bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pluton source varition over two magmatic pulses in the white-inyo range, central-eastern California : implications for paleozoic and mesozoic tectonic reconstructions
Authors:   , Kenderes Elizabeth M
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This dissertation uses compositions of plutons in the White-Inyo Range (WIR) of central-eastern California, which is an important tectonic boundary as it is the easternmost extent of the Mesozoic Cordilleran arc and the western edge of Basin and Range extension. The main goal of this dissertation is to understand the lithospheric structure of this area in relation to the broader regional tectonics. Chapters 2 and 3 specifically investigate the Eureka Valley-Joshua Flat-Beer Creek (EJB) composite arc pluton, from its source to emplacement. The EJB pluton is one of a small number of monzonitic plutons cotemporally emplaced with the primarily calc-alkaline North American Mesozoic Cordilleran arc. Mineral major and trace element compositions are used to show the crystallization sequence and pressures and temperatures of mineral crystallization. These data are used to make interpretations about the EJB pluton's formation from source to emplacement. Additionally, whole rock major and trace element compositions and isotopic data show that the EJB pluton has a unique source from the calc-alkaline plutons: an underplated, eclogitized oceanic island arc. Chapter 4 is a regional study of the WIR, and it includes whole rock major and trace element and isotopic data to interpret the three distinct sources of plutons: (1) the eclogitized oceanic island arc, (2) enriched lithospheric mantle, and (3) Proterozoic North American basement. Recognizing the timing of the generation of these plutons in relation to their sources is crutial to understanding the tectonic history of the WIR area. This dissertation presents tectonic model for western North America from the Early Proterozoic to Late Cretaceous
Mechanical behavior of transparent fiber reinforced polyester composites at extreme temperatures
Authors:   , Ahmed Saad Ramadhan
Published: April 2021

Selecting materials for harsh or extreme environmental conditions can be a challenge. The combination of a harsh environment, large forces over extended periods and the need for lowest possible cost restricts the choice of materials. One potential material is glass fiber reinforced polymers that are widely used in structural systems as load bearing elements, they are relatively low cost and can be tailored to achieve a range of mechanical properties. This investigation presents the preparation of transparent glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester composite and the evaluation of its optical and mechanical properties under extreme conditions of temperature. The polyester resin was reinforced with E-glass fibers to manufacture a composite using the hand layup method. Transparency was achieved by modifying the refractive index of the polyester resin to match that of the glass fibers. This investigation also presents the evaluation of glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester under quasi-static tension loading and puncture testing using a drop weight at extreme conditions. The results showed that the reinforced composite had a higher fracture stress and chord modulus at all temperatures ranging from +60 [degree]C to -80 [degree]C as compared to the unreinforced polyester matrix. The unreinforced polyester has a higher stiffness at lower temperatures due to reduced polymer chain mobility and higher clamping pressure of the matrix on the glass fiber reinforcement. The damage created by the impact reduces with decreasing temperatures, while the energy absorb remains constant with temperature.
Analyzing the physical and virtual interior design studio classroom practices and culture
Authors:   , Kinley Lori
Published: April 2021

Studio courses are the heart of the undergraduate interior design programs in the United States. Traditionally, studio courses are offered in a physical classroom where the instructor and students meet together for several hours each week. With the emergence of technology, few institutions are offering studio courses in a virtual environment. Although instructors and students interact with one another within the virtual classroom, they do not meet together in the same physical space. The practices within each environment can determine its success. Therefore, the examination of the experience of both the interior design instructors and students, as well as studio classroom practices, is required to gain an understanding of the studio environment and culture within a physical learning classroom and a virtual learning classroom. Guided by grounded theory methodology, data collection was triangulated with 19 personal interviews of instructors and students familiar with both environments, classroom observations, and documents that pertained to the classroom. Virtual environments have the potential to be a productive learning space with the current technologies available, however, it was determined that the examined virtual interior design studio environment did not equate to the rich experiences, practices, or culture of the physical environment. Established course design, studio practices, and the use of collaborative technology were not implemented in the virtual studio classroom to produce the teaching and experiential learning outcomes of real-time intensive studio culture. Specifically, the study found serious limitations in (1) Collaborative interaction among faculty, students, project clients, and experts, (2) Creativity associated with the fluid and open-ended nature of stimulation, trials and exploration in the design process, (3) Personal and individualized interaction in building engaged relationships and networks, (4) Teaching and learning expectations for iterative on-going reflection and continuing improvements in projects evolving in time, and (5) Investment in building studio culture with real-time presence and interaction among a tightly formed group of 16 or less colleagues to address dynamic complexities in the problem-solving design process.
