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Title: Development of Continuous Manufacturing Process for Magnetically Aligned and Random Nanotube Buckypaper.
Creator: Ugarte, Johnnattan, Liang, Richard, Wang, Ben, Zhang, Chuck, Park, Young-Bin, Brooks, James, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Fiber-reinforced composites are becoming more popular due to their high strength to weight ratio, making them a suitable replacement for traditional metals for lightweight applications. However, for applications where electro-conductivity and thermo-conductivity are required, fiber-reinforced composites lack the necessary properties without adding parasitic components. As a result of extensive research, high performance carbon nanotube-reinforced composites are considered as one of the key...
Show moreFiber-reinforced composites are becoming more popular due to their high strength to weight ratio, making them a suitable replacement for traditional metals for lightweight applications. However, for applications where electro-conductivity and thermo-conductivity are required, fiber-reinforced composites lack the necessary properties without adding parasitic components. As a result of extensive research, high performance carbon nanotube-reinforced composites are considered as one of the key solutions to this issue, with buckypapers serving as the central constituent. Buckypapers are thin membranes of well-dispersed networks of nanotubes held together by van der Waals forces. Buckypapers are considered as one of the promising candidates for incorporating nanotubes into composite manufacturing due to their ease of handling and the ability to transfer the properties of the nanotubes into the resultant composites. Buckypapers enable thermal and electro-conductivity in ranges not possible using fiber composites alone. The objective of this research is to develop an effective, affordable manufacturing process capable of continuously fabricating buckypaper materials to meet market demands, as well as property and quality requirements from the consumers. The batch method of buckypaper manufacturing processes have been investigated and standardized by previous studies. Successful results under the standardized process have been adopted to pilot buckypaper production. Such studies have also attracted the interest of industrial consumers who require large-scale manufacturing, and continuity of buckypaper materials, which are not offered by the current batch method. Through the development of four generations of prototypes, this research has successfully designed and fabricated the Nano Material Continual Integration System (NM-CIS), a filtration system capable of producing high quality continuous buckypaper materials. A prototype to produce continuous 1.5in wide buckypapers of randomly-dispersed SWNTs has been successfully developed. Furthermore, the research has characterized the physical and electrical properties and compared them with current batch-production buckypapers. The results indicate that the continuous manufacturing processes have the potential to scale-up production of continuous buckypaper products to achieve desired quality, continuity and affordability for potential industrial applications. Furthermore, the research has designed and fabricated the MA-CIS system to fabricate continuous magnetically aligned buckypaper materials, and the W-CIS system to produce 11-in wide-buckypaper
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1466
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Copper(II)-Mediated Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Reactions Using Chelating Azides.
Creator: Brotherton, Wendy S., Zhu, Lei, Chase, P. Bryant, Dudley, Gregory B., Alabugin, Igor V., Roper, Michael G., Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This dissertation describes the development of copper(II)-mediated azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions using chelating azides. The first chapter provides an introduction to the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) through describing the history of the CuAAC reaction, its current mechanistic understanding, and selected applications of this widely used reaction. Within the second chapter, the development of copper(II)-accelerated azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AAC) is presented....
Show moreThis dissertation describes the development of copper(II)-mediated azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions using chelating azides. The first chapter provides an introduction to the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) through describing the history of the CuAAC reaction, its current mechanistic understanding, and selected applications of this widely used reaction. Within the second chapter, the development of copper(II)-accelerated azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AAC) is presented. Therein, 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized via the azide-alkyne cycloaddition in good to excellent yields using copper(II) salts in alcoholic solvents. The developed procedures avoided the need for an added reducing agent. Two pathways could be operational to generate copper(I) under these conditions: oxidation of alcoholic solvent or oxidative homocoupling of the alkyne. 2-Picolylazide behaved as a superior substrate under these conditions due to its chelating ability to copper that facilitates the cycloaddition. Preliminary spectroscopic results (EPR, UV-Vis spectroscopy) provided evidence that copper(I) was generated after an induction period. Within the third chapter, the reactivity of other chelating azides and their products as assisting ligands regarding the Cu(OAc)2-accelerated AAC reaction are briefly discussed. This data, combined with the results from the initial study, allowed us to study the mechanism. Results pertaining to solvent screening and alkyne screening are discussed in detail. In regards to solvent, the reaction can proceed in aprotic organic solvents but required longer reaction times than reactions in protic solvents. The Cu(OAc)2-accelerated AAC reactions were also observed to proceed fairly rapidly in aqueous solvents. The alkyne screening results under preparative, heterogeneous conditions show no clear trend between the structure of the alkyne and efficiency of the reaction. However, under homogeneous conditions used for the kinetics studies, a clear trend was observed where electron-withdrawing substituents on the para-position of phenylacetylene show shorter induction periods and react very rapidly. During the solvent and alkyne screening, a discontinuous reaction profile was observed suggesting the structure evolution of the catalyst, therefore lowering the catalytic activity. Application of the developed Cu(OAc)2-accelerated AAC reaction for the facile and rapid synthesis of tridentate 2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine ligands is described in Chapter 4. Upon coordination with transition metal ions, the pyridyl nitrogen as well as the less Lewis basic N2 nitrogen of the 1,2,3-triazole ring were found to participate in binding. The ligands created in this study complement other well-studied tridentate ligands such as the triazolyl-based terpy motif and the 2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine systems. Additionally, a ligand was designed to include two bidentate binding sites at both the N3 and N2 positions forming a five- and six-membered chelation ring, respectively. Its coordination was studied and showed that metals prefer the 5-membered planar chelation pocket over the puckered 6-membered pocket that contains the N2 nitrogen of the 1,2,3-triazole. Stable copper(II)/organic azide complexes from chelating azides were also observed and their features described. All copper(II)/azide complexes exhibit the alkylated nitrogen atom (Nα) of the azido group coordinating to the copper(II) ion. Analysis of the bond lengths show that copper(II) coordination at Nα enhances the electrophilicity of the terminal Nγ, accelerating the CuAAC reaction. The information gained from this study enhances our knowledge and understanding of the coordination chemistry of 1,4-substituted-1,2,3-triazole molecules, particularly in regards to the N2 atom of the 1,2,3-triazole. Chapter five describes the synthesis of 5-iodo-1,2,3-triazoles. These compounds were synthesized with the intention of functionalizing the 5-position with an electron donating group to enhance the electron density at the N2 position and enhance binding affinity. Unlike previous reports, 5-iodo-1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles were generated from 2-picolylazide and iodoalkynes without the need of an assisting ligand. Moderate to good yields of the 5-iodotriazole products were obtained from a small set of iodoalkynes screened. Wanting to circumvent the synthesis of iodoalkynes, a one-pot method was created where copper(II) salts are reduced by NaI. This in situ method generates the necessary copper(I) catalyst as well as the iodinating source. The reaction requires an equivalent of base and was able to proceed in a variety of solvents. The reaction performed well with a variety of alkynes and azides, however, the reaction is sensitive to excess base and those with tertiary amines exhibited lower yields due to the formation of protonated triazole. The in situ generating conditions are more reactive than that of the direct addition of CuI and I2. Use of another electrophile, allyl iodide, under these conditions gave the 5-allyl-1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole in a multicomponent, one-pot reaction. 1,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles were obtained through palladium cross-coupling reactions, such as the Sonogashira or the Suzuki reactions. However, minor amounts of the dehalogenated triazole by-product complicates purification of these compounds. Further study of 1,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles is underway in our laboratory.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5533
Format: Thesis

Title: Development and Parametric Studies of Carbon Nanotube Dispersion Using Electrospraying.
Creator: Chen, Meei-Jiun, Zhang, Chuck, Park, Young-Bin, Liang, Zhiyong, Pignatiello, Joseph J., Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes in the early 1990s, a new era in nanotechnology opened up, impacting both scientific and technological fronts. One of the key challenges in processing of carbon nanotube-based materials and structures is proper dispersion of the nanoconstituents. Fundamental roadblocks to maximumize utilization of the exceptional properties of carbon nanotubes are their tendency to aggregate due to intermolecular forces and the resulting difficulties in dispersing them...
Show moreSince the discovery of carbon nanotubes in the early 1990s, a new era in nanotechnology opened up, impacting both scientific and technological fronts. One of the key challenges in processing of carbon nanotube-based materials and structures is proper dispersion of the nanoconstituents. Fundamental roadblocks to maximumize utilization of the exceptional properties of carbon nanotubes are their tendency to aggregate due to intermolecular forces and the resulting difficulties in dispersing them into individual tubes. In this study, a novel carbon nanotube dispersion technology that uses electrospraying was developed, analyzed, and evaluated. We established image analysis based measurement that can be used to quantify the degree and uniformity of carbon nanotube dispersion, and performed a series of designed experiments. Rigorous statistical analyses were conducted to investigate the parametric effect of electrospraying, and the design of experiments based models were derived. As validated through experiments, the design of experiments models can serve as effective guidelines for selecting the electrospraying parameters that allow controlled nanoparticle dispersion. Carbon nanotube electrospraying is expected to be applicable to a broad range of technical fields, owing to its low cost, ease of implementation, environmental friendliness, and scalability for industry use. Potential applications include, transparent, conductive carbon nanotube coating for flexible displays, multiscale carbon nanotube patterning, and continuous nanocomposite processing, the proofs-of-concept of which have been demonstrated in this study.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3849
Format: Thesis

Title: Development and Testing of an Enhanced Homework Procedure for a Weight Loss Management Group Intervention.
Creator: Herman, Katharine G., Lampropoulos, Georgios, Gerend, Mary, Prevatt, Frances, Ebener, Deborah, Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Identifying what factors can increase participants adherence to a weight management program is of great interest. The usage of between session activities in psychotherapy have also been determined to increase overall client outcomes. By adding evidence-based homework principles to a weight management program, it is believed that the completion of between session activities will improve. It is expected that between session activities will increase client self-efficacy, dietary and exercise...
Show moreIdentifying what factors can increase participants adherence to a weight management program is of great interest. The usage of between session activities in psychotherapy have also been determined to increase overall client outcomes. By adding evidence-based homework principles to a weight management program, it is believed that the completion of between session activities will improve. It is expected that between session activities will increase client self-efficacy, dietary and exercise behaviors, and overall weight loss. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the addition of a systematic and structured homework procedure would translate to increased weight loss outcomes. At a local HMO, a total of 56 participants were randomly assigned to either the standard weight loss group (treatment as usual) or the enhanced group (treatment as usual plus addition of homework principles). Participants completed a 16-week weight management program and the current study assessed the effect of the enhanced component on self-efficacy, dietary and exercise behaviors, and overall weight loss. Overall attrition rate for the study was 17.9% and session attendance rate by participants was 70% (enhanced group) and 63% (standard group). The mean score of completed food logs was higher for the enhanced group (6.85) compared with the standard group (6.08), however the difference was not statistically significant, t (50)=0.63, p=0.53. The same pattern was also observed for the Between Session Activities Questionnaire (BSAQ) scores, t (50)=.23, p=0.82. In a series of ANCOVA analyses with pretreatment scores as covariates, the Weight Efficacy Life-style Questionnaire (WEL) post assessment scores did not significantly differ between the enhanced and standard group, F (1,42)=3.29, p=0.08; partial ç2= .073; likewise the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) post assessment scores did not significantly differ between the two groups, F (1,42)=0.22, p=0.64; partial ç2= .005. The Dietary Habits Questionnaire (DHQ) post assessment scores also did not significantly differ between the two groups, F (1,42)=1.24, p=0.27; partial ç2= .028, and neither were post assessment scores on the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) F (1,42)= .18, p=.67; partial ç2= .004. Lastly, there was no significant difference in weight loss between the enhanced and standard group, F (1,53)= 3.68, p=0.06, partial ç2=.065. However, an interaction effect was detected between Time x Group for weight loss, F (1,53)= 4.04, p= .049, partial ç2= .070, favoring the enhanced treatment group, in a supplementary repeated measures ANOVA analysis. This was further supported by the results of the multi-dimensional chi square test, which indicated that there was a marginal relationship between the condition (enhanced vs. standard) and the 7% weight loss goal achievement: ×2 (1, N=56) = 3.82, p=0.051(three times more respondents in the enhanced condition achieved the 7% goal than in the standard condition). In terms of the 5% weight loss goal, the number of respondents who achieved this goal is relatively the same for both conditions (×2 (1, N=56) = 3.11, p=0.557). Additional repeated measures ANOVA analyses suggested that both groups improved on the WEL and DHQ, however differences between the groups were not detected. This indicates that the enhanced homework procedure was unable to produce greater levels of weight management self-efficacy and the adoption of healthy eating behaviors beyond what would be expected of the standard treatment. Furthermore, neither the standard or enhanced groups improved on levels of exercise self-efficacy and the adoption of exercise behaviors. The current study was unable to detect clear differences between the enhanced and standard homework conditions on all measures (partly likely due to the limited sample size). However, there were moderate effect sizes observed favoring the enhanced condition on some measures, such as the WEL, and most importantly, the overall weight loss. It is possible that since both conditions included some homework elements, and the time allocated to differentiating and enhancing the homework effects in the enhanced condition was somewhat limited, there was not sufficient potency in the enhanced condition to produce clearly visible statistically significant differences on all measures between groups in a relatively modest sample size. Determining ways to increase the completion of between session activities by weight loss group participants is considered a step in the right direction in achieving weight loss, and fighting obesity.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7419
Format: Thesis

Title: The Context and Tradition of King David's Lamentations.
Creator: Spilker, John Dominic, Brewer, Charles E., Kite-Powell, Jeffery, Shaftel, Matthew R., College of Music, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The texts of King David's lamentations for his friend Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27) and his son Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33 and 2 Samuel 19:4) are derived from the Biblical accounts. The first musical settings of David's lamentations (i.e., Montes Gelboe nec ros, Saul et Jonathas amabiles, Doleo super te, and Rex autem David) originate from medieval antiphonals and their function was liturgical. There are only two other known musical settings from the medieval period: a monophonic planctus by Peter...
Show moreThe texts of King David's lamentations for his friend Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27) and his son Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33 and 2 Samuel 19:4) are derived from the Biblical accounts. The first musical settings of David's lamentations (i.e., Montes Gelboe nec ros, Saul et Jonathas amabiles, Doleo super te, and Rex autem David) originate from medieval antiphonals and their function was liturgical. There are only two other known musical settings from the medieval period: a monophonic planctus by Peter Abelard, Planctus David super Saul et Ionatha and an anonymous fourteenth-century polytextual motet, Doleo super te/Absalon, fili mi. A tradition emerged during the sixteenth century in which Catholic composers used the text of the liturgical antiphon, Rex autem David, for polyphonic motets. It is likely that these settings were used to replace the liturgical monophonic antiphons. In addition, other sixteenth-century composers wrote polyphonic motets using the texts from the Bible and other poetic interpretations of the biblical accounts depicting David's lamentations. Since these settings do not use a liturgical text, some scholars have suggested that their function was to mourn the death of the son of an important historical figure. The tradition of David's lamentations that developed during the sixteenth-century crossed political and religious boundaries in Europe. In fact, British composers in the early seventeenth-century also wrote musical settings of David's lamentations and scholars have linked the British settings to the death of Prince Henry in 1612. However the circumstances behind some of the settings (i.e., Thomas Tomkins's setting of When David Heard) suggest that there could also be other reasons why composers chose to set the texts of David's lamentations. The tradition of David's lamentations has persisted over twelve hundred years, from the ninth century into the twenty-first century, yielding over two hundred musical settings. In order to demonstrate that a composer could have many reasons to use the texts of David's lamentations, I have interviewed six living composers who wrote musical settings using the text of David's lament for Absalom: Eric Whitacre, Anna Gallos, Jennifer Fowler, Richard Mawby, Richard Burchard, and Paul Crabtree. The data from these interviews confirm that each composer had a unique reason for choosing to set the Absalom text. The endurance of this tradition suggests that these ancient biblical texts have continued to be relevant to people since they were uttered thousands of years ago by King David. There is a universal quality to these texts that has transcended their original religious connotation because they speak directly to the human condition, which is filled with grief, strife, mourning, and loss.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1606
Format: Thesis

