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Title: An exploratory analysis of next of kin data in COVID-19 deaths
Creator: Rukat, Caitlin
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Objective: This thesis aims to: 1) conduct a formative evaluation of the next of kin (NOK) interview data collected during the Michigan COVID-19 Death Investigation (MiCOVDI);2) investigate the prevalence of proxy-reported health care discrimination experienced by those that died from COVID-19 in Michigan during March 3-July 26, 2020. Methods: Decedents were eligible for inclusion in the mortality review if COVID-19 was listed as an underlying or related cause of death on the death...
Show moreObjective: This thesis aims to: 1) conduct a formative evaluation of the next of kin (NOK) interview data collected during the Michigan COVID-19 Death Investigation (MiCOVDI);2) investigate the prevalence of proxy-reported health care discrimination experienced by those that died from COVID-19 in Michigan during March 3-July 26, 2020. Methods: Decedents were eligible for inclusion in the mortality review if COVID-19 was listed as an underlying or related cause of death on the death certificate. A stratified random sample of deaths was taken and NOK interviews were conducted via telephone. The completeness of the dataset was assessed to evaluate feasibility and validity. NOK-reported discrimination in decedent’s COVID-19 testing and care was described and compared by attributes of the decedent and NOK using univariate statistics. Qualitative interview responses were used to elaborate on the NOK’s understanding of the decedent’s experience. Results: The overall prevalence of NOK-reported health care discrimination experienced by the decedent was 28% with no strong associations with decedent or NOK attributes. The majority of reported discrimination was age- (20%) or comorbidity-based (27%). The prevalence estimates of situation-specific discrimination were: doctor’s office (2%), urgent care (12%), COVID-19 testing (13%), being hospitalized (14%), and at an emergency room (18%). The overall completeness of the MiCOVDI survey was 59%. Completeness did not differ by race. Conclusion: Mortality reviews shed light on systematic issues experienced by those that passed away from COVID-19 and may inform targets that improve health equity. Examining the completeness of these data can provide insight to improve future endeavors.
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Title: ENERGY TRENDS IN IRRIGATION : A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING LOCAL AND LARGE-SCALE ENERGY USE IN AGRICULTURE
Creator: McCarthy, Benjamin Michael
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Agricultural Intensification has presented various opportunities for study in the field of water use, crop trends and energy consumption. In the United States alone, 70% of water consumed is used for the agricultural sector. Whether sources from surface bodies or groundwater, the energy required to irrigate fields has changed over the last three decades. The advent of efficient irrigation systems has created new avenues for farmers to grow crops, through new planting practices, increased...
Show moreAgricultural Intensification has presented various opportunities for study in the field of water use, crop trends and energy consumption. In the United States alone, 70% of water consumed is used for the agricultural sector. Whether sources from surface bodies or groundwater, the energy required to irrigate fields has changed over the last three decades. The advent of efficient irrigation systems has created new avenues for farmers to grow crops, through new planting practices, increased water extractions and varied on-farm practices. In this thesis, I evaluate the impact that shifting technologies have had on the FEW nexus, with a strong emphasis on the Energy consumption from irrigation. In Chapter 1, I developed an energy model for Kansas, one of the states with the highest data availability for farm practices. I used a combination of state and federal datasets to estimate the impact of shifting irrigation technologies on energy consumption. The results of this study are then investigated by energy source and a life cycle assessment model is applied to understand the role of shifting energy sources on the agricultural system. For Chapter 2, I expanded my energy model to encompass the continental United States. I estimate county level aggregates of direct energy consumed for irrigation. The results are then leveraged by agricultural region, and the crop types are evaluated spatially. Understanding how energy consumption in the agricultural sector is distributed both spatially and temporally can become a key asset when determining how to improve water practices, which regions need further study, and develop spatial relationships.
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Title: INDIGENOUS MENTAL HEALTH : EXAMINING POPULATIONS IN TRIBAL AREAS AND NON-TRIBAL AREAS
Creator: Nash, Madeline
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: In this paper, I hypothesize that Indigenous populations in tribal areas fare better than those populations residing outside of tribal areas because of stronger social ties due to higher levels of integration and regulation. I review some of the studies that have been undertaken to measure mental health outcomes and suicide rates for the Indigenous populations in the US and Canada, paying close attention to the studies that describe differences between populations residing in tribal areas...
