bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aerosol evolution : explorations in DSMC and sectional techniques
Authors:   , Campbell Shawn A.
Published: April 2021

Understanding and improved modeling of aerosol evolution in nuclear reactor accidents is important in estimations of the nuclear source term as it is greatly affected by the formation and presence of aerosols in the reactor primary vessel and containment. Current numerical methods such as the widely used sectional technique used by MAEROS in MELCOR and CONTAIN have major inherent approximations which undermine their accuracy and versatility. In this work, the nature of some of the sectional approximations was explored for both single and multi-component aerosols as well as their influence on results. Efforts were then made towards improving the fidelity of the sectional technique to the particle physics by coupling it with a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. In addition to this, an alternative, mesh-free method for modeling a non-homogeneous aerosol with DSMC is presented which utilizes a clustering technique. The Partioning Around Medoids (PAM) technique associates particles according to a distance parameter and can be used in place of a mesh for associating neighboring particles for interaction. This cluster method and its application to DSMC are detailed and benchmarked.
The debt of heroism : an initial test of the legacy attained by social transaction (last) model
Authors:   , McCabe Simon Leigh
Published: April 2021

Rhetoric surrounding heroes suggests their contributions create a sense of indebtedness and that they deserve to be awarded a legacy for such contributions. Utilizing a novel theoretical framework, coined the legacy attainment by social transaction (LAST) model, the psychological reality of these claims are submitted to empirical scrutiny. The question concerning heroes' potential to elicit indebtedness and efforts to clear such debt are explored via three studies. Study 1 examines whether heroic contributions that are unrepaid result in greater tolerance of a transgression. Study 2 examines whether thinking about a hero and being led to feel indebted to them prompts repayment via a legacy, and whether such indebtedness has negative consequences for self-esteem and negative affect. Finally, Study 3 examines whether heroic contributions that are unrepaid promote a greater recall of information pertaining to the hero, potentially facilitating their legacy.
Application of real-time PCR for detection of antibiotic resistant pathogens and Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli
Authors:   , Singh Prashant
Published: April 2021

Salmonella and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are among the most important food pathogens. Increasing use of antibiotics for treatment and as a therapeutic agent on food animals has been proposed as a reason for the emergence of multiple drug resistant (MDR) strains of food pathogens. In this study real-time PCR methods were developed for the detection antibiotic resistant strains of Salmonella, extended-spectrum [beta]-lactam (ESBL) and carbapenem resistant pathogens. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) declared seven STEC serogroups O157, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145 as adulterants in ground beef and beef trims. Multiplex real-time PCR melt curve assays with IAC were standardized for the detection of seven STEC serogroups with their virulence genes and Salmonella. The assay was able to detect all STEC strains in 325 g of ground beef and beef trims spiked with 10 CFU.
The Homeric and Hesiodic conception of the universe
Authors:   , Ammerman J. W.
Published: April 2021

Abstract taken from the Introduction section of the thesis: The chief purpose of this paper is to give a full account of the Homeric and Hesiodic ideas of the different parts of the universe, the main sources of information being the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, the Theogony of Hesiod, the Homeric hymns, and Apollodorus.
Silage investigation
Authors:   , Darnell Albert Lark
Published: April 2021

Abstract derived from the Introduction and Literature sections of the thesis: Ensilage as defined by Webster is the material as it appears while being put into the silo. Immediately after the material is stored it begins to undergo physical, chemical and bacterial changes, that continue for about fourteen days, at which time the material is known as silage. Thus silage formation includes all the physical, chemical and bacterial changes which take place in the silo the first fourteen days after being filled. The soope of the investigation reported in this thesis may be considered as an attempt to answer silage processing and preservation questions by experimental methods.
The art of gardening in America : a discussion of American gardens past and present and the factors which influence their character
Authors:   , Hoberecht Lena Lee
Published: April 2021

Text from page 1: The art of gardening in America is largely the result of proper adaptation of distinctive styles originating in other countries which afford individually, the great variety of climate soil and contour found in the separate sections of the United States. To understand the art of gardening let us first ask, 'What is a garden?' The etymology of the word shows its meaning to be an enclosed space. It is in this connection that one usually thinks of the term, perhaps a picket-enclosed area containing only vegetables, the strictly utilitarian one. But garden, as the term is to be used will include all the area about the house which is developed to form a setting for the house. This may be only a few feet or many acres and within may be several gardens, using the narrower sense of the term, that is, there may be a rock garden, a water garden, and others; these too, will be treated.
The relation of the size of seed to the character of plant produced
Authors:   , Megee Clive Raymond
Published: April 2021

