bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and development of first order fire effects mortality model predictions for eastern hardwood forests
Authors:   , Wachuta Mary
Published: September 2024

The First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) is a useful tool for predicting fire-induced mortality in western coniferous forests. However, it lacks robust models for eastern hardwood species. Managers in the eastern United States that are interested in using fire as a tool for forest and woodland management would benefit from the addition of eastern hardwood models to this software for planning purposes. This study determined the accuracy of the current FOFEM hardwood equations at predicting mortality at the stand and individual tree levels by comparing outputs from FOFEM 6.4 to mortality observed at 5 prescribed burn studies across the eastern US. FOFEM was found to overestimate mortality for all sites and all species based on predicted crown scorch and bark thickness. These same study datasets were then used to develop new mortality equations for certain species based on terrain, fire effects, and tree-level characteristics. New models for several species were developed. DBH was found to be a strong predictor for all three measurement periods, while slope and aspect were significant in the One-Year and Three-Year periods. The overall best models for all three periods included species and DBH as the best predictors. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis demonstrated better discrimination of live versus dead trees according to the probability assigned by the new models than the current FOFEM model. DBH was found to be a better predictor than bark thickness, suggesting a need for new bark thickness models. These results show that there is room for improvement in the FOFEM model and identify potential variables that may provide for more accurate mortality modeling across eastern forests.
Deep learning bandgaps of topologically doped graphene
Authors:   , Wu Chuhan
Published: September 2024

Manipulation of physical and chemical properties of materials via precise doping affords an extensive range of tunable phenomena to explore. Recent advance shows that in the atomic and nano scales topological states of dopants play crucial roles in determining their properties. However, such determination is largely unknown. Meanwhile, with the development of computer's power of calculation, the possibility that we can use deep learning method: Neural Network which has a large amount of parameters in its algorithm to train and predict the data become truth now. We incorporate these state-of-art concepts and developed deep learning algorithms to study the property of them. First we use neural network to predict bandgaps of boron-nitrogen pair doped graphene. The bandgaps were calculated by the ab initio calculations, and together with the structural information they were fed to convolutional neuron networks (CNNs). These trained CNNs afford great prediction accuracy, showing square of the coefficient of correlation (R2) of > 90 percent and root-mean-square errors of [about]0.1 eV. The transfer learning was further performed by leveraging data generated from smaller systems to improve the prediction for large systems. Success of this work provides a cornerstone for future investigation of other properties of topologically doped graphene and other 2D materials. Second we also do the reverse direction research. We Use Generative Adversarial Network (GANs) to predict the structure of doped graphene based on the bandgaps value we want and it gets decent performance. Meanwhile we build a web to show our project performance to others.
Working memory availability and quality control in children's production of passive sentences as novices
Authors:   , Adams Eryn J.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Working memory (WM) is widely accepted as a necessary cognitive resource for a vast amount of cognitive abilities. Developmental work has shown that as WM capacities increase, so too does the ability to successfully perform other cognitive tasks including language comprehension and production. The reasoning for the changes in language skills seen across typical development may differ according to linguistically-and cognitively-focused theories of language growth. We seek to add evidence to the cognitive view of language growth, by focusing on differences in WM availability. Much of the previous research linking WM and language development have been correlational. We examine how constraining WM resources can affect the concurrent language production of children aged 4 and 5. Participants (n = 24) were asked to recall the previously-heard, passive-voice descriptions of images displaying a transitive-verb action. These responses were performed while either holding a spatial-visual WM load, a verbal load, or no load at all. Participant responses were coded for either maintaining the syntax previously heard or changing the syntax to a more familiar syntactic form, the active voice. Our results showed that participants were more likely to transform the previously heard descriptions to the active voice when they had no additional memory load to hold. Though they used the target syntax more often under load, they produced more semantic errors while under a visual load, in particular. We suggest that the ability to both understand and rephrase sentences while maintaining meaning are constrained by available working memory resources.
Some self-correction required
Authors:   , Foley Julian
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This project explores the behaviors of indifference surrounding the abdication of personal and societal responsibility in American culture. Themes of complacency and selfishness are utilized to encourage self-corrective action that challenges viewers to avoid unhealthy extremes of behavior as well as moderate character flaws that negatively affect the relationship between the individual to the collective. The work does not merely state the existence of this behavior of imbalance but, instead, critiques the willful continuation of indifference. It is critical to understand that this project is addressing situations in which individuals willingly engage in destructive behavior for hedonistic purposes. Humor is utilized so the work is not overtly abrasive and inaccessible but is viewed as a light-hearted social critique. The sculptures touch upon the themes mentioned above with the intention of inspiring awareness within the individual and subsequently a return to an increased, selfless consideration towards the collective, which, for this project is defined as society at large.