Show moreIn this paper, I hypothesize that Indigenous populations in tribal areas fare better than those populations residing outside of tribal areas because of stronger social ties due to higher levels of integration and regulation. I review some of the studies that have been undertaken to measure mental health outcomes and suicide rates for the Indigenous populations in the US and Canada, paying close attention to the studies that describe differences between populations residing in tribal areas compared to those who do not. I then use a panethnicity/race as a fundamental cause approach to explain why Indigenous populations have disparate mental health outcomes compared to the rest of the population, utilizing structural genocide to explain diminished integration and regulation. Pooling data from the National Drug Use and Health Survey (NSDUH), 2014-2017, I test this hypothesis controlling for sociodemographic variables. The results are mixed. On measures of serious psychological distress (SPD), my results are consistent with Park-Lees et al (2018). findings that there is no significant difference between these populations. However, there is a significant difference in serious thoughts of suicide. This contradicts Park-Lee et al. findings that though people residing in tribal areas had a lower rate than those who resided outside of tribal areas—the difference was not statistically significant using a T-test (2018). I found in my regression that after controlling for gender, age, marital status, education and income that living in tribal areas lowered one’s odd of having serious thought of suicide by over 30%.
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Title: Design and Evaluation of End Effectors and an Indoor Simulated Orchard Environment for Robotic Apple Harvesting
Creator: Dickinson, Nathan
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: A recently developed vacuum-based harvesting robot has shown promise in picking fruit from clusters, providing better access to tree canopies and minimizing fruit bruising. One of the main technical issues for this harvesting robot is the design of an end effector that can effectively grip the fruit for detachment. Field fruit picking studies using manual straight pull and twisting picking methods were first conducted for three varieties of apple. The critical pulling force and torque needed...
Show moreA recently developed vacuum-based harvesting robot has shown promise in picking fruit from clusters, providing better access to tree canopies and minimizing fruit bruising. One of the main technical issues for this harvesting robot is the design of an end effector that can effectively grip the fruit for detachment. Field fruit picking studies using manual straight pull and twisting picking methods were first conducted for three varieties of apple. The critical pulling force and torque needed to detach 95% of apples were determined to be 28.3 N and 0.257 N-m (equivalent suction force of 21.0 N for the current robot’s vacuum tube). Three new conformable silicone end effectors with different configurations (i.e., “Straight”, “Bellow”, and “Curved”) were designed and fabricated to provide more effective air sealing, and thus lower vacuum pressure for increased gripping force to effectively detach fruit compared to the robot’s original end effector. Laboratory and field picking performance studies with the harvesting robot showed that all three new end effectors performed significantly better than the original, non-conformable end effector. The straight end effector achieved 87% picking success rate; performing consistently better than the other two new end effectors based on multiple performance metrics, and hence should be used in further development of the robotic harvesting system. To enhance robotic harvest research, an indoor simulated orchard environment was constructed, which allows to mimic real fruit picking processes by using artificial trees embedded with specially designed tree branches and magnetic artificial stems for use with real fruit and a unique light system that can simulate different natural lighting conditions for different times of day.
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Title: HERD- LEVEL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIMICROBIAL USE IN THE DAIRY HERDS
Creator: Said, Fuaad
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The aim of this study was to identify variables associated with antimicrobial drug use for bovine mastitis. Intramammary tubes used for lactating cows, discarded by farm personnel, were collected in dedicated trash bins for 12 months on each of 104 herds (Michigan n = 49, Pennsylvania n = 55). Antimicrobial use was quantified using two metrics: arithmetic (number of discarded tubes) and defined daily dose (DDD) per 1,000 cow-days. Mastitis control practices, attitudes, and behaviors were also...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to identify variables associated with antimicrobial drug use for bovine mastitis. Intramammary tubes used for lactating cows, discarded by farm personnel, were collected in dedicated trash bins for 12 months on each of 104 herds (Michigan n = 49, Pennsylvania n = 55). Antimicrobial use was quantified using two metrics: arithmetic (number of discarded tubes) and defined daily dose (DDD) per 1,000 cow-days. Mastitis control practices, attitudes, and behaviors were also collected using a survey of herd owners and managers conducted during herd visits. Additionally, a human resources questionnaire survey about dairy producers/manager’s beliefs and practices regarding employee communications, training, and education was also collected for each herd. Across all herds, intramammary tube use based on arithmetic count was 4.43 tubes per1,000 cow-days and 3.52 per 1,000 cow-days based on DDD. A higher trend of antimicrobial use (5.22 tubes per 1,000 cow-days and DDD of 4.1 per 1,000 cow-days) was found in Pennsylvania than in Michigan (3.61 tubes per1000 cow-days and the DDD 2.91 per 1,000/ cow-days). Ranking of antimicrobial use showed that ceftiofur was the most frequently used antimicrobial in the study, followed by cephapirin, pirlimycin, amoxicillin, hetacillin, and cloxacillin. A majority of producers believed that they had sufficient knowledge of mastitis treatment and control, but only 23% of them had a written treatment protocol, and less than half of them (44%) reviewed animal health? History before treating infected cows. Moreover, 80% disagreed that culture of milk samples is needed to make mastitis treatment or management decisions. Multivariate models had similar results, regardless of the metric used to determine intramammary drug use; there was a positive correlation between drug use and the new subclinical mastitis rate (based on monthly DHI SCC testing) and the producer’s willingness to improve the image of the dairy products. Use of natural remedies for mastitis treatment was negatively correlated with intramammary drug use. Our results indicate that there continues to be a gap between producer practices and beliefs and best practices to reduce antimicrobial use on dairy farms. Also, intramammary drug use is highly associated with the dynamics of subclinical mastitis as measured in individual cows, and a herd average level.