Title: The Context of Repetitive and Stereotyped Behaviors in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Exploring Triggers and Functions.
Creator: Barber, Angela B., Wetherby, Amy M., Schatschneider, Chris, Woods, Juliann, Stierwalt, Julie A. G., School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Repetitive and stereotyped behaviors (RSB) are an early diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, few studies have systematically examined the context and functions of RSB in young children with ASD. This study examined five object placement triggers, a dichotomous regulation measure, and nine function categories of RSB demonstrated by children between 18 and 24 months of age with ASD (n = 55), compared to children with developmental delay in which ASD had been ruled out...
Show moreRepetitive and stereotyped behaviors (RSB) are an early diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, few studies have systematically examined the context and functions of RSB in young children with ASD. This study examined five object placement triggers, a dichotomous regulation measure, and nine function categories of RSB demonstrated by children between 18 and 24 months of age with ASD (n = 55), compared to children with developmental delay in which ASD had been ruled out (DD; n = 22), typical development matched groupwise on chronological age (TDCA; n = 37), and typical development matched groupwise on mental age (TDMA; n = 47). Measures were coded from video recorded behavior samples during the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) using Noldus Pro® Observer software. Group differences between object placement, emotional regulation, and functions of RSB were explored. Findings revealed that children with ASD demonstrated lower proportions of well regulated behavior during episodes of RSB with large effect sizes compared to children with DD, TDCA, and TDMA. Based on effect sizes, similar object placement and function profiles were demonstrated across groups, particularly between the ASD and TD groups. Occupying self was the most common function of RSB across groups. Children with ASD demonstrated more RSB for object focused functions than the TD groups and fewer RSB for functions related to the meaningful use of objects than children in the DD and TDCA groups. These findings offer a framework to assess the function of RSB that may contribute to intervention decision-making.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1054
Format: Thesis

Title: Contextual Effects and Punishment Decisions: A Multilevel Analysis.
Creator: Arazan, Christine L., Blomberg, Thomas G., McNeece, C. Aaron, Bales, William, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The theoretical literature on courtroom organizations and focal concerns, in conjunction with social threat perspectives inform this contextual analysis and evaluation of determinate sentencing practices in the state of Florida. Drawing on prior theoretical and empirical research, hierarchical linear and generalized linear models are estimated to assess courtroom and community effects on individual level sentencing outcomes. This research investigates the direct effect of a variety of...
Show moreThe theoretical literature on courtroom organizations and focal concerns, in conjunction with social threat perspectives inform this contextual analysis and evaluation of determinate sentencing practices in the state of Florida. Drawing on prior theoretical and empirical research, hierarchical linear and generalized linear models are estimated to assess courtroom and community effects on individual level sentencing outcomes. This research investigates the direct effect of a variety of individual and case-level factors on the in/out prison and sentence length decisions for a sample of offenders (N=382,262) convicted in Florida courts from 1999-2002. The study also examines the direct and conditioning effects of theoretically derived contextual characteristics on the individual punishment decision. These contextual factors include features of the courtroom environment such as the size of the court, caseload pressure, and trial rates, and the broader community including race, ethnicity, concentrated disadvantage, and a variety of community level controls. The results indicate that location matters when sentenced in Florida. The likelihood of being sentenced to prison and the length of this sentence varies across counties, even after controlling for individual case and offender characteristics and a variety of contextual characteristics. Additionally, the influence of legal and extra-legal factors on the in/out and sentence length decisions varies significantly across counties. Several court characteristics, including the size of the court, caseload pressure and trial rate, and community characteristics, including racial composition, and a variety of controls all assert direct influence on a county's likelihood of in/out and mean sentence length decisions. The findings also indicate that several of the community and courtroom characteristics condition the effects of defendant and case factors on the sentencing outcomes – though often in the opposite direction than hypothesized. Overall, this research supports further development and the continued application of organizational theories to sentencing outcomes and questions the persistent reliance upon social threat measures as they are currently conceptualized in the sentencing literature. To advance both the current empirical and theoretical understanding of individual sentencing outcomes, future research must develop three-tiered models that adequately address the embedded nature of the courtroom within the broader community by applying organizational theories. The findings also highlight the need to supplement multilevel sentencing research with case studies in order to advance both the current empirical and theoretical literature.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0226
Format: Thesis

Title: Contextualizing the FCAT in Florida: A Spatial Investigation of Neo-Liberal Educational Reform.
Creator: Kent, Richie, Warf, Barney, Kodras, Jan, Leib, Jonathan, Horner, Mark, Department of Geography, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is part of an educational reform strategy that initiates competition and market forces among public schools in Florida. Students take a standardized test and their scores are aggregated at the school level, which is intended to be a normative measurement of the average "quantity" of education that a school imparts to its students. The school grades are then tied to a punitive system designed to create increased incentives for teachers and...
Show moreThe Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is part of an educational reform strategy that initiates competition and market forces among public schools in Florida. Students take a standardized test and their scores are aggregated at the school level, which is intended to be a normative measurement of the average "quantity" of education that a school imparts to its students. The school grades are then tied to a punitive system designed to create increased incentives for teachers and administrators to provide a more rigorous education to students. The school grades do not however, consider the impact of local demographics and socio-economics on FCAT scores. I theorize that the educational attainment measured by the FCAT is affected by the daily webs of interaction that extend beyond the school doors and official education. By situating public education in Florida within the historical evolution of spatial inequality of public education, it suggests the potential impacts of the topological relief in the geography of education today. I performed empirical analyses, including correlations and regressions between FCAT school grades and socio-economic variables. The results show that FCAT school grades are significantly influenced by the socio-economic standing of the students of a school. This geographic contextualization problematizes the neo-liberal economic assumption that the FCAT is founded upon. The ignorance of social, political and economic inequality, which is reflected through the public education system, results in the failure of the FCAT to be an effective reform for the improvement of public education in Florida.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3175
Format: Thesis

Title: Development and Optimization of Microfluidic Devices for the Study of Free Fatty Acids.
Creator: Duong, Cindy T. (Cindy Thanh Truc), Roper, Michael G., Hsieh, Yun-Hwa, Dorsey, John G., Stagg, Scott, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Free fatty acids (FFAs) are signaling molecules secreted by adipocytes, or fat cells. Individual FFAs differ in their ability to stimulate or attenuate insulin secretion depending on the chain length and degree of unsaturation of the FFA. Due to these varying effects of individual FFA on insulin release and the relationship of obesity and type 2 diabetes, it is important to temporally resolve the secretion of individual FFA from adipocytes. While the selective re-incorporation and secretion...
Show moreFree fatty acids (FFAs) are signaling molecules secreted by adipocytes, or fat cells. Individual FFAs differ in their ability to stimulate or attenuate insulin secretion depending on the chain length and degree of unsaturation of the FFA. Due to these varying effects of individual FFA on insulin release and the relationship of obesity and type 2 diabetes, it is important to temporally resolve the secretion of individual FFA from adipocytes. While the selective re-incorporation and secretion of FFAs have been extensively studied, few have monitored the temporal secretory profiles of individual FFAs to clarity their biological effects. One of the major obstacles in monitoring temporal secretory profiles of FFAs is the time- and labor-intensive sample preparation for analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Conventional preparation procedures are often inefficient since multiple extraction steps are required followed by derivatization to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). The total time can require up to 48 hours before samples can be quantified by a GC-MS method. These requirements hinder sample throughput and are often prohibitive to the detection of acute changes in FFA secretions. Microfluidics can address these drawbacks by reducing the amount of reagents consumed and automating the procedures by integrating sample preparation steps. This dissertation describes the development and optimization of an integrated microfluidic device and associated analytical methods that could be used to monitor individual FFAs to assess what role they might have in cellular communication between fat tissue and the pancreas. The first module of the integrated device automated the derivatization of FFA to FAME via acid catalyzed esterification using methanolic-HCl reagent. A statistical multivariate optimization protocol called Design of Experiment (DOE) was used to aid in the method development by determining the combination of derivatization time (Tder) and ratio of methanolic-HCl:FFA (Rder) that maximized the conversion of two model FFAs to their methyl ester forms. Optimal derivatization conditions for the two model FFAs was Tder = 0.8 min and Rder = 4.9 with the resulting total sample preparation time of 5 min. This combination of Tder and Rder was used to derivatize 12 FFAs with a range of derivatization efficiencies from 18% to 93%. As compared to a conventional macroscale derivatization of FFA, the derivatization module decreased the volume of methanolic-HCl and FFA by 20- and 1300-fold, respectively. The second module of the microfluidic device purified the derivatized sample by liquid-liquid extraction of FAME from the derivatization fluid into a hexane phase for GC-MS analysis. The derivatization module was coupled to the extraction module in a continuous-flow format. Phase contact with the hexane flow in stratified and segmented flow formats were qualitatively investigated as methods to extract FAME. The flow regimes in which both flow formats can be generated were explored and applied to generate parallel fluid flow or alternating aqueous and organic segments. Further work is needed to separate the two phases in both formats before the integrated device can be applied to study the temporal secretion of individual FFAs from adipocytes. A second goal of this research was to design and numerically optimize a microfluidic perfusion chamber capable of housing a large number of pancreatic islets of Langerhans for the application of glucose concentration in sinusoidal waveforms. A DOE tool called response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimum perfusion chamber size and operating flow rate that would deliver homogeneous glucose waveforms to 40 islets of Langerhans with minimal shear stress. 3D computational models were used to calculate the homogeneity of glucose concentration and magnitude of shear rate within the chamber. The optimal perfusion chamber design with chamber length of 1.84 mm and a flow rate of 10 μL min-1 was validated to show that the 40 islets experienced shear rate ≤ 50 s-1 and a 0.13% variability in the spatial distribution of glucose within the chamber. The optimized design will permit the sampling of secretory products in a format that can be easily incorporated in an online analysis to realize an integrated system for the quantification of multi-analyte secretory profiles from islets. Separately, the devices described in this dissertation allow for the assessment of adipocytes and islet functions. When integrated in a single device, it will permit investigation of how temporal secretion patterns for individual FFAs from adipocytes might alter the signaling processes within the islets of Langerhans that lead to type 2 diabetes.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5348
Format: Thesis

Title: Problem Behavior versus the Risk Amplification Approach: HIV Risk Behaviors of Homeless Youth in Fort Lauderdale.
Creator: Simmons, Melanie J., Sly, David F., Harrison, Dianne F., Brewster, Karin, Padavic, Irene, Department of Sociology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Research indicates that homeless youth are at high risk for HIV infection compared to youth in general. This study used problem behavior and risk amplification theories to investigate HIV risk behaviors among homeless youth. Problem behavior theory posits that youth who have certain socially constructed personality characteristics develop co-occurring problem behaviors that increase the likelihood they will engage in additional problem behaviors. Risk amplification theory asserts that more...
Show moreResearch indicates that homeless youth are at high risk for HIV infection compared to youth in general. This study used problem behavior and risk amplification theories to investigate HIV risk behaviors among homeless youth. Problem behavior theory posits that youth who have certain socially constructed personality characteristics develop co-occurring problem behaviors that increase the likelihood they will engage in additional problem behaviors. Risk amplification theory asserts that more exposure to homelessness is associated with an increased risk of substance abuse and adverse mental health outcomes. This study investigated how the theories work together to explain two HIV-related risk behaviors—sexual activity without condom use and high-risk drug use—in a sample of homeless youth. A cross-sectional, convenience sample of homeless youth in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (n=460) was interviewed through a cooperative agreement between the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-occurring problem behavior variables represented problem behavior theory and duration and frequency of homelessness represented risk amplification theory in the analysis. Binary and multinomial logistic regression tests were used to identify the associations of these theorized risk factors independently and within interactions. The analysis of condom use revealed that youth with co-occurring problem behaviors who had been homeless for a longer duration were the least likely to use condoms during the last sexual intercourse. Youth who reported only one risk (either problem behaviors or greater duration homeless) were also less likely to use condoms compared to youth with neither risk factor. The analysis of high-risk drug use also provided evidence of an association with an interaction between cooccurring problem behaviors and extended homelessness. An interaction was found between co-occurring problem behaviors and both measures of extended homelessness (frequency and duration homeless). One finding from the interaction analyses contradicted the risk amplification hypothesis that more time homeless necessarily increases risk. In the absence of problem behaviors, a greater duration of homelessness was not related to high-risk drug use. Thus, the risk amplification approach would have more explanatory value if it identified factors that might protect homeless youth from engaging in risk-taking behavior. The absence of problem behaviors while homeless might be one such protective factor against high-risk drug use. Limitations of the study are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1720
Format: Thesis