Birds, bird habitat, and vacant lots in north St. Louis, Missouri
Authors:   , Moreno Sebastian
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The neighborhoods of Baden and Wells-Goodfellow have the largest concentration of vacant lots in St. Louis, MO. The Green City Coalition has set forth goals to reduce storm water overflow issues, create wildlife habitat, and increase green stewardship through increased access to nature for local residents. This will increase environmental health and resilience by providing ecologically significant habitat as well as teach the residents about green infrastructure, climate change, and sustainability. Our research aimed to address the following questions: How do the existing patterns of vacant lots in the neighborhood of Baden and Wells-Goodfellow affect bird diversity? How can vacant lot management interventions in St. Louis impact the avian community while also addressing storm water, flooding, and conservation issues? We classified and mapped the land cover types for 847 vacant lots in the two neighborhoods. Three rounds of bird counts were conducted on 50 X 1 ha plots within each neighborhood as well as a visual line transect to assess vegetation structure. European starlings, American robin, northern cardinal, common grackle, and chimney swift were the most abundant species in the neighborhoods. Though mowed lawns made over 50 percent of the cover type in these neighborhoods, we believe that by creating more meadows and planting trees of various ages, it would create more habitat for a wider range of species.
An exploration of the lived experience of collegiate student-athletes in an 8-week mindfulness intervention
Authors:   , Walker Miranda M.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The purpose of the current study was to identify and explore a group of collegiate student-athletes lived experience of participating in a formal mindfulness intervention with intention to uncover how resulting findings may relate to well-being. The sample for this study consisted of 9 student-athletes representing multiple sports as recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, all of whom were enrolled in a large public university located in the Midwestern region of the United States. The 8-week intervention included both didactic and experiential opportunities for student-athletes to engage with mindfulness concepts and practices. Data was collected throughout the duration of the intervention and consisted of participant's written reflections/journal entries as well as two in depth semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. The primary themes and corresponding clusters were organized into three chronological phases and included: Incongruence between perceived expectations and reality (perceptions of readiness, perceptions of purpose and objectives); Challenges (preoccupation for meeting objectives, restlessness during practice, difficulty practicing outside of practice); Sense of self (heightened selfawareness, increased self-compassion); and, New perspective (greater sense of appreciation, altered relationship with ambiguity). Additional experiential components facilitating transition between the phases were identified; these included: sense of openness, elite athlete testimonies, relationship formed with others, confidence developed over time, and variety of practices available. Further interpretation of these themes revealed two primary interpretations: Participants' perceptions of the mindfulness intervention evolved and self-awareness matters. These interpretations are further discussed in relation to well-being theories. Future research should continue to seek understanding with how student-athletes tailor their mindfulness practice to various domains of their lives including, but not limited to: sport, academics, relationships with others, and personal life.
Solvatochromic pyrogallarenes and pyrogallarene crystals
Authors:   , Spiel Paul D
Published: September 2024

Pyrogallarenes have the ability to self-assemble into a variety of structures. Crystal forms ranging from bilayers to dimers and hexamers have been isolated. One unique cocrystal, PgC[subscript 3]-(CH[subscript 3])[subscript 2]CO-0.5C[subscript 6]H[subscript 4]Cl[subscript 2]-nH[subscript 2]O, is shown here. This cocrystal of C-propyl pyrogallol[4]arene and the pharmaceutical gabapentin has the potential to alter gabapentin's stability, bioavailability, and dissolution rate. During the cocrystallization process unusual chromogenic behavior was observed, which led to the isolation of crystal 1, C-propyl pyrogallol[4]arene-3acetone-3H[subscript 2]O. Crystal 1 possessed a visible chromophore, but upon vacuum drying the color was quenched. PXRD of the colorless solid proved that vacuum drying resulted in removal of solvent molecules in the crystal structure, a hallmark of solvatochromism. Titration of C-propyl pyrogallol[4]arene over the entire pH range showed that the solvatochromism was pH-sensitive. C-propyl pyrogallol[4]arene operates as a pH indicator but is chemically distinct from common pH indicators. Mapping of hydrogen bonding interactions in crystal 1 reveals that water acts primarily as a base in crystal 1, yet the hydroxyl rim is fully protonated. Crystal 2 corroborates solvatochromism found in crystal 1. Finally, solution-phase thermodynamic shifts in absorbance suggest that self-assembly may be traced through solvatochromic interactions. Pyrogallarene solvatochromism is an area that has been previously overlooked but holds great potential to expand understanding of supramolecular structures and self-assembly.