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Title: EMERGENT COORDINATION : ADAPTATION, OPEN-ENDEDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE
Creator: Bao, Honglin
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Agent-based modeling is a widely used computational method for studying the micro-macro bridge issue by simulating the microscopic interactions and observing the macroscopic emergence. This thesis begins with the fundamental methodology of agent-based models: how agents are represented, how agents interact, and how the agent population is structured. Two vital topics, the evolution of cooperation and opinion dynamics are used to illustrate methodological innovation. For the first topic, we...
Show moreAgent-based modeling is a widely used computational method for studying the micro-macro bridge issue by simulating the microscopic interactions and observing the macroscopic emergence. This thesis begins with the fundamental methodology of agent-based models: how agents are represented, how agents interact, and how the agent population is structured. Two vital topics, the evolution of cooperation and opinion dynamics are used to illustrate methodological innovation. For the first topic, we study the equilibrium selection in a coordination game in multi-agent systems. In particular, we focus on the characteristics of agents (supervisors and subordinates versus representative agents), the interactions of agents (reinforcement learning in the games with fixed versus adaptive learning rates according to the supervision and time-varying versus supervision-guided exploration rates), the network of agents (single-layer versus multi-layer networks), and their impact on the emergent behaviors. Regarding the second topic, we examine how opinions evolve and spread in a cognitively heterogeneous agent population with sparse interactions and how the opinion dynamics co-evolve with the open-ended society's structural change. We then discuss the rich insights into collective intelligence in the two proposed models viewed from the interaction-based adaptation and open-ended network structure. We finally link collective emergent intelligence to diverse applications in the realm of computing and other scientific fields in a cross-multidisciplinary manner.
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Title: A MORAL PERSPECTIVE ON GUILT APPEALS : EXAMINING THE MORAL MATCHING EFFECT
Creator: Ye, Qijia
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: As a moral emotion, guilt can serve as a mechanism in social influence. However, literature showed that the effects of guilt appeals were mixed. This indicates that scholars scarcely understand the conditions under which guilt appeals work effectively. Drawing from Moral Foundation Theory (Graham et al., 2013), this study investigated the moderating role of moral foundations in guilt appeals. I argued that the match between the transgression focus of a guilt appeal and an endorsed moral...
Show moreAs a moral emotion, guilt can serve as a mechanism in social influence. However, literature showed that the effects of guilt appeals were mixed. This indicates that scholars scarcely understand the conditions under which guilt appeals work effectively. Drawing from Moral Foundation Theory (Graham et al., 2013), this study investigated the moderating role of moral foundations in guilt appeals. I argued that the match between the transgression focus of a guilt appeal and an endorsed moral foundation would increase the intensity of perceived guilt and reduce psychological reactance, thereby leading to a more positive attitude and stronger behavioral intention. A single factorial (care/harm guilt appeal vs. purity/degradation guilt appeal vs. liberty/oppression guilt appeal vs. control message) between-subject experiment was conducted to test the moral matching effect in the context of reducing children’s consumption of sugary drinks. Results showed that care-focused guilt appeal elicited more guilt and less psychological reactance than purity-focused and liberty-focused guilt appeals. More importantly, the purity foundation mitigated the negative effect of purity-focused guilt appeal on psychological reactance, particularly on anger. The explanations for the findings, theoretical and practical implications, limitations of the study, and future research directions were discussed.
