bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High intensity drinking : prevalence and correlates in a community-based sample of Australian adults
Authors:   , Dash Genevieve Fullerton
Published: September 2024

Many adult drinkers consume far beyond the established binge threshold (i.e., 4/5+ drinks for women and men, respectively). High intensity drinking (HID), defined in two levels at two (high intensity low [HIL]) and three (high intensity high [HIH]) times the binge threshold, is associated with more frequent and severe drinking-related consequences. This study examined the prevalence of past year HID in a sample of adult drinkers, as well as the relative associations of demographic characteristics, Big Five personality traits, family history of alcohol problems, childhood externalizing disorders, perceived peer drinking, and drinking-related consequences with binge drinking versus HID. Sex differences were also examined. Prevalence of past year HIL and HIH were both 22 percent, with men disproportionally represented in these categories. Quantity and frequency measures of alcohol use differentiated HIL and HIH from the binge group. Being male, younger, less educated, and unmarried were associated with HID; high extraversion and low agreeableness and conscientiousness, twin and current partner history of alcohol problems, and ADHD and conduct disorder were all associated with higher odds of HIH specifically; few effects emerged for HIL compared to binge. Perceiving a higher proportion of heavy drinking friends significantly increased odds of each successive drinking level. Rates of alcohol-related consequences were significantly higher in each successive drinking group. Sex differences emerged in the associations of income, marital status, openness to experience, conscientiousness, male friend drinking, and alcohol use disorder with HID. HID is a novel construct, but a prevalent behavior that warrants further empirical attention and more specified methodological approaches.
The pulpits and the damned witchcraft in German postils, 1520-1615
Authors:   , Deeds Tanner H
Published: September 2024

This thesis explores discussion of witchcraft in German postil sermons circulated between 1520 and 1615. The introduction discusses my methodology, changes to historiography between 1900 and present day, and the history of the role of witchcraft in Christianity to the fifteenth century. Chapter one explores the changes to discourse between 1520 and 1560 and concludes that in this period discourse on witchcraft developed from the perspectives of the via antiqua and the via moderna. Ultimately, Lutherans endorsed a providential perspective, which held that witches could do no harm. While Catholics expressed caution discussing witchcraft in public, they ultimately held that all witches were in an explicit pact with Satan and had the power to harm others. Chapter two discusses the later developments of discourse as was related to both religious changes after the Council of Trent and the Schmalkaldic War, as well as changes that occurred as responses to the "Little Ice Age." Lutherans and Catholics both argued that changes to the climate came from an angry God. However, they disagreed on the method through which God expressed his anger. For Lutherans, God did not use secondary causes to inflict suffering; instead, he interfered directly. For their part, Catholics argued that God allowed Satan to share his powers with witches, who could in turn cause suffering. In the conclusion I discuss the limits of this work and the potential future studies that can be explored. Most notably, the work that can be done on the religious responses to climate change.
Quantifying neonicotinoid concentrations in Missouri wetlands, their driving factors, and the potential effects on the reliant avian community
Authors:   , Kuechle Kyle
Published: September 2024

Neonicotinoid insecticides became available for commercial use in North America in the late 20th Century. Since their introduction, studies of surface waters where neonicotinoids are available for use have measured neonicotinoid concentrations at levels considered harmful for non-target organisms. Among non-target organisms, aquatic invertebrates have been highlighted as a group that may be especially susceptible to neonicotinoids. In addition to aquatic insects, avian aerial insectivores have been proposed as indicator taxa as they are reliant on insect food reserves and have recently experienced population declines. Thus, we developed two studies in floodplain wetlands to quantify neonicotinoids in Missouri wetlands and potential effects on non-target taxa. First, we sampled 40 wetlands across four sampling periods to quantify neonicotinoid concentrations in Missouri wetlands as well as potential factors influencing these concentrations. Second, we selected 22 additional study wetlands in a paired study design to measure the biotic response to neonicotinoid treatment using emergent insects and nesting tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Overall, we found neonicotinoids were frequently detected in wetland water and sediment, however sediment concentrations were an order of magnitude greater. Wetland sediment neonicotinoid concentrations were partially related to management decisions including the amount of agriculture planted within wetlands and Conservation Areas during the study year and water depth within study wetlands. Through the monitoring of emergent insects and nesting tree swallows we found no link between neonicotinoid concentrations or treatment and wetland food-web function. However, we caution that neonicotinoid levels detected in Missouri wetlands may be detrimental to aquatic insects and wetland dependent taxa at different spatial and temporal scales. Managers should consider taking reasonable measures to limit the potential contamination of wetlands by neonicotinoid insecticides.
