one of the most basic of facilities, is expressed by many throughout India, especially women. Sixty-six percent of the urban population either do not have access to a toilet at all or must rely on bucket latrines (Pathak, p. 5). Ninety percent of the rural villages of India have no access to a toilet (Pathak, p. 4). The lack of availability of proper toilet amenities hits women the hardest in both the urban and rural sectors of India. In urban cities, workplaces, schools, and recreational areas are inadequately supplied with toilet facilities for women. Often, women must walk for kilometers before they can find proper amenities. This situation is even worse in rural areas where not only is supply limited but women, as the care-takers of the latrines, must transport water from long distances to clean facilities or dispose of waste where no toilets exist. However, there is another side to the toilet situation in India. It is one that is drastically different from the images above. It is the story of female empowerment and control of a technology to better their social positions and to build healthier communities for themselves and their families. Ironically, this empowerment stems from traditional gender roles that delineate the practices mentioned above. For example, since the women are the main caretakers of water and sanitation facilities, their role and participation assumes great significance in revolutionizing the construction, engineering, and overall availability of toilets in their societies. The women of India have turned a major obstacle, the lack of toilets, into a means of community and political empowerment. They have proven to the government of India and multinational organizations, such as the World Bank, that their expertise in toilet management is invaluable. Without their input, agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, would spend valuable resources building ineffective and unusable facilities; as proof of this three percent of latrines constructed by the government, World Bank projects, or foreign non-governmental organizations without these women's consultation are actually usable as toilets (Paramasivan, p. 2). Specific cultural attitudes intertwined with religious beliefs and a history of colonialism and failed aid attempts have created a unique developmental discourse prevalent throughout India. This is exemplified by the technology of the toilets. These women's humble plight to build toilets to serve their communities is challenging established western discourses defining who can be labeled a scientist or an engineer. Through their control of the toilet technology in their communities, these Indian women are showing how lay people of many cultures have valuable ideas and skills to offer the fields of science and technology.
Experimental study of stress cracking in high density polyethylene pipes
Authors:   , Zhang Jingyu , Hsuan Yick Grace
Published: July 2021

Stress cracking (SC) is recognized as one of the major concerns for high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. SC is a brittle failure that occurs at a stress level lower than the short-term mechanical strength of the material. Many cases of SC have been reported in two types of HDPE pipes: HDPE ducts used in segmental bridges and corrugated HDPE drainage pipes. The causes of SC in these two types of pipes and their stress cracking resistance (SCR) properties are evaluated in this dissertation. Longitudinal cracking was observed in HDPE ducts and it was resulted by circumferential stress inducing from temperature cycles in the field and residual stress in the pipe. Conversely, the circumferential cracking in corrugated HDPE pipes was caused by longitudinal stress from bending and residual stress of the pipe. Majority of the fracture surfaces were covered by the fibril structure indicating that cracks propagated via a slow crack growth (SCG) mechanism. The study confirmed that the notched constant tensile load (NCTL) test can effectively distinguish the SCR of different HDPE ducts and the NCTL test is incorporated into the recommended material specification for quality control of HDPE ducts. Since fatigue lines were observed on the fracture surface, fatigue tests were adopted to estimate the lifetime of the duct under thermal cyclic loading in the field. For the corrugated HDPE pipes, the SCR evaluation focused on the finished pipe in order to incorporate processing effects. Two test methods were developed and evaluated in the study, namely liner and junction tests. The liner test utilizes notched specimens to generate short and consistent failure times, and is good for QA/QC. On the other hand, the junction test challenges the junction where field cracking is observed. Thus, the junction data were used for predicting the long-term SCR of the pipe, and the reliable method was found to be the rate processing method (RPM).
The relationships among psychological distress, stress, disease symptom activity, and coping in adolescents diagnosed with Crohn's disease
Authors:   , Xanthopoulos Melissa Shepanski , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to examine potential pathways among psychological distress, stress, coping and disease activity severity in adolescent patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD). Participants included 41 males and females aged 13-19 years with a diagnosis of CD. Adolescents completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, and hassles. Mothers of participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and collateral ratings of coping used by their adolescents. The Pediatric Crohn's disease Activity Index was used to assess disease severity, and laboratory work was obtained. Salivary cortisol was collected the morning following their enrollment visit. Correlational and regression analyses were used to statistically determine relationships, as well as whether coping mediates or moderates relationships between psychological and physiological variables. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between depression, and more specifically, anhedonia and disease activity in patients with CD. However, it did not support findings that general anxiety and stress (hassles or cortisol) are related to disease activity. Results further revealed that adolescent reports of increased involuntary engagement coping and involuntary disengagement coping were related to increased levels of anxiety and depression, and increased levels of primary control disengagement coping was related to increased anxiety. In addition, parental reports of child use of secondary control disengagement coping and involuntary disengagement coping strategies were related to increased hassles scores, whereas parental reports of increased use of secondary control engagement coping by adolescents was related to decreased depression scores. None of the types of the adolescent-rated coping strategies were found to be related to disease activity, but parental ratings of increased use of secondary engagement coping strategies by their adolescents was associated with decreased disease activity. Neither mediation nor moderation of the relationships between psychological factors and disease activity by coping was found. Overall, results suggest that depression plays a role in an adolescent's experience of CD, and that treatments aimed at reducing negative coping strategies and increasing secondary control engagement strategies may impact psychological functioning and potentially CD symptom activity.
Anticipated Early Death and Offending Patterns
Authors:   , Fishel Sarah Ross , DeMatteo David S.
Published: July 2021