Text taken from pages 1 and 2 of this thesis: During the past fifty years a number of investigators have reported results on the relative value of heavy and light or large and small seed grain. Each investigator has devised a some what different method, altho all have worked with the same general point of view in mind. Montgomery (I9IO) has classified the various methods used at different Stations as follows--Methods of selecting seed. 1. Hand selection. 2. Machine selection. 3. Specific gravity selection. In this paper the literature has been divided into three groups--First, where equal numbers of large and small hand selected seed were grown in pots. Second, where equal numbers of large and small hand selected seed were sown in plats at the usual rate of seeding. Third. where separation was made by machine and the results compared with checks, or where no checks were used the large and small seed were compared.
Niche construction and the role of environment : towards a new logic of natural selection explanations
Authors:   , Chiu Lynn (Chien-Hui Chiu)
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] I argue that natural selection explanations are not necessarily externalist, i.e. they don't always cite features of the environment as explanans. In the first chapter, I argue against the Propensity Interpretation of Fitness, which attributes fitness to internal abilities of individuals in a common environment, the latter dictating the selection of the population. However, for some populations, individuals construct different internal/external boundaries, preventing an explanatory boundary between internal and external at the level of the population. In the second chapter, I argue that niche construction, the ability of organisms to construct their experienced environments, can be either constitutive of or alternative to natural selection. Both reject explanatory externalism, a core feature of Adaptationism. An example of the latter is Niche Construction Theory, which decomposes population and environment into distinct evolutionary causes: Niche construction is from population to environment, while natural selection is from environment to population. An example of the former is Dialectical Biology and Situated Adaptationism, which show that population and environment resist decomposition into internal and environmental evolutionary causes. In the last chapter, I demonstrate that general Darwinism in organization theory explicitly assumes externalism. When organizations actively construct their conditions, the debates assume that natural selection do not occur or is ineffective. My previous analyses can show that selection occurs even when the organizations are constructing their external conditions.
The role of heme oxygenase in metastatic melanoma tumorigenicity
Authors:   , Jasmer Kimberly J.
Published: April 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive, tumorigenic molecules. In response to ROS accumulation, or oxidative stress, the transcription factor Nrf2 promotes expression by binding antioxidant response elements (AREs) found in the promoter of target genes. Traditionally, Nrf2 has been considered inhibitory of cancer by promoting the expression of phase II detoxifying enzymes, drug transporters, anti-apoptotic proteins, and proteasomes, which facilitate the removal of ROS and promote cell survival. Recently, however, overexpression of Nrf2-target genes has been implicated in promoting several cancer hallmarks and facilitating cancer development. Significant focus has been given to the role of Keap1/Nrf2 as a sensor for oxidative stress. Much less attention has been paid to the role of Bach1, a transcriptional repressor that competes with Nrf2 for ARE binding. The best-characterized Bach1 target is Heme Oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). While heme oxygenase inhibits cancer by preventing ROS-induced damage, mounting evidence suggests that HMOX1 overexpression at later stages in cancer development may promote cancer progression. Heme oxygenase catalyzes the degradation of heme and has two isozymes. HMOX1 is inducible by heme and oxidative stress while HMOX2 is constitutively expressed. Stage IV metastatic melanoma has a median survival of only 6 to 10 months. Unfortunately, current therapeutic approaches provide limited benefit in overall survival, highlighting the need for the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Activating mutations in B-Raf are found in approximately 70% of malignant melanomas. Using an anchorage-independent melanosphere assay, which is indicative of the tumorigenicity of melanoma cells, we found that activation of B-Raf, but not N-Ras, is a driver of melanosphere formation. We provide evidence that derepression of Bach1 by treatment with cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPP) is sufficient for melanosphere formation, and that melanosphere formation induced by either CoPP treatment or B-Raf activation is dependent on heme oxygenase activity. Global transcriptome analysis revealed enrichment for genes involved in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions following either B-Raf activation or treatment with CoPP. We propose a mechanism by which heme oxygenase promotes melanosphere formation, and by extension, enhanced tumorigenicity, by modulating expression of genes involved in focal adhesion and ECM-receptor interactions. Heme oxygenase activity may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.
Short-term aerobic exercise training in type 2 diabetes
Authors:   , Kearney Monica L.
Published: April 2021

