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Title: MONITORING AND MODELING ECOHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES IN VEGETATED WATERSHEDS
Creator: Pham, Leo Triet
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Ecohydrology links ecological and hydrological processes and considers interactions between water resources and ecosystems. Modeling tools are not only important for studying the mechanisms of ecological patterns and processes but also for assessing the effects of environmental change on hydrological and ecological processes, providing insights and solutions to issues in water management. This thesis explores various data-driven approaches to monitor and model these processes at 95 watersheds...
Show moreEcohydrology links ecological and hydrological processes and considers interactions between water resources and ecosystems. Modeling tools are not only important for studying the mechanisms of ecological patterns and processes but also for assessing the effects of environmental change on hydrological and ecological processes, providing insights and solutions to issues in water management. This thesis explores various data-driven approaches to monitor and model these processes at 95 watersheds in western USA using a combination of seasonal and annual climate, hydrometric, and remotely sensed vegetation data. In one analysis, we show that a trend in earlier peak in spring vegetation activity may be a linked to reduced runoff availability during drought years compared to non-drought years. We also provide evidence that increase drought severity is consistent with a decrease in runoff ratio in forested catchments through regression analysis, supporting the hypothesis that the relationship among water-balance components may shift during drought events. In another analysis, we show that the type and amount of vegetation coverage, among other catchment characteristics, can affect the accuracy of data-driven runoff models. These results suggest that a better understanding of the ecohydrologic processes and characteristics is vital to development of effective long-term strategies to improve the resilience of watersheds.
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Title: LIFE IS NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE : THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CLASS CUES ON RACE IN AN AFFECT MISATTRIBUTION PROCEDURE
Creator: Carrillo, Alejandro
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Indirect measures of racial bias, such as the Affect Misattribution Procedure, Evaluative Priming Task, and the Implicit Association Task, have been used to provide evidence of stereotypical associations and valenced evaluations towards different racial categories. However, a common limitation shared across these tasks is the tendency to use simplistic racial stimuli that do not capture or account for the multiple categories people may belong to. That is, it is unlikely that people are...
Show moreIndirect measures of racial bias, such as the Affect Misattribution Procedure, Evaluative Priming Task, and the Implicit Association Task, have been used to provide evidence of stereotypical associations and valenced evaluations towards different racial categories. However, a common limitation shared across these tasks is the tendency to use simplistic racial stimuli that do not capture or account for the multiple categories people may belong to. That is, it is unlikely that people are perceived and evaluated along a single feature (i.e., race) but rather at the intersections of multiple categories (i.e., race, age, attractiveness, social class, etc.). Social class, in particular, is a strongly evaluated category and has been shown to share stereotypic associations with race (Moore-Berg & Karpinski, 2019). Thus, this thesis investigated the effects of social class on racial evaluations in an AMP task. Social class was manipulated using occupational clothing in Study 1 and residential areas in Study 2, while race was limited to Black and White men. Across two studies, participants demonstrated a consistent, unexpected pro-Black bias. In addition, an effect of social class was only found in Study 2 such that high-class primes were associated with positive responses. Regarding social class, the results suggest that the manipulations chosen may play an important role in categorization; however, future research is needed to examine just how different class representations impact evaluation.
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Title: A STUDY OF MARGINALIZED NEWS PUBLICATION COMMENTERS AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF LGBTQIA+ NEWS FORUMS
Creator: Kim, Soojeong
Date: 2022
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The majority of news comment studies focus on elite news publications such as The New York Times. These studies typically arrive at one of two conclusions: (a) news comment forums are uncivil spaces and (b) White men dominate the conversation spaces on news websites. Yet we know little about how marginalized news commenters on alternative news publications’ online comment forums perceive news spaces and participate in them. Therefore, 22 commenters active in commenting on marginalized (i.e.,...