Characterizing hormesis and the in vitro effects of sub-lethal fungicide exposure in sclerotinia homoeocarpa
Authors:   , Robertson Kyle Gregory
Published: September 2024

Dollar spot, caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett, is the most economically important disease of turfgrass. Dollar spot reduces aesthetics and playability of turfgrass, and when left uncontrolled can result in plant death and weed encroachment. Sterol demethylase inhibiting (DMI) fungicides are valuable for dollar spot control due to their broad spectrum of activity with single applications. Previous studies have shown sub-lethal concentrations of fungicides can cause plant pathogens to exhibit hormesis. The first goal of this research was to evaluate the effects of sub-lethal doses of DMI fungicides on the mycelial growth of a range of S. homoeocarpa isolates via an in vitro fungicide assay. The second goal was to examine the impact of sub-lethal doses of DMI fungicides on the production of oxalic acid in S. homoeocarpa. The third goal was to determine the effects of low doses of DMI fungicides on the disease severity of resistant and sensitive populations of S. homoeocarpa on creeping bentgrass. Sub-lethal concentrations of DMI fungicides did not cause significant increases of mycelial growth in vitro when compared to mycelial growth of untreated isolates. A method to detect oxalic acid via high performance liquid chromatography was developed in this research. Oxalic acid concentrations were greatest when isolates were treated with a high rate of DMI fungicides. In the greenhouse, area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was consistently increased by a sub-lethal rate of DMI fungicides when compared to untreated inoculum. A sublethal rate of DMI fungicides consistently caused increased mean disease severity as early as 21 days after treatment. Results of this study suggest sub-lethal concentrations of fungicides may induce hormesis in S. homoeocarpa, resulting in increased dollar spot pressure in creeping bentgrass.
Fuzzy-based conversational recommender for data-intensive science gateway applications
Authors:   , Ankathatti Chandrashekara Arjun
Published: September 2024

Neuro-scientists are increasingly relying on parallel and distributed computing resources for analysis and visualization of their neuron simulations. Although science gateways (SG) have democratized relevant high performance/throughput resources, users require expert knowledge and training to fully utilize the capabilities of a science gateway. In this thesis, we aim to investigate the socio-technical challenges and opportunities to use conversational agents that can be presented as chatbots in guided interfaces of next-generation SG.We explore a novel method to analyze user proficiency through a questionnaire design involving key cyberinfrastructure (CI)/SG stakeholders. Users interact with a context-aware chatbot that is embedded within SG to obtain simulation tools/resources to accomplish their goals. A questionnaire related to CI/SG and neuroscience domains is presented to the user and we use intuitionistic fuzzy logic to handle the fuzziness or vagueness in the user responses and create user profiles. We describe the use of a rule-based Mamdani Inference system which uses the user proficiency to provide guidance to users using an underlying recommender for cloud solution templates. The cloud solution template recommender suggests the best suitable cloud architecture to the users functional (RAM, CPU cores, storage) and nonfunctional (cost, performance, etc.) requirements. We explore the use of KNN algorithm to match user requirements with the catalog of templates to find most relevant templates based on user preferences. Evaluation results show that the questionnaire is consistent and reliable to capture the user proficiency in CI/SG and neuroscience domain. We simulate a series of queries from both expert and novice user and human expert annotation of the responses generated by the chatbot confirmed that our chatbot significantly helped in providing appropriate SG resources and tools based on user proficiency and thereby increasing the diffusion and adoption of CI/SG. We also show that our cloud solution recommender scheme improves the resource provisioning accuracy in a manufacturing science gateway application by up to 21 percent compared to the existing schemes.
Performance tests on asphalt mixtures at multiple temperatures and development of pavement temperature maps
Authors:   , Urra Contreras Loreto Andrea
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Thermal cracking and rutting are deteriorations that significantly affect asphalt pavements in the United States (US). Thermal cracking is a prevalent problem in the coldest areas, whereas rutting is a pavement damage more characteristic of warmer parts of the country. Relevant literature review has suggested that asphalt materials need to be characterized based on environmental and loading conditions at which mixtures will be exposed during their service life. Hence, mixture design based on performance testing plays an important role to ensure a desired field behavior.
