bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two Eyes, Five Hundred Shows
Authors:   , Ballantine Joseph Glenn , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

In 2019, an estimated five hundred thirty-two scripted, and actively produced, television shows were on all television distribution platforms in the United States. This number is double the number of scripted television series in the United States for the year 2011. Television distribution platforms include: broadcast networks, basic cable, premium cable, and streaming platforms. The goal of the project is to examine how the average viewer perceives this volume of content, and what opinions and emotions they associate with their selection of television content. This study does not concentrate on other formats of television content, such as non-scripted, film, and international produced content, but it is known that these formats of content are available to the viewer as well. The American television industry has increased its annual number of produced scripted series from 2011- 2019. This industry could notice a fatigue by audiences and witness average viewership for a given program decrease due to the vast number of options a viewer has.
Extracellular dopamine concentration control
Authors:   , Koshkina Elena , Hrebien Leonid
Published: July 2021

Dopamine is one of the central neurotransmitters; its homeostatic concentration is highly maintained through release, uptake, and feedback. The dopamine release is mediated both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. The extracellular dopamine concentration is regulated presynaptically by the dopamine transporter and dopamine autoreceptors. The postsynaptic control is mediated by postsynaptic dopamine receptors. Dopamine is the subject of a numerous experimental studies. As a result, a great deal of experimental data describing the components of dopamine system has been collected. This experimental data provides an excellent foundation for theoretical study to model complex dopamine system. The integration of a published experimental data in one theoretical model would be a valuable tool to describe the dopamine system and generate better understanding of the complex process of the dopamine concentration control. The object of this thesis was to develop a computational system describing the behavior of the complex extracellular dopamine concentration control system. There are two principal processes of the dopamine concentration control: uptake and negative feedback. The novelty of the presented modeling work is that it integrates the dopamine concentration control by uptake and negative feedback in a single computational model. The proposed model was used to evaluate the contribution of kinetic and feedback mechanisms to maintain low basal dopamine concentration; test the extracellular dopamine concentration outcomes under conditions of increased/decreased dopamine release; and predict changes in extracellular dopamine concentration under conditions equivalent to the presence of dopamine agonist/antagonists in the experimental dopamine system. Mathematical modeling was based on published pharmacokinetic parameters for dopamine uptake and receptor binding in rat striatum, and the computational data generated by thesis developed models. The mathematical modeling results showed that the computational extracellular dopamine concentration outcomes were consistent with the experimentally observed responses for the dopamine system. It was demonstrated computationally that both uptake by DAT and negative feedback mediated by receptors are necessary components to maintain a low extracellular dopamine concentration under basal conditions. The mathematical modeling showed the critical role of negative feedback to control stable extracellular dopamine concentration under conditions of increased/decreased dopamine release. The model generated results predicting extracellular dopamine concentration change under conditions equivalent to the presence of dopamine agonist/antagonist were in a good accordance with published experimental data. In addition to the mathematical modeling, programming, and computational analysis, the value of this work is demonstrated through its ability to illustrate how integration of published experimental and model simulated data provides an excellent foundation for computational theoretical research.
An examination of the factor structure of the SCI-PANSS
Authors:   , Dudek Paul Thomas , Lowe Michael R.
Published: July 2021

Schizophrenia is a debilitating disorder with far reaching effects on individual functioning. The characteristic symptoms include positive symptoms which are described as psychosis and bizarre behavior. Then there are the negative symptoms which are more numerous in presentation. Negative symptoms include problems in communication, affect, cognition, and behavioral control. While the positive symptoms are more readily defined, the negative symptoms are less so. All of these symptoms present in complex patterns, which has led to difficulty in the accurate measurement of symptom severity. The SCI-PANSS has sought to measure the severity of schizophrenic symptoms. There has been considerable debate centered on the number and composition of dimensions that make up the phenomenon of schizophrenia. The goals of this project were (1) to examine the factor structure of the PANSS rating scale in a sample of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, and, (2) simultaneously compare on a single sample the obtained factor structure with several previously derived multi-factorial models of the SCI-PANSS. This study describes a latent structure of SCI-PANSS symptoms using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This model was compared to previously derived models through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Previous models have been described using a variety of patient samples. This left the competing models vulnerable to variation caused by these varied samples. This study improves upon the present literature by removing this confound through the comparison of multiple models on one sample. An EFA was conducted on a large sample of subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia. This analysis produced a five factor solution. These dimensions include: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognitive symptoms, an excitement dimension, and an anxiety/depression component. This derived factor solution was compared to a number of other competing models that have been derived through other factor analytic studies. These included a null model, a three and four factor solution, several five factor models, and a seven factor model. While none of these models met adequate fit, the results suggest that a pentagonal model reflects the latent structure of schizophrenia. Implications of these findings are discussed with recommendations to improve model specification.
Experimental characterization of towers in cable-supported bridges by ambient vibration testing
Authors:   , Grimmelsman Kirk Alexander , Aktan Ahmet Emin
Published: July 2021