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Title: EFFECT OF HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (hCG) POST-OVULATION ON TIME TO CONCEPTUS ATTACHMENT IN LACTATING DAIRY COWS
Creator: Da Mota Santos, Alisson
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Increasing progesterone (P4) during conceptus development is crucial for establishment of pregnancy in dairy cattle. We developed a robust technique to estimate d of conceptus attachment (CA) based on daily within-cow changes in concentrations of pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB; BioPRYN). Highest sensitivity and specificity were obtained with a 12.5% increase in addition to 2 consecutive d of continuous increases when predicting CA. We hypothesized that increasing serum P4 post-ovulation...
Show moreIncreasing progesterone (P4) during conceptus development is crucial for establishment of pregnancy in dairy cattle. We developed a robust technique to estimate d of conceptus attachment (CA) based on daily within-cow changes in concentrations of pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB; BioPRYN). Highest sensitivity and specificity were obtained with a 12.5% increase in addition to 2 consecutive d of continuous increases when predicting CA. We hypothesized that increasing serum P4 post-ovulation would favor embryonic development and reduce time to CA in lactating dairy cows. The first objective was to determine the effects of treatment with hCG on d2, d5, and d2 and 5 post-ovulation on luteal function and serum P4. Treatment with hCG on d 2 & 5 or on d 5 increased P4 by inducing accessory CL (aCL) and increasing the volume of existing CL. On d 2, hCG increased P4 on d 5 post-ovulation. The second objective was to investigate the effects of treatment with hCG on time to CA. Treatment on d 5 reduced the percentage of cows with CA and increased time to CA. Primiparous cows benefited from ipsilateral aCL against pregnancy loss before d 100 post-AI/ovulation. Delayed time to CA was associated with pregnancy losses before d 35. The highest quartile of P4 on d 5, but not on d 19 & 20, was associated with reduced time to CA. Our hypothesis was not confirmed. Yet, early serum P4, but not late, was associated with time to conceptus attachment in multiparous dairy cows. Our findings indicated that treatment with hCG post-ovulation was not financially advantageous as treatment on d 5 or aCL induced by treatment reduced annual herd profits compared to standard reproductive programs such as Double-Ovsynch and Ovsynch.
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Title: A PILOT STUDY OF WEB-BASED INFORMATION BOTTLENECK IDENTIFICATION IN AEC PROJECTS
Creator: Pandey, Nishchhal Nihal
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The success of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) project relies heavily on the effective communication and information exchange between project team members. A prominent reason for delays and progress shortcomings in AEC project teams is information bottlenecks, defined as missing project information bits which can be due to large influx of information or inadvertent withholding of information at a particular time. Information bottlenecks both in planning and execution...
Show moreThe success of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) project relies heavily on the effective communication and information exchange between project team members. A prominent reason for delays and progress shortcomings in AEC project teams is information bottlenecks, defined as missing project information bits which can be due to large influx of information or inadvertent withholding of information at a particular time. Information bottlenecks both in planning and execution phases of the project tend to cause schedule delays and cost overruns. Information and communication exchange patterns between project team members shed a light on the possible occurrence of information bottlenecks. Recent literature efforts have focused on use of software programming and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify which phases of project are prone to occurrence of bottlenecks. One of the roadblocks in implementing majority of bottleneck identification techniques in AEC projects is the difficulty in execution. Some of the metrics defined are too complex and require rigorous manual calculations. Given the complexity and feasibility difficulties of the present methodologies for identification of bottleneck, this study aims to contribute to the body of knowledge by providing an adaptable tool that aims to improve the accuracy and practicality for predicting bottlenecks. Therefore, the research question this research aims to answer is “Can the usability and adaptability of information bottleneck prediction in AEC projects be improved through a web-based tool?”Expanding on Lean Construction concepts, key performance indicators (KPIs), efficiency, quantification metrics are developed to study the trends of information shared between AEC project team members. The developed model is semi-automated and reads data by importing the Microsoft Excel sheet which has all the raw project documentation data. A Python code developed by the researcher is used to extract information from the excel, create a dashboard, and publish information bottleneck calculations through a web-based tool. Statistical inferences drawn from the model are then be used to identify occurrence of project bottlenecks. The web-based platform is designed to cater the specific information exchange trends in a typical project. Providing visual representations, and explanations further ease the understanding of the root issue. Finally, through two expert interviews, the web tool is revised, and final tool is presented, and future directions of work are discussed.