Investigation of the performance of an automatic arterial oxygen controller
Authors:   , Faqeeh Akram Ahmad A.
Published: September 2024

Premature infants often require respiratory support with a varying concentration of the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) to keep the arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) within the desired range to avoid both hypoxemia and hyperoxemia. Currently, manual adjustment of FiO2 is the common practice in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The automation of this adjustment is a topic of interest. The research team, at University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC), has developed a novel automatic arterial oxygen saturation controller. In this study, a systematic approach has been developed to investigate both non-clinical and clinical performance of this device. The non-clinical investigation of the performance was performed using a neonatal respiratory model (hardware-in-the-loop test). A factorial experimental design was utilized to generate challenging model responses of SpO2, which were addressed by the controllers. With this study, we demonstrate the stability and ability of the adaptive PI-controller to improve oxygen saturation control over manual control by increasing the proportion of time where SpO2 of the neonatal respiratory model was within the desired range and by minimizing the variability of the SpO2. In addition, the controller ability to significantly reduce the number of hypoxemic events of the neonatal respiratory model was reported. Results of this investigation show the competence of the controller estimation system for estimating neonatal respiratory model parameters while the adaptive PI-controller was in use. Also, the functionality of the controller with no mechanical or communication failure was validated non-clinically before heading forward to the clinical trial. The clinical investigation of the performance was performed by conducting a clinical trial at the NICU of the MU Women's and Children's Hospital. The crossover design was used for the clinical trial to allow within-subject comparison and to eliminate interpatient variability. Two human subjects, with two different target ranges of SpO2, were enrolled in the study. The adaptive automatic PI-controller shows clinical feasibility to improve the maintenance of SpO2 within the intended range. With this study, we demonstrate the potential of the automatic controller to minimize the variability of SpO2. In addition, the controller shows the ability to reduce the bradycardia and the hypoxemia. Moreover, the hardware and software of the controller show an ability to transition from manual to automatic mode, and vice versa with no pronounced "bump" or step variation in the control signal, and stability and performance were not adversely affected during the transitions.
The impact of international institutions on foreign aid delivery tactics
Authors:   , Adhikari Bimal
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Do international institutions influence state behavior? Do the events that take place within international organizations affect foreign policy behavior of advanced democracies? I argue that international institutions play an essential role in global politics and the events that take place within international organizations significantly shape the foreign policy of advanced industrial democracies. I find that international institutions influence both the amount and the type of foreign assistance that developing countries receive from donor states. By focusing on the United Nations, I find strong empirical support for my assertions. More specifically, I find that donor states carefully manipulate the composition of their foreign aid based on the information they receive from international organizations like the UN General Assembly or the UN human rights bodies. Moreover, I find that within advanced industrial democracies, major power donors are more inclined to use foreign assistance program to meet their vested political goals compared to their less powerful counterparts. Using newly available, disaggregated aid data, this project answers some of the long-standing questions that link international organizations and foreign aid commitments.
Advocacy INGOs in multi-ethnic societies
Authors:   , Farooq Laila
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Advocacy INGOs are optimistically seen as campaigners for democracy and human rights. They create a narrative around democratic ideals and support local civil society groups in mobilizing for their rights. This dissertation puts some of these promises to the test by looking at whether advocacy INGOs are as effective in multi-ethnic societies. Each of the four chapters looks at a different aspect of this relationship. I find that advocacy INGOs increase popular protests in multi-ethnic societies by bringing ethnic groups together. However, there is no such effect on non-violent ethnic mobilization. I also find that while INGO presence has no effect on overall social trust within the community, it does improve inter-ethnic relations by increasing inter-ethnic trust. Advocacy INGOs need to actively engage with ethnic groups and be inclusive in their work in order to benefit minority ethnic groups.