The objective of this thesis is to address several unresolved issues related to the experimental characterization of the modal properties for the towers in cable-supported bridges by the ambient vibration testing. A number of these unresolved issues were identified during the application of this method to the towers in a landmark suspension bridge. The research that was undertaken included both experimental and analytical components. The experimental components consisted of: (1) characterizing the ambient vibration environment for the masonry towers in the Brooklyn Bridge and evaluating the limitations associated with the conventional approach for identifying the dynamic properties by ambient vibration testing, (2) a laboratory investigation to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the most common and basic modal identification approach for bridges, a multiple-reference channel extension of the basic approach and several more sophisticated identification methods for the conditions of ambient dynamic excitation that can occur for the towers in a cable-supported bridge, and (3) an comparative evaluation of these same methods for characterizing the Brooklyn Bridge towers. The focus of the analytical component was to characterize the fundamental dynamic behavior for the towers using a idealized analytical model of a suspension bridge. This research indicated that the towers in a cable-supported bridge can have modes which are distinct from the spans and vice-versa. Furthermore, it was possible to identify the most likely dynamic properties of a tower by considering a spectrum of characteristics and parameter values associated with each identification result for the complex vibration output spectra associated with the towers in cable-supported bridges; however, the identified properties will not be free from uncertainty. The most consistent and meaningful modal properties were identified by the peak picking identification method using multiple reference locations. Visually comparing the consistency of the operating mode shapes computed from multiple reference locations was also found to be a very effective and intuitive approach for identifying spurious or poorly-excited modes in the identification results.
Slack bus modeling for distributed generation and its impacts on distribution system analysis, operation and planning
Authors:   , Tong Shiqiong , Miu Karen Nan
Published: July 2021

Distribution system operating environments are changing rapidly. Proper distributed generation placement and operating will bring benefits for supporting voltage, reducing system loss, enhancing system reliability, releasing T&D capacity and improving energy management flexibility. Distributed generation will play an important role in distribution systems. However, with increasing number of distributed generators (DGs) installed within distribution systems, the traditional methods for distribution system modeling, analysis and planning needs to be revisited, and new tools are required to be developed. This thesis addresses these challenges through slack bus modeling studies. First, traditional distribution power flow with a single slack bus model is revisited and a distributed slack bus model is proposed for distribution system analysis and planning. Network-based participation factors to distribute slack are developed. These participation factors capture network parameters, load distributions and generator capacities. Then, impacts on distribution operating and planning functions of slack bus modeling are investigated. Two examples, energy cost analysis and switch placement for DG islanding operation are discussed in detail. Last, the problem of distribution system expansion considering DG placement and feeder upgrade is addressed.
Alginate strings and their applications in spinal cord regeneration
Authors:   , Kanakasabai Saravanan , Wheatley Margaret A.
Published: July 2021

Spinal cord injury leads to severing of neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) that are responsible for communication between the brain and other parts of the body. The presence of inhibiting factors following injury limits neuronal regeneration leading to paraplegia or quadriplegia depending on the level of the injury. The goal of this study was to design and develop a graft that would aid in neuronal adhesion as well as enhance neuronal regeneration and also act as a physical bridge at the site of injury. Alginate a polysaccharide derived from brown sea weed was employed in making the graft because of its ability to form gels in the presence of a polycation solution and also allows modification with growth permissive peptides. YIGSR a pentapeptide of laminin has been found to enhance neuronal adhesion. The YIGSR modified alginate graft was made in the form of strings so that it could act as a bridge at the site of injury. Rat abdominal fibroblasts were genetically engineered by ex vivo gene therapy to secrete human brain derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) that would enhance neuronal growth. These cells were incorporated in the modified alginate solution before they were made into strings, and the strings were then coated with a high molecular weight polyamine. This polyamine coating would prevent high molecular weight immunoglobulins like IgG from entering the graft interacting with the fibroblasts while allowing the lower molecular weight BDNF to escape to the outside. This graft could then be frozen and stored under liquid nitrogen and thawed when needed, and placed at the injury site without immune suppression.
A genetic approach toward defining the role of Factor X in development and coagulation
Authors:   , Tai Shing Jen , High Katherine A.
Published: July 2021