Title: Principal Instructional Leadership: How Does It Influence an Elementary Science Program Amidst Contradictory Messages of Reform and Change?.
Creator: Lanier, Kimberly S. (Kimberly Shevon), Gallard, Alejandro, Southerland, Sherry, Ruscher, Paul, Rice, Diana, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Reform documents clearly convey that teachers are central to national efforts to reform instructional and curricular practices in science classrooms. Although teachers are recognized as critical to reform efforts, actualizing the vision requires the combined efforts of an array of individuals. Within the school's context, science education reform developers and researchers recognize that principals are important, and indeed influence science programs, particularly curricula and program...
Show moreReform documents clearly convey that teachers are central to national efforts to reform instructional and curricular practices in science classrooms. Although teachers are recognized as critical to reform efforts, actualizing the vision requires the combined efforts of an array of individuals. Within the school's context, science education reform developers and researchers recognize that principals are important, and indeed influence science programs, particularly curricula and program decisions. Further, reform today calls for principals to be instructional leaders, assuming a more active role in the decisions that are made regarding the instructional program. However, research that examines the influence of the school principal within the science program is embryonic and not fully understood. Utilizing the Instructional Leadership Model and the Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform Model as guiding theoretical frameworks, this study investigated the influence of an elementary principal's instructional leadership in a science program and the ways in which elementary teachers, charged with implementation of reform, respond to the curriculum and program decisions supported and championed by the principal. This naturalistic investigation was conducted over a seven month period in an elementary school in a large metropolitan school district in the state of Florida. Data collection methods included interviews, document analysis, reflective journal entries, principals/teacher relational observations, classroom observations, and an open-ended questionnaire. The principal's role, decision-making, and impact within the science program were examined. Also examined was the influence of the principal's instructional leadership on teachers' instructional practices. Too, the district's influence on the principal's instructional leadership as well as the district's role in forwarding contradictory messages of reform (change) was explored. The findings revealed that the principal, while diligent in her efforts to develop an effective science program in which student learning was prioritized, championed and implemented first order changes (e.g., instituting a science laboratory, departmentalization, providing resources, instructional changes that were directed at fifth grade), and not change supported by national science education reform (second order). The district's vision for science, which prioritized test preparations, and the principal's lack of knowledge of national science education reform efforts, limited pedagogical knowledge in science, and the relatively small pool of ideas from which to suggest curriculum changes, greatly influenced her instructional leadership and the change efforts that were embraced. Even though the changes proposed and implemented were first order, science teachers regarded the principal as a capable and skillful instructional leader who had a history of making sound decision. As a result, many of the science teachers repressed or abandoned many of their own beliefs about how science should be taught, following the guidance and direction of their principal. One implication of this research is the need for elementary principals to have at best, a minimal, if not robust understanding of science education reform and the goals espoused. In order for elementary schools to develop and implement science programs that parallel and reverberate the messages of reform, principals are integral. As these findings suggest, principals, perceived as effective instructional leaders, are more apt to be supported by teachers and are more apt to support the decisions made by the principal. Although the principal was not found to directly influence teacher practice, her instructional leadership defined school values and the pathway to change. Other research implications, the "fit" of this research with current research on elementary principals in science education, and recommendations for future research are included.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3283
Format: Thesis

Title: A Priori Justification and Experience.
Creator: Watson, Jamie Carlin, Bishop, Michael A., Bowers, Philip, Dancy, Russell, Department of Philosophy, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This dissertation is about a priori justification and its relationship to experiential evidence. I begin the fundamental assumption that a priori justification is justification that is independent of experience. It has been argued that putative examples of a priori justification are implausible because they are not, in any significant sense, independent of experience. My two central claims are that (a) a subject is plausibly justified a priori in believing a proposition only if the belief is...
Show moreThis dissertation is about a priori justification and its relationship to experiential evidence. I begin the fundamental assumption that a priori justification is justification that is independent of experience. It has been argued that putative examples of a priori justification are implausible because they are not, in any significant sense, independent of experience. My two central claims are that (a) a subject is plausibly justified a priori in believing a proposition only if the belief is not revisable on empirical grounds, which I will call the empirical unrevisability thesis; and (b) moderate rationalists can resist four empirical challenges considered by many to be decisive against the empirical unrevisability thesis. I begin by developing an account of experiential evidence that is neutral between rationalists and empiricists in order to make clear the distinction between a priori and a posteriori justification. I then argue that a moderate rationalist account of a priori justification is plausible only if the beliefs justified a priori are empirically unrevisable in a qualified sense. I then argue that four classical objections that putative cases of a priori justification are not independent of experience fail, namely, that they are revisable by some instances of contrary testimony, by mistakes in long proofs and memory, that a paradigm example of a priori knowledge was overturned by new evidence in physics, and that psychological data undermines the reliability of sources of a priori justification. I conclude that there is only one potentially threatening case, derived from neurological malfunction, and I leave the solution to this case to future research.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1232
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Framework for Rapid Tool Manufacture for RIDFT Process.
Creator: Kuppusamy, Arvind, Zhang, Chuck, Okoli, Okenwa, Liang, Zhiyong, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Polymer composites are in a period of significant growth due to the increased use in the automobile, marine and aerospace application. Some of the advantages of using composites over other materials are weight savings, corrosion resistance and functional integration. However, long cycle times and higher tooling costs of the available manufacturing processes make it difficult to mass-produce composite products. Resin infusion double flexible tooling (RIDFT) is a novel process developed by the...
Show morePolymer composites are in a period of significant growth due to the increased use in the automobile, marine and aerospace application. Some of the advantages of using composites over other materials are weight savings, corrosion resistance and functional integration. However, long cycle times and higher tooling costs of the available manufacturing processes make it difficult to mass-produce composite products. Resin infusion double flexible tooling (RIDFT) is a novel process developed by the Florida Advanced Center for Composite Technologies (FAC2T) at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering aimed at tackling some of the above-mentioned problems. The use of one-sided mold provides a huge cost advantage over Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). However, using cost effective materials can reduce the cost further. In this thesis research, the various steps involved in the manufacture of the RIDFT mold were identified. The seven steps to manufacture a RIDFT mold are, Initial Graphics Exchange Standard (IGES) file tooling import/repair, mold design, material selection and preparation, NC programming, machine setup, machining and finishing and polishing. The problems at each of these stages were identified. The solutions to some of the problems, which might result in decrease in the tool manufacturing time, were found. To tackle with IGES file import problems some guidelines are presented. The various steps involved in the mold design stage are: compensation of permeable layer thickness, compensation of silicone layer thickness compensation of thickness of part and addition of draft surface. The tooling parameters compensation part of the mold design process was implemented by using both offset and scaling methods using C programming. The materials used for tooling until now are reviewed for pros and cons. Some of the tooling materials, that can be used in future, are also suggested. In order to help the mold manufacturer with the selection of machining parameters a macro was written in Microsoft Excel. Three cases were studied to show how the objectives of thesis are met.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3004
Format: Thesis

Title: The Development of Information Technology Curricula Guidelines and Skill Standards: Toward a Theory of the Emergence of Computing Degree Programs.
Creator: Subramaniam, Manimegalai M., Burnett, Kathleen, McDowell, Stephen, Burnett, Gary, Fleischmann, Kenneth, School of Library and Information Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study begins the endeavor to develop a middle range theory on the emergence of computing degree programs by investigating the social interaction factors that influenced the development of information technology (IT) curricula guidelines and skill standards in the United States (US). The major goal of this dissertation study is to identify and describe the social interaction factors that influenced the development of new curricula guidelines and skill standards for IT degree programs, and...
Show moreThis study begins the endeavor to develop a middle range theory on the emergence of computing degree programs by investigating the social interaction factors that influenced the development of information technology (IT) curricula guidelines and skill standards in the United States (US). The major goal of this dissertation study is to identify and describe the social interaction factors that influenced the development of new curricula guidelines and skill standards for IT degree programs, and to determine how these factors relate to the purposes and missions of the educational institutions they serve. The two initiatives studied in this dissertation were pursued by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) / Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – Computer Society through the Special Interest Group in IT Education (SIGITE) and the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) The SIGITE developed the IT curricula guidelines and NWCET developed the IT skill standards. To develop the list of factors, documents produced and used during these initiatives were examined. The social interaction factors that triggered the development of IT curricula guidelines and skill standards for four-year degree programs were scrutinized. The method used to investigate this phenomenon was the grounded theory methodology (GTM) based on the work of Strauss & Corbin (1998). Interviews were conducted with representatives of the initiatives to confirm that the findings reflected their perceptions of the social interaction factors. The four major social interaction factors that influenced the development of IT curricula guidelines by the SIGITE include: birth of a professional organization, the need to nurture IT as a discipline, student interest in IT, and cultural and technical changes taking place at that time. The four major social interaction factors that were found to influence the development of IT skill standards by NWCET are partnerships, technology worker shortage, mobility, and qualification gap. There were six major differences between these two initiatives, including the use of alternative curriculum development strategies, the amount of funding available, the focus of their support systems, the party demanding IT education, their contribution to IT education and the focus on mobility. This study examined the differences between the products produced by these two initiatives to support the two institutional orientations that they serve: community colleges and four-year universities or colleges, thus providing useful indicators to both types. This study also provided a checklist of social interaction factors to be considered by individuals or organizations involved in the future development of newer versions of curricula guidelines and skill standards. The checklist also may facilitate cross-organizational learning and attention to factors that were not considered by the individual organizations. Some of the limitations of this study were addressed in the final chapter. Recommendations were provided to continue the study of the emergence of IT degree programs, the emergence of other computing degree programs, and emergence of new areas of inquiry by presenting a tentative research plan.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1518
Format: Thesis

Title: The Development of Florida Length Based Vehicle Classification Scheme Using Support Vector Machines.
Creator: Mauga, Timur, Mussa, Renatus, Ping, Wei-Chou Virgil, Sobanjo, John O., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) collects vehicle classification data for transportation policy and system planning, traffic operational analysis, safety and accident analysis, and roadway maintenance. FDOT utilizes Scheme F method of classification, which classifies vehicles into 13 vehicle classes according to the number of axles the vehicle has and the lengths between the axles. The vehicle data are collected by inductive loops and piezoelectric sensors installed at more...
Show moreThe Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) collects vehicle classification data for transportation policy and system planning, traffic operational analysis, safety and accident analysis, and roadway maintenance. FDOT utilizes Scheme F method of classification, which classifies vehicles into 13 vehicle classes according to the number of axles the vehicle has and the lengths between the axles. The vehicle data are collected by inductive loops and piezoelectric sensors installed at more than 300 sites on the state highway system. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires states' departments of transportation to report vehicle classification data using Scheme F regardless of the method used in data collection. Moreover, the current FHWA's Traffic Monitoring Guide allows the states to collect vehicle classification data in urban areas based on the overall vehicle length. The guide states that three or four general vehicle length categories are sufficient for many practical analyses. The guide also provides flexibility for states to select data collection equipments that meet their local and federal traffic data needs and priorities without hindrance from budgets, geographic and organizational constraints. The objective of this research was to develop a length based vehicle classification scheme for Florida. The scheme will be used by non-intrusive traffic detection systems to collect vehicle class data. The task of developing the scheme comprised of collection of vehicle length data throughout the state highway system. The identification of length patterns from the vehicle length data was done using support vector machines. The analysis of the vehicle lengths collected from the Florida state highway system showed three patterns of vehicles: passenger vehicles, single unit trucks and multi-unit trucks. These groups corresponds to classes 1-3, classes 4-7 and classes 8-13 of Scheme F, respectively. The three vehicle categories were defined using length thresholds of 0-21.4 ft, 21.5-42.4 ft, and 42.5 ft and above with an accuracy of 91.1% on the sample data and at least 90.8% on the validation data. The study showed that a large part of misclassification errors was caused by the presence of vehicles towing light trailers. The study recommends the use of an additional variable such as the vehicle profile in order to reduce misclassifications.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2659
Format: Thesis

