bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volumetric and growth changes induced by serial casting treatment of congenital clubfoot on tarsal bones
Authors:   , Philip Phitha , Siegler Sorin
Published: July 2021

Clinically identified as talipes equinovarus, clubfoot is a developmental deformity that is treated with the Ponseti method of casting and manipulation. While the success of this procedure in correcting the deformity is well documented, the method of correction is poorly understood. The spatial and temporal composition of the developing tarsal anlagen was first inspected to identify the properties that allow realignment and reshaping of the deformed anlagen. The volumetric changes over the course of treatment were then quantified to see if the Ponseti treatment affected the rate of growth of anlagen and ossific nuclei and the percent ossification of anlagen. The conventional view that the primary effect of the Ponseti treatment was to realign the tarsal anlagen and initiate subsequent changes in the shape of the anlagen was challenged by studying the immediate and overall shape changes introduced by manipulation and casting. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIRIS) was utilized to understand the spatial and temporal changes in the anlagen composition during the developmental process. The endochondral ossification progression was marked by an increase in the collagen levels in the deeper region, especially closer to the growing ossific nuclei. The orientation of these collagen fibrils stayed constant till the formation of the ossific nuclei and then the fibrils were randomly oriented to facilitate the transformation from cartilage to bone. The mineralization was also preceded by a decrease in proteoglycan levels. Collagen integrity increased with age and the increased synthesis of collagen was followed by constant formation of newer crosslinks. Three dimensional modeling of MRI images were used to study the effect of Ponseti treatment on the volume and shape of deformed clubfoot. Ponseti treatment affected the compositional changes by stimulating the growth of the deformed anlagen, especially talus, at a higher rate compared to normal anlagen. Volumetric analysis showed that the significantly different clubfoot and normal foot have more comparable volume by the end of treatment. Shape change analyses confirmed the immediate shape changes induced by casting, increased convexity of the wedged talar dome and calcaneus head, and the presence of residual deformity present at the end of treatment. However, over the course of treatment, the smaller and deformed anlagen grow and adapt to obtain the shape and volume that is close enough to the normal foot to mimic normal functionality.
Load Frequency Control in Shipboard Power Systems
Authors:   , Reji Uthara Mary , Miu Karen Nan
Published: July 2021

In order to ensure quality of power supply and safe operation of components in a power system, it is necessary to maintain the frequency of the system as close as possible to the nominal value. Load Frequency Control (LFC) aims to tackle these problems through governor control on prime movers of generating units. Due to the inherent differences between terrestrial and marine power systems, it is necessary to investigate LFC on shipboard power systems separately. This thesis proposes a controller designed to maintain the nominal frequency of a marine power system while achieving load sharing between units using participation factors. Proper modeling of the components that constitute the power system is necessary to capture the characteristics of the system with accuracy. Thus, mathematical models for various components for a DDG51 benchmark shipboard system are also presented in this work. A Simulink© based simulation platform for the benchmark system that incorporates the generator controls as well as the network is developed with a focus on LFC. Simulation results for various loading conditions, participation factors and location of generator units are provided to successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller and scope of the developed simulation platform. Results obtained using these tools can be used to obtain economic dispatch schedules, stable operating points etc. of the system which paves the way for proper management of a shipboard power system.
Assessing Grammar, Vocabulary, Syntactic Complexity and Pragmatics in Children With Autism Before and After STAR and TEACCH
Authors:   , Romano Sean Matthew , Nezu Christine M.
Published: July 2021

Language abilities can vary in children with autism. Standardized tests are typically used to determine language outcomes post intervention. These tests tend to be too broad to adequately evaluate language. Furthermore, natural language samples should be used when testing outcomes because they are more ecologically valid. This study collected natural language samples from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule as part of the Autism Instructional Methods Survey. Over eighteen thousand utterances from forty-four children were transcribed pre and post therapy. Grammar, vocabulary, syntactic complexity and pragmatic were assessed between two therapy methods and various fidelity levels. This study is unique in that there are currently no comparative intervention studies using natural language samples. This type of sensitive analysis provides us an understating of how different therapeutic methods contribute to generalizable linguistic skills in vocabulary, syntax, utterance length and pragmatics, and how these outcomes are affected by treatment fidelity.
Electrospinning Crosslinked Gelatin, Collagen, and Elastin Nanofibers for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors:   , Sutherland Bryan Patrick , Schauer Caroline L.
Published: July 2021