Activated Factor X (FX) is a vitamin K-dependent serine protease that plays a crucial role in blood coagulation by converting prothrombin to thrombin. There are no humans with complete deficiency of FX. The overall objective of this study is to investigate the role of FX in development and coagulation by generating FX-deficient mouse models and determining the embryonic pattern of FX expression. First, a FX knock-out mouse model was engineered by eliminating FX exon 8 and its 3' flanking sequence; this resulted in embryonic or perinatal lethality in FX -/- mice. Approximately 50% of FX -/- embryos died between days 10-12 of development. Fatal bleeding in the remaining FX(-/-) animals occurred soon after birth. The cause of embryonic lethality remains unclear. Next, a viable mouse model of FX deficiency was generated. These mice expressed a FX variant with normal antigen levels but a low level of activity (4-9% in humans carrying the analogous defect, Pro343[right arrow]Ser, termed FX Friuli). Homozygous mice had FX coagulation activity of ~5.5% of normal, which was sufficient to rescue both embryonic and perinatal lethality. To generate mice with even lower FX activity, FX(F/F) and FX(+/-) mice were crossed. Their offspring, FX(-/F) mice, indeed had even lower FX activity (1-3% of normal) and nonetheless also showed complete rescue of embryonic and perinatal lethality. Therefore, while complete absence of FX is incompatible with murine and human survival, minimum FX activity as low as 1% demonstrates sufficiency in rescue of FX knockout mice from lethality. FX(-/F) mice provided an opportunity to assess the relative contributions of maternal and embryonic FX as well as FX activity and antigen to embryonic survival. FX(-/F) mice also facilitated investigation into a developmental role of FX by allowing for examination of FX(-/-) embryos born to mothers with minimal levels of FX activity. Furthermore, FX expression in multiple embryonic tissues was detected by in situ hybridization and immunostaining. Combined, these results represent an initial investigation into defining the role of FX in development.
Determination of the in vitro and in vivo oral drug delivery capabilities of complexation hydrogels
Authors:   , Perakslis Eric D. , Lowman Anthony M.
Published: July 2021

The promise of oral delivery formulations of therapeutic protein and peptides is one of high hopes but also of disappointment as, to date, parenteral administration remains the standard of care. A good example of this is in the case of human insulin delivery for diabetes where disease control, reduction of degenerative side effects and increased patient compliance could all be gained in the most rapidly growing disease in our country. Hydrogel carrier systems have shown promise as a potential solution for this unmet medical need. In particular a novel pH-sensitive poly[methacrylic acid-grafted-poly(ethylene glycol)] hydrogel system has shown promise by displaying enhanced insulin delivery in in situ animal models. In this work, a set of detailed in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to further qualify the insulin delivery capabilities of this novel system. The ability of the system to protect entrapped insulin in the upper gastrointestinal tract was confirmed via dissolution studies and the ability of the polymer system to enhance transport across the intetinal epithelium was confirmed using the Caco-2 in vitro model of intestinal transport. Lastly, the absolute oral bioavailability of insulin delivered via the hydrogel system was determined in rats and dogs. The application of pharmacokinetic models to the animal data shows the greatest gains on improving this delivery system can be made by optimizing the ability of the hydrogel to enhance protein transport across the gut wall.
Cardiac assist devices
Authors:   , Truesdell Karen C. , Williams J. Michael
Published: July 2021

Cognitive functioning and quality of life are salient factors in predicting mortality and morbidity in end-stage heart failure patients receiving cardiac assist devices while awaiting cardiac transplantation. This study focused on cognitive functioning and selfreported quality of life, neurological impairment, and depressive symptoms. Of 103 candidates for cardiac assist devices (HeartMate ThermoCardiosystems, Inc. [TCI] Left Ventricular Devices [LVAD] or Abiomed Biventricular Assist System [Abiomed]) as a bridge to cardiac transplantation at Hahnemann University Hospital, a total of 53 patients completed neuropsychological evaluations. Cognitive factors included visual-spatial andverbal memories, motor speed, grip strength, and cognitive processing speed. Inaddition, a total of 298 end-stage heart failure (ESHF) inpatients completed the same cognitive measures over the past decade. Overall, cognitive functioning for both groups was within the normal range. Not surprisingly, a series of t-tests revealed that ESHF inpatients performed better than MCAD candidates on most cognitive measures. However, MCAD candidates performed better than ESHF inpatients on the Mental Status Exam, Visual Reproduction Immediate subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale, and grip strength task with the nondominant hand. A total of 23 cardiac assist device candidates completed self-report measures ofgeneral and disease-specific quality of life, depressive symptoms, memory, and selfreported neuropsychological symptoms. Results did not support the hypothesis that depression would mediate the relationship between cognitive functioning and quality of life. There were significant differences in quality of life between the three groups: ESHF, MCAD, and OHT warranting a discussion of the implications of various definitions of quality of life. There were no significant gender differences. Major behavioral findings were 1) these patients are resilient in comparison to the general population; their cognitive functioning was not impaired and they were not depressed and 2) there was a strong relationship between self-report depressive symptoms and self-reportedneurological impairment.
Accountability for the mission
Authors:   , Boone Linda Huskey , Bach Craig N.
Published: July 2021