Role of the carotid body chemoreceptors in blood flow and blood pressure regulation in type 2 diabetes
Authors:   , Ott Elizabeth P.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Common characteristics of T2D (e.g., elevated systemic insulin and glucose concentrations) may increase CB afferent activity, suggesting a role for the CB chemoreceptors in the pathophysiology of T2D. We hypothesized individuals with T2D would exhibit exaggerated CB chemosensitivity compared to healthy controls. We further hypothesized the contribution of the CB chemoreceptors to heart rate (HR), forearm blood flow (FBF) and blood pressure (BP) at rest and in response to exercise would be greater in individuals with T2D compared to healthy controls. METHODS: Ten individuals with diagnosed T2D or an elevated fasting glucose less than 100 mg/dL (T2D/EFG, 5 male (M)/5 female (F), 53[plus or minus]2 yrs, 32[plus or minus]2 kg/m2) and ten healthy controls (3M/7F, 52[plus or minus]4 yrs, 25[plus or minus]1 kg/m2) participated. Minute ventilation (pneumotachography) was measured during short bouts of 5 percent oxygen (70-100 percent SpO2) to determine CB chemosensitivity (hypoxic ventilatory response). HR (ECG), BP (finger photoplethysmography), and FBF (Doppler ultrasound) were continuously measured across three trials: 1) 5 min normoxic rest followed by 3 min exposure to hyperoxia (100 percent oxygen), 2) 2 min isometric handgrip exercise (30 percent maximal voluntary contraction, MVC) followed by 3 min post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO), 3) 2 min isometric handgrip exercise (30 percent MVC) followed by PECO plus hyperoxia. RESULTS: CB chemosensitivity was greater in T2D/EFG (-1.26[plus or minus]0.16 L/min/percent SpO2) compared to controls (-0.57[plus or minus]0.11 L/min/percent SpO2, p less than 0.01). Suppression of the CB chemoreceptors with acute hyperoxia decreased basal HR (p less than 0.01) and tended to decrease mean BP (p=0.09), with no effect on FBF (p=0.34). Suppression of the CB chemoreceptors with acute hyperoxia during PECO decreased HR (p less than 0.05) and had no effect on mean BP or FBF (p greater than 0.05). The effect of hyperoxia on resting and PECO hemodynamics did not differ between T2D/EFG and controls (p greater than 0.05). CONCLUSION: Individuals with T2D and/or EFG exhibit exaggerated CB chemosensitivity to hypoxia. However, the contribution of the CB chemoreceptors to resting and PECO hemodynamics (HR, BP, FBF) does not differ between T2D/EFG and age-matched controls. Together, these data suggest CB sensitivity, but not activity or reactivity is exaggerated in T2D compared to control.
The audience as gatekeepers on Facebook : why consumers of local news share stories
Authors:   , Connin Katlin
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Journalists are losing control of the gates, the metaphorical mechanism by which they manage what the audience experiences. With the use of social media, audience members are taking on more and more of the gatekeeping role. Just like their professional counterparts, audience members select content to consume and disseminate to their community, in this case, friends and family. A better understanding of how audiences change the flow of information is vital for journalists if they hope to better leverage existing revenue streams and prepare for future ones. This study uses semi-structured interviews to delve into why local news consumers share the stories they do on Facebook. Findings reveal that local news consumers share local news for many reasons, chief among them to share information.
Moderators' modus operandi : a rhetorical, qualitative analysis of the 2016 presidential debate moderators
Authors:   , Van Epps Zachary
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] While there is much academic research on and analysis of presidential debates, most of the existing literature tends to focus on the candidates participating in the debate and not as much on the journalist moderators who guide the debates. This study examines the four journalists who were at the center of the 2016 presidential debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton -- Lester Holt, Anderson Cooper, Martha Raddatz and Chris Wallace -- to determine what rhetorical strategies they implemented during their time on stage as well as how the digital news media analyzed their performances. Through coding 93 questions asked over the course of the three debates, this study identified how the four moderators used statements from the candidates and those in their political orbit to set up pointed questions; engaged in direct dialogues with candidates to follow up and press for more concrete answers and to fact-check false claims in real time; and addressed both the candidates and the audience to maintain control of the debate. Thirty digital media articles published the night of or the day after each debate were examined as well, examining what aspects of their performances led to the dominant narratives about Holt's passivity; Raddatz and Cooper's assertiveness; and Wallace's firmness and focus on policy. The examination also revealed how different publications contradicted one another in identifying positive and negative elements of the moderators' performances.
Fluid inclusion evidence for the temperature and composition of ore fluids in the Lemhi Pass and diamond Creek Ree-Th districts, Idaho-Montana
Authors:   , Allison Grace K.
Published: September 2024

The Lemhi Pass district is the largest thorium (Th) and 5th largest rare earth element (REE) occurrence in the U.S., straddling the continental divide along the central Idaho-Montana border. The Diamond Creek district, thought to be genetically related to Lemhi Pass, is the 19th largest known REE occurrence in the U.S., has substantially less thorium, and is located about 28 km northwest of the Lemhi Pass district. Thorium min-eralization in both districts occurs predominately as thorite (ThSiO4), and REE mineralization occurs predominantly as monazite ([Ce,La,Nd,Th]PO4). The Th-REE mineralization is hydrothermal and occurs in veins filling faults, fractures, and shear zones.
Hybrid logistic and confined exponential growth models : estimation using SEM software
Authors:   , Ripley Kyle R.