Title: The Development of Forecast Confidence Measures Using NCEP Ensembles.
Creator: Durante, Andrew Vincent, Hart, Robert, Fuelberg, Henry, Krishnamurti, T.N., Watson, Andrew I., Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Ensemble model data can provide a wealth of guidance to forecasters, especially in terms of forecast confidence. A model run where members diverge generally corresponds to a low confidence forecast, while a model run where members converge generally corresponds to a forecast of high confidence. The current NWS graphically based forecasts accessible to the public do not show this measure of uncertainty and thus communicate a false sense of confidence or precision. From August 2004 into 2006,...
Show moreEnsemble model data can provide a wealth of guidance to forecasters, especially in terms of forecast confidence. A model run where members diverge generally corresponds to a low confidence forecast, while a model run where members converge generally corresponds to a forecast of high confidence. The current NWS graphically based forecasts accessible to the public do not show this measure of uncertainty and thus communicate a false sense of confidence or precision. From August 2004 into 2006, approximately 2 years of individual GFS model ensemble data were analyzed. The result is a climatology of each ensemble member, which obviously does not match the observed climatology based on the NCEP reanalysis. The GFS model ensemble climatology was normalized so that there is a mapping between the current model ensemble value and the climatological value. Since there is only two years of data, the climatology is calculated on a 45 day temporal window. This method is similar, but more simplistic, to the method that is used in the FSU Superensemble (Krishnamurti 2000) of using temporal windows to increase climatology robustness in the training dataset. The variables analyzed here include 2-m temperature, 10-m wind speed and 10-m vorticity. Normalized climatology distributions have been calculated for each grid point within the ensemble member, with forecast confidence measures developed by comparing the normalized spread of the ensemble members to the model climatological spread, as described below. This normalized spread is compared to the typical spread for that time of year, location, and forecast length to arrive at a relative measure of forecast uncertainty. If the current model uncertainty is greater (less) than the uncertainty of the model climatology, then there is a lower (higher) than average confidence. Confidence graphics have been developed and analyses to see how confidence values behave with certain synoptic situations are ongoing. This overall behavior along with certain case studies will be featured. It has also been seen that there is a statistical significant difference in NWS forecast error between low confidence and high confidence regimes. Average NWS error for the below (above) normal GFS confidence forecasts was 5.20oF (3.08oF). A student t-test on these values revealed that there is a statistically significant difference to 95% confidence of the mean forecast error during low and high confidence GFS forecasts. That is, the mean WFO forecast error is significantly increased during times of low forecast confidence in the GFS ensemble. Therefore, forecasters have a-priori knowledge of the likely human forecast error when they see the GFS ensemble output-- before the NWS forecast even verifies. During cases of extreme low confidence where the current model standard deviation is greater than the 25-year observational standard deviation, a climatology forecast was found to be more accurate than the overall ensemble mean. Although the confidence graphics are only based on the GFS ensembles as of now, more models will be added in the future to see how they behave when compared to each other. The GFS ensembles and the corresponding confidence technique have been used in the FSU-MM5 to see how a mesoscale model affects the overall confidence for a specific case. Recent feedback from NWS employees suggests an additional development of confidence graphics based on the "poor man's ensemble", which is an ensemble of all the operational forecast models. Eventually these graphics of below and above average confidence may be implemented into the Graphical Forecast Editor (GFE) for use in the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD).
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0627
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of a Dynamic Bipedal Climbing and Multi-Modal Robotic Platform.
Creator: Dickson, James, Clark, Jonathan, Taira, Kunihiko, Hollis, Patrick, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Animals often exhibit the ability to operate in and transition between multiple modes of locomotion efficiently and elegantly. On the other hand, robotic platforms have typically focused on a single mode of locomotion. This thesis presents the conceptual development, design, and verification of a robotic platform capable of locomotion in scansorial and aerial regimes based on biological analogs. A review of related work is conducted on animals, previous climbing platforms, and multi-modal...
Show moreAnimals often exhibit the ability to operate in and transition between multiple modes of locomotion efficiently and elegantly. On the other hand, robotic platforms have typically focused on a single mode of locomotion. This thesis presents the conceptual development, design, and verification of a robotic platform capable of locomotion in scansorial and aerial regimes based on biological analogs. A review of related work is conducted on animals, previous climbing platforms, and multi-modal robots. A 2D dynamics simulation is developed and the effect of sprawl angle simulated. The development of a miniature bipedal dynamic climbing platform is discussed and an experimental investigation on the effect of sprawl angle on dynamic climbing conducted. The platform design for a multi-modal climbing and gliding robot is presented and a discussion on the trade-offs for multi-modal locomotion presented. The multi-modal platform, ICAROS, is experimentally operated to verify the design specifications. The resulting ICAROS platform demonstrates climbing prepared vertical surfaces and transitioning to a glide path with performance characteristics comparable to its biological counterparts.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4798
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of a Florida High-Resolution Multisensor Precipitation Dataset for 1996-2001 -- Quality Control and Verification.
Creator: Marzen, Joseph Lee, Fuelberg, Henry E., Ruscher, Paul H., Ahlquist, Jon E., Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The need for a high-resolution precipitation database over Florida is evident by the ever-increasing impact of water resources on society. The Multisensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) software was developed by the National Weather Service to combine hourly rain gauge- and radar-derived precipitation estimates optimally. The MPE procedure creates hourly rainfall estimates on a 4 x 4 km&178; grid. This research uses the final product from the MPE procedure (MMOSAIC) to create a high-resolution...
Show moreThe need for a high-resolution precipitation database over Florida is evident by the ever-increasing impact of water resources on society. The Multisensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) software was developed by the National Weather Service to combine hourly rain gauge- and radar-derived precipitation estimates optimally. The MPE procedure creates hourly rainfall estimates on a 4 x 4 km&178; grid. This research uses the final product from the MPE procedure (MMOSAIC) to create a high-resolution rainfall climatology over the Florida peninsula from 1996 through 2001. An objective rain gauge quality control (QC) procedure is developed to minimize the amount of erroneous gauge data that is input to the MPE procedure. This objective scheme compares the gauge data with corresponding raw radar data. A rigorous examination of rain gauge data and the encompassing radar-derived rainfall estimates revealed four main scenarios that are included in the QC procedure. The scenario responsible for removing the most data occurs when a radar-derived estimate reports heavy rainfall (> 1 in./h), while the gauge within that radar grid cell reports a value near zero. The QC procedure removes most of these suspect gauge data, thereby limiting their corrupting effect on the bias calculations within the MPE procedure. The other three QC scenarios removed a smaller number of gauges that would have adversely affected the calculations. 1 in./h), while the gauge within that radar grid cell reports a value near zero. The QC procedure removes most of these suspect gauge data, thereby limiting their corrupting effect on the bias calculations within the MPE procedure. The other three QC scenarios removed a smaller number of gauges that would have adversely affected the calculations. An analysis of the different rainfall products produced by MPE demonstrates the positive impact of the extensive quality control efforts. An independent set of rain gauges is used to evaluate the MPE products statistically for selected periods during 1999 and 2001. Results show that the final MPE product (MMOSAIC) outperforms both the radar and gauge data alone. Gauges alone generally cannot accurately represent the spatial details of warm season convective type precipitation events. Conversely, radar data depict convective precipitation events quite well; however, radars do a poor job of detecting cold season stratiform precipitation events. Analyses reveal that the MMOSAIC product utilizes the strengths of the gauges and the radars in an optimum way. Seasonal case studies comparing the independent set of gauge observations to the final MPE product show that there is good agreement between the two hourly sources (i.e., biases &61; -0.004 in., r &61; 0.78, and RMSD &61; 0.12 in.). Agreements are found to improve over daily and monthly accumulation periods. Results of this study describe the problems and uncertainties associated with quantitatively measuring Florida rainfall through a multisensor analysis
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2681
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Musical Preference: A Comparison of Perceived Influences.
Creator: Phelps, Roger P., Madsen, Clifford, Kelly, Steven, Ebbers, Paul, College of Music, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the sources of variation in music preferences as defined by Leblanc (1980, 1982), provide a comprehensive review of literature as it relates to the variables under investigation, and make recommendations for future research in the field of music preference. Participants (N=420) were undergraduate students (n=354) at a large southeastern university and high school students (n=66) in the southeastern United States. A questionnaire was used...
Show moreABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the sources of variation in music preferences as defined by Leblanc (1980, 1982), provide a comprehensive review of literature as it relates to the variables under investigation, and make recommendations for future research in the field of music preference. Participants (N=420) were undergraduate students (n=354) at a large southeastern university and high school students (n=66) in the southeastern United States. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information and data for this study. Using a Semantic differential, participants to indicated the influence of twenty-one variables on their musical preferences and an open-ended question at the end allowed them to mark any important influences that may have been left off of the questionnaire. Using demographic information participants were placed in unmatched groups for comparison. Results showed stark differences between the groups' responses of certain variables. The most salient of comparisons was made between the groups of Music Major and Non-Music Major, and Musician and Non-Musician. The Music Major and Musician groups rated the variables of Teachers, Quality, Musical Ability, and Musical Training significantly higher. This may be due to the groups' development as musicians, creating a paradigm of influence that is based on musician-oriented variables. Alternately, Non-Music Majors and Non Musicians rated the variables of Mood, Personality, and Incidental Conditioning higher. Unlike the musician-centric paradigm, these groups seemed to base influences on self, social interaction, and emotion. Future research should investigate the relationship of the hierarchy of influential variables between the population of Musician and Non Musician.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-8869
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Pachytene Cytogenetic Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) Maps for Six Maize Chromosomes: Insights into Genome Structure Dynamics.
Creator: Figueroa, Debbie, Bass, Hank W., Levenson, Cathy W., Mast, Austin R., Epstein, Lloyd M., Fadool, James M., Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Plant cytogenetics has continued to flourish and make essential contributions to genomics projects by delineating marker order, defining contig gaps, and revealing genome rearrangements. Here we review the field of plant cytogenetics from its conception through the eras of molecular biology and genomics (Chapter 1). Significant advances in chromosome preparation, such as extended fiber-FISH, have greatly increased the axial resolution limits, while imaging and signal amplification...
Show morePlant cytogenetics has continued to flourish and make essential contributions to genomics projects by delineating marker order, defining contig gaps, and revealing genome rearrangements. Here we review the field of plant cytogenetics from its conception through the eras of molecular biology and genomics (Chapter 1). Significant advances in chromosome preparation, such as extended fiber-FISH, have greatly increased the axial resolution limits, while imaging and signal amplification technologies have improved our ability to detect small gene-sized probes. These advances are described, together with selected examples that illustrate the power of plant cytogenetics in guiding genome projects. The integration of genetic and physical maps of maize is progressing rapidly, but the cytogenetic maps lag behind, with the exception of the pachytene fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) maps of maize chromosome 9. We sought to produce integrated FISH maps of other maize chromosomes using the landmark Core Bin Marker loci. Because these 1 Kb restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) probes are below the FISH detection limit, we used BACs from sorghum, a small-genome relative of maize, as surrogate clones for FISH mapping. We sequenced 151 maize RFLP probes and compared in silico BAC selection methods to that of library filter hybridization and found the latter to be the best. BAC library screening, clone verification, and single-clone selection criteria are presented in Chapter 2. The use of homologous sorghum BACs as representative FISH probes for the creation of cytogenetic FISH maps for six maize chromosomes as well as in the mapping of duplicate maize regions are presented in Chapters 3 and 4, respectively. Finally, in Chapter 5 we compare our pachytene cytogenetic maps as well as the high-density chromosome 9 FISH map to the maize genomic map (Schnable et al., 2009), the UMC98 genetic linkage map (Davis et al., 1999), and to recombination nodule-based predictions of meiotic cytological coordinates (Anderson et al., 2004; Lawrence et al., 2006).
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4828
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Real-Time Voltage Stability Monitoring Tool for Power System Transmission Network Using Synchrophasor Data.
Creator: Pulok, Md Kamrul Hasan, Faruque, Md Omar, Edrington, Christopher S., Graber, Lukas, Florida State University, College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract/Description: Intelligent and effective monitoring of power system stability in control centers is one of the key issues in smart grid technology to prevent unwanted power system blackouts. Voltage stability analysis is one of the most important requirements for control center operation in smart grid era. With the advent of Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) or Synchrophasor technology, real time monitoring of voltage stability of power system is now a reality. This work utilizes real-time PMU data to derive a...
Show moreIntelligent and effective monitoring of power system stability in control centers is one of the key issues in smart grid technology to prevent unwanted power system blackouts. Voltage stability analysis is one of the most important requirements for control center operation in smart grid era. With the advent of Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) or Synchrophasor technology, real time monitoring of voltage stability of power system is now a reality. This work utilizes real-time PMU data to derive a voltage stability index to monitor the voltage stability related contingency situation in power systems. The developed tool uses PMU data to calculate voltage stability index that indicates relative closeness of the instability by producing numerical indices. The IEEE 39 bus, New England power system was modeled and run on a Real-time Digital Simulator that stream PMU data over the Internet using IEEE C37.118 protocol. A Phasor data concentrator (PDC) is setup that receives streaming PMU data and stores them in Microsoft SQL database server. Then the developed voltage stability monitoring (VSM) tool retrieves phasor measurement data from SQL server, performs real-time state estimation of the whole network, calculate voltage stability index, perform real-time ranking of most vulnerable transmission lines, and finally shows all the results in a graphical user interface. All these actions are done in near real-time. Control centers can easily monitor the systems condition by using this tool and can take precautionary actions if needed.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-9669
Format: Thesis

Title: The Development of Recovery Curves for the Life Status Questionnaire as a Means of Identifying Patients at Risk for Psychotherapy Treatment Failure.
Creator: Thompson, Kara Cattani, Boroto, Daniel R., Figley, Charles R., Lambert, Michael J., Megargee, Edwin I., Sachs-Ericsson, Natalie J., Smith, James C., Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The aim of this study was to create a model for tracking individual patients' progress across psychotherapy. This model provides a system for clinicians and researchers to identify cases at risk for treatment failure. A large national database of repeated administrations of the Life Status Questionnaire was used to develop anempirically based statistical model. The model displayed estimated recovery curves with corresponding prediction intervals for patients entering therapy across a range of...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to create a model for tracking individual patients' progress across psychotherapy. This model provides a system for clinicians and researchers to identify cases at risk for treatment failure. A large national database of repeated administrations of the Life Status Questionnaire was used to develop anempirically based statistical model. The model displayed estimated recovery curves with corresponding prediction intervals for patients entering therapy across a range of frequently occurring intake scores. The recovery curves were replicated on an independent sample of patients. There was no evidence of statistically meaningful differences between the slopes or intercepts of the recovery curves. Additionally, the model was able to identify 95% of cases whose final treatment outcome status was considered a treatment failure. These findings indicate confidence in the reliability and criterion validity of the model. This study provided the foundation for establishing an effective system of clinician feedback in a routine practice setting. It is hoped that the use of this system will supplement carefully developed treatment plans and make good therapists even better.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1558
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of User Cost Model for Movable Bridge Openings in Florida.
Creator: Buxton-Tetteh, Bernard, Sobanjo, John O., Mussa, Renatus N., Spainhour, Lisa, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently implementing the AASHTO Pontis® Bridge Management System (BMS) to support network-level and project-level decision making at the state and district levels. User cost models in the Pontis BMS quantify in economic terms, the potential safety and mobility benefits of maintenance, repair and replacement of bridge structures. Movable bridge openings force vehicles traveling over the bridges to be held in queues and this results in extra...
Show moreThe Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently implementing the AASHTO Pontis® Bridge Management System (BMS) to support network-level and project-level decision making at the state and district levels. User cost models in the Pontis BMS quantify in economic terms, the potential safety and mobility benefits of maintenance, repair and replacement of bridge structures. Movable bridge openings force vehicles traveling over the bridges to be held in queues and this results in extra travel time for motorists. The extra travel times are quantifiable as traffic delays costs, which are indirectly borne by commerce and the motoring public, and can be used in an economic analysis to justify the replacement of movable bridges. This thesis presents a study that involved the collection of Florida specific data on vehicular and vessel traffic, including vehicle queue counts, average daily traffic, hourly distribution of vehicular traffic, movable bridge openings, vessel counts and vessel heights at six (6) selected, geographically unbiased, movable bridge sites within the Florida. The data were analyzed and used in development of a user cost model for movable bridge openings for implementation in the Florida Pontis BMS. The movable bridge openings were modeled as bottleneck incidents on the roadways carried by the movable bridges and a deterministic queue model was used in analyzing the resulting delays to vehicular traffic. The developed model was used in a network analysis of Florida's inventory of 147 movable bridges to estimate the economic benefits of bridge replacement projects with the objective of correcting load carrying capacity deficiencies and elimination of traffic delays that were caused by the movable bridge openings. Results obtained showed that the savings in delays to vehicular traffic caused by movable bridge openings would contribute about eight (8) times more than the economic benefits that may be obtained from strengthening movable bridges in Florida.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2395
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Integrated Process Design Environment and Statistical Analysis of RTM Process.
Creator: Li, Jing, Zhang, Chuck, Okoli, Okenwa, Liang, Zhiyong, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The resin transfer molding (RTM) process has been used in the composite industry for decades. However, several issues still exist and impede its wide applications. Some design tools for RTM parts have been developed but a more efficient design environment is lacking. Race-tracking is a common phenomenon that makes prediction in actual production difficult and makes current deterministic optimal tooling design unrepeatable. This thesis integrates flow simulation and cost analysis modules...
Show moreThe resin transfer molding (RTM) process has been used in the composite industry for decades. However, several issues still exist and impede its wide applications. Some design tools for RTM parts have been developed but a more efficient design environment is lacking. Race-tracking is a common phenomenon that makes prediction in actual production difficult and makes current deterministic optimal tooling design unrepeatable. This thesis integrates flow simulation and cost analysis modules together with database management system (DBMS) providing a prototype of the integrated design environment for RTM processes. Preform permeability, especially race-tracking permeability that significantly affects not only simulated but also experimental results, was the factor being investigated. This thesis introduces a statistical approach utilizing statistically distributed variables to explain the race-tracking permeability values. One-dimensional flow experiments were conducted to obtain the permeability values. Three types of distribution (gamma distribution, Weibull distribution and lognormal distribution) were chosen as candidates. Experimental data were fitted for the three distributions. A goodness-of-fit test was performed to find the one that best describes the experimental data. Taking into account the fact that the severe levels of race-tracking can be represented by statistically distributed variables, this thesis proposes an optimization approach to minimize the sensitivity of the mold design to uncertainty of race-tracking permeabilities by choosing the appropriate locations of gates and vents (robust tooling design). A sensitivity that indicates the process robustness was defined as objective and evaluated by RTMSim software both for 2D and 2.5D geometry. With the conclusion that the ratios of race-tracking permeability over average values can be described by Weibull distributed variables, a random number generator was employed to generate the input race-tracking permeability data for obtaining values of the objective. Locations of vents were determined via the assumption that vents should be assigned at the locations where flow ends to avoid dry spot formation. Locations of gate were optimized from most possible locations.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3081
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Microcontact Printing Techniques for Fabricating Functional Micropatterns and Microparticles for Biomedical Applications.
Creator: Wang, Zhibin, Guan, Jingjiao, Liu, Tao, Lenhert, Steven, Siegrist, Theo M., Paravastu, Anant K., Florida State University, College of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Abstract/Description: Microcontact printing (μCP) is a soft lithographic technique based on transferring an ink material from a stamp on to a substrate through physical contact to produce features at the micrometer scale. Compared to other surface-patterning techniques, μCP is known for ease of use, low cost, high reliability, and high versatility. It is being used across diverse fields of scientific and engineering research, and holds potential to be useful for large-scale manufacturing. My doctoral research is...
Show moreMicrocontact printing (μCP) is a soft lithographic technique based on transferring an ink material from a stamp on to a substrate through physical contact to produce features at the micrometer scale. Compared to other surface-patterning techniques, μCP is known for ease of use, low cost, high reliability, and high versatility. It is being used across diverse fields of scientific and engineering research, and holds potential to be useful for large-scale manufacturing. My doctoral research is focused on the development of μCP techniques for fabricating functional micropatterns and microparticles for biomedical applications. Polyelectrolyte Specifically, my work consists of the following four projects. First, I developed a method based on μCP of polyelectrolyte for surface micropatternng. The method is featured by the use of an unmodified poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) stamp to print polyelectrolytes on a substrate coated with a monolayer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-silane. The method is applicable to various polyelectrolytes including poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), branched and linear poly(ethylene imine) (PEI), poly-L-lysine (PLL), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDAC), chitosan, double stranded DNA, and poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS). The printed polyelectrolyte structures, which include monolayer, bilayer, and stretched molecular bundles, are stable in aqueous solutions and have been used for micropatterning quantum dot nanoparticles, DNA, proteins, and live cells. Second, I utilized a novel polyelectrolyte ink material for μCP. The ink material is poly(4-aminostyrene) (PAS) which can be converted to aryldiazonium salt and exhibits pH-dependent hydrophobicity. I demonstrated that PAS could be microcontact printed using an unmodified PDMS stamp, and the printed PAS could be diazotized to further micropattern biomolecules including DNA and protein and nanomaterials including single-walled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles. I also revealed that the diazotized PAS could be used to enable μCP of a metallic structure on a carbon surface. Third, the hydrophobic nature of PAS at the neutral pH allowed the microcontact-printed PAS-based polyelectrolyte multilayer to be used as masks for wet etching. In addition, I used this technique to produce highly engineered microparticles. Third, while investigating the diazonium chemistry of PAS, I developed a novel paper indicator for sensing nitrite The paper indicator is featured by using three different modalities including colorimetric assay, Raman spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. This method is simple and inexpensive, and promises to have wider applicability than the existing paper indicators for nitrite sensing. Lastly, I developed a novel μCP technique for functionalizing and assembling live cells by integrating μCP of polymeric biomaterials with the use of a temperature-sensitive water-soluble sacrificial layer. It can not only functionalize live cells with microscopic polyelectrolyte and thermoplastic structures of various sizes and shapes, but also to assemble the cells into macroscopic stripes and sheets. The technique is also applicable to multiple types of cells, including human leukemic cells, mouse embryonic stem cells and human mesenchymal stem cells in the forms of single cells and cell aggregates. In addition, the technique can be used with biodegradable and biocompatible polyelectrolytes and thermoplastic. Compared with the conventional methods, this technique is inexpensive, easy to use, highly versatile and potentially useful for diverse biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, cellular therapies and tissue engineering.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-9519
Format: Thesis