Research (Gareis, 1996; Robertson, 2000; Stemler & Bebell, 1999) regarding K-12 mission statements shows that while academic achievement appears frequently as a component in these statements, it is neither the sole nor often the top priority of schools. Policymakers at the federal and state levels seeking greater accountability for results, on the other hand, appear to focus primarily on schools' abilities to improve students' academic achievement as demonstrated through standardized testing. Using the concepts of internal and external accountability (Abelmann & Elmore, 1999; Elmore & Fuhrman, 2001; Newmann, Kingdon & Rigdon, 1997) this case study examined three high schools to determine: 1) what are the multiple purposes or desired outcomes of schools articulated via mission statements, 2) what tools of external accountability exist to measure the multiple purposes of schools, 3) what kinds of internal accountability systems are in place to evaluate schools' effectiveness in meeting stated purposes, and 4) what impediments exist that prevent schools from developing internal accountability systems for their outcomes. Results of the study indicated that academic, affective and environmental expectations can be identified in mission statements, but external tools of accountability exist only for academic outcomes. Internal norms were identified in all three high schools that pointed to their ability to address the multiple purposes espoused in their respective missions, but no systems of internal accountability could be shown that pointed to how a school formally or informally evaluated its effectiveness in meeting its mission.
Does coping style moderate the relationship between irritable bowel syndrome related stressors and psychological distress in a clinical IBS population?
Authors:   , Markow Christine Joy , Kloss Jacqueline D.
Published: July 2021

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the most common of the functional gastrointestinal disorders and frequently viewed as a significant physical and psychological stressor in one's life. The current study explored the relationships between irritable bowel syndrome related stressors, psychological distress (i.e., anxious and depressive symptoms), and coping style in a clinical irritable bowel syndrome population. Ninety-eight persons diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome completed self-report questionnaires. Results indicated that irritable bowel syndrome related stressors and perceived stress were significantly associated with psychological distress. Furthermore, it was found that both active and avoidant coping styles moderated the relationship between stressors and distress in this population. The clinical and research implications of this study are discussed.
Uncertainty modeling of power electronic converter dynamics
Authors:   , Sangswang Anawach , Nwankpa Chikaodinaka Okechi Dike
Published: July 2021

The presence of unavoidable disturbances has become an issue concerning powerelectronic converter modeling and design. These disturbances result in system parameter uncertainties, which may significantly alter predicted performance of a power converter. In this thesis, power electronic converter performance is studied under the influence of random noise. We experimentally verify existence of random noise and measure its statistical properties on the operating characteristics of a switching power converter. Available deterministic approaches do not provide insight into important effects of random noise on dynamics of a power converter. To address this problem, we develop converter models that include the effect of random noise on dynamics of practical converters. We also develop a security index to quantify the converter performance. This index is known as mean first passage time (MFPT). It represents the time for trajectories represented by the converter model, to evolve from an operating point to the boundary of domain of attraction.
An fMRI study of proneness to overeating
Authors:   , Coletta Maria Christina , Lowe Michael R.
Published: July 2021

Eating regulation research has shown that normal weight restrained eaters eat more following a preload than they do in the absence of a preload, a paradoxical result termed "counterregulatory eating." Research has indicated that the overeating tendencies in restrained eaters are not due to dieting behavior. Using fMRI, a pilot study found interesting differences in the brain activation of normal weight restrained eaters compared to unrestrained eaters in response to highly palatable food stimuli in both a fasted and fed state. The current study aimed to replicate the findings of the preliminary study with a larger number of subjects. We investigated brain activation of normal weight restrained (N = 9) and unrestrained eaters (N = 10) when in a fasted and fed state and when viewing pictures of highly and moderately palatable food. Unrestrained eaters showed bilateral activation to high palatability food stimuli when fasted, in areas associated with hunger, memory, and motivation. In the same state restrained showed activation only in the right cerebellum, which has previously been implicated in low-level processing of appetitive stimuli. While viewing high palatability foods in a fed state, restrained eaters showed activation again in the right cerebellum, as well as the left orbitofrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and left insular cortex. The left orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices have been implicated in goal oriented planning, expectation of reward, and goal defined behavior. The insular cortex has been shown in previous research to play a role in food craving and desire. Activation for unrestrained eaters when fed was found in areas related to satiation and memory. These findings support the findings in the preliminary study and provide new insight into the mechanism underlying counterregulatory eating in restrained eaters. Both studies suggest that normal weight restrained and unrestrained eaters may show different eating regulation patterns because restrained eaters are less hungry than unrestrained eaters when fasted and find palatable food more appealing than unrestrained eaters when fed.
Subset selection using nonlinear optimization
Authors:   , Denton Trip , Shokoufandeh Ali
Published: July 2021