Anticipated early death posits that some individuals engage in risky behaviors such as criminal offending because they believe that they will die or be killed prematurely, and thus they do not fear or otherwise minimize the potential lethal consequences of certain criminal behaviors. The aim of the present study was to provide preliminary information regarding anticipated early death utilizing a new sample and additional quantitative measures for this under-researched topic. Data was collected from three groups of targeted participants: (1) former community youth who spent no time in a detention center (n = 212); (2) former criminally involved, but not incarcerated youth, who spent less than 48 hours in a detention center (CINI; n = 203); and (3) former incarcerated youth, who spent more than 48 hours in a detention center (n = 202). Results supported both the presence and consequences of anticipating an early death. Those who anticipated an early death as a youth reported more extensive criminal histories than those who did not. Participants who anticipated an early death also reported more adverse experiences in their childhood than those who did not. Finally, those who anticipated an early death endorsed attitudes that reflected a romanticization or challenge toward death. These results support previous research and further suggest that anticipating an early death may place youth at a higher risk of engaging in criminogenic behaviors.
Investment Decision Making in Improving Multiple Sales Channels
Authors:   , Salmani Yasamin , Partovi Fariborz , Banerjee Avijit
Published: July 2021

A supply chain, employing multiple sales channels, needs to continually enhance these channels for achieving competitive advantage. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a systematic procedure for optimal investment decisions towards improving existing sales channels in a multi-channel multi-product retail setting. The research provides a channel-level benefit-cost analysis, as opposed to the common product-level profitability, through an integration of operations and marketing perspectives. The motivation for undertaking this study is the strategic investment decision, on the part of many established firms that typically utilize multiple channel structures, to enhance overall sale channel performance and, ultimately, improve the competitive position. In pursuing our objective, an analytic network process, that considers both customer priorities and demand correlations among channels, is suggested. Utilizing a proposed benefit-cost ratio metric for each channel, incorporating customer input information, as well as relevant operating costs, we outline a mathematical programming procedure for determining the optimal allocation of a limited investment budget among existing channels. Our suggested methodology is illustrated by several realistic numerical examples and some selected sensitivity analysis. The results show that the optimal allocation decision for the company changes as the desired level of service offered to the customers is varied. This finding is likely to be significant for real-world practitioners, from the standpoint of making effective investment decisions for channel improvement.
Genomic Landscape During Cellular Senescence
Authors:   , Potnis Manali , Sell Christian
Published: July 2021