Show moreThe majority of news comment studies focus on elite news publications such as The New York Times. These studies typically arrive at one of two conclusions: (a) news comment forums are uncivil spaces and (b) White men dominate the conversation spaces on news websites. Yet we know little about how marginalized news commenters on alternative news publications’ online comment forums perceive news spaces and participate in them. Therefore, 22 commenters active in commenting on marginalized (i.e., LGBTQIA+) publications were interviewed to investigate news commenters’ perceptions and motivations. The Social Identity and Bounded Generalized Reciprocity theoretical frameworks suggest these news comment forums should be perceived as safer and more civil spaces due to their homogenous nature. Social Identity Theory suggests that commenters should behave in a more community-oriented way because of in-group favoritism, while Bounded Generalized suggests individuals’ commenting motivations might be driven by the reciprocal expectation that in-group members will positively reciprocate their comments and support their reputational standing. The interview results rooted in the SIT and BGR theoretical lenses provided support for those commenting motivations: (1) perceived similarity, (2) reciprocity, and (3) reputation acknowledgment, which led them to perceive that interactions are civil and safe on LGBTQIA+ news forums.
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Title: Using cover crops in wheat-corn rotations to provide forage while improving soil
Creator: Gerdes, Sabra Lynn
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "The time window after wheat harvest in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)- corn (Zea mays L.) rotation could be used to grow cover crops (CC) to provide forage while protecting soil from erosion. Field experiments were initiated in East Lansing, MI to determine the consequences of partial removal of CC biomass on soil improvement and crop yield and quality. Soft red winter wheat ('Hopewell' 03360336and 03360336'Red 03360336Dragon') was planted in October of 2013 and 2014 and harvested in July...
Show more"The time window after wheat harvest in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)- corn (Zea mays L.) rotation could be used to grow cover crops (CC) to provide forage while protecting soil from erosion. Field experiments were initiated in East Lansing, MI to determine the consequences of partial removal of CC biomass on soil improvement and crop yield and quality. Soft red winter wheat ('Hopewell' 03360336and 03360336'Red 03360336Dragon') was planted in October of 2013 and 2014 and harvested in July 2014 and 2015. Cover crops included: frost-seeded red clover, and summer-seeded alfalfa, cowpea, sunn hemp, radish, oat/field pea mixture, sudangrass, sorghum x sudangrass, and teffgrass. Half of each CC plot was mechanically harvested eight weeks after planting. Harvested forage dry matter yield was greatest for red clover (4.3 Mg ha-1 ); oat-pea mix (2.5 Mg ha-1 ), sudangrass/sudex (1.8 Mg ha-1 ) and radish (1.2 Mg ha-1 ) (P < 0.01) yielded less. Corn grain yield harvested in October averaged 13.7 Mg ha-1 and did not differ across CC species or forage harvest treatment (P > 0.05). Harvesting forage reduced total N removal (TNR) in subsequent corn for red clover only; harvesting forage did not affect TNR after any other CC (CC x harvest interaction, P < 0.05). In the harvested system, TNR did not differ (P > 0.05) between for any CC, but unharvested RCL (374 kg N ha-1 ) had greater (P < 0.01) TNR than oat-pea mix (338 kg N ha-1 ). There were no differences among treatments for soil permanganate oxidizable carbon POXC (P > 0.05). Harvesting cover crops for forage after winter wheat harvest in Michigan can give harvestable forage and acceptable nutritive value."--Page ii.
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Title: The peach industry of Georgia
Creator: McHatton, T. H. (Thomas Hubbard), 1883-1956
Date: 1921
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: Methods of testing mother beets for sugar content
Creator: Down, E. E.
Date: 1922
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: Effects of olfactory and auditory stimuli on locomotion of procambarus clarkii
Creator: Clements, Douglas
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This study addressed solutions for the population control of invasive Procambarus clarkii (Red Swamp Crayfish) in Michigan. The infestation was reported to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2015. P. clarkii outcompetes native species of crayfish, is highly fecund and causes bank erosion through burrowing. Intensive trapping allows slowing the spread of the population and detecting new spread, but the practice is costly. In this study, auditory stimuli were tested as a means of...