Published: September 2024

The logistic and confined exponential curves represent growth over time in various contexts such as learning and technology transfer. Logistic growth operates as a contagion process in a population of interest, while the confined exponential curve represents the diffusion of an external process on a system, such as the transfer of information through communication channels. Prior work (e.g., Grimm and Ram, 2009) has shown that such nonlinear curves can be estimated using structural equation modeling (SEM) software, allowing model comparison. As an alternative to binary choice between such models, this paper shows how a hybrid model representing a weighted combination of the two models may be specified. In order to assess whether the hybrid model can be successfully estimated using SEM software and conditions under which it can be successfully differentiated from the stand-alone logistic and confined exponential alternatives, Monte Carlo simulations varying the number of measurement occasions (5, 10, and 15), internal consistency ([alpha] = .5, .7, and .8), and sample size (N = 1,000, 500, and 300) were conducted. Convergence failures appeared appreciable only when the estimated hybrid models were the special cases of logistic or confined exponential curves. The hybrid model was successfully preferred over the stand-alone models when 10 or 15 measurement occasions are employed and when internal consistency is moderate ([alpha] = .7 or .8) across all sample sizes but not when only five measurement occasions are used or when internal consistency is low ([alpha] = .5). Implications for the application of the hybrid model to learning, growth, and psychopathology are discussed.
Investigations of the forage nutritive value of common weeds encountered in Missouri pastures and their relationships with soil fertility
Authors:   , Bunton Gatlin Edward Keith
Published: September 2024

During the 2015, 2016, and 2017 growing seasons, a survey of 63 pastures in Missouri was conducted to determine the effects of selected soil and forage parameters on the density of common annual, biennial, and perennial weed species. Permanent sampling areas were established in each pasture at a frequency of one representative 20- m2 area per 4 ha of pasture and weed species and density in each area was determined at 14-day intervals from a period from mid-April until late September. The parameters evaluated included soil pH, phosphorous (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (C), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) concentration, as well as tall fescue density, forage ground cover density, and stocking rate. An increase of one unit in soil pH was associated with 146 fewer weeds per hectare, the largest reduction in weed density in response to any soil parameter. Common ragweed, a widespread weed of pastures, could be reduced by 3,056 weeds per hectare when soil pH was one unit greater. Additionally, weed and weed-free mixed tall fescue and legume forage samples were harvested from 29 of the surveyed pastures in order to investigate the nutritive value of 20 common pasture weed species throughout the season. Sample collections occurred at 14-day intervals coinciding with the survey during each growing season. At certain times during the growing season many broadleaf weed species had greater nutritive values for a given quality parameter as compared to the available weed-free, mixed tall fescue and legume forage harvested from the same location.
Marginalized memories : Lafayette, American others, and revolution's legacy
Authors:   , Pellerito Jordan
Published: September 2024

In American history, the Marquis de Lafayette is predominantly remembered for his military service in the Revolution, his lifelong friendship with the Founders, and his triumphal farewell tour of the United States from 1824-1825. Native Americans in the 1820s are mostly studied as part of the larger Jacksonian removal narrative, while African Americans' place in the decade is entangled within the ever-increasing national tensions over slavery. In visiting the United States for the final time, Lafayette received a nation-wide welcome from Americans, and helped President Monroe and the first post-Revolution generation celebrate the event's 50th anniversary. How Americans received and celebrated Lafayette tells us much about the 'Era of Good Feelings.' We know from the existing historiography that white Americans hosted lavish dinners and balls, gave admirable toasts, and conducted city-wide parades for Lafayette's return. Even with the increased popularity of African American and Native American histories, however, little work has been done on how people of color received the Revolutionary hero. This project explores how African and Native Americans interacted with Lafayette as a representation of the American Revolution, emphasizes its contested legacy, and further demonstrates that the 'Era of Good Feelings' was ripe with national discourse over the past and future of the United States.
Engineering target nanomaterials for stable and efficient delivery of siRNA
Authors:   , Jenkins Brain Padriac
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Lung cancer has the highest cancer-related mortality rate in the United States. The most common form of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with 80-85 percent of new diagnoses. Mutations in KRAS is the most prevalent one, and affects over 25 percent of NSCLC patients, and these patients often fail to respond to conventional treatments including tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies. Silencing these driver oncogenic mutations provide new opportunities to treat tumor. RNAi technology has the potential to selectively knock down the mutated KRAS gene and thereby increase the susceptibility of the tumor to conventional therapies. In fact, "Silenseed", siG12D, a siRNA-based drug conjugate, showed efficacy in knocking-down the gene in human Phase II clinical trials. However, the integral instability of siRNA restricts the intratumoral administration of the drug. Therefore, there is a need to develop a delivery system for carrying siRNA to tumor without the fear of disintegration. In order to circumvent this problem, our research is focused on engineering nanoparticles, especially based on proteins due to its non-toxic and biodegradable characteristics, and evaluating their ability in vitro to serve as carriers for delivering KRAS siRNA. In this project, we have synthesized a library of protein-based nanoparticles which have demonstrated stable loading of siRNA and efficient knockdown of the KRAS expression in NSCLC cell lines. These nanoparticles are targeted using anti-EGFR antibody to tumor. Additionally, we compared the efficacy of encapsulation versus surface conjugation in siRNA loading to the nanoparticle. In summary, we have synthesized and evaluated a xii total of 10 different protein-based nano-conjugates, and identified two nanoparticles with excellent stability for further in vivo evaluation.