End-tidal carbon dioxide in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism in hospitalized adult patients
Authors:   , Prentice Donna Marie
Published: April 2021

Pulmonary embolism (PE) causes 100,000 deaths and contributes to over 4 billion dollars of annual healthcare costs. Acute PE is a diagnostic challenge as symptoms vary widely and are often nonspecific. Definitive diagnosis requires costly confirmatory testing with computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA). CTPA risks include allergic reactions, contrast-induced nephropathy and radiation exposure. The purpose of this study is two-fold: 1) to examine the accuracy, financial impact, and harm avoidance of adding EtCO[2] to the PE diagnostic process and 2) to evaluate clinician adherence to national guidelines (BPA) for PE diagnosis. A single center prospective, descriptive, correlational design comparing EtCO[2] values to CTPA results. Medical records were reviewed to determine BPA adherence. A total of 111 patients had definitive CT results. Mean ([plus or minus]SD) EtCO[2] was higher for PE+ (28[plus or minus]7.8) versus PE- (33[plus or minus] 8.1) patients (p =.01). For PE exclusion, an EtCO[2] cutoff value of [greater than or equal to]42mmHg yielded a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 12.2% and a negative predictive value of 100% and could safely eliminate 11 patients (9.9%) from receiving CTPA. For every 6 patients assessed with EtCO[2], one can be saved from CTPA. Overall BPA adherence was 0%. Partial adherence was observed with clinician recorded clinical decisions rules in 3.6% (4/111) and D-dimer was obtained in 10.2% (9/88). EtCO[2] cutoff value of [greater than or equal to]42mmHg could decrease CTPA scans use in [about]10% of adult inpatients suspected of PE eliminating exposure to CTPA risks. Lack of clinical decision support may contribute to low BPA compliance.
Fabrication and optimization of three-dimensional metamaterials for terahertz energy-harvesting
Authors:   , Yang Shendu
Published: April 2021

Metamaterials typically consist of metallic and dielectric repeating structures. Electrodeposition of copper is the preferred approach to fabricating the metallic part of the metamaterials of interest in this study. The highly-variant topography requires chemical additives, like chloride ions, 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (MPSA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to enhance bottom-up superfilling while maintaining terrace flatness. This study focuses on both experimental and computational investigations of the degradation potential of the additives and their adsorption mechanism in a highly-acidic copper electrolyte in order to optimally parameterize the copper electrodeposition process. Results show Cl-MPSAPEG-PVP additives perform well, but substitution of PVP with Janus Green B provides better terrace leveling. Additionally, NMR data show a quick and complete conversion of MPSA to bis(3-sulfopropyl) disulfide (SPS) in the acidic copper bath. Finally, FEM simulations further show that the accelerator species may initially accumulate and be transported vertically until overplating, whereby they are transported laterally. Our study also show that the electromagnetic performance of metamaterial is dependent on SU-8 related parameters, including pillar height, bottom side length and spacing between pillars. The metamaterial geometry is successfully optimized and it can localize the surface plasmon with the peak frequency of 1.2 THz to the nano-antenna and the highest terahertz absorption is 30%.
Impact of ImPACT : a program evaluation of a northwest Missouri school distric's impact concussion program
Authors:   , Callaway Jason Wellington
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this qualitative case study program evaluation was to explore the current process being used to implement the ImPACT concussion program in a Northwest Missouri School District (District X). In addition, this study also added to the body of literature regarding the evaluation of the implementation of concussion programs under the Missouri Concussion Law. This study was guided through the lenses of Rational Choice Theory and Program Evaluation to aid the focus of the study. The overarching questions that guided the research are as followed; what were the intended purposes of District Xâ€Ÿs ImPACT program? What process and procedures have been put into place to fulfill the intended purposes and State mandates? How are athletes, coaches, administration, doctors, parents and teachers educated about the ImPACT program? How are athletes, coaches, administration, doctors, parents, teachers implementing process and procedures of the ImPACT program? This qualitative study used review of previous literature, document review, interviews, observations field notes and focus groups to obtain data. Findings of the data took the form of five themes. The themes were theme one there is a need for the ImPACT program. The second theme Program is conceptualized in a manner that will work, Theme three ImPACT program was implemented according to programming, theme four ImPACT has an impact on intended targets and Theme five Cost Effectiveness. The findings from the study provide District X and any other district implications of practice when implementing an ImPACT concussion program for their athletes and areas to consider when doing a program evaluation to ensure program success.