A common problem in computer science is how to represent a large dataset in a smaller more compact form. This thesis describes a generalized framework for selecting canonical subsets of data points that are highly representative of the original larger dataset. The contributions of the work are formulation of the subset selection problem as an optimization problem, an analysis of the complexity of the problem, the development of approximation algorithms to compute canonical subsets, and a demonstration of the utility of the algorithms in several problem domains.
Three essays on modeling stock returns
Authors:   , Li Jiandong , Chiang Thomas Chi-Nan
Published: July 2021

This dissertation studies the following issues: the presence of non-normal distribution features and the significance of higher order moments, the tradeoff between risk and return, and the dynamic conditional correlation between stock returns and bond returns. These issues are structured into three essays. Essay #1 tackles the non-normal features by employing the exponential generalized beta distribution of the second kind (EGB2) to model 30 Dow Jones industrial stock returns. The evidence suggests that the model with the EGB2 distribution assumption is capable of taking care of stock return characteristics, including fat tails, peakedness (leptokurtosis), skewness, clustered conditional variance, and leverage effect, therefore, is capable of making a good prediction on the happenings of extreme values. The goodness of fit statistic provides supporting evidence in favor of the EGB2 distribution in modeling stock returns. Evidence also suggests that the leverage effect is diminished when higher order moments are considered. Essay #2 examines the risk-return relation by applying high frequency data of 30 Dow Jones industrial stocks. I find some supportive evidence in favor of the positive relation between the expected excess return and expected risk. However, this positive relation is not revealed for all 30 stocks using a standard weighted least squares regression (WLS) method. Using a quantile regression method, I find that the risk-return relation evolves from negative to positive as the returns' quantile increases. This essay also finds interesting evidence that the intraday skewness coefficient explains a great deal of the variation in the excess returns. Essay #3 mainly focuses on the analysis of the time-varying correlations between stock and bond returns using the asymmetric dynamic conditional correlation (ADCC) model (Cappiello et al., 2004). The estimated coefficients show some volatile behavior and display some degree of persistence over time. Testing the asymmetric dynamic correlations by using a set of macroeconomic information, I find that the federal funds rate, the relative volatility between the stock and bond markets, the yield spread, and oil price shocks are the significant factors for the coefficients' time varying.
Nutritional modulation of the innate immune response to influenza infection
Authors:   , Ritz Barry W. , Gardner Elizabeth M.
Published: July 2021

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in controlling virus infections and provide a potential target for nutritional modulations that may alter the innate immune response to viruses. Data presented here provide direct evidence that 1) NK cells limit influenza virus in the lung early following infection, 2) an age-associated defect in inducible NK cell cytotoxicity contributes to the increased susceptibility of aged mice to primary influenza infection, and 3) NK cells respond, both positively and negatively, to nutritional interventions. Caloric restriction (CR) is a nutritional intervention that has been shown to extend lifespan in mice and postpone age-related changes in immunity. However, in our studies, aged (22 mo) CR mice exhibited increased mortality, impaired viral clearance, and reduced natural killer (NK) cell activity following influenza infection compared to aged ad-libitum (AL) mice. To determine if these detrimental effects of CR occur independently of advanced age, young adult (6 mo) CR and AL C57BL/6 mice were infected with 104 TCID50/100 HAU of influenza A virus (H1N1, PR8). The CR mice exhibited increased mortality (P<0.05), weight loss (P<0.01), lung virus titers (P<0.05), and lung pathology (P<0.001) compared to young AL controls. Also, CR mice exhibited a decrease in total (P<0.001) and NK1.1+ lymphocytes (P<0.05) compared to AL in response to infection, as well as a reduction in influenza-induced NK cell cytotoxicity in both lung (P<0.01) and spleen (P<0.05). These data are the first to describe an age-independent and detrimental effect of CR on the innate immune response to influenza infection. In a separate study, young (6-8wk) C57BL/6 mice were supplemented with 1g/kg body weight of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), a fermented mushroom extract, for 7 days prior to and throughout infection with 100 HAU of influenza A virus (H1N1, PR8). Supplementation increased survival and decreased weight loss (P<0.001) in response to influenza infection. Further, supplementation increased NK cell activity in lung at 1 day p.i. (P<0.05) and 4 days p.i. (P<0.01) and in spleen at 2 days p.i. (P<0.01). In conclusion, NK cells are important in controlling primary influenza infection, and both aging and nutritional status alter this response.
Hysteresis behavior patterns in complex systems
Authors:   , Hovorka Ondrej , Friedman Gary G.
Published: July 2021