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a worldwide problem, and people with T2D have impaired postprandial glycemia (PPG). While current pharmaceutical therapies are targeted to reduce glycosylated hemoglobin and may not be effective in improving PPG, exercise is an effective treatment to enhance postprandial glycemic control in patients with T2D. As little as seven days of aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce PPG, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are not understood. Further, the assessment of PPG generally is done using a non-physiological glucose overload uncharacteristic of normal human feeding. Thus, the primary aims of this dissertation were: 1) to identify tissues contributing to changes in glycemic control after short-term exercise training and identify the systemic mechanisms by which exercise improves overall PPG in patients with T2D, and 2) to determine if a mixed meal tolerance test is a more valid tool for assessing improvements in glycemic control following exercise training than the standard oral glucose tolerance test in T2D. Our findings support that improved insulin sensitivity is an early adaptation of exercise training, but we did not see improvements in overall PPG in the sample studied. We also found that a mixed meal test is an effective alternative to the oral glucose tolerance test in assessing differences in PPG. Collectively, when viewed in the presence of the existing literature, these data suggest that while exercise training is ultimately known to enhance postprandial glycemic control, and testing this with a mixed meal test is a viable alternative to the current oral glucose tolerance test, subjects with T2D have variable responses and may not always see improvements in PPG following one week of aerobic exercise training.
Financial planning and household portfolio performance: evidence from the 1998-2013 survey of consumer finances
Authors:   , Lei Shan
Published: April 2021

This dissertation used datasets from the 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) to evaluate the effect of using financial planning services on households' portfolio performance. In this dissertation, portfolio performance was measured by portfolio Sharpe Ratio. Financial planning services were considered to be the professional services provided by lawyers, accountant and financial planners in this dissertation. After controlling other factors, the findings lend empirical support to the belief that financial planning service delivered by professionals benefit households in higher possibility of reaching better portfolio performance. This lends empirical support to claims that professional financial planning services provide value to clients. Implications for individual investors, financial planning professionals, and future research are discussed.
The impact of founders' personality traits on the performance of Chinese apparel new ventures
Authors:   , Zhao Li
Published: April 2021

The study investigated how founders' personality traits impact Chinese apparel new venture performance. An online survey was conducted using founders' personality traits, the quality of firm network relationships, perceived competitive advantages, and perceived Chinese apparel new venture performance scales. Grounded in Barney's (1991) resource-based view of the firm, the study findings were expected to provide further evidence of the importance of the relationship between founders' personality traits and the quality of a firm's network relationships and, in turn, the impact on Chinese apparel new venture success. The findings may help people who are interested in starting new ventures in the Chinese apparel industry manage external network relationships that are critical for new venture success. Furthermore, the research findings would improve academic understanding of the Chinese apparel industry. Supply chain partners could also utilize these findings to make appropriate strategies for improving relationships with Chinese apparel new ventures to cope with the critical business challenges of globalization and collaboration.
What would James Bond do? : signaling and precarious manhood
Authors:   , Winegard Benjamin
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] In five studies, we investigate the connection between precarious manhood, signaling, and the mate-choice behavior of men. Specifically, we propose that manhood (as a reputation or status) is a tenuous social construct. This because it signals value to a coalition of other men who vigilantly assess each other's traits. This vigilance compels men to continuously signal their social value to other men (to "prove" their manhood). There are sundry behaviors and objects that can be used as signals such as extreme risk taking or ownership of conspicuous luxury goods. We propose that a man's putative mate can serve as one such effective signal of his underlying value as a coalitional member and, therefore, men should flaunt attractive women to other men, especially when their masculinity is threatened. Gender threatened men should also prefer women who possess traits stereotypically desired by masculine men relative to nonthreatened men. Finally, men should alter their decisions based on the feedback of male conspecifics. We test these proposals in a series of five studies and find partial support for our theory of precarious manhood and signaling.
The relation of size, shape, and number of replications of plats to probable error in field experimentation
Authors:   , Day James Westbay
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Altho large numbers of experiments that attempt to measure small variations of characteristics in variety tests or slight differences resulting from unlike soil treatments or tillage operations are conducted each year, comparatively little attention has been given to the establishment of uniform methods that will reduce the error in such experiments. When we consider that the differences which the tests are expected to disclose are only too often smaller than the probable error of the methods used, the need for attention along this line becomes strikingly evident. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that even soils which possess apparent uniformity really vary a great deal. This variation is often so great as to cast doubt on a large portion of published field experiments when yield is primarily involved. The experimental error arising from soil variation is influenced by the size and shape of plats and by the number of replications. To determine the effect of these factors on experimental error is the purpose of this investigation.
Winter structure and development of apple buds
Authors:   , Dennis Leon Chapman
Published: April 2021