Utilizing multi-commodity flow formulations to solve network protection problems
Authors:   , Karakose Gokhan
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The identification of critical network components is of interest to both interdictors wishing to degrade the network's performance, and to defenders aiming to preserve network performance in the face of disruption. This dissertation focuses on methods for identifying critical subsets of nodes and/or arcs to fortify and/or disable for the purpose of network protection. A common link connecting all studies in this dissertation is our incorporation of the multi-commodity flow formulations into larger multi-level (e.g., minimax) optimization models. ... The last study examines network fortification models that are able to differentiate between failures that are random (e.g., caused by nature) and strategic network failures (e.g., caused by terrorist activities) when performing the allocation of protective resources. This distinction cannot be achieved in the models presented previously in this dissertation. The desired properties of such differentiating formulations are derived by specifying a set of priori assumptions. The criticality indexes in these models, which are necessary to assess the impact of a disruption, are pre-computed through the resolution of the multi-commodity based User Equilibrium (UE) traffic assignment model and applied to urban transportation networks. Novel valid inequalities and linearization techniques are applied to the dual version of the nonlinear UE multi-commodity model to improve its computational efficiency. Computational results demonstrate that the reformulated linear dual model is effective to solve large size instances to near-optimality; and that the optimal allocation of resources as identified by a component-based formulation may potentially be suboptimal when a network is at risk of multiple simultaneous failures for both types of disruptions (i.e., nature- and terrorist-based). We also demonstrate that fortification models for component or scenario-based disruptions can provide different resource allocations for both types of disruptions.
Differences in processing of interactive infographics on different screen sizes and interface types
Authors:   , Myers Rachel Lara
Published: April 2021

This study investigated how the use of interactive media, specifically infographics, on touch screen devices of varying size affects the user's cognition. Such research fills a gap in research on both interactive graphics and touch screen interfaces. Two experiments were executed. In the first, a 3 (screen size) by 2 (interactivity), and the second, a 2 (interface type) by 2 (interactivity) experimental design with screen size and interface type tested between subjects and interactivity tested within subjects. Guided by Lang's (2000, 2006) Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing, cognition was measured based on the participant's encoding and storage of the information presented in the graphic. Multiple choice and openended questions related to information presented in the information graphic were used to measure encoding and storage. Psychophysiological measures of heart rate and skin conductance were recorded to measure participant's levels of attention and arousal throughout exposure to the infographics. Additionally, self-report questions were used to determine the participant's perception of the graphic, its content, and the site hosting the graphic, as well as how "interactive" they judged the graphic was. The results of these studies provide valuable insight into how individuals react to interactive media displayed on mobile devices. With the drastic increase in use of touch-based tablets and phones seen since the introduction of these products, the results from this project are a valuable resource in considering how to go about designing media that incorporate capabilities inherent in the touch screen interfaces of these devices.
The distribution of financial responsibility within the family and its effect on family risk behaviors
Authors:   , Yao Zheying
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Men are more willing to take risks and invest more in stocks than women. Do gender differences with respect to risk tolerance still exist within married and cohabiting couples? In a family, spouses might have different risk attitudes and risk behaviors. This dissertation used the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) longitudinal data to explore the distribution of financial responsibility in a family. Family members designated as "financial respondents" were the people most knowledgeable about the financial situation of the family and they answered HRS questions about finance. Also, the dissertation studied the relationship between the gender of financial respondents and portfolio allocation, adequate emergency funds, and debt burden. The financial respondent's approach to these three factors showed the respondent's attitude toward risk and constituted a family's financial risk behavior. The dissertation found that a family in which the husband/male partner was financially responsible had a higher proportion the family's portfolio in business interests and less in cash. Intra-family interactions between husband and wife reduced gender differences regarding an adequate emergency fund and debt burden. This paper further compared the actual risks in the portfolio with self-reported risk tolerance and found that when women were the financial respondent, the risk of their portfolio might be closer to their self-assessment risk tolerance. Emotionally stable spouses have a greater impact on family investment decisions than spouses with lower emotional stability.