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Title: What’s Behind the Impact : A Case Study of a Chinese Photojournalist’s Environmental Reporting
Creator: Du, Weiting
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This thesis examines three environmental stories written and photographed by Chinese photojournalist Chen Jie and employs a critical qualitative analysis to research them and present their impact, including government actions and public engagement. Eventually, this thesis explores why these stories received a different response. This thesis is vital for understanding how environmental journalism gained impact in China, which is an under-researched topic. It examines and displays the selected...
Show moreThis thesis examines three environmental stories written and photographed by Chinese photojournalist Chen Jie and employs a critical qualitative analysis to research them and present their impact, including government actions and public engagement. Eventually, this thesis explores why these stories received a different response. This thesis is vital for understanding how environmental journalism gained impact in China, which is an under-researched topic. It examines and displays the selected stories and their different impact based on public information and an interview with Chen Jie. A set of assumptions that describes the context of environmental reporting in China was organized to situate this thesis’s arguments. Results suggest that the impact of an environmental photo story published during 2014-2015 in China is mainly influenced by four factors, the story and its publisher, public engagement, government engagement, and timing; the importance of the four factors ascends by order of precedence.
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Title: Evaluating the Impact of Weed Competition and Water Stress on Corn Hybrids with Differing Drought Tolerance
Creator: Rumler, Allyson Maureen
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Water stress and weed competition are critical stressors during corn (Zea mays L.) development. Genetic improvements in corn have resulted in hybrids with greater abiotic stress tolerance; however, drought remains problematic. Therefore, with the expected change in precipitation throughout the Great Lakes Region, field (2019-2020) and greenhouse studies (February-April 2020) were conducted in East Lansing, MI to: 1) evaluate weed competition and water stress impacts on drought tolerant (DT)...
Show moreWater stress and weed competition are critical stressors during corn (Zea mays L.) development. Genetic improvements in corn have resulted in hybrids with greater abiotic stress tolerance; however, drought remains problematic. Therefore, with the expected change in precipitation throughout the Great Lakes Region, field (2019-2020) and greenhouse studies (February-April 2020) were conducted in East Lansing, MI to: 1) evaluate weed competition and water stress impacts on drought tolerant (DT) corn hybrid performance and 2) assess water stress and weed competition impacts on weed community composition and corn hybrid performance. In the field study, weed densities were lower under reduced precipitation and the communities were more diverse. As weed density increased, there was no difference in the rate of yield loss between drought sensitive (DS) hybrid under ambient or reduced precipitation. In contrast, as weed density increased the rate of yield loss was 1.8 times greater for DT hybrid grown under ambient precipitation compared to DT hybrid grown under reduced precipitation. Furthermore, as weed density increased the rate of yield loss was 1.3 times greater for DS hybrid grown under ambient precipitation compared to DT hybrid grown under reduced precipitation. There was no difference in the rate of yield loss as weed competition increased between DT and DS hybrid grown under ambient precipitation and DT and DS hybrid grown under reduced precipitation. Results from the greenhouse study confirm field study results. Overall, results demonstrate that reduced precipitation and increasing weed pressure decreases corn yield and impacts weed species diversity and evenness. Ultimately, integrated weed management will need to adapt to these changes for continued success under future climate scenarios.
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Title: Need for Affiliation Under Threat in the Context of Horror Video Games
Creator: Kim, Joshua
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Research suggests that people favor playing violent video games cooperatively with others. However, little is known about the reason behind people’s desire to play cooperatively. Previous research has demonstrated that perceived threat to the avatar can increase the need for affiliation (Velez et al., unpublished data). The current study replicates and extends previous research by using a horror game, Phasmophobia. 559 American adults above 18 who have previous experience with video games...
Show moreResearch suggests that people favor playing violent video games cooperatively with others. However, little is known about the reason behind people’s desire to play cooperatively. Previous research has demonstrated that perceived threat to the avatar can increase the need for affiliation (Velez et al., unpublished data). The current study replicates and extends previous research by using a horror game, Phasmophobia. 559 American adults above 18 who have previous experience with video games were assigned to watch one of the four video clips of horror game play, taking the role of an avatar. The current research tested the hypothesis that direct violence to the avatar will result in higher level of threat relative to the avatar being in a threatening situation. The results suggest that perceived threat to the avatar increased participants’ need for affiliation. Also, participants who experienced direct violence to the avatar reported more threat than those whose avatars were in a threatening situation. Additionally, participants who thought their avatar was playing in a group reported higher levels of needs for affiliation. Finally, higher levels of need for affiliation increased participants’ desire to play video games with others but it did not predict an increased desire to play alone.