Rationalizing violence : examining discourse and school closures in Washington, D.C., public schools
Authors:   , McMillian Rhodesia
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] From 2008 to 2014, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), in Washington, D.C., underwent school consolidation and reorganization that led to 38 public school closures. These closures disproportionately impacted Black students and were reiterations of a historical discourse of violence against Black livelihood. While some researchers suggest students experience minimal, if any, adverse impacts from school closure and contend no harm is inflicted, I posit the disproportionality of the impacts alone warrants further examination. The problem created by school closure and consolidation policies is a nuanced issue in that it is an extension of inequities in public education but also a new form of violence yet to be articulated in educational research. Using Freeman's (1977) theory of legitimization and Bonilla-Silva's (1997) theory of racialized social systems to expand traditional notions of violence, this study examined and (re)produced public data from a 2013 and 2014 court case, Smith et al. v. Henderson et al., as a springboard to operationalize violent discourse as it pertains to school closure. Through the application of Critical Discourse Analysis, this study examined the discursive practices that legitimize and normalize violence. The study found evidence of practices such as referencing governing authorities, framing a narrative for the court and public, and circumventing moral and ethical evaluation of legitimized violence. Furthermore, these discursive practices championed normalized violence that articulated an exclusionary, spatialized, and institutional bias against residents living east of D.C.'s Rock Creek Park. Interdisciplinary approaches to theoretical and methodological frameworks, as well as top-down and bottom-up (Sabatier, 1986) approaches, are discussed as issues for future research and K-12 education policy reform and advocacy.
Ultrastructural damages in the brain induced by low-intensity primary blast wave : a transmission electron microscopy study on mild traumatic brain injury
Authors:   , Konan Meleine Landry
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Explosive blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), a "signature wound" of recent military conflicts, commonly affects Service Members. While past blast injury studies have provided insights into TBI with moderate-to high-intensity explosions, the impact of primary low-intensity blast (LIB)-mediated pathobiology on neurological deficits requires further investigation. Our prior considerations of blast physics predicted ultrastructural injuries at nanoscale levels. Here, using transmission electron microscopy, we examined the fine structure of neuroglial cells from our mouse model induced by open-field low-intensity blast exposure at two succinct time-points (one week and one-month post injury). We observed and quantified myelin sheath defects, microtubule disruptions, mitochondrial abnormalities at 7 and 30 DPI. Additionally, we found quantitative changes in the asymmetric synapses in the different brain sub-regions. These observations unveiled unique ultrastructural brain abnormalities due to primary blast injury and provide insights into pathogenesis and potential avenues of prevention and treatment of blast-induced mTBI.
Remaining relevant in the digital age: the role of the writer in contemporary Russia (the case of Tat'iana Tolstaia)
Authors:   , Gorshkova Mariia
Published: September 2024

The present thesis studies Facebook publication activity of a popular contemporary Russian writer, Tat'iana Tolstaia. I argue that her posting contributes to the development of social capital (Bourdieu, 1986) among her readers and that she uses certain strategies to build both bridging and bonding social capital (Putnam, 2000). My research demonstrates that for Tolstaia the development of social capital is means of "remaining relevant" (Wachtel, 2006): it is her way to gain authority and social respect and, consequently, to remain popular and commercially successful despite the economic and socio-cultural changes in post-Soviet Russia that have negatively affected the social status of the writer. Tat'iana Tolstaia is a broadly recognized Russian writer who in recent years has largely turned from print to Internet literature. At present Tolstaia actively develops her Facebook account: she updates her page almost daily and posts texts and media content that concerns a broad range of topics. Her page has over 170 000 followers and is open to comments. As a result, the writer's timeline has become a virtual space for public discussion and, consequently, an instrument for building social capital. Tolstaia's posts aim to develop both bridging (inclusive) and bonding (exclusive) social capital. In some publications the writer attempts to unify with all of her readers and involve everyone in the discussion, in the others she demonstrates her belonging to a distinguished social group (Russian intellectuals). In the comments to such publications Tolstaia singles out few of her readers whom she considers worthy of belonging to the same group. As a result she creates a community of contemporary Russian intellectuals. In the first case her actions develop bridging social capital, while in the second the representatives of the group share bonding social capital.
Improving the clinical utility of diadochokinetic tasks for early detection of neurological tongue dysfunction
Authors:   , Henn Elise Kristine
Published: September 2024

Previous work in our lab identified significant differences in tongue function between healthy young (i.e., 20-49 years of age) and healthy old (i.e., 50-89 years of age) participants. While data collection was efficient and easy to do, manual data analysis was labor intensive and delayed study completion. The first goal of this study was to expand upon the data set from the initial study to include participant data representing each decade of adult life, 20-89 (i.e., 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s). This study focuses on two diadochokinetic (DDK) tasks (one speech and one non-speech) and a test of tongue strength. The two DDK tasks were chosen for inclusion because the acoustic waveforms produced by the task events were most conducive to automated analysis, the successful implementation of which was the second goal of this study. Statistical comparisons of manual analysis results revealed significant differences for adults in their 70s and 80s when compared to younger age groups. Specifically, participants in these older age groups produced significantly slower speech and non-speech DDK rates, and participants in their 80s had significantly decreased tongue strength. We also found that automated quantification of DDK event production is feasible for incorporation into clinical practice. These findings hold promise in our efforts to create a mobile health application that can be used for early detection of neurologic conditions and objective quantification of tongue function.