Title: The Development of Extended Piano Techniques in Twentieth-Century American Music.
Creator: Ishii, Reiko, Bridger, Carolyn Ann, Van Glahn, Denise, Louwenaar, Karyl, Nalley, James, College of Music, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This treatise traces the development of extended techniques for the piano through a study of selected piano works by American composers of the twentieth century, and examines the technical and interpretive challenges of playing these works. It also discusses how extended techniques reflect changing musical values and aesthetics throughout the century. During the twentieth century, a significant development and expansion of sonorous possibilities of traditional instruments has occurred. The...
Show moreThis treatise traces the development of extended techniques for the piano through a study of selected piano works by American composers of the twentieth century, and examines the technical and interpretive challenges of playing these works. It also discusses how extended techniques reflect changing musical values and aesthetics throughout the century. During the twentieth century, a significant development and expansion of sonorous possibilities of traditional instruments has occurred. The term extended technique is commonly used to describe an unconventional technique of playing a musical instrument. Extended techniques are found not only in piano music but throughout other instrumental repertoire. Among other instruments, the piano has shown a surprising capacity for innovation in producing new sound. Composers have made new demands on pianists both technically and musically, bringing not only compositional and technical innovations to piano music, but also a fundamental change to the concept of music. This study explores four important classifications of extended piano techniques: 1) special effects produced on the keyboard, 2) performance inside the piano, 3) performance inside the piano with one hand and on the keyboard with the other, and 4) addition of foreign materials. First, the author shows the advent of these techniques through an examination of piano works composed before 1960 and how extended techniques are related to the conceptual changes of music. Then, piano works composed during the 1960s and 1970s are investigated to explain how these techniques diversified. This era was full of new ideas and musical resources, and the new musical concepts of this time were reflected in extended techniques. Finally, the author examines piano works composed during the 1980s and 1990s to indicate how composers integrate sounds produced by extended techniques into sounds played in a conventional manner. This era has seen a noticeable change in musical values which seems to be reflected in extended techniques. This treatise reveals that the evolution of extended techniques is closely associated with the development of twentieth-century music, reflecting changing musical values throughout the century.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3857
Format: Thesis

$Development of Femtosecond Electron Diffraction for Direct Measurements of Ultrafast Atomic Motions$

Title: The Development of Femtosecond Electron Diffraction for Direct Measurements of Ultrafast Atomic Motions.
Creator: Park, Hyuk, Cao, Jianming, Safron, Sanford A., Bonesteel, Nicholas, Piekarewicz, Jorge, Xiong, Peng, Department of Physics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The evolution of material structures is governed by the making and breaking of chemical bonds and the rearrangement of atoms, which occurs on the time scale of an atomic vibrational period, hundreds of femtoseconds. Atomic motion on this time scale ultimately determines the course of phase transitions in solids, the kinetic pathways of chemical reactions, and even the function of biological processes. Direct observation and understanding these ultrafast structural dynamics at the time and...
Show moreThe evolution of material structures is governed by the making and breaking of chemical bonds and the rearrangement of atoms, which occurs on the time scale of an atomic vibrational period, hundreds of femtoseconds. Atomic motion on this time scale ultimately determines the course of phase transitions in solids, the kinetic pathways of chemical reactions, and even the function of biological processes. Direct observation and understanding these ultrafast structural dynamics at the time and length scales of atomic motions represent an important frontier in scientific research and applications. We have developed a femtosecond electron diffraction system (FED) capable of directly measuring the atomic motions in sub-picosecond temporal resolution and sub-milli-angstrom spatial resolution. In the path of the development of FED various technical challenges have been overcome and an unprecedented capability has been achieved. These advancements allow us to study a range of ultrafast structural dynamics directly on the fundamental level of atomic motions for the first time. With FED we measured laser-induced ultrafast structural dynamics in a 20-nm Al film by taking real-time snapshots of transmission electron patterns. The damped single-mode breathing motion of the Al film along the surface normal was recorded as coherent and in-phase oscillations of all the Bragg peak positions. The concurrent lattice heating was measured by tracking the associated Bragg peak intensity attenuation. This acoustic phonon can be well fitted with a classical harmonic oscillator model using a driving force which includes both electronic and lattice contribution. The pressure of the free electrons contributes significantly in driving the coherent acoustic phonons under nonequilibrium conditions when electrons and phonons are not thermalized. In addition, by using a pair of optical excitation pulses and varying their time delay and relative pulse intensities, we demonstrated successful control of coherent lattice motions.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2265
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Analytical Tools to Study the Signaling Mechanisms of Glucose Homeostasis Regulation in Islets of Langerhans.
Creator: Lomasney, Anna Renee, Roper, Michael G., Blaber, Michael, Dorsey, John G., Marshall, Alan G., Sang, Qing -Xiang Amy, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The work in this dissertation presents methods for sensitive and selective assays for hormones and proteins involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. The capillary electrophoresis (CE) conditions for a competitive immunoassay of glucagon were optimized for highest sensitivity of the immunoassay and resolution of the electrophoretic peaks using a Box-Behnken design. Injection time, voltage ramp time, and separation voltage were varied between three levels and two responses, bound-to...
Show moreThe work in this dissertation presents methods for sensitive and selective assays for hormones and proteins involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. The capillary electrophoresis (CE) conditions for a competitive immunoassay of glucagon were optimized for highest sensitivity of the immunoassay and resolution of the electrophoretic peaks using a Box-Behnken design. Injection time, voltage ramp time, and separation voltage were varied between three levels and two responses, bound-to-free (B/F) ratio of the immunoassay peaks and resolution between the peaks, were measured. Analysis of variance was applied to fit a predictive model, and a desirability function was used to simultaneously optimize both responses. A 10-s injection, 1.6-min ramp time, and a 22-kV separation voltage were the conditions found when high B/F was given more emphasis than high resolution. To test the model, calibration curves of a glucagon immunoassay were measured at the optimum and least optimum CE conditions. Optimal conditions increased the sensitivity of the immunoassay by 388% compared to the least optimum conditions while maintaining adequate resolution. A microfluidic device was developed for electrophoresis immunoassays to monitor the acute secretory dynamics of insulin and IAPP from multiple islets of Langerhans. A simple flow-switching feature on the microfluidic chip allowed rapid step changes in gravity-driven perfusion of islets with cell culture media at varying concentrations of glucose. The islet perfusate was continuously sampled by electroosmosis and mixed online with immunoassay reagents in an 8 cm reaction channel at 37 °C. The immunoassay mixture was injected for 0.3 sec onto a 1.5 cm separation channel at 12 sec intervals. A two-color detection strategy provided spectral resolution and independent gain control of the immunoassay product fluorescent signals, for simultaneous quantitation of insulin and IAPP secreted from mouse islets of Langerhans in response to dynamic glucose stimulation. The response times of the two immunoassays were corrected for electrophoretic bias and secretion profiles of the two peptides were monitored during multiple step changes in glucose stimulation. Insulin and IAPP from groups of 4 or 9 islets were secreted in an approximately 10:1 ratio and displayed similar responses to step changes from 3 mM to 11 mM or 20 mM glucose. The ability to monitor the secretory dynamics of multiple peptides from islets of Langerhans in a highly automated fashion should be useful for investigating the hormonal regulation of glucose homeostasis. The endocrine hormone secreting cells in pancreatic islets of Langerhans are subject to glucose responsive regulation by the post translational protein modification O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Dysregulation of this signaling pathway during hyperglycemia is linked to type II diabetes, although changes in the protein targets and levels of O-GlcNAc modification are not well understood. A click chemistry reaction was used to label O-GlcNAc modified proteins with a chemoselective probe. Subsequent one- or two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resolution of labeled proteins in cell lysate showed qualitative differences in O-GlcNAc levels for a clonal cell line cultured in low and high glucose media. Proteins of interest from the clonal cell line or from islets of Langerhans were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry or by accurate mass with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7475
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Electrolytes for Li-Ion Capacitors.
Creator: Chen, Xujie, Zheng, Jim P., Andrei, Petru, Foo, Simon Y., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In this thesis, a mixture of acetonitrile (AN) and γ-butyrolactone (γBL) are used as the solvent in combination with LiClO4 or LiBF4 as the salt of the electrolyte studied for Li-ion capacitors. The electrolyte with various ratios of AN and γBL with different salts are investigated, and visual observation shows that metallic lithium is stable in LiClO4 or LiBF4 in 1:1 (wt.) AN/γBL electrolyte. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte as a function of LiClO4 salt is optimized, and it is shown...
Show moreIn this thesis, a mixture of acetonitrile (AN) and γ-butyrolactone (γBL) are used as the solvent in combination with LiClO4 or LiBF4 as the salt of the electrolyte studied for Li-ion capacitors. The electrolyte with various ratios of AN and γBL with different salts are investigated, and visual observation shows that metallic lithium is stable in LiClO4 or LiBF4 in 1:1 (wt.) AN/γBL electrolyte. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte as a function of LiClO4 salt is optimized, and it is shown that 1M LiClO4 in 1:1 (wt.) AN/γBL electrolyte has the highest conductivity which is much higher than a commercial electrolyte (1M LiPF6 in 1:1:1 (wt.) ethylene carbonate (EC)/Dimethyl carbonate (DMC)/diethyl carbonate (DEC)) used in Li-ion batteries, over the whole temperature range from -30℃ to 65℃. The electrochemical stability windows of three electrolytes, 1M LiPF6 1:1:1 (wt.) EC/DMC/DEC, 1.1M LiClO4 in 1:1 (wt.) AN/γBL and 1M LiBF4 in 1:1 (wt.) AN/γBL, on three kinds of electrodes (GC, AC and HC) are different from each other, and the results are compared and discussed. The discharge and charge cycling results show that Li/AC cells with both 1.1M LiClO4 in 1:1 AN/γBL and 1M LiBF4 in 1:1 AN/γBL electrolytes have fast capacity decay due to the increased impedance. The capacity of the latter was higher initially but decayed more rapidly which can be probably attributed to the product covered on the surface of the AC electrode.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4766
Format: Thesis