Show moreThis study addressed solutions for the population control of invasive Procambarus clarkii (Red Swamp Crayfish) in Michigan. The infestation was reported to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2015. P. clarkii outcompetes native species of crayfish, is highly fecund and causes bank erosion through burrowing. Intensive trapping allows slowing the spread of the population and detecting new spread, but the practice is costly. In this study, auditory stimuli were tested as a means of affecting a locomotive response in P. clarkii. These trials tested various pure tone sounds and pink and white noise ranges in artificial habitats. Following those results, a white noise frequency band was played underwater during the trapping season. The results indicated that a high frequency range of white noise (10-15 kHz) was most effective at eliciting a locomotory response. When used during the trapping season, a combination of sound and food bait performed at the highest capture per unit effort (CPUE), 0.820. Traps with only food and only sound performed at 0.644 and 0.675, respectively. Moreover, traps without sound or food bait performed at a high baseline CPUE of 0.487. Artificial refuge traps performed at a higher CPUE than other trap types, despite the lack of food bait. The results suggest that the benefits of refuge, sound, and food bait are additive. A novel trap design was created using the advantages of artificial refuge, food bait, and acoustic stimuli. The implications of this study span from the control of invasive species in the Great Lakes region to increasing profits of crayfish farming in the southern United States.
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Title: A social and biological evaluation of new zealand mudsnail invasion in michigan rivers
Creator: Tank, Samantha Nicole
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum; NZMS) are a small gastropod native to New Zealand and a documented worldwide invader. Michigan rivers are in the early phase of invasion, as NZMS were first detected in 2015 in the Pere Marquette River. In the early invasion process, information on likely vectors and the distribution of the species are critical to developing a well-informed management plan. My primary goals for this thesis were to address these informational needs. In order to...
Show moreNew Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum; NZMS) are a small gastropod native to New Zealand and a documented worldwide invader. Michigan rivers are in the early phase of invasion, as NZMS were first detected in 2015 in the Pere Marquette River. In the early invasion process, information on likely vectors and the distribution of the species are critical to developing a well-informed management plan. My primary goals for this thesis were to address these informational needs. In order to document the distribution of NZMS, I developed a sampling methodology and evaluated its effectiveness, as standard methods for lotic sampling NZMS have not been developed in the literature. I conducted a total of 227 surveys in 12 Michigan rivers between 2015 and 2018. Survey data were analyzed using an occupancy model, resulting in a per survey detectability exceeding 96%. NZMS were detected in 5 Michigan rivers: the Pere Marquette, Boardman, Manistee, Au Sable, and Pine rivers. I estimate that more than 65 river kilometers within the Pere Marquette, Boardman, and Pine rivers are infested. The distribution of NZMS suggests discrete transport events, and that the introduction into Michigan likely occurred well before the first reported detection of this species. The literature indicates that the wading gear of anglers is the main vector of transport within and between rivers. I surveyed 308 anglers fishing the Pere Marquette River in 2016-2017. Even though 52% of anglers were aware of NZMS, there was not a significant difference in wader cleaning behaviors between anglers aware or unaware of NZMS, indicating that outreach efforts need to focus beyond the awareness stage. As no in-stream method of treatment is presently available, angler engagement should be a focus of future management efforts.
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Title: EXAMINING POLITICAL RADICALIZATION USING SIGNIFICANCE QUEST THEORY (TERRORISM JUSTIFYING IDEOLOGY FRAMEWORK)
Creator: Pezeshki Rad, Pardis
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: ABSTRACTEXAMINING POLITICAL RADICALIZATION USING SIGNIFICANCE QUEST THEORY (TERRORISM JUSTIFYING IDEOLOGY FRAMEWORK)ByPardis Pezeshki RadOne framework of radicalization, called Significance Quest Theory (SQT), is based on assumptions that an individual’s quest for personal significance is the lead factor in promoting political radicalization. Under the framework of Significance Quest Theory (SQT), an individual is pushed towards political radicalization through three distinct means: needs,...