Over 1.3 million Americans are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, a disorder in which the immune system enzymatically degrades the bodys extracellular matrices (ECM). Collagen and elastin are important components in ECMs that interact to provide both structure and flexibility to cells. Using these naturally-derived polymers as tissue engineering scaffolds is advantageous due to their inherent biocompatibility. Processing these materials using electrospinning is a suitable method of producing an environment similar to natural ECM and allowing cells to grow and proliferate. However, using these materials as scaffolds requires the fibrous mats to be insoluble in order to retain their structure, avoid enzymatic degradation, and allow cells to grow in an aqueous environment. Chemical crosslinkers, such as divinylsulfone (DVS) epichlorohydrin (ECH), genipin (GEN), and hexamethylene-1,6- di(aminocarboxysulfonate) (HDACS), were utilized as a means to create a scaffolding material that wont dissolve in water. Gelatin, the hydrolyzed form of collagen, was also tested in the same manner as collagen in order to compare the effectiveness of the crosslinking between the polymer systems. Fibers of gelatin and collagen were electrospun in a 9:1 acetic acid:water solution and produced uniform cylindrical fibers with respective diameters of 12729 nm and 11629 nm. With the addition of crosslinking molecules to the system, it was seen that the fiber diameters increased as much as six times for gelatin, while collagen fibers only increased by up to one-half time. Solubility measurements showed that GEN was the most successful crosslinking molecule causing gelatin fibers to retain some fiber morphology after 72 h at pH 7. Collagen samples crosslinked with GEN remained intact, but completely filmed after 72 h at pH 7. It is likely due to the inaccessibility of some reaction sites caused by the fibril structure of the collagen molecule. This work enhances the future applications of crosslinked gelatin, collagen, and elastin nanofibers in the field of rheumatoid arthritis and other tissue engineering applications.
A Comparison of Chronotype on Indices of Executive Function and Impulsivity
Authors:   , Zamzow Jessica A. , Kloss Jacqueline D.
Published: July 2021

Judgment, decision-making, and planning are higher-order components of executive function that regulate behavior. Deficits in these cognitive processes can result in behavior that is deleterious to one's health and well-being. Recent research has found that evening types exhibit personality, lifestyle, and behavioral characteristics that reflect poor judgment, planning, and decision-making compared to morning- and intermediate-types. This study investigated impulsivity, planning, and decision-making abilities between chronotypes. This study included a total of 84 healthy young adults comprised of 14 morning-type, 39 intermediate-type, and 31 evening-type students at Drexel University. Evening-types reported significantly higher attentional impulsivity, compared to morning- and intermediate-types. Chronotypes did not significantly differ in motor, nonplanning impulsivity, or performance on neurocognitive measures. Higher trait impulsivity may contribute to a higher frequency of addictive and illegal substances, greater lifestyle irregularity, impulsive eating behaviors, and more conduct problems in evening types. Future research should utilize neurocognitive measures that are more sensitive to attentional impulsivity to detect behavioral differences between the groups.
Social Media and the Local Television News Audience
Authors:   , Maguire Ryan Joseph , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

Social media has transformed the relationship between the local TV news station and the viewer. Once a form of one-way communication, local TV news is now an interactive experience. Viewers now regularly use social media to communicate with the newsroom and share stories with their social networks. Positive interaction between the news outlet and the audience can result in engagement and other forms of social media sharing that boosts the station's visibility beyond its traditional viewing audience. In order to implement a successful social media strategy, news directors need to know what the audience wants and what they do not want from the experience of interacting with their local station on social media.
Globalization Strategies Utilized by Discovery Networks
Authors:   , Yang Jingyi , Tedesco Albert S.
Published: July 2021

China is an important market in the worldwide media industry due to its large potential audience and its recent openness to foreign media companies. Global media expansion has become a hot topic among foreign companies and local media businesses as well. This thesis examines the global media's institutional logic of programming and branding for local audiences using Discovery Communication Inc. as an example. Rather than data consolidation, the author will analyze how Discovery Communications Inc. developed this genre in China's three areas and built up its brand. In conclusion, the author highlights some new consequences of these findings for research in globalization theory and media economics.
Comparison of beliefs and attitudes toward internalizing disorders relative to externalizing disorders in children and adolescents
Authors:   , Crittenden Kia B. , Herbert James D.
Published: July 2021

Given the long history of the study of adult psychological problems, it is only recently that the focus of study has broadened to include child and adolescent psychopathology (Mash & Dozois, 1996). The roots of psychology date back to the times of the ancient Greeks and beyond, when the mythology and philosophies that have laid the foundation for modern psychology were forged (Kimble, 1996). Towards the close of the 19th century, psychology emerged as both an academic and scientific discipline with the opening of psychological laboratories in both Europe and the United States (Kimble, 1996). From its inception, psychology has primarily focused on adult subjects.
The Effects of a Brief Acceptance-based Behavior Therapy vs. Traditional Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety
Authors:   , Glassman Lisa Hayley , Forman Evan M. , Herbert James D.
Published: July 2021