Cellular senescence is a cell fate defined by an irreversible cell-cycle arrest, which occurs in primary cells after a defined number of population doublings or in response to DNA damage, oxidative stress, oncogenic conversion, or metabolic imbalance. Accumulation of senescent cells is a universal hallmark of age-related pathologies suggesting these cells contribute to age-related susceptibility to disease. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that longevity-enhancing regimens including rapamycin treatment delays cellular senescence, extending the replicative lifespan of cells in vitro. Surprisingly, specific combinatorial treatments completely prevent senescence, allowing cells to proliferate at a very slow rate for over a year in culture. Previously performed transcriptome-wide analysis revealed that human cells treated with the combination regimen fail to produce a senescent profile notably at high population doublings. To gain insight into the effect of the combinatorial treatment and its role in the extension of cellular lifespan, it is important to uncover the genetic implications of this treatment and its impact on the process of chromatin structure establishment and maintenance. In a systematical approach using ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing), we have identified changes in the chromatin accessibility at senescence-associated genes following combinatorial treatment of human cardiac fibroblasts. The results demonstrate that pro-longevity treatments prevent chromatin remodeling required to establish the senescent state.
Arts Practice in Preventative and Alternative Programs for Youth
Authors:   , Freisleben Marie , Brody Jean
Published: July 2021

To address the pertinent need for justice reform in our country to reduce crime and criminal charges, some organizations and programs have turned to the arts as a tool to help at-risk youth. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the role that arts play in diversion-based and preventative-based programs for at-risk-youth. Research showed through the use of arts in these programs, individuals can reduce the risk of becoming involved in the justice system and lower their chances of repeated offenses. Additionally, programs have reported that the use of art in different forms has contributed to helping at-risk youth process their trauma to heal. Findings suggest that more research still needs to be done in order to collect the data that directly links the use of the arts to the success in the programs.
Female Sportscasters and the Issue of Gender Equality in Sports Television
Authors:   , Laws Charisse Yvonne , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

Women who aspire to enter the field of TV sports casting confront many barriers arising out of the structure of legacy media corporations and their hiring and retention practices. Once they gain entry to positions in sports journalism, women often find that they are not treated seriously and this situation can affect their on-air assignments and advancements. this study addressed these issues as seen through the eyes of incumbent female sportscasters. Sports Journalism has been a difficult area for women to enter and be taken seriously.
Applying traumatic body memory theory to a childhood context using a dance/movement therapy perspective
Authors:   , Cohen Mallory , Goodill Sherry W. , Pylvänäinen Päivi , Devereaux Christina
Published: July 2021

This work explores the literature on body memory and memory processing theory specific to traumatic experiences. It integrates ideas that are heavily rooted in development and attachment theories and applies them to models of memory encoding on a body level. By adding a lens that layers child development and attachment onto existing theories of body memory, this work provides a foundation from which traumatic body memory can be situated as a new theory in the childhood context. While this theory is not novel, it does reframe the literature to address this phenomenon in children. This work was highly informed by a dance/movement therapy perspective.
Synthesis and Cation Stoichiometry Effects of MBE-Grown Strained Ca₂Fe₂O₅ Thin Films
Authors:   , Yang Yizhou , May Steven J.
Published: July 2021

The physical properties of perovskite oxide (ABO₃) thin films can be tailored through cation deficiency, epitaxial strain, and anion substitution. Similar approaches should be applicable to A₂B₂O₅ brownmillerite materials that consist of alternating layers of BO₆ octahedra and BO₄ tetrahedra, however, such strategies have yet to be explored in detail in brownmillerite films. In this thesis, Ca₂Fe₂O₅ thin films are synthesized using molecular beam epitaxy, and anion substitution is explored through vapor transport fluorination. Cation off-stoichiometric effects, oxygen vacancy channel orientation, and fluorine substitution are studied through characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectivity, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The results suggest that Ca deficiency leads to minimal changes to the lattice parameter, while Fe deficient films exhibit c-axis expansion. Epitaxial strain is shown to control the orientation of the vacancies, which is consistent with previous reports. For fluorination, the mechanism is depended on the orientation of vacancies. When the oxygen vacancies are oriented parallel to the film/substrate interface, fluorination is dominated by fluorine substitution for oxygen, while the mechanism for perpendicularly oriented oxygen vacancies is a combination of both fluorine substitution and insertion into anion vacancy sites.
Ecosystem of Interactions
Authors:   , St. Angelo Nicholas , Nicholas Diana S. , Dragoman Liana
Published: July 2021