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Title: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF CHINESE SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSES TO TESLA’S SAFETY FAILURES : DO COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES LEAD TO REPUTATIONAL HARM?
Creator: Wang, Jiawei
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Social media has brought new challenges to multinational enterprises. Local users canpraise a product and possibly increase brand reputation, they can ask questions aboutreliability, or they can criticize a company and potentially harm reputation. Cultural differences may impact expected responses from companies, especially if they are dealing with safety failures of their products. Globally operating companies have to be aware of local norms in facing a crisis, especially if they come from...
Show moreSocial media has brought new challenges to multinational enterprises. Local users canpraise a product and possibly increase brand reputation, they can ask questions aboutreliability, or they can criticize a company and potentially harm reputation. Cultural differences may impact expected responses from companies, especially if they are dealing with safety failures of their products. Globally operating companies have to be aware of local norms in facing a crisis, especially if they come from different cultural backgrounds. This research explores social media reactions to one international company, Tesla, and their response to newsreported about productfailures. Using content analysis and purposeful sampling from China’s Sina Blog (similar to Twitter), comments and responses were gathered on the topic of Tesla’s security crisis for one month. The results show that despite initial negativity in social media response, in the long run, strategies such as ignoring and refusing to apologize may help the company restore some of the lost reputation.
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Title: EXPLORING THE EFFECT OF RELATIVE TIMING OF TARGET AND BACKGROUND WORDS ON SPEECH UNDERSTANDING WITH AND WITHOUT A BACKGROUND RHYTHMIC CONTEXT
Creator: Smith, Toni Marie
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Using the Coordinate Response Measure (CRM) paradigm, recognition of target speech in the presence of competing speech has been shown to depend upon both the rhythmic context of target and background speech and fundamental frequency differences between the target and background speakers (McAuley et al., 2021). In the present study, two experiments examined the effects of the relative timing of target and background key words and the presence or absence of a background rhythmic context on...
Show moreUsing the Coordinate Response Measure (CRM) paradigm, recognition of target speech in the presence of competing speech has been shown to depend upon both the rhythmic context of target and background speech and fundamental frequency differences between the target and background speakers (McAuley et al., 2021). In the present study, two experiments examined the effects of the relative timing of target and background key words and the presence or absence of a background rhythmic context on target key word recognition using the same male talker for both target and background sentences. Experiment 1 varied the onset asynchrony between target and background key words when background rhythmic context was removed (i.e., the background consisted only of the competing key words) and Experiment 2 manipulated the rhythm of background speech leading up to key words, but left the key words intact with an onset asynchrony of ±50ms. Experiment 1 revealed an asymmetric U-shaped performance curve where (1) target recognition improved with increasing deviation of background key words from the expected onset timing of target keywords, and (2) target key words were better recognized when they began prior to the onset of background key words, compared to when they began after. With the reintroduction of the background context in Experiment 2, performance was reduced to chance both when the background rhythm was intact and when it was altered to be rhythmically irregular, suggesting that listeners were unable to distinguish target and background sentences and could not develop expectations for target key word timing
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Title: DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TRAYS MADE OF POLYLACTIC ACID/ORANGE PEEL COMPOSITE BY DIRECT BLENDING AND MASTERBATCH PROCESSES FOR FOOD PACKAGING APPLICATIONS
Creator: Sawant, Pramit Pravin
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Oranges are a very high production crop that produce a significant amount of waste after juicing. Value can be added to this waste if it can be reused as filler to produce packaging. However, thermoformed trays, which are broadly used in food packaging, have not yet been produced using agricultural waste. The aim of the first part of the study was to develop and investigate the properties of trays containing orange peel powder (OPP) using industrial thermoforming processing. The processing...
Show moreOranges are a very high production crop that produce a significant amount of waste after juicing. Value can be added to this waste if it can be reused as filler to produce packaging. However, thermoformed trays, which are broadly used in food packaging, have not yet been produced using agricultural waste. The aim of the first part of the study was to develop and investigate the properties of trays containing orange peel powder (OPP) using industrial thermoforming processing. The processing conditions necessaries for PLA/OPP tray production were determined and under these conditions, up to 30 wt% OPP was successfully added to PLA for PLA/OPP tray production. Thus, the first part of the study shows that OPP up to 30 wt% can be used for commercial production of thermoformed trays, without compromising most of the properties compared to neat PLA trays, which would reduce agricultural and plastic waste. Masterbatch process (MB), which improves the performance and properties of the packaging materials, has not been evaluated yet on agricultural waste. The second part of the study was aimed at investigating the effect of masterbatch by developing and comparing (1) trays with increasing amount of OPP produced by MB and (2) trays with the same amount of OPP produced by MB and direct blending. Trays produced using MB had better distribution of OPP that improved processability, which allowed for 5% more OPP (35 wt%) to be used as plastic filler. Therefore, this study shows that the use of MB increased the amount of waste that can be added to the polymer matrix during tray production and improved the properties of the trays compared to direct blending.