Text from page 2: Practical orchard experience shows that much can be done to regulate the fruitfulness of trees. It is apparent, therefore, that if the fruit grower wishes to understand the factors and influences which favor or oppose fruitfulness, he must have a thorough know1edge of all the stimu1i affecting fruit bud formation end be so familiar with the general appearance of the buds and with their structures that he can observe and understand the responses to these stimuli end use them as a guide to intelligent orchard management.
Non-enzymatic glycation modifies binding of fibronectin to arteriolar smooth muscle cells
Authors:   , Dhar Srijita
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.]
FAST kinase domain-containing protein 1 in mitochondrial function, cell death and cardiovascular disease
Authors:   , Marshall Kurt Daniel
Published: April 2021

Cell death occurs during myriad circumstances and varied physiological and pathological conditions. Identifying novel modulators of cell death pathways is crucial to understanding and controlling cell death. Therefore, we explored and identified Fasactivated serine/threonine phosphoprotein kinase domain-containing protein 1 (FASTKD1) as a novel modulator of cell death via its interaction with the known mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore sensitizer, Cyclophilin D (CypD). In Aim 1, data indicate that FASTKD1 protects cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. This protection is independent of the MPT pore, CypD and modulation of cellular antioxidant capacity. FASTKD1 is also shown to be a potent modulator of mitochondrial morphology. In Aim 2, we show that cardiac myocyte specific overexpression of FASTKD1 in vivo protects mice from myocardial infarction induced left ventricular free wall rupture. This protection is associated with modulation of inflammatory cell recruitment and extracellular matrix composition. Taken together, these data indicate that FASTKD1 presents a novel target for modulation of oxidative stress induced cell death and post-myocardial infarction healing.
Design and analysis of CPW-fed compact planar antennas for ultra wideband communication systems
Authors:   , Alsaif Haitham
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] In this research, three new designs of planar compact ultra-wideband (UWB) antennas have been studied, simulated, and experimentally measured. Their structures are not complicated in design, easy in fabrication with low cost. They are in different physical sizes and considered small compared to many recent published UWB antennas that have similar performance. The proposed antennas have ultra-wide bandwidth that cover the entire bandwidth allocated by FCC for such applications. They are made to be planar structure with a single layer in order to be easier in fabrication and for use in wireless devices and applications. The used feeding technique is coplanar wave-guide (CPW) in all of them due to the great advantages of this feeding methodology. Each design has certain more superiority over the others either in terms of operating frequency range, power gain, radiation pattern, or structure size. Although, all compact patch antennas demonstrate high performance results and are very suitable for ultra-wideband systems. Finally, since there are a variety of ultra-wideband applications with several characteristics requirements, the research is composed of three different sizes of compact planar single layers antennas. These antennas have similar or better performance than some other large size designs, which makes it suitable for very compact wireless gadgets. Thus, the ultra-wideband (UWB) systems designer will be able to select the most appropriate design for the application based on the antenna characterizes and size.
Some Fusaria found on the cowpea, watermelon and carnation
Authors:   , Johann Helen
Published: April 2021

Text from page 1: The economic importance of the Fusarium problem affords a sufficient reason for the study of this genus of fungi. Various wilts, rots and blights are caused by parasitic and saprophytic Fusaria. It is true that wilts may be caused by organisms other than Fusarium but the wilt diseases of the south are primarily a Fusarium problem.
Winter rations for dairy heifers
Authors:   , Wylie Charles Elmer
Published: April 2021