Articulatory motor performance as a function of phonetic complexity in Parkinson's disease
Authors:   , Salazar Mary
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Purpose: This study sought to determine the feasibility of phonetic complexity manipulations to improve the detection of articulatory deficits in talkers with progressive dysarthria due to Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: Articulatory kinematics were recorded using 3D electromagnetic articulography from 15 talkers with PD (58-84 years) and 15 healthy controls (55-80 years) while they produced target words embedded in a carrier phrase. Majority of the talkers with PD exhibited a mild dysarthria. For stimuli selection, phonetic complexity was calculated for a variety of words using the framework proposed by Kent (1992) and representative stimuli for low, medium, and high phonetic complexity levels were selected. Jaw, tongue back, and tongue tip kinematic measures that were used to test for phonetic complexity effects included movement speed, cumulative path distance, range of motion, movement duration, and spatiotemporal variability. Results: Significantly smaller movements and slower movement speeds were evident in talkers with PD, predominantly for words with high phonetic complexity. Additionally, the effect sizes of between-group differences were larger for several jaw kinematic measures compared to those of the tongue. Discussion and Conclusion: Findings suggest that systematic manipulations of phonetic complexity can support the detection of articulatory deficits during the early stages of dysarthria in talkers with PD. Phonetic complexity should therefore be leveraged for the assessment of articulatory performance in talkers with progressive dysarthria. Future work will be directed towards linking speech kinematic and perceptual findings to determine the clinical significance of the current kinematic results.
The mysterious equity behind charitable giving : a case study examining corporate sustainability initiatives and perceptions among multi-stakeholder groups
Authors:   , Duroseau Max
Published: September 2024

The study explored corporate sustainability efforts, as well as the varying perspectives and factors that impact sustainable output from corporations. By implementing Ha-Brookshire's (2017) Moral Responsibility Theory of Corporate Sustainability, the theory provided a methodical framework with which to examine corporate activity from all sectors and industries in a live setting. According to Ha-Brookshire's framework, corporations are considered truly sustainable when sustainability is viewed as a perfect duty, clear goals are existent, and a well-defined structure guide activity. This research further incorporates Freeman's (1984) stakeholder theory as a means for isolating varying perspectives within each case. The analytical interpretation from a case study approach, which used the triangulation methods of semi-structured interviews, researcher triangulation, and photo elicitation of six nonprofit workers revealed five revelations: (a) internal drivers within stakeholder members impact views on sustainability, (b) economic growth as a key goal, (c) explicit structure of culture-value communication leads to carrot-stick effect, (d) clear supply chain enhances sustainability, and (e) holistic sustainability is achieved through diverse activities. Implications derived from results in this study offer several opportunities relevant to industry players and academics. For industry players, strategies of execution both internally and externally should be evaluated to produce most desirable results, while opportunities exist for academics to expand business research literature through further iterations of similar studies.
Productivity and mortality of Acacia mangium willd. plantation with associated bark beetle and Nitidulid beetle in east Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia
Authors:   , Nugraha Muhamad Nurhuda
Published: September 2024

Acacia mangium Willd. is one of the most common tree species in industrial forest plantations in Indonesia. This tree species can grow rapidly in a wide range of soil conditions, and its wood properties are very suitable for the growing pulp and paper industry in the country. However, this tree species is also known to have high mortality due to tree diseases. Since 2011, 512 permanent sampling plots have been repeatedly measured to evaluate the development of A. mangium plantations in East Kalimantan. The sampling plots were established across a range of site conditions that varied in topography, soil physical characteristics, and soil nutrient content, as well as using different provenance and tree spacing. In this study we found that productivity and mortality of A. mangium in this area was comparable to other studies in humid tropical forest plantations, with survival 6 years after planting lower than 50 percent. The result of this study showed that provenance was an important variable in survival models of A. mangium. However, survival and mortality models that were developed in this study were not good enough to make prediction owing to irregular mortality in the study area, causing high variability in the dataset. There were trends on decreasing productivity and increasing mortality of A. mangium through time that might be related to Ceratocystis wilt. Log extraction identified some bark beetle and sap-feeding beetle that can be potential insect vector of ophiostomatoid fungi and other pathogenic fungi on tree species. However, further study needs to be done to confirm if these beetles transmit the disease to A. mangium in the forest plantation in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.