Plastic manufacture and disposal is an increasing issue around the world because it is destroying our environment. The most common uses of this material are the plastic bottles and bags we use every day. Since plastic has been around for decades, it begs the question of why action has not been taken to aid in this epidemic. Advances have been made in the past with reusable bags, and currently there are bans being put in place to stop plastic usage altogether. These efforts can only move so quickly. Until more laws and restrictions are put into place, our planet's future continues to degrade because of the amount of plastic still being produced. The discoveries in new technology and advances in policy reform around plastic have not been accessible at a consumer level. Right now, the few ways to help reduce plastic usage are by recycling or buying alternative products. When plastic items are recycled responsibly curbside, only a small percentage of those items are actually recycled while the remaining sits in landfills and takes over five hundred years to decompose. In order for change to happen at a rapid pace, there needs to be involvement at a community level that allows for participation. Involvement at a community level can include an educational system that can improve one's knowledge about what can and cannot be recycled. All of this can be accomplished by leveraging existing systems and using them for the greater good. Forcing someone to change their habits is a lot harder than encouraging and empowering people to make a change.
Music Therapy with an Individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder and a Co-Occurring Behavioral Health Diagnosis
Authors:   , Williams Erin Bourke , Ierardi Florence , Rich Brendan
Published: July 2021

This capstone thesis will provide a brief outline of the literature regarding the following subjects: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including emotion regulation and co-regulation; co-occurring mood and behavior disorders, including anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, and the use of music therapy with ASD and co-occurring behavioral health diagnoses. Then, the case study sessions will be described in order examine music therapy with an individual with ASD and a co- occurring behavioral health diagnosis. Finally, the author will provide discussion pertaining to the literature, reflections on the case study experiences, and recommendations for future practice with this population.
Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 Secondary Metabolism
Authors:   , Fesko Courtney Virginia , Loll Patrick J.
Published: July 2021

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a probiotic Gram-negative bacterium that is used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. Although used clinically, it is poorly understood why this bacterium is probiotic and other E. coli strains are not; this may be due to EcN's increased biosynthetic potential. We hypothesized that an understanding of EcN secondary metabolism could explain some of its probiotic properties. Besides siderophores and colibactin, we identified and characterized for the first time an aryl polyene (APE) in EcN. Through construction of an in-frame deletion of the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) we verified the cluster responsible for APE production. To our surprise this cluster produces four molecules with the same mass, which we tentatively assigned to four APE isoforms. Supplementation studies with different benzoic acids revealed details of the biosynthetic mechanism, and functional assays showed that APEs have antioxidant activity. Next, we focused on an enzyme family that activates BGCs, which is necessary for secondary metabolite production. The genome of EcN encodes for three activating Sfp-type phosphopantetheinyl transferases (PPTases) of which we systematically constructed single, double, and a triple mutant(s). Using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) we showed that APE production requires PPTases AcpT and EntD, but not ClbA. Using our mutants and LCMS, we showed an intricate network of PPTases and BGCs, and we define the PPTase-BGC crosstalk relationship in EcN. This work begins to explain the complex biosynthetic potential of EcN, which has implications for further medically relevant applications.
Inflated Weight, a Dual Approach to Structure Constants for K-Theory of Grassmannians, and a Charge Statistic for Shifted Tableaux
Authors:   , Shields Patrick Robert , Morse Jennifer
Published: July 2021