Many complex systems such as magnets, shape memory alloys, as well as socioeconomic and biological systems are known to display hysteresis. This inherently irreversible process differs from the other irreversible processes most often addressed in literature by the memory that persists long after the external parameters stop changing. In general, hysteresis is a consequence of multi-scale system dynamics and the existence of many metastable states. Although hysteresis is typically illustrated by closed minor loops, other types of hysteretic trajectories are often observed where closed loops form gradually after several external parameter periods or not at all. The question arises: What in the structure of a system determines these qualitatively different behaviors of hysteretic trajectories?This thesis models complex hysteretic systems using a network of bistable binary elements and investigates network structure induced changes in hysteretic behavior. The main focus is on studying the minor loop formation processes for a single cyclically varying external parameter. Stable minor loops are observed to form at different rates as a function of the number of cycles, depending on the sign of the interactions, disorder level, and on the connectivity and topology of the interaction networks. For certain dense interaction networks, hysteretic trajectories that do not converge to a minor loop after an arbitrarily large number of external parameter periods are discovered. It is shown that their appearance is related to the presence of specific topological structures in the network. Thus, the thesis demonstrates several interesting links between hysteretic behavior and the underlying structure of complex systems.
Measuring learning modalities with neuropsychological memory measures in a college population
Authors:   , Stoddard Eve , Chute Douglas L.
Published: July 2021

Within the educational literature, researchers assert that individuals have learning modality strengths (LMS, i.e., visual or verbal proficiencies; e.g. Dunn et al., 1995). Self-report measures (e.g. LASSI, LSI) are frequently used to assess learning modality preferences, but they typically have poor validity and reliability; consequently the proportion of students that have LMS remains unknown. I gave a neuropsychological memory battery, with instruments of known validity and reliability, to assess for differential verbal or visual memory in a population of 71 college students. There were 11 students with self-reported LD or ADHD that were excluded from the study. In total 56 college students were included in analyses. If students had a greater than 1 standard deviation difference between their verbal and visual memory scores, I operationally defined that as a verbal or visual LMS. The battery consisted of the Wechsler Memory Scale - III (WMS-III - Logical Memory, Word Lists, Digit Span, Spatial Span, and Faces), and the Brief Visual Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R). Norms from the WMSIII manual show that approximately one third of the normative sample have a one standard deviation difference between their Auditory and Visual Memory Indices. My first hypothesis was that a significantly larger proportion of individuals would show differential verbal and visual memory performance, because the chosen battery should be more sensitive than the WMS-III core subtests. My results did not support this hypothesis. Approximately one third of participants showed the 1 standard deviation differential, with most of these differences accounted for by verbal memory subtest superiority. My second hypothesis addressed the construct validity of the Learning Efficiency Test - II (LET-II), a measure used for assessing LMS in individuals. In my study, data supported the construct validity for the LET-II auditory subtest, but not the visual subtest. Thus, my study supports the observation that approximately one third of individuals have differential verbal and visual memory abilities. This is a relatively large proportion of the population and has possible implications for teaching students in accordance with their respective memory abilities. Limitations of this study include a narrow sample (i.e., college students), inter-rater inconsistency, and small sample size.
An internet-based expressive writing intervention for kidney transplant recipients
Authors:   , Possemato A. Kyle , Geller Pamela A.
Published: July 2021

Background: Previous research has found that psychiatric problems and stress in kidney transplant recipients negatively impact upon their quality of life (QOL) and how they heal from surgery. In a pilot study, Possemato and Geller (in submission) reported that increased daily stress mediates the relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms and poor QOL in kidney transplant recipients. Writing interventions based on Pennebaker's expressive writing model have been shown to modify both daily and post-traumatic stress symptoms and lead to many positive health benefits for healthy and medically ill participants. In this study, the effects of an expressive writing intervention on stress, PTSD symptoms, QOL and affect in kidney transplant recipients were explored. Methods: An innovative internet-based methodology was used to administer baseline self-report measures, three expressive writing assignments and follow-up questionnaires three month after baseline. A combination of general and transplant specific measures were used. Participants were recruited from transplant websites, local transplant awareness groups and a hospital transplant center and then randomly assigned to the experimental expressive writing condition or the medical fact control condition. Whether individual differences regarding emotional nonexpressiveness, i.e., alexithymia or emotional suppression, are related to changes in stress, PTSD symptoms, QOL and affect in the experimental writing group were also assessed. Findings: Forty-eight kidney transplant recipients participated. Internet-based expressive writing was found to be feasible, safe and effective for kidney transplant recipients. Participants reported no harmful consequences of participating in the study and those who wrote about their thoughts and emotions in the experimental group experienced significantly less stress, better QOL and increased positive affect. In addition, characteristics of emotional non-expressiveness were found to be important factors in determining who will most benefit from expressive writing post-transplant. Individuals who normally suppress their emotions can benefit more while alexithymic individuals may benefit less. The current study provides support for recommending expressive writing tasks to kidney transplant recipients according to specific individual differences and pursuing further research into internet-based expressive writing for medical population.
Detection of proteins and pathogens in complex matrices using a novel cantilever design
Authors:   , Maraldo David Richard , Mutharasan Rajakkannu
Published: July 2021