Evaluating the use of Facebook brand pages by television journalists to promote their professional brand
Authors:   , Kenney Jodee
Published: September 2024

Television journalists have taken note that social media sites have transformed how and when viewers/users consume news content. Controlling the flow of information is becoming more of a challenge and viewers are seeking gratification from a variety of sources. Facebook has become a powerful tool for television journalists to develop a professional brand that goes beyond the image a user sees on the nightly news. By cultivating a user following through sharing personal interests and goals, some journalists are seeing great success in maintaining and building their influence with an audience. The overall purpose of this study is to learn how journalists with a large following on Facebook are building their name into a brand, how that brand is satisfying the user and how that brand's development affects a journalist's ability to maintain authority when controlling the flow of information. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six television journalists. Each of whom had more than ten thousand page likes and high user engagement on their Facebook brand page. The interviewees work in a variety of market sizes from one to100. This research discovered that most journalists receive their highest user engagement when they post non-news content. In order to satisfy users, journalists created feature (non-news) content in hopes of when they did have to share important news content, they would be the trusted source for information. High-performing journalists have a clear definition of their professional brand and create content that cultivates a relationship with the type of user they are targeting. Finally, authenticity rules as the number one attribute that research participants say contributes to their success.
Influence of immersion on user's spatial presence and memory in virtual environments
Authors:   , Khosravi Zhaleh
Published: September 2024

This study examines the influence of immersion on users' sense of spatial presence and spatial memory in virtual environments. The single factor was systematically manipulated in three conditions. A sample of 32 participants was used to test the study hypotheses. This study employed a between-subject design, and participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions. The results from statistical analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed the influence of immersion on the spatial presence and spatial memory. The results of this study revealed that higher level of immersion including a wider field of view and the stereoscopic display did lead to a greater sense of presence and improved spatial memory performance. This study has practical implications across various domains including architectural design and visualization, developing virtual reality systems, and training simulators.
Non-invasive monitoring of vital signs using recliner chair and respiratory pattern analysis
Authors:   , Ullal Akshith
Published: September 2024

In-home monitoring has the potential to help track health changes for older adults with chronic health conditions, thereby making early treatment possible when exacerbations arise. A recliner chair is often used by older adults, even for sleeping at night, for those with breathing difficulty, neck and back problems, or other pain. Here, we present a sensor system for recliner chairs that can be used to monitor heart rate and respiration rate. The system uses two accelerometers placed strategically to capture these vital signs noninvasively and without direct contact with the body, while at same time being hidden from view. The system was tested with 45 subjects, with an average age of 78.8 years for both upright and reclined configurations of the chair. We also tested the system on 6 different types of recliner models. An accuracy of 99 percent for heart rate and 93 percent for respiratory rate was obtained. An analysis of the error distribution patterns according to age, gender and recliner configurations are considered. A validation study of a commercially available sensor, Murata SCA11H, which is primarily designed for use on the bed is tested on the chair and the results are presented in this thesis. We have also developed a measure known as the "Breathing Pattern Index" that can be useful in determining the respiratory health of the occupants on the chair. Initial studies of the effectiveness of this index and algorithm are evaluated and the results are presented. This new system and index have the potential to help in identifying very early health changes and improve health outcomes for older adults.
Altered microrna expression profiles in bovine fetuses with an assisted reproduction-induced congenital overgrowth syndrome
Authors:   , Li Yahan
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) refer to a series of fertility treatments used to conceive offspring. ART is used worldwide in humans for treatment of infertility and in ruminants to improve genetic merit. The use of ART can induce congenital overgrowth conditions in humans and ruminants, namely Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) and large offspring syndrome (LOS), respectively. Shared phenotypes and epigenotypes have been found between BWS and LOS. A previous study in our laboratory found global misregulation of transcripts in bovine fetuses with LOS. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. There is one study that reports misregulation of one miRNA in BWS and no studies have been done to identify misregulation of miRNAs in LOS. The goal of this study is to investigate miRNA expression profiles, determine whether there are miRNAs misregulated in bovine LOS fetuses, and functionally analyze the misregulated miRNAs. In this thesis, chapter 1, the literature review, will introduce BWS including its molecular basis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatments. Chapter 1 will also introduce LOS including studies on embryo culture in various species, gene expression studies, and previous studies from our laboratory. In addition, chapter 1 will introduce miRNAs including its biogenesis and function. Chapter 2, which is the research chapter, will show the data of misregulated miRNA profiles in bovine LOS fetuses. Chapter 2 will become a manuscript and will be sent for peer-review soon. After chapter 2, the reader will find a general discussion in which my research findings will be incorporated into the general knowledge of the field.