Neotectonic and geophysical investigation into the active growth of the Avawatz Mountain Front, California
Authors:   , Moore Kimberly
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The Avawatz Mountains are an actively growing range near the intersection of the Garlock and southern Death Valley Fault Zones in eastern California. The Sheep Creek Fault (SCF) bounds the northeastern edge of Avawatz Mountains which are uplifting along a shallow, blind reverse fault at the terminus of the Garlock Fault Zone. This study aims to determine structural geometries and growth rates of the Avawatz Mountains and understand how growth relates to other rates of motion in the near region. Neotectonic folding is clearly displayed by Quaternary gravels allowing fold geometry to be constrained using terrestrial-based photogrammetric modeling to quantify bedding geometries. Quaternary deformation is also exhibited in warping of older geomorphic surfaces which were computed by high-resolution topographic surveying, photogrammetric modeling, and fault scarp degradation modeling. The subsurface fault geometry is imaged by a shallow seismic reflection profile. The SCF tip was determined to be ~60 m below the surface with a dip of 51 [degrees] to the south. Throw and horizontal shortening rates along the SCF are 0.23-0.45 mm/yr. and 0.2-0.4 mm/yr. respectively. Throw rates are consistent with known exhumation rates of 0.1mm/yr. (Chinn, 2013) in the Avawatz Mountains signifying that much of the uplift in the Avawatz Mountains is being accommodated by the SCF. However, horizontal shortening rates along the SCF are not comparable with the 5/7mm/yr. (McGill and Sieh, 1993; Bryant, 2000; Evans et al., 2016) of slip along the Garlock Fault, suggesting that most of the strike-slip displacement is accommodated by other structures west of the Avawatz Mountains.
Hymns ancient and modern, and the music editorship of Willian Henry Monk
Authors:   , Amos Sarah
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Hymns Ancient and Modern--a product of Tractarian efforts for the development of Catholic ecclesiological expression in the Church of England--established numerous melodies deriving from late medieval plainchant as standards of English hymnody. Published during a period of heightened interest in historic liturgical practices and romantic idealization of the past, the hymnal was a comprehensive collection of both contemporary Victorian hymns and musical selections traditional to the Roman Church. In order to ensure that all content of the hymn-book was equally suitable for congregational performance, the adopted plainchant melodies were modernized by the music editor, William Henry Monk (ca. 1823-1889), through the addition of four-part organ accompaniments. By drawing from the repertory of the Catholic Church and adapting selections to make them suitable for congregational singing in the spirit of Protestant inclusiveness, the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern assembled a collaborative work that served as a musical response to the philosophical maxim via media that was emphasized in the Tracts for the Times (1831-1841). The objective of this study is to examine the theological, political, and social factors that coincided in England to allow the conception of Hymns Ancient and Modern and to analyze three hymn tunes exemplary of Monk's editorial style. The purpose of this method is provide historical context for the outstanding success of the Victorian hymnal and the consequential prevalence of Monk's plainchant settings.
Development of a dual frequency, folded topology, dielectric waveguide lens antenna
Authors:   , Lamb Barrett A.
Published: September 2024

There is an emerging need for antennas capable of operating in the field of high power microwaves (HPMs) especially those which exhibit high gain, wide bandwidth, and steering. Conventional high gain antennas are often based on large and heavy metal structures which may be reflector based. The weight of a simulated all metal antenna design with the desired gain, bandwidth, and steering was calculated as between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds. Due to a 400-500-pound weight constraint an innovative approach based on a nanodielectric material developed by the Center for Physical and Power Electronics was evaluated. A radiating lens for high power RF has been developed using MU100, a nanocomposite, which exhibits both a high dielectric strength ([approximately] 250 kV/cm) and a high dielectric constant ([approximately] 100) along with a ceramic anti-reflection layer. The material can be manufactured reproducibly in a range of sizes and can be machined to the desired shape. A ceramic with a dielectric constant (10) is utilized between the nanocomposite and the target medium to construct a graded lens capable of coupling to a variety of mediums by adjusting the lens. These lens elements are constructed into an 8x16 element design with a simulated gain of 26.6 dBi with a 3.5 m2 aperture and 0.2 m depth at 1.35 GHz. The antenna system can operate over a wide bandwidth of approximately 250 MHz in the L-Band (1-2 GHz) with a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) beneath 1.5 while weighing approximately 400 pounds.