Individuals with public speaking phobia experience fear and avoidance that can cause extreme distress, impaired speaking performance, and associated problems in psychosocial functioning. Most extant interventions for public speaking phobia focus on the reduction of anxiety and avoidance, but neglect performance. Additionally, very little is known about the relationship between verbal working memory and social performance under conditions of high anxiety. The current study compared the efficacy of two cognitive behavioral treatments, traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (tCBT) and acceptance-based behavior therapy (ABBT), in enhancing public speaking performance via coping with anxiety. Verbal working memory performance, as measured by the backwards digit span (BDS), was measured to explore the relationships between treatment type, anxiety, performance, and verbal working memory. We randomized 30 individuals with high public speaking anxiety to a 90-minute ABBT or tCBT intervention. As this pilot study was underpowered, results are examined in terms of effect sizes as well as statistical significance. Assessments took place at pre and post-intervention and included self-rated and objective anxiety measurements, a behavioral assessment, ABBT and tCBT process measures, and backwards digit span verbal working memory tests. In order to examine verbal working memory during different levels of anxiety and performance pressure, we gave each participant a backwards digit span task three times during each assessment: once under calm conditions, then again while experiencing anticipatory anxiety, and finally under conditions of acute social performance anxiety in front of an audience. Participants were asked to give a video-recorded speech in front of the audience at pre- and post-intervention to examine speech performance. Results indicated that all participants experienced a very large and statistically significant decrease in anxiety (both during the speech and BDS), as well as an improvement in speech performance vii regardless of intervention received. While not statistically significant, participants who received an acceptance-based intervention exhibited larger improvements in observer-rated speech performance at post-treatment in comparison to tCBT (F (1,21) = 1.91, p =.18, [eta][p]2 = .08) such that individuals in the ABBT condition exhibited a considerably greater improvement in observer-rated speech performance than those in the tCBT condition. There was no differential impact of treatment condition on subjective speech anxiety or working memory task performance. Potential mediators and moderators of treatment were also examined. Results provide support for a brief 90-minute intervention for public speaking anxiety, but more research is needed in a study with a larger sample to fully understand the relationship between ABBT strategies and improvements in behavioral performance.
Our Song
Authors:   , Hinman Meghan L. , Nolan Paul
Published: July 2021

This study explores music therapy with couples when one partner is medically hospitalized. Multiple sources have documented the deleterious effects that illness and the hospital experience can have on intimate relationships. Music therapy may be able to provide positive experiences, promoting intimacy and emotional openness, that can be diminished through the stress of illness and in-patient treatment. Through the analysis of literature and clinical case material, this study begins to explore the development of a method for music therapy with couples in an in-patient medical setting.
Onion-like Carbon for Electrochemical Capacitors
Authors:   , McDonough John K. , Gogotsi Yury
Published: July 2021

This thesis is designated to the study of onion-like carbon (OLC) for electrochemical energy storage. Its structure has been extensively studied and correlated with electrochemical characterization of the material for electrochemical capacitor applications. Synthesis of OLC at low temperatures (500 - 1100 °C) gave new insight into the transformation mechanism and kinetics, showing an intermediate step involving a disordered carbon phase as the nanodiamond is transformed into graphitic OLC. Analysis of OLC synthesized at higher temperatures (1300-1800 °C) was the first in depth study relating extensive physical characterization with electrochemical characterization. Electrochemical dilatometry investigated the expansion behavior of OLC electrodes upon charging and discharging. From this, a model is proposed detailing the structural behavior of OLC particles and clusters in a supercapacitor electrode. OLC was tested in aqueous, organic, and ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes. Strategies for increasing capacitance, such as altering the structure via chemical activation or by combining with a redox material, have been investigated. Chemical activation with KOH saw a 3-fold increase in capacitance, and maintained its high rate (high power) performance. The structure of activated OLC, and subsequent electrochemical performance, can be tuned by varying the activation temperature between 700-800 °C. Three different quinones were adsorbed on the surface of OLC that subsequently increased capacitance 10-fold. The desorption activation energy, derived from thermal analysis, saw a linear correlation with the quinone molecular size. The exohedral, non-porous structure of OLC makes it an ideal candidate for electrolyte diffusion studies. Three IL electrolytes of varying size were investigated with OLC electrodes. The use of impedance spectroscopy as a tool to measure ion diffusion of the IL electrolytes was confirmed. Micro-supercapacitor devices were tested using a eutectic mixture of ionic liquids and operated efficiently in a wide temperature range, -50 to 100 °C. OLC was used as an additive to conventional supercapacitor materials and showed improved performance when compared to carbon black as an additive, which is the industry standard.
A Polynomial Version of Meinardus' Theorem
Authors:   , Parry Daniel , Boyer Robert Paul
Published: July 2021