Do infants selectively imitate a transitive and an intransitive agent?
Authors:   , Weng Qiaochu
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Previous research showed that in imitative learning, infants seemed to care about the reliability of the model marked by group membership or conventionality of behaviors. Current study made use of 16-month-old infants' understanding of transitivity of choices among objects (i.e., if an agent chooses A>B, B>C, then A>C) and further explored whether the transitivity of an agents' choices can also be used as an indicator of reliability to influence infant's imitative learning of a novel action from the agent. The results showed that remarkably more infants imitated the agent who made transitive choices, whereas significantly less infants imitated the agent who made intransitive choices. Taken together with previous research, these results suggested that reliability marked by an agent's transitivity of choices indeed made a difference in 16-month-old infants' imitative learning from her.
Effects of message appeal and efficacy belief on perceptions of oral health messages
Authors:   , Lee Euirang
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This study examined how different type of message appeal and efficacy belief influenced college-aged populations' perceived effectiveness of oral health messages. In specific, the experiment employed two message variables' message appeal (i.e., social-focused and health-focused) and efficacy belief (i.e., self-efficacy, collective-efficacy, and no efficacy) "and examined their influences on perceptions of oral health messages: (a) psychological reactance toward the message; (b) evaluation toward the message; (c) perceived self-efficacy on dental checkups; (d) attitude toward dental checkups; and (e) intention to visit a dentist. A total of 140 participants were exposed to four messages (two social-and two health-focused messages) which were manipulated with one of the efficacy beliefs information. This study found that health-focused oral health messages had significantly less psychological reactance, more positive message evaluation, higher perceived self-efficacy on dental checkups, and more positive attitude toward dental checkups than social-focused oral health messages. Another study finding showed that messages with collective-efficacy information had higher perceived self-efficacy on dental checkups, and more positive attitude toward dental checkups compared to messages with self-efficacy information. Theoretical and practical implications on the findings were discussed.
Developing clean label emulsifier based on whey protein and pectin complexes
Authors:   , Kotchabhakdi Akkasubha
Published: September 2024

With increasing demand for clean label products, there is an urgent need to develop biopolymer-based emulsifiers and stabilizers. Proteins are excellent emulsifiers; however, their properties are limited at pH at or near isoelectric point (pI) and in the presence of salt. One approach to improve functional properties including emulsification properties of proteins is by interacting with polysaccharides. Protein-polysaccharide complex coacervates (e.g., pH [less than] pI) have been extensively studied but much less focus has been given on complexation above pI. Previous studies have shown that heating protein and polysaccharides under a net repulsive interaction can induce the formation of soluble complex with improved functional properties such as acid-induced gelation and foaming properties. The overall objective of this research was to develop heated whey protein isolate and pectin complexes (H-complexes) formed at pH [greater than] pI with improved emulsification and stabilization properties. It can be concluded that heated WPI-pectin complexes can be developed to have improved emulsification and emulsion stabilization properties. By varying pectin concentration, heating temperature and heating pH, the properties of the H-complexes can be altered and their emulsification properties can be optimized such that they can be utilized in various applications.