Examining elementary mathematics teachers' justification practices
Authors:   , Austin Christopher
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This study examined the relationship between elementary teachers' attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, Elementary Mathematics Specialist (EMS) status, and students' opportunities to engage in justification. Guided by a theoretical framework positioning instructional practices as an outcome of psychological factors (Ernest, 1989; Wilkins, 2008), a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design (Ivankova et al., 2006) was used to structure the study. Quantitative analyses were conducted using data from Studying Teacher Expertise and Assignment in Mathematics (STEAM), a large-scale, federally funded project. Interpretable factors representing teachers' attitudes and beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning were empirically derived via exploratory factor analyses. These factors, along with data on teachers' knowledge and instructional practice, were incorporated into a factor score path analysis (Devlieger and Rosseel, 2017). An embedded single-case study (Yin, 2014) was utilized to characterize classrooms described in task-based interviews of 8 EMS-certified teachers representing High, Medium, and Low justification practices. The quantitative investigation resulted in an empirical model of direct effects of teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and EMS status, as well as indirect effects of teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and specialized training on justification practices. Qualitative analysis yieled themes regarding the object and source of challenges for students' justifications and teachers' actions to foster classroom environments for justification. Findings from quantitative and qualitative analyses were synthesized to explain how teacher-level characteristics align with observable classroom practices. Implications for future research and teacher education are offered.
The helpers' tale : a phenomenological exploration of helping behaviors across cultural divides
Authors:   , Mckinney-Stege LeCreshia M.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this Transcendental Phenomenological study was to describe the shared experiences of those who choose to help others (engage in helping behavior). It seems important to understand what the group characteristics are which motivate the persons who decide to help others on a regular basis; especially if they once held prejudicial attitudes towards a specific outgroup, or have been on the receiving end of prejudice expressed by another group or individual. Utilizing the Stevick-Collazzi-Keen qualitative method of analysis, the meaning of helping for a group of African American and White American individuals from a Midwestern state, was explored. By applying purposive sampling, those who engage in helping behavior as a significant and recurrent part of their personal and/or professional lives were selected. Based upon a total of 257 Significant Statements and 244 Meaning units, 35 Textual Descriptions emerged. These Textual Descriptions were further divided into 3 Major Themes: Help Requires, The Helper Experience and Help Is. It was found that individuals who engage in helping behavior tend to utilize perspective taking, have had strong models of cross-cultural prosocial behavior early in life, and who take the time and effort to feel empathy towards out-group members tend to be the most effective in their prosocial endeavors. Leaning how to sit with discomfort and uncertainty in cross-cultural situations also emerged as a strategy utilized by participants.
Parent-child relationship factors associated with emotional adjustment and academic engagement in the transition to college
Authors:   , Shahan Victoria
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The current study used a person-centered approach to examine how the parentchild relationship is associated with emotional adjustment and academic engagement during the transition to college. Parents and the quality of the parent-child relationship are associated with emotional adjustment and academic engagement needed in the successful transition from high school to college. Higher education drives economic mobility for individuals and provides an important avenue for socioeconomic advancement. In addition, obtaining a college education is associated with more positive outcomes throughout life. Factors that support student adjustment in the college transition have long-term implications. The goals of this study were to explore patterns within the parentchild relationship for emerging adults from two-parent households, and to examine how these patterns were related to emotional adjustment and academic engagement among first-semester freshmen. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify typologies, and to look for differences in emotional adjustment and academic commitment based on profile membership. Four profiles of parent-child relationship behaviors emerged, and were differentially associated with anxiety (but not with depression or self-esteem) and with academic engagement. These profiles are described as (1) high demand and high responsiveness (High Parental Involvement), (2) high demand and low responsiveness (Negative Father Dominant), (3) low demand and high responsiveness (Warm Autonomous), and (4) low demand with low responsiveness (Recentering). Findings show that both parents mattered, and multiple aspects of perceived family processes were important.