This dissertation develops and formalizes a polynomial variation of Meinardus' Theorem which is used to approximate a large class of polynomials generated by certain generating functions P(z; q) when z 2 D: Following the outline of the original Meinardus' Theorem, we begin by de ning assumptions by which we can approximate ln P(z; q) using the analytic properties of the Cahen-Mellin integral. We then apply a variant of the circle method which exploits the use of Farey series to prove our main results. The second part of the dissertation focuses on examples to which our theorem can be applied. We detail some examples of polynomial families to which can be approximated by our main theorem both of which are related to asymptotic enumeration of integer partitions.
Advanced Optimization and Statistical Methods in Portfolio Optimization and Supply Chain Management
Authors:   , Sağlam Ümit , Benson Hande Yurttan
Published: July 2021

This dissertation is on advanced mathematical programming with applications in portfolio optimization and supply chain management. Specifically, this research started with modeling and solving large and complex optimization problems with cone constraints and discrete variables, and then expanded to include problems with multiple decision perspectives and nonlinear behavior. The original work and its extensions are motivated by real world business problems. The first contribution of this dissertation, is to algorithmic work for mixed-integer second-order cone programming problems (MISOCPs), which is of new interest to the research community. This dissertation is among the first ones in the field and seeks to develop a robust and effective approach to solving these problems. There is a variety of important application areas of this class of problems ranging from network reliability to data mining, and from finance to operations management. This dissertation also contributes to three applications that require the solution of complex optimization problems. The first two applications arise in portfolio optimization, and the third application is from supply chain management. In our first study, we consider both single- and multi-period portfolio optimization problems based on the Markowitz (1952) mean/variance framework. We have also included transaction costs, conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) constraints, and diversification constraints to approach more realistic scenarios that an investor should take into account when he is constructing his portfolio. Our second work proposes the empirical validation of posing the portfolio selection problem as a Bayesian decision problem dependent on mean, variance and skewness of future returns by comparing it with traditional mean/variance efficient portfolios. The last work seeks supply chain coordination under multi-product batch production and truck shipment scheduling under different shipping policies. These works present a thorough study of the following research foci: modeling and solution of large and complex optimization problems, and their applications in supply chain management and portfolio optimization.
The Impact of Multiple Mentoring Relationships on Attrition in the Ed.D. Program
Authors:   , Waddell-Terry Tarae , Ghosh Rajashi
Published: July 2021

Research suggests doctoral students leave their programs early due to the lack of mentoring relationships to support degree completion and success. Attrition across disciplines in Ph. D. programs is around 50%. Findings of studies on doctoral student experience solely focusing on Ph. D. programs suggest that mentoring relationships support degree completion. Ed. D. attrition rates and how mentoring contributes to degree completion is not widely studied. This qualitative-narrative study sought to explore how multiple mentoring relationships reduced attrition in an Ed. D. program. The research questions addressed include the following: How do multiple mentoring relationships support success in the Ed. D. program?, How do multiple mentoring relationships impact doctoral student experience in the Ed. D. program?, How do multiple mentoring relationships promote social learning to support success in the Ed. D. program?, What role do multiple mentoring relationships play in psychosocial support to promote success in the Ed. D. program?, and What role do multiple mentoring relationships play in career support to promote success in the Ed. D. program? The conceptual framework for this study reflects the core areas within the literature that support successful degree completion. These core areas include the doctoral student's experience, adult learning, and mentoring. Study participants shared their experiences with mentors across their life domains (academic, personal, and professional) and the support (mechanisms) provided to promote progression and or completion of the program. The study found that participants successfully graduated, moved through coursework, completed the dissertation process, and advanced in their careers as a result of multiple mentoring relationships. Each relationship served a specific purpose in contributing to the participant's progression or degree completion. For instance, family members and friends supported participants with home duties, childcare, encouragement, and praise during their doctoral journey. Supervisors supported the participant's success both academically and professionally. Fellow doctoral students enhanced the learning experience by sharing different perspectives and providing academic and career advice/strategies. Faculty were critical to the academic and dissertation process as well as to scholarly development. Participants expressed the importance of having multiple mentoring relationships to support progression and completion in an Ed. D. program.
Evaluation of oxidative behavior of polyolefin geosynthetics utilizing accelerated aging tests based on temperature and pressure
Authors:   , Li Mengjia , Hsuan Yick Grace
Published: July 2021