Text from introduction: The experiment stationre ports show that it costs $70 to raise a heifer to two years old, and that 70 percent of this cost is for feed. The greater portion of this c ost is for feed when the animals are not on pasture. This makes the winter ration the greatest item of cost in raising a dairy heifer to maturity. It is thus of much importance that these rations shall produce normal growth at a reasonable cost.
Algae for wastewater treatment and polishing : development of methodologies for algal growth and population analysis and process optimization of algal membrane bioreactor
Authors:   , Tang Tianyu
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The discharge of secondary wastewater effluent from wastewater treatment plants can lead to eutrophication in receiving water bodies due to the presence of nitrogen and phosphorus in the effluent. The research herein resulted in the development of an algal-based wastewater treatment system, which can provide efficient and cost effective wastewater treatment as well as the ability to recover nutrients in the form of algal biomass. Developing such rapid analytical methods to monitor algal activity and population dynamics and to understand the effects of system design and operation on algal performance is critical to improved wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery. This PhD thesis research presents new methods to monitor algal activity and population dynamics that can be applied for the design and operation of algal system, and to improve the algal productivity and nutrient removal capacity using a novel algal membrane bioreactor (A-MBR) technique and CO2 enrichment for high-density algae cultivation, wastewater polishing and nutrient recovery. This Ph.D. thesis research is: (1) to develop rapid and specific methods to monitor algal activity and population dynamics that can be applied for the design and operation of algal systems, (2) to improve the algal productivity and nutrient removal capacity using a novel algal membrane bioreactor (AMBR) technique, and (3) to evaluate the role of CO2 supply in high-density algae cultivation, wastewater polishing, and nutrient recovery.
Nuclear forensic applications of uranium oxide chemistry and morphology
Authors:   , Tamasi Alison Louise
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The entire nuclear fuel cycle is a chemistry-intensive process, from accessing the raw materials from ore, to enriching and forming the fuels, to the eventual long-term disposition or reprocessing of the spent fuel. This chemistry is vital to nuclear forensics, as the chemical history of a sample imbues it with unique signatures that should provide insight into the processing and conversion a sample has undergone. Of course, now that many countries have had nuclear programs for decades, it is appropriate to question the stability of these chemical signatures. This necessitates the assessment of what new chemical and morphological signatures are introduced by the aging in bulk uranium oxide samples, and whether those signatures can be used to elucidate the conditions under which the materials were stored. This thesis is concerned with the analysis of uranium oxide samples: both high-purity UO2, alpha-U3O8, and alpha-UO3 samples, and several legacy U3O8 and UO3 samples. The samples were aged over several years in chambers designed to control temperature and relative humidity. There are two primary focuses for analysis of these aged uranium oxides -- the first is the identification of chemical signatures using powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, and the second is the identification of morphological signatures contained in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images using a standardized lexicon for consistent textural analysis. LA-UR-15-26762.
Bayesian analysis of fMRI data and RNA-Seq time course experiment data
Authors:   , Cheng Yuan
Published: April 2021

The present dissertation contains two parts. In the first part, we develop a new Bayesian analysis of functional MRI data. We propose a novel triple gamma Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) including the component to describe the initial dip. We use HRF to inform voxel-wise neuronal activities. Then we devise a new model selection procedure with a nonlocal pMOM prior for joint detection of neuronal activation and estimation of HRF, in order to time the activation time difference between visual and motor areas in the brain. In the second part, we develop a new Bayesian analysis of RNA-Seq Time Course experiments data. We propose to use Bayesian Principal Component regression model and based on that, devise a model selection procedure by using nonlocal piMOM prior in order to identify differentially expressed genes. Most current existing methods for RNA-Seq Time Course experiments data are from static view of point and cannot predict temporal patterns. Our method estimate the posterior differentially expressed probability for each gene by borrowing information across all subjects. Use of nonlocal prior in the model selection procedure reduces false discovered differentially expressed genes.
Reducing energy waste in centrifugal pump systems through the implementation of BEP optimized pressure and flow control
Authors:   , Corlman Shane
Published: April 2021

There currently exists a gap in the technology surrounding centrifugal pumps. When looking at modern literature regarding the application of centrifugal pump systems, the existing methods for control are throttle and speed control. Herein is described a new method, one which uses both throttle and speed control simultaneously to allow for the ability to precisely regulate pressure and flow for an entire system. Variable speed pumping, when combined with a control valve allows for control techniques which have the goal of optimizing the efficiency of the pump instead of just controlling flowrate. Developing a variable speed characterization and finding the best efficiency curve of a pump gives all the necessary tools to create a "dual controller" to operate a pump in the region of greatest reliability, always. Experiments show that neither fixed speed operation nor variable speed operation without a control valve can accurately maintain operation at the best efficiency point of the pump. Therefore, a novel control system using both a variable speed pump and a control valve is proposed to replace individual throttle and speed control. The proposed system, when used with the best efficiency curve as the operational target, maintains the best efficiency point for any flow requirement within the applicable range of the pump. Additionally, experiments have shown that energy savings from the proposed control scheme can exceed 60% -- a savings which no fixed speed system can match. Dual control with a variable speed drive and control valve can reduce energy consumption and increase pump life and reliability when compared to throttle control or speed control alone by reducing the amount of time that the pump is operating away from its best efficiency point. Similarly, it provides the tools needed to produce any performance that an operator desires, whatever the application may be.
Contribution of AT1R mechanoactivation to the arterial myogenic response and its regulation by RGS5 protein in skeletal muscle arterioles
Authors:   , Hong Kwangseok
Published: April 2021