Title: Deterrence and Clarity: U.S. Security Policy in the Asian-Pacific, 1950-1970.
Creator: Sherrill, Clifton W., Smith, Dale L., Jones, James P., Cleave, William R. Van, Carsey, Thomas M., Hensel, Paul R., Department of Political Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Rational deterrence theory understates the importance of declaratory policy by dismissing such as rhetoric. The theory presented here asserts that declaratory policy can provide significant information to a challenger regarding a defender's resolve. In keeping with the traditional deterrence literature, the success of deterrence is described as a function of the credibility of the deterrent threat; however, a somewhat different formulation of credibility is proposed. Credibility is explained...
Show moreRational deterrence theory understates the importance of declaratory policy by dismissing such as rhetoric. The theory presented here asserts that declaratory policy can provide significant information to a challenger regarding a defender's resolve. In keeping with the traditional deterrence literature, the success of deterrence is described as a function of the credibility of the deterrent threat; however, a somewhat different formulation of credibility is proposed. Credibility is explained as a combination of the balance of capabilities and the balance of interests between the challenger and defender, conditioned by the contextual risk propensity of each. Risk propensity is most important when information on the balance of capabilities and interests is either unavailable or reveals relative equality between challenger and defender. By looking to the declaratory policy of a defender, this uncertainty can be reduced. Including rather than ignoring the impact of declaratory policy provides a more accurate understanding of deterrence with important prescriptive implications for policy-makers. To assess risk propensity, a psychologically based approach is used rather than the expected utility approach more common to political science models. Based on a framework of psychological biases offered by Jervis (1976) and prospect theory as developed by Kahneman and Tversky (1979; 1982; 1984; 1992), a contextual, individually based determination of risk propensity is created. The theory is tested using a series of nine crises in the Asian Pacific from 1950 through 1970 in which the United States attempted to deter behavior by different autocratic states. Each crisis is discussed in depth with assessments provided of the significant factors suggested by the theory. The final chapter analyzes these assessments to determine whether there is empirical support for the theory. By moving away from assumptions endemic to rational choice and toward a conscious inclusion of psychological factors, a more accurate descriptive theory of practical deterrence is provided.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0314
Format: Thesis

Title: Detrital Zircon Dating of the Kodiak Accretionary Complex; South Alaska.
Creator: Mahjoor, Amir Sasan, Farris, David, Tull, James F., Odom, A. Leroy, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Southern Alaska crustal exposures provide an excellent opportunity to study the growth of collisional continental margins through the processes of terrane accretion, magmatism, accretionary prism development, and subduction of oceanic spreading ridges. Kodiak Island is one of the world's best exposed accretionary complexes, and is characterized by transport along dominant large-magnitude strike-slip faults of west North America and South Alaska. In this study we focus on detrital zircon...
Show moreSouthern Alaska crustal exposures provide an excellent opportunity to study the growth of collisional continental margins through the processes of terrane accretion, magmatism, accretionary prism development, and subduction of oceanic spreading ridges. Kodiak Island is one of the world's best exposed accretionary complexes, and is characterized by transport along dominant large-magnitude strike-slip faults of west North America and South Alaska. In this study we focus on detrital zircon dating of the Kodiak accretionary complex on Kodiak Island Alaska. Accretionary complexes are an important fundamental element of convergent plate margins and are also important structures in continental crust formation. Their presence in the geologic record is an indicator of past subduction zones. Six graywacke detrital zircon samples from the Kodiak and the Ghost Rocks Formations were analyzed using U/Pb dating of single crystals via laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The maximum depositional age of the three major formations are as follow: Kodiak Formation 56.2-69.2 Ma, and Ghost Rock 58.5 Ma. The age for the small outcrop of Narrow Cape Formation is 54.1. Kodiak and Ghost Rock Formation detrital zircon age are consistent with fossil ages of these two formations, but the fossil content of Narrow Cape is younger than the detrital zircon age we measured for this formation. Some evidence in our data like resurrection of certain age zircon grains between the accreted sequences, age gaps between the accreted sequences, different rate of sedimentation and etc. are evidenc for episodical accretion in the complex and also displacement of the accreted units along the west North America and Alaska right lateral large magnitude strike slip faults.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2788
Format: Thesis

Title: Design and Development of the Multiple Parabolic Reflector Flat Panel Collector (MPFC) to Generate Medium Temperature Steam.
Creator: Pandolfini, Jonathan, Krothapalli, Anjaneyulu, Kopriva, David, Shih, Chiang, Hollis, Patrick J., Ordonez, Juan Carlos, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Multiple Parabolic Reflector Flat Panel Collector (MPFC) was designed to heat a working fluid to a temperature of 150oC using the sun. The use of stationary reflectors and a moving receiver tube allow for maximum energy collection with minimum amount of solar tracking. The reflector-receiver combination is placed within an enclosure with multiple reflectors; the top of the enclosure allows solar radiation while stifling thermal losses from convection and radiation to the environment. A...
Show moreThe Multiple Parabolic Reflector Flat Panel Collector (MPFC) was designed to heat a working fluid to a temperature of 150oC using the sun. The use of stationary reflectors and a moving receiver tube allow for maximum energy collection with minimum amount of solar tracking. The reflector-receiver combination is placed within an enclosure with multiple reflectors; the top of the enclosure allows solar radiation while stifling thermal losses from convection and radiation to the environment. A concentration ratio of 6 is used with respect to the aperture area of the reflector compared to the surface are of the receiver. The MPFC is a panel collector where the enclosure remains stationary and the receiver moves to track the sun. This is accomplished by combining aspects of flat panel (FP) collectors, compound parabolic concentrators (CPC), and parabolic trough collectors (PTC). The design is based on an analysis performed using ray tracing techniques to estimate the amount of radiation reaching the receiver. It was shown that the amount of possible energy collection is comparable to that of FP and CPC collectors. Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to estimate convective heat transfer within the enclosure. Combining the ray tracing and CFD results with a thermodynamic model of the panel, the total performance of the MPFC can be estimated. Experiments were also performed to verify the method of the numerical model, the optical efficiency found from the ray tracing model, and the heat loss found from the CFD solution. It was found that the numerical model solves the system of equations appropriately, the ray tracing is an accurate description to the reflection of the radiation, and the CFD modeled the natural convection within a cavity with appropriate accuracy while remaining a conservative estimation. The final MPFC design is a compilation of the individual studies in a way that is simple while accomplishing its goals.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7959
Format: Thesis

Title: Design and Fabrication of Transparent Polycarbonate/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films.
Creator: Chin, Yuan-Chen (Craig), Park, Young-Bin, Wang, Ben, Liang, Zhiyong, Okoli, Okenwa, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Polycarbonate (PC) is a transparent, impact resistant polymer that provides protection against breakage or intrusion. The mechanical toughness of PC is reported to be associated with the molecular motion of main chain molecules. The molecular motion is present upon exposure to impact and can therefore provide efficient dissipation of impact energy. PC has found wide usages in military and commercial applications. This thesis investigates processing and characterization of transparent PC...
Show morePolycarbonate (PC) is a transparent, impact resistant polymer that provides protection against breakage or intrusion. The mechanical toughness of PC is reported to be associated with the molecular motion of main chain molecules. The molecular motion is present upon exposure to impact and can therefore provide efficient dissipation of impact energy. PC has found wide usages in military and commercial applications. This thesis investigates processing and characterization of transparent PC/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films. The reinforcing capability and efficiency of CNTs in nanocomposites have been studied intensely world-wide due to their exceptional mechanical properties. Not only do they provide stiffness and strength, but they also have been reported to impart fracture toughness when dispersed in polymer matrices. As cracks develop in nanocomposites, CNTs serve as the bridging nanofibrils that effectively retard crack propagation. In some cases, CNTs act as obstacles that obstruct the crack propagation paths, thus increasing the energy needed to be dissipated for further crack opening. This research deals with two important issues in multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)-based composites that are seemingly trade-offs – dispersion of high-loading MWNTs and maintenance of optical transparency. Higher loading of MWNTs is desired for increased reinforcing effects; however, it is limited by the difficulties in achieving uniform dispersion in the polymer resin due to increased viscosity and the tendency of MWNTs to aggregate. At the same time, only a small addition of MWNTs (less than 1 wt.%) makes the resin turn dark, which defeats the advantage of the transparency that should otherwise be retained by PC. PC/MWNT composite films (up to 0.15 wt.% MWNT) were fabricated using a solvent-based film casting method. Several optimization schemes were adopted to determine the most suitable solvent and the concentrations of PC/MWNT in the solvent. Solvent-induced PC crystallization, which was evidenced by milky tinting in the produced films, was minimized by identifying and optimizing the process parameters, namely, PC/MWNT/solvent solution viscosity, casting temperature, and film thickness. Design of experiments technique was used to determine the combination of optimal parameters.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3811
Format: Thesis

Title: Develando Memorias Olvidadas: El Ensayo Feminista Caribeño Durante el Siglo XIX y Principios del XX.
Creator: Collazo, Ivelisse, Poey, Delia, Suárez, Virgil, Fernández, Roberto G., Cappuccio, Brenda, Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Este trabajo de investigación presenta un rescate de seis escritoras caribeñas, del siglo XIX Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, "La mujer" y "Luisa Molina," Salomé Ureña de Henrìquez, "Palabras" y "Palabras," y Lola Rodrìguez de Tió, "La influencia de la mujer en la civilización" y "La educación de la mujer," y principios del XX Dulce Marìa Borrero de Luján, "El magisterio y el porvenir de Cuba" y "La fiesta intelectual de la mujer. Su actual significado; su misión ulterior," Camila Henrìquez...
Show moreEste trabajo de investigación presenta un rescate de seis escritoras caribeñas, del siglo XIX Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, "La mujer" y "Luisa Molina," Salomé Ureña de Henrìquez, "Palabras" y "Palabras," y Lola Rodrìguez de Tió, "La influencia de la mujer en la civilización" y "La educación de la mujer," y principios del XX Dulce Marìa Borrero de Luján, "El magisterio y el porvenir de Cuba" y "La fiesta intelectual de la mujer. Su actual significado; su misión ulterior," Camila Henrìquez Ureña, "Feminismo" y "La mujer y la cultura," y Luisa Capetillo, "La mujer en la época primitiva" y "La mujer en el hogar, en la familia, en el gobierno." Ellas utilizan el ensayo como una denuncia social tanto de su realidad histórica como sociopolìtica. Por medio del ensayo las escritoras se apropian del formato del discurso masculino para promover sus ideas e incorporar sus formas de pensar, de ver el mundo y la vida que les delimita. De esta forma, el ensayo les permite examinar el espacio doméstico, en relación a los roles (papeles) fijados al género por la sociedad, y con ello debatir el mundo y la vida. Por tanto, es preciso evaluar el propósito de éstas al utilizar un género literario cuya producción fue mayormente masculina. En suma, el objetivo de este trabajo de investigación es investigar, interpretar y reflexionar a través de una metodologìa feminista sobre la presencia, contribución y experiencias de las mujeres en los espacios de la polìtica y la educación, dentro del contexto histórico de los siglos XIX y principios del XX en el Caribe.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3563
Format: Thesis

Title: The Determinants of Consumers' Information Search Patterns in Online Marketing Communication.
Creator: Lee, Youngwon, Heald, Gary R., Arpan, Laura M., Hartline, Michael D., Sapolsky, Barry S., McDowell, Steve D., School of Communication, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study investigates consumers' information search patterns in online purchases. By investigating the information search patterns that proceed decision-making, this study provides insights into consumers' choice behaviors. Using Bettman's information processing theory, the effects of internal searches, situational factors, and individual differences were investigated in the context of online purchases. In this study, internal search processes were explained using accessibility theory. In...
Show moreThis study investigates consumers' information search patterns in online purchases. By investigating the information search patterns that proceed decision-making, this study provides insights into consumers' choice behaviors. Using Bettman's information processing theory, the effects of internal searches, situational factors, and individual differences were investigated in the context of online purchases. In this study, internal search processes were explained using accessibility theory. In addition, for a more in-depth investigation of consumers' pre-purchase decision processes, three different product categories (digital cameras, laptop computers, and plasma TVs) were examined. Comparisons were made of the three sample sub-groups to document the consistency of the causal relationships among the study variables. As this study was interested in Internet users who have had experiences with online purchases, an online consumer panel survey was used for data collection. Each respondent was randomly assigned to one of the product categories and asked to answer one of three parallel product questionnaires concerning digital cameras, laptop computers, or plasma TVs. A two-step structural equation model was employed to test the hypothesized relationships in each sample sub-group. In this study, the relationships among prior product experience and perceived risk of online purchases, accessibility of favored product brands and external searches for product information, involvement with online purchases and external searches for product information, and need for closure and external searches for product information were consistent with the hypotheses. In contrast, the relationships between prior product experience and accessibility of favored product brands, product experience and external searches for product information, and perceived risk of online purchases and external searches for product information were mixed and inconsistent among the three sample sub-groups. The inconsistent results are discussed in depth.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3198
Format: Thesis