Show moreABSTRACTEXAMINING POLITICAL RADICALIZATION USING SIGNIFICANCE QUEST THEORY (TERRORISM JUSTIFYING IDEOLOGY FRAMEWORK)ByPardis Pezeshki RadOne framework of radicalization, called Significance Quest Theory (SQT), is based on assumptions that an individual’s quest for personal significance is the lead factor in promoting political radicalization. Under the framework of Significance Quest Theory (SQT), an individual is pushed towards political radicalization through three distinct means: needs, narratives, and networks. These factors have been found to increase terrorism involvement, yet quantitative studies are meager. This thesis represents needs, narratives and networks with locus of control, modernization, reliance on religious leaders, and religiosity to examine how these are related to political radicalization among a sample of youth. Using a secondary dataset of 928 youth from Egypt (Alexandria, El-Minya, Cairo) and 954 youth from Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam/Khobar), the present study assessed whether needs, narratives and networks as represented by locus of control, modernization, relying on religious leaders, and religiosity are relevant factors in explaining political radicalization (Moaddel, Karabenick, & Thornton, 2010).
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Title: The power paradox : intimacy and masculinity in American football
Creator: James, Riley
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This thesis examines how intimacy-both physical and emotional-in American football affects masculinity. This research is important because it questions the role of masculinity in a sport considered the most popular in terms of participation, attendance at games, and broadcast viewership (Miaschi, 2017). Theories such as hegemonic masculinity theory and inclusive masculinity theory are used to explain how masculinity is constructed through football. Using naturalistic observation, interviews...
Show moreThis thesis examines how intimacy-both physical and emotional-in American football affects masculinity. This research is important because it questions the role of masculinity in a sport considered the most popular in terms of participation, attendance at games, and broadcast viewership (Miaschi, 2017). Theories such as hegemonic masculinity theory and inclusive masculinity theory are used to explain how masculinity is constructed through football. Using naturalistic observation, interviews with seven Michigan State University (MSU) football players, and an analysis of photographs, I found these football players have more intimate relationships with other players on their team when compared to relationships they have with other men outside their sport. Some surprises I found during interviews was that injury during football is not treated as harshly as it once was and one player views being emotional as an important part of being a man. I visually present the intimate aspects of football I witnessed in photographs I created as an employee of Big Ten Network during MSU football games during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and I offer my analysis of intimacy and masculinity in this sport that includes and explains the meaning behind the power paradox.
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Title: Adhesion mechanics and physical characteristics of Salmonella enteritidis in low moisture environments
Creator: Suehr, Quincy Jerome
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Controlling foodborne pathogens in low-moisture environments requires an understanding of how contamination is introduced and spread through a system. Compared with numerous data and studies regarding wet environments, limited information exists concerning the adhesion mechanics of pathogens in low-moisture environments. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) Develop a framework for adhesion of bacteria in a low moisture environment, (2) perform direct measurements of adhesion...
Show moreControlling foodborne pathogens in low-moisture environments requires an understanding of how contamination is introduced and spread through a system. Compared with numerous data and studies regarding wet environments, limited information exists concerning the adhesion mechanics of pathogens in low-moisture environments. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) Develop a framework for adhesion of bacteria in a low moisture environment, (2) perform direct measurements of adhesion mechanics, (3) implement measurements into a model, and (4) validate the model. Physical properties and adhesion characteristics of Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 (SE PT30) attached on stainless steel 304 were assessed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and used to develop a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model as a first principle based approach. This model allowed the estimation of force of reversible adhesion for Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 to be measured as Fad = 3.3459 ± 0.0283 nN. For model validation, a large-scale bacterial detachment experiment utilizing Salmonella was conducted. The modeling results for adhesion was able to elucidate bacterial adhesion mechanics, and the cross-contamination phenomena in low-moisture environment.