Although intracellular mechanisms underlying the arteriolar myogenic response have been well-defined, the mechanotransduction events transducing the mechanical stimulus remain unclear. Recently, ligand-independent activation of G protein-coupled receptors (in particular, the angiotensin II type 1 receptor; AT1R) has been suggested to play a major role in vascular smooth muscle mechanotransduction, thereby contributing to myogenic constriction. However, the downstream pathways following ligand-independent activation of the AT1R have not been clearly elucidated. Our studies provide pharmacological evidence that the mechanically activated AT1R generates diacylglycerol which in turn activates PKC that subsequently induces actin cytoskeleton reorganization for myogenic constriction. In terms of physiological roles, the arterial myogenic response acts to generate vascular tone, prevent capillaries from being damaged, and reduce edema due to high capillary hydrostatic pressure. Thus, an exaggerated AT1R-mediated myogenic constriction could conceivably contribute to vascular disorders. As a result, small arteries likely exhibit negative feedback regulatory mechanisms to prevent such an exaggerated myogenic response. In regard to this, we discovered that ligand-dependent or-independent activation of the AT1R causes trafficking of an important regulatory molecule, RGS5 (Regulators of G protein Signaling) protein, which may modulate Ang II or myogenic-mediated constriction by terminating Gq/11 protein-dependent signaling.
Campus en-counter : counter narratives of the persistence of black males at a PWI
Authors:   , McElderry Jonathan A.
Published: April 2021

Given the low retention and completion rates, research on Black men typically focuses on the problems or barriers they face, even when successful. Rather than focusing on the problems Black men are experiencing, it is important that scholars give attention to those Black men who are succeeding to create a counter narrative to the stereotypical misandry of Black men in our society. These counter narratives remind us that Black men can and do succeed, which is a truth not often heard. The current research identifies concepts in this literature that serve as hermeneutics to examine counter narratives of student departure. The theoretical frameworks used throughout this study are theories of masculinity and Tinto's (1993) theory of student departure, which were used to examine the experiences of Black, male, third and fourth year undergraduate students who entered college without declaring a major and have persisted at a large, public, predominately White institution in the Midwest (The University of Missouri or Mizzou). Seven students were recruited through purposeful sampling and participated in a three interview sequence model (Seidman, 1998). From this, five overarching themes developed. (1) Peer pressure, external influences, and institutional support; (2) Finding an academic path; (3) Black Mizzou; and (4) Establishing identity. Within the context of the study, a conclusion, recommendations for research, and implications for practice were discussed.
A novel and dynamic prediction engine for practicing precision medicine to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Authors:   , Mosa Abu Saleh Mohammad
Published: April 2021

Cancer remains the second major cause of death in the United States over the last decade. Chemotherapy is a core component of nearly every cancer treatment plan. Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) are the two most dreadful and unpleasant side-effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients. The consequences of CINV include: (1) impaired life quality, (2) poor social life, (3) burden on economy due to loss of workdays, (4) increased healthcare cost, and (5) denial of chemotherapy due to unendurable CINV. There are three clinical guidelines (ASCO, NCCN, and MASCC/ESMO) for the management of CINV. Several patient-specific factors affect the risk of CINV. However, none of the guidelines consider those factors. Not all of patients have the similar emetic risk of CINV. Despite the improvements in CINV management, as many as two-thirds of chemotherapy patients still experience some degree of CINV. As a result, physicians use their personal experiences for CINV treatment, which leads to inconsistent managements of CINV. The overall objective of this study is to improve the prevention of CINV using precise, personalized and evidence-based antiemetic treatment before chemotherapy. Physicians receive feedback about CINV risks of patients from a CINV decision support system based on patient-specific factors. This objective was achieved by accomplishing clinical innovations through the discovery of combined relationships of various patient-specific factors for causing CINV, and informatics innovations through the development of a novel, precise and dynamic prediction engine for practicing precision and personalized medicine in CINV prevention. The approach presented in this dissertation can be applied to any other clinical predictions.
Accessing axis : exploring design coginition from visual and haptic experiences as an apparel designer in digital 3d imaging using 3d printing technology
Authors:   , Sun Lushan
Published: April 2021