Polyolefin geosynthetics are susceptible to oxidation, which eventually leads to the reduction in their engineering properties. In the application of polyolefin geosynthetics, a major issue is an estimate of the materials durability (i.e. service lifetime) under various aging conditions. Antioxidant packages are added to the polyolefin products to extend the induction time, during which antioxidants are gradually depleted and polymer oxidation reactions are prevented. In this PhD study, an improved laboratory accelerating aging method under elevated and high pressure environments was applied to evaluate the combined effect of temperature and pressure on the depletion of the antioxidants and the oxidation of polymers. Four types of commercial polyolefin geosynthetic materials selected for aging tests included HDPE geogrid, polypropylene woven and nonwoven geotextiles. A total of 33 different temperature/pressure aging conditions were used, with the incubation duration up to 24 months. The applied oven temperature ranged from 35oC to 105oC and the partial oxygen pressure ranged from 0.005 MPa to 6.3 MPa. Using the Oxidative Induction Time (OIT) test, the antioxidant depletion, which is correlated to the decrease of the OIT value, was found to follow apparent first-order decay. The OIT data also showed that, the antioxidant depletion rate increased with temperature according to the Arrhenius equation, while under constant temperatures, the rate increased exponentially with the partial pressure of oxygen. A modified Arrhenius model was developed to fit the antioxidant depletion rate as a function of temperature and pressure and to predict the antioxidant lifetime under various field conditions. This study has developed new temperature/pressure incubation aging test method with lifetime prediction models. Using this new technique, the antioxidant lifetime prediction results are close to regular temperature aging data while the aging duration can be reduced considerably. Using the enhanced aging pressure and temperature with this aging method plus a new analytical methodology utilizing time-temperature-superposition and time-pressure-superposition techniques, the post-antioxidant lifetime (Stage C) of the materials can also be predicted and so a total lifetime for different polyolefin geosynthetics can be evaluated quantitatively.
Effects of crude oil contamination on the reproduction of freshwater turtles
Authors:   , Bell Barbara Allen , Spotila James Robert
Published: July 2021

A large crude oil spill in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge impacted the reproduction of resident turtle populations. The goal of this group of studies was to determine the effect of crude oil exposure on female snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) fertility, reproductive output, and development of offspring. There was no significant difference in egg fertility between female snapping turtles exposed to oil or control turtles. However, female snapping turtles had significantly lower fertility of eggs in 2002 compared to 2000. There was no difference in reproductive output as measured by relative clutch mass (RCM) between exposure groups or years for snapping turtles or painted turtles. Embryonic death was greater and hatching success lower for snapping turtle clutches from oil exposed females compared to controls in 2000 but not 2002. Most snapping turtle embryos died early in development, and there were significantly more early deaths for oil exposed Chelydra than controls. Chrysemys had a greater incidence of embryonic deaths than Chelydra. Control painted turtles not only had a higher incidence of abnormality than control snapping turtles, but malformations were more severe in the former than the latter. Lethal deformities were dominant in both snapping turtle and painted turtle control embryos in 2000 but not 2002. Tail and shell abnormalities were most common in snapping turtles both years, while dwarfism and shell abnormalities were most common for painted turtles. Oil exposure exacerbated developmental problems in snapping turtles, causing increased incidence and severity of deformity in embryos. Both species exhibit high rates of embryonic and adult deformity in the refuge. Although the refuge offers many advantages to the resident turtle populations, background pollution places a developmental burden on the life history of these turtles that was exacerbated by exposure to crude oil.
Activation of the hippocampus during emotional learning
Authors:   , Bellace Matthew John , Williams J. Michael
Published: July 2021

The current study examined the role of the hippocampus in emotional memory encoding using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Previous studies suggested that the hippocampus plays a role in memory encoding, but consistent hippocampal activation remains elusive. There is intense clinical interest in using fMRI to evaluate memory functioning, especially in pre-surgical patients with intractable seizure disorder. Currently, these patients receive the intracarotid amytal test (IAT) to evaluate which hemisphere is more responsible for memory function. However, the IAT procedure is invasive and lacks reliability and consistency across treatment centers. An fMRI replacement for the IAT might well be a less invasive, more reliable alternative. The present study examined the activation patterns associated with words and pictures with high emotional tone and contrasted them with patterns associated with emotionally neutral stimuli. Twelve healthy participants (N= 12) were scanned while viewing the items and asked to try and remember them. Results revealed significant activation in the temporal and frontal lobes for emotional and neutral stimuli. Analysis of the temporal lobe showed greater in activation in the left hippocampus for emotional words and the right hippocampus for emotional pictures compared to neutral stimuli. The increased activation was consistent with our hypothesis that emotional pictures and words would produce greater activation than neutral pictures and words. A gender analysis revealed that females showed significant activation for emotional pictures and words, while males did not.
Effects of confinement and macromolecular crowding on protein stability and protein folding dynamics
Authors:   , Ping Guanghui , Yuan Jian-Min
Published: July 2021