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Title: The congruent effects of co-branding green, ecologically-friendly ads
Creator: Jamar, Patrick John
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Many researchers have explored environmentally-friendly advertising; observing its effects on purchasing behaviors and intentions (Davis, 1993; Tucker, Rifon, Lee, & Reece, 2012; Xue & Muralidharan, 2015; Marie-Cecile Cervellon, 2012) as well as co-branding as a tactic for encouraging consumers to purchase products as well (Park, Jun, & Shocker, 1996; Helmig et al., 2008; Norris, 1992; Charry & Demoulin, 2014; Khun et al., 2008). Furthermore, co-branding is an increasingly popular tactic, yet...
Show moreMany researchers have explored environmentally-friendly advertising; observing its effects on purchasing behaviors and intentions (Davis, 1993; Tucker, Rifon, Lee, & Reece, 2012; Xue & Muralidharan, 2015; Marie-Cecile Cervellon, 2012) as well as co-branding as a tactic for encouraging consumers to purchase products as well (Park, Jun, & Shocker, 1996; Helmig et al., 2008; Norris, 1992; Charry & Demoulin, 2014; Khun et al., 2008). Furthermore, co-branding is an increasingly popular tactic, yet little research has been conducted in relation to how co-branding and green marketing can work in tandem. As a result, this study merges these two advertising tactics by exploring key concepts such as product/brand fit. This is done so by investigating the level of congruence between a fictitious, environmentally-friendly host brand and several differentiating, high equity partner brands. The study employs an experiment to investigate the effects of co-branding (present vs. absent) and the level of congruence (high vs. medium vs. low) on purchase intentions (PI), attitudes toward the ad (Aad), and attitudes toward the brand (AB); building on the Theory of Congruence. The results indicate that, with co-branding, when comparing a co-branded ad to a single-branded ad, there are no significant differences between the participants' attitudes towards the ad or brand, their intent to purchase the host brand's product, or their attitudes towards any given, presented ad. Similarly, when addressing congruence, the level of congruous match has no significant difference on participants' attitudes towards the host brand or their intentions to purchase it. Limitations and areas for future research are also provided.
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Title: The needs of nutrition and physical activity education for caregivers of Michigan migrant and seasonal farmworker children
Creator: Feighner, Amanda Rose
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "Migrant and seasonal farmworker (MSFW) children have high rates of overweight and obesity, which can lead to health issues through childhood and adulthood. Caregivers of young children have the ability to influence environment and role model behaviors related to nutrition and physical activity for children. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs serve young MSFW children by providing a venue for nutrition and physical activity promotion for extended hours with the ultimate goal of...
Show more"Migrant and seasonal farmworker (MSFW) children have high rates of overweight and obesity, which can lead to health issues through childhood and adulthood. Caregivers of young children have the ability to influence environment and role model behaviors related to nutrition and physical activity for children. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs serve young MSFW children by providing a venue for nutrition and physical activity promotion for extended hours with the ultimate goal of helping at-risk children succeed. We also reported high prevalence of obesity and overweight among MSHS children's caregivers, i.e., parents and MSHS staff. This situation provides important educational opportunities to apply social cognitive theory and policy, systems, and environmental change approaches in order to meet the needs of caregivers (parents and MSHS staff) who can become competent to practice healthy lifestyles for family and MSHS children. In developing nutrition and physical activity education programs targeting caregivers of Michigan MSHS children, this study aimed to identify the perceived needs for content, facilitators and barriers to participating such programs. Of 17 total MSHS centers in Michigan, five of the largest sites were selected for recruitment of MSHS program parents and staff. Twelve focus groups were conducted between July and September 2016 with staff (n = 27), parents (n = 33), and MSHS center directors (n = 13). Focus groups with the consented parents were conducted at MSHS sites in Spanish, with staff in English, and with directors at a central office meeting. Using censuses coding among three researchers, key themes were identified. Quantitative surveys were conducted in parallel to this qualitative study with parents (n = 135) at nine centers and staff (n = 280) at all 17 MSHS centers in Michigan between July-August 2016.We found that desired content for programs included basic nutrition knowledge, cooking and meal planning, physical activity, and budgeting. Facilitators and barriers to participation in a new nutrition and physical activity program included program structure, financial support, education format, and motivation factors. Nutrition education interventions for parents and staff need to be combined with efforts to improve their children's health. We generated key information that can be used in planning future interventions for caregivers of MSHS children. Caregivers who are competent in nutrition and physical activity knowledge may be able to influence the environment and behaviors of their children and MSHS community to promote healthy lifestyles."--Page ii.