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Title: DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSES TO POLYCOMB COMPLEX MUTATIONS AND PLANTING DENSITY IN HEXAPLOID WHEAT
Creator: Lopez, Selena
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) has undergone two hybridization events resulting in severe genetic bottlenecks, particularly in the D genome contributed by the diploid progenitor species, Aegilops tauschii. One method to regain this genetic diversity is through interspecific hybrids with diploid progenitors. This requires embryo rescues to recover progeny due to endosperm failure of the hybrids. Previous studies in Arabidopsis and rice have demonstrated that mutations in imprinted...
Show moreHexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) has undergone two hybridization events resulting in severe genetic bottlenecks, particularly in the D genome contributed by the diploid progenitor species, Aegilops tauschii. One method to regain this genetic diversity is through interspecific hybrids with diploid progenitors. This requires embryo rescues to recover progeny due to endosperm failure of the hybrids. Previous studies in Arabidopsis and rice have demonstrated that mutations in imprinted Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) genes medea (MEA), fertilization independent endosperm (FIE), and fertilization independent seed 2 (FIS2) can, or potentially can, restore endosperm function to interploidy hybrids. Homologs of MEA, FIE, and FIS2 were identified in the wheat A, B and D genomes. Pyramids of double and triple mutants were developed using a combination of Kompetative allele specific PCR (KASP) markers and amplicon sequencing. Single, double, and triple mutants at MEA, FIE, and FIS2 associated with the three subgenomes were hybridized with Ae. tauschii to identify mutant combinations that may restore endosperm function.The wheat breeding program at Michigan State University utilizes a modified bulk breeding method to rapidly advance populations from the F2 to F4 stage under greenhouse conditions. To determine the influence of planting density on yield components and plant architecture in greenhouse settings, two experiments were carried out using two spring and winter wheat. Experiments with both spring and winter wheat demonstrated that increased planting density reduces plant height, spikelets per spike, grain length and grain width.
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Title: IMPROVING GAS BARRIER PROPERTIES OF SUGARCANE-BASED LLDPE WITH CELLULOSE NANOCRYSTALS
Creator: Natarajan, Madhumitha
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This study was aimed at improving the gas barrier property of sugarcane-based LLDPE using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Specifically, this study evaluated the effect of testing methods (isostatic versus gravimetric) on CO2 permeability coefficient (PCO2) and/or O2 permeability coefficient (PO2) of various bio-PE grades with different densities (LLDPE, LDPE, and HDPE) as well as the effect of CNC content on crystallinity, tortuosity factor, and gas barrier properties of bio-LLDPE sheets and...
Show moreThis study was aimed at improving the gas barrier property of sugarcane-based LLDPE using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Specifically, this study evaluated the effect of testing methods (isostatic versus gravimetric) on CO2 permeability coefficient (PCO2) and/or O2 permeability coefficient (PO2) of various bio-PE grades with different densities (LLDPE, LDPE, and HDPE) as well as the effect of CNC content on crystallinity, tortuosity factor, and gas barrier properties of bio-LLDPE sheets and films. The isostatic and gravimetric methods yielded similar PCO2, irrespective of PE grade. However, the PCO2 negatively correlated with PE density. All nanocomposites showed considerable improvement in gas barrier irrespective of the CNC content. The PCO2 of LLDPE sheets decreased by 36% by adding 10 wt.% of CNCs into the sheet. Similarly, a significant decline in both PO2 (about 50%) and PCO2 (about 33%) of LLDPE films was obtained by adding 2.5 wt.% of CNCs into the films. Nevertheless, no correlation was established between gas permeability and percent crystallinity of LLDPE sheet since the PCO2 decreased almost linearly with increasing CNC content whereas the percent crystallinity of LLDPE increased only up to 2.5% CNC content and remained constant thereafter. In contrast, the tortuosity factors calculated from the diffusion coefficients increased almost linearly with CNC contents and correlated well with the gas permeability improvement in the bio-LLDPE-based nanocomposites. Consequently, the enhanced gas barrier in the nanocomposite was assigned to the tortuosity effect created by the impermeable cellulose nanocrystals rather than the changes in percent crystallinity.