In cells, proteins perform specific tasks in crowded and confined environments; these environments influence their stability and folding dynamics. To investigate these effects of confinement and macromolecular crowding on proteins based on statistical mechanical methods, we have carried out numerical simulations using minimalist models (2-Dimensional HP lattice, Monte Carlo, Brownian dynamics) and 3-Dimensional off-lattice polymer models. For the confinement effects, our results, based on heat capacity calculations, show that the folding temperature increases when box size decreases, indicating that the protein is stabilized. These results are consistent with the experimental observations obtained in Dr. Wei's group. We have also investigated the effects of confinement on the kinetics of refolding and unfolding as a function of temperature and box size. The unfolding time increases as box size shrinks, however, the folding time behaves in a more complicated way. To investigate the effects of macromolecular crowding, Brownian motions of crowders are included inside a virtual box with periodic boundary conditions. Besides temperature, the concentration of crowders and crowder size are also varied in our simulations. Simulated results indicate that folding temperature increases with the crowder concentration; the protein is thus stabilized by the presence of crowders. However, this increase is not as large as that observed in the case of confinement. Our dynamic studies show that both folding and unfolding times increase with the concentration of crowders in such a way that the equilibrium is shifted towards the folded state. Furthermore, our simulations show that the activation energy of unfolding remains approximately constant as the number of crowders increases. Based on the concept of depletion force we have also calculated the enhancement of the mechanical force required to unfold ubiquitin molecules in a solution of dextran, the crowding agent. We have employed a 3-D polymer model using the pivot algorithm to calculate the depletion zone and have applied the scaled particle theory for the osmotic pressure of the crowders. Our results are in reasonable agreement with recent measurements carried out in Dr. Yang's laboratory.
The bioenergetics and trophic ecology of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)
Authors:   , Wallace Bryan Patrick , Spotila James Robert
Published: July 2021

Leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, are critically endangered, long-lived migratory reptiles and are specialist predators for gelatinous prey. Their unique physiological and life history traits make quantification of their energetic requirements and understanding of their trophic ecology crucial to conservation of the species. Using doubly labeled water (DLW) on adult female leatherbacks I obtained the first field metabolic rates (FMRs; 0.20 - 0.74 W kg-1) and water turnover rates (16 - 30% Total Body Water d-1) for free-swimming marine turtles and combined these data with dive information from electronic archival tags to quantify the bioenergetics and diving activity of reproductive adult female leatherback turtles. Internesting leatherback dive durations were consistently shorter than aerobic dive limits calculated from my FMRs, indicating that internesting female leatherbacks spent relatively little energy while active at sea. Energy budget calculations using the FMRs indicated that resource limitation related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) might lengthen remigration intervals for eastern Pacific leatherbacks as compared to North Atlantic leatherbacks, thus decreasing the eastern Pacific population's reproductive success and increasing its exposure to risk of incidental fisheries mortality, resulting in plummeting eastern Pacific populations. Analyses of stable carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes ratios ([delta]13C and [delta]15N) of leatherback tissues from eastern Pacific and North Atlantic nesting populations revealed that while [delta]13C signatures were similar between North Atlantic (-19.4[per mille] ± 1.0[per mille]) and eastern Pacific leatherbacks (-19.1[per mille] ± 0.7[per mille]), reflecting the pelagic foraging strategy of the species, eastern Pacific leatherback [delta]15N signatures (15.4[per mille] ± 1.8[per mille]) was significantly enriched relative to North Atlantic leatherback [delta]15N signatures (9.8[per mille] ± 1.5[per mille]). This [delta]15N discrepancy reflects inter-basin differences in nitrogen cycling regimes and their influence on primary production being transferred through several trophic levels. Combination of FMRs and dive data described the relationship between physiology, environment, and activity, and energy budget calculations and stable isotope analyses demonstrated fundamental differences in marine habitats of eastern Pacific and North Atlantic leatherbacks. Integrated approaches to understanding how physiology, environment, and resource availability interact to constrain animal bioenergetics, and thus, life history can drastically strengthen the efficacy of global initiatives toward conservation of marine biodiversity.
Religion, spirituality, and psychological distress in cardiovascular disease
Authors:   , Wilkins Victoria Marie , Nezu Arthur M.
Published: July 2021