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Title: Risk aversion as a factor of player typology
Creator: Price, Brandon
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between participants' willingness to accept risks in real world situations, as well as within games. Participants in the study responded to a survey regarding their attitudes towards risky behaviors, their willingness to engage in those behaviors, and their preferences and motivations for playing video games. The study found that, while teamwork was not a significant factor for risk-seeking gamers, relationship building was. Further,...
Show moreThe goal of this study was to determine the relationship between participants' willingness to accept risks in real world situations, as well as within games. Participants in the study responded to a survey regarding their attitudes towards risky behaviors, their willingness to engage in those behaviors, and their preferences and motivations for playing video games. The study found that, while teamwork was not a significant factor for risk-seeking gamers, relationship building was. Further, positive risk-attitude was not related to self-reported skill, but was related to the amount of time participants spent playing games. Risk-seeking players also valued competition and role-playing, alongside the development of strong social relationships.These results could affect the way in which developers advertise their products, as well as how they design their games. This research offers valuable insights into the habits of gamers, and serves as a counterexample to the "lone gamer" stereotype. Limitations include how well participants understand their own online behaviors, as well as how they view themselves. For example, participants that expressed antisocial behaviors online may have chosen to express more prosocial behaviors to alter the way they appeared in the survey. Future studies may examine the relationship between gender identity and gameplay preferences, as well as the potential relationship between age and gameplay risk-attitudes. Research is also being considered on "trolling" behavior and its relationship to real world behaviors.
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Title: Quality of life of women with breast cancer in Yaunde, Cameroon
Creator: Kunyangna, Prudence
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This study explored the association between sociodemographic and medical factors and the quality of life of breast cancer patients in Yaunde. A total of 297 women with breast cancer at the Department of Medical Oncology General Hospital in Yaunde, were enrolled in the study. Participants completed the FACT-B instrument and a questionnaire. The medical history of cases was abstracted from the hospital records.In adjusted models, total FACT-G scores were lower for women who; were 2265 45 years,...
Show moreThis study explored the association between sociodemographic and medical factors and the quality of life of breast cancer patients in Yaunde. A total of 297 women with breast cancer at the Department of Medical Oncology General Hospital in Yaunde, were enrolled in the study. Participants completed the FACT-B instrument and a questionnaire. The medical history of cases was abstracted from the hospital records.In adjusted models, total FACT-G scores were lower for women who; were 2265 45 years, had stage II, III and IV disease and higher for women who; had an occupation, had monthly household incomes above 50,000 CFA/month, lived with their husband/boyfriend and, who lived with their families. Total FACT-B scores were lower for women 2265 45 years. Total FACT-B scores were higher for women who; had an occupation, had a monthly household income above 50,000 CFA/month, lived with their husband/boyfriend and, who lived with their family. FACTB-TOI scores were lower for women who; were 2265 45 years, had stage II, III and IV disease compared to stage 0/I and higher for women who; had an occupation, had monthly household incomes over 50,000 CFA/month, lived with their husband/boyfriend and, who lived with families. Our results suggest that clinicians should pay attention to the quality of life of African breast cancer case who are older (> 45 years), live alone, not involved in any type of occupation, have lower household income levels and are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease.
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Title: Adsorption media for the removal of phosphorus in subsurface drainage for Michigan corn fields
Creator: Hauda, Jessica Kathleen
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Phosphorus is a valuable, non-renewable resource in agriculture promoting crop growth. and is used in the global food chain, mainly as fertilizer. Soluble phosphorus plays a part in the eutrophication in freshwater environments, which impacts tourism, human health, environmental safety, and property values. Phosphorus loss from agricultural land is also a loss of investment that went into keeping it on the soil, and its addition into water bodies can increase costs to manage the affected area...