"Learning the ropes : coaching and performing race, style, and identity in professional boxing"
Authors:   , Smith Isais Wellington
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This dissertation is an urban ethnography that utilizes a critical race theory (CRT) approach into analyzing the culture and identity, race and/or ethnicity, and performances and duties of professional boxing coaches in Los Angeles, California. Specifically, this dissertation emphasizes a "community cultural wealth" framework (Yosso, 2015), to outline how professional boxing coaches take pride in their personal and/or collective identities as a way of "doing difference," especially as forms of "accomplishment" within their culture and communities (West and Zimmerman, 1987; Fenstermaker and West, 2002). In many ways, this project analyzes how the sport of boxing shapes identity and how professional boxing coaches influence and shape the identity of professional fighters through symbolic performances of race and/or ethnicity, and teaching fighting styles. Considering that the scholarship of race and ethnicity in boxing is extremely limited, my contribution has been to uphold the spirit of ethnographic research via full immersion participant observation to outline the personal and collective forms of identity that coaches navigate every day. I begin my findings by discussing "old school" and "new school" identities in the boxing world to highlight how professional coaches navigate their personal and collective forms of identity within the sport. How coaches view themselves in their personal identity is a symbolic force in how they train their fighters via cultural markers and expectations of manhood.
Phylogenomics of orchids and their mycorrhizal fungi : trees, diversity, and the pursuit of symbiosis
Authors:   , Unruh Sarah
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Phylogenetic trees show us how organisms are related and provide frameworks for studying and testing evolutionary hypotheses. To better understand the evolution of orchids and their mycorrhizal fungi, I used high-throughput sequencing data and bioinformatic analyses, to build phylogenetic hypotheses. In Chapter 2, I used transcriptome sequences to both build a phylogeny of the slipper orchid genera and to confirm the placement of a polyploidy event at the base of the orchid family. Polyploidy is hypothesized to be a strong driver of evolution and a source of unique traits so confirming this event leads us closer to explaining extant orchid diversity. The list of orthologous genes generated from this study will provide a less expensive and more powerful method for researchers examining the evolutionary relationships in Orchidaceae. In Chapter 3, I generated genomic sequence data for 32 fungal isolates that were collected from orchids across North America. I inferred the first multi-locus nuclear phylogenetic tree for these fungal clades. The phylogenetic structure of these fungi will improve the taxonomy of these clades by providing evidence for new species and for revising problematic species designations. A robust taxonomy is necessary for studying the role of fungi in the orchid mycorrhizal symbiosis. In chapter 4 I summarize my work and outline the future directions of my lab at Illinois College including addressing the remaining aims of my Community Sequencing Proposal with the Joint Genome Institute by analyzing the 15 fungal reference genomes I generated during my PhD. Together these chapters are the start of a life-long research project into the evolution and function of the orchid/fungal symbiosis.
Staying, moving, or leaving : exploring how authentic leadership, school culture and climate, and attributes of trust and efficacy affect teacher longevity
Authors:   , Drace Bradley K.
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how a principal with authentic leadership qualities, who builds a strong school culture based on trust and efficacy, affects teacher retention. A sampling of 16 secondary teachers participated in individual interviews. The interview questions were structured, and follow-up questions were asked based on the participants' responses. Notes were taken during the interviews to gather information about the participants that was not revealed through their responses. The questions focused on the participants' teaching careers and the paths they took to become a teacher. The questions were also designed to explore one of three teacher paths. The first was a stayer, or a teacher who chose to stay in the same position for more than five years. The second was a mover, or a teacher who was in search of a more compatible teaching environment and left one school to find another. The third was a leaver, or a teacher who decided within the first five years of teaching to leave the profession in pursuit of a different career path. The findings revealed that an authentic leader, who built a school culture based on trust and efficacy, had an impact on teachers when it came to their decisions to either stay, move, or leave. The responses from the teachers led the researcher to gain insight into the importance of a strong school culture and climate built on trust with a leader who has authentic leadership traits when it comes to teacher retention.
Racial disparity in police killings : an analysis of 2014 United States lethal force data
Authors:   , Laughlin Michael
Published: April 2021

The main purpose of this research is to create a reliable database concerning law enforcement use of lethal force and employ this database to evaluate whether evidence exists that the decision to use lethal force is impacted by micro-level (officer) race-based considerations. A new database of all lethal force incidents in the U.S. in 2014 was created using 2014: Killed by Police Data and several other websites: 2014: Intentional Lethal Force Data (Menifield and Laughlin, 2018). African American victims were overrepresented and Caucasian victims were underrepresented in police officers' use of lethal force. However, this database and analysis provide no evidence of micro-level discriminatory decision making in the deployment of lethal force by law enforcement. Further, findings do not support the argument that the decision to use lethal force by law enforcement in the U.S. is influenced by race. This research calls into question a number of prevoiusly held assumptions when exploring racially disparate outcomes in lethal force; i.e. these data show greater support for factors external to law enforcement (as opposed to internal) as contributors to disparate outcomes, and questions whether population proportion should be the comparison point for law enforcement use of lethal force.