Detection of biological molecules at low concentrations has a variety of applications in medicine, food processing, and biothreat detection. Immunoassays that are currently available or under development require some sample preparation or labeled reagents and are limited by low sensitivity (pg/mL to ng/mL) and poor specificity in complex matrices. The aim of the research presented in this dissertation was to develop a novel cantilever sensor geometry that demonstrates a high degree of sensitivity and specificity for detecting biological species in complex matrices. Sensor fabrication was explored using computer simulation, analytical calculations, and applied experimentation. The new cantilever design showed mass-change sensitivities of 300 ag/Hz to 1.5 fg/Hz and was used to detect pathogens, toxins, and proteins in a variety of practical applications, including the following results. The pathogenic bacterium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, was detected at less than 10 cells/ml in a ground beef wash in ~ 10 minutes. Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) was detected in apple juice and milk at 10 and 100 fg (effective concentrations of 2.5 and 25 fg/mL). A method was developed for detecting and quantifying a prostate cancer biomarker ([alpha]-methylacyl-CoA racemase; AMACR) in patient urine at fg/mL concentrations. A novel amplification strategy, using label-free additions of secondary and tertiary antibody molecules, was used to detect an ovarian cancer biomarker (CA-125) in human serum at 5 to 50 ag (effective concentrations of 1 and 10 ag/mL). All successful detections were accomplished without sample preparation or the use of labeled reagents. The results demonstrate that the new cantilever sensor geometry can reliably detect low concentrations (ag/mL to fg/mL) of specific biomolecules in real systems containing varying levels of contaminant particles.
Development of novel PLGA contrast agents for use as ultrasound targeted drug delivery vehicles
Authors:   , El-Sherif Dalia , Wheatley Margaret A.
Published: July 2021

Ultrasound is limited in its ability to distinguish between diseased and normal tissue. This limitation has led to the development of contrast agents. We have produced novel air-filled microcapsules of poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA/PLA) that work well as ultrasound contrast agents. The agent demonstrated acoustic enhancements up to 24 dB in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, in vivo Doppler enhancements of a rabbit kidney were reported with injections of a 0.1mL/kg dose. The rabbits did not show any side effects from multiple injections (24) of the agent. The contrast agent was fabricated by modifying a double emulsion method to encapsulate sublimable materials in the oil and aqueous phases. The encapsulated materials were then sublimed, leaving a void in their place. The degradation of contrast agents was found to be closely related to both capsule morphology and insonation frequency at which they were exposed. Agent degradation was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Amounts of lactic and glycolic acids produced were quantified. Glycolic acid repeat units showed a greater degradation rate than lactic acid units. Additional in vitro studies were carried out to further optimize and characterize the agent. The surfactant solution temperature was found to play an important role in agent morphology and acoustic response. An attenuation study indicated that their resonance frequency was ~2 MHz. Furthermore, in vivo and in vitro studies concluded that the 50:50 PLGA agent is temperature sensitive, lasting up to 20 min at 255C (minimal loss of signal (4 dB), while at 37sC the signal drops close to baseline with in the first 5 minutes. It was concluded that fabrication of the contrast agent with a more hydrophobic polymerextends its acoustic time response. Preliminary drug delivery and targeting studies were also investigated. The reported results are promising and lay the foundation for future work. This research has led to the development of novel PLGA/PLA contrast agents that have shown potential use for targeted drug delivery vehicles.
To smoke or not to smoke
Authors:   , Baron Kim Phillips , Nezu Christine M.
Published: July 2021