Role of preovulatory estradiol in uterine and luteal function
Authors:   , McLean Megan Kelsey
Published: September 2024

In beef heifers, expression of estrus at fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) was associated with increased preovulatory circulating concentrations of estradiol (E2) and increased pregnancy rates compared to heifers that were not detected in estrus (Richardson et al., 2016). We hypothesized that increased preovulatory concentrations of estradiol would enhance conceptus elongation in beef heifers. To test the preceding hypothesis conceptus elongation on day 16 (day 0 = GnRH-induced ovulation) was examined in Angus heifers having low (5.0 [plus or minus] 0.6; pg/mL n=6) or high (10.2 [plus or minus] 1.0 pg/mL; n=6) preovulatory concentrations of E2 on day 0 (P [less than] 0.0005). In vivo produced embryos (n=5 per heifer) were transferred on day 7, and reproductive tracts were recovered and flushed on day 16 of gestation. Mean ([plus or minus] SEM) conceptus number and length did not differ (P [greater than] 0.15) between heifers in the Low E2 (2.5 [plus or minus] 0.7; 7.1 [plus or minus] 1.7 cm) and High E2 (2.3 [plus or minus] 0.5; 5.2 [plus or minus] 1.3 cm) groups, respectively. Consequently, circulating concentrations of preovulatory E2 did not affect pre-implantation conceptus elongation. Therefore, a second experiment was conducted to examine embryonic loss in heifers exposed to low (3.7 [plus or minus] 0.3 pg/mL; n=19) or high (7.0 [plus or minus] 0.4 pg/mL; n=25) preovulatory concentrations of estradiol on day 0 (GnRH-induced ovulation) between days 7 (embryo transfer) and 36 spanning a critical period for implantation. Pregnancy was monitored using circulating progesterone concentrations (days 16 to 24), pregnancy associated glycoproteins (days 22 to 36), and ultrasonography (days 30 and 36). Pregnancy rate did not differ between the Low and High E2 groups on days 22, 24, 30, or 36. A potential explanation for why there was no difference in pregnancy rate between the Low and High E2 groups, is that preovulatory estradiol in the Low E2 group was not as low as in other studies in which a difference in pregnancy rate was detected.
Development of a novel antimicrobial food packaging film containing silver nanoparticles
Authors:   , Wang Wei
Published: September 2024

In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were incorporated into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) by a reduction (R) and UV-assisted (UV) methods with the addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare an environmentally friendly antimicrobial AgNP/PVA/BNC film. The flexibility of BNC was greatly improved by mixing with 3 percent PVA solution. The films exhibited good mechanical property and higher oxygen barrier capacity. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the surface structure of the films and the uniform incorporation of AgNPs. Antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli O157:H7 were observed from both R and UV films. The UV film showed a higher antimicrobial activity than the R film in all the antibacterial experiments. Up to 7 and 3 log CFU/mL of reductions were observed in liquid medium and on raw beef, respectively. Moreover, a beef shelf-life test suggested that the films were able to inhibit the growth of bacteria on raw beef for at least 10 days at 4[degrees]C. The physical and antimicrobial properties described above give the AgNP/PVA/BNC films a potential in application of food packaging.
Comparison of left 4th and 5th intercostal space thoracotomy for open-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dogs
Authors:   , Warang Anushri Madhukar
Published: September 2024

Open-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OC-CPR) is indicated in certain cardiopulmonary arrest situations such as thoracic trauma. Laboratory research and clinical studies in human medicine have established the superiority of OC-CPR compared to closed-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CC-CPR) with regard to cardiac output, aortic blood pressure, blood flow, and perfusion. Despite this demonstrated superiority, the technique for OC-CPR has not been described in detail in the veterinary clinical literature. The most convenient incision for performing OC-CPR is a left intercostal thoracotomy. Literature most commonly describes a 4th or 5th intercostal space (ICS) thoracotomy for performing OC-CPR in dogs. No studies to date have been performed to compare the two approaches. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether lateral thoracotomies through the 5th ICS should be recommended over those performed through the 4th ICS for canine OC-CPR. We hypothesized that access to the heart would be more convenient through the 5th ICS, and the 4th ICS would not provide appropriate access for all the procedures involved in performing OC-CPR. Left lateral thoracotomies were performed on twelve canine cadavers, six through the 4th ICS and six through the 5th ICS. Six parameters (ease of grasping phrenicopericardial ligament, ease of pericardial incision, ease of aortic access, ease of achieving appropriate hand position, ease of application of Rumel tourniquet, and ease of proper placement of defibrillator paddles) involved in performing OC-CPR were assessed by three evaluators. The results indicated that either 4th or 5th ICS thoracotomy may provide adequate access to intrathoracic structures pertinent for performing OC-CPR in dogs weighing approximating 20 kg, but the 5th ICS was found to be better for most manipulations.