Regional site response and uppermost mantle seismic structure of central and eastern united states
Authors:   , Yassminh Rayan
Published: April 2021

This dissertation examines seismological data from regional earthquake sources in order to examine the seismological character of the crust and uppermost mantle in central and eastern United States. Firstly, site amplification of regional highfrequency Lg seismic phases is estimate ed using a Reverse-Two Station (RTS) method. RTS results show topography and sediment thickness are likely to affect amplification and both factors likely frequency-dependent. There is a negative correlation between the RTS-measured amplification and shallow shear-wave velocity. It appears that both regional topography (i.e., long-wavelength topography) and deeper subsurface seismic structures (basins and sediments) have a large impact on site amplification. Subsequently, Pn and Sn travel time tomography is used to estimate the upper most mantle P-wave (Pn) velocity, S-wave (Sn) velocity, and the velocity ratio (VPn/VSn). In addition to velocity, effective attenuation of Sn phase (Q[superscript -1]sn) is also measured. The result shows regions of high velocity such as southern Georgia, eastern South Carolina and NMSZ and low Q[subscript Sn] values. The V[subscript Pn]/V[subscript Sn] ratio shows values higher than the average in regions such as the Mississippi Embayment, New England, and south Appalachian. V[subscript Pn]/V[subscript Sn] ratios are lower than the average in regions such as northwestern CEUS, South Georgia and eastern Texas. We estimated the uppermost mantle temperature by applying a constrained grid-search algorithm includes the observed V[subscript Sn], V[subscript Pn] and Q[subscript Sn] with the calculated velocities of specific compositional models. The uppermost mantle temperature result, [about]300-500C, beneath the northern mid-continent, and the highest temperature, 1100 C, beneath New England
The belief in meritocracy predict well-being of low status college students when perceiving discrimination?
Authors:   , Zhao Xinting
Published: April 2021

Students in Chinese universities from lower social or economic classes may be at risk of peer discrimination with negative physical and psychological effects; they may experience poor academic, social and career outcomes. Resources for supportive counseling are unlikely; therefore, self-coping skills are essential. Student participant survey data from three Chinese universities were used to evaluate whether meritocracy belief, a coping mechanism deeply rooted in Chinese culture, protects the self-esteem, health, and school connectedness of students at risk. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to examine meritocracy beliefs of students from high or low status. Comparison groups of students, high socioeconomic status (SES) vs. low SES, urban vs. rural, and male vs. female were examined regarding factors relevant to discrimination. Students with high or low levels of meritocracy belief were compared for differences in self-esteem, school belongings, perception of control and victim blame. Overall a belief in meritocracy was found to support students' self-esteem and sense of school belonging for both high- and low- status students. Perception of control was a mediator. Limitations and implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Development of high protein soybean experimental lines with enhanced sulfur amino acid content
Authors:   , Alaswad Alaa
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Soybean is one of the most important field crops grown in the United States. Commercial soybeans contain about 36 - 40% protein and 18 - 20% oil, by dry weight. Most of the soybean produced in the U.S. is utilized for oil production and animal feed. Even though soybean is a rich source of protein for livestock and humans, the nutritional quality of soybean can be further enhanced if the concentration of sulfur containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine, can be increased. Previously, our lab has employed transgenic approaches to increase the nutritive value of soybean by expressing heterologous sulfur-rich seed proteins and by manipulating the sulfur assimilatory pathway. Even though modest improvement in the nutritive value has been obtained by these approaches, till now no high yielding soybean cultivars with high protein and high sulfur amino acid content has been developed. Such cultivars will be of great value for the agricultural industry especially in animal feed. In this study, I have crossed a South Korean high protein soybean line (Lee5) with a transgenic soybean line with elevated sulfur amino acid content (CS) and developed soybean experimental lines that were advanced to F4:5 seeds. Theses experimental lines exhibit both high protein and high sulfur amino acid content. The protein content of their seeds has been increased 8 to 14% while their oil content has decreased 5 to 7% when compared with CS. Furthermore, I have successfully introduced the cytosolic isoform of O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase (OASS), the overexpressed transgene, from CS into these crosses. The activity of OASS has been increased 5 to 20-fold in experimental lines when compared to Lee5.