In recent years, mounting evidence has pointed to a relationship between religion, spirituality, and health. This has been especially notable in individuals with cardiovascular disease. While religion and spirituality have been studied in various ways with this disease group, a multidimensional approach to measuring religion and spirituality has yet to occur. This study implemented a multidimensional measure of religious and spiritual constructs with a sample of cardiac patients in a cross-sectional study of religion and spirituality, psychological distress risk factors, and health status. Results indicated significant associations between religious support and both depression and anxiety, as well as between organized religiousness and systolic blood pressure. Other religious/spiritual variables of religious preference, history, private religious practices, forgiveness, and commitment were implicated in the results, along with contrasts involving age, race, employment, and marital status. The results of this study lend support to previous research that has highlighted the significance of religious attendance and religious social support as indicators of better cardiovascular health.
Smooth 3D surface reconstruction from contours of biological data with MPU implicits
Authors:   , Braude Ilya , Breen David E.
Published: July 2021

With the enhancement of computer and imaging technology, increasing amounts of biological data are being generated. The data include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), and histological scans of objects. The goal of the work presented in this thesis is to accurately and efficiently reconstruct smooth 3D implicit surface models of the structures that are described by contours from biological cross-section data. Two methods are presented for performing contour reconstruction that use Multi-level Partition of Unity (MPU) implicit surfaces. A convenient method is proposed to estimate surface normals for contours so that implicit point set-based surface representations can be applied. First, a slice-based approach is discussed. In the slice-based approach, a distance field is generated for each contour slice using MPU implicits. The distance fields are stacked to produce a 3D volume, from which a 3D surface model is extracted. Second, a volume-based approach is presented. This approach treats the points on every contour as a single point set and constructs a smooth but accurate 3D surface. The techniques presented here are compared to several other reconstruction methods described in the literature. Further, the reconstruction process is shown to be effective at dealing with noise and to generally have sub-voxel accuracy with respect to the input data. The volume-based approach is also invariant under anisotropic sampling of the original data, producing accurate results even in the presence of missing slices.
Assessing mindfulness
Authors:   , Cardaciotto LeeAnn , Herbert James D.
Published: July 2021

Mindfulness, a construct that has its roots in Buddhism, has been examined over the past thirty years in different domains of mainstream psychology. Mindfulness has recently been incorporated into several innovative psychotherapies as a main component of treatment. However, there is no widely accepted definition of mindfulness in the field of clinical psychology, nor has the construct been sufficiently operationalized. Further, there is no measure to date that assesses the two key components of mindfulness, present-moment awareness and acceptance. The purpose of this study was to develop a bi-dimensional measure of mindfulness based on the two key constituents of the construct, present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance. The psychometric evidence supports a clear two-factor solution, indicating that the newly developed Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PHLMS) measures mindfulness and its key constituents, acceptance and awareness. Content validation by expert judges yielded high ratings of the representation of the components of mindfulness, good internal consistency was demonstrated in both clinical and nonclinical samples, and relationships with other constructs were largely as expected within the normative nonclinical samples. Although results from some of the clinical sample validation analyses were contrary to expectations, significant differences were found as predicted between the nonclinical and clinical samples. One noteworthy finding was that the awareness and acceptance subscales were not correlated with each other, suggesting that the potential role of these two constructs in mental health can be examined independently. Implications, study limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Ultimate ownership and corporate performance in Russia
Authors:   , Chernykh Lyudmila , Szewczyk Samuel Hideyo , Garner Jacqueline L.
Published: July 2021

This study investigates the distribution of ultimate control and ownership rights and their impact on corporate performance in a post-privatization economy with an institutionally weak market and extremely high private benefits of control. Russia provides a unique setting to examine ultimate ownership patterns and the effectiveness of the corporate control model based on state and private participation in the mixed-owned companies. The country's ownership structure is the evolving product of a multi-stage privatization that was followed by a series of severe battles for corporate control. It is characterized by extremely low transparency of owners' identities, complex control chains, and varying levels of state participation in privatized companies through direct and indirect stakes owned by federal and regional level authorities. The dissertation consists of the three closely related essays. The first essay is a survey of current theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence on the determinants of cross-country differences in ultimate ownership characteristics. I also examine the limited empirical evidence on ownership and control patterns in Russian corporate sector paying special attention to the country-specific institutional and regulatory environment. The second essay is the first empirical attempt to examine ultimate control and ownership structures in Russia. The study suggests several adjustments to the traditional methodology used to identify ultimate owners which would allow an assessment of ownership structures of extremely low transparency. My results reveal highly concentrated ownership, substantial holdings by non-transparent individuals who mask their identity under nominees and foreign offshore companies, and extensive indirect state participation in privatized companies through pyramids and "golden shares". In the third essay, I examine the performance implications of different types of state participation in Russian public companies. State control is modeled as a multi-dimensional variable. The empirical results suggest that performance gains occur when both state and private investors have substantial control rights in a company. This private/state investor coexistence works toward improving monitoring: the state restricts private investors from exercising excessive private benefits of control, while private investors inhibit the state from exercising excessive political and social benefits of control. The effect is robust to alternative model specifications and performance measures.
A study of Non-Newtonian viscosity and yield stress of blood in a scanning capillary-tube rheometer
Authors:   , Kim Sangho , Wootton David M. , Cho Young I.
Published: July 2021