Accurate DNA microsatellite and microRNA detection with a biological nanopore
Authors:   , Wang Yingzhen
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Nanopore-based detection has been used in many genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, and bio-mechanism studies. In this report, we introduced two designed strategies for detecting DNA and micro-RNA with nanopore platform. First, we focused on a specific type of DNA denoted as DNA microsatellite. Microsatellite is a tandem DNA repeat unit containing one to six bases. The expansion of microsatellite always associates severe genetic disorders, such as Huntington disease (HD), Fragile X syndrome and varies kinds of cancer. In this study, we focused on a hereditary genetic disorder-Myotonic Dystrophy type I (DM1), which is caused by the expansion of CTG repeats in 3'UTR region within dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Patients suffered from this disease always exhibited muscle atrophy as well as cognitive disorders. For now, the commonly used diagnostic approaches for DM1 are PCR and Southern blot. However, the efficiency and accuracy of PCR are restricted by the sequence length, and Southern blot is limited by the sample loads. Although DNA sequencing develops rapidly in recent years, the precision of detecting long tandem repeats still remains a problem. Also, sequencing is not necessary for diagnostic purpose. In this report, we presented a novel approach using nanopore technology. The double strand DNAs bound to Hg2+ to form different numbers of nanolocks. By adding an overhang sequence to the target strand, long double strand DNAs were able to unzip outside the nanopore and generate distinguishable duration histogram. In this case, we successfully linked the lengths of CTG repeats with the numbers of nanolocks
Metabolic responses of meniscal tissue to collagenase stimulation
Authors:   , Chastain Kamryn
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Meniscal degeneration as a result of injury or aging is a common contributing factor in the development of knee OA. Meniscal degeneration develops and progresses due to mechanical, inflammatory, and degradative processes. However, the timing, roles, and interplay of these mechanisms of meniscal degeneration are poorly understood. Further, the contributions of whole-joint inflammatory and degradative mediators to meniscal degeneration are also not fully known. Collagenases, produced by meniscus, articular cartilage, and/or synovium, are considered to be major contributors to meniscal degeneration through enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and collagen. The objective of this study was to utilize an ex vivo model to determine the responses of normal meniscus to pathophysiologic levels of collagenase activity. It was hypothesized that meniscal explants exposed to pathophysiologic levels of collagenase would significantly increase production of inflammatory cytokines and degradative enzymes, in a dose-dependent manner, compared to controls.
Regional mapping of the osteoarthritic joint
Authors:   , Kruse Jessee D.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Osteoarthritis (OA) progresses from a focal lesion of articular cartilage to whole-joint inflammation and degradation. The "focal spread" progresses in inhomogeneous patterns resulting in significant regional variation in production of biomarkers across the joint surface. This study was designed to map the production of specific biomarkers across the surface of an osteoarthritic joint. It was hypothesized that the regional production of these biomarkers would not strongly correlate to the histological grading of OA severity. ... Further study is required to confirm the findings of this study. Ongoing studies in our laboratory are aimed at further mapping the production of biomarkers across the surface of the OA joint; assessing the utility of inter- versus intra-patient mapping protocols to relate tissue biomarker production to development of symptomatic OA; and how patient-to-patient variability in ex vivo biomarker production relates to biomarker concentrations in synovial fluid, serum, and urine. The use of metabolic mapping of OA cartilage from patients as described in this study has the potential to provide novel insights into OA pathogenesis, pathobiology, and progression. The data from these studies may allow for identification of novel targets for treatment, as well as, biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, diseases staging, and treatment monitoring in the OA clinical population.
A ship set sail from me
Authors:   , McDonald Devin
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This body of work reacts to the melancholy, curious, and contemplative through exploring themes of fossilization, loss, and poetic narrative. In my ceramic sculptures and installations, I am pushing back and forth between dualities: sturdy and fragile, contained and overflowing, simple and intricate. Each series focuses on some element of the human hand cradling chaos or decay. Memories, time, and a struggle for clarity weigh heavy on the interpretation of what each object is or can be beyond the visual associations with which they are understood. In this I am focused on making a three-dimensional poem's collection of objects that translate psychological spaces we have a difficulty being able to simply define or see the beauty hidden within. This melancholic yet beautiful idea is what I intend viewers to notice, while promoting space to ponder, slow down, and reflect on the search for truth, meaning, and beauty in the darkest of places.
Assessing the quantitative and qualitative differences between 3D point clouds produced from lidar and structure from motion
Authors:   , Moebes Matthew
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this study is to compare the quality and accuracy of point clouds and digital elevation products derived from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) acquired Structure from Motion (SfM) as compared to those obtained from lidar data. If the accuracy of UAS SfM proves to be on the same order as lidar, the technique could be used more often in lieu of or in addition to lidar. Three UAS SfM models were produced to compare with existing lidar. Two of the models were culturally important anthropogenic structures and the third was part of a prairie landscape. For each model a UAS was used to acquire photos. SfM software was used create 3D point clouds from the photos. The point clouds were then qualitatively and quantitatively compared to the lidar from the same areas. It was found that SfM point clouds could be produced that were statistically equivalent to lidar. In addition, it was found that the point count of lidar could be densified by up to two orders of magnitude while adding RGB values. SfM was also found to be able to model the undersides of structures which airborne lidar is incapable.