Show morePhosphorus is a valuable, non-renewable resource in agriculture promoting crop growth. and is used in the global food chain, mainly as fertilizer. Soluble phosphorus plays a part in the eutrophication in freshwater environments, which impacts tourism, human health, environmental safety, and property values. Phosphorus loss from agricultural land is also a loss of investment that went into keeping it on the soil, and its addition into water bodies can increase costs to manage the affected area(s). This research entails selecting the phosphorus adsorption media best suited for removing phosphorus from subsurface drainage in Michigan farms. Selected adsorption media from the literature includes engineered nanomaterials, biochar, and natural materials. These media were evaluated with typical subsurface drainage phosphorus concentrations using batch adsorption and column experiments to verify if the media worked in this application. Both the steel furnace slag (SFS) and PO4Sponge removed soluble reactive phosphorus from 0.500 to below 0.05 mg/L in column experiments at an empty bed contact time of 5-minutes The SFS was the most cost-effective option based on a case-study and generalized analysis. The most expensive option was the use of PO4Sponge media to remove phosphorus, then regenerating it at the manufacturer.
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Title: Maternal circulating immune factors and fetal growth : c-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor - α, interleukin - 6, in mid-pregnancy and birthweight for gestational age
Creator: Glazier-Essalmi, Alicynne N.
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Inflammation pathways may contribute to fetal growth restriction. Observations of immune molecules such as the acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP) and fetal growth have produced mixed results, therefore further investigation is warranted. We analyzed data from 1,308 sub-cohort women enrolled at 16 -27 weeks completed gestation in the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study from 52 prenatal clinics in 5 Michigan communities. Using a US population reference of...
Show moreInflammation pathways may contribute to fetal growth restriction. Observations of immune molecules such as the acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP) and fetal growth have produced mixed results, therefore further investigation is warranted. We analyzed data from 1,308 sub-cohort women enrolled at 16 -27 weeks completed gestation in the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study from 52 prenatal clinics in 5 Michigan communities. Using a US population reference of birthweights for gestational age, POUCH infants were grouped as small for gestational age (SGA) (≤10th percentile), large for gestational age (LGA) (≥ 90th percentile), or appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Levels of inflammatory signaling molecules Tumor Necrosis Factor -  (TNF-), Interleukin – 6 (IL-6), and CRP were measured in maternal blood collected at enrollment and compared across groups who delivered either SGA, LGA, or AGA infants. Maternal TNF- α and IL-6 levels did not differ across the three groups. Unadjusted Mean CRP level of the SGA, 3.76 μg/L, was significantly lower than that of the AGA (5.43 μg/L, p=0.002) or LGA (6.36 μg/L) in linear regression models. Following adjustment for maternal age, race/ethnicity, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age at enrollment, Mean CRP values were 3.89 μg/L for SGA 5.41 μg/L for LGA 5.1, and μg/L for AGA (p=0.008 for SGA vs AGA). In sensitivity analyses, differences remained after excluding women with a pre-pregnancy BMI <18.5, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, extreme CRP values, or antibiotic prescription < 2 weeks before blood draw. Further analysis should assess characteristics of the maternal-fetal interface for clues to relationships between maternal inflammatory status at 16 – 27 weeks gestation and birthweight outcomes.
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Title: Research gaps and opportunities for climate change adaptation in network analysis
Creator: Chau, Sophia Nguyen
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Mitigating the negative impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, drought, and species extinction requires effectively mobilizing social and ecological resources across geographic distances. Climate change adaptation practitioners need to understand climate change from a systems perspective, whereby the ecological and social components involved are viewed as interacting and interrelated components of a system that together yield consequences for both human and non-human life. Network...