The study of hemorheology has been of great interest in the fields of biomedical engineering and medical researches for many years. Although a number of researchers have investigated correlations between whole blood viscosity and arterial diseases, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, aging, and gender, the medical community has been slow in realizing the significance of the whole blood viscosity, which can be partly attributed to the lack of an uncomplicated and clinically practical rheometer. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the theoretical principles of a scanning capillary-tube rheometer used for measuring both the viscosity and yield stress of blood without any anticoagulant, to experimentally validate the scanning capillary-tube rheometer using disposable tube sets designed for daily clinical use in measuring whole blood viscosity, and to investigate the effect of non-Newtonian constitutive models on the blood rheology and flow patterns in the scanning capillary-tube rheometer. The present study introduced detailed mathematical procedures for data reduction in the scanning capillary-tube rheometer for both viscosity and yield-stress measurements of whole blood. Power-law, Casson, and Herschel-Bulkley models were examined as the constitutive models for blood in the study. Both Casson and Herschel-Bulkley models gave blood viscosity results which were in good agreement with each other as well as with the results obtained by a conventional rotating viscometer, whereas the power-law model seemed to produce inaccurate viscosities at low shear rates. The yield stress values obtained from the Casson and Herschel-Bulkley models for unadulterated human blood were measured to be 13.8 and 17.5 mPa, respectively. The two models showed some discrepancies in the yield-stress values. In the study, the wall shear stress was found to be almost independent of the constitutive model, whereas the size of the plug flow region in the capillary tube varies substantially with the selected model, altering the values of the wall shear rate at a given mean velocity. The model constants and the method of the shear stress calculation given in the study can be useful in the diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Essays on corruption and corporate finance
Authors:   , Kim Taek-yul (Ted) , Garner Jacqueline L. , Walkling Ralph A.
Published: July 2021

The essays in my dissertation investigate how political corruption affects business decisions made by firms. In the first essay (co-authored with Jacqueline Garner and Adam Yore), we study how do firms respond when operating within a corrupt environment. To answer this question, we analyzes the interaction between the degree of local political corruption, lobbying expenditures, corporate investment, the cost of capital, and firm value. Using a sample of almost 11,000 firm year observations over a 12 year time period, we provide evidence that firms operating in corrupt political environments spend greater dollars on lobbying which helps secure safer cash flows. Consistent with a securing safer returns argument, these lobbying-intensive firms have less volatile cash flows and stock returns. They also exhibit lower costs of equity and an overall lower weighted average cost of capital. However, these benefits come at a cost: lobbying firms are associated with a reduction in spending on traditional investment such as research and development and capital expenditures. Overall, our evidence suggests that the misallocation of resources by firms operating in corrupt environments results in lower firm value, as measured by Tobin's q. The second essay (co-authored with David Becher and Jacqueline Garner) examines the relationship between U.S. firms' local area corruption and their acquisition decisions during the period of 1997-2009. While previous studies have shown that the corruption in the target's local area affects the completion and premiums paid, we find that these results are significantly dependent on the corruption of the acquirer's local area as well. When targets and acquirers are both from a corrupt area, completion rates are higher, while premiums and target returns are lower. These findings are consistent with our familiarity and bargaining hypothesis. Yet, acquirer shareholders benefit overall. We also find that firms will employ lobbying activities to influence merger outcomes in their favor. Lobbying activities by targets result in fewer completed deals, while lobbying activities by acquirers increase the probability of completion. We also observe that lobbying activities by both parties are related to longer completion times, and acquirer lobbying results in higher premiums, suggesting that lobbying is used with hard to complete deals. These results are not explained by location or industry. The evidence suggests that acquirers which have dealt with corrupt environments previously are able to overcome the costs related to the target's corrupt environment.