Coordinating the overall stomatal response of plants : rapid leaf-to-leaf communication during light stress
Authors:   , Devireddy Amith Reddy
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Plants, being sessile organisms, have evolved unique mechanisms enabling them to rapidly react to ever-changing environmental conditions. In nature, light is one of the significant and most variable natural parameters in determining the plant's growth and development and is a major energy source for photosynthesis. Changes in light intensities can occur very rapidly, sometimes within minutes or seconds. Plants have to adjust to the fluctuations in the light intensity and quality and acclimate accordingly to ensure optimal photosynthetic yield. Stomatal movement is an acclamatory mechanism in plants that are affected by the light intensities. Stomata are microscopic pores on the leaf surface that are crucial for CO2 uptake and water economy in plants. The size of the stomatal aperture is influenced by various environmental factors and is regulated by hormones and their signaling components, secondary messengers and the influx and efflux of osmotically active ions via ion channels.
Understanding the development of low-income marriages : investigating the antecedents and outcomes of marital functioning
Authors:   , Kanter Jeremy B.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Change in marital satisfaction is a salient research topic for social scientists, especially given the association between marital functioning and adult and child well-being. Scholars have begun to recognize a decline in marital satisfaction is avoidable for the majority of couples, and recent work has demonstrated the antecedents and outcomes associated with different marital experiences. However, most work has used White, middle-class couples. Thus, it is unclear if these patterns replicate for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, what resources are associated with different relational pathways, and if relationship functioning is associated with psychological functioning. Using three waves of data from a sample of low-income newlywed couples in the Supporting Healthy Marriages project, I identified three classes of couples. The majority of spouses reported stable, high relationship functioning during the early years of marriage. Gender differences emerged, with husbands reporting more stable marital functioning than wives. Guided by the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation model, I also found individual (family-of-origin experiences), dyadic (e.g., perceptions of support), and structural (e.g., neighborhood safety) factors were associated with different marital experiences. Last, I found that change in marital satisfaction was influential to change in psychological distress. These results advance scholarship on the inequalities and resilience factors prevalent in low-income populations.
Understanding social workers' intention to provide palliative care in Saudi Arabia
Authors:   , Abdulbaqi Reem
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This study is about understanding social worker (SW)s' intention to provide palliative care (PC) in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this nonexperimental, quantitative, explanatory, correlation study was to explain SWs intention to provide PC in Saudi Arabia. The study utilized the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework to address the association between SWs intention to provide PC and their attitude, subjective norms, and perceived control (PBC) to provide PC in Saudi Arabia. A sample of 144 medical SWs in Saudi Arabia completed a web-based survey. The results showed that more than half of the participants had high intention to provide PC. SWs intention to provide PC in Saudi Arabia was positively associated with subjective norms (i.e. social pressure or support) and positively associated with their PBC over providing PC. This study found that SWs general attitude toward PC is indirectly associated with their intention to provide PC. The study did not find gender differences in the association between the three main predictors and SWs intention to provide PC. More than half of the participants learned about PC through informal sources. Study findings can inform educator and scholars when forming educational and training programs to take into consideration social and control aspects of social work practice in PC. Further research in social work education and practice in Saudi Arabia is needed to widen the scope of the contribution of social work in PC.
Comparative machine learning approach for biomarker identification using multiomics data from patients with endometriosis
Authors:   , Akter Sadia
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Endometriosis is a complex and common gynecological disorder yet a poorly understood disease affecting about 176 million women worldwide, and causing significant impact on their quality of life and economic burden. Neither a definitive clinical symptom nor a minimally invasive diagnostic method is available thus leading to an average of 10 years of diagnostic latency. Discovery of relevant biological patterns from microarray expression or next generation sequence (NGS) data has been advanced over the last several decades by applying various machine learning tools. The overall objective of this project was to identify diagnostic molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of endometriosis using a multi-omics approach and various machine learning classifiers. This objective was fulfilled by three related but independent aims: (1) mining rna-seq data to discover molecular mechanisms of endometriosis, (2) to discover diagnostics features of endometriosis in the DNA-methylation profile of the endometrium, and (3) develop innovative machine learning-based differential classification models using whole genome high throughput next generation sequence data. We experimented how well various supervised machine learning methods such as decision tree, Partial least squares-discriminant analysis, support vector machine, random forest and a newly developed method called GenomeForest perform in classifying endometriosis from the control samples trained on both transcriptomics and methylomics data.