Title: Determinants of Economic Institutions.
Creator: Brown, Matthew Eldyn, Benson, Bruce L., Gwartney, James D., Stevens, Douglas, Holcombe, Randall G., Isaac, R. Mark (Robert Mark), Department of Economics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This dissertation explores the factors that determine the variation in institutional quality among nations. Previously, a growing body of literature has demonstrated the importance of economic institutions in determining prosperity, but significantly less work has been dedicated to understanding how those institutions are determined. A brief review of the literature on economic performance and institutions is provided as is a discussion of the various datasets used to measure institutional...
Show moreThis dissertation explores the factors that determine the variation in institutional quality among nations. Previously, a growing body of literature has demonstrated the importance of economic institutions in determining prosperity, but significantly less work has been dedicated to understanding how those institutions are determined. A brief review of the literature on economic performance and institutions is provided as is a discussion of the various datasets used to measure institutional quality. Twenty-four case studies are presented of countries that have experienced significant changes in their economic institutions since 1980 with common experiences and themes developed that may account for changes in institutional quality. Empirical analysis demonstrates that geographic factors, particularly the ease of exit from a country, play a significant role in determining institutional quality. Openness to international trade is also shown to be a significant factor. Political factors and fractionalization are less important when these other characteristics are taken into account.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2916
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Design and Evaluation Criteria for Transit Station with the Focus on Intermodal Connectivity Developing Design and Evaluation Criteriafor Transit Station .
Creator: Mbatta, Geophrey, Moses, Ren, Sobanjo , John, Ping , Wei Chou V., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The continued population growth is continually challenging transportation officials to institute measures to meet travel needs at a desirable level of service. A customer-oriented transit service which provides intermodal travel would provide an alternative to the personal automobile mode of transportation hence reducing traffic congestion caused by high dependency on single occupancy vehicles. To ensure higher rates of ridership, station areas need to be designed with features known to...
Show moreThe continued population growth is continually challenging transportation officials to institute measures to meet travel needs at a desirable level of service. A customer-oriented transit service which provides intermodal travel would provide an alternative to the personal automobile mode of transportation hence reducing traffic congestion caused by high dependency on single occupancy vehicles. To ensure higher rates of ridership, station areas need to be designed with features known to enhance transit patronage. The long-term success of transit projects is closely linked to creating connectivity to all modes in the station areas. Of high importance is the station area design which encourages the use of all modes of transportation including pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. This can be accomplished by adopting a station area facility design which focuses on seamless movement of passengers as they change their modes of transportation at the stations. This study establishes minimum design and evaluation criteria for public transit stations which have been designed with special focus on intermodal connectivity. The proposed criteria will be used by designers and planners when evaluating station area plans for transit project such as bus rapid transit and rail projects in Florida
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2629
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Emergent Literacy Skills: The Impact of Alphabet Instruction.
Creator: Piasta, Shayne B., Wagner, Richard K., Connor, Carol McDonald, Licht, Mark H., Lonigan, Christopher J., Schatschneider, Christopher, Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Small group instruction was provided to preschool children (n = 58) to examine (1) potential benefits of systematic alphabet instruction as compared to typical preschool instruction, (2) the letter name-to-sound facilitation effect, (3) causal relations between alphabet knowledge and emergent literacy skill development, and (4) the influence of phonological processing abilities on alphabet knowledge development. Children were randomly assigned to receive letter name and sound training, letter...
Show moreSmall group instruction was provided to preschool children (n = 58) to examine (1) potential benefits of systematic alphabet instruction as compared to typical preschool instruction, (2) the letter name-to-sound facilitation effect, (3) causal relations between alphabet knowledge and emergent literacy skill development, and (4) the influence of phonological processing abilities on alphabet knowledge development. Children were randomly assigned to receive letter name and sound training, letter sound training only, or numeracy training (serving as a treated control). Thirty-four 15 minute lessons were provided. Results suggest benefits of combined letter name and sound instruction in promoting children's letter sound acquisition, possibly due to letter name-to-sound facilitation. Benefits did not generalize to other emergent literacy skills.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0915
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Music Skills in Urban Secondary Public School Choirs: Case Studies of Choral Master Teachers.
Creator: Hankle, Steven P. (Steven Perry), Bowers, Judy K. (Judy Kay), Porter, Marcía, Thomas, Andre J. (Andre Jerome), Madsen, Clifford K., Florida State University, College of Music
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to identify strategies, or pedagogical methods used for teaching basic music skills to urban secondary public school choirs by investigating three successful choral master teachers who routinely adapt instruction based on the unique needs of their urban students. Research questions guided this study: (1) What choral sight-reading materials are used to teach independent music reading to students? (2) What concept/skill developmental sequence is used to promote...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to identify strategies, or pedagogical methods used for teaching basic music skills to urban secondary public school choirs by investigating three successful choral master teachers who routinely adapt instruction based on the unique needs of their urban students. Research questions guided this study: (1) What choral sight-reading materials are used to teach independent music reading to students? (2) What concept/skill developmental sequence is used to promote basic skill growth and how frequently are they evident in a rehearsal? (3) What social factors best establish a classroom/rehearsal climate that nurtures student learning in the complex environments found in most urban schools? (4) What relationships, exist between music reading skill development and music performance repertoire selections? Results identified multiple strategies that urban choral teachers used to accomplish this goal. Participants included three master choral teachers from the South East, Midwest, and West Regions of the United States who were selected by any one of the following measures: (1) nominated and/or recommended by university faculty (2) county/districts music supervisors, and/or (3) awarded excellent or superior rating on the sight-reading portion of the state performance assessment or festival. The three selected master teachers provided insight into exemplary practices used with urban secondary public school choirs. The master teachers electronically responded to survey, and interview questions and then the interviewer observed and recorded their rehearsals to observe teacher behavior leading to successful choral singing by urban students. The data revealed these three master teachers use different curriculum to teach basic music skills, such as notation, staff, clefs, and key and time signatures, etc. However, all participants used modified versions of the Kodály method to teach pitch and rhythm reading. In addition, repertoire selections for participants were a mixer of contemporary pop, renaissance, multicultural, baroque, gospel, R&B and spirituals were selected based on their students' music skills and cultural background. Implications for urban choral teachers and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-9347
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Southern Libraries to Influence the Life of the African-American User: An Exploratory, Archival Analysis.
Creator: Johnson, Aisha Montae, Marty, Paul F., Sinke, Suzanne M., Burnett, Kathleen M. (Kathleen Marie), Burnett, Gary, Florida State University, College of Communication and Information, School of Library and Information Studies
Abstract/Description: Library history provides a biographical account of libraries, which includes information concerning the establishment, benefactors, significant collections, services rendered, outstanding achievements, and other points of interest. However, records of library service to African Americans in the South prior to 1900 are rare or non-existent. Not until the early 20th century did the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program begin to offer library service to the black and white residents in the rural...
Show moreLibrary history provides a biographical account of libraries, which includes information concerning the establishment, benefactors, significant collections, services rendered, outstanding achievements, and other points of interest. However, records of library service to African Americans in the South prior to 1900 are rare or non-existent. Not until the early 20th century did the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program begin to offer library service to the black and white residents in the rural South. Through the analysis of archival documents, this dissertation explores the impact of the library program on Southern libraries and the role of the library in the life of the African-American user. In its attempt to educate the reader about the early African-American struggle for library access, this study highlights the lack of emphasis on library history research in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) and its risk of losing a valuable sub-discipline. In addition, the field potentially forfeits invaluable insight and understanding of library service to African Americans in the 20th century. This could jeopardize future planning for adequate service to underrepresented populations. Using archival analysis, the study utilizes preset categories to investigate library practices of Rosenwald-funded libraries with anticipation for unanticipated concepts to emerge. This exploratory, archival analysis unveils the variety of approaches and practices the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program incorporated to improve library service not only to African-Americans users, but to the entire American South.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-9363
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Empirical Lightning Cessation Forecast Guidance for the Kennedy Space Center.
Creator: Stano, Geoffrey T. (Geoffrey Thomas), Fuelberg, Henry E., Elsner, James B., Ruscher, Paul H., Ahlquist, Jon E., Hart, Robert, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Kennedy Space Center in east Central Florida is one of the few locations in the country that issues lightning advisories. These forecasts are vital to the daily operations of the Space Center and take on even greater significance during launch operations. The U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron (45WS), who provides forecasts for the Space Center, has a good record of forecasting the initiation of lightning near their locations of special concern. However, the remaining problem is...
Show moreThe Kennedy Space Center in east Central Florida is one of the few locations in the country that issues lightning advisories. These forecasts are vital to the daily operations of the Space Center and take on even greater significance during launch operations. The U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron (45WS), who provides forecasts for the Space Center, has a good record of forecasting the initiation of lightning near their locations of special concern. However, the remaining problem is knowing when to cancel a lightning advisory. Without specific scientific guidelines detailing cessation activity, the Weather Squadron must keep advisories in place longer than necessary to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment. This unnecessary advisory time costs the Space Center millions of dollars in lost manpower each year. This research presents storm and environmental characteristics associated with lightning cessation that then are utilized to create lightning cessation guidelines for isolated thunderstorms for use by the 45WS during the warm season months of May through September. The research uses data from the Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) network at the Kennedy Space Center, which can observe intra-cloud and portions of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Supporting data from the Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Surveillance System (CGLSS), radar observations from the Melbourne WSR- 88D, and Cape Canaveral morning radiosonde launches also are included. Characteristics of 116 thunderstorms comprising our dataset are presented. Most of these characteristics are based on LDAR-derived spark and flash data and have not been described previously. In particular, the first lightning activity is quantified as either cloud-to-ground (CG) or intra-cloud (IC). Only 10% of the storms in this research are found to initiate with a CG strike. Conversely, only 16% of the storms end with a CG strike. Another characteristic is the average horizontal extent of all the flashes comprising a storm. Our average is 12-14 km, while the greatest flash extends 26 km. Comparisons between the starting altitude of the median and last flashes of a storm are analyzed, with only 37% of the storms having a higher last flash initiating altitude. Additional observations are made of the total lightning flash rate, percentage of CG to IC lightning, trends of individual flash initiation altitudes versus the average initiation altitude, the average inter-flash time distribution, and time series of inter-flash times. Five schemes to forecast lightning cessation are developed and evaluated. 100 of the 116 storms were randomly selected as the dependent sample, while the remaining 16 storms were used for verification. The schemes included a correlation and regression tree analysis, multiple linear regression, trends of storm duration, trend of the altitude of the greatest reflectivity to the time of the final flash, and a percentile scheme. Surprisingly, the percentile method was found to be the most effective technique and the simplest. The inclusion of real time storm parameters is found to have little effect on the results, suggesting that different forecast predictors, such as microphysical data from polarimetric radar, will be necessary to produce improved skill. When the percentile method used a confidence level of 99.5%, it successfully maintained lightning advisories for all 16 independent storms on which the schemes were tested. Since the computed wait time was 25 min, compared to the 45WS' most conservative and accurate wait time of 30 min, the percentile method saves 5 min for each advisory. This 5 min of savings safely shortens the Weather Squadron's advisories and saves money. Additionally, these results are the first to evaluate the 30/30 rule that is used commonly. The success of the percentile method is surprising since it out performs more complex procedures involving correlation and regression tree analysis and regression schemes. These more sophisticated statistical analyses were expected to perform better since they include more predictors in the forecasts. However, with the predictors available to us, this was not the case. While not the expected result, the percentile method succeeds in creating a safe and expedited forecast.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1578
Format: Thesis

Title: Developing Gridded Forecast Guidance for Warm Season Lightning over Florida Using the Perfect Prognosis Method and Mesoscale Model Output.
Creator: Shafer, Phillip Edmond, Fuelberg, Henry E., Elsner, James B., Ruscher, Paul H., Ahlquist, Jon E., Hart, Robert, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: We will describe the development of a high-resolution, gridded forecast guidance product for warm season cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning in Florida. Four warm seasons of analysis data from the 20-km Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) and lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network are used to examine relationships between observed atmospheric parameters and the spatial and temporal patterns of CG lightning over Florida. The most important RUC-derived parameters then are used in a...
Show moreWe will describe the development of a high-resolution, gridded forecast guidance product for warm season cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning in Florida. Four warm seasons of analysis data from the 20-km Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) and lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network are used to examine relationships between observed atmospheric parameters and the spatial and temporal patterns of CG lightning over Florida. The most important RUC-derived parameters then are used in a perfect prognosis (PP) technique to develop equations producing 3-hourly spatial probability forecasts for one or more CG flashes, as well as the probability of exceeding various flash count percentile thresholds. Binary logistic regression is used to develop the equations for one or more flashes, while a negative binomial (NB) model is used to predict the amount of lightning, conditional on one or more flashes occurring. When applied to the dependent sample of RUC analyses, the equations show forecast skill over a model containing only persistence and climatology (L-CLIPER). We also evaluate the lightning forecast scheme when applied to output from three mesoscale models during an independent test period (the 2006 warm season). The evaluation is performed using output from NCEP's 13-km RUC, the NCEP 12-km NAM-WRF, and local runs of WRF for a domain over South Florida that were initialized with NCEP 1/12th degree sea-surface temperatures (SST) and data from the Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS) (WRF-LAPS). During the most active lightning period (1800-2059 UTC), the three models forecast between 80-90% of the lightning events having one or more flashes, and between 30-60% of the events with flash counts meeting or exceeding the 95th percentile. Of the three mesoscale models, WRF-LAPS generally produces the best verification scores during 1800-2059 UTC. Forecasts from all three mesoscale models generally show positive skill with respect to L-CLIPER and persistence through the 2100-2359 UTC period, demonstrating that the PP scheme is model independent. Although the exact timing and placement of forecast lightning is not perfect, there generally is good agreement between the forecasts and their verification, with most of the observed lightning occurring within the higher forecast probability contours.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1802
Format: Thesis