Simulator study of ridesharing pickup and dropoff area design and evaluation of benefits and applications of tethered surveillance drones (TSDS)
Authors:   , Kaltenbronn Jacob
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Technology is reshaping transportation. An example is mobile apps that enable the growing ridesharing industry. When combined with another technology, autonomous vehicles, ridesharing is expected to become a dominant mode of transportation. To facilitate this, dedicated pickup/dropoff areas for ridesharing need to be implemented. Two pickup/dropoff area designs, one with angled parking stalls and one a curbside design, were developed and tested using pedestrian and wheelchair simulators to study the performance of the designs with respect to safety, efficiency, and accessibility from the pedestrian perspective. While both designs performed comparably in terms of safety, the curb design resulted in a shorter vehicle waiting time, indicating greater efficiency. However, results indicated that the stall design was more accessible, leading to the conclusion that both designs are viable compared to each other, with neither being clearly superior. Additionally, signage and education were found to be effective in a simulator in increasing the safety and efficiency of the pickup/dropoff areas. Another example of technological advancements is the use of drones in transportation. Drone use is increasing in limited applications, but drawbacks such as communications concerns, short flight times, and regulations limit further use. One way to overcome these limitations is implementing tethered surveillance drones (TSDs): drones connected to a powered base station via a cable tether. This enables unlimited flight times, secure communications, and the possibility for loosened regulations. These benefits could expand drone use for applications including traffic incident management, work zone monitoring, and other forms of data collection or traffic monitoring.
Investigation of the effects of body type on accelerometer based fall detection
Authors:   , Kurkowski Samantha
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Precision or personalized medicine follows the idea that analyzing a patient's genome can help stratify patients into treatment groups [1] [2]. Patients with cancer, for example, are split into groups based on the genetic make-up, rather than the location, of their tumor and given medicine that corresponds to their specified treatment group [3]. Instead of prescribing the same medicine for all patients with lung cancer, doctors are able to personalize treatment based on a person's genetics. Could fall detection algorithms benefit from this type of personalized approach? This project analyzes accelerometer data containing falls and activities of daily living gathered from 16 stunt actors and 20 elderly volunteers as well as 22 falls from the FARSEEING dataset with the goal of discovering whether algorithms personalized to a person's physiological features (such as height or weight) perform better than the traditional generalized approach. This thesis demonstrates that personalized algorithms can potentially make fall detection more efficient for some people. The unscripted test results show that the algorithms personalized to build and weight, decreased false alarms in several participants as compared to the overall algorithm. The FARSEEING data results show that algorithms, personalized to weight and sex, may increase the efficiency and accuracy of fall detection algorithms. An analysis of which physiological factors help determine whether a person needs a personalized or a general algorithm is needed to determine whether or not personalized algorithms make economic sense.
A sociophonetic study of Cape Girardeau, Missouri English
Authors:   , Cochran Nigelle
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This paper explores speech patterns of participants from Cape Girardeau, MO. Cape Girardeau Missouri is located just south of St. Louis along the Mississippi River, and just north of the "bootheel" of Missouri which is in an area that borders the South and the Midland dialect boundaries, an area that has not been studied widely. This study investigates the dialectal variations of ten participants from Cape Girardeau, MO through an informal interview and formal reading tasks. This study compares their different speech tasks as well as their variations across groups of gender, age, and education, focusing on phonological variables with broader regional distributions such as the LOT-THOUGHT merger and the PIN-PEN merger and finds that this community is participating in back vowel fronting, however, evidence suggests the pattern of back vowel fronting is not a new or recent trend in the area. Additionally, although there is evidence of some merging of the PEN-PIN and LOT-THOUGHT merger existing with individual participants, the overall speech community does not merge these vowels and is able to distinguish the different vowels from each other
Workplace relationships and professional burnout among child life specialists
Authors:   , Hoelscher Leah
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Certified child life specialists (CCLSs) work in children's hospitals to provide psychosocial support and education to pediatric patients and families undergoing stressful medical experiences. Job demands and characteristics of a CCLS often place them in contact with high levels of stress, emotions, and anxiety. One's social relationships at work play a role in determining one's overall well-being and levels of burnout. Because CCLSs work in a complex medical system, they are at risk for experiencing multiple interpersonal relationships, including with immediate supervisors, peer CCLSs, and non-child life coworkers. This study utilized the framework of the Social Exchange Theory (SET) to hypothesize that relationships with non-child life medical staff would have the greatest influence on CCLSs levels of professional burnout. Participants completed the Caplan Social Support Instrument and the Maslach's Burnout Inventory, and answered one open-ended question related to CCLS burnout. 214 certified child life specialists working in the United States were included in quantitative analyses. Overall social support in the workplace was significantly associated with lower levels of burnout. A positive relationship with one's direct supervisor was found to have the strongest negative association with levels of burnout, followed by peer CCLS relationships and non-child life medical staff relationships having smaller and similar influences. Qualitative analysis resulted in possible areas of concern for future child life research, including compensation and workload, and respect and understanding of the child life role by other medical professionals.