Despite the rise of 3D printing technology in recent years, the novel technology has not yet heavily expanded to the realm of textile and apparel design. Although 3D printed design explorations have been unique and successful, the information shared only pertains to unique garment silhouettes or materials applied as oppose the insights into the specific 3D CAD process, which is the core of such digital fabrication methods. Following the Mutual Shaping of Technology framework, this study zoomed in on the ways for traditional apparel designers transition into the digital 3D modeling process from the visual and haptic cognitive aspects. This investigation involved a focus group study with 10 participants who are 3D CAD practitioners with hands-on object making backgrounds. The group study outcomes further contributed to the strategy that was then utilized in an independent case study involving studio practice and the development of a 3D printed wearable garment. The results from this exploratory study suggest that the transition from hands-on to digital modeling is a rather challenging process and relies heavily on tacit knowledge and the combination of object and spatial visualization skills interpreted in the forms of visual and haptic memory in order to develop an efficient workflow in the digital design process. The findings of this study are of great value in understanding the cognitive nature of the apparel designer's virtual design process in order to reflect on the current design curriculum. This study also is of importance to the future 3D CAD program interface design for both apparel and non-apparel design practice.
Quorum sensing in soft-rotting Erwinia carotovora
Authors:   , Hasegawa Hiroaki
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The soft-rotting E. carotovora subspecies (ssp.) produces effectors and an array ofextra cellular enzymes, including pectate lyase (Pel), polygalacturonase (Peh), cellulase (Cell) and protease (Prt) that are known or predicted to function as virulence and pathogenicity factors. The production of these exoproteins is activated by quorum sensing (QS)signal, N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL). At elevated temperatures, however, a majority of E. c. ssp. atroseptica (Eca), betavasculorum (Ecb) and carotovora (Ecc) strains produce much reduced amounts of AHL as well as those exoproteins, and activate the production of a global negative regulator, RsmA (Rsm = regulator of secondarymetabolites). Ecc strain EC153 is an exception in that it produces higher levels of exproteins as well as AHL at 34.5[degree sign]C than at 28[degree sign]C. Temperature-dependent production of virrulence factors by these strains correlates with overall metabolic activities and stabilities of ahlI (the gene for AHL synthase), pel-1 and peh-1 transcripts. EC153 also causes extensive maceration of celery and Chinese cabbage petioles at 34.5[degree sign]C, which contrasts with limited tissue maceration by Ecc strain Ecc71 at this temperature. Thus, overall metabolic activity, higher levels of AHL and greater mRNA stability of virulence activates transcription of rsmA. This activation of rsmA is prevented by AHL. Consequently, in the presence of AHL RsmA production occurs at a low level, triggering the production of virulence factors. These findings for the first time document regulation of an RNA-binding protien by ExpR and AHL, link quorum sensing system via posttransciptional regulation, and explain the basis for the pleiotropic effects of AHL in Ecc. This study also reports the existence of two classes of strains based on structural and functional characteristics of ExpR and AhlI in Erwinia carotovora subspecies. While class I strains produce 3-oxooctanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C8-HL) as the major AHL analog and 3-oxohexanoyl homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HL) as a minor component, the members of class II strains produce 3-oxo-C6-HL as the major analog. It has also been found that AHL synthase is responsible for biosynthetic specificity. ExpR species do not discriminate between rsmA genes of strains belonging to the two classes. However, specificity is conferred by AHL analogs in that 3-oxo-C8-HL neutralizes the actions of class II ExpRs whereas 3-oxo-C6HL neutalizes class I ExpRs.
The effects of media framing of political conflicts on party identification and political participation
Authors:   , Song Hyun-Joo
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Prior research identified the logical chain from strategic coverage to cynicism to demobilization. Considering the fact that party identification anchors an individual's patterns of political behavior, and that political cynicism might be negative attitudes generalized from particular leaders or political groups to the political process as a whole, the present study postulated that party identification mediates the effect of conflict coverage on political participation. The results from an experiment conducted in the context of Korean politics were as expected. Strategic coverage engendered negative feelings toward political parties; issue coverage made party identification more polarized than before. Party identification change, in turn, had a significant impact on political participation. Strategic coverage depressed the intention of political participation while issue coverage facilitated political participation.
Experimental study of localization in sensor networks and design of adaptive localization algorithms
Authors:   , Ahmed Ahmed Abdol-Monem
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] We design an experimental framework to evaluate localization methods for sensor networks. We use this framework to evaluate three existing localization approaches: Ad-hoc Positioning System (APS), Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), and Semidefinite Programming (SDP). Using this evaluation, we study the effect of several factors that affect the performance of localization. Through experimental study of the three selected localization methods, we present one possible combination of APS and MDS into one relative localization method that we refer to as: Simple Hybrid Absolute Relative Positioning (SHARP). Our proposed method performs better than both APS and MDS if both the localization accuracy and the energy consumption are considered. We further investigate different approaches to design of localization methods that are adaptive to network properties. This adaptation can be at the network level or at the partition level. In both cases, off-line training is used to decide which localization methods perform the best under what network properties. In the first case, dynamic discovery of network properties is assumed. Then, the training results are used to decide which algorithm to use. In the second case, training is done on network partitions (maps). The network is divided into local maps, where each map is supposed to have different set of network properties. Every map runs its own localization method. Finally, local maps are merged to form a global map, and anchors are then used to estimate the absolute positions.
A geologic section along the north side of the Missouri River from Providence, Missouri to North Jefferson, Missouri
Authors:   , Griley Horace Longin
Published: April 2021