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Title: ASSESSING THE USE OF GOAL SETTING AND FEEDBACK TO INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADULTS
Creator: Moorehouse, Amelia Grace
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of goal setting and feedback for increasing physical activity in a variety of populations. Increased physical activity is associated with health benefits such as weight management, improved muscle strength, cardiovascular health, and longevity. The present study aimed to replicate previous goal setting and feedback research to increase the weekly walking or running distance for six adults. This study also assessed the efficacy of the...
Show morePrevious research has demonstrated the efficacy of goal setting and feedback for increasing physical activity in a variety of populations. Increased physical activity is associated with health benefits such as weight management, improved muscle strength, cardiovascular health, and longevity. The present study aimed to replicate previous goal setting and feedback research to increase the weekly walking or running distance for six adults. This study also assessed the efficacy of the intervention for promoting maintenance of physical activity in a 3-month follow- up assessment. The participants in this study were six healthy adults recruited from a Midwest university and expressed interest in increasing their overall activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized a multiple baseline across participants design and revealed that all participants increased their mean weekly distance in the intervention phase following baseline. Furthermore, one participant maintained an increased weekly distance following the conclusion of the intervention. Implications and suggestions for future research are addressed.
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Title: THE USE OF EQUIVALENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION TO TEACH GRADUATE STUDENTS BEHAVIOR ANALYTIC TERMINOLOGY
Creator: Hemwall, Suzanne
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Individuals pursuing their Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) certification are expected to have an understanding of behavior analytic terminology. In the past 10 years, demand for BCBAs® has grown significantly (Deochand & Fuqua, 2016; Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2021). One way to teach individuals terminology is via equivalence-based instruction (EBI) and Match-to-Sample (MTS). The present study examined the use of EBI to teach six graduate students behavior analytic...
Show moreIndividuals pursuing their Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) certification are expected to have an understanding of behavior analytic terminology. In the past 10 years, demand for BCBAs® has grown significantly (Deochand & Fuqua, 2016; Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2021). One way to teach individuals terminology is via equivalence-based instruction (EBI) and Match-to-Sample (MTS). The present study examined the use of EBI to teach six graduate students behavior analytic terminology. Using a multiple probe across behaviors design replicated across participants, participants were taught 30 different behavior analytic terms, definitions, and examples via a MTS teaching procedure. Participants were then assessed on their performance of untaught relations in a MTS, or selection-based, format as well as a written intraverbal format. While emergent intraverbal responding was limited, all participants demonstrated emergent selection-based responding. The results of this study can inform instructors preparing individuals seeking their BCBA® certification. Keywords: Equivalence-based instruction, Match-to-Sample, conditional discrimination, selection-based responding, topography-based responding
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Title: EVOLUTION OF AEC PROJECT NETWORKS : AN AGENT-BASED MODELING APPROACH
Creator: Pidiha, Nishchay
Date: 2021
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: In Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, projects call for collaboration between different expertise areas. To improve collaboration and knowledge transfer between different stakeholders, an in-depth understanding of the communication network structure is crucial. While Social Network Analysis (SNA) shows promise in analyzing communication network structures, the AEC literature to date shows its use mainly in a cross-sectional manner. A recent longitudinal case study...
Show moreIn Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, projects call for collaboration between different expertise areas. To improve collaboration and knowledge transfer between different stakeholders, an in-depth understanding of the communication network structure is crucial. While Social Network Analysis (SNA) shows promise in analyzing communication network structures, the AEC literature to date shows its use mainly in a cross-sectional manner. A recent longitudinal case study shows that these networks are not static and can evolve overtime. However, due to fast-paced delivery of any AEC project, researchers often arrive at missing data, sometimes depriving them from concluding statistically significant results in a longitudinal study. Hence, there is a need for further investigating the evolution of AEC project teams network structures through a simulation that emulate certain aspects of a social network structure evolution over time.In response to this need, the study aims to explicate, how real-world size AEC project networks evolve over project delivery based on similarity of node characteristics (e.g., homophily) and node behaviors in networks (e.g., node’s popularity). To do so, the study adopted selection model, and simulated multiple agent-based models basing its initial condition on an empirical case study. The evolutions of the network structures were analyzed overtime. Finally, the study compared the results with recent similar works. Deliverables include an improved understanding of AEC project network structures and characteristics, and practical implications relating to team collaboration and coordination considering project characteristics such as team size, and complexity.
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