The problem of computing products of Schubert classes in the cohomology ring can be formulated as the problem of expanding skew Schur polynomials into the basis of ordinary Schur polynomials. In contrast, the problem of computing the structure constants of the Grothendieck ring of a Grassmannian variety with respect to its basis of Schubert structure sheaves is not equivalent to expanding skew stable Grothendieck polynomials into the basis of ordinary stable Grothendiecks. Instead, we show that the appropriate K-theoretic analogy is through the expansion of skew reverse plane partitions into the basis of polynomials which are Hopf-dual to stable Grothendieck polynomials. We combinatorially prove this expansion is determined by Yamanouchi set-valued tableaux. A by-product of our results is a dual approach proof for Buch's K-theoretic Littlewood-Richardson rule for the product of stable Grothendieck polynomials. Additionally we answer a question posed by Wan and Wang in 2011. The Kostka-Foulkes polynomials are ubiquitous in algebraic combinatorics, geometry, and representation theory. These polynomials in a parameter t with positive coefficients have deep connections to the Springer theory of Weyl group representations and Lusztig's q-weight multiplicity in finite dimensional irreducible representations of the general linear Lie algebra, among other things. Lascoux and Schutzenberger provided an elegant description of the Kostka-Foulkes polynomials in terms of charge, a statistic associated to Young tableaux. Wan and Wang introduced a spin counterpart, the spin Kostka polynomials, and asked that they be given a Lascoux and Schutzenberger type description by a statistic on shifted Young tableaux. The spin charge statistic given here fulfills this request.
A Differential Capacitive Sensing System for Knitted Textiles
Authors:   , Vallett Richard , Dion Genevieve , Kim Youngmoo
Published: July 2021

Textiles, in combination with advances in materials, intelligent sensing and signal processing, offer exciting new possibilities for fabric-based human interfaces and flexible, touch-sensitive devices. This thesis introduces a novel touch detection method and applies signal processing techniques towards measuring distributed capacitive touch across knitted fabric circuits. This work introduces differential capacitive sensing-a technique to measure capacitive touch along a continuous linear conductor using paired input and output voltage waveforms. A framework for constructing compatible knitted circuits from conductive yarns is introduced that enables the creation of extensible fabric touch interfaces using digital weft knitting. Touch localization, through differential capacitive sensing, is improved by applying Bode analysis to measure frequency-specific signal attenuation invariant to distortion from electromagnetic interference. A real-time sensing controller is constructed to generate, acquire and process voltage waveforms measured from the fabric circuit. The processed data are recorded as a time series of paired gain measurements with respect to input frequency. The contributions of this work make possible the development of Mixed-Source Description, a method to extract scale-space features from time-frequency measurements. A scale-space representation of temporal gestures, such as press-and-release, is constructed and compared using a novel distance metric, the Euclidean Levenshtein Distance, developed to quantify the similarity between temporal touch data. This work provides the foundation for quantifying high-level user input using textile-based sensors and a robust capacitive touch sensing system.
Effects of IgSF9b Knockdown in the Prefrontal Cortex on Behavior, Cell Morphology, and Synaptic Proteins
Authors:   , Alexandropoulos Cassandra , Kortagere Sandhya , Gao Wen-Jun
Published: July 2021

Mutations in gene IGSF9B are heavily associated with negative and cognitive, but not positive symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ). Gene IGSF9B encodes for Immunoglobulin Superfamily Member 9b (IgSF9b), a cell adhesion molecule expressed at inhibitory synapses that regulates inhibitory synapse formation and transmission. IgSF9b is heavily expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an area responsible for higher executive functioning which is disrupted in SZ. Whether IgSF9b deficiency, specifically within the mPFC, affects mPFC-associated behaviors remain unexplored. To that end, we specifically knocked down (KD) IgSF9b levels in the mPFC of young adult mice utilizing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) virus. Our results showed that IgSF9b deficiency in the mPFC disrupted working memory performance and produced sociability deficits, primarily affecting female, but not male, mice. Further, we analyzed spine density and synaptic protein levels in IgSF9b KD female mice. Although total spine density was not affected, we found an aberration in stubby spine density in apical dendrites of layer II/III pyramidal neurons in the mPFC of IgSF9b KD female mice. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) GluN1, but not GluN2A and GluN2B, subunit levels in the mPFC of IgSF9b KD female mice. Our study, for the first time, investigated the behavioral, cellular, and molecular effects of IgSF9b deficiency in the mouse mPFC and its potential association in the pathogenesis of social and cognitive deficits in SZ.
Understanding the Effects of Weight Suppression by Deconstructing Its Dimensions
Authors:   , Lesser Elin Lantz , Lowe Michael R.
Published: July 2021