The purpose of the field work was, primarily, to collect sufficient data from measurements made at numerous points along the northside of the Missouri River to draw acourately, in a structure section, the contacts of the various rock formations exposed in the river bluffs. No detailed columnar sections were made but the characteristics and variations of the different formations were carefully noted, to be used in tracing the formations from place to place.
Art as an interpretation of history during the Hellenistic Age
Authors:   , Pritchard Bertha
Published: April 2021

In this work, I have not been concerned so much with the trivial events and facts of art in history, as I have desired to interpret in a broader sense the political and social condition of the age through the medium of its sculpture and its monuments. Art was always significant of the culture of races and peoples, but never more so than in the Hellenistic age. Every old and new center recorded unconsciously its deeds and thoughts in stone, or metal, and they survive, in part, to tell us the story.
Rural church survey of Boone County, Missouri
Authors:   , Melvin Bruce
Published: April 2021

This thesis is the report of a study made of the rural churches of Boone County, Missouri. The object of this study is to ascertain the status of these churches; whether they are declining or growing, and to determine as far as is possible the forces that are making for growth or decline.
Interior decoration for boys and girls in the public schools
Authors:   , Grigsby Lura Belle
Published: April 2021

In this thesis the writer has attempted to collect some material which might serve as suggestions for boys and girls in our public schools. The interior decoration is dealt with from the standpoint of young people and should be judged by their standards rather than from the adult view point.
The children in Shakespeare's plays
Authors:   , Moore Ethel
Published: April 2021

Text from page 1: In the study of Shakespeare's plays, the major characters have been considered almost exclusively; the minor characters have been largely neglected or ignored. Highly important among these minor characters are the children; and of them, either in their general dramatic function or in their relation to their sources, no systematic study has been made. It is the purpose of this thesis to indicate the several forms of dramatic function rendered, in the plays in which they appear, by the children in Shakespeare's plays, and to indicate, in terms especially of relative prominence and characterization, the relation of these children to their original representation.
Milk substitutes, powdered skimmilk for raising calves
Authors:   , Wing Leon Walton
Published: April 2021

Text from introduction: This thesis is a discussion, from the standpoint of our present knowledge of the fundamental principles of animal nutrition, of the possibility of raising calves on "milk substitutes". The experimental work, which consists of a trial of powdered skimmilk for calf raising, is to be the beginning of a systematic study of the question of raising the calves on those farms where whole milk is sold.
Becoming Christ Cathedral : the emergence, rise, and transformation of the crystal cathedral
Authors:   , Angne Sarah M.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The Crystal Cathedral was part of the Reformed Church of America, located in Southern California, started by Reverend Robert H. Schuller. This Protestant place of worship thrived for many years, however, after struggling financially, was sold to the Catholic Diocese of Orange and renamed Christ Cathedral. The key informants, those social actors in charge of defining and designing the Crystal Cathedral and Christ Cathedral, afforded a unique gaze of this fluid built form. They exposed details about place formation, how leaders made sense of design and worship in a transformational space, and how the sacred environment was shaped by context, events, and participant engagement. The findings of the case study, which used a ground theory level of analysis, revealed that the sacredness of the Christ Cathedral was a result of spatial, spiritual, and socio-cultural forces. The lens of this study concentrated on the social perspective of the spatial and spiritual realm, and revealed the story of a sociallyconstructed sacred space; a space hinged on the culture it served and made sacred by the human beings it acted for. As the social actors representing the Catholic Diocese designed their new sacred space, they embraced the impact of the former Protestant ministry and distinct architecture of the Crystal Cathedral, yet disclosed ways the space needed to change. The actors worked with thresholds to more clearly separate the sacred from the profane, incorporated places for rituals to occur, added deliberate symbolism via liturgical art, materials and lighting to directly corresponded to the Catholic faith. This new design enhanced the aesthetics of the space to frame the place as more "authentically Catholic" in order to afford ways participants could bridge across the physical space to the spiritual realm.
Properties of frames and relationships between them with emphasis on subframes and unconditional convergence
Authors:   , Bemrose Travis
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.]