Research demonstrates that smoking is highly correlated with, and a cause of, head and neck cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Although the prevalence of smoking has declined since 1965, a significant proportion of the population continue to smoke. In addition to smoking being a cause of cancer and COPD, smoking has also been implicated in the progression of disease-related symptoms, diminished treatment outcome, and recurrence of disease. Previous research demonstrates that approximately 70% of individuals with COPD continue to smoke as compared to approximately 30% of individuals with head and neck cancer. Most of the studies have focused on demographic, smoking, disease severity and treatment variables, with little attention to psychosocial variables. Whereas demographic variables are stable variables which cannot be reversed, psychosocial variables are important to investigate not only because they may serve as obstacles to smoking cessation, but also, because interventions exist which would allow health professionals to intervene and increase smoking cessation success. This study investigated psychosocial predictors of smoking cessation in the head and neck cancer and COPD populations. One- hundred and three participants completed a semi-structured interview of their smoking history and two self-report questionnaires, the Profile of Mood States and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory - Revised. Fifty-four and 49 participants were diagnosed with COPD and with head and neck cancer, respectively. Approximately 31% of individuals with COPD and 26% of individuals with head and neck cancer were current cigarette smokers, resulting in 29% of the combined sample currently smoking cigarettes. A logistic regression found that marital status, alcohol use, and depression predicted smoking status. The smoking history, problem solving, and anger variables did not predict smoking status. In the final model, approximately 25% of the variance was accounted for. A response operating characteristics analysis yielded a model with 71% sensitivity, 68% specificity, and an overall classification rate of 70%. The results suggest that for individuals who are diagnosed with either head and neck cancer or COPD, and who report some distress, psychosocial treatment that addresses alcohol use and that is geared toward decreasing depression may help these individuals quit smoking.
Processing mechanics of alternate twist ply (ATP) yarn technology
Authors:   , Elkhamy Donia Said , Li Christopher Y. , Ko Frank K.
Published: July 2021

Ply yarns are important in many textile manufacturing processes and various applications. The primary process used for producing ply yarns is cabling. The speed of cabling is limited to about 35m/min. With the world's increasing demands of ply yarn supply, cabling is incompatible with today's demand activated manufacturing strategies. The Alternate Twist Ply (ATP) yarn technology is a relatively new process for producing ply yarns with improved productivity and flexibility. This technology involves self plying of twisted singles yarn to produce ply yarn. The ATP process can run more than ten times faster than cabling. To implement the ATP process to produce ply yarns there are major quality issues; uniform Twist Profile and yarn Twist Efficiency. The goal of this thesis is to improve these issues through process modeling based on understanding the physics and processing mechanics of the ATP yarn system. In our study we determine the main parameters that control the yarn twist profile. Process modeling of the yarn twist across different process zones was done. A computational model was designed to predict the process parameters required to achieve a square wave twist profile. Twist efficiency, a measure of yarn torsional stability and bulk, is determined by the ratio of ply yarn twist to singles yarn twist. Response Surface Methodology was used to develop the processing window that can reproduce ATP yarns with high twist efficiency. Equilibrium conditions of tensions and torques acting on the yarns at the self ply point were analyzed and determined the pathway for achieving higher twist efficiency. Mechanistic modeling relating equilibrium conditions to the twist efficiency was developed. A static tester was designed to zoom into the self ply zone of the ATP yarn. A computer controlled, prototypic ATP machine was constructed and confirmed the mechanistic model results. Optimum parameters achieving maximum twist efficiency were determined in this study. The successful results of this work have led to the filing of a US patent disclosing the method for producing ATP yarns with high yarn twist efficiency using a high convergence angle at the self ply point together with applying ply torque.
Design and preliminary characterization of the magnetically stabilized gliding arc discharge
Authors:   , Gangoli Shailesh Pradeep , Gutsol Alexander , Fridman Alexander A.
Published: July 2021

Supersonic combustion is characterized by high flow speeds and consequently, short residence times for ignition, flame stabilization and reaction completion. Hydrocarbon fuels that are of major interest due to their high density and endothermic decomposition properties have longer ignition and combustion times than that of hydrogen. Hence, there is a crucial need to dramatically shorten the ignition time and to enhance the combustion and flame stabilization. From the viewpoint of chemical kinetics, combustion is a chain process with two limiting reactions: chain-initiation and chain-continuation. Plasma as a source of free radicals and ions can significantly reduce the chain initiation time. The best plasma discharge system should generate non-equilibrium plasma with high concentration of active species and intermediate (better adjustable) temperature, high enough to support chain continuation reaction. The discharge that suits the above description is the Gliding arc (GA) plasma discharge. This unique discharge has relatively high plasma density (1012-1014 cm-3), power and operating pressure in comparison with other non-equilibrium discharges; higher electron temperature (> 1 eV), relatively low gas temperature (< 3000K) and good chemical selectivity in comparison with thermal discharges. The GA discharge however, can be very unstable for study purposes. Hence, we develop a novel gliding arc system that is driven and stabilized by a magnetic field. In this thesis, we discuss the design and preliminary characterization of the stabilized magnetic gliding arc (MGA) discharge. It is confirmed from our measurements and estimations that the MGA is a non-equilibrium GA discharge that can be coupled with a counter flow burner for ignition and combustion studies.