Weight suppression, or the difference between an individual's highest past weight and current weight, is an increasingly studied construct that has been linked to future weight gain and eating disorder symptomatology. However, few studies have focused on the nature of weight suppression: neither the prevalence of weight suppression in the general population nor how the components of weight suppression might influence its effects has been adequately examined. This study therefore aimed (1) to clarify the nature of weight suppression in a more representative population than has been examined previously; (2) to examine how characteristics of weight history (i.e., highest past weight, duration of highest past weight, lowest past weight, duration of lowest past weight, weight rebound, current weight, and duration of current weight) relate to weight suppression itself; and (3) to determine whether these characteristics moderate the effects of weight suppression on relevant variables including loss-of-control (LOC) eating, exercise, restraint, and weight gain. Five hundred and two participants were recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and completed a set of questionnaires. The current study found that the prevalence of weight suppression is much higher than previously thought in the general population (60.6% had lost at least 5% of their body weight), and that highest past weight is highly correlated with weight suppression. In addition, weight suppression significantly predicted dietary restraint and one measure of LOC eating. Lowest past weight, duration of lowest past weight, weight rebound, and current weight each interacted with weight suppression to predict LOC eating, and highest past weight had a significant main effect independent of weight suppression on LOC eating. The current findings suggest the potential clinical impact of various weight-history characteristics on an individual's proneness toward LOC eating. The current study also highlights the importance of researching multiple dimensions of weight history when studying eating pathology and the potential for eating pathology models to integrate these dimensions to improve treatment outcomes.
A guide to the use of modal techniques in improvisational music therapy
Authors:   , Klein Eliot M. , Nolan Paul , Low Ming Yuan
Published: July 2021

This manual describes methods by which music therapists may incorporate modal techniques of improvisation into clinical work. Modal music is based upon structured sets of notes, known as modes, often identical to scales. Modal harmony differs from the harmonic system commonly used in the Euro-American musical canon, known as functional harmony, which uses chord progressions to develop the music. Modal harmony, on the other hand, is focused on melodic development posed in relation to a stable tonal center. These together imply a figure and ground relationship, a significant factor in the therapeutic process. Furthermore, a modal ground can act as a portal opening up to a wider arena of self-discovery and musical discovery. Modal features are common to a wide diversity of music traditions from around the world, and some of these are reviewed. Multicultural fluency and humility are emphasized as an important motivation to learn modal techniques. Improvising in this way may also be less daunting to a novice and may inspire greater creative expression. Flow and extended consciousness, represented by ideas of "modal ecstasy", are psychological states often associated with modal music that can a vital part of the therapeutic process. In light of such benefits, the reader is provided a guide to engage in modal improvisation, through familiarity with modes and their functions, the figure and ground dynamic, improvisational structure, and clinical vignettes describing practical uses.
Trauma Induced Alterations in Mesolimbic Dopamine System Activity and Cocaine Use Vulnerability
Authors:   , Brodnik Zachary David , España Rodrigo A
Published: July 2021

Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a heightened vulnerability to developing substance use disorders; however, the biological underpinnings of this vulnerability remain unresolved. We characterized and validated a version of the predator odor stress model of PTSD using segregation of subjects as susceptible or resilient based on avoidance and anxiety-like behavior. We then used a battery of in vivo and in vitro methods for examining differences in mesolimbic DA neurochemistry across control, resilient, and susceptible subjects. We found that susceptible subjects display a hyperdopaminergic phenotype, and that the dopaminergic effects of cocaine were elevated in vivo. We also found susceptible subject express increases in terminal cocaine sensitivity in vitro. Interestingly, while resilient subjects do not display any alterations in dopamine signaling in vivo, they do express elevations in both the dopamine release-promoting effects of cocaine and dopamine autoreceptor sensitivity in vitro. Additionally, we used cocaine self-administration to test several aspects of operant cocaine taking behaviors. Here we found that susceptible subjects show increases in the rate of cocaine self-administration acquisition and motivation to obtain cocaine while concomitantly expressing reductions in cocaine self-administration under low effort conditions. Resilient subjects did not differ from controls across any indices of cocaine self-administration. Overall, our results suggest that the experience of traumatic stress may produce alterations in dopamine systems that drive elevations in cocaine self-administration behavior in susceptible subjects, but may also produce both active and passive forms of resilience that function to prevent gross changes in cocaine's reinforcing efficacy in resilient subjects.