Show moreMitigating the negative impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, drought, and species extinction requires effectively mobilizing social and ecological resources across geographic distances. Climate change adaptation practitioners need to understand climate change from a systems perspective, whereby the ecological and social components involved are viewed as interacting and interrelated components of a system that together yield consequences for both human and non-human life. Network analysis, a set of techniques that allows for quantitative and qualitative depiction of the relationships between system components and how they give rise to emergent phenomena, has the potential to help address contemporary sustainability challenges such as climate change adaptation. Adaptation practitioners have already begun using network analysis with the goal of improving their adaptation efforts, but the literature to guide their practice is young. The first chapter of my thesis addresses this problem by reviewing network analysis studies about climate change adaptation. I identified research gaps and opportunities related to the type of network analysis, adaptation sectors, geographic scale, number of systems, study objectives, and proposed network interventions. In the second chapter, I developed a framework called the metacoupled network approach that can help network analysis studies address these research gaps. Such a framework will not only guide network analysis studies in climate change adaptation but also provide a useful framework for understanding other complex social-ecological challenges.
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Title: Epidemiology of coca leaf chewing in the 21st century peru
Creator: Cruz, Victor Orlando
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Despite thousands of years of coca leaf chewing by rural inhabitants of the Andes Mountains, there is much to explore in the epidemiological research on this ancient habit. This is the first study about the epidemiology of coca leaf chewing and its health consequences that uses both a large representative random sample of the Andean rural highlanders of Peru, and the new ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for dependence syndrome. This secondary data analysis study has three specific aims: (1) to...
Show moreDespite thousands of years of coca leaf chewing by rural inhabitants of the Andes Mountains, there is much to explore in the epidemiological research on this ancient habit. This is the first study about the epidemiology of coca leaf chewing and its health consequences that uses both a large representative random sample of the Andean rural highlanders of Peru, and the new ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for dependence syndrome. This secondary data analysis study has three specific aims: (1) to estimate basic epidemiologic parameters of the quantity of coca leaf chewing. (2) To estimate subgroup variations of the epidemiological parameters of the quantity of coca leaf chewing according to characteristics of person and place. (3) To estimate the degree to which coca leaf chewing might cause ICD-10 dependence syndrome and impairment in the quality of life.The results show that coca leaf chewing is common and not evenly distributed among the Andean highlanders. Males, elders, and Ayacuchans are the most active coca leaf chewers. Furthermore, 2.3 percent of ever coca leaf chewers have ICD-10 dependence syndrome, and this dependence syndrome has compromised their quality of life. It is still premature to conclude that coca leaf chewing produces addiction. These initial findings should be followed by rigorous causal studies to assess the clinical features of coca leaf chewing dependence syndrome and its potential harmful physical consequences for the users.
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Title: A critical disability studies critique of rhetorical normalcy in writing center theory, history, and practice
Creator: Appleton Pine, Andrew
Date: 2020
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This thesis broadly theorizes how to make writing centers more accessible for disabled writers. Specifically, it applies a critical disability studies methodology both to writing center history and research practices. Importantly, this thesis resists impairment-specific approaches to accessibility, and instead seeks to develop the theoretical framework necessary to create lasting reforms in writing center theory and practice so that disabled people are included in both. Central to this thesis...
Show moreThis thesis broadly theorizes how to make writing centers more accessible for disabled writers. Specifically, it applies a critical disability studies methodology both to writing center history and research practices. Importantly, this thesis resists impairment-specific approaches to accessibility, and instead seeks to develop the theoretical framework necessary to create lasting reforms in writing center theory and practice so that disabled people are included in both. Central to this thesis is the idea of "rhetorical normalcy," which is a set of social, behavioral, and rhetorical codes that constitute the deleterious norms that both writing center studies and the larger field of rhetoric and composition have relied on throughout their history. A major claim throughout this thesis is that writing center history, theory, and practice all rely on this conception of rhetorical normalcy, often at the cost of writers with disabilities. Ultimately, this thesis argues that in order for writing centers to become radically accessible for writers with disabilities, writing center administrators and practitioners must first become aware of the role of rhetorical normalcy has always played in writing center practice, and they must look for ways to incorporate disabled writers into their theorizing and research about writing.
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