Title: Determination of the Quantity of Cloud Liquid in Snow Clouds and Its Effect on Masking the Snow Scattering Signature.
Creator: Smith, John Robert, Liu, Guosheng, Bourassa, Mark, Fuelberg, Henry, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Many studies have been conducted on the satellite remote sensing of rainfall, but not on the remote sensing of snowfall. To obtain a global view of snowfall in a timely matter, passive high frequency microwave satellite measurements must be used. Therefore, an accurate algorithm for detecting and retrieving snowfall on a global scale is needed. In developing this algorithm, it is important to account for the snow scattering signature which reduces the upwelling emission signal from the ocean...
Show moreMany studies have been conducted on the satellite remote sensing of rainfall, but not on the remote sensing of snowfall. To obtain a global view of snowfall in a timely matter, passive high frequency microwave satellite measurements must be used. Therefore, an accurate algorithm for detecting and retrieving snowfall on a global scale is needed. In developing this algorithm, it is important to account for the snow scattering signature which reduces the upwelling emission signal from the ocean surface observed at the top of the atmosphere. However, the emission due to cloud liquid will increase the upwelling radiation, therefore masking the snow scattering signature. Thus, cloud liquid within snow clouds must be understood. In this study, data from the Cloud Profiling Radar on CloudSat and AMSR-E on Aqua are used to investigate the quantity of cloud liquid for snowfall events. The relationship between cloud liquid and echo top, cloud thickness, and two-meter air temperature is determined. The quantity of cloud liquid present in stratiform and convective snowfall events is also compared. Using snowfall profiles obtained from the reflectivity profiles provided by CloudSat, the masking effect of cloud liquid on the snow scattering signature on vertical and horizontal brightness temperature is determined for snow events with various surface snowfall rates. The masking effect on a parameter designed to reduce the emission signal due to cloud liquid, the polarization corrected temperature, is also tested.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0369
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of a Digital Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip for Automated Immunoassay with Magnetically Responsive Beads.
Creator: Sista, Ramakrishna, Palanki, Srinivas, Zheng, Jim, Telotte, John Charles, Chen, Ching Jen, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The emerging paradigm of lab-on-a-chip powered by microfluidics is expected to revolutionize miniaturization, automation and integration in the point-of-care centers which require quick, efficient and reproducible results. Furthermore, high throughput requirement from the life sciences laboratories have made the development of lab-on-a-chip a major area of research over the past few years. Immunoassays, which are routinely used to determine the concentrations of various analytes in life...
Show moreThe emerging paradigm of lab-on-a-chip powered by microfluidics is expected to revolutionize miniaturization, automation and integration in the point-of-care centers which require quick, efficient and reproducible results. Furthermore, high throughput requirement from the life sciences laboratories have made the development of lab-on-a-chip a major area of research over the past few years. Immunoassays, which are routinely used to determine the concentrations of various analytes in life sciences laboratories, are one of the most important laboratory tests that require efficient automation and integration. These are different from other laboratory tests in the clinical laboratories such as colorimetric tests because they involve formation of antibody-antigen complexes to generate a signal that can be measured. The immunoassays also involve the application of magnetically responsive beads to increase the surface area for the reactions thereby enhance the signal. Although miniaturization was started in the early 1990's there are no commercial devices that perform immunoassays involving magnetic beads. None of the state-of-the art commercial microfluidic technologies, which are based on continuous flow in etched microchannel, have been able to fully deliver the promised benefits of microfluidics. This is primarily due to their incompatability with common sample matrices and architectural inflexibility. Furthermore, the transport of the magnetic beads in microchannels is a difficult task in continuous mode of operation as magnetic susceptibility of the beads is rather weak and because of demagnetization of the particles. In this thesis, a droplet-based microfluidic lab-on-a-chip based on electrowetting actuation is developed to perform immunoassays using magnetic beads on human physiological samples. Biocompatibility of the electrowetting system is established by demonstrating repeatable and rapid transport of human physiological fluids such as whole blood, serum, proteins such as bovine serum albumin, antibodies for insulin and interleukin-6 and enzymatic reagents such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Various magnetic configurations for efficient attraction of the magnetic beads that assist in the washing are developed. Several parameters involved in washing magnetic beads are studied and the buffer for resuspending the beads, magnetic strength to attract the magnetic beads and concentration of beads to be used were established. An efficient protocol for washing magnetic beads on chip was developed with a bead retention efficiency of almost 100%. A complete magnetic immunoassay is performed on chip for Insulin and Interleukin-6. The least concentration of Insulin and IL-6 detectable on chip is 0.24 pg/μL and 4 fg/μL respectively. Standard curves are developed for both the analytes over a range of concentrations. The repeatability of the assays is established by performing the assay on different samples on different days and the standard error is shown to be less than 3%. Magnetic immunoassays on the droplet based lab-on-a-chip are also performed on serum for Insulin and IL-6 and it is shown that the results are comparable to data obtained via conventional laboratory analysis. This work represents the first demonstration of integrated and automated operation of a digital-microfluidic lab-on-a-chip for immunoassays involving magnetically responsive beads on clinically relevant sample matrices.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-1694
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Vision and the Effect of Spectral Environment on the Cone Photoreceptor Mosaic of the Bluefin Killifish, Lucania Goodei.
Creator: Moldstad, Amanda Joelle, Fadool, James M., Travis, Joseph, Olcese, James, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Previous studies have shown the bluefin killifish, Lucania goodei, to be a useful model for investigating the role of environment in driving visual system evolution and plasticity (Fuller et al 2003, 2004, 2005). Environmental plasticity in opsin expression and cone frequency has been demonstrated, but it is unclear how this variation is reflected in the retina. In an effort to determine when and how this plasticity is manifest, the retinal development and the cone photoreceptor mosaic of...
Show morePrevious studies have shown the bluefin killifish, Lucania goodei, to be a useful model for investigating the role of environment in driving visual system evolution and plasticity (Fuller et al 2003, 2004, 2005). Environmental plasticity in opsin expression and cone frequency has been demonstrated, but it is unclear how this variation is reflected in the retina. In an effort to determine when and how this plasticity is manifest, the retinal development and the cone photoreceptor mosaic of this fish were examined. Immunolabeling, a behavioral assay, RT-PCR, and in situ hybridization were used to characterize visual system development of the bluefin killifish and to describe the cone photoreceptor mosaic of fish reared in clear and tea-stained water. This study reveals that at the time of hatching, bluefin killifish possess a functional visual system, with cone photoreceptors present in the square mosaic pattern that will be maintained in the adult. This study demonstrates that the observed plasticity in levels of opsin expression does not correspond to plasticity in the cone photoreceptor mosaic. Rather, plasticity may reside at the level of opsin gene transcription, protein translation, or turnover.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2348
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of Writing: Key Components of Written Language.
Creator: Kantor, Patricia Thatcher, Wagner, Richard K., Foorman, Barbara, Schatschneider, Christopher, Maner, Jon, Kim, Young-Suk, Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study utilized confirmatory factor analyses and latent change score analyses to model individual and developmental differences in a longitudinal study of children's writing. Participants were 158 children who completed a writing sample each year from 1st through 4th grade. At all four time points, a four-factor model of writing provided the best fit to the data. The factors were macro-organization (presence of topic sentence, number of key elements, and order of ideas), productivity ...
Show moreThis study utilized confirmatory factor analyses and latent change score analyses to model individual and developmental differences in a longitudinal study of children's writing. Participants were 158 children who completed a writing sample each year from 1st through 4th grade. At all four time points, a four-factor model of writing provided the best fit to the data. The factors were macro-organization (presence of topic sentence, number of key elements, and order of ideas), productivity (number of words and number of unique words), complexity (average number or words per sentence and number of connectives), and vocabulary (average number of syllables and average number of characters per word, and percentage of multisyllabic words). The latent change score analyses demonstrated significant relations among the intercepts of macro-organization, productivity, and complexity factors, indicating that children with higher initial levels of one skill were also likely to have higher initial levels of the other. Productivity was also identified as a leading indicator of complexity, such that higher levels of productivity predicted subsequent increases in complexity over time.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5376
Format: Thesis

Title: Determining the Solution Conformational Entropy of Oligosaccharides: Isolating the Effects of Anomeric Configuration, Glycosidic Linkage, Degree of Polymerization, Linearity versus Cyclicity and Hydrogen Bonding.
Creator: Boone, Marcus Alexander, Striegel, André M., Collins, Emmanuel, Dorsey, John, Nymeyer, Hugh, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Oligosaccharides have various fundamental roles, ranging from providing nutritional and flavoring support to being involved in fertilization and parasite infection processes. Maltooligosaccharides are used heavily in the food and pharmaceutical industries, cellooligosaccharides have shown promise as prebiotic candidates, and cyclodextrins are potential candidates for drug delivery. Factors such as degree of polymerization and hydrogen bonding play key roles in the aforementioned processes and...
Show moreOligosaccharides have various fundamental roles, ranging from providing nutritional and flavoring support to being involved in fertilization and parasite infection processes. Maltooligosaccharides are used heavily in the food and pharmaceutical industries, cellooligosaccharides have shown promise as prebiotic candidates, and cyclodextrins are potential candidates for drug delivery. Factors such as degree of polymerization and hydrogen bonding play key roles in the aforementioned processes and phenomena. Other factors such as anomeric configuration have been shown to influence bacterial binding and docking, while the glycosidic linkage is known to be a factor in binding processes such as those related to the interspecies spreading of avian influenza virus. Our group has pioneered the use of size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) in investigating solution conformational entropy (∆S) of select O-linked disaccharides and their monosaccharide constituents. I recently expanded the scope of these investigations to quantitate the ∆S of several homologous series of oligosaccharides, malto- and cellooligosaccharides and cyclodextrins. By using SEC and appropriate selection of hydrogen-bond accepting or non hydrogen-bond accepting solvents, I was able to isolate and quantitate the individual contributions of degree of polymerization, anomeric configuration, linearity versus cyclicity, and hydrogen bonding to the solution conformational entropy of the oligosaccharides. Due to the importance of oligosaccharides in biomolecular recognition phenomena, the next step was to study oligosaccharides at quasi-physiological conditions, i.e., in an aqueous solvent, at 37° C, and at a pH of 7.39. In the final step of the research I isolated the effects of glycosidic linkage on solution conformational entropy. To this effect, I compared homologous series of α-(1→6) and β-(1→3) oligomers, individually, to their α-(1→ 4) and β-(1→4) counterparts, respectively. The α-(1→6) oligomers were the isomaltosides with DP 2-7, which were compared to the maltooligosaccharides. The β-(1→3) series examined were the laminarbiosides with DP 2-7, compared to the previously studied cellooligosaccharides.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-3533
Format: Thesis

Title: Deterministic and Stochastic Aspects of Data Assimilation.
Creator: Akella, Santharam, Navon, Ionel Michael, O'Brien, James J., Erlebacher, Gordon, Wang, Qi, Sussman, Mark, Department of Mathematics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The principles of optimal control of distributed parameter systems are used to derive a powerful class of numerical methods for solutions of inverse problems, called data assimilation (DA) methods. Using these DA methods one can efficiently estimate the state of a system and its evolution. This information is very crucial for achieving more accurate long term forecasts of complex systems, for instance, the atmosphere. DA methods achieve their goal of optimal estimation via combination of all...
Show moreThe principles of optimal control of distributed parameter systems are used to derive a powerful class of numerical methods for solutions of inverse problems, called data assimilation (DA) methods. Using these DA methods one can efficiently estimate the state of a system and its evolution. This information is very crucial for achieving more accurate long term forecasts of complex systems, for instance, the atmosphere. DA methods achieve their goal of optimal estimation via combination of all available information in the form of measurements of the state of the system and a dynamical model which describes the evolution of the system. In this dissertation work, we study the impact of new nonlinear numerical models on DA. High resolution advection schemes have been developed and studied to model propagation of flows involving sharp fronts and shocks. The impact of high resolution advection schemes in the framework of inverse problem solution/ DA has been studied only in the context of linear models. A detailed study of the impact of various slope limiters and the piecewise parabolic method (PPM) on DA is the subject of this work. In 1-D we use a nonlinear viscous Burgers equation and in 2-D a global nonlinear shallow water model has been used. The results obtained show that using the various advection schemes consistently improves variational data assimilation (VDA) in the strong constraint form, which does not include model error. However, the cost functional included efficient and physically meaningful construction of the background cost functional term, J_b, using balance and diffusion equation based correlation operators. This was then followed by an in-depth study of various approaches to model the systematic component of model error in the framework of a weak constraint VDA. Three simple forms, decreasing, invariant, and exponentially increasing in time forms of evolution of model error were tested. The inclusion of model error provides a substantial reduction in forecasting errors, in particular the exponentially increasing form in conjunction with the piecewise parabolic high resolution advection scheme was found to provide the best results. Results obtained in this work can be used to formulate sophisticated forms of model errors, and could lead to implementation of new VDA methods using numerical weather prediction models which involve high resolution advection schemes such as the van Leer slope limiters and the PPM.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0145
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of New Techniques for Assimilating Satellite Altimetry Data into Ocean Models.
Creator: Yu, Peng, O'Brien, James J., Zou, Xiaolei, Dewar, William K., Clarke, Allan J., Iverson, Richard, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: State of the art fully three-dimensional ocean models are very computationally expensive and their adjoints are even more resource intensive. However, many features of interest are approximated by the first baroclinic mode over much of the ocean, especially in the lower and mid latitude regions. Based on this dynamical feature, a new type of data assimilation scheme to assimilate sea surface height (SSH) data, a reduced-space adjoint technique, is developed and implemented with a three...
Show moreState of the art fully three-dimensional ocean models are very computationally expensive and their adjoints are even more resource intensive. However, many features of interest are approximated by the first baroclinic mode over much of the ocean, especially in the lower and mid latitude regions. Based on this dynamical feature, a new type of data assimilation scheme to assimilate sea surface height (SSH) data, a reduced-space adjoint technique, is developed and implemented with a three-dimensional model using vertical normal mode decomposition. The technique is tested with the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) configured to simulate the Gulf of Mexico. The assimilation procedure works by minimizing the cost function, which generalizes the misfit between the observations and their counterpart model variables. The "forward" model is integrated for the period during which the data are assimilated. Vertical normal mode decomposition retrieves the first baroclinic mode, and the data misfit between the model outputs and observations is calculated. Adjoint equations based on a one-active-layer reduced gravity model, which approximates the first baroclinic mode, are integrated backward in time to get the gradient of the cost function with respect to the control variables (velocity and SSH of the first baroclinic mode). The gradient is input to an optimization algorithm (the limited memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) method is used for the cases presented here) to determine the new first baroclinic mode velocity and SSH fields, which are used to update the forward model variables at the initial time. Two main issues in the area of ocean data assimilation are addressed: 1. How can information provided only at the sea surface be transferred dynamically into deep layers? 2. How can information provided only locally, in limited oceanic regions, be horizontally transferred to ocean areas far away from the data-dense regions, but dynamically connected to it? The first problem is solved by the use of vertical normal mode decomposition, through which the vertical dependence of model variables is obtained. Analyses show that the first baroclinic mode SSH represents the full SSH field very closely in the model test domain, with a correlation of 93% in one of the experiments. One common way to solve the second issue is to lengthen the assimilation window in order to allow the dynamic model to propagate information to the data-sparse regions. However, this dramatically increases the computational cost, since many oceanic features move very slowly. An alternative solution to this is developed using a mapping method based on complex empirical orthogonal functions (EOF), which utilizes data from a much longer period than the assimilation cycle and deals with the information in space and time simultaneously. This method is applied to map satellite altimeter data from the ground track observation locations and times onto a regular spatial and temporal grid. Three different experiments are designed for testing the assimilation technique: two experiments assimilate SSH data produced from a model run to evaluate the method, and in the last experiment the technique is applied to TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 altimeter data. The assimilation procedure converges in all experiments and reduces the error in the model fields. Since the adjoint, or "backward", model is two-dimensional, the method is much more computationally efficient than if it were to use a fully three-dimensional backward model.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0789
Format: Thesis

Title: Development of a DNA Probe Assay for Rare Transfer RNAs and Its Use in Measuring the Expression of the ArgX Gene in Escherichia Coli.
Creator: Cavnar, Katie, Reeves, Robert H., Keller, Thomas, Epstein, Lloyd, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In Escherichia coli, the argX gene is the first gene in a cluster with three other tRNA genes. The tRNA products of the three downstream genes, hisR, leuT and proM are abundant in E. coli, and all four of the tRNAs are processed from the same precursor RNA transcript. The argX promotor appears to be a strong promotor and is preceded by an Up element. By all accounts, the gene product of argX, tRNAarg3 should be a major tRNA. Like the three downstream genes in this cluster, argX must be...
Show moreIn Escherichia coli, the argX gene is the first gene in a cluster with three other tRNA genes. The tRNA products of the three downstream genes, hisR, leuT and proM are abundant in E. coli, and all four of the tRNAs are processed from the same precursor RNA transcript. The argX promotor appears to be a strong promotor and is preceded by an Up element. By all accounts, the gene product of argX, tRNAarg3 should be a major tRNA. Like the three downstream genes in this cluster, argX must be transcribed at a high level because of its location at the beginning of the gene cluster. However, tRNAarg3 is considered a rare tRNA in E. coli. Its low level is correlated with the low codon usage of its corresponding codon, CGG. It appears that the nucleotide sequence just upstream of argX can base pair with the 5'- end of the tRNA. This alternative secondary structure in the precursor RNA transcript may prevent the maturation of the tRNAarg3 by disrupting the base pairing of the aminoacyl-tRNA stem. This structure is required by ribonuclease P for maturation of the 5'-ends of all tRNAs and also prevents the 3'-exonucleases from digesting into the tRNA from the CCA (3'-) end. Different constructs of the argX gene have been cloned into high copy number plasmids. These constructs differ in the nucleotides just upstream of the argX gene. Deletion of nucleotides results in higher expression of tRNAarg3 and the loss of an alternative secondary structure involving the 5'–end of the tRNA. The data suggests alternative secondary structure formation during transcription may in part be responsible for tRNAarg3 abundance in E. coli. A tRNA assay has been developed to measure the levels of rare tRNAs from extracts. This assay is both sensitive and specific and demonstrates its ability to detect low levels of tRNAs.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4015
Format: Thesis

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