Synthesis of novel gold nanostars as surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy substrate for measurement of pesticide residues in fresh produce
Authors:   , Sun Lin
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Rapid detection of food contaminants using novel analytical methods in combination with nanomaterials has received much attention in recent years. This study aimed to synthesize polyhedral gold nanostars (AuNS) with multi-angled corners and develop surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method coupled with AuNS to detect pesticide residues in juice products. AuNS are multi-branched three-dimensional metal nanostructures with rough surface features that can induce surface plasmon resonance. A facile synthesis of AuNS was achieved using a two-step method and as-prepared AuNS had much cleaner surfaces than gold nanoparticles. A Raman reporter molecule (4-aminothiophenol) was used to evaluate the performance of the SERS method, yielding fingerprint-like Raman spectra and the sensitivity of the SERS method could reach 10 [mu]g/kg. SERS coupled with AuNS was used to detect thiram residues in peach juice and the detection limit was 50 [mu]g/kg, which is 100 times more sensitive than using normal gold nanoparticles. These results demonstrate that AuNS are excellent substrates for SERS measurement, which has great potential for rapid detection of chemical contaminants in food products. This study also aimed to develop a swab method that utilized a nanocellulose-based substrate for SERS applications. The cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based SERS wiper was developed on a quartz paper by fabricating the quartz/mixture (CNF/silver nanoparticle/AuNS) substrate. A "drop-wipe test" process was used for rapid detection of food contaminants in vegetables by SERS. A Raman probe (4-ATP) was used to evaluate the performance and the sensitivity of SERS/wiper method. The intensity of Raman scattering signals obtained from the quartz/mixture substrate was much higher than the paper/mixture substrate. A stability test was conducted and the results show that in a vacuum package, this new substrate could maintain a high SERS sensitivity for 1 month. The SERS method coupled with the quartz/mixture substrate was used to detect ferbam on kale leaves and the detection limit was 0.05 mg/kg. The measurement of one sample can be finished within a few minutes. These results demonstrate that this novel nanocellulose-based SERS wiper can be used as an excellent substrate for the rapid detection of chemical contaminants in fresh produce.
Thermal characterization and scaling of a nanodielectric composite for use in compact ultra-high voltage capacitors
Authors:   , Brown Luke J.
Published: September 2024

The University of Missouri has been developing compact capacitors for use in high voltage, pulsed power and directed energy applications. The capacitors are made from a proprietary nanodielectric, MU100, which is a polymer-ceramic composite composed of nanoceramic barium titanate and a proprietary binding agent. MU100 exhibits several novel qualities including high dielectric strength along with facile machining and assembly characteristics. The material was successfully used to fabricate capacitor prototypes capable of repeatable performance at 500 kV with lifetimes greater than 104 shots. These initial prototypes were smaller than comparable commercial devices by a factor of 2.5. The dielectric constant, thermal expansion, and dielectric strength were measured for MU100 from -40 [degrees] C to 120 [degrees] C. The results demonstrate the nanodielectric has a strong stability both electrically and mechanically across the entire temperature test range. The maximum capacitance percent difference of MU100 relevant to standard temperature was 9.8 percent occurring at 130 [degrees] C. The maximum linear coefficient of thermal expansion found was 1.5 PPM/ [degrees]C. The dielectric strength was found to show virtually no change with temperature. The MU100 substrates were then scaled to a diameter of 6.35 cm to allow for further size reduction of the final capacitor. With a 6.35 cm diameter design, a volume reduction of over 4 times, relative to commercial capacitors, was achieved while maintaining the same electrical performance as the first-generation device. The theory, methodologies, and results for characterizing and producing these capacitors is discussed in this work.
Advanced nanodielectric material development and scaling for use in compact ultra-high voltage capacitor prototypes
Authors:   , Dickerson Samuel A.
Published: September 2024

The dielectric material employed in this effort is a proprietary nanocomposite material, MU100. The material was initially developed to shrink high frequency, high voltage, dielectric loaded antennas; however, due to its unique material characteristics, the nanocomposite has shown promise in development of high voltage capacitors. Previous work has shown small-scale samples of the high permittivity nanocomposite material to have an average dielectric strength of 220 kV/cm with peak breakdown fields in excess of 328 kV/cm. When scaling up to realize application specific voltages, failure modes become more pronounced due to volume effects of the nanocomposite and field enhancement factors at the electrode dielectric interfaces. This work describes how the material was increased in volume from small samples up to compact capacitor prototypes capable of repeatable performance at 500 kV to in excess of 1 MV with lifetimes greater than 10,000 shots.