Examination of biological factors that mediate the influence of physical activity on palatability driven feeding
Authors:   , Lee Jenna R.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Palatability driven feeding- consuming food for pleasure, and voluntary physical activity are mediated by and influence similar neural mechanisms. However, the interaction between the two behaviors is not well established. Considering both behaviors are facilitated by opioids within the nucleus accumbens (NAc), it is a likely target system to arbitrate such effects. Furthermore, it is yet to be determined how biological factors between subjects such as sex or genetics may influence this interaction. The experiments presented in this dissertation utilize unique models applying systems and behavioral neuroscience approaches to test the hypothesis that differences in biological factors may mediate the effect of physical activity on palatability driven feeding. All studies included both male and female subjects in order to account for potential sex differences in the behavioral and physiological response to physical activity. These studies suggest that males may decrease consumption of palatable diets in response to physical activity through a potential opioid related habituation mechanism. Conversely, females may undergo an alterative response to physical activity, resulting in an increased consumption of palatable diets. This may occur through a potential opioid related sensitization mechanism. The second study included selectively bred rats to further explore biological factors related to motivation that may arbitrate the physiological and behavioral adaptations in response to physical activity.
RNA aptamers and HIV reverse transcriptase : molecular basis of their interactions and the evaluation of aptamer resistance
Authors:   , Nguyen Phuong Dinh Minh
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a pandemic Lentivirus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in infected individuals. One of the critical steps in HIV replication is the reverse transcription of viral RNA to generate viral DNA, which will be integrated into the host genome to generate materials for the production of new viruses. The enzyme responsible for this reverse transcription process is HIV reverse transcriptase (RT). Because of its importance in HIV life cycle, RT has been a common target for HIV inhibitors. In recent years, RNA aptamers have emerged as potential inhibitors against HIV RT. Although previous studies had shown that the inhibitory effect of RNA aptamers against HIV RT comes from their ability to compete with primer/template for binding to RT, the molecular details of RT-RNA aptamer interaction are still limited. The work described herein highlights advancements in identifying the functional features of a broad-spectrum RNA aptamer and elucidating the molecular details in the interaction of this aptamer and the target RT. Furthermore, this work explores the potential use of anti HIV aptamers in studying RT maturation by proteolytic processing.
Impacts of artificial light and melatonin signaling pathways on behavior and skeletal physiology in mice
Authors:   , Peacock Sarah J.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The natural cycles of light and darkness are a major feature of the environment for most species; thus, circadian physiology is rooted in the expectation of bright days and dark nights, with biological processes and behaviors timed accordingly. Disruption of this natural pattern via exposure to artificial light at night can have negative consequences for many aspects of physiology, including bone biology. Here, a mouse model is used to explore the connections between nocturnal artificial light exposure, melatonin signaling, and skeletal phenotype. Nocturnal blue light exposure produced a combination of increased and decreased measures of bone growth in both male CBA/Ca and male C57BL/6 mice. Constant light exposure during the perinatal period was found to reduce femoral length as well as long-term activity levels in male C57BL/6 mice. Finally, MAPK signaling pathway disruption increased bone strength in female SCID mice as measured by trabecular spacing and bone volume fraction. The results suggest nocturnal artificial light exposure does impact circadian physiology and skeletal biology and have implications for human health concerns such as shift work, nocturnal electronic use, and light pollution.
Feminist or 'racist or whatever' : exploring mixed messages in (post)feminist 'women's comedy'
Authors:   , Swink Robyn Stacia
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This dissertation uses feminist critical discourse analysis of five popular "women's comedy" texts, interviews with eighty-nine viewers of those texts, and cultural content surrounding the texts in order to understand the cultural context of women's comedy including how it contributes to and reflects emerging discourses of race, gender, and feminisms. Specifically, I examine Tig Notaro's stand-up special Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted (2015), Ali Wong's stand-up special Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016), Ghostbusters (2016), Trainwreck (2015), and a live stand-up performance by Leslie Jones. By using an intersectional lens to analyze the ambiguous characteristics of the current postfeminist media environment and the inherently ambiguous features of comedy, this project explores the complexity of discursive formations including the potentially contradictory ways that women's comedy engages with discourses of gender